CDs

WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe ®

Listen Xpo

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

Singer Songwriter Radio

Featuring classics from heritage troubadours to new musicians and bands in the singer-songwriter tradition.

Folk Radio

Folk music radio streaming on the web; Americana, Roots Music, recordings, and stories from folk's best.
Listen Live

Cory Chisel: October 2009's Artist to Watch

Cory Chisel is one of those rare, contemporary folk artists whose authenticity is indubitable. No matter how you define authentic, you'd be hard pressed to put a finger on anything not-so when listening. From the emotion to the influences to the background, Chisel doesn't let one iota of insincerity into his work. For this reason (and because of his undeniable talent) XPN is choosing him as the Artist to Watch for October 2009.

Born in the American heartland, where he's lived for twenty years, Chisel was raised by classic blues, gospel melodies, and a family full of enthusiasts. In fact, he recalls that nine of his uncles played the guitar and harmonica, and his Uncle Roger in particular had an 'epic' collection of vinyls, including Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Robert Johnson, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan - all of which would play a part in shaping Chisel's uniquely lacking-in-pop childhood.

He began self-releasing with his band The Wandering Sons, appropriately recording his debut EP in his family's Wisconsin cabin. Critics were immediately taken in by the pure emotion in the work - not brazen but bare all the same, wrapped in a bit of a old-timey country. Chisel began to build a name for himself in bigger and bigger circles, and his first studio album (out on September 29, 2009), is already garnering descriptions such as 'natural as breathing' and 'impassioned'. Death Won't Send A Letter was recorded in Nashville with Grammy-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, The White Stripes). With its natural feeling, gritty guitars and raw talent, Death Won't Send A Letter could be called pretty darn close to perfection.

Cory Chisel is one up-and-coming folk musician to keep your eye on. He'll be touring the UK and U.S. in support of his new album this fall.

Website: www.corychisel.com
MySpace: myspace.com/thewanderingsons
Recent Release: Death Won't Send A Letter
Release Date: September 29, 2009
Label: Black Seal/RCA/Sony Music
Origin: Appleton, Wisconsin

Secret Colours playing Kung Fu Necktie tomorrow night (Sunday 5/26)

Photo by Lenny Gilmore If you’re a fan of 60′s psychedelia and Brit-pop you don’t want to miss the Chicago band...Read More

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Sundrop Music Festival at The Fire, The Thermals at Union Transfer

Back for its third year, the Sundrop Music and Arts Festival is happening at The Fire this weekend.  Juston Stens & The Get Real...Read More

Watch Trampled By Turtles’ new video for “Midnight on the Interstate” (playing XPoNential Music Festival in...

Trampled By Turtles, who are playing the XPoNential Music Festival July 26-28 at Wiggins Park, recently debuted a new video for...Read More

Caravan Music Festival announces its 2013 dates / lineup, and it’s massive

The fourth annual Caravan Music Festival will once again bring a boatload of Philadelphia bands to the woods of Maine of a three day...Read More