Tong Family

With all the great new artists out there and the Internet, it sure is easier to find some great new folks to listen to. Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards alternative artists like:
* NPR : Vienna Teng, Live at NPR. One of the few folks I learned about reading the “Seattle Times”:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2001871281_nite05.html. A cross between Sarah Maclachlan and Tori Amos. She only has two albums out, “Waking Hours”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006RY7D/qid=1078693543//ref=pd_ka_1/104-4381346-9904732?v=glance&s=music&n=507846 and “Warming Strangers”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000ZMHBU/qid=1078693543//ref=pd_ka_2/104-4381346-9904732?v=glance&s=music&n=507846. Check out the NPR feed for some songs and her “personal”:http://www.viennateng.com/ site for some free downloads.
* “Patty Griffin”:http://www.pattygriffin.com/ . I first her Patty Griffin at the “North Hill Bakery”:http://yellowpages.superpages.com/supermaps/mapinit.jsp?SRC=&C=north++hill+bakery&T=seattle&S=WA&R=N&STYPE=S&CP=Food+%26+Dining%5EFast+Foods+%26+Carry+Out%5EBakeries%5ERetail&MC=1&LID=0021196748&map.x=212&map.y=125&level=8&lat=047623605&lng=-122312295&POI1lat=047623605&POI1lng=-122312295&POI1name=North+Hill+Bakery&streetaddress=518+15th+Avenue+East&city=Seattle&state=WA&zip=98112. She was one of those folks I just had to learn more about. Another example of someone who isn’t with a major. I just love Living with Ghosts and 1000 Kisses. She’s just about to release her latest album A Kiss in Time. There are also some great live recordings running around on PTP networks.
* “Shawn Colvin”:http://www.shawncolvin.com/. A great artist. Particularly good in concert.
* “Indigo Girls”:http://www.indigogirls.com/. Another great favorite.
* “Everything But The Girl”:http://www.ebtg.com/ . I actually like their earliest stuff the best. They’re defunct now, but Amplified Heart for instance was the best.
* “Sarah McLachlan”:http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/. The artist who started listening to alternative rock for me. Now she’s kind of the dean of it all. Stumbling Towards Ecstasy is probably my favorite.