Friday, February 01, 2019

Sights and Sounds: Newly-released and forthcoming albums roundup

I'm still catching up from my long weekend at NAMM and posting coverage. No surprise; there is plenty of news to share!



Mandolin Orange "Redefine American Roots Music For A Younger Generation" (Washington Post) On New Album Tides Of A Teardrop, Out Today On Yep Roc Records

Biggest Headlining Tour To Date Begins Tonight, Most Shows Already Sold Out

Watch Mandolin Orange Perform "The Wolves" on Live From Herehttps://youtu.be/luI3F8_CgaA




Mandolin Orange
Photo by Kendall Bailey
Today, Mandolin Orange's new album Tides Of A Teardrop is out on Yep Roc Records. Tides Of A Teardrop has garnered praise from NPR Music, the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and Paste, who've deemed it "quietly devastating."
To kick off their biggest tour ever, Mandolin Orange will perform a sold-out hometown show tonight at the 2700-capacity Durham Performing Arts Center. Many of the subsequent tour dates are also sold out, including DC, Brooklyn, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. Mandolin Orange will also make their headlining debut at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium later this year and have been announced as a headliner at this year's Pickathon festival. Full tour dates below.
Mandolin Orange are coming off an incredible 2018 that saw them rack up almost 50 million streams from over 5 million fans on Spotify, sell out every single one of their headlining US performances and make new inroads in Europe.

Buy Tides Of A Teardrop HERE
Praise For Mandolin Orange and 'Tides Of A Teardrop'
"Tides of a Teardrop is engineered to settle worried minds, slow the blood and lend an empathetic ear...It's palliative but never boring, sweet but never cloying, worn but never tired." - NPR Music 

"Now a decade into a career that has seen it help redefine American roots music for a younger generation, the duo Mandolin Orange has officially mastered blending engaging storytelling with acoustic elements of bluegrass, folk and country." - Washington Post

"A compelling tale of finding release and joy in spite of darkness and temptation... It's a new step for the band, and one that's rewarding to hear." - Rolling Stone 

"One of roots music's most engaging acts." - Garden & Gun 

"The North Carolina duo appreciate the gentle beauty in well-executed folk, and their Americana-tinted songs are truly calming affairs." - Uproxx

"Quietly devastating... wistful instrumentation sets the bleak, lonely stage for Marlin's plainspoken odes to his mother." - Paste

"Mandolin Orange have long kept up a pace that belies their lithe, organic music." - Guitar Player

"There is an extremely small pool of artists who exist on an entirely different plane. Those whose music is transcendent, transformative, and pure magic. Mandolin Orange exists on that latter plane." - Red Line Roots
Mandolin Orange Tour Dates
2/1 - Durham Performing Arts Center - Durham, NC* - SOLD OUT
2/2 - Orange Peel - Asheville, NC* - SOLD OUT
2/4 - Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville, VA* - SOLD OUT
2/6 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA*
2/7 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC* - SOLD OUT
2/8 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY* - SOLD OUT
2/9 - Royale - Boston, MA* - SOLD OUT
2/10 - Higher Ground - Burlington, VT* - SOLD OUT
2/12 - Phoenix Theatre - Toronto, ON*
2/13 - The Ark (early show) - Ann Arbor, MI* - SOLD OUT
2/13 - The Ark (late show) - Ann Arbor, MI* - SOLD OUT
2/14 - Majestic Theatre- Madison, WI* - SOLD OUT
2/15 - First Ave - Minneapolis, MN*
2/16 - Thalia Hall - Chicago, IL* - SOLD OUT
2/17 - Thalia Hall - Chicago, IL%
3/7 - Imperial - Vancouver, BC* - SOLD OUT
3/8 - Mt. Baker Theatre - Bellingham, WA*
3/9 - The Moore - Seattle, WA*
3/10 - The Knitting Factory - Spokane, WA*
3/12 - The Wilma - Missoula, MT*
3/13 - Commonwealth Room - Salt Lake City, UT# - SOLD OUT
3/14 - Washington's - Fort Collins, CO# - SOLD OUT
3/15 - Boulder Theater - Boulder, CO#
3/16 - Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO#
3/17 - Meow Wolf - Santa Fe, NM*
3/19 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ*
3/20 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA*
3/21 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA* - SOLD OUT
3/22 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR* - SOLD OUT
3/23-3/24 - Treefort Music Fest - Boise, ID
4/4 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA^ - SOLD OUT
4/5 - The Saturn - Birmingham, AL^ - SOLD OUT
4/6 - Duling Hall - Jackson, MS^
4/7 - 1884 Lounge - Memphis, TN^
4/9 - Delmar Hall - St. Louis, MO^ - SOLD OUT
4/10 - Madrid Theatre - Kansas City, MO^
4/11 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX^
4/12 - Old Settlers Music Festival - Austin, TX
4/13 - Heights Theater - Houston, TX^
4/14 - Tower Theatre - Oklahoma City, OK^
4/16 - Taft Ballroom - Cincinnati, OH^ - SOLD OUT
4/17 - Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY^
4/18 - Walker Theatre - Chattanooga, TN^
4/20 - Bijou Theatre - Knoxville, TN^ - SOLD OUT
5/1 - Ampere - Munich, DE
5/2 - Lido - Berlin, DE
5/3 - Nochtspeicher - Hamburg, DE
5/4 - Folk a Rock - Malmo, SE
5/5 - Slaktkyrkan - Stockholm, SE
5/7 - John Dee - Oslo, NO
5/8 - Pustervik - Gothenburg, SE
5/10 - Oosterpoort - Groningen, NL
5/11 - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, NL
5/12 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, NL
5/13 - Dok - Ghent, BE
5/14 - Les Etoiles - Paris, FR
5/15 - Islington Assembly Hall - London, UK
6/1 - Blue Ridge Music Center with Winston-Salem Symphony - Galax, VA
8/2-8/4 - Pickathon - Happy Valley, OR
8/18 - Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots - Manchester, VT
9/7 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN


*Mapache opens
%Joe Pug opens
#Martha Scanlan opens
^Charlie Parr opens

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YNGWIE MALMSTEEN AND MASCOT RECORDS ANNOUNCE MARCH 29, 2019
GLOBAL RELEASE DATE FOR NEW STUDIO ALBUM BLUE LIGHTNING
To Stream Lyric Video For “Sun’s Up Top’s Down” Click Here:

Yngwie Malmsteen will release BLUE LIGHTNING globally on March 29 via Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group.  To call Yngwie Malmsteen a 'maestro' or 'virtuoso' is to state the obvious. But such terms don't do sufficient justice to either his talent or impact. There are innumerable guitarists who have copied a small part of the vast musical spectrum that defines him, but nobody comes close to achieving what he has over a period of nearly four decades.
 
This man is an undoubted pioneer, someone whose style and creativity has inspired so many others. While he first came to everybody's notice in Los Angeles with Steeler's self-titled album (1983), followed by Alcatrazz's 'No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll' the same year and 'Live Sentence' ('84), it's been what he's done since in a distinguished and far ranging career as a solo performer and band leader that has momentously shown Malmsteen's craft and worth as one of the elite guitarists on the planet. Combining skills that span a vast spectrum of inspirations, he stands as a giant, melding melody, technique and an epic scope in a unique and inclusive fashion.
Now, with Blue Lightning, the man highlights not only his enduring dexterity and diversity, but also pays homage to those from the Blues world who have fueled his artistic spirit for so long.
“I have always played around with old songs, both live and also in the studio. I did a similar album called Inspirationa while ago (1996), and it was Mascot who came to me and suggested I do a Blues record.”
“Now, I grew up in a classically trained family, and people know me for playing in what is called a neo classical style. But when I got a guitar for my fifth birthday, what I would try to emulate were John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers – I would jam along to what they did on record with Eric Clapton ('Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton' album). That's something people don't realize about me – I do have a strong interest in the Blues. So, when Mascot came to me with the suggestion of doing an album of songs in this style, it didn't faze me at all. In fact, it seemed so natural.”
What Malmsteen has done here is combine choices which might seem almost obvious with some that will turn heads.  He shares, “There were songs that were immediately clear I wanted to do. These were the likes of “Purple Haze” and “Smoke On The Water” which I have been playing since I was a kid. But then I also went for something like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” which I wasn't sure I could do. In this case, it's about trial and error.  I am delighted that I was able to do justice to the original.”
Anyone who is expecting Malmsteen to copy exactly the way the original versions sound is in for a shock. Because that is not what he has done.  He reflects, “I have never been one of those people who wants to sit down and mimic the way in which a song sounds on record. I don't see the point in doing that. If all you want to hear is a song the way you remember it, then the originals are there for you. What I have done is add in my own vibe and personality, while paying tribute to what you already know. That way I feel I am being myself, yet also being respectful to those artists.”
One thing this album has allowed Malmsteen to do is to challenge himself, which is certainly the case of Eric Clapton's “Forever Man.”  He offers, “I heard this on the radio, and honestly I didn't know whether I could do it for this album. But I sat down and tried things, and they worked out. I had to rise to the occasion and am delighted to have done exactly that.”  This track showcases not only Malmsteen's celebrated guitar qualities, but also his maturing individual vocal confidence.  He reflects, “On the singing side with 'Forever Man,' I did it all in one take. I got the lyrics through, went into the studio, and just got them done. I am not someone who likes to do take after take. I feel you should be able to get it right the first time around.  That applies to the vocal parts and also my guitar playing. And for the most part, this is the way I did Blue Lightning.”
The man has also paid homage to a particular favorite.  He shares, “When I was ten years old, I got Deep Purple's Fireballalbum, which I have always thought was very undervalued. And the song that really killed me was 'Demon's Eye.’ And I was very keen to do it for the album. Thankfully, the key was just right for my voice, and I had so much fun doing it. In fact, I would say that I had a great time doing all the songs here.”
Aside from the covers, there are also four original tracks included. And these clearly bring to the fore Malmsteen's abiding love for the Blues, as well as his capacity for doing interpretations possessed of emotion and depth.  He offers, “I have always featured songs with a Blues groove on albums. So, having my own material in this vein was very natural for me.”
The album is self-produced, and Malmsteen has followed a traditional manner in the way this was recorded.  He shares, “In the old days, a band would go into the studio, do a couple of songs, then go out on tour, before returning to the studio to do a couple more new tracks. That's the way I did things this time. I have been so busy on the road in recent times that it was the most pragmatic way to do the album. In all, it took me about ten months to get it done, but by going in the studio in between touring commitments, I feel it kept everything fresh.”
The complete track listing includes “Blue Lightning,” “Foxey Lady,” “Demon’s Eye,” “1911 Strut,” “Blue Jean Blues,” “Purple Haze,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Sun’s Up Top’s Down,” “Peace, Please,” “Paint It Black,” “Smoke On The Water,” and “Forever Man.”
Confirmed appearances include:
4/13     Dayton, OH                                                    Oddbody’s
4/25     New Orleans, LA                                            House of Blues
4/26     Houston, TX                                                   Warehouse Live
4/27     Dallas, TX                                                      Gas Monkey Live!
4/28     San Antonio, TX                                             Vibes Event Center
5/01     Tempe, AZ                                                      Marquee Theatre
5/02     Tucson, AZ                                                     Rialto Theatre
5/03     Santa Clarita, CA                                           The Canyon Events Center
5/04     San Diego, CA                                                House of Blues
5/05     Anaheim, CA                                                  House of Blues
5/07     Fresno, CA                                                     The Tower Theatre
5/08     Las Vegas, NV                                               House of Blues Las Vegas
5/09     Montclair, CA                                                 The Canyon Events Center
5/10     Vallejo, CA                                                     Empress Theatre
5/11     Pasadena, CA                                                 The Rose
5/14     Denver, CO                                                     The Oriental Theater
5/15     Lincoln, NE                                                    Royal Grove
5/16     St. Charles, IL                                                 Arcada Theatre
5/17     Turtle Lake, WI                                              St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake
5/18     Sioux City, IA                                                Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City
5/22     New York, NY                                               PlaysStation Theater
5/23     Derry, NH                                                       Tupelo Music Hall
5/24     Old Saybrook, CT                                           The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
5/25     Ardmore, PA                                                  The Ardmore Music Hall
5/29     Sellersville, PA                                               Sellersville Theater
5/30     Ridgefield, CT                                                Ridgefield Playhouse
5/31     Hartford, CT                                                   Infinity Music Hall
6/01     Niagara Falls, NY                                           Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
6/02     Sayreville, NJ                                                 Starland Ballroom
6/04     Milwaukee, WI                                               The Pabst Theater
6/05     Lexington, KY                                                Manchester Music Hall
6/06     Atlanta, GA                                                    The Masquerade
6/07     Clearwater, FL                                                Capitol Theatre
6/08     Orlando, FL                                                    The Plaza Live
For more information contact:
Steve Karas
SKH Music
ART: http://www.mascot-provogue.com/download/yngwie_malmsteen/




SAVOIR ADORE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
FULL BLOOM OUT APRIL 5, 2019

BAND SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “BLOOM” VIA CLASH

European Tour With The Midnight Starts February 22nd In Norway

“Dazzling songwriting with a pop bent…the sound of two people truly finding their role, and working with relentless confidence...

a stunning video...a story of empowerment set in a community whose voice is often sidelined, it's a bold offering." -- Clash

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez

February 1, 2019 – Brooklyn’s Savoir Adore have announced their full-length album, Full Bloom, will be released on April 5th. They shared this news with the premiere of the official video for new single“Bloom” via Clash. Additionally, the band will join The Midnight on their European tour, starting February 22 in Norway and ending with two shows in London on March 5 and 6.

Savoir Adore released First Bloom in the fall, giving fans the first taste of an album that signifies a new beginning for the band, one that sees founder Paul Hammer solidify his musical partnership with Lauren Zettler. Of the first half of the album, Billboard.com said "Inviting the listener into a synth-filled sonic head trip … the album explores the undeniable chemistry between the duo and their aptitude for pairing velvety beats and feel-good melodies.”

In continuing with the theme of new beginnings, Savoir Adore’s new single “Bloom” is the centerpiece of the full album.

Paul says of the song and music video, “’Bloom’ represents so much to us - change, discovery, growth, becoming. A lot of times we have visuals in our mind when we’re writing songs, and this song really made us think about those who go through deep transformations and change in their lives.

Ben Philippo [director] approached us with the idea of following a young man’s entrance into the world of drag performance in a small club called Jacques' in Boston. It was perfect, especially as he was able to capture real performers in their day-to-day lives.

It’s a pretty specific experience that encapsulates the whole idea of ‘finding yourself.’ When Patty looks at the camera and says ‘baby, we're about to bloom,’ both Lauren and I felt so much.

It's an honor to have such a beautiful story and visual accompany the song.”


 
 
 


GEORGE STRAIT ANNOUNCES 30th STUDIO ALBUM –HONKY TONK TIME MACHINE – DUE OUT MARCH 29

New Song “God and Country Music” Available Now

Strait to Vegas Sees 21st and 22nd Sold-Out Shows this Weekend; Due to Overwhelming Demand Adds Second Show in Fort Worth, Texas for Saturday, November 23
Tickets on Sale Friday, February 8, 2019


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Friday, February 1, 2019) – Iconic entertainer and King of Country Music George Strait announces today his brand-new album Honky Tonk Time Machine due out Friday, March 29 on MCA Nashville. Comprised of 12 original titles plus Strait’s version of the Johnny Paycheck classic “Old Violin,” Honky Tonk Time Machine marks an incredible 30th career studio album for Strait. Strait, who produced the album alongside Chuck Ainlay, wrote eight of the 13 tracks including “Sing One with Willie” featuring Willie Nelson that the pair happily debuted at a recent Nashville show marking the first time the two country icons have ever shared the stage.

The Honky Tonk Time Machine album pre-order is available HERE and fans can hear new songs “Código” and “God and Country Music” now HERE. “God and Country Music,” written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna, introduces a very special vocal guest, Strait’s grandson, Harvey Strait.

“I’m really excited to have some new music coming out,” shares Strait. “It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record. It was great writing with Bubba and Dean again and creating such a beautiful song with Bubba and Jeff Hyde. Also, it was a very special thing for me to be able to write and sing one with the legend Willie Nelson. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Honky Tonk Time Machine as much as I enjoyed making it.” 

The album news comes just ahead of Strait’s 21st and 22nd sold out Strait to Vegas shows at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this weekend.

Honky Tonk Time Machine track listing:
1. “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
2. “Two More Wishes”
Written by Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon
3. “Some Nights”
Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Phillip White
4. “God and Country Music” (with Harvey Strait)
Written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna
5. “Blue Water”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
6. “Sometimes Love”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
7. “Código”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
8. “Old Violin”
Written by Johnny Paycheck
9. “Take Me Away”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
10. “The Weight of the Badge”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
11. “Honky Tonk Time Machine”
Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Bart Butler
12. “What Goes Up”
Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Jeff Hyde
13. “Sing One with Willie” (featuring Willie Nelson)
Written by George Strait, Willie Nelson, Bubba Strait and Buddy Cannon

With an unmatched 60 singles hitting the top of the charts – more than any other artist in any genre – during the span of his 30-year career, Strait is the undeniable “King of Country Music.” He has collected 33 Platinum or multi-Platinum-selling albums, more than any country artist and ranking third across all genres behind only The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait is the only act in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades and has sold nearly 70 million albums and earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards, including induction in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
  

This weekend, the Country Music Hall of Famer will play his 21st and 22nd sold-out shows at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The “Strait to Vegas” series began with six shows in 2016 and extended with 10 more in 2017. In 2018, Strait headlined Bayou Country Superfest to a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Superdome crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, two nights in Tulsa, Oklahoma and one night in Austin, Texas.
 This year, fans can catch Strait at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on March 30, Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on June 8, two additional engagements of “Strait to Vegas” at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on August 23 and 24 and Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas on November 22 and, due to overwhelming demand, has added a second show on November 23, with tickets going on sale Friday, February 8 at ticketmaster.comFor more information, visit www.GeorgeStrait.com.




LOU DOILLON’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED
THIRD ALBUM SOLILOQUY OUT NOW
VIA BARCLAY/VERVE
MUSIC VIDEO FOR “IT’S YOU (FEAT. CAT POWER)” DEBUTS

2019 TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED


“…utterly genuine: her music bleeds
heart-on-the-sleeve emotion.”
 
 “The model/actress-turned-musician spent
much of her childhood writing songs in English,
and a listen to the content she’s producing makes it
clear that she’s inherited a talent all her own.”
 “…too smart for it all, a thoughtful and
broad-minded woman who seems, at her
essence, unafraid. She is wise, she is thoughtful,
she is resolute, and that’s all fully present in the
music, which has a timelessness about it, as
well as a patina of experience.”

“So cool it hurts”
Parisian singer-songwriter, actress, model and artist Lou Doillon’s highly anticipated album, Soliloquy, is out today—listen/share HERE. Along with the release of the record, Doillon’s music video for her latest single “It’s You (feat. Cat Power) is available now. Watch/share the video HERE.
The track has received rave reviews from the likes of UPROXX, who proclaims, “The reigning queens of haunting love songs, Doillon and Cat Power’s voices are a match in ghostly, melancholy heaven. Their gorgeous harmonies shine over a minimalist acoustic melody, with the two singers’ voices interlocking in complex ways, alternately echoing and singing,” while Stereogum furthers, “The track is an acoustic duet featuring both of their voices swirling around each other.”
Following the global success of 2016’s Lay Low and her 2012 breakout debut, Places, which earned her a French Grammy for Female Artist of the Year, Soliloquy finds Doillon teaming up for the first time with multiple producers on a single album: Cat Power, Taylor Kirk of Timbre Timbre, Benjamin Leabeau of The Shows and Dan Levy of art-pop duo The dø. “I had a desire to be more up front,” she says of this new process. “Working with different people in different studios and with the different energies has brought something richer than when I worked with one producer. Extremes. I made the link between them.”
Of the music, Doillon furthers, “With some songs, I think I was going towards something…and then it became something completely different. I am a kid of the Eighties and was listening to Nineties music: Massive Attack and Les Rita Mitsouko. The Slits too. I was raised at one point in my teens in the Caribbean and the only music we had was reggae. I had a desire to reconnect with these roots. I still love Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and Nick Drake. Let’s channel it all.”
Most recently, Doillon released a music video for the track “Burn,”—watch/share it HERE. Additionally, she and her band will tour widely in support of the album, with U.S. dates to be announced in early 2019.
Doillon grew up on theater stages, cinema sets and in front of some of the most renowned photographers’ camera lenses. At 30 she composed her debut LP, Places, which went double platinum in France, earned her a Victoire de la Musique (the French Grammy) for Female Artist of the Year and sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. She has since shared stages with artists including John Cale, Pete Doherty, Animal Collective, Jarvis Cocker, John Grant and Richard Hawley, and toured the world playing festivals and headlining venues in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Belgium, Australia and more. Notable television appearances include “CBS This Morning: Saturday” in the U.S. and “Later with Jools Holland” in the U.K.
SOLILOQUY TRACKLIST
1. Brother
2. The Joke
3. All These Nights
4. Last Time
5. Too Much
6. It’s You (feat. Cat Power)
7. Burn
8. Flirt
9. Nothings
10. Soliloquy
11. Windows
12. Snowed In

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