As the CCJ transitions to a
model better geared to leverage social networks, we are
moving away from our past use of email notification
services. If you would like to be added to our internal
email distribution, please send your request to
Rick@RARWRITER.com.
You can also follow us on
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features and news articles.
ABOUT RAR: For those of
you new to this site, "RAR" is Rick Alan Rice, the publisher
of the RARWRITER Publishing Group websites.
Use this link to visit the
RAR music page, which features original music
compositions and other.
ATWOOD - "A Toiler's Weird Odyssey of Deliverance"-AVAILABLE
NOW FOR KINDLE (INCLUDING KINDLE COMPUTER APPS) FROM
AMAZON.COM.Use
this link.
CCJ Publisher Rick Alan Rice dissects
the building of America in a trilogy of novels
collectively called ATWOOD. Book One explores
the development of the American West through the
lens of public policy, land planning, municipal
development, and governance as it played out in one
of the new counties of Kansas in the latter half of
the 19th Century. The novel focuses on the religious
and cultural traditions that imbued the American
Midwest with a special character that continues to
have a profound effect on American politics to this
day. Book One creates an understanding about
America's cultural foundations that is further
explored in books two and three that further trace
the historical-cultural-spiritual development of one
isolated county on the Great Plains that stands as
an icon in the development of a certain brand of
American character. That's the serious stuff viewed
from high altitude. The story itself gets down and
dirty with the supernatural, which inATWOOD
- A Toiler's Weird Odyssey of Deliverance is the
outfall of misfires in human interactions, from the
monumental to the sublime.The
book features the epic poem"The
Toiler"as
well as artwork by New Mexico artist Richard
Padilla.
Elmore Leonard
Meets Larry McMurtry
Western Crime
Novel
I am offering another
novel through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing service.
Cooksin is the story of a criminal syndicate that sets its
sights on a ranching/farming community in Weld County, Colorado,
1950. The perpetrators of the criminal enterprise steal farm
equipment, slaughter cattle, and rob the personal property of
individuals whose assets have been inventoried in advance and
distributed through a vast system of illegal commerce.
It is a ripping good yarn, filled
with suspense and intrigue. This was designed intentionally to
pay homage to the type of creative works being produced in 1950,
when the story is set. Richard Padilla
has done his usually brilliant work in capturing the look and feel of
a certain type of crime fiction being produced in that era. The
whole thing has the feel of those black & white films you see on
Turner Movie Classics, and the writing will remind you a little
of Elmore Leonard, whose earliest works were westerns.
Use this link.
EXPLORE THE KINDLE
BOOK LIBRARY
If you have not explored the books
available from Amazon.com's Kindle Publishing
division you would do yourself a favor to do so. You
will find classic literature there, as well as tons
of privately published books of every kind. A lot of
it is awful, like a lot of traditionally published
books are awful, but some are truly classics. You
can get the entire collection of Shakespeare's works
for two bucks.
Amazon is the largest,
but far from the only digital publisher. You can
find similar treasure troves at
NOOK
Press(the
Barnes & Noble site),Lulu,
and others.
RARWRITER Publications Search -
Use this Google
search tool for finding artists on this and other RARWRITER Publications
sites. Type in a search name below and press the Search
button. Results show up on a results page that will link you back into the RARWRITER site.
RARadio Tunes
EDITOR'S NOTE:
This site has streamed tons of songs over the years and there is a list
below that provides links to many of them. Have a click and a listen.
Is that a typo, or a play on words. One doesn't
usually exercise a demon, unless you want a more fit demon, but you
listen and determine what you think.
L.A. band The Cabin Fever worked with Husky Hoskulds (Screaming Trees,
Tom Waits) to create the EP of dreamy pop from which this came.
Yo No Say
"Lock"
Baltimore band Yo No Say returns
to Mobtown studios with producer Sean Mercer and a stripped-down
quartet sound.
Jacqueline
Van Bierk
"On to the Next
One"
Jacqueline Van Bierk's music has been described as "a righteous slap of cyber erotic pop metal" as
well as "the perfect balance btw pop and metal, dark and light". A mix
of electronics, metal guitars, sultry vocals, pure rock with a splash of
industrial goth. Crossing the line between underground and commercial,
perfect for the soundtrack of your very next movie.
Via Tania
"I See You Tiger"
Mess and Noise calls Via Tania's new LP "an intimate
showcase of Bowers’ breathy coyness and lingering lyrics.
Amouroux
"We Lost the
Plot"
Amoureux is a bewitching female-led
avant-rock duo, whose deconstructed polyrhythms conjure the likes of
Fugazi and Talking Heads, married to the synth-pop punk spirit of New
Order, Berlin, and Roxy Music.
From the musical mastermind behind the critically acclaimed band The
Postmarks, Christopher Moll brings
his distinct talent and vision to his latest work –
The Lovers Key. The Lovers Key are
pleased to announce the arrival of their debut album, Here Today Gone
Tomorrow, which was praised by AllMusic as "tunes that capture the
sound and the feel of vintage R&B with impressive accuracy, even as they
add a subtle undercurrent of contemporary pop to the production and
arrangements.”
Portland, Oregon's Sassparilla has
some great ideas and good sounds to go with. Use
this link to stream his off the cuff rendition of his tune
"Cool Thing".
Michael
Butler
"These Halls I
Dwell"
Michael Butler is one of the CCJ's personal favorites. The NYC
singer-songwriter creates some of the most surprising and most beautiful
pop to be heard anywhere. He is one sensitive, eclectic and far-ranging
dude. Use
this link to stream his off the cuff rendition of his tune
"These
Halls I Dwell".
Gretchen
Peters & Barry Walsh
"St. Francis"
Songwriter Mary Gauthier, whose song
" took this photograph of Gretchen Peters and Janis Ian playing The
Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, one of the world's iconic (and intimate)
songwriter venues. Gretchen offers a free download for fans registered
to her Website and January 2014's offering was "Saint Francis", written
by Tom Russell and Gretchen. The version she presents here was recorded
live at Le Petit Campus in Montreal, Quebec on April 28, 2012 during the
"Hello Cruel World" tour. It features Barry Walsh on piano and vocals. Use
this link to stream
"St. Francis".
Elizabeth
Kay
"Who Do You
Love?"
From the Land of Enchantment,
painter/artist, CCJ contributor, and musical explorer Elizabeth Kay
covers the swamp classic
"Who Do You Love?"
Leo
Justi
"Vira A Cara"
Use this link to stream Leo Justi's
"Heavy Baile" electronica -
"Vira A Cara".
Caterpillars -
"Rebirth"
Taking a love of early indie music and a
passion for technology, the Dallas band Caterpillars blend the digital
and analog worlds to create refreshing melodies with energetic rhythm.
Whether it’s the arpeggiated guitars, driving bass and drums, or the
passionate lead vocals of singer songwriter Christopher Robinson,
Caterpillars believes in enhancing the soundscape with a digital feel.
Born from this desire, Robinson, along
with Drew Black, Carson Brooks, and Ben Love, went to work writing and
recording their first full-length album, The Other Side, which the band
is self-releasing on September 24th. Once again working with legendary
producer/engineer Ed Rose (The Appleseed Cast, Coalesce, The Get Up
Kids), Caterpillars used their multi instrumental tendencies to create a
fantastic follow up to the well received self titled EP. Combining
acoustic and digital drums with melodic guitars and sweeping synths,
Caterpillars created a range of dynamic tracks that blend perfectly as a
whole.
Caterpillars thrive on recreating the
full and complex sound of their album in their live shows. Utilizing
multiple computers, pedals, and instruments, the venue is filled with
each and every intricacy the album presents. Poised to make a mark on
the bourgeoning Dallas music scene, Caterpillars have proven they are
here to stay.
Signel-Z -
"Monica's Frock"
"We need for
you to come and have a good time. After a lot of soul-searching, it has
become clear that the reason that we play and strive to develop good
music and the group is so that we all can enjoy it!" -
Composer-Musician Steve Ignelzi, Signel-Z
As the 21st Century goes, jangle-rock has never
sounded fresher!
Outer Minds - "We Are All Stone" and "Those Machines"
Powerhouse Chicago quintet Outer Minds' 2nd LP of
2012, Behind the Mirror, explores their take on the sounds of garage
rock's first wave filtered through reverb and laced with Farfisa buoyed
harmonies and is shockingly and refreshingly new. Check out LP tracks
"We Are All Stone," and "Those Machines," to launch the time warp.
These guys are making the best music to come from New
Hampshire in...ever? The psychedelic jam warriors will be releasing
their new LP Only Children via Trouble in Mind next week. Check out
"Another Dream" for a taste of the unexpected arrangements, classic
recording sounds and psychic harmonies MMOSS bring to the turntable.
Woollen Kits - "Susannah"
Australia seems to be in a full-on rock & roll
renaissance these days - what with Eddy Current Suppression Ring
soundtracking that ubiquitous AT&T commercial and Woollen Kits preparing
the release of their new barn burner of an LP, Four Girls.
A SECRET PARTY with Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and
other dead celebrities / news
October Dawn have released their self titled EP. The EP is
fore sale now on their Reverbnation page. To help announce
this exciting release the guys are offering the "Good Bye To
Love" MP3. The EP includes 5 tracks such as "Intruding
Silence" & "Wind Of Change" and it ROCKS HARD!
After wrapping up a string of incendiary
dates with the Meat Puppets, yesterday Black Box Revelation brought their scuzzy guitars,
crashing drums, unabashed energy and depth of soul collision to MPR.
Give a listen to live versions of "High On A
Wire," "Shiver of Joy" and "Sealed With Thorns" on MPR.
Belgium's Black Box Revelation is a
two-piece that sounds more like a ten-piece rock band. With layered
guitars and booming drums, BBR's garage rock explodes with riffs and
hooks.
Already making waves overseas, this Belgian
duo release their first music in the US, the Shiver of Joy EP. For a
preview of what to expect from the EP, upcoming full length album and
live show, download EP track "Shiver of Joy," stream the entire release
and check out the black & white video of shots from their European tour
for track "High On A Wire."
Combining Beatles-meets-Kinks British
invasion pop with haunting melodies, pounding blues, thick ambience and
driving beats, Black Box Revelation plot their foreign invasion and
continue blazing across the US on dates with Beady Eye, Girl in A Coma
and the Coathangers.
"Striking Violet" off Apteka's debut LP "Gargoyle Days."
Mikal Cronin
Give
a listen to album tracks "Apathy" and "Get Along" and check out what
these guys have to say: Pitchfork - "Cronin stretches his legs to
record a clean, ridiculously catchy song with tons of layers. It's the
full scale of things that makes 'Apathy' so great-- the harmonies, the
song structuring, the piles of instruments, but mostly, the anxious
feeling that's strung throughout the song. It's a song with a lot to
grab onto, and it's a killer introduction to Cronin as a solo artist."
Started in Chicago in 2009 as a way to release 7"s with
perfect pop songs, Trouble in Mind expanded their catalog of
releases this year with full LPs from Mikal Cronin, the
Night Beats, Wax Museums, the Paperhead and the Wrong Words.
Check out this playlist featuring tracks from each LP and a
bonus track from the acclaimed Apache Dropout 7" and stay
tuned for more amazing music from this label in 2012!
Randall Bramblett - "Driving to Montgomery"
Dana
deChaby
A
guitarist for over 20 years, Dana deChaby has now completed what was
surely his destiny, an all instrumental METAL album that features all of
his diverse influences and study of music. From Mastodon to Mahler, it's
all there in his debut solo album, DNA. Composed and recorded in his
home studio, DNA features blistering seven string riffs and solos,
advanced harmonies, crushing drums and acoustic and electronic
interludes, while taking the listener on a journey.
The Cabin Fever
Yo No Say
Jacqueline
Van Bierk
Via Tania
The
Lovers Key
Gretchen
Peters & Barry Walsh
Give
a listen to album tracks "Apathy" and "Get Along" and check out what
these guys have to say: Pitchfork - "Cronin stretches his legs to
record a clean, ridiculously catchy song with tons of layers. It's the
full scale of things that makes 'Apathy' so great-- the harmonies, the
song structuring, the piles of instruments, but mostly, the anxious
feeling that's strung throughout the song. It's a song with a lot to
grab onto, and it's a killer introduction to Cronin as a solo artist."