Florida-Based Rock Band The Heavy Pets Kick Off Year-Long Tour With Release of Self-Titled New Album and New Label

Online, June 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - American rock band, The Heavy Pets previewed their latest album, self-titled The Heavy Pets, along with hit-worthy single, "Drenched," at a packed hometown concert, May 2010, at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The long awaited album, produced by Multi-Platinum award winning Scott Mathews of Hit or Myth Productions Inc. and mastered by Grammy Award winner Vlado Meller of Universal Mastering Studios NYC, follows the 2007 double-disk Whale, which earned the band "most-played" status on Sirius Jam_On, with heavy rotation of songs "Operation of Flight" and "Sleep". The band's latest endeavor is a distinctly bold statement from the quintet, who is also joined on the album by several notable sit-ins, including John Popper of Blues Traveler, appearing courtesy of Verve Records.

"The Heavy Pets have returned, not just from Marin County, but from the mountaintop, like prophets bringing musical salvation," says Dan Sweeney of CityLink Magazine, of the of the band's return to Florida after recording The Heavy Pets.

"And from the sound of their album, it's apparent The Heavy Pets soaked up all the rock 'n' roll wisdom their producer had to offer, says Patrick Pineyro of Outloud.com.
The Heavy Pets features twelve (12) colorful and diverse original tracks, distinguished by The Heavy Pets' signature musicianship and crafty lyrics, including the album's first single, "Drenched," a clever, upbeat delivery of a downtrodden plea for love, written by guitarist Jeff Lloyd. Early reviews for the album predict a new level of success for The Heavy Pets, who are already a force on the touring circuit and a major festival draw, with appearances at Bonnaroo, moe.down, New Orleans Backbeat Jazz Fest as well as PetZoo!, the annual summer festival created in their namesake.

"The guitar interplay ... was some of the best I have witnessed and the rhythm section continued to propel the band into some of the most solid jamming they have yet exhibited," penned Mike Kligerman of Miami New Times on the concert that introduced Florida fans to The Heavy Pets' new material.

Arguably, The Heavy Pets' raw talent has been further elevated and refined under its new management company, 102° (One Hundred Two Degrees). The Florida-based independent label, artist management and publishing company is named after the temperature of incubation. The company's comprehensive approach to "hatching" successful artists includes assuming responsibility for the business aspects and investments that often stand in an artists' way. From 102Degrees.com:

"The successful incubation of an artist is a harmony of orchestrated elements cultivated in a perfect environment. This is what we do."
"Our mission is to accelerate the growth and success of artistic talent through comprehensive support services [and] a network of invaluable partnerships...Our company seeks equitable relationships with artists and partners alike, with a focus on enabling our talent to do what they do best - create and perform their art."

In addition to partnering with Scott Mathews and Vlado Meller, 102Degrees placed The Heavy Pets in the hands of international booking agency The Agency Group of New York to handle the band's touring and live appearances. This June, 102Degrees will also release The Heavy Pets on audiophile quality vinyl with lacquer masters cut by the legendary Doug Sax of The Mastering Lab.

The Heavy Pets are best known for infectious original songs and powerhouse performances that showcase each of the five masterful musician-songwriters in a unique rock-funk sound tipped with heavy influences of jazz, reggae and soul. The Heavy Pets CD is available for download at www.theheavypets.com or at iTunes and Amazon. For a tour schedule and tickets, visit TheHeavyPets.com.
For more information, please visit TheHeavyPets.com or 102Degrees.com