The Indy In-Tune Podcast

I'm constantly baffled by a nubmer of things. How could anybody think Sam Smith intentionally lifted one of the most-overplayed Tom Petty songs, but so far not one person has called out Rihanna, who has made at least ten times as much money plajurizing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? Why isn't Chad Valley more popular in the States than he is? And, how in the hell do two guys make as much noise as Brother O' Brother without Phil Spector or Terry Brown fiddling with studio trickery? Seriously, I introduced these guys at the "Tequila Party for Robots" last week, and I even had to ask, "Seriously, where's the rest of the band." When they were playing I went back to the soundboard to see if Jamie Jackson was hiding a surreptitious backing track or something under the console. Nope. Just two guys. Honestly, if they came to me asking me to manage them, I'd tell them to come back when they at least had a bass player, or Ray Manzarek. Who has ever heard of a "power duo" playing live? What Brother O' Brother lacks in warm bodies, they more than make up for in body heat, possibly a fortunate side effect of all that extra room on stage. I mean, seriously, we're talking leaps, kicks, drummers standing on stuff, lasers, pyro, inflatable sheep ... well, okay, maybe my memory is faulty, the sheep might have belonged to one of the Shine guys. Either way, they gave a great interview (read: I barely got a word in edgewise and hardly had to edit anything out) and treated us to a few previously-unheard tracks from their upcoming release that are sure to make your jaw drop.

Ask anyone in the know, and you'll probably, eventually come across the three great mysteries of the local music scene: a) Why are there no live, original-friendly music venues north of 71st St? b) Why do almost all cover bands have a blonde lead singer than butchers the "Called him my lover" section of Bobby McGee every night? and c) Why, considering country cover bands and country radio stations make a killing compared to their classic rock counterparts, is there hardly any original Country music being written in this town? Oh sure, this sparks a great debate about "what is country," and is it Taylor Swift, but it still comes back to that one point: we've got a gap in our local music production, folks. Enter Dos Ringos, a couple of proverbial "good ol' boys" who not only dress the part, but probably have a much deeper understanding on the genre than the average Luke Bryan or Blake Shelton cover band. These are the guys carrying on the tradition of Waylon and Willie (and the boys), playing the type of country music that actually conveyed something other than mentioning the word truck and being proud of your lack of an education and backwards beliefs in a brutally unpoetic manner. Sure the Ringos sing about hot rods, whiskey, and women, but beyond that they also sing about feelings and experiences, which elevates their music more than a few notches above "red solo cups" and "kiss my country ass." Even if you think you're not a fan of their style of music, you owe it to yourself to give it a chance. This isn't the same old stuff, this IS your father's country music. Links Referenced in the Show: (Coming soon.)

Ah, a brand new year and some brand new music to kick it off right. This is not to say that I don't enjoy the "... Returns" shows, but it really is nice to get some new blood on the show again, since that's what we're about here. Ryan M. Brewer is a recurring face and voice at the where I often scout for guests, since it's often difficult to meet and talk to bands at the bigger venes, especially while the next band is playing. I first came across Ryan about a year and a half ago when I heard this band called The Fallow and tried get them on the show. Two weeks ago a friend of mine recommended I check out Ryan's music, at which point I purchased a digital copy of his upcoming CD, and asked if he would be interested in sharing some of the tracks with us on a podcast. At the time, I was unaware that it was, in fact the same guy. It was an honest mistake, it turns out. Ryan M. Brewer shares many things in common with the other successful singer/songwriters we've showcased. He's hard working, prolific, struggling to get his voice heard, and diligently searching for the magic formula that turns locally successful indie musicians into James Taylors and Neil Youngs -- don't worry, if we knew what it was, we would tell you. What differentiates Ryan to me is the amazing diversity. On his debut solo effort, his music, voice, and playing not only take a 180-degree turn from his hard rock/southern rock work in The Fallow (some of which we play in order to showcase this phase of his musical output), but it also fan out effortlessly into an array of styles including music with a country-ish swing (Allegory), "lush" ballads (Sing You to Sleep), indie-infused folk (Innocence and Ignorance), and even spoken word (Like Robert Redford). In the end, the listener is left with only two questions: What CAN'T this guy do with his songs, and WHY isn't there more spoken word music being made?! Links referenced in the show: Ryan M. Brewer can be found here: | | | . Ryan was originally the primary songwriter for Shameless Self Promotion and . Among his influences, he lists , , and . Ryan holds a degree in English from . His eponymous CD is available for download and purchase on his page. Or you can buy it the night before the Super Bowl when he has his CD release party at the . The CD was produced by , formerly the guitarist and songwriter for the band . He has contributed to singer Ben Clark's soundtrack album, , as well as the sountrack to the film . He is an outspoken support of . The track Like Robert Redford features the vocal talents of actress . You can learn more about Ricky Lee Pots and his 6 for 6 series . We make reference to the title track from , which by all rights should be the theme song for the entire Indianapolis music scene. You can catch him January 3th at , which seems an unlikely place for live music, but that's no reason not to support them and, hopefully, encourage more local business to follow suit. He will also be playing in Broad Ripple on January 27th.

About a year and a half ago, I introduced a band to this show and used the word "honest" to define them. That is to say, honest in the sense of "real" or "genuine." Since then, that band, Borrow Tomorrow, has been through a lot, to say the least -- the untimely loss of a founding member, the struggles of putting together their first full length album, and the struggles of putting every ounce of energy and passion into their music as they try to move themselves to the next level of their art. In many respects, this interview is quite similar to the last one. They're still a tightly knit band in the upper tier of our local music scene. They're still the same fun bunch of guys. They're still the same self-deprecating musicians who, while they obviously believe wholeheartedly in what they do, are grounded by a sense of realism in how the music industry works. What has changed are the little things -- things you might not notice unless you play both interviews back to back (and have access to the material that was unfortunately edited from both interviews due to time constraints). There's a certain air of confidence you pick up on in the second interview that was not quite as pronounced in the first. There's a bit more collaboration and willingness to trust other people's judgment in songwriting decisions. There's a bit more of a willingness to play "from the gut," take a few risks, and make a few concessions for the good of the music rather than serve one's own vanity or personal preferences. Most of all, there's an even greater rapport with the listener, who is no longer just being told a story, but is now invited to "find their place in it." I suppose to a (*cough* *hack*) casual listener, who puts the new album, Too Far to Feel, on as background music while they plink distractedly at their computer, could possibly make the very basic mistake of writing it off as an inconsistent and directionless mix of country, alternative, and pop. Anything even slightly more attentive, however, will reveal that there is a definite emotional core to this album, and the journey of exploration and self discovery the album takes the listener on is not so much meandering, but instead a subtle and well-planned path, where not every turn is seen before you get to it, and none of the scenery looks the same as you walk past it. But enough with this trying to sound important by using fancy words and mixed metaphors to make a point. This is a great album put out by a great group of guys, and unless you're from another planet or something, you're sure to find something there that speaks to you personally. Links referenced in the show: Borrow Tomorrow can be found here: | | | | Their latest CD, Too Far to Feel, is available from the usual suspects ( | ), but you want to . They premiered the album at a gala party at featuring the Jeremy Vogt Band ( and ) and Chad Mills and the Upright Willies ( and . Don't you wish you were there? Fear not. We were, and . As with the Retrospective EP, it was produced and engineered by Kyle Ferguson. Obviously the in-joke about being a lousy roommate, having no songwriting chops, and being part of the Indianapolis slime core revolution is a send up of . Lyricist Chris Jerles has that is a must-read for any fan of BoTo.

This really is the show that didn't want to get put out. Three times while writing this, I accidentally clicked away from the blog page without saving in order to look up one of the links below, thus erasing what used to be a really warming and heartfelt blog post where these words currently reside, and forcing me to duplicating a lot of effort looking up all the links below ... again. Worse still, twice during the editing of the audio file, I inadvertently filled up the hard drive on my computer, which as those of you who are familiar with Audacity know, is an instant silent death sentence, as it means your file will be corrupted, but Audacity will not have the courtesy to warn or alert you until you go to play it back. Mind you it's no small feat editing some of these things together, especially when it's Brett, beer, and myself ... which requires I identify and cut about 30% of what what actually recorded because we get off on weird, rambly tangents about baseball and g-strings. (Seriously, with Jeff DeHerdt it's Doctor Who and Comic Books; with Brett Wiscons, it's a bit more esoteric. Just be glad I edit and don't ask to hear the raw interviews on some of these shows.) Additionally, there is the problem I allude to in the interview that, not only have I asked Brett everything there is to ask him, I've pretty much written everything there is to write about him. It should be obvious by now: I like the guy/I think his singing is solid/I think his songwriting is great/he gets better with every release (even if he doesn't think so)/you should immediately click on the links below and buy the Michaels' new CD, Equals, and go catch them at their next show. Are we clear on these points? Good. Because I really just want to get this show published once and for all so I can go clean up my hard drive. Links referenced in the show: The Michaels can be found here: | | They previously appeared on promoting the release of their . Brett Wiscons also previously appeared on with Great Scott! and as a solo artist, making him the current record holder for most "guest" appearances. Yes, believe it or not, Jenn Cristy has made nine appearances, but only twice has been a guest; three times a co-guest; and four times a co-host. Their new CD, Equals is available at , , and . They recently played the , as well as courtesy of . At the Lucas gig, they got to meet professional billiard player, , who it turns out does live in Indianapolis. "See You in September" is based on a line Brett heard in his head while on the ferry to . While the CD was largely recorded in Jon's basement, it was professionally mastered at by Corey Miller. The Michaels' tour of 2012 was transported by a . When on tour, the Michaels' occasionally stays at . While touring, they played several franchises. As a long-time fan of , Brett particularly enjoyed visiting he , and playing . Yes, it is confirmed, are cool. Brett is also a big fan of Bill Withers, and recommends his . Don't forget the Great Scott! 10-Year Anniversary Show at the Vogue on October 12. They will be supported by ( and ), featuring the inimitable . It would seem Andy Cool moved to L.A. on us and is currently doing bass duties for a band called . In his list of most influential albums, Brett Mentions Bobby Darin and the movie "." Okay so we're trying to figure out how a band like Gotye can do a song, like "," which can then be made more famous by , which is then upstaged by a . What a strange industry. Yes, , as well as shot glasses, flasks, T-shirts, and all manner of merchandise at the . Finally, the Michaels recommend as a one-stop shop for all your CD release needs.