Thursday, March 22, 2018

Sleepspent, led by 21-year-old songwriter, guitarist Austin North, signs with Slow Start Records for release of debut, arriving May 4th.


Hear first single “Something” from El Paso-based dreampop trio’s Chris Common (Minus The Bear, Chelsea Wolfe) produced EP now.

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Sleepspent (L-R): Cecilia Otero, Josh Mendoza, Austin North. Photo credit: Jon-Carlo Diaz.

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 Check out the premiere of “Something” by Sleepspent at Northern Transmissions or on your platform of choice at the link below!



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About Sleepspent

21-year-old songwriter and guitarist, Austin North began performing as a UC San Diego student before eventually returning to his hometown of El Paso to form Sleepspent with friend and co-writer, Aaron Quintanilla.

The band, now a trio including Cecilia Otero on bass and Josh Mendoza on drums, will release its Chris Common (Minus The Bear, Chelsea Wolfe, Le Butcherettes)-produced debut EP “It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think” via Slow Start Records on May 4th, 2018.

North’s knack for creating music that is bathed in atmosphere (think Slowdive mixed with a more reverb-y Radiohead, led by a guitarist with an effects pedal fetish) that doesn’t lean away from authentic lyricism and captivating vocal performances (think Jeff Buckley) is proven on “It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think”.

“We’re also definitely inspired by shoegaze and dreampop,” North says, elaborating on Sleepspent’s sound. “That can be heard in the alternate tunings used throughout our music as well as the melodic chord progressions and melodies.”

And though he’s young, North also takes influence from future hall-of-famers like The Cure and The Smiths – two more acts with definitive “sounds” that have never sacrificed art for artifice.

North’s formative years studying jazz guitar wraps it all up in a solid technical foundation, too, but ultimately, Sleepspent songs exist to make you feel.

“They’re more about whatever emotion and feeling they bring about in people,” North says. “I write them to make people feel and interpret my own musings rather than to have them be relatable.”

“A lot of the songs on the EP center around a feeling of confusion and a sense of isolation, and ‘Something’ is a prime example of that,” North continues, referring to the EP’s first single.

The song evolved from a North demo into a Sleepspent signature song that features a kind of indie version of the “wall of sound,” which was created by North alone and then re-created in the studio.

‘Something’ came to be all in one night by myself,” North affirms. “I recorded the demo with some odd recording techniques, like blindly playing random notes in the same key over multiple tracks in order to get a very noisy and chaotic sound that we recreated later.”

Interestingly, the demo recording’s closely mic’d acoustic guitar tracks, augmented by an ebow, have survived through to the final track.

“We also used an air organ, which was a dream to play in the studio while recreating a synthesizer I had used in the demo,” North says.

For all of the obsessing over gear and studio experimentation, Sleepspent is also quickly gaining a reputation in El Paso as a formidable live act.

Sleepspent has already been nominated as a ‘Best Band in the City’ by The City Magazine in El Paso, who called the trio “completely captivating, live and through your speakers.” As Sleepspent’s local following has grown, the group has become a go-to local act to support nationally touring artists, and has also begun to hit the road itself.

Sleepspent will announce more live performances as the release date of “It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think” nears.

“It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think,” the debut EP by Sleepspent, arrives on May 4th, 2018 via Slow Start Records. Austin North is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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Sleepspent – Live

04/07/2018: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
04/14/2018: El Paso, TX @ Low Brow Palace (Slow Start Records Showcase, Acoustic) (TIX)
05/04/2018: El Paso, TX @ Low Brow Palace (Record Release Show)

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Sleepspent
“It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think” EP
(Slow Start Records)
May 4th, 2018
  

Track Listing:

01. Something (LISTEN)       
2. Roots
3. Come Smile With Me
4. Stars
5. Cracking
6. What's The Rush?

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Sleepspent Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Recording live in front of a handful-sized audience seated a few feet away, traditional fiddle-folk foursome The Fretless follows-up 2016 Juno® win.

Documented to tape, video without overdubs in an upstate New York barn, Canadian band’s “Live From The Artfarm” captures its intensity. Watch now.

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The Fretless (L-R): Eric Wright, Karrnnel Sawitsky, Trent Freeman, Ben Plotnick. Photo credit: Scott Ramsay.

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See the live performance of “Holton Alan Moore’s” by The Fretless at Folk Radio UK or watch and listen at the links below!




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About The Fretless

The Fretless is the Canadian fiddle foursome playing an essential part in the emerging movement mainstreaming traditional Irish folk music.

Starting with its debut album in 2012, the band has steadily pushed further into the public eye, winning Instrumental Album of the Year at the​ ​​​Western Canadian Music Awards and Instrumental Group of the Year at the​ ​Canadian Folk Music Awards. Its 2014 tune​ ​​​“Waving To Ryan” has topped a million​ ​Spotify plays, and in 2016,​ ​The Fretless took home a​ ​​​Juno® award for Instrumental Album of The Year for its most recent full-length​ ​Bird’s Nest.

Through its deconstruction and transformation of the usual rhythmic, harmonic and structured arrangements of fiddle styles around the world,​ ​The Fretless is pushing traditional music to a new place, and has now issued itself an atypical challenge in the mission to find and convert fans unfamiliar with “progressive” traditional music.

With its latest recordings, instead of attempting to make a more “accessible” follow-up to​ ​Bird’s Nest,​ ​The Fretless is taking advantage of the recent recognition by releasing an instrumental album of tunes representing the player’s traditional roots. Recorded live in a barn in upstate New York before a handful-sized audience assembled only a few feet away from the players,​ ​​​Live From The Artfarm (​​April 6th) is the raw result of this performance.


​​Live From The Artfarm is a joyous recording that shows off why traditional folk music is finding an audience among the non-traditional, and also why​ ​​​The Fretless is leading the charge. Among the album’s “sets” – the term used in traditional Irish music for groups of three or more tunes arranged and played together – are three new originals by
​​The Fretless.​ ​The album’s total of ten tunes were also beautifully filmed before multiple cameras, and singles from​ ​​​Live From The Artfarm will be circulated that way in order for the uninitiated to fully experience the boundless electricity of the evening.

“We’ve made a record of our favorite pub tunes, but transformed them in our world of arrangement and intricacy,” says fiddle and viola player,​ ​​​Trent Freeman. “We are hoping to bring the current pub crowd audience to us and we are hoping to bring a new crowd to the pub, too. We want everyone involved and there’s no better way than to have you in the room with us.”

It’s a give and take that makes the audience the fifth member of the band towards the end of the new album. As the enthusiastic response from the crowd grows, the band responds in kind.​

“Making this record was a test in getting out of the mindset of recording and into the mindset of performing,”​ ​says The Fretless cellist, Eric Wright. “To capture the energy of a concert, we had to play it like a concert. With​ ​​​Live From The Artfarm, we’re so excited to share the best part of​ ​​​The Fretless, which is seeing us live!”

​​The Fretless already has shows throughout North America booked into the fall, with more being added all the time. For those who can’t make it out,​ ​Live From The Artfarm serves as a document of what​ ​The Fretless can do in front of any crowd, big or small.

​​Live From The Artfarm, the fourth album by​ ​​​The Fretless, arrives on​ ​​​April 6th, 2018. Members of The Fretless are available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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The Fretless – Live

03/22/2018: Judique, NS, Canada @ Celtic Music Interpretive Center
03/23/2018: Lunenburg, NS, Canada @ LAMP
03/24/2018: Florenceville-Bristol, NB Canada @ The Carleton North Theater
03/25/2018: Halifax, NS, Canada @ The Music Room
05/09/2018: Road Eastsound, WA @ Orcas Center
05/11/2018: Seattle, WA @ Ballard Homestead
05/12/2018: Tualatin, OR @ Winona Grange
05/13/2018: Salem, OR @ Hayloft Concert Series
05/15/2018: St. Helena, MT @ The Myrna Loy Center
06/22/2018: Mayne Island, BC, Canada @ Campbell Bay Music Festival
07/06/2018: Penticton, BC, Canada @ The Dream Cafe
07/07/2018: Harrison Hot Springs, BC, Canada @ Harrison Festival
07/13/2018: Courtenay, BC, Canada @ Vancouver Island Music Fest
07/14/2018: Courtenay, BC, Canada @ Vancouver Island Music Fest
07/15/2018: Courtenay, BC, Canada @ Vancouver Island Music Fest
07/27/2018: Ottawa, ON, Canada @ ChamberFest
09/28/2018: Bethlehem, PA @ Celtic Classic
10/06/2018: Westminster, MD @ Carroll Arts Center
10/12/2018: West Vancouver, BC, Canada @ West Vancouver Memorial Library
10/13/2018: Kitsilano, BC, Canada @ St. James Hall
10/18/2018: Mount Vernon, WA @ Celtic Arts Foundation
10/19/2018: Olympia, WA @ Traditions Cafe
10/20/2018: Seattle, WA @ Folklore Society

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See the live performance of “Jenny Bear” by The Fretless at PopMatters or watch and listen at the links below!


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The Fretless
Live From The Artfarm
April 6th, 2018


Track Listing:

01. MacLeod’s Farewell/Palmer’s Gate (Live)
02. Maggie’s Set (Live)
03. The Killavil Fancy (Live)
04. Jenny Bear (Live) (WATCH | LISTEN)
05. Bixie’s (Live)
06. Holton Alan Moore’s (Live) (WATCH | LISTEN)
07. Miss Thornton’s/Climate Change’s Reel (Live)
08. The Templehouse/Holy Land (Live)
09. Dawning of the Day (Live)
10. Star Monster (Live)

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The Fretless Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion


Friday, March 16, 2018

Los Angeles area-based songwriter Gregory Ackerman to release “And Friends” debut via V2/Munich, produced by Rilo Kiley’s Pierre de Reeder.

 American Songwriter premieres “Ten Little Indians/And Then There Were None” single, a “direct response to watching the never-ending news cycle.”

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Gregory Ackerman as photographed by Henry Burge.

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“The current political moment has been a fertile one for many songwriters, providing plenty of fodder for songs that veer into protest and social commentary. Los Angeles native Gregory Ackerman counts himself among such songwriters.” — American Songwriter

WATCH the latest Gregory Ackerman lyric video or LISTEN via the links below!


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Gregory Ackerman – In The Press

“That unmistakable laid-back vibe of Southern California.” — For Folk’s Sake

“Oscillates between giving hope to those who are lovestruck and those who just need a breath of fresh air.” — Atwood Magazine

“Full of little glittering things – little notes, small melodies….” — Independent Clauses

“Hard to resist.” — Adobe and Teardrops

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About Gregory Ackerman

Los Angeles area-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Gregory Ackerman has made an album that sounds as inviting as its title indicates. And Friends, the artist’s debut full-length arrives May 25th, 2018 via V2/Munich. The album was produced by Rilo Kiley bassist, Pierre de Reeder.


Ackerman explains, “Writing this song was a direct response to watching the never-ending news cycle. The news was constantly feeding me doom and gloom, and I had to gain back control over it with the only way I knew how – writing music. This song offers no solutions, just commentary."

Having soaked up the sun and song of the Laurel Canyon air since childhood, Ackerman’s warmth is immediately showcased on And Friends, opening with his own immersive double-tracked vocals, guitar and piano playing, along with the sincere contributions of Ackerman’s actual friends.

Swarthy drumming comes courtesy of high school friend, Keenan McDaniel, plaintive slide guitars from Tom Relling, a friend since middle school, and beautiful vocal touches are provided by singer, Malarie Howard, who lends a female perspective to “Keep Falling,” who Ackerman met in college. The dusty harmonica throughout the album is by Ackerman’s brother Eric, who also performs in Gregory’s live band, and has likely been a friend of his brother’s since birth.

Everything else that we hear on And Friends comes from Ackerman himself. The album represents a singular point of view that is uncommon on a debut. Where some might be finding their footing, Ackerman is firmly planted.

And Friends by Gregory Ackerman is scheduled for release on May 25th via V2/Munich. Ackerman is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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“Thrives on raw honesty. Brings splashes of colour to every note he strikes.” – Atwood Magazine


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Gregory Ackerman Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion


Wednesday, March 14, 2018

“Japanese Action Comic Punk” band Peelander-Z launches week of SXSW shows today; New album “Go PZ Go” arrives April 6th.


Band drops latest music video for “Bike Bike Bike,” directed by Toto Miranda of The Octopus Project, starring every cyclist in Austin.

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Peelander-Z (L-R): Peelander-Purple, Peelander-Yellow, Peelander-Pink. Photo credit: Ryota Mori.

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Peelander-Z at SXSW 2018

03/14/2018: Austin, TX @ Hole In The Wall (Ranch by Chicken Ranch party, SXSW, 4PM)
03/14/2018: Austin, TX @ Valhalla (Chicken Ranch Records, SXSW, 12AM)
03/15/2018: Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room & Garage (SXSW)
03/16/2018: Austin, TX @ Spider House (Peelander-Fest, SXSW, 6PM)
03/17/2018: Austin, TX @ Mohawk (The Octopus Project and Friends!, SXSW, 3PM)

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Glide calls “Bike Bike Bike” a “rock and roll rallying call.” Watch!


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Peelander-Z – In The Press

“One of the most visually imaginative punk groups.” — The New York Times

“Delivering an insanely entertaining live show.” — Rolling Stone

“No escape from the grind like the Peelander–Z escape from the grind.” — The Fader

Peelander–Z put sanity in a headlock.” — Alternative Press

“Standing on the sidelines is not an option.” — Time Out New York

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Yahoo! Entertainment calls “Go PZ Go/Yeah Yeah Yeah” “fun and stunning!” Watch and listen now!


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Peelander-Z – the Japanese Action Comic Punk Band – will launch a week of SXSW shows this afternoon. See above for full itinerary. To celebrate, the band has released a new music video for the song “Bike Bike Bike,” directed by Toto Miranda, drummer for fellow Austin-based band (and longtime friends of Peelander-Z), The Octopus Project. The clip features many members of Austin’s cycling community starring alongside the band members. The video can be seen now via Glide Magazine’s premiere coverage.

“Bike Bike Bike” is taken from the upcoming Peelander-Z album Go PZ Go which follows-up its 2014 full-length hair metal tribute album Metalander-Z. The album is best referred to as a “back to basics” album from the group. Go PZ Go will be released via Chicken Ranch Records on April 6th.

In addition to the video for “Bike Bike Bike,” Peelander-Z has also issued the animated clip for “Go PZ Go / Yeah Yeah Yeah,” directed by comedy writer, director, and animator, Jimbo Matison. The video “done solely with paper and pencils” was recently premiered via Yahoo! Entertainment which also called the clip “fun and stunning.”

Go PZ Go is not only the follow-up to Peelander-Z’s 2014 album; it comes on the heels of a much heralded documentary about the band “Mad Tiger.” The film, directed by Jonathan Yi and Michael Haertlein, was acquired by Film Movement after a successful festival circuit run following its premiere at New York’s IFC Center during DOC NYC. “Mad Tiger” ultimately went on to a nationwide theatrical release and can now be seen via Netflix.

Now, with Go PZ Go, the band also delivers its most listenable album, one that doesn’t merely act as a fun souvenir and reminder of the memorable experiences that Peelander-Z brings in its live performances. In fact, Go PZ Go is an addictive record all on its own that will appeal to any true punk rocker – young (the fans that Peelander-Z regularly calls up on stage to take over their instruments) and old (those who may only have the stamina to put headphones on in the comfort of their living rooms.)

As usual, the release of Go PZ Go on April 6th will be followed by another nationwide tour where Peelander-Z guarantees intense audience participation and will take the opportunity to “eat your smile,” as band-leader Peelander-Yellow terms what could ultimately be construed as the group’s mission statement. Further details and full itinerary forthcoming.

Go PZ Go, the ninth full-length album by Peelander-Z, is scheduled for release on April 6th, 2018 via Chicken Ranch Records. Members of Peelander-Z are available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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Peelander-Z
Go PZ Go
Chicken Ranch Records
April 6th, 2018


Track Listing:

01. Go PZ Go
02. P.P.P.P.
03. H.I.P.P.O.
04. Bike Bike Bike (WATCH)
05. Rock Paper Scissors
06. Beaver Fever
07. Mix Mix Mix
08. Free Three Bees
09. I'm Not Singer
10. Cookie House
11. UFO
12. You Have Nice Tee Shirts
13. Yeah Yeah Yeah (WATCH | LISTEN)
14. Don't Comb Over My Hair

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Peelander-Z Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion


Latest from married Bakersfield-based shoegaze-dreampop duo Fawns of Love, out now. Band scheduled to play The Echo in L.A. April 29th.


Double A-side 7-inch “Zine Days” packaged in 3-D sleeve w/ 3-D glasses to match. See the “Something Stupid” video at Groundsounds now.

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Fawns of Love (L-R): Jenny Andreotti, Joseph Andreotti. Photo credit: Joseph Andreotti.

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Fawns of Love – In The Press

“A dreampop gem.” — Paste

“Drifts along dreamily.” — MAGNET

“Perfectly woozy.” — FLOOD

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Watch “Zine Days” by Fawns of Love at MXDWN or listen via the link below!




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Watch “Something Stupid” by Fawns of Love at Groundsounds or listen via the link below!




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Los Angeles! See Fawns of Love live on April 29th at the weekly Part Time Punks event at The Echo. Tickets available now!

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“One of our favorite things to watch are vintage informational films,” explains Joseph Andreotti, one half of the married duo Fawns of Love, which also includes his wife, Jenny Andreotti. Joseph took inspiration from these films to create the music video for “Something Stupid,” the flip side of the band’s new “Zine Days” 7-inch, available now.

“This film is called ‘Curious Alice’ from 1968, and was created by the National Institute of Mental Health with the intent to inform eight to ten-year-olds about the negative effects of drugs and alcohol use. Ironically, it’s a beautiful trippy film that defeats its’ own purpose, and reminds us a lot of one of our favorites, the 1977 Japanese film ‘House.’

About the video for “Zine Days,” Joseph says, “We think Flying Nun had the coolest roster on the face of the planet during the 1980s and 1990s, and they still do. “A lot of our favorite Flying Nun bands, like The Chills, The Bats, and The Clean, used stop motion in their music videos,” he explains of the technique appropriated for the “Zine Days” clip. “We aimed to capture the theme of the song by surrounding Jenny with objects she would have used during her adolescence, and by making it in 3-D we thought it would be a nice way to overdose on nostalgia.”

“Zine Days” arrives a year after the band’s debut album Who Cares About Tomorrow, and is the follow-up to its mid-2017 single release “Falling/Standing,” which Paste called a “dreampop gem,” and was honored as one of the best songs of the year by Los Angeles-based radio show Part Time Punks and venerable indie rock bible The Big Takeover.

“Gone are the zine days, Gone are the me and you days,” Jenny sings.

Both full-time teachers, the Andreottis have been married for 13 years, performing together for 16, and recording, touring and releasing music throughout that time under various band names.

“Zine Days” is the latest 7-inch by Fawns of Love, is available now. Jenny and Joseph Andreotti are available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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Fawns of Love Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion