Fifth Nation

Letitbeknown,
this hip hop turn has got me tangled,
left out to dry and dangle,
hung from the sun upside down,
with a corrected frown,
seeing the world from a new angle,
how can i measure,
this taste,
this breathe of fresh air,
this pleasure?
left here to tether...
you are the unknown,
i fear you,
just let me hear you,
i know, i know, its whatever,
silly im scared for the almighty cut and sever,
as long as your soul is filling my cup,
I'll toast to the ones with the most,
and tip glasses
with the empty mugs of the masses,
just to know i don't have to belong
to either one of the new world caste classes,
your words allude them,
confuse them,
and those who cant know,
wont know
and will fear you'll use them,
until you make it clear
and prove them
that their ignorance is not only lacking
but backtracking,
your the teacher,
the professor of the propagation of peace,
music is bump humping the beat of your war drum
and I'll paint them a picture of what to see,
its the future,
its upon us,
its strong but fragile
we must be swift
before the ignorant but quick
are slick
to wrong us.

-j - Feelgood Enterprises

SKOPE Entertainment --> Review by Jimmy Rae

Fifth Nation is named after a Native American tribe and the band consists of Julia Richardson as singer/songwriter/guitarist & Music Read on drums. This duo is bringing a style all of their own here that is full of life. The two members are blending together so many different musical styles such as: jazz, blues, rock, soul, alternative and even hip-hop. The music on Flight is soulfully jazzy rock with a twist. The music is emotionally stirring while also being calm, cool and collect.

I picked up on Richardson’s impressive vocal performance right away as I listened to the record. Julia had a very powerful presence due to her voice that personally blew me away. Her vocals were definitely in charge as she electrified the listening audience. She also sang with much heart & conviction as I picked up on a sultry/sensual/seductive/spiritual side to Julia Richardson. This singer/songwriter could sing to a mood by really tapping into a particular emotion. She also added some extremely solid & crisp guitar playing along the way. Just as the talented Alicia Keys adds her catchy & memorable “New York” line on Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind”, Julia R. is doing the same thing here. The element of voice & singing alone really plays a crucial part on Flight as Richardson takes the songs to another level vocally. This Julia Richardson is some artist and one to watch out for! Now, I can’t forget about Music Read who supplied the fresh beats for the entire project. Particularly on the title track, “Flight”, Read really seemed to shine at his drum set with a very flavorful, hip-hop beat. He really added a rock-solid flow to go along with Julia’s superb singing ability. And with a first name like Music, how can you really go wrong! These two compassionate members have joined forces here to create one powerful & distinct sound. What you have here is one non-stop flight straight to the top!

One of the central, overlying themes throughout the album is love. You get a very peaceful feeling along with a covering of warmth as you listen to Flight. These two musicians really play up the feelings card as they bring an overwhelming sense of well-being to the stands. Pure life energy is what Fifth Nation brings you without all that extra filling. This tag team makes it a point to be true to themselves as artistic human beings and also to be real to their fans/listeners. What you get in the end is sheer honesty with an overlap of devotion that is all put together beautifully by Julia and Music. For more on Fifth Nation and their new release, Flight, SKOPE out www.myspace.com/fifthnationmusic. - SKOPE Magazine

This could be the beginning of a beautiful musical partnership! Singer/guitarist KING JULIA abandoned her pursuit of a degree in Biology and shifted her priorities toward songwriting – a practice she had put on hold due to practicality. The British-born MUSIC READ’s feel for percussion was first felt when he heard MICHAEL JACKSON. After traveling the world and the seven seas as a military brat, READ settled in Austin, Texas – a town famed for its embrace of all kinds of music. At almost the same time, the California-based JULIA felt a pull from the Eastern direction. The City of Austin not only proved to be the ideal nesting ground for their musical ambitions. It also proved to be the ideal backdrop for the burgeoning romance between MUSIC and JULIA. As FIFTH NATION, the sparks – both musical and romantic - are captured on their debut CD FLIGHT – a wicked brew combining JULIA’s stormy delivery and earth conscious observances with MUSIC’s exhilarating percussion. “It was exciting to work with someone who is so talented.” says KING JULIA of working with MUSIC READ “It put the music on a whole other level and made it grow. The songwriting process between us is very organic and exciting and it continues to evolve.” - RockWired with Brian Lush

“Thanks for the Gametes” is a vocal-heavy track, with instruments entering into the equation during all the right places; while little more is present here than a guitar and light percussion, the resulting track is substantive and compelling. The band gives the instrumental side of things a little more time in the sun with “Far As Sky Can Tell”, a track that is one great example of the band’s dynamic nature. Where the different elements in the track (vocals, drums, guitars) may seem to be working at cross-purposes at first blush, Fifth Nation is able to create something beautiful out of a noisy din that threatens to engulf the CD.

The band’s composition goes in and out of focus in a way that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, while not seeming disjointed in the slightest. “Could You Ever” has a very slinky, breathy sound to it that gives Fifth Nation a very distinct sound. The multi-layered approach that the band takes during this track takes on eighties gothic, jazz, and even seventies rock genres. The vocals are hauntingly brilliant, working both as a narrative and harmony-bearing instrument here. “Future” represents an oddity in music in that it is a late-album effort that challenges even the opening salvos in terms of overall quality and scope.
Where the vocals have typically resided in a dominant position, the tight instrumentation here operates as an equal on “Future”.

This leads to a hard-hitting and intense little track that will stick with listeners well after the song (and the rest of the album) wraps up. Fifth Nation has done everything that they could conceivably have wanted to do on “Flight”; they have established a bold, unique sound, they have linked it to previous masters in music, and they have continued to impress throughout the entirety of this album. If you would like to hear a new take on music, go and hear what exactly Fifth Nation is trying to do; I think you will appreciate “Flight” as much as I did.

Top Tracks: Thanks for the Gametes, Fate Is Nothing - James McQuiston -- NeuFutur Magazine

But There's Also Mental Health...

...and the health of the soul. So allow me to suggest that you all treat yourself to the healing powers of music and check out my beautiful and talented daughter's new CD, Flight. She's really a great musician and songwriter, and you don't just have to take my parental-love-besotted word for it: Praising her "smoky alto" and "delicate finger-picking," rock critic Bill Ruhlmann called her "a promising talent" in the All Music Guide online encyclopedia. And don't just listen to the free track, damnit — buy the CD. It will cut your need to rush down to Mexico for emergency stress reduction by at least 50 percent, I promise.



Read more: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/richardson-report/mexico-health-care-system-092209#ixzz0V4vKI2H5 - Esquire Magazine, John H. Richardson

Fifth Nation
by Zombaby

Hiawatha, through his charisma, persuaded the feuding tribes of Iroquois to accept the Great Peacemaker’s vision and band together. Once they ceased most of their infighting, they rapidly became one of the strongest forces in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century northeastern ..North America... Through working together, they prospered. Through peace, they found power.....these were the Five Nations.
Guided by this philosophy is the band, Fifth Nation, who with their mellow, R&B-infused jazzy soul, are driven to reach the people with a positive message of consciousness.
The way this duo, Julia and Music, found each other can best be described as organic, maybe even cosmic in nature. Simply, Julia felt a mysterious calling to leave ..California.. for ....Austin..... In March of this year, she performed at a house party open-mic set, and Music – born in ....England...., joined in on drums. The chemistry was instant, and it wasn’t until after the first song was over that they introduced themselves to each other. They then knew why they were here.
Through the support of friends, family, and this musical womb we call ‘....Austin....,’ these two perform and create music that they strongly believe in. Aside from the assistance of
PR and press campaign people, Julia and Music handle much of their daily business functions themselves – even riding their bikes to the post office in order to ship CDs to online customers.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with this star-crossed couple at a local coffee joint.
Artstrada Magazine: What kind of audience does your music appeal to?
Music: People who just love music, and are open-minded...although we’re not what you would call a ‘party’ band.
Julia: Basically people who are completely tuned-in.
AM: I noticed a bit of an environmental theme, what are your songs generally about?
J: Appreciating nature. Our songs are mostly questions of love, life, and our existence. Much of this comes from my past studies in biology and evolutionary science.
AM: What are your primary musical influences?
M: Jungle, drum-n-bass, people like Mos Def and Erykha Badu. Even a bit of punk rock and metal.
J: Old jazz and soul classics, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Lauren Hill, Stevie Wonder. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Radiohead.
AM: Do you have any non-musical influences?
M: Nature, information, homelessness, traveling.
J: Adventures, living in the moment. Life.
AM: Are any of your songs political in nature?
J: The song ‘Succulent Succotash,’ although it is instrumental – is a journey through the emotions. It was written the day before Obama was elected president, and the vibe is one of confidence and anticipation.
AM: Are you looking for a major or independent label?
M: We’re mostly trying to just license our music at this point.
J: We’re not actively pursuing a label, but we are willing to listen to offers.
AM: What is your outlook on the music industry today?
M: It’s failing, it’s in shambles. I see one day, that the musicians themselves will be taking it over. Hopefully.
AM: What is your outlook on live music in ....Austin....?
M: It’s a good training ground for up-and-coming musicians. Downtown is like a giant garage! There are so many people and resources available.
J: In a way, it’s a bit saturated with music, which makes Austinites picky – but this challenge makes for a good musician in the long-run, although it’s easy to be exploited as well.
AM: What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands?
J: Staying together long enough to make it happen. Staying positive.
M: Staying sober – it helps.
AM: Is there any advice that you live by as musicians?
M: Don’t give-in to pressures. Do your research. Keep up with the industry – as it’s always changing.
J: Be strategic – not opportunistic. Play your heart out, no matter the size of the
audience.
AM: What would you like to be doing in the next few years?
M: We’d like to do both national and overseas tours. Release a few albums – spread our music far and wide.
J: Expand consciousness, touch people. We want to positively influence the way people effect each other.
Check out Fifth Nation at www.fifthnationmusic.com/


http://www.myspace.com/fifthnationmusic - Artstrada Magazine