Cartel Press Release

[Frank Giaramita]

Below is the official press release from The Militia Group (www.themilitiagroup.com) on Cartel (www.cartelrocks.com)'s first week numbers.

CARTEL'S DEBUT ALBUM CHROMA MOVES INTO SOUNDSCAN'S ALTERNATIVE NEW ARTIST CHARTS AS THE #1 RANKING DEBUT!

Los Angeles, CA - Cartel's Chroma sells nearly 3,000 copies in its first week, making Chroma The Militia Group's most successful new artist debut to date. While being #1 ranking debut on Soundscan's Alternative New Artist Charts, Chroma also came in at #27 on the Billboard Heatseeker chart, #38 on Billboard's Indie Album chart, and #54 on the iTunes rock charts. In addition, Chroma made it into the it to the top 20 in over 50 independent record store's sales charts. Cartel's debut is quickly becoming a favorite for many, as the band is growing from everyone's "Favorite Guilty Pleasure" to a band many know and love.

In a mere 4 weeks, Cartel received over 1,000,000 streams on Absolutepunk.net in a first of it's kind promotion called 'The Leak.' Wile featured in the lead promotion on Purevolume.com's homepage, Cartel received over 50,000 plays in one day. Cartel is currently on tour with Acceptance and and Panic! At The Disco. In the spirit of keeping busy, Cartel have booked tours throughout the end of the year with The Working Title and Waking Ashland as well as a tour of Japan.

"8 out of 10" - Vice
"Will Pugh's smooth vocals and the album's slick production and melodies make Chroma extremely easy on the ears" - SPIN
"CHROMA is long lasting pop rock goodness that will keep you spinning for hours." - Bop
"Cartel already sounds like a multi-platinum entity on its first album" - Amplifier

www.cartelrocks.com
www.themilitiagroup.com

[The Fix]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[desh412]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

<sigh> I'm so sick of hearing that.

[when 4ever ends]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
that post get my vote for the most pathetic post ive seen all day.

congratzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Tmovielife16]

good for them, i bought mine last thursday

[tambo41187]

<sigh> I'm so sick of hearing that.
:ditto:

had to wait till today, but i finally picked this up.

[The Fix]

it's pathetic to have an opinion now?

sweet

[minusthejosh]

congrats to cartel, they deserve it. chroma is a solid release

[desh412]

it's pathetic to have an opinion now?

You're definitely entitled to your opinion. Everyone's got one. I'm just saying I'm tired of people saying the record is boring. "Pop-rock" (or whatever you wanna define it as) is not really my thing, but Chroma is a solid record...well written with lyrics that have some actual meaning to them and I'm all for it.

[HBK42581]

I can't help but wonder how they would have done had the major record stores (ie: Best Buy and others) carried more than just 3 copies on the release date. These guys were cheated out of selling way more CD's me thinks.

[blahme]

In the spirit of keeping busy, Cartel have booked tours throughout the end of the year with The Working Title and Waking Ashland as well as a tour of Japan.

Sweet.

[preppyak]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nope, Hawthorne Heights by far. And I agree with what was said above, they have well written lyrics.

[kapler23]

i thought lovedrug debuted at 6500?? cuz they cracked top 200 billboard...cartel didnt even do that

[Vil de Locke]

Yup, good for them.. I guess they'll continue selling a good number of records in the next few weeks.. Perhaps the real first week demand of "chroma" will be completed in this way.. Know what I mean?
Let's take a guess: chroma is selling 2,000 copies next week.. What do you think?

[JohnnyQuest]

would be sweet if someone would proofread these things:

"Wile featured in the lead promotion on Purevolume.com's homepage,"

[Greg Dona]

i just got mine today. got some stickers too. and the let go. and some of their stickers. yeah for mail items.

[cinematic_life]

i got my cd on the seventeeth, i should have gotten them to sign it...

[Katie Schmitz]

I Got Mine Signed!!!

[exidol]

3,000 is a good number for an indie band's first record.

[Katie Schmitz]

Generic or not it's still damn good music!

[ilovebsb]

i'd like to think this is mostly because or mr. jason tate for publisizing the crap out of this record. jason is the man and cartel is soo good. i love pop punk :)

[bleed me bleu]

okay, so the working title has played with hidden plain view, the academy is, mae, motion city soundtrack, and waking ashland. now they play with cartel...they need to come play a fucking hometown show with em!

p.s. cartel make me dance

[Jason Tate]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Thanks for being the first person ever to point this out.

[Greg Dona]

Thanks for being the first person ever to point this out.
http://www.dallasmusicguide.com/old/albums/cartel-chroma.htm

please people, read and critique this review. i really want to improve both as a reviewer and a writer in general. i still hope tate picks me up for that contest he had a while back.

[annn]

http://www.dallasmusicguide.com/old/albums/cartel-chroma.htm

please people, read and critique this review. i really want to improve both as a reviewer and a writer in general. i still hope tate picks me up for that contest he had a while back.
wow I'm really really impressed. I'm usually very critical when it comes to writing in general, but I have to say you're a damn good writer and reviewer. About a zillion times better than some of the reviews peopel say are "good" here. I won't mention names ;)

[kg00d]

errr i still haven't received my copy in the mail yet....

[Sureshot182]

cartel fucking owns all. i'd rather hear the best voice and best pop music in the "scene" today over some band full of pretentious indie fucks. grow a beard, and get off this site if you are going to trash cartel.

[Lephty]

3000/50 = 60 people per state. Damn, that means that I am one out of 60 people in all of Michigan who like Cartel a lot.

[JTrain12]

http://www.dallasmusicguide.com/old/albums/cartel-chroma.htm

please people, read and critique this review. i really want to improve both as a reviewer and a writer in general. i still hope tate picks me up for that contest he had a while back.


definitely a good review...but Outkast with a k is definitely the biggest thing from the ATL =)

[Greg Dona]

wow I'm really really impressed. I'm usually very critical when it comes to writing in general, but I have to say you're a damn good writer and reviewer. About a zillion times better than some of the reviews peopel say are "good" here. I won't mention names ;)
thanks. i love you. i hope jason hires me. id give him sex to write for this site.

[Katie Schmitz]

wow I'm really really impressed. I'm usually very critical when it comes to writing in general, but I have to say you're a damn good writer and reviewer. About a zillion times better than some of the reviews peopel say are "good" here. I won't mention names ;)

Where have you been chica? I missed you ... :(

[Greg Dona]

definitely a good review...but Outkast with a k is definitely the biggest thing from the ATL =)
i didnt know they were from there... thanks!

[annn]

Where have you been chica? I missed you ... :(
Junior year is a bitch :redface:

[Tyler Revolution]

Good for them. Album of the year.

[kleswing]

http://www.dallasmusicguide.com/old/albums/cartel-chroma.htm

please people, read and critique this review. i really want to improve both as a reviewer and a writer in general. i still hope tate picks me up for that contest he had a while back.


Learn to use paragraphs-- break up your middle paragraph.

I didn't know why you were using "question and answer" format until one of the later sentences where you answered my question... it's the name of the last two tracks. If you're gonna use a writing gimmick like that, make sure your reader knows what's going on early rather than later.

It sounds like you're gushing a little, but it shows you're passionate for the band.

only to lead into the ultimate buzz kill… and by “buzz kill” I mean slow song… and by “slow song” I mean genius art.

I think that needs to be better punctuated. Genius is not a adjective.


Besides that, good review. I'm just trying to give you some constructive critisicm to improve.
I was impressed.

[LPMagic]

http://www.dallasmusicguide.com/old/albums/cartel-chroma.htm

please people, read and critique this review.
A few criticisms:

*Don't be so wordy - A key in journalism is to limit the amount of words you use. Take out unnecessary comments and words.

*Don't be so assuming about the reader and/or target audience - We want to hear what YOUR opinion is when we read your review, not what you say other people might think or feel.

*"Say Anything emerged last year as one of the most remarkable bands in the scene, and any track bearing their name, as does the opener, “Say Anything (Else),” must be glorious." What do you mean by that? Why must it be glorious?

*And for the love of God, break it down into paragraphs!

Aside from those things, I felt it was a solid review, keep up the good work!

- Jeff

[Greg Dona]

Learn to use paragraphs-- break up your middle paragraph.

I didn't know why you were using "question and answer" format until one of the later sentences where you answered my question... it's the name of the last two tracks. If you're gonna use a writing gimmick like that, make sure your reader knows what's going on early rather than later.

It sounds like you're gushing a little, but it shows you're passionate for the band.



I think that needs to be better punctuated. Genius is not a adjective.


Besides that, good review. I'm just trying to give you some constructive critisicm to improve.
I was impressed.
i tend to use the '...' sequence too often. i dont even know its technical name. yea, thanks for the criticism. i definately see where youre coming from on the paragraph thing too.

A few criticisms:

*Don't be so wordy - A key in journalism is to limit the amount of words you use. Take out unnecessary comments and words.

*Don't be so assuming about the reader and/or target audience - We want to hear what YOUR opinion is when we read your review, not what you say other people might think or feel.

*"Say Anything emerged last year as one of the most remarkable bands in the scene, and any track bearing their name, as does the opener, “Say Anything (Else),” must be glorious." What do you mean by that? Why must it be glorious?

*And for the love of God, break it down into paragraphs!

Aside from those things, I felt it was a solid review, keep up the good work!

- Jeff
thanks jeff! i wish id had some kind of formal training in journalism. but alas, i have zero experience.

[LPMagic]

thanks jeff! i wish id had some kind of formal training in journalism. but alas, i have zero experience.
No problem, any time! I've dealt with journalism for quite some time now - which would explain why I'm such a grammar, spelling, and neat freak when I post. It also explains why I add "- Jeff" to the end of all of my posts (journalists tend to want their words to be credited). I also do that because I got in the habit when I started blogging years ago and because it pisses off a select few around here who think I should stop because they tell me to.

- Jeff

[weworemasks]

No problem, any time! I've dealt with journalism for quite some time now - which would explain why I'm such a grammar, spelling, and neat freak when I post. It also explains why I add "- Jeff" to the end of all of my posts (journalists tend to want their words to be credited). I also do that because I got in the habit when I started blogging years ago and because it pisses off a select few around here who think I should stop because they tell me to.

- Jeff

so its finally explained why you do the "-jeff" thing. i feel much better now.

[CyberInferno]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Pointless post. I'm personally not a fan; I think the lead singer's voice is great, the music is alright, but nothing specific hooks me. With that said, short, irrelevants posts do not add anything to the quality of the conversation. Next time you think something like this, leave it at a thought.

[LPMagic]

so its finally explained why you do the "-jeff" thing. i feel much better now.
:)

It'll be our dirty little secret.

- Jeff

[piaffeprncess98]

BOP magazine? Oh boy...Good for Cartel though. I haven't read the AP review yet, I'm interested.

[Katie Schmitz]

Junior year is a bitch :redface:

Are you a junior in college? So am I ... it's keeping me busy that's for sure!

[kissbangkill]

it's pathetic to have an opinion now?

sweet

you take really good pictures. very natural. that's rare these days with most pictures consisting of blurs of light.

[I.O]

awsome

[1000shadesofred]

This band gets my vote for the most generic band in existence today...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


are you freaking serious? youre an idiot

[FstFtsVsFences]

Ya know, a lot of people are going to hate on these guys because they play pop punk music and Will has a relatively high voice..... However, when those people do hate on them and call them "generic" and other shit like that, it just proves how ignorant they are. Who cares if they don't play the type of music you like? You can still respect them for their songwriting and lyrics along with the fact that this is one damn well put together album. Cartel has put out an instant classic with Chroma and shame on those who can't even understand why I'm saying that.

[duffe]

My copie has been shipped :)

[dave vegan]

duffe you're avatar is seriously freaking me out. if hella had a music video, i think that's what it would look like.

[Caleb Cattivera]

Ya know, a lot of people are going to hate on these guys because they play pop punk music and Will has a relatively high voice..... However, when those people do hate on them and call them "generic" and other shit like that, it just proves how ignorant they are. Who cares if they don't play the type of music you like? You can still respect them for their songwriting and lyrics along with the fact that this is one damn well put together album. Cartel has put out an instant classic with Chroma and shame on those who can't even understand why I'm saying that.
couldn't have said it better myself. i hear alot of music that is generic...but i like it. if it's catchy, i'll listen. i've only listened to the album a couple of times, but what i've heard hasn't been too shabby.