Humming House

Humming House brings an interesting mix of bluegrass and Americana-you-can-dance-to to a younger generation with what has been dubbed their whimsical style and lyrical depth.  The house is definitely a-humming when these jovial folks play a room.

Justin Wade Tam, Leslie Rodriguez, Bobby Chase, Joshua Wolak, and Ben Jones make up Humming House, and they call Nashville, Tennessee their home.  They have worked with such impressive Grammy Award-winning producers as Vance Powell (The White Stripes) and Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay), and their debut record earned them recognition from both the Live in Studio C and All Things Considered segments on NPR, as well as write-ups in American Songwriter Magazine and even a Daytrotter Session.

Humming House’s single “Fly On” earned a spot in the rotations of both CMT Pure and Zuus Country, and they have also seen their music featured on such television programs as Justified on the FX Network and Hart of Dixie on The CW.

Just as impressive as the producers they have worked with are the acts with which Humming House has played, which includes everyone from Brandi Carlile and Lyle Lovett to Shovels and Rope and Ricky Skaggs.  They have also played such festivals as SXSW, the Americana Music Festival, and Old Settlers Fest, to name a few, and they compare their sound to such artists as The Decemberists, The Avett Brothers, and The Punch Brothers.

Pick up Humming House’s album Live at the Red Clay Theatre as a free download over at Noisetrade.

Jenny and Tyler

Jenny & Tyler are The Civil Wars without the animosity (incidentally, The Civil Wars follows Jenny & Tyler on Twitter).  So, you know, The Weepies.

Jenny & Tyler’s fates were sealed the moment they met at the University of Delaware.  With nearly 23,000 fans on their Facebook page, it is apparent that the married Jenny and Tyler Somers have that something special, which is evident in every song they create, from their original folk-pop material (“Faint Not”) to their covers (U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which benefits greatly from Jenny’s pretty pipes).

They have a sound that demands that you sit up and pay attention, and when you do, you won’t regret a moment spent.  Their most recent full-length album, 2012’s Open Your Doors, was produced by Mitch Dane.  Dane has also worked with Christian rock bands in the past, like Jars of Clay and Caedmon’s Call, the latter of which once featured singer/songwriter Andrew Osenga, who has been previously profiled here.

Jenny & Tyler’s songs are like potato chips – once you’ve enjoyed the first, you can’t help but reach for a second.  “Song for You” is especially breathtaking.  Here, Tyler takes the lead on a track that would fit all too nicely on the soundtrack to a romantic movie.

Head over to Noisetrade for some free samples of their wares.