THE ASHES - PHOTOPLAY MUSIC OUT 10/5

Here's a quick review:

From Loudvine.com
Do not know too much about this band, The Ashes. But recently, IODA (Mint 400 Records) put up three sweet tracks. Sultry, sweet, country, folk, rock favored,  genuine and simply beautiful music. The four guys that make up the band, blend it so sweetly together, using everything from trombone, slide guitar, mandolin, piano and harmonica. Get to know The Ashes and enjoy them as I much I do!

Tree Leaving for Kentucky!!!

Reprinted from:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2010/09/22/after-10-years-in-jersey-city-tree-of-the-old-glorys-prepares-to-return-to-kentucky/

""As soon as I moved out of my parents’ house, I joined a rock band. And I started screaming. And that’s what I did until about three or four years ago.”

Tree Jackson, with short dark hair and a quick smile, is recounting her musical history on her roof at Wayne Street and Jersey Avenue in Downtown Jersey City. (“Tree” is a high school nickname that stuck to the 34-year-old; her birth certificate reads “Melissa.”) It’s a gorgeous late summer afternoon and the sun is setting, reflecting sunlight off the office buildings along both sides of the Hudson River.

Tree has lived in Jersey City for 10 years, but she’s Kentuckian by birth, which you can hear every time she talks about still guitars instead of steel. She’s going to be moving back to Lexington in just a few weeks, and is in a reminiscing mood befitting the occasion. As to the influence her home state has had on her character, and her music, she’s hesitant to draw any definitive conclusions. But since she switched her main performance genre back to country a few years ago — “though I ran from it at first, you always go back to your roots” — you don’t have to listen very hard at one of her shows to know that the country and bluegrass she’s singing is as dyed-in-the-wool as it comes.

There’s a palpable current of authenticity that runs through her music. It comes from a certain disciplined musical honesty that reflects Tree’s conviction that a song should be an actual expression of actual feelings that you’re having or have had — and if she’s performing it, she wrote it. Tree has only ever performed covers in public once, and that was when her band Any Day Parade performed as Creedence Clearwater Revival, so there was no mistaking the songs’ authorship.

“It’s very important for me to present myself and to present whatever I do as just the way it is. Maybe that’s because I’m from Kentucky,” she says. It makes sense that her biggest beef with contemporary country music isn’t the sound but that, with a few exceptions, “none of them write their own music.”

Like most musicians, Tree has been in and out of a variety of groups over the years. She originally came to the area after her Lexington band Delicious Trip Attendants, feeling the classic big-fish/small-pond effect, sat down and decided it was time to move either to L.A. or New York. Tree said, “anywhere but New York,” the drummer said, “I won’t go anywhere but New York,” and as she describes it, “as happens often in bands, the drummer won.”

She was bowled over by New York and picked a great time to come — it was October 2000, when the Mets and Yankees were battling for the World Series trophy (she loves baseball).

“It was Subway Series, and slices of pizza, all these beautiful women and dudes, and music. I was like a pig in shit,” she says. “It was everything you could dream of.”

Still, with all four bandmates splitting a two-bedroom in Hoboken and adjusting to their new surroundings, all while making a push for recognition in the much larger pond, tensions quickly rose.

“We just had a lot of friction in the house,” she says. “There’s two bedrooms, there’s four of us, the drummer who would only move here sleeping on the couch, we’re all struggling, none of us are really making other friends, so we’re really kind of in each others’ faces.”

That living arrangement lasted for a few months, and then the band broke up on the stage of CBGB after their first (and last) show there.

Tree was working as an office manager at an architecture firm in Hoboken at the time, and along with some of the architects there and a few other partners, she opened a coffee shop on Jersey Avenue. Ground occupied the storefront now home to Made with Love and was an early magnet for Jersey City’s fledgling arts scene.

“Out of the woodwork, all of these people with similar ideas and tons of optimism and … energy and passion” started coming together at the shop, Tree says. It was this same group, she thinks, that has matured and grown into the arts scene as it exists today in Jersey City.

Despite Ground’s closing, and the demolition of the arts scene’s other leading light of that era, 111 1st Street, Tree says the growth in Jersey City – measured in cultural value, not developments rising – has been profound.

“Somehow the scene still survived. And it grew, and grew, and grew. And I’ve watched it all,” she says. “To see that it’s still going on now, and … there’s more galleries, and Groove on Grove, and all the bands and all the artists and the writers. It’s pretty cool to have seen it from when I came and it was really … there was nothin’.”

Successfully sustaining music as a vocation eludes all but the luckiest performers. And while she’s been asked many times at parties what she “does,” she admits she’s never been comfortable with the question.

“What does it matter what I do? I’m here, let’s talk,” she says. “You wanna talk about baseball, music, it’s like, what does it matter what I do?”

Tree thinks the “what do you do” question is less common in Jersey City than in New York, because people in the Jersey City arts community share the understanding that others’ day jobs may (or even likely) have no bearing at all on their passion.

“I am not a dog walker,” as she puts it. “I am a musician who dog-walks.”

One of Tree’s Jersey City bands, The Outside, came close to bill-paying commercial success. They got flown out to L.A., played festivals, and were well on their way when a classic dispute between the business and the art of music came up.

“I was young and cocky, and very set in my ways. In retrospect, I see that a lot of the opportunities that we had, they were contingent on compromise. And being 27, 28, and thinking you know everything, is not the best position to have,” she says, chiding herself for decisions she might make differently today. “When you stand up in a room and say you don’t hate your day job enough to change something, and you walk outside, and your three other bandmates walk out behind you, it’s hard to see at that moment that you’re probably wrong.”

The Outside had been like family, and Tree remembers her son asking her, after they broke up in 2008: “What are we going to do on holidays?”

Any Day Parade formed in 2007 and it marked Tree’s decision to return to her country roots. The band, while short-lived, was touted by many observers as one of the best in Jersey City, and they gigged relentlessly, both in town and out-of-town.

“We really tackled it pretty hard, pretty heavy for a couple of years,” she says. “And then life just kind of got in the way. I think we’re getting older, our values are kind of changing.”

The Old Glorys followed, playing what Tree calls “good, wholesome, honest songs about heartache. And drinkin’. And hangovers. And doin’ wrong and being done wrong and all that stuff.” The sound is rich, with trombone, fiddle, guitars, bass, banjo, and even some harmonica cropping up. And the songs fit Tree’s bill exactly: a plea for a lover to return, an ode to the bittersweet understanding that age brings, yearning for the heavenly reward without all that hard work here on Earth.

Although Tree is quick to downplay her upcoming move back to Kentucky (“I’m just … changing ZIP codes, I guess”), it’s clear the decision wasn’t an easy one to make.

“Jersey City’s kind of a neighborhood. It’s almost become a family to me,” she says, before later offering these simple last words on her adopted home: “I’m gonna miss Jersey City. A lot. That’s it.”

The Old Glorys will remain “full steam ahead” when Tree leaves town, and she’ll be back to lead them on November 27 at Maxwell’s in Hoboken to promote the release of their album. Catch their last local show until the November date this Saturday, September 25 at 4:30 pm, at the Hamilton Park BBQ Festival."

Depression State Troopers Interview

Mint 400 Records Interviews Tim Williams and Jacob Jones of Depression State Troopers.

With their new full-length album The Reason for The Fall set to release this October 5th, Mint 400 got to talk to Tim Williams and Jacob Jones of Depression State Troopers about the group and its endeavors along with the anticipated record.


Sep 21, 2010 – With their new full-length album The Reason for The Fall set to release this October 5th, Mint 400 got to talk to Tim Williams and Jacob Jones of Depression State Troopers about the group and its endeavors along with the anticipated record.

Mint 400: To start off, what genre of music would you consider your work to be? Who/what are your major influences?

Tim Williams: Indie-Country. I'm really drawn to anything that is heartfelt and honest -
something you actually believe when it hits your ears.

Jacob Jones: There is something country about the record for sure, but I think it is a
simple, honest record about what was going on in our lives at the time, and the sounds
came easily after the basic tracks were written.

Mint 400: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?

TW: Jacob and I have known each other for about 3 years. We met through a mutual
friend who I lived with in Nashville.
JJ: This is true. Even though we both lived in NYC at the same time before that and
never met.

Mint 400: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?

TW: I had had the name Depression State Troopers in mind for a year or so before
anything was recorded. Jacob is one of the hardest working songwriters in the game
and he was the obvious choice to complete this outfit.
JJ: Tim told me the concept and the name, and was like "I love that name!" So, we
started emailing songs back and forth and the next thing you know, we had our record.

Mint 400: Where have you both performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? And do you guys have any upcoming shows?

TW: Both Jacob and I have toured extensively throughout the US and I even a bit in
the UK. World Cafe Live in Philadelphia is one of the nicest venues I have played. I
would also put The Foundation Room at The House Of Blues in LA and The Eastbourne
Theatre in England up there. We are in the process of setting up some Troopers shows
when Jacob and my busy schedules allow us to.
JJ: Yea, Tim and I are planning some DST shows for 2010 and 2011, but right now our
solo careers are too demanding. Union Pool in Brooklyn, The Basement in Nashville,
and Fitzgerald's in Chicago... those are my favorite places to play, great every single
time. The least favorites shall remain many and nameless.

Mint 400: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?

TW: "Take My Hair" and "Blood In My Veins" are a couple of my favorites to play live.
No covers, no way! Jacob and I write enough on our on to fill an hour. We also write a
set list on a show by show basis.
JJ: We haven't tackled any covers yet, but I've been thinking of "Blame it on The Rain".
I haven't told Tim yet though.

Mint 400: What are the main themes or subjects for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?

TW: The 3 L's: Love, Loss and Longing. I sure hope they change over time, this stuff is
depressing! (jk)
JJ: To be honest, they have already changed. This record is such a time capsule for
me, which is why I think its remarkable...my experience listening to it still takes me back
to the winter it was made. I think the topics should always change or else why make
another record?

Mint 400: Could you briefly describe the music-making process for the record?

TW: We did this record in a totally backwards way. We laid down all the acoustic guitars
and vocals straight to tape and then added bass, keys, and lastly drums to fill them out.
I think this is the reason the record is so loose and comforting.
JJ: Yea, at first, we didn't foresee even using drums or bass.... but that quickly changed
in the 3 days we made the record. We went in a Monday and by Wednesday night, we
had tracked everything.

Mint 400: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

TW: For me, I think I realized how nice simple chords sounded and how much fun
playing music with a band can be.
JJ: Haha, mine has gone almost the opposite, I started with a rather large revolving
door band of cast members, but now I mostly tour solo or as duo. I try to keep it as
simple as possible.

Mint 400: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

TW: Distance. Jacob lives in Nashville and I live in Los Angeles so it's not the easiest
thing in the world to play a show or rehearse.
JJ: agreed.

Mint 400: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

TW: I would say do something that you will love in 5 years time. Trying to sound like
another band or keep up trends won't get you very far.
JJ: Don't do it, go to a trade school...maybe become a carpenter. I need some things
built.

Mint 400: Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?

TW: My girlfriend Sabrina and the city of Nashville. Both of whom took me places far
above and beyond I ever thought I'd reach.
JJ: There are so many, Andrija Tokic (the producer) was great to work with, he made
the record shape up sonically just as much as we did. My girlfriend Molly McClary also
sang back up on "I Love You Like The Night Loves The Moon" and is always a good
source of support, when I'm not sleeping on the couch.

Mint 400: Any last words?

TW: Pick up a copy of our record and listen to it from start to finish. You will thank us.
JJ: pick up 2 copies.

THE ASHES | PHOTOPLAY MUSIC | OUT ON MINT 400 RECORDS OCTOBER 5, 2010

"With Mint 400 Records extra busy this fall with a number of exciting upcoming releases due out in the coming weeks, one of the the most immediate to note on the label's horizon is the latest album from The Ashes due out this October 5th, 2010. The trio's 16 song release, Photoplay Music, is a unique blend of old folk, southern blues/country and 60's pop; creating an album that is instrumentally vast and heartfelt with an occasional psychedelic-pop tinge (songs as "Many Years Ago" and "So Gently"). Swirling about the album's minimalistic singer/songwriter core is an abounding variety of instrumentation ranging from tuba, clarinet, trombone and piano which accompany the acoustic strings and syrupy southern sounds of slide guitar and fiddle.

Founding member and main songwriter, Shane Vidaurri recently plainly spoke of the band members' diverse instrumental proficiency while describing the band's freewheeling writing attitude for the record: "we just started playing all kinds of things and no one was really "the guitarist" or "the bassist" anymore...pretty much, if you think of the part, you get to play that part on the record". As a result, Photoplay Music, reveals a sneaky amount of layers and conveys a whimsical nature from time to time (in tracks like "More to Lose" and "Photoplay Music"), though the album normally maintains a strikingly intimate and tastefully understated tone ("Wash Us Away" and "Philidelphia Blues"), lead and reinforced by Shane Vidaurri's warm, temperate vocals. The end product from The Ashes in Photoplay Music is a Lo-Fi folky pop gem of a record that should entertain well after it's fall release."

The Ashes

So October 5th 2010 is coming and that means The Ashes new album Photoplay Music will be available from Mint 400 Records, enjoy their first music video from the album right here:

THE OLD GLORYS

A LIVE REVIEW OF THE OLD GLORYS
REPRINTED FROM "DISLOCATIONS" A BLOG BY MR. TIM HRK

Just last year, early October, Any Day Parade played a sizzling set at the 4th Street Art Festival. So, I was sad to hear they broke up. The main songwriter and bandleader, Tree (who also goes by the name of M. Jackson and Melissa Jackson, but since I haven’t seen the actual birth certificate I’ll continue to refer to her as Tree) had formed a new Band, The Old Glorys sometime in the Spring. The couple of gigs around town that I had heard about I was unable to make until Groove on Grove, which was one of the last of these outdoor concerts of the season.

This acoustic sextet is steeped in Americana, heavy on the Appalachia. The band features fiddler, stand up bass, banjo, mandolin and a guitar player who also taps a pedal with his foot to hit a bass drum and/or cymbal for added effect. Tree of course also plays guitar. They were an impressive crew, and for the most part were able to be both authentic and original, not an easy task. I really didn’t know what to expect and was greatly impressed. Their myspace page only has three songs to stream, all of them played here, but the recorded versions feature a spare arrangements, live, with the full band, the songs had a rich texture. The fiddle player seemed to be having a great night.

Although many of Tree’s beloved ADP ditties would have benefited from these new arrangements, she only played new material, opening up with a poignant new song, Back to Me, which seems to be about missing a lover, and how the longer you’re away or neglect the relation adds more bitter than sweet to the reunion. A slow song, the mix of mandolin, fiddle and banjo highlighted the high lonesome aspect of this mournful song, creating much more of a lament than their myspace arrangement.

For much of the set, which was short, about 30 minutes, after the opener, Tree let the boys play their own songs. The band is new, still a little rough on the edges, and a couple of the other band member's songs bordered on Americana kitsch ,which I think was unintentional. It’s fragile task, attempting a mountain sound but avoiding the clichés, and for the most part, they were successful. Keep in mind, the band is new, the musicians though skilled are young and it’s Groove on Grove. The clamor of the cars, rucks and buses is relentless, a river of indifferent pedestrians constantly flows past the performers. In fact, something happened to the stage and they were playing at audience level, standing on an Astroturf mat. Any criticism based solely on this gig would be unfair. It is also worth noting, usually the Groove on Grove crowds are small, and half of them can’t shut up long enough to give the usually talented musicians a listen. This night—a late summer evening, dark at 8:00 PM, which was when they started, Autumn apparent, lingering just around the corner—the crowd was quiet, intrigued and attentive. I’ve been to just about every one of these shows, this is not common audience behavior whatsoever.

The band put me in mind of the acoustic roots music of the recent Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women, and the sound track of Winter Bone. Mid-set, the fiddler and mandolin player, who are brothers switched to tuba and trombone, respectively, and played a few new Orleans jazz-inflected Medicince Show numbers, which reminded me of Springteen’s Seeger Sessions band, which combined the folkie strings with a horn section. In the right hands, it works and this jaunty interlude worked. Whenever a tuba and a banjo jam, you are going to have some fun.

The set also featured a scorching number by the guitar player For My Love, which is called a Demo on their myspace, and is really just a barebones. More in the ballad mode, the full band version knocked it out to the park, adding a herky jerkey/stop & start rythmn similar to a Ralph Stanley bluegrass song.

Tree followed with With Time, an incredible song that delves into an honesty and spirituality that showcases not just her talent but how far that talent has been nurtured in the past few months. The song seems a sequel to her earlier song, I’ve Had Time, which is about regret of some past deeds and learning from mistake. With Time has the narrator counting her blessings, noting that even though there is some salt and pepper in my hair, then gives an almost Withmanesque list of things worthwhile in this world, like Guitar Strings when they’re new, Boots when they’re worn; but the most worthwhile is: “there’s no laughter like my son’s.” When she gets to this line, you want to laugh and cry. It’s so sincere and joyful. The song concludes with a Thank You Lord for life, a well earned spiritual conclusion. It’s a masterpiece, comparative to Emmylou Harris (Tree’s voice (and sensibility) resembles Emmylou’s); it would not have been out of place on Red Dirt Girl (perhaps the greatest Country album of the 90s).

A side note, Tree has an awe-inspiring voice. This gal can sing, and it’s not just her range, but how she goes from a brassy holler to sweet and high. I love to hear her voice move. It was a little hoarse around the edges at the Groove gig, but if you go to the myspace page and stream the With Time, notice the ending, when she gets to the Thank You Lord line, she does a vocal gymnastic that is remarkable, it is high caliber singing.

Driving You, an up-tempo, bluegrass inflected number ended the set, showing off the musical chops of the sextet. I felt I was on the front porch of say, the home of Ricky Skaggs after a barbecue with Kentucky Thunder. It was racous and rowsing. Everyone applauded, the band started to leave the mat, the applause continued. The Groove MC encouraged more clapping, Tree relents, straps her guitar back on, and says, this is a cover. Hootenanny time and they go into a foot stomping real folkie song which I think was a Carter Family number but I forget the name but in the middle the band segues into the Carter Classic, You Are My Sunshine. Bring on the New Folk Movement NOW! I've been waiting too long!

Look, either the music industry has really collapsed or there is no justice in this world because this Woman should be signed by a real music label and her songs released to an audience beyond the bars of Jersey City and Brooklyn. Unfortunately, both things are likely true. She is the real deal, singer, songwriter, musician. Her talent and art are truly trascendent.

I love this old acoustic country music (I am a Roy Acuff devotee) style. Old Glorys (why not Glories?) seems to be an interesting double entendre. Obviously the name of the American Flag, it also seems to indicate traditional philosophies, a glory that is tried and true. She and her new band have an understanding and respect for this music, as well as, more importantly, a deep feeling for it. Authentic and original, it’s hard to pull off with any kind of credibility, but when it is pulled off, why come to think of, it’s a kind of timeless glory, isn’t it?

Tree promised an Old Glorys CD in November. They did hand out stickers, their emblem is an American Beauty rose. Make of this what you will.

I didn’t pay attention when the names of the band members were announced. I apologize. Here’s the band from the myspace page:Nick Fierro, Dave Vondollen, Shane V., Thomas Hanslowe, Alec Hanslowe, M. Jackson