"The Great American Midrange" by THE ELMS

[ThomDaugherty]

08.25.09

http://www.theelms.net

Finally.

Thanks for your support... and your patience.

Blessings,
Thom

[dgp11776]

Nice!  Looking forward to hearing it.

[murlough23]

Awesome. That's one of my most anticipated releases for 2009. You got a track listing?

[dgp11776]

Oh, and releasing "in all formats" doesn't by any chance include vinyl, does it?

[Aaron]

I Love You.

[murlough23]

Oh, and releasing "in all formats" doesn't by any chance include vinyl, does it?

I was expecting 8-track and laserdisc.

[Ian]

woooohoooo!!  Can't wait!  I've only heard Chess Hotel of The Elm's discog, but I played the hell out of it, and expect I shall do the same with this.

EDIT: OHSHI- this comes the same day as the new Mew album.  Aaaand Mute Math are suggesting a late August release for their new album.  Best day of new music ever?

[NinjaRob17]

woooohoooo!!  Can't wait!  I've only heard Chess Hotel of The Elm's discog, but I played the hell out of it, and expect I shall do the same with this.

Their other two albums aren't anything special. They're ok, but The Chess Hotel is leaps and bounds above them.

[murlough23]

Their other two albums aren't anything special. They're ok, but The Chess Hotel is leaps and bounds above them.

Amazing what happens when you don't have to force your songwriting to fit CCM airplay standards.

[ThomDaugherty]

Thanks, everybody.  I'll try to answer a few of these:

1. No tracklisting just yet.  The standard release will have 12 songs most likely as long as this last mastering job comes back satisfactory.  There will be a few other editions though with tons of extra songs only available if someone gets the album directly from the band.  Hopefully we're incentivizing it enough that people would be willing to pick it up that way - it would benefit the band the most, by a longshot.

2. There Will Be Vinyl.

3. I lobbied hard for Laserdisc and Quadrophonic LP.  Failed, sorry.

4. I agree that TCH was better than the first two albums, but I won't blame that on being asked to fit into any CCM standards.  Truth is, Sparrow was always relatively hands-off with us.  We got to make the records we wanted to make.  The difference is all of the touring, growing-up, etc.  Like anything else, the more you do something, the better you get at it.

[murlough23]

1. No tracklisting just yet.  The standard release will have 12 songs most likely as long as this last mastering job comes back satisfactory.  There will be a few other editions though with tons of extra songs only available if someone gets the album directly from the band.  Hopefully we're incentivizing it enough that people would be willing to pick it up that way - it would benefit the band the most, by a longshot.

I'll pick it up directly from the band if the band makes a stop in L.A. Otherwise it will be whatever brick-and-mortar store has it cheapest on the day of release, so I can get it the soonest.

3. I lobbied hard for Laserdisc and Quadrophonic LP.  Failed, sorry.

Ha ha. The way things are going these days, I'm just glad there'll be a physical CD!

4. I agree that TCH was better than the first two albums, but I won't blame that on being asked to fit into any CCM standards.  Truth is, Sparrow was always relatively hands-off with us.  We got to make the records we wanted to make.  The difference is all of the touring, growing-up, etc.  Like anything else, the more you do something, the better you get at it.

Aw man, but I like blaming the CCM labels for all of the world's problems.

Whatever the cause, you guys improved vastly over the years, so take that as a compliment.

[ThomDaugherty]

I'll pick it up directly from the band if the band makes a stop in L.A. Otherwise it will be whatever brick-and-mortar store has it cheapest on the day of release, so I can get it the soonest.

Well, the benefits only come digitally, I believe.  Not weird for me, because ALL of the music I acquire these days is digital, but I know some people still got an aversion to that for reasons that make sense to them.  And that's alright.

Aw man, but I like blaming the CCM labels for all of the world's problems.

I can fault them for quite a bit.  But when it came to the music, I'm happy to say they stayed outta the room.

Whatever the cause, you guys improved vastly over the years, so take that as a compliment.

Absolutely.  Thank you.  Hopefully you'll feel the same way about this one.  More blood, sweat & tears than ever - we're extremely proud of it.

I know I've never posted here before.  But I knew that you guys were all the ones who actually cared about music, so I wanted to pop in.

[murlough23]

Well, the benefits only come digitally, I believe.  Not weird for me, because ALL of the music I acquire these days is digital, but I know some people still got an aversion to that for reasons that make sense to them.  And that's alright.

I'm old school enough to still like having the physical CD in my hand. (Yet, paradoxically, not old school enough to like vinyl.) I'll probably continue to buy them until the format goes kaput.

I don't tend to get up in arms about "special editions" with bonus tracks and stuff that I don't get because I bought the physical CD... unless it's one of those things where you put out the album, I buy it right when it comes out, then you put it out against later with extras that I can't go back and buy separately, so basically I have to buy what I've already bought to get that stuff. To date, I can't recall that ever happening with one of your albums. (Actually, when I bought Truth Soul, Rock & Roll, there was a copy of your debut EP thrown in for free, which was a nice touch.)

At any rate, even when there are extras, it's what's on the album proper that matters to me (and that's what I'll grade on when I write a review). 12 tracks is a reasonably generous album length. 10 is my idea of a bare minimum unless you're one of those prog bands who writes really long songs. 11 is preferable to 10. 12 or more is icing on the cake. (I have no upper limit as long as the songs are good and it doesn't feel like you just threw whatever on there to stretch it out.) Bonus tracks are nice, but if any of them are the same level of quality as the album material, I'm just going to wonder why you didn't put 'em on the album.

I can fault them for quite a bit.  But when it came to the music, I'm happy to say they stayed outta the room.

Well. Every now and then those label suits manage to surprise me.

It always amused me that when you guys would play a song like "Who Got the Meaning?" live, it would be like, "Oh crap. We don't have a horn section with us. I know... GUITAR SOLO!" I think that was an improvement.

Absolutely.  Thank you.  Hopefully you'll feel the same way about this one.  More blood, sweat & tears than ever - we're extremely proud of it.

I'm sure it will have me drumming on my steering wheel and singing along to the guitar solos like the big dork that I am.

I know I've never posted here before.  But I knew that you guys were all the ones who actually cared about music, so I wanted to pop in.

Really? We're all of them? What a frighteningly small world...

[Brenden]

Sweet! The Chess Hotel still gets a lot of play in my car, I'll be picking this up as soon as I can.

[Aaron]

  Best day of new music ever?

Woah, slow down there Hyperbole Jones!

[Ian]

Woah, slow down there Hyperbole Jones!

Well I mean Mute Math and Mew are both coming off decade-defining albums (imo, of course), and The Elms are coming off one of my most played from '07... so for me it's not really hyperbole, as I can't recall that many anticipated releases coming on on the same day.  Granted of course, I imagine I'll be scoopin up the leaks ahead of time 

[murlough23]

Woah, slow down there Hyperbole Jones!

Seriously. Lipstick is hard to wash off of the hindquarters.

[spacebrat311]

Mute Math and Mew decade defining?

Wha?

[murlough23]

Mute Math and Mew decade defining?

Wha?

My decade will probably be defined by artists that will make others go "Wha?" Personal tastes are a funny thing.

[plvarona]

08.25.09

http://www.theelms.net

Finally.

Sweet!

Thanks for the update, Thom!  I'm definitely looking forward to the new album.

As for the whole "digital" vs "physical CD" debate, I'm also one of those people who likes having the physical CD in my hands.  I'm not adverse to digital music at all, and I'll take it if it's my only option.  I would just rather have a physical CD.  That's just my preference.

[spacebrat311]

Vinylite checking in.

[murlough23]

As for the whole "digital" vs "physical CD" debate, I'm also one of those people who likes having the physical CD in my hands.  I'm not adverse to digital music at all, and I'll take it if it's my only option.  I would just rather have a physical CD.  That's just my preference.

I'll occasionally even buy both, if there's no CD option at first due to limited funds to put the thing out, and the artist later becomes capable of a physical release. (I did that with Stephen Delopoulos' Straightjacket).

But don't do this on purpose, or I will have to shoot you.

[ThomDaugherty]

Curious...

How would this group of people feel about an acoustic version of the entire album? Worth doing? Compelling enough that it might prompt people to buy direct if it was only offered through that channel?

[murlough23]

How would this group of people feel about an acoustic version of the entire album? Worth doing? Compelling enough that it might prompt people to buy direct if it was only offered through that channel?

Tough call. I really enjoyed the live acoustic versions that you guys hid at the end of The Chess Hotel. (And I was really bummed when I had to replace the CD and the hidden tracks weren't on the new copy.) But a whole album of that could get tedious if it's just chords. (Kind of like me attempting to play any of your songs.) When there's a big fun solo in the plugged-in version of a song, I find myself wanting that to be somehow translated to the acoustic version, but obviously there's a difference in the way that the two instruments can be played.

Basically I think the versions would have to differ enough to make purchasing two mixes of each song worthwhile, but without going overboard and morphing a song into something unrecognizable. Unfortunately some bands take "acoustic version" to mean they have to slow it down. (This had disastrous effects on such songs as Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" and Anberlin's "A Day Late".) You guys kept up the tempo in your acoustic versions of "I Am the World" and "Black Peach", which I liked. I don't know, it depends on the song. Find a way to still make it rock and still put some instrumental virtuosity in there. Make it so that it would stand on its own if that were the only version of the album available. (Perhaps that's a tall order. But a guy like me with only rudimentary acoustic guitar skillz can dream.) Otherwise it'll probably be something I'd listen to once or twice out of curiosity, but not go back to enough to justify buying a copy for myself rather than borrowing it from a friend.

[ThomDaugherty]

I'm not going to claim that I can match this sonically, but think along the lines of the Rick Rubin-produced Johnny Cash records.  It'd be more than just one guitar, one vocal.  Every song would likely get its own specialized treatment.  And maybe most importantly, the essence of the songs themselves would be allowed to really shine.

And it wouldn't cost extra.  It'd just be something to entice people to buy the version that comes directly from the band.  Almost like 2 albums for the price of 1, or something really close to that.

Probably silly to jaw-on about something like this on a forum.  Just wanted to bounce a few ideas off of you.

To bed.  You Left Coast people don't know nothin' about Eastern Daylight Time. Thanks, and g'night.

[murlough23]

I'm not going to claim that I can match this sonically, but think along the lines of the Rick Rubin-produced Johnny Cash records.  It'd be more than just one guitar, one vocal.  Every song would likely get its own specialized treatment.  And maybe most importantly, the essence of the songs themselves would be allowed to really shine.

Ah. I thought it'd be the full band unplugged, but I can keep an open mind.

And it wouldn't cost extra.  It'd just be something to entice people to buy the version that comes directly from the band.  Almost like 2 albums for the price of 1, or something really close to that.

If it's regular price plus a few bucks due to it being a special edition, I'd spring for it.

To bed.  You Left Coast people don't know nothin' about Eastern Daylight Time. Thanks, and g'night.

You rock stars don't stay up until just before the crack of dawn every night? Wow. My bubble just burst.

[dgp11776]

I could picture a nice gatefold double LP, plugged in version on one side, unplugged on the other.  I know that would be a bit more expensive, though.  If it were done, I would like the option to buy the LP and then download the acoustic renderings. 

I'm trying to hear "I Am the World (Acoustic Version)" in my head right now.

I think one of the better cuts at an electric band going acoustic was Relient K's DVD at Capitol Studios.  They added quite a bit of acoustic beef beyond the guitar & vocal, and it sounds like that is your intent as well.  Of course, I love the Rubin/Cash collaborations as well, so that would work just great.

All-in-all, you've given me much to be excited about come late August.

[Ian]

Seriously. Lipstick is hard to wash off of the hindquarters.

Hey, I didn't say The Elms were decade-defining, just that I played the disc a lot... >_>

Mute Math and Mew I realize haven't had the same effect on the rest of the industry as they've had on me, but all I really care about is the "on me" part anyways.

[ajyouthguy]

Curious...

How would this group of people feel about an acoustic version of the entire album? Worth doing? Compelling enough that it might prompt people to buy direct if it was only offered through that channel?

i'd definitely consider it.

[murlough23]

Hey, I didn't say The Elms were decade-defining, just that I played the disc a lot... >_>

How about "decade-revisiting"? Or, for an ignorant Gen-X-er like myself, "decade-visiting-for-the-first-time". (Oh wait, Thom and I were born the same year. I have no excuse. Ha ha.)

Mute Math and Mew I realize haven't had the same effect on the rest of the industry as they've had on me, but all I really care about is the "on me" part anyways.

If the stuff that affected people like you had the same effect on the industry, we'd probably have a better industry.

[murlough23]

Now I remember a question I was going to ask about the album earlier on. Will "A Miracle" and/or "This Is How the World Will End" be on the album? I ask because there are a lot of instances in this digital age where artists release songs off on their own, either for free or as paid downloads, that don't really have a home on an album. I will often either miss these things entirely, or if I do get around to downloading 'em, I won't listen to 'em with the same fervor as a new album. I kind of think it shortchanges otherwise good material if those sorts of songs are just one-offs that don't eventually end up on an album. A good song is a good song, but it just isn't likely to be in my regular rotation if it's not on a full-length CD. I know sometimes there are artistic reasons for releasing material on its own and never putting it on an album... usually because it doesn't fit the style or theme or whatever. So that's why I'm curious about the status of those two songs.

I just got the newsletter and will be listening to "Back to Indiana" shortly.

[ThomDaugherty]

"This Is How The World Will End" made the record.  Got a complete remix by Adam Kasper - it's got a lot more depth now than the last mix.

I'll post a tracklisting soon.  We're really close on everything (track order, packaging, etc.)

[murlough23]

"This Is How The World Will End" made the record.  Got a complete remix by Adam Kasper - it's got a lot more depth now than the last mix.

Good to know. That'll be the first time I hear the song, actually. I'm totally fine with buying an album I've never heard before if I trust the artist based on past recordings so in your case, it's a guaranteed buy.) This is never a guarantee with singles, though. That being the only way to hear the song, I decided I'd wait for the album.

[ajyouthguy]

"This Is How The World Will End" made the record. 

that's probably my favorite The Elms song, honestly.  I fell in love with it when I heard it on iTunes a while back, and actually used it in my youth group a few weeks ago when talking about the end of the world, Revelation type stuff during a series we did on basic beliefs.

[ThomDaugherty]

Apologies for the release date change.

http://www.msopr.com/?q=node%2F4781

 Published on Mitch Schneider Organization | MSOPR (http://www.msopr.com)

THE ELMS RELEASE FOURTH ALBUM ‘THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDRANGE’ SEPTEMBER 15

Press Release Content:
DT:      JULY 13, 2009
FR:      SHAZILA MOHAMMED/KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON/CHELSI SCHRIVER

THE ELMS
RELEASE FOURTH ALBUM
‘THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDRANGE’
SEPTEMBER 15 VIA BAND'S OWN TRUST INCORPORATED LABEL
IN CONJUNCTION WITH WARNER MUSIC PUBLISHING AND A2M DISTRIBUTION

FIRST SINGLE “BACK TO INDIANA” HEADS TO RADIO
AFTER DEBUT DURING NATIONAL COVERAGE OF INDIANAPOLIS 500

THEELMS.NET SET TO RELAUNCH
WHERE FANS CAN PURCHASE THE ALBUM DIGITALLY AND
RECEIVE AN EXCLUSIVE ACOUSTIC VERSION OF THE RECORD FOR FREE



Seymour, IN foursome THE ELMS have crafted 12 tracks where spirited melodies, brazen riffs and tightly-knit rhythms come together on their fourth album THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDRANGE. Set for release September 15 via their own TRUST Incorporated label in conjunction with Warner Music Publishing and Artist 2 Market (A2M) Distribution, the album was co-produced by THE ELMS and longtime collaborator Brent Milligan; engineered and mixed by Adam Kasper (Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age); and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig (Rolling Stones, U2, Pearl Jam, REM, Radiohead). Of teaming with Kasper and Ludwig, lead singer and songwriter Owen Thomas says, “These guys are heroes of ours!”

THE ELMS--Owen Thomas (Vocals, Guitar), Christopher Thomas (Drums), Nathan W. Bennett (Bass) and Thomas Daugherty (Guitar)--build solidly upon a tradition that stretches from The Band to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, with deep roots in the muddy working soul of their home country. Throughout the album, THE ELMS assure that the blues-heavy bombast ("The Shake") exists properly against its deep, emotional turns ("The Wildest Heart", "The Little Ways") while embracing their pop sensibilities with simple yet huge hooks (“County Fair”). Rousing first single “Back To Indiana” goes for adds at radio on August 4, after having premiered May 24 nationally on the ABC, ESPN and VS. networks during their coverage of the Indianapolis 500 race.

"'American midrange' is what I've begun calling the sonic identity of our band in the last year," explains Owen of the album title’s origin. "Our sound is pretty raw and unaffected."  Thomas continues, "The title is also meant to describe the working-class; the vast, collected majority of the country just putting one foot in front of the other every day, trying to find answers to very basic questions about provisions for themselves and their families. That 'midrange' is the contextual backdrop for every tune on the record, whether it be a song about work, love, ambition, or taking care of each other."

Since forming in 2001, THE ELMS have played more than 700 shows sharing stages in the U.S. and Europe with artists as diverse as Band of Horses, Shooter Jennings, Neil Young, the Fratellis, Switchfoot, Goo Goo Dolls and Buddy Guy. They also had the opportunity to perform alongside fellow Seymour, IN-native John Mellencamp at Farm Aid ‘08. Per Owen, “John was very gracious to us last year.  We met, had some time to talk and he invited us to play Farm Aid '08. That's a hugely galvanizing thing for our band to have happen.” The band is currently on the road and plan to continue playing across the U.S. through the rest of the year in support of THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDRANGE. See summer tour dates below.

On why the band felt compelled to create their TRUST Incorporated label, Owen notes: “There was some label interest in the band after we got out of our deal with Universal (who put out the band’s third album The Chess Hotel).  We looked at some deal memos, and it just seemed that we didn't identify with traditional labels anymore. We did, however, find a truly forward thinking partner in A2M as it pertains to the progressive things we want to do, primarily in the way of the distribution and mapping our own ideas for incentivizing digital music. There will be various interpretations of the album, different digital incarnations that are just incongruent with record label thought, and that's fine."  As part of the relaunch of the band’s website TheElms.net, fans can purchase the album digitally there and will be offered a "complete" version of the album—the 12 tracks found on the standard album as well as acoustic interpretations of the entire album set, for a total of 24 distinct audio tracks.

In the eight years since its inception, THE ELMS have become an extremely tight unit, embodying the hard-working values that they sing about. “The guys in this band were friends and brothers long before music came calling. It's very purely constructed. That's why we can weather the changes in our lives, the music business, the tough ups and downs,” says Owen. “But we've become something far deeper than friends. Without any one of us in this band, it makes no sense to me. I've got no reason to do this anymore if it's not with Thom, Chris and Nathan--that exact combination of people.”
 

THE GREAT AMERICAN MIDRANGE Track Listing
1. Strut   
2. Unless God Appears First   
3. County Fair     
4. The Wildest Heart     
5. Long Gone     
6. The Shake         
7. The Good Guys         
8. The Little Ways         
9. Back To Indiana       
10. This Is How The World Will End 
11. Thunderhead   
12. A Place In The Sun     
 
 
THE ELMS Summer 2009 Tour Dates
Thu    7/16    Des Moines, IA    Iowa Events Center
Fri    7/17    Springville, IN    Lawrence Park
Sat    7/18    Columbus, OH    Lifestyles Pavilion
Tue    7/21    Fayetteville, AR    Arkansas Music Pavilion
Wed    7/22    St. Louis, MO    Off Broadway
Thu    7/23    Terre Haute, IN    The Verve
Sat    7/25    Indianapolis, IN    Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sun    7/26    Chicago, IL    Wicker Park Festival
Wed    8/5    Sturgis, SD    Sturgis Rally
Thu    8/6    Sturgis, SD    Sturgis Rally
Wed    8/12    Nashville, TN    The Basement
Thu    8/13    Indianapolis, IN     Indiana State Fair
Fri    8/14    Grand Junction, MI    Warner Campground
Sun    8/16    Midland, MI    Dow Diamond
Fri    8/21    Ft. Wayne, IN    Piere’s Nightclub
Sat    8/22    Columbus, IN    Mill Race Park
Thu    8/27    Glenside, PA    Keswick Theatre
Fri    8/28    Louisville, KY    Hard Rock Café
Fri    9/4    Cleveland, OH    Time Warner Amphitheatre
Sat    9/5    Linton, IN    Humphrey’s Park



www.theelms.net
www.myspace.com/theelms

###


For press information on THE ELMS, contact:
MSO    818.380.0400
Shazila Mohammed x238, shazila@msopr.com
Kristine Ashton-Magnuson x233, kashton@msopr.com
Chelsi Schriver (tour) x231, cschriver@msopr.com 

[Aaron]

Be blessed and have a great time at Sturgis!

[ThomDaugherty]

Thanks.  I'm at Sturgis right now.  We played last night, and play again tonight.  Wild scene. 

A few of the new tunes are up on Myspace.com/TheElms, and a few samples of others are up on the new version of TheElms.net.  Poke around if you want.

Also, a new video trailer for TGAM is up on YouTube.com/TheElmsOfficial.

Thanks for listening, fellas.

[dgp11776]

Thanks, Thom.  The $9.99 digital package is a great deal - $0.42/song!

So I guess no vinyl, huh?

[ThomDaugherty]

We've had a lot to get together, so now that the CDs and digital packages are in place, we asked this past week about vinyl. It's doable, and I think we'll offer it maybe sometime in November? It's definitely coming though. Sorry it isn't offered immediately - it's important to us, too.

[NinjaRob17]

Just saw that you guys are putting one of your songs on Rock Band. Awesome.