LABEL PROFILE: SKIPPING STONES RECORDS

Indie label Skipping Stones Records has its roots in New Haven, Connecticut, but the founders of the “indie pop” label have distributed groups from places as diverse and far away as Stockholm, Sweden and Long Beach, California.

Founders Christine Jewell and William Knapp have been releasing music on their own label since the spring of 2004, when Knapp and his band superfallingstars wanted to release a CD and, after shopping around their music, agreed to cut out the middleman and release the music themselves.

“We didn’t have a ‘business plan’ or investors, we just spontaneously agreed ‘why not?’ and the rest is history,” Jewell said. “A lot of bands release their own music, but we wanted to build a label and a brand and release other music, too.”

Founded with a DIY background, Skipping Stones can best be described as a home for bands of the “indie pop” persuasion. Asking politely that no groups in the post-hardcore and nu-metal scenes submit to the label, Jewell and Knapp find the groups they distribute through, as they put it, the usual places: lists, forums and MySpace. Finding groups that fit into the label’s niche, Jewell and Knapp distribute records from Swedish pop group The Charade, Dyrdin, a band from Iceland that is a cross between Blondie and The Ramones and shoegaze/dream pop groups The Year Zero and Celestial from Örebro, Sweden.

“We look for music that touches us in some way, whether it’s sunny, dreamy, serious or silly,” Jewell said.

When not discovering new music for their label, both Jewell and Knapp organize the annual Popfest! New England, which they say is a great way to discover like-minded indie-pop groups for Skipping Stones.

The two are a part of the band Singing Bridges and recently released their first EP, Sunny Day, Rainy Day on the label in February. Continuing how the label first got started, as a place to release their own music, they now have plenty of company in New Haven. “We treat our bands like family,” Jewell said.

Genres: indie pop, shoegaze, twee-pop, rock, jangle pop

Mailing Address: Skipping Stones Records, P.O. Box 24 Oakville, CT 06779

Email: info@skippingstonesrecords.com

www.skippingstonesrecords.com

SONGWRITERS WANTED: CRWC SONGWRITING CONTEST TO LAUNCH

“Calling all river songwriters,” says Connecticut River Watershed Council Finance Director Pat LaMountain, who is kicking off CRWC’s new songwriting contest, “Living along the River.” “We’re seeking entries from this Valley’s amazing musical talent to help celebrate the River.” According to LaMountain, up to three original songs may be submitted, free, by their July 15 deadline. Up to ten finalists will be chosen, with notification coming by August 15, 2008. Finalists will perform their original works at the “Living along the River Concert” on Friday, September 12 at the Great Falls Discover Center. Judges will choose the winning song and award prizes at the concert.

“CRWC advocates for a clean, free-flowing Connecticut River and we’d love some musical help,” LaMountain explains, “We want songwriters to lend their gifts, and help deepen the bond we all feel with this River.” Entrants are not required to attend the Tuesday information session, but it will include river stories, a video, and pizza for adventurous attendees, “We are looking to raise a real river awareness.”

www.ctriver.org/songwriting.html

IN THE NEWS

Connecticut’s Akudama will be taking their spacey brand of rock ‘n’ roll on the road this summer. The band has embarked on a national tour in support of their new album. The EP, entitled “All Those Knees” is the band’s second release, following 2004’s “flying over morning.” Both have been put out by CT indie label Endless Recordings.

www.myspace.com/

akudama

CT screamers They And The Children will be heading out on a tour this June. With stops planned in Pennsylvania, DC, Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio and Delaware the band will be peddling their debut album, Home, which was released earlier this year by Kill Normal Records.

www.myspace.com/

theyandthechildren

Suffield, CT’s The Next Extension have recently spent time in the studio working on a full-length follow up to their first album Femme Fatale, which was released by French Quarter Records in 2006.

www.myspace.com/

thenextextension

Middletown, CT’s free-form radio station WESU has issued an ongoing call for local music. The station, which broadcasts from

Wesleyan University’s Clark Hall is looking for Connecticut bands to be featured on its Homegrown show, which runs every Thursday from 5:05 p.m. to 6p.m. To submit a sample for consideration, send a CD to WESU 45 Broad St. 2nd Fl. Middletown, CT. 06457 ATTN: Homegrown WESUfm.org.

The Shiny Lapel Trio, a group best known for their Kohl’s commercial and not actually being a trio, just had their latest

album, $97.00 for a Taxi, mastered and replicated at Suite Audio. The swinging quartet will be touring throughout the summer in support of the album.

www.shinylapeltrio.com

Hardcore group The Distance is touring in support of their latest EP, Lend Me Your Ears. The group will be touring primarily in the south towards the end of July.

www.thedistance.net

New Haven act The Flaming Tsunamis have been working on a new release and the band is gearing up for a summer tour this August.

www.myspace.com/

theflamingtsunamis