It begins with the dry, uneven rumble of a bass drum. It’s a simple sound, uncompressed and clear. Years ago, the drum was probably covered in bright colors, but the paint is all faded now. You could sit there all day listening to that bass drum.

La Strada hail from New York, but adapt what they call old-world instrumentation (meaning accordion and strings) to their laid-back folk songs. The result lies somewhere between a sea chanty and a Beirut song, but it is some of the best folk-pop music this side of The Decemberists.

The songs are carnival-esque at times, majestic at others, and mostly addictive. Mostly. Opener “Orphan” with its lullaby tempo and saccharine lyrics “Wake up, you silly / Shake your sleepy head,” is a little too pretty, a little too cute. But this artificial sweetness is cut short by the salty wheeze of the accordion on the anthemic “Sun Song”, which escalates into a march while lead vocalist James Craft’s fragile tones climb higher, summitting on the glorious sentence every teenager in America longs to hear: “You’re 21!” This is where the real meat of the record lies: in La Strada’s talent for melody, their odd sense of humor, and their ability to surprise.

Ernest Jenning Record Co.

Next New Networks and Verizon FiOS have announced the launch of a new online entertainment network, $99 Music Videos. Today’s launch kicks off with an original video for La Strada, and upcoming guest talent includes Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Via Audio, Plushgun, The Depreciation Guild, Project Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry, Savoir Adore and Frances. New videos will premiere every Thursday on the network’s website and distribution channels like YouTube and iTunes.

The concept behind $99 Music Videos is simple — and quite routine for many small indie bands — making a cool music video on a limited budget. In this case, for $99. Like those reality redesign shows, the budget may be limited, but the possibilities are endless. Not necessarily on the production level, but the idea of reaching the thousands of Verizon fiber-optic Internet sunscribers (we’re assuming this means Verizon phone subscribers as well) is an almost unheard of opportunity for bands at this level. In addition to connecting great independent talent with new waves of potential fans, $99 Music Videos also appeals to a new generation of filmmakers by demonstrating innovative techniques to produce innovative music videos using limited resources.

On the heels of the recent “revelation” that Facebook not only owns all content on their site, but can use it however they please (including to license or sell to third parties), the idea of the nation’s fastest broadband internet company joining forces with the leading online television company to showcase emerging bands, musical artists and filmmakers might be met with a bit of skepticism. Especially the part of the press release that reads:

In addition the campaign will include integrated branded sponsor elements within episodes detailing the making of each music video, as well as companion media placements and integrated sponsor graphics on the network website and distribution points such as the network’s YouTube channel. Next New Networks and Verizon will also work together in creative ways to promote the series through channels like Verizon’s Facebook fan page and communities on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, MySpace and Flickr.

But we were informed by $99 Music Videos Executive Producer, Melissa Schneider, that aside from the Verizon sponsorship, the content is wholly and completely owned by the band and only licensed exclusively for a three month period.

“The bands have complete ownership of the video,” Schneider told us via e-mail. “During the video’s premiere period, which is 3 months, the band is not allowed to sell or license the video to a third party. They can post the video and promote it all over the place. After the 3 month period, the band/record label can do whatever they want with the video. Sell it, make a DVD to sell, send it to MTV, etc. It’s theirs to do whatever. And we hope that they can get everything and anything for it. The filmmakers and Next New Networks own none of the copyright to the video. Jack Ferry, the show’s creator, myself and Next New Networks worked hard to make sure that the video and its terms are all about the band and that they get to keep the work.

The Verizon sponsorship is there to allow for the networks infrastructure to work, like the website and video players. The nature of the show is that the band and filmmakers have to use everything they have to make the video. That includes equipment. So if you only have a flip camera that’s what you use to make the video. We want the videos not to be about money, but about how creative you can get when money is not an option. Since you’re only really limited by your own creativity!”

$99 Music Videos will feature different combinations of musicians and directors each week. Directors include Jack Ferry, Dan Meth, Ana Veselic, Kathleen Grace and Matthew Semel. The network will initially consist of two shows: a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video, and the finished pieces themselves. Viewers will rate the videos as well as have the chance to submit their own $99 music videos, making the network a destination for bands and filmmakers to connect with each other and the independent music and film communities.

The network was developed by pioneers in the music, television and online entertainment space including Fred Seibert, MTV’s original Creative Director, Felicia Williams, former Entertainment Content Manager at YouTube and Next New Networks’ Director of Creative Development, and the Series Creator and Executive Producer, Webby Award honored filmmaker Jack Ferry.

Similar to NY contemporaries Stars Like Fleas and Twi The Humble Feather (who we also like), La Strada has an uncanny ability to funnel the romance of old-world instrumentation through new-world amplification. With soaring vocal harmonies, accordion, and string-driven melodies revved up on rock ‘n’ roll, La Strada transports you to the hills of the Balkans, a street corner in Paris, and back home beneath a Brooklyn skyline.

Frontman, songwriter and former aspiring astronaut, James Craft, was born in France and has also lived in Northern California, and Romania, and as a result, the band’s folk ballads and fiery anthems are infused with a sense of great distance, invoking both nostalgia and awe. The band’s debut, 6-song collection has captured the energy and intricate melodies of the band’s live performances.

Speaking of the Fleas and Feathers, along with Frances, they will help celebrate the Ernest Jenning release of of La Strada’s self-titled debut EP on March 5th at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg. But for those keeping tabs, the EP actually comes out the week before on February 24 and we have the exclusive download of the single “Starling” below.

La Strada – “Starling”

MP3 Download – “Starling”

La Strada EP track listing
01. Orphan
02. The Sun Song
03. Flying
04. Loved You All Along
05. Mama
06. Starling

La Strada tour dates
02.11.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Union Pool)*
02.11.09 – Charlottesville, VA (Gravity Lounge)#
02.11.09 – Asheville, NC (Bobo Gallery)#
02.15.09 – Chapel Hill, NC (The Cave)
02.20.09 – Philadelphia, PA (The Fire)&
02.21.09 – Baltimore, MD (Talking Head)&
02.22.09 – Arlington, VA – (Iota Club)
03.05.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Music Hall of Williamsburg)**

* w/ Robbers on High Street & The Silent League
# w/Bird Lips
& w/ Deleted Scenes
** w/ Stars Like Fleas, Frances & Twi The Humble Feather