VIII – 12.29.08

Welcome to the latest edition of the VIII, where, as before, I’ll be featuring eight different performers, currently on the move, whom I have enjoyed in the past, with a few recent discoveries as well.

I discovered Sacha Sacket and the LadyKillers recently and reviewed them on my LGBT online magazine, OutImpact.com, and they have quickly become one of my favorites, with combination of styles ranging from U2 and Coldplay to Rufus Wainwright. An interestinf fact is that their album, Live at The Zone, was recorded live at a sex club in Los Angeles. “Desire” (from said album) is my favorite pick, with the lyrics and the great electric guitar/piano accompaniment: “She said, ‘It’s madness to go on with this / Shell out my soul to hear what’s wrong with it / Before this eternal self-consciousness / I had a point of view, but now it’s shit'”

Official Digs: Web site, MySpace

Karma‘s “Shoreline”, a random MySpace find, is a nice, fun, easy-going jazz-groove instrumental. Karma is on Compost Records in Germany, and you can get the free download and listen to some great relaxing music at www.compost-rec.com.

Official Digs: MySpace

I decided to double-up on Sacha Sacket (because really I can’t get enough) for this show because “I Just Can’t” is a must-hear. This song will be relatable to anyone who lives a busy life and has tried to make it work with someone who couldn’t understand. I can say I’ve found myself in that situation. Here is a video on YouTube of Sacha performing the song live.

The latest hip thing to do is cover Britney Spears’ “Womanizer”, and Germany’s Timid Tiger does a great job of making the cover their own, giving it an electronic-hip-hop-soul spin and for those of you who don’t like Britney, you will ikely prefer this version.

Official Digs: Web site, MySpace

Katie Melua‘s cover of the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” brings an acoustic/jazz flavor and vulnerability and sexuality to a timeless track. Katie (also hailing from the UK) is quite remarkable—in 2006, she had a Dutch tulip named in her honor, toured America coast to coast, raced at 160mph around Grand Prix circuit Silverstone, flew a plane, launched Save The Children’s “Rewrite the Future” campaign, made the headlines with a Guinness World Record for the deepest concert when she performed 303 meters beneath the North Sea in the leg of a gas rig and was awarded the World Music Award for Britain’s Biggest Selling Female. Not bad at all for someone in her early 20s. Check her out, she’s definitely special.

Official Digs: Web site, MySpace

Switching it up to some good indie, feel-good reggae, check out North Carolina-based Blue Marble Beat‘s “Love 2Day”. For those of you who don’t know, the Cary/Chapel Hill/RDU area of NC has always been a great pulse for indie music. They sent me an add request on my personal MySpace, so I decided to check them out; the simple message of this song is very easy to enjoy.

Official Digs: Web site, MySpace

I’m becoming a fan of tribal drumming, and I’ve just been introduced to Mamady Keita. Check out his AMAZING “Djole”.

Official Digs: Web site

I wanted to close off this column with someone doing a Coldplay cover, and I chose Alejandro Manzano and Fabian Manzano of Boyce Avenue covering “Viva La Vida”. It’s a great cover, while still staying true to the original sound.

Official Digs: Web site, YouTube, MySpace

Thank you for reading, be sure to hear my new corresponding radio show of the same name, at The V at IRABBroadcasting.com, every Saturday at 8p EST. You’ll hear these great artists featured here every week. Keep rocking out and keep supporting up-and-coming artists.