Ernie Halter is set to release his fourth studio album, Franklin & Vermont, on June 29th. The LA based singer-songwriter who spends an exorbitant amount of time on the road shares a small slice of home with us on his latest album, which is named for two cross streets in the quiet Los Feliz neighborhood where Halter lives.

True to form, Halter pairs his skillful song writing abilities with the laid back, raw acoustic stylings fans have come to expect from him to create a solid soulful collection of songs. Halter isn’t afraid to change paces throughout the album, which is apparent as the album opener, the uptempo, catchy “Hard to Let a Good Love Go” segues beautifully to the slow, bare-bones “Angel,” which celebrates love found. Meanwhile the singer gets in touch with his country side for “We Got Love,” which was penned in Nashville with Lady Antebellum guitarist Jason “Slim” Gambill.

For the album closer, Halter teams up with label-mate Tony Lucca on the piano based standout “This Beautiful Ache,” which also features vocals from singer-songwriter Amy Kuney. The song’s premise describes both the pain and pleasure a memory can bring — something we can all relate to in life. But it’s Halter’s raw vocals set against minimalist production that makes “This Beautiful Ache” that much more haunting.

Long time Ernie Halter fans will certainly enjoy Franklin & Vermont, while the album also serves as a perfect introduction for new fans.  Franklin & Vermont hits stores on June 29th, but in the meantime, you can give Halter’s “Hard to Let a Good Love Go” a listen thanks to our friends at Rock Ridge Music.

Much like a fine wine, singer-songwriter Tony Lucca only gets better with age. The singer takes fans on a journey through the next phase of his life on his sixth studio album, Rendezvous With The Angels, as he grows into the role of loving husband and adoring father. Gone are the days of the self-pitying, woe-is-me wanderer in favor of a more mature, inspired raconteur.

Still at the core of the album are Mr. Lucca’s heartfelt, beautifully crafted lyrics and soulful voice, all of which represented on the album’s opener “Like Love.” Then there’s the uptempo, feel good “Make You Mine” that is sure to get your toe-tapping in no time.

Mr. Lucca calls on tour mate Sara Bareilles for the emotional ballad “Back to Me,” where their voices compliment each other so perfectly. Composition wise, it’s the blues-inspired “Anchored” that stands out with its combination of vivid imagery, beautiful guitar solo, and underlying organ and string sections.

Also included are three long-time fan favorites on the album, “Stay With Me Tonight,” “Song to a Martyr,” and “Nobody But You,” which have been mainstay requests at recent shows. “Stay With Me” is of course an Internet sensation on its own as it’s rumored to be loosely based on the break-up of two of the singer’s friends — Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

(more…)

We’ve got more Ernie Halter news for ya! The LA based singer-songwriter is set to release his next album, Franklin & Vermont on June 29th.

The album was titled after the two cross streets in the quiet Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles where Mr. Halter lives. Being accustomed to spending long stretches on the road, he discovered it’s the happiness found in the slow pace of his community that brought him to the studio.

According to press materials, Franklin & Vermont reflects the raw, laid-back, acoustic vibe fans have come to expect from Mr. Halter. Now, I haven’t heard the album yet, but I’m already looking forward to a song called “This Beautiful Ache” as it features fellow singer-songwriter and TRT mainstay Tony Lucca. Talk about full circle – it was at a Tony Lucca show where I was first introduced to Ernie Halter, who opened for Tony Lucca at the time. Stoked.

You can purchase Franklin & Vermont starting June 29th — do it — and in the meantime, get your Ernie Halter fix by grabbing his EP, 4U, for FREE at Amazon.com.

In the past, I’ve referred to singer-songwriter Tony Lucca as one of the hardest working musicians in the game. A perpetual touring artist, he has entertained crowds across the U.S. for well over 12 years. And truth be told, there is no artist other than Mr. Lucca that I’ve personally crossed state lines to see perform. Yeah, he’s that good.

Armed with his acoustic guitar (and sometimes electric!), heartfelt, beautifully crafted lyrics and a soulful voice, Mr. Lucca’s sound is instantly identifiable, yet uniquely his own.

Recently, Mr. Lucca took time out of his busy touring schedule to chat with us about his musical stylings, lyrical inspirations, the need to go electric and, of course, road fun with his ex-tourmate, Sara Bareilles. Read the full interview below. Keep your eye out for his next record, which hits this summer (details TBD). Be sure to check this man out when he’s in your neck of the woods – you will not regret it – tour dates.

TRT: Over the years your music has incorporated different genres and styles but at the core of all these songs are very real, poignant lyrics, where do you get your inspiration from?

TL: Traveling. Seeing what stays consistent in an ever-changing environment. Those are the things that most people identify with. That’s where specifics become universal.

(more…)

In the last six months, singer-songwriter Ashley Arrison has become one of the most talked about indie artists at The Round Table, culminating in being crowned our first-ever March Music Madness Champion. Based on the sheer number of votes submitted, it’s apparent Ms. Arrison has made a lasting impression on music fans, not to mention she has won the hearts of some of the site’s toughest critics. All impressive accomplishments for an artist who has yet to release her first full-length album, which is slated for July 1st.

Ms. Arrison took time out from her busy recording schedule to chat with TRT. She was kind enough to give us some insight as to her musical influences, what fans can expect from her upcoming album, and her reaction to taking the March Music Madness title. And while Ms. Arrison takes her music very seriously, wasn’t afraid to let her guard down and let her personality shine through. She even indulged our desire to name-drop some of the industry’s greatest whom she calls her friends. Read our interview with Ashley Arrison below.

TRT: As the reigning champion of TRT’s first ever March Music Madness tournament voted on by the fans, can you tell us what it meant to you to have tremendous fan support pushing you through each round? Were you surprised at all?

AA: Are you kidding? So surprised. First, I thought it was cruel to pit me against Rhianna in the first round! After I won that round, I knew this was a battle of indies, so I was sure I didn’t have a chance against Tony Lucca, who I love! And then Matthew Mayfield started talking smack and the heat was turned up! But seriously, every single one of these artists have bigger fan bases than I do at this point, so it is a true testament to my fans that they rallied like they did. The re-tweets and mass emails were in effect!

(more…)

After two weeks of intense head-to-head competition we’re stoked to crown Ashley Arrison as TRT’s first-ever March Music Madness Champion. This feat should not be taken lightly as Ms. Arrison pulled off the improbable, starting with a first-round upset over megastar Rihanna. Thanks to her loyal fans and grassroots efforts, she went on to set voting records in the subsequent rounds, knocking off Tegan & Sara, Tony Lucca, and Matthew Mayfield respectively.

Yesterday, Ms. Arrison found herself in the Championship showdown with Beat Radio, yet another indie project with a faithful following. When the final votes were tallied, it was Ms. Arrison who stood victorious on the shoulders’ of her determined legion of fans.

March Music Madness had a little of everything – fun, excitement, the unpredictable, trash-talking (shout to Sendrowitz fam!) and (thankfully) very little Lady Gaga. A big thank you to all the artists who made the competition a success! For the fans who diligently voted each day, we hope you’ll stick around TRT – there’s lots more to come from your favorite artists – starting with Ashley Arrison (hint…hint…).

Past Results

First Round: No. 1 vs. No. 8
First Round: No. 2 vs. No. 7
First Round: No. 3 vs. No. 6
First Round: No. 4 vs. No. 5
Sweet 16 (Friday)
Sweet 16 (Monday)
Elite Eight
Final Four
Championship

Get your popcorn ready! It’s time for a battle between two virtual underdogs who fought their way through TRT Music Madness despite facing some of music’s biggest names on their way to the championship. Beat Radio and Ashley Arrison seemingly breezed through the tournament, helping draw a record number of visitors to The Round Table. They didn’t do it alone — it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of their respective fans. But other indie acts also helped make the first-ever TRT Music Madness an amazing success.

Broken Social Scene, Tony Lucca and Matthew Mayfield set the tone on the first day of competition by upsetting top seeds Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas and Lil Wayne. And No. 7 seeds The Dirty Rooks and Daphne Willis, along with today’s finalists, followed suit by knocking off tough opponents in Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. After two days, it was hardly surprising that seven of the final eight artists and bands were made up of the lower four seeds. Their grassroots followings have clearly made the difference over the course of the last two weeks.

Final Four results

(7) Beat Radio def. (4) Vampire Weekend
(7) Ashley Arrison def. (8) Matthew Mayfield

TRT Music Madness Championship

(7) Beat Radio vs. (7) Ashley Arrison

(more…)

If you were watching this unfold on CBS (home of the NCAA March Madness), Greg Gumbel might cut in with a well-produced video montage that condenses all the tournament action into two minutes of heart-pounding, tear-jerking, awe-inspiring moments. This is not CBS and The Round Table doesn’t have the ability to pull that off. What it does have is a Final Four worthy of record-breaking crowds, er, votes. Tuesday saw the highest voting total so far in the seven days of TRT Music Madness, and the mark was reached with over five hours of voting time remaining. Now, Beat Radio, Vampire Weekend, Ashley Arrison and Matthew Mayfield asks their fans to help set a new record and advance them to tomorrow’s championship.

Elite Eight results
(7) Beat Radio def. (8) Broken Social Scene
(4) Vampire Weekend def. (7) The Dirty Rooks
(7) Ashley Arrison def. (8) Tony Lucca
(8) Matthew Mayfield def. (6) Sondre Lerche

Final Four Match-ups

(7) Beat Radio vs. (4) Vampire Weekend
(7) Ashley Arrison vs. (8) Matthew Mayfield

(more…)

Time for the Elite Eight! March Music Madness has definitely lived up to its name as the unexpected underdog seeds have managed to easily trounce the mainstream, big-name competition. The results have told us a lot about the type of artists you want to see more of, and when March Music Madness concludes, The Round Table will do its best to bring you more stories about these awesome indie artists. But we still have some unfinished business.

(more…)

First Week Results
First Round: No. 1 vs. No. 8
First Round: No. 2 vs. No. 7
First Round: No. 3 vs. No. 6
First Round: No. 4 vs. No. 5

So far, the grassroots indie campaigns have represented well with three of the No. 8 seeds surviving to the Elite Eight, and all four No. 7s awaiting Monday’s action with hopes of doing the same.

Top-seeded Jay-Z was the only music giant to make it out of the first round, speaking volumes about the fan bases of Tony Lucca, Broken Social Scene and Matthew Mayfield.

Let’s just hope the site doesn’t crash on Tuesday. (more…)