Alive Naturalsound Records

Independent record label based in LA. Home to The Black Keys, Two Gallants, Buffalo Killers, Radio Moscow, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, Hacienda, John The Conqueror, Brian Olive, Black Diamond Heavies, Left Lane Cruiser, T-Model Ford, Thomas Function, Waves Of Fury, etc. More at www.alivenergy.com

Thursday, September 30, 2010

THE SIGHTS’ LONG-AWAITED NEW FULL-LENGTH MOST OF WHAT FOLLOWS IS TRUE TO BE RELEASED NOV. 16TH THROUGH ALIVE RECORDS


FALL TOUR KICKS OFF NOVEMBER 5TH IN CHICAGO

Hailed by critics and fans alike, The Sights continue to build on an incredible legacy of uncanny blues-rock-power pop. Famed typhoon of rock and roll energy Eddie Baranek (guitar/vocals) is joined by Dave Lawson (bass/vocals), Gordon Smith (guitar, keyboards and vocals) and Skip Denomme (drums) to deliver incredible songwriting and electrifying live performances.

With 2010’s Most of What Follows Is True, The Sights have achieved an unprecedented level of song and studio craftsmanship. In an era of soulless keyboards, drum machines and Autotune, The Sights respond with thrillingly catchy songs. No gimmicks, no studio trickery – just rock and roll from the heart. The Sights combine the unobtrusive honesty of The Band with countless slivers of influence from their own personal record collections: Ike & Tina, Solomon Burke, The Everly Brothers, Bob Seger, Tim Hardin and all manner of raucous, infectious songwriting.

Raucous? Infectious? That pretty well sums up The Sights’ live shows as well. It’s a rocket-ride that has been experienced by countless audiences throughout North America and Europe. The Sights have shared the stage with some best in the business: Robert Plant, The Dirtbombs, Sloan, The Datsuns, The Donnas, The Bravery, The Kills, etc…

The Sights’ precocious ability to blend frenetic garage rock with ’60s pop and create something equally classic and catchy has garnered consistently rave reviews from both sides of the pond. NME wrote “[The Sights are] a revelation – a treasure trove of sparky and wildly immediate songwriting” while Rolling Stone commented “at last – a new Detroit-garage band that comes in colors.”

It’s part of an impeccable track record that is rooted in an immaculate Detroit pedigree: a half-century of some of the world’s greatest music with great contributions by The Sights. Starting in the summer of 1998, Baranek fronted evolving line-ups through 2000’s Are You Green?, 2002’s Got What We Want and 2005’s self-titled The Sights – all recorded at Jim Diamond’s (White Stripes, Electric Six, Dirtbombs) Ghetto Recorders in Detroit.

If you love the melting pot that is American rock and roll and if you love – really love – passionate songs that fire your imagination and move your ass, then you’re going to really love The

Sights.

THE SIGHTS’ 2010 TOUR DATES:

11.05 Cal’s Liquors Chicago, IL
11.06 Beat ‘n Soul Festival (Off Broadway) St. Louis, MO
11.20 Alvin’s Detroit, MI (Record Release Party!)
12.02 Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH
12.03 Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY
12.04 TBA Brooklyn. NY
MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

FOR MORE INFO ON THE SIGHTS:

http://www.sightsarmy.com
http://www.myspace.com/thesights

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

WHITE NOISE SOUND'S SELF-TITLED FULL-LENGTH DEBUT OUT TODAY



WELSH BAND WHITE NOISE SOUND'S SELF-TITLED FULL-LENGTH DEBUT IN-STORES TODAY THROUGH ALIVE RECORDS


FREE DOWNLOAD OF WHITE NOISE SOUND'S NEW SONG "SUNSET"


“ONE TO WATCH... blissful tone and ecstatic drone is on full display here, likewise White Noise Sound’s skill for the multi-cylinder guitar roar and motorik chug.” - BUZZ MAGAZINE

“In this day and age of ironic and increasingly obtuse band names, a band like White Noise Sound is refreshing. Like the heyday of generic foodstuffs, what you see on the label is exactly what you get here. WNS has been influenced by earsplitting bands from both sides of the Atlantic, including Velvet Underground, Suicide, Jesus And Mary Chain and of course the aforementioned Spacemen 3.” – MY OLD KENTUCKY BLOG

“… blissed-out electronic soundscapes that feel like a dream.” - PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

“This aptly named band manages to get all kinds of drone going, and then revs into a full-on pop song when you least expect it. A world of music is created here that exists at the corner of Krautrock and Shoegaze, with field trips to Psych and Garage. Timely and timeless.” – PIRATE CAT RADIO / SAN FRANCISCO

“The mesmerising sound of psychedelic guitars never gets old and this new sextet from Wales is here to prove it. Riding a hypnotic beat through a controlled wall-of-sound, they refresh an underground heritage that wears its sunglasses at night and grooves to the special sounds of the Velvet Underground and their many progeny. With some tutelage from Spacemen 3s Pete Kember, WNS’s impressive debut charges out of the gate with the Suicide-style propulsion of "Sunset" before finding a dream-like plateau of noise-y bliss.” – Chris Twomey / TANDEM

“We’re absolutely loving this sonic blast of intense, hypnotic pyschedelic rock from Welsh sextet White Noise Sound. It comes from their debut self-titled album and it is no surprise to discover the band had assistance with the record from no less than Pete Kember (Spacemen 3, Spectrum etc.) and Cian Ciaran from Super Furry Animals. Lead track is ‘Sunset’ and from just one listen you can see these boys could be destined for seriously big things in the spaced out world of stoner rock. Blending corrosive feedback, pulsating krautrock rhythms, floating vocals and wall-of-sound guitars, the track builds and builds into a perfectly judged ear-shattering, blissed out climax. Thoroughly recommended.” - THE MAD MACKERAL / UK


If you’re gonna (essentially) cover Spacemen 3’s “Revolution” in 2010, good god this is the way to do it.” – ARTHUR MAGAZINE


“… like a cross between The Doors and The Jesus and Mary Chain with a sweeping, dramatic sound. I got shivers down my spine listening to “There Is No Tomorrow,” and “(In Both) Dreams & Ecstasies” is simply epic. Listening to these songs reminds me of the first time I listened to Cranes; they have this other-worldly, blissed-out sound that’s just incredible.” – ADDICTED TO MEDIA

WHITE NOISE SOUND is:

DAN HENLEY - VOCALS & SYNTHESIZERS

ADAM TOVEY - VOCALS, GUITAR, KEYS & PROGRAMMING

PAUL GRIFFITHS - GUITAR

RHYS HICKS - GUITAR

CHRIS O’KEEFE - BASS

PHIL STANTON - DRUMS

WHITE NOISE SOUND is the eponymous debut from the Swansea / Cardiff, Wales-based sextet. Completed with the help of Pete Kember (Spacemen 3, Spectrum and E.A.R) and magician Cian Ciaran (Super Furry Animals), the album is the realization of a band conjuring their own particular wall-of-sound - at once relentlessly pulsating and blissed-out.


The band had honed their craft across the UK and through Germany where they supported the likes of The Warlocks, Spectrum, Mark Gardener (Ride) and the Super Furry Animals, and shared the stage with members of Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized.


WHITE NOISE SOUND is a psychedelic dream-piece. It will be available on 9/21/10 on CD and PURPLE VINYL, ltd. edition of 700. The LP comes with an alternative cover.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

PAUL COLLINS TO KICK-OFF WEST COAST TOUR IN SUPPORT OF "KING OF POWER POP!"

PAUL COLLINS (THE NERVES, THE BREAKAWAYS, THE BEAT) KICKS OFF WEST COAST TOUR ON SEP. 22ND IN SUPPORT OF HIS NEW STUDIO ALBUM KING OF POWER POP! OUT NOW ON ALIVE RECORDS

PAUL COLLINS BEAT 2010 WEST COAST TOUR DATES

09.22 SAN DIEGO, CA / THE SODA BAR (W/ BAJABUGS / JUNGLE FEVER)

09.23 FULLERTON, CA / BURGER RECORDS (EARLY ACOUSTIC IN-STORE PERFORMANCE)

09.23 FULLERTON, CA / THE CONTINENTAL

09.24 LOS ANGELES, CA / THE REDWOOD BAR (W/ THE CHOPSTICKS [from Japan] / BOULEVARD BEAT / THE NUEROTICS)

09.25 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / THE HEMLOCK (W/ SHARP OBJECTS / THE PLEASURE KILLS)

09.26 CAMPBELL, CA / HOUSE PARTY

09.28 CHICO, CA / MONSTROS PIZZA (W/ KEPI)

09.29 SACRAMENTO, CA / THE HUB (W/ BOATS / THE POONTEENS)

10.01 PORTLAND, OR / THE EAST END (W/ WELCOME HOME WALKER / BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS / MIDNIGHT CALLERS)

10.02 SEATTLE, WA / THE FUNHOUSE (W/ TRIPWIRES / LA SERA)


FEEL FREE TO POST THIS MP3 OF PAUL COLLINS’ SONG "DO YOU WANNA LOVE ME?" FROM HIS NEW KING OF POWER POP! ALBUM:

http://www.pavementpr.com/1.mp3s/PAULCOLLINSDoYouWannaLoveMe_.mp3


Here's what people are already saying about Paul Collin's King of Power Pop:


“... Collins bangs-and-crashes his way through thirteen high-octane slabs of outright power pop majesty, a baker's dozen, if you will, of sugar-coated sonic delights. Leave it to the commoners of the blogosphere to endlessly debate Paul Collins' status in the power pop firmament; as for this humble rockcrit, given the uniquely high quality of tuneage on King of Power Pop!, with nary a duff track among the thirteen, I say give him the crown. He's earned it with better than three decades of uncompromising loyalty to the power pop aesthetic.” - REV. KEITH A. GORDON / BLURT MAGAZINE


"Collins doesn't fornicate around here - he just whips out nugget after nugget of catchy, melodic, chiming guitar pop with two guitars, bass and drums. The assertion in the album title may seem over the top, but after spinning King of Power Pop a few times, you'll find it difficult to disagree." – MICHAEL TOLAND / THE BIG TAKEOVER

“Paul Collins was one of the pioneers of the power-pop genre, playing with bands such as Nerves, the Breakaways and the Beat. Now, he returns to his roots with the release of the aptly titled King Of Power Pop! on August 24 via Alive Records. “Do You Wanna Love Me?” basically defines power pop, with revved-up beats and garage-rock vocals complete with a harmonica.” – MAGNET MAGAZINE

"His new album is called The King of Power Pop and it takes guts to go with that title, but Collins has the chops to back it up." - WASHINGTON POST


“… solid, punchy, thoroughly enjoyable rock and roll. King of Power Pop! is a fun, fast-moving record and a welcome return for an artist who has long deserved to break out of cult status.” - MUSIC TAP

“Collins has cut a handful of fine records since the breakup of the Beat, but King of Power Pop! is the first one in ages that captures the tough, upbeat sound of his most memorable work, and it proves the man hasn't lost his touch for writing tight, hooky tunes with killer hooks and energetic guitar figures. Collins' voice is a little rougher than it was in his salad days, but he makes that work to his favor, giving the songs a touch of defiant swagger even when he's sounding sweet and heartbroken, and when he and his lead guitarist Eric Blakely lock in, this sounds like the perfect follow-up to the Beat's classic albums for Columbia, bursting with tuneful vigor and rock & roll passion (and arriving a mere quarter-century after the fact). Paul Collins might not be the King of Power Pop, but if there was an elected President of Power Pop, an album this good would certainly sweep him into office; it's fun, raucous, thoroughly enjoyable rock & roll from one of pop's greatest unsung heroes.” - MARK DEMING / ALL MUSIC GUIDE


“…a tough, rocking genre gem.” - STEVE WILSON / KANSAS CITY FREE PRESS

“With just the right level of sweetness to rasp quota, Paul Collin’s voice has never sounded better… in addition to being a modern day troubadour with a power pop heart, Collins is also a tasteful ol’ f**ker.” – TERRY HERMON / BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS MAGAZINE / UK


“Touring in support of his brand new release, The King of Power Pop, expect an evening of sweaty rock and roll, sharp hooks, and tight choruses culled from his decades-long career.” – BRIGHTEST YOUNG THINGS


“…slightly twitchy and supremely tuneful.” - KENNETH PARTRIDGE / SPINNER


Anyone who loves The Nerves EP and The Beat's albums (particularly the debut) should grab a copy of this one ASAP."

“ - HYPERBOLIUM


King of Power Pop! sure-footedly hearkens back to the classic Beat/Nerves formula: big, British Invasion hooks ramping down the grimy, '70s Sunset Strip.” – FLAVORPILL/CHICAGO

“…. awesome, solid stuff!“ – RADIO K / MINNEAPOLIS


"This album is like the Beach Boys and The Beatles partying with The Replacements and the Ramones. It’s a feel good bunch of songs that are much welcomed in a time when there’s so much negativity in the world today. So is Mr. Collins the King Of Power Pop? Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, this album is definitely up there with the best of them." - LONG GONE LOSER MAGAZINE / AUSTRALIA


“… a vintage collection of new power-pop straight out of 1979. Packed full of infectiously punchy pop tunes, Collins new album is proof that if you're patient and wait long enough, eventually the public taste will come back to you. – DENIS ARMSTRONG / OTTAWA SUN


“As one of the founders of the legendary Nerves, Paul Collins now performs with Paul Collins' Beat (formerly just The Beat) and has continued to rock the pop scene harder than anyone out there.” – THIRD COAST DIGEST


KING OF POWER POP! is the new studio album by PAUL COLLINS, one of the originators of the high-energy sound known as Power Pop.


Paul got his start in the late seventies as the drummer for the legendary NERVES, (with Peter Case and Jack Lee), later forming THE BREAKAWAYS with Peter Case, and finally starting The BEAT (aka PAUL COLLINS BEAT) in 1979.


KING OF POWER POP!, his third record of this decade is a complete return to his roots - to power pop, the sound he helped create and popularize, a sound that has seen a resurgence in recent years, a sound that is here to stay!


"For me this is the record that connects the dots, from The Nerves to The Breakaways to The Beat to today… this is the record that puts it all together!" - Paul Collins


Produced and engineered in Detroit by Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs, The Go, White Stripes, to name just a few), KING OF POWER POP! also features Eric Blakely on guitar and backing vocals, Diamond on bass, and Dave Shettler on drums (SSM, The Sights). Motor City guests include Wally Palmar of the legendary power pop hit-makers THE ROMANTICS, as well as pop icon Nikki Corvette of NIKKI & The CORVETTES. The catchy cover art is the work of legendary artist BILL STOUT.

FOR MORE INFO ON PAUL COLLINS:

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/x/?page_id=1592

http://www.thepaulcollinsbeat.com


FOR MORE INFO ON ALIVE RECORDS:

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com


FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:

Tony Bonyata

Pavement PR

p: 262.903.7775

e: bonyata@wi.rr.com

http://www.pavementpr.com

forYoungModerns: FYM MUSIC: MONDO DRAG ON TOUR

forYoungModerns: FYM MUSIC: MONDO DRAG ON TOUR: "Look for our buds in Mondo Drag (Alive Records) kicking out the jams on their East Coast psychedelic thunder tour, with The Main Street Gosp..."

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

WHITE NOISE SOUND



In this day and age of ironic and increasingly obtuse band names, a band like White Noise Sound is refreshing. Like the heyday of generic foodstuffs, what you see on the label is exactly what you get here (…) WNS has been influenced by earsplitting bands from both sides of the Atlantic, including Velvet Underground, Suicide, Jesus And Mary Chain and of course the aforementioned Spacemen 3. – MOKB
————————-

We’re absolutely loving this sonic blast of intense, hypnotic pyschedelic rock from Welsh sextet White Noise Sound. It comes from their debut self-titled album and it is no surprise to discover the band had assistance with the record from no less than Pete Kember (Spacemen 3, Spectrum etc.) and Cian Ciaran from Super Furry Animals.
Lead track is "Sunset" and from just one listen you can see these boys could be destined for seriously big things in the spaced out world of stoner rock. Blending corrosive feedback, pulsating krautrock rhythms, floating vocals and wall-of-sound guitars, the track builds and builds into a perfectly judged ear-shattering, blissed out climax. Thoroughly recommended. – The Mad Mackerel
————————-

This aptly named band manages to get all kinds of drone going, and then revs into a full-on pop song when you least expect it. A world of music is created here that exists at the corner of Krautrock and Shoegaze, with field trips to Psych and Garage. Timely and timeless. – Pirate Cat Radio
————————-

If you’re gonna (essentially) cover Spacemen 3’s "Revolution" in 2010,
good god this is the way to do it. – Arthur

Monday, September 6, 2010

RADIO MOSCOW, MONDO DRAG upcoming tour dates

With a powerful, crunching Sabbath-style chords and fiery solos that earn the right
to be called Hendrixian, Iowa power trio Radio Moscow plants its flag firmly
in the territory where psychedelic rock, cranked-up blues, and metal meet. -- The Onion
RADIO MOSCOW UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Sep 13 @ Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA
Sep 14 @ Prospector – Long Beach, CA
Sep 15 @ ZanZilla – Ventura, CA
Sep 16 @ Spaceland – Los Angeles, CA
Sep 17 @ Rogue - Scottsdale, AZ
Sep 18 @ Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
Sep 20 @ Emo’s - Austin, TX
Sep 21 @ Nightmare – Dallas, TX
Sep 23 @ Czar Bar - Kansas City, MO
Sep 24 @ Yacht Club - Iowa City, IA w/MONDO DRAG
Oct 1 @ DG’s Taphouse - Ames, IA w/MONDO DRAG
Oct 3 @ Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS
Oct 4 @ 3 Kings Tavern – Denver, CO
Oct 5 @ Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 6 @ Neurolux – Boise, ID
Oct 8 @ East End – Portland, OR

The band displays the usual plumage on New Rituals – distortion and feedback, hazy melodies, a dreamlike atmosphere, acoustic ephemera. But despite treading well-worn ground, the Draggers make it sound fresh, rather than hackneyed – likely the virtue of having no scene to get lost in. Muscular and melodic, Mondo Drag kicks out the new/old jams. – The Big Takeover
MONDO DRAG UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Sep 9 @ The Lift – Dubuque, IA
Sep 10 @ Middlewest Fest – Dekalb, IL
Sep 11 @ PJ’s Lager House – Detroit, MI w/OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY
Sep 12 @ Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH
Sep 13 TBA Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 14 @ Golden West – Baltimore, MD
Sep 15 @ The Grape Room – Philadelphia, PA
Sep 16 @ Union Pool – New York, NY
Sep 16 @ Beyond Beyond Is Beyond, In-Studio – NY, NY
Sep 18 @ Pianos NYC – New York, NY
Sep 19 @ Loft Party – Washington DC
Sep 20 @ Strange Matter – Richmond, VA
Sep 21 @ The Cut – Atlanta, GA
Sep 22 @ Springwater – Nashville, TN
Sep 23 @ The Comet – Cincinatti, OH w/JOHN LEG
Sep 24 @ Yacht Club – Iowa City, IA w/RADIO MOSCOW
Sep 25 @ The Hideout – Chicago, IL
Oct 1 @ DG’s Taphouse – Ames, IA w/RADIO MOSCOW

PAUL COLLINS King Of Power Pop! reviews

Collins doesn’t fornicate around here – he just whips out nugget after nugget of catchy, melodic, chiming guitar pop with two guitars, bass and drums. The assertion in the album title may seem over the top, but after spinning King of Power Pop! a few times, you’ll find it difficult to disagree. – The Big Takeover
————————-

Leave it to the commoners of the blogosphere to endlessly debate Paul Collins’ status in the power pop firmament; as for this humble rockcrit, given the uniquely high quality of tuneage on King of Power Pop!, with nary a duff track among the thirteen, I say give him the crown. He’s earned it with better than three decades of uncompromising loyalty to the power pop aesthetic. – Rev Keit A. Gordon / Blurt
————————-

Collins has cut a handful of fine records since the breakup of the Beat, but King of Power Pop! is the first one in ages that captures the tough, upbeat sound of his most memorable work, and it proves the man hasn’t lost his touch for writing tight, hooky tunes with killer hooks and energetic guitar figures. Collins’ voice is a little rougher than it was in his salad days, but he makes that work to his favor, giving the songs a touch of defiant swagger even when he’s sounding sweet and heartbroken, and when he and his lead guitarist Eric Blakely lock in, this sounds like the perfect follow-up to the Beat’s classic albums for Columbia, bursting with tuneful vigor and rock & roll passion (and arriving a mere quarter-century after the fact). – Mark Deming / AMG
————————-

(Paul Collins) new album is called King of Power Pop! and it takes guts to go with that
title, but Collins has the chops to back it up. – The Washington Post
————————-

In his liner notes for his newest album, Paul Collins describes King of Power Pop! as “the record that connects the dots, from The Nerves to The Breakaways to The Beat to today”. This may be one of the most accurate assessments I’ve ever read an artist make of his own work. The record has a distinctly nostalgic feel in the best possible way, sounding both fresh and familiar at the same time. On the first listen, you almost feel as if you’ve heard these songs before. This isn’t a criticism of Collins’ originality. It’s a tribute to his ability to craft solid, punchy, thoroughly enjoyable rock and roll. – Music Tap
————————-

Recording in Detroit with Jim Diamond producing, Collins sounds as if he’s fresh off the end of a tour with the Beat – his voice a tad ragged but still thrilled by the glories of power pop. He charges hard into the bluesy “Do You Wanna Love Me?” and cuts the difference between the Beatles and Everly Brothers on the opening “C’mon Let’s Go!” His lyrics haven’t yearned so dearly and his voice hasn’t sounded this unbridled since he sang “Rock ‘n’ Roll Girl” and “Walking Out on Love” thirty years ago. Collins and Eric Blakely’s guitars rumble and sting, Jim Diamond’s bass and Dave Shettler’s drums propel, and the vocal harmonies and backings capture the joy of a summer’s night cruise with the windows down and the radio up.
Shettler adds tympani to “Many Roads to Follow,” and with the duet harmony sung at the top of Collins’ and Blakely’s ranges, they conjure the deep teen emotions of the Brill Building. Given his track record, it’s not really surprising that Collins still has great albums in him, but that he so effortlessly reaches back to the sounds he helped coin in the mid-70s (and whose invention he details in “Kings of Power Pop”), and it’s inspiring that he finds such satisfying ways to use the wear in his voice. Particularly noteworthy is how easily he matches Alex Chilton’s gravelly tone on a cover of the Box Tops’ 1967 hit “The Letter,” and how beautifully he covers the Flamin’ Groovies’ “You Tore Me Down.” The heartbreak of his original “Hurting’s on My Side” is rendered in the sort of ragged-voiced emotion John Lennon shouted out in 1964. Anyone who loves the Nerves EP and the Beat’s albums (particularly the debut) should grab a copy of this one ASAP. – Hyperbolium

Powered by Blogger.