Video Raid: Brandon Schott, ‘This Is Home’

You may have seen my review for Brandon Schott‘s most recent album, 13 Satellites, here last year. I was especially drawn to his tune “This Is Home,” which sparked both delight and serenity in my soul.

In “This is Home,” Schott waxes carefree about a rundown house, unpaid bills and the love that makes it all worthwhile — like a “Danny’s Song: Part II.”

Schott sought out people in his geographical vicinity earlier this year who would let him barge into their houses with with his cameras and instruments and friendly smile to make a music video for the song. It resulted in a quaint and heartwarming view of what all these strangers call home, and basically epitomizes what makes Schott such an endearing musician. He’s genuine, optimistic and down-to-earth. It shows in his  music, it shows in his face, and in the faces of the people who appear in the video.

Catch Schott’s debut appearance in Washington state with a Hearingade sponsored set at Wenatchee’s Caffè Mela June 30th. Wenatchee’s own The Bloody Oranges open the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $12 at ticketfly.com, or will be available at the door for $15.

Bloody Oranges are ripe for the pickin’

Ron Evans is one of the most creative people I’ve ever known. He spends every day making artwork, music, film, comics, robots, podcasts and now he’s even putting out a science fiction magazine. His absurd level of productivity should be an inspiration to us all.

For several years, he’s created music under the moniker The Bloody Oranges, recently adding band members Jon-Mark Pitts on drums and Christopher Hart on bass for his live performances. Evans plays guitar and keyboards, as well as leading with his sweet and pulpy vocals. The only reason you’ve never heard of him is because he’s, like, uberly independent and lives in East Wenatchee, Wash. (a place you’ve probably never heard of), but that doesn’t mean everything he creates isn’t completely magnificent.

You can listen to his latest album, “Mars Needs Our Cats,” on Bandcamp before it’s available for sale, but in the meantime, consider picking up his 26-song collection of outtakes for free. “The Sheep Experimentation Station” includes some of my very favorite Bloody Oranges songs, including poppy offerings such as “Whiskey James,” “Shine” and “Flowers & Lysol.” Evans draws from a great range of inspiration, but if you’re into stuff like The Dandy Warhols, Superdrag and even a little Pink Floyd, a lot of this stuff may be right up your alley.

Abbytron’s Top 10 Halloween Albums

We here at hearingade would like to wish you all a Happy Halloween! Being my favorite holiday and all, I’ve already posted a mix about ghosts and a mix about monsters, but there’s always more where that came from. That’s why, for this special day, I’m listing off my 10 favorite Halloween albums that I suggest you all hunt down and buy in time for your evening celebrations.

Sometimes one song just isn’t enough. Every so often, you’ll find an album that is just so packed full of Halloween goodness, you’ve gotta play the whole thing. This couldn’t be more true for the 10 albums I’ve selected. Get ready to be spooked, because these records turn the creep factor up to 11.

1. Jeremy Messersmith — “The Reluctant Graveyard”
This album is a spectacular pop treat for the cheerfully morbid freak in us all. It’s no secret that I am a gigantic Messersmith fan (that’s not to say I am gigantic, but that my love for his music is gigantic), and “The Reluctant Graveyard” is in no small part responsible. Yes, his other albums are also magnificent, but they aren’t about dead things. This is the only one that speaks my heart’s language (and, yes, I understand how disturbing that probably sounds).

Listen to: Organ Donor

2. The Alan Parsons Project — “Tales of Mystery and Imagination”
Any Alan Parsons Project album probably has its place in a Halloween playlist, but this one especially. “Tales of Mystery and Imagination” is a collection of songs based on the literary work of Edgar Allen Poe, a man who may as well be the holiday’s mascot. With musical renditions of “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the album even includes a saga of five songs dedicated to “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Not gonna lie, it’s pretty amazing.

Listen to: The Tell-Tale Heart