New music from Sumner James (Bombadil solo project)

You probably know that Bombadil is playing again, and they have a show on Sept. 1 at Cat's Cradle. Well, Bombadil drummer James Phillips also has a new electronic solo project called Sumner James, and the debut solo album "29 Days" will come a couple of days before that Cradle show. 

Phillips says he wrote, arranged, and recorded these the album during the month of February as a "personal challenge," and to explore his newfound interest in electronica. "To eliminate distractions, I moved into the barn on Pendervis Farm outside of Portland, OR (the same barn where we did Rain Promises). It was really cold most of the time, so I had a circle of instruments and recording gear around a wood stove." The album is available for pre-order, and there are two songs streaming on the Sumner James Bandcamp. My favorite song on the album is the one below, "I Told You Not to Stay Here Anymore."

Sumner James - "I Told You Not to Stay Here Anymore"

Midnight Ghost Train at Dive Bar

I finally got a chance to see Kansas band Midnight Ghost Train, which actually plays around here fairly often, most recently with Truckfighters at Pour House back in April (a show I unfortunately had to miss). Glad I got to see them. Robby from the Dive Bar was right when he called the band "testifying blues metal." I've been enjoying their CD "Buffalo," and I appreciate them letting me photograph them with a flash.

Flute Flies raise awareness for CyTunes, Tisch Brain Tumor Center

The Flute Flies, the local music supergroup featuring Ivan Howard from the Rosebuds and GAYNGS, Reid Johnson from Schooner and Zeno Gill from Pound of Miracles, have a beautiful, lush new album out called "Yes Means Maybe."

The band released the album in order to raise awareness for CyTunes.org, the local-music download site that's dedicated to the memory or Rosebuds friend and music fanatic Cy Rawls, who passed away after a battle with brain cancer in 2008. The album is available on the Flute Flies Bandcamp site using the pay-what-you-want feature. All proceeds will go to CyTunes, and then be donated to the Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, where Cy was treated.

2012 Mann's World Day Party

This isn't exactly news, but I believe it's the first time I've posted it here (I'm breaking more news on Twitter than here now). The third annual Mann's World Day Party during Hopscotch will take place Saturday, Sept. 8, at Dive Bar in Raleigh. Once again this is a free show with three great bands: Caltrop (Chapel Hill), Earthling (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Salvacion (Wilmington). Here's the Facebook page for the event. Doors are at 1:30 p.m. Come on out and drink some beer and support three great bands! Hope to see you there!

Inter Arma sign to Relapse

Relapse Records announced today that they have signed Richmond's Inter Arma. They'l finish recording their second full-length this fall and release it on Relapse early next year. They also released a string of tour dates, the last of which is Oct. 10 at the Buttery Day Ranch in Greensboro. I'll admit I have no idea where that is. If someone out there knows, please enlighten me. Their recently released EP "Destroyer" can be streamed on their Bandcamp page.  Read more here.