Cartel, the alternative rock band from Atlanta, Georgia that is made up of Will Pugh (vocals, guitar, and piano), Joseph Pepper (guitar), Nic Hudson (guitar and harmonizing backing vocals), Jeff Lett (bass and harmonizing backing vocals), and Kevin Sanders (drums), released Cycles on October 20, 2009. In less than 24 hours since its release, Cycles is already at #3 on the iTunes Alternative Albums Chart.
Cartel, best known for their a brash indie sound meshed with an earnest brand of emotion can be heard as a more genre-free sound than many “post-punk” and “emo-rock bands” out in the music business today. Cycles captures Cartel at their best, giving off the same raw and tenacious enthusiasm that first skyrocketed them from indie band to a wider audience, while retaining their grounded sense of behavior and caring towards their fan base.
As a nod to the legions of loyal Cartel fans who have been waiting patiently for the last two years for this new album, there is a one day sale that can be found on the band’s MySpace page to purchase Cycles for $6.99.Cartel, on their new label Wind-up Records, has been given more time to develop each song and the result is a fantastic electric blur.
The first single and the album’s first track, “Let’s Go,” is, as lead singer Will Pugh says, a “proverbial call to arms.” The song also is the album’s first video which was produced by Paul Boyd, who is best known for his work with Grammy winning artists such as Shania Twain, Lenny Kravitz, Sting, and Sugarland. Working with Cartel, Boyd filmed the “Let’s Go” video (which you can view below) in an abandoned warehouse and gave random fans hand-held cameras allowing them to film; the footage is included in the video.
The Cycles album tour began in on October 20 with an in-store performance by Cartel and a CD release event allowing fans again a chance to connect with the band and continues with a 9 pm nationwide phone call. The tour will continue until November 27, ending in their hometown of Atlanta. For more information on the band’s nationwide tour dates please refer to the official Cartel Myspace, Facebook and Twitter pages and the band’s official site.
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