Black Taxi hails from Brooklyn, NY. Well known for pulling from a wide-variety of musical genres, they released their debut album Things of That Nature in 2009. Signed to So So Def Recordings by Jermaine Dupri, artist Dondria is expected to release her first album Dondria vs. Phatfffat early this summer. An indie singer and songwriter from Michigan, Hailey Wojcik has been releasing albums since her teenage years including fifth album Diorama in 2009. A trio from Canada, Plants and Animals released their third LP La La Land just two weeks ago. Atlanta (by way of Philadelphia) rapper Sean Falyon released his debut album Sean Falyon Be Everywhere at the beginning of April.

Black Taxi

“Up Here For Thinking, Down There For Dancing”

I like the melodies in this song and the whole John Hughes/Breakfast Club feel to the video. This group definitely has a well-timed sense of dramatic flair and while I’m not quite certain it has a focused direction yet, I imagine they will end up becoming great live performers. But this here right now is quite a fun jam.

Dondria

“You’re The One”

I think Dondria is just the right combination of sassy and sweet. She has a really classic voice and I think the song does her justice by playing it simple; showcasing how nothing fancy is needed if you have lots of style. It’s obvious that she’s a natural performer so I am curious to see what the future brings for her.

Hailey Wojcik

“Anglerfish”

I love the inherent quirkiness of this video because I think it really reflects on the artist’s personality: sunny, cute and delightfully nerdy. The song is also coming from a very honest place. It’s all those nasty thoughts that we think during the demise of a relationship and are told to keep to ourselves. I have to admire Wojcik’s bravery in putting them on display, allowing us to both sympathize with her feelings and commiserate.

Plants and Animals

“The Mama Papa”

The video is incredibly theatrical, perhaps even a bit too much. I would have liked to see more of the band’s imprint here, but I appreciate what they were trying to do by giving their video a clear and concise storyline. So many music videos lack that kind of attention these days. Despite the fact that we don’t get to see the band being very musical, it’s an interesting watch and a strong track.

Sean Falyon

“wonderful life”

I like this track. It’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s not trying to be fancy either. Falyon seems to be a straightforward artist who wants to tell it like it is, show an accurate representation of his life, and provide solid lyrics. He succeeds on all three counts.

Voting runs from 11 AM (EST) Monday until 2 PM (EST) on Friday.