Have you checked out Rolling Stone magazine's Top 50 albums of 2007 yet? Lots of Tide artists breaking the Top 10....Bruce Springsteen, the Arcade Fire, Rilo Kiley and Spoon! I was surprised to see Feist's album The Reminder come in at #35 and Amy Winehouse coming in at #40 after topping so many other 'best-of' lists for the year. And Peter Bjorn & John making the list?? I gotta say, they win my vote for 'most over-rated band of 2007.' Overall, a pretty good list though in my humble opinion. For the music fan in your family, keep this in mind for a future holiday gift. It's a computer program that downloads every issue of Rolling Stone magazine (cover to cover) from the last 40 years. I will be very, very busy in the new year!
~Amy

He plays with who he wants cuz he's the Boss!

If you missed it earlier this year, check out Bruce Springsteen playing with the Arcade Fire on their song "Keep the Car Running." I gotta say, 2007 definately made me a bigger Springsteen fan. What do you think was going through the band's mind when he jumped up on stage with them? Check out the dude in the audience at the very end who is screaming, "YEAAH! Yes! Yes! Holy Sh--!!" That would totally be me.

Best of 2007

The year is winding down and I've finally compiled my best-of list for the year (something all music geeks look forward to by the end of the year). Feel free to make your own list and send to me or post right here for all to see... I love seeing what other people have enjoyed throughout the year! Also, be sure and tune in to my show "Amy Goes Nuts!" this Saturday night from 9-midnight for a 'Best of 2007' show. Okay, so here it goes:
Favorite Albums:
1. Amy Winehouse- Back to Black
2. Rilo Kiley- Under the Blacklight
3. Josh Ritter- The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
4. Stars- In Our Bedroom After the War
5. Once- Music From the Motion Picture
6. Silversun Pickups- Carnavas
7. the Manchester Orchestra- I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child
8. Tegan & Sara- The Con
9. Wilco- Sky Blue Sky
10. Feist- The Reminder
Favorite Songs:
1. Silversun Pickups- Lazy Eye
2. The Swell Season- Falling Slowly
3. Soulsavers- Revival
4. Foo Fighters- the Pretender
5. Rilo Kiley- the Moneymaker
6. Josh Ritter- Mind's Eye
7. Bjork- Earth Intruders
8. Stars- My Favourite Book
9. Scott Matthews- Elusive
10. Wilco- Either Way
Favorite Concerts:
1. Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN
2. Mute Math in Norfolk, VA
3. The Swell Season in Washington DC
4. Rilo Kiley in Washington, DC
5. Stars in Carrboro, NC
6. Bruce Springsteen in Washington DC
7. Rufus Wainwright in Charlottesville, VA
8. Wilco in Charlottesville, VA
9. Josh Ritter & John Prine in Charlottesville, VA
10. Sea Wolf in Boulder, CO
New Favorite Artists I First Heard This Year:
1. Amy Winehouse
2. The Changes
3. Manchester Orchestra
4. Sea Wolf
5. Wild Sweet Orange

So, what were some of your favorites?
~Amy

'Tis the season for giving and what better gift to give than free music? How about free unreleased live recordings?? How about free unreleased live recordings from Bruce Hornsby??? Well, you are in luck. Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers have put together a collection of music recorded this past summer from various shows. You can download it all here. Thanks Bruuuuce!
~Amy

Local Music

Here at the Tide, we're all about hometown radio and handpicked music... you knew that. But have you checked out The Tide's hometown music page featuring local bands from the Tidewater region? Read all about bands from your hometown and find links to their music here. If you'd like to be added to our list of local artists, just follow the directions on the page.
~Amy

Wires and Waves

A video was just released for an old Rilo Kiley song called "Wires and Waves." The song was on the album Take Offs and Landings, which was released in 2001. However, the video has been collecting dust (speculations have been made that the theme of the video was not appropriate with the timing of 9/11 and this is why they decided to not release it). Their guitarist Blake Sennett has become one of my favorite players, not because he's an amazing guitarist (although he is an excellent player) but because his leads are not merely "filler" like some guitarists. I hear all his lead guitar parts having a very distinct melody and I think he's become a master of this over the years. So check out this low-budget video from the band, before they were signed to a major label (they look so down to earth and young, eh?). And if you want to see the new glammed up (but still kick-ass) version of the band, you can check out the new video for their single "Silver Lining" here.
~Amy

Gone Gone Gone

So today is my last day as Promotions Director at the Tide. What a blast it's been working at a place where it's our job to play good music, write creative ads, and build relationships all over the community. One of the first things I remember my boss Tom telling me about radio was "it's not neuroscience." It didn't really make sense then, but now I know it means that if you accidentally give away 24 pairs of backstage tickets to John Mayer's dressing room where he will fan you and feed you grapes, when you were really supposed to give away only 24 tickets, what's the worst that can happen? This is radio, and for the most part, everyone is friendly and easygoing. I think the music helps mellow everyone out.

Speaking of music - during my time here, I've expanded my musical views beyond Dave Wilcox and the Indigo Girls and Hillsong United. I pretty much fell in love with Regina Spektor when she released Begin to Hope. Tom really lo o-o-o o-o-o o-o-oves her too....When Amy was at Bonnaroo she sent me a text saying she'd just interviewed Regina and I remember being ridiculously giddy. I've also discovered that I love most every song by The Police. I've always loved Sting, but I didn't really know the work of The Police. Yeah, a bit belated. I think Kevin's cover band Scrantonicity from The Office was a catalyst in my path of enlightenment. Right now, on any given day in my car, you'll hear Ingrid Michaelson (fave song is "Breakable"), Feist (who is nominated for 4 Grammys!), Mutemath (who were amaaaaazing in concert at The Norva not long ago), and the folks from the movie Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who make me want to quit my job, learn to play the guitar and beg my husband to start harmonizing at coffeehouse gigs with me. Well - I am quitting my job, but not to be a musician. I'm leaving the Tide because we're gonna relocate to the other side of the state, and beginning in March, we're beginning a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Some common questions usually follow here. In short, yes - we're attempting the whole 2,175-mile trail, from Georgia to Maine. No, we won't attempt to carry 6-months of food on our back, we'll stop in towns to refuel along the way so we don't get scurvy. Yes! You can check in on us because we'll keep up a little blog with pictures when we find some free Wifi along the way: http://walkingtomaine.blogspot.com/ (Right now it's really rough but updates will start soon). Yes, I'll shave my legs. Yes, we're taking our dog part of the way. No, we're not taking a gun. Yes, we'll probably lose a lot of weight. And yes, we will meet LOTS of cool people - including but not limited to gearheads and treehuggers. Unfortunately, I hear the woods are pretty quiet. Even if I had a solar charger, I don't think Freedom Dancer and Spirit Runner and Unicorn Worshipper would appreciate Feist on my iPod cooing me to sleep in the shelter the same way I would.
~Betsy Balkcom

Radiohead video stream

Earlier this year, Radiohead released their new album as a digital download for their fans. Unfortunately, the album is no longer available as a download, but the cool news is that they just signed to Virginia's own ATO Records in Charlottesville and the album will be available in stores January 1st. Very cool.

Check out this video stream for one of my favorite songs off the album, "Jigsaw":

Windows:

Click here.

Quicktime:

Click here.

~Amy

New Green Day... I think.

Rumors have been flying around online that Green Day have started a little side project. They are called Foxboro Hot Tubs. The band has not confirmed that it is actually them, but the lead singer sounds like Billie Joe Armstrong playing 60's garage rock, doesn't it? Some other clues that make me think it's them:
-There are a ton of singers that sound similar to Billie Joe Armstrong... why all the buzz about this band?
-Their cd was manufactured by a company in San Francisco and Green Day are from the Bay Area.
-A link to the Foxboro Hot Tubs myspace site is on Green Day's official fan site.
-There are very apparent similarities between Foxboro Hot Tubs' songs and the Network (Green Day's side project.)
You can check out Foxboro Hot Tubs' music here. Do you think it's them?

~Amy

Welcome to The Tide's music blog!

Welcome to The Tide's music blog-- a place for everything music related! I will be posting consistent updates throughout the week about what I'm listening to, concerts, newly discovered bands, and other info regarding my past, present and future band obsessions. Also, feel free to leave a comment under the posts... you don't have to sign up to leave comments and you can even do so anonymously. I'd love to read what music you've been enjoying, how you might disagree with me on the fact that Rilo Kiley is one of the greatest bands EVER or how Eminem is kind of a genius (I meant it when I said everything music related.) Enjoy!
~Amy