NINJA SEX PARTY’S BRIAN WECHT RELEASES “SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD” NEW SINGLE + VIDEO FEATURING TOM CARDY

FROM HIS FORTHCOMING DEBUT ALBUM AS TREY MAGNIFIQUE MATURE SITUATIONS OUT NOVEMBER 10

“Like a siren’s call, Trey Magnifique’s sax work will draw you in.”  - BIFF BAM BOP

“SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD”:  WATCH // LISTEN

Musician, comedian, and theoretical physicist Brian Wecht has released his second single,  as his smooth persona Trey Magnifique “Santa Monica Boulevard,” out today on all digital platforms. The song follows the release of “Satin Velvet,”  from the Mature Situations album out November 10 and pre-order in multiple physical formats HERE.

The video features Brian and comedian, musician and TikTok star Tom Cardy in a Miami Vice type of setting shot in Los Angeles, all  through a smooth jazz filter. The album Mature Situations was five years in the making and was initially sparked by the purchase of a Soprano Sax. Brian has been a sax player in college, and although he hadn’t touched a horn in years, was drawn to the oddball nature of the Soprano Sax, and what he could  possibly create with it. The purchase manifested into the eleven songs that make up Mature Situations. The album celebrates Brian’s love of jazz through the exploration of multiple styles, from straightforward Smooth Jazz to Latin Jazz, Blues, Easy Listening, and more, all of which were written and produced by Brian and his  longtime collaborator Commander Meouch, the bassist for the popular electro-funk band TWRP. “The idea was to take the music seriously, but make it intentionally cheesy and of questionable artistic value” says Brian. “The kind of thing that sounds great if you’re not really listening to it, but once you start paying attention, you’re asking yourself”

Brian is one of the most popular comedy musicians in the world, best known as the keyboard-playing “Ninja Brian” in his comedy bands Ninja Sex Party, who were Billboard’s top-selling comedy artist of 2018, and Starbomb, who were Billboard’s top selling comedy artist of 2019. Brian is also known for his kids’ comedy band Go Banana Go!, a mainstay on SiriusXM station Kids Place Live. and other family music stations around the world. Collectively, Starbomb and Ninja Sex Party have released 13 albums, and have over 500M views on YouTube, and over 2M social media followers. 

Brian is originally from Pompton Lakes, NJ, and In addition to his musical exploits, Brian had a long career as a scientist, including a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of California, San Diego. Brian held postdoctoral research positions at MIT, Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the University of Michigan, and was a faculty member in the Centre for Research in String Theory at Queen Mary University of London. Brian has authored over 30 papers in theoretical physics, focusing on supersymmetric quantum field theories and string theory. While pursuing his academic interests, Brian began doing improv comedy with San Diego TheatreSports and went on to become the Musical Director of the Improv Asylum in Boston, MA. After moving to New York, he met Dan Avidan through a mutual comedy friend, and the two created Ninja Sex Party in 2009. In 2015, Wecht left his faculty position at Queen Mary in order to focus on his YouTube career full-time. In addition to Ninja Sex Party and Starbomb, Wecht’s projects include the children’s comedy band Go Banana Go! (along with NSP producer Jim Roach), and the podcast Leighton Night with Brian Wecht (along with Leighton Grey). Outside of music, Wecht maintains an active career as a public speaker and science communicator and is one of the organizers of the annual Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS).

Brian will be playing an album release show at the Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles on November 9, also featuring Bonavega and DJ Thanksgiving Brown. Tickets and information can be found HERE.

KEEP UP WITH BRIAN WECHT

Trey Magnifique  Instagram | Twitter | SoundCloud 

Ninja Sex Party : YouTube // Twitter // Instagram

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

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube

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

BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS RELEASE THEIR SELF-TITLED DEBUT

RIAA CERTIFIED RECORDING ARTISTS TRAVERSE AMERICANA ROOTS MUSIC, COUNTRY, FOLK AND MORE ON EXPANSIVE EPONYMOUS ALBUM

“In this latest project, the band veers back towards Americana roots, bolstered by woody acoustic guitar and toe-tapping percussion, and topped with heartfelt, raw vocals from Bonnie on tracks like “Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” and “Texas Again.” - Daily Camera

“...a testament to the duo’s musical finesse. It reaffirms their standing as a formidable presence in Colorado’s musical landscape, leaving an indelible mark.” - Last Day Leaf

Bonnie’s vocals shimmer at the forefront, adding a stunning layer of depth and emotion…” - Folk n’ Rock

“The vocals that follow exude a warm and comforting familiarity, pulling at the heartstrings with their emotive delivery. The production is rich with energy, and as the chorus vocals come alive, adorned with lovely harmonies, the song reaches new heights.” - Wax Vinyl Records

“...relatable storytelling is beautifully delivered through Bonnie's smooth, expressive vocals which are accompanied by intricate guitar riffs and steady drum patterns, creating an overall warm atmosphere perfect for a laid-back day home alone.”  - Caesar Live and Loud

LISTEN TO BONNIE AND TAYLOR SIMS : LISTEN

Colorado-based Texas natives Bonnie & Taylor Sims have released their self-titled debut Bonnie & Taylor Sims today. The album displays the husband-wife duo’s carefully crafted songwriting and storytelling, and is an exploration  of the dichotomy of beauty and pain, hope and destruction, and transition and duality. Leading into the album the duo showcased their sonic range with the release of three stunning singles. "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," is a portrait of their edgy-punk-rock-reality that has been bubbling right beneath the surface. It was followed by “Texas Again,"  a beautiful song about nostalgia initially written as a "Grapes of Wrath" type of story about the Sims family, and “The Cigarette Song” that sees Bonnie at her most vulnerable taking an entry out of her diary and putting it out there for the world. 

The album is rounded out by seven additional tracks including the Americana power anthem “I Am a Woman,” which finds Bonnie delivering a captivating vocal performance with grace and power as a response to the events over the past few years that have seen our culture step backward in regards to equal rights and body autonomy. “Side by Side” is a Texas shuffle about the deep love and connection the two have for each other. “Levelland” is a tribute to the town where Bonnie & Taylor first met and the album concludes with the haunting and beautiful lullaby “Lay Yourself to Sleep.”

“We realized that we wanted to make an album that wasn't a “country record,” wasn't a “rock record,” but a collection of all the things that we had been working towards, and all the types of songs that we were writing,” says the duo when asked about their approach to writing and recording the album. “When the pandemic came around, and through 2021, we had extra time on our hands. We were able to take a breath and start writing the songs we really wanted to write. We didn't have to necessarily cater to a particular sound of the band that we already had.” 

“With the kind of fans that we already had, we had assumed what we thought they wanted, which is always incorrect. The fans want you to be authentic, and it doesn't matter what kind of music you’re making.” The result soars to stunning effect; Bonnie & Taylor Sims reflects the duo songwriters’ authentic, relaxed (but considered) approach to crafting music, one that doesn’t sweat the results but reveals and celebrates the songwriting path and process. 

Bonnie & Taylor are serial creators, always striving to learn and innovate. When not working on their own projects the two are collaborating, playing and supporting other artists in the singer-songwriting, teaching music and songwriting to children and constantly growing and evolving on their own through songwriting workshops and camps. Both grew up in Texas, Bonnie in a musical family who fell in love with Bluegrass at an early age and Taylor in a house filled with the music of Texas songwriters like Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, and  Townes Van Zandt. Bonnie is pragmatic in her approach to songwriting and enjoys structure and marking off tasks, while Taylor is moved more by "the muse" who lets his creativity wander. The two met at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas in the music program and have been partners in life and music ever since.

Although this  album is their debut album as Bonnie and Taylor Sims, the two are RIAA Certified Gold recording artists. They have seen breakaway global success with their song “I See Red” which has over 270 Million streams with their project Everybody Loves an Outlaw, had a major label deal with Columbia, have toured the world, and graced the stages of major festivals. Amidst this wave of newfound success Bonnie and Taylor never lost touch with the thing that was most important to them: writing songs and making music with each other. With the shift the world took during the pandemic came the need for the duo to go down a different path and change directions artistically.  

They complement each other in the best way possible, and this idea of opposites fits perfectly into where this record sits. 

BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS TOUR DATES

11/4 the Barn, Longmont

11/15 the Armory, Fort Collins

11/16 Animas City Theatre, Durango

11/17 Sherbino Theater, Ridgway

11/18 LuLu's Downstairs, Colorado Springs

11/19 eTown, Boulder, CO

KEEP UP WITH BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music 

LOS ANGELES FUNK COLLECTIVE ‘SCARY GOLDINGS’ SCARY GOLDINGS LIVE! FEATURING JOHN SCOFIELD ALBUM OUT TODAY

“It’s a world where jazz and funk meet the jam space, and musicianship and great ears lead to sounds that spin your head and often surround your soul”. - Goldmine

 “The enthusiastic crowd that couldn’t keep from dancing….. Goldings’ funky textures and unusual settings on the B-3 organ were a thing of wonder.”  -  Downbeat 

“... just show up and get in the groove.” - WBUR

LISTEN TO SCARY GOLDINGS LIVE! FEATURING JOHN SCOFIELD: HERE

The Los Angeles-based funk collective Scary Goldings have released Scary Goldings LIVE! feat. John Scofield. 

Scary Goldings is a collaboration between world-renowned, Grammy-nominated keyboardist and composer Larry Goldings, and the digitally native collective and YouTube sensations Scary Pockets, anchored by keyboardist Jack Conte and guitarist Ryan Lerman. The live album includes  9 fan favorite tracks featuring the legendary Grammy Award-winning guitarist John Scofield. Goldings has been a long-time associate and collaborator of Scofield’s and was responsible for bringing him on board as a guest guitarist for a handful of shows with Scary Goldings.  Both Conte and Lerman grew up listening to, and idolizing both Goldings and Scofield, so sharing the stage with these two musical giants has been a bucket list item for them both. The chemistry on stage was so magical that the group decided to capture the lighting in a bottle, recording multiple shows and releasing a live album of Scary Golding's staples. All the songs on the album were recorded last year at Jazz A La Villette in Paris, with the exception of  “Professor Vicarious,” which was recorded in Los Angeles at the Echoplex. 

The group recreated the magical collaboration at this year’s  Newport Jazz Festival where their set was praised by the Providence Journal, The Boston Globe, Downbeat, and more. The group will be bringing the alchemy from the album to the festival setting at the end of this month at the Monterey Jazz Festival. 

Guitarist Ryan Lerman met his Scary Pockets co-founder keyboardist Jack Conte when the two were still in high school in Marin County, California. It’s a relationship that has informed and influenced him, musically and professionally, ever since. Both musicians tend to be systems-level thinkers who focus on the process instead of the outcome. This process type of thinking has resulted in incredible productivity and a massive online following. Scary Pockets have released at least one new video a week on YouTube since 2017, racking up 1 Million Subscribers and over 350 Million views, and a loyal audience of funk enthusiasts worldwide. They’ve recorded hundreds of songs featuring a continuously rotating lineup of quality musicians and singers. Their collaborators include a wide array of artists including Jacob Collier, Louis Cato, Louis Cole, Tyler Duncan, Joey Dosik, Larry Goldings, Caleb Hawley, Cory Henry, Theo Katzman, Lawrence, Adam Levy, Monica Martin, Jake Sherman, Antwaun Stanley, Jack Stratton, and Cory Wong. Scary Pockets continues to tour regularly with a rotating group of musicians. They will be touring the southeast U.S. in October before heading to Europe in November where they will be playing a number of shows and festivals including the Netherlands Rockit Festival and the London Jazz Festival.  See more on Scary Pockets touring at https://www.scarypocketsfunk.com 

SCARY GOLDINGS UPCOMING TOUR DATES 

Sept 22 Scary Goldings ft. John Scofield Monterey Jazz Festival

KEEP UP WITH SCARY GOLDINGS

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music 

“LITERATE FOLK POP” SINGER-SONGWRITER ARIELLE SILVER NAVIGATES PAST CURRENTS AND THE INNOCENCE OF FIRST HEARTBREAK ON “GHOST SHIPS”

SECOND SINGLE FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM WATERSHED PREMIERES VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

“Beautiful” - Cheryl Strayed

“We’ve all been in situations where the plans we made were never brought to fruition — and Arielle asks us to think of those memories on her thoughtfully delivered song of breakups and ghost ships passing in the night.” - Americana Highways on “Ghost Ships

“A beautiful melody, a Silver signature, is combined with her wonderfully clear and ringing alto vocals that leave no doubt that the lyric is king here. It’s a melody that is easy to sing along with and becomes an instant hit between the ears.” - A Little More Vodka, A Little Less Milk on “Bramble Vine”

“Arielle Silver is a baker of pies and a penner of poetry.” - Americana UK

"Lovely songwriting" - The Boston Globe

“With a keen sense of how a song works; expressive lyrics…Silver wrestles with and makes peace with the world.” - Acoustic Music
“What Really Matters”…was born from both an introspective internal analysis of her own life as well as two tragic events near her Los Angeles residence…filled with an infectious percussive groove, hand claps, foot stomps and an urgent commanding vocal.” - American Songwriter on “What Really Matters”

“GHOST SHIPS” : LISTEN | WATCH

LOS ANGELES, CA - LA based singer-songwriter Arielle Silver has released “Ghost Ships,” an evocative folk-pop song and second single from her forthcoming album Watershed, out October 6th. “The video is hopeful, foreboding and simultaneously lovely and soothing, just like the song itself,” says Americana Highways in the premiere for the stunning stop-motion video crafted by accomplished animator Damon Wellner. Navigating through musings on youthful love and the innocence of first heartbreak, “Ghost Ships” finds inspiration from two literary sources, including Cheryl Strayed’s essay “Ghost Ships” from her book Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life From Dear Sugar, as well as writing Silver had previously published. With the official seal of approval from Strayed herself, who described the song as “beautiful,” Silver sets a course through reflective waters on “Ghost Ships.”

“A song about journeys not taken, the idea for this emerged from a flash essay I wrote called ‘The Sleeping Porch,’ first published in Under The Gum Tree.” Silver’s stunning guitar layers, paired with lush vocals and a beautiful cello feature underscores the lessons learned through yesterday’s currents. Joined by an all-star cast of performers and instrumentalists including producer Shane Alexander, Justine Bennett (Jakob Dylan, Liz Phair), Denny Weston Jr. (KT Tunstall, Don Was) “Ghost Ships” is a voyage into the past, while recognizing these lessons and relationships are ultimately a compass for the future. 

The video was completed in collaboration with Wellner, who translated Arielle's vision and journey with the song into what you see today. “When we first talked, I shared the studio recording and lyrics with him, along with the 13-point sketch that I had imagined,” says Silver on the collaborative process. “He showed me some paper-animation work that he had done for a previous project, and it felt like we were exactly on the same page (no pun intended) right from the start.”

Wellner and Silver also snuck in multiple easter eggs in the video that reference her written work, as well as images and details from her everyday life. It's a breathtaking effort that truly enhances the meaning and power of the song. "The story in the opening magazine shot was of ‘The Sleeping Porch.’ The next imagery of the piano was from a home where I was performing a house concert, and the rest of the furniture and pictures are from my living room. That's my cat leaping onto the piano bench."

A literary mind who cites inspiration in writers like Strayed, Jane Austen, Jeanette Winterson, and Mary Oliver (to name a few), Silver's lyrics read like moving self-contained stories, and are further elevated by her striking instrumental and vocal performances. When writing, Silver asks herself “what is the mission for this song in the world? If I’m going to spend time creating a song, and people are going to listen, why is it worth their while? Where’s the real treasure in this song?” 

This consideration carries Silver through the songwriting process to gorgeous results: fully realized songs that waste no space in delivering moving messages to listeners, while recalling past experiences and relationships, or settings that shape these narrative-based stories and emotional musings. In all, Silver crafts moving pieces that capture the heart and soul of the human condition. 

“Ghost Ships” and first single “Bramble Vine” follow Silver’s 2020 acclaimed album A Thousand Tiny Torches. With support from Americana UK, American Songwriter, and more, the album was produced and recorded with Shane Alexander, whose partnership with Silver continued throughout the recording and production of Watershed. 

Silver is a consummate storyteller whose Americana-roots-influenced songs are rich with imagery, empathy, and insight. Conceived in the quiet of the pandemic quarantine, Watershed takes its title as much from that watershed moment in time as it does from the North American spaces where the story-songs take place. Renewing and reflective, water runs through many of the songs as crosscurrents that connect ideas to experiences, and people to places. 

Creative writing adjunct faculty at Antioch University and the founder of Bhavana Flow Yoga studio, Silver’s writing and songwriting pulls inspiration from her childhood and surroundings, from engaging character-based narratives, and a deep sense of spirituality. Growing up with the music of Paul Simon, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and John Denver, all artists introduced to her by her father on acoustic guitar, has led Silver through troubadour traditions across the valleys of the great American music genres; Americana & roots music, folk, blues, county, and more round out Silver’s style. She finds equal inspiration in the sounds and storied histories of Laurel Canyon and Greenwich Village.

Silver serves as the President of FAR-West (Folk Alliance Region West), where she fosters and promotes the work of artists, songwriters, and more across traditional, contemporary, and multicultural folk music, storytelling, and performing arts. She additionally serves as a key team member for the SONA Foundation, a charitable organization that supports songwriters and music creators through resources, programs, and grants for career development, mental health, and financial wellness.

Born on Florida’s Gulf Coast and raised along the Atlantic seaboard, Arielle now lives just a traffic jam away from the Pacific Ocean in her adopted home of Los Angeles. Memories of places and times serve as touchstones through her songs, as does the troubadour music traditions of folk, country, and rock that she heard from her guitar-strumming architect father. Throughout her music and storytelling runs an ethic of care, along with an essential wellspring of interpersonal relationships and ecological notice.

Silver will be performing Watershed in full on October 6th in Los Angeles at the Hotel Cafe with a full band and special guests Alice Howe & Freebo.

Photo by Anabel DFlux

KEEP UP WITH ARIELLE SILVER

PRESS MATERIALS | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC

TOMI RELEASES “IF YOU TRIED” SINGLE + ANNOUNCES LATE BLOOMER ALBUM DUE OUT IN AUGUST

“IF YOU TRIED”:  LISTEN

Los Angeles artist TOMI has released the single “If You Tried,” available worldwide today across all digital platforms.  "If You Tried"  is an unfettered anthem about letting go of blame and moving on with a middle finger in the air, after a long drawn-out breakup. TOMI, led by musician songwriter and producer Pam Autuori, who left her major label in the pursuit of artistic freedom, embraces a new musical sensibility while building on the sweeping emotional range of her prior releases (2018’s What Kind Of Love EP and 2021’s Sweet, Sweet Honey).  This is the debut single from the forthcoming album Late Bloomer due out in August, that navigates Autuori’s journey into adulthood,  of coming out,  and the growing pains that come with both. 

TOMI and creative director Haile Lidow (LIDOW ARCHIVE) thought up the fantasy land of the video for the song, to the 90s Mom Rock single while floating in a sensory deprivation tank in their hometown of Los Angeles. The two brought one of Lidow’s several mannequins to life - toying between fantasy and reality and a lopsided communication style. The story unfolds as TOMI picks up her lover at a bar and there begins a whirlwind romance - ultimately ending in a heartbreak. From an extravagant dinner of fake shrimp and lobster to a flirty band rehearsal, “If You Tried” steps into the world of a giant Barbie…Lesbian Barbie. 

 TOMI’s style is characterized by ferocious guitar and rich vocals—an unfettered, urgent, and emotionally supercharged sound that 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 years old 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 by the producers she was collaborating with, she decided to take hold of the creative reins of her career and created  TOMI,  named after her dead pet lizard “Tommy.” The first song she released was called “Carry You.” Two weeks after the song was posted to Soundcloud she signed her first record deal with RCA. TOMI has now come full circle, back to being independent in an effort to retain creative control. These newest songs are a reflection of that gray area of leaving your adolescents behind but not being quite ready for the leap into adulthood,  all written while listening to a lot of PJ Harvey. 

TOMI  celebrates the start of Pride month with a show at the Troubadour tonight with LA band Beginners. She then heads off on tour to support KT Tunstall and will be making her  Bonnaroo debut later this month.

KEEP UP WITH TOMI

PR Materials // WEBSITE // INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK // TWITTER // SPOTIFY 

TOUR DATES

JUNE 1  The Troubadour West Hollywood

JUNE 4  Ventura Music Hall Reserved Ventura, CA*

JUNE 7  Belly Up Tavern San Diego, CA*

JUNE 9 Fremont Theater San Luis Obispo, CA*

JUNE 12  Felton Music Hall Felton, CA *

JUNE 13  Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA*

JUNE 15 BONNAROO 

*supporting KT Tunstall

MEGAN SLANKARD RELEASES “CINEMATIC” (-V13) ALBUM CALIFORNIA & OTHER STORIES TODAY!

Photo Credit: Laura Kudritzki

CALIFORNIA & OTHER STORIES

SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - San Francisco indie rock singer/guitarist Megan Slankard has released her new album California & Other Stories today!

Leading up to the release, Megan has introduced us to some of the characters and alter-egos featured throughout the album on singles California,” a searing breakup song that’s a “gentle reminder of why it might not be the best idea to date a songwriter,” explains Megan; her superhero alter ego on the empowering “Magical Thinking”; and taking a leap of faith and going after your dreams on “Something More.” Each track was accompanied by a visual companion directed by Dan Foldes.

Co-produced by Alex Wong (Vienna Teng, Delta Rae), the album California & Other Stories showcases new sides of Megan’s music, balancing delightfully belligerent rock and roll with lush cinematic soundscapes of orchestra instruments and robot harmonies. It is out today!

BUZZ

 “...a soaring breakup track… It's a song that checks all the breakup anthem boxes, sneaks up on you, then gets stuck in your head for days.”- KQED

“Megan Slankard loved lockdown and has the album to prove it… Slankard didn’t lyrically dwell on grim pandemic isolation for her “California” treaties, however. She already had some dark emotional source material to mine… a hard-rocking angry… and a second softer, more thoughtful one boasting the quieter reflections.” – San Francisco Examiner

“There’s that trademark sneering rock n’ roll for sure, but the soundscapes are more cinematic and vivid.” - V13
“Musically, [Megan]’s not afraid to show off more muscular guitars on songs like ‘They Gonna Talk’ but also inserts orchestration into tracks like ‘Carl Sagan,’ adding a welcome contrast to the more rock-focused songs here… She also adds in some New Wave synths and electronic harmonies as well broadening her appeal throughout… California & Other Stories manages to be her most experimental record yet.” – Glide Magazine

“Slankard channels the best parts of guitar-driven indie rock with a sound that tows the line somewhere between Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy, but with enough twists and turns to make it her own.” -Chorus.fm 

 “CALIFORNIA” SINGLE

STREAM | WATCH

“MAGICAL THINKING” SINGLE

SPOTIFY | VIDEO

“SOMETHING MORE” SINGLE

SPOTIFY | VIDEO

KEEP UP WITH MEGAN SLANKARD

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube

LOS ANGELES BAND CALLING CADENCE CHANNELS THE LAUREL CANYON SOUND ON THE ACOUSTIC SESSION, VOL. 1 EP

LOS ANGELES BAND CALLING CADENCE RELEASES

ACOUSTIC SESSION, VOL. 1 EP via

hi-res records

“...their well-crafted songs spring forth from your sound system with lightness and power. Tight but loose, a heady weave of lyric and melody. “ - Minor 7th

“...their music is just as sweet…a lot of varying flavors in the mix…you’re always getting some high-quality candy-coated harmonies with each and every offering.” - Americana Highways

“...has a great Laurel Canyon vibe anchored by the group’s harmonies.” - Twangville

“They fuse together music of the 60s and 70s with some folk, jazz, country, and rock influences. They are taking on the task to meld those genres together in 2022.” - The Aquarian

“Calling Cadence the pair blend their voices, vintage keyboards, strong guitar work, and no shortage of adventurous percussion into an analog-friendly, retro affair that flirts with rock, soul and pop in atypical ways.” - Take Effect

“Their sound is based on harmony, and it’s heavily influenced by American singer-songwriters of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.” - V13

LISTEN TO THE ACOUSTIC SESSION, VOL. 1: HERE

Today Los Angeles band Calling Cadence released their EP The Acoustic Session, Vol. 1 via hi-res records. For this EP, Calling Cadence’s Oscar Bugarin and Rae Cole reimagined their celebrated material from the band’s self-titled debut album in a stripped-down setting, showcasing the strength and flexibility of their arrangements and songwriting while putting their voices and playing at center stage. Bugarin and Cole’s inspirations cross a number of storied American genres like Rock, Blues, Americana, and Country.

The five songs that round out the EP are a mix of fan favorites including: “Good Day” which was #1 on CMT’s 12 Pack Countdown, a program voted on by fans, the Motown-inspired “Just The Way It Goes” which is a revenge anthem for the casualties of the 21st-century dating scene, the Laurel Canyon inspired “California Bartender” that presents a series of vignettes about bar patrons chasing their sorrows at the bottom of the glass, the bluesy barn burner “Burn These Blues,’ and “Throw My Body,” a song that KTLA called “a new song with an old-school vibe.”

“These acoustic tracks are a pretty good representation of how we sound outside the studio,” says Cole. “The energy and sound in our live performances are a big part of the band’s makeup, and you really get a taste of that in this acoustic album. This is a great opportunity for fans to hear an even more organic sound from us, especially compared to that of the first album. The acoustic versions really take us back to the beginning…jamming away in a friend’s kitchen - with just the 12 string and 3 voices.”

Calling Cadence has received support from NPR, CMT, and the legendary Los Angeles rock station KLOS. They were featured on the popular KLOS Friday morning Heidi & Frank show, and the local KCSN. Additional radio support has come in from Nashville's WMOT, WCNR in Charlotte, WPYA in Birmingham, WCLX in Burlington, KSYM in San Antonio, Acoustic Cafe, and more.

Calling Cadence, the band's self-titled debut album showcases a group whose songs nod to the past while resolutely pushing forward. It's a classic-sounding record (recorded, mixed, and mastered straight to analog tape) for the contemporary world. Computers were only employed for streaming prep and CD replication. Produced by David Swartz and Matt Linesch, the album was released on their own label, hi-res records. The producers and the band thought long and hard about diving into the all-analog domain but came to the conclusion that the final product would benefit in a way that digital would not allow. The 15 songs shine a light on Calling Cadence's strength as a live act, blending Oscar and Rae's entwined voices with vintage keyboards, guitar heroics, and plenty of percussive and low-end stomp. The supporting musicians on this record include Josh Adams (Norah Jones, Beck, Fruit Bats) on drums, Elijah Thomson (Father John Misty, Nathaniel Rateliff) on bass, and Mitchell Yoshida (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) on keyboards.

For Calling Cadence, whose name pays tribute to Oscar's time in the Army (documented in Americana Highways), recording to analog tape wasn't just a production choice; it was a way of maintaining honesty with themselves and their audience. Like the classic albums that inspired Calling Cadence's layered vocal arrangements and warm, guitar-driven sound, the record is a genuine snapshot of a band on the rise. And, once again, it all comes back to harmony.

Calling Cadence will be playing at Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles on November 3rd. For more information and tickets visit HERE.

KEEP UP WITH CALLING CADENCE

Press Materials || Website || Facebook || Instagram

Cr: Michelle Shiers

INTRODUCING BENBEN + ALGORITHMIA EP OUT NOVEMBER 18 VIA GIFTSHOP RECORDS

LEAD SINGLE & AWARD-WINNING VIDEO “ALGORITHMIA” OUT NOW

Photo credit: Nate Dorr

LISTEN // WATCH: “ALGORITHMIA”

Today, Brooklyn-based animator, producer, and self-described “gnome rocker” Ben Wigler, who makes music under his art-rock project moniker BenBen, announced his forthcoming EP Algorithmia with the release of its title track and accompanying video. Of the song, Wigler says:

“Do neural networks listen to simulated rock bands? ‘Algorithmia’ is a weird progressive grunge rock song inspired in part by seeing the massive global success of a band that sounds exactly like Led Zeppelin (but won't admit it)... In the age of algorithmic curation, how do artists navigate the temptation to change what we make to fit neatly into a box the algorithms will accept? Algorithms have dictated what we see and hear for years, and recently, they've learned to produce art content on their own. With algorithms already warping artistic production through the feedback loops of streaming and social media, what will happen to human-generated music when the same algorithmic distribution channels will be also capable of writing the songs?”

The song's angular riffs and soaring vocals sound like Soundgarden and Queen had a musical baby and then fed it, squealing, directly into the gaping maw of the internet. The video was directed by experimental artist Nate Dorr using AI generative art-making techniques.

The video has already been making the rounds of the film festival circuit, premiering in Denver at the Supernova Digital Animation Festival (September 2022), winning “Most Original Music Video” at the Grand Rapids Film Festival (September 2022), and heading to the Boundless Film Festival (October 2022) in London and the HB Film Festival (October 2022) in Glasgow, where it is nominated for Best Music Video.

Wigler helped pioneer 21st century indie rock with under-the-radar bands Arizona and New Beard, performing live and in the studio with artists like Band of Horses, Samantha Crain, and Indigo Girls. Wigler’s last LP was mixed by legendary Dungen frontman Gustav Ejstes. Best known for an unforgettable high tenor voice and infectious melodies, BenBen crafts riff-driven music with a golden heartbeat–living creatures and invitations to adventure in other worlds.

Be sure to follow BenBen at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

ALGORITHMIA EP TRACK LIST

ARTIST’S PRAYER

ALGORITHMIA

FORTUNATE MAN

ADDICTED TO MY PHONE

PAUL VERHOEVEN

E.D.I.T.S. (QUARANTINE DREAM)

CONNECT WITH BENBEN:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

“GOOD ADVICE” NEW SINGLE FROM lund OUT TODAY + ALBUM RELEASE SHOW IN ASHEVILLE ON SEPTEMBER 2

DEBUT LP RIGHT THIS TIME OUT SEPTEMBER 9

Photo: Sandlin Gaither

LISTEN: “GOOD ADVICE”

Today, Asheville, NC-based outfit lund, fronted by singer/songwriter Nicole Lund, has released “Good Advice,” the latest track from the band’s debut LP, Right This Time, out on September 9th. Lund says of the song, which she co-wrote with Tyler “The Falcon” Greenwell and Brandon Townsend, that it is about “being fed up in a relationship by not knowing how the other person feels, pleading for them to speak their mind and to let me know because I'm about to be gone. This tune started out completely different and morphed into what you hear now. As Falcon did with all of our tunes on this album, he flipped it on its head. At the time I felt like there was too much space but that quickly changed once we added in all of the amazing instrumentation and the incredible backing vocals of Mark Rivers (Tedeschi Trucks Band). He really helped take this track to higher ground!" “Good Advice” follows the grunge-y “Paper Tiger,”  “Don’t You Leave Me,” and the soulful title track. 

LISTEN: “PAPER TIGER”

LISTEN // WATCH: “DON’T YOU LEAVE ME”

LISTEN // WATCH: “RIGHT THIS TIME”  

“I don’t know if you believe in this crap,” says lund, who recently had her tarot read. “But I drew the Hermit card, representing exploration and personal growth. He’s shining a light: Come on out of the shadows!” After a decade in the music business on the management and booking sides, the classically-trained singer has finally moved toward the light. “It was time,” she reveals.

lund’s debut album Right This Time, was recorded with producer Tyler “The Falcon” Greenwell (Tedeschi Trucks Band) at Echo Mountain Studios and Sedgwick Studios in her adoptive hometown of Asheville. The album features original songs honed over her decades-long stint in New York City as a working musician, promoter, and manager. Written in collaboration with local artist Brandon Townsend — and additional contributions from guitarist Paul Olsen (Scrapomatic, Susan Tedeschi, Kristina Train) — lund’s soulful brand of Americana runs the gamut from punchy blues to plaintive weepers. Her band is a reflection of her eclectic tastes: Dave Yoke on guitar (Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi), Brandon Boone on bass (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Col. Bruce Hampton) and New Orleanian Isaac Eady (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Rhiannon Giddens) on drums.

Her musical journey actually started with a Music Industries Studies degree — with a concentration in vocal performance — from Appalachian State University. Suffice to say, she “knows her shit.” “My voice professor was an opera singer,” says lund with a grin. “I sang every spiritual I could to avoid opera.” Her passion and training are evident on the Nina Simone-derived psych-soul of “Don’t You Leave Me,” the grungy swirl of “Paper Tiger,” and her subtle self-harmonizing on the title track. On this eclectic stroll through American musical styles, lund’s clarion voice is the tie that binds.

In the summer of 2020, with the pandemic on the rise and an album’s worth of rock solid material in the tank, she realized how she could optimize her quarantine. The tricky dance of socially-distanced recording was well worth it. “I always felt like a late bloomer in life,” she reflects. “But now I know it’s all about timing.”

The band will celebrate the release of Right This Time with a show at One World Brewing West on Friday, September 2nd, which will also be live streamed by https://iamavl.com. Click HERE for tickets and show information.

NORWEGIAN FOLK TREASURE JONAS FJELD RELEASES “DUST IN MY WALLET” FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM TO THE BONE

Photo Credit: Agnete Brun

“DUST IN MY WALLET” SINGLE

LISTEN

OSLO, NORWAY – Norwegian folk treasure Jonas Fjeld, regarded as the Doc Watson of Norway, returns with his first solo English album in 20+years, To The Bone due September 16, 2022. Today, he releases the single “Dust in my Wallet,” co-written with Hugh Moffatt.

“The song was inspired by a story Hugh was telling me about hiding money in his shoes in case he got mugged on tour and the reality of how financially difficult it is to be a singer songwriter in this world, explains Fjeld. “There are many artists that are constantly walking around with ´dust in their wallet’.”

Americana UK premiered the track earlier this week, noting: “Fjeld’s journey in music began in rock n’ roll and punk before he discovered a musical and spiritual home in roots music traditions. Jonas found that American roots music spoke to his soul… Jonas sought out authentic yet innovative U.S.-based collaborators. In the 1990s, he worked with country-rock legend Rick Danko of the Band and folk singer/songwriter Eric Andersen in the trio Danko/Fjeld/Andersen.”

Most recently, Fjeld collaborated with celebrated American singer/songwriter Judy Collins and Americana band Chatham County Line on 2019s Winter Stories. The album was #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart for four weeks in December 2019, was nominated for a Spelman Prize (a Norwegian Grammy) and produced its own PBS Special that first aired in February 2020. It included the single “Northwest Passage.”

In celebration of his 70th birthday, Jonas Fjeld will follow these milestone achievements with the elegant but earthy folk album To The Bone. The album will be his first solo album sung in English since 1999. Prior to it, Jonas was concentrating on acoustic music sung in his native language. “I never thought I would release another English album,” he emphasizes. “But things went so well with the previous album’s reception and the shows, I decided what the hell? Let’s do a new album!” Jonas continues: “The expression ‘to the bone’ means honesty, and this is a very honest album. I feel at home on this album.”

U.S. TOUR DATES

FEB 8 / GRAND JUNCTION, CO @ Avalon Theater

FEB 9 / TELLURIDE, CO @ Sheridan Opera House

FEB 11 / GREELEY, CO @ Monfort Concert Hall

FEB 13 BILLINGS, MT @ Alberta Bair Theater

FEB 14 / RAPID CITY, SD @ Fine Arts Center

all dates with Judy Collins and Chatham County Line

KEEP UP WITH JONAS FJELD

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify |

INTRODUCING: lund + DEBUT LP RIGHT THIS TIME OUT SEPTEMBER 9

Photo: Sandlin Gaither

Asheville, NC-based singer/songwriter Nicole Lund, who makes music under the moniker lund, has announced the forthcoming release of her debut LP, Right This Time, on September 9th. Two singles from the album have been released — the soulful title track, and the rock-centric “Don’t You Leave Me.” 

LISTEN: “RIGHT THIS TIME”  

LISTEN: “DON’T YOU LEAVE ME”

“I don’t know if you believe in this crap,” says lund, who recently had her tarot read. “But I drew the Hermit card, representing exploration and personal growth. He’s shining a light: Come on out of the shadows!” After a decade in the music business on the management and booking sides, the classically-trained singer has finally moved toward the light. “It was time,” she reveals.

lund’s debut album Right This Time, was recorded with producer Tyler “The Falcon” Greenwell (Tedeschi Trucks Band) at Echo Mountain Studios and Sedgwick Studios in her adoptive hometown of Asheville. The album features original songs honed over her decades-long stint in New York City as a working musician, promoter, and manager. Written in collaboration with local artist Brandon Townsend — and additional contributions from guitarist Paul Olsen (Scrapomatic, Susan Tedeschi, Kristina Train) — lund’s soulful brand of Americana runs the gamut from punchy blues to plaintive weepers. Her band is a reflection of her eclectic tastes: Dave Yoke on guitar (Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi), Brandon Boone on bass (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Col. Bruce Hampton) and New Orleanian Isaac Eady (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Rhiannon Giddens) on drums.

Her musical journey actually started with a Music Industries Studies degree — with a concentration in vocal performance — from Appalachian State University. Suffice to say, she “knows her shit.” “My voice professor was an opera singer,” says lund with a grin. “I sang every spiritual I could to avoid opera.” Her passion and training are evident on the Nina Simone-derived psych-soul of “Don’t You Leave Me,” the grungy swirl of “Paper Tiger,” and her subtle self-harmonizing on the title track. On this eclectic stroll through American musical styles, lund’s clarion voice is the tie that binds.

In the summer of 2020, with the pandemic on the rise and an album’s worth of rock solid material in the tank, she realized how she could optimize her quarantine. The tricky dance of socially-distanced recording was well worth it. “I always felt like a late bloomer in life,” she reflects. “But now I know it’s all about timing.”

RIGHT THIS TIME TRACK LIST

PAPER TIGER

DON’T YOU LEAVE ME

RIGHT THIS TIME

LAST SHOW

BED’S TOO BIG WITHOUT YOU

COMING HOME

MEET ME HALFWAY

GOOD ADVICE

SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE

THE EARLY MAYS PREMIERE SINGLE “ON A DYING DAY” VIA FOR FOLK’S SAKE + ALBUM RELEASE SHOW IN PITTSBURGH ON JUNE 25

PRETTIEST BLUE EP SET FOR RELEASE ON JULY 1

“The Early Mays create Appalachian-inspired songs built on deep country sensibilities, masterful singing and a sweet old-time sound.” - The Pittsburgh City Paper

“The Early Mays are exceptional storytellers, singers and musicians who craft their songs with the utmost care and attention; they’re a joy to listen to.” - Folk Radio UK

“...a really fresh take on this traditional music” - WRCT

"...a winning combination” - Americana-UK

"This is just pure classic folk." - If It's Too Loud

“Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton understand their music better than many artists understand their own." - Sound Bites

Photo: Kristi Jan Hoover

LISTEN: “ON A DYING DAY”

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays (Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton) have released

“On A Dying Day,” the latest single from their forthcoming EP, Prettiest Blue, due out on July 1, 2022. The song was written by Pinkerton, who drew inspiration from the shores of Lake Michigan, where she was raised.

“The Early Mays offer an inward-looking, heartfelt approach to Appalachia,” said For Folk’s Sake in their premiere of the track. “Restoratively vintage, their no-frills roots music brings a warmth that is often missed in raucous contemporary releases…Their vocal and instrumental chops are given ample space to impress on the reflective tune, ‘On a Dying Day,’” they continue. “Gorgeous harmonies take the forefront, painting a lyrical picture of the shores that the single is inspired by.”

“I go to the dunes whenever I can. It’s a place where I can make sense of who I am in the world, especially when things get hard,” Pinkerton told For Folk’s Sake. “I tried to make the banjo sound like rolling waves. In a similar way, the words of ‘On a Dying Day’ ‘roll’ back and forth, as the last lines of one stanza grow into the first line of the next,” she explains of the song, the structure of which she derived from Chilean folk poetry. “‘On a Dying Day’ is about finding redemption at the shore.” Its release follows lead single “The Ballad Of Johnny Fall,” a newly-composed "old-time" murder ballad that challenges the misogynistic themes of traditional Appalachian murder ballads.

LISTEN: “THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY FALL”

Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic.

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production as they sculpt their warm, immersive sound. The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for.

The Early Mays will celebrate the release with a show at SongSpace in Pittsburgh on June 25th. Click HERE for show information. Be sure to follow the band at the links below for the latest news.

Painting by Ron Donoughe

CONNECT WITH THE EARLY MAYS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

THE ACCIDENTALS ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION WITH KABOOM COLLECTIVE STUDIO ORCHESTRA

REIMAGINED ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE JULY 29 

TOUR BEGINS AT THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME ON AUGUST 3

Nashville-based, female-fronted, critically-acclaimed trio The Accidentals have partnered with the Kaboom Collective for a groundbreaking collaborative release—an EP called Reimagined. Eleven of their most popular songs were re-recorded with a 40-piece student orchestra, coming July 29th. Followed by a fourteen-day “Reimagined” tour that kicks off on August 3rd, at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. See The Accidentals and Kaboom Collective Studio Orchestra live at Mile of Music Festival, Wrigley Field,  Frederik Meijer Gardens, and more.

Kaboom Collective gives students the opportunity to receive cutting-edge education. The 40-member Kaboom Collective Studio Orchestra is a Hollywood-style ensemble comprised of students that compose, score, perform, and record music for various projects. As the only production-based programming in the country, they create musical beds for everything from video game soundtracks to studio albums; from animation scores to live performances, students in the Studio Orchestra work closely with each other and a team of professional musicians, educators, and producers to bring new works and productions to life.

Musicians aged 15-25 work under the tutelage of award-winning educator Liza Grossman, as well as members of the collective—a group of 50+ professional musicians, seasoned producers, recording engineers, composers, and production experts. Students receive hands-on experience, liner note and IMDb credit for their work, and the chance to learn in real time. Kaboom Collective was co-founded by Grossman and Joseph Weagraff, a project empowered by the duo’s combined industry and educational experience.

The Accidentals’ Katie Larson and Sav Buist met in their public high school orchestra and became a band after witnessing an immersive workshop by two women that played the same instruments they did. Seeing the possibilities firsthand gave them the courage and empowerment to pursue music beyond the orchestra. They were inspired. They often say that music connected them to friendships and skill sets that changed the trajectory of their lives for the better.

The pair met Grossman, the Conductor and Director of the Studio Orchestra, when she reached out about recording one of The Accidentals’ songs with the orchestra. That process allowed Buist and Larson to work with an orchestra on a completely new level. “Liza was one of the most inspirational teachers we have had the pleasure of working with,” says Buist. “We learned more from her in a week than in any classroom we have been in.”

After 10 years as a band, multiple major and indie label deals, and touring over a thousand live shows and festivals, The Accidentals started their own non-profit called Play It Forward Again and Again to provide opportunities for students to experience the inspiration that launched their careers.

Collaborating with Kaboom was a no-brainer: their missions of music education and empowerment aligned. The Accidentals have a repertoire of cinematic music well-suited to be reimagined with a full orchestra. They provided basic tracks and Grossman’s students scored, arranged, and recorded eleven Accidentals songs alongside industry professionals who guided their creation in a supportive, encouraging way. That album would be released, and a tour would be arranged for The Accidentals with the Kaboom Studio Orchestra, one where the students would learn tour management, sound engineering, merchandising, stage crew skills, hospitality, promotion, marketing, press, and more.

The Accidentals and the Kaboom Studio Orchestra will kick off a string of tour dates together to support the release of Reimagined on August 3rd. See below for a full list of dates. Be sure to follow them on the links below for all the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES:

8/3 - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, OH

8/4 - Scottish Rite Theatre (w/ support of Bradley University) - Peoria, IL

8/5 - Gallagher's Way at Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

8/6 & 8/7 - Mile of Music Festival - Appleton, WI

8/9 - Frederick Meijer Gardens - Grand Rapids, MI

8/11 - Fountain Point - Lake Leelanau, MI

8/12 - Heritage Park Amphitheater - Canton, MI 

CONNECT WITH THE ACCIDENTALS:

WEBSITE |  INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY 

CONNECT WITH KABOOM COLLECTIVE:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

OUT TODAY: BOB MARSTON & THE CREDIBLE SOURCES’ DEBUT LP SO LONG + ALBUM RELEASE SHOW IN BIRMINGHAM ON JUNE 4TH

“...a sound that'll seem really familiar to fans of early '70s California folk rock.” - The Montgomery Advertiser

"...you will find what you’re looking for in So Long" - It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine 

"...a solid debut album. The band shows that they can shift gears from one style to another while providing a soundtrack that is just as good for a road trip as it is for the easy Sunday mornings they sing about." - Americana Highways 

“...part soulful Muscle Shoals and part edgy Merge Records” - Glide Magazine 

​​"...an immensely enjoyable record" - Twangville 

“...a big sound” - Americana-UK 

"A laudable debut and entertainingly diverse look at life." - The Spirit Of Progressive Rock 

"'...a cool southern charm" - Daily Reggae 

"Bob Marston & the Credible Sources’ So Long sounds both ancient and everlasting. It’s music written on the conclusive power of well-strummed acoustic guitars and soulful singing about aiming to come out victorious over life’s biggest issues." - Alt77

LISTEN: SO LONG

Today, Birmingham, Alabama-based outfit Bob Marston & the Credible Sources have released their debut full-length LP So Long, due out June 3rd. "With songs written as early as 2004, it would be an understatement to say that our debut album has been a long time in the making, which makes the title, So Long, completely appropriate,” Marston told It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine. “The album is a culmination of years of writing songs and developing them through live performance. The sound can best be described, broadly, as Americana but covers stylistic ground from old school R&B to reggae, from classic country to hard rock, with songs ultimately coming across as some form of roots rock."

The songs on the album fall into two categories–love songs and social justice anthems. From processing a breakup and singing lamentations of romantic deceit, to telling stories that convey big questions about social justice and exploring and trying to understand society and our history, the common thread on So Long is striving for and finding humanity in ourselves, our communities, and society as a whole.

Marston has been on a journey of self-discovery, and with the help of therapy, meditation, and cannabis, his empathic creativity comes shining through the lyrics of every song on So Long. The Credible Sources are equal parts roots rock backing band and high-flying, improv-ready aces. Truly a whole greater than the sum of its wildly capable parts, the band is known for its intricately-woven guitar parts, tight and compelling bass and drum grooves, and pure, emotive vocals, a sound that garners comparisons to The Grateful Dead, moe., Wilco, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and more.

So Long also features keyboard master Matt Slocum (Allman Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, Widespread Panic, and more), monster bass player Adrian Marmolejo (Early James and the Latest). Trombonist Chad Fisher (St. Paul and the Broken Bones), Allen Branstetter (St. Paul and the Broken Bones) on trumpet, award-winning fiddler Adam Purvis, and more.           

The album’s tracks explore love and devotion through the lens of attempts to salvage a challenging relationship, to pondering life’s big questions, and offering commentary on social injustice and societal issues. Brought together by luck, fate, and destiny, this band of seasoned professionals and unproven hotshots upends stereotypes and breaks paradigms as it brings a message of love, honesty, empathy, and infinite possibility to the world, one song at a time.

TOUR DATES

6/4 - Workplay - Birmingham, AL [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]

6/22 - Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge - Nashville, TN

6/23 - Commonhouse Aleworks - Charleston, SC

6/25 - River Remedy Brewing Co. - Rome, GA

7/20 - The Hole in the Wall - Austin, TX

7/21 - The 101 - Bryan, TX

7/22 - Abita Brew Pub  - Abita Springs, LA

7/23 - Martin's Downtown - Jackson, MS

KYSHONA RELEASES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “OUT LOUD” + NEW TOUR DATES SUPPORTING SHOVELS & ROPE

"...one of the most compassionate and uplifting young voices in Nashville today." - NPR

Photo: Nora Canfield

WATCH // STREAM: “OUT LOUD” 

Today, critically-acclaimed artist Kyshona has released the video for her latest single “Out Loud,” a song she wrote with friend and fellow artist Caroline Spence, about braving the silence to speak a difficult truth. The video was created by Nashville-based, Emmy-nominated animator Katie Callahan in collaboration with Salt Lake City illustrator Molly Powers. “This video captures the feeling one may have when they speak their truth, that you’re speaking into the void,” Kyshona explains. “But the power of using your voice is that the sound creates ripple effects that go on forever. One day, those sound waves will reach someone and you’ll realize you were never really alone,” she adds. “Who has encouraged you to speak up? Who will you encourage to do the same? It’s not always easy to say what you need or to tell someone about something that happened to you, but it is important to find the words to do so when you’re ready,” she continues. “It’s equally important to let folks around you know that you are listening.”

The importance of listening is a central theme of Kyshona’s music. In 2020, she released the appropriately-titled LP Listen, which was lauded by NPR, Billboard, Rolling Stone, No Depression, The Bluegrass Situation, The Nashville Scene, and more.

STREAM: LISTEN

Kyshona is an artist ignited by untold stories, and the capacity of those stories to thread connection in every community.  With the background of a licensed music therapist, the curiosity of a writer, the patience of a friend, the vision of a social entrepreneur, the resolve of an activist, and the voice of a singer, Kyshona is unrelenting in her pursuit for the healing power of song.

She lends her voice and music to those that feel they have been silenced or forgotten.  She facilitates writing sessions with groups and individuals who feel left out or marginalized, in hopes of reconnecting those who are divided. In 2021, she founded charitable organization Your Song,* which currently provides therapeutic songwriting sessions with at-risk and marginalized youth, with the elderly to aid in memory care/recovery, with incarcerated populations and those re-entering society, with those experiencing addiction and those in recovery, as well as programming geared towards women’s health and healing, strengthening bonds between new parents and their children, and more.

Kyshona’s song “Listen” became an anthem for many in 2020. Of her album, one fan reviewer wrote: “Amidst these hard, divisive times this set of songs is a salve for the grief many of us are feeling about resulting loss of family, friends, and community.” Audiences will find a common thread of empowerment, overcoming adversity, and finding hope in her work. The show doesn’t end when the last song is sung. After her powerful performances, concertgoers often ask, "What can I do?" Her response? "Listen."

Kyshona is currently on tour, dates are listed below. Be sure to follow her via the links below for all the latest news and updates.

*a charitable organization fiscally sponsored through the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville

TOUR DATES: 

6/2 - The Basement East - Nashville, TN

​​6/10 - Norman Bird Sanctuary - Middletown, RI

6/24 - Musicians Corner - Nashville, TN

7/9 - PaoliFest - Paoli, IN

7/16 - Elm Street Cultural Arts - Woodstock, GA

7/22 - Hillside Festival - Guelph, ON

8/7 - Sundays On The River @ Olivette Riverside Pavillion - Asheville, NC

8/10 - The Ramkat - Winston-Salem, NC*

8/15 - Prescott Park Arts Festival - Portsmouth, NH

8/16 - CHIRP - Ridgefield, CT

8/17 - Woodbridge Wednesdays - Woodbridge, NJ

8/18 - Live At The Archway - Brooklyn, NY

8/21 - LOUD - Huntington, WV*

8/23 - Beacon Theatre - Hopewell, VA*

8/24 - Avalon Theatre - Easton, MD*

9//9 - Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion - Bristol, TN

9/14-9/17 - AmericanaFest - Nashville, TN

*w/ Shovels & Rope

INTRODUCING: CHAYLA HOPE

NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “LOVE IN LO-FI” OUT NOW 

DEBUT LIVE PERFORMANCE ON JULY 22

photo by Lindsey Poyar

LISTEN // WATCH: “LOVE IN LO-FI”   

Chayla Hope is pop’s next great voice. Making a name for herself in Cleveland’s music scene pressing vinyl at Gotta Groove Records and collaborating with up-and-coming producer Jesty Beatz (aka Holy Mattress Money), her sophisticated take on the sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s recalls the influence of Kate Bush, Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, and Robyn, marrying inventive arrangements with an impressive range and infectious spirit.

After years spent fronting and singing in alternative rock bands, including Emmy and multiple ADDY award-winning local favorites Seafair, pop is where Chayla was meant to be. “Pop is the music that raised me, the music my mom used to listen to while cleaning the house,” she says on planting her musical flag in the genre. “It’s always been there for me as an anchoring and joyful force. It is me.”

A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community who found her performance identity doing drag, it’s no surprise Chayla was selected to sing the theme song for Care Bears: Unlock The Magic and has numerous features in the show’s soundtrack and merchandise, embodying its core themes of empowerment, inclusion, and self-understanding through her music.

On April 29th, she released her first single, “Love in Lo-Fi,” a reminder of everything a pop anthem should be. Mixed by 10-time GRAMMY Award winner Josh Gudwin (Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa), it’s an aspirational earworm anchored in unforgettable artistry. The song’s accompanying music video was directed by JR Strickland with choreography by Nicole Kirkland. "Falling in love will forever remind me of dancing,” says Chayla on the inspiration behind the video. “Whether it's with a person, yourself, or your dreams, when you're in it, your pain disappears and you get to enjoy the feeling of being alive."

And it's only the beginning.  

On June 24th, she will release her new single “Falling,” an ode to the all-too-familiar feeling of instantly connecting with someone, only to question whether or not to blame it on the alcohol. Evoking Chayla’s past as a drag performer, the single’s strutting groove arrives just in time to close out Pride Month and turn anywhere into a runway fit for vamping. Both singles will appear on her forthcoming debut LP Damn, Feelings, set for release in late 2022. 

Chayla Hope will make her live debut on Friday, July 22nd as a part of Greyt Culture’s Golden Hour concert series in Cleveland. Click HERE for tickets and show information. Be sure to follow her at the links below for the latest news and updates.

CONNECT WITH CHAYLA HOPE:

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

BOB MARSTON & THE CREDIBLE SOURCES PREMIERE NEW SINGLE “LYIN’ EYES” VIA GLIDE MAGAZINE

BOB MARSTON & THE CREDIBLE SOURCES PREMIERE NEW SINGLE

“LYIN’ EYES” VIA GLIDE MAGAZINE  

DEBUT LP SO LONG DUE OUT JUNE 3RD

LISTEN: “LYIN’ EYES” 

 Birmingham, Alabama-based outfit Bob Marston & the Credible Sources have released “Lyin’ Eyes,” the latest from their forthcoming debut full-length LP So Long, due out June 3rd. The track premiered at Glide Magazine, who called “Lyin’ Eyes” “swampy folk” and a “righteous and seriously in-the-pocket stunner that showcases Marston’s stunning arrangement that sounds part soulful Muscle Shoals and part edgy Merge Records.”

“When I was working a migrant farm job in Illinois. The job was corn de-tasseling which warrants a longer explanation but let’s just say it was a bunch of young to middle-aged people walking through cornfields for about 12 hours a day, partying as hard as they could until about midnight, and then doing it all over again,” Marston told Glide Magazine. “The crew was comprised of about 40 people of which 35 were male and five were female. Of those females, three were in committed relationships and one was not interested in men, which left one young lady free to flirt with at least two dozen young men. I was one of those young men and thought, based on some brief, flirtatious encounters, that I had a pretty good chance of being selected as her ‘corn boyfriend.’ When, to my great disappointment, she selected another, I was hurt, not deeply or in any lasting sort of way, but enough that the daily reminder stung a bit,” he added. 

“Lyin’ Eyes” follows reggae-tinged head-bobber “Real Magic, Good People,” about forgiveness and understanding being what truly unifies communities, and the album’s title track, which encourages understanding in order to heal societal rifts.

LISTEN: “REAL MAGIC, GOOD PEOPLE”  

LISTEN: “SO LONG” 

Marston has been on a journey of self-discovery, and with the help of therapy, meditation, and cannabis, his empathic creativity comes shining through the lyrics of every song on So Long. The Credible Sources are equal parts roots rock backing band and high-flying, improv-ready aces. Truly a whole greater than the sum of its wildly capable parts, the band is known for its intricately-woven guitar parts, tight and compelling bass and drum grooves, and pure, emotive vocals, a sound that garners comparisons to The Grateful Dead, moe., Wilco, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and more.

So Long also features keyboard master Matt Slocum (Allman Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, Widespread Panic, and more), monster bass player Adrian Marmolejo (Early James and the Latest). Trombonist Chad Fisher (St. Paul and the Broken Bones), Allen Branstetter (St. Paul and the Broken Bones) on trumpet, award-winning fiddler Adam Purvis, and more.

The album’s tracks explore love and devotion through the lens of attempts to salvage a challenging relationship, to pondering life’s big questions, and offering commentary on social injustice and societal issues. Brought together by luck, fate, and destiny, this band of seasoned professionals and unproven hotshots upends stereotypes and breaks paradigms as it brings a message of love, honesty, empathy, and infinite possibility to the world, one song at a time.

TOUR DATES 

5/28 - Coastal Crust - Charleston, SC*

6/3 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

6/4 - Workplay - Birmingham, AL [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]

6/24 - Diplomat Deli - Vestavia Hills, AL**

7/1 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

8/5 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

8/13 - The Market @ Pepper Place - Birmingham, AL**

9/24 - The Market @ Pepper Place - Birmingham, AL**

10/7 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

10/9 - Mountain Brook Presbyterian - Mountain Brook, AL

10/15 - The Market @ Pepper Place - Birmingham, AL**

11/4 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

11/5 - The Market @ Pepper Place - Birmingham, AL**

12/2 - Little Italy’s - Birmingham, AL**

12/10 - The Market @ Pepper Place - Birmingham, AL**

*Bob Marston solo show 

**Bob Marston w/ Natalie Valentine

THE EARLY MAYS ANNOUNCE NEW EP PRETTIEST BLUE SET FOR RELEASE ON JULY 1

"What a beautiful, beautiful harmony sound..." - Larry Groce, NPR's Mountain Stage

“Emotionally stirring harmonies and delicate folk instrumentation… this group brings traditional and original music to spectacular life” -  Cindy Howes, Folk Alley

Photo: Kristi Jan Hoover

  WATCH THE TRAILER FOR PRETTIEST BLUE

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays announce their forthcoming EP, Prettiest Blue, which will release on July 1, 2022. Composed of artists Emily Pinkerton and Ellen Gozion, the pair sing Appalachian-inspired songs over a lush accompaniment of fiddle, banjo, guitar, and harmonium. Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic.

“I think part of our aesthetic comes from being introspective people,” Gozion reflects, “We don’t have a flashy, fast sound, but if you let the music engulf you, there are lots of layers. Our songs give people a place to slow down.” “The Early Mays rehearsals are restorative for me,” adds Pinkerton. “The hours spent in Ellen’s living room, with coffee and dark chocolate, following the harmonies wherever they take us, laughing and just loving that exploration as much as we love singing for other people. I hope you can hear the joy of the process in Prettiest Blue.”

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production. The duo strives to sculpt a warm, immersive sound. When recording albums, the band has explored everything from a single condenser mic in a church sanctuary to analog tape and vintage compressors. For Prettiest Blue, they were looking for a pared-down “in the room” sound, and recorded at Audible Images in Pittsburgh with Hollis Greathouse, combining live takes with multi-tracked vocals and cello. Drawn by Alex Perialas’ work on Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton’s latest release, The Early Mays decided to mix at Pyramid Sound Studios in Ithaca, NY. Cellist Nicole Myers joins the Mays on Prettiest Blue, lending sweeping melodic lines to support the vocals and old-time textures.

The Early Mays have spent most of their professional lives as musicians. Gozion is a pianist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and a Music Director at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh. In the world of old-time, she has made a name for herself as a ballad singer. This trajectory comes across on Prettiest Blue in the newly-composed “Ballad of Johnny Fall,” a dark tale of a man whose eyes were “once the prettiest blue.” 

Pinkerton has lived a bit of a double life in music, dedicating two decades to Chilean folk song, including three years overseas and several collaborations with South American artists: “Even when I’m writing with my banjo, traditional singing from Chile creeps into my rhythm and rhyme. You can hear hints of this in ‘On a Dying Day’ where the lyrics roll back and forth like waves,” she explains. 

The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for.

The Early Mays will celebrate the release with a show at SongSpace in Pittsburgh on June 25th. Click HERE for show information. Be sure to follow the band at the links below for the latest news.

PRETTIEST BLUE TRACKLIST 

The Ballad Of Johnny Fall

On A Dying Day

Shakin’ Down The Acorns

Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow

My Home’s Across The Blue Ridge Mountains