Zayde Wølf is starting out 2020 with the second release of his “reimagined” series, “New Blood (reimagined).” The original version of "New Blood,” released in 2016 has garnered over 25 million streams, and continues to be one of Zayde Wølf's top tracks across all streaming platforms and has been heard in numerous TV shows, commercials, trailers and films.
From a historical perspective, one could say that rebellious music that doesn’t necessarily fit a certain genre or time period leaves a lasting effect on people. Think of David Bowie..or Johnny Cash…Both went against what the mainstream audiences wanted and lived on to be legends. For Miss Tess, she wants to become a legend in her own right but wants to use some of Bowie’s and Cash’s rebellious tools to do so - American Songwriter
Captivating - Billboard
Rooted in a retro groove that’s equal parts blues, mid-century rock & roll and Booker T-worthy R&B - Rolling Stone
Old-time warmth, 21st-century sass. It’s a potent recipe for that few artists successfully pull off — and Miss Tess is one of them - No Depression
A voice that recalls artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Patsy Cline and Lindi Ortega - The Boot
Soulful - Wide Open Country
Miss Tess swings, swaggers, seduces, and soothes on The Moon Is An Ashtray - Glide Magazine
This album is tremendous display of Miss Tess’s range as an artist. She bounces from soul to country to jazzy vocals with no difficulty. In fact, she makes it seem effortless - Americana Highways
An eclectic mix of country, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll - Americana-UK
Miss Tess has a musical vocabulary that continues to confound. Country, blues, rock, folk, jazz – you name it – you’ll find shades of it infused into her music…The Moon Is an Ashtray is both warm and raucous, not to mention a damn fine listen. - Twangville
LISTEN: THE MOON IS AN ASHTRAY
Nashville chanteuse Miss Tess has released her lauded new album The Moon Is An Ashtray today via Tone Tree Music. “The moon is an ashtray. I fell in love with this metaphor,” Miss Tess told American Songwriter in its premiere. “The album cover draws inspiration from an old picture I came across from what must have been a 1930s movie, where the women sitting on the moon looked well, kind of pissed off. I loved that attitude captured as a juxtaposition against the classic romanticized ‘woman on moon’ image, and wanted to recreate that sentiment for the title track. Things are not always what they seem, especially when you’re used to filtering them through an illusion of childlike romanticism. Objects such as the moon, and ideas of love often fall into this category, but are too often followed by disappointment. when you realize that this type of idealistic, cruel optimism is just an illusion. From far away the moon is a mystical glowing entity, yet in reality is cratered and dusty, sort of like … an ashtray.”
The sentiment was deftly captured in the video for the title track, directed by Tom Krueger (Bruce Springsteen, U2, David Bowie). “With a distinct old timey flair, the singer transports the listener to another time period with the throwback number,” Billboard remarked of the whimsical video, which involves an evil villain luring in souls for his wonderland vignettes.
WATCH: “THE MOON IS AN ASHTRAY”
To help capture and shape her own unique sound, Miss Tess enlisted not only her trusty 1930s Weymann archtop, but also heavy input from co-producers Andrija Tokic (Margo Price, Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff) and Thomas Bryan Eaton, her full-time bandmate and musical partner. Combining Eaton's' arranging ideas and skilled instrumental work with Tokic's studio full of vintage mics, tube amps, keyboards, and tape machines, the resulting record has a rich, buttery warmth well-suited to Miss Tess' voice and authentic, retro-contemporary songwriting style.
When most people think of defiant music, they think of punk rock or outlaw country. But defying genres while transcending eras and resisting clichés is hard to pin down when it comes to artistry unless you're talking about Miss Tess, who does all of that and more on The Moon Is An Ashtray. Swinging for the fences and from the branches of jazz, country, blues and old school rock and roll, she has employed all of her influences and talents on a tour-de-force, while cleverly taking standard perspectives and ideas - like the definition of a love song - to task. From soulful swagger to jazz, blues, a little old school country, and even a touch of psychedelia, Miss Tess shows both the pluck and poise to fold a multitude of styles into her own.
The Moon Is An Ashtray is available for purchase on iTunes, Google Play, and at her website. Miss Tess will be performing today on Nashville roots radio station WMOT’s Finally Friday show which broadcasts live from 3rd & Lindsley. Tune in HERE to listen at 1pm CST. She’ll also be celebrating the album’s release on her upcoming tour, see dates below.
TOUR DATES:
2/19 Nashville, TN @ The 5 Spot
2/20 St. Louis, MO @ Focal Point
2/21 Chicago, IL @ Honky Tonk BBQ
2/22 Indianapolis, IN @ Duke's
3/04 Charlotte, NC @ The Thirsty Beaver
3/05 Fayetteville, NC @ Cameo Art House
3/06 Aberdeen, NC @ Rooster’s Wife
3/07 Saluda, NC @ Purple Onion
3/11 Knoxville, TN @ TN Shines
3/12 Bristol, TN @ Farm & Fun Time
3/13 Charlottesville, VA @ The Front Porch
3/14 Washington, DC @ The Soundry
3/15 Philladelphia, PA @ Philadelphia Folk School
3/17 New York, NY @ Voices on the Hudson at City Vineyard
3/18 Northampton, MA @ Parlor Room
3/19 Cambridge, MA @ The Lizard Lounge
3/20 Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square
3/21 Peacedale, RI @ Roots Hoot House Concert
3/22 Cazenovia, NY @ Nelson Odeon
3/25 Rochester, NY @ Abilene
3/26 Buffalo, NY @ Sportsmen's Tavern
3/27 Peninsula, OH @ GAR Hall
3/28 Columbus, OH @ Natalie's
LISTEN TO “WHAT A GIRL WANTS”: HERE
Twenty years ago songwriter Shelly Peiken ushered in the new millennium by penning it's very first #1 song, the feminist anthem "What A Girl Wants" which was the #1 song in the United States on January 1, 2000. Looking back now on what's transpired culturally when it comes to gender and gender roles, it's very poetic that "What A Girl Wants" marked the start of the 21st century. This year Peiken is celebrating her incredible career in music by revisiting some of her biggest hits and recording her own versions of her most beloved songs starting with “What a Girl Wants” which was released worldwide today.
After years of writing and working for other artists, Peiken sat back and thought "what does this girl want?" The answer to that question was simply to create, but this time for her herself. Shelly does not see her age as an obstacle but as an advantage — she’s experienced life and is more comfortable talking about it than ever. Her desire to create is the same as anyone's: to express herself and to connect.
“Most of the words to ‘What A Girl Wants’ were written on a receipt at the bottom of my jacket pocket, says Peiken. “My co-writer Guy Roche was free-styling on the keyboard when I realized that the sentiment would fit his music. Originally the song was called ‘What A Girl Needs.’ But Ron Fair requested that we change the order the Needs/Wants for Christina. He felt that the “wants” was sexier. And he liked the alliteration of the ‘what a’ and the ‘wants.’ I hesitated at first but ultimately I made the swap. No regrets! The rest is history.”
Peiken’s reimagined version of the song set to groovy vibes and deep tones, takes on new meaning as she recalls being inspired by her then-boyfriend who gave her the space she needed to determine the next steps in their relationship. Peiken and that boyfriend are celebrating 17 years of marriage this year.
In addition to "What a Girl Wants" Peiken, has penned a number of songs that have become cultural moments, including Meredith Brooks' "Bitch," Christina Aguilera's "Come on Over Baby, Mandy Moore's "I Want to be With You," Brandy's "Almost Doesn't Count," The Pretenders "Human," Jessie J’s “Who You Are,” “Rotten To The Core” from Disney’s Descendents and hundreds more songs for artists such as Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Reba, Natasha Bedingfield, N'Sync, INXS, Celine Dion, Keith Urban, Mark Wills, Cher, Smash Mouth and more. Collectively her songs have sold an excess of 50 Million records (see the full list HERE). Shelly will be revisiting a number of these songs, in addition to a handful of new originals on her album 2.0 etc..., slated for release this summer.
Peiken is as prolific a songwriter as when she got her start as a young writer in New York in the 90's, but a lot has changed since then. The digital economy has made it nearly impossible for most songwriters to sustain a livelihood so Shelly made it her business to do something about it. She became a founding member of SONA (Songwriters of North America) a creators’ rights advocacy organization that has been making a name for itself preserving the value of songs and songwriters in a new music marketplace.
In 2018 she penned a memoir, Confessions of a Serial Songwriter, which gave an humorous and honest look at her career as a working songwriter who has navigated the shift from physical to digital, weathered ageism, sexism and most importantly, showcases her love for music and the pure joy that she gets from the creative process. The book was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Spoken Word Album at the 60th GRAMMY Awards.
KEEP UP WITH SHELLY PEIKEN:
Press Materials | http://smarturl.it/ShellyPeikenPR
https://twitter.com/Shelly_Peiken
https://www.instagram.com/shellypeiken/
Award-winning singer/songwriter Mark Erelli has released “A Little Kindness,” a track from his forthcoming LP Blindsided, due out March 27th via Soundly Music. “Boston-based musician Mark Erelli is known for both his songwriting acumen and his ability to bring that talent to co-writing sessions with other recordings artists,” American Songwriter said in its premiere. “For Erelli, music is a way to appreciate the world and the people in his life. And perhaps most acutely, the practice of music has taught Erelli the beauty of sublimation and reinforced the joy of helping others achieve their dreams, which, in turn, helps Erelli also achieve his.” "A Little Kindness" was penned in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting and Tom Petty's passing. “The night Tom Petty died, I was scrolling through social media looking to commiserate with fellow fans,” Erelli explains. “Singer/songwriter Joe Pug suggested that the best way to celebrate Petty’s legacy would be to stop mourning and go write a song. I know good advice when I see it, and wrote this song in one sitting.”
LISTEN: “A LITTLE KINDNESS”
Erelli has forged a colorful career by making the art of “being everywhere all the time” seem effortless. It’s hard to think of another artist who seems equally at home serving as a sideman for GRAMMY-winning artists like Paula Cole, Marc Cohn, and Josh Ritter, or producing albums for Lori McKenna, as he does writing and producing his own material, like last year’s “By Degrees,” on which he was joined by a host of voices including Rosanne Cash and Sheryl Crow. That song was nominated for “Song Of The Year” at the 2019 Americana Music Awards, and served to reintroduce Erelli to a wider audience. And just in time, because Blindsided combines the exuberance of Erelli’s signature sound with the wisdom that comes with over 20 years of songwriting, capturing an artist at a point in his career where he is clearly digging deep and swinging for the fences.
Blindsided, a step in a different sonic direction for Erelli, is an unflinching examination of the distance between innocence and experience. The album was forged in a process of reckoning, of taking stock of the soul, and being pleasantly surprised. Mining the same gritty yet soulful territory as John Hiatt’s Bring The Family or Bonnie Raitt’s Nick Of Time, Erelli contemplates the delicate tension between love and commitment, faith and family, disillusionment and hope. But this isn’t a confession from the therapist’s couch, it’s rock ’n roll, and Erelli is clearly taking his cues from heroes like Petty and Prine. To create the soundtrack that reflected this reinvigorated approach to songwriting, Erelli consulted his mental list of fellow musicians with whom he had forged connections in recent years, and realized they all lived in Nashville. So, he made the trek to the Music City, with best friend and multi-instrumentalist/producer Zachariah Hickman in tow, curious to see what effect a change in geography, personnel, and context would produce. With the help of drummer Jamie Dick (Rhiannon Giddens, Our Native Daughters), guitarist Sadler Vaden (Jason Isbell, Josh Ritter), Kai Welch (Molly Tuttle, Kacey Musgraves) on keys, producer Hickman on bass, and Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Caroline Spence) recording and mixing, the result couldn’t have been more unanticipated. Against the backdrop of Blindsided’s hungrier, hook-laden sound, with the inspired addition of a string quartet on half of the album, Erelli has never sounded more passionate or vital. Over the course of Blindsided’s 11 tracks, the message of each song is distilled to its purest form, as fearlessly honest in perspective as it is straightforward in its delivery.
TOUR DATES
1/31/ - Jupiter Hall - Manchester, NH
2/3 & 2/4 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA
2/13 - Greenwich Odeum - East Greenwich, RI
2/14 - New York Society For Ethical Culture - New York, New York
2/28 - Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME
3/5 - Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation - Waltham, MA
3/6 - The Stone Church - Brattleboro, VT
3/7 - Narrows Center For The Arts - Fall River, MA
3/20 - The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI
3/21 - The Kent Stage - Kent, OH
4/29 - Rogue Theatre - Grants Pass, OR
4/30 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR
5/1 - Historic Everett Theatre - Everett, WA
5/2 - McMenamins Elks Temple - Tacoma, WA
5/6 - Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY
5/8 - The Parlor Room - Northampton, MA
5/9 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA
5/12 - Woodbury Brewing Company - Woodbury, CT
5/13 - One Longfellow Square - Portland, ME
5/14 - Caffe Lena - Saratoga Springs, NY
5/15 - The Word Barn - Exeter, NH
+ LOS ANGELES RELEASE SHOW TONIGHT AT THE MOROCCAN
LISTEN TO JUST A LITTLE BIT + THE GHETTO STARSHIP DOUBLE EP: HERE
"With its distorted vocals, wah-wah drench guitars, and gospel backing vocals, the track sounds like Saul Williams teaming up with the Heavy being produced by Danger Mouse.” - Surviving the Golden Age
"This band knows how to craft a funky jam that gets a crowd dancing like they’re spinning inside invisible, electrified hula-hoops." - Buzzbands LA
Los Angeles band Zooluxx have released their heady double EP with their newest five-song offering Just A Little Bit on the A-Side and their debut EP The Ghetto Starship on the B-Side, out today on Blind Owl Records. The five-song EP was produced by Howlin Rain guitarist and Blind Owl owner Dan Cervantes, with Jordan Andreen engineering at Audio Design Recording and Joe Bozzi mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering. The Ghetto Starship, released digitally last year, was produced by renowned saxophonist Karl Denson (The Rolling Stones, Lenny Kravitz, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe). The band found a champion in Denson after opening for him in LA. Denson then took them under his wing to produce The Ghetto Starship recording to analog tape on Lynyrd Skynyrd's old API console in San Diego. The careful attention to the recording process and affinity for analog recording are no accident for Zooluxx whose influences range from 1960s rock & roll, electric blues, Parliament-Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, and Afrobeat. Their intention is to make spontaneous dance music rooted in grooves and guitars, both modern in its explosively eclectic approach and proudly old-school in its reverence for analog sound.
The five new songs on the A-side of starts off with the “Golden Gun Blues,” a song about trading lies for truth, thick with blues guitar riffs and harmonica. The title track “Just a Little Bit,” released as a single earlier this month, sets the overall tone for the EP with its spacey groove and lyrics that ruminate on greed and the insatiable nature of our society. “Honing their live show as the Monday residents at Hollywood’s Good Times at Davey Wayne’s for five years, you can surmise they’ve seen a lot,” said Buzzbands LA on their review of “Just a Little Bit.” “This latest track could be about some of that. And it could be about anywhere where there is a struggle and a bit of vice lurking in the surroundings.” The EP is rounded out by the frenetic “Brown Boogie,” with searing guitars and lyrics, driving listeners to “Do your thing. Do what you do! Get around, you gotta move! May not dance as well as you! Gotta feel, you know the real!,” the 17-second instrumental interlude “Mignon,” and the psychedelic “Berties Paradise '' that showcases the band’s Afrobeat and Latin influences.
“These days, we should find our similarities with strangers rather than focus on our differences. What better way to bridge the divide than with raw, unadulterated funk?” - Grimy Goods
Zooluxx will be playing a co-headlining release show tonight at the Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles with Santa Cruz’s 7Come11 who have a new single, “The Moon,” out today. Both bands will head to Santa Cruz playing Urbani Cellars on Saturday, February 1.
ZOOLUXX ALBUM RELEASE SHOW @ THE MOROCCAN
901 E. 1st Street Los Angeles, CA
TICKET INFO HERE
"US outfit take their cues from Jimi Hendrix with this bold and bluesy psych-rock gem.” - Mystic Sons.
Just a Little Bit / The Ghetto Starship vinyl is available HERE
KEEP UP WITH ZOOLUXX
PR Materials | https://smarturl.it/ZooluxxPR
Website | http://zooluxx.com/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ZOOLUXXmusic/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/zooluxx/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/zooluxx
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChZxzV5Ft140ITv71zWaC8w
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicole Poulos | nicole@sideways-media.com | 310-908-3812
"This band knows how to craft a funky jam that gets a crowd dancing like they’re spinning inside invisible, electrified hula-hoops." - Buzzbands LA
LISTEN TO JUST A LITTLE BIT: HERE
“These days, we should find our similarities with strangers rather than focus on our differences. What better way to bridge the divide than with raw, unadulterated funk?” - Grimy Goods
Los Angeles band Zooluxx have released their latest single “Just A Little Bit,” from their eponymous forthcoming EP due out on January 31st via Blind Owl. The Just A Little Bit EP, produced by Howlin Rain guitarist and Blind Owl owner Dan Cervantes and Jordan Andreen, will be released digitally and as the A-Side of a vinyl package that features the band’s debut EP The Ghetto Starship. The band will be playing a hometown release show at the Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles on Friday 1/31 (show details HERE).
The dark fuzzed-out guitar intro of “Just a Little Bit” eases into a steady funk groove setting the stage for a danceable, yet mind-bending musical exploration on the insatiability of our culture and how people, Americans, in particular, seem to want what they don’t have and want more of what they already have emphasized by lyrics that chant "People want what they don’t got, they ask and they say. I wanna go home right now, I wanna get paid right now. People want what they don’t got it, they ask and they say. I wanna get saved right now, I wanna get laid right now. “
“It’s about trading lies for the truth that frontman Troy Vincent masterfully executes with his unmatched vocals on the “jazzadelic space grove”. Listen to the well-made record below. It has everything you’d want to hear in a song of this caliber.” - GrungeCake
This new EP is the follow up to the band's debut, The Ghetto Starship, an EP released digitally this last summer produced by renowned saxophonist Karl Denson (The Rolling Stones, Lenny Kravitz, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe). The band found a champion in Denson after opening for him in LA. Denson charged the stage and raved into the mic about how Zooluxx was his absolute favorite band. He then took them under his wing to produce The Ghetto Starship recording to analog tape on Lynyrd Skynyrd's old API console in San Diego. This collaboration and the sheer creative force of the band caught the eye of Blind Owl owner Dan Cervantes, who signed them immediately and came on board to co-produce Just a Little Bit. “We loved the words,” says producer and label head Dan Cervantes about the single. “The groove and the hooks in the song the boys laid down initially. It was Jordan's idea for the background vocals which I heard right away as well, we had started working with the singers Brittany Wallace and Tina White who instantly got it and did the thing. We took a 90's hip hop approach, a mix of G Funk with Marvin Gaye and somewhere skirting James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. Troy's got such a vibey guitar tone, the band grooves together in such a unique way and once we added Jody Bagley from Mrs. Henry on organ, the track was popping more than ever.”
"US outfit take their cues from Jimi Hendrix with this bold and bluesy psych-rock gem.” - Mystic Sons
Zooluxx frontman Troy Vincent describes the band’s sound as a 'jazzadelic space groove.” The band's influences range from 1960s rock & roll, electric blues, Parliament-Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, and Afrobeat. It’s spontaneous dance music rooted in grooves and guitars, both modern in its explosively eclectic approach and proudly old-school in its reverence for analog sound. The band honed in on their sound and perfecting their electric live show with a Monday night residency at Good Times at Davey Wayne's. The 70's themed club was an oddly fitting home for Zooluxx, whose songs mixed vintage cool with a contemporary kick. Every Monday night for five years, Troy and Ned would hit the stage, piecing together their band's unique sonic stomp — as well as their ideal lineup — while members of the Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Paul McCartney, and U2 circulated throughout the audience. It was a proper scene, with Zooluxx's co-founders serving as the ringleaders.
Just a Little Bit / The Ghetto Starship vinyl is available for Pre-Order HERE
KEEP UP WITH ZOOLUXX
PR Materials | https://smarturl.it/ZooluxxPR
Website | http://zooluxx.com/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ZOOLUXXmusic/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/zooluxx/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/zooluxx
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChZxzV5Ft140ITv71zWaC8w
“A voice that recalls artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Patsy Cline and Lindi Ortega” - The Boot
“Rooted in a retro groove that’s equal parts blues, mid-century rock & roll and Booker T-worthy R&B” - Rolling Stone
“Soulful “- Wide Open Country
Nashville’s Miss Tess released the dreamy new video for “The Moon Is An Ashtray,” the title track to her forthcoming album due out February 7th. “Miss Tess blends country, jazz, blues and folk on the captivating ‘The Moon is an Ashtray,’” Billboard said in its premiere of the video. “With a distinct old timey flair, the singer transports the listener to another time period with the throwback number.” "Things are not always what they seem,” Miss Tess told Billboard. “Reality can be a harsh mistress when we find ourselves trapped in an idea of childlike romanticism that doesn't quite measure up to our hopes and dreams.” The video was directed by Tom Krueger, who has directed videos for Bruce Springsteen, U2, David Bowie, and more. For the video’s concept, Miss Tess was inspired by a 1930s-era photo of a woman on a paper moon. “I had been inspired by an old picture I came across…where the woman sitting on the moon looked pissed off. I loved that attitude captured as a juxtaposition against the classic romanticized 'woman on moon' image, and wanted to recreate that sentiment,” she explained. “Tom…really took the idea and ran with it, expanding the idea to involve a whole meta plot where an evil villain is luring in souls for his wonderland vignettes.”
WATCH: “THE MOON IS AN ASHTRAY”
To help capture and shape her own unique sound, Miss Tess enlisted not only her trusty 1930s Weymann archtop, but also heavy input from co-producers Andrija Tokic (Margo Price, Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff) and Thomas Bryan Eaton, her full-time bandmate and musical partner. Combining Eaton's' arranging ideas and skilled instrumental work with Tokic's studio full of vintage mics, tube amps, keyboards, and tape machines, the resulting record has a rich, buttery warmth well-suited to Miss Tess' voice and authentic, retro-contemporary songwriting style.
LISTEN: “GAMBLIN’ MAN”
LISTEN: "IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE ME"
LISTEN: "THE MOON IS AN ASHTRAY"
LISTEN: "TRUE FLOOD (ft. Rachael Price)"
When most people think of defiant music, they think of punk rock or outlaw country. But defying genres while transcending eras and resisting clichés is hard to pin down when it comes to artistry unless you're talking about Miss Tess, who does all of that and more on The Moon Is An Ashtray. Swinging for the fences and from the branches of jazz, country, blues and old school rock and roll, she has employed all of her influences and talents on a tour-de-force, while cleverly taking standard perspectives and ideas - like the definition of a love song - to task.
From soulful swagger to jazz, blues, a little old school country, and even a touch of psychedelia, Miss Tess shows both the pluck and poise to fold a multitude of styles into her own.
NEW SINGLE "FEAR" FROM KYSHONA PREMIERES AT THE BOOT
"FEAR" AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE NOVEMBER 8
NEW LP LISTEN OUT FEBRUARY 28
Wherever she plants her feet, she does so with righteous conviction and a strong sense of her own voice. - NPR Music
On Friday, November 8th, Kyshona released "Fear," a swampy new track from her forthcoming album Listen, out February 28, 2020. The song, written with her brother and fellow artist Kelvin Armstrong, premiered exclusively at The Boot. "In an age in which we all have a digital platform to express ourselves, we seldom feel heard. Kyshona, the electrifying Nashville-based singer-songwriter, knows that better than anyone," said The Boot. "Kyshona effortlessly grooves between roots, R&B and folk music. On 'Fear'...she digs deep into a swampy hook that dredges the depths of our subconscious. While the song explores all of the ways we tell ourselves what we can't do, Kyshona imbues it with the determination needed to free ourselves from our doubts.”
LISTEN TO "FEAR"
"Fear is that boogieman that sits quietly in the corner of our minds that can paralyze us the moment confidence enters the picture,” Kyshona told The Boot. “Rather than listen to that voice that’s telling you why change isn’t possible, call it out. Recognize the fear and move past it. It’s just another wall to be knocked down. We can’t let fear rule our every move. Fear is what has kept us so divided." "Fear" follows the release of "Fallen People," a reflection on finding commonality in the fact that we all struggle and that we all fight something on a daily basis, and lead single "Too Much," a Mavis-Staples-style organ-laced gospel-tinged groove about finding hope in the midst of overwhelming circumstances.
LISTEN TO "FALLEN PEOPLE"
LISTEN TO "TOO MUCH"
Kyshona has always lent her voice and music to those that feel silenced or forgotten. She began her career as a music therapist, writing her first songs with her patients--the students and inmates under her care. She soon found the need to write independently and find her own voice, an endeavor that led her to the fertile ground of the Nashville creative community and its collaborative songwriting culture.
Since then, she has learned how to balance her music career with her passion to heal the hurting--writing, recording, and touring while remaining active with organizations like Music For Seniors, for which she was recently highlighted at PBS NewsHour Live (click HERE to watch the interview). Audiences will find a common thread of empowerment, overcoming adversity, and finding hope in her work. In February, Kyshona will release her new LP Listen, co-produced with Andrija Tokic (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Alabama Shakes, Hurray For The Riff Raff) and recorded mostly at his famed Nashville studio The Bomb Shelter.
In each of the album's 10 tracks, Kyshona blends roots, rock, R&B, gospel, and folk with lyrical prowess to uplift the marginalized and bring awareness to the masses. It's for every silent scream, every heavy load, every fearful thought, and a simmering sense of anger that the repressed, the lost, and the forgotten try to hide from the world. "I’ve been thinking a lot about purpose," she says. "When I write and when I perform I am often thinking of what my point is. What is my purpose? What is my mission? At this particular moment in these particular times, my mission is to be a voice and a vessel for those who feel silenced and forgotten." After her powerful performances, concertgoers often ask, "What can I do?" Her response? "Listen."
11/16 - Square In The Circle - Takoma Park, MD
11/17 - Sevaried House Concerts - Alexandria, VA
11/21 - The Olde Glory Theatre - Seward, NE
11/22 - Rehmsworld Concert Series - Holdrege, NE
11/23 - Progressive Voices Concert @ First Unitarian Church - Des Moines, IA
11/24 - Dyck Arboretum of the Plains - Hesston, KS
12/16 - Club Jaeb at the Straz Center - Tampa, FL
1/28-1/30/2020 - AmericanaFest UK [Official Showcasing Artist] - London, UK
CONNECT WITH KYSHONA:
Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram || YouTube || Spotify || SoundCloud || Bandcamp
KEZAR RELEASES “BORN”
Indie pop band Kezar has released their latest single “Born” out everywhere today. Big vocal harmonies, string samples and 808s are all present in the song, making it a sultry, slow-burning homage to ‘90s R&B. “You’ll hear in this song all the elements that made me fall in love with Blackstreet, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys and Aaliyah. But you’ll also hear modern electro-pop elements that really make Kezar’s sound,” says the band’s frontman Jack Mosbacher.
“Punchy bass-heavy beats head up the charge on the track. A rumble of techno presence, rumbles intermittently, crackling like a neon flare shooting up into the sky. By far the biggest achievement, Jack Mosbacher gives us with this track is that it is a triple threat, being something catchy on the ear, memorable on the mind and a splash of hotness for the dance floor.” –EQ Music
The band’s previous single “Don’t Touch the Queen” is an incredible display of the ferocity of women and its video (now at over 1 million views) acts as a vehicle to celebrate the lives and stories of seven amazing queens. Directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker, the video features women from all walks of life, including the Director of the Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion Initiative at Google, a plus-size fashion model and designer, film director, cancer survivor, stay-at-home mother, sexual assault survivor, and a transgender activist. Alongside Thacker’s stunning visuals, each of these stories beautifully captures the essence of the song, painting a striking portrait of women and their superhuman capabilities.
San Francisco-based Kezar is the project of seasoned musician Jack Mosbacher. He comes from a strong soul background, and the more you listen to each cleverly crafted beat and infectious hook, the more you recognize it as the backbone of his signature pop style. When choosing a name for this project, Mosbacher wanted to stay true to his hometown by naming it after Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, the original home of the 49ers and a music venue that played host to legends like Led Zeppelin, Santana, Bob Dylan, and The Grateful Dead. It was a name that captured this phase in Mosbacher’s musical trajectory: a new chapter, but true to his roots. The band’s debut single “(Tell Me) It’s Not Love,” was produced by K-Kov (Keith Urban, Justin Timberlake), has been streamed over 845K times and was included in Spotify’s official Love Pop and Young & Free playlists. The track’s video was inspired by the beautiful aesthetic of the classic tale Pride & Prejudice and has been received 1.1 million views. The band also released a five song EP this summer that has received over 635K streams.
“If you’re looking for new pop with the nostalgia of early 2000s Justin Timberlake, lend your ears to Kezar. Jack Mosbacher, the head of the project, blends his influences with high energy pop music to craft empowering anthems.” –The Young Folks
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JAMIE MCDELL RELEASES THE BOTOX EP
"The New Zealander enchants with airy vocals and confessional lyrics on the title track and its intriguing follow-up “Worst Crime” featuring Robert Ellis. All the while, her storytelling is at the forefront of each song.” - BILLBOARD
New Zealand Music award recipient Jamie McDell has released The Botox EP, a stunning three-song collection out worldwide today.
The songs for this EP came naturally and with ease for McDell. “I’d just moved to Toronto, I’d come from a summer of surfing on the coast of New Zealand every single day, the kind of activity I find so therapeutic,” McDells tells Billboard of the EP’s title track. “Then I found myself sitting on the floor in my apartment thousands of miles away and it all came to the surface. From boys at school saying I was too tall or explaining that if I got breast implants I would be ‘perfect,' to the loving relationship I’m in now with a man whose values go so far beyond physical appearance.”
The second song, “Worst Crime” that the Boot called “a poignant moment of self-awareness…” is a duet with Robert Ellis, inspired by a conversation surrounding the idea that some of the worst crimes a person can commit are actually the legal ones. The writing session started with ideas about how the simple mistakes that we make can really hurt people, like forgetting a loved one’s birthday. After the demo was recorded McDell thought it would be an interesting duet and reached out to Roebrt Ellis who she has been a fan of for years. She struck up a relationship the way people do nowadays, she messaged him on Instagram. He replied that he was up for it and recorded his vocals in Forth Worth, TX. “I think Jamie is super rad,” Ellis told the Bluegrass Situation (link needed). “Her voice is unbelievable and I love the song. I was really psyched to get to try and keep up!”
The third song “Goodbye Ohio,” “is half fact, half imaginary,” McDell told Billboard. “I guess I didn’t have enough time with this woman to get the entire picture so I created the rest, and it was a really enjoyable thing to do...as a passionate roots music fan in this current climate, I’m feeling a longing for truth and authenticity in a genre that for the last decade has just felt a little polite. I am so excited to see other female artists opening doors and breaking down barriers not only in regard to career opportunities but encouraging a wider range of perspectives in our lyrical content.”
“ The song has McDell examining her flaws with sweet melodic vocal twirls and jangly guitars."
- Parade Magazine
"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 Botox EP is McDell’s follow up to her first independently released album Extraordinary Girl, that came out earlier this year and was nominated for Best Country Music Album at RMNZ (Recorded Music New Zealand), and for Best Country Music Song for “Paint On A Sign” at the APRA AMCOS New Zealand. The album came together between Auckland, New Zealand and Nashville, Tennessee where she recorded the tracks with Australian award-winner producer Nash Chambers. It also features a hearty cast of country music legends including Kasey Chambers, Bill Chambers and Tami Neilson.
“Ringing guitar chords are backed by atmospheric layers of keyboards, but the true stunner is McDell’s unforced voice, which has already led the Americana artist to gold certifications and award nominations in her native New Zealand.” - Rolling Stone
Although she is young, Jamie has veteran status as a musician and songwriter. It was at age 7, while living aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean that McDell wrote her first song. On that yacht lived a small collection of her parents’ favorite tapes, including albums by Jimmy Buffett, John Denver and James Taylor, which the young McDell formed a particularly strong bond with. She fondly remembers watching her parents perform Jimmy Buffett duets - and occasionally chiming in, learning how to harmonize vocally with her mother. An eager learner, McDell picked up the guitar after studying her fathers’ John Denver chord book collection and has never looked back. She was signed to EMI at age 16 and embarked on a musical journey that would see her become a household name in New Zealand, achieving Gold Album sales with the release of her debut album Six Strings and a Sailboat, receiving multiple NZ Music Award nominations, and winnning Best Pop Album of 2013. After hitting a creative wall, due to frustration with being pushed further and further away from her artistic core, she threw in the towel and decided to release independently in exchange for artistic freedom.
This material marks a new era for McDell. She has started to peel away layers and take a raw dive into issues like domestic abuse, and self-worth, resulting in stunningly honest and relative material.
ZOOLUXX RELEASES “DIFFERENT PLANETS” VIDEO + ANNOUNCE VINYL RELEASE OF GHETTO STARSHIP AND A NEW EP JUST A LITTLE BIT DUE OUT JANUARY 31
WATCH “DIFFERENT PLANETS” HERE
“These days, we should find our similarities with strangers rather than focus on our differences. What better way to bridge the divide than with raw, unadulterated funk?”
- Grimy Goods
Los Angeles’ psychedelic genre-crossing space groovers Zooluxx are excited to share their new video for their track “Different Planets.” The song is from the band's debut EP Ghetto Starship, released this summer, produced by lauded sax player and multi-instrumentalist Karl Denson, who tours with the Rolling Stones, and his known for his work with Lenny Kravitz, his own Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and Greyboy Allstars. “Different Planets” is about unity through music and all the power to all of the people. In the video, the band is an omnipresent ‘life-light’ superseding space and time with a message of love. Proclaiming “jus cuz we’re from different Planets, doesn’t mean we’re not the same!" Directed by Dr. Jackie Linn, who told Grimy Goods she sees “‘Different Planets'’ as a modern version of ‘Come Together’ by the Beatles,” and that the Beatles anthem of peace and togetherness was the inspiration for the video. “I hope by showcasing parallels from the 1960’s and today,” says Dr. Jackie Linn, “that it would inspire kindness in the world so filled with hatred.”
Years before making their debut with the Karl Denson-produced EP Ghetto Starship, cousins Troy and Ned grew up together in southern California, bound together by their mutual love for music, art and skateboarding. Troy began playing blues guitar in elementary school, teaching himself from listening to his dad's old records. He eventually started customizing his old guitars with unique hand-wiring, unlikely electronic combinations and signature hand-cut headstocks. These instruments help to create the "heavy warmth" that now runs throughout most Zooluxx songs. Joined by Ned on bass (originally on drums), Troy began playing gigs... The band's lineup was cemented with the additions of jazz-inspired drummer, fellow Los Angeles native Princess Frank and Bertie Paradise, who relocated to LA via El Salvador as a young teenager.
Frontman Troy V describes the band’s sound as a 'jazzedelic space groove.” The band's influences range from electric blues, 1960's rock n roll, latin rhythm & Afrobeat. It’s spontaneous dance music rooted in grooves and guitars, both modern in its explosively eclectic approach and proudly old-school in its reverence for analog sound. The band honed in on their sound and perfected their otherworldly live show with a Monday night residency at Good Times at Davey Wayne's. The 70’s themed club was an oddly fitting home for Zooluxx, whose songs mixed vintage cool with a contemporary kick. Every Monday night for five years, Troy and Ned would hit the stage, piecing together their band's unique sonic stomp — as well as their ideal lineup — while members of the Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Paul McCartney, and U2 circulated throughout the audience. "Playing those Hollywood clubs helped spark our onstage creativity," says bassist Ned Casual. "People would show up wanting to dance, and they weren't afraid to express themselves. It helped push our music away from the backbeat tempos of our blues roots, and closer to the wild shit that we do now."
Zooluxx found a fan in multi-instrumentalist Karl Denson who came on board to produce the band’s debut EP Ghetto Starship, released in June that was recorded to analog tape on Lynyrd Skynyrd's old API console in San Diego. While recording, the band was introduced to the guitar player and Blind Owl label owner Dan Cervantes (Howlin Rain, Ms. Henry), who along with Jordan Andreen recorded what will be the band’s second EP, Just a Little Bit coming out January 31st on Blind Owl. Just a Little Bit will be released digitally and on vinyl, with Ghetto Starship as the B-Side on the vinyl release.
Just a Little Bit / Ghetto Starship vinyl is available for Pre-Order HERE
411 MUSIC GROUP RELEASES “DEEP PULSE EXTRACTION” SINGLE BY COMPOSER BENJI MERRISON + ANNOUNCES THE COLLABORATIVE ALBUM THE LIGHT & DARK: LONDON OUT 11/15
Los Angeles’ 411 Music Group has released the single “Deep Pulse Extraction” by UK based producer Benji Merrison. This single follows “Troopers Hill” from Hospital Records artist Keeno released earlier this month. Both songs are off of the forthcoming collaborative album The Light & Dark: London due out November 15th.
The project was conceptualized and produced by 411 Music Group’s CEO, Kristen Agee. “The concept came to me after I was almost in a plane crash coming back from Canada earlier this year,” says Agee. “I eventually made it home to Los Angeles, slept for 3 days, and woke up with this idea in my head. Good and bad things happen simultaneously all the time. It’s taken me over 30 years to understand that life is not black and white. Light and darkness move together, and without one, you don’t have the other. It’s possible to have a good and bad day, positive and negative experiences and a full spectrum of emotions throughout every step. That’s part of being human, and it’s okay. It’s a difficult concept to unpack, which brought me to the studio to write and record this album.”
The idea of putting together a project that brought together composers with different backgrounds and talents had been stirring in Agee's mind for a while, with the vision of recording with an orchestra at Air Studios in London. There were some obvious choices when choosing a theme that could have been catered to sync, but Kristen decided to make this album about the music versus allowing sync and marketing dictate direction. Agee called two Los Angeles based composers, Brian Carr and Steve Edwards, with whom 411 collaborates with often, as well as UK composer Benji Merrison, and Drum and Bass Hospital Records producer and DJ, Keeno, to but a twist on the concept of the standard orchestral sound. Each composer was asked to contribute original pieces based on the concepts of “dark” and “light.” Ideas and tracks were traded back and forth for months. The group went into Air Studios in August and came out with a stunning collection of 17 compositions. In addition to recording live strings, the entire process was documented on video, the footage of which will be released over the next few weeks.
BOOTSTRAPS RELEASES DEMO LOVE ALBUM
“Demo Love is the perfect fall album full of songs to listen to that will make you feel at ease. Bootstraps is quickly making a name for himself and you definitely don’t want to miss out on the amazing journey and everything that Jordan Beckett has to offer!” -Melodic Magazine
Los Angeles based artist Bootstraps has released his third full-length album Demo Love, out today via HyperExtension. When starting the process of working on what would be Demo Love, Jordan Beckett, the mastermind behind Bootstraps, was fascinated by the dichotomy of the word “Demo,” which can mean to demonstrate or to demolish. Getting ‘demo love’ is also a music expression where you can’t let go of a song’s original version ‘the demo’ and you love it so much you can’t see or hear a new take. These contrasting ideas are all thematically woven throughout the album Demo Love.
Leading into the release Beckett released two singles. The first single “Evergreen” was called “an astral but oh-so-lovelorn meditation on the seemingly futile pursuit of stability,” by Buzzbands. “An emotive, sublime track,” by Born Music and a “captivating cut…” by Variance Magazine. The second “Whenever You’re Around” was written very quickly after a night out with an old friend. It’s about time and connection, and those relationships that become distant, but when you are together it is like no time has gone by at all. LA on Lock called it “A sensual love song, delivered with a raspy smoothness that showcases the emotion of the lyrics very well. This is the kind of song played as the first dance at weddings, or repeatedly by those falling in love,” and Ear to the Ground Music said “There’s a haunting humanity to the sound that Bootstraps produces on this track. The rasp in the vocal just fits the mood of the track perfectly. It kind of reminds me of what I first loved about William Fitzsimmons and Iron and Wine. That’s rare company, but deserved in the case of Bootstraps.”
“He sings with a beautifully hollowed out purpose, seemingly reminding, or taunting us, that there really might not be a tomorrow, but you've got a fat sack of yesterdays that you could spend all of your time on -- contemplating, dealing with, processing until they're worn soft.” –Paste Magazine
The album is rounded out by eleven addition songs and interludes including the ethereal acoustic-driven track “I’d Rather Be Blue,” that was written about Beckett’s reluctance to be social after a break-up, solely to save himself from cliché break advice and the “you’ll get through it” eyes, to the atmospheric track “Falling” with stadium-filling sonics a la U2, that was written in response to Beckett being told that he is an expert at ending relationships, and the thought-provoking “Desolation of Whatever the F*ck,” that personifies that grey area between demolishing and demonstrating love, is an audio recording of Jim Jones from the night of the Jonestown Massacre, set over a sweet and gorgeous melody.
Beckett grew up in the fertile Portland music scene, spending his teen years going to Elliott Smith, Death Cab For Cutie and Modest Mouse shows - which resonates throughout his music. A friend gave him Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, which changed the way he thought about songwriting and is an album he still credits as being a heavy influence on his writing style. Music was not always Beckett’s true calling. He was a college baseball star, but an injury sidelined him, and any future he had in sports. He refocused that time and energy from sports into learning guitar and honing in on his songwriting, using the rich musical and geographical landscape of the Pacific Northwest as a jumping-off point.
His music gained attention quickly from numerous placements in film and TV that include shows like Suits, Supergirl, Parenthood, MacGyver, Grey's Anatomy, Elementary, and films such as Power Rangers, as well as features in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Beckett also wrote the entire soundtrack to the film Take Me Home, which won ‘Best Music’ at the Nashville Film Festival. His music has been streamed over 25 million times and Shazamed over 1 Million times. Bootstraps also found a fan in Taylor Swift. His song “Replica” is featured on the Songs Taylor Loves Spotify Playlist. The success and power of his songwriting led to touring with Mumford and Sons’ Ben Lovett on the Communion Tour.
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TtheRCVR RELEASES DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM
TtheRCVR has released his debut self-titled album out everywhere today. This collection of songs is a finely tuned and cohesive work.
Filled with explosive numbers like “Fine” and “What is Love,” the very first of his solo ventures is packed with an unrelenting collection of songs that sound fresh, yet instantly familiar. It ranges from the bracing pop of the opening track “Keep Waiting” to the deceivingly sunny bubblegum “Not Alone.” Rounding out the collection is the mid-tempo “Spun Out” and “Keep Waiting” that cruises on a meaty riff that could fit into the Soundgarden canon. Tom Polce (TtheRCVR) has a natural affinity for catchy melodies and an exceptional gift for presenting sonics. On top of these infectious beats, careful listening also reveals sharp and funny lyrics layered perfectly within the sonic scape like some of the most celebrated songwriting heroes of all time.
TtheRCVR is a brand new project from a seasoned musician and exceptionally talented producer Tom Polce. Informed by a musical journey that spans from origins on bedroom stereos in Connecticut, over Boston’s brick-paved byway and ultimately to the golden gilded promise of Los Angeles, those who have followed Polce have known him best for his abilities as a musician, producer and A&R that saw him work with Boston alt. Rock heroes Buffalo Tom and Letters to Cleo. His incredible career has also included composing for the hit TV shows Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, NCIS and developing up and coming artists such as Will Dailey and Keaton Simmons. His cleverness, heart and incredible sense of humor make him a gifted songwriter while his abilities as a musician and producer expand his solo ventures to completely new heights.
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BOOTSTRAPS RELEASES “WHENEVER YOU’RE AROUND” FROM HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM DEMO LOVE OUT 10/18
“He sings with a beautifully hollowed out purpose, seemingly reminding, or taunting us, that there really might not be a tomorrow, but you've got a fat sack of yesterdays that you could spend all of your time on -- contemplating, dealing with, processing until they're worn soft.” –Paste Magazine
Los Angeles based artist Bootstraps has released “Whenever You’re Around” the second single from his third full-length album Demo Love out October 18th via HyperExtension and available for pre-order HERE.
This is the follow up single to “Evergreen,” a song that Buzzbands called “an astral but oh-so-lovelorn meditation on the seemingly futile pursuit of stability,” and Melodic Magazine said, “is a haunting tune that will give you chills when you listen to it, much like most of his stellar music.”
“Evergreen’ is an emotive, sublime track. We’ve been big fans of Bootstraps work, some of which you’ve probably definitely heard.” - Born Music
“Whenever You’re Around” was written very quickly after a night out with an old friend. It’s about time and connection, and those relationships that become distant, but when you are together it is like no time has gone by at all. “A lot of distance, time and things unspoken made the song come very quickly,” says Jordan Beckett who writes and records as Bootstraps. The fact it was so easy for Beckett to write, his initial reaction was that the song was terrible. But sitting with it more it started to really resonate, so much so that he decided it should be a single.
When working on writing the rest of the album, Jordan Beckett, who writes and records as Bootstraps, was fascinated by the dichotomy of the word Demo,” which can mean to demonstrate or to demolish. Getting ‘demo love’ is also a music expression where you can’t let go of a song’s original version ‘the demo’ and you love it so much you can’t see or hear a new take. These contrasting ideas are all thematically woven throughout the album Demo Love.
Beckett grew up in the fertile Portland music scene, spending his teen years going to Elliott Smith, Death Cab For Cutie and Modest Mouse shows - which resonates throughout his music. A friend gave him Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, which changed the way he thought about songwriting and is an album he still credits as being a heavy influence on his writing style. Music was not always Beckett’s true calling. He was a college baseball star, but an injury sidelined him, and any future he had in sports. He refocused that time and energy from sports into learning guitar and honing in on his songwriting, using the rich musical and geographical landscape of the Pacific Northwest as a jumping-off point.
His music gained attention quickly from numerous placements in film and TV that include shows like Suits, Supergirl, Parenthood, MacGyver, Grey's Anatomy, Elementary, and films such as Power Rangers, as well as features in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Beckett also wrote the entire soundtrack to the film Take Me Home, which won ‘Best Music’ at the Nashville Film Festival. His music has been streamed over 25 million times and Shazamed over 1 Million times. Bootstraps also found a fan in Taylor Swift. His song “Replica” is featured on the Songs Taylor Loves Spotify Playlist. The success and power of his songwriting led to touring with Mumford and Sons’ Ben Lovett on the Communion Tour.
“Demo Love is the perfect fall album full of songs to listen to that will make you feel at ease. Bootstraps is quickly making a name for himself and you definitely don’t want to miss out on the amazing journey and everything that Jordan Beckett has to offer!” - Melodic Magazine
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LETTERS TO CLEO ANNOUNCE THEIR OK CHRISTMAS EP OUT NOVEMBER 15TH
Letters to Cleo are ushering in fall leading into the Holiday season with the announcement of their Holiday EP Ok Christmas out November 15th and available for vinyl pre-order HERE.
Ok Christmas includes three covers of Holiday classics and cult favorites made famous by the Kinks ("Father Christmas"), Elvis ("If I Get Home On Christmas Day") and the Dogmatics (“X Mas Time - Sure Don’t Feel Like It”) and one original, “Miss You This Christmas.” The band made a unanimous decision to take a subtle yet powerful stand against gun violence with this EP release changing the “machine gun” lyrics in "Father Christmas” to “Can you meltdown all the machine guns / so kids are safe on the streets." “The lyric change in Father Christmas was initially brought up by Greg, after the mass shooting in El Paso,” says Kay Hanley. “ I decided to turn to Twitter to ask the Kinks if they had any suggestions, which encouraged fans to chime in with ideas of their own. One twitter follower, Eric Reiberg (@Eric_time) came up with the idea that I ultimately used to construct the new lyric.”
“Song selection for Ok Christmas was an interesting experience,” says Michael Eisenstein. “We knew we were going to try to write an original, but we wanted to agree on 3-4 covers as well. Before we even decided to make a Holiday EP, our manager Michael Creamer suggested we do a single of The Dogmatics’ ‘X-mas Time.’ He was more or less like, ‘it mentions Filene’s Basement and Kenmore Square, you gotta do it!’ It’s a gift to our Boston fans. The Kinks “Father Christmas” which has been covered many times but remains largely unknown was on all of our lists from thes start. Greg found Elvis Presley’s “If I Get Home On Christmas Day” and no one was too crazy about it as first. Then he made an acoustic demo of his arrangement idea and we all got it. Stacy laid down the drum track in one take. “
Letters to Cleo formed in 1990 in Boston, lead by guitarist Greg Mckenna and singer Kay Hanley. The band came onto the national spotlight with the release of their first hit single "Here & Now,” released by Giant Records (a subsidiary of Warner Brothers Records). The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Singles chart. The band’s music could be heard on many of the top TV shows and films throughout the 1990’s, including the cult classic 10 Things I Hate About You, where the band contributed 4 songs to the soundtrack and were featured in the film. The band played their last show in 2000 and each of the members went on to have successful careers working in different areas of music from the production, writing, performance, musical directing etc.
The band reunited in 2016 to put out new music for the first time in 17 years, an EP called Back to Nebraska that was met with wildly positive reviews from fans and media alike. Since then the band has been touring regularly every fall right before Thanksgiving, ending the tour in their home town of Boston. In addition to Back to Nebraska, new music came last fall when Letters to Cleo released their first three albums Aurora Gory Alice, Wholesale Meats and Fish and Go! on vinyl for the very first time through a limited edition pressing. Copies of all three albums along with the vinyl version of Back to Nebraska are available on LettersToCleo.net
Letters to Cleo will be playing songs from the EP on the road this fall closing the year with their annual homecoming shows in Boston at the Paradise Rock Club.
TOUR DATES
11/16 The Hi Hat - Los Angeles, CA
11/19 Union Stage - Washington, DC **
11/ 21 The Met - Pawtucket, RI **
11/22 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA **
11/23 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA **
** Supported by Speedy Oritz
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ZAYDE WØLF RELEASES A NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR HIS SINGLE “RUMBLE” TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL VIDEO GAMES DAY
WATCH “RUMBLE”: HERE
ZAYDE WØLF has released an incredible music video for his latest single “Rumble” featuring world-renowned gamer DrLupo to celebrate National Video Games Day. “Rumble” started out as a small yet mighty chorus roaring around in his head which then became a full-formed explosive and arena-ready track. The video follows DrLupo along on his journey through a game of Fortnite.
DrLupo is Ben Lupo, a talented gamer and Twitch broadcaster with over 3.5M followers. His unbelievable gaming skills made him the perfect partner for this video. “Matching up these huge and crazy Fortnite eliminations with ‘Rumble’ go together like French fries and ketchup,” says ZAYDE WØLF mastermind Dustin Burnett. It’s an in-your-face rock anthem to push you through any given battle. “Ever since I was introduced to ZAYDE a few months ago by a viewer, his music has been a driving force for hyping up the stream for a good day. Big plays in Fortnite and ZAYDE WØLF’s beats are the the PB&J of the channel,” Lupo adds.
“Anthemic and heroic,‘Cold Blooded’ is a single that inspires and brings out the animalistic rebel in anyone who listens.” -Come Here Floyd (on “Cold-Blooded”)
Based in Nashville, TN, ZAYDE WØLF is the project of Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer and entrepreneur Dustin Burnett. His incredible work all started from a single, somewhat accidental, song that received such a strong reaction that it turned into an all-consuming project. Since then, Burnett has been making music, directing and producing his own music videos and artistic directing his own visuals.
Without any outside funding or corporate help, ZAYDE WØLF has gained 174K YouTube subscribers, 38 million views, and his music has been streamed over 235 million times. His musical success has also lead to placements in hundreds of films, TV shows, trailers, commercials, and video games. The list includes Shameless, Teen Wolf, Love, Simon, the Jack Reacher 2 trailer, The Maze Runner 3, Pride Prejudice & Zombies, spots for UFC, the NFL and the NBA. Burnett has also creatively expanded his reach by cultivating relationships with partners such as Dude Perfect, one of the top YouTube sports channels with over 40 Million subscribers and 7 Billion views. In the past, he has also partnered with America's Got Talent and YouTube star Sofi Dossi on the video for his single "Rule the World."
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BOOTSTRAPS RELEASES “EVERGREEN” & ANNOUNCES HIS NEW ALBUM DEMO LOVE OUT 10/18
Los Angeles based artist Bootstraps has released his new single “Evergreen”and announced the release of his third full length album Demo Love out October 18th via HyperExtension and available for pre-order HERE.
“He sings with a beautifully hollowed out purpose, seemingly reminding, or taunting us, that there really might not be a tomorrow, but you've got a fat sack of yesterdays that you could spend all of your time on -- contemplating, dealing with, processing until they're worn soft.” –Paste Magazine
“Evergreen” was written while Beckett was traveling to Europe, fleeing a painful breakup. He was half-awake on a flight heading over the Atlantic watching a nondescript entertainment talk show when he overheard the host say, “such and such is riding a wave of success,” then and there Beckett wrote the first lyric for “I ride a wave, only made to break,” setting the tone for the heartbreaking but stunning lead-off track, “Evergreen,” on what would become his next album. "'Evergreen' is about feeling transient," Beckett told Variance Magazine. "The world I was seeing in L.A. and my own life was like a TV eternally switching channels, riding out waves of relationships that were here and gone too soon. False starts, 'a wild horse on a leash' but still believing in the existence of permanence and finding something constant; evergreen as it were. This kind of dualism, reality vs. optimism, creates a certain conflict I like in my music."
When working on writing the rest of the album, Jordan Beckett, who writes and records as Bootstraps, was fascinated by the dichotomy of the word Demo,” which can mean to demonstrate or to demolish. Getting ‘demo love’ is also a music expression where you can’t let go of a song’s original version ‘the demo’ and you love it so much you can’t see or hear a new take. These contrasting ideas are all thematically woven throughout the album Demo Love.
“Singer-songwriter Jordan Beckett is a crafstman whose folk-pop has a filmic quality. – Buzzbands
Beckett grew up in the fertile Portland music scene, spending his teen years going to Elliott Smith, Death Cab For Cutie and Modest Mouse shows - the influences of which are still ever-present in his music. A friend gave him Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, which changed the way he thought about songwriting and is an album he still credits as being a heavy influence on his writing style. Music was not always Beckett’s true calling. He was a college baseball star, but an injury sidelined him, and any future he had in sports. He refocused that time and energy from sports into learning guitar and honing in on his songwriting, using the rich musical and geographical landscape of the Pacific Northwest as a jumping-off point.
His music gained attention quickly from numerous placements in film and TV that include shows like Suits, Supergirl, Parenthood, MacGyver, Grey's Anatomy, Elementary, and films such as Power Rangers, as well as features in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Beckett also wrote the entire soundtrack to the film Take Me Home, which won ‘Best Music’ at the Nashville Film Festival. His music has been streamed over 25 million times and Shazamed over 1 Million times. Bootstraps also found a fan in Taylor Swift. His song “Replica” is featured on the Songs Taylor Loves Spotify Playlist. The success and power of his songwriting led to touring with Mumford and Sons’ Ben Lovett on the Communion Tour.
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KEZAR RELEASES AN EMPOWERING MUSIC VIDEO FOR “DON’T TOUCH THE QUEEN”
WATCH “DON’T TOUCH THE QUEEN”: HERE
Indie pop band Kezar is excited to announce the release of their empowering music video for their single “Don’t Touch the Queen” crafted by an all-female production team. An incredible display of the ferocity of women, the video is essentially a vehicle to celebrate the lives and stories of seven amazing queens.
Directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker, the video features women from all walks of life, including the Director of the Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion Initiative at Google, a plus-size fashion model and designer, film director, cancer survivor, stay-at-home mother, sexual assault survivor, and a transgender activist. Alongside Thacker’s stunning visuals, each of these stories beautifully captures the essence of this song, painting a striking portrait of women and their often superhuman capabilities.
“What these women made with my song is so beautiful and so much more powerful than anything I could have done myself,” frontman Jack Mosbacher shared. “The all-female creative team showed seven real women living in their normal daily lives. And then, we dressed them like what they really are: tough, brilliant, fearless, adversity-overcoming queens.”
An incident Mosbacher witnessed in a club served as the direct inspiration for the song itself. “I was speaking to a woman when a drunk idiot stumbled up and groped her. Without hesitating, she punched him directly in the face. As he gasped for air, she said: ‘Uh uh. Don’t touch the queen.’ I immediately asked her if I could write a song about it - she was kind enough to say yes.”
San Francisco-based Kezar is the project of seasoned musician Jack Mosbacher. He comes from a strong soul background, and the more you listen to each cleverly crafted beat and infectious hook, the more you recognize it as the backbone of his signature pop style. When choosing a name for this project, Mosbacher wanted to stay true to his hometown by naming it after Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, the original home of the 49ers and a music venue that played host to legends like Led Zeppelin, Santana, Bob Dylan, and The Grateful Dead. It was a name that captured this phase in Mosbacher’s musical trajectory: a new chapter, but true to his roots. The band’s debut single “(Tell Me) It’s Not Love,” was produced by K-Kov (Keith Urban, Justin Timberlake), has been streamed over 845K times and was included in Spotify’s official Love Pop and Young & Free playlists. The track’s video was inspired by the beautiful aesthetic of the classic tale Pride & Prejudice and has been received 1.1 million views. The bad also released a five song EP earlier this summer that has received over 635K streams.
WATCH “DON’T TOUCH THE QUEEN”: HERE
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LETHAL AMOUNTS AND AHUIXA PRESENT: “LUX IN TENEBRIS” EXHIBIT
AHUIXA and Lethal Amounts have announced the Lux in Tenebris, an exhibit running September 28th through October 12th. Lux In Tenebris is the Latin term for “in the darkness there is light.” This new exhibit co-curated by Diana Ahuixa and Brooke Kent and produced by Lethal Amounts is a group show featuring artists from the United States, Europe, Japan and more whose work reflects the theme of “darkness. “ The event will feature over 30 artists from around the globe, including Nikol King, Django Nokes, Esther Limones, Orphné Achéron and Alex Reisfar.
“Lethal Amounts prides itself on exhibiting the work of those pushing boundaries in art and comfort,” says Lethal Amounts Owner and Creative Director Danny Fuentes. “As the times change and trends in art come and go, an image of macabre and torment will always be timeless. ‘Dark Art’ boasts so many talented modern-day masters, that one day it will be known as a great art era of the 21st century and discussed in art history classes. We are glad to be a vessel for such amazing visionaries unafraid to express their morbid yet beautiful fascinations.”
AHUIXA is Diana’s swimwear brand known for their dark psychedelic and esoteric inspired designs, while Brooke’s imagery graces numerous pieces in their collection. The two artists have been collaborating for several years and found the perfect home in the Lethal Amounts gallery for this upcoming group show.
“For outsiders and outliers, Danny Fuentes’ gallery is a place to call home.”
Lux in Tenebris
Opening night September 28th.
7pm -11pm
Lethal Amounts Gallery
1226 W. 7th St Los Angeles CA 90017
