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Your Year In Spacebomb: Weekend Playlist By Spacebomb Records

Marilyn Drew Necci | January 8, 2021

Topics: angelica garcia, Bonny Light Horseman, Fruit Bats, Laura Veirs, Playlists, RVA Mag Weekend Playlist, Spacebomb, Spacebomb House Band, Spacebomb Records, Spacebomb studios, Tim Heidecker, Weekend Playlist

It’s been a while since RVA Mag brought you a week-ending playlist from Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions, but just this once, we’ve got a new one for ya — so get stoked.

This week, we bring you a playlist that, we must confess, was created not for us specifically but for fans of music as a whole, from Richmond and beyond, by our friends at Spacebomb Records. “2020 has been a very different & difficult year for almost everybody,” the label said in a statement. “At times, we wanted to hide away from it all, and sometimes that was all anyone could do. But in the end, we focused on what we do best and tried to share great art with the world. We couldn’t be prouder of these musicians and releases and are humbled we are partners in sound with so many talented people.”

Over the course of 2020, Spacebomb has brought the world an even dozen new albums, including highly praised new releases from local fave Angelica Garcia and folk supergroup Bonny Light Horseman. There were also releases from popular artists like Fruit Bats and Laura Veirs, musically inclined comedian Tim Heidecker, and several releases from studio mainstays the Spacebomb House Band.

This playlist will give you a tour through all the highlights of Spacebomb’s 2020 — and considering how tough the year has been for everyone, knowing this much great music came out of it right here in Richmond is a pleasant silver lining.

Enjoy, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Old Devil Moon: Weekend Playlist by Spacebomb House Band

RVA Staff | August 14, 2020

Topics: music, Playlist, rvamag playlist, rvamag weekend playlist, Spacebomb House Band, Spacebomb Records, the best played lands

Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a totally rockin’ playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This time around, we bring you some sweet sounds from the Spacebomb House Band, the loose-knit collective of musicians who give the sounds recorded at Spacebomb Studios their distinctive soulful groove. Led by Pinson Chanselle, Trey Pollard, and Cameron Ralston, the group incorporates a huge cast of talented players. In addition to backing up Spacebomb artists like Matthew E. White, Andy Jenkins, and Natalie Prass, and also creating soundtrack music for the makers of the Serial podcast, they’ve been producing quite a bit of work bearing their own name lately.

Their ninth collection of tracks in an ongoing series of cassette releases known as Library Music, which has been coming out regularly for over two years, dropped last month. IX: The Best Played Lands is a heaping helping of their signature instrumental sounds, and features a ton of great Richmond musicians fleshing out the lineup, including Treesa Gold (Goldrush), Hector “Coco” Barez (Bio Ritmo), JC Kuhl (Agents Of Good Roots), and many more. You definitely want to dig into this one ASAP, and you can check it out by clicking HERE.

But before you head that way, make sure you take a deep dive into this collection of weekend-expanding tracks prepared especially for you by the Spacebomb House Band, who present you with everything from devilish blues to sanctified gospel, along with just about everything in between, in just 31 songs. How can you resist?

Get you some, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

30 Century Spacebomb

Jonah Schuhart | May 1, 2020

Topics: 30 Century Man, Andy Jenkins, Cameron Ralston, Pinson Chanselle, richmond music, richmond va bands, Scott Walker, Spacebomb, Spacebomb House Band, Spacebomb Records, Spacebomb studios, Trey Pollard

With coronavirus keeping the music scene on lockdown, Spacebomb House Band present a Scott Walker tribute that takes us straight to outer space.

The Spacebomb House Band is just what it says in the name: the house band for the Spacebomb Records stable of artists, and for the label’s recording studio. However, while their day job may be to act as a backing band for the label’s many talented signees, they do a lot more than that, and they proved that this month with their cover of Scott Walker‘s signature tune, “30 Century Man.”

Walker, who originally gained fame as a baritone pop singer and grew over the course of his 50-year career into a pioneer of avant-garde musical explorations, released “30 Century Man” on his 1969 album Scott 3. Originally a barebones tune consisting solely of acoustic guitar and vocals, the Spacebomb House Band’s version puts a spacey, psychedelic spin on the Walker original. Featuring a full rock n’ roll ensemble performing the music, it retains the spirit of the original through the Walker-esque baritone vocals of guest vocalist Andy Jenkins, a Spacebomb recording artist himself.

The idea for the cover came when the band’s guitarist, Trey Pollard (who also acts as the head of the studio’s publishing department), suggested the band produce more cover songs. The group developed a list of potential options, and bassist Cameron Ralston chose “30 Century Man.” From there, the group had to figure out how they wanted to reimagine the original. In the end, their basic approach became a straightforward rock n’ roll take with a sound deliberately reminiscent of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

“I didn’t have any interest in trying to do a very true version of [the song],” said Ralston. “Just because that already exists in the world, and it was already done so well. It felt very futile, and I always heard it as a rock n’ roll song.”

The Spacebomb House Band version was recorded in just a few takes, with the entire band playing at once. They used no metronome, instead keeping time with each other.

“We wanted it to be just as fast as we could make it,” said drummer Pinson Chanselle. “[With no metronome] we didn’t have to adjust to the click.”

Chanselle says abstaining from a metronome also allowed them to “float” slightly on and off tempo in a very natural way, adding to the song’s freeform vibe. 

The only part of the song not recorded simultaneously were Andy Jenkins vocals. Ralston says he had chosen Jenkins to contribute vocals from the beginning.

“For some reason I just always heard his voice [while imagining the song],” said Ralston. “There’s something about it that reminds me a little bit of Scott Walker, so I thought it would be a good way to connect the dots a little bit to the original version.”

Andy Jenkins. Photo via Facebook

Despite the song’s release date of April 10, it was actually recorded this past winter, well before the coronavirus epidemic hit America. While the musicians at Spacebomb say they can’t pull off that kind of session during the pandemic, each of them are finding ways to keep their creative juices flowing. 

“I think for all musicians…this has been a real wakeup call. Everything has come to a halt,” said Ralston. “[But] we’ve been communicating pretty regularly… and just trying to stay creatively active, mentally with each other.”

On top of staying in touch, both Ralston and Chanselle have taken the time to produce whatever music they can inside the house. Ralston has been recording what he can while working on ambient music with friends. Meanwhile, Chanselle has been honing his percussion skills by recording raw drum parts. 

“Anything you can do to keep that creativity and that energy stoked is positive right now,” said Ralston.

Top Photo: Cameron Ralston at Spacebomb Studios, via Spacebomb/Facebook

Taking Off With Spacebomb Records

Reggie Pace | January 6, 2020

Topics: Andy Jenkins, angelica garcia, Fight The Big Bull, Fruit Bats, Hiss Golden Messenger, Matthew E. White, Reggie Pace, richmond music, Richmond music scene, RVA 38, Sinkane, Sleepwalkers, Spacebomb Records

RVA Mag #38 is on the streets now! Here’s another article from the issue, in which Spacebomb Records founder Matthew E. White and his longtime musical compatriot Reggie Pace discuss the label’s path to its current status. Journey into the world of professional record-making with White as he discusses the journey of founding Spacebomb.

The final months of 2019 have a lot in store for local record label Spacebomb Records: from their Richmond Folk Festival album to the Andy Jenkins EP that dropped earlier this month, and with upcoming releases through the rest of the year, founder Matthew E. White has a label that stays busy.

Moving further into the season, Spacebomb Records is releasing Sinkane: Alive at Spacebomb on December 6. Angelica Garcia’s album is set to debut in 2020, along with Nadia Reid’s latest album and plenty more in store for the River City. To learn what’s behind the doors at Spacebomb and ahead in its future, Reggie Pace sat down with White to kick off his podcast (appropriately called “The Pacecast” until its forever-name is settled) and talk local music.

Check out Reggie’s interview with White below, and head over to spacebombrecords.com for more releases in Richmond. 

Reggie Pace. Photo by Lauren Serpa

Reggie Pace: You were playing music. But on the other side of town — not together.

Matthew E. White: Yeah, I was playing with The Great White Jenkins a little bit, and then Brian Hooten and Pinson and I started Fight The Bull Trio. And that was my first thing that was the instrumental free-jazz kind of music. And that grew into Fight The Big Bull.

RP: Do Fight The Bull have records?

MEW: Yeah, I guess we did. We did have one record, but that was as homemade as it got.

RP: I mean, aren’t they all in a way? Not anymore.

MEW: Yeah, but that was great. And we put together a tour for Tony Garcia’s music business class. That was my final project — to put together a tour for five people. So we did that, and it was great. That was really the beginning of everything that I’m doing now, it was that moment to decide to make it. It kind of went from there a little bit.

RP: And then Fight The Big Bull was an extension of Fight The Bull. A bigger ensemble?

MEW: Yeah, it was. Originally it was kind of like an extension, but it very quickly became “The Thing.” It was the main thing almost immediately, once that gelled into a group of people. That was cool. It’s funny, you know — those moments where you don’t know it’s happening. You look back and you’re like, “Oh, man. That’s when it happened.” Everything for me happened when Brian and I put together Fight the Big Bull. And I thought, “Okay, I’m going to start writing for this.” We did that first Dying Will Be Easy record, and that got on NPR. Then David Carson Daniels heard about it, and that brought me into the Durham music scene, then that brought us into Sounds of the South. People ask me all the time what happened, but I don’t know, man… for me it was just all about creating energy. Trying to make and do and go.

RP: There’s there’s something to be said about timing.

MEW: Yeah. Good timing. But I think when you look back, me and you — and there’s several other people — that was a special time in Richmond. It still is a special time, but for us, that was our 20s. That was my youth. And there were several people that made the decision to say “I’m going to stay here. I’m going to make stuff from here.” It’s not that we planned it… I didn’t ever talk to you about it, it wasn’t a coalition. It was just in the air. And I think big picture-wise, it had a lot to do with the internet. That breaking down of geographical barriers in the music industry.

I definitely didn’t think about it like that at the time. I just sort of thought, “These are great people. Who’s better than these people?” I still say that, you know? People ask what’s the deal with Richmond — there are better players [here] than anybody. And that is what it is, man. There are more unique musicians here… not even per capita. Just period, it’s incredible. I guess I had an inkling of it then, but I’m rock-solid sure of it now. And I was just lucky to cast my bet.

RP: So, tell me about what you’ve got going on [at Spacebomb Records] right now. 

MEW: Right now, Andy Jenkins just released a new EP. Sleepwalkers have just released a record. 

RP: What’s the scene with that? Are they on Spacebomb?

MEW: Yup! 

RP: Are you releasing records they made?

MEW: Yeah, we had nothing to do with [the recording process].

RP: I feel like that’s a big change. Someone came to you with the finished record.

MEW: Yeah, yeah. And we just signed with Angelica Garcia, she’s released a couple singles and she has a record coming out.

RP: She’s a badass. She’s fucking outta here, bro.

MEW: She’s unbelievable.

RP: She’s got this fighting spirit. Every time I see her, I’m just… I’m happier. You know?

MEW: Yeah, she lights it up. We saw her play when we did the show in Austin for South By Southwest — that was a lot of Spacebomb artists, and people who came in from production that were associated with Spacebomb in one way or another. And it was five hours of music with the house band backing people up, it was sort of insane. But she did a solo set of her loop stuff, and it tore the house down… it was crazy, man, it was crazy. I was just like, “Oh my god, Angelica.” Just effortless. Effortless. It was amazing, so I’m very happy about that. And it’s nice that they’re local — that’s cool, but we’re not signing them because they’re local.

RP: I always thought that that was the thing y’all were missing in a way, local signings. And people who look different, you know? Different types of music in different backgrounds… less beards, less indie-ness.

MEW: Well, to be fair, there’s only one beard [laughs]. Sleepwalkers are really great, Angelica’s really great. What else? Like I was saying before we turned on the mic, we have the Alive at Spacebomb series that allows us to work with friends in the industry who aren’t necessarily signed to the label. So we did something with Hiss Golden Messenger and Sinkane. We did something with Fruit Bats and Vetiver earlier this year.

RP: Fruit Bats. That’s a fun band. They’re definitely out of left field, but they sound so good that it doesn’t matter. 

MEW: Yeah, it’s great. And it’s funny, the whole Spacebomb world has grown tremendously. Like I was saying before, we have our own studio. I am involved, but it used to be more like… I was the founder, and I was the driver of it. Now it has its own things rolling. I’m in there occasionally, but I’ve been focused as much, if not mostly, on Matthew E. White as a solo artist. Anything I produce goes through Spacebomb, but Spacebomb is a real record label with people that work in an office from nine to five every day. 106 Robinson. Go see ‘em if you want.

RP: I gotta go by there. They’re a great team, you know? I feel like it works well because you have a team full of go-getters, like Trey. Trey is a go-getter. He’s getting it done. And Alan, and Cameron is a deep artist. Pinson is a very deep artist.

MEW: It’s a lot bigger and a lot more energy, and a lot more work than just me. I think people kind of project it [a certain way]… sometimes in the interviews, I’ll read things as if it’s a Matt White thing. And at this point, it is just partially a Matt White thing. Like Merge.

RP: You got it off the ground. Merge is always going to be Mac, it doesn’t matter what he says.

MEW: It’s the label that goes, man. And that’s cool. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of those guys — Dan, Jesse, Dean, and Trey — and all those guys that work their asses off day-to-day to make it go. And hopefully, the idea is, we all kind of work it. And it all goes a little bit back into the same pot.

Listen to the full interview on Spotify below (or launch it in your app from mobile here) with Reggie Pace and Matthew E. White on The Hustle Season Podcast sponsored by RVA Magazine.

Matthew E. White photos via Spacebomb Records. Interview by Reggie Pace, words by S. Preston Duncan.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA Magazine #38 Is On The Streets Today!

RVA Staff | November 21, 2019

Topics: craft beer RVA, Death Club Radio, Enforced, Heaton Johnson, Iron Reagan, Jessi Rosenberg, Matthew E. White, No BS! Brass Band, print magazine, Reggie Pace, RVA 38, rva print mags, Ryan Kent, Spacebomb Records, YOUNG FLEXICO

It’s out! RVA Mag’s 38th edition is a photo-forward issue that focuses on live music, street art, and delicious local food & craft beer — the building blocks on which RVA Mag was built! That’s right, we’re returning to first principles with this issue, just in time to head into our 15th year of operation. Rest assured, you’ll hear more about that once we ring in 2020, but for now, get ready to feast your eyes on the local culture that is our Fall 2019 issue.

This time around, it’s all about the synergy, as we manage to capture two different conversations between leading lights of the Richmond music scene. On the heavier tip, we’ve got Iron Reagan’s Rob Skotis grilling Enforced vocalist Knox Colby on the behind-the-scenes secrets of Richmond’s hottest up-and-coming metallic hardcore band. Then on the smoother end of things, we’ve got a mini-Fight The Big Bull reunion happening right in our pages, as Spacebomb Records head honcho Matthew E. White answers some in-depth questions posed by No BS! Brass Band co-founder and trombone player to the stars Reggie Pace. The former collaborators chop it up about the movement they helped create a decade ago — the one that made Richmond a city to watch where soulful indie music is concerned.

We’ve got a whole lot more awaiting you in this new issue as well, from a photo spread by local photographer Heaton Johnson featuring the lovely and talented Jessi Rosenberg to a glimpse inside the creative mind of local poet and metal vocalist Ryan Kent. Plus, we get the word on WRIR’s long-running Death Club Radio program, catch up with fast-rising hip hop heavyweight Young Flexico, and get all the latest dish from all the fine purveyors of local craft beer your heart could desire. And of course there’s more.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and grab a copy of RVA Magazine #38. Free copies are available from our many partners around the city — scoop one up before they’re gone!

Check out the digital version on Issu here.

Sleepwalking Through The Ages

Jimmy O'Keefe | June 25, 2019

Topics: Ages, Austin York, Greenwood Shade, indie, Matthew E. White, Michael York, Sleepwalkers, Spacebomb Records

With their forthcoming album on Spacebomb Records, Richmond’s Sleepwalkers demonstrate their mastery over many eras of musical evolution.

Having established themselves as leaders of Richmond’s retro-inspired indie rock scene on their 2014 debut album, Greenwood Shade, the river city’s own Sleepwalkers are back with a new album that confirms their status as a band that shouldn’t be ignored. 

On Ages, set to be released on July 19 via Spacebomb Records, Sleepwalkers revive the best sounds of the 70s and 80s, keeping their music original with a tasteful modern flair added to the mix. A pop record at its core, Ages wouldn’t be complete without fuzzed-out melodies and lush instrumentation that allows for plenty of repeat listens without ever failing to capture the listener’s attention. 

Sleepwalkers’ retro sound is influenced by “all the greats,” according to Austin York, who plays bass and sings in the band. The band cited Prince, The Beatles, and Genesis as having played a part in inspiring the sound that came out on the record. 

“We take inspiration from people like Quincy Jones,” said Michael York, brother of Austin, who plays guitar and sings in the band. Jones is a legendary producer who has worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. That the band draws inspiration from a producer is telling; Ages was produced by the band all by themselves, allowing for complete creative control.

“I think the thing we are most proud of is the fact that we are a self-contained production group,” said Alex DeJong, who drums and engineers sound for the band. “We tried to push ourselves using the studio as a tool more than we did with the first record.”

Michael and Austin York in the studio.

Whereas Sleepwalkers’ booked the release show for Greenwood Shade before the album was even complete, forcing them to finish by a certain date, the band decided to give Ages the proper studio treatment. “This one was more taking our time, figuring out what sort of tones we wanted, which vibe we wanted,” said Austin. 

Chock full of various melodies and rhythms that stack on top of each other, Ages is a maximalist record, one that allows space for the sounds of different time periods to shine through. 

“We are doing these different time periods of music and the production changes with each one. It’s kind of like moving through different time periods,” Austin said. “It’s the Ages concept — moving through time.” 

The band’s debut album, Greenwood Shade, was self-released, but for Ages, they’ve hooked up with Spacebomb, a Richmond-based record label co-founded by well-known local musician Matthew E. White. With Spacebomb’s track record of releasing music by not only White but Natalie Prass, Andy Jenkins, and Bedouine, some might feel that Sleepwalkers’ time-traveling sound has found the perfect home. But for Sleepwalkers, the Spacebomb connection is really about friendship.

“Matt White brought us on tour a few years ago, and we just became good buds,” DeJong said. “It’s kind of a neat thing having a label in town.” 

Sleepwalkers are embarking on a tour in support of Ages. They’ll kick things off on July 13 in Richmond, alongside local favorites Camp Howard at The Broadberry. 

“Live shows are different,” Austin said, explaining that it’s difficult to replicate the complex sounds of the studio live on stage. DeJong mentioned that the band will stack a variety of keyboard tones onto a single keyboard, allowing for one instrument to sound like multiple synths. 

“It’s kind of hard to replicate a lot of the stuff, but we do make up for it with theatricality, or heavier vocals,” Michael added. 

Forging a new, unique sound by blending the music of the past with modern pop sensibilities, Sleepwalkers are notable for their ability to pay homage to the musical greats of earlier decades while maintaining a sound that is distinctively their own. 

This is a big challenge for any band, but it seems to come naturally to Sleepwalkers. The band is correct to be proud of the feat: “We did it all ourselves,” Austin said. 

Photos via Sleepwalkers/Facebook

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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