A human being is a part of the whole called by us "the universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest -- a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening the circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. - Albert Einstein
More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. - Woody Allen
The candle burns and when that's done the wax lies in cold artistic piles... - Jack Kerouac
"Hello Cruel World is a bright spot on the Americana landscape. The San Francisco-based singer-songwriter duo of Paul Knowles and Nicole Storto manages to find the proverbial silver lining of good music while also conveying an overall sense of global disillusionment. The album's tasteful musical arrangements and spot-on harmony vocals are complemented by guest appearances from Al Perkins on pedal steel and David Grisman on mandolin. Along with thought-provoking original compositions, the duo also impresses by putting its own unique spin on songs from a broad range of artists including Neil Young ("Time Fades Away") and T. Rex ("By The Light Of A Magical Moon")." - No Depression (Greg Yost)
"The collection lives up to its ironic title with songs that illuminate the personal and national disasters that seem to be plaguing us at the dawn of a new century. By combining grim insight, sardonic humor, and a bit of uplifting music, Mars Arizona gives us something to smile at while the smoggy sun sets on what's left of the American West." - Crawdaddy (J. Poet)
"Though Mars Arizona is a duo, the potency of its third album ("Hello Cruel World") is due to the resiliency of the band it expands to in the studio. On their third album in as many years, Nicole Storto and Paul Knowles have surrounded themselves with a brace of fine guest players, including David Grisman and Al Perkins. The eight originals have a number of standouts, among them “Circus” (from which they plucked the disc’s title)". - Harp Magazine/March 2008
"On their latest release, Hello Cruel World, the two offer commentary on today's modern landscape, firing poetic slings at a world gone mad." - An Honest Tune
"Hello Cruel World finds the San Francisco band firmly ensconced in the rootsy alt.americana sound it began exploring on 2005's All Over the Road, marked by the duo's solid songwriting and understated arrangement's." - East Bay Express
“...[A] superb third outing ... [Hello Cruel World's] originals are ... an astute combination of down-home charm and rousing, rambunctious technique. ” Performing Songwriter, March/April 2008
"Richly organic and soul deep, "Hello Cruel World" is an example of American music making of the first order. Highly recommended." Iowa City Press-Citizen
"Hello Cruel World" is the third release from Mars Arizona on Big Barn Records distributed by Burnside Distribution. Their 2005 effort, All Over The Road, garnered them rave reviews from many publications including Harp, Stomp and Stammer, Performing Songwriter, and Nashville Scene and a feature in No Depression. The record was also well-received by Americana radio and peaked at 41 on the AMA radio charts. A U.S. tour that year took them from San Francisco to New York via Nashville, where they made many friends and fans.
For this adventure, they have gathered some of the finest musicians to marinade into a matchless and transcendent record. The majority of the album was recorded at Moondog Studio in Nashville, (big thanks to Billy Block) by Tim Coats. The remainder of the recording took place at Icehouse Studio in San Rafael, CA; Hilltop Studio in Mill Valley, CA; and BIAS studio in Petaluma, CA.
David "Dawg" Grisman makes sparks fly from his mandolin on the opening track "Dirty Town," resplendent in its identification of the wayward coping mechanisms of small town barfly alcoholics. His son Sam Grisman pushes the tune into the red line with his thundering upright bass. The genius of Al Perkins on pedal steel haunts "Circus," a tune that shakes its head in disbelief at the freak show fairground bazaar that America's politicians have constantly toured the highways of humanity with. Or so it seems. Storto sets off on her own with "Good To Be Lucky" – her crisp and world-wise vocals taking inspiration from Mark Twain's famous words: "Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over." Storto's voice hauntingly reminds us that the huge gulf between those privileged few and the masses below might just owe a thing or two to luck. Neil Young's "Time Fades Away", T Rex's "By the Light of the Magical Moon" and Loretta Lynn's "Blue Kentucky Girl" are put through the Mars Arizona sweet and sour smoothie maker. Paul and Nicole know their musical history books and these inspired covers glide, grate and grind in all the right places. The trauma of death and loss speaks softly and poignantly on "Wait For The River." "Landscape (for NOLA)" highlights Mars Arizona's creative compassion with a tune based on Paul's father's first hand observation of the devastation in New Orleans, after Katrina. This haunting original, complemented by Perkins' pedal steel, brings it all down to the personal.
Hey There! How was your summer. I can’t believe it’s September can you? What’s new and exciting in your neck of the woods? Wishing you a prosperous fall. Talk to you soon.
New BILLY DON BURNS album 'The Berlin Tapes' out now!
Outlaw-Country at its finest, a must for fans of Waylon, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, David Allan Coe, etc.
Available from CD Baby:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/billydonburns
or directly from Rockin' H Records:
www.rockin-h.de
Great name...Great tunes...thanks for turning me on to it, and glad to meet you. You may have requested me to be your friend but had I found you first it would've been the other way round.
Hey Guys! Guess our shared gig with Mare never panned out last year, huh? Just stopping by to say hello! I love the artwork on your new album. Very cool. Cheers, Tanya
The ROBOTS FROM MARS have a new song, “Spaceship Earth”
“Better plug your ears so that your brains don’t leak out…” Johnny Air Guitar.
Visit their My Space page to experience the #1 song from the Red Planet. The reviews have begun to come in:
“Spaceship Earth is destined to become the worst song of all time!” The Psychic News Network
“Spaceship Earth sounds like it was played by a bunch of drunken robots…” The Snob Blog & Party Hearty Militia
“Can’t wait to jam with the Robots From Mars!” Bill Clinton
“Yuck Yuck…The Robots From Mars sound like Devo on uppers…” George W.
“The Robots From Mars are incredibly boring in a heavy handed low brow sort of way.” Dick Cheney
“Spaceship Earth will take you to a place that you don’t want to go!” Barak Obama
“Just like some Democrats we know,” John McCain
“If you are really really BUZZED and you squint really really hard, the Robots From Mars don’t SOUND half bad,” Bender, “And it shouldn’t matter that they paid me to say that… I still get to keep the money, right?”
Get Mars Arizona's "Hello Cruel World" CD at TarniusMusic.com - The Independent Music Solution! Visit www.TarniusMusic.com/MarsArizona directly to get yours!
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Please be sure to let everyone know about us. Hollywood has dealt J.X. a rough hand and we need to give his cinematic work the attention that it deserves. Without the help and support of the filmgoing public, many important films may end up lost forever. For more information on The Archive, please visit jxarchive.org Sincerely, Noel Lawrence, Chief Archivist
My new single 'Come North' is out now on Leftarm Records, and is taken from the album 'Book of Days' produced by Fran Ashcroft (Gorillaz/Dandy Warhols).
Please come and have a listen, your feedback is very welcome!
Thanks 4 the Req. & Add! Ted Nugent Rocked Phoenix's "Celibrity Theatre" Last Night & Is a Must See In 2008,... Have a Rockin Week & Weekend Ahead, From Speedy In Phoenix!
