New EP "...Are Out of Style" Now Available - the Sobriquets - News

Been a little while, huh?

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Hey all,

We haven't written from here much of late, though not for lack of news... we've mostly been using Facebook and emails (and if you haven't joined us on Facebook or signed up for the emails, you are missing out on some pearls of wisdom... or something), not to mention working our little fingers to the bone!

We've been gigging all around the Mid-Atlantic over the last few months, getting to DC for the first time, playing some festivals, some club dates, two rounds (so far) of a Battle of the Bands... ya know, like we do.

But NOW!!!!

Our first single from "...Are Out Of Style" heads out into the world today! It should be (we hope) popping up on mp3 blogs and college and indie radio soon, so keep yer ears peeled! If you have any preferred blogs or radio stations, send us a note, make sure we've sent them the tunes...

AND!!!

We're heading off on tour in just a few short weeks! After some warm-up dates in Jersey, and the third round of the Philly Challenge (which, in addition to being at the Trocadero (AWESOME!!), is also ON MY 30th BIRTHDAY (LEGENwaitforitDARY!!!)), we pile into the van for a week of dates in New England and a welcome home show at the Khyber! Visit the Dates page for details!

After the tour, we're gonna disappear for a few months, do some recording, get some sleep, let the van cool off... so MAKE SURE YOU CATCH THESE SHOWS!!

Anyway, much to do and no time to do it... See you on the road!!

Loves and Kisses,

James & the Sobriquets

As the year winds down...

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Greetings and a happy New Year to all! The Sobriquets have been enjoying the holidays immensely, and can't wait to get back out there and play shows for all of you. Speaking of which...

January 9th, 2010 (that's a Saturday to you 9-5ers), The Sobriquets return to The Local Beat for a fine show with Los Locals and Northern Soul. We are definitely looking forward to our return, not only for the great bands that we get to share a stage with, but also for the great food that The Local Beat offers. For those of you debating whether or not to make the drive, we say "Hell yes!"

Zombie! and Beyond

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Hey everyone,

We've finished our run with Zombie! The Musical and we had a great time. The cast was a lot of fun to work with, and we'll be making an announcement about more Zombie! - related projects very soon.

For the near future, we'll be taking some time off while we readjust our sleep schedules. But we'll hit the road again at the end of this month. Check back often for more news and updates to the site!

- Nick

Home and Alive, Looking Ahead!

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Hey y'all,

We have returned from the wilds of New England, throats raw, fingers bleeding, and a bag of mics and cable lighter, but we have returned! Thanks to anyone and everyone who came out, provided us lodging, directions, entertainment... couldn't have done it without you. Go tell your friends about good we look.

Also, check out our tourmates, Ashpark and Driftwood; we were blessed this tour to have hot and cold running great bands to share the evenings with!

Looking ahead: The Sobriquets announce officially that we will be orchestrating and performing as the pit band for "Zombie! the Musical" as part of this year's Philadelphia Fringe Festival! The show is in its early rehearsal stage, and we're thrilled to be a part of it. It will run the first full week of September at Plays and Players (dates up on our calendar). More info as we get it...

Also, we're in the early stages of booking our Fall Tour, which will be primarily New England based again (though with some expansion), and will be happening in early October. If you think we should come to your town, let us know where, when, and with whom; otherwise, check back for dates and BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

Beyond that, we'll be working "...Are Out Of Style" around to radio and press (any suggestions? Let us know!), as well as working on new material for the next record (our work is never done... *sigh*).

Hot. Unpleasant. Put up some pictures from the record release party... tour photos to go up soon...

Loves,

James

New Record! Tour Dates! Yeah!

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Hey y'all,

We'd like to OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE the release of our NEW EP,
"The Sobriquets Are Out Of Style"!
This is our first full-band record: recorded in Virginia, mixed in Los Angeles, released THIS MONTH!!

July 17- Doc Watson's, Philadelphia
July 18- Sidewalk Cafe, New York
July 27- Midway Cafe, Boston
July 28- Tammany Hall, Worcester
July 29- Langdon St Cafe, Montpelier

Now, I'm sure you're all asking, "What can we do to help?"
I'm glad you asked...

PLEASE SUGGEST OUR PAGE TO ANYONE YOU KNOW, especially those in the areas around our tour dates!! If you've received an invite from us, PLEASE FORWARD IT TO ANYONE YOU KNOW in the area of the show!

If we aren't getting to your neighborhood, well: we'll be looking to Western NY in September, New England again in October, and elsewhere... whenever we get around to it... but have no fear, we're coming.

"...Are Out Of Style" will be available on CDBaby.com soon, on iTunes and Amazon and whatnot shortly thereafter, or OF COURSE from us in person!! Come to the shows! Tell your friends to come to the shows! Tell yer dog to come to the show (it's New England, they're pretty low-key about that kinda thing...)!

Loves,

the Sobriquets

Red Cadillac Show Cancelled

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Sorry to get this out at the last minute, I can't figure out how James works the mailing list.

The gig at the Red Cadillac tonight, as part of the Seaside Music Festival, will not include The Sobriquets. We apologize for anyone who had made plans to come out and see us, and we encourage you to attend the festival regardless to see the huge crop of great bands they have playing all weekend.

All following shows are still on, this is definitely a one-time deal. Keep checking back here, as we are getting ready to release a bunch of dates for the summer.

-Dan

Recording Journal: Day 7

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

DONE.

I think.

Except for the mastering.

And graphics.
And running order.
And promotion plans.
And release date.
Okay, not really done... but mixed (we think).

Rolled down to RBO this morning, did the obligatory last-minute vocal repairs, and hit the mixing floor. We got a huge assist today from Dan's brother, David, on gracious loan from the Denver Consortium; his ears and experience (especially in compressing drum mics) made a long day quite a bit shorter. Brad, Josh, Dan, David, and I went through, fixed the little problems, fixed the bigger problems, made everything sound purty...

Ate more Chicken Out, got in the car, rode back home to the sweet strains of Mastodon, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, and everyone's favorite night drivin' record, Thriller.

So sleepy. Go sleepy now.

More soon.
Loves,

J

Recording Journal- Day 6

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Dan here.

Wednesday marked the last day of major recording. I laid down the rest of the electric guitars, most of the guitar solos and a heck of a lot of layered noise (it's what I do). It was a little weird to go in and do all these things without the rest of the guys there to hear it, but I think we came out with some very good stuff. I don't really have any amusing anecdotes about this session, as it was mostly me in a car, and me with headphones on, and me in a car again. I did sit in traffic around Rockville for a very long time. There's an REM song called "Don't Go Back To Rockville", but unfortunately I did not have that option for about 45 minutes.

This record is now almost done, and while it's been a blast, we will all definitely look forward to not spending most of our free time either on the road to the studio or on the road home. Making any kind of recording is always immensely satisfying, but it is definitely a draining ordeal. Any labor of love is taxing, but we are confident that this record will be worth all we've put into it, and that you will all enjoy it greatly.

In other Sobriquets news, we've got dates coming up: We'll be playing the Cape May Singer Songwriter Fest on the Jersey shore on March 28th. In April, we'll be heading back out to The Local Beat in Harrisburg on the 10th (we had such a blast playing there last month that we had to go back as soon as we could) and nice, rawkus evening back home in Philly at Doc Watson's on the 25th. Hope to see you all there!

-Dan

PS- Summer dates are starting to be booked. If you know of any awesome fest/club/large gathering of people that you would want the finely tuned harmonies of The Sobriquets to be a part of, e-mail us at booking@thesobriquets.com

Recording Journal, Day 5

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Home at last, and let me tell ya, it's coming along... there may be an end in sight.

Dan, Josh, and I left last night; we enjoyed a rousing game of Six Degrees of Rock (can you get from Aerosmith to the Pixies? How about Metallica to Michael Jackson? Took us awhile), some tasty foods and drinks at Glory Days (and yes, we've been singing the Springsteen song ever since), and slept at Dan's aunt & uncle's house (which was lovely, and thanks so much!).

Went in this morning, recut a little acoustic guitar, piled harmony vocals on top of harmony vocals, and recut the last (I hope) lead vocals. Lunch at Chicken Out (which I still read as the oddly-phrased opposite of Chicken In, and not the much more obvious intent...).

More harmony stacking, and the beginning of Dan's lead guitar work. We have (I think) one track done, two more half finished.

Should be one more day of guitar (watch for a special guest version of Recording Journal this week!), and if all is just and right in this world, mixing next weekend. Then mastering, artwork, and the album's out in July (unless it's out in October).

On the ride back tonight, we decided that the wholly incoherent screaming of Lamb of God's "New American Gospel" record is actually telling the tale of the Hartford Whaler's ill-fated battles against various rare animals: Warthogs, giant Centipedes, the mighty Narwhal.

No, we weren't high.

Shower and bed now.

Loves,
J

Recording Journal Day 4: Home At Last... But For How Long?

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Yes indeed, I am writing this update on my own [old, kinda crappy] desktop, rather than Mssr. Snoddy's [newer and nicer seeming] laptop... I'm HOME, BABY!!!!

Anyway.
Josh and I had breakfast with an old friend from home at Madelines in Georgetown (in a part of the neighborhood that danced a fine fine line between being "cute" and "cutesy"), then headed back to RBO Studios to continue the work.

We listened up front to all the bass and guitar work we'd finished yesterday, ascertaining that we actually finished it... I laid in the rest of the acoustic guitars, and then it was vocal time.

Managed to cut (I think) keepers on all the lead vocals in about 90 minutes, and Josh's and my harmonies on most of the material in another 45 or so.
Lunch at a bagel joint next to the Chicken Out, back to add a few keys (more to come, once I figure out what the hell to play), a couple more harmony spots, and then final listen-throughs and quick mixes. I'm not gonna post em. If you wanna hear em, bug yer favorite Sobriquet.

Next weekend, Dan, Josh, and I go back down to do the really tight 3 part harmonies that pretty much require us all to be in the room together to have a prayer of getting cleanly, plus the beginning of Dan's harmonies and guitar work.

We may finally have a record that sounds like us... will the wonders never cease?

Feelin' kinda gungy from car and studio and sleeping on couch. Gonna go shower and fall down.

Loves,
J