What better way to celebrate your debut album than to give it away in weekly exclusives? That’s just what Popwreckoning favorite Golden Bloom is doing with its new album, Fan the Flames, which drops on August 18th. Popwreckoning has been bragging about the talents of Golden Bloom mastermind and multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, drums, sax, harmonica) Shawn Fogel for some time, so we’re ecstatic to bring you, dear readers, the 8th track from Fan the Flames, “The Mountainside Says” (more on that below).
On Fan the Fames, Fogel showcases his pop sensibilities, musicianship and talent for writing damn good songs be it intro “E.H.M.” which kicks off the record with a burst of energy in the form of a rapid fire snare coupled with driving guitar and key hooks, the ballad-like approach of the more personal “She Leaves Me Poetry” and politically minded gems “Doomsday Devices” and”The Fight at the End of the Tunnel”.
As part of the “Summer of Golden Bloom”, Popwreckoning is excited to offer “The Mountainside Says” as an exclusive download from Fan the Flames. “The Mountainside Says” is a bright, melodious track musically, that is coupled with heavy lyrics dealing with social commentary on the state of religion into today’s world. Fogel sings, “‘I’ve got the answer,’ the TV set says / on the old King James Bible commercial. / When we start taking out ads / do our faiths become fads? / Our religion’s reduced to rehearsal. / So we practice our prayers every night / and in god’s awesome name we still fight / until each of our souls have been saved / and our sins been forgiven / no matter how sick or depraved.” You simply cannot ignore this song, even just this verse alone — whether religious zealot, agnostic or what have you, these words demand a reaction. “The Mountainside Says” exhibits Fogel’s ability to stray from safe and easy, propelling him into the realm of truly great songwriters.
Though Fogel played all the instruments on the record, Golden Bloom’s live show lineup includes Deleon frontman Dan Saks, Ryan Ball, bassist for famed Pink Floyd tribute band the Machine, Brooklyn guitar ace Jeff Patlingrao, Guster sideman Josh Cohen, and music journalist Michael Azerrad. With such talent all around, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Golden Bloom puts on one of the best live shows around.
Fan the Flames is out on August 18th. For more Golden Bloom action, check out Up End Atom, available now on Hartless Hind.
Tracklisting:
01. E.H.M.
02. Doomsday Devices
03. Fan the Flames
04. She Leaves Me Poetry
05. The Fight at the End of the Tunnel
06. Dead Petals
07. If You Believe
08. The Mountainside Says
09. Theme for an Adventure at Sea
Tomorrow night, The Zambonis, featuring Golden Bloom’s Shawn Fogel, will be playing at National Mechanics in Philadelphia’s Old City section along with several other bands who appear on Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom & His Package. Atom himself will be there to join the bands and all proceeds from the show go to Diabetes research.
Monday, August 3rd
National Mechanics
22 South 3rd St.
21+ // 9:00 PM The Zambonis Math the Band
The Emotron
and more TBD
The tribute charity show also marks the official release for the new Math The Band record.
There is no name more recognized the world over than Michael Jackson. Just over two months before his 51st birthday, the King of Pop was rushed to the hospital for cardiac arrest and pronounced dead yesterday, June 25, 2009. His career began four decades ago with The Jackson 5 and blossomed into a rich and successful solo careers spanning decades. Five of his solo studio albums are among the world’s best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) with over 100 million copies sold, Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
It should come as no surprise that many are calling Michael Jackson the Elvis Presley of our generation. Personal trials and tribulations aside, Michael Jackson was a great entertainer and earned the title King of Pop. He will undoubtedly live on in our hearts and minds. Read what some have to say about the late, great Michael Jackson:
“We will always love you, Michael, always.” – Jermaine Jackson
“Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend.” — Steven Spielberg
“He was deep.” – reader Gladys
“R.I.P. to Michael Jackson my music god. R.I.P. MJ: he lives forever in my heart. I will never forget the day he came to see me in the studio and I played him music.” – Wyclef
“It’s taken me a moment to grasp this … I understand life and death are part of the same magnificent cycle. But I literally stopped and broke down When I received ‘that’ text . Mike’s music lives in my DNA. It’s bigger than tabloids. That music shaped me. The frequency is real. My heart and artistry are truly influenced and forever impacted. Thank you Micheal for your hard work , dedication, philanthropy, and the sacrifice of your young spirit. Your vision and imagination live through us.” – Erykah Badu
“This has blindsided me. I feel strange. And sad. Reminders of how short life is. I’m going to profess my love to someone. you should too.” – Ingrid Michaelson
“I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” — Madonna
“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!” — Britney Spears
“I would rather watch “Thriller” over and over than any other music video ever made.” – Shawn Fogel, Golden Bloom
“Heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race.” – Ashlee Simpson Wentz
“Stop the gossip, stop the speculation. Take a moment for Micheal and remember his gift to us all. He was truly great. May he Rest in Peace.” – Joel Madden, Good Charlotte
“Not many people have long successful careers in the music industry, yet alone over a 30 year career. Michael Jackson did and earned his title ‘King of Pop”. I’ll never forget the first time I saw “Thriller”. His voice, songs, dance moves and ground breaking music videos will live on forever leaving a legacy where we answer ‘yes’ to ‘do you remember the time?’” – Stacy Clark
“America lost a little bit of its history today. So sad when a true genius dies! R.I.P. to the gloved one.” – Mona Shiekh, Popwreckoning
“Michael was undoubtedly a great entertainer and his popularity spanned generations and the globe. Maria and I join all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death and our hearts go out the Jackson family, Michael’s children and to his fans worldwide.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!” – Sean P. Diddy Combs
“I know we make light of me never getting sleep and overworking. But I’ll say that he didn’t go in vein. I will do my best to slow down as to not overwork myself to the point in which I can’t even enjoy life anymore. I’m devastated over this but we all have memories. I just hope that he will get due justice in all the press memorials and whatnot. I know he was mired in controversy the last decade of his life but i think its time we let him rest in peace and learn to separate the ART and the ARTIST. –that is the MJ I will forever remember.” – ?uestlove
“Off the wall was my second record I ever bought.” – Margaret Cho
“His music is just as relevant now as it was the day they pressed record, I’m sure it will remain so for generations to come. R.I.P. Mr. Jackson” – Samantha Ronson
“We should never stop talking about Michael Jackson. I hope Michael will get the respect he deserved.” – Rev. Al Sharpton
“Raising a glass for Michael! Wow – I was obsessed with Thriller when it came out.” – Ariel Hyatt, CyberPR
“Michael Jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings.” -
Miley Cyrus
“Being asked to give a quote about all of this. so in shock I can’t find any words…” – Kid Sister
“Michael Jackson died? Seriously, as Wolf Blitzer said it, my stomach got knots.” – James Shotwell, Under the Gun blog
“I keep getting chills. This is crazy. Too much.” – Estelle
“Today is a very, very sad day for music. Whether you are familiar with his work or not, the impact Michael Jackson had on pop culture made him one of the most iconic artists of all time. As a fellow artist, you can see what his music did—it transcended generations; It created a movement. It’s something people only dream of doing. He was a musical genius, and by far, one of the greatest performers of all time. There will never be anyone like him—ever. Thank you for inspiring us the way you did. R.I.P.” – Tamar Kaprelian
“Thank you Michael Jackson for being my FIRST of many! My mother took me to my FIRST concert, I was only two years old. I fell in love. My fifth birthday party was M.J. themed, I insisted. My mother found a lookalike to come sing happy birthday and I KNEW he wasn’t MY Michael.” – Solange Knowles
“A strange story comes to an end. i do hope that history will remember jackson the artist/genius/pioneer.” – David Ford
“Rip MJ! Dream as if u’ll live 4ever, Live as if u’ll die 2day. U only live once, but if u do it right dats all u need! U did it Big MJ!!” – Reverend Run
“Both parents on the phone asking me if I remember MJ inviting me to take a pix w/ him when I was a kid. I do. It was creepy. I refused.” – Annie Heckenberger
“Noooooooo! Michael Jackson was my childhood! I loved him. So so so so sad. So nearly saw him live. Just a couple of weeks. Crying.” – Imogen Heap
“Oh god…Michael Jackson just died. one of my childhood heros. moment of silence, sorrow and reflection on a massive talent & tragic life. let’s share a shrine/moment of silence @ 7:45 pm outside @thetroubadour tonight. if you’re coming, bring candles and flowers for the king.” – Amanda Palmer, Dresden Dolls
“We just cued up “Wanna Be Starting Something” in the office. What a great song. R.I.P.” – Diablo Cody
“R.I.P. Michael Jackson. Greatest performer ever.” – Talib Kweli
“Sad, sad day for the music world & for family/fans of Michael Jackson. he was my 1st favorite artist & 1 of the very best ever. RIP Michael.” – Earfarm blog
“Thriller” was the first tape I ever bought in a record store after I saw him go supernova on the Motown 25th anniversary special.” – Cary Brothers
“R.I.P. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. what a tremendous loss in one day…. thoughts and prayers with their families and loved ones…” – Mandy Moore
“R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON: We’re in a state of utter shock. You’ll be sorely missed.” – The Music Slut blog
;_; – Diplo
“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the ’80s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.” — Quincy Jones
“We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop music but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.” — Justin Timberlake
“When we worked together on ‘Bad,’ I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the music on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching quicksilver in motion.” — Martin Scorcese
“Listening to ‘Human Nature’ by Michael Jackson and I am crying.” – Trent Vanegas, Pink is the New Blog
“Feels hypocritical not caring about Ed McMahon or Farah Fawcett, and then being upset about Michael Jackson’s death. I didn’t know any of them.” – Paco Fish
The Gay Blades
“Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ.” — John Mayer
“‘Let the madness in the music get to you, life ain’t so bad at all, if you live it off the wall’ – Thanks for the music, the moonwalk and my childhood.” – Ali Hussain, Popwreckoning
“Michael was a great and wonderful artist and performer. We were privileged and honored to record him and his brothers here at Philadelphia International Records.” – Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
“I remember my brother and cousin in 1987 bringing the boom box out into the living room at my grandma’s house and performing a dance to “Billy Jean” they had made up. They had to be about 7 years old and doing the classic spin move and grabbing their crotches! My mom, aunt, ME and granny WENT CRAZY! Michael Jackson made the crotch grabbing move not raunchy BUT hot!” – Kaytea McIntosh, XO Publicity
“Sony Music Entertainment expresses deep sadness and sorrow at the unexpected passing of Michael Jackson and extends wishes of sympathy and condolences to all of Michael’s family, friends and fans around the world.” – Sony
We at Popwreckoning would like to extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson’s survivors. His musical legacy shall live on. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.
On Thursday, June 18th, Popwreckoning will be participating in a Philadelphia Battle of the Blogs. We are sponsoring local act and friends The Bye Byes. Joining in the battle will be Bag of Songs, with Lima Research Society on their side and Teenage Kicks, sponsoring Splash1, featuring Bag of Songs operator Tom Szwech.
Popwreckoning is really excited to be a part of the battle and we hope you’ll join us! Not in Philly? Tell your Philly friends to get on out! EIC Jessica will absolutely be there and looking forward to meeting everyone! She’ll have stickers to give away, too!
The first battle, earlier this month featured Bag of Songs, Girl About Town and Broken Bell. In July, Popwreckoning will join the 3rd battle with support from Brooklyn friends Golden Bloom in our corner. Check back for deets!
Hartless Hind Records has recently released Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom and His Package. Atom and His Package may have been the world’s most unlikely rock star. A chubby kid with a high voice on stage armed with nothing but a musical synthesizer and a good sense of humor played his way into the hearts of many. His contemporaries pay tribute to him on this record.
Showing the breadth and width of his influences, artists such Popwreckoning favorite Golden Bloom, Philly indie pop rockers Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer, the originator of post-punk laptop rap MC Lars, and hockey rock band The Zambonis (featuring Golden Bloom front man Shawn Fogel!) all recorded tracks specifically for this tribute. All these artists come together with one common goal, to share their love for Atom and His Package.
A portion of the album’s proceeds are going to the American Diabetes Association, to fight the disease that forced Atom to retire from music.
Tracklisting:
01. Steinbeck “Possessions (Not the One By Danzig)”
02. mcchris “Punk Rock Academy”
03. Math the Band “Upside Down From Here”
04. The Zambonis and Atom “Goalie”
05. Yidcore“Avenger”
06. MC Lars feat. Worm Quartet “(Lord It’s Hard to Be Happy, When You Aren’t Using) the Metric System”
07. Worm Quartet feat. Curt Allen “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Lib 2008″
08. Locas in Love “I am Downright Amazed at What I Can Destroy With Just a Hammer”
09. The Emotron “Me and My Black Metal Friends”
10. Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer “Happy Birthday Ralph”
11. Golden Bloom “Lying to You”
Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom and His Package: website
One of Popwreckoning’s favorite bands, Golden Bloom, in part vecause of amazing music they play but also because front man Shawn Fogel is one of the nicest guys we’ve ever met, will [finally! =)] be releasing their debut full-length, Fan The Flames, on August 18th.
The multi-talented instrumentalist Fogel is as comfortable on piano, bass guitar and tenor sax as he is on a keyboard, harmonica, and drums — proven by his numerous side projects. He demonstrates his talents by playing all the instruments on Fan the Flames while playing live with a full-lineup which includes author and journalist Michael Azerrad on drums.
We brought you the album’s first single, “’Doomsday Devices”, produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Mates of State) a while back, and hope you’re just as excited as we are to hear the new record. In addition to Katis, Fogel then went on to work with producers Roger Greenawalt (Ben Kweller) and Dylan Magierek (Mark Kozelek) to lend an ear to the pop-centric melodies.
“A great album is only as good as the sum of its parts, so I like to focus on one song at a time rather than thinking about the album as a whole until it’s pretty much done. In the end, each song was well suited to the individual producer’s style and influence. Peter, Dylan, Roger and Ryan each added their own strength and creativity to create a collection of songs that are both varied and cohesive.†– Shawn Fogel
The new LP directs much attention at today’s shifting political climate. Golden Bloom tests the dichotomy between hope and fear, bright sunny melodies shadowing the questions pervading society. A state of cause and effect, Fan the Flames explores the exploitation of peoples’ fears which lead to that spark of passion to make a difference.
“Most of the songs I’ve written in the past stemmed from personal relationships and existed very much in my head. These new songs are different – they come from a frustrated optimism, or an optimistic frustration. They’re less about what’s going on in my head and more about what’s going on in our country and our planet.†– Fogel
Tracklisting:
01. EHM
02. Doomsday Devices
03. Fan the Flames
04. She Leaves Me Poetry
05. The Fight at the End of the Tunnel
06. Dead Petals
07. If You Believe
08. The Mountainside Says
09. Theme for an Adventure at Sea
Congratulations to Evan R. for winning a copy of Soul Men, starring Samuel L. Jackson and the dearly departed Bernie Mac, on DVD!
Another congrats to the winners of the Golden BloomDoomsday Devices 7″ giveaway:
Ann H.of Huntington Beach, CA
March Z.G. of Penllyn, PA
Marina A. of Lacey, WA
Since we’re super excited about Golden Bloom’s return to Philadelphia — they play at the M Room this Sunday, March 29th as part of Bag of Song’s monthly showcase along with Sudden Ensemble and local act Canadian Invasion — as is front man Shawn Fogel, we’re giving away 3 signed copies of the band’s debut 7″ along with some sweet stickers.
To enter to win one of three signed 7″ by Golden Bloom, leave a comment! Winners will be drawn randomly on Sunday, March 29th! (This contest is over) And be sure to head to the show at the Manhattan Room that night to catch Golden Bloom in all their live glory, along with a cameo by yours truly.
It seems appropriate that we should begin our new feature, “mp3 Minute” with Popwreckoning favorite Golden Bloom’s recently recorded minute long ditty, “Your Minute of Fame”. The idea for a Chicago-themed song came from a flight front man Shawn Fogel was on headed towards the Windy City for a gig. Temporary writer’s block hit after the first line (“Chicago snow is white and it glistens in the night sky as I look out the window of my plane“), until Fogel returned home to New York to hear about the scandal surrounding and arrest of Chicago governor Rod Blagojovich.
The upbeat instrumentation is a delightful contrast to the lyrical message: “Don’t say it’s not so bad / I think the governor’s gone mad; / he just compared himself to Gandhi and Dr. King.”
If Since you like what you hear, we’d love to help you hear more of it! Popwreckoning has 3, yes 3!, signed 7″s from Fogel himself to give away to 3 lucky readers. Just leave a comment to enter to win! (This contest has ended)
And don’t miss the Golden Bloom at the Manhattan Room in Philadelphia on Sunday, March 29th with local rockers Canadian Invasion and New Jersey’s Sudden Ensemble for the Bag of Songs (blog friend to Popwreckoning) monthly residency showcase.
Tour Dates:
Mar 19 – Fran’s Hamburgers / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 27 – Bar Matchless / Brooklyn
Mar 29 – M Room / Philadelphia
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