Jason Shannon

ALT/ FOLK/ ROCK
Artist: Jason Shannon and the Morning Electric
Album: The EP Collection Volume 1
Tracks: “Chained,” “Judgment Day”
Street Date: December 1, 2009
Label: Wild Horse Records

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After breaking up with his old band in 2003, Minneapolis-native Jason Shannon spent most of his time writing and recording his own music. Shannon’s recently released EP, titled The EP Collection Volume One, combines troubled and heartache themed lyrics with soulful country, folk, and rock undertones – a creative blend to say the least.

Shannon toured with Bob Schneider in mid-2009 and has seen continued momentum on the heels of his debut self-titled album (2009). Will there be a followup to Volume One from the Morning Eclectic? Common sense says yes, but who really knows with singer-songwriters these days. We're pushing for a revitalization of Jason's good ole' days as 'The Jason Shannon Band'.

The Jason Shannon Band consists of Shannon on electric and acoustic guitar, Daryl Bolicek on drums, Nick Johnson on bass guitar, and Wendy Tangen-Foster on violin and vocals.

Judging from his humorously bawdy and amusing lyrics, clearly Jason Shannon is here for business and he only plays for keeps. His lyrics are strikingly relevant to daily life, because this happens to students EVERYDAY:

I showed up to school with a pencil in my hand,
And the schoolteacher said, “Boy don’t you know you can only use a pen,”
Well I screamed at the top of my lungs,
But the screaming didn’t help and I still felt stung.

Stick it to the man, Jason! Also, near the end of the track, there is a woman almost/in the process of gasming in the background… I’m convinced it’s included to prove how hardcore and awesome he is!

To check out some Jason Shannon and the Morning Electric stuff, visit his MySpace!

The Morning Benders

ALT ROCK/ POP
Artist: The Morning Benders
Album: Talking Through Tin Cans
Tracks: “Boarded Doors” & “Patient Patient”
Street Date: May 6, 2008
Label: +1 Records

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The Morning Benders have been delicately raking up “indie” buzz for the past few years. Well duh, of course they are! They sound like an Of Montreal & the Shins sandwich (like PB&J but different). The Berkeley-based trio released Talking Through Tin Cans in May of 2008 and happened to play a show at the UC Davis Coffee House (a lovely makeshift show venue/cafeteria which also sells vegan foods and baked goods – R.I.P. for now) with Social Studies (unsigned) and Love is Chemicals (Three Ring Records) around this time last year.

“Patient Patient” lyrics are as follows:

Doctor, doctor
Won't you give me the cure I'm after
With a slight wave of your hand
I will be reborn a man

All it takes is a little commitment
I'm a patient patient

Doctor, doctor
Don't you give me the pain I'm after
I know I do it to myself
I'm just another book on your shelf

All it takes is a little commitment
I'm a patient patient

Such an endearing song! Christopher’s voice is just… brickshattering (that is the closest word in the English dictionary to describe it).

The Morning Benders finished a mini tour with Grizzly Bear late last month and most likely collected many new fans simply by opening for G-Bear and being the cute little popish youngsters that they are. The band is now getting ready to tour with SF-based band, Girls!, beginning early December and plan to top it all off with a New Year’s Eve party at Bottom of the Hill.

Notable label mates include Eulogies, Editors, Kate Nash, and the Kooks. Chad Raddington recommends Illinois and the Heavy. Do what you will with his advice!

BYO Compilation

PUNK/ ROCK
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade and BYO Records
Tracks: Pennyise – “We’re Gonna Fight,” 7 Seconds – “Sink With Kalifornia” & Youth Brigade’s original version of “Sink with Kalifornia”
Street Date: September 22, 2009
Label: BYO Records

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For all you hardxcore people out there: in case y’all haven’t heard yet, this week’s Stage 4 Podcast consisted of an interview with the Youth Brigade members and BYO Records founders, Shawn and Mark Stern. The Stern brothers, who founded BYO Records in 1982, have been working with many bands over the past two and a half decades and have promoted the California hardcore scene, released more than 100 records under the “Better Youth Organization” label, and set up numerous tours around the US for many bands. Since its beginnings, BYO Records has become a well-known and highly respected independent label while staying true to their DIY roots.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary (on their 28th birthday, nonetheless; How Punk!) BYO Records curated a 31-track compilation of the BIGGEST Punk staples performing covers form the label's extensive catalogue. We're talkin' Anti-Flag, Dropkick Murphys, Lagwagon, Lower Class Brats, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, NOFX, Pennywise, Subhumans, Youth Brigade, and tons more. The comp is available digitally, and in limited edition hard-copy boxsets with 2x Vinyl, CD, a full-length DVD documentary of BYO Records and Youth Brigade, and a coffee-table book of rare stories, essays, commentary, and photographs. It's beautiful, for reals.

Suffice to say, it's a monster project and we're just happy to be part of it. BYO Records is a testament to the benefits of hard-work and industrious livelihoods. I may not be far enough in years to speak sage-like wisdom, but Shawn and Mark Stern certainly can. And we'll shout it from the rooftops if we have to!


Oh, and here the part you've all been waiting for....


THE CONTEST:
In collaboration with BYO Records, we are giving away the LET THEM KNOW boxset described above + an iPod Shuffle to one very lucky participant. All you need is a twitter account to get started.

1. Register - Register a twitter account with your favorite name. Most of you've already completed this step 2 years ago....
2. Follow - Head to twitter.com/Stage4Podcast and follow us. Once you do, you get the added benefit of exclusive announcements and regular banter from your hosts Sunny D and Chad Raddington.
3. Hash Tag - include the hash tag #letthemknow in any tweet, in the most creative possible context. Added points for comedic, relevant, and otherwise absurd references.
4. Win! - The best use of the #letthemknow hash tag will take home a BYO boxed set AND ipod Shuffle. Really, it's that easy. No emails, no personal information. Just good clean, creative fun!

LAKE

ALT ROCK/ DOWNTEMPO
Artist: LAKE
Album: Let’s Build a Roof
Tracks: "Sing 99&90,” “Don't Give Up”
Street Date: November 10, 2009
Label: K Records

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When LAKE comes to mind, we picture the band members dressed in vintage/shabby chic clothing, fishing on a riverbank, running through woods, or tightly gathered around the fireplace in a small living room while playing each other new songs – you know, stuff indie folks who live in Olympia, Washington probably do on a regular basis.


But LAKE seems to be able to divide up their time pretty well. Since forming around 2005, the band has recorded roughly 12 albums, 3 of which were only properly released. Let’s Build a Roof carefully blends their Belle and Sebastian-esque undertones with Fleetwood Mac-ish lyrics and as a result they’ve successfully churned out another endearing and heartwarming album to add to their list of musical accomplishments.



Other recommended artists on K Records are: The Blow, Julie Doiron, Kimya Dawson, and Mirah.



Check out LAKE’s MySpace to hear some older tracks and their website to hear “Don’t Give Up.”

Scary Beard

ALT/ INDIE ROCK
Artist: Scary Beard
Album: Scary Beard
Tracks: "Rats (What I Can See)," "Weeds Hold the Whole Thing Up"
Street Date: January 5, 2010
Label: Nine Mile Records

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If Bon Iver, Colin Meloy, and Isaac Brock could ever have a love child, he would literally sound like Scary Beard's Mike Wyzik - huskily mellow with a faint lisp.

Scary Beard, based in Northampton, Massachusetts, is a side project for many artists on Nine Mile Records to release new material in between their full-length albums. Wyzik often collaborates with Matt Herbert and Bob Hennessy of Haunt, Thane Thompson of the Figments, Matt Cullen of the Humming Field, Dave Houghton of Fancy Trash, Chris Couchon, Mark Schwaber, and Melissa Nelson.
















In "Rats (What I Can See)," Scary Beard layers upbeat lyrics, refrains, and mini guitar riffs upon a bed of endearing rhythms and beats. It's adorable to the point where we're wondering how this track didn't end up in (500) Days of Summer. Maybe it's the whole befriending rats thing.

In other tracks the band explores their musical range and delves into a "more rock, less pop" sort of sound - giving us an attractive Jelly Bean-like assortment of musical nuances in their songs. Result: awesomeness!

Visit Scary Beard's MySpace or Facebook to hear their tracks!