[Get In Line album art by Jon Kowit | Download PNG]
First single from unlikely album “Get In Line” out now with full album due April 02 by Forty4 Music
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Featuring Philly’s famed Producer & Composer, Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner (Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, Jason Molina, Wild Pink, John Train, Susan Werner, Marah)
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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (March 25, 2024) — Off one of the most unlikely albums to ever be recorded, Americana and modern Folk singer-songwriter project The Hill released the self-reflective first single “Dent” from debut album Get In Line, due out April 02 everywhere digitally, and a limited supply of vinyl, from Forty4 Music [Pre-save/Pre-add here]. Unlikely because The Hill’s song composer Jon Kowit has never been in a band. Never played a live show. An entirely self-taught songwriter rooted in unorthodox performance techniques, with only his four-legged companions as his critics.
Kowit is also a former record store employee for Main Street Music and indie record label owner of Ascend Records. In 2023 a fortuitous set of circumstances transpired which reconnected Kowit with a childhood friend and well-known Philadelphian musician, composer and producer Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner, who has brought Kowit’s songs to recorded perfection.
“When I reconnected with Mike, who I knew when I was 10 years old and later became a fan of, I just wanted him to hear the song ‘Dent’ and hoped he’d help me realize it,” Kowit said. “Then, we kept going and recorded 11 more. Therefore making this the most unexpected album that anyone has ever heard.”
As a promotional free download, “Dent” is available now exclusively via The Hill’s Facebook page [@soundsofthehill] where anticipation of the songs have generated a steady level of interest.
Get In Line delivers a thoughtful and poetic journey into Kowit’s personal interpretations on life, relationships and inner yearnings. Brenner, a multi-instrumentalist and producer thoughtfully weaves the sounds of a pedal steel guitar, keys and violin into the song’s composure to give the project a predominantly Folksy and Americana vibe.
“As a self-taught musician who only plays by ear, working with Mike, who’s a true craftsman, was daunting at first,” Kowit continued. “But, after a couple of sessions, the songs just flowed and Mike was able to bring in the best veteran contributors to round out the sound of The Hill. Everyone embraced the vibe right away and the songs just landed; I’m truly proud of the result.”
Get In Line Track Listing:
- “Dent”
- “Get In Line”
- “Make a Find”
- “Set That Aside”
- “Making Angels”
- “Setting Sun” (featuring Meaghan Kyle)
- “Let Myself Fall”
- “Not Trying”
- “More Than You”
- “Wait So Long”
- “Wake Up Call”
- “Driving”
Album name: Get In Line
Audio release date: April 02, 2024
Songwriter: Jonathan Kowit
Audio producer: Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner at Slo-Mo Central
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About The Hill:
The Hill is an Americana style music project founded upon the songs of Jon Kowit, a former record store employee of the popular Main Street Music in Manayunk, Pennsylvania, a borough of his hometown of Philadelphia. Jon also is a former indie record label owner of Brooklyn’s Ascend Records, where he worked with such artists as James Maddock, Jason Karaban and Grand. With a firm love of music, art and poetry intact, he’s now ready to expose his somewhat stealthlike singer-songwriter persona, with a new album of self-written songs entitled Get In Line, that is being readied for an official release independently on April 02, 2024.
Jon has quietly written songs for several decades, but has never played them for anyone, other than his four-legged companions. A multi-instrumentalist, Jon learned to play guitar and piano by ear, and knew his methods were a bit unorthodox. For that reason alone, he was never comfortable with sharing his music, until now.
This unlikely album comes after an improbable collaboration with Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner, who produced the album and plays several instruments on every track. The two were close friends at age 10, and reconnected by chance decades later as Jon sought a collaborator for his songs. This comes after Jon wrapped up a career that included stints in New York, London, Sydney and Montreal. Always, it was the creative parts of his roles at Audible, Amazon, and other professional endeavors which drove his progress. Weekends have typically been spent writing, painting and listening to his vast music collection. A love for the great songwriters like Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Jules Shear, Lucinda Williams, and Radney Foster have laid the foundation for many of Jon’s songs, but it was the unique collaboration with his childhood friend that produced the debut album, Get In Line.
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[Photo: Neil Kohl | Download JPG]