Hello, fellow bloggers and the readers who love them! My name is Mike Trobiano and I am a graphic designer covering Musical Thursday for Holly this week. I run SINdicated, a blog that promotes green living and features my favorite musical talent. I consider music a fundamental element for life. A good song can remove you from the world, redefine your mood and even re-energize a space. My musical soundtrack is urban meets comfort. San Francisco meets New Haven. Soho meets Oyster Bay. Interested? Here are a few remedies to cure that ringing in your ear.

1. Alexi Murdoch – With acoustic rhythms and soft lyrics, this London native strips his music down to the cords. His seemingly effortless melodies and distinctive tone relax even the toughest of critics, like me. It’s this raw appeal that makes his music a staple for any acoustic folk lover.

2. Priscilla Ahn – I first took notice of this budding songbird after falling in love with her single, Dream. Unaffected by the flashbulbs of Los Angeles, her light and airy voice has made her quite successful in the industry as well as on shows like “Grey’s Anatomy”. If your day is running long, turn her album on and the time will float away.

3. Matthew Perryman Jones – Matthew is definitely a diamond in the ruff. At first, I wasn’t sure how to interpret his pop/rock/folk records from the country music capital, Nashville, Tennessee! But after a better listen, I began to actually feel the music. This woven texture of musical fabric allows his music to transcend genres in a timeless and intuitive way.

4. The Narrative – Atmospheric, yet dense, this band captures a story within their cords that will have you begging for a sequel. With only one EP available for download, it’s hard to resist the urge of wanting more. So far they sound very promising! Although some fans might think their music walks the line between alternative and emotional rock, I believe it is their individuality that makes them so captivating. There you have it; a taste of my musical design.

Who are some of your favorite artists? Do you like my selections? What do you listen to when you blog or read blogs? Be sure to leave your comments here or over at my blog, SINdicated. -Thanks! – Mike

(images: individual artists/amazon.com)