For Your Consideration: Midlake
Sounds Like: CSNY & The Moody Blues goes to college.
For Fans Of: Nuggets. Led Zeppelin, Sea Wolf
Album: The Courage Of Others
(Released 2/2 – Bella Union)
Free Live Set MP3: The Denton Session (Guardian UK)
Streaming: NPR Music First Listen
Websites: Midlake.net

It took me a bit to get into this Denton, TX band Midlake. Their music reminds me of everything Led Zeppelin did that required a flute. I would be remiss in forgetting to tell you that in addition to the CD and digital album release, the band will release a deluxe edition of The Courage Of Others, featuring a copy of the band’s short film directed by Jason Lee, a double LP, 45 rpm version of the record and a 32-page book and a live CD. This theme of bands releasing short films with their records has been HUGE lately (see Melissa Auf der Maur post). Is this a big demand to the fans? Does it influence whether or not you’d buy the record? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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Saddle Creek recording artist Orenda Fink (of Azure Ray, wife of Todd Fink of The Faint) has made her 2005 debut album Invisible Ones available for free download on her website now through the end of January in an effort to encourage relief effort donations for the current crisis in Haiti. In a very personal letter posted to her site that recounts her time in Haiti spent making music, art, and – most importantly – friends, Orenda asks that people make a donation to a relief effort organization in return for downloading the album. Invisible Ones, her solo debut, was inspired by and mainly written during her travels there in 2003.

Click here to go to Orenda’s Site.

Chances are now that you’ve seen This Is It (and if you haven’t then you should!) you’re probably as enraptured with the bombshell guitarist flanking the King of Pop as I am. If you’ve been here in the past few months then you know it’s 24-year-old Australian guitar virtuoso Orianthi (myspace); who beyond MJ (and nobody is beyond MJ) has also been backing the likes of Carrie Underwood and jamming with legends like Carlos Santana. Would you like to get to know her a little better? Orianthi’s solo debut album Believe is now in stores; her single “According to You” was recently the iTunes single of the week. Did you miss out? Fret not! We’ll hook you up!

We believe that if you’re checking out the site then you must be pretty cool. I believe you should be rewarded for doing so. To say thanks we’d like to give you an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Orianthi’s CD Believe & Poster (shown left). But here’s the catch: We want you to tell us what you Believe in. Leave us a short message in the COMMENTS below telling us what you believe in, be as creative as possible! One winner will be chosen for their originality and we will contact you by email if it’s you (We wont spam or give out your email address). Deadline is next Thursday, November 19 @ 11:59 pm.

If you believe in sharing and you’d like to pass this along to your friends on facebook & twitter, we’d appreciate that too!

If you’ve seen Michael Jackson’s This Is It or if you’ve been paying attention to AvantTrash.com since June then you’ve been hearing us talk about MJ’s 24-year-old Australian virtuoso guitarist Orianthi. Her solo album Believe was just released on October 24th and her first single “According to You” is the iTunes Free Single of the Week. It’s poppier than most of what we would recommend here (It’s kinda Kelly Clarkson with a guitar) but this woman is defnitely the total package and worth checking out. Download the single and if you don’t like it then it’s still worth the price.