Shawn Fisher, a KOAR favorite artist, released his first single, “Open Your Eyes”, with Universal Republic today on iTunes. The track was produced by John Fields (Jonas Brothers, Switchfoot, Soul Asylum) and is one of the tracks on his upcoming debut EP eyeing a release this Spring. Fisher and his band are quickly developing a following throughout the Southeast through constant touring and a very dedicated work ethic on social networking sites. Fisher describes “Open Your Eyes as a “very honest, personal song I wrote in about five minutes about a girl from Jacksonville; anytime we play that song live it gets a very good reaction and that is all I could ever ask for as a writer and performer”. Download the track and tell us what you think. You can follow Shawn Fisher on Twitter @ThisIsFisher or hear more music at  www.shawnfisher.net .

KOAR favorite Shawn Fisher and the Jukebox Gypsies has signed with Universal Republic. Fisher was featured in our July 08 Soundcheck column. Our favorite tracks are Out of Control and Wandering. Contact danielrfriedman@aol.com

March 21, 2009 Red Gorilla Music Fest – Blind Pig
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m

KOAR favorite Shawn Fisher and the Jukebox Gypsies just signed to EMI Music Publishing. It didn’t take long for EMI to jump on board after hearing the killer tracks Out of Control and Wandering.  Fisher was featured in our July 08 Soundcheck column and is available for a recording agreement. For fans of Sublime and Kid Rock.

For more information contact danielrfriedman@aol.com

 

Reaching into their back catalog, new Universal signees Anberlin have re-recorded and will be releasing “The Feel Good Drag” as the first single from their major label debut, due out September 30. The track originally appeared on their 2005 album “Never Take Friendship Personal” (which has sold 150k albums to date). This decision is one that has been questioned by some fans who wonder why the band couldn’t just record a new song that is just as good, or better than this older track. We’ve seen this plan of action work most successfully with the Plain White T’s release of “Hey There Delilah”. Stephen Christian (Anberlin’s frontman) claims the band chose to re-record the song because they didn’t feel it received enough attention on their 2005 album. The question is, is this a good marketing decision? Does it merely come down to the strength of the song, or should questions of the label not having faith in a new song as a lead single be raised? Will it spark more interest in their older albums than the new one? Will Anberlin be the next Mae and see little success on a major?

Personally, I stand by the band and label’s decision to re-release this song as the first single because, in my opinion, it is the best song they’ve ever made and deserves a shot at mainstream radio. “The Feel Good Drag” impacts alternative radio on 8/19. Check out the clip here.

One-Hit Wonders: Maybe the aforementioned Plain White T’s should continue to reach back and grab some older tracks, because it does not sound like the new single will touch the success of ‘Delilah’, listen to “Natural Disaster” on their Myspace.

Young Buzz: With an appearance on TRL this past week, and the release of his new Yippee EP, the young Joplin, MO one-man-band Nevershoutnever! Is getting a lot of attention, and surely a good deal of friend requests. Makes me think of a younger version of Bryce Avery of the Rocket Summer.

Virginia emo pop/rock band My Favorite Highway should not remain unsigned for much longer after the release of the very strong “How To Call a Bluff”. This release puts recent major label releases from Forever The Sickest Kids, Metro Station & Cobra Starship to shame (which wasn’t too tough in the first place). Good songwriting, and plenty of radio ready tracks.

Tracks worth checking out:

People in Planes – “Mayday (M’aidez)”

The Morning Of – “Reverie” (here’s one the kids will love)

Innerpartysystem – “Don’t Stop” (There’s no excuse for this to not be a hit at alternative radio)

Shawn Fisher – Listen to original songs @ www.myspace.com/shawnfisher and watch an great cover of Augustana’s “Sweet and Low” here.

Soundcheck is written by Dallas who currently attends San Francisco State University and works on the Live 105 (KITS) Action Team.

Ah, the Kingdom of Sweden. I have always heard how wonderful it is to spend the summer in Sweden, but apparently things have changed. It is now the “fantastically cool freculture country of Sweden” according to Professor Lessig, with what the professor describes as the “very interesting” “Piracy Party”.

This is as much a tale of Professor Lessig as it is the Pirate Party.  If you cut through the Nutty Professor’s thinking, writing and blogging about his obsessed opposition to copyright laws, at least one core idea is constant throughout:  It’s not only morally acceptable to steal, there is a moral mandate to steal.  However, since Professor Lessig appears to enjoy his status as a law professor in his madrasah at the Google…sorry…Stanford Law School, he doesn’t quite come out and say that. 

Law professors are—at least on some level—not supposed to advocate theft.  And of course if one is not only a law professor but also a member of the bar, one has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.  (By the way, if anyone knows where Professor Lessig is admitted to practice law, please tell me because I’ve never seen him list a bar umber on any of the pleadings he’s filed and I can’t find him listed in the lawyer directories of the California, District of Columbia or New York bar associations.)