For the Record
February 2018 Rock Record of the Month - Brian Fallon - Sleepwalkers
Many of us at B.T.R.C. have always been fans of The Gaslight Anthem. They have bounced around the indie scene for years. While getting some critical buzz, they never seemed to really break through as a commercial success even though they consistently skated around the edges. In spite of little to no radio success, the band kept touring hard and growing their fan base, which kept drawing the attention of both critics and labels. In 2011, the band signed with Mercury Records and released their fourth record; Handwritten. This album did produce the bands biggest radio milestone with the track "45". This is still the bands most recognizable song to date in the US. It went #22 Billboard Rock, #11 Billboard Alternative, and #20 on Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. The album also debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. That's the bands highest position to date.
Announcing the BTRC Record Store Collector's Series!!!
BTRC is proud to announce the addition of our Collector's Series! We're bringing our members the best in boxed sets, complete album collections, and special bundles that we'll curate along the way! You can find the Collector's Series under the Record Store tab on the B.T.R.C. website!
February Spotlight Album of the Month - Van William - Countries
This is Van William's debut solo album. He was the front man for the band Port O'Brien, so he has recorded before, but nothing at this level. This album only dropped January 19th, but we have a feeling that this might be one of the strongest Singer Songwriter albums to release this year. In addition to "Revolution", the album is full of potential radio singles. "Never Had Enough of You" is a great representation of William's style on this album. It has a dark and brooding verse that swells into a huge chorus with layered vocals. "Cosmic Sign" has a layered effect on the verse that harkens back to Elliot Smith yet unravels on the chorus.
February 2018 Singer Songwriter Record of the Month - Glen Hansard - Between Two Shores
If you didn't already know of Glen Hansard before he burst onto the international scene with 2007's Academy Award winning Once, then, you had a lot to dig into. Along with his six albums with The Frames (he released a seventh in 2015), he had already released his first project with Czech singer Maketa Irglova the self titled The Swell Season. That first album produced the smash hit "Falling Slowly" which was the Oscar winning song from Once. With the release of that song, and the success of the film, the world was introduced to one of the most earnest, compelling, voices of the new century.
January 2018 Singer Songwriter Record of the Month - Neil Young + POTR - The Visitor
Canadian singer/songwriter Neil Young rose to fame with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and a steady stream of solo projects over the last 50+ years. Young has received several Grammys and Juno awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once in 1995 as Neil Young, and again in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. The folk-rock troubadour's most recent release, The Visitor, is B.T.R.C.'s Record of the Month for January's Singer-Songwriter category. Throughout Young's career, we have seen him collaborate often. Sometimes, in a group like CSN&Y, sometimes with his backing band, Crazy Horse. His co-credited albums with the backing band total 11 studio albums and numerous "Live" albums.
MLK - 50 Years Of Inspiration And The Songs It Gave Rise To
It should come as no surprise that one of the greatest figures in modern American history has inspired many in the arts. From paintings, to poems; from literature to songs, Martin Luther King, Jr. has not only been the subject, but in many cases, the muse. It's been 50 years since his death. As we both mourn his passing and celebrate his amazing accomplishments in civil rights for America, B.T.R.C. wanted to take a moment to look at some of the great songs that grew in the shadow of the incredible Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 2018 Alternative Record of the Month - Anderson East - Encore
Anderson East's Encore is the artist's second release since signing with Elektra Records. His first album, Delilah, was released in 2015 and was produced by Dave Cobb, whose past credits include Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Chris Stapleton (to name a few). The debut LP generated East's first AAA singles "Satisfy Me" and "Devil In Me".
January 2018 Rock ROTM - Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell: 40th Anniversary Edition
In 1971, Marvin Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf, was starring in the Broadway musical "Hair". It was during this time in NY where Meat Loaf met Jim Steinman who became his principal collaborator on the creation of the album "Bat Out Of Hell". Although they started the album in 1972, it was not released until 1977. During this production window, Meat Loaf played in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (both movie and play) and sang lead vocals on Ted Nugent's "Free-for-All" album when Derek St. Holmes had temporarily quit the band.