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November 18, 2008
Strap on your keytars and get ready to experience this synth-driven remix album of classics…

API Records announces the digital release of SYNTHESIZE, now available exclusively on iTunes.

Produced by Tim Keyes, SYNTHESIZE features "synth-grooved" versions of classic tracks.

The tracklist features -

Modern American Love Song
September (For You)
Lives and Stories
Hands of Time
Holy Mountain
I Need To Believe
I Won't Be Coming Home Tonight (Club Mix)
I Won't Be Coming Home Tonight (Pop Mix)

To mark the exclusive iTunes digital release of SYNTHESIZE, member Patrick Bamburak wrote these track by track liner notes:

Modern American Love Song – I’ve always maintained some connection in my mind with this song and Black Tie/White Noise-era David Bowie. When Tim Keyes first produced this arrangement of Modern, he captured exactly the feeling I had in my head when I first conceived of the song.

September (For You) – This is an epic track no matter what arrangement it is in. In its original form, September has a distinct singer/songwriter feel to it – this remix molds the darkness into something you can dance to. While it may not be apparent, Depeche Mode was a big influence on early , so my baritone sung “I don’t believe in anything, but I believe in you” line in this remix is my tip of the hat to Dave Gahan.

Lives and Stories – You may know this track by its other name: Lies and Stories. This track makes me think of what would happen if Dexy’s Midnight Runners traded their washboards and upright pianos for keytars. I wrote a distinctly Celtic-folk melody for the song - which gives it a perfect melancholy whether you play it fast or play it slow.

Hands of Time – This track first appeared on the Music Is Freedom CD in 2002, even though the song itself is something I had been working on since the early ‘90s. Buried deep in the DNA of this song is pure delta-blues thanks to the influence Robbie Robertson (he is from a group you may have heard about called The Band.)

Holy Mountain – First written in 1987, this song is from the very beginning of . In fact, it was so early in the band and my songwriting career, that for lack of material, I reused the chorus of this song in another song I wrote with Robert Medvedz called Thousand Languages, (which is on the CD Cold.) The lyric itself is classic 1980’s optimism – take on the biggest problems of mankind in a song, and solve them in 3 minutes, 30 seconds…

I Need to Believe – Hanging over the doorway in the kitchen of my parents’ house was a small wooden plaque bearing the Irish Blessing. One day I pulled a chair over to the doorway, hopped up on it, took the plaque down and refashioned the Blessing into a song. Whether on an acoustic guitar or a synth, it’s the Need and not the Belief that is the point of this song.

I Won’t Be Coming Home Tonight – I think this song probably contains the most famous line in the catalog, “I’ve thrown the television in the river.” Beyond the television throwing sentiments, or maybe because of them, this is another example of a Celtic-folk melody surviving anything you can throw at it. This remix is the third version of this song that we’ve put out on a album, and probably won’t be the last.

September 15, 2008
API Records has announced that iTunes will be the Exclusive digital download vendor for the upcoming album SYNTHESIZE.

For those of you who want to buy the CD version of the album, the Exclusive physical distributor will be Amazon.

The digital and physical release dates for SYNTHESIZE will be announced in the near future.

In related news, 's Patrick Bamburak will be appearing on the upcoming debut album LOVED by API Records recording artist Tarra. Patrick recently finished recording guitar for the new disc and appears in the music video for "Cosmic", one of the album's first singles. All of the latest information on Tarra and her debut, including photos from the Studio and the video shoot, are available in the News section at the official API Records website.

Also, Amazon now exclusively carries Funhaus and Abandoned City - the debut and sophomore releases from the pop-rock band Funhaus, featuring the songwriting and guitar skills of 's Patrick Bamburak.

Finally, Patrick is continuing his work with veteran producer and founder of the legendary 111East Records label James Bratton. The buzz is continuing to build on the "Machine remix" that James contributed to the The Machine EP disc, and there is more music and video work in the pipeline that we'll have details about soon. The random drawing for the "AUTOGRAPHED Machine EP Giveaway" is still underway - so be sure to visit the James Bratton or MySpace pages for your chance to win. - Newsdesk

July 7, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: James Bratton / Machine REMIX Giveaway (random drawing for 7 lucky winners!)

Legendary R&B and House music producer James Bratton has teamed up with veteran indie-rockers to remix the track Machine on their latest CD. There are 7 autographed posters - (signed by James Bratton and members Patrick Bamburak and Joe Gutsick) and 7 autographed copies of The Machine EP by (signed by James Bratton and Patrick Bamburak) that will be given away to 7 lucky winners selected at random. If your name is chosen you will receive by mail one autographed poster and one autographed CD.

To participate in this giveaway - send an email with your full name and mailing address to the Official JAMES BRATTON MYSPACE PAGE or to the Official MYSPACE PAGE. 7 emails will be drawn at random and those lucky winners will each receive the giveaway.

For more information on bait-oven - visit their official website at www.baitoven.com

Rules and regulations : The giveaway is while supplies last. Limit ONE entry per individual. Limit ONE entry per email address. Limit ONE entry per household/mailing address. It is open to friends and fans anywhere on planet Earth as long as you have a mailbox! The giveaway offer may be rescinded at any time for any reason. All entry emails will be deleted at the conclusion of the giveaway. James Bratton, , and their related representatives, assume no liability for participants in this giveaway.

April 18, 2008

The upcoming REMIX album is now officially titled SYNTHESIZE. The album features remixed and regrooved synth versions of classic tracks, produced by Tim Keyes. The album will be released worldwide by API Records under brand new digital and physical distribution agreements. API will be announcing the details in the near future. Stay tuned to baitoven.com for updates on SYNTHESIZE. Here is a preview of the cover art, featuring the latest spin on the classic cartoon characters created by Joe Gutsick ...

For those of you who follow the other projects that Patrick Bamburak is involved in - API Records will also be relaunching the two Funhaus albums - 2002's self-titled "Funhaus" and 2006's "Abandoned City" under the new worldwide digital distribution agreement. In anticipation of the relaunch of Funhaus - API has just released a new music video for the single "IF". Be sure to check out the other Funhaus music videos for "Leave My Tears Alone" and "Abandoned City".

Funhaus is a special project that brings together the talented vocalist Michelle Aversano with veteran producer/recording artist Tim Keyes and Patrick Bamburak, frontman/guitarist from the rock group . In Funhaus, these three strong personalities combine to form a songwriting and performing team that recalls a time in the music industry when careers were built on the strength of the songs alone. You can visit the MySpace page for Funhaus.

Patrick Bamburak and James Bratton are also continuing their work together on new music that will be released later in 2008. Patrick gave the Newsdesk a quick update: "I've been doing alot of vocal exercises lately - strengthening my voice, so that I'm able to give my best on the new material James and I are working on. The different styles that James and I are fusing together in the new songs are making the process alot of fun and it's good to challenge yourself to do new things when you are making records. I'm really honored to be working with James Bratton on our new project. I'm hoping it will surprise and delight alot of people." James Bratton has an extensive music career that includes performing, songwriting, production, engineering, remixing... having earned Gold and Platinum certifications, the list of his accomplishments goes on and on. A pioneer of the New York underground dance music scene in the 1980's, James' record label 111East remains a milestone in the rise of house/dance music and its major impact on the American music industry. As a songwriter, producer, and remixer, James has worked with artists such as Sybil, Kelly Charles, Black Box, and Salt N'Pepa, among many others. James also worked extensively in the UK, where the effects of his musical output are still being felt. From electronic giants The Prodigy sampling his work in the 1990's to UK based trip-hop artist Plan B covering James' track "No Good" on his late 2006 release, James Bratton's music continues to reach new audiences worldwide. Most recently, James remixed the track Machine on 's 2007 release The Machine EP. - Newsdesk

January 16, 2008

Let's start 2008 with an update on the latest news:

We will have information shortly on the upcoming CD REMIX. This is a project that features remixed and regrooved synth versions of classic tracks produced by Tim Keyes. It will be released on API Records and will be available in both CD and digital formats. For a preview of the sounds you'll hear on the REMIX disc - be sure to check out Modern American Love Song and Hands of Time from the Music Is Freedom CD. Patrick has written special liner notes to accompany the REMIX disc that gives the background stories on each track. The cover art will feature a new spin on some classic artwork created by Joe Gutsick.

Live! will begin with a special friends and fans performance at a venue in New Jersey. Timing has not been finalized for the performance as of yet, but once that information is available, it will be reported here at baitoven.com. In preparation for the live performance, Patrick and James Bratton have already begun a rehearsal schedule to work on the guitar and bass parts - and full band rehearsals will begin in the near future. Joe Gutsick's drumkit for the live performances will feature custom bass drum heads from Headfirst. The band also intends to film digital video of the rehearsals and performances and will make them available on the web.

The MySpace page now includes the James Bratton remix of the track Machine. House music fans from all over the world have been stopping by to visit the page and check out James Bratton's remix. James Bratton founded the 111 East record label, which was a milestone in the growth of house/garage music in the United States and worldwide. James' collaborations with Patrick Bamburak and are the latest evolution in his very successful and wide-ranging career as a record producer, songwriter, and label head. James and Patrick are continuing their work together on developing new projects for the future.

The store at CafePress now features the new " Classic Hoodie!" Be sure to visit the online store and check out the latest in clothing and swag. - Newsdesk