ATTEMPT

ATTEMPT is the recording project of Trevor Tremaine. Tremaine is known as the drummer for noise band Hair Police, as the proprietor of the now-defunct micro-edition cassette label Rampart Tapes, as a co-founder of the surrealist Resonant Hole collective, as the conductor of avant-folk combo Eyes & Arms of Smoke, or as a sideman with a strange and diverse resume (Burning Star Core, Warmer Milks, Matt Duncan, Death Unit, Silverware, and Thurston Moore’s Aktion Unit). 
REVIEWS
"The first great album of 2017."-James Toth, Wooden Wand 
"Heavy rotation on my player, a new fave... Delighted with all the ideas, melodies and adventurous chords..." - R. Stevie Moore, Godfather of DIY 
"ATTEMPT is like listening into the future of underground music: 10cc plus Steely Dan playing jazz fusion on a peyote trip." - Robert Schneider, The Apples in Stereo

Joslyn and The Sweet Compression

Joslyn Hampton and her band, The Sweet Compression, combine to deliver a hook-filled mix of funk and R&B-flavored pop, in a series of single releases throughout 2017. The powerhouse vocalist, joined by veterans (guitarist Marty Charters, bassist Smith Donaldson, and saxophonist Joe Carucci) and exciting young talent (Rashawn Fleming on drums, Steve Holloman on keyboards, Jeffrey Doll on trumpet, and Rae'Shawna Campbell on backing vocals), will be supporting the releases with live shows throughout the year.

KY Hoss Cats

The Kentucky Hoss Cats formed in 2012 when several Kentucky-based musicians decided to finally do something about their collective long-standing deep devotion(s) to old school honky tonk music. The band initially formed to pay homage to Hank, Sr., Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, and other country music greats, playing popular weekly four hour sets of honky tonk classics and deep tracks. Over the past two years, the band has found its own voice and has written more than an album’s worth of new honky tonk originals which will be featured during current live shows along several nods to the juke joint forebearers.

NewTown

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, and fronted by award-winning vocalist/fiddler Kati Penn Williams and her singer/banjo-picker husband, Jr. Williams, NewTown is one of the most exciting acts in contemporary Bluegrass. The band was formed in 2009 when Jr. left Bluegrass band NewFound Road to play full-time with his wife in what would become NewTown. Since then, the group has gained a strong following by playing at festivals throughout the U.S., sharing bills with such acts as Rhonda Vincent & the Rage and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. NewTown has appeared several times at the legendary Station Inn in Nashville, and has performed twice at showcases at the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina. The ensemble has also opened shows for the John Cowan Band, whose namesake leader says on NewTown’s website, “Bands like NewTown are not by any means common; they're not made everyday. It takes sweat equity, passion, patience and vision.” 

- Photo Craig Fangman

The Recipe for Gamma Rays              

The Recipe for Gamma Rays, a four-piece band from Lexington, Kentucky, is the wayward offspring of the keyboard and drums duo, Wol and Weeps, formed by Jim Shaw and Dave Cobb in 2011. After recruiting Mike Joyner on drums and Blake Cox on bass, the group now emits a frenetic blend of pseudo-euphonic vocal melodies over fuzzy synthesizers, jittering guitar, and girthy bass. Interwoven with cosmic electronic sound interludes, their songs run the emotional gamut from dystopian absurdity to melancholy mania.

Coleslaw              

Coleslaw is a 5-piece instrumental band that came together through a mutual love of jazz, funk, and soul, as well as many other influences. The band centers around two unique and powerful voices (Jacob O'Donnell, Kirby Davis-Saxophones) stating strong melodies and exploring a vast harmonic realm overtop hard grooves laid down by a powerhouse rhythm section (Nolan Brelsford-Guitar, Simon Long-Bass, James Gooding-Drums). As one of only a handful of funk acts based in Lexington, and perhaps the youngest of that demographic, Coleslaw and it's ambitious musical exploration are bringing something original and exciting to the Lexington music scene.

The Forthlins

The Forthlins are Justin Adams on guitar, harmonica, lead vocals, and bass, Gareth Evans on guitar, mandolin, keys, and bass, Adam Luckey on bass, harmonies, guitar, and keys, and Adam Napier on drums and percussion. With Evans, Luckey, and Adams often swapping roles on instruments the group creates an eclectic sound ranging from garage-rock to pop to funk. With a wide catalogue of original work combined with a plentiful supply of covers The Forthlins put out an upbeat souund that is fun and down to earth.

The Ford Theatre Reunion

This "neo-carnival rock n' roll group, based out of Lexington, KY produce a sound that harkens back to a by-gone era of gypsy caravans and rail-riding hobos. This, married with blistering progressive rock technicality and heavy punk, is all brought together under multiple vocalists that are a study of compliment and contrast. It all manifests as an auditory spectacle that is both well-timed and well-executed. The result is compellingly jarring, featuring narrative lyrics and theatrically-matched music all wrapped up in a deliriously raucous stage show. FTR feverishly pulls you to your feet and drives you to dance, thrash, and shout.."

Leaden Verse

Borrowing its name from the Ginsberg poem “Howl,” Leaden Verse is a solo experiment by Jim Shaw of The Recipe for Gamma Rays (Lexington). Wearing a vocoder mask and homemade LED goggles that light up with his vocals, he bashes out sometimes-rhythmic drum beats together with ferocious, sequenced bass-waves, industrial arpeggios, and soaring synth leads. Surrounded by pulsing lights and fog, Leaden Verse brings you melodious tunes of a grim personal future. (WARNING: attendees with light-sensitivity issues should proceed with caution.)

Big Fresh

Kentucky-based Big Fresh, has undergone a few lineup changes before arriving at its current incarnation. After nearly a decade of writing, performing, recording, touring, and repeating it all, the group has become recognized as one of Lexington’s premier acts. This ten-member ensemble features members of such groups as Club Dub, The Apples in Stereo, Bear Medicine, Satellite Giant, Eggstone, Candy Claws, and many more. Having been described as prog-pop-soul, hippie-psych, jazzy-pop, etc., Big Fresh’s sound is anything but boring; it keeps the audience on their toes, eager to hear what will happen next. Dancing, harmonies, horns, keys, antics, slips, falls, guitar, drum, and bass – they will not disappoint.

Big Maracas

The Big Maracas play musica latina. A few years back, Venezuelan ex-patriot Enrique Gonzalez got together with a few friends to have a little fun, and since that time the Big Maracas have grown to incorporate more band members, a multitude of styles, and a great deal of fun! The Maracas delve into many branches of Latin and Tropical music, being particularly fond of the great Cuban traditions and Brazilian samba, but that's only the beginning. Too self-conscious to dance? Perhaps not when you make it to a Maracas show... Que bueno baila usted!

Western Movies

Western Movies, the songwriting/recording project from Chris Sullivan, is a travelogue of organic, musical styles ranging from surf pop and old-school lounge to exotica twang, instrumental film music, and cinematic, acoustic folk-blues. Sullivan’s family traveled often during his childhood, and while living in Spain, he began learning guitar at the age of six, from a flamenco virtuoso. At 18, Sullivan formed a band with his college roommate, Otto Helmuth, called Serious George. Having traveled, and lived many places around the country for some time, Sullivan eventually ended up in Lexington, where he has not continued creating and collabot=rat

- Photo Andrew Brinkorst

Fabled Canelands

“…Fabled Canelands fits together like a tapestry. Song edges overlap and bleed, offer moments of fulfillment and emptiness, and trace out a past that continues to exist at our own margins. It’s new, it’s old, it’s ambitious, and it just so happens to be quite good." -- North Of Center -- Fabled Canelands couples primarily acoustic guitar melodies and steady rhythms with the occasional pedal-steel, key, or trumpet parts to convey a unique sound. With references to mountains, landmarks, bodies of water, surrounding towns, and everyday life, Fabled Canelands bring a style that feels like home.

The Local Honeys

The Local Honeys are comprised of Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs. Stokley from the rolling hills of the Bluegrass, learned her love of singing and playing from her mama, who exposed her to a wide array of music throughout childhood, and encouraged her to keep playing and writing. Her music is her solace. Hobbs, from the foothills of the Appalachian region, also gained her love of music from her family – her older brother shared a spectrum of sounds from the grungy acts of the ‘90s, to the heartland picking and singing of John Prine, which piqued her interest in songwriting. The two have dedicated themselves to the preservation of old music and the creation of new music.

Doc Feldman & the Alt Cntry Delete

Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, Doc Feldman is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist interested in exploring the darker sides of folk music. Unafraid of incorporating distortion, weird field recordings, and other noise experimentation, Doc's debut album Sundowning at the Station feels rooted in traditional forms of American music, yet totally new. ALT+CNTRY+DEL (Alt Country Delete) is a subversive cosmic Americana band from Lexington, Kentucky.

Ethos Jazz Quintet

Ethos Jazz Quintet, Lee Carroll's latest project combines the wisdom of experience with the fire of youth. Tripp Bratton (C The Beat, March Madness Marching Band) and Ibu Diop from Senegal on drums, Thomas Usher (C The Beat, DAD, Blind Corn Liquor Pickers) on upright and electric basses and Jonathan Barrett (C The Beat) on saxes. From Bluenote classics re-interpreted and second line funk to searing original compositions, you won't be able to stay in your seat. This is serious funky jazz at its most joyful and celebratory. They regularly pack the house at Lexington's Crēaux jazz club, it's as close to NOLA's Frenchman Street music Mecca as you'll find north of the French Quarter. Gumbo, cocktails and hot jazz.

People Planet

Daisy Helmuth, Madeline Farrar, Charlie Overman, and Jack Quinn - "just a few rock and roll kids" from Lexington - make up People Planet. When they are not busy dog-whispering or sleeping-in, they are probably busy playing their instruments and holding their own. Frequenting the Lexington all-ages circuit like true weekend warriors, People Planet performed at venues such as Lynagh's, Al's Bar, and Willie's Locally Known, and Moontower Music Festival. This group carries the torch of Lexington music for a fresh, ready-to-rock generation.

Everyone Lives Everyone Wins

Based in Lexington, the members of ELEW have been "bringing the power of the positive drone since 2007. Heavy and Heady sounds from the Concentric Drone Cult. Ride the wave at the forefront of history. The time is now. Tune in, turn on, DRONE OUT" - Bandcamp