The Charlie Watts Riots - A Break in the Weather

The Charlie Watts Riots - A Break in the Weather - 2013

By Corvozine.com

Singer-guitarist-songwriter Seth Powell of the Charlie Watts Riots is a music engineer and producer who has worked with Graham Parker, the Figgs and other artists at his Soundcheck Republic Studios in East Greenbush, New York. But when it came time to mix his own band’s sophomore album, A Break in the Weather, Powell turned to Nashville producer Nick Raskulinecz – a force behind some of the biggest names in rock.

Raskulinecz – a three-time Grammy winner and producer of albums by Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Rush and many more – really liked what he heard of the demos for A Break in the Weather and signed on to polish the album’s tracks. From the stadium-worthy single “Bottom” – about coming to terms with life’s disappointments – to the spirited power-pop ballad “Luanne,” A Break in the Weather got its amped-up final form thanks to Raskulinecz’s skills as a veteran producer. 

“He made the album sound bigger than I could or would have made it,” says Powell. “He made it sound huge and polished without making it sound over-produced. The drums are big. The guitars are in your face. It’s just a big, professional sounding record.”

Working with Raskulinecz at Dark Horse Recording studio was a thrill for Powell, a big fan of Raskulinecz’ work with alt-rockers Superdrag. “Nick is a big fan of the music he’s working on,” says Powell. “He knows every drum hit, every lyric. That was impressive. He knows every note of every song. At the end, he wanted to know who was putting our album out. That was when he offered to put it on his label.” 

A Break in the Weather is one of the first releases from the Los Angeles-based MCDMAN music label, a boutique management company that represents top record producers, including Raskulinecz. The label is a collaboration between the management company and the record producers to help talented, unsigned artists reach a broader audience. Raskulinecz will also produce the follow-up to A Break in the Weather next year. 

01. Bottom

02. Curtains

03. Luanne 

04. When You’re Around 

05. Caveman Town 

06. Omaha 

07. No Idea 

08. Destroyed 

09. Metal 

10. The More that You Change 

11. The Band that Killed Disco (Bonus Track)

The Charlie Watts Riots - Long Story Short (re-post)

The Charlie Watts Riots - Long Story Short - 2010

By Tom McWatters from http://www.timesunion.com

If Last Cons boast a big past, Charlie Watts Riots are an actual supergroup, with a lineup boasting former members of Vodkasonics, Bloom, The Wait and Coal Palace Kings. Power-pop is served on "Long Story Short," and nothing else, thank gosh.

Guitarists Brendan Pendergast and Seth Powell know how to make four chords ring, and they do just that on killers like "Greater Good," "Lie to Me" and the epic chugging, stop/start of "Radio". Just try not singing along to the hook on that one; try to resist the Gerry Rafferty tug in Pendergast's voice.

But there's room for ballads, too, and although the emphasis is on power, we don't mean power ballads. "Page Turner" is poignant enough to make Paul McCartney jealous, and drummer Joe Putrock and bassist Mike Pauley keep it taut without overpowering it.

Powell's "Dress Up," which just might be the album's sleeper, enters over a chiming six-string figure before juggling a great mix of counterpoint vocals and chunky chords over and an eerie keyboard pedal tone.

Long story short, "Long Story Short" is the real thing, a testament to music of the past that proves - Livingston's cry aside - that the future looks just fine.

Brendan Pendergast - Guitar, Vocal
Seth Powell - Guitar, Vocal
Mike Pauley- Bass, Vocal
Joe Putrock - Drums

01. Greater Good           
02. The Narcissist           
03. Dress Up           
04. Calling Out           
05. Running In Place           
06. Lie to Me           
07. Ever After           
08. Page Turner           
09. So Out of Touch           
10. Reveille           
11. Radio           
12. Repeat Myself
 
+@192

The Charlie Watts Riots - Long Story Short

The Charlie Watts Riots - Long Story Short - 2010

By Tom McWatters from http://www.timesunion.com

If Last Cons boast a big past, Charlie Watts Riots are an actual supergroup, with a lineup boasting former members of Vodkasonics, Bloom, The Wait and Coal Palace Kings. Power-pop is served on "Long Story Short," and nothing else, thank gosh.

Guitarists Brendan Pendergast and Seth Powell know how to make four chords ring, and they do just that on killers like "Greater Good," "Lie to Me" and the epic chugging, stop/start of "Radio". Just try not singing along to the hook on that one; try to resist the Gerry Rafferty tug in Pendergast's voice.

But there's room for ballads, too, and although the emphasis is on power, we don't mean power ballads. "Page Turner" is poignant enough to make Paul McCartney jealous, and drummer Joe Putrock and bassist Mike Pauley keep it taut without overpowering it.

Powell's "Dress Up," which just might be the album's sleeper, enters over a chiming six-string figure before juggling a great mix of counterpoint vocals and chunky chords over and an eerie keyboard pedal tone.

Long story short, "Long Story Short" is the real thing, a testament to music of the past that proves - Livingston's cry aside - that the future looks just fine.

Brendan Pendergast - Guitar, Vocal
Seth Powell - Guitar, Vocal
Mike Pauley- Bass, Vocal
Joe Putrock - Drums

01. Greater Good           
02. The Narcissist           
03. Dress Up           
04. Calling Out           
05. Running In Place           
06. Lie to Me           

07. Ever After           
08. Page Turner           
09. So Out of Touch           
10. Reveille           
11. Radio           
12. Repeat Myself
 
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