Inbox Update: Lady Antebellum, Alanis Morissette, Kacey Musgraves, John Fogerty, Amy Grant

Here is a roundup of releases pulled from my inbox and re-posted on my blog. I'll kick things off my linking several videos available on VEVO. 

First up, Lady Antebellum's "Goodbye Town."

 

Next up, get a look at her life through a kaleidoscope on the latest from Alanis Morissette’s Havoc and Bright Lights.  Watch the premiere of “Lens” here:




Finally, watch "Blowin' Smoke," a great track off Kacey Musgraves' winning album Same Trailer Different Park:

JOHN FOGERTY 
 

TO PERFORM SPECIAL ONE NIGHT ONLY 
ALBUM RELEASE AND BIRTHDAY BASH SHOW

TUESDAY, MAY 28TH
AT THE EL REY THEATER 
IN LOS ANGELES

LIVE BROADCAST ON AXS TV



 

  

May 14, 2013 --To mark the Tuesday, May 28 release of his much-anticipated new album WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE, JOHN FOGERTY will perform a very special one night only album release and birthday bash concert on the same day at the El Rey in Los Angeles. May 28 also marks the birthday of the Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets for this intimate show will be available Tuesday, May 14 to members of FOGERTY’s fan club via his website:www.johnfogerty.com.  The show, which starts at 8:30 PM Pacific time, will be filmed and broadcast live on AXS TV.

WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE (Vanguard Records) is a celebration of the iconic songbook of one of rock’s most important artists and a national treasure who’s sold over 100 million albums.  Produced by FOGERTY, the album is a collection of 12 classics and deep tracks (Creedence Clearwater Revival and solo material) from his remarkable canon of hits recorded in collaboration with today’s biggest superstars from the country, pop and rock worlds, plus two brand new solo songs.

WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE marks FOGERTY's ninth studio solo album since disbanding Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, it was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville except for "Proud Mary" which was recorded inNew Orleans with Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band.  FOGERTY recorded“Fortunate Son” with Foo Fighters at their 606 studio using "the" legendary Neve recording console featured in the #1 iTunes documentary Sound City.

AXS TV is broadcast on DIRECTV Channel 340, DISH Network Channel 167, AT&T U-Verse Channel 1106, Verizon FiOS Channel 569.   For additional affiliate and distributor channel information including Comcast Xfinity, Charter, Suddenlink and others please visit: www.axs.tv/subscribe

 Wrote a Song for Everyone tracklisting:

1. Fortunate Son (with Foo Fighters)
2. Almost Saturday Night (with Keith Urban)
3. Lodi (with Shane Fogerty and Tyler Fogerty)
4. Mystic Highway (John Fogerty solo)
5. Wrote a Song for Everyone (with Miranda Lambert feat. Tom Morello)
6. Bad Moon Rising (with Zac Brown Band)
7. Long As I Can See the Light (with My Morning Jacket)
8. Born on the Bayou (with Kid Rock)
9. Train of Fools (John Fogerty solo)
10. Someday Never Comes (with Dawes)
11. Who'll Stop the Rain (with Bob Seger)
12. Hot Rod Heart (with Brad Paisley)
13. Have You Ever Seen the Rain (with Alan Jackson)
14. Proud Mary (with Jennifer Hudson feat. Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band)

                       

www.johnfogerty.com
http://www.facebook.com/johnfogerty
https://twitter.com/John_Fogerty
www.vanguardrecords.com

 

Critics Call Amy Grant’s First Full Length Album in 10 Years, How Mercy Looks From Here "Vibrant" and

"One of the Best Albums of the Year"

 

May Media Blitz includes CBS This Morning, NPR’s Weekend Edition, Lifetime TVs The Balancing Act, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, The Better Show, with upcoming stops at ABC’s The View, The Chew and more

 

Nashville, Tenn. (May 14, 2013) – The foundation behind Amy Grant’s first full-length studio album in 10 years came from some advice given to her by her late mother – “sing something that matters.” The six-time GRAMMY® Award winner, who releases her 18th studio album today, May 14 is dedicating How Mercy Looks From Here to her mother and drawing from some of her favorite singers and songwriters in what critics are calling her most impactful release to date.  The impressive array of talent includes Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Will Hoge, Carole King, Eric Paslay and James Taylor.

 

To launch her first album in over a decade, Grant dives in to street week with appearances onCBS This Morning (5/17 and 5/18) and the nationally syndicated lifestyle program, The Better Show (5/17) as well as Morning Joe on MSNBC (5/14), NPR’s “Weekend Edition” (5/12), WOR Radio with Rita Cosby (5/14), ABC Radio, Keep the Faith radio and more. Grant also recently conducted an in depth interview for Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act,” (5/28) as well as their “Hollywood Watch” program (5/31). Additionally, Grant is also scheduled to appear on the highly acclaimed shows The View and The Chewearly this summer.

 

Other media highlights for How Mercy Looks From Here include a special two-part Artist to Artist interview with FUSE NEWS between Grant and Sheryl Crow, an exclusive online video interview for Entertainment Tonight online as well as their featured artist for New Music Tuesday today, exclusive song premieres with Billboard.com andGoodHousekeeping.com, and cover stories with CCM Magazine, Called Magazine,Guideposts, FIRST for Women Magazine, SOCIAL and WHOA magazines.  Additional feature coverage includes Billboard, Country Weekly, People.com, SiriusXM,and more.

 

The album’s lead track, "Don't Try So Hard," features legendary songwriter James Taylor and continues its rise up the AC monitored chart, jumping 4 spots to #25 this week, and up 6 spots on the National Audience chart to #27. 

  

Along with special mother’s day promotions with several stations across the country, additional radio promos for the record are happening with key market stations throughout the country.  Grant is making personal appearances at record listening parties with WAWZ, WGTS, WCIE, and WHPZ, as well as participating in a special promotion with KSBJ, while KXOJ and K-LOVE are both promoting a flyaway to The Greek Theater in Los Angeles to meet Amy and see her live. 

 

Welcoming back the iconic singer-songwriter with open arms, here are just a few of the multitudes of praises on How Mercy Looks From Here:

 

“[Amy’s] time away from music seems to have given [her] a renewed fervor for the job – a feeling that she doesn’t plan to extinguish any time soon.”

- Entertainment Tonight

 

“...her singing has an easy grace that's well served by these songs of love, loss, faith and resilience, which benefit from Marshall Altman's spare, glowing production.”

- USA Today 

 

 “Grant’s most emotionally compelling release since 1988’s “Lead Me On"... proves that sincerity is not overrated and that open-hearted storytelling will outlast any musical fad.”

 

- Atlanta Journal Constitution

 “The revered veteran is at another creative peak punctuated by authentic vocal delivery, understated but sophisticated production and a slew of all-star guests.”

- CCM Magazine

 

“…the songs glow with the gentle redemptive wisdom that is her strong point as a songwriter and singer.”

- iTunes 

 

"...a start-to-finish true album experience... Every song on this album is heart and soul music, and Grant hits a home run in her quest to “sing something that matters.”

- Nashville Parent

 

“A collection of songs that mine the depths of both heart and soul as only Amy can. This is easily one of the best albums of the year.”

- NewReleaseTuesday.com

 

“Ultimately a profoundly encouraging record, How Mercy Looks From Here is a vibrant collection of thoughtful, reflective ruminations on life and the passage of time, from the lens of one who realizes the purpose for which she was created.”

- Christian Musician

 

 

About Amy Grant:

Amy Grant’s career spans over 25 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into her experience as an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. Grant has sold more than 30 million albums boasting one five-time Platinum album, one triple Platinum and one double Platinum album, as well as six platinum and four Gold albums. Amy has won six GRAMMY® Awards in multiple categories, beginning with the platinum sellingAge to Age in 1982 and 25 GMA Dove Awards. She also has six No. 1 hits – including “Baby, Baby” and “Every Heartbeat” – and is one of only two Christian artists to be awarded a star on the legendary Walk of Fame in Hollywood. In 2003, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In 2006 Amy announced her first ever label shift to EMI Music Group where her entire music catalog was re-mastered and released via a GREATEST HITS album and made available for the first time digitally. Amy released her first studio album in 10 years, How Mercy Looks from Here in May 2013.

 

Get Connected with Amy Grant: 

Website // www.amygrant.com

Facebook // www.facebook.com/amygrant

Twitter // @amygrant

 

The Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations Tour' coming to DVD, digital video on June 18, 2013

Almost in perfect sync with the arrival of summer comes a historic performance by The Beach Boys on DVD and digital video.

EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY PRESENTS

 

THE BEACH BOYS

GOOD VIBRATIONS TOUR 

 

~ON DVD AND DIGITAL VIDEO JUNE 18~

 

 

New York, NY (May 14, 2013)—On June 18, 2013, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations Tour on DVD and Digital Video.

 

Filmed in 1976 at Anaheim Stadium for American television, Good Vibrations follows the release of their 15 Big Ones album. Combining full live performances with interviews and several whimsical vignettes, Good Vibrations is 50 minutes of Beach Boys faire at its finest. This DVD features all the original band members (Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine) performing their timeless classic hits: “Good Vibrations,” “God Only Knows,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Sloop John B,” “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Surfin’ USA,” and many more. From the three Wilson brothers performing a song about their father to the full band harmonizing with a gospel choir, this DVD is packed with incredible moments.

 

The Beach Boys were the most successful American pop group of the sixties. Their legendary vocal harmonies, renowned anthems, and classic albums earned an induction into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, and to this day, this music inspires fans, musicians, and songwriters of all generations.

 

Above all, Good Vibrations is a perfect snapsnot of why The Beach Boys are one of the most endearing and beloved music acts of all time.

 

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.

 

Follow Eagle Rock Entertainment at:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/EagleRockEnt

Twitter: www.twitter.com/EagleRockNews

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/eaglerocktv

 

Track Listing

1) Fun, Fun, Fun

2) Be True To Your School

3) I'm Bugged At My Ol’ Man

4) God Only Knows

5) I Get Around

6) You Are So Beautiful

7) That Same Song

8) Good Vibrations

9) Sloop John B

10) Surfin’ USA

11) California Girls

12) Help Me Rhonda

13) It's OK

14) Rock ’n’ Roll Music

15) Wouldn’t It Be Nice

'Ghost Brothers of Darkland County' coming courtesy of Stephen King, John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett

There are always reasons to get excited by legends who push onward with groundbreaking projects. Read the release below and make sure to go to the http://ghostbrothersofdarklandcounty.com/media/audio/ site to hear some of the audio tracks from the upcoming release!

CO-CONSPIRATORS

STEPHEN KING, JOHN MELLENCAMP, AND T BONE BURNETT PRESENT:

GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY;

A RIVETING STAGE EXPERIENCE IN 20 MIDWEST CITIES;

TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY MAY 17 AT 10AM VIA AEGLIVE.COM

  

AEG Live is pleased to announce that the southern gothic, supernatural musicalGhost Brothers of Darkland County, written by Stephen King, with music by John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett, has confirmed a tour of 20 American cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast beginning October 10 in Bloomington, IN, and ending November 6 in Grand Rapids, MI. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 17 at 10am at aeglive.com. This extraordinary collaboration, 13 years in the making, is a haunting tale of fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge, which will be performed by an ensemble cast of 15 actors and a four-piece live band. The album of the musical will be released on June 4 via Hear Music and the Concord Music Group. Complete tour dates are below.

The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County saga began when Mellencamp told King about a cabin on his land in Indiana where two brothers had gotten in a fight over a girl; one brother accidentally killing the other, only to die along with the girl in a car crash a short time later. King came up with an outline for a play in a matter of days. And then off and on, back and forth, they began to develop it into a full-length musical.

The superb blues 'n' roots music of Ghost Brothers reflects the wide range of styles and influences needed for a work that jumps back and forth across decades. Rather than use the songs to propel the play's narrative, as in a conventional musical, Mellencamp chose to make them a way to reveal the emotions and inner workings of the characters.

Set in the tiny town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi, the Ghost Brothers' storycenters on two sets of brothers: the ghosts of Jack and Andy, dead in an apparent murder/suicide, and their nephews, the living Frank and Drake, who seem to be headed toward the same downward spiral as their uncles. Joe, younger brother of Jack and Andy, father of Frank and Drake, has decided it's time to reveal his own terrible secret at the site of the tragedy, before it's too late.

As the story emerged during the writing of the musical, it became clear to the collaborators that Ghost Brothers had taken them into unfamiliar territory - and they liked it that way. "John can make rock & roll records and I can write books for the rest of our lives," says King, "but that's the safe way to do it, and that's no way to live if you want to stay creative. We were willing to be educated, and at our age, that's an accomplishment."

Putting King's words and Mellencamp's songs on the stage is in the skilful hands of acclaimed director Susan Booth, who calls the musical a "a kind of new age travelling medicine show." "This is a gothic story-driven rock concert," says Booth. "I want the emphasis to be on this fantastic score and our great singers and how the story advances us from song to song. In most musicals, the songs advance the narrative. With Ghost Brothers, the story will advance the songs."

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 17, 2013 at 10am at aeglive.com. The complete Ghost Brothers of Darkland County tour itinerary is below:

October

10 - Bloomington, IN - Indiana University Auditorium

11 - Louisville, KY - Whitney Hall *

12 - Knoxville, KY - Knoxville Civic Auditorium

13 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium **

16 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium

17 - Evansville, IN - Aiken Theatre at The Centre

18 - Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Memorial Hall

19 - Akron, OH - Akron Civic Theatre

22 - Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre

24 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Embassy Theatre

25 - Madison, WI - Overture Hall

26 - Rockford, IL - Coronado Performing Arts Center

27 - Appleton, WI - Fox Cities Performing Arts Center

29 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre ***

31 - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre

November

1 - Sioux City, IA - Orpheum Theatre

2 - Ames, IA - Stephens Auditorium

3 - Davenport, IA - Adler Theatre

5 - South Bend, IN - Morris Performing Arts Center

6 - Grand Rapids, MI - DeVos Performance Hall

* Louisville onsale Friday, May 31 at 10am

** Asheville onsale Saturday, May 18 at 10am

*** Milwaukee onsale Friday, May 17 at 12 noon

To purchase the Ghost Brothers of Darkland County album, go to:

Itunes: http://smarturl.it/GBODC_iTunes

Amazon Hardcover Edition: http://smarturl.it/gbodcHC

Amazon Deluxe Version: http://smarturl.it/GBODCdeluxe

Listen to Ghost Brothers music and view the trailer at: www.ghostbrothersofdarklandcounty.com

stephenking.com

Inbox Update: Eagle Rock to release Doobie Brothers' 'Live at Wolf Trap' on June 4th

Here is the latest gem pulled from my stuffed inbox...

EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE DOOBIE BROTHERS
'LIVE AT WOLF TRAP' ON DVD, CD, DIGITAL VIDEO AND DIGITAL AUDIO, AND ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME; JUNE 4, 2013

NEW YORK, NY (May 9, 2013)— Eagle Rock Entertainment are proud to announce the release on June 4 of the Live At Wolf Trap CD, DVD and Blu-ray from the Doobie Brothers. This title includes the classic hits: “Rockin’ Down The Highway,” “Takin’ It To The Streets,” “Listen To The Music,” “Long Train Runnin’,” “Nobody,” “China Grove,” “Black Water,” and many more.

Recorded on July 25, 2004 at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia, Live At Wolf Trap captures The Doobie Brothers in fine form on a set that mixes classic hits with some rarely performed tracks from across their extensive catalogue. This would prove to be the last recorded footage of long time drummer Keith Knudsen performing with the Doobie Brothers; Mike Hossack too has now passed away. Originally released in the autumn of 2004, the show is now being reissued on DVD and CD and will be released on Blu-ray for the first time.

As well as an amazing set of songs, the visual versions of the release also feature bonus features, extra live tracks [Dangerous, Takin’ It To The Streets, Without You] and featurettes including “Back Stage Pass” / Doobie-aoke / The Dropped Pick / Outtakes / The Family. Live At Wolf Trap is an essential release for any Doobies fan.

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.


Follow Eagle Rock Entertainment at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EagleRockEnt

Twitter: www.twitter.com/EagleRockNews

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/eaglerocktv


TRACKLISTING

1) Rockin’ Down The Highway

2) Jesus Is Just Alright

3) Dangerous

4) Another Park, Another Sunday

5) People Gotta Love Again*

6) Spirit*

7) Steamer Lane (instrumental)

8) South City Midnight Lady

9) Snake Man

10) Nobody*

11) Five Corners

12) Rainy Day Crossroad Blues

13) Clear As The Driven Snow

14) Neal’s Fandango*

15) Takin’ It To the Streets*

16) Don’t Start Me Talkin’

17) Take Me In Your Arms

18) Little Bitty Pretty One

19) Black Water

20) Long Train Runnin’

21) China Grove

22) Without You*

23) Listen To the Music



* Not on CD version

Music Worth Buying episode: 'Beatles Stories' and 'Standing in the Shadows of Motown'

Watch the latest episode of Music Worth Buying where we look at several of our favorite music documentaries; I feature director Seth Swirsky's wonderful Beatles Stories and TJR reviews the illuminating Standing in the Shadows of Motown:

Lady Antebellum celebrates 'Golden' with benefit performance in NYC

Stagecoach 2013 presented me the chance to catch Lady Antebellum for the first time last month and I was generally impressed by the trio's performance, especially the group's winning harmonies. Here is a release that arrived in my inbox early today. I wanted to re-post this as the event benefited Musicians On Call, a wonderful non-profit effort. Read on...

Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood perform during Lady Antebellum's "Golden" Release Show Presented By Citi At The McKittrick Hotel, Home of Sleep No More on May 7, 2013 in New York City.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage

LADY ANTEBELLUM'S "GOLDEN" RELEASE SHOW PRESENTED BY CITI TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013 IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE MCKITTRICK HOTEL, HOME OF SLEEP NO MORE

WHO: LADY ANTEBELLUM, CITI®PRIVATE PASS®, MUSICIANS ON CALL

WHAT: Lady Antebellum's "Golden" Release Show presented by CITI

WHERE: The McKittrick Hotel, home of Sleep No More

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 2013

WHY: The event featured an intimate performance by the multi-platinum, GRAMMY award-winning trio IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR NEW ALBUM GOLDEN. The night also benefited Musicians On Call, a non-profit organization who brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. A donation was made to Musicians On Call on behalf of LadyAID(TM), Lady Antebellum's foundation formed to raise awareness and generate support for the plight of children locally, nationally, and globally who cannot otherwise help themselves.


ABOUT LADYAID(TM)


The LadyAID(TM) Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is a philanthropic effort founded by the members of Lady Antebellum, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott, to bring awareness to and generate support for the plight of children locally, nationally, and globally who cannot otherwise help themselves. The multi-level campaign is a component fund of the community foundation of middle Tennessee. www.ladyaid.org



ABOUT MUSICIANS ON CALL

Musicians On Call (MOC) was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. To date, its volunteers have played for over 300,000 people nationwide. Musicians On Call continues its mission through room-to-room hospital performances by local musicians and national celebrities as well as the CD Pharmacy Program. www.musiciansoncall.org

Sights and Sounds: R.E.M., Barenaked Ladies

Lots of stuff to catch up, right? Here are a few things to get us started...

R.E.M.'s 'Green' to be issued as deluxe 25th anniversary edition on May 14

When R.E.M. went to Memphis, Tennessee's famed Ardent Studios in 1988 to record their major label debut for Warner Bros Records, singer Michael Stipe, legend has it, tasked his band mates, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills, with a singular mission: to "not write any more R.E.M.-type songs." Emboldened by this charge, the band ventured into the previously unexplored realm of bubblegum pop ("Pop Song '89," "Stand"), freely swapped instruments amongst themselves, and even went so far as to introduce the mandolin into their repertoire for the first time ("Hairshirt"). Bolstered by Stipe's increasingly politically-conscious and socially-conscientious lyrics, Green emerged as the band's most fully-realized record to date--a bold claim given the trajectory of their IRS years' recordings(Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Lifes Rich Pageant, and Document) but accurate nonetheless. 

To celebrate the landmark album's 25-year anniversary, Rhino is releasing a two-disc deluxe edition that features the remastered original album accompanied by a disc of live performances taken from the penultimate show of R.E.M.'s 130-date Green World Tour. All twenty-one songs were recorded in Greensboro, North Carolina, on November 10, 1989, just miles from where Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe had their very first recording session at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem. The set captures the confident spirit of Green ("Get Up," "World Leader Pretend," and "You Are The Everything") as well as the timelessness of early favorites like "Fall On Me," "Finest Worksong," and "The One I Love," and hints at the future with early versions of tracks that would ultimately appear onOut Of Time. 

GREEN: 25TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION will be available on May 14th, but you can pre-order it now at Amazon or on iTunes. 

Barenaked Ladies to release new album 'Grinning Streak' on June 4

Multi-platinum pop group BARENAKED LADIES are celebrating their 25^th anniversary in grand style: they just released a lyric video for “Boomerang,” the lead single off their new album GRINNING STREAK (out June 4^th on Vanguard Records—album art attached) and are gearing up for this year’s much-anticipated “Last Summer On Earth Tour.”

LSOE 13 sees the Ladies (guitarist/vocalist Ed Robertson, bassist/vocalist Jim Creeggan, keyboardist/vocalist Kevin Hearn and drummer/vocalist Tyler Stewart) teaming with Ben Folds Five and Guster for a hot-ticket roadshow that kicks off June 17th at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, TX, and will hit 30 arenas and amphitheaters across the country (tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com and full itinerary is below). Those who purchase tickets for “The Last Summer On Earth 2013” will receive a voucher for a download of GRINNING STREAK.

Fans that pre-order the album now can also receive special limited edition 25^th anniversary collectible merch, including commemorative handmade hockey jerseys, t-shirts and posters. For more information, please visitbarenakedladies.com.

Led by “Boomerang,” the songs on GRINNING STREAK unfold with the blend of immediacy, tunefulness and witty sophistication that made such BNL hits as “Pinch Me, “Brian Wilson,” “If I Had $1,000,000” and the chart-topping “One Week” modern-day classics. “Pop is a form that I love—it can be high-energy and intricate,” says Robertson of the genre the band has championed throughout the last quarter century. “When I think of pop music, I think of the Cars and Squeeze—interesting melodic rock is what I gravitate toward and what I’m always striving for. I want guitar-heavy pop/rock that’s intelligent, evocative and thought-provoking. I want it to be singable and relatable, and I want there to be other layers in there for the people who want to go deeper—because not everybody does. I’ve heard so many times, ‘I love you guys ’cause your songs are just fun and easygoing.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m glad you enjoy them, but there’s a dark underbelly that you haven’t mined.’”

Indeed, there’s much more to the Barenaked Ladies than initially meets the ear. Suck on the candy-coated surfaces of Robertson’s songs long enough and you never know what you’ll encounter in their “emotional centers,” as Robertson puts it.

He wrestled with the songs for the new album over an extended period as he plumbed the depths of his psyche in search of just those emotional centers. Along the way, Robertson experienced periods of stress, though not to the degree he’d endured while writing the material for the band’s previous studio album, 2010’s All in Good Time. That one was their first project following the departure of Steven Page, who’d founded the band with Robertson in 1988, reconfiguring the BNL as a four-piece.

“This is the second record since all of that turmoil,” Robertson notes, “but it’s still a part of what we’re going through and what informs who we are. On the last record, there were some songs that were directly about the band split, but this record is much more about the emotional rebuilding after that process. Looking back on the maelstrom of all that upheaval, I wanted to convey a sense of hope, reconciliation and healing with these songs. ‘Off His Head,’ for example, is about pushing through difficulty. There’s a double chorus at the end that I flipped, because I didn’t want it to end with, ‘Wishing you were dead.’ That’s part of being exasperated and at your wit’s end. But what I like about this song is that it says you just do it. You think it’s hopeless, but there’s a reason you’re pushing through it. The song says you can let all these things ruin you, or you can take it on the chin and stand up again.”

“Boomerang” metaphorically examines the aftermath of a breakup, but on a deeper level it recounts an impassioned interior dialogue. “It’s a really personal song that says, ‘You can be done with me, but I’m not done with you,’” Robertson explains. “For me, it’s about feeling relevant—because, as I started to approach this record, there was a period where I felt like I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know who cared. But then I realized, y’know, I care. I like what I do, I’m a good songwriter and I’m gonna write—I’m gonna express things. So that song is about getting your confidence back—or, as one of my colleagues would say, getting your swagger back.”

Don’t miss your chance to see the band performing “Boomerang” and setlist packed with surprises and fan favorites.

Tour dates are as follows:

June 17                 Dallas , TX                              Verizon Theatre
June 19                 Denver , CO                         Red Rocks
June 20                 Salt Lake City , UT               USANA Amp
June 22                 Santa Barbara , CA             Santa Barbara Bowl
June 23                 Los Angeles , CA                 Greek Theatre
June 25                 Saratoga , CA                       Mountain Winery ●
June 26                 Saratoga , CA                       Mountain Winery ●
June 28                 Boise , ID                               Botanical Gardens
June 29                 Seattle , WA                         White River Amp
June 30                 Missoula , MT                      Big Sky Brewing Company
July 3                     Fargo , ND                             Newman Field ●●
July 5                     Columbus , OH                    LC Pavilion
July 6                     Cincinnati , OH                    (Venue TBA March 29)
July 8                     Lansing , MI                          Commonground Festival
July 9                     Chicago , IL                           Charter One Pavilion ●
July 11                   Toronto , ON                      Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
July 12                   Detroit , MI                          DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 13                   Nashville , TN                      The Woods at Fontanel
July 15                   Columbia , MD                    Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 16                   Boston, MA                        Bank of America Pavilion ●
July 18                   Philadelphia , PA                Mann Music Ctr
July 19                   Uncasville , CT                     Mohegan Sun Arena
July 20                   Holmdel, NJ                        PNC
July 21                   Bangor , ME                          Waterfront Park
July 23                   Lenox , MA                          Tanglewood
July 25                   Charlotte, NC                    T W Cable Uptown Amp
July 26                   Alpharetta, GA                 Verizon Wireless Amp
July 27                   Charleston, SC                  Family Circle Stadium
July 28                   Raleigh, NC                        Red Hat Amphitheatre
July 30                   Brooklyn, NY                     Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell

● = BNL & BF5 only
●● = BNL & Guster only

www.barenakedladies.com
www.benfolds.com
www.guster.com
www.lastsummeronearth.com

Friday Music to release deluxe reissue of Monkees' 'Justus' album on May 28

Likely because I was tied up for pretty much all of April with my coverage of both Coachella and Stagecoach festivals out in the Southern California desert, I somehow missed the news that The Monkees' splendid 1996 reunion album Justus will be released as a deluxe edition by Friday Music. Friday Music has released a slew of wonderful reissues by The Monkees on audio CD and vinyl.

The deluxe edition of Justus is mastered by Joe Reagoso (The Monkees, Elvis Presley, Brian Wilson) from the original Rhino Records tapes. Don't wait on this folks; this limited edition also comes with a bonus DVD of a rare Rhino Home Video. Please visit Friday Music's site to get the full details about this upcoming re-release and other Monkees releases.

For more information on The Monkees and the group's upcoming summer tour, visit the group's official Web site: http://www.monkees.net.

Inbox Update: The Monkees, Cheap Trick, dada

There is a reason that The Monkees, Cheap Trick and dada carry on. It's all about great music delivered by artists who connect deeply with their fans. Read on for the latest news news of interest to fans of the aforementioned artists...

Back in the fold after 15 years, Michael Nesmith performs with the Monkees on Nov. 10, 2012 at the Greek Theatre with scenes from the band's TV show as backdrop. Photo: Kelly A. Swift, for the Register

Anyone who missed The Monkees' 2012 reunion tour, including a fantastic stop at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles last November I reviewed for The Orange County Register, now has another chance to catch Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith when they embark on their "A Midsummer's Night with the Monkees" tour this summer. Area dates include an indoor show at the Long Beach Terrace Theatre on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and an earlier date outdoors at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay in San Diego on Sunday evening, Aug. 11.

You can get more details at the band's official Web site: http://www.monkees.net/

Cheap Trick fans, listen up! The band will be performing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, tonight, May 1, 2013. Cheap Trick will be playing the classic song "Surrender" in celebration of the 35th anniversary release of Cheap Trick at Budokan.

For more info on Cheap Trick, visit: http://www.cheaptrick.com/


Speaking of great bands celebrating big anniversaries, dada wrapped up its 20th anniversary with a fantastic show at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano in early March, but is returning to Orange County, CA for a special encore concert set for Sunday night, July 21. The powerful trio will perform at The Hangar, a great venue located at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa; the showtime is 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit dada's Web site at: http://dadatheband.com/