Friday, February 19, 2010

Bustin' Out - New Wave To New: Beat The Post Punk Era


Website: http://www.yearzeromusic.com

The music termed post punk is well represented here in many of its diverse strains by some of its prime movers. This multi-hued set, the first in the New Wave To New Beat series, encompasses anything from Gary Numan's austere electronic pop on 'Replicas' through 23 Skidoo's atmospheric tribal boogie on 'The Gospel Comes To New Guinea' to the scrabbling guitar-driven pop of Josef K from Glasgow's Postcard Records providing a major influence on Franz Ferdinand.

What happens elsewhere defies blanket description as every track charts a different musical seam which, invariably, proved highly influential. Killing Joke's radical, apocalyptic approach was often cited as a massive influence on anyone from Nirvana to industrial bands, but also incorporated dub reggae and New York dance music, as evidenced by November 1979's 'Almost Red'. The set also shows how later musical movements germinated in the new technology around this time, especially in the hands of electronic protagonists like former Throbbing Gristle duo Chris & Cosey, who pillaged the new sampling possibilities and predated techno with their use of proto-electro pulses, as illustrated by 'Heartbeat', from their 1981 debut album. Or Belgium new beat pioneers Front 242, whose 'Body to Body' sounds like a spooked house music prototype. New York was also leading the world at this time, particularly the legendary

ZE Label, which embodied the multi-genred melting pot of disco, punk, reggae and latin they called Mutant Disco. The label is represented here by Lizzy Mercier Descloux's infernal treatment of Arthur Brown's 1968 hit 'Fire' and Bill Laswell's Material with 'Bustin' Out', his first major dancefloor statement before going on to become a world-renowned producer. Another side of the city is presented by quintessential downtown NY post punk/no wave outfit the Bush Tetras and their debut single, 'Too Many Creeps', while visionary musician-producer Arthur Russell flies the wigged-out disco flag under his Loose Joints banner on the Larry Levan-remixed 'Is it All Over My Face'. The set also illustrates how the disparate post punk spirit captured the rest of the world with the Kraftwerkian 'Cracked Mirror' from Vancouver's Moev, Germany's No More with deadpan electronic classic 'Suicide Commando' and San Francisco's avant punk Tuxedomoon providing one of the set's most grippingly-complex outings with the title track from their Desire album. Meanwhile, Melbourne duo Dead Can Dance match Lisa Gerrard's spooky vocals with Brendan Perry's subterranean atmospherics on their 1981 'Frontiers' demo.

All perfect examples of how music had moved on since 1977's spring clean, trampling fences like a herd of elephants in this exciting, unpredictable time.

MusicDish presents: "Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic" Demo, by ProducerLoops.com


Listen and download the track:
"Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic"

Website: http://www.producerloops.com/

The demo track for "Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic" does an excellent job of showcasing all the possibilities available with this product. From aggressive techno dance rhythms to an eclectic selection of vocal samples, there are endless combinations of production possibilities. In addition, this track highlights the various studio effects that are available to create a more dynamic sound.

The demo is broken into several different sections, each displaying a different style of techno/dance that can be created. Each section uses the numerous different types of loops that range from steady driving percussion to synth, vocal, and FX phrases and riffs. Whether you are a first time user, aspiring producer, or established artist, the loops and samples in "Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic" will give you the tools you need to create professional quality music.

Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic is an incredible new collection of downloadable loops and samples produced by Lenny Dee. It features NINE relentless, hard and downright dirty Construction Kits, packed with hundreds of twisted samples and loops plus a huge bonus Sample Pack that includes even more loops and one shot hits/fx. Overall, this collection has approaching 3GB of total content including ACIDized WAV, Apple Loops, REX and Reason ReFill formats.

All of the content is 100% royalty-free. Once purchased, you can use these loops and samples in your music releases, both commercial and underground, with no restrictions.

Price and Availability:

'Lenny Dee: Hard Electronic' is available for instant download now for £19.95 / 23,14 EUR / $26.97 USD. More information is available at: http://www.producerloops.com

Thursday, February 18, 2010

MusicDish*China Sounds Pod2 - Opening The Year Of The Tiger



Website: http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=12598


Subscribe to the podcast
This second edition of MusicDish China Sounds presented by Metal Postcard Records opens the Year of the Tiger going well beyond Hong Kong to spotlight great acts from Greater China, including Taiwan-based Crowd Lu and Mavis Fan & 100% who both performed at MIDEM 2010, MaybeMars folk rock band Low Wormwood, Chinese Thrashcore Beijing band Fanzui Xiangfa, Guangzhou-based and Haifeng-bred duo Wu Tiao Ren, Ubiquity Records' Bei Bei He and Shawn Lee collaboration and canto-indie-pop duo at17.

We want to hear from you - the good, the bad and even the ugly on this podcast. Don't be shy. You can email us at chinasounds [at] musicdish.com - and make sure to follow us on twitter @MusicDish_China

Crowd Lu: Oh yeah

Taiwanese singer-composer Crowd Lu, also known as the "Musical Wizard, Who Survived Rolling Over by a Bus," wowed the crowds in Cannes during the Created in Taiwan MIDEM 2010 showcase. Crowd Lu won Best Composer and Best New Artist at the 20th Golden Melody Award for his single "100 Ways of Living" in 2008.

Low Wormwood: Who
Low Wormwood - We Can't Help Kissing Each Other - Who
We say take a little Lee Hazlewood, sprinkle with Nick Cave, Tindersticks and some rice wine and you have the wonderfully maudlin and distinctly Chinese Low Wormwood. As usual with mainland bands, a great name as well.

Mavis Fan & 100%: Master

Nicknamed the "Little Wizard of Music" for her smash hit album, The Little Demon Girl's Magic Book in 1996, Taiwan singer Fan Xiaoxuan, aka Mavis Fan, joined her rock band 100% to perform songs from their second album "Innocent" at the Created in Taiwan MIDEM 2010 showcase... Theater and glam, with a dash of rock.

Fanzui Xiangfa: Kill Your Television

The sound of angry youth emanating from Beijing 2009. With songs such as "Talk is Poison" ,"Go No Slow" and our choice for the pod "Kill Your Television". The sound might not be 100% (they call it Chinese Thrashcore) original but it certainly sounds heartfelt to us and that's the important thing.

Wu Tiao Ren: Green and Grey

The Guangzhou-based Haifeng-bred duo just brought their their raw, Guangdong-folk wailings to the Fringe Club in Hong Kong as part of City Festival's Guangzhou Live series. This track, Green & Grey is from their debut album County Stories.

Bei Bei He and Shawn Lee: Into the Wind

Into the Wind by Guzheng performer/composer Bei Bei He and Ubiquity Records producer Shawn Lee marries a unique blend of ancient tradition with studio trickery. With Lee adding equal doses of hip hop, electric jazz, and soul sensibility to the backing tracks, the captivating sound of Bei Bei's Guzheng comes alive on peaceful mellow joints as much as it does on Kung-Fu flavored funk tunes.

at17: When The Last Apple Falls From The Tree

The ever popular canto-indie-pop duo of Eman Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo just held a series of concerts at the HK Arts Centre. This slow-growing acoustic-cum-electronic track in Putonghua, is from the Blue EP, part of the series of four EPs in their Over the Rainbow series released last year.

Oseao Media Group Announces New Label Sign Up Special For Digital Distribution Through End Of March 2010


Website: http://oseao.com

Oseao Media Group released details about its New Label Signup Special, which begins today and extends through March 31st. There are two different packages from which you may choose:
* All Stores Exclusive: With a two year contract where you receive 85% of royalties, any and all of your music is distributed to all major online retailers, and the $30 delivery fee is waived. You also receive a $20 UPC code free of charge.
* Non Exclusive: With a two year contract where you also receive 85% of royalties, you have the option of maintaining your current preferred major online retailers, and Oseao will distribute your music to as many or as few as you select. The $30 distribution charge applies, but you still receive a $20 UPC code free of charge.

Commenting on the announcement, Oseao's General Manager Jon Lemmon said, "We wanted to offer people a service that's recognized as, and is, valuable. But we are also cognizant of the fact that a lot of what happens in the music industry is based on trust. We want to be the source that people trust, and in time, that will happen for those who haven't utilized our services yet but will in the future. In the meantime, offering the Non Exclusive option affords them an opportunity to maintain their preferred relationships with major online retailers, while getting to know us and the way we do business as well. We believe that the services we offer are second to none, and we're confident enough about it to let people find that out for themselves."

Concurring fully, Tito Fuentes of Malamute Records said, "One of the best things we did as a start up record label is form a relationship with Oseao for our digital distribution and licensing. They've been very helpful and are always available for questions and information. These guys are connected and have a pulse on where the music industry is going. It's about the relationship these days and Oseao provides more than the average digital aggregator." Johnny Fiasco of Klassik Fiasco also agrees, stating, "Oseao's relationships with vendors lets me concentrate on what I really love to do, and that's music 100%. They are an integral part of my team and they always step up to the plate for me."

Oseao is a full scale digital distribution service and has partnerships with 8dPromo and Global Mastering.

ABOUT OSEAO MEDIA GROUP:
Oseao Media Group is a digital music distribution company, also offering licensing and publishing services, based in Seattle, WA. Oseao works hard both to create, and maintain, strong relationships with music industry professionals, download stores, artists and labels. Their presence at music industry events and conferences such as Midem, ADE, WMC and SXSW allow them to network and learn about new opportunities for their clients. Clients trust Oseao to keep them up to date with market trends and retail options, to maximize their annual revenue gross. Oseao Media Group always puts their artists and labels first, giving each the one-on-one attention they deserve. These relationships help summarize what Oseao Media Group is all about.
http://oseao.com

For more information, please contact:
Jon Lemmon
OSEAO Media Group
1402 E. Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98122
205.568.0291
omg@oseao.com

Tasty Musical Stew


Website: http://www.tonivere.com/

Enter Hashmagandy, the folk-rock all-star gurrll band with Toni Vere on rhythm guitar, harmonica and vocals; Carla Rawlyck on lead guitar and vocals; Kelly Temleck on bass and vocals; and Lauren Buckell on drums.

Toni Vere and Hashmagandy are in the works to release Vere's debut album, Just To Be, by the end of January 2010. The CD was recorded and produced at Alchemy Studios in Calgary by Toni Vere and Jeff Muller, and Vere and her band are busting at the seams.

"My ultimate message is basically the same as the title to my CD: Just To Be… What I've struggled towards for most of my life has simply been to find out who I am and to honour that. I find that joyous place within my heart and soul just by being on stage playing music and connecting my thoughts and ideas through song with the people who I'm lucky enough to be performing to," says an overwhelmed Vere, who has spent more than twenty years writing, performing and touring western Canada, but has never taken on such a major recording project before.

Vere has a gift for songwriting and performance, and has combined her passion for writing words into music with the songwriting capabilities of her seasoned fellow band members.

Vere's sound can best be described as folk-rock, with roots, blues and country elements that walk in between the riffs of her original music to create a gritty, hearty, honky-tonkin' groove. Her songs tell honest life stories that most anyone can relate to, infused with an on-stage vivacity that makes audience members sing along and tap their feet.

Vere is filled with gratitude for her rapidly growing fan base and support network, who have helped her recently become ReverbNation's number one Calgary folk artist. She also gives special thanks to the collaboration of all musicians on Just To Be, as well as Lin Elder, Kate Reid, Hashmagandy and her partner, Marilyn – who takes care of the business end of Vere's musical career.

While looking forward to the CD release, she is ultimately excited about the journey on which she and her band are embarking.

"Hashmagandy is a new chapter in my life. Carla, Kelly and Lauren are more than band mates; they've become my friends, and sharing a stage with them is the ultimate musical high."

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

MusicDishTV presents: "Clarity" by Kava Kava


Watch the video online on MusicDishTV: Kava Kava - Clarity

Kava Kava is a group with a lot of experience behind them. They often play at internationally renowned festivals and their biography is a compilation of successes, partnerships and important collaborations. Their latest album, Forwards, was released on the New York City based label Midnight Swimming in 2009.

Although Kava Kava calls their music 'psychedelic funk,' Clarity is a psycho-progressive electro-rock tune. This video, masterfully directed by Michael Slavens, is shot in a dark, ambient style. Thanks to the artistry of the director and the lightness of the music, the video is one that audiences will find to be compelling and enjoyable.

http://www.myspace.com/midnightswimming

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

SoulSpill, Storming Colorado's Alternative Rock And Grunge Scene

By Jon Peritz
SoulSpill, a new band hailing from Colorado is poised to storm onto the alternative rock and grunge scene with their debut LP. This five piece group includes Kevin McKinnie singing lead, Eric Taysom playing rhythm guitar and signing backup, Jesse Howard on lead guitar, Josh Corbet on the bass guitar, and Joel Burns smashing the skins.


Email for bands
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SoulSpill sounds like a mash-up of Black Sabbath and Pearl Jam. They incorporate heavy guitar riffs and deft high-speed solos into blues infused licks. "It isn't overly heavy nor overly soft," said the band. "It uses a lot of different influences that blend together." The group loves and studies the music of forerunners like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd as well as grunge pioneers, Nirvana. This influential range lends a unique sound to SoulSpill. Characteristics of all three of these bands are readily apparent in SoulSpill's music, but there is also something more, a unique tone and image. "[Our] image comes from people listening," said the group in a recent interview, "we just want them to see us in their own way, and that's the image we'll convey."

SoulSpill is full of seasoned musicians with countless gigs under their belt but the band has ceased touring to focus on the record. They have been faced with some major challenges inherent in the music business. When asked what the biggest challenge has been so far, the band agreed that, "this portion of it, trying to get our music out to an audience," has proved the most difficult, but they added: "If you love it and believe in it, never give up on it. Promote yourself with all means available and keep at it." Good advice for any up-and-coming artist. SoulSpill has also been forced to overcome bad advice. They were once told that, "if the music is good, just wait to be discovered." A sure-fire road to failure.

The group is very excited about their first record, their first impression, really on the world. The album is currently being mixed and mastered and is slated to blast off later this month or early next. SoulSpill endeavors to "leave footprints in the musical world," hope to soon play venues like Whiskey A Go Go and the Troubadour. With the musicianship and unique sound like their's, it's doubtful that they will stop there.

John Revitte: Raw Emotion From The Soul

Website: http://www.reverbnation.com/johnrevitte
Music: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/john-revitte/id331094002

John Revitte's songs have been described as "raw emotion from the soul." His compositions are gradually but unquestionably making a mark on the music world and gaining a loyal audience in the process. The delicate interplay of Revitte's raw, uncut vocals and acoustic guitar playing extend through the genres of folk, rock, soul, and blues, and attacks each with an irrefutable level of passion and vulnerability. Although his musical influences can be traced back to Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Revitte notes of his own unique sound, "I don't try to emulate anybody - I can't."

Revitte is nothing short of prolific when it comes to songwriting and his work can be found all over the internet. Two of his most popular songs are "Hours Without Mercy" and "Heaven and Heroin," through which, according to a great number of peer critiques, many people find themselves relating to both the lyrics and the music.

His songs have made their way onto popular music platforms including sales on iTunes and much acclaim on Reverbnation where he is currently ranked at #8 in Folk/Los Angeles, #75 in Folk/National, and #99 in Folk/Global. Revitte's composition process is also quite notable; Revitte will read, see, or hear something as small as one word and the music is there for him almost instantaneously. He is also accustomed to producing several songs in one sitting and very rarely adjusts them after they have been recorded, stating, "I don't really like to edit how a song comes out. The music and lyrics come out the way they were supposed to come out. Putting my best into each song is my goal."

On Revitte's abilities, indie artist Central 7 Heartland Delta Blues comments that he has "a uniqueness that is not heard many places, if anywhere across the globe and that is what today's music listening world needs and needs badly. They need pure originality."

Contact:
Email: natbear@sbcglobal.net
Organization: Running Bear Music
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Monday, February 15, 2010

MusicDishTV presents: Ivory Tower Project "My Name"


Watch the video on MusicDishTV: Ivory Tower Project - My Name

The Ivory Tower Project offers an excellent classic rock, infused with many important social issues such as alienation and escapism but also simple feelings like love. The anthem of the group but also the true meaning of their name, is to go beyond the every day's reality that makes us alienated. The Ivory Tower is that very best place of refuge from the daily routine where you are 'free' to express yourself.

'My Name' is the opening track of RED HOT, their last full-length album released on Guerrilla Records. The track enhances their style, very close to 80's rock, but the video shows captions of modern New York City, with its crowded streets and people always on the run. Symbol of a fast-growing world that can forget about the most simple and innocent emotions.

http://www.IvoryTowerProject.com

Purchase song Download: www.cdbaby.com/cd/ivorytower2

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Will Mako Transform Beijing's Live Music Scene?


"by Eric de Fontenay, MusicDish*China (http://china.musicdish.com)"
The growth of Beijing's indie scene has coincided with that of the venues that have acted as showcases for local talent that might otherwise not be heard. Now a new venue called Mako has launched, hoping to join the ranks of other revered clubs such as D-22, Mao Livehouse and Yugong Yishan.

Mako's full name is MAKO Arts Display Center, located in the Chaoyang District where a Beijing Jeep plant used to stand, China's first joint venture cooperation. The entire space is over 2,000 square meters, consisting of two drama theaters, a music stage, the rehearsal rooms, bars, cafes and other multi-functional areas. The various performance and arts spaces will serve as a web of live artistic platforms, from stage shows, music, opera, folk art and many other vivid arts. This coexistence of various forms of arts in one center is a historic first in Beijing. And it has reportedly the the best sound system in Beijing, with over 3 million RMB invested in it.

While it may be a first for performaning art, the reuse of abandoned industrial space for the arts clearly borrows a page from the 798 Art District, a site of derelict state-owned factories in the Dashanzi area turned into a community of contemporary art, architecture, and culture. Actually, the dragons in the MusicDish*China Sounds logo were actually taken in that district on my last trip to Beijing.

A space this large and sophisticated is likely to have the same impact that 798 had for the arts in Bejing: putting the city on the map as a world class center for creativity, bringing to the next level what D-22 started in 2006. I'm looking forward to catching some great performances - as well as the five-meter-tall Transformer - when I pass by on my next trip to China.

MAKO Arts Display Center
No. 36, Guangqu Road, Chaoyang District,
Tel: 52051112

AmericaFree.TV Announces Finalists For Its 2009 Music Video Awards


Website: http://www.americafree.tv

Washington, D.C. - Friday, February 12, 2010 -- AmericaFree.TV, LLC (www.americafree.tv), a leading Internet streaming television broadcaster revealed today its "short list" of finalists for the best Music Video aired on the site in 2009. This opens a 1 month period of audience voting leading to the announcement of 3 winners, one each in the categories of Rock, Hip Hop and Pop / Contemporary. The finalists can be seen at http://www.musicfree.tv/2009/, and the winners will be determined by audience voting. "We were looking at the music videos submitted to the AmericaFree.TV music video channels in 2009, and we're just amazed that the quality and variety of videos available. Many of these videos have production qualities just as good as anything you will see anywhere, and yet they don't get much recognition," said Eric Connor, head of Music Content Acquisition for AmericaFree.TV. "So we thought, let's do something to fix that."

"The winners will receive recognition on AmericaFree.TV's broadcast channel, and also a small token of our appreciation" said Marshall Eubanks, AFTV Founder and CEO. "We have what I think are some truly great videos, such as Saint Motel's "Dear Dictator" in Rock, "Love Is Gone" by the Slum Peasants in HipHop and Darren Ockert's "Celebrity Du Jour" in Contemporary, just to name three. We selected 7 videos in each category for consideration by our viewers and to show the vitality of the indie music market. The music industry is changing rapidly, the importance of the major labels is declining, and none of us know how the industry will change. While one of our competitors has just seen fit to remove "Music Television" from their name, which I think clearly shows their feeling of the importance of music videos, we feel differently. At AmericaFree.TV we are convinced that Internet television will play an important role in the evolution of music in the new decade," Eubanks continued.

AmericaFree.TV's music videos can be viewed on one of their 4 music video channels at http://www.AmericaFree.TV or http://www.MusicFree.TV/. Voting on the 2009 Music Video Competition will end on March 12th and the winners will be announced March 15th, 2010.

AmericaFree.TV (AFTV) broadcasts professionally produced content on multiple live channels on the Internet. To learn more about AFTV, visit the AmericaFree.tv site at www.AmericaFree.tv, or learn about AFTV's music video competition at http://www.MusicFree.TV/2009/.