This month, we'll explore the site of Rambler, a new band with their first single on the charts. We'll take a look at changes to the Country Music Association web site, including a new address. And since it's June, we'll take our annual look at the Fan Fair site.
RamblerRambler is a new band hitting the airwaves with their first nationally released single, Dreamin'. The band is fronted by Tim and Dave Brown and features Troy Chavez on lead guitar and vocals, Tom Mills on fiddle and mandolin, and Matt Emmons on drums. Featuring high-energy country music, Rambler keeps their fans moving on the dance floor.
The site, which uses frame technology, is nicely organized and navigation is straight forward. While the opening page provides the latest updates on both the band and the web site, the "Rambler" link provides some brief information on the band with links to biographical information on each band member. Their tour schedule is up-to-date, albeit brief, through mid-summer. The "Photos" section provides five pages of pictures of the band in action. You can catch up on the latest Rambler happenings by reading the online "Newsletter" and you can "Sign-up" for a free, e-mail based, fan club using the fill-out form provided. The "Links" page only contains a link to the online Gavin Charts; however more Rambler-related links are promised.
The "Music" section provides a rare treat. There are generous audio clips (over a minute in length) of three of their singles using RealAudio streaming. But Rambler becomes the second big-name act to provide an MP3 download of the complete single, Dreamin' (T. Graham Brown was the other and released a full MP3 version of Wine Into Water on MP3.Com.) If you haven't tried the technology, here is the song to that will convince you. And while there are several MP3-specific players available, The latest release of the RealAudio G2 Player, will also play MP3 as well as the RealAudio streaming, giving you one source for most internet audio formats. The section is set up to make me believe that there will be more clips available in the future.
This is a great site. I predict a bright future for this act.
Rambler
Navigation: ***** (out of 5)
Audio: Clips - MP3 & RA
Video: Interview in RA
E-comm Enabled: N/A
Recommendation: Bookmark
Fan Fair
It's June and for Country Music fans, that can only mean one thing: Fan Fair is here! Co-sponsored by the CMA and the Grand Ole Opry, Fan Fair is using the talent of CountryCool.Com to be the official web event producer for the 1999 Fan Fair. While this alliance brings a more commercial slickness to the site, which at times can be distracting, it promises to provide a more robust experience for anyone not able to attend the event. In fact, I'm almost (and I emphasize almost) wishing I would be home instead of Nashville to enjoy the web event.
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