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[septembercallup]

Get your butt out and see Jesse Gimbel now! #indie #rock #philly #tour #shows #concert #wxpn #vinylmag #fender #jessegimbel #artisttowatch #radio1045 #xfinitylive #record #recordlabel #decathect #album #singer #band #indierock #rocknroll #musicgeek

[solidgoldthunder-blog-blog]

Be sure to check out our new song, "Please Be 18' released for a limited time exclusively through some of our friends over at vinylmag.org!  

[septembercallup]

PREVIEW: September Call-Up’s self-titled

By Jessie Frary

Hey guys and gals – September Call-Up (formerly releasing as Christian Bitto) is back to introduce a few new songs from his upcoming full-length album September Call-Up to be released later this year under the name.  Bitto is going on a mini-tour this month and will be giving away his three promo songs that are on the album (hell yes).

First song on the album is called “Ghost”.  It has a steady driven beat that eventually calms down to slow verses, accented by subtle bass and drums, as well as a soft strum of guitar.  Towards the end of the song, Bitto’s sings, “I don’t need a ghost that makes me afraid/I don’t need a ghost tells me where to lay/I don’t need a ghost tells me when to pray/ I don’t need a ghost/Don’t need a ghost/I’ll pray to ghosts at night/They’ll keep me/ Safe/.”  Interpret this however you wish, but I took it as a commentary about outside influences controlling people’s beliefs and actions.  The message is subtly powerful, and Bitto delivers it without cramming it down your throat.

The second song is called“Song No. 3”.  This song, also slower paced and driving, is strong but not loud.  It sounds so melancholy and apologetic; yet towards the end, Bitto’s emotion definitely shines through as his voice gets a little grittier.

The last song of the promo is called “Our First Fall”.  It’s fully acoustic – just Bitto and his guitar.  This is my favorite of the three.  If the title doesn’t tell you, the song is about lovers parting.  I love the simplicity of songs like this – just two music entities put together in perfect synergy… “Time stops when the camera clicks/You sit quietly, bite your lip/Forever stays forever in a picture frame/It’s not the same/Time stops when the camera clicks/You cry angrily, clinch your fists/This isn’t it, this is not okay/My perfect life a picture frame/Picture frame/.”  How can lyrics like that not get you?

Tour Dates:

Jan 18- VIP Taproom, Bethlehem PA Jan 19- Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn NY Jan 20- Stella Blues (with special guests No Program, Samantha Benderoth Band), New Haven CT

http://vinylmag.org/2013/01/15/preview-september-call-up/

[rocketiquetteforcyanide]

Concert review of Circa Survive/interview with ANTHONY GREEN himself. Enjoy! -Vinyl Mag writer Jessie Frary 

[septembercallup]

REVIEW: Christian Bitto’s “The September Call-Up” EP

  by Jessie Frary at Vinyl Mag, visit them here.

Christian Bitto, a self-named musician from Philadelphia, PA, is a new artist to watch in the indie/rock scene.

While mainly acoustic-driven, he is accompanied in his live shows by bandmates Niall Hood on bass and Jesse Gimbel on drums to create an intimate trio that can range from quiet, soft, finger-picked melodies to emotional rock.

After giving Bitto’s EP, The September Call-Up, a listen, his voice instantly reminded me of Oliver Sim from London’s indie band The XX, while the instrumentals made me think of softer Brand New and Jimmy Eat World, as well as the clean reverb affect given by Chris Isaak’s Gretsch 6120.

The opening song, “Next to You”, has great vocals- pure and in its simplest form- guitar with slight distortion and simple chords, and a great bass and drums to back and compliment it. I love songs like these. It reminds me of a great CD I got as a kid called Sweet Lowland by Dodd Ferrelle, so in a way it evokes a bittersweet nostalgia for me. The next is called “Daylight”, and it’s just Bitto himself and a guitar. It’s a lovely, soft fingerpicked acoustic song… “the glimmer of light that shines in the dark, is that your beating heart, your beating heart? “ is saddening in a way.  The final song in the EP, “Mickey’s Song”, is another fingerpicked song which seems to be about him traveling and away from a loved one.  Beautiful song.

It was a perfect mix in my opinion- very clean, calming, and simple. Listening to this EP for the first time during a docile summer thunderstorm in a local coffee shop made the atmosphere that much more enjoyable and relaxed.

I definitely recommend to VM readers and music lovers to keep up with him and his band and see what these guys have to offer.

To check out the EP right now, visit Bitto’s Bandcamp page.  Also be sure to follow him on Facebook!