University of Kentucky filmmakers quickly get to work on music video for The High Water Marks after hearing “Annual Rings” on local radio. See it now!

Song is from first album in 13 years by power poppers led by Elephant 6 co-founder Hilarie Sidney; Band plays Norway’s Egersund Visefestival this Sat.
 
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The High Water Marks (L-R): Logan Miller, Hilarie Sidney, Per Ole Bratset, Øystein Megård. Photo credit: Self-Portraits, Illustration by Per Ole Bratset.
 
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The High Water Marks | “Annual Rings”
 

The music video for “Annual Rings” by The High Water Marks was co-created by University of Kentucky students, Wils Quinn and Nicholas Volosky, and produced at the school’s media space The Media Depot.
 
“We were sitting next to the radio on a spring evening in our small town,” Quinn remembers. “The next thing we heard was ‘Annual Rings’ by The High Water Marks blasting into the quiet Kentucky night. We knew right then and there that we had to become involved. You could consider it a calling or a spiritual awakening.”
 
[VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljrUSTi7p_s
 
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The High Water Marks | In The Press
 

 
“An earworm melody.” — Brooklyn Vegan
 
“Clock-stopping, pulse-raising mega-pop.” — UNCUT
 
“Complex and considered arrangements... Sugar-coated melodies to spare.” — Pitchfork
 
“Beautifully warm, catchy, high-energy... garage pop for the masses.” — PASTE
 
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The High Water Marks
Ecstasy Rhymes
Out Now
(Minty Fresh)
 
Streaming Link:
STREAM FULL LP
  

Track Listing:
01. Ode To Lieutenant Glahn
02. Annual Rings (VIDEO)
03. Can You (STREAM | VIDEO)
04. Ecstasy Rhymes
05. Award Show (STREAM)
06. Some Like It Lukewarm
07. The Trouble With Friends (STREAM | VIDEO)
08. I’ll Be Formal (With You Because of It)
09. Pepin le Bref
10. Accidentally On Purpose
11. Satellite
12. Pretending To Be Loud
 
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The High Water Marks | Live

 
The High Water Marks are scheduled to play a set as part of Egersund, Norway’s Egersund Visefestival this Saturday! More info here.
 
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The High Water Marks | “The Trouble With Friends”
  

 

Bad Copy premieres “The Trouble With Friends” and MXDWN drops the song’s video, taken from the first album in 13 years by The High Water Marks, the power-pop foursome fronted by Elephant 6 Recording Co. and The Apples in stereo co-founder, Hilarie Sidney.

Hear it now here and then trip on over to The Big Takeover where “top-notch indie pop-rock tracks abound” in the legendary publication’s stream of the entire Ecstasy Rhymes album, which is accompanied by an awesome Q&A where Hilarie is hilariously interviewed by her band mates.
 
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The High Water Marks | About
 

“I am so lucky to have been a musician throughout my life,” says Hilarie Sidney of The High Water Marks, the band she fronts out of her adopted home town of Grøa, Norway. The foursome has just released Ecstasy Rhymes, its first album in 13 years, via Minty Fresh.
 
You probably know Sidney best for what she got up to during her time living in Denver, Colorado.
 
Sidney is the co-founder of one of the most influential musical collectives of the past, oh, forever amount of years.
 
Elephant 6 is a storied, and now legendary, musical collective and Sidney was as at its nucleus as a founding member of The Apples in stereo.
 
It was a “boys club,” Sidney confesses.
 
Sidney was the only woman among her band and the other two acts – Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control – that were the most visible members of Elephant 6, and as the umbrella opened to international recognition and acclaim, and to seemingly dozens of other bands that wanted to be a part, Sidney’s enthusiasm drifted.
 
Her passion for songwriting never wavered, however.
 
“Having been in the Apples and on the road since 1993, I started to have many more songs than could ever be released on an Apples record. I was piling up songs, and being surrounded by a group of men for so many years, one can lose oneself,” she confides.
 
Sidney eventually found new love, and a new musical partnership, when she formed The High Water Marks, releasing a debut album (Songs About The Ocean) in 2003. The record was written and demoed through the mail with her now-husband and bandmate, Per Ole Bratset, whom she initially met at an Apples gig in Norway in 2002. A follow-up album (Polar) arrived in 2007.
 
By that time, Sidney and Bratset were an item.
 
“Per and I had our son in 2005,” Sidney says of becoming a mother for the second time (Sidney and Schneider also have a son from their marriage.) “I realized I wanted a break from touring. That whole life had begun to wear me out.”
 
The fallout from Sidney’s divorce from Schneider, and life as a mom with two boys, led her to officially leave the Apples in 2006 and to put the music business on the back burner soon after.
 
“Still writing songs, always writing songs...”
 
With that, Sidney attempted to clean out the closet in 2011, leading to some recording sessions that eventually had to be scrapped, and leaving her to feel “kind of hopeless,” she remembers.
 
But drummers are tough!
 
Sidney picked herself up and headed in another direction by beginning to finish up a Bachelor’s degree, which led to her being awarded a prestigious study abroad scholarship at the University of Oslo.
 
“Moving was everything I had hoped it would be,” she explains. “In Norway, we have a work-life balance, health care, a living wage, five weeks of vacation, and freedom for our youngest son to roam without constant supervision.”
 
Perhaps most importantly, she started playing music again.
 
Thirteen years after releasing her last album as The High Water Marks, the band has completed a new album that reflects the maturity, perseverance, songwriting, and performing talent that made Sidney’s contributions to Elephant 6 and the Apples so integral.
 
If she was marginalized at the time, those notions are blown out by Ecstasy Rhymes, 38 minutes of perfect power pop, one song after another that will take any fan of the songs that Sidney contributed to Apples recordings – her voice is instantly recognizable – right back to the most potent days of that band’s career.
 
As he did on previous releases, Bratset also contributes lead vocals on several songs, all of which were co-written with Sidney. In addition to Sidney on Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, and Drums, and Bratset on Vocals and Guitars, the band includes Logan Miller on Bass, Guitar, and Drums, along with Øystein Megård on Drums. Keyboards, and Backing Vocals.
 
“I feel like for the first time ever, we have a dream team,” Sidney says. “I have my partner in crime by my side, like always, but we managed to also find these two other fantastic people who we can work with so well. We finally have the best band we’ve ever had and a great record.”
 
Seems Sidney’s luck as a musician hasn’t run out yet.
 
Ecstasy Rhymes, the first album in 13 years by The High Water Marks, is out now on Minty Fresh.
 
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The High Water Marks | Links
 
ASSETS : FACEBOOK : INSTAGRAM : SPOTIFY : APPLE : MINTY FRESH
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : YOUTUBE : INSTAGRAM : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL

Youngest son of Neil Finn to release debut Aug. 13th; Elroy can also be seen on drums with Crowded House, collaborating with Wild Nothing, Connan Mockasin.

Check out lo-fi psych-folk single “Excite Me Much,” streaming everywhere now; Live performance shot at Auckland’s Neck of The Woods also streaming now.
 
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Elroy as photographed by Jimmy Metherell
 
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PLAY, POST & SHARE
 
Elroy | “Excite Me Much”
 

  

Check out “Excite Me Much” from the upcoming debut self-titled album by Elroy at FLOOD Magazine or the links below!

 
Reckoning with “the groggy morning after” as described by FLOOD Magazine, Elroy explains, “The song ‘Excite Me Much’ I wrote the day after my brother’s wedding and I was very short on sleep and hungover due to the festivities of the night before. But the guitar just sort of played the line from this song without me thinking or trying too much.”
 
[STREAM]: https://Fanatic.lnk.to/Elroy-ExciteMeMuch
 
[LIVE]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obpddhqKL6w
  
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Elroy
Elroy
Aug. 13^th, 2021
(Grand Phony Records)
  

 
Track Listing:
01. The Whole Thing
02. Worth The Wait
03. Lost Our Mystery (SINGLE EDIT | ALBUM VERSION)
04. The Highest Tree
05. Frogs
06. Excite Me Much (STREAM | LIVE)
07. Life Is At Home
08. Way Down Above Below
09. Doesn’t It Bother You
10. Bye For Now
 
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Elroy | About
 
After years of touring and collaborating as a drummer and multi-instrumentalist in various groups (Wild Nothing, Connan Mockasin), as well as with his family (extensive worldwide touring with his brother, Liam Finn and as part of Crowded House with his father, Neil Finn), Elroy Finn (going simply by Elroy) will release his debut self-titled album on Aug. 13^th, 2021.
 
A talented multi-instrumentalist – “I was obviously surrounded by instruments a lot growing up thanks to my Dad, so I was very fortunate in that way,” he says – Elroy was written, produced, recorded, and mixed by Elroy himself.
 
A brief self-release of the record in his native New Zealand earned attention right away for the hazy, coaxing sound that Elroy says he hopes will “evoke the weightless feeling you get just before you fall asleep.”
 
It does.
 
New Zealand’s national newspaper Sunday Star Times describes the album as “acquiring layers of sounds and textures and falsetto vocal harmonies” that “gradually transforms into a sturdy wee slab of lo-fi psychedelia.”
 
The paper goes on to highlight the upcoming single “Worth The Wait,” describing Elroy’s performance as “a tentative romantic assessing a new relationship, his voice sweet and airy, like a Brazilian bossa nova singer parachuted into the middle of an indie pop song.”
 
Elroy says the tune is only a “non-specific, ambiguous love song,” which feels like he is speaking from a place of humility that could only be developed by growing up surrounded by legendary songwriting talent.
 
The tune is actually a fine example of Elroy’s ability throughout the album to hit that sweet spot where the songs are “gentle and catchy,” but “deceptively difficult to write,” as noted in the Sunday Star-Times.
 
Similarly, New Zealand’s Listener Magazine, calling the record “bold and assured,” recognizes Elroy’s modesty, saying he “has done well to avoid the pitfalls of emulation or rebellion.” With this record, he takes “the tropes of the catchy, melodic music he was raised around and deliberately drapes them in a shimmering, beguiling gauze.”
 
In regard to his lyrics, Elroy is equally humble.
 
“As far as lyrics go, I tend not to over explain meanings as I think it’s really important for people to mis-hear and interpret them however they want,” he explains, adding slyly, “It’s also better, because it means I don’t have to admit if the song isn’t really about anything.”
 
Perhaps this notion is just Elroy’s humility shining through yet again, or maybe it is a defining characteristic of the deceptive simplicity of his music.
 
Elroy arrives Aug. 13^th, 2021 on the Grand Phony label, preceded by the singles “Excite Me Much,” “Life Is At Home,” and “Worth The Wait.”
 
Elroy is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.
 
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Elroy | Links
 
ASSETS : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : BANDCAMP : GRAND PHONY RECORDS
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL

Clever, catchy “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart)” is latest single from Chris J Norwood’s upcoming “I Am Not Cool,” out Aug. 20th.

Record release show with State Fair Records (Joshua Ray Walker, Ottoman Turks) label mate, Billy Law announced for Kessler Theater.
 
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Chris J Norwood and Carrie Norwood as photographed by Alyssa Leigh Cates
 
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PLAY, POST & SHARE
 
Chris J Norwood | “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart)”
 

 

[STREAM]: https://fanatic.lnk.to/ChrisJNorwood-INeedYouToQuitBreakingMyHeart
 
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Check out the latest single from I Am Not Cool by Chris J Norwood at Americana UK or at the link above.
 
“This is a classic Chris and Carrie Norwood duet,” Chris J Norwood tells Americana UK about “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart),” the latest single from his upcoming second album I Am Not Cool (Aug. 20^th, State Fair Records).  “It’s definitely a love song, but it’s a 10-year marriage kind of love song. ‘Cause your heart breaks harder over someone you sleep next to every night. And in the end, you realize ‘I hate it when we're apart.’”
 
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Chris J Norwood
I Am Not Cool
Aug. 20^th, 2021
(State Fair Records)
 

Track Listing:
 
01. I Am Not Cool (Prologue)
02. The Final Girl (VIDEO)
03. Good Guy With A Gun
04. Creature of Bad Habits
05. Leaving Louisiana Behind
06. I Am Not Cool (STREAM | VIDEO | LYRIC VIDEO)
07. 85 Feet
08. Grandpa Was A Farmer
09. I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart) (STREAM)
10. Home Is You And Me
11. Love And Mercy
12. I Wrote You A Song
 
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Chris J Norwood | In The Press
 

“His clear, plain-spoken tone is ideal for this type of storytelling.” — Dallas Morning News
 
“Norwood wants you to know the truth.” — The Boot
 
“A tale about the uncertainties of life and the adventures it may bring.” — Central Track
 
“Unpretentious and genuine.” — Americana Highways
 
“Great lyrical hooks...” — Americana UK
 
“Talk about making a statement… introduces a compelling new songwriter to the Texas Americana scene.” — Twangville
 
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PLAY, POST & SHARE
 
Chris J Norwood | “I Am Not Cool”
 

 

[VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VpibyXuq-s
 
[STREAM]: https://fanatic.lnk.to/ChrisJNorwood-IAmNotCool-Single
 
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Check out the video for the title track from I Am Not Cool by Chris J Norwood at The Boot or listen at Americana Highways or at the links above.
 
 “This video was so much fun to make," says Chris J Norwood of the clip for “I Am Not Cool,” the title track from his new album (Aug. 20^th, State Fair Records). “Getting to wear fancy clothes, getting to pretend I have fans, and win awards. It’s a pretty perfect picture of my life and pretty perfectly captures the sentiment of the lyrics.”
 
Norwood’s wife and bandmate Carrie Norwood agrees, “Preparing for this video wasn’t too different from performing with the band. I lined up a babysitter, put on the only make up and dress I’ve worn all week, had a great time singing with Chris, and came back home to kids who will be waking up early needing breakfast.”
 
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Chris J Norwood | Live
 

06/24/2021: Dallas, TX @ Adair’s Saloon
 
06/27/2021: Arlington, TX @ Levitt Pavillion (w/ Texicana)
 
07/08/2021: Dallas, TX @ All Good Cafe (w/ Carrie Norwood)
 
07/10/2021: Mansfield, TX @ The Lot (w/ Texicana)
 
07/23/2021: Dallas, TX @ Skillman Bible Church (Skillman Sessions w/ Carrie Norwood)
 
08/20/2021: Dallas, TX @ The Kessler Theater (I Am Not Cool Record Release Show Presented by State Fair of Texas & State Fair Records, Co-Headline w/ Billy Law)
 
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Chris J Norwood | About
 

Chris Norwood isn’t cool.
 
Or Chris J Norwood, as the Dallas-based singer-songwriter bills himself, is not cool.
 
So “not cool” that when searching for a synonym for “uncool” that starts with “J” in order to complete a lame joke, this writer could not find one.
 
Pretty damn uncool.
 
Norwood is honest, however, and in a world that becomes more cynical by the moment, the kind of honesty that he conjures and delivers so eloquently and elegantly on his new, very uncool, album I Am Not Cool (Aug. 20^th, State Fair Records), well, that kind of uncool is... cool?
 
The album is the follow-up to Norwood’s much-praised 2017 debut record Longshot.
 
In addition to Norwood’s genial ability to say things you may not want to hear and leave you appreciating the experience, he is also masterful at a kind of tongue-in-cheek levity that is sorely missing from this genre.
 
There’s only two kinds of music / What’s true and what ain’t / It only takes three chords to set the record straight
 
Norwood sings these lyrics on the “I Am Not Cool” title cut, a perfect example of how his economy of words is quizzical, meta, and puts a smile on your face all at the same time.
 
But, wait, there’s more.
 
Norwood really gets going on the album’s second single “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart),” which is such a plainly evocative song title that other songwriters should be shaking a fist in Norwood’s general direction for thinking of it first. A universal sentiment succinctly stated.
 
“It’s a 10-year marriage kind of love song,” he says of the tune, and as if to hammer that description home, Norwood’s wife Carrie joins him on vocals, which adds a whole new level of “what is going on here?!” to the proceedings.
 
Further on, “Good Guy With A Gun” will remind listeners of the political rhetoric it references, but is more tragically tied to the songs from Norwood’s debut album, which dove head-first into his very personal story of growing up as a child of a father who died by his own hand.
 
“This song is about that,” he explains, “But more than that it’s about the ridiculous theory that the NRA likes to tout. The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun? My dad was a good guy with a gun, so how were we supposed to stop him from killing himself?”
 
Once again, it is astounding how Norwood is able to take such personal matters, write about them with conviction and clarity, make it catchy and memorable, and make you feel like you challenged yourself and had a chuckle all at once.
 
Uncool? Hmm.
 
Frankly, Norwood says that claiming himself “uncool” may be an awful career move. “I’ll either make it or break it as uncool Chris J Norwood,” he opines on the topic.
 
But, the thing is, Norwood’s work is righteous no matter how it is perceived by anyone who makes judgments about “career moves.” This brand of vulnerable, self-effacing songwriting, salted with a bit of required brainpower... it’s unique. And it’s here to stay.
 
Maybe the J stands for “justified?”
 
I Am Not Cool, the second album by Chris J Norwood arrives via State Fair Records on Aug. 20^th, preceded by the singles “I Am Not Cool” (May 21^st), “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart)” (June 18^th), and “Good Guy With A Gun” (July 23^rd).
 
Chris J Norwood is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.
 
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Chris J Norwood | Links
 
ASSETS : WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : BANDCAMP : SPOTIFY : APPLE : STATE FAIR RECORDS
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL

“A phenomenal wave of emotions full of lush harmonies and poignant lyrics,” describes Gregory Ackerman’s just-released “Full Grown” single.

 Follow-up to “Stresslove EP” (V2/Munich Records) is taken from upcoming “Still Waiting Still,” produced by Pierre de Reeder of Rilo Kiley.
 
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Gregory Ackerman as photographed by Nell T Sherman

 
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PLAY, POST & SHARE
 
Gregory Ackerman | “Full Grown”
 

  

[STREAM] | https://Fanatic.lnk.to/GregoryAckerman-FullGrown
 
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“Indie folk gem... a phenomenal wave of emotions full of lush harmonies and poignant lyrics.” Hear “Full Grown” by Gregory Ackerman now via music discovery website Last Day Deaf!
 
“I wrote ‘Full Grown’ when I was twenty-years-old back home on break from college,” says Gregory Ackerman of the first official single from his upcoming second album Still Waiting Still (Sept. 17^th), “But for this record’s rendition, I had Gabriel Wheaton update it with a beautiful string arrangement, which brought about an amazingly thematic rendition of an old classic (to me.)
 
“I was literally feeling, as the lyric goes, ‘lost and lonely, but all my friends are home,’ feeling as though I was floating and struggling to find my place in life, yet all my friends were back home from school and we were all together again.
 
“Together, yet still alone in our own lives, worries, joys, ups, and downs. This notion seemed to hit especially close to home again when the pandemic hit – everyone being lost and lonely confined within their homes.”
 
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Gregory Ackerman | In The Press
 
“Bathed in Californian moonlight.” — PopMatters
 
“Going around my head since I first heard it.” — Folk Radio UK
 
“Giving hope to those who are lovestruck.” — Atwood Magazine
 
“Laid-back vibe of Southern California.” — For Folk’s Sake
 
“Hard to resist.” — Adobe and Teardrops
 
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Gregory Ackerman
Still Waiting Still
Sept. 17^th, 2021
(S/R)
  

Track Listing:
 
01. Intro
02. Think Straight (STREAM)
03. Full Grown (STREAM)
04. Peace of Mind
05. Good Song
06. Seasonal Living
07. Happy Phase
08. 2023
09. Mr. Moon
10. For Rob
11. Right Again
12. My Heart Goeth
13. All This Thinking

 
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Gregory Ackerman | About
 

“I used to feel like I was the only one that should have a say in my process,” says Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Gregory Ackerman of his music. “I’ve since discovered that both life and music get better the more people you share them with.”
 
The latest work that Ackerman is sharing with the world is Still Waiting Still (out Sept. 17^th, 2021), the follow-up to 2019’s “Stresslove EP” (V2/Munich Records), and Ackerman’s first full-length since his debut album And Friends in 2018.
 
Still Waiting Still was produced by Pierre de Reeder of Rilo Kiley who adds touches of hypnotic mysticism on top of the California summer sunset melodies, which beautifully combine with Ackerman’s plainspoken philosophical lyrics and twisty, dexterous guitar to create what is now Ackerman’s signature sound.
 
The title of Still Waiting Still’s first single seems to reference the evolution in Ackerman’s thinking. “Full Grown,” originally a spare song written when he was only 20-years-old
(Ackerman is now 28), is given a full production makeover for inclusion on Still Waiting Still.
 
“For the rendition of ‘Full Grown’ on Still Waiting Still, I had violinist Gabriel Wheaton update it with a beautiful string arrangement. His contribution resulted in an amazingly thematic version of what I now consider to be an ‘old classic’ from my catalog.”
 
In addition to Wheaton, new friends that Ackerman has invited to participate in creating Still Waiting Still include other Los Angeles-area talents such as Grant Milliken, Eva B. Ross, Shelby Gogreve, and Theo and Mark Federonic.
 
“These are all great musicians that I met playing shows in Los Angeles,” Ackerman says. “This new personnel, combined with my trusty foundation (Ackerman’s brother Eric, close friend
Keenan McDaniel, and friend and producer, de Reeder), helped Still Waiting Still become a lively collection of brand-new material mixed with songs that I’d written years ago.”
 
Ackerman guesses that half of Still Waiting Still’s 13 songs were written while he was in college, shortly after he had begun to write and record in earnest. His posts of the results on
Soundcloud revealed that listeners liked what they heard, and Ackerman was later signed on an unsolicited demo to V2 –affiliated singer-songwriter offshoot, Munich Records.
 
“For this album I wanted my past self and current self to align again as one fluid artist. All of the songs on Still Waiting Still have an inherent grit or humor to them, and were written with a youthful ironic moodiness which I relate to once again as a 28-year-old.”
 
“I wanted to bring back the states of mind that I used to feel,” Ackerman continues, going on to reference the album’s second upcoming single, the aptly titled, “Good Song,” in which he sings about “dredging up feelings from the past,” while trying to write a song about writing songs.
 
“‘Good Song’ came out of my frustration in feeling the pressure to make ‘likeable’ music,” Ackerman confesses. “I was constantly feeling mostly self- imposed pressure to write a ‘hit song,’ and I remember being able to finally take a step back from that mindset and look at it humorously. Why not write a song about trying to write a good song?”
 
Still Waiting Still contains 13 of ‘em actually, and Ackerman is proud.
 
“It’s not perfect, just as nothing with a heartbeat ever is, but I hope that it represents some part of me that perhaps I could not express any other way.”
 
Still Waiting Still, the second album by Gregory Ackerman, arrives on Sept. 17th, 2021 preceded by the singles “Full Grown” (out now), “Good Song” (July 23rd), and “Mr. Moon” (Aug 20th). Gregory Ackerman is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.
 
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Gregory Ackerman | Links
 
ASSETS : WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SPOTIFY : APPLE : BANDCAMP
 
+++
 
Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : YOUTUBE : INSTAGRAM : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL

Abbreviations “isn't taking any shortcuts,” says Central Track. 15 years on North Texas scene results in band’s striking debut single “Turn On You,” out now.

Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Phosphorescent)-produced cut merges “psychedelia, dream pop, haunting melodies, rich spaced-out guitar tones.”
 
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Abbreviations (L-R): Chad Walls, Ashley Leer, Tony Wann, Matt Leer. Photo Credit: Leyton Cheek.

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PLAY, POST & SHARE
 
Abbreviations | “Turn On You”
 

 
“Haunting melodies, rich spaced-out guitar tones and somber lyrical themes...,” says MXDWN, describing Abbreviations in its premiere coverage of the band’s debut single “Turn On You,” out now. “Merges psychedelia and dream pop into their sound, pulling from each member’s rich history in the local music scene.”
 
Dallas-based music discovery website Central Track interviewed the band on the day of the release of “Turn On You,” and concludes that Abbreviations “isn't taking any shortcuts.” Read the story here.
 
[STREAM]: https://Fanatic.lnk.to/Abbreviations-TurnOnYou
 
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Abbreviations | Live
 

 
07/30/2021: Dallas, TX @ Double Wide (Red Zeppelin Records Night w/ God of Love, Bayleigh Cheek)
 
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Abbreviations | About
 

Abbreviations is a rock band from Dallas.
 
Also a pop band, an alternative band, and a supergroup (of sorts) i.e. members Ashley Leer (Guitar / Vox), Matt Leer (Guitar), Chad Walls (Bass), and Tony Wann (Drums) have played in many of the city’s most active bands over the years.
 
Staying active makes you strong, makes you super. “Turn On You,” the upcoming debut single from Abbreviations (Red Zeppelin, June 18^th) radiates understated power.
 
No wonder that producer Stuart Sikes (himself a Grammy®-winning superpower for his work on Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose, in addition to his credits with The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Phosphorescent, Cat Power, and many more) signed on to helm “Turn On You.”
 
The oomph of Walls’ concise bass playing, the interplay of the Leer’s melancholy guitar lines, the subtle crack of Wann’s snare, and Ashley’s hypnotic vocals all come together to leave you wanting more and wondering when.
 
“It’s about that moment where you realize you have feelings for someone other than the one you’re with,” Ashley says of the tune. “Are these feelings real? ‘Turn On You’ feels like a love song, and it is, but it’s also about the guilt for having those feelings.”
 
The song is deeper than most dream pop songs will go, typically awash in too much dream to be this lucid. Ashley naturally comes from a place of authenticity when it comes to lyricism, but it was not always that way.
 
“I had previously only written lyrics when I was forced to do so, usually the day before we recorded,” she explains.
 
However, in 2016, when she found out that her father (a professional bassist who taught her the guitar) only had a year to live, writing became the way to cope.
 
“I needed to write songs about all these thoughts exploding in my head. I had never really thought about death, and it made me take a step back and reflect on my life, the people I hurt, and the people I loved. Suddenly, I had plenty to write about.”
 
With lyrics no longer forced, Ashley’s candor in her writing and performance makes the first effort by this supergenre supergroup (stated influences range from The Jesus Lizard to Drake, Fugazi to Joni Mitchell, Sonic Youth to Broadcast, The Police to The Beatles) more memorable.
 
Abbreviations is clearly more than just a rock band from Dallas.
 
“Turn On You,” the first single by Abbreviations, is out now via the female-owned and operated McKinney, Texas-based label Red Zeppelin, a recent outgrowth of the beloved local record store.
 
Members of Abbreviations are available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.
 
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Abbreviations | Links
 
FACEBOOK : INSTAGRAM : SPOTIFY : APPLE : RED ZEPPELIN RECORDS
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL