For Karma

Todd Lemoine
"The Lost Highway"
(Wishpool Records)

This is a bit like a hodgepodge of classic rock guitar bands like ZZ Top, Rush, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Skynyrd, R.E.O. Speedwagon and the lot. Somehow all the songs sound familiar which, I’m sure, can be an asset at times. If you dig classic rock then I’m sure these guys will be right up your alley. My favorite tracks are “On Your Own”, “Fences” and “Floyd” which sounds a little like the Red Hot Chili Peppers at times. “Cluster” is an Eddie Van Halen workout that’s worth mentioning as well.
www.toddlemoine.com

Review by J.R. Oliver

- Ear Candy Magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Todd Lemoine
forkarma@toddlemoine.com
www.myspace.com/forkarma

“FOR KARMA” RELEASES LIVE E.P. ON MP3 FOR WISHPOOL RECORDS

New Orleans, La. - February 22, 2007

“For Karma” is a 2 piece indie rock band hailing from the New Orleans area consisting of rock veterans Todd Lemoine, on vocals and guitar, and Ben Adams on drums. The music is strait up in your face rock with a punk edge. The intensity of the performances on this album are very captivating such as the primal scream of “Closure”, the emotional heart wrenching side of “Braving Fires”, the rocked out ghost story of “Let it go”, the lessons of “Folk Song # 7”, and the moving on of “Gone” There is a lot of raw emotion that pours out of each track which is something that has been missing from rock lately.

New Orleans, La., native Todd Lemoine has been a guitar player, singer, and songwriter in area bands for over a decade, and part of such renowned local acts as The Drones, Longplay, and Vertigo. In 2004 after dealing with the frustration of trying to work with record labels, he decided to start his own label, Wishpool records and released his first solo album "The Lost Highway". Todd and Ben have been playing together in bands around New Orleans sense 1993 but decided after years of ever changing members to make it a duo. This 2 piece is unique because Todd uses his own specially made guitar with a bass pick up and separate output jack to run to a bass cabinet. This creates the ambience of a bass guitar to fill the sound for live shows while he is playing his 6 string electric guitar. This makes for one of the wildest shows New Orleans has to offer.

This album is available for download at

www.myspace.com/forkarma

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- Wishpool Records

TODD LEMOINE is a Covington, Louisiana guitar rocker whose music provides listeners with a great blend of ass-kicking instrumentals and somewhat harmonious emo-infused vocals. Though his track "One Way Mirror" wouldn't make it to the top of my music playlists for it's pop-punk/emo-ish styling, it still showcased TODD's skills as a songwriter and instrumentalist. By the time his track "Mindtrap" began spinning in the player I was becoming more interested in his music. "Mindtrap" is darker, edgy and almost grunge-like in the vocal department before it kicks into the melodic parts - regardless of that aspect, it was a track that caught my attention. The last track available for listening was "On Your Own," which brought in a whole other side to LEMOINE's music - the hard, razor edged, metal/rock side with blazing guitars and harsher vocal styling. If anything, this one will definitely grab your attention! All in all, I'd say TODD LEMOINE is a well-rounded artist, with great licks and a decent voice surely to attract the attention of many music listeners from around the globe. [Wednesday Elektra]


- Space Junkies Magazine

New Orleans rocker Lemoine released this 2001 album master lost for years and said to be five years ahead of its time, before Evenescense became famous. The trio of guitarist/vocalist Lemoine, bassist David Landry, and drummer Ben Adams jump out of the speakers from the meaty bone-deep riffs of first track “Common Ground,” and the listener’s adrenaline starts to flow. There’s a lot to like here, from the unique on-and-off dynamics of “On My Own,” the hovering mystery of “Floyd,” and the this-needs-to-be-all-over-radio quality of “Mindtrap” (which, along with “On Your Own” and “One Way Mirror,” have been played on multiple internet radio sites). Be ready to crank the instrumental “Cluster,” a cross in feel between Van Halen’s “Eruption” and Rush’s “La Villa Strangiato.” Fans of passionate rock which knows both let-it-all-loose energy and touch need to get this release - The Amplifier

4-18-2006

For Immediate Release

DEBUT CD “THE LOST HIGHWAY” NOW AVAILABLE FROM LOUISIANA GUITAR ROCKER TODD LEMOINE

Todd Lemoine’s The Lost Highway— 12 new tracks with an emo/punk slant— is now available from Wishpool Records. A great blend of modern styles and solid songwriting, The Lost Highway includes Mindtrap, with its blanket of heavy, moody guitar; the dynamic On Your Own which inspires mosh pit head-bobbing; and the lyrically engaging, emo-influenced One Way Mirror. In all, The Lost Highway is a testament to Lemoine’s appealing versatility and talent. The album features southeastern Louisiana rockers David Landry (Gemini Project) on bass and Ben Adams (The Drones, Last Piece of Earth) on percussion and was recorded and engineered by Dave Fortman (Mudvayne, 12 Stones, Evanescence). The CD is available through CDBaby.com, Bestbuy.com, and at select Barnes & Noble locations.

Mandeville, La., native Todd Lemoine has been a guitar player, singer, and songwriter in area bands for over a decade, and part of such renowned locals acts as The Drones, Longplay, and Vertigo. In 2004 after dealing with the frustration of trying to work with record labels, he decided to start his own label, Wishpool records. This is the first release on Wishpool records and includes material Lemoine took with him from earlier incarnations of the band. Their second album is already written and scheduled for release this fall.

For further information and song samples visit www.toddlemoine.com

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- Michael Corcoran

Covington resident Todd Lemoine may
only be 29, but he’s been around long
enough to experience the evolution of
modern rock.
Lemoine was five when Van Halen’s
guitar solos inspired him to learn the
instrument. An interest in late 1980s metal,
including Megadeath and Metallica, soon
followed, spurred by his cousin’s similar
tastes.
But the grunge revelation of the early
1990s continues to instruct Lemoine’s
songwriting to this day.
“Nirvana came out and I liked the way
they mixed melody with real hard rock,”
Lemoine said. “It was something I’d never
really heard before.”
And so the 1995 Mandeville High
School graduate and MHS jazz band
member started playing gigs. Lemoine
remembers his first when he was 15 years
old at a nightclub in downtown Covington
that no longer exists. With the popularity of
alternative rock soaring in the mid-1990s,
Lemoine frequented small Northshore
clubs such as Ruby’s Roadhouse in
Mandeville and Hammond’s Augustine’s
Pub. His work also included the one-timeonly
Floodfest in Slidell, a gathering of
local musicians drawn together by an
aforementioned rain event.
Like many working musicians who have
gigged consistently for the last decade,
Lemoine’s been in and out of a number of
groups. They include The Drones, Vertigo
and Longplay.
Longplay – guitar player Lemoine,
singer Chris Benning and drummer Ben
Adams – stayed together for about five
years and notably played at the grand
opening of the bike path Mandeville
Tammany Trace Trailhead in 2000.
But Lemoine’s a one-man-band these
days.
“(Playing solo) is more relying just on
myself to go out and book shows and play
and not have to worry about other people
or differences of opinion,” the SLU
business graduate said. “I was able to hone
more of my sound and what I wanted to
do.”
Lemoine’s sound draws heavily from his
alternative rock influences. Incorporating
the guitar hooks of the Foo Fighters and
disarmingly disaffected vocals of the
Smashing Pumpkins, Lemoine’s original
material is melodic modern rock. Cymbals
crash and bass lines drive a head-nodding
tempo.
It’s a formula he’s had to pare down for
acoustic coffee house shows at venues such
as Hammond’s Green Bean Coffee Bar.
“I find that the coffeehouses are actually
some of the best places you can play,” he
said. “They tend to lean more towards the
original artists; finding something new and
different to showcase. Even as a listener,
it’s quieter... the vibes are always really
nice.”
Lemoine says he’s found more luck as a
solo artist. It’s a business decision he hasn’t
regretted.
And he’s also finding fulfillment as the
head of his own label,Wishpool Records.
“It was a business decision,” he said. “I
turned down a few label deals because of
the fact that the smaller labels just kind of
wanted everything... they were trying to be
fair but at the same time... you weren’t
making the money back.”
For now Lemoine is a one-man show
when it comes to albums as well, recording
at his friend Steve Landon’s home studio
and handling production, promotion and
distribution.
His latest offering, a one-take EP
recorded in Bogalusa under the band name
For Karma, takes advantage of vintage
recording equipment to create a rawer
sound. A second, earlier studio album,
2001’s “Lost Highway,” represents the
musical journey that began with Longplay.
The disc features fellow musicians Ben
Adams on drums and Dave Landry on bass
guitar. Metalhead Dave Fortman, famous
for his work with Evanescence and
Mandeville’s 12 Stones, served as
producer.
Though Lemoine has found an audience
for acoustic music, he’s not abandoning his
“full-band” roots anytime soon. He’s hard
at work on a new solo CD titled “Solar
Stare.” Meanwhile, a live recording at New
Orleans club The Howlin’Wolf is slated for release as well.
“As far as going back into a big studio
and recording – when I put a full band
together, I’m going to do that.” he said.
Todd Lemoine is set to play the Green
Bean Coffee Bar, 1000 N. Oak St., at 7
p.m. Aug. 17. For more information on
upcoming shows, visit myspace.com/
toddlemoinemusic. MP3s are available
for download on CDBaby.com,
iTunes.com and with a MySpace
Snowcap account - RENEE ALLEMAND

"Love your guitar sound, you guys did a great job of capturing the tone.....

Sincerely,
Brian Haskins"

of
brian-haskins.com and Waking Dream Records Mastering and Distribution - Brian Haskins