Frank Turner - Lost Evenings IX

Frank Turner is aware of the passage of time, of the influence of days that drag and months that gallop can exert on what he would probably never dream of calling his body of work. After all, it has been a number of years now since the hardcore troubadour transformed himself from The Boy Who Surely Could Not, to The Man That Did; it has been years now that his name has appeared in the largest type on ticket stubs that permit entry to such venues as Wembley Arena, or the Royal Albert Hall; just as it has been years since the sound of his voice projecting itself from a digital radio was anything like a surprise, let alone a novelty. From the ferocious, sweaty box venues of rock band Million Dead to starting from scratch with an acoustic guitar in pubs and bedrooms in 2005, Frank’s popularity grew with his artistry. Selling out gradually bigger venues – Camden’s Barfly, King’s Cross Scala, Shepherd’s Bush Empire and Wembley Arena (both captured for posterity on DVD); four albums in England Keep My Bones ends up selling 100K copies and rising; performing in front of millions worldwide before the official opening ceremony of London 2012 Olympics.

By Ryan Reed September 25, 2012 10:00 AM ET . . . And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead's explosive indie-prog is defined by the push and pull of Conrad Keely's epic mysticism and Jason Reece's primal punk surge. But when it came time to write their eighth studio album, Lost Songs, the two songwriters weren't even living in the same country: Reece remained in Austin, the band's longtime home base, while Keely had relocated to Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital city of Cambodia. Fittingly, the raw, guitar-driven urgency of Lost Songs was inspired by disconnect – mainly the juxtaposition of American cynicism with the cultural freedom Keely has experienced abroad. Earlier this year, the band (which now includes drummer/guitarist Jamie Miller, along with bassist Autry Fulbright II) regrouped in Austin, where they rented a house and spent a month writing new music. "A lot of the ideas were so fast and aggressive," Reece says. "When we started shaping them into songs, it felt like they were angry. There was this intensity, this urgency." At the recommendation of their label, the quartet relocated to Hanover, Germany, recording at a studio previously used by metal bands like Celtic Frost and the Scorpions. "Isolated from America and from friends," Reece says, the album's intense lyrical themes started taking shape. "There was a lot on our minds at the time," he continues. "We were thinking about what was going on in the world and all the conflicts and wars going on around us. It was kind of food for thought. We just plugged into that and used it as inspiration." Inspired by the Syrian civil war and dedicated to Russian punk-rock activists Pussy Riot, "Up to Infinity" finds both singers snarling and shouting over grimy distortion before a trippy mid-section breakdown. "Opera Obscura" swells to a proggy, percussive climax ("We were just trying to play as loud as possible," Reece says, laughing). The album's most aggressive track, however, is Reece's show-stopper "Catatonic." "The music was there first, and I kept thinking 'Catatonic Youth,' he says. "I just ran with the idea of 'Catatonic/ always looking for something new.' We need something new every day, something to make us feel alive. That was kind of the impetus, the fuel for the song – that, in a sense, everybody's pretty complacent in America." Lost Songs clearly flirts with political and social commentary, but as Reece notes, "It's really more observations and reflections. We're not trying to shove any sort of gospel down someone's throat – we're just trying to question things for ourselves. As kids in the Nineties, we were into bands like Fugazi and Public Enemy – bands that were very politically wrapped up in a bunch of stuff. It seemed like there was a sense of trying to find the truth, or at least speaking out." And even as Trail of Dead continue to expand their vision outward, Reece feels the band's internal chemistry hasn't been this rich in years. "It felt like we were really bonding and becoming a band again," he says. Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-and-you-will-know-us-by-the-trail-of-dead-catatonic-20120925#ixzz27VuI3f9e

Musical anthropologists interested in the study of just how fast a band can evolve need look no further than the six upright, upstanding men in Oregon's Larry and His Flask. Formed by brothers Jamin and Jesse Marshall in 2003, the Flask (as the band's expanding army of fans calls them) spent its first half-decade stuck in a primordial, punk-rock goop, where a blood-sweat-and-beers live show took priority over things like notes and melodies. Don't misunderstand: The band was (somewhat) skilled and an absolute joy to watch, but the goal was always the party over perfection. Over the past two years, however, Larry and His Flask has gone from crawl to sprint at breakneck speed. First, Jamin Marshall moved from gargling-nails vocals to drums. Guitarist Ian Cook became the band's primary voice. And a trio of talented pickers and singers -- Dallin Bulkley (guitars), Kirk Skatvold (mandolin) and Andrew Carew (banjo) -- joined the family. (And no, you didn't miss something. No one is named Larry.) Determined to make music for a living or die trying, the six brothers set out in a van, intent on playing for anyone, anywhere at any time. From coffee shops to dive bars and street corners to theater stages, the Flask honed their sound and show through experience, attacking each gig like buskers who must grab and hold the attention of passersby in hopes of collecting enough change to get to the next town. By 2009, Larry and His Flask's train began gaining steam. The band's new songs are a blurry blend of lightning fast string-band picking, gorgeous nods to old-school country, and sublime multi-part harmonies, all presented through a prism of punk chaos. The boys have grown and changed, yes, but their shows are still gloriously physical displays of live music's sheer power. In other words, keep your eyes peeled, or risk taking the heavy end of Jesse Marshall's flailing, stand-up bass right between the eyes. A slot supporting the Dropkick Murphys in the Flask's hometown led to an invitation to open for the Celtic punk kingpins across the eastern half of the United States, as well as an opportunity to finally record their new, twangier sound. The result is Larry and His Flask's three-song, self-titled 7" record, pressed in a limited run that's quickly being snapped up by the band's new fans, who've been clamoring for a sip of aural hooch to call their own. In mid-2010, the Flask is holed up in their crash pad in Central Oregon, working on songs for their first full-length, playing gigs here and there, and, in the words of Jesse Marshall, "fixing the van and all our broken shit" in anticipation of the next leg of a lifelong tour. Keep up with the band's never-ending tour schedule at www.larryandhisflask.com

Emily Wolfe asserts her talent as a dynamic vocalist, sharp songwriter, and an accomplished guitarist and producer. She delivers a brand of rock ‘n’ roll that’s raw and relevant, anchored by emotionally charged lyrics and a powerhouse stage presence. This young and impassioned artist has amassed millions of streams and garnered widespread acclaim from The Wall Street Journal, MTV, Guitar Player, PASTE, American Songwriter as well as her hometown paper, the Austin-American Statesman and many others. Recognized as a force on the instrument, Emily has collaborated with Epiphone/Gibson Guitars on two signature Sheraton models. After quietly emerging as a phenomenon, Emily projects her voice like never before on her third full-length album, which she produced. As if mainlining fire from her heart through her vocal chords, she delivered this ten-track opus called The Blowback, without apology.