First Person Plural releases video for "Dead Man"

Around this time last year I was lucky enough to stumble upon Mike Robinson's solo project First Person Plural. Previously known for his work as the bassist for Annuals, Robinson's solo work allows the musician to step forward from the rhythm section and emerge as the stellar songwriter he is.

First Person Plural contributed a track to this blog's first compilation album last spring and later in 2013 released Gold Wasp, an excellent foray into Robinson's ethos. Gold Wasp put Robinson's immersive songwriting on display, showcasing his deep, raspy voice alongside some ornately arranged tracks that range from anthemic to low-key, folk driven ballads.

Late last year Robinson gathered a few talented local cohorts to produce a video for "Dead Man" one of Gold Wasp's standout tracks. With Brian Corum (of Lonnie Walker) playing the titular role, the video follows a Weekend At Bernie's type of format, with the dead man hilariously courting a woman through his effortless swagger. With performance shots of Robinson and his former bandmate Adam Baker interspersed with the quirky video, "Dead Man" plays out as a wonderful visual companion to an already fantastic song.

The video is directed by Marisa DeLuca Shields and features scenes from Raleigh locales like The Alley and Oakwood Cemetery. Gold Wasp is currently available for purchase on iTunes and Bandcamp.

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.