EILEN JEWELL CONFIRMS WNYC LEONARD LOPATE PERFORMANCE/CHAT JULY 13 AND CITY WINERY SHOW JULY 14

‘SUNDOWN OVER GHOST TOWN’ (SIGNATURE SOUNDS) STAYS STRONG AT #7 ON AMERICANA RADIO CHART FOLLOWING NBC NIGHTLY NEWS APPEARANCE

Eilen Jewell – the Idaho-born Americana songwriter who was recently profiled by NPR Morning Edition – has confirmed a concert at City Winery July 14 and a performance/chat on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate on July 13. Jewell sold out a City Winery concert February, 2015. Meanwhile, 'Sundown Over Ghost Town' (Signature Sounds) has stayed strong at #7 on the Americana Music Association radio chart. NBC Nightly News aired a segment on Apple Music Monday night and included an interview with Eilen. Here’s NPR’s profile: http://www.npr.org/2015/05/27/409698844/eilen-jewell-the-half-broke-horse-of-idaho-returns-home

Jewell has earned spotlights from Entertainment Weekly, Mother Jones, American Songwriter, CMT Edge, The Boot, and beyond. Her vivid portraits of life and culture in Idaho have earned her best-of-career notice. Most recently, The Boston Globe called  'Sundown Over Ghost Town' “remarkable.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer said, "She's always been one of the most arresting of Americana singer-songwriters, and here she weds vivid imagery to similarly spare and evocative music."

WHO: Signature Sounds artist Eilen Jewell and her band
WHAT: Headlining NYC concert
WHERE: City Winery
WHEN: 8pm, July 14, 2015
TICKETS: http://www.citywinery.com/newyork/tickets/eilenjewell071415.html

“ASTOUNDINGLY DEFIANT” (SPIN) GRACE ASKEW CEMENTS HERSELF AS FAST-RISING AMERICANA ARTIST BEHIND RAVES FROM ROLLING STONE, SPIN, NASHVILLE SCENE, LA MAGAZINE, ETC.

Fast-rising Americana artist Grace Askew’s ‘Scaredy Cat’ came out earlier this month to across-the-board raves. Her killer video and interview session for Yahoo! Music just posted Friday.

Here’s what we’re reading:

“Sultry… The perfect place to listen to this album is a dark dive bar with a tallboy in my hand.”
- Jim Casey, Rolling Stone, June 9, 2014

“Beautifully haunting… astoundingly defiant.”
- SPIN, August 6, 2014

"I've been spinning this record all week... She's got a gnarly, sultry voice and a guitar style that is gritty and real.”
- Sean L. Maloney, Nashville Scene, August 1, 2014

“Killer slide guitar player with a sultry swagger.”
- Julia St. Pierre, LA Mag.com, July 31, 2014

“Fabulous… badass.”
-Lyndsey Park, Yahoo! Music, August 21, 2014

“For fans of Lana Del Rey, Cat Power… Once you hear Grace’s voice, you can’t unhear it… simultaneously sultry, twangy, and growly.”
- Teen Vogue, August 2, 2014

“Fierce… She’s progressing forward, and in some particularly gutsy ways.”
- Brice Ezell, Pop Matters, August 8, 2014

“Raw, rootsy, and uniformly arresting… Her sultry drawl is both seductive and soulful"
- Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer, August 24, 2014

“Cool Memphis style.”
- Will Minter, American Songwriter, July 30, 2014

"Askew is relentlessly creative."
- Joe Boone, Memphis Flyer, July 24, 2014

“Devastating.”
- Cameron Matthews, Bluegrass Situation, July 23, 2014

“Like a confident love child of Blind Willie McTell and Bobbie Gentry; her gritty slide playing and slurred, come-thither alto make a potent combo.”
- Bliss Bowen, Pasadena Weekly, August 7, 2014

“4 stars… riverting…genuine… Her voice warbles, trembles, swings and flips.”
- Chuck Campbell, Knoxville News-Sentinel, August 12, 2014

IT'S AN INDIE POP CHRISTMAS!

HIGHLINE RECORDS' 'FESTIVUS 2' COMPILATION, OUT NOVEMBER 26, TO FEATURE THE LILYS, WESTERN LOWS, GLAM CHOPS (EDDIE ARGOS), FRANCIS MCDONALD (OF TEENAGE FANCLUB), NPR FAVORITE PINEY GIR, AND LA DREAM-POP BREAKOUTS WESTERN LOWS

Indie pop Christmas compilation 'Festivus 2' will be release November 26 on Highline Records, featuring The Lilys, Glam Chops, Piney Gir, Western Lows, and members of Teenage Fanclub and Art Brut.

Paste and Philadelphia Inquirer' both featured "standout tracks" (Paste) from last year's 'Festivus' on its Christmas 2012 playlists. NME praised the "jingly-jangly label showcase" and Q said, "Highline is similarly opposed to breadhead solstice-mongering, and offer up 15 skiffly, lovelorn tunes with a Brian Wilson aesthetic adorned with both kinds of jangling (guitars and jingle bells)." Oklahoma Gazette said, "Give it to your favorite hipster."

'Festivus 2' may be the rare sequel that's better than the original. The album kicks off with the moody synth-pop version of "Silent Night" submitted by LA dream poppers Western Lows, who have been championed by Bob Harris and The Guardian ("a particularly enervated form of shoegaze"). Other highlights are Glam Chops (featuring Eddie Argos of Art Brut) with "Baby Jesus Was the First Glam Rocker" (with a wicked David Bowie impression); The Priscillas driving power-pop "One Christmas Wish"; Ulysses' overdriven-with-harmonies "I Wish You a Merry Christmas"; and Francis Macdonald (of Teenage Fanclub) with Anna Sheard "Silver Bells Sing Their Chime." Washington, D.C. indie rockers The Lilys' version of "Good King Wenceslas" delivers a rare slice of guitar-bending psychedelic delight from the indie veterans. The subject of two NPR segments in the past year, Kansan-via-London's Piney Gir serves reverb-soaked psych-pop.

'Festivus 2' is an eclectic mix of great holiday music from UK and US artists alike. 

'Festivus 2' Track Listing

1. Silent Night - Western Lows  

2. I Wish You A Merry Christmas - Ulysses  

3. In The Bleak Midwinter - Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou  

4. Ho Ho Hos Before Hos - Red Pony Clock  

5. One Christmas Wish - The Priscillas  

6. It's Christmas - Piney Gir  

7. Don't Freat Out On Me - Mi Mye  

8. Good King Winceslas - Lilys  

9. The Coldest Night - Left With Pictures  

10. Baby Jesus Was The First Glam Rocker - Glam Chops 

11. Silver Bells Sing Their Chime - Francis Macdonald and Anna Sheard 

12. Christmas at the Foodbank - Dodgy 

13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlmen - Dennis Hopper Choppers  

14. Thank God It's Christmas - Darling BOY  

15. My Heart Is As Pure As The Snow - Antony Elvin  

16. Three Kings - Alexander's Festival Hall

"GIFTED" (WALL STREET JOURNAL) SUSAN MCKEOWN EARNS PLAUDITS FROM LINDA THOMPSON, WALL STREET JOURNAL, PUBLIC RADIO INT'L, WFUV, & ELSEWHERE

Tad Hendrickson's feature in the Wall Street Journal ran on Irish-American GRAMMY-winning vocalist/songwriter Susan McKeown January 4, praising her "versatility and inquisitiveness" and calling her "gifted." She talks about why she emigrates to the States, her memories of hanging out at Sin-é, and her new, all-original, Americana album 'Belong.'  Meanwhile, Linda Thompson told the Journal, "a powerful voice, beautiful timbre and great range, both musically and emotionally? That's rare. What's not to love?" Here's the full feature.

WFUV aired a performance-chat on December 30. John Platt called 'Belong' "a really fine album." Hear the full audio.

"The Irish are world-renowned as great word smiths and Susan McKeown has formed herself into a link in that chain." – Bob Edwards, Public Radio Int'l, December 1-2, 2012

"Timeless... The exquisitely spare arrangements... match the purity and expressiveness of her voice." – Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer, December 28

"Susan McKeown, a formidable-voiced Irish folkie renowned for her intensity and conviction, supports a haunting recent PledgeMusic-funded effort, Belong." – Time Out NY, November 7, 2012

"Absorbing from beginning to end, 'Belong' is a trans-Atlantic marvel… Sublime… enchanting… rich sonic diversity… smart lyrics." – Chuck Campbell, Scripps Howard News Service/Knoxville News-Sentinel, December 11, 2012

"Awesome… McKeown’s rich, sad soprano highlights this melodic and moving collection, a combination of country melancholy and New York City sass." – Peter Chianca, Gatehouse Media/Patriot Ledger (MA), December 31, 2012

"Tantalizing… a fiercely talented storyteller." – Mike Farragher, Irish Voice, November 25, 2012

"Her most personal project to date." – Lisa L. Rollins, Examiner.com, November 23, 2012

Meanwhile, American Songwriter Magazine premiered the "No Jericho" music video.

NPR PROFILES PINEY GIR "FROM THE MUPPETS TO 'GERONIMO!'" AS SHE EARNS RAVES, COMPARISONS TO THE VIVIAN GIRLS, THE SHANGRI-LAS, THE TROGGS, AND BEST COAST

NEW EMBEDDABLE MUSIC VIDEO FOR "OUTTA SIGHT" POSTED

NPR Weekend Edition recently profiled indie pop starlet Piney Gir. She talks about keeping the songs short and sweet in "perfectly formed bursts of pop music" (her words), recording live as a band in one room,  growing up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal household with "happy clappy Jesus music" (also her words), how the muppets introduced her to pop music, recording with Tom Benelick who played on 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' her part Native American ancestry, and recording in Los Angeles with producer Rob Campanella of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Scott Simon says, "Her sound has been compared to Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline, but on her latest album, Geronimo, Gir sometimes seems to be conjuring up '60s pop from girl groups to The Troggs."

Here's a brand-new video of the song "Outta Sight," featuring sock puppets playing a dating gameshow.

More recent praise for 'Geronimo!,' out now on Highline Records:

"Sun-faded retro pop [and] all out go go boots… if Piney Gir's buzzing electric guitars and relentlessly charming vocals were enough to brighten up the UK, we gotta think they'll be enough to make us Americans cheery." – Baeble Music

"Unabashedly catchy." - Hitfix

"Pop gems." – Philadelphia Inquirer

"Piney Gir performs a brand of upbeat indie-pop sure to delight fans of the Vivian Girls and Best Coast." – Pop Matters

"A bit Shangri-Las, a bit Vivian Girls, and a bit Jenny Lewis." – Blurt Magazine

INDIE POP EXPAT PINEY GIR RETURNS TO STATES TO RAVES FOR 'GERONIMO!,' TAPES NPR & DAYTROTTER, PLAYS CMJ

Piney Gir came back to her native US from her home in the UK and has been busy, playing CMJ, taping a Daytrotter session, and taping an interview with NPR Weekend Edition, which will air in November. She's also wrapping up a national tour with three west coast dates:

November 1st - The Bootleg, LA

November 2nd - The Make Out Room, San Francisco, with Red Pony Clock

November 3^rd - LA's Original Farmer's Market, LA

Baeble Music recently praised 'Geronimo's' "sun-faded retro pop [and] all out go go boots affair," continuing, "After all, if Piney Gir's buzzing electric guitars and relentlessly charming vocals were enough to brighten up the UK, we gotta think they'll be enough to make us Americans cheery."

Here's a bit of what we've read in response to her album 'Geronimo!,' out last week in the States on Highline Records.

"Pop gems." – Philadelphia Inquirer

"Her album sounds a bit Shangri-Las, a bit Vivian Girls, and a bit Jenny Lewis." – Blurt Magazine

"Sounds like Rilo Kiley." – Spinner

"I like this." - DA Wallach (Spotify), DA's Wild Ride Tumblr

UK reviews:

"Sweet 60's pop from Kansas Chameleon" – UNCUT, ****

"Undeniably charming" - The Sun

"A delight" - The Guardian

NYC INDIE ROCKERS SWEET SOUBRETTE TOURING BEHIND ANAIS NIN-INSPIRED 'WHAT’S MY DESIRE?' EP RELEASE

Sweet Soubrette, a "sensational" (Philadelphia Inquirer) and "enchanting" (Metro NY) ukulele-powered indie rock band based in NYC, will be touring the Northeast U.S. in support of their latest release, “What’s My Desire?” a 4-song EP that previews the third album now underway.  The EP's dark and passionate title track was inspired by the book Henry and June by Anaïs Nin, a work based on Nin's diaries when she was romantically involved with author Henry Miller and becoming a serious writer herself. Love, art and ambition collide in this powerful song.

Check out new, fan-shot footage of Sweet Soubrette singing the title track of the EP at NYC's Cake Shop in July:

Check out the disco-pop of "Be My Man," from the same July show:

Sweet Soubrette features the songwriting, vocals, and ukulele of Ellia Bisker, whose dark, edgy love songs have been honored with three ASCAPlus awards.  Sweet Soubrette has appeared in variety shows and cabarets, at rock clubs and on singer-songwriter stages, in cultural festivals and comedy shows, circus shows and art galleries, puppet shows and performance art installations, and has toured in Italy and France.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has called Sweet Soubrette's music "dark vaudeville-pop." Time Out New York dubbed it "at once sweet and sassy, celebrating reckless behavior with a charmed wink." The Deli Magazine has praised Sweet Soubrette's "rock star command and intelligently crafted music."

SWEET SOUBRETTE 'WHAT'S MY DESIRE?' TOUR

08/14/2012, The Living Room, NYC

08/15/2012, Hudson Water Music festival, Hudson, NY

08/16/2012, Lilypad, Cambridge,

08/17/2012, Nick's, Worcester, MA

08/18/2012, Dreamaway Lodge, Becket, MA

"BROOKLYN'S FISHNET-CLAD FEMME FATALE" (BUST MAGAZINE) SWEET SOUBRETTE TO STRUT AT CAKE SHOP JULY 23

UKULELE-STRUMMING BROOKLYN INDIE POP ARTIST PLANS AUGUST 14 RELEASE OF 'WHAT'S MY DESIRE?' EP

Sweet Soubrette – the inventive, Brooklyn-based, ukulele-strumming, indie pop performer – will perform July 23 at Cake Shop with her 6-piece backing band, previewing the August 14 EP 'What's My Desire?'

The EP's dark and passionate title track was inspired by the book Henry and June by Anaïs Nin, a work based on Nin's diaries when she was becoming a serious writer and romantically involved with author Henry Miller. Love, art and ambition collide in this powerful song.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has called Sweet Soubrette's music "sensational... dark vaudeville-pop." Time Out New York dubbed her "at once sweet and sassy, celebrating reckless behavior with a charmed wink." The Deli Magazine has praised her "rock star command and intelligently crafted music."

The show also previews a northeast August tour.

WHO: Sweet Soubrette

WHAT: Preview show for 'What's My Desire?'

WHEN: July 23, 2012, 9pm

WHERE: Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street, NYC, (212) 253-0036

TICKETS: TBA

For more information on Sweet Soubrette, please contact Nick Loss-Eaton at nick.losseaton@gmail.com or 718.541.1130.

ON WAVE OF ACCLAIM FROM NY TIMES, USA TODAY, & ROLLING STONE, KEVIN GORDON PERFORMS AT OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD MARCH 29

Kevin Gordon, the southern rock and roller and poet who is the subject of a recent NY Times feature, will perform at Otto's Shrunken Head on March 29. He also earned four stars (out of four) in USA Today and three and a half stars in Rolling Stone, which said, "The smarts on 'Gloryland' never undercut the roots-rock rush. Dude's a juke-joint professor emeritus."

In the Times piece, Lucinda Williams said, "He’s writing songs that are like short stories, and I really like the kind of swampy, bluesy sound."

Meanwhile, Gordon also earned a rave from Oxford American, which said, "'Gloryland' should enhance his already sizable reputation as a poet-songwriter and an impassioned performer."

Philadelphia Inquirer called 'Gloryland' "unforgettable"; Blurt labeled it "astonishing"; and American Songwriter spoke of is as "vivid." No Depression said, "If you love Americana and you're only going to buy one album this year this is the one to buy."

Further out, on April 20, Gordon will open for John Prine at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ.

Check out video of Gordon live in NYC in January:

Here's a segment from NPR Here & Now on Gordon.

WHO: Southern rock & roll songwriter Kevin Gordon

WHAT: New York show

WHERE: Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th St., (212) 228-2240

WHEN: 10:30pm, March 29, 2012

TICKETS: Suggested donation $5