The Whigs
Label: ATOGenre: Rock
I swear I must have llistened to "Right Hand on My Heart" a hundred times since I pulled it off the SXSW website a few weeks ago. The full-on power rock of Athens, GA's The Whigs is pure excitement, from the driving, droning guitars to the tight drumming, and then the bass kicks in, whoo wee. This is a great ride to be on, with a band that clearly has their skills and history down. Best song I've posted in 2008? Without a doubt.
Right Hand on My Heart [MP3, 4.8MB, 160kbps]
www.atorecords.com
www.thewhigs.com
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Mike Doughty
Label: ATOGenre: Folk, Pop
In my hotel of fond memories, Mike Doughty will always have a guaranteed late arrival, smoking-permitted Junior Executive Suite, complete with Heavenly Bed™ and a pillow mint. When I was a young player trying make it in the journalism game, Doughty was a consistently magical interview and overall nice guy. Also, unbeknownst to him, Doughty sparked the first major argument my wife and I ever had: About three hours into a five-hour road trip I popped in Irresistible Bliss. After a few songs, my then fiancee says, "Do we have to listen to this again?" To which I respond, "Listen, if I were a band, I'd be Soul Coughing. So get used to this." In the stuff of sitcoms, our pal Ned had to sit through the next two hours in the backseat, wishing he'd found a different ride. I'm happy to report that our marriage weathered that debate and that Doughty is back, badder and deffer than before. My man's talent still lies in his intrinsically rhythmic yarns, wherein he turns observational minutae into hypnotic commands through nasal, raspy repetition. But his writing has matured and the subway busker sound of his first solo effort has been replaced by some genuine instrumental weight, making Haughty Melodic sound bigger and warmer.
P.S. All you other Mike Doughtys are just imitating...
Looking at the World From the Bottom of a Well [MP3, 5.5MB, 192kbps]
Your Misfortune [MP3, 4.3MB, 192kbps]
27 Jennifers [MP3, 3.9MB, 192kbps]
The Only Answer [MP3, 3.0MB, 192kbps]
Thank You Lord, for Sending Me the F Train [MP3, 3.8MB, 192kbps]
www.atorecords.com
www.mikedoughty.com
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