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Jeffrey Bützer and T.T. Mahony will be presenting a jazzy musical tribute to Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, on Tuesday December 20 at both 3 PM and 8 PM at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre.

Jeffrey Bützer and T.T. Mahony’s tribute to Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas was deemed “A New Christmas Tradition” by Creative Loafing in 2010, and all performances of the show were packed. The performances at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre will mark the first time this show has been available for all ages, giving Charlie Brown fans of all generations a chance to get into the Christmas spirit.

“We have had requests to do an all-ages show, as well as offers from bigger all-ages venues in the past, but none of the rooms fit the mood we were looking for,” says Jeffrey Bützer. “We asked The Strand to let us play there, because the venue is exactly what we were looking for. It has a warm, vintage richness to it.”

This show will also feature a small group of local elementary school students providing the Charlie Brown crew’s singing voices.

Vince Guaraldi’s jazzy, primarily instrumental album was released in 1965 as the soundtrack to the CBS Special of the same name, and is considered one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time.

In addition to Jeffrey Bützer and T.T. Mahony’s performances, special guests Chad Shivers and Friends, will be performing The Ventures Christmas Album – a compilation of the season’s favorites with a taste of ‘60s surf. The Ventures were an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958, and their music is known to have had an influence on many bands. The Ventures Christmas Album features unique instrumental covers of secular Christmas tunes. Jeffrey Bützer and the Bicycle Eaters will also be playing an opening instrumental set.

All ages. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the event. On sale now.

This will be the last performance of The Earl Smith Strand Theatre’s annual music series. The series will make its return in March of 2012, and will feature more great music such as bluegrass, country, rock & roll, jazz, and nostalgic pop classics.

The historic Earl Smith Strand Theatre is a multi-use performing arts and events facility. The theatre is governed by the Friends of The Strand, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and depends on the financial support of private and corporate donors. It is The Strand’s mission to serve the community with cultural entertainment for a diverse audience and to promote economic health in the City of Marietta and Cobb County. For more information or tickets, visit www.EarlSmithStrand.org or the Box Office at 770-293-0080 or 117 North Park Square, Marietta, 30060. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 12 PM; 1 PM to 4 PM; and two hours before the show.

What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger? - Self-titled EP

little girls, giant sound

 

What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger? Album

When What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger? first came on Atlanta's music scene back in late 2008, they knew what they were getting into.  Comprised of four friends who had each been the lead-singer of his and her own band, they were familiar with the politics, drama, and grief associated with playing music with others.

But they did it anyway.  

At first, playing and writing casually and recording the occasional song in the basement was more than sufficient, until audiences began to take notice and demand those recordings in long-format.  So it came about, after two and a half years of togetherness, that WHTYFT released their first self-titled EP, with five tracks showcasing their large and atmospheric sound. 

The album opens wide with "Wednesday", blasting through the speakers with Corey Pallon's one-two punch on drums, and Brian Slusher's earthshaking tremolo guitar.  "Flare" builds from a whisper to a roar, starting with a logarithmic-sounding piano riff, and blooming into a layered call-and-response between singers Carrie Hodge and Hilary Kelley before burning off like its title forewarns.  From first to last, this is a good taste of what's to come from the foursome.

 

 

Picture 2.pngThe Atlanta five-piece recently released a 4-song 7-inch EP (via ISP), titled Consequentialist Communiqué, and it's a melting pot of punk inflections. "Leave the Blade Bloody" is the opening number that wields sharp organ stabs that are synced up perfectly with pounding drums, giving the song a bold sway, and guiding the way for raspy vocal melodies before the organ goes off on a Doors-meets-the Stranglers kind of trip. "Face Time" bares the mark of a musical palette that's been shaped by the Replacements, ramped-up on post-breakup sour grapes. "Believe It" buries an Irish drunk punk slur under an old-school SST chug, and "Will You Be Mine" is a big, anthemic closer that ties it all together.

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Each of these songs appeal to the working class stiff that lives in all of us, but there's more to it than three chords and shouting. These are songs crafted by men who have paid bills, lived life and been through some shit, and now they're laying it all down in song the only they know how. There's a measured approach to songwriting at work here that takes a broad view of worldly punk and boils it down to a layered, dynamic sound. That said, Consequentialist Communiqué also has the unmistakable feel of being the group's first record. There's chemistry at work here, but it's still brewing. All signs point to something greater on the horizon. For fans of the Stranglers, All Night Drug Prowling Wolves, Pogues and the Replacements.  "Will You Be Mine" mp3

Charges - Consequentialist Communique

forthright, provocative and lewd rowdy sentiments

If the title of Charges’ 4-song 7”, Consequentialist Communique, gives off the vibe that you’ve got something coming to you, the music doesn’t disappoint. The consequence you face is an assault of brazen punk rock that benefits from an injection of 60’s-style psychedelic overtones, created by the resolute use of a Farfisa organ and Rhodes piano.

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Imagine The Door’s keyboardist playing with Rancid and you get a feel for Charges. Vocalist Mick Winters emits brash and gritty vocals, with curt charisma full of conviction and stamina. The interchange between prominent, fast-paced bass lines and crashing cymbals, infused with fuzzy, spiraling keys reinforce Winters’ stronghold on the listener. The result is a gripping and relentless record that never slows down long enough to let go.

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“Leave the Blade Bloody” is the first track on the limited edition color vinyl and it stands out as the longest and most brutal track, kicking things off with the hard-hitting, rambunctious essence that sticks throughout the album. “Face Time” continues to rage, this time with an insolent disclosure to someone fading out of consciousness, while “Believe It” leaves you with an unshakable hook to get your fists pumping. Consequentialist Communique closes out with the forthright, provocative and lewd rowdy sentiments of “Will You Be Mine?” which is a general reflection of Charges, themselves.  Check out The Charges on Facebook. Cleared to post: Will You Be Mine?

Written by: Nadia Lelutiu

Slushco - Sometime Tonight EP

moody synth-pop with a catch

Picture 4.pngWhether he's alone or with a full band, the sound is unmistakeably Brian Slusher, otherwise known as Slushco.  His latest is Sometime Tonight, a five-track EP which starts off with the story of a man struggling against his identity and place in the world--"Up on a Bridge" has Slusher singing softly into your ear, in a manner that's both seductive and an entreaty to run like hell.  Slushco's tunes are short and sweet, each under five minutes.  The track "#1 Fan of Your Car" is about as raucous as it gets, with a steady backbeat and fun rhyming convention.  As with previous releases, synthesizers feature prominently, but Sometimes Tonight focuses less on their danceability and more on building an atmosphere to house the stories.

Slusher (a producer and sound engineer as well as musician) is quietly prolific, gifting these small releases to the etherworld instead of one big album every couple of years.  The result is an expansive catalog of moods and textures, each encouraging the listener to be a little more thoughtful during the short time he has with you.

Review of Grand Prize Winners From Last Year's The Last Night of The Earth Poems

Uncompromising and genuine hip hop that defies expectations

Unafraid of themselves or anyone who might be listening, Grand Prize Winners From Last Year cut loose on a hip hop album that shines with funk, rock, synth, and most of all limitless personality! The band’s latest album, The Last Night of The Earth Poems, plays on an energy-driven, charisma-saturated wave of effervescent tracks that keep the beat up and the lame down! As a whole, the songs draw from elements of Outkast, Basement JaxPicture 3.pngx, Justin Timberlake, and N.E.R.D., but these comparisons can only be made on the surface, because GPWFLY inject a hefty dose of unabashed character as they mix rap, rock, and rhythm in a wholly unique style that could find itself equally cozy among the indie dance rock scene as it does the hip hop circuits.

Programmed beats are intensified by guitars, keys, bass, and brass throughout the album. Each track delivers its own flavor, from the electronic fortitude of “I Think I Like You” to the sexy smoothness of “You Got It” and the guitar-driven, punk-inspired “Get Out of My Head.” The most impressive track is “Mind Games,” where GPWFLY flaunt all their talents in one song, rapping in between a sweet vocal melody all on top of infectious electro-dance riffs and mischievous bass lines. They even flirt with industrial rock on “I Get High,” and get you dirty on the dance floor with “With My Clothes On.”

Uncompromising and genuine, The Last Night of The Earth Poems radiates with the fearless creative nature of four guys who defy expectations and deliver a fresh sound.

Check them out here: http://www.myspace.com/gpwfly

Review by Nadia Lelutiu

 

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