Gospel drenched roots Americana band Hoots & Hellmouth
Complete second album/Continue touring their butts off
 Hoots & Hellmouth |
Philadelphia's gospel-drenched roots rockers Hoots & Hellmouth continue their endless barnstorming of the United States that began in March of 2007 and currently runs through September 2009 - and there's more to come! The group spent the bulk of December 2008 in the American Diamond Studios recording their second album for MAD Dragon Records with producer Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Man Man), then mixing throughout January. The new album is expected out this Spring on MAD Dragon, distributed by Ryko Distribution.
Released in 2007, one month after their endless tour commenced, Hoots & Hellmouth's self-titled debut presents a startling range of musical depth from gospel fury ("Want On Nothing") to subtle, understated beauty ("Backwoods Don't Lie"). Dedication to the craft of songwriting is the common thread that connects songs such as the folk-inflected "Forks & Knives," which leans heavily on the more traditional aspects of Americana, to the modern soulfulness of "West Of Where The Sun Goes Down" as it incorporates a swirling mélange of psychedelic organ and walls of vocals that leave the listener enraptured, enveloped, enamored. Hoots feels that "working with Brian really helped us to hone in on what each song demanded of us. We became mere channels for the greater power of the music." The resulting record speaks for itself in exuberant tones.
Sean Hoots and Andrew "Hellmouth" Gray first collaborated in early 2005, when they began creating a collection of distinctive original songs based around their acoustic guitars, a departure for the two as they had both previously been involved with loud rock bands. It was a powerful process of discovery for them. "This is not music for the sake of commerce. It's alive. It's about bleeding, sweating, crying, rejoicing... it's raw soul," Hoots says of their work. "We live this stuff."
Since their inception, Hoots & Hellmouth have been on a mighty roll, touring relentlessly both on their own and with friends (Dr. Dog, The Teeth, Langhorne Slim, Will Hoge). The band's unique style of acoustic mayhem provides a flexibility that allows them to perform in all manner of venues, from rock clubs to folk fests. Each stop garners new fans, as word continues to spread of their undeniably compelling performances. Enthusiastic festival appearances have included Langerado, Wakarusa and the venerable Philadelphia Folk Festival.
Hoots & Hellmouth are constantly bringing their music to more and more people and working to build community at every step along the way. In the words of Hoots, "this music is at once a celebration and a mourning - championing the human potential to feel deeply and come together as a unified whole, while bemoaning the fact that much in modern life seems to work against that sense of community and bonding. It's a catharsis for 21st Century humans...it's new music for old souls."
You can find performance footage HERE.
Hoots and Hellmouth Tour Dates:
2/26 - The Dame, Lexington, KY
2/27- Vernon Club, Louisville, KY
3/06 - Canal Club Downstairs Lounge, Richmond VA
3/12 - Rock And Roll Hotel, Washington DC
3/13 - The Boot, Norfolk, VA
3/14 - Soapbox Laundrolounge, Wilmington NC
3/20- Crabby Daddy, The Woodlands, TX
3/21 - Chelsea Café, Baton Rouge, LA
3/23 Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL
3/24 - The Majestic Theater, Madison, WI
3/26 - Kent Stage, Kent, OH
3/27 - Halfass, Ann Arbor, MI
3/28 - Thunderbird Café, Pittsburgh, PA
4/08 - Pianos, New York, NY
4/09 - Coffee East, Easton, MD
4/11 - Jewish Mother, Virginia Beach, VA
4/14 - The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
4/15 - The Handlebar, Greenville, SC
4/16 - Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA
4/17 - Sertoma Youth Ranch, Dade City, FL
4/18 - The Social, Orlando, FL
4/19 - Dogwood Festival, Atlanta, GA
4/25 - Penn Treaty Park, Philadelphia, PA
5/16 - Spring Gulch Resort Campground
5/28 - Johnny Brenda's , Philadelphia, PA
5/29 - Johnny Brenda's , Philadelphia, PA
6/07 - Wakarusa Music &Camping Festival, Ozark, AR
6/07 - Georgie's Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville, AR
7/25 - WXPN All About The Music Festival, Camden NJ
9/18 - Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bristol, VA
9/19 - Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bristol, VA
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