In full bloom

Those of us who appreciate indie music and "indie soul" in particular are easily agitated when surveying what the mainstream powers that be choose to put its full influence behind. Our anger and frustration is righteous and worth our focus when considered in the proper context. It's mainly due to our continuous discovery of acts that truly deserve everyone's attention, not just our own. And although we sometimes, albeit selfishly, revel in the knowledge that we are somehow cooler for being hip to a particular artist that many others are not, that self-righteous feeling fades when we realize that we would prefer to enjoy the bonefied artists we love on radio and t.v. the same way other music fans get to frequently indulge in the cookie cutter one-hit wonders that will soon fade. Sometimes it really sucks when you realize there is so much more that seems to be intentionally hidden from us.

Well, get ready to get pissed again, my friends. Because Kevin Sandbloom is another one of those artists you should know. This So-Cal singer/songwriter has been quietly building an ever-growing worldwide fan base. Pairing with Melany Bell to form his name sake band Sandbloom, Kevin has been relentlessly touring and recording- and his hard work is paying off. After a brief stint with Virgin via a demo deal in 1999, Kevin Sandbloom has been producing his acoustic driven songs as an independent and hasn't looked back. His 2005 album From A Bird yielded the much-favored track 'Is It A Crime'; a beautiful acoustic version of the Sade classic. No easy feat to take a song that Ms. Adu so clearly left her indelible stamp on and transform it into something so uniquely refreshing.

On the newly released MadLoveActivate, Kevin Sandbloom may have created his first, true masterpiece in 'Viva Los Angeles'. Destined to be as definitively California as Randy Newman's 'I Love L.A.', 'Viva' represents the darker side of the city of dreams. Where pursuit of your goals may cause you to gradually lose yourself and make you question why you ever went in the first place. Sandbloom's cautionary tale of life in the big city and fulfilling your dreams is spun in a particularly dark and honest way as he sings lines such as, "...gotta get down or lay down." "Am I myself or does this place define me?" And, "Even you're children know, this is where the hustlers go to get it. I hope that you find whatever you're looking for." The listener is draw into the struggles that sometimes envelope those that hop off the bus, ready to become a star; but often get lost in a living nightmare on the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Also apparent in the song is the deep love for L.A. often expressed by its long time residents. This is one of those great songs you fall in love with on the very first listen.

Be sure to stop by Sandbloom's MySpace page here. The 2 songs offered below are always within my reach. They stay in my personal listening rotation, and once you listen to them, you'll understand why. The new album MadLoveActivate is available now.

Kevin Sandbloom - Is It A Crime

Sandbloom - Viva Los Angeles