CLIFFWALKER Release Painted Gray Sky

ALBUM RELEASE

CLIFFWALKER released their debut EP, Painted Gray Sky, on Friday. I have been thrilled to help this project along. It's another one of those that came to be in a humble fashion and has made an impression on all that have heard it. May you be one?

If you love minimalist composers, the simple bass (Cliff Hayes of CARCRASHLANDER) and vibraphone (A. Walker Spring of Old Time Relijun) foundation of this instrumental "crime jazz" music really hits. I have compared it to John Carpenter's self-soundtracks and Michael Mann's early films for this reason. Listen. And learn? What if we did that...

MOTORCADE celebrates their new LP with a Kessler Theater show and more Texas dates, including with the Toadies

UPDATE

I know you are probably asking yourself, “What's up with MOTORCADE?!” I’ll tell you:

They have a release show at the Kessler Theater on Friday (limited tix still available)!

They play Texas dates with The Toadies later this summer!

𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 is out now on Idol Records!

Atwood and Central Track have been raving about “Slip,” from the album!

That's four answers to your one question. I feel like that's a lot, so I hope you feel good about it. Click for your life!

Source: http://bigtakeover.com/news/song-premiere-...

The video for Paul Slavens' "Ophelia" - great for fans of Shakespears, They Might Be Giants, and Zappa - premiers

PREMIERE

Premiering now from Paul Slavens!

It's the cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs video for “Ophelia,” a song in which Prince Hamlet asks the doomed Danish noblewoman of the title to “give a guy some slack,” among other things.

The song features vocals from Rosana Eckert, who most recently appeared on the Grammy®-winning 𝘌𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 album by the late Lyle Mays. If you enjoy Frank Zappa, They Might Be Giants, and Shakespeare as much as I do, please check it out!

Paul's upcoming 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘝𝘰𝘭. 𝘐𝘐 is out June 24 on State Fair Records.

Caitlin Cobb-Vialet is ready for two special performances in the Bay Area this week

SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT

Two Caitlin Cobb-Vialet performances in the Bay Area this week! Come out to The Lost Church in Santa Rosa this Thursday, June 16 and The Sunshine Prophecy in Oakland on Friday, June 17.

Out Now: Caitlin's outstanding debut album 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘥 including the opening two-minute emotional smasher "Not Enough" and the hits-you-in-your-feels-until-you're-horizontal basher "Disco Ball." More info, music, and survival tips at the link. Click for your life!

All About Jazz covers CLIFFWALKER's Devo-inspired video for "Punching Clocks"

FEATURE

RIYL: Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Tortoise, Death From Above 1979

It's Monday morning and it's time for the influences of legendary minimalist composers to meet post-rock contemporaries in the Devo-inspired (“Beautiful World” to be exact) video for “Punching Clocks” over at All About Jazz.

The duo is CLIFFWALKER — Cliff Hayes (Buellton) primarily on bass and A. Walker Spring (Old Time Relijun) primarily on vibes. This is instrumental goodness — you don't need lyrics this early in the week, trust me.

Debut EP Painted Gray Sky arrives June 24.

Composer Paul Slavens voices Hamlet, accompanied by singer Rosana Eckert, on the fun-filled "Ophelia"

PREMIERE

Hi! Do you enjoy Frank Zappa, They Might Be Giants, and Shakespeare as much as I do? Great! The new Paul Slavens single “Ophelia” is the first bit of music that I heard from his upcoming 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘝𝘰𝘭. 𝘐𝘐 (June 24, State Fair Records.)

My reaction: Paul is a genius. Paul is nuts. I need to talk about it! This tune in which Hamlet asks the doomed Danish noblewoman to “give a guy some slack” is just the thing to draw a desperately needed smile. Treat Yo Self!

Nanobot Rock streams the new LP from "the most important Texas musicians you may have never heard of," The March Divide

ALBUM PREMIERE


Today at Nanobot Rock: a full-album stream of 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 by The March Divide, which arrives this Friday via Slow Start Records. "Throughout the record an air of throwback feeling melodies pair with optimistic instrumental backing to take The March Divide’s cathartic honesty and make it feel more present than ever."

I've been working with Jared for a long time and I've always felt he's been honing his skills for a record with the level of commitment to catchy melodies, self-aware humor, and relatable catharsis that is 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴. Just like the above quote states! This album is a fine piece of work to be very proud of.

Click for your life!

Treble premieres the "gloriously mesmerizing" new single from CLIFFWALKER, "Pulling Threads"

SINGLE PREMIERE


"Ethereal, hypnotic vibes and a distorted, robotic bass."

"Some kind of dirty lounge groove."

"Gloriously mesmerizing."

Look at all the incredible things Treble says this morning about "Pulling Threads," the next single from the upcoming debut EP by CLIFFWALKER!

The instrumental bass (the instrument) and vibes (the instrument) duo of Cliff Hayes (Buellton) and A. Walker Spring (Old Time Relijun) will release Painted Gray Sky on June 24.

Nanobot Rock takes on the short, sweet "acoustic prog" instrumentals from The March Divide's upcoming LP

TRACK PREMIERES


𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 is the new album by The March Divide, dropping via Slow Start Records on June 10. The album contains two short and sweet instrumental tracks, each automatically named for the street Jared Putnam was on when he recorded the voice memo. Nanobot Rock is teasing them out for us in anticipation of premiering the entire album this week. Go over and watch the "poetically rare Texas snow day" in "Mont Del Dr.” Then, dig “Dover Cir.,“ which ”quickly takes on an almost acoustic prog rock 3/4 sound reminiscent of Howe/Kaye."

Tune back this Wednesday for a stream of 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 in its entirety.


ATWOOD describes MOTORCADE as "masters of balancing chaos with control;" hear the surging, dramatic track "The Slip" now

TRACK FEATURE

More from MOTORCADE today! I have been a total pest about this song "Slip," so it is satisfying to read Mitch Mosk of Atwood Magazine's "Today's Song" thoughts about it: "Everything’s surging forward with dramatic, volatile force, and yet MOTORCADE are calm, cool, and collected: Masters of balancing chaos with control, they shine with charming post-punk passion... [‘Slip’ is] a sign of turbulent times; an anthemic, emotional rallying cry in the darkness; a valiant outpouring of self-expression in a sea of overwhelming futility and frustration."

Check out the full review! And if you are in Dallas, come out to the Kessler Theater on June 24 to see MOTORCADE live (with FIT supporting!) Tickets on sale here.

Source: http://bigtakeover.com/news/song-premiere-...

Stream Pacifico's new EP - 17 years in the making - now via V13

PREMIERE

I’ve been listening to the rough mixes of the next Pacifico record and wow, this record sounds BIG. You'll have to wait, but today V13 has helped us reveal the entire ‘05/‘22 EP, which will stream everywhere tomorrow via Pacifirecords.

As the story (and title) goes, this batch of songs was started in 2005 and completed in 2022. V13 reports: "It was a very interesting recording experience, because it required Matthew Schwartz, now an experienced, professional musician, to reconnect with his former self, a young man just trying to find his way in a world he wasn’t familiar with."

Click for your life!

Sloan Brothers' Sloan Simpson adorns the cover of Flagpole's newest issue

FEATURE

Athens! Check out yer boy Sloan Simpson beaming out from the cover of this week's Flagpole Magazine! I'm so happy to represent for the Sloan Brothers project because it represents for me. It's everything about why I do this for a living - i.e., I do it for a loving!

Sloan made 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘜𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 because the pandemic took the life and love he knows as a recordist away. His friends encouraged and supported him, gave that love back, and everyone who listens to this record hears it in the songs.

Anyway, it's a small joy in rough times to see a brother get the spotlight thrown their way. Congrats Sloan!

And back to biz: You can stream now, pre-order your vinyl (out 7/1) and RSVP for the 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘜𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 listening party (also 7/1) at the following links:

https://fanatic.lnk.to/SloanBrothers-SystemUpdate

https://sloanbrothers.bandcamp.com/album/system-update

https://tinyurl.com/SLOAN-BROTHERS-ATHENS-070122

Click for your life!

The March Divide's "Tension In The Air" is "perfect, necessary, and great" according to Central Track

FEATURE


Good evening! Here we are again, back for another edition of 𝘔𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, where we document the continuing adventures of this video star puppet.

"The March Divide is great... 'Tension In The Air' is the perfect example of a necessary viewing," said Central Track on Monday in its "Song of The Day" post.

"Perfect,” “necessary," and “great" are three words that should have you out of your mind excited to watch this video. Heck, we should all be using these words to describe ourselves personally, no? Self-care is important. This, my advice to you.

New album 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 by The March Divide is out June 10 on Slow Start Records.

AllMusic raves about the "catchy, affectionate pop" found on The High Water Marks' new LP

ALBUM REVIEW

Here's a thing I would like to proclaim: I love this album and 97.89% of the human population agrees with me (and the rest don't listen to music.) That's pretty good, right?!

Here's what AllMusic is saying about the latest High Water Marks album:

"Catchy, affectionate pop... a skill that's front and center. Even diversions into noise and darker corners charm on a set that never loses its spark."

Out now on Minty Fresh!

Paul Slavens chats with Central Track about his long career

INTERVIEW

Paul Slavens had a nice long chat with Central Track about his long career, which contains so many highlights that brevity prohibits me from mentioning them here.

BUT!

I 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 take this moment to remind that 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘝𝘰𝘭. 𝘐𝘐 is out June 24 from State Fair Records.

Central Track says, "The album is all over the place, from jazz to prog to pop, but it’s as eclectic as Slavens is."