And if you’re into watching more:

www.johntheconqueror.com

If you haven’t caught these guys in Philly yet or heard them on WXPN with their single “I Just Wanna,” more than likely you’ll be hearing more of them in the coming months.

Cousins Pierre Moore (lead vocals/guitar) and Michael Gardener (drums) plus Ryan Lynn (bass) form John the Conqueror, a tight-knit, blues/rock band that has made quite an impression over the past year. Literally, just over the past year – the guys were signed to Alive Naturalsound Records last December. They had only been together for the better part of 2011 before that.

“We did all right for a Philly band, but just the exposure we get through being signed. We’ve gotten reviews in France and in newspapers nowhere near us,” Lynn said.

“We’ve read about 50 or 60 reviews in the past month, only one of them has been negative…they said we’re just ripping off the Black Keys; nothing surprised them of what we did,” Moore said. I’ll be getting to their Black Keys related “issues” shortly.

In October the guys released their first full length album. Heavily influenced by blues musicians that Moore and Gardner grew up with in Jackson, MS, they provide a raw, honest edge that truly sets them apart from other bands. For example, one aspect that they hold themselves accountable for is that every single song is based on a true story; thus, that sincerity, passion, and humor truly unveils itself within each song. It doesn’t matter if they’re jamming hard or slowing things down, there’s so much soul you simply feel throughout the album. I’d say for a debut, this is pretty damn impressive.

Starting with the clapping, foot stomping, old school opening track “I Just Wanna,” you can’t help but let their bluesy roots take you to what’s next. Your expectations are raised when you get to the second track “Southern Boy.” This is such a great song from start to finish – you get a great build up to the chorus with a bluesy riff that Moore and Lynn drive hard, accompanied with Gardner’s booming drums. Once the chorus arrives, it keeps building and building until Moore breaks into a howling, rebel yell. The spirit of unyielding, southern pride comes through like no other. And goddamn, does it sound good.

Read more: http://215mag.com/the-mississippi-delta-in-philly-john-the-conqueror-stirs-up-local-music-with-a-charming-southern-drawl/

Andre Williams’ new album Life was recorded this past winter in Detroit, the city where his musical career first began in the 1950s. Andre’s new songs are his latest experiments and explorations outside of the garage-soul bag that he’s often associated with. Produced by Matthew Smith, the album’s sonic palette recalls the work of Norman Whitfield’s Motown productions, ’70s Rolling Stones, Can, Bill Withers, Serge Gainsbourg, as well as Andre’s own doo-wop and funk history.

Life finds Andre in a pretty upbeat mood, whether he’s singing about people being rude and impatient (“But’n”), or laying down a political commentary (“Blame it on Obama”), reciting a children’s bedtime story (“Ty the Fly”), singing a simple love song (“Stuck in the Middle”, “It’s Only You That I Love”), or conjuring a nocturnal fetish-sex-groove (“Heels”).

The album also includes his own definitive rocking version of the standard he wrote and produced for the Five Du-Tones in 1963, “Shake a Tail Feather.” It’s a reminder that Andre Williams is one of the original guys who invented rock n’ roll.

Andre Williams’ Life will be released October 2nd through Alive Naturalsound Records in the following formats: CD, Digital and Black Vinyl, as well as Purple Vinyl (limited to 100) exclusive to mailorders.

LIFE TRACK LIST:

1. Stuck In The Middle
2. But’n
3. Don’t Kick My Dog
4. Blame It On Obama
5. Heels
6. Beep Beep Beep
7. It’s Only You That I Love
8. Money Ain’t Got No Loyalty
9. Shake A Tail Feather
10. Ty The Fly

Andre Williams’ Page

FOR MORE INFO ON ALIVE RECORDS:

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

Source- Pavement PR

Perhaps what makes John The Conqueror so refreshing, however, is their honest, simple, yet extremely passionate approach to their music. Moore and Gardner have been playing together in bands since their college days in Oxford, MS, although the latter recently switched from bass to drums to make room for Lynn in the line-up in early 2011. Not only is this the first band Lynn has ever officially been in, but frontman Moore (who learned to play guitar in his early teens from a homeless man who slept in the back room of an auto repair shop) had never sang a note in public prior to March of 2011.

Yet listening to this threesome exuberantly tear through these ten expressive, unrestrained tracks proves that, while they may not have a time-tested pedigree together, they perform with a youthful, reckless abandon as channeled through some truly old souls. And, not unlike the mythological African-American folk hero they’re named after, that should be enough to resonate with just about any generation.

John The Conqueror was produced by Pierre Moore and recorded in Philadelphia at Retrocity Studios & Jesse Gimbel’s Basement. The trio will be touring in support of their new LP. Dates to be announced soon.

John The Conqueror will be released October 16th through Alive Naturalsound Records in the following formats: CD, Digital and Black Vinyl, as well as Limited Edition Colored Vinyl exclusive to mailorders.

JOHN THE CONQUEROR TRACK LIST:

1. I Just Wanna
2. Southern Boy
3. Lucille
4. All Alone
5. Time To Go
6. Say What You Want
7. Come Home With Me
8. Letter Of Intervention
9. Passing Time
10. Three More

FOR MORE INFO ON JOHN THE CONQUEROR:
http://www.facebook.com/JohntheConquerorBand?sk=app_2405167945
http://www.reverbnation.com/johntheconqueror

FOR MORE INFO ON ALIVE RECORDS:
http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

Source- Pavement PR

When they’re not touring alongside the Alabama Shakes or appearing in Rolling Stone, Alabama rockers Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires are all kinds of busy touring on their own accord, their debut album, There’s A Bomb In Gilead, out now on Alive Naturalsound Records. Former Dexateens guitarist, Lee Bains is the frontman of the Glory Fires and now that Dexateens is a memory, is plenty busy packing lots of heart and swagger into his new music, which is as rootsy as they come. No Depression writes, “Bains’ bio mentions the conflicting inspirations of church music and punk rock, but he draws most directly from the southern rock and soul of Capricorn Records and Muscle Shoals.” Sounds about right. Tune in and listen for yourself today as Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires pay a visit to WMSE today at 2 p.m. for a live, in-studio performance. Tune in on your radio at 91.7 FM or stream live or in the archives at WMSE.org. The band plays tonight at Quarters Rock & Roll Palace.

Joining Radio Moscow on this tour is the Memphis-based band Dirty Streets, whose own mix of proto-punk, soul roots and late ’60s psych-rock should make for one helluvan explosive double-bill.

In other Radio Moscow news, Alive Naturalsound has also recently released Parker Griggs’ debut album 3 & 3 Quarters, which up until now has been previously unreleased. Recorded entirely by Parker Griggs (he plays all the instruments) when he was only 17, this is garage music reminiscent of the Nuggets and Pebbles compilations, with a dash of Killed By Death dropped into the mix.

RADIO MOSCOW SUMMER 2012 TOUR DATES
* w/ Dirty Streets

Jun 23 @ Whiskey Dick’s, Lake Tahoe, CA *
Jun 25 @ Jambalaya, Arcata, CA *
Jun 26 @ Rotture, Portland, OR *
Jun 27 @ Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA *
Jun 29 @ The Aquarium, Fargo, ND *
Jun 30 @ Bayport Blues Fest, Bayport, MN
Jul 02 @ Bombay Bicycle Club, Clive, IA *
Jul 03 @ Yacht Club, Iowa City, IA *
Jul 05 @ Rock Island Brewing Company Rock Island, IL *
Jul 06 @ Grand Bar, Chicago, IL *
Jul 07 @ The Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI *
Jul 08 @ The Brass Rail, Fort Wayne, IN *
Jul 09 @ Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH *
Jul 10 @ 31st Street Pub, Pittsburgh, PA *
Jul 11 @ Bug Jar, Rochester, NY *
Jul 12 @ The Silver Dollar Room, Toronto, ONT
Jul 15 @ Webster Hall Studio, New York, NY *
Jul 16 @ Brighton Bar – Long Branch, NJ *
Jul 17 @ Golden West, Baltimore, MD *
Jul 18 @ Strange Matter, Richmond, VA *
Jul 20 @ Casbah Durham, Durham, NC *
Jul 21 @ Asheville Music Hall, Asheville, NC *
Jul 22 @ The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA *
Jul 23 @ Caledonia, Athens, GA *
Jul 24 @ Bottletree Cafe, Birmingham, AL *
Jul 25 @ Siberia, New Orleans, LA *
Jul 26 @ Fitzgerald’s, Houston, TX *
Jul 28 @ 29th Street Ballroom, Austin, TX *
Jul 30 @ The Conservatory – Oklahoma City, OK *
Jul 31 @ The Czar Bar – Kansas City, MO *
Aug 01 @ Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO *
Aug 02 @ Launchpad, Albuquerque, NM *
Aug 03 @ Yucca Tap Room, Tempe, AZ *
Aug 04 @ The Satellite, Los Angeles, CA *
Aug 05 @ Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA *
(more dates to be announced soon)

http://radiomoscow.net

Listen to the track, “Creepin” from Radio Moscow’s recent full-length “The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz” on Alive Naturalsound Records.

Source- Pavement PR

Photo by Robert Matheu

RADIO MOSCOW tour dates
March 30 @ The Satellite – Los Angeles CA
March 31 After Party @ Yucca Tap Room – Phoenix AZ
April 1 @ Billy O’s – Ventura, CA
European dates
April 6 @ Le Clacson – Lyon, France
April 7 @ La Grange à Musique – Creil, France
April 9 @ Db’s – Utrecht, Netherlands
April 10 @ La Peniche – Lille, France
April 11 @ Point Fmr – Paris, France
April 12 @ Spazio 211 – Torino, Italy
April 13 @ Init – Roma, Italy
April 14 @ Covo – Bologna, Italy
April 16 @ I Boat – Bordeaux, France
April 17 @ La Taf – Montpellier, France
April 18 @ Rock Sound – Barcelona, Spain
April 19 @ Cafe Antzkoia – Bilbao, Spain
April 20 @Gaztereku – Onati, Spain
April 21 @ Micro Musicas Fest – Murcia, Spain
April 22 @ El Sol – Madrid, Spain
April 25 @ La Chocolaterie – Bruxelles, Belgium
April 26 @ Melkweg Sugar Club – Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 27 @ Baroeg – Rotterdam, Netherlands
April 28 @ Vera – Groningen, Netherlands
April 29 @ Effenaar – Eindhoven, Netherlands
April 30 @ Garaj Istanbul – Istanbul, Turkey
May 3 @ Six Dogs – Athens, Greece
May 4 @ Stage Line – Larissa, Greece

These guys lay it on you hard. A nice mixture of psychedelic rock and blues, they really know how to lay waste. Think of it this way: What do you get when Jimi Hendrix meets The Black Keys? Radio Moscow of course. Their songs have an uncanny style similarity to those two artists, but I’m not complaining. Rock needs a new face, a revival of the glorious days, a reinvented image of itself. This trio really blasts you back to the past with their heavy guitar licks and rifts coupled with garage-band style drumming. Prepare to be blown out of the water, in a good way.

Who needs a Delorean when you have this band.

20. The Sade – Damned Love – (review) I really didn’t know what to expect when this one came across my desk but I needed to check it out. And check it out I did. I was pretty damn impressed that I listened to the album at least 10 times in a row. In my review I stated “The majority of the album is all alchchol fueled hard rock. Throughout my listening of the album I couldn’t help but think that this is what Social Distortion may sound like if they were more rooted in 70′s hard rock as opposed to their punk roots.” Granted it’s been a few months since I’ve listened to it, it still has a strong spot in my top 20.

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COMP TO FEATURE EXCLUSIVE TRACKS FROM RADIO MOSCOW, HACIENDA, BUFFALO KILLERS, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES & MORE!

RADIO MOSCOW (FEATURING PARKER GRIGGS) TO JOIN FORCES WITH GRAVEYARD FOR STATESIDE WINTER TOUR!

Where Is Parker Griggs? is a collection of songs from the Alive Naturalsound label, with EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL by HACIENDA, RADIO MOSCOW, BUFFALO KILLERS, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES and more. This compilation showcases the many facets of this respected L.A. based indie imprint, founded by Patrick Boissel 17 years ago. From garage rock, psych, punk, deep blues and Tejas garage-soul, Where Is Parker Griggs? is an impressive overview of some of the new blood currently pumping through Alive – the first label to have the taste and insight to sign not only The Black Keys and Two Gallants, but all of the remarkable acts on this collection (not to mention many others). This album also features an early preview from Alive’s latest signing, the rootsy psyouthern soul of Birmingham, AL rock quartet LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES, whose full-length debut lands April 2012.

Where Is Parker Griggs? will be released January 10th as a 180 GRAM VINYL Ltd. Edition and Digital download, the latter which also features two additional bonus tracks from LEFT LANE CRUISER and THE BLOODY HOLLIES.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND SHARE LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES NEW TRACK “EVERYTHING THAT YOU TOOK”

Where Is Parker Griggs? TRACK LISTING

side one
1. RADIO MOSCOW – Open Your Eyes — First time on vinyl
2. HACIENDA – Look At That Girl — Exclusive to this release
3. BUFFALO KILLERS – Love is Gold — Exclusive to this release
4. RADIO MOSCOW -  The Stranger — Exclusive to this release
5. HENRYS FUNERAL SHOE with Scott Morgan & Friends – Gimme Back My Morphine — Exclusive to this release
6. BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES - Easy Money — Exclusive to this release
side two
1. LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES - Everything That You Took — Exclusive to this release DEBUT ALBUM TO BE RELEASED THIS SPRING
2. BRIAN OLIVE – Back Sliding Soul
3. BUFFALO KILLERS – Oh My Word — Exclusive to this release
4. HACIENDA – Love Me More — Exclusive to this release
5. GARDENS – Maze Time
6. WHITE NOISE SOUND – There Is No Tomorrow

Bonus for Digital : LEFT LANE CRUISER – Weed Vodka & THE BLOODY HOLLIES – Dirty S*x

So where exactly is Radio Moscow’s singer, guitarist and creative fountainhead, Parker Griggs? Actually, we don’t have a clue. But we do know that in January he’ll be out on the road fronting Radio Moscow for a handful of explosive Midwest shows in support of their latest Alive album, THE GREAT ESCAPE OF LESLIE MAGNAFUZZ. The northern California (by way of central Iowa) trio will then be teaming up with Swedish hard-rockers GRAVEYARD for a coast-to-coast winter tour. You can pin Parker down in one of the cities below as part of this super-heavy, mind-bending double bill!

RADIO MOSCOW MIDWEST TOUR DATES
01/06/12 Gabe’s, Iowa City IA
01/07/12 KURE 88.5 In-Studio Session, Ames IA
01/07/12 DG’s Taphouse, Ames IA
01/09/12 Ultra Lounge, Chicago IL
01/10/12 Ace of Cups, Columbus OH

RADIO MOSCOW / GRAVEYARD 2012 TOUR DATES
01/12/12 Bowery Ballroom, New York NY
01/13/12 Middle East, Cambridge MA
01/14/12 North Star Bar, Philadelphia PA
01/15/12 Golden West, Baltimore MD
01/16/12 DC9, Washington DC
01/17/12 Strange Matter, Richmond VA
01/18/12 Casbah @ Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte NC
01/19/12 Asheville Music Hall, Asheville NC
01/20/12 Exit / In, Nashville TN
01/21/12 The Masquerade, Atlanta GA
01/22/12 Hi-Tone Café, Memphis TN
01/24/12 Fitzgerald’s, Houston TX
01/25/12 Mohawk, Austin TX
01/27/12 Yucca Tap Room, Tempe AZ
01/28/12 Bootleg Bar, Los Angeles CA
01/30/12 Café Du Nord, San Francisco CA
01/31/12 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR
02/01/12 The Tractor, Seattle WA

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

courtesy of Alive Naturalsound Records

James Lewis Carter Ford, also known by the moniker T-Model Ford, is the blues. That is to say, the blues isn’t just a way to describe his music but also his life – hard times and hard liquor, bad women and colorful friends, working class jobs and prison time, sweaty nights in the deep south and shakin’ smoky juke joint dives from ceiling to floor all night long with his extensive repertoire. Ford lived the life for nearly sixty years before even taking up the guitar and considering a career as a musician. He was a bluesman in real life before he was a bluesman on people’s stereos, before he was gracing stages of venues around the world, before he was a face on the sleeves of so many compact discs and pieces of vinyl. And that is undoubtedly what he will be until his dying day.    

At ninety years of age T-Model Ford is still going strong, and his latest release on Alive Naturalsound Records, “Taledragger,” proves just that. Together with backing band GravelRoad, T-Model Ford has laid down eight new tracks for “Taledragger,” his eighth album to date, and his second on Alive Naturalsound. It’s not a surprise that he no longer releases his albums on the Fat Possum label, where he spent much of his early music career, as they deal less and less with blues artists as the years go by. And so, for all intents and purposes, Ford has found a decidedly better home label with Alive Naturalsound. And while changing labels, he also switched gears a bit in the sound department for his new release.

Though T-Model Ford resides in the Delta, his style often leans more towards the hill country set, like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, along with traces of old Chicago blues, like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. But if one were to get right down to it, one would admit that T-Model Ford has long since developed his own unique sound; a sound which melds the traditional with the modern in a way that would have most singer/songwriters falling flat on their faces, but not T-Model Ford, who welcomes the challenge with a sly grin and a practiced hand. And it’s a sound that has remained encouragingly consistent throughout the years, from his wild 1997 debut “Pee-Wee Get My Gun” up to the present with “Taledragger.” And though there is a lot to appreciate on the new “Taledragger” album, it is undeniable that some of T-Model Ford’s most chaotic and stripped-down material was on his early Fat Possum releases. The change in sound, however, is no doubt due to Ford moving on from just he and his drummer Spam to the full band arrangement. In short, it gives his sound a less raw and primal edge, making it slightly cleaner and more refined, for lack of a better way to put it. 

“Taledragger” is in and of itself a solid and praiseworthy collection of songs. Some of the standouts, however, are the opener “Same Old Train,” the eight-minute romp “Big Legged Woman,” the mellow and thoughtful “I Worn My Body for So Long,” and the blues standard closer “Little Red Rooster.” Much of what one hears on “Taledragger” are Ford’s interpretations of blues classics by other artists. But that’s one of the many great things about the blues: the songs have been swapped back and forth from artist to artist, so that there are several versions of them all.    

When mentioning T-Model Ford’s age I should have said “around ninety,” since he is unable to remember his exact date of birth. Be that as it may, it seems as if Ford is in it for the long haul. After suffering a dislocated hip, a heart attack, and a stroke, the persistent bluesman keeps recording and touring. At that is no doubt what he will be doing at the end