The Blue News

Wartime Songs is the new EP from The Blue News. The Blue News are a two piece blues rock band based out of Terre Haute, Indiana featuring Brent Orndorff on guitar and vocals, and Dusty Richardson on drums.

Wartime Songs features 6 tracks with the strongest being "Hypnotized." It's obvious from listening to Wartime Songs that The Blue News are highly influenced by The Black Keys as they have a similar raw sound. Orndorff has a great voice for blues and his vocals work really well with the style of music.

The Blue News have been gaining momentum in recent years with their music featured nationally on networks like USA and CBC as well as in the Rock Band video games series. The Blue News are a group to keep an eye on as Wartime Songs is a great introduction to the band and definitely worth a listen for any fan of blues rock.

The Review: 7/10

The Big Hit

- Hypnotized - Blues Rock Review

Wabash Valley band The Blue News is getting national attention with its first national radio campaign with promoters at Tinderbox Music. The band’s songs are reaching more than 300 college and specialty radio stations across North America.

The Blues News, which consists of Brent Orndorff (guitar/vocals) and Dusty Richardson (drums) released a stunning new EP titled “Wartime Songs” this summer. The album features their original sound which draws inspiration from several styles including blues, southern rock, soul, modern alternative and more.

Orndorff is a West Vigo High School graduate and is responsible for the Terre Haute indie label Blame Records, which briefly operated a recording studio in downtown Terre Haute in the past. He was also the lead singer in a popular band in the 1990s called The Groove Parade. Richardson graduated from Terre Haute North Vigo High School and has been active with several bands in the local music scene for years. The band has also played live on stage, and in the studio, with several guest performers including members of the bands Cuba, Nativemind and Derailed, and frequently performs live with guitarist Pat McDermot.

Formed in 2006, the band got off to a promising start by signing with indie record label Statue Records of Hollywood and signing with INgrooves/Universal for worldwide distribution of its music. Since its debut album was released, the band has built up a remarkable list of accomplishments, including the placement of five songs on national television networks like USA, CBC (Canada) and PBS Television, the release of two songs on the Rock Band 2 video game for Xbox 360, three HD music videos, five studio albums and performing dozens of shows across the Midwest and beyond.

The new album “Wartime Songs” features six new tracks recorded in February at producer Jim Devito’s private Retrophonics Recording Studios in St. Augustine, Fla. The band was invited to record after Stephen Wrench, the original manager of Lynyrd Skynyrd, heard its music and helped them connect with Devito. Devito’s past work in the music industry includes recordings for Tom Petty, The Allman Brothers, JJ Grey, Derek Trucks, Don Henley and many others. Two songs from the new album are also scheduled to be released on Rock Band 3 and work is already in progress with Fairwood Studios of New York.

The band has several upcoming shows, including the Wabash Valley UCP fundraiser at Fore Seasons Golf Complex on Saturday and a show in Louisville, Ky., at the “New Vintage Showcase” on Sept. 3 where the band will open for Brian Olive. Olive recently signed with Alive Records, and his latest album was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

Visit www.thebluenews.net for more on The Blue News including upcoming shows, music videos, CDs, band merchandise and downloads - The Tribune Star

Hailing from the Midwest, The Blue News are quickly working their way up the ladder to success, with the same formula of artists like The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, and even a simplistic, early White Stripes. The stripped down, gritty, in-your-face blues with a touch of honey in the softer parts are gaining The Blue News more popularity by the month.

With the release of their newest EP Wartime Blues, The Blue News lay down the foundation for success in their sludgy riffs and raspy, crooning lyrics straight from the mold of classic blues masters. Two upbeat numbers start off the EP with a nice pace while the sludgy riffs catch hold of the listener. They cater to blues fans' craving for emotional and jagged riffs to go along with the solid percussion, which holds up the song structure and fills out its edges nicely.

"Hypnotized" is arguably the best sounding and catchiest song on the EP as far as all around production goes; it sounds like something right out of the Black Keys catalogue, not that this is a bad thing or makes them unoriginal, because they give their own twist on each song. One notable quality is their ability to change the tone and pitch of the lyrical range from grungy and raspy to a clean croon with a touch of honey in each chorus.

"Hitman Blues" has a classic blues feel to it, medium-paced with just enough crunch between the guitar and drums to draw the listener in with a head bang, then turn around and send them shuffling to the dance floor. Also a notable plus found within the EP is the production value. While it's not Danger Mouse production (The Black Keys), the quality is surprisingly good for an EP by an up-and-coming band. Each element of the instrumentation is heard clearly and concisely, while the lyrics blend in nicely over the top, allowing the switch between rhythm guitar and solos to fill out the rest of the sound.

"Stay Gone for Good" and "Be Yourself (And You'll Go Far)" round out this six song EP, which seems longer, but maybe that's just me. "Stay Gone for Good" kicks into high gear right off the start and provides one of the faster paced songs on the album. Evening out for the verse, it kicks back into high gear for each chorus, folding neatly into a really nice riff, keeping the song driving toward its apex.

"Be Yourself" is a friendly, acoustic track in the mold of Led Zeppelin III, which brings the EP to a soft close and rounds out a number of blues driven tracks with a laid back, comfortable number.

The Blue News are clearly on the track toward great heights. Already, their songs are gaining steam and being played on TV shows as we speak. They are a refreshing blend of classic blues and rock with elegant song structures. Again, like The Black Keys and to some degree The White Stripes, The Blue News stick to the formula they know well, conjuring up enough gritty riffs and emotional tonal changes, all while containing that stripped down feeling to successfully drown the listener in the most classic form of the blues. - Online Rock

"The Signs is an excellent blues/rock EP with a catchy authentic sound. The songwriting, recording quality, production and musicianship on this CD are all very good. James Orndorff's vocals periodically use falsetto to bring out a unique sound. All the tracks we checked out were solid, with varying styles and tempos that kept our interest. Leavin' has an excellent upbeat guitar while Love's So Strong has more of a traditional blues feel to it. If you enjoy talented blues-rock bands, you will enjoy this CD."
-RadioIndy.com Staff

"This music is beyond logical comprehension which certainly means it's the real thing."
-DJ Paul, Midnight Special Blues Radio, Paris France

"Listening to this music, one can quickly discern that Orndorff is a talented musician, singer and songwriter. No doubt the Hollywood label hears the same potential I hear."
-Rex Buntain, Tribune Star - RadioIndy, Tribune, etc...

As is common knowledge for those in the music world, blues is a tough mistress. It’s just that much of a transcendent genre, requiring equal parts skill and soul to unlock. Even dedicated fans must be disciplined enough to enjoy blues’ intricacies, which in turn often limits its masters to a narrow, discriminating audience. Despite all these hurdles, many artists remain undaunted in their pursuit, which is why we must tip our hat to bands like The Blue News. Fully steeped in the kind of nitty-gritty, sweaty aura that modern blues demands, the Midwesterner trio has laid all talents bare in Strange Light, their third album. There is much to love here. Strange Light is evidence of The Blue News’ journey.
The News have sincerity in spades, demonstrating their student-like loyalty to mechanics in every single one of Light’s pores. Furthermore, lead singer James Orndorff and company turn to unlikely sources for inspiration, often channeling the early sounds of Chris Cornell’s Soundgarden to give their funk a razored edge. There is no soft sentimentality at play in Light’s atmospheric dance; this is electric, dirty stuff doled out with a knowing smile. The band has displayed a respectable amount of craft.
“Rising” opens Light with a shuffling country gait, its near-growling guitars a deliciously unpolished match for the doom-saying lyrics. Simple and unadorned, it’s an appropriate introduction to tracks such as “Running Back to You,” where the fat sound compliments Orndorff’s unhinged wailing. This is The Blue News at their best, translating the most skeletal of compositions into an emotional torrent fitting of the blues name. That charm is featured throughout the album with tracks like “Break of Day” and burners like “Old River” and “Shelter” which vary little from the purring guitar formula.
There is real life in the bluegrass-tinged, hand-clapping ditties like “Feel Alive,” where Orndorff and his colleagues can get back to the simple pleasures without aping their other offerings. And they certainly can’t go wrong with tracks like the hopping “Stumblin’,” whose bristling guitars move better than any warm organ.
The lingering question is one of discipline and range – whether the trio can hone their craft even more and yet still appeal to a wider audience, regardless of blues’ inherent limits. As listeners take in gems like “Leave My Sorrows,” perhaps they believe their faith will be rewarded; we can only hope The Blue News doesn’t disappoint. As it stands from Strange Light, Blue News seems to have what it takes to scale the unforgiving terrain of their genre.
- MuzikReviews.com

Minneapolis, MN. (Top40 Charts / PRWeb / Blame Records) - Two songs from the band The Blue News, "Next Time" and "Love's So Strong", are being heard on national television on the 2007 PBS Roadtrip Nation series. The Blue News is a powerful new band whose innovative songwriting style and unique sound has listeners coming back for more. Their ground-breaking music is turning heads wherever ears are listening. The band's distinctly original sound is a fusion of Alternative Rock and Blues. In recent reviews, their sound has been compared to such musicians as Eric Clapton, The Black Keys and Credence Clearwater Revival.
The band's music will also be included on the soundtrack CD for the 2007 Roadtrip Nation film series as well as in their promotional videos on the official series website.
The series soundtrack and sampler DVD will be distributed to over 40 college campuses across the United States as well as in film screening kits for student representatives at over 100 college campuses. This opportunity for exposure, combined with the band's recent radio campaign with Vigilant Promotions has prompted The Blue News to begin planning a Spring/Fall college campus tour. To support the tour, The Blue News plans to make in-studio appearances at supporting radio stations and also in-store appearances at retail record stores.
The band formed in late 2005 and released their debut album with Statue Records Hollywood in January 2006 and toured to promote the release in several cities throughout 2006. In 2007, the band self-released a follow-up EP titled "The Signs" which is available through the band's website. - Top40-Charts.com

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, MAY 07, 2010: The Indiana-native band The Blue News has released a song in the popular music video game Rock Band 2. The song “You’ve Got Someone” can now be downloaded through the game’s Music Store and played on Xbox 360. The song is already among the highest rated new songs added to the Rock Band Network Music Store, earning a “5-lighter” rating on Rock Band’s ratings scale. The track comes from the band’s new album “Good at Falling” which was recorded at Stable Studios of Spencer, IN with additional recording and mixing done in the band’s own studio.
Blue News was formed in 2005 by singer/songwriter James Orndorff and now consists of Orndorff and drummer Dusty Richardson along with some guest guitarists live on stage. The music of The Blue News first gained industry attention in 2006 when their debut album was released by Statue Records Group Hollywood. They received national television exposure in 2007 when two of their songs were featured in the soundtrack of Roadtrip Nation – a documentary series which airs on PBS Television and TBS Superstation. The trio has released four studio albums since 2006, three of which were self-released by the band’s own label Blame Records.
Their sound is influenced by a variety of styles and has been compared to everything from Eric Clapton to The Killers. The 5-song EP features a new direction stylistically for the band, drifting away from the group’s acclaimed Blues-influenced style into a more radio-friendly Indie Rock sound. The album was released online on April 23rd and can be downloaded for only $3.95 through the band’s official website (www.bluenewsband.com).
The opportunity to get their music into Rock Band comes due to a new project from Harmonix (developers of the Rock Band game) called the Rock Band Network. The band jumped at the chance to be involved in a project looking toward the future of music, as the traditional music business continues to implode under the weight of illegal downloading and the looming death of the compact disc. The band worked together with Fairwood Studios of Rochester, NY on authoring the song for the game and they are now working with developers at both Audio Four Games and Fairwood Studios on a second song for the game, the band’s current radio single “So Easy”.
Orndorff says, “We’re always looking for new sources of exposure because we want to be heard by new potential fans. We’ve worked really hard to be a good band with truly good songs and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. We now have the real potential to be heard by millions and we hope we’re among the first bands to break through this medium. I’m not sure there will ever be a ‘Rock Band: The Blue News’ but either way our songs turned out to be really fun to play in the game.”
- PR Wire

Terre Haute area indie rock band The Blue News has cleared a digital milestone for its music.

The group has surpassed more than 1,000,000 streams on Spotify and YouTube. The unsigned rock band comes from rural Terre Haute and was formed in 2006 by singer-songwriter Brent Orndorff and drummer/co-producer Dustin Richardson, who now resides in Nashville, Tenn. and works as a studio engineer and producer.

The band’s music has seen a swell in listeners after their songs were chosen over a dozen times for placements on national television, Netflix series, film trailers, video games and film.

They managed to accomplish this without the support of a manager, publisher or major label team. The Blue News remains self-managed and was self-produced until they had a chance to work with eminent music producer Sylvia Massey on their 2011 album titled “Wartime Songs.”

Massey worked in the studio alongside multi-platinum producer Rick Rubin and helped produce famous albums by Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the double-platinum album Undertow by the band Tool.

Most of their 1,000,000 streams have generated within the past three years and include the band’s top four songs on Spotify and YouTube. The — “Stay Gone For Good,” “Old River,” “Same Old Story” and “Promiseland” — were licensed for use in the video game Rebel Galaxy in 2016 and a surge of streams resulted from playlists of the game’s soundtrack.

Among their other most popular songs are “Just a Game,” “Love’s So Strong,” “Come Back Home,” “Two Lovers” and “Hypnotized,” all of which have been selected at some point for music licensing placements and helped the Indiana songwriters generate a steady stream of music royalty payments from continuous international use.

Blue News’ repertoire includes four studio albums. Of those, only “Wartime Songs” and "Strange Light" are currently available on CD via their website. The band released an acoustic EP titled "NAKED" in December of 2019 and they are working in the studio currently on new songs for a 2020 album. - Tribune Star

Home Brewed Music - Danny Wayne talks to musician Brent Orndorff and features some of the music from The Blue News album. - 98.5 The River

Aug. 9—In the midst of attracting interest through more than 1.75 million streams of its original songs on the digital music platform Spotify, Terre Haute-based rock band The Blue News will be playing a venue live in Nashville, Indiana.

Band leader Brent Orndorff's group is playing a three-hour show at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 at the Hard Truth Distilling Co. at 418 Old State Road 46 in Nashville, Indiana. There will be no cover charge for the event, also presented by Blame Records USA.

In addition to Orndorff, the indie band's lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, the lineup includes Jeff Winchester on drums and Bill Gregory on bass.

"It's a tremendous opportunity to get to perform at such a great venue stage as our first real show together as The Blue News," Orndorff said. "It's a blessing to be able to perform here for me because some of my first memories of live music were in Nashville, and it's a beautiful area."

The band's original music is influenced by the blues, classic rock, '90s rock, modern alternative, indie rock and more. Reviewers have compared The Blue News' sound to The Black Keys, Soundgarden, and even the iconic Led Zeppelin.

In 2007, two songs by the band were placed in the television series "Road Trip Nation," giving the band their first national media exposure. This initial exposure was followed by several song licensing placements for television, film and video games, including the song "Running Back To You" in the Netflix series "Bloodline" and multiple songs in the video game "Rebel Galaxy" and "Rock Band 3."

Their self-released music reached over 1,750,000 streams in August of 2023 on Spotify alone. - Yahoo Entertainment