STRATEGIC ARTIST ADVOCACY SINCE 1997
J Hacha De Zola is reaching lots of new listeners with his fifth album 𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘥𝘦𝘯, where his eccentricities as a musician and performer have found just the right mix with his endearing songwriting.
Today, Rock & Roll Globe’s J. Poet writes that he’s “created a new sonic landscape… His warm baritone is at the center of the mix, and the comforting harmonies that grace the tracks suggest the cheery vocals of the soul and doo-wop hits that provided his inspiration."
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.
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.
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.
Northern California’s Times-Standard caught wind of The Dev Marvelous’ new bird and the bee covers record, which benefits Sweet Relief Musician’s Fund. Learn more about the project, from Release Me Records.
If you’re not yet a believer in The March Divide’s Jared Putnam, you will be after you get a little more familiar with this charismatic singer-songwriter. V13 just premiered his brand new single “I Believe,” a tender number included on his forthcoming album cinq, due tomorrow (Friday, April 23) via Slow Start Records. It’s one of the most intimate songs he’s ever written, and V13 says the whole new album is a “home run.”
”Though Dev Marvelous’ take on the bird and the bee’s ‘La La La’ may bear some hallmarks of a solo production made in COVID-imposed isolation,” Cover Me Songs writes, “this is bedroom pop of a different and brighter sort: pulsing, vivid, joyful… Elegant electric piano stabs, tinges of nouveau samba, a wormy synth and impressive vocal stacks run through the track, evoking some of the most infectious and synesthetic pop work from producer Greg Kurstin (the ‘Bee’ to Inara George’s ‘Bird’).”
Dev’s full, funky collection of bird and the bee covers is available now from Release Me Records.
Head over to Americana UK to hear “The Funk That You’re In,” the “kinda funky” single from The March Divide’s upcoming album cinq. Link in bio.
The full LP is out this Friday, April 23 from Slow Start Records and can be pre-ordered now!
Jared says: “The album is made up of all the singles I’ve released over the last year, plus a bit extra. My friend (Short Eared Dog Photography) made the cover art for each of the singles & the album itself. Each cover is thoughtful in its character & meaning, while maintaining the album’s common theme. Neat, huh?! Which is your favorite? Seriously, I wanna know!” Be sure to slide right into his DMs with your answer.
Cheers to Mark Bryan’s hometown Charleston City Paper for helping to hype 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, the Hootie and the Blowfish guitarist’s fourth solo album. Mark’s celebrating the release in June at the Windjammer in South Carolina, with a cadre of players who helped make the recordings so magical.
If you haven’t heard it yet, the record is available to buy and stream here.
MXDWN has coverage of the upcoming sixth volume of the Road Angel Project series and writes that Dev Marvelous’ cover of The Bird and the Bee’s “La La La” is “a funky synth jam” that transforms the song’s sound from “hazy psychedelic indie to jazzy funk pop.”
The complete collection of Dev’s covers will be out next Friday, April 16 on Release Me Records.
Thank you, Far Out Magazine, for including Mark Bryan’s 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 on a best new vinyl releases list alongside Bob Dylan, Alice Coltrane, Warren Zevon, and Sturgill Simpson.
The 180-gram vinyl package is beautiful and available to order.
Thanks so much to Holy City Sinner for all the support in the lead up to the release of Mark Bryan’s Midlife Priceless, which arrives tomorrow (Friday, April 2). The site, known as the most popular blog in Charleston, has been an advocate of Mark’s from the beginning and has really helped get the word out about the fantastic new solo release the Hootie And The Blowfish lead guitarist is prepping for release at the end of the week. See the lyric video for “A Little More Rock N Roll,” made from old Hootie footage, via Holy City Sinner.
To celebrate release week, Mark is doing a Facebook Live session with friends from his studio on Thursday, April 1 starting at 8pm EDT. Find the show on Facebook here or watch the Youtube simulcast here. Don’t worry if you miss it live - those links will take you to the archived performance once it’s finished.
Thanks MXDWN for sharing “Southern Nights,” the Allen Toussaint cover from Michael Andrews Inara George that appears on the newest volume of the 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 from Release Me Records. All proceeds from the releases go to Sweet Relief - learn more sweetrelief.org.
Find and follow this Spotify playlist to stay up-to-date with all releases in the series.
The Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky.com) has a feature on frigidkitty’s new album Indulgence, “an album merging electronica, cinematic ambiance and rich pop pageantry.”
The paper dives into the veteran artist’s rich history, her fruitful collaborations with other Lexington, KY musicians, and her vital work releasing others’ music via Desperate Spirits. According to Kim Conlee, “Sharing music with someone is such a special experience… I have been so blessed over the years to be included in some fantastic projects and have been really willing to dive into other people’s visions. But it’s also amazing, when you turn around and it’s your turn to put something out.”