Category: VIDEOS

Last year, Beauty In Chaos released debut album Finding Beauty In Chaos. The project is the brainchild of guitarist Michael Ciravolo (Human Drama, Gene Loves Jezebel), who’s also president of Schecter Guitar Research. What made Finding Beauty In Chaos really intriguing, however, was the cast of musicians that Ciravolo was able to bring on board for the LP, including Ice-T, Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Simon Gallup (Cure), Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Al Jourgensen (Ministry), dUg Pinnick (Kings X) and Wayne Hussey (Mission).

Ciravolo and Co. had such a wealth of material for the album that they created a companion piece, full of remixes and alternate versions. Beauty Re-Envisioned is out tomorrow via 33.3 Music Collective, and this time, Zakk Wylde, Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love And Rockets) and others are also along for the ride.

One of the new LP’s highlights is an acoustic version of the debut’s “Storm,” co-written and sung by Awakening frontman Ashton Nyte. “I wanted to try a stripped-down, more intimate approach to this version,” says Nyte, who also played guitar, bass, keyboard and programed the drum on the track. “This meant re-recording it from scratch, as I wanted to re-sing the vocals in a more introspective way, to match the arrangement I had in my head.”

There’s a brand-new video for “Storm Featuring Ashton Nyte (Acoustic Version),” directed by Vicente Cordero (Room 37: The Mysterious Death Of Johnny Thunders). We’re proud to premiere it today on magnetmagazine.com. Watch it now.

International man of mystery Wilder Woods is set to release his debut album via Atlantic in August. Word in the forest is that this secretive, sophisticated soul singer might actually be the frontman of a well-known band, but that’s about all we know. (Jack White’s people assured us it’s not him, as he’s too busy trying to singlehandedly save the music industry to have yet another side project.) “Sure Ain’t,” the first track shared from Woods’ upcoming album, is a powerful, funky modern soul train that will someday soon be pulling into Spotify subscribers’ Michael Kiwanuka Radio station.

Since our cousin’s dog walker’s dealer knows a guy who worked at Layman Drug Company studios in East Nashville (where the LP was recorded), we sent an email asking if Woods cared to share any thoughts on “Sure Ain’t.” Surprisingly, the man responded.

“‘Sure Ain’t’ is about that innocent and playful type of flirtation,” he said via encrypted text from a blocked number. “It’s about the ongoing chess match when you’re trying to let someone know that you’re into them, but leave the ball in their court to make the next move. It’s about maintaining confidence and swagger while giving the other person the chance to have it their way.”

Well, we’ve all played that game, so it’s nice we now have an awesome three-minute soundtrack (and accompanying visuals) for it the next time we need it.

We’re proud to premiere the video for “Sure Ain’t” today on magnetmagazine.com. Check it out now

Tomorrow NYC singer/songwriter Anthony D’Amato releases latest single “Passing Through,” and he’s kicking off a West Coast stint next month (dates below) in support of this excellent new tune. While on a marathon tour of Europe last fall, D’Amato shot a video for “Passing Through” with Dutch filmmaker/journalist Matthijs van der Ven (The Influences) that perfectly captures the song’s feeling.

We’re proud to premiere the clip today on magnetmagazine.com, and we thought D’Amato could give some insight into the making of the striking video. This is what he had to say:

“We shot the video for ‘Passing Through’ on a day off in Amsterdam right in the middle of an 11-week European tour. So, needless to say, I was feeling the sentiment of the song pretty hard at the time. Touring—especially solo touring—can be incredibly beautiful and incredibly lonely all at once. You meet so many wonderful people and see so many amazing places, but you never get to stay, which makes it all a very bittersweet experience. Director Matthijs van der Ven locked into that feeling right away—perhaps because he travels so much himself. I was grateful to work with someone who so clearly understood what I was trying to convey.

“I first met Matthijs a few years ago while filming a live session in Utrecht for The Influences, the online performance series he runs out of the Netherlands. He was my first call when it came time to shoot this video, in part because I love his work, but also because I liked the idea of shooting something quick and raw with a local filmmaker and then leaving it entirely in his hands while I continued on down the road. It was a chance to make a collage of all the moments that make up a day in the life on tour. There’s wandering and reflection and excitement and boredom and sightseeing and naps on public transportation. There’s marveling at the beauty around you and burying your face in your phone because you found some free Wi-Fi. Most of all, there’s wishing you could stay, if only for just a little bit longer.”

Tour Dates
5/16 – Los Angeles @ Largo (w/ Watkins Family Hour)
5/17 – San Francisco @ Amnesia
5/18 – Sutter Creek, CA @ Feist Wines
5/23 – Portland @ White Eagle Saloon
5/24 – Walla Walla, WA @ Billsville West
5/25 – Prosser, WA @ Brewminatti
5/26 – Port Angeles, WA @ Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts