Jars Of Clay To Release New Project
Ancient words, carried through a friend, can deliver impact and inspiration which you dare not dream. In the case of the men that make up Jars of Clay, it was an old Irish proverb, translated as “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live,” that served as the genesis point for its newest project, titled Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter. Recorded and produced by the band, Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter dwells on the idea of community, both physical and spiritual, and features a litany of both songwriting and vocal guests – including Mac Powell, Matt Maher, Brandon Heath, Laura Story, Thad Cockrell, Phillip LaRue and others – making contributions to this unique set of Jars of Clay songs. “Jars of Clay, historically, has been this kind of compact creative environment; we’re known for doing everything from the songwriting to the producing to the artwork,” says guitarist Matt Odmark. “This was a push in a totally different direction. We brought people in on the songwriting side of things, and we knew in the beginning that we wanted as many voices as possible in the record. “We wanted to make a record about community, and we wanted the recording process to be community. We wanted it to be an expression of what it was trying to articulate from a concept standpoint,” Odmark continues. “It wasn’t going to work any other way, and it didn’t make sense to us to write a record about community that was just us talking to one another.” Alongside the project’s music reside very personal essays about the idea of community, gathered and curated by the members of Jars of Clay themselves. Friends of the band, including author David Dark, Blood:Water Mission executive director Jena Lee Nardella, Sara Groves, Nate Larkin, Anne Jackson, Jim Hancock, Padriag OTuama – have all contributed to Jars’ personal views on community, giving the listener and reader another avenue through which to explore that concept. What emerges on Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter is more of Jars of Clay’s signature sonics, informed by the season of its last project The Long Fall Back To Earth but echoing all the way back to its much-heralded self-titled debut, meshed with an heretofore underexplored inclusiveness of lyric that encourages the listener to join in on the song. In short, these songs are designed to be sung aloud, with others, within the parameters of that listener’s own shelter. For some, including the members of Jars of Clay, that will entail bringing them into the church environment proper, something that hadn’t really been a purposeful part of the band’s work before. “One of the things we’re excited about with this record is to offer, with humility, what we’re excited about within the church,” guitarist Stephen Mason says. “We’re all big fans of the church, we attend church, so part of the passion we want to get to the people is that, hopefully, this is the language we can use to rejuvenate the way we speak about God in terms of each other. “What has been, graciously, changing us is this idea that when we look around we see God in other people and in what they’re doing. We are the hands and feet,” Mason continues. “We’re trying to find new language to describe stuff that we’re all probably in some regards cynical or bored about, because we want to believe there is life in those places.” That idea of being “hands and feet,” actively working for the various communities it impacts, has long been a priority for Jars of Clay. It’s a notion that extends into the charitable realm through its foundation Blood:Water Mission, which was the beneficiary of a day-long Jars-hosted radio-thon via K-LOVE and Air 1, an effort which raised more than $800,000 for the group’s work. Jars of Clay will hit the road extensively this fall, alongside two-time GMA Dove Award-winning Male Vocalist of the Year (and labelmate) Brandon Heath, and plans are underway for a multi-artist tour presenting songs from Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter scheduled for spring 2011.
Alternative Press Reviews A Rose by Any Other Name
Josh Scogin of The Chariot recently released the debut album of his mostly acoustic project, A Rose By Any Other Name entitled “One For My Master And One For My Dame.” The project has surprised a lot of people used to Josh’s aggressive side now being serenaded by rustic guitars and melodic croons. Alt Press.com has given a big seal of approval with a four star review here. Choice quotes from the review include “sounding like the lost stories of a long-forgotten generation where campfires were the only setting a songwriter needed to tell a musical tale. Scogin’s vocals are a highlight throughout One for My Master And One for My Dame, crooning and harmonizing all along the way.” Scogin just finished his first regional tour as A Rose this week which came through Atlanta, Arkansas Texas and Tennessee. CD’s and merchandise for sale here.
We Are The Fallen Touring Through summer
We Are The Fallen share some plans in their news release: “This is turning out to be a great summer, as we recently returned from Europe where we played some amazing festivals, such as Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany, and the Download Festival in the UK. Those shows were amazing, and we can’t wait to get back over there. Right now we are back on the road again, this time touring through the summer with the band Saving Abel throughout the US and Canada. American Bang and Taddy Porter are also on the bill. We’re having a great time with all the bands on this tour. We just finished a short run of Canadian dates, and we are now working our way down the west coast of the US. We’ll be covering a good portion of the US on this leg of the tour, so check our tour dates to see if we are rolling through your city. Now that our debut album, “Tear The World Down” has been out for a couple months now, it is amazing to see so many of you out there in the audience singing along to the songs, knowing every word. This makes us so happy, as we are so very proud of this album. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you can grab it at most major outlets such as WalMart, BestBuy, and also digital stores like Amazon and iTunes. For those of you who are all asking what our next single will be… We will be making that announcement soon, so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out our tour dates, and we’ll see you at one of our shows!”
Tour Dates:
7/28 – Huntsville AL
8/1 – Maplewood, MN
8/3 – Green Bay, WI
8/4 – Des Moines, IA
8/5 – Omaha, NE
NeedToBreathe News
Atlantic recording group NEEDTOBREATHE has announced details of their upcoming U.S. tour, “Young and Far From Home.” The cross-country trek will kick off with a home-state show on 10/27th at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, SC, and continue into December. The Daylights will be supporting as special guest on all dates. “Young and Far From Home” will be the final tour to support NEEDTOBREATHE’s current album, “THE OUTSIDERS,” following the band’s highly successful headlining runs – this past spring’s “Won’t Turn Back Tour” and last year’s “The Outsiders Live” – both of which sold out in nearly every market visited. The first round of dates (see attached itinerary) will go on sale to the public as early as Friday, July 30th, with more dates being announced shortly. Presale tickets for “Young and Far From Home” will be available to The Insiders, the official NEEDTOBREATHE Fan Club, beginning Wednesday, July 28th. In addition to access to tickets before the general public, members of The Insiders are also invited to exclusive meet and greets with the band and an early opportunity to purchase special limited edition tour packages. Known for their incredible live shows, NEEDTOBREATHE recently performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and appeared on the cover of Pollstar magazine. The band’s relentless touring schedule includes upcoming performances at a number of summer festivals, support dates with Train, and their first European tour before the kick off of “Young and Far From Home.” NEEDTOBREATHE’s third and most recent album, “THE OUTSIDERS,” was released late last summer to universal critical acclaim and a top 20 debut on the Billboard 200. Their current single, “Something Beautiful,” continues to climb the Hot AC radio chart and has been featured in a number of television shows, including the ABC hit series “Cougar Town,” televised promo spots and commercials as well as the soundtrack to the feature film, “When In Rome.” USA TODAY heralded the song for its “…choruses that soar.”
For more information on NeedToBreathe, visit:
needtobreathe.net
Esterlyn Releases Sophomore Project
Esterlyn, the unique four-piece worship band from Boise, Idaho, is set to release their new CD, titled Call Out, July 27th courtesy of VSR Music Group. Call Out, which combines various musical elements with straightforward yet heartfelt messages within their songs, Esterlyn hopes their music touches lives and provides encouragement for the hearts of God’s people. With Call Out, Esterlyn also desires to capture the essence of true transparency through genuine faith while sharing messages of complete openness to God. An early review of the album has stated, “Through the album suddenly you find your heart and mind being drawn to the attributes of God’s character. You are taken heavenward and it’s simply beautiful.” When Tenth Avenue North’s Ruben Juarez was asked his opinion of the new album, he stated, “Musically alluring. Sonically pleasing. This is a great record carrying a message of hope, promise, and the freedom we’re given when we are in Christ. Call Out is sure to bring you into His presence.” all Out was produced by Ken Mary, President of VSR Music Group, Paramore’s Jon Howard, and Luke Caldwell, Esterlyn’s lead vocalist. As an incentive, the eight new songs on Call Out will be available for only $5 everywhere music is sold. Call Out follows in the footsteps of their debut CD, Lamps and the EP Mending The Meaning. “Call Out,” the first single off the project and is now at AC radio, is about complete surrender and simply “calling out” to God through any and every situation. The song was penned by Caldwell and Howard, along with Nick Departee of the band Kutless. Departee describes the song as “One of those songs you feel special just to be a part of. It’s a refreshing reminder that even at our worst, God is patiently waiting for us to lift our voices and lives to Him. In a world full of failure we serve a God who is faithful and is always listening.” Jon Howard comments, “’Call Out’ was the result of a great conversation amongst friends and the encouragement that God so faithfully gives us in fellowship. “I hope this song means as much to the listener as it does to me,” he continues. “The heart of Esterlyn really comes though on this record. These songs are genuine. They speak the truth of God and are overall good for the soul.” Another highlight found on Call Out is “Now You’re Found,” a favorite of Luke Caldwell, lead singer of Esterlyn. Written from Jesus’ perspective, the song sings of the importance of laying our burdens and struggles at His feet. “Esther,” the standout track that was inspired by a story in Caldwell’s family, takes the story of his adopted niece that not only inspired the band name, but gave the band purpose by showing the power of God’s love to change a person’s life. In preparation for the CD release, Esterlyn has been touring across the nation and appearing at all the major summer festivals, along with leading worship for Acquire The Fire events. The band is also anticipating the “Open Your Heart Tour” with Pastor Bob Caldwell this fall. The tour’s goal is to challenge churches to reach out into their communities and beyond to bring them the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As a band, Esterlyn wants to show how precious every created being is, as well as truly make a change in peoples’ lives. Through their music and touring, and through their support of Chapelmissions.com, Caldwell states, “We are just four simple guys who love Jesus and want to make a difference through our lives and our music. We pray these simple songs will bring you into the presence of the one and only King Jesus Christ. He is the reason we sing!”
Track Listing:
1. Call Out
2. Can’t Miss This
3. Now You’re Found
4. Freedom is Here
5. El Shaddai
6. The Lord is Good
7. Treasure
8. Esther
The Smashing Pumpkins Raise Over $80,000
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS raised over $80,000 (and counting, with a revised figure to follow) at their sold-out benefit concert Tuesday, July 27 at Chicago’s Metro for Matthew Leone, bassist for Chicago band Madina Lake. he money will go to the ongoing medical care needed for the musician who last month was hospitalized with severe brain trauma after intervening to stop a woman he passed on the street from being beaten by her husband. Matthew—whose medical insurance had lapsed just two months prior to the incident–was taken to UIC Hospital for emergency brain surgery wherein a third of his skull was removed to alleviate swelling. He’s currently in stable condition awaiting an additional brain surgery to reapply the removed portion of his skull. “The Smashing Pumpkins’ benefit show at Metro Tuesday night was triumphant and tearful, inspiring and rousing, open-hearted and generous—as well as a stark reminder that sometimes it takes a village to get a crime victim adequate health care,” wrote the Chicago Tribune (7/28/10). The event was attended by Chicago governor Pat Quinn, who proclaimed Tuesday “Matthew Leone Day” in Illinois and said, “We have a true American hero right here in Matthew Leone” (as noted in the Chicago Tribune piece). “I was inspired by Matthew’s courageous defense of a woman he didn’t even know,” said the Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. “What pushed me to do the benefit for his medical fund was how much he is loved by close friends of mine who know him well. I spoke to his family at the benefit and they all said that it didn’t surprise them at all that he did what he did to stop an injustice. “I was blown away by the Chicago community coming together to put this benefit on so quickly,” Corgan added about the event that was announced on July 20. “It put an emotional charge into our show that was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I was absolutely honored to be standing on the Metro stage, my musical home, showing our support for one of our own. It was a great night in the long, storied history of Chicago. And an epic show.” As soon as the band finished playing “1979,” Corgan pulled his guitar off his neck and auctioned it off to the crowd, selling it for 10k. Said Joe Shanahan, owner of Chicago’s Metro: “This past Tuesday was one of my most memorable nights within Metro’s walls–the outpouring of support and encouragement for a true hero, Matthew, was overwhelming. From Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins’ donation of their time and talent to the cause, to Governor Pat Quinn’s proclamation of Matthew Leone Day, to the generosity of the crowd with their pocketbooks, the night embodied the love and solidarity of the Chicago music community for one of their own. Now, all of us at Metro pray for a quick recovery for Matthew and someday his own return to the Metro stage with Madina Lake.” Noted AOL Spinner: “For the encore, the Metro staff and opener Kill Hannah joined Corgan onstage to sing ‘1979.’ After, the band closed with the distorted bliss of ‘Gossamer,’ as their guitars thundered and strobes flashed. When their over two-hour set finished, a smiling Corgan and his band threw their commemorative drumsticks and guitar picks into the audience, capping a heartfelt tribute to Leone. ‘You made this city proud tonight,’ Corgan told the jovial crowd. ‘Thanks for stepping up.’” All proceeds from the raffle and concert will go to the Matthew Leone Fund at Sweet Relief. Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.
For information on Sweet Relief, visit:
sweetrelief.org
The Showdown Premiere New Song
Nashville’s Southern-charged heavy metal act, The Showdown, has teamed up with Noisecreep.com to premiere a brand new song, “Bring It Down”, from their forthcoming full-length, Blood In The Gears. The adrenaline-pumping track, from the August 24th Solid State Records release that Alternative Press Magazine calls “a gutsy, punishing record that’ll get your head bangin’”, can be streamed online now. Blood In The Gears was recorded and produced by The Showdown’s own Jeremiah Scott (bass) at his home studio, Anthem Productions, in Nashville. The album was mixed by Steve Blackmon (Living Sacrifice, Project 86), with Troy Glessener at Spectre handling the mastering. Artwork comes courtesy of Ryan Clark at Invisible Creature Inc. Blood In The Gears is The Showdown’s second Solid State release, following 2008’s Back Breaker.
Icon For Hire Sign To T&N
Tooth & Nail Records proudly announces the signing of creative rock/pop talent, Icon For Hire. Female fronted and hailing from Decatur, IL, Icon For Hire is comprised of Ariel (vocals) Shawn Jump (guitar) and Adam Kronshagen (drums). Since 2007, the band has been establishing their strong following by touring extensively across the Mid-West. From the beginning, the band has written music with a positive view without downplaying the hardships in life, which is a vision the label understands and supports. “We are thrilled to be joining such an established and well-respected group at Tooth & Nail,” shares the band upon their signing. “It’s a label that has a history of consistently putting out good music and really working side by side with their artists. Because we’ve been doing this thing on our own for over two years, it feels great to partner with Tooth & Nail. We can’t wait to record our debut full-length and see where this road takes us.” Icon For Hire will be hitting the studios with famed producer Aaron Sprinkle (Anberlin, The Almost, Acceptance) this fall. Writing for the last several months, the band is anxious to get into the studio to formulate their sound of combining heavy, rock-oriented sounds and modern pop elements with a strong focus on the production. “We feel like it’s a common misconception among new bands that once a band gets signed, the hard work is over. We’re approaching this completely different, we realize that now’s when the real work begins and we’re up for the challenge. We’re three very driven people, and we’re not gonna stop until we fulfill our goals.”
For more information about Icon For Hire, visit:
myspace.com/iconforhire
Wounded Records Signs Blissed
Wounded Records is proud to announce Hard Rock sensation Blissed has signed to Wounded Records and will be releasing their highly anticipated new studio album “Death Is Not the End” in August, 2010.
The release will include a DVD with Live Concert footage, a professionally shot music video and pictures. Since releasing their debut EP called IIII, immediately followed by their first album “Waking Up The Dead”, Blissed can definitely be considered one of the hardest working rock bands out there today. Stryper reunited during the last leg of touring supporting their first album and Blissed changed its line-up (drummer Robert Sweet had to leave). A second album “Corrosive”, nominated for Hard Music record of the Year and their third album “The End of the World” has definitely kept the band busy. Blissed is constantly evaluating their writing, technical performances and refuse to limit their potential. Working with Wounded Records on this release Blissed is proving they can be a constant in the music world by sticking to their hard rock roots without being afraid to expand. “Death Is Not the End” is just the latest chapter in Blissed’s already unparalleled career. Not only does Blissed bring energy and excitement to their spectacle of a live performance, they also have a great positive message and attitude. Please take the time to welcome and congratulate Blissed to the Wounded Records family!
Kutless Announce Fall Tour
Kutless is excited to announce that Sidewalk Prophets and Above The Golden State will be joining them this Fall on the It Is Well Tour! Dates confirmed so far are in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Pennsylvania! “Summertime is always a busy but exciting time for us. We recently took a few days off to have our first band retreat! No phones, no computers, no work. Just us, our wives and our crew coming together to seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance in our personal lives and for the ministry of Kutless. The Lord blessed our time together, bringing us closer together as a family and as a band.” Head over to kutless.com to read more of James’ journal.
mewithoutYou Announce New Tour Dates
mewithoutYou will be heading out on the second leg of their nationwide Our Cashew Princess of the Swirling Marble Tour with Buried Beds and Murder By Death. There are 11 scheduled stops remaining on this leg of the tour which ends on August 13th in Philadelphia, PA. The tour comes after mewithoutYou’s latest release, IT’S ALL CRAZY! IT’S ALL FALSE! IT’S ALL A DREAM! IT’S ALRIGHT which stands as another daring adventure charted by frontman Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, bassist Greg Jehanian, and drummer Rickie Mazzotta. The band’s fourth studio album, produced by Daniel Smith (Danielson Familie) and Brian McTear (Mazarin, Matt Pond PA) has been described by Absolutepunk.net as “one of the most ambitious albums of 2009? and “a beautiful work of art which shouldn’t be missed,” by Alter The Press.
Tour Dates:
8/5 – St. Paul, MN
8/6 – Iowa City, IA
8/7 – Indianapolis, IN
8/8 – Louisville, KY
8/9 – Millvale, PA
8/10 – Baltimore, MD
8/11 – Asbury Park, NJ
8/12 – New York, NY
8/13 – Philadelphia, PA
BRMC Touring With STP
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have hopped continents since the March release of their fifth studio album, Beat The Devil’s Tattoo (Abstract Dragon/Vagrant Records), deemed “a balance in grimy blues licks, catchy hooks and some huge slabs of rock” by Paste. This fall, following another international jaunt, the trio will join Stone Temple Pilots on their national tour, starting 9/16 in San Diego, with their own headline dates interspersed. With five studio albums and countless tours, the road has served as a backdrop to Black Rebel’s sonic catharsis. Most recently, they’ve logged 71 shows, in 95 days, across 15 countries, which naturally included a continuum of sold-out shows in numerous regions. BRMC’s perfect blend of rootsy, back porch country stomp and their signature wall-of-shoegaze fuzz has garnered extensive plaudits. SPIN tagged this album “A gritty good time,” while Rolling Stone penned,”Devil’s Tattoo is unremittingly grim, and undeniably fun. Few bands wear their frowns so well.”
Tour Dates:
9/15 – Pomona, CA
9/16 – San Diego, CA
9/17 – Tucson, AZ
9/19 – The Woodlands, TX
9/21 – El Paso, TX
9/22 – Lubbock, TX
9/23 – San Antonio, TX
9/25 – Austin, TX
9/27 – Corpus Christi, TX
9/29 – Tulsa, OK
9/30 – Saint Charles, MO
10/2 – Simpsonville, SC
10/3 – Nashville, TN
10/4 – Atlanta, GA
10/5 – Raleigh, NC
10/6 – Charlotte, NC
10/8 – Tampa, FL
10/9 – Orlando, FL
10/12 – Hollywood, FL
10/13 – Estero, FL
10/16 – Pensacola Beach, FL
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