#EarthDay2018 - @stlouisearthday 4/21 + 4/22 @TheMuny Upper Lot in @ForestPark4Ever

The St. Louis Earth Day festival is April 21st and 22nd and will be taking place in The Muny's upper lot in Forest Park. It starts at 11:00 am both days and ends at 5:00 pm.Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

The Earth Day Stage area features some excellent original music artists. The Community Stage also will provide more musical groups along with dancers and birds too.

EARTH DAY STAGE

Saturday, April 21

11:00 am  Riverview Gardens ROTC and Gentlemen of Vision

12:00 pm  Subtle Aggression Monopoly

 1:00 pm    Syna So Pro

 2:00 pm    3 of 5

 3:00 pm    Devil's Elbow

 4:00 pm    Brothers Lazaroff

Sunday, April 22

11:00 am  Marko Polo

12:00 pm  JOIA

 1:00 pm    Desire Lines

 2:00 pm    Harvey Lockhart & The Collective

 3:00 pm    The Vigilettes

 4:00 pm    Mathias & The Pirates 

 Featuring DJ Whiz and DJ BaqBeet

COMMUNITY STAGE

Saturday, April 21

11:00 am   Hudson Harmonies

11:45  am   Feathers In the Forest – World Bird Sanctuary sponsored by Missouri American Water

12:30 pm   Point of View Jazz Ensemble

 1:15 pm    Showstoppers

 2:00 pm    Showstoppers

 2:45 pm    Feathers In the Forest – World Bird Sanctuary sponsored by Missouri American Water

3:30 pm     moSTLy Tap

Sunday, April 22

11:00 am   Pinx Academy Of Dance

11:45 am   ECKANKAR - The Sound of Soul Experience

12:30 pm   Feathers In the Forest – World Bird Sanctuary sponsored by Missouri American Water

 1:15 pm    Skystone Conservatory of the Arts

 2:00 pm    Pazazz Performers

 2:45 pm     Feathers In the Forest – World Bird Sanctuary sponsored by Missouri American Water

3:30 pm     Addi Loving and Tommy Wasiata Tap Dancing

4:15  pm    American Parai Team

Loose Footage Vol. 1 - Cheat Codes: Loaded Deck Ent. Presents @TheHomieChris Album Release Party Sun. 4/22 @TheMonocleSTL

St. Louis, Missouri native The Homie Chris will be releasing his "Loose Footage Vol. 1: Cheat Codes" at the release party presented by Loaded Deck Entertainment on Sunday, April 22nd at The Monocle.

The concert is scheduled for 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The doors open at 6:00 pm. They are accepting a $1.00 donation at the door for an individual attending the event. Details in that are planned to be announced on their event page HERE.

The album will be available on all digital platforms on April 20th.

Chris will perform the songs live in an up close and personal setting. He will also explain the process of making the album and explain each song's synopsis.

* Watch the video for "Right Now" on Instagram or Facebook.

The album is the first of seven projects that he plans to release this year.

For more on the artist Google The Homie Chris: https://g.co/kgs/iwd5tz

#RSD2018: @RecordStoreDay #STL #MUSIC + Beyond...

Saturday, April 21st is Record Store Day. You can see the list of exclusive vinyl releases for the day on their website.

The day is quickly approaching and here are some of what the area's record stores have planned for that day. A list with website links is provided at the bottom of this article with stores in Missouri and the Southern/Central part of Illinois.

Culture Shock Clothing & Records is located in Rockford, IL. They are having their event from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Visit HERE for The event details on Facebook.

Andrew Robinson starts playing at 7:30 am and the event features live music all day long. The lineup is to be announced. DJ Fuzz spinning vinyl inside all day long.

Dumb Records is located in Springfield, Illinois is hosting their event from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

The live music starts at 2:00 pm and features Sorry Charlie, Evan Mitchell One-Man Band with Imaginary Colours followed by a metal show at The Black Sheep Cafe.

Euclid Record Shop is located in Webster Groves, Missouri and their event begins at 10:00 am and lasts until 11:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.
The live music schedule is as follows:

12:00 pm - The Fade
12:30 pm - Miss Molly Simms
  1:00 pm - Brothers Lazaroff
  1:30 pm - Summer Magic
  2:00 pm - Path Of Might
  2:30 pm - The Steven Lindstrom Problem
  3:00 pm - Specatur
  3:30 pm - School Of Rock Kirkwood
  4:00 pm - Finn's Motel
  4:30 pm - Grace Basement
  5:00 pm - Marah
  5:30 pm - The Vigilettes
  6:00 pm - Mathias & The Pirates
  7:00 pm - The Maness Brothers
  8:00 pm - Bruiser Queen

Exile On Main is located in Champaign, IL. They will be hosting two stages of live music at their event. Visit HERE for The event details on Facebook. The third wave of announcements are to be announced soon.

Announced Artists: The Bashful Youngens, Emily Blue, Fiona Kimble, Gatson,John Lindell,MC Rota, Melvin Knight & The Amber Sky,Mid-October,Motes, Pressure Fit, Revelator, Ryan Groff of Elsinore, Sixteen Tons, Snayl, SPRK, The Underwerewolves,V.V. Lightbody and We The Animals.

Josey Records is located in Kansas City, Missouri. The event they have planned is from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. Their live music schedule is as follows:

12:00 pm - DJ TBA soon.
  4:00 pm - Witch Jail
  5:00 pm - Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7
  6:00 pm - Various Blonde
  7:00 pm - FACEFACE
  8:00 pm - The Phantastics

Kismet Creative Center is located on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, Missouri. Their celebration starts at 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. Visit HERE for The event details on Facebook.

Schedule:

1:00 p.m. - Joann J. Mcneil
2:00 p.m. - Jessica Cuddy
3:00 p.m. - Beauty Pageant (Tape Release Show)
4:00 p.m. - Matthew Decker
5:00 p.m. - Stonehen
6:00 p.m. - Aiko Tuschida
7:00 p.m. - Alex Long
8:00 p.m. - Open Jam

Mills Record Company is located in Kansas City, Missouri and HERE is the event page for the two day event they are hosting. It starts on Saturday, April 21st at 7:00 am and continues the following day ending at 7:00 pm.The live music schedule is as follows:

Saturday:

6:00 pm - The Casket Lottery will perform
in support of their new box set.

Sunday:

4:30 pm to 6:00 pm - Hi-Lux, Instant Karma and Bad Dreamer perform.

Music Record Shop is located in St. Louis, Missouri. Their event kicks off at 7:00 am and continues until 7:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. Stay tuned to their event page for more upcoming announcements.
They will have live podcasts by Rock Paper Podcast starting at noon and also Brothers On Whatever at a time to be determined. Fletcher from Alt. 104.9 FM & iHeartRadio will be broadcasting throughout the day.

Planet Score Records is located in St. Louis, Missouri. Their event starts at 10:00 am and ends at 9:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.
The music schedule is as follows:

DJ Lineup:

10:00 am - Derek Montaigne
12:00 pm - Jeff Hess (KDHX)
  2:00 pm - Rob Levy (KDHX)
  4:00 pm - Matt Distelrath (KDHX)
  6:00 pm - Dieter Pingel

Records With Merritt is located in Kansas City, Missouri. Their event goes from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook for more details.

Slackers has their Alton, Illinois location hosting their event from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm and WLCA 89.9 FM will be broadcasting live. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. Their Glen Carbon, Illinois location is also celebrating the day. The live music schedule is as follows:

(Times subject to change)

Glen Carbon, IL. Slackers:

1:00 pm - Sun Lost
2:00 pm - Bastard & The Crows
3:00 pm - TBA

Alton, IL. Slackers:

11:00 am - Dead To Begin With
12:00.pm - Grass & Stone
1:00 pm - Lauren Waters
2:00 pm - Biff K'narly & The Reptilians
3:00 pm - Doppleganger

Vintage Vinyl is located in University City, Missouri. Their event is scheduled for a 10:00 am start and then continues until 10:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

10:30 am - School Of Rock Ballwin
12:00 pm - Daytime Television
  1:00 pm - Pono A.M.
  2:00 pm - Old Souls Revival
  3:00 pm - Beth Bombara
  4:00 pm - The Service
  5:00 pm -Turntable Orchestra
(DJ Nappy Needles, DJ Alejan, DJ Crucial)

DJ Schedule:

10:00 am - Andrew Yost (The Pageant)
11:00 am - Jon Gitchoff (STL Post Dispatch)
12:00 pm - Steve Smith (The Royale) with Audrey Morris of Kid Scientist.
1:00 pm - Nick Acquisto (KDHX)
2:00 pm - Jess Luther & Annie McNance
(I Went To A Show)
3:00 pm - Guy Favazz (K-SHE 95)
4:00p Jason Gonulsen (Speakers In Code)
5:00p Colin & AJ (The Ready Room)

Vinyl Rennaissance & Audio Of Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri. Their event starts at 9:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. The live music schedule they have planned is as follows:

  9:30 am - Jarrod Turner
11:00 am - Johnny Fox
12:00 pm - The Woodsmiths
  2:00 pm - SIFA
  3:30 pm - Caleb Alexander & Austin Jones
  4:30 pm - Ian Tech

______________

* Physical Retailers:

- For a full list music stores in Missouri or Illinois visit Record Store Day for more information. You can also type your zip code in the search enchine.

Boss Vintage: (KC)

CD Warehouse:  (Gladstone, MO.)

CD Warehouse: (South County, STL)

CD Warehouse: (Springfield, MO.)

Dead Wax Records STL: (STL)

Dumb Records: (Springfield, IL.)

Endless Planets: (STL)

Euclid Records - LP and CD Store: (STL)

Exile On Mainstreet: (Champaign, IL.)

FM Music Vintage Sounds: (KC)

GotWhatULike Records: (Grandview, MO.)

Hard Copies:  (Cape Girardeau, MO.)

Heavy Heads Records: (Springfield, MO.)

Hitt Records: (CoMo)

In The Groove Records: (Jeff. City)

J.D.'s Music Emporium: (Centralia, IL.)

Joe's Records: (Marion, Illinois)

Josey Records: (KC)

Lo & Behold Records & Books: (STL)

Mainstreet Records: (Mt. Vernon, IL.)

Mills Record Company: (KC)

Music Record Shop: (STL)

Music Reunion: (O'Fallon, MO.)

Music Reunion: (St. Charles, MO.)

Peers Store - The Katy Land Trust:
(Marthasville, MO.)

Planet Score Records (STL)

Plaza Records: (Carbondale, IL.)

Record Exchange (STL)

Record Swap: (Champaign, Illinois)

Records With Merritt: (KC)

Recycled Records: (Springfield, Illinois)

Rediscover Records: (Elgin, Illinois)

Revolution Records: (KC)

Rich's Record Emporium-Vinyl Records, Turntables, Fine Quality Music & Audio Equipment: (Collinsville, IL)

Rinehart's Music & Video: (Kirksville, MO.)

Shandi's Music Store: (Canton, IL)

Sisters Of Sound Records: (Kansas City, MO.)

Slackers.com-Music Movies Games:
(Mulitiple locations located through out Missouri & Illinois.)

Stick It In Your Ear: (Springfield, MO)

The Elf Shelf: (Springfield, IL)

The Record Space - (Poplar Bluff, MO.)

The Vinyl Underground At Seventh Heaven: (KC)

Toad Hall Books & Records: (Rockford, Illinois)

Vintage Vinyl: (University City, MO.)

Vinyl Rennaissance & Audio: (CoMo)

Double Feature: @DarkroomCPS Records 2018 Album Release Tues. 4/17 @RoseMusicHall + @masonvanghost Album Release On @indyground Label Sat. 4/21 @RoseMusicHall

On Tuesday, April 17th Darkroom Records will be having their 2018 album release show at Rose Music Hall. Darkroom Records is a completely free recording studio to any student in the Columbia Public Schools' district. They offer in-house equipment and provide a unique experience in regards to music production on multiple angles and foster a lifelong love for the art of music on their own terms. Performing at the show will be The Sweaters, The Adaption, White Lodge, Blackwater, Gavyn Hill, Eazy Money, Callie Brinkman and Shelby Sappington. The doors open at 6:00 pm and the show goes from 7:00 pm to midnight. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. This is their third annual event of this kind.

Stay tuned to Darkroom Records on SoundCloud for upcoming songs off the album. They recently posted a new track by Eazy Money called "I Got The Juice". Their artists page of their website and their SoundCloud both provide music by the artists they work with. Another unique thing about this particular studio is that they have a studio space that is operating out of a high school. Read the full story on VOX Magazine.

- Darkroom Records: (Columbia, MO.)

* Studio & Record Label.

http://www.darkroomrecords.org

https://www.facebook.com/DarkroomCPS

https://soundcloud.com/darkroomrecordscps

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFc-XzFmQ4djBWjG8nZoPQA

Mason Van Ghost is ready to have his debut album released to everyone. Indyground and Rose Music Hall present his release show featuring Certified Organic, Sergio Slayer, Polo Hendrixx and Coffee. The doors open at 8:30 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $6.00 in advance and $8.00 day of show. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

Indyground just dropped the new visual "Belief" from Van Ghost. The video is presented by Indyground and Mowjoe Productions. Pre-orders are available of the debut album "Minor Dialogue" by Van Ghost. Recently, Plain & Simple recently interviewed Mason on his upcoming project. Visit the artist online and to check out his music.

- Van Ghost: (Columbia. MO.)

Genre: Hip-Hop, Soul

https://www.facebook.com/MasonVanGhost

http://www.masonvanghost.bandcamp.com

Resurrection: @freedomforgiven CD Release Sat. 4/21 @WayOutClub

FreedomAndForgiven is ready for an epic night filled with mixes by himself, plus DJ Enough, DJ Kortell and DJ Styles. This event is especially geared for fans of rave music, drum and bass or trap music. Let's just say 40hz is not bone-shattering enough for the artists on the bill. Nick Britt is FreedomAndForgiven and on Saturday, April 21st he will be resurrecting his "Tears Of Rain" album from 2004 as it has been remastered in HD audio. It also features additional content featuring mixes by DJ Enough. The original has never stopped charting on iTunes and Spotify. Additionally, it is rumored that The Freaks from Phobius Haunted Attraction just might be lurking amongst the shadows during the album release show happening at The Way Out Club on Saturday, April 21st from 8:30 pm to 1:00 am. It is a 21 and up show and costs $5 at the door. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

Nick has been dubbed "The Mad Conductor" over the course of the past thirteen years. His passion has been to carry romance period works into the modern world by reorchestrating classical works, ballets and symphonies.
He is also considered as the founding father of both Flamenco Psy and Psy Bass. Over the years his music has been sampled and performed live by world renowned DJ's Nervo, Somnia and Damian Chanel. 

- FreedomAndForgiven: (O'Fallon, MO.)

Genre: Psy Music, Goa Trance

https://www.freedomandforgiven.net

https://www.facebook.com/freedomandforgiven

Google FreedomAndForgiven: https://g.co/kgs/9ZYX8D

Dreamscape: @CrazyAltayzie CD Release Fri. 4/20 @Schlafly Tap Room

Joey Altese worked hard over the past year to put together his new album. He will be releasing it on Friday, April 20th at Schlafly Tap Room. The doors open for the celebration at 8:00 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. The concert is all-ages. It is also free to attend. The event is hosted by F.R.E.S.H. and will feature performances by Zeus Rebel Waters, Bo Dean, Altayzie, Ciej, Loutribe Jigg and Wuan Dcmo. It is hosted by So n' So and will have turntablism by DJ Smitty of 24 Scientists and live art by Dormir. You can also listen to Altayzie's recent interview on Rock Paper Podcast. Pre-orders are still available of the CD called "Dreamscape" via Altayzie HERE for $5.00. This is a special pre-release offer for the physical album. They will be $10.00 once the release date of April 20th arrives.

- Altayzie: (Chesterfield, Missouri)

Genre: Underground Hip-Hop

https://www.facebook.com/Altayzie

http://www.altayzie.bandcamp.com

http://www.soundcloud.com/altayzie

Expectations: @wildchildsounds w/ @stelthulvang Tues. 4/17 @BlueberryHillMO @DuckRoom + Wed. 4/18 @RoseMusicHall

On Tuesday, April 17th Wild Child will be coming to the Blueberry Hill Duck Room along with Stelth Ulvang. This show is presented by Pagan Productions. The doors open at 7:00 pm and the show starts at 8:00 pm. General admission is $15.00 and minors incur a $2.00 surcharge. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

Also, on Wednesday, April 18th 102.3 BXR presents Wild Child with Stelth Ulvang at Rose Music Hall in Columbia, Missouri. The doors open at 7:00 pm and the show is scheduled to start at 8:00 pm. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook. Continue on below to visit the artists online and to check out their music. Follow on for the latest on Wild Child.

- Wild Child: (Austin, TX)

Genre: Indie

https://www.wildchildsounds.com

https://www.facebook.com/wildchildsounds

- Stelth Ulvang: (Fort Collins, CO)

Genre: Songwriter, Instrumentalist

https://www.stelthulvang.com

https://www.facebook.com/StelthUlvang

WILD CHILD RELEASE NEW SINGLES

“SINKING SHIP” AND “BACK & FORTH”

FROM THE NEW ALBUM EXPECTATIONS

OUT FEBRUARY 9, 2018 ON DUALTONE RECORDS

TOURING ACROSS THE US AND CANADA THIS SPRING

Photo Credit: Sean Daigle

Austin’s Wild Child are excited to share two new singles from their their new record, Expectations, out February 9th on Dualtone Records. “Sinking Ship” and “Back & Forth” were produced by Max Frost and Delta Spirit’s Matthew Logan Vasquez respectively, and make their debut via Consequence of Sound’s Origins feature. Kelsey Wilson describes solace found in a Shel Silverstein book and the use of a recorded heartbeat for “Sinking Ship”, and Alexander Beggins explores the pair’s creative process behind “Back & Forth”, for which they drew inspiration from songs by Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin (read more). This February, Wild Child played a string of record release shows across Texas before embarking upon a massive North American tour throughout March, April, and early May. 

Stream “Sinking Ship” and “Back & Forth” via Spotify or SoundCloud

In addition to recording with Vasquez and Frost, the Austin, Texas-based band traveled far and wide in order to work with multiple producers (and accomplished musicians in their own right) on Expectations including; Chris Walla (formerly Death Cab For Cutie), Chris Boosahda (Shakey Graves), Scott McMicken (Dr. Dog), and Adrian Quesada (Grupo Fantasma).

Watch the music video for “The One” via YouTube

Stream “Think It Over”  and “Expectations” via Spotify or SoundCloud

Pre-Order Expectations via Dualtone Records

For seven years now the Austin-based ensemble Wild Child has carried its infectious melodies across the international music scene, charting viral hits and wrapping their arms around a diverse and dedicated fan base. But earlier this year when the band set out to make their fourth studio album, they found they had their hands full: After half a decade of maturation, the group had grown beyond its traditional writing and recording process.

“We had too many ideas for how we wanted to make this record” says Kelsey Wilson, the group’s lead vocalist and violinist. She shrugs. “So we said, ‘Why not just do all of them?’”

The group realized this offered an exciting opportunity to make a kind of record bands rarely get right: To take a new, multispectral approach to writing and recording that went beyond simply trying to engineer success. The band made a list of their favorite musicians who were also great producers in their own right — choosing ones they thought would shine a new and unique light on specific compositions — and then Wild Child set about chasing their album from studio to studio all over the world, never saying no to an idea.

The result — the band’s fourth album, Expectations — is Wild Child’s most creative, colorful and intellectually engaging album to date.

Now a seven-piece pop mini-orchestra (Wilson on violin and vocals; Alexander Beggins on ukulele and vocals; Sadie Wolfe on cello; Matt Bradshaw on keyboards, trumpet, and harmonica; Tom Myers on drums; Cody Ackors on guitar and trombone; and Tyler Osmond on bass), Wild Child formed in 2010 when the group’s core duo of Wilson and Beggins wrote and released their first album, Pillow Talk.

Wild Child shaped their last record, Fools, in the shadows of more than one failed love, and Expectations, as the title suggests, is a continuation of that personal experience into an awakening. Wilson and Beggins, whose voices fit each other as naturally as any family act, pushed their boundaries as writers, drawing freely from the stories they’ve lived as well as the artists around the world that have inspired their growth. Their rate of output over that last year got them thinking differently about producing, focusing on one track at a time. “We’ve always focused on the record as a whole. We wanted to think about each track as it’s own piece- but somehow it all fits together,” Wilson says of the approach.

That route took them around the world — from Chris Walla’s studio in Tromsø, Norway, where the Northern Lights are the brightest in the world, to a home-built warehouse studio on the outskirts of Philadelphia, where Scott McMicken picked up the bass and “joined the band for a week,” arranging harmonies and sharing living and recording space. Back in Wimberley, Texas, Matthew Logan Vasquez set up a makeshift studio in Kelsey Wilson’s beloved childhood home — abandoned since the floods of 2015 — where they found the muses were eager to resurface. The group also tapped the talents of frequent tour mate Chris Boosahda, Atlantic Records recording artist Max Frost, and Grammy-winning producer Adrian Quesada.

The result is a theater of possibilities, with arrangements that reflect the range of tastes of the producers, from scruffy lo-fi tape hiss, to smoothed out precision-cut electronic pop sounds.  And the more you listen to Expectations, the more the many worlds of this project begin to cohere around you. After all, one of the great joys of traveling the world is discovering surprising connections: A skyscraper in Barcelona reminds you of a spire in the Utah desert; the Northern Lights in the Norwegian sky look like an oil slick on the Philadelphia pavement. Expectations, an album which can by turns be bitter, wistful, angry, and flirtatious, is rich with these surprising rhymes across the record.

wildchildsounds.com

facebook.com/wildchildsounds

dualtone.com

One Drop Of Truth: @TheWoodBrothers w/ @nickibluhm + The Gramblers Sun. 4/15 @ThePageantSTL

The Wood Brothers and Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers (duo) are coming to The Pageant on Sunday, April 15th. The doors open at 7:00 pm and the show starts at 8:00 pm. This is an all-ages concert. Reserved tickets are $30.00. Visit HERE for the event details on Facebook.

- The Wood Brothers: (Nashville, TN)

Genre: Americana, Folk Rock, Rock

https://www.thewoodbros.com

https://www.facebook.com/thewoodbrothers

https://twitter.com/thewoodbrothers

https://www.instagram.com/thewoodbros

https://youtube.com/user/TheWoodBros

Google The Wood Brothers: https://g.co/kgs/GFVUEU 

- Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers:

(San Francisco, CA)

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

https://www.nickibluhm.com

https://www.facebook.com/nickibluhmandthegramblers

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/nickibluhm

Google Nicki Bluhm: https://g.co/kgs/ArNzHb

Compass Records

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

The Wood Brothers Artist's Bio

“It’s the freest album we’ve done, the most independent album we’ve done, and was the most fun we’ve ever had making a record,” says Oliver Wood. “And most importantly, this is the most purely Wood Brothers’ album we’ve ever made.”

Indeed, The Wood Brothers’ sixth outing, ‘One Drop of Truth,’ dives headfirst into a deep wellspring of sounds, styles and influences. Whereas their previous outings have often followed a conceptual and sonic through-line, here the long-standing trio featuring brothers Oliver and Chris Wood along with Jano Rix treat each song as if it were its own short film. The plaintive, country-folk of the album’s opening track “River Takes The Town” gives way to the The Band-esque Americana soul of “Happiness Jones.” The wistful ballad “Strange As It Seems” floats on a cloud of stream of consciousness, standing in stark contrast to “Sky High”—a Saturday night barnburner built upon stinging slide guitar funk. “Seasick Emotions” is rife with turmoil, yet “Sparking Wine” is jaunty and carefree. The end result is undeniably The Wood Brothers’ most dynamic recording to date.

NICKI BLUHM ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM,TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL, OUT JUNE 1

UNVEILS TITLE TRACK VIA ROLLING STONE

PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW

TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

 

Compass Records is excited to announce the release of renowned singer/songwriter Nicki Bluhm's new album, TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL, out June 1. To celebrate the announcement, Rolling Stone premiered the title track yesterday, hailing the song as "a blast of Memphis soul." TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL was recorded in Memphis at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording studio and features two co-writes with Ryan Adams and a Dan Penn cover. For these live band analog sessions, Bluhm brought in producer Matt Ross-Spang (Margo Price, Jason Isbell), and the studio band included Will Sexton (guitar), Ross-Spang (guitars), Ken Coomer (drums and percussion), Al Gamble (Hammond B3), Rick Steff (piano) and Dave Smith (bass), with Reba Russell and Susan Marshall (background singers), Sam Shoup (string arrangements) and various special guests. "To Rise You Gotta Fall" is available to listen on all streaming platforms here.

LISTEN TO "TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL" HERE

"It was the very first song we tracked," Bluhm told Rolling Stone, "and Ken just started playing the groove and the band slowly started to drift in. Ken is such a present musician, and he's listening to the words and reading the room and the vibe...There's a line in the song that says, 'I went looking for some perspective, so I knocked on my mama's door,' and he just hit the drum - the rim - like a knock, which brought a playfulness and lightness to the song. I love Will's guitar playing, too. It's so understated, but he makes himself known. It's like the old saying goes: 'The young bull charges down the hill, but the old bull takes his time.' These musicians were tasteful; they're all old bulls full of experience and class. Having a string section arranged by Sam Shoup was the icing on the cake. Memphis had melted into my California soul."

After six years with her band the Gramblers, and recent high-profile collaborations (Phil Lesh, Infamous StringDusters, Ryan Adams), Bluhm wrote the life-chronicling songs for TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL over a two-year period, during which she got divorced and moved to Nashville, TN. The album is a chronicle of her state of mind following these deep and fundamental life changes.

"These songs are quite personal," Bluhm says. "They are the conversations I never got to have, the words I never had the chance to say, and the catharsis I wouldn't have survived without."

Bluhm's divorce, along with the need to challenge herself, inspired the West Coast native to make her spur-of- the moment, cross-country move to Nashville in 2017.

"Nashville was inspiring because of all the songwriting going on here," Bluhm says. "When I would come to Nashville on writing trips it was just percolating...it was intoxicating. So I very hastily, in a matter of days, decided to move. I just had this gut feeling."

Ross-Spang happened to be mixing a record in Nashville at the time and they met up and hit it off immediately. 

"I really needed someone who was going to take the reins and have a vision for the album and he really did," Bluhm says of meeting Ross-Spang. "My ex-husband had been my musical director, co-writer, and producer on all my records except one and I was looking for someone to step into that leadership roll, which Matt did very gracefully. I was looking for a clean slate; the only baggage I wanted to bring into the studio were the words to the songs I was singing. I wanted it to be a fresh experience; I didn't want to even have history with anyone in the room that would pull me into old habits or ways of thinking.  So we agreed we'd record in Memphis."

Once settled in Sam Phillips Recording, the sessions revolved around tracking live with an ace band assembled by Ross-Spang.

"We really just recorded live and we didn't do that many takes of each song," Bluhm says. "The final versions we ended up with were all one take. It was really refreshing to go analog. It minimized over thinking and second-guessing; forced us all to stay in the moment and play from the heart.  Sam Shoup did all the string arrangements and when he walked in the room I thought he was a housepainter, he was the most understated, unlikely suspect. That was the thing about Memphis that was cool...not a lot of egos, just people making music for music's sake. Throughout the session there was a lot of listening and trusting. Matt really spends time curating his sessions and who he decides to bring in; he knows how to keep the vibe right. What you are hearing is, as Jerry Phillips would say, 'not perfection but captured moments in time.'

"I had lost my partner in so many ways," Bluhm continues, "my musical partner, my life partner, my creative partner, and all of a sudden I was left on my own, to start my own engine. It was really intimidating and scary," she says "but I had support from my management, my agent, my friends and family, and ultimately I just had this guttural drive that I didn't even know I had in me. I was on auto-pilot, ready to move forward and take the steps I had to take to keep moving forward. When the album finally comes out it's going to be like setting a caged bird free."

Bluhm will be touring this year and beyond in support of TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL.

NICKI BLUHM TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL