About

 

A Mindful Earful is a sporadically updated Toronto-based music blog that features up-and-coming artists, interviews, concert and album reviews, as well as random musical musings. We’re all about spreading music for the sake of music and no other reason.

This blog is maintained by myself, a University student who just happens to loves music (but really, how can you not?!). I started A Mindful Earful as a way of sharing music I’m listening to with friends, family, and anyone else who might stumble across this little site. I’m not doing it for any other reason except for the fact that I love music. Spending way too much time on the computer searching for things music-related, I figured I might as well do something productive and spread a little bit of love to artists I think deserve a little recognition.

I’m not concerned with what Pitchfork has to say about any of these artists (though I will admit that it, along with a million other music sites/blogs, is bookmarked on my browser). Even if they don’t like it, I’ll still be posting it if I like it. I’ll be writing about and posting music that I listen to and enjoy–regardless of whether or not a group is the latest buzz-band. However, I will admit that my musical tastes lean toward the indie/folk/pop/singer-songwriter realm, so those are the kinds of things you will probably be reading/hearing about most of the time.

To stay up to date with all the latest posts, please subscribe, follow me on twitter, and spread the word!

If you have an inquiries, press releases, music to share, news tips, ideas for the site, or just say want to say “hi,” please shoot me an email on the Contact page!

Hope you enjoy!
- Whitney

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CONTENT

EAR CANDY | New tracks from artists
This sections features new tracks and will add a little sweetness to your life (and your ears).

EYE CANDY | New videos from artists
Musical pleasure for your eyeballs. Features new videos (music, live performances) from artists.

INTERVIEWS (Q&A: In Their Own Words, Articles)
I ask musicians questions. They answer. You see the results. “Q&A” will be the actual interview transcripts. “Articles” are the articles that come out of these interviews (usually interviews I have conducted for other publications).

REVIEWS (CONCERT, ALBUM)
I would like to think this is self-explanatory. I review concerts I’ve attended and (relatively) new albums I’ve listened to.

FEATURE SECTIONS

LISTEN UP! | Musicians you should know
This is where I’ll be posting about already-established artists/bands I think you should know.

ON THE VERGE | Hot, up-and-coming acts
I love scouring the internet/blogs/myspace for new music–probably a little too much. The artists over here, are in my opinion, about to “make it big” or will become more well-known sometime soon. I’ll share my yummy finds with you over here, because sharing is caring, right. Am I right?

I’M OBSESSED | I just can’t get this out of my head
Yes, that is a Kylie [Minogue] reference. So sue me. This is where I will post (whenever I feel like) a track/video/artist I’m loving at the moment [read: song is on constant repeat]. I always seem to have new obsessions, so I feel like this may be updated quite a lot. These may or may not be new tracks, though, because I do love revisiting some older songs in my collection!

WHAT’S HOT | Music Trends
Popular trends in music at the moment and songs that go along with it.

COVER CLASH | Who did it better?
Songs sung by their original artists go head to head with a version sung by another musician. I weigh the differences, you decided which you prefer.

UNSIGNED FIND | A focus on independent musicians
Simple enough, right? There are so many talented musicians/artists around and it’s just impossible for everyone to get picked up by a major label or even an indie label, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve a little love. This is “indie” in the truest sense of the word, meaning “independent” (not as some genre that seems to apply to anyone and anything these days). These are the truly independent self-starters. These are the dreamers. These are people just like you and me.

S-SQUARED | Song and a Story
I’ve always been fascinated with the interplay between song and it’s ability to tell a story or evoke images in our minds. Sometimes when I’m listening to a track, I’ll picture a scene or a couple phrases may find their way into my mind. This is where a song and a story meet. All writing here is my own and may be fiction or non-fiction. It might not even necessarily be a story; it could also be a poem or any kind of “literature.”

*I may add/modify these sections at times (because I’m fickle like that), so be on the lookout!