Friends, I could not be more excited to announce that in June 2010, we will be releasing “The Sounds of Dying” by I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House. This will be their first album in over 3 years. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this band, I have been a huge fan of the Portland, Oregon, band for years. I actually didn’t start listening to them until after they had broken up and was bummed when I found out they weren’t really playing anymore. When the band were active, they shared the stage with Two Cow Garage, Drag the River, and a number of great acts touring pretty much everywhere. While it has been over 3 years since the band were active, the guys recently put the finishing touches on “The Sounds of Dying” which includes a number of songs that were recorded but never released along with a few brand new songs and a Two Cow Garage cover to boot. I still can’t believe that years after becoming a fan of the band, I will get the opportunity to release their first album back. While the band are not likely to be as active as they once were, they are planning dates to support the album including a possible appearance at Suburban Home’s 15th Anniversary Party in September.

If I had to describe the band’s sound, I would say that it is tough as nails Americana/Country featuring the gravelly voice of Michael Dean Damron and a thunderous rhythm section; while I have not yet seen them live, Two Cow Garage frontman, Micah Schnabel, said that they bring the thunder live and always forced Two Cow Garage to step up their own performances. Let’s just say that if you are a fan of Two Cow Garage and Drag the River, it is very likely that I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House will be one of your new favorite bands.

I highly recommend everything they have put out on In Music We Trust. I recommend checking out the few tunes on the band’s myspace page. And if you picked up Suburban Home Records’ Mixtape Volume 2, check out track 9 which is a track from the upcoming album.

We will be releasing “The Sounds of Dying” digitally, on vinyl, and on CD this summer in time for a number of dates they have planned in June. Until then, if you find yourself going out to any of the Chad Price/Micah Schnabel/Michael Dean Damron shows, go and give Michael Dean Damron a hi-five and welcome him into our little family.

We are so damned excited to bring you news of Look Mexico’s first single from their upcoming album, “To Bed to Battle”. The single, “You Stay. I Go. No Following” is an incredible song in its own right, but they enlisted the help of  their good friend, Frank Turner, who sings the bridge on the song that takes the track to a whole other level. The 2 song single features the b-side, an acoustic version of “They Only Take the Back Roads” which is exclusive to this release. The single will be available as a 7″ with digital download, T-shirt with digital download, and digitally. The release date is February 23rd, 2010, but we will send the 7″s and shirts out as soon as they come in. Test pressings will arrive on Tuesday and once approved, we should have records in hand by the first week of February, if not sooner.

The 7″ will be pressed in a very, very limited run. We are pressing 300 on transparent blue vinyl with silk-screened cover (being printed by our friend Dustin Garret) and those 300 will also be hand-numbered. We are pressing an additional 300 copies on black vinyl with printed fold-over covers. 7″s will come with a digital download coupon. Once this pressing is sold out, it will be history.

We will soon be announcing details for Look Mexico’s upcoming album, “To Bed To Battle” which should be out around the end of March. Expect tour dates soon as the band will be supporting “To Bed to Battle” for all of 2010. We could not be more excited about working with such an incredible band who are about to release their greatest work to date.

Pre-order for the 7″ will happen on Thursday, January 21st so long as the test pressing is approved.

HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL “Postcards from the Friendly City” CD

Much like we did with Two Cow Garage when they self-released III, we have decided to adopt Have Gun Will Travel with release of “Postcards from the Friendly City”, their 2nd album. We first heard about Have Gun Will Travel from our friends at NineBullets.net who sent us a copy of the record. I quickly fell in love with the album and the band’s ability to mix rootsy Country music with indie pop vocals (Think of a mix of the Shins, Avett Brothers, and maybe Slobberbone). The Takers did a run of dates with Have Gun Will Travel and they too were touting the band as the best thing since PBR. I loved the album so much I put it in my top albums of 2009 (as did Autopsy from Nine Bullets who put it as #3). I spoke with the band about their plans and it sounds like the summer of 2010 will see the band hitting the road and having a go at it. I figured we should do our part and tell the world about a band we just think the world of. We will be carrying Have Gun Will Travel’s CD, will be helping them with distribution, and we are talking about co-releasing their vinyl.

If you are a fan of what we do, I recommend you give the album a listen (I have posted a full album stream at the bottom of this post). I think it will be right up your alley. I put “Salad Days” on my mix tape “Raising Hell and Living Cheap”; it is track 14 if you have the mix at home. Please listen to Have Gun Will Travel and if you like what you hear, pick up a copy and share the stream with others. I have 60 copies of their album being shipped today to us which we should have in by late next week. The band is repressing the CD for the official street date of 2/9/2010. Let us know what you think.

Although we have been planning to work with Lizzie Huffman for some time now, we are excited to say that it is official; we will be releasing Lizzie Huffman’s debut 10″ on Suburban Home Records and Vinyl Collective. Lizzie Huffman is the sister of Kirk Huffman, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground’s lead singer and primary songwriter (yes that family is blessed with an incredible genetic code). Kirk and Phil from Kay Kay first played me songs by Lizzie when they came through town with Rx Bandits and Portugal the Man and I was instantly hooked. Lizzie has such a beautiful voice and her songs just grab you. When Kirk and Phil also told me that they played on the recording, I knew that this was something I had to be involved with. The 6 songs that will make up this debut 10″ can all be heard on LIzzie’s Myspace page.

Lizzie recently moved back to Seattle from San Francisco where she was attending school. She has been playing shows around Washington and Oregon gearing up for this first release. If you book shows, reach out to her. She is planning on playing around a bunch in support of the 10″. Besides her own music, she has lent vocals to Forgive Durden and shared the stage with Andrew from Danger Radio. Stop by her Myspace page and listen to the songs and check out the videos. She is unbelievable.

We are so excited to be releasing this 10″. We haven’t yet set a release date, but expect more news in the near future. Please listen to the songs on her Myspace. You will love them!

LIZZIE HUFFMAN’s Mypsace page

Today, I am excited to announce to the world that we have just “signed” Look Mexico. The Tallahassee, Floridians started writing music in mid 2004 having released a full length (“This is Animal Music”), a collection album (“The Crucial Collection”), and a number of EPs including a song on the first ever Under the Influence 7″ with Fake Problems and one of my favorite 7″s of 2009, the Gasp Asp EP. We became fans of the band when we first spun “This is Animal Music” and was absolutely delighted that Fake Problems wanted to do their Under the Influence with them. We later met the band at the past year’s Fest and have since been discussing the possibility of us working together. It is important for us to be able to get along with our bands, maybe even more important than any other factor, and Look Mexico are family. I realized it when the band were in Denver (while on tour with Frank Turner) as we shared more than a few drinks together, up front singing along to Frank Turner’s set. Musically, Look Mexico are one of the few bands that everyone in our office enjoys. Their sound recalls, at least to me, early Minus the Bear mixed with some Get up Kids, 2 bands I absolutely love. They mix melody and technical precision in a way that just grabs us.

The band are currently recording what will become their Suburban Home Records’ debut. They will again be working with Phil Martin and August Hansen who will be engineering and producing the recording out of a rented out basement (underneath a pizza joint). We hope to release the album in the Fall of 2009 with a 7″ single prior to the album’s release. Expect the band to tour like crazy throughout the UK, Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United States after the release of their new albu. Stay tuned for further details and know that we here at Suburban Home are absolutely positively excited to be able to work with such a talented band.

Right now through the weekend, you can listen to 2 demo recordings of songs (“Just Like Old Times” and “” that will be featured on Look Mexico’s upcoming album. Just visit their Myspace page to listen to the songs.

While waiting for their Suburban Home Records’ debut, I recommend you check out the following sites:

Look Mexico’s Blog (they are always updating the blog with studio updates, tour diaries and more)
Look Mexico’s Myspace page 2 DEMOS UP RIGHT NOW, but only through the weekend.
Look Mexico’s Facebook page
Purchase Look Mexico vinyl (Through this really cool webstore called Vinyl Collective)
Lujo Records (Great Label responsible for most of Look Mexico’s back-catalog)

Back in December, I flew out to Chicago to meet and see the Montreal, Canadian band, Yesterdays’ Ring. I had mentioned that we had been discussing the possibility of working with them on the release of the upcoming album. After the trip and further discussion with Yesterday’s Ring, I can announce with great enthusiasm that we will be their label for the United States. We will be co-releasing “Diamonds in the Ditch” with Canadian label, Aquarius Records, and German label, Yo Yo Records. Although we are still working out the details, the initial plan is to release a single for “Punx not Dead, It’s Just Sleeping” in March and then release “Diamonds in the Ditch” on CD, double LP, and digitally in April.

You can go and listen to the first single, “Punx not Dead, It’s Just Sleeping” on the band’s myspace page right now.

I am so excited to be working with Yesterday’s Ring and know that everyone will love this new album. When we first started talking to the band, I truly felt that they would make a great fit on Suburban Home as they hover that middle ground between Tim Barry and Two Cow Garage. They marry the energy and intensity of Punk Rock while bringing the storytelling and vibe of Alt-Country. They bring the thunder live and are really great people, too.

Expect details to be announced soon, but know that we at Suburban Home and Vinyl Collective are so stoked for this.

Suburban Home is really excited to share with the world that we have signed Carpinteria, California’s In the Red. In the Red features Mike Hale on Guitar/Vocals and Matt Glasgow on Drums. We had earlier announced that we would be working with Mike on his next solo album. It is really exciting for us that in addition to his solo material, we will be also working with his rock band.

As I got to know Mike we had quite a few discussions about In the Red. Our friends at Kiss of Death released their debut album, Volume 1, and everyone at Suburban Home just loved the record. We also all really like Mike and honestly, it is very important that we have a good relationship with our acts. There was a little hesitation on behalf of Mike because many of the records we had released this year were singer/songwriter and/or Alt-country/Folk, but I reminded him that we have worked with a lot of rock bands including Ghost Buffalo, Stereotyperider, Love Me Destroyer, LaGrecia, and more and that with Vinyl Collective, we had released a lot of heavier acts. Luckily I convinced him to give us a shot and in 2009, we will be releasing their new album.

For those of you unfamiliar, Mike Hale had spent a lot of time in the No Idea Recording artist, Gunmoll. When Gunmoll disbanded, Mike moved to California where he started In the Red. If I had to compare In the Red’s sound with a few bands, I would say that they would fit in nicely on a bill with Hot Water Music and Leatherface. They are an incredible band and I am so excited to be working with them.

In the Red are currently working on Volume 1.5 which will be their entire Volume 1 release recorded acoustically. And by year’s end, they will begin recording the new album, Volume 2. Until then, please make sure you pick up their first album and check out a few songs on their myspace page.

Thursday, November 13th, 2008 – I am really excited to share with you the latest member of the Suburban Home family, the Takers. The Takers are a 6 piece Outlaw Country band from Gainesville, Florida. I had the opportunity to meet the guys at this year’s Fest and not only did their live performances blow me away, I really connected with them as people (the most important aspect to me).

Coody from Ninja Gun first told me about the Takers. He had mentioned that they were a really great band from Gainesville and that I would like them. He had said that both Peanut and Ronnie from Whiskey & Co were also in the band and I had already become friends with Peanut since he runs Barracuda Sound who we coreleased “Restless Rubes” vinyl with. Our friend and favorite photographer, Jana Miller, too spoke highly of the Takers. This lead to some email and phone conversations with the Taker’s singer, Devon. Over the phone, we hit if off really well and after going back and forth, we agreed to put out the “Curse of a Drunk” single. We both agreed that before we make a decision to do anything further, we should hang out and make sure we got along.

From the very first night out at the Fest, I knew that we would get along famously. Devon went out drinking with us nearly every night. After one particular night, I get the following text from Devon, “Last Night, I Went to Take a Shit and I was so drunk, I Puked”. We all had a big laugh and I thought for him to share that with us after only knowing each other for such a short time, this was a guy after my own heart. I went and saw Devon play a solo set on Saturday night and he has such a powerful voice. He kept playing new songs and each one was better than the previous one. He also did a John Prine cover which was is always a plus.

That next night, I saw the entire band play at Common Grounds, a show that also featured Suburban Home acts, Austin Lucas, Josh Small, Two Cow Garage, and Drag the River. They absolutely rocked it, their live show definitely brings the thunder and I would like go on record as saying that they are one of the heaviest Country bands out there. I got to meet pretty much all of the guys in the band and they are all really good folks.

I am really excited. I love this band. I think they fit in perfectly in between Drag the River, Two Cow Garage, and Tim Barry. I mentioned before that they would have fit in well with Waylon and Willie and I stand by that. The band will soon be entering the studio to record their debut album. Expect that to drop in early 2009.

Check out the following:

“Curse of a Drunk” mp3
The Takers MySpace Page
Youtube video of Devon
Youtube video of The Takers
Stream the “Delucious Vinyl Fest LP” w/ the Takers’ track, “Drift”
Buy the Takers’ debut 7″

Suburban Home records could not be more excited about signing Austin Lucas. I had first heard of him when I picked up a split 7” with him and Chuck Ragan. The split inspired me to pick up his latest album, “Putting the Hammer Down” released by Magic Bullet/Hometown Caravan and I just fell in love. I had emailed Austin asking him to be a part of our Under the Influence spilt 7” series and was happy to hear that he was interested in contributing. Assuming I was waiting on his next correspondence, I hadn’t written him back for some months and then one day while talking to Mike Hale, Mike had mentioned that Austin had recently relocated to Portland, Oregon, from Praha, Czech Republic. I did not know this at the time, but Mike and Austin are good friends. Mike told me that I should give Austin a call and talk. I did just that and right away, Austin and I hit it off. Our conversation led to a few emails, which lead to a discussion of us possibly releasing his next album. Not being one to stop on someone’s toes, especially a great label like Magic Bullet, we both asked for the label’s blessing in putting out Austin’s next album and today, I am excited to say that Austin Lucas is the latest artist to join the Suburban Home family.

Austin will be rounding out the year by joining Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Ben Nichols on a few dates of the Revival Tour as well as a performance at this year’s Fest. He has been writing what will be his debut for Suburban Home which he plans to record in Ohio employing his family to play and record. We hope to have this album out in March of 2009.

We are so excited to have Austin a part of our family. He has one of the greatest voices in roots music and his lyrics really cut to the core.

Coming off the very exciting news that we will be putting out Useless I.D.’s next album which I announced last week, I have even more great news. After a phone call with Mr. Joey Cape last night, we have agreed to release his first solo album, “Bridge” in North America. I have no hesitation saying that Joey Cape is one of the greatest songwriters on the planet and I feel like someone should pinch me because I could not dream up a more incredible piece of news to share with you.

For those of you who don’t know, Joey Cape is the front man of Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut, and one of the singer/songwriters of the Suburban Home act, the Playing Favorites. I first met Joey through his label, My Records. Besides being an amazing musician, Joey ran one of my favorite labels in the late 90′s. He put out the first albums by both Nerf Herder and Adventures of Jet and put out a few releases for Armchair Martian, all bands I love. He has remained relevant over 20 plus years of writing and recording music and he is recording some of his greatest music now.

Suburban Home will release “Bridge” in North America on Vinyl, CD, and digital formats. Joey had mentioned the possibility of a bonus track not available on the European and Japanese versions, but I can’t completely confirm that. We are aiming to release the album in October which could possibly be the same month we new release albums from Useless I.D., Drag the River, Tim Barry, and Two Cow Garage! Joey has gone on record as saying the following about his first solo offering, The strange part of all this is, now that it is done, I’m not sure how to feel. It is my first attempt at making a solo record, something I am totally unfamiliar with. I know this, I will never make a record this way again. From now on, no second guessing or obsessing. Ultimately, I am proud of this record. I made something I like and it’s time to move on. I hope most of you will appreciate it. I have decided to call it “Bridge”. I think the musical metaphor is appropriate because it is something new for me and it will lead me to another place as a songwriter, whether it be a better appreciation of my craft or the butt of another songwriter’s joke. Either way, I’m on my way

We will soon be posting an mp3 and as Joey completes the mixing and mastering, we will have a release date nailed down. Know that I could not be more excited about all our recent signings and releases. This is an exciting chapter in our 13th year of doing Suburban Home.

One side note – I could not resist posting this photo of Joey with a mustache. I can only think of the brilliant movie, Safe Men which had the line, “Sweet Stache Bro”, “Thanks Man”. If you haven’t seen the movie, do so immediately and get ready for an unbelievable fall release schedule.