Tag: new release

Categories
Reviews

It would be “Criminal” not to check out indie artist Jerad Finck

Indie rock has a new champion to join the ranks of such artists as Lifehouse and Blue October.  Please give a rousing welcome to Jerad Finck, who is set to release his new EP Criminal this month.
Criminal is an audiophile’s dream, with rich melodies, lyrics to sink your teeth into and an unmistakable vocal track that sets Finck apart from his contemporaries and propels him into the elite of indie musicians.  Every song on this EP is single-worthy and ready for radio exposure.
The title track, scheduled to be the first single, is a good place to start, setting the tempo for what is surely one of the best EPs to be released in 2015.
One thing that comes through loud and clear is Finck’s positivity.  His songs are upbeat, with lyrical content that uplifts the listener and are the perfect remedy to life’s uncertainties.  Even the song titles are uplifting, as Finck brings us to “The Good Life” where you can be “Fire Proof” as long as you “Take me With You.”
One of the first to recognize Finck’s potential is Milk & Honey, an elite management company whose clients have already amassed an impressive array of BMI and ASCAP pop awards, Grammys, Junos, Golden Globes, Arias and Mercurys. while their art and music have impacted the furthest corners of the globe and collectively sold more than 400 million units.   Milk & Honey is based in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles and works closely with the major ad agencies, television networks, film studios, and music supervision houses to place music with visual media.  Milk & Honey is run by Lucas Keller, who founded the firm in 2014 after spending four years with another boutique firm, The Collective.  Finck is also endorsed by Gibson Guitars.
Ciminal is produced by David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Christina Perri), Steven Miller (Pink, Dave Matthews Band, Switchfoot) and Nathan Meckel, and is the perfect follow-up to Finck’s previous self-titled debut from 2011.  That debut gave us the song “Runaway,” which became one of the most successful independent songs of 2011 and truly launched Finck’s career.  As a result of that EP, produced by John Seymour, Spokane-based Finck began performing practically non-stop, opening for and/or touring with Daughtry, Christina Perri, Edwin McCain, DADA, Vertical Horizon, Parachute, One EskimO, Ingrid Michaelson, Matt Hires, Red Wanting Blue, Ron Pope, Cracker, Ingram Hill, Tony Lucca and many others.   According to Finck, “Touring with Sister Hazel, a highly fan-interactive band, helped me develop a deeper, more intimate relationship with my own audiences, both onstage and off..”
Among the highlights of Finck’s tour schedule have been performances at Live In The Vineyard, Hotel Carolina, SXSW, Indie Week Toronto, The Rock Boat XII, and Balcony TV.  Finck has also been featured in more than 50 newspapers and magazines; including CMJ, Skope, American Songwriter, Amplifier and Acoustic Magazine, while he and his band have performed on dozens of morning TV shows on NBC, CBS, ABC & FOX.  Finck’s songs have been featured in films and TV shows on HBO, ESPN, Discovery, CBS & NBC, among others.
At one point in 2011, “Runaway” was the #1 independent song in the country, peaking at #3 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, #42 in Hot AC and #25 on the Hot AC Indicator Chart.  It also inspired popular remixes by Ajax and DJ Lynnwod (that appeared on later editions of Jerad’s Anthony Resta-produced EP Stuck In Your Riddle).  The song was used by the NBA and the NHL as the backdrop to videos created for each league’s finals that celebrated wins by the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Bruins.

For more info on this amazing artist, check out his Facebook page, follow him on Twitter, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Special thanks to Jen Lyneis of Ue3 Promotions for the background material.

Categories
Reviews

Paige Nichols lights up the indie world with “Burn”

“Captive.  Enslaved.  Held hostage by the very thing you desire most… Love. What happens when that passion you can’t live without turns too volatile to endure? What do you do when the object of your affection is the source of your
anguish? How do you stop the incessant cycle and break free from those binds, when even your heart betrays you?”

These words are the inspiration behind Paige Nichols‘ new crowd-funded music video for her unreleased single “Burn,” a dark and haunting twist on the beloved fairy tale “Beauty & the Beast,” which explores the Stockholm-syndrome phenomenon plaguing a woman chained to a love that’s grown too tumultuous to control.

“We knew we needed a unique and striking story to portray this very special song,” said Nichols. “Sometimes fires grow so big they can’t be extinguished. That can also be true in a relationship, which sometimes just has to burn itself out. And, it was our responsibility to give the fans something incredible.”

Nichols is speaking of the countless supporters across the country who contributed to funding the production and release of the video via Kickstarter.
“Burn” was shot at the San Encino Abbey in Los Angeles, a fitting fantasy backdrop for the video, complete with a quaint cathedral and chilling catacombs.

To contrast the stone stronghold with elegant, opulent style, Nichols’ fashion team looked no further than Albright Fashion Library L.A., dressing her in both Dolce & Gabbana and Nina Ricci gowns.

“Something about seeing this gorgeous girl trapped in a dark, dreary dungeon, and belting out this emotional power ballad just gave us chills on set,” said producer Jacob Burch. “We all knew something magical was happening.”

A songstress since before she could speak, this singer/songwriter who blends powerhouse vocal prowess with crowd-captivating music and lyrics has been described as a “…Sara Bareilles-esque songwriter with a sound that
is both soulful and spirited. Think Grace Potter with a healthy dose of Stevie Nicks.”

Nichols is joined on the song by the uber-talented and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jacob Luttrell.  Luttrell brings his ultra-smooth and unmistakable voice and presence to both the single and the video.  Luttrell is currently also featured on Zedd’s latest track, “Done with Love,” and was responsible for several other current Top 40 hits including “I Don’t Like it, I Love It” by Flo Rida featuring Robin Thicke and “Marvin Gaye” by Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor, as well as past hits “Wild Ones” by Flo Rida featuring Sia and “Tonight (I’m Loving You” by Enrique Iglesias.

The video was directed by Jacob Johnston, Visual Development Producer at Marvel Studios.  Johnston wrote and directed his first short film Kadence, which was an official selection at both Indiana’s Mayday Film Festival and California’s Idyllwild Film Fest, where it was nominated for Best Director and Best Featurette.

The video was produced and edited by Jacob Burch, producer of Disney/ABC Domestic Television‘s nationally syndicated entertainment news program “On The Red Carpet,” and debuted on BreathHeavy.com on September 10, 2015.

To find out more about this amazing artist, check out her website and Facebook page, follow her on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to her YouTube channel.

Categories
Reviews

Danny Click returns to “Hold up the Sun”

Long time alt-country superstar Danny Click has returned with a new album, Holding up the Sun, which was released on September 18, 2015.  If you are a fan of blues-driven country rock artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Stevie Ray Vaughan or vintage rock acts like Creedence Clearwater Revival (“CCR”), then Click’s new album is a must.

For many years Click was Austin’s best kept secret, playing in the background and earning the respect of many of alt-country’s biggest superstars.  All that changed in April 2011, when Click released his album Life is a Good Place, which propelled him into the national spotlight and garnered him the recognition he so richly deserved.  The album spent more than 12 months on the charts and spawned two singles, “Wait My Turn,” which reached #1 on Nashville’s Indie World Country Chart, and “I Feel Good Today,” which topped out at #14 on the New Music Weekly national Country chart along side such greats as Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift.

Click’s new album, Holding up the Sun, reinforces the fact that Click is one of the best alt-country artists of this century.

“Broken,” the first track on the disk, pays homage to CCR and sets the tone for the rest of the album.  From the first notes of guitar, to the Bruce Hornsby-like piano to his John Foggerty-esque voice, Click’s first track brings the promise of greatness that infuses this new album with a breath of fresh air that is so needed on alt-country radio today.

The trend continues with the second track, “When You Cry,” which also brings forth those amazing lyrics that Click has become known for, and reminds this reviewer of another legend, Dwight Yokum.

Track three, “Eva Jane,” with its exquisite acoustic guitar background, is a haunting song with a sound similar to Tom Petty’s “Last Dance with Mary Jane.”  It’s wailing guitar riffs and those background vocals make this one of the most memorable tracks on the album.

I could go on and on about each and every track on this CD.  Trust me when I say that every single one is amazing, making this album one of the absolute best of 2015.  The title track, a beautiful ballad sung as a duet, especially demonstrates this fact, with lyrics you can sink your teeth into, two amazing voices and an acoustical soundtrack that while easy on the ears also gets the toes a-tapping.

Some of the credit for this amazing album definitely lies in its production by legendary producer Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, among others).  Scott has created a tight sound that will stay with you long after the last notes of “After All,” the final track on the album, have ended.

Click, now a resident of the San Francisco Bay area, has built a large and passionate fan base that includes musical greats Carlos Santana and Elvin Bishop, both of whom have joined him on stage for impromptu jams.  With his band, The Hell Yeahs, Click has played more than 200 sold out shows over the past two years, including opening slots for such legends as Taj Mahal, Cake, Robert Plant, Mavis Staples, Sonny Landreth and JJ Cale.

In 2014, Click became a regular guest at Grateful Dead legend Phil Lesh’s club, Terrapin Crossroads, which led to the recording of Danny Click & the Hell Yeahs! – Captured LIVE.

Check out Holding Up the Sun – I guarantee it will make you a fan.  And also check out his website and Facebook pages, as well as follow him on Twitter to learn more about this amazing talent.   You should also check out his video for “Baptize me Over Elvis Presley’s Grave” on YouTube.

Thanks to Jen Lyneis of Ue3 Promotions for the background information.