UPCOMING LOS ANGELES SHOWS OF NOTE (...in case you're not used to seeing these posted on the righthand side of the blog):

31-May - Quincy Coleman - Temple Bar
31-May - Cydney Robinson - Bordello
5-June - Elizabeth & The Catapult - Hotel Cafe
6-June - Buddy - Silverlake Lounge
7-June - Ingrid Michaelson - Hotel Cafe
7-June - Castledoor - Silverlake Lounge
8-June - A Fine Frenzy (Virgin) - Viper Room
12-June - White Rabbits - Cinespace
13-June - Meiko (album release) - Hotel Cafe
14-June - The Mother Hips - Echoplex
14-June - Simon Lynge - Hotel Cafe
21-June - Kate Walsh - Hotel Cafe
22-June - Britny Fox w/ Enuff Z'nuff (..HA!) - Troubadour
25-June - Barcelona - Troubadour

NO SECOND TROY (no label, no publisher, no management, no lawyer) -- Here's a Washington D.C.-based band that's got a great little DiY thing happening. They've taken advantage of just about every opportunity for awareness-building in their hometown and word is spreading organically throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Great press, music on sale at all the usual online outlets, good web presence -- all on their own. No Second Troy was the featured artist on XM Radio's "R.A.D.A.R. Report" this past week -- show host Billy Zero has been supporting them for quite some time. Peep the MySpace page to hear songs -- really well done. The group will kick off a mini-tour down of Charlotte, Richmond and Raleigh in a few weeks to support the self-release of their new album.

CHECK IT OUT! The folks at the IndieHQ blog did a little interview with us...

Read it HERE!

TALENTFILTER ARTIST UPDATE -- LOS ANGELES ARTISTS A'BUZZIN'!

L.A. songstress Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy), signed to Virgin, has reportedly signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell...

L.A. singer/songwriter Andrew Paul Woodworth, has completed recording his debut album, titled Eddy Ate Dynamite -- he's licensed the album to indie Rodeostar in Germany, but he's available for signing worldwide ex-mainland Europe. Andrew is also available for publishing AND management...

L.A. singer/songwriter Meiko has completed recording her debut album, mixed by Bryan Cook (Inara George, Gary Jules) and the track "Piano Song" has been receiving radio support from Nic Harcourt on KCRW -- Meiko is available for signing and publishing...

Five-piece unsigned L.A. Rock act Maximillion hit #25 on FMQB's Alt Specialty chart this week...

SCOTT FISHER & 1AM APPROACH (unsigned, unpublished) -- MediaGuide reports that Scott Fisher & 1a.m. Approach is the Top New Entry on their Unsigned Radio Airplay chart this week. The song garnering airplay is "See The Day" -- very Jack Johnson/Dave Matthews-y. We like. So does Haley Jones, the APD/MD from tastemaker Seattle AAA station KMTT -- she says, "Scott Fisher’s music is fresh and different. We are excited to feature him on our 'Mountain Music Lounge' and look forward to spreading the word. Take a listen...Fisher is really something special."
Scott splits his time between Portland, OR and Los Angeles. Four songs from his album, Step Into The Future, are featured on his MySpace page.

SOCIAL GHOST (unsigned, unpublished) -- Florida trio Social Ghost is currently #10 on the PureVolume unsigned band chart. Really really solid, radio-friendly Rock-Alt songs. They've recently completed a 4-song EP with producer Justin Thomas (Dark New Day, Faktion) and mixer Pete Thornton (Paramore, Shinedown) and have a series of shows lined up in the Orlando area.

NEW UNSIGNED ACTS ADDED ON "UNDISCOVERED" HD RADIO STATION -- Here's a list of unsigned acts recently added into rotation on Clear Channel's "Undiscovered" HD Radio station: (intheclear), 2nd Half, Animal Alpha, Annie Minogue Band, Barcelona, Buddy, Chandelle, Chapter 11, Choir Boy, Cinjun Tate, Darrell Scott, Deccatree, Elizabeth and the Catapult, The Hampdens, The Hedrons, Hensley, Jake Dynnis, Jim Bianco, Joe Purdy, John James Newman, Linda Strawberry, Lukewarm Freeda, Mother Superior, Shannon Eileen, The Swear, Upside, Verra Cruz, World Without Sundays...
Stream the station HERE

INGRID MICHAELSON (unsigned, unpublished) -- Here's an artist we've been following for quite some time in the TALENTfilter batcave. Songs from her most recent LP, Girls And Boys, have appeared in THREE episodes of Grey's Anatomy, two epps of One Tree Hill and The Real World: Denver, three epps of The Bad Girls' Club and a Canadian Chevy TV ad. Ingrid has also written a track especially for next week's Grey's Anatomy, which will be used in the closing scene, and will appear on the upcoming Grey's sountrack (in stores in Sept.).

How many of your signed artists have had placement success like that?

Her music is regularly played on major market AAA stations including WFUV New York, WXPN Philly, WUMB Boston, WYEP Pittsburgh, KBCO Denver and on XM's "Hear Music" channel and albums are on sale at iTunes and CD Baby.

All of this begs the question: What would an artist like this POSSIBLY get out of signing with a label or publisher at this point?

Tawkamongstyisselves.

New York peeps should check her show out May 25 at the Knitting Factory ...L.A. folks can catch her at the Hotel Cafe on June 7.

UNSIGNED TORONTO HIP-HOP ARTIST WINS YAHOO!/UNIVERSAL CONTEST -- (from www.allaccess.com) -- After 500 video uploads and 250,000 streams, more than 30,000 Canadians voted to determine Seazon (real name Shaun Boothe) as the first prize winner of the YAHOO! Universal "Up Yours" online Music competition.

YAHOO! Canada and Universal Music Canada teamed up to give independent musicians a shot at stardom by uploading their videos onto the "Up Yours" microsite www.upyourmusic.ca.

According to that website, Seazon wins a grand prize of: an "opportunity for a deal" with Universal Music Canada (huh?); 30 hours of studio time at Metalworks Studios; a $10,000 CDN scholarship to the Metalworks Institute, lots of new gear and $10,000 CDN cash. Check this out: "The potential winner will be required to sign a declaration and release form and correctly answer a mathematical skill testing question before being awarded the Grand Prize." Hmm. Anyway, here's the winning video:

According to MediaGuide, unsigned Boston-based five-piece The Everyday Visuals is the #3 most-played unsigned band on terrestrial radio this week (MC Lars and Clap Your Hands Say YeahThings Will Look Up LP, is the song gaining traction with the radio kids. If you're a fan of acts like REM, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Counting Crows, Soul Asylum, etc. (all listed as influences on the band's MySpace page), we think you'll dig these guys.
In case you're unaware of Mediaguide, they electronically monitor close to 2,500 radio stations (college, non-comm and commercial) across the United States 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Good little research tool to have for a label geek.

TALENTFILTER ARTIST UPDATE -- The San Fernando Valley-based goth-rock-popsters Dommin (originally tipped in early February) will perform at the Roxy in L.A. on Saturday, May 12. Rumor has it that more than one 'staffer-of-importance' from Roadrunner will be flying in from New York to see them live. This would be a smart signing. On their own, the band has procured specialty show radio airplay on major market commercial Stateside outlets including KROQ Los Angeles, WFNX Boston, KUPD Phoenix, KUSF San Francisco, KTCL Denver, WXDX Pittsburgh, KIOZ San Diego, KVGS Las Vegas and XM Satellite Radio (among others)...



L.A.-based singer-songwriter Meiko (also tipped in Feb.) has been the topic of conversation at many a major label / publisher meeting as of late. The Georgia native is wrapping up the recording of what will be her debut nine-song LP with producer Will Golden. Bryan Cook is mixing. A little birdie tells us that one publishing deal is already on the table. DO NOT SLEEP on this one. Meiko will perform at the Hotel Cafe on May 18.

THE HAMPDENS -- (unsigned, unpublished) -- Some TALENTfilter readers may already be aware of the Australian group The Hampdens -- they've been around for about five years, after all. Most of that time was spent Down Under, however, so if you're not up on your Aussie music, The Hampdens might be new to you. Since 2003, the group has released three EP's -- 2003's Brightness Falls, 2004's Even World (both through Sony AU), and 2005's So Young It Hurts (through indie Rubber Records). They've toured Oz with the likes of Evermore, Missy Higgins, Little Birdy, and even joined John Mayer on a recent Australian trek. The band recently finished recording their debut full-length, titled The Last Party, with producer Victor Van Vugt (Beth Orton, PJ Harvey) and they'll tour Australia through the summer (with Thirsty Merc) to support it.
File The Hampdens with Zero 7, Mazzy Star and the like. They're not really re-inventing the wheel, but there's always plenty of room for more of the 'sexy-time music' -- and a smart label will pick them up for the potential film/TV synchs alone! Check out the band's video for a song called "Croupier":

ZOINKS!! TALENTFILTER GETS MENTIONED IN OTHER BLOGS! Hot damn! People are looking at this thing! Check out Hypebot.com to read a piece about us ...Coolfer.com gave us some props this week as well.

UPCOMING LOS ANGELES SHOWS OF NOTE
(we only list 'cuz we love):

5-May - American Eyes - Key Club
7-May - Pan America - Troubadour
11-May - Jessie Baylin - Hotel Café
12-May - Everything Is Energy - Dragonfly
12-May - Dommin - Roxy
14-May - Dirty Little Secret - Viper Room
15-May - The Tender Box / Astra Heights - Key Club
17-May - Monte Negro - Knitting Factory
18-May - Meiko - Hotel Café
18-May - Brian Wright - Hotel Café
23-May - Anya Marina - Hotel Café
26-May - The Hero Factor - Knitting Factory
27-May - Meiko - Hotel Café
27-May - Sonia Leigh - Hotel Café
31-May - Quincy Coleman - Temple Bar

MORE MUSEXPO HIGHLIGHTS -- We caught the last night of showcases -- pretty decent stuff. Unfortunately missed the first act, Norwegian singer Marit Larsen, who by all accounts did quite well ...Up next was a set from London four-piece Apartment (signed to indie label Filthy Lucre). Pretty good show, actually -- they've got a couple of songs that could do well on radio Stateside and overseas ...Tiny Dancers, also from the UK (signed to Parlophone) played next --decked out in LOTS of polyester. Their 60's pop style was certainly refreshing -- They'd be a good tour opener for Mika (overheard one conference-goer calling them "Brady Buncharific") ...Super 700, an unsigned septet from Berlin featuring three SEXY singing sisters, impressed as well. the set grew a bit tiring after a while (could have been the drinks kicking in), but a band like this could have marginal success on the college/indie/hipster level -- get 'em a couple of on-screen appearances in U.S. TV shows and that could take them over the edge, perhaps. Ending the night was a performance from French singer SoShy, who has performed at previous MUSEXPO conferences. She's getting more and more comfortable onstage, and her new backing band features some real pros. SoShy is signed to Sony and is readying her debut LP for a Summer release.

MUSEXPO 2007 SHOWCASE HIGHLIGHTS THUS FAR -- Figured we'd take some time to mention the noteworthy performances from artists playing at the third annual MUSEXPO conference...

Skipped night #1 altogether, as it was Sunday and we were still in the desert at Coachella...
We did hear from friends that Bitter:Sweet was quite good (signed to the indie Quango in the States, but available for licensing ex-U.S., as well as publishing [hello synchable music!!] and booking)

Night #2 highlights: L.A. based songstress Alison Sudol and her band A Fine Frenzy played to a PACKED Viper Room... this girl is fantastic, and apparently Jason Flom's big priority for the year. We can only hope that they don't overwork this girl -- she's 22, this is her first album, she's got limited touring/live performance experience, and it'd be a shame to see her burn out. Best idea is to send her down to the O.C., or up to Santa Barbara, or out to (gag) Riverside, let her loosen up and have some fun onstage -- make her remember why she's doing this and that it's not all "you've gotta play for some industry douchebags again tonight". Our two cents, anyway. A Fine Frenzy's publishing is still available as far as we know (music supervisors love her already -- this one's a no-brainer).
Also playing to a packed Viper Room was Dublin, Ireland's Laura Izibor. Been following this girl's progress for quite some time. Signed to Jive, A&R guy left, got out of the deal, got re-signed by the same A&R guy (Steve Lunt) at Atlantic, readying a release. Laura is another great talent. Alicia Keys minus the bling. Fingers crossed that Atlantic works her album in the States --It'll connect. They WILL fuck it up, though, if they 'ghetto-ize' her. No need for a collab with T.I. here. This is raw, timeless talent. We predict big things.
Across at the Roxy, a seven-piece Danish band called Dune (dew-NAY) was quite impressive. All band members are teenagers and the singer Mattias Kolstrup is a little ROCK star! He looks (and sounds) as if he may not have hit puberty yet, which will obviously present a problem in a few years, but they were tight, and had songs that could certainly translate outside of their home country. Dune is available for signing, licensing and publishing.

Night #3: Not too impressed with much. Skybombers, from Australia, were decent -- like a sloppy, raw Jet. Four Day Hombre, from Leeds, were OK. The Honeys, who came in all the way from China, played in front of a smaller crowd than we're sure they had hoped, and the language barrier will turn out to be a bit of a problem. If they decide to spend some time on the road in the U.S. or even the UK, they could get the hang of how things work and do well.

Tonight is the final night -- we'll give a full report tomorrow!