HM

Scream Like You Mean It Tour Review

Doug Van Pelt — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:26:45 +0000

Tearing through Texas with an attack on our minds and our senses, the first annual SCREAM IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT tour left Austin a little hotter Tuesday July 27 following an impressive performance by industry staples such as Ivoryline, Dance Gavin Dance, Emery and Canadian post-hardcore headliner Silverstein.

Taking the stage with a whole lot of attitude and a deliverance to back it up, Ohio-based Close to Home wasted not a moment of their opening slot warming up the audience for bigger and better acts. By the ending of their first number, sweat was pouring off the crowd and everyone was literally drained.

Breathing life back into the crowd, Ivoryline offered a calmer set, performing hits from both old and new albums including Vessels, which released the day of the show. While the music by Ivoryline is emotionally charged by their faith, it is the deliverance of passion that connects the band with their fans.

Following a short intermission where the audience wrapped their bodies around industrial sized fans, Sky Eats Airplane took to the stage filling our ears with pig-squeals and really awful clean vocals. I get that the whole, scream-sing-scream thing is in at the moment, but if your band cannot pull of the singing portion, maybe that is not the style for you.

Drug use and full-frontal nudity started off the electronic-screams of I Set My Friends on Fire, it was like an R-rated movie. While I am still out on the whole electronic scream sound, I have to say that ISMFOF pulled their sound off, and were a definite highlight of the crowds night.

After the ordeal that was ISMFOF, We Came As Romans took the stage to a highly anticipating audience. At this point in the night you could feel the audience dragging. The summer heat was mild for Austin, but it added up exponentially with the crowd and length of the tour. WCAR took an unfortunately long time setting up, but after finally sorting out a few technical difficulties tore at Emo’s at full force. The band’s dual vocal dynamic of Kyle Pavone and David Stephens kept the crowd engaged and distracted from the sweat dripping across the room. “Intentions” and “Roads That Don’t End and Views that never Cease” drew two of the biggest responses of the night. WCAR played a great relief roll, revitalizing the crowd and building towards a strong finish.

Next up was Sacramento, CA’s Dance Gavin Dance. DGD has been through a blender of band members since their 2007 debut, and with that change in personal came a very clear shift in sound. Originally, DGD could have been written off as another Rise Records heavy band with pretty choruses, but over time the six-piece evolved into a March of Flames era Fear Before mathcore band. Their set was tight, unpredictable, and left anyone in the audience who was unfamiliar with their music scratching their head trying to put the puzzle together. While this resulted in a serious lull in crowd energy, it certainly didn’t keep the band from stepping up.

Industry veterans, Emery, followed DGD with what was easily the set of the night. With a brief, eight-song, set, and decked out in matching Hawaiian t-shirts, they covered a few songs off of each of their major releases, including “Walls,” “The Smile, The Face,” “In Shallow Seas We Sail,” “Rock ‘n’ Rule,” and “Studying Politics.” “Walls” and “Studying Politics” opened and closed their set, respectively, and did a beautiful job of setting the tone for their set and bringing the energy back around, leaving everyone anxious for more. After being together and touring full time for nearly ten years, the bands ability to live on the road and deliver quality shows day after day is astonishing and impressive.

Canadian post-hardcore powerhouse, Silverstein, closed out the night in a similar fashion. Like Emery, Silverstein has played together for over a decade, resulting in a huge catalog to choose from. They easily had the loudest set of the night, despite a fairly quiet crowd. With that volume came a probably similar to Sky Eats Airplane’s issues earlier in the day, vocalist, Shane Told sounded excellent during his clean vocals, but would fade out horribly during his screams. Regardless, Silverstein’s set was a welcome trip down memory lane and wrapped with When Broken is Easily Fixed staple, “Bleeds No More.”

Check out this Behind The Scenes teaser with Nate and the guys in Emery.

To see the full version, go here.

Randall Shreve announces tour dates

bianca — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:45:41 +0000

Hello Friends,

We’ve been working on a lot of great things including new tour dates. All of the dates are updated daily at www.randallshreve.com/shows. We’ve added a last minute date for this Saturday, July 31st at RJ’s in Pacific, MO. The exact address for any of you who’d like to make it to this show is: 147 West St. Louis Street, Pacific, MO. It would be wonderful to see you there.

We’ll also be playing a show at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, AR on August 6th with Chase Pagan. Here’s a full list of all our current shows.

7.29.10 – 21st Amendment Fayetteville, AR 9:00 pm

7.31.10 – RJ’s Pacific, MO 9:00 pm

8.05.10 – Gnarley Cougar Joplin, MO 10:00 pm

8.06.10 – George’s Fayetteville, AR 9:00 pm

8.08.10 – Juanita’s Little Rock, AR 8:00 pm

8.14.10 – Mojo’s (solo) Fayetteville, AR 7:00 pm

8.15.10 – Crabby’s Rogers, AR 5:00 pm

8.19.10 – Eddie Haskell’s Rogers, AR 8:00 pm

8.20.10 – Blackthorn Joplin, MO 10:00 pm

8.28.10 – Mojo’s (solo) Fayetteville, AR 7:00 pm

9.03.10 - Tavern on Green Lee’s Summit, MO 8:30 pm

9.10.10 – George’s Fayetteville, AR 9:00 pm

9.24.10 – Mojo’s (solo) Fayetteville, AR 7:00 pm

12.7.10 – Songwriter Round Mt. Sequoya Conf. Ctr. 7:00 pm

We have new t-shirts and other merchandise coming in the next couple weeks. I’ll keep you updated on all of that as it comes in.

Be sure to check out RandallShreve.com if you’ve not been there in a while. The site has undergone a lot of nice changes and updates. Also, if you haven’t added us as a friend on Facebook, we’d Love to hear from you. www.facebook.com/randallshreve.

www.randallshreve.com

www.facebook.com/randallshreve

Click Here to purchase Randall Shreve’s music.

ACCLAIMED SINGER-SONGWRITER TO APPEAR ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA ON AUGUST 10TH

bianca — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:37:38 +0000

After 30 years as a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter, Rosanne Cash shares her recollections growing up as Johnny Cash’s eldest daughter and coming into her own as a performer, daughter, and mother in a long-awaited memoir, entitled Composed (Viking), which will go on sale August 10^th, 2010.

The same day, Cash will embark on a multi-city book tour to read selections from Composed, sign copies, and perform a few songs at select stops. Attendees will be treated to personal anecdotes from Cash’s extraordinary life that she tells in Composed with the trademark intelligence, compassion, humor, and honesty that also informs her songwriting.

Composed has already attracted praise from Kirkus, which called it “beautifully written meditations on love, death, family, and redemption” in its starred review, and Publishers Weekly, which called it “a rare treat” that “sheds clear light on her talent and drive” in its starred review. Composed has also been praised by songwriter Elvis Costello, who calls it “extraordinarily and dauntingly honest” and by Cash’s fellow authors, Bill Flanagan (Evening’s Empire), Daniel J. Levitin (This Is Your Brain on Music), and Adriana Trigiani (best-selling author of the Big Stone Gap series and Brava, Valentine), who calls it “a lush and glorious memoir that is wise and knowing, humorous and full of hope.”

Cash will make a number of media appearances in support of Composed. On August 10^th, she will be interviewed on Good Morning America and perform a song from her first-ever covers album, The List, which was released in October 2009. A frequent guest on NPR, Cash will also be interviewed for “All Things Considered” in a segment airing the week of August 10^th, and on WAMU’s “The Diane Rehm Show” on August 12^th. She will also perform as a duo with her husband and guitarist John Leventhal at Southold High School in Southold, NY, on August 21^st (after which she will sign copies of Composed), as well as with her band at the Minnesota State Fair on August 30^thand the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on October 2^nd.

Over the course of her career, Cash has recorded fourteen albums, including 1981’s gold Seven Year Ache and 1987’s gold King’s Record Shop, and charted 21 Top 40 country singles, 11 of which climbed to No. 1. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations — winning in 1985 — and was nominated last December for “Sea of Heartbreak,” a duet with Bruce Springsteen on The List, which is eligible for Grammy consideration this year. The album, which Vanity Fair called “superb,” debuted in the Top 5 on the Country Chart, and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 22. The List has been nominated for “Album of the Year” by The Americana Music Association, which will announce the 2010 winners in a ceremony held September 9^th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Cash will attend and perform at the event.

Cash is also the author of Bodies of Water and the children’s book Penelope Jane: A Fairy’s Tale. Her essays and fiction have been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and New York magazine.

For more about Rosanne Cash, Composed, and The List, please visit www.rosannecash.com.

Cash’s upcoming book signing dates are as follows:

August 10*	Barnes & Noble, Union Square	33 E. 17^th St., New York, NY	7 p.m.
August 11	Sixth & I Synagogue	600 I St., NW Washington, DC	7 p.m.
August 12	Philadelphia Free Library	1901 Vine St. Philadelphia, PA	7:30 p.m.
August 13	Meredith College	3800 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC	7:30 p.m.
August 14	Sam’s Club	2901-A Clairmont Rd. Atlanta, GA	2 p.m.
August 14*	Agnes Scott College	141 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA	7 p.m.
August 16	Saban Theater	8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA	7:30 p.m.
August 17	Borders	3700 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA	7 p.m.
August 18	Dominican Univ. of California	50 Acacia Ave., San Rafael, CA	7:30 p.m.
August 19*	The Bagdad Theater	3702 Se Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR	7 p.m.
October 10	Church of the Messiah	6436 Montgomery St., Rt 9, Rhinebeck, NY	2 p.m.

* denotes that appearance will feature a short acoustic performance.

SINCE OCTOBER LAND SECOND CONSECUTIVE TOP 30 HIT AT ROCK RADIO

bianca — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:35:15 +0000

After scoring their first ever hit on the Active Rock charts last year with “Guilty,” Since October have returned with a brand new album and lead single which picks up where they left off.

The band’s first single from their sophomore release Life, Scars, Apologies – “The Way You Move” has now become their second consecutive Top 30 hit at rock radio. And it’s still continuing to climb.

“It’s exciting to have song back on the rock charts,” remarked lead singer Ben Graham. “’The Way You Move’ is doing great at radio and at the live show. It’s one of our favorite songs to play and the crowds seem to really love it. We’ve also been getting a lot of response for the video, so if you haven’t seen it, go check it out! Watch for new tour dates this fall!!”

The foursome made up of Ben Graham (Lead Vocals), Luke Graham (Guitar / Backing Vocals), Josh Johnson (Bass) and Audie Grantham (Drums) are excited to get their latest single on the air.

Through driving rhythms, memorable choruses, moving melodies and rock solid bottom end, the Floridian bred band have connected with listeners in clubs across America, on the radio, and via the Internet. The band’s authentic, pure voice delivered a significant following through the release of their debut album This Is My Heart in 2008, which has built steadily in to imminent street date of Life, Scars, Apologies. Graham shares, “Anything in our lyrics is usually something I’ve dealt with or maybe someone in the band is dealing with. People are attracted to that level of honesty, especially in the clubs. When people see us on stage, they might assume that we’ve got everything together and our lives are perfect. We like to say, ‘You know, we might be on stage but we’re not any higher than you guys are and we’re struggling through this just as much as you guys are.’ We’re just trying to tell our stories.”

Life, Scars, Apologies — the band’s new album — undoubtedly kicks down even more doors for Since October, spreading their huge riffs and big harmonies further across the globe. The band is poised to do great things, but by no means have they forgotten how and why they started. “Our faith is a huge part of our lives — what we do, how we live,” explains lead vocalist Ben Graham.

Since October was built from the ground up, kicking and clawing in the hardscrabble Southern club circuit as a self-made rock n’ roll band and selling 5,000 copies of their self-financed CD through word of mouth. They’ve toured with bands like Trapt, 10 Years, Saving Abel and Saliva and shared stages with Shinedown, Flyleaf, Papa Roach, Chevelle and Judas Priest, to name a few. Most importantly for the group they’ve been able to connect to a wider audience with their music and messages.

“A lot of the songs are really upbeat and fast tempo on the first album compared to this new one,” Ben points out. “We really drop the tempo down and just chug a little bit on this album.”

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS RAISE OVER $80,000

bianca — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:33:25 +0000

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS raised over $80,000 (and counting, with a revised figure to follow) at their sold-out benefit concert Tuesday, July 27 at Chicago’s Metro for Matthew Leone, bassist for Chicago band Madina Lake. The money will go to the ongoing medical care needed for the musician who last month was hospitalized with severe brain trauma after intervening to stop a woman he passed on the street from being beaten by her husband. Matthew—whose medical insurance had lapsed just two months prior to the incident–was taken to UIC Hospital for emergency brain surgery wherein a third of his skull was removed to alleviate swelling. He’s currently in stable condition awaiting an additional brain surgery to reapply the removed portion of his skull.

“The Smashing Pumpkins’ benefit show at Metro Tuesday night was triumphant and tearful, inspiring and rousing, open-hearted and generous—as well as a stark reminder that sometimes it takes a village to get a crime victim adequate health care,” wrote the Chicago Tribune (7/28/10). The event was attended by Chicago governor Pat Quinn, who proclaimed Tuesday “Matthew Leone Day” in Illinois and said, “We have a true American hero right here in Matthew Leone” (as noted in the Chicago Tribune piece).

“I was inspired by Matthew’s courageous defense of a woman he didn’t even know,” said the Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. “What pushed me to do the benefit for his medical fund was how much he is loved by close friends of mine who know him well. I spoke to his family at the benefit and they all said that it didn’t surprise them at all that he did what he did to stop an injustice. “I was blown away by the Chicago community coming together to put this benefit on so quickly,” Corgan added about the event that was announced on July 20. “It put an emotional charge into our show that was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I was absolutely honored to be standing on the Metro stage, my musical home, showing our support for one of our own. It was a great night in the long, storied history of Chicago. And an epic show.” As soon as the band finished playing “1979,” Corgan pulled his guitar off his neck and auctioned it off to the crowd, selling it for 10k.

Said Joe Shanahan, owner of Chicago’s Metro: “This past Tuesday was one of my most memorable nights within Metro’s walls–the outpouring of support and encouragement for a true hero, Matthew, was overwhelming. From Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins’ donation of their time and talent to the cause, to Governor Pat Quinn’s proclamation of Matthew Leone Day, to the generosity of the crowd with their pocketbooks, the night embodied the love and solidarity of the Chicago music community for one of their own. Now, all of us at Metro pray for a quick recovery for Matthew and someday his own return to the Metro stage with Madina Lake.”

Noted AOL Spinner: “For the encore, the Metro staff and opener Kill Hannah joined Corgan onstage to sing ‘1979.’ After, the band closed with the distorted bliss of ‘Gossamer,’ as their guitars thundered and strobes flashed. When their over two-hour set finished, a smiling Corgan and his band threw their commemorative drumsticks and guitar picks into the audience, capping a heartfelt tribute to Leone. ‘You made this city proud tonight,’ Corgan told the jovial crowd. ‘Thanks for stepping up.’”

All proceeds from the raffle and concert will go to the Matthew Leone Fund at Sweet Relief. Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. For more information on Sweet Relief, visit http://www.sweetrelief.org.

Metro is the club where, on October 5, 1988, the Pumpkins played their first show. They also chose the venue for a farewell concert on December 2, 2000, a four-hour-long show that featured 38 songs spanning the group’s career at that time. The Pumpkins have a long history of supporting other Chicago musicians.

About Metro:Metro is one of the country’s most renowned independent concert venues. Established in July 1982, Metro has become a playground for new and developing local artists as well as showcasing the best cutting edge bands from around the globe for twenty-five years. For more information, visit www.metrochicago.com.

About THE SMASHING PUMPKINS:The Smashing Pumpkins have created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history and sold over 30 million albums. Formed in Chicago in 1988, they released Gish, their influential (and platinum) debut in 1991, which was followed by more platinum and multi-platinum albums including the nine-time platinum Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and the four-time platinum Siamese Dream as well as the platinum certified 1998 album Adore. The pivotal group’s many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation. The Pumpkins returned in 2007 with their gold-certified and acclaimed sixth album Zeitgeist, which entered the charts at Number 2 in the U.S. and in the Top Ten internationally. Since their triumphant return to the stage in 2007, the Pumpkins have headlined some of the biggest events around the globe including the Reading Festival, Rock Am Ring, and the V fest. In 2008, the band was inducted into Hollywood’s RockWalk. Their first post-major label release was the song “Superchrist,” issued via the Guitar Center CD Fresh Cuts Vol. 2. They subsequently recorded the song–the modern rock hit–“G.L.O.W.” for the Guitar Hero® World Tour game, marking the first time a band has recorded a new song exclusively for the franchise. In November 2008, the band released their first live DVD, If All Goes Wrong. In December 2009 The Smashing Pumpkins began releasing Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, a 44-song work with songs being released online one at a time for free (4-song physical EPs will be made available as the songs are released). The group’s BILLY CORGAN has said the new music “harkens back to the original psychedelic roots of The Smashing Pumpkins; atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty.” www.smashingpumpkins.com

Protected: Behind the Scenes with Emery

Doug Van Pelt — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:07:52 +0000

For Today post Euro dates

Doug Van Pelt — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:13:00 +0000

For Today have released the itinerary for their first European tour. They’ll be heading across the pond with Winds of Plague, Stick To Your Guns, and Monuments this November in support of their upcoming release Breaker, due out August 31.

You can pre-order Breaker here: http://facedown.merchnow.com/products/preorders

And don’t forget to catch For Today state-side with Bleeding Through on the Anti-Hero tour.

Tour Dates:

Nov 4 – Germany Munchen @ Feierwek

Nov 5 – Germany Leipzig @ Conne Island

nov 6 – Germany Karlsruhe @ Stadtmitte

Nov 7 – Gremany Koln @ Essigfabrik

Nov 8 – UK Norwich @ The Marquee

Nov 9 – UK Manchester @ Club Academy

Nov 10 – UK London @ Underworld

Nov 11 – UK Nottingham @ Rock City

Nov 12 – UK Newport @ Six Feet Under

Nov 13 – UK Plymouth @ White Rabbit

Nov 14 – Belgium Hasselt @ Muziekodroom

Nov 15 – Switzerland Aarau @ Kiff

Nov 16 – Germany Wiesbaden @ Schlachthof

Nov 17 – Germany Hamburg @ Markthalle

Nov 18 – Germany Berlin @ Magnet

Nov 19 – Austria Vienna @ Viper Room

Patton House Ent expands

Doug Van Pelt — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:22:46 +0000

It was announced today by Andrew Patton, President of Patton House Entertainment, that the company will expand its operations and launch two new divisions, Patton House Booking and Patton House Music Publishing.

Patton House Booking will focus on providing unique opportunities in non-traditional venues for established and independent clients. In this role, Patton House Booking will work side-by-side with high-profile booking agencies in order to add an extra layer of services for their artists, which includes: Jimmy Needham, Echoing Angels, National best-selling author and “American’s Health Coach,” Dr. Asa Andrew, and the youngest Top 10 finalist from “America’s Got Talent” and Disney movie actress, Kaitlyn Maher. Michael Hare will head up the new division and will provide daily interaction with clients, promoters, churches and existing agents. Hare will also be responsible for the booking of the educational and inspiring Sessions Conference, a national one-day seminar for independent artists and those entering the music business. Hare hails from Charleston, West Virginia and is a Music Business Major at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.

Launching Patton House Music Publishing will be Adam Edelstein, who was recently promoted to Director of Business and Strategic Development. Edelstein’s responsibilities will include securing new publishing clients, acquisition of existing music catalogs and handling daily business and logistical affairs of Patton House Entertainment. By cultivating and developing relationships and opportunities, Edelstein will help expand the size and scope of Patton House operations in management, music publishing, booking and live events. Edelstein graduated from Belmont University with a degree in Music Business with an emphasis in Finance. Before joining Patton House Entertainment, Edelstein worked as a Business Manager for BriBiz Business & Financial Management, in the royalty department of Warner Music Group’s New York office, Nashville’s copyright administration company, Big Loud Bucks and Word/Warner Bros. Records’ A&R Administration.

Also receiving a promotion at Patton House Entertainment is Tiffany Rockhold, who has been with the company since 2007. In the newly created role as Director of Content and Brand Management, Rockhold will be responsible for the overall brand implementation and development of each client, along with the development of content for social media, social networking and online retail development. Rockhold will also handle all administrative needs for media, corporate events and travel for all Patton House divisions. Rockhold is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication. Rockhold’s background includes serving on staff at Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque and as events coordinator for Velocity Student Ministries. Upon moving to Nashville, Rockhold worked for nine years with KLYT and KNKT radio stations and Carolyn Rush Concert Promotions as promotions marketing assistant and artist liaison.

“It’s an exciting time at Patton House Entertainment as we expand our operations with two new divisions,” says Andrew Patton. “By developing these new opportunities for our artists, we’ll be able to offer them a well-rounded approach to their careers that will expand their opportunities. Of course none of this expansion would be possible without the incredible talents of the Patton House Entertainment team, which includes: Adam Edelstein, Tiffany Rockhold, Michael Hare and Matt Ingle. Matt has done an incredible job with our promotion and marketing division and in one short year has achieved five Top 10 singles, seven different songs being the most-added record for eleven weeks and working with Michael W. Smith to promote the Music City Haiti relief effort for Come Together Now.”

About Patton House Entertainment

Andrew Patton started Patton House Entertainment in 2005, following several successful years of heading radio promotion for Word Records and Provident Label Group. Patton broke the record for the most consecutive #1 singles and helped to re-launch Randy Travis’ career in the Christian and mainstream markets. When he realized the void for providing an artist development approach to management, he branched out on his own and launched Patton House Entertainment. The company rapidly grew with a solid base of clients including the breakout act of 2007, Rush Of Fools. Patton House Entertainment is a full service company providing personal management, marketing and promotions, consultation, touring and publishing services to a wide range of clients and businesses. The Patton House team brings more than 20 years of experience in multiple facets of the entertainment world, offering world-class work and opportunities to their clients.

Jars of Clay to release new project

Doug Van Pelt — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:00:05 +0000

Pictured Above: Jars of Clay

Left – Right: Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark

Photo Courtesy of Provident Label Group

Ancient words, carried through a friend, can deliver impact and inspiration which you dare not dream. In the case of the men that make up Jars of Clay, it was an old Irish proverb, translated as “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live,” that served as the genesis point for its newest project, titled Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter.

Recorded and produced by the band, Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter dwells on the idea of community, both physical and spiritual, and features a litany of both songwriting and vocal guests – including Mac Powell, Matt Maher, Brandon Heath, Laura Story, Thad Cockrell, Phillip LaRue and others – making contributions to this unique set of Jars of Clay songs.

“Jars of Clay, historically, has been this kind of compact creative environment; we’re known for doing everything from the songwriting to the producing to the artwork,” says guitarist Matt Odmark. “This was a push in a totally different direction. We brought people in on the songwriting side of things, and we knew in the beginning that we wanted as many voices as possible in the

record.

“We wanted to make a record about community, and we wanted the recording process to be community. We wanted it to be an expression of what it was trying to articulate from a concept standpoint,” Odmark continues. “It wasn’t going to work any other way, and it didn’t make sense to us to write a record about community that was just us talking to one another.”

Alongside the project’s music reside very personal essays about the idea of community, gathered and curated by the members of Jars of Clay themselves. Friends of the band, including author David Dark, Blood:Water Mission executive director Jena Lee Nardella, Sara Groves, Nate Larkin, Anne Jackson, Jim Hancock, Padriag OTuama – have all contributed to Jars’ personal views on community, giving the listener and reader another avenue through which to explore that concept.

What emerges on Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter is more of Jars of Clay’s signature sonics, informed by the season of its last project The Long Fall Back To Earth but echoing all the way back to its much-heralded self-titled debut, meshed with an heretofore underexplored inclusiveness of lyric that encourages the listener to join in on the song. In short, these songs are designed to be sung aloud, with others, within the parameters of that listener’s own shelter.

For some, including the members of Jars of Clay, that will entail bringing them into the church environment proper, something that hadn’t really been a purposeful part of the band’s work before.

“One of the things we’re excited about with this record is to offer, with humility, what we’re excited about within the church,” guitarist Stephen Mason says. “We’re all big fans of the church, we attend church, so part of the passion we want to get to the people is that, hopefully, this is the language we can use to rejuvenate the way we speak about God in terms of each other.

“What has been, graciously, changing us is this idea that when we look around we see God in other people and in what they’re doing. We are the hands and feet,” Mason continues. “We’re trying to find new language to describe stuff that we’re all probably in some regards cynical or bored about, because we want to believe there is life in those places.”

That idea of being “hands and feet,” actively working for the various communities it impacts, has long been a priority for Jars of Clay. It’s a notion that extends into the charitable realm through its foundation Blood:Water Mission, which was the beneficiary of a day-long Jars-hosted radio-thon via K-LOVE and Air 1, an effort which raised more than $800,000 for the group’s work.

Jars of Clay will hit the road extensively this fall, alongside two-time GMA Dove Award-winning Male Vocalist of the Year (and labelmate) Brandon Heath, and plans are underway for a multi-artist tour presenting songs from Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter scheduled for spring 2011.

About Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay launched its breakout career with the multi-format hit “Flood” in 1995. Since then, it’s amassed more than six million in career sales (five Gold, two Platinum and one double Platinum certification), three GRAMMY Awards (from eight nominations), an American Music Award nod, six GMA Dove Awards nominations, 17 No. 1 radio hits, and numerous film credits and BMI honors for songwriting and performing. Its GRAMMY nominated tenth album, The Long Fall Back to Earth (April 21), debuted at No. 1 on SoundScan and on October 5, Jars of Clay will release the compelling and community minded project, Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter.

While celebrated for its music and writing, Jars of Clay is most concerned with the needs in Africa. Compelled to make a difference, members Dan Haseltine, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark and Charlie Lowell founded the Blood:Water Mission in early 2002. The first effort of this non-profit was the “1000 Wells Project” with a goal of raising funds to build, rebuild and repair 1,000 wells in urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This year Jars of Clay will celebrate the funding of the 1,000^th well which will bring clean water to more than 150,000 people, www.bloodwatermission.com.

For updates on Provident related artists, please visit www.providentpress.com.

New Red Video

Doug Van Pelt — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:27:28 +0000

VIDEO:

CONTEST:

To win a signed copy of a Red CD, send an email to contest(at)hmmag.com
We’ll randomly select a couple winners and mail the CD to you (so please include your shipping address with your entry email).