Xoe Wise: Chicago Dream Pop Artist Plays Sept. Shows at The Living Room and The National Underground

DOWNLOAD: Xoe Wise - "Echo" (from Xoe's 2010 CD Echo)

Chicago Innerview described dream-pop artist Xoe Wise as "the singer/songwriter and pop counterpart to Columbia native Chaz Bundick’s (a.k.a. Toro Y Moi) laconic chill-wave synth ballads. Both share an evanescent “dreaminess,” as if washing in the aquamarine surf of their native environs."

Xoe will be playing two NYC shows next month: 9/7 @ The Living Room (9:30PM set time) and 9/9 @ The National Underground (8PM set time). Xoe is touring behind the critically acclaimed album Echo and she has shared the stage in the past with John Legend, Colbie Caillat, Lisa Loeb, Greg Laswell and Andrew Belle.

The first video from Echo was for the song "Before Waves" (below) and Xoe talked about the story behind the video late last year with OurStage.com.



OurStage: You have a music video for the song “Before Waves.” Can you tell us the story behind the video?

Xoe Wise: The song “Before Waves” regards a love story where two people fall in love by the ocean. The lovers do not realize their connection to the warm air and sea until returning to where they first met. I think we constantly do this in life. We feel something and then explore it more and watch our heart expand its senses to other beauties of the earth. Things we don’t even realize impact us, will resonate in our souls and play a role in our destiny. The video was directed by Ryan Eakins with help editing from his friend Lev. Ryan and my God moms and my friend Casey contributed to stunning ideas like Ryan’s concept of our walk creating words. The idea of our journey painting love in sand absolutely parallels this love story. Emily Blood is a character in the video who not only did beautifully on camera but is one of the most hilarious and life filled people I’ve met. Her presence added to what love is.

Links:
Xoe Wise

James Apollo Plays NYC on Sept. 10th and 11th // New Disc Out Oct. 12th

Pray for Rain - James Apollo by CrashAvenue
DOWNLOAD: James Apollo - "I've Got It Easy" (Live on the BBC)
STREAM: James Apollo - "Morphine and Wine" (Live on KEXP)

James Apollo has been on the road since his sixteenth birthday and his music reflects a drifter's view of the backroads and highways of the world. This is classic Americana with both Bob Dylan and Tom Waits being easy points of comparison.

In support of his upcoming release Til Your Feet Bleed (due out October 12th), James is playing free shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn on September 10th and 11th.

Friday, September 10th
James Apollo
The Living Room
154 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
free / 8pm doors / 10pm set / 21+

Saturday, September 11th
James Apollo
w/ Numbers and Letters
Pete's Candy Store
709 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211-1312
free / 8pm show start / 9pm set / 21+



Links:
James Apollo

Dare Dukes + the Blackstock Collection Play The Living Room on Thurs., Jan. 28th

DOWNLOAD: Dare Dukes + the Blackstock Collection - "Old West Broad" (rough cut)

Savannah, Georgia's Dare Dukes released his well-received debut CD, Prettiest Transmitter of All, in 2008 and he is road-testing some new material prior to going into the studio this summer to record his second disc.

Here is one of the press quotes for Prettiest Transmitter of All:

"Four stars...[Dukes'] melodies are hook-laden but intricate. If forced to choose between a major or minor chord, Dare always chooses the less obvious and more interesting latter...Like [Vic] Chestnutt, he shows a deep affinity for the strangeness and eccentricities in people. The people in Dukes' songs are not losers per se; they are just different, kind of like we all are. And Dukes loves them for that, which makes it very easy to in turn love Dukes."
—Al Kaufman, Atlanta Music Guide, December 10, 2008

Dare is playing The Living Room on Thursday, January 28th. Dare's set is at 10PM and cover is $7.00.



Links:
Dare Dukes' MySpace Profile

Kate Kavnevik: Norwegian Elctronica/Trip-Hop Artist Plays The Living Room Tomorrow Night, May 11th

Norwegian tranplant Kate Kavnevik is playing an acoustic show tomorrow night at The Living Room.

Kate is currently finishing her follow-up to 2006's Melankton. Spin Magazine described Melankton as a "glowing, mostly electronic set more in time with Björk, moving swiftly from gorgeous strings that wail like sirens to Havnevik's breathy, meditative melisma."

The break-out track from this release was "Unlike Me" which was used in Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy.



Links:
Kate Havnevik's MySpace Profile
Kate Havnevik's YouTube Channel