Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
“FOLK-ROCK AWESOMENESS” (POP MATTERS) LELAND SUNDRIES WRAPS TOUR WITH MERCURY LOUNGE HEADLINING SHOW, IMPOSE MAG “AWESOME” VIDEO PREMIERE, GREEN RIVER FEST SET
Following the release of its
debut full-length ‘music for outcasts’ (L’Echiquier / Décor / Weiner)
and the wrapping up of a national tour that saw the band play everything
from a DIY July 4 party in a parking garage to a record store, a church
to an outdoor bar stage, Leland Sundries has premiered its new video
for “Studebaker” at Impose Mag.
The band will perform tomorrow
at Green River Festival in western Massachusetts, the same day as Dawes,
Shovels & Rope, and Shakey Graves. Mercury Lounge will host a
headlining show on Monday on a bill with Ron Gallo.
Pop Matters is streaming the entire album, comparing it to Pavement and calling it “folk-rock awesomeness… memorable."
Spotlights have also run in
American Songwriter, Paste, Flavorpill, Pure Volume, UNCUT, MOJO, and
spins at WFUV, KCRW, and KEXP. In a Q&A, CMJ praised its “fine
character building.”
Cincinnati.com called Leland Sundries “folk rock from a weird, loose-limbed, garage-rock point of view.”
The Memphis Commercial Appeal
called ‘music for outcasts’ “literate, tuneful character sketches, songs
rooted not just in his own hard-living lifestyle but also in the people
he met on the road... establishing the band as worthy successors to
such durable acts as Son Volt, Clem Snide and Deer Tick.”
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
“MORE THAN CONVINCING” (NY TIMES) MAJOR NEW SOUL VOICE ROBERT FINLEY MAKES RECORDED DEBUT AT 62 ON FAT POSSUM IMPRINT BIG LEGAL MESS
FORMER US ARMY SERVICEMAN & LOUISIANA CARPENTER TURNS TO MUSIC
CAREER, MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION AS HE FACES TROUBLES WITH HIS
VISION
September 30 will see the emergence of a major new soul music voice with Robert Finley’s debut album ‘Age Don’t Mean a Thing’ on Big Legal Mess Records, a Fat Possum imprint. Already, the New York Times has called the 62 year old north Louisianan singer “more than convincing… venerable but vigorous.” NPR Music reviewed a performance of the Music Maker Blues Revue featuring Finley, calling it “exciting… amazing… great stuff.” He has performed at NYC’s prestigious GlobalFest and at the King Biscuit Festival. He is set to follow that with an appearance at LA’s Skirball Center on August 18.
Produced by Bruce Watson and Jimbo Mathus, the album traverses the classic Booker T & The MGs-esque Memphis groove of “I Just Want To Tell You,” the tough soul-blues of the title track, “Snake In My Grass,” and “Is It Possible To Love 2 People,” the romantic deep soul of “Make It With You,” danceable funk on “You Make Me Want To Dance,” the tremolo- and organ-soaked heartache of “It’s Too Late.” Finley proves himself a powerful songwriter, penning seven of the album’s nine tracks himself.
Facing vision troubles after careers in the US Army and as a civilian carpenter, Finley has decided to pursue music full-time with the assistance of the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
Finley traveled north to Memphis to work with members of the Bo-Keys. Players include a who’s who of the Memphis soul scene including drummer Howard Grimes (Al Green, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, OV Wright), Marc Franklin (Bobby “Blue” Bland), Jimbo Mathus (Elvis Costello), Al Gamble (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, the Hold Steady, Alex Chilton), Kirk Smothers (Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Guy), Reba Russell (U2, BB King), Harold Thomas (James Carr), Daunielle Hill (Solomon Burke).
September 30 will see the emergence of a major new soul music voice with Robert Finley’s debut album ‘Age Don’t Mean a Thing’ on Big Legal Mess Records, a Fat Possum imprint. Already, the New York Times has called the 62 year old north Louisianan singer “more than convincing… venerable but vigorous.” NPR Music reviewed a performance of the Music Maker Blues Revue featuring Finley, calling it “exciting… amazing… great stuff.” He has performed at NYC’s prestigious GlobalFest and at the King Biscuit Festival. He is set to follow that with an appearance at LA’s Skirball Center on August 18.
Produced by Bruce Watson and Jimbo Mathus, the album traverses the classic Booker T & The MGs-esque Memphis groove of “I Just Want To Tell You,” the tough soul-blues of the title track, “Snake In My Grass,” and “Is It Possible To Love 2 People,” the romantic deep soul of “Make It With You,” danceable funk on “You Make Me Want To Dance,” the tremolo- and organ-soaked heartache of “It’s Too Late.” Finley proves himself a powerful songwriter, penning seven of the album’s nine tracks himself.
Facing vision troubles after careers in the US Army and as a civilian carpenter, Finley has decided to pursue music full-time with the assistance of the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
Finley traveled north to Memphis to work with members of the Bo-Keys. Players include a who’s who of the Memphis soul scene including drummer Howard Grimes (Al Green, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, OV Wright), Marc Franklin (Bobby “Blue” Bland), Jimbo Mathus (Elvis Costello), Al Gamble (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, the Hold Steady, Alex Chilton), Kirk Smothers (Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Guy), Reba Russell (U2, BB King), Harold Thomas (James Carr), Daunielle Hill (Solomon Burke).
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Leland Sundries photos by Emory Parker
Credit: Emory Parker
Credit: Emory Parker
Credit: Emory Parker
Thursday, June 9, 2016
MINI-DOC ON PETUNIA & THE VIPERS TRACES HIS PATH FROM HITCHHIKING BUSKER TO HOT SHOT BANDLEADER
NEW ALBUM ‘DEAD BIRD ON THE HIGHWAY’ EARNING ACCLAIM
Today, a new mini-documentary was released about Petunia, bandleader of Petunia & The Vipers, which touches on his yodeling, hearing early western music as a young punk music fan, performing on street corners and in subways to get his start, Jean Cocteau and the mystique of traveling, the effects of being adopted, the sacrifices touring musicians make, and his real name:
Here’s what we’re reading about new album ‘Dead Bird on the Highway’:
"Different than anything you've ever heard... not exactly something you come across every day."
– Christina Vinson, The Boot, May 10, 2016
"Strikingly original... timeless… avant-country.”
- Sarah Murphy, Exclaim, May 13, 2016
“Infectious and invigorating… some of the best goddamn yodeling you're ever going to hear.”
- Ryan J. Prado, Portland Mercury, May 19, 2016
"While listening to Petunia and the Vipers, it's easy to pick out a variety of influences- country, some twang, western swing, and the likes. But there's also more with a hint of rock and a dash of jazz. Is this starting to sound like a recipe of sorts? Sure... if David Lynch was the guy serving it all up." – Elmore, May 12, 2016
“Wonderfully weird.”
- Rob Cullivan, Portland Tribune, May 18, 2016
“Enigmatic… a star-studded who's who of the West Coast's roots scene… Petunia — a natty-suited gentleman with floppy hair — croons, yelps and yodels as the room starts spinning around, and things take a strange turn. His words start to burble into each other in a polyrhythmic, polysyllabic flood that upsets the straight-up flaming roots boogie of the backing band. The lyrics take off down some dark and twisted lane where no love song should ever go. Suddenly you've got a wilting begonia in your hair, and you're enmeshed in a song that sounds like Marty Robbins lost a fight with a Bossa Nova. And now what the — is that a kazoo stealing the solo spot from the pedal steel?”
- Orange County Weekly, May 25, 2016
“A dynamic whoop and holler that can drop from a boisterous crescendo to mousy whisper at a moment’s notice…. Fusing early country stylings with gypsy jazz, rockabilly, and surf. At the helm of this movement are Canadian firebrands Petunia and the Vipers… strange charisma.” Feature
- Tyrell Trimble, Daily Messenger (OR), May 25, 2016
Today, a new mini-documentary was released about Petunia, bandleader of Petunia & The Vipers, which touches on his yodeling, hearing early western music as a young punk music fan, performing on street corners and in subways to get his start, Jean Cocteau and the mystique of traveling, the effects of being adopted, the sacrifices touring musicians make, and his real name:
Here’s what we’re reading about new album ‘Dead Bird on the Highway’:
"Different than anything you've ever heard... not exactly something you come across every day."
– Christina Vinson, The Boot, May 10, 2016
"Strikingly original... timeless… avant-country.”
- Sarah Murphy, Exclaim, May 13, 2016
“Infectious and invigorating… some of the best goddamn yodeling you're ever going to hear.”
- Ryan J. Prado, Portland Mercury, May 19, 2016
"While listening to Petunia and the Vipers, it's easy to pick out a variety of influences- country, some twang, western swing, and the likes. But there's also more with a hint of rock and a dash of jazz. Is this starting to sound like a recipe of sorts? Sure... if David Lynch was the guy serving it all up." – Elmore, May 12, 2016
“Wonderfully weird.”
- Rob Cullivan, Portland Tribune, May 18, 2016
“Enigmatic… a star-studded who's who of the West Coast's roots scene… Petunia — a natty-suited gentleman with floppy hair — croons, yelps and yodels as the room starts spinning around, and things take a strange turn. His words start to burble into each other in a polyrhythmic, polysyllabic flood that upsets the straight-up flaming roots boogie of the backing band. The lyrics take off down some dark and twisted lane where no love song should ever go. Suddenly you've got a wilting begonia in your hair, and you're enmeshed in a song that sounds like Marty Robbins lost a fight with a Bossa Nova. And now what the — is that a kazoo stealing the solo spot from the pedal steel?”
- Orange County Weekly, May 25, 2016
“A dynamic whoop and holler that can drop from a boisterous crescendo to mousy whisper at a moment’s notice…. Fusing early country stylings with gypsy jazz, rockabilly, and surf. At the helm of this movement are Canadian firebrands Petunia and the Vipers… strange charisma.” Feature
- Tyrell Trimble, Daily Messenger (OR), May 25, 2016
Robert Finley artwork
Click for high res. Please use credit as worded.
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