Fort Lowell Records welcomes Citified

We've been big (big) fans of Greensboro NC band -- Citified -- since their debut album released in 2005 by former Wilmington NC based record label, Eskimo Kiss Records. Fast forward sixteen years, now Fort Lowell Records is very excited to share with you that we've been working directly with Citified's frontman -- Chris Jackson [pictured here] -- to bring you Citified's third full length album, titled Lie Like a Painter, to be released on Friday, December 10th. For now, do yourself a favor and check out Citified's music on any digital platform; we recommend the song "Weddings" (our personal favorite; below). For fans of R.E.M., The Clientele, or Real Estate.

Chris Jackson of Citified

LET'S DANCE at The Opera Room | Sunday, October 31 at 8:00pm

Live concert photographs of 'Luz de Vida II' artist, Juarez

OUT NOW: Tracy Shedd "Chasing Time" [Digital Single]

The forth single from the Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors titled "Chasing Time" by Tracy Shedd is out now and available on all digital music platforms.  Listen to the song below, and then CLICK HERE to pre-order Luz de Vida II on vinyl through Zia Records, or the Digital LP via Bandcamp and receive the first four singles today. All proceeds raised from Luz de Vida II album sales will go toward services for advocacy, support, and emergency assistance for families impacted by homicide provided by Homicide Survivors, Inc.

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER LUZ DE VIDA II NOW

KXCI Radio features 'Luz de Vida II' as Album of the Week

Tune into KXCI Radio's The Homestretch every day this week (Oct 19-22) at 3:20pm MST/PDT each day as Hannah Levin features Fort Lowell Records' new album Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors as their Album of the Week!

LISTEN TO KXCI RADIO NOW

Hannah Levin of KXCI; Photo by Rick Wiley of AZ Daily Star

Arizona Rockers Juarez and Others Honor Homicide Survivors 10 Years After the Tucson Gun Massacre

[Repost from Rock and Roll Globe; by Ron Hart, October 7, 2021]

The Rock & Roll Globe is proud to premiere the latest single from the forthcoming benefit album, which also includes material from Calexico, Dr. Dog, Amos Lee and more

The original Luz de Vida project began in the days after the tragic January 8, 2011 shooting that killed six people and injured 19 others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson,  Arizona.

It was the some of the first shots fired in the bloodiest, deadliest decade for domestic terrorism in American history–a direct result of Washington allowing the crucial 1994 Assault Weapons Ban to lapse, giving any moron with a gun license through ability to buy the very semiautomatics white people were so afraid of when cats like Biggie and Onyx were rhyming about them in the early-to-mid 90s.

VIDEO: Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly appeared on NBC’s Today ten years after her near-fatal shooting

And while the massacre at that Safeway plaza–which included the killing of a nine-year-old girl–no doubt shook the entire nation, it primarily] rattled the local Tucson community. Days after the tragedy, a coalition of local and national music acts came together to form the Luz de Vida project, raising over $20,000 to provide aid and comfort to the victims and their families via what was then called the Tucson Together Fund (it is currently known as Tucson’s Homicide Survivors, Inc.)

The original Tucson Together Fund ceased in 2013 and since then, funds have been donated to Tucson’s Homicide Survivors, Inc. For the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, members of the original Luz de Vida production team (a coalition of Tucson writers, recording engineers, musicians, and artists) are partnering with Homicide Survivors and JFCS of Southern Arizona to release a second compilation record. Again, featuring Tucson and national artists and released on Fort Lowell Records, Luz de Vida II will be released in November to coincide with the All Soul’s Procession, an annual community ceremony in celebration and mourning of the lives of our loved ones and ancestors.

Dig the tracklist:

1. Calexico — “Wash (La Luz Brillante)”
2. Tracy Shedd — “Chasing Time”
3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — “Thousand Oaks (Luz de Vida)”
4. Juarez — “Ghosts in the Room”
5. L’Orange — “A Rich Life & Longing”
6. Dr. Dog — “Loneliness”
7. Gabriel Naïm Amor — “La Nuit Pour Nous Deux”
8. Acorn Bcorn — “Scraps”
9. XIXA — “Crystal Road (Luz de Vida)”
10. The Resonars — “It’s the Same”
11. Hannah Yeun — “All That Matters is the Wind”
12. Soda Sun — “Grape Juice”
13. Amos Lee — “El Camino (Solo Acoustic)”

Ahead of the November 5 release of Fort Lowell Records’ compilation album Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors, we are honored to premiere the new single from the album, the Crimson-esque rocker from Tucson’s own Juarez entitled “Ghosts in the Room” accompanied by its video featuring the stunning animation of Rudy Flores.

100% of proceeds from the record will go to Tucson’s Homicide Survivors Inc, a non-profit organization that’s helping meet the crisis and long-term needs of families of murder victims through support, advocacy, and assistance.

Preorder the album here.

VIDEO: Juarez “Ghosts in the Room”

Tracy Shedd live at Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar; Carolina Beach NC, September 23, 2021

Concert photographs by Luis Mendoza of Visions of the Lens Photography

Video Premiere: Juarez – ‘Ghosts in the Room’

[Repost from New Noise Magazine; by Keegan Williams, October 6, 2021]

The latest video from Luz de Vida II – A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors, a new album from Fort Lowell Records, Juarez have released their new video for the track “Ghosts in the Room.”

The album features artists spanning a variety of genres, and all of the proceeds from the record will go to Tucson’s Homicide Survivors Inc, a nonprofit organization that works to help meet the crisis and long-term needs of families of murder victims through support, advocacy, and assistance.

The Luz de Vida project began in the days following the January 8, 2011 shooting that took six lives and injured 19 others. Luz de Vida is Spanish for “Light of Life” and acts as an expression of community, love, healing, grace, and hope, a positive response from Tucson musicians and national artists.

Juarez was founded in 2007 in a Tucson dive bar by Dana Fehr and Michael Sanger, combining their love of metal, creative songwriting, and guitar riffs and eventually rounding up the missing links: Thomas Beach and Johnnie Munger. They disbanded in 2011, though the band are currently working on mixing and mastering tracks they recorded back in 2010, including “Ghosts in the Room.”

The album will be released on November 5, coinciding with the All Soul’s Procession, an annual community ceremony in celebration and mourning of the lives of our loved ones and ancestors.

Watch the video for “Ghost in the Room” here:

Review / 200 Words Or Less: Neon Belly - Self-Titled, Fort Lowell Records (2021)

[Repost from Scene Point Blank; by Loren Green, October 6, 2021]

Let’s call it like is it is. Punk rock has been too much of a boys’ club for far too long. And, since the style is rooted in blunt communication, what better way to call attention than putting the scene on alert on the first song of a band’s first EP? Neon Belly starts with a mission statement in “The Boys Are Alright,” and then backs it up with enjoyable yet meaningful tunes throughout the 5-song EP.

This is confrontational, aggressive protest punk with a home recorded, high energy vibe. While it’s indisputably angry, though, the basslines are almost playful and fun. On “D.O.I.I. (Dissemination of Intimate Images),” for example, it captures a more vibrant mood, showing that you can smile and dance without watering down the message.

Just as that song title shows, the messages are front and center here. But the message isn’t much without music to back it up. Neon Belly pulls off the right balance of politics and tone. This is upbeat, hardcore-inspired punk to shout along to with some subtle lighter moments that give needed balance.

The recording itself is effectively DIY. It sounds live and without polish: just as it would in a basement or prepping the crowd before a rally.

OUT NOW: Juarez "Ghosts in the Room" [Digital Single]

The third single from the Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors titled "Ghosts in the Room" by Juarez is out now and available on all digital music platforms.  Listen to the song below, and then CLICK HERE to pre-order Luz de Vida II on vinyl through Zia Records, or the Digital LP via Bandcamp and receive the first three singles today. All proceeds raised from Luz de Vida II album sales will go toward services for advocacy, support, and emergency assistance for families impacted by homicide provided by Homicide Survivors, Inc.

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER LUZ DE VIDA II NOW

INTERVIEW: Lauds Gets Close to a Bell

[Repost from Laid Off New York; by Andrew Burton, September 24, 2021]

Lauds are a band from Wilmington, NC centered around three friends: J. Holt Evans, Boyce Evans, and McKay Glasgow. They released their first project, a self-titled EP, in late July on Fort Lowell Records. A mix of straight-ahead indie rock songs and longer, exploratory pieces, the tracks on Lauds are united by their hazy qualities. Staccato guitar lines interlock throughout, sounding restless or ethereal but never in between. The rhythm section, depending on the moment, is either trying to keep up with the guitars or sitting happily in the pocket, providing occasional accents. Vocals drop in and out, always blurred, always airy. In just 15 minutes, Lauds hit the sweet spot between dream pop, post-punk, and shoegaze.

I had the pleasure of conducting Lauds’ first ever interview, speaking with McKay, Holt, and Boyce together over the phone. We covered a lot of territory, discussing how the band formed, their songwriting process, and how they plan on performing these songs live. Birds, beaches, and The Cure came up too

Andrew: Could you tell us about Lauds’ origin story?

Holt: My dad has a little studio where he's been recording artists in Wilmington for about 10 years. One of them was McKay’s folk band, Tumbleweed. In January 2019, I was living in Charlotte but would come back periodically to my parent’s house in Wilmington, which is when McKay and I met in passing one day at the studio.

McKay: Holt’s dad has kind of given me a music education, slowly converting me into more of a rocker. Already I was wanting to write songs that weren’t strictly folk.

Holt: I think our first convo was about Zuma by Neil Young and what a great record that is. McKay had a few songs he wanted to record that were more spacey and atmospheric that didn’t fit with Tumbleweed’s style, and I’ve been sitting on a backlog of guitar music I’ve made through the years since college. We started hanging out and writing songs together. Boyce was the natural fit to start playing drums, and then we added one of our friends to play bass. That’s how Lauds took shape. We liked the songs we were writing so much and we liked the sound we were angling toward, and it took off. We played an early show in April which people liked, and we had a really good time. We’ve been all in on this project ever since.

How does the songwriting process work? Do you each bring individual songs to the table or is it more collaborative?

McKay: Both Holt and I had a number of demos from the past. Mine were just acoustic guitar with vocals; Holt had a lot of lo-fi, reverby stuff he recorded on his phone he played me that I could tell was good. We ended up moving in more of a dream-pop/shoegaze direction than my songs, but “Sandpiper” from the EP was one of the demos I sent Holt. It was a finger-picking acoustic guitar song we turned into a spacey, very sentimental, “Cure-on-the outro” rock song.

Basically, we had a number of songs, we rearranged them because of Holt’s ideas or my ideas. Holt wrote the song “Don’t Mind” and I was like “it needs a bridge,” but basically all those riffs were already the original ones. I don’t even know how long Holt had those.

Holt: The process varies song-to-song now, which I think is a good thing. If anything, we’ve become a lot more collaborative. We’re proud of the EP because it represents different avenues for us as songwriters. “Sandpiper” was a McKay song he was sitting on for a long time, “Never Was” was a song I was sitting on since probably my senior year of college.

Who sings and plays which instruments on each song on the EP, and how are they going to come together live?

McKay: [Laughs] We’re hoping they do come together live because we have quite a few shows coming up.

Boyce: To be determined. I’ve moved to third guitar to cover some of that and we’ve recently added Ross Page [of Color Temperature and Seeking Madras] to the band to play drums.

McKay: Our good buddy, who’s probably the most overall talented artist in town…

Holt: Shoutout to Ross Page.

McKay: Yeah, Ross Page is the man. I kind of said, “I’m not going to play in a band without Ross Page.” He plays drums in Tumbleweed and now he plays drums in Lauds. We’ve got him, Boyce, and Holt’s friend Gavin Campbell on bass. That’s what our live show is: me and Holt playing interlocking riffs or me playing rhythm and Holt playing lead, and then Boyce going in between.

Holt: Regarding who is doing the majority of what, it really depends on the song and how it’s written. McKay is kinda obviously the singer and frontman of the band, but it just depends on what the song calls for. All of us can jump in and do background vocals. “Never Was” is a song I wrote that I always wanted to sing, but McKay and I actually sang that in unison in the studio to round out the timbre of the vocals. We’re fortunate too that all three of us can play guitar, bass, and sing to varying degrees, and then Boyce and I can drum. I’m sure McKay could drum if he tried to.

McKay: [Laughs] I’m staying away.

On the EP, the instrumental quality of the vocals seems more important than the lyrics. They’re smothered in reverb like the guitars. How much does it matter what you say versus how it sounds?

McKay: That’s an important question within the band itself. [All laugh]. Because I’ve played in folk bands, I always think it’s not that lyrics need to have a literal meaning, but they need to convey something. We’re all about conveying the emotion of the song. The lyrics have definitely taken a back seat to that in Lauds, but I think we all agree that’s what our music is about. I spend a lot of time writing lyrics and making sure they feel right, and I know Holt does the same. Sometimes we argue about lyrics, sometimes we don’t.

Holt: Boyce ends up being a really good third party mediator whenever McKay and I have different opinions.

McKay: Coming up with song titles is our biggest difficulty. Probably the most important lyric is the title because people aren’t necessarily going to read the lyrics. But if they do, we want to give them something good to listen to that can be congruent with the sound of the music and what the song is about.

Holt: McKay can really take a topic. “Sandpiper” is a song about McKay living in this neighborhood that has a dock that he is able to use and spend tranquil time there.

McKay: Yeah, it’s about that place. It’s about growing up on the Cape Fear River. I ended up moving back there when I was in grad school. It’s not directly about sandpipers, which are the birds that hang out on the shoreline, but it’s about that kind of place. Writing a song about a small part of a place or a relationship you’ve thought about―that’s how I think.

Holt: All my lyrics are pretty much straight-up stream of consciousness. The actual words themselves are important, too, but I’m more into the syllables and melody.

The first two singles you guys self-released—“Don’t Mind” in 2019 and “Consolation” in 2020―have a cleaner sound than the new songs. Was there a conscious decision to make this EP sound rougher?

Holt: We wanted to make it a little bit murkier. Not so much meddling with the fidelity, but on songs like “Wait Forever” you hear some guitars kind of clinging around in the background. We are big fans of bands where the production is almost like another instrument. When you listen to Closer or Unknown Pleasures, you really get this sense of atmosphere in a small place. We tried to evoke a similar space with these songs. “Don’t Mind” was bright, summery, and optimistic. To convey those emotions, we wanted to make sure everything was really crisp.

McKay: The music is very melodic, so we don’t want to make it go too far in that direction. That’s not who we are. In the scene we’re in, we look really clean cut and want to muddy the waters a bit more.

Holt: Some of my idols from a guitar-texture standpoint are bands like Iceage and Preoccupations; Pornography by The Cure is one of my favorite records. I don’t think I can quite get these guys on the same page with me about that, but I’m trying. Disintegration is an album we all cherish. I think if we didn’t consciously try to break out of the confines of playing clean, melodic lines, we could end up just doing that for all our songs.

McKay: We’ve jokingly called it mid-fi. It has lo-fi production, but it has this more upbeat kind of sound. “Don’t Mind” was from a happier time, too.

Holt: Yeah, it was a really “boys of summer” type period; we had a lot of fun nights on the town. We still have a few of those, but maybe not as many, for a variety of reasons. One thing that these guys are probably so sick of me for is talking about not wanting everything to be on the nose. They’ll ask me, “well, what do you want it to sound like?” and I’ll be like “I don’t know, that’s just too on the nose for that idea.”

When you’re assembling a full record where you have forty-two minutes or so, you definitely want to establish a flow, but on an EP like this, there are only four tracks. Was there a lot of thought about how the songs worked together or which order they went in?

McKay: We had three songs―“Wasted Hours,” “Never Was,” and “Sandpiper”―and decided to start with a fast song. “Wait Forever” was the last one we finished recording for the EP. It gave us another fast, upbeat, rocky, post-punk kind of song. We decided it would make sense to throw it in the middle.

Holt: We always thought of “Sandpiper” as a show-closer or record-closer, given that…

Boyce: It’s as close to a bell as our music gets.

Holt: It has those two big parts, a spacey middle part, and a grand outro with keyboard, strings, and all that good stuff.

McKay: It definitely took the most work. The drums in the end went in so many different directions, and then we had to figure out what to do with the background vocals.

Holt: It took a lot of walks around my parents’ neighborhood―if that tells you anything―thinking about how to get it right.

Do you think everything on the EP builds up to “Sandpiper”?

Holt: 100 percent. We think it’s the perfect encapsulation of what Lauds is trying to do. We’re trying to communicate sonically through the project with the guitars, with the shifting drums, with the tape delay all over everything, but also with McKay's very intentional lyrics. We love the pop songs at the beginning of the record―that's a really crucial part of what we're trying to do as well. But we were really proud of what we were able to achieve with “Sandpiper.” We thought it melded the distinction between the more subdued and meditative energy and the more heady and upbeat energy. We’ve been calling it the New Order guitar part at the end.

When you’re assembling a full record where you have forty-two minutes or so, you definitely want to establish a flow, but on an EP like this, there are only four tracks. Was there a lot of thought about how the songs worked together or which order they went in?

McKay: We had three songs―“Wasted Hours,” “Never Was,” and “Sandpiper”―and decided to start with a fast song. “Wait Forever” was the last one we finished recording for the EP. It gave us another fast, upbeat, rocky, post-punk kind of song. We decided it would make sense to throw it in the middle.

Holt: We always thought of “Sandpiper” as a show-closer or record-closer, given that…

Boyce: It’s as close to a bell as our music gets.

Holt: It has those two big parts, a spacey middle part, and a grand outro with keyboard, strings, and all that good stuff.

McKay: It definitely took the most work. The drums in the end went in so many different directions, and then we had to figure out what to do with the background vocals.

Holt: It took a lot of walks around my parents’ neighborhood―if that tells you anything―thinking about how to get it right.

Do you think everything on the EP builds up to “Sandpiper”?

Holt: 100 percent. We think it’s the perfect encapsulation of what Lauds is trying to do. We’re trying to communicate sonically through the project with the guitars, with the shifting drums, with the tape delay all over everything, but also with McKay's very intentional lyrics. We love the pop songs at the beginning of the record―that's a really crucial part of what we're trying to do as well. But we were really proud of what we were able to achieve with “Sandpiper.” We thought it melded the distinction between the more subdued and meditative energy and the more heady and upbeat energy. We’ve been calling it the New Order guitar part at the end.

Soda Sun's "Grape Juice" joins Calexico and Amos Less in 'Luz de Vida II' Compilation

[Repost from PopMatters; by Jonathan Frahm, September 22, 2021]

Tucson’s Soda Sun contribute their heartfelt folk tune, “Grape Juice”, to Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors.

Luz de Vida—or, “Light of Life”—was music’s response to the 8 January 2011 mass shooting that claimed the lives of six and injured 19 more, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Featuring acclaimed artists like Neko Case, Jimmy Eat World, and Brian Lopez, the compilation album gathered national attention and raised more than $20,000 to benefit the victims and their families.

A new iteration of Luz de Vida is on the horizon. Due 6 November via Fort Lowell, the project’s full name is Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors and benefits Tucson’s Homicide Survivors, Inc.

Its release date falls in line with the city’s All Souls Procession weekend and the tenth anniversary of the 2011 shooting. The album is made in partnership with original members of the Luz de Vida production team, Homicide Survivors, Inc., and JFCS of Southern Arizona. The album boasts 13 tracks once again recorded by both Tucson-based and nationally acclaimed artists including Gabriel Naim Amor, Calexico, Amos Lee, and rising indie rock outfit Soda Sun.

Following the release of their debut LP, this is Soda Sun’s second major release of 2021. “Grape Juice” is the tune that they are contributing to the fundraiser. Calling back to John Goraj’s roots as a South Dakota singer-songwriter, “Grape Juice” is more of a stripped-back folk affair than the textured rock that the band has become known for. Goraj’s sweet vocals step front-and-center, joined by subtle acoustic performances—gentle percussion, a pulsing bassline, and reflective guitar.

The group say that “‘Grape Juice’ is a new iteration of an old song that John wrote when he lived in South Dakota. It’s about relationships — all kinds. It’s about the feeling of being connected to someone and the feeling that you don’t deserve that love. Which, of course, is never true because we all deserve love. It’s about letting someone love you in spite of seemingly countless flaws. There is also a humble underpinning of the song related to one of John’s jobs as a healthcare worker in his early 20s. Anyone who has worked in healthcare knows that there is always a fridge of goodies, drinks, and snacks for the patients — the theme of grape juice plays into that.”

Regarding Luz de Vida II, they state, “We were asked to be involved, and are so happy to be a part of it. Luz de Vida is an important, meaningful project that speaks to what musicians have always done: standing up against hate, bigotry, and violence.”

Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors is a fundraiser. All proceeds raised from Luz de Vida II album sales will go to Homicide Survivors, Inc. to provide services for advocacy, support, and emergency assistance for families impacted by homicide. The album is available for digital pre-order on Bandcamp, and vinyl preorder via Zia Records.

OUT NOW: Soda Sun "Grape Juice" [Digital Single]

The second single from the Luz de Vida II: A Compilation to Benefit Homicide Survivors titled "Grape Juice" by Soda Sun is out now and available on all digital music platforms.  Listen to the song below, and then CLICK HERE to pre-order Luz de Vida II on vinyl through Zia Records, or the Digital LP via Bandcamp and receive the first two singles today. All proceeds raised from Luz de Vida II album sales will go toward services for advocacy, support, and emergency assistance for families impacted by homicide provided by Homicide Survivors, Inc.

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER LUZ DE VIDA II NOW

Can't wait, can't wait!

In case you missed it, sound engineer Joseph Tradd McBurton just finished mastering new music for MindsOne & DJ Iron, which will be released by Fort Lowell Records as part of a very special series of 12inch Split EPs we are excited to share with you.  More to come!

Punk rock outfit Neon Belly unleash their potent debut EP

[Repost from Rebel Noise; by Jen Dan, September 17, 2021]

The North Carolinian band are using the sales the help fundraiser school supplies and hygiene products.

Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, punk rock group Neon Belly are helping to support a fundraiser for school supplies and hygiene products in New Hanover county. They’re doing so through the sales of their debut self-titled EP, which arrived in early September via Fort Lowell Records.

They were inspired by another fundraiser/project, GROW: A Compilation in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter, that also came out through Fort Lowell.

The fundraiser that Neon Belly is involved with is being managed by Wanda’s Creative Hair Salon in Wilmington.

Neon Belly is made up of Lacie Jay (vocals) and PMattitude (guitar, bass), who are recently married to each other, along with Nice Derek (drums, producer).

The EP comprises original tunes plus a cover of “Don’t Hide Your Hate” that was originally recording by Filth. Jay, however adapted the lyrics by Dick Bakker, giving them a Neon Belly twist.

Listeners can donate to the fundraiser by purchasing the EP digitally at Bandcamp (name-your-price) and/or on 7” vinyl from participating record stores and specific local markets in Wilmington.

Happy Birthday, Andrew Collberg!

Here's a blast from the past: Tracy Shedd concert photographs from 2002!

Tracy Shedd, live at Freebird's; Jacksonville FL ~ May 16, 2002

Tracy Shedd, live at Rock N Roll Pizza; Jacksonville FL ~ December 28, 2002