"The Blackbird Revue puts together folk, indie, and country sounds in a very sophisticated manner. Great songwriting and execution. "The Lion's Mane" is one of the most beautiful melodies I've heard all year. Get to know this band. Trust me." - Michael Byars, KCUR Radio, 89.3fm, Kansas City

  "Beautiful production, lovely melodies, and intelligent lyrics. Nice work all the way around." - Diana Linn Ennis, KKFI Radio, 90.1fm, Kansas City

  "The Blackbird Revue catch a sound that speaks of late autumn days spent in clear-headed and heartfelt reminiscence of life. Where Jacob's crystal-light voice seems custom made for Simon & Garfunkel's most stratospheric melodies, Danielle has a more throated and smokey tone, which carries the more somber emotional weight woven throughout the EP; the blend makes for an exquisite pairing, like lemon water and red wine." - J.R. Myszka, www.breadandglitterjournal.com

  "The Blackbird Revue plays country-inspired ballads and adrenaline-ridden, soaring anthems fueled by ear-catching harmonies." - Abbie Stutzer, The Pitch magazine, Kansas City

In the world of a working band there is no greater constant than the road. Few know this better than Adam Lee & the Dead Horse Sound Company, the Kansas City trio who put their original spin on that classic country sound. With the upcoming release of their sophmore album, 'When the Spirits Move Me,' Lee and company touch on many of the elements so familiar to their life on the road. From wild nights in far away towns, to barroom brawls and goodbye kisses, the band expertly explain their travelling life. All with the swingin' shuffles and country flair of your favorite 45's. But then again, winding highways and endless mile markers are something they know well. Upon completion of their first record, 'Ghostly Fires,' the band commenced a wide-spread and heavy touring schedule, playing over 100 shows and half of the US in their first year alone. Since the release of 'Ghostly Fires' the band has also spent a good deal of time refining their already unique sound. While their first album touches on the more subtle tones of Americana, 'When the Spirits Move Me' focuses on the band's affinty for classic country. Twelve tracks of heartbreaking honky tonk that sound right at home in the swingin beer joints and rural roadhouses the band often plays. Leading the way is Adam Lee whose basement baritone perfectly presents the highs and lows of life on the road. Joining Lee are Johnny Kay (electric guitar, mandolin) and Boomerang Dave Bruchmann (upright bass), and when this train starts a-chuggin, folks had better hold on. It's something that comes naturally to the band, just like the country music they play. While you may have heard country music, you've never heard (or seen) it like this. Their live show is a rowdy and rollicking good time full of all original honky tonk music -- songs to drink to, cry to, and most of all dance to. So bring a date, grab a drink, and don't forget your dancin' shoes. Adam Lee & the Dead Horse Sound Company are headed down the highway, and there's no end in sight. 

Bio:

The make-up of AnnaLee and the Lucky So and Sos draws from a diverse mix of musicians. Every member brings varied experiences and talents from years of performing in every venue imaginable—from opera houses to roadhouses.

The “Diva” of the band is AnnaLee. She brings a serious set of pipes to the table and delights in leading her Lucky So and Sos through a night of jump and jive. AnnaLee traversed the country for several years doing musical theater and finally found a home, and a band that loves her in the City of Fountains.

Bill Irvine, a home grown Kansas Citian and The Lucky So and Sos guitarist and leader, has been on the scene since the 70’s in such bands as Sirius and Plain Jane and most recently the Doghouse Band.

Another local is sax man Steve Smith, who brings an air of validity to the group, with a background that includes being a classically trained conductor along with being the leader of several vintage dance ensembles: the Radio Days Orchestra and the Sunflower Ragtime Orchestra.

A year after releasing her second full-length record that garnered both strong positive reviews and a prime time television placement last spring, Kansas City’s Sara Swenson is putting forth another project – an EP that showcases her fast, catchy, optimistic side and features her backing band, The Pearl Snaps.

“Part of the fun of making this cd was watching a more upbeat side come into Sara’s cache of songs. Make no mistake, the power-ballads are still there, but so are some more rock influences,” producer Mike Crawford said. “The bridge of ‘Windows and Doors’ feels a little like The Clash backing Amie Mann…so good! The bridge of ‘Never Left My Mind’ is pure 4-on-the-floor, fist-pumping fun.

“The band is rocking and Sara continues to put together heartfelt lyrics that engage me on a sometimes emotional, sometimes spiritual level…the combination of all these things makes for an excellent little record!” Crawford said.

The five songs were recorded during the summer of 2011 – four under the production of Crawford and one with Beau Davidson. All songs were written by Swenson, while her backing band, The Pearl Snaps (Ian Davidson, John Flynn, Brandon Graves, Sarah Magill and Roger Strong) filled out the arrangements with various electric, acoustic and slide guitars, mandolin, piano, bass, drums and background vocals.

“Sara’s songs are refreshingly genuine (like Sara herself), and my fellow Snaps bring a sense of honesty alongside their wide and various musical talents. And then there’s the sonic imagination of producer Mike Crawford, which took us in some unexpected but oh-so-happy directions,” Magill said.

With each of her projects, Swenson’s goal has been to create music that is worth the attention of listeners, combining solid and interesting musical parts with lyrics that matter. “Never Left My Mind,” enabled her to do that while trying out some new approaches and sounds.

“Making this record was energizing for me. It was so much fun to be working on songs that made me want to bounce around in the studio, while also really believing in the lyrics behind them. It feels really good to be getting out some music like that, as well as a couple more affirming and brooding slower tunes,” Swenson said.

The digital release date for “Never Left My Mind” is set for Nov. 18, 2011. Sara Swenson and The Pearl Snaps will release the physical album in Kansas City with a show at The Brick at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. Howard Iceberg and The Titanics will open.

Raised on the roots of American music and given to more progressive indie, folk, and rock in his later years, David Burchfield has created a style all his own. Seemingly unable to sacrifice any part of his musical heritage, Burchfield is at one time old-time Appalachian and at the next sampling field recordings, soaking fiddles in effects, and soaring into epic indie-rock anthems.  As it turns out, David Burchfield is a lot more than one man.  He stands on the shoulders of musical ancestors and is surrounded by very talented friends.

Folk-noir, gypsy-swing, barefoot in a tango-tronic dancing dress.

Myshkin writes lyric with a dark and subtle wit, raw honesty, and a painter’s eye. Her tunes draw on early jazz, gypsy torch, electronic post-pop, tango-blues, and the world at large. Her guitar work is pungent and hypnotic, her singing revelatory. Myshkin's Ruby Warblers is an ever-evolving crew some of the finest players Myshkin has had the pleasure of knowing, from both Portland, Oregon and New Orleans.

Myshkin will be releasing her 7th record, That Diamond Lust, nationally in February 2012, touring the Eastern U.S. in the spring, and Europe in the fall.  A video taste of the new record is available here:

 "Sad, smart and weird...with a restless, caterwauling freedom." – Village Voice

“Darkly joyous, endlessly restless, and spellbinding. Gypsy, cabaret and punk influences, and a masterfully mercurial, seductive voice “                     – Sing Out

“Fiercely talented, elegantly skewed”   – Time Out, UK

“Myshkin’s voice is not to be taken lightly. A gorgeous rich Alto infused with natural drama and melancholy, and best applied to her own songs: hushed one act plays that speak volumes” – New Orleans Times Picayune

"Dusky, haunting gems…for all its risk-taking, her work never fails to sound totally organic."   -- The All Music Guide

Ok Sweetheart- A group reminiscent of all the good things from mid-century pop, splits their time between Tulsa, Denton, and NYC. Their well crafted simplicity has been compared to the writing of harry Nilsson, The Zombies, and Randy Newman.

Ok Sweetheart’s uniquely pop sound is the result of an eclectic collaboration with members of the Midlake, Elizabeth and Catapult, The Po,yphonic Spree and Via Audio.  With an ear to late 60’s pop, Austin penned a battery of nearly sixty songs in early 2008. That summer, Rob Gungar and McKenzie Smith had begin experimenting with sound and instrumentations, thoughtful developing arrangements at Midlake’s studio.