Megan Jean and the KFB release The Devil Herself

Megan Jean and the KFB release The Devil Herself March 1, 2013

 

35-date tour to support a new self-released album. Cities include Atlanta, Charleston, and Washington D.C.
 
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Avant-Americana duo Megan Jean and the KFB is self-releasing it’s second full-length album, The Devil Herself, March 1, 2013 at the Tinroof in Charleston, South Carolina on their label Guts and Know How Records. This will be vocalist/instrumentalist Megan Jean Klay and multi-instrumentalist Byrne Klay's third studio release following 2010's full-length Dead Woman Walkin’ and their 2007 debut EP Autumn which was released under the name The Klay Family Band.

The Devil Herself is comprised of eleven new tracks written by the duo over the course of a 22-month, 450-date American tour, focusing on the vibrant music scene of the Southeast. The album was recorded in four days by Zac Thomas at the Jam Room in Columbia, S.C., and funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign.

"The devil is wherever we seek it out. We tend to see those lifestyles we can't or won't understand as a kind of possession, the devil's hand upon their heart, guiding and claiming them," says Megan Jean. "If we look too hard, that moral standard becomes too much for anyone. They end up the devil themselves."

Featuring her undeniable vocals and bassist/banjoist Byrne's Klay's unmistakable visual art, The Devil Herself is at heart a tribute to the love that Jean and Klay have for each other and the music they make.

The married couple live and operate on the road full-time, playing 20 shows a month from the East Coast to the Midwest. "These Bones" off The Devil Herself is featured on an episode of Music Voyager after its live performance attracted the attention of PBS. This year it will be one of the headliner's of Floydfest alongside the Lumineers and Trampled By Turtles after winning the 2012 Under The Radar Competition.

Track Listing:
1. The Dead Show
2. Mr. Bone Man
3. No Good Girl
4. Skeletons
5. These Bones
6. Little Miss Fortune
7. Martians featuring Philip Cope
8. Hometown Hero
9. Tobias
10. Idle Hands
11. Last Days

Contact: Megan Jean Klay (646) 345-9869
meganjeanandthekfb@gmail.com

P.O Box 60421
North Charleston, SC 29419
 www.meganjean.net
www.facebook.com/meganjeanandthekfb
www.youtube.com/meganjeanfamilyband
www.sonicbids.com/meganjeanandthekfb
http://onesheet.com/megan-jean-klay/profile/
 

 

 

 





It's a brave new world for Brave Baby

With roots that delve deeply into the rich Carolina soil, Brave Baby has released its debut album, "Forty Bells" (courtesy of Charleston-based record label, Hearts & Plugs), an adventurous and soaring ode to the fleeting nature of childhood nostalgia and the dreamscapes of early love. And it comes at a poignant time in the band's career, on the precipice of new beginnings and with a solid, new line-up.

Featuring the astral guitar work of Christian Chidester, and anchored by the lockstep precision of bassist Jordan Hicks and drummer/producer Wolfgang Zimmerman, "Forty Bells" has a surprisingly electronic influence; yet Brave Baby captures an organic emotionality that tends to be lost on most electronic-fusion bands. On songs such as "Living in a Country", "Last Gold Rush" and "Denmark", Steven Walker's synth pop keys reveal hints of The Killers and newcomers Walk the Moon. But it is Keon Masters, topping off this treasury of talent as the band's vocalist, whose voice and lyrics provide much of the mood and set the enchanting tone for "Forty Bells".

The record opens with "Magic and Fire", an energetic track with an irresistible beat and lyrics that paint an image of longing. "Take me home / it's where my heart is / Don't let me go / we've come too far now." The chorus uses a chiming, rhythmic guitar hook with percussive accents that sweep the song along into a beautifully, reverb-laden ending, only to suddenly erupt into the next track, "Nothing in Return", a straight forward tune with an unhinging, apathetic drive. The record proceeds with this element of surprise, intriguing the listener and stirring a curiosity that leads from one song to the next. 

The album's title track is the longest on the record, coming in at 5:31, and showcases Chidester's atmospheric and cascading guitar work. The stripped down vocals are beckoning in their honesty, with Masters penning such lines as "And maybe all we need is love / maybe all we need is love for ourselves / Maybe all we want is more / I want it all myself." The record changes direction again with "Lakeside Trust", a swift and upbeat song with a playful bass line, steadied by Zimmerman's solid percussive work. This could be a tune by Arcade Fire, evoking all the excitement of a late summer evening with friends and first loves. 

The acquiescent "Days of our Youth" introduces some adolescent frustration into the otherwise wistful and saudade album. "So why should I be good / when he is not? / Why should I get territory rights / when nothing here is mine?" The bottom drops out at the 2:30 mark, just long enough for Masters to lament, "There's a sad story growing / but you don't want to know it." When the bass and drums rush back in, heavy and full, the weight of the song beautifully illustrates the sadness of a heavy heart.

Lightening the mood is the simple and sweet "Grandad", complete with a Bossa nova-style snare tap and sliding, surf rock guitar lines that drip with reverb and delay. "Cooper River Night" is a love letter to Charleston, a fresh and spirited song that makes clever use of time and phrasing. "It was a Cooper River night / We ditched the cars / and rode our bikes / to watch the ships / sail out of sight," Masters sings, really showing off his range and stepping nimbly out of the Bon Iver shadow that many critics and music writers are quick to cast onto him. "Living in a Country" (the first single off the album, released Nov. 2012) slips back into the darker side of the band, exposing a vulnerability and regret that we all feel at one point or another, while "Foxes and Dogs" is possibly the most ambitious tune on the record. With fantastically pretty chord progressions and layers of vocals, there is a lush softness to the creative and sentimental lyrics on what has grown to become my favorite song on the album.

"It's a civilized sacrifice / when nobody knew / that foxes and dogs play, too / that I will come back for you."

"Last Gold Rush", as mentioned earlier, is one of the more synth-heavy songs, with a rolling drum cadence that calls to mind The Killers's "Believe Me Natalie" (from their debut record "Hot Fuss",  released in the U.S. on Island Records in 2004). The shortest track, "Denmark", employs its fair share of Walker's synth pop as well, but in a much different way. Coming in at just 2:31, the track channels late 90s Prince sensibilities, with some Fleet Foxes thrown in for good measure. Featuring a soulful backing chorus and a cleanly executed Masters falsetto, this song bestows an apt closure to the gallery of emotion that is "Forty Bells", gently laying to rest the days of adolescence and bravely looking over the precipice, into what is sure to be an illuminating and auspicious future.

Catch Brave Baby this Friday, 1.17.13, for their "Forty Bells" Album Release Show at The Charleston Pour House. Joined by Octopus Jones and label mates ELIM BOLT, it's sure to be a great show. Doors open at 9p and the $10 cover charge includes a copy of the new record.

Brave Baby website: www.bravebabymusic.com
Brave Baby on Facebok: www.facebook.com/bravebabytheband

.pr.

Bully Pulpit gets busy in 2013

Bully Pulpit is off to a busy start in 2013.

Winners of The Charleston City Paper’s 2012 Music Awards for “Metal Band of the Year”, the self-described “electrified blues” foursome is hitting the local circuit hard, recently playing a show at The Royal American. And if you haven’t made your way over to The Royal American yet, you should probably add it to your New Year’s resolution list of “Get Off My Ass and Check Out Charleston” things to do. Tucked away on Morrison Drive in the Ole Charleston Forge ironworks building, this refurbished and repurposed hipster dive bar is the perfect joint to host the type of line-up that a Bully Pulpit headliner bill can draw.

Sharing the stage was opening band Costumes, a trio from Georgia who kicked off the night with the expanse of Gregg Allman’s “Whipping Post”, but with all the gritty garage distortion of an early Stone Temple Pilots album (which may sound premature to a lot of readers, but think about it – STP’s “Core” was released on Atlantic Records in 1992). Theirs was a straight forward rock n roll act, with the vox/guitarist and bass player churning out deep grooves while the drummer propelled the songs forward. They played for close to an hour before their amenable departure from the small corner stage, making way for the next guys to swap out gear and set up shop amongst the hot red lights and piles of Mardi Gras beads that cascade from the low stage ceiling.

Leogun, the flagship act signed to Yamaha Entertainment Group of America’s new indie-inspired label, is a sonic trio hailing from central London. Emitting a wave of rich sound from the austere Royal American stage, this three-piece shook up the crowd with their grinding British blues, highlighted by singer Tommy Smith’s impressive vocal range. Channeling the likes of Robert Plant in the lower registers (think, “Since I’ve Been Loving You”) and deftly escalating to the prettiest of Justin Hawkins’s falsettos, Smith’s sweet and proper English lilt transforms into a powerful rock n roll force when he gets in front of a microphone. His flashy finger work on the guitar is anchored by the steady throbbing of Matt Johnson’s bass riffs, and is driven by drummer Michael Lloyd, thrashing, gyrating and headbanging their way through tunes like “Let’s Be Friends”, “Everyday” and even a metal rendition of the 1970s club classic “Jungle Boogie”.

Locally promoted by Charleston rock radio station 98 Rock (WFBB) ahead of the show, Leogun gave away an autographed guitar to a newly engaged couple in the crowd and offered humble thanks to other bar-goers who had seen the band previously during their time on the Kiss Kruise last fall. Touring the U.S. to support a 4-song EP that dropped in October, and in anticipation of a new record coming out early this year, Leogun played a solid and explosive hour-long set, showcasing the tenacity and dogged passion of any well-worn rock n roll veteran act.

Wrapping up the night was, at last, Charleston’s own Bully Pulpit. While it has since been widely agreed that the band is far from “metal”, as the 2012 CPMA’s decreed, Bully Pulpit is undoubtedly a raw, grindcore-of-blues, heavy riff rock kind of band with an infectious energy that makes it impossible to sit still while they’re around. Singer Edward Enword (aka, Danny Kavanaugh) moves like a wire that's been electrified by the band, jolting to every swoon and cadence of his bandmates. Smashed together in the stage corner of The Royal American bar, the band ripped into their set, confirming their “must see” reputation around town and lighting up the late night crowd.

Climbing across the bar to join Bully Pulpit for their second song was Rachel Kate Gillon, a local musician, singer and songwriter with a variety of acts throughout town and the former frontwoman of the highly revered 2011 CPMA “Metal Band of the Year”, The Shaniqua Brown. Gillon herself is a musical force to be reckoned with, but Enword owned the stage as one of the most naturally enigmatic frontmen that I’ve ever seen. Gripping the mic stand in a double-fisted choke hold, he swings about and drops his knees to the floor, just as quickly rising back up, challenging the stage presence and antics of such forefathers as Iggy Pop (sans the blood), coupled with the nonchalant swagger of such gods as Jim Morrison.

The band played through tunes from its independently released record "Goldmine" (2012), packed with heavy crash cymbals and gritty, scathing guitar riffs. Drummer David Bair, a stoic and stone-faced metronome, kept the boozy roadhouse menagerie of talent on point with his click track accuracy, matched by the clean lines of guitarist Rex Stickel and bassist Kelly Burt. Enword's voice, a naturally throaty and melodic howl, fuses a bleeding heart and soulful pitch that surely has the ability to elevate Bully Pulpit from the ranks of misdiagnosed "Metal Band of the Year" to a bonafide new blues revolution, so please be sure to track these guys on Facebook and through Reverbnation, and mark your calendars for their upcoming shows - this is one band that you do not want to miss.

Bully Pulpit on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Bully-Pulpit

Bully Pulpit on Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/thebullypulpit

Leogun website: www.leogunband.com

Leogun on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeogunBand

.pr.

Rock n Roll Feedback

"What would rock n roll be without feedback?"

When David Gilmour asked this in 1971, he was of course talking about audio feedback, but sometimes a band also needs – and deserves! – a good write-up. Charleston's music community is teeming with talent of all styles, synergy and cadence, creating a patchwork of sound across our old city. Add to this all of the great bands currently pouring out of sister cities such as Atlanta, Asheville, Savannah and Charlotte, and the potential to catch a good show on any given night is pretty fantastic! The landscape of music in the Southeast is changing, and you can be a part of it, if you know where to look.

This blog seeks to promote those who are working hard on crafting their own original music, so the monthly and nightly show schedules that I post may not appear as full as some of the other sites that list every live set (including cover and party bands) going on around town. If I'm ever missing anyone, please don’t hesitate to send me a note so that new shows can get added! Album reviews are also nice feedback for bands, so feel free to pass along info about upcoming releases.

Bookmark 'Rock n Roll Feedback' to get show recaps, album reviews, tour dates and other news about the artists and organizations whose calloused hands and road weary souls are driving the Southeast music community to be an undeniably integral facet of rock n roll's rebirth.


Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RocknRollFeedback

Follow on Twitter: @RocknRollFeedbk

.pr.

Show Calendar ~ January

Here it is - the first monthly schedule of 2013! 

This blog seeks to promote the musicians and bands throughout Charleston and our sister cities who are working hard on crafting their own original music, so this post may not appear as full as some of the other sites that list every live set (including cover and party bands) going on around town. If I'm missing anyone, please post in the comments section below or send in an e-mail so that new shows can get added.


THURSDAY - Jan. 3
- Tin Roof: The Outervention
Doors 8p
$5
- The Brick: Tyler Spooner
Doors ?
$?
- Wild Wing Cafe (North Charleston): Southwood
Doors 9p
FREE

FRIDAY - Jan. 4
- Tin Roof: The Wet Machine, w Scott Dence + Antoine Dukes
Doors 8p
$5
- The Mill: Lily Slay; Dead Leaves (Nashville)
Doors 9p
FREE
- The Pour House: The Everyone Orchestra, feat. Jason "Lefty" Williams
Doors 9p
$15 adv / $18 dos

SATURDAY - Jan. 5
- Tin Roof: Hybrid Mutants; Funny Looking Kids (FLK)
Doors 8p
$5
- The Pour House: The Everyone Orchestra, feat. Wallace Mullinax
Doors 9p
$15 adv / $18 dos
- The Mill: Antoine Dukes w Rachel Kate; Yes Ma'am; Outdoor Protestant Blues Band
Doors 9p
FREE

SUNDAY - Jan. 6
- The Sparrow: Bully Pulpit; Stone Mountain Freeway (Atlanta)
Doors 9p
$5

TUESDAY - Jan. 8
- Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): The Outervention
Doors ?p
$?
- The Pour House: "Firetag's Birthday Bash", feat. Quasiphonics, Jordan Igoe, Skwirl Grinda + more
Doors 7p
FREE

WEDNESDAY - Jan. 9
- The Royal American: Leogun (London); Bully Pulpit; Costumes (Austin)
Doors 9p
$5
- Juanita Greenbergs: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10p
FREE 
- The Pour House: Concrete Jumpsuit (Columbia); The Tarlatans
Doors 9p
$5 adv / $7 dos

THURSDAY - Jan. 10
- The Royal American: The Head (Atlanta); The Dunder Chiefs (Rock Hill); Wrenwood
Doors 9p
$5
- The Mill: Local Music Showcase
Doors 9p
FREE
- Tin Roof: Bully Pulpit; El Camino
Doors 9p
$5

FRIDAY - Jan. 11
- The Pour House: "A Nick Collins Benefit", feat. Fowler's Mustache
Doors 9p
$5 min. donation
- Tin Roof: Introducing Fish Taco; The Collection (Greensboro); Paleface (Everywhere)
Doors 8:30p
$5

SATURDAY - Jan. 12
- Music Farm: "CofC Battle of the Bands", feat. Tyler Boone, Stop Light Observations, South Street + more
Doors 8p
$5

SUNDAY - Jan. 13
- Tin Roof: Sinners & Saints (Charlotte); Jordan Igoe
Doors 8p
$?

TUESDAY - Jan. 15
- Recovery Room: Matadero
Doors 9p
FREE
- Loggerhead's Beach Grill: The Vagabond Choir, feat. members of Dead 27s (Wallace Mullinax, Oliver Goldstein) + members of Old You (John Pope, Young-MiFeldsott)
Doors 9p
FREE

WEDNESDAY - Jan. 16
- Tin Roof: Clint Fore; La Calle
Doors 8p
$5
- Awendaw Green: Barn Jam, feat. Caroline Aiken (Atlanta), Phyllis Tannerfrye (Georgetown), Danielle Howle (Columbia) + Josh Harty (Fargo)
Doors 6p
$5 donation
- Juanita Greenbergs: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10p
FREE
- The Pour House: PoHo Family Jam
Doors 9p
FREE

THURSDAY - Jan. 17
- The Pour House: Brave Baby Album Release Show; ELIM BOLT; Octopus Jones (Raleigh)
Doors 8:30p
$8 adv / $10 dos - includes CD
- Tin Roof: The Moon and You (Asheville); Lindsay Holler; Harrison Ray
Doors 8p
$5
- The Mill: Local Music Showcase
Doors 9p
FREE

FRIDAY - Jan. 18
- Morgan Creek Grill: "Winter Tide Cocnert Series" / Caroline Aiken & Danielle Howell Songwriter's Series, feat. Rachel Kate Gillon
- The Windjammer: Loners Society opens for Cowboy Mouth (New Orleans)
Doors 9p
$15
- The Brick: Four 14 (Greenville)
Doors ?p
$?

SATURDAY - Jan. 19
- Boones Bar: Tyler Boone
Doors 9p
$?

TUESDAY - Jan. 22
- Recovery Room: Happy Story Hour
Doors 9p
FREE

WEDNESDAY - Jan. 23
- Juanita Greenbergs: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10p
FREE
- Awendaw Green: Barn Jam, feat. TBA
Doors 6p
$?

THURSDAY - Jan. 24
- The Pour House: Josh Roberts + The Hinges (Columbia); Guilt Ridden Troubadour; The Outervention
Doors 9p
$8 adv / $10 dos
- Tin Roof: Tyler Boone; Carey Murdock (North Augusta)
Doors 8p
$5
- The Mill: Local Music Showcase
Doors 9p
FREE

SATURDAY - Jan. 26
- The Sparrow: Bully Pulpit; All Get Out
Doors 9p
$?
- The Royal American: The Fairy God Muthas
Doors 9p
$5

SUNDAY - Jan. 27
- The Pour House: "Virgil Kaine Bourbon's 1st Birthday", feat. The Royal Tinfoil, Mazloom Empire (Columbia) + Rachel Kate Gillon
Doors 8p
$8

TUESDAY - Jan. 29
- Tattooed Moose: "Craft Beer Tuesdays" w Bully Pulpit
Doors 9p
$?

WEDNESDAY - Jan. 30
- Juanita Greenbergs: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10p
FREE
- Awendaw Green: Barn Jam, feat. TBA
Doors 6p
$?