14 minute read
Eric Larsen / Outer Marker Records
from July 2023
Outer Marker Records launched in 2023 with the aim of servicing artists overlooked by other labels for any number of reasons: market forces, a label’s business direction or just good-old-fashioned risk aversion. Dedicated to artists and audio excellence, the label was formed by gearmakers George and Geoff Hazelrigg partnered with Doug Fearn. All three have backgrounds in audio, engineering and the industry in general. Moreover, they all nurture a love of music recorded under the best possible conditions. Music Connection shares some insights in our Q&A with Eric Larsen, an industry vet who aided in the initial kickoff and ongoing operation of the label.
Music Connection: When was Outer Marker started?
Eric Larsen/Outer Marker
Records: May of 2023.
It’s a very boutique label that’s dedicated to artist development and delivering content at the absolute highest quality possible.
MC: Whose idea was it and how did it come to be where it is now?
Larsen: The label was founded by Doug Fearn of D. W. Fearn together with George and Geoff Hazelrigg of Hazelrigg Industries. The three have built extremely high-end tube gear for recording studios for some years. They all come from studio backgrounds and we wanted to be sure that we had an outlet where we could create an entire [music] ecosystem.
MC: How do you identify artists to sign?
Larsen: Initially we worked with artists we knew. The first on our roster was the Hazelrigg Brothers, a fantastic jazz trio. They had a recording they’d done some time ago and we felt that it would be the ideal debut for this label. It’s a complete song-by-song jazz interpretation of the Police’s Synchronicity titled Synchronicity: An Interpretation of the album by the Police. Other artists we plan to work with include an accomplished solo pianist and a two-piece punk band, which will be a live album. Basically, anything that we think is cool, amazing and deserves to be heard will land on this label.
MC: Other than the type of artists that Outer Marker chooses, in what ways is it different from major labels?
Larsen: Fundamentally, it harkens back to the way things were decades ago: we make the re- cords in our studio with gear that we build. One of the things we’re looking to do is ensure that we control the quality of the product, that the productions are exactly the way we want them and that records go out at their utmost highest quality, either as DSD [Direct Stream Digital] downloads, CDs or audiophile-grade vinyl. ence than you’ll get with some PCM [pulsecode modulation] recordings.
MC: Why are your artists overlooked by other labels?
Larsen: The major labels aren’t looking for a two-piece punk band right now. And I don’t know if the world is clamoring specifically for a phenomenal classical pianist to be burning up TikTok. These groups all deserve a place in the market but they’re outside of the larger categories put together by the majors.
MC: Since the label is so audio-conscious, do you select from a small pool of recording engineers?
Larsen: We are very picky. These records are produced and engineered by George, Geoff and Doug. Right now one-hundred percent of the productions happen in-house. We may recruit outside producers and/or engineers at a later point.
MC: Do you issue physical records or will there simply be digital releases?
Larsen: We release in a number of formats and it depends on the record and the artist. Some will come out only as a DSD download, some will come out as DSD with the ability to stream and others will come out on CD or vinyl.
MC: How do you distribute vinyl and CD releases?
Larsen: Through the Outer Marker site as well as other channels that we’re exploring. We work with the folks at Studio 4: Phil Nicolo and Obie O’Brien’s studio in Pennsylvania. We’re collaborating on a new mastering process using D. W. Fearn products. We’ll also master for vinyl that they’ll press at their plant.
MC: What’s the label’s revenue split with artists? Is it more favorable than major label splits?
MC: In what ways does the label emphasize audio?
Larsen: Our commitment to audio excellence began way back when Doug Fearn started D. W. Fearn. He was building a studio, bought some gear and realized that it didn’t sound good to his ear. So he took advantage of his background in electronics and designed his all-tube preamp. George and Geoff Hazelrigg did the same thing. They were unimpressed by gear that they could buy until they heard D. W. Fearn’s stuff. They started Hazelrigg Industries based on some Fearn designs and repackaged them to make the products more affordable or flexible. With that in mind, we felt that the modern recording techniques brought about albums that were fun to listen to but didn’t feel good. A lot of that comes down to our belief that DSD will provide a better listening experi-
Larsen: We try to ensure that our artists get a fair shake. For example, the Hazelrigg Brothers record will come out on vinyl. Those costs need to be paid up front but then the profits will be split 50-50. There are no advances or dollars that change hands. We also don’t have long-term contracts with artists. It’s album-by-album.
MC: What do you see as the future for labels, both indie and major?
Larsen: A lot more records are coming out as complete works and not simply an endless array of singles. I like the idea of artists making things that are more far-reaching in scope and that there are more independent [labels] popping up that allow artists to do what they do as opposed to what the market insists they do to sell records. Major labels have changed and evolved since their inception so I never try to predict what they’ll do. They’ll keep doing what makes them successful in their business.
Contact outermarkerrecords.com
Belinda Carlisle
Kismet
RAF/BMG
Producer: Mati Gavriel
In her first pop release since the ‘90s, Belinda Carlisle’s Kismet has all the trappings of her beloved hits, highlighting her trademark vibrato, catchy hooks, and lyrics navigating the journey in and out of love. Lead track
“Big Big Love” delivers a fun, upbeat bop, with “If U Go” bringing a heavier driving pop feel. Melancholy love song, “Deeper Into You” adds easy-listening and synthesized melodies, while “I Couldn’t Do That To Me” brings a lullaby feel. Final track “Sanity” adds an upbeat poke at the stress of the world. – Andrea Beenham
Dr. Soundgood Featuring Doug Legacy
Lagniappe
Some Pun’kins Music/Downtown-Dash Go
Producers: Doug Legacy and Randy Ray Mitchell Legacy is one of those cats who’s always been where the action is. He’s worked with Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, Brian Wilson, Rod Stewart, Oingo Boingo, Bonnie Raitt, et al. With a robust voice and a multi-instrumentalist approach, he puts his considerable piano and accordion skills to good use on this New Orleans-flavored pop and funk fest. Cuts like the title track, “Right Now Man” and “Saturday’s Child” are upbeat and bring strong backing vocals and horn-driven heat. – Eric Harabadian
Moneybagg Yo Hard to Love
Roc Nation
Producers: Various
5
Hard to Love is really hard to like. This is Moneybagg Yo’s fifth studio album, and things continue to sound redundant. It’s like listening to the Migos, and/or any other rapper that the Migos have influenced, all over again. With Hard to Love, Moneybagg focuses on his pain; whether it stems from heartbreak, struggling with love, issues with loyalty, criticism made about him and coping with tragedy. Though his beat selection is solid, this project is thematically dark and uninspiring. Moneybagg continues to stay in his lane as just another trap/drill, Southern rapper. – Adam
Seyum
Ghost of Vroom
Ghost of Vroom 3
Mod Y Vi Records
Producer: Mario Caldato Jr.
Wake up, people of earth! This side project from Soul Coughing’s Mike Doughty demands your attention. The sideways trio, which also includes bassist Andrew “Scrap” Livingston and drummer Madden Klass, is equal parts trip-hop and spiky aural excursion. On this third outing, they once again prove that pure sonic disruption is still possible. Best described as beat-centric enlightenment disguised as an LSD-soaked party, recordings like this are what keep life worth living. – Andy Kaufmann
Blur
The Ballad of Darren
Parlophone
Producer: James Ford
It’s been a banner year for singer Damon Albarn, whose latest Gorillaz album earned high marks. That act provides an intriguing contrast to the Britpop art rock of his other band, Blur. On this recording, “St. Charles Square” offers a joyous, satisfying fuzz. “Barbaric” grabs listeners with bouncy effervescence. “The Everglades” is like a morose shared dream. Aficionados will doubtless come away grinning, although newcomers may have difficulty relating to most of these tracks. – Andy Kaufmann
Govt. Mule Peace…Like a River Fantasy Records
Producers: Warren Haynes and John Paterno
The trend in pop music toward multiple collabs with artists or producers is, perhaps, a tad overdone these days. But, when you’re a band like Govt. Mule, the term “collab” takes on new meaning. Billy Gibbons, Billy Bob Thornton, Celisse, Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster play key roles, pushing the limits of blues-based rock with elements of poetry, drama and substance. Warren Haynes’ vocals and guitar work are stunning, while the band’s inventive arrangements keep one engaged and on their toes. – Eric Harabadian
Fishbone
Fishbone
Bottles to the Ground
Producer: Fat Mike
Many moons after their last recording, Fishbone push “reset” with NOFX’s Fat Mike at the production helm. This EP marks a new era for the act, but also a return to the past; it’s their first with keyboardist Christopher Dowd since ‘94. “All We Have Is Now” is a reggae-doused mediation on living in the moment. “I Don’t Care” delivers a powerful punk rock jolt, while “Estranged Fruit” explores the band’s socially conscious leanings. The thrill of their reappearance is dampened only by the swift 16-minute runtime. - Andy Kaufmann
Trabants
Lockdown
International Fuzz Society
Producer: Eric Penna
Instrumental aces Trabants generally favor surf and twang, but here they come out swingin’ with their tribute to the blues. These soundtrack (and live performance) veterans dish out 10 original rock-solid workouts, spanning styles from Stevie Ray Vaughan shuffles to organ-and-bongos garage to acoustic delta. Los Straitjackets member Pete Curry adds to a few tracks, as well. “Tears in Rain” has an especially cool “bending” figure, and “Mudlark” would make Ry Cooder proud. The Trabants are ready to score your TV special! – David Arnson
To be considered for review in the Album Reviews section, you must have a record deal with a major label or an independent label with an established distributor. If you do not, please see our New Music Critiques section.
St. James Way
Contact: rac@crlr.net
Web: newpants.com
Seeking: Film/TV Placement
Style: Contemporary Christian
James Becker spearheads St. James Way, whose new album features songs that are, by turns, acoustic, calming, gentle and inspiring. These songs are fully arranged to uplift the listener’s spirit with a gust of emotion. Those qualities make Becker’s recordings ideal for the Contemporary Christian market. “Call Out My Name” and “Will You Be My Friend” epitomize this artist’s ability to convey a genuine glow of heartfelt sincerity, whether as a giver of aid and comfort (“I will come to you.”) or as a receiver (“Isn’t love wonderful when you’re around?”). In the song “Without You,” a tribute to a friend, Becker shows what he and his high tenor voice can do with a full band (strings, horns, drums, electric guitar).
Cascade Riot
Contact: cascaderiotbooking@gmail.com
Web: linktr.ee/cascaderiot
Seeking: Label, Film/TV, Booking
Style: Punk, Pop-Punk, Rock
Tight, terse and tuneful Detroit trio Cascade Riot contribute to the rejuvenation of punk/pop-punk with their recent EP, led by “I Didn’t Come This Far for Nothing.” The song gallops right out of the gate at top speed with a clean, crisp, Green Day-like sound, each player digging in deep, including singer-guitarist Ryan Failla and especially drummer Al Brady, whose snare-less tom-tom attack proves inexhaustible. That’s especially true on “Valentines Day,” where his roll/beat achieves an incredibly precise velocity. (Luckily, the tune is just 1:18!) He’s a total dynamo. The 2:43 song “This Isn’t Hollywood” stands out with its unexpected reggae-like break. These guys play short, fast and loud.
Justine and the Unclean
Contact: justinecovault@gmail.com
Web: justinentheunclean.bandcamp.com
Seeking: Film/TV Placement
Style: Rock
Based in Boston, Justine and the Unclean are a solid enough band, with catchy material that leans heavily toward the middle of the rock music road. Sound quality varies from track to track, mainly having to do with Justine’s vocals, which are too often muffled, as on the track “The Signal Light.” Also, despite efficient performances from each musician in the band, the final track ultimately lacks excitement, it’s too contained—stone-cold as opposed to red-hot. We’re also not entirely taken by Justine’s voice, with its nasally, sometimes whiney/grating tones. Her vocals are mixed best on “Drug Seeking Behavior,” which features a nice guitar solo. A cowbell sets the pace for “Vengeance” which rides a catchy melody.
Amanda Stewart
Contact: lcollins@milestonepublicity.com
Web: amandastewartmusic.com
Seeking: Booking, Management
Style: Americana
We’re hooked from the first moment of this artist’s highlevel recordings. Establishing a tranquil, ambient drone, her tender, gentle voice enters and carries us away on “Lonesome Mountain” in which she likens herself to that symbol, both inside and out. It’s a fascinating metaphor, and as she expands on that theme, the music deftly builds from a lone piano to strings, percussion, mandolin, banjo, and background voices. “Drugs,” where she duets with a growly male singer, is a great pairing, complemented by perfect tones from each instrument, all of which gel effectively. It is on “Window” that Stewart’s voice really blossoms, showing her vocal power, conveying the tune’s bold, catchy chorus. Impressive.
James Takeratu
Contact: jamestakeratu@gmail.com
Web: takeratu.xyz/ghostCircles
Seeking: Label Style: Pop/Indie/Electronic/Rock
Fans of the band 100 Gecs will likely warm to the electro energy of James Takeratu’s Ghost Circles. The song “grandfather Clock” is a pop-ish tune with lots of electronic textures; in fact, it is oceanic and overbearing throughout most of this track, overshadowing Takeratu’s vocal, which is pretty at times, but mostly muffled. Soon, though, the listener gets acclimated to hearing the artist’s voice as just another element in the hyper-pop mix, as in the dance/techno track “LIar Liar,” whose sonics are again overly dense. It is with the song “human” that Takeratu gets it all right, delivering a song with clear, crisp and balanced sonics, palm-muted guitar, and a poignant message voiced by a chorus of roboticized humans.
Vibez the Great
Contact: vibezmesiaxcii@gmail.com
Web: Spotify
Seeking: Film/TV, Label, Distribution
Style: Alternative Hip-Hop
Alternative hip-hop artist VIBEZ THE GREAT honors his African roots while recounting his upbringing in Boston on his JOURNEY TO THE XROADS album. With a fast flow and raspy voice (a la Kendrick, Anderson Paak.), VIBEZ keeps positive in his message on track “DREAM,” which intersperses the always-relevant speech by Martin Luther King. Combining soul/jazz instrumentals with MLK “samples” is not new (see: Common, Living Colour), but VIBEZ does the source material justice. At around 2 minutes, “FLY” is subdued with piano and a beautiful organ for texture. The hi-hat comes in, but the song is restrained to allow for “thinking room.” “POWER” is the quietist, with murky spoken-word storytelling, and a rhymthic repetition of “Don’t you fall…” as a refrain.
Corey Morris
Contact: youngstarcrazy@gmail.com
Web: analbumbycoreymorris.com
Seeking: Sync Placements
Style: Hip-Hop
Sincerely, Star, the latest full-length from rapper Corey Morris, boasts an impressive guest feature from Rick Ross on second track “Ours.” A minor bait-and-switch, as Ross does nothing more than ad-libs, suggesting Morris hired a Cameo and mixed The Boss in the background of the song. A worthwhile investment, since Morris holds his own with fast multi-metered flow and great rhymes. Album opener “A Stars Intro” is an overture, with jump-cuts and changing motifs. There are at least 3 or 4 different songs in one, before settling on a slow soul-plus-808 machine and reverbed vocals. The most single-ready track is “Sincerely,” piano and plucked electric bass-led, with aggressive declarations: “Can’t fuck with me. I mean that sincerely.”
Brian McCalla
Contact: booking@sabre-music.com
Web: Spotify
Seeking: Booking
Style: Trance
Trance artist Brian McCalla offers solid, formulaic instrumentals that, while delivering nothing new, are nevertheless effective, especially if utilized to accompany dynamic visuals. A relentless beat propels “Springs Eternal,” which is soon accompanied by a grave, foreboding synth undertow. And unexpectedly, the mood deftly shifts to something brighter, more optimistic, lifting the darkness. The track offers no major drops, just transitions. A similar formula, but with a mid-tempo energy, fuels the bass-driven “Retrofit,” which attains a nice cruising speed before adding moods of optimism and enthusiasm. It is with “Tensor” that McCalla breaks his mold and offers up some harsh, jarring, sci-fi static.
Micheal Fordays
Contact: michealfordays@gmail.com
Web: michealfordays.bandcamp.com
Seeking: Review, Listeners
Style: Alternative Rock
Singer-guitarist Micheal Fordays has a guitar-driven, post-punk style that consistently yields songs such as “Slowly Now,” in which we hear echoes of R.E.M. here and there, with poetic lyrics punctuated by a shrieking electric guitar and colored with strong organ flourishes. “Broken Wings” opens with a percussion blast and generates a hi-energy pace, a gleeful cowbell banging away as he sings “Nothing above me. I’ve been touched by love.” Our favorite is “High Point Now,” a blues-rocker full of multiple guitars, organ grooves. and counter-melodies as Fordays sings his best vocal (“You better love yourself now!”), delivering plenty of falsetto moments. All in all, we feel these recordings could benefit from better mixes.
Säm Wilder
Contact: info@spinmoverecords.com
Web: samwilder.co
Seeking: Film/TV, Booking
Style: Alternative Pop
Säm Wilder has a singing voice that’s no one-trick pony. He shows off his falsetto skills on “Overtime,” accompanied by a funky walking bass riff as he delivers a disgruntled message: “I don’t need another middleman...” The song is catchy as a cold, though maybe a bit too repetitive. Wilder then responds to a female singer on “Bring It Home” and even raps a reply to her once or twice. The addition of organ on this song’s arrangement is a nice touch. Our favorite song of the batch is the bouncy retro ballad “What’s Wrong With Me,” which delivers a great chorus (a dead ringer for Queen, really) with harmonies that are drop-dead gorgeous. Clearly, this artist is multifaceted.
The Scooches
Contact: nickrussoguitartrio@gmail.com
Web: Soundcloud
Seeking: Review
Style: Folk, Singer-Songwriter
From Queens, NY, the Scooches’ new album is titled Lift You Up, and that is the overall thrust of these adeptly performed songs: clean, crisp, positive-minded, family friendly. The band delivers a heavy message with “Stop This Climate Change,” which is conveyed in plain English, giving it a theatrical vibe that’s maybe a bit overdone. Nevertheless, the song’s melodic and florid electric guitar solo is impressive, as are the finale’s world-music elements. “Lift” is a jazzy reggae-infused number that features a female lead vocalist occasionally joined by a scatting/growling Jamaican male. “I Broke The Egg” is a downhome, bluegrass number, complete with a banjo and a fun fiddle excursion.
Ducky Neptune
Contact: natalie@ladysavagemanagement.com
Web: duckyneptune.com
Seeking: Booking Agent, Label
Style: Psychedelic Surf-Soul / Indie Rock
Such an unusually pleasing voice. We’re talking about singer-guitarist Josh Blanco, who as frontman for Ducky Neptune brings a distinctive presence to the mic that gels perfectly with this excellent jazzy soft-rock band, one that is filled out by saxophone and trumpet. In fact, there’s a trumpet solo in the song “Charlie,” and calling it modernday yacht-rock wouldn’t be far from the mark. Warm organ tones and deep drum sounds add rich textures to “Mary,” along with a voice chorale that takes the listener aboard “a rocket ship on an overnight flight tonight.” On perhaps the band’s best-produced tune, “Jamesy Boy,” Ducky Neptune really show off their soft, sophisticated touch. This band is a standout.
Live Reviews
The Resident Los Angeles, CA
Web: ismaymusic.com
Contact: ismayband@gmail.com
Players: Avery Hellman, vocals, guitar; Andy Fahlander Hellman, mandolin, guitar
Material: Ismay is a brother and sister, acoustic guitar duo performing Americana/ Pop music in the likes of Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Peter, Paul and Mary. Ismay is a little different, though. Their music is a lot darker and they tap into that hidden, shadier side of the human psyche. Even though a lot of the songs are pretty and melodic, some of the lyrics give off an eerily familiar feel as the words rolled off Avery Hellman’s lips. The music, itself, also gives off a dark vibe with digital delay and chorus settings set to 11 and above.
Musicianship: Andy and Avery play well off each other. The vocals are strong and come through with vigor and conviction, and the music helps the story of the lyrics move along nicely. Avery holds down the rhythm exceptionally well and Andy lays down the guitar parts needed to create a unique, disconcerting feeling that adds an extra layer of intensity to the music.
Performance: A great audio mix by The Resident crew gave Ismay a great start to