ISAAC WATTERS CONTEMPLATES LONELINESS, UNDERSTANDING, AND THE SEA ON NEW SINGLE “MY HEART IS AN OCEAN” VIA hi-res records

FORTHCOMING EXTENDED PLAY 002 TO BE RELEASED AUGUST 30TH

“Watters is haunting and archival in the way he approaches songwriting, retracing memory with deep contemplation of the human experience. Sonically, Watters’ music has a lingering effect.” - Impose Magazine

“There are few more compelling narrators of the human condition right now than Watters, who turns his writerly eye toward the disparity in wealth in Los Angeles on the new single.” - Buzzbands LA on “Coconut In The Street”

“Watters has been dipping his toes in assorted genres over the years, but he seems to rest most comfortably along the mesmerizing continuum between minimalist folk and moody theatricality.” - Magnet Magazine

“Blending unique sounds with deep and sometimes haunting lyrics, Watters conjures up a new perspective for listeners and burgeoning artists.” - Los Angeleno

“Extended Play 001 offers a first full glimpse of his restless and idiosyncratic artistic impulses, with tracks diverting towards minimalist art pop, funky indie rock, and off-kilter balladry… the EP closes off with “Sliding,” a slinking and smoky effort carried by bass-driven grooves and Watters’ decadent vocal melodies.” - Under The Radar

“...it’s hooked me, line and sinker. ‘Everywhere I go, I leave a little sadness,’ sung in the vein of Wolf Parade’s wobbly warbles? Take my money.” - Monster Children

“The result is a collection of songs (with more to come) that reflect different shadows of Watters’ LA life, but also process fears and anxieties about the natural world, climate change, and apocalypse that’s very much “in the air” for the artist.” Glide Magazine
Watters has the ability to connect on a higher level, and his work signifies his sincere way with words, his adeptness at creating moments of innocence, and the way his music reverberates. All of this while at the same time not being raucous.” - The Review Geek

“My Heart is an Ocean”: LISTEN

LOS ANGELES, CA - Today LA based multi-disciplinary artist and songwriter Isaac Watters has released his latest single “My Heart is an Ocean,” the third offering from his forthcoming release Extended Play 002, out August 30th via hi-res records

There’s a stunning spaciousness to Watters’ sound across the single- full but never crowded, and ample space for the humanity in his voice and songwriting to shine through. Watters finds loneliness in the vastness of the ocean, always connecting the natural world to his internal compass, overtop of gentle acoustic strumming and dynamic synth sonics. “It’s a lonely place and there’s a lot of trash floating / I wish I was floating back into your arms,” he sings, equally pensive and forlorn.  Watters describes “My Heart is an Ocean” as a love song, “but not just romantically, it’s about a longing to understand and be understood.”

A howling post-chorus caps off a captivating echoing chorus from Watters, a rallying call for connectivity and understanding in a sea of isolation. “They say the Earth’s oceans are mostly getting warmer / that the ice is melting and I know it’s true,” sings Watters, tapping into the changing climate in this extended metaphor. “Maybe someday soon, maybe sooner than later / the whole world will be ocean, and you’ll be lonesome too.”

Watters’ knack for evoking deeply personal emotions by using nature and his surroundings as an extended metaphor is what separates him from other songwriters in this day and age. There’s a constant conversation happening between the self and the surrounding environment, and the way the two shape each other has always been at the forefront of his storytelling.

“My Heart is an Ocean,” follows previous singles including the stunning “All I Need” and haunting “Coconut in the Street,” both to be included in Extended Play 002. His second release through Los Angeles based label hi-res records, the EP captures Watters’ singular voice and widescreen vision to songwriting, which is further supported by the warmth of the labels analog-recording approach.

Watters will be performing in Los Angeles at Gold-Diggers on July 28th with Clara-Nova, with more performances slated throughout the summer.

Photo by Robbie Jeffers

KEEP UP WITH ISAAC WATTERS

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

LOS ANGELES FUNK COLLECTIVE ‘SCARY GOLDINGS’ RELEASES “LOUIS COLE SUCKS” SINGLE FEAT. JOHN SCOFIELD + ANNOUNCES SCARY GOLDINGS LIVE ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 8TH

LISTEN TO  “LOUIS COLE SUCKS” : HERE

The Los Angeles-based funk collective Scary Goldings have released “Louis Cole Sucks,” the first single from their forthcoming live album Scary Goldings LIVE! feat. John Scofield is out on September 8th. 

Scary Goldings is a collaboration between keyboardist Larry Goldings, who has made a name for himself playing world-renowned artists such as Jack DeJohnette, James Taylor, John Mayer, and more, and the rotating funk ensemble Scary Pockets, anchored by keyboardist Jack Conte and guitarist Ryan Lerman. 

The group had the honor of collaborating and performing with the legendary Grammy Award-winning guitarist John Scofield, who is featured on the album and will be joining the group at the Newport Jazz Festival and Monterey Jazz Festival this summer and fall. “Having worked in John Scofield’s band on and off since the early 1990s, it was an obvious choice to bring him into the Scary Goldings world,” says Larry Goldings. “We have a great musical and personal rapport, and for Ryan, Jack, and the whole band, it was definitely a dream come true.”

 The album, including the single “Louis Cole Sucks”, was 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.  “I grew up listening to John Scofield,” says Ryan Lerman.  “So, it was a real trip to hear the sound I used to come home from school and practice to, coming from the amp next to me on stage. He’s just the greatest. “

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 GOLDINGS UPCOMING TOUR DATES 

July 13  August Hall San Francisco, CA

July 14  The Guild Theatre Menlo Park, CA

July 15 The Teragram Los Angeles, CA

July 16  Belly Up Solana Beach, CA

Aug 6  Scary Goldings ft. John Scofield at Newport Jazz Festival

Sept 22 Scary Goldings ft. John Scofield Monterey Jazz Festival

Scary Goldings LIVE! Ft. John Scofield 

(out September 8)

  1. We Come In Peace

  2. The Shakes

  3. Professor Vicarious

  4. Disco Pills

  5. Take My Jet

  6. Louis Cole Sucks

  7. The Shiner

  8. Day Old Socks

  9. Scary Poppins

KEEP UP WITH SCARY GOLDINGS

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WHAT IF OPTIMISTIC NIHILISM WAS A BEACH SONG? SPEELBURG RELEASES “SOMETHING’S WRONG” SINGLE

“Speelburg approaches apocalyptic devastation with breezy melodies and charming wit…Sacré strikes a careful balance between organic and electronic instrumentation, marrying warm strings and honeyed vocals with floating electronic production touches.” - Under The Radar Magazine

“Speelburg’s music is difficult to categorize, as he blends together elements of pop, rock, electronica, and classical music to create a sound that is uniquely his own.” - Independent Music Reviews

“With this refreshing mix of pop and rock, he gives us the chance to explore a world so unique and so exciting to see.” - Wolf in a Suit (on “Game Over”)

“Noah Sacré, who makes “weird pop” (his term) under the name Speelburg, gives off big Beck/Eels vibes on “Game Over,” with violin and cello swelling warmly alongside synth bleeps and guitar.” - Riff Magazine (on “Game Over”)

LISTEN TO “SOMETHING’S WRONG”:  HERE

The UK-based Belgium-American multi-hyphenated creative Speelburg is here to let us know that “Something’s Wrong,” with his new single filled with wobbly guitars and quirky synths that perfectly place the listener into a sunny, sardonic sonic landscape that could be the theme song for a beach blanket romp a la Frankie and Annette, directed by Wes Anderson.

“Something’s Wrong” is the 5th irony-laced single out on Speelburg’s own Sophomore Slump records, cementing his legacy as providing the soundtrack for the end of days, but with a cheery smile and even cheerier melodies.  The song follows  "Game Over,” “Invitation,” “Be Yourself”  and “I’m Back,” released earlier this year. 

According to Speelburg, there has never been a better time to lie in the garden and await nuclear annihilation. “The grass is green and DEFCON 2’s sunny rays are beating down pleasantly, tanning every nook and cranny,” says Speelburg. “ We can’t just give the honey back to the bees and still expect them not to be pissed. The oversized bee-arrow is coming for us all. Everyone keeps saying we’re doomed. I was trying to write a ‘We Are The World’-type song to try and trick a bunch of famous people to feature on my record but no one fell for it so it just ended up being me instead.”’ 

It’s not surprising that this song could be the soundtrack to a slow moving satirical film from an artist who spends his time divided between the aural and visual worlds. When not crafting his signature style of sharp witted indie rock, Speelburg spends his days behind a camera, and at a computer animating and crafting videos for artists such as The National and John Legend,  in addition to all the videos for his own songs.  

Speelburg has amassed over 11 million total streams from previous releases, including his 2020 debut full-length album Porsche and most recent single “I’m Back” which was featured in a spot for  Jimmy Kimmel.  Speelburg splits his time between the UK and Los Angeles and has received accolades and support from Noisey, Ones To Watch, The Line of Best Fit, Pigeons & Planes, Clash Magazine, SPIN, American Songwriter, BBC Radio 1, Sirius XM, Los Angeles’ KCRW, Chicago’s WTMX and more. His music has been used by global brands such as FIFA, Samsung, and Google Pixel and featured on FoxSports, MatchOfTheDay, Channel 4 UK, and more. Speelburg is signed to Sony Music Publishing where he has worked with Danny Burke, Adam Lambert, Cautious Clay, Gnash, Ben H Allen, Nat Motte, Brian West, and more.  

KEEP UP WITH SPEELBURG

GOLD-CERTIFIED SINGER-SONGWRITER JAMIE MCDELL RELEASES HER BEACH HOUSE EP

“...but the true stunner is McDell’s unforced voice” - Rolling Stone 

“The New Zealander enchants with airy vocals and confessional lyrics” - Billboard

"Endlessly enchanting, it’s a voice that comes around once in a generation. If Jamie McDell defines her first decade of artistry, then McDell is bound to make waves.” -  Holler Country

“....raw confessionals, breezy anthems and plaintive storytelling rooted in the tradition of old school country and folk balladeers.” - Wide Open Country 

  “Over incandescent instrumentation, McDell examines the price we’re willing to pay for power and possession. Her lyricism lays out devastating depictions of deceit and the rippling fallout from a false sense of security.”   - American Songwriter

“a poignant moment of self-awareness…” - The  Boot

“The song has McDell examining her flaws with sweet melodic vocal twirls and jangly guitars.” - Parade Magazine 

“Showcasing more richness and density than the typical banjo and fiddle exercise, the album contains waves of haunting tremolo guitar, fuzzy squalls, heavy distortion and a keen sense for crafting rewarding, sometimes even dramatic, vocal melodies.” - All Music

LISTEN TO  BEACH HOUSE: HERE

Gold Certified New Zealand music award winner Jamie McDell has released her stunning new EP Beach House out today worldwide. Jamie has been a working  musician for close to 15 years and this collection of songs came from the weight of navigating a career as a creative, especially under the limitations of the pandemic, that  left her feeling exhausted and burnt out on the fickleness of the music industry. In January 2023, when travel restrictions had eased, McDell returned home to New Zealand, taking the opportunity to connect with family and travel across the ditch (the Tasman Sea) to record some new tracks. 

 The sanctuary of being at her husband’s family-built beach house gave her the space to express and exercise her self-doubt through songwriting. She was also able to reconnect in person with her producer and manager Nash Chambers at his sister, Kasey Chambers’  studio to record  the songs that would become the Beach House EP.  The title track, “Beach House,”  is a catharsis of feeling born out of the frustration Jamie had towards the fickle nature of the music business. At the time of  writing the song she had serious thoughts about leaving music and was three months into a job search.  The second song “Madeline” started to come together while Jamie was still living in Canada. It is about the road less traveled and the growth and fulfillment that transpire from uncertainty. It was inspired by a group of women in her friend circle, all of whom had left bad relationships out of a determination to be anything but confined or defined. The third song that rounds out the EP is a cover of Tracy Chapman’s  “Talkin Bout a Revolution.” Jamie was drawn to the message and ethos of the song, which  resonate just as strong, if not stronger now than when it was originally released in 1988.

McDell, who is now 30 started her career at 16, was signed by EMI, and went on to achieve Gold Certified Album sales and receive multiple New Zealand Music Award nominations. She abandoned her major label roots to pursue music that was closer to her heart and began writing and recording in Nashville.  In March 2017 Jamie made a trip to Nashville, looking for a change of scenery and to connect with the environment that birthed much of the music throughout her youth. It’s here she wrote the songs that would make up the fabric for her third record “Extraordinary Girl”. She met with ex-pat Australian producer Nash Chambers for coffee one day and decided they shared the same musical values. Not long after that meeting McDell arranged to fund her first independent record Extraordinary Girl, which was recorded over the space of two days at House of Blues studio in Nashville. She then returned home for the albums’ release, promotion, and supporting tours throughout New Zealand and Australia.

After opening a U.S.  tour for Robert Ellis (Texas Piano Man) in early 2020, she would then visit Nashville once again, teamed up with Chambers in his eastside studio, and gather the amazing musical talents of Dan Dugmore, Jedd Hughes, Dennis Crouch, Shawn Fichter, Jerry Roe, Jimmy Wallace, Tony Lucido and Ross Holmes, along with guests such as the McCrary Sisters, Robert Ellis, Erin Rae, and Tom Busby (Busby Marou). Her self-titled album, Jamie McDell, released in 2022, contains some of McDell’s most brutally honest writing and performances, while the production takes the listener on a modern journey through 70s folk and country blended with a healthy dose of roots and rock. This record became Jamie’s fourth full-length release that was praised by media from around the globe. 

Jamie is returning to the U.S. playing songs from this EP at her first shows on U.S. soil since early 2020.  

TOUR DATES

June 21 - The Station Inn, Nashville, TN

June 22 - Old Town School of Folk Music w/ Adeem the Artist, Chicago, IL 

June 23 - Moccasin Creek Festival, Effingham, IL 

June 30 - House Concert, Houston, TX  

CONNECT WITH JAMIE MCDELL

 Website | Instagram |Twitter | Facebook | Youtube | Spotify

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BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS RELEASE “DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA” SINGLE + ANNOUNCE THE BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS ALBUM DUE OUT  ON SEPTEMBER 15TH

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“DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA” : LISTEN // WATCH

The Texas-bred Colorado-based artists Bonnie & Taylor Sims have released the twangy earworm “Devil and the Deep Blue,” the first single off their forthcoming self-titled album Bonnie & Taylor Sims due out on September 15.  Bonnie and Taylor have almost done it all. They are RIAA Certified Gold recording artists, have seen breakaway global success with their song “I See Red” that has over 250 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.  

“Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'' is the first step in this new direction. This song, as with the majority of the songs on the album, were born out of the juxtaposition of a changing world. They explore the dichotomy of beauty and pain, hope and destruction, and with this single,  the tangible elements of black and white, sea and stone, and at its core is a song of transition and duality. “Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” is a harbinger of the new sound we’ve been developing over the past two years,” Bonnie Sims told Folk n’ Rock.  “This song is a portrait of our edgy-punk-rock-reality that has been bubbling right beneath the surface. We’re illustrating a collection of opposing forces and contrasting ideas that lean into the duality of our humanity, as musicians and as people.”

This summer sees the band on the road in their adopted state of Colorado playing festivals and a number of concert series. Find information on the tour dates HERE. 

KEEP UP WITH BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS

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

BONNIE & TAYLOR SIMS  

(album out September 15)

  1. Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

  2. Liza 

  3. Side By Side 

  4. Cigarette Song 

  5. I Am Woman 

  6. Texas Again

  7. All My Love

  8. Me And Caroline

  9. Levelland

  10. Lay Yourself To Sleep

ISAAC WATTERS TRAVERSES THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES IN ETHEREAL SINGLE “COCONUT IN THE STREET” VIA hi-res records

FORTHCOMING EXTENDED PLAY 002 TO BE RELEASED AUGUST 30TH

“Watters has been dipping his toes in assorted genres over the years, but he seems to rest most comfortably along the mesmerizing continuum between minimalist folk and moody theatricality.” - Magnet Magazine

“Isaac Watters, too, poignantly connects with his past on the typically immersive “Child in the Rain,” - Buzzbands LA

“Blending unique sounds with deep and sometimes haunting lyrics, Watters conjures up a new perspective for listeners and burgeoning artists.” - Los Angeleno

“Extended Play 001 offers a first full glimpse of his restless and idiosyncratic artistic impulses, with tracks diverting towards minimalist art pop, funky indie rock, and off-kilter balladry… the EP closes off with “Sliding,” a slinking and smoky effort carried by bass-driven grooves and Watters’ decadent vocal melodies.” - Under The Radar

“...it’s hooked me, line and sinker. ‘Everywhere I go, I leave a little sadness,’ sung in the vein of Wolf Parade’s wobbly warbles? Take my money.” - Monster Children

“The result is a collection of songs (with more to come) that reflect different shadows of Watters’ LA life, but also process fears and anxieties about the natural world, climate change, and apocalypse that’s very much “in the air” for the artist.” Glide Magazine
”Watters has the ability to connect on a higher level, and his work signifies his sincere way with words, his adeptness at creating moments of innocence, and the way his music reverberates. All of this while at the same time not being raucous.” - The Review Geek

“Coconut In The Street”: LISTEN

LOS ANGELES, CA - Today LA based artist and storyteller Isaac Watters has released the ethereal “Coconut In The Street,” his latest single and second offering from his forthcoming release Extended Play 002, out August 30th via hi-res records. A stunning and haunting single that presents a number of harrowing vignettes while traversing the streets of Los Angeles, “Coconut In The Street” examines the ever-growing chasm between wealth and poverty in the city, and the potential tragic ends that await all sides of this divide. 

Watters’ signature setting-based storytelling narrative thrives on the scenes he paints from roaming nighttime crosswalks, traveling LA’s most recognizable arteries, and passing its disenfranchised inhabitants. A steady, contemplative acoustic strum accompanied by shimmering, delayed-out synth sonics set the pace for this uncanny nighttime walk as Watters reflects on his place throughout it all. “We’re all going to the corner bar / see you in the morning if I don’t make it that far / either way it’s been a real good time / tired of trying to bring it back.” As the song progresses, a chilling call-and-response from Watters solidifies the songs’ identity in the sidewalk, filling the space within the cracks.

Anyone who has spent time in the city will recognize the scenes that Watters sees at night, as well as the contrasts between the haves and have-nots in a shadowed cityscape. A group of friends on their way to the next bar while passing a homeless man sleeping on the street, a man trying to sell mangoes from a plastic bag on the intersection in 110 degree heat, an addict who wanders to the edge of the freeway, a construction worker who removes his harness and helmet and leaps from the newest luxury highrise. 

“These are all scenes I was thinking about while writing “Coconut In The Street,” says Watters. “But really it's just a song about being out in Los Angeles at night. Roaming the streets with your friends, or trying to find someone to be your friend. All these images are things that happen in LA. I think it's something about the compression of wealth and poverty, facelessness and celebrity. It drives people to the extremes.”  

It’s true that the city attracts hopeful dreamers hellbent on dreams of grandeur, but Watters’ ability to hold a mirror to Los Angeles’ less examined subjects that live in the shadows is what separates him from other LA based artists and songwriters, and carves a place in a storied tradition of deeply moving, meaningful songwriting.

“Double back flip of the new glass tower downtown / Is that you they found? Is that your enemy? / Is that the friend you always meant to be,” sings Watters, a reminder of the stakes facing the city’s vulnerable.

“Coconut In The Street” joins previous single “All I Need” as the first two offerings from Extended Play 002, his second release via Los Angeles based label hi-res records. Watters found a partnership in the label, and in producer/engineer Matt Linesch, whose analog-first approach to recording and production perfectly encapsulates and supports the warmth of Watters’ artistic vision and songwriting approach. 

Watters will be performing in Los Angeles at Gold-Diggers on July 28th, with more performances slated throughout the summer.

Photo by Robbie Jeffers

KEEP UP WITH ISAAC WATTERS

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

GOLD-CERTIFIED SINGER-SONGWRITER JAMIE MCDELL RELEASES HER “BEACH HOUSE” SINGLE + ANNOUNCES THE BEACH HOUSE EP OUT JUNE 16

“...but the true stunner is McDell’s unforced voice” - Rolling Stone

“The New Zealander enchants with airy vocals and confessional lyrics” - Billboard

"Endlessly enchanting, it’s a voice that comes around once in a generation. If Jamie McDell defines her first decade of artistry, then McDell is bound to make waves.” -  Holler Country

  “Over incandescent instrumentation, McDell examines the price we’re willing to pay for power and possession. Her lyricism lays out devastating depictions of deceit and the rippling fallout from a false sense of security.”   - American Songwriter

"It doesn’t take long to realize that McDell has a way with words. Not only that, but she manages to sing acid-tongued lyrics in a very sweet voice that almost makes it sound complimentary – to a point." - Americana Highways

“The song has McDell examining her flaws with sweet melodic vocal twirls and jangly guitars.” - Parade Magazine 

LISTEN TO  “BEACH HOUSE”: HERE

 Gold Certified New Zealand music award winner Jamie McDell has released the “Beach House” single off the Beach House EP due out June 16th. 

Having been a working musician for over a decade, especially under the limitations of the pandemic left McDell feeling exhausted and burnt out on the fickleness of the music industry, so in January 2023, when travel restrictions had eased, McDell returned to New Zealand. Jamie took the opportunity to connect with family and travel across the ditch (the Tasman Sea) to record some new tracks. McDell was one-foot outside  of music and three months into a job search when she wrote  “Beach House.” The sanctuary of being at her husband’s family-built beach house gave her the sauce to express and exercise her self-doubt through songwriting. She was also able to reconnect in person with her producer and manager Nash Chambers at his sister, Kasey Chambers’  studio to record what would become the Beach House EP.  Among the recordings at Kasey’s studio, was “Beach House,”  “Madeline”, a tale of a dreamer, and a 1988 Tracy Chapman cover “Talkin’Bout a Revolution,”  a sentiment that is just as relevant today.

McDell, who is now 30 started her career at 16, was signed by EMI, and went on to achieve Gold Album sales and receive multiple New Zealand Music Award nominations. She abandoned her major label roots to pursue music that was closer to her heart and began writing and recording in Nashville.  In March 2017 Jamie made a trip to Nashville, looking for a change of scenery and to connect with the environment that birthed much of the music throughout her youth. It’s here she wrote the songs that would make up the fabric for her third record “Extraordinary Girl”. She met with expat Australian producer Nash Chambers for coffee one day and decided they shared the same musical values. Not long after that meeting McDell arranged to fund her first independent record Extraordinary Girl, which was recorded over the space of two days at House of Blues studio in Nashville. She then returned home for the albums’ release, promotion, and supporting tours throughout New Zealand and Australia.

After opening a US tour for Robert Ellis (Texas Piano Man) in early 2020, she would then visit Nashville once again, team with Chambers in his eastside studio and gather the amazing musical talents of Dan Dugmore, Jedd Hughes, Dennis Crouch, Shawn Fichter, Jerry Roe, Jimmy Wallace, Tony Lucido and Ross Holmes, along with guests such as the McCrary Sisters, Robert Ellis, Erin Rae, and Tom Busby (Busby Marou). Her self-titled album, released in 2022, contains some of McDell’s most brutally honest writing and performances, while the production takes the listener on a modern journey through 70s folk and country blended with a healthy dose of roots and rock. This record became Jamie’s fourth full-length release that was praised by Americana UK noting her ‘“superb storytelling,”  Twangville stating that ‘McDell writes with an enticing mix of strength and vulnerability,” and Holler Country drawing comparison to “Patty Griffin’s grit and The Chicks commanding vocal strength.”

McDell will be playing select shows in the U.S. to promote the EP including the Moccasin Creek Festival and a show in Chicago with Adeem the Artist.

TOUR DATES

June 21 - The Station Inn, Nashville, TN

June 22 - Old Town School of Folk Music w/ Adeem the Artist, Chicago, IL 

June 23 - Moccasin Creek Festival, Effingham, IL 

June 30 - House Concert, Houston, TX  

CONNECT WITH JAMIE MCDELL

 Website | Instagram |Twitter | Facebook | Youtube | Spotify

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

LOS ANGELES BAND CALLING CADENCE DEBUT LUSH, DESERT-TRAVERSING MUSIC VIDEO FOR THEIR BREAKOUT SINGLE “ROSIE”

FROM ACCLAIMED SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM VIA THE ROCKING MAGPIE

“Rosie”: WATCH

LOS ANGELES, CA - Today Los Angeles based band Calling Cadence have released the lushly cinematic music video for their hit single “Rosie,” originally released on the band’s critically-acclaimed 2022 self-titled debut via hi-res records. Premiering on The Rocking Magpie and directed by Aaron Eisenberg of Sound + Video Co, the video finds Calling Cadence’s Oscar Bugarin and Rae Cole traversing the desert countryside in a pickup truck, complete with picturesque shots of Yucca Valley, CA. The song is about trying to stick it out and work through the difficulties of a relationship, as well as a free-spirited woman who can’t be tied down. The group’s harmonies find inspiration from the timeless American Soul and Americana spirit that shined throughout the group’s self-titled debut. 

“Cause all that we got / Is just fight or flight” sings Calling Cadence’s Oscar Bugarin, whose guitar “Rosie” served as the inspiration behind the song’s title. Sleek harmonies and gorgeous keys harken back to the classic heart-on-your sleeve confessionalism of classic American soul and Americana songwriting. “I love my strong-willed, free-spirited ladies. This song goes out to them, may they fly away from whatever doesn’t serve them,” says Calling Cadence’s Rae Cole. Ultimately, free spirits can’t be contained, and the narrator is left to put the pieces together.

“Rosie” has earned early support from numerous radio stations and outlets including  Amazing Radio UK/US and Nashville’s WMOT who featured the band on their Finally Friday  sessions and their Wired In Live Series.  The release of the music video coincides with a special Record Store Day discount on the group’s 2022 self-titled debut album. Through the end of April fans can purchase a 23% discounted vinyl record from the group's website using the CCRSD23 discount code at checkout.

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.

The band will be performing at Sam's Place in Ojai, CA on April 27th, Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, CA on May 19th, and Topanga Days Music Festival on May 29th in Topanga, CA. 

KEEP UP WITH CALLING CADENCE

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ISAAC WATTERS LOOKS TO THE STARS ON NEW SINGLE “ALL I NEED” VIA hi-res records

“Blending unique sounds with deep and sometimes haunting lyrics, Watters conjures up a new perspective for listeners and burgeoning artists.” - Los Angeleno

“Watters has been dipping his toes in assorted genres over the years, but he seems to rest most comfortably along the mesmerizing continuum between minimalist folk and moody theatricality.” - Magnet Magazine

“Isaac Watters, too, poignantly connects with his past on the typically immersive “Child in the Rain,” - Buzzbands LA

“...it’s hooked me, line and sinker. ‘Everywhere I go, I leave a little sadness,’ sung in the vein of Wolf Parade’s wobbly warbles? Take my money.” - Monster Children

“The result is a collection of songs (with more to come) that reflect different shadows of Watters’ LA life, but also process fears and anxieties about the natural world, climate change, and apocalypse that’s very much “in the air” for the artist.” Glide Magazine

“Extended Play 001 offers a first full glimpse of his restless and idiosyncratic artistic impulses, with tracks diverting towards minimalist art pop, funky indie rock, and off-kilter balladry… the EP closes off with “Sliding,” a slinking and smoky effort carried by bass-driven grooves and Watters’ decadent vocal melodies.” - Under The Radar

Watters has the ability to connect on a higher level, and his work signifies his sincere way with words, his adeptness at creating moments of innocence, and the way his music reverberates. All of this while at the same time not being raucous.” - The Review Geek

“All I Need”: LISTEN / WATCH

LOS ANGELES, CA - Today Los Angeles based artist Isaac Watters released “All I Need” via hi-res records. It’s a stunning widescreen rumination on loneliness that pairs Watters’ signature pensiveness with gorgeous shimmering guitar sonics. “This is all I need / A cup of coffee on a mountain top / A cabin tucked into a cleft of rock / An empty notebook and a stone flowing ink,” sings Watters atop of a steady-paced groove and drum section, perfect to soundtrack a dusty desert montage. 

Subtly soaring galactic synths recall the scene that Watters took in at a cabin in the desert just outside Joshua Tree, CA, where a panoramic vision of the vast desert landscape inspired a prolonged look up to the stars. “I began to imagine being in outer space, floating away from the surface of our planet, and towards the farthest reaches of the universe,” says Watters. “It felt like a metaphor for the internal loneliness we all share, the farther we go inside ourselves mirrored only by the great expanse outside of us.”

It also got him thinking about Michael Collins, the astronaut that went around the dark side of the moon during the moon landing while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were down on the surface. A New York Times article (see more below) Watters cites as inspiration draws clear parallels to “All I Need.”

“I am still here up on the mountain / Been tryin’ for years to come down / See the dust kick up in the distance / I hope that it's you coming round,'' wails Watters as the resonance in his voice underscores the isolation and wanting of that human connection. There's a through line between self and surroundings throughout Watters’ music, a constant conversation between the landscape, the forces that shape it, and the inhabitants who call it home. "All I Need" finds Watters considering his own place in the universe, and the perpetual perseverance of loneliness in an ever-changing world.

Watters found a partnership in the label, and in producer/engineer Matt Linesch, whose analog-first approach to recording and production perfectly encapsulates and supports the warmth of Watters’ artistic vision and songwriting approach.

The music video was directed by Aaron Eisenberg  of Sound + Video Co. and filmed in Pipes Canyon in Yucca Valley, CA. Avid cinephiles and fans of the 1984 film Paris, Texas may recognize a nod to Harry Dean Stanton’s character in Watters’ attire, performance, and march through the desert. The relationship between sight and sound has always shown itself in Watters’ work. Trained as an architect, Watters began his career working for legendary Frank Gehry and recently contributed his expertise as a set designer on the films Don’t Worry Darling, Boston Strangler, and many others. 

Watters will be performing in Los Angeles at Club Tee Gee on April 24th and May 22nd. 

New York Times Michael Collins Interview for reference for “All I Need"

“For half a century, Michael Collins has been answering variations of the same question asked by reporters, he says:

“Mr. Collins, weren’t you the loneliest man in the whole lonely history of this lonely planet by your lonely self behind the lonely moon in this lonely orbit? Weren’t you terribly lonely?” he mused.

“I had this beautiful little domain,” Mr. Collins said. “It was all mine. I was the emperor, the captain of it, and it was quite commodious. I had warm coffee, even.”  

Photo by Robbie Jeffers

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The She Rocks Awards Turns It Up To 11 Celebratory Night of Music, Celebration and Camaraderie

Top Photo L to R: Lisa S. Johnson,  Michelle Bell,  Shelly Peiken, Mary Spender, Noelle Scaggs, Katherine Wing, Judy Collins, Gretchen Menn, Stacey Ryan, Helen Culleton,  WiMN Founder Laura Whitmore (photos courtesy of Kevin Graft)

Anaheim, CA, April 14, 2023– The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN) turned it up at the 11th annual She Rocks Awards at The Ranch in Anaheim, CA. It was a night celebrating music, creativity and honoring the careers and accomplishments of a diverse and inspiring group of women representing all areas of the music industry. The night kicked off with a set from the Juno Award-Winning Toronto-based band The Beaches and opening remarks from the founder of the Women’s International Music Network and She Rocks co-producer Laura Whitmore. 

The night proceeded with Legend Award honoree Judy Collins, quoting Mae West in her acceptance speech and leading the entire room in a show stopping a capella version of ”Amazing Grace.”

GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum hit songwriter and “Dreaming Out Loud” Honoree Shelly Peiken encouraged the crowd “to not be afraid to grow up.” “I’m just finding my time at this point in my career,” said Peiken. “And there are many more adventures ahead. It’s truly an honor to be in the company of giants past, present and future.” 

Powerhouse Honoree Noelle Scaggs, of Fitz & the Tantrums spoke on her inspiration for starting the organization Diversify the Stage, “I wanted young people to feel like they had a place in the industry,” said Scaggs.  “It’s incredible to see our community standing up in ways I never got to see growing up; women are in greater positions of power to build new ways of thinking and actions that are truly moving the needle and bringing confidence to young people who may have felt they didn’t have a place here, or that the glass ceiling could never be broken.  It’s important that young people, see their reflections in this industry, to have people who share their identities, who have a familiar journey,  this is what the DTS mission is, ensuring no human will ever feel dis-included in this space, because they see their reflections, in front and behind the scenes. “

Champion Award honoree, COO of the School of Rock Stacey Ryan, spoke about the work needed to be done to elevate more women into executive positions, and the importance of organizations like the Women’s International Music Network, for mentoring young up and coming women in the music industry. Her award acceptance was followed by a show stopping performance by an all female School of Rock Band performing En Vogue’s anti-prejudice anthem “Free Your Mind.”

The night culminated with a performance from acclaimed powerhouse guitarist and She Rocks Inspire Award recipient Gretchen Menn, who led her band in an original song followed by a show-stopping rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” with fellow Zepparella member Holly West on bass and stunning lead vocals helmed by guest Laura Clapp.

Pictured: Gretchen Menn, Laura Clapp, Holly West. Cr. Kevin Graft

The 11th Annual 2023 She Rocks Awards Honorees:

  • “Legend Award” Judy Collins - Platinum-selling singer/songwriter icon whose landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame

  • “Powerhouse Award” Noelle Scaggs - Co-frontperson for multi-platinum band, Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage

  • “Dreaming Out Loud Award” Shelly Peiken - GRAMMY-nominated, chart-topping hit songwriter

  • “Tone Setter Award” Mary Spender - guitarist, singer, songwriter and Youtube star

  • “Mad Skills Award” Michelle Bell - VP of Creative for Roc Nation

  • “Vision Award” Lisa S. Johnson - photographer and author of 108 Rock Star Guitars and Immortal Axes

  • “Groundbreaker Award” Katherine Wing - VP of Marketing for Roland, drummer

  • “Champion Award” Stacey Ryan - Chief Operating Officer for School of Rock

  • “Excellence Award” Helen Culleton - Chief Operating Officer for Audiotonix

  • “Inspire Award” Gretchen Menn - guitarist and founding member of Zepparella

  • “Heart and Soul” Brad Tolinski - a surprise honor for this former Guitar World editor and book author

The 2023 She Rocks Awards was sponsored by Positive Grid, Sweetwater, PRS Guitars, Reverb.com, Monster Energy, Shure, Roland, Martin Guitar, Berklee College of Music, D’Addario, D’Angelico, DiGiCo, dw Drums, Earthquaker Devices, Exploration.io, Fishman, Hit Like a Girl, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Korg, MAC Cosmetics, Manley Labs, RafterMarsh, NAMM, Seymour Duncan, Sennheiser, Taylor, WRiiG, AXS TV, Music Connection and Guitar Girl Magazine. For information regarding She Rocks Awards sponsorship opportunities, please contact info@thewimn.com.

About the She Rocks Awards

The She Rocks Awards pays tribute to women who have displayed leadership, excellence and  whose work has had an impact on making the music and audio industry more inclusive.  It has become the event to attend the NAMM Show. Previous award recipients include: Melissa Etheridge, Pat Benatar, Gloria Gaynor, The B-52s, Suzi Quatro, Colbie Caillat, Sheila E, Chaka Khan, Ronnie Spector, Orianthi, Lisa Loeb, The Bangles, the Go-Go’s, Cherie Currie of the Runaways, Meredith Brooks, Cindy Blackman Santana, Margaret Cho, Amy Lee, Linda Perry, Dionne Warwick  and many more, plus a collection of leaders and innovators  from all walks of the music and audio industries.

About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)

Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women who work within all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. The Women’s International Music Network produces the She Rocks podcast, the LIVE: Front & Center web series, WiMN She Rocks Spotlight Showcase Series and the She Rocks Awards, and is founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore. For more information, visit www.thewimn.com.

LOS ANGELES ROCKER + GIBSON GUITARS’ ARTIST DEVON THOMPSON RELEASES HER “NAPOLEON” SINGLE

“This artist channels elements of classic rock, with a modern flair, and a twist of vibrant personality to make songs like this shine. - Chorus FM

"Smart and seductive the track captures the power of anthemic rock with a passion that seeps through the speakers, sounding both retro and modern at the same time." - We All Want Someone to Shout For

“A raw, driving rocker.”   - Buzzbands LA

“The driving guitar track is the snarling sound of a young woman discovering who she is.” - She Makes Music

"Thompson’s charisma and guitar bravado have drawn comparisons to PJ Harvey, but she’s too much of a rock scholar to ever get pigeonholed.” - Beats Per Minute

"Devon's voice exists between self aware breathiness and full throated howls with emotional grit underneath all the while and I thought of artists like PJ Harvey, Sarah Bettens, Johnette Napolitano." - American Pancake

“A Blistering new song about unreturned affection…" - V13

“NAPOLEON”: LISTEN HERE

Wielding her Gibson Epiphone guitar, a sharp tongue and loads of female defiance, Los Angeles artist Devon Thompson has unleashed her newest single “Napoleon” out today worldwide on all digital platforms. “‘Napoleon’ is   an ode to blocking toxic, soul-sucking people from your life, " Thompson told V13 Magazine . “ It’s that ‘final straw”’before hexing an unrequited love. The song came together fast and hard, as if it was ready to be written. The pieces of the song came together with passionate ease. The recording itself was done live, and it was an electrifying process.”

“Napoleon '' follows the fiery single “Soft Like Water,”  that is the snarling sound of a young woman discovering who she is. These new songs made their live debut on an East Coast tour last month, which was followed by Thompson’s SXSW debut.  At just 21, Thompson has already managed to shed the layers of early, formative high school bands, bitter bullying from former classmates, and find her sound as a devout rock musician unfettered by the musical trends.  “I started playing rock music at a very young age,” says Thompon. “I sometimes sang pop songs, but I taught myself to play guitar when I was 12 because I liked rock. I’ve always played the guitar my whole life, I was never just a singer. I liked Fleetwood Mac and Blondie, and the music my parents were listening to. My mom would listen to music from the ‘80s, and that decade is one of my bigger influences, but the type of music that inspires me the most now didn’t click for a long time.” Thompson now cites artists like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cramps, Nancy Sinatra, Lana Del Rey, My Bloody Valentine and Jack White as newer touchstones that round out her sound. 

Graduating right out of high school into those long lockdown months during the pandemic, she further honed her nascent teenage sound by collaborating with producer James Salter (The Raveonettes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) who produced both “Napoleon” and “Soft Like Water.” Now, she’s drilled down into her strongest work as a solo star, expertly showcased in these two singles with plenty of other new material waiting in the wings. 

KEEP UP WITH DEVON

WEBSITE // TIK TOK // INSTAGRAM

Cr: Kevin Astrada

WILL DAILEY LAUNCHES HIS TEN DOLLAR SONG TOUR

FEATURING A NEW SONG EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON THE ROAD + SEASON TWO OF SOUND OF OUR TOWN PODCAST W/ DOUBLE ELVIS MEDIA + IHEART RADIO

Cr Pat Piasecki

Acclaimed independent recording artist and performer Will Dailey is hitting the road this Spring in support of his $10 Dollar Song, a project created with the intention of prioritizing human connection over algorithms and analytics. 

There is a piece of vinyl artwork of Joni Mitchell's Clouds hanging in Dailey's home studio. It’s a piece of art that originally hung in his teenage bedroom and has been with him ever since. 

Dailey’s newest song, “Cover of Clouds,” is a 7 minute long love letter to Joni Mitchell, the cover image and her reign in Dailey’s consciousness from the first time he picked up a guitar. Once the song was complete, came the daunting task of mentally preparing to put this piece of art out into an unrelenting cascade of content. The thought of sending this particular song out there - another precious work amongst thousands of precious works - relinquished to the abyss of digital platforms with a prayer felt disrespectful, and for Dailey, paralyzing. 

“Our job as artists is to stay connected and filter the world genuinely. It’s the reason why Joni persists,” says Dailey.  “But when we all crowd under the same spotlight all the time, indulging an algorithm, sometimes, love and connection gets lost. This vast and wondrous sea of content with every creator trying tastefully to beg our community to click, swipe up, binge, stream, create videos to a sound can end up drowning out the art. I wanted something different for this song.”

“Cover in the Clouds” will be traveling with Dailey on this 16 city tour. There will be an antique discman on the merch table at every tour stop with the song queued up.  Fans can pay what they like to take the discman and listen to the song before or after the show.  Accompanying the discman will be a journal with artwork, song credits and lyrics, in which listeners can, if they like, leave their name, date, place, reaction, doodles, and dreams. This will be the only way to hear and experience the song. 

A true sonic survivor, Dailey’s sound has been described as a Venn diagram of multiple genres with a rich vintage vibe that weaves through his authentic and energetic performances, with DIY spirit fueling everything he does.  He has shared the stage and studio with Eddie Vedder, Willie Nelson, Roger McGuinn, Kay Hanley, G Love, Steve Earle, and Tanya Donelly. In June of 2013 he was featured on a Stephen King/John Mellencamp project produced by T Bone Burnett called The Ghost Brothers Of Darkland County and, in that same year, also released an original song he wrote inspired by Jack Kerouac's Tristessa.  Dailey has played at Farm Aid four times alongside Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews and John Mellencamp. His 2018 album, Golden Walker, hit #1 on Billboards Northeast Heat seekers. The Boston Herald called the album: “A new peak” and named it an Album of the Year. 

As venues began opening their doors post pandemic in 2022, Dailey added another feather to his already full hat with the launch of his Double Elvis/iHeartRadio produced podcast, Sound of Our Town - that became an Apple Podcast spotlight. The show is a travel podcast about the music in the next town you visit: Not only where to go to hear and experience the best music and why; but what sounds shaped that city or town’s culture and why live music is so vital to our current moment and our existence.   

Season two of Sound of Our Town will be launching on May 11th with episodes airing in conjunction to Dailey’s tour dates.  This next season will take listeners across the country from Providence, RI to San Diego, CA with stops at some of the country’s most legendary music towns such as Detroit, Washington, DC and Seattle, in addition to hidden musical gems such as Milwaukee, WI, Portsmouth, NH and Asheville, NC. Subscribe HERE to keep up with the show. 

Will Dailey’s 10 Dollar Song Tour

4/06 Club 321 – Worcester, MA

4/07 Firehouse - Newburyport, MA

4/19 Rockwood Stage 2 - NYC, NY

4/20 Danny Clinch Gallery - Asbury Park, NJ

4/21 City Winery (opening for Verve Pipe), Philadelphia, PA #

4/22   Cafe 9 - New Haven, CT

4/28 Portsmouth Music Hall Lounge – Portsmouth, NH

5/03  Hart Theatre at the Egg (opening for the Wallflowers) - Albany, NY*

5/05  The Cabot (opening for the Wallflowers) – Beverly, MA *

5/11 One Longfellow Square – Portland, ME

5/12 Tourists - North Adams, MA

5/13 Askew (opening for Rhett Miller) - Providence, RI

5/24 Gear Fest, Fort Wayne, IN

5/25 Fitzgerald’s – Berwyn, MA

5/27 Kiki’s House of Righteous Music – Madison, WI

5/28 Anodyne -  Milwaukee, WI

# supporting the Verve Pipe

* supporting the Wallflowers

^ supporting Rhett Miller

KEEP UP WITH WILL DAILEY

Website //  Facebook // Instagram // Twitter: // Spotify // Youtube 

Guitarist Gretchen Menn to be Honored at the 11th Annual She Rocks Awards

Stellar guitarist joins lineup of honorees that include Judy Collins, Noelle Scaggs (Fitz and the Tantrums), hit songwriter Shelly Peiken and more at live event on April 13, 2023 in Anaheim, CA.

VIP Tickets Packages On Sale Now, HERE

Photo of Gretchen Menn by Larry DiMarzio

(photos courtesy of She Rocks)

Anaheim, CA, March 20, 2023– The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN) is proud they will honor guitarist Gretchen Menn at the 11th annual She Rocks Awards. The event celebrates and honors female artists, industry executives and media personalities throughout the music landscape.

Gretchen Menn is the guitarist and a founding member of Zepparella, the acclaimed Led Zeppelin powerhouse, and has performed as a solo artist throughout the U.S. and in guitar festivals in Switzerland and Germany. Her first solo album, Hale Souls (2011) is an offering of original, instrumental works. Her second release, Abandon All Hope (2016) blends modern and classical instruments in intricate, cinematic compositions that evoke a musical journey through Dante’s underworld. She is currently working on a third solo album. 

Gretchen  joins the recently announced distinguished honorees for the 2023 She Rocks Awards: Iconic singer Judy Collins, Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage, guitarist Mary Spender, hit songwriter Shelly Peiken, and others.  

“Being honored with the Inspire Award means the world to me. If I have encouraged or inspired anyone along their musical paths, I consider that a huge achievement,” Gretchen shares.

The 11th Annual She Rocks Awards ceremony will take place at 6:30 pm PT on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at The Ranch in Anaheim, California, and will be streamed live. The event will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual components, including a live red carpet and an online silent auction. Sign up here for a link to watch.

This high-energy evening will include live music performances, awards and speeches, celebrity appearances, and much more. A VIP gift box  is also available — the ultimate She Rocks experience for those viewing the livestream from home—including gifts from PRS Guitars, Monster Energy, Sennheiser, Cuccio, Earthquaker Devices and many others, valued at over $250. All packages and tickets are available for order now here.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards full roster of honorees include:

  • Judy Collins - Platinum-selling singer/songwriter icon whose landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame

  • Noelle Scaggs - Co-frontperson for multi-platinum band, Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage

  • Gretchen Menn - guitarist and member of Zepparella

  • Shelly Peiken - GRAMMY-nominated, chart-topping hit songwriter

  • Mary Spender - guitarist, singer, songwriter and Youtube star

  • Michelle Bell - VP of Creative for Roc Nation

  • Lisa S. Johnson - photographer and author of 108 Rock Star Guitars and Immortal Axes

  • Katherine Wing - VP of Marketing for Roland, drummer

  • Stacey Ryan - Chief Operating Officer for School of Rock

  • Helen Culleton - Chief Operating Officer for Audiotonix

Hosted by PRS Guitars, this year’s opening performer will be Canada’s own Juno award-winning alternative act, The Beaches. Their latest single, "Grow Up Tomorrow," spent 7+ weeks at Number 1 on Alternative Radio, and Elton John described their last album as “The best rock album of last year.” 

This year’s event is co-hosted by former She Rocks Awards honoree Lisa Foxx, radio host for myFM and iHeartRadio, and Aijia Grammer, LA-based, pop songwriter, vocal producer and musician.

The She Rocks Awards pays tribute to women who have displayed leadership, excellence and  whose work has had an impact on making the music and audio industry more inclusive.  It has become the event to attend the NAMM Show. Previous award recipients include: Melissa Etheridge, Pat Benatar, Gloria Gaynor, The B-52s, Suzi Quatro, Colbie Caillat, Sheila E, Chaka Khan, Ronnie Spector, Orianthi, Lisa Loeb, The Bangles, the Go-Go’s, Cherie Currie of the Runaways, Meredith Brooks, Cindy Blackman Santana, Margaret Cho, Amy Lee, Linda Perry, Dionne Warwick  and many more, plus a collection of leaders and innovators  from all walks of the music and audio industries.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards is sponsored by Positive Grid, Sweetwater, PRS Guitars, Reverb.com, Monster Energy, Shure, Roland, Martin Guitar, Berklee College of Music, D’Addario, D’Angelico, DiGiCo, dw Drums, DiGiCo, Earthquaker Devices, Fishman, Hit Like a Girl, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Korg, MAC Cosmetics, Manley Labs, NAMM, Sennheiser, Taylor, WRiiG, AXS TV, Music Connection and Guitar Girl Magazine. For information regarding She Rocks Awards sponsorship opportunities, please contact info@thewimn.com.

Learn more about the She Rocks Awards, purchase tickets, and find out how to watch the livestream the evening of the awards at sherocksawards.com.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards virtual press conference with the honorees and presenters in attendance will take place on Wednesday March 22nd at 11am PT. Media can register to attend the press conference HERE. 

About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)

Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women who work within all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. The Women’s International Music Network produces the She Rocks podcast, the LIVE: Front & Center web series, WiMN She Rocks Spotlight Showcase Series and the She Rocks Awards, and is founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore. For more information, visit www.thewimn.com.

Mary Spender, Shelly Peiken, Judy Collins, Noelle Scaggs and more to be Honored at the 11th Annual She Rocks Awards

The 2023 Awards co-hosted by Lisa Foxx (iHeartRadio & MyFM) and Aijia Grammer (Singer/Songwriter & producer); Opening act: The Beaches

VIP Tickets Packages On Sale Now, HERE

Top Photo L to R:  Mary Spender, Noelle Scaggs, Judy Collins, Shelly Peiken, Stacey Ryan, Lisa S. Johnson, Michelle Bell, Katherine Wing, Helen Culleton, Hosts: Lisa Foxx, Aijia Grammer, Opening Act: The Beaches

(photos courtesy of She Rocks)

Anaheim, CA, March 13, 2023– The Women’s International Music Network (the WiMN) is proud to announce honorees singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation Mary Spender, Michelle Bell (Roc Nation), Katherine Wing (Roland), Stacey Ryan (School of Rock), Lisa S. Johnson (108 Rock Star Guitars), Helen Culleton (Audiotonix), for its 11th annual She Rocks Awards celebrating and honoring female artists, industry executives and media personalities throughout the music landscape.

These women  join the recently announced distinguished honorees for the 2023 She Rocks Awards: Iconic singer Judy Collins, Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage, and hit songwriter Shelly Peiken.  “During International Women’s Month, I like to give thanks to organizations like THE SHE ROCKS AWARDS who highlight women excelling in the music industry today and every day,” says Judy Collins. “I have been a working musician for over six decades and I know first hand how important supporting women in music is. It's vital to our creativity and our economic growth. It's a great honor to be part of the group of talented women being honored on April 13.”

The 11th Annual She Rocks Awards ceremony will take place at 6:30 pm PT on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at The Ranch in Anaheim, California, and will be streamed live. The event will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual components, including a live red carpet and an online silent auction. Sign up here for a link to watch.

This high-energy evening will include live music performances, awards and speeches, celebrity appearances, and much more. A VIP gift box  is also available — the ultimate She Rocks experience for those viewing the livestream from home—including gifts from PRS Guitars, Monster Energy, Sennheiser, Cuccio, Earthquaker Devices and many others, valued at over $250. All packages and tickets are available for order now here.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards recipients include:

  • Judy Collins - Platinum-selling singer/songwriter icon whose landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame

  • Noelle Scaggs - Co-frontperson for multi-platinum band, Fitz and the Tantrums and founder of Diversify the Stage

  • Shelly Peiken - GRAMMY-nominated, chart-topping hit songwriter

  • Mary Spender - guitarist, singer, songwriter and Youtube star

  • Michelle Bell - VP of Creative for Roc Nation

  • Lisa S. Johnson - photographer and author of 108 Rock Star Guitars and Immortal Axes

  • Katherine Wing - VP of Marketing for Roland, drummer

  • Stacey Ryan - Chief Operating Officer for School of Rock

  • Helen Culleton - Chief Operating Officer for Audiotonix 

Hosted by PRS Guitars, this year’s opening performer will be Canada’s own Juno award-winning alternative act, The Beaches. Their latest single, "Grow Up Tomorrow," spent 7+ weeks at Number 1 on Alternative Radio, and Elton John described their last album as “The best rock album of last year.”

This year’s event is co-hosted by former She Rocks Awards honoree Lisa Foxx, radio host for myFM and iHeartRadio, and Aijia Grammer, LA-based, pop songwriter, vocal producer and musician.

The She Rocks Awards pays tribute to women who have displayed leadership, excellence and  whose work has had an impact on making the music and audio industry more inclusive.  It has become the event to attend the NAMM Show. Previous award recipients include: Melissa Etheridge, Pat Benatar, Gloria Gaynor, The B-52s, Suzi Quatro, Colbie Caillat, Sheila E, Chaka Khan, Ronnie Spector, Orianthi, Lisa Loeb, The Bangles, the Go-Go’s, Cherie Currie of the Runaways, Meredith Brooks, Cindy Blackman Santana, Margaret Cho, Amy Lee, Linda Perry, Dionne Warwick  and many more, plus a collection of leaders and innovators  from all walks of the music and audio industries.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards is sponsored by Positive Grid, Sweetwater, PRS Guitars, Reverb.com, Monster Energy, Shure, Roland, Martin Guitar, Berklee College of Music, D’Addario, D’Angelico, DiGiCo, dw Drums, DiGiCo, Earthquaker Devices, Fishman, Hit Like a Girl, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Korg, MAC Cosmetics, Manley Labs, NAMM, Sennheiser, Taylor, WRiiG, AXS TV, Music Connection and Guitar Girl Magazine. For information regarding She Rocks Awards sponsorship opportunities, please contact info@thewimn.com.

Learn more about the She Rocks Awards, purchase tickets, and find out how to watch the livestream the evening of the awards at sherocksawards.com.

The 2023 She Rocks Awards virtual press conference with the honorees and presenters in attendance will take place on Wednesday March 22nd at 11am PT. Media can register to attend the press conference HERE. 

About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)

Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women who work within all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. The Women’s International Music Network produces the She Rocks podcast, the LIVE: Front & Center web series, WiMN She Rocks Spotlight Showcase Series and the She Rocks Awards, and is founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore. For more information, visit www.thewimn.com.

SPEELBURG EXTENDS AN “INVITATION” INTO THE WILD ABANDON WITH HIS CHAOTIC AND LIVELY NEW SINGLE 

LISTEN TO “INVITATION”:  HERE

The UK-based Belgium-American multi-hyphenated creative Speelburg has released his latest single, "Invitation" out today on his own Sophomore Slump records. This song follows the singles “Be Yourself”  and “I’m Back,” released earlier this year. 

“Invitation,” is a fast-paced celebration of youth, with a flavor of the exquisite vibrancy of the early aughts indie rock, that sees Speelburg working with his longtime collaborator mix engineer Joe Visciano (Action Bronson, Beck, Doja Cat, Joy Again, Wet et) as well as string arranger and composer Haydn Wynn (Calathea Quartet, Catherine Called Birdy Soundtrack). 

According to Noah Sacré, the mastermind behind Speelburg “the song is like being in the eye of a hurricane watching it all fly by via loud explosive trumpets and a galloping string section to achieve something beautiful, chaotic and fun.”

No Speelburg release would be complete without a visual component, directed and produced by Sacré featuring his signature wit and sharp sense of humor.   In addition to music,  Sacré has a burgeoning career as a director and animator.  The videos for the past three single releases are essentially the same video with small subtle changes to the background and the actors' wardrobe. They were created to have the same effect as looking at a series of paintings in a gallery.  “I’m trying to get to a point where the videos are so absent of any kind of narrative and so performance-based, that it’s all style and emotion and no story, " says Sacré. “ And really what I want is for it to be like you’re watching a 720p CAM version of 2O1: A Space Odyssey overdubbed with the audio from Beavis & Butthead: Do America.”

Speelburg has amassed over 11 million total streams from previous releases, including his 2020 debut full-length album Porsche and most recent single “I’m Back” which was featured in a spot for  Jimmy Kimmel.  Speelburg splits his time between the UK and Los Angeles and has received accolades and support from Noisey, Ones To Watch, The Line of Best Fit, Pigeons & Planes, Clash Magazine, SPIN, American Songwriter, BBC Radio 1, Sirius XM, Los Angeles’ KCRW, Chicago’s WTMX and more. His music has been used by global brands such as FIFA, Samsung, and Google Pixel and featured on FoxSports, MatchOfTheDay, Channel 4 UK, and more. Speelburg is signed to Sony Music Publishing where he has worked with Danny Burke, Adam Lambert, Cautious Clay, Gnash, Ben H Allen, Nat Motte, Brian West, and more.  His innovation as a visual artist and unique approach to filmmaking has made him a sought-after director, directing videos for artists such as John Legend and the National. This month Speelburg is supporting Magic Giant at Venice West in Los Angeles on March 11 and at the Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona  on March 14.

KEEP UP WITH SPEELBURG

FRANCES LUKE ACCORD RELEASE NEW LP SAFE IN SOUND VIA TWO-DALE RECORDS/TONE TREE MUSIC

ALBUM RELEASE TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

“...a captivating, immersive folk experience" - Atwood Magazine 

"Delivered over an ethereal combination of strings and percussion...culminates with the bold realization of how precious life is and how it shouldn’t be taken for granted." - Blue Ridge Outdoors

"Beautiful" - RIFF Magazine 

"What could be better than to be Frances Luke Accord...and gaining routine comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel for their sweetly blended vocals?  Their music certainly draws on that earlier duo’s sometime wistful strain" - Americana-UK 

"...a dreamlike piece of folk music that brings me joy with every listen. It’s a real treat." - Ear To The Ground 

“...immaculately harmonized folk music that feels like a warm, comforting blanket being wrapped around you, even at their most experimental. It’s impossible not to feel safe listening to these acoustic hymns written for all seasons.” - The Indy Review 

"...a bright ray of folk sunshine"  - East of 8th 

"...the voices of Gunty and Powers together effortlessly pulls listeners in with an urge to hear the story being told." - Music Mecca 

"...beautiful folk classicalism" - American Pancake 

"Captivating" - Indie Tapes 

"...a mesmerizing sense of complexity here that pushes beyond simple vintage-folk comparisons into a modern world informed by Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, and many others. The music of Frances Luke Accord offers a bridge between a classic era of folk-inspired pop and the current day." - CHILLFILTR 

"With melodic cues known to Simon and Garfunkel and an indie sensibility known to Sufjan Stevens…an intoxicating offering in the world of indie folk.  Poetically vibrant and slightly abstract, the duo is dreamy." - The Wild Is Calling

LISTEN: SAFE IN SOUND 

Frances Luke Accord (“FLA”) has released their new LP Safe In Sound via Two-Dale Records/Tone Tree Music. Safe In Sound is a spacious and deeply textured indie-folk record about forging on in the face of uncertainty. Brimming with sing-along earworms that deliver a front-and-center view of the band’s signature ethereal harmonies, the album features guest appearances from Darlingside, Liz Chidester, and more. Recorded largely through quarantine, its lyrics often reflect the exasperation of artists struggling to hang on through the storm.

Drawing frequent comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel, Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver, and other iconic folk artisans, FLA’s Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers create a delicate magic that commands the room to attention. Their work is what NPR’s Mountain Stage has called “the definition of lean-in music” – from deeply contemplative to playfully sentimental, each song bears a timeless quality, honoring the past while moving gracefully into the present.

WATCH: “IN MY LIFE (ft. Darlingside)”

Both raised in South Bend, Indiana, Gunty and Powers met and began performing together during their time at the University of Notre Dame. Their first release, Kandote, was a bold intercultural collaboration with the Barefoot Truth Children’s Choir in Uganda, a not-for-profit effort that continues to support the choir to this day.

Relocating to Chicago in 2013, the duo honed their songwriting craft while releasing two more self-produced EPs, laying the groundwork for their breakthrough debut full-length, Fluke, in 2016. This immersive, philosophically rich album set them off on their first national tour, which included support dates with Darlingside, Anaïs Mitchell, and The Ballroom Thieves.

A remote band since 2017, the duo’s DIY ethos has remained strong since Fluke. Still self-managing and producing, the duo has released two more EPs, Silver & Gold (2019) and Sunnyside (2021)–the latter under their new label, Two-Dale Records–as well as a number of singles.

Safe In Sound is available for streaming on all platforms and for purchase at Bandcamp and on their website. The band has announced a run of tour dates to celebrate the album’s release, listed below. Be sure to follow them at the links below for the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES:

3/29 - Cambridge, MA @  Club Passim

3/30 - New York City, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall

4/2 - Alexandria, VA @ Sevareid House

5/3 - Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark ^

5/4 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Midtown ^

5/5 - South Bend, IN @ First Unitarian Church ^

5/6 - Jackson, MI @ Jackson Symphony Orchestra ^

5/7 - Wakeman, OH @ Riverdog ^

^ w/ violinist Katie Van Dusen

CONNECT WITH FRANCES LUKE ACCORD:

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THUNDERSTORM ARTIS PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “SURPRISE” VIA PEOPLE MAGAZINE

Photo credit: Casi Yost

LISTEN: “SURPRISE” 

Portland-based, Oahu-bred, singer-songwriter Thunderstorm Artis has released a new single, “Surprise.” “Thunderstorm Artis hasn’t always been a fan of love,” said PEOPLE in the song’s premiere. “Growing up, the Hawaii native watched as the people around him entered relationships for the wrong reasons, often resulting in a whole bunch of heartbreak. And through the years, Artis had begun to consider the idea of love as just a big waste of time.” “I didn't feel the need to open myself up emotionally to someone because I was so afraid of being hurt," Artis told PEOPLE. "And I just didn't want to date anyone, you know? Unless I thought I was going to get married, I didn't see the need for it."

But then, he met his soulmate, and four months later, they were married." My wife Faith first came into my life right when I had just done my blind audition for The Voice," he said. "We met randomly at a concert. At the time, I didn't think that true love really existed. And to my surprise, she came into my life and tore down a lot of these walls." “Surprise,” which Artis wrote in Nashville with Gabe Simon and Elsa Curran, was inspired by their “crazy, insane” love story.

Artis, the second runner-up on season 18 of The Voice, is known for making music that strengthens the heart and awakens the soul. “Surprise” follows the release of “Stronger,” a powerful track featured prominently in a recent episode of "Grey's Anatomy." In the last year, he’s toured with Jack Johnson, Train, and Jewel, and was recently added to the BottleRock 2023 lineup. 

LISTEN: “STRONGER” 

Born into an exceptionally musical family—his father Ron was a Motown session player, while his mother Victoria toured as a backup singer for the likes of Lena Horne—Artis grew up in Oahu and started playing drums at age nine, later taking up piano, guitar, and harmonica. Although he’d dabbled in songwriting throughout his childhood, he found a whole new sense of artistic purpose after using music to cope with the sudden death of his father. Raised on everything from jazz to country to classic soul singers like Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, he immersed himself in sharpening his songcraft and soon began touring extensively with his older brother, acclaimed singer/songwriter Ron Artis II.

In bringing his latest output to life, Artis worked in Los Angeles with producers John Alagia (NEEDTOBREATHE, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real) and Jesse Siebenberg (Lissie, Blue Sky Riders) and in Nashville with producer Dan Agee (Jessie James Decker, The Cains). Spotlighting the stunning range of his voice more fully than ever before, each song matches his nuanced reflection with a newly expanded sound. “There’s been a lot of change for me over the last few years,” he says, “and this music is an embodiment of who I am now.”

For Artis, the work of writing such revelatory songs has become its own form of sustenance. “From a very young age, music has been like an anchor for me; I really don’t know where it’d be without it,” he says. “At this point, I don’t go anywhere without my guitar—because if I do, I feel like there’s a part of me that’s missing.” But for all the fulfillment he finds in songwriting, Artis always keeps an eye toward the potential impact on his audience. “I believe that artists have a responsibility to explain what they’re feeling and put it into their art so that others can understand themselves better,” he says. “So even though I hope my songs give people a better sense of who I am as a person, I also hope the music makes them feel stronger and helps them to grow. I hope it shows them how to love one another, and how to love themselves.” 

CONNECT WITH THUNDERSTORM ARTIS:

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MARK ERELLI RELEASES NEW LP LAY YOUR DARKNESS DOWN VIA SOUNDLY MUSIC

NEW TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

"...an excellent offering by any measure, informed as always by the intelligence, instincts, and emotions that have served him so well in the past. For those familiar with his previous offerings, that won’t come as any surprise. But for those that have yet to acquaint themselves with his work, it’s an excellent place to begin." - American Songwriter 

“Losing his vision has opened Mark Erelli’s eyes” - The Boston Globe 

"With his warm, Tom Petty-inflected voice and honest songwriting, Erelli navigates this tricky new terrain with graceful contemplation and resilience." - No Depression

"...an introspective collection of narrative poems. It’s clear that Erelli put his heart into this album…While it may have been emotionally purgative for him, it could easily be an emotional balm for the listener to hear the messages contained in these songs." - Americana Highways

“…one of the best showcases of Erelli’s impressive range as a singer.” - Glide Magazine

"...a musical exploration about finding hope and optimism in the midst of despair." - Twangville

"Epic" - Americana-UK

“Equal parts rootsy Americana and old-school rock, it’s a record loaded with raw emotion and steadfast truthfulness." - Lonesome Highway

"Bristling with energy and authenticity…brimming with good will and good intentions despite dealing with some [of] the bleakest news he could possibly receive. His ability to transform those moments into something positive goes to the heart of an artist who knows that challenges create opportunities." - For Folk’s Sake

"Stirring" - Ghettoblaster Magazine

“With his soulful voice and provocative lyrics, Erelli balances the grittiness of rock music with the tenderness of folk and Americana.”  - Music Mecca

“…Erelli uses his considerable talent to create a tightly integrated project that could be considered a musical suite…exploring different aspects of his acceptance and healing processes.” - Wild Mercury Rhythm

LISTEN: LAY YOUR DARKNESS DOWN

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Mark Erelli has released his new album, Lay Your Darkness Down, today via Soundly Music. Erelli created the powerful LP in the wake of being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (“RP”) – a devastating, degenerative eye disease that leads to blindness.

Unmoored, he was compelled to make music, but going to a lowly-lit recording studio was not a safe option anymore. “Erelli has been at it for more than 25 years, but Lay Your Darkness Down represents a significant shift in how he makes a record,” said No Depression in a recent interview. “When he realized RP would undoubtedly affect the usual recording process – putting him in an unfamiliar space with lots of knobs and expensive gear – he reevaluated.” Instead, he began to experiment with a recording style inspired by ELO’s Jeff Lynne, who produced artists like Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, mapping each instrument’s part and then recording them individually.

Eventually, he began to focus more on the emotional impact of what the songs were trying to tell him: Use adversity to fuel hope and creativity. Hold on to a child-like sense of wonder. Focus on the present moment before it flies by unwitnessed. Acknowledge and move past the fear of the toll RP might take on his roles as a husband and father.

Anxious and agitated when thinking of his impending loss of independence, Erelli recalled a conversation with Joe Henry, the famously philosophical singer-songwriter/record producer who told him that an artist’s job is not to avoid but rather to delve into the darkness - and, with this album, that is what he has done. Now, he's on a mission to increase awareness about  RP and blindness, and to relay how important music is in processing and healing trauma.

The tracks, though decorated with references to shadows, light, and obscured vision, are about resilience, love, and the human condition - a message of hope. “In an era where pessimism seems to prevail, it’s a reminder that optimism is still worth preserving and ought not be forsaken even if it sometimes seems as if there’s no reason left to persevere,” commented American Songwriter. “With Lay Your Darkness Down, Erelli shines a light on precepts and possibilities well worth considering. In so doing, he’s made an album that shores up the strength that’s needed to be sustained.”

WATCH: “YOU”

WATCH: “YOU’RE GONNA WANNA REMEMBER THIS 

Lay Your Darkness Down is a reconciliation of life’s trials and human frailties, adversity transformed into finely-embroidered rock n’ roll, burning with urgency. “These aren’t songs about blindness. They’re songs I could only write once I realized what I was losing,” Erelli explained to The Boston Globe. “My impending blindness opened my eyes, and I was able to write from that new viewpoint.”

The album is more than a collection of affirmations and optimism in the face of despair; it is a clarion call for anyone lost in the shadows. Yet Erelli doesn’t proclaim any easy answers for how to navigate the unknown. Instead, he squarely examines question after question, reveling in mysteries both great and small. He reminds us in the title track that our deepest challenges are more than a simple test of our endurance—they ultimately help us chart our course.

“In some strange way, my disease has provided me with the chance to truly live what I sing. Sharing my diagnosis is my way of laying down my own darkness,” he says. “By making my private struggles public, maybe it helps others to see that we all have a choice. We can be overwhelmed by the shadows, or use them to show where the light is coming from. As for me, no matter what happens, I’ll forever be looking for the light.”

Lay Your Darkness Down is available to stream and download  HERE, and CDs and vinyl are available to purchase HERE. Erelli will celebrate the release with a series of tour dates, see below for a full list of shows. Be sure to follow Mark Erelli at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES

3/2 - Flying Goose Brew Pub - New London, NH

3/3 - The Music Hall Lounge - Portsmouth, NH

3/4 - Burnham Hall - Lincoln, VT

3/5 - Caffè Lena - Saratoga Springs, NY

3/8 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI

3/9 - The Bur Oak -Madison, WI

3/10 - CSPS Hall - Cedar Rapids, IA

3/11 - Stone Arch Brewpub - Appleton, WI

3/23 - Jamestown Arts Center - Jamestown, RI*

3/24 - Crystal Ballroom - Somerville, MA*

3/25 - The Parlor Room - Northampton, MA*

3/31 - Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) - NY, NY*

4/1 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA*

4/2 - Jammin Java - Vienna, VA^

* with support from Jobi Riccio

^ co-bill with Elizabeth & the Catapult

CONNECT WITH MARK ERELLI:

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ALICE HOWE UNVEILS NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “WHAT ABOUT YOU”

CIRCUMSTANCE LP SET FOR RELEASE APRIL 21

Photo credit: Jim Shea

LISTEN // WATCH “WHAT ABOUT YOU”

Los Angeles-based, Boston-bred, singer-songwriter Alice Howe has released “What About You,” the lead single and video from her forthcoming LP, Circumstance, set for release on April 21st.“ The biggest rock and roll song on the new album is What About You, with Howe’s country-soaked vocals providing a nice contrast to the driving instrumental,” said Twangville in their premiere. “It’s a nod to everyone’s deep desire to find not just a lover, but a best friend and soulmate, or as Howe says, ‘a soul connection.’ Lest you think it’s some angst-ridden anthem, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Howe keeps it playful with references from sharing a Sunday afternoon soundtrack to a lifestyle escape.”

“As you can see from the music video, ‘What About You’ has really brought out my playful side. To me, it feels like a '70s Linda Ronstadt track with a Chuck Berry guitar solo, but the lyrics have a profound message,” says Howe. “It's a song about finding a love that goes way beyond the superficial. Ultimately, it's about believing that that person is out there, looking for you and that you deserve nothing less than to find them.”

Recorded in two sessions at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where Etta James and Wilson Pickett once shook the walls, Circumstance channels their spirits with 11 stirring tracks that pull no punches diving into the vagaries of the heart and her own personal journey. As an old soul inside a 30-something millennial, Howe puts her stamp on Americana’s venerable strands with 10 standout originals evoking both the classic singer-songwriters and the seminal music that once filled airwaves, roadhouses, and juke joints.

“There is so much history there, and I did feel like there was a certain amount of pressure to deliver and be a singer,” Howe recalls of FAME Studios. “I’m in this room with Aretha Franklin and Etta James looking down on me, and it’s like that Mona Lisa thing where the eyes follow you around the room and you’re like: ‘Hi, ladies!’ Those are singers with a capital S.”

Circumstance, produced and arranged by Howe’s creative partner, Freebo, a veteran bass player and former Bonnie Raitt band member, displays her vocal prowess and introspective writing in abundance, mining both her heart and her musical tastes for a deep, personal journey across an Americana soundscape dotted with blues, folk, country, soul, and rock.

Opener “You’ve Been Away So Long,” leads with a resolution to make peace with the turmoil of the past. From there, the journey kicks into high gear with “Somebody’s New Lover Now,” its chiming guitar and Hammond B3 organ creating a perfect fusion of modern country and soul. “Love Has No Rules” features catchy opening guitar hooks, while “With You By My Side,” a serious groove with tight horns and smooth background singers that could have come from FAME’s R&B archives, soars even higher.

But there’s also quieter energy that burns just as brightly. “Let Go” calls forth pensive guitar and lilting piano to tell a tale of healing, while the atmospheric “Something Calls to Me” evokes a mist-filled bayou night and “Travelin’ Soul” serves a shot of country blues straight up. The final track, “It’s How You Hold Me,” written by Dayna Kurtz, beautifully showcases the power and range of Howe’s rich, emotive vocals.

The album is a personal, soulful nod to her influences and the music she loves, all of it sung old-school without auto-tuning. In spirit, it draws from admired singers – Alison Krauss or the 1970s Laurel Canyon circle— but its soul is pure Alice Howe.

Circumstance is available for pre-order at music.alicehowe.com/circumstance. Be sure to follow Alice Howe at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

Circumstance Track List

You’ve Been Away So Long

Somebody’s New Lover Now

Let Go

Love Has No Rules

Things I’m Not Saying

What About You

Something Calls To Me

With You By My Side

Line By Line

Traveling Soul

It’s How You Hold Me

CONNECT WITH ALICE HOWE:

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