This issue took a little longer to get out than usual because we’re smack dab in the middle of mixing the new album and my head about a million miles out in space right now. I’ve been wanting to write an update about everything that’s going on with the band (because it’s all pretty exciting) but between mixing what is essentially two totally different (if intertwined) albums at the same time and trying to get this magazine done, I just haven’t had the free head space for it. Once we put this out today, I’ll have a little more breathing room and I’ll sit down and write you a little bit about everything.

This is an abbreviated issue. It’s just music and movies. That said, it’s still pretty cool and (honestly), it’s not really abbreviated at all. The MUSIC section is entirely dedicated to my favorite songwriter Stew and his bands The Negro Problem and Stew. It’s basically an album-by-album overview of their entire career and recorded output. It was a real labor of love for me to write about them and, as a special bonus, we asked their permission and embedded about 15 songs from all the albums so you can actually just push play and hear full versions of some of the songs I’m talking about. Maybe you’ll understand why I love them so much. Let me just warn you that these can be a little hinky on Safari. They definitely work fine on Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox and they’re working fine right now on my Safari but they don’t always so if you have problems, just switch browsers.

Other than that, I write about one of my all-time favorite movies, Laura, and talk about Clint Eastwood some because there are some great ridiculously inexpensive deals on Eastwood Box Sets out there right now. I also tried to talk about a couple really cool Jesse James outlaw movies but I got so far off the subject that I wrote a two or three pages on sequels in general and James Cameron movies and 80’s horror movies before I remembered what the hell I was doing and got back to the James movies.

Anyway, I’ll keep this brief. I had a sort of crappy personal night life. I took a risk and ended up basically humiliating myself and looking like a total asshole in the process. Some days it’s just not worth getting out of bed. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Come take a trip down the Rabbit Hole and check out all the stuff that makes my life worth living. I’m listening to Stew right now and you know, even as bad as tonight was, I still got friends who make beautiful music. How bad can the world really be when you got friends like that? This one’s dedicated to Heidi and Stew for making the music that makes my life better every time I hear it and to Bill Allerton and Bill Forsyth for keeping the music of so many great bands alive all by themselves by running the two greatest record stores in the world out of one little closet of a shop in London. Nobody will ever know how much we owe it all to you. So come on. Take a trip. Let’s go…

But we’re a real record company and that means MAKING records and today we’re releasing a record WE made. The first real NEW RELEASE from T-Recs comes out today, May 15, 2007 and it is the debut album No Regret from Chicago’s own Blacktop Mourning. I know I printed out the review from AbsolutePunk.net the other day but we’ve gotten a few more in since then and I think the best way to celebrate this occasion is just to let you know what the critics are saying about the new album from our little indie label.

Muze says:
Emotion is key on the Chicago band Blacktop Mourning’s debut, which was also the first album released on Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz’s Tyrannosaurus Records label. Duritz, who also produced, guides the band through a vibrant, sophisticated set that highlights the vocal, instrumental, and songwriting talents of its youthful leader, the 18-year-old Max Steger. “Halfway to Midnight” is a punk-like explosion of teen angst kept in check by a subtly shaded arrangement, “Future’s Gone” is a brooding meditation on both the end of a relationship and the end of innocence, and “Buried in My Eyes” is a hard-rocking look at an uncertain future.

AllMusic.com says:
Review by Rick Anderson
This is the inaugural release from a new label founded by Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, and it features a band that he discovered on MySpace. Blacktop Mourning are led by guitarist and songwriter Max Steger, who is something of a guitar prodigy and started his career playing in Chicago blues clubs at age 12 and was 18 when this album was released. Interestingly, you’ll hear precious little blues influence on No Regret; instead, Blacktop Mourning have managed to harness the noisiness of post-hardcore emo and wrestle it into a pure pop sound that features plenty of tight, razor-edged guitars and chugging metal riffs but always seems to have its heart in soaring melodies and multi-layered harmonies. Imagine if the Rocket Summer had been raised on Spitalfield and the Promise Ring, and you’ll have some idea what to expect. The album’s opening track, “6 AM,” is also its most perfect, a three-minute anthem that could be used as liturgical music in the Church of Power Pop. “Don’t Defend” features both a solid wall of buzzsaw guitars and handclaps on the chorus, and there may actually be a string section on “Your First Crime.” And “Hardly Recognize” is a ballad that is simply drenched in sumptuous harmony. This is one of the most exciting debut albums by a rock band in years.

East Coast Romper (www.ecromper.com) says:
BLACKTOP MOURNING-NO REGRET Tyrannosaurus Records
Adam Duritz (COUNTING CROWS) has been busy as of late and his new record label, Tyrannosaurus Records will be using BLACKTOP MOURNING as their flag ship. Additionally, he contributed to the album by adding his vocals to a handful of tracks. They were destined for at the least, some minor fame because of all their appearances on MTV through the many annoying reality shows. Having Adam hold their collective hands for their debut certainly made their lives a shade easier. So with all the additional help that isn’t usually afforded to aspiring rock bands, is their music worth your time and effort? Surprisingly, the band does possess a real flair for cutting well rounded tunes that run the gauntlet of emotions and style. They infused punkish jaunts, rock inspired melodies and witty orchestrations together into a memorable listening experience. The guitar work is purely dynamic yet edgy while the drumming and bass work maintain a proper sense of energy. Lyrically speaking, it may not command adoration but the musi c by itself was lush and relevant. Some of the riffs may not blow you away but the leads will certainly grab your attention and never let go. It is what it is; charged up rock and roll with some sneaky intelligence.

www.Bullzeye.com says:
Blacktop Mourning: No Regret Label: Tyrannosaurus Records 3.3 stars out of 5
It’s painfully obvious that there are way too many of these pop/punk bands out there, clogging the airwaves, MTV beach parties, and any films that are geared toward the kids. But every once in a while, the talent in a band outweighs the fact that they are being lumped into a packed genre. Enter Chicago band Blacktop Mourning, and their album No Regrets, which is the first release on Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz’ new label, Tyrannosaurus Records. Lead guitarist and bandleader Max Steger is only 18, and has been labeled as a prodigy since he was 11. But take all that away, and the fact remains that this kid already knows his way around a song. Somehow, these songs fit into their intended genre, but the musicianship and sophistication of the song structures and arrangements are mature beyond their years. The fact that Duritz and Crows guitarist David Immergluck contributed as producers doesn’t hurt either, because those guys surely know how to churn out hits. Some of the up-tempo songs tend to run into each other , but they are still good tracks nonetheless, with the standouts being “Halfway to Midnight” and “These Times Call.” In addition, the band shows its versatility on “Hardly Recognize,” a made-for-TV teen anthem if ever there was one. Comparisons to Green Day are going to be made, and Blacktop Mourning has the potential for that same kind of longevity. ~Mike Farley

Amplifier Magazine says:
BLACKTOP MOURNING TYRANNOSAURUS (05/15/07)
Blacktop Mourning is one of two inaugural signings on Counting Crow Adam Duritz’ new record label, Tyrannosaurus Records (T-Recs, get it?). Allegedly discovered on MySpace.com, the band has already scored spots on various MTV shows with its accessible brand of hooky pop-punk. Its debut full-length breaks no new ground, following closely in the steps of like-minded bands like New Found Glory, but what it does bring is some of the most insanely catchy songs this side of bubblegum pop. Vocals soar, accented by heavy harmonies, and the guitar work is more melodic than one would expect out of a genre that typically relies on repetitive chugging. The riff in “These Times Call” lodges itself in your frontal lobe and refuses to be shaken free, the harmonies on the super-ballad “Hardly Recognize” (with vocal support from Duritz) could easily bring a weaker man to tears, and the instrumental work on the near seven-minute album closer, “As Time Crawls By,” is positively metal. But the piece de resistance might be “Don’t Defend,” with its shake-and-shimmy electric guitar, chiming acoustic six-string, and plaintive piano intro culminating in an ultra-rocking pop-punk epic for the ages. If Blacktop Mourning can transcend the limitations of the genre to which it’s most closely aligned, the sky will be the limit. –Frank Valish

The Oklahoman Newspaper says:
Rock Counting Crows front man Adam Duritz chose newcomers Blacktop Mourning as the first group to release an album on his new label.

The rock-pop-punk band affirms his faith in them with its promising debut, “No Regret,” which will be released Tuesday.

Duritz discovered the Chicago-based group on MySpace.com, where its music also caught the attention of MTV. The band’s songs have been played on several MTV shows.

Max Steger, 18, a guitar prodigy and songwriter, leads Blacktop Mourning. His nimble fingers are the band’s greatest asset. He and rhythm guitarist Shawn Nystrand work together to craft the rich, diverse guitar sound that defines the album.

They set a brooding tone on “As Time Crawls By,” the disc’s 6 1/2 -minute finale, but their fingers race through the head-banger “Halfway to Midnight.” Their licks are bouncy and somehow wistful on the pop tune “Don’t Defend.”

The guitarists get plenty of help from able bassist Nate Wethy and drummer Greg Gerard.

Joe Levand provides powerful, often emotional vocals without whining, and Duritz’s voice sounds better than ever as he backs Levand on four tracks.

— Brandy McDonnell

And of course, as I mentioned before…

AbsolutePunk.net says:
Blacktop Mourning - No Regret
Posted on 05-09-07 by FallonRules
Blacktop Mourning - No Regret
Label: Tyrannosaurus Records
Producers: Max Steger, Adam Duritz and David Immergluck
Release Date: May 15, 2007
Seems like lately, bands that were once huge adult-alternative radio fixtures are being hailed as “scene icons”. From the resurgence of Third Eye Blind and the utmost praise for Goo Goo Dolls, those guys you see on late-night compilation commercials are now labeled as inspiration for today’s big bands.

Most recently, Counting Crows’ frontman Adam Duritz has been getting loads of praise from artists like Dashboard Confessional (who featured him on their last album), and now with his recent new-found success in the music world, he has just started up his own record label. Called Tyrannosaurus Records (T-Recs, get it?), Duritz’s first signing was Chicago’s Blacktop Mourning, which gained a lot of notoriety on MySpace and earned themselves a contract with MTV to feature music on their programs, all before they were even signed.

Now after only a couple months from being signed, the young pop-punk band is preparing to release their terrific debut, No Regret, which is a perfect title for such an album, full of edgy pop hooks and powerful emotion. The band - consisting of 18-year old guitar prodigy Max Steger (who also co-produces the disc), Shawn Nystrand on rhythm guitar, Nate Wethy taking bass duties, Greg Gerard on drums and vocalist Joe Levand - is destined to be one of this year’s next big breakthrough acts. They have a sound that is familiar to fans of bands like Fall Out Boy (circa 2003), Yellowcard and The Academy Is…, and with Duritz’s seal of approval, they are likely to take off about as quickly as they came in.

Beginning with the piano-led introductory track, “6AM,” the album shifts into what it predominately exceeds at, pure energetic, hard-edged pop-punk. “Halfway To Midnight” is about finding redemption, and uses layered vocals by Levand to convey somebody arguing with themselves, while reeling in the listener with distorted guitars and fast-paced choruses. The anthemic “Future’s Gone” blends acoustic rhythm with bombastic guitars, while “Don’t Defend” goes for an old-school pop-punk feel in its choruses, while using lots of piano and acoustic guitars (matched by Steger’s endless distortion guitar).

“My Only Heart” is a darker, moodier and all-around heavier number (and one of the album’s finest tracks) where Steger and Nystrand battle back and forth with each other, with guitar hero Max breaking into a nifty blues-inspired rock solo. From there, we are led into the soaring and upbeat “These Times Call,” where Levand goes from crooner to bitter middle-finger saluter. It’s the album’s most pop-punk inspired number as a whole, and like all their songs, doesn’t use traditional verse-chorus-verse methods to reach a quick result; the band takes their time to get to the core of their songs (most songs are over the four-minute mark), which make them stand out from their peers.

“Your First Crime” is another anthemic blast, full of breezy musicianship and power chords to make your hair stand on end. “Hardly Recognize” is a slow-moving ballad (the lone one on the album) that displays a sincere pallet of feeling and accompanied by Duritz’s vocals (he lends his distinctive chops to three other songs, as well), makes it one of the album’s most moving cuts, despite the Richard Marx-like cheesy guitar solo sandwiched in the middle.

The sounds of deep, chest-thumping drums and indie-rock guitar make the skeleton for the energetic “Another Day,” which is then followed by the first-class and moody “Buried My Eyes,” which doesn’t stand out particularly, but is still catchy enough. The album closes with the 6 minute 41 second epic “As Time Crawls By,” which is mostly used to showcase the musical talents of this young band (especially the extraordinary skills of eclectic guitarist Steger), as Levand has taken the album to display his impressive vocal abilities.

With all the production done very well by Duritz and producing partner David Immergluck (along with the band’s Max Steger), these newcomers sound like refined pros, and there is no doubt that they will be one of the year’s most buzzed about bands. The musicianship is tight and clean, with pop-pun hooks backed by blues-inspired riffage, the lyrics stay away from typical pop-punk clichés and they bring atmosphere to each song, changing the personality of each tune presented. And standing at 45 minutes long, the 11 tracks that make up the disc are neither less or more - they fit the length just right.

Easily one of 2007’s best releases, for fans of pop-punk with flair and edge attached, look no further than Blacktop Mourning - you’ll have no regrets after hearing these young talents. And be sure to thank Adam Duritz for one more item of praise after you’re done.

So there you have it. May 15th, 2007. Blacktop Mourning-No Regret is in stores today and, of course, also at Amazon.com and the iTunes Store as well. Save the fucking music. Go out and buy a god damn record today.

“The harmonised vocals soar and reach for the sky, delivering lyrics that are, dare I say it, “emotive”..” - subba-cultcha.com

“….they have the perfect balance between rock and alternative for success. The music is driving and hits hard and enjoyable to listen to. This is a CD you can listen to from start to finish without skipping tracks.” - RockEyez Webzine
“Easily one of 2007’s best releases, for fans of pop-punk with flair and edge attached, look no further than Blacktop Mourning - you’ll have no regrets after hearing these young talents.” – absolutepunk.net

“This is one of the most exciting debut CD’s by a rock band in years!” - ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“Steger’s guitar prowess is on full display throughout, either with killer riffs or solos. The gritty, screeching guitar parts on the punky emo tune “These Times Call” seal the deal.” – Paul Maldonado, The Albuquerque Tribune

“The leads on “No Regret” will certainly grab your attention and never let go. It is what it is; charged up rock and roll with sneaky intelligence.” - The East Coast Romper

“Blacktop Mourning stands out from the rest of the pack. Steger also rips some brief but fiery solos that give a glimpse into the prodigious talent that have impressed crowds in some of Chicago’s top blues clubs.” - Blogcritics

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Dear Sirs and Madams,

Introducing:

Down the Rabbit Hole - Adam’s picks (and other assorted crap) Issue #1

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

Welcome to EVEN-BIGGER-THAN-THE-LAST-OH-SO-VERY-BIG ANNOUNCEMENT for my formerly nonexistent but now newborn online magazine “Down the Rabbit Hole-Adam’s pick’s (and other assorted crap)”. Issue #1, of which I am VERY proud because I worked very hard on it (and so did my friend and WebMegaMaster Lisa), can be found right here at DownTheRabbitHoleMagazine.com. In fact, Issue #2 (if it actually existed yet) could (and will) be found there as well. Having previously informed you of my intentions to publish an issue every week (and warned you about the possible general bullshit-iness of that statement), I can now confirm that the ACTUAL bullshit-iness (I love my new word I just invented-use it for free) of that statement was fairly, if unintentionally, high. I’m going to try and publish every TWO weeks just because now I realize how much time and work it takes so I’m a little clearer on the concept.

Basically, I’m a huge geek, and my particular geekiness comes out in the form of my obsession with music and books and movies and TV shows and basically anything that fits alphabetically on a shelf. So I’ve decided since I like writing about them and talking about them so much, I’m going to write my own little magazine and publish it online and tell you all about stuff I think is cool and where you can find it. This way if I want to tell you about my obsession with something, you can just click on it and the magazine will take you to someplace safe and warm where you can buy it if you want to at your own pleasure. That way you don’t have to go searching for it because some (not all) of these things might be a little obscure.

I’m going to put it up on all my blogs today, and probably in the future as well, but if you’d like to just subscribe to the magazine, there’s a place right there where you can do just that. Don’t worry, it’s free. It’ll just send you an email and notify you every time there’s a new issue. Then you just push the link in the email and…Presto!!! You’re happily sliding Down the Rabbit Hole.

This way, as I mentioned before and will mention again (Fuck it. It’s just easier to copy and paste this paragraph than to figure out a way to re-write basically the same shit over and over again), my regular diary can be a little more about my life in general and there in The Rabbit Hole, I can talk a little more about music and movies and books and DVDs and all that stuff that I really enjoy writing about, as well as looking for places that have weird collectable Counting Crows stuff we don’t sell on our website that YOU might enjoy.

So that’s that.

:)