The Walla Recovery is on Earbits Radio
Posted 5.22.13 · by Zack
Now you can listen to us and discover new music on Earbits Free Online Radio.
Earbits is curated streaming radio for independent music. I've been trying it out the past few weeks, and wanted to tell you my thoughts.
Earbits is similar to Pandora in that it does a pretty good job of introducing you to new music you haven't heard, but that you will probably enjoy. It's different from Pandora in that there are no ads.
No. Ads.
Amazing, right? It's possible that Earbits doesn't feel the need to cram a commercial in between every 4-7 songs because it works from a unique philosophy: That helping listeners connect with independent artists is important and viable. I'll try to explain how...
Earbits will play independent music for you right now from among about 10,000 different artists and bands that have been approved and curated by their editors and supervisors. They have playlists to get you started, arranged by genre and subgenre, geographical music scenes around the US, listeners' and editors' picks, eclectic/shuffle, and more. Choose your preference to start playing, and they will deliver an endless rotation to you. You can "favorite" songs that you really like to get back to them later.
However, many of us want more control over what we are listening to, so Earbits lets you have that, too. By connecting via Facebook, you can choose a specific song to play next by searching for an artist or finding one in the editors' picks. You can queue any number of songs into the playlist or hear a whole album by a particular musician or band. Open a new tab right now and try it out with our album With Trembling...
So far, I've listened to the "Live in Austin" channel quite a bit, and I also streamed Allen Stone's entire new self-titled album. Earbits gives you what they call Groovies so you can spend them to make these song choices. You have 500 of these to begin and then you can earn more by connecting with the artists or spreading the word about their music online. This is where the uniqueness of Earbits really comes to light. From the Earbits website:
"The reason we invented Groovies is simple. Artists deserve to get something for creating the music you love. Most services accomplish this by cluttering up your experience with commercials and ads, or charging you subscription fees.
But arent there better ways to give value back to the bands? We think so.
Groovies are a new form of currency that rewards you for supporting our artists. Tell your friends about a new band. Join an artists fan page or mailing list. Check in to a live show. These things actually provide incredible value to artists. Now, were keeping track and letting artists know how much you support them. In return, theyre giving you access to free music and a whole lot more.
If it sounds revolutionary, thats because it is. Earbits is the first music service that you pay for by supporting artists. Theres nothing else like it, and its going to change the way artists reach new audiences and build their careers. Its also going to keep your experience free from ads and commercials."
"Earbits offers about 300 channels of hand-picked independent music. You can listen to the radio-style channels as much as you want. Blend them together to form your own channels and find channels that other people have built. As long as were picking the music, you dont need Groovies to listen. But, if you want to play a whole album by your favorite Earbits artist, you gotta use some Groovies. Thats how we make sure that artists are getting support for creating the art we love."
What do you think? What will the effect of Earbits be vs. Pandora and/or Spotify? Where do you find new music? Let me know in the comments...
House Concert Petition & Info
Posted 2.8.12 · by Zack
I am now officially booking house concerts. This is a very exciting opportunity for me to meet and visit with you in person, and for some of you to bring a diverting and illuminating night of music into your own neighborhood. If we work together, we can make it happen! If you'd like to see this idea become a reality (either as a host or as an attendee), you can take action in one of the following ways:
1. I need 42 more people to sign our petition at slowbizz.com so they'll assist me with the logistics of scheduling house concert tours: http://bit.ly/yu6BTd …It takes only a few seconds of your time and doesn't cost a cent. If you've already done this, thank you very much!
2. Email me directly (booking [at] thewallarecovery.com) if you're interested in hosting a house concert. Wherever you live, I'd be grateful and honored to play for you in your home.
What's a house concert, you ask? Why, it couldn't be simpler! You have a living room, and we have songs. When combined, your friends and family are entertained and delighted over an intimate and peaceful evening of storytelling and music. We arrive with our instruments as a 1-3 piece band and play for about an hour, starting around 7 or 8pm. Sometimes we can provide an opening act as well. If you are enthusiastic about sharing our music, you have a space that can hold 10-50 people, and you can suggest a donation of $5-10 to attendees, please let me know by email: booking [at] thewallarecovery.com.
Thanks for reading this and for your support! I'd love to hear from you, so don't be a stranger!
BTW, if by some horrible mischance you've not downloaded our latest album, "With Trembling…" for free yet, please do so now: http://rcvr.me/free
Much love,
Zack and The Walla Recovery
Free Christmas Songs & Huge Holiday Sale
Posted 12.8.11 · by Zack
Merry Christmas!
I just finished recording 2 new Christmas songs for you. Number one is Carol of the Bells / The Holly and the Ivy, our first electronic instrumental ever. On the second one, Angels We Have Heard on High, I had some serendipitous help from founding Walla drummer Brandon (back in town for a few days), my wife Brittany, and our dog Wilson on percussion. These make up the 3rd volume of A Star, a Star, our Christmas collection. As a gift to you, all of it's 6 songs are available for free right now. Well, don't just sit there! At least take a listen and see if you like them...
Download A Star, a Star (Vols. 1-3) for free now at rcvr.me/xmas
Also, we are having a huge holiday sale. For a limited time you can get a With Trembling… CD (7 songs) for $3 and a high-quality Lion Shirt for $5, both 66%-off, shipped to your door in time for the big day! Definitely cheap enough for you to pick up one of each for yourself and a few for those special someones, too…
Buy $3 CDs and $5 shirts now at rcvr.me/xmas
Lastly, to all of you who've written kind words about our latest EP With Trembling… and/or shared it with your friends, THANK YOU! We've gotten a lot of timely encouragement, as I am currently writing on a brand new, mixed-media, full-length story-album and can't wait for you to hear it.
I hope you enjoy the new songs and have a joyful and safe holiday season. I am grateful for your involvement in this little community of wonder. I hope you'll reply to this email and let me know how you're doing. If you're on Twitter or Facebook or YouTube or Instagram or Vimeo or Flickr, please find the links below and connect with me.
Joy and peace, friend...
Zack - The Walla Recovery
"Love came down at Christmas: love all lovely, love divine. Love was born at Christmas. Stars and angels gave the sign." - Christina Rosetti
2010: A Review
Posted 1.23.11 · by Zack
Happy [Belated] New Year!
(We realize this is a long email... We hope you find it an enjoyable diversion. If you don't have a copy of She Said yet, please download it for FREE and listen while you read. Thanks for your time!)
We'd like to thank you for being a friend of The Walla Recovery. Some of you have been with us for a long time, even since the first day we launched iamalden.com and gave away mp3s of the original Beautiful You. Believe us, we don't take the fact that you're still here lightly. Many of you found us more recently, and we're just as grateful that you're a part of us.
2010 was a good year for many reasons, and we are excited about 2011. It promises new songs to sing, a new story to tell, a new mystery to pursue, and for sure, we'll want you to be right in the middle of it. We want your experiences and personality to affect us. Be on the lookout for an email, a video, or a post explaining specific opportunities to become integral to the narrative. If you're interested in jumping in right here at the start, hit reply and let us know.
We've got a load of thrilling news to share with you, but we can't tell you yet... at the moment, it would be a bit like opening Pandora's box and finding nothing inside. (Read 'October' below for further vagueness...) If you're on Twitter or Facebook, find us! We would love to connect with you and make sure you're the first to know what we're talking about.
And now... 2010: A Review
January - The new year found us still riding the tide of your overwhelming support to release our first EP, With Trembling... via a successful Kickstarter project at the end of '09. Again, thanks from the bottom of our hearts. We found out that one of our favorite things in the world is to find Lion shirts in random Facebook photos. We had fun recording the With Trembling... Digital Bonus Package at our home studio and released it for pre-orderers and the rest of the world, which contain: band session commentaries, ringtones, and the original handwritten lyrics (some were nearly a decade old) for each song on With Trembling..., not to mention three new acoustic tracks.
February - We live in separate locations around Texas: Arlington, Austin, College Station, Waco. It would require up to four hours to drive from one end of our spectrum to the other. Thanks to Redeemer in Waco, we were able to start practicing on a regular basis at a central location. We spent some extra time in the car, but it was worth it to have our Saturdays together and enjoy starting in on some new material.
March - Biweekly practices continued, and we began experimenting with electric guitar sounds. This was an opportunity highly anticipated by our cellist, Jonathan, who's always looking for a good pedal to stomp. We learned a lot from some business contacts and did a few interviews. We realized yet again how much we love playing music, and art in general. We vowed to throw ourselves into a new creative work and see what happens.
April - In celebration of three-fourths of our birthdays, over 300 of you downloaded our latest EP for free, and many of you told your friends online, creating a momentum that kept us among the topmost downloads on NoiseTrade.com for 10 days. We are still full of gratitude over your efforts and encouragement. We planned a few performances in various places around the state, and I played a birthday show in Dallas.
May + June - Jonathan got a new amp and used it to find a killer live sound for the cello. We played shows in Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and College Station. We played our first gig as a six-piece (adding mandolin and piano to the standard guitar+cello+bass+drums), and found amazing friends to fill-in on some instruments when the distance kept us apart.
July - We took some restful time off, and Brandon toured with his other band (The Captive - we highly recommend their new EP). Justin moved to a new city. Jonathan moved to a new job. We moved our blog to Tumblr.
August - For a short time, we gave away every song we've ever recorded (18 in all) online. Again, 300+ turned out to download and spread the word, resulting in more people hearing our songs than we could've shared with on our own. Thanks, you.
September - I was blessed to open for one of my very favorite singer-songwriters, Andy Gullahorn. I even geekily asked him to sign a poster for me (he obliged). We found lots of new smiling faces online at Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. We ran out of Lion stickers :(
October - Plans for a new full-length recording began, and it's working title "The Death Album" was established. After deciding on the particulars, we realized it was more ambitious than any project we've attempted. Cross your fingers with us, because if all goes according to plan, you'll be able to hear pre-release demos before the end of 2011, with a tentative release date in early 2012, and more surprises, downloads, and plot twists than you can probably handle will season the days between now and then. For now, the only thing I can say is that we're not restricting ourselves to audio this time. When the right moment comes, you'll do your best to tell everyone you know about it, and we'll do our best to make it worth your while... Do we have a deal?
November + December - We recorded and released A Star, a Star - Vol. 2 as a digital download, and more than 200 people grabbed it, giving us a place on the home page of NoiseTrade.com once more. Our very talented friend Hieyler Talle let us use one of her paintings for the album art. This was our second year to publish two free Christmas songs. We plan to keep up this pattern in coming years, and perhaps you'll see a compilation in print or a live Christmas show in the future. We think that would be really fun and cool.
And now, here we are, thank Goodness. For reading this far, we would like to reward you with the tying together of a theme, so it looks like we planned these words in advance. Many of you know why we do what we do, and why we'd like to do more of it: we want to encourage you. We've been through hard times and know what it's like when a friend is there, and when there's no one. We want to belong in a friendship with you. We want to listen and talk about all the difficulties of life and move forward together, toward a bigger expectation of joy. We want to watch as each of us becomes truly free. If you need some encouragement, don't be shy... contact us and say 'hello'! As a pal and fellow internet user recently pointed out to me:
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What!? You, too? Thought I was the only one.'" - C.S. Lewis
The best of friendship to you this year...
Zack (along with Brandon, Jonathan, and Justin)
Free Christmas Music & Shipping
Posted 12.20.10 · by Zack
We are happy to present to you the 2nd installment of our holiday collection, A Star, a Star - Vol. 2, available to you for FREE. Download your copy now! Please tell your friends on Twitter & Facebook. The more, the merrier!
Also, we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed TODAY at our online store. Our CDs and shirts are crafted with care on high-quality materials. If you're still looking for a last-minute gift to give, order today and we'll ship it ASAP.
We greatly appreciate your reading our messages, encouraging, and supporting us. We hope your 2010 has been as blessed as ours, and we hope your 2011 is even better.
Merry Christmas to you!
Zack
Disaster on The Daytripper TV
Posted 11.5.10 · by Zack
Check out "The Daytripper" on PBS in Texas this weekend and following to hear our song "Disaster" played during the closing montage of their episode on Wimberley, TX. Thanks to Chet Garner and The Daytripper staff for letting us be a part. Here's the schedule:
- + Dallas (KERA) - Sat. Nov 6th, 10:30am
- + San Antonio (KLRN) - Sun. Nov 7th, 1:30pm
- + Austin (KLRU) - Thu. Nov 11th, 8:30pm & Sat. Nov 13th, 10:00am
- + Amarillo (KACV) - Thu. Nov 11th, 8:30pm
- + Houston (KUHT) - Sat. Nov 27th, 3:30pm
Please tell your friends and let Chet the Daytripper (@chettripper) know what you think about The Walla Recovery. Hope you enjoy the show!
The Works (Free), New Bandcamp, etc.
Posted 9.14.10 · by Zack
The package includes 2 instrumentals that we've never let anyone listen to before. Please 1) download, 2) enjoy, and 3) help us out by doing one or both of the following:
- + Spread the word via Twitter & Facebook (use the appropriate button after entering your info)
- + Throw some cash in our tip jar (use the 'Finish' button after entering your info ;)
Your help, however little time it may require of you, will go a long way to grow our little Walla community. We're working on a very large and ambitious new album, and we want to be able to share it with as many people as possible. Thanks for your time and support!
And, as if that wasn't enough, we've dropped prices on all physical goods. That means you can bundle your chosen-price download with a CD or a t-shirt cheaper than ever before. Check it out!
Our new project in the works is requiring a ton of study and is full of mystery and darkness. It houses a conversation we need to you join in on and covers topics we need you to explore with us over the next year. This is the biggest single work we've ever attempted, and to us, it's completion is a matter of life and death.
Keep your eyes peeled for clues and invitations to jump in, and don't be shy, because we need your help! You are an integral part of the story. Stay tuned...
Get 'With Trembling...' for Free
Posted 4.20.10 · by Zack
UPDATE: The freedom is not over! Check out our 'FREE' page for a new 7-song sampler.
We have 3 birthdays in April (Jonathan, Zack, and Justin). We'd like to celebrate by giving you and your friends a copy of our latest EP, With Trembling... for free. That's 7 high-quality mp3s of our best work, a decade in the making. If you don't already have a copy, now is the best time to get it.
We'd absolutely be honored if you'd help us spread the word on Twitter/Facebook (use the handy buttons below), then write the album a killer review on iTunes for us. We've also got a few shows coming up, so come see us live.
And most of all, remember: you're loved.
Jesus, I My Cross have Taken
Posted 3.9.10 · by Zack
This post was written as a response to the question: "Thanks to your band, 'Jesus I My Cross Have Taken' is my favorite hymn. What is yours?" asked online in March, 2010.
That's a pretty difficult question... because you stole my answer :)
Actually, it does my heart good to know that song has had an impact on you. It's so full of grace.
Honestly, something hit me the first time I realized what I was singing during "How Firm a Foundation". That was a relatively recent occurrence. But "Be Thou My Vision" has always had a profound effect on me as well. Of newer, rewritten stuff, I really enjoy "O Love that Will Not Let Me Go" and "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand".
I'm not sure if there's a common thread there or not. Thanks for asking!
The Story/Meaning of The Walla Recovery
Posted 2.25.10 · by Zack
This post was written as a response to the question: "What made you choose 'The Walla Recovery' as your name? Is there a story/meaning behind it?" asked online in February, 2010.
This question should be answered in no less than 7000 words, but Ill cut it a bit shorter here. Yes, there is a story.
Superficially, I grew up on a street called Walla Ave. in Fort Worth, Texas. I spent most of my days there playing the part of Superman in all my backyard adventures, and trying to find ways to make people laugh and smile.
After matriculating, I realized that I had lost some sense of my true self over time. I found myself (and still do) wishing that life was just a simple pursuit of those things which make our hearts complete.
This music is our attempt to 1) regain that child-like-ness in the important ways and 2) encourage others to do the same, or at least 3) stir up some conversation about such topics.
For more info, please see the following resources, young and old:
- + An interview with The Brink magazine: http://bit.ly/c7Rtzx
- + An email discussion that probably should never have been published: http://iamalden.com/newname
BONUS TRIVIA: We used to be called Alden, but there was another band with that name already on iTunes, and we got tired of endlessly comparing ourselves to them.
New Songs & Bonus Digital Packages
Posted 1.25.10 · by Zack
We're excited to announce the long-awaited release of our With Trembling... Digital Bonus Package. Several of you pre-ordered this back in Fall 2009, but for those of you who didn't, they are available at our online store.
We have put a lot of work into this and for those of you who would like a more intimate look into who we are, we're sure you will enjoy adding it to your collection. It is packed with high-quality/-resolution digital extras, including:
+ 3 Brand New Tracks & Acoustic Versions: Spread Your Wings, Be Free, & Beautiful You
+ 7 Band Commentary Sessions for each song on With Trembling...
+ Original Handwritten Lyrics for each song on With Trembling...
+ Ringtones for each song on With Trembling... (iPhone & mp3 format)
+ Additional cover art from the inner packaging of With Trembling...
Check out excerpts from the new acoustic tracks and band commentaries on our audio player and be one of the first to own them. Pick up your copy here.
PS: The awesome people over at The Brink were kind enough to interview Zack recently. Check out the article at thebrinkonline.com and leave a comment for us!
We've got more plans in store, so keep your eyes peeled, and let us know where you are so we can play a show in your town! Thanks for reading...
Free/Merry Christmas Download
Posted 12.17.09 · by Zack
We've got a Christmas present for you! We hope you don't mind the kind of gift that is made by hand. Click here to download A Star, a Star - Vol. 1 for free, which includes 2 new songs: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Come Ye Redeemed.
Let us know what you think! We hope your Christmas season is a special one. Joyfully yours...
Zack, Brandon, Jonathan, & Justin
New EP 'With Trembling...' Released!
Posted 11.1.09 · by Zack
It's finally here. After 3 years of hard work, 'With Trembling...' is released. Check the audio player to your immediate right to hear clips from some of the new songs, or see our Virb profile for a full listen. Come out to a live show and hear it played in person. Pick up your copy at our brand new online store.
Our deepest gratitude goes to all of you who pre-ordered the music and donated extra cash leading up to our Kickstarter project's successful completion. You've enabled us to have physical CDs and t-shirts printed, and to play shows in a few areas we wouldn't otherwise reach for some time.
Specifically, we'd like to thank the following by name (in no particular order), who gave far more than their fair share to help make sure our fundraiser was a success:
Theodore Kern, Jon & Amy Hadaway, Sherrye Craig, Nancy Brown, Katy Page, Bill Easterling, Rodney & Pam Dowd, Daniel Robinson, Ben Reavis, Carol Adams, Chrisann Goad, MaryAnn Morgan-Cox, Ruth Ann Francis, Nancy Pfeil, Mark Reynolds, Dan Kaylor, David Luningham, Charles Smith, Caleb Smith, Stan & Jackie SmithWe'd also like to thank Jacob Tilton, Steve Fults, Darwin & Kaye Jordan, and everyone else at Fort Worth Presbyterian who provided us an amazing CD release show this past Friday evening, and have inspired us beyond words to keep making music.
None of this would have happened without the help of our pre-orderers and those kind folks mentioned above. We don't deserve your friendship.
We hope you enjoy the new songs and would love to hear what you think about them, so email us: band [at] thewallarecovery.com. Blessings, friends...
Pre-Order 'With Trembling...' until Oct. 7
Posted 8.27.09 · by Zack
UPDATE 09.25.09:
Check our Kickstarter Updates for more sound clips from the new songs...
UPDATE 09.02.09:
Because we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves, and because we intend to see lives changed for the better, we will be giving a portion of all CD and t-shirt sales to two organizations working for good in the world: She Dances and Living Hope. We sincerely thank you for considering giving to our collective cause...
We're officially announcing our new project today, a 7-song EPentitled 'With Trembling...'which will release before the end of October. We're almost finishedup, and we need your help raising money to have CDs printed andtravel to nearby towns to play a few shows.
So, starting today, we're offering you the ability to pre-orderthe EP and obtain some other first-edition goods viaKickstarter.com. Please take a minute to visit withtrembling.com and watch thevideo we've posted. You're the first to hear about this! We'recounting on you to spread the word so others can listen, too.
We have 40 days to receive pledges totaling $4000. Chip in any amount and you'llreceive a thank-you gift accordingly, including: a digital downloadof the EP before anyone else, a printed copy of the CD, a t-shirt,exclusive acoustic tracks, band sessions with song stories,ringtones, handwritten lyrics, a video conference to give us youropinion on an unreleased song, and even a concert in your very ownliving room or church.
We're really excited about the chance we have to let you andeveryone else hear what we've been working on over the past year.Please let us know if you have any questions, and make yourpre-order today at withtrembling.com.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T CARE TO HAVE AN AMAZON ACCOUNT:
Clickthe 'Donate' button to use your credit card via PayPal.com (aPayPal account is not required). We'll see that your pledge getsdocumented and that you receive your reward of choice. Thanks!
Thanks and blessings to you, dear friend...
Unreleased Song! Download Issues?
Posted 7.7.09 · by Zack
Just wanted you to know that our most recent giveaway is anever-before-released cover of one of our favorite hymns. Get your copy now.
Speaking of downloads, if you've gotten some cryptic errormessage recently when trying to get our free songs, please let usknow right now, and we'll see that you have your mp3s: band [at] thewallarecovery.com.
Recording is progressing, and hopefully we'll be playing someshows around the great state of Texas sometime this fall. If you'reinterested in us playing a house show for you, let us know:booking [at] thewallarecovery.com.
Thanks for reading! Blessings one and all...
Welcome to the New Site!
Posted 4.7.09 · by Zack
Our brand new website is finally up and running. There are a lotof new things to see here, including some music you can get for FREE, if you're willing to give us your contactinfo and invite 3 of your friends to do the same. We'll be givingaway a different song every month for the next little while,starting with Beautiful You. So keep coming back, checkingin, and helping us spread the word, and we'll make sure you getthem.
There are [almost] a thousand ways to connect with us on your favorite social network. Our latest photos on Flickr and videos on YouTube will always show up right here on this page. We hopeyou'll stay in touch with us in whatever ways you can.
We have lots more exciting stuff - including a project we'rerecording right now - to tell you about in the near future, so keepyourself posted by following our new Twitter feed, or by adding yourself as a fan on our Facebook page. And come back here again soon, aswe'll be updating all of the above pretty regularly. Thanks forstopping by! Don't forget to pick up this month's free song before you go!
