STRATEGIC ARTIST ADVOCACY SINCE 1997
More from Abbreviations today ahead of the release of the band's first video tomorrow! Thanks out to Dallas Observer for telling the band’s story and spreading the word about the July 30 Red Zeppelin Records showcase at The Double Wide in Dallas.
The debut single from Abbreviations is out now via Red Zeppelin Records. Dallas’ Central Track has interviewed to the dreamy, spaced-out band comprised of North Texas scene veterans about how they came together and what they’ve got planned - including a show presented by The Doublewide on July 30 with label mates God of Love and Bayleigh Cheek.
In a premiere of their debut single “Turn On You,” MXDWN praises Red Zeppelin Records’ Abbreviations for their “haunting melodies, rich spaced-out guitar tones and somber lyrical themes... merges psychedelia and dream pop into their sound, pulling from each member’s rich history in the local music scene."
Americana UK is live now with the premiere of Chris J. Norwood’s “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart),” a duet with Carrie Norwood that has one of my fave song titles of the year.
The site praises the track’s “great lyrical hooks – who could resist listening on after hearing ‘I hope this letter finds you well but I need some time to myself… PS: here are my regrets’? Having reeled you in, the Dallas based singer-songwriter makes the stay more than worth the while.” Look for this one on the upcoming LP I Am Not Cool, out August 20 from State Fair Records.
More coverage of Chris J. Norwood’s new video for “I Am Not Cool,” this time in a White Noise roundup on Dallas’ Central Track. According to its website, “Central Track covers everything the young, outgoing Dallasite is interested in,” which does sound pretty cool, in actuality…
The song is the title track of Norwood’s new LP, which is on its way from State Fair Records. Pre-order now.
Everything I've been feeling about these new Gregory Ackerman tunes is perfectly summed by Christos at Last Day Deaf:: "What we admire most about ‘Full Grown‘ is the artist’s intimate vocal performance, which is genuinely combined with the best possible string arrangement to unleash the most of this indie folk gem, and that ‘invisible’, soft veil of melancholy which is pervasive throughout the song. In just over 3 minutes, Ackerman is more than a dab hand to deliver a phenomenal wave of emotions full of lush harmonies and poignant lyrics, a perfect precursor off his upcoming full-length album Still Waiting Still, out in September."
In a thoughtful review that evokes The Doors, Nick Cave, Gato Loco, and “The Dap Kings at their darkest,” New York Music Daily dives into J Hacha de Zola’s new LP, writing that the just-released East of Eden “really captures the grim uncertainty of the world.”
Loving the latest edition of the Ranking The Beatles podcast, in which Mike Viola talks about a Beatles cut that kinda creeped me out as a kid. I dunno, like… My mother should know 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵, exactly? Anyway, Mike handles chatting about this tune quite deftly, you should listen!
Spoiler: Mike is not the walrus. His album Godmuffin, though, was released last year via Grand Phony.
V13 has the premiere of “The Suffering Art,” the newest single from The Enigmatic Foe’s expansive upcoming album The Original Plan. The site compares band mastermind Jared Colinger to Squeeze, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths, contending that the song “capably and intelligently tows that thin line between melancholy and upbeat jangly pop.”
Colinger is also pinning two non-album tracks to each single release from the record. Ghettoblaster was kind enough to post the bonus tracks included with “Suffering Art:” "Let's Be Sad" and "Crisis (Home Demo).” Check that out here.
The Original Plan is slated for a July 30 release.
Proud as hell today of Mr. J Hacha de Zola upon the release of his fifth album East of Eden, a big 'ol artistic and stylistic leap forward for this Jersey City boy. He recently discussed the new record with Alex Green, host of the Stereo Embers Podcast, which is itself becoming one of the essential interviews for emerging and career artists.
Green likens De Zola to “a feral blend of David Johansen, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Nick Cave” and writes that “he knows how to take rusty horns, scrap metal saxophones, guttered guitars and battered drums and turn them into pure gold. East of Eden is an aching collection of dark and dreamy doo-wop, street soul, and urban R&B. It’s J Hacha De Zola in his most unvarnished and purest iteration."
Check out the podcast and then check out the album.
We’re only a day way from the release of J Hacha de Zola’s East of Eden! Today Treble Zine is on the case with the music video for "Lost Space,” comparing it to work by Tom Waits and Lee Hazelwood and calling it "a delightful noir hallucination.” That also generally describes the entirety of my human existence, so I am relating to this!
Thanks to Americana UK, which wrote, “It’s a pretty brave career move to declare oneself as being uncool – but that’s exactly what Dallas-based Chris J. Norwood has done on this new song.”
The Boot shared the video for the song last week, telling readers that “Chris J. Norwood wants you to know the truth.” Stay tuned for more truth on Aug. 20, when the full length I Am Not Cool LP drops from State Fair Records.
Thanks to Eat Sleep Breathe Music for the Song Of the Day feature on The Enigmatic Foe. The man behind the 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 is Knoxville-based songwriter Jared Colinger, who discusses this song ("Come and Go") with his drummer Frank Lenz (Richard Swift, Pedro The Lion, Headphones) in Part Two of the first episode of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 podcast. Check out the tune (link in bio) and then check out the chat.
Album out July 30. Sweet 2x45 gatefold vinyl on pre-order now.
The pandemic may be winding down, and we may be able to take off masks, but there are plenty of folks still struggling to get back on their feet — especially in the music industry. Inara George’s Road Angel Project initiative with The Sweet Relief Musicians’ Fund continues. The most recent release is a hot (🔥 🔥 🔥), funky, and soulful vocal take on a chunk of the Bird and the Bee catalog by Louisville-based producer Dev Marvelous. When Dev reached out as a fan to make Inara aware of the tracks, she immediately decided to release them herself! Now we have Road Angel Project Presents: Dev Marvelous x The Bird and The Bee, available everywhere on Release Me Records.
Thanks to 91.9 WFPK FM for the local love. Go here for more info on Sweet Relief’s COVID-19 efforts.
