Artist: Gayle Skidmore

Songs:  Gayle has covered the web with her music including sites where you can buy her album  listed below as well as, myspace and ReverbNation. The following five songs can be found on the main page of her myspace for streaming.

• “Paper Box”: Sweet lyrics with her “paper family.” Although she claims she is “so happy,” stripping out the lyrics, the actual melody sounds so sad. Check out the clever but rudimentary animation for the song’s video. 
• “Crazy”: A choppy banjo provides the melody complimenting her vocal arrangements, coming together to create an old-timey tune suitable for a vintage radio. 
• “Set Me Free”: Bring on the full band… the intro reminds me of another song I can’t quite pinpoint (perhaps you can). Her voice resonates deeper and more powerful than the rest of the tracks, channeling the likes of Johnette Napolitano.
• “Remember”: Hollowed vocals bringing to life the lyrics, “echos of me.” The piano with the metronome tapping drum beat encase the piece in small room amplifying the loneliness.
• “Zion”: Simple folky song with finger picking acoustic guitar. I can envision myself sitting in the corner of a coffeehouse drawing pictures of angels and flowers with this song sparking artistic creations.

Overall: Similar to Ingrid Michaelson including the delightful and innocent intonation, Gayle Skidmore makes you want to love her more. Her bio indicates her mastering 14 instruments which upon beholding her music, the diversity of sounds penetrates your hears with the guitar, banjo, piano and more. Still raw around the edges, Gayle shows extrodinary potential to fill some big shoes in (and out) of the San Diego music scene.

Albums: Make Believe (2010) with 14 songs is available to stream on myspace and to purchase on iTunes. Cowley Road EP (2008) with 5 songs including “Crazy” and the “Annebelle” single (2010) are both available on bandcamp and last.fm along with Make Believe.

Calendar: I hope to make it out to the Park Gallery show and encourage you to catch her sometime too!

• Wednesday, March 30 @ Park Gallery
• Saturday, April 2 @ Espeactacalo in Escondido
• Sunday, April 10 @ Tin Can Alehouse
• Saturday, April 16 @ Lestat’s

Band: Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels

Songs: As I write, the following seven songs are available for streaming on myspace. (Side note: sometimes I am able to stream the entire song, sometimes only 30 seconds worth)

• “Until the Stars Came Out”: Swinging lowly like a cradle in an old prairie home. Rocking sweetly, this sweet song echos of the lonely rural skies or an empty small town bar (in the quaint sort of way). 
• “I Awoke”: Take the train passed country towns through the mountains to the bustle of the city.  The snare beats like the pace of a train chugging along the open tracks.
• “Pretty Little Self”: Mexican rhythmic undertones that carry this song through an old West saloon with the beautiful women.
• “Left Coast Sunshine”: Take your skates and roll down the boardwalk with this gem. The 70s soul vibe breaks up the set, sharing Jesse and the Dime Novels’ diverse talents.
• “The Rarest Form”: Beautiful ballad giving room for the slide guitar to sing alongside Jesse’s heartfelt lyrics.
• “Clinched Broken Hearts on the Floor”: Jesse unwavering vocals, the tinkling ivories and a solid beat round out this distinctly country song. “Eleven Eleven”: I won’t be able to get this song out of my head, which is both a positive and pitfall. Unfortunately, after a few listens I only have the title lyric “Eleven Eleven” looping around up there.

Overall: Even if you don’t particularly like country, Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels brings a little something for everyone. The band’s ability to compliment the vocal gift endowed in Jesse while offering an array of melodies beyond one genre,  poises this group for success. Live, this band may offer an energetic and earnest performance, but the recorded expression hits you deep down, forcing you to really grasp the meaning of each lyric and note.

Albums: Until the Stars Come Out (2010) contains only the above 7 songs and is available for purchase at iTunes. “Clinched Broken Hearts on the Floor” and “Left Coast Sunshine”are both available to download for free in the Media section of the band’s website.

Calendar: This boy is a busy one. With shows at least twice a week around San Diego, there is no reason you can’t catch his stylings. Here is the rest of March, but check out his full schedule for future dates:

• Friday, March 11 (tonight) @ Hennessey’s Tavern in Pacific Beach
• Thursday, March 17 @ Marble Room in the Gaslamp
• Sunday, March 19 @ Urban Bar in the Gaslamp
• Thursday, March 24 @ West Coast Tavern in North Park
• Friday, March 25 @ La Puerta in the Gaslamp
• Sunday, March 27 @ Mission Valley Craft Beer Festival in the Handlery Hotel with Missy Anderson, Safety Orange and Geezer

Band: The Midwinters

Songs: Currently, The Midwinters have the same three songs available on both myspace and ReverbNation for streaming.

• “All There Is” (NEW prac demo): Curling guitar like that of an ocean wave twinkling in the sunset. Extremely soft vocals, but at least they stated it’s a demo (so forgiven). Catchy tune.
• “Sunday Morning”: More rock than “All There Is.” Accenting keyboards with 90s-sort-of TV-show-theme-song melodies. Ends with lovely hang. 
• “Hinges”: This song is when I realized I heard this band before years ago. The distinctive voice of Paul Donovan and rhythms of “Hinges” harks back to their Christian-rock roots of Dryve. The keyboards sound like drops of water in a barrel, sending ripples of color through the song.

Overall: Immediately (although it took time to determine the exact band), their music reminded me of my days sitting sipping a cup of mocha and popping chocolate covered espresso beans (the caffeine of which I have long since abandoned) on the floor at Zanzibar in PB. Dryve was an essential part of my high school days. Since it was Christian-rock, my parents approved and I had the chance to enjoy good music without lying about where I was going. The Midwinters brings a solid performance of the Indie/Americana variety with a bit of the 90s thrown in for good measure. I look forward to seeing them live and experiencing them in this re-energized incarnation.

Albums: Hinges (2010), a five-song EP which includes both “Sunday Morning” and “Hinges.” The EP is available to download for FREE at bandcamp.

Calendar: Currently, there are two shows on their schedule of which I am hoping to making it to the first. Perhaps you would like to join me!

• Wednesday, March 9 @ Ruby Room with Canyon Sets
• Wednesday, March 16 @ Soda Bar with the Bruises (SF) and Strangers

About a month and a half ago, I asked around to the masses of Twitter and facebook, “What local bands/artists should I be checking out?” I already know alot of bands and have a large local CD collection as it is, but the way this town recycles bands into new bands and spawns new talent makes it hard to stay on top of what’s happening.

So I’ve decided to add a series on local music reviews. These reviews will primarily cover publicly provided music streams from a band’s website, myspace, and/or you tube stream. Occasionally I will review CDs, but I like the idea of sharing thoughts on music these bands consciously put out there to promote themselves.

This is also perfect timing to start since CityBeat just published their Local Music issue. The issue’s Great Demo Review includes a significant number of critiques (sometimes of the harsh variety) for the veteran to inspired young musicians who had the guts to submit their music.

Starting tomorrow morning and each Friday, I will post a review of a local artist’s music. If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me by email, facebook or Twitter.