Music For Everyone Update

Pre-orders for Music For Everyone: A Compilation To Benefit The ACLU are now live! The compilation is scheduled to be released March 30, 2017. Check out the (non-sequenced) track list below. 

Always - Chris Farren

American Skies - Gravel Kings

Believe In Me - James Dewees and John Nolan

Birdless Cage - The Republic of Wolves

Both Ways (Acoustic) - Kevin Devine

Break My Heart - Allison Weiss

City of Glass - Answering Machine

Corvette - Cassino

Getting Into Heaven Can Be Hell - Frank Iero

Heads or Tails (Full Band) - Jared Hart

Honest Man (Live at Nu-Tone) - Travis Hayes

I’m Paranoid - Brett Newski

Just A Man - Taking Back Sunday

Memorial Day - Sleep On It

Point of Change - Secret Space

Season’s Greeting From Ferguson - Dave Hause

sinnn - Cameron Boucher

Space Angela - Rationale

The Day After Tomorrow - LOLO

The OverThinker - Modern Chemistry

The Shame DEMO - Anti-Flag

Twisted - Potty Mouth

Waterboard - Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds

FIGHTING BACK WITH MUSIC

FIGHTING BACK WITH MUSIC Taking Back Sunday’s John Nolan and Friends Compile Music For Everyone

“During these next four years, I feel it's going to be extremely important to support organizations that will stand up to the Trump administration,” says John Nolan, guitarist for alt-rock band TAKING BACK SUNDAY about the incoming Presidential administration headed by Donald J. Trump.  Instead of being complacent, Nolan is joining forces with indie label Collective Confusion Records and Hopeless Records’ charity arm Sub City to assemble MUSIC FOR EVERYONE, a compilation of musicians and artists who are equally empowered to take action in this fiery political environment to be released this Spring 2017. Artists who have committed to donating rare or unreleased music to the compilation include Taking Back Sunday, Anti-Flag, Answering Machine, Baggage, Chris Farren, Potty Mouth, Brendan Kelley, Anthony Green, Frank Iero, Dave Hause, Sleep On It, Jared Hart, Cassino, Dead Heavens featuring Walter Schreifels, Allison Weiss, Brett Newski and more artists to be announced. The cover art was designed and donated by artist David Foarde (Instagram: @DavidFoarde). 100% of the profits made from the sale of the compilation will be donated to American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nonpartisan, non-profit whose mission statement is to defend, uphold and preserve rights and liberties of individuals in this country granted by the U.S. Constitution. “In the next four years, there is a lot of potential to see policies that will discriminate against people of color, Muslims, women and the LGBT community," explains Nolan. "The ACLU has a long history of fighting discriminatory and unconstitutional policies and I wanted to do something to unite people in support of that fight.” "Helping musicians connect with fans to raise funds for important organizations, like the ACLU, is at the heart of everything we do at Sub City, so we are thrilled that our friend John Nolan asked us to be a part of bringing this incredible compilation to life," said Louis Posen, President of Hopeless Records and Sub City non-profit. Mike Colleran of Collective Confusion Records adds, “John [Nolan] and I had spent some time on the road together last summer during the primaries, and we were glued to the news the entire trip. I personally was shocked and saddened about some of the rhetoric that was slowly becoming more mainstream. There has been a toxic atmosphere to the political climate for years, which only seems to be getting worse. After the election, John approached me about putting together this compilation and I realized it was up to everyone, as average citizens, to do what they can to make their voices heard and to stand up and make it known that these ideas don't represent us. I jumped on board with the project immediately, and I hope it will do some small part in making our country a better place for everyone.” “I also wanted to give artists an opportunity to express something about what's gone on in this country over the past year and what's coming in the next ones,” concludes Nolan. “I needed that for myself and wanted to connect with other people who needed it. And I wanted to take that need for self-expression and channel it into something bigger than all of us."   Music For Everyone will be released Spring 2017 via Collective Confusion Records/Sub City.  For pre-order information, please go to: http://www.musicforeveryone.us/ To read more on the ACLU’s commitment to stand up for human rights in the wake of the recent election: https://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-statement-donald-trumps-election   About Sub City: Established in 1999, Sub City is the 501(c)(3) charity arm of Hopeless Records. It has raised over 2.3 million dollars for over 60 non-profit organizations by connecting bands and fans to causes they are passionate about. Sub City has been recognized for its efforts by the 110th U.S. Congress, the California Senate, the Los Angeles City Council, the National Association of Retail Merchandisers (NARM), Billboard Magazine, Alternative Press Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications.

Railroadiana Presents: Dreamway

We'll be debuting a new project this Friday at Little Field in the heart of Brooklyn! One Of The Lucky Ones is a collaboration of friends from the Collective Confusion family. Come on out if you're in the city! 

Call To Arms: Volume 2 Now Available!

Collective Confusion Records is proud to release the second installment in it's charity compilation series, Call To Arms: Volume 2. 


100% of the proceeds for this release will be donated to Feeding America. At Feeding America, 98% of all donations go directly to helping those in need. Feeding America's network provides over 3.7 billion meals to 1 in 7 Americans in need of healthy foods to help them live more secure and stable lives.

Call To Arms 2 features brand new tracks from friends new and old. Check out the tracklisting below.

1. Cassino - Bottlenecker (Acoustic)

2. Brian Bonz - Apparitions (Live)

3. John Nolan - The Devil Doesn't Care

4. Old Flings - Funeral Mixtape (Acoustic)

5. Rae Fitzgerald - Jackal II

6. Gameday Regulars - The Punisher

7. Travis Hayes - Empty Orchestra (Acoustic)

8. Chris Farren - Desperate Kingdom of Love

9. Tea & Water - Change Your Mind

10 - JD Fetcho - I Dreamt You Were A Singer

11 - Jared Hart - The Leo 

12 - Noise and Rhythm - Crown Heights

Pick it up at www.collectiveconfusionrecords.bandcamp.com

See you soon, Sayreville...

We're happy to announce Collective Confusion Records will be a vendor at this year's Holiday Pop-Up Shop! We will be selling all CCR releases, as well as test presses, signed posters, and other rare stuff we've amassed over the years. Looking forward to seeing you there! 

John Nolan's "Sad, Strange, Beautiful Dream" now available! (CCR-009)

Hey everyone! We're super happy to announce that John Nolan's new solo record Sad, Strange, Beautiful Dream is now available via Collective Confusion Records.

There are less than 20 copies of this left on black vinyl in our webstore. In addition, we have a very small amount (think less than 10) of the acoustic bootleg version of the record also available. 

These LPs come with a full lyric sheet and digital download. and Grab them now before they're gone forever! 

Thank you everyone for supporting the PledgeMusic campaign. We couldn't have done it without you. 

-Mike

Noise & Rhthym's "Ornamental" (CCR-010) Now Available!

We are more than happy to announce that our good friends (and one of our favorite Brooklyn bands) Noise & Rhythm's Ornamental is now available to pick up in the CCR webstore! Pressed on black vinyl and limited to 300 copies, this release is an absolutely beautiful gatefold jacket. The layout and artwork for the record was provided by another good friend, Dave Foarde.

This record is truly a family affair, and the music on it is just as inviting. Check out some pictures below, and PICK IT UP HERE! It's only $15, and you can get free shipping if you Tweet/Insta/Facebook/Carrier Pigeon about it! Just tag @collectivemike or Collective Confusion Records to take advantage.

Hear a few tracks off of the record HERE!

Stay tuned for more!  

John Nolan's 'Sad Strange Beautiful Dream' and TOUR

Hey! We're super excited to announce John Nolan's Sad Strange Beautiful Dream will be released July 27th, 2015. Written and recorded over the past two years, and produced by Mike Sapone (TBS, Brand New, Straylight Run), this record features musicians from Kevin Devine's Goddamn Band, Dashboard Confessional, and Bad Books.

You can still pre-order the record through our Pledgmusic page right HERE.

John will be touring this summer to support the record, please check out the dates below. See you there. 

-Mike

ON TOUR THIS SUMMER!
08/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle
08/20 – Allston, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
08/21 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
08/22 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
08/23 – Washington, DC @ DC9
08/24 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
08/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
08/27 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
08/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Hotel Café
08/29 – Costa Mesa, CA @ The Wayfarer
08/30 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
09/01 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
09/02 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
09/03 – Vancouver, BC @ Media Club

New John Nolan Album and PledgeMusic Campaign

I am extremely excited to announce that Collective Confusion and John Nolan have teamed up with PledgeMusic to work on a new record! It's a great batch of songs with an amazing backing band (featuring members of Kevin Devine's Goddamn Band, Dashboard Confessional, Gabriel The Marine and Bad Books). It's being produced by Mike Sapone (producer of most of your favorite records, including Brand New, Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run).

I'll leave it up to John to explain the rest. Click HERE to see the campaign, hear a BRAND NEW SONG and to pledge!

Keep your eyes peeled for updates. Thank you all for your continued support of Collective Confusion Records.

-Mike

Monday! Bridge And Tunnel Soundtrack Release Party

Hey, I just found your NYE Plans...

Modern Vinyl Review - The Bothers EP

The Bothers not afraid to embrace their rockabilly inspirations

When modern day rock entities are highlighted for their utilization of country and its related genres, a majority of listeners will now (and unfortunately) relate such comparisons to the Mumford & Sons or Of Monsters and Men brand of radio popularity. And while the material produced by such groups isn’t necessarily bad — a bit boring perhaps — there are others who are using these influences in ways that don’t just add a banjo to the proceedings. Take New York City-based The Bothers as an example. In their debut and self-titled EP, the 4-piece — based in the rockabilly traditions of the legendary Johnny Horton and the more recent Stray Cats — present an aggressive blend of genres, constructed for the beer soaked atmosphere of a barn dance, yet accessible to all fans of rock. More importantly, instead of cherrypicking aspects of their primary influences to cater to what’s commercially popular, The Bothers fully embrace the genres they love, such as the previously mentioned rockabilly, along with bluegrass and elements of jazz.

The EP begins with “Witchdoctor Woes,” a track that prides itself on being that aggressive brand of rockabilly. The raspy lead vocals of frontman Sean McNally are an immediate standout, the emotion pouring from his voice with every slight inflection left in through the production process. We’re not looking at an overcooked and perfect vocal performance here. Instead, with lines like ”I fix you real good/I’ll tune you up until you’re gone,” we receive a much more passionate rendition of the lyrical content. A series of hand claps add a bit of that “down home feeling” to the final chorus, while elements of psychedelic rock infiltrate the guitar work by McNally and Keith Cayea throughout the bridge. “Loose Lush” follows, dropping the frantic pace, instead driven by the bass line laid down by J.D. Fetcho. McNally sings the lines, “I want to take you home/Thought I made that clear/You better take your shot/Let’s make it out of here,” helping to present a darker, more sensual version of your standard “Get Lucky,” one-night-stand type of track.

The final song, titled “Dragonfly,” also serves as the EP’s standout, as it’s an instrumental marvel, with great guitar work on display from McNally and Cayea, along with a steady rhythm from Ben Heymann behind the kit. A track that again embraces those rockabilly roots, the frenetic picks of the guitar strings help the band build up to an excellent hook, with McNally singing, “She was my dragonfly/Oh my sweet dragonfly/She left me high and dry.” And instead of attempting to place it within several genres, the best way to describe the song would be that it’s a great rock n’ roll tune, plain and simple.

Sound Quality: Is there a way in which less than perfect sound quality can actually improve your listening experience? It could be true in this pressing, because despite a noticeable layer of “fuzz” or surface noise — not present in the digital version — the vintage sound actually meshes quite well with the band’s attitude and aim. I would have liked a bit more depth to the pressing, as a track like “Loose Lush” lost that bottom layer of bass, but I’m being pulled toward my emotional side with this one. It’s not very dynamic, but it’s a fun spin, despite its imperfections.

Packaging: The record is packaged in a standard 7″ jacket, along with a white inner sleeve. The art is minimalistic, but the individual photos of each band member are a nice touch on the back cover. Collective Confusion has also hand-numbered each copy. The red variant (described further in the “Extras” section) matches up well with the front cover title graphic. The only downfall comes with the lack of a lyric insert.

Extras: The record includes a digital download, which not only features the EP material, but also a series of live tracks from a May 2013 performance from the band. Showing off a frantic, energetic stage experience, the live cuts include one original, along with Johnny Horton and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins covers. Most of all, an instrumental precision is on full display, which really gives you an appreciation of what the group is capable of. Collective Confusion produced two variants for the release, with the red vinyl limited to 100 copies and the black variant limited to 200 copies.

Summary: The debut EP from The Bothers finds a group unwilling to compromise their exciting vision, with the genres of rockabilly and bluegrass given an aggressive, modern-day touch. While only three tracks, the material is enough to give fans a reason to return in the future. Collective Confusion has continued their string of strong releases, as the highlight of their vinyl pressing is an expanded digital download, featuring three live tracks.

Make Sure To Spin: “Dragonfly”

You can still pick up the record through Collective Confusion’s webstore.

(Thanks to Modern Vinyl for the kind words. Read the article here and be sure to check out Modern Vinyl for all of your vinyl news!)

Call To Arms: A Benefit For Sandy Relief is NOW AVAILABLE!

Collective Confusion Records is extremely proud to announce the official release of Call To Arms: A Benefit For Sandy Relief. The eighth release in Collective Confusion’s growing catalog, this compilation is filled with tracks donated by some of Collective Confusion’s friends and favorite independent artists and bands, including John Nolan, Geoff Rickly, and Miracle of ’86. 100% of the proceeds will go to Occupy Sandy, and NY/NJ based organization dedicated to rebuilding the communities hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy last October.

This digital-only compilation is comprised of mostly new, rare and previously unreleased material. Call To Arms is an eclectic mix of rock, indie, acoustic, pop and folk songs. Head to the Collective Confusion Records Bandcamp to make your $4 minimum donation and to receive your digital download.

Download Call To Arms here: http://collectiveconfusionrecords.bandcamp.com/

1.   Miracle of ’86 – We Keep You Honest (2003 Demo)*

2. The Bothers – Beverly (Live At Arlene’s)*

3. The Motel Life – Alva (Acoustic)

4. The Ugly Club - All I Have To Do Is Dream (Cover)*

5. Les Vinyl - Excavate

6. Geoff Rickly - New Sympathies

7. John Nolan - I Don't Believe You (Demo)*

8. Brendan Rivera - See You Around*

9. The Republic Of Wolves - Turning Lane (Acoustic)*

10. It Ain't Easy - Workingman

11. Adam Rubenstein - Torch*

12. Tyler Bernhardt - Foreign Sweetheart

13. Cyrus - Traces* 

Bonus Tracks:

14. John Nolan - It Takes A Long Time (Demo)*

15. Cyrus - Reach

16. The Bothers - Greenback Dollar Blues*

*Previously Unreleased

A Special Thanks goes out to Dan Greer of dg.artistics for putting together the amazing artwork.