Asa

by Sheena Sood Singer-songwriter Asa (pronounced "Asha") was born in Paris and raised in Lagos. "Lagos is the New York of Nigeria. If you want to get anywhere in music, that's where you'll find the best opportunities, as well as the worst pitfalls," she writes. In her twenties Asa returned to Paris and pursued a career an as artist. Bringing together the best of Western …

Harrisons

A crackling assault of guitars and drums, lyrics that bristle with indignation. Sheffield's Harrisons are for our era what The Clash were for theirs: a voice of rebellion, masked in four minute pop gems. We spoke recently to drummer Mark White. Aside from Harrisons and Joe Cocker, what else should we know about the creative scene in Sheffield? The best band from Sheffield by far …

William Fitzsimmons

His name echoes those of colonels and soldiers who fought in the American civil war. But far from that, William Fitzsimmons is actually an obscure songwriter from Jackson, Illinois, building a fan base through Myspace and, would you believe it, the TV show "Grey's Anatomy." When I hear his song, "It's Not True," I think of bleached wood, smoky red wine, and the great American …