Is It Me or Has It Been An Off Week?

Greetings fellow alternative music lovers!

First off, my apologies for the campy, cliched opening line. It was the only way I could think of to start this entry of the blog. It's corny, somewhat stupid, and well... off.

Reading some of the latest musical news, I'd have to say that we are right in line with what's happening in the alternative rock as well as the rock world in general lately, at least in the past week or two. I've been glancing through Rolling Stone, Spin, Billboard, and a host of others. And all the stuff either in those rags or on the web, seems, well... off. What I mean by this, is that it's all been a bit weird. In some cases, it leaves me thinking, "Has it been THAT slow of a week guys?"

Here's a few examples...
- Highlights on J. Lo & Steven Tyler debuting on American Idol
- Lady Ga Ga speaking in Portland Maine... yes, Maine
- The top 10 Beatles songs of all time... haven't we been there before? A lot?

Moving forward, however, we did have some cool tasty features that emerged this week. One of the most awaited and anticipated was the new Kings of Leon single which we are featuring on 360 Degrees. We, like many people, are hoping the follow up disc is just as good as their last disc, but offers something different.

Another interesting article I read was about Nashville Tennessee. Apparently, that city is one of the hottest places for new alternative music. Yes, I thought the same thing... Nashville? The city has a fitting nickname: "Music City." While it's known as the capital of country music, iconic artists like Elvis, Johnny Cash, the Everly Brothers, and Bob Dylan all flocked to Nashville to record seminal albums. But the city is undergoing a rock renaissance. Big names like Paramore, Kings of Leon, and Jack White all call Nashville home, and outside the Grand Ole Opry, a young indie rock scene is blossoming.

The annual Next BIG Nashville summit -- which is currently in progress through October 2nd, celebrates all corners of the city's scene, and like the music it honors, the event is growing. This year, national acts like Yeasayer, Wavves, and RJD2 join a bill packed with about-to-break local acts that could soon step out of the shadows cast by Nashville's country music juggernaut. Some of these new acts will be hitting the airwaves shortly on 360 Degrees. Be sure to check them out!

While we're on the subject of new & exciting bands, here's a link to Billboard Magazine & their "Tastemakers" series of tunes & videos. This week features the band The Black Angels. The music is modern, but definitely has a 60's twist to it. I think you'll like it. It's just another example of how alternative music and it's influences spans the decades.

That's about all the time I have right now. Until next time...

Dave