Friends & Family:
Spring is here and new Philville albums are lined up for release! First out the gate is the first full length album from Kenny Hotopp: Whippoorwills Cry. Available at Philville Records and on all streaming platforms on April 28th, this is Kenny's second release with Philville Records, and his first full length album. Fans of Kenny's first EP, Truth Be Told, will love the richness and growth of this newest effort that delves into loss, love, and deeper thematic concepts.
Next out of the station & barreling down the tracks is the single, Steam Train, by Maxwell Strozzi, due out on all streamers on May 1st. Max is the former lead singer of the Seaside, Oregon pop-punk band, Hollywise, who now resides in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This new track features Max's pop-punk sensibilities and powerful lead vocals blended with the string band twang of the Driftless Revelers--the end result is a catchy and up-tempo song that lays tracks in some new directions. Flag it down on May 1st!
Third out for release is the second full length record by the Driftless Revelers, Live at the Slowpoke Lounge, due out on CD and at Philville Records & all streaming platforms on May 10th. This album was recorded in February of 2023 at the iconic Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret in Spring Green, WI. The live show captures the band at their best with a listening audience and all the stories, riffing, anecdotes, & non-sequitur dialogue you've come to love from these string band weirdos from the fringes of the Driftless & the reservoirs of revelry.
Driftless Revelers & Davey & The Midnights Tour Announced!
Davey Allen is a friend of mine from my years in the Los Angeles area when I was performing with Jay Souza & Patrolled By Radar. After Davey & his band rolled up to play at one of the Philville Records Presents show last fall in Eau Claire & with the Driftess Revelers at a gig in Wausau, we decided to put together a package tour of the Upper Midwest to get these incredible musicians introduced to the Northwoods crowds we know will love them. We'll be out for three weeks starting May 10th in Eau Claire, so try to make one of these gigs! We're extremely excited to be joined by Salty Dog out of Duluth, MN for our first few shows of the tour--these cats can play!
(P.S. Davey was the touring keyboard player for Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer Eric Burdon of the Animals for a few years, and has some wild stories--and can tear up a stage with the best of them). Get one of these shows on your calendar!
Wyatt Thomson debut album Sad Records & Country Tunes tracked & being mixed!
Wyatt Thomson's debut full-length album on Philville Records, Sad Records & Country Tunes is tracked and being mixed & mastered! Release date will be announced soon, but thanks in advance to all the incredible artists that helped out (Lee Martin on pedal steel, Clancy Ward on fiddle, Ben Nelson on Banjo, Jerod Kaszynski on bass, piano, & woodwinds, and yours truly & Wyatt on everything else). It's a helluva a good sounding record--and I can't wait to get it out into the world! Stay tuned...
Thanks to all the folks that have taken part in the 2024 Philville Records Presents series at the Stone's Throw in Eau Claire! Marques Morel & Justin Jay Arnold kicked off the season, followed by my favorite Ska duo in the world, Woodblind out of Duluth, MN w/Mars Jazz back in March. The most recent show with Erik Koskinen, Martha Scanlan/Jon Neufeld, and Tim Case was the highlight of the year so far. Such an honor to host all of these talented artists--and thanks to Morgan Music in Eau Claire for their sponsorship and to all the folks that attend! More shows TBA starting up again in the fall--plus a Philville Records Artist showcase that's gonna be a hoot! Stay tuned...
Remember, streaming pays diddly squat--so if you've got a few bucks, buy an album from one of our artists or download their work directly from Philville Records!
...and I've mentioned before--Philville Records is a sole proprietorship. It doesn't get much more "Mom and Pop" shop than this, which means touring, gigging, and hard work go into fronting the expenses for projects like this.
I believe that if you put in the work and put out a quality product, your fans will support you by purchasing your album, or attending your shows. So thanks for factoring that into your decision to pick up any of the albums or downloads on the Philville Records website.
Quick update that we've hired new fuzzy interns at Philville Records--Persephone DelGato and Melquiades McClaine. Basil Lajeneusse is happy working with them in his new capacity as Co-Producer. They've got big paw prints to fill from the legendary Fraulein Kitzenbauer, but they're showing real promise. Excited to have them on board.
So...if you made it this far, and read all of this newsletter--hot damn! You must really like us AND have an attention span. Congrats. Not something too many folks have these days.
Thanks for tuning in, keep it between the ditches, and rest in power Fraulein Kitzenbauer.
Keep Grinnin'!
Matthew R. Sayles
Founder & Managerial Melomaniac
