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| Stephen Foster & Howler Release ’Mad As Hell’ To FM Radio; Stephen Foster & Howler released "I'm Mad As Hell (And I Ain't Gonna Take It)" in late July to selected Internet radio stations. Top 10 rotation followed in 2 weeks, and rotation is still happening on some stations. The band has hired Americana Media Promotion to promote the album to the Americana charts, with Lynda D'Amelio onboard as publicist. Album release date is Jan 21st, 2007, but some stations are adding several other cuts from the album, notably "Cathead Blues" and "Mama's Goin' Dancin' (When The Train Comes Home)". Stephen Foster & Howler hail from Alabama & Tennessee, and the songs and sound are completely Southern. Stephen has played on stage or in studio with such greats as Precy Sledge, Bonnie Bramlett, The Cars, Ricky Nelson, Lee Roy Parnell and many others, and something of all those artists has rubbed off on him. He plays multiple keys and guitars, including delta slide, and does most of the lead vocals. The bands' fatback groove is reminiscent of Little Feat or Allman Bros. As a 4-piece, they play a spare style, but the bassist, Larry Hartsfield, is such a full player that it sound like the band is playing more than they really are. Stephen and Jay Jernigan, the band's guitarist, both come from musical backgrounds that required them to play really full and heavy. Now, with the heavy groove supplied by Eddie Russell on drums combined with Larry's bass riffing, both of these great instrumentalists get to play really spare and minimalistic just to stay out of each others' way. The resulting style is extremely heavy, very bluesy, very melodic. Listen to "Mad As Hell", "Mama's Goin' Dancin'", or "Cathead Blues", and you'll be surprised to find that the tracks were cut 4-piece, without one single overdub, as was the entire album. As a result, the band sounds like the band live, and vice versa. The album was cut in one weekend and mixed and mastered in 2 weeks. No wall of guitars, no double-tracking leads, no extra harmonies, etc. Just like they play it live. The band has taken an oath of brotherhood and signed a 10-year contract with each other. There's is enough material in their song catalog to fill another 7-8 albums, and they own their own recording studio, so be prepared to hear lots more from this Southern Revival band. The current album "Howl At The Blues" is being promoted by Fred Boenig, of Americana Media Productions, with album release and servicing to radio on Jan 21st, 2007 for the Americana Charts. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |