Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1171
July 10, 2020
QUINN XCII UNVEILS THIRD ALBUM 'A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF'; LYRIC VIDEO FOR “AM I HIGH RN” (FEAT. BLACKBEAR) OUT NOW
QUINN XCII UNVEILS THIRD ALBUM
A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF
TODAY VIA COLUMBIA RECORDS
LYRIC VIDEO FOR ALBUM OPENER “AM I HIGH RN” (FEAT. BLACKBEAR) OUT NOW
ADDITIONAL FEATURES INCLUDE LOGIC, ASHE AND MARC E. BASSY
The third studio album by Quinn XCII. Written and recorded in the years 2019-2020 in Los Angeles, CA, but inspired by a lifetime of experiences and events. “I wrote a letter to my younger self; I hope you read it when you don’t feel well.”
The third studio album from Quinn XCII, A Letter To My Younger Self , is officially available everywhere now via Columbia Records.
With the album release comes a new lyric video for the warped and woozy track “Am I High Rn” feat. blackbear. “This song is song about being high for the first time and dealing with the feelings of paranoia, excitement, worry,” says Quinn XCII. “It really encapsulates the ability to just accept what you’re observing and let things be as they are.”
With his new album, the Detroit-bred artist expands on the soul-baring honesty of his 2019 sophomore effort From Michigan With Love, sharing a candid look back on the chaos of adolescence. And while his lyrics focus in on so many formative experiences— the confusion of a hopeless crush in “Stacy”, the pain of dealing with paralyzing shyness in “Notice Me”, moving on from relationships in “Meeting Strangers” —A Letter To My Younger Self ultimately attests to the joy of living in the moment and learning to trust your instincts at any age or phase of life. It unfolds with a nostalgia-soaked but forward-thinking collision of pop, hip-hop, alternative, and soul. The result is a body of work that radiates an undeniable hope even as Quinn XCII dives into painful subject matter, each track elevated by his warm vocal presence, kinetic rhythms, and complex yet addictive melodies.
“The message I want to get across is to not beat yourself up too much when things in life aren’t going your way," Quinn XCII adds. "In those moments, some things may seem like the most intense and important thing you’ll ever go through, but try to remember that it’s all just a very small chapter in a much greater life story.”
A Letter To My Younger Self is available now.
TRACK LIST:Am I High Rn (feat. blackbear)StacySleep While I Drive (feat. Ashe)Second Time AroundCoffee (feat. Marc E. Bassy)Notice MeA Letter To My Younger Self (feat. Logic)More Than FriendsMad At MeTwo 10sMeeting StrangersEverything I Need FOLLOW QUINN XCII
Website | SoundCloud | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF
TODAY VIA COLUMBIA RECORDS
LYRIC VIDEO FOR ALBUM OPENER “AM I HIGH RN” (FEAT. BLACKBEAR) OUT NOW
ADDITIONAL FEATURES INCLUDE LOGIC, ASHE AND MARC E. BASSY
The third studio album by Quinn XCII. Written and recorded in the years 2019-2020 in Los Angeles, CA, but inspired by a lifetime of experiences and events. “I wrote a letter to my younger self; I hope you read it when you don’t feel well.”The third studio album from Quinn XCII, A Letter To My Younger Self , is officially available everywhere now via Columbia Records.
With the album release comes a new lyric video for the warped and woozy track “Am I High Rn” feat. blackbear. “This song is song about being high for the first time and dealing with the feelings of paranoia, excitement, worry,” says Quinn XCII. “It really encapsulates the ability to just accept what you’re observing and let things be as they are.”
With his new album, the Detroit-bred artist expands on the soul-baring honesty of his 2019 sophomore effort From Michigan With Love, sharing a candid look back on the chaos of adolescence. And while his lyrics focus in on so many formative experiences— the confusion of a hopeless crush in “Stacy”, the pain of dealing with paralyzing shyness in “Notice Me”, moving on from relationships in “Meeting Strangers” —A Letter To My Younger Self ultimately attests to the joy of living in the moment and learning to trust your instincts at any age or phase of life. It unfolds with a nostalgia-soaked but forward-thinking collision of pop, hip-hop, alternative, and soul. The result is a body of work that radiates an undeniable hope even as Quinn XCII dives into painful subject matter, each track elevated by his warm vocal presence, kinetic rhythms, and complex yet addictive melodies.
“The message I want to get across is to not beat yourself up too much when things in life aren’t going your way," Quinn XCII adds. "In those moments, some things may seem like the most intense and important thing you’ll ever go through, but try to remember that it’s all just a very small chapter in a much greater life story.”
A Letter To My Younger Self is available now.
TRACK LIST:Am I High Rn (feat. blackbear)StacySleep While I Drive (feat. Ashe)Second Time AroundCoffee (feat. Marc E. Bassy)Notice MeA Letter To My Younger Self (feat. Logic)More Than FriendsMad At MeTwo 10sMeeting StrangersEverything I Need FOLLOW QUINN XCII
Website | SoundCloud | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Legendary Toots and the Maytals Release 'Warning Warning'
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS RELEASE NEW SINGLE ‘WARNING WARNING,’ OUT TODAYFIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN A DECADE TO BE RELEASED VIA TROJAN JAMAICA/BMG ON AUGUST 28 – PRE-SAVE/ORDER
LISTEN
‘WARNING WARNING’
PRE-SAVE/ORDER
‘GOT TO BE TOUGH’ LP (OUT 8/28)
“A reminder to stay strong when corrupt systems rear their heads.” – Rolling Stone Magazine
“The song is an inspirational anthem during a time as hectic as now.” – PASTE Magazine
"It continues Toots’ longstanding interest in social justice.” – Consequence of Sound
"A call to action and a reminder to stay strong for the cause.” – Exclaim! Magazine
Legendary Jamaican artist Frederick “Toots” Hibbert today unveils a brand new single ‘Warning Warning’, the second offering from his highly anticipated first studio album in a decade Got To Be Tough , set for global release via Trojan Jamaica/BMG Records on August 29 [ PRE-SAVE/ORDER ].
The new track comes in the wake of an incredible global reception for both the album announcement and release of its title track, the video for which was unveiled last week on International Reggae Day (watch here).
During a time of global social and political unrest, Toots’ welcomed return and voice couldn’t be more needed or necessary than ever. Harking back to the start of Ska, during the civil rights movement era in America and Jamaican independence in the 1960s, he has sung iconic truths such as ‘Monkey Man’ and ‘54-46 Was My Number,’ a wry but not bitter response to his unjust incarceration for ganja. Since then Toots has gained insight into the corrupt systems that try to dominate our bravest endeavors, and it is in his new resistance music, that his anger at and sensitivity to injustice in 2020 is clearer than ever. ‘Warning Warning’ encapsulates this in a clear message for the world, with no apology – a warning.
"I want to ask everyone to keep their focus in this time of wonders. Make such focus be of good faith. Love each other, take it as a warning and exercise brotherly and sisterly care for each other of all race, religion and creed.” Says Toots.
The energizing provocation of Got To Be Tough renews the near six-decade career of the man who launched a new sound and genre with his 1968 release, ‘Do The Reggay.’ It’s a reminder that through Toots’ creative veins run all the roots and shoots of the Black Diaspora. Blues, soul, r’n’b, funk, jazz, reggae, African griots – Toots honors, embodies and owns them. Throwing down an authoritative guide: how to survive and thrive among our earth challenges.
He hipped our heads in the 1970s with the dynamic pan-Africanism of ‘Funky Kingston’ and the early warning message of ‘Pressure Drop’; re-defining soul with the ‘Toots In Memphis’ LP in the 80s.
Toots has constantly evolved while staying uniquely the same.
The multiple GRAMMY® Award nominated and winning musician, vocalist, songwriter, producer and icon has made the wait worthwhile, crafting a stubborn groove, designed to inspire tenacity, while splendidly balancing joy and anger, pain and healing. Produced by Toots himself, who also plays many of the instruments on this album, alongside Zak Starkey on guitar, drums from one half of Sly and Robbie, Sly Dunbar, percussion from Cyril Neville, and a mighty horn section arranged by Toots himself.
Tough, though the message is, your body has to respond to these songs, and your mind will follow. An impeccable performer himself, Toots knows that the dance itself is a primal exorcism; a greater guarantee than any that, helped by heeding this warning, we will live to ‘Do The Reggay’ into the 21st century and beyond.
Got To Be Tough the album will be available worldwide from August 28.
PRE-SAVE/ORDER HERE.
‘GOT TO BE TOUGH’ TRACK LISTDrop Off Head
Just Brutal
Got To Be Tough
Freedom Train
Warning Warning
Good Thing That You Call
Stand Accuse
Three Little Birds Ft. Ziggy Marley
Having A Party
StruggleOFFICIAL WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
Kacy Hill's Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again out now, unveils "Everybody's Mother" video
KACY HILL’S SECOND ALBUM
IS IT SELFISH IF WE TALK ABOUT ME AGAIN
OUT NOWSHARES VIDEO FOR“EVERYBODY’S MOTHER”
photo credit: Lauren Dunn
July 10, 2020—Kacy Hill’s second album
Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again
is out today—listen here. She also shares the music video for the previously-released track “
Everybody’s Mother
” today—watch here.“Everybody’s Mother” follows “
Unkind
,” “
Porsche
,” “
I Believe In You
” featuring Francis and the Lights—which EW called a “soothing balm”—and previously unveiled tracks “
Dinner
,” “
Much Higher
” and “
To Someone Else
.” In addition, Hill collaborated with Bon Iver on his latest track “
PDLIF
,” which was made in quarantine by piecing together contributions sent in from artists in self-isolation and benefitted the humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief.In December 2017, Hill connected with Francis and the Lights and producer BJ Burton (Bon Iver, The Japanese House) in Minneapolis, where they started laying the foundations of Hill’s forthcoming record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. In the following years, the remainder of the record was completed between L.A. and Minneapolis, with the help of another of Hill’s collaborators, the producer Jim-E Stack (HAIM, Caroline Polachek). Between Hill’s revitalized approach to making music, recently parting ways with G.O.O.D. Music—the label she initially signed to in 2014—and the Olympic-style competitive weightlifting she picked up a couple years ago, her forthcoming album marks an exciting new era in her career.The Phoenix-born, Los Angeles-based artist got her start in 2014 when her self-released single “Experience,” the second song Hill had ever recorded, went viral. After being on the road with Kanye West and Vanessa Beecroft for the YEEZUS tour, she signed to G.O.O.D. Music. Her EP Bloo came shortly thereafter, showcasing the range of her voice on tracks like “
Foreign Fields
” and the anthemic “
Arm’s Length
.” She was featured on Travis Scott’s “
90210
” and Kid Cudi’s “
Releaser
,” she covered
V Magazine
,
GQ
wrote she was “barreling toward the big time” and
New York Magazine
named her “one to watch.” In 2017, Hill released her official debut album, the R&B-hinged, synth-laden ode to all the shapes femininity can take,
Like A Woman
, to critical acclaim.KACY HILL—
IS IT SELFISH IF WE TALK ABOUT ME AGAIN
1. To Someone Else2. Much Higher3. Just To Say4. Porsche5. I Believe In You feat. Francis and the Lights6. Everybody’s Mother7. Told Me8. Unkind9. Six10. Palladium11. Dinner
photo credit: Lauren DunnJuly 10, 2020—Kacy Hill’s second album
Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again
is out today—listen here. She also shares the music video for the previously-released track “
Everybody’s Mother
” today—watch here.“Everybody’s Mother” follows “
Unkind
,” “
Porsche
,” “
I Believe In You
” featuring Francis and the Lights—which EW called a “soothing balm”—and previously unveiled tracks “
Dinner
,” “
Much Higher
” and “
To Someone Else
.” In addition, Hill collaborated with Bon Iver on his latest track “
PDLIF
,” which was made in quarantine by piecing together contributions sent in from artists in self-isolation and benefitted the humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief.In December 2017, Hill connected with Francis and the Lights and producer BJ Burton (Bon Iver, The Japanese House) in Minneapolis, where they started laying the foundations of Hill’s forthcoming record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. In the following years, the remainder of the record was completed between L.A. and Minneapolis, with the help of another of Hill’s collaborators, the producer Jim-E Stack (HAIM, Caroline Polachek). Between Hill’s revitalized approach to making music, recently parting ways with G.O.O.D. Music—the label she initially signed to in 2014—and the Olympic-style competitive weightlifting she picked up a couple years ago, her forthcoming album marks an exciting new era in her career.The Phoenix-born, Los Angeles-based artist got her start in 2014 when her self-released single “Experience,” the second song Hill had ever recorded, went viral. After being on the road with Kanye West and Vanessa Beecroft for the YEEZUS tour, she signed to G.O.O.D. Music. Her EP Bloo came shortly thereafter, showcasing the range of her voice on tracks like “
Foreign Fields
” and the anthemic “
Arm’s Length
.” She was featured on Travis Scott’s “
90210
” and Kid Cudi’s “
Releaser
,” she covered
V Magazine
,
GQ
wrote she was “barreling toward the big time” and
New York Magazine
named her “one to watch.” In 2017, Hill released her official debut album, the R&B-hinged, synth-laden ode to all the shapes femininity can take,
Like A Woman
, to critical acclaim.KACY HILL—
IS IT SELFISH IF WE TALK ABOUT ME AGAIN
1. To Someone Else2. Much Higher3. Just To Say4. Porsche5. I Believe In You feat. Francis and the Lights6. Everybody’s Mother7. Told Me8. Unkind9. Six10. Palladium11. Dinner'OM RECORDS - 25 YEARS' Celebrating One of America's First Independent Dance Music Labels Out Now
‘OM RECORDS - 25 YEARS’AN ALBUM CELEBRATING OM RECORDS’ 25TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURING RELEASES BY KASKADE & COLETTE, GROOVE ARMADA, PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS, MARK FARINA, J BOOGIE’S DUBTRONIC SCIENCE, MING & FS AND MORE AVAILABLE TODAY, JULY 10 LISTEN NOW HERE 
Today, July 10, Om Records has released Om Records - 25 Years, the album celebrating their 25th anniversary as a label. With now a quarter of a century under their belt, Om Records is one of America’s first and longest-running dance music brands. Over its 26 songs, the compilation features new songs, unreleased material, and classics from artists on Om’s roster, as well as a few singles which have already been released leading up to the album. These include Mark Farina & Homero Espinosa’s “The Story,” Reptile Room’s “Sunlite,” Brooklyn’s Body Language with “Let’s Try,” J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science’s “Be Free” featuring the flute talents of Carlos Araiza and a dazzling new track from Kaskade and Colette with “When I’m With You.” Listen to the album here: https://smarturl.it/OmRecords25years Before labels like Dirtybird, OWSLA and Monstercat there was Om. Legends in the game and survivors of the past twenty-five years, Om—with over 700 releases under its belt--has withstood 9/11, the Dot Com bubble and burst, Napster, the birth and impending death of downloads, the recession and now a global pandemic all the while still releasing great music. The 25 Years compilation highlights some of the best Om has to offer. Discover the music and get a guided tour of the release via this track by track now featured by Forbes here. Om Records – 25 Years Kaskade & Colette – “When I’m With You” Body Language – “Let’s Try”Chuck Love & Fourfeet – “Let’s Go Back”Mark Farina & Homero Espinosa – “The Story”People Under The Stairs – “Turfbuilders” (Demo)Colossus – “This Is How We Do”King Kooba – “Want Your Love” (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – “Be Free” Feat. Carlos AraizaShiny Objects – “Believe In Somebody” Feat. Jesse RennixRithma – “Spin Cycle”Blackbird Blackbird – “Vector”Reptile Room – “Sunlite”Rocket Empire – “On A Bridge”People Under The Stairs – “Acid Raindrops” Mark Farina & Sean Hayes – “Dream Machine” Kaskade – “It’s You, It’s Me” Marques Wyatt – “For Those Who Like To Get Down” (DEEP Sunday Retro Vibe Mix)Groove Armada – “Love Lights The Underground” Colette – “Feelin’ Hypnotized” (Kaskade Mix)Body Language - “Social Studies” (Plastic Plates Remix)TWINKIDS – “Overdressed”J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – “Movin’ To My Beat Feat. People Under The Stairs”MING & FS – “Hell’s Kitchen”Colossus – “Thrupenny Bits” (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)King Kooba – “Fooling Myself” (Easy Access Orchestra)Soulstice – “Fall Into You”
About Om Records:Om is a San Francisco based music and lifestyle company. We are artists and producers of music, design, and events for a global community of forward-thinking people. From our humble beginnings in 1995, Om has grown to become a highly recognized and respected brand in the global music scene. Om's mission is to find, release and promote music that is refined, innovative and always pushing boundaries.
Follow Om Records:www.om-records.com Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram Apple
Today, July 10, Om Records has released Om Records - 25 Years, the album celebrating their 25th anniversary as a label. With now a quarter of a century under their belt, Om Records is one of America’s first and longest-running dance music brands. Over its 26 songs, the compilation features new songs, unreleased material, and classics from artists on Om’s roster, as well as a few singles which have already been released leading up to the album. These include Mark Farina & Homero Espinosa’s “The Story,” Reptile Room’s “Sunlite,” Brooklyn’s Body Language with “Let’s Try,” J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science’s “Be Free” featuring the flute talents of Carlos Araiza and a dazzling new track from Kaskade and Colette with “When I’m With You.” Listen to the album here: https://smarturl.it/OmRecords25years Before labels like Dirtybird, OWSLA and Monstercat there was Om. Legends in the game and survivors of the past twenty-five years, Om—with over 700 releases under its belt--has withstood 9/11, the Dot Com bubble and burst, Napster, the birth and impending death of downloads, the recession and now a global pandemic all the while still releasing great music. The 25 Years compilation highlights some of the best Om has to offer. Discover the music and get a guided tour of the release via this track by track now featured by Forbes here. Om Records – 25 Years Kaskade & Colette – “When I’m With You” Body Language – “Let’s Try”Chuck Love & Fourfeet – “Let’s Go Back”Mark Farina & Homero Espinosa – “The Story”People Under The Stairs – “Turfbuilders” (Demo)Colossus – “This Is How We Do”King Kooba – “Want Your Love” (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – “Be Free” Feat. Carlos AraizaShiny Objects – “Believe In Somebody” Feat. Jesse RennixRithma – “Spin Cycle”Blackbird Blackbird – “Vector”Reptile Room – “Sunlite”Rocket Empire – “On A Bridge”People Under The Stairs – “Acid Raindrops” Mark Farina & Sean Hayes – “Dream Machine” Kaskade – “It’s You, It’s Me” Marques Wyatt – “For Those Who Like To Get Down” (DEEP Sunday Retro Vibe Mix)Groove Armada – “Love Lights The Underground” Colette – “Feelin’ Hypnotized” (Kaskade Mix)Body Language - “Social Studies” (Plastic Plates Remix)TWINKIDS – “Overdressed”J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – “Movin’ To My Beat Feat. People Under The Stairs”MING & FS – “Hell’s Kitchen”Colossus – “Thrupenny Bits” (The Jazzual Suspects Remix)King Kooba – “Fooling Myself” (Easy Access Orchestra)Soulstice – “Fall Into You”About Om Records:Om is a San Francisco based music and lifestyle company. We are artists and producers of music, design, and events for a global community of forward-thinking people. From our humble beginnings in 1995, Om has grown to become a highly recognized and respected brand in the global music scene. Om's mission is to find, release and promote music that is refined, innovative and always pushing boundaries.
Follow Om Records:www.om-records.com Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram Apple
Listen to new Sinead Harnett single, 'Stickin' ft. Masego & VanJess > Out now!
SINEAD HARNETT
RECRUITS MASEGO AND VANJESS
FOR NEW SINGLE ‘STICKIN’
LISTEN HERE
Sinead Harnett - known for her powerhouse vocals and major collaborations with Disclosure, Kaytranada, and Rudimental to name just a few - has recruited Masego and renowned contemporary R&B sister duo VanJess for her new single 'Stickin’, which is available now on all digital streaming platforms.
CLICK HERE to listen to the stunning collab, co-produced by Sunny Kale and Mike Brainchild, which marks the first single off Sinead’s highly anticipated sophomore album due out later this year.
On the inspiration behind the new track, Sinead shares, "When we were making the track it felt like summer to me, and I wanted to bring a little contrast to that lyrically. Often the people that most get on our nerves are the ones we’re closest to. The ones we’ll always stick by. I loved how VanJess made their own spin on that notion, and how Masego gave his side to the story in response.”
‘Stickin’ ft. Masego & VanJess is out now:
https://orcd.co/stickin
July 9, 2020
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPT 1985
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPT 1985
a film by Alexander Laurence
This is an early version of the film I made in 1985. It was basically a collaboration between myself and Greg Yalch (of The Bell Jar) and Ann De Jarnette (of Mneumonic Devices). I wrote the script soon after watching some Surrealist films. Mark Held and Chris Mehess had both shot three films each of their own. I helped edit and shoot those films and we all used the same equipment. Mehess had taken a film class at Golden West College.
The original film I wanted to shoot was violent and obscene. The original film was lost when I left it over at a friend's house. A VHS copy I made with a soundtrack was given to Greg Yalch and he lost it. Chris Mehess lost his trilogy of films in the 1980s. Mark Held and Steve Zweig created a video called DOG FOOD TRILOGY 1985 which I have previously uploaded.
We used to show these films at Poetry Night at Safari Sams in 1985 and 1986. My film used a soundtrack of songs by Can, and also Brian Eno Ambient 4. Ann De Jarnette and I recorded a ten minute track that was meant to use for showings. But I never used it. 25 Years years had passed and there was only a faint memory of this film. In 2020, I finally discovered the original super 8mm film. It was mainly outtakes and footage cut from the other films that I had kept for some reason. It still retains the energy and the original vision of the original films, and may be possibly better. The Immaculate Concept was a cut up montage film. So it's like the vague remnants of my film mixed with similar films by Chris Mehess and Mark Held.
Chris Mehess died in June 2018
Blonde Redhead - Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (20th Anniversary Edition) Available September 4, 2020
*PRE-ORDER NOW*
"The beauty of Blonde Redhead's music fries my brain. They are my only friend."
- Guy Picciotto -
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Blonde Redhead's classic album, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons, Touch and Go Records will release a deluxe vinyl edition on September 4, 2020. This limited edition of 2000 is pressed on 180-gram opaque magenta pink vinyl at RTI and packaged in a full-color gatefold jacket with revised cover art and never-before-seen photos from the original recording sessions.
Originally released 20 years ago on June 6, 2000, Blonde Redhead's third Touch and Go Records album was recorded earlier that year at Bear Creek Studio in Washington state from January 15 to February 18 with Guy Picciotto and Ryan Hadlock. With Guy helping to shape the sound of the record, Simone, Kazu, and Amedeo found themselves in an ideal environment to create the iconic album that emerged from those sessions.
Since 2017, the album has gained a rabid new fanbase after the popular TV series Rick and Morty used the song "For the Damaged Coda" as the "Evil Morty" theme music.
Orders will ship to arrive on or before September 4, 2020.
From the first notes of "Equally Damaged", you are drawn in - starting wtih a simple, twisted melody, augmented bit by bit with the rhythms and distinctive vocals and lyrics which are the center of these songs. Moved dramatically to the front of the mix, the vocals on this record are rich and melodic, sometimes recorded with three mics at once to get the depth of the sound. The instrumentation and presentation of each song create intricately layered, provocative, and genuinely emotional songs that continue to play themselves in your head for days.
The mix of the guitars, the power of the drums, and the infectiousness of the rhythms, combined with the remarkable vocals and lyrics, make Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons a true masterpiece.
A Side:
Equally Damaged * In Particular * Melody of Certain Damaged Three * Hated Because of Great Qualities * Loved Despite of Great Faults
B Side:
Ballad of Lemons * This Is Not * A Cure * For The Damaged * Mother * For The Damaged Coda
Listen to Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons: Spotify / Apple Music
Contact
Touch and Go Records
www.touchandgorecords.com
follow us
THE HOLLYWOOD STARS ANNOUNCE HALLOWEEN RELEASE FOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP
THE HOLLYWOOD STARS ANNOUNCEHALLOWEEN RELEASE FOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP
Recorded in July 2019 at Hollywood’s Whisky A Go Go, Live on the Sunset Strip features a dozen tracks spanning the band’s trio of albums, including rousing versions of “All the Kids on the Street,” “Escape” and “Shine Like a Radio”
During the 1970s, The Hollywood Stars toured with THE KINKS and played support gigs to such legends as THE NEW YORK DOLLS, BO DIDDLEY, THE RAMONES and IGGY POP; In turn, a cavalcade of newcomers opened shows for The Stars, including VAN HALEN, JOURNEY, THE RUNAWAYS, THE KNACK, and QUIET RIOT, among others
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / July 2020 — Building on the success of last year’s Sound City archival release, The Hollywood Stars today announce details of the band’s first live album, Live on the Sunset Strip. The 12-track collection will be released on CD and digital download via Burger Records on October 31, 2020.
Pre-order Live on the Sunset Strip: HERE
The Hollywood Stars were originally assembled by rock impresario Kim Fowley in 1973. According to an essay written by Fowley for Who Put the Bomp! fanzine, he envisioned the group as a “West Coast version of The New York Dolls.” The reality turned out to be a bit different as the Stars were more conventionally handsome, and quickly gained a huge female following on the Sunset Strip glam rock scene. The Stars also differed from the Dolls in that their music was mostly free of grit and jagged edges, and instead gained instant pop appeal with its combination of soaring bubblegum hooks and sharp powerpop arrangements.
The Whisky A Go Go on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip had been The Hollywood Stars’ home base from 1973-1977. After an absence of 42 years, the reformed Stars made a triumphant return on July 18, 2019, a gig that will soon be preserved for posterity as Live on the Sunset Strip. The band was introduced to the stage that night by Rodney Bingenheimer, the legendary local deejay and current host of Sirius XM’s “Rodney on the Rock.”
The lineup of The Hollywood Stars which appears on the live album is Scott Phares (vocals), Ruben De Fuentes (guitar), Terry Rae (drums), Michael Rummans (bass), and Chezz Monroe (guitar). All but Monroe were part of the group in the 1970s.
Phares says, “Playing the Whisky again brought back memories of all those amazing people who saw us there in the early days—John Lennon, Angie Bowie, Iggy Pop, Danny Hutton, and all of our great fans. It was a true homecoming.”
In the days leading up to the Whisky reunion, LA Weekly’s Brett Callwood published an interview with Phares and designated the show as one of the paper’s weekly “Concert Picks.” The following month, Callwood chose the newly-released Sound City as his “Album of the Week.” Sound City was a “lost” album the group had recorded in 1976 but it went unreleased until August 2019. It then joined an album discography which also includes The Hollywood Stars (Arista Records, 1977) and Shine Like a Radio: The Great Lost 1974 Album (Last Summer/Light in the Attic, 2013).
The Hollywood Stars were the first musical group to record the classic rock anthems “King of the Night Time World” and “Escape,” songs which were later covered on multi-platinum albums by Kiss and Alice Cooper, respectively. Both songs appear on Live on the Sunset Strip and were co-written by Fowley and original Hollywood Stars member Mark Anthony. Two additional tracks on the album, “Supermen Are Always Gentlemen” and “Tough Guys Never Cry,” were written by Canadian musician Mars Bonfire who is best known for writing the rock anthem “Born to Be Wild” for Steppenwolf.
Live on the Sunset Strip: Tracklist
1. King of the Night Time World (Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley)
2. Escape (Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley, Alice Cooper)
3. Sunrise on Sunset (Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley, Skip Battin)
4. All the Kids on the Street (Mark Anthony, Kim Fowley)
5. Supermen Are Always Gentlemen (Mars Bonfire)
6. Modern Romance (Terry Rae, Scott Phares, Kim Fowley)
7. Tough Guys Never Cry (Mars Bonfire)
8. Shine Like a Radio (Kim Fowley, Peter Lyons)
9. Too Hot to Handle (Mark Anthony)
10. I Can’t Help It (Mark Anthony)
11. Make It to the Party (Ruben De Fuentes, Mark Anthony)
12. Habits (Mark Anthony)
Recorded on July 18, 2019 at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, CA
Engineered at Kitten Robot Studios in Los Angeles by Paul Roessler
THE HOLLYWOOD STARS (Clockwise from upper left): Terry Rae, Chezz Monroe, Scott Phares, Michael Rummans & Ruben De Fuentes.Photo: Harmony Gerber / Photo-GrafittiSHARE: Video for "Escape" live at the Whisky A Go Go
CONNECT WITH THE HOLLYWOOD STARS
Website | Artist Page | Facebook | Spotify | Twitter
Vampire Weekend Releases Amazon Original EP 'Live In Florida'
Vampire Weekend Releases
Amazon Original EP Live In Florida
July 9, 2020: Today, Vampire Weekend released an Amazon Original EP, Live In Florida, available now to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music. Recorded last year on their Father of the Bride Tour, the EP captures selections from the band’s two Florida performances at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. The EP features live versions of songs that span Vampire Weekend’s discography, including Father of the Bride standouts “Sunflower,” “How Long?,” and “2021,” as well as other classics like “A Punk” and “White Sky.” The EP is now available across all tiers of Amazon Music— including in immersive, 3D Audio, on Amazon Music HD. Listen to Vampire Weekend’s Live In Florida only on Amazon Music: http://amzn.to/VampireWeekend
“Vampire Weekend has had a long and healthy relationship with the Florida music fan, and last summer's Miami/St. Augustine run was no different,” explains drummer Chris Tomson. “These shows were a little sticky in the August humidity but I had so much fun playing and the really great crowd vibes always help (especially, but not limited to, Nick from Orlando's inspired assistance on A-Punk). These shows stayed with me like the pepper sauce from O'Steen's or a Cubano Doble from Enriqueta’s.”
Vampire Weekend released their acclaimed fourth album Father of the Bride on Columbia Records in 2019. The band’s first release in six years quickly became their third album in a row to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 and garnered their second Grammy award for Best Alternative Music Album. Father of the Bride received an enthusiastic reaction from the press, including Rolling Stone, Vulture, The New York Times and Esquire, who proclaimed “Vampire Weekend have gone and made another masterpiece,” as well as The Guardian, who called them “A band pushing past their boundaries with striking results,” and GQ, who said “One of the most ~important~ bands of the 21st century…the group has expanded itself and the conception of what a band can be.” Capping off a banner year, Vampire Weekend embarked on their most ambitious tour to date, selling out arenas and amphitheaters around the world.
Amazon Music listeners can find Vampire Weekend’s Live In Florida on the playlist Control Alt Repeat, providing a global stage for alternative fans to find new releases from established acts, or discover their next favorite band. Customers can also simply ask, “Alexa play the Amazon Original by Vampire Weekend” in the Amazon app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to Vampire Weekend, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.
Live in Florida Tracklist:1. White Sky (Live in Miami)2. How Long? (Live in St. Augustine)3. Sunflower (Live in Miami)4. Nick from Orlando Intro5. A-Punk (Featuring Nick from Orlando) (Live in St. Augustine)6. 2021 (Live in St. Augustine)
Amazon Original EP Live In Florida
July 9, 2020: Today, Vampire Weekend released an Amazon Original EP, Live In Florida, available now to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music. Recorded last year on their Father of the Bride Tour, the EP captures selections from the band’s two Florida performances at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. The EP features live versions of songs that span Vampire Weekend’s discography, including Father of the Bride standouts “Sunflower,” “How Long?,” and “2021,” as well as other classics like “A Punk” and “White Sky.” The EP is now available across all tiers of Amazon Music— including in immersive, 3D Audio, on Amazon Music HD. Listen to Vampire Weekend’s Live In Florida only on Amazon Music: http://amzn.to/VampireWeekend“Vampire Weekend has had a long and healthy relationship with the Florida music fan, and last summer's Miami/St. Augustine run was no different,” explains drummer Chris Tomson. “These shows were a little sticky in the August humidity but I had so much fun playing and the really great crowd vibes always help (especially, but not limited to, Nick from Orlando's inspired assistance on A-Punk). These shows stayed with me like the pepper sauce from O'Steen's or a Cubano Doble from Enriqueta’s.”
Vampire Weekend released their acclaimed fourth album Father of the Bride on Columbia Records in 2019. The band’s first release in six years quickly became their third album in a row to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 and garnered their second Grammy award for Best Alternative Music Album. Father of the Bride received an enthusiastic reaction from the press, including Rolling Stone, Vulture, The New York Times and Esquire, who proclaimed “Vampire Weekend have gone and made another masterpiece,” as well as The Guardian, who called them “A band pushing past their boundaries with striking results,” and GQ, who said “One of the most ~important~ bands of the 21st century…the group has expanded itself and the conception of what a band can be.” Capping off a banner year, Vampire Weekend embarked on their most ambitious tour to date, selling out arenas and amphitheaters around the world.
Amazon Music listeners can find Vampire Weekend’s Live In Florida on the playlist Control Alt Repeat, providing a global stage for alternative fans to find new releases from established acts, or discover their next favorite band. Customers can also simply ask, “Alexa play the Amazon Original by Vampire Weekend” in the Amazon app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to Vampire Weekend, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.
Live in Florida Tracklist:1. White Sky (Live in Miami)2. How Long? (Live in St. Augustine)3. Sunflower (Live in Miami)4. Nick from Orlando Intro5. A-Punk (Featuring Nick from Orlando) (Live in St. Augustine)6. 2021 (Live in St. Augustine)
Hear “Better Man” by KANDLE via your preferred streaming platform now.
“Better Man” was written as a cathartic release after finding the courage to cut ties with a person who I entrusted with my career. 
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Manipulation is emotional blackmail. They use certain behaviours to influence how you think, feel and act until you are broken down to a fragment of what you once were. When your success is monopolized by someone else holding the key, you find yourself making deals with the devil without a clue how you got there.
After wallowing in solitary shame and indignation for years, I decided to flip the script. It is my hope that this song will inspire those in an inferior position to no longer normalize the silent epidemic of abuse of power. And if you’ve been a casualty of career manipulation, seek redemption by waving the red flag and being resilient.
