ThumbIm

Order the album now Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols are a nationally touring band from Baltimore, MD. Recently signed to Rusty Knuckles Music in 2018, their new album �Forgive� is due for release on November 16 2019. Currently, the group is touring the country to share their raucous honky tonk, dirty blues, roadhouse rock �n� roll, and tear jerking country balladry. The music of Sean K. Preston draws heavily on the influences of the classic heartbroken sounds of Country & Western music from the 40�s through the 70�s, the honesty of the Blues by the likes of Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker, the bombast of 50�s Rock�n�Roll, the lyrical sophistication of musical poets like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Nick Cave, the raw energy of Punk, and the spirituality of Mountain Gospel.  Sean K. Preston�s songs range from delicate laments and lullabies to fiery sermons and confessions. "If Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley had a child, he'd probably sing like Sean K. Preston. H...

When the final track of your life finishes playing, how would you like to be remembered? Do you want to be buried and forgotten like a bad solo album? Or would you like to be encased for posterity like a big platinum record? Or maybe you hope to continue being heard, like a legendary musician that lives on forever. Well, if you hope to have your song play long after you�ve left the recording studio of life, there�s a way for that to happen�literally�by having your ashes pressed into a vinyl record. We came across this somewhat macabre/sort of touching/totally metal internment option at Ask Audio , and it is offered by the UK company Andvinyl . With their basic package they will take your actual cremated ashes and press them into 30 discs, each with 24 total minutes of audio (12 minutes on each side). You have to supply the sound, so you can record something original like a message or have them use a favorite song, but the discs come with standard artwork and labels that incl...

Another giant leap for vinyl, courtesy of Jack White. Back in November 2015, word went out that Third Man Records would open a vinyl pressing plant in label boss Jack White�s adopted hometown of Detroit. Just over a year later, the label has released a video teasing its imminent opening. There is no confirmation as to who has access to the pressing plant, but the necessity for another outpost in the US is undeniable. As we learned earlier this week , Third Man Pressing�s neighbors Underground Resistance will be taking their music to Bandcamp to compensate for vinyl pressing plant lag times. No word on when the plant will officially open, but it will be part of Third Man�s Detroit shop in the Cass Corridor neighborhood. It will be, according to the ad the �most incredible vinyl pressing plant in the world.� (We�re not going to address the whole �label that made vinyl important again� thing.) Third Man�s biggest feat of 2016 was playing the first vinyl record in space . Revisi...

After music exports rose in 2015, trade group says politicians must take notice of economic and cultural contribution. UK Music says popular artists such as Sam Smith help raise Britain�s profile around the world. Photograph: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images The music industry has issued a plea to politicians to protect the UK�s status as one of the world�s biggest exporters of new music during negotiations to leave the EU . New figures show UK music enjoyed another strong year for exports in 2015, prompting the industry�s main trade group to warn that politicians must recognise both its contribution to the economy and its power to raise Britain�s profile around the world thanks to the popularity of artists such as Adele and Sam Smith . There was a surge in foreign sales of British music and in ticket sales to overseas residents for events in Britain in 2015, according to the umbrella group UK Music , which represents the commercial music industry, including artists, songwriters an...

The Listening Room image by Scott Clark. When thinking about top home furnishings specialty retailer Crate and Barrel, one usually thinks about what to put for the wedding registry or what to get for your kitchen or bedroom to have your home looking sleek. Music is probably the furthest thing from one�s mind. Now, in an attempt to appeal to the music lover and geek inside all of us, Crate and Barrel announced yesterday a brand new collection of cutting-edge audio equipment, exclusive furniture and accessories as well as a selected collection of vinyl recordings thanks to its brand new partnership with Capitol Records. Speaking on this announcement, Crate and Barrel CEO said: �We believe in the power of music to create connections, shape celebrations and enhance homes. Music moves people. At Crate, we wanted to create a space for long-time collectors and those new to vinyl to kick back, relax and enjoy some of the best music of the past 75 years.� Planned to be released in S...

A record player contained inside a birthday card. See how/if it works in this video. If you want to surprise someone with a Recard, you can buy one here. http://www.recards.co.uk

Paul D. Lehrman, a lecturer in music and director of the music engineering minor program, weighs in on the debate Vinyl is back, no doubt about it. Sales of vinyl records have been soaring, although they still represent only a tiny fraction of the music industry�s revenues: about 2 percent in 2014. Is this growth because, as some respected sources breathlessly state�I�m looking at you, Wired magazine�vinyl sounds better than digital media? Or is there some sort of retro-hype going on? It�s true that some digital media really don�t sound very good. Low-bit-rate MP3 makes compromises in fidelity, as does low-bit-rate AAC, the higher-tech successor to MP3 that is used by iTunes and YouTube. Low-bit-rate AAC files are also what you typically hear on Pandora, Spotify and SoundCloud, and on your phone. While they are OK for casual listening in the gym or the car, many people can hear their limitations in a quiet environment. But what about compact discs, which some claim compromise...

Before June 21, 1948, if you wanted to listen to recorded music that was more than a few minutes long, your only option was the radio. The format of choice back then was the 78-rpm record, which could hold about five minutes per side. This was an improvement over the wax cylinder, which could play for two minutes. And then, behold, 68 years ago today, Columbia Records announced the LP, or "long-playing record." The 12-inch disc spun at 33 1/3 rpm and could hold more than 20 minutes per side. This was a banner day for classical and jazz lovers, and would prove exceedingly important for concept albums and rock operas a couple of decades later. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this anniversary is not the technological leap, but the fact that the vinyl LP has stood the test of time. Many other formats have come and gone since � reel-to-reel tapes, 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs. Even the game-changing MP3 is on the wane after a few short years as listeners ...