All posts by Marshall Cullen
The Posies New Album “Solid States”
The Posies NEW Album ‘Solid States’
‘Solid States’ will be released in Australia and New Zealand on British indie label Lojinx, via Planet, on 6 May
UPDATE:
The Posie’s new album “Solid States” was reviewed by Bernard Zuel in the Sydney Morning Herald and received four stars!
Find it here: http://bit.ly/1WB4PPG
Make sure to head over to What’s My Scene and read their interview with Ken Stringfellow! whatsmyscene.com/star-scene-ken-stringfellow
First interview is done! Check out Ken from The Posies on PBS “Mixing Up The Medicine” with Crispi! Airing at 6pm on 26 April!
Australian Pre-Release Links
Click the links below
iTunes – www.itunes.apple.com/au/album/solid-states
CD – www.jbhifi.com.au
Vinyl – www.jbhifi.com.au/music/Whats-Hot/alternative-rock/solid-states-vinyl
Rock ‘n’ roll has rarely been as smart, soulful or satisfying than it has in the hands of The Posies. During an on/off career that’s stretched across four decades, the Seattle-rooted outfit, led by musical polymaths Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, have shaped and re-shaped their muse, creating one of the more compelling catalogues in modern pop.
With SOLID STATES, their 8th album, The Posies mark dramatic changes in the lives, the music, the evolution of the band.
When the Posies long time drummer, Darius, died suddenly and unexpectedly last year, Posies founding members Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow were devastated. Hard as it was to continue without such a close friend and great musician, the moment called for a reinvention. For now… the idea of the band getting into a room and banging out the music, garage band style, was over. The ideas coming from Jon and Ken were fragile and the moods contemplative. Death, divorce, loss. Even the joys of life are fleeting enough as to be treated with care and respect.
Of course, the Posies still retain their legendary melodic abilities, their trademark vocal harmonies and their lyrical agility. The band has always been exploring, growing. The multiyear gaps between albums are typically spent in countless other projects that bring new skills, sounds, experiences and people to the picture. The band will present the album live in a new format, incorporating laptop elements along with guitars, keyboards and drums. As artists, the band feels it’s their duty to take risks and explore.
“…little has changed in the band’s bracing blend of big, crunching guitar chords, complex keyboard ornamentations and sumptuous, alternately smooth and tangy vocal harmonies,” Derk Richardson, San Francisco Gate
“…try as they might to control their destiny, Auer and Stringfellow were connected to The Posies in what soon started to seem like an unbreakable metaphysical bond … it should be a wonder why the duo didn’t give in to the inevitable sooner: There’s obviously a lot of life in The Posies’ camp,” - Matt Schild, Aversion.com
Official Site
www.theposies.com
Facebook
www.facebook.com/theposies
Twitter
www.twitter.com/theposies
Instagram
www.instagram.com/theposies
Lojinx
www.lojinx.com/theposies
Old Man Luedecke – Australian Tour
Presented by Beat and Brag Magazines and hhhhappy.com
Canadian Folk/Country Master Old Man Luedecke New Album ‘Domestic Eccentric’ and Australian Tour Commencing April 29
You can hear the listening on Old Man Luedecke’s new album, Domestic Eccentric. You can hear the cabin in the snowy Nova Scotia woods where it was recorded, and you can hear the beautiful conversation between Old Man Luedecke and his fellow musician Tim O’Brien. Domestic Eccentric is a collaboration of two like-minded artists in love with folk and roots music, playing at the height of their powers.
The record is OUT NOW but is a new release to media for Australia to coincide with the Tour – see dates below –
Domestic Eccentric is a record so replete with home it seemed impossible to make anywhere else. So Old Man Luedecke fitted out his back woods cabin, a hand-hewn affair he’d built himself from rough-sawn lumber, and hired a backhoe to make a 500-yard road through the record amounts of snow so he could bring in top-level recording gear. He invited the multiple Grammy Award winning roots instrumentalist Tim O’Brien to stay at his home with his family for a week of snowbound collaboration in Chester, Nova Scotia. Luedecke and O’Brien had worked together before, and their increasing comfort in each other’s musical presence has yielded spectacular results. “Tim is my favorite musician,” Luedecke says. “And working with him in a duet environment in a cabin at home was a waking dream.”
Old Man Luedecke is touring Australia this May and coming to a city near you!
April 29-May 1 — Woodford Planting Festival — Woodford, QLD
May 3 — Upwey/Belgrave RSL — Upwey, VIC
May 5 — Spotted Mallard — Melbourne, VIC
May 6 — Mountain Mumma Restaurant — Sheffield, TAS
May 7 — Brookfield Shed — Margate, TAS
May 10 — Sunset Studio — Newcastle, NSW
May 11 — Gaelic Club — Sydney, NSW
May 13 — Illawarra Folk Club — Wollongong, NSW
May 14 — White Eagle Polish Club — Canberra, ACT
May 15 — Hotel Blue (Live at the Attic) — Katoomba, NSW
Find Show tickets here
Album Retail Links
Click the links below
iTunes – www.itunes.apple.com/ca/album/domestic-eccentric
Amazon – www.amazon.com/Domestic-Eccentric-Old-Man-Luedecke
“One of the best country music albums of 2015” – The Telegraph
“…superb. .. thoughtful, spry and tuneful …well-turned phrases, specific references and upbeat introspection” – Globe and Mail
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdxWjsyA5Ks
https://youtu.be/JZFL3Y_EhCk
Official Site
www.oldmanluedecke.ca
Facebook
www.facebook.com/OldManLuedecke
Planet
www.theplanetcompany.com
The Jimmy C – Eighteen Again (Official)
The Jimmy C – The Adventures of Superseven and New EPs
The Adventures of Superseven
The music of The Jimmy C fits the ‘The Adventures Of Superseven’ like a glove, blending twangy surf guitar with smooth funk and spaghetti western themes.
Multi-instrumentalist Jamie Coghill (aka The Jimmy C) performs each part and channels his soundtrack composing heroes. John Barry’s James Bond twang can be heard in ‘Black Suits On The Beach’ while the ‘Sandra West Theme’ conjures the more sultry tones of a Bruno Nicolai Giallo score (or a John Zorn and Mike Patton experiment). A Fistful of Cyanide Pills smashes Ennio Morricone’s ‘Dollars’ trilogy into one neat five-and-a-half minute nugget and ‘Downtown Honkey’ is Lalo Schifrin’s Dirty Harry meets Goblin’s Profondo Rosso in a funky and heavy ‘Shaft on acid’ Blaxploitation trip.
Jamie Coghill is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who loves the music of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Some know Jamie as the drummer from Luxedo, Fez Perez and The Devilrock Four (a few bands who almost got somewhere), others know him from his own music as The Jimmy C.
(Click the image for a fun animation)
New EPs
Stay tuned for the release of three new EPs from The Jimmy C! The first one will be available April 29!
Q&A with Jimmy C
Foghorn Media: What inspired you to become a singer/writer? Who are your early influences?
Jimmy C: From age 12 I just wanted to be an awesome rock drummer. I’d put on my dad’s big chunky headphones and play along to Creedence, Zeppelin, and Deep Purple tapes. I sort of picked the rest up by osmosis and through living with and having musicians as friends. You learn a lot from playing in bands if you have the enthusiasm and attention for it. And from the moment I first set foot in a recording studio, I realised there was so much more to music than just being the best at your instrument. I also learned what I was capable of from situations like; “Hey this song would sound great with a harmony”, “But I can’t sing like that”, “Ok, I’ll do it!”.
I think I owe a lot to the early bands I was in and the people I met through them. Luxedo (a name that is only vary rarely remembered these days) featured Tom Carlyon (The Devastations) and Dan Brodie. Through that band I had the opportunity to meet and work with people like Tony Cohen, Conway Savage, Maurice Frawley and Charlie Owen. I was also playing big international supports and festivals when I was 19.
FM: Tell us about the American webseries The Adventures of Superseven and how that all came together.
JC: Well, thanks to the internet I’ve been able to make friends all over the world and via one of these global musical friendships I was introduced to Scott Rhodes, who is an ex-stuntman known for his work on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and other cult hits. Scott has an acquired disability which affects his mobility and killed his career as a Hollywood stuntman. To keep himself sane he created The Adventures Of Superseven, a spy comedy web series which has really taken off and gathered a worldwide fan base with millions of hits on YouTube. I was introduced to Scott by Swedish music maker Magnus Sellergren (Videogram/Call Me Greenhorn) who has also contributed music to the series. I composed a full album for the third season and recently they landed a DVD distribution deal. The first 2 seasons have been cut into full length feature films and re-edited to include a bunch of my music.
FM: Favourite film? Book? Place? Animal/pet? Story?
JC: Terry Gilliam’s Brazil is probably the best movie ever made. My favourite place is Hawaii’s “Big Island” and I love cats. So if I could watch Brazil at dusk on a cat beach in Hawaii, I would be very happy!
FM: What are your future plans for 2016/2017
JC: As I’m approaching 40 years old, I’m beginning to realise that my time is limited. My plans for the future, and well beyond 2017, are to record as much music as possible. It would be amazing to think that somehow somebody in 30 years time accidentally stumbles across one of my albums in a dusty and rarely visited nook of the internet. And if that person was touched and inspired by my music in the same way I was by The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow or The Zombies Odessey and Oracle that would be the best justification of all. The music I cherish most has lived beyond the group that created it and I’d love to be thought of in that way one day. Until then I’ll just keep making my music, making music with friends, and playing any gigs that come my way.
Links
https://thejimmyc.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJimmyCGroup
https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/the-jimmy-c/id418173349
The Hollerin’ Sluggers Radio Interviews and Charts!
Tuesday June 14th The Hollerin’ Sluggers on Alive 90.5 with Ross Fear!
Listen to the interview anywhere in the world with the online link: www.alive905.com.au/ross-fear-australian-spectrum-show
Show starts at 9pm!
The Hollerin’ Sluggers’ album ‘The Promised Land’ is OUT NOW and has debuted at number 7 on the AMRAP Airplay charts.
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/the-promised-land/id1037212987
Upcoming Shows:
March 24, Thursday — The Sands Hotel — Narrabeen, NSW
April 8, Friday — The Record Crate — Glebe, NSW
April 16, Saturday — Housefox Fest — Narrabeen, NSW
July 10, Sunday — Avalon Bowling Club — Avalon, NSW
August 27, Saturday — Nomad Brewery — Brookvale, NSW
Check out our Q&A with the band below!
Foghorn Media: What inspired you to become a singer/writer and form a band?
Hollerin’ Sluggers: Love of music. The need to entertain and make people feel good for a few hours.
FM: Who are your early influences?
HS: Artists that improvise and explore different realms of rootsy music, like Hendrix, Zeppelin, Cream, The Doors, Aussie rock from early 70s onwards.
FM: Tell us a little about how you write, how do the songs come? What gets you going creatively?
HS: We come up with a riff or a groove and jam it out first up, then we mould it into a song and whatever it needs to make it work. We enjoy exploring different structures. The band has evolved from the first album, our new material explores new realms.
FM: What is the first record you bought and why?
HS: AC/DC – like most people did in the day, they brought gritty powerhouse blues/rock to Australia.
FM: What current OZ acts inspire you?
HS: Anyone playing hard and touring their butts off on their own back and living the dream. Playing from the heart and not conforming to formulas.
FM: What about international bands?
HS: Joe Bonamassa and Gary Clark Jr, Clutch, Sea Sick Steve, Jack White
FM: Tell us a little about your music and what a crowd can expect at a live show.
HS: We aim to get everyone up and dancing and going crazy by the end of the show. If there is a rafter to hang off or a speaker to jump off, Owen will find it. If you come to our gig and your feet don’t start moving and your hips don’t start swaying you’re probably dead.
FM: Favorites: film, book, place, pet? Story?
HS: Favorite film – ‘Song Remains The Same,’ Favorite book – ‘Sex, Thugs, and Rock n Roll’ by Billy Thorpe. Favorite place – Narrabeen. Favorite pet – dog/galah/fish. Favorite story – Andy used to judge and breed German Shepherds and left it behind when the Sluggers was formed to pursue his musical dream of one day playing in a packed stadium.
FM: Favorite food or drink?
HS: Nomad Beer – they gave us some kegs, a shirt, and a hat. We’re easily pleased.
FM: You’re backstage with one of your influences mentioned earlier, what do you say?
HS: Can we jam with you guys?
FM: Where do you see Aussie music heading?
HS: There has always been pop music for the commercial market and cover bands in the pubs/clubs and will continue to be so. However, there is a real swing back to original bands playing modern venues not considered the traditional music houses, such as pizza/wine bars and retro records bars.
FM: What are your future plans for 2016/2017?
HS: Touring with some great artists and playing some kickass gigs, recording second album, and getting some national and international airplay would be nice.
Fiona Joy New Album “Signature – Synchronicity” Available NOW
UPDATE: Fiona’s previous album “Signature – Solo” has won the ZMR Award for Best Solo Piano Album! To get a copy of the album click the link below: https://itunes.apple.com/signature-solo
Fiona Joy’s much anticipated new album “Signature – Synchronicity” is now available!
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/signature-synchronicity/id1074110022
Bandcamp: https://fionajoy.bandcamp.com
Signature – Synchronicity is the perfect bookend to Fiona Joy’s 2015 project ‘Signature-Solo’, which spent several months in the coveted #1 spot on the ZMR Airplay Charts and released in numerous formats via Blue Coast Records, a pioneering audiophile label. Along with the new album, Fiona presents several high-quality videos, visual memes, and pre-order perks all accessible via her website at www.FionaJoy.com.
Fiona originally imagined the project as a personal expression of how the deteriorating “signature” bone in her left hand was affecting her ability to share her life’s work. This evolved into modern fairytales that feature magic, imagination and the world we escape into.
“It’s interesting to grow up through your own music,” Fiona Joy says. “The early albums are about my own life, drawing on the past. Mostly this album is looking outside myself and exploring other subjects – in this case, fairy tale themes – and yet somehow they all come back to my own experience. It’s a circular thing…truly Synchronicity.”
This album was recorded and produced with the team at Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont and many of Fiona’s favorite instrumentalists; some recording was also done at Crash Symphony Productions in Sydney. One of the many highlights of the recording process for Fiona was the opportunity to record on an Australian-made Stuart & Sons piano. A few people Fiona found herself lucky enough to work with include producer Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill), Tom Eaton, and James Englund. Additionally, the album features artists such as Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), Rebecca Daniel (Ex ACO), Marc Shulman (Suzanne Vega), Eugene Friesen (Paul Winter Consort), Jeff Haynes (Pat Metheny), Jeff Oster, Paul Jarmin, Premik Tubbs, Borbala Bodonyi, her son Nick Hawkins, and many others.
Looking forward to all the fresh possibilities, travels and creative adventures of the coming year, Fiona Joy – embodies the glorious cover art of Signature – Synchronicity – running wildly into the embrace of her second decade of recording and touring.
“One of the brightest lights in the contemporary instrumental genre,
Fiona Joy Hawkins is poised to move into stardom and we have only to watch to see it happen”
- Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records)
Fiona Joy Hawkins is poised to move into stardom and we have only to watch to see it happen”
- Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records)
Check out the five NEW videos.
ONCE UPON IMPOSSIBLE – Youtube Video
GRACE (Chill Version) – Youtube Video
And upcoming Launches to include –
This April sees a unique concert and film viewing for the official album release of Signature – Synchronicity by Fiona Joy at Burwood Music Centre in Melbourne for both the public and media. BMC is a recording studio that also has a small state of the art film theatre. Meet members of the production team involved in the project, the film-makers, the piano maker, and the piano producer. Award winning Australian artist Fiona Joy will perform tracks from her new album Signature – Synchronicity.
Along with three performances across the action packed weekend, the album reveal also features videos of six of the songs made by four different filmmakers. Of the filmmakers is a retired NASA Senior Flight Engineer who used NASA footage to bring Fiona’s song ‘Calling Earth’ to life. The event also includes a meet and greet with Wayne Stuart of world renown Australian Stuart & Sons pianos – the inventors of a revolutionary new piano design used in classical concerts all over the world.
The Events:
1. Saturday April 30th - Early afternoon. Watch the video clips, chat with the piano maker (Wayne Stuart), the producer (James Englund), the film-makers (four companies) Including NASA and ISS Footage, and a private concert opportunity with Fiona Joy.
2. Saturday April 30th - Evening cocktail event. Watch the videos, meet the filmmakers, the piano maker, and the piano producer.
3. Sunday May 1st – Mid-afternoon Matinee concert and video viewing. Additionally, there will be a fundraiser for Motor Neuron Disease.
Media are invited to all of the above but specifically to the Saturday afternoon
Please contact below if you would like to attend as seating is limited.
Each event has only 32 seats available-tickets here
“Fiona Joy is a TRUE artist, constantly growing, Signature – Synchronicity is the latest expression of her prodigious talent, I urge you to check it out.”
- Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering
Violent Femmes – Memory Official
Violent Femmes – Album and Tour from March 4
Boom! – Violent Femmes Tour And Album Release this week.
The legendary band’s triumphant return to Australian Shores
for their brilliant new album ‘We Can Do Anything’- (March 4 Universal) and National Tour all begins this week.
The boys arrive from New Zealand on Thursday and wake up early on Friday for their Sunrise spot- then they head to Taronga Zoo and Days on the Green on the weekend – Truly Non Stop and that’s just week 1.
See below for some more of whats in store plus some quotes and fun facts –
- ‘We Can Do Anything’ is the ninth album from Violent Femmes featuring a wealth of brand new recently penned tunes and is OUT NOW! – via UMA in Au + NZ.
- Their 14-date tour of Australia and NZ, from 1st March – 19th March is ALMOST Sold Out – tickets are still available for 3 shows – see www.feelpresents.com
- Violent Femmes performed the first single from the album, ‘Memory’ on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert yesterday. See the performance here (note innovative use of Weber BBQ)…and a truly magical encore performance of Blister In The Sun, with Colbert (who is a big fan) taking over lead vocals.
- Violent Femmes formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1981.
- The band were ‘discovered’ by Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott in 1981, busking outside the Milwaukee venue the Pretenders were playing that night.
- Violent Femmes self-titled debut album, released in 1983, is the definition of a cult-sleeper hit. It hit platinum in the US and reached its chart peak (#171), 8 years after its release.
- Australia has always been Violent Femmes biggest per-capita territory; with six Top 50 albums here. (Highest overall US placing; #84 in 1986).
- Violent Femmes perform on Australian TV for the very first time on Channel 7 ‘Sunrise’ on the morning of the global release date of their album, Friday week 4th March.
- Violent Femmes are Double J’s ‘Artist In Residence’ for March, curating station playlists over the month, with retrospective features and guest host spots across the month with associated online and socials support.
- Most people will know Violent Femmes from their teen-angst anthems ‘Blister In The Sun’, ‘Add It Up’ and ‘I Held Her In My Arms’.
- Founding member and bassist Brian Ritchie calls Hobart home. He has curated Mona Foma every year since 2009. He is a master of the Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute).
- Their 1983 single ‘Done Daddy Gone’ (which featured two xylophone solos) was covered by Gnarls Barkley on their 2006 ‘St Elsewhere’ album – itself a Billboard #4 album.
- Violent Femmes returned the favour by covering Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ in 2008. Gnarls Barkley’s review: “I might compare it to a calm pond. I caught my reflection in it. And I seemed to be momentarily at peace. This track sounds entirely different in the rain, and supports some intriguing lilypads.”
- Violent Femmes headlined the very first Big Day Out in 1992 (at that time a Sydney-only event). Nirvana were also on the bill.
- World exclusive t-shirt, art-card, album and vinyl bundles for the new album are available on the official Australian Violent Femmes store.
- ‘We Can Do Anything’ is available on transparent green vinyl (exclusive to Australia…see it unboxed and played on Gramovox®), alongside CD & digital formats.
FANS CAN PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM NOW http://umusi.cc/WCDA
Exclusive bundles available from the Official Violent Femmes Australian Store: http://umusi.cc/VFPO
-Social media links
https://twitter.com/violentfemmes
https://instagram.com/officialviolentfemmes/
https://www.facebook.com/officialviolentfemmes
-Official site
http://www.vfemmes.com/
-YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDgrjVbeoBc4l0GL8_RzNwg
The Dirty Earth Release ‘Ascendancy’ on Foghorn/MGM
A strong followup to their well received album of 2014 – ‘Autonomic’ Ascendancy promises to widen the bands appeal with a more modern twist on their retro alternative sound.
Comparisons have already been made to Jack White’s The Dead Weather
There is nothing so fine as a righteous blast of rock and roll energy, a white-hot mainline that shakes your body into action.
The Dirty Earth don’t just write songs, they weave tales about the brutal realities of life and songs like Red Witch, Cruel World, Free Bird and Eternity marry clever lyrics with stellar music that takes you on an evocative journey. Bed of Nails is the album’s rock anthem with the final track, So Long Sucker, providing a rare glimpse into the band’s take on punk rock.
The Dirty Earth have taken a step forward with ‘Ascendancy’, showcasing their unique brand of rock’n’roll and strong musicianship. Cohesive production ensures the listener of a 45-minute sonic journey.
The Album is released February 26 through MGM on CD and Digital
Album Launch
Saturday 27th February
The Townie-Newtown
Quotes
The Dirty Earth are heavy, psychedelic and above all unpindownable,
the necessary ingrdients that may make them the new lords of doom rock
Cameron Cooper – The Music
A band that live to rock and serve it with no reservations’
‘The vocal muscle of Mandy shows plenty of punch and the band rock the groove well’
Rodney Christian, SF Media
“The Dirty Earth have absorbed a lot of Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and BellRays and applied their riffs to their own canvas.”
“Mandy Newton’s powerful vocals are a strong differentiator and many will use the Baby Animals as a reference point.”
The Barman, i94 Bar
‘The vocal muscle of Mandy shows plenty of punch and the band rock the groove well’
Rodney Christian, SF Media
“The Dirty Earth have absorbed a lot of Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and BellRays and applied their riffs to their own canvas.”
“Mandy Newton’s powerful vocals are a strong differentiator and many will use the Baby Animals as a reference point.”
The Barman, i94 Bar
The Dirty Earth has toughened up their sound a little more with the new guitarists in the group, and Mandy Newton putting in a powerful performance out front.”
Justin Donelly, The Metalforge.com