We received the good word yesterday that The Carter Administration will be releasing a new EP entitled Mount Rockmore on March 6th. To celebrate the occasion they’ll be playing at The 5 Spot with Tristen and Action!.

Fortunately, thanks to the Internets, you can listen to the entire record on the bands brand new website or over on their Bandcamp page (along with the rest of their catalog).

Here’s a little additional insight on the record:

This is our first record as a four-piece, and includes songwriting contributions from the entire band. We recorded and mixed the record in our bass player Andy Willhite’s living room, on an antique piece of equipment called a “Tascam 8-Track Reel to Reel.”

It sounds great and I suggest you familiarize yourself with it at your earliest convenience.

When I heard that Brendan Benson would be playing a Lake Fever Session I was, to say the least, quite excited. I’ve been a fan since One Mississippi and imagined a wealth of possibilities for what may come of the performance. The end result is a bit more low key than my initial desire but it’s a testament to the man’s songwriting / vocal styles that it still has me glued to the monitor while it plays.

• On The Fence
• Fool Out of Me
• Things I Do

Without question, Murfreesboro’s Those Darlins have got to be one of the hardest working bands in existence right now. Looking at their past and future itineraries, they’re either on the road, coming off the road, or getting ready to go back out on the road. And it’s starting to pay off for them, if you haven’t yet noticed. The Darlins’ good time rock n’ twang seems to be resonating with a music-loving public whose tolerance for introspective naval-gazing may be on the wane. They’re bringing the party – the question is, can you handle it? We recently caught up with Jessi Darlin on a brief break between tours.

WOTT: What’s been happening with Those Darlins? How was your 2009, and what does 2010 hold?

(more…)

Let me begin by saying that I have the utmost respect for Hands Off Cuba. Every recording I’ve been able to get my hands on has been a treat – and quite a different spin on what you usually hear coming from Nashville based artists.

That being said, I have to say I’m a bit frustrated with their latest release From Arrival to Survival. Not because the album isn’t a fantastic listen (because it is) but because if you didn’t ask a Grimey’s employee about what’s a good new local release to check out you’d have no idea it even exists. The bands Myspace makes no mention of it or has any of the music in the player. The label, Sebastian Speaks, doesn’t even list them as an artist they’re working with. Google doesn’t seem to think there’s anything relevant with the band beyond their last EP, CoLAB, from 1995. I’d venture to say that the image of the cover art included in this post is the only mention of it on the entirety of the Internet! For all modern purposes, it’s a ghost.

My first inclination was to beat my chest about how terrible it is to release such great music into a void but an artists choice to do what they want with their music is just that, their choice. I place no judgments on the band for putting together an incredibly quality album with handmade packaging on limited run vinyl. I support such an action. However, I’d like more than that. How about how quality digital downloads of the album for those that purchase the vinyl? How about an option to buy the album only in a digital format?

But I’m not one to bitch and moan without backing it up. So, Hands Off Cuba, this is my offer to you. If you contact me I will happily build and host you a full fledged website, get your music online and aid you… kicking and screaming… into the digital age. If you want it.