Greener.grass.2019

Tyler Ramsey, the former Band of Horses co-writer and lead guitarist, announces the release of his exquisite new album, For The Morning, out April 5th, 2019 on Fantasy Records. Inspired by the lush, deep green and stunning landscape of his home in the mountains outside of Asheville, NC, Ramsey threads rock, country and folk into a rich, new branch of American roots music all his own. Listen to the absorbing, wistful lead track, “A Dream of Home” HERE and pre-order For The Morning HERE

TUBBY HAYES | THE FONTANA RECORDINGS 1961–1969 featuring Tubby Hayes’ Fontana albums as a leader.
Mastering Notes: The recordings have been lovingly remastered at Gearbox Records’ Studios, London, directly from the original tapes, using a Studer C37 ¼-inch stereo tape machine. They were then equalised through an all-valve mastering desk built bespoke for Decca studios in the late 1950s, Vintage Lang Pultec EQ, Prism Maselec EQ and Telefunken U73b valve limiters from 1959. The LP lacquers were cut on a beautifully restored Haeco Scully Lathe from 1967 with Westrex (Western Electric) head and cutting amps: the same go-to lathe that Rudy Van Gelder used.

TUBBY HAYES | THE FONTANA RECORDINGS 1961–1969 featuring Tubby Hayes’ Fontana albums as a leader.
Mastering Notes: The recordings have been lovingly remastered at Gearbox Records’ Studios, London, directly from the original tapes, using a Studer C37 ¼-inch stereo tape machine. They were then equalised through an all-valve mastering desk built bespoke for Decca studios in the late 1950s, Vintage Lang Pultec EQ, Prism Maselec EQ and Telefunken U73b valve limiters from 1959. The LP lacquers were cut on a beautifully restored Haeco Scully Lathe from 1967 with Westrex (Western Electric) head and cutting amps: the same go-to lathe that Rudy Van Gelder used.

The Picketts draw equally from country and rock & roll, including punk rock, which makes their stripped-down, Bakersfield-influenced honky tonk quite exciting. Their second album, The Wicked Picketts, has a bit more studio gloss than Paper Doll, but it remains a tough, enjoyable listen.

James Fernando began his music exploration at an early age. Playing classical piano at the age of five. It was in middle school that his first exposure to jazz transpired. The connection was immediate. Working tirelessly to develop his skills Fernando received awards from both Downbeat Magazine and the National Young Arts Foundation and was nominated for the Jazz Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association. He was also selected for the prestigious Jazz Band of America and Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop. Fernando then attended Berklee College of Music on scholarship, where he graduated summa cum laude after only three years of study.

TUBBY HAYES | THE FONTANA RECORDINGS 1961–1969 featuring Tubby Hayes’ Fontana albums as a leader.
Mastering Notes: The recordings have been lovingly remastered at Gearbox Records’ Studios, London, directly from the original tapes, using a Studer C37 ¼-inch stereo tape machine. They were then equalised through an all-valve mastering desk built bespoke for Decca studios in the late 1950s, Vintage Lang Pultec EQ, Prism Maselec EQ and Telefunken U73b valve limiters from 1959. The LP lacquers were cut on a beautifully restored Haeco Scully Lathe from 1967 with Westrex (Western Electric) head and cutting amps: the same go-to lathe that Rudy Van Gelder used.

Like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and only a few others, Brenda Lee could sound equally wonderful whether she was tearing into an upbeat rock & roll number or crooning a melancholy countrypolitan ballad. The fact that she demonstrated ample knowledge of both even before getting halfway through her teenage years made her achievements much more special. MCA's The Definitive Collection befits its title in one area: it's the definitive collection of her Billboard chart history, where most but not all of her artistic excellence occurred.

Sometimes, a band's style can be as confining as it is defining. In Cayucas' case, the limits of their retro-leaning, sample-heavy indie were starting to show on 2015's Dancing at the Blue Lagoon. Following that album's release, Zach and Ben Yudin took some time to rethink their music, and with the help of producer Dennis Herring, they give their sound a significant makeover on Real Life. Polished with synths and punctuated by bigger and louder beats than any of their previous music, Cayucas' third album boasts a neon sheen that's in keeping with late-2010s pop but also remains true to their past.