Joy Cleaner officially drop their new single and video titled ‘Pink Lite’. In the tradition started by bands such as Hüsker Dü and The Lemonheads, Joy Cleaner delivers that smooth guitar-driven sound and groove-centric rhythm that gives the listener that casual smirk letting them know that good independent music is alive and well in bands like Joy Cleaner.
ABOUT JOY CLEANER
After playing in numerous indie rock and punk bands together across North Jersey since 2009, guitarist Joey DeGroot and bassist Kyle Wilkerson formed Joy Cleaner in late 2015, almost as a challenge to themselves to take a more mature, accessible, and deliberate approach to songwriting. Following the release of their debut album on Jigsaw Records, 2017’s Total Hell, Joy Cleaner was praised for their strong hooks and full embrace of power pop songwriting, with many comparing their sound to Teenage Fanclub, Guided By Voices, and The Lemonheads.
2018 saw the addition of drummer Justin Grabosky, after which the band hit the road for several tours of the Northeast, Midwest, and South, including a stop at the 2018 Athens Popfest. The band spent spring 2019 in the studio with producer Josh Evensen of Where Is My Spaceship, recording their sophomore LP, which is slated for release in late 2019.
ABOUT ‘PINK LITE’
The Pink Lite intro riff happened during the first practice we had with Justin. I was playing Joey’s guitar and we jammed on that riff for a few minutes and quickly moved on to something else. I don’t think anyone thought much of that riff but one night I wrote down some notes during an acid trip, which became the lyrics, and figured out the rest of the song real quick.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/joycleaner666
https://jigsawrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pzl165-joy-cleaner-youre-so-jaded
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Small Town Titans – You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch
York, PA heavy rock band Small Town Titans have released their cover of the Classic Christmas song “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” giving the already darkly playful track an even more sinister edge. “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” was filmed live in the studio by Springwood Productions. The band has also released the song on Patreon, a direct to fan social media platform, for their biggest supporters. Subscribing to the group for just a dollar a song on Patreon grants fans new songs first and puts their names in the credits of future YouTube videos.
The Small Town Titans are a power trio from York, PA who love to constantly create, as well as play live. Gone is the notion that a rock band should only release 10 songs at a time every 2 years. In a world where music fans crave new content constantly, the Small Town Titans aim to deliver their brand of art all of the time, drawing inspiration from a new wave of rock bands such as Highly Suspect and Royal Blood, and rock legends such as the Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Deep Purple. Thanks to their efforts at assembling their own studio in a basement, STT can create and release songs, podcasts, live online concerts, and more with no rules. This artistic change in attitude stems from touring for the better part of 2 years, and realizing how difficult it really is.
After coming home from their last 30 day run, the band had made $4,000. After repairing their vehicle, restocking their merchandise and more, the band was left with $1,000. After putting most of that back into the band’s funds as usual, each member took home $150. This startling reality made STT take a step back and evaluate themselves as a band, a brand, and a business. After firing their manager, the boys soldiered on with the help of their team at Round 2 Records. They began to truly treat Small Town Titans as a legitimate small business more than ever before. Unnecessary expenses were cut, and more creative and innovative sources of new revenue were explored, such as utilizing the direct to fan creation platform Patreon, where the band is currently making $200 every time they release a new song on YouTube.
Instead of trying to make a million fans, STT is focusing on the fans they already have. With a love for playing live, a Small Town Titans show has evolved into more than a concert. It’s an event, with a set list that’s decided right before the show, and plenty of stage banter in between songs. The band simply hits the stage to deliver an energy driven show using guitars, drums, and their voices. Nothing more, nothing less. This approach to their live performances has led to them sharing the stage with acts such as Highly Suspect, Papa Roach, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, and more.
By focusing on their engagement with social media and managing themselves, Small Town Titans are growing like never before and having more success as a business and a brand. The band just wrapped up a weekend long recording session at Hybrid Studios with friend Kevin Soffera, drummer for Seether on the 5x platinum selling record Disclaimer II, and who STT also recorded their last album Reflection with. Six brand new songs were recorded live in the studio, as well as professionally filmed by Springwood Productions at the same time. These new songs and videos will be released throughout the rest of 2017 and 2018. Songs range from the hard hitting “Me, Myself, and Monster” and “Wreck” to the ballad “Dragonfly”, an emotional song written in memory of Phil’s mother, who passed away earlier this year due to cancer, performed live with just one voice and an acoustic guitar.
Small Town Titans are actively forming a team of like minded individuals in the new music business who are just as driven and passionate as they are, rather than waiting to be discovered. As the band continues to grow their fan base online this year, they will also hit the road, this time with a smarter game plan, a stronger fan base, and a passionate team behind them.
LINKS:
http://smalltowntitans.com
https://www.facebook.com/smalltowntitans
https://twitter.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.instagram.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.youtube.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.patreon.com/smalltowntitans -
The Room in the Wood – Mars (Won’t Save Us)
Band members Paul Cavanagh and Dave Jackson are once again working together after a huge gap since their post-punk band The Room split back in 1985. After reuniting, this past year has seen them write over 30 new songs.
Featuring contributions by drummer Colin George Lamont (Mark Lanegan, Dave Gahan), this album was recorded by Steve Powell (Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band) at his Liverpool-based Ark Studio and mastered by Pete Maher (Barry Adamson, The Alarm).
“‘Every Lie’ is a bluesy, countrified stomper bemoaning the rise of the populist right, and inspired by the late great Johnny Cash – this is a response to Trump and Brexit. ‘Get Clear’ a Spanish guitar-tinged ballad extolling the virtues of escaping cult thinking. It follow-ups our song ‘Magical Thinking’, but is sung to a friend escaping some dogmatic cult,” says Dave Jackson.
“Time Machine’ is another vague sci-fi rumination, wistfully reflecting on the passage of time filtered through the vision of HG Wells. We thought that ‘Mars’ and ‘Time Machine’ gave the EP a science fiction edge and Mark Jordan’s video reflects that,” says Paul Cavanaugh.
Dave Jackson has been writing and recording since his teens – with The Room, 051, Benny Profane, Dust, Dead Cowboys, as Dave Jackson & The Cathedral Mountaineers, and also with former Shack guitarist John Head. He has recorded and released 10 albums with these various incarnations, notched up 7 John Peel sessions with The Room and Benny Profane, and has also appeared on the Whistle Test, Janice Long and Saturday Live.
Jackson has also toured the UK, Europe, and the USA extensively with The Fall, The Violent Femmes, Aztec Camera, The Lemonheads and The Wedding Present. He currently teaches creative writing at Liverpool John Moores University and has developed his novel ‘Violet City’ as a low-budget fantasy feature film.
Apart from The Room, Paul Cavanagh has performed as a solo instrumentalist as Cabin in the Woods and as one of Mike Badger’s Shady Trio. He worked with The Room drummer Alan Wills at Deltasonic Records with The Coral and The Zutons. Paul has also recorded 4 John Peel sessions and released albums with Top, It’s Immaterial, Moongoose, as well as critically acclaimed singles with Gloss. He also played guitar for Chinese Religion, The Balcony, and Ludus.
A Turntable Friend Records is an independent record label. currently in its second life. Based in Germany with distribution through SRD (Southern Record Distributors) and Rough Trade, their mission is to keep vinyl alive while casting light on sonic gems of yesteryear and today. 1990s peers of Sarah Records and Slumberland Records, ATF Records has always had a roster as diverse as Secret Shine, The Wolfhounds, Boyracer (with Even As We Speak), The Claim, The Ropers, the Hellfire Sermons, Lorelei, Bradford, Easy and Dose.
As of November 23, The Mars EP will be available across music stores and streaming platforms such as Spotify. It can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.
“Candid and catchy.. between Wall of Voodoo’s Stan Ridgway, The Fall and more folk-pop territory with The Doors also a likely deeper influence”
– Big Takeover Magazine“Brilliant offering, loaded with optimism and wit. This lush and highly memorable music calls to mind other local bands like The Railway Children and Echo & The Bunnymen… gives every indication of a band that is going places”
– Louder Than War“With delta blues riffs and a style that burrows deep into the subconsciousness like Iggy’s ‘Passenger’, it’s an insidious cut”
– God is in the TV“The Room in the Wood play their new set out of their sonic window, and the result is not only rich and diverse, but also significant”
– The Record StacheLINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/theroominthewood
https://twitter.com/davejacksonroom
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7t-iOS-5UXW26DdPnFRJQ/videos
https://soundcloud.com/theroominthewood
https://theroominthewood.bandcamp.com
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/the-room-in-the-wood/1376319762
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6NAEwzJ6Ygbnx2Bw1rSjTz?si=BEK-hnFYRNeT00Zmquq07A
