biography
Five Times August, a name with a reputation as one of the most important commodities in the music industry’s new business model for up and coming artists. The completely unsigned solo project of 24 year old Dallas, Texas native Brad Skistimas returns with the new album “Brighter Side.” After selling over 100,000 digital downloads without a record label, getting 40 song placements from one album on various popular television programs, and becoming the first unsigned act sold in Wal-Mart stores nationwide, one can only wonder what Five Times August will accomplish next.
With “Brighter Side,” Skistimas has crafted an album of balance. Relatable catchy pop tunes without the overly produced sound that invades today’s Top 40 market. The music is real and each song is its own. In the midst of an industry looking for one novelty hit after another, “Brighter Side” proves to have quality and charm. It’s not just another album with two polished hit songs and ten okay fillers. This album throws away the standard formula of co-writer after co-writer, heavily produced studio tricks, and keeping to a genre specific theme.
At the core you will find, simply, a songwriter with an acoustic guitar. Skistimas blends these acoustic pop arrangements with flavorful hints of roots, country, rock and even punk at times. The mellow “Who You Are” will appeal to fans of Norah Jones or Ryan Adams, while the rebelious rocker “Overrated” might pull in fans of Fall Out Boy or Green Day. The nineties-esque “One Way Road” reminisces that of Matchbox 20 or Hootie and the Blowfish while the blue-collar anthem “The Lighting” reflects the heavy electric guitars of Oasis. From start to finish the album takes you on a journey equivalent to a mix tape featuring a compilation of artists.
And it’s no wonder “Brighter Side” has a sound all it’s own, considering the team that helped Brad put it all together. Recorded in Dallas at Bass Propulsion Laboratories, it was produced by the studio’s owners, brothers Todd and Toby Pipes (Deep Blue Something, Drowning Pool, Flickerstick). At the recommendation of the Pipes Bros, Skistimas recruited local studio musicians for most of the instrumentation, but also took it upon himself to invite former Vertical Horizon drummer Ed Toth to provide a solid backbeat for the record.
“Since Five Times August is a solo project I have the freedom to bring in a variety of players to fit each album.” Skistimas says. “It’s great because those different inputs provide a level of comfort in knowing my sound will never get repetitive from one record to the next. It’s like forming a new band each time around.”
In addition to recording at BPL Studios, Skistimas had the album mixed by Grammy Award Winner Andy Zulla (Rod Stewart, Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson).
Five Times August wrapped up an extensive college tour in 2007, traveling 8 months out of the year, visiting 43 of the 50 states, and plans to start the whole thing up again in 2008 to support the release of “Brighter Side.” This time around FTA will be releasing the album with the help of Croshal Entertainment Group, a virtual label based out of LA.
“I figured if I accomplished what I did with my last album by mainly word of mouth and almost no promotion behind it there’s no telling what can happen if I actually give myself a marketing fund this time around!” Skistimas proclaims. “The great thing about working with CEG is that I’m still unsigned and in control of my own image and music, but will still get the attention that many major label releases receive.”
While Skistimas continues to break barriers as an unsigned artist, the music industry should prepare itself for a new breed of music and marketing upon the release of Five Times August’s upcoming release. “Brighter Side” will be in stores nationwide on March 18th 2008.
COMPLETE LIST OF TELEVISED SONG PLACEMENTS:
FROM THE ALBUM "THE INDEPENDENT"
"First Time For Everything" - MTV's Laguna Beach After show (on mtv.com's overdrive)
“First Time For Everything” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 7, 9. 10, 12)
"Better With You" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 106)
"Better With You" - Lifetime Channel's Monarch Cove (episode 101)
"Better With You" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Club (episode 103)
"Better With You" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas (episode 106)
"Better With You" - MTV's Real World Sydney (episode 1900)
"Better With You" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 6. 10, 11, 12)
"Better With You" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 8)
"Save It For Later" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Club (episode 103)
"Save It For Later" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 203)
"Save It For Later" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 11)
"So Typical" - MTV's Real World /Road Rules Challenge : The Dual (episode 15)
“So Typical” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 5, 7)
"Wherever" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 204)
"Wherever" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas Casting Special
"Wherever" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 12)
"Up To Me" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 208)
"Up To Me" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas Casting Special
"Up To Me" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 7)
"Up To Me" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 9)ll
"The Way You Do" - The CW's One Tree Hill (episode 69)
“The Way You Do” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 1,2, 5, 6, 7, 9. 10)
“Owe It All To You” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 9, 10)
“Owe It All To You” - MTV's Real World Sydney (episode 1900)
"Do It Again" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Road Trip (episode 2)
“Do It Again” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13)
"Do It Again" - HBO Summer 2008 Program Spot
“Perfectly” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 4, 5)
“Perfectly” - ABC's Eli Stone (episode 7)
"Roll Into You" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 212)
“Roll Into You” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 9, 10, 11)
"Roll Into You" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 7)
FROM THE ALBUM "BRIGHTER SIDE"
"Giving It All To You" - MTV's Next (episode _ )
"The Good Life" - The CW's The Reaper (episode _ )
"Overrated" - MTV's The Hills (episode 6)
"Sentimental Spell" - MTV's Real World Sydney (Season Finale)
"Here" - Lifetime Channel's Army Wives (Season 2, episode 4)
"One Way Road" - MTV's The Gauntlet (episode _ )
"It's Not Over" - MTV's Real World Sydney (Season Final)
Five Times August, a name with a reputation as one of the most important commodities in the music industry’s new business model for up and coming artists. The completely unsigned solo project of 24 year old Dallas, Texas native Brad Skistimas returns with the new album “Brighter Side.” After selling over 100,000 digital downloads without a record label, getting 40 song placements from one album on various popular television programs, and becoming the first unsigned act sold in Wal-Mart stores nationwide, one can only wonder what Five Times August will accomplish next.
With “Brighter Side,” Skistimas has crafted an album of balance. Relatable catchy pop tunes without the overly produced sound that invades today’s Top 40 market. The music is real and each song is its own. In the midst of an industry looking for one novelty hit after another, “Brighter Side” proves to have quality and charm. It’s not just another album with two polished hit songs and ten okay fillers. This album throws away the standard formula of co-writer after co-writer, heavily produced studio tricks, and keeping to a genre specific theme.
At the core you will find, simply, a songwriter with an acoustic guitar. Skistimas blends these acoustic pop arrangements with flavorful hints of roots, country, rock and even punk at times. The mellow “Who You Are” will appeal to fans of Norah Jones or Ryan Adams, while the rebelious rocker “Overrated” might pull in fans of Fall Out Boy or Green Day. The nineties-esque “One Way Road” reminisces that of Matchbox 20 or Hootie and the Blowfish while the blue-collar anthem “The Lighting” reflects the heavy electric guitars of Oasis. From start to finish the album takes you on a journey equivalent to a mix tape featuring a compilation of artists.
And it’s no wonder “Brighter Side” has a sound all it’s own, considering the team that helped Brad put it all together. Recorded in Dallas at Bass Propulsion Laboratories, it was produced by the studio’s owners, brothers Todd and Toby Pipes (Deep Blue Something, Drowning Pool, Flickerstick). At the recommendation of the Pipes Bros, Skistimas recruited local studio musicians for most of the instrumentation, but also took it upon himself to invite former Vertical Horizon drummer Ed Toth to provide a solid backbeat for the record.
“Since Five Times August is a solo project I have the freedom to bring in a variety of players to fit each album.” Skistimas says. “It’s great because those different inputs provide a level of comfort in knowing my sound will never get repetitive from one record to the next. It’s like forming a new band each time around.”
In addition to recording at BPL Studios, Skistimas had the album mixed by Grammy Award Winner Andy Zulla (Rod Stewart, Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson).
Five Times August wrapped up an extensive college tour in 2007, traveling 8 months out of the year, visiting 43 of the 50 states, and plans to start the whole thing up again in 2008 to support the release of “Brighter Side.” This time around FTA will be releasing the album with the help of Croshal Entertainment Group, a virtual label based out of LA.
“I figured if I accomplished what I did with my last album by mainly word of mouth and almost no promotion behind it there’s no telling what can happen if I actually give myself a marketing fund this time around!” Skistimas proclaims. “The great thing about working with CEG is that I’m still unsigned and in control of my own image and music, but will still get the attention that many major label releases receive.”
While Skistimas continues to break barriers as an unsigned artist, the music industry should prepare itself for a new breed of music and marketing upon the release of Five Times August’s upcoming release. “Brighter Side” will be in stores nationwide on March 18th 2008.
COMPLETE LIST OF TELEVISED SONG PLACEMENTS:
FROM THE ALBUM "THE INDEPENDENT"
"First Time For Everything" - MTV's Laguna Beach After show (on mtv.com's overdrive)
“First Time For Everything” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 7, 9. 10, 12)
"Better With You" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 106)
"Better With You" - Lifetime Channel's Monarch Cove (episode 101)
"Better With You" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Club (episode 103)
"Better With You" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas (episode 106)
"Better With You" - MTV's Real World Sydney (episode 1900)
"Better With You" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 6. 10, 11, 12)
"Better With You" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 8)
"Save It For Later" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Club (episode 103)
"Save It For Later" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 203)
"Save It For Later" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 11)
"So Typical" - MTV's Real World /Road Rules Challenge : The Dual (episode 15)
“So Typical” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 5, 7)
"Wherever" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 204)
"Wherever" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas Casting Special
"Wherever" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 12)
"Up To Me" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 208)
"Up To Me" - MTV's Reunited: The Real World Vegas Casting Special
"Up To Me" - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 7)
"Up To Me" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 9)ll
"The Way You Do" - The CW's One Tree Hill (episode 69)
“The Way You Do” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 1,2, 5, 6, 7, 9. 10)
“Owe It All To You” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 9, 10)
“Owe It All To You” - MTV's Real World Sydney (episode 1900)
"Do It Again" - Oxygen Channel's Bad Girls Road Trip (episode 2)
“Do It Again” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episodes 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13)
"Do It Again" - HBO Summer 2008 Program Spot
“Perfectly” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 4, 5)
“Perfectly” - ABC's Eli Stone (episode 7)
"Roll Into You" - MTV's Laguna Beach (episode 212)
“Roll Into You” - Fox Reality’s The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (episode 9, 10, 11)
"Roll Into You" - MTV's A Shot At Love 2 with Tila Tequila (episode 7)
FROM THE ALBUM "BRIGHTER SIDE"
"Giving It All To You" - MTV's Next (episode _ )
"The Good Life" - The CW's The Reaper (episode _ )
"Overrated" - MTV's The Hills (episode 6)
"Sentimental Spell" - MTV's Real World Sydney (Season Finale)
"Here" - Lifetime Channel's Army Wives (Season 2, episode 4)
"One Way Road" - MTV's The Gauntlet (episode _ )
"It's Not Over" - MTV's Real World Sydney (Season Final)