Posted by DAMES of Pa on Jan 10, 2009 in
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June 2010 Noteworthy Musicians
A Farewell Rescue
A Farewell Rescue‘s release Never Meet Your Heroes is saccharin gooeyness, like getting your hands sticky in a bag of cotton candy, mixing equal parts sugar and razorblades.
The band’s debut on Snapdragon Records is sure to rock your tear-stained face off! Through hard work and sweat, AFR were able to team up with renowned producer and recording engineer Doug White (Gym Class Heroes, Every Time I Die, Psyopus, Sleepaway) at Watchmen Studios to put together an unforgettable album that caught the ears of Snapdragon, Milwaukee ‘s premier indie rock label.
Their Sophomore release, Radio Deadly (June 8, 2010) is available on Amazon.com
http://www.myspace.com/afarewellrescue
Joel Dobbins
Joel Dobbins has been called “peculiar” and a “nifty songwriter” who balances simple, substantial lyrics with catchy, well-crafted music, resulting in a fresh listening experience listen after listen. Joel Dobbins grew up and discovered his passion for music in Maine and has spent the recent years writing and recording in Pennsylvania.
He is prolific, with over 100 original songs written and four albums released over the past three years. His most recent album, Investment was written and recorded in under two weeks.
His influences come from all over the place and, as a result, his music tends to be all over the place – in a good way.
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May 2010 Noteworthy Musicians
LUCAS CARPENTER
Pop / Experimental / Electroacoustic
Williamsport, Pa
Crossing state lines with guitars, looping pedals, and all manner of percussive instrument in tow, Lucas Carpenter is a modern pop troubadour. With a beat heavy and melody rich sound that borrows from his love of folk songcraft, the colorfulness of pop, Nashville storytelling, and hip electronic production values, LC is remixing what it means to be a singer-songwriter.
Born into a tightly knit, small town community in Pennsylvania, he is the son of a funeral director and the much loved black sheep of a large family. A self-proclaimed “Art Kid From the Country”, Lucas began his creative journey in musical theater productions, choirs, and garage bands before moving first to Pittsburgh, then to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music (’06 Songwriting graduate), and on to Philadelphia where he currently resides when not on the road. His songs are colorful sonic tapestries, contrasting the mundane and often comic reality of life in rural America against the cultural diversity and fast pace of the cities he’s called home.
Since releasing the Art Kids From the Country EP 3 years ago, Lucas has played over 300 shows, sold over 3,000 albums and digital downloads completely independently, and created “The Pixelated Path” (2008), his most ambitious work to date. “The Path”, produced with Los Angeles based friend and producer Alder (Sean Kingston), ventured into new sonic territory, combining beats generated from samples of office equipment, classic synthesizer sounds, beatboxing, and even a desk chair rolling across the floor, with organic instrumentation that included fretless guitar, Irish tin whistles, nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed fiddle), and toy pianos.
Currently, Lucas is on the road, sharing his high octane, electro-acoustic show with fans across the country. As a songwriter, a storyteller, a producer, and a performer Lucas Carpenter offers a new vision for the modern pop artist.
http://www.myspace.com/lucascarpenter
Ed Randazzo
Experimental/Fusion/Folk
Ed Randazzo is a singer/songwriter from Northeastern, Pennsylvania. He has been writing and actively participating in music since age 14. Ed just released his first, full length record with Bret Alexander [The Badlees/Cellarbirds] titled See That My Grave Is Kept Clean – A ten song collection of folk/blues music, four of which were written by Randazzo.
” Though See That My Grave Is Kept Clean has dark themes, it’s far from being a downer. In fact, at times, it’s downright uplifting.”
- Alan K. Stout of The Weekender, Northeast, PA
http://www.myspace.com/edwardrandazzomusic
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February 2010 Noteworthy Musicians
Soraia
Philadelphia, PA
Rock / Alternative Rock
All members of Soraia bring to the group a wide array of influences culminating into the unique sound and energy they release: Old, New bluesy, soulful, hard-hitting, ALIVE rock n’ roll. The spirit and tones are familiar, yet the integrity of their music and live performance are extraordinary: five unique personalities sharing passion for a harder, rawer rock sound.
This is a band that is on the road as much as possible, constantly improving upon their live shows and building following. They’ve found pockets of fans in most college towns, and continue to build on successes through hard work, focus, and passion for what they do. They’ve spent the last two years playing festivals, touring the Midwest and South, and working closely on songwriting and recording with producer, Obie O’Brien.
For videos and songs……
Check out Soraia on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/soraia and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Soraia.music
Key of V
Williamsport, Pa
Indie / Shoegaze / Acoustic
Sisters Val LaCerra (guitar, lead vocals), and Erin LaCerra (viola, tin whistle, keyboard, percussion) have been singing harmonies together since they were toddlers, but officially joined forces as indie duo Key of V in 2007. Inspired by an amalgamation of influences including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Bessie Smith and equipped with a Yamaha FX mixer and several pedals, Key of V has since been branching out to audiences across the state, winning hearts and breaking any preconceptions that duos cannot make big sounds.
Val’s solo album, Carbon Nation (2006), features the layered oddities and vocal harmonies that would follow into Key of V, but without the relief of upbeat tunes, and sprinkled with often sadistic-sounding laughter.
After the completion of Carbon Nation, Val experimented with looping found sound and layered vocal tracks that would later make their way onto Songs in the Key of V (2007), but not without keeping a few tracks, like Jill 5, stripped and bone-bearingly honest. Eventually V dumped the PC and started recording with a 4-track, recruiting her sister Erin and eventually playing on the street, where Key of V was noticed by shoppers, bar-goers, and eventually local venue owners, who invited them to entertain.
Since then Key of V has been branching out to surrounding metro-cities like Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, York, and Pittsburgh. In June 2008 they helped organize and host a successful local music festival called Absorb, which featured over a dozen diverse local bands. In addition to Absorb, Key of V has organized other successful multi-band local shows and done all their own promotion and advertising.
They were named 2009 Billtown Bus Stop’s Artist of the Year!
To read more: http://www.northcentralpa.com/article/billtown-bus-stop-announces-music-awards
Check out Key of V on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/keyofv
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January 2010 Noteworthy Musicians
Mr. Z & the Nightshift
He’s been doin’ it all his life, pretty much, starting with the gospel circuit in South Carolina at the age of five. Did you notice all the great ones started that way His first mentor, Grandma Johnson, plucked him from the choir and told him to show em what he could do. From what I hear, you just didn’t say no to Grandma. That dutiful child would move the congregation to jump up and applaud, sending the frightened little singer to run out, crying. Apparently he got over that and was a regular feature at several churches in the Greenville area where he used to tear up the service when he rocked “Jesus Loves Me”.
Later they moved To Wash. D.C. where musical ability abounded in this family of now legendary talent, including Aunt Ruth Brown and The Dixie Hummingbirds, who were frequent visitors, jamming in the parlor. Zee found his place on the street corners of D.C., blowin’ doo wop Harmony till Uncle Sam dropped him off in Lake Charles, L.A. Turns out, Zee’s got relatives in Creole country and in no time Richard Chenier had him hitting licks as a stand in zydeco keyboard player! From there he joined Phil Philips to record the original “Sea of Love”..no big deal, in those days after you sang backup, you collected your $15 and were on your way to Philly record hops, New York’s Apollo Theatre, Atlantic City Steel Pier, any venue with a paycheck. V-Tone and Maske record companies both cut singles with Zee & The Cruisers, (“Do the Fish” and “Somebody Cares”) but failed in the marketing and promotion….. more about Mr. Z & The Nightshift at http://www.myspace.com/mrzthenightshift
Jakesway
Jakesway is a group hailing from Carbondale / Scranton PA.
Original recordings consist of members / former members of Eternity, Nugget, Jeffrey James Band, Tom and Gary, Brothers Capone, jugdish, and featuring Tom Borthwick, John Zavacki, Rae Mear, and Stephanie Holmes. Read more and listen here; http://www.myspace.com/jakeswayband
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Tags: 2010, 2010 Albums, A Farewell Rescue, Alternative Rock, Americana, Art Rock, Blues, Brenda Brosius, Ed Randazzo, Jakesway, Joel Dobbins, Karyn Albano, Key of V, Local Music, Lucas Carpenter, Mr. Z & the Nightshift, Pennsylvania Artists, Pennsylvania Music, Pennsylvania Venues, Phil Brosius, Philadelphia, Progressive Rock, Scranton, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Album, Singer/Songwriter, Soraia, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport
