“The artist is the creator of beautiful things. Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.”
- Wilde, Oscar.

Dorian’s Gray exists to reveal beauty, truth, and art. Their lyrics are often sexually liberating, at other times satirical, and often designed to expose religious hypocrisy. While their music is not designed for any grand socio-political purpose, the artists are not afraid to speak out for what they believe in. With passionate lyrics, gut-wrenching vocals, pulsing synths, devastating bass-lines, and blood-spattering beats, the beauty that is Dorian’s Gray is music for the elect, to whom beautiful things mean only beauty. Dorian’s Gray is a group of artistic individuals working together to create something beautiful through their musical talents. The result is a sound that is entirely their own, somewhere in the gray area between industrial rock, electro, EBM (Electronic Body Music), and trip hop.

"All art is at once surface and symbol"
- Wilde, Oscar.

Dorian’s Gray represents the shadow of Dorian Gray, a man whose soul is not reflected by his body, but by a portrait of his very soul. With the upcoming release of their double album, A Picture of Sin and The Sin Itself, Dorian’s Gray creates a picture of life’s shadows, sorrows, its trials and tribulations, with some hint of its pleasures, and beauty

"All art is quite useless."
- Wilde, Oscar (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

In the vein of such artists as The Boards of Canada, Front Line Assembly, Front 242, and Brian Eno, Cold Warning brings a fresh and original style of electronic,experimental-ambient music to the scene.

In a few words the music could be described as the beautification of isolation and abstraction

Combining organic instrumentation with original field recordings, synths and rhythms, Cold Warning, aka Trevor Brawn brings together his experiences and emotions growing up in the eclectic, artistically and culturally diverse Canadian city of Halifax Nova Scotia during the 80's where he was heavily influenced by the music of Gary Numan, Simple Minds, Peter Gabriel and an exhaustive list of others.

Cold Warning brings a style of composition and focus that undeniably links him to his early influences while setting him apart at the same time. Continuous experimentation and manipulation of sound has seen his music appear in television programs such as the History Channel's "Beyond the Da Vinci Code", A & E's Biography, VH1 and many others.

Vincent Van Gogh “loved life so bad, his paintings had twice the color other paintings had”. So sings Jonathan Richman (on Rockin’ and Romance).

And that tells you something about musician Allison Crowe.

A modern lover of music, blogger Muruch frames it like this: "There's really no way to convey through mere words how much the music... moves me, or how I want other people to listen to and adore it as much as I do. Allison sings with such an intensity of emotion, it's easy to see why she's often quoted as saying 'Why music? Why breathing?'... that kind of artistic passion seems extremely rare these days."

"I love singing for people," says Allison Crowe. "It's a way to connect and share with others. Communication is crucial. Just being able to do what I do, to write and sing and perform, makes me feel not only alive, but incredibly lucky. Knowing at any moment everything could change, I don't take one second for granted."

Born 26 years ago, on an island, in the harbour city of Nanaimo, B.C., today Crowe's reach is global. The audience for her music videos and song downloads numbers in the millions.

"Allison Crowe has a voice to fall in love with," says UK music industry journal Record of the Day. "She is from Vancouver Island in Canada, descended from Scottish, Irish and Manx stock. She's exactly the sort of artist who can make serious headway on her own label and that's just what she's doing."

When this phenomenon 'from the islands' reached the mainland she steered a path clear of what Joni Mitchell knowingly calls the record industry’s “style inventions”. With Ani DiFranco and Loreena McKennitt as models Crowe created her own label. Since 2003, Rubenesque Records Ltd has released five critically and commercially successful albums: Lisa's Song+ 6 Songs; Secrets; Tidings; Live at Wood Hall; and This Little Bird.

"The first thing you notice about Allison Crowe is her voice. Rich and dark, it seems to come from a place most singers can only dream of accessing. Then there are the songs. Filled with raw passion and accompanied by Crowe's eloquent piano playing," writes Clodagh O'Connell (The Courier). Hers is a joyous sound: "Elton John meets Edith Piaf."

A sensation at the UK’s John Lennon Northern Lights Festival, “Canadian angel Alison Crowe gave one of the weekend's most magical moments," says The Scotsman. Festival Director Mike Merritt describes Crowe as "awesome" and "spine-tingling", noting her performance “put hairs on the back of your neck! She brought the house down."

A true grassroots success, Crowe’s praised not only as a singularly talented songwriter - on themes personal as well as worldly - and as a visceral performer, but, also, as a supreme interpreter of song. Her vital takes on such 21st century standards as Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Joni Mitchell's "River" are applauded as "truly transcendent". Her Tidings CD, a mix of traditional carols plus songs of joy, peace, and redemption from the secular songbook, is an emerging classic: "music for the season and all time".

"Her voice celebrates the music with a bluesy rock-gospel intensity; her controlled vibrato, silken rasp, and powerful projection rivet your attention. This is no casual background music. be prepared to be amazed," says Hamline University Professor Of Law - and CD reviewer - Carol Swanson. "Every song radiates sincerity, creative flair, and emotional intensity."

”It takes a lot of self-confidence to tackle Aretha (Franklin)'s version of 'I Never Loved a Man...' but Allison does and nails it just as good as the Queen of Soul herself. Her piano playing is equally exquisite," says Bob Muller, curator of song covers at JoniMitchell.com in his review of Crowe’s newest album, This Little Bird. He sums up: "Treat yourself to one of the mightiest talents on the singer-songwriter scene today."

David Powell, Welsh-based tech writes: "I'm listening to 'Effortless' on (Allison Crowe's) This Little Bird album with my Pro-Ject headphone amplifier turned up about a quarter more than on most modern records. It sounds fantastic because unlike most modern records it hasn't had the **** compressed out of it to raise the loudness."

Vocalist, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, engineer, producer and arranger, Allison Crowe now lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. From these home-bases, (spanning the full 7000 km breadth of Canada), she tours steadily, earning a reputation for exciting live shows that stir together her original songs with much-loved interpretations in an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, Broadway, gospel and soul.

"Ever wonder what it would have been like to listen to a gifted singer/songwriter from Saskatchewan in a small, intimate hall before she became Joni Mitchell? Don't fret the missed opportunity. There's no need to turn back the clock. Check out Allison Crowe," says Robert Reid in The Record.

"Allison has a special gift that is so very rare in musicians today. She is true to her mind, heart and spirit," says Ross Hocker, long-time public broadcaster with NPR affiliate WGTE. Hocker, whose musical taste embraces Thelonious Monk, Bela Bartok and Charles Gounod, calls Allison Crowe's live performance "the most honest, heartfelt, and directly intimate concert in my entire life."

"In an entertainment world that increasingly genuflects at the altar of instant fame, Crowe seems an anomaly, building her career slowly and carefully," notes Adrian Chamberlain, of Canada's Times Colonist newspaper.

"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison Crowe.

You can lend an ear...

"What's That? (a Radiohead Project)" is a 6-piece group of Minneapolis-based musicians devoted entirely to the presentation of the music of Radiohead. Embracing the experimental nature of Radiohead’s music, the group utilizes improvisation and unique arrangements of Radiohead's most challenging and popular material, while remaining true to the originality of the compositions.

“What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” has been generating a buzz around Minneapolis, which has not seen a concert by Radiohead in more than a decade. Musical Director and keyboardist, Marc Z., says he formed the project out of a desire to bring Radiohead’s music to the Twin Cities. “When I saw that Lollapalooza in Chicago was as close as they were coming this year, I wanted to bring something to the fans in the Twin Cities who deserved to hear this music performed locally.”

“What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” strives to deliver a fresh and spontaneous approach to their interpretation of Radiohead's music. “We try to avoid mimicry and imitation as much as possible,” Marc says, “while at the same time remaining true to what makes the music so original in the first place.” Like their namesake, the group incorporates a fair amount of improvisation into their performances, while also developing unique arrangements of the material. “Our goal is to embrace the experimental nature of Radiohead’s music, while delivering a quality live experience for all the people who’ve connected with this music over the years,” Marc said.

Members of “What’s That? (a Radiohead Project)” were recruited entirely through an ad placed on Craigslist. “Quite a few people responded and asked to audition,” Marc says. “When I pointed them towards the most challenging Radiohead songs and asked, ‘Can you play this?’ a lot of them stopped returning my e-mails. But luckily, the ones who stuck with it are the ones in the group today.”

The group’s current set list includes nearly 30 of Radiohead’s most innovative and popular material, ranging from the multi-platinum album, OK Computer, to its equally successful follow-up, the experimental Kid A, to this year’s name-your-price download, In Rainbows.

Two performances are also scheduled for December. The first will be a free, all ages 1 hour set at The Whole Music Club, Coffman Union, University of MN campus on December 4. Immediately following this will be a full evening’s performance at The Terminal Bar on Friday, December 5, with “EXIT STAGE RIGHT,” a tribute to the Canadian progressive rock group Rush.

More information about the group is available on their homepage, located at www.radioheadproject.com, and also on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/radioheadproject

This project is a response to the loneliness, the unfullfilment, the disillusion that modern, materialistic, North American life breeds....They will tell you that you are unimportant, incidental, powerless and controlled, but you are more than just a drone in the colony.....you are a Significant Insect.

contact:

•  NIN

Scottish solo industrial electronica music artist digitalTRAFFIC is donaldo who lives and records in edinburgh scotland UK.

The name digitalTRAFFIC comes from digital data traveling through the ether within the internet protocols allowing people from anywhere to access the largest information resource ever created on this planet.

digitalTRAFFIC use machines and a virtual studio setup - computers and software - technology - virtual instruments..... we all use tools - to create the digitalTRAFFIC sound and distribute only via the internet.

digitalTRAFFIC create electronic soundscapes with a heavy rock / industrial / sci-fi influence.

Check out the latest albums egg, foetus, s pa cin g and theatre.

Thanks for taking the time to check out the digitalTRAFFIC sound - enjoy the tracks.

all the very best
donaldo
digitalTRAFFIC
---

Br.·. John works in electroacoustic and computer-assisted music composition. His works, composed for traditional and experimental media, have been broadcast and performed internationally. He taught music theory, composition, counterpoint, and electronic music at Miami University and the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. John has over thirty years of saxophone performance experience, including work in blues, jazz, avante-garde, and experimental idioms. He has performed with the US Navy Band, Crane Saxophone Quartet, and The Cajun Connection, and traveled extensively as an instrumental performer throughout the Pacific Marianas and Marshall Islands, Caribbean, and Central and South America. He has studied composition with Salvatore Martirano, C. James Sheppard, Paul Steinberg, G. Roger Davis, John Melby, Paul Martin Zonn, Morgan Powell, and Elliott DelBorgo. John is a level-1 Healing Touch practitioner, and was Director of Pegasus Healing Systems (2000). He also was a s6k producer for Real University News. John lives in a cave in the Shatagee Woods, where he has become transformed into a mysterious Adirondack hermit. He is Founder of The Shatagee Museum of Unnatural History, where he researches esoterika, audio synthesis, algorithmic composition, produces psychedelic techno, develops music composition software, and enjoys the woods.

FMTA initially formed in 2001 with Andrew Matecha and Steve Springman collaborating musically, working towards creating music of a unique, meaningful and notable heavy-industrial style.

After a few years of fairly reclusive songwriting and recording, FMTA gained a new member, Tyler Davidson, who brought the sound of his well-distorted guitars into the mix.

FMTA later released their debut studio-recorded EP, entitled "In The End, You Don't Exist", on December 8th, 2006.

At the beginning of 2007, singer Jen Langille was recruited to join the band, in a step to bring the band further realization of their musical & artistic goals.

More recently, the band have parted ways with guitarist Tyler Davidson but continue to write new material in anticipation of their next release.

Mezzanine Stairs has been, in one form or another, producing electronic music since 1998. Its compositions (which are primarily created with tracking software such as Renoise) touch on a variety of electronic genres, including idm, electro-industrial, noise, ambient, hardcore, softcore, and video game music, all while maintaining a vaguely distinctive style.
Over the years Mezzanine Stairs has produced a handful of highly-limited CD releases (such as 2006's legendary "Report From Columbia Hole"). The bulk of its output is released on its website (http://www.mezzaninestairs.net), which has featured dozens of free mp3s since its inception.

"When I was a kid I remember my mother saying it's OK to be a non-conformist. I thought that was somewhere between a capitalist and a communist..."

ARCTIC - the band and/or solo project of Marcus Martin - is all about duality. His childhood in Yellowknife, a small gold mining town in the Arctic region of Canada's Northwest Territories, was a stark contrast to his experiences in a private UK boarding school. He grew up in the land of lakes, trees, rocks and ice with true wilderness spirit and is equally at home sharing his ARCTIC adventures in any big city, where there are more people on one street than in his whole hometown.

Coming from the Tom Morello school of guitar texture, he has learned to challenge the listener by layering unique sounds usually found only in the electric guitar world. As a loop-based acoustic artist he tours with an 80 lb. effects pedalboard - not traveling light compared to most acoustic singer-songwriters.

His live set is where this duality takes flight, as he constructs each song before the audience, piece by piece. Influenced by both 70's progressive rock and conventional songwriters of the day, ARCTIC bridges a world of opposites together. He layers haunting melodies on top of his arrangements, improvising like a jazz artist, intertwining vocals and guitar into a chilled and airy soundscape.

"I think it's hard not to be an environmentalist, growing up on the land."

His environmental message is not watered down and mixed into his music: they are separate entities. His music is an introduction; it is the common ground between him and the listener. As many will attest, he does his best to meet everyone after his show to say hi. You never know where the conversation will go, but people always want to know more about the ARCTIC - both the region and the band.

Marcus is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

•  Compliment

Euterpe is currently composed of Jon Badiali alone, its founder. The band's title comes from the Greek muse of music and lyric poetry of the same name.

My objective with Euterpe is simply to create for myself a means for creative expression, and to work on a lasting project that will eventually impact some lives in a positive way.

Etherdust started as an outlet of a musician trying to make electronic music but coming from grunge roots. Understandably, the act has quickly grown into more of a rock act which uses electronic and industrial music elements. Of a few people who have heard Etherdust's music tend to describe it as a mix of Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, and Breaking Benjamin. Maybe after more feedback this description will change to something more relevant.

LamRatLazIt1st is a half-British, half South American three piece progressive / post punk band comprising Wagner (drums/vocals), Matthew (guitar/vocals) and Keith (bass/vocals).

The band was formed around September 2006 and immediately embarked on a punishing rehearsal / writing schedule. A series of shows across the south of England, though chiefly in London, followed, before a short tour of Brazil in March 2007. Since then, the band have been hard at work completing their debut recording, "Viver Sem Fronteiras?" which is now available on Tuneless Records. The record collates much of the original material written by the band and weaves this together with a series of audio samples and graphics culled from the aforementioned Brazilian tour.

At the time of writing, the band are promoting "Viver Sem Fronteiras" and preparing to regroup, once the inherent logistical difficulties have been addressed. Keep checking the MySpace page for further updates!

Tag: lamratlazitist

Steve Cochrane is a self-taught guitarist/vocalist/songwriter who entered the musical arena with grand artistic ambitions. Throughout the 90s, he released a trilogy of albums bearing a trademark epic style. “A kick in the uplifting end of our soul”. “Musically invigorating and compositionally dynamic”. "A symphonic prog lover's wet dream". These were typical comments, along with favourable reviews and considerable airplay throughout Europe, various pockets in the US and in Quebec.

Fast-forward to the current century and a new album called With Or Without, which takes a leaner song-based approach with emphasis on acoustic guitar and vocals. Still, the prog/art rock influences shine through in the intricate arrangements, fluid guitar stylings and in the lyrics, which are often surrealistic and philosophical.

It begins with a brief finger-picked acoustic prelude, then “Key to the Sea” bursts forth with aggressive strumming and a muscular bass line. “The Greatest Since Rembrandt” offers a tongue-in-cheek look at pretense in the art world before surrendering to memories of youthful serenity in ‘Swans”. The final four tracks flow together to create an epic of sorts, including the dramatic “Abandon Ship” and the uplifting closer “Rise Like the Sun”. Unlike most of the CDs that are coming out by the thousands these days, With Or Without is an album that is meant to be listened to from beginning to end.... repeatedly.

If you wish to learn more about Steve Cochane and hear tracks from his first three albums, visit www.spiritcompass.com

•  Rush goes acoustic

There is a New Kid in Town...And he's Smokin' Ray Burnt. He is a Smokin' young guitarist from the highest peaks of the Smokey Mountains. He is a real throwback to the good ol' days of the Instrumental Blues. Is he the next crazy Hendrix or the younger soul of a B.B. King? Maybe.. Go on, Find Out for yourselfAnd So it Begins...Smokin' Ray was born on June 1, 1977, high on top of Smokey Mountain. His Mother and Father were both musicians ( His father played the fiddle, his mother played the accordion.) They had a decent life, poor but not without. As the story goes, Ray was struck by lightning and burnt nothing but his soul. Something came inside of him and now he is what he is. He wasn't hurt...He was just destined for something... He was destined to play the guitar. So from high upon the tree tops the first song he ever heard was the soft/heavy tone of B.B. King's, 'The Thrill is Gone'. That was like magic to his ears. The next? Jimi Hendrix, 'Red House'. 'WOW! He thought to himself, 'I have to do that'. And so he did. He studied all the greats, even as far back as the great Robert Johnson. He learned from John Lee Hooker, SRV, Leadbelly, Chuck Berry, and many others. Lightning Hopkins, 'Lonesome Dog Blues' scared him to shivers. Tucked away in a little studio he recorded by himself. No one could ever guess what would come out of there next. His tone could fall a mountain, his playing could hypnotise you. His brain...insane.Over his short span of playing I think that he really developed his own style. Is he Chicago? Maybe more Texas Style? Perhaps Modern Electric Blues? I don't know, Whatever it is, He calls it the 'Smokey Mountain Style'. Whether SRB is playing clean or dirty you can tell it's him. As you can tell from his acoustic picture and the way he plays, he likes Heavy Metal, Rock and Punk. He is very much influenced by such bands as Metallica, Megadeth, Nirvana, Green Day, AC/DC, Guns & Roses and more. But his true calling is the blues. All you have to do is hear his songs and you will be shown.Where does all this lead up to? I don't know. Maybe something new or maybe just a blip on the radar. We will have to see.Some day his Guitar will quit burning,But until then... Keep on Smokin' Ray Burnt.Available music is Awesome

Formed in early 2002, Vancouver's Azimyth is Corey Hawkins (guitar/vocals), Arlen Chudley (drummer/percussion) and Rory Chudley (bass). Their myriad of musical backgrounds and influences has skillfully coalesced into this surprisingly mature, heavy-hitting, post-grunge trio of young Canadian lads. The focal point of Azimyth is self-taught curiosity, Corey Hawkins employing tremendous singing and songwriting talent and years of rock'n roll experience. Asked for influences, Hawkins lists Nirvana, Pixies, SLipknot, Buddy Guy, Duran Duran, INXS and the Beatles, finally describing Azimyth as "pop-metal". Azimyth is indeed an approachable, if noisy, entity. Hawkins' grinding guitar genius paves the way for diversified vocals - at times soft and brooding hums, other times rich, resonant screams. Brothers Rory & Arlen's dynamic chemistry combined with their eccentric personalities spawn a unique and energizing musical foundation, which complement perfectly with Corey's emotionally persuasive art. Also introducing Julien Giraud as Azimyth's second guitar arsenal. An amazing player of 15 years Julien handles the guitar like none other. Forming fast paced solos with his eclectic style he completes Azimyth by building up a solid wall of guitar while playing live or in the Studio. Azimyth is undeniably active in the West Coast music scene, performing live at countless local venues. Their electrifying live performances are not to be missed, setting stages ablaze throughout Vancouver; such as their notorious show for radio station 99.3 The Fox and their Santa Fox Food Drive. Hawkins' heartfelt songwriting appeals to a wide audience, as made apparent by a devoted local fan base ever thirsty for their crunchy post-grunge new wave rock.

•  Live at the Columbia
•  Grunge

Composer, Sound Design, Filmmaker, Songwriting and General Mayhem.

Born in San Diego, California in 1980, Devin Anderson has studied classical piano, composition with Prix de Rome winner Jim Heinke, film music with composer Hummie Mann and attended The Seattle Film Institutes 40 week Total Immersion program. Twice. He also plays bass with former PCP Berzerker members, Eric Hunter and Rod Bailey, in a currently unnamed rock group, and frequently collaborates with his wife, singer and saxophonist J. Marie Anderson.

As a composer, in addition to scoring his own directorial debut, a short entitled ‘Folie à Deux’, he has composed music for several independent pictures, including but not limited to Wisconsin born filmmaker Jack Bennett’s surrealist film ‘Synthetik’ (which received it’s award-winning World Premiere at The Beloit International Film Festival in January of 2008) and Tim Boyd’s film ‘Uniforms’ which starred members of popular group Death Cab for Cutie.

He has provided music for two promotional films produced by The Northwest Film Forum, the regions first and only non-profit organization for the film arts. He has composed concert works in various genres, including solo instrumental works, vocal works, and chamber ensemble, and recently was commissioned to compose for an Art Exhibition of egg tempura painter Nathan DiPietro.

He has just completed musical duties on a short film, again for director Jack Bennett, entitled ‘The Neu Transients’. The picture runs 5 minutes and is a memorial to the City of old now over-run by condos and commercial construction, and uses the Seattle cityscape, the music, and the film’s two lead actors (Benjamin Moody and Astrid Benet) to explore ideas of reflection, space, rhythm and transformation. The work premiered at the Northwest Film Forum as part of their City Symphony program on November 19th.

His score to ‘Folie à Deux’ was awarded the Gold Medal for Excellence at the 2008 Park City Film Music Festival under the catagory Best Original Music - Short Film.

His particular type of electronic-rock (?) songs are strange, somewhat crude, and personal - rough first-take all-to-human vocals, with consistantly surreal lyrics, laid over intricately crafted, orchestral-like backing music and boiled to a simmer.

He hopes to continue being involved in film and music until his death.

My names Brad. I've been in many bands, but for now am choosing to do my own work on my computer just for fun. I play my own guitar/bass, and I'm a vocalist overall so I sing, of course. I also play keyboard, rather, I (try) to play keyboard lol. I just use drum loops for some songs and then make the songs around the beats and write lyrics and there I go...another song!!

I am all over the map with styles! I do Metal, Heavy Rock, Rock, Mellow, Depressing, and on and on! I love it all!! I can scream as well as sing! I always enjoy music and my life revolves around making music!! I hope you enjoy the tunes! Take care!
Never be afraid to talk to me, I love to talk...sometimes too much.. :P

• The End is good
•  Real lyrics and Real music
•  Sombre but not sad
•  Made me smile
•  I'm loving this song.

Kasper Martyr Phantom's Debut Solo Album "The Phantom" is out now! This 12-song Album Features Production by Jelts of Wild Life Refuge fame, Delano Sounds (PLA!N J.A.N.E.'s producer) and Yours Truly, Kasper Martyr Phantom. It features Nuze on 2 tracks as well, and includes a hidden bonus track. Clocking in at around 1 hour and including color inserts, "The Phantom" is well worth the $6.95 you will spend. Also out now is Kasper's InstruMENTAL Album "Martyr Mayhem." This 23-track experimental album will give you over an hour of tripped-out listening pleasure. Make sure to pick up both albums for a total of $14.00. These albums are available at Access and will be available at Lou's Records. You may also download the album through the opus player below.