Pato Banton
August 21st is a big week for Pato Banton who releases “"New Day Dawning"”,
the last in a series of compilation albums. "New Day Dawning" features
new and previously unreleased recordings during the Reggae Revolution
Era, as well as some earlier releases from Pato's favorite catalog of
songs that are relevant to today's times. Guest artists featured on
this album are: STING, Fuzzy Logic, Amlak Tafari, Martin Phillips, Yaz
Alexander, Big Every Time, Ray Beshara (RIP), The Reggae Revolution and
Selwyn Brown of Steel Pulse.
In addition to all of this, Pato releases "The Words Of Christ"
(7 Disc Box Set), a specially priced iTunes exclusive $24.99 (including
a digital only bonus track). The box set is the culmination of a 7
year, 4 disc project, whose lyrics are the words of Jesus as they appear in the Urantia Book, set over newly created musical compositions from Pato.
ITunes "Words Of Christ" 7cd Box Set $24.99
Joe Rathbone & The Mercy Alliance
Joe Rathbone is proud to announce the release of his fifth record entitled
"Waking Up the Sun", featuring his new group The Mercy Alliance. Waking
Up the Sun includes inspired guitar work by the late Steve Bishop, who
worked with the legendary Ronnie Montrose, drumming by ex Counting Crow
Steve Bowman , lyrical bass from John Kessler who started his career as a
member of the original Mountain Stage band and some elegant string work
from producer David Henry ( David Mead Guster, Josh Rouse, Kelly Joe
Phelps, Jars of Clay.
The
8 tracks range from broad open rockers like the title track : Waking Up
the Sun to brooding ballads, introspective jaunts and a poignant
farewell to guitarist Bishop entitled Wave. Rathbone provides raw vocals
and gritty guitar playing and some colorful keyboard on all the tracks
while Deanna Murray delivers some thrilling harmony singing often
weaving in and out of the lead vocal. Waking Up the Sun deals with the
concept of how we face loss and alienation while recognizing and
accepting the incredible good fortune the world can bring. There are
gorgeous string flourishes, ecstatic feedback, watery volume swells,
delirious drum loops and ethereal harmonies that resonate throughout
this record and let the listener in on the heart of the matter
ITunes Joe Rathbone & The Mercy Alliance , Waking Up The Sun$7.92
Scrapomatic
I'm A Stranger (And I Love The Night)
Critically
acclaimed eclectic/roots music outfit Scrapomatic release I’M A
STRANGER (AND I LOVE THE NIGHT) you can STREAM THE ALBUM IN FULL over at
AOL MUSIC. Last week, RELIX premiered a FREE DOWNLOAD of "Night
Trains, Distant Whistles." Grab the track here.
I'm A Stranger
(And I Love The Night) continues the band’s distinctive forays through
an intoxicating variety of American musical styles. The album is a
Featured New Release over at Amazon and you can pick up a copy on sale
pricing in both physical and digital formats.
Led by Mike
Mattison, who also sings and writes songs for the Grammy Award winning
Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Paul Olsen, an in-demand New York musical
director credited with two ASCAP songwriting awards, Scrapomatic meshes
distinctly different approaches into a compelling amalgam of roots, & and homegrown soul-folk.
Mattison will pull double duty
in September as Scrapomatic has added a few shows opening for TTB. A
full list of tour dates can be found below
Mike Mattison won a
Grammy as lead singer with The Derek Trucks Band for 2009's Best Blues
Album, Already Free. In 2010, The Derek Trucks Band announced a hiatus,
and Mattison joined the new group, Tedeschi Trucks Band, as a backing
vocalist and songwriter. He won another Grammy with TTB for 2011's Best
Blues Album, Revelator. His compositions, “Bound for Glory” and
"Midnight in Harlem," received significant airplay and the latter was
featured in the band’s performance for the DVD of Eric Clapton's
Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010.
With ‘ STRANGER,’ Scrapomatic
added a new permanent band member, Alabama-bred, multi faceted
guitarist, Dave Yoke, while again featuring the crack Atlanta rhythm
unit of Ted Pecchio (bass) and Tyler Greenwell (drums). Marked by a
wide range of forceful original material laced with poignancy, irony,
and dark humor, the new album showcases each man’s ample singing and
songwriting talents most sublimely. Mattison (vocals) and Olsen
(guitar, vocals) penned all 12 tracks, which were recorded in January
2012 at Swamp Raga Studios, Jacksonville, FL.
Produced by
Mattison, with mixing and mastering from veteran Atlanta engineer Rodney
Mills, I’M A STRANGER (AND I LOVE THE NIGHT) is solid evidence that
this close knit, ongoing partnership continues to bring forth an
impressive outlay of great music.
Scrapomatic Tour Dates
Tues, Sept 25 – Roanoke, VA – Shaftman Performance Hall at Jefferson Center w/ TTB
Thurs, Sept 27 – Portland, ME – State Theatre w/ TTB
Fri, Sept 28 – Waterbury, CT – The Palace Theater w/ TTB
Scrapomatic is #2 right now on Amazon.com Hot New Releases - Blues, and a New and Notable Blues pick for the month of August.
iTunes - New & Noteworthy, #4 iTunes Blues Chart.
Puretracks (Canada) is Featuring “Night Trains, Distant Whistles” as a Free Download this week.
AOL MUSIC LISTENING PARTY
