Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward are set to unleash their second full-length effort ‘The Lonesome Dirge’ on April 8th, 2008 and are jumpstarting the release with an aggressive tour that will head West through the month of March before traversing the rest of the nation throughout ‘08 in support of their new record.

While Parker and The Pesos found regional success in Texas on the strength of their remarkable 2004 self-released debut, ‘Blow The Soot Out’, the Denton, TX-based quintet are poised to break out nationally with ‘The Lonesome Dirge’ - a breathtaking, often heart-stopping, album brimming with Americana anthems, harrowing Southern Gothic balladry and roadhouse rockers that channels the likes of Steve Earle, Old 97s and Son Volt.

The album immediately stampedes out of gate with the unbridled dynamics of the driving opener “Firefight,” before shooting straight into the passionate number “10 lb Test,” where, amid indelible hooks and stinging guitar, Parker’s warm, whiskey-soaked voice sweetly cracks with a touch of wild honey. “Brother” is a moving ballad that culminates with not only proud, pounding choruses but also showcases the volatile musical dexterity of this explosive outfit, while songs such as “Wild Man From Borneo,” “Tell Me What It Is” and “I’m Never Getting Married” are performed with both fiery passion and clenched-fisted conviction. The band also manages to breathe further life into a spirited reworking of Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” while the album’s sparse, haunting closing number “11 Hours,” coincidentally, hearkens back to the ghostly acoustic landscape of Bruce’s Nebraska album.

What these eleven-tracks - alternately capable of touching the heart and loosening the floorboards - prove more than anything else, though, is that Rodney Parker is one of those rare singer/songwriters to be reckoned with. While the word ‘masterpiece’ may seem a bit lofty to attach so readily to any record this early in an artist’s career, ‘The Lonesome Dirge’ is as worthy a contender as you’re likely to find today.

“Country and folk rarely offer the punch and integrity Parker applies to the majority of this fine release. Void of slickness, this is music built from sweat and an intensity only the rural experience can provide.” - Dallas Observer

RODNEY PARKER & 50 PESO REWARD SPRING 2008 TOUR DATES

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

February 28 Wichita, KS Rack ‘Em Up
February 29 Kansas City, MO Davey’s Uptown
March 01 Lawrence, KS Gaslight Tavern
March 10 Lubbock, TX Jake’s Backroom
March 11 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
March 12 Tucson, AZ The Hut
March 13 Los Angeles, CA The Mint
March 14 Pioneertown, CA Pappy & Harriet’s Palace
March 15 Monterey, CA Monterey Live
March 16 San Francisco, CA Boom Boom Boom
March 18 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
March 19 Seattle, WA The Tractor Tavern
March 20 Boise, ID The Neurolux
March 21 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
March 22 Denver, CO The Walnut Room
June 07 Linden, TX Music City Texas Theater

For more information, go to:

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward Official Website

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward on Myspace

UK album release dates for September 2007:

UK album release dates and information could change! Go to the bands and artists official websites for the latest news and information.

3rd September 2007

Athlete - Beyond The Neighbourhood
Ayo - Joyful
Battle - Break The Banks
Black Francis - Bluefinger
Blue States - First Steps Into…
Hanoi Rocks - Street Poetry
Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time In The West
Heavy Trash - Going Way Out With Heavy Trash
HIM - Venus Doom
Jamie Scott & The Town - Parkbench Theories
Joseph Arthur - Let’s Just Be
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream
Kate Royal - Kate Royal
Kate Rusby - Awkward Annie
Kevin Ayers - The Unfairground
Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart
Luke Vibert - Chicago Detroit Redruth
Nathan Fake - Drowning In A Sea Of Love
Ooberman - The Lost Tapes
Paolo Nutini - These Streets [Festival Edition]
Passenger - Wicked Man’s Rest
Patty Sciafla - Play It As It Lays
Pink Floyd - Piper At The Gates Of Dawn [40th Anniversary Edition]
Plain White T’s - Every Second Counts
Proclaimers - Life With You
Sean Kingston - Sean Kingston
St Vincent - Marry Me
Steriogram - This Is Not The Target Market
Talib Kweli - Ear Drum
Tellison - Contact! Contact!
They Might Be Giants - The Else

10th September 2007

50 Cent - Curtis
Actress Hands - Boys Need Jazz
Alabama 3 - M.O.R.
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Anna Netrebko - Opera
A.R.E. Weapons - Modern Mayhem
Bearsuit - OH:IO
Diana Krall - Very Best Of
Dot Allison - Exaltation Of Larks
Dr Robert & PP Arnold - Five In The Afternoon
Eve - Here I Am
Example - What We Made
Go! Team - Proof Of Youth
Gravenhurst - The Western Lands
Gwyneth Herbert - Between Me & The Wardrobe
Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd
Inme - DayDream Anonymous
Juan Diego Florez - Arias For Rubini
Kano - London Town
Kanye West - Graduation
King Creosote - Bombshell
Kosheen - Damage
KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic
Luka Bloom - Tribe
Manchester Orchestra - I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child
Martyn Joseph - Vegas
Michelle Shocked - ToHeavenURide
Natalie Imbruglia - Glorious: The Singles 1997-2007
Orange Lights - Life Is Still Beautiful
Paul Steel - Moon Rock
Raging Speedhorn - Before the Sea Was Built
Rooney - Calling The World
Rumble Strips - Girls & Weather
Siouxsie - Mantaray
Stephen Fretwell - Man On The Roof
Ultrabeat - Ultrabeat-The Album
Vincent Black Shadow - Fears In The Water
Voxtrot - Voxtrot
Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Revisited

17th September 2007

Amy Nuttall - Stage Left
Barry Manilow - The Greatest Songs Of the Seventies
Booty Luv - Boogie 2 Nite
Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory
Chuck Prophet - Soap And Water
Deborah Harry - Necessary Evil
Dragonette - Galore
Dykeenies - Nothing Means Everything
Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild
Edwyn Collins - Home Again
Emma Pollock - Watch The Fireworks
Gloria Estefan - 90 Millas
The Grid - Doppelganger
James Blunt - All The Lost Souls
Kevin Drew - Spirit If
Kid Acne - Romance Ain’t Dead
Lou Rhodes - The Bloom
Manu Chao - La Radiolina
Mark Knopfler - Kill To Get Crimson
Menomena – Friend & Foe
Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me
Patrick Watson - Close To Paradise
Peter Grant - Traditional
Pony Up - Make Love To The Judges With Your Eyes
Popium - Miniature Mile
Reverend And The Makers - The State Of Things
Scouting For Girls - Scouting For Girls
Terra Naomi - Under The Influence
Thurston Moore - Trees Outside The Academy
Turin Brakes - Dark On Fire
Young Galaxy - Young Galaxy

24th September 2007

Ali Love - Love Music
Angie Stone - The Art Of Love & War
Ashley Tisdale - Headstrong
Ben Lee - Ripe
Big Arm - Radiator
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Fightstar - One Day Son This Will All Be Yours
Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
Future Of The Left - Curses
Ian Brown - The World Is Yours
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
Jakobinarina - The First Crusade
Jamelia - Superstar: The Hits
Joni Mitchell - Shine
Jose Gonzales - In Our Nature
Milburn - These Are The Facts
Ministry - The Last Sucker
Mum - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy
My Little Problem - All These Things
Nancy Elizabeth - Battle & Victory
Nicola Benedetti - Vaughan-Williams and Tavener
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Pet Shop Boys - Disco 4
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
RyanDan - RyanDan
Scott Walker - And Who Shall Got To The Ball? And What Shall Go To The Ball?
Sennen - Where The Light Gets In
Shack - Time Machine
Shapeshifters - Do Not Disturb
Sixnationstate - We Could Be Happy
Sohodolls - Ribbed Music For The Numb Generation
Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
Texas - The Complete BBC Sessions
Tokyo Dragons - Hot Nuts
Tom Middleton - Lifetracks
Two Gallants - Two Gallants
Wayne Wonder - Foreva
Will I Am - Songs About Girls

If you have any queries please contact manickangaroo at havenforum.co.uk

- Trendy Bands

The first time I heard “With Every Heartbeat” was when I watched the video for it. I immediately thought of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. There’s something about the video and her singing style that reminded me of them. The good thing, though - is that Robyn does have her own sound.

“On paper” I wouldn’t normally go for music so sweet and poppy, but there’s just something about the arrangement and the mix - the sounds come together brilliantly. Of course, there’s also Robyn’s endearing voice to consider. She has one of the best voices on the scene as of late. It’s so refreshing to hear.

There’s a stripped down “Live Lounge” piano version of Robyn singing “With Every Heartbeat” on her Myspace page, and it is an incredible rendition of the dance mix. The other songs listed sound great, and you can also hear an album sampler.

Watch Robyn - “With Every Heartbeat” video:

Buy album: Robyn on amazon.com.

Robyn’s upcoming shows:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Robyn’s official website for the latest tour dates and information.

7th September 2007 London, Bush Hall

8th September 2007 Isle of Wight, Bestival

“With Every Heartbeat” YouTube video link

Robyn Official Website

Robyn on Myspace

By: Jenny May