Out of Sacramento, CA, the 5-piece Alt. Reggae-Rock group, Riotmaker is set to introduce us to their style of music known as CaliRock with the release of Welcome to CaliRock. Their new album is a 9 track album set to drop on February 20th. We’re giving away track 4 off the new album with the song “The Busted Crown”. Download the song & read more about the song, album & group, here…
You can download Riotmaker’s new track “The Busted Crown”, for FREE on our home page under the MP3 Leak of the Week on the right hand column! This Download will only be available until Saturday February 14th, 2015.
Riotmaker – “The Busted Crown”
“The Busted Crown” Background:
From 1997-2005, Sacramento, CA boasted a band by the name of Shakedown. The group played Reggae, Rock, Jazz, Hip Hop and sold out most local venues with fans fully singing the groups top songs in unison at any given show. After the group broke up in 2005, lead-vocalist & guitarist Jeffry Valerio eventually found his new band, Riotmaker who are boasting the upcoming release of their new album Welcome to CaliRock. The bulk of this album was inspired and emotionally driven by Jeffrey’s departure from Shakedown, and this week’s FREE song, “The Busted Crown” is no exception.
When I spoke with Jeffry, he told me that: “I actually started writing the music to ‘The Busted Crown’ years ago in 2003. Shakedown was performing with LB Shortbus in San Francisco, CA. I was back-stage in the dressing room drinking Jack Daniels and jammin’ with Eric Wilson (Sublime/LB Shortbus). I was rockin’ acoustic guitar and Eric was on acoustic bass. I never did anything with the song until 2010 when I finished it. It is about losing something you love. In this song, it is about me losing Shakedown which was the hardest thing I’ve been through. I still get emotional when we perform it live. The lyric ‘Oh My Life is Open, Broken and Ruined’ was from a song I wrote while in Shakedown.”
For those that have downloaded the song and curious to see them live, “The Busted Crown” is the song that opens up their set. The album, Welcome to CaliRock was tracked at Pus Cavern in Sacramento by Joe Johnston (Cake). He produced songs “Fashion Nugget” and “Prolonging the Magic”. The album also includes two guest appearances with Hennessy, a rapper from Sacramento who is featured on track #5 “Everything is out”. Then Melissa McGregor from Once an Empire sings back ups on Track #8 with “Ritalin Kid”
Look out for the new album on all digital media outlets on Friday, February 20th, 2015
Riotmaker Background:
As previously mentioned, Jeffry Valerio departed from Shakedown in 2005, taking a break from the music scene to raise his daughter, until 2009, when he began work on a new solo project he called Riotmaker. After years without so much as writing a song or picking up a guitar, Jeffry was inspired to start writing and recording music again by his then roommate, Riotmaker lead guitarist Mat Venable. Together, they wrote and developed Riotmaker’s debut album, The Sun Has Set on California.
Since then, the line up for the group has evolved into the 5-piece it is today as they gear up for the release of their second full-length album, Welcome to Cali-Rock. The album leans more on Rock, than Reggae, but there are some enjoyable reggae inspired jams. The album is more Alt. Rock with a heavy distortion sound around poppy soulful hooks. Jeffry’s voice is what really sticks out on this album, especially when the distortion is turned down to allow your ears to fully absorb his soulful range.
In less than the 2 years that Riotmaker has been giggin, this 5-piece Reggae Alt. Rock band from Sacramento has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many outstanding acts like Rome Ramirez from Sublime with Rome, Authority Zero, The Slackers, Yellowman, Easy Star All-Stars, Arden Park Roots, The Supervillains, Street Urchinz, Skunk Dub and many more.
Related Links:
Riotmaker Facebook
Riotmaker Twitter
Huge thanks again to Riotmaker for allowing us to share new song “The Busted Crown” to post up for FREE download. Free music is a privilege that we’re grateful for and we appreciate the work these artists do! Please feel free to download this song for FREE and spread the awareness to your friends!
Enjoy the FREE track on the homepage!
Article By: Mike Patti