Graham and the Band Upstairs’ Americana Blues Song “Standstill Blues” will Resonate with Commuters

Graham and The Band Upstairs is an Atlanta based Americana band led by Graham Waldrop. The band creates music in the tradition of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, combining introspective lyrics with diverse melodies that meshes the folk, blues, and rock genres to create a fully realized sonic identity for each song.

Graham and the Band Upstairs’ “Standstill Blues” is a captivating and relatable blues track that encapsulates the frustrations of everyday life, particularly the infamous Atlanta traffic. Written from Graham’s personal experience of enduring lengthy commutes, the song explores the theme of stagnation and frustration but expands it into a collection of short stories that evoke a range of emotions.

Initially conceived with a different musical structure, Graham realized that the traditional blues framework would best suit the lyrics and the intended message of the song. This decision allowed the band to tap into their innate understanding of the genre, bringing a genuine and authentic feel to the music.

The interplay between band members is notable, with Josef and Zach providing a solid rhythmic foundation on bass and drums, respectively. Jeff’s skillful lead guitar licks inject the track with energy and vitality, while Veronica’s vocals shine whenever she takes the spotlight.

“Standstill Blues” resonates with listeners on multiple levels, as it captures the universal frustration and monotony that can often accompany our daily routines. Graham and the Band Upstairs have skillfully translated this feeling into a bluesy masterpiece, utilizing their musical prowess to express emotions that many can relate to. The track’s infectious groove and memorable storytelling make it a standout piece in the band’s repertoire.

With their ability to convey the realities of everyday life through the lens of the blues, Graham and the Band Upstairs continue to captivate audiences and leave an indelible mark on the music scene.

Connect with Graham and the Band Upstairs via:
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The Dorons Share Their New Alternative Rock Album, ‘The Doronic Verses’

The 4 piece Providence, Rhode Island-based alternative rock band The Dorons, have just released their debut contemporary rock album, The Doronic Verses.

The Rosenfield family makes up The Dorons, features mom Janice on drums, dad Norman on lead guitar, older brother Aryeh on bass, and younger brother Yosef on lead vocals and guitar. The band came together back in 2017 when Aryeh, then a music major in college, had a senior recital and decided to recruit his family to play with him for the occasion. Mom and dad had retired as performing musicians, previously vets of the ’80s and ’90s Boston alt-rock scene. 

The music of the Dorons evokes contemporary folk-rock, singer-songwriter, and alt-rock styles with searing lead guitar playing, impassioned vocals, sage and sensitive lyrics, earworm hooks, and a stirring acoustic-rock foundation. Their songs also contain nuanced rhythm section interplay. The band’s evocative name is fascinatingly layered. It references the Doors and the bittersweet minor scale, the Dorian mode, plus it hilariously rhymes with “morons.” Additionally, the word “dor” in Hebrew means “generation,” which speaks to the multigenerational nature of the band.

The Doronic Verses is a tight 11-song album of carefully crafted contemporary rock, shaded with singer-songwriter intimacy, country flourishes, and blues-rock urgency. The acoustic-rocker song “This New Poison” is a freshly penned original written by Yosef and Janice, and it boasts a Greta Van Fleet-esque swagger, replete with smoldering bluesy lead guitar. The catchy pop rock tune “Not the Usual Fare” features acoustic guitar layered with chiming electric guitar, along with overlapping “call-and-response” backing vocals. “I wrote that song years ago about my brother, who was autistic, during a time when society and the medical profession didn’t understand the condition. He was a beautiful soul and loved music, and he ended up being institutionalized,” Janice says.

Connect with The Dorons via:

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An Empty Room – An Episodic / Livestream & Podcast Series Continues with Shawn Mullins Watch Party on November 20, 2022

(Atlanta, GA) November 16, 2022 – An Empty Room, the original series that explores the connective tissue between 6 uniquely influential artists from the Atlanta music scene, continues with one of Atlanta’s most beloved musicians, Shawn Mullins. He is best known for the 1998 single “Lullaby,” which hit number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40 Chart, sold over a million copies and got him a Grammy nomination. 

Shawn’s Volume livestream is warm, intimate, and well produced. It feels more like he’s singing for you rather than at you. He sings hits like “California,” ”Light You Up,” “The Ghost of Johnny Cash,” and more. It’s just Shawn and his guitar, providing a vulnerable and open performance. 

He shares fond memories and stories of growing up in Atlanta, when he used to go to Wax ‘N’ Facts Record Store which ignited the fire for his future as a career musician. He recalls his first performance at the Little Five Points Pub (now known as the Corner Tavern) when he was called on stage and too afraid to do one of his originals, so he sang  “American Pie,” but the crowd demanded he sing a song he wrote. This was when he realized that people want to hear what he has to offer.

Mullins cultivated an interest in music beginning in his high school days, in part because his grandfather was in a big band group and his mother was musically inclined. He honed his craft in marching band in his college days as a solo acoustic musician. Kiss and Elton John were his superheroes growing up, Kiss being the hottest band in the land for a kid who loved horror movies meant a lot to him. He wanted to sing like Elton, even found inspiration in his fun and animated album covers. 

It’s been a quarter century since he exploded onto the folk rock music scene and he has sustained an impressive long-term career, played coast to coast with every artist in his genre imaginable and been a steady headliner for 14 years on the Cayamo Cruises a floating party of music fanatics that in a few weeks will set sail with Jeff Tweedy, Andrew Bird, Patty Griffin, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Shovels and Rope.

Shawn and members of his band will be on hand during his watch party to interact with fans as a warm up for his Variety Playhouse gig on November 26th.

Shawn Mullins Online Watch Party Details

Sunday November 20, 2022

9 PM EST 

Reserve Free Tickets here

Listen to the An Empty Room Podcast here.

Find Shawn Online here.

About An Empty Room 

Created and produced in the height of 2020 when touring artists had to pivot, the Empty Room series features quality documentary-style storytelling interspersed with musical performances where the up close viewer perspective serves as the sole audience member.

The Atlanta-based Kearns family created and produced the entire series when the music industry as it was once known had shuttered. The family captured intimate performances and never-before heard stories from musicians with deep Atlanta roots during a time when neither producers nor touring musicians had a clear trajectory for creation. “When the artists asked ‘What do you want me to play?’ I told them: Whatever you would play if you were sitting by yourself in your living room,” says Martin “Marty” Kearns.

About Volume

Volume.com is a 24/7 free live stream platform that allows engagement between artists and their fans to help artists build and monetize their craft, from ticket sales, subscriptions, merch purchases, or by using Volume’s unique online tip system. 

Volume differentiates itself by connecting all viewers and performers with first-class sound and visual quality. Their multi-layered audio effects, plugins, and soundcheck create a unique and seamless experience for both performers and audience members. They celebrate all artistic expression, be that in music, podcasts, comedy, or even sports, and provide a fun, welcoming, and vibrant community for all.

The “One Man Punk Band” Gunnar Gill Shares His Cathartic Punk Rock Song “Who’s the Real Coward”

“I always had anger issues growing up, and I never found a healthy way to let things out until I discovered the drums and writing my own music,” says punk rock artist Gunnar Gill, also known as the “One Man Punk Band.” “I like aggressiveness; I like things hardcore; and I like making high-energy music that makes people want to jump around.”

Gunnar Gill cuts a striking image, flaunting a high-rise mohawk, and clad in a tank top and well-worn jeans. The 19 year old West Palm Beach, Florida-based singer, songwriter, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist is punk’s newest raging rebel rocker. Gunnar is a singular talent who combines 21st-century attitude with a throwback lo-fi classic punk sound.

His newest punk rock single, “Who’s the Real Coward,” is a cathartic release of anger through the aggressive sound of punk rock. The song was inspired by an old ex-bandmate of Gunnar who talked about Gunnar behind his back. Essentially, he was using Gunnar for his musical abilities. The betrayal permeates the music with the barked vocals and a dizzying display of blast-beat drumming

Gunnar’s music melds the anthemic pop-punk of artists such as Blink 182 and Green Day with the stoned poetics and, sometimes, vulgarities of rapper Mac Miller. “I like to sneak in lyrics that make people turn their heads, and go ‘what did he just say?!’,” Gunnar says laughing. He travels the state of Florida performing as a “one man punk band,” dazzling audiences with his showmanship as he jumps from guitar to drums. Gunnar has also enlisted a motley assortment of his musical partners in crime for the Gunnar Gill Band. Gunnar fans are highly-engaged online, and many of his videos have reached 10,000 views and beyond. 

Connect with Gunnar Gill

Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify

Ariel Arbisser Shares Her New Electro-Pop Single “Rabbit Hole”

Singer/songwriter Ariel Arbisser’s music and performances make her audiences feel seen, heard, and offers a unique glimpse into how she experiences the highs and lows of the world. Her music is raw and passionate, a brand of pop that you won’t find in other artists.

She just released her new electro-pop single, with a hint of funk, “Rabbit Hole,” the follow up single to her last release “Bloodshed.” “The core of this song came to me last year and it’s had a chokehold on me since,” shares Ariel. “Thematically there’s some crossover, but ‘Rabbit Hole’ comes down from the rage-filled fever pitch of ‘Bloodshed’ to this which is a more restrained, sexy, slow-burn. Things haven’t settled yet. The ‘dark side’ is still enticing, maybe even more comfortable than it was before. The full song sonically is true, addictive journey downward.”

“Rabbit Hole” has a contemporary meets retro electro-pop sound, almost like a Sara Bareilles meets Harry Styles. Her voice carries such strength, similar to an Alice Russell or Brandi Carlile, or even an Adele.

Through her lens as a white, Jewish, queer woman, she is transparent when learning out loud and participates in ongoing conversations about mental health, body neutrality, sex positivity, social and racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and more. In a world that’s dangerous for far too many and uncomfortable for almost everyone, she creates a touchstone by creating art, appreciating simple pleasures, and taking dedicated and intentional risks for love.

“With love comes inevitable pain– miscommunication, betrayal, heartache, loss… Allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to experience love, however briefly, is brave. And it’s worth it in the end.”

Connect with Ariel Arbisser via:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

Happy For No Reason Share Their Jazzy Folk Rock Album ‘Take It Higher’

The Portland, OR-based band, Happy For No Reason, celebrate every single one of life’s precious moments as two of their members are literally happy to be alive. Comprising of Jo Alexis on vocals and percussion, Neil Goldstein on guitar, and Mark Pritchard on flute, the founding members of Happy For No Reason navigate the rich waters of jazzy folk with a pinch of rock, a dash of soul, and even a touch of Bossa Nova.

They just released their album, Take It Higher, a collection of 12 songs that ooze love and life. Each song makes you smile, gets you dancing with the beat, and swaying with their infectious melodies.

Their song “Hummingbird Heartbeat” was actually written by Jo Alexis about a major accident she had. While her vocals soar in every song, something about the delicacy and strength in her voice for “Hummingbird Heartbeat” puts the song on a higher plain. It’s about forced changed and the ability to adapt to the obstacles of life.

With a variety of inspirations that include Hubert Laws, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Ian Andersen, Eva Cassidy, Esperanza Spalding, Camille, Joe Strummer, Bonnie Raitt, Nancy King, Kurt Elling, Milton Nascimento, The Band, Pentangle and Neil’s aforementioned love of 60’s Brit pop and West Coast bands, Happy For No Reason are the very definition of cool intelligent music that fulfils dreams. Embrace their happiness and let them Take It Higher.

Connect with Happy For No Reason via:
Website / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify