"What I see is a vigorous, layered, expressionistic abstract sprawl, with a Basquiat-like, graffiti-esque urban edge and wild lashings of outsider primitivism".
- London Telegraph 2006

"Jo is one of those rare writer-performers where you get the sense, whatever your belief, that something greater is being channeled through his music and voice…Like Patti Smith, Grant Lee Phillips, Thom Yorke, he trances, and the voice, the meaning, becomes bigger than him, bigger than a few pop chords or words strung together. It touches something very deep and universal." – Michael Stipe

JOSEPH ARTHUR
www.josepharthur.com

Joseph Arthur’s first passion is the visual arts, yet he is better known for his musical talents after being discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-nineties. Arthur’s artwork is a spiritual quest expressed through form, lines, and color, involving a profound search for the ‘thread’ of life, binding even opposing forces of torment and beauty. As with Arthur’s music, evocative of such vivid imagery and emotion, his paintings dance with a similarity animated rhythm of form.
Museum of Modern Arthur – (MOMAR)

Joseph Arthur is a contemporary singer-songwriter originally from Akron, Ohio, known for his melodic compositions combined with swirling choruses. He was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-90’s and signed to Gabriel’s Real World label. Arthur’s first album, Big City Secrets, was critically acclaimed. But it was his second full-length, Come To Where I’m From, that catapulted his signature song, “In The Sun” into the spotlight. The song was recently covered by Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Chris Martin of Coldplay and was released to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief. The EP includes 6 versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe.

For his entire, decade-long recording career, Joseph Arthur has been a gushing fountain of creativity, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. While he’s now releasing four EPs as a prelude to the full-length album All You Need Is Nothing, he’s actually done this once before, releasing his four Junkyard Hearts EPs to prepare the way for his well-received 2002 full-length Redemption’s Son. Arthur is a prolific visual artist as well, with the paintings that decorated his 2000 Vacancy EP earning him a Grammy nomination for package design.
“I don’t really believe in ‘writer’s block,’” the artist notes, chuckling and doodling as he talks. ”Because I’m always looking for a way to get what I’ve recorded and written released. I have ‘releasing block.’”

Arthur is both lyrically inventive and musically restless. His two previous full lengths, released just nine months apart—Let’s Just Be and Nuclear Daydream— showcased two different sides of his musical leanings—raw, Stones-y swagger on the former, and meticulously produced atmospheric pop on the latter. And now, thanks to his independent label, Lonely Astronaut Records, Arthur has something of a cure for ‘releasing block,’ with much more freedom to offer his limitless creativity to the world.

REIGN LEE
www.ReignLee.com

Drawing a list of comparisons with artists as diverse as Patti Smith, the Smashing Pumpkins, Annie Lennox, the Arcade Fire, and Nirvana – the chameleonic musician has carved out her own brand of what it means to be alternative by blending rock, pop, alternative, folk and electronica. Her popular song, ‘BUILT TO LAST’ from her album “HOLDING BACK THE BEAST” was selected to be part of Microsoft and Reverbnation’s Sponsored Songs campaign and she was picked by the popular iPhone app, Radiolicious, as one of their chosen artists. Her new EP, “ANGELS IN THE DIRT” is quickly garnering acclaim and has been picked up by Blue Pie Records, Radio Basingstoke, Radio UK International and Crystal Blue Radio in New York. Reign will be on tour in the US again this April and will continue to tour throughout the year. Recommended if you like singer-songwriters with an edge.