There is no bottom

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Song Club: Round 3 continues with a new version of our latest title, “Bottom of the Barrel.” This week label stalwarts Vevlo Eel bring us their clamoring, chaotic take on the title. True story: when we first opened this up in our inbox, we thought we had mistakenly clicked on a track from Live Evil-era Miles.

no loud music

For our b-side, we’ve got another tune from the Eel, “Daddy Said, ” from their supremely well-titled second record, Your Culture Makes Monsters. Vevlo Eel, homemade music, indie rock, circuit breaker records

Stay tuned for more Song Club songs to come – who’ll be next to go to the bottom of the barrel?

 

 

Song Club: Round 3

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It’s time.

This week we begin releasing songs from the latest round of something we call Song Club (learn more about it here). Each round we give several songwriters a song title and challenge them to write and record their own version in around 60 days.

This round’s song title is – drumroll – “Bottom of the Barrel.”

Hallelujah Boy, Bottom of the Barrel, Circuit Breaker Records, Indie Rock, Homemade Music, Free MusicHallelujah Boy is in the pole position this round, kicking us off with his Village Green Preservation Society inspired rendition of “Bottom of the Barrel”. Upon first listen, one song clubber remarked, “now that’s a real song”. We couldn’t agree more. You’ll hear playful melodies and tasteful orchestration coupled with melancholic lyrics that may just have you skipping on your merry way.

Accompanying Hallelujah Boy’Circuit Breaker Records, Gifthorse, &, Homemade Music, Indie Rocks “Barrel” this week is the Gifthorse classic, “National Treasure”. This song was originally released on the debut EP “&“. Lined with lovely lyrics like “There is something in the air, mercury drops just a hair”, we think you’ll enjoy this trip down memory lane.

 

 

May. The Force was with you.

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IMG_1464It’s the final day of May and what a May it’s been. We’ve seen the electrifying conclusion to Round 2 of song club, a new member of the Circuit Breaker Records family, a video from Velvo Eel and a new pop gem from Hallelujah Boy. When you add in this week’s release, that’s five new tunes  and five more tasty selections from the archives.

Now, for our digital digestif, we’ve got a new tune from Witchcatcher. This marks the 5th new tune in the 4 months of Transaction Records history from the reclusive rocker. And if this week’s All Hours is any indication, witches will be on the run for quite some time.

Circuit Breaker Records, Hallelujah Boy, Witchcatcher, Indie Rock, Homemade MusicAs a B side, we’ve got the pensive “Ben’s Dad” from the double album, soundtrack to an unrealized movie, The Diamond Fields of Meade. This simple, heartfelt song sounds like the perfect compilation closer for this month. You can download this month’s compilation in it’s entirety by visiting the compilations section of the site.

 

We heart singles

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In case you haven’t noticed, here at CBR HQ we are all about the single.

In this age of guaranteed instant gratification and limited attention spans, there’s something about this format that really works. Not that we’re against albums, EPs, and other longer formats, but amidst all of the other internet junk begging for our eyes and ears, everyone really should be able to make time to listen to one song (plus maybe a b-side too if we’re lucky).

Circuit Breaker Records, Hallelujah Boy, Gone, Indie Rock, Homemade MusicWhich brings us to this week’s release, brought to us by Hallelujah Boy. Since his return after 7 years of dormancy, we’ve seen only singles make their way into our inbox. This week’s A-side, “Gone,” definitely represents a lot of what we think a good single should have: immediate sounds grabbing you from the get-go, catchy hooks aplenty, and over and done in about 3 minutes or less. It worked in the 50s with 45s – no reason it shouldn’t cycle back now!

Now, no true single is complete without a b-side, and this week we’ve dug up another gem from the ITP’s back catalog, “Tapping the Brakes,” from one of two records the group released in 2005, “Second Hand Rubbish.” Still love that one line – “Don’t go getting your hopes up.” infinite transmissions project, circuit breaker records, homemade music, indie rock

Hopes are high around here for the first songs from the next round of Song Club to drop very soon. Sign up for our mailing list so you don’t miss out when they do!

 

 

 

 

 

Vevlo Eel: Seen your video

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Well, they’ve done it again. You were wowed once before by Velvo Eel’s inaugural video from their latest release, There is No Pencil. Brace yourself for more visual wizardry, paired with their latest single, “Too Much Into the Myth.” Click here to give the whole record a spin – you won’t be sorry ya did.

Hallelujah Boy-Circuit Breaker Records- Indie Rock- Homemade MusicFor our b-side, we dig back into the stacks with Hallelujah Boy, and a cut all the way back from 2006, “Beautiful Red Flags.” Someone throw a disc of this onto the stage at the next GBV show – this is HB at his Bob Pollard-aping best.

This weekend brings the deadline for our songwriters to wrap up their songs for the third round of Song Club. Look for the first of the bunch to be released around the first weeks of June.

Textbookcopilot signs with Circuit Breaker Records!

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Textbookcopilot

The big news here at Circuit Breaker Records HQ is the signing of Boston’s own, Textbookcopilot. We couldn’t be more excited to have these rockers in the family. In celebration of the newest addition to the Circuit Breaker family, we’re featuring hSert from their EP 15 Hours on The Dead Sun as the A-side to this week’s digital single.

Rumor has it that one time Textbookcopilot collaborator Witchcatcher was instrumental in recruiting the band. In fact, we’ve got one of those collaborations featured for this week’s B-side.

Boston fans will be happy to know that Textbookcopilot is playing on Saturday, May 18th at 9pm at Precinct.

 

This house is clear

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CemetaryWell, our house will be clear (of ghosts, that is) after this week, now that we’ve come to the end of our 2nd Song Club, centered around the title, “Ghost Creator Now.” Six weeks of ghost creating has finally come to an end, and what a ride it’s been! Remember back in March when Summer Trash graced our earlobes with the very first version? Take a complete trip down memory lane and listen to all of the “Ghost Creator Now” versions here on its Song Club page. That right there is a solid EP of songs.

This week, we’ve got Witchcatcher running the victory lap, so to speak, with a stone cold rocker full of propulsive drums and some killer horns to boot. Props to some typically clever lyrical turns from the wc as well (“not so easily spooked,” is a particular fave).

Rest on Yr Laurels Our B-side from the archives is – surprise! – also about ghosts. This time it’s a tune form Gifthorse’s Rest on Yr Laurels. We promise next week and beyond to have something else on our collective minds here.

Our next round of Song Club is already underway. More details to follow.The rock

 

 

Lastly, we want to wish a belated Happy Birthday to Circuit Breaker Record’s flagship artist, Hallelujah Young Man, er, I mean Hallelujah Boy! Congratulations on another trip around the sun. Long may you run.

Bring more rock. Man. But not like this.

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Is there a ghost in this machine?

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IMG_1487And we’re back to our Song Club program with song #5 of the Ghost Creator Now cycle. This week’s free digital single features an A side of Velvo Eel’s rendition of Ghost Creator Now. The Eel offers up a sonic smörgåsbord or a musical melange if you might. You’ll hear pots and pans, hand claps and some serious outro-experimentation. This one’s for the headphones folks. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.Deflate the Stars Cover

 

On the B Side, we’ve got Infinite Transmission Project’s Automatic Freedom Fighter from their Deflate the Stars release. This anthem has it all, rocking guitars, sing-along lyrics and sweetly layered vocal performances. Sleeping dogs, falling stones, waiting for the call..I hope you hold on!

 

Get Better Now

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We’ve taken a little break this week from song club. Boston is home to the east coast HQ of Circuit Breaker Records so we pulled a few tunes from the ol’ stacks to remind us to keep our heads up.

The A Side is a stately remake of ITP‘s “Get Better Now”, featuring Hallelujah Boy and his occasional collaborators, the Killowatt Kids. Our B Side this week is Witchcatcher’s revved-up cover of Daniel Johnston’s classic, “True Love Will Find You In The End.”

 

Ghost Creator Now Makes Fast Friends

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“Ghost creator now.”

To date, this one song title has spawned four new songs for your listening pleasure. Click on the Song Club link above to review all of the tunes submitted thus far – to our ears, we’ve got a nice little EP going here!

Play Ball
This week’s entry comes from LA’s Fast Friends (feat. a former member of Gifthorse), and showcases some nice lyrical storytelling similar to Sam Margolis’ version of this title a few weeks back. Dig the major earworm chorus too, headed straight for the repeat button inside your brain. 

EelVevlo Eel’s got the B-side this week, with the track “Ghost Rider.” You might think we’ve got some sort of ghost fetish going on around here lately, which we will continue to encourage with yet another “Ghost Creator Now” plus a similarly-themed B-side next week.