New Mt. Desolation Daytrotter Session!

Just this week, alt-country supergroup Mt. Desolation stopped by The Horse Shack in Rock Island, Illinois for an awesome set of live recordings as part of the famous, ongoing musical series dubbed The Daytrotter Sessions. The band released their self-titled debut, mastered at The Lodge by Chief Mastering Engineer Emily Lazar and Mastering Engineer Joe LaPorta, on October 19, 2010 via Interscope Records.

Mt. Desolation began in 2009 with a casual conversation between Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quin of their mutual interest in American folk and country music. In the following months, the two began exchanging ideas for songs, and eventually decided to make an album with the gathered material. To complete the band, Tim and Jesse called upon a number of talented friends and fellow musicians including Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers, Winston Marshall of Mumford & Sons, John Roderick of The Long Winters, and Tom Hobden of Noah And The Whale. When it came time to record, Mt. Desolation flew New York-based Grammy Award-winning producer Emery Dobyns (Suzanne Vega, Mary J. Blige, Patti Smith, Chief), all the way to London for three weeks of studio time. The resulting debut is a intimate, rustic collection of beautiful crafted songs, rich in acoustics and woodsy, atmospheric subtleties. 

Click here to stream some amazing renditions from the star-studded band's debut, courtesy of The Daytrotter Sessions and be sure to check out Mt. Desolation in stores now!

Chief Releases New Video for "Modern Rituals" Single!

Los Angeles / New York indie band, Chief, have just released a new video for their single "The Minute I Saw It," off the Lodge-mastered debut full length, "Modern Rituals" (Domino Records). Produced by Emery Dobyns, "Modern Rituals" is a warm pop rock album with an easy-going aesthetic reminiscent of their home state, California. Gracefully paralleled by director Austin Peter's nostalgic visual work, the video is a piece of art you just have to see for yourself! Watch it below, or on Spinner.com here.

The band is currently on an east coast tour, including a show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC next Tuesday, December 7th . If you're out east, keep an eye out for them in a city near you!

Travis Frontman Fran Healy Masters Solo Debut at The Lodge!

Renowned songwriter and Travis frontman, Fran Healy, released his debut solo album, "w r e c k o r d e r" (Wreckord Label), on October 5th in the US. The album was mastered at The Lodge by Chief Mastering Engineer Emily Lazar and Mastering Engineer Joe LaPorta.

A respected veteran and venerable contributor to the alternative rock world, Fran Healy's work has been praised by titans of the music industry and fans alike. Spending over a decade with his band Travis, racking up awards, album sales and a loyal following, Healy's "w r e c k o r d e r" may be comprised of his most personal material to date. The album takes an honest approach to what Healy does best: songwriting. Pushing his own barriers of sound, and at times showing his own vulnerability, Healy has crafted a work of a man evolved, but one who has not forgotten his roots. Recording for the album, which recently debuted at was a multi-national affair, starting in 2009 in Berlin, before moving to New York and wrapping up in Vermont in 2010. Healy's supporting cast on "w r e c k o r d e r" is nothing to overlook either, with production duties handled by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Chief), and contributions from Paul McCartney, Neko Case, and Tom Hobden (Noah and the Whale).

"w r e c k o r d e r" debuted at #10 on the UK Indie Charts this week! Read Sonic Scoop's write-up here and check out the charming new video for the first single "Buttercups" below!