I was gonna leak this a long time ago but I forgot. Anyways Copeland is now officially the second most emo band on Tooth & Nail right behind Surrogate:

Lakeland, FL- August 21, 2008- Two years after the release of the intricate sonic landscape known as Eat, Sleep, Repeat, Copeland is back following that road further on their most distinguished effort yet You Are My Sunshine. You’re going to want headphones for this one: You Are My Sunshine is a rich playground of sound unfolding into layers of angelic tenor, driving guitars, experimental backdrops and rousing lyrics (some of which can be found in an elaborate maze the band has recently confused web goers with). The production team of Aaron Sprinkle (Eisley, Anberlin, Pedro the Lion), Copeland vocalist Aaron Marsh, and mixer Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer, My Morning Jacket) teamed up with Tooth and Nail and the result is a brilliant 11-song collection.

With songs like the guitar-driven “What Do I Know” and the ethereal tinges of “Good Morning Fire Eater,” You Are My Sunshine bursts with that bright hook Copeland has been longing for since they set out to make music eight years ago. The gossamer epic beauty of “No So Tough Found Out,” one of the many standouts featuring the dramatic vocal delivery of Wisconsin-bred songstress Rae Cassidy Klagstad, nicely culminates Copeland’s desire in keeping the message of the album an individual matter.

The decision to collaborate with Tooth and Nail certainly allowed for Copeland’s creativity and passion to emanate from this album. “Tooth and Nail have been fans of our music from the very beginning, even before our first full length album,” says Bryan Laurenson. “Throughout the years, we have made many friends who work at the label. We talked with several labels after becoming free agents, and in the end Tooth and Nail was the obvious choice for us. They are passionate about our band, and they are some of the hardest working people in the industry.”
Originally formed in 2000, Copeland released their label debut Beneath Medicine Tree via The Militia Group in 2003, and In Motion in 2005. In 2006, the band signed with Columbia Records to release Eat, Sleep, Repeat and followed up with the independent release Dressed Up & In Line, a 2007 album of B-sides and rarities. You Are My Sunshine will be released on October 14th, 2008 via Tooth and Nail.

[The following words and photos have been submitted by Synthesis contributer Karen Dunbar, who recently attended the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.]

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Manchester, TN
Thursday, June 12th – Sunday, June 15th

Bonnaroo isn’t just a music festival—it’s a mindset. This was the seventh year the tiny town of Manchester, Tennessee—a small, rural town 65 miles outside Nashville with a population of 9,500—was converged upon by 70,000 people. Arriving is a bit surreal; almost magically and suddenly the event explodes in front of you as you’re still driving through corn fields and family farms. The four days of Bonnaroo seem to meld together into an even more surreal, yet shared experience.
The event organizers seem to have thought of almost everything. Shuttles run from the airport on an almost continual basis as plane after plane empties music fans from all over the country. If you weren’t up to sitting in the hot sun watching one of the 158 bands, you could have your hair done, get a massage, go online or eat from a huge variety of choices, after you of course visited one of the many ATMs conveniently located throughout the festival. In the evening, the Silent Disco is better than many drugs: the aptly-named Ferris wheel offers a view of the entire site, and if timed properly offers the best views and sounds from either of two nearby stages. Speaking of drugs…Tennessee is an odd state. Possession of anything is still illegal, but if busted (and you don’t have a State sold tax sticker) you face tax evasion charges on top of the possession charge. Bonnaroo upholds all State laws. The price of this stamp is $3.50 per gram of pot and $50. per gram of cocaine. Bought anonymously, of course.

Almost every music genre was represented. You could watch Willie Nelson and then catch Metallica…on the same day. Dweezil Zappa performing his dad’s songs, Vampire Weekend, My Morning Jacket…the list went on forever. Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Jack Johnson, the Raconteurs, The Coup, BB King followed by Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam ripped Kanye West a new one, and then watched as Kanye ripped himself one. (Kanye had a bit of a prima donna thing going; Eddie Vedder had a bit of an anti-Kanye thing going. Vedder’s fuck you to Kanye included beginning to promote Kanye’s performance and stopping mid-sentence, saying, “I just can’t do it,” then continuing to play for an additional 50 minutes and asking the crew for a slow load-out. Kanye’s stage needed three hours for production; he didn’t go on until 4:30 AM and only played an hour without a word of apology or explanation. Let’s just say the chant of “Kanye sucks” was a unifying theme through the remainder of the event, shouted at several sets during the rest of the weekend.

More after the jump (more…)

Nestled in the cozy mountain valley of Quincy, CA, the High Sierra Music Festival has served as the pinnacle of Northern California summer music events. The typically “earthy” vibe that made the festival such a hit with jam band aficionados and world music enthusiasts has branched out as of the last few years to include fringe jam groups like My Morning Jacket, Drive-By Truckers and The Mother Hips, all the while mixed in with a healthy brood of other intriguing misfits of rock.

This year’s lineup goes a step further in the indie rock credential lunge by including Built To Spill on the lineup, a booking that should boost attendance to a newer, less B.O.-tinged realm.

I’m looking forward to seeing how many diehard High Sierra junkies actually give the band a listen, seeing as how both My Morning Jacket, Son Volt and Drive-By Truckers were all largely ignored while groups like Leftover Salmon held captive a legion of devotees. And I can’t WAIT to see how Buckethead goes over…

At least this guy will be there…

Lineup thus far:

BOB WEIR & RATDOG, GOV’T MULE, MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD, BUILT TO SPILL,
MIKE GORDON, RAILROAD EARTH, CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO, IVAN NEVILLE’s DUMPSTAPHUNK,
ROBBEN FORD, ABIGAIL WASHBURN & THE SPARROW QUARTET FEAT. BELA FLECK, JAMES HUNTER,
NEW MONSOON, THE SLIP, SURPRISE ME MR. DAVIS, BASSNECTAR,
THE MOTHER HIPS, EMMITT-NERSHI BAND, CRITTERS BUGGIN,
THE LEE BOYS, TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, SPAM ALLSTARS,
GROOVESECT WITH FRED WESLEY, MARCHFOURTH MARCHING BAND,
BUCKETHEAD,AKRON/FAMILY, SCOTT AMENDOLA BAND,
BLVD AND MC SOULEYE, ROTARY DOWNS,
THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND, AND MANY MORE!

4 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS, 5 STAGES, LATE NIGHT SHOWS
KIDZONE, YOGA, PILATES, GREAT FOOD,
MICROBREWS, CRAFT FAIR, DAILY PARADES,
INTIMATE PLAYSHOPS, FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
PLUMAS-SIERRA FAIRGROUNDS, QUINCY, CA
TICKETS NOW ON SALE, HIGHSIERRAMUSIC.COM