Currently residing in Denver, Eric Peterson has made quite an impact on the mile high city. He contributes to the music community playing in Old Radio, Houses, and Hindershot, contributing and arranging music for Tangled We Weave (a split project between himself and film contributor Jennifer Brookes), organizing local music compilations, and playing a leading role in the Denver-based music collective Hot Congress. Somehow, in between all of this and being a full-time student, Peterson manages to make some of my favorite Colorado music, under the moniker Roger, Roll.

For his solo project, he writes, performs, and records everything that will be on record. He has recently compiled a group of friends for a live band, including members of Sun Red, Hello Kavita, Dream Wagon, Old Radio, among others projects. Since 2007, Peterson has crafted two releases for Roger, Roll, with the help of Old Radio and Hot Congress member, Patrick Kelly. These are “Dodging and Burning” and “The Blackwell Gate.”

Roger, Roll just released its new 7″, “Polaroid in Reverse” on July 16th through Hot Congress. “Polaroid in Reverse,” as well as previous R,R releases, is available through rogerroll.net. One may purchase the release under the name-your-own-price system that Radiohead pioneered (at least for “major albums”) for their “In Rainbows” release in 2007.

As a heads up, the new 7″ release is the first of several Roger, Roll 7″ releases, with similar themes. In essence, the collection will translate to one cohesive, full-length record spread across multiple 7″s. Although this rings a similar bell to the layout of the latest Broken Social Scene release, “Forgiveness Rock Record” – which was released as a multiple 10″ box set – I will certainly be laying down the skrilla for the whole Roger, Roll vinyl collection. It has shown to be a worthwhile project just from the two songs from “Polaroid in Reverse.”

“Foreword” from Polaroid in Reverse

“Picture Perfect” from Polaroid in Reverse

“Don’t Hesitate” from the Blackwell Gate

let•loose•and•have•a•ham•burg•er.

Mayer Hawthorne “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’” from the album A Strange Arrangement.

Interesting note: The music video for “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’” was shot in one take.

Ahnyoung

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I recently discovered that it isn’t that hard to write a pop song. My cousin has a toy keyboard with all of these preset hooks and rhythms in it. I pushed buttons for a couple of minutes, got a beat going, some simple riffs, let my fingers dance back and forth over no more than three keys. Then I started to sing about the sea turtles that were swimming around on the television. I was rather proud of myself. I told myself that I could even consider myself an “artist” if I took the angle, “Yeah, I don’t have any talent and put very little effort into this song, but that makes me cool because I did it and just didn’t care. I’m awesome, follow me on Twitter.”

Nut Brown may have made their tunes the same way. They may have been watching the same turtles on television. But my composition doesn’t hold a candle to what Nut Brown has. Perhaps it is innate talent, experience as the front-man of Vancouver’s They Shoot Horses Don’t They, or superior equipment that gives Nut Brown the edge. I don’t know. But I do know one ingredient that goes into the Nut Brown hopper. He has gusto. He is all about what he is doing. The course is set, the fires stoked, and Nut Brown is at the helm. Full steam ahead.

Nut Brown – I Need A Love Like That

Nut Brown – Welcome Back

Nut Brown has made the album “I Really Do” available for free download at http://nutbrown.net/. Get after it.

This is my friend Robby Ritter. He lives in Kentucky, but plays across the river in Cincinnati with Lujo Records band Enlou. Robby and I met many music projects ago though. I think it must have been close to five years ago, I stumbled across a crazy music scene in St. Louis. One that felt like home as I would listen to the three or four songs each band had on their myspace page. Among the bands were So Many Dynamos, Say Panther, Berlin Whale, the Marching Ohs (Robby’s brother Luke), and the Ghost of the Forest. Robby was in the Ghost of the Forest. Ghost of the Forest became one of my favorites, and we began to meet up in each other’s areas while our bands were on tour. Robby moved to Cincinnati a couple years back to join Enlou. They are really really great! Last time we were through, we kept Kurt (Enlou) up until a few hours before he had work, and we all (9 of us) camped in Robby’s room and watched mid-90s comedy until we laughed ourselves to sleep. Robby will be hitting the road with Bear (the Ghost) and Enlou in July.

Robby has been sending me music of his own and friends, just sharing what he loves to be around. Also, he started showing me his solo project Bear (the Ghost). It is terrific, and I’m excited to hear more of the new material.

One of the bands from Cincinnati that Robby showed to me was Pomegranates. Their quick-moving, sunshiny pop rock took my listening ear to the next level.

Pomegranates is a four-piece band with the ambition to write music that takes the listener (and I imagine the band) to many different places. High and low. The band has two put out two records in the last two years, through Lujo Records, found a niche in the midwest, touring with French Kicks, Aloha, and Islands, and played Daytrotter once in 2008 and then again in 2009. The band have two sets of tours coming up posted to their myspace page; the first one playing shows with Cloud Cult, We All Have Hooks For Hands, and Blitzen Trapper, the second with Colour Revolt.

Pomegranates’ two releases, Everything is Alright and Everybody, Come Outside are available in the Lujo store. The band’s upcoming One Of Us is due out in October through their new label Afternoon Records. From what I heard, they may be stopping in Seattle and Spokane this November, right after the record comes out. If their archive of previous work and performances is any indicator of the forthcoming release, I wouldn’t miss those shows.

Pomegranates~Corriander from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

“Everybody, Come Outside” from Everybody, Come Outside

“Corriander” from Everybody, Come Outside

Pagan Dawn

I deserve a bone-breaking slap on the wrist. A band, that is less than 200 miles from my home, have been written up ad nauseam by my local alternative weekly and have created a sound so strong it could cause an earth quake have evaded me for three years. Despite all of my missed opportunities to discover Breakfast Mountain, I’m glad I finally stumbled across them sifting through the bowels of Myspace.

The aspect of Breakfast Mountain’s music that I most appreciate is their use of beats. They don’t over complicate them, and deliver their rhythm in a way that allows you to feel the song and soak in the heavy synth. They keep their songs fresh and allow all of their instruments room to air out. Breakfast Mountain has made their entire first LP “HOOOODED *PLUS” available to download for free; that was nice of them.

‘J Hollerday’

‘DUNN (NOT DONE)’

‘Log Jamm 2′

As brothers, Ian and I have many ways in which we relate concerning music. We both have a remarkably high tolerance for Irish folk music and The Three Tenors. We know far too many “Oldies” songs, and we both have reoccurring nightmares in which we and our friends are forced to listen to “A Prarie Home Companion” while being shuttled to soccer practice. We also know of those albums that the other bought during those confusing pre-teen years, and will carry these secrets to the grave.

But Ian and my musical inclinations are different as well. Despite Ian’s promotion, I could never get down with Andre Nickatina. All the cocaine, guns, and loose women were a bit too much for me.

But Ian and I reconnected recently on hip hop. He invited me to check out Mash Hall, the product of Seattle based cousins djblesOne and Ronnie Voice along with slew of other musicians and dancers. They have a sampling technique that is unique and innovative, but also has that west coast crispiness that is so easy to get pulled in by. Mash Hall gets bonus points for slick titles such as The Greatest Fuckin Adventures Of Bruce Illest – Streaks & Blurs & Shit.

Here’s the track that Ian is digging, from Mash Hall’s “They La Soul” album.

Visit Mash Hall’s bandcamp page for all kinds of goodies.

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“Happiness” from Then & Now & Then