Episode 8: Small Towns Burn a Little Slower

Mar 17, 2008 by Justin Wayne

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:12 — 86.1MB)

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Welcome back to the show! Those of you keeping score at home (…or at work…) have probably recognized the fact that I haven’t added any cool stories to the blog in the last few weeks. You might also know that I’ve been traveling – from London to Minnesota and now all around this wonderful state of the union – so I, for lack of a better phrase, have been doing instead of writing. Like Benjamin Franklin once said, “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

And, as the curly-cue on my chocolate-dipped ice-cream cone (among other sets of words that require a hyphen) my computer is on the fritz. I’m actually sitting in front of an Apple Store right now waiting for them to fix my “hhhhhh” key and clean out my keyboard. I was in there, but I forgot about it so I started to blog and hhhhh… remembered what the other problem was.

So, once I get this puppy fixed I’ll be writing many-a-story for y’all. I promise.

“All I have are these open hands.
So feel free to take what you please.
For I believe that the giver is also open to receive”

A very provoking song about unrequited love (I think…) from this very interesting and hard-working band out of Minneapolis. Small Towns Burn a Little Slower has been around for quite some time and while they’re currently defunct, they’ve influenced so many other bands in their geographical area and all around in their area of music. Their second full-length release, So Begins the Test of a Man was put out by a sort of angel from on high, Dead Letter Records. As an independent label, Jeremy swooped in and picked up the printing of the hard copies and rescued the band from releasing the album solely via digital download. The band had been put into huge debt through some contractual obligations with a label (we’re not allowed to say or mention much about this…) and were in serious trouble. So, thanks to Jeremy and DLR, the album is out there.

Enjoyable in it’s length as well as it’s individual tunes it was in my head from my first listen. The tracks differentiate themselves enough to where you know when it’s song 3 from song 2 (some pop/punk albums don’t) but also keeps the Small Town’s style and contains a through line that carries you from 1 to done. Hit up Tommy and Jeremy over at their myspace page www.myspace.com/smalltowns and order your copy. You can also find them on iTunes and other digital retailers, but the best way to support the band in their time of need is to buy it directly from them.

Well, it’s time to show you the rest of the songs that Jason and I played this week. I’d like to thank Jason for being on the show with me this week and for his continuous support of the show.

Episode 8 – Small Towns Burn a Little Slower

“Song title” Album name Band name Record Label
www.bandwebsite.com

“The Same Way” Revolutions Brave Citizens
www.myspace.com/bravecitizens

“Can I be a Star?” The Art of Not Blending In Burnshee Thornside magnatune.com
www.bursheethornside.com OR www.magnatune.com

“Highway” Who Invited Roger The Clintons
www.clintonsband.com

“If I Surrender” Bend To Break The Color Fred Equal Vision Records
www.thecolorfred.com OR www.equalvision.com/artists/The_Color_Fred

“Who Watches The Watchmen?” My Brother’s Blood Machine The Prize Fighter Inferno Equal Vision Records
www.equalvision.com/artist/The_Prize_Fighter_Inferno

“Wait a while” Marginal Street Myles Cochran magnatune.com
www.mylescochran.com

Band of the Week!
“The Giver” So Begins The Test Of A Man Small Towns Burn A Little Slower Dead Letter Records
www.myspace.com/smalltowns OR www.myspace.com/deadletterrecords

“Not Your Enemy” For Cryin’ Out Loud Megaphone
www.megaphonemusic.net

“We Only Dance To The Best Songs” The Library EP Robots & Butterflies
www.myspace.com/robotsandbutterflies

“Hold On” The Jamestown Story
www.myspace.com/jamestownstory

“Mary Jo” A City Just as Tall Brazos Autobus Records
www.myspace.com/brazosbrazos OR www.autobusrecs.com

“Conjoined” The Lions of Love Two-Minute Miracles Weewark
www.myspace.com/twominutemiracles

“Hold Tight” 14 Days Plunkett magnatune.com
www.plunkett.it

“Not A Liar” Here’s Some Music Jake Rowan
www.jakerowan.com OR www.myspace.com/jakerowan

Thanks again to all the artists for their support! It’s the music that makes the podcasts.

Cheers,

Justin