HSAL > COVID-19 (part one)

Posted on March 24, 2020 Posted in COVID-19, SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged COVID-19, HSAL, loveoverfear, yourejovianLeave a comment

Your friendly neighborhood record label REFUSES to hand life over to an unseen force that threatens our very well-being. That said, we are also 100% on board with measures (be they responsibly insituted or culturally mandated) to stop the spread of said unseen force. As such, we are beginning this series of posts to reinforce what the HSAL family is doing amidst the COVID-19 scare. Last week, we ran a “social distance” sale – thanks to everyone who jumped in on it. Orders were shipped on Monday, so keep a close eye on your mailbox.

*Elliott’s streaming a live set this Saturday night!*

As parts of the HSAL family get creative with their isolation output, we will share the ways to stay connected here. This weekend, Elliott from You’re Jovian will be streaming a live acoustic set from his tidewater confines. #1 – you should check out the set. #2 – if possible, throw him the coin you’d hand the door guy if Jovian were playing your favorite haunt (NOTE: Elliott’s a venmo guy).

UPDATE: February 2020

Posted on February 5, 2020 Posted in RELEASES, SIGHTINGSTagged Academy Center Of The Arts, Graven Image, honeybrandyLeave a comment

So, we’re already a month into the new year and your friendly neighborhood record label has a few things stirring:

HONEYBRANDY

This week, Joey and Nathan will sonically whitewash the gallery spaces down at the Academy Center for the Arts for February’s installment of “First Fridays.” Among the exhibits will be a collection from five faculty members of the James Madison University School of Art, Design and Art History. The duet will continue to work out ideas in the live setting that (hopefully) will translate to a new album in 2020. They’ll be back at the Art Rat in Roanoke next month with Hypnagogue. Here’s a track honeybrandy posted to soundcloud several moons ago…

GRAVEN IMAGE

Thanks to a quick turnaround from the factory, HSAL #52 should be shipping before the February 21st street date! If you on a first name basis with these two, feel free to hit them up for a copy. The uninitated may purchase a cassette copy from us through bandcamp (we have less than 10 unaccounted for – don’t sleep on this one). The sample below displays an EP that fits in nicely with the long line of minimal, textured ambience for which HSAL has become known the world over.

Starting 2020 Off Proper!

Posted on January 8, 2020 Posted in RELEASES, SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged Graven Image, honeybrandy, L.A. Dies, TLVS, WNRNLeave a comment

Hope you and yours made the holidays special in unique ways. We took the downtime to exhale in preparation for all that the new year will swing our way. Here’s what we know right now:

L.A. DIES ON WNRN!

The Commonwealth’s widest reaching independent radio station, WNRN, has just picked up “Feels Really Small” from the four-piece’s HSAL debut for regular rotation. We supremely proud of this record, so it’s swell to learn of it capturing the ears of others.

HSAL #52 IS ABOUT TO DROP!

*Cover image for HSAL #52 created by James Wood.*

Our next release comes courtesy of Blacksburg’s Graven Image. This EP, the first proper recording for the cello/synth + voice duet, was tracked at the Old City Cemetery Chapel right here in Lynchburg back in November. Joey from honeybrandy sat in on the session as well. The result is a really dark ethereal pair of long-form compositions that feel akin to the work of Julianna Barwick or Richard Skelton. The band is going to end up with most of cassette run, but we will have a handful to sell once the release drops in February. Stream a sample from the EP here.

OUR BANDS OUT & ABOUT!

Most of our acts are hitting stages in the coming weeks. Here are the dates we know about (follow the bands directly for the most up-to-date information):

L.A. DIES / TLVS: 01/10 @ Taphouse (Norfolk)
YOU’RE JOVIAN: 01/24 @ Fuzzy Cactus (Richmond)
L.A. DIES: 01/25 @ Nicky’s House (Richmond)
TLVS: 01/25 @ Speakertree (Lynchburg)
YOU’RE JOVIAN: 01/31 @ Meridian (Williamsburg)
YOU’RE JOVIAN: 02/01 @ Tea Bazaar (Charlottesville)
HONEYBRANDY: 02/07 @ The Academy Center (Lynchburg)

Do the bands a solid – dance, sing along and buy some merch!

L.A. Dies on the air!

Posted on December 9, 2019December 9, 2019 Posted in RELEASES, SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged L.A. Dies, WNRNLeave a comment

*WNRN’s 4th annual holiday showcase, featuring L.A. Dies, debuts 12/11/19!*

Fresh off their “Dead Air” appearance at the Academy Center last month, regional independent WNRN has invited L.A. Dies up to the studio to help usher in holiday cheer this week. Wednesday evening (12/11) from 8P – 10P, the band will join other Commonwealth up-and-comers (Will Overman, Saw Black) to perform live. If you’re in Virginia, chances are you can find it on an old fashioned receiver dial. Everyone else can pull the show up online via the tune in app.

In related news, the station is currently running a poll for the best albums of 2019. While there are several records of note, we’d love to see “Drifting Still” come up in the final tally. Simply write in the latest L.A. Dies album and submit it with the records you returned to the most this year.

HSAL #50 (free download)

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 Posted in RELEASES, SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged Graven Image, HSAL, HSAL #50, Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, Nickelus F, Opin, Sound Of Ceres, TLVS, Toan Team, Young ScumLeave a comment

Last month, we threw a big party to celebrate TEN YEARS of central Virginia based rock action! It was a blast – thanks to all that attended & sent well wishes our way. We were able to capture sounds from the Warehouse Theater & thought it appropriate to share some of the memories that were made via a release such as this.

We present to you HSAL #50 – a “Harding & Main Fest” sampler! Present on this compilation is a live cut from each performance. Many of these tracks are currently unreleased (Graven Image, Toan Team, Opin, Young Scum, Jeremaih Lloyd Harmon), which just adds to the uniquness of this document. The cover art is a collection of shots from the show snapped by Stefanie Murza, who debuted her video for L.A. Dies‘ “Circle” last month as well.

STREAM/DOWNLOAD HSAL #50 HERE

So, THAT happened!

Posted on September 30, 2019 Posted in SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged Harding & Main Fest, HSAL, HSAL #502 Comments

WOW. That’s really the best word to describe our reaction to everything that went down this weekend. From the “Drifting Still” LP listening party – which was attended by over 60 people – to the whirlwind that was the Harding & Main Fest, wonderful time seemed to be had by all! If you played any part in all this action (meaning you played, you carried gear, you directed traffic, you attended, you bought records, or you just said nice things on social media), we sincerely appreciate you. It’s times like these that completely reinforce why we push forward.

We are working on a proper recap of the big party & hope to share that with you all in the weeks to come.

L.A. Dies at HSAL #50. PC: Stefanie Murza

In the meantime, our heartfelt thanks go out to: Geoff (for sharing a vision), Corey, Brittany, Michael, & the team at the Academy Center (for facilitating that vision), Mike (our sound man for the event), Emma (for the killer print features), Kathy & Jason (our volunteer crew), Stef (for so, so many pics), Blake (for an open ear & a like-minded heart), Graven Image, Toan Team, Opin, TLVS, Young Scum, L.A. Dies, Nickelus F, Sound of Ceres, & Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon (for taking our stage & pouring your hearts out over the Hill City).

OUR NEW LOOK!

Posted on August 19, 2019September 2, 2019 Posted in SIGHTINGS, THE LABELTagged Academy Center Of The Arts, Good Dog Nigel, Harding & Main Fest, HSAL, Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, L.A. Dies, Nickelus F, Opin, ourlynchburg, Sound Of Ceres, TLVS, Young ScumLeave a comment

As we come to the end of our first decade as a label, we thought it prudent to cook up a new look. The site will work the same way as before. We’ll do our darnedest to keep you up to speed with the comings & goings of our roster.

Speaking of the goings on, you HAVE TO KNOW that we are throwing a huge party in our home town next month to celebrate TEN YEARS STRONG! We have assigned catalog number 50 to this event. We also invited a killer lineup to commemorate this milestone. It’s a total friends (Young Scum, Nickelus F, Toan Team & Sound Of Ceres) & family (Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, Opin, TLVS, Good Dog Nigel & L.A. Dies) affair! Oh yeah – YOU’RE INVITED! Tickets are available now. Hope to see you there…