Weekend Edition: Will’s Weekend Wrap-Up, New Favorite Author contest winners and other not-to-be-missed features!

Friends, Romans, NoiseTraders, lend me your ears. No, seriously. Lend me your ears for a few minutes and I promise to make it worth your while. I've got a really cool batch of music recommendations this week that includes an Americana trailblazer, a cello-spiced indie-folk band, and a guy who raps in Portuguese over vintage bossa nova beats. Even this week's book offering is music-related, as author Justin McRoberts has a robust catalog of fantastic singer-songwriter material from the last 15 years or so. Oh yeah, I believe there's also a pretty big-deal, primetime gathering of commercials with football breaks in between planned for this Sunday, so GO (insert the team you like here) AND BEAT THOSE LOUSY (insert the team you don't like here)!!  – WILL HODGE, NoiseTrade Music Editor Sean Watkins All I Do is Lie While Sean Watkins is mostly known for his musical contributions within the format of a band, (you may have heard of his platinum-selling, Grammy-winning band Nickel Creek, or his side project with Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman called Fiction Family), his solo work is equally impressive in its stark individuality. His most recent solo album is titled All I Do Is Lie and songs like "Don't Say You Love Me" and "This Will End in Tears" are heart-lifting in their impressive instrumentation and heart-breaking in their lyrical intimacy. All I Do is Lie is currently being offered in full while Watkins is out on his first solo headlining tour, so be sure to grab it before it's gone! The Speedbumps Cabin [EP] As the EP's title and idyllic cover art suggest, The Speedbumps's Cabin EP is a warm, inviting sonic escape that feels comfortable in its delivery and stirring in its atmospherics. Singer-guitarist Erik Urycki has an engagingly soulful thread running through his vocals and the addition of Sam Kristoff's cello to the standard acoustic string-band mix adds a uniquely beautiful layer to their acoustic ballads. The unassuming percussion that propels each track never gets in front of the other instruments or vocals and truly cements the indie-folk groove of tracks like "Montreal" and "Breakdown." Even after the sonic snow melts you will not want to leave this Cabin. Vinicius Terra Vinicius Terra em: Quando a Bossa Encontra o Rap Brazilian rap over bossa nova beats? Uh, yes, PLEASE! Vinicius Terra's fantastic bossa-rap album is called Quando a Bossa Encontra o Rap (which translates to When Bossa Meets Rap) and that's exactly what you can expect from this guaranteed party-starter. While it may take a second to gain your equilibrium on the first listen, you'll soon be transported to an incredible world of sophisticated instrumentation, slick live drum beats, and raw vocal flow. "O Inverno" is such a standout track and I can't recommend it enough. Justin McRoberts Title Pending (eBook excerpt) I first encountered Justin McRoberts in the late 90s when he released a couple of albums on one of my favorite (now defunct) indie labels, 5 Minute Walk Records. After a decade and a half playing music, McRoberts is now working as an author as well. He released his first book, CMYK: The Process of Life Together, in 2013, and just last November he released his second book, Title Pending. Title Pending is a great collection of stories and essays about things McRoberts has learned regarding his own creative process that are all informative, inspirational, and definitely worth your time. When writer Will Hodge isn't just coming here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle, you can find him running off at the keyboard about music, concerts, and vinyl at My So-Called Soundtrack . Congratulations to the winners of our New Favorite Author Contest Poetry Winner: Santigo Then Psalms: Volume One A short collection of poetry that examines a life lived within the tension of wonder and longing. Fiction Winner: S.D. O'Donnell Shadow Journey (A Mrs. Blackstone Story) Love ... Loss ... Secrets.  A Haunting Psychological Read. She starts alone. She ends alone. And exposes a closely-guarded secret of 35 years in between. Non-Fiction Winner: Chris Ediger Everyday Innovation Everyday Innovation takes the complication out of innovation by demystifying & redefining how we approach change in our own lives and in the lives of those we touch each day, laying the foundation for real, everyday improvement in your life.

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