The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1 to be released April 9th

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1
will be released on April 9, 2013
Artwork by Dan Barbour

No, this isn't some poorly organized April Fools joke.  Next Tuesday I will finally release the long-awaited, heavily labored over compilation that features some of my absolute favorite up and coming artists in the state.  It's been a mighty long, but incredibly invigorating process of getting all of these tracks together but I'm so excited to share all of this with you guys.  While it may be coming a bit later than expected, it's given me an actual grasp on how long it can take to get these things together!

When I started The Bottom String I did it because I wanted to be able to share the local music that I love with people I care about.  Nearly three years have passed since then and this has blossomed into something far greater than I could have imagined and it brings me great amounts of pride to know that so many people care about this incredibly talented crew of musicians that call North Carolina home.  While this may be the first compilation we release, it certainly won't be the last!  It's been an absolute joy to create conversation between musicians and fans within the area and I hope to continue this process for many years to come.


While I've since taken on bukus of other endeavors that take away time from The Bottom String such as working as WKNC's Local Music Director, writing for The Technician, and beginning my freelance career with Creative Loafing Charlotte, The Bottom String will always be where my heart resides.  There may be down weeks and stagnant periods of coverage, but I will always be dedicated to providing a platform for the music that matters the most to me.  Voices within our own community that may not have a platform in other outlets are welcomed and encouraged here at The Bottom String.

Some of these voices can be found on The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1 and hopefully these voices speak to you as they did me.  From Wilmington to Charlotte, this compilation pulls bands from various regions of North Carolina to create an eclectic mixture of tunes.  I can't begin to thank all of these musicians enough for contributing their tracks to this release, some of them recorded songs specifically for our compilation and the amount of joy that fills me with is unmeasurable.  Plus, I've gotten a stellar piece of work for album art from one of my favorite artists in the area, Dan Barbour (who's work you can find at Dantanamo Designs).

I hope you find a new local band to follow through this release.  That's really the whole goal with this thing, to help spread the word of these incredible musicians that comprise our local scene.  Next Tuesday the whole album will be released on Soundcloud featuring tracks from Ghostt Bllonde, Libraries, Baobab, First Person Plural and so many more talented groups.  Thank you once again to all of the readers and musicians who have helped make this possible.  You're the reason I've chosen to pursue this topsy-turvy world of music journalism and I hope to continue providing an outlet for these voices to be heard.