59 - Chris Posey

Genre: Country
Location: Cleveland, AL
Websites: www.reverbnation.com/chrisposeyband
www.myspace.com/chrisposey



Bio: Chris Posey is an all-american cowboy from Alabama. Thats the darn truth and if that aint country than please tell me what is. Garth Brooks can go back to L.A. for all I care, just as long as Chris and the other Alabama boys stay put and keep on givin us some real country music down here. Part of the underground country crew that has been rockin the beer joints in Alabama for the over a decade, Chris has a style all his own and a vibrant country voice that will shake any old honky tonk to its foundations. Comin up with the likes of Alabama legends such as Tony Brook and Adam Hood, Chris has a huge following down here and a right true philosophy about music here in God's country. He believes that good music should stay down here in Alabama and rightfully so. The more musicians the merrier, and Alabama is a great scene for all types of music. Alabama has had its share of musical greats, like Hank Williams, Nat King Cole, Percy Sledge, The Commodores, Wet Willie, Erskine Hawkins, Sun Ra and Lionel Hampton. Alabama is also the home of the Muscle Shoals sound studio that was the premier  recording studio in the nation back in the day. Bands and musicians like the Allman Bros. Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seeger, Bob Dylan and even more recently The Black Keys have all recorded there.

Chris Posey believes that Alabama can be home to another great musical renaissance like back in the 60's, and I'm right there with him. Alabama is smack dab in the middle of great music hubs like Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis and the Mighty Mississippi. Chris Posey writes a good bit of material about his home state and he is writing from the heart. He ain't writing an album for Taylor Swift so he can bank on royalties off music he doesn't care about. He writes what is real to him and that is solid badass country! In a time when we are inundated by pure clearchannel crap. Stupid overproduced pop they call country and annoying rap is all there is on the radio. What ever happened to the good country like Hank, Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, George Jones, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Willie, Waylon and the boys? Well the answer ain't on the radio, its down here in Alabama and Chris Posey's on the front lines. Chris Posey is real country, for those of you who still know what that is.

58 - Way Way East Bay

Genre: Funk/ Soul/ R&B/ Jazz
Location: Logan, UT
Website: www.myspace.com/waywayeastbaymusic



Bio: The funk permeates the seams of this rockin horn-based R&B band. Excellent horn voicings and prime grooves from the rhythm section support Maureen's versatile soul vocals. The band is ridiculously tight but in all the right ways. A killer horn section blasts funky harmonic and melodic lines and the soloists flawlessly kill technical and juicy jams off the top of the dome. Way Way East Bay is  a group of seasoned professional musicians based in Utah that have united and recorded an amazing album. With sounds reminiscent of 60's and 70's motown, soul and funk. They are primarily influenced by the great horn bands of that era. Bands like Tower of Power, Chicago, Cold Blood, James Brown, The Sons of Champlin and more. Way Way East Bay covers some of this classic material as well as playing some funky new origz.

This band primarily plays in UT and might not be as active now as in past years. All of the members are continuously involved in a multitude of other musical endeavors. I'm not sure if the band plans on recording a second album, but I hope so because their debut recording is kick-ass! Way Way East Bay has a myspace page where you can check out their tracks. When you give them a listen you might think it would have been a monster studio undertaking with a four peice horn section, full rhythm section, lead and backing vocals. However according to their myspace, they recorded all this music with a time constraint and played it pretty much all the way through. Recorded like all the good old-school records were made, the whole band in the studio at the same time doing the whole song in one take. Huh, imagine that. I'm not sure yet if this album is available online for purchase, but when I find out I'll put a link to it. Click their myspace link and get ready to enjoy Way Way East Bay, some real old school funk with a new school vibe!

57 - Funky Butter

Genre: Rock, Funk, Jazz, Freakjams
Location: New York, NY
Websites: www.funkybutter.com/home.html
www.myspace.com/funkybutter
www.facebook.com/pages/Funky-Butter/35620939589?sk=app_5179614317



Bio: This band is so good its retarded. With two badass chick singers, buttery Palladino-esque bass thumpin, creamy funk drums, sexy keyboards and guit-fiddles Funky Butter has a multi-colored pallet to paint funkalacious soundscapes. Formed by the coming together of Kate, Dallin, Dan and Justin who all attended NYU for music and Josh Steingard on drums, who graduated Berklee School of Music in Boston. Not only do they have unchallenged technical skill on their instruments, but their vocals intertwine, I think you know what I mean. No really, their vocals layer upon each other in lush harmony that is very similar to the sounds of thousands of rare amazonian birds that have evolved over millenia to have the most perfect singing voices.

Funky Butter used to crush shows around NYC, Boston and Philadelphia with a tasty organic buttery spread you can't seriously believe its not butter! Unfortunately the Butter is no longer together as all the members are all currently pursuing other musical adventures. Luckily before the members went on to their next evolutionary stage as artists they recorded a fantastic final album. Their recording pushes the boundaries of real rock n roll! With sounds like the Beatles, Janis, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Wayne Krantz, Steely Dan, Horace Silver, Ella Fitzgerald... I could spend days listing their respective influences, however it is evident these folks are musicologists at heart. Their music transcends the Rock genre and is something all its own. One thing is for damn sure it is pure unadulterated Freakjams, Aisle 9 - Dairy section: Funky Butter! I don't have to justify myself here just buy their album now!

56 - Blame Sydney!

Genre: Ska/ Punk/ Rock
Location: Auburn, AL
Websites: www.myspace.com/blamesydney
www.facebook.com/BlameSydney
www.reverbnation.com/blamesydney



Bio: This super-powered group of ass-kicking ska mayhem has been wreaking havoc on the Auburn scene for the past few years. Two guitarists shred mercilessly underneath thunderous mountain horns over a palpitating ska rhythm. With raw energy seething from their pores, Blame Sydney has cornered the punk market in the Auburn area. They have been honing their tastiness all the while incorporating influences like, The Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Smash Bros, Op Ivy, Less Than Jake and Streetlight Manifesto. Blasting trombone and wailing trumpet fling mystic sounds that sail as boat wizards into the night.

Now hosting a show one night a month at the Olde Auburn Ale House, they continue to bring new hardcore, ska and punk acts to the deep south. Blame Sydney have a devoted following of skankers and punk heads and rightfully so. They have a smorgasbord of original jams, that rock on thru the night with catchy sing-a-long choruses and singable horn lines. Rock on America and beyond! Blame Sydney's straight and to the point lyrics and outline the day to day struggles of kids with no money but plenty of beer and good times. Blame Sydney is a must see Auburn band fo sho! Watch out for them if you come to town for their show is a raucous explosion of punk fury that if you miss, you would lose a mass amount of cool points! Blame Sydney is the ska of the future that you can enjoy today!

55 - Kristen Hines

Genre: Folk/ Rock/ Pop/ Acoustic/ Singer- Songwriter
Location: Atlanta, GA
Websites: www.kristenhinesmusic.com
www.kristenhines.bandcamp.com
www.myspace.com/kristenhinesmusic



Bio: Kristen Hines does it all. She runs her own website, writes her own songs and performs across the southeast. Her songs traverse a wide range of styles. She has a strong basis in Folk and you can hear east indian and native american influences as well. Her lyrics reference biblical and religious themes as well as love, heartbreak and friendship. A renaissance woman in her own right, Kristen Hines writes intelligent pop music with heart and her emotion radiates through her songs. She has a wealth of great recordings to check out. With an EP and a full-length album to boot, Kristen is a real hard-working pro singer-songwriter. Visit her homepage, facebook, myspace and discover cool tracks on her bandcamp page as well.

Originally from Jamaica, she is based out of Atlanta, GA and currently attends Auburn University in sweet home Alabama. Making a name for herself across the plains and the lands down here in the south, you can catch her in a variety of venues here in God's country! Kristen Hines is an inspiration to all aspiring musicians and songwriters as she is proof that you can do it yourself and get your songs out there without any outside help. Yep she's a badass. Kristen Hines, buy her music now!! Freakjams!

54 - Waste Basket

Genre: Ska/ Punk/ Hardcore/ Freakjams
Location: Chicago, IL
Websites: www.myspace.com/wastebasket
www.wastebasket.bandcamp.com
www.reverbnation.com/wastebasket
www.facebook.com/groups/2259384066



Bio: I saw these cantankerous Chicago ska punkers rock the Ale House in Auburn last wednesday and they brought the heat! Fiery two-minute masterpieces blasting forth from their rocket launchers of ska. This band has deep horny harmonies created with powerful trombone and earthy saxophone, as well as a tight rhythm section and virile testosterone fueled punk vocals. Waste Basket is definitely hardcore Chicago ska punk at its finest. "I'm a slob and I don't care so fuck you!" is just one of there many Shakespearian jams. "S.O.S." is another song that rocked the Ale House to its core. The lyrics include the message is that every day is the fucking same! This song is great because it reminds me of when I had a real job, and how much better it is now that I don't!

I like bands that do not censor themselves. They are not conforming to a pop format thats for damn sure. These guys are heavily Rancid, Skatalites, Op Ivy and Screetching Weasel influenced, which if you don't know already is dope. Waste Basket is the perfect combo of ska and punk. Hard hitting and up-apologetically blunt! This band is perfect for a late night waste-fest, street skate competition or back alley brawl. Listen to them in the morning and you will wake up faster than six shots of espresso to your fucking dome! Waste Basket is on tour around the states and will come to your town soon, so be patient and continue to practice your skanking, moshing and thrashing so you can be ready to get Wasted!!!