Category: new releases

Bobby Cool’s first single from upcoming LP Family Time

Bobby Cool’s Family Time will be out July 29, 2022. Photo: google

From an Athens, Georgia dive bar to Music City’s club scene and beyond, songwriter Bobby Cool has spent the ups and downs of the past 10+ years—like working as a janitor, radon inspector, and flooring salesman to make ends meet throughout the music industry’s shutdown in 2020 and 2021—collecting stories about life’s small moments and telling them in a way that makes listeners feel as if the tunes were written just for them. In the vein of Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, and Sturgill Simpson, Cool blends bluegrass, Americana, and country into a rousing, good-time mix of genres on his upcoming album Family Time, which will be out July 29, 2022. (Bobby Cool, 2022)

Cool’s way with words shines on his country-folk ballad “American Dream,” the album’s opener and the first listen shared with fans ahead of Family Time’s July 29 release date. Telling the story of an enlisted brother, free-spirit sister, and an ultimately ailing mother—all narrated by a road-dog musician—“American Dream” paints a quirky, fun, and at times devastating story of what it means to make a life in the land of the free. “It’s ultimately not about fortune or fame,” says Cool. “…but the freedom to choose your own path and live it out.” Americana Highways premiered the single with early praises who stated, “If you allow Bobby Cool to entertain you, you’ll find deep country with strong Southern rural roots in every note. Find nostalgia and hope and a story of family we can all relate to.” Fans can check out the lyric video for “American Dream” now at this ink and pre-order or pre-save Family Time ahead of release day.

At the end of February 2020, Cool and his producer Adam Haynes (bluegrass fiddler for The Grascals, Dailey & Vincent, and others) tracked 13 songs over the course of two days. Two weeks later, the world would shut down and a two-year journey would commence to release into the world what would finally become Family Time. On Family Time, Cool shares musical snapshots of small and large moments that define family life and captures intimately the grooves and creases, the craziness and the humor, the regrets, and the celebrations of living together in songs that resonate so deeply we feel as if he has written them just for us. He sings songs that reach us wherever we find ourselves in our lives, touching us, healing us, and embracing us with music that fills our hearts and reminds us that life’s most important events happen on family time.

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New movie release: Fall

Fall will be released in theaters only on August 12, 2022. Photo: Lionsgate, used with permission.

In today’s movie news: Lionsgate Films and Capstone Global present Fall, dropping in theaters only on Friday August 12, 2022. Starring Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Directed by Scott Mann and written by Scott Mann and Jonathan Frank, this thriller is not yet rated and runs 107 minutes long. It is produced by Christian Mercuri, James Harris, Mark Lane, and Scott Mann. (Lionsgate, 2022)

Fall – For best friends Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and Hunter (Virginia Gardner), life is all about conquering fears and pushing limits. But after they climb 2,000 feet to the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower, they find themselves stranded with no way down. Now Becky and Hunter’s expert climbing skills will be put to the ultimate test as they desperately fight to survive the elements, a lack of supplies, and vertigo-inducing heights in this adrenaline-fueled thriller co-starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Don’t look down. FALL – dropping in theaters soon.
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Teddy and the Rough Riders’ new single from upcoming new album

Teddy and the Rough Riders skip town to start a farm on groovy new single ‘Livin in the Woods.’ Their new LP, Teddy and the Rough Riders, will be out July 1, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Teddy and The Rough Riders is probably your favorite country band’s favorite country band. With a sound that sits somewhere in the middle of “down-home” and “far out,” the Nashville-born-and-bred band proudly and prolifically drops retro-sounding, feel-good songs that would fit right in on a Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast or a late-night slot at Bonnaroo. Masked alt-country darling Orville Peck decided to take Teddy and The Rough Riders on a nationwide tour this year that included a stop at the band’s hometown Ryman Auditorium—a bucket list venue for performers from around the world—and current queen of the country underground, Margo Price, loves the band so much she decided to produce their upcoming LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders. On July 1, via Appalachia Record Co., that great uniting can begin with the release of the Price-produced LP Teddy and The Rough Riders. (Teddy and The Rough Riders, 2022)

The band recently released their first preview of the album with “Livin in the Woods,” a grand idea of leaving town and disappearing into the woods to start a farm with friends. The track premiered with The Boot who hailed the band and called the trio, “a must watch act to watch in 2022.” Fans can hear for themselves by checking out “Livin in the Woods” now at this link. Teddy and The Rough Riders can be digitally pre-ordered or pre-saved ahead of its July 1st release right here and physical pre-orders, including vinyl, can be found here. 

Up until the sessions for Teddy and the Rough Riders in 2019, the band—Jack Quiggins (vocals, guitar), Ryan Jennings (vocals, bass), Nic Swafford (drums), and Luke Schneider (pedal steel)—had mostly recorded at home. This was their first big studio effort with a producer, engineer, session players, and the goal of an audible fidelity change. After narrowing down their best demos, the band recruited Margo Price to produce because of her creative vision and “let’s roll” Neil Young-inspired recording philosophy. They rented out Club Roar, brought in engineer-producer Jake Davis and spent a few days holed up in the studio to capture the magic of the session. What resulted from those days of close collaboration in the studio on the final version of the album, mixed by Davis and mastered by John Baldwin, is some of the most original country rock to come from Nashville in a while.

In the years leading up to their new self-titled LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders have released a home-recorded EP and LP, and several singles, including a 7” record from Third Man Records. They have shared bills with artists such as Margo Price, Jeff the Brotherhood, and Soccer Mommy, and have been the backing band in most of Emily Nenni’s recordings and live shows. Musical collaborators include Skyway Man, Erin Rae, Sean Thompson, and David Leonard, among others. After years of touring, playing bars and recording a prolific back catalog of work, Teddy and The Rough Riders first “big studio” effort, produced by Margo Price, will be released on July 1 via Appalachia Record Co.

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Guidance explores the reality of human behavior

Francesco Chen and Yu Chieh Chiu in Neysan Sobhani’s GUIDANCE. Photo, Good Deed Entertainment, used with permission.

The movie Guidance, directed by Neysan Sobhani and starring Sun Jia (Han Miao), Harry Song (Mai Zi Xuan) and Francesco Chen (Su Jie) was released in the US on VOD June 17 on all major platforms including Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, XFinity Cable, and more. (Good Deed Entertainment, 2022)

Guidance – In the not-too-distant future, humanity slowly rebuilds itself a decade after The Great War. Believing that the ability to lie is the root cause of the devastating conflict, a tech entrepreneur creates a pill containing a nanotechnology app known as “Guidance” that allegedly will make everyone more enlightened. Once swallowed, an A.I. “installs” in the person’s nervous system and aids their ability to detect deception in other people among other enhancements. A young couple goes on a weekend retreat to the countryside and they begin to use Guidance. However, recent events have potentially compromised their trust in one another. With the tech in their bodies, the couple tries to subvert Guidance in the hopes of saving their relationship before it is too late.

This movie puts forth and examines the hypothetical question: can humanity truly ever be ready for absolute honesty? It sounds like an admirable quality for a society to have, especially one that is rebuilding after a war, but in reality, sometimes little white lies are necessary. Giving people the capability to detect deception in others is worthless if humanity itself does not wish to change. Even when the technology exists, people will still try to circumnavigate the system, similar to how some people can beat a lie detector. That is exactly what happens in this movie. As the young couple who initially try it discover, the quest for full honesty did more harm than a lie would have and their relationship remains on shaky ground. They were the initial Guidance testers and eventually it was also made available to the general public who apparently come to the same conclusion. To answer my initial question: it goes without saying that humanity is not ready for the repercussions of absolute honesty. It is mostly dialogue driven and the production value is excellent, particularly the visuals. Guidance is an excellent movie and like most science fiction movies, it explores the ethics of morality and controlling human behavior.

China, 2021, 93 minutes, in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles

*Thank you to Emma Griffiths PR for an advance screening.*

Photo: Good Deed Entertainment, used with permission.

New horror movie: The Bloody Man

The Bloody Man will premiere on digital on July 12 before releasing on physical formats later. Photo: google

Wild Eye Releasing has acquired the rights to director Daniel Benedict’s The Bloody Man, a supernatural horror film reuniting A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 : The Dream Master stars Lisa Wilcox and Tuesday Knight. (Wild Eye Releasing, 2022)

Penned by Daniel and Casi Benedict, and produced by Red Serial Films, the film tells of a young boy who, after the death of his mother, becomes obsessed with a comic book she gave him that ultimately summons the ancient monster found in its pages.

Mercedez Varble, Dan Eardley, Jason Crowe, Roni Jonah and KateLynn E. Newberry join Wilcox and Knight in the film, which is said to encompass high-end production values and plays like a cocktail of A Nightmare On Elm Street, The Goonies, and Stranger Things. Wild Eye will premiere the film on digital on July 12 before releasing on physical formats later.

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Karmalink’s theatrical and video on demand release in US and Canada

Karmalink will be released in the US in major city theaters and on video on demand in the US and Canada on Friday July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Conceived as a way to interrogate processes of neo-colonialism, and highlighting the alienating effects of technological progress, Jake Wachtel’s Karmalink is a mind-bending tale of reincarnation, artificial consciousness, and the search for enlightenment. (Good Deed Entertainment, 2022)

In near-future Phnom Penh, the rich and privileged are augmented with nanotech and new skyscrapers crowd the skyline. In Tralop Bek, a tight-knit community threatened with forced eviction, 13-year-old Leng Heng is having vivid dreams of his past lives. He and his friends are convinced they are meant to find a buried Buddhist statue to save their homes, and they seek out help from a street-smart girl in the neighborhood, Srey Leak. Together they follow clues across town and into the past, uncovering a link with a genius neuroscientist on a quest for digital nirvana. As Leng Heng’s dreams converge on the present, his very sense of identity begins to unravel. When it becomes clear that the stakes are higher than they imagined, the two friends must decide how far they are willing to go to find their treasure and the truth.

American-born filmmaker Jake Wachtel began his career making short documentaries for nonprofits and social impact ventures working in the global south. His work has been featured on NYTimes.com, Wired, NPR, and MSNBC. In 2015, he moved to Cambodia to teach a year-long class in filmmaking to children as a part of the Filmmakers Without Borders initiative. His Phnom Penh-set short film The Foreigner Here premiered at the Cambodian International Film Festival, and he has gone on to collaborate with many of the growing new wave of young Cambodian filmmakers. He also served as on-set editor for Jimmy Henderson’s Cambodian-Chinese coproduction The Prey. Phnom Penh became his home base for several years as he developed his first feature Karmalink—Cambodia’s first sci-fi movie—set in the community where he taught and produced with a majority Cambodian cast and crew, including his former students.

Director: Jake Wachtel Starring: Srey Leak Chhith, Leng Heng Prak, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Cindy Sirinya Bishop, Rous Mony, and Sveng Socheata. 

Cambodia, 2021, 102 minutes, in Khmer with English subtitles

***OFFICIAL SELECTION: VENICE FILM CRITICS’ WEEK (OPENING NIGHT FILM), AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL, GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL, and many more.***

Karmalink will be released in the US Theatrically in major cities and on VOD in the US and Canada on Friday, July 15, 2022.

Theaters include:
Lumiere Music Hall – Los Angeles, CA
Rialto Lakeside Elmwood – Berkeley, CA
Rialto Lakeside Sonoma – Sebastopol, CA
SIFF Film Center – Seattle, WA

VOD Platforms include:
US: Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, XFinity Cable, and more.
Canada: Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play.

Good Deed Entertainment (GDE) is an Ohio based independent studio dedicated to producing, financing, and distributing quality entertainment for under-served audiences. Its distribution slate includes recent releases Summertime, Ma Belle, My Beauty, and Lucky Grandma, in addition to the Academy Award nominated, Loving Vincent, and Spirit Award nominated, To Dust.

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Forrest McCurren’s debut album Oh Me, Oh My

For fans of Hayes Carll, Willie Nelson, and John Prine, Oh Me, Oh My will be out August 19, 2022. Photo: Forrest McCurren.

With a half-time back beat and a feel-good guitar twang, songwriter Forrest McCurren graciously marries a classic rock road song with a classic country love song on his new tune “Little Rock.” Sparked by how his messy motel room on the road was compared to the orderly and clean life he led back home, McCurren spun up this rocker that evokes the urgency of a road warrior like himself to make it on home, specifically to his wife Margaret—who sings and plays drums and fiddle on McCurren’s upcoming debut Oh Me, Oh My. The initial idea transformed into an ode to Margaret and getting home to her. (Forrest McCurren, 2022)

Last week, Wide Open Country premiered the music video for “Little Rock,” which follows Forrest and Margaret on a beautifully-shot mission from the fireworks store to the Piggly Wiggly and beyond. They noted, “You could consider Oh Me, Oh My a soundtrack to those moments of human connection that feel almost cosmic.” Fans can watch the “Little Rock” music video now at this link and stay up to date on all things Forrest and Oh Me, Oh My ahead of its August 19 release right here.

McCurren’s entertaining debut album Oh Me, Oh My showcases the energy of his live shows with songs that shimmer and rock with an ebullient warmth that is bound to reach into listeners’ hearts and souls and get them to reflect a little on the people and places that mean the most to them. He is always writing songs, but all the songs on this album are from a three-year period when McCurren was setting out on his own, between college and now. He is looking back at his life, looking at his life now, and looking forward to his life to come in the 10 songs on the album. “I was just setting out on my own,” McCurren laughs. “I spent a lot of time thinking about my grandparents, painting a picture of characters I knew growing up. In the songs there’s a sense of longing and place, and they evoke the transition from running wild as a kid to running wild as a man. The songs have a sense of movement and a sense of place and a sense of who I was gonna be.”

As soon as he learned three chords, McCurren started to write songs. In his early 20s he started accumulating songs. In his songwriting, he resembles Hemingway. “I always try to write one true sentence. Every song I have kept, the first line I wrote was the first line of the song. Words come first, then melodies get inspired by the words. I trust the quickness of the way I write. I am always jotting down rhymes. Songs have given me a way of understanding who I am and relating to people.”
Music is McCurren’s favorite ways to connect with people. “My songs show them a little bit of who I am and when I show them a little of me they share a little bit of them, too.” He does not write sad songs, but songs that move us and celebrate, as he says, the “luckiness of life.” As his debut album shows, McCurren excels at making those connection and at celebrating life. Forrest McCurren has a reverence for the songs, and he sings, plays, and writes with a heart for bringing people together.

Catch Forrest McCurren on tour:
June 23-26 – Slade, KY – Festival of the Red
October 6-8 – Eldon, MO – Lake Ozark Music Festival

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Anova Skyway announces new EP Reset

The new EP Reset will be released July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Described as “A talented and dark-visioned lot!” by popular metal site Bravewords.com; Houston “prog-ternative” rock band Anova Skyway will follow up the release of their acclaimed 2020 single “Diet of Worms” with another bold and irresistible take on the modern prog blueprint. The six-piece ensemble will debut their awaited EP titled Reset on July 15, 2022. (Anova Skyway, 2022)

Reset features six songs including four co-written with Louis Abramson of JOLLY and an intriguing cover of Faith No More’s “Ashes to Ashes.” Produced by the incredible Dean Dichoso; Anova Skyway makes a notable and instantly satisfying impression with Reset, showcasing their sonic evolution with their most indulgent and exploratory melodies to date, caressed by powerfully emotive lyrics.

“Reset represents yet another turn in our winding journey as a band. All the detours left their mark and brought us to the unit that we are today. Mike has completely blown us away with where he’s taken the vocal performances. The hole he leaves in the guitar spot with this move makes room for one of our oldest friends in music and one of the best guitarists we know in Sean Gary (ex-Oceans of Slumber). Frank Alonzo rounds it out on keys and our brother Garret West has left his mark as well contributing the lyrics to some of these songs as a final parting gift. We are excited to bring this new version of Anova Skyway to the world.” – drummer Mike Marksberry

The refreshed ANOVA SKYWAY lineup is composed of vocalist Mike Palacios, Guitarists Andrew Alvarez and Sean Gary, Drummer Mike Marksberry, Bassist Cory Miles, and Frank Alonzo on Keys/synth.

“Mike has completely blown us away with where he’s taken the vocal performances and we can’t wait to bring this new version of Anova. We have a new vocalist, a new guitarist, and a new keyboardist. I wouldn’t say there is a huge departure from our previous style, but those new elements alone make for a brand new sound! We’re excited to bring it to the world.” – Anova Skyway

The track listing for Reset is unveiled below along with the stunning EP artwork designed by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art. The first single will premiere soon, along with additional EP details including pre-order information. Anova Skyway teased a glimpse of what’s to come via social media. Visit the band’s Facebook page for a peek into the arrival of Reset.

Reset track list
1. Translucent
2. Absent
3. Spark
4. City Underground
5. Ashes to Ashes
6. Horizon

Horizon is the new single from the new EP Reset, due out July 15, 2022.
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New book release: ‘Portrait of a Robbery’ by David Konrad

The fifth book in the Project Adventure series, ‘Portrait of a Robbery’ will be released June 28, 2022. Photo: Robert Konrad

David Konrad is an adventurous dad who shares his love of storytelling with middle-grade children around the world. While traveling internationally and raising his young family, he found inspiration to write his books and fulfill his mission: making a difference in the lives of children. The Project Adventure children’s book series is action-packed, fun-filled, and driven by characters that young readers seeking their next favorite mystery will cherish. International author David Konrad releases “Portrait of a Robbery,” the fifth book in his popular children’s books series, Project Adventure. Just in time for summer, the pre-teen mystery book promises to be a hit with young readers. “Portrait of a Robbery” launches June 28, 2022. (David Konrad, 2022)

The Project Adventure series begins with “The Heart of the Island,” in which Friends, Ethan and Matt seek to find a lost diamond. The next three books include “Rumble at the Zoo,” in which the boys meet Lisa, who joins the team for the rest of the series, “The Courtside Mystery” and “The Scrapyard Shakedown.” In each book, the heroes’ friendship, love for adventure and mystery- solving skills help save the day.

In the latest, “Portrait of a Robbery,” Ethan, Matt, and Lisa embark on a train journey to the small town where Matt’s grandmother caters to her valuable art collection on her beautiful estate. After being caught in a terrible storm that sets the garage ablaze and almost kills them, the detective team discover clues that bring them closer to solving the mystery of the missing Van Gogh.

Of the series, author David Konrad says, “Project Adventure is, of course, fiction and should be viewed as that. But I believe that kids today are a bit overprotected, and that a little bit of adventure, even if it is only on pages, is great for them. It might influence them to take more of an ‘active’ approach in life. To be accountable. To sometimes take chances. To be brave and self-confident, and to believe that things will work out in the end. I think that might be the most important message Project Adventure is trying to deliver.”

“Portrait of a Robbery” by David Konrad is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.
Price: $3.99 ebook, $8.99 paperback
Publish date: June 28, 2022

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New movie: Final Caller premieres on DVD and digital

Horror movie Final Caller will premiere on DVD and Digital on July 5, 2022 from Wild Eye Releasing. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Final Caller is the new film from the legendary director of Clownado and Bonehill Road. From legendary indie director Todd Sheets (Bonehill Road, Zombie Bloodbath, Clownado), Final Caller premieres on DVD and Digital July 5 from Wild Eye Releasing. For fans of movies like Saws and Hostel. (Wild Eye Releasing, 2022)

Final Caller – Roland Bennett, an obnoxious late-night radio personality specializing in the supernatural is not having a good night. A visit from his soon-to-be ex-wife brings divorce papers to the station, a boss is listening in due to complaints, and a call from self-proclaimed serial killer “The Outsider”  who threatens to kill a woman live on the air. Being live on the air tonight will spell death for all involved.