Autumn has always been known as an emotionally-stirring time of year. As the warm summer sun fades and the seasons change, we assess the journey as we come to the year’s home stretch. We learn what to keep near, as well as which layers to shed.
These three songs deal with the latter part of that equation — and the ways we often struggle to do so, in search of brighter days.
Hear What You Should
Ria Barkr has been hard at work throughout 2022 releasing soulful R&B cuts — and doing it her way. The Virginia native went inward during the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerged refreshed and ready to present her artistry in an entirely new light.
Learn about Ria’s journey in this conversation, and stick around to learn about her latest single, “monday,” and the value of recharging in a “hustle culture” that isn’t always what it seems on social media.
#GetSpunn
Do you feel that chill in the air? Better put on some FIRE to keep us warm.
This month was full of fire, and we’re here to let it burn. These 20 tracks are a glorious snapshot of what September had to offer, weaving through genres and moods to create one true eclectic, yet unified masterpiece.
Let’s not delay. Get to it!
Hear the Best of September
Earlier this week, we announced that we’re giving you a daily taste of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, by sharing the show’s most insightful, inspirational, and/or hilarious moments on-demand.
We encourage you to subscribe to UMC on YouTube, to ensure that you don’t miss a moment. However, we’re also making it easy for you to find the goods every weekend with our new Sunday Replay feature, right here on UMC!
Every Sunday, we’ll roll all of the week’s clips into a recap, giving you the opportunity to catch them all under one roof. From there, if you want even more Quinn Spinn goodness where that came from, might we suggest the following links?
#GetSpunn
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Instagram
Anyway, onto the first-ever Sunday Replay!
Catch Up here
In my previous article for Muze, we took a dive into the ways independent artists can book more shows, more often. From relationship building with venue managers and fellow artists, to making sure you deliver a complete, organized pitch, the steps are outlined to ensure that you find greater success, as you strive to bring your live show to new audiences.
But… you know what they say about a tree falling in a forest, right? If nobody is around to hear it, does it really make a sound? The final step in that article was to make sure you promote your show once it’s booked, to get people out and ensure that the venue is happy (thus, increasing the likelihood that you will be booked again in the future).
Last time, I promised to come back with ways to make your gig stand out as special, and to make it the place to be in any competitive live music market. That’s what we’ll do here today!
We have new tunes blowing in, like the gentle early-autumn breeze currently sweeping through Nashville.
This week’s Songs You Should Hear lineup features three emotionally-gripping new tracks from female artists. We start by whisking you away to the scenic Pacific Northwest, before transporting back in time to the 1980s — with a twist! Then, we close with a frantic pop anthem about the difficulties of finding love, when we find it hard to love ourselves.
Hear What You Should
Erin McLendon and Caitie Thompson are the co-founders of Music on the Move Studios. Both Erin and Caitie are music educators — Erin teaches voice, while Caitie teaches multiple instruments — who are passionate about helping budding performers achieve their potential. In addition, Music on the Move’s all-female showcases provide independent artists and small businesses with a chance to build community in a live setting, while Caitie’s Paradox Jukebox podcast gives the members of that community an opportunity to share their stories.
Through Sept. 30, buy one month of lessons from Music on the Move Studios, and get the second month half off: https://www.musiconthemovestudios.com/musiceducation
#GEtSpunn
Without saying a word, Andrew LaVogue is always ready and able to capture our imaginations through song. The Ohio native — who now resides in Portland, ME — is a master at creating a variety of moods though his American primitive guitar stylings.
LaVogue’s latest offering is the full-length album, Cherry Valley Waltz. Crafted over a two-year period, the eight-track offering — preceded by singles “Remember When” and “Sweet and Simple” — paints vivid golden-hour portraits of life growing up in the rural reaches of northeast Ohio.
Hear the album
So, it dawned on us the other day: we have a whole bunch of amazing clips from The Quinn Spinn — not to mention, other video content ideas — hanging out on hard drives, and a whole YouTube channel that would gladly host them.
So, we’re finally stepping fully into the 21st Century, and we’ve decided to give you some of our Official Podcast’s most insightful, inspirational, and/or hilarious moments on-demand!
Watch a few!
We’ve tried to hang on to the summer of 2022 for as long as possible. And, if you’re in Nashville this week, it certainly seems like Mother Nature is thinking along the same lines.
But… it’s over. We’re officially heading into fall this week, but not before a last hurrah of high-powered summer bops. The first half of UMC20 is loaded with those, before gradually giving way to more mellow sounds befitting the cooler months.
OK… there are some Americana-tinged scorchers at the end, too. We couldn’t help ourselves!
Listen to UMC20