Owlfood is a spectral trio from Boston that create a rich kaleidoscope of hypnotic mantras, hazy, psyched droning songcraft, outsider folk, subdued electronics and cosmic mysticism channelled into blissed out, reverberating melodies and melancholy.

Members are Thommy Saraceno, Anna Saraceno, and Michael Hutcherson


Josh Berwanger could easily be considered a veteran of the rock and roll wars. He first made a name for himself as a member of The Anniversary, a seminal Kansas band that released two glorious albums (2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown and 2002’s Your Majesty) and selling over 100,000 records before imploding in a breakup of Fleetwood Mac-style proportions while attempting to tour Japan. Undeterred, Berwanger put together a new band—a country-rock outfit called The Only Children--and would go on to release two criminally underrated records (2004’s Change of Living and 2007’s Keeper of Youth) before pulling the plug on that project and taking a job doing the next most logical thing possible-- coaching high school basketball in Lawrence, Kansas.

Having experienced the highest highs and lowest lows involved with chasing his musical dreams for the better part of two decades, Berwanger found himself at a crossroads—should he finally hang up his guitar for good or should he soldier on, pulling together his best tunes and working with a group of friends to make the best music possible? Luckily, he chose the latter. 
Such sentiments make sense coming from a guy who, as a child, used his first communion money to buy Motley Crue’s Shout At The Devil on cassette. On his new record, Strange Stains, Berwanger manages to balance what have always been his primary influences—the spirit and ethos of classic rock with the kind of pop sensibility and knack for hummable melody that made The Anniversary such a great band back in their heyday. Tracks like “Time Traveler” and “I Can Feel the Moon” rank among some of Berwanger’s loveliest (and catchiest) tunes, while “Baby Loses Her Mind” is the kind of sing-along jam that wouldn’t have been out of place on a classic FM radio playlist.

For the recording of Strange Stains, Berwanger joined forces with old pal (and original drummer for The Anniversary) Michael Hutcherson, who brought not only brought the rhythm to the record, but a wonderful familiarity as well. “Josh and I met in 1996 while playing in local Kansas City pop punk bands,” recalls Hutcherson, “I am honored to be making music with Josh again. For all that’s changed in our lives over the years, we’ve still got a symbiotic musical relationship. No questions, no egos, just rock and roll. “

The new record—which also features additional playing from The Breeders’ Jim Macpherson—speaks not only to Berwanger’s tenacity as a musician, but also to his sense of humor as well. Even though his musical path has been strewn with a few left turns (and a couple of cliffs), he has always retained his ability to turn lemons into sweet, sweet lemonade. Regarding the origins of Strange Stains, he has this to say: “I started dating a girl and she said the only way she would continue to date me was if I got a job in corporate America that involved sitting in a cubicle. I said a quick ‘Fuck No’ and instantly started writing this new album.”

Berwanger’s songs are born out of love, heartbreak, fear and frustration. They sound as big and open and honest as a Kansas skyline and speak to the struggle, unique to someone trying to slug it out in the music business for most of their adult life. Berwanger is, any many ways, a visceral statement about what it means to keep doing what you love—even when it feels like you are doing so against all odds. ”It’s an honest and truly sincere rock and roll record,” he says. “It’s a record that speaks about love, heartbreak, idiots, and continuing to pursue what you love to do, no matter how hard that shit is.”
-T.Cole Rachel

Animal Hospital is Kevin Micka's one-person musical

recording/performance entity. Formed at the tail-end of Micka's time

with Boston band The Common Cold, Animal Hospital slowly began to take

on a life of its own in 2004. A self-titled debut CD by Animal Hospital

was released on Boston's Mister Records that year and displayed Micka's

ability as a composer and engineer in communicating his creative

expression. Since then, Kevin has  toured the U.S. , U.K. , Asia, New Zealand & Australia.

Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark and Iceland. Within the last 5

years Micka has continued writing and releasing several additional

tracks on various compilations around the world. Animal Hospital has

won followers from all corners of the music world, earning himself

spots with bands as diverse as The Jesus Lizard, Beirut, No Age,

Neptune, Thrones, Dosh and The Great Redneck Hope (not to mention a

recurring role as bumper music on Boston's NPR station).

During performances, Micka buries himself in a pile of

electronics-shelves of effects, mixing consoles, amps and delay

units-while patiently constructing a layered nest of loops consisting

of live drum beats, guitar chords, scrapes, chucks, chimes, and

melodies resulting in anything from more conventional songs to

meticulously crafted ambient movements on to full on improvisation.

Long a hidden treasure in Boston recording circles as a freelance

recording engineer (for diverse projects such as Neptune, Helms, and

Harry and the Potters) and a trusted electronics fix-it man, Micka has

approached Animal Hospital over the last four years in the nooks and

crannies of his schedule. Over the past year and a half, Kevin has been

able to devote more time than ever to writing and recording and it has

yielded two new albums' worth of music - a digital release in January

2009 from the Chicago label - Mutable Sound titled Good or Plenty,

Streets and Avenues and a CD release in March 2009 from the New

York/Boston label - Barge Recordings titled Memory.

Both new albums were recorded in locations across the U.S. - starting

in the bay area, on to an abandoned bank in Wellsburg, WV and

concluding in various locations in the Boston Area and Cape Cod. All

the material was then mixed at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, RI

and The Blast Zone in Roxbury, MA and mastered in South Boston at Old

Colony. Each album moves at the knowing pace of an exploratory mind and

settles comfortably into strange habitats with a sure-footed traveler.

Rare Animals is Bryce Martin, John Rejba, and Joe Gerdeman

Originally conceived to document the creative efforts of two friends, Arc was was written, recorded, and mixed from February 2014 to March 2015. All drum tracks were performed by Danny Harmony. Engineering duties were performed by Jeff Dean at Million Yen Studios. Vocals, mixing, and production was completed by Mike Lust at MINBAL studios. Mastering services were provided by Carl Saff.

The sound is often described as abrasive noise rock with hints of melody and atmosphere. Uproar for Veneration Records will be releasing Arc in the spring of 2016 in France and Belgium. Still Chill Records of Chicago will release Arc on vinyl and digital formats in the fall of 2016.

Bryce Martin and John Rejba have both made names for themselves in the DIY, hardcore, punk, and emo communities. Bryce is best known for his work in Die Princess Die, who released singles and albums for labels Kill Shamen, Cut Lips, and Golden Sound Laboratories.

John is known for his work with Boys Life and The Farewell Bend. Each band released material for labels such as Crank!, Cargo/Headhunter, Slowdime/Dischord, and Topshelf Records.

http://www.stillchillrecords.com

Inquiries: john@stillchillrecords.com
Booking: (Alex Palmero) booking@stillchillrecords.com

Contact:
johnrejba1@gmail.com
773.474.8419
5320 N. Sheridan Rd. #2404
Chicago, Illinois

Berwanger is following