Vents speaks with Blesson Roy and premieres the "brilliant" new song "Bed Of Roses"

SONG PREMIERE & INTERVIEW

Terry Borden of Blesson Roy recently gave an in-depth interview with Vents Magazine, which has the premiere of his first new song since the release of the Think Like Spring album in late 2020: “Bed of Roses.” The track will be released this Friday via Slow Start Records as part of a new EP headlined by a remixed and remastered version of album highlight “Ana Left Spain.” Listen now, and learn much more about the man behind Blesson Roy.

About the new song, Terry says, "I love and listen to lots of post punk and pop from the 80s, and the roots of much of that music from the 60s and late 70s etc. I was listening to Pavement, Lou Reed, Kitchens of Distinction and PJ Harvey almost exclusively around the period 'Bed of Roses' was written."

Pre-order Ana Left Spain +2 now.

The High Water Marks land on Tankboy's belated 2020 'best of'

ALBUM FEATURE


It took quite a few months, but Tankboy has finally published a list of favorite 2020 records. Of course, it’s hard to blame anyone for dragging their feet after a year like last year. “The only real mental metric I could apply was that these were albums I could reliably turn to that made me feel during a period of time when I wasn't certain I could feel at all, or ever again,” writes the blogger.

Among these is The High Water Marks, who released Ecstasy Rhymes last year and are slated to return with a new LP in 2022. “The heart of the band is frontperson Hilarie Sidney. You may recognizer that name,” Tankboy notes, “if you're familiar with The Apples In Stereo through her years with that band, but she takes center stage and dishes out a ton of sharp indie rock-n-pop tunes over the duration of Ecstasy Rhymes. A little burst of sunshine that helped me get through the year.”

Glide shares the "bouncing power pop" of The High Water Marks' "Jenny"

TRACK PREMIERE


New music this morning from The High Water Marks! Thanks to Glide Magazine for posting "Jenny," which they call "a bouncing power pop anthem that is filled with infectious hooks, crashing drums and guitars, and delicious harmonies."

Fronted by Elephant 6 and The Apples In Stereo co-founder Hilarie Sydney, the new album Proclaimer of Things is out February 4 via Minty Fresh. After a 13-year hiatus, it's the band's second album in just over a year — how about that?

Really proud of 'em for persevering through personal hardship and using it as fuel for more perfect power pop. All of this is true, not just alliteration!

Gregory Ackerman, whose Still Waiting Still is out today, guests on the Stereo Embers Podcast

PODCAST INTERVIEW

Gregory Ackerman’s much-anticipated new LP Still Waiting Still is out today (listen here), and he’s also received the podcast treatment from Alex Green of Stereo Embers.

Some great intro words from Alex, as usual: “The album is as breezy as it is riveting–it’s a brilliant meditation on the quotidian life and its daily comforts and disruptions. Ackerman’s work is intimate and confiding and played with the kind of commanding interior strength that gives it an instantly timeless quality. It's a rich and seamless collection of woebegone West Coast loneliness that perfectly contrasts the sunrises and sunsets of Southern California with the corresponding highs and lows of the human heart.”

Linda Draper leans country, 20-years into her songwriting career, on upcoming "Patience and Lipstick," out Jan. 21st, 2022

NEWS

“I asked them what the secret to a long and happy marriage was,” Linda Draper says, recalling a post-gig conversation with a pair of married fans.

“Jack is very patient,” Ivana, a flight attendant who works long hours, explained. “And Linda,” she continued, “I always carry a tube of lipstick in my purse. No matter how late it is, as soon as I turn the corner towards home, I reapply!”

Patience and Lipstick (Jan. 21st, 2022, South Forty Records) is now the fortuitous title of Draper’s upcoming new album, and the tunes on the currently Brooklyn, soon to be North Carolina-based artist’s latest feel like they came about just as naturally.

“So the secret to a long and happy marriage is patience and lipstick?!,” Draper thought. “You know, I think there’s a song in there somewhere.”

Patience and Lipstick, the latest album by Linda Draper, is scheduled for release on Jan. 21st, 2022 preceded by the singles “Tether” (Oct. 8th), “‘81 Camaro” (Nov. 5th), and “All In Due Time” (Jan. 7th).

Evan Toth praises The Enigmatic Foe's sound and packaging in a review for Analog Planet

ALBUM REVIEW

Kind words today from the venerable Evan Toth in Analog Planet about the tunes, sound, and amazing packaging of the new Enigmatic Foe album 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯, of which you must acquire a physical copy! 2x45rpm, 160-gram, gatefold, the works! Heh, it's not Metallica’s “Black” album box, but I bet Jason Newstead would prefer unpacking this! Buy: https://bit.ly/TEF-2XLP.


Toth refers to the record as “tight, yet airy,” praising its chipper, sparkly production” and noting its masterful use of “musical juxtaposition, tension, and conflict.” As the review says, “one sure can tap their foot along to most of this record, but - listen too closely - and you might stop tapping and begin to tear up.”

New Noise premiers J Hacha De Zola's Subharmonic City-produced video for "Which Way"

VIDEO PREMIERE


"I was angry when I wrote it," says J Hacha De Zola. The video for "Which Way," the song of which he speaks, is playing today over at New Noise Magazine. Check out the Subharmonic City-produced clip now!

J explains, "A dear friend, just someone who I really loved and thought the world of, was taken from us by COVID. When that happened, it made the pandemic real to me. That’s where the song came from."

"Which Way," from J's stellar new album 𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘥𝘦𝘯, is streaming everywhere and anywhere here.

Austin, Texas-based songwriter Jenny Parrott follows-up her Top 10 Album of The Year (Austin Chronicle) with "The Fire I Saw" on Nov. 12th

NEWS

Jenny Parrott’s 2017 solo debut When I Come Down was named one of the Austin Chronicle’s Top 10 albums of that year. Her follow-up full-length The Fire I Saw arrives on Nov. 12th, 2021.

The new album is, naturally, an evolution of Parrott’s seemingly effortless lyricism, humor mixed with despair, and ultimately, her economic use of unforgettable melodies and just-right instrumentation that makes you feel like she’s seeing you even more than she’s seeing herself.

“These arms can’t stand an ever loving man. And these eyes can’t see a never changing me.”

The opening lines of first single “I Thought” (Out Oct. 1st, 2021) stop you dead in your tracks. A perfect example of what Parrott does over the course of an album that doesn’t even clock in past 25 minutes and doesn’t need to. Parrott takes care of all business during the brief span of the eight songs on The Fire I Saw, in a way many songwriters work an entire career towards and never reach.

The Fire I Saw, the second solo album by Jenny Parrott, arrives on Nov. 12th, 2021. Listen to album opener “Knockin’ Back Some Cokes” below.

Lonesome Highway points out the poignancy, restraint, and personal insight at play on Chris J. Norwood's new LP

ALBUM REVIEW

Lonesome Highway points out the “poignancy… restraint… [and] personal insight” at play on Chris J. Norwood’s I Am Not Cool, out now on State Fair Records. According to their review, Norwood is in command of a “serious but often smile-inducing songcraft. If you let the album speak for itself, I think you will find it pretty cool; If not, being uncool has its own merits.”

Maylee Thomas interviews Chris J. Norwood for Texas Homegrown Music, a podcast as well as a broadcast on 93.5 FM in Dallas

PODCAST INTERVIEW


This week's Texas Homegrown Music podcast (originally broadcast on 93.5 FM The Range) has host Maylee Thomas in conversation with Chris j. Norwood! So glad Chris has had so many opportunities to speak about the songs on his new album 𝘐 𝘈𝘮 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘭.

There’s such an amazing confluence of humor and poignancy on this record, which is just out as of last Friday on State Fair Records. Get it here.

Mark Bryan revisits Who's Next on the Records Revisited podcast

INTERVIEW


I was teasing Mark Bryan, calling him psychic, for suggesting The Who’s Who’s Next as the subject of an episode of the fab Records Revisited Podcast. Mark picked it months ago; then, about a month after taping, an avalanche of press hit about the album's 50th anniversary. Good thing too, as Mark's knowledge of this album supersedes much of the journalism about the record and he’s able to discuss it as both a fan and technician.

Mark's solo album Midlife Priceless is out now on Stone Point Records, distributed by Slow Start Records.

Chris J. Norwood takes fellow musician Emmeline on the journey of his song "Good Guy With A Gun"

PODCAST INTERVIEW


"'How do you stop a good guy with a gun?' This poignant question concludes the chorus of Chris J. Norwood’s brand new single." I'm loving the latest episode of the Journey Of A Song podcast with host Emmeline discussing "Good Guy With A Gun" from Chris' just-released new album 𝘐 𝘈𝘮 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘭 on State Fair Records. The two “talk about telling one's story through music, how songs can give each of us better perspective and deeper empathy, and how music has the potential to start important social conversations."

It's Psychedelic Baby shares the Sweetened version of Blesson Roy's sublime "Undertow"

VIDEO PREMIERE

It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine has the premiere of the Sweetened version of Blesson Roy’s “Undertow,” created by Sweeten (aka Tom Gorai, who has produced videos for Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, A Tribe Called Quest, and more). From Think Like Spring, out now on Slow Start Records. Sweeten previously directed the video for “Should’ve Known Better,” also on Think Like Spring.

About the song, Blesson Roy says, “‘Undertow’ took on a darker and lusher soundscape than I had originally imagined, having written that one as a Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake-influenced acoustic guitar song. As the recording unfolded, however, I realized that ‘Undertow’ needed a dark ambient soundscape rather than a stripped-down acoustic production. I had the time and intention to be open to following songs in one direction, and then going in the opposite musical direction, until it seemed that the song had found its way home in the recording.”

Chris J. Norwood and Carrie Norwood play Good Morning Texas on the eve of Chris' album release

FEATURE


The host of WFAA’s Good Morning Texas couldn't possibly be more enthused about Chris J. Norwood and Carrie Norwood's duet "I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart)," as performed acoustically and quickly on yesterday's episode. "Such a kick in the pants," indeed!

Check out their performance, and if you’re in Dallas come see 'em play a State Fair of Texas-sponsored record release show tonight in Dallas at the Kessler Theater with Chris's label mate, Billy Law, who’s also celebrating today's release of his own album. The new Chris J. Norwood album I Am Not Cool is available everywhere now via State Fair Records.