EVENT CALENDAR
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
James Sardone – Colors
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Doggy Daycare - "(forgetting) sarah marshall"
[Repost from If It's Too Loud; by Ken Sears, July 21, 2023]
Sunday, July 30, 2023
James Tritten - Fort Lowell Records Interview
- Tracy Shedd has a tasty new song titled "Let It Ride" with an infectious groove coming out soon as a digital single. It is the very first song we recorded on our new-to-us 1980's 16-Track 1-Inch tape machine (analog, baby), and also features Andrew Gardner from La Cerca delivering a sweet lead guitar part; recorded as an impromptu session while visiting us here in Wilmington NC on a US Tour for his ambient album A Nice Sweet Getaway (an album fans of Brian Eno or Cocteau Twins should definitely check out).
- Local Wilmington NC indie rock legend James Sardone has his debut EP titled Colors coming out July 21st. It includes remixes by Pitchfork's favorite De La Noche. The hit song on the EP "Colors of Your Brain" sounds like it could have come straight out of the recording sessions of New Order's Power, Corruption, and Lies. I can't wait to DJ this wax at one of our local Let's Dance DJ Nights. People may remember Sardone from his 1990's band Brickbat, who used to tour with Jawbox, The Jesus Lizard, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
- For all of you shoegazers out there... Mark my words when I say "Doggy Daycare." Their sick new mind melting digital single "(forgetting) sarah marshall" drops July 28th. Think Swervedriver meets Feeble Little Horse meets Starflyer 59 meets Dinosaur Jr., and they all go largemouth bass fishing together here in Southeastern North Carolina on the Cape Fear River, which by the way has been polluted by The Chemours Company (assholes; Chemours, not the bands); see This Water is Life above.
- La Cerca [Digital Single]
- Soda Sun [Digital Single]
- Summer Set - Members of De La Noche [Vinyl LP]
- Naïm Amor [Vinyl LP]
- Jon Rauhouse & Blaine Long [Vinyl LP]
- Blab School - Debut Album [Vinyl LP]
- Common Thread Fountain - 30-Year Anniversary [Vinyl LP]
- Forest Fallows - Members of Mute Swan [Vinyl LP]
- Female Gaze [Vinyl LP]
- Red Dwarf Star - Members of Maserati and Failure [Vinyl LP]
- Kicking Bird - Sophomore Album [Vinyl LP]
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Upcoming August Releases for Fort Lowell Records
We have three new Digital Singles being released next month that we are very proud of and excited to share with you. Here is an overview to learn more about each upcoming release:
- For fans of Built To Spill, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dead Meadow, Dinosaur Jr., Guided By Voices, Love as Laughter, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Real Estate, Red House Painters, Saint Maybe, Silver Jews, Smashing Pumpkins, Spiritualized, Teenage Fanclub, Kurt Vile, The Warlocks, Wilco, Yo La Tengo
- PRE-SAVE NOW
- Release Date: August 11th
- La Cerca’s new single “Gimme Some Myrrh” is a bittersweet dreamy rocker, as well as an ode to frontman Andrew Gardner’s dear friend, the late Sam Jayne (Love as Laughter).
“Sam would come to Tucson, Arizona on tour. We would go to dance parties, skateboard all night, as well as stay up until dawn talking about music and the most unusual things,” reminisces Gardner, who played “Gimme Some Myrrh” in its infancy to Jayne many years before. “At the time, the song was about people going for the life of living art, much like Sam, who would put every last penny into having a run of shows with his band,” Gardner shares. Ultimately, Jayne was the inspiration; he loved the song and told Gardner that it needed to be released.
It wasn’t until after Sam Jayne’s passing in 2020 that La Cerca would follow his advice and recorded “Gimme Some Myrrh”. Gardner adds, “I remember Sam playing an acoustic set and putting his audience in a frenzy, and the crowd would be screaming for more. I realize now that I actually wrote this song about Sam, and how he was such an inspiration to me; like a superhero.”
Tracy Shedd "Let It Ride"
- For fans of Alvvays, Belle & Sebastian, Broken Social Scene, Fujiya & Miyagi, Future Islands, Geowulf, Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som, La Cerca, Liz Phair, Madonna, New Order, Of Montreal, The Pretenders, Sasami, Snail Mail, Sonic Youth, Spoon, Starflyer 59, Stereolab, Twin Shadow, Yo La Tengo
- PRE-SAVE NOW
- Release Date: August 18th
- Tracy Shedd's new song "Let It Ride" is an infectious summertime indie pop anthem about being patient and trusting your gut, and it is Shedd's eighth single since the release of her sixth studio album The Carolinas. Since 1999, Shedd has crafted melodic, heartfelt compositions that encourage people to make the most out of every moment, and "Let It Ride" is exactly that.
Tracy Shedd is an indie rock musician who has released six studio albums with Teen-Beat, New Granada Records, Devil In The Woods, Science Project Records, and Fort Lowell Records, licensed music to Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, The Fosters, and “The Rebound” (ft. Catherine Zeta-Jones), performed at CBGB, The Florida Theatre, plus festivals such as CMJ and SXSW, and has shared the stage with Cyndi Lauper, Cat Power, Iron & Wine, The Magnetic Fields, and David J (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets); not to mention Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth sat in on drums for her during a US tour.
For those who concur with Tracy Shedd, "Let It Ride" is the soundtrack to the Summer of 2023.
Soda Sun "The Ghost Plant at Blood Run"
- For fans of Beirut, Big Thief, Bon Iver, Bonnie Prince Billy, Calexico, Andrew Collberg, Cotton Jones, Fleet Foxes, Sean Thomas Gerard, Great Lake Swimmers, Iron and Wine, Jim James, JPW, Damien Jurado, Lambchop, Midlake, Phosphorescent, Pinback, Songs: Ohio, Sufjan Stevens, Jeff Tweedy, The War On Drugs, Denison Witmer
- PRE-SAVE NOW
- Release Date: August 25th
- Soda Sun's new single "The Ghost Plant at Blood Run" is a spectral ballad, deftly painting the Southwestern landscape in a palette of sonic hues. The song’s namesake is a stunning, all white plant that derives its energy solely from fungi in the soil, not from the sun. Lead singer and songwriter, John Goraj saw the plant with his son in a boggy forest along the Sioux River in South Dakota where he grew up. Goraj couldn’t help writing about the strange fungi-dependent plant and the stark contrast to the desert where he lives now. The song then becomes a reflection of both places: a dark boggy forest and a sun-soaked desert,
Blending introspective lyricism with a resonant sense of homecoming, the song reaches into the desert's heart, unearthing gold from its dust. The journey from sunrise screams to twilight whispers is a testament to Soda Sun's evocative storytelling and the intimate sense of family throughout their work. “The Ghost Plant at Blood Run" is a poetic dance with nature and the kaleidoscopic colors of the desert.
Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Soda Sun quickly made their mark in the 2020s with a unique blend of introspective lyrics and atmospheric melodies. Their debut album Stay Here (2021, Fort Lowell Records) earned critical acclaim. Their organic instrumentation and authentic storytelling have cultivated a dedicated fanbase, both locally and internationally.
Friday, July 28, 2023
OUT NOW: Brian Lopez 'Tidal' [12inch LP]
OUT NOW: Doggy Daycare "(forgetting) sarah marshall" [Digital Single]
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
James Sardone: Colors
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Tracy Shedd
Monday, July 24, 2023
Song Premiere + Artist Interview: Doggy Daycare – “(forgetting) sarah marshall)”
[Repost from The Alternative; by Zac Djamoos, July 18, 2023]
Sunday, July 23, 2023
CBS Bay Area on La Cerca
[Repost from CBS Bay Area; by Dave Pehling, July 18, 2023]
Friday, July 21, 2023
OUT NOW: James Sardone ' Colors' EP
Saturday, July 15, 2023
From concerts to an 'Outlander' cruise, 17 things to do in Wilmington this weekend
[Repost from StarNews; by John Staton, July 12, 2023]
Wilmington music scene: The good stuffHow the couple behind a growing record label is putting Wilmington music on the map
Saturday, July 8, 2023
La Cerca | West Coast Tour
- Sat 7/8: Oceanside, Pour House
- Sun 7/9: Los Angeles, The Monty
- Wed 7/12: Eugene, John Henry’s
- Thu 7/13: Portland, The Midnight
- Fri 7/14: Seattle, Conor Bryne
- Tue 7/18: Olympia, The Crypt
- Wed 7/19: Arcata, Blondies
- Thu 7/20: Albany, The Ivy Room
- Sat 7/22: Tempe, Yucca Tap Room
- Sun 7/23: Tucson, Owls Club
Saturday, July 1, 2023
Highly Recommended w/ Kicking Bird
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
SHAYLAH: Listen to Beethoven's Piano Sonatas while driving through the country in winter.
SHAUN: Hamilton Leithauser's I Had A Dream That You Were Mine is one of my favorite albums of all time. It's poignant and romantic.
Hamilton's voice is one of those that sounds best when it's being pushed to the breaking point. This is his first solo album and he and Rostam from Vampire Weekend play almost every instrument on the record.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
SHAYLAH: Fortitude. It's like Twin Peaks with polar bears.
SHAUN: The greatest show of all time is Doctor Who. I know I'm a total nerd but I stand behind that statement. It walks the line perfectly between total cheesy camp and heartfelt expressions of love and friendship. It's been on since the 60s so there's no shortage of material.
My favorite Doctor is Peter Davison, but there are now 15 (yes I know, 14 with one face reused) Doctors so everyone can pick a favorite.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE (OK, MAYBE THE LOCAL LIBRARY FIRST) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
SHAYLAH: Pond by Claire-Louise Bennet. I think about this book at least once a day.
SHAUN: I'd read anything by Ray Bradbury. I absolutely love the way he can use three pages to describe the outside of a house but never lose you and never make you feel like he's overdoing it. His sci-fi is obviously groundbreaking and so influential, but what I really love is the sappy stuff. Dandelion Wine reads like a poem. Both that and Something Wicked capture the innocence and magic of being a kid without shying away from the darkness that inevitably comes with growing up. That darkness is its own kind of magic and Bradbury knows it.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
SHAYLAH: I'd be fine without all of them.
SHAUN: Streaming music. The deathblow and lifeblood of a musician.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITTING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
SHAYLAH: Ban assault weapons.
SHAUN: Hug your friends hello and goodbye. Life is super fragile and honestly pretty wasted in general. We should be spending a lot more time telling each other "I love You". Everyday there are people that change my life for the better and I want them to know that. It doesn't matter where you are, or what's going on, if you can find people to be around that inspire you then you're beyond lucky. I love my homies.