Big Leather Couch

John Ondrasik will also receive a special Fatherhood Award™ at National Fatherhood Initiative’s 2009 Military Fatherhood Award™ Ceremony on June 9 in Washington, D.C. Ondrasik will be awarded for his ongoing support of our nation’s military service members and their families and for his dedication to his own wife and children.

In July, acclaimed singer and songwriter Pete Yorn will kick off a headlining tour in support of his anticipated new album BACK AND FORTH (June 23, Columbia). Backed by his new band - a well-credentialed group of musicians including guitarist Jonny Polonsky who also played on the album, Joey Kennedy on keys, Scott Seiver on drums, Mark Noseworthy and Zak Schaffer on guitar - Yorn will preview the tour with a special album release show at the Roxy in LA on June 24.
July 09 San Diego CA - House of Blues
July 10 Anaheim , CA - House of Blues
July 11 Tucson , AZ -Rialto Theatre
July 13 Austin , TX -La Zona Rosa
July 14 Houston , TX - Meridian
July 16 Nashville , TN - Cannery Ballroom
July 17 Atlanta , GA - CW Center Stage
July 20 Washington , DC - 930 Club
July 21 Baltimore , MD - Ram's Head
July 25 Philadelphia , PA - XPN Radio Show - Wiggins Waterfront Park
July 26 Boston , MA - House of Blues
July 28 New York , NY - Webster Hall
July 29 New York , NY – Webster Hall
August 02 Pontiac , MI – Clutch Cargos
August 03 Chicago , IL - Park West
August 04 Chicago , IL - Park West
August 07 Kansas City , KS - Harrah's Voodoo Lounge
August 08 Council Bluffs , IA - Whiskey Roadhouse at Horseshoe Casino
August 09 St. Louis , MO - Pageant
August 12 Minneapolis MN Fine Line Music Cafe
August 13 Minneapolis MN Fine Line Music Cafe
August 15 Denver , CO - Ogden Theatre
August 16 Salt Lake City , UT - Murray Theater
August 21 Vancouver , BC - Venue
August 22 Portland . OR - Roseland Theater
August 24 San Francisco , CA - The Fillmore
August 27 Los Angeles , CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
August 28 Los Angeles , CA - Henry Fonda Theatre

Check out more news at PETER YORN

Check out the first track from Mew's upcoming release No More Stories Are Told Today I'm Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories the World Is Grey I'm Tired Let's Wash Away due out on Columbia on August 25th.

Find it HERE

Keeping this in mind - because it really is true...

The original 78 was released in September 1948.

This week on Dr. Blogstein’s
Radio Happy Hour:

Emmy winning composers Richie Saccente and Cosmo Mallardi from Young Rebel Goombas discuss winning the “Best Trop-rock Album of 2008″ award for their debut self-titled album.

The debut of a new monthly entertainment gossip segement with Liz from Jewssip.com.

All that, plus:

• Dangerous Lee co-hosts

• Vinny Bond sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• Justin the Mouthinator treats us to his infinite wisdom

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

Hope y'all had a great Memorial Day Weekend. Weather here was pretty sketchy, with the sun out one moment and then a torrential downpour and then a drizzle and then the sun...then it would be raining with the sun out...kooky crazy indeed.

Did not get to the Sunset Symphony, but it might have been soggy - might have been because these storms were so isolated it would be pouring on one block and be dry on the next...Baseball got rained out on Sunday.

A new artist from a new source this week. We received an email form an artist representative located near New york City and he has opened his roster of artists to The Couch for use on New Music Mondays.

We have not received the CD from our contact at this point, but it has been promised. I was also given permission to feature the music of these artists here on The Couch.

The first artist from this new source is a gentleman named Nick Howard. Mr. Howard hails from the New York area and is beginning to get radio airplay for his song "Better Man" from his newest album - Something To Talk About.

Mr. Howard has a website HERE and his myspace page can be found HERE. His music can be found on iTunes and the other music services.

From his bio:
Nick Howard's 2008 Independently Released album, 'Something To Talk About,' is the follow project up LP to his critically acclaimed freshman offering, 'Contradicted' (EP). Since the release of 'Contradicted' in 2006, the music of Nick Howard has been fortunate to appear on the soundtracks of and within the musical landscapes of such popular television programs and films including MTV's 'The Hills,' 'LA Ink,' Golden Circle's 'My Sassy Girl,' 'The Ex List,' 'Mental,' and 'Army Wives.' In 2009 Nick Howard's song 'A Better Man' was chosen as the theme for the trailer to the widely anticipated independent film 'Knuckle Draggers' which will be making a national and independent film festival tour this year with a prospective release to audiences in late 2009.

A native of Brighton, England, Nick Howard is now a firmly rooted performer in the New York City music scene. Having succeeded in entertaining audiences around the world, Nick has been a featured artist on Comcast's 'Backstage' news and entertainment program, a reoccurring spotlight artist on the widely popular 'Fearless Music Television,' and a regularly interviewed and performing artist on BBC Television and Radio. Aside from traditional booking opportunities which have involved opening for Jack Johnson, The White Tie Affair, Laura Warshauer, and Chamillionaire, Nick has been tapped to play for several corporate entities as in house entertainment at several private events hosted by Vogue Magazine, Tommy Hilfiger, Bloomingdales, Chipotle Restaurants and Scoop.

His tour schedule includes opening for Gavin Degraw at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI. He will be appearing on the Harley Davidson Roadhouse stage for that show.

May 29 2:00P Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital New York, New York
Jun 6 6:00P Best Buy - In Store New York, New York
Jun 21 7:00P Maxwell’s Hoboken, New Jersey
Jul 2 9:00P LeSalle Power Co Chicago, Illinois
Jul 3 6:00P Summerfest 2009 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jul 26 8:00P The Latest Music Bar Brighton, United Kingdom
Jul 27 8:00P The Brunswick Hove, United Kingdom
Jul 28 8:00P The Bedford London, United Kingdom
Sep 26 1:00P Collegefest 2009 Boston, Massachusetts

There are 6 songs you can stream on Mr. Howard's myspace page, and I personally enjoyed "Pressure" and "I Don't Really Care" a great deal. Now, understand, I am not the demographic for Mr. Howard. With songs featured on "The Hills" and "LA Ink", I sort of fit somewhere between those two demos...

The music is pop - bright vocals over non-intrusive instrumentation. As I had the songs playing on the laptop and Nancy walked through, she stopped and said "That's nice...I like it".

With the exposure he is getting, the radio airplay and the prime spots on a large concert stage, Mr. Howard is set to build upon his recent success.

As I don't have the CD, the video is of Better Man, as performed by Mr. Howard on FEARLESS MUSIC.

Remember to vote in the poll after the video.

Bruce Springsteen announced from the stage last night at his Izod Center concert in East Rutherford, NJ that he and the “legendary” E Street Band will return as the final major musical act to play Giants Stadium on September 30, October 2, and October 3. Tickets go on sale June 1 at 10am Eastern. Springsteen holds the record as the number one selling artist at the Meadowlands (which includes Giants Stadium) in New Jersey , having sold out 56 concerts to date with the E Street Band.

Pete Yorn recently wrapped filming of the video for “Don’t Wanna Cry” the lead single from his forthcoming album Back And Fourth (Columbia Records, June 23). The video is now on Myspace, and was shot in Los Angeles by respected music video director Emmett Malloy of The Malloys (Foo Fighters, N*E*R*D, The White Stripes…). Check out the video HERE.

Yorn is currently in the midst of a national tour opening for Coldplay. Find dates on his website HERE.

Another Seating Happening Today!
Click the logo for your reservation.

Congrats to STAR8278 of "...All Things Work For Good", she is the winner of the Silentreatment's Sinful Acts Of Audio CD, from last week. Star, just email me your snail mail address and I will get the CD to you.

This week, I want to fill you in on the comings and goings of the music business and then let you rate a local Memphis group who found me.

On June 23, Columbia records will release Pete Yorn’s Back and Fourth marking a new musical chapter in which the acclaimed singer and songwriter has taken a different approach to writing and recording with stunning results. Back and Fourth follows Yorn’s first three albums, which he considers a trilogy, and is his first album in three years. Yorn wrote all ten songs on Back and Fourth and recorded the album in Omaha, NE, with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley). Columbia’s Co-Chairman Rick Rubin helped guide the project from its earliest demo stages to final mastering.

The songs on Back and Fourth range from lilting mandolin lullabies to bracing anthems. But there’s a thread running through the album - an organic feel to the arrangements, a careful pacing to the sequence, a penetrating truth to the stories - that’s unmatched by anything else in Yorn’s catalog.

Check out Mr. Yorn's website HERE or his myspace page HERE.

You can also get a free download of the song "Don't Wanna Cry", over at SPINNER.com.

Wild Light just released their critically acclaimed debut, Adult Nights on March 3rd off of StarTime International. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, Guided By Voices), the album features 13 original tracks co-written by all four members.

The result is classic Americana pop that sweeps over you with distinct vocal harmonies complimented by warm and dynamic arrangements. The songs reflect the timeless American spirit, whether it be the fall foliage, changing of the seasons, or a summer day at the lake. Rooted in the New Hampshire motto of “Live Free or Die,” the album addresses an unknown but open future for Wild Light – a theme constant in the life of many today.

Check out "California On My Mind" HERE and "My Father Was A Horse" HERE.

Columbia Records announced today that Bob Dylan’s new studio album will be released on April 28. Together Though Life, produced by Jack Frost, was recorded late last year, prompted by the composition of a new song, “Life Is Hard,” which was written for a forthcoming film by French director Oliver Dahan (La Vie En Rose).

The new album will be the 46th release from Bob Dylan. His website can be found HERE.

The Offspring, one of rock’s most exciting and enduring bands, have announced they will hit the road this May for their first full North American tour in nearly 4 years. The announcement came via the band’s just unveiled S*** Is F***ed Up tour widget featuring a mock “presidential address” by Dexter Holland (vocals, guitar). View the widget now at their site HERE.

Dexter along with Noodles (guitar), Greg K (bass) and Pete Parada (drums) will kick things off May 15 in Nashville , TN. The tour will feature different openers on each leg and will be highlighted by a hometown show June 5 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine , CA.
05/15/09 Nashville , TN - Riverfront Park (Merrell Crawfish Boil Festival)

05/17/09 Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center (The 2009 MMR*B*Q festival)
05/19/09 Austin , TX - Austin Music Hall
05/20/09 Dallas, TX - Nokia Theatre
05/22/09 Kansas City , MO - City Market (Buzz Under The Stars festival)
05/25/09 Sioux City , IA - Gateway Arena
05/26/09 Rapid City , SD - Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
05/28/09 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Punk Rocks festival)
05/30/09 Las Vegas , NV - Pearl Concert Theater
06/01/09 Phoenix , AZ - Mesa Amphitheatre
06/03/09 San Diego , CA - Open Air Theatre
06/05/09 Irvine , CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
06/09/09 Seattle , WA - WaMu Theater
06/10/09 Vancouver , BC - UBC Thunderbird Arena
06/12/09 Calgary , AB - The Stampede Corral
06/13/09 Edmonton , AB - Northlands - Hall D
06/15/09 Saskatoon , SK - Prairieland Park
06/17/09 Winnipeg , MB - MTS Centre
06/19/09 St. Paul , MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium
06/20/09 Chicago , IL - Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
06/21/09 Cleveland , OH - Time Warner Amphitheater at Tower City
06/23/09 Columbus , OH - The LC Pavilion
06/24/09 Cincinnati , OH - PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
06/26/09 Milwaukee , WI - Summerfest
06/27/09 Indianapolis , IN - The Lawn
06/28/09 Detroit , MI - Freedom Hill
06/30/09 Canandaigua , NY - CMAC
07/02/09 Toronto , ON - The Molson Amphitheater
07/03/09 St-Ephrem de Tring, QC - Woodstock en Beauce Festival
07/07/09 Sayreville , NJ - Starland Ballroom
07/08/09 New York , NY - Roseland
07/10/09 Boston , MA - Tsongas Arena
07/11/09 Gilford, NH - Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion
07/14/09 Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Boutique Amphitheatre at The Music Factory
07/16/09 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
07/17/09 St. Augustine , FL - The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
07/18/09 Pompano Beach , FL - Pompano Beach Amp

And the final news item today; John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting contributed his new song “Brothers in Arms” to the just-released documentary film Brothers at War. The song is now available for purchase on iTunes.

Check out the trailer for the film, featuring Five For Fighting’s “Brother in Arms” HERE. Purchase Five For Fighting’s “Brothers in Arms” HERE

Finally, as I mentioned above, I received an email from these guys They are local here in Memphis and their email gave me a link to their youtube video.

SO, they know the drill, here is the video, and now you guys, rate their musical performance...The name of the band is Jump Back Jake. Their website can be found HERE.
They will be appearing on the main stage on May 2nd at the Beale Street Music Festival.

From their bio:
While the name Jump Back Jake is directly aligned with lead singer/guitarist/lyricist Jake Rabinbach, the band is no one-man act. Instead, the quartet (and sometimes sextet) prides itself as being a group of players along the lines of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section or the Hawks.

To cement that fact, lead guitarist Jake Vest, bassist Brandon Robertson and drummer Greg Faison, were all doing time in other successful bands (The Third Man, Snowglobe, and Antique Curtains, respectively) when they were approached to join JBJ. All it took was hearing the heavy grooves and hooks Rabinbach brought with him to Memphis from Brooklyn to convince his brethren in soul to take up the cause.

It was a sound both familiar and new that the others were excited to explore. The concept behind the band was pretty simple; in terms of what they didn’t want to do. They did not intend to record music on computers, they were dead-set against overdubbing their vocal harmonies, and they did not want in any way to resemble your standard over-blogged indie rock. Alternatively, the plan has always been to bring their lean, muscular swamp–boogie sound to dives, roadhouses, frat bars, and rock clubs throughout the mid-south to continue to develop and expand their musical chops with each show.

Formed in 2006, Jump Back Jake plays raw soul-flavored rock and roll with dance grooves and horn lines that tout a modern writing approach.

Their debut record, Brooklyn Hustle / Memphis Muscle, produced by Pete Matthews at the legendary Ardent Studios, is the first release from Ardent Music, the newly reactivated Memphis label that launched power-pop pioneers Big Star.

Jump Back Jake is:
“Jump Back” Jake Rabinbach: Guitar, Vocals
Greg Faison: Drums
Jake Vest: Guitar, Vocals
Brandon Robertson: Bass
Nahshon Benford: Trumpet
Paul Morelli: Sax

Well, give the video a watch and let them know what you think. Personally, I am going to have to get out there and see these guys live.