The world’s premier psychedelic soul band, Monophonics, cordially invites you to attend the grand re-opening of the once thriving, once vibrant establishment, the legendary Sage Motel. A place where folks experience the highs and lows of human existence. A place where big dreams and broken hearts live, where people arrive without ever knowing how they got there. It’s where individuals find themselves at a crossroads in life. What started as a quaint motor lodge and a common pitstop for travelers and truckers in the 1940s morphed into a bohemian’s hang by the 1960s and 1970s. Artists, musicians, and vagabonds of all types would stop there as seedy ownership pumped obnoxious amounts of money into high end renovations, eventually attracting some of the most prominent acts of the era. But when the money ran out, The Sage Motel devolved into a place where you rent by the hour. Sage Motel, Monophonics’ fifth studio album since 2012, tells its story. Once again produced by brilliant bandleader Kelly Finnigan, the album captures a timeless sound that blends heavy soul with psych-rock. With their previous album, It’s Only Us, selling over 10,000 physical units and garnering over 20 million streams, Monophonics have built a reputation over the past decade as one of the most impactful bands in the country. If these walls of the Sage Motel could talk, this is what they’d say. So join us as we examine where the stories are told and experiences unfold…..and sink into a soft pillow of soulful psychedelia…..down at the Sage Motel. Warpaint, the leading single from Sage Motel, reveals the vices of each resident and confronts the struggles of substance abuse and addiction. Their warpaint becomes compulsory to face the day, tolerate the struggle, get through the hardest parts of the world, humanity, life and to fight the good fight. Cloaked in heavy riffs and robust vocals, Warpaint gives you the first look through the doors of the Sage Motel. 

Lemon City Trio formed as a soul jazz organ trio, and has since evolved into a band with its own sound and unique repertoire. The band hails from Miami, Fl and has made a name for itself throughout the state, and up the east coast. Ranging from edgy fusion grooves, to dreamy space Rock, and everything in between, LCT takes its audience on a journey from start to finish.

With her fourth full-length album of original material, idiosyncratic singer/songwriter Kendra Morris invites you to join her in the DIY kaleidoscope world of Next. Morris’s latest record for Karma Chief strips away the veneers of layered production and slick sounds to create an album that may be Kendra at her most authentic, one in which the creative process is vibrant, beautiful, and messy, buoyed by heart and the imperfectly perfect now. A concept album in reverse, Next ties Kendra’s cast of characters (including her band: guitarist Supremo “Premo” Massiv, bassist Monti Miramonti, and drummer Chauncey Yearwood) to a vintage board game in the spirit of Milton Bradley’s finest retro dice-rolling moments. Travel along Next’s block-to-block journey, and this universe reveals itself as a mosaic of corals, creams, and pale lilac tiles. You can hear the sonic palette resonate with Morris’s influences and inspirations. Decades of New York sounds and voices bend and blend at the seams of these tracks—a world where the Brill Building and Warhol’s Factory thrive on the same block while Blondie and the Frightnrs explore rocksteady sounds. Doo-wop and boom-bap soundtrack a UHF network’s worth of cut-and-paste stylings, all the while paced by Morris, an artist equally at home behind the lens as she is in front of a microphone.   Next is an album of firsts. The album’s extended gestation provided Morris with an opportunity to explore her ideas and demos. “I’ve been living in this record for over a year,” says Morris. “I’ve always been a writer, and [Next] was a chance to write a record from scratch on my own.” The New York (by way of Loveland, Ohio) production is co-helmed by Kendra Morris and Leroi Conroy. Its production trades the steel and chrome sleekness for a more personal and scaled-down sound, exposing the songcraft. While earlier albums were awash in IMAX-level cinematic sweep, Next explores Kendra’s perspective with a handheld 8mm kinetic energy, all the while showcasing the dynamic, soulful range of her powerhouse voice  — equal parts Roberta Flack, Betty Wright, and Minnie Riperton. With recording done at Portage Studios in Loveland and additional vocals recorded at Kendra’s Brooklyn apartment, the symmetry is as poignant as it is reflected in the home cooking vibe throughout. “I wrote and recorded my demos right here at this desk with my guitar, drum loops, and my Casio keyboard,” Morris reflects. “To then have Leroi come here, stay a few doors down, and record the vocals felt right and right now…and I’m also playing guitar [on Next] which I’m excited about, too.” Much like the best board games, you may end your journey where you began it, but the path you take along the way is where moments are made. “If I Called You” evolved from a slow take featuring just Kendra and guitar, but at Portage, the demo was transformed into a track that could easily find its way onto Prince’s self-titled record. Parlor Greens guitarist Jimmy James adds a guitar solo that channels some Paisley Park magic.  Additional guests on the album include Ray Jacildo of Jr. Thomas and the Volcanos, lending his organ and piano to lo-fi reggae banger “Flat Tire.” It’s a track that traces the throughline from Kingstown to Bushwick and back again all with Morris’ signature AM radio-ready vocals. That live band energy reverberates on tracks like “Bill.” A staple of recent tours, the song’s eponymous character is a playful personification. “I love it when other people realize, ‘Oh, I have that same Bill that shows up at my door,’” laughs Morris.  “Dear Buddy,” an open letter to Morris’ daughter, serves as Next’s emotional core. Not since the moving tribute to her brother (the 2017 single “Ride On”) has Kendra’s poetry and heart resonated with a tenderness and spiderweb fragile strength.  Kendra Morris and Karma Chief Records invite you to play along with Next, a sonic journey where the roll of the dice means excitement and adventure. Explore the world, tile by tile, meet new friends like Jerry & Roger, help the gang with a “Flat Tire,” or read a letter to “Dear Buddy.” Maybe you can avoid crossing paths with “Bill.” It’s Next, complete with 10 tracks and hours of fun for the whole family. Some assembly required. Turntable, CD player, or streaming service sold separately.