Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and recording artist Tracy Jane Comer recently joined popular Madison-area Top 40 Country group WildHeart.  Comer plays guitar, keys, and fiddle and sings (backup and some lead) in her new role with the band.

Comer has received many international song writing awards as well as winning the MAMAs’ 2008 Instrumentalist of the Year, plus nominations for Folk/Americana Performer of the Year in 2007, Best Acoustic Artist in 2004 and 2005, Best Acoustic Album in 2004 and 2005. She also received a notable spot in Guitar Player magazine in June 2009.

WildHeart exploded onto the music scene in 1993 winning the Country Pickoffs contest. They’ve played festivals and shared the stage with national acts such as Ricky Van Shelton and Hal Ketchum.

Since then, WildHeart has traveled the state to become a regional favorite ; equally comfortable performing for large festivals, community events or at the local hang out. WildHeart has always delivered strong lead vocals with the amazing TC, Preacher, and now Comer, but the latter’s addition also allows for tremendous three-part harmonies.

Please send two copies to:

Local Sounds Magazine, PO Box 7695, Madison, WI 53707

Please include any press or other information, or links to online materials.

MOTHERHIVE SYNDICATE– Negative Spaces

(2009  Self-Release)

Motherhive Syndicate teamed up with Paul Schluter and Megatone Studios to produce their debut Negative Spaces, a sprawling 13-track CD that clocks in at just under an hour. It’s another fine release from Schluter & Company who had an astonishing run in 2009 that looks to carry well into 2010. Unlike some of their other counterparts – Faces for Radio, Cudasigh, Muzzy Luctin, etc. – Motherhive Syndicate create songs with more drama and mood, each song possessing a light/dark dichotomy. The band is currently made up of members of Chemical Smile and Rapscallion. At the center of the Syndicate are the vocals and lyrics of Michael Kerwin. The words he crafts are deep, challenging and even disturbing. The vocal performances are intense and Kerwin and the rest of the band manage to merge the mood of the lyric and the music; no easy feat.

Mostly these tracks relay the feeling of a loss of control, emotionally, psychologically and even circumstantially. From the monsters-in-the-dark fear projected in “Dragonfly” to the killer in “Swallow the Dust”, to the helplessness of “In the Moment”, there are demons to be wrestled with and situations to be fled from. “Swallow the Dust” is particularly creepy, a tale of a brutal and demented murder.

“Grand Panjandrum” is perhaps the most radio-ready track, with “Sweetie Pie” being another contender, the latter featuring a blistering guitar solo from Seven Hansen.  Hansen’s playing is fiery; he’s obviously got chops though he sometimes trades a few too many notes for cleaner phrasing. The 9/11-inspired “In the Moment” borrows heavily from Zeppelin or Robert Plant circa Now and Zen but is a definite standout, maintaining the intensity throughout. At times Negative Spaces suffers from too much mid-tempo light and dark, requiring fixed attention but on this track the slow-down in the bridge works well.

A few the tracks depart sharply. “Thought I Had All the Answers” toys with hippie-jazz and could have easily been left off. “White Out” turns acoustic, ultimately drifting a little too close to Marshall Tucker, though it does carry the dark mood lyrically. “Leave That Cat Alone” is the unexpected cut. Horns are brought in for a soulful romp that sounds like a different band altogether.  Surprisingly, this is the one tune that holds a groove throughout. Though it sounds a bit out of place here, a full album of this material (under a different name perhaps?) could be intriguing.

Motherhive Syndicate appears to have changed drummers before, during and after the recording of this disc. Perhaps some stability in the lineup will allow them to hone in on what they do best, which is riff-driven rock; unsettling, powerful and seeped in self-deprecation.

HELLIPHANT– Powdered Tusk

(2009   Self-Release)

Helliphant’s resume reads like a who’s who of Madison rock bands. The list starts with Plastic and continues on, including Uncle Eddie, Way off The Horse, the Skintones, Ladybeard, echo-static, Carl, The God Damns, Bon Squad, Whore du Jour, Jumpin’ Jack Hash, Mr Brownstone, 4 X Daily, Easy Data, Rayging Whoremoans…and it goes on. The coming together of all these talents makes Helliphant a bona-fide local supergroup.

The band’s second album confirms that Helliphant is a mighty beast indeed. There are only seven songs here that run a total of just over thirty minutes but that seems long enough, as perhaps there is only so much horror rock you can take in one sitting before becoming zombiefied. Then again, that didn’t stop me from hitting replay several times in a row. Every track is anchored by a ferocious riff that would be pretty standard fare in the hands of most bands; but Tim Thompson’s (aka Treacherous Tim Slick) keyboards add such menacing weight to the already leaden sound that they become hellish pronouncements, summoned from the foul ass of Beelzebub himself.

The first track, “Crème de Noir” is a tour de force, setting the tone. There are few minced words on Powdered Tusk and the lead-off chorus of “But you’re drowning in shit…Bullshit!” gets in your face straight away. Chad Ovshak’s (aka Delicious G. Drizzle) drumming is excellent throughout the whole disc and here is where he shines brightest, even getting a brief drum break that he augments with congas.

“Choke” is fairly unimpressive until the song takes a left turn in the middle section. Helliphant excels at adding complex changes and embellishments to arrangements that appear simple on their surface and “Choke” is a good example of that.

The band has a hefty sense of humor underlying all their doom and this is most evident on the title track. Vocalist Joe Price (aka Deacon Dr. Jones) delivers a twisted sermon on the “issue of morality” while the gospel-influenced keys drive home the dementia. Price is more of a speak-wailer than a singer, sounding like a demented Rod Evans, but his vocal style makes perfect sense for Helliphant, not to mention his animated stage presence.

Elsewhere “Pound of Flesh” takes a lost AC/DC riff on a bad acid trip, while bassist Darwin Sampson (aka Orson Wellespring) gets a chance to flaunt his fuzzed-out bass on the segue between “Homicidal Stiff” and the final track, “Rebirth.” Guitarist Jeremy Roseland (aka Trickmaster J Rock) holds off admirably until “Rebirth” to deliver a possessed, blistering guitar solo.

Madison has a long history of intense and original hard-rocking bands. The sheer intensity of those in our city makes a lot of other metropolises look like pussies. Helliphant carries on that tradition with humor and grandeur. Long live the Madison sound.

L-R: Daniel Ross-Moore, Corey Dunham, Meagan Dunham, Alletta Ergun and Overt Lexvold

From Tragic Beginnings, Mute Grey Seeks a New Approach to Life

Story by Angus McLinn

Mute Grey is a local band with an agenda. In the next few months they’re unleashing the full might of their DIY industrial metal juggernaut with a new album, tour plans, new merch, old names, a stage show to be reckoned with, and a guitarist with a knack for both interior decorating and the business aspect of being in a band. But for all their big plans, Mute Grey, like many other local acts, came from humble beginnings.

Meagan Dunham

It began with a family tragedy that resulted in guitarist Corey Dunham linking up with drummer Daniel Ross-Moore in 2001 through a support program. Despite its initial awkward and forced inception, their friendship soon blossomed over a shared love for music. The two soon began playing Linkin Park covers with Dunham’s sister, Megan, handling vocals which over the course of the next couple of years evolved into Octane, a precursor to Mute Grey.  

Daniel Ross-Moore

“We started really early, like in middle school, and everyone just made fun of us which was cool because we were pretty ridiculous.” Explains Daniel, recalling an Octane related incident that occurred when the two were attending Kromrey Middle School. “I remember hearing somebody put up some posters about Octane playing the library at school,” said Ross-Moore. The posters were quickly defaced, but, as Corey is quick to jokingly point out “That’s probably still the most press we ever got.”

Overt Lexvold

Once in high school, the group added Alletta Ergun on bass and Emily Van Haren on keyboards, who has since been replaced with Overt Lexvold, and soon after renamed themselves to their current moniker, Mute Grey. This was soon followed by the release of the group’s debut EP in spring of 2008, Two Minutes Hate and began getting some airtime on 94.1 JJO. As Ross-Moore explains, “That was a complete pain in the ass and horrible time. The band basically broke up in the middle of recording it because everyone was fighting…Then we kind of pulled it together and put that out and that’s when things really took off…like a year and a half ago.”

The release of the EP was followed by a summer of live shows, including several shows in Madison some higher profile out of state shows. “In those four or five months after we put out Two Minutes Hate, we finally starting putting out cards and more merchy [sic] kind of stuff, and we really started getting good shows. We opened for Mushroomhead and we opened for Hurt and some bigger bands 94.1 was bringing through.”  The band also played a small tour in Ohio with stops in Cleveland and Sandusky with Margin of Error as well as a few shows in Chicago, including a party atop a 60-story building. “It was a weird thing where you’re like, ‘wow I don’t know how the hell I ended up right now.’ There were ball players and Fallout Boy was there and shit,” explained Ross-Moore.

Corey Dunham

When questioned about the bands sudden success and display of business initiative, Corey explains: “I think a lot of it was we found our sound. That whole thing kind of started when we linked up with our original keyboard player because that’s a huge part of our sound undeniably…we had a good lineup at the time and we were all getting along really well…we were just on a roll for a few months.”

After a relatively inactive winter and spring, Mute Grey started recording their upcoming album, We Dream in Black and White, in the summer of 2009. “Our buddy told us that if we wanted to get anywhere we needed to write another album,” Corey says. “So me, Daniel, and Alletta started writing another album and we began recording it in August.” The band rehearsed for four or five months between four and five times a week, working on the album as well as recording at DNA studios as well as their own home studio. The new album is set to have eleven tracks and will be released in Spring 2010.

We Dream in Black and White adds a heavier edge to Mute Grey’s brooding and ethereal industrial metal meditations. Vocalist Meagan has also added screaming to her duties as the clean vocalist, replacing Daniel in this position both for logistical reasons and to add more fluidity to the music while maintaining the intensity the band strives for. The album will also add more percussive guitar in conjunction with driving drum work, giving Mute Grey’s sound more of a rhythmic counter point to the bands melodic vocals and keyboard sections, furthering the prevalent theme of juxtaposition in most of their music.

Additionally, the album will lyrically explore the ambiguous nature of good and evil. As Meagan explains, “The whole idea is that they’re the same thing…that black and white, good and evil can’t be separated. The logic behind it is that a person who does something evil, there’s a victim of that act and that victim will emerge from the experience with a different view of life and they will be determined not to put someone else through what they went through. Basically it makes them a better person, so through that chain of events the evil person who does something good, and the reverse can be said as well…the whole concept of the album is basically an exploration of that.” 

As well as exploring these themes lyrically, the songs will approach the issue as a whole, utilizing the heavy driving sound of the music to immerse the audience and induce an awakening intended to provoke thought. According to Meagan, these themes will be explored in both individual and institutional contexts. “Revolution in thought is really the whole idea, and that can apply to political thought as well,” explains Meagan. “I’m really tired of the partisan bickering and all that, I think it’s time for a new way of approaching politics and life in general.”  Lyrically, this is somewhat of a departure from Two Minutes Hate, which was more of a personal construction, although in songs such as “One and the Same” the themes of nihilism, isolation, and seemingly apocalyptic images of personal decline are blended with larger political themes, such as accountability.

In conjunction with their plans for a conceptually ambitious album, Mute Grey is  mobilizing their forces in the coming year in order to take their band to the next level, with business and logistics efforts directed primarily by Corey. The band’s practice space at Madison Music Foundry includes a several charts on the wall to chart progress of various aspects of band business, including recording and even gas expendentures. Even the light conditions are carefully regulated within the space in order to maintain a brooding, maroon glow. “You notice when you go into a kitchen or anything, the light on the ceiling in the middle of the room sucks in all situations. It totally kills the vibe in the room,” explains Corey. The band has also revamped it’s already robust stage show (as well as an impressive bag of theatricks, the band performs with such energy that bassist Alletta once suffered a black eye due to excessive rocking and an unfortunate collision with a tuning peg) and will include fog emitting platforms as well as a full scale light rig in addition to their customary carnivalesque stage makeup. There are also plans for a tour that expanding on the regional scale of their summer of 2008 activities to coincide with the release of  We Dream in Black and White as well as new merchandise.

All told, Mute Grey is enthusiastically pressing on into the future. “I just feel like there’s not anybody else out there that’s doing what we’re doing and I think that there’s still a significant we can appeal to so I think we can go as far as we want to take it” says Meagan. Her brother Corey shares her optimism:

“I think the music will eventually take it where it needs to go. I think the music is quite a bit better…I think we’ve essentially refined all the parts. This is pretty much the truest vision of what we wanted the band to be like, to this day obviously, and hopefully every album release will be that way. That it’s the best work you’ve done.”

Whitney Mann to Play the MAMAs and Open Two Dates for Willie Nelson

Whiteny Mann will be performing at the 7th Annual Madison Area Music Awards being held May 8th at the Capitol Theater in the Overture Center. Mann will perform two songs with her band during the cermonies.

Afterward she will appear at the Alchemy Cafe with Jeremiah Nelson and Shawn Drake opening.

We’ve also just learned that Mann will open three shows on Willie Nelson’s  spring tour. The dates are:

March 18 at the LaCrosse Center in LaCrosse

March 24 at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL

Read our review of Whitney’s latest CD here.

The Woods Release New Double Album

The Woods  released ”Hold On To Gravity” in February, their third official release. This double CD was in the making for more than three years. “Hold On To Gravity” is also available for download on digstation, CD Baby, and iTunes.

United Sons of Toil to Preview New Songs; Band Working on New Album

United Sons of Toil, one of Madison’s best noiserock bands, will begin recording their third full-length album in March . The band will be working at  Science Of Sound with RickyRiemer at the helm. USoT is playing an all-ages show March 12th at the Project Lounge and will debut some of
the new songs. The lineup includes two Milwaukee bands: Canyons of Static and King’s Horses.

United Sons of Toil, Canyons of Static, King’s Horses
Friday, March 12, 2010 6:30pm – 10:30pm
The Project Lodge, 817 East Johnson Street, Madison
All Ages! Cover: $5

The Kissers Only 2010 Show is March 13th

Madison’s favorite Irish rockers haven’t missed playing a Paddy’s Day show in Madison for twelve years, and 2010 will be no different. The Kissers, who toured nationally for many years, broke up in 2008 when some members moved away, but they’ll be back for the group’s only show for the year.  The event takes place March 13th at the Majestic Theatre. Tickets are $15.

Advanced tickets are highly recommended.

An Interview with Greg Martin of Next Level Productions: The Man Behind the Rock the Sound Benefits

Spend some time with Greg Martin and it won’t take long to realize what a truly upstanding person he is. In addition to being a devoted husband, father and a working man, Martin is one of the most dedicated local music fans in the city. His sharp organizational skills and hustle have served him well over time as he has become an experienced and efficient promoter with his company Next Level Productions.

Martin is the man behind the annual Rock the Sound benefits, the 2010 version of which  is being held April 3rd at Scatz in Middleton. Six bands will hit the stage for the rock event of the year and the proceeds will go toward the Madison Area Music Association. The event is presented by Next Level Productions and Bellatoria Pizza with lots of assistance from WJJO, Maximum Ink, Scatz, Guitar Center, Capital Brewery, Megatone Studios, Nuclearview Communication Studio, Raintite Construction and Design One Apparel. WJJO will be on hand and will do a live remote. (More info on the 2010 Rock the Sound is below and here.)

Local Sounds had some time to talk with Martin recently.

LSM:  What is Rock the Sound and how did it get started?

GM:  Rock the Sound is a reoccurring benefit concert that started in 2007. My daughter was a member of Capital Sound Drum and Bugle Corps and my wife Jodi and I had become the volunteer coordinators for the corps. Capital Sound was always looking for new and interesting ways to raise money and my wife suggested putting together a fundraising show. I booked shows for my bands in the past and been involved in fundraisers like this before so it was kind of a “no brainer.” It was intended to be just a couple of local Sauk bands playing at the Dorf Haus in Roxbury, but at the suggestion of my brother Dave to contact Muzzy Luctin it became something much bigger. Paul Schluter suggested Cudasigh and Sand for the bill, and the two Sauk Bands, Apparatus and Section 8 made up the rest of it.    The first Rock the Sound took place at the Dry Bean in Fitchburg on April 14, 2007. We packed 450 people into the Dry Bean and the show was a complete success. It was also at this time that Next Level Productions was born.   There were just too many people telling me I needed to keep doing stuff like this.

LSM:  What can people expect to happen at Rock the Sound?

GM:   A “balls to the wall” rock concert that will rival any national act that has ever stepped foot on the Scatz stage. We are bringing in extra lighting and video crews as well as tons of Rock the Sound, Next Level Productions, MAMAs, and band merch that includes the Rock the Sound compilation disk that features all the bands on the bill and many more. Kurt Barron from WJJO will be there to introduce bands and will be doing on-air interviews. We will be giving away tons of CDs and t-shirts. Guitar Center will be giving away an electric guitar as well. Beltline Buttons will be displaying samples of their merch and giving away Rock the Sound buttons. We will be giving away free samples of pizza courtesy of our presenting level sponsor Bellatoria Pizza. The line-up features headliner Faces for Radio with new drummer Phil Buerstatte from Last Crack. Muzzy Luctin, Cudasigh, Don Bakken, The Motherhive Syndicate, and Shawn Brown’s new band The Viscous Circle will also be performing. “I think if anybody misses this show they’re kinda  nuts.”

LSM:  Will this continue to be an annual event?

GM:   As long as the Madison Area Music Association is around and they are happy with this I don’t see why not.   I t was my intention all along to have it be an annual thing.

LSM:  Tell us a bit about Next Level Productions and what you do.

GM:    Next Level Productions produces, promotes and books shows for the local band, along with some management of a select few.  I have never claimed to be a miracle worker. I just do what I can, for no reason other than I enjoy doing it.  I don’t work with a lot of cover bands, mainly just because of personal choice.  I just have so much respect for the original bands out there who work there tails off just to be able to play on a show like Rock the Sound.  I just love the chance to be able to help how ever I can.  Whether it’s promoting a show or just printing some demo CDs for someone.  My goal with Next Level was never to get rich doing it, it was more to help the great original bands that this city has to offer.  There is so much under appreciated talent in this town it kind of makes me sad.

LSM:  How did you get involved with the Madison Area Music Association?

GM:  Capital Sound dissolved a few months after the first Rock The Sound and I was left wondering what to do about the show.  I would always have people ask me if there was going to be another one, and I knew I wanted to continue with it, but it had to be for just the right organization….and music oriented of course.   I think I posted something on mySpace or Facebook about what to do it for.   I got an email from Scottie Madsen from Gladstone to contact the Rick Tvedt form the MAMAS,  which I did.  It took a while to get anything real solid going, but Rick got a thumbs up came from the MAMAs’ board of directors  and everything has kind of snowballed from there.

LSM:  What are some of Next Level Productions’ future projects?

GM:  That’s an easy one.  Get ready for CD releases  from Muzzy Luctin, Sweet Oblivion and Audio*Otic.  These albums have been in the works for a long time and I’ll be pulling out all the stops on these babies.  The other thing I hope to ad next year – to the Next Level  repertoire – is video production.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and being that you either have to know someone or pay out the nose for it.  It would really be nice to be able to help the bands I work with, to create some quality video.

LSM:  What’s your message to the city about local music?

GM:  Don’t only go to see the cover bands and your friend’s band.  There is a crapload of awesome original bands to see in this town. Take a chance and go see someone you’ve never heard of before.  There’s a real good chance you’ll love what you here and have a great time doing it.  When a special show like Rock the Sound comes about, that supports local music on so many different levels, make that special effort to get there and show your support.  We need everyone involved with music in this town to help grow our music scene and promote our youth into it also.  Come to Scatz on April 3^rd and show that you care about the music scene the way everyone says they do.

LSM:  What keeps you going?

GM: I have to give credit to my wife, Jodi.  I could never do the things I do with out her.  No matter what the venture has been she has always been behind me 100% and I love her for that.

SHOW DETAILS

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Doors Open at 7:00pm

Scatz Sports Bar & Nightclub in Middleton

The Lineup

Muzzy Luctin / Faces for Radio / Cudasigh / Don Bakken / The Motherhive Syndicate / The Viscous Circle