Blog Posts by Martin Dio

Anyone who listened to the radio in the early '70s--and for that matter, has listened ever since--couldn't help but be thrilled by the recent pairing of two iconic singer/songwriters of legendary stature.

By pop music standards, those two artists--Carole King and James Taylor--may actually be responsible for the creation of the term "singer/songwriter."

Between the two of them, King & Taylor have had a plethora of hits across the decades, sold innumerable albums throughout the world, and been honored repeatedly with Grammy awards, almost to the point of absurdity.

But back at the beginning of the '70s, before King would record her landmark album Tapestry and Taylor had yet to release his breakthrough Sweet Baby James, things were different.

Like many artists on their way to finding a mass audience, they found exposure wherever they could. And back then, even as now, one of those means was by doing a gig at Los Angeles's famous Troubadour venue. Which is what Taylor and King did

There is such a thing as career momentum and Britain's Corinne Bailey Rae--who released her first album in 2006 and received a plethora of awards nominations throughout the world for it--continues to have it.

Rae, whose unique voice brings life to her songs in a manner that deeply resonates in the listener, is back with a brand new album, and it's quietly spectacular.

The Sea, released earlier this year, is an extremely solid package of new material excellently played with her full band, that like most great records, grows in impact with each successive listen.

We here at Y! Music were thrilled when Corinne--last in our studios in 2006--recently stopped by for a return visit, with her full band in tow and offering up three extraordinary live performances.

A warm and gracious woman, she again proved a fascinating interview subject and filled us in with the making of The Sea and much more.

Check out these performances, and the accompanying interview, and you'll see why Corinne Bailey Rae

One of year's biggest surprises may well be the stunning success of San Franciscan band Train--who enjoyed massive popularity nearly 10 years ago with such singles as "Drops Of Jupiter" and, later, "Calling All Angels."

The band's return to the forefront comes via the hugely successful single "Hey, Soul Sister" from their most recent album Save Me, San Francisco. The fifth album in the band's long career--they've been together since 1994 and now consist of singer Pat Monahan, guitarist Jimmy Stafford, and drummer Scott Underwood--Save Me is a mature, well-crafted work with sharp, often inspirational lyrics throughout.

Y! Music has had a long history with Train--in fact here's a link to check out a video shot the last time they were in our studios--and we were happy indeed to welcome both Pat Monahan and Jimmy Stafford to our offices again recently.

Friendly and very funny, the pair informally ran thru three acoustic performances in our Music Room which you must check out--stripped

You mean to tell us you believe everything you read?

Go back where you came from!

Back and stronger than ever, Lifehouse has just seen their brand new album Smoke & Mirrors enter the Top 10 in its first week of release--the fourth in their career to do so.

In fact, that chart debut is the highest in the band's 10-year career, and an indication that the Lifehouse crew--Jason Wade, Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr., Bryce Soderberg and Ben Carey--has not slowed in the slightest since 2001, when their single "Hanging By A Moment" became the most played radio track of the year.

Here for your pleasure now is a dual helping of one of Smoke & Mirrors' finest tracks--"Halfway Gone," first exclusively performed by the band in the studio, then an additional piece showcasing the band during their recent eventful European tour.

As an added bonus, here's some great interview footage with the band from 2007 via Y! Music's Live Sets program. There's some warmth, some humor, and some passion to be seen--and those same elements are exactly what make Lifehouse's music so memorable!

Two big birthdays are in the news this week.

First, this Monday (1) marks the 16th birthday of young singing sensation Justin Bieber--whose rise from fresh-faced newcomer to chartbuster to subject of massive worldwide adulation appeared to happen in short months. Happy Birthday, Justin!

Secondly, this Tuesday (2) marks the 15th birthday of Yahoo! itself--making us a whippersnapper in Justin's eyes but still, we'd like to think, nearly as popular.

And here's a little birthday talk from the birthday boy himself!

In celebration of the birthdays, Justin is giving away an iPod with his new album loaded on it! Want to enter? Go to: http://www.justinbiebermusic.com/birthday/

We're encouraging everyone to wish Justin and Yahoo! a happy birthday by creating a birthday message and uploading it to Flickr. It can be you simply holding a sign you made, or whatever--just make sure to tag it "happybdayjustin" when you go to http://www.justinbiebermusic.com/birthday/). We'll

Though not quite a new band--their debut album first emerged in 2003--Rogue Wave is has been reaching a newer and larger audience with each successive album.

Permalight, the band's fourth and latest effort, is likely to expand that audience considerably.

Their second album for Brushfire Records, the label owned by eco-friendly recording artist Jack Johnson, it's a step up both musically and production-wise for the band--an intriguing combination of accessible melodies and surprisingly sharp, mature lyrics. Largely performed by singer/songwriter Zach Rogue and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Pat Spurgeon, with a host of guest musicians, Permalight is perhaps the strongest item in the band's catalog and a good indication that even better material may be on its way.

And aside from the album? The band's music is everywhere. Commercials, TV shows (One Tree Hill, Nip/Tuck, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs and more) and anywhere else music can ostensibly be attached. Anyone who saw last

A new face? Could be. Kate Voegele has been stirring up the music world lately with her recent release A Fine Mess--an excellent collection of material that sometimes dwells in the surprisingly personal--and gathering increased momentum among fans and critics alike.

New? Those who watch TV may also recognize Kate from her role as Mia Catalano on One Tree Hill. And those present at Farm Aid in 2005 and 2005 would have seen the young, Ohio-born singer performing onstage with the likes of Neil Young and John Mellencamp.

But all these levels of exposure have only helped Kate break through to the masses; songs from A Fine Mess popped up regularly on One Tree Hill during its week of release, and the singer's active schedule is reaping significant dividends. In fact, this Saturday afternoon, Feb. 20, Kate will be singing the national anthem before NASCAR'S NNS Stater Bros. 300.

Here's a chance to check out two live performances by Kate in a considerably more intimate environment. Recorded at