Artist: Royal American
Title: Don’t Waste Water (2007)

Royal American is a rock band hailing from both New Orleans and Brooklyn, NY.  Fans of Ryan Adams, Tom Petty, and The Kinks should take notice.  Royal American will be playing Bud Light Downtown Live on July 14, opening for Will Hoge and The Romantics.  The album is available on their website at www.RoyalAmericanMusic.com .  And if all of this isn’t enough; Pepper Keenan (Raleigh native, C.O.C.) is in their top 8 on myspace

Artist: Jenny Owen Youngs
Title: Batten The Hatches (2007)

Nettwerk recording artist Jenny Owen Youngs has just released her debut national album.   Fans of Vienna Teng, Abra Moore, Regina Spektor and Bjork will enjoy this record.  She’s unladylike, feisty, indie pop at its best.   There are some really fun-to-listen-to songs on this record. But even if you don’t like her music, she’s fun to look at.  Check her out on myspace and listen to the song “Drinking Song”.

Is Bright Eyes a band or a guy?  I can’t figure it out.  I think a little of both.  All I know is that Deep South lost out to Bright Eyes when two of our (cool, hip, female) employees skipped work one recent Friday to zip to Atlanta for a Bright Eyes concert. The hip girls love this band.  And what’s not to love; They have the right haircuts and embrace all the latest fashion trends.  Oh yeah, their music’s pretty damn good too. It’s a singer-songwriter alt-country style.  This is actually the band’s sixth album.  Cassadaga debuted at #4 on the Billboard charts, so they are definitely loved by the masses.  At bare minimum, take note of the haircuts.  Their music AND their style may make you cooler than your friends..