Ardent Studio | The Ardent Music Blog

The Warm Up with La Guerre

06/17/2012 By Rachel Hurley

The Warm Up with La Guerre [ 14:46 | 33.8 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Katlyn Conroy is known to many as a member of indie-rock band Cowboy Indian Bear, but when that band isn’t touring, she fills her time working on her solo project La Guerre.

Named after a vocal piece she sang in high school which is French for “The War,” Conroy recently released a three song EP that is a prelude to a full length album that is due to come out in the fall. We fell in love with her voice when she played for us this afternoon at Ardent Studios. We were not surprised when we heard that she was just nominated for a 2012 Pitch Music Award for Female Singer/Songwriter!

Take a listen to the show to see what we mean and then come down to The Hi-Tone and hear her incredible voice live! Show starts at 8PM~

The truth about honesty is it can be uncomfortable. But when this discomfort is embraced, when it is exposed and a spotlight is shown upon it, it can turn into something else entirely; even something considered beautiful. That’s what Katlyn Conroy has set as her mission throughout her years writing and playing music, dating back to when she was 11. Music, and all of art for that matter, is no stranger to sad tales of loss and regret, but Conroy manages to bring a childlike gaze to it, backing her honest words with light-hearted music of keyboards, percussion and other sounds. Can a kazoo accompany the notion of being pulled down with no chance of release? Can kitchen pans beat upon with drumsticks work as a backdrop for a song about feeling foolish? Conroy thinks so, and that’s what she plans to continue to do under her new name, La Guerre.

After years leading bands or in supporting roles, such as Cowboy Indian Bear, Another Holiday, Katlyn Conroy & The Wild &Wooly, One More Cheerful Action and The Ultraviolets, Conroy felt ready for anew identity. Named after a vocal piece she sang in high school, La Guerre — French for “the war”— embodies the themes she’s always brought to her music, but with a fresh sense of longing and desire behind it. La Guerre, which draws upon varied influences, such as Miranda July, Conor Obsert and Jason Lytle, utilizes a rotating cast of musicians, but one thing is always front and center: as long as the truth is uncomfortable, Conroy will show it can also be beautiful.

Filed Under: The Warm Up Podcast Tagged With: Ardent Studio, Blog, Memphis, Music, Podcast

The Warm Up with This Providence

04/17/2012 By Rachel Hurley

The Warm Up with This Providence [ 15:25 | 35.28 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’re a little bit under the weather today, but lucky for us we were treated to the best kind of medicine: great music.

Seattle-based band This Providence stopped by Ardent Studios this afternoon before their gig at Newby’s tonight to play us three songs from their upcoming record, Brier. It’s scheduled for release at the beginning of May so we were lucky to get an early taste of the band’s brand new tunes. Not only have there been changes to the line-up over the past few years, there has been a change to their sound. According to the band, their new music represents a more stripped-down, organic approach to songwriting.

We have to admit that we’re not exactly sure what they sounded like before, but the new music has us hooked. Check out the podcast to hear for yourself. We also discussed their recording process for the new record and where they’ve been getting their inspiration from lately.

If you’re in the area you can catch them tonight when they open for OK Radio – or if not, they’re heading for the west coast after this so you should have ample opportunity to see them play!

This Providence is a four-piece alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. The band consists of Dan Young (lead vocals/guitar), David Blaise (bass), Gavin Phillips (lead guitar), and Andy Horst (drums). They are currently supporting Go Radio on the Lucky Street tour and will release their new EP, Brier, on May 1st.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Alternative Rock, Ardent Studio, Dan Young, Music, Newby, Seattle

Locals Only: Landon Moore Listens to Star & Micey

01/20/2012 By

The first time I heard my favorite Memphis band, Star & Micey, I wasn’t even in Memphis.

Home for me at the time was Charleston, SC, where I lived for about 11 months. I saw a link on facebook to download three free songs from their first Ardent Music release. I downloaded the trio song pack and took a listen.

The first song I heard entitled “So Much Pain” made me do a double take. “Wait, this band is from Memphis?” I checked the track in iTunes to make sure I hadn’t accidentally played another band’s song. I can’t explain how much I loved this song.

I loved the other two songs, but I couldn’t stop listening to “So Much Pain,” which features Luther Dickinson on slide guitar. Four months later I found myself back in Memphis trying to become a regular fixture at Ardent Studios. I met Josh Cosby, Nick Redmond and Geoff Smith and immediately found their music, which is fun, honest, quirky and serious at the same time, was nothing compared to guys themselves.

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Filed Under: Locals Only Tagged With: Ardent, Ardent Studio, Geoff Smith, Jeremy Stanfill, Luther Dickinson, Memphis

The Warm Up with Kids These Days

10/28/2011 By Rachel Hurley

The Warm Up with Kids These Days [ 22:09 | 50.68 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We were really excited to welcome young up-and-comers Kids These Days to Ardent Studios this afternoon. The 7 piece band met while still in high school and have been making music together now for close to two years.

KTP, as they call themselves, blend soul, funk and hip hop to make smooth melodies that make you want to sway along to the rhythms – but they’re keeping their options open when it comes to defining the genre of music they play. Influenced by everything from jazz to indie rock like The Pixies, they are definitely ardently trying to defy definition and make their own way through the mass musical landscape.

Take a listen to our podcast to hear some laid back versions of their songs – and then go see them at Minglewood Hall tonight to hear the uptempo versions!

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Filed Under: The Warm Up Podcast Tagged With: Ardent Studio, Minglewood Hall, Music, Pixies, Stax Museum

Seryn Makes Beautiful Music on The Warm Up at Ardent Studios

09/15/2011 By Rachel Hurley

The Warm Up with Seryn [ 25:33 | 58.48 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Seryn is one of our favorite new bands! And even though they have already played SXSW a few times and been in Paste Magazine and have tons of regional press, when they become big stars, we are going to totally take credit for discovering them. Having them come to Ardent Studios today was such a treat!

Anyway, we kind of have a feeling that they will be huge because when we showed them the Diamond Award in the Ardent Studios‘ lobby (which you get for selling 10 million records) and said that no one will probably ever get one of those again, Seryn was like, “Is that a dare?”

To us, Seryn kind of sound like a cross between Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes and Peter Gabriel, but we are old and weird, so there’s that.

Listen to our interview with them as they school us on the difference between a xylophone and a vibraphone and we talk about their upcoming East Coast tour. Plus, of course, they play some music. It’s totally worth 25 minutes of your time! Then go see them TONIGHT at The Hi-Tone in Memphis!

Check out our podcast to hear some outstanding live tunes from the band! Then download the The Warm Up at Ardent Studios with Seryn podcast! It’s a free Memphis music download from us to you!

Rock For Love Artists Take Over Pick Three: Nick Redmond of Star and Micey

08/18/2011 By

Nick Redmond was raised by wolves in Clarksville, Tennessee. He came to Memphis to produce and engineer at Ardent Studios. He has been on tour with the band, Star and Micey for over a year now. Redmond joined the group after helping to make their first album. Nick Redmond loves deviled eggs and German Shepherds!

Check out Nick as he plays with Star and Micey at the Hi-Tone on Thursday, August 18th, as Rock For Love 5 kicks off.

1. “Eyeless”- Slipknot.
This song has incredible production from Ross Robinson. It also has one of the best vocal takes I’ve ever heard. The rumor is that Ross would hit the singer over the head with a frying pan to get him to perform.

The Ardent Sessions with Canasta

02/15/2011 By

How can you walk around the streets of Memphis and not write a soul song? It’s almost as if the oxygen there has been permanently bonded to sharp horn stabs floating in the air. As Canasta made our way down I-40 and crossed the Arkansas-Tennessee border, it was as if the ghosts of soul past and present jumped in the car and started humming in our ears.

Our good friend Rachel Hurley (aka Rachelandthecity) had set up an in-studio performance/webcast at Ardent Studios, as well as a show at the Hi-Tone for the evening. We hadn’t played Memphis before, and weren’t sure exactly what to expect. The strong musical history of Memphis was definitely well known by the band, so we were excited to see famous landmarks. But it didn’t truly speak to us till we walked through the hallways of Ardent Studios. Hanging on the walls were gold records by the like of Al Green, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MGs , and The Bar-Kays.

Ardent Presents: Raina Rose

02/08/2011 By

Ardent Presents: Raina Rose [ 34:15 | 72.54 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Growing up in Portland, OR, I have to admit I was oblivious to the rich muddy history of the Memphis Music scene with the exception of a vague awareness of Sun Studios and Elvis Presley, given to me by my father and his college degree from UC Santa Cruz in the history of Country and Western Music. So when I came to Ardent, referred to the lovely Rachel by my best friend and occasional tour partner, John Elliott, I had to admit I was incredibly taken aback by the eponymous albums hanging on the brick walls of the hallway down which I was stumbling, sleep deprived.

It was February of 2009 and the International Folk Alliance was exploding in the Memphis Marriott overlooking the deep and hungry Mississippi. I am in turns either a tornado, or a responsible and clean cut grown-up… while participating in this conference I tend towards the former, often staying up til 8am, drunk and barefoot in the hotel lobby with my dear brothers and sisters in arms; comrades who understand and also subject themselves to a meager living, the world through a windshield, small stages with (hopefully) quiet eager audiences, stranger’s sofas, and gas station coffee… all to play songs.

The Ardent Sessions with Le Switch

11/05/2010 By

Our Memphis trip will definitely go down as one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. We arrived in Memphis at 6am on a red-eye flight from L.A. We were dead tired. I think we were all a little drunk from the night before too. That aside, we were stoked to be in Memphis. The history, food etc… Memphis is a great town.

Ardent had set everything up for us (Gig, Housing, Museum and Studio tours, etc.). Red carpet treatment. We arrived at our hotel (Hunt Phelan) which is definitely the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in as a band.

It was crazy. We walked in, took the tour of the premises. We were staying in the classic suite (two bedrooms, living room, Temperpedic mattresses, room service etc.). I was totally waiting to get punk’d. Have some dude roll out and say “JUST KIDDING, you’re sleeping on my couch tonight”. But it didn’t happen! Apparently the Rolling Stones had stayed in this room. True or not, it was nice to hear.

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