City Weekly Music Awards 2010 

IT`S NOTEWORTHY. NO, SERIOUSLY-THAT`S THEIR NAME
NBC jumped on the Glee-inspired train recently with its a cappela competition The Sing-Off, which featured local all-female group Noteworthy racing to win $100,000 in December 2009. Unfortunately, the group from Brigham Young University did not win, but sang to rave reviews regardless. Panel member Ben Folds even gave them props, saying they had “loads of charisma ... loads of energy.” NoteworthyLadies.com (Jon Paxton)

CWMA FINALIST PAUL JACOBSEN & MADISON ARM
Paul Jacobsen might believe, “I am the weak link in the Madison Arm,” but without him, the group wouldn’t exist—neither would their songs, which the local folk/Americana artist writes and brings to very infrequent practice sessions. Perhaps more accurately, “It doesn’t hurt to have one of my favorite songwriters (Ryan Tanner) in the band. If you think Jason Isbell didn’t make Patterson Hood work harder, you’re wrong. Or you need to go buy a Drive-By Truckers record.” Jacobsen and the Madison Arm plan to release an EP later this year (“some old songs revisited, some new songs, a few covers”), contribute to albums by Sarah Sample and Dustin Christensen, release a collection of old hymns covered by new artists, and work on Atherton’s long-awaited follow-up to Skyline Motel. Jacobsen also plans to hit the road on regional solo tours and participate in songwriting competitions, which, as he jokes, “are the road to lucre.” (Jamie Gadette)

CWMA FINALIST MICHAEL GROSS & THE STATUETTES
Congratulations to Michael Gross & the Statuettes for making it to the top 3. Unfortunately, these humble pop-rockers didn’t think they’d get this far and booked an out-of-town show for the night of the CWMA closing party. For those who’ve never experienced the band live, be sure to catch them on the flip side. Their sound, as Gross describes, “is not flashy, and it´s not rocket science, but it’s honest.” It’s also incredibly catchy. Their latest release, Impulse & Exports, is six tracks of surging, straightforward pop with a glistening electronic edge pulsing beneath crystal-clear vocals. The group plans to write and record new tunes in the coming year, play as many shows as possible and, perhaps, start accepting the fact that they’re good enough—and gosh darn it, people like them. (Jamie Gadette)

SCRATCH BACK
Chase Loter, aka DJ Chase 1-2 (winner of the 2010 CWMA DJ of the Year) and Craig Te’o took a struggling record store and turned business around to become Fourth Street Music, a hub for DJs and local hip-hop heads popular for its impressive vinyl selection. The duo recently packed up and merged with local hip-hop store Uprok at a new location (342 S. State), formally taking over the music end of the partnership. Still firmly behind the turntables, they continue their efforts to promote local music. (Gavin Sheehan)

CWMA FINALIST THE NAKED EYES
The Naked Eyes have pretty hair— lush, flowing locks like those of Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton circa Cream. Their physical attributes are only partially responsible for the crowd of attractive young ladies who groove in the front row at each Naked Eyes show. Mostly, the Ogden boys’ appeal stems from the hypnotic storm of swirling psychedelic rock they generate seemingly without breaking a sweat. Perhaps their audience is also turned on to The Naked Eyes’ crafting abilities. Each copy of the band’s Spell Talk comes cloaked in a hand-woven jacket with painted-on text. The future is bright, and these guys have the coolest shades.