Madison, WI based folk rock group The Mascot Theory is proud to announce the release of their third full length album ”Trust And Bones” featuring a collection of 10 songs recorded over a 1.5 year span by Brian Liston at Clutch Sound Studio (Madison, WI), inside the same hallowed walls that once housed Smart Studios (Garbage, Nirvana, Death Cab For Cutie). The band once again tagged Sean Giovanni of The Record Shop (Nashville, TN) to handle the mixing duties of the album. Giovanni recorded and mixed The Mascot Theory’s previous full length “Hand Me Down Miracles”album in 2014.
In early 2015 lead singer/songwriter Erik Kjelland of The Mascot Theory won first place in 105.5 Triple M radio station’s “Project M” Songwriting Competition. Throughout the duration of the competition Kjelland penned 5 songs, all of which are included on “Trust And Bones” in their flushed-out, full-band versions. Rounding out the rest of the album’s track listing are 4 more Kjelland original songs that have been featured in live shows throughout 2016 as well as a little-known cover of Santa Ana Winds by Charlottesville, Virginia’s Sons of Bill that has been a staple of The Mascot Theory’s live shows since they started playing together in 2011. Sam Wilson of Sons of Bill has blessed The Mascot Theory’s version by adding pedal steel guitar to the “Trust And Bones” track.
Guest appearances on the album include Nashville pro Lillie Mae Rische on fiddle and background vocals (member of Jack White’s solo band), Scarlett Rische on mandolin (Jypsi), Madison local legend Biff Blumfumgagnge on fiddle/violin (Kicksville and The Gomers), Sam Wilson on pedal steel guitar (Sons of Bill), Paul Heinecke on horns (All That Jazz Big Band), and Brian Liston on Rhodes piano.
Through his two-time Madison Area Music Association Award-winning graphic design company Noon Thirty Design, Kjelland designed the album packaging featuring an artistic collaboration utilizing a custom painting by artist Rachel Hughes of REHughes Design based on a spectacular photo by John Urban of the john urban production co.
Along with a 2016 WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) nomination for best Americana/folk artist, The Mascot Theory has won 12 Madison Area Music Association awards including the coveted 2016 Artist of the Year Award. They have played major festivals throughout the state including Summerfest, Freak Fest, and Mile of Music Festival, and have shared the stage with Vance Joy, Frank Turner, Chase Rice, Uncle Cracker, Kaleo, The Wild Feathers, Guster, Blitzen Trapper, Cory Chisel, Andy Frasco and the UN, and Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts.
Erik Kjelland • vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Adam White • electric guitar, vocals
Nick Fry • upright bass, vocals
Paul Metz • drums, percussion, vocals
Guest Musicians:
Lillie Mae Rische • violin /vocals (track 6)
Scarlett Rische • mandolin
Biff Blumfumgagnge • violin/fiddle
Sam Wilson • pedal steel guitar
Paul Heinecke • horns
Brian Liston • rhodes piano
The Mascot Theory sound has roots in the Americana genre, but the new album leans heavily into classic rock influences;
harmonies that bring to mind the Eagles or America, a bit of that Rolling Stones guitar swagger, a little ZZ Top blues rock, a dash of the Pink Floyd mood, but never straying far from the core of the Tom Petty/Beatles/Poco-esque importance of solid melody and lyrics....more
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