E. Joseph And The Phantom Heart

If you want to get back to your 80s Alternative Roots, 90s (non-grunge) Rock with a current sound, your search is over with E. Joseph And The Phantom Heart.

Their latest release is "All The Medicine In The World..." on The Beechfields label and was released in September, 2008.

I went to see these guys last night in Baltimore and it was a great show and the songs on the record and live are quite similar so, if you're a fundamentalist (ie: psycho) about the live needing to sound exactly like the record, then you're in luck. They sound great.

Rounding out The Phantom Heart are Mia Regalado on Bass and Backing Vox, Nick Porcaro-Drums and Snuttock on keys.

Listening to the songs and the vocals I'm reminded of The Triffids, The Mighty Lemon Drops, Echo and the Bunnymen, Psychedlic Furs, The Church, The Smiths, The Cure - and, these bands all had their 'hey-day' in the 80s/early 90s. HOWEVER, E. Joseph's songs have a timeless Rock/Pop sound that is enjoyable.

I'm sitting here at home going thru the disc and the whole disc you really can let run all the way through without saying - OH NOOOO, not THAT song!

Right now - after giving it 1 listen, standout tracks for me are:

Changing Trains
Drifting
Pulling Me Under
The Red Line

Before "the haters" find their way to me for selecting just these 4 or not selecting others, it's ok - you should go out and buy this record.

EJ's voice and the backing vocals by Mia are a great match and, this girl can play a Wicked Bass Guitar. She's not just playing with this band for show and tell.

So - the promo:

1. Go to www.myspace.com/ejosephmusic and check them out. And see if you want to let their music become a part of your 'inner-circle' of music.

2. Indie bands - LOVE - feedback....good or bad.....it's like when we hurt or bleed....we're reminded that we're alive. Let E Joseph and The Phantom Heart know you've listened.

3. If you like their music, buy a cd or go to iTUNES and get the record.

Band To Watch

BAND TO WATCH

The Strike Nineteens

Able to Rock-Out with songs like You Don't Love Me and Drop Down Dead, slow it down and able to get you to hold your breath with each lyrical line of Minor Things, The Strike Nineteens music will race inside your ears and kick your musical tail before you know what hit you while you start rocking with their brand of powerful rock-pop.

Check out their songs at www.myspace.com/thestrikenineteens.

Dreams So Real - REUNITING

On March 30, 2009, Barry Marler announced the reunion of the band Dreams So Real and their return to the stage will be at ATHFEST on Sunday, June 28, 2009.

While I'm not yet sure of the impetus of what's getting the band together, I WILL FIND OUT! haahahahah.

For now - take a moment or two and do the following:

1. www.myspace.com/realdreamssoreal is the band's official myspace page for the reunion

Become their friend

2. If you're free and want to head to Athens, GA - June 28 is a Sunday and they're going on about 6 PM EST.

3. Look for their music on iTUNES - put up there this past Fall/Winter of 2008 or check out the usual online or used record stores for the physical CDs if CDs are a MUST HAVE for you

Just Like Heaven - A Tribute to The Cure

With a music dream in one hand, and a Tax Refund check for less than $2000 in the other, Joe Spadaro started American Laundromat Records in 2004.

Now, about 4 and a half years later and over 10 releases to their credit, American Laundromat Records continues their run of putting out great records with the disc - Just Like Heaven - A Tribute to The Cure.

The 17 song (includes 1 Bonus Track) record features bands and musicians alike - The Poems, Julie Peel, Tanya Donnelly & Dylan in the Movies, The Wedding Present, and many more (see track listing and band listing below).

In my (that's me, the author here) opinion, "10:15 Saturday Night" by The Poems is one of the standout tracks - Joe shared this opinion when he first heard the song sent to him by The Poems,

"When Robert sent me this I was like you've gotta be kidding
me. This is unvbelievable. He really re-invented it. And
they turned it into this epic song. And it's just gorgeous."

01. Just Like Heaven performed by JOY ZIPPER

02. The Lovecats performed by TANYA DONELLY & DYLAN IN THE MOVIES

03. Lovesong performed by THE BRUNETTES

04. In Between Days performed by KITTY KARLYLE

05. Friday I'm In Love performed by DEAN & BRITTA

06. Jumping Someone Else's Train performed by LUFF

07. Boys Don't Cry performed by THE SUBMARINES

08. Close To Me performed by ELK CITY

09. The Walk performed by THE ROSEBUDS

10. Pictures Of You performed by ELIZABETH HARPER & THE MATINEE

11. Let’s Go To Bed performed by CASSETTES WON’T LISTEN

12. Catch performed by DEVICS

13. A Night Like This performed by JULIE PEEL

14. 10:15 Saturday Night performed by THE POEMS

15. A Strange Day performed by GRAND DUCHY (Violet Clark & Black Francis)

16. High performed by THE WEDDING PRESENT

+ a BONUS TRACK

Songs listed in this color/italics/etc...played on Independents Uncovered on Dec 8, 2008.

To purchase this CD or any others from American Laundromat Records....just find your way here: http://www.alr-music.com/shop.php

Joe also gets help from his wife and kids with putting things together so, know that he runs a good family operation and that the hands that are helping him are family.

:)

----

We had a great show last night with Joe Spadaro as our guest and I thought so much of the interview and his record, I wanted to make sure I put this out there.

I may put some of the interview on here, but I dont know yet. We'll see.

Graphics/Art courtesy of American Laundromat Records.

The Slow Learners and OMEGA Band!

If you didnt' make it to Asylum in DC, you missed a great show by both bands.

I left my home and took mass transit into DC and when I popped out of the Metro, I took my maiden voyage on a DC BUS!

And, the driver was a woman, and young and cute! How the heck does that happen????? I mean....I'm 39.....but.....I didnt know that was possible!

So, in my humble opinion - this show was great!

I want to take a moment to thank Ed from the slow learners who literally introduced me to every person he knew at Asylum to make sure that I was comfortable but also for networking purposes - for friends of his in other bands.

But the bottom line here is that I was cool because I'm friends with Ed and that was great with his friends.

Ok - the show.

The Slow Learners -
Sweet B
Mr. Burroughs
Paul and
ED (also known as Special Ed)

This show was great with people getting up and dancing and moving their heads - The Slow Learners rocked the house. And members of the Omega band i spoke with prior to the slow learners show were so appreciative of Ed and so complimentary.

The Omega Band came on and Ricky just Rocked the house with - well, this is going to come out weird, but the word I want to use is LUSCIOUS and SOULFUL. They have a great sound, the vocals were great - and, it doesnt hurt that the 2 woman at the front of the band are beautiful.

Last night's show was free to all who came and The Slow Learners as well as The Omega Band were selling CDs for $5 each.

That's not much considering when Independent Musicians need to pay for studio time, equipment and, OH YEH! If someone gets sick, its not like they always have a day job giving them medical benefits. If a doctor costs 100$ to go see and they dont have insurance, there's no copay folks! And, if they need medication, once again, no copay - they pay full price.

Check out the slow learners at:
www.theslowlearners.com
www.myspace.com/theslowlearners

and the Omega band at
www.omegaband.net
www.myspace.com/omegaband

Recordings dont do justice to how the crowd reacts with the slow learners on stage or the omega band.

Take some time and listen to their music and go seem them live.

It's a great time.

PS - I want to thank those folks that gave me music last night - Dar, the omega band, and Mike Ivie - yes - THE MIKE IVEY of BASEHEAD.

* Quick Story *
Ed from the slow learners is a part of the mini community that Mike Ivey created that has spawned Citizen Cope and The Slow Learners as well as up and comers Mr. Burroughs and Yellow. But, the big thing is building the community and as your band grows or your following grows within the band, you also do your own thing until you spin off/out of the band. At the end of the day, it's like being born - again. But at the end of the day, they all know where they came from and Ed is repeatedly speaking so highly of Mike and this community he's built that I had to mention it here.

Don Caballero and Ponytail

I went to IOTA's last night with Mike - our very own Mike who brings us Donohue's Music Den every week.

So, we arrive as the opening act - Ponytail - was playing and Molly Siegel was belting out sounds that made me think of Bjork. Basically - the spoken word doesnt matter - its the music and the sound of the voice that count. - Think Psychic TV.....or, at least, that's what I did. The vocals are an additional instrument here.

So, while I don't typically listen to this type of music, I was open to it and, in the end, I thought that Ponytail's show was better than Don Caballero.

Don Caballero performed for about 50 minutes. And.....when they all walked off the stage.....I didnt know they were done. People stood around for awhile inside IOTAs - and there were probably about 50 people maybe more there......and I couldnt believe that there wasnt anymore. My gut tells me that a headliner plays for more than 50 minutes, but hey - I dont know what the deal was there.

Don Caballero's performance, for me, can be characterized as - mostly music....some vocals.....AND NO ONE WAS IN SYNCH with eachother.....

Mike and I just kinda kept looking at eachother like.....something was off....and, it was all of them.

Mike said to me.....I know what they're trying to do.....which would be good......but......they're not in synch.

So.....Don Caballero.....I dont know what you typically sound like so I have to be fair to you.....but, if you walked out of IOTAs thinking that you werent at your best and this was your first show and you're still working some stuff out....that's cool and good luck the rest of the way.....but.....I think some more rehearsal time is needed on your music.

If you want to read the article in the washington post about this tour, check in with this link for the washington post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081400907.html

And, Don Caballero is touring with only 1 day off from August 19 - Sept 6. Good luck.

The Fusiliers Rock!

(left to right and from back to front)
Oen - Bass/Backing Vocals
Savage - Drums/Percussion
Jonny - Lead Guitars
Tom - Lead Guitars
Gary - Sharp Dressed Vox Man


I had on 3 members of one of Scotland's hot Indie Bands - The Fusiliers.

Jonny - lead guitar - from The Fusiliers reached out to me a while back - maybe a month or 2 ago - and we emailed a bit and I remembered telling him that I was real busy but would listen to his band's music.

And, then I said to myself - ok - I've got time for one now and then another one and then another one and so on.
All I can say is Wow!

Raw Energy
Pure Energy
Exciting.
Fun.

One thing that stands out for me is actually the story behind the song - Holding On. Gary explained that the song came about because a former song writing partner wasn’t as into the music writing as he was. And folks - before we start a controversy here - there is no controversy. It was matter of fact the way Gary said it and, we need to realize as people that " WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT " and accept that for what it is.

On the phone we had Oen, Jonny and Garry. But, of course, like friends and some bands out there, they have their 'alternate names.'

Gaz - Vox Major
Jon - Lead Guitars
Tom - Lead Guitars
O-Dog - Lead Bass/Vox Minor
Savage - Lead Drums

And, it was great.
Conversational.
Fun.
Interesting.

How they recorded the EP is really interesting and was done using Reel To Reel Tape and not electronically so, when there was a mistake, they started over. And, I believe that one of the reasons that their sound is tight is because of this.

Studio time costs money.

Indie bands pay for everything out of pocket before getting a record deal. And even then who knows how much really comes out of the band's share.

And, you don’t want to screw around when these factors are involved.

How do you know a band or musicians are committed to the music? You know when they make a statement like: "if you do a gig and only 6 people show up, you have to make sure you play just as hard for them as you would for the times you have a crowd of about 3000."

Making music is an art form and carving out your own niche with your own sound is hard to do. And, The Fusiliers do it very well with a strong drum backbone and great vocal powers that allow Jonny, Tom and Oen to "walk on up the red carpet" - if you will - and round out the sound with strong guitar work giving The Fusiliers an intense sound that makes you take notice and want more.

I'm looking forward to having The Fusiliers on again and sharing their sound with more people.
------------------
The Fusiliers have an intersting story and I suggest you check them out at:
http://www.myspace.com/wearethefusiliers

Check out their music on their media player, but also, tucked away a little bit lower, you'll find a little yellow jukebox of some acoustic music of their's. Click on 'play' and take a moment to hear them stripped down. Great bands, when stripped of the electric options, sound just as good if not better. Like a woman who wears makeup and then doesn’t wear makeup. (And note, I'm not saying The Fusiliers wear makeup or are women. They're guys.) If she's attractive without the makeup - then, there you go. It's all about perspectives.

To purchase the music of The Fusiliers, go to http://www.mp3.com, http://www.napster.com, and, of course, iTUNES !

PROST!!!!
I say to THE FUSILIERS.
PROST!!!!