The WhiskeyBelles

Featured Tweets and songs, new music and music videos and much, much more. BY Joe Guszkowski 12/2/2013



10. A.V. Club Milwaukee will shut down.

 
The local arts and culture website will go dark Dec. 12, taking with it a bottomless cache of stories and updates on local arts, music and sports, as well as a running tab on every online listicle touting Milwaukee as one of America's [insert adjective here] cities. To visit the site was to glimpse Milwaukee's hyper-local collective unconscious, crawling with fresh musings on The Milverine, McDonald's drug fronts and mustache salesman alongside album reviews and an always-helpful events calendar. Needless to say, A.V. Club Milwaukee will be missed.  
 
9. Jaill Tweet featured on Comedy Central.
 
A Tweet by Milwaukee's Jaill was featured on the Comedy Central panel show @midnight, during a segment called "#Stoned, #Drunk or #Pregnant." To see which of those categories Jaill's Tweet falls under, check out the entire clip below. 
 

8. Heartthrob won't break up, after all.
 
Contrary to earlier reports, beloved pop four-piece Heartthrob will not break up, according to an interview with frontman Scott Anderson conducted by the mysterious Bonnie No How. In the interview, Anderson puts to rest the ambiguous rumor that Heartthrob's Nov. 14 show at Riverwest Public House would be its last, and also reveals that the band is working on a new record. 
 
7. Delphines song featured on an episode of "The League."
 
The local four-piece had its song "Uptown Lover" featured in the Nov. 13 episode of "The League" on FX. I'm not sure where this streetwise noise pop nugget fits into a show about white guys obsessed with fantasy football, but we're happy it was in there. 
 
6. Eric & Magill video for "Baggage and Clothes" premieres on Rolling Stone. 
 
The black-and-white mini-noir centers around a mysterious briefcase, a pair of hip young cons, and a winking priest, and (not surprisingly) ends up being a bit of a head-scratcher. Luckily, the catchy "Baggage and Clothes" is a song you won't mind hearing over and over as you attempt to crack the code. The video enjoyed a prestigious premiere at Rolling Stone on Nov. 21.  
 
5. Like Like The The The Death release bizarre music video for "Here Comes Irregular."
 
A diaper-clad man with his head screwed on backwards explores a small farm. And that's about all you need to know. 
 
4. Midnight Reruns and Faux Fir release new albums.
 
I feel like I waited for the Midnight Reruns album for years, and when it finally came out this month, it proved to be just as good – maybe better – than I imagined it could be. It makes a strong case for the Reruns as Milwaukee's rock-heir-apparent (if not its de facto king). The album is a slick batch of tight, no-nonsense power pop in the vein of Weezer and Squeeze, jammed with hooks and riffs and a perfect amount of hungover, post-high school angst. Faux Fir's Fashionable Life was also hotly anticipated after having its release date pushed back due to vinyl issues. The glamorous, synth-heavy album sounds almost too immaculate to be man-made, with rhythms and melodies as polished and clear as if they'd been chiseled out of ice 300 years in the future. Check out the new video for single "Failure Prose" below.
 

 
 
3. The Whiskeybelles release Christmas album. 
 
The country trio puts a bow on Nothin' Says Christmas Like Whiskey - an album of Yuletide favorites and one original - just in time for the holidays. Songs given the group's harmony-heavy country/bluegrass treatment include classics like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "I Want a Hippopatomus For Christmas" along with more contemporary hits, like Joni Mitchell's "River" and John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)." The band celebrated the album's release at Club Garibaldi Saturday with The Doghouse Flowers and Chicken Wire Empire.
 
2. Klassik releases new song/music video, readies new LP.
 
Klassik rocks a tux in the classy new video for "Boogie," a luxurious, Jackson 5-sampling cut from the rapper's upcoming LP YRP (Young Rising Phenom), out in December. The video was created by Mark Gage of Milwaukee creative group Daily Dopeness.
 

 
1. Call Me Lightning releases new song: "Now We Have Begun."
 
"Now We Have Begun" is the first song from the Milwaukee legends since 2010's When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free, an album that lived up to the band's Who-cribbing name. "Now We Have Begun" is a triumphant return – a raw slice of pumped-up Brit invasion rock, full of snarling guitar a - Milwaukee Magazine

Featured Tweets and songs, new music and music videos and much, much more. BY Joe Guszkowski 12/2/2013



10. A.V. Club Milwaukee will shut down.

 
The local arts and culture website will go dark Dec. 12, taking with it a bottomless cache of stories and updates on local arts, music and sports, as well as a running tab on every online listicle touting Milwaukee as one of America's [insert adjective here] cities. To visit the site was to glimpse Milwaukee's hyper-local collective unconscious, crawling with fresh musings on The Milverine, McDonald's drug fronts and mustache salesman alongside album reviews and an always-helpful events calendar. Needless to say, A.V. Club Milwaukee will be missed.  
 
9. Jaill Tweet featured on Comedy Central.
 
A Tweet by Milwaukee's Jaill was featured on the Comedy Central panel show @midnight, during a segment called "#Stoned, #Drunk or #Pregnant." To see which of those categories Jaill's Tweet falls under, check out the entire clip below. 
 

8. Heartthrob won't break up, after all.
 
Contrary to earlier reports, beloved pop four-piece Heartthrob will not break up, according to an interview with frontman Scott Anderson conducted by the mysterious Bonnie No How. In the interview, Anderson puts to rest the ambiguous rumor that Heartthrob's Nov. 14 show at Riverwest Public House would be its last, and also reveals that the band is working on a new record. 
 
7. Delphines song featured on an episode of "The League."
 
The local four-piece had its song "Uptown Lover" featured in the Nov. 13 episode of "The League" on FX. I'm not sure where this streetwise noise pop nugget fits into a show about white guys obsessed with fantasy football, but we're happy it was in there. 
 
6. Eric & Magill video for "Baggage and Clothes" premieres on Rolling Stone. 
 
The black-and-white mini-noir centers around a mysterious briefcase, a pair of hip young cons, and a winking priest, and (not surprisingly) ends up being a bit of a head-scratcher. Luckily, the catchy "Baggage and Clothes" is a song you won't mind hearing over and over as you attempt to crack the code. The video enjoyed a prestigious premiere at Rolling Stone on Nov. 21.  
 
5. Like Like The The The Death release bizarre music video for "Here Comes Irregular."
 
A diaper-clad man with his head screwed on backwards explores a small farm. And that's about all you need to know. 
 
4. Midnight Reruns and Faux Fir release new albums.
 
I feel like I waited for the Midnight Reruns album for years, and when it finally came out this month, it proved to be just as good – maybe better – than I imagined it could be. It makes a strong case for the Reruns as Milwaukee's rock-heir-apparent (if not its de facto king). The album is a slick batch of tight, no-nonsense power pop in the vein of Weezer and Squeeze, jammed with hooks and riffs and a perfect amount of hungover, post-high school angst. Faux Fir's Fashionable Life was also hotly anticipated after having its release date pushed back due to vinyl issues. The glamorous, synth-heavy album sounds almost too immaculate to be man-made, with rhythms and melodies as polished and clear as if they'd been chiseled out of ice 300 years in the future. Check out the new video for single "Failure Prose" below.
 

 
 
3. The Whiskeybelles release Christmas album. 
 
The country trio puts a bow on Nothin' Says Christmas Like Whiskey - an album of Yuletide favorites and one original - just in time for the holidays. Songs given the group's harmony-heavy country/bluegrass treatment include classics like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "I Want a Hippopatomus For Christmas" along with more contemporary hits, like Joni Mitchell's "River" and John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)." The band celebrated the album's release at Club Garibaldi Saturday with The Doghouse Flowers and Chicken Wire Empire.
 
2. Klassik releases new song/music video, readies new LP.
 
Klassik rocks a tux in the classy new video for "Boogie," a luxurious, Jackson 5-sampling cut from the rapper's upcoming LP YRP (Young Rising Phenom), out in December. The video was created by Mark Gage of Milwaukee creative group Daily Dopeness.
 

 
1. Call Me Lightning releases new song: "Now We Have Begun."
 
"Now We Have Begun" is the first song from the Milwaukee legends since 2010's When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free, an album that lived up to the band's Who-cribbing name. "Now We Have Begun" is a triumphant return – a raw slice of pumped-up Brit invasion rock, full of snarling guitar a - Milwaukee Magazine

Chrissy Dzioba of the Whiskeybelles performs in the Tap Milwaukee studios.

When: 3 p.m. Thursday, Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard

Fest experience: This will be the third Summerfest show in three years for the all-female country trio.

Best fest memory: Our first big stage gig was in 2010. We played at noon, and Dierks Bentley was the main act that night, and his sound check ran 40 minutes into our set. Everyone who got into the fest was gathered around our stage to watch his sound check, and then everyone stayed for our set. It was just really, really exciting that we could get a larger fan base, more than just friends and family who had taken off work.

Best fest set: I saw Prince a few years ago at the Marcus Amphitheater. That was a religious experience for me.

Favorite fest drink: I always get a Honey Bear from Leinenkugel's - half Honey Weiss and half Berry Weiss. It's really good, especially on a hot summer day.

Must-see gig: I'm definitely going to go for Fitz and the Tantrums (10 p.m. Friday, Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage & Pavilion). I love Motown revival bands.

What she'd change: Make it longer. I can't get enough.



Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/festivals/my-summerfest-chrissy-dzioba-guitaristvocalist-with-the-whiskeybelles-vn60rd4-161404165.html#ixzz2miy57EEJ
Follow us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Chrissy Dzioba of the Whiskeybelles performs in the Tap Milwaukee studios.

When: 3 p.m. Thursday, Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard

Fest experience: This will be the third Summerfest show in three years for the all-female country trio.

Best fest memory: Our first big stage gig was in 2010. We played at noon, and Dierks Bentley was the main act that night, and his sound check ran 40 minutes into our set. Everyone who got into the fest was gathered around our stage to watch his sound check, and then everyone stayed for our set. It was just really, really exciting that we could get a larger fan base, more than just friends and family who had taken off work.

Best fest set: I saw Prince a few years ago at the Marcus Amphitheater. That was a religious experience for me.

Favorite fest drink: I always get a Honey Bear from Leinenkugel's - half Honey Weiss and half Berry Weiss. It's really good, especially on a hot summer day.

Must-see gig: I'm definitely going to go for Fitz and the Tantrums (10 p.m. Friday, Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage & Pavilion). I love Motown revival bands.

What she'd change: Make it longer. I can't get enough.



Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/festivals/my-summerfest-chrissy-dzioba-guitaristvocalist-with-the-whiskeybelles-vn60rd4-161404165.html#ixzz2miy57EEJ
Follow us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

It can be a lot of hard work but being in a band and performing live should be a lot of fun. One band that makes their performance look like more fun than legally allowed is the Whiskeybelles. On their website the Belles call their music "Roots country music, born of gin halls and juke joints." Blessed with decent chops, excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma the Whiskeybelles delight audiences every night out. - Scene262.com

It can be a lot of hard work but being in a band and performing live should be a lot of fun. One band that makes their performance look like more fun than legally allowed is the Whiskeybelles. On their website the Belles call their music "Roots country music, born of gin halls and juke joints." Blessed with decent chops, excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma the Whiskeybelles delight audiences every night out. - Scene262.com

The Whiskeybelles stopped by the Tap Milwaukee studio to perform a holiday song.
Whiskeybelles perform holiday song from new album

Between "Let It Snow," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and about a gazillion other tunes, there's no shortage of happy holiday songs to put a little spring in your Christmas step.

But what about music for the people who feel Christmas is just one big pain in the posterior? Local traditional country trio the WhiskeyBelles have just the song for them in a new original holiday song, "Mama Never Liked Christmas," from the group's new holiday album, "Nothin' Says Christmas Like Whiskey."

"The year I wrote the song, I was stressing over how much money we were spending on Christmas and that it was making us broke," said WhiskeyBelles member Sara Moilanen. "It occurred to me that this is how my mom must have felt, except worse, because she had to make two little girls happy with not much money....We had a couple of really lean years that I still remember getting in line for government cheese and bread."

It's a strikingly honest country song, with some Jimmy Buffett-style vocals and lap steel to make it go down smoother.

The rest of the WhiskeyBelles' album is "more warm and fuzzy," band member Chrissy Dzioba said, including covers of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" and "Country Christmas" by the band's muse, Loretta Lynn.

Who's who: Dzioba, 32 (guitar and vocals); Moilanen, 38 (bass and vocals); Kimberly "Kimmy" Unger, 39 (fiddle and vocals). Dzioba spoke for the band.

Why a Christmas album: We did (WISN-TV Ch. 12's) "12's Season to Celebrate" in 2011. The idea started then. We all love Christmas music, and there's that nostalgic feeling of singing Christmas songs. And we also thought it would be a good way to get our name out there. People want Christmas songs and are always looking for creative covers.

Making the album: We started rehearsing in April and went into the studio in June, so it's been Christmas all year long. We had a bunch of guest musicians: Victor DeLorenzo from Violent Femmes, Josh Tovar, who used to play in (country band) Chasin' Mason, Peter Thomas (cello player) from I'm Not a Pilot and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and (bluegrass band) Chicken Wire Empire. The album is very bluegrass compared to our first record, "Whiskey Woman."

Song selection: We did a lot of listening on YouTube, and we all have huge collections of Christmas albums we went through. Kimmy, her No. 1 one pick was "Blue Christmas." I wanted "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" so I could sing in a little-girl voice.

Favorite song on the album: It's like picking a child. I really like "Jing-a-Ling, Jing-a-Ling" by the Andrews Sisters. People have compared us to them in the past because we also do two and three part harmonies, and people think we're related when we're not. We came across this on YouTube and never heard it before and fell in love with it. It's got so much fun and so much energy; its got Victor DeLorenzo on drums, and we added a bluegrass twist.

Favorite Christmas song to cover:"River" by Joni Mitchell. (It's also on the album.) I remember learning it around Christmastime during a break-up, and performing it for the first time and breaking down in tears, and my friends were there. It's one of those songs that I can feel when I play it, and even though it's sad, it makes you feel alive and human.

Favorite Christmas song: "Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi. It's so beautiful and almost somber-sounding, and the chord changes are just so lush. I wanted to put it on the WhiskeyBelles record, but we haven't found a way to simplify it for us. And it's kind of that sacred cow. I don't know if I'm ready to cover it yet.

Favorite Christmas album: Harry Connick Jr.'s "When My Heart Finds Christmas." It was the first Christmas album I bought myself with my own money, and I listened to it on repeat nonstop. I bring it out every year when I'm getting dolled up for Christmas concerts.

First Christmas memory: I remember a big family gathering at my grandparents' (house). I was probbaly 4 or 5. There was a store attached to their house, and I remember having Christmas there and running around the store with my cousins stealing Swedish fish from the candy jars.

Best Christmas memory: Last Christmas my mom was in the hospital. She had to have her gallbladder removed, and when she was in surgery they found out she had Stage I ovarian cancer. So this gallbladder issue was a total blessing in disguise, and they were able to save her. We were in the hospital during Christmas, right after - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Whiskeybelles stopped by the Tap Milwaukee studio to perform a holiday song.
Whiskeybelles perform holiday song from new album

Between "Let It Snow," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and about a gazillion other tunes, there's no shortage of happy holiday songs to put a little spring in your Christmas step.

But what about music for the people who feel Christmas is just one big pain in the posterior? Local traditional country trio the WhiskeyBelles have just the song for them in a new original holiday song, "Mama Never Liked Christmas," from the group's new holiday album, "Nothin' Says Christmas Like Whiskey."

"The year I wrote the song, I was stressing over how much money we were spending on Christmas and that it was making us broke," said WhiskeyBelles member Sara Moilanen. "It occurred to me that this is how my mom must have felt, except worse, because she had to make two little girls happy with not much money....We had a couple of really lean years that I still remember getting in line for government cheese and bread."

It's a strikingly honest country song, with some Jimmy Buffett-style vocals and lap steel to make it go down smoother.

The rest of the WhiskeyBelles' album is "more warm and fuzzy," band member Chrissy Dzioba said, including covers of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" and "Country Christmas" by the band's muse, Loretta Lynn.

Who's who: Dzioba, 32 (guitar and vocals); Moilanen, 38 (bass and vocals); Kimberly "Kimmy" Unger, 39 (fiddle and vocals). Dzioba spoke for the band.

Why a Christmas album: We did (WISN-TV Ch. 12's) "12's Season to Celebrate" in 2011. The idea started then. We all love Christmas music, and there's that nostalgic feeling of singing Christmas songs. And we also thought it would be a good way to get our name out there. People want Christmas songs and are always looking for creative covers.

Making the album: We started rehearsing in April and went into the studio in June, so it's been Christmas all year long. We had a bunch of guest musicians: Victor DeLorenzo from Violent Femmes, Josh Tovar, who used to play in (country band) Chasin' Mason, Peter Thomas (cello player) from I'm Not a Pilot and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and (bluegrass band) Chicken Wire Empire. The album is very bluegrass compared to our first record, "Whiskey Woman."

Song selection: We did a lot of listening on YouTube, and we all have huge collections of Christmas albums we went through. Kimmy, her No. 1 one pick was "Blue Christmas." I wanted "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" so I could sing in a little-girl voice.

Favorite song on the album: It's like picking a child. I really like "Jing-a-Ling, Jing-a-Ling" by the Andrews Sisters. People have compared us to them in the past because we also do two and three part harmonies, and people think we're related when we're not. We came across this on YouTube and never heard it before and fell in love with it. It's got so much fun and so much energy; its got Victor DeLorenzo on drums, and we added a bluegrass twist.

Favorite Christmas song to cover:"River" by Joni Mitchell. (It's also on the album.) I remember learning it around Christmastime during a break-up, and performing it for the first time and breaking down in tears, and my friends were there. It's one of those songs that I can feel when I play it, and even though it's sad, it makes you feel alive and human.

Favorite Christmas song: "Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi. It's so beautiful and almost somber-sounding, and the chord changes are just so lush. I wanted to put it on the WhiskeyBelles record, but we haven't found a way to simplify it for us. And it's kind of that sacred cow. I don't know if I'm ready to cover it yet.

Favorite Christmas album: Harry Connick Jr.'s "When My Heart Finds Christmas." It was the first Christmas album I bought myself with my own money, and I listened to it on repeat nonstop. I bring it out every year when I'm getting dolled up for Christmas concerts.

First Christmas memory: I remember a big family gathering at my grandparents' (house). I was probbaly 4 or 5. There was a store attached to their house, and I remember having Christmas there and running around the store with my cousins stealing Swedish fish from the candy jars.

Best Christmas memory: Last Christmas my mom was in the hospital. She had to have her gallbladder removed, and when she was in surgery they found out she had Stage I ovarian cancer. So this gallbladder issue was a total blessing in disguise, and they were able to save her. We were in the hospital during Christmas, right after - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — They call themselves The Whiskey Belles — and they’re going to be performing at The Harvest Fair at State Fair Park in West Allis this coming weekend.

They joined the Studio A team on Wednesday, September 25th to show of their talent as singers and songwriters. - Fox 6 News - Studio A

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — They call themselves The Whiskey Belles — and they’re going to be performing at The Harvest Fair at State Fair Park in West Allis this coming weekend.

They joined the Studio A team on Wednesday, September 25th to show of their talent as singers and songwriters. - Fox 6 News - Studio A

Milwaukee folk band Field Report and Appleton-bred Americana duo Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons lead the major nominations for the 33rd annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards, to be held April 14 at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. 4th St.

They're the only bands up for WAMIs in each of the top three categories: artist of the year, album of the year and song of the year. Field Report landed a record deal with Partisan Records and provided opening support for Counting Crows and Aimee Mann, while Sons traveled the world opening for Norah Jones and released an album on Brendan Benson's Readymade Records, co-founded by Hartland native Emily White.

In the WAMIs' big category, artist of the year, they will battle ex-BoDean Sam Llanas, Sub Pop act Jaill, SideOneDummy band Trapper Schoepp & the Shades, local rock group the Delta Routine and Madison's Lucas Cates Band.

Nominations were chosen from ballots submitted by members of WAMI, a volunteer organization that promotes Wisconsin music. The general public can submit votes for their favorite artist, radio station, music teacher and music venue through Friday at wamimusic.com .

WAMI will celebrate the nominees at a free public ceremony at 6 p.m. March 24 at Moct, 240 E. Pittsburgh Ave.

The April 14 awards ceremony will feature performances by local acts Klassik, the Squeezettes and De La Buena, plus four other bands from around the state. Tickets are $15 for students, $24.99 for general admission and $50 for a VIP package, available at the Pabst and Riverside theaters box offices, (414) 286-3663 and pabsttheater.org.

WAMI also will host a free, five-venue music festival in Milwaukee dubbed "Downtown Alive" on April 13. A schedule is forthcoming.

Here are the nominees:

Artist of the year: Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Field Report, Jaill, Sam Llanas, the Delta Routine, the Lucas Cates Band, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades

Album of the year: "Can You Hear Me" (Boxkar), "Old Believers" (Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons), "Field Report" (Field Report), "Shaker and the Egg" (Shaker and the Egg), "Music for Fine Dining" (Something To Do), "Good Folks" (The Lucas Cates Band), "Whiskey Woman" (The WhiskeyBelles)

Song of the year: "I've Been Accused" (Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons), "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" (Field Report), "In Dreams" (Ivy Spokes), "Anything" (Klassik), "No Boyfriend" (Nicole Waters), "Switchblade" (The Delta Routine)

Female vocalist: Amy Jo Doty, Chrissy Dzioba, Esh, Ida Jo, Monica Martin, Nicole Kottke, Nora Collins

Male vocalist: Chris Porterfield, Gabriel Sanchez, Joseph "Smokey" Holman, Marr'Lo Hollowell, Mike Wendland, Pat Schorr, Sam Llanas

New artist: Hugh Bob and the Hustle, Lisa Ridgely & the Fainting Room, Roxi Copland, the Goddamns

Rising Star: Bad Habitz, Borderline, Felix Ramsey, Myles Wangerin, Nora Collins, Stephanie Brill
Genre Categories

Alternative: Avenues, Daphni, Field Report, Ikarus Down, Into Arcadia, Sunspot, Tiny Riots

Americana/Bluegrass: Art Stevenson & High Water, Beef Tea, Copper Box, Dead Horses, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Sloppy Joe, the WhiskeyBelles

Big Band/Horn Band: Group of the Altos, Big Mouth & the Power Tool Horns, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, Extra Crispy Brass Band, Hip Pocket, Mama Digdown's Brass Band, the Uptown Savages

Blues: Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo, Alex Wilson Band, Altered Five, Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys, South End Blues Band, the Jimmys, the Katz Sass

Celtic/Folk: Derek Byrne & Paddygrass, Folk You, Macyn Taylor, Reilly, the Sandcarvers, Whiskey of the Damned

Christian/Gospel: Danen Kane, Koine, Lightswitch, Michelle Posey & Standing Firm, Saved By Grace, the Burie Family

Club DJ/Dance: Deletah, DJ Bizzon, DJ Poizon Ivy, Loveless, Signaldrift, Tarik

Country: Chasin' Mason, Diamond & Steel, Grand Union, Madison County, Pat Watters Band, Rebel Grace, SaddleBrook

Cover Band: Half Empty, Rabid Aardvarks, Road Trip, Rooftop Jumpers, Spoiled Rotten, Star Six Nine, the Toys

Hard Rock: Annex, Beyond Fate, Conniption, Dead Modern Villains, Mad Mad Ones, Spiral Trance

Jazz: Nineteen Thirteen, 4th Street Elevator, Jamie Breiwick, Jazz Orgy, Jerry Grillo, We Six, Opus

Polka: Brewhaus Polka Kings, Brian Brueggen & the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen, Happy Schnapps Combo, the Rhythm Playboys, Steve Meisner, the Squeezettes

Rap/Hip Hop: BLAX, Jesse Lester, Fresh Cut Collective, Klassik, Pizzle, Prophetic

R&B/Soul: Al White, Charles Walker Band, Hypnopotamus, Streetlife, The Blue Olives, Tweed Funk, Weapons of Mass Defunktion

Reggae/World/Ska: Unity, De La Buena, Nabori, Phocus, R.A.S. Movement, The Invaders

Rock/Pop: Boy Blue, Dory Drive, Fever Marlene, Ian & the Dream, Jaill, Sexy Ester, Something To Do, Vic and Gab

Singer/Songwriter: Annie B., Evan Christian, Mark Croft, Old Earth, Pat McCurdy, Rob Anthony, Tony Memmel

Tribute: 5 Card Studs, 52nd Street, No Quarter, Project Pin - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee folk band Field Report and Appleton-bred Americana duo Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons lead the major nominations for the 33rd annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards, to be held April 14 at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. 4th St.

They're the only bands up for WAMIs in each of the top three categories: artist of the year, album of the year and song of the year. Field Report landed a record deal with Partisan Records and provided opening support for Counting Crows and Aimee Mann, while Sons traveled the world opening for Norah Jones and released an album on Brendan Benson's Readymade Records, co-founded by Hartland native Emily White.

In the WAMIs' big category, artist of the year, they will battle ex-BoDean Sam Llanas, Sub Pop act Jaill, SideOneDummy band Trapper Schoepp & the Shades, local rock group the Delta Routine and Madison's Lucas Cates Band.

Nominations were chosen from ballots submitted by members of WAMI, a volunteer organization that promotes Wisconsin music. The general public can submit votes for their favorite artist, radio station, music teacher and music venue through Friday at wamimusic.com .

WAMI will celebrate the nominees at a free public ceremony at 6 p.m. March 24 at Moct, 240 E. Pittsburgh Ave.

The April 14 awards ceremony will feature performances by local acts Klassik, the Squeezettes and De La Buena, plus four other bands from around the state. Tickets are $15 for students, $24.99 for general admission and $50 for a VIP package, available at the Pabst and Riverside theaters box offices, (414) 286-3663 and pabsttheater.org.

WAMI also will host a free, five-venue music festival in Milwaukee dubbed "Downtown Alive" on April 13. A schedule is forthcoming.

Here are the nominees:

Artist of the year: Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Field Report, Jaill, Sam Llanas, the Delta Routine, the Lucas Cates Band, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades

Album of the year: "Can You Hear Me" (Boxkar), "Old Believers" (Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons), "Field Report" (Field Report), "Shaker and the Egg" (Shaker and the Egg), "Music for Fine Dining" (Something To Do), "Good Folks" (The Lucas Cates Band), "Whiskey Woman" (The WhiskeyBelles)

Song of the year: "I've Been Accused" (Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons), "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" (Field Report), "In Dreams" (Ivy Spokes), "Anything" (Klassik), "No Boyfriend" (Nicole Waters), "Switchblade" (The Delta Routine)

Female vocalist: Amy Jo Doty, Chrissy Dzioba, Esh, Ida Jo, Monica Martin, Nicole Kottke, Nora Collins

Male vocalist: Chris Porterfield, Gabriel Sanchez, Joseph "Smokey" Holman, Marr'Lo Hollowell, Mike Wendland, Pat Schorr, Sam Llanas

New artist: Hugh Bob and the Hustle, Lisa Ridgely & the Fainting Room, Roxi Copland, the Goddamns

Rising Star: Bad Habitz, Borderline, Felix Ramsey, Myles Wangerin, Nora Collins, Stephanie Brill
Genre Categories

Alternative: Avenues, Daphni, Field Report, Ikarus Down, Into Arcadia, Sunspot, Tiny Riots

Americana/Bluegrass: Art Stevenson & High Water, Beef Tea, Copper Box, Dead Horses, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Sloppy Joe, the WhiskeyBelles

Big Band/Horn Band: Group of the Altos, Big Mouth & the Power Tool Horns, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, Extra Crispy Brass Band, Hip Pocket, Mama Digdown's Brass Band, the Uptown Savages

Blues: Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo, Alex Wilson Band, Altered Five, Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys, South End Blues Band, the Jimmys, the Katz Sass

Celtic/Folk: Derek Byrne & Paddygrass, Folk You, Macyn Taylor, Reilly, the Sandcarvers, Whiskey of the Damned

Christian/Gospel: Danen Kane, Koine, Lightswitch, Michelle Posey & Standing Firm, Saved By Grace, the Burie Family

Club DJ/Dance: Deletah, DJ Bizzon, DJ Poizon Ivy, Loveless, Signaldrift, Tarik

Country: Chasin' Mason, Diamond & Steel, Grand Union, Madison County, Pat Watters Band, Rebel Grace, SaddleBrook

Cover Band: Half Empty, Rabid Aardvarks, Road Trip, Rooftop Jumpers, Spoiled Rotten, Star Six Nine, the Toys

Hard Rock: Annex, Beyond Fate, Conniption, Dead Modern Villains, Mad Mad Ones, Spiral Trance

Jazz: Nineteen Thirteen, 4th Street Elevator, Jamie Breiwick, Jazz Orgy, Jerry Grillo, We Six, Opus

Polka: Brewhaus Polka Kings, Brian Brueggen & the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen, Happy Schnapps Combo, the Rhythm Playboys, Steve Meisner, the Squeezettes

Rap/Hip Hop: BLAX, Jesse Lester, Fresh Cut Collective, Klassik, Pizzle, Prophetic

R&B/Soul: Al White, Charles Walker Band, Hypnopotamus, Streetlife, The Blue Olives, Tweed Funk, Weapons of Mass Defunktion

Reggae/World/Ska: Unity, De La Buena, Nabori, Phocus, R.A.S. Movement, The Invaders

Rock/Pop: Boy Blue, Dory Drive, Fever Marlene, Ian & the Dream, Jaill, Sexy Ester, Something To Do, Vic and Gab

Singer/Songwriter: Annie B., Evan Christian, Mark Croft, Old Earth, Pat McCurdy, Rob Anthony, Tony Memmel

Tribute: 5 Card Studs, 52nd Street, No Quarter, Project Pin - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

To add one more to the growing list of "best of" lists, here are our picks for best albums. BY TYLER MAAS AND JOE GUSZKOWSKI 12/27/2012

There was no shortage of great music put out by Milwaukee musicians in 2012. As much is evident in the vastly different lists put out by nearly every local publication, blog and Milwaukeean with a passion for homegrown music more than 50 Twitter followers. While this list represents the tastes of just two people—with utterly no clue about local hip-hip—tasked with picking a mere 10 of this city’s great audio efforts of the year, consider it a jumping off point to help discover and discuss more local artists that deserve attention.

Jaill – Traps
Faced with the task of following up That’s How We Burn, its locally lauded (but not particularly popular elsewhere) Sub Pop Records debut, Jaill's latest album (and last release guaranteed to be put out on the renowned indie label), Traps, echoes the laid back summertime feel of its predecessor, while lending a dash of depth, both musically and in terms of lyrical content. The jury is still out on the record contract renewal, but Traps has already led to an unmatched bowling alley album release show, a bunch of great music videos, extensive U.S./international touring, lucrative local opening slots for The Hives and Titus Andronicus, a trophy from 88Nine Radio Milwaukee voters and, perhaps most impressively, a Milwaukee Magazine “Best Of” nod for the MKE mainstay. [Tyler Maas]

Juniper Tar – Since Before
I’m supposed to be writing about this year’s best albums, and Since Before is really an album, in the old school, “greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts” sense: a carefully composed, emotionally jarring meditation on time, pain, and healing. Though it’s heavy on concept, it never buckles under its own weight, with plenty of tracks like “The Dullest Cleaver” and “After The Tremors” that stand up just fine on their own. [Joe Guszkowski]

Field Report – Field Report
After the whirlwind first full year of existence that found Field Report representing Milwaukee at South By Southwest, accompanying The Counting Crows, Aimee Mann and Megafaun on various tours, and gaining considerable attention throughout the Badger State and well beyond, it’s easy to forget the means of conveyance that took Christopher Porterfield and co. from Conrad Plymouth leftovers to indie rock up-and-comers. The vehicle most responsible for the band’s quick notoriety is its tremendous self-titled debut. The 10-song Field Report is a harmony-laden debut (though parts are re-done Conrad Plymouth songs) that combines Porterfield’s strong voice and knack for telling tragic stories with rock solid, emotive instrumentation from the talented cast of players backing him. Midway through opening track “Fergus Falls,” you’ll begin to understand what all the hype is about. [TM]

Surgeons In Heat – Surgeons In Heat LP
Surgeons In Heat’s self-titled LP has all the qualities of a great lover: cool, smart, easy to get along with, and, of course, sexy. Taking cues from soul, R&B, and '60s pop, the Surgeons In Heat LP is a breeze to listen to, which makes its diamond-cut songcraft that much more impressive. [JG]

Catacombz – Mother Tongue 2
The best way to describe longtime Milwaukee scene staple Catacombz is that it's “very difficult to describe.” However, that vague and altogether horrible generalization should in no way be taken as an insult. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Catacombz latest cassette (yes, cassette) Mother Tongue 2 is the group’s latest venture into the trippy and lawless expanses of musical experimentation. Amid the various vocal effects and off-kilter instrumentation, you’ll find yet another satisfying sonic venture from one if the city’s most underrated acts. [TM]

The Delphines – God Help The Delphines EP
The feisty Delphines came out of nowhere this year to give us three cunningly dark, incredibly catchy collections of hazy garage pop. God Help The Delphines, its latest and finest release, sees the band embracing a slightly heavier approach, while sticking to its stripped-down instrumentation and gritty lyrics. [JG]

The WhiskeyBelles – Whiskey Women
It’s tough to argue that the trio of WAMI Award regulars and festival fixtures released Milwaukee’s best album by an all-female country band this year. But even without the gender and genre modifiers, The WhiskeyBelles debut full-length, Whiskey Woman, is still a damn good release. Before the album’s July 29 release, I wrote, “The seasoned cast of award-winning Wisconsin musicians and vocalists totes ample musical depth to Whiskey Woman, through experienced instrumentation and effortlessly smooth three-part harmonies. Figuratively and literally, WhiskeyBelles stand in no man’s land. The band has too much balls to even bother acknowledging the inevitable Dixie Chicks comparisons.” Title track “Whiskey Woman” and energetic romp “Pills I Took” especially stand out on this promising eight-song i - Milwaukee Magazine

Even though winter is here, Milwaukee's parties don't stop. The Domes feature live music every week. BY Tyler Maas 12/6/2012

Nicknamed the “City Of Festivals,” Milwaukee is known for its vast array of outdoor events, most of which feature audio accompaniment from both noted local bands and renowned national acts. But once summer turns to fall and the temperatures continue to dip into winter, the parks and festival grounds go quiet, sending Milwaukee’s music indoors until the following spring.

However, one amenity-turned-venue allows Milwaukee music fans the ability to escape the frigid Wisconsin weather, while being surrounded by flourishing foliage, fish, lizards and balmy temperatures. Enter the Milwaukee Domes.

Each Thursday, Nov. 1 through March 14, one of the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory (or “The Milwaukee Domes”) domes hosts an area band as part of its Music Under Glass concert series. This week, the award-winning likes of Brew City blues outfit Tweed Funk will take the stage. Featuring legendary front man Joseph ”Smokey” Holman (who captured the attention of music great Curtis Mayfield, who signed Holman to his label in the 1970s), the reigning WAMI R&B/Soul Artist Of The Year is playing in support of its sophomore album, Love Is.

But rhythm and blues aren’t the only sounds known to permeate through the city’s signature structure. Chrissy Dzioba’s band, WAMI Award-winning, all-female country outfit The WhiskeyBelles, took part in Music Under Glass’ Thanksgiving showcase.

“The venue was absolutely breathtaking, with the enormous Christmas tree and the hundreds of poinsettia plants,” Dzioba says. “The ambience gave a romantic feel to the evening. The audience was wonderful as well. Everyone in the show dome was there for the music, and they were a listening and dancing audience. It was nice to see such diverse crowd”

Just as diverse as the crowds, the variety of bands Music Under Glass enlisted to fill its lineup runs the gamut of genres. Everything from folk, to Celtic to (if you’re into that sort of thing) cover bands round out the series’ eclectic schedule.

“MUG did a wonderful job in terms of booking this year,” Dzioba says. “They have something for everyone. They had country, a Beatles tribute, blues, a polka band, and even an Elvis tribute in February.”

Though each 140-foot wide, seven-story high dome was built for a specific, and not at all music-related reason, The WhiskeyBelles left very impressed by the acoustics of the Show Dome.

“The WhiskeyBelles are known for our three-part harmonies, which also include a few accapella moments,” Dzioba says. “There were times when we were singing and the sound became so ethereal because of the reverb and acoustics that all three of us had goosebumps.”

Each show goes from 6:30-9 p.m., with periodic breaks for light shows projected on the dome’s window ceiling. Local businesses cater shows, and there are often giveaways during the event. And that’s not even accounting for the most enticing aspect.

“There is no greater cure for the winter-time blues than a stroll through the tropical dome!” Dzioba said.

The remaining show schedule is:

Dec. 6: Tweed Funk

Dec. 13: The Booze Brothers

Dec. 20: KT & The Universal Love Band

Dec. 27: Marcell & Peter Duelling Pianos

Jan. 3: U2 Zoo

Jan. 24: The Jerry Grillo Orchestra

Jan. 31: The Barrettes

Feb. 7: Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound

Feb. 14: Street Life with Warren Wiegratz

Feb. 21: Tony Rocker & The Comeback Specials

Feb. 28: Mt. Olive

March 7: Frogwater

March 14: RAS Movement

Visit MilwaukeeDomes.org for more information on the conservatory and the Music Under Glass series.
- Milwaukee Magazine

On Tap: More than turkey
By Jackie Loohauis-Bennett of the Journal Sentinel
Nov. 22, 2012 5:30 a.m.

A time for giving thanks, for eating, and for doing something already.

Push yourself away from the table, and get out and about this Thanksgiving. Best bet: Tonight's "Music Under Glass" at the Mitchell Park Domes Domes, featuring the music of the Whiskey Belles, and extended hours to 10 p.m. to celebrate the holiday.

While you're there, take in the Dome's holiday "Let it Snow" show and play "count the poinsettia."

Or sit back and savor not only stuffing, but the smooth jazz of Jack Grassel and Jill Jensen at The Packing House. - Js Online, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On Tap: More than turkey
By Jackie Loohauis-Bennett of the Journal Sentinel
Nov. 22, 2012 5:30 a.m.

A time for giving thanks, for eating, and for doing something already.

Push yourself away from the table, and get out and about this Thanksgiving. Best bet: Tonight's "Music Under Glass" at the Mitchell Park Domes Domes, featuring the music of the Whiskey Belles, and extended hours to 10 p.m. to celebrate the holiday.

While you're there, take in the Dome's holiday "Let it Snow" show and play "count the poinsettia."

Or sit back and savor not only stuffing, but the smooth jazz of Jack Grassel and Jill Jensen at The Packing House. - Js Online, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

JSOnline.com Jul. 3, 2012

The WhiskeyBelles perform "Whiskey Woman" in the Tap Milwaukee studios
- Today's TMJ4

JSOnline.com Jul. 3, 2012

The WhiskeyBelles perform "Whiskey Woman" in the Tap Milwaukee studios
- Today's TMJ4

Introducing the WhiskeyBelles

Debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” Due out July 29, 2012

“Excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma…” – Scene 262

“I mentioned their perfect harmonies. I mean they were perfect.” – The Sixth Station

“Upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana…” – Milwaukee Magazine

All-female traditional country and Americana trio The WhiskeyBelles release their debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” on July 29 featuring driving original material, pitch-perfect three-part harmonies and their own hot fiddle, guitar and bass playing.

Their first release follows three years of incessant gigging in front of enthusiastic audiences and kicks off a full schedule of gigs this summer including coveted opening slots for country stars Montgomery Gentry and Kentucky Headhunters.

The Belles are widely known for captivating shows featuring their own takes on classic and obscure vintage country, Americana, folk revival and roots country tunes, with a few originals sprinkled in. They’ve been compared with the Pistol Annies, Be Good Tanyas, Dixie Chicks and The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris & Linda Ronstadt).

Finally ready to record their first album, The Belles decided to focus on originals. While their songs reflect traditional country themes, The Belles tell their own stories with their own imagery and music. Many of the song titles hint at the joy, misfortune and love they sing about, from “Borrowed Trouble” to “The Other Girl” to “Pills I Took.”

Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Chrissy Dzioba said that she and vocalist and bassist Sara Moilanen wrote the six originals separately. Vocalist and fiddler player Kimmy Unger rounds out the group, with her playing prominent in many songs and the three musicians jointly working out arrangements. Six of the eight songs are originals, with the exception of the title track, “Whiskey Woman,” written for The WhiskeyBelles by a friend who is, perhaps surprisingly, a pastor. “Pills I Took” was written by aMadison,WIband, Those Poor Bastards, and made famous by Hank III.

The Belle’s new focus on writing and recording is the next step in their development as a band, Chrissy said. “When you write and bring your originals, it’s really about what’s going on inside, about human relationships and feelings,” she said. “But we also bring fun and energy to our songs. We can sing about troubles but also have a good laugh about the way the world just is.”

Outside of The Belles, the three musicians are in heavy demand as members of a variety of other groups, including folk-rock bands, a Celtic rock group and a symphony orchestra.

For the recording, The Belles were joined by well-known sidemen, including Victor DeLorenzo, co-founder of the Violent Femmes, on drums; multi-instrumentalist recording vet Allen Cote on lap steel; and Paul Bast, contemporary bluegrass musician, on Dobro. “While we usually play out as a trio, we wanted this record to have the benefit of these great musical voices, which really complement the tunes,” she said.

Chrissy said that audiences will be hearing the new original tunes at shows all summer, and that The WhiskeyBelles will be contributing more originals down the line. “The Belles have always had our boots firmly planted in the best country songs ever written,” she said. “We’re now adding originals to this wonderful tradition of song and bringing even more of ourselves to our loyal fans.”

The CD Release Party will be held on Sunday, July 29 2012 at Lo-Cash Live inMilwaukeefrom 1-4pm.

Track listing:

Whiskey Woman
Borrowed Trouble
Genuine
The Other Girl
Pills I Took
California
Kisses (Honey Do)
This Ain’t It

http://www.whiskeybelles.com/

http://www.sonicbids.com/2/EPK/?epk_id=333263

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Whiskeybelles/214949510202

http://www.youtube.com/thewhiskeybelles - Wisconsin Area Music Industry

Introducing the WhiskeyBelles

Debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” Due out July 29, 2012

“Excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma…” – Scene 262

“I mentioned their perfect harmonies. I mean they were perfect.” – The Sixth Station

“Upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana…” – Milwaukee Magazine

All-female traditional country and Americana trio The WhiskeyBelles release their debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” on July 29 featuring driving original material, pitch-perfect three-part harmonies and their own hot fiddle, guitar and bass playing.

Their first release follows three years of incessant gigging in front of enthusiastic audiences and kicks off a full schedule of gigs this summer including coveted opening slots for country stars Montgomery Gentry and Kentucky Headhunters.

The Belles are widely known for captivating shows featuring their own takes on classic and obscure vintage country, Americana, folk revival and roots country tunes, with a few originals sprinkled in. They’ve been compared with the Pistol Annies, Be Good Tanyas, Dixie Chicks and The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris & Linda Ronstadt).

Finally ready to record their first album, The Belles decided to focus on originals. While their songs reflect traditional country themes, The Belles tell their own stories with their own imagery and music. Many of the song titles hint at the joy, misfortune and love they sing about, from “Borrowed Trouble” to “The Other Girl” to “Pills I Took.”

Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Chrissy Dzioba said that she and vocalist and bassist Sara Moilanen wrote the six originals separately. Vocalist and fiddler player Kimmy Unger rounds out the group, with her playing prominent in many songs and the three musicians jointly working out arrangements. Six of the eight songs are originals, with the exception of the title track, “Whiskey Woman,” written for The WhiskeyBelles by a friend who is, perhaps surprisingly, a pastor. “Pills I Took” was written by aMadison,WIband, Those Poor Bastards, and made famous by Hank III.

The Belle’s new focus on writing and recording is the next step in their development as a band, Chrissy said. “When you write and bring your originals, it’s really about what’s going on inside, about human relationships and feelings,” she said. “But we also bring fun and energy to our songs. We can sing about troubles but also have a good laugh about the way the world just is.”

Outside of The Belles, the three musicians are in heavy demand as members of a variety of other groups, including folk-rock bands, a Celtic rock group and a symphony orchestra.

For the recording, The Belles were joined by well-known sidemen, including Victor DeLorenzo, co-founder of the Violent Femmes, on drums; multi-instrumentalist recording vet Allen Cote on lap steel; and Paul Bast, contemporary bluegrass musician, on Dobro. “While we usually play out as a trio, we wanted this record to have the benefit of these great musical voices, which really complement the tunes,” she said.

Chrissy said that audiences will be hearing the new original tunes at shows all summer, and that The WhiskeyBelles will be contributing more originals down the line. “The Belles have always had our boots firmly planted in the best country songs ever written,” she said. “We’re now adding originals to this wonderful tradition of song and bringing even more of ourselves to our loyal fans.”

The CD Release Party will be held on Sunday, July 29 2012 at Lo-Cash Live inMilwaukeefrom 1-4pm.

Track listing:

Whiskey Woman
Borrowed Trouble
Genuine
The Other Girl
Pills I Took
California
Kisses (Honey Do)
This Ain’t It

http://www.whiskeybelles.com/

http://www.sonicbids.com/2/EPK/?epk_id=333263

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Whiskeybelles/214949510202

http://www.youtube.com/thewhiskeybelles - Wisconsin Area Music Industry

The WhiskeyBelles meets up with our Real Milwaukee intern at Summerfest. - Real Milwaukee

Since we formally introduced you to the likes of homegrown country outfit Whiskeybelles, the all-female trio has been busy accepting WAMI awards, playing strenuous stretches of shows and festivals throughout the state, and putting the finishing touches on their debut album, Whiskey Woman.

Whiskey Woman springs to life in no time with the album’s raucous and appropriately appointed title track. The energetic intro song, “Whiskey Woman,” is an upbeat homage to classic country, complete with a fiddle solo, ever-present banjitar backing and an array of references to liquor and bar room brawls.

Following the toe-tapping table setter, the ’Belles ease back a bit, both in terms of pace and lyrical content, with a trio of slower efforts highlighted by positive third track “Genuine” in which the strong and distinct voices of Chrissy Dzioba, Kimmy Unger and Sara Moilanen meld into a single airtight harmony in the chorus, “Good friends are hard to come by/I plan on keeping mine/my life is genuine.”

The pace is, again, hastened with should-be Hank Williams b-side, “Pills I took” and its grappling vocal hook “I still don’t know what they were/I don’t know where I got ’em/they sure did make me feel good/they keep my heart from feeling blue/kept my thoughts away from you.” Within three minutes, the song somehow manages to simultaneously stick in your head while it tugs at your heartstrings. It, and, really, the majority of Whiskey Woman’s eight songs seem to pay familiar sonic tribute to country, bluegrass and general Americana music, while remaining something all its own – and not at all in the gimmicky “Whoa, this band is only girls!” kind of way.

Though lacking any percussion, the seasoned cast of award-winning Wisconsin musicians and vocalists totes ample musical depth to Whiskey Woman, through experienced instrumentation and effortlessly smooth three-part harmonies. Figuratively and literally, Whiskeybelles stand in no man’s land. The band has too much balls to even bother acknowledging the inevitable Dixie Chicks comparisons, but sing too high and, at times, about topics too lily white to be likened to obvious influences Johnny Cash and Williams. But therein exists the beauty of the ’Belles: the band’s knack for ably navigating from mainstream country to classic country without missing a step.

If one flaw can be found in Whiskey Woman (aside from a few select trivial, boyfriend-centric melodies) it’s that there isn’t nearly enough of it. At eight songs and a smidge under half an hour, the album leaves you as soon as it captures your full attention. Still, this is an encouraging next step for one of Milwaukee’s most active and more diverse classically trained acts.

The WhiskeyBelles will play its album release show at Lo-Cash Live (124 W. National Ave.) Sunday, July 29 from 1-4 p.m.
- Milwaukee Magazine

Since we formally introduced you to the likes of homegrown country outfit Whiskeybelles, the all-female trio has been busy accepting WAMI awards, playing strenuous stretches of shows and festivals throughout the state, and putting the finishing touches on their debut album, Whiskey Woman.

Whiskey Woman springs to life in no time with the album’s raucous and appropriately appointed title track. The energetic intro song, “Whiskey Woman,” is an upbeat homage to classic country, complete with a fiddle solo, ever-present banjitar backing and an array of references to liquor and bar room brawls.

Following the toe-tapping table setter, the ’Belles ease back a bit, both in terms of pace and lyrical content, with a trio of slower efforts highlighted by positive third track “Genuine” in which the strong and distinct voices of Chrissy Dzioba, Kimmy Unger and Sara Moilanen meld into a single airtight harmony in the chorus, “Good friends are hard to come by/I plan on keeping mine/my life is genuine.”

The pace is, again, hastened with should-be Hank Williams b-side, “Pills I took” and its grappling vocal hook “I still don’t know what they were/I don’t know where I got ’em/they sure did make me feel good/they keep my heart from feeling blue/kept my thoughts away from you.” Within three minutes, the song somehow manages to simultaneously stick in your head while it tugs at your heartstrings. It, and, really, the majority of Whiskey Woman’s eight songs seem to pay familiar sonic tribute to country, bluegrass and general Americana music, while remaining something all its own – and not at all in the gimmicky “Whoa, this band is only girls!” kind of way.

Though lacking any percussion, the seasoned cast of award-winning Wisconsin musicians and vocalists totes ample musical depth to Whiskey Woman, through experienced instrumentation and effortlessly smooth three-part harmonies. Figuratively and literally, Whiskeybelles stand in no man’s land. The band has too much balls to even bother acknowledging the inevitable Dixie Chicks comparisons, but sing too high and, at times, about topics too lily white to be likened to obvious influences Johnny Cash and Williams. But therein exists the beauty of the ’Belles: the band’s knack for ably navigating from mainstream country to classic country without missing a step.

If one flaw can be found in Whiskey Woman (aside from a few select trivial, boyfriend-centric melodies) it’s that there isn’t nearly enough of it. At eight songs and a smidge under half an hour, the album leaves you as soon as it captures your full attention. Still, this is an encouraging next step for one of Milwaukee’s most active and more diverse classically trained acts.

The WhiskeyBelles will play its album release show at Lo-Cash Live (124 W. National Ave.) Sunday, July 29 from 1-4 p.m.
- Milwaukee Magazine

The WhiskeyBelles perform in the Tap Milwaukee Studios. Members include Sara Moilanen(left to right), Chrissy Dzioba, Kimberly (Kimmy) Unger.
By Piet Levy of the Journal Sentinel
July 27, 2012
Eight Wisconsin acts to see at the Wisconsin State Fair:
Steve Cohen with the Greg Koch Band: Two of Milwaukee's best bluesmen join forces for a series of State Fair shows. (7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 and 5, 8 p.m. Aug. 3 and 4, Lakefront Brew Pub and Eatery, free with admission.)
Ethan Keller: The singer-songwriter won top prizes from both the RadioMilwaukee Music Awards and Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards last year. (2 p.m. Aug. 2 and 6, Sprecher Stage, free with admission.)
Chasin' Mason: The local country band has been rebranded with a more Nashville-ready sound under the guidance of new, Grafton-based talent development company K-Nation. (8 p.m. Aug. 10, Budweiser Music Pavilion, free with admission.)
King Solomon: With native Jamaican JD Rankin providing lead vocals, six-piece King Solomon reigns supreme within the Milwaukee reggae music scene. (7:30 p.m. Aug. 2-5, 8-11 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 12, Tropics at the Fair, free with admission.)
Pat McCurdy: The Milwaukee music-comedy institution has been a local favorite since the '70s. (5 p.m. Aug. 6 and 12, 6 p.m. Aug. 9 and 7 p.m. Aug. 3, Charcoal Grill Roadhouse Stage, free with admission.)
Ryan McIntyre: A seven-time WAMI winner, the breezy singer-songwriter plays more than 200 shows a year - eight of them at the State Fair this year. (12 p.m. Aug. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 8 p.m. Aug. 5, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
Something to Do: The ska group has a zippy new album out, "Music for Fine Dining," that should go well with fairgoers noshing on fried food on a stick. (4 p.m. Aug. 11, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
The WhiskeyBelles: The traditional country trio benefits from three lovely vocalists. (3:30 p.m. Aug. 3, Saz's Ribs. 4 p.m. Aug. 5 and 5:45 p.m. Aug. 6-7 and 9, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
- Piet Levy
- JS Online Tap Milwaukee

The WhiskeyBelles perform in the Tap Milwaukee Studios. Members include Sara Moilanen(left to right), Chrissy Dzioba, Kimberly (Kimmy) Unger.
By Piet Levy of the Journal Sentinel
July 27, 2012
Eight Wisconsin acts to see at the Wisconsin State Fair:
Steve Cohen with the Greg Koch Band: Two of Milwaukee's best bluesmen join forces for a series of State Fair shows. (7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 and 5, 8 p.m. Aug. 3 and 4, Lakefront Brew Pub and Eatery, free with admission.)
Ethan Keller: The singer-songwriter won top prizes from both the RadioMilwaukee Music Awards and Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards last year. (2 p.m. Aug. 2 and 6, Sprecher Stage, free with admission.)
Chasin' Mason: The local country band has been rebranded with a more Nashville-ready sound under the guidance of new, Grafton-based talent development company K-Nation. (8 p.m. Aug. 10, Budweiser Music Pavilion, free with admission.)
King Solomon: With native Jamaican JD Rankin providing lead vocals, six-piece King Solomon reigns supreme within the Milwaukee reggae music scene. (7:30 p.m. Aug. 2-5, 8-11 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 12, Tropics at the Fair, free with admission.)
Pat McCurdy: The Milwaukee music-comedy institution has been a local favorite since the '70s. (5 p.m. Aug. 6 and 12, 6 p.m. Aug. 9 and 7 p.m. Aug. 3, Charcoal Grill Roadhouse Stage, free with admission.)
Ryan McIntyre: A seven-time WAMI winner, the breezy singer-songwriter plays more than 200 shows a year - eight of them at the State Fair this year. (12 p.m. Aug. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 8 p.m. Aug. 5, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
Something to Do: The ska group has a zippy new album out, "Music for Fine Dining," that should go well with fairgoers noshing on fried food on a stick. (4 p.m. Aug. 11, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
The WhiskeyBelles: The traditional country trio benefits from three lovely vocalists. (3:30 p.m. Aug. 3, Saz's Ribs. 4 p.m. Aug. 5 and 5:45 p.m. Aug. 6-7 and 9, Major Goolsby's Heartland Stage, free with admission.)
- Piet Levy
- JS Online Tap Milwaukee

INTRODUCING THE WHISKEYBELLES

DEBUT ALBUM, “WHISKEY WOMAN,” DUE OUT JULY 29, 2012


“Excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma…” – Scene 262

“I mentioned their perfect harmonies. I mean they were perfect.” - The Sixth Station

“Upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana…” - Milwaukee Magazine




All-female traditional country and Americana trio The WhiskeyBelles release their debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” on July 29 featuring driving original material, pitch-perfect three-part harmonies and their own hot fiddle, guitar and bass playing.

Their first release follows three years of incessant gigging in front of enthusiastic audiences and kicks off a full schedule of gigs this summer including coveted opening slots for country stars Montgomery Gentry, Kentucky Headhunters and The Lost Trailers

The Belles are widely known for captivating shows featuring their own takes on classic and obscure vintage country, Americana, folk revival and roots country tunes, with a few originals sprinkled in. They’ve been compared with the Pistol Annies, Be Good Tanyas, Dixie Chicks and The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris & Linda Ronstadt).

Finally ready to record their first album, The Belles decided to focus on originals. While their songs reflect traditional country themes, The Belles tell their own stories with their own imagery and music. Many of the song titles hint at the joy, misfortune and love they sing about, from “Borrowed Trouble” to “The Other Girl” to “Pills I Took.”

Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Chrissy Dzioba said that she and vocalist and bassist Sara Moilanen wrote the six originals separately. Vocalist and fiddler player Kimmy Unger rounds out the group, with her playing prominent in many songs and the three musicians jointly working out arrangements. Six of the eight songs are originals, with the exception of the title track, “Whiskey Woman,” written for The WhiskeyBelles by a friend who is, perhaps surprisingly, a pastor. “Pills I Took” was written by a Madison, WI band, Those Poor Bastards, and made famous by Hank III.

The Belle’s new focus on writing and recording is the next step in their development as a band, Chrissy said. “When you write and bring your originals, it’s really about what’s going on inside, about human relationships and feelings,” she said. “But we also bring fun and energy to our songs. We can sing about troubles but also have a good laugh about the way the world just is.”

Outside of The Belles, the three musicians are in heavy demand as members of a variety of other groups, including folk-rock bands, a Celtic rock group and a symphony orchestra.

For the recording, The Belles were joined by well-known sidemen, including Victor DeLorenzo, co-founder of the Violent Femmes, on drums; multi-instrumentalist recording vet Allen Cote on lap steel; and Paul Bast, contemporary bluegrass musician, on Dobro. “While we usually play out as a trio, we wanted this record to have the benefit of these great musical voices, which really complement the tunes,” she said.

Chrissy said that audiences will be hearing the new original tunes at shows all summer, and that The WhiskeyBelles will be contributing more originals down the line. “The Belles have always had our boots firmly planted in the best country songs ever written,” she said. “We’re now adding originals to this wonderful tradition of song and bringing even more of ourselves to our loyal fans.”

The CD Release Party will be held on Sunday, July 29 2012 at Lo-Cash Live in Milwaukee from 1-4pm.

Track listing

Whiskey Woman

Borrowed Trouble

Genuine

The Other Girl

Pills I Took

California

Kisses (Honey Do)

This Ain’t It
- The WhiskeyBelles

INTRODUCING THE WHISKEYBELLES

DEBUT ALBUM, “WHISKEY WOMAN,” DUE OUT JULY 29, 2012


“Excellent harmonies and outstanding camaraderie and charisma…” – Scene 262

“I mentioned their perfect harmonies. I mean they were perfect.” - The Sixth Station

“Upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana…” - Milwaukee Magazine




All-female traditional country and Americana trio The WhiskeyBelles release their debut album, “Whiskey Woman,” on July 29 featuring driving original material, pitch-perfect three-part harmonies and their own hot fiddle, guitar and bass playing.

Their first release follows three years of incessant gigging in front of enthusiastic audiences and kicks off a full schedule of gigs this summer including coveted opening slots for country stars Montgomery Gentry, Kentucky Headhunters and The Lost Trailers

The Belles are widely known for captivating shows featuring their own takes on classic and obscure vintage country, Americana, folk revival and roots country tunes, with a few originals sprinkled in. They’ve been compared with the Pistol Annies, Be Good Tanyas, Dixie Chicks and The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris & Linda Ronstadt).

Finally ready to record their first album, The Belles decided to focus on originals. While their songs reflect traditional country themes, The Belles tell their own stories with their own imagery and music. Many of the song titles hint at the joy, misfortune and love they sing about, from “Borrowed Trouble” to “The Other Girl” to “Pills I Took.”

Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Chrissy Dzioba said that she and vocalist and bassist Sara Moilanen wrote the six originals separately. Vocalist and fiddler player Kimmy Unger rounds out the group, with her playing prominent in many songs and the three musicians jointly working out arrangements. Six of the eight songs are originals, with the exception of the title track, “Whiskey Woman,” written for The WhiskeyBelles by a friend who is, perhaps surprisingly, a pastor. “Pills I Took” was written by a Madison, WI band, Those Poor Bastards, and made famous by Hank III.

The Belle’s new focus on writing and recording is the next step in their development as a band, Chrissy said. “When you write and bring your originals, it’s really about what’s going on inside, about human relationships and feelings,” she said. “But we also bring fun and energy to our songs. We can sing about troubles but also have a good laugh about the way the world just is.”

Outside of The Belles, the three musicians are in heavy demand as members of a variety of other groups, including folk-rock bands, a Celtic rock group and a symphony orchestra.

For the recording, The Belles were joined by well-known sidemen, including Victor DeLorenzo, co-founder of the Violent Femmes, on drums; multi-instrumentalist recording vet Allen Cote on lap steel; and Paul Bast, contemporary bluegrass musician, on Dobro. “While we usually play out as a trio, we wanted this record to have the benefit of these great musical voices, which really complement the tunes,” she said.

Chrissy said that audiences will be hearing the new original tunes at shows all summer, and that The WhiskeyBelles will be contributing more originals down the line. “The Belles have always had our boots firmly planted in the best country songs ever written,” she said. “We’re now adding originals to this wonderful tradition of song and bringing even more of ourselves to our loyal fans.”

The CD Release Party will be held on Sunday, July 29 2012 at Lo-Cash Live in Milwaukee from 1-4pm.

Track listing

Whiskey Woman

Borrowed Trouble

Genuine

The Other Girl

Pills I Took

California

Kisses (Honey Do)

This Ain’t It
- The WhiskeyBelles

A group with "whiskey" in its name inspires imagery of a hard-hitting band rocking a seedy bar in front of a rough-and-rowdy clientele. But thanks to its crisp vintage country sound and angelic vocal harmonies, local all-female trio the WhiskeyBelles goes down smoother than the brown booze from which it takes its name. - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee-based WhiskeyBelles take classic country music and strip it down to its essentials—acoustic guitars, tight-knit harmonies, and tales of hard living. Mixing original material with more traditional covers (think Hank Williams and the Carter Family), the Belles may bear comparison to another all-female three-piece, the Dixie Chicks, but thankfully never take themselves quite as seriously. - A.V. Club Milwaukee

The Whiskeybelles is not your typical Milwaukee band. Not even taking into account the band’s entirely female populace, the outfit expertly toes the line of talented original act and more-than capable cover band. Its upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana proves a welcome resident to dive bars and massive outdoor festivals alike. And at the tender age of two, the trio has managed to garner growing consideration from local promoters… not to mention a few Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) awards along the way. - Milwaukee Magazine

The Whiskeybelles is not your typical Milwaukee band. Not even taking into account the band’s entirely female populace, the outfit expertly toes the line of talented original act and more-than capable cover band. Its upbeat and experienced melding of country, folk and Americana proves a welcome resident to dive bars and massive outdoor festivals alike. And at the tender age of two, the trio has managed to garner growing consideration from local promoters… not to mention a few Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) awards along the way. - Milwaukee Magazine

Right after that, we get Milwaukee's answer to the Dixie Chicks, the Whiskeybelles-- and in keeping with the oldschool theme, they're wonderfully tuneful, loose, but have perfect three part hamonies, no fake accents, and a set list that includes some nice originals along with covering Hank (Senior, that is, do I have to specify Hank Williams Senior when I'm talking about oldschool?) and Loretta. The Loretta Lynn covers especially suited these women -- a bassist, a guitarist and a fiddler -- as they were as sassy and salty as the Queen herself. I mentioned their perfect harmonies. I mean they were perfect. Yet -- and this is their gift-- the Whiskeybelles are wonderfully loose, making it sound and look easy so that the audience is engaged and involved. Really good set. My only complaint is that they may have gone on too long. This is the kind of music that needs to be a 45 minute set, leaving an audience begging for more. They went for at least an hour, and by the end of that, we were ready for something else. But that's a minor complaint. I would have enjoyed two 45 minute sets from them, and they're definitely on my "go see them again" list.

Posted by Veronica Rusnak at 2:14 PM - The Sixth Station Blog