FLANNEL MOUTH Album Release Private Press Page

Download The Prisoner’s Cinema for review purposes only HERE

Current Press Release:

FLANNEL MOUTH Releases Debut Full-Length Album, The Prisoner’s Cinema
Out March 11th via SwitchBitch Records
Order Now via BandCamp HERE, Big Cartel HERE, or iTunes HERE

For Fans Of : Johnny Cash, Cursive, The Dear Hunter, Circa Survive, A Lot Like Birds and Foxy Shazam

PEORIA, IL // March 11, 2016 : Midwestern alt-rockers, FLANNEL MOUTH, have finally given a date of birth to their firstborn full-length, The Prisoner’s Cinema. This album comes two days after their PureGrainAudio.com exclusive stream, and three days after the anniversary of their breakthrough EP, Pull in Your Horns, since which the Central Illinois quartet spent writing, touring, re-writing, and perfecting a concept album / rock opera. Vocalist/songwriter, Luke Myers, comments, “This tragic parable reminds us how frail love can make us, one bloody song after another.”

The story of The Prisoner’s Cinema is a simple and timeless old story: woman asks man to kill her because he loves her so, man identifies murder and passion as synonyms, man kills everyone he ever feels anything for, man is offered redemption, man falls back into his old ways, man dies alone with loads of regret. The new record is a three-part play, complete with intermissions – an ambitious undertaking for a band’s freshman release. “It gave us a bit of a guideline, essentially, to which we adhered and adapted,” added drummer, Tyler Owen. “Luke wrote this heartfelt and bloody script and we just tried to match the feelings of the scenes to the notes we played. Three years in the making came together all at once.” The album release came after much excitement, including a teaser introducing fans to The Prisoner, another teaser hosted exclusively by New Noise Magazine, a lyric video for “The Dark Ages,” and an exclusive at Vents Magazine for “The Showdown in the Courtroom.”

The fourteen tracks are a sonic whirlwind of Midwestern rock tangled in elements of progressive pop. Flannel Mouth turned to the unmistakably capable hands of label owner Michael Abiuso who is known for his works with Kiss Kiss (Eyeball Records),The Gay Blades (Triple Crown Records), The Venetia Fair and Behind The Curtains Media to produce, mix, and master the album. The band flew Abiuso from New York City to Peoria with a suitcase full of gear, holed themselves up in a vacant office building, built a professional studio, and only paused for a trip to last year’s SXSW. Zachary Hartman, lead instrumentalist (and named as additional production credit), reveals, “We turned the conference room into a live room, the main executive office into a control room/sleeping quarters, and the bathroom into a vocal booth. It was definitely a unique experience.” Listeners can certainly hear a delicate caring and quality to their product; consider it a critical library addition to complement artists such as Johnny Cash, Cursive, The Dear Hunter, Circa Survive, A Lot Like Birds, Foxy Shazam and more!

Fans can order The Prisoner’s Cinema on iTunes, the band’s BigCartel, or their BandCamp.

Stream FLANNEL MOUTH’s album, The Prisoner’s Cinema, via Soundcloud HERE or view below:

Track listing for The Prisoner’s Cinema:

You’ve Convinced Me
The Dark Ages
Rapunzel, Rapunzel
Hello, Gorgeous
Falling Asleep
Pleading Insane
La Deuxième Partie
Dead Man Walking
The Preacher’s Daughter
Walk It Off
The Honorable Mr. Black
The Showdown in the Courtroom
R.A.R.
The Prisoner’s Cinema

Flannel Mouth is supporting the new record with a tour to SXSW with The Skulx, sponsored by Digital Tour Bus, where they will be playing numerous showcases. “We’ve been fans of Foxy Shazam for a while and were introduced to Cadaver Dogs recently, too,” adds Ryan Batalon, bassist. “Their new stuff is sounding giant and we can’t wait to see what the [live] show is like.” The tour is scheduled to begin March 14th and will conclude with a hometown appearance in Peoria in April.

Biography : Flannel Mouth, an old western term for “one having a way with words,” keeps its definition intact as this four-piece theatrical rock act releases its debut LP, “The Prisoner’s Cinema.” Vocalist/lyricist, Luke Myers, tells the tragic, gruesome story of a young man learning the difference between love and crimes of passion. The frenzied and guttural story is matched by its soundtrack — manic-albeit-fluid — punctuated by the eccentric bass lines of Ryan Batalon, heavy swing beats of Tyler Owen, and the atmospheric leads of Zachary Hartman on guitar, trumpet, organ, fiddle, and more. If Tarantino wrote a script to be scored by The Dear Hunter, performed by Cursive, engineered by Foxy Shazam, and produced by Brand New, Flannel Mouth would be the end result. And one would certainly not want to miss that feature presentation.

What the Media is Saying About FLANNEL MOUTH:

“The biggest hardcore music lovers hold each precious band close to their heart. The constant struggle to keep them to yourself repeats itself with every listen, yet you share them with the world around you. You hate the idea of them becoming “mainstream” or for them to “sell out,” but inside, you know everyone would connect with this band you cherish so much. It’s that bittersweet struggle of remaining somewhere between underground and breaking through. This is one of those bands.” – Goodnight Magazine [LINK]

“Flannel Mouth may come from a town of a thousand, but the four-piece group has probably been described in a couple thousand ways. Their sound is unlike any other, and that’s something the guys embrace.” – Highlight Magazine [LINK]

“The song, though independent of an album, showcases the emergence of Flannel Mouth’s ability to write a hard-hitting single whilst staying true to their unique brand of theatric rock.” – Hellhound Magazine [LINK]

“If you’re bored of listening to the same type of music and want something with some grit, these songs tempt you to reach for a glass of some good bourbon and dream about how hot hell is.” –Eat Sleep Breathe Music [LINK]

Connect with FLANNEL MOUTH
Facebook: facebook.com/flannelmouthmusic
Instagram: @flannelmouthmusic
Tumblr: @flannelmouthmusic
Twitter: @flannel_mouth
Youtube: youtube.com/flannelmouthtv

###

#TagsToCopy/Paste: Flannel Mouth, Prisoner’s Cinema, Mr. Black, SwitchBitch Records, Michael Abiuso, Behind The Curtains Media, The Skulx, Foxy Shazam, Cadaver Dogs, Tour, SXSW, Tyler Owen, Ryan Batalon, Luke Myers, Zachary Hartman, Mike Abiuso, Kiss Kiss, The Gay Blades, The Venetia Fair, Kirsten Krupps, The Dear Hunter, Cursive, Brand New, Johnny Cash

###

Pre-Release Download of FLANNEL MOUTH’s The Prisoner’s Cinema HERE Stream it below:(for media review purpose only // out 3.11.16)

Additional Press Photos (cleared for public posting. If watermark must be cropped out, please credit “Photo by KirstenKrupps.com” in caption) :

###

Elevator Pitch Bio : Flannel Mouth is a four-piece band from Peoria, Illinois who uses a distinctive blend of storytelling and theatrical motifs to craft a refined and enthralling brand of Midwestern rock.

Extended Bio : Deep in the Illinois River Valley you’ll find a group of young men telling stories — stories of love and death and solace and revenge. They spread their tales in song, traveling from city to city reciting for anyone and everyone who will listen. These gentlemen will tell you such violent words and frenzied musical direction are simply part of the show, but rest assured, these boys are suave and deceitful; certainly befitting the quartet’s collective moniker, Flannel Mouth.

You’ll discover these men have been friends since childhood, living life’s trials and tribulations as comrades in arms and, specifically, music. Perhaps describing the boys at the time more so than the riffs they played, Flannel Mouth rooted themselves in punk rock, but soon thereafter trading their secondary school three-chord ditties in favor of more emotional and elaborate progressions and signatures. Auxiliary instruments became more necessary for the tones to be conveyed. Additional harmonies and chants surfaced as the breadth of the compositions widened. As a result, a company called SwitchBitch Records attached its namesake — a label, if you will — to the Flannel Mouth brand, thereby relocating this big fish from the little pond into the main stream.

Working diligently and intimately with their new friends in the big city, Flannel Mouth began embracing its distinct approach to the writing process, often merging early influences with an otherworldly knack for the fresh and innovative. You’ll find nary a chorus in a Flannel Mouth number, as the young men focus their efforts more so on a powerful and fluid arrangement. But when those choruses rear their catchy craniums, prepare yourself for an awfully infectious earworm infestation.

The Spring of 2012 found itself in the wake of Flannel Mouth’s debut EP, “Pull in Your Horns,” which was met with rampant national acclaim. The boys could be observed trailing dates at the Warped Tour, making friends and assuring attendance at venues the following evenings, quickly cementing their name around the Midwest as a noteworthy and unique performance any night of the week. Many moons passed, many miles crept under their tires (and a couple vans above them), but the boys carry on, singing their songs for friends and strangers alike.

It is now 2016, a year unlike any previous, and with it comes the long-fabled and awaited debut full-length, entitled “The Prisoner’s Cinema.” The sounds these boys married into a 14-song, three-part epic showcases and illustrates their maturation into a budding musical narrative powerhouse. Each song has its own life, weaving with the peaks and valleys of the story, with boisterous crescendos and dreamy cadences, combining in a classic comedy-tragedy style born anew. Prepare yourself for the most animalistic of rage and the most empathetic of heartbreak all in one 51-minute sitting.

Now that we’ve got your ears properly bent, do your eyes a favor and catch Flannel Mouth emerging from their Midwestern town and appearing at number of SXSW showcases, a tour per earthly season, promoting their achievements at Warped Tour, and making their presence known with a pair of music videos. Then it’s back to the studio with these young men, as a follow-up to “The Prisoner’s Cinema” is vital to all our livelihoods.

###

Previous Press Release – 3.2.16

Flannel Mouth Unveil Lyric Video for First Single “The Dark Ages”
From Debut Full-Length The Prisoner’s Cinema
Due Out via SwitchBitch Records on March 11th

PEORIA, IL // February 19, 2016 : The dam has broken and the waters of Flannel Mouth are beginning to flood the music scene. The theatric alt-rock band has a lyric video for “The Dark Ages, ” the first single from The Prisoner’s Cinema, as well as the track listing for their debut LP. This comes one week after the second album teaser, hosted by New Noise Magazine, made its first public appearance.

“The Dark Ages” takes place early in the story of The Prisoner, who is recalling the memories of his first murder. The details are cloudy in his mind, as are the accompanying visuals, which begin with The Prisoner looking unsure about the knife he’s holding. But with the emergence of a female character, it becomes apparent that she’s the one most interested in the weapon, suggested by the words “Either I was blind with rage, or there was someone else in the driver’s seat.”

All of a sudden the memories become more vivid and The Prisoner begins describing his thoughts and actions in detail. With it, the song opens up and an acceptance of his fate (and hers) takes over with a drop of blood, both in the lyrics and the video. The power and consequences take hold of his emotions, and he signs off with his newfound, king-like braggadocio — “Your lives are pointless and I am Charlemagne.”

###

Previous Press Release – 2.9.16

FLANNEL MOUTH Unveil Single “The Showdown In The Courtroom”

(featuring Benny Santoro of The Venetia Fair)

Off Debut Full-Length The Prisoner’s Cinema
Due Out via SwitchBitch Records on March 11th
Pre-Order Now Available via iTunes HERE

For Fans Of : Johnny Cash, Cursive, The Dear Hunter, Circa Survive, A Lot Like Birds and Foxy Shazam

PEORIA, IL // March 2, 2016 : The straw that broke the camel’s back, the final piece to The Prisoner’s Cinema anticipation puzzle, “The Showdown in the Courtroom,” is the last single to drop before FLANNEL MOUTH unleashes their debut full-length to the world!

In this fast-paced track, reminiscent of producer Michael Abiuso’s former band, The Venetia Fair, the four-piece from Peoria, Illinois channeled their inner action-movie score to tell the chapter of The Prisoner’s Cinema in which The Prisoner seizes his opportunity to silence the maniacal, pompous Mr. Black once and for all. “The Showdown in the Courtroom” musically weaves from quick-thinking intimidation, as told in the opening lyrics, “Mr. Black, you’re praying for rain, but the storm is coming too fast,” to Mr. Black’s snarky rebuttal, “You think the love you had was real?” to The Prisoner’s exciting and powerful narration of his murderous actions, “The guards start, but I move too quick, and as your brain shuts down, your body throws a fit.” In just under three minutes, yet another victim falls prey to The Prisoner in this bloody epic.

The allusion to The Venetia Fair is especially fitting, given that Flannel Mouth enlisted the help of singer Benny Santoro to play the part of Mr. Black. “He tried to convince us that his voice wasn’t big enough,” remarked drummer Tyler Owen, but we’ve been fans of his since The Circus [The Venetia Fair’s 2009 album], so we knew he’d nail that part.” Vocalist/songwriter, Luke Myers, continues, “The part wasn’t exactly written with him in mind, but when the opportunity was there, we knew he had to [appear on the song].”

Santoro also appears (as Mr. Black) on “Pleading Insane,” the sixth track on The Prisoner’s Cinema, and is one of three guest vocalists on the record. Track eight, “Dead Man Walking,” features John Clark of Event Horizon, and Lexxii Leigh of Peoria locality.

Fans can pre-order The Prisoner’s Cinema on iTunes and the band’s BigCartel, both of which come with a download of “The Dark Ages” for free.

Stream FLANNEL MOUTH’s “The Showdown in the Courtroom” via Soundcloud HERE or view below:

Track listing for The Prisoner’s Cinema:

You’ve Convinced Me
The Dark Ages
Rapunzel, Rapunzel
Hello, Gorgeous
Falling Asleep
Pleading Insane
La Deuxième Partie
Dead Man Walking
The Preacher’s Daughter
Walk It Off
The Honorable Mr. Black
The Showdown in the Courtroom
R.A.R.
The Prisoner’s Cinema

The Prisoner’s Cinema is slated to be released on March 11th via SwitchBitch Records and is a follow up to the successes of their previous “Pull In Your Horns” EP. These 14 tracks are a sonic whirlwind of Midwestern rock tangled in elements of progressive pop. Flannel Mouth turned to the unmistakably capable hands of label owner Michael Abiuso who is known for his works with Kiss Kiss (Eyeball Records),The Gay Blades (Triple Crown Records), The Venetia Fair and Behind The Curtains Media to produce, mix, and master the album. The band flew Abiuso from New York City to Peoria with a suitcase full of gear, holed themselves up in a vacant office building, built a professional studio, and only paused for a trip to last year’s SXSW. Zachary Hartman, lead instrumentalist (and named as additional production credit), reveals, “We turned the conference room into a live room, the main executive office into a control room/sleeping quarters, and the bathroom into a vocal booth. It was definitely a unique experience.” The lyric video was created by Kirsten Krupps Photography + Design. Listeners can certainly hear a delicate caring and quality to their product; consider it a critical library addition to complement artists such as Johnny Cash, Cursive, The Dear Hunter, Circa Survive, A Lot Like Birds, Foxy Shazam and more!

Flannel Mouth is gearing up to support the new record with a tour to and from SXSW with The Skulx, sponsored by Digital Tour Bus, where they will be playing numerous showcases. “We’ve been fans of Foxy Shazam for a while and were introduced to Cadaver Dogs recently, too,” adds Ryan Batalon, bassist. “Their new stuff is sounding giant and we can’t wait to see what the [live] show is like.” The tour is scheduled to begin March 10th and will conclude with a hometown appearance in Peoria in April.

###

Previous Press Release – 2.19.16

Flannel Mouth Unveil Lyric Video for First Single “The Dark Ages”
From Debut Full-Length The Prisoner’s Cinema
Due Out via SwitchBitch Records on March 11th

###

Previous Press Release – 2.9.16

FLANNEL MOUTH Release a Second Album Teaser — “Mr. Black”
-The Prisoner’s Cinema out March 11th via SwitchBitch Records
-SXSW Showcases and Tour with The Skulx Announced

PEORIA, IL // February 9, 2016 : More excitement and anticipation is emitting from Camp Flannel Mouth this morning, as the band releases its second teaser, entitled “Mr. Black.” Reprising the a cappella vocals and southern stomp from last week’s teaser, Mr. Black is the second character, accompanying the Prisoner (see teaser #1), of The Prisoner’s Cinema to whom we have been introduced.

Mr. Black, played by drummer, Tyler Owen, is observed reaching for a decanter of scotch, forgoing a glass, and brooding on the things weighing heavily in his mind. After swirling the whisky a few times and proceeding to take a couple gulps, he replaces the decanter next to a revolver and a lone bullet. The bullet is inserted, the chamber is spun, and Mr. Black gives us one more look, showing his discontentment and acceptance that his fate isn’t up to him anymore, and then…black. But the visuals return with Mr. Black holding the gun, drinking once more from his decanter to wallow in his dejection.

The conclusion of Mr. Black’s struggles is met with a new riff, upbeat with lively trumpets and bright organs, suggesting that there is perhaps a bright future for Mr. Black after all. Vocalist, Luke Myers, notes, “Fate is a funny thing, is it not? Let’s all listen. Let’s all hear what happens.” And we are again treated to the blood-spattered album artwork, release date, and the SwitchBitch Records stamp of quality.

View “Mr. Black” album teaser #2 below:

View in YouTube: https://youtu.be/hdpxUwhsdLw

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/hdpxUwhsdLw” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

###

Previous Press Release – 2.2.16

FLANNEL MOUTH Announce Debut Full-Length
The Prisoner’s Cinema out March 11th via SwitchBitch Records
“Prisoner”” teaser Unveiled Today

PEORIA, IL // February 2, 2016 : The dastardly minds of Flannel Mouth are at it again as they announce their debut full length The Prisoner’s Cinema, a gruesome tale of love and regret with a whole lot of guts. “This tragic parable reminds us how frail love can make us, one bloody song after another,” stated vocalist Luke Myers. The new record is a three-part play (complete with intermissions) – an ambitious undertaking for a band writing their freshman release. “It gave us a bit of a guideline, essentially, to which we adhered and adapted,” added drummer, Tyler Owen. He continues, “Luke wrote this heartfelt and bloody script and we just tried to match the feelings of the scenes to the notes we played. Three years in the making came together all at once.”

Accompanying the announcement is a teaser, eponymously named “Prisoner.” The 40-second-long clip includes audio of a yet-unnamed song, as well as some visuals cluing audiences into who the Prisoner must be. Myers is writing a suicide note, promptly finds himself a noose, kicks his footing out from underneath, and we see his lifeless boots swaying in the dark, wooded setting. We are then treated to the first glimpse of The Prisoner’s Cinema’s album artwork. The a cappella introduction and fiddle accompaniment in the closing riff suggest a southern influence on the band’s western-sounding rock and roll.

View in YouTube: https://youtu.be/y9AjH9n4QaI

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9AjH9n4QaI” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

FLANNEL MOUTH Unveil Single “The Showdown In The Courtroom”

(featuring Benny Santoro of The Venetia Fair)

Off Debut Full-Length The Prisoner’s Cinema Due Out via SwitchBitch Records on March 11th Pre-Order Now Available via iTunes HERE

Off Debut Full-Length The Prisoner’s Cinema
Due Out via SwitchBitch Records on March 11th
Pre-Order Now Available via iTunes HERE