Crowdfunding Campaigns of the Week: Melody Gardot and The Black Lillies
I write this week’s column in a mild brain fog. Over the weekend, a short trip to Atlanta has caused me to lose, then regain an hour, only to lose it again on Sunday thanks to some archaic law known as Daylight Savings Time. I feel like a mini Doctor Who. Fortunately for me (and for you, if you’re looking for new music), things are heating up on the major crowdfunding sites, with some excellent new campaigns being launched, so this week is an easy one.
Melody Gardot- Live in Europe
You’ll find Melody Gardot on most record store shelves under the “jazz” section, but her music has always been much more broad than even that very loose genre label. Since her debut a decade ago, Gardot has explored everything from jazz to vocal pop to Delta blues and a little bit of everything in between. But the one thing she hasn’t done is release a live album, a real shame considering how well her voice translates out of the studio. But that is about to change with the release of Live in Europe, a two disc set of songs culled from recent European tour stops. PledgeMusic is handling the pre-order, where the album is available on both CD and vinyl, in a signed or unsigned edition.
The Black Lillies- Untitled New Album
I first heard The Black Lillies back in 2014 courtesy of the Bluegrass Situation’s tent at Bonnaroo. In contrast to the mostly acoustic fare of the day, The Black Lillies instantly grabbed everyone’s attention with their energetic and electric old school Southern rock and roll. Since I got to see them, they’ve seen significant changes in the band’s lineup and added another longtime favorite, Sam Quinn of The Everybodyfields, to the fold. Now they are back in the studio working on a new album and launching a PledgeMusic campaign. In addition to the album in all the usual media forms (the world thanks you for skipping the budding cassette nostalgia craze), backer rewards include a set of marmot whiskey tumblers, a mystery box of things the band has collected on the road, a handwritten journal of Sam Quinn’s, and a chance to create the setlist for an upcoming show. As of today’s writing, the campaign is surprisingly not yet fully funded. But with over a month left, there’s plenty of time to get on board if you dig Southern rock, 2018 style.