"It's rare that an emcee is so capable as a songwriter and it's equally as rare, today especially, that a duo with an excellent debut can follow that album up with something completely new and fantastic. Here's hoping that fans of that debut can realize Phonte and Nicolay [The Foreign Exchange] are simply leaving Connected behind and letting it stand on its own. And, as a result, this talented duo has made one hell of an album, actually one of the best of 2008, in the process."

[9/10]

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Pre-order the new of Montreal album today for $5, only on Amie Street! MusicOMH says it's "an album to rival any of Prince's at the top of his game" -- what more do you need to know?

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The Love Lights' shagadelic pop will light a fire under your seat, getting you up and grooving before you even know what happened. Dust off your soul shoes and take a listen to Young Lions after the break!

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NYC band Sam Champion describe their music as "a call back to shirtless festival crowds and the grunge workouts of yesteryear" -- get the new album on Amie Street a week before its official release!

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The Snake is back! One listen to the latest album from these immortal bringers of the metal and you'll think "Is this love?" Find Good To Be Bad and the rest of this week's featured albums after the break!

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A group of multi-instrumentalists, influences ranging from sea shanties to American roots rock, and a fantastically produced album with all the power and energy of a live show: Decibully are an exceptional band, and Sing Out America is their best yet.

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[Editors Note: This is from roguepuppet's blog, where she recommends new artists that she's discovered on Amie Street.]

Morris Mills has been playing in the Chicago music scene for a long time now, but is starting to gain national (and international) attention... and it is well deserved. His aptly named recent album,

is full of delicious songs that wake you up and make you yearn for someone to wrap your arms around. Especially notable are Hello , where Morris's falsetto soul style sends you into orbit and the title track Love & Coffee , which has a very Stevie Wonder feel to it. I am especially fond of the faster paced, high energy Steppin Out 2nite which is a bit of Lenny Kravitz meets modern electronica. Give him a listen and grab the album.

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[Editor's Note: Throughout the day we will be profiling each of the Eclipse® Sets the Stage™ contest finalists. The winner will play a CMJ Showcase on October 18, at NYC's The Blender Theater at Gramercy, and will open for Datarock. Make sure to vote for your favorite artist on their artist page and check the leader board throughout the day.]

A Young Soul Legend in the Making

Amie Street has been a different place ever since Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves dropped in on the scene with their old school brand of soul and funk. In 2005, Eli and co. were winners of Best R&B act in the WFNX/ Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll and were nominated for Best Blues Act at the Boston Music Awards the following year. The band is currently in the middle of their month-long residency at Magnetic Fields in Brooklyn, NY. If you can't make it out to any of those shows, you're in luck -- they've got a ton of music on Amie Street!

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One of the most influential drummers in rock music, Buddy Miles made his mark collaborating with the likes of Jimi Hendrix (Band of Gypsys), Carlos Santana, and John McLaughlin, among others. He later became known for his vocal performances with The California Raisins, doing 1960's covers. The Raisins was probably best known for the 1986 claymation ad campaign performance of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." In 1994, Miles' own group, The Buddy Miles Express, recorded

featuring eight soulful rock tracks including a very special cover ( All Along the Watchtower ) that his friend, Jimi Hendrix, used to perform quite a bit!

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