Projects We Helped Complete

Renew the Arts partnered with The Breath & The Clay for a songwriter sponsorship contest open to ticketholders for their 2020 conference. The package included in-depth artistic critique, full production at Clubmen Studios, and a music video produced by Isaac Deitz (director for Lecrae, Propaganda, Family Force 5, and more). Though the conference was postponed and the collaboration was conducted from a distance due to COVID-19, Carly Taich’s colorful and cheery chamber pop single “Pollyanna” inspired everyone involved in the project.

Renew the Arts helped Carly Taich realize her vision for this single and video free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• mixing the record at Clubmen Studios
• creating album art in-house
• commissioning and paying for music video production
• providing publicity materials and strategies 
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $8,700

The Man I Thought I’d Never Be is Anthony Quails’ second partnership with Renew the Arts. After exploring his ideas through myths and fables on his sophomore record, Before the Bright Lights, Quails turned inward. He took a break from performing to focus on his family and his role as a father. In his return to songwriting, Quails pivoted to autobiography, chronicling five moments from this three-year period that have shaped him as a person and an artist.

Renew the Arts helped Anthony Quails realize his vision for this EP free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• mixing the record at Clubmen Studios
• creating album art in-house
• providing publicity materials and strategies 
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $3,600

Drawing influence from Americana and the 60s/70s protest folk tradition, Jesse Jack Murray’s direct lyricism and evocative story-telling lays bare the pain and beauty of human experience, as it is and as it could be. Having written music since his teens and co-founding the folk-rock band Brock’s Folly (disbanded in 2016), Murray has continued his musical career in a solo effort. His first proper studio album, Trail of Tears, was released in partnership with Renew the Arts.

Renew the Arts helped Jesse Jack Murray realize his vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• loaning recording equipment and microphones
• additional recording at Cubed Root Sound
• mixing and mastering the record in-house
• creating album art and digital booklet layout in-house
• providing publicity materials and strategies 
• paying for digital distribution for the single and the full album
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $10,650

Walk Home Instead, the first full-length offering from Jackson’s Make Sure project, speaks to a spiritual journey following failed relationships. Jackson’s insight continues to blossom as he reflects on grace and growth. In a sense, they’re “anti-emo emo songs.” Through the lovelorn musings and the sting of breakups, Jackson’s focus remains on things greater than shame or the mere feeling of heartache.

Renew the Arts helped Make Sure realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• loaning recording equipment and microphones
• additional recording at Clubmen Studios
• mastering the record in-house
• creating album art and layout in-house
• providing for digital distribution
• providing publicity materials and strategies 
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $7,600

Civilized Creature’s seventh album, The Way Back Home, represents yet another stage in that development. Here, you can hear the prolific Lane beginning to settle down into a confidently under-stated poise. Neither tongue-tied nor talkative now, Civilized Creature drops most of the spoken word rap in his latest release, choosing instead to let the music speak for itself. Hardly a word has been heard, but volumes have been communicated.

Renew the Arts helped Civilized Creature realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback during the sequencing and mastering process
• distributing the record digitally through our Renew the Arts Bandcamp label
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $1,750

Of the Uncaused Cause is Civilized Creature’s sixth full-length record and his second partner release with Renew the Arts. On this record, much of Ryan Lane’s style is the same, but there is continued improvement. His samples are cleaner, his lyrics clearer, his heart more tender than ever, and his concerns as pressing as his unrelenting rhythm section that refuses to be predictable. The album opens with “For Senses” which perfectly captures his current take on electric pop: “If I can’t hear / Uncover my ears.” It’s a plea for the physical senses to be utilized for a greater purpose. With such heart, it makes sense that Civilized Creature makes some of the best electronic pop—amazing to your ears, and even better for your heart. (Words by Justus Stout, President of Renew the Arts).

Renew the Arts helped Civilized Creature realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback during the sequencing and mastering process
• distributing the record digitally through our Renew the Arts Bandcamp label
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $1,500

The Town Runner EP by Make Sure explores some of the same guitar-driven indie-pop that main singer-songwriter Josh Jackson had explored under his Fiery Crash moniker, but this effort represents a more collaborative, band-oriented approach to maturing material. Town Runner sets up Make Sure’s full-length LP to be released through Renew the Arts in 2019.

Renew the Arts helped Make Sure realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• loaning recording equipment and microphones
• additional recording at Clubmen Studios
• mastering the record in-house
• creating album art and layout in-house
• providing for digital distribution through Bandcamp, iTunes, etc.

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $7,000

Steadfast is Civilized Creature’s first record with Renew the Arts, but it’s Civilized Creature’s fifth album overall. Songwriter/producer/one-man-band Ryan Lane contacted us before its release simply because he had been following our work for a few years and wanted to partner with us to distribute and promote his record. We’re so happy he did. Steadfast is a gem of an album, what Let Us Make a Record called “a bass-thumping, breakdance-inducing joyful noise.”

Renew the Arts helped Civilized Creature realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback during the sequencing and mastering process
• distributing the record digitally through our Renew the Arts Bandcamp label
• sending the record for review to blogs with which we have developed relationships over the years
• recommending the record to our fan base
• paying for advertisement with various independent music platforms

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $1,500

I Have Seen the End, Brock’s Folly’s third record with Renew the Arts, is a folk-funk Americana extravaganza, live-tracked to capture all of the zealous energy of their well-tuned live show.

Renew the Arts helped Brock’s Folly realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique during the two-year compositional process
• connecting them to producer Patrick Anderson who tracked and mastered the record at Renew the Arts’ special rate
• mixing the record in-house
• creating album art and layout in-house
• launching a successful Kickstarter to crowd-fund the cost of tracking, mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $25,000

Before the Bright Lights, Anthony Quails’ first record with Renew the Arts, is a polished folk Western record showcasing Quails’ exquisite voice and knack for rustic storytelling.

Renew the Arts helped Anthony realize his vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• producing demos in-house to establish a direction for the album
• facilitating the collaboration with producer James Smith (Clubmen Studios) who tracked and mixed the record at Renew the Arts’ special rate
• creating album art and layout in-house
• launching a successful Kickstarter to crowd-fund the cost of tracking, mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $27,000

Attic Static Sticker Star, by The Normal Knees is a free-flowing feeling journal set to the hard-hitting textures of Seattle grunge-pop.

Renew the Arts helped The Normal Knees realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians
• mixing and mastering the record in-house
• creating album art and layout in-house
• providing for digital distribution through our BandCamp label

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $5,000

Warbler’s second record with Renew the Arts, Sea of Glass, is a folk-rock Christian protest record exploring how a righteous individual should respond to his isolation within a wicked culture.

Renew the Arts helped Warbler realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique as well as help with lyrical composition
• providing session musicians for tracking
• launching a successful Kickstarter to crowd-fund the cost of mixing, mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $8,000

Fiery Crash’s first record with Renew the Arts, In Clover, is an intimate, shoe-gazing pop-folk record filling out the singer-songwriter styling Fiery Crash had explored in previous independent releases.

Renew the Arts helped Fiery Crash realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• tracking and mixing the record in-house
• arranging string parts
• providing session musicians for tracking
• creating album art and layout in-house
• launching a successful Kickstarter to crowd-fund the cost of mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $18,000

Brock’s Folly’s second record with Renew the Arts, The Great Commoner, is a folk-rock Americana record that tells the story and continues the legacy of William Jennings Bryan (namesake of Bryan College where the band met and formed).

Renew the Arts helped Brock’s Folly realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• tracking and mixing the record in-house
• providing session musicians for tracking
• creating album art and layout in-house
• launching a successful Kickstarter to crowd-fund the cost of mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $20,000

Warbler’s self-titled debut with Renew the Arts is a psych-folk-rock record which perches the finger-picking folk tradition on an electric synth rock foundation.

Renew the Arts helped Warbler realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• contributing lyrics
• providing session musicians for tracking
• creating album art and layout in-house
• paying the costs for replication and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $11,000

Physick’s debut with Renew the Arts, Songs for Friends, is a genre-defying chamber rock record composed of epistolary songs to different friends in different circumstances.

Renew the Arts helped Physick realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• providing session musicians for tracking
• tracking and mixing in-house
• creating album art and layout in-house
• paying the costs for mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $15,000

Brock’s Folly found their voice in their self-titled first record with Renew the Arts, a folk-rock excursion brimming with youthful energy.

Renew the Arts helped Brock’s Folly realize their vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• tracking, mixing, and mastering the record in-house
• providing session musicians for tracking
• creating album art and layout in-house
• paying the costs for replication and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $12,000

Micah Stout’s posthumous debut, Without Reservations, samples from an eclectic mix of genres (including folk, rock, reggae, and electronic music) but achieves coherence from its focused and hard-hitting lyricism.

Renew the Arts helped Micah realize his vision for this record free of charge and free of strings by:

• providing in-depth artistic feedback and critique
• tracking and mixing the record in-house
• providing session musicians for tracking
• creating album art and layout in-house
• paying the costs for mastering, replication, and digital distribution

Estimated monetary value of sponsorship: $18,000