Hence The Trumpet Keep It Real On Debut, "Unique Boutique"

What do you get when you mix a small town, childhood friends, an electric guitar, drums, and a 30-pack of beer? Hence the Trumpet.

 

Hence the Trumpet's raw sound was refined in the dimly lit bars of Fort Edward, NY, a mill town in upstate New York where singer/guitarist Bud Traver and drummer/vocals Cory Burton grew up. The high school buddies amassed a loyal following playing the local bar circuit as The Dust Patriots, and many of the songs on their debut album Unique Boutique were crowd-tested and approved long before the two ventured into the studio. 

 

Traver's unapologetic lyrics and powerful vocals often draw comparisons to Eddie Vedder, while the band's in-your face style is reminiscent of punk/rock troubadours Green Day. The band pulls their inspirations from the aforementioned bands as well as folk/rock acts like Deer Tick and My Morning Jacket, some of which can be heard in their live performances. But, above all else, HTT has a sound all their own. 

Opening track, "Up Here,"  pays homage to struggling mill towns like their hometown, while the catchy tune, "I Got Interest," tells the all-too-familiar story of big dreams hampered by small-town fate and seemingly insurmountable odds. Born as acoustic songs, Traver gives them new life with reverb-soaked electric guitar, while the band's driving rhythm section brings them to soaring peaks. 

While there is room for growth, Unique Boutique’s strong songwriting and impassioned playing in their debut efforet leaves me anxiously awaiting a follow-up. 

Hence the Trumpet is a small-town band with big-time ability, and one watch for sure.

Unique Boutique can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/HenceTheTrumpet

Justin Vernon's Natural Voice Rings True on 'Grownass Man'

Based on the reviews, Justin Vernon, of Bon-Iver fame, disappointed the indie establishment with Grownass Man, the debut from his side project; blues/rock trio, The Shouting Matches.

It has almost none of the Bon-Iver signatures that made him famous. Instead, Grownass Manfeatures 10 songs ranging from soul, to fuzzed-out blues guitar solos, to Taj Majal-esque clawhammer southern flavor, and, yes, even a few falsettos, like on the love ballad "I Need A Change" that Vernon delivers with passion and truth.

It's a cohesive blend of ear-pleasing songs on an album that marks a turning point in Vernon's career; an axis that sees Vernon having fun and letting his natural voice ring.

To write this off as an "insincere effort" and "goofing off" is not only unfair to the artists who, obvious in the musicianship, took great pride in the songs; it makes you look biased towards commercial indie music, and thus removes your credibility as a journalist.

We saw Vernon's true character come out during his Grammy speech, and we hear his true voice again with "Grownass Man." No, the album is not a "statement" like the speech was, but it does say one thing: Justin Vernon doesn't have to bend a knee to any label to find fame and happiness.

So go ahead and write this album off, but I wouldn't rush to judgement. Grownass Man has all the makings of a classic and will earn him huge props from music fans.

New Illustration Completed (Finally!)

I wanted to create a something original that I liked enough that I would actually hang it on my wall. I had a vision for a colorful illustration of an outdoor scene. Here's the finished result. 

I can't wait to print it on nice matte uncoated stock and frame it with a nice white finish. 

Contact me if you want one on your wall too! coleman18@gmail.com. 

Logo Crazy

Thought I'd share a cool article on logo trends that seems to be pretty accurate ...

http://www.paperspecs.com/26426/20-logo-design-trends/

These examples will likely be passe by noon. You learn in Graphic Design 1 that the enduring quality in a logo is it's ability to be bold and telling, easily conveying a feel or message intended, while also being pleasing to the eye. Truth is, only the finest designers can achieve this.

Going forward, I predict that the trend will continue to lean toward hand-made, script fonts, and designs with more and more intricate detail so as to set them apart from other brands and services. "Branding" is only getting more and more common, as companies often have a logo for each service they offer. So one thing is for sure: Logos will be everywhere. Let's see what the future holds ...

Gritty Logo

I saw these logos by designer Ben Geier the other day; giving popular record label logos gritty, retro facelifts. I played around with Illustrator and Photo shop to mimic the look. Still some work to do, but I'm getting there .. 

Self Identity

Trying to settle on a masthead/self identity logo. Any favorites??

2012: An Eventful Year

It's been a while since I checked in with the world. How the hell are ya?

I thought I'd give a rundown of what's new in my life, beginning with the most significant event:

1. I'm engaged

... Thank you. She's a great girl, and I'm honored that someone so kind and beautiful would take me in and give me her heart. We'll live a long, healthy, happy life together. I proposed to her on Christmas Eve, at our favorite cafe, and at the table where we had our first date.

So it's been an exciting few days and, having crossed this major bridge with Casey, I feel renewed focus and creative energy. Which brings me to my next endeavor:

2. Geet-ar Playin. 

After delving deep into the singer-songwriter world, I'm beginning to pen some new songs. I'll be updating my Soundcloud stream often, so please check it out every so often. After a busy year in 2012 with solo gigs, I'll once again take my blend of originals and covers" on the "road" (more like on the town) with solo gigs in 2013. I'm always looking to play with other musicians, and a band is certainly not out of the question; it's just a matter of timing for me and some friends.

Here's my new business card I designed and printed through Vistaprint ... not very exciting, but feel free to pass the info along to anyone you know looking for live acoustic music.

3. In Heavy Rotation: 

Mumford and Sons
Arcade Fire
Deer Tick
The stalwarts: Phish, Grateful Dead, Umphrey's McGee
Newgrass/jamgrass: Infamous Stringdusters, Trampled By Turtles, Old Crow Medicine Show, Hot Day At The Zoo
John Prine
Black Keys
Gary Clark Jr.
Robert Johnson
Lightin' Hopkins
Assembly of Dust
Dawes
Cool bands I'm getting into: Dead Feather Moon, Gary Clark Jr., the xx
And many more. Send me some of your favs!

4. Top Concerts of 2012:

It was a year of many weddings, but when I found time and money, I caught some great music. No arena rock for me, mainly small venues:

1. Deer Tick @ Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY
2. Dr. Dog @Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY

3. The Felice Brothers @ Gillian's in Albany, NY

4. Yonder Mountain w/ The Infamous Stringdusters @Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY

5. Ryan Montbleau @ Putnam Den
6. moe. @Palace Theater

7. Wild Adriatic and Formula 5 @Shepard's Park in Lake George, NY (Free Show/Local Acts)

So that's about it. My New Year's resolutions are to get healthier and enjoy the outdoors with my fiancee and our awesome pooch. Let's face it, 2012 was a sad year for many reasons: natural disasters, mass shootings, etc. If there's one thing I learned in 2012, it's that life is too short and we need to make our own opportunities to be happy, and make the most of them. 

Let's spread positivity and end the madness. Let's talk with our leaders and push for positive change. Let's work across the aisle to pass meaningful legislation. Let's share the wealth and create jobs. Let's help small business owners, and still make the wealthiest pay more taxes, lol! 

Here's to health and happiness in 2013. 

Cheers,

John