Sometymes Why is a trio of female singers and multi-instrumentalists who are each identified with three separate bands. All three of which are widely associated with the post-2000s revival of string music, and all three have made separate appearances on Mountain Stage. 
Kristin Andreassen of Uncle Earl, Ruth Ungar Merenda of The Mammals and Aoife O'Donovan of Crooked Still have released one record as a trio with a new one on the way in February. However the sound ain't exactly string-band fare. As it states on the Signature Sound press release the sound owes a lot more to Feist, Joni Mitchell and Bessie Smith than it does to Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys.

Need more proof? Check out THIS VIDEO of the group at the Living Room, doing the sweet "Crayola" as an intro to "Too Repressed," a song that is quite risqué, no matter what kind of music you like. Let this be your explicit lyrics warning (put on your headphones).

Here's something a little more tame, but clever and distinctly feminine at the same time: the apprehensive bride's tale, "Cold Feet Blues."

Read a bit more at their Official Website and head over to their MySpace for some more music.

The trio will join us on February 22 along with the Drive By Truckers, Spring Standards and The Belleville Outfit.

Click HERE for tickets, call 1-800-594-TIXX(8499), or if you're in Charleston, head down to Taylor Books on Capitol Street.

Even though "Mix" stations will forever play his first two 90s hits and nothing more, Duncan Sheik has been nothing if not prolific in the time since. Sheik has continued to release great music (get hip to "White Limousine," his last, pre-musical, full length) and has spread his wings and his creative outreach to compose songs for Broadway, including the mutli-Tony winning musical "Spring Awakening."

He's back now with the soundtrack to "Whisper House," and THIS appears to be the first video from that lot to make it's way to the web. It's called "We're Here to Tell You," live from Nashville's famed club Third & Lindsley.

Duncan talks a bit more about the new musical in this exclusive session for Paste magazine.

Here's a bit of insight into what it's like to win a Tony from the unsuspecting Sheik himself. Duncan and band join us for February 8, here in Charleston. Get your tickets HERE.

Here's a taste of the lovely Amy LaVere singing "That Beat" on Later with Jools Holland. Pay attention towards the middle as you see Coldplay's Chris Martin catchin' the groove. He's diggin' it and so can you. Further sounds are available here, and tickets for Feb 8 are HERE.

Here's a a vintage clip of Louisiana's own Buckwheat Zydeco, telling you what's up with "Creole Country."

Eclectic Irishmen the Guggenheim Grotto have a new record out ("Happy the Man") and here's the first single "Fee Da Da Dee". Not much of a video, but I find the music to be plenty captivating.

Not even 25 years away from the music business could keep JD Souther off of YouTube. Here he is making his triumphant return to the world of music, with "Closing Time."

And while we were browsing around we stumbled upon (read: "searched for") some videos by Scrapomatic. Their new record is called "Sidewalk Ceasars" but here's a number from their last CD, "Alligator Love Cry," The Rev. Gary Davis' "I Belong to the Band." Rejoice, my friends, for Scrapomatic is coming to Mountain Stage February 15.

We've just announced that two relatively new bands have been added to our show on February 22 with the Drive By Truckers.

Here are NYC indie-rockers The Spring Standards (above) making their national television debut on Conan O'Brien. They've got a ton of videos on their website for further viewing, right here.

And from Austin's indefinable music scene comes a band with infinite influences, The Belleville Outfit, performing "Baby, Bye Bye."

Both will be with us February 22, and tickets are still available online or at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston.