Chicago rocker Tom Fuller climbs to #8 on FMQB AC charts with single “Only In America.”

It’s said that Chicago-based rocker Tom Fuller may be an Abstract Man, but that doesn’t mean he’s hard to understand. In fact, that precarious balance of the accessible and the esoteric is the very fuel on which his artistic engine runs. This duality is on full display on Fuller’s hit tune “Only In America” (MP3) which has ascended to the #8 position on FMQB’s AC chart with 1000 spins for the week.

The Tom Fuller Band’s second album, Abstract Man issued by on Mesa/Blue Moon, is full of these kinds of tunes that put his pedal-to-the-metal, classic rock influenced riffs go toe to toe with his goosebump-inducing melodic hooks and his song-craftsman’s knack for lyrical narrative. Sometimes his messages are conveyed in bite-size chunks, sometimes with intriguing, poetic imagery that lets the listeners create their own interpretations.

“I like writing thought-provoking lyrics that match the intensity of the music, to fit like a glove, in a timeless way.” The music of the Tom Fuller Band as we know it today started touching people with the release of 2005 debut album Chasing An Illusion. Fuller put the record together with the assistance of his sonic soulmate, producer Rick Chudacoff, who gave some valuable on-the-job training to the previously unrecorded artist.

“He adopted me,” Fuller recalls. Chasing An Illusion was an important first step, that led to five Top five hits on small town FMQB radio stations all across the U.S. “Chasing An Illusion was more of a ballad oriented CD,” he confirms, “I wanted to significantly raise the bar on Abstract Man, with a more roof-raising attitude for my second project.”

The Abstract Man that Fuller raised from its infant state with the help of Chudacoff and the multi-talented Christian Cullen, is a kaleidoscopic musical journey that exceeded any of its participants’ wildest imaginations. Those true-blue rock and roll values that Fuller has held close to his heart all along bear fruit in the form of everything from arena-size rock anthems to tough-but-tender portraits of everyday people’s inner lives. Listening closely to each facet as they shift and twirl, you can catch a wide variety of reflections. Besides some Fab Four touches, there’s a bit of everything from the stadium-stomping Britpop of Oasis to the saber-sharp roots-rock of John Hiatt, and the kind of heartland rock that conjures up Tom Petty’s finest moments.

True to Fuller’s storytelling penchant, Abstract Man is full of resonant tales. “When I write a song, it takes on a life of its own,” he says. Those lives encompass a vivid world of love, loss, and redemption. In the end, the most resonant message the listener takes away is one of self-realization; the notion that people have the power to change their lives and define their world. Make no mistake, though, for all its weighty issues and philosophical concepts, Abstract Man is first and foremost a multi-hued explosion of sound. Every song on it will appeal to anyone who’s ever turned on a radio or thrown on a new album and had their life changed in three-and-a-half minutes.

Abstract Man Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
Release Date: OUT NOW

01. Lollipop Guild
02. Sunglass Wardrobe
03. Only In America (MP3)
04. Abstract Man
05. Air That I Breathe
06. Dragon Fight
07. Midnight Pass
08. Colour of The Wind
09. Tomorrow Morning
10. Emerald Land
11. Between The Lines
12. All Ever Wanted
13. Franklin Street

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CAW! CAW! specializes in cosmic pop songs for space explorers, time travelers, pill-popping lovers, miniature golfers and teenagers making out.

“...a guitar-driven sound and tense vocals, akin to a harder version of Radiohead.” – The Daily Iowan

CAW! CAW! is what you get when you raise three boys in an ice cavern on a diet of hot chocolate, fried chicken and ambrosia. And then give them guitars.

Originally formed in 2001 as a punk rock quartet, half a decade of playing, recording and evolving together in an attic on the north side of Chicago has honed these young men into something made from many different things-a bit of desperate naiveté (plastered with impudent guitar textures) and a healthy dose of earnest rock and roll (propelled by a smart, booming rhythm section). They play dreamily, hugely, furiously and meekly.

Over time, this original punk outfit grew into a woodsy cosmic pop band, then into an ambient experimental trio, and has presently settled on a sonic palette which maps the common ground between all these sounds and more. CAW! CAW! makes music that shakes, wails, explodes and then crawls groggily into bed, only to emerge now and then for a few quick, wistful breaths conjuring fuzzy and mysterious images of old men and children floating in space. Some of CAW! CAW!’s songs are about departure and boyish fantasies. Others are about friends and seafarers.

In the six years they’ve been around, CAW! CAW! has played all over their native city of Chicago. In high school, the boys decided to hold a concert in the art department’s men’s bathroom. It went over pretty well. Both the Principal and Vice Principal came! They have also played in more conventional local spaces like Subterranean, The Note, Martyrs’, The Bottom Lounge and South Union Arts.

CAW! CAW! is the stargazer, the crude cowboy, the truth teller, the hypocrite and the wild sexless child you want to be again. They play for everyone, but specialize in earth songs for space explorers, time travelers, pill-popping lovers, miniature golfers and teenagers making out. If you are any one of these or just some kid somewhere, this may be the band for you. Check out the “Organisms” single below and get to know CAW! CAW!.

Wait Outside EP Tracklisting:
Release Date: Sept. 23rd, 2008
01. Escape the Red Giant
02. Organisms (MP3)
03. Wrapped Up Neat In The Bible
04. A Name
05. Work
06. Rotten Ghost
07. Sheets

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mr. Gnome delivers Creature throughout the U.S. this fall and stunning surrealist video to your mind grapes... now!

“Boy does this Ohio duo make a lot of noise. Such is the overwhelming nature of the twosome’s aggressive-yet-beautiful sound.” – Paste Magazine


The oddly named Cleveland duo mr. Gnome has announced new U.S. tour dates in September and October in support of its impressive genre-bending debut full-length, Deliver This Creature. See complete dates below. Fitting with its loftily heavy-beautiful music, the band has released an equally stunning and surreal music video for the song “Night of The Crickets.” Watch it at You Tube (LINK) or MySpace (LINK). The band describes the video, directed by drummer Sam Meister as, a salvia induced ride through the afterlife.

Like all enduring artists, guitarist/vocalist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister have crafted a sound so unique and powerful that it seems to mystify critics and audiences alike -- just take a look at all of the writers deferring to mystical terms to describe the band’s transcendent sound below.

The music of mr. Gnome has been described as utilizing elements of AltRock, Metal, Post Punk, and Prog, but lands in a realm of their own making, crafting a compelling sonic-psychedelic mélange of indie rock. Since its conception in 2005, the Cleveland duo has released two EPs, receiving wide-ranging and honorable comparisons to Cat Power, PJ Harvey, Tool, Portishead, Pelican, Death From Above 1979, Bjork and Blonde Redhead. Above all else, mr. Gnome’s compositions work -- and in very unusual and clearly soon-to-be-influential ways, where truly adequate descriptions aren’t yet available.

While comparisons vary, one thing is certain - the duo’s unique sound explores unpredictable shades of violence and intensity, while meshing the sludgy, reverberating monsoon of hardcore with the feminine. Its debut full-length CD, Deliver This Creature, hit stores in May 2008 on El Marko Records. Hot on the heels of that release the band took to the road to truly deliver the creature -- as it has nearly incessantly over the past three years -- city to city across the US, earning considerable praise throughout.

The phenomenally unique and powerful pair catapulted to the #1 most blogged about band on the Elbo.ws blog aggregator immediately after release of the first MP3 from the album “Pirates” (MP3). Print press also resolutely responded to the album, including coverage in SPIN, RollingStone.com, Paste, Venus, Big Takeover, many more.

Guitarist/vocalist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister began experimenting a few years ago with a sound based on minimalist instrumentation and the rigid dichotomy of soft vs. loud and masculine vs. feminine. Within a year, the two released their first EP, Echoes On The Ground, and were touring the regional circuit. Their second EP, self-titled (Mr. Gnome), was released in November of 2006 and the two, having hooked up with Lost Barrio Artists, a booking agency based out of Tucson, AZ now found themselves touring nationally. After completing their first two national tours, Barille and Meister found it hard to go back to the daily grind and felt an immediate urgency to continue traveling the countryside.

With the road calling, Barille and Meister ditched their belongings in a storage space and temporarily parted ways with the Midwest. mr. Gnome, an officially homeless band, began touring the United States, living out of a van and sleeping on random couches for the second part of 2007. With a handful of new material in their set list, the two used practice spots along the way to complete the writing of their new creation and by the force of their journey, discovered both Larry Crane’s Jackpot Studios (Elliott Smith, Cat Power, The Shins, The Decemberists) in Portland, Oregon and Craig Schumacher’s Wavelab Studios (Calexico, DeVotchka, Neko Case, Animal Collective) in Tucson, Arizona where they recorded their first full-length album with engineers Kendra Lynn, and Chris Schultz. mr. Gnome headed back to Cleveland to put the finishing touches on their album at Ante Up Audio (Bone Thugs N’ Harmony, Tori Amos, Guided By Voices) working with Michael Seifert. The album was then mixed at Butch Vig’s Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin by Beau Sorenson (Death Cab For Cutie).

Quotes From The Press:
“… great swipes of serrated guitar slash across Nicole Barille’s gooey vocals. The absolute antidote to all those shrinking violets we’ve been big upping lately.” – Rolling Stone

“’Rabbit’ from mr. Gnome’s debut full-length, Deliver This Creature, pulls a heckuva lot of noise out of a small hat, pretty much just Sam Meister’s tribal drums and the reverberating vocals and sludgily atmospheric guitar fills of Nicole Barille.” – Pitchfork

“This duo’s debut full-length balances a soulful, feminine power that recalls Scout Niblett and a drummer who coldly demands dymanic shifts with almost electronic precision. It’s an earnest tug-of-war.” – SPIN Magazine

“Barille and Meister play music that can be heavier than heavy metal but also atmospheric and beautiful. Each song ends breathlessly, with intensity, on that line between pleasure and pain.” – Venus Zine

“mr. Gnome glides through catchy and crunchy hard rock arrangements, thanks to big sonic blasts of aggressive elegance. The Cleveland duo showcases a knack for squeezing big hooks into hard driving numbers.” – Amplifier Magazine

“Think White Stripes turned inside out and upside down, with a dash of psychedelia, and then you can get an idea of this duo’s sound.” – Detroit News

“A mix of Death From Above 1979 with the intense vocal wail of Diamanda Galas, while Kurt Cobain sits in on guitar. In short, mr. Gnome makes a lot of beautiful noise.” – Albuquerque Journal

mr. Gnome On Tour
09/07 Greensburg, PA @ Benefest
09/08 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
09/10 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
09/11 Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge
09/12 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
09/13 Pensacola, FL @ The Handlebar
09/14 Birmingham, AL @ Cave 9
09/15 Nashville, TN @ Springwater Cafe
09/17 Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn
09/18 St. Louis, MO @ The Bluebird
09/19 Madison, WI @ The Frequency
09/20 Minneapolis, MN @ Nomad World Pub
09/23 Denver, CO @ Bender's
09/24 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
09/25 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
09/26 Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
09/27 Bellingham, WA @ Old Foundry
09/30 Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge
10/01 San Diego, CA @ The Pink Elephant
10/02 Tucson, AZ @ Plush
10/03 Phoenix, AZ @ Canvas
10/04 Flagstaff, AZ @ Hotel Monte Vista
10/05 Albuquerque, NM @ Atomic Cantina
10/07 Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar
10/08 Norman, OK @ Opolis
10/09 Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
10/10 Austin, TX @ Beauty Bar
10/11 Houston, TX @ Rudyards British Pub
10/12 New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
10/16 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
10/18 Cincinnati, OH @ The Gypsy Hut
10/23 New York, NY @ The Knitting Factory Fanatic CMJ Day Party
10/24 Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
10/31 Cleveland, OH @ Sachsenheim Ballroom

Deliver This Creature Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
Release Date: May 6th, 2008
01. Pirates (MP3)
02. Rabbit (MP3)
03. Deliver This Creature
04. The Machine
05. Night of The Crickets (MP3) | (VIDEO)
06. I’m Alright
07. Silhouette
08. Thief
09. After the Sun
10. Tied

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www.elmarkorecords.com
www.myspace.com/elmarkorecords

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Kill Whitie party maven Tha Pumpsta holds it down in NYC this weekend...

“The ultimate postmodern lothario” – CMJ

“11! It’s all good as long as you’re really stoned and/or drunk.“ – Vice

“I have to admit his presence is electric, as if The Doors’ Jim Morrison and 2 Live Crew’s Luther Campbell had merged into one body.” – Jason Tanz OPP: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America (Bloomsbury Press)

Inspired by the Martin Luther King Jr. quote “I believe that a day will come when all God’s children from bass black to treble white will be significant on the constitution’s keyboard.” Tha Pumpsta aka Jeremy Parker’s second album Bass Black Treble White tackles the paradox of the seven sins (“treble white”) and seven virtues (“bass black”) represented by the fourteen tracks.

If you’re in the NYC area, join us this weekend for special performances by Tha Pumpsta and Living Days to celebrate the release of the 2XLP edition of Bass Black Treble White. One black vinyl representing the seven virtues and one white vinyl representing the seven sins. Then follow along to the after party featuring DJs Leb Laze, Stay High, Tha Pumpsta, Taka, and Elizabeth. Info below.

Tha Pumpsta Live:
Milk The Beef and Fanatic Presents:
Live performances from: Tha Pumpsta (LINK) and Living Days (LINK).
Featuring DJs: Taka and Elizabeth.
Sat. August 23, 2008 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm.
Login and RSVP at Facebook HERE.
Capricious Space, Brooklyn (LINK)
(103 Broadway btw Bedford and Berry)
Celebrate the release of the limited edition
2XLP version of Bass Black Treble White.
JMZ to Hewes or L to Lormier.
Walk south on Broadway to Hewes.

Milk The Beef and Fanatic Presents:
Celebrate the release of the limited edition
2XLP version of Bass Black Treble White.
Sat. August 23, 2008 from 10:00pm - 4:00am.
Login and RSVP at Facebook HERE.
With DJs: Leb Laze, Stay High, Tha Pumpsta,
DJ Taka, and Elizabeth.
Trophy Bar, Brooklyn
(351 Broadway btw Keap and Rodney)
JMZ to Marcy. Walk south on Broadway or
L to Bedford. Walk south ‘til Broadway.

More about Bass Black Treble White:
Hit singles from Bass Black Treble White include “Move It” which offers a sexy duo between Tha Pumpsta and newcomer Autumn as well as “Octopus Armed” (MP3), a gluttonous-grime New York track. In addition there is also “Breath” that has an unmistakable Nine Inch Nails feel, “Don Juan” has a Baltimore two-step sound. Of course being from the ATL, Tha Pumpsta’s Bass Black Treble White is undeniably durty south.

“Kill Whitie!” addresses the hype and true nature of the party Kill Whitie! which was made famous by the controversial Washington Post piece (LINK). The track tells the story of a party that began with “Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and lesbians” crowding the doorless bathroom of the stinger club to do bad street cocaine. The album doesn’t limit itself to any particular single sound, this is evident in “Nothing” in which Tha Pumpsta takes a moment to unearth his sensitive gay ass over what might as well be a My Bloody Valentine track. From Bass Black Treble White, Tha Pumpsta don’t discriminate.

Tha Pumpsta works alongside a diverse collection of homies including Black Cracker best known with her production work with CocoRosie and Bunny Rabbit. Long time musical partner and friend Derierre aka Shannon Funchess who regularly tours with !!! and sings with TV On The Radio. Derierre also shares the stage with Tha Pumpsta who are both front men of the notorious live rock / booty party band Durty Nanas.

The enhanced audio CD includes Grant Worth’s music video “Freeky” (VIDEO) filmed at an abandoned insane asylum in upstate New York the day before Halloween 2006. Tha Pumpsta also contributed his brilliant editing skills by hacking an early 90’s marine commercial for the music video “Temple.” (VIDEO) The Limited edition two-disk vinyl consists of one black vinyl and one white vinyl in a clear gatefold.

Bass Black Treble White Tracklisting:
National Release Date: September 2nd, 2008
01. 1987
02. Move It
03. Sallie Mae
04. Octopus Armed (MP3) | (VIDEO)
05. Add
06. Temple (VIDEO)
07. Don Juan
08. Breath
09. Spesh
10. Kill Whitie!
11. Clapp
12. Whoop Revisited
13. Freeky (VIDEO)
14. Nothing

More about Tha Pumpsta:
“I am Tha Pumpsta. What that means precisely is debatable. I tend to believe that I am Tha Pumpsta because I, like most people from the durty durty live life a little ‘crunk’.

Currently I am working on a third album and a 12-inch release titled “Tha Charm” with the song ‘L-0-V-E (No Crying at The Disco)’ which will include remixes by Black Cracker featuring Shunda K of Yo! Majesty and others. I just released Bass Black Treble White with the amazing people at Milk The Beef Records! National re-release this Fall. In addition to an enhanced audio CD, there is also a limited edition two-piece vinyl. One black vinyl representing the seven virtues and one white vinyl representing the seven sins. It is available in select stores and on pumpsta.com. (buy from me, it’s cheaper!) The audio CD comes enhanced with the music videos “Freeky” (VIDEO) by Grant Worth as well as “Temple” (VIDEO) a re-edit of some nostalgic marines footage I made myself. Watch it online or better yet, buy the album!

Also under my belt is the first Pumpsta album titled Alphabitize The Nation! I understand “alphabitize” is misspelled, but it was too late and Photoshop doesn’t have spell check so “alphabitize” stuck. I have done all the design and layout for my work including the new “Peace and Pumpsta” oversized UNI-T. This is also available on pumpsta.com or in select fancy boutiques, once again buy from me it’s cheaper!

I have worked with a whole slew of kats including Avenue D, Black Cracker and Bunny Rabbit, Gio Black Peter, Will Lemon, Gustavo Andrade and Stephonik and of course the amazing Shannon Funchess aka Derrière of !!!, TV on The Radio and every other amazing band you’ve ever heard in your life. As well as lots and lots of others I am sure I am forgetting to mention.

I love life, people, and music... Besides the recorder, my first “real” instrument was the trumpet in middle school. I was your typical overweight nerd who knew every word to “Whoop There It Is” by Tag Team (there is a cover of it on Bass Black Treble White.)

For three years I played in a band called Durty Nanas. In a safety deposit box rests recordings that under the guidance of God will be released one day. But only when humanity is ready… LOVE ALWAYS!"

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“The new Sleater-Kinney?” Brooklyn’s radical Jewish queercore quartet The Shondes takes to the road...

The Shondes, a Brooklyn, NY quartet taking its name from the Yiddish word for ”shame” or ”disgrace” earned considerable praise (contrary to the group’s self-deprecating moniker) this year for its debut album, The Red Sea.

The disc produced by Pere Ubu bassist and producer Tony Maimone (They Might Be Giants, Book of Knots) often inspired critics to praise The Shondes as “the new Sleater-Kinney.” Due to the debut’s success, the quartet will once again take to the road this Fall for a rigorous two-month trek throughout the U.S. See below for complete dates.

SPIN Magazine featured The Shondes as its Artist of The Day (LINK), while the band’s NYC album release party was glowingly reviewed by CMJ (LINK). New York Press featured The Shondes in an in-depth article (LINK). Likewise, many other reputable outlets showcased the band earlier this year.

The Shondes’ dramatic rock has been compared to Sleater-Kinney, Patti Smith and The Raincoats, due to the group’s clever merging of classical music, traditional Jewish folk and punk rock into a compelling whole. The Shondes -- Temim Fruchter (drums/vocals), Louisa Solomon (bass/vocals), Ian Brannigan (guitar) and Elijah Oberman (violin/vocals) -- quickly gained popularity in its native city thanks to its complex melodic song structures combined with rich, intertwined vocals. Despite the apparent fixation on an erroneous quantifier relating to the band members’ identities (falsely describing the band as “3/4 transgender,” perhaps because it makes a catchy press hook when paired with the factually correct “3/4 Jewish”), The Shondes has been receiving acclaim for its seamless fusion of fierce political conviction and serious musicianship. “We’re proud to continue the tradition of political, queer and feminist punk,” says drummer Fruchter.

The Shondes’ songwriting fuses the various musical traditions of feminist punk, classical, Jewish and queercore, while the band’s vocal melodies move effortlessly from anthemic to haunting -- textured by the distinct qualities of each of their voices. The result is a unique sound that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. The high energy of its live shows brings audiences along for the ride, with audience members often singing along and swaying to the punchy rhythms and soaring melodies.

From its formation, The Shondes has maintained a rigorous tour schedule including two national tours, a midwest mini-tour, regular east coast dates, and festivals such as North by Northeast and Homo A Go Go. The group has shared the stage with indie luminaries Electrelane, Erase Errata, Amy Ray, Mecca Normal, Joe Lally (Fugazi) and Lesbians On Ecstasy, among others. The band also organizes events, often in partnership with local activist organizations, such as the Jews Against the Occupation Chanukah Ball and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s Valentine’s Day Party.

Quotes From The Press:
“...a band bent on putting politics back in punk. Just a year out from their union in college, the foursome caught the crest of a foamy blogger-hype wave without so much as a single pressed.“ – SPIN

“Are The Shondes the next Sleater-Kinney?” – VH1 Best Week Ever Blog

“Seamlessly fusing art and politics.” – Punk Planet

“Hard-driving, politically savvy rock 'n roll.” – Flavorpill

“A delightful disgrace, stirring up buzz without an album or a label.” – Venus Zine

“Riot grrrl radicalism wed to classically structured songs.” – The Village Voice

“A powerful new sound.” – Heeb Magazine

“A frenzy of violins, surfy guitar leads, and punctuated group vocals blend together to make… catchy and compelling tunes. Add some complex harmonies, abrupt time changes, and eastern European sounding scales to the mix and you've get a truly unique sound.” – The Deli

“The Shondes go all out for audiences with their swift musical assault and onstage antics.” – Austinist

“...an album rich in saw-tooth guitars, pummeling rhythms and an undeniably anthemic spirit. It’s haunting and it’s eerie, yet it’s rousing. The Shondes are a twisted carnival film noir come true.” – CMJ

The Shondes On Tour:
08/28 Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
08/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Tritone
08/30 Morgantown, WV @ 424 Clark Street
08/31 Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
09/03 Ann Arbor, MI @ TC’s Speakeasy
09/04 Lexington, KY @ The Void
09/05 Louisville, KY @ Headliners
09/06 Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
09/07 St. Louis, MO @ The Off Broadway
09/10 Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
09/11 Des Moines, IA @ Vaueville Mews
09/13 Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
09/14 Minneapolis, MN @ The Triple Rock
09/17 Eugene, OR @ TBA
09/18 Portland, OR @ The Town Lounge
09/19 Seattle, WA @ The High Dive
09/20 Olympia, WA @ The Track House
09/24 San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah
09/25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Silverlake Lounge
09/27 Santa Barbara, CA @ TBA
10/01 Tuscon, AZ @ TBA
10/03 Santa Fe, NM @ TBA
10/05 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
10/08 New Orleans, LA @ The Dragon’s Den
10/10 Athens, GA @ Little Kings Shuffle Club
10/11 Atlanta, GA @ Wonderroot
10/12 Birmingham, AL @ TBA
10/16 Miami, FL @ Churchill’s
10/18 Chapel Hill, NC @ The Nightlite
10/23 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory Fanatic CMJ Day Party
10/31 Portland, ME @ Geno’s

The Red Sea Album Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
01. Don’t Look Down (MP3)
02. Your Monster
03. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (MP3)
04. Winter
05. Let’s Go (MP3)
06. I Watched The Temple Fall
07. At The Water
08. What Love Is
09. The Mother and The Colony
10. Don’t Whisper
11. The Start of Everything

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Portland’s System and Station embark on month-long tour in support new full-length, A Nation of Actors.

“Portland’s System and Station are a pretty rockin’ band whose angular axwork gets puffed up into lofty billows--kinda like Sunny Day Real Estate, Built To Spill’s arena-sized moments, or The Sea and Cake on high spin.“ – Village Voice

“Like 90’s underground cult heroes Shiner and Unwound, System and Station delivers a precise, visceral version of noisy pop, full of angular guitars, rhythmic, slightly hypnotic melodies and intelligent lyrics. RFK Heise’s vocals are the compelling centerpoint, as urgent in quieter passages as they are in more climactic moments.” – Portland Tribune

“Part prog, part pop, part punk, part jazz-rock fusion, System and Station seems to have hit on the perfect mixture of instrumental prowess and accessibility that made the early 70’s so much fun (and diverse). Frank Zappa would do”Follow Your Arrow” proud as the tune takes the listener on a challenging time signature changing magic carpet ride...” – Amplifier

Portland’s System and Station will embark on a month-long tour tomorrow in support of its new full-length album A Nation of Actors, released today on Chicago-based Latest Flame Records. See below for complete details.

The band has previously shared stages with such notable acts as Marky Ramone, Shiner, Alex Chilton, Built To Spill, Jermy Enigk (of Sunny Day Real Estate), Canyon, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Meat Puppets... oh and Sloppy Seconds, too.

System and Station’s fourth full-length A Nation of Actors is its most solid work to date. Principle songwriter and anchor of the band, RFK Heise, introduces elements of the gentle (at times plaintive) ambiance formerly reserved for his side project Protest Hill. A Nation of Actors rides through poppier terrain that its predecessor Here Is Now, without sacrificing the angular guitar work or the two ton rhythm section.

System and Station formed as a three piece in Boise, Idaho in ‘98. Despite frequent moves to and from the West coast (though now based in Portland, OR), mainstay Heise has guided the band through three full length records, three EPs, 18 national tours and 12 breakdowns (some in -20 degree weather, some strictly mental.) From catchy melodic pop to disarming vocals and pensive lyrics, A Nation of Actors glistens from beginning to end.

System and Station Live:
08/20 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge CD Release
08/26 Eureka, CA @ Lil’ Red Lion
08/27 San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
08/28 Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory
08/29 San Diego, CA @ Chaser’s
08/30 Tucson, AZ @ Plush
08/31 Albuquerque, NM @Atomic Cantina
09/01 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
09/02 Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
09/03 Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
09/04 Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn
09/05 Madison, WI @ The Frequency
09/06 Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
09/07 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
09/08 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
09/09 Lincoln, NE @ Box Awesome
09/10 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
09/11 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
09/12 Boise, ID @ Visual Arts Collective
09/13 Seattle, WA @ The Sunset Tavern

A Nation of Actors Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
Release Date: August 19th, 2008

01. The Magnetic North (MP3)
02. Sell Out
03. A Light To Lead You Home
04. On The Way
05. Rainy Days In Future Cities
06. Too Late Too Soon
07. The World Is Run By Wires
08. Pictures Found In Paragraphs
09. Out On The Wall
10. Dumb Luck
11. A Nation Of Actors

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www.latestflame.com
www.myspace.com/latestflamerecords

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Holy Sons (Emil Amos of Om and Grails) releases expanded edition of apocalyptic masterpiece.

“Uniquely dark songs” – Time Out New York

“Holy Sons consists only of Emil Amos, and his music is full of gorgeous keening and emotional subtlety -- every quiet wail, guitar strum, and tap on the high hat is delicately balanced and perfect.” – Portland Mercury

“Emil Amos’ utter disregard for anything close to musical commercialism springboards his work to another possible purpose: Transcendence of the confines we have all brought upon ourselves.” – Dusted Magazine

Aside from recording and touring with his other critically acclaimed bands Om (Sub Pop / Southern Lord) and Grails (Important Records / Temporary Residence / Neurot Recordings), Emil Amos also records and tours under the name Holy Sons. On September 23, 2008 Partisan Records will be releasing an expanded release of Holy Sons’ apocalyptic masterpiece Decline of The West.

Decline of The West represents a vital intersection of style and method in Amos’ songwriting and production, combining his genre-hopping tendencies and no-rules mixing methods with the more hook-driven, straight-to-the-jugular phrasing that he has been honing for the last 15 years.

Amos’ musical resume reads like a dream wish list for most musicians. Outside of Holy Sons, Amos is the new member in the globally renowned Om and a producer/songwriter of his other band Grails. He has performed both on stage and collaboratively with the likes of Daniel Johnston, Will Oldham, Damo Suzuki, Jandek, J Mascis, Smog, Polvo, Quasi, Sir Richard Bishop, Scout Niblett, Six Organs, Devendra Banhart, and Mark Kozelek.

Decline of The West is named after and conceptually began with Oswald Spengler’s pessimistic assessment that the Western culture is revealing the classic signs of a society’s decay and end. The record was recorded at Amos’ home studio in late-night recording sessions that stretched over three years, during which he played every instrument and then mixed and re-mixed each track. Decline of The West is his most stylistically varied effort to date, and a linchpin of Amos’ catalogue.

Decline of The West Tracklisting:
Release Date: September 23, 2008
01. Gnostic Device (MP3)
02. The Feral Kid (VIDEO)
03. I’m Healed
04. Evil Falls
05. More Therapy
06. Things You Do While Waiting For The Apocalypse
07. More Noise Pollution
08. Satanic Androids
09. No Claws
10. Nothing Left
11. Saccharine Trust
12. Slave Morality
13. Kindred Spirit
14. Bleakest Picture
15. Song From The Conscience

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www.partisanrecords.com
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Statuesque pop goddess Salme Dahlstrom arrives in NYC via Sweden...

“The album is a pure adrenaline shot of pumped up beats as vibrant as a high definition rainbow after an electrical storm. It’s a hi-nrg voyage from the shores of Madonna to the temples of Fatboy Slim via the electroclash of Felix Da Housecat” – The Devil Has The Best Tuna

“Salme Dahlstrom is into electronic pop goodness. Over the top, but never losing her footing, her album The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade is a good time party album that should be played really fucking loud…” – Here Comes The Flood

“This is a name that I’m sure will be on the lips of the masses in the not too distant future. Salme excels at purveying great, energetic electronic pop with a very distinct nod to Fatboy Slim and his ilk” – Nightwaves

Salme Dahlstrom sure knows how to make an entrance. Her album The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade is a “no excuses”, in-your-face pop-electronica explosion of four-minute adrenaline rushes that fuse pumping break beats with catchy pop melodies - a musical collision course that vibrates through the soul, lifts the spirit and will have you cruising in the fast lane.

Waist deep in potential singles, the album is 100% a one-woman show. Self-written and self-produced, Dahlstrom wrote and recorded the entire album in her studio in New York City. A hands-on producer, Dahlstrom does all her own programming, editing and mixing. While she invited a couple of friends to perform on a few of the tracks she played most of the instruments herself as well.

“My idea was to write catchy pop songs with big hooks and dress them up in a cutting edge electronic production,” Dahlstrom says. “I love the sound of Fatboy Slim and The Crystal Method and artists like that and I wanted my songs to have the same excitement and edge production wise. But, as I am a musician and not a DJ, it was important to me to create my own samples rather than search through the old record bin to find them. I would record a slew of guitar riffs, bass lines, live drums, vocals, etc. and then cut them up, re-sample, filter and tweak the crap out them. I then used those samples to build the production.

With titles like “Superstar Car Crash” (MP3) and “G.L.S.” (stands for “God Likes Sex”) the album’s sole purpose is to entertain.

“I take music very seriously, but I try not to take myself too seriously, Dahlstrom says. I am here to have a good time. To me music is about entertainment, nothing else. The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade is meant to be an hour’s escape from the day-to-day. It’s got great sing-a-long choruses and fun, tongue in cheek lyrics with attitude that’ll put a smile on your face.”

Born in the countryside of Sweden, Dahlstrom began studying classical music at the age of four. She spent her teenage years writing songs and performing with local bands. Dahlstrom’s professional career began when she signed a publishing deal with EMI. Dahlstrom spent countless hours in the EMI studio learning the craft of producing and experimenting with different genres of music.

Dahlstrom traveled to the US in 1999 where she soon sparked a buzz in the music scene leading the NYC underground band aboyandagirl. With Dahlstrom center stage, an aboyandagirl show delivered live music with a passionand energy that matched the best. Within a year of its creation, aboyandagirl were signed to RuffLife/Warner Records.

In 2003, Dahlstrom decided to go solo. While the music of aboyandagirl had been a little on the dark and trippy side, Dahlstrom wanted the new material to be up-tempo and uplifting. An EP version of The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade was released digitally in 2004 and another EP called Bible Bombastik (featuring songs such as “Hello California” and “Little Helper”) was released in 2006.

As part of the promotional campaign, Dahlstrom started licensing the tracks to various projects, with great success. Her name and music has helped promote global brands like Miller Lite, Subaru, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile and she has been featured in TV series such as One Tree Hill and Veronica Mars.

Recently, “Superstar Car Crash” (MP3) was featured on the latest season of Big Brother Australia where a whole episode was dedicated to the cast making a music video for it. The video is hilarious and a perfect match to Dahlstrom’s music. The video has become a YouTube classic and the song a favorite of the folks down under.

For the full-length release of The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade, Dahlstrom has combined the best songs from both EPs and also recorded a couple of new ones. New titles include “C’mon Y’All, “Bombastic” and “Wearing The Peace”.

The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade Tracklisting:
Release Date: August 19th, 2008
01. Intro
02. Bombastic
03. Superstar Car Crash (MP3) | (VIDEO)
04. C'mon Y'All0
05. G.L.S. (‘08 Remix)
06. Hello California
07. Reality Check
08. Thinking About It... Baby (‘08 Remix)
09. Wearing The Peace
10. Little Helper
11. Popwreck

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www.kontainermusic.com

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Press Quotes:

“I’ve never heard such a stylish blend of disparate influences. What’s surprising is that it all just works. Hmm... suddenly ‘works’ sounds understated. It’s way better than chocolate, and it’s got attitude, too. I am honored to make the acquaintance of a trendsetter” – DJ Mot, Girls Rock Radio

“At 5’11” tall Dahlstrom’s size isn’t the only thing that’s bigger than most women artists, her hard driving, dance infused sound is as well. ‘Thinking About it... Baby’ is perfect for a Jerry Bruckheimer action flick!” – Unsigned Music Magazine

“Here’s an artist who doesn’t give a shit about following trends or rules. She does whatever the hell she feels like and doesn’t apologize for it. And the result is one of the most refreshing and innovative albums I’ve heard in a long time, maybe as far back as when Beck’s ‘Loser’ first came out” – Chris Ferrada, Radio Electronic

“Salme Dahlstrom’s ‘Hello California’ is crystalline, guilty-pleasure pop” – Jon Sobe, blogcritics.org

“The album is slickly stylized, with catchy hooks being the focal point. The music seems to be built up around the hooks as a way to compliment them, rather than stealing the spotlight (which is the problem with modern dance/R&B where all that matters is a monotonous bass thump.)” – Snob’s Music

Yuppie Pricks prove you don’t have to be poor to be punk...

“The Yuppie Pricks could very well be the most punk band on earth.” – The Houston Press

“Finally a band that Fox News Channel anchor Bill O’Reilly can believe in. Austin’s Yuppie Pricks are passionate about capitalism, the NRA, bombing Iraq and helping local punk rockers lead more meanigful lives.” – Austin Chronicle

Formed in 1999 by self-styled pharmaceutical business magnate Trevor Middleton (who boasts a net worth of $30.5 million) and “third-generation divorce lawyer” Deuce Hollingsworth, the Yuppie Pricks is a different sort of punk band, eschewing the woe-is-we traditional working-class punk clichés in favor of a decadent, over-the-top image and sound.

Best described as a “reverse-psychology” punk band, the Yuppie Pricks has much in common with the Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols. Their backgrounds, bank accounts and fashion sense however, do not. Like Middleton and Hollingsworth, guitarist Preston Hetherington III is a multimillionaire stockbroker who lists among his hobbies “hunting endangered species.” The group’s third album, Balls, out now on Chicken Ranch Records further ups the ante of PC-baiting on both sides of the fence, especially in this heated election year.

As one might expect, the songs the Yuppie Pricks write range far from the usual anarchic, spleen-venting rants of the old-school punks. Instead, they remake The Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy In The UK” as “Prosperity In The USA,” complete with lines like “I am the next Bill Gates / I buy and sell real estate.” As for the group’s live performances, from McEnroe-esque gleaming tennis whites, to naked sushi-girls, to silver champagne buckets, the Yuppie Pricks surround themselves with the kind of on-stage accoutrements that reflect the highly-evolved sense of style and class that permeates everything they do. And, in so doing, the Yuppie Pricks bestow upon the common people a brief reprieve from their mundane, middle-class existence -- providing a tantalizing taste of the high-life they could never begin to afford. the Yuppie Pricks’ casually caustic chic has been featured in the pages of GQ Magazine, Austin Chronicle, Punk Planet, Maximum Rock’n’Roll, Houston Press and many more.

The original line-up also featured multimedia designer/photographer Darin Murano on drums and Hetherington on bass. The band recorded its self-produced, self-released debut, Initial Public Offering in 1999. Following numerous local gigs and an appearance at SXSW in 2003, Murano exited the band, due to a case of aggravated tendonitis. He was temporarily replaced by Ken Dannelley (ex-Stretford, Hamicks) – but it wasn’t until British expatriate Nigel Smythen-Wesson arrived that a permanent replacement was found later that year.

A return performance at SXSW 2004 followed, during which the band was courted by former Dead Kennedys frontman, Jello Biafra, and subsequently signed on with his Alternative Tentacles imprint, releasing 2005’s Broker’s Banquet. Recorded at Bubble Studios by Chris ‘Frenchie’ Smith (ex-Sixteen Deluxe, Young Heart Attack), and mixed by Mark Hutchins (Rockland Eagles), Broker’s Banquet featured a considerable upgrade in the Pricks trademark ‘posh-punk’ sound, owing to a more hard-edged rock influence, combined with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and punk-fueled aggression of the first album.

Along with the more aggressive sound came a transition from a four-piece to a five-piece line-up, with Hetherington switching over to second guitar, and the band recruiting Ricky The Intern from the Zero Skills Employment Agency (according to his bio) on bass. With last-minute addition Trey Robles (ex-Hard Feelings) on drums, the band toured the East Coast in Spring of ‘05, hitting renowned punk-rock enclave, CBGB in New York City, as well as recording a live broadcast for XM Satellite Radio, at the invitation of Lou Brutus of the station’s Fungus 53 channel. Fungus 53 later named Broker’s Banquet one of the top 25 punk albums of 2005.

Taking an “extended vacation” in July of 2006 following a final performance in Las Vegas, NV at Rollercon ‘06, the band reunited in March 2006 and 2007 for performances at SXSW, and most recently have released an album of new material, Balls, on Chicken Ranch Records.

Quotes From The Press:
“Raucous, straight-ahead punk that says, ‘f**k you’ with the snotty arrogance that we all love to hate.” – Alt.Culture.Guide

“The Yuppie Pricks have delivered the first classic punk album of the 21st century, pure and simple.” – Ear Candy Mag

“Perhaps the coolest punk rock CD I have played in quite a while.” – Caustic Truths

“The Yuppie Pricks hold a schtick so ridiculously over-the-top, so laughably bizarre, so comically absurd that you can’t really help but take notice.” – Punk.org

“Irrefutably great, catchy punk.” – Skratch Magazine.com

“No one is safe from the Pricks unbridled fury.” – Razorcake

“Once in awhile a big surprise comes along... this gem of a disc will get heavy rotation this summer.” – Punk Planet

“It is refreshing to know that at least one band has succeeded in making punk rock fun to listen to again.” – Rank and Revue

Balls Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
Release Date: Out Now
01. Collars Up (MP3)
02. Greed Is Good
03. Donkey Show
04. Frat Cars
05. Fraternity Days
06. Fuck You, I’m Rich
07. Male Model
08. G.O.P.
09. Loser
10. Prick4life

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Chicago’s indie hip-hop stalwarts Apoc and Rel mix 1940’s noir film influences with classic soul chops and staccato synths as The Ritz.

For their first full-length album as The Ritz, Chicago’s indie hip-hop stalwarts Apoc and Rel wanted to showcase their ability to explore a diverse array of styles while still creating a cohesive and affecting hip-hop record. They have accomplished this with their ultra-unique debut, The Night of Day.

Leading up to the creation of The Night of Day, producer (and occasional rapper) Rel honed his skills behind the boards by producing tracks for local hip-hop Chicago acts such as Elfamail and Moodswangz of Giraffe Nuts, and engineering recording sessions for hip-hop icons like Raekwon, Killah Priest and Pace Won.

Meanwhile, Apoc had been steadily establishing himself in the Chicago and San Diego hip-hop scenes via his three previously released albums and a strong history on the road motivated by an intensely nomadic nature that kept him moving whenever he wasn’t in the studio. In the process, Apoc was able to share the stage with hip-hop luminaries such as Slick Rick, Pharoahe Monch, and Mix Master Mike as well as indie hip-hop heavyweights like Eyedea& Abilities, Lyrics Born and Living Legends. Apoc’s live shows became renowned for his wide array of rhyme techniques, humorous stage antics and eccentricities.

Finding inspiration in the themes and aesthetics of the gritty noir films of the 1940’s and 50’s, Apoc and Rel fulfill the promise that was heard in their past collaborations on projects like Apoc’s 2005 release Gods & Ghosts and their contribution to the 2004 compilation The Zooey Files. In The Night of Day, Apoc uses the language of noir and relies on the genre’s motifs of scorned lovers, disenchanted heroes, mysterious pasts and a corrupt and violent world, to spit cinematic tales describing the underbelly of modern American society.

Utilizing his vast catalog of styles, Apoc’s nihilistic stories are told with fervor, from the sing songy raps of “Heartless” or “Waiting” to the rapid fire delivery of the title track. He even gives some impressive nods to his native Chicago exhibiting his aptitude for spitting the city’s signature double-time sound on “The Getaway” and “Blown.”

To compliment Apoc’s striking style, Rel uses a palette that includes classic soul chops, staccato synths, and haunting strings. Rel’s tracks bounce from dark and evocative to soulful and melodic, with snippets from some of the film noir movies that influenced the creation of the album. Also contributing on The Night of Day are fellow Chicagoans Racecar of Modill, and Rhymesayers recording artist Psalm One, as well as cuts performed by battle veteran DJ Onceamonth.

The Night of Day’s genius is in the accomplishment of that cohesive and affecting whole that Apoc and Rel initially sought. The wide variety of sounds, styles and influences that permeate the record allow for the hip-hop fan to be challenged and the novice to have a spot to get on board.

The Night of Day Tracklisting:
Stream The Album HERE
Release Date: August 19th, 2008
01. Gotta Be
02. It’s The... (MP3)
03. The Night of Day
04. The Getaway
05. She Lived By Night
06. Chiaroscuro
07. Langston Bukowski (f/ Racecar of Modill)
08. Step (f/ Brendan B)
09. Heartless
10. The Point of No Return
11. Blown (f/ Psalm One)
12. Good Times, Girls
13. Too Late For Tears
14. Waiting For The Sun To Set
15. I Said That (f/ Moodswangz and Elfamail)

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www.myspace.com/relevar
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Italian duo The Mojomatics fuses bluegrass, country and folk with British invasion pop and a breakneck punk pace on its upcoming album.

“…Damn best record I’ve heard in a long long time!” – MaximumRockNRoll

The Mojomatics is a two-man band based in Venice, Italy formed in 2003 by MojoMatt (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and DavMatic (drums, percussion). The band heaps together hillbilly blues, old country, folk, and bluegrass, injects it with the melody of British Invasion pop, and fires it all out with the breakneck energy of the best garage, punk and rock’n’roll. The duo’s playing is tight, electric and eclectic and often sounds like five, not just two!

Soon after The Mojomatics formed, the group released the Devil Got My Woman EP on Shake Your Ass Records and began to tour relentlessly throughout Italy and the rest of Europe, opening for such incredible bands as Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The (International) Noise Conspiracy and Old Time Relijun.

While on tour in 2004, The Mojomatics met up with Germany’s Alien Snatch label which later released the debut Mojomatics album A Sweet Mama Gonna Hoodoo Me, sixteen swampy blues encrusted punk tunes with a lot of rootsy pop harmonies and rambling country-esque edges.

Songs For Faraway Lovers, the band’s second album, was produced by the group and released by Alien Snatch in 2006. The Mojomatics poured out even more hooks on its second record and revealed some more roots via several American-style folk ballads. The band then embarked on a great European tour, playing in Italy, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway opening for such bands as Black Lips, Arctic Monkeys, Gogol Bordello and Radio Birdman.

The band’s new record Don’t Pretend That You Know Me will be released by Italy’s Ghost Records (home to Hot Gossip, Canadians and Black Eyed Dog) in September, 2008.

“Songs For Faraway Lovers isn’t an attempt to recapture an era; they actually somehow, someway, become one with the British rock scene of the mid-1960s. I can’t give any higher praise than that. Don’t miss this one. (9/10)” – Music Reviewer

“You don’t have to pretend to know The Mojomatics, but you must absolutely try it! (9/10)” – Rumore (Italy)

“Such songs as ‘Wait A While,’ ‘Miss Me When I’m Gone’ and ‘Down My Spine’ are amazingly beautiful.” – Rolling Stone (Italy)

Don’t Pretend That You Know Me Tracklisting:
Release Date: Sept. 23rd, 2008
01. Wait A While (MP3 | VIDEO)
02. Miss Me When I’m Gone
03. Clean My Sins
04. Askin’ For A Better Circumstance
05. You Are Not Me (Fortunately)
06. Complicate My Life
07. Stars Above
08. She Loves
09. Losin’ Time
10. Down My Spine
11. Hole In My Heart
12. Winter Got No Eyes

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Get lost in the flawless sounds of Soft Targets as Jesse Corry emerges from "bedroom exile" to make great set of tunes on Heavy Rainbow

“...altogether compelling.” – Music Connection

“...clean and crisp, deserving of a good pair of headphones to truly appreciate what’s been created. Honestly, you’ll get lost in how gorgeous it sounds.” – Capital Culture

“Corry has one of the most beautiful timbres in pop music... the majority of today’s pop bands play safe with the sound and the melodies of yesterday, Soft Targets succeeds in finding new ones and the most beautiful ones…the result is flawless… the true pop break of this year.” – Franck Zeisel, Pop News (translated from the French press)

Soft Targets is a Tallahassee, Florida three-piece formed in January of 2004 by singer and guitarist Jesse Corry and bassist/keyboardist Nathan Sadler. The two met at Florida State University’s Music School, where Sadler was a student, and Corry was a songwriter looking for a quiet place to work. The band later added drummer Steven Gillespie of Tallahassee popsters The Ums to become today’s Soft Targets.

Displaying a rare combination of musical prowess and lyrical maturity, Soft Targets is best at doing what many of its contemporaries don’t even attempt: writing memorable pop songs that engage genuine human feelings, deftly eschewing hipper-than-thou irony in favor of emotional honesty. And it’s exactly this quality -- the authenticity and essential humanity of their songs -- that makes Soft Targets a creative force to be reckoned with.

Recorded with Atlanta based producer/engineer Tim DeLaney (The Swimming Pool Qs, Kopernik), the band’s sophomore LP, Heavy Rainbow, takes the distinctive sound of Soft Targets’ first album, Frequent Flyer, and builds on it, adding new dimensions to the songwriting, bringing in more layers and counter-melodies, experimenting with texture and song-form while at the same time, lovingly embracing the classic pop sweetness of bands like ELO and Todd Rundgren.

Fans of Frequent Flyer and first-time listeners alike will find plenty to savor in the quiet intensity of the horn-laden “Sugar Glass”, the beautiful understatement of “Dear Atlanta”, and the circular atmospherics of “Surrendering Slow,” while those who enjoy the jauntier, up-tempo side of Soft Targets will appreciate the churning “Calm Me Down” with its nod to the glittery groove of T-Rex, and the unrelenting pop push of “So Long, Baby Burns”, along with other new Soft Targets’ A-sides like “Under Control,” “The World Looks Bigger Now,” and the album’s first single “Something Else” (MP3).

Soft Targets will be touring the east coast to coincide with the September 9th, 2008 national release of Heavy Rainbow, with dates scheduled in the southeast, New York, Pittsburgh and other major markets. Check out the dates below for a show near you.

The Press Seems To Love Soft Targets:
“The catchy melodic opener ‘Last Year’ floats by with eloquence as the vocals and guitar harmonize beautifully to form one irresistible chorus...Corry’s vocals are soothing at moments, especially on the title track, ‘Frequent Flyer.’ This is a very mellow record, but nonetheless full of emotion.“ – Impact Press (on Frequent Flyer.)

“I hardly know where to begin telling you how much I like Soft Targets’ debut CD, Frequent Flyer... Highlights include ‘Four-Letter Friend,’ with its stirring Beatles-esque strings (arranged by bassist/keyboardist Nate Sadler), the spacious and wintry ‘North Atlantic Divide,’ and the title track, a gentle bittersweet tune that wanders into your ear and works its way into your heart.” – Kati Schardl, Tallahassee Democrat (on Frequent Flyer.)

Soft Targets Live:
08/29 Tampa, FL @ New World Brewery
08/30 Gainesville, FL @ The Atlantic
09/02 Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar
09/04 Asheville, NC @ The Rocket Club
09/07 Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
09/09 Memphis, TN @ The Hi-Tone Cafe
09/11 St Louis, MO @ The Underground
09/12 Chicago, IL @ Quenchers 9 PM
09/13 Spring Grove, IL @ Basement Tapes
09/15 Bloomington, IN @ The Cinemat
09/17 Dayton, OH @ Canal Street Tavern
09/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose
09/19 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar
09/20 New York, NY @ Rehab (Formerly Club Midway)
09/22 Williamsburg, Brooklyn @ Don Pedro
09/23 Baltimore, MD @ Talking Head Club
09/25 Chapel Hill, NC @ Nightlight
09/26 Winston-Salem, NC @ Elliot’s Revue
09/27 Marietta, GA @ Swayze's
09/29 Savannah, GA @ The Jinx

Heavy Rainbow Tracklisting:
Release Date: Sept. 9th, 2008

01. Something Else (MP3)
02. Calm Me Down
03. Sugar Glass
04. The World Looks Bigger Now
05. Surrendering Slow
06. So Long, Baby Burns
07. Under Control
08. Offseason
09. Skyscraper
10. Sirens
11. Heavy Rainbow12. Small Straight
13. Dear Atlanta

Tools & Hi–Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1369

On The Web:
http://www.softtargetsmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/softtargets
www.facebook.com/pages/Soft-Targets/24672371679
http://www.cloud13records.com/
www.myspace.com/cloud13records

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