Thursday, February 26, 2009

Yo! Majesty leader Shunda K collaborates with Peaches, drops Le Passion, Yo! EP with Brooklyn producer Kotchy, announces SXSW appearances.

Collabos with Caspa Codina, Tha Pumpsta and DJ Flore to burn yo clicking finger. Grab the EP HERE and please repost!

Tha Best Eva Written...Outkased mixtape featuring Shunda K and rapper Jerzy backed by Outkast instrumentals to surface in April.

“I’m sitting here having a heart to heart wit my mom and we’re talking bout where I come from...”

Shunda K of Domino Records artists Yo! Majesty has just returned from 30-plus days and 40-plus shows criss-crossing the US. Now, instead of heading to the UK for the extensive Yo! Majesty tour there (“I have decided dat I will not be performing wit [band mate] Jwl B as Yo! Majesty on dis upcoming tour”), Shunda K is at home in Itty Bitty Plant City, Florida, hanging with mom and plotting her next move.

Shunda doesn’t elaborate about sitting out the UK Yo! Majesty tour other than to refer to The Boston Herald article entitled “With partner in jail, Yo! Majesty’s special K goes solitary route” (LINK) where Shunda says of Jwl B, “...she’s heading down a road where she’s going to end up in jail, where she is, or dead. I just can’t be a part of it.”

And she’s not… the UK Yo! Majesty tour will feature Jwl B (who is now out of prison on bond) and former Yo! Majesty band member Shon B who quit the group shortly after it was signed. Pitchfork also recently reported on the story HERE.

“...y’all will have to stay tuned to da book for all da intimate details. In da meantime, I still got a lot of things to do here,” Shunda says.

Some of what she is doing includes appearing on lots of new tracks for the people including “Buck You Like A Billionaire” -- the new Peaches track featuring Shunda K. The cut is available now via Peaches' label XL/Beggar’s Banquet as part of the newly released Drums of Death - The Peaches Mixtape. Grab the mixtape HERE and stream “Buck You Like A Billionaire” over at ShundaK.com.

Also available is Shunda K’s collaboration with hot Brooklyn-based producer Kotchy called Le Passion, Yo! -- a four-song, FREE, digital-only EP that recently came in as the #3 most added hip-hop record at CMJ college radio and is being blogged about all over the interwebs. Shunda says lead track “First Encounter” (MP3) “describes my confidence and knowledge on who I am and what I expect from my lady, believing she is my heaven on earth!!!” Continued below…

Artist: Shunda K & Kotchy
Title: Le Passion, Yo!
Grab The EP: HERE

01. First Encounter (MP3)
02. You Are
03. We Feelin’ Each Other
04. Holla

Shunda K Live at South By Southwest, 2009
03/14 Houston, TX @ Boondocks
03/15 Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
03/16 Austin, TX @ Red 7
03/17 Austin, TX @ Beauty Bar (Fanatic SXSW Party)
03/18 Austin, TX @ Music Gym
03/18 Austin, TX @ Buffalo Exchange
03/19 Corpus Christi, TX @ Revolution
03/20 Austin, TX @ Creekside
03/21 Austin, TX @ DJ Orion House Party

Tools & Hi–Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1461

Shunda K On The Web:
www.lukejackson.com
www.myspace.com/shundak
www.facebook.com/pages/Shunda-K-of-Yo-Majesty/26474678700

Shunda K Family On The Web:
www.peachesrocks.com
www.myspace.com/peaches
www.thapumpsta.com
www.myspace.com/thapumpsta
www.flore-music.com/
www.myspace.com/floredj
www.djorion.com/
www.myspace.com/oriongarcia

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
www.youtube.com/fanaticpromotion
www.facebook.com/pages/Fanatic-Promotion/7297716716?ref=s

Continued:
And even tho Shunda isn’t in Europe, her voice is. In addition to the Yo! Majesty track “Don’t Let Go” all over UK radio, Shunda K’s collaboration with Caspa Codina, leader of hot n’ heavy disco punk band Spectrum is breaking through. The pair’s track “Used To Go Dancing” (streaming at ShundaK.com) has been described by The Guardian (UK) in its “Single of The Week” column as “...what “Prince’s Sign O’ The Times would have sounded like had it been written in London in 2008.”

And what else from an MC that works 25-hours-a-day??? Grab an MP3 of the Black Cracker remix of Tha Pumpsta’s R&B jam “L-O-V-E (No Crying At The Disco)” featuring Shunda K and check out the slammin’ stream at ShundaK.com of “The Test,” Shunda K’s collab with DJ Flore, one of the major breaks DJ’s in France, in which Shunda K name drops both Michael Moore and Chuck D.

Next up, Shunda K’s “collaboration” with Outkast. The Best Eva Written...Outkased features Shunda K and rapper Jerzy elevating 20 Outkast instrumentals to new heights by spitting their own life lessons over these familiar, existing tracks. Shunda K says of “Fresh Air,” one the album’s featured tracks, “Dis song reflects where my head at now, it’s ‘bout what I think, fuck dat shit!!! Everybody deserves to be happy, no matter what…” Stream “Fresh Air” now at ShundaK.com.

Since Europe isn’t in the cards for Shunda in March, she will instead head to Austin, Texas, the city that’s held Yo! Majesty down since they were discovered there in 2007. See below for Shunda’s South By Southwest schedule where she will be performing with her loyal Austin-based DJ Orion. “O” as he’s known to his friends, recently won the Austin Chronicle’s “Best Local DJ” honors. Learn more about DJ Orion via THIS video bio.

No matter who she is collaborating with Shunda K is always keeping it moving -- ya know her mom wouldn’t have it any other way.
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Mark Mallman gives away “greatest hits” compilation, re-records upcoming album for Badman Recordings, writes soundtrack for Living Arrangements.

“Tin Pan Alley-meets-Madison Square Garden. It’s Mallman’s unapologetic commitment to rock that wins you over.” – HARP

“Finally, all those comparisons to Meatloaf and Harry Nilsson don’t seem quite so improbable.” – LA WEEKLY

“Mallman... is a blend of Ryan Adams and fellow Minnesota legends, The Replacements.” – Pop Matters

Since releasing a FREE digital-only “greatest hits” album, the other rock God from Minneapolis, Mark Mallman, has been hard at work re-recording his next full-length album for Badman Recordings (My Morning Jacket, Starfucker, Hayden). That’s right: re-recording.

The man behind the stylish new video for “Do You Feel Like Breaking Up” (MP3 VIDEO) explains by saying, “I sat back and listened to a record in the major key, when my life had gone totally sour - my girlfriend was screwing her tango instructor, I ran my car into a light pole, and I had a never ending fever and no health insurance. So I was like, fuck it, this is a lie, I’m not happy at all. So I started a really dark record, and my life turned around! Oh, the irony.”

One piece of Mallman music that hasn’t been the subject of reflection is the score the musician recently completed for the upcoming film Living Arrangements about a vegan couple attempting to live with a werewolf. Check out the Living Arrangements trailer in HD HERE. Mallman is actually a professional composer for films by day, but most of the work he does is for major motion picture trailers and advertisements. Living Arrangements has proven to be a project closer to his artistic home.

And Mallman’s artistic home has been built over the course of a decade, culminating in the release of Loneliness in America (Best of 1998-2008). In ten years, Mark Mallman has released five full-length LPs (two worldwide), toured America 22 times yet, like many other artists, remains relatively unknown in the mainstream. Bio continued below.

Artist: Mark Mallman
Title: Loneliness in America (Best of 1998-2008)
Label: Badman/Guilt Ridden Pop/Susstones/Eagles Golden Tooth
Grab The Album: HERE

01. Do You Feel Like Breaking Up (New Single - 2008 - Eagles Golden Tooth) (MP3 VIDEO)
02. Knockout on 22nd St. (Between The Devil and Middle C - 2006 - Badman) (MP3)
03. True Love (Mr. Serious - 2004 - Badman)
04. Butcher's Ballad (Live From First Avenue - 2003 - Susstones) (MP3)
05. Death Wish (Between the Devil and Middle C - 2006 - Badman)
06. Hardcore Romantics (Mr. Serious - 2004 - Badman)
07. Inside the Castle (Who’s Gonna Save You Now EP - 2002 - Guilt Ridden Pop)
08. We Only Have Each Other In The Night (How I Lost My Life... - 2000 - EGT)
09. Mother Made Me Do It (The Red Bedroom - 2002 - Guilt Ridden Pop)
10. God Gone Mad (The Tourist - 1998 - Eagles Golden Tooth)

“Do You Feel Like Breaking Up” Hi-Res Video Embed Code:


Bio (Continued):
Unlike ANY other artist however, he’s performed the longest rock song ever written, a piano solo with the rear tire of a full sized motor scooter, and for ten hours inside of a refrigerator box. Mallman’s songs have been featured on This American Life, Public Radio International, MTV, the Oxygen Network, and most recently as the theme song to The Bank of New York Mellon.

While media outlets from Pitchfork to the LA Weekly have herald Mallman as the second coming of arena rock, this leather booted songwriter remains a man out of time, by his own unabashed design. “Some people over think what I’m doing – Yeah, on one level it’s deconstructivism, but on the other it’s simply parlor tricks. They used to call it ‘showbiz’.” he says.

Known to fans as Mr. Serious, his live performances are an unforgettable experience; approaching the keyboard like an electric guitar, lyrics like an existentialist writer, and the stage like a circus performer. In recent years, he’s has toured across America opening for such diverse acts as Guided By Voices, Cat Power, Donovan, Tegan and Sara, Exene Cervenka, and Chuck Prophet amongst many others.

As the front man for Kindercore Records newest electronic act, Ruby Isle – or composer for major motion picture trailers such as Wall-E, 10000BC, and Vacancy - or film columnist for a Minneapolis Weekly newspaper, Mark Mallman has accomplished more creatively than most artists twice his age.

The four labels that represent his material have come together to present this free collection of singles from 1998 – 2008. Loneliness In America is a celebration of an unknown songwriter who deserves his due. Currently signed with Portland based, Badman Recording Company, we would like to thank Susstones, Guilt Ridden Pop, and Eagles Golden Tooth for allowing the free public download of Mallman’s career to be possible. Their combined efforts over ten years may have not created a superstar, but as you will hear, have enabled an artist to express himself in an absolutely unique and ingenious way.

Badman Recording Company will release the highly anticipated new Mark Mallman LP Spring of 2009.

Tools & Hi–Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1451

On The Web:
www.markmallman.com
www.myspace.com/markmallman

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
www.youtube.com/fanaticpromotion
www.facebook.com/pages/Fanatic-Promotion/7297716716?ref=s

Mark Mallman In The Press:
“Insane piano-pop, inklings of Elton John and Paul McCartney. Great songs from a madman... Owes a bit to Queen and Joe Jackson... Amazing depth of lyric. Very well arranged and produced pop songs.” – Hybrid Magazine

“These songs are good... Mallman writes and sings big, dramatic, Queen-style orchestrations, full of fabulous sweeping guitar fills and jangly keyboards, all propelled on by his plaintive lyrics demanding justification for his faith in love, humanity, and the world in general.” – Cosmik

“...engaging ballads and forceful pop tunes...” – rollingstone.com

“Mallman’s muscle shirts and rough edges belie a talent that’s smarter and more interesting than anything produced by Sir Elton, Meatloaf or Nugent recently.” – newyorkcool.com

“His carefree earnestness and willingness to go out on a limb often makes others in his field look as stiff as accountants.” – Minnepolis Star-Tribune

“Have some fun, as that is what pop – and rock ‘n’ roll – is all about and Mallman proves it “ – inmusicwetrust.com

“His songcraft deserves a lot more spotlight, a lot less shadow.” – aplagueofangles.com

“Mallman also has the real stuff when it comes to songwriting chops, delivering a set of catchy, emotional, and clever piano-driven pop songs.” – The Onion A.V. Club

“Mallman has about as much self-conscious reserve as Meatloaf on methamphetamine.” – City Pages
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, February 23, 2009

Kinetic Stereokids announce release of upcoming sophomore album Kid Moves and its boisterous accompanying tour.













Check out the lead single “Have A Nice Day” (MP3) and it’s wondrous accompanying video (LINK).

“If you like those Broken Social kids or Arcade Fire kids, I think you’ll really like these Kinetic Stereokids.” [We Heart Music]

“…a particular kind of post-rock from a post-industrial city … Imagine if DJ Shadow were into noise rock, if the Dead Milkmen rapped, or if My Bloody Valentine composed purely with found sounds” [KEXP Blog]

“The Kinetic Stereokids merge street beats with jazz swagger.” [Time Out Chicago]

Kinetic Stereokids are every bit a product of Flint, Michigan, a legendary city perhaps better known for its abandoned auto industry, endless unemployment and unflinching crime rate.

What started as childhood friends seeking refuge in basement jam sessions has since developed into an inspired, intelligent and innovative brand of modern rock. With comparisons ranging from Beck to Mogwai, and the cited influence of Can, Elliott Smith and the Beastie Boys, the Kinetic Stereokids’ sound is beat-heavy, sample-laden, sonic alchemy.

Kinetic Stereokids first earned recognition playing warm-up shows in the metro Detroit area for acts such as …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Secret Machines and Explosions In The Sky, and subsequently signed to Brooklyn-based label Overdraft Recordings. After the 2007 debut full-length release Basement Kids landed on the CMJ Radio 200 list, Kinetic Stereokids gained national momentum, touring from New York to Los Angeles and from Pop Montreal to South By Southwest. Basement Kids’ lead single, “Explosions Were Heard” was featured as “Song of The Day” by indie rock heavy-weights and web-radio pioneers KEXP FM, Seattle, and was also included on their Music That Matters podcast series. The buzz surrounding Kinetic Stereokids spread beyond the U.S., as well, with their “junkyard folktronica” dubbed “insidious and addictive” and “attractive in so many ways” by various UK sources.

In February 2008, Kinetic Stereokids headed into Ghetto Recorders to mix Kid Moves with Detroit studio legend Jim Diamond (White Stripes, The Mooney Suzuki, The Dirtbombs). Final tweaks came from Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering (Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Wilco). The result is a more sophisticated effort than Basement Kids, while still retaining their distinctive grit. Later in 2008, Overdraft offered the first glimpse of Kid Moves by way of a limited edition 7” and the Have A Nice Day EP, also containing “Explosions Were Heard (Live on KEXP)” from an on-air session at Chicago’s Engine Studios.

Overdraft has now released the official video for “Have A Nice Day” (VIDEO), featuring intricate digital animation painstakingly created by New York-based editor Kelly Brickner. The video presents the band exploring a manipulated world of complex collages, most of which were scanned from scrapbook diaries created by Kinetic Stereokids’ frontmen Justin Ford and Mike Steibel. These collages are vital relics of Kinetic Stereokids history and also serve as the basis for the Kid Moves album art.

The band is currently touring and will continue across the country throughout the summer. Further, a video for Kid Moves’ second single, “Twisted Thoughts,” is in production from Detroit-based filmmaking duo James Petix and Sarah Babila, creators of the highly anticipated Detroit garage rock documentary It Came From Detroit.

Artist: Kinetic Stereokids
Title: Kid Moves
Label: Overdraft Recordings
Release Date: March 17th, 2009

01. Free Money (MP3)
02. Have A Nice Day (MP3 VIDEO)
03. Planes With Teeth
04. Assisted Living
05. Convalescent Feelings
06. Cancer
07. Proper Etiquette
08. Blunder
09. Postmortem Blues
10. Twisted Thoughts
11. Drugs Is A Drag
12. Strategic Maneuvers

“Have A Nice Day” Hi-Res Video Embed Code:


Kinetic Stereokids Live:
02/27 Detroit, MI @ The Factory
02/28 Flint, MI @ The Loft
03/01 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
03/04 Ann Arbor, MI @ Elbow
03/06 Lansing, MI @ Macs
03/07 Buffalo, NY @ TBA
03/08 Montreal, PQ @ Le Divan Orange
03/09 Burlington, VT @ TBA
03/10 Boston, MA @ La Luna
03/11 Brooklyn, NY @ Public Assembly
03/12 Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
03/13 Washington, DC @ TBA
03/14 Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz
03/16 Chapel Hill, NC @ The Cave
03/17 Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge
03/19 Austin, TX @ Fado Irish Pub SXSW

Tools and Hi-Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1457

On The Web:
www.kineticstereokids.net
www.myspace.com/kineticstereokids
www.overdraftrecordings.com
www.myspace.com/overdraftrecordings

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
www.fanaticpromotion.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/fanaticpromotion
www.myspace.com/fanaticnewmedia
www.itunes.com/podcast?id=253103575
www.last.fm/user/fanaticpro
www.youtube.com/fanaticpromotion
www.facebook.com/pages/Fanatic-Promotion/7297716716

Kinetic Stereokids In The Press:
“A silently sadistic post-punk group that preys on jam bands, krautrock, dub, trip-hop, alternative hip-hop, art rock, and postrock, Kinetic Stereokids are fascinating because they hit all those genres at once without settling on one... They’re headspinning, and mesmeric to boot.” [Jack Rabid, Big Takeover]

“...guitar-based music for listeners who have become accustomed to having their music spiced up with samples… But unlike some bands that over-rely on the sample, these guys share an extremely musical sensibility that suffuses each element with little handmade sonic easter eggs... hard-won skills” [Wired]

“I came and saw what I assumed to be another independent post-rock, experimental band but I was left with a flabbergasted, deer-in-the-headlights stare, mind f*cked euphoria, numbness which can only be attributed to the fact, that yes, I felt a significant musical experience that night. Like Greek scholar Archimedes; reportedly proclaimed, ‘Eureka!’ after discovering volume displacement; I too felt after listening to Kinetic Stereokids live. I made my own little victorious discovery and more so, a resonating deep appreciation for their musical cause.” [Motorcityblog]

“Thank God for Kinetic Stereokids…’Sonic alchemy’ would be the clichéd rock critic phrase that comes to mind when trying to describe Kinetic Stereokids but really they defy description …fuzzy swirling guitars, syncopated drums and retro recordings mixed with synthy samples and satisfyingly glitchy effects.” [KEXP Blog]

“...dynamic and engaging” [Three Imaginary Girls]

“...these four young men out of Flint, Michigan are prepared for a larger audience”; “serene” [Audiversity]

“It’s not at all hard to detect when a band’s members know each other so well that the music becomes a completely cohesive creature … compelling instrumentation and innovative production details. Not too far off from Sonic Youth’s extreme-dabbling, or Elliot Smith’s melancholic rock balladry … genuine and fresh approach to rock, coupled with addictive hooks and vocals, make Kinetic Stereokids a must-hear.” [Harmony In My Ears]

“...an excellent public transportation soundtrack.” [3Hive]

“...unconventially concocted songs anchored by sweet-sounding melodies.” [The LARRY Page]

“Beats collide with delicate guitar solos collide with Dark Side mumbles collide with radio chatter collide with scratches. It’s insidious and addictive” [Leicester Bangs UK]

“Score: 8/10 … attractive in so many ways … junkyard folktronica,” [Americana UK]
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, February 20, 2009

Milke inspired by the third French wave of Kitsune artists, electro pop, Stuart Price and The DFA, mixed with the pop sensibilities of Eurythmics.

Make the addictive new single “Love Get Out of My Way” yours. Click HERE.

FROM ALCHEMY PR (UK): In a year that will no doubt be flooded with instantly forgettable haircut bands, Milke’s art pop will cement the early A&R and tastemaker buzz that greeted them at the end of 2008.

Though no less impeccably coiffured, Milke’s songwriting, melodies, and production will see their songs move from blogs to radio with ease. Limited debut single ‘She Says’ received heavy support in the UK from Annie Mac, Pete Tong, XFM, Ed Banger DJs, and beyond. New single, ‘Love Get Out Of My Way’, mines the same rich vein.

Milke are inspired by the third French wave of Kitsune artists, electro pop, Stuart Price and The DFA, mixed with the pop sensibilities of Eurythmics, The Cure, Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder and Prince. With a KLF approach to creativity (minus the sheep slaying), Milke sing about displacement, mental illness, love and love-lost, obsession and sex. This release comes out on Friendly’s label, Gulp, home of Joe and Will Ask, and New York scream/rap/pop act Black Peter Group.

The duo comprises Andrew Friendly (music) and Ra (vocal, lyrics). Under the producer/DJ moniker of Friendly, Andrew has released acclaimed albums and numerous club tracks including “The Bump and Grind” and “2Black2Gay.” He’s also remixed Justice, We Have Band, The Rivers, INXS, and many more.

As with the best dynamics in pop duos, Ra sits at the other end of the musical table. Raised in an Australian hippy commune, his education came from classical and jazz schools. The pair met via Ra’s work on the Black Grass album.

When performing live, Milke expand to a four piece (Ra on vocals and guitar, Andrew on keyboards and backing vocals, Luke on drums, and Dave on bass). They’ve supported The Faint, Fugiya and Miyagi, and played alongside The Clik Clik, Dan Black, Hadouken, Man Like Me, and Nick Nell. Venues have included Cargo, Computer Blue, 333, Hoxton Bar, 93 Feet East, and Catch22, with festival dates including Bloom, Glade and Encompass.

“Love Get Out Of My Way” (MP3) is a taster of Milke’s debut album, due for release later this year.

Milke Bio:
Milke is a band project between electro/ breaks producer Andrew “Friendly” Kornweibel, and singer/ guitarist Ra. They met after Andrew heard Ra singing on a track by Black Grass, five minutes of Google-ing later and they had exchanged emails and had CDs in the post. The rest is quite possibly history.
Milke is an act of two distinct worlds colliding, and the results are bigger than the sum of the parts. Ra’s incredible voice mixed with Andrew’s cutting edge production, together honing their skills on writing ‘proper’ songs, with huge choruses, solid structures, dynamic and hooky top lines. It’s important to note, Milke do not place themselves amongst the current crop of haircut bands that will be forgotten within a year. Instead they are closer aligned with the biggest acts of the previous three decades, building on a foundation of honed songwriting, production and melodies. With the best part of an album under their belt packed full of anthemic songs, a debut single that became an underground club hit, massive new singles on their way, and a super tight four piece live band hitting the clubs, Milke are on the way to being one of 2009’s big new acts. Bio continued HERE.

Artist: Milke
Title: “Love Get Out Of My Way” (Single)
Label: Gulp Communications
Release Date: March 17, 2009

01. Love Get Out Of My Way (MP3)
02. Love Get Out Of My Way (Designer Drugs Remix) (MP3)
03. Love Get Out Of My Way (Daniel Wang Remix)
04. Love Get Out Of My Way (Fireman Remix)
05. Love Get Out Of My Way (Qoso Remix)

Tools & Hi–Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1465

On The Web:
www.myspace.com/milketheband
www.myspace.com/gulpcommunications

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Pomegranates announces upcoming sophomore album, launches month-long tour including appearance at Fanatic/Art Disaster party at SXSW.

Grab, “Corriander,” the lead single from Everybody, Come Outside! right HERE.

“Shimmering self-professed “art-pop”...A youthful, open-eared quartet enlivened with a kick-ass record collection, ceiling-less imagination, ragged guitars, and songwriting chops for days. – SPIN

“We heart superfruits. Keep up the good work...Sweet, sweet sounds are pop honey to my ears. “ – My Old Kentucky Blog

“The group’s grasp on the finer points of cooking up melodies and honeycombs far surpasses their years... They are songs that will challenge you, make you swoon and also make peer out longingly to the twinkling stars up above on a clear-lit night.“ – Daytrotter

Everybody, Come Outside! is the shimmering and dreamy new album from Cincinnati art-pop denizens, Pomegranates. This Cincinnati quartet broke on the scene last year with their debut full length, Everything Is Alive -- an album that garnered immediate attention and support from music lovers and taste-makers alike. KEXP and WOXY, among others, fell for the band’s quirky and charming blend of pop rock, and listeners followed suit, blogging the band up to #11 on Elbo.ws blog aggregate. The band also caught the attention of their peers.

Artists such as French Kicks and Islands responded to Pomegranates’ dynamic live set by inviting them out on the road. Everybody, Come Outside! shows a marked improvement both creatively and sonically from its predecessor, channeling influences that range from Talking Heads and Brian Eno, to French Kicks and Fela Kuti. It’s a conceptual album of sorts, weaving an interesting tale of a man who leaves home, only to be abducted by a time traveler. Each of the 11 tracks of Everybody, Come Outside! add to the mystique, as well as reveal a bit more about this unusual tale.

Pomegranates is Jacob Merritt (drums, percussion), Joey Cook (vocals, guitar, keys, bass), Josh Kufeldt (bass, electric guitar) and Isaac Karns (guitar, bass, sampling, vocals, keys). Everybody, Come Outside! was recorded by Pomegranates and mixed and mastered by TJ Lipple of Aloha (MGMT, Headlights, Minus Story). Everybody, Come Outside! drops worldwide April 14, 2009 on Lujo Records.

Pomegranates Live:
02/18 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
02/19 New York, NY @ Crash Mansion
02/20 New York, NY @ Cake Shop
02/21 Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House
02/22 Cambridge, MA @ Cake Shop
02/23 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
02/24 Arlington, VA @ IOTA
02/25 Charlottesville, VA @ iS Venue
02/26 Fredericksburg, VA @ The Third Floor
02/27 Chapel Hill, NC @ Nightlight
03/12 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
03/13 Covington, IN @ Southgate House
03/14 Urbana, IL @ Canopy Club
03/15 St. Louis, MO @ Bluebird
03/16 Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
03/17 Austin, TX @ Beauty Bar Fanatic Promotion/Art Disaster SXSW Party
03/21 Hot Springs, AR @ Valley of The Vapors

Artist: Pomegranates
Title: Everybody, Come Outside!
Label: Lujo Records
Release Date: April 14th, 2009

01. Everybody, Come Outside!
02. Beachcomber
03. This Land Used To Be My Land, But Now I Hate This Land
04. The Southern Ocean
05. Sail (Away with Me)
06. Corriander (MP3)
07. 384 BC
08. Svaatzi Uutsi
09. Jerusalem Has A Bad Day
10. Tesseract
11. I Feel Like I’m A Million Years Old

Tools & Hi–Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1459

On The Web:
www.everybodyoutside.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/pomegranatesart
www.lujorecords.com
www.myspace.com/lujorecords

Subscribe to Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, February 9, 2009

Brian Jonestown Massacre man Matthew Tow to release fourth album of radiant, ethereal psychedelia as The Lovetones.

Grab the album’s lead single “Journeyman” right HERE.

“...glorious psychedelic-pop wave… A trip from start to finish” – Rolling Stone

The Lovetones released their debut album, Be What You Want in 2002 through Bomp! Records, creating a palpable buzz amongst critics from the likes of Creem and Rolling Stone magazine. The latter hailed mainman Matthew J Tow’s songwriting worthy of Ray Davies, Bowie, Lennon and McCartney: a bold statement, yet in his case, completely justified.

After enjoying the critical success of Be What You Want, touring Australia extensively and even supporting Morrissey during his first ever solo Australian tour, Tow joined The Brian Jonestown Massacre in 2003 and contributed two brilliant tracks to their sonic mastery, ...And This Is Our Music. Tow’s opening track “Starcleaner” later also appeared on the The Brian Jonestown Massacre retrospective Tepid Peppermint Wonderland. In the same year, UK based Fire Records invited The Lovetones to contribute to the James Joyce Chamber Music project alongside Mercury Rev, Sonic Youth and REM’s Peter Buck. 2004 saw the release of the Stars EP, coinciding with The Lovetones supporting The Brian Jonestown Massacre on their infamous and now legendary tour of Australia.

The second album Meditations was released through New York’s Tee Pee Records in late 2005, revealing a stunning development in Tow’s songwriting and providing a soundscape of radiant pop, ethereal psychedelia and truly remarkable vocal melodies that arched for the stars. Soulful and sincere, Meditations nodded gently and respectfully to the pop masters of the sixties whilst never lacking in original vision.

Returning from triumphant shows in the US in late 2005 and also at SXSW 2006, The Lovetones toured to support Meditations’ Australian release in May 2006. June 2006 saw The Lovetones complete a crazed European tour across 12 countries with The Brian Jonestown Massacre in support of Meditations’ release there through Tee Pee/Cargo Records, culminating in a rave album review in respected UK magazine Uncut.

The Lovetones also managed to record their third album Axiom during 2006 with fervent sessions split between Figment Studios in Hollywood and the Sydney Opera House Recording Studio. More extensive touring in the US and Australia followed.

Released in Australia in November 2008 and now set for a stateside release in February 2009, Dimensions is The Lovetones’ fourth studio album and the latest chapter in the indie psychedelic pop legacy of frontman Matthew Tow, who remains one of Australia’s most underrated songwriters. The album was recorded in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, mixed in Los Angeles by Rob Campanella (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Quarter After, Black Angels) and mastered by William Bowden (one of Australia’s finest mastering engineers).

Artist: The Lovetones
Title: Dimensions
Label: Planting Seeds Records
Release Date: February 24th, 2009

01. Moonlit Suite (Her Room)
02. Journeyman (MP3)
03. Two of A Kind
04. Look At The Waves
05. Memory Lane
06. A New Low In Getting High
07. Love and Redemption
08. There Is No Sound
09. Song To Humanity
10. When It Comes
11. Journeyman (Anton Newcombe Remix)

Tools and Hi-Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1458

On The Web:
www.thelovetones.com
www.myspace.com/thelovetones
www.plantingseedsrecords.com
www.myspace.com/plantingseedsmusic

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
www.youtube.com/fanaticpromotion
www.facebook.com/pages/Fanatic-Promotion/7297716716

The Lovetones In The Press

“...heart-tugging piece of pop bliss...a grandiose crescendo of Bowie-esque proportions.... ‘60s psychedelia...” – Harp

“...a pleasant listening experience... electric and acoustic guitar and keyboard textures recall early Pink Floyd on ‘Genius’...” – All Music Guide

“...pastoral moments of The Pretty Things’ SF Sorrow...recalls The Soundtrack Of Our Lives.” – Uncut

“...a glorious psychedelic-pop wave...every bit as wondrous as not just their contemporaries but their shoe-gazing heroes. A trip from start to finish” – Rolling Stone

“...beautiful songs with infectious hooks, gorgeous melodies... an album of classics Beatles and Bowie fans will adore.” – Daily Telegraph (UK)

“...one of the best pop albums I’ve ever heard...a smooth rocking groove and some heartfelt lyrics... cross-culturally groovy...strongly crafted pop songs...” – Creem (UK)

“...the perfect pop synthesis of Beatles-influenced psychedelic melodies and modern grooves... a penchant for soulful lyrics and romantic tunes... a full prism of colors and moods enroute. Recommended.” – Sentimentalist

“...filled with the kind of textural, psychedelic-tinged sounds... recall Squeeze with its octave-separated vocal harmonies...as catchy as pop music gets...Good stuff, this!” – Shindig

“...catchy Britpop tunes, many steeped in 1960’s psychedelica, it tastes good.” – The Weekend Australian

“...a sensational pop record, a beautiful collection of concise, powerful songs.” – Impress

“...a rich collage of dynamic rock, heady harmonies and snarling sixties soul, and another interesting piece in the evolving jig-saw that is Matthew J Tow.” – Filmink
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Texas music hall-of-famer Gretchen Phillips launches new album aided by impressive cast of contributors including members of Shearwater & Team Dresch.

Plans to bring the humor and polemic nationwide in ‘09 are at hand, while lead single “Red State/Blue State” awaits you behind this LINK.

“Gretchen Phillips is a living lesbian legend.” – The Advocate

“It’s a rare human who can talk about heteronormativity and Badfinger in one interview. But Gretchen Phillips is no run-of-the-mill lesbian folk singer.” – Girlfriends Magazine

“One of the most warped, wonderful songwriting talents in our age.” – The Austin Chronicle

“The emotional resonance of Phillips’ music is universal, which - in a way - makes it even more radical in its implications.” - Craig Lee, Los Angeles Times

The influential and adventurous musician Gretchen Phillips, announces her first new album in five years, I Was Just Comforting Her. In completing this expansive new work, the Texas Music Hall of Fame inductee was aided by an impressive cast of contributors, including drummer Melissa York (Butchies, VitaPup, Team Dresch), percussionist Thor Harris (Shearwater, Bill Callahan, Angels of Light and The Gretchen Phillips Experience), former bandmate Andy Loomis (Gretchen Phillips Experience) and longtime collaborator Dave Driver. Phillips has engaged in multiple musical genres, from 80s punk band Meat Joy to 90s country/disco/rock/folk/pop band Two Nice Girls and onward into myriad other territories as a solo artist. I Was Just Comforting Her draws upon her vast array of creative genre-bending to make what ironically might be her most pop-oriented album to date.

However, the album still retains the thematic elements that distinguish her work: a call for empathy and connection amid cultural and social alienation. Produced by Rob Halverson and Phillips, it is, as its maker describes, “a big, thick slab of humanism.” This may be the theme of Gretchen’s pioneering career. Though out and proud as a lesbian since her teens, as an artist Gretchen Phillips has always reached beyond her natural constituency to make music for everyone. Her seminal early 90s group Two Nice Girls was as notable for its unabashed joy in lesbianism as for its legions of non-lesbian fans. Phillips’ other bands have been similarly joyful and inclusive. Spanning folk, rock, country, gospel, punk and her own idiosyncratic take on the singer-songwriter form, Gretchen Phillips has blazed a twenty year trail of uncompromising personal artistry and openhearted musical communion.

Phillips’ first release since Togetherness, her 2003 collaboration with Dave Driver, I Was Just Comforting Her stresses that longing for communion in stronger terms than ever. Opening with “Red State/Blue State” (MP3), a roiling electro-pop plea for hope and understanding, the album traverses broad sonic territory but stays rooted in a personal vision that insists on love and kindness in a divided society. The soaring country of “Honey, I Feel So Good,” the coiled rock of “Burning Inside,” and the effervescent pop of “Peola” and “In Case of Rapture” stand along side harder to categorize pieces like “Swimming” and “YOY?” to reveal the complex interior life of a musician at the peak of her artistry.

…continued below…

Artist: Gretchen Phillips
Title: I Was Just Comforting Her
Label: Seasick Sailor Records
Release Date: February 5th, 2009

01. Red State/Blue State (MP3)
02. Burning Inside
03. Honey, I Feel So Good
04. Peola
05. Your Drinking
06. LYLAS
07. Swimming
08. YOY?
09. In Case of Rapture
10. To the Lady C

Gretchen Phillips Live:
02/18 Los Angeles, CA @ Genghis Cohen
02/19 Felton, CA @ Don Quixote's
02/23 San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord
02/25 Eugene, OR @ Sam Bond's
02/26 Seattle, WA @ SPACE: A Design Build Collective
02/27 Olympia, WA @ ABC House
02/28 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Pizza

…continued…

“For the last number of years I’ve been making albums more modestly than I did back with Two Nice Girls,” Phillips says. “And then I got hungry for really big production. Not big production for big production’s sake, but to make an album that utilized every instrument and sound that I felt would serve the songs. I decided not to scrimp on my recording budget and not to give myself any time constraints. I wanted to work on it until I was totally satisfied.”

“Rob and I had a lot of fun meticulously going thru every song and basically putting down everything we wanted to hear and then we just mixed and mixed for maximum emotional impact,” she elaborates. “Since I gave myself free reign in terms of time, we did just joyfully work on this thing until it was done. And then when it was done we could tell.” Phillips’ artistry has taken on a new dimension in the last two years. In addition to playing concerts, she has written and performed two acclaimed one-woman shows combining stories and songs into musical memoir. The first of these, Don’t Stop Believing, premiered in 2007 at The Off Center as part of the Rude Mechanicals’ prestigious Throws Like a Girl performance series. The latest, Manlove, the saga of Phillips’ struggles and triumphs loving the men in her life, premiered with a sold-out run at The Vortex Theater.

In addition to expanding her performing frontiers, Phillips has applied her artistry to the packaging of the new album. Each and every copy comes in a package hand assembled by the artist herself. Phillips considers I Was Just Comforting Her an epic saga full of individual songs, but meant to be heard in its whole sweeping scope. “It’s my grand concept album, like Spirit’s Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus” she says. “I love a bold statement, so I made one.”

Taking her inclusive message on the road, Phillips intends to tour behind I Was Just Comforting Her for the better part of 2009. Beginning with a west coast swing in February (see dates below), plans also include trips to Canada, the Midwest and the Northeastern United States.

Tools and Hi-Res Photos:
www.fanaticpromotion.com/rosterdetails.php?indexkey=1460

On The Web:
www.gretchen-phillips.com
www.myspace.com/gretchenphillips
www.youtube.com/user/GretchenPhill

Subscribe To Fanatic:
www.fanaticpromotion.com
Posted by at 1 comment:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)