{"id":43923,"date":"2019-10-05T08:08:35","date_gmt":"2019-10-05T12:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=43923"},"modified":"2019-10-05T08:08:44","modified_gmt":"2019-10-05T12:08:44","slug":"on-stage-grayscale-has-deep-chesco-roots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=43923","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Grayscale has deep Chesco roots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <em>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10275\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/grayscale-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10275\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10275\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/grayscale-3-350x233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10275\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grayscale<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Grayscale is celebrating the release of its sophomore album, \u201cNella Vita,\u201d with a show on October 5 at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com\/\">http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com<\/a>). It will be a homecoming for the Philadelphia-based band after a brief stateside tour and the lone area gig prior to an ambitious European tour later this month.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>The alternative\/pop-punk\/emo quintet &#8212; Collin Walsh [vocals], Dallas Molster [guitar, vocals], Andrew Kyne [guitar], Nick Ventimiglia [bass], and Nick Veno [drums] &#8212; may be a Philly band but its roots are in the Chester County area.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all went to college at Drexel and Temple,\u201d said Walsh, during a phone interview Friday afternoon from a tour stop in Hartford, Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI went to Unionville High School and graduated in 2012. Nick Veno graduated from Bishop Shanahan. Andrew went to Delco Christian and Dallas went to St. Mark\u2019s in Delaware. The only one who isn\u2019t from the area is our bassist Nick Ventimiglia who is from Detroit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since forming in 2011, when its band members were only in high school, Grayscale has emerged from the Philadelphia punk scene and established an national and international fan base. The band\u2019s debut album on Fearless Records was 2017\u2019s \u201cAdornment.\u201d Its sophomore album \u201cNella Vita\u201d was just released on September 6 on Fearless Records.<\/p>\n<p>Two tracks on \u201cAdornment\u201d set the stage for Grayscale\u2019s popularity spike. \u201cAtlantic\u201d registered more than 4.3 million Spotify streams and \u201cForever Yours\u201d topped the 3.5 million. Other tracks from the album also fared well and exceeded the one million-mark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNella Vita\u201d will undoubtedly amass numbers that will blow away their previous standards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe put out four singles from \u2018Nella Vita\u2019 before the album came out \u2013 \u2018Painkiller Weekend,\u2019 \u2018In Violet,\u2019 \u2018Old Friend,\u2019 and \u2018Baby Blue,\u2019\u201d said Walsh. \u201cThe album dropped a few weeks ago and we just now released another single from it \u2013 \u2018Young.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe video for \u2018Young\u2019 was shot in locations all around Philly. The song is about sending a message \u2013 wherever you\u2019re from or whatever you look like, you need to be nice to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grayscale has been around for most of the decade but only recently has elevated to a new plateau.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been a band since we were kids,\u201d said Walsh, who played lacrosse at Unionville High. \u201cBut we\u2019ve only actually been a touring band for the last few years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe made the new album in January and February this year in Texas with Machine as the producer. We cut it at his studio in Dripping Springs \u2013 Machine Shop Recording Studio. We used some combinations of his gear \u2013 analog and digital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMachine came to Philly first. He spent a week with us and was listening to the songs. We made demos first in Texas and then listened to them a lot before we did the final recording. Machine pushed us and busted our ass \u2013 and that helped a lot.<\/p>\n<p>Under a heavy influence of everything from &#8217;90s rock to funk,\u00a0as well as a rotation of modern hip-hop and R&amp;B, Grayscale dove headfirst into writing \u201cNella Vita.\u201d Machine (Lamb of God, As It Is, Armor For Sleep, Four Year Strong) was the producer the band needed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe chose to work with him because we wanted something completely different from what we did before,\u201d said Walsh. \u201cMachine has an old school vibe and a lot of experience. We wanted to do something unconventional with the new album.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The resulting collection of tracks is one that sees the band chronicling life, its many facets, and its many complications, as they themselves have experienced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe new album deals with a lot of things you experience in life \u2013 the nostalgia of teenage years to the grieving side of life and trying to cope with it,\u201d said Walsh. \u201cThe lyrical aspect goes across the spectrum.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe musical part also covers a lot. We grew up playing all kinds of music \u2013 and listening to a lot of different styles. This record pulls from so many different styles and merges them. I think our sound is always going to progress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for Grayscale \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/mNROjt24rtE\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/mNROjt24rtE<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at the Theatre of the Living Arts, which also features Belmont, Bearings, and Rich People, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10276\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/claudettes-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10276\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10276\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/claudettes-3-350x233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10276\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Claudettes<\/p><\/div>\n<p>When The Claudettes headlined a show at Bourbon and Branch a little over a year ago, they were touring in support their new album\u00a0\u201cDance Scandal At The Gymnasium\u201d which came out March 23, 2018 via Yellow Dog Records.<\/p>\n<p>Now, The Claudettes &#8212; Johnny Iguana (piano), Berit Ulseth (vocals), Zach Verdoorn (bass), Michael Caskey (drums) &#8212; are coming back to the area for a show at the Grape Room (105 Grape Street, Manayunk, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.graperoommusic.com\/\">https:\/\/www.graperoommusic.com\/<\/a>) on October 5 and they\u2019re still touring that album.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a new album that is already done,\u201d said Iguana, during a phone interview Tuesday morning from his home in Chicago. \u201cI\u2019m writing all the time. Two-thirds of the next album after this one is already written. For us, new songs are the most exciting thing.\u00a0 I start with chords and melodies. I start with building blocks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd, we record a lot of our shows. We listen to them over and over and learn a lot from listening. I got a really nice recorder as a gift and our guitarist got a camera that can record the show from the back of the room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ready and waiting &#8212; a new album is ready but the band\u2019s fans might be waiting a while for it to reach them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe recorded the album in September and October 2018,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cIt got mixed over the winter holiday and was finished by February<\/p>\n<p>The Claudettes combine the Chicago blues-piano tradition with the energy of rockabilly and punk and the sultry sound of \u201960s soul-jazz to create a thrilling new spin on American roots music.<\/p>\n<p>According to Downbeat Magazine, \u201cThe Claudettes hit listeners upside the head with a mash-up of Otis Spann blues, Albert Ammons boogie-woogie, Ray Charles soul and \u201cFess\u201d Longhair New Orleans R&amp;B.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rather than attack the blues with one or two guitars, the Claudettes brandish a piano instead. But the Claudettes have created their own fanatical fusion of blues and soul-jazz \u2013 sort of like Ray Charles on a punk kick.<\/p>\n<p>The Claudette\u2019s have a strange history \u2013 and an interesting story behind their name.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMichael Caskey, a drummer from Chicago, and I had a piano-and-drum duo,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cWe called a place called Claudette\u2019s Bar in 2010 looking for a gig in between Chicago and St. Louis. Claudette booked us into her bar in Oglesby (Illinois) and fell in love with the band.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, she hired us as her house band and put them. That drummer\u2019s wife had a baby, so we hired a new drummer and then expanded to a four-piece. Since then, we\u2019ve done a ton of shows.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The show at the Grape Room will be a homecoming for Iguana.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was born in New Jersey and grew up in the Philly area,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cI graduated from Upper Dublin High School and the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen, I moved to New York City where I worked in publishing and played piano. I began meeting blues musicians and playing in blues bands. I met Junior Wells in Chicago and played piano in his band.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to touring internationally and recording six albums with his cult-favorite rock band oh my god, Iguana has played live or recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Lil\u2019 Ed, Carey Bell, Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, John Primer, Billy Branch, Carlos Johnson, Sugar Blue, Dave Myers and Eddie Shaw.<\/p>\n<p>Video link for The Claudettes &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/BabMUvZf9FM\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/BabMUvZf9FM<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at the Grape Room will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10277\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sharks.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10277\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10277\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sharks-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10277\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Desert Sharks<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you\u2019re in the mood for a live show on October 5 that pulses at a much faster rate, you should head to Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, <a href=\"http:\/\/kungfunecktie.com\/\">kungfunecktie.com<\/a>) where the Desert Sharks will be rattling the rafters.<\/p>\n<p>Desert Sharks is the name of a hard-rocking, Brooklyn-based quartet featuring guitarists Stefania Rovera and Sunny Veniero, drummer Rebecca Fruchter and songwriter\/bassist\/lead singer Stephanie Gunther.<\/p>\n<p>On September 27, 2019, Desert Sharks released their debut album, \u201cBaby\u2019s Gold Death Stadium,\u201d on Substitute Scene Records.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBaby\u2019s Gold Death Stadium\u201d juxtaposes elements from iconic \u201890s bands Sleater-Kinney, L7, Veruca Salt, and Toadies with Desert Sharks\u2019 own musical history. Named for DIY venues and small stages they\u2019ve regularly played over the years, the album is an edgier, more organic effort from the Brooklyn-based foursome.<\/p>\n<p>The band\u2019s previous releases were all EPs \u2013 \u201cDesert Sharks\u201d in 2011, \u201cSister Cousins\u201d in 2013, and \u201cTemplate Hair\u201d in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it was fall 2011 that we put out our first EP,\u201d said Gunther, during a phone interview Tuesday as she headed to her day job at a jewelry company in Brooklyn. \u201cWhen we first started, we made a quick EP so that we had something to sell at our shows.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The garage-pop-inspired \u201cSister Cousins\u201d was recorded at Brooklyn\u2019s Converse Rubber Tracks studio.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was when Converse had a special promotion where they would offer bands free studio time,\u201d said Gunther. \u201cIt was just eight hours of studio time. So that EP was recorded quickly too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur third EP was called \u2018Template Hair.\u2019 It was on a label from L.A. called Manimal and they only did EPs. We play shows all the time, so it took us two years to complete the recording of that EP.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The band put out three singles \u2013 \u201cSorceress,\u201d \u201cDating?,\u201d and \u201cI Don&#8217;t Know How to Dress for the Apocalypse\u201d \u2013 prior to the release of the recently-released album.<\/p>\n<p>Things fell into place nicely when it was time to make the band\u2019s debut album, which was mixed and mastered by Jonathan Schenke.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe made the album with producer Jordan Lovelace at Spice World by Jordan Lovelace,\u201d said Gunther. \u201cHe understood our music. He had seen us play a lot, so he understood how heavy we want to be.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith our songwriting, we\u2019re all there playing with the riffs. I\u2019m the singer\/bassist but I came form bands where I just sang. With us, we write the structure first and then I take it home and do the lyrics. Then, Sunny will add guitar overdubs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe recorded 12 songs for the album. We\u2019re so excited to have the songs we played live so much finally be on a record. One song \u2013 \u2018For Loneliness Sake\u2019 \u2013 we played at the very first show we played.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, when we don\u2019t have a million shows going on, our focus is on writing. Sometimes, it\u2019s a superfast process. Other times, it takes a couple months to write one song. We won\u2019t play a song live until it\u2019s ready. We don\u2019t do throwaway songs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for the Desert Sharks \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/pz35J_L5bMk\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/pz35J_L5bMk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10278\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/cara-palace.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10278\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10278\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/cara-palace-350x280.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"280\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10278\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caravan Palace<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The show at Kung Fu Necktie, which also features The Warhawks and The Dead Flowers, will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n<p>Caravan Palace is a big band with a big sound and a big outlook. On October 5, it will bring its big, expansive sound to Philly for a concert at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.utphilly.com\/\">www.utphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>This will be the first time Caravan Palace played Philly since its 2017 tour in support of \u00a0its critically-acclaimed third full-length album,\u201d &lt;|\u00b0_\u00b0|&gt;,\u201d which was released on Le Plan Recordings.<br \/>\n\u201c&lt;|\u00b0_\u00b0|&gt;\u201d saw chart success &#8212; reaching #3 on Billboard\u2019s Electronic\/Dance Album chart and #5 on Billboard\u2019s Heatseekers chart. It remained on Billboard\u2019s Electronic\/Dance chart for more than 20 weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Caravan Palace, a band described as \u201cParisian electronic alchemists, released its new album, \u201cChronologic\u201d\u00a0on August 30 and then embarked on a full North American tour in September.<\/p>\n<p>Fronted by vocalist Zo\u00e9 Colotis and founding members Hugues Payen, Charles Delaporte and Arnaud Vial alongside Antoine Toustou, Camille Chapeli\u00e8re, and Paul-Marie Barbier, Caravan Palace cites influences as diverse as Cab Calloway and Daft Punk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was very challenging at first,\u201d said Colotis, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from a tour stop in Boston.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re a fan of swing. I think people can feel how much we love American music. We were more acoustic when we began. Now, it\u2019s getting more and more electronic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caravan Palace\u2019s story began in the early part of the century.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was at the university in Lille with Arnaud,\u201d said Payen. \u00a0\u201cIn Paris, he introduced me to his old friend Chas. We started making music together &#8212; an electronic project. That was around 15 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn 2005, we made a soundtrack for a TV channel &#8212; but it was never released. Then, we started to really make the project in 2006 and released our first album in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only old stuff we knew was Django (Reinhardt). Then, we started listening to a lot of swing. We spent hundreds of hours listening to swing music like Lionel Hampton.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caravan palace\u2019s hybrid music began finding an audience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe could see that it was not hard for young people to like what we were doing,\u201d said Payne. \u201cWe didn\u2019t produce dance music at that moment. We just made music we liked to hear. There were a lot of influences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was very different to do gypsy music and dance music. We had to find something deeper that would work. We worked hard to find our unique sound. It\u2019s always a challenge to make new songs &#8212; hard to find the right tempo. It\u2019s a big problem. Lately, tempos have gotten slower in hip hop so we had to make the change. Dance and trap &#8212; we hear it every day. It\u2019s the music we love to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following on from the huge success of their last studio album, 2015\u2019s \u201c&lt;I\u00b0_\u00b0I&gt;\u201d could have seemed quite the task for the band. With its fusion of hedonistic house and old school jazz, \u201c&lt;I\u00b0_\u00b0I&gt;\u201d has now sold more than a quarter-million copies and featured huge viral hits in the singles &#8220;Wonderland&#8221; and \u201cLone Digger,\u201d the latter of which is about to be become the band\u2019s first Gold Record in the USA.<\/p>\n<p>The band members spent two years in their basement Parisian studio relentlessly testing new formulae &#8212; looking for unanimous approval between themselves before unleashing their work on the public. They opened themselves up to the moment and set about smashing musical barriers and infusing vintage elements in their modern work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe use a lot of samples,\u201d said Colotis. \u201cThe guitar is not really sounding gypsy like it did before \u2013 and there is less violin. We still play acoustic instruments at times and there still is no drummer. Drums comer from the computer. We also have pads for MIDI instruments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of our current influences are Frank Ocean, Anderson Pak, the hip hop scene and a little EDM. We\u2019re still playing songs from earlier albums but now we\u2019re more into blues and soul \u2013 a lot of different music.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a natural thing to find something new to keep it exciting. Inspiration is tricky. We never think abut doing something just to sell records. We\u2019re still committed to the music.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe recorded the new album in Paris, and it took us two-and-a-half years to make it. We called it \u2018Chronologic\u2019 because we try to travel in time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for Caravan Palace \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/LX5ntwkUa48\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/LX5ntwkUa48<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at Union Transfer will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $30.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10279\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/hound.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10279\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/hound-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10279\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Smooth Hound Smith<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Fans of the Nashville-based band Smooth Hound Smith are in for a double treat on October 5.<\/p>\n<p>They can hear the band perform songs from its new album, \u201cDog in a Manger,\u201d and, at the same time, they will be able to contribute to a worthy cause.<\/p>\n<p>Smooth Hound Smith &#8212; Zack Smith and Caitlin Doyle-Smith &#8212; will be playing songs from all its albums at the Workhorse Brewery (250 King Manor Drive, King of Prussia,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.workhorsebrewing.com\/beers\/\">workhorsebrewing.com<\/a>) and will be presenting the songs in a full band format instead of the usual duo.<\/p>\n<p>The husband-and-wife team will be performing as part of the inaugural \u201cBetter Together Gathering,\u201d which will run from 5-11 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cBetter Together Gathering,\u201d will include live music, restaurant food, cash bar, food trucks and raffles. The event features live sets by Smooth Hound Smith as well as local favorite &#8212; The Bob Lowery Band.<\/p>\n<p>All proceeds from this event will go to support two great local organizations &#8212; Alpha Bravo Canine and Laurel House.<\/p>\n<p>ALL tickets, which are $35, are general admission and include Keepsake Glass, one beverage and live music.<\/p>\n<p>Smooth Hound Smith is an American roots and rock band\u00a0founded by\u00a0Zack Smith (guitars\/vocals\/foot drums\/harmonicas\/banjo) and\u00a0Caitlin Doyle-Smith (vocals\/percussion).\u00a0 Established in 2012, and based in East Nashville, TN, they record and perform a varied and unique style of folky, garage-infused rhythm &amp; blues.<\/p>\n<p>Using primal foot percussion, complex, fuzzed-out, finger-picked guitar patterns, warbled harmonicas, tasty harmonies and syncopated tambourine, they are able to create something rugged and visceral: a modern interpretation of early blues, soul, and rock &#8216;n&#8217; roll music that harkens back to the traditions of hazy front porch folk songs as well as raucous back-alley juke joints. SHS has traveled over 150,000 road miles, playing over 800 shows in their tenure,\u00a0across America, Europe, and Canada, all in the last five years.<\/p>\n<p>All of this led to 2019 and the release of \u201cDog in a Manger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe album was officially released on August 9,\u201d said Zach Smith, during a recent phone interview from the duo\u2019s home in East Nashville.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were trickling out singles for a while. We put out five singles just to rustle up interest in the album. Part of me knows singles. We\u2019re back to the singles culture. But I think there\u2019s something about writing an album and bringing it to fruition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caitlin Doyle-Smith said, \u201cWe grew up with albums. Our fan base covers all age groups. So, there are people who want to buy albums. And, we love albums.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zach added, \u201cWe also love vinyl. We just got the vinyl of our album this week and it sounds great. When you have a vinyl album, there\u2019s a need for patience. You can\u2019t just push a button. You have to take it out of the jacket, out of the inner liner, pace it on the turntable and then put the needle down. That takes patience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caitlin said, \u201cAnother nice thing about a vinyl album is that is one of the few physical things that aren\u2019t packaged in hard plastic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>SHS\u2019s eponymous debut album garnered attention from media outlets such as Nashville&#8217;s independent radio, WRLT Lightning 100, as well as publications like American Songwriter and RELIX Magazine. The band was also selected over thousands of other bands to perform at the 2015 Bonnaroo Music &amp; Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.\u00a0\u00a0In addition, the music of Smooth Hound Smith has been featured on CMT\u2019s\u00a0Nashville, MTV\u2019s\u00a0The Real World\u00a0and the Esquire Network.<\/p>\n<p>Smooth Hound Smith&#8217;s second full-length album,\u00a0\u201cSweet Tennessee Honey,\u201d\u00a0was released in 2016, and features appearances by Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks), Sarah Jarosz, and Jano Rix (The Wood Brothers).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDog In A Manger\u201d is the duo\u2019s third album. While the previous releases show their seamless vocal blend and ability to coax compelling music from minimal instrumentation, the new disc brings it all to a higher level of expression. Zack and Caitlin\u2019s melodies, hooks and harmonies are in balance.<\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EL\">With three albums from which to draw, Smooth Hound Smith have plenty of songs for their live show.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EL\">\u201cOur live show is a mix,\u201d said Caitlin. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to be bringing a rhythm section. It\u2019s a four-pierce with Sammi Potts on drums and Justin Serwerda on bass. We like it this way because it\u2019s difficult to go out as a duo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"EL\">Video link for Smooth Hound Smith \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/J8gH7MgClY4\"><span lang=\"EN\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/J8gH7MgClY4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The event at the Workhorse Brewery will run from 5-11 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Grayscale is celebrating the release of its sophomore album, \u201cNella Vita,\u201d with a show on October 5 at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011, http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com). It will be a homecoming for the Philadelphia-based band after a brief stateside tour and the lone area [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[12501,7426,12500,12467,10602],"class_list":["post-43923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-desert-sharks","tag-featured","tag-grayscale","tag-smooth-hound-smith","tag-the-claudettes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43924,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43923\/revisions\/43924"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}