New Music: Ted Russell Kamp, Breezers, Leo Lyons' Hundred Seventy Split

New albums featuring singer-songwriter great Ted Russell Kamp, genre-defying Breezers and Ten Years After bassist Leo Lyons are available now. 

Artist: Ted Russell Kamp

Title: California Son (KZZ Records/Blue Elan)

You might like if you enjoy: Shooter Jennings, Merle Haggard, Nils Lofgren, John Mellencamp, I See Hawks in L.A.

Tell me more: Grammy-winning musician Ted Russell Kamp is back with this latest masterwork (California Son), a wonderful full length tribute to Los Angeles and Southern California. Kamp recruited a parade of musical friends to help complete the ambitious project and those top-tier contributions enhance California Son across the disc. The breezy autobiographical title track, infectious "Hard to Hold" (a co-write with Eli Wulfmeier), the countrified "Shine On" (the latter a shining collaboration with I See Hawks in L.A.), rootsy "High Desert Fever," rollicking country rocker "Miracle Mile" and captivating closer "Every Little Thing" are among the standouts on this stellar 12-track set. Information: tedrussellkamp.com.

Artist: Breezers

Title: Hideaway (Blackbird/Indie AM Gold)

You might like if you enjoy: Bright Eyes, Mazzy Star, M Ward, Beck's "Morning Phase" and "Sea Change"

Tell me more: Blending folk, Americana and Mazzy Star-tinged dreamscapes, Breezers — the moniker for Los Angeles singer-songwriter Evan apRoberts — has returned with the bewitching album Hideaway. This is an album that is as much about the luxurious moodscape as the individual songs and nuanced musicianship; the 12-track album is a truly sumptuous listen. According to the artist, the album's far-flung influences are pulled from his successful visual arts practice; apRoberts notes "I find much inspiration in the philosophies, writing and sensibilities of the Beats, The Dirty Realists, the Romantic poets from the early nineteenth century, and Ken Kesey." Highlights include the magical opener "The Last Rung," Baroque pop sortie "No Problem," Laurel Canyon-mining "Cemetery," the country-tinged "Caldera Nights," lovely "Dirt Road Dirtbag," and genre-blending foray "Mountain Lion." The album closes with "Caverns Reveal," a song apRoberts wrote back in 2007; the swirling original features apRoberts' talents on lead vocals, guitars, mandolin and banjitar. Co produced by apRoberts and Graeme Gibson, Hideaway is a sonic treasure worthy of discovery. Information: breezersmusic.com.

Artist: Leo Lyons' Hundred Seventy Split

Title: Movin' On (Flatiron Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Ten Years After, Black Country Communion, Bad Company

Tell me more: The legendary founding bassist of British blues heroes Ten Years After, bassist Leo Lyons, has released his first-ever solo effort (Movin' On) via his new project Leo Lyons' Hundred Seventy Split. The path to the completion of the album was not easy; Lyons along with singer-guitar great Joe Gooch and drummer Damon Sawyer originally booked studio time for March 2020 but the arrival of the pandemic delayed the recording of the Lyons-produced album for more than two years. The album's apt title Movin' On was result of Lyon's outlook that the world moving beyond the dark isolation of COVID to a better period. Indeed, the 10-track disc exudes a positive musical spirit in line with the best of British blues rock. The grooving "Walking in the Devil's Shoes," swinging blues gem "It's So Easy to Slide" (the latter bolstered by Gooch's speedy fret work), classic rock-styled "Heart of a Hurricane" and "Black River," and fiery closer "Time To Kill" are among the marvelous cuts on Movin' On. Information: hundredseventysplit.com.

Robert Kinsler

Creed's multi-platinum-selling ‘Greatest Hits’ set to make its wide debut on vinyl

American rockers Creed's multi-platinum-selling "Greatest Hits" is set to make its debut on vinyl on May 24, 2024...Robert Kinsler 

The 13-track collection spans the GRAMMY®-winning band’s first three albums and features such enduring favorites as “Higher,” “With Arms Wide Open,” “One Last Breath,” “My Own Prison,” and “My Sacrifice”

 

Recently reunited band set to tour throughout the year, including headlining spots on the Summer of ’99 Cruise and Summer of ’99 Tour

Los Angeles, CA (March 26, 2024)—As CREED readies to embark on their first headlining shows in more than a decade, Craft Recordings celebrates the recently reunited band and their enduring catalog of music with the first wide vinyl release of their multiplatinum-selling Greatest Hits collection. Originally issued in 2004 as a limited-edition pressing, the 13-track compilation spans the GRAMMY and American Music Award-winning band’s first three albums (1997’s My Own Prison, 1999’s Human Clay, and 2001’s Weathered) and features such chart-topping singles as “Higher,” “One Last Breath,” “With Arms Wide Open,” and “My Sacrifice.” As a special bonus, the 2-LP set features an etching on Side D that mirrors the cover art.   Arriving May 24 and available for pre-order today, Greatest Hits can also be found in a variety of limited exclusives, including Green Smoke vinyl (via CREED’s official store), Orange Smoke (Craft Recordings), Red Smoke (Target), Gray Smoke (Best Buy), and Blue Smoke (Walmart).The collection is also available to stream/download now.   To gear up for the reunion, the band are remastering their iconic music videos in HD. Head to CREED’s official YouTube channel to watch the newly restored video for “Higher,” and stay tuned for more to special announcements to follow.   ***   With over 53 million albums sold worldwide, CREED remains one of modern rock’s most successful acts. Formed in 1994 by the prolific writing team of Scott Stapp (vocals) and Mark Tremonti (guitar), plus bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips, the Tallahassee, FL band skyrocketed to international fame, thanks to their winning combination of anthemic hooks, rousing guitar riffs, and introspective lyricism.   Greatest Hits captures CREED’s unparalleled journey through memorable singles from their first three albums. The collection opens with selections from the band’s 1997 debut, My Own Prison. The album, which was later certified 6x Platinum, introduced CREED with tracks like “One,” “What’s This Life For,” and “My Own Prison”—all of which broke the Top Ten of Billboard’s Alternative and Mainstream Rock charts. With more than 15 million copies sold worldwide, My Own Prison stands among the most successful debuts of all time.   The story continues with 1999’s Human Clay. One of the best-selling albums of all time in the US, the Diamond-certified LP made CREED one of the biggest acts in the world, thanks to such stratospheric hits as “With Arms Wide Open,” which earned a GRAMMY for Best Rock Song and marked the band’s first No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Higher,” which spent an astonishing 57 weeks on the US pop chart, where it peaked at No.7. The album, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, also includes the fan favorites “What If” (featured in the soundtrack to Scream 3) and “Are You Ready.”   2001’s Weathered—which marked the band’s final studio album until 2009’s Full Circle—found CREED pushing the boundaries of their work through deeply personal lyricism and some of their heaviest material yet, including the Top 10 hits “My Sacrifice” and “One Last Breath,” as well as tracks like “Bullets” and “Weathered.” The album, which sat atop the US charts for a historic consecutive eight-week run, has since been certified 6x Platinum.   Now, 30 years into their incredible journey, CREED are bigger than ever. Late last year, the Texas Rangers made “Higher” their unofficial anthem, as it spurred them to their first World Series win. More recently, the song appeared in a high-profile Paramount+ Super Bowl commercial, while a NASCAR Daytona 500 campaign also incorporates the hit single. Along the way, CREED have gained a new generation of fans, thanks to countless TikTok videos that feature their songs.   In July 2023, after an 11-year hiatus, CREED announced their long-awaited reunion. In the months ahead, fans will have multiple opportunities to see the band live, beginning with a headlining spot on the sold-out Summer of ’99 Cruise. They’ll continue their headlining run on the Summer of ’99 Tour, where they will be joined by such acts as Finger Eleven, 3 Doors Down, Hinder, Fuel, and Daughtry. Later this year, CREED look forward to celebrating the 25th anniversary of Human Clay, while touring North America throughout the end of the year. Scroll down to see a complete list of dates, or visit the band’s official website for tickets and more info.   Click here to pre-order or stream/download CREED’s Greatest Hits.

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann     CREED’s Greatest Hits Track Listing:   Side A: 1.  Torn 2.  My Own Prison 3.  What's This Life For 4.  One Side B: 1.  Are You Ready? 2.  Higher 3.  With Arms Wide Open 4.  What If Side C: 1.  One Last Breath 2.  Don't Stop Dancing 3.  Bullets 4.  My Sacrifice 5.  Weathered   CREED 2004 Tour Dates 4/18 – 4/21 - Summer of ’99 Cruise 4/27 – 5/1 - Summer of ’99 Cruise 7/17 - Green Bay, WI (Resch Center) 7/19 - Monticello, IA (Great Jones County Fair) 7/20 - Walker, MN (Moondance Events) 7/23 - Simpsonville, SC (CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park) 7/24 - Charlotte, NC (PNC Music Pavilion) 7/26 - Bristow, VA (Jiffy Lube Live) 7/27 - Virginia Beach, VA (Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach) 7/30 - Toronto, ON (Budweiser Stage) 7/31 - Detroit, MI (Pine Knob Music Theatre) 8/2 - Cincinnati, OH (Riverbend Music Center) 8/3 - Burgettstown, PA (The Pavilion at Star Lake) 8/6 - Bridgeport, CT (Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater) 8/7 - Holmdel, NJ (PNC Bank Arts Center) 8/9 - Maryland Heights, MO (Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis) 8/10 - Noblesville, IN (Ruoff Music Center - Indianapolis) 8/13 - Nashville, TN (Ascend Amphitheater) 8/14 - Pelham, AL (Oak Mountain Amphitheatre) 8/16 - Tinley Park, IL (Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre) 8/17 - Welch, MN (Treasure Island Amphitheater) 8/20 - Gilford, NH (BankNH Pavilion) 8/21 - Mansfield, MA (Xfinity Center) 8/23 - Hershey, PA (Hersheypark Stadium) 8/24 - Saratoga Springs, NY (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) 8/31 - San Bernardino, CA (Glen Helen Amphitheater) 9/1 - Wheatland, CA (Toyota Amphitheatre) 9/4 - Phoenix, AZ (Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre) 9/6 - West Valley City, UT (Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre (formerly USANA)) 9/7 - Greenwood Village, CO (Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre) 9/10 - Rogers, AR (Walmart AMP) 9/11 - Dallas, TX (Dos Equis Pavilion) 9/13 - San Antonio, TX (Frost Bank Center) 9/14 - Houston, TX (The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Houston) 9/16 - Brandon, MS (Brandon Amphitheater) 9/18 - Raleigh, NC (Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek) 9/20 - Tampa, FL (MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre) 9/21 - Palm Beach County, FL (iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre) 9/24 - Jacksonville, FL (Daily's Place) 9/25 - Alpharetta, GA (Ameris Bank Amphitheatre) 9/27 - Corfu, NY (Darien Lake Amphitheater) 9/28 - Atlantic City, NJ (Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena) 11/2 - Oklahoma City, OK (Paycom Center) 11/3 - North Little Rock, AR (Simmons Bank Arena) 11/6 - Kansas City, MO (T-Mobile Center) 11/8 - Nashville, TN (Bridgestone Arena) 11/9 - Biloxi, MS (Mississippi Coast Coliseum) 11/12 - Corpus Christi, TX (American Bank Center Arena) 11/13 - Fort Worth, TX (Dickies Arena) 11/15 - Austin, TX (Moody Center) 11/16 - Bossier City, LA (Brookshire Grocery Arena) 11/19 - Grand Rapids, MI (Van Andel Arena) 11/20 - Detroit, MI (Little Caesars Arena) 11/22 - Cleveland, OH (Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) 11/23 - Baltimore, MD (CFG Bank Arena) 11/25 - Montréal, QC (Bell Centre) 11/27 - Toronto, ON (Scotiabank Arena) 11/29 - New York City, NY (Madison Square Garden) 11/30 - Bangor, ME (Cross Insurance Center) 12/2 - Allentown, PA (PPL Center) 12/4 - Atlanta, GA (State Farm Arena) 12/5 - Orlando, FL (Kia Center)   About CREED: The GRAMMY® and American Music Award-winning CREED formed in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1994. The more than one billion streams between “Higher,” “My Sacrifice,” “One Last Breath,” “With Arms Wide Open,” and “My Own Prison” on Spotify alone is a testament to the band’s enduring power. Nearly 30 years after CREED’s formation, the ubiquitous anthems composed by singer Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti, performed for millions of fans around the world together with drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall, are part of modern rock and alternative’s DNA. My Own Prison (1997) is one of the late 20th century’s biggest debuts. Human Clay (1999) and Weathered (2001) both entered the Billboard 200 chart at No.1. Full Circle (2009), released after a hiatus, bowed at No.1 on the Top Rock, Hard Rock, and Alternative charts and No.2 on the Billboard 200. With more than 53 million albums sold worldwide, CREED stands alongside iconic bands like Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica as one of an elite few hard rock outfits to earn RIAA Diamond-certified status, for more than 11 million sales of Human Clay in the United States. After an eleven-year hiatus, CREED officially reunited in July 2023 and announced that they would be headlining two different Summer of '99 cruise festivals in April 2024 which resulted in immediate sell-outs and more North American tour dates this year. For more information, visit Creed.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.   About Craft Recordings: Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay, Victory, and Wind-Up, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord.   For more information, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Maurice White's final recordings featured in 'Manifestation' CD Out On May 3 via Omnivore Recordings

 Maurice White’s Manifestation audio CD to be released on May 3, 2024 via Omnivore Recordings

Features final recordings from the Earth, Wind & Fire founder and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winner,

Including six previously unissued tracks

Recorded with award-winning Producer Preston Glass

March 25, 2024: Omnivore Recordings has announced the CD release of Maurice White’s Manifestation, the final set of recordings from the Earth, Wind & Fire founder and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winner. Recorded with award-winning producer/songwriter Preston Glass, the album features 6 previously unissued tracks.

As a teenager, Maurice White studied at the Chicago Conservatory of Music while playing in bands around town. Later, he became a session drummer at Chess Records where he appeared on records by Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Chuck Berry, Etta James and more! In 1966 he left Chess to join the Ramsey Lewis Trio, staying with them for the next three years and a series of album releases (and winning a Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Group for their track, “Hold It Right There”) until 1969, when he joined two friends, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead to form a songwriting team. They moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and changed their name to Earth, Wind & Fire.

Earth, Wind & Fire sold over 100 million records, and won countless accolades: inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and garnered four American Music Awards and seven Grammys (out of 17 nominations), including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

White was also a sought-after producer, player and songwriter. His credits include songs, albums and sessions for Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Ramsey Lewis, Pieces Of A Dream, Minnie Riperton, Barry Manilow, Jennifer Holliday, Deniece Williams, The Emotions, Walter Hawkins, The Tubes, Atlantic Starr, and many more. His remarkable career included solo albums, music for feature films, television shows, and a Broadway play.

After releasing a self-titled solo album in 1985, while recording Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1987 release Touch The World, White shared the producer chair with award-winning producer/songwriter Preston Glass. The result was a number one chart hit—“System Of Survival.” From this successful start, Glass and White formed a songwriting bond that lasted for nearly 30 years and resulted in over 40 songs. Three years after White’s untimely passing, 12 of those songs were released digitally as Manifestation.

Now, those 12 songs, along with 6 previously unissued tracks appear for the first time on CD (Digital also available), fully authorized by Kalimba Entertainment and in cooperation with Platinum Garage Recordings and SoulMusic Records. Newly remastered by multiple Grammy-winning Engineer Michael Graves, the musical spirit of Maurice White thrives as his final recordings are available again featuring new, insightful, and heartfelt notes from set co-Producer and British Ambassador of Soul, David Nathan. Manifestation is essential listening for fans of the lifelong work of the brilliant Maurice White.

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/rwBT6qdSBAg

Pre-order: http://www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/manifestation

Manifestations tracklist:

1. Sweet Surrender

2. Panic Button

3. Storybook Love

4. Laid Back Aphrodisiac

5. I Couldn’t Be Me Without You

6. Breakin’ In A Brand New Heart (Interlude)

7. True Love Is Forever

8. Wiggle (Long Version)

9. To The Top

10. Young Hearts

11. You’re Supposed To Say You Love Me

12. Before The Day You Were Born

Previously Unissued Bonus Tracks:

13. Keep Your Faith In Love

14. Can’t Fight This Feelin’

15. Crazy ‘Bout

16. Rekindle The Flame

17. Spiritual High

18. Sincerely