“Can you hear what karma say?
Phil Jones is a lyric-driven rock singer/songwriter who hails from Kauai, Hawaii. He’s the type of artist I instantly respect because of the genuine nature of the music and the lyrics. He is naturally a “truth sayer”. Like the great philosophical songwriters and lyricists of our time like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Sprinstein, Phil Jones typically writes about positive change, politics, human rights, love, redemption, and personal growth. It’s artists like Mark Lanegan and Leonard Cohen that come to mind when listening to Phil’s deep, raspy baritone, although he has his own distinct tone.
With subtle electronic elements guiding the dark acoustic composition “The Perfect Wave”, Phil tells haunting tales and delivers some serious warnings before the progression lifts for the chorus, and the brilliant line “I’m sending out the perfect wave” emerges. It’s not often I’ll post a full passage, but I have to in this case. These are some of the best lyrics I’ve read in a long time, taken from “The Perfect Wave”:
You fell, you fled, you tripped, you strayed
Your heart’s been sold
Your soul delayed
Today is done
Tomorrow’s grey
Treasure’s lost
Thrown away
The wedding’s off til the debts are paid
Another left for broke
Alone and afraid
Shoulda given love, given love away
Sending out the perfect wave”
With wisdom and optimistic sadness, this song conveys deep-seeded emotion and clarity. You can download it below from the Soundcloud link.
“Are You Aligned?” continues the journey into electronic Americana territory, asking “Are you aligned? It’s evolution time”. Soaring backup vocals lift the chorus to drive the message home and the guitars are reminiscent of the great Chris Isaak with their ominous twang. As the beat progresses, it sounds almost dance-esque, which serves as a well done fusion of styles. Phil did a video for the song, which contains some appropriate Occupy protest footage. Check it out below, and be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for the upcoming release of Phil Jone’s album entitled “Raise Up”:
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Today’s exclusive is with rock n’ rollers Ballroom Boxer, who come complete with poppy hooks, old school punk influence and soaring harmonies. Like a cross between the Misfits and Weezer, their music is catchy and unique. Ballroom Boxer has a very melodic, old school approach to rock n’ roll. How did this approach develop form the origins of the Whiskey Drifters?
Mike Altier: We had more of a fuzzy, alt-western-type-rock thing going with the Whiskey Drifters. So we built on that, hence, the old school rock we loved and grew up on. Then we decided to coat with this surfy, pop that screams Summer and freshened it up with a mix of the raw power punk we like as well as the singer-songwriter stuff that resonates with us.
Donnie Renner: We’re all really inspired by older rock n’ roll, but we try to keep a conscious effort to do things with a modern twist. We’re big fans of the newer rock, punk, indie scene and we try to implement that at much as possible.
Dave Altier: Mike and I have always loved blues, western and alt-country influenced music. That’s how the Whiskey Drifters came about. We wanted to bring those elements together and mix em with more modern, edgier rock n’ roll music. That has never left us. With Ballroom Boxer, the hooks are catchier and the music is more dynamic.
How did the “Summer Mixes & Backseat Dreams” EP come about?
Dave Altier: We had an opportunity that came to us from Ante Up Studios in Cleveland around the same time we were searching out a studio in Chicago. Mike and I rehearsed the songs with our bass player who was in Akron, OH and guitarist in Nashville with some pretty raw ideas that were sent out in an email. Each time I checked my inbox and would have something from one of the guys, I could hear a song develop and evolve.
MA – Like anything, this EP came about in the middle of winter, after a glass of scotch and a James Dean movie marathon. We were longing for summer and the good ol’ days when summer meant staying out past dark, riding your bike and chasing girls. That’s pretty much it. There’s a lot of heartache, redemption and wild times baked into this EP. Its about remembering to have fun.
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
DR: Connecting with fans; whether it’s putting up new content, communicating via twitter or facebook, or even writing a personalized song for fans, the more fans get to know us as musicians and people, the more connected they become.
Who in music today do you most admire most and why?
Dave Altier: The Bronx. I’ve been following The Bronx since I was in High School. In ’03, they came through Cleveland with The Distillers to a small club with low ceilings and a stage that was only a few inches off the ground. They made everything so huge in there though. The lead singer (Matt Caughthran) jumped off stage at one point, walked up to my friend who wasn’t familiar with the band, and sang (screamed) half of a song in his face. It was an intense show and I always try to play with as much energy as those guys do every night. And now the band makes really impressive Mariachi records under the name, Mariachi el Bronx when they’re not making rock n’ roll stuff. There’s so much talent in their writing and their playing abilities. They always surprise me.
DR: Personally, I really admire Eddie Vedder. I think he’s really figured it out on how to stick around for so long and remain and classic and relevant voice in rock. I also think there aren’t many people that create music with more honesty than him.
Do you have any advice for independent musicians who may feel disillusioned or discouraged at times?
DA: Use all outlets available to reach people and put more than just your music out there. You can let your music speak for itself but having a social presence is key right now. You have to sell yourself along with the music. The best thing about music today is that you can target the people that you want to listen to your music pretty effectively with social media advertising. It has never been as easy or inexpensive to establish a fan base, big or small.
DR: Don’t accept failure, and keep playing because you genuinely enjoy doing it. I think any band that has ever made it really followed those 2 things along with a dash of luck.
How can music fans keep tabs on Ballroom Boxer?
DR: Tweet us, facebook us, email us, youtube us. We love social media and the direction its headed with music by its side so we’re gonna stick close to our keyboards for our fans.
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Chicago singer-songwriter Colin Tyler took the time to share some of his views on his recent work, as well as the music industry. Listening to some of his material, he really strikes me as a gifted rock n’ roll songwriter, the kind that I wish there were more of. Either way, with people like Colin Tyler around, rock will definitely survive.
Tell us about your recent recording experience with the great Steve Albini.
Overall, it was a great experience; a highlight in my career thus far. I invited fourteen of my friends along to record with Steve at his studio in Chicago. I had two guitarists, a drummer, bassist, pianist, organist, string quartet and a male vocal quartet. I also invited a nine person film crew into the studio to capture all the action. We tracked 100% live to analog tape (yes that means no computers). I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t stressful. It was months of preparation for a single day of tracking. Because the busy schedules of the core band, we only had two rehearsals. The string and vocal sections had no rehearsals. We also stretched Steve and his studio to its limits. But a little sweat can be good sometimes and the product has exceeded my initial expectation.
What can we expect from the new album?
Well, it’s not really an “album.” Though I am pressing a limited run to vinyl, I consider it to be more of a multimedia project. I believe the performance is equally important to Music as the music itself. Every other artist releases audio recordings with a promotional video accompaniment. For me, the audio/video combination IS the release. They are interdependent. We did not edit any of the performances in post (yes that means no auto-tune) and we did not add any overdubs. What you see in the video is exactly how we played it in that moment. The idea was to capture a moment in time; to bring a true-to-life studio performance to the public– or rather, to bring the public into a live studio session.
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
Playing shows might be the only thing that works for me. A performance says it all. You can have the fanciest posters, the best placed ads and the flashiest recording but when people see you perform, they’ll be able to tell instantly if you’re full of shit. If you’re good, they’ll tell their friends and so on. A recommendation from a friend is the most effective promotion. And you can’t buy that.
Who in music today do you admire most and why?
I admire true “Artists.” Most people in music today I would not consider Artists. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of talent and I enjoy a lot of it, but you’re asking about admiration. I admire Artists who have something to say. I admire Artists who don’t get wrapped up in fame, who don’t start believing their own hype. I admire Artists who reach deep within themselves and reveal their findings to the world unashamed and undaunted.
Do you have any advice for independent musicians who may feel disillusioned or discouraged at times?
Welcome to the club, you are not alone. Sooner or later everyone questions themselves. Because musicians are always being bombarded with nay-saying, it’s impossible not to feel discouraged sometimes. In fact, you would be delusional if you didn’t stop yourself every once in a while and ask, “Why am I doing this?” or “Is this right for me?” Questioning yourself is good; doubting yourself is destructive. So what it comes down to is belief. Do you believe in yourself? Because if you don’t, no else will either.
How can music fans keep tabs on Colin Tyler?
Hire a private detective. I’m like a ghost. But for those of you who don’t want to play out a real life film noir, I would guess the usual social media sites would suffice. http://www.colintylermusic.com http://colintyler.bandcamp.com http://www.facebook.com/colintylermusic @colintylermusic on twitter
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Today we have an exclusive with The Root Cause, who inject enough rock and soul into their music to shake you awake from your pop culture slumber. Their track “Common Man” gets a big thumbs up from me.
The Root Cause takes acoustic music’s more gritty, rock n’ roll aspects and throws out the rule book. What about the possibilities of acoustic music excites you?
It is more challenging because the notes must resonate clearly…Electric music you can get by with a little slop…acoustic you are challenged to be clean and clear. You can build an acoustic song to be very strong with good music structure and solid lyrics to get the point across. Solid musicians with great chemistry make that happen. Add a good singer to tell the story and get the point across and you really have something special.
Do you see evidence that more people are looking for genuine music again?
The feedback we get at shows after we perform would have me saying yes to this question. I think a lot of people are looking for this type of connection and we are just the band to give it to them.
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
Everything….as a local band here in Chicago you have to flyer, email, facebook, tweet, poster…whatever it takes and create as many opportunities for ourselves. The bottom line is it takes hard work and real person to person relationships to grow your fans. We are always looking for the next show if we have nothing booked and creating it into an event.
Who in music today do you most admire most and why?
Eddie Vedder….he does it his way and has always never been afraid to express his deepest and most intimate feelings. Huge fan.
Please tell us about how your newest album came to be.
Back in 2005 we started out writing songs in Rick Drehobl’s office and then shortly after began doing short recording sessions with that material at CRC in Chicago. The music sounded great so we continued to write and play shows. Then we discussed wanting to record a full length album and were offered by our producer “Jim Warner” a very comfortable place to record with a quality engineer “Grayson Elliot Taylor” to lay down all the material we had. It took us over 3 years to get it done due to some scheduling conflicts and the death of my mother and our engineer’s father but we continued to push and grind out all the time and effort needed to complete the recording project.
How can music fans keep tabs on The Root Cause?
We can be seen on you tube, facebook and the new record is available for $4.99 at www.therootcause.bandcamp.com
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Dirk Lind is the type of honest singer/songwriter I respect. Not necessarily because he’s going to change the world or is exploring never-before-seen sonic territory, but because he’s contributing to what I feel is a strong and open communication of the human soul. He plays from his heart; something that the late Bill Hicks would admire. He is an artist expressing himself, pure and simple. A man with a story to tell.
In my line of work, I’m exposed to many artists every day who are trying to become something, something other than themselves. They want industry coaching, to be moulded and shaped into something, anything as long as what comes out of the pipe can sell records. It’s because of this trend that perhaps we can ironically be thankful. It’s this trend that makes songs like Dirk Lind’s “The Winter Line” that much more affecting in comparison.
“The Winter Line” is the lead track off Dirk’s 2011 album entitled “Division Street”, and it’s a piece with an energy of grace and beauty. It’s absolutely beautiful; music you can genuinely feel. There is only dedication and devotion in his lyrical expression here, not the usual dramatic relationship fodder we’ve grown accustomed to, and it comes across as powerful rather than cheesy. “Delilah” is another very worthwhile track that holds it’s own; once again beautiful and heartfelt. The words show a brilliant lyricist with the lines “Oh, I’m blinded by the the spangled light of day. Oh, I’m on the edge of throwing everything away.”
“Lovers Left Behind” continues the sad and sweet tone of the album, adding some well-chosen backup harmonies, bass, lead guitar and jazzy drums to the mix. Like a hats off to the Americana and folk greats of yesterday, this sounds like a classic, like something you’ve heard before. There is a sense of wonder and appreciation for life in Dirk Lind’s voice that you rarely hear, and at the same time, when he says “Some drink to forget. I drink to remember you. Someone lost along the way. Someone lost. Someone found again” you feel the saddening loss of a loved one. This music is as affecting as can be.
“Stone” creates an atmosphere different from the other tracks, with tremolo-infused guitars, reverb and piano backing up Dirk’s slightly raspy melodies. The shift into electronics works for him, because he comes across as an artist with no boundaries. He could easily do what Sufjan Stevens or Thom Yorke do as far as experimentation, but he chooses a more subtle approach, more like Leonard Cohen, and there are elements of Mr. Cohen’s influence here. Other highlights from the release include the intentionally slow-paced Bob Dylan-influenced “Division Street”, which finds Dirk Lind singing “Everybody got somewhere they got to be…Everybody got something they want to keep for themselves”. Truthful lyrics once again become an appropriate and powerful focus. “Don’t Let Your Troubles Be Your Guide”, much like Paul Simon’s best work, puts a positive, yet hard won message of wisdom into an upbeat and almost poppy format, and it’s works wonders.
Dirk Lind as an artist is like the wise man who you’re actually inclined to listen to. Maybe you just met him at the right time, or maybe you were ready to open up and leave your cares behind. The door is open, and trust is naturally there. He is a truly great musician and storyteller, and I will be eagerly anticipating his next album.
Dirk Lind also has a great approach to presenting his music, opting to make is accessible and easy to download – does free work for you? You can stream and download his music below, but I encourage you to also support the artist by purchasing his music through the major digital outlets.
For a great performance of “The Winter Line”, check out the video below for a clip from the Spokane Folk Festival.
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If you’re looking for some new progressive yet catchy material, like Porcupine Tree mixed with, say, Coldplay, I’d suggest Chicago 5-piece “prog pop” band Northpilot, who were suggested to me by a friend of mine, Rick Dante from the excellent progressive music website Dante Prog. I always like to hear artists who actually take effort to expand and evolve within the pop format – after all, progressive music isn’t all about 15 minute songs filled with doom breakdowns and mystical references. It can simply mean “to progress beyond the typical boundaries”, and Northpilot do a good job of writing hooky melodies that carry a thick, atmospheric energy. Fans of Porcupine Tree, Coldplay, Radiohead, and even the Smashing Pumpkins should enjoy the well crafted song-writing here. Check out their video below:
Awkard Family Photos Music Video Slurpee Battle of the Bands from NORTHPILOT on Vimeo.
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One of our exclusive’s today is with Vienna singer/songwriter Richard Kapp, whose band Richard Kapp & The Gowns have found success playing their own brand of “surprising chamber pop”. Welcome to Independent Music Promotions, Richard. Your music is quite unique. What inspired you to walk the less-beaten path with your original brand of “chamber pop”?
Well, although I am a 80′s kid, strangely enough I grew up with bands and musicians from the 70′s like ELO, 10cc, Billy Joel, Simon & Garfunkel. So, I think that a lot of inspiration came from this musical era. I always was fascinated by orchestral elements in pop like you can find in the music by ELO or ELP. When I was 16 I bought my first album by Chick Corea and since then I also dived into the mysterious world of jazz. I listened to lots of stuff back then and those artists were all great and original but I always thought that there is still a lack of music that is brave enough to combine all kind of styles (like jazz, folk,funk, orchestral, etc.). So, since then I tried to develop this kind of music on my own.
Please tell us about your latest release and what we can expect.
My latest release of me and my wonderful band “The Gowns” is called “AMOK” and should be out in some months. It will be a very strange album, very sarcastic, but also very personal at the same time. It also covers a lot about what’s going wrong in today’s world. Hence the title “AMOK”. But the title also refers to the strong variety of styles. There are flavours of jazz, hiphop, electronic, folk, classical music, etc. and still I think that I managed to use them in an unusual and original way to support the the meaning of each song. I think that fans of our music will enjoy our new album a lot. It’s my best effort yet as a composer, I think.
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
The internet is definitely a great tool for independent artists like me. I love how you are able to upload a song and immediately get some feedback in return and how you can easily communicate with your fans. In the early days I used myspace as everyone else was doing but since myspace turned into “myspam” as I like to call it, I moved to Facebook which is not perfect but it helps a lot to stay in touch with your listeners. Or probably I should say “Likers”. 
I also use Twitter and other social platforms to promote my songs. Possibilities are now endless for indies but it also means a lot of work which takes away time that I’d rather would like to use for writing songs. Unfortunately I know lots of indie musicians (including me) who are working their ass off trying to be a musician, manager, booker, marketer, etc. in one person and often don’t receive enough attention or feedback in return, unfortunately.
Who in music today do you most admire most and why?
That’s a tough question as there are fortunately so many artists that I admire. One of my favourite artists is Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy. He really inspires me a lot, so did his buddy Joby Talbot who arranged a lot of their amazing orchestral pieces. I also love Rufus Wainwright’s compositions and the music by Ben Folds (who is one of the few who manages to combine pop and jazz in a beautiful way). Another artist I admire is Hawksley Workman from Canada as he is really one of the few artists who are in the business for many years now but is still searching for new musical approaches and managed to stay highly original. Same goes for David Byrne. He is really one of a kind. I also admire the music by Burt Bacharach, Scott Walker, Richard Hawley, Andrew Birds, Final Fantasy, Left with pictures, Bryce Kulak…I could go on here forever as there are and were so many different artists that I admire….
Do you have any advice for independent musicians who may feel disillusioned or discouraged at times?
No, because I am disillusioned and discouraged myself sometimes. As I said previously: the internet really opens up a lot of possibilities for musicians, but as there are so many musicians (or people who think it’s cool to be a musician) it’s not easy to stand out of the crowd. Also, people don’t seem to value songs for what they are: precious gems that you can listen to in years and still love. Great songs don’t wear off. People pay money for a bubblegum in the supermarket, which they spit on the ground some minutes later, but they hesitate to buy a song for 99 Cents on iTunes.Yes, it’s easy to become disillusioned as an artist trying to do something original, smart and honest. It’s really difficult to be a musician these days. And very easy at the same time. When I am discouraged I always try to remember that great quality always finds a way and will reach people one day.
How can music fans keep tabs on Richard Kapp?
You should go and visit my homepage http://www.richardkapp.com where you can find out more about “Richard Kapp & The Gowns” and listen to some songs. I regulary update our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/richardkappmusic but we also have a Google+ page now for those who prefer that. We love everyone for subscribing to our mailinglist aswell because it’s very convenient for me to be able to provide everyone with updates like new gigs or exclusive free songs this way. It’s definitely worth to subscribe now as I will soon release a new song from our next album “AMOK” which will be free first to our subscribers. So, what are you waiting for? Do it now!
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Today we have an exclusive with DJ, producer, and electronic music artist Shlomi Levi. Welcome to Independent Music Promotions, Shlomi. Please share with us what made you decide to become a DJ and a producer?
I think that I at first I became a DJ by mistake by saving another DJ in a party I was a guest and he got some problem and I came to his help. The producing part came later and I combine this 2 loves every day as a one. I can’t see myself as only a DJ or only a Producer any more.
What is it about electronic music in particular that inspires you?
Electronic music is the only way that one man can make music and not just playing 1 instrument, it can be modified live, and….it moves the crowd like hell….
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
The best promotion is gigs and people that listen to our music.
Who in music do you most admire most and why?
There are a lot of good EDM artists, I like Armin Van Buren, Afrojack but the one that inspires me the most is David Guetta, not only by music as by discovering the edges of music he put together Europe and USA.
Please tell us about any current or upcoming releases.
Dancing on my own is a catchy poppy tune that I made along with the vocalist Miss Ziv from Israel and Dooly, a rapper from the US, I like this one because it’s a complicated music sounds simple to the listener.
How can music fans keep tabs on Shlomi Levi?
You can get my music and gigs at the following:
https://www.facebook.com/djshlomilevi
http://soundcloud.com/shlomi-levi
Check out Shlomi’s Youtube channel here.
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It’s inspiring to witness the popularity of rock in all it’s many incarnations worldwide. Punk rock and heavy metal, in particular, have made a huge impact on the youth in some unlikely places where the governments would rather not deal with that kind of aggression.
Grey Grace, a punk/rock/hardcore band hailing from Tangerang, Indonesia, is a perfect example of this popularity. Taking influence from Sicktrick, Rufio, Nofx, Propagandhi and Alexis On Fire, they hope to continue the punk tradition that bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash helped form. Their style mixes skate and pop punk with elements of thrash metal for good measure. While they have yet to find their own sound and the vocals can be shaky at times, the band shows potential and the talent is there. To hear Grey Grace, visit their facebook page.
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Anunnaki is a rock/progressive solo project by Mark Vanstone that contains strong gothic and metal influences. I admire any artist who puts in the effort and does everything themselves, and Anunnaki’s moody, emotionally charged music shows a lot of ambition. “Hybrid”, his new single, is quite heavy and brooding, similar to output I’ve heard from artists such as My Dying Bride – and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I interviewed Mark Vanstone to talk about his thoughts on the project as well as his opinions on music.
Welcome to Independent Music Promotions, Mark. Please tell us about The Anunnaki and the inspirations behind the project.
The Anunnaki project was started mainly out of frustration of several years of professional media production mainly for corporate purposes and not having produced any of my own music for some time. It was a new years resolution to record at least one song in 2011. The reasons for the project developing into The Anunnaki was really one of my interest in finding out the stories behind the origins of our existence. As we seem to have an interesting date coming up which has been associated with one of the more ancient civilisations I decided to incorporate that into the timing of the project.
What do you feel are some of the ways that indie artists should adapt and change in today’s music industry? What qualities should a successful artist have?
Being an I.T. professional, I embraced the internet age very quickly and I now feel that it holds the key to market entry for indie artists. There is no longer a need for artists to be signed up to a record label to get noticed by a considerable fan base. Having said that anyone wanting to promote themselves online needs to be ready for a lot of hard work and dedication to their band or project.
What have you found works well for you as far as promotion goes?
Online social networks have been a god-send for artists and bands. You can be in contact with many of your fans on a personal level and that in turn encorages them to spread the word about your music. These networks are much less intrusive than sending newsletters or texts to your mailing list but also encourages artists to think creatively about how they interact with their fan base.
Tell us about the biggest influences and inspirations that inspired you to play music.
My earliest memories of music were things like Simon and Garfunkle which I think still has a bearing on my music now – but I soon became much more interested in bands like Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and U2 as I was growing up. Influences from these bands are quite prominent in my music but I also listen to many very current bands and artists who mold the specifics of the songs I produce now.
Who in the current music scene do you most admire most and why?
In the mainstream I would have to say Muse is a front runner but I am listening to a lot of local and indie bands who are coming out with some amazingly original material. This also has the benefit that I can go and listen to them live without travelling too far.
Do you have any advice for aspiring independent musicians who may feel disillusioned or discouraged at times?
The music industry has always been a hard market to enter and sustain a foothold in. The first step is to love what you do and know that you would do it even if no-one ever paid you for it. The other thing which any artist needs to ask themself is ‘Why would anyone be interested in what I am doing?’ – people want interesting and exciting – or maybe something they can identify with. Once you have one of those things you can start building your fanbase.
Why do you feel that rock is still such a strong format for expression?
Rock is such a wide spectrum of music – to me it is the rhythm that runs through my mind whenever I think of writing a new song – it’s the basis of so much modern music. It’s the solid, no nonsense beat that you can build a million songs from – it can be moody and soulful or heavy and agressive and can cover a multitude of emotions.
How can music fans keep tabs on The Anunnaki?
I am currently focusing on the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/AnunnakiBand but also have a normal website at http://www.anunnakiband.co.uk . I am also using several other networks to get the Anunnaki project out there online and trying to tie them together in a useful way so no matter how potential fans arrive they get to see the whole project.
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Musician Opportunities- Rihanna needs music
- Music Needed Immediately For Sci-Fi Project
- CMI Music Group Seeks a Variety of Artists for Current & Future Projects
- SingerUniverse "Best Vocalist Of The Month" Competition
- SongwriterUniverse "Best Song Of The Month" Contest
- Jennifer Lopez
- Placements In TV/Film
- Looking for a club song or track for LMFAO
- Distribution Opportunity from Mahoning Valley Records
- The World Famous Wu-Tang Clan are Looking for Music for Their New Film