The (Hollerin') River Talkers and Music & Arts EducationTuesday, May 8, 2012 - 1:08pm
Somewhere along the way, people seemed to forget that there is more to intelligence and comprehension than memorization. While a community might report great test numbers, this shortcut to technical success is a slow but dangerous road into a very bland society. Growing up in Greenville, SC I had a chance to attend one of the finest schools in America, the Fine Arts Center of Greenville. I only attended for half of my day, the other half being at my public high school. With such a limited amount of time spent at the Fine Arts Center, it baffled me that the Fine Arts Center is where I learned the most (college included). This is where I began to be challenged. This is where my creativity was fostered. As I moved around South Carolina and Georgia, I started to notice that this isn’t something available to most students. When I started to hear from parents and friends that the public schools in their district were offering less or (sadly) no art classes, I became worried about the direction our public schools are headed. It’s bad enough society tells it’s young ones there’s no money in art and that everyone wants to be a rock star. We don’t need to remove some of their only exposure to creative outlets such as band, chorus, dance, visual art and theatre. It might be true that not everyone gets famous, but that’s mainly because a lot of people assume you have to be Bon Jovi to survive. So I assembled a group of some of my favorite musicians from South Carolina, all of which write, record and perform music regularly and somehow manage to be responsible adults. This group of seven (excluding myself) is Jake Garrett from Mason Jar Menagerie, Aaron Berg, Daniel Machado from The Restoration, Marshall Brown, Todd Mathis from American Gun, Steve Sancho from Whiskey Tango Revue and Brett Kent from Shallow Palace. I told them of my plan to start raising money for public schools music and art programs, and with no hesitation they jumped in ready to help. Click Here To Read More |
Record Store Day Top 5 PicksFriday, April 20, 2012 - 9:31am
The holidays are upon us! No, not some carpenter's birthday or his eventual zombification, no awkward family supper. It's Record Store Day! A real holiday where we don't gorge ourselves with an obscene amount of food or indulge our selfish desire to be showered with gifts. Record Store Day reminds us of the little guy, the ever present back bone of our economy; independent local businesses, specifically independent record stores. Click Here To Read More |
Dear America, by Company ReviewedFriday, April 13, 2012 - 2:07pm
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Jam Room Party Compilation Release Show April 20th at Conundrum Music HallTuesday, April 10, 2012 - 10:51am
The Jam Room Studio invited Columbia locals Sons of Young and Fishing Journal to join Charlotte-based Lamb Handler and Fountain Inn, SC group Mason Jar Menagerie to each record two songs. The result is a compilation that covers a wide spectrum of rock n' roll. Click Here To Read More |
Interview with Director Rachel Libert of Semper Fi: Always FaithfulTuesday, April 3, 2012 - 12:32pm
 Rachel Libert and Tony Hardmon's documentary Sempfer Fi: Always Faithful is one of many great documentaries screening at this year's RiverRun International Film Festival. This film is about Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger and his struggle to expose a water contamination that has been kept under wraps.
"In early 2007, my Co-Director Tony Hardmon and I were researching another film idea when we met Jerry Ensminger’s sister," said Libert. "She told us that her brother was in the process of exposing a water contamination at a Marine Corps Base and she was looking for filmmakers to document it. We were skeptical but she laid out this incredible story of intrigue, heartbreak and betrayal. It piqued our interest enough that we showed up in Washington, D.C. two weeks later and met Jerry."
Finding a story with emotional power and a storyline can be tough, but the team of directors knew this was something with a lot of potential. "We knew immediately that he would be a compelling film subject. Ironically, it is the skills that he learned as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor that serves him well today," Libert added. "He has a very commanding presence and dramatic cadence to his speech. We were also intrigued by his emotional complexity. He has this very tough exterior yet the pain that fuels his fight is just below the surface. "
My curiosity grew the more I research the story myself, and any governmental cover-up is bound to be a trail illuminated with red tape. But they had Jerry on their side, and a whole coalition of supporters. "They uncovered and gathered a lot of the information. We really wanted to see the world through their eyes and reveal information as they uncovered it. Thankfully, they are very resourceful and were able to make some significant and shocking discoveries."
Ribert continued, explaining "There were logistical challenges in gaining access to the base and the Marine Corps and we also had to do a tremendous amount of research so that we could be well-versed in military protocol, environmental law, pubic health policy and the inner workings of Capitol Hill."
What many people never think about as viewers is the time it takes to create a truly intriguing documentary. Few documentaries can cover a small span of time and gather enough depth and insight to interest a public that has access countless of other entertainment options. Years and years of filming events that happen in real time leads to unpredictable time tables and an unforeseeable end at times.
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Loma Prieta // Birds In Row // Young & In The Way // 03.27.12Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 9:21am
You immediately notice the bar and booths, but as you keep walking a small stage completely encrusted in stickers surrounded by band names spray painted on the walls comes into focus. Another bar used as the performing bands' merch table is at the back of the room next to the sound board and adjacent from an old couch that appears to have seen every band that has ever come through the joint. The small stage, bathroom doors that don't lock, nice as hell staff, friendly locals, decent drink prices and excellent cover charge prices make The Milestone better than Tremont Music Hall, The Fillmore, or any other venue in the city.
Unfortunately due to shitty service at a certain downtown Charlotte restaurant, we missed the first band, Silent Treatment. Sorry…
 Laval, France's, Birds in row do a quick sound check. As they turn dials and fine tune arrangements on their respective rigs, a dude asks them if they've had any North Carolina barbecue. A thick French accent responds that they don't know what that is.
A guitar cab and a mic stand are stage right, a jazz kit sits in the normal position, with bass to the left and another mic stand, facing away from the audience. A creepy melodic riff kicks in, weighted with grief and loss I think only the French can understand. The bass player is facing his cabinet, silent at first, slowly rocking back and forth. Without warning vocals jet out, buried by the ferocity of buzzing guitar and bass. Basic punk beats are executed perfectly, broken up by simple fills that don't woe or anything, but simply fall right into place.
Birds in row will do well in the states.
These aren't the heaviest dudes out there, but the integrity is definitely there. Songs like "Colossus" may have hooks or catchy melodies, but everything is so congruent that this doesn't become a problem. Within Birds in row's thirty or so minute set, each song performed sounds and looks painful to perform. Each member shares a look of disappointment and anxiety with every passing verse and measure. It seemed that most songs were sung in English, although the distortion of the vocals and the sheer momentum of their performance had me second guessing.
Birds in row are definitely honing their dark craft, but that only proves that their hard work is paying off.
Click Here To Read More |
Exploding Horse - "C.A.C."Monday, April 2, 2012 - 8:58amExploding Horse (formerly Charlotte metal front liners ZEUS) debut ridiculous music video for ridiculously awesome song. WATCH NOW. Click Here To Read More |
Thayer Sarrano CD Release at Caledonia Lounge TonightFriday, March 30, 2012 - 5:02pm
The 10-song record is very dismal and melancholy, but in a very oddly endearing manor. My favorite tune on the album is "I Miss My Lord", but if you are a fan of music in the vein of Mazzy Star, then you with either love or hate it for being so similar. Other than Mazzy Star, I hear a lot of Cranberries influence. Click Here To Read More |
REFUSED are Coming to Atlanta!Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 8:42am
They have announced some US dates, including a date in Atlanta on July 15th, 2012. You can buy your tickets starting Friday, March 29th, 2012. They're playing the Masquerade Music Park, and I recommend getting tickets sooner than later. Click Here To Read More |
Marshall Brown High Noons Review // CD Release 03.24.12Friday, March 23, 2012 - 1:04pm
The churches are built in honor of a holy trinity consisting of Brian Wilson, Ray Davies, and Paul McCartney. Built using only his hands and his talents, Marshall Brown chose his home to be built above the clouds where the sun shines like psychedelic kaleidoscope over the honky-tonk rock and roll landscape. Click Here To Read More |
It’s no real mystery that arts funding in public schools has been cut to the bone and the curriculum has shifted to almost solely reading and math. Some schools are better off than others, but no one can deny that music and art has suffered greatly as more schools focus on standardized testing material. 
Somewhere between the swamps of the low country and the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Company has made a truly American bed and are laying in it. Using traditional rock and roll stylings from the 50’s and 60’s complimented with searing guitars that are balanced by spacious slide guitars and a drum sound big enough to make My Morning Jacket envious, Company find themselves dreaming of life on the open roads of the American music way.
The Jam Room Studio
In the middle of Charlotte, 
Athens-based 
The moment many of us have been hoping for since 1998 has nearly arrived: 
Welcome to the Kingdom of Marshall Brown. The king, of course, is Marshall Brown, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist hailing from Columbia,