May 12th will see Matthew Ryan release his latest full-length, Hustle Up Starlings, a heart-on-the-sleeve collection of anthems that illustrate his reinvigorated love of language, noise, and cinema. Produced by Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem, the 10-song set that captivates with cohesive narratives of intimate storytelling that make the personal universal.

Led by tambourine, acoustic guitar, and Ryan's gravelly vocals, "Battle Born" is a Replacements recalling anthem about muddling through disenchantment and renewing one's passion for what you love.

Ryan had this to say of the tune:
"A few years ago, around 2012, I was committed to closing up "shop" in music. There was nothing dramatic about this, nor did I harbor any sense of being wronged. I had worked hard and something continued to leave me unsatisfied. It was lonely and weird, not the movie I'd imagined at all. 

I'd seen some of what success looks like, and it didn't interest me. I've observed it in friends, even a little in myself, early on. The bait of narcissism. The business of songs. It all makes for a very uninteresting life as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention the songs tend to get worse. So I made a spare album called "In The Dusk of Everything." It was intended to be a quiet farewell. 

The plan was to find something else that brought some lightning and dignity. Then I met Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem. I loved what Gaslight was doing, all that punk and noisy folk with a gigantic heart. Through Brian's friendship, I found what I guess I was looking for all along, a sense of real brotherhood in that thing we gather from the ether. 

And a funny thing started happening after that, others came into my life. Kevin Salem, Cory Call, Sammy Kay, Jared Hart, Joe Maiocco, Mike Vallely, Michael Koryta... On and on, all these other characters with different talents but similar hearts. It helped me identify others that were already in my life that had similar features. It helped me realize I wasn't gone, I was only lost when I made "Dusk." 

It happens, probably to all of us in different ways. But these events with Brian and the gang reconnected me to why I love music. My heroes started sounding great to me again, particularly Joe Strummer who is the ignition for "Battle Born." 

It goes on to mention Lucinda Williams, Tom Waits (or Petty depending on the day), Chrissie Hynde and Paul Westerberg. I don't know how my heroes did what they did, but I know they fire me up. I know they made me believe more was possible. I know part of why I bought a car and moved to Nashville in the early 90s was because I wanted to sit around a table with hearts that wrote songs like "Bastards of Young," "Middle of the Road," and "Straight to Hell." Songs that are rooted in some kind of mysterious humanitarian cause beyond the salvation of the singer and writer alone. 

Those are the kind of songs I love, the kind that probably saved my life when I was a kid looking for something that meant something. And I guess it's all I'm wishing to offer, to give back. That's what "Battle Born" is about."
​
Stream "Battle Born" in its entirety above. For more information visit HERE.

Tickets are now on sale for Tim Foust's  (of Home Free) solo show in Nashville on July 22! Join Tim for a "night of laughs, drinks and music featuring some of my most talented friends including my beautiful wife!"
Get your tickets here: 
http://flyt.it/tf072217
And your VIP add-ons here: 
http://flyt.it/tf_072217_vip

Josh Abbott of Josh Abbott Band and his girlfriend, Taylor Parnell, welcomed Emery Farryn Abbott this morning.  Born Friday, May 5, around 1 a.m. in Austin, Texas, Emery Farryn Abbott weighed 6 lbs., 13 oz., and measured 19 inches long.

The name Emery Farryn means "brave adventure." "We wanted to do something similar with a girl name to how my brother named his daughter Eisley Dawn, which means 'Cheerful Beginnings'...The word 'brave' is a word I used to describe Taylor in a song I wrote for her, 'I'm Your Only Flaw,' on the new album coming out this year,' said Abbott.

Congratulations to the family!

Watch the video HERE

(LOS ANGELES) -- Travis Marsh, in partnership with Idobi Radio, has just released a stripped back performance video of his current single “Lay Me Down.” Fans can check out the video here. Travis had this to say about the experience:
 
“Had fun breaking this song down to an acoustic format and playing for the guys at idobi radio. Would love to visit them again with more new music.”
 
Travis has also partnered up with Indaba Music on a remix contest built around his current single “Lay Me Down.” The contest (sponsored by Dragonfly Entertainment) is asking fans and DJ’s to create a compelling remix of the new single that features Chicago rapper G Herbo. The winner (chosen by Marsh) will win $500, an official release of their mix on Spotify and iTunes, an Indaba Pro membership, a signed shirt from the “Lay Me Down” video shoot from G Herbo and Travis, and two producer mentorship calls from “Lay Me Down” producer Smitty Soul (Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake.)
 
Fans and DJ’s can enter the contest here. The last day to enter is May 4th.
 
Travis will also be hitting Reddit on May 15th for a special AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) chat. The chat begins at 2PM EST

(Press Release) The thirteenth Ponderosa Stomp Concert will bring the forgotten heroes and heroines of rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm & blues, blues, garage rock, soul, and rockabilly to New Orleans for a two-night concert  October 6-7  at New Orleans’ Orpheum (129 Roosevelt Way).
 
It will feature many performers who rarely grace the stage:
 
+ Roky Erickson performing the music of his legendary psychedelic ‘60s band the 13th Floor Elevators
+ late ‘80s/early ‘90s garage rockers The Mummies
+ “Quarter To Three” hitmaker Gary U.S. Bonds
+ “Louisiana Man” artist and Johnny Cash Show guest Doug Kershaw
+ Detroit White Stripes antecedents The Gories
+ rhythm and blues great Barbara Lynn, who was covered by the Rolling Stones
+ Archie Bell of “Tighten Up” fame
+ father of “The Voice” Winner, Sundance Head, and “Treat Her Right” singer Roy Head
+ masked Japanese garage band, The Stompin’ Riffraffs
+ piano pounder Linda Gail Lewis
+ Little Richard, Otis Redding, Ike & Tina Turner sideman turned R&B Soul Singer Winfield Parker
+ a Texas Honky Tonk Revue Featuring Frankie Miller, Darrell McCall, and James Hand
+ the “husky, soulful voice” (All Music Guide) of Evie Sands
+ Chicago blues harmonica great Billy Boy Arnold, who was recently covered by JD McPherson
+ first generation rockabilly artist Johnny Knight
+ a Swamp Pop Revue Featuring GG Shinn, Warren Storm, and TK Hulin
+ Louisiana’s Lil Buck Sinegal and the Top Cats
+ National Heritage Fellowship award winner Santiago Jimenez
+ T-Bone Walker acolyte and accompanist, Chuck Willis creative collaborator, and Ray + Charles sideman Roy Gaines
+ New Orleans rhythm and blues man Willie West
+ GRAMMY-nominated Yep Roc band Los Straitjackets
+ LA’s rockabilly masters Deke Dickerson and the Eccofonics
+ and Austinites Eve and the Exiles.

On June 23, Steelism will follow up their critically-acclaimed debut album 615 To Fame with ism, a ten-song collection that finds the band drawing inspiration from mid-century modern design, early Brian Eno productions and 70s film scores. The album will be released on their own imprint Intoxicating Sounds, distributed by Thirty Tigers. The record marks the first time the band brings featured vocalists into their instrumental canon, with guest appearences from Tristen, Ruby Amanfu, Andrew Combs and Jessie Baylin.
 
"We pieced together ism  like a visual mid-century modern design - an array of vibrant colors and tones aligned together while constantly striving for minimalism, even as the production grew," explains the core duo of guitarist Jeremy Fetzer and pedal steel player Spencer Cullum.
 
Steam "Eno Nothing" and "Shake Your Heel" via YouTube:
https://youtu.be/eFt0R1lygQg