Retro & Congrats!!!!!!

Well we're off to one hell of a wknd!!! and in honor of our fellow staff member here at the office who's accomplishing something really cool, we thought this would sum up the wknd ahead, so kudos to you.



Side Note- Yeah Yeah it's Cheesy as hell but hey!!!!

Listening Booth With Duffy's Rockferry

You know every once and awhile there's a moment that stands out in your life that will always be remembered regardless of the severity of that moment, it's a staple in the memory bank.

A few months ago, we had the pleasure of getting an early listen of Rockferry from the up and coming new "It" girl who's also posted in our ones to watch in 08 (shameless plug on a recent post) Duffy. Now it has been a few years since quality this good has taken form, something special has happened with this album & no offense to Amy Wino (excuse us) Winehouse, who's been putting it down wayyyyyyy before her ground breaking album Back to Black (2004 to be exact) but the voice of Aimee Duffy (or Deniece Willams secret love child) is a thing of beauty. The 12 track debut is and will be one of the best this year, below is a few standout cuts we selected.

Side Note- As you can see we here have "Duffy fever" but He-- that's what happens when you can actually sing in tune........

Warwick Avenue

Save it for your prayers

Janelle where have you been all our life??

After a brief hiatus of enjoying the holiday weekend like most regular humans do, we decided to get back into the swing of things and get back on schedule with the postings.

Now you may not know Janelle Monae now, but by the end of 2008 you sure will!!! recently we've been flooded with a factory of blue eyed soul music from across the country, and although Amy, Duffy & Adele are great artist (Duffy will be a superstar) it's kind've soothing to know that creativity is still around. Janelle is truly in a league all by herself, and gives you a feeling of a female Andre 3000, who mentored her and molded her career into what hopefully soon will be greatness. We have nothing but the best wishes for this eclectic cyber girl from the place where Dorthy calls no place like home (Kansas people!!! geez) here is the contagious "Many Moons" below.

Side Note- Just received an email, congrats on Ms Monae signing with (excuse us) Sean Combs label Bad Boy?????????? (we've got nothing)

Retro Thursday with the New Radicals

In our latest installment of Retro throwbacks, we bring to you the New Radicals. A band that is mostly known for there hit & cool vid Get what you give now some might call them a one hit wonder, but hell if that's the case then we have an abundance of those in today's music. With that being said, sit back and listen to the golden years of good tunes when being young & just enjoying life was the thing to do!!!! (Ahhhh the memories)

Side note- Scary that this track still sums up how many of us live our lives today!!!

Puppets pulling there own strings

Front man Alex Turner and Miles Kane have formed a side project (and a damn good one) titled The Last Shadow Puppets one fourth of the baddest band from Sheffield (Arctic Monkeys) Turner grabs Miles and decided to jump into the studio and create an album that screams 1960's all over it. Check the track "My Mistakes Were Made For You" and someone please email Marc Foster and tell him to hurry the F--- up and put this in the new 007 movie soundtrack!!!

Laura Marling has a story to tell

We here at the Maroon Cafe would like to first apologize for the lack of recent posts, due to the transformation of our new and upcoming site, so enough with the email threats already!!!

Now moving on to the topic at hand, being away for a quick minute gave us a chance to really see what new talent was locked away from the industry monsters. Lately there's been a drought of tunes worth checking out, so once again our lovely intern has come to the rescue (There 2 for 2) Laura Marling the little darling out of Reading Berkshire (England for those who were too busy talking during History class) is the latest rare gem, who at first listen to Alas I cannot Swim gives us a female version of Nick Drake. With a voice of pain & passion & a style of a scorned lover who's trapped themselves inside the house for a few months, while picking up a guitar and a pen. Get your dosage of "New Romantic" now and as always, tell em Maroon Cafe told ya so.............

Side note-(after falling out of the chair faster than Sue Simmons when finding out Laura's age)The seventeen year old and the image above, only makes the Nick Drake comparison more valid.

Yoav takes it to the Club

Hope the weekend was as long as ours over here in the office, with a couple of deals that was finalized and an overload of music that came our way, we might be giving our interns a 7 day shift!!! (pun intended) as for now enjoy the sounds of Yoav who is making quite a buzz with his single "Club Thing" (no comment on the song title) and for what it's worth, this actually works. We're sure that this tune will be rocking with you until the end of the week, and for those who have two left feet well the two step is always available.

Side note- J.C Chasez is that you?

Girl Power

While checking our mail this week, and still glowing over our upcoming MAJOR UPGRADE and NEW WEBSITE (un-shameless plug) one of our interns was blasting this tune that peeked our interest so immediately he was told to turn that s--t down and do some research on the group.

To our delight it was Electrelane a four piece band that consist of Verity Susman on keyboards & vocals, Emma Gaze on drums (dream girl) Mia Clarke on guitar & Ros Murray playing bass. Ask yourself this question, how could you not post an all girl band!! "To the East" a catchy tune and after a few listens, it becomes addictive. We'll keep you posted on the girls from across the globe, but for now enjoy the tune below.




Update- (The Spice Girls with real instruments excuse us Electrelane has gone on indefinite hiatus)

We're Just Saying

We here at the Maroon Cafe will not and we repeat will not be promoting any politicians!!!!

Alright!!!! after a mysterious phone call and a little side money (thank you Oba-- Campaign) which is always helpful, we found this amusing. Show Taz some love for the creativity.

Side note (5 years from now you'll be shaking your head saying how cheesy was this?)

Retro Thursday with Labbi

In honor of Retro Thursdays, we've decided to take the red pill and go further into the world of tunes. Now this image above, could be posted on the To Catch A Predator website or might even give you nightmares of the your wild and crazy Uncle inviting you into the garage late at night. Labi Siffre is the latest to grace our classic throwback sessions and for a small prize (very small) the first individual who can guess the artist who recently used this as a sample will get a FREE that's right FREE envelope & postage stamp!!!! just return the letters thanking us for such a great site....... "My Song" is below

Maroon Cafe Spotlight A Bird and A Bee

Once again we would like to bring to you our Artist Spotlight, this go around we're featuring The Bird and The Bee the eclectic duo of Inara George (Bird) and Greg Kurstin (Bee) whose sound is very reminiscent of well we'll let you be the judge. It was our pleasure to find out what makes a Bird and a Bee so special.


M.C. How did the Bird and the Bee come about?

Inara: Greg was playing on my solo record and we hit it off musically and started writing songs together.

M.C. When first hearing your music you do get a 1960's futuristic vibe, are you guys into classic movies from that era?

Inara: Yes, we love many movies from that era... the music the look.. the attitude.

M.C. Theres something Beautiful & Melodic about the track "Spark" whats the inspiration behind such a great song?

Inara: Not really sure... that one just came out... I guess we were going for a sort of sonic landscape...

M.C. What does the group have planned in 2008?

Inara: Doing a festival in singapore. Playing coachella... that's all I can think of right now.

M.C. When not doing shows, what are you guys doing in your free time?

Inara: We work a lot... I have my solo stuff, Greg works with a ton with other people, writing and producing

M.C. Who's the most artistic out of the two?

Inara: Hopefully we are equally artistic.

M.C. Inara you come from a Musical family, what kind of music was played around the house growing up?

Inara: Much of what you would expect. It varied quite a bit from era to era.

M.C. I've read that your debut album is the soundtrack for the next hipster lounge, are you guys frequently shopping around the lounge scene listening to different sounds?

Inara: I don't think we are really going for anything that specific... we just like to make what we make, and I suppose it turns out sounding a little loungey.

M.C. If you had one show and two artist to headline with you, who would that be?

Inara: Well, not sure if we would headline with... but I think I would like to open up for Prince and I can't think of anyone else at the moment... too set on Prince...


With a debut album that was one of the best last year and a new one in the works, this group is bringing diversity to the music world, and for that we greatly appreciate it.

Listen below to one of there most intriguing tracks, "Fuc-ing Boyfriend" Inara's angelic voice over a love letter gone terribly wrong!!!! (restraining order anyone?)

Introducing Jessie Baylin

After a very productive weekend in which we just got word that soon The Maroon Cafe will be getting a major upgrade & we're officially a brand name!!!!! plus it helps if you have a kick a-- presentation and a vision of what's to come.

This is a real relaxed start of the week for us here so we decided to bring you some great sounds from an artist you may have never heard of, who's music kind've fit the bill for the mood where in over here at the office. Jessie Baylin a Jersey native who later relocated for warmer and greener pastures to La La land (once again Los Angeles for the internet impaired) slows the mood down with her acoustic spring time delivery of "Contradicting Words" a track we figured you would enjoy.

Yeah yeah yeah we know another female with a guitar!!!! but hey at least she's easy on the eyes and the song is quality folks.

Viva La Vida /Approved

We wanted to show off our new piece of artwork that we will be giving away for FREE!!! the first comment posted and it's yours, (Social and Credit Card numbers required)

UPDATE- The artwork is not for the giving and we just got word that this piece actually is the new album cover for the biggest band in the world (What about U2?) COLDPLAY which hits the U.S. on June 17th (calendar marked) and is titled "Viva La Vida and Death to all his friends" taken after Frida Kahlo a 20th century Mexican painter. Violet Hill is the first single and with a touch of Oasis and a tease of the groups vintage sound that makes you ask the question, can this band do any wrong?

Violet Hill is below tell us what you think?

Death Cab Goes Psycho & Grabs A Few Possessed Hearts

There's really no major introduction needed for these guys!! and if your still not in the know, then the Dummies guide for Death Cab for Cutie is available (click here) Ben gibbard and the fellas are back from a three year hiatus and it was well worth the wait. A new album and a new single that at first listen you can tell the boys from Bellingham did there homework during the drought, with a banging bass intro for (the soon to be stalkers anthem) " I will possess your heart" this is Death Cab at it's best. We here at the Cafe tried and tried and tried to get Mr Gibbards heavy delivery out of our heads!!!! Narrow Stairs is truly a front runner for album of the year (yes we did just say that) and this is the kind've work all fans have been waiting for. Kudos and a salute gentleman, you've finally arrived.

Here's the Vid which is pretty cool and the best to us so far this year!! (If you're really bored turn down the video and try to time it with the song after) just don't tell anyone you attempted that!!!!!




Extended Version

Retro Thursday with Shuggie Otis

This week we had to dig really deep and dust off a few records in the process to come up with this rare find. Shuggie Otis best known for his composition "Strawberry Letter 23" which later became a hit from the group the Brothers Johnson, is the (excuse us for this) original Lenny Kravitz and was putting it down long before Prince and all the other artist who followed after. Otis covered every genre of music, from Funk to Rock& Roll and even R&B. Now for those of you who know about this mans great pieces of work can relate to the fact that Shuggie was wayyyyyyyyy before his time, so we decided to go into the vault and bring you "Island Letter" a lovely B-side that was on the album Inspiration Information. Light some candles and get a glass of your favorite beverage (alcohol is not promoted on this site) Enjoy........................

Island Letter