The Rhythm Report looks back on year of growth, success

It's been an incredible year for The Rhythm Report. I started this blog in 2010, but the hard push to get this site up and running came in early 2011. Countless shows and 87 posts later, I'm looking back on a year of growth and success. Thank you to the musicians, readers and supporters that have helped make this publication what it has become. 


A special thanks goes out to Todd Volkmer and Erin Ludlam of Wasted Talent Media, for providing the Indie Box Live Concert series, and to contributing writers Ty Kellogg and Bryan Pauley. [Kellogg wrote United we stand: Tom Evanchuck, Red Wanting Blue and Kent State Folk Festival: Failed coverage (almost); Pauly wrote Concert review: Energy ebbs, flows at Interpol show]


I'm looking forward to the new opportunities 2012 will bring. Here are two lists to wrap up the year: the most-read articles of 2011 and a few editor's faves.


Most-read articles of 2011

1. There is no music scene here — Nov. 6
2. Monday Muse: "Babel" Humble Home — Nov. 14
3. The Floorwalkers' DIY approach spurs grassroots growth — July 18
4. Last-minute music fest takes Rock Hall, Science Center — Aug. 2
5. Tom Evanchuck strikes a chord with three new records — May 23
6. Review: The Only Man - Lydia Loveless — March 17
7. Local artist Rob Geer's last show at Grog Shop signals new life out West — Sept. 29
8. New album: Rob Geer releases Find Your Way Home on Bandcamp — Dec. 28
9. Good vibes emanate at Painesville Party in the Park — July 21
10. A Rhythm Report film – The Great Unsaid: Documented — Oct. 23
11. I would have liked to include an eleventh headline. Unfortunately, Blogger's subpar analytics would not allow me to dig that deep to find out which article would have made it. Blast it! Goal for next year: New site platform with stellar analytic capabilities! 

Editor's faves
These articles did not make the cut for being most read, but they are a few that I think have added value to The Rhythm Report in the past 12 months. (Note: The following headlines are listed by date, not priority.)

• The Lighthouse and The Whaler celebrates the season, ushers in 2012 with career, fan focus — Dec. 20
• From the back of the Beachland: Bethesda talks licensing, plans for new album — Nov. 30
• Live, local music is at heart of Bad Racket anniversary show — Oct. 25
• Bad Racket Anniversary Show! Full interview with Thomas Fox and Adam Wagner — Oct. 21
• "TOM" beyond the Evanchuck: An interview with The Old Money — Oct. 9
• Concert Review: Saturday at The Auricle with The Singular, Vinny Vegas — Sept. 12
• Top-charted Vitium talks about recording new EP — July 10
• Audio interview: Winslow's Maurice Martin talks about recording with Grammy award-winning producer, summer tour and more — May 8
• Interview: DJ David Beans debuts at Ballantine — April 4
• Cellar Door Records release: The sign of a new era for NEOhio music — March 25

Final success of 2011: Hitting 10,000 blog views for the year! It hasn't happened quite yet as I prepare to publish this article, but I'm looking at a beautiful number: 9,999. If you're reading this, you've helped me hit or surpass my goal. Thank you.

New Album: Rob Geer Releases Find Your Way Home on Bandcamp

Written by Priscilla Tasker

Rob Geer released his debut
album on December 27.

Independent artist Rob Geer announced the digital release of his full-length debut album, Find Your Way Home.


The 10-song track list is a compilation of songs Geer has written over several years; some had previously been recorded with Jeff Toy (A Little Bit of Orange EP) and Cellar Door Records ("It Might Be"). The gradual acquisition of new recording equipment empowered him to fine-tune the material into a completed project over the past three months.


Geer said the final product might have been released earlier, but a technological mishap delayed completion. A hard drive crash wiped out his post-production mixing work in November, causing him to revert back to older tracks, which had been saved. Despite the set back, Geer was able to present the final compilation this week, before the year's end.


"It feels great! I'm extremely happy to be done and to move on to some other things I've been working on," Geer said. "I took a little break from mixing everything, for things to feel fresh again, then finally finished a couple days ago."


Re-mixing revives early material
Two of the songs featured on the album had previously been released on A Little Bit of Orange EP in January 2010. The original recordings of "A Little Bit of Orange" and "Dead End" had more dark, progressive rock characteristics and lacked the higher-quality mixing of the new tracks. 

Geer released A Little Bit of Orange EP  as 
The Conductor and The Creator in January 2010.

The latest recording of “A Little Bit of Orange” opens with the song’s catchy blues riff, but Geer stripped it down. He swapped psychedelic guitar trills with clean chord progressions and harmonious picking, and replaced weighty drums with the light percussive flavor of a shaker.

"Dead End," as previously recorded, jumps right in with full guitar, drums and vocals. Geer takes his time in the new recording, building the essence with a lone guitar, followed by vocals and discreet bass tones. 


That patience and permeable space in the music speaks to the merit of the finished product. Geer has performed and released variations of most of the songs featured on Find Your Way Home at live shows and through digital demos. Now, in absolute form, these songs are evidence of Geer’s artistic growth and maturity. 


“They just weren’t how I wanted them to be heard, so I decided to add some extra things in here and there,” Geer said. "The A Little Bit Of Orange EP was recorded in Jeff Toy's attic and basement with all of his equipment. The only musicians on that are me and him, but I wanted to release acoustic versions of those songs because I feel like they fit as a whole with Find Your Way Home." 


Toy is credited on Geer's new album for his mixing and harmony work on “You Could Be All Mine.” The ethereal romantic ballad adds a touch of tenderness to an otherwise verbally grave collection.


Enlivened lyrics are illustrative, palpable
Geer is poetic. His lyrics are vivid, almost tangible. The inclination to write about sordid human endeavors in songs like "Human Nature" and "Assassin" is distinctive of his creative aesthetic.

"Human Nature," which features Dan Thompson's bass stylings, is a three-minute and 48-second dissertation on the faults of mankind. Geer compares men’s cold acts to the violent instincts of beasts, howling, "Packs of wolves kill their prey with one bite to the neck, and no one says a God damn thing. Their just wild animals – but what do you call us humans when we shoot people just for fun."

“Assassin” is a chilling account of a feigned lovers. Full and pure, Geer demonstrates his vocal power. The physical strain is audible as he cries out, “Call me the assassin. Call me what you will,” after taunting, “The way you tore apart your life, thinking every second chance wasn’t broken ‘til you found out everybody’s gone – and I just lied to you again.” 

The lyrical content of Find Your Way Home is complemented by alluring, well-crafted melodies ("Under Devil's Skin") and capacious harmonies ("Keepin' My..."). Geer delved into the depths to produce these auditory gems – and they are sparkling.


Read more Rob Geer coverage on The Rhythm Report:

• Weekend Prelude: "It Might Be" Rob Geer in Colorado wilderness 

• Local artist Rob Geer's last show at Grog Shop signals beginning of new life out West  

• New video: Live from 6ixth City Tech Fest 

• Artists review Cellar Door Records Volume III 

• Rob Geer opens with demo at The Grog Shop 

• "The Conductor," Oldboy roused fans at The Grog Shop  

Video Premiere: Antoine Dunn's "Can't Forget" lands spot on BET's 106 and Park

Source: Antoine Dunn
Official Facebook page

Soul singer and Cleveland-area native Antoine Dunn is celebrating the national release of the music video for his single "Can't Forget," which premiered on BET's 106 and Park tonight, Monday, December 26. 


Dunn is an accomplished songwriter and mutli-instrumentalist who has toured with Anthony Hamilton, performed with Musiq Soulchild and Avant, and is noted on the production credits for Lakisha Jones' debut album. 


"Can't Forget" is Dunn's first single launched by Elite Music Group Incorporated, which signed the artist in August 2011. The song was co-written and co-produced by Jerry Lang II (JL), pianist and producer, who is known for his work with Vitium and Nicholas Wonder a.k.a. Nicholas Smalc. Lang studied at The Cleveland Institute of Music and has released successful hip hop hits with Vitium in Japan.


The music video was uploaded to Dunn's official YouTube page on December 12. In the past two weeks, it has received 2,044 hits. 


Fans of the video can text #cantforget to 79922 to secure its future appearances on 106 and Park. 

Monday Muse: "Falling Away" by Rob Montague [Flat Earth Society show at House of Blues – Cleveland]

Rob Montague released a self-directed music video for the song "Falling Away" off his latest album Farewell Song, which is available on Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

The entire video was shot with an iPhone 4. The dusty effect of black-and-white film was achieved using the 8mm Vintage Camera App from Nexvio.

According to The Rock blog's album review of Farewell Song, Montague will perform with a new band called Flat Earth Society next year. The group is playing a show with Downplay and Silver Lights at House of Blues in Cleveland on January 4. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Lyrics to "Falling Away" are available on Montague's ReverbNation.com page.

Video: "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" performed by Red Wanting Blue

Scott Terry's gruff, snarling vocals give a perfect touch of grit and mire to Red Wanting Blues' rendition of the classic "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," written about Dr. Seuss' great Christmas antagonist.

Thurl Ravenscroft's original recording of the song for the 1966 cartoon film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" has been second to none, but Red Wanting Blue may have inched its way into my top holiday favorites with this one.

"On Christmas Morning" by Zach

Merry Christmas to all from The Rhythm Report! 


Enjoy the next two days with your closest family and friends. Here's a little tune from Zach to start the magic on Christmas day.

"On Christmas Morning" (2005) – Zach

Hear more Christmas songs from Northeast Ohio artists in these Rhythm Report posts:

The Modern Electric – "Northcoast Christmas"

Bethesda – "If This is Christmas"

Holiday Spectacular Shows: Music Fills The Night in Northeast Ohio

Folks are home for the holidays and Northeast Ohio musicians and venues from Cleveland, Akron and Canton are celebrating. Here is the event list for the night.

Kent – The Speedbumps Christmas Fun Time Show

8 p.m. - The Kent Stage 

Painesville – The Carsons Holiday Party and Reunion Show

7 p.m. - Scores Fun Center 

Akron – David Ullman Album Fundraiser with Enormity and Bushman

8 p.m. - Musica 

Lakewood – A Very Acoustic Christmas with Tom Evanchuck and Cool Jason

9:30 p.m. - Merry Arts Pub 

Lakewood – Pilgrim and Echo Canyon Players in Concert

9 p.m. - The Winchester Music Hall 

Canton – !Dance Night! 

11 p.m. - The Auricle Venue

iLTHY Store Grand Opening recap video dubbed with RJD2's "Smoke and Mirrors"

Jason Kandalec (JasonUnoriginal) produced this recap video of iLTHY Workshop's grand opening event at its Gordon Square Arts District location on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Modern Electric Northcoast Christmas Show at Grog Shop tonight – Thursday, December 22

Raise your voice at the The Modern Electric's Northcoast Christmas show tonight at The Grog Shop. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $6.

Hear the band's latest ditty a "Northcoast Christmas," which the group describes as a song that captures the joys, struggles and triumphs of a Christmas on the Northcoast.

Opening acts include:

• Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money – From acoustic folk tunes to Rock 'n' Roll-infused blues ballads, Tom Evanchuck and band put on a hell of a live show that is sure to get you on your feet and moving on the dance floor. 
• The Ruby Spirit – This spunky indie rock band hails from Toronto, Canada. The five-member group fosters an old-time feel with an exuberance for trippy synth play, ragtime dramatics and mod-era rock orchestrations.  
• The Plastic Hearts – With an intermixing of Americana roots and indie nonchalance, The Plastic Hearts adds an absorbent resonance to the night's eclectic roster of musicians.

The Grog Shop is located at 2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106.

The Lighthouse and The Whaler celebrates season, ushers in 2012 with fan, career focus

© The Rhythm Report 2011
The Lighthouse and The Whaler
at Musica in Akron, Ohio on Dec. 16

The Lighthouse and The Whaler is in the Christmas spirit. Fans who've been following and keeping in touch with the Cleveland-based band can expect to receive a special gift from the group in their home mailboxes this week. The band spent a few hours on Sunday night creating and writing personal Christmas cards to devout followers – several who live abroad – to thank them for their continued support and to wish them a Merry Christmas.


In three short years, The Lighthouse and The Whaler (TLATW) has released a full-length album and an EP, toured coast to coast and appeared at high-profile events, including the Paste and Rdio Afternoon Delight at The Living Room. (Watch the video of TLATW performing "We've Got The Most" at The Living Room below.) 


The band's work has been accompanied by a fanfare of media coverage from Spinner, KEXP 90.3 Seattle and BMI. Paste Magazine launched an exclusive premiere of the single "Venice" in October, and MTV described the band as "really cool melodic folk-rock ... and a live show you've got to check out for yourself."

© The Rhythm Report 2011
The Lighthouse and The Whaler
at Musica in Akron, Ohio on Dec. 16

"When we first started, I didn't think our music was that good, but you have enough people tell you that and you start to believe it," said Mike LoPresti, lead vocalist and guitarist. When asked how the band has achieved its success to date,  LoPresti responded with a burst of sincerity, "By the grace of God and our fans!"

A strong online presence has helped The Lighthouse and The Whaler reach music appreciators. The band has amassed a following of more than 4,200 Facebook fans, and the group has engaged those fans this year with a Kickstarter campaign, free downloads from Daytrotter* and a "Get to Know the Band" month. The individuals who comprise TLATW are dedicated to building relationships and open dialogue with listeners, and have put all their effort into making those connections relevant. 


“We've been out to eat with people after shows; people will let us stay at their houses [while touring]. We've made a lot of good friends along the way, and there are people we’ve stayed with multiple times," LoPresti said. "People just want to know that you care."


Hard work and seizing opportunity has also been at the heart of The Lighthouse and The Whaler's achievement. Multi-instrumentalist Aaron Smith said the band doesn't say no to a lot of opportunities. However, he added the caveat, "We don’t do everything that comes our way either; we try to be smart about it."


Smith addressed the fact that major changes and lagging record sales in the music industry has made it difficult for bands to land big-time record deals without putting forth a significant amount of personal effort into building up to that career opportunity.


“It seems like a lot of people in the industry are scared to take chances on bands," Smith said. "Bands have to build their careers by themselves. You have to be willing to give your all to the project. It just seems it’s more difficult to get them to look at you if you haven’t done that already."


The five men mapped out a plan for increased exposure in the coming year that includes extending its reach to fans through touring and a social media campaign to launch new material.


The Lighthouse and The Whaler is finalizing contracts with a major New York-based PR agency and a licensing company to support the group through 2012 as they release several singles through January and February and a full-length album in the summer, according to LoPresti. The select PR agency will also be promoting the band as it prepares for its February-March tour, which will include a stop at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin. 


Stay tuned to The Rhythm Report for details about The Lighthouse and The Whaler's new album and its pending summer-time release. 


Northeast Ohio fans can see this band perform next at The Grog Shop with Bears and Afternoon Naps on February 11, 2012. 

*Since the release of The Lighthouse and The Whaler's Daytrotter session in July, Daytrotter.com has gone to a members format that charges $2 per month for the opportunity to download thousands of live recorded sessions with an impressive library of artists.

Christmas comes: Bethesda celebrates the season with song

Bethesda released a modern Christmas hymn "If this is Christmas" on Sunday, December 18, one week before the Christian holy holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Shanna Delaney and Eric Ling crafted the beautiful baroque-style serenade and recorded it with Dan Corby in one day, stating on the band's Bandcamp page, "This is our gift to you."

Delaney's endearing vocals are reminiscent of Karen Carpenter crooning the classic "Merry Christmas, Darling," composed by Richard Carpenter with lyrics by Frank Pooler. Much like the song that earned The Carpenters a Billboard No. 1 holiday hit in 1970, Bethesda's Yuletide carol has the potential to make its history in the hearts of families celebrating this special time of year. 


Lyrics to "If this is Christmas" are available on Bethesda's Bandcamp page.

Read more about Bethesda in these Rhythm Report posts:

From the Back of the Beachland: Bethesda talks licensing, plans for new album

Music Video: Bethesda "Dreamtiger"

Here Only Good Music For All: War - The World Is A Ghetto (Soul/Funk/Jazz)

Here Only Good Music For All: War - The World Is A Ghetto (Soul/Funk/Jazz): 1. The Cisco Kid 2. Where Was You At 3. City Country City 4. Four Cornered Room 5. The World is a Ghetto 6. Beetles in the Bog Best known ...

Event: The Lighthouse and The Whaler at Musica Friday, December 16

The Lighthouse and The Whaler is set to perform at the Square Records & Music Saves Holiday Get Down with The May Company, Dunes and Total Babes on Friday, December 16, at Musica in Akron. 


The five fellows that comprise TLATW have engaged fans with "Get To Know The Band Month," giving devout followers of their nimble-noted music a glimpse into each gentleman's life. Read autobiographical commentaries from Mike and Matt LoPresti, Mark Porostosky, Steven Diaz and Aaron Smith on http://thelighthouseandthewhaler.tumblr.com/.


If The Lighthouse and The Whaler hasn't found its way onto your playlist yet, the band shares free downloads of several songs, including tracks from its Daytrotter session, on Facebook.

Event

Square Records & Music Saves 

Holiday Get Down

featuring

The Lighthouse and The Whaler

The May Company

Dunes

Total Babes

Friday, December 16 – 9:30 p.m.

Buy tickets here

$5


Musica
51 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44306

Monday Muse: Humble Home "Too Young" and Thaddeus Greene "Let Me Be" Live From Bad Racket

The Rhythm Report is once again celebrating the reverent songwriting of Humble Home in this week's Monday Muse. Last month, the blog featured a video of Humble Home's vocalists Nick Wise and Matt Hectorne in a back-alley performance of "Babel," originally released in 2010.


Bad Racket Recording Studio introduced a new audio-visual production featuring the full band on December 2. The independent folk rock quartet from the Solon-Aurora area was invited into the Ohio City-based studio to record a Live From Bad Racket session directed by Aaron Freeder. 

Live From Bad Racket - Humble Home from Bad Racket on Vimeo

Filmed at and audio engineered by Bad Racket Recording Studio
Directed by Aaron Freeder

Humble Home announced through social media that the band is in writing sessions and updated fans with a Facebook post that read, "New material is coming together like cream and coffee. Stay tuned."

The group has been generous to eager ears, playing raw renditions of their latest creations during a few live performances in the past months. Fans can catch up with the band before the year's end at The Grog Shop on Sunday, December 18, when Humble Home takes the stage with Above the Atlantic, CARE and Morgan Mecasky.

MORE MUSING

Throwback artist Thaddeus Greene was also a featured subject for a Live From Bad Racket video that hit the internet in November. Greene was courteous to allow a sneak preview of the "Let Me Be" audio recording for The Rhythm Report's interview with Bad Racket in October. Now, the full craft recording production is available to satiate the auditory and visual senses. Watch the video here and stay tuned to The Rhythm Report for more on this exceptionally vintage musician.

Live From Bad Racket - Thaddeus Greene from Bad Racket on Vimeo

Filmed at and audio engineered by Bad Racket Recording Studio

Directed by Aaron Freeder

Weekend Prelude: Geto Boys "Damn it feels good to be a gangsta"; Icebird "Charmed Life"

Something Old

Something New(ish)

Icebird features the stylings of RJD2 and Aaron Livingston. The former Columbus, Ohio artist, RJD2, is acclaimed for his head-nodding, body-pulsing beats and instrumentals. Aaron Livingston's sultry smooth vocals grace several tracks by The Roots including "Sleep" and "Guns are Drawn". The duo's first single "Charmed Life" was released in October. Here it is for your listening pleasure. 

Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta.