Action guitars at the fore, a muscular rock'n'roll attack team

CD review: Judge Jackson

"Drive" (Curtis Joe)

When a red-rimmed buddy turns up on your doorstep, a shameless party you'd once sworn would never end erupts, anew. Action guitars at the fore, a muscular rock'n'roll attack team in the spirit of Velvet Revolver and GNR howls. There is much joy to be had kicking out all jams. Let the almighty, experience-centering riff be your guide in a tilted land of crunch and exultation.



http://www.judgejackson.net/

http://www.damnationdanceparty.blogspot.com/

Dreidel, Dreidel video from CAMPFIRE OK for the xo holiday comp!

Dreidel, Dreidel from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.


http://www.xopublicity.com/xofortheholidays3.html

Paper Tongues -- About to Pop

Paper Tongues -- About to Pop

http://www.popeater.com/2010/06/22/paper-tongues-about-to-pop/

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By Ashley Iasimone

Who: Paper Tongues

Album: 'Paper Tongues'

Single: 'Trinity'

Hails From: Charlotte, N.C.

For Fans Of: Neon Trees, 30 Seconds to Mars



Why They're About to Pop: With seven members in a band, musical backgrounds are bound to vary. Fusing rock, hip-hop, funk and pop, Paper Tongues take their melting pot of influences and have been making them work together since forming in 2007.



"Our sound is soulful alternative hop rock," guitarist Joey Signa tells PopEater. "It has elements of all genres, being that we all come from such different places in life and in music. I like to say its Journey meets the Roots meets U2."



The seven-piece -- Signa, Aswan North, Devin Forbes, Cody Blackler, Clayton Simon, Jordan Hardee and Danny Santell -- can boast a famous fan: 'American Idol' judge Randy Jackson, who's been a supporter since he first heard their demo in Los Angeles. Paper Tongues now have a debut album available, and they're hitting the road with the likes of Neon Trees and Civil Twilight this summer.



Find out what Paper Tongues are like around their fans and how they get pumped before a show in the following two video clips, and check out an exclusive interview with the band after that.





Watch Paper Tongues' 'Webisode'







Watch Paper Tongues' 'Before a Show' Clip





Six Questions With Guitarist Joey Signa:



How did you all get together as a band?



We all met in Charlotte, N.C., playing improv music in the center city of Charlotte. We would meet every Saturday night and just jam! We would find sweet spots, and songs would come. We finally started taking it serious, and Aswan asked us all to commit to starting a band. It took a while, but we did it.



How did you decide on the band name Paper Tongues?



We got the band name from one of our producers who helped us build this record over three years time. We all dug it and since then, we have made it our own.



Who are your musical influences?



I love all types of music -- from hardcore to jazz, from Ryan Adams to Paramore, Jay Z to Underoath. I find what I need in all genres. I try to keep myself stretched as well, not getting stuck in one place, so my playing always has somewhere to go.



Which song from your album is your favorite, and why?



I love 'Everybody' because it has such a deep groove but feels so light. The words are powerful, and the melody is contagious.



Your song is featured on the new MTV's 'When I Was 17.' What did it feel like to first hear your song on a TV show?



It was just so weird to me. Honestly, I just smiled and moved on. It felt good.



You're on tour right now. What three things can't you live without on the road?



Coffee. My bike. Apples.

Civil Twilight with Paper Tongues & Evaline

http://www.freetimemag.com/?q=content/departments/civil-twilight-paper-tongues-evaline

Civil Twilight with Paper Tongues & Evaline

coming to town

Water Street Music Hall

The three-piece rock band, Civil Twilight originally hailed from Cape Town, South Africa before moving to LA. They perform alt-rock music with strong vocals. Several of their music have been featured on television including on such shows as One Tree Hill, House, Harper’s Island and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Recently, their song “Letters From The Sky” was the iTunes’ Free Download of the Week. Their self-titled release is on Wind-Up Records…Paper Tongues are rockers from North Carolina who fuse rock n’ roll with hip-hop, funk, rap and soul. The recently released a self-titled debut which charted on Billboard’s top 200 chart… The rock group Evaline are making the rounds here in the East, introducing their band new EP, Patterned, to audiences.

Paper Tongues getting into holiday cheer with CAROL OF THE BELLS

Grab the free download from Paper Tongues here: http://www.xopublicity.com/xofortheholidays3.html

ALT PRESS MAG Exclusive: The Memorials (ex-Mars Volta) debut video, announce tour

Exclusive: The Memorials (ex-Mars Volta) debut video, announce tour


December 8, 2010 by Tim Karan

http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/exclusive_the_memorials_ex-mars_volta_debut_video_announce_tour/

The Memorials—the new band of ex-Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen—just released their debut single, "We Go To War," which comes from their upcoming self-titled full-length debut, dropping Jan. 18. We've got an exclusive premiere of the video for the song, which you can check out below. In addition, the Memorials will be embarking on tour next month with Just Like Vinyl—the new project of the Fall Of Troy's Thomas Erak.

Tour w/ JUST LIKE VINYL (the new project of the Fall Of Troy's Thomas Erak)


JAN 18, 2011 - OAKLAND - The New Parish

JAN 19, 2011 - LOS ANGELES - Cat Club

JAN 20, 2011 - SAN DIEGO - Soda Bar

JAN 22, 2011 - PHOENIX - Warehouse 201

JAN 24, 2011 - AUSTIN - The Parish

JAN 25, 2011 - HOUSTON - Fitzgerald's

JAN 28, 2011 - ATLANTA - The 5 Spot

JAN 29, 2011 - NASHVILLE - TBA

JAN 30, 2011 - COLUMBIA, SC - New Brookland Tavern

FEB 1, 2011 - PHILADELPHIA - The Grape Room

FEB 2, 2011 - NEW YORK - SOB'S

FEB 3, 2011 - BOSTON - The Church

FEB 4, 2011 - HAMDEN, CT - The Space

FEB 7, 2011 - BALTIMORE - The Talking Head @ Sonar

FEB 8, 2011 - CLEVELAND - Beachland Ballroom

FEB 9, 2011 - COLUMBUS - Skully's

FEB 10, 2011 - INDIANAPOLIS - The Vollrath

FEB 13, 2011 - MINNEAPOLIS - TBA

FEB 14, 2011 - MILWAUKEE - Mad Planet

FEB 15, 2011 - MADISON - The Frequency

FEB 17, 2011 - CHICAGO - Martyr's

FEB 18, 2011 - ST. LOUIS - Cicero's

FEB 19, 2011 - KANSAS CITY - Riot Room

FEB 21, 2011 - WICHITA - Rock Island Live

FEB 23, 2011 - DENVER - The Marquis

FEB 24, 2011 - SALT LAKE CITY - Club Vegas

MAR 1, 2011 - SEATTLE - Corazon

MAR 2, 2011 - PORTLAND - Someday Lounge

INTERVIEW Seattle, US is home to indie folk-rock act Campfire OK

Interview: Q&A with Campfire OK3

Seattle, US is home to indie folk-rock act Campfire OK and they are starting to build quite the momentum! Even on G&C they’re a top 3 most listened to artist! As you all know by now, G&C Q&As bands from all over the world to see how they’re embracing the digital age.

Campfire OK
Ana-Them Records

“The truth is, if you value your own music and charge for it, people will pay.” Mychal, Campfire OK

Thanks for taking time out for us! Tell me how you guys got together? What is it for you that makes you want to play music as a career?

We formed as a band after I (Mychal) accumulated a collection of songs and needed musicians to play the instrumentation. I was lucky enough to meet very talented, interesting musicians with great ideas. We all met each other mostly by happenstance through friends of friends. We all want to play music as a career for many reasons. Some are simple reasons that compel any one to do anything. We all like to travel, meet new people, have weird experiences and give people a way to escape their day-to-day lives by coming to our shows and listening to our records. We also play music as a career because we have to. I’m not saying anyone is holding a gun to our heads, but we all feel a responsibility to ourselves to play. We have simply done it our whole lives and will continue to do so until we can’t anymore…


How do you cope with the fact that not everybody wants to pay for digital music? With physical sales on their last legs do you think we’re heading towards a world of free?

Absolutely not. People take things for free all the time. It has been happening ever since the financial system was unrolled. Rather than cope, we have to adapt. We have to play by their rules. How? we shall see If someone wants to get our music for free, all I ask is that they come to our show, bring friends, and tell their friends to buy a cd. Obviously we need to make money. We all live in a financially driven world. The upside to this unfortunate predicament is that there are people who pay for our music. There will continue to be people who pay. If we ask for support, they will give it to us. The truth is, if you value your own music and charge for it, people will pay. It is actually pretty liberating!

With programmes such as Spotify, We7 and Google Music servicing cloud-based platforms this is going to eventually result in a lack of ownership. Do you see anything good or bad with the idea?

I don’t know much about these sites, but with the minimal amount of research I did, they look just like Pandora. With that in mind, I think they are great. More people can listen to our music all around the world. I don’t see how it could result in a lack of ownership but maybe I am just being narrow-minded. These programmes are yet another tool to help us achieve what we want. We just need to start looking at them that way.

What are your skills like on social media and analytics (band camp etc)? Is there some sites you feel are more useful than others?

Our skills are only getting better on social media sites. These sites are great. It gives people a chance to connect to artists like they couldn’t before. They are great tools for creating a buzz and letting someone know where you are. I think that the main sites like twitter, Facebook, bandcamp, and even the more outdated like MySpace are great. We use all of the above whenever we can. Letting someone know about a show on twitter is seriously the most useful thing ever. People spread those posts like wildfire.

Completely agree and the best bit is digital wildfire is free! Sticking along the lines of promotion, it is a given most bands will have to tour more to generate income. Do you find a necessity to tour more of a bad thing?

With such programs as you stated above, and that fact that lots of people download music for free, I feel it is a necessity to tour more to make an income. Most bands this day and age make most of their income from merchandise. T-shirts, bags, sweaters or whatever is where you make the bulk of your money. It is difficult to say if touring more is a bad thing. Some bands are simply stifled from being on the road playing the same songs every night. Look at Radiohead after they toured on OK Computer. Thom Yorke had a very difficult time getting out of a writer’s block. Lucky for them, Kid A showed its beautiful little head something like 4 or 5 years later. But then you have bands like Dave Mathews Band. They have been touring constantly since the 90′s and that has not stopped them from putting out new material. Do I feel touring more will be a bad thing for me? No.

With the digital age giving access to bands more than ever before, do you think the lack of mystery has had a damaging effect on bands? There seems to be a lack of true rock stars such as the Keith Moons etc - do you have any thoughts on what happened and why this is?

First off, I think this is a killer question. I think that for some bands the digital access is damaging for the amount of “mystery” they have surrounding them which usually reflects poorly on them as a group. But that is their fault. So many bands just want to tell everyone what they are about and what they are doing every second of the day. You can’t do that and still have mystery. It is simple, don’t blow your cover! Keep some secrets. Keep some dirty, filthy secrets. Then once you are huge and famous, tell one person on the street and start a fucking rumor about yourself. Then deny the hell out of it. Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) once said “I don’t care what anybody says about me as long as it isn’t true.”

Haha, I like that quote! And lastly, how do you obtain most of your music?

I actually buy my music! Digital, physical, however.

http://guerrillaandchalk.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/interview-qa-with-campfire-ok/

THE MEMORIALS drop single today on ITUNES! WE GO TO WAR

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/we-go-to-war/id406234058?i=406234096&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Friday Freebies! (holiday edition) – discover new music in a free compilation

Friday Freebies! (holiday edition) – discover new music in a free compilation

http://www.examiner.com/digital-music-in-national/friday-freebies-holiday-edition-discover-new-music-a-free-compilation


December 3rd

by Marianne Meyer

It’s the season of holiday music and gift giving, so why not put the two together? XO Publicity, a Portland, OR PR group that represents independent musicians, is one of the many groups (we’ll discuss others anon) that’s giving away free downloads to get your Cool Yule mixes started.

An 11-track compilation, entitled “XO for the Holidays Vol 3” is available here. (Bonus: Volumes One and Two are still up and free for the taking as well).

The set includes a few seasonal standards, like Paper Tongues’ muscular take on “Carol of the Bells” and a banjo-accented version of the “Dreidel Song” by the Seattle-based indie-rock/Americana quartet Campfire OK (due to release a new CD in February).

But the majority of the tracks are original or much more obscure songs, which actually makes for a nice break from a 358th version of “Little Drummer Boy." Minneapolis, MN’s Pictures of Then, for example, slow down their usual rock attack for a quiet little number called “Presents in June.” “A Christmas Stalking,” from Transient Songs, creates a languid vibe with male/female vocal interplay, while The Triggers’ “A Very Triggers Christmas” is a harmony-laden pop/rock confection.

Percolating percussion drives The Winter Sounds “McAdenville (Christmastown),” a wistful holiday ode from a Pittsburgh quartet with a touch of Brit-pop melancholia in its vocals. Prayer for Animals, a band that lists its hometown as Austin/San Marcos, starts off its contribution, “Riptide-Yuletide,” as a surf guitar-powered instrumental before devolving into something a little more edgy, but nowhere near as dark as Captain Nowhere’s somewhat angry “Holiday Song.”

And, saving the best present for last, the DAME highly recommends a pair of charmers – “A Cheery Christmas” and “Snow Snow, Beautiful Snow” – from Piney Gir (pronounced as in "girl”) a female American musician and singer, (whose real name is Angela Penhaligon) born in Kansas and now based in London. Between her lovely voice and the playful sentiments of the songs, Piney Gir offers two new tunes that sweetly capture the spirit of the season.

Actually, she’s got three. In reading up on this new singer/songwriter, I found another free download from Gir being offered by a site called Joyzine, which is offering an “advent calendar” of free tracks, one each day until Christmas. Not all are holiday themed but Piney Gir’s “Love is a Christmas Rose,” surely fits the bill.

One caveat: The 11th song on the compilation, “Christmas Tree,” by Judge Jackson featuring Billy Bob Thornton (yes, the actor) may not yet be available. The track that was originally posted was pulled when Thornton asked for it to be replaced by another mix, but should be back up any time now.


Merry downloading!

Judge Jackson harnesses the simplicity of rock, plays Mentone

Judge Jackson harnesses the simplicity of rock, plays Mentone

http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_judge18.f38a77.html



By VANESSA FRANKO

The Press-Enterprise



Los Angeles-based rock bands that regularly perform in the Inland region are rarer than 1980s Sunset Strip bands that still have their original members.



But sometimes, bands will brave the freeways and venture to the area, like the fellows in Judge Jackson, who have dates booked in Mentone and Big Bear Lake this weekend as well as future dates in Murrieta and Yucaipa.



"We like to rock you guys out there, and you like to rock back," singer Todd McTavish said.



The straightforward philosophy frames Judge Jackson's straight-up rock.



"We're a simple band, we write simple songs," McTavish said. "We just write about life."



The band will be at Mill Creek Cattle Co. in Mentone tonight and at Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear on Saturday.



McTavish came to the United States from Canada in 1995 and linked up with guitarist Lee Jackson. The quartet is rounded out by drummer J.J. Garcia and bassist Brian James.



The group is set to release a new album, "Drive," on Aug. 3. The release features songs about the road, hearing your music on the radio and the simple pleasure of being home.



"You gotta be honest, which can be daunting and a little intimidating," McTavish said.



The singer said he constantly writes songs, workings things out on an acoustic guitar. He's also worked with Motley Crue's Mick Mars on songwriting projects.



"Good melody is addictive," McTavish said.



One of the rules he follows in penning tunes goes back to the simplicity dogma of the band -- if you can't play it with one finger on the piano, it's not a great song.



While McTavish loves the songwriting process, he doesn't think of himself as the star on stage.



"I think Lee is the real entertainer in the band," he said of Jackson.

paper tongues sound like they would be equally welcome on both the charts of the masses and the playlists of the musically savvy.

http://www.urb.com/2010/06/18/paper-tongues-paper-tongues/

Paper Tongues

Released by A&M Records





Thanks (or no thanks) to such artists as Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit, when the term “rap-rock fusion” is thrown into the cosmos, it conjures some less than awesome ideas of what it means a lot of the time. Rage Against The Machine did a lot to give the people something (finally) awesome to think about when the hybrid genre is thought about and Paper Tongues definitely carries that torch. And while we’re using this rap-rock motif, if Rage is a “rockier” extension of Public Enemy, then Paper Tongues would be a “rockier” extension of someone like K-OS. They’re versatile, can have fun and can also dig deep. The vocals, sung by Aswan North, are simply great. Rhythmically, there is definitely a lot of hip-hop influence but here’s the thing: he’s not trying to rap. A sense of singing and feeling is what is emphasized and it shines through. On their self-titled Paper Tongues, the Charlotte, North Carolina band isn’t trying to force any type of sound. Ranging from dance and dark to near “VH1-friendly,” they actually never sound out of place or like they are uncomfortable. Even when the radio smash-material songs emerge, the words are never expendable (which is always refreshing). Their lyrics even have rap sensibilities at times (such as on “Rich and Poor” where you’ll hear words such as “peeps” and “thuggin’”) but over roaring guitars and down-to-business drums, it works. Paper Tongues is not a gimmicky, flash in the pan band out to please the top 20 countdowns but as fate would have it, they sound like they would be equally welcome on both the charts of the masses and the playlists of the musically savvy.

Judge Jackson holds the distinction of being one of two bands to ever be invited to play at the Hells Angel’s

Judge Jackson - Drive

http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/judge-jackson-drive.html

Judge Jackson - Drive

2010, Curtis-Joe Records

Judge Jackson holds the distinction of being one of two bands to ever be invited to play at the Hells Angel’s LA Chapter House. Touring with bands like Gov’t Mule, The Doobie Brothers and Cheap Trick over the past several years, Judge Jackson has caught the ear of many classic rock fans, but it’s the freshness of their sound that has gained Judge Jackson placements on such shows as NFL on FOX, MLB on FOX, NHL on FOX Playoffs and My Name Is Earl. With their fifth album, Drive, due on August 3, 2010, Judge Jackson have come fully into their own, mixing a classic sound and a fresh approach that is certain to dance across generations.



Drive opens with "Head Over Heels", driven with the energy of 1980's glam rock without all of the volume. Lead vocalist Todd McTavish can flat out sing, and the hooks and harmonies make this one of the better pop/rock hybrids of the early summer. "Radio" is a tribute that may have been more apropos in the 1980's than it is today. Guitarist Lee Jackson snaps off riffs in the style of Nuno Bettencourt and makes this song a winner. Things get a bit bland for a bit as Judge Jackson runs through tunes like "Pickin' Me Up" and the power ballad "Me Then You", but salvation comes in the form of "Just Because". With a hook so big you can't stay out of its way, "Just Because" is the sort of virulently catchy rock tune that you might be hearing all summer long.



"The End" is a blues rocker that opens and closes with riffs that could have been culled directly from a Jimi Hendrix songbook. The tune is a bit on the hokey side but full of fun and a likely fan favorite at live shows. Judge Jackson shows off their hooky side again on "River", a highly danceable bit of classic rock n roll that will have your toes tapping. Drive comes to a close with "Meant To Be", with Judge Jackson taking on a vague country feel and featuring Julia Henry in a duet with McTavish. This is by far the best track on the disc, and considering tunes like "Head Over Heels" and "Just Because" that's actually saying quite a lot.



You'll pass through some slow moments on Drive, but Judge Jackson show they know how to rock and they know how to write great songs. The slow moments are made worthwhile by the better tunes on Drive, and you're certain to find yourself checking Judge Jackson's itinerary to see if they're coming through your town. This is the sort of band that can make a night memorable.



Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

If you are a fan of Michael Knott, David Bowie, Love and Rockets, Elvis Costello…

http://www.colpop.net/bonedome.html%20Bonedome


Thinktankubator

Summer Break

http://www.thinktankubator.com/

I get a lot of CDs that come across my desk and rarely does one grab my attention like this new gem of a masterpiece called Bonedome. Thinktankubator is twelve songs of pure genius. Allan Hayslip is the mastermind behind Bonedome but has a horde of talent supporting him including Gerald Iragorri on drums, Edward McMahon on guitars and a slew of other flair that makes up this unique machine called Bonedome.



Thinktankubator is one of those CDs best listened to or experienced and is nearly impossible to describe accurately. One thing is noticeable is Hayslip’s vocals which are reminiscent of David Bowie with a good mix of Michael Knott (L.S.U. & The Aunt Betties). The lyrical content is a mixture of dark humor and angst. This is most noticeable in songs like “Girl One”, “Eraser” and “Custody Lullabye”. It is a CD that has schizophrenia as one moment it is making you laugh and the next lulls you into the darkness of the night. It is truly an emotional CD.

Overall Bonedome’s Thinktankubator is an independent CD that is worthy of checking out. If you are a fan of Michael Knott, David Bowie, Love and Rockets, Elvis Costello… Ah heck if you like music that is reminiscent of the 90’s alternative music movement then this is one to give a listen. Go on over to www.thinktanlubator.com; check out some samples and see if this one is up your alley.

This is an outstanding rock band that blows away 99% of that crap they play on the radio called modern rock

JUDGE JACKSON/Drive (Curtis Joe Records) This is an outstanding rock band that blows away 99% of that crap they play on the radio called modern rock. Great catchy riffs and an awesome singer this totally blew me away as I was digging it from the first note till the last. One of the best rock bands making the rounds these days. Info:


http://www.judgejackson.net/ or http://www.curtis-joerecords.com/

http://www.metalcorefanzine.com/

Paper Tongues at Paradise. Lets GO!

http://traveloutloud.net/2010/06/17/june-16-the-whirlwind/


K, M, and I took a break to refuel for the first time of the day (around 5pm). We also got to dry off a bit. Then we headed back down to Boston for the Paper Tongues concert at Paradise Rock Club. The band before Paper Tongues was called Civil Twilight. They sounded Coldplay-esque and were from South Africa. I had never heard their songs before but they were good.

Paper Tongues at Paradise. Lets GO!

The show was nuts. Those guys can really rock. First of all, it was an 8 piece band. The lead singer was so chill. He came out into the audience and shook people’s hands during the first song. The dude really knew how to hype up the crowd throughout the show. Its concerts like that where you can’t help but dance. After the show, we handed out flyers because Paper Tongues is coming back with Neon Trees to put on a free show at City Hall Plaza next Thursday to hype up the Dew Tour.

Just met Paper Tongues. Mad cool guys. Pics later, oh and they’re playing a show for the Dew Tour Concert next Thurs

M, K and I walked back to my apartment and hung out for a bit then they both went on their way. What an incredible day.