The New Gentle Wolves LP "Room for All" is Now Available

It is with great pride that I get to announce the release of the first Gentle Wolves first full-length studio album in over 5 years. Room for All is made of up twelve Gentle Wolves original compositions and retuned hymns. Five years in the making, it almost killed me pulling it all together these last few months of the pandemic.

You can find it on the following streaming services

This album is very special to me because it is a good bookend to my many years as the music pastor at Servant Church, and many of my favorite people were involved in the making of this body of work. I hope that this music can be helpful to the wider church as they discern their way through their musical liturgy.

Room for All can be found on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and anywhere else you stream your music.

Credits:
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Richard Kentopp
Album art by Adrian Landon Brooks

Richard Kentopp: Guitar, Percussion, and Vocals
Mitch Holt: Guitars
Daniel Wheeler: Drums and Vocals
Paul Price: Bass
Diana Rudd: Vocals
Molly Kentopp: Vocals
Kyle Robertson: Piano
B Sterling Archer: Horns
Kevin Gibbs: Sax
Phil Ajjarapu: Pedal Steel

Choir:
Kelly Foster (arranger & conductor)
Kelly Shoenfelt
Jarell Wilson
Weber Schulz
Abby Herrera
Elysia Van Deusen
Chris Van Deusen

"Room for All" Release Set, New Gentle Wolves Track "Far Off We See A Goal"

We are living in strange times. As the world teeters on the edge of illness and billions of people huddle in their homes to avoid microscopic organisms, The Gentle Wolves, a church-band without a church, sit poised to release an album of church music. Is this what the world needs right now… another collection of church songs?

Anyone who knows me knows that the way I process things is through music. When times are hard I put my headphones in and blare Mogwai or Mineral. When I feel frustrated, I impose order on my world through kicks and snares, clanging guitars, and out-of-tune crooning. Most importantly, when my friends are hurting I show up with songs to sing.

Room For All Release Date and Release Party

Room for All, the first studio release for The Gentle Wolves in over five years, will be available on all digital platforms on Friday 5/1. Community health permitting, we will be celebrating with a release party/show at the legendary Hole in the Wall in Austin, TX on Friday 4/25. Just as the Church Fathers (and Mothers) adorn the walls of many-a-sanctuary, so the saints of Austin’s rich music pantheon have influenced our renditions. Because of this, it seems fitting that our churchless church band would celebrate the release of our record in a place with such a rich history of its own.

I’m incredibly proud of Room for All. It’s a full-length album featuring 12 original retuned hymns. Taking old hymns and poems and setting them to new music was my favorite part of being a music pastor. I hope this collection of half-original songs will be sung in many-a worships and will bring hope to earbuds, boomboxes, and road trips.

Far Off We See A Goal

It is perhaps fitting that Far Off We See A Goal (click play on the album cover above) is coming out on a Friday the 13th like today. It’s frenetic, pre-apolayptic tones juxtapose nicely against the faithful-uncertainty of Robert Robert’s (!?!) lyrics from the eighteenth century. Dan Wheeler’s drumming on this track is incredibly tight, but feels like it could all fall apart at any moment… which could maybe be said for our faith or our civilization. I almost find the timeless anxiety comforting.

The chord chart for this song can be found here.

New Music: Scenery's "Lady Bird" Cassette Now Available!

I'm very proud to present Scenery's Lady Bird Cassette. It's our first release since 2017's full length Two Stares. While the latter was a sweat-filled summer of partying, love, and loss, Lady Bird is a quieter, more intimate night on the lake. 

There's a lot I could say about it, so I'll just say it in bullet form:

• The album cover of this release is very special to me. The photo was taken by my grand-uncle Roland Chatham in 1947. The subject was his girlfriend, my beloved Aunt Catherine, whom we lost in 2016. She was truly a Lady Bird, as she flew airplanes in WWII in an elite women's air group. I love how my talented friend, Bryan Butler, took the photo and brought it together perfectly.
• The title track, Lady Bird, is a story about falling in and out of love in Austin in the late 90s and early 2000s. Back then there used to be impromptu concerts in the middle of the Lamar Street pedestrian bridge. That's what I'm referring to in the chorus when I sing "Meet me on the bridge over Lady Bird and I'll sing you my song." It has since been pointed out to me that Austin's Town Lake wasn't renamed "Lady Bird Lake" until 2007. I think that really just speaks to how our memories and nostalgia can be so wildly approximate, with people, places, and times conflated into a single picture; a single feeling. That's what we tried to do with this song.
• The B-side, Queen of the Night, is also very special to me. When my good friend Elizabeth Lodowski passed away in 2016 her boyfriend gave one of the most moving eulogies I've ever heard. She wrestled with cancer for several years, but they only met a couple of years before she died. This is my best attempt of catching that moment and putting it into a song.
• This is the first album I've put out of my own music that I didn't play a large role in mixing since the passing of my best friend and partner in music, Travis Bannerman. Major props to John Michael Landon at Estuary Studios for mixing the two featured tracks with such skill and care. 
• This was also the first time I've employed anyone for mastering except for Travis or the ever-so-talented Tim Gerron. Big shout out to Kevin Butler at Test Tube Audio for last-second mastering that was perfectly crisp and clean. 

You can listen below or on Spotify and you can purchase a physical cassette on our bandcamp site. 

Announcing Scenery's "Lady Bird" Cassette

I'm excited to announce Scenery's new 4 song cassette entitled Lady Bird will be released on Friday 4/20/18. There will also be an accompanying digital release that same day (Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, etc).

I'm immensely proud of this recording. Where Two Stares was the moody couple sitting on a leather couch in the middle of a raging party, Lady Bird is a quiet moment overlooking the city on Mount Bonnell at sunset. 

We will be celebrating at the Mohawk in Austin, TX on Friday April 20th with our good friends in Black Books, Kay Odyssey, and Ramesh.

The track-listing will be as follows:
1) Lady Bird
2) Near
3) Queen of the Night
4) Smile

New Music: The Gentle Wolves' live album "Waiting" now available!

With the anticipatory season of Advent being imminent, I'm proud to announce Waiting, the second live album from the Gentle Wolves. It's a collection of seven songs recorded at Servant Church's worship back on July 30th, 2017. It is now available digitally on the Gentle Wolves' website, and through their bandcamp page.

Relying heavily on Tom Waits, the patron saint of reverent agnosticism, we were able to extract a meaningful thread that week which perfectly fits the pregnant pause that is Advent. I hope that this can be both meaningful and useful for you as we prepare for Christmas.

Tracklisting:
1) We Are Waiting Blessed Savior (an RK retune)
2) Way Down in the Hole (Tom Waits)/Wade in the Water (traditional)
3) Jesus Gunna Be Here (Tom Waits)
4) When Morning Dawns (an RK retune)
5) Song is So Old (Seth Woods)
6) My Shepherd Is (an RK retune)

Lineup:
Guitar/Vocals: Richard Kentop
Vocals: Katy Evans
Guitar: David McClendon
Drums: Andy Beaudoin
Piano: Redding Hunter
Bass: Mark Epstein

New Music: The Gentle Wolves "Waiting" out Friday 11/10/17

With the anticipatory season of Advent being imminent, I'm proud to announce Waiting, the second live album from the Gentle Wolves. It's a collection of seven songs recorded at Servant Church's worship back on July 30th, 2017. It will be available digitally on the Gentle Wolves' website, and through their bandcamp page.

Relying heavily on Tom Waits, the patron saint of reverent agnosticism, we were able to extract a meaningful thread that week which perfectly fits the pregnant pause that is Advent. I hope that this can be both meaningful and useful for you as we prepare for Christmas.

Tracklisting:
1) We Are Waiting Blessed Savior (an RK retune)
2) Way Down in the Hole (Tom Waits)/Wade in the Water (traditional)
3) Jesus Gunna Be Here (Tom Waits)
4) When Morning Dawns (an RK retune)
5) Song is So Old (Seth Woods)
6) My Shepherd Is (an RK retune)

Lineup:
Guitar/Vocals: Richard Kentop
Vocals: Katy Evans
Guitar: David McClendon
Drums: Andy Beaudoin
Piano: Redding Hunter
Bass: Mark Epstein
 

Summer of '17 Shows

This summer is turning out to be a busy one musically for yours truly. Check out my music page that has an up-to-date list of the places you can catch me play by myself or with my band Scenery.
Several of them are FREE so I look forward to seeing you out and about!

The Gentle Wolves say goodbye to Eric Vogt - Free Show 6/22

It will be difficult to say goodbye to Eric Vogt, who was the founding pastor of Servant Church. But, being a United Methodist community, Eric and Valerie have been moved to a church in San Antonio at the end of June. 

Before they go we wanted to do something special... especially for Eric, who has (both figuratively and perhaps even literally) given everything he has to birth the community we now call Servant Church. So we'll be throwing him a rager to say goodbye.

In our first bar gig in almost two years, The Gentle Wolves be playing some originals, some covers, and we'll be toasting Mr. Vogt's for all that he's done for us. Our friends/brothers in Good Field will be closing out the night.

Click on the brutal flier (made by the one, the only Josh Gamma) the RSVP to the Facebook Event.

Announcing "Into the Woods My Master Went" Retune Compilation

Last summer my good friend Seth Woods sent me this picture with a text saying: 
"Dude. I'm doing some childcare for my friend's Mennonite congregation today, but they are having their retreat at a baptist camp. I am going through a hymnal. Most baptist hymns annoy me, mostly because they have no mystery or subtlety. But i came across this short, weird hymn called "into the woods my master went. It's awesome and creepy."

I quickly responded: "Weird. What does this song even mean? Let's each retune this thing and put it out in time for Holy Week... because it's talking about Gethsemane and Golgotha right?"

The retune project grew as we invited our good friends Chris Simpson (Mineral, The Gloria Record, Mountain Time), Alex Dupree (Idyl), Jana Horn (Reservations, Knife in the Water), and Bruce Benedict (Cardiphonia, Hope College) to submit versions as well. 

I'm so excited to announce that it will come out digitally next week, Friday 4/7, just in time for Holy Week. Check here for more details on how to get it.

New Music: The Gentle Wolves "Lament" Live Album Out Now

The Gentle Wolves are proud to announce the release of their first live album. These recordings come from Servant Church's lament worship gathering on 1/29/17. The purpose of the liturgy was to confess and mourn the way we, the Church, have failed when it comes to dealing with our people's sexuality and gender. 

You can download this album on the Gentle Wolves bandcamp site.  You can get it for free by going to the Gentle Wolves' site, clicking on "Buy Now," and then entering $0. With a download of the album you also get chord charts for all of the enclosed music.

This powerful set includes some of The Gentle Wolves' most emotive music, including adaptations of songs by Mahalia Jackson, A Silver Mount Zion, Mineral, The Whiskey Priest and Chris Simpson. We try to ensure that the Gentle Wolves aren't a 'cover band' by thoroughly reworking the material to fit God's purposes in our context. 
The setlist looks like this:

1) O God We Waited So Long (original)
2) Troubles of the World (Mahalia Jackson)
3) When the World is Sick (A Silver Mount Zion)
4) Holy Ghost With Light Divine (Seth Woods)
5) Please Don't Make Us Sing This Song (Lori Chaffer)
6) Been in this War for Too Long (Chris Simpson)
7) Blessed Lord in You is Refuge (original)
8) Modern Living (Chris Simpson)
9) The Last Word is Rejoice (Mineral)

If you ever wonder where some of the best indie-rock musicians in Austin are spending their Sunday mornings, the ones who aren't sleeping in are at Servant Church.

Guitar and Vocals: Richard Kentopp (Scenery)
Vocals: Diana Rudd
Guitar: Mitch Holt (Ex: The Rocketboys)
Guitar: Ben Lance (Booher, Broken Gold)
Bass: Paul Price (Good Field) 
Drums: Andy Beaudoin (Nori, The Eastern Sea)
Piano: Kyle Robertson (Good Field)
Horns: Jonathan Hoyle

Album Art: Trina Bolfing
Recording, Mixing, and Mastering: Richard Kentopp

Announcing The Gentle Wolves' First Live Album "Lament" Out 3/1/17

The Gentle Wolves are proud to announce the release of their first live album. These recordings come from Servant Church's lament worship gathering on 1/29/17. The purpose of the liturgy was to confess and mourn the way we, the Church, have failed when it comes to dealing with our people's sexuality and gender. 

The Album will only be released digitally, and will be available in time for Lent on Ash Wednesday 3/1 on the Gentle Wolves bandcamp site.  You can hear one of the songs by clicking on the album cover above.

This powerful set includes some of The Gentle Wolves' most emotive music, including adaptations of songs by Mahalia Jackson, A Silver Mount Zion, Mineral, The Whiskey Priest and Chris Simpson. We try to ensure that the Gentle Wolves aren't a 'cover band' by thoroughly reworking the material to fit God's purposes in our context. 
The setlist looks like this:

1) O God We Waited So Long (original)
2) Troubles of the World (Mahalia Jackson)
3) When the World is Sick (A Silver Mount Zion)
4) Holy Ghost With Light Divine (Seth Woods)
5) Please Don't Make Us Sing This Song (Lori Chaffer)
6) Been in this War for Too Long (Chris Simpson)
7) Blessed Lord in You is Refuge (original) LISTEN NOW
8) Modern Living (Chris Simpson)
9) The Last Word is Rejoice (Mineral)

If you ever wonder where some of the best indie-rock musicians in Austin are spending their Sunday mornings, the ones who aren't sleeping in are at Servant Church.

Guitar and Vocals: Richard Kentopp (Scenery)
Vocals: Diana Rudd
Guitar: Mitch Holt (Ex: The Rocketboys)
Guitar: Ben Lance (Booher, Broken Gold)
Bass: Paul Price (Good Field) 
Drums: Andy Beaudoin (Nori, The Eastern Sea)
Piano: Kyle Robertson (Good Field)
Horns: Jonathan Hoyle

Album Art: Trina Bolfing
Recording, Mixing, and Mastering: Richard Kentopp

Scenery's TWO STARES now available everywhere!

Scenery's first full-length album, Two Stares, is now available everywhere!
You can order a physical CD here for just $10, or check out your favorite digital music service below.

Spotify

Bandcamp

iTunes

Google Play

CD RELEASE SHOW: Scenery's Two Stares FREE release show & party 12/3/16

My friends and I in Scenery are so excited to celebrate the release of our fist full-length album Two Stares on Jan 6th. We'll be partying this Saturday night 12/3 at Cheer Up Charlie's with our good friends in Good Field, Kady Rain, and Ronnie Heart performing. THIS SHOW IS FREE!

Even though Two Stares doesn't come out until January, we'll have our cd for sale for only $10. 
We can't wait to see you there!

Here is a link to the event.
Here's the schedule:
9pm Good Field
10pm ronnie heart (Dallas)
11pm Scenery (LP release)
12am Kady Rain
1am The Bristol Hills (Shreveport, LA)

Announcing Scenery's new LP, Two Stares - Out Jan 6th, 2017

I'm so excited to share what my friends and I in Scenery have been working on for the last year. May we present Scenery's first full-length record, Two Stares. While there will be lots of sights and sounds to share in the next two months, here's the basic info along with the album cover (designed by my good buddy Bryan Butler):

Scenery - Two Stares
Release show/party: Sat 12/3/16 @ Cheer Up Charlie's in Austin, TX
Release date: Fri 1/6/17 on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp

Produced by Scenery
Mastered by Timothy Gerron
Album Art by Bryan Butler

Physical CD copies can be preordered here in December and will ship 1/2/17. But, of course, they will also be available at our live performances, including the 12/3/16 release party.

Press release:
Austin synth rock band Scenery is proud to announce the release of their first full-length album, Two Stares. It will be available the first week of 2017. Having been a band just under two years, this collection of Austin music veterans has already cultivated an avid following through their electric live performances.
Two Stares is a collection of 11 songs that reflect on being young, growing up, not being young anymore, and yet somehow still being young. Vocalist Richard Kentopp recalls stories of long drives, sneaking into the woods, being an angry drunk, and fires on the beach. Underneath the idyllic pictures of days gone by, the rhythm section of Shane Wood (bass) and Austin Hegarty (drums) pound out their tightly angular grooves. Dean Stafford douses the sound with swirling guitars while Ali Sanders tops everything off with lush keyboards and vocals.
It all comes together in Two Stares, leading the listener to believe that no matter how old they are the stories of the young can still move their body and heart.

SCENERY/DAY WAVE at The Sidewinder 6/14

Scenery's back in action this week opening for the buzz band Day Wave.
We play early at 8!