AMERICAN BABIES RE-RELEASES SELF TITLED ALBUM DEBUT TOMORROW - TUESDAY, APRIL 1
March 31, 2008
Like all brilliant, beautifully rendered albums, American Babies’ new release washes over you with wit, wisdom and tenderness. For the self-titled debut, re-released April 1, 2008 on SCI Fidelity Records, Philadelphia-bred front man and songwriter Tom Hamilton has combined his urbane mindset with the country music of his childhood, creating work that places him alongside career artists like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Jeff Tweedy. The buzz is already on.
American Babies was silently self-released by the band a year ago. But the secret soon spread. Together for a little more than a year, American Babies have already landed several influential gigs, including much-talked-about performances at Philly’s World Music Café, Chicago’s Wicker Park Festival and Bonnaroo. In addition, American Babies have become “next-big-thing” darlings for such prestigious showcases as the Paste/OurStage South by Southwest Opening Night Party at Stubb’s and the Rhapsody/CMJ Conference Kickoff Event. The chemistry and magical X-factor this band possesses is already apparent, even contagious.
At the time Hamilton started writing acoustic roots material like the titled track, “American Babies,” he was far from home. He’d been writing, performing, and enjoying a swell of critical acclaim with his band Brothers Past — yielding a wellspring of positive notices that could possibly have been his ticket to the big time. But his heart wasn’t entirely in the process as it stood. “For some time, I had wanted to get more into the music I grew up on.”
Which is exactly what he did. He returned to the Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash records his dad made him listen to as a kid, but heard them differently this time. The sounds inspired him wholeheartedly and he began writing in a similar vein. “I don’t want to get too deep on it,” says Hamilton, a candid realist who equates writing songs with any other job. “I write songs and I play the guitar. It is what I do and it is who I am.”
Some people undertake their occupations better than others, though, and Hamilton is a top-rate songwriter. And with the accompaniment of bassist/brother Jim Hamilton and drummer Joe Russo, and Guitarist Scott Metzger, American Babies has developed into something extraordinary.
http://www.myspace.com/tomhamiltonsamericanbabies
LONG ISLAND NATIVES BAYSIDE NEW CD/DVD COMING JULY 22nd 2008
March 31, 2008
Photo credit: Matt Wysock
Long Island’s beloved BAYSIDE are to release The Walking Wounded: Gold Edition on July 22, 2008, a deluxe CD/DVD package of their fourth studio album. The extended CD package will include live acoustic tracks to be recorded at a special performance that will be filmed at Looney Tunes in Long Island on Monday, May 12th. (Visit www.ltcds.com for more details on the in-store performance). The accompanying DVD is planned to include the full Looney Tunes performance, behind-the-scenes documentary of the band on their Spring 2008 tour, and their music videos from The Walking Wounded.
Directed by Josh Horowitz, Bayside’s new video for their track “Carry On” will debut as the “Featured Video” on MySpace.com this Wednesday, March 26th.
Once their current national headlining tour with The Starting Line wraps up in late Spring, the band plan to enter Los Angeles’ Red Bull Studios in June to write and record their fifth studio album, tentatively titled Shudder. The follow-up to The Walking Wounded is set for release September 30, 2008 and will be produced by David Schiffman (Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Johnny Cash).
“I think we know what Bayside is supposed to sound like,” explains vocalist/guitarist Anthony Raneri. “We have figured it out and we don’t plan on changing the formula. We love what we’ve become and we can only hope to get better at what we do. We have the most time we’ve ever had to prepare for this record from the writing process to the recording process but we want to be sure not to overthink the songs and let them sound the way they were meant to sound. It is going to be the fastest, most energetic, catchiest and most exciting record we have ever made. We are feeling youthful and excited as people and I think it is going to come out in the music.”
Tour dates with the Starting Line
Apr 01 Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR
Apr 02 McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR
Apr 03 Slims San Francisco, CA
Apr 04 The Boardwalk Sacramento, CA
Apr 05 BAMBOOZLE – Left Irvine, CA
Apr 06 Jillians Las Vegas, NV Apr 07 The Rock Tucson, AZ
Apr 09 White Rabbit San Antonio, TX
Apr 10 House Of Blues Dallas, TX
Apr 11 Meridian Houston, TX
Apr 13 House Of Blues Orlando, FL
Apr 14 Revolution Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Apr 15 Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, FL
Apr 16 Masquerade Atlanta, GA
Apr 17 Norva Norfolk, VA
Apr 18 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
Apr 19 The Palladium Worcester, MA
Apr 20 930 Club Washington, DC
THE MODEY LEMON RETURNS WITH NEW ALBUM ‘SEASON OF SWEETS’
March 31, 2008
Pittsburgh’s most loved sons, The Modey Lemon, rip through 3 years of silence with their new record, Season Of Sweets. With one foot in the sci-fi darkness of their last record THE CURIOUS CITY, one foot in their past garage angst-ridden wreckage and one foot in the Krautrock brilliance of the German Frontier (three feet?) Season Of Sweets is a fuzzed out, driving masterpiece with catchy hooks beaten to death by guitar/synth mayhem and the anchor of Paul Quattrone’s drums of passion. As primitive as it is futuristic, Modey Lemon is recreating the present, molecule by molecule, every second of every breath. The Trio from Pittsburgh returns with another helping of sugary sweetness that rots your teeth and leaves you wanting more. Recorded during the dead of winter in Pittsburgh, PA, at the Brass Factory and mixed and recorded by Jason Kirker, member and principal noisemaker.
The last 2 years have been very interesting for the band. After signing with Mute, recording in the UK and playing the granddaddy of all venues, The Fillmore, opening for Dinosaur Jr., the band took some time away to regroup and work on new material. The result is SEASON OF SWEETS.
Driven by drummer extraordinaire Paul Quattrone, the songs twist and turn through the imagery and dark rock that has made Modey Lemon famous. Jason Kirker (engineer and band member) uses an array of keyboards, Moog’s and an assortment of other instruments to create the band’s massive sound. But the heart of this album is the energy and mysticism singer Phil Boyd leads you on - a truly brilliant creation, with a ton of heart and soul.
TEYANA TAYLOR DROPS HER DEBUT ALBUM, ‘FROM A PLANET CALLED HARLEM’ IN MAY
March 31, 2008
It’s hard to recognize the pretty 16 year-old poised in first position at the ballet barre. Her usually wild mane is pulled back into a scarf as she takes her final port de bras and retreats to the locker room with a tug of her leotard. “I’m not a girly girl,” she confesses with a shrug. “I don’t like wearing a spandex bodysuit.” When she returns, she’s rocking a fitted cap cocked over her gorgeous crop of corkscrew curls, a subtle sag in her Ice Cream jeans, and a pair of technicolor Air Force Ones. Yup, Teyana Taylor’s got her swagger back.
You may already know Pharrell’s latest protégé from her extravagant, 80’s-themed coming out party on MTV’s Sweet 16 or as the petite pop locker in Jay Z’s “Blue Magic” video, but her V.I.P. status was established even before the cameos and big name industry endorsements. Lady Beyoncé herself was so impressed with the Harlem bred triple threat’s moves that she asked her to teach her the Chicken Noodle Soup — the popular dance Teyana helped innovate — for her performance at the 2007 VMA’s. “That kind of love coming from Jay and Beyonce, was crazy, recalls Teyana. “When he said, ‘Yo, you’re a superstar. I’ll see you at the top,’ I was humbled, like wow!”
With the release of her debut album, From A Planet Called Harlem (Star Trak/Intersope), Teyana finally gets to show off her killer pipes and full-bodied flow to the rest of the universe. The album is a macrocosm of R&B, pop rock, and rap and deliciously rich with sticky hooks and campy lyrical play. “From the songs to the production — the whole direction of the album is insane,” explains the Star Trak maverick. “It’s a story about having fun.”
Of course, the stylish femcee reps NYC to the fullest but it’s her offbeat, ‘afronaut’ edge that makes her such an undeniable rockstar — she’s a seamless blend of hip hop hipster and skater chick. Her hybrid musical style is as rebellious and eclectic as her personality and that’s not the result of a brilliant marketing squad. Just peep her iTunes playlist and you’ll find her rocking out to My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.
With production from sonic architects like Jazze Pha, Pharrell, Mad Scientist, Frost, Shondre and Hit Boy, Teyana’s first solo offering has the rumblings of a party-pumping earthquake. The mix of throwback break beats, futuristic boom bap, and melodic renderings is the perfect backdrop for the starlet’s musical mayhem.
“Complicated” is a beautifully airy ballad about a crush that she’s not quite prepared to pursue. I can’t say I’m not impressed by you /I’m not ready to invest/ I can’t say I’m not the girl for you/ I just might not be her yet. She sings with the tender honesty of a young girl with strong sense of self-awareness and wisdom.
“‘Color Me Pink’ is my favorite song,” she says about another coming-of-age single. “It’s about a boy who makes me want to put on a skirt or wear a tutu to ballet class. It’s something every girl can relate to.”
But From A Planet Called Harlem isn’t all flowery femme gems and soulful lullabies. On “Translation,” Teyana gets clever with her wordplay. She spits a few bars of hood patois and then translates it for her less slang-savvy fans. “Switch It Up” is another track that capitalizes on her flow. She adopts her mentor’s cocky cadence and rips the mic over an infectious go-go beat, lacing it with his familiar yezir’s. Then the sassy shopaholic goes ego-trippin on “Traffic Stop,” a head bopping jam that will have everyone singing ” Sittin’ at a bus stop/ Suckin’ on a lollipop/ In my Ice Cream top/ I can make the Traffic Stop”.
“The first time I stepped into a booth I was seven,” says Teyana. “I started singing on the train to make money, just hustling. No matter how much money I get, I still gotta grind. I still gotta work hard to get where I want to be.”
While the average 16-year-old’s burning ambition is passing their road test, Teyana is busy pursuing loftier goals. For now, the industry ingénue would rather focus on kicking her career into overdrive.
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