Welcome to Brown Paper Tickets’ newest weekly, music-centric blog feature The Mid-Week Beat.

Every Wednesday, Brown Paper Tickets will be introducing you to bands and musical events from around the globe. In the future we’ll feature interviews with some of our favorite bands, record reviews of upcoming releases, music-related stories, previews of specific genres, suggestions of upcoming music festivals and much more. We hope this will become a weekly stop for all the music lovers in the Brown Paper Tickets universe so be sure to check back each week and discover your new favorite band, song, festival, venue or genre.

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This week we are looking at three singer-songwriters who have shows coming up in Northampton, Massachusetts, Edinburgh, Scotland and Asheville, North Carolina in the next couple of weeks.

Kurt Vile was a founding member of indie rock outfit The War on Drugs but is now better known for his solo work. As a musician and producer he draws on indie folk, indie rock, psychedelia and lo-fi to produce songs which are introspective and full of wistfulness and beauty.

Kurt has released three solo ablums to date with “Constant Hitmaker” (2008), “Childish Prodigy” (2009), and “Smoke Ring for My Halo” (2011), his first album for famed independent record label Matador Records.

Our featured track this week is “Baby’s Arms” from Kurt’s 2011 release “Smoke Ring for My Halo”:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63KB-EJKdyI?rel=0]

Kurt will be appearing at The Elevens in Northampton, Massachusetts on Friday, January 25th. You can pick up tickets right over here.

UPDATE! Advanced tickets for this show have SOLD OUT! Note from the producer: “There’s a slim chance that people can get a ticket at the door. Potential ticket-seekers should get here early (doors will be at 8/8:30).”

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Neil Pennycook is a singer-songwriter who leads the indie folk-rock band Meursault from Edinburgh, Scotland.

Formed in 2006 and taking their name from the main character of the Albert Camus novel “The Stranger,” Meursault have gone from strength to strength releasing three albums since 2008, including “Pissing on Bonfires / Kissing with Tongues,” “All Creatures Will Make Merry” and “Something for the Weakened,” all of which were released by Song, by Toad Records.

Our featured song is “Dull Spark” from their current album “Something for the Weakened” released on July 16th, 2012.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh_hGmA36iE?rel=0]

Neil Pennycook will be performing at The Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday, January 26, 2012 with The Last Battle (Acoustic) & The Bad Books. Tickets are available here

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Amy Ray is a singer-songwriter hailing, originally, from Georgia. Having formed Indigo Girls with Emily Saliers whilst still in high school, they have gone on to amass huge success, becoming a Grammy award winning, multi-platinum selling folk rock duo.

Having long been a champion of the indie scene, Amy Ryan formed the not-for-profit label Daemon Records in 1990. Ray released her first solo album “Stag” in 2000 through the label and has gone on to record a further three to great critical acclaim.

This song “Little Revolution” is from her current and fourth solo effort “Lung of Love” which was released in February of last year.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtS76ARLOHY?list=UU1JrQBSIxmCRgCCsd8ubQOw]

You can catch Amy playing on Wednesday, January 30 at the Emerald Lounge in Asheville, North Carolina where she will be joined by Heather McEntire and Hiss Golden Messenger. Click here to order your tickets.

Feel free to send in suggestions of bands that are currently rocking your world. Also, if you’re in a band that’s playing a show ticketed by Brown Paper Tickets, let us know. We might just feature you and your upcoming show in an upcoming Mid-Week Beat. See you all next week!

Drawing of Amy Ray by Johnnie Cluney and courtesy of Daytrotter.