JONAH MATRANGA COVERS BILLY BRAGG, GETS MTV VMA LOVE

Jonah Matranga has had a big year. His live CD/DVD set titled There's A Lot in Here (Equal Vision Records) prompted Entertainment Weekly to describe him "as one of rock's most charismatic, tuneful, purist geeks" and renowned website Punkbands.com echoed the sentiment dubbing him, "one of the most human and accessible people in rock today."

More recently, Jonah can be seen and heard on Fort Minor's hit single "Where'd You Go?" with Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and singer Holly Brook. The track won a moonman this week at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Ringtone of the Year."

On his newest release, a split 12" with Frank Turner due out via Welcome Home Records on September 5, the two artists pay homage to the songwriting tradition in which they follow and each borrow from the rich repertoire of songs that artists in the States and the UK have constructed over the past 100 years. Jonah does veracious renditions of "All I Want" by UK songwriter Babybird and Billy Bragg's "A New England" while Frank reinvented the American classic "You Are My Sunshine" and the Lemonheads' "The Outdoor Type."

The split 12" marks the first release of new material from Jonah Matranga since he shed the Onelinedrawing moniker and is Frank's first release that is available outside of the UK. Touring from both is always ongoing as Jonah just completed a trip to Europe and will be spending the end of September in Australia visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.