The Sellout is the Grammy Award winning singer / songwriter Macy Gray's first album in more than 3 years and will be released by Concord Records in the U.S., Island Records in the U.K. and Universal Music Group, internationally. The Sellout, featuring 12 new songs, was co-written and executive produced by Gray in Los Angeles throughout 2009. The album was mixed by four-time Grammy Award winning mixer Manny Marroquin whose credits include top 10 singles for Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Rihanna, Alicia Keyes, Kanye West and John Mayer. Collaborators on the album include Bobby Brown, The Bodyrockers' Kaz James and Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum formerly of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver. It's clear from opening moments of the record's first single, the irresistibly anthemic "Beauty In The World", that The Sellout is the work of an artist who has reconnected with the essence of her creative gifts after a long, soul-numbing journey through the music biz's star-making machinery. "The Sellout tells the story of how I found my salvation in just being myself instead of who other people thought I should be," said the striking singer. "I had got to a place in my career where I tried everything that was asked of me and in doing so I lost sight of who Macy Gray really is. I spent over a year making this album without any pressure or opinions and being able to choose the co-writers, producers and artists that felt good to me. As a result, it really reflects my true identity. I feel like I have finally made the album I was capable of and that my fans wanted. These are some of my favorite songs that I've written." Sparkling melodies and personal lyrical insights dazzle throughout The Sellout, an authentic and confidently delivered statement from one of contemporary music's most skillful and creative forces. The highlights are rich and plentiful including the alluring, soul-pop groove of "Lately", "That Man" a mouth-watering slice of Ting Ting's inflected 80's new-wave, the Joan Jett meets T- Rex thump and screaming Slash guitar of "Kissed It", and the beguiling, "Still Hurts", a vulnerable, emotion filled keep-sake ballad, just to name a few. Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene with her debut album On How Life Is and the massive hit single "I Try" both of which went number 1 all over the world. The album went on to sell 7 million copies worldwide with Gray winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. Macy Gray has gone on to sell more than 15,000,000 albums worldwide and has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards and 6 MTV Video Music Awards. She has collaborated on stage and in the recording studio with some of music's greatest artists including Justin Timberlake, Common, Outkast, Rick Rubin, Carlos Santana, Erykah Badu, Fergie, will.i.am, John Frusciante (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nas, Mos Def and Natalie Cole, among many others. She has also appeared in numerous films including Training Day, Spider Man, Idlewild and the award winning HBO Film Lackawanna Blues.

The Sellout is the Grammy Award winning singer / songwriter Macy Gray's first album in more than 3 years and will be released by Concord Records in the U.S., Island Records in the U.K. and Universal Music Group, internationally. The Sellout, featuring 12 new songs, was co-written and executive produced by Gray in Los Angeles throughout 2009. The album was mixed by four-time Grammy Award winning mixer Manny Marroquin whose credits include top 10 singles for Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Rihanna, Alicia Keyes, Kanye West and John Mayer. Collaborators on the album include Bobby Brown, The Bodyrockers' Kaz James and Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum formerly of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver. It's clear from opening moments of the record's first single, the irresistibly anthemic "Beauty In The World", that The Sellout is the work of an artist who has reconnected with the essence of her creative gifts after a long, soul-numbing journey through the music biz's star-making machinery. "The Sellout tells the story of how I found my salvation in just being myself instead of who other people thought I should be," said the striking singer. "I had got to a place in my career where I tried everything that was asked of me and in doing so I lost sight of who Macy Gray really is. I spent over a year making this album without any pressure or opinions and being able to choose the co-writers, producers and artists that felt good to me. As a result, it really reflects my true identity. I feel like I have finally made the album I was capable of and that my fans wanted. These are some of my favorite songs that I've written." Sparkling melodies and personal lyrical insights dazzle throughout The Sellout, an authentic and confidently delivered statement from one of contemporary music's most skillful and creative forces. The highlights are rich and plentiful including the alluring, soul-pop groove of "Lately", "That Man" a mouth-watering slice of Ting Ting's inflected 80's new-wave, the Joan Jett meets T- Rex thump and screaming Slash guitar of "Kissed It", and the beguiling, "Still Hurts", a vulnerable, emotion filled keep-sake ballad, just to name a few. Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene with her debut album On How Life Is and the massive hit single "I Try" both of which went number 1 all over the world. The album went on to sell 7 million copies worldwide with Gray winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. Macy Gray has gone on to sell more than 15,000,000 albums worldwide and has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards and 6 MTV Video Music Awards. She has collaborated on stage and in the recording studio with some of music's greatest artists including Justin Timberlake, Common, Outkast, Rick Rubin, Carlos Santana, Erykah Badu, Fergie, will.i.am, John Frusciante (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nas, Mos Def and Natalie Cole, among many others. She has also appeared in numerous films including Training Day, Spider Man, Idlewild and the award winning HBO Film Lackawanna Blues.

He s got the troubadour quality of a Steve Goodman, the poetic dignity of a Bruce Springsteen, and the bittersweet, outer-fringe edge of a Townes Van Zandt. We kid you not. -Steve Morse The Boston Globe Plow Through the Mystic After four critically acclaimed commercial releases on label homes, three fan favorite independent releases on his own Lotos Nile imprint, song placement on numerous independent films, thirty plus years of celebrated live performing and songs covered by artists as diverse as Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush, Blackhawk and Dierks Bentley, Jeff solidifies his reputation as a creative force in the roots genres with this eighth album. Black s grassroots following has allowed him to build a career like few other singer/songwriters in the business and to sustain his contribution as an artist in the disrupted music business environment. I feel like I already have the brass ring in my pocket, just being able to nurture this thing that I ve wanted, this need to observe and relate, since I was 10 years old, says Black. But I had to ask myself, What s the best way to do it now? Over the past decade I ve learned that I have to make changes in how I create music and put it out there. Produced and recorded by Black in his own Arcana Studio, Plow Through the Mystic delivers a richly textured and intimate canvas of acoustic roots and world instrumentation. The album features contributions from mandolin legend and Newgrass founder Sam Bush, Resonator guitar master Jerry Douglas along with vocal contributions from Matraca Berg, Gretchen Peters and Kim Richey. The album s 14 tracks take listeners down personal paths of faith, doubt and spiritual grit, liberated by tones of gritty neo-folk and dirt blues. At times Black s delivery is intimately conversational like an old, trusted friend, other times fiery with an almost tribal fervor. Jeff entrusted the mix to Dave Sinko, known for his work with The Punch Brothers, Sam Bush and legend Don Williams. I met Dave Sinko in 1991 when we were working on a project for Warner Chappell. It was a blessing to reconnect with him. Dave s clarity and his observance of space for acoustic instruments is an art unto itself and I knew he would bring everything into that place where nothing gets lost and every interval shines. He is the original craftsman. Mastered by Grammy winning engineer Joe Palmacchio (Jeff Buckley, Bill Withers, Hank Williams Sr.). He s a technical giant but emotion and human condition come first I believe, for Joe, and that s why it was important to me for him to be part of it. The widest signal relay for carrying Jeff s songs has been his fans. Next to that, Black s series podcast Black Tuesdays, profiled as pioneering by NPR in 2005, constitutes 100+ downloadable EPs that continue to grow both his live audience and drive record sales and patronage. It is the convergence of Black s direct connection with his fans via old school touring, together with the immediacy of digital content delivery that created this community of loyal fans who in turn made Plow Through the Mystic possible. Continuing to evolve as a writer, performer and recording artist, Black has never before expressed so much of the creative process on his own terms, deepening his work and leaving the listener with Black s most fully formed and resonant album of his career.

He s got the troubadour quality of a Steve Goodman, the poetic dignity of a Bruce Springsteen, and the bittersweet, outer-fringe edge of a Townes Van Zandt. We kid you not. -Steve Morse The Boston Globe Plow Through the Mystic After four critically acclaimed commercial releases on label homes, three fan favorite independent releases on his own Lotos Nile imprint, song placement on numerous independent films, thirty plus years of celebrated live performing and songs covered by artists as diverse as Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush, Blackhawk and Dierks Bentley, Jeff solidifies his reputation as a creative force in the roots genres with this eighth album. Black s grassroots following has allowed him to build a career like few other singer/songwriters in the business and to sustain his contribution as an artist in the disrupted music business environment. I feel like I already have the brass ring in my pocket, just being able to nurture this thing that I ve wanted, this need to observe and relate, since I was 10 years old, says Black. But I had to ask myself, What s the best way to do it now? Over the past decade I ve learned that I have to make changes in how I create music and put it out there. Produced and recorded by Black in his own Arcana Studio, Plow Through the Mystic delivers a richly textured and intimate canvas of acoustic roots and world instrumentation. The album features contributions from mandolin legend and Newgrass founder Sam Bush, Resonator guitar master Jerry Douglas along with vocal contributions from Matraca Berg, Gretchen Peters and Kim Richey. The album s 14 tracks take listeners down personal paths of faith, doubt and spiritual grit, liberated by tones of gritty neo-folk and dirt blues. At times Black s delivery is intimately conversational like an old, trusted friend, other times fiery with an almost tribal fervor. Jeff entrusted the mix to Dave Sinko, known for his work with The Punch Brothers, Sam Bush and legend Don Williams. I met Dave Sinko in 1991 when we were working on a project for Warner Chappell. It was a blessing to reconnect with him. Dave s clarity and his observance of space for acoustic instruments is an art unto itself and I knew he would bring everything into that place where nothing gets lost and every interval shines. He is the original craftsman. Mastered by Grammy winning engineer Joe Palmacchio (Jeff Buckley, Bill Withers, Hank Williams Sr.). He s a technical giant but emotion and human condition come first I believe, for Joe, and that s why it was important to me for him to be part of it. The widest signal relay for carrying Jeff s songs has been his fans. Next to that, Black s series podcast Black Tuesdays, profiled as pioneering by NPR in 2005, constitutes 100+ downloadable EPs that continue to grow both his live audience and drive record sales and patronage. It is the convergence of Black s direct connection with his fans via old school touring, together with the immediacy of digital content delivery that created this community of loyal fans who in turn made Plow Through the Mystic possible. Continuing to evolve as a writer, performer and recording artist, Black has never before expressed so much of the creative process on his own terms, deepening his work and leaving the listener with Black s most fully formed and resonant album of his career.

German conductor Helmuth Rilling (b. 1933) has long been acknowledged as one of the world's experts on the music of J.S. Bach. He founded the Gächinger Kantorei in 1954 and gained an international reputation. Often referred to as "the master-singers of Stuttgart," the Gächinger Cantorei are distinguished from other choirs by requiring superior music training of all candidates for membership, and by suiting themselves to the requirements of the works to be performed, from twenty-four to over one hundred singers. Its members come from all over southwest Germany and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. The choir has played a considerable part in the rediscovery and representation of the Romantic choral repertoire, especially works by Brahms and Mendelssohn. Since 1965 Helmuth Rilling has also been conductor of the Stuttgart Bach Collegium and has toured with both ensembles around the world. Maestro Rilling presents a program of sweeping German Romanticism inspired by the works of Goethe and represented by the immortal Alto Rhapsody of Brahms, Schubert's Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, and an excerpt from the Brahms rarity Rinaldo. Rilling and his Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart are joined by the world-class talents of alto Lioba Braun and tenor Carsten Süss in performances that unquestionably establish Rilling as the preeminent interpreter of the Germanic choral tradition. This program is further evidence of the continuing vitality of Helmuth Rilling's musical concept as well as the relevance of Goethe for the twenty-first century. Destined to become one of the great choral discs of the decade, this album will be a most valuable addition to any choral music collection. Towards the end of the 1860s, Brahms was lodging with the Schumann family and began to realize a growing affection for Clara's daughter, Julie. On subsequently being told by Clara that Julie was engaged to be married to an Italian count, Brahms's reaction was to turn to composition as a solace and to set a piece for contralto, his favorite voice. The result was the Alto Rhapsody, two anguished verses of Goethe set to music of intense yearning. Written in 1820, Gesang der Geister über den Wassern (Song of the Spirits Above the Waters) is one of Schubert's most complex choral works, a virtuoso setting of a poem by Goethe for eight-part men's chorus and low strings. The poem is part Romantic mysticism and part dramatic description of nature, with waterfalls gushing forth from rocky crags and tumbling over stones & boulders until the water gathers into a gentle stream flowing into the glassy sea. The cantata Rinaldo is among the largest of Brahms's works for vocal and orchestral forces. Indeed, only Ein deutsches Requiem surpasses it in length and breadth, and yet it is almost never heard today. Completed in 1868, Rinaldo is again a setting of Goethe, with a theme taken from the time of the Crusades. The closing chorus, presented on this album, is its most famous highlight. The Viennese premiere of Rinaldo on February 28, 1869, with the composer conducting, was a success. Not every listener, however, was enthusiastic. Reviewing an 1833 performance, Eduard Hanslick found Brahms's musical portrayal of the title character devoid of passion. Nor has posterity been kind to Rinaldo: it has been shunted to the periphery of the Brahms canon. In part, the work's inability to obtain a stronghold in the repertory can be ascribed to the vagaries of reception history.

Teenage hell has never been captured with such intense honesty as these actual letters sent in the late ‘80s from a suicidal girl to the singer of her favorite band. Go Ask Ogre peers into the world of a misfit "cutter" who lives with an abusive mother in the rust belt. A tailspin of suicidal depression and self-injury leads her to write Ogre, front man for the industrial rock band Skinny Puppy. Soon he receives a flood of elaborately illustrated letters and journals filled with Jolene’s most intimate thoughts—from her most painful secrets to hilarious observations and lucid realizations about her life and those around her. At a concert, Ogre confides to Jolene that he has saved all her letters. Nine years later, a box from Ogre arrives at Jolene’s door. Re-examining the documents, she realizes that writing these letters had saved her life. Go Ask Ogre compiles Jolene Siana's actual letters, artwork, illustrations, and ephemera into a unique and powerful story of an extremely troubled teen who made it through the worst years of her life, and, through the power of music and art, transformed herself in the process. It is heavily illustrated and full color throughout. Critical Praise: "Pure, lucid and engaging...more authentic for a new generation of young women than, say, the 1971 cautionary tale about drugs, Go Ask Alice."—Susan Carpenter, LA Times "Dark, funny and touching..."—boingboing.net "Cringingly confessional, persistently desperate, yet often uproariously funny. All rendered and packaged in labor-intensive psychedelic outsider graphic design. An overdue riposte to the bludgeoning morality of the fabricated Go Ask Alice."—Doug Harvey, LA Weekly "By turns fierce, funny, heartbreaking and wise, Jolene Siana's Go Ask Ogre burns onto the page in an intense collage of words and images that together create a portrait of a gifted young woman fighting to hang on to her own life and choosing an unlikely—but strangely suitable—ally for her battle."—Caroline Kettlewell, author of Skin Game "Amidst the cultural and political corruption of the late 1980s, seeking and artistic teens like Jolene Siana found cathartic solace in aggressive and so-called 'morbid' bands like Skinny Puppy. That she persevered with the help of music that parents, preachers, and politicians condemned, but rarely tried to understand, is a moving lesson."—Alan Rapp, editor of The Journey is the Destination: The Journals of Dan Eldon and Dan Eldon: The Art of Life

German conductor Helmuth Rilling (b. 1933) has long been acknowledged as one of the world's experts on the music of J.S. Bach. He founded the Gächinger Kantorei in 1954 and gained an international reputation. Often referred to as "the master-singers of Stuttgart," the Gächinger Cantorei are distinguished from other choirs by requiring superior music training of all candidates for membership, and by suiting themselves to the requirements of the works to be performed, from twenty-four to over one hundred singers. Its members come from all over southwest Germany and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. The choir has played a considerable part in the rediscovery and representation of the Romantic choral repertoire, especially works by Brahms and Mendelssohn. Since 1965 Helmuth Rilling has also been conductor of the Stuttgart Bach Collegium and has toured with both ensembles around the world. Maestro Rilling presents a program of sweeping German Romanticism inspired by the works of Goethe and represented by the immortal Alto Rhapsody of Brahms, Schubert's Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, and an excerpt from the Brahms rarity Rinaldo. Rilling and his Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart are joined by the world-class talents of alto Lioba Braun and tenor Carsten Süss in performances that unquestionably establish Rilling as the preeminent interpreter of the Germanic choral tradition. This program is further evidence of the continuing vitality of Helmuth Rilling's musical concept as well as the relevance of Goethe for the twenty-first century. Destined to become one of the great choral discs of the decade, this album will be a most valuable addition to any choral music collection. Towards the end of the 1860s, Brahms was lodging with the Schumann family and began to realize a growing affection for Clara's daughter, Julie. On subsequently being told by Clara that Julie was engaged to be married to an Italian count, Brahms's reaction was to turn to composition as a solace and to set a piece for contralto, his favorite voice. The result was the Alto Rhapsody, two anguished verses of Goethe set to music of intense yearning. Written in 1820, Gesang der Geister über den Wassern (Song of the Spirits Above the Waters) is one of Schubert's most complex choral works, a virtuoso setting of a poem by Goethe for eight-part men's chorus and low strings. The poem is part Romantic mysticism and part dramatic description of nature, with waterfalls gushing forth from rocky crags and tumbling over stones & boulders until the water gathers into a gentle stream flowing into the glassy sea. The cantata Rinaldo is among the largest of Brahms's works for vocal and orchestral forces. Indeed, only Ein deutsches Requiem surpasses it in length and breadth, and yet it is almost never heard today. Completed in 1868, Rinaldo is again a setting of Goethe, with a theme taken from the time of the Crusades. The closing chorus, presented on this album, is its most famous highlight. The Viennese premiere of Rinaldo on February 28, 1869, with the composer conducting, was a success. Not every listener, however, was enthusiastic. Reviewing an 1833 performance, Eduard Hanslick found Brahms's musical portrayal of the title character devoid of passion. Nor has posterity been kind to Rinaldo: it has been shunted to the periphery of the Brahms canon. In part, the work's inability to obtain a stronghold in the repertory can be ascribed to the vagaries of reception history.

Although they would go on to become one of the most commercially successful acts of the 1970s, most observers agree that Blood, Sweat & Tears' 1968 debut effortChild Is Father to the Man remains the ambitious ensemble's finest and most enduring musical statement. The band's only album under the leadership of legendary singer/keyboardist Al Kooper, Child Is Father to the Man stands with such late-'60s art-pop landmarks as the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle and Love's Forever Changes in capturing the period's seemingly limitless creative possibilities.Child Is Father to the Man is a brilliant reflection of the desire of Kooper - a former member of the seminal Blues Project and a key collaborator in Bob Dylan's early electric work - to use an expanded instrumental lineup to explore a broader range of sounds, styles and compositional approaches. Towards that end, he launched Blood, Sweat & Tears, recruiting a stellar assortment of players from the worlds of rock and jazz, including ex-Blues Project guitarist Steve Katz, former Buffalo Springfield/Mothers of Invention bassist Jim Fielder, jazz drummer Bobby Colomby and noted jazz horn players Randy Brecker, Dick Halligan, Fred Lipsius and Jerry Weiss.The resulting album (produced by fabled studio genius John Simon) was a seamlessly eclectic psychedelic-rock-jazz-classical fusion, with such diverse tracks as Kooper's gritty compositions ''I Can't Quit Her'' and ''I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know,'' as well as his playfully arty ''House in the Country'' and ''The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud,'' along with stirring readings of Tim Buckley's ''Morning Glory,'' Harry Nilsson's ''Without Her'' and Randy Newman's ''Just One Smile.''Kooper's expansive musical vision may have been a bit too far ahead of its time. Although it was a favorite of early FM album-rock DJs, Child Is Father to the Man barely scraped the Billboard Top 50 and failed to produce a hit single. However, in the years since, the album

Every one of Tony’s millions of devoted fans will treasure this definitive volume.Tony Bennett, the world’s most beloved living legend, has a talent that’s simply timeless. He’s the smooth and subtle singer of the classic American songbook, the recipient of countless Grammy® awards and nominations, an Emmy Award®, and a Kennedy Center Honoree. The Library of Congress bestowed a Living Legend Award on him in 2000, the National Endowment for the Arts named him a Jazz Master in January of 2006, and he just received Billboard magazine’s prestigious Century Award for his outstanding contributions to music. Contemporary singers such as Bono, Sting, Diana Krall, John Legend, and the Dixie Chicks idolize him. Recently, Bennett turned 80 and he has celebrated this milestone with the same joie de vivre with which he celebrates life in general; he’s at the height of his popularity, thanks to the bestselling album Duets and a brilliantly conceived TV special directed by Rob Marshall, director of the Academy Award®-winning Chicago. When performing as Tony Bennett, he connects to people everywhere through the magic of his music. What many of his admirers may not know, however, is that Bennett, under the name of Anthony Benedetto, is also a successful painter whose works hang in major museums and galleries, including the Smithsonian.In this beautiful new book, richly illustrated with his own artwork, Tony takes the time to reflect on his career, and the inspiration that continues to infuse both his music and his art. Along with journalist Robert Sullivan, he explores recurring themes in his life, including jazz, individualism, the creative zone, love, truth and beauty, chiaroscuro (the balance of light and shadow, both in painting and life), and the lifelong adventure that has taken him around the world and back again. His own personal memorabilia will be on display, along with album covers and notes. And for everyone who loves Bennett’s gorgeous voice and elegant song stylings: an exclusive CD featuring his favorite tunes, including some rare choices.

2010 release from the Australian singer, actor and performer. Soundtrack Of The '80s is a collection of cover versions of Jason's favorite 80's tracks including `Everybody Wants to Rule the World', `Right Here Waiting', `What is Love' and `Don't Leave Me This Way' with two brand new tracks written by Jason.

Although they would go on to become one of the most commercially successful acts of the 1970s, most observers agree that Blood, Sweat & Tears' 1968 debut effortChild Is Father to the Man remains the ambitious ensemble's finest and most enduring musical statement. The band's only album under the leadership of legendary singer/keyboardist Al Kooper, Child Is Father to the Man stands with such late-'60s art-pop landmarks as the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle and Love's Forever Changes in capturing the period's seemingly limitless creative possibilities.Child Is Father to the Man is a brilliant reflection of the desire of Kooper - a former member of the seminal Blues Project and a key collaborator in Bob Dylan's early electric work - to use an expanded instrumental lineup to explore a broader range of sounds, styles and compositional approaches. Towards that end, he launched Blood, Sweat & Tears, recruiting a stellar assortment of players from the worlds of rock and jazz, including ex-Blues Project guitarist Steve Katz, former Buffalo Springfield/Mothers of Invention bassist Jim Fielder, jazz drummer Bobby Colomby and noted jazz horn players Randy Brecker, Dick Halligan, Fred Lipsius and Jerry Weiss.The resulting album (produced by fabled studio genius John Simon) was a seamlessly eclectic psychedelic-rock-jazz-classical fusion, with such diverse tracks as Kooper's gritty compositions ''I Can't Quit Her'' and ''I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know,'' as well as his playfully arty ''House in the Country'' and ''The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud,'' along with stirring readings of Tim Buckley's ''Morning Glory,'' Harry Nilsson's ''Without Her'' and Randy Newman's ''Just One Smile.''Kooper's expansive musical vision may have been a bit too far ahead of its time. Although it was a favorite of early FM album-rock DJs, Child Is Father to the Man barely scraped the Billboard Top 50 and failed to produce a hit single. However, in the years since, the album

2010 release from the Australian singer, actor and performer. Soundtrack Of The '80s is a collection of cover versions of Jason's favorite 80's tracks including `Everybody Wants to Rule the World', `Right Here Waiting', `What is Love' and `Don't Leave Me This Way' with two brand new tracks written by Jason.

In a world where bloodthirsty vampires roam the night and streetcorner psychics have real powers, bodyguard Celia Graves always thought she was an ordinary human—but that was never true.  By ancestry, she’s half-Siren; a vicious vampire attack has turned her into a creature who finds sunlight painful and must take all her food in liquid form—but who still possesses a human heart, mind, and soul. Her bodyguard business is booming: who wouldn’t want to be protected by a sexy woman who is half-vampire, half-Siren princess, and a crack shot?  Unfortunately, it looks like Celia may have little time to enjoy her newfound fame . . . .A rift is opening between the demonic dimension and our own, threatening to set hell’s denizens free (including the demon personally bent on destroying Celia).  Celia’s recent troubles may have given her the unique combination of abilities needed to close the rift.  But to overcome a death curse which nearly guarantees her failure, she’ll need to join forces with people she no longer trusts . . . and put people she cares about directly in harm’s way. 

Galactic Champions of Joy is the highly anticipated follow-up to California ‘kindie-rock’ sensation Todd McHatton’s critically-acclaimed Sundays at the Rocket Park, one of Time Out New York Kids Top 10 Albums of 2010.Presenting an even richer, deeper spin on his whimsical Beatles/Nilsson pop sound, Galactic blends majestic, lo-fi orchestral production with playful, well-constructed pop songs that deliver sonic joy to audiences of all ages.An unabashed Harry Nilsson fanatic, McHatton skillfully integrates his swooning vocal harmonies and multi-genre approach into nearly everything in this indie pop collection. But it’s his seemingly limitless capacity for making simple, fun music that dominates Galactic Champions of Joy.Opening cut “Tommy Had A Super Towel” may be McHatton’s most successful foray yet into the world of commercial pop, boasting a chorus that points directly at Elton John, while maintaining the amusing absurdity of the happy, obsessive, independent singer/songwriter, who has been quietly evolving since 2009’s Grass Stained Twilight. 
What follows is a typically eclectic batch of material that reflects McHatton’s own quirky musical sense.Tracks like “Say Hello To My Hippo”, “Bears Bear Bare Bears”, and “For Tea Birds In The Vast Nest” are proof positive that McHatton hasn’t completely abandoned his commitment to writing about strange animal behavior.“Smiling’s My Favorite” could very well provide audiences with their first opportunity to perform a waltz at a show—that is, if McHatton could ever be persuaded to do a “show”.“Get Down Dream Up”, like many songs on the record, easily transforms from a rocking fist-pumper into something entirely new and unexpected that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Ben Folds track or a mid-'70's Carpenters’ album."Future on the Road" is a Spoon and Stone Temple Pilots mash up.It's evident that McHatton enjoys his guitar. Bubbling bursts of Brian May and Van Halen-esque guitar solos are sprinkled throughout Galactic. This, along with a Randy Newman slant on songwriting makes for something very unique. It's like Pixar made a rock album - deep, humorous, thoughtful, and fun for the whole family.Throughout it all, McHatton brings child-like whimsy and emotional resonance together—like an early episode of Sesame Street and a Tom Robbins novel, or a lost Sid & Marty Krofft Show and a fine craft beer.While McHatton has found most of his success in the emerging “kindie-rock” scene, his graceful, layered, psychedelic pop has been compared to The Beatles, The Flaming Lips, and The Shins.
What People Are Saying About Todd McHatton 
“Todd McHatton’s dense, psychedelic pop is unlike any kids’ music you’ve ever heard. The closest approximation might be a cross between Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles and Harry Nilsson.”- About.com
“This new Todd McHatton (Sundays at the Rocket Park) album is trippy fantastical brilliant and expansive...like lost B-sides to a “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” single...this sounds like the inside of a child’s fertile mind.”- Chris Ballew, The Presidents of the United States of America and Caspar Babypants“What the California native accomplishes with “Sundays at the Rocket Park” (and previously with his outstanding, free Christmas Songs EP) is rather remarkable; an entire full-length kiddie album easily capable of passing for a dense, moody, very hip indie rock CD – the kind of disc Stereogum or Pitchfork might gush over (okay, probably not those snarky bastards at Pitchfork). After the low-key cuteness of the lead track and the adrenaline rush of the second, there is a richness to this album that may require a few spins to fully ‘get’. Often, the best things in life don’t seem that way at first blush.”- Jeff Bogle, Out With the Kids (OWTK)This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.