This has been a big week for singer/songwriter Jay Brannan. First off, Jay released his first studio album in over two years, 'Always, Then, & Now'. I am still giving it a listen, and will have my thoughts about it to you soon. But Until that happens, I thought I would share another exciting part of the week, when Jay released the music video for the first single, "Square One". The song is classic Brannan, taking a smart and hard look at life as we know it, with sparse instrumentation that allows Jay's voice to truly shine. It also has his trademark self-deprecating eye, but there is also a new lightness, and maybe even a brightness from Jay. I have to admit, seeing a smile or two in the music video was a wonderful new image I could grow to love. Speak of love, I do really enjoy this song, and the music video enhances that feeling. The song will go into my July playlist, and I can't wait to hear it again. This is Jay Brannan with "Square One".
"Square One" can be found on Jay's latest release, 'Always, Then , & Now'. The album can be purchased from iTunes and Amazon. You can purchase autographed copies of the album, as well as other 'bundled' goodies at Jay's online Store. To learn more about Jay Brannan, visit his official website. Be sure to check out his touring schedule, as he is currently out there playing in support of the new album. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook.
I thought I would celebrate Mother's Day with a beautiful tribute from the very talented Jay Brannan. Back in 2008, Jay uploaded this clip of "Good Mother", the amazing song written and first performed by Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden. The song has such a poignant and touching sound in Brannan's care. Of course, it is hard to imagine what song would not sound great when sung by Jay. But for now, and for all the mother's out there, this is Jay Brannan singing "Good Mother".
You can find "Good Mother" on Jay's 2010 release, 'In Living Cover'. You can purchase the album or the song from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Jay Brannan on his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook. You can also visit Jay's online Store.
As Jay Brannan prepares to go back on the road, Jay has released a beautiful cover of "Wide Open Spaces", written by Susan Gibson, and originally performed by the Dixie Chicks. The song was the tittle cut off their 1998 album. Of course, the talented Brannan puts his own spin on the song, giving it a new life. And the beauty of his voice is inescapable.
I can't ever seem to get enough of Jay's music, and I have yet to hear an album I didn't love. If you liked this performance, you can find more great songs, both originals and covers, on Jay's album 'Live at Eddie's Attic'. You can purchase it on iTunes and Amazon. His most recent studio album is 'Rob Me Blind', also available on iTunes and Amazon. To l;earn more about Jay Brannan, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, or 'like' him on Facebook. At the end of the month, Jay will be kicking off his tour starting in Washington, DC. To find when Jay might be appearing new you, check out the widget below, or visit his 'Tour' page on his official website.
In keeping with my theme of cover songs today, I bring you one of the truly surprising and charming cover songs by singer/songwriter Jay Brannan. This time, Jay takes on Hip-Hop artist Nicki Minaj prior to her involvement with 'American Idol' on her wonderful song "Super Bass". Jay does it all with just his voice and acoustic guitar. I have seen Jay a couple of time, and his live shows never fail to impress me. His self-effacing humor, striking good looks, and interesting music all blend together to make a great evening. You can see it in this video, shot at a 2011 performance in New York City.
I am a huge fan of Jay's music, and recommend all his albums without hesitation. If you liked this performance, you can find Jay's cover of "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj on his album 'Live at Eddie's Attic'. You can purchase this collection of live performances on iTunes and Amazon. To l;earn more about Jay Brannan, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, or 'like' him on Facebook.
While I love Jay Brannan for great original music, he also has a certain way with a cover song that makes me wonder what I could hear tonight if I go to the World Cafe Live! in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at an early stop on his American Tour. He can come up with a song you might not expect, like "Fuckin' Perfect" by Pink.
One I am pretty sure he will sing is "Rob Me Blind", the new single off the new album of the same name. The new album is fantastic, and I am loving it. Here is the first video, for the title cut.
If you haven't already purchased Jay's amazing album, Rob Me Blind, you can find it on iTunes and Amazon. You can also buy it from Jay's online store, either Option A, the CD a download of his live album, or Option B, a bundle of the CD, live download, and a t-shirt. Jay is just starting the American leg of his tour, although he was recently in Europe and Australia. Jay will be touring near you soon, so check out his tour schedule here. For more about Jay, check out his official website, or follow him on Twitter.
Jay Brannan has released the new video off his latest release, "Rob Me Blind". The title cut off the new album is a dreamy exploration of love, allowing us to follow the machinations of a relationship, at least from Brannan's point of view. In the video, we see the chance meeting of Jay and a man in an elevator. There are some furtive glances from Jay, and as they travel to the 9th floor, we see various moments of a relationship. Enjoy watching "Rob Me Blind".
If you haven't already purchased Jay's amazing album, Rob Me Blind, you can find it on iTunes and Amazon. You can also buy it from Jay's online store, either Option A, the CD a download of his live album, or Option B, a bundle of the CD, live download, and a t-shirt. Jay is on tour now, currently in Australia. Jay will be touring near you soon, so check out his tour schedule here. For more about Jay, check out his official website, or follow him on Twitter.
The latest album from singer/songwriter Jay Brannan, Rob Me Blind, is now available. As far as I am concerned, whenever Jay releases something, it is a "must have" for me, and anyone else who loves music. I am so convinced of this, I pre-ordered the album, and got it in the mail on Tuesday. And have loved it since. There is no mistaking the sound and specialness of Jay's voice, the the skillful way he uses it. And, should I fail to mention it elsewhere, he is quite handsome, too!
Everywhere There's Statues kicks off the album with a common theme in Jay's work, the feeling of futility when looking for love. It is lovely yet heartbreaking. That is followed by Beautifully, the lead single released earlier. Check out the music video, so damn good.
That is followed by The Spanglish Song, which is stunning, carrying such strength at the core of the song. With Rob Me Blind, Jay reminds me of the brilliance of Joni Mitchell, with amazing harmonic structures. This song often takes my breath away. Then we have Greatest Hits. No, it's a song, not a collection. Check out the video.
There is a lightness and sense of humor displayed with La La La. I love it when Jay get's a bit mischievous. Jay reaches down deep to write the haunting Denmark. Check it out being played here live.
To learn more about Jay Brannan, visit his official website. You can also get in touch with him on Facebook and Twitter. And he has t-shirts and other stuff available at his online store. With the Deluxe Bundle and the T-shirt CD Bundle, you get a download card with a code so you can get a free copy of Jay singing live at Eddie's Attic in Atlanta. This includes some fan favorites, as well as some new songs off Rob Me Blind. As well as two surprising cover songs.
At the moment, that is the only way to get this excellent collection is via a bundle. But you can and should find Rob Me Blind on iTunes and Amazon. Let me know if you can stop listening to it, cause I can't...
The time is now, people, the time is now. The ever-so-talented Jay Brannan has a new album coming out, titled Rob Me Blind. In my own humble opinion, you can never go wrong with a purchase of Jay's music. Rob Me Blind is due out on March 27th, a date you should have marked on your calendar. I know I have. However, you can get a jump on things, and pre-order the album. And being the guy that Jay is, he has not only made it easier to do, but offers a couple of alternatives from which you can choose. But before we get to that, I am going to offer the first video from the album. Here is Jay singing the amazing Beautifully, the first single.
I love Jay's music, and have had the thrill of seeing him performing live, in Philadelphia and Annapolis. He is every bit as good live as he is recorded, something I just love. I have all his music, and just love it all. Now, Jay has made it easy to order Rob Me Blind on his website here. There are a couple of options, from pre-ordering on iTunes, to three other different packages that include various music and other Jay-related treats.
For $10, you can get the album from iTunes. For $12, you can get the new album and a specially produced live album. For $25, you can get Rob Me Blind, Live at Eddie's Attic, and a fantastic t-shirt designed and produced for this offer! And, for $40, you can all of the above, plus autographed liner notes, and a canvas poster, and, get this, a limited edition lip balm! No, really! I have placed my order, and you should, too. Wait, you need more convincing? Really? How about a sneak peak at another song on the album? Here is the song Greatest Hits.
And isn't he just so damned handsome on the covers of these records? So, you can get all of this through the website here. You can get to the iTunes per-order here. You can get the single version of Beautifully on iTunes here and on Amazon here.
I have seen Jay Brannan live a couple of times, and if you haven't, you really should. He is incredible, and also charming as hell. My fascination with all things Brannan started on YouTube, where he perfected to self-promotion of his music with amazing ease. He would shoot videos of himself playing his music in his bathroom, or in his kitchen - wherever, really - and post them. Soon, he had more and more people appreciating his amazing tone and truly interesting phrasing, and his career was born. But first, there was the music, with songs like Half-Boyfriend.
The boy has such a sweet texture to his voice, and it seemed perfectly suited to doing a cover of Zombie by The Cranberries. Give this a listen, and tell me you don't want to run out and buy that album? That's what I thought...
I made my vote today in Townsend, Delaware, and am proud to have done so. Makes me think of some of the great folk songs of the past, especially the great Bob Dylan's Blowing In The Wind. Here is a beautiful cover by Jay Brannan.
As the talented singer/songwriter prepares for a tour of the UK, he released some new videos on YouTube I thought I would share with you. If you would like to check out the tour dates, click to my post here. Both songs are covers of Sinead O'Connor songs, and exceptionally good. The first is Troy, released in 1987.
The other is from the 1990 release I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. No, it is not Nothing Compares 2U, it is Black Boys On Mopeds. Enjoy.
Jay Brannan recently started a new tour, and I thought I would mention the dates, cause if you have a chance to see him live, I would say you should. He is amazing live, his voice lovely and clear, and a charm all his own. I have seen him twice, and loved it both times.
Here is a clip of Jay singing the Cranberries classic Zombie live. Lord, when he sings this, I get chills. For more about Jay Brannan, check out his official website here.
Like many people, I happened across Jay Brannan on YouTube, and loved what he was doing. He wanted to be an actor, and has, in fact, appeared in a few films, including Shortbus and Holding Trevor, and was very good in them. But he also played the guitar, and essentially began his career as a singer/songwriter posting videos on YouTube that were shot in his NYC apartment, and created a fanbase. I've seen him twice in performance, and both times he was exceptional. While most of his videos are of the homemade variety, the also has done some with slightly higher production values. That includes the video for Housewife, one the fan favorites.
Jay's self-deprecating humor is a mainstay in both his live shows and his online shows. Jay will often pop onto Justin.TV and play some songs, or wash the dishes, you never can tell. However, he is always entertaining. The following is the video for Can't Have It All, another fantastic song.
For more great information, check out Jay's official website here.
On March 29, 1982, a baby boy was born in Texas. That child grew up wanting to be an actor, but also played the guitar. His first movie was Shortbus, which also included him singing the song 'Soda Shop,' the point of interest for many of his early his fans. Brannan utilized MySpace and YouTube to keep his fanbase strong and growing, releasing self-shot videos that captured his clean vocals and guitar. His own videos are often informal mini-concerts, just a boy, his guitar, and a webcam. I have seen Jay twice in concert, in Philly and in Annapolis. Like many of the artists I cover here, he is just phenomenal live - the Philly concert with him and Aiden James was outta this world. To celebrate his birthday, I thought I would pick out some of my favorite YouTube clips, and put them here. For today, I will eschew the 'official' videos and just lay it down, Jay-style. Just a word of warning, these videos are uncensored, and Jay has no problem dropping the f-bomb.
Goddamned
Both Hands (Ani Difranco cover)
String-A-Long Song
Body's A Temple
Visit Jay at his official website here. Perhaps the best birthday present would be buying his music. Well, I have already purchased all that he has put out, so I will have to settle for a hearty 'Happy Birthday, Jay!'
I thought we might go on a little tour of Dublin with Jay Brannan, a Soundtrack favorite, as he arrives there for a gig. We are on the plane with him, do a quick tour, and then go to Crawdaddy's with him. There is a taste of the other acts playing there, and finally we get to see him play Molly Malone in Dublin. Dear God, that boy has such a gorgeous voice.
For more on Jay, visit his official website here. If you like his voice, buy his music, and go see him performing live when he is in your area. He will not disappoint.
This week, American Idol Season 9 debuts on Tuesday, January 12 on Fox. The show will begin with the audition rounds, this year kicking off with the Boston auditions. Like last year, my friend Rickey from Rickey.Org has asked me to write recaps of the performance shows, which normally don't start until the second week of February. I won't be recapping the auditions - I think there are way too many untalented people looking for their 15-minutes of fame, so I will start with the actual competition rounds.
Like last season, I plan to be writing them as the show is happening, giving my appraisal of the performances, and try to post them within 15-20 minutes of the completion of the show. This year, they will be posted to my blog, and Rickey will link to them on his AI Super-site as well. As Rickey posts the performances, I will try to set the links in the post as well. Hopefully, all will go smoothly.
To celebrate AI9 starting this week, I offer you Jay Brannan's song American Idol, as posted by Jay himself on YouTube in January of 2007.
Jay Brannan is offering a song as a Christmas present to fans, old and new. The song is Ever After Happily, originally offered as a bonus track on an iTunes purchase. The download will be available today, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 23-25, 2009. I know I rushed to download it, as I didn't have it, having purchased the physical CD for Goddamned. Now I have it! Here is a live version of the song.
So, if you want to complete your collection, or just give Jay's music a try, this is a perfect opportunity for you! Click here to start the download process!
Singer/songwriter Jay Brannan has decided to give 20% of all the purchases on his Bandcampp site to AIDS research. So, if you ever thought you were going to buy his music, now would be a great time. Click here to find Christmas Really Sucks, and on the right side of the screen there is also links to a FREE download of Soda Shop, the song he sang in the movie Shortbus, as well as his four-song EP Unmastered, with the cover of the hottie in a hoodie. The E has great songs on it, like Half-Boyfriend and Body's A Temple. You can name your price, but keep in mind 20% is going to charity, so don't be stingy! Jay will be donated to AIDS Research Alliance, found here.
Doesn't Jay make an adorable elf? You can find out more about Jay at his official website here. Jay also has an excellent recent release In Living Cover you can check out on the website.
There were several big things going on this past week, and I figured I would share the news with you all. Plenty of news on music releases and purchase opportunities, and live shows I am attending for Christopher Dallman, Jay Brannan, Eric & the Adams, Daniel Cartier, Casey Stratton and Tom Goss.
Christopher Dallman recently released his fantastic EP, Never Was. It is now available on iTunes, and you can purchase it here. The four-song EP has scored a perfect 5-star rating with everyone who has reviewed it so far, including myself. And Christopher has another EP coming out soon. Can't tell you how excited I am.
Jay Brannan offers his own particular brand of Christmas cheer with the release of his holiday single, Christmas Really Sucks. It is available on iTunes, and you can get it here. Jay had a big week, as he went all fangirly when he was going to see The Cranberries in concert. The incredible Dolores O'Riordan took his CD and actually waved it around as she sang. How knew it was possible, but I think Jay was not only happy, but excited!
Eric & the Adams released their first video at a party in Tulsa. The video, for the song Every Move. They had a great party, and it was covered by JabberBoxTV. I posted the video earlier here, so here is a report from the party in Tulsa. Angel has some excellent hosting duties!
I also discovered one of my favorite artists [cut me a break, I have many - including the artists listed above] Daniel Cartier, has a couple of releases lined up. There is a Christmas release ready very soon for the holiday season, a collection of cover songs due out in early January, and an album of new songs, entitled Redemption, due out in the new year as well. You can order any or all of them here. The following is Daniel doing an acoustic cover of Under The Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Casey Stratton had a concert recently at the Bitter End in NYC [and I am a little bitter I missed it, but I digress]. Anyway, the recording of the show is available for purchase through Casey's website. There are nine great songs, and you can buy them here. Casey performs a combination of some old and new songs, and one of the classics is Blood. Here is a performance from a couple of years ago.
Aiden James has his latest, Live At The Tin Angel, recorded at a concert in Philly I attended and I already have my copy. It is exceptional, and you can listen to and buy it here. Aiden has a show on the schedule for January and I plan to go.
I am going to see Tom Goss performing live at the World Cafe Live in Philly on Sunday. Tom is promoting his latest release, Back To Love. It is an impressive album, and you can purchase the mp3's here for under $9. Tom's video Till The End has been nominated for Click List Video of the Year, you can vote here. Actually, you can vote for several musicians on that list that have appeared on this blog: Telling On Trixie, Jay Brannan, Gregory Douglass, Toby Madigan, Levi Kreis, Ari Gold, Guy B, and Josh Zuckerman.
Handsome Jay Brannan went to see The Cranberries in concert yesterday, and I was following his Twitter and giggling to myself as I watched a singer/songwriter go all fangrllllly over a favorite of his.
I remember the first time I went to see Jay in concert, and was so excited I would finally get to see the guy live I had loved on YouTube and on CD. So seeing him so on edge just warms my heart. Once he got home, he did a YouTube video as he basked in the post-Cranberries glow.
