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The File Box – Part 2

Today’s show features a variety of artists from the submission files. If you like what you hear — or perhaps don’t — please leave me your thoughts (vis a vis feedback) by clicking the tab on the right hand side of the page — or by visiting the voicemail page.

Songs and Artists Played

- Alright (Janus 4-14)
- Played Along (DZ)
- Black Shoe (BalloonMan)
- Call to Arms (BalloonMan)
- The Show (Kim Edwards)
- Lottery (Sam Page)
- Corner of My Eye (Jack Davis and Crossbite)
- Hangin’ Out at Brown’s (Stone Pony)
- Amusement Park (Brother Octopus)
- Wrong Direction (Edgar Allan Poets)
- Six Feet Under (The Centerfolds)
//
Many thanks to the crew at Ariel Publicity for helping us find Kim Edwards, one of the artists on this episode. Their support is always greatly appreciated.

Also, thanks to “mcfarlandmo” for the use of the file cabinet photo on this post. Follow on Flickr. The image is Creative Commons licensed (some rights reserved).

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

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The File Box

As I mentioned in the last episode of Audio Gumshoe, today’s show features a variety of artists from the submission files. Episode 156 will also feature a variety of artists, rather than the usual feature artist format. If you like what you hear — or perhaps don’t — please leave me your thoughts (vis a vis feedback) by clicking the tab on the right hand side of the page — or by visiting the voicemail page.

Songs and Artists Played

- Neurogenesis (Monks of Mellonwah)
- Million Pieces (Patchy)
- If I Could Fly (Charity Chapman)
- Get Dirty (Alec Berlin)
- Henry at Home (Alec Berlin)
- Backbone (Lay Low)
- Safe to Say (Russell Howard)
- Comfortably (Leaving Venus)
- Jump (DimWisdom)
- Doin’ Nothin’ (Tom Fuller Band)
//
Many thanks to the crew at Ariel Publicity for helping us find several of the artists on this episode, including Lay Low, Charity Chapman, and Tom Fuller Band. Their support is always greatly appreciated.

Also, thanks to Junior Henry for his use of the photo “Bi-axial Spin” on this post. Find him on Flickr. The image is Creative Commons licensed (some rights reserved). You can request to license his images at Getty Images.

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:10 — 14.8MB)

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Songs Played

- Ghost Maps
- Please Don’t Throw My Love Away
- Secret Codes
//

…this new album continues the streak with ten songs of bittersweet rust-pop about North College Hill, lead singer Ben Walpole’s crumbling Midwestern hometown. The band paints a baroque portrait of the neighborhood-as-history, detailing childhood memories in a faded palette of strings, bells, and guitar jangle.

The Minor Leagues have been on Audio Gumshoe twice as feature artists [Shows 57 and 119] and twice on review shows [85 - Two Year Anniversary and 120 - 2009 Review]. Why do I continue to add them? Obviously, I like the band. I enjoy the sound that they create and they continue to create more music. I have often mentioned that I play music on the show that I like. That is no mystery. The music I share with listeners comes from all around the globe. For me, it is refreshing that some of these sounds come from less than 30 miles south of my home.

According to Michael Bond at Datawaslost.net, North College Hill is the latest release from The Minor Leagues. It was recorded at The Butcher Shoppe in Nashville, Tennessee. The band recorded the bulk of the tracks during a week in Summer, 2010 with producer Sean Sullivan. In my opinion, the effort has yielded a solid production, full of the gangly Brit-pop that I’ve so enjoyed from previous TML releases. Vocals are smooth, harmonies are tight and the retro-feel draws me in every time I listen.

Mike Breen, of Cincinnati-area CityBeat said,

The Minor Leagues have not only become known for their amazingly melodic Pop tunes, but also for their dedication to the “concept album” concept.

So true. What amazes me is the way that the band can build a concept album with themes that are often dark or melancholy and make me feel happy listening. The combination of strings, trumpet, and pop harmonies seem to give it a luster that one wouldn’t expect from such a theme. I’m not sure why, but it works.

Get the Music

Artist Links

The Minor Leagues Web Site
The Minor Leagues on Twitter
The Minor Leagues at Facebook
The Minor Leagues at YouTube
Sissy Mena at Last.fm

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:26 — 25.1MB)

Songs Played

- Soon Speeding Gear
- Record Machine
- Eager Entertainer
- Planets
- Verisimilitude //

Sissy Mena (mean-uh) is a three-piece sonic rock band from Chicago. They play loud and quiet and fast and slow, all with their hands

It was time for me to find another band that had a kick-butt, powerful, presence. I found this with the band Sissy Mena. This Chicago three-piece released the full-length LP Record Machine in November 2011. The band was gracious enough to provide a copy so that I could share some of the tunes with you. If you like what you hear in this episode, please visit the links below to purchase your own copy of Record Machine.

While listening to this band I was glad to hear familiar sounds that I might have heard in the 90s, but I found this fresh and new, as well. There’s a lot of energy here. The hooks are tight, the production is solid, the rhythm is danceable while maintaining a rock foundation. Nice.

Record Machine comes to us 14 months after the release of the band’s EP Young Girl. Here’s what Sissy Mena promotion material has to say:

Released in late 2009, the Young Girl EP drew positive reviews from The Onion’s AV Club, Illinois Entertainer, Loud Loop Press, Timeout Chicago, and many more. Sissy Mena’s combination of effected guitar and pounding rhythm section drew comparisons to 90′s heros such as Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

Don’t forget to check out all of the band’s links; they are included below. If you are in the Chicago area, you can find them at the Beat Kitchen in February

Get the Music

Artist Links

Sissy Mena web site
Sissy Mena at Twitter
Sissy Mena at Facebook
Sissy Mena at YouTube
Sissy Mena at Vimeo

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:00 — 20.2MB)

Songs Played

- Tall Cactus
- Cell Phone
- Oh Mother
- Whiskey Before Breakfast
- Hamlet Chicken Plant Disaster //

Equally at home at a beer joint or concert hall, the Bandits meld old-time, bluegrass, western swing and country with the sounds of string band instruments to create the “North Texas Skunkgrass” sound.

It seemed time to offer something out-of-the-ordinary on Audio Gumshoe. Though this statement itself may a bit ironic. There’s not a typical — or usual — sound for this show. I’ve offered big rock, pop, Americana, trance, metal, blues, outlaw country, rockabilly, latin, world-music, looped acoustic, and even “industrial-tinged alternative folk“. So, why not a bit of “skunkgrass?”

So, I get a submission from Brooks Kendall, Jr. of Flight Music Group telling me about this band out of Denton, Texas called Boxcar Bandits. I don’t listen to bluegrass music, typically, but as soon as I previewed these tracks I was hooked. This is just feel-good music. The fact that these are live tracks gives these selections even more vitality. The ambience of the club, the audience, and the stage conversation lends a feeling of “being there” that makes this a great listen.

Each of the songs on this episode is from the new album “Live from Dan’s Silverleaf” released in November by Boxcar Bandits. When you listen to the full album, you’ll hear the crowd enjoying the music, you’ll hear the band talking to each other, you’ll hear warts-and-all. And that’s what makes this a fun collection. Get a copy. If you’re in the Denton, Texas area — or near any of the venues listed on their show calendar — go hear them live. They play at Dan’s Silverleaf almost every Monday.

Here’s what Pegasus News recently had to say about the band:

…Denton band Boxcar Bandits played their own brand of music they like to call “skungrass.” The band is a revolving door of Denton musicians – including Paul Slavens – and the current lineup is guaranteed to get your boots stomping and your hands clapping. The band features a single snare drum and washboard played by RTB2’s Grady Don Sandlin, plus an upright bass, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, and some of the best vocal harmonies this side of the Red River.

Boxcar Bandits would be comfortable playing on a stage, a street corner, or a front porch. Their mixture of gospel, country, and bluegrass – or “fastgrass” as they call it – is exactly what was needed to get fans to the dance floor at the Boiler Room.

Get the Music

Artist Links

Boxcar Bandits
Boxcar Bandits EPK
Boxcar Bandits on Twitter
Boxcar Bandits at Facebook
Boxcar Bandits at MySpace
Boxcar Bandits at Reverbation

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:03 — 24.8MB)

Songs Played

- They’ll Strike You Out
- Hypnotizer
- On Your Way
- Right On
- Wily, Tricky, Foxy, Sharp //

Swedish rock act Stone Antica was first described as a local funk/rock band. Over the years their sound has developed into something more unique with rougher riffs and louder songs, though their funky roots can still be heard in their music even today.

It doesn’t seem that there’s ever been a Swedish band on Audio Gumshoe, but I might have to search back through the archives to be sure. The closest that I may have come is when I featured Robert Rolfe Feddersen, but that can’t be right, either. He’s from Crown Pointe, Indiana. Regardless, I’d say it’s about time.

If you are into driving rock and roll, tinged with some funk undertones, and a bit of raw blues tone for good measure, this is probably a good fit for you. Stone Antica presented their material to me back in the summer of 2011. They were then working on the final touches of their self-titled debut album. They had released the track, “They’ll Strike You Out,” on iTunes and Spotify. I submitted it for play on AMPed New Music Weekly Show #293; it is the first song you will hear on this episode of Audio Gumshoe.

With the exception of a laid-back, smooth intro on “On Your Way” each of these tracks drives forward with high-energy rhythm, solid guitar work and well sung vocals. The solid production helps take Stone Antica away from their self-proclaimed “struggling basement band” status. It is quality rock and roll — deserving of world-wide audiences.

The band describes the steps taken to help them achieve final release of the album “Stone Antica”:

[It was] was recorded at three different locations in 2010. Drum sessions were made in a wooden cabin to get that authentic and warm sound they were looking for. Both bass and guitar were later recorded in a borrowed studio an hour drive away. It was a fine place, but unfortunately very time consuming, and it was exhausting to get there. Therefore the band moved to the third and last location, in a studio right next to our rehearsal place, where they laid down the vocals and added the finishing touches.

Get the Music

They’re on iTunes.

Artist Links

Stone Antica
Stone Antica on Twitter
Stone Antica at Facebook
Stone Antica on YouTube
Stone Antica at Spotify

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:55 — 25.6MB)

Songs Played

- Just a Game
- Two Lovers
- Hypnotized
- Hitman Blues
- Stay Gone for Good //

I love The Blue News…Sultry, sexy, dirty and organic…Rich and warm songs, genuine vocals, true musicians doing what they love. I’m a fan. – Sylvia Massy (Producer – RadioStar)

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard the blues on Audio Gumshoe. But this isn’t just any blues, it’s tight, rockin’, blues built to last. I was pleased to get the email asking me to consider the group for the show. I’m a closet blues fan (perhaps someone will remember my old show “Blogs, Views and Blues”?) and always enjoy tracks that dig in, rock the beat a bit, yet maintain the feel and passion of the genre. The Blue News does that.

The band has some great news and credit to their name, too. Recently, they were notified that their song “Two Lovers” is featured on the “Fresh Cuts” CD Compilation released by Guitar Center. This volume is not yet released, but we’re told that upcoming Volume 7 will also feature Sublime With Rome (formerly Sublime). Past volumes have included Weezer, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, KRS-One, and New Found Glory.

Songs heard on this episode of Audio Gumshoe are from the EP Wartime Songs.

The album consists of 6 new songs recorded by legendary studio “guru” Jim Devito at Retrophonics Recording Studios in St. Augustine, FL. The album was mixed at RadioStar Studios in Weed, CA by Fernando Flores with famed producer Sylvia Massy! Sylvia worked with Rick Rubin in the 90s and has worked in the studio with Tool, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and many more multi-platinum artists.

Another great credit for the band: The songs “Hitman Blues” and “Just a Game” can be found on Rock Band 3. Previous releases “So Easy” and “You’ve Got Someone” are found on Rock Band 2. Not bad, eh?

Oh, and if you want to be a triva buff, The Blues News are connected to Kevin Bacon through the legendary six steps of separation:

Yes, The Blues News has reached the status of being connected to Kevin Bacon through six degrees of separation.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon
1. The Blue News recorded with Jim Devito
2. Jim Devito recorded Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3. Tom Petty’s video for Into The Great Wide Open starred Johnny Depp
4. Johnny Depp starred with actor Benicio Del Toro in Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas
5. Benicio Del Toro starred in 21 Grams with Sean Penn
6. Sean Penn starred in Mystic River, also starring Kevin Bacon

Be sure to check out the band’s schedule on their site at thebluenews.net. They play throughout the midwest, including Louisville, Indianapolis, and of course, Chicago.

Get the Music

Artist Links

The Blue News
The Blue News on Twitter
The Blue News at Facebook

Associated Links

Association of Music Podcasting
Blubrry Podcast Network
Audio Gumshoe on Twitter
Audio Gumshoe on Facebook

The audio file for this work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.