Inbox Update: Sigur Rós, Silversun Pickups, The Wood Brothers

You have to love a post when it kicks off with a media release detailing news about a forthcoming studio album from Sigur Rós. Valtari (XL Recordings) is the Icelandic band's sixth studio album, and is set for release here in the U.S. on May 29. The first track, “Ekki Múkk,” is now streaming on the Icelandic band’s official website, sigurros.com.

Valtari will be released on double LP, CD and digital download. It is the first studio album since 2008 and marks the end of their indefinite hiatus.

The songs on this 54-minute album feel like an alternative musical path the band didn’t take after 2002’s untitled ( ) album. Frequently bereft of formal structures, and for large stretches of time more atmospheres than songs, the work – which the band has described as sounding “like an avalanche in slow motion” – offers a counterpoint to Sigur Rós’s steady yet unconscious migration towards public acceptance.

In English, "Valtari" translates as “steamroller,” and there is something right about the title in terms of the process of its creation. More of a “studio based” album than any of its predecessors, the long hours of experimentation and unsentimental editing have yielded incredible results.

Some songs have roots in earlier times. “Dauðalogn” and “Varðeldur” emerged out of sessions on the back of "Takk," but the choral ideas behind them stem from as far back as 2002 and an orchestral collaboration with the 16 Choir; 2009 sessions in the wake of the last album, resulted in some individually beautiful moments - three of which - “Rembihnútur,” “Fjögur piano,” and “Valtari” live here. But it was hard to draw a line between them, and the band found focusing on such elusive music hard to do for any sustained period.

They essentially put the record on hold. In 2010, singer Jónsi went off to make and tour for his expansive, critically-acclaimed solo album "Go." Keyboardist Kjartan spent time on his classically-inclined, unreleased work, "Credo."

A film scoring opportunity led to the creation of the towering and majestic "Varúð," arguably the record’s centerpiece. Scouting around for a closing credit song for last year’s live film, Inni, the band unearthed "Lúppulagið," which, in its reworked choral form is here titled “Varðeldur,” one of the album’s most understated and elegant songs.

The process of making Valtari, and the end results, are described by bassist Georg Holm:

“I really can’t remember why we started this record, I no longer know what we were trying to do back then. I do know session after session went pear-shaped, we lost focus and almost gave up...did give up for a while. But then something happened and form started to emerge, and now I can honestly say that it’s the only Sigur Rós record I have listened to for pleasure in my own house after we’ve finished it.”

Sigur Rós are: Jón Þór Birgisson (vocals, guitar), Georg Holm (bass), Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards/piano), Orri Páll Dýrason (drums). Valtari was recorded by the band in Iceland.

Valtari track listing:
1. Ég anda.
2. Ekki múkk.
3. Varúð.
4. Rembihnútur.
5. Dauðalogn.
6. Varðeldur.
7. Valtari.
8. Fjögur píanó.


Silversun Pickups Announce New Record

'Neck of the Woods' set for release on May 8, 2012

Dangerbird Records is excited to announce the release of the new record by the Grammy-nominated Silversun Pickups, Neck of the Woods, on May 8. The record was produced by the Grammy Award-winning Jacknife Lee (U2, Weezer, REM, Snow Patrol), and the song "Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)" will be the first single. It can be heard HERE. The album is now available for pre-order at http://www.silversunpickups.com/ . The band is confirmed to perform from the Jimmy Kimmel Live! outdoor stage on release day, May 8.

Lead singer/guitarist Brian Aubert told Spin magazine that the songs sound "like a horror movie." He continued, "[2009's] Swoon was more about what I was feeling at that particular time, whereas with this one, I wanted to see what built me. It was learning why I am the way I am." When discussing the sound of Neck of the Woods, Aubert told Spin that drummer Christopher Guanlao steals the show. "We really wanted to play with drums as textures. We played around with drums coming in here and there and building atmosphere, which guitars usually do." But he went on to joke, "I'm not going to let the others have all the fun. It's still a rock record. We wanted to have moments of explosions like we've done in the past, but we didn't want them to carry the whole song. There's something a little bit psychotic sounding that we really like and we didn't want to fill it entirely with big guitars."

Silversun Pickups (Aubert, Guanlao, bassist/vocals Nikki Monninger and keyboardist Joe Lester) have sold over 1 million records worldwide. Their first EP, Pikul, was released in 2005. While it hinted at great things to come, no one was quite prepared for the explosion of the band's debut LP, Carnavas. Released in 2006, the record peaked at #81 on the Billboard Top 200 and was the #1 Alternative and Independent record for four consecutive weeks. The fantastic single, "Lazy Eye," peaked at #4 at Modern Rock. In 2009, SSPU followed up with the equally powerful Swoon. That record debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and was in that chart for over 22 weeks on the strength of the #1 Modern Rock smash, "Panic Switch." On November 25, 2011, they released the limited edition Seasick 10" to support independent retail.

The band will be touring throughout 2012 and 2013.

http://www.silversunpickups.com/



The Wood Brothers' First Live Album, Coast-to-Coast Sellouts, 100-Date Tour

The Wood Brothers, "masters of soulful folk" (Paste), answer the booming demand for their "gripping" (New York Times) live show with their first live album, The Wood Brothers Live, Vol. 1: Sky High, out May 8 on Southern Ground Artists. The seven-song release, accompanied by the duo's biggest-ever year of touring with nearly 100 dates, includes live versions of songs from the duo's first and third studio albums, including 2011's acclaimed Smoke Ring Halo on Southern Ground Artists.

Watch the brothers' impromptu version of "Luckiest Man" via Mason Jar Music: http://youtu.be/TYY1T7BYd9U

Last week's packed NYC crowd at the Bowery Ballroom demanded two encores from the Georgia/New York duo of Chris and Oliver Wood. Known for their "taut musicianship" (LA Times) and "impactful songwriting" (Relix), the brothers have already sold out shows this year in Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco, and Portland, among others.

A second live album will be released later this summer. See full 2012 tour dates here: www.thewoodbros.com/tour/

http://www.thewoodbros.com/

'The Sun Came Out' features Neil Finn joined by members of Radiohead, Wilco, The Smiths and many more

This just landed in my inbox and I had to share. Imagine an event featuring Neil and Tim Finn (Crowded House, Split Enz), as well as members of Radiohead, Wilco, Pearl Jam, The Smiths and many others joining forces to make music and benefit charity at the same time. Read on music friends...


THE SUN CAME OUT: Watch as 20 musicians travel to New Zealand and create 10 songs in 3 weeks, a behind-the-scenes experience of the life time!

Featuring Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House), Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse), Phil Selway (Radiohead), Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), Tim Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House), Lisa Germano, Wilco members Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone and more, plus Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) in the bonus feature of the 2001 7 World’s Collide concert!

In 2001, New Zealand singer/ songwriter Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House), put together a multi-artist concert called 7 Worlds Collide. The live concert turned into an album collaboration with Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse), Phil Selway (Radiohead), Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), Tim Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House) & Lisa Germano. In 2009, Finn invited his friends back to New Zealand for three weeks to record a second album and perform in three concerts, with proceeds going to the international charity Oxfam, an aid organization that supports ending world poverty and injustice. On April 10, 2012, Cinema Libre Studio will release, on DVD and digital download, the inspiring, behind-the-scenes film, THE SUN CAME OUT, which documents the creative process 20 artist went through to produce 10 songs in just three weeks. The film also includes an exclusive release of the live 2001 7 World’s Collide, The Sun Came Out concert featuring Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.

THE SUN CAME OUT, directed by Simon Mark-Brown, is an amazing glimpse into the musical collaboration process between Neil Finn and the great musicians he assembled together for a special cause. Finn invited the 7 World’s Collide alumni, as well as, some more of music’s biggest names including; Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, Glenn Richards, KT Tunstall and Wilco members Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche & Pat Sansone, and their families to his personal studio in Auckland, New Zealand for a three week recording session of original material contributed by everyone involved.

Some of the songs that were cultivated and performed during this three week journey are; “Reptile" by Lisa Germano, “Too Blue" by Johnny Marr & Jeff Tweedy, "Little by Little" by Sharon Finn & Neil Finn, "Girl, Make Your Own Mind Up" by Don McGlashan, "Black Silk Ribbon" by KT Tunstall & Bic Runga and many, many more.

SYNOPSIS:
In 2001 Neil Finn, lead singer and member of the popular band Crowded House, gathered together some of music’s most prolific artists for a charity concert. Included were, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Johnny Marr of The Smiths, Phil Selway and Ed O’Brien from Radiohead, Sebastian Steinberg of Soul Coffin and Lisa Germano. They staged three amazing concerts under the moniker 7 Worlds Collide and it was a huge success.

Now seven years later, in New Zealand on the west coast of Auckland , Neil has done it again and this time he invited, KT Tunstall and Wilco to the line-up. In addition to the three concerts, they recorded an album of new songs -- in just three weeks. Go behind the scenes and watch as these amazing artists conceive, write, tweak, record and perform these songs. Experience their creative process and their camaraderie as they work together for a bigger purpose, to raise money for Oxfam.

THE SUN CAME OUT is an inspiring, very intimate look at some of the best musicians in the world gathering in a place of spectacular beauty to record all new songs with a strict time limit, no real plan but enough goodwill to do it all for charity.

Information: http://www.thesuncameoutfilm.com/ or http://vimeo.com/39019866

DVD DETAILS:
SRP: $19.95 | TRT: 90 Minutes
Street Date: 4/10/12
UPC: 881394115125 | Catalog: CLS 1151
Genre: Documentary/ Music

2 HOUR DVD SPECIAL FEATURE!:
The 2001 7 Worlds Collide concert featuring Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr, Phil Selway, Ed O’Brien, Tim Finn & Lisa Germano.

Reviews: Bruce Springsteen's 'Wrecking Ball' and Barry McCabe's 'Beyond the Tears'

On the latest episode of Music Worth Buying, I champion the deluxe edition of Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball while TJR talks about the Barry McCabe's concept blues-rock album Beyond The Tears.

Inbox Update: Maroon 5, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, James McCartney

All kinds of great news to share today, including news about James McCartney (whose tour will bring him here to Orange County when he performs at The Coach House on Tuesday, May 29, 2012.


Maroon 5 set to debut new studio album Overexposed on June 26, 2012

GRAMMY-winning band Maroon 5 have announced their highly anticipated fourth studio album Overexposed is set to debut June 26, 2012. Recorded in Los Angeles over the last year, Overexposed is a rich, pop-infused collection featuring 10 new tracks.

The album was executive produced by Max Martin with additional tracks produced by Benny Blanco and Ryan Tedder.


Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine said of the release, ”Overexposed is definitely one of our most diverse and poppiest albums yet. We had a great time recording it. I can’t wait for our fans to hear the record, as well as hitting the road to play it live for everyone later this year.”


Guitarist James Valentine added, “ ‘Moves Like Jagger’ was the first time we ever worked with an outside writer, so we decided to try it some more on this record. At this point in our career I think it was a good thing to completely mix up our process and it yielded good results, as well as a more collaborative spirit within the band. We wanted to make something that sounded contemporary with the elements of a lot of early eras of pop music. This is our most "pop" record ever and we weren’t shy about really going for it.”


Maroon 5’s musicianship and frontman Adam Levine’s vocals are as distinct as ever on Overexposed, continuing to showcase the band’s ability for creating songs that have become part of the fabric of pop and rock music today. Maroon 5 began writing and recording the album during their most recent world tour and the resulting collection is chock-full of undeniable, anthemic melodies. The album includes such stand out tracks as the emphatic “Payphone” featuring Wiz Khalifa, the irresistible “One More Night” and the rythmic ballad “Beautiful Goodbye.”


Capturing their first of three Grammy Awards as “Best New Artist” of 2005 and going on to sell more than 17 million albums worldwide, Maroon 5’s releases have gone gold and platinum in over 35 countries. The band won over fans and critics alike with the hybrid rock/R&B sound they introduced on their debut album, Songs About Jane and their double platinum album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which included hits like "Makes Me Wonder" and "If I Never See Your Face Again."


In September 2010, the band released their third studio album, Hands All Over, which also recently went platinum. The collection featured two hit singles including the Hot AC smash “Misery” and the anthemic “Moves Like Jagger,” which climbed to the #1 spot on the Top 40 and Hot AC charts and also claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Both singles received GRAMMY Award nominations in the category of "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals," marking the group’s eighth GRAMMY nomination overall and 5th in that category. With the success of “Moves Like Jagger” on the Hot 100 chart, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine became the first artist in the chart's 53-year history to reach #1 as part of a group and enter the Top 10 at the same time as a soloist, as he was also featured on Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts."


In addition to his work with Maroon 5, band frontman Adam Levine joined the #1 NBC hit series The Voice as a coach in 2011. Debuting after Super Bowl XLVI, the second season of The Voice kicked off with a bang, scoring a total of 37.6 million viewers, making it the highest ratings for a non-sports related show on any network in six years.

For more information visit: http://www.maroon5.com/



Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros To Release A Second Album By The End Of 2012

Band unveils tracklisting for Here


Fresh off a run of tour dates that began in Santa Ana, California on March 14, 2012 at The Observatory, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have announced they would release a second album by year's end in addition to their next studio album, Here, which will be released by Community Music on May 29, 2012.


"In the middle of the recording process we realized we were essentially making a double album. Being four years since our last album, the writing explored a wide variety of subject and sound, as it turned out we had a lot to say," said the band's Alex Ebert. "Instead of putting it out all at once, we found that two different albums seemed to be forming. Alone these albums are albums. Together these albums express a varying and so relatively living portrait of our lives."


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have now posted the final tracklisting for Here this morning on their website www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com, and recently unveiled the artwork for the album, consisting of a photograph shot by Alex Ebert in Mozambique on the fan website http://themagneticzeros.com.

"The hard division created by the horizon of sea and sky represents the appearance of a dualistic world of dark and light, us and them, here and there. The circle that breaks the dividing line between the sea and the sky represents what feels to be the underlying truth: that creation lives not by the laws of duality or division, but emanates from everything at once, swirling all falsely-held boundaries in a wonder of every spectrum of experience," said Ebert.



1. Man On Fire

2. That's What's Up

3. I Don't Wanna Pray

4. Mayla

5. Dear Believer

6. Child

7. One Love To Another

8. Fiya Wata

9. All Wash Out

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros made an appearance with members of Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show at the 2012 South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival on March 17, 2012 for the world premier of Big Easy Express, which won the Headliner Audience Award. Following the screening, the groups performed an acoustic set followed by an encore screening of the film and performances at the LBJ Lawn at the University of Texas. The Emmett Malloy directed film covered the bands' journey as they traveled in vintage railcars across the American Southwest over the course of a week, playing concerts at six unique outdoor locations along the route.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will launch a nationwide tour starting in Oakland, CA at the Fox Theatre on May 2nd. The band will be headlining the iconic Greek Theatre and kick off its 2012 Season on May 4th. The following night the band will headline Santa Barbara's Santa Barbara Bowl for the first time. The tour will cross the country and include a headlining performance at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN and a stop in Canada before it winds down on June 1st at the Wakarusa Festival in Ozark, AR. For ticket information please visit www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com. Full list of dates are below.



JAMES MCCARTNEY CONFIRMS NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR PLUS SASQUATCH AND BAMBOOZLE FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES


James McCartney has confirmed a new slate of North American tour dates which include his largest headlining shows to date and stops at the Bamboozle and Sasquatch Festivals. Kicking off May 11, this month-long, full-band tour will hit major cities on both coasts in support of McCartney’s critically acclaimed The Complete EP Collection (Engine Company Records).

Hear the bonus track "New York Times" at Rolling Stone: http://bit.ly/wMjlyj

On his last trip to the States, McCartney performed on Letterman and earned rave reviews for his LA and NYC shows from NY Daily News, Newark Star Ledger and more. During the first week of April, McCartney will play a run of shows in the UK including Liverpool's Cavern Club on April 3.

James McCartney North American Tour Dates:

May 11 – Ollie's Point – Amityville, NY
May 13 – Le Petit Campus – Montreal, QC
May 15 – The Great Hall – Toronto, ON
May 19 – Bamboozle Festival – Asbury Park, NJ
May 22 - Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
May 25 - Sasquatch Festival – Quincy, WA
May 29 – The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA
May 30 - Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA
May 31 – The Roxy Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
June 4 - House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
June 7 – The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
June 8 – Mohegan Sun – Montville, CT
June 10 – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA
June 11 – The Fillmore – Washington, DC

For more information, visit:
http://www.jamesmccartney.com/

http://www.enginecompanyrecords.com/jamesmccartney/

Inbox Update: Joe Walsh, Simply Red, Sade, Soul Asylum

Whether you're a fan of classic rock, neo-soul, jazz or alt rock, today's post has a little bit of everything. I've re-posted releases on a number of artists here.

Joe Walsh to release Analog Man on June 5, 2012

First solo album in two decades

Grammy Award winning rock and roll legend Joe Walsh returns with Analog Man, his first solo album in two decades to be released on June 5th, 2012 from
Fantasy Records/Concord. Analog Man is both modern and timelessly soulful, packed with Walsh’s beloved wit, charm and chops; it delivers an incredibly raw and intimate sound.

“It’s been 20 years and I have a lot to say,” said Walsh. “These songs come from the heart.” Walsh, best known for his powerful guitar licks, joined the Eagles in 1976 and is credited for bringing a harder rock sound to the band with the acclaimed Hotel California, The Long Run and Eagles Live. A singer-songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Walsh has entertained for more than four decades, not only as a solo artist, but as part of admired bands like The James Gang and Barnstorm.

As a self-proclaimed Analog Man, also the album name and title track, Walsh refers playfully to the new digital age; one in which he has adapted to, but notes in the song, “I am what I am – I’m an Analog Man.” Walsh developed the album over the last 10 years, drawing on personal experiences to breathe life into each track. “I just really feel like it’s all come together and finally I feel like a complete person and a complete musician,” said Walsh. “I think there is some confidence in there that I never had. That’s what I was hiding.” Walsh credits his wife of four years, Marjorie, for encouraging him to be the man and artist he is today and fondly dedicates this album to her.

The 10-track album was produced by Jeff Lynne and Joe Walsh with Tommy Lee James co-writing some of the tracks. “Lucky That Way,” one of Walsh’s favorites off the album, speaks to the extraordinary life he’s lived, even through the hurdles, and features Ringo Starr, his real life brother-in-law, on drums. The song ironically serves as a mature sequel to Walsh’s famed “Life’s Been Good” and for Walsh, life is just that.

Stream Analog Man’s title track at www.rollingstone.com and www.joewalsh.com

Pre-order Analog Man: Amazon: http://amzn.to/JOEWam


SIMPLY RED LIVE AT MONTREUX 2003 SET FOR RELEASE ON MAY 22, 2012

Mike Hucknall leads Brit-pop-soul band at Montreux in dynamic 2003 performance

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the May 22 release of Simply Red Live At Montreux 2003 on DVD and Blu-Ray (the band’s Blu-Ray debut).

The DVD was filmed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where the band, over the course of its 25 years, has been a longtime Montreux favorite. This two-hour 18-song soul-drenched set—recorded while touring for the multi-platinum Home album— was filmed in high definition and recorded in DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1, LPCM Stereo.

Simply Red—with international album sales upwards of 50 million—boasts frontman vocalist Mick Hucknall, Ian Kirkham (saxophone); Kenji Suzuki (guitar); Steve Lewinson (bass); Pete Lewinson (drums); Dave Clayton (keyboards); Chris de Margary (flugelhorn, saxophone); John Johnson (trombone, percussion); Kevin Robinson (trumpet); Sarah Brown and Dee Johnson (backing vocals).

Simply Red Live At Montreux 2003 include seven more tracks from their 2010 Montreux appearance as bonus features: “Out On The Range” “To Be With You” “Your Mirror” “Heaven” “For Your Babies” “Ain’t That A Lot Of Love” (a scintillating cover of the 1966 Homer Banks rhythm’n’blues classic that Simply Red popularized again as the lead single from their 1999 Love And The Russian Winter album) and a passionate interpretation of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” (the 1972 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes hit).

This acclaimed British band, accentuated by the unerring timing and charisma of a true showman in Mick Hucknall, truly ignited the Swiss crowd. This performance is another stunning addition to Eagle Rock Entertainment’s Montreux collection.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg.

TRACK LISTING:
1) Sad Old Red
2) Enough
3) Lost Weekend
4) A New Flame
5) Night Nurse
6) Something For You
7) You Make Me Feel Brand New
8) Home Loan Blues
9) Stars
10) Fake
11) Come To My Aid
12) Thrill Me
13) The Right Thing
14) Something Got Me Started
15) Holding Back The Years
16) Money’s Too Tight To Mention
17) Fairground
18) Sunrise


SADE TO RELEASE LIVE DVD/CD BRING ME HOME - LIVE 2011 ON MAY 22

Hailed as "the best concert of the year" by the Baltimore Sun, Sade will release their live DVD/CD and Blu-ray for, Bring Me Home – Live 2011 on May 22, 2012. In 2011, after a 10 year hiatus, Sade returned to the U.S. for a 54-date tour in support of the platinum selling album Soldier Of Love (Epic Records), which became one of last year's top 10 grossing tours. The tour, directed by the renowned Sophie Muller, will now be available on DVD/CD, featuring 22 of Sade's biggest hits performed live on the visually stunning stage which was nominated by Pollstar for "Most Creative Stage Production" and "2011 Major Tour of the Year Award." Sade also grants fans a rare, all access look behind-the-scenes with a 20-minute documentary film shot by Sophie Muller, as well as a technical documentary by Stuart Matthewman, and outtakes from the crew.

Live DVD tracklisting:

1. Soldier Of Love
2. Your Love Is King
3. Skin
4. Kiss Of Life
5. Love Is Found
6. In Another Time
7. Smooth Operator
8. Jezebel
9. Bring Me Home
10. Is It A Crime
11. Love Is Stronger Than Pride
12. All About Our Love
13. Paradise
14. Nothing Can Come Between Us
15. Morning Bird
16. King Of Sorrow
17. The Sweetest Taboo
18. The Moon and The Sky
19. Pearls
20. No Ordinary Love
21. By Your Side
22. Cherish the Day

Live CD tracklisting:

1. Soldier of Love

2. Skin
3. Kiss of Life

4. Love is Found

5. In Another Time

6. Jezebel

7. All About Our Love
8. Paradise/Nothing Can Come Between Us
9. Morning Bird

10. The Moon and the Sky

11. No Ordinary Love

12. By Your Side

13. Cherish the Day


SOUL ASYLUM SIGNS WITH 429 RECORDS



Band readies release of new album Delayed Reaction, set for July 17 release

Soul Asylum is back and newly signed with 429 Records, which will release their first album in six years, DELAYED REACTION. This time around, the veteran band is energized with a re-calibrated lineup that includes founders Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy alongside ex-Replacements, ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson (who replaced original member Karl Mueller who passed away in 2006) and former Prince drummer Michael Bland. DELAYED REACTION, which was produced by the band and overseen by John Fields, bristles with the tightly wound, slightly ragged vibe that characterized the band when they emerged straight out of Minneapolis. The recording took place in various locations--beginning in Los Angeles and then relocating to New Orleans and Minneapolis and back to LA--each town giving the tracks a unique backdrop of local culture vibe. Soul Asylum will hit the road in support of the album which is filled with brilliantly passionate songs, perfectly suited to their electric live shows. DELAYED REACTION will be released on 429 Records on July 17, 2012.

Originally formed in 1983 in Minneapolis, MN, Soul Asylum has maintained their reputation for honest, heartfelt rock from their beginnings on scrappy local label Twin Tone (which concurrently nurtured the careers of seminal rockers the Replacements), through their commercially successful days on A&M and Columbia Records (where they scored a Grammy for the monster hit single "Runaway Train"). The band has persevered through the good times of garnering several platinum albums and accolades including a performance for the Presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton to enduring the personal tragedy of losing Karl Mueller to cancer six years ago.

Says Dave Pirner on the recording process: "It feels like approaching it as an album and a thing that has a sequence, and a thing that is a piece of work in itself is almost an archaic process… Honestly, it's more organic. Even though you're using some of this newer technology, the fact that you're doing it yourself is what made it take so long and the process unique, this time."

DELAYED REACTION Track Listing:

1.Gravity
2.Into The Light
3.The Streets
4.By The Way
5.Pipe Dream
6.Let's All Kill Each Other
7.Cruel Intentions
8.The Juice
9.Take Manhattan
10.I Should've Stayed In Bed

For more information, visit: www.429records.com

Inbox Update: Grace Potter, Squeeze, Ian Tyson

With Coachella set to arrive three weeks from now, there is of course news related to major acts set to play in Indio over the course of the two weekends-long music and arts festival. I've also re-posted an update on a legendary Canadian singer-songwriter.

Photo credit: Williams+Hirakawa


GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM, THE LION THE BEAST THE BEAT, TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 12

PRODUCED BY JIM SCOTT AND GRACE POTTER AND FEATURING THREE COLLABORATIONS WITH DAN AUERBACH

GPN TO PERFORM FIRST SINGLE, “NEVER GO BACK,” ON THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO APRIL 5

GET AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN AT WWW.ROLLINGSTONE.COM

GPN TO MAKE FIRST APPEARANCE AT COACHELLA IN APRIL; SUMMER STADIUM TOUR WITH KENNY CHESNEY AND TIM McGRAW

The Lion The Beast The Beat, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals’ fourth studio album for Hollywood Records, will be released June 12. The musically powerful and conceptually dazzling work was produced by Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Wilco, the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s 2012 Grammy winner Revelator) and Potter at Scott’s studio PLYRZ in Santa Clarita, CA, with the exception of “Loneliest Soul,” which was produced by Dan Auerbach and engineered by Collin Dupuis at Easy Eye Sounds in Nashville, TN. David Campbell (Beck, My Morning Jacket, Jackson Browne) arranged and conducted the strings on the album. The album was mixed by fellow Vermonter and Grammy award winner Rich Costey (Foo Fighters, TV on the Radio, Bruce Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball) and mastered by Grammy award winner Bob Ludwig (David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Foo Fighters).

The first single from The Lion The Beast The Beat is “Never Go Back,” written by Dan Auerbach and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. The track goes to radio on March 23 for an April 9 impact date. GPN’s debut performance of “Never Go Back” is set for April 5 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. A companion video for the track will be shot in Los Angeles in April. Go to www.rollingstone.com for an exclusive first listen of “Never Go Back.”

On April 14 and 21, GPN will make their first-ever appearance at Coachella, which expands to two weekends this year. On June 2, the band will embark on the “Brothers of the Sun” Tour with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. GPN’s inclusion on the tour was a result of Grace’s duet with Chesney on their Grammy® and CMA Award-winning single and video “You and Tequila,” which was certified platinum for sales of over one million downloads.

Information: www.gracepotter.com



SQUEEZE IS BACK -

LIVE AT THE FILLMORE


Limited edition vinyl release out April 14 through Anchor and Hope Music


Squeeze to make their Coachella debut with shows April 14 and 21

Catch them live on The Ellen Degeneres Show on April 17

UK pop legends Squeeze have announced that they'll be returning to the States in April for select dates, including their debut performances at Coachella and an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show on April 17. Kicking off in San Diego on April 10, the tour brings them to Coachella on April 14 and 21, along with shows in select US markets (scroll down for complete tour dates). Squeeze will be releasing a limited-edition white vinyl package, Live at the Fillmore, on April 14 through Anchor and Hope Music that will be available only at the band's US tour dates and through their website, SqueezeOfficial.com.

Recorded at the historic Fillmore Theatre in San Francisco in August 2010 and mixed by the legendary Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Rolling Stones), Live at the Fillmore, 20 hits and fan favorites, will also include a download card for all 20 tracks and a bonus download card for Squeeze's 2010 release Spot the Difference/Greatest Hits, as well as a "Spot The Difference" tour poster and Squeeze sticker. Live at the Fillmore will also be available digitally through iTunes, Amazon and eMusic on April 17. Listen to a track, "Mumbo Jumbo," here.

As teenagers on the South London Scene in the 1970s, friends Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook formed Squeeze and became one of the New Wave's few US success stories, with "Tempted" becoming a massive hit in the States. The duo, often referred to as the "New Lennon and McCartney," went on to have a string of US/UK hits, with "Hourglass" also charting in the US. Squeeze's 2010 Anchor and Hope Music release, Spot the Difference, studio recordings of their hits done so faithfully that the band dared you to "spot the difference," brought the band back into the spotlight with performances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Live at the Artist's Den and Live! With Regis and Kelly.


Championed early on by the Velvet Underground's John Cale, who produced their debut EP, Packet Of Three, Squeeze established their position as one of Britain's most beloved bands with 1979's Cool For Cats, setting off a career that would spawn decades and produce hits in the UK and abroad. Albums like Argybargy and the Elvis Costello-produced East Side Story led to a spate of UK hit singles which made their way to discerning US music fans: "Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)," "If I Didn't Love You," "Black Coffee In Bed," "Up The Junction," "Goodbye Girl" and others.

As befits one of the UK's most enduring acts, their witty, kitchen-sink lyricism and clever takes on modern relationships continue to influence current artists, such as Mark Ronson, Kasabian and Lily Allen, with recent covers of their songs including James Mercer's (The Shins) version of "Goodbye Girl" and Belle and Sebastian's take on "Cool for Cats." Squeeze's impressive catalog, with its evergreen, universal appeal, sounds as vibrant as ever, with new fans and old flocking to the band's live shows.

Chris Difford's lyrics and Glenn Tilbrook's music have survived everything over the years, from the ever-changing musical landscape to their own internal reshuffles and acrimonious breakups - but Squeeze is here to stay, still going strong and still loving every moment. Now the subject of a major BBC documentary in the works, Difford and Tilbrook are also working on the first new Squeeze material in over 15 years; stay tuned for updates.

Track listing

01-Take Me I'm Yours

02-Annie Get Your Gun

03-Black Coffee in Bed

04-When The Hangover Strikes

05-LovingYouTonight

06-If It's Love

07-It's So Dirty

08-Goodbye Girl

09-Hope Fell Down

10-If I Didn't Love You

11-Cool For Cats

12-Is That Love

13-Someone Else's Heart

14-Mumbo Jumbo

15-Up The Junction

16-Hourglass

17-Slap And Tickle

18-Tempted

19-Another Nail in My Heart

20-Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)


Squeeze US Tour 2012

TU 4/10 SAN DIEGO, CA HOUSE OF BLUES

WE 4/11 SAN JUAN, CA COACH HOUSE

FR 4/13 LAS VEGAS, NV HOUSE OF BLUES

SA 4/14 INDIO, CA COACHELLA FESTIVAL

SU 4/15 PHOENIX, AZ CRESCENT BALLROOM

TU 4/17 LOS ANGELES, CA LIVE on ELLEN DEGENERES

WE 4/18 NAPA, CA UPTOWN THEATRE

TH 4/19 SAN FRANCISCO, CA THE FILLMORE

SA 4/21 INDIO, CA COACHELLA FESTIVAL

MO 4/23 ENGLEWOOD, NJ BERGEN PAC

WE 4/25 RED BANK, NJ COUNT BASIE THEATRE

TH 4/26 MUNHALL, PA CARNEGIE LIBRARY

FR 4/26 BALTIMORE, MD RAMS HEAD

SA 4/28 NEW YORK CITY, NY ROSELAND



IAN TYSON RELEASES NEW SONGS ON A SPARKLING NEW STONY PLAIN ALBUM

14th album for the Edmonton-based international roots music label comes as All The Good ‘Uns, his 16-year-old “best-of” compilation, finally goes Gold

Canada’s legendary songwriter, Ian Tyson, may be 78, but he’s not slowing down.

He still runs his working ranch in the foothills of the Rockies south of Calgary, he still performs some 40 shows each year, and how he’s released a new album of sparkling new songs.

Raven Singer, his first album in four years, will be released internationally on May 29; it’s his 14th for Stony Plain, the Edmonton-based international roots music label.

The new album comes on the heels of the announcement that his 1996 “best-of” compilation, All the Good ’Uns, finally earned a gold record, indicating sales of more than 50,000 copies.

Tyson, always remembered for classic songs such as “Four Strong Winds,” “Navajo Rug,” “Someday Soon” and “Summer Wages,” made the record over a three-year period, as he wrote the new songs.

Tyson’s songs always have the ring of truth, and his travels have provided the background for two of the 10 remarkable songs — “Under African Skies” and “Back to Baja.” The first is partly travelogue and partly a story of “running from the memories” of a broken relationship. The latter has a distinctly southern Californian feel and is a song that Jimmy Buffett would feel at home singing.

Other songs that maintain his reputation as one of Canada’s most distinctive writers include “Blueberry Susan,” which offers a tribute to the first guitarist he ever heard, and some of the players — Red Shea, Monte Dunn and David Rea —whom he worked with and who passed away since Tyson’s last album. “Charles Goodnight’s Grave” and “Saddle Bronc Girl” are warmly-observed songs of the real West, not the romanticized version shared by weekend cowboys and Nashville “new country” singers. One of the most moving songs on the CD is a new version of “The Circle is Through” which he originally recorded almost 20 years ago with Nashville singer Suzy Bogguss.

Tyson himself says the record is a collection of songs built around the road back from the much-publicized loss of his voice in 2006. “I think I’ve learned how to make my ‘new voice’ work,” he says, and the new record seems to bear out his assertion. Tyson’s voice is less “grainy” that it was on his last album, Yellowhead to Yellowstone, but it carries an emotional punch that suits the new songs he has written.

The album’s Dali-esque cover is by Calgary teacher Paul Rasporich; it depicts a raven’s skull. The title of the CD followed a sweat lodge ceremony at the Nakoda First Nation, near Banff Alberta, when Tyson’s name — Ka-ree-a-hiatha (Raven that Sings) — was chosen.


NOTE: Ian Tyson will join singer and songwriter Corb Lund on stage for five shows — July 9, 10, 11, 14 & 15 —at Calgary’s Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts. The concerts will celebrate 100 Years of Calgary Cowboys, and part of the annual Calgary Stampede celebrations. The two artists are close friends who have performed on each others’ albums.

Information: www.iantyson.com

I’m Your Captain– The Mark Farner Story highlighted in upcoming film

Here is a press release I received earlier today in my inbox and I am sharing it here...


MARK FARNER DOCUMENTARY TO CHRONICLE ROCK ICON’S RISE TO FAME, LEGACY, HEART-RENDING CHALLENGES AND NEW FOUND SUCCESS

A Compelling, Personal Portrait of an American Rock Legend; His Persistent Commitment to His Artistry and His Unyielding Belief That His Child Will Overcome Tragedy

Flagday Productions has announced that production has begun on a documentary that will chronicle the life, successes and struggles of seminal rock & roll icon Mark Farner; an undeniable American rock star and founding member of the legendary band Grand Funk Railroad. Farner, who wrote the majority of the music and performed some of the most-ubiquitous radio hits of the past four decades, continues to perform worldwide.

The film project, dubbed “I’m Your Captain – The Mark Farner Story”, is inspired by the life of a man who ascended the highest pinnacle of stardom in his early 20s, dominated the international music scene for 10 years, became a passionate advocate for Native American issues, military veterans, and the rights of American workers, and along the way became a husband (married 34 years), inventor and devoted father.

Breaking the Beatles record, in 1971, for the fastest ticket sell-out at NY’s historic Shea Stadium (72 hours) , Mark Farner and Grand Funk Railroad sold millions of albums, releasing 13 albums between 1969 and 1983, and recording huge hits like “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)”, “The Loco-Motion”, “Some Kind of Wonderful”, “Bad Time”, “Heartbreaker” “Foot Stompin’ Music” and “We’re an American Band.”

In 2010, Farner’s youngest son, Jesse, became quadriplegic in a tragic summer accident. That instant refocused Farner’s boundless passion and energy to ignite his music career, and along with wife Lesia, has launched a crusade to care and provide for his son. This touching and ironic twist in the life of a man who’s had almost everything gives dramatic perspective and depth to the film and transforms what could have been just another Rock & Roll retrospective into a rich exploration of circumstances that any of us may encounter in life.

Award-winning film maker and director, Vincent Straggas, will weave Farner’s story using archival and new performance footage, interviews with Farner, his family, friends, former band mates and others, along with cinema verite footage of the Farner’s as they manage their day-to-day lives both at home and on the road.

“This is a rich story - this is not your typical rockumentary”, Straggas stresses, “I didn’t want to produce that kind of movie. This is a story about a man that has many layers. Once I heard Mark’s story I knew I had to make this film. It’s about his family, and his fans and the people he touches all over the world. I think a lot of people aregoing to be surprised and inspired by this film. Mark proves that passion is ageless, the director wagers, put any kid up against him and my money’s on Mark.”

Release details will be forthcoming, but a September 2013 date has been tentatively set to commemorate Farner’s 65th birthday and over 40 years as a professional musician. “I’m Your Captain – The Mark Farner Story” will be a feature length film and released theatrically, showing at film festivals worldwide prior to airing on PBS nationwide.

Flagday Productions is welcoming individuals who would like to invest in the production of this film. Contributors may provide funding through a variety of pledge levels in exchange for “perks”, including signed memorabilia, concert tickets, rock n’ roll gear, personal visits with the star, and other unique swag made here in the USA. Investors are welcome and may request special terms. Those interested should contact Executive Producer Joanne Codi, of Stellar Entertainment Group, at 781.526.4252, or email: info@markfarnermovie.com, or alternatively visit the film’s indiegogo fundraising website established for that purpose.

For further information contact Director Vincent Straggas, at Flagday Productions, (781) 760-2468, vstraggas@rcn.com, or visit the film’s website: www.markfarnermovie.com

For more information on Mark Farner visit: www.markfarner.com

Inbox Update: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Rolling Stones, The B-52's

Let's kick things off with an announcement about new music from Neil Young, shall we?


NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE RELEASE AMERICANA ON JUNE 5th


NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE will release a very special album titled AMERICANA on June 5, 2012. AMERICANA is the first album from Neil Young & Crazy Horse in nearly nine years. Crazy Horse is: Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, Poncho Sampedro, and Neil Young.


As you'll see from the track-listing, AMERICANA is collection of classic, American folk songs. In their day, some of these may have been referred to as "protest songs," "murder ballads," or campfire-type songs passed down with universal, relatable tales for everyman.


Some of these compositions which, like "Tom Dooley" and "Oh Susannah," were written in the 1800s, while others, like "This Land Is Your Land" (utilizing the original, widely misinterpreted "deleted verses") and "Get A Job," are mid-20th-century folk classics. It's also interesting to note that "God Save The Queen," Britain's national anthem, also became the de facto national anthem of sorts before the establishment of The Union as we know it until we came to adopt our very own "The Star Spangled Banner," which has been recognized for use as early as 1889 and made our official national anthem in 1931. Each of these compositions is very much part of the fabric of our American heritage; the roots of what we think of as "Americana" in cultural terms, using songs as a way of passing along information and documenting our past.


What ties these songs together is the fact that while they may represent an America that may no longer exist, the emotions and scenarios behind these songs still resonate with what's going on in the country today with equal, if not greater impact nearly 200 years later. The lyrics reflect the same concerns and are still remarkably meaningful to a society going through economic and cultural upheaval, especially during an election year. They are just as poignant and powerful today as the day they were written.


Neil has penned brief historical details about each of the songs on AMERICANA that can be found here.


AMERICANA was produced by Neil and John Hanlon along with Mark Humphreys, and engineered by John Hanlon with John Hausmann and Jeff Pinn. It was recorded at Audio Casa Blanca by John Hanlon.



The track-listing is as follows:

Oh Susannah

Clementine

Tom Dooley

Gallows Pole

Get A Job

Travel On

High Flyin' Bird

She'll Be Comin 'Round The Mountain

This Land Is Your Land

Wayfarin' Stranger

God Save The Queen


Information: www.neilyoung.com



Untitled Rolling Stones documentary film a cinematic journey through the band's evolution from 1963

Release to Coincide with Stones 50th Anniversary

Director Brett Morgen

Eagle Rock Entertainment to release in late 2012

The Rolling Stones captured during a live performance in 1965.


In celebration of the Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary, Eagle Rock Entertainment is pleased to release a groundbreaking and eye-opening documentary, featuring remarkable revelations from the world’s most legendary band. This is the first film to ever trace the evolution of the Rolling Stones’ from 1963, making it the ultimate Stones experience. The film will be showcased in September as part of the Rolling Stones 50th anniversary celebrations.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Rolling Stones and help to bring this extraordinary documentary film to millions of fans,” said Terry Shand, Eagle Rock chairman and CEO.

The film is a cinematic journey through the incredible eye of director Brett Morgen, capturing hours of never-before-seen footage in a rare, uncensored format that reveals the band’s vivid stories told through their eyes and their voices. With paramount access to the band and their materials retrieved from vaults and personal archives, Morgen captures astonishing new interviews and footage. “For anyone who wants to experience the band, this is the film that will defy convention and create a sonic tapestry to transport viewers into the world of the Rolling Stones,” said Morgen, an Academy Award nominee who is known for esteemed work on The Kid Stays in the Picture among many other projects. “The film will deliver the original, bold, sexy and dangerous flavor of the iconic rock band.”

Fans go on the road, in the studio, behind the scenes, and witness each band member’s personal, unfiltered perspective on the legendary life of the Rolling Stones – embarking on a journey through 50 years of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The film is executive produced by the Rolling Stones, produced by Victoria Pearman, co-produced by Morgan Neville and directed by Brett Morgen.

It has previously been announced that Thames & Hudson will release the only official and authorized book The Rolling Stones: 50 to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary on July 12. The book has been possible by privileged access to superb reportage photography from the Daily Mirror’s archive, the largest newspaper collection of Rolling Stones photography, most of it hitherto unseen. This photographic autobiography features images selected by the band accompanied by their own words.


The B-52's: With the Wild Crowd - Live in Athens, GA out now

Thirty-four years into their reign as the World's Greatest Party Band, The B-52's returned to celebrate in the town where it all began -Athens, Georgia. Now this concert is available as the band's first-ever live DVD and Blu-ray, when With The Wild Crowd - Live In Athens, GA; it was released via Eagle Rock Entertainment on March 20, 2012.


With The Wild Crowd! was recorded in the B-52s' hometown at a show that commemorated the band's 34th anniversary of their first-ever live show on Valentine's Day 1977. Wig-wearing, boa-draped, glitter-covered fans came from near and far to celebrate this historic event as the band delivered a sizzling set that turned Athens' Classic Center into a cosmic dance hall.


Filmed in high-definition with DTS Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, this 90-minute set is packed with fan favorites like "Love Shack," "Rock Lobster," "Roam," "Funplex," "Give Me Back My Man," "Private Idaho," and "Planet Claire." With The Wild Crowd! is filled with all the excitement, fervor and energy of a classic B-52s dance party, a showcase for the non-stop, high-octane force of a group that has never lost their youthful and dynamic energy.


Only the B-52s can lay claim to their one-of-a-kind sound. There's certainly no mistaking the signature call-and-response vocal play of singers Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson matched with the unique guitar stylings of Keith Strickland. And with over twenty million albums sold and a nonstop touring schedule, this revolutionary rock band shows no signs of slowing down. The band has just celebrated their 35th Anniversary and has announced plans to embark on a very special 35th Anniversary Tour in Summer 2012, including many co-bill dates with their good friends Squeeze.


Eagle Rock Entertainment released the CD component of With The Wild Crowd - Live In Athens, GA in October 2011.


Track Listing:

1.)Pump

2.)Private Idaho

3.)Mesopotamia

4.)Ultraviolet

5.)Dancing Now

6.)Give Me Back My Man

7.)Funplex

8.)Whammy Kiss

9.)Deadbeat Club

10.) Roam

11.) 52 Girls

12.) Party Out Of Bounds

13.) Love In The Year 3000

14.) Cosmic Thing

15.) Hot Corner

16.) Love Shack

17.) Wig

18.) Strobe Light

19.) Planet Claire

20.) Rock Lobster

Inbox Update: Lisa Marie Presley, Southern Ground Artists, Brandi Carlile

I'm still catching up after my long weekend away catching Radiohead in Arizona and visiting the Grand Canyon, but here are a few things from the far-flung corners of my inbox.

Lisa Marie Presley Announces Release of New Album "Storm and Grace" on May 15

Produced by T Bone Burnett, album marks her Universal Republic/XIX Recordings debut


On May 15, Lisa Marie Presley will release Storm and Grace - her first album in five years and her Universal Republic/XIX Recordings debut. Presley is managed by Simon Fuller, CEO and Founder of XIX Entertainment. The album was produced by 12-time GRAMMY® winner T Bone Burnett and recorded at The Village in Los Angeles. See below for track listing.

Storm and Grace is a marked departure from the hard-edged sound of Presley's earlier albums - 2003's RIAA Gold-certified To Whom It May Concern and 2005's Now What, both of which debuted in the Top 10 of The Billboard 200. The organic instrumentation of Storm and Grace reflects her Southern roots, from the ominous, swampy vibe of lead single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" and "Sticks And Stones" to "Soften The Blows" and the achingly beautiful title track, which evoke the ease of an impromptu back porch jam session.

Presley's smoldering alto is hypnotic in the rootsy opener "Over Me" as she reflects on being replaced in a lover's affections. While Storm and Grace offers an unflinching examination of life and love - beginning with her own shortcomings on "Un-Break" - there is a tender, consoling thread that runs throughout, pointing towards peace and reconciliation. "Weary" may concern a relationship that didn't work out, but it is suffused with a genuine warmth, as Presley sings: "I will always love you/you can move on, dear."

"Just over two years ago, I went to England to attempt to write another record after finding myself in a considerably disheartened and uninspired state creatively. Over an eight-month period, I wrote 30 songs. I was fortunate to be able to write with some incredible artists and singers such as Richard Hawley (from Pulp), Ed Harcourt, Sacha Skarbek and Fran Healy (from Travis), to name a few," recalls Lisa Marie Presley. "Nothing was planned or contrived in any way and out of it came a very organic record that was always inside of me and that I am incredibly proud of. It was a dream come true and such an honor when T Bone liked the songs and produced and played on the record."

"When songs from Lisa Marie Presley showed up at my door, I was curious. I wondered what the daughter of an American revolutionary music artist had to say. What I heard was honest, raw, unaffected and soulful. I thought her father would be proud of her. The more I listened to the songs, the deeper an artist I found her to be. Listening beyond the media static, Lisa Marie Presley is a Southern American folk music artist of great value," says T Bone Burnett.

"Her rich, smoky vocals evoke Sheryl Crow and occasionally bear traces of Courtney Love's ragged disaffection," said Entertainment Weekly of Presley's debut album, To Whom It May Concern, while the Los Angeles Times called the lead single, "Lights Out," "one of the most hauntingly personal songs" of the year. AllMusic.com praised Now What as "genuine...due largely to her willingness to lay herself bare in her music and lyrics." While it may differ sonically, Storm and Grace is equally revealing. The track listing is as follows:

Track Listing - Storm and Grace

1. Over Me
2. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
3. Weary
4. Close To The Edge
5. So Long
6. Un-Break
7. Soften The Blows
8. Storm Of Nails
9. How Do You Fly This Plane?
10. Sticks And Stones
11. Storm and Grace


Zac Brown Band, Sonia Leigh, Wood Brothers bolster free Southern Ground Artist Compilation, Vol. 2

Southern Ground Artists, the record label of two-time GRAMMY Award-winner Zac Brown, is releasing its latest compilation in celebration of Record Store Day 2012 featuring songs by Sonia Leigh, The Wood Brothers, and Blackberry Smoke, among others. The album will also include a live version of "No Hurry," the latest single by Zac Brown Band, currently at #18 on the Billboard Hot Country chart.

Track listing:
1. One More Day (Live) – The Wood Brothers
2. Hard Headed – Nic Cowan
3. Another Day – Dugas
4. Wherever We Break Down – Levi Lowrey
5. Bar (Barroom Radio Mix) – Sonia Leigh
6. Leavin' – The Wheeler Boys
7. Everybody Knows She's Mine – Blackberry Smoke
8. No Hurry (Live) – Zac Brown Band

The compilation will also be distributed via Record Store Day at over 350 indie music stores on April 21, 2012 and at the ACM Awards Fan Jam in Las Vegas (hosted by Zac Brown Band).

During ACM Week, Blackberry Smoke will perform in Las Vegas at Lynyrd Skynyrd's BBQ & Beer (March 31). Blackberry Smoke, Sonia Leigh, and Levi Lowrey will all perform as part of the ACM Experience at the Mandalay Bay Fan Jam (March 30-April 1).

http://www.southerngroundartists.com


Bear Creek, Brandi Carlile's fourth studio album, set for June 5 release by Columbia Records

On June 5, Columbia Records will release singer-songwriter-guitarist Brandi Carlile's fourth studio album, Bear Creek. Carlile, hailed as "the best voice in indie rock" by Paste Magazine, will tour extensively in support of the record. She'll kick off a series of six dates with Dave Matthews Band on June 26 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ and headline the 9,450-seat Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on July 14. Additional tour dates will be announced soon. For further details, visit http://www.brandicarlile.com/events.

Carlile will also perform at "We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash" at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theatre on April 20. The event will also feature such artists as Carolina Chocolate Drops, Kenny Chesney, Chris Cornell, Ronnie Dunn, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Ray LaMontagne, Amy Lee and Lucinda Williams.

"That Wasn't Me," the first single from Bear Creek, will go to radio in early April. The soulful piano-based track showcases the warmth and subtle power of Carlile's vocals. It is the cornerstone of an earthy collection that embraces all of hermusical influences - folk, pop, country, rock, gospel and blues. From the spirited "Hard Way Home" and chilling country blues of "Raise Hell" to the poignant "Rise Again" and ethereal "Just Kids," Carlile manages to be at once plainspoken and poetic. The rich imagery of "Keep Your Heart Young" evokes childhood dreams with such unerring accuracy it is apt to elicit renewed vows to never grow up while "Save Part Of Yourself" and "100" wistfully underscore the lifetime impact of a lost love.

Named for the studio where most of the album was recorded - Bear Creek Studios, which is housed in a converted early 20th century barn near Carlile's hometown of Seattle - it features her longtime band mates: Tim and Phil Hanseroth ("The Twins," who co-wrote many of the songs with Carlile and play guitar and bass respectively), drummer/percussionist Allison Miller and cellist Josh Neumann plus Dave Palmer on keyboards and Jeb Bows on violin and mandolin. Drummer Matt Chamberlain guests on several tracks.

GRAMMY® winning engineer/producer/mixer Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Queens of the Stone Age) and Brandi and The Twins produced the Bear Creek Studios sessions. Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack) and Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, Emmylou Harris) produced three tracks at Tragedy/Tragedy Studios in Nashville, TN.

Bear Creek follows Carlile's 2011 live album, Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony, which the Seattle Times called "breathtaking." It was recorded during the band's sold-out two-night stand at the prestigious venue in November 2010. To date, Carlile has sold over 800,000 albums and has played
over 700 live shows.

Her self-titled debut landed her on Rolling Stone's Top 10 list of artists to watch and she has steadily built a loyal fanbase. Her sophomore album, The Story, was produced by multiple GRAMMY® winner T Bone Burnett and led to a new fan in Elton John. Elton John then appeared on a track on her 2009 album, Give Up the Ghost, which was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin.

Carlile has toured with the likes of Ray LaMontagne, Chris Isaak, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow and long time fan Dave Matthews Band. Her songs have been heard in such television shows as "Grey's Anatomy," "The Good Wife," "American Idol," and "Parenthood," and in advertising campaigns by General Motors (2008 U.S. Olympic ad), Hilton Hotels and JC Penney for Ralph Lauren. In 2008, Carlile established The Looking Out Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports such causes as the Fight The Fear campaign, Honor the Earth, Reverb, the United Nations World Food Programme and the American Diabetes Association.

Track Listing - Bear Creek:

1 - Hard Way Home
2 - Raise Hell
3 - Save Part Of Yourself
4 - That Wasn't Me
5 - Keep Your Heart Young
6 - 100
7 - A Promise To Keep
8 - I'll Still Be There
9 - What Did I Ever Come Here For
10 - Heart's Content
11 - Rise Again
12 - In The Morrow
13 - Just Kids

Radiohead and Other Lives dazzle in Glendale, Arizona

Photos and video by Kim Kinsler

Talk about a one-two punch. On a magical night at Jobing.com Arena in Arizona, both Radiohead and Other Lives delivered performances as magical as they were memorable. What made the double-bill on March 15 even more special was the groundbreaking approach to music making that had the near-capacity crowd cheering unfamiliar material with the enthusiasm of a audience cheering greatest hits at a Bruce Springsteen or Sir Paul stop.

Even from our seats located a good distance from the stage, only a handful of nearby concertgoers sat during Radiohead's 23-song, two-hour set. And most listened and cheered loudly for Other Lives during their 30-minute performance.

My only previous chance to see Radiohead came at an intimate benefit concert in Hollywood, California in January 2010, but that was very different from this show (which was the last stop on the first leg of the American tour). With a set list heavy on recent material (notably King of Limbs), Radiohead performed with equal parts precision and bona fide emotion. The stage itself was bathed in various colors of light while a highly-postioned LCD screen showed each of the band members; additional revolving/rotating screens suspended from above added visual intensity and range to the concert experience.

Across the night, the quintet (assisted on the tour by Portishead drummer Clive Deamer) unleashed epic art rockers such as "Weird Fishes" and "Airbag," as well as haunting acoustic numbers (notably "Give Up the Ghost" which featured singer-guitarist Thom Yorke and guitarist-keyboardist Jonny Greenwood handling that as a duo) with an unnatural ability and authority.

Every fan likely had their favorite moments of the night. Various performances keep flashing through my mind as I write this, including the rocker "Little By Little," piano-anchored "Pyramid Song" (with Greenwood playing his electric guitar with a violin bow), and equally-riveting "How to Disappear Completely" with Yorke's distinctive voice and accompanying acoustic guitar approach growing to include the various textures and symphonic sounds provided by the rest of the band as the song built in power. And who could forget the striking sing-along finale of the night-ending "Paranoid Android," which left me (and countless others) simply floored.

Radiohead also thrilled fans with one of their most recent songs, "Identikit." Check out the video below taken at the Glendale, AZ show:



The night began with a wonderful performance from Oklahoma's Other Lives. The band's sound blended art rock, gypsy folk and world music in something best described as a mix of Dead Can Dance, The Decemberists, Wilco and DeVotchKa. Singer Jesse Tabish, cellist Jenny Hsu (who also provided some effective backup vocals) and the rest of the group will be on the bill with Radiohead at Coachella in April.

If you haven't yet seen Radiohead or Other Lives yet, do yourself a favor (like I did) and catch them in Indio next month.

Radiohead's setlist on March 15, 2012:

Bloom
15 Step
Airbag
Little By Little
Myxomatosis
The Gloaming
Morning Mr. Magpie
Pyramid Song
The Daily Mail
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box
Identikit
Lotus Flower
There There
Feral
Idioteque
How to Disappear Completely (Encore #1)
Kid A
Lucky
Bodysnatchers
Give Up The Ghost (Encore #2)
Reckoner
Paranoid Android

The show at Jobing.com Arena marked the first time "Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box" has been played on this tour, and reportedly the first time it has been played live since 2001. The tour will resume on April 9, 2012 in Seattle, WA at the Key Arena.

Inbox Update: Big Head Todd, Dropkick Murphys

Before I shoot out of town on vacation, here are a few gems on two fantastic live bands I caught for the first time in 2011. Have a great week everybody!

Big Head Todd and the Monsters performed on stage with blues great Charlie Musselwhite at the Doheny Blues Festival on May 22, 2011.

Photos of Big Head Todd courtesy of Bob Steshetz

BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS TO TOUR WITH BARENAKED LADIES’

LOOK FOR THE BAND AT CLUB SHOWS THIS SPRING

Big Head Todd & The Monsters travels this summer with the Barenaked Ladies’ “Last Summer on Earth” tour, also featuring Blues Traveler and Cracker. Launching July 6th at the Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre in Toledo, OH, the much-anticipated tour hits more than 30 arenas and amphitheaters across the country (full itinerary below).

But first, Big Head Todd & The Monsters continue with their winter/spring club tour; their first in over three years. For select stops along the tour, the band has been performing their breakout album, Midnight Radio, live in its entirety. Also on the itinerary: FestEVOL ski mountain stops in Colorado, Vermont and New Hampshire with Guster and others. And as always, it wouldn’t be summer without BHTM’s annual hometown Red Rocks Amphitheatre, this year on June 9th!

Big Head Todd & The Monsters winter/spring tour dates are as follows:

March 14 Greenville SC Handle Bar
March 15 Charleston SC Music Farm
March 16 Charlotte NC The Fillmore
March 18 Crested Butte CO Crested Butte Mountain Resort
co-headline with Guster
March 25 Ludlow VT Okemo Mountain Resort
co-headline with Guster
April 1 Newbury NH Mount Sunapee Resort
co-headline with Guster
April 14 Phoenix AZ McDowell Mountain Music Festival
May 5 Uncasville CT Mohegan Sun Casino
May 12 Myrtle Beach SC House of Blues - Myrtle Beach
June 9 Morrison CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
with special guests Barenaked Ladies
June 16 Sioux City IA Awesome Biker Nights


“Last Summer On Earth” tour stops – with Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & The Monsters and Cracker are as follows:

July 6 Toledo, OH Toledo Zoo Amp
July 7 Rochester, NY Marvin Sands PAC
July 8 Dayton, OH Fraze Pavilion
July 9 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion
July 11 Vienna, VA Wolftrap
July 12 Raleigh, NC Raleigh Amp
July 13 Charlotte, NC Uptown Amp
July 14 Charleston, SC Family Circle Stadium
July 16 Alpharetta, GA Verizon Amp
July 17 Tampa, FL Ask Gary Amp
July 18 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amp
July 20 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods
July 21 Austin, TX ACL at Moody Theat.
July 22 Dallas, TX Gexa Amp
July 24 Albuquerque, NM Sandia Casino
July 25 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre
July 27 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amp
July 28 Las Vegas, NV The Joint @ Hard Rock
July 29 San Diego, CA Harrah’s Rincon
July 31 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery
Aug 2 Boise, ID Botanical Gardens
Aug 3 Redmond, WA Marymoor
Aug 9 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah’s Council Bluffs
Aug 10 West Allis, WI Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
Aug 11 Detroit, MI DTE Amphitheatre
Aug 12 Indianapolis, IN The Lawn @ White River State Park
Aug 14 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
Aug 15 Philadelphia, PA Penn’s Landing
Aug 17 Bethlehem, PA Sands Event Ctr
Aug 18 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
Aug 19 Bangor, ME Bangor Waterfront

Tickets and additional info available at www.lastsummeronearth.com.

A quarter-century is a long time for any band to stick together, but Big Head Todd & The Monsters not only remain intact (singer-guitarist Todd Park Mohr, pictured on left, bassist Rob Squires and drummer Brian Nevin have been at it since their University of Colorado days and keyboardist, steel guitarist and background vocalist Jeremy Lawton joined in 2004) but continue to evolve, fine-tune and surprise. With more than a dozen albums and countless live gigs to their credit, BHTM—with their signature mix of funky rock and blues, soul, country, folk and jazz, Caribbean and African rhythms and more—inspired one newspaper critic to enthuse, “Ah, so this is what a stick of dynamite feels like!”

To read my review of Big Head Todd's performance at the Doheny Blues Fest in 2011, click here.

For more information on Big Head Todd, visit the group's official Web site.

DROPKICK MURPHYS RELEASE NEW CD TODAY!
GOING OUT IN STYLE: FENWAY PARK BONUS EDITION

HOMETOWN MASSACHUSETTS SHOWS RUN MARCH 14-18

Dropkick Murphys have released the Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition CD today - an expanded version of their critically acclaimed Going Out In Style - on Born & Bred Records. The Fenway Park Bonus Edition includes 18 live tracks recorded during two sold-out shows for 40,000 fans at Boston's legendary Fenway Park in September 2011. The two-disc collection also includes a download of the filmed concert. 500 limited edition vinyl copies of the Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition are available for order now at dropkickmurphys.com. A full tracklsting can be found below.

The music video for "Cruel" - featuring live footage from Fenway Park - is set to debut nationally on MTVu March 17, and will air 24 times in a 24 hour period.

Dropkick Murphys are in the midst of performing its annual run of Boston area St. Patrick's Day week shows, including a pair of shows at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA. See below for details. Hometown fans won't be the only ones with a chance to catch the band on St. Patricks Day. Fans from around the country can catch the premiere of "Dropkick Murphys: Live At Fenway" in HD on Palladia TV March 17 at 9 p.m. ET. Look for repeat airings on Palladia through April 7 (check local listings).

The band - Al Barr (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, accordion, whistle, vocals), Ken Casey (lead vocals, bass guitar), Jeff DaRosa (banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, vocals), James Lynch (guitar, vocals), and Scruffy Wallace (bagpipes, tin whistles) - continue their North American St. Patrick's Day Tour through March 24 and will play various overseas festivals in June, including a coveted slot at the UK's 10th annual Download Festival on June 10. See below for the current tour itinerary.

Fenway Park Bonus Edition live CD tracklisting:
1) Hang 'Em High
2) Sunday Hardcore Matinee
3) Deeds Not Words
4) Going Out In Style
5) The Irish Rover
6) Peg O' My Heart
7) Tessie
8) Cruel
9) Climbing A Chair To A Bed
10) Take 'Em Down
11) Devil's Brigade
12) Boys On The Docks
13) The Dirty Glass
14) The State Of Massachusetts
15) Kiss Me I'm Shitfaced
16) Time To Go
17) I'm Shipping Up To Boston
18) T.N.T. (cover)

*The Fenway Park Bonus Edition also features the complete story of Cornelius Larkin by the band's friend and best-selling author Michael Patrick MacDonald (All Souls, Easter Rising). The Cornelius Larkin story is an expansion of MacDonald's Cornelius Larkin obituary that appears in the original Going Out In Style liner notes.

To read my review of Dropkick Murphys' memorable set at the Hootenanny festival in July 2011, click here.