“ENTIRELY INTRIGUING” (AV CLUB) UK INDIE SINGER MARY EPWORTH EARNING RAVES AFTER PACKED NATIONAL TOUR FOR ‘DREAM LIFE’ (HIGHLINE RECORDS)

After raves from UK outlets like Q, MOJO, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Diva, Mary Epworth’s indie-psych-folk-pop masterpiece ‘Dream Life’ has crossed the pond to the US. Epworth most recently performed on a 36-date nationwide tour with Welcome To Night Vale which saw many nights sold out. ‘Dream Life,’ previously released in the UK, was out last week on Highline Records in the US. She performs Friday in LA at Hotel Café before returning to her native UK. Here’s what we’re reading:

"Her blend of baroque pop and West Coast folky psychedelia is appealing." - Brooklyn Vegan

"A blend of Chelsea Wolfe and Mirah, Epworth puts out evocative and dreamy tunes inspired by nature and imbued with fuzzy guitar and plaintive synths. It's a little bit folk, a little bit rock, and a little bit psych, all forming together into a mix of sounds that's entirely intriguing... Fans of acts like Cat Power and Lana Del Rey should find something to enjoy for sure” – AV Club

“Soaring, expansive folk music connected by an underlying thread of keys and synths.” - Village Voice

“On her debut LP, ‘Dream Life,’ Epworth pairs the Dusty Springfield template of vintage American soul-pop made cloudly and wounded like a misty, British Sunday afternoon with some hefty riffs, traces of unexpected kraut-drone, some ’80s Kate Bush sweep and wheat field country melodies… really cool, fairly dark sonic choices.” – CMJ

“Atmospheric pysch-pop… [Epworth’s voice is] a potent blend of sweetness and power.” – Wall Street Journal

"Effervescent" - Chicagoist

“This folk sound is but one of many detours taken by ‘Dream Life,’ which also incorporates psychedelic and kosmische influences.” – Pop Matters

“Brace yourself before you listen.” – Surviving The Golden Age blog

The Stone Foxes press clips

Audiotree session (November 19, 2015):





Relix video session (January 30, 2015)


Pancakes & Whiskey track premiere (Jan 2, 2015)

Last.FM track premiere (November 7, 2014)

Jambase track premiere (September 17, 2014)

NPR “NEXT” BAND KINGSLEY FLOOD RELEASES NEW EP, 'INSPIRED' (PASTE) ELLIE GOULDING COVER, THIS WEEK

NPR “NEXT” BAND KINGSLEY FLOOD RELEASES NEW EP, 'INSPIRED' (PASTE) ELLIE GOULDING COVER, THIS WEEK

KF SET TO PLAY NYC AND BOSTON IN JANUARY

Kingsley Flood’s ‘To The Fire’ EP is out this week and signals the kickoff of “the year of the Flood” (Boston Herald). Produced by Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Speedy Ortiz, The Pixies), the EP is only the first of three planned recordings for 2015. NPR World Café named the indie rock act one of its “Next” artists last month: http://www.npr.org/blogs/world-cafe/2014/12/22/371919093/world-cafe-next-kingsley-flood

Kingsley Flood played sold out shows in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, PA last weekend and has its song “Waiting on the River To Rise” featured in a new History Channel national ad campaign.

Check out an embeddable version of the band’s “inspired” (Paste Magazine) cover of Ellie Goulding’s “Anything Could Happen” here.

Kingsley Flood will perform at Mercury Lounge in NYC this Friday and at the Sinclair in Cambridge, MA on January 30.

“[‘Set Me Off’ is] an up-tempo jam with a propulsive beat and a punk-rock attitude.” – Wall Street Journal

“Poised to take on 2015 with some serious momentum.” –Pop Matters

“Back at full energy.” – Washington City Paper

“Raucous folk-rock wrapped in a swanky indie shell, stadium rock for the small-room set, the return of one of America’s next great bands.” – Chunky Glasses

"You gotta see these guys live" - Boston Globe

"One of the greatest live acts going." - Boston Herald

"The lively rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Set Me Off’ is a powerful opening salvo" – The Swollen Fox

“The group succeeds in spinning influences of folk, punk, Americana and rock music into catchy, thoughtful songs you can both dance to and sing along with.” – Glide

Upcoming Tour Dates:

January 16: Mercury Lounge, New York, NY, tickets
January 17: Stone Church, Newmarket, NH, tickets
January 30: The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA, tickets
To The Fire Track List
1.     Set Me Off
2.     All In All
3.     Thick Of It
4.     Anything Could Happen
5.     Cavalry

Signature Sounds 20th anniversary press clips

Boston Globe feature (November 26, 2014)

Valley Advocate (MA) (November 29, 2014)

Wall Street Journal track preview (Feb 24, 2015)

The Wild Honey Pie Winterpills track premiere (Feb 17, 2015)

Rolling Stone festival premiere (April 24, 2015)

Billboard album stream (February 27, 2015)

LEYLA MCCALLA ANNOUNCES NORTHEAST TOUR, ETOWN TAPING AS PRE-RELEASE UK, US PLAUDITS ADD UP

"UNFORGETTABLE… TRIUMPH" (THE SUNDAY TIMES, UK) 'VARI-COLORED SONGS: A TRIBUTE TO LANGSTON HUGHES' OUT FEB 4 ON MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION

Leyla McCalla – whose solo tribute to Langston Hughes comes out February 4, three days after his birthday – will tour the northeast United States in January and February. The announcement, which includes three stops in NYC, the first during APAP, comes on the heels of incredible reviews in the UK and US and an opening slot for Mavis Staples. In February, she will tape syndicated national radio show eTown, located in Boulder, CO.

The Sunday Times called it an "unforgettable… triumph."

The UK's R2 gave it four stars, calling it "a labour of love, beautifully consummated."

UNCUT gave it an 8/10, heralding its "magic."

New Orleans' Offbeat Magazine tabbed it "ambitious, deep and gorgeous."

The Wall Street Journal premiered a track as well.

Leyla McCalla Northeast 2014 Tour Dates:

January 10 – New York, NY – City Winery
February 4 – Durham, NC – The Pinhook
February 5 – Washington, D.C. – The Hamilton
February 7 – Bayport, NY – Grey Horse Tavern
February 8 – Philadelphia, PA – Tin Angel
February 9 – Lewiston, ME - Bates College
February 11 – Brooklyn, NY – BRIC House
February 13 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3
February 14 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
February 15 – New Haven, CT – Café Nine
February 17 – Providence, RI – Fete Lounge
February 19 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse
February 20 – Brownfield, MA – Stone Mountain Arts Center
February 25 – Boulder, CO – eTown
July 11 – Courtenay, BC – Vancouver Island MusicFest

LANGSTON HUGHES CELEBRATED IN NEW ALBUM BY CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROP LEYLA MCCALLA

'VARI-COLORED SONGS: A TRIBUTE TO LANGSTON HUGHES' OUT FEB 4 – THREE DAYS AFTER HUGHES' BIRTHDAY

WALL STREET JOURNAL PREMIERS FIRST TRACK

Carolina Chocolate Drop and cellist Leyla McCalla pays tribute to Langston Hughes on what would have been his birthday with 'Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute To Langston Hughes,' out February 4 on Music Maker Relief Foundation. (Hughes was born February 1, 1902.) "I grew up with Langston Hughes' poetry and he inspired me to become an artist," recalls McCalla, continuing, "I wanted to honor his life and his legacy and my own creativity through him with 'Vari-Colored Songs.'"

She adapted his poetry to her original music. She says of the process, "His poetry is so musical, so rhythmic. They're blues poems. I wrote what I felt without having to fit the music into jazz or blues constructs."

The Wall Street Journal premiered a track from the project, the jubilant "Mesi Bondye," last week.

"Langston's poetry encapsulates things that they don't teach in school about black history. He writes about the human experience so elegantly," she says reverently.

NPR World Cafe, USA Today Tout Declan O'Rourke As Travel + Leisure Premieres Lush Music Video

NPR WORLD CAFÉ NEXT FEATURES DECLAN O'ROURKE AS ACCLAIM MOUNTS FROM USA TODAY & SPIN

TRAVEL + LEISURE PREMIERES NEW MUSIC VIDEO "TIME MACHINE" FILMED IN RURAL IRELAND

Declan O'Rourke – who made his US debut with the stunning new album 'Mag Pai Zai' (Rimecoat / Missing Piece) – was last week's featured Next artist on NPR World Café.

World Café host David Dye says, "It is definitely time for this music to cross the ocean... O'Rourke has a penchant for writing about love and history with equal amounts of ease and gravity."

Today, Travel + Leisure premiered the new video for "Time Machine," gorgeously filmed in rural Ireland and featuring O'Rourke's nephews as stand-ins for his younger self. In the piece, he talks about how a priest gifted him his first guitar in Melbourne, Australia.

Other acclaim has come in from a variety of critics, including USA Today, in which he was featured on a Playlist alongside major stars like Neko Case, Nine Inch Nails, Lorde, Drake, Lupe Fiasco, and Nirvana.

Acclaim for 'Mag Pai Zai'

"Compassion, romance, a sense of mortality, and a sense of history run through the songs of Declan O'Rourke… his calling is as a balladeer, proffering reassurance in the face of inevitable sorrow." – Jon Pareles, NY Times

"Declan O'Rourke is long overdue for a stateside breakthrough." – Luke McCormick, SPIN

"The Irish balladeer's storytelling skills shine." – Edna Gundersen, USA Today,

"Warm, enveloping voice." – Eric Danton, Wall Street Journal

"Classic crooing sound." – Nate Storey, Travel + Leisure

"Greatness... A listen to a song like 'Time Machine,' 'Caterpillar DNA' or 'Langley's Requiem' is to feel a biting wind blow right through you, and have you reaching for the first warmth available. Heaviness has never had a better home."– Bill Bentley, Morton Report

"Be warned: O’Rourke isn’t just another balladeer with an acoustic guitar. His voice, lyrics and arrangements have distinct impact." – Chuck Campbell, Knoxville News-Sentinel

AS SPIN, NY TIMES WEIGH IN, DECLAN O'ROURKE'S US DEBUT 'MAG PAI ZAI' OUT DIGITALLY THIS WEEK, ON PHYSICAL CD OCTOBER 8

O'ROURKE PLAYS NYC'S CUTTING ROOM TONIGHT

Declan O'Rourke – the songwriter who has had three top albums in Ireland – is about to make his US debut with 'Mag Pai Zai.' He has opened for Bob Dylan, Snow Patrol, and John Prine and shared the stage with Bono. 'Mag Pai Zai' earned him comparisons to Glen Hansard, Sondre Lerche, Ron Sexsmith, and Rufus Wainwright. 'Mag Pai Zai,' out this week in digital download and out October 8 in brick and mortar stores, has brought O'Rourke acclaim from several outlets and a certain influential rocker:

"Compassion, romance, a sense of mortality, and a sense of history run through the songs of Declan O'Rourke… his calling is as a balladeer, proffering reassurance in the face of inevitable sorrow." – NY Times

"Declan O'Rourke is long overdue for a stateside breakthrough." – SPIN

"Warm, enveloping voice." – Wall Street Journal

"He writes the sort of classic songs that people don’t write anymore, songs that sound like they’ve been around forever." – Paul Weller

Hear 'Mag Pai Zai' in its entirety at American Songwriter.

"WARM, ENVELOPING VOICE" (WSJ) OF "BALLADEER" (NY TIMES) DECLAN O'ROURKE COMING TO CUTTING ROOM SEPT 25 FOR 'MAG PAI ZAI' (RIMECOAT / MISSING PIECE RECORDS) US ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT

RETURN PERFORMANCE AFTER SEVEN SOLD OUT NIGHTS IN SPRING

Irish top ten vocalist Declan O'Rourke will perform an album release show for 'Mag Pai Zai' at the Cutting Room in NYC on September 25. The enchanting melodist's album will be released via digital download September 24 and nationally distributed on CD October 8. Paul Weller has said of O'Rourke, "He writes the sort of classic songs that people don't write anymore, songs that sound like they've been around forever." Last week, the Wall Street Journal premiered the first song from 'Mag Pai Zai.'

Earlier this year, Jon Pareles reviewed O'Rourke's set for the New York Times as part of the seven nights of sold out shows at the Irish Arts Center in April: http://nyti.ms/10DGE7G

O'Rourke has opened for Bob Dylan and performed alongside Bono.

"Be Brave And Believe" music video.

WHO: Irish Top 10 artist Declan O'Rourke

WHAT: NYC album release show for 'Mag Pai Zai'

WHEN: 8pm, Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WHERE: The Cutting Room, 44 E 32^nd St
TICKETS: $20 in advance via Ticket Fly, $25 day of show at the door

US RELEASE SET FOR ARTIST DECLAN O'ROURKE'S IRISH TOP TEN ALBUM 'MAG PAI ZAI' ON RIMECOAT / MISSING PIECE RECORDS

NY TIMES: "HIS CALLING IS AS A BALLADEER"

PAUL WELLER ON O'ROURKE: "HE WRITES THE SORT OF CLASSIC SONGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T WRITE ANYMORE, SONGS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOREVER."

WSJ PREMIERES 1ST SONG

Declan O'Rourke's 'Mag Pai Zai,' which rocketed to number six on the Albums Top 100 chart in Ireland, will be released in the US on Rimecoat / Missing Piece Records. Recalling the masterful melodic and vocal gifts of Rufus Wainwright, Harry Nilsson, and Van Morrison, the album will be released via digital download September 24 and distributed on CD October 8.

For the New York Times, Jon Pareles wrote, "Compassion, romance, a sense of mortality and a sense of history run through the songs of Declan O’Rourke... The gravity of unaccompanied traditional Irish ballads — the deliberation in their melodies, their calmly sustained phrases, their fatalistic undertone — informs his songs, whether they’re about faithful love or reckoning with elemental forces."

The Wall Street Journal premiered the first track from 'Mag Pai Zai' today. Eric Danton praises O'Rourke's "warm, enveloping voice."

O'Rourke's song "Galileo (Someone Like You)" was recorded by Josh Groban on his album 'Illuminations,' which charted at number four on the Billboard 200 in the US. Growing up between Australia and Dublin, Ireland, O'Rourke has opened for Snow Patrol, Badly Drawn Boy, John Prine, and Weller. He has also performed on BBC2 and BBC4.

-->Interviewed in Hot Press, Brendan Graham, who penned the worldwide smash hit 'You Raise Me Up'said, "To me, Declan is not a songwriter within the ordinary definition of the word. He is a sorcerer of songs, with a Dickensian skill for finding the moment that details some aspect of our humanity."

All Music Guide called 'Mag Pai Zai' "captivating."

US tour dates are in the works, including an NYC show.

'Mag Pai Zai' Track Listing

1.    Time Machine
2.    Slieve Bloom
3.    Be Brave & Believe
4.    Dancing Song
5.    Caterpiller DNA
6.    Lightning Bird Wind River Man
7.    Langley's Requiem
8.    A Little Something
9.    The Hardest Fight
10.    Orphan Wind Song
11.    Galileo (live, bonus track)
12.    Marrying the Sea (live, bonus track)

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN ADDS ADDITIONAL TOUR DATES AS AV CLUB PREMIERES NEW MUSIC VIDEO, WALL STREET JOURNAL POSTS FEATURE

Since Camper Van Beethoven played the Brooklyn Vegan party at SXSW, the band continues to gain attention for its new album 'La Costa Perdida' (429 Records) and its thirtieth anniversary.

The Wall Street Journal ran a Q&A with David Lowery this week in he talks about the band's "strange song structure"; "the secret weapon of Camper"; and writing as a team.

The AV Club premiered a new music video for "Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out," during the filming of which the band crashed a rental car.

Camper has also added additional spring tour dates:

May 9—The Firebird—St. Louis, Missouri

May 10—The Cubby Bear—Chicago, Illinois

May 11—Majestic Theatre—Madison, Wisconsin

May 12—The Intersection—Grand Rapids, Michigan

May 16—State Theatre—Falls Church, Virginia

May 18 –Hatch Memorial Shell – Boston, Massachusetts

June 14—The Bluebird Theatre—Denver, Colorado

June 19—Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk—Santa Cruz, California

JOHN MURRY'S 'THE GRACELESS AGE' OUT TODAY ON EVANGELINE RECORDING CO.

NPR HERE & NOW SEGMENT, WALL STREET JOURNAL FEATURE RUN ON "MASTERFUL" (DAYTROTTER) & FASCINATING FAULKNER-RELATED ARTIST

NPR: "ONE OF THE BREAKOUT STARS OF THIS YEAR'S SXSW FESTIVAL"

John Murry – the Mississippi-born, UK breakout artist – will see his debut album 'The Graceless Age' released today on Evangeline Recording Co. to across-the-board raves. A fascinating, two-part conversation with NPR's Robin Young aired on Here & Now yesterday as the pair discussed his Mississippi roots, connections to southern literature, working with co-producer Tim Mooney (Sun Kil Moon, American Music Club), Murry's heroin overdose in his adopted hometown of San Francisco, and the role honesty played in both the album and in his recovery from addiction.

Full album stream:

More US raves for John Murry's 'The Graceless Age':

"Alluring, emotional, and infectious."

– NPR World Café, February 22, 2013

"Great songs."

– Andy Langer, Esquire, March 9, 2013

"Arresting."

– John Jurgensen, Wall Street Journal, March 29, 2013

"The real deal."

- Robin Young, NPR Here & Now, April 2, 2013

"With an arresting sense of honesty and human insight, Murry is man that you should certainly get to know."

– Hillary Weston, Black Book, March 13, 2013

"The guy's got gravitas [with] widescreen imagery and a soulful moan."

- Jim Allen, MTV Hive, February 5, 2013

"Masterful."

– Sean Moeller, Daytrotter, April 1, 2013

"There are standouts everwhere [from this] artist of major stature."

– 4.5 stars out of 5, Jim Beviglia, American Songwriter, March 1, 2013

"Masterful."

– Dorit Finkel, Baeble Music, January 23, 2013

"Raw, powerful lyrics and Springsteen-like cinematic sweep."

- Michael Mayer, San Jose Mercury News, March 22, 2013

"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.

'LOWE COUNTRY: THE SONGS OF NICK LOWE' HAILED AMONG "ROOTS-AND-BOOTS" (WALL STREET JOURNAL) SET

LOWE HAILS CAITLIN ROSE & BEGINS NATIONAL TOUR

Upon the September 18 release of 'Lowe Country: The Songs of Nick Lowe' (Fiesta Red Records) press and radio are hailing the album for its "beautiful reinterpretations of Lowe songs" (Oxford American). The album features Lowe tunes recorded by 13 up-and-coming country-ish artists, including Hayes Carll, Amanda Shires, Robert Ellis and Caitlin Rose, whom Lowe himself referred to as a "great" artist in this week's Nashville Scene.

The release, a portion of whose proceeds benefits victims of the Nashville floods and Central Texas wildfires, comes just as Lowe, the master songwriter/singer, embarks on a North American tour: http://nicklowe.com/tourdates.php

Under the headline "What's So Funny 'Bout Country," Marc Myers wrote a feature for the Wall Street Journal. Caitlin Rose tells Myers, "Nick's songs are serious and self-effacing but they don't take themselves too seriously—which makes them endearing."

Esquire.com included Robert Ellis' "All Men Are Liars" in its "10 Songs a Man Should Be Listening to This Week."

'Lowe Country' has also been added by Acoustic Café.

Others are praising the collection as well:

"A handsome, enjoyable listen."
- All Music Guide

"There is plenty to enjoy."
- Hal Horowitz, American Songwriter

"An honorable effort that will serve as an introduction to a great figure."
- Edd Hurt, Nashville Scene

"From witty lyrics to catchy melodies and superior songwriting, maybe Lowe’s music was made to get the country treatment."
- WERS-FM (Boston, MA)

In addition, Robert Ellis, Colin Gilmore, Amanda Shires, and Caitlin Rose performed live on SIRIUS XM from Nashville, TN last week. Check out photos from the session and backstage.

THE BO-KEYS AND ATLANTIC RECORDS SOUL MAN PERCY WIGGINS COLLABORATE ON DOUBLE SHOT OF MEMPHIS SOUL FOR "WRITING ON THE WALL" 7" AND DIGITAL SINGLE AUGUST 7

NEW YORKERS: THE BO-KEYS TO HEADLINE HUDSON RIVER PARK BLUES BBQ FESTIVAL AUGUST 25

“Masters of the Memphis sound” (NPR) the Bo-Keys will perform in Hudson River Park on August 25, following a wave of acclaim for last year's 'Got To Get Back!' (Electraphonic Recordings), joined by vocalist and Atlantic Records singer Percy Wiggins. "Writing on the Wall" is a hard-hitting minor key R&B, reminiscent of Bobby "Blue" Bland. For more information, please go to: http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/events/blues-bbq

Photos.

Last year's 'Got To Get Back!' appeared on Associated Press' list of top albums of 2011, alongside albums by Adele, Beyonce, Jay-Z & Kanye West, The Roots, The Black Keys, and others. Meanwhile, the band has earned two Blues Music Award nominations, for Band of the Year and for Best Soul Blues Album of the Year.

Percy Wiggins cut classic soul sides in the 60s for ATCO and RCA with a Nashville studio band including Billy Cox and Larry Lee who later went on to become members of Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypies.

Of The Bo-Keys, The Wall Street Journal said, “Funky[,] authentic groove… If the Bo-Keys sound like Memphis in the 1960s and early '70s, it's probably because most of the band's musicians were recording back then for the city's top labels.”

The Associated Press said, “Strong… The Bo-Keys present a muscular yet spare sound that captures the grit and grease of classic, horn-driven R&B. Where many revivalists pale compared to the originals, the Bo-Keys would have fit right in next to legendary Memphis musical crews the Bar-Kays and Booker T. & the M.G.'s.”

The LA Times reviewed a recent concert, calling it "a fiery set that unfolded like a classic soul revue."

The Bo-Keys' co-founder Charles "Skip" Pitts passed away May 1 of this year and was remembered in a segment on NBC NightlyNews with Brian Williams.

"MOVING HARMONIES" (WXPN) OF BREAKOUT INDIE-ROOTS BAND SONS OF FATHERS TO MAKE LA DEBUT JAN. 11 AT HOTEL CAFE

Breakout Texas indie-roots band Sons of Fathers – whose incredible natural harmonies have stunned fans – will make their LA debut January 11 at Hotel Café. The band has seen quite a rise from their formation in San Marcos, TX earlier this year to their live radio debut on WXPN and acclaim from national publications like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Legendary instrumentalist Lloyd Maines, who co-produced the self-titled debut album, told the Austin American-Statesman, "(Songwriters David Beck and Paul Cauthen) definitely have their own sound. The result is the Everly Brothers meets Neil Young and Merle Haggard and the Clash."

Here's video of Sons of Fathers playing their eponymous track.

Here's video of Sons of Fathers playing "Weather Balloons."

Sons of Fathers have earned universal acclaim:

"All of the album's songs have the uneasy stillness of an echoing rifle shot… 'Sons of Fathers' features the Austin, Texas, duo singing and playing in a tight, heartfelt vocal style reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash."
– Wall Street Journal

"David Beck and Paul Cauthen harmonize like David Crosby and Graham Nash, only with a touch of Texas twang."
-USA Today

"Their rich vocal harmonies are nothing short of moving."
–WXPN

"Full of their signature melodies and the feel of Texas on the road."
– NPR.org

"Sounds like [the] Avett Brothers."
- AOL Music

"Their harmony-rich, boot-scooty tunes feel so well-worn."
- Austin Chronicle

"Gloriously rich harmonies."
– Austin American-Statesman

"Not to be missed."
– KUT

"Don’t grab a substitute when you can have the real thing… 'Sons of Fathers' does Americana proud."
– American Songwriter

"Such poise and passion."
– Blurt

"Easily the best of its genre in years."
- Gatehouse Media

WHO: Breakout indie-roots band Sons of Fathers
WHAT: LA debut concert
WHEN: 9pm, January 11, 2012
WHERE: Hotel Cafe
TICKETS: TBA, here

THE BO-KEYS EARN RAVES, BEST OF 2011 CONSIDERATION FOR 'GOT TO GET BACK!' (ELECTRAPHONIC RECORDINGS) FOLLOWING LONGEST TOUR TO DATE

Memphis soul music masters The Bo-Keys have earned consideration on best of 2011 lists following their longest tour to date. They previously earned raves from NPR, Tavis Smiley, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and MOJO, capping off an amazing year for the band. In that time, The Bo-Keys have shared remarkable stories from Ben Cauley, trumpet player and only survivor of the crash that killed Otis Redding; guitar master Charles "Skip" Pitts, whose guitar is heard on "Theme From Shaft"; Howard Grimes, who played drums on many of Al Green's greatest sides; and bassist/producer Scott Bomar, who has also done music for major Hollywood films such as "Hustle & Flow" and "Black Snake Moan."

Check out a mini-documentary on the Bo-Keys.

New acclaim for 'Got To Get Back!' (Electraphonic Recordings):

"The real deal."
– WNYC Soundcheck

"A fiery set that unfolded like a classic soul revue."
– LA Times

"In-the-pocket."
– Chicago Sun-Times

"Recommended."
– Chicago Reader

"An album that oozes authenticity."
– Time Out Chicago

"Epic... It was all smiles in the audience"
– Phoenix New Times

"I was very enthused about their performance… For those who dig a deep soul sound with definitive Stax and Memphis roots, this band should be the right choice for you. Their Got To Get Back disc will definitely be in my Top Ten favorites for 2011."
– Blues Revue Online

"One bad ass bunch… No one does it better. [They] balance fire and finesse like they were born to do it… [The music] speaks so strongly straight to the center of the mind and body. And, of course, always the heart. Always."
– Bill Bentley, The Morton Report

"This band is testifying, tight and terrific."
– Elmore Magazine

"The Bo-Keys deliver… [They] really sound like an undiscovered ’60s soul act — and, in a way, they are."
– Pitch

Previous acclaim:

"Masters of the Memphis sound."
- NPR

“The Bo-Keys, a 12-member band, delivers a hard-hitting and authentic take on the city’s original soul sound with their new album ‘Got To Get Back!’”
- Tavis Smiley, The Tavis Smiley Show, PRI

“Funky[,] authentic groove… If the Bo-Keys sound like Memphis in the 1960s and early '70s, it's probably because most of the band's musicians were recording back then for the city's top labels.”
- Wall Street Journal

“[This music] gets me dancing in ways I hope the neighbors don't see... I can’t imagine anyone disliking it.”
- USA Today Online

“Strong… The Bo-Keys present a muscular yet spare sound that captures the grit and grease of classic, horn-driven R&B. Where many revivalists pale compared to the originals, the Bo-Keys would have fit right in next to legendary Memphis musical crews the Bar-Kays and Booker T. & the M.G.'s.”
- Associated Press

“What’s not to like?... It’s done incredibly well, which isn’t surprising when you consider the claibre of founder and bassist Scott Bomar’s excellent band. [It’s] a supergroup of sorts.”
- MOJO

“Gritty, funky Southern soul.”
- The New York Daily News

"NOTHING SHORT OF MOVING" (WXPN) SONS OF FATHERS EARN WALL STREET JOURNAL FEATURE, PRE-DEBUT BUZZ

Sons of Fathers have come out of left field to make a splash among critics and fans alike, earning a feature in the Wall Street Journal. Singer Paul Cauthen discussed learning about music and life from his traveling preacher grandfather and, of course, the catchy harmonies that he shares with singer David Beck

Here's video of Sons of Fathers playing the title track from their debut.

Others have flipped out over the self-titled debut album, out this week, as well:

"All of the album's songs have the uneasy stillness of an echoing rifle shot… 'Sons of Fathers' features the Austin, Texas, duo singing and playing in a tight, heartfelt vocal style reminiscent of the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash." – Marc Myers, Wall Street Journal, October 27, 2011

"Their rich vocal harmonies are nothing short of moving." –Bruce Warren, XPN.org, August 26, 2011

"Full of their signature melodies and the feel of Texas on the road." –NPR.org, August 19, 2011

"A musical tour de force to be reckoned with… Great songwriting, great musicianship, and great collaboration have yielded a great album… Their consonance of harmony and musicianship would convince the most adept listener that the Sons roots run deeper than most artists dare to venture… Sons of Fathers brush with Texas Country as they ring in the epoch of an enhanced national country movement." –JD Duarte, Brooklyn Country.com

"Sounds like: Avett Brothers." –AOL Music, October 31, 2011

"One of the best slabs of country-rock we’ve heard since the Burritos stepped into the Gilded Palace of Sin." – Michael Verity, MP3.com, October 27, 2011

"Incredible natural harmonies." –PopDose.com, August 26, 2011

"A great record… one of the best CDs of the year." - Thomas McAleer, Examiner.com, August 11, 2011

Here's video of Sons of Fathers playing "Weather Balloons."

Video of the band ripping through "Flatland."

Hear music or read the bio.

Sons of Fathers in the Wall Street Journal

Sons of Fathers are featured in the Wall Street Journal today. Marc Myers writes, "'Sons of Fathers' features the Austin, Texas, duo singing and playing in a tight, heartfelt vocal style reminiscent of the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash... All of the album's songs have the uneasy stillness of an echoing rifle shot.