Bulletins
-
Apr 13, 08:15 PMEasy Star's Lonely Hearts Club Band Out Now!
he new Easy Star All-Stars album, EASY STAR'S LONELY HEARTS DUB BAND, comes out today, April 14th. You've already heard us go on about what a great record this is, so we'll let some other folks praise the record for a moment:
"Your oasis of surreality in a vast desert of indie-rockin' blandness." - Village Voice
"It's a safe bet that the modern 'Lonely Hearts' will not only be embraced by die-hard Beatles fans, but introduce The Beatles' magic to a whole new group of listeners." - Washington Examiner
"...soulful, spaced-out jams that feel weighty and weightless at the same time." - San Francisco Chronicle
"These reggaefied takes are so cleverly done - with arrangements that are aptly inventive, rather than reverential - that only the dullest musical snob could fail to be entertained by them. 4 stars." - The Independent (UK)
"...there can't be much more fun to be had in the world than listening to Bunny Rugs' brave take on 'Lovely Rita'" - Timeout London
"...the All-Stars have...created a strong contender for party record of the summer. 8 out of 10." - Press Association (UK)
The early buzz has been pretty incredible, with coverage in tons of major publications from the UK to Australia to Holland to the US. Help us out by buying the record this week, through our webstore or at any retail location, physical or digital. First week sales are very important! If you like the record, please write reviews on iTunes or Amazon. Each of these steps helps in spreading the word and keeping the buzz on the album growing. We also have put a new poster into the store, along with a 4" circular bumper sticker. If you order now at http://www.easytar.com, or any time until May 14, you can get a free sticker with an order of $9 or more. -
Jan 13, 08:27 AMFirst Single rom Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band Posted!
Now that we’ve announced the new album, EASY STAR’S LONELY HEARTS DUB BAND, we figured we should let you all get a taste of what this amazing record will sound like. So check the myspace page for the first single, “With A Little Help From My Friends” featuring Luciano on vocals. This will be released exclusively at iTunes on February 10, along with a b-side dub version featuring U Roy. We will be posting more tracks from the album in the coming weeks. And remember the album drops April 14th! Look out for info on the PRE-ORDER coming soon.
-
Jan 13, 07:26 AMNew Easy Star All-Stars Tribute Album!Greetings Easy Star crew, see below for the official press release making the rounds today. We at Easy Star Records are very excited to finally be revealing this info and release date. Stay tuned here and at easystar.com to get the latest updates, including when music will be posted, info on pre-orders, tour dates, contests and more.
EASY STAR RECORDS ANNOUNCES
Easy Star All-Stars’ Reggae Re-Imaging Of
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band
Set For Release April 14
Album Follows the Tremendous Success Of
Dub Side Of The Moon(2003) And Radiodread (2006)“They made a smashing success out of their cover of Dark Side of the Moon…”—Pitchfork
“The All-Stars have tackled Radiohead’s OK Computer, and the result
is again impressive.”—Rolling Stone
Following the widespread critical and commercial success of 2003’s Dub Side of the Moon and 2006’s Radiodread, Easy Star Records announces the Easy Star All-Stars’ complete reggae re-imagining of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album, titled Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, is set for release April 14 on Easy Star Records and features guest vocals from an impressive list of reggae, dancehall and dub greats including Steel Pulse, Matisyahu, Michael Rose (Black Uhuru), Luciano, U Roy, Bunny Rugs (Third World), Ranking Roger (English Beat), Sugar Minott, Frankie Paul, Max Romeo and The Mighty Diamonds. The first single, “With A Little Help From My Friends,” featuring Luciano, will be released as an iTunes exclusive February 10. It will be paired with a b-side dub version featuring the legendary U Roy.
Dub Side of the Moon, (Easy Star’s reggae tribute to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon) is one of the most successful reggae albums of the 21st century and spent over five years on Billboard’s Top Reggae Chart. Mojo selected the record as the second greatest cover album of all time. Radiodread, which tackled Radiohead’s OK Computer, spent over 18 months on Billboard’s Top Reggae Chart and earned praise from Radiohead themselves.
Of the decision to infuse reggae into the Beatles classic, producer Michael Goldwasser says “We’ve focused on re-envisioning concept albums as reggae and it’s really important that the source material works as a whole and is not just a collection of songs. So, what better to take on next than the mother of all concept albums?”
Goldwasser is once more the musical mastermind behind this album, having arranged and produced the music, assembled the musicians and guest artists and played guitar throughout. Goldwasser is joined by Victor Rice (bass), Victor “Ticklah” Axelrod (keyboards) and Patrick Dougher & Eddie Ocampo (drums, percussion). Members of the touring version of the Easy Star All-Stars also contribute, including Ras I Ray, Jenny Hill, Buford O’Sullivan, Ivan Katz, Kirsty Rock, Tamar-kali, Junior Jazz and Menny More. In addition to producing six albums for Easy Star, Goldwasser has produced albums for Corey Harris, Hatikva 6 and others, and has had compositions featured in the motion pictures Failure To Launch and Woody Allen’s Cassandra’s Dream.
For over a decade, Easy Star Records has been a trendsetting independent reggae label. Dub Side of the Moon and Radiodread form the backbone of a catalogue that includes progressive albums from John Brown’s Body and Easy Star All-Stars keyboardist Ticklah, reissues of classic material from Sugar Minott and Linval Thompson and new recordings from reggae legends The Meditations and Sister Carol.
