Today is a very special day for French artist T-ka, because this is the day of the release of her debut album “And Maybe a Tree Will Rise Out Of Me” and the second for us (CTN MUSIC) after our dear Australian friend Mandyleigh Storm’s “Fire & Snow“.

Produced and recorded by veteran producer Sylvia Massy (Aerosmith, Babyface, Prince, Seal, Skunk Anansie to name a few) and Jason Benham at RadioStar Studios. Mixed by Rich Veltrop at RadioStar Studios (California), this debut album demonstrates T-ka’s powerfull vocal ranges in a fantastic blend of soul and pop. There is no doubt, a new French Star is rising and CTN MUSIC is proud to meet her !

You can order the album or download free tracks here :

A l’occasion de la sortie du premier album de T-Ka, “And maybe a tree will rise out of me..”, le 14 Juillet prochain, CTN-MUSIC vous offre 3 albums en édition limitée Digipack.

“And maybe a tree will rise out of me..”, de T-Ka, artiste française, est le deuxième album produit avec notre participation financière, après celui de notre adorable amie Australienne Mandyleigh Storm sur la plateforme musicale SELLABAND.

Pour gagner ces 3 albums, il suffit d’être parmi les trois premiers à laisser un commentaire en répondant correctement à la question subsidiaire que voici : “Combien d’exemplaires en édition limitée Digipack sont pressés pour chaque artiste produit sur SELLABAND ?”

The long-awaited for We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things Jason Mraz’s new album was released on May 13, in order to hold us spellbound, he brought out three acoustic EP’s of his new songs. The now Jason’s cult song I’m Yours is the first single. This new release is a real turning point and is very different unlike the previews albums: funky, folky, bluesy, jazzy, this is a beautiful mixture of genres with its 12 unique tracks ! We can find some “vestiges” of his first album Waiting For my Rocket To Come (Details in the Fabric (a duet with James Morrison) or Love for a Cild), but also of MR. A-Z ( Coyotes and Beautiful Mess), the rest of We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things is strongly marked by the brass wind, the string band and the choirs. We can also notice the presence of Colbie Caillat in the bautiful and nice duet Lucky !

Anyway, you must listen to this album with a brand new ear and a lot of dispassion in order to appreciate every niceties it offers you.

We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Jason Mraz
Original Release Date: May 13, 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Enhanced
Label: Atlantic
Buy Album : Click Here

In 2006, after eight years of fronting the critically acclaimed Colorado-based band, Newcomers Home, and releasing her first solo record, Watch Them Fall, as a side project—singer/songwriter Katie Herzig retreated to the solitude of her bedroom studio. There, she single-handedly recorded and produced Weightless, a tour-de-force of innovative sonics and songwriting whose tracks have been prominently featured on NPR, KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, E.R., Smallville, and, most recently, on two episodes of television’s highest-rated drama, Grey’s Anatomy.

Following the release of Weightless, Herzig left Colorado for Nashville and immediately started to catch the attention of other artists. Her song “Heaven’s My Home” received a 2007 Grammy nomination for best country performance by The Duhks. She was also invited to open shows for The Fray and join PASTE Magazine and American Songwriter Magazine sponsored tours.

Performing Songwriter Magazine wrote, “Katie Herzig possesses gravity-defying powers on her latest release, balancing heavy and mournful lyrics with light pop melodies that bounce and float into the stratosphere.” PASTE Magazine’s Jason Killingsworth said, “Katie Herzig has a whimsical side that I love. Her music doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the lyrics always [have] a sharp emotional edge to them. I’m a huge fan.”

And now, on May 13, 2008, Katie Herzig’s fans can expect her most adventurous and satisfying album yet: Apple Tree.

The very beautiful and very strange American, Kelly De Martino is a magnetic character. Worked as an actress in some TV series, films and commercials in Los Angeles, entered the world of fashion in New York City by creating clothing and saving money for leaving for Paris, she signs her first album “Honest” with french label “Village Vert”.

With a voice that Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star or Ambrosia Parsley from Shivaree might envy and minimalist folk songwriting, slow and fragile, gentle and delicate, she unveils treasures of a marvelous and venomous poignant beauty… a crossroad between the velvet melancholy underground and sixties pop. Her song “My Little Fighter” is a fully regal grace and charm. Kelly’s seductive and mesmering voice deserves a little detour that you will never forget…

Introduced in 2005 by Nettwerk in their traditional Christmas collection songs (A Winter’s Night: The Best Of Nettwerk Christmas Albums), THE WEEPIES’ big debut album Say I Am You came out on the Canadian label based in Vancouver, a year after, in 2006. After an initial hard-scrabble tour in their compact car as a duo, Deb Talan & Steve Tannen’s music appeared in more than a dozen TV shows (Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill…), as well as several major motion pictures.

Their iTunes sales topped the folk charts in eight countries. Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol nominated them for a Short List Music Prize, and Mandy Moore asked them to write with her and sing on her album. They were invited to open for the Indigo Girls and invited onto the Hotel Café Tour; they played the Oxegen Festival in Ireland, the Hurricane Festival in Germany, and T in the Park in Scotland. Their MySpace player hit 2 million plays. JCPenney and Old Navy used their tunes as the theme songs for their major holiday TV campaigns.

We have to admit that Tristan Prettyman has matured ! After her smooth, acoustic and timid debut album “Twentythree”, here’s the second record “Hello” released on April 15, 2008, marked by the discovery of new genres but still in the “Prettyman mold” (we find many songs that are quite similar to the previous album: “Madly”, “God Gave Me Reason” or “Hello”).

Indeed, spending several months travelling the USA opened her mind to new music styles and she was quite right to take advantage of it. We discover through this album a fragile and bluesy voice which gained confidence, accuracy and power, enhanced by musical instruments that weren’t present on the previous record, we can hear piano, electric guitars and drums. We can also notice very definite influences such as John Butler Trio (“California Girl”) or the Australian singer Missy Higgins ( “Echo” and “You Got Me”).

Tristan Prettyman is definitely not stuck in the gentleness and the shyness and reveals herself being full of confidence and maturity.

This is a Holly Very Good Surprise for all of us, Sarah’s Fans, with this second edition of this hard-to-find lives and extended remixes, Nettwerk decides to offer a veritable gift, a collection of 14 magical and best Sarah’s stuffs : Housed in a double gatefold slipcase, it includes “Possession” (Rabbit In The Moon Remix), fellow Canadians Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell get lushed-out respectively with “Song For A Winter’s Night” and “Blue,” and McLachlan also works her magic with XTC’s “Dear God” and the Billie Holiday classic “Gloomy Sunday.” Each is dark, but engaging, like so much of McLachlan’s own material, including this set’s brooding “Full of Grace” and “I Will Remember You” (from the film ‘Last Of The Mohicans’), plus live cuts & more mixes!

Can’t wait ’til  the end of April !

Rarities, B-Sides 2 And Other Stuff, Volume 2
Sarah McLachlan
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Arista
Pre Order album: Click Here.

Track Listings

1. Ordinary Miracle
2. Blackbird
3. Time After Time (with Cyndi Lauper)
4. River
5. When She Loved Me
6. Don’t Let Go (with Bryan Adams)
7. Just Like Me (with Run DMC)
8. Angel (Live) (with Emmylou Harris)
9. Pills (Live) (with The Perishers)
10. Homeless (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
11. The Rainbow Connection
12. Prayer of St. Francis
13. Unchained Melody
14. Silence (DJ Tiesto ISOS Remix)

Shannon Hurley is our Heartbreak Artist of this Month, I meet her since her full-length debut. “Ready to Wake Up“, released on Nov. 5, 2007 but waiting for a good occasion to talk about her on your favorite Web Magazine.

Recently named one of Rolling Stone’s top 25 artists on MySpace, Shannon Hurley fits into the new line-up of artists who make quietly beautiful music. It borders on the edge of pop, folk, and rock. After even one listen, the melody has already been carved into your soul, rich with imagery and sensation. Her music is reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan, Keane, and Aimee Mann.

Blame it on Paris, the City of Light…

The much-anticipated, brilliant new album from Sarah Slean The Baroness is finally here ! Written and inspirated from her deep long searching soul journey in Paris (France) last two years ago, the fifth full-length album from acclaimed Toronto songstress features some of her most honest, moving and magical songwriting to date.

Citing such diverse musical influences as Glenn Gould, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, musicals, Joni Mitchell, Irving Berlin and drawing from a host of literary, philosophical and artistic favourites, Sarah Slean’s unique artistic output continues to inspire and amaze her fans.

Watch “Get Home“, Sarah Slean’s new single: Quicktime / Windows Media Player

Read our Article about Sarah Slean, click here.