Wednesday 19 Jun
 
 

Kanye West — Yeezus

Try as you might, but there’s no escaping Kanye West. Turn on the TV, radio, computer — hell, take a stroll downtown and you might see his mug projected on the side of a building. It’s an undeniable fact of life in 2013: Kanye West is bigger than Buddha, Krishna and The Beatles (today, anyway) and he’ll be the first to let you know about it.
06/18/2013 | Comments 0

John Moreland — In the Throes

With the soul of a poet and the look of a Sons of Anarchy extra, Tulsa’s John Moreland has been gifted the sort of gravely, booming voice that does Bruce Springsteen proud and a similar understanding of the universal human experience. It’s made for some fantastic records — both as a solo artist and with his dissolved Black Gold Band — and In the Throes is his best yet.
06/19/2013 | Comments 0

Jumpship Astronaut — Lights Burn Out

Oklahoma has never been the haven for electronic rock music that it is for country, folk and, as of late, psychedelic pop, but from the sound of Lights Burn Out, Oklahoma City upstart Jumpship Astronaut seems intent on changing that.
06/12/2013 | Comments 0

Various artists — Reaching Out

Like so many Oklahomans, the local music scene has responded with generosity and grace in the wake of last month’s tragedy in Moore. In the weeks since, droves of local musicians have banded together for benefit concerts and radio marathons to raise funds for the relief effort, and with extraordinary results.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0

Progress in Color — Get Well

It’s been a long, bumpy ride for Glenpool’s Progress in Color, which saw a record deal with Epic evaporate before even one record could come of it, but it’s led the outfit to where it was supposed to be.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0
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Music

Sweet charity


The Guilt Racket may have a short history, but the city-based band has a big heart.

Joshua Boydston September 28th, 2011  

the guilt racket with Good Morning Grizzly
9 p.m. Saturday
VZD's Restaurant & Club
4200 N. Western
vzds.com
524-4203
$5

It took but one quick trip home for the guilt racket front man Bobby Reed to realize he wasn’t living right.

“My dad, he always did a lot of charity work, the entire time I was growing up and even still. I went home for Christmas about a year ago, and he asked what community service work I was doing, and I said, ‘None.’ He was like, ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’” Reed said. “I thought about it, and realized that with music, I could support the community a little bit.” 

The Oklahoma City-based rock outfit has made an aggressive push for charity ever since that holiday season, arranging big benefit shows with other local bands, winning new fans and raising thousands in the process. It’s more than Reed ever imagined would happen when he formed the group with vocalist/keyboardist Ethan Larsh and bassist Travis Brazeal. the guilt racket plays its first-anniversary show this Saturday at VZD’s.

“The only thing I thought we could manage in a year was an album and a steady fan base in Oklahoma City,” Reed said. “We’re seeing so much more than that.”

Call it good karma, but the charity work must be scoring points with the big guy upstairs, as the act already haswon the advice of a veteran A&R exec and recently played a California music festival with the likes of Panic! At the Disco and The Bravery.

I realized that with music, I could support the community a little bit.
—Bobby Reed

the racket takes a purposefully scattered approach to crafting its music, recalling anything from Modest Mouse to Built to Spill to The Band.

“It’s an eclectic spirit. We have a desire to not be one thing. We want to be all things,” Reed said. “There’s a multiplicity that we all want that let us know we could invest in each other.”

More so is an admiration for their forthcoming debut EP.

“Everything is polished to an almost meticulously annoying level,” Reed said with a laugh.

the guilt racket hopes its second year will bring another release, preferably a full-length album. In the meantime, plans for music videos are being made, as well as the continued charitable support of the March of Dimes and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with annual benefit concerts. Hopefully, that good karma keeps on coming.

“We want to make this work,” Reed said. “We want to spread our music, create art and not have to move on to those perilous adult things.”

 
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