STRATEGIC ARTIST ADVOCACY SINCE 1997
"Pacifico has just given us an epically beautiful song, 'Afterglow,' and it is definitely not one to miss."
I agree 100% with Up to Hear on this one!
Writer John Michie goes on to compare the slide guitar work on the tune to George Harrison and concludes, "This is a fantastic song that displays real craftsmanship."
Click for your life!
Today, Melinda is in the house (to teach Alex Lilly how to tap)!
Alex had this cool side hustle during the early pandy where she took commissions to write what she calls "jingles for humans" (and even some pets). She says, "I have a hetero-girl crush on the supremely talented and unique Melinda Sullivan. Melinda's man asked me to write a jingle for her.
"Her jingle is a true story! We appeared in a music video together, pretended to kiss, and... oh, those lips! We also played at The Gardenia. The song is a play-by-play! I was delighted when she agreed to give me a tap lesson for the 'Melinda' video."
"Melinda" also features saxophone by James King from Fitz and the Tantrums, drums by Barbara Gruska from Belle Brigade, and bass by Gabe Noel. The new Alex Lilly album ๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ด ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฏ is out October 21 on Release Me Records.
Some Ivory Fields love over at BuzzBands.LA!
"Ivory Fields combines the talents of two of L.A.โs more plucky sonic explorers... Ivory Fieldsโ self-titled album, out Oct. 28, combines densely layered synths, beats, guitars and vocals in a way that at first blush seems amorphous โ defiantly avant-garde swathes of sound that hint at dream-pop and dark, left-field techno."
Click for your life!
Good morning!
The conversation about this feature story for Charleston Home + Design Magazine started two years ago as Mark Bryan was still in construction on his studio.
I absolutely love how the final piece turned out! On stands locally now, or you can check it out right here.
Many thanks to Micaela Arnett and Paige Taylor for seeing this through. The beautiful photography is by Callie Cranford.
Favorite local band? SUSTO!
"Melinda" lives!
Alex Lilly had this cool side hustle during the early pandy where she took commissions to write "theme songs for humans." Some of these songs, including this cut "Melinda," got developed into full productions on Alex's upcoming new album ๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ด ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฏ (October 21, Release Me Records).
Alex says, โMelinda is an incredible tap dancer and her hubby contacted me about writing a jingle in her honor. I was delighted as Iโve always been slightly (healthily) obsessed with her."
The tune also features saxophone by James King from Fitz & The Tantrums, drums by Barbara Gruska from Belle Brigade, and bass by Gabe Noel.
Click (or tap) for your life!
Did you know this week has been Banned Books Week?
Alex Lilly's current single and video, "Pure Drivel," features the chorus "I know you canceled all your plans, so come over, let's read some books that got banned." And this week, Alex has more words to say on the subject that hit home and hit hard. Click for your life to read her full statement.
Be sure to watch the "Pure Drivel" video, too, which was shot in Berlin (featuring choreographed dances with books!) at the Bezirkszentralbibliothek (District Central Library), which doesn't typically allow such things!
The new Alex Lilly album ๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ด ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฏ is out October 21 on Release Me Records.
Release show that evening in Los Angeles at Gold-Diggers with special guests The Living Sisters (feat. Inara George, Eleni Mandell, Alex Lilly, and Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond). Tickets available at the link!
I know you are probably asking yourself, โWhat's up with MOTORCADE?!โ Iโll 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!
๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ is out now on Idol Records!
Atwood and Central Track have been raving about โSlip,โ 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!
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 ๐๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ฅ 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!
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: "Everythingโs 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... [โSlipโ 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.
Please go over to All About Jazz to hear the debut track "Punching Clocks" from the instrumental Portland duo of Cliff Hayes (Buellton) and A. Walker Spring (Old Time Relijun) aka CLIFFWALKER.
โCentral to their sound is the vibraphone. Itโs here in its glassy and funky finest... I donโt know if Vibrarock is a thing but if itโs not, this duo have invented it.โ โ Higher Plain Music
Thanks to the always influential Sound Opinions podcast for continuing to support MOTORCADE!
Greg Kot played "Static" from ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ (out now on Idol Records) during the show's latest "Buried Treasures" episode, effectively making it less buried. Thanks for that, Greg!
Dallas! Come out to the Kessler Theater on June 24 to see MOTORCADE live (with FIT supporting!) Tickets on sale here.
I'm energized by this hyperdrive Paul Slavens cut called "Queenie," in which the award-winning, long-running KXT public radio host shows off his madman-level composition skills. It's ๐ฅ.
Visit All About Jazz for the scoop. Scroll down to watch the video (also of Paul's making, utilizing both his sheet music and the product of the creative mind of photographer, James Bland) for the tune that was handed to four university jazz students with the instructions to "play it as fast as you can."
๐๐ญ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ต ๐๐ช๐ณ๐ญ๐ด, ๐๐ฐ๐ญ. ๐๐ is out June 24 from State Fair Records.
I'm addicted to this deep cut from the upcoming Paul Slavens album ๐๐ญ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ต ๐๐ช๐ณ๐ญ๐ด, ๐๐ฐ๐ญ. ๐๐ (June 24, State Fair Records).
In its coverage of "Queenie," Central Track says, "Slavensโ tune is an all-instrumental slice of excellent upbeat jazz. Itโs like a big shot of adrenaline in the morning. RIYL: Cannonball Adderley, McCoy Tyner and Art Blakey.โ
More love today for Caitlin Cobb-Vialet's emotional workout "Disco Ball," from her upcoming album ๐๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ฅ, out May 6. I feel like this song is taking on a life of its own!
CLOUT says it "bleeds with an authenticity and sense of heart. A masterful track."
Some incredible writing here from Mitch Mosk at Atwood Magazine about Gregory Ackerman and his recent ๐๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ album. Greg talks honestly, openly, and courageously about how his struggles with tragedy and depression informed this moving record.
Andโฆ we still dislike Spotify, yes? Greg has recorded a cover of the Graham Nash / Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young classic "Our House," and in solidarity with Joni, Graham, David, and the gang, will be releasing it this Friday, April 22, to all streamers except for you-know-who.
Greg's also on tour now as part of Jack Symes' band and will be celebrating the release of "Our House" when the tour wraps in Los Angeles this Saturday, April 23 at Zebulon. For now, check the story and listen to ๐๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ here.