Damian will release his new EP ‘Thank You’ on 11 October, his 50th birthday. The EP features 5 songs arranged for piano, violin & cello and will be released as 10″ Vinyl + CD package, as well as digipak CD and on all major download and streaming platforms.
The EP, produced by Andrew Holdsworth, is Damian’s return to a more classical approach, recording with just piano and string orchestra, like Damian and Andrew did with ‘Just The Way It Goes’ over 20 years ago.
The EP opens with the words ‘Thank you for giving this man a home’. These words are now bittersweet; shortly after the song was recorded, Damian’s home, the boat this song is about, sunk on the way to Cropredy festival where he would perform with Adam Wakeman (the show went great nevertheless).
Besides opener ‘Thank You’ the EP features the songs:
‘Let Me Down Slowly’, a song Damian wrote while struggling through a break-up.
‘God Be My Judge’, an observation of our societies’ institutions, previously recorded with Adam Wakeman, now rearranged for piano and strings.
‘Until I’m With You’, about a friend’s loss and longing.
‘Can You Hear Me’, a song from Damian’s long lost friend Nick Woodbridge. This track is available now on all streaming and download platforms.
Preorder the EP here: https://bit.ly/2TUE2QA And get the track Can You Hear Me instantly
“The recording process had perhaps more in common with a classical session than a traditional pop one. The timing and dynamics of these tracks are very expressive; there were no click tracks and no editing. I believe this EP contains some of the most magical music Damian and I have ever made together” – Andrew Holdsworth –
Damian will be on tour from October 6th, performing with different guests every night, celebrating his 50th birthday. Solo shows from 25 Oct.
DAMIAN WILSON & FRIENDS TOUR
Damian will be on tour from October 6th, performing with different guests every night, celebrating his 50th birthday:
06 Oct Paris, FR – La Péniche Antipode (acoustic with guests) 10 Oct Gent, BE – The Crossover (full band show) 11 Oct Breda, NL – MEZZ (full band show) 13 Oct Mörlenbach, DE – Live Music Hall (full band show) 15 Oct Leicester, UK – The Musician (acoustic with guests) 16 Oct Bury St Edmunds, UK – Hunter Club (acoustic with guests) 17 Oct London, UK – St Pancras Old Church (acoustic with guests)
The Aaron Clift Experiment – Faith – Live at One 2 One Bar
We’re proud to share with you the first of several live videos from our concert at One 2 One Bar on 06/16/19. This is our performance of “Faith” from “If All Goes Wrong.”
Check out the video for the genre-defying single “Captain Awkward” here:
Re-emerging from the primordial soup of modern music, Moron Police return with “A Boat on the Sea” in the hopes of offering something different to those who would listen. Having formed in 2008, their career has seen many strange twists along the path to its release. They’ve played live with a full-piece orchestra, had one of their songs performed across the US by the award-winning Los Alamitos Show Choir, performed across Scandinavia and at various popular festivals (Hove, Norway Rock Festival, by:Larm), even on a small island with a lighthouse, trapped in the maw of the ocean.
“A Boat on the Sea” is many things. Catchy and adventurous, but with an underlying current of Scandinavian melancholy—as perfectly captured by returning cover artist DULK. It has huge choruses, rampant guitar play, inventive synths, a plethora of time-signature changes—all the workings of an album of excess, yet it comes together to form a cohesive whole. Perhaps its most defining feature is that it sounds like Moron Police and no-one else, and no manner of superlative spluttering could really hope to capture its spirit. The best way to describe it would be to hear it.
The album is already getting great reviews:
“It’s a rare album, one that makes you play air guitar or keyboards while grinning stupidly in blissful joy.” – Sonic Perspectives’
“I honestly cannot remember having this much fun listening to a record in a very long time.” – The Prog Report
Tracklistlisting: 1. Hocus Pocus (1:20) 2. The Phantom Below (4:12) 3. The Invisible King (4:05) 4. Beware the Blue Skies (4:11) 5. The Dog Song (3:20) 6. Captain Awkward (5:12) 7. The Undersea (3:27) 8. Isn’t It Easy (6:57)
Band Members: Sondre Skollevoll – Vocals, guitars, additional keyboards Lars Bjørknes – Keyboards, grand piano, Hammond organ Thore Omland Pettersen – Drums Christian Fredrik Steen – Bass
The Brainchild Of Guitarist, Woody Aplanalp, Bonsai Universe Takes You On A Journey To Another World With Its Psychedelic Electric Sound
San Gabriel, CA August 12th, 2019–Woody Aplanalp has toured extensively, playing guitar and collaborating with a diverse array of artists such as Bobby Womack, Lauryn Hill, Nels Cline, Thomas Mapfumo and more. In 2017 he began working on a project he called Bonsai Universe and in 2018 he released the first album from that project, Moonstream. Critics described the debut as “intoxicatingly different” (Tom Carter, KZSU) and claimed that “(he) effectively captures your attention by combining different styles into one instantly delectable mix.” (BabySue Music Review)
This year, in between road gigs, he worked on the Bonsai Universe upcoming release, Too Many Ghosts.Too Many Ghosts was produced, engineered and mixed by Aplanalp and mastered by Tony Austin, who plays drums on the song “It’s A Shame” and is currently touring with Kamasi Washington. “I went to college with Tony,” explained Aplanalp. “We’ve probably been in 5 or 6 bands together.” The same holds true for the rest of guests on the album—veterans of past musical campaigns that Aplanalp has known for years, distinctive and notable in their own right. This familiarity and history lends itself a certain warmth to Aplanalp’s dreamy ethereal compositions.
The 15-song album kicks off with the aforementioned “It’s a Shame” which is a nod to Bobby Womack, “It’s my version of a disappointment blues,” said Aplanalp. “I used to play Bobby’s first hit song, ‘It’s All Over’, so this is kind of a twist on that.” “Beepsy” is a hypnotic electro-pop number that was written for Aplanalp’s cousin, Beepsy. –
“Beepsy , I thought you’d like to hear a song just for you | It might not be the best song , but I still hold it dear “.
The title song, “Too Many Ghosts” is a dreamy melancholic song lamenting impressions that are left behind, “In the small hours before the dawn | something still there something gone | In this old house outside of town, something won’t stop , hanging around”.
Aplanalp resides in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and there’s a thread of California running throughout the album. “Walnut Grove” was written as a nostalgic memory of growing up in Rosemead, CA. An avid cyclist, “Altadena” was written for his favorite cycling route that cuts through that city, while “Ode to Ridge Road” is also a favorite road that cuts across the San Gabriels to Mt. Baldy. And then there’s the funky tune, “Crumbs” because, as he explains, “California is perpetually drought ridden…so yeah.”
The album ends with “My Little Corner”, which is a song from 1960 by Anita Bryant. “However,” he clarifies, “this cover is closer to the Yo La Tengo version from the 90’s.”
With Too Many Ghosts Aplanalp has struck planetary gold again. Steve Hochman, music critic for KPCC (NPR-affilliate) said “…as Bonsai Universe, it seems he’s a lovelorn, instrospective, gentle spirit with a cosmic gaze.” Aplanalp explains it like this, “With this project, each song could be its own little universe, or you could say, A Bonsai Universe.”
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Guest Players Noted and Notes:
1.“It’s a Shame” — Drums-Tony Austin | Bass-Miles Mosley (Kamasi Washington Band, West Coast Get Down) “Miles and I were in Lauryn Hills band together and Dakah, The Hip Hop Orchestra” | Keyboards-Jon Neimann (Gospel Beach, Miranda Lee Richards) “I’ve been working on songs with Jon on and off for years.”
2. “Beepsy”– Drums -Justin Smith (Howlin’ Rain and Aplanalp’s bandmate from Old Californio) | BV- Liela Avila “Liela is from my neighborhood and I’ve been friends with her dad since she was a kid. He’s on a few songs, as well.”
3. “Walnut Grove”–Drums-Anthony Logerfo (Neil Young, Promise of the Real) “Anthony played in my band many years ago and we’ve done various projects over the years.” | Bass- John Avila (Oingo Boingo) “John is a neighbor of mine and we’ve been in several bands together over the years, including Oingo Boingo Former Members.
4. “Altadena”– Vocals- Gwendolyn (Composer for Orange is the new Black, Weeds) | Percussion-Brandon Jay (Composer for Orange is the new Black, Weeds) | Bass-John Avila
5. “Too Many Ghosts”–BV-Dylan McKenzie (Derde Verde) “Dylan was a guitar student of mine and now he has his own band.” | Bass-John Avila
6. “Do Something” – All Aplanalp
7. “Crumbs”– Drums-Justin Smith | Keyboards- Jamison Trotter
8. “Ode to Ridge Road”– Percussion- Randy Gloss (Hands Ensemble) | Bass-Jason Chesney (Michael Nesmith, Old Californio “Jason and I have been playing longer than anyone else that I know. We’ve done many projects together.”
9. “Spanish Lady”—All Aplanlap
10. “Hey Brown Eyes”—Drums Bryon Holley | Bass and BV Corey McCormick (Neil Young, Promise of the Real, Chris Cornell)
11. “Sideways Summer”—Bass- Juan Perez (Quetzal) “Juan and I have played together in Quetzal and with Aloe Blacc.”
12. “Rain”—Drums-Justin Smith | Bass-Jason Chesney
InsideOutMusic are set to release the self-titled debut album from Philadelphia- duo Rise Twain on September 6th, 2019. The union of Brett William Kull (producer, audio engineer, and member of Echolyn, Grey Eye Glances, and Francis Dunnery’s New Progressives) and J.D. Beck (The Scenic Route, Beck-Fields, author & playwright) bring their collective years of direct and varied experience in writing, performing and recording music together for their impressive debut.
Today they launch the 3rd single, and final preview track, titled ‘Oh This Life’ and you can listen to it now here:
The band comments: “Sometimes a complete song appears and is constructed as if it was always here; the songwriter just a conduit to allow its declaration into being.
“Oh This Life” is a song at our most immediate – available to intimate observation, confession, and creativity.”
The track-listing is as follows:
1. Everspring 2. Golden 3. The Range 4. Lit Up 5. Death of Summer 6. Oh This Life 7. Prayers 8. Falling Skies 9. Into A Dream 10. That Is Love
The album is also now available to pre-order on Limited CD Digipak, 180g Black Vinyl LP + CD & as digital album here: https://risetwain.lnk.to/RiseTwain
Talking of how the duo came together: “I produced an album for J.D.’s original band, The Scenic Route”, says Kull, describing his first meeting with Beck in 2007. “They were a rocky, progressive kind of band, like a Jeff Buckley kind of thing. I was immediately drawn to his vocals. He’s such a strong singer.” Kull says he and Beck immediately hit it off, what he describes as an “inevitable connection.”
Adds Beck, “I just knew I had to work with Brett on a higher level. When I came in to cut the vocals on the Scenic Route album, the way we worked together…some people you just gel with, and then some people you have a barrier with. Brett and I gelled.” They spoke of one day collaborating on their own project, which finally surfaces as Rise Twain.
Discussing the album’s musical direction, Beck notes, “There’s not a typical structural theme that we use over and over and over. ‘Organic’ is a word that comes to mind. Seeking openness through simplicity and allowing the complexity of music to exist without the necessity of overly packing it or overly processing it. With that we were able to achieve such a broad spectrum of sound, and a colossal sense of its existence, without having to have a billion guitars and a billion things put over top. There’s some colouring with strings and other embellishments, but it really is something very simple and stripped down, and it’s awesome.”
Kull adds, “There’s a lot of complexity in this, but it’s not overt in the least bit. But yet, when you get into it, there’s all this really rich harmonic and dynamic stuff going on.”
RISE TWAIN are: J.D. Beck: Piano, lead and backing vocals Brett William Kull: Guitars, bass, keys, percussion, lead and backing vocals
Los Angeles – Bob Beland is an American born musician/songwriter from Los Angeles, CA, where he has performed, written and recorded original music from 1973 to the present. Much to the excitement of his fans worldwide, Bob has just released his much anticipated seventh studio album “Welcome” on his own Wrong Way Works label. Along with the release of “Welcome”, Bob recently collaborated on a track for 10cc/Godley & Creme legend Kevin Godley for his forthcoming solo album!
“Welcome” is my seventh self produced solo album release and was written and recorded over 2018 at Wrong Way Works, Mar Vista, California. Extra special credit should be given to my good friend Greg Embrey for all of his help and involvement along the way. The opening track, “Rocky Up! (love theme from “The Bang Bang Theory”) is an instrumental version of a song I co-wrote earlier last year with Kevin Godley, from the acclaimed UK band 10cc and groundbreaking art rockers Godley & Crème fame, which is called “The Bang Bang Theory” that will be included as part of his first solo album “Muscle Memory” due out soon on the UK label state51conspiracy.
Bob Beland decided to release three other studio albums that he recorded over the last three years but never released until now.
“Forward and Backworks” is a conceptual idea for orchestra that I recorded in 2015. The title refers to the four opening tracks and music that has a reverse or “mirror” counterpart. The album also contains four other original compositions. The sole guest musician on the album is classical violinist Paula Kuhr from the acclaimed multi Ethnic orchestra MESTO.
“Mar Vista” was recorded in 2016 and features the only guest musician on the album, Grammy award winning classical percussionist T.J. Troy whom I met as a member of the MESTO orchestra.
“Mano Sinistra” Latin music terminology for “to be performed with the left hand” was recorded in 2017 and features the talents of acclaimed pedal steel player Greg Leisz who has recorded and performed with renowned music artists such as k.d. lang, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and whom I first met as a member of the Funky Kings with Jules Shear, Jack Tempchin and Richard Stekol way back in 1975. Peter Curry on drums and bass is better known as the bassist for Los Straightjackets. I’ve also worked with Pete before on my first full album “Amnesia Lane” as well as co-writing a few instrumentals for his surf group the Halibuts. Pedal steel player and premier microphone designer Dave Pearlman, The Legendary Fontenelle DuClaw on keyboards, bass, and vocals, bassist Joe McGrath and vocalist Remy Beland round out the rest of the musical guests on the album.
Now, a little background on the players who contributed their time and talents to “Welcome.”
Greg Embrey was the co-founder of the mid 70’s L.A. rock band the Furys whom I later joined as their lead guitarist in the mid 80’s. A.K.A. The Legendary Fontenelle DuClaw
Bob Gross is someone I’ve known since the early 1970’s. Among the other acts he’s worked with was Delaney Bramlett of Delaney & Bonnie fame and currently can be seen and heard gigging with the Deanna Bogart Band. Bob is also playing on “The Bang Bang Theory” for Kevin Godley as well.
Richard d’Andrea is a friend and former Furys alumi who’s been a mainstay in the L.A. rock scene since the 70’s most notably founding the Know with Gary Valentine and working with musicians such as the Roosters and Carla Olson. Richard’s just released his first solo album under the handle Raw Terra called “Mars 12 Earth 0.”
Bobby Pickett is another dear old friend who worked extensively with the great Etta James, Sugarloaf, Detective, Jimmy Page and many other top names in music.
Doug D’Martino is from an earlier incarnation of the Furys
Marty Korth is a long standing friend of mine who also spent some time in the Furys and has played bass on other songs that I’ve written and recorded over the years. He’s a great film animator as well working on many classic Walt Disney and Hanna Barbarra features.
Stephen Linsley is a new friend I met through my old buddy Jules Shear. Stephen was the original bassist in the Jim Carroll Band and is also a fine portrait photographer.
Joe Conte is yet another former member of the Furys who came in at the last minute and played some very cool harmonica for me on “Rocky Up!’
Allie Menapace is an acoustic bassist I met through my old friend Peter Curry from Los Straightjackets fame. Pete suggested Allie for my song “Welcome Me” and she came through with flying colors.
Kevin Louden is a fine pedal steel guitarist, dobro, and multi-instrumentalist I’ve gotten to know over the past few years who’s based in Frederic, Wisconsin and plays all throughout the state.
Me? I’m just a musician. You can tell me by the way I walk… Enjoy! Bob Beland Mar Vista, Ca
All of Bob’s music is currently available at these on line music retail outlets – CD Baby, Apple MUSIC, iTunes, Pandora, Deezer, Google Play, Tidal, Facebook, Amazon Music Spotify and most other streaming subscription music services as well as SoundCloud and for licensing opportunities – Songtradr.
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