A 3 piece from Nashville, the band is singer Thad Cockrell, guitarist Tyler Burkum and drummer Jeremy Lutito. For those into name dropping do a quick web search of each member and get ready to be blown away.

The band released their first album, ‘You Belong Here’ at the end of January (2013). Comprised of a U2-esque sense of rock ‘n roll and a modern touch of soul, the album processes a depth that comes from unique melodies and intricate lyrics. That depth, I’ve found, gives it long term enjoyment escaping any fleeting moment in the spotlight.

To get further acquainted with Leagues, here are a few questions with Jeremy Lutito about the band and new album.

'You Belong Here’ on iTunes

Can you talk about the overall theme of the new album, ‘You Belong Here’?

This record has taken us through an interesting process. One that really challenged all three of us in different ways. The...

I stopped reading Bob Lefsetz. I unsubscribed from ‘The Lefsetz Letter’.

There are a few big reasons in addition to the countless small ones. The biggest of which is his insistence on discussing matters of technology (i.e. Apple) when he clearly doesn’t get it. He spends more time talking about an industry that has pasted him by, rather than focusing on areas he does understand. The rough design of Lefsetzletter.com is a big indicator of his views on technology.

It’s cool that he can spend 500+ words letting people know he got a new iPhone 5, but that’s not really what I signed up for. His bio mentions several big names that read what he has to say, which apparently includes, “EVERYBODY who’s in the music business.” I’m not in the music industry and I’m a no one, but my thought is, if you have that much influence on an industry you may want to stick that. I’m not talking about...

In 1991 I was in first grade. Being 29 now, I somehow got caught between releases from My Bloody Valentine in the worst possible way.

I’ve been looking around for context to a dilemma not many people face. I want to feel a connection to the story of My Bloody Valentine finally, after 22 years, releasing a follow up to what fans describe as a perfect album, but I don’t. I’d rather be elated or filled with disgust than indifferent to the music people have been waiting so long to hear. I’d love to meaningfully contribute my opinions to the discussion, but I can’t. For an outsider like myself there was no hype, there were no premeditated thoughts, the album was just suddenly released.

Not wanting to just sit by I opened Spotify and listened to ‘Loveless’, the band’s last album that was released back in 1991. My initial reaction, like I suspect a lot of people’s was, even if they don’t...

If Netflix’s new original “television” series can become a hit, it will be looked back upon as the watershed moment that created change in the cable industry. When I say ‘hit’, I don’t just mean good entertainment either. House Of Cards, which stars Kevin Spacey and is produced by David Fincher, looks amazing from all the trailers and previews. It makes The West Wing come off as programing you’d find in between episodes of Scooby-Doo on Saturday mornings. The question really isn’t whether people will enjoy what Netflix payed around $100 Million to develop, it’s will it be enough to draw new subscribers and keep existing ones.

In addition to premiering new original content, Netflix is also betting on a new way of thinking about video content that people haven’t really be exposed to before. All the episodes of House Of Cards will debut at once. That means no waiting around week after...

There are plenty of indicators to judge a band’s level of success, but none so definitive as finding their new album in your parents stereo. Local Natives have been an underground darling since the release of ‘Gorilla Manor’ in 2010, but with the release of ‘Hummingbird’ they’re signaling they’re ready for the next stage.

Delicately lush in their approach, the music is often reflective and what you might describe as an NPR listener’s dream come true. ‘Hummingbird’ isn’t so different from the band’s previous effort, which could have easily broken generational barriers as well, but now with a solid foundation beneath them, the new songs can build on existing rhythmic tendencies to explore new territories. “Breakers” may have been the lead single, but “Heavy Feet” appears to be the collection’s highlight. Explosive in the chorus, the track still never overstays its welcome, leaving plenty...

If you say you’ve never skipped over a band or artist because of their name, you’re lying. Even for the most ambitious ‘new music’ seekers, names can be a stumbling block so I know for the casual listener it can be a brick wall.   That unique name that can set a band apart can also be the thing that scares people off. A scary band name is usually difficult to pronounce, even to yourself in your head, and conveys a wildly different image than the band’s musical style. The whole Bon Iver thing really messed a lot of people up. How are you supposed to know it’s French and pronounced like that? Hats off to the bands that have been able to transcend a scary name with good music.

Foreign Origin

The mistake that a band appears to be foreign can often be a deterrent from clicking play. Here’s an example. Long time band Yo La Tengo just put out a new album, ‘Fade’, that’s rooted in laid-back...

Here’s an interview I did last year with Next Big Thing CEO and co-founder Alex White.

Next Big Sound provides a centralized place to monitor all the behavior and activity happening for artists both online and off.

It seems Nielsen is currently the dominate player, with Soundscan, but also with everything stats related. I assume thy’re your biggest competition? How do you guys do stuff differently?

Nielsen became the standard in the music industry by measuring the way music was primarily consumed - radio and physical purchases. While they have added digital purchases and streaming sources the billions of social music plays, views, fans and comments are still not being counted in Soundscan. The other big difference is that their numbers come out weekly and Next Big Sound’s are available daily.

Can you talk a little about how/why changing the music industry is ultimately a numbers...

Zach Williams released his solo album, ‘Story Time’, in 2009. I have been eagerly awaiting a follow up from him to satisfy my need for unique and infinitely building melodies. At some point I may have that next solo album, but until then the new record from The Lone Bellow, fronted by Mr. Williams, will completely satisfy.

The instrumentation and slight country swagger in Williams’ voice would have most labeling the trio a Folk group. And while it’s foolish to debate genre, The Lone Bellow carry themselves in a timeless Rock fashion. Like Rock ‘n Roll of the 1950’s or ‘60’s, the self titled album is unassuming, unaware, and full of heart. Each song is story, told eloquently and precisely.

There are songs that you can grab on to from the opening lines, but in general the time you pour into the music will be rewarded with a deeper appreciation. “Tree To Grow” is a steady builder that...

Interestingly there’s a company that will take your old CDs, store them at their place and give you streaming access to the music. What makes this proposition so tempting is the same thing that makes it so crazy, no one wants their CD collection anymore. 20 years after the compact disc made its debut Murfie is placing a bet on people’s investment in the format, hoping the company can become the official crypt keeper of the dying format. Here are some questions I had for Murfie.

How big is Murfie and how long has the company been around?

Murfie was founded by Matt Younkle and Preston Austin in 2010 and formally launched to the public in August 2011. We currently have just over 30 employees, some part-time, and are rapidly growing.

How has your partnership with Sonos increased business and/or awareness?

Murfie’s presence on Sonos has been exceptionally valuable for the company and our...

It’s not a buried treasure, placed in a specific spot and lay to rest with a mark on a map for future souls to discover, the unlabeled mix CD is, by design, destined to be an orphaned item, trivial at first glance.

Rummaging through my car I stumbled on a stack of compact discs, some store bought, some burned and proudly labeled, and the rest left completely blank. My attention was locked on those blank mysteries. How long have they been here? When was the last time I burned a mix? Do I take a chance on them and give them a spin?

A Blitzen Trapper song came on and my thoughts immediately went to an NPR interview I heard with the lead singer Eric Earley, which he was prodded to talk about different songs from their first Sub Pop Records album, ‘Furr’. At the time of the interview the album had just come out and the band was gaining recognition for the title track which was about a dream...