Future Castle - FutureCastle EP (2016-2017)

I recall hearing about this when I finally got to meet Gavin Castleton after The Dear Hunter/Coheed and Cambria concert in May.

4 tracks, all covers. Sade, Hall and Oates, Chicago and Roland Orzabal (of Tears for Fears),

It was released back in August, which I may recall seeing an email or something on twitter, but ultimately missed it.

But these are pretty sweet and fitting for Rare Futures and Gavin Castleton.

Rare Futures - No Ordinary Love (Sade)

The wife whose a pretty big fan of Sade, and I'm not getting much of a thumbs up from her. But I think this is tight. Quite smooth, and this kind of tune fits them well.

In speaking with Gavin Castleton at The Dear Hunter show last month, he mentioned they were releasing a covers EP titled Future Castles? including Sade and some others my wife enjoys.

I'll have to share more of them when they show up.

The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional (2015-2016)

8/25/16 6:35PM

"Light" lyric video/single.

Paste Magazine link



8/5/16 9:46AM

Another new track "Revival"..like the saxophone.

thumbs up.

 

6/22/16 10:01AM
http://hymnswiththedevil.com/

Release Date per iTunes link below is September 9th, 2016.
Although as 2 entries says, the link above will likely have more details come at 1PM Central. 


1 Regress 1:22   
2 The Moon / Awake 6:09        
3 Cascade 5:11        
4 The Most Cursed of Hands / Who Am I 6:42        
5 The Revival 5:00        
6 Melpomene 4:14        
7 Mr. Usher (On His Way to Town) 4:59        
8 The Haves Have Naught 4:12        
9 Light 4:02        
10 Gloria 5:16        
11 The Flame (Is Gone) 5:40        
12 The Fire (Remains) 5:26        
13 The March 4:12        
14 Blood 4:33        
15 A Beginning 6:19

iTunes Preorder

"Gloria" streaming on Spotify

Tour Dates also are coming with Eisley and Gavin Castleton which Minneapolis is already confirmed on September 16th at The Fine Line (I should go, but I may not per another show out of town with the fiancee and Monkees/Nesmith/50th Anniversary related in LA).


Note from Casey per the above link

In January of 2015, I shared an image with my friends on Instagram of a book of sheet music. This music, prepared with the help of Brian Adam McCune (who also added additional orchestration) was being tracked at Fantasy Studios in  Berkeley, CA with the amazing Awesöme Orchestra, lead by David Möschler (conductor).

The image, at the time, had the title blurred out. I’ve never been a fan of talking something up before it’s finished… before I even know if I want people to hear it. There is such a large trend with artists to discuss their future creation at length - to promise the best work of their career; a return to form; etc… It seems, more often than not, that these promises rarely deliver, and serve more as morale boosters for the artists themselves.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I enjoy the opposite. While I am not an elusive, or mysterious person - I do enjoy the mystery, and elusion… and since it seems a rare occurrence that the matter makes good on the mystery - I steep in that realm for as long as I can.

I’ve fielded many questions. I’ve told many lies. Every inquiry met with dismissal… Every ‘What are you guys doing next?’ met with a ‘Really? Act IV just came out… less than a year ago! Don’t I deserve some time off?’… Some of my acidity may have been rooted in some authentic anxiety… in all reality, it had only been 8 months…

So, with that image (in link), I would like to announce Act V. These two albums, Act IV and V, were written and recorded much in the same time frame- though each album retains its own unique identity, tone, and experience.

Act V, however, will be the final ‘rock’ record in the Act series. This may read as though I am abandoning the project, one record early - but the truth is simply that in knowing what Act VI means to the series, and what its story has to say - presenting it in the same form as Acts I-V would be short selling the creative opportunity it presents.

It isn’t always easy to find the balance between personal creative fulfillment, and the fulfillment of our fans/friends - especially when you’ve spent more than a decade of your life pursuing one path… and though my personal path has been, at times, far more tangential than the paths I see so many artists walking - I still find myself pushing for new, and exciting ideas… It is that same gut instinct that has lead me through the Acts, the Color Spectrum, Migrant, and Amour & Attrition… and as always, I need to trust that instinct.

In the foreseeable future, this means to recognize the box that The Dear Hunter has lived in, and blow the box up. This doesn’t mean more than it says. This band is not ending… I am not quitting… This is nothing more than vocalizing the desire for fresh air after what I believe has been the busiest, and most obsessive, two years of my life.

So - to commemorate this moment in both my, and the band’s creative history, we are setting out this September on what I am calling ‘The Final Act Tour’… Does it sound grim? Possibly… Is it? No. This is a celebration of everything that has brought me to this point… a celebration for every person who ever toiled over the meaning of a verse; the placement of an illustration; the name of a song; the point of view the lyrics maintain… This tour is for all of you, and we couldn’t be more excited to see you.

In addition to the tour, we will also be having ‘Story Time with Casey’, and while that sounds like the setup for a late night cartoon, it’s really an opportunity to get together, meet face to face, and discuss the larger world that exists in the records - be it the story or the music.

In summation - I need to stress something to you all…The single greatest responsibility I have is my commitment to creativity.  The task of remaining true and authentic is not something I take lightly, and I may have imploded long ago, if not for the incredible and endless support I receive daily from fans, friends, and family… I am humbled, and grateful to have you all in my life - and I am incredibly excited for the remainder of this year.

Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional will be released this September on Cave & Canary Goods / Equal Vision Records.

Act V was written at the same time as Act IV and this Act V is the final "Rock" act per say. I wonder if Act VI will end up being a symphony?

Edit: Also GOOD LORD, there's like a dozen different preorder packages, including a $90 and $100 one that includes among a number of other things, the ACT I: THE LAKE SOUTH, THE RIVER NORTH GRAPHIC NOVEL. Also playing cards, coffee, a flask, mug and other stuff. I can't see how I won't be able to preorder, although I was hoping to wait. The issue could be with the Colored Vinyl being limited in quantities right now.

Tour Dates:

Jul 16 PromoWest Fest Columbus, OH
Sep 09 DOUG FIR LOUNGE Portland, OR
Sep 10 NEUMOS Seattle, WA
Sep 13 The Complex Salt Lake City, UT
Sep 14 Summit Music Hall Denver, CO
Sep 16 Fine Line Music Hall Minneapolis, MN
Sep 20 The Ready Room St Louis, MO
Sep 21 Metro Chicago, IL
Sep 23 The Loving Touch Ferndale, MI
Sep 24 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
Sep 25 The Waiting Room Buffalo, NY
Sep 27 The Met Pawtucket, RI
Sep 29 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Sep 30 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA
Oct 01 Webster Hall New York, NY
Oct 05 Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC
Oct 07 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC
Oct 08 Exit In Nashville, TN
Oct 09 Terminal West @ King Plow Arts Center Atlanta, GA
Oct 12 The Social Orlando, FL
Oct 14 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX
Oct 15 The Mohawk Austin, TX
Oct 16 Gas Monkey Bar N Grill Dallas, TX
Oct 20 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
Oct 21 The Irenic San Diego, CA
Oct 22 The Glass House Pomona, CA
Oct 25 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Oct 28 The Fillmore San Francisco, CA

Rare Futures - This Is Your Brain on Love (2015-2016)

3/24/16 12:35PM
Stream and Article 
From their Facebook:

The album is officially released tomorrow, but it's now up to stream there.

//// After 5 long years of blood, sweat, and groove, our NEW record ‪#‎ThisIsYourBrainOnLove‬ comes out TOMORROW! And as a special treat, the lovely folks over at Diffuser have exclusively shared the whole kit and caboodle for you to stream early TODAY!  

2/17/16 2:10PM

Sweet video for "The Pressure"



1/25/16 9:14PM
Bandcamp Page / PREORDERS

Release Date March 4th, 2016.

The trailer below sounds excellent, and the 1st track "The Pressure" as well. Whether they changed their name from Happy Body Slow Brain, and I guess are now a trio, this could be a less-is-more or change-is-for-the-good, etc.

Also among the guests are Gavin Castleton (Gruvis Malt, Ebu Gogo, Solo) and Steve Choi (RX Bandits).




1. ////ove
2. Reminding Me To Live
3. Ride The Snake
4. Mercury [And Opposite Planets]
5. The Pressure
6. Cool My Mind | Reverie
7. Worst Thing I've Ever Done
8. This Is Your Future [Lost In A Black Hole]
9. Your Past
10. Hope [Feat. Gavin Castleton]
11. You're An Island
12. Standing On The Precipice
13. Not Giving Up Yet

Happy Body Slow Brain - Dream of Water (2010)

2/5/15 6:15AM

https://www.facebook.com/happybodyslowbrain

In the Reddit AMA from last Thursday 1/29/15 Casey Crescenzo mentioned Matt Fazzi, whose the lead singer/instrumentalist from this band helped The Dear Hunter on tour recently, and I had never heard/heard-of them. So I went ahead and checked them out and this is a pretty sweet record. Full of lush textures and intricate melodies at times.

In reading a bit about Matt's background, he was in Taking Back Sunday and also one of the main people behind the band Facing New York who I was into for a little while in the mid 2000's. So, I'm not totally surprised I enjoy this band and this debut album of theirs from 2010.

Also if I had to compare them to 1 band, it would be Minus the Bear. Maybe the Planet of Ice period (which is my favorite MtB album anyway). With the sweeping tones and  the melody + atmosphere.

I also noticed they may be putting out a new record soon, which my timing for getting into them seems pretty good.


Interesting also to notice of all people thanks, 1 being Gavin Castleton.

My favorites? "Up Late" and "What About Us?" are pretty fantastic. Also "Time." "The Flight," "The Bridge" and I'd say especially the 2nd half of the record. But I've only listened to this album twice and I'm still taking a lot of it in.

But as far as their present state, I think they may be one of those bands who are getting better with time. I kind of always felt that about Facing New York. They were good, or had nice moments, but it may have only been a matter of time before they created something totally amazing.

I guess we'll see, I'm streaming some of their Sleep EP from 2012 now on their bandcamp, really nice, textured, atmospheric stuff.

Gavin Castleton - Diamonds

Diamonds by gavincastleton

Wow, pretty nice stuff on this new track from him. Not sure if he's expected to put something out in 2012, although given his prolific history, it wouldn't surprise me. If what he does, has a lot more music like this, I'm curious.

edit: it appears he released a new album in 2010 titled Won Over Frequency (and an EP or single the fall before on Itunes), and was supposed to release the album Travelight in 2011, but may never have. So perhaps this new song will end up on it, and Travelight will end up being released in 2012.