Starting things off is the new, debut EP from Omnia, entitled Jailbird. Now, most of you have never heard from this Staten Island native, but for me, her new work has been long awaited. I have occasionally mentioned her here in my blog, but haven't been able to put music to the words...at least to this point. But I'm happy to say we can do so now.
Omnia is the twin sister of Leila, who hit my #1 spot last May 2, with "Hush Little Baby". But their genes are really the only thing they have in common. While Leila's style is in the jazzy mode of Corinne Bailey Rae or Norah Jones, her sister's work probably defies comparison, although she can, at times, approach bluesy proportions, while at other times, has influences from the other side of the planet. This set could make the blues charts, or the world music charts.
The biggest problem would be selecting a track from the six included here, especially since there hasn't been an announced single. I added two this week: "What's Become of Us" is my top debut at #67. A midtempo song, the style of the song reminds me of Stone Temple Pilots' "Big Empty" without the grunginess. "Grace", which enters at #79 shows Omnia at her more exotic. It's an international sound that melts European, Africa and Asia beats, but it's hard to exactly pinpoint it. This is a different kind of sound, and anyone looking for the next "big thing" could start here. No sooner did I decide on these two tracks, then her (and Leila's) aunt, my friend and Roselle Park native Diane Tarantino Hegazy, posted another song "Change This Place", which is another winner, and will add that one next week. Buy the whole EP and just go and lose yourself. You can catch Omnia in New York City; she plays regularly (as does her sister) at the Bitter End.
The other exciting new song out there now belongs to the Dum Dum Girls, a four-piece indie-pop outfit from LA. They have been together since 2008 and are fronted by Kristen Gundred, who goes by the stage name of Dee Dee (all members have stage names). Their second album, Only In Dreams, was released this week, along with the single "Coming Down", my second highest debut at #73. The song, six minutes plus in length, is a bit somber, but keeps moving along. Inevitable comparisons are to Mazzy Star, but the song also reminds me of the 1992 classic "Black Metallic" by Catherine Wheel. The song is persistant and keeps pulling you in. Expect this to hit my #1 position in a matter of weeks. They'll be touring the west coast in the near future, but will make their way in these parts, playing at the Bowery Ballroom on October 21. Definitely worth checking out.
CHART ACTION: It's a third week at the top for Fitz & the Tantrum's "Picking Up the Pieces", but it was very close. The persistant "Junk of the Heart" by The Kooks almost snuck in there. Next week it's going to be a very interesting race for the top as those two songs, along with the surging "What the Water Gave Me" (Florence + the Machine) and "I Swear" (Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside) get into the mix. Two Jerseyans enter the top 10: after hiccuping last week, Rachel Allyn returns to the top 10 with "Lovely Lily" and The Big Troubles come in with "Bite Yr Tongue".
Two entries into the top 20, headed by Thom Sebastian's "Not Broken" at #17, and the third consecutive top 20 hit for Cage the Elephant, "Aberdeen". Imelda May's "Mayhem" is biggest mover in a week that didn't see too many giant ones. The song, a #1 in her native Ireland last year, is from the album of the same name. An uptemp jazzy, rockabilly type of piece, it destroyed my brain last week. Finally, we have the long-awaited last recording by Amy Winehouse, in a duet with Tony Bennett, "Body and Soul", from the legendary crooner's Duets II set. The song is more in Bennett's classic style rather than the late Brit soulstress' retro, and, upon first listen doesn't really do Winehouse justice, but may change with future listens. I said this before, but we will miss her.
One last observation: As I mentioned earlier, Thom Sebastian's backup band is The Hounds of Winter. Sarah Jean also utilizes The Hounds of Winter (same band). Bush's latest song is "The Sound of Winter". Can we enjoy autumn first?
Scenes n' Soundwaves 100 for the week of Septembe 26, 2011
This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
1 | 1 |  FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS "Pickin' Up The Pieces of Love" Album: Pickin' Up the Pieces (3 weeks at #1) | 9 |
2 | 2 | The Kooks - Junk of the Heart | 12 |
3 | 5 | Florence + the Machine - What the Water Gave Me | 6 |
4 | 3 | Wilco - I Might | 10 |
5 | 9 | Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside - I Swear | 6 |
6 | 8 | Death Cab For Cutie - Stay Young Go Dancing | 8 |
7 | 6 | Michelle Branch - Loud Music | 12 |
8 | 11 | Rachel Allyn - Lovely Lily | 6 |
9 | 12 | The Big Troubles - Bite Yr Tongue | 7 |
10 | 4 | Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie | 11 |
11 | 14 | Anna Calvi - Blackout | 7 |
12 | 10 | Plan B- Love Goes Down | 14 |
13 | 7 | Best Coast - Something In The Way | 15 |
14 | 15 | Bush - The Sound of Winter | 8 |
15 | 13 | Lykke Li - Rich Kids Blues | 10 |
16 | 18 | SuperHeavy - Miracle Worker | 10 |
17 | 23 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  THOM SEBASTIAN AND THE HOUNDS OF WINTER "Not Broken" (Single Only) | 5 |
18 | 17 | Avi Buffalo - How Come | 14 |
19 | 16 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work It Out | 10 |
20 | 28 | Cage the Elephant - Aberdeen | 5 |
21 | 20 | The Airborne Toxic Event - All I Ever Wanted | 8 |
22 | 19 | Los Lonely Boys - 16 Monkeys | 11 |
23 | 29 | Macy Gray - Kissed It | 7 |
24 | 22 | The Jayhawks - She Walks In So Many Ways | 9 |
25 | 47 | MOVER OF THE WEEK:  IMELDA MAY "Mayhem" Album: Mayhem | 5 |
26 | 24 | The Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out | 9 |
27 | 26 | Maroon 5 f. Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger | 11 |
28 | 39 | Best Coast - Our Deal | 3 |
29 | 37 | Oberhofer - Gotta Go | 5 |
30 | 25 | Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean | 20 |
31 | 32 | Trevor Hall - Brand New Day | 10 |
32 | 35 | Mister Heavenly - Mister Heavenly | 7 |
33 | 21 | Brilliant Colors - Value Lines | 12 |
34 | 27 | Adele - Set Fire To the Rain | 13 |
35 | 38 | Surfer Blood- Swim | 8 |
36 | 45 | Dom - Happy Birthday Party | 3 |
37 | 33 | Grouplove - Colours | 10 |
38 | 34 | Adele - Someone Like You | 23 |
39 | 41 | Cults - Go Outside | 6 |
40 | 42 | The Drums - Money | 6 |
41 | 31 | PJ Harvey - Let England Shake | 11 |
42 | 30 | Rachel Allyn - Say Hello To Goodbye | 18 |
43 | 49 | Man Man - Knuckle Down | 4 |
44 | 48 | Lady Gaga - You and I | 5 |
45 | 36 | Foster the People - Helena Beat | 12 |
46 | 44 | Evanescence - What You Want | 6 |
47 | 59 | Adele - I'll Be Waiting | 3 |
48 | 46 | Incubus - Promises, Promises | 11 |
49 | 54 | Carolina Liar - Drown | 4 |
50 | 57 | Bell X1 - 4 Minute Mile | 4 |
51 | 56 | Thompson Square - I Got You | 5 |
52 | 58 | Little Dragon - Shuffle a Dream | 5 |
53 | 55 | Mutemath - Blood Pressure | 8 |
54 | 40 | Katy Perry - Last Friday Night | 16 |
55 | 64 | Coldplay - Paradise | 3 |
56 | 73 | Sarah Jean - Hometown | 2 |
57 | 52 | The Rosebuds - Second Bird of Paradise | 8 |
58 | 53 | Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks | 36 |
59 | 63 | Needtobreathe - Drive All Night | 4 |
60 | 61 | Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It All | 4 |
61 | 62 | Kate Voegele - Sandcastles | 4 |
62 | 67 | Snow Patrol - Called Out In the Dark | 3 |
63 | 43 | Haley Reinhart - House of the Rising Sun | 7 |
64 | 70 | Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed | 3 |
65 | 93 | Stephen Malkus and the Jicks - Tigers | 2 |
66 | 66 | O.A.R.- Heaven | 9 |
67 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:  OMNIA "What's Become of Us?" Album: The Jailbird (EP) | 1 |
68 | 51 | Florence + the Machine - You Got the Love | 20 |
69 | 69 | Gillian Welch - The Way It Goes | 5 |
70 | 83 | Scars on 45 - Heart on Fire | 2 |
71 | 50 | Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep | 21 |
72 | 72 | Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman - It Begins Tonight | 3 |
73 | ---- | Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down | 1 |
74 | 60 | Adele - Rolling In the Deep | 42 |
75 | 91 | Paul Czekaj - My Home New Jersey | 2 |
76 | 76 | White Denim - Drug | 5 |
77 | 68 | Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss | 7 |
78 | 82 | Sublime with Rome - Take It Or Leave It | 3 |
79 | ---- | Omnia - Grace | 1 |
80 | ---- | Rachel Platten - 1,000 Ships | 1 |
81 | 86 | Rihanna - Cheers | 3 |
82 | ---- | Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse - Body and Soul | 1 |
83 | 65 | Wild Flag - Romance | 14 |
84 | ---- | Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - If I Had a Gun | 1 |
85 | 90 | The Chills - Blue October | 3 |
86 | 74 | Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten | 13 |
87 | 78 | Adele - Rumour Has It | 23 |
88 | 94 | Foo Fighters - Walk | 16 |
89 | ---- | Beirut - Santa Fe | 1 |
90 | ---- | Parachute - Kiss Me Slowly | 1 |
91 | ---- | St. Vincent - Cruel | 1 |
92 | 75 | Alter Bridge - Ghost of Days Gone By | 8 |
93 | 88 | My Morning Jacket - Holdin' On to Black Metal | 19 |
94 | 95 | Kopecky Family Band - Howlin' At the Moon | 6 |
95 | ---- | Teddybears - Rocket Scientist | 1 |
96 | 71 | Kenny Chesney f. Grace Potter - You & Tequila | 17 |
97 | 84 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Dear Mr. President | 16 |
98 | ---- | The Horrors - Still Life | 1 |
99 | ---- | Ryan Adams - Lucky Now | 1 |
100 | ---- | Blitzen Trapper - Love the Way You Walk Away | 1 |
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