Sonic Smash-Music!: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Katie Hampton releases EP “Deep in the Rust”

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Katie Hampton has released her new EP “Deep in the Rust”

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Katie Hampton has released her new EP “Deep in the Rust.” The extended-play album is the newest and most official release from Hampton (although she is also noted for singing the theme for the popular ABC television program, “Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23”). The album, which was written by Hampton in collaboration with composer Steve Hampton, her father, is one of the most genuine records to come out of the singer-songwriter genre in perhaps many years, and represents the very best qualities of music produced by a small number of contributors.

The most obvious characteristic of “Deep in the Rust” is the clarity and chiming tone of Hampton, herself, whose lilting voice is delicate without sounding vulnerable, direct without seeming aggressive. Stylistically, she is in the same vocal category as great modern chanteuses like Regina Spektor, Lily Allen and Feist; however, where these excellent acts wield their respective stylistic nuances with great ostentation, the earnest beauty of Katie Hampton's voice, combined with her natural and unadorned personal style, sets her apart.

This quality persists throughout each composition on “Deep in the Rust,” too. Everything from the individual notes to the chosen instruments, the effects-free engineering to the phrasing of the lyrics, sounds absolutely and plainly genuine. It is difficult to tell where this trait comes natural to the Hamptons and where it has been conscientiously designed – if indeed it were designed at all.

They write of their project, “The core of this EP is integrity and creativity. We wrote what we felt, and didn’t have an end-goal in mind. We tried to write songs with honest, identifiable lyrics and inventive instrumentation.”
In fact, the “inventive” instrumentation and composition is striking. Expect unlikely brass in carefree measures, unpredictable chord progressions, haunted-mansion vibes that sneak up on the listener and burst from the shadows into an impromptu, New-Orleans jazz bridge in the (supposedly) inimitable tradition of second-line music.
Katie Hampton's “Deep in the Rust” EP is a shocking discovery and deserves every music fan's attention. It is sure to presage a long line of LP records from her, and if they prove to be one whit the album this one clearly is, then the scene will be that much happier for having known her “when.”
“Deep in the Rust” is available online worldwide beginning February 4, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The EP “Deep in the Rust” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

MondoTunes (www.mondotunes.com) supplies the largest music distribution in the world and provides upstream services for many major labels in search of breakout artists. While most independent distributors reach only 45-50 retailers despite charging needless monthly and yearly fees, MondoTunes reaches over 750 retailers and mobile partners in over 100 world regions without any monthly or yearly fees.

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

info@katiehampton.com

website -

www.katiehampton.com

Mojo Mayne releases single “Got Dat Body”

Iowa hip-hop rapper Mojo Mayne has released his breakout single, “Got Dat Body.”

Iowa hip-hop rapper Mojo Mayne has released his breakout single, “Got Dat Body.” The single is a dance floor anthem suitable for any establishment that features nightclub-style dancing, but also makes for fine listening on long cruises down the highway. “Got Dat Body” is Mayne's introductory release to his up-and-coming full-length album, “Born to Do It,” tentatively due for distribution in March of 2013.

[A more recent article concerning Mojo Mayne may be found here: http://www.parlemagazine.com/lifestyle/new-blood27/1764-mojo-mayne-the-pride-of-iowa]

Mojo Mayne's personal history has been riddled with family tragedy, but in spite of this (and perhaps because of it) his music exhibits a degree of optimism. “For me,” he writes, “my music has achieved the greatest success when it grabs someone who has been down and lifts them up, transforms them to their highest level of excellence.” This go-get-'em, let's-have-a-real-good-time attitude is the first thing one hears in “Got Dat Body,” and it is a Mojo Mayne standard of excellence throughout all his music.

Although talk and press about Mojo Mayne is only now reaching a fever pitch, Mayne himself is not exactly a newcomer to the scene. He released a full length LP album in 2011 titled “Street Voodoo” on SIMM / Sony Red Distribution. Mayne was also a member of the group Onetyme, which rocketed to popularity before being prematurely dismantled after an unfortunate turn of events south of the border. The enterprising Mayne managed to sell over 5,000 of their albums from the trunk of his car in order to salvage what was left of the situation. Later, he founded the popular Augusta music TV program, “The Unsigned.”

Mayne has toured in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbia, and Aiken, as well as in other South Carolina and southwestern locations. He has had relationships with Def Jam South in Atlanta and Octane Records in Phoenix.

One thing is certain, regardless: Mojo Mayne isn't in it for self-aggrandizement. He says of what he wants for his music, “My goal in the industry reflects my life choices – that is to be the best man that I can be, with a helping hand toward humanity. [I want to] leave a hopeful legacy for my children to learn from and appreciate, and carry on the good news to the next generations to come.”
Mojo Mayne's “Got Dat Body” is available online everywhere beginning February 3, 2013. Watch for his full-length, “Born to Do It” in March.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “Got Dat Body” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

info@mojomayne.com
website -

www.mojomayne.com

Legendary DJ from Japan Izzy Utsumi releases new album “Live at Eleven Expo EP”

DJ Izzy Utsumi has released his new extended-play album, the “Live at Eleven Expo EP.”

DJ Izzy Utsumi has released his new extended-play album, the “Live at Eleven Expo EP.” The record features 17 minutes of original digital music in three tracks. Those familiar with Utsumi's music will not be disappointed with this latest installment to his collection, which features postmodern techno and house effects, and melodies that change from movement to movement like classical compositions. His beats vary from driving, heavy-hitting industrial sounds to natural percussion partially inspired by traditional Japanese music. This dichotomy in tone, the blend of high-tech digital sound and native naturalism, is one of Utsumi's key characteristics.

This attribute is seen even in his stated influences. Where most artists name great musicians and bands, Utsumi (born Izuru Utsumi) right away begins naming his real inspirations. In the order he gives them, they are faithfully reprinted here: “Nature, Astronomy, Budgerigar [a singing bird], Ethnic music around the world...” But he is by no means deaf to the music of humankind. He goes on to name “Miles Davis, Moondog, Egberto Gismonti, etc.” He also urges dancers and music listeners all over the world to realize their “global ethnicity.”

Utsumi has been making music since the 1980s, and is well-known and respected in the Japanese EDM underground scene, as well as in the industry. His experience in music is as well-rounded and open-minded as his tastes. He began by singing hymns in his youth, and learned to play keyboard. His listening habits grew to encompass soul, funk, jazz, rock n' roll; later he moved into the Central and South American flavors, Latin, Brazilian, reggae, dub, and from there into so-called world music, the indigenous music of peoples around the globe. He decided to learn the bamboo flute, an instrument in traditional Japanese culture. When electronic music hit in the '80s, Utsumi was there. He became enthralled and entrenched in every corner of it: hip-hop, house, techno, breakbeat. Now he stands as one of the underground movement's founding fathers.

When asked about the message his “Live at Eleven Expo EP” may have for fans and listeners, Izzy Utsumi is very brief.
“Express free will through music,” he says.

Izzy Utsumi's “Live at Eleven Expo EP” is available worldwide beginning February 1, 2013 on Auwa Records.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The “Live at Eleven Expo EP” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

thanks@auwarecords.com

website -
http://www.auwarecords.com/

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Atlanta heavy metal band Asphalt Valentine releases single “Living Dreams”

Atlanta heavy metal band Asphalt Valentine has released their single, “Living Dreams.”

Atlanta heavy metal band Asphalt Valentine has released their single, “Living Dreams.” The single represents Asphalt Valentine's debut introduction to their up-and-coming second album, “Into the Red.” This record will be the first of a two-volume release that Asphalt recorded in 2012 (Volume II is tentatively scheduled for release later in 2013). The single works as an excellent primer for music fans for whom “Living Dreams” is the first Asphalt music they have heard, as its major attributes are at the core of everything for which AV stands.

Also important to note is that “Living Dreams” has been released with an accompanying official music video, also available for viewing online. The video is as perfect a match to its audio as a left boot can be to a right, and provides a polished window through which fans can watch as Asphalt Valentine reminds the world what rock music in general – and heavy metal in particular – has always been about.

The track, slated first on the “Into the Red” album, busts out of the gate with a charge of guitars and adrenaline, drums blazing, vocals piercing, and this is the general bolt of lightning that is Asphalt Valentine's show. “Gimme, gimme love, gimme sex, gimme rock and roll,” screams the opening line, an apotheosis over every other lyric in the song. The guitars wail like banshees (flying-V style guitars, no less), the drummer kicks out a superhuman beat (through a double-kick pedal, naturally) and the bass-player chugs his notes out with a twinge of funk hanging off the end of every riff, just to show exactly how hard he could shred if he weren't needed to marry the other guitars to the percussion.

All these things are available from the track, itself, but the video also includes those elements of rock that only videos can provide: women twisting from the ceiling in silk wraps, women playing with fire, recreational destruction at large, loads of liquor, loads of black clothing, and loads of music pounded out like a jackhammer's staccato at the speed of sound.

Asphalt Valentine's “Living Dreams” is available online everywhere beginning late January, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “Living Dreams” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

josephflynt@gmail.com

website -

asphaltvalentine.com

Johnny Good releases new single “Your Love”

Canadian singer-songwriter of alternative music, Johnny Good, has released his newest single, “Your Love.”

Canadian singer-songwriter of alternative music, Johnny Good, has released his newest single, “Your Love.” The single is the predecessor to and harbinger of his upcoming LP album, “FEAR.” The single itself is a bluesy rock track with a classic '60s feel that features Beatles-esque clean channel guitar work, beautiful brass accompaniment, and straightforward, no-nonsense drumming, all of which are played deep in the groove. The most prominent attribute of Johnny Good's track remains, like most if not all of Good's work, his own raw, rich vocals.

His singing on “Your Love” is heartfelt, direct, and full of passionate power that contrasts well against the easy, romantic roll of the track to create a sense of tragic urgency. However this overarching tone never edges near melodrama, thanks to the live, classic feel of the song, which Good manages to perform like a rockabilly cross between Ray Charles and John Lennon. Still, for a proper understanding of Johnny Good's music, it must be understood that Johnny Good is not a “character actor” of the microphone, and that he sings with a wide variety of nuance across a number of styles throughout his rapidly growing repertoire, which in itself is fairly diverse and shows a considerable amount of scope.

This comprehensive approach to music writing and performance adds a level of depth and complexity to even the most pop-minded aspects of Good's music (which aspects are relatively few – his tracks feel as if each song is written for its own sake). Of this stylistic elasticity, Good says, ”I suppose I have a bit of ADD with things and don’t like to do the same thing for too long. I get bored really easily, and in order for it maintain my attention I need it to be a constant challenge.”

Finding a constant challenge cannot have been easy over an entire lifetime. Johnny Good, a literal born natural to music, has been penning songs since the tender age of three. ”I was an artist even before I knew what the word meant,” he says. “Things just spoke through me and as a child I never questioned it... When I was three years old, I used to sit on the corner of our street and play the harmonica and tell jokes as a busker. My father always got a kick out of it. I really should have known sooner then I did.”

His fans worldwide know, too. “Your Love” by Johnny Good is on online shelves globally as of January, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “Your Love” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

JohnnyGoodMusic@gmail.com

website -

www.johnnygoodmusic.com

Connecticut hip-hop artist Daddy T releases EP “The Poetry”

The Connecticut hip-hop rapper known as Daddy T has released his premier extended play record entitled “The Poetry” to wide fan acclaim.

The Connecticut hip-hop rapper known as Daddy T has released his premier extended play record entitled “The Poetry” to wide fan acclaim. The record is contains three original tracks comprising approximately 15 minutes worth of quality listening time. The album is listed as explicit for particularly direct lyrical quality of the colloquial as well as sexual natures, as Daddy T is a lyricist and musical artist who takes wide and clear advantage of his poetry in all its characteristic color and variation.

Daddy T (who is also and previously known as the Dutty Foreigner) began his music career in the late 1980s after having been released from the comforts of his home at the age of 15 by his parental units, which undue punishment resulted from his having attended a high-school dance party of which they disapproved. Daddy T got a job working a record store, where he deejayed and MC'd for customers. He was known for a flamboyant fashion sense: red suede Bally shoes, a triple-fat goose down jacket, a fur Kangol cap being among his most high-profile attire.

Around this time he joined the hip-hop forces of such names as D.J. Snow, the Canadian patois-speaking reggae rapper and owner of the Klassique Klymaxx sound system, most famous for his 90s hit single, “Informer.” Daddy T also teamed up with Snow's younger brother, D.J. Richie Groove. In this period Daddy T opened for a slough of artists, including (but not limited to): Bounty Killer, Lady Saw, Mega Banton, Sister Charmane, Mr.Lexx, the Monster Shack Crew, and more.

Of this newest EP, Daddy T speaks thus about his message to fans and new listeners alike: “The EP is a mix of songs for the ladies, like 'Shorty Looking Hot,' a poem to the ladies I had a crush on. 'Get It Good' is for my girl friends who dance at night clubs and strip bars -- a real hip-hop party song. And the third track on the CD, 'Back Biter' features two young rappers from the hood, Kal Cutter and Juice Canon. I was feeling their energy and they was feeling mine. They was rapping about fake people, and I was rapping about people who want no good in life.”

Daddy T's EP album, “The Poetry” is available worldwide as of December 17, 2012 on the Bashy Wave Music B music label.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The EP “The Poetry” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

duttyforeigner@aol.com

Bruce Cropley releases new LP album “Modal Podal”

Australian musician Bruce Cropley has released his newest LP album, "Modal Podal."

Australian musician Bruce Cropley has released his newest LP album, “Modal Podal.” The record is unlike anything being produced today, and showcases in detail Cropley's remarkable elasticity, range, and scope. It has no definitive genre, containing 24 instrumental tracks comprising just over an hour's worth of quality listening. These tracks, all of which are original (except for “Go for Baroque” and “Funky Cantor” by the Harlan Bros., as well as some accompanying lyrics on “Loss” by Leilani Roosman) belong to as many genres as there are tracks on his album.

“Modal Podal contains a large variety of musical styles,” says Cropley, understating the fact by an immeasurable expanse. “My aim is to stretch the listener’s musical palette.”

The truth is, however, that the variety of styles is somehow, someway, interwoven so that the overall result is a record that stands with its own character that blends from song to song in a way that melts the heart, it is so unlikely. The record's first track, “March into April,” is a Sergeant-Pepper's-style parade of childlike happiness. This dovetails into “Pixie Rock,” a fifties-era piano jam the likes of which Topper or Jerry Lee Lewis would be proud. “Pixie...” moves into a Latin-flavored bossa nova. The bossa nova begets a '60s era spy-film theme called “Razorwire.” And on, and on, and on. Also represented on Cropley's record are compositions in the following veins (including but not limited to): jazz, lounge, ambient, easy listening, polka-esque, traditional Peruvian, traditional Arabic, and classic Southern California keyboard-driven pop rock.

The overarching similarity binding all these together, however (besides a stupifying finesse on the keyboard that is at first amusing, and becomes slowly staggering as the album progresses) is a general warmth and outstretched friendliness that Cropley communicates through an evident fraternal love affair he obviously has with music at large, the music of the world, the music of timeless humanity that is too-often pigeonholed and forced to conform.

Cropley's personal message to his fans, though, is far simpler.

“I hope you enjoy listening to my music as much as I did making it!” he writes with a presumable smile.

The enjoyment is there. Listeners are invited to share in it.

Bruce Cropley's LP record “Modal Podal” is available online worldwide. His seasonal audio satire with Alan Morris, “The Twelve Calls to PhoneCorp,” is also available.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The LP “Modal Podal” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

bruce@bruce-cropley.com

website -

http://www.bruce-cropley.com

The Story of Bluebeard release newest single “I’ll Give You Roses”

Los Angeles legends of the Sunset Strip, the Story of Bluebeard, have released their romantic powerhouse single, “I'll Give You Roses,” just in time for Valentine's Day.

Los Angeles legends of the Sunset Strip, the Story of Bluebeard, have released their romantic powerhouse single, “I'll Give You Roses,” just in time for Valentine's Day. The song is a modern classic that deviates not at all from the quality and exacting skill fans of Bluebeard have come to expect from them over the forty years (and running) of their career. In addition to the single, the Story of Bluebeard has also released an equally strong B-side called “Sad Forgotten Song.”

The tone of “I'll Give You Roses” is raw and clean at once. The Story of Bluebeard showcases razor-sharp guitar work with tons of bluesy groove, in the vein of classic rockers like Heart or early Aerosmith. Bluebeard's notorious, glorious vocals as rich and gorgeous as Roy Orbison's. The drums are driving and with a touch of jazz, neither the boring “chopping wood” of heavy metal nor the ostentation of many glam rock percussionists. Their bass is a phantom that dances and weaves in and out between the notes, holding up the melody line like a suspension bridge. Their remarkable keyboardist plays as expertly and wonderfully as any of the other integral members, not as a backdrop of sound the way many keyboard players are relegated these days. Bluebeard's keys are as important to their sound as the keyboard was to the Monkees.

Many music fans will be uninitiated to the genius and chemistry of the Story of Bluebeard, however, and this is largely the fault of the gluttonous late-70s and early-80s music industry, which began to overlook staggeringly talented and popular acts in lieu of easy marketing (which behavior would eventually all but destroy it in the late 90s). As a result, Bluebeard reigned for decades as the Led Zeppelin of the rock n' roll underground, the most skilled, passionate, earnest and popular unsigned rock act in Los Angeles. They were staples of the World Famous KROQ music station. They played with Steppenwolf, Van Halen, and the Motels, among a slough of others.

Tragically, original lead singer and songwriter for the Story of Bluebeard, Robert Barry Leech walked off-stage forever in 2004, which reunited the remaining band members so that music fans around the world have Bluebeard's awe-inspiring live shows and music for years to come (there are nine albums to date).

Rock fans do not need to miss this important and exceptional piece of rock history (and history-in-the-making). The Story of Bluebeard's “I'll Give You Roses” is available online worldwide beginning late January, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “I’ll Give You Roses” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

vincent@sparkofblue.com

website -
www.facebook.com/bluebeardstory

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Matty Underwood releases bombshell single “I Don't Need the Light”

Powerhouse singer-songwriter Matty Underwood has released his premier single and video, “I Don't Need the Light” in anticipation of his upcoming album.

Powerhouse singer-songwriter Matty Underwood has released his premier single and video, “I Don't Need the Light” in anticipation of his upcoming album. The single is a standout introduction to what will doubtless be a remarkable record, and the accompanying video showcases Underwood's passion and talent on the live stage in a way that would otherwise only be possible by attending a performance.

The single is an extremely catchy, heartfelt song with pop-rock influences and mild dubstep undertones, capped with stirring, awe-inspiring vocals by Underwood, himself.

The most immediately awe-inspiring quality is in Underwood's songwriting, quickly followed by his singing performance. The mere phrasing of his lines is enough to keep the song at the forefront of the music fan's thinking for hours after having listened. The tones of “I Don't Need the Light” are at first reminiscent of Robert Miles, but are quickly punctuated by spooky, bright guitars like the work of U2's the Edge. This is appropriate for Underwood's sound because, like U2, much of his strength relies on clarion-call singing at the top of the range. This strength (which in “I Don't Need the Light” is emotionally visceral and can be literally staggering) is easily enough to demand attention from anyone with a soft spot for Coldplay or John Mayer – and especially if one likes power in music. The slightly audible distortion of Underwood's voice pegging the VU needle into the red is absolute gorgeousness. There is intensity in “I Don't Need the Light” like the looming impact of a metric ton of bricks falling at 32 feet per second per second.

This intensity comes partially from Underwood's personal life, and partially from his having to shelf his career in music for years in order to pursue a responsible man's occupation. This occupation now well in hand, Underwood is in the process of rewarding the music world for patiently awaiting his return. His own longing for this moment drips from every note and syllable like molten lead.

Regarding the material of “I Don't Need the Light” and that of his upcoming album, Underwood says, “Some songs are anticipatory, some songs are introspective, some songs are private thoughts...” As an afterthought, he adds with a smile: “– now public.”

The high artistic quality of “I Don't Need the Light” is unmistakable by any account, to any taste, and whether Underwood needs the light or not, chances are he's about to get an awful lot of it.

“I Don't Need the Light” is available online around the globe beginning late January, 2013. His new album has a tentative release date scheduled late February or early March, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “I Don't Need the Light” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

matty@mattyunderwoodmusic.com

website -

www.mattyunderwoodmusic.com

Grafton Street Jules releases newest single “Pills and Dro”

Rap artist Grafton Street Jules has released his latest single, “Pills and Dro.”

Rap artist Grafton Street Jules has released his latest single, “Pills and Dro.” He has released the single in anticipation of his larger release, the extended play album “Sleep When I am Dead.” Of the EP Grafton Street Jules says, “Basically, it’s a body of work that symbolizes hard work and lyricism,” which are the two qualities that stand out most in the “Pills and Dro” single, itself, so this is not surprising. The rapper also has a strong sense of humor that is equally showcased in “Pills...” He goes on to quip about his musical work ethic, “'Sleep When I am Dead' also features magnificent word play from today’s hungriest starving artist.”

Grafton Street Jules is a Connecticut hip-hop artist, but he was raised by parents from the South and has since relocated to that area. This has allowed him to feature such artists on his up and coming EP as Lil' Boosie and big Krit, as well as take advantage of the studio skills of Houston's DJ Lil' Steve.

Like many artists, Grafton Street Jules learned musicianship from the masters. He describes his internship like this: “I was introduced to music as a teenager. My brother gave me a NWA album and the rest is history.” While no self-respecting fan of hip hop has failed to give unending devotion to NWA, the same Compton crew that gave rise to Dr. Dre and Ice Cube among others, Jules had a more personal experience with music. “I always had friends that freestyled and recorded music,” he writes. “Naturally, I embraced the culture more and more.” Still, his work as a real musician began on a whim. “Last year I recorded my first song as a dare, and thereafter I took it serious.”

In fact, he takes it very seriously. No track is complete by Grafton Street Jules until extensive, exhaustive editing and revisions have taken place. His goal is perfection, his art is his goal. “I write my songs over and over. All my music is heavily influenced from artists I grew up listening to, so it’s mandatory that I pay homage every chance I get.”

The Grafton Street Jules single “Pills and Dro” is available online globally beginning late January, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “Pills and Dro” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

graftonstreetjules@gmail.com

website -

Graftonstreetjules.tumblr.com

Mar-lo’s Rhythm releases new flagship single “The Key”

Omni-talented instrumentalist Mar-lo’s Rhythm has released his latest single, “The Key.”

Omni-talented instrumentalist Mar-lo’s Rhythm has released his latest single, “The Key.” The track is a layed back, grooving title with heavy Motown influences in the vein of Earth, Wind, and Fire or George Duke. The song has a suave, cocktail-lounge feel and does just as well as a backdrop for romance as it does as a soundtrack for highway cruising.

Regardless of how excellent the music sounds, it is not the product of a band, strictly speaking; Mar-lo's Rhythm is actually the work of a solo instrumentalist. Mar-lo's Rhythm produces contemporary rhythm and blues music with jazz undertones, although this pigeonhole is too limiting for the scope of the artist, himself. Mar-lo's Rhythm mainly has the skills of guitar and bass, but his understanding of percussion and vocals feature largely in “The Key.” His studio skills also figure into his continued success as a musician and recording artist. He has released two full-length LP albums to date, “Go'in Back (to When...)” and “Easybak,” as well as a string of other singles available online.

The elasticity of Mar-lo's Rhythm is due mostly to his open-mindedness with regard to music listening. The only common trait of all his favorite acts is excellence. “The artists I grew up with and admired,” says Mar-lo's Rhythm, “were Earth Wind and Fire, P-Funk, and George Duke.” But he doesn't stop there. Mar-lo goes on to name a flurry of other classic groups across all the top genres: “Led Zeppelin, Stanley Clarke, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, ZZ Top, Michael Jackson, Paul McArtney, Kool & the Gang, Jeff Beck, and many others.” How many others there could possibly be is known only to Mar-lo, and probably not even to him. Nevertheless, as the artist himself says, “You can hear their influences on my sound.”

Mar-lo started playing guitar at 14 and went on to write and perform in bands throughout his youth. He enrolled at college as a music major but eventually changed to business for the usual reasons. He has performed in clubs and records music on a regular basis.

“The Key” represents for him the particular push one makes in order to achieve. “The main theme of this song,” he writes, “is that one can accomplish one's dreams – if one is willing to work for them. The Key is that special symbol of effort that helps one make that dream a reality.”

“The Key” by Mar-Lo's Rhythm is available everywhere online beginning late January, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The single “The Key” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

marlosrhythm@att.net

Monday, January 28, 2013

Blind Autumn releases new LP album “Something Hidden”

Idaho rock quartet Blind Autumn have released their second long-playing record album, “Something Hidden.”

Idaho rock quartet Blind Autumn have released their second long-playing record album, “Something Hidden.” The record is a collection of Blind Autumn's best work since their 2010 release, “Topsy Turvy,” and includes nine new original tracks for a total of fifty minutes of listening time. As usual for Blind, the set list includes a healthy smorgasbord of variety, including modern rock, prog rock, classic rock, funk, blues, Latin, and even a spot of jazz.

Each of Blind Autumn's tracks on “Something Hidden” is a minimum of four minutes long, the longest of them approaching ten, which places the record in that elite group of records from rock artists who have perfected the art of the jam, stadium favorites such as the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and Rush.

The reason for this is part of the inherent beauty of Blind Autumn: each of the four instrumentalists is a clean-playing, rock-solid juggernaut of style in his own right, each of them playing earnestly and without pretentiousness. The resulting groove of their combined playing styles flows effortlessly from one measure into the next, and many songs have dedicated space to showcase each instrument in their band the way classic improvisational jazz has done it for decades.

Blind Autumn has a warm character that would be difficult to emulate, which partially stems from the unique blend of their instruments and also in part from the wide variety of music they play. Their lead vocals sound genuine and raw, not unlike John Doe of X, and their guitars are a flurry of rhythm that play close to the drums and never stray into hair-metal ridiculousness. Blind Autumn's bass is also incredibly strong as part of the percussion section (the guitars would be included in this, too) although the bass often appears as one of their more prominent features, playing way out in front the way Red Hot Chili Peppers make use of Flea, but never so ostentatious – more like the classy, yet strident walking riffs of the disco era's bass players.

Blind Autumn's drums are a secret weapon of sorts that hang back in the background keeping solid time, then suddenly become omnipresent from time to time, ambient and loud, even though the drumming is paradoxically conservative, much like Pink Floyd's Nick Mason or the Doors' John Densmore. Remarkably, Blind Autumn also makes frequent use of a lead saxophone which is played in surprising ways, first jazzy, then Latin flavored, then somewhat ska or reggae, but never in the sappy romantic slow jam manner of the 80s. Keyboards round out what remains of their audio space for a gliding, ethereal overtone.

Blind Autumn's songs are all collaborations, with no member claiming all the writer's credit for any single track. Regarding the themes of their lyrics, they write, “Our songs convey the idea of wondering about life, overcoming challenges, and looking beyond the current situation to reveal new opportunities and hope.”

“Something Hidden” is a straightforward, soul-grooving record that all fans of rock deserve to have in their personal collection, available online everywhere.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The LP “Something Hidden” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

blind.autumn.band@gmail.com

website -

http://www.blindautumn.com

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Indie music artists 3weeksplay release newest LP “Who We Are”

East Texas indie musicians 3weeksplay have released their latest full-length album, “Who We Are.”

East Texas indie musicians 3weeksplay have released their latest full-length album, “Who We Are.” The album is part rock, part groove, part pop, and entirely, wholly fun. The record is composed of fourteen tracks comprising forty minutes of play, each song a 3weeksplay classic unto itself. No track on “Who We Are” is wasted. Each composition is a single deserving radio play, and fans will hit the repeat button on “Incognito,” considering it their favorite for a few weeks before moving on to “Lightning Pole,” “Pass Go and Collect 200$,” and so on until every track has had its time at the top. It is a record that can stay in the listener's car CD player for weeks on end without becoming tired.

The overtone 3weeksplay has taken with “Who We Are” is optimistic and rock driven, but at no time does it sound contrived or sappy, thereby avoiding a pitfall that has been plaguing modern pop for the last couple of years. “Who We Are” is led by a clean-channel guitar, unadorned for the most part, and showcased by vocals that are rich and natural. Their bass lines are not ostentatious, yet arching and omnipresent like ambient light. Their drums have a power that rolls along in the background, biding its time, with a rising tide that builds and roils like a tsunami. Their music is not unlike the best acts of the late nineties, such as Blind Melon or Modest Mouse, although there are slight reggae elements in there, too (think the Police) as well as the modern ethereal quality of bands like Kings of Leon.

Their lyrics have an almost jazz-like phrasing, and their messages have a purity that listeners can identify with, sympathize with, and understand on a level that needs neither explanation or philosophizing. The record is appropriately named, too, because “Who We Are” is a naked address to the listening world that says, “Hi, world, we're 3weeksplay. Let's hang out for awhile and jam.”

3weeks says of the album, “It sends the message of our daily life experiences, past and present, good and bad, loving and confused. It talks about being hurt and being strong, discusses our religious views and questions about the world.” In other words, they write: “It's a record about who we are.”

“Who We Are” by 3weeksplay is available online worldwide beginning January 25, 2013. 3weeksplay are Jered Thomas Ochoa, Brenton Arney, Daniel Collier, and Jonathan Dorsey.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The LP “Who We Are” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

Jered385@gmail.com

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Vega Nova releases new LP album “Lovesongs for the Dead”

Copenhagen alternative rock band Vega Nova has released their new long-playing record album, “Lovesongs for the Dead.”

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Copenhagen alternative rock band Vega Nova has released their new long-playing record album, “Lovesongs for the Dead.” The record is comprised of twelve original tracks for an approximate total of 45 minutes playing time, making for a strong dose of audio medicine from the European duo. “Lovesongs…” is a record that comes out swinging and doesn’t let up, with enough variation in its compositions to seem fresh at every turn, while at the same time keeping a steady flow of power from start to finish.

In this trait, Vega Nova’s album joins that elite club of rock musicians who are capable of producing a record that has a character all its own, like Abbey Road (Beatles), Ten (Pearl Jam), or Metallica’s black album. “Lovesongs for the Dead” is a cutting-edge work of postmodern rock that features pounding, up-front percussion, soaring wall-of-sound orchestration, and epic-scale chord progressions. V.N. does not shirk from contemporary digital effects, either. They tend to prefer sounds and tones more akin to Depeche Mode’s “Violator” record, albeit much more masculine and confrontational. The result is a cross between the darker, almost spiritual overtones of Tool and the dance-friendly overtures of Muse and 30 Seconds to Mars; however, Vega Nova does not sound at all emo-inspired.

This makes sense to fans who have followed the careers of Vega Nova’s members Jeppe Christensen (Synth, vox) and Jesper Tilsted (Guitar, bass, synth). Christensen and Tilsted have performed in numerous capacities in the European heavy metal theater, and are also members of the popular and accomplished Danish metal band Raunchy, which crew has released five full-length records to date as well as performing in Denmark, Europe, Russia, and China.

Like indie favorites The Postal Service, Christensen and Tilsted compose most of their music by mailing tracks to one another to be polished at last in the live music studio. Each song clearly reflects the concerns and characters of the artists.

“The music,” writes Vega Nova, “revolves around classic themes such as growing up, becoming a parent, love, hate, and life in general when you are in your mid-thirties.” The record does represent a departure from their usual writing, however. They’ve added a pop-music dimension to their metal roots for “Lovesongs for the Dead.”

Vega Nova’s “Lovesongs for the Dead” was recorded around the world between 2010 and 2012.
Acoustic drums recorded by Martin Pagaard Wolff at Hansen Studios. Additional guitar and synth by Jacob Hansen. “Lovesongs for the Dead” is available everywhere online beginning January 23, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The LP “Lovesongs for the Dead” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

veganova@veganova.dk

website -

www.veganova.dk , https://www.facebook.com/VEGA.NOVA.band, http://veganova.bandcamp.com

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Cael Anton releases flagship LP album “The Architect Becomes a Tree”

Cael Anton, a celebrated Canadian musician living in Seoul, Korea, has released his flagship LP concept album, “The Architect Becomes a Tree.”

Cael Anton, a celebrated Canadian musician living in Seoul, Korea, has released his flagship LP concept album, “The Architect Becomes a Tree.” The record showcases Anton's natural talent for marrying diverse styles of music in his compositions, styles which include but are not limited to traditional rock and roll, blues, jazz, digital format, indie rock, and classical symphony, culminating in a carefully balanced swirl of alternative music that Anton himself has called, “progressive electronic rock.” Although “The Architect Becomes a Tree” is a standard long-playing album at approximately 45 minutes long, the shortest of its tracks weighs in at less than two minutes, while the longest broaches six and a half, which although not particularly important a statistic as albums go, illustrates one of the record's chief charms: a balance between individuality and interdependence among Anton's songs that is both beautiful and remarkable.

As a result of this characteristic, Anton's “The Architect...” can be difficult to pigeonhole with a genre, which is doubtless intentional, although the music seems so effortlessly and naturally comprised that it is hard to imagine the composer working too diligently to contrive any desired attribute at all. Overall, the first comparison that music fans are perhaps most likely to make will be to genius alternative rock favorites from England, Radiohead, but there are also many principles present that evoke the early work of David Bowie, although with less emphasis on classic rock. Anton's music does not shy from electronic effects, but neither does it predicate itself upon it. Rather, the mood and sound of “The Architect...” are both postmodern and anachronistic, classic and cutting-edge. The tone of the record entire is a yin and yang of major and minor chords, treble and bass clefs, vivacity and entranced enchantment.

This unlikely interplay between blended extremes (which is indeed difficult to describe; at times the sounds of a given track seem to come from afar and yet ring out directly in front of the hearer) is by no means accidental – except where it is what one might call purposefully incidental. As one might expect with a title like “The Architect Becomes a Tree,” Cael Anton's record is a concept album that has at its core an eastern philosophy that is commonly translated as “dependent origination.” This is the idea that everything arises in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions, and that nothing can therefore exist as a singular, independent entity. The interlaced individuality of Anton's tracks exemplifies this concept as they neatly form a coherent whole.

“The album follows its protagonist’s changing psychological state as he moves from a mundane understanding of reality into one of deeper connection,” Anton writes. Truly, although the record is glad bliss to hear as either background music or the subject of conscientious study, the student of music theory and the casual listener alike is sure to hear genius and joy in “The Architect Becomes a Tree.”

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The LP “The Architect Becomes a Tree” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

cael@caelanton.com

website -

www.caelanton.com

Dance club trance artist Lars Alexander releases latest album, “My Melodic Trance”

Norwegian trance music artist Lars Alexander has released his latest and greatest album, “My Melodic Trance.”

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Norwegian trance music artist Lars Alexander has released his latest and greatest album, “My Melodic Trance,” to rave reviews. The record provides approximately half an hour of traditional modern trance originals, each composed, recorded and mixed by Alexander, himself. There are seven tracks in all, each of which thumps at one of two standard beats, 93 or 140 bpm, for excellent dancing in the morning, at noon or midnight. Alexander's compositions are crisp and clean without sounding mechanical, over-digitized or over-produced, and each song is ideal for house parties, club dance floors or warehouse raves. Each of the seven tracks is colorful and uplifting, with none of the songs utilizing too many minor chords, which can bring the mood down and make for melodramatic listening. Rather, Alexander stays in the middle of the scale and writes very optimistic and jovial chord progressions, which inspire youthful exuberance, lively interaction between DJ and dance floor, and an overall feeling of triumph and exultation.

Lars Alexander is best known as Norway's six-time Latin American Ballroom Dancing champion. He participated in season eight of “Skal vi danse?” the Norwegian version of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and is currently taking time off from his career representing Norway in European and global dance competitions to return to his original love: creating trance music.

“I have always had a passion for music,” writes Alexander, “and especially trance. I love doing it and I hope I will continue to develop as an artist.”

Asked to name favorite artists, Lars Alexander names only two trance musicians, Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren, both of whom are gigantically popular in Northern and Central Europe, as well as worldwide. The poppy, catchy hooks of Tiesto and Van Buuren are obvious inspirations for Alexander's works, which include standout, attention-grabbing melodies that march in front of his music like a band leader, each of them representing the song entire like a miniature theme within a theme. It makes sense that his melodies should be likewise represented in the album's title.

Alexander's creative enthusiasm is genuine, his demeanor humble, but Alexander aspires to become one of trance music's underground greats. “I want to make music people will find interesting for many years!” he says happily.

Lars Alexander's “My Melodic Trance” is available online everywhere January 19, 2013.

-S. McCauley

Staff Press Release Writer

MondoTunes

The album “My Melodic Trance” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

wiulsrud@live.no

Friday, January 18, 2013

Jeff M. Dixon releases single “My Baby”

Jeff M. Dixon, American singer of rhythm n’ blues and modern soul, has released his newest pop single and accompanying video, “My Baby,” to extensive critical acclaim.

Jeff M. Dixon, American singer of rhythm n’ blues and modern soul, has released his newest pop single and accompanying video, “My Baby,” to extensive critical acclaim. The track is a standard 3:45 minutes long and features the remarkably powerful, beautiful singing of Jeff Dixon. Dixon’s song “My Baby” is about the pain and regret of a bad decision that results in the loss of true love, and Dixon’s commanding performance on the track makes ignoring his heartfelt emotion impossible. “My Baby” is a song that demands sympathy, pulls heartstrings, and proves once and for all that Dixon is a chanteur par excellence in the company of an elite few male vocalists of our time.

The track’s main attraction for music fans is Dixon, himself – or more accurately, his voice. Jeff M. Dixon sings with the control of a surgeon, the heart of a poet, and the restraint of a zen master. He can land a note with perfect pitch and tone, and float on it with perfect balance for exactly the right amount of time before rising to the next plateau or dropping off without doing so ubruptly. He is never minutely guilty of the terrible modern trend Jerry Wexler once termed ‘oversouling.’ Dixon’s phrasing is largely traditional without being predictable, his chord progressions classy and elegant, his poise masculine without being pretentious or macho, his audible presence delicate without being effeminate.

In the video, which is directed by Sean Babas, California-born Dixon sings from the heart in the streets of a small, North American town, lamenting the loss of his love. The video improves upon the single in that viewers are treated to small glimpses of Dixon’s stage performance, including a very small dance treatment that is a Michael Jackson homage with a dash of Fred Astaire for good measure. While the single is itself more than worth the listener’s price of admission, the video is absolutely necessary for viewing at the Jeff M. Dixon fan’s earliest convenience.

Listeners and viewers alike will agree that Dixon is not putting on airs in the smallest way. He is rather the genuine article. “My Baby” is in itself a declaration of earnest repentance, so easily sympathized with that the listener almost feels as if he or she has stumbled into a private affair. Nevertheless, it is Dixon’s aim that the hearer should know his soul. About his personal honesty, he says, “I learned so much from so many people that when I finally found my own voice and style, I couldn’t be anything else but what I am. It’s real…authentic.”

Music fans can see and hear Jeff M. Dixon’s authenticity in “My Baby” online everywhere beginning January 18, 2013.

-S. McCauley
Staff Press Release Writer
MondoTunes

The single “My Baby” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

MondoTunes (www.mondotunes.com) supplies the largest music distribution in the world and provides upstream services for many major labels in search of breakout artists. While most independent distributors reach only 45-50 retailers despite charging needless monthly and yearly fees, MondoTunes reaches over 750 retailers and mobile partners in over 100 world regions without any monthly or yearly fees.

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

website -

jeffmdixon.com

Doble R featuring Ricky Rick releases newest Latin single, “ElektroKumbia”

Doble R, featuring ex-Kumbia-All-Starz vocalist Ricky Rick, has released their newest track of fusion cumbia, “ElektroKumbia.”

Doble R, featuring ex-Kumbia-All-Starz vocalist Ricky Rick, has released their newest track of fusion cumbia, “ElektroKumbia.” The track is roughly three and a half minutes long and features the same personalized electronic cumbia fusion music that fans throughout Latin America have come to love and expect from Doble R and Ricky Rick. Ricky Rick and Doble R’s particular flavor of music is a multicolored mix of electronic merengue, electronic cumbia, traditional reggae, Jamaican dancehall, and the occasional romantic ballad.

“ElektroKumbia” is an energetic, verve-charged dance number that combines the deep rhythm and groove of Latin percussion to digital music effects not unlike those popularly used in modern reggae. Ricky Rick raps throughout the track, giving it an urban edge that most Latin reggae fusion bands do not take advantage of. The song will find popularity among fans of Latin rap, electronic cumbia, reggae, and house music alike.

Cumbia, itself, is a Colombian music genre that is popular throughout Hispanic America. Colombia's Caribbean coastal region gave rise to cumbia from the musical and cultural fusion of Native Colombians, slaves brought from Africa, and the Spanish during colonial times. Cumbia is very popular in the Andean region and the Southern Cone, and it's still more popular than salsa music in many countries.
Ricky Rick lists among his most important influences the artists Ruben Blades, Hector Lavoe, El General, and Nando Boom. The effect these performers have had on him is more than merely evident in his compositions. He has learned from and emulated each to form a coherent and explosive whole, to which result fans all over America have attested with clamouring assent and gratitude.
With regard to “ElektroKumbia,” Ricky Rick addresses his fans thus: “After all this time here I bring the new single from the project Doble R, "ElektroKumbia." I hope that you enjoy and enjoy the dancing. Thank you for all the support. I love you all.”
“ElektroKumbia” is available online worldwide beginning January 18, 2013.

-S. McCauley
Staff Press Release Writer
MondoTunes

The single “ElektroKumbia” is distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com) and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download

MondoTunes (www.mondotunes.com) supplies the largest music distribution in the world and provides upstream services for many major labels in search of breakout artists. While most independent distributors reach only 45-50 retailers despite charging needless monthly and yearly fees, MondoTunes reaches over 750 retailers and mobile partners in over 100 world regions without any monthly or yearly fees.

ARTIST CONTACT INFO:

eMail -

Marco.rrprod@gmail.com

website -

https://www.facebook.com/rickyrickofficial