Thursday, March 03, 2011

New Site, New Blog

Good news my friends. The launch of our new Green Light Go Music Publicity site has occurred, which means our time with blogger has come to an end. Join us at our conveniently tiny url: www.glgpub.com/blog to read (and listen to) all the latest and greatest music industry news on indie rock and Americana artists. Click Here to Read More..

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Neutral Uke Hotel Kicks Off Tour in Boston April 20th

Neutral Uke Hotel, who took the world by storm last summer with their live performances of Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over The Sea are about to embark on a short tour this April. But Neutral Uke Hotel isn’t your average cover band; they play this beloved album entirely on ukulele. They will be joined for most of the tour by Golden Bloom and The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, two bands that contain members of Neutral Uke Hotel. Click Here to Read More..

Monday, February 14, 2011

Staff Infection: Valentine's Day

It's kind of a cliche to hate Valentine's Day. Especially if you're single. While I can't say that I'm in love with the card- and candy-selling holiday, I took this year's February 14th to explore the sadder side of the love song. From the triumphant to the tissue-worthy, here's my list of love songs that touch the darker side of the heart.







Fitz and the Tantrums - "Money Grabber" from
Pickin' Up the Pieces



Cee Lo Green "F*ck You"



The Decemberists - "O Valencia!" from The Crane Wife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b2BzZySARo

George Jones - "He Stopped Loving Her Today"



Every week a different Green Light Go staff member will write about what bands have infected their ears for the week and give you an opportunity to hear it for yourself.

This week: Kelly Bennett, Junior Publicist
Click Here to Read More..

Friday, February 11, 2011

Lawrence & Leigh Announce National Tour Including SXSW Date

Bringing their haunting, intimate live show on the road to include an Austin showcase at SXSW is Lawrence & Leigh. The New York duo’s dream-colored dazzling indie-folk is sure to wow audiences at the new Revolution Bar on March 17 during Everything Independent’s SXSW Day Party. The Revolution Bar show will be open to the public, all ages, and entrance will cost a donation of a canned good.

Lawrence & Leigh put as much energy into their live shows as they do their meticulously crafted recorded music. Though the vibe tends to be simpler and more intimate, with Lawrence & Leigh’s Andrew Kalleen and Kristin Stokes being the only ones on stage, they put their power into creating a personal experience for the audience. “The goal is to give an experience, not an exact replica of the album - this is the live interpretation,” they say. Click Here to Read More..

'A Library Experience' with Michael J. Epstein

Eight women and one guy?! No, this is not some crazy Valentine’s Day story or recent gossip about Charlie Sheen. What it happens to be is Michael J. Epstein and his female companions of Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, a brilliant collaboration of instruments with a down tempo kind of vibe.

Representin' for the women, Epstein's choice of eight female bandmates was to show off their talents within the music world. As recently featured on JimSullivanInk.com, Epstein stated, “I see this as an opportunity to help bring a new crop of women into the Boston music scene and showcase their talents as collaborators, arrangers, singers, and performers.

Click here to learn more about Michael J. Epstein and Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library.
Click Here to Read More..

GLG Fresh Mp3 Friday: Dear Mr. President

Forty-four Americans have taken the presidential oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." Before you complain about your job, try doing all of that in a days worth.

Dear Mr. Presidents: we've loved you, hated you, admired you, cried with you, fought with you, changed with you and made history with you. In appreciation to our present and past presidents, we've asked Michael J. Epstein, Shawn Fogel and John Shipe to tell us who their favorite defender of the Constitution is, along with one of their personal songs they think best describes them.



Michael Epstein of The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library
Favorite President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Song: "Amylee"
For Fans of: Magnetic Fields, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
For more of Michael, click here.

"In addition to fighting for racial equality, Dwight D. Eisenhower played extensive catch-up in the space race against The Soviet Union in the 50s. If not for Eisenhower's commitment to U.S. space exploration, I may have never been able to write a song with so much inter-stellar imagery."


The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library - Amylee by greenlightgo

Shawn Fogel of Golden Bloom
Favorite President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Song: "Doomsday"
Genre: Indie/rock/pop
For Fans of: Ben Kweller, Wilco (Summerteeth Era)
For more of Shawn, click here.

"For my presidential pick I'd like to select Dwight D. Eisenhower, not so much for what he did during his presidency but for his famous Farewell Address to the American people just before leaving office. In this incredibly profound, if not prophetic speech, Eisenhower warned us against the dangers of the military-industrial complex becoming more and more integrated into our government and our lives. Fifty years later (almost exactly) we find ourselves trapped in a state of constant and potentially endless wars, at the mercy of the very thing President Eisenhower spoke about. In honor of Eisenhower's foresight, I present a Golden Bloom fan-favorite as well as the main export of the military-industrial complex: Doomsday Devices!"
Golden Bloom-Doomsday by greenlightgo

John Shipe
Favorite President: Barack H. Obama
Song: "Lion"
Genre: Acoustic/Indie/Rock
For fans of: Josh Ritter, Jonathan Rice and Elvis Costello
For more of John, click here.

"I think my opening tune 'Lion' may be paralleled, with the opening lyric:
'No matter what I do, good or bad, everyone's got something to say.'"
John Shipe - Lion by greenlightgo

To our fans, please feel free to post any of the approved songs on your blog or tweet to your friends. Check out our list of clients and available mp3s here: greenlightgopublicity.com/clients. If you're not on our email list to receive these directly and want to be, please send an email over to info@glgpub.com. Click Here to Read More..

High Five! from Seafarer's Patrick Grzelewski

Chicago's maritime men offer up a high five to explain what makes Seafarer tick:

1. The Harmony











Matt purchased this little amp on eBay for literally about ten dollars. I'm still stunned to this day how it exists simultaneously as a complete piece of crap and the greatest creative/inspirational tool in our humble arsenal. I remember Matt calling me one day, totally beside himself with excitement. Being an unemployed carpenter at the time, Matt put his misfortune to good use in crafting a beautifully finished wooden home for the busted up chassis. The amp now lives at his house, where we do most of our songwriting. The Harmony spews out a sonic texture that could only be described as "shitty." Yet this gritty, barely functional little bastard somehow brings out the best in us; its rustic charm uncannily completes our most fragmented of compositions.

2. Metropolis Coffee











In more ways than one, Seafarer is fueled by one of the world's oldest and most complex agricultural commodities. I roast coffee for a living at an artisan roaster and wholesaler on Chicago's North Side, for a company called the Metropolis Coffee Company. Aside from actually making a sustainable income off our music (which we're still working on), this is the greatest job in the world. Roasting provides a very separate creative outlet and it gives me a chance to actually listen to records all day long, in a really unique environment. At Metropolis, we meticulously taste and evaluate coffee from all around the world (some current offerings include Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Peru), and we work to develop roasting techniques and resulting profiles that best represent the products farmers have worked tirelessly to cultivate. The Metropolis also serves the crucial purpose of being Seafarer's practice space. While Matt's house is a great creative songwriting space on weekdays, the roasting garage is a place where we can really let loose when production shuts down for the weekend. It's a great venue to practice the dynamic of live performances and we can be really loud. Adding to the very musical vibe of that environment, the front hallway walls are adorned with various prints from the famous Chicago poster artist Jay Ryan, who is a good friend of the company's owner. Jay's band Dianogah occasionally stages practice there too.

3. This Sign











I saw this on the door of The Riviera Theater before a Guided By Voices show and thought it was hilarious. Why is "extensively" in quotes?! No strobe lights were used during the entire performance, FYI. It was such a great show though, the band played three encores.

4. Trees











I can't really explain my fascination with trees, but it's pretty obsessive. I have entire film rolls of weird tree pictures. There is just something so eerie and deeply personal about their various stages of life and their juxtaposition to the world around us. Trees somehow represent both a defiance of nature and the embodiment of it. Weird!

5. Ava









Call me old fashioned, but a daughter to a father is simply a reason for living. She's completely changed my life and I love her more with each passing day. Nothing could have prepared me for having a child, nor could anything replace what it's meant to have her come into my life. Here's lookin' at you kid...

To celebrate the end of the nine to five, a Green Light Go staff member or artist will leave you with their short list of favorite things, better known as the High Five!

This week's High Five! is brought to you by: Seafarer's Patrick Grzelewski
Click Here to Read More..

Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Morning Code to Give Away Unreleased Track To Supportive Twitter Followers

Twitter is all about telling people about the latest thing that you’re excited about. That’s why the New York rock band, The Morning Code, is using the service to spread the word about their album, Tell Someone. Doing the good deed of passing on the message “#Tell Someone about The Morning Code” will get participating Twitter users a secret link to the band’s unreleased mp3 “Start Again”.

The Morning Code is committed to getting their music out to the people who will love it. Frontman Ashwin Alexander says, “If even a handful of people can cherish some of our music the same we that we cherish our favorite bands’ music, that would be amazing”. A testament to this attitude is the fact that their album, Tell Someone is available for free from their website. It’s there, ready to be cherished. Click Here to Read More..

Facebook Quiz Reveals What Type of Lover You Are Through John Shipe’s Songs Take The Quiz, Get A Free Song

Nothing gets you more in the mood for Valentine’s Day like a good love song, and this year, songwriter John Shipe wants to help you find out what type of lover you are and give you a free song from his latest album, Villain, to match. By simply taking a Facebook quiz about your love life, you’ll unlock the song that most matches your style. Nice guy or girl who has no luck in love? You’ll get “Villain”. Give up everything for love? Then “No Use Crying Over Spilt Life” is your tune. Too busy saving the world to make time for love? Then you’ll hear “What Right Do We Have To Fall In Love?”. And if you’ve been alone for a while and worried that you’re the problem, “Love Belongs To Everyone” is your love song. Facebook users can access the quiz here: http://apps.facebook.com/makeaquiz/?target=home&sr=ff&xid=2124638&hid=62a5de1cce75fd5ddb8883ac7dee9da4 Click Here to Read More..

Grand Atlantic to Play 2nd Annual International Psychout at SXSW on March 18th

Brisbane’s power pop quartet, Grand Atlantic will bring the psychedelic sounds from their new album to The 2nd Annual International Psychout at Paisley Umbrella in Austin on March 18. This SXSW show is part of their US tour. The tour will also include dates in Chicago and New York. The Hoa Hoas, The Broadfield Marchers, Strangers Family Band, Runaway Suns, The Ugly Beats and The Chevelles will join them.

Grand Atlantic recorded their as yet untitled third record in Seacliff Lunatic Asylum, an abandoned psychiatric hospital near Dunedin, New Zealand, where they delved into darker emotional territory, experimented with new recording techniques and experienced the effects of their haunting (and possibly haunted) surroundings. They will bring the psychedelic results of their explorations to the United States this March, playing gigs in Chicago, New York and at SXSW, kicking off in Chicago at Reggie’s Music Joint on March 11th. Click Here to Read More..