end of the year? it's the 'end of greatness'

Wampus Multimedia announces the release of End of Greatness, the latest and greatest CD from Rockville, Maryland-based Kowtow Popof.

If you think “end of greatness” is a term coined by Harvard scientist Robert Kirshner to describe, as Wikipedia puts it, “an observational scale discovered at roughly 100 MpC where the lumpiness seen in the large-scale structure of the universe is homogenized and isotropized as per the Cosmological Principle,” you could be mistaken. It depends on what universe you inhabit. In Kowtow Popof’s alternative cosmos, End of Greatness is a break-up album of astronomic proportions, or possibly a personal view of the disintegration of love on a universal scale. But whether you are sobbing in your microbrew over a Dear-John text message, scrutinizing with some solicitude the threshold of infinity, or simply trying to get through the day, End of Greatness is for you.

From the time-capsule everyday existence of the guitar-driven “Life as Hobby” to the title track's ode to the final throes of a relationship, Kowtow gives the listener a lift through the heartbroken ether, playfully pointing out roadside attractions and distractions (“Things That Aren’t Comets”), the occasional aging god (“Oblivion”), a warehouse of inner strength on the outer limits (“Tribute 2 Mice Elf”), and the convenience store of the apocalypse (“Slim Jims & Tab”).

If only break-ups were this much fun, or at least this interesting.

Underlying the tragicomic, trans-mundane goings-on is a hopeful anchor. Against the when-worlds-collide backdrop of “Amazing Tales,” a crowd sings somewhere in a downtown bar: “everyone walks on / in shadow or in sun / looking for the thing they lost just after the dawn.” Kowtow Popof has found something in the nothingness, aspiration rather than despair. So for all you pessimists and doomsayers who’d take a physicist’s end-of-greatness pronouncement to mean Armageddon, take heart instead. In the musical universe, it’s the latest and greatest CD by Kowtow Popof.

End of Greatness is available at CD Baby, iTunes, and other fine stores.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kowtow5

http://kowtowpopof.com

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Wampus to Sponsor FUZE Battle of the Bands

Wampus Multimedia will sponsor the FUZE Battle of the Bands on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at the Sportsplex in Winchester, Virginia. FUZE will feature amazing independent bands, brilliant songwriters, and outrageous performers.

If you think that's you, submit your best song to FUZE in one of three ways:

MySpace: Refer the FUZE team to a song at your MySpace page.

Email: Email an mp3 of your song and a link to your Web site.

Snail mail: Mail a CD of your song with a press kit to FUZE, c/o Wampus Multimedia, 4 Weems Lane, #300, Winchester, VA 22601. Materials received by mail cannot be returned.

Submissions to FUZE are free, one per artist. and will be accepted until March 16. On March 30, FUZE will announce the five finalists who will compete on the FUZE stage.

http://wampus.com/fuze

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Neil Luckett Work Premieres at Mick Jagger Centre

Wampus Multimedia artist Neil Luckett's "From the Mist (Saddell Blues)" premiered on December 23 at the Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford, England. The piece was performed as part of the Dartford Symphony Orchestra (DSO) Christmas program. An orchestral miniature (five minutes), the piece is Luckett's first for full orchestra.

The new CD from Luckett's modern-rock trio, tvfordogs, is nearing completion, with Luckett anticipating final mixes around Easter.

Luckett is also producing the new album from Tom Allalone, a canny mix of Beck, Kurt Weill, Tom Waits, and the Stray Cats.

Check out the latest from Neil and tvfordogs.

http://wampus.com/artists/neilluckett

http://wampus.com/artists/tvfordogs

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Hungry iPod? Feed it.

http://localmusicstore.com

Various Artists / Hurry Home Early: the Songs of Warren Zevon

Emerging artists interpret the literate, modern songcraft of the poet of Gower Avenue. "This collection deserves space in the collection of any Zevon fan." --Ron Davies, Splendid ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Various Artists / After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed

The story of an artist unencumbered by popular expectations, yet... popular. "A must-have for any fan of Reed, or for anyone who just likes quality, original music, smartly produced, played very, very well." --Fleabomb.com ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Various Artists / If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman

A wildly entertaining ride through the repertoire of one of rock's most original and eclectic songwriters. ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Neil Luckett / Radio for Cats

Stripped-down and immediate, chills up the spine. "Luckett creates an individual sound that looks more into his mind and soul rather than the minds of others." --Wes Barker, Amplifier ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Kowtow Popof / End of Greatness

The latest and greatest CD from Kowtow Popof. ///// CD Baby.

The Crowd Scene / Turn Left at Greenland

Shimmering trans-Atlantic pop refracted through a lens of the Kinks, the Left Banke, Television, and Elliott Smith. "Absolutely worthwhile, and a good sign for the future of British pop." --Matthew Greenwald, All-Music Guide ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Alice Despard / Samsara

The until-now rare first solo disc from the founder of Washington, D.C.'s Hyaa! "Beautiful." --The Doubtful Palace ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Alice Despard / Push Me Pull You

The comeback album -- honored in the Village Voice "Pazz & Jop" poll, now to be honored by your stereo. "Lush, ethereal country-rock may seem a curious concept, but this local singer-songwriter manages to combine heaven and earth in 11 songs that are both mysterious and urgent." -- Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Johnny J Blair / Fire

Immaculately crafted pop 'n' roll with a streak of gospel-inflected, blue-eyed soul. "For anyone with a little imagination, intelligence, and a sense of humor, not to mention a taste for the exotic." --Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM Magazine ///// CD Baby / Amazon.

The Simple Things / President Foushee

Virginia roots-pop outfit returns with a best-of as solid as a pop rock. "It's the upbeat tunes that catch you.... Nicely done." --Raw 42 ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

tvfordogs / Roller

Melodic, crunchy, and already under your skin. "Carries on the tradition of British power trios with a modern creativity and flair." --Laura Turner Lynch, Kweevak.com ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Alice Despard / Vessel

Patti Smith meets Neil Young -- with a little Mission of Burma to boot. "Like a stripped-down Velvet Underground." --J.R. Oliver, EarCandy ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Johnny J Blair / Treadmarks

Imagine Raymond Chandler and Sam Cooke as street musicians busking with David Bowie's beat-up 12-string guitar. "A solo record full of originality, guts, and feel." --Francesco Emmanuel, The Muse's Muse ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Arms of Kismet / Cutting Room Rug

Brooding and poppy, funny and foreboding, it's toe-tapping, tragicomic rock 'n' roll. "Witty, idiosyncratic indie-rock that is to a band like Maroon 5 what a film like Sideways is to one like Miss Congeniality 2." --Jason Warburg, The Daily Vault ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Casey Abrams / Like a Mirror

Reflecting folk, jazz, and the American songbook, it takes Paul Simon and Don McLean back to their roots. "Intelligently eclectic." --Kevan Breitinger, Indie-Music.com ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Cafebar 401

Brimming with darkly sweet pop hooks, it calls to mind Coldplay, Radiohead, and Queens of the Stone Age. "A great debut album from a band soon to be well known." --Brenna Krause, Left Off the Dial ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Arms of Kismet / Eponymous

Literate and insidiously catchy, it's postmodern pop for the savvy, ironic streetcrawler. "A classic, one of the first great discs of 2004." --Roy Opochinski, Groovevolt.com ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

tvfordogs / Heavy Denver

Definitive modern rock from London-based trio. "Shifts gears and blends songs in a way that not only puts the individual songs in best relief, but takes the listener on a journey." --Mark Kirby, MusicDish ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Amateur God / Near Life Experience

Dark semi-vocal-ambient music in the tradition of Mylene Farmer, Art of Noise, and Voivod. "Fascinating." --Modern Dance UK ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Mitch Renault & Arms of Kismet / Ted's 12: Original Soundtrack

Snappy songs and snippets from the film. ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Various Artists / Glass Flesh 2: a Tribute to Robyn Hitchcock

Twenty-one great ways to skin Robyn Hitchcock's cat. ///// Backstage Commerce.

Wampeters / Murder Your Darlings

It's the end of the line... until the line starts again. "A great narrative album." --Heidi Drockelman, IndieMusic.com ///// CD Baby / Amazon / iTunes.

Mark Doyon / Bonneville Stories

Crisp fiction from Arms of Kismet's Mark Doyon that's as dark as optimism gets. "A brilliant collection of beautifully written stories that made me cringe, grimace, and laugh, while sometimes moving me to great pity.... There just aren't any flaws here, and I can't possibly do this book justice in a review. No one could, really...." --Laurie Edwards, CultureDose.net ///// Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1929763093/qid=1034199246/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_7/102-8551637-2399362?v=glance&n=507846

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Listen to tracks from Wampus artists on the Wampus iPod.

Taste the Wampus Multimedia 2006 Sampler at iTunes.

Check out Wampus reissues at Foldback Records.

Prefer downloads to CDs? Wampus titles are available from Apple iTunes, Arvato, AudioLunchbox, Bitmunk, BurnLounge, BuyMusic, CatchMusic, Chondo, Destra, DigitalKiosk, Emusic, Great Indie Music, HearMusic, Inprodicon, Interia, Karma Download, Liquid Digital Media, LoudEye, Mouzika, MP3, MP3tunes, Mperia, MSN Music, MusicIsHere, MusicMatch, MusicNet/AOL, MusicNow, Napster, NewViews, NextRadio/BellSouth, PassAlong/eBay, PlayIndies, Puretracks, QTRnote, Rhapsody, Ruckus, RuleRadio, SonicGarden, Sony Connect, Tower, Tradebit, TreeTunes/Mperia, Virgin, WalMart, WrapFactory, WalMart, Yahoo!... and more!

Visit the Wampus stores at CD Baby and Backstage Commerce.

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Coming in 2007-08

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Wampus Multimedia is an independent music label run by artists, for artists. Its credo is simple: to introduce the world to the boldest new content rendered by visionary artists. It is home to a growing roster from a variety of genres, including pop, AAA, Americana, alternative, ambient, blues, and folk. Wampus Multimedia values you as a supporter of independent music and will never share your contact information with anyone.  Contact us anytime at mail3(at)wampus.com.