# In Dee Mail, Vol. XXIV – Scarlet Youth, Brokeback, Santah, Widowspeak, Stellar Young, Gibson, Recorder, Javier Dunn

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2014/06/in-dee-mail-vol-xxiv-scarlet-youth-brokeback-santah-widowspeak-stellar-young-gibson-recorder-javier-dunn/
- Published: 2014-06-13T06:54:39-04:00
- Author: Max Hammer

For those who have followed IRC for years (and thank you for that), you may be familiar
with a profile and playlist series called [In Dee Mail](https://indierockcafe.com/category/in-dee-mail/),
which is a play on words to symbolize music that we receive by email. The In Dee
Mail series, first published in 2008, is one of the longest running music series
on IRC that introduces a diversity of talented indie artists and bands from around
the country, and around the world. Because the sheer volume of music we received,
terrific songs sometimes get filed away and are not rediscovered for many months
later.

This edition of the In Dee Mail, the 24th, or XXIV, volume of the series, features
bands like Scarlet Youth, Brokeback, Santah, Widowspeak, Stellar Young, Javier Dunn,
Nick Smith (aka, Gibson), Recorder, and Karma.

#### Great Tracks From Scarlet Youth, Brokeback, Santah and Widowspeak

The first track is a follow-up single from the DIY band, [Scarlet Youth](https://indierockcafe.com/2013/01/top-diy-releases-from-were-not-heroes-scarlet-youth-service-animal-go-exploring-neo-star-nova-z-luck-senses/),
that were originally featured back in January. The band’s latest track that we’re
digging, “Cool Kids,” is a mellow, emotive song that would be fitting on the soundtrack
of a ‘coming of age’ indie film. **Brokeback** is the long-time musical side project
of musician and songwriter **Douglas McCombs**, who is a member of bands such as
Tortoise, Eleventh Dream Day, and Pullman, and has also collaborated with Calexico,
Yo La Tengo, Tom Ze, and Azita Youseffi.

Next, the band **Santah** released a new track from their much lauded EP, _You’re
Still A Lover_. Inspired by the disorientation in his own love life, **Stan McConnell**
penned the **Chicago**‘s quintet’s newest single, “I Love the Way You Seal A Deal,”
a tune full of soaring choruses, lush arrangements and their patented sincere lyricism.
McConnell told _Rolling Stone_: “I was pretty disoriented with my own love life,
so I wrote this song to play out a fantasy and to fiercely commit to whatever that
was and whatever that entailed.”

“Cool Kids” – **Scarlet Youth** from _The Everchanging View_

[“The Wire, the Rag and the Payoff”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/02%20The%20Wire,%20the%20Rag%20and%20the%20Payoff.mp3)–**
Brokeback **from _Brokeback and the Black Rock_ on Thrill Jockey Records

[“I Love The Way You Seal A Deal (Show Me Shows)”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Santah%20-%20I%20Love%20the%20Way%20You%20Seal%20a%20Deal%20(Show%20Me%20Shows).mp3)–**
Santah** from _You’re Still A Lover_ EP

![widowspeak-almanac-520](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/widowspeak-
almanac-520.jpeg "widowspeak-almanac-520")

After spending days in a hundred-year-old barn in upstate **New York**, the band**
Widowspeak** have returned with a new album, _Almanac_, featuring the single, “The
Golden Hour” from said album. Helped by **Kevin McMahon** – who has worked with **
Real Estate** and **Swans** – the new songs from the album feature stronger guitar
riffs while never losing the layered lilting of Molly’s voice.

[ “Ballad of the Golden Hour”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/05%20Ballad%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hour.mp3)–**
Widowspeak **from _Almanac_ on Captured Tracks

![stellar-young-everything-all-at-once](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/
2014/06/stellar-young-everything-all-at-once.jpg "stellar-young-everything-all-at-
once")

#### Stellar Young’s Debut, _Everything at Once_

In 2010, **New York** musicians** Erik Flora** (guitar), **John Glenn** (vocals/
keys), **Kyle Hatch** (guitar), **Curt Mulick** (drums), and **Dave Parker** (bass),
formed the DIY indie rock band, **Stellar Young**, and last December dropped their
new LP, _Everything at Once_, featuring the singles, “Speak Now (Good Man)” and “
Playing With Guns.”

Related Post:  In Dee Mail, Vol. XXVIII - Stella Nova, Bud Collins Trio, Amery Rey
Tuesta, Mahdi Khene, Parker Rose and Jack Mosbacher

Stellar Young has previously opened for bands like **Badfish** and **The Dangerous
Summer**, and consider among their top influences Taking Back Sunday, The Wombats,
Kid Cudi, Brand New, and The Early November.

[“Speak Now (Good Man)”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Stellar%20Young%20Speak%20Now%20(Good%20Man).mp3)–**
Stellar Young** from _Everything at Once_

[“Playing With Guns”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Stellar%20Young%20%20Playing%20With%20Guns.mp3)–**
Stellar Young** from _Everything at Once_

![Trails-javier-dunn](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Trails-
javier-dunn.jpg "Trails-javier-dunn")

#### Singer/Songwriter and Musician Javier Dunn – Los Angeles

**Javier Dunn** began his music career playing open mics and small clubs in the **
San Francisco Bay Area** before moving to **Los Angeles** at the age of 17 to attend
UCLA. In addition to his studies, Dunn gigged as a solo artist, and also played 
bass and guitar in a number of jazz, funk, rap and rock bands over the years. During
this time, Dunn also began experimenting with recording, programming and producing.
In 2012, Dunn signed with **Red Parade Music**, the music collective helmed by producer**
Jim Roach**. Dunn began working on his label debut, _Trails_, a beat-driven and 
cosmopolitan work converging a number of elements like hip hop, electronic and eclectic
elements converge. With its release in June, Javier hopes to have a song or songs
that connect with people. Look for it to resonate with a vast audience this summer.”
Dunn top musical influences include Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Prince,
and Coldplay. Dunn’s voice reminds many people of **Dave Matthews**, but in a very
subtle way, as evident on the song “If You Go.”

[“If You Go”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Javier%20Dunn%20-%20If%20You%20Go%20feat.%20Sara%20Bareilles%20(Audio).mp3)–**
Javier Dunn** with **Sarah Bareilles** from _Trails_ via Red Parade Music

“Couple of Drinks” – **Javier Dunn** from _Trails_ via Red Parade Music

[Javier Dunn Official Website](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/javierdunn.com)

![Gibo-3.9913817](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Gibo-3.9913817_std.
jpg "Gibo-3.9913817_std")

#### Nick Smith, aka, Gibson

**Nick Smith**, aka **Gibson**, is a singer/songwriter from **Sheffield**, UK. Smith’s‘
Gibson’ moniker was also his nickname in college because he owned three Gibson guitars.
Since then, the name stuck, even though one downside is that it’s harder to find
information and music from Gibson in a Google search, even when adding “band” or“
music,” which are the two most common keywords used in addition to a band name when
people are trying to refine a search of a common name or word, or even a saying.
For a few years, Smith said, he dabbled with recording the songs that he wrote, 
but it wasn’t until he met Sheffield drummer, **Steve O’Brien** in 2011, that he
was able to record his songs and send them around to any one who would listen. We
listened, and have enjoyed what we’ve heard; hopefully many of you will agree.

Gibson has performed live throughout **Yorkshire** in support of a cover band. Although,
Gibson has had lots of experience performing at venues such as **West Street Live**(
Sheffield City Centre), he does admit it is hard to go in front of a crowd with 
just a guitar and play songs they have never heard before. The bit he hates the 
most is that walk out to the stage. There is however, no better buzz when the performance
works! The re-release of the _Tell Me_ EP in last year was to support a number of
local gigs along with the digital release of the radio edit version of “Losing You,”
that has already gained some US college radio airplay. Just recently, Gibson has
released a new EP, Hope. Nick Smith’s major music influences includes **U2, Coldplay,
ACDC, Noel Gallagher**, and **REM**.

Related Post:  In Dee Mail, Vol. IX - Secret Knives, Lisa Savidge, Charlie Khan,
Indie Folker, Michael Silversmith, Jangula

[“Summer Song”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Summer_Sun.mp3) – **
Gibson** from _Hope_ EP

[“Hope”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Hope.60123930.mp3) – **Gibson**
from _Hope_ EP

[“Losing You”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/LOSING_YOU_-_MASTER_Radio_Edit.238120843.mp3)–**
Gibson** from _Tell Me_ EP

[Gibson’s Music Website](https://indierockcafe.com/2014/06/in-dee-mail-vol-xxiv-scarlet-youth-brokeback-santah-widowspeak-stellar-young-gibson-recorder-javier-dunn/ gibsondemo.com)

![recorder-mountain](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/recorder-
mountain.jpg "recorder-mountain")

#### Recorder – New York, New York

Recorder is the experiment of a group of established musicians that came together
and made an album from scratch over a period of three weeks in France and New York.
The album, _Mountain_, is the result of work from musicians **Alexandre Millet**(
Mangrove), **Aakaash Israni** (Dawn of Midi), **Qasim Naqvi** (Dawn of Midi), **
Shahzad Ismaily** (Tom Waits, Cat Power, Bonnie Prince Billy), **Indigo Street**(
Shy Hunters), **Willow Gibbons** (Bow Ribbons). _Mountain_ was mixed and co-produced
by **Rusty Santos** (Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Born Ruffians). The band’s top
musical influences include Sleeping States, Animal Collective, Little Dragon, Joy
Division, Radiohead, and Nick Drake.

“Once it (the musical friends recording an album together) was decided, some of 
us went to Paris for a month. We then sat in a dark and small apartment for about
three weeks, where we helped write and arrange the material. Then we went and recorded
everything over the course of four days in the French countryside…and in New York,
we recorded the vocals, added a few weird psychedelic synth touches and then mixed
everything down,” according to Millet.

The problem with bands named after a very common word or phrase is that it makes
it hard to find out more about them in a search. Our first attempts at “Recorder”
+ “Mountain” (album title) along with ‘album’ and another search using ‘band’ found
no results about the band. It was only when we plugged in one of the band member
names did we find anything about the band, and even then it was very thin and mostly
self-promotional.

One of the best pieces of advice we can give a band that wants to be found online
is to pick a unique name, and also search for that name to see IF anything else –
like another band or a product or whatever – comes up. The more unique the band 
name, the better they’ll do in as far as making it easy – which is how it should
be – for people interested in learning more about the band to find information, 
more songs, videos, social (Twitter and Facebook in particular) accounts and so 
on related to the band. Plus, it doesn’t help when there are a few other bands with
the same name.

Related Post:  In Dee Mail, Vol. XXV - Gems, Mighty Fox, Canopy Climbers, Ekos, 
The Etiquette, The Gifted Children, Cousin Dud

Choosing a common word as a band name will frustrate fans looking for more information,
often times most will simply give up. We will often mention in a write-up about 
a band with such a common name, and how it was impossible, or nearly impossible,
to find information about the band, including something as expected as an official
website.

A well-done website is a major component of a band’s PR efforts that is especially
important to building and maintaining a fan base. The more “wow” factor is involved
on every aspect of the site, the bigger a band’s fan base will grow. The opposite
often has the opposite affect because people have expectations for the official 
website from a band. When those expectations are not satisfied, it has a negative
affect on the band’s popularity – no question about it.

**Need A Band Website? **. We can create a professional, fully implemented website
for any artist or band. From the design to the content, the SEO and the usability,
we’ll discuss with you – whether it’s a new site or an existing site that needs 
work – the plan, with your input, and then go to work on it. We also have plenty
of technical experience, so if you know little about how to create (or improve) 
a website and get it working right on the web, no worries, we have all the angles
covered, and have worked in the web industry for the past 15 years. Talk to us about
creating, or improving, your band website, and we’ll put together a plan. Simply
fill out the Official Band Website form and we’ll get right back to you.

“Lights” – **Recorder** from _Mountain_

“Four Walls” – **Recorder** from _Mountain_ Mountain

Recorder on [Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/recordermountain)
and [Bandcamp](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/recordermountain.bandcamp.com)

#### Karma – Pleasant Hill, Ohio

The formation of the now defunct Ohio DIY band, **Karma**, came about, ironically,
when members from two defunct bands – **The Records** and **Forge** – got together
to form a band. Their first name was **Lithium**, but they were threatened with 
legal action from the existing band, Lithium. So, they choose instead Karma. But
they only got to record one album, _Rock is Dead and So is Karma_. After the release,
band member and co-founder, **Nicholas Olaya**, wrote: “After playing many great
shows in Columbus, Dayton, Troy, and even Cincinnati, the band split and went their
separate ways, with their recordings the only proof they ever existed.” During their
time together, Karma opened for Chemists vs the Computer, Miss May I, Skashank Redemption,
and count as their top influences Nirvana, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots
and Pearl Jam.

[“Kaylyn”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/03%20Kaylyn.mp3) – **Karma**
from _Rock is Dead and So is Karma_

[“My Next Ex-Girlfriend”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/05%20My%20Next-Ex%20Girlfriend.mp3)–**
Karma** from _Rock is Dead and So is Karma_

by Philip E. Daoust