UPDATE: Lovely Socialite Returns, and More!

Posted on June 12, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

Poster by Joe Ludwig.

After nearly a year of inactivity, one of my all-time favorite Madison bands is back in action! Lovely Socialite Mrs. Thomas W. Phipps is the only band in the area that tackles jazz-rock the way they do. After parting ways for a while due to school and work, Lovely Socialite has announced that they are convening once again to record new material and play a handful of one-off shows.

Last year’s successful Kickstarter helped the band release Registers Her Delight, Lovely Socialite’s first full-length album. But anyone who saw the band in the time between that album’s release and their hiatus will know that there were plenty of tunes left undocumented.

I’m always down for forward-thinking music, and I’m happy to say Lovely Socialite will be doing exactly that with their new, as-of-yet-untitled EP. In addition to this EP, Lovely Socialite will be recording a new (also as-of-yet-untitled) split cassette with the similarly-awesome Cincinnati band Us, Today.

Catch Lovely Socialite in their special return shows July 4th at the Frequency in Madison, and July 5th at the Yield Bar in Milwaukee, and stay tuned for more information on the band’s upcoming releases.

In the mean time, you can snag a copy of Registers Her Delight in our shop or the band’s shop on Murfie.com. You can also get a copy of Lovely Socialite’s Debutante EP here.

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PREVIEW: Boys, A Haircut, Soul Low, Dakotas

Posted on June 8, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

This is how you spend a Sunday night in Madison. Three excellent and fun local acts with a pleasantly matched traveling act. Join us tomorrow night at the Dragonfly Lounge for another great set of bands. Read on below for press quotes and streaming previews for each band.

BOYS, A Haircut, Soul Low, Dakotas
$5 Cover, 21+, Music at 9:00PM.
The Dragonfly Lounge
401 E. Washington

BOYS (MISSOULA)
“Moody fuzzed-out guitars and deceptively simple arrangements sound as if they were pulled from an AM radio during a late night try at coitus.” – Missoula Independent

A Haircut (MADISON)
“In the band A Haircut, Lutz yelps over fat, fuzzy guitar tones and Trester’s simple drum patterns. Titles on their eight-song demo include “Lizard Skin” and “A Native Scalping.” Before forming A Haircut, Lutz played in a Milwaukee folk duo called Audrea, which once covered Misfits’ “Last Caress,” singing about a baby’s death over cheerful tambourine and harmonica. Trester’s drum kit includes parts salvaged from the trash.” – Scott Gordon, The Daily Page

Soul Low (MADISON/MILWAUKEE)
“Soul Low is a three piece Indie/Rock band made up of Sam Gehrke, Jake Balistrieri & Charlie Celenaza. Based out of Milwaukee, the group seemed to come to a complete halt last year when Gehrke took of for school. But after a year of little activity Soul Low are making an exciting comeback with a slew of recent shows, new songs, & eleven day tour to the east coast.” – Mouse Corn, FunTV

Dakotas (MADISON)
“Dakotas represented the first Madison band of brothers (literally, two of the members are brothers) to take the stage, and they played a blaring set of American rock highly reminiscent of The Strokes circa Room on Fire.” – Jaime Brackeen, MadisonNightOut

PREVIEW: Softly, Dear’s “Portico” EP Release Show (Eau Claire)

Posted on June 7, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

Softly, Dear “Portico” EP Release Show
The Volume One Gallery
205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire, WI
7:00 PM / FREE / ALL AGES

If you’re in Eau Claire tonight, you better have a good excuse not to see Softly, Dear release their new EP. Portico is the debut effort from the band, who formed late summer 2012. After brewing for a while, it’s ready to breathe.

Softly, Dear is made up of Tyler Hart, Josh Frederick, Alex Adkinson, Ben Possi and Addie Strei. Even though Addie joined after the EP was recorded, I think she’s going to be a great addition to the band. Addie’s previous work (most notably as the driving force behind Adelyn Rose) has always been top notch, and Softly, Dear is quickly climbing to the top of my list of favorite Madison bands.

Softly, Dear has a very ‘Wisconsin’ sound, and I was lucky enough to check out Portico before it’s release tonight. The band has a pretty wide stylistic range, but Portico never falls apart because of it. Beyond all else, it just feels like guys you’ve known forever playing tunes for you.

Check out a stream of Better Times below, the first single taken from Portico. I’ve also included two recent press quotes in case you need any more convincing. Don’t miss it!

Softly, Dear is a fairly recent indie-folk addition to the already rich Eau Claire music scene that loves jam sessions, exploring their stylistic range, and refining their sound. Their musical influences range from a broad variety of acts such as Miles Davis, Radiohead, and The Avett Brothers to local ones, including Laarks and Meridene. – VolumeOne.org

Better Times starts off as all good US guitar bands do. Jangly, distorted guitars backed by an angry synth and a disco beat. It’s nothing new but perfectly pleasant. If these chaps hailed from Camden this would sound a whole lot less cool. It’s indie rock by numbers until the song takes a squealing left at the lights. Banjos descend, group vocals wail, honky-tonk piano, plinks-and-plonks and suddenly we’re drunkenly swinging from the chandeliers. – GoldPaintFlakes

NEWS: COLIAS 1 2xCD (w/ Release Show)

Posted on April 22, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

COLIAS 1

Bright Red Studios: $7 Entry + CD, $5 Entry Only
Doors at 7:00 PM, Music at 8:00 PM, ALL AGES

COLIAS 1 RELEASE PARTY
Bros. Grimm + DB Pedersen (MADISON)
Nude Human (MADISON/MILWAUKEE)
eskimeaux (PHILADELPHIA/CHICAGO)
CJ Boyd (USA)

Facebook Event: http://on.fb.me/14AIsiW
Show + CD Pre-order: http://bit.ly/15l4oOm

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Mine All Mine and GrimmusiK present COLIAS 1, the first in a new series of ambient releases that started with a simple prompt: “What does ambient music mean to you? The result is a compilation of heard and unheard material from the minds of Madison’s most prolific experimenters (with regional and national guests).

COLIAS 1 features new music from John Praw, Brain Grimmer, Silas “Be” Ritchie (featuring Brian Tairaku Ritchie), Troy Schafer, DB Pedersen, Wayfaraway (Karsten Osterby of Sleepy Lesbos), Kathleen Baird (of Spires That in the Sunset Rise), Gregory Taylor, Ben Willis and more.

Of particular interest is the number of musicians releasing their first ambient compositions on the compilation. COLIAS 1 features tracks from new comers like Corey Murphy (of Pushmi-Pullyu and Lovely Socialite), William Z. Villain, Asumaya, and others. Also included are ambient pieces by hip-hop producer *hitmayng and experimental pop musician eskimeaux.

The compilation is being produced as a collaboration between Mine All Mine Records and GrimmusiK, and will be released as a limited edition two disc physical release. Packaging design and album art is being provided by John Praw of Mine All Mine with help from Brian Grimm of GrimmusiK (see album art below).

The release party will feature Madison locals Nude Human (John Praw + Pat Reinholz), Brothers Grimm with DB Pedersen, and special guests CJ Boyd (represented on the compilation as part of Kurva Choir) and long-time Mine All Mine collaborator eskimeaux. The show will be held at Bright Red Studios on 9 Ingersoll Street, Madison, WI.

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Disc 1:
01. Nude Human – Nude Human 1 (Live Excerpt)
02. Wayfaraway – Nights
03. bell monks – let the waves carry us (part II)
04. Kurva Choir – Love in a mist/ devil in the bush
05. Pat R. Feat. Emily Brown – meadii
06. Asumaya – Cooking at Night (ft Widnaba Club)
07. Kathleen Baird – The Invention of Truth
08. Brain Grimmer – Well, I Think I Would Want To Say…
09. Melancholy Elephants – Wet Dream
10. William Z. Villain – Bomb Goes Büm
11. eskimeaux – The Result
12. James Mooney – Piute. Gambling song; Arapaho No. 67 (1894 July 5)

Disc 2:
01. John Praw – fevrr (ft bwc)
02. Gregory Taylor – Lambat Awan [slendro]
03. Shawn Kenneth Pierce – Foxgloves and Weeds
04. *hitmayng – Sydney
05. Corey Murphy – Life’s Too Short to Wind Clocks
06. Dressed Up – Nobody But Batman
07. Silas “Be” Ritchie feat. Brian Tairaku Ritchie (Shakuhachi) – Laborious Breath
08. Brothers Grimm & DB Pedersen – Ladder Study 1 (Alice Cooper’s Tears)
09. Troy Schafer – Untitled
10. A.Rex – Champagne Dick
11. Thollem Electric – [excerpt] Sudden Sound Series: live at Krannert Art Museum
12. Ben Willis – Agatha
13. Unidentified Chimes Performer – Home, sweet home (1899 September 15)

Release Date:
26 April 2013

PREVIEW: Lost City Winter Series Finale!

Posted on March 19, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

Can you believe it? Today, March 19th, is the last day of winter! Maybe it doesn’t feel like it, but I think it’s okay to celebrate the coming of the Vernal Equinox anyway.

Tonight, we’ll do exactly that in our 9th and final Lost City Winter Series show. While I love all of the artists that have come through this wonderful winter shindig, I am admittedly more excited about this show than any other so far. We’ve got Madison-favorites Man Mantis and Double Ewes, as well as Paul A. Benson (of Mt. Eerie, LAKE, etc) performing as Ever Ending Kicks.

Read on below for a taste of what’s to come. And thanks for sticking with us!

$5 Cover, 21+, Music at 9:00PM.
The Dragonfly Lounge
401 E. Washington

LostCityMusicFestival.com
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PREVIEW: Lost City Winter Series #8

Posted on March 15, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

Feel that air warming up? Spring is coming, and that means we’re nearing the end of our Lost City Winter Series. That’s a bummer, but these last two shows are going to be great. Tonight, from Madison, we have Jamie Yanda, Snouts and Fluorescent Pig. Driving in from Milwaukee is YLLA. This is our second-to-last Winter Series show, so I hope we’ll see you there!

$5 Cover, 21+, Music at 9:00PM.
The Dragonfly Lounge
401 E. Washington

LostCityMusicFestival.com
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PREVIEW: Lost City Winter Series #7

Posted on March 2, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

It’s time for another entry into our Lost City Winter Series! Things have been pretty cold and snowy, so take the night off at the Dragonfly Lounge with us! Tonight we’ve got four excellent acts – don’t miss it!

UPDATE: Brontosaurus has, unfortunately, had to cancel due to van problems. But the show must go on!

$5 Cover, 21+, Music at 9:00PM.
The Dragonfly Lounge
401 E. Washington

LostCityMusicFestival.com
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PREVIEW: Lost City Winter Series #6

Posted on February 16, 2013 by John Praw Kruse

Tonight (Saturday, February 16th) is the second of two entries this weekend in our Lost City Winter Series at the Dragonfly Lounge. And it’s a packed one at that! Two excellent traveling bands will tear it up, including Milwaukee’s Absolutely and and Brooklyn-based killer BOB. Representing Madison is All Good Things and Pushmi-Pullyu. Read on below for a preview of the things to come!

$5 Cover, 21+, Music at 10:00PM.
The Dragonfly Lounge
401 E. Washington

LostCityMusicFestival.com
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