MY SISTER, MY BROTHER DUO OF SEAN MCCONNELL AND GARRISON STARR RELEASE “LUSH AND BITTERSWEET” (-Glide Magazine) SOPHOMORE ALBUM MY SYSTER, MY BROTHER II

Photo by Taylor Ballantyne

MY SISTER MY BROTHER II
LISTEN

Nashville, Tenn. – My Sister, My Brother, the songwriting duo of Sean McConnell and Garrison Starr, have released My Sister, My Brother II, their sophomore album out today.

In a recent episode of FolkAlley's “Why We Write” podcast, host Kim Ruehl called the album “…an emotionally honest, sonically expansive ray of light in this world.”

“This isn’t a long collection but it’s a beauty… their voices are like cream poured into coffee.” – Americana Highways

The duo was born by chance while both were attending a songwriting retreat. They were randomly paired to write a song together, that tapped into a natural chemistry.

My Sister, My Brother debuted in 2020 with their self-titled debut EP. Shortly after release the World was brought to a halt by a two-year global pandemic. The artists reunited as soon as travel bans were lifted and began creating new music. After a week of hunkering down at McConnell’s Silent Desert Studio, they emerged with a collection of seven new songs titled My Sister, My Brother II. 

 “II proves the band’s initial offering was far more than beginner’s luck but was true songwriter chemistry...” - Glide Magazine 

  My Brother My Sister II is available now 

BUZZ

“‘Another Life’ starts out acoustic but soon plunges into a full-bloodied rock song with Garrison Starr and Sean McConnell trading lines and wandering into the same LA streets that Bob Seeger dragged the Silver Bullet Band into.” – Americana UK 

“[‘Another Life’] from U.S. super-duo My Sister My Brother redefines the phrase ‘A breath of fresh air.’” - At The Barrier 

“MSMB serve up a track that underscores their affection for one another—a mutual pledge of allegiance that embodies their spiritual affinity. The hymn-like cadence takes us to a welcoming, queer church while the song remains firmly planted in an Americana template.” – Country Queer

“There’s something special when independent artists collaborate. I’m not talking about two songwriters sitting in a room to write a song together but rather when they weave their talents together to create a cohesive and collaborative piece of work.  The results can be magical… Case in point, the stunning “Cry Me A River” from the forthcoming My Sister, My Brother II. The ballad, ushered along by piano and majestic strings, is uplifting and beautiful. The two singers harmonize exquisitely as they counsel someone during a time of need.” - Twangville

   KEEP UP WITH MY SISTER, MY BROTHER

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TOMI RELEASES “NUN” SINGLE + VIDEO FROM HER LATE BLOOMER ALBUM OUT OCTOBER 13

"Through that evolution, her songs remain the honest and empowering work of a resolute confessionalist." - Buzzbands LA

"Laden with rhythm guitar and melancholy vocals amplified with reverb over soft drumming, and representing for the queer community, TOMI’s vocals are reminiscent of Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde. “If You Tried” gives coffeehouse rock vibes with lyrics railing against a genderless, deadbeat lover whose lack of effort is the cause of a relationship’s demise. “ - Riff Magazine

"While the subject matter is painfully relatable to any type of relationship, TOMI and her partner Haile Lidow have brought the concept to comical “life” through the allegory of a mannequin romance." - The Indie Review (on the Video) 

"On her new song “If You Tried,” TOMI channels New York punk fury with the seething resentment of LA’s sunny valleys into a country-inflected kiss-off song." - Rainbow Rodeo

"With the steady strums of guitar and flowing yearning vocals, ‘If You Tried’ exudes a dreamy nostalgia that comes with reflections on time." - Loud Women

"There is genuine passion, but also vulnerability to the performance. Dynamically, the vocal varies from sections of quiet reflection over the verses, to top-of-your-lungs passion over the chorus sections." - Up to Hear

NUN”:  LISTEN // WATCH

Los Angeles artist TOMI has released the single and incredible accompanying video for her song “NUN”  out today on all digital platforms. The song is the final single from her forthcoming album Late Bloomer out on October 13th. 

Producer songwriter and musician Pam Autuori who writes and records as TOMI  grew up in the Catholic Church attending church every Sunday and going to Catholic School during the week. When she came out as a lesbian she carried a lot of shame and guilt. She was living in New York at the time and was feeling the chaos of dating and heartbreak exacerbated by partying. She started to fall in love with a woman and her emotions went wild. Writing “NUN” was her gateway to coping with those feelings. The song is a daydream about giving up love, music, and chaos to live a stoic life as a “NUN.” 

The video was shot in one shot, with TOMI playing the role of the “NUN” working to  “pray the gay away.” The video directed by Julie Pacino, is purposely playful and campy, bringing the audience into a psychedelic lesbian-run dreamscape that references both The Birth of Venus and But I’m a Cheerleader. 

TOMI’s style is characterized by ferocious guitar and rich vocals. This unfettered, urgent, and emotionally supercharged sound was forged from a ruthless determination to sing, play, and do things her own way, even in the face of life’s obstacles. For Autuori, music has been a sanctuary since coming out at twelve in suburban Connecticut. A few short years later she moved straight to New York City as soon as she found a car and a drummer. She started a band in Brooklyn and played anywhere that would let her wail on guitar,  scream into a microphone, and serve an underage band. After years of hustling and being underwhelmed, she decided to take hold of the creative reins of her career and created  TOMI,  named after her pet lizard “Tommy” (RIP). TOMI has now come full circle, back to being independent in an effort to retain creative control. 

For Autuori Late Bloomer was a labor of love. She produced and oversaw every aspect of the recording and production, down to the velocity at which every hi-hat was hit. Thematically the songs center on the ups and downs of relationships, but for Autuori the writing process is more about walking through every experience, good and bad with both eyes and heart wide open. Following the album release TOMI will be out on the road supporting The Crane Wives through the fall. 

KEEP UP WITH TOMI

WEBSITE // INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK // TWITTER // SPOTIFY 

TOUR DATES

11/1  Constellation Room Santa Ana, CA, US

11/2  Constellation Room  Santa Ana, CA **

11/3  Voodoo Room, House of Blues San Diego, CA **

11/4  The Venice West Venice, CA **

11/5  Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA, US **

11/7  Felton Music Hall Felton, CA **

11/8  Goldfield Trading Post Sacramento, CA **

11/9  Volcanic Theatre Pub Bend, OR **

11/11  Star Theater Portland, OR **

11/12  The Vera Project Seattle, WA **

** w/ Crane Wives

SHADWICK WILDE RELEASES HIS ‘WATER WORLD’ OPUS OF AN ALBUM FOREVER HOME

OUT NOW VIA SOFABURN RECORDS
“In a perfect world, many of these songs would become standards.” - Americana Highways 

“Though the instrumentation and songwriting feel heavily drawn from a more traditional approach to Americana, the production and vocal styling feels more akin to more modern pop sensible acts like Bahamas. Wilde’s voice is smooth and personable with a natural warble and an effortless ability to take to falsetto notes to great effect.” - Glide Magazine (on “Easy Rider”) 

“​​With his piercing lyricism and unwavering commitment to his craft, Shadwick Wilde has not only cemented his status as a masterful songwriter but has also extended an intimate invitation into the quiet recesses of his heart and home.”  -  B-Side Guys

“There are lines that dance with poetry, but Wilde’s greatest talent, which he does here, is making listeners feel the weight of what he is carrying around in his head.” - Leo Weekly 

“ The final product is an emotional and almost cinematic journey.” - Louisville Public Media (on “Without You”)

“Through it all is Wilde’s deep commitment to self-reflection and to protect everything that makes life worth living, even the bad stuff.” - Rainbow Rodeo
“Easy Rider” warmth of his guitar strings, and the accompanying video shot on 16mm film, there is no pretending that these moments are solid and effortless..." -Folk Radio UK

FOREVER HOME: LISTEN 

Louisville’s Shadwick Wilde has released his opus of an album  Forever Home out today on SofaBurn Records, produced by renowned Nashville drummer Ken Coomer (Billy Bragg, Will Hoge, Margo Price, Vance Joy, Al Green, Wilco, and Uncle Tupelo). The album is available on all digital platforms as well as on limited edition colored vinyl versions of the album HERE.  

Wilde cut his teeth as a guitarist in hardcore bands in his youth, and after spending time in San Francisco, and Havana, settled in his current home in Louisville, Kentucky, and began writing his own songs and forming the first iteration of Quiet Hollers. After the band’s 2013 rootsy- midwestern album I Am the Morning, the band worked at a relentless pace, releasing a record every two years, and producing content, all while rigorously touring the U.S. and Europe winning over crowds with their transcendent live shows.  After a decade of this unforgiving cycle, Shadwick decided to get off the album release tour cycle merry-go-round and ushered in the most prolific writing period of his career. The result was the Quiet Hollers’ 2022 release Forever Chemicals and the stunning ten songs that comprise Forever Home recorded at Coomer’s Cartoon Moon studio in Nashville. 

Working with Coomer was a practice in surrender for Wilde. In the past, Wilde’s recording process was a push for perfection, and with Coomer Wilde had to let go of the reins and succumb to Coomer's process of letting the songs unravel on their own. The result is ten stunning songs that are an exercise in finding contentment in the present, in lieu of the inevitable state of doom constantly looming in the background. The album opens with the acoustic guitar-driven song “Easy Rider,” which was the first single released from the album.  When asked about the song Wilde told Folk Radio UK that he tried “to capture the truth of the ennui that can creep in when life becomes too peaceful or happy. Depression always wants to step in and throw things off balance, for me anyway.”

“Easy Rider” was followed by “Without You,” an existentialist love ballad examining the frailty of memory, the truth of impermanence, and our clinging to one another that Louisville Public Media called “... an emotional and almost cinematic journey,” then “Floating Away,” a song about the inevitable impermanence in love relationships that Rainbow Rodeo called a  soft protest against mortality’s cruel interruption of love.”  Both “Without You” and “Floating Away”  are close to the demos and reflect Coomer’s signature style of minimalism of this album, recording live with minimal takes to preserve the emotion and spontaneity of the creative process.  The album concludes with the title track “Forever Home,” which encompasses the dichotomy of family life and the life of an artist. “ I want to be at home with my partner and our beautiful child, surrounded by nature, away from the ugliness of our crumbling society,” Wilde told Under the Radar Magazine. “But I also want to be out in it, seeing it all— the beauty, the grime— rock and roll clubs, loud music, sweaty, imperfect humanity. I have been trying to find a way to do both. It’s hard to find balance. Sometimes I do want to burn it all to the ground, start fresh— and leave the wanderer’s life. But the pull is strong.”  

Wilde has joked that this album was his  ‘Waterworld,’ the colossal disaster of a movie that almost ruined Kevin Costner’s career. “ The parallels are difficult to ignore,” Wilde told Twangville. “ Both he and I nearly bankrupted ourselves to bring our apocalyptic visions into reality. I have been thinking and writing a lot about water these past few years; how Heraclitus said we can never step into the same river twice… both the human and the river being in a constant state of flux. Our bodies have roughly the same salinity as the ocean, the source of all life on Earth. I learned a lot of letting go, in the process of making this record. We all are in this river of time, everchanging. All we can do is row, row our little boat, gently down the stream– making small adjustments to our course, but ultimately heading toward the same destination: the ocean that is eternity, the infinite vastness of the cosmos. When the waves of this life come and knock us down, we have a tendency to forget that we too are the ocean, and that in fact, everything does come in waves.”

Shadwick has been on tour performing his solo material with the Quiet Hollers and will be playing an album release show presented by Louisville Public Media’s WFPK on September 30th before heading over to Europe to play Rootzz 2023 in the Netherlands.

KEEP UP WITH SHADWICK WILDE

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube |  Spotify 

TOUR DATES

Sept 23  Guestroom Records OKC @ 2pm Oklahoma City, OK **

Sept 23 - The Colony - Tulsa, OK**

Sept 24 - Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS**

Sept 30  Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY **

Oct 28  Rootzz 2023 @ 7:30pm Breda, Netherlands

** w/ Quiet Hollers

^ w/ Lacey Guthrie

THE VINYL RECORD MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

The Vinyl Records Manufacturing Association (VRMA) is excited to welcome in new members Vantiva (Global), Key Production Ltd. (UK), Stamper Discs (UK), Galactic Wax (USA) and Takt (Poland). These organizations join over 48 member companies and individuals including Third Man Pressing, CopyCats Media, Big Loud Records,  Stoughton Printing, Furnace Record Pressing, Welcome to 1979, and more.

 “Vantiva Supply Chain Solutions is excited to join VRMA as a company increasing vinyl manufacturing capacity for clients and music lovers around the globe,”  said Rob Wipper, President of Vantiva SCS. “ We look forward to sharing our decades of insights and experience in precision manufacturing, custom packaging & assembly, and order fulfillment & logistics with fellow association members and partners.” 

“We are very pleased with the growth of the association over these last few months which includes partners throughout the supply chain and companies of all sizes,” said VRMA President Dustin Blocker. “We believe that with the rapid growth of our industr, that it is more essential than ever to increase our interconnectivity to continue our path towards a sustainable and healthy business environment around the globe. ”

There are currently fifty-two pressing plants in the US that are conservatively producing 193,550,000 records per year.  Globally, the annual number is 359,888,000, with close to 200 plants targeted to be online by the first quarter of 2024.

The sale of Vinyl Records has seen continual growth year-over-year for the past 17 years. Last year, in 2022, was the first time in over 30 years that vinyl record sales surpassed the sale of CD’s in the U.S. Currently, vinyl sales for the first half of 2023 in the United States are up 22% from the previous year (23.6 million-first half of 2023 vs.19.4 million in 2022), as reported by Luminate in their mid-year music report. 

With the boom in the vinyl business the country's top manufacturers gathered together to create the Vinyl Records Manufacturer Association (VRMA) in December of 2019, becoming a formal legal entity in May of 2022.  The VRMA is a professional trade association of independent businesses committed to the craft of vinyl record manufacturing through collaboration, advocacy, standardization, and education. The association serves to advocate for the industry at large, with a focus on education and providing the latest and most accurate information industrywide. The association serves as a forum for member companies to engage in ongoing discussions, various issues, and opportunities related to other new technologies and the future of the industry as a whole. 

The VRMA currently has over 48 members from across the vinyl industry, which include not only half the pressing plants in the United States, but also audio companies, plating, mastering, packing, technology, record labels, and, of course, record stores. 

As membership continues to grow within and outside of the United States, the VRMA continues their work with a focus on communication with the launch of a recent education initiative on the vinyl making process for those within, and outside of, the vinyl making industry with the production of the Audio Quality Control Manual available for free to all members and the accompanying YouTube series that goes in-depth on the intricate process of audio quality control for vinyl.

KEEP UP WITH THE VRMA

WEBSITE // YOUTUBE // LINKEDIN 

ALISA AMADOR RELEASES NEW SINGLE “TOGETHER” VIA UNDER THE RADAR DEBUT MINI-ALBUM NARRATIVES OUT ON SEPTEMBER 17TH

ALISA AMADOR RELEASES NEW SINGLE “TOGETHER”  

VIA UNDER THE RADAR  

DEBUT MINI-ALBUM NARRATIVES OUT ON SEPTEMBER 17TH 

“Alisa Amador is a pitch-perfect rendition of my wildest dreams” - NPR 

“Alisa Amador sings with the ease of someone who has been performing for the entirety of her life” - American Songwriter   

"Not only can you sense her own musical drive and talent, you can almost feel how she puts her soul into her multi-genre art…Alisa Amador is a prime example of the amazing music Boston churns out” - WERS 

“…knocks together the worlds of Lake Street Dive and Fiona Apple into a tell-it like it is a morning anthem. With skatty jazz bravado and an engaging vocal presentation, Amador is a chill addition to the ’70s influenced singer-songwriter sect”- Glide Magazine  

“…a breath of fresh air” - Sound Of Boston 

Photo credit: Jacquelyn Marie

LISTEN: “TOGETHER”   

Today, Boston-based artist Alisa Amador unveils “Together,” the latest single from her forthcoming mini-album Narratives, set for release on September 17th. Under The Radar, who said her latest effort is “a document of the breadth of human experience, examining the narratives that encompass us amidst powerful indie folk arrangements,” premiered the track. “Amador begins stark and solitary, accompanied only by the steady chime of her guitar as she acknowledges the pain that all too often defines life’s experiences,” they commented. “Yet, as throughout the rest of the EP, connection is the healer and savior for Amador. That salve of quiet comfort takes on new power as the song reaches its climax, and Amador is joined by a triumphant chorus of voices and strings. In one voice, Amador and company declare their collective power and unity, bringing the track to an end with the steady chant of ‘together.’  

“Together” calls out systemic violence—in it, Amador acknowledges all the pain and celebrates the revolutionary power of friendship in the face of all those odds. “Perhaps the world will always be breaking,” she told Under The Radar. “And, it is our purpose on Earth to be putting it back together again, together.” The single follows the release of self-care anthem “Slow Down,” and breakout hit “Timing,” a lively, optimistic, and wry song which addresses the frustrating yet exciting realization that you’ve found love, but the timing is off. “Timing” was featured on Spotify’s "Fresh Finds,” "Fresh Finds: Indie,” and "Stay in Bed" playlists, as well as Apple Music’s "Now That's What I Call Today's Top Hits.” 

LISTEN: “SLOW DOWN”  

LISTEN // WATCH: “TIMING”  

Alisa Amador is a connector. Her upcoming mini-album, Narratives, is a six-song snapshot in time. It’s a deep look at a person stumbling through life in two languages—English and Spanish—and in many states of mind about it all. Her crystal-clear vocals are so effortless throughout Narratives that it’s almost easy to forget how technically talented she is, until she moves from almost-spoken-word territory to a powerful chorus without hesitation or illustrates a repetitive refrain that’s so affecting it feels like you might want to live inside it for a little while.   

“The word ‘narratives’ encompasses not only the existing cultural messages that hurt people individually and collectively,” she says, “but also the revolutionary power of writing ourselves new narratives; rejecting a culture of fear; and catalyzing a culture of honesty, bravery and self-love in the process.”  

When listening to Amador’s music, her time spent immersed in Latin folk and jazz is undoubtedly present in her own songs, written in both English and Spanish. But there is also pop, funk, soul, and something uniquely her own. Her specialty is sparking connection, across both listeners and musical styles. Working with producer Daniel Radin (The Novel Ideas, Future Teens), Narratives concentrates on the journey of Amador’s live set, taking listeners through songs that may elicit a laugh, bring introspection, offer a cathartic cry or encourage a sing-along.   

The genre-bending effort is as empowering as it is heart-wrenching. These songs  explore themes of romance and heartbreak, of chaos and healing, exposing systems of oppression and shining a light on the intricacies of the human condition. They might break your heart open, but by the end, it will be mended, uplifted and stronger—a ‘Life and Love Survival Kit' in the form of a bilingual EP. Click HERE to pre-order Narratives. 

KEEP UP WITH ALISA AMADOR:

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY 

THE FIRST 5O GIGS LAUNCHES GUNS N’ ROSES AND THE MAKING OF APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION VISUAL PODCAST SEASON ONE, EPISODE ONE OUT NOW

THE FIRST 5O GIGS LAUNCHES 

GUNS N’ ROSES AND THE MAKING OF

 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION  VISUAL PODCAST 

SEASON ONE, EPISODE ONE OUT NOW

Cr. Jack Lue

VIEW THE TRAILER:  HERE

“There isn’t a better person to release any material to do with the coming together and the history of Guns N’ Roses and where it went and what was going on behind the scenes than Marc.” — Slash

Marc Canter and Jason Porath, the authors of the critically acclaimed book Reckless Road are excited to announce the launch of the video podcast The First 50 Gigs: Guns N’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction. The Introductory Episode along with Episode One of the first season is available now exclusively on Patreon. 

The Reckless Road: Guns N' Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction book which was published in 2008 and won an IPPY for Pop Culture Book of the Year was just the tip of the iceberg of an archive created by Marc Canter; photographer, music historian, and owner of the world-famous Canter’s Deli. Canter captured the band’s formative years and the heyday of the Sunset Strip music scene.  Canter, who has a photographic memory, came to realize that his memories, the history of this era in Los Angeles, and the formation of this iconic band, will die with him if he doesn’t tell them. The First 50 Gigs project has been years in the making, “Marc’s one-of-a-kind archive on the early days of Guns N’ Roses and the first fifty gigs of the Appetite lineup of Guns N’ Roses is unprecedented,” says Porath. “ Marc truly captured lightning in a bottle and the power of those images he and Jack Lue created will now be amplified by first-hand accounts by the people who were there, giving audiences a true play-by-play unfolding of events.” 

The project was designed as a gift to fans to unlock the stories behind the most famous songs from the ever-elusive band, in particular the younger fans,  many of whom were not even born when Appetite came out. It's an opportunity for them to learn about the stories behind the making of Appetite For Destruction.  “This video podcast is a multilayer documentary told by the people and band members that were there,” says Canter. “Those that  were involved in the incestuous revolving doors of the bands that eventually led to the Appetite for Destruction lineup.”

Putting fans first, this first season of the show will be available in several tiers on Patreon with the intention of growing the show’s community to a level that will enable the production of the next few seasons. All episodes from season one were recorded in English with transcripts available in Spanish and Portuguese. The three subscriptions tiers enable different levels of access from audio-only, to visual and audio, exclusive content which includes additional interviews, bonus video and audio, and merchandise items. All tier levels come standard with private RSS feeds that will allow you to listen to the show on your favorite podcast player (e.g. Apple Podcast, Stitcher, etc.)

"I can't really tell how thankful I am being able to see this podcast finally, It's just great to get all this info about GN'R's early days.”  - Patreon Subscriber

The introductory episode dives into the credentials of the show's core historian, Los Angeles cultural icon Marc Canter. Canter’s family restaurant, Canter’s Deli, which he currently owns and operates, is a Los Angeles landmark that has been a featured player in the history of the city for decades. Canter grew up with Slash, and Canter’s Deli, along with the adjoining Kibitz Room, and became a second home for the band, as well as a staple post-show, late-night hang for the Sunset Strip crowd. Canter knew from early on that Slash was special and began to document his shows, saving memorabilia, photos and video from all of his performances. Episode one tells the story of Slash’s first band Titus Sloan through photos, videos and an interview with Titus Sloan drummer and founding member Adam Greenberg.

“By retelling this story in podcast form, The First 50 Gigs can take listeners deeper into stories, personalities and events and explore every aspect of this origin story that often is left on the cutting room floor of a book or documentary, '' says Porath. “ Anyone around the world can click on a button and transport themselves back in time to the 1980’s Sunset Strip and follow the action that led to one of the greatest Rock N’ Roll breakthrough stories of the decade.”

Season One Episode lineup:

Introduction: Marc and Jason - Intro to the series, Marc’s history,

Episode 1: Adam Greenberg - Tidus Sloan/Roadcrew

Episode 2: Laurie Jacobson - History of The Strip from 1900-1965

Episode 3: Domenic Priore - History of The Strip from 1965-1990

Episode 4: Chris Weber - AXL, Rose + Hollywood Rose

Episode 5: Steve Darrow - New Hollywood Rose

Episode 6: Nadir D’Priest - London

Episode 7: Mid-Season Recap: Hollywood Rose to LA Guns 

Episode 8: LA GUNS to Original GNR

Episode 9: Rob Gardner - L.A. Guns / Original GNR

Episode 10: Marc Canter - First Appetite Lineup at Troubadour on 6.6.85

Episode 11: Hell Tour 

Episode 12: Steven Adler

Episode 13: Season 1 Recap/Finale, Season 2 Preview

Plus 2 - 14 Bonus Episodes (for specific subscriber tiers)

KEEP UP WITH FIRST 50 GIGS

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER

KAREN JONAS PREMIERES REIMAGINED DON HENLEY CLASSIC “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” VIA THE BOOT

KAREN JONAS PREMIERES REIMAGINED DON HENLEY CLASSIC “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” 

 VIA THE BOOT 

  NEW EP SUMMER SONGS   

AND  

ACCOMPANYING BOOK OF ORIGINAL POETRY GUMBALLS 

SET FOR RELEASE ON AUGUST 20TH 

Any listener of Karen Jonas’ music will recognize the trademarks of her fearless talent in this beautiful, gutting collection of poetry. Karen Jonas is already acknowledged as a master songwriter and storyteller, but in these unflinching, often wryly funny poems, the narratives of love, heartbreak, and the daily grind of being alive are unmisted by noise, audience, and stage. — Erika Carter, author of Lucky You,  NPR Best Book of 2017 and official Book of the Month Club selection 

This is what you get when a kickass woman writes poetry--you get dirty, wet, delicious, dark, relatable worlds full of wonder, light, rage, and revelation. - Susie Moloney, award-winning screenwriter and author of A Dry Spell 

LISTEN // WATCH: “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” 

Today, award-winning artist Karen Jonas has released her take on Don Henley’s classic song “The Boys Of Summer.” The single appears on Summer Songs, a new four-track EP set for release on August 20th, along with Gumballs, a book of original poetry. “On her forthcoming EP, singer-songwriter Karen Jonas leans into the song's ability to take listeners back in time with her own version,” said The Boot in the premiere. “There's a bit more pedal steel in Jonas' cover than in the original, and particularly in the chorus, the artist uses her voice to tweak the familiar melody here and there to add something new to it.”  

“The Boys Of Summer” follows the release of “Summer’s Hard For Love,” which Glide Magazine said was, “A rainy day whirl of jazzy melodies and crafty songwriting,” adding, “Jonas sings with a warm vibrato that makes like a mix between Lana Del Rey and Cowboy Junkies, evolving into an unforeseen summer go-to song.” 

LISTEN: “SUMMER’S HARD FOR LOVE”  

"Somewhere along the way, I got tough because I had to," Jonas told The Boot. "Balancing my complexity as a human with my roles as a touring singer-songwriter and a mother of four has been amazing, but challenging and consuming. Things are easier when you’re tough: You can weather more storms and move farther faster. But, to find that place and still be vulnerable, raw and genuine — that’s the artist’s dream. So, I took it on,” she added. “I assessed the state of who I am and where I’ve been, and why, with as much clarity as I could. Over the course of a raw week in January, I wrote frantically. I didn’t worry about what my kids or my mother or you would think, I just wrote.” 

Jonas amassed over 60 poems, vignettes of hard scenes from her life, and realized she had written a book, covering everything from divorce to religion to dating to spiders; this vastly personal autobiographical collection of poems allowed her to find a more vulnerable place to embrace these gems from her old songwriting notebooks.  

“I began to hear flashes of these songs as I was writing my poetry collection, songs I started writing years ago. I reconnected with them and spent a lot of time reprocessing and editing,” she adds. “I was able to update them to my current songwriting sensibilities while maintaining the sweet vulnerability of the inspiration for these summer-themed tunes.” The result is Summer Songs, three heartfelt originals and a show-stopping cover of “The Boys of Summer.” 

Through swooping pedal steel and bluesy guitar, lush harmonies and beautifully-crafted lyricism, Jonas paints a vibrant sonic portrait with stories to which we can all relate—tales of love and loss, and of hope and reclamation. Jonas’ writing harkens back to her songcrafting heroes Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, with a sonic nod to modern greats like Gillian Welch and Jason Isbell. Her investment in artistic excellence continues to pay off with her upcoming release Summer Songs. 

TOUR DATES: 

Aug 20 - WTJU In-Studio - Charlottesville, VA 

Aug 21 - Strangeways Brewing - Fredericksburg, VA 

Aug 28 - Brambly Park - Richmond, VA 

Aug 29 - Pie Shop - Washington, DC 

THE SLANG UNVEILS NEW SINGLE “DISGUISE” OUT TODAY

THE SLANG  UNVEILS NEW SINGLE  

“DISGUISE” OUT TODAY 

 

DEBUT FULL-LENGTH LP DIVIDE  

SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 24TH 

Photo credit: Morris Photography

LISTEN: “DISGUISE”   

Today, Washington, DC-based duo The Slang has unveiled “Disguise,” the latest single from their forthcoming LP Divide, set for release on September 24th. “Disguise,” a hook-laden dreamscape that brims with shimmering guitars, explores our tendency to hide our true selves from others, and follows "Nothing Lasts Forever," about addictions, and unhealthy vices and attachments.  

LISTEN // WATCH: “NOTHING LASTS FOREVER” 

The album features 10 sparkling alt-rock gems written by co-founders John Bobo and Felix Nieto, and produced by Nieto. “It’s our first full-length album, so we used that to our advantage to take risks that we may not have on our prior EP’s,” explains Bobo. “As the expression goes, ‘Stories Don’t End,’ so what happens after the movie ends and the credits have rolled? Divide is an album about trying to overcome the inevitable, but continues asking that question of ‘what happens next?’”  

Offering a distinct blend of power-pop, alternative, and contemporary rock, The Slang is comfortable testing genre lines and taking their time to capture the minutiae of modern life. With a laid-back intensity that infuses their music, lead vocalist/multi-instrumentalist John Bobo serves as the main songwriter while bassist/multi-instrumentalist Felix Nieto focuses on production. Both artists share a kind of low-key perfectionism: hands-on, hyper-attuned to textural detail, and aware of what elevates a song from good to great. “We want to do it right,” says Bobo. “And we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the best possible track each time.”   

With smooth vocals and striking guitar melodies, The Slang is often compared to bands like Snow Patrol and The Killers, but with a modern twist and more experimental production value. “We care about the experience, whether on headphones or at a live show,” says Nieto, whose production adds a sleekness and edge. Bobo’s introspective lyrics explore singular moments that define human relationships. This beautiful blend of respective talent is evident on Divide, which features the band’s characteristic melodic precision, bright, electric guitar-driven anthems, and top-quality production, but with a more pop-leaning sound.  

 Be sure to follow The Slang via the links below for the latest news, updates, and tour information, and check out their hilarious Facebook group The Slang Gang. 

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? "BALANCE AN REVERENCE FOR MUSICAL TRADITION WITH AN IRREVERENT SENSE OF HUMOR" (-XPN) ON SOPHOMORE ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT TODAY

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? "BALANCE AN REVERENCE FOR MUSICAL TRADITION WITH AN IRREVERENT SENSE OF HUMOR" (-XPN) ON SOPHOMORE ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT TODAY  

"Deep subjects, brought into manageable perspective by merciless satire." - At The Barrier

Photo Credit: Jesse Gennett

“HARD FEELINGS” VIDEO || WATCH

HARD FEELINGS ALBUM ||  SPOTIFY OR PURCHASE

 Philadelphia-based duo Andrew Fullerton (vocals, guitar) and Matt Orlando (vocals, banjo) - behind the quirky, punchy nügrass band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? – find their full voice on the sophomore album Hard Feelings out today!

The album continues their subversive and often humorous approach to heavy subjects. “This record is about the difficult conversations we have with ourselves, our partners, and our friends and family,” says Fullerton. “And also how do we have these conversations with empathy.”

“It’s just the two of us when we tour, so Andrew and I have these very deep, existential conversations about our lives, love, nihilism, music, and all these different things,” adds Orlando. “The songs were born from those conversations”

Recently, the duo released the video for the title track “Hard Feelings” about a weary, time-tested relationship with accompanying video directed by Big Howl (Nicole Atkins “Brokedown Luck” & “Mind Eraser”, Netflix’s Worn Stories). For the video, the Big Howl art department built the Andrew and Matt dummies from a YouTube tutorial and most of the dolls were sourced from co-director Paul Triggiani’s mom’s personal doll collection.  

“The Big Howl guys really understand the bizarre tenderness I try to convey in my songwriting,” says Andrew Fullerton. “Usually I send them the song and they say ‘how weird do you want to get’ and I just say ‘I trust you.’ You can tell from the story that the woman and her dummies go back away and their relationship has it’s up and downs as well.”

The sophomore album Hard Feelings is out now.

BUZZ

“Indie-folk duo Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves balance a reverence for musical tradition with an irreverent sense of humor, and both of those worlds collide in their new music video for ‘Hard Feelings.’” – TheKey.xpn.org 

“There’s a definite energy to the band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves, and the touch of banjo slowly building its way in to anchor [“Little In Love”] is a sweet touch. Enjoy the Americana sentiments of what’s sometimes known as the “6w” band. And really — who isn’t a little in love with everyone?” - Americana Highways 

“…indicative of that easy folk approach, with a light, country tone that’s easy on the ears… a beautiful and wistful fiddle. You may be pursuing what you love, but there are residual effects of that, some of which are not always so positive on others.” – V13 

“Listening to Hard Feelings is a little like experiencing a whirlwind.  The songs are all great fun, there’s a lot of energy and (deliberately) little subtlety…this is an album that you can hear over and over and find new quirks in the lyrics each time.” – At The Barrier

HARD FEELINGS ALBUM ||  SPOTIFY OR PURCHASE

“QUITTIN'” SINGLE  || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE

“LITTLE IN LOVE'” SINGLE || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE 

KEEP UP WITH WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOVES

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || BANDCAMP || SPOTIFY

MISS TESS RELEASES NEW SINGLE “REAL CHANGE”

MISS TESS RELEASES NEW SINGLE  “REAL CHANGE”

PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT SOCIAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT

GIDEON’S ARMY 

Captivating - Billboard

 Rooted in a retro groove that’s equal parts blues, mid-century rock & roll and Booker T-worthy R&B - Rolling Stone Country

 Old-time warmth, 21st-century sass. It’s a potent recipe for that few artists successfully pull off — and Miss Tess is one of them - No Depression 

 A voice that recalls artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Patsy Cline and Lindi Ortega - The Boot

 Soulful - Wide Open Country

LISTEN: “REAL CHANGE”

 Today, Nashville chanteuse Miss Tess released her brand new single, “Real Change.” The song was written with Maya de Vitry a month or two after the death of George Floyd. “The world was on fire,” recalls Miss. Tess. “Of all the sadness and loss already experienced through the onset of a global pandemic, I thought maybe it all happened for a reason. Most of our working systems came to a standstill for the first time in recent history, and the world had time to listen, watch, and react.”  

While the conversations are not new, people of all shapes and colors were and are willing to fight for accountability. “A lot of us have had the luxury of not knowing for a very long time. It’s much harder not to notice now, but it seems like you still never really understand until it happens to you or someone you love,” Miss Tess explains. “Our power and money-hungry machines are always waiting in the wings to push their agendas and keep us divided with their tools of racism, misogyny, and exploitation. ‘Divide and conquer’ as the old saying goes. The people must remember how much power they have. My goal is not to preach from some high pulpit but rather to spread a humble message of hope and unity. As we emerge from this dark pandemic cocoon may we continue practicing the power of love and awareness toward our fellow humans,” she continues. “The world will never be perfect, but we have to keep trying, and insisting that real change is possible."  

“Real Change” was co-produced by Miss Tess and Thomas Bryan Eaton (guitar), and also features Lindsay Lou and Rachael Davis (background vocals), John Pahmer (piano, organ), Rhees Williams (bass), and Dan Holmes (drums). Miss Tess will donate 100% of the song’s proceeds to Nashville racial justice nonprofit Gideon’s Army*, a community-based, grassroots organization that uses restorative justice programs to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline through social activism by children, families, and the community. Click HERE to purchase “Real Change” or make a donation.

WATCH: “REAL CHANGE”

  When most people think of defiant music, they think of punk rock or outlaw country. But defying genres while transcending eras and resisting clichés is hard to pin down when it comes to artistry unless you're talking about Miss Tess, who does all of that and more. Swinging for the fences and from the branches of jazz, country, blues, and old school rock and roll, she employs all of her influences and talents while cleverly taking standard perspectives and ideas - like the definition of a love song - to task. From soulful swagger to jazz, blues, a little old school country, and even a touch of psychedelia, Miss Tess shows both the pluck and poise to fold a multitude of styles into her own. In early 2020, Miss Tess released her acclaimed LP The Moon Is An Ashtray, co-produced with Andrija Tockic and lauded by Billboard, Rolling Stone Country, No Depression. Wide Open Country, The Boot, and more. 

*ABOUT GIDEON’S ARMY: Gideon’s Army is a community-based, grassroots organization that works to design programs based on contemporary interpretations of the theory of restorative justice. As a locally-based organization with a long-term goal for state-wide expansion, Gideon’s Army is currently the only local organization in Nashville that focuses solely on dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline through social activism by children in the prison pipeline, their families, and their community. Utilizing research-based best practices combined with community outreach, Gideon’s Army builds its restorative justice programs based upon this information and uses program results to guide its policy work. Through intensive volunteer and community training as well as dialogue, we as a community lead and work together throughout the entire process. The organization uniquely emphasizes youth empowerment and community member leadership as well as direct interfacing with families, the juvenile courts, and the public school system. Gideon’s Army facilitators, mentors, and other volunteers are members of the North Nashville community who train fellow youth, educators, and others in continuing the process of educating. This training structure creates a positive cyclical pipeline based in restorative juice to combat the destructive effects of the school-to-prison pipeline.

TOUR DATES:

July 3 -  The Brick Church Social @ Farm Fresh Eggs - Nashville, TN*

July 8 - Purple Fiddle - Thomas, WV 

July 10 - Red Wing Roots Music Festival - Mount Solon, VA

July 15 - Colony - Woodstock. NY**

July 16 - Rose Hall - Cortland, NY**

July 17 - Abilene Bar & Lounge - Rochester, NY**

July 18 - Argyle Brewing Company - Cambridge, NY**

July 21 - The Barn - Egremont, MA**^

July 22 - Sunny’s - Brooklyn, NY**

July 23 - Americana In The Archway - Brooklyn, NY**

July 24 - Augusta Block Party Honky Tonk Dance - Elkins, WV

July 30 - The Burl - Lexington, KY^^

August 14 - East Nashville Tomato Art Fest - Nashville, TN

*w/ Thomas Bryan Eaton & Hobson's Choice, Kristina Murray, & Joshua Rilko

**duo w/ Thomas Bryan Eaton

^w/ Lydia Luce

^^w/ John R. Miller

CONNECT WITH MISS TESS

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BANDCAMP | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

DEBUT ALBUM FROM LOS ANGELES SINGER/SONGWRITER JOE BOURDET MEADOW ROCK OUT NOW

DEBUT ALBUM FROM LOS ANGELES

SINGER/SONGWRITER JOE BOURDET

MEADOW ROCK OUT NOW 

“Beyond the stirring melodies and lyrics of Bourdet’s songs, what imbues Meadow Rock with its resonant, layered vibe is that every note on the album (in true 1970s classic rock style) was played on a genuine instrument… Meadow Rock embodies that untamed and creative spirit.” – Golden State

Photo Credit: Sara Ross Samko

MEADOW ROCK ALBUM || LISTEN

“EL CAPITAN” VIDEO || WATCH

Los Angeles singer/songwriter Joe Bourdet “writes in dreamscape throwback 70s folk styles, and splendid high-end electric guitar solos abound…of nostalgia.” (- Americana Highways ) on his debut album Meadow Rock (out now).

The nine-song set inspired by our natural surroundings of California – including the mountain ranges throughout.  

 “El Capitan” is about the Yosemite Valley and the Sierras, where “the protagonist senses deeper metaphysical vibrations amid memories of past visits with loved ones.” “Amongst The Pines” was written on an evening drive up Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains. “The arrangement is somewhat in tribute to a Gordon Lightfoot or Ozark Mountain Daredevils style production,” explains Joe. The accompanying video is comprised of footage shot by Joe and Dave Baine (who plays mandolin on the track) on a 9-day backpacking trip in the High Sierra trails. 

And  “Lost Along The Way” co-written with Alana Amram is a semi-autobiographical song is “loosely based on breaking down in my Datsun 240z on the Pacific Coast Highway very late night near El Capitan State Beach,” explains Joe.

BUZZ FOR MEADOW ROCK

 “Amongst The Pines” leans heavily into its serene nature setting, placing the listener in the untarnished natural beauty of its titular pines. Fittingly, the instrumentation is similarly pastoral, carrying rich acoustic tones as Bourdet’s vocals recall vintage Americana and singer/songwriter heroes. Though the record is a studio creation it instead feels refreshingly authentic, as if you’ve joined Bourdet and company around the campfire as they tribute peaceful alpine passages.” – Under The Radar

 “Over spacious drums and a 60s folk-inspired sound… backing harmonies add an ethereal touch reminiscent of Peter, Paul and Mary or the Mamas & the Papas. It’s a dreamy soundscape of a song that embraces the beauty of life’s surprising turns. Sometimes you get lost and it’s best to lean into it.” – Holler Country

 “Giving a nod to 70s folk-rock and singer-songwriters of that era, Bourdet puts his own signature spin on the music explaining that the sound is more “Topanga Canyon” than the widely known sound of LA’s Laurel Canyon.” – Turnstyled Junkpiled

“…an homage to the soft, singer-songwriter pop-rock of the mid-to-late ‘70s close your eyes and dream of the simpler life before technology invaded every corner of our lives on the nine well-crafted tracks” – The Big Takeover

“Joe Bourdet provides some high-end lead guitar tone that is endearing alongside his mellow vocal style on this debut [Meadow Rock]…. For young ears, this music may be too sublime. To older nostalgive ears its singer-songwriter heaven with poignancy, good takes, tight musicianship & melodies – more homegrown & organic in nature.” – Americana Highways

“…an album dripping with soft acoustic guitars, divine slide and pedal steel, and vocal harmonies to die for.” – At The Barrier

ABOUT JOE BOURDET

Highway 49 is called the golden chain highway and connects numerous tiny hamlets as it weaves through the river canyons of the California gold country. This is the area where Joe Bourdet spent his youth, and it provided the formative images which inspired the music of his debut album Meadow Rock.

Having had the good fortune to be born into a musical family, his uncle, Mike Bonnington, and San Francisco jazz musician Jack Minger set the example that music life, though it “ain’t no good life”, in fact was possible. Since picking up guitar in high school, Bourdet’s musical world has grown into a host of technical and artistic areas. He repairs, restores, modifies, and occasionally even builds his instruments and recording equipment. He operates his own home studio which he describes as a “project studio PLUS”. Having also accrued a handful of sometimes white-knuckle experiences as an audio engineer in music and film productions, Bourdet was able to engineer, mix, and produce his own debut album. Even if, as he is quick to point out, he did so with more than a little help from his friends, and indeed also from some of the top professional technicians in music.

Musically, Bourdet plays various guitar styles, including slide, and occasionally bass. He sings with a neutral singer-songwriter flare, and considers himself merely an “enthusiast” as a keyboardist. In addition to writing or co-writing most of the compositions on his debut, he also built the song arrangements up via careful overdubbing. It’s a process he likens to an obsessive Steely Dan style discipline, with the exception that tempo drifts and imperfect/ naturalistic sounds were generally embraced.  

MEADOW ROCK || OUT NOW

KEEP UP WITH JOE BOURDET

WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE

ZAYDE WOLF RELEASES HIS MONSTER SINGLE “HOLY WATER” FROM THE FORTHCOMING ALBUM NEON BLOOD TYPE OUT MAY 7TH

ZAYDE WOLF RELEASES HIS MONSTER SINGLE 

“HOLY WATER” FROM THE FORTHCOMING

ALBUM  NEON BLOOD TYPE 

OUT MAY 7TH

“ZAYDE WØLF has slowly but surely started to take over the world.” - Alternative Addiction

“With this electric and in your face musical creation he inspires us to speak up and follow your dreams. He embraces his own fire to give life to this soundscape as it unites melodies and lyrics to craft something that is sure to trigger something in all of us. -  Wolf in a Suit 

“Zayde’s driving and melodic vocals that are simple yet they work perfectly with the song as the instrumentation and music itself is not overly complicated….. “ Hard Beat Magazine

“Perhaps the perfect description of ZAYDE is simply the dark rock child of Imagine Dragons and The Black Keys.” - Ones to Watch

“Here whispery intensity blossoms into a melodic and sonic tour de force as the song is triumphantly orchestrated.” - Parade Magazine (on “New Blood - Reimagined”)

LISTEN TO “HOLY WATER”: HERE

Nashville’s Alt. Rock chart topper Zayde Wølf, the musical persona of  Grammy nominated producer and songwriter Dustin Burnett has released a beast of a single “Holy Water,” one his most powerful songs to date, a bold statement being that his music has yielded over 400 Million streams and has served as the motivational soundtrack for millions of fans, who have found the strength and inspiration to overcome life’s toughest challenges in Wølf’s music. I get all these emails,” Burnett told Billboard, “with all these stories about how the music has moved people in some way. I wanted to continue to make music for people to be inspired by." 

“Holy Water” follows the formula of some of the most memorable songs ever written, being that it manifested quickly, unexpectedly and was a last-minute addition to the album. It was one of those accidental songs that emerged once Burnett released his creative boundaries as he felt the album was finished. "I didn't try to write ‘Holy Water’ on purpose, it was already in there, a raw and personal moment, just waiting for me to release it,” says Burnett.  "Sometimes when you remove all of your boundaries on your creativity, something new, surprising, and even fantastic emerges. I think ‘Holy Water ‘was that for me."

“Holy Water,” which is featured on Spotify's All New Rock and New Noise playlists  follows up the anti-hero inspired song “Madness,” that  Indie Obsessive said was filled with  “thunderous percussion, backing vocal shouts, and crescendos that contribute to the pandemic-like motivational effect that ‘Madness’ builds in listeners,” and was immediately swooped up for us all throughout the NCAA March Madness tournament by CBS and Turner  Sports. “Back At It” Zayde Wølf’s  first taste of the new music this year, was a powerful entry that Apiate called “ an energetic pop/rock track that carries the musician’s signature electronic-infused style. Zayde’s lyrics are reminiscent and uplifting and he delivers the song with infectious exuberance,” setting the tone for what 2021 had in store for Zayde Wølf fans, his third full length album Neon Blood Type. This album follows the 2018 release of Modern Alchemy, Zayde Wølf’s sophomore full-length album, which charted in over 25 countries on the iTunes charts and debuted in the top ten on the iTunes Alternative chart in the U.S. within hours of its release. 

“ Neon Blood Type signifies everything that is unique within people and within Burnett. “ 

- American Songwriter 

Unintimidated by his past successes, Dustin Burnett (aka Zayde Wølf) has always been solely focused on making music that helps listeners to push through and overcome life’s challenges.  This motivational mentality of transcending the past, and not allowing it to define who you will be, are not just concepts Burnett has embraced, but it’s how he has lived his life. Raised in Metropolis, a small town in Illinois best known for its fictional favorite son, Clark Kent, the level of success Burnett has achieved, both personally and professionally, is beyond anything he ever imagined or that was expected of him growing up. The Zayde Wølf project which started by accident five years ago has grown into an empire that includes 245K YouTube subscribers, 90 million video views, over 1.4 Million monthly listeners on Spotify, with 400 million streams across all streaming platforms and millions of followers, all outside of the mainstream music business (i.e no label, no publishers etc.).  This is on top of the hundreds of films, TV shows, trailers, commercials, and video games that have featured his music. The list includes Shameless, Skyscraper movie, Love-Simon movie, the Jack Reacher 2, The Maze Runner 3, Pride Prejudice & Zombies, spots for UFC, MLB, NFL, Dodge, Jeep, WWE, Xbox, NBA, and more. In addition to syncs, Wølf has creatively expanded his reach by cultivating partnerships with brands such as Dude Perfect, one of the top YouTube sports channels with over 54 Million subscribers and 12 Billion views. Other creative partnerships include collaborations with Fortnite champion DrLupo, and extreme downhill racers Rémy Métailler and Matt Walker. Last year Burnett partnered with the NHL and  NBC sports for the Stanley Cup Finals where they used the Zayde Wølf track  “Home” in a spot featuring Burnett performing the song  HERE, and most recently was the featured celebrity guest on the Gamer Hour where Burnett and Host Chris Puckett talked about their love for video games and went head to head live playing  Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War.

KEEP UP WITH ZAYDE WØLF:

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || TWITTER || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || SOUNDCLOUD 

SARAH CICERO RELEASES HER STUNNING DEBUT EP COLD IMMACULATE OPPOSITE

SARAH CICERO RELEASES  HER STUNNING DEBUT EP

COLD IMMACULATE OPPOSITE

Full of heart and yearning, pain and passion, ‘Cold Immaculate Opposite’ resonates with stunning emotion as Brooklyn’s Sarah Cicero spills her soul in song. - ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“....this EP [will] likely be an emotional look in the mirror for many female listeners who are experiencing the tumultuous years of their 20s.” - IMPRESSED MUSIC

“Beyond eloquently telling a 6′ monstrosity to buzz off, Sarah’s music embodies that sad-and-lonely twenty-something energy… But does it with phat bass tone, melodic hooks, and most importantly, sincerity. “ - BUFFALBLOG

LISTEN TO COLD IMMACULATE OPPOSITE : HERE

“.... featuring a number of collaborators in the Brooklyn DIY scene, that embraces all of the uncertainty and nebulousness that is being a twenty-something and is an exercise in both personal healing and community building in action.” - SHE MAKES MUSIC

Brooklyn’s Sarah Cicero has released her breathtaking debut EP Cold Immaculate Opposite out today on all digital services. The EP tackles the uncertainty of being a twenty-something and those in between years, stepping out of childhood, yet not yet completely knowing how to navigate adulthood.  This EP was a collaborative effort between Cicero, her producer Sahil Ansari, and a number of peers from the richly creative Brooklyn DIY scene who worked to help bring the songs to life, all while in isolation. The collaborative effort put into the music during a year of solitude is further proof of how important community is especially, during times of transition.  

“In a year when human connections have been hard to come by, the connectivity experienced when listening to music has helped to keep many of us afloat in the sea of quarantine chaos. For singer-songwriter Sarah Cicero, that creative kinship has come from sharing her own experiences through her music, some of which are far too difficult to process outside of song.”

 - Open the Trunk

The five songs that make up this incredible body of work document the evolution of a young woman’s journey into self-awareness. The songs are as magically complex as Cicero. They tackle themes of loss on the lead-off song “Atticus,” feeling small and unseen on “Indifferent,” to desperation and hitting what feels like rock bottom on “Proud,” then turning to the wistful “At Arms Length” tells the story of that first real love.   Under the Radar Magazine said that  “‘At Arm’s Length’ is possibly her most poignant track yet. Cicero beautifully captures the feeling of your first “real love,” delivering confessional lyrics over a symphonic rush of instrumentation."  The EP is rounded out by Cicero’s version of an empowerment anthem, with “Letter to the Editor,”  directed towards men who think and act like being “tall” is a personality trait. 

“Cicero’s songs, so full of complex emotion, are each a beacon of sonic light and charming effervescence. Her energy is nothing but authentic, and it is with this resonant sense of sincerity that such stunning songs like “At Arm’s Length” and “Letter to the Editor” hit home with Cicero’s audience.” - ATWOOD MAGAZINE

 As for the future, Cicero continues to write on a regular basis and looks forward to what in-person collaborations will yield. 

KEEP UP WITH SARAH CICERO:

 INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || SOUNDCLOUD || BANDCAMP

AUSTRALIAN GUITARIST/SONGWRITER HAMISH ANDERSON RELEASES “MORNING LIGHT” TODAY

 AUSTRALIAN GUITARIST/SONGWRITER HAMISH ANDERSON 

RELEASES “MORNING LIGHT” TODAY 

Photo Credit: Ted Eytan

Today, Australian “singer, songwriter and guitar hero” (-Billboard) Hamish Anderson releases “Morning Light”, a 70s style song dripping with rock-n-roll swagger, building from a driving guitar & drum beat to boldly distorted T. Rex meets Rolling Stones tones. It is his first new music since 2019s Out of My Head (winner of Independent Music Award for “Best Blues Album”). 

Following a tour opening for Gary Clark, Jr in his native Australia, Hamish was set to return to the States for a solo U.S. headlining tour in 2020 when COVID created a global lock down.  Finding himself a world away from his scheduled shows and isolated at home in Australia, Hamish didn’t miss a beat. He immediately began performing live stream concerts and video sessions partnering with brands like Guitar World’s “Lesson/Playthrough“,  Martin Guitars “Jam In Place”, amongst others and an invitation to perform on John Lee Hooker Facebook page. He was also featured in the August 2020 issue of Guitar Player. 

Hamish wrote “Morning Light” prior to 2020; but while the world was evolving, this song not only resonated with his audience, but also became an acoustic mantra during all his live stream shows. He shared: “Morning Light” came to me when I was on my first European tour in 2018. I remember I was lying in the back of the van with the sun shining on me when the lyrics and melody just popped into my head.  I had been thinking about all sorts of hard times that everyone has to endure -- and how much of it actually turns out okay. I wanted to capture that feeling of hope that a new day can bring by reminding myself that things will get better - and that these everyday moments really do shine through, if you pay attention.” 

This marks the first collaboration with co-producer David Davis (Miguel, The War on Drugs, Lauren Ruth Ward). “Morning Light" was remotely produced while Hamish was in lockdown in Melbourne, Australia and the band – bassist Lauren Stockner; drummer Matt Musty (Grace Potter, Train); plus soulful backing vocals by Jessica Childress (Aloe Blacc, Allen Stone) - and producer David Davis were in Los Angeles, CA.   

With "Morning Light" Hamish Anderson comes into his own as not only a co-producer; but also tapping into the zeitgeist of the new framework for us all. That everyday moments matter most of all - and it will all be better in the light of the new day. 

To support the single, Hamish will be performing Main Stage at Blues on Broad Beach Festival in Queensland, AUSTRALIA in May with additional shows (both live stream and live in person) to follow. 

KEEP UP WITH HAMISH ANDERSON 

Website || YouTube || Twitter || Facebook || Instagram || Music 

HYPEREXTENSION ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ITS PUBLISHING DIVISION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC

HYPEREXTENSION ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ITS 

 PUBLISHING DIVISION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC

Los Angeles-based sync licensing company HyperExtension is excited to announce the launch of its publishing division through a worldwide partnership with Warner Chappell Music, the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group. As part of the deal, Warner Chappell will oversee administration for the new HyperExtension publishing division in addition to offering support for HyperExtension songwriters through its Creative Services department. 

For nearly the past decade, HyperExtension has built a reputation for providing exemplary music from around the world to all platforms of visual media, including film and television, advertising, trailers, and more. The first signings to the new HyperExtension publishing division include Erik Mattiasson (Melpo Mene), Christopher Barnes (Gem Club), and Henry MacLean and Dylan Grossman (Maryanne Bold).  

HyperExtension founder and CEO Rachel Komar started the company with a holistic approach to artist development and sync licensing, with exceptionally artist-friendly deals. The company’s roster is intentionally small and hyper-curated, enabling the team to give each artist the attention they deserve. “I started working in music half of my life ago, finding undeniable musical talent, helping build their careers, and watching them grow,” says Komar. “I am thrilled to have found such a wonderful partner in Warner Chappell. This partnership has opened us up to new opportunities on a global scale, for our growing roster of exceptionally talented writers, all the while respecting and supporting our artists-first ethos.” 

Warner Chappell Music EVP and Global Synchronization Leader, Rich Robinson, added: “We’re always looking to partner with companies that share our approach to getting songwriters heard and supporting them at all stages of their careers. Rachel and the HyperExtension team have curated a talented roster of writers and artists, and we’re excited to join forces to find new opportunities for these incredible songs.”

KEEP UP WITH HYPEREXTENSION

PUBLISHING PLAYLIST || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER

ABOUT HYPEREXTENSION

HyperExtension is a connection between music and visual media. The Los Angeles-based company’s carefully curated roster includes artists from around the world in the genres of rock, pop, ambient, electro, soul, and more. The company’s passion lies in artist development, creatively exposing their roster’s work to new avenues, and developing new revenue streams for their clients.

ABOUT WARNER CHAPPELL

Warner Chappell Music, the global music publishing company of Warner Music Group, is home to a wide array of legendary songwriters and a rich catalog of contemporary hits and influential standards. With offices in more than 20 countries, Warner Chappell provides deep expertise across a range of creative services and the most innovative opportunities for songwriters and copyright holders. Warner Chappell, which has a history dating back more than 200 years, currently publishes and administers music from A-Lin, Angèle, Apache 207, Ava Max, Aya Nakamura, Bruno Mars, Capital Bra, Celeste, Chris Jeday, CJ, Cole Porter, Dan + Shay, Dave, Duran Duran, El Guincho, Fraser T. Smith, Gamble and Huff, Gene Autry Music Group catalog, George Gershwin, George Michael, Grateful Dead, Jasmine Sokko, Jesse & Joy, Justin Tranter, Kacey Musgraves, Katy Perry, Kevin Yi, Kool & the Gang, Led Zeppelin, Lin Xi, Lizzo, Madonna, MNEK, Oscar Holter, Pablo Alborán, Pop Smoke, Quincy Jones, Rauw Alejandro, RAYE, Stormzy, Summer Walker, Ta-You Lo, Thomas Rhett, and Tones and I, among many others.

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LETHAL AMOUNTS PRESENTS DESTROY BOYS LIVE ONLINE MARCH 27TH AT 7PM PST

LETHAL AMOUNTS PRESENTS DESTROY BOYS

 LIVE ONLINE MARCH 27TH AT 7PM PST

"Channeling the spirit of anarchic American garage rock and melodic sensibilities of classic Bay Area punk into short snarling songs, Sacramento’s Destroy Boys whip up noise that is truly timeless.”  - Rock Sound

“The band’s sardonic, biting tunes are a perfect blend of political subterfuge, headbang-able rhythms, and the overall catharsis of unrestrained self-expression. It’s scratchy punk that reminds listeners that it doesn’t really matter how technically sound you are, although Destroy Boys certainly have that covered as well, it’s about the passion, dammit.” - V13

“Destroy Boys have earned high-profile fans like Billie Joe Armstrong all before graduating from high school. - UPROXX

TICKETS AVAILABLE :  HERE

Los Angeles art gallery, promoter and connoisseur of cool Lethal Amounts is excited to announce their debut concert film with Hopeless Records and  San Francisco Bay Area Destroy Boys taking place March 27th at 7pm PT.  Lethal Amounts founder Danny Fuentes has built a reputation as the torchbearer of the counterculture, celebrating the cultreshifters of the past while championing up and coming creatives. The gallery has become a living and breathing history lesson of Punk Rock with photo exhibits from Leee Black Childers, the official photographer of Andy Warhol’s Factory to legendary Los Angeles photographer Edward Colver, who is best known for capturing some of the most iconic images of the hardcore punk era in Los Angeles.  Destroy Boys Live will be Fuentes’ directorial debut. 

“For outsiders and outliers, Danny Fuentes’ gallery is a place to call home.”  

- The Los Angeles Times

Destroy Boys are a three-piece band founded by Violet Mayugba (guitar/vocals) and Alexia Roditis (vocals/guitar). Rounded out by drummer Narsai Malik they have been redefining West Coast punk, making waves from the California shoreline to the UK, sharing stages with up and coming bands like Mannequin Pussy as well as punk stalwarts such as Face To Face and Lagwagon. They’ve also racked up over 40 million streams, with the numbers ticking upward every day without fail. Their visceral personal tales of scene bullies, elitist cliques, betrayal, and unrequited love have won over the hearts and ears of eager listeners ranging from the fervent teens who pack out their shows to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong (see his mention in the Rolling Stone cover story HERE via Instagram HERE).  

The band just released their searing new single “Muzzle,”  through their new label partner Hopeless Records,  that Alternative Press called “Ferocious”  and RockSound commented that with “less than a minute in length and packed tight with thrashing guitars and barked vocals, it's a kick to the temple that is simply impossible to ignore,”  The song has been added to the top punk and alternative rock playlists on streaming services all around the world, was added to SiriusXM’s Faction channel and has received early spins on numerous radio stations in Europe. 

“Destroy Boys aren't playing nice in "Muzzle," kicking ass and taking names in the high-energy new single about fighting back against the powers that be. Turn this one all the way up.” 

- Refinery 29

The single was just a taste of what’s come. The band has been working on a new album and after a 2020 that promised tours with Against Me! and Vundabar, as well as a slot on the Sad Summer Festival, the livestream offers up a front row treat for fans who haven’t seen the band live in a year, with incredible live performances of the new single “Muzzle,” fan favorites such as “Fences,” and “Duck Eat Duck World” that was featured in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2.  In addition to the performances the film gives a look into the recording process, and intimate interviews with the group on how they got their start playing shows and touring while they were in high school.

This is not the band's first foray into collaborating with Lethal Amounts.  Earlier this year Destroy Boys launched their second merch collaboration with Lethal Amounts (See HERE)  so working with Fuentes  on the livestream was a natural fit.   “Lethal Amounts was an absolute joy to work with,” says Roditis. “Danny has a wonderful creative vision and we loved collaborating with him on this project. He let us be free and be ourselves, while inputting his slick and unique twist on things.” 

“To me,  Destroy Boys have that feeling of timelessness, says Fuentes. “I've seen them live and I got chills up my spine watching a band I knew no songs to yet. They just took me to another place in my mind, probably to that place when music and concerts were so new and exciting as a kid. They have something eternal about them and I wanted to capture a bit of that essence in a film and not just another  “live-stream” in a pandemic kinda world. Their energy is intoxicating and their self awareness is inspiring. I felt it was important to not just see them perform but see them as artists in the process of creating as well as giving us a glimpse of their personal philosophies.”

KEEP UP WITH DESTROY BOYS

WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK

ABOUT LETHAL AMOUNTS 

Our humble beginnings start with a logo, our now infamous Lethal Amounts “LA Safety Pins”, helped launched the name and image of the brand. Lethal Amounts began as a clothing line predominantly focussing on graphic t-shirts being hand screen printed.  With their first brick and mortar store they launched the gallery that quickly bloomed into a haven for outsiders and confrontationists.  Lethal Amounts showcases the extremes of individuals who have moved culture forward, living on the edge outside of societal norms and challenging traditional views on sexuality.  Rock ’n Roll of the past that has crossed over into pop culture fanaticism, street culture influences and cult hero worship. Artist’s who have shown in the gallery include Leee Black Childers (the house photographer for Andy Warhol’s Factory), famed punk rock photographer Edward Colver, Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Al Jourgensen, Psychic TV and more. Additional highlights include the Nick Cave Smoking exhibit, Spiritual Cramp : Christian Death exhibit and documentary launch, Shawn M. Crahan (of Slipknot’s) His Whores exhibit, an Anton LaVey event featuring an exhibit of photography and ephemera from the colorful, and notorious cultural icon, Goodbye Pogo: The Art of John Wayne Gacy and Once Upon a Time in 69' : The Life of Charles Manson.

KEEP UP WITH LETHAL AMOUNTS

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TWO BIRD STONE SHARES NEW SINGLE & ANNOUNCES FORTHCOMING DEBUT LP

TWO BIRD STONE SHARES NEW SINGLE

 “IF YOU WANNA COME BACK” VIA FOLK RADIO UK 

DEBUT LP HANDS & KNEES OUT SEPTEMBER 11TH VIA SOUNDLY MUSIC

LISTEN: “IF YOU WANNA COME BACK”

Two Bird Stone is a dynamic new band founded by singer/songwriter Liam Thomas Bailey and featuring some of Nashville’s and New York’s finest musicians. The band formed in 2019 and will release their debut album, Hands & Knees, on September 11th via Soundly Music. “Just take a listen to ‘If You Wanna Come Back’ below whose gentle opener gradually builds in pace before hitting dance-pace, set off by a great Dirk Powell fiddle tune that will surely get your feet tapping,” said Folk Radio UK in their premiere of the track. “This story is told by a cheeky fellow who intends to convince his companion that his selfish absence is absolved by the depth of his return,” Bailey told Folk Radio UK. "The tenor of this track suggests that his love is true and that his commitment was fortified by his need to wander.” The satisfied mood of “If You Wanna Come Back” is reinforced by the bright and upbeat fiddle tune “Going Back To Fielden” by Dirk Powell that breaks after the hook. “If You Wanna Come Back” follows the release of  the album’s title track, featuring Sarah Siskind, and album track “Shoebox Money.”  Hands & Knees was co-produced by Bailey and friend and frequent collaborator Dan Rowe, who also contributed keys and vocals to the album. 

WATCH: “HANDS & KNEES ft. Sarah Siskind”

LISTEN: “HANDS & KNEES ft. Sarah Siskind"

LISTEN: “SHOEBOX MONEY”

The music of Two Bird Stone is fueled by Bailey’s contemporary Americana songwriting and the group’s deep appreciation for the traditional fiddle music of Ireland, Scandinavia and North America. Paying tribute to the many swirling cultures that make up the American identity, Two Bird Stone also carefully incorporates traditional melodies and musical tendencies of cultures abroad to reflect the dimensions of this land’s powerful diversity. In lieu of the preservation of traditional material in any strict sense, Two Bird Stone likes to function as a lens through which an audience gets a fresh look at the culture of traditional tune sharing and the instruments upon which we would generally hear them played.

Before spinning off to form Two Bird Stone, Bailey was a highly sought-after Nashville studio and road musician; he also worked in commercial post-production with bandmate, Chad Kelly (accordion), a two-time Emmy Award nominee who has composed original music for numerous award-winning and critically acclaimed films and documentaries. These include Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, an official selection of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and distributed by Roadside Attractions, Starz Network’s The Big Bad Swim, ESPN Films’ The Zen of Bobby V, and the 30 For 30 feature "The Third Man." He has also composed for HBO Documentary Films’ Andrew Jenks, Room 335, The Alzheimer’s Project, and the five-time Emmy Award-winning film, The Real McCoy. Bailey and bandmate Judd Fuller (bass, mandolin, background vocals) traveled the world together for 11 years as members of Nashville country star Rodney Atkins’ touring band. Fuller has also toured and performed with Peter Wolf from The J. Geils Band, Bo Diddley, Entrain, and Carly Simon. New York-based percussionist, composer, and educator Rohin Khemani rounded out the lineup. Known as an extremely versatile and eclectic musician, his sound can be heard on a wide variety of projects weaving through the worlds of jazz, world music, rock, folk and electronica. Khemani was a founding member of Red Baraat and co-leads the band Surface to Air Trio with guitarist Jonathan Goldberger and bassist Jonti Siman. He has performed for audiences at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar, Tanzania, The Monterey Jazz Festival, The London 2012 Olympic Games, and Peter Gabriel's WOMAD Festivals in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

HANDS & KNEES TRACKLIST

HANDS AND KNEES

SHOEBOX MONEY

ME AND MY FRIENDS

WAKE ME UP

WHEN SOMEBODY CAN SEE YOUR SOUL

IF YOU WANNA COME BACK

THE 99

I ALREADY KNOW WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND

NEEDLE AND THREAD

DRVIE IT ’TIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF

CONNECT WITH TWO BIRD STONE:

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OUT TODAY: REASSURE ME THERE’S A WINDOW - NEW LP FROM GLENN THOMAS

The 10-song set is a reinvention for Thomas, its rich melodies and careful arrangements nothing like anything he's released before. - Billboard 

Reassure Me There's A Window veers from his previous releases in the realm of atmospheric and visceral rock and into contemplative indie-folk - PopMatters 

At a time when doors are shut, Thomas has thrown open a window to the world of the heart, and the view is  wonderful - Folk Radio UK 

Folky, calm, with a skip in its step, its rhythm is familiar and bright…raised in New England, Thomas encapsulates that ambience of small town daydreaming" – Atwood Magazine 

[Glenn Thomas has] gone from being the frontman and guitarist for the alt-rock trio Wild Sun to harnessing the craft of writing music with a deeper meaning - The Independent (RI)

Tight fingerpicking guitar-based tunes with introspective lyrics fleshed out with resonant string arrangements. - Ghettoblaster

Gently reflective - Americana-UK

Indie-folk backing, with drips of steel guitar and this bubbling melancholy - Backseat Mafia 

Quite enthralling - A1234 

A powerful a sentiment - Ear To The Ground 

 Straddling the line between harmonica-laced folk and cheerful Brit-pop - Underground Music Collective 

You can literally feel the emotion behind Thomas’s voice. His soulful sound is matched by the simple, yet powerful instrumentation - Gas Mask Magazine 

LISTEN: REASSURE ME THERE’S A WINDOW 

Today, Nashville-by-way-of-New England singer/songwriter Glenn Thomas unveils his beautiful new LP Reassure Me There’s A Window. “This album was a long time dream of mine,” recounts Thomas of the LP, which premiered earlier this week via Billboard. “For the last seven years, I’d been touring New England and the East Coast with my alternative rock power trio Wild Sun. Everything I was writing was written for that outfit, and as such brought certain limitations with what I could do with the songs. Throughout that time I was writing a lot of songs that were not rock songs, but I didn’t have a vehicle for them. When the band decided to take a break, I moved to Nashville with the goal of focusing on my solo songwriting. I had always wanted to make a lush songwriter album — a contemporary approach to the big string arrangement-aided songwriter records of the past like Randy Newman, Elton John, and others. I heard this sound in a lot of the records Jordan Lehning had produced,” he continues. “His approach is pretty fearless of genre and boundaries — the production serves the song, not the other way around. I reached out to him about doing an album and after a few lunch meetings, we agreed it would be a good fit. Unlike past recording experiences, there were no chafing moments in the studio — it was a very congruous relationship. The session musicians who played on the record were monster players, and a joy to work with. Pretty much everything was tracked live, except for a few overdubs and the string arrangements.” 

The tracks on Reassure Me There’s A Window, which feature tight fingerpicking guitar-based tunes with introspective lyrics fleshed out with resonant string arrangements, all come from a deeply personal place, and the more Thomas played them for his audiences, the more he realized how much others could relate to them. Each song touches on personal truths and what it means to be human—what connects us and motivates us, as well as the struggles and difficult facts of life. 

 From Shins-esque album opener “All You Can Do,” about accepting that things don’t always go as planned, to “Catherine Ames,” a much-needed slice of catharsis and sonic sunshine inspired by Cathy Ames, the antagonist of John Steinbeck’s East Of Eden - a song about holding on to pain and anger as though they are part of your identity, and understanding that healing and moving forward takes time, to the rowdy, pedal steel-centric “Give A Damn,” about carrying ghosts from the past into a new relationship, Thomas puts life and the human condition under the microscope in order to articulately observe the big questions with small details, paying careful attention to his understanding of himself and the seasonality of life. Thomas has the ability to lyrically turn the world on its side and explain the human condition and its accompanying array of emotions from a beautifully unique perspective.

Thomas, who cut his teeth fronting Rhode Island rock outfit Wild Sun, has shared stages with bands like Langhorne Slim, The Wombats, and Blitzen Trapper. He began writing songs that didn't fit within the rock-centric framework and decided he would strike out on his own, stretching his creative muscles. The album was produced by Jordan Lehning (Rodney Crowell, Andrew Combs, Joshua Hedley); with its throwback flair, Reassure Me There's A Window is a lush, sweetly-arranged collection of articulate folk-tinged songs. 

REASSURE ME THERE’S A WINDOW TRACK LISTING:

ALL YOU CAN DO

REASSURE ME THERE’S A WINDOW

ORIOLE

SHE IS LEAVING

SHY HINGES

THERE’S NOT A THING

GIVE A DAMN

CATHERINE AMES

INITIALS

WHEN YOU ARE GONE

WHADDYA’ KNOW

CONNECT WITH GLENN THOMAS:

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