Country Singer-Songwriter Crystal Yates to Release New Album This May

Powerhouse Country and Americana artist Crystal Yates will release her third album, The Other Side on May 20, 2016. Inspired by classic country singer songwriters like Merle Haggard and Motown artists like Etta James, Crystal Yates infectiously fuses soul, country, and rock into an emotional landscape on her new album. The Other Side is a compilation of songs that are true stories about overcoming struggles and offer the listener understanding and hope.

Crystal Yates and her multi-instrumentalist husband Will Yates started recording the album in January 2016 in Denton, TX at Redwood Studios owned by drummer and producer Mckenzie Smith. Crystal recalls, “We’ve been friends with McKenzie Smith for quite a while now, and really loved his work with St. Vincent, Sarah Jaffe, Gungor, and lots of others. As we were finishing these songs, his name kept popping into our heads, but we weren’t sure if he would want to take on a country/americana project like what we were thinking. So one day we just asked him about it, and he was really enthusiastic about the idea. It was great because he is such a gifted drummer, but he really got into the producer mode behind each of this whole project and called in just the right players. From the first day of recording, we could tell this was going to be something magical.”

During the recording session for the title track, Crystal says, “I kept trying to describe the big boomy stomp sound I wanted to hear in the song somewhere..but I didn’t know exactly how to relay that into words. McKenzie went over hit a couple of his drums, but that wasn’t quite it. Then he and Will went over to one of his drum road cases and stared at it for a bit..like they were thinking the same thing but neither of them said a word…and then emptied it out and gave it a whack…and that was exactly the sound I was hoping for.” “The Other Side” is full sounding new country rock infused with spiritual themes, an anthem that resonates victory and triumph.

Most notable is “Leave Me Alone to Die,” an emotionally moving and heart breaking song. In this song Crystal’s powerhouse vocals sing an overpoweringly gripping song about when she was kidnapped as a young child. Remembering the words of her Grandmother, Crystal began to pray to Jesus aloud as her kidnapper was undressing in the woods nearby her childhood home. The kidnapper became agitated when hearing her pray he asked her if she wanted to go home and let her go. “Leave me Alone to Die” resonates her mindset from this scary event.

“Already Yours” is throw back sound to Motown, this rhythm and blues song oozes soul with Jon Christopher Davis on back up vocals. Crystal Yates vocals hold true to her influencers standing her own with the likes of Etta James, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. During the recording process for this track, Will remembers, “There’s an old Baldwin upright piano at the studio that we had thought about using for the song Already Yours, but everyone agreed it just doesn’t hold its tune very well. But the more I banged on it the more I really loved the vibey feel it had. So when it came time to record for that song, I brought in a piano tuning kit I had, tuned up just the specific keys I would be using and gave it a shot. Everyone loved it, and that’s how we wound up recording that song..record one take…stop, retune….record another take..stop, retune, etc.”

Crystal Yates elegantly presents a wide range of influences on this album; none more predominate than “Hell On My Soul.” A twangy mix of traditional country with vocal harmonies by fellow co-writer Kylie Rae Harris. Long time friend of Crystal Yates, Kylie Rae Harris met with Crystal in Nashville to help work on the track, Crystal says, “I had the general idea in my head for a while, and I had a co­writing session scheduled with Kylie Rae Harris in Nashville one day. I had several things I was going to bring to the table to see which one we wanted to chase down, but when she arrived that day it was obvious to see that she had been having a “hell of a day”..so I knew I needed to bring Hell On My Soul for her to write on.”

For Crystal Yates, The Other Side is not only musically close to her heart but also, the most collaborative release to date. Working with such names as, Mckenzie Smith on drums, he also was a co-producer and mixed the album, and Joey McLellan played electric guitar, both from the band Midlake. Hank Early from Turnpike Troubadours plays steel. Kylie Rae Harris co-wrote “Hell on My Soul” and sung backing vocals. Scott Lee plays bass. Lindsey Duffin played fiddle in Made to Last. Jon Christopher Davis sang backing vocals on "Leave Me Alone to Die" and "Made to Last". Jordan Martin was the engineer, and Kim Rosen mastered the album.

Crystal Yates, who was crowned the national winner in the 2014 Texaco Country Showdown, the longest-running music competition, saw her last album I Believe produced by Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, Holly Williams) rocket up the iTunes charts debuting at #13 on its release day. Since then, she’s had a more than full schedule; touring across the US and opening for and performing with dozens of artists such as Martina McBride, Joe Ely, John Conlee, Suzy Bogguss, Sam Baker, Deana Carter, and many more, as well as performing at renown venues such as the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, The Bluebird Cafe, and the Ryman Auditorium. Crystal Yates will embark on a national and UK tour in 2017.

crystalyatesmusic.com

Steven Casper and Cowboy Angst - Restless Heart

From I Feel Like I’ve Got Snakes in My Head - New Release Out Today!  caspermusic.com

Lauren Adams - The Ballad of June Bug Lee

Tilia Americana - What Happened?

tiliaamericanamusic.com

Andy Ferrell - Last Dime Blues

Al Scorch - City Lullaby

Eli Paperboy Reed - Cut Ya Down

Tony Joe White - Hoochie Woman

DENVER FOLK TROUBADOUR WILSON HARWOOD RELEASES DEBUT EP - ROLL AWAY THE DAY

facebook.com/WilsonHarwood

'Fayre' the New Single from Sinderins

The band’s name is taken from a confluence of roads in the band’s hometown of Dundee.  Very appropriate this is too, since this band is truly the result of a meeting and a meshing of talents and minds. Producer Matt Lawrence allowed the band to capture the essence of what makes the music special, distilling not only the foam and the energy, but also the eeriness and otherness that sits at the heart of their sound. With hundreds of gigs already chalked up, and the schedule for 2016 filling fast–don’t doubt their commitment.

The single is energetic and cheerful, with an uplifting tone. Vocalist, David, manages to highlight the incredible ability to his vocal range and it’s clear to see the amount of talent that Sinderins have is extraordinary.

On Fayre, David Webster hits and sustains a high note across four bars. Initial attempts to record this fell short so, channeling something he had read about Thom Yorke leaping into a fjord, Webster asked his band mates to douse him in ice water before he ran to the mic.  That first take is the one that was used on the final record…

With Fayre the band have created something that draws on tradition; the tradition of the Folk scene, sure, and on their own personal histories. It is where ideas, techniques, traditions and friends – old and new – come together.

Fayre is taken from Sinderins upcoming album and will be available at all the usual places from 13th May with the album to drop in June. 

facebook.com/Sinderins

Samuel Blues - Got High (Just Like Yesterday)

The Coathangers – Make It Right

Dylan LeBlanc - Look How Far We've Come

MOE. - Moth

The Mystery Lights - Follow Me Home

RJ Comer - The Moon Ain't Fallen On Me Yet

RJComer.com

Erik Voeks & The Vague Lakes - She Loved Her Jangle Pop

erikvoeksmusic

'Tokyo' Rosenthal on MLB Central

A Fauxtographer's Yankee Stadium Memoir - TokyoRosenthal.com

RJ Comer - Nightly Suicide

RJComer.com

Katee Kross - Tougher Than the Rest

Katee Kross is a Scottish singer songwriter who has recently released her debut album, ‘Beautiful Dreamer’.

KateeKross.com

Kate Vargas - Second Skin

Kate Vargas - Acoustic guitar, lead vocals
Granville Mullings Jr. - Percussion
Caleigh Drane - Cello

Featuring The Reckless Daughters:
Lizzy Vargas - Vocals
Lena Kaminsky - Vocals

kate-vargas.com

Ted Russell Kamp's New Release 'Flying Solo'

"Hold On" is off of the recently released Flying Solo (PoMo Records) an acoustic record which highlights Ted Russell Kamp’s soulful singing and songwriting craft.  It is made up of mostly bare bones performances—just voice and guitar. Flying Solo consists of 6 new studio tracks and 6 live recordings ruled from concerts and radio station visits. 

The songs on Flying Solo are about love and wisdom, struggle and growth.  The music is as honest as it gets.  Some of the songs were co-written with friends at home at home in the L.A. country-rock scene (Kirsten Profit of Calico, David Serby), in Austin (Tony Scalzo of Fastball, Gordy Quist of The Band of Heathens) and in in Nashville (Chris Tompkins).  One song, recorded live in Finland, is a solo mandolin and vocal version of “Steady At The Wheel” which Kamp wrote for Shooter Jennings and was #1 on Texas radio for 6 weeks.

Ted’s last 4 records made the Americana Chart’s Top 100 Records of the Year and Get Back To The Land (2011) debuted at #1 on the Euro-Americana Chart.  Flying Solo is the record fans have been asking Ted to make for years as it captures the essence of Ted’s live show when he tours solo through Europe and the US.  Just a man and his songs with a suitcase and a guitar.

Ted just completed a 17 date tour of Texas and is getting ready to hit Europe for 17 dates in April and Early May.  TOUR DATES

Read Ted’s INTERVIEW with Revival Magazine

tedrussellkamp.com

Americana Singer-Songwriter, Katie Garibaldi, Releases New Single

The first single "Delightful" from Katie Garibaldi's upcoming new EP, Rooted Clarity, to be released Spring 2016.

www.katiegaribaldi.com

JALOPY RECORDS PARTNERS WITH MISSISSIPPI RECORDS TO RELEASE 'LOST TRAIN BLUES' - COMPILED FOR ALAN LOMAX'S 100TH BIRTHDAY WITH 12 NEVER-BEFORE-ISSUED FIELD RECORDINGS

Brooklyn's Jalopy Records has rebooted its homegrown folk music record label with a brand new release, 'Lost Train Blues: John & Alan Lomax and the Early Folk Music Collections at the Library of Congress.' This collection, curated by Brooklyn Folk Festival producer Eli Smith, was compiled for the centennial of famed folklorist Alan Lomax's birth. It will be released on vinyl and via digital download on April 8, coinciding with opening night of the Brooklyn Folk Festival. Twelve of the songs are never-before-released.



The record features 22 selections from the vast holdings of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, most of them have never been issued before. The record includes work songs, ballads, blues, political and union songs, guitar, banjo and fiddle music and Native American vocal music.  These recordings were made between 1933 and 1950 and represent the birth of the folk music collections at the Library of Congress, now the largest repository of folk and enthographic holdings in the world. The record demonstrates the groundbreaking work of Alan Lomax and his father John Lomax, but also places them with the context of other important early field workers.



The deluxe record includes liner notes by Alan Lomax archive curator Nathan Salsburg, as well as a 14 page booklet with photographs and original research about each song, artist and folklorist. The cover features an original lithograph by artist Jeff Tocci.  Each selection has been retransferred from original discs and tapes at the Library of Congress and has been carefully remastered by sound engineer Don Fierro for the best possible audio fidelity.



Jalopy Records has partnered with well known Oregon based vinyl label Mississippi Records to manufacture and distribute this and future releases.  Jalopy Records is the record label of the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music, a grass roots cultural center for traditional music, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

JB and the Moonshine Band - Where's Woody Guthrie

Hayes Carll - Good While It Lasted

Steven Casper and Cowboy Angst Prepare to Release 'I Feel Like I've Got Snakes in My Head'

For Steven Casper and Cowboy Angst, 2015 ended on a high note with the group being named one of Music Connection Magazine’s “hottest unsigned bands”  while putting the finishing touches on their upcomong release, I Feel Like I’ve Got Snakes In My Head.

Once again collaborating with producer, Ira Ingber (Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, JD Souther), Casper rounded up his bandmates (who also happen to be in-demand L.A. session players); John McDuffie, Carl Byron, Herb Deitelbaum and Jay Nowac, and added the gospel-sounding  guest vocals of McCrary sisters, Charity and Linda (his third time working with them) to create the 7-song EP.

This isn’t his first EP—like 2014’s Endless Sky, and 2012’s Trouble, Casper has made a deliberate choice in only putting out a few songs at a time.  “I love albums,” he says.  “I don’t care about singles.  But we’re really tribal in our listening now. We don’t have to wait for radio to lay music we like; we go to a streaming service and listen to what we want.  I want my music out there soon, so instead of full LPs I’m putting out 6 or 7 track Eps.”

The opening track “For a Few Dollars Less” is a muscular instrumental duel between John McDuffie’s lonesome surf guitar and Carl Byron’s harpsichord that pays homage to one of Casper’s favorite film composers, Ennio Moricone (of the Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns).

From there Casper goes roadhouse with the bluesy rocker “Driving Fast” and dynamic “Restless Heart,” followed by honky-tonker “She’s Bad.” After a fun spin south of the border with the enticing “Maria,” he turns contemplative for “Slow Dancing.” The EP ends with a reprise of “Driving Fast” that downshifts to just his raspy vocal and acoustic guitar, Byron’s accordion and tambourine. The alternate take shows off the piece’s musicality, and Byron’s sensitive artistry.

“Sometimes when we’re mixing, we discover a new song within the song,” Casper explains. “In Booker T & the MGs, Steve Cropper, the guitarist, never did anything flashy, he just did the perfect thing. And that’s what Carl reminds me of. He plays really soulfully, and he plays the perfect thing that’s needed.”

McDuffie is similarly invaluable to Casper’s warmly received live band; he’s played with Casper for three years, Byron for four, and bassist Herb Deitelbaum and drummer Jay Nowac for ten. The road-seasoned veterans’ loyalty is grounded in mutual respect and love of music. For Casper, the song’s the thing. He wants audiences “to feel the music,” and is determined to “write the best songs I can. The main success is writing a good song.”

Ingber once again was able to capture the bands dynamic live sound on I Feel Like I’ve Got Snakes in my Head .  The record is a little more bluesy than Endless Sky, but still retains Casper’s ability to provide a variety of sounds from roots rock to country to Americana while never losing the spirit of the West Coast where he resides.

www.caspermusic.com

Pearly Clouds Debut Avant-folk and Ethno Jazz-blues Album

This is the debut album by Pearly Clouds, a new international group of musicians featuring the renowned and highly respected Grammy-nominated guitarist, songwriter and composer Gary Lucas, a former member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. Alongside him are Hungarian avant-garde jazz saxophonist Toni Dezso, and Eniko Szabo, the highly respected Hungarian singer of folk, jazz and traditional music. 

Pearly Clouds describe their music as "avant-folk and ethno jazz-blues", and in many ways the album defies categorization, reflecting the range, depth and subtlety that characterizes the unique blend of styles and influences which the members bring to the compositions and performances, as they explore the melodies and meanings of traditional European songs in a way which is as lyrical as it is challenging. 

Gary Lucas has been dubbed: "The Thinking Man's Guitar Hero" by The New Yorker, "The world's most popular avant-rock guitarist" by The Independent (UK), "Guitarist of 1000 Ideas" by The New York Times, and "without question, the most innovative and challenging guitarist playing today"  by fRoots. As well as his time with Captain Beefheart, he is also well-known for his collaborations with Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Jeff Buckley and Peter Hammill.

Toni Dezso is a 20-year veteran of the East European avant-garde scene, with a constantly evolving style which marries powerful melodies with free-form improvisation, while Eniko Szabo's remarkable voice has been a feature of folk appearances with Csaba Ökros, jazz collaborations with Balázs Elemér Group, and traditional music performances with Tabulatúra which have marked her out as one of the most exciting and innovative singers on the Hungarian music scene. In 2014 her band Szabó Enikő és zenekara released their first album of her songs.

Although hard to easily categorize, what is for sure is that the album stretches musical and language boundaries with its highly unusual combination of instrumentation and voice.

Pre-order now at the MVD SHOP or on Amazon.

Featuring Gary Lucas of Captain Beefheart, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, 

Jeff Buckley, and Peter Hammill collaborations

 

Rural NY Roots Band Esquela Release New Album

Brimming with confidence and charisma, Esquela roars to life with their
third release Canis Majoris. From the opening strains of the doo-wop inspired “It Didn’t Take” to the closing cover of the Blue Mountain classic “Blue Canoe,” this five-piece outfit from rural Upstate New York finds its musical roots embedded deep in the grit of rural America. You’ll hear songs of love and loss, a stinging critique of our unique brand of American greed, and even a musical retelling of one of the most infamous games in baseball history. Together they form the backbone of a stirring work from a band who’s found its footing.

What began in 2010 as an informal writing partnership between John “Chico” Finn and Keith Christopher (Dan Baird & Homemade Sin, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, etc.) soon transformed into a recording project, and with the addition of vocalist Becca Frame, Esquela was born. That first self-released album, The Owl Has Landed, was followed by 2013’s Are We Rolling, produced by the legendary Eric "Roscoe" Ambel (Ryan Adams, Steve Earle, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, etc.). Along the way, guitarists Brian Shafer and Matt Woodin and drummer Todd Russell joined John and Becca in the studio and onstage. Throughout years of performing and recording together, the sparking chemistry within Esquela has grown, as has their confidence in one another.

Canis Majoris marks a tidal shift in the band’s approach to songwriting. Previous releases found bassist and vocalist John “Chico” Finn taking on primary songwriting responsibilities with collaborator Keith Christopher. This time around, John came with the ideas and the rest of the band added their own creative input and arrangements. Nowhere is this more evident than in “Sorry,” Esquela’s take on the motives of a cheating romantic partner. As John presented his idea for the song, Becca expressed her belief that the scorned lover’s voice badly needed to be heard. The result is a call and response song, reminiscent of the musical dialogue in classic 1950’s and 60’s country and western. Benefiting again from producer Eric Ambel’s master touch, these Americana tunes mark Esquela’s emergence as a player in the genre.

The album title is multilayered in meaning. Canis Majoris is one of the biggest stars known to mankind, so naming the album after it is meant to be facetious. We’re not the biggest band known to mankind. I have also been called “Big Dog,” so it relates to the Latin translation. The title’s relation to “big dog” contrasts with the album cover, which features a cat too big to fit in the space.

In the end, Esquela is a band filled with performers, and performing is what they love most. Their shows are rousing and spirited trips through their own music and the music of their idols. Over the years Esquela has shared the stage with artists like The Bottle Rockets, Dan Baird & Homemade Sin, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, Marah, Jason Ringenberg, Frog Holler, Gutterball, and Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. Most recently, the band competed in and won first place in The Playoffs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Samuel Blues - April Fools