New album, This Storm, is a strikingly confident second album from singer, guitarist, and songwriter Sonya Kitchell, is an immediate and visceral album. Though Kitchell touches on serious issues such as war, loss, and solitude on tracks like “Soldier’s Lament,” “Robin in the Snow,” and “Walk Away,” there is a fresh sophisticated yet playful attitude and sound on “Here To There” and “Every Drop”. At times one can barely believe it’s the same artist!
Among the many recent highlights, perhaps the most unexpected development has been the ongoing creative partnership between Kitchell and jazz legend Herbie Hancock. The two have performed together extensively, both on tour (one joint tour is wrapped and another is slated to kick off this summer) and on television, including a breakout performance on the acclaimed “Live From Abby Road.” They also collaborated on a bonus track for 2007’s Album of the Year Grammy recipient, the Hancock-helmed Joni Mitchell tribute The Joni Letters.
Sonya Kitchell’s new album, This Storm, is scheduled for release this fall as part of a joint venture between Decca/Universal and Velour Music Group.
“With a voice that’s equal parts smoke and honey, 16-year-old singer/songwriter Sonya Kitchell instantly transports you to her after-hours world of jazz and soul. Press play after a long day, and feel the stress slip from your shoulders.” – Marie Claire, 2006
Imagine the sonic equivalent of seeing your older sister’s best friend again after she went away to college for a few years. As beautiful and poised as she was before, you simply can’t believe the cute teenager you once knew has turned into such a smart and sexy adult. This Storm, the strikingly confident second album from singer, guitarist, and songwriter Sonya Kitchell, is an immediate and visceral album, dealing with serious issues and reflecting such remarkable growth that you can barely believe it’s the same artist.
Kitchell’s debut, Words Came Back To Me, recorded when she was only 15, shot her to national and international attention. People raved that Kitchell has “a knock out voice that alternately evokes the smokiness of Norah Jones, the soulfulness of Joss Stone and the ethereal sweetness of Sarah McLachlan,” adding that “Kitchell is destined for great things.”
And she was: her debut went on to sell almost 100,000 copies and led to major exposure on “Late Night With David Letterman”, “Craig Ferguson”, CNN, and NPR’s “All Things Considered”, in addition to generally rave reviews from the music press.
Among the many recent highlights, perhaps the most unexpected development has been the ongoing creative partnership between Kitchell and jazz legend Herbie Hancock. The two have performed together extensively, both on tour (one joint tour is wrapped and another is slated to kick off this summer) and on television, including a breakout performance on the acclaimed “Live From Abby Road.” They also collaborated on a bonus track for 2007’s Album of the Year Grammy recipient, the Hancock-helmed Joni Mitchell tribute The Joni Letters.
Kitchell’s new CD, scheduled for release this fall as part of a joint venture between Decca/Universal and Velour Music Group, touches on war, loss, and solitude in tracks like “Soldier’s Lament,” “Robin in the Snow,” and “Walk Away.” Recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris), the album is a perfect showcase for the artist’s prodigious talent and stunning voice.
Kitchell will be on tour this summer with Herbie Hancock singing songs from The Joni Letters,
and will headline her own national tour in the fall.
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Dr. Dog’s newest album, Fate, is rapidly approaching, and the band is unleashing a wealth of material in anticipation. First there’s the first official single, “The Ark,” a song chock-full of Biblical references and existential meaning that the band slipped out digitally last Tuesday, followed by a Stereogum premier that also included a multi-camera peek into the dog-house with “Hang On.” Tour Dates:
06-01 - Mountain Jam- Hunter, NY
06-06 - Friday Cheers-Richmond, VA
06-06 – Wakarusa - Lawrence, KS
06-08 – Wakarusa - Lawrence, KS
07-18 - Club Café - Pittsburg, PA
07-19 - Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA
07-23 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
07-24 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - New York, NY
07-26 - Boulder Annual Music Festival - Rochester, NY
07-27 - Forcastle Festival - Louisville, KY
07-29 - Mojo’s - Columbia, MO
07-30 – Bluebird - St. Louis, MO
07-31 - Radio Radio - Indianapolis, IN
08-01 - Lollapalooza (at Grant Park) - Chicago, IL
08-04 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
08-05 - The Basement - Columbus, OH
08-08 - The El Rey - Los Angeles, CA
08-13 - Rittenhouse Square - Philadelphia, PA
09-05 - IOTA Club & Café - Arlington, VA
09-06 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
09-07 - 3rd and Lindsley - Nashville, TN
09-08 – Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
09-09 - Thirsty Hippo - Hattiesburg, MS
09-11 - Walter’s On Washington - Houston, TX
09-12 - Lola’s Saloon - Ft. Worth, TX
09-13 - The Parish - Austin, TX
09-16 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ
09-17 - The Casbah - San Diego, CA
09-19 - The Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA
09-20 - Cellar Door - Visalia, CA
09-23 - Doug Fir’s Lounge - Portland, OR
09-24 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
09-26 - Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT
09-27 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO
09-29 - The Waiting Room - Omaha, NB
09-30 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
10-01 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
10-02 - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI
10-10 - Middle East (downstairs) - Cambridge, MA
This week saw The Verve’s forthcoming new single ‘Love Is Noise’ receiving its world exclusive first play on Radio One. If you missed it you can hear it now online via the bands official myspace page.
You will be also able to download an exclusive new Verve track for free from midday on Monday 30th June. Titled ‘Mover’, this track will not appear on the band’s forthcoming new album, and will only be available from the official Verve website - theverve.tv. The download will only be available for one week.
For all the latest news, announcements and tour dates be sure to check the website regularly.
By fusing dynamic elements of alternative, new-wave and grunge, THE SILENTS have surfaced with a fresh blend of high energy, visceral and intelligent rock. On September 9, 2008, the Chicago four-piece outfit will release their debut album SLEEPWALKER.
As an album two years in the making, SLEEPWALKER represents not only a distinct span of time, but also a vast array of personal and musical influence. Personal narratives lie in the subtext of lyrics that flow over stylistically transient music—pulling hints of gothy post-punk that meets melodically charged and grungy rock. Pop sensibilities keep each track engaging with sweet hooks and sensible harmonies, while chords tread minor and dark and return bright all over again. THE SILENTS will bring the live experience of the new album to hometown fans in Chicago on Friday, August 8 with an appearance at Metro.
The first single from SLEEPWALKER, “Dream On Empty,” fills the void between new-wave and modern alternative, taking cues from the likes of both Joy Divison and The Killers. The song is streaming online now on Myspace at www.myspace.com/thesilents.
The Graduate is on tour this Summer in support of their album Anhedonia. They have been touring for the greater part of the last year with the likes of Jack’s Mannequin and Simple Plan. If you haven’t caught a performance yet, fans have another chance this Summer during their extensive US tour starting July 11th!
You can download the title track, Anhedonia, from the Media Section here: http://girlieaction.com/thegraduate/
Don’t Miss The Graduate when they roll through your town!
July 11 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
July 12 San Diego, CA Soma
July 13 Tucson, AZ The Rock
July 14 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
July 16 Corpus Christi TX Brewster Street Ice House
July 17 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
July 18 San Antonio, TX Scout Bar
July 19 Oklahoma City, OK The Conservatory
July 20 Cordova, TN Infinity
July 22 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
July 23 Charlotte, NC Amos South End
July 25 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room
July 26 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
July 27 Orlando, FL The Social
July 29 Columbia, SC Headliner’s
July 30 Fayetteville, NC Jester’s Pub
July 31 Greenville, SC The Handlebar
August 1 Norfolk, VA The Norva
August 2 Richmond, VA Canal Club
August 3 Towson, MD The Recher Theatre
August 5 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero
August 6 New York, NY Blender Theater at Gramercy
August 7 S. Burlington, VT Higher Ground
August 8 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
August 9 Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights
August 12 Lancaster, PA The Chameleon Club
August 13 Cleveland, OH Agora Ballroom
August 14 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
August 15 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
August 16 Chicago, IL Metro
August 17 Green Bay, WI Riverside Ballroom
August 19 Madison, WI The Loft
August 20 St. Paul, MN Station 4
August 21 Omaha, NE Sokol Underground
August 22 Colorado Springs, CO The Black Sheep
August 23 Murray, UT Murray Theater
Carlos, Chris, Emmanuel, José and Monti came together on the MTV & MTV Tr3s reality series Making Menudo. Viewers watched every week as the guys went through a demanding “boy-band boot camp” designed by legendary pop impresario Johnny Wright (*NSYNC, Britney Spears). The task of becoming part of the new MENUDO required the chosen five members to take part in a rigorous process of musical, choreographic, and professional education. Although each member specializes in a particular type of music, the guys do it all and love the fact that the new MENUDO’s music crosses over several genres.
MENUDO have recorded more than 50 new songs for their first album due out September 9th and are already veterans after working with a wide variety of contemporary producers and writers including Danja (Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake), J.R. Rotem (Usher, Destiny’s Child), and Akon. When asked about the album, José calls it “urban pop, R & B, ballads, Latin flavors, a little bit of electronic.” Monti adds, “Everybody can relate to it. We put a lot of emotion into our songs, so we want to touch lives, we want to touch people.”
Check out Menudo’s myspace here
NEW YORK – Following the media sensation that revealed their official reunion, NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK released their first new music on MAY 13, the single “Summertime,” which is available digitally on iTunes and anywhere music is sold digitally. The band also returned to the world stage, announcing the first set of concert dates for Fall tour. The first shows include stops in New York, New Jersey, Montreal, Toronto, Providence and Chicago. The tour is being produced by Live Nation and tickets are available at www.livenation.com
Fans got a sneak peak of the concerts with the group’s first public performance together in 15 years live on NBC’s ‘TODAY’ Show on May 16. The reunion of all five members of the famed 90s group that sold millions of albums and sparked a worldwide phenomenon was enthusiastically embraced by screaming fans for band members: Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jordan and Jonathan Knight.
The group split in 1994, but has recently reunited in the recording studio to create new music, working in partnership with a new record label, Interscope Records, and a cadre of world class music producers. The guys have been hard at work writing and recording for an expected new album in Fall 2008.
A phenomenal fan base has always been one of the cornerstones of the group’s success. After the initial announcement of the reunion on live television, the website was overwhelmed with traffic causing a temporary system crash. The NKOTB.com webmasters worked quickly to get the site back online with all the news and photos. Fans are encouraged to sign up for more information at www.nkotb.com. The band has also teamed with I Love All Access to provide a variety of VIP ticket packages for the tour, including premium seats, meet and greets, photo ops, parties and more. For more information visit www.nkotb.com
BACKGROUND
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK sold more than 80 million albums worldwide — including back-to-back international #1 songs, 1988’s Hangin’ Tough and 1990’s Step By Step — and a series of crossover smash R&B, pop hits like “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” “Cover Girl,” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You,” “Step By Step” and “Tonight.” The group shattered concert box office records playing an estimated 200 concerts a year, in sold out stadiums throughout the world. They still hold many of these records to date. They were Forbes highest paid entertainers of 1990, beating out Michael Jackson and Madonna. The band boasted an extensive and highly profitable merchandise line which included everything from lunch boxes and sleeping bags to comic books, marbles and dolls.
More Information at www.nkotb.com
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Check out the New Kids in their heyday:
PLAY
