Gallons of Crayola paint (and Jared Putnam) star in “The Funk That You’re In” video by The March Divide; 2021 tour dates announced.

  “I wrote it in one sitting. I committed to not changing the words,” Putnam says of album closing stream of consciousness cut “I Believe”.
 
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Jared Putnam of The March Divide as photographed by Rico DeLeon
 
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The March Divide | “The Funk That You’re In”
 

 
[VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSOBjrHYAZU
 
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“Relentlessly catchy.” — Under The Radar
 
“Impressively hooky.” — American Songwriter
 
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“I really shoved a lot of pop into this one, but it carries a message of self-destruction,” explains Jared Putnam of The March Divide about his latest single “The Funk That You’re In.”  “The idea was to showcase the irony of being your own worst enemy The kazoo solo is probably worth mentioning.”
 
The song (and kazoo solo) is the end product of a number Putnam thought would remain in his phone graveyard.
 
“That’s usually where my ideas go to die!” he says, “It’s not that I don’t like them, I usually just forget about them, but like everyone else, I had a lot of time to burn last year. Once I picked up my guitar and started messing with the idea, the whole song just kinda fell out of me.”
 
Read more with Jared Putnam of The March Divide and check out “The Funk That You’re In” via Under The Radar or American Songwriter now or at the links above.
 
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The March Divide
cinq
Out Now
(Slow Start Records)
 
Streaming Link:
STREAM FULL LP
 

Track Listing:

01. The Funk That You’re In (STREAM | VIDEO)
02. Kris Takes Her Time (LYRIC VIDEO)
03. Lie To Me (LYRIC VIDEO)
04. Numb (LYRIC VIDEO)
05. Your Light (LYRIC VIDEO)
06. September Blues (VIDEO)
07. I Don’t Wanna Die Young (LYRIC VIDEO)
08. New Me (LYRIC VIDEO)
09. Remember Who You Are (VIDEO)
10. I Believe (LYRIC VIDEO)
 
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The March Divide | Live
 
06/11/2021: Plano, TX @ Terra Mediterranean
06/12/2021: Wichita Falls, TX @ GypsyUncorked
06/18/2021: Tulsa, OK @ Whittier Bar
06/19/2021: Norman, OK @ Red Brick Bar
06/24/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
06/25/2021: Fort Stockton, TX @ Zero Stone Park
06/26/2021: Plano, TX @ Terra Mediterranean
06/27/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
07/16/2021: Plano, TX @ Terra Mediterranean
07/17/2021: Wichita Falls, TX @ GypsyUncorked
07/23/2021: Fort Worth, TX @ Aloft
07/24/2021: Houston, TX @ Dan Electros (w/ Brightwire)
07/25/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
07/29/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
07/30/2021: San Antonio, TX @ The Point Park
07/31/2021: Plano, TX @ Terra Mediterranean
08/06/2021: San Antonio, TX @ The Divide
08/07/2021:  Cibolo, TX @ 1908 House of Wine & Ale
08/12/2021: Tulsa, OK @ Hunt Club
08/13/2021: West Plains, MO @ Wages Brewing
08/14/2021: Lawrence, KS @ Gaslight Gardens
08/15/2021: Topeka, KS @ LA Casa Blanca
08/18/2021:  Cibolo, TX @ 1908 House of Wine & Ale
08/26/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
08/28/2021: Cibolo, TX @ 1908 House of Wine & Ale
08/29/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
09/04/2021: Cibolo, TX @ 1908 House of Wine & Ale
09/30/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
10/02/2021: Cibolo, TX @ 1908 House of Wine & Ale
10/03/2021: San Antonio, TX @ Fralo’s
 
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The March Divide | “I Believe”
 

 
[LYRIC VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hykuRvLDy1I
 
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“Get a little more familiar with this charismatic singer-songwriter,” says V13 in its premiere coverage of “I Believe,” one of the most candid songs Jared Putnam has ever written. He says, “I wrote it in one sitting. I committed to not changing the words, wanting to just keep whatever came out. It's pretty satisfying to just say what you wanna say, without worrying about how cool it sounds.” New Noise Magazine says in its post of the song’s lyric video, “Think a slightly less angular Spoon with work boots on instead of pointy tips (but not too worn out!)”
 
Check out “I Believe” by The March Divide via V13 or New Noise Magazine now or at the link above.
 
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The March Divide | About
 

Jared Putnam is one of the most prolific songwriters in Texas, and he earns that distinction in his second act.
 
Having already flirted with the danger of major labels when his young band The Conversation was a national next thing, in the past decade as The March Divide, Putnam has basically done it all on his own, self-releasing a barrage of singles, EPs, and albums at a seemingly non-stop pace during that time.
 
cinq – his fifth album (Slow Start Records, Out Now) – was conceived as a full-length, but has mostly been released throughout the pandemic as a series of singles, with the last two arriving surrounding the album’s release date.
 
With Putnam’s successful regional touring business at a stand-still, he recorded cinq at home, sending tracks to friends to add bass and drums, and tending to his expanding business managing social media ad campaigns for other artists, a skill he learned while systematically building a fanbase for The March Divide that has sustained him, even during lockdown.
 
Barely.
 
“I am very much looking forward to forgetting and moving on from the wrath of what still might end my career,” Putnam says, voicing the frustration of many musicians with vulnerable cottage businesses on the line. “Recording these songs was something I was able to do to get my mind off of all that. What came out is a real hodgepodge of who I am as a writer.”
 
This “hodgepodge” is a boon for fans of Putnam’s songs that are personal, but always safe effacing, and with a sly humor underneath their rich production and get-to-the-point style. Think a slightly less angular Spoon with work boots on instead of pointy tips (but not too worn out!)
 
“I was able to revisit my rock roots in a meaningful way on this record,” Putnam explains, “but still expand and experiment with the acoustic-based pop ideas I’ve been obsessed with the last few years. I even incorporated some of the hokey melodies that have popped into my head lately by finally taking the time to go back and listen to all the ridiculous phone recordings I’ve made of them.”
 
One of these “hokey” melodies, that a less humble musician might just call “catchy,” became one of cinq’s two new singles, “The Funk That You’re In,” a number Putnam thought would remain in his phone graveyard.
 
“That’s usually where my ideas go to die! It’s not that I don’t like them,” he says, “I usually just forget about them, but like everyone else, I had a lot of time to burn last year. Once I picked up my guitar and started messing with the idea, the whole song just kinda fell out of me. The kazoo solo is probably worth mentioning.”
 
On the other side of the conceptual spectrum from “The Funk That You’re In,” is cinq’s final single. “I Believe,” is one of the most personal songs in Putnam’s catalog.
 
Written in a stream of consciousness style, and backed up by a promise to himself not to change the words, Putnam plans to work in this style more going forward.
 
“It’s pretty satisfying to just say what you wanna say, without worrying about how cool it sounds,” he confesses.
 
cinq, the fifth full-length album by The March Divide is out now via Slow Start Records.
 
Jared Putnam of The March Divide is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.
 
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The March Divide | Links
 
ASSETS : WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : YOUTUBE : INSTAGRAM : BANDCAMP : SPOTIFY : APPLE : SLOW START RECORDS
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL

Red carpets, flash bulbs, rabid fans feature in Chris J Norwood’s “I Am Not Cool,” his sincere, satirical take on self-reflection. See it at The Boot.

“I lined up a babysitter and put on the only make up and dress I’ve worn all week,” jokes Norwood’s wife on prepping for her role in the ironic clip.
 
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Chris J Norwood as photographed by Alyssa Leigh Cates
 
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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.
 
Song appears on “plain-spoken” songwriter’s sophomore album, out Aug. 20^th via State Fair Records (Joshua Ray Walker, Ottoman Turks)
 
“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.”
 
Director Randall Marsrow, explains, “It shows two extremes of the ‘rockstar’ stereotype, and to satirically juxtapose Chris’s personality with a persona he doesn't actually embody. These two identities that Chris portrays don't represent a spectrum from self-obsessive to 'real,' both can actually be true. These two characters can struggle within one person.”
 
Chris continues, “Anytime I start a new album I usually demo out each track on my own, with some demos being more fleshed out than others,” he says of the song itself, which Americana Highways calls “unpretentious and genuine” in its premiere coverage of the tune. “‘I Am Not Cool’ was one that I had a pretty clear vision on from the beginning.”
 
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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
 
“A tale about the uncertainties of life and the adventures it may bring.” — Central Track
 
“Introduces a compelling new songwriter to the Texas Americana scene.” — Twangville
 
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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)
10. Home Is You And Me
11. Love And Mercy
12. I Wrote You A Song
 
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Chris J Norwood | Live
 

 
06/04/2021: McKinney, TX @ Texas Music Revolution
 
06/24/2021: Dallas, TX @ Adair's Saloon
 
06/27/2021: Arlington, TX @ Levitt Pavilion (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)
 
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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

Inara George of The Bird and The Bee: “I was just blown away by his interpretations of our songs.” “Dev Marvelous X The Bird and The Bee” out now.

When Marvelous came to George with his versions, she decided to release them herself! LGBTQ producer tells how his “Birthday” cover connects to Pride.
 
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Dev Marvelous as photographed by Emmaline

 

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Road Angel Project Presents: Dev Marvelous X The Bird and The Bee | “La La La”
 

Listen to the Dev Marvelous version of “La La La” by The Bird and The Bee via WFPK, Cover Me, Atwood Magazine or the link below!
 
“My favorite part of covering ‘La La La’ was recording the background harmonies and the new keyboard solo during the breakdown,” says Dev Marvelous of his impressive version of this original by The Bird and The Bee.
 
“Background vocals are usually daunting for me when I record, but I think due to the song's fun nature, it turned into a fast but joyful experience. For the keyboard solo, I knew when I started there would be a funky, dissonant breakdown where I just go crazy on synthesizer. It was fun to re-record Greg Kurstin’s solo too!”
 
[STREAM]:  https://fanatic.lnk.to/DevMarvelous-LaLaLa
 
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“It is always so incredibly flattering to have someone play or record a cover of a song I wrote, no matter what.” – Inara George of The Bird and The Bee
 
When Louisville, Kentucky-based producer, singer-songwriter, and pianist, Devon Moore aka Dev Marvelous, sent her an album’s worth of reinterpretations of The Bird and The Bee songs, George immediately asked if she could put them out.
 
Road Angel Project Presents: Dev Marvelous X The Bird and The Bee is out now as the sixth volume in George’s ongoing charity series in partnership with, and benefitting, the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund’s COVID-19 fund.
 
“I was just blown away by his interpretations of our songs,” George says. “Dev really made them his own, and it seemed obvious to me that he was a serious musician with his own unique vision.”
 
“It’s always been a dream of mine to collaborate with Inara,” Moore continues. “Her voice and tone, paired with her clever, poetic lyrical ability are unmatched.”
 
Among The Bird and The Bee’s many original songs, the duo has become known for their “Interpreting The Masters” albums, in which they do exactly that, covering a full album’s worth of tunes by their heroes. First was Daryl Hall & John Oates, which was followed by a Van Halen edition in 2019.
 
In all its meta glory, the gracious appreciation that Moore’s album shows for The Bird and The Bee’s tunes is clear.
 
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“Being a Black, gay musician, I always look to incorporate my unique queer voice into a lot of my work.” – Dev Marvelous
 
In addition to paying tribute to artists that inspire him, Marvelous’ stated goal through the creation of his original music and visual art is to unite and brighten the world around us, “no matter your skin, orientation, or music library.”
 
He says, “Being a Black, gay musician, I always look to incorporate my unique queer voice into a lot of my work. Similarly, I am very in touch with my spirituality. It’s important to me, and I always include a spiritual, faith-based piece in as much of my original music as I can.

  
Marvelous’ version of The Bird and The Bee song “Birthday” has a direct relation to Pride for him.
 
[STREAM]: https://fanatic.lnk.to/DevMarvelous-Birthday
 
Marvelous explains, “I made the ‘Birthday’ cover imagining I was singing it to my dream boyfriend or husband as a gift when we’re apart. In some ways, it’s almost like an offering to my future partner in real time. We don’t know each other yet, but our higher selves do, and when we come together in reality, I imagine the very feelings that Inara writes about in that song will apply to us, no matter if we're together or apart.”
 
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Road Angel Project Presents:
“Dev Marvelous X The Bird and The Bee”
Out Now
(Release Me Records)
 
Streaming Link:
STREAM FULL EP
  

Track Listing:
 
01. Polite Dance Song (The Bird and The Bee)
02. What’s In The Middle (The Bird and The Bee)
03. La La La (The Bird and The Bee) (STREAM)
04. Gamera (Greg Kurstin)
05. Take Me To Paris (Inara George)
06. Lovey Dovey (The Bird and The Bee)
07. Birthday (The Bird and The Bee) (STREAM)
 
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About | Road Angel Project
 

Click to listen to a playlist of all six volumes of the “Road Angel Project” here
 
“I reached out to some of my musician friends to see if anyone had a track that they’d like to donate to the cause,” Inara George says. “As the pandemic hit and it became very clear that live music would not resume for many, many months, I immediately thought of Sweet Relief, not only because they help so many musicians, but also because they help everyone in the music industry.
 
“All of those people who work at venues booking shows, stage managing, bartending, lighting, mixing sound, and on and on... Sweet Relief is set up to help all of these workers during this crisis and also any other crisis that might come.”
 
Sweet Relief’s Aric Steinberg says, “Sweet Relief is so grateful to be a part of the ‘Road Angel Project.’ It’s been incredible to see the music community come together during this pandemic, and this is another example of good people doing good things. The funds raised will allow us to help even more music industry professionals in desperate need and we are truly thankful for Inara’s support.”
 
For more information about the Sweet Relief COVID-19 Relief Fund, visit: https://www.sweetrelief.org/covid-19-fund.html
 
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Road Angel Project | Inara George | Dev Marvelous | Links
 
ASSETS : WEBSITE (INARA) : FACEBOOK (INARA) : TWITTER (INARA) : INSTAGRAM (INARA) : FACEBOOK (DEV) : INSTAGRAM (DEV) : RELEASE ME RECORDS
 
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Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion | Contact
 
WEBSITE : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL