Here’s a number that shows the jauntier side of Kicksville! A lively shuffle, it combines such themes as water, blood and home. I ask, who at some juncture, hasn’t enjoyed water? Who hasn’t felt blood coursing through one’s veins? And who has never needed help finding one’s way home?

 

Okay, granted, anyone whose functioning as an organism doesn’t involve blood or water is not a vertebrate and probably doesn’t listen to much music.

HOWEVER, befitting the third question, Andy Ewen's lyrics speak to a universal experience, just like the lyrics of a certain Homer. Not Homer Simpson or Winslow Homer, mind you, just Homer (like how Cher is just Cher). Who needed more help finding his way home than Homer’s Odysseus? The point is, Gentle Reader, we all need help from time to time. Kicksville can help. Or at least remind you that you may need help. Or, failing that, entertain you with a few minutes of excellent singing and the dynamic playing of instruments.

 

Citizens
cover art: Above by Kristie Lee
Conrad St. Clair: bass, programming

Mike Stehr: percussion

Biff Blumfumgagnge: violin
Lou Caldarola: drum kit
Andy Ewen: dobro, vocals

Jay Frigoletto: Hammond Organism
Chris Huntington: guitar, vocals

When he's not playing guitar or beating on percussion-type utensils in Kicksville, City Council member Beaker Parpovich designs and runs one of the most recognized haunted houses in the Midwest. If you're anywhere near Green Bay, you gotta go check out Terror on the Fox. It's worth the drive....Seriously!

In the immortal words of Brother Chuck D, don't believe the hype. So, for our music industry friends who've been lurking around the Kicksville city limits, how about some fancy graphics instead?

 

This graph shows complete plays on our Bandcamp page from January 1, 2010 to date. By June, 2010, we had transitioned to using Bandcamp as the primary source for people to listen to and/or download all our music.

 

The first little baby spike on the graph is August 1-15, 2010, when we released The Singles - Season 3 Collector's Edition. The second spike is May 1-15, 2011, when we released The Results of a Higher Mission Remasters+.

That huge spike all the way on the right? That's just the first four releases of The Singles - Season 4.....

 

The chart doesn't show last week's release, but the trend hasn't slowed down. And, we still have four more songs to come after today's release, Going Where I've Been.

To sum it all up: In four weeks, we've had as many plays and downloads as we had in the 18 months prior. Individually, each one of the songs from Season 4 has five to six times as many listens and downloads as any other track we've ever released.

 

So, don't be a lurker, come join the party! We don't bite! ;-P

 

(usually...)