madhouse! records
madhouse! records is Rich's tiny independent music imprint. Since 1997 he has been
releasing his music and that of his friends on a shoestring, mostly to family and friends.
More recently, the records have been more widely distributed. Starting out with a 4-track tape recorder, Rich has been recording music nearly as long as he has been playing it. The latest madhouse! release, The latest from Rich Restaino, The C'est La Vie EP is the first release to feature The Obits. Combining elements of The Late Fees (girl group vocals, heavy guitars & drums) with more pop hooks and less scatalogical material, The Obits deliver 8 songs of power pop love. The lead-off track, "Ronnie Got Free," is featured on The Brain Machine Recording Studio's 2009 compilation CD. The C'est La Vie EP is also the first madhouse! release to be mixed out-of-house. Some recording and all the mixing and mastering were done by Randy Avenell of The Brain Machine Recording Studio in Austin, TX. All other releases below were recorded and mixed by Restaino on the cheap in his home studio. Please support independent music by purchasing either a CD or mp3 by clicking any of the links below.
madhouse! (2010)
The latest madhouse! release is Rich & The Obits' first full-length effort. Coming in a year after their debut EP, We're in This Thing Together mines life's small victories in songs full of pop hooks, soulful playing, and an admirable willingness to strive for things just out of reach.
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE CLIP: "Hey Hey Hey"
The Late Fees Present: Zim & Knux / Studio A
madhouse! (2009)
Nine tracks written, recorded, and mixed in two weeks by Zim & Knux, the leaders of The Late Fees. The record takes the irreverence of The Fees, but drops the punk rock in favor of soul, funk, gospel, and lounge.
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE CLIP: "Culprit in the Pulpit"
Rich Restaino & The Obits / The C'est La Vie EP
madhouse! (2009)
"A cracking EP of songs,it reminds me of the best of Stiff Records ie Nick Lowe, Mickey Jupp, Wreckless Eric.If you like straight to the heart pop music this serves it up in spades."
-Iain Hutton, CDBaby fan review
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE CLIP: "Ronnie Got Free"
The Late Fees / The Late Fees
madhouse! (2007)
"How's this for a concept? Fuse '50s and early '60s 'doo-wop and girl-group harmonies with stripped down 70s-era punk.' Well, that's not a concept, that's the highly accurate self-description of the Late Fees, and it works wonderfully.
I only wish the great majority of the clever tunes from this debut disc (released April 30, 2007) weren't obscenity-laced so that I could broadcast more of their music."
- Charlie Martin, KOOP Radio, Austin, TX
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE CLIP: "Sorry I Said I Love You"
madhouse! (2005)
"Will Rich Restaino be Austin's version of Randy Newman? Just listen to his new CD, "Revisionary Man," and you will see what I mean. Rich is intellectual (he's on his way to becoming a certified history teacher) and funny(well, he has a song written from his dog's perspective -- "Good Boy"), and well versed in the disconnects associated with too much drinking. . ."
- Duggan Flanakin, Flanfire (http://flanfire.blogspot.com/)
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE CLIP: "My Favorite Remedy"