Category: Music News

Funk band Lettuce announces new album Unify

Unify will be out June 3 and Unify World Tour kicks off March 24, 2022. Photo: Lettuce, used with permission.

Lettuce is the greasiest, funkiest band on today’s music scene. On June 3, the GRAMMY-nominated six-piece—Adam Deitch (drums), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone), Adam ‘Shmeeans’ Smirnoff (guitar), Erick ‘Jesus’ Coomes (bass), Nigel Hall (keyboards/vocals), Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom (trumpet)—will be delivering a whole host of new tunes to the world in the form of Unify, the eighth studio album from Lettuce and the third consecutive record made at Denver’s Colorado Sound Studios. It completes a loose trilogy starting with 2019’s GRAMMY-nominated Elevate, and continuing with 2020’s Resonate. Fans can expect the same tight, wildly-funky instrumentals Lettuce has been known for, but in the tightest form they have ever taken. This time around, the guys have gotten the stamp of approval from one of the genre’s most legendary icons, Mr. Bootsy Collins, himself, who can be heard singing on the track “Keep That Funk Alive.” (Lettuce, 2022)

Lettuce recently premiered “Gravy Train,” the first single from Unify, featuring a tightly evolved rhythm section, pin-point accurate horns, and a guitar-bass unison part not executed this well since Leo and George did it down in New Orleans all those years ago. “‘Gravy Train’ just has that classic Lettuce vibe,” says Smirnoff. “It’s one of those songs that’s timeless and could have shown up on any of our first albums. Give “Gravy Train” a spin right now at this link, pre-order or pre-save Unify ahead of its June 3 release right here.

Dealing with the pandemic, being in separate places, trying to survive without our best friends, without touring, not to mention the political divide in this country,” says Deitch. “We really needed to unify.” Zoidis recalls, “This album came together at a time when we were away from each other longer than we had been in years.” Although the band was able to do a lot of writing and pre-production from their respective home studios, they had not been in the same room or on the same stage together since their European tour was cut short in March 2021, so the first song on Unify captures the raw energy of a much-needed reunion at Colorado Sound Studios—though, that is not exactly where the story begins.

Beginning March 24 in St. Petersburg, Florida, Lettuce will take their brand new material out on the road, and across the pond, for the Unify World Tour. Between their U.S. leg and September’s Europe run, the band will hit some of the country’s most beloved festivals including Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Sonic Bloom, and High Sierra. A full list of tour dates is below and ticket information is available online. 

Catch Lettuce on tour:
March 24 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
March 25 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
March 26 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
March 27 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
March 30 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
March 31 – Baltimore, MD – Sound Stage
April 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
April 3 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
April 6 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Music Hall
April 7 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
April 8 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
April 9 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
April 20 – Patchogue, NY – Blue Point Brewing
April 21 – Albany, NY – Empire Live
April 22 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
April 23 – Washington, DC – National Cannabis Cup
April 24 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
April 27 – St. Louis, MO – The Big Top
April 28 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall
April 29 – Jackson, MS – Duling Hall
April 30 – New Orleans, LA – The Joy Theater (with Soul Rebels)
May 7 – Mill Valley, CA – Mill Valley Music Festival
May 26-29 – Martinsville, VA – Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival
June 16-19 – Hummingbird Ranch, CO – Sonic Bloom Festival
June 19 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
June 23-26 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
June 24-25 – Swanzey, NH – Northlands Music & Arts Festival
June 30-July 3 – Quincy, CA – High Sierra Music Festival
August 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
August 12 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at The Heights
August 13 – Richmond, VA – Jam Packed Craft Beer & Music Festival
August 26 – Martha’s Vineyard, MA – Beach Road Weekend Festival
September 20 – London, UK – Scala
September 21 – Tourcoing, France – Le Grand Mix
September 23 – Paris, France – Billard L’alhambra
September 24 – Rouen, France – Le 106 club
September 26 – Frankfurt, Germany – Batschkapp
September 27 – Rotterdam, Netherlands – Bird
September 28 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Noord
September 29 – Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot
September 30 – Berlin, Germany – Gretchen
October 2 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset
October 3 – Oslo, Norway – Cosmopolite Scene
October 4 – Jahanneshov, Sweden – Slaktkyrkan
October 5 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Jazzklubben Nefertiti
October 7 – Hamburg, Germany – Mojo Club
October 8 – Brno, Czechia – Groove Brno
October 9 – Vienna, Austria – Club Porgy & Bess
October 11 – Bern, Switzerland – Bierhübeli
October 12 – Pisa, Italy – Lumiere
October 13 – Rome, Italy – Monk Club
October 14 – Milano, Italy – Santeria Toscana 31
October 15 – Rovereto, Italy – Auditorium Melotti
October 17 – Stuttgart, Germany – Im Wizemann
October 18 – Mulhouse, France – Noumatrouff
October 20 – Barcelona, Spain – Sala La Nau
October 21 – Madrid, Spain – Sala Caracol
October 22 – Cenon, France – Le Rocher de Palmer

1654266900

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Unify release date

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys announce new LP Never Slow Down

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys connect bluegrass past and present with Never Slow Down, due out March 25 via Smithsonian Folkways. Photo: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, used with permission.

Necessity is what brought GRAMMY-nominated, IBMA Award-winning bluegrass group The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys together in the first place—and it is necessity that keeps them fueled today. Initially, a basic need for entertainment at an East Tennessee moonshine distillery brought the band’s original lineup together, but now, after miles and miles of touring and multiple albums recorded, their need is to continue connecting the past to the present, breaking new ground in the unknown future of the “high, lonesome sound.” The quintet symbolizes not only the tradition, legend, and lore that is bluegrass music, they possess a key trait of the ancient tones all too easily forgotten in the 21st century—rebellion. This spirit is at the center of their newest album, Never Slow Down, out March 25 on Smithsonian Folkways, which is also their first album featuring fiddler Laura Orshaw as an official member of the band. Taking on material by their heroes the Stanley Brothers, Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, George Jones, and more, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys bridge the gap between the past and present, proving the eternal importance of bluegrass and making it accessible to all. (The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, 2022)

“We know what bluegrass is. We know the history. And we respect the history. But, we’re looking to expand the boundaries of bluegrass—that’s the truth of the matter,” says The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys’ lead singer and mandolinist, C.J. Lewandowski. “A good song is a good song. We want to honor the past, but we also want to do our own material—to have our own sound, and to play our own way.” American Songwriter premiered the lead single “The Blues Are Close at Hand,” calling the single “high-energy” and taking note of the band’s “skilled and respectful approach to bluegrass traditions.” Fans can click here to hear “The Blues Are Close at Hand” and pre-order or pre-save Never Slow Down ahead of its March 25 release at this link.

Never Slow Down also represents the latest chapter of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys with the addition of fiddler Laura Orshaw as an official band member. Though Orshaw had made appearances on previous offerings from The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, her new full-time member status is front and center on Never Slow Down, whether it be taking the lead vocals on certain melodies or letting her intricate fiddle work shine through with its razor-sharp tone. “Having the fiddle in there really completes that signature lineup of what bluegrass music is,” Lewandowski says. “And with Laura, we’re able to open up all kinds of harmony structures, which gives each of us more opportunities to expand our palette of what we want to ultimately create and perform live.”

In signing with Smithsonian Folkways, the group has become a part of a nearly century-long legacy of musical celebration and preservation as they join the ranks of Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, Del McCoury, Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, and many other innovators of previous eras of Bluegrass that have material in the label’s fabled catalog.

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are gearing up for their next, unwritten phase with an album release tour and spring festival engagements right around the corner, and carrying bluegrass into the future will always be their number one focus. “The beauty of bluegrass music is not just the tradition of it, but also its constant evolution,” Lewandowski says. “No matter what we do, we’re always going to be honoring something in some kind of way. And that because it’s just what we like to do—it’s part of every one of us in this band.”

Never Slow Down track list:
Missing Her Has Never Slowed Me Down
Where Grass Don’t Grow
Lonesome
The Blues Are Close at Hand
When Are You Gonna Tell Me?
Take My Ashes to the River
Little Glass of Wine
Ramblin’ Woman
Woke Up With Tears in My Eyes
Mason’s Lament
Old Time Angels

Catch The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys on tour:
April 9 – Bristol, VA – Bristol Spring Bluegrass Festival
April 23 – Oakboro, NC – Big Lick Bluegrass Festival
April 30 – Floyd, VA – Floyd Country Store
May 4 – Branson, MO – Silver Dollar City
May 5 – Branson, MO – Silver Dollar City
May 6 – Webster, KY – The Randall Barn
May 7 – Cincinnati, OH – Appalachian Festival
May 26 – McClure, VA – Dr. Ralph Stanley’s Hills of Home Bluegrass Festival

1648199340

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Never Slow Down release date

Steve Dawson announces new album Gone, Long Gone

Juno Award-Winner Steve Dawson makes the best out of his time with upcoming album Gone, Long Gone, out March 18, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

When 2019 turned into 2020, Canadian guitarist, composer, and seven-time Juno Award-winning musician Steve Dawson was as busy as he had ever been in his life—playing with his friends Matt Anderson or Birds of Chicago and helming his acclaimed Music Makers and Soul Shakers podcast, all while producing albums for a multitude of roots artists and touring under his own name. So when the pandemic hit and pulled the ripcord to slow down Dawson’s life, he took the positives with the negatives and relished in some time off to work on music that may have never seen the light of day otherwise. His flurry of activity resulted in enough solo material for three distinct albums, the first of which, Gone, Long Gone—an album focused entirely on Dawson’s songcraft—will be released on March 18. (Steve Dawson, 2022)

American Songwriter premiered “Dimes,” Gone, Long Gone’s horn-laden, funk-infused opener. With a punchy, funky guitar attack akin to Ry Cooder, “Dimes” explores the age-old idea of quality versus quantity. “I just wanted to have a nice laid-back, funky feel going on over this, and then in the middle, a 70s cop-show theme song breaks out,” says Dawson, reflecting on recording the tune which features an all-star lineup of players. Fans can hear “Dimes” now at this link and check out the song’s lyric video, which premiered yesterday across the pond with Americana UK. Gone, Long Gone can be pre-ordered or pre-saved ahead of its March 18 release at this link.

Gone, Long Gone is Dawson’s first collection of songs since Solid States and Loose Ends came out in 2016, and features nine original cuts (mostly co-written with Alberta songwriter Matt Patershuk) and a soulful cover of The Faces’ “Ooh La La.” These new originals represent the first time Dawson has collaborated on songs with another artist, conceding that co-writing was a process that he previously found uncomfortable. Once Patershuk started firing off ideas to Steve, the ball got rolling, ideas flowed back and forth, and once the dust had settled, they had come up with a batch of new songs. The finished product proves that, as much as anything else, Steve Dawson is a singer-songwriter of the highest caliber and that Gone, Long Gone is the most realized album to be released under his own name to date.

As much as everyone has suffered through the past year, the beautiful music featured on Gone, Long Gone shows us that there is a bright side to our enforced isolation. It is not simply a record of the pandemic. These are songs with a life of their own that will resonate long after the memories of our current situation have faded.

Steve Dawson has long been recognized as one of Canada’s finest instrumentalists and record producers. He has collected seven Juno awards and 22 more nominations, was named Western Canadian Music Awards’ “Producer of the Year” three times and Canadian Folk Music Awards’ “Producer of the Year” four times with nominations too many to count between the two organizations. Dawson is the mastermind behind the popular podcast Music Makers and Soul Shakers, which has now published more than 100 episodes. His new album Gone, Long Gone is the first of three releases coming from a bountiful quarantine recording streak and is available on March 18, 2022. Phantom Threshold, a psychedelic pedal steel-driven instrumental album, is expected in July 2022.

Gone, Long Gone Track list:
1. Dimes
2. King Bennie Had His Shit Together
3. Bad Omen
4. Gone, Long Gone
5. I Just Get Lost
6. Kulaniapia Waltz
7. 6 Skeletons
8. Ooh La La
9. Cicada Sanctuary
10. Time Has Made A Fool Out Of Me

1647631920

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Gone, Long Gone release date

New album release: Jason Erie’s Tiny Fires

Jason Erie reconciles with country’s past and present on new album Tiny Fires, due out March 25 via Wirebird Records. Photo: Jason Erie, used with permission.

Is it okay to be proud of where one comes from even if that past is far from perfect? Can a country learn from the scars of its past and build something greater than any flawed, hand-me-down patriotism could ever summarize? According to New Jersey-born-and-raised folksinger and songwriter Jason Erie, the answer is a resounding “yes.” On Erie’s new full-length album Tiny Fires he spearheads a rebuilding effort, utilizing his signature hyper-sensory poeticism in intimate, agonizing portraits of the common man’s oft disregarded depth and frailty. Erie explores everything from modern consumerism to isolation, attempting to reconcile the imperfect realities of the U.S.A. and the flawed system passed down by its forebears. With that said, Erie’s message on Tiny Fires runs deeper than any run-of-the-mill, partisan protest record. Rather, it is an inherently unifying exposé on what it means to be human in a seemingly smoldering world and to find a home in its ashes. Tiny Fires can be pre-ordered or pre-saved ahead of its March 25 release at this link. (Jason Erie, 2022)

Over the course of 12 songs, Tiny Fires takes the listener across a sonic landscape that manages to incorporate everything from intimate acoustic ballads to raucous rock anthems—all of which showcase Erie’s unmatched versatility. Whereas producer Brett Ryan Stewart (Wirebird Productions) creates a masterful musical backdrop for the record, it is Erie’s extraordinary lyrical content and the consistency of his heart which ties the whole collection together. Where the first half of Tiny Fires is brimming with raw, dystopian hopelessness, in the latter half, the listener is greeted by a coming to terms of sorts. Erie seemingly begins taking ownership of his own role as a father, son, American, and human being. Perhaps the most obvious illustration of this empowerment comes in the song “Sins of my Father”—a marching rock track that seems equal parts anthem and dirge. It is written by the perspective of a son grappling with the troubled history of his father and his own identity within that lineage. The lyrics are deeply personal to Jason. “I’ve always been close to my dad and realize now that he worked really hard not to become his father. Thanks to that I get to say I hope to become more like him. Now that I am a father, this song serves as a reminder that trauma does not define who we are.” On another layer, the lyrics are also undoubtedly relevant to Americans forced to question their own collective history, the sins of their forefathers. It seems to beg some very important questions.

Within only a few years in Nashville, Jason has established himself as a must-know act in the renowned East Nashville Americana scene and a rising star in the Americana scene abroad. His first studio offering, The Art of Letting Go, gained widespread critical acclaim and landed the #28 slot on the Roots Music Report Americana chart. The Music Mermaid said, “The thing about Erie is that he’s not just a wildly talented musician — he’s a poet, a gut-puncher, a soul-shaker, an artist so in tune with the special ways that words can be spun. Not all singer-songwriters can do this, but somehow Erie does it all.” This sentiment is shared by anyone who has witnessed Jason’s live performances throughout his tours of the North and Southeast U.S.—as evidenced by his victory in the 2019 Eddie Owens Presents: Songwriter Shootout in Duluth, GA. Past winners of this competition include John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, Clay Cook, Jennifer Nettles, Tyler Childers, and Elliot Bronson.

1648189920

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Tiny Fires release date

Elliah Heifetz announces new album First Generation American

First Generation American will be out April 1, 2022. Photo: Elliah Heifetz, used with permission.

“Her second tongue was English, but her first was patience,” sings Elliah Heifetz on his new single, “Living Proof”—a loving ode to his mother who, along with his father and sister, came to America in 1990 as political refugees from the Soviet Union. “Everything she did, she had to do.” This story of upbringing is typical for generations of immigrant children, but Heifetz’ tale carries a unique calling card, his unabashed love for American country and roots music. “Living Proof” embodies the hope and resilience of Heifetz’ mother with equal parts John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, and Don Williams, riding a quiet half-time groove accented by sweet pedal steel guitar and true-to-life lyrics. “She was fighting for a corner of a brand new nation, and I, I’m living proof.” The first release from Heifetz’ upcoming full-length album First Generation American, fans can hear “Living Proof” now and pre-order or pre-save the album at this link. (Elliah Heifetz, 2022)

Set to be released on April 1, First Generation American finds this son of eastern European immigrants telling his most personal truths and truly confronting his life-long identity crisis. In late 2020, Heifetz connected with Grammy-nominated producer and fellow first-generation American Andrija Tokic. Flying to Nashville to track thirteen songs with Tokic at his all-analog Bomb Shelter studio, Heifetz recorded with an all-star band of legendary musicians including Dennis Crouch, Jeff Taylor, Jimmy Lester, Jack Lawrence, and JJ Tourville.

The record’s opening title track is a raucous, joyously tongue-in-cheek anthem for all children of immigrants, followed by the honeyed, heartfelt “Living Proof.” Other standouts include “Modern Man,” a rip-roaring blues rocker with a wink in its eye; “Anxiety,” a vulnerable conversation with mental illness; “Keep the Grass in the Ground,” a tonal nod to Heifetz’s late hero John Prine; and “Buzzin’,” the honky tonk shout-along he has always dreamed of leading. First Generation American blows open the door to the musical world inhabited by tour-de-forces like Tyler Childers, Waylon Payne, Joshua Ray Walker, and Margo Price.

Heifetz likes to say that on this record, he is a “tourist through country music”—paying reverent homage to the genre’s traditions while upending every old-guard, exclusionary norm he can find. It is a vital album for a hellishly turbulent time, a way to belly-laugh while we swallow the bitter reality of America’s hateful roots and complex future. And it is a perfect summary of something that has taken Heifetz down a rough road to learn: the stranger it is to listeners that he plays country music, the more right it feels. In this nation of immigrants, this patchwork quilt of a million differences, strangeness is precisely what makes you belong.

First Generation American follows the release of Heifetz’ debut EP, New Folk Songs, from which a number of songs were added to curated playlists—including TIDAL’s 2018 Best Of: Rising Folk/Country. Additionally, Dramatist Guild Foundation Fellow Heifetz has been crowned as one-to-watch as a composer and pop songwriter. In his songwriting career, Heifetz has collaborated with hit pop songwriters and producers like Freddy Wexler, Dave Kuncio, Corey Sanders, and Neff-U.

1648795320

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

First Generation American release date

County Line Community Band’s upcoming concert

The County Line Community Band will perform their ‘Composers Tribute Concert’ on March 20, 2022. Photo: County Line Community Band

On Sunday, March 20, 2022, the County Line Community Band will perform their “Composers Tribute Concert” in the beautiful Buena Vista Theater on the UTSA Downtown Campus from 3p.m. to 4p.m. This concert will feature music from San Antonio native Charles L. Booker who is a retired US Army Bandmaster and professor of music. Mr. Booker is a nationally recognized composer who recently was commissioned by the Texas Bandmasters Association to write a new composition in celebration of their 75th Anniversary this summer. This concert is free and open to the public. (County Line Community Band, 2022)

The County Line Community Band’s mission and endeavor is to create an environment whereby our all-volunteer organization can further their musical education and enjoyment through the performance of concert and symphonic music, to further the efficacy of music as an integral piece of the culture of the local community, to advocate for the synergistic integration of music education, to work with our cultural partners in our communities for the advancement of the arts and to be a source of pride for our members and the communities we serve.

In related news, the Greater San Antonio Community Bands Association will hold its first ever Community Band Music Festival on Saturday March 26, 2022 from 11:30a.m. to 8p.m. The GSACBA is composed of nine community bands in the San Antonio area and they have all teamed up to present some amazing wind band music for the public. They have partnered with the Beethoven Maennerchor to present this festival on their campus in the King William district. (422 Pereida St, San Antonio, TX 78207). (Greater San Antonio Community Bands Association, 2022)

The Greater San Antonio Community Bands Association is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit as recognized by the IRS. It is the overall purpose of the GSACBA to serve community bands with the following specific purposes: synergize the efforts of community bands in the greater San Antonio area, establish and manage the community bands music festival, harmonize efforts for musician recruitment among bands, offer performance planning coordination among bands, organize collaborative ventures with composers and arrangers, spearhead innovative fundraising initiatives and coordinate joint musical performance opportunities.

New album: Surely Will Be Singing by Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz

Surely Will Be Singing is the new album by Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz, available now everywhere. Photo: Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz

Parallel creative paths and a singular chance meeting of Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz are the origins of the duo’s forthcoming album, Surely Will Be Singing which released on January 21 via Mountain Fever Records. Bluegrass and Americana fans are treated to the album’s final single, “Long Gone”—available to stream everywhere at this link. Rogers named the song, taking the classic bluegrass train theme and turning it on its head. (Tammy Rogers/Thomm Jutz, 2022)

“In my mind, ‘Long Gone’ is set in the 1920s, a time of great social movement and upheaval. I picture a young man from the country who is either going to catch the train his lover is on, or stay left behind. What’s he going to do? Stick with the old or go somewhere new? This song is a reminder to all of us that no matter what we do, time is short, and we had better get to doing what we’re supposed to do.” – Thomm Jutz.

Surely Will Be Singing is a twelve-song collection selected from the 140+ songs King and Jutz have written over the years. “We’d always talked about making a duo record,” Jutz says. “We’re both very serious about what we do but we’re also very easygoing in the way we approach things. That’s at the heart of how we write. We’re both willing to see where things naturally go. I love that because at the end of the day, we usually wind up with something I wouldn’t have come up with on my own.” Rogers adds.

Previously, Rogers and Jutz released “The Tree of Life,” another single from the album which explores the concept of duality, something the duo were discussing after having read the writing of Joseph Campbell. Fans can hear “The Tree of Life” now at this link.

When Tammy Rogers was around five years old, her family moved from Rogersville, Tennessee, to Texas. Her father bought her a three-quarter size fiddle a few years later and it immediately became an extension of herself. Along with playing and touring with her family’s bluegrass band, she absorbed the music of her grandmother’s records whenever she would travel back to Tennessee in the summertime. Rogers landed her big break when she was hired to play fiddle in Patty Loveless’ band in 1990. Later in that decade, she co-founded one of Nashville’s earliest alt- country indie labels, Dead Reckoning Records. In 2016, Rogers won her first Grammy with the SteelDrivers for their album, The Muscle Shoals Recordings, which was awarded best bluegrass album.

Thomm Jutz’ pivotal moment came when he watched Bobby Bare singing “Detroit City” and “Tequila Sheila” on a German television show. That epiphany set him on a course of learning to play guitar and seeking out as many bluegrass and folk records as he could. After writing songs for the bands he formed in high school, Jutz began to study the craft. Following his lifelong dream, and inspired and encouraged by his mentor, songwriter Richard Dobson, Jutz moved to Nashville in 2003. Now firmly established as a producer, musician, and songwriter, Jutz received his first Grammy nomination, in the Best Bluegrass Album category, for his 2020 set, To Live in Two Worlds, Vol. 1. He has written or co-written innumerable bluegrass radio hits, recorded by artists like John Prine, Balsam Range, and The Steeldrivers and most recently, in 2021, Jutz was named IBMA’s songwriter of the year.

 

Anne Elise Hastings and her Revolving Cast of Characters announces sophomore album

Unmasking A Confidence Trickster is influenced by Appalachian roots with Hastings’ New Orleans flair. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The first track on Anne Elise Hastings and Her Revolving Cast of Characters’ new album Unmasking A Confidence Trickster gets right down to business, revealing just what it is that makes Hastings tick. “Twice Married, Twice Divorced” premiered with Folk N’ Rock, and starts off sweet enough, but quickly reveals Hastings intent to, in her words, “get to be the one to reject” the person who is continuously proven to be wrong for the song’s main character. Fans can hear “Twice Married, Twice Divorced” now at this link. The new album is available now. (Anne Elise Hastings and Her Revolving Cast of Characters, 2021)

Anne Elise Hastings and Her Revolving Cast of Characters is a New Orleans-based alt-country band. Hastings carries her characters with powerful vocals and lyrically driven music, retaining her Appalachian roots while embracing her adopted city’s sensibility. With inspirations ranging from Dolly Parton to Janis Joplin, listeners are exposed to feelings of nostalgia, heartbreak, and resentment, all backed with compelling, pan-genre musical arrangements. Over time, Hastings’ Cast of Characters has undergone many changes, but always features a roster of multifaceted musicians who can switch instruments on a dime. The current cast is composed of Hastings on vocals and rhythm guitar, Isaac Worley on drums, Dustin Dietsche on guitar, and Tristan Clark on bass. 

Unmasking A Confidence Trickster has the twang and attitude of old school country but introduces a more modern edge of Hastings and Her Revolving Cast of Characters that demonstrates their broad scope of influences. The songs of Unmasking A Confidence Trickster show a vast range in emotion and tone. One moment, Hastings will channel her Great Grandmother, telling her love story. Then, she will be taking out her anger at a heinous ex-lover or navigating the dark waters of depression. For Hastings, this collection aims to break down the image that people have created for themselves, unveiling the con artist within everyone. After all, no one is a hero. Not even the writer herself.

Unmasking A Confidence Trickster track list:
Twice Married, Twice Divorced
Missouri
Make You Care
Close Enough
Sara Jane
The Hardest Part
Jack Kerouac
Protest Song
Still Afraid
Loving You
Between My Teeth

The Wooks’ new album Flyin’ High

The Wooks’ third full length album will be out February 25, 2022. Photo: The Wooks, used with permission.

Good, stand-the-test-of-time love songs tend to come from unlikely origin stories, but until The Wooks’ founder CJ Cain wrote “Flyin’ High,” from their upcoming album of the same name, not one of them has been inspired by the crash landing of a buddy’s World War I bi-plane. The resulting tune is a story of two different couples, real folks from the small town of West Liberty, Kentucky, where Cain’s father grew up, that falls somewhere perfectly between the sound of The Band, Van Morrison, and The Wooks’ ever-evolving signature style. The official video for “Flyin’ High,” animated by Josh Clark, follows the storyline in intricate, beautiful detail. “Flyin’ High” is the first release from The Wooks’ third full-length album, Flyin High, out February 25, 2022. (The Wooks, 2021)

Rather than repeating the formal studio experiences for past albums, The Wooks—CJ Cain on guitar and vocals, Harry Clark on mandolin and vocals, George Guthrie on banjo and vocals, and Allen Cooke on Dobro—recorded Flyin’ High over two sessions in Nashville in the home studio of bluegrass guitarist Jake Stargel. As a producer, he brought an easygoing vibe as well as acoustic expertise to the project, which is the band’s first full-length album since the fall of 2018.

Inspired by the traditional as well as the unconventional, The Wooks have established a distinctive sound through original songwriting, exceptional musicianship, and outside influences ranging from jam bands to Southern rock. While their origin stories are diverse, all four members of The Wooks have forged a common bond that honors individuality and innovation. With minimal shows to road-test the material on Flyin’ High, Cooke speaks for the band when he says he is eager for fans to discover these new songs—on the album as well as the stage. “This band is definitely not a band that is set on keeping things to the way they sounded on the record,” he says. “We’re all about keeping these songs fresh and new-sounding as shows go on.”

The Wooks are ambassadors for Can’d Aid, a nationally recognized nonprofit that rallies volunteers from all walks of life to build thriving communities; through their work with Can’d Aid, they have performed and donated instruments to schools and underserved youth.

Catch The Wooks on tour in 2022:
2/24 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar
2/25 – Huntington, WV – The Loud
2/26 – Lexington, KY – The Burl
3/1 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic
3/2 – Birmingham, AL – The Nick
3/4 – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall
3/5 – Nashville, TN – Station Inn
3/9 – Awendaw, SC – Awendaw Green
3/10 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House
3/12 – Roanoke, VA – Martin’s St Patty’s Street Fair
3/13 – Richmond, VA – The Camel
3/16 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
3/17 – Washington DC – Pearl Street Warehouse
3/18 – Farmville, VA – North Street Press Club
3/19 – Round Hill, VA – B Chord Brewing
3/30 – Ferndale, MI – Otus Supply
4/1 – Newport, KY – Southgate Revival House
4/2 – Morgantown, WV – 123 Pleasant
4/5 – Syracuse, NY – Funk n Waffles
4/7 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine
4/8 – Boston, MA – The Burren
4/9 – New York, NY – Jalopy Theater
4/10 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Saint
4/13 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
4/14 – Lancaster, PA – Zoetropolis
4/15 – Grove City, PA – Big Rail Brewing
4/16 – Thomas, WV – The Purple Fiddle

Flyin’ High track list:
1. What The Rocks Don’t Know
2. Tennessee Girl
3. Mudfish Momma
4. New Peace Of Mind
5. Butler Hayes
6. Flyin’ High
7. Madison Chimes
8. Iron Ore Betty
9. Other Side
10. Virgil’s Prayer
11. Black and White
12. Little While

1645771380

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Flyin’ High release date

Geneviève Racette announces bilingual LP Satellite

Québécois singer-songwriter Geneviève Racette announces her third full-length album Satellite. The bilingual LP will be available March 18. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Montreal-born and raised singer-songwriter Geneviève Racette was destined to find herself on stage and in recording studios from day one. Her mom taught her piano at home and her dad was passionate about all things music; her sister was a pianist and vocalist and her brother a guitarist and trumpet player. Racette developed a healthy love for music at home and then decided to refine those skills as an adult, and the personal and critical results have been resounding. On March 18, 2022, Racette is due to release her third full-length album, Satellite. (Geneviève Racette, 2021)

Adding to an ever-developing and highly-praised bilingual catalog, Satellite is a 9-song collection, delivering honest stories of self-discovery and reflection through the cycle of love. Filled with intimate vocals, lush instruments, and expressive harmonies, Racette’s new album evokes moments of love, heartbreak, healing, forgiveness, and ultimately, falling in love again. Racette has shared two singles from the album thus far; the reverb-drenched, earnest longing of “Maybe” and “Les adieux,” which translates to “Farewells” in English. Fans can hear both singles now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Satellite ahead of its March 18 release right here.

In addition to the announcement of Satellite, Racette is hitting the road again in 2022. Dates in both Canada and the States have been announced, including a rescheduled opening slot for City and Colour’s sold-out Montreal show on February 13.

Catch Geneviève Racette on tour:
February 13 – Montreal – MTELUS ^
February 25 – Kansas City – Folk Alliance International Official Showcase
March 5 – Saint-Adolphe d’Howard – La Chèvre *
March 10 – Alma – La Boîte à Bleuets *
March 11 – Jonquière – Côté-Cour *
March 12 – Val-Morin – Théâtre du Marais *
March 25 – La Pocatière – La Baleine Endiablée
March 27 – Gatineau – Le Minotaure *
March 31 – Lavaltrie – Église Saint-Antoine *

* with Pelch
^ with City and Colour

Racette’s musically filled upbringing has forged her into the creative artist she is today. Continuously receiving praise for her music, she has already been nominated and received several prestigious prizes including, Emerging Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Award (2020). Geneviève is also recognized by established artists in the industry for her talents. Geneviève’s growing popularity is also noticeable on streaming platforms and web radios with her first full-length French album “Les aurores boréales” (2016).

Geneviève has an undeniable love of the stage, in 2019 she conquered over a hundred Canadian concert venues. In the last two years, Racette has broadened her performing territory, from mostly Québec venues to other Canadian provinces Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Maritimes, as the headliner in each of the tours. She also finds time to exchange and meet with artists at a variety of music shows such as Folk Alliance International New Orleans (2020), Folk Music Ontario (2019 and 2021), and the Canadian Music Week (2019).

 

1647586560

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Satellite release date