Acoustic guitar legend Leo Kottke will perform at The Egg on Friday, April 26th at 8 PM as part of the American Roots & Branches concert series. Known as one of the fastest 6 and 12 string guitar players when he first emerged in the late 1960s, Leo Kottke has also become one of the most innovative and least musically classifiable artists of the 21st century. His one-of-a-kind picking style is matched in its uniqueness by his unusual, yet expressive vocal style and his stage shows mix instrumental virtuosity with a healthy dose of rambling stories, wit and humor.
Tickets are $34.50 and are available at The Egg Box Office at the Empire State Plaza, by telephone – 518-473-1845 – or online at theegg.org.
A content crowd of harmless hippies from all around the Finger Lakes region gathered at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on Saturday night to watch Assembly of Dust. From a cloud of fragrant smoke, the band emerged on stage with their opener “Telling Sue”. Barely seconds into the song, the audience begins to mouth the lyrics to the song.
With Reid Genauer’s organic, raspy vocals and Adam Terrell’s Chuck-Ragan-esque raw attitude, the duo share chemistry that injects energy in their set. After the upbeat performance of “Paul Henry”, the band included instrumental interludes to go along with their cosmic lighting backdrop. Between the high strung guitar solos and the shimmering tinkle of the keyboard, it was as if every note had diffused itself like a pleasant haze over the audience. Assembly of Dust then played the synthy title track of their new record, Sun Shot, which was received by the audience with a roar of applause.
For someone who is not the biggest fan of the bluegrass-jam-band genre, this reviewed found it exhilarating to watch such a great band draw such a diverse crowd together.
Setlist:
Set 1: Telling Sue, Man With a Plan, Whistle Creek, Myth of Mine, Paul Henry, Avenue of the Giants, Love Junkie, Arkansas Down, Truck Farm
Set 2: Mama, Weekhawken Ferry, Speculator, Burned Down, Cluttered, Songbeard, Silver And Worn,
Westerly, Sunshot
Last Saturday, April 6th, Everyone Dies In Utah came to the Lost Horizon in Syracuse on their Dark Hearts & Open Eyestour with The Overseer and Bleach Blonde. To support them were some of the finest upstate metal acts: Redfield, Meira, and Turn the Tide. This show was exactly what it promised to be; a showcase for up-and-coming talent in the various forms of underground music. While the bands all did very well and had good energy, the crowd seemed less enthusiastic. I’m not sure why this is the case, but by the end of the night, EDIU most certainly made the crowd come alive.
Local metalcore sextet Turn the Tide opened the show and did what they always do; they “kept it metal”. Their high-energy stage presence and tight stage-move choreography kept things interesting, on top of talented musicianship and vocals. Not even drummer Mike Hopper’s overhead microphone falling on top of his drum set could stop the flow of their musical onslaught. However, being the first band has some serious drawbacks, and the crowd didn’t really give these guys as much energy as they deserved.
Following them was Meira, a metalcore quartet that sounds like there are way more people than that. Playing songs from last year’s debut EP, Closure, plus a new song, these guys brought their dark, brutal sound to the stage with full force. The crowd started to pick up a bit as they went on, and some dedicated fans revealed themselves and sang along with them. They showed a lot of promise and cohesiveness with just the four of them, and proved that they are not messing around.
Redfield, a local fan favorite, was the last local band to play. This metalcore act has gone through some lineup changes to date, and I think some of it showed. The vocals and rhythm section were spot-on, and brought the familiar partying energy we’ve all come to know and love, but it seemed as though at least one of the guitarists were new to the band and still needed to learn parts of some songs. However, vocalist Travis Bartlett carried the energy they are known for and engaged the crowd well, and induced some singing along of their newest songs.
Pop-punk band Bleach Blonde were next, and they created some mixed feelings. They have a light, fun sound, and the music itself was performed excellently. Their drummer truly stood out with his skill and fills, but the whole band kept it together very well. That is, except for the singer. I don’t know if he couldn’t hear himself or what, but I don’t think he sang one note on key the entire show. That wouldn’t be too big of a problem if he wasn’t also boring on stage. This may sound harsh, but I think this band would have a much more promising future with a different singer.
The Overseer, the last supporting act, took the stage by storm and brought some life back to the crowd after the previous band had finished. With their engaging stage presence, musical skill, and varying effects, these guys most certainly made a good impression on the crowd. They proved to be nice guys too, hanging with the other bands and talking to the audience about Syracuse University in the Final Four between songs. This band is definitely one to watch, because as good as they already are, it can only go up from here.
When Everyone Dies In Utah took the stage, it was like a tidal wave. Strobe lights, keyboard effects, and brutal postcore music seemed to completely revive the crowd. It seemed many of the people in the crowd came to support the local bands, which is good, but the ones that stuck around to see EDIU were most certainly impressed. Somehow, they are able to combine brutally heavy verses and breakdowns, super catchy choruses and riffs, and electronica all into one distinct sound. They also proved to be nice guys, taking the time to talk to me for an interview after taking down the massive amount of equipment they had.
Here’s my interview with Everyone Dies In Utah:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogBYZeFC330
My interview with Meira:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSKIMvHpQvs
My second interview with Turn the Tide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0NRs6AyRvA
(Here’s my first interview with TTT, just so you’re all caught up and learn everyone’s names…):
One of the coolest parts of writing is the opportunity to review music by my favorite artists. I’m not a critic unless I’m badgered into it. If I listen to something that I don’t care for, I don’t write about it, simple as that. I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, for me it’s all about giving exposure to music I believe is exceptional. But writing about Todd is a pure joy! He’s been one of my favorites since “Hello, It’s Me” hit the airwaves. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him in concert twice. Once with his band Utopia at the opening of the “Ra!” tour and again two years ago at The Oneonta Theater, which I reviewed on these pages. I’m about to spin Statefor the first time and share my thoughts on it with you. Here we go!
Photo by Sandra Jackson at Sublunar Studios [Visual Design]State is a one-man-band project like so many other of Todd Rundgren’s works, ten tracks that reflect industrial and contemporary electronic elements. This is his 24th solo release and it’s touted as a fusion of rock, soul, R&B and electronica.
Todd sets an immediate electronica tone with a sequencer running to open “Imagination”, then lays down a little “War Pigs” crunch line. I’m not sure if it’s a vocodor or just effects on the vocals, but the echo element emphasizes the topic, or lack thereof. It’s like the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, or is it two devils? They push and prod against each other in an almost tug of war right up to the first solo which is quintessential Todd. Exposing an inner battle in song, “I am what I am, that’s all that I am. Same old situation. No imagination. I tell myself.”
Bordering on trip-hop with a twist of Todd mayhem. He said he listened to Skillrex, interesting and a bit alarming! “Serious” feels like a mix of 80’s elements from fuzz-tone funk bass to chorus-like synth flourishes right down to the R&B influenced vocals. A total switch of the gears, just like you’d expect from him, it’s like Was Not Was on steroids. He keeps the sequencer rolling on “In My Mouth”, accompanied by electronic drums and processed vocals. Sounding something like a musical therapy session, perhaps describing words on the tip of his tongue that he can’t release.
“Ping Me” reflects the modes of communication we use today as much as how we diagnose a interpersonal problem described as a technical problem. The inability to express feelings that has been exasperated through our use of the internet medium. Just send a signal and I’ll know you’ve heard me, but did you really? The electronic funk feel rolls on through “Angry Bird”. It’s like he’s playing the game to describe the ebb and flow, lose a life, gain a trophy, re-charge, start over, pretty much a relationship video game soundtrack. “Smoke” has all of the elements of a New Order collides with Todd’s signature R&B/blue-eyed soul feel. He often plays an under-lying sexual tone expressed through analogy. He remains oblique enough to allow the listener their own definition, truly one of the most difficult of songwriting pieces.
“Collide-A-Scope” gets heavy on the electronica in a stream of thought lyric. As if he’s spinning the wheel on a kaleidoscope of his emotions, again the analogy-like exposition of feelings through an electronic medium. The real heart trying to be heard, but washed under a tide of programming and lack of ability to communicate. The metronome-like percussion of “Something From Nothing” gives a machine voice to a clock left hanging on a wall in a deserted town. Hanging onto hope, which equates to nothing more than a nail on a wall, expressed as faith, which ends up being nothing. “Party Liquor” is a full-force shot at the whole dj dance-hall scene. Exposing the vacuousness and soulless nature of the genre. It’s remarkable that all of these sounds were created with one guitar and a laptop, but that’s surely the shape of music today. The difference is these things are used by a brilliant musician, not a kid using Garage Band. The lyric suggests how easy it all is when you’re in the right place at the right time. Pure misogyny. The closer, “Sir Reality” reduces the real to the ridiculous in a simplification of what actually is, a Wizard of Oz-like opus of belief. Believe what I tell you is real, not what you actually feel. Pure Todd.
There is also a 2 CD limited edition of State which features a recent concert on Disc 2. Much like every other Todd album I’ve heard, this one is highly recommended as his constant evolution as a writer and musician are in full force here. Don’t forget, he plays every instrument, sings every vocal, engineers and produces this work. Don’t try this at home, trustafarians.
Todd will be touring in support of “State” beginning at The Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY for an “Official State Visit” on May 5th and 6th.
Tracklist:
1. Imagination
2. Serious
3. In My Mouth
4. Ping Me
5. Angry Bird
6. Smoke
7. Collide-A-Scope
8. Something From Nothing
9. Party Liquor
10. Sir Reality
Styx dominated the airwaves in the 70’s and 80’s with well-known hits such as, “Lady”, “Come Sail Away”, “Show Me The Way” and their only number one song, “Babe”. The band did however have four consecutive multi-platinum albums and have a revolutionary sound comprised of a powerful guitars, theatrical performances and pioneering the prog-rock sound. We were fortunate enough to interview Styx bassist and former Bad English founder, Ricky Phillips.
The Glens Falls Civic Center is going to be host of three amazing acts on April 24th. The “Midwest Rock ‘n Roll Express” tour featuring REO Speedwagon and Styx will be coming to the foothills of the Adirondacks to share their progressive rock stylings.
REO Speedwagon will be sharing the headlining role of the tour with Styx. REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million records, including number one singles, “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling”. Another incestuous connection is REO Speedwagon’s lead guitarist Dave Amato used to play with Nugent before joining the band in time for their 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken. That album featured the bands last top 100 hit “Lock Is a Rock”. Since then they have had success as a live act playing virtually non-stop around the world, the last few years with Styx.
Ted Nugent has been getting more press for his stance on guns and support of the NRA than he has for his music lately. Don’t forget that the Motor City Madman was all rock ‘n roll before he got political. In the 70’s, Nugent provided us with hits like, “Strangehold”, “Wango Tango”, “Great White Buffalo” and of course, “Cat Scratch Fever”. How does Nugent fit in with the tour? He played with Styx’s Tommy Shaw in the super group Damn Yankees.
Did you know Ted Nugent evaded being drafted in the 1970s by covering himself in his own feces and not showering for a few weeks? It’s true – read here from the man himself!
When asked what we could expect at the show in Glens Falls, he said we should be prepared to be amazed. Their goal is “to make tonight’s show better than last night’s show. We even put together a brand new set that we are debuting on this leg of the tour. We’ve put thousands and thousands into it and we aren’t even sure if fans will notice it the difference, but the stage performance that we put off is so important to the show.”
Ricky actually played on Ted’s Little Miss Dangerous album, “One day I came home and Ted had left a message that he needed me to play a song for a movie that ended up on the album. So, I went down and I also set Dave Amato and Ted up together. Now Dave is with REO. Most of the guys that are still out there have done some recording or played for everyone else at some point. A lot of the guys who are still the survivors are still carrying the torch and we are all still friends.”
The Styx line-up hasn’t changed in 10 years, and there is a lot of rumors about grief and animosity with Dennis DeYoung. Ricky played it off saying that “The band has been focused on growing the band over the past 10 years and getting better and better and not dwelling on the past. Dennis is incredibly talented and if people are a Dennis DeYoung fan, I encourage them to go see him.” Styx has a lot of modern pop culture success as well, including being in Big Daddy and South Park. “It is something to see that the fans know all the lyrics to the songs. Styx has a unique sound and if you hear a Styx song on the radio, you can tell it’s a Styx song with the harmonies. I think that in the 70’s and 80’s there was a lot of cookie cutter format, and Styx always had their own sound. It’s very impressive. When I was in The Babies and first came across Styx it was obvious that their sound was really unique.” Three generations of fans will be at the show, and all three will know the lyrics, whether they are a Guitar Hero player, a South Park fan or remember them growing up 30 years ago.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has also eluded Styx, as well as many of the progressive rock bands from that era. You have to imagine that Styx will be inducted at some point. Ricky’s perspective is that “When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame started is always had more of a New York connection. The British rock bands that started it all were being overlooked and it killed me. So, I haven’t taken it too seriously. It would obviously be a great honor to be recognized by the fans. But whoever controls or makes that call, it’s up to them. I’ve actually never even have this discussion with the other guys in the band. Our focus is so much on the fans and making our music better and better every night.”
Progressive rock is back on the rise, just look at any festival line-up and you will see modern prog rockers. Styx was influential in starting that sound. You can hear their influences on newer bands. “It’s great to hear, there is a new band that sounds like a mix between Styx and Zeppelin and you can tell what albums influenced them. It’s nice to be part of the influencer. I was influenced first of all by the Beatles and the song writing and arrangement. Thank god that was my first initial impact as a kid. There was a strong sense of song structure and melodies. Paul McCartney’s bass solos were a huge part of me picking up bass. I have played guitar to this day, but there is something about bass that has spoke to me. It’s a real challenge to be a good bass player and it’s a challenge that I will always be striving for. Listen to Paul McCartney and you can tell the percussion aspects of bass. It’s seemingly invisible but bass can control the tempo and swing in a song.”
Be sure to get out to the Glens Falls Civic Center on April 24th and catch these three great bands and celebrate over 30 years of music.
Cleveland bred group MushroomHead will be taking the stage April 23rd at the Lost Horizon. Forming back in ’93, they began as a side project of various other local musicians.
Their over the top stage performance and wild, mind-tripping sound and masks they wear caught on so they decided to take it up another level by making it an official band. Throughout the years they’ve gone through line-up changes and have a solid group now, and even downsized a bit; I bet it’s easier on the roadies! 13 years in the underground, 6 amazing studio albums, how can you not want to witness these guys live? Local bands such as Elephant Mountain, Meira, Wagner 3000, and Dear Mr. Dead are playing in support. Show some local support and get ahold of the bands for some pre-sales priced at $15. Show starts at 6pm and doors open at 7pm be there!
Elephant Mountain:
A stoner-rock Syracuse native band, Elephant Mountain formed back in ’09 in a practice space with the birth of two songs that night. They’ll be returning to the stage on this night to support MushroomHead and to showcase a new drummer. There also maybe a surprise in-store so let’s see what the night may bring.
Meria:
This Syracuse based metal-core band released an ep back in in September titled “Closure”. You can find a digital copy in their BandCamp for free but if your feeling not so cheap in these tough times throw ’em a dollar! They’re also competing to be on the Warped Tour in Buffalo, Ny. If you want to cast a vote go to this link and show some more love:
One man’s sick music dream on an acid trip is all I can say about these guys.
Dear Mr. Dead:
A 5 piece band hailing from the ‘cuse area also not classifying themselves as anything but rock ‘n’ roll! But if you wanted to place a title on them you could go with Godsmack meets Disturbed.
Northern Rock is a bold title for an album – Eastbound Jesus define themselves with the release of their third album in as many years.
Northern Rock not only gives rise to the sextet’s own sound, but perhaps defines something that had previously been elusive – a sub-genre of music pumping out of the northern region of this country. It’s something a kin to southern rock, but not quite; Northern Rock encompasses a variety of musical elements from rock to alternative country to folk-like story telling lyrics neatly packaged within each strategically placed song for an album that redefines the boundaries of Americana in the north.
Gentle drops of rain and soft plucking in album opener, “Out Yonder,” breaks open into a welcoming harmonization of vocals and the listener is hooked. “54 Miles”, a clap along song, would surely have the masses marching to the beat of their own drummer, in this case, Carl Anderson. Northerners are often known for their attitudes (albeit misperceived), which forlorn and edgy lead Adam Brockway captures by strumming his acoustic amid the electric instrumentation. Dave Wright on bass provides the needed counterpoints for a smooth, rounded balance of sound while Dylan Robinson (electric guitar) pushes the limits on “Kate Belle.” Getting down to the nitty gritty, Luke Anderson takes lead vocals on “I Wouldn’t Know”, letting his punchy personality flow into his banjo, crafting character into Northern Rock. But, the congealing medium throughout the disc is the intrinsic lap steel interjections of Zach Infante.
Eastbound Jesus will be unraveling their disc for the masses at a release party open to the public at Revolution Hall on April 19th. Northern Rock is an expression of what it’s like to experience the north. A style of catchy rhythms, contextual lyrics (relevant to the day in the life of a small town northerner), and a homogeneous blend of instrumentation, Eastbound Jesus established a foundation for the sound of northern rock music.
KeyTracks: 54 Miles, North Country Girl, Where the Winter Goes
“The List”, containing information about each and every Record Store Day exclusive release is up on RecordStoreDay.com. I took a look through and found some unbelievably awesome releases. These are the ones that caught my eye: Trey AnastasioBlue Ash and Other Suburbs” on a 7” Picture Vinyl, Dave Matthews BandLive Trax Vol. 1 4LP Blue Vinyl Box Set, GratefulDead Rare Cuts & Oddities 1966 on 12” Vinyl, GZA/GeniusLiquid Swords 12” Vinyl Chess Box Set, Page McConnellUnsung Cities and Movies Never Made on 12” Vinyl, PhishLawn Boy Deluxe on 12” Vinyl, The xxJamie xx edits on 12” Vinyl and The RootsThings Fall Apart on 12” Vinyl (2LP).
Vinyl Record/LP sales have been on the rise over the last few years. From 2011 to 2012, Vinyl sales went up 17.7 percent, going from 3.9 million to 4.6 million respectively. These sales increases show that consumers are craving vinyl, and what better way to lure them into a record shop than with an exclusive day of vinyl-only releases. Record Store Day draws unbelievable support from artists, labels, record stores and passionate music fans and overall the day is in the good spirit of keeping music alive.
However, Record Store Day isn’t all good. Not every independent record store can participate, and the ones that do aren’t always able to stock all of the releases. For example,Last Vestige is an independent record store in Albany, NY that has been around since 1986. Owner Jim Furlong has issues with getting some of the releases because he can’t compete with bigger stores that have major connections with distributors. Furlong says, “This has become a big deal where every year, a bunch of different labels, in conglomeration with Record Store Day, manufacture these limited edition pieces and the bigger chains that do business with these labels throughout the year or with the bigger distributors, get first crack or get the majority.” In addition, Furlong encounters problems with people complaining that he doesn’t stock enough of the Record Store Day releases. He adds, “It is annoying and if you don’t have enough, people start badmouthing you on Facebook. I’ve seen some other stores get grief because either they didn’t get it when they thought they would and somebody waited in line and they had to jump in their car and run to Newbury Comics and hope they could find it there. And it just seems that it takes away from the whole joy of it all, having this big friendly competition.” Furlong goes on to say, “The topper is, within a couple weeks after they’re sold, you see on eBay all of a sudden, this stuff’s going for crazy money.” Overall, Jim Furlong and Last Vestige have a frustrating time trying to make happy everyone that comes in to shop on Record Store Day. Without strong distributor relationships, small-scale independent shops don’t have the means to stock all the releases that people are looking for. If people can’t get they want, they get angry and take to the Internet, causing frustration and annoyance for owners.
On the other hand, The Sound Gardenin Syracuse, NY, really thrives on Record Store Day. The Sound Garden is an independent record store that has one other location in Baltimore, MD (this location was ranked #2 on Rolling Stone’s list of The Best Record Stores in the USA). When I asked Eric Brush, the General Manager of the Syracuse location, about what releases he stocks for Record Store Day, he said, “We stock at least one of every release on ‘The List.’” He goes on to add, “Since record store day started, we’ve almost doubled the quantity of releases we order.” Brush had mentioned earlier that The Sound Garden was part of the original group of independent record stores that banded together to start Record Store Day. When I asked Eric Brush about how a smaller store can get involved he responded, “They have to have a relationship with some of the vendors that are putting out the merchandise and we have a relationship with every single one. But [if you don’t], there are other avenues that you can get into throughout the industry. There are one-stop distributors that carry every release from every label and manufacturer all in one place, but they charge you a little bit more. They are a part of Record Store Day and they get a very limited quantity to offer to their customers. This works against smaller stores because they just don’t have access to the quantities that we do.” Brush also talked about criteria that you must follow to be a participating record store for Record Store Day. He said that stores must sign an agreement saying that they won’t sell the releases online at all (to prevent price gauging). Brush confirms, “One thing I do know is that if you get caught selling that stuff online, you’re exempt. They just don’t take kindly to that.” Overall, The Sound Garden does well with Record Store Day because they have the relationships to stock every release so that their customers can get exactly what they want.
Overall, Record Store Day is a great event for some, in that it helps raise awareness about independent record stores and give recorded music sales a little bump. However, it is unfortunate that some independent record stores are too small to compete with larger stores for their desired quantity of titles. Whether it’s Record Store Day or not, these independent record stores will always have competition. This event advocates for people to go out to their local brick and mortar record store, which is a huge step in the right direction. There’s no doubt that Record Store Day is an awesome way to for these independent stores to gain customers and ultimately make record collecting cool again.
Syracuse multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter Greg Pier and his vehicle, “Mandate of Heaven” have released their latest CD, “Mark Music” and are preparing for several shows in May and June.
Pier could certainly be considered one of the area’s most prolific writers as MofH reaches double-digit numbered releases. MofH is not only a band, but also the moniker for Pier’s solo performances and recordings. “Mark Music” is the tenth release on Pier’s “Neon Witch” label. Jason “Jocko” Randall engineers and mixes at More Sound with additional tracking done at Neon Witch, Randall and Pier co-produce this release which was recorded between 2009 and 2012. All songs were written by Pier except “Scrapper’s Blues”, written with Ethan Jenks.
photo by Robyn Stockdale
The current band features FLASHING ASTONISHER veterans Bob Kane on Drums, who plays on all tracks here besides “High Dragonfly” and Chuck Gwynn who contributes bass on “Bedroom In The Sky”. Bob gave me a great quote while we discussed this review, “What bums me out is that my favorite tune has Greg on drums, “High Dragonfly”. I laid down a track, but I was more Wilco than Crazy Horse, just too many grace notes, so he played it himself. Someday I’ll learn!” Jason “Jocko” Randall on second guitar and six string monster John Hanus plays the slide solos on “Bedroom In The Sky” and “Cruel, Cruel Aristocrats”. All other instruments and all vocals are performed by Pier, much the same as previous MofH releases.
The CD opens with “Baby Electron”, a straight-up power-pop monster, setting the bar high for the rest of the disc. Super melodic, the ringing harmonic guitar parts swirl around the vocal harmonies ‘til the chorus hits with a crunch and bite! Hopelessness and lack of control, such a romantically pretty place to start and an appropriate lead in to “Bedroom In The Sky”. John Hanus’ dripping slide part supports Pier’s melancholic reading. The guitar parts individually read with a R.E.M. feel, the rhythm, the slide. Gwynn’s bass line is solid and flowing, just the right feel to work with Kane completing the section. “Scrapper’s Blues” is like a postcard from the front porch, written by Yorke and sung by a Matt Bellamy/Bono lovechild. The syncopation in the guitar line with Kane’s drive close at hand pushes the pace in an almost twirling dance. The first listen of “High Dragonfly” illustrates Kane’s previous quote, while the vocal line belies the almost woodsy feel of the tune, Pier’s vocal twists from his heart like the removal of a similar knife-blade. There’s a “dEUS” quality to one guitar line that echoes a “Beefheartish” influence and influences the vocal meter. The minimalist feel allows the words to bite and release, hard. “From The Center” releases the heavy side of Pier, while he allows the melodic vocal duality to layer deep. Kane’s strength reminds me of QOTSA Grohl, along with a vocal intonation that is rhythmically British in a Foo kinda way, again, back to Kane’s quote.
There’s an edgy, crispy quality to the whole recording, maybe it’s in the compression. It’s a bit haunting and a bit halting, kinda like T-Rex at times vocally and that ain’t bad!
Note: We just clicked on cdbaby to the “if you like this artist try” section. Hahahaha! Perfect!
“Cruel, Cruel Aristocrats” brings Hanus back in the mix to accentuate the fast pace of Pier’s guitar line. Thematically Pier takes another bite at the expected and entitled, spitting at the standard while embracing the outsider. Check out the video here, it’s very well done.
“If Twenty” jumps out of the gate heavy, its layered guitar riffs punctuating Greg’s quasi-pastoral, pleading vocals. Kane, once again is so strong, yet thoughtful, right down to the bell ride on his cymbal signaling the crunch along. Pier’s disaffected poetry is wrenching when it reaches its apex, circling and re-examining to the ultimate goal, the ultimately isolated self.
“Parable” is like a theme that runs in my head everyday. Listen to what the self-proclaimed decide you like and let them pick your enemies while they’re at it. It spits at the standard and what is foisted upon us daily. Almost a updated “Iron Man” hidden in there for familiarity, with the classic percussive break only to bring you back with slowed down big-rock ending.
“Riverbed” has a cool wilting pedal steel line playing against the semi-San Franciscan guitars, whether they’re para-psychedelic or more semi-symbionic. There’s a root in the Appalachians and a mind in Berkeley, woeful, but trust-fund hopeful. Cue up Yo La Tengo – “Sugarcube” and stress the droning vacuum cleaner sound.
“Hand The Bottle From The Tree” is classic indie-power pop, it rocks, the vocals soar and the end kills. It times in at 3:08, just like a single that will never get airtime. It’s a pity really. At first listen a few months ago I stated that this release alone was reason for a “Album Of The Year” category in our local SAMMY Awards. Did I mention that this won “Best Modern Rock” album this year? I truly believe this work toasts many Grammy winners, it truly is that good! A taste of The Black Keys, maybe some spice from The Raconteurs, all deftly dialed in by Jocko and Greg.
The closer, “Song Of The Halfway Point” lays it all on the table for digestion. Influences blended with personal vision, forethought and hindsight mixed with the slightest twang. It’s powerful, it exceeds its environment, it stretches reality beyond the norm if only just in wanting. It’s brilliant. Go buy it right now.
Just when we were beginning to think that All Good was actually going to be their only summer 2013 appearance, Furthur announced their East Coast heavy summer 2013 tour dates today! Looks like All Good is now just a midway point on a long strange trip between East and West coasts for this psychedelic troop.
The Band will come through Upstate NY twice this summer, while also playing other popular North East venues like, home to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center; and first time appearances at New Hampshire’s Meadow Brook. This tour will also be the first time the band has done a 4-day run, September 19-22, at Red Rocks!
Personally I had my doubts too. Heads from Rochester to Toronto were legitimately almost convinced we wouldn’t see any Furthur. If we weren’t going to the Port Chester sold out shows or All Good, then we just might have our first summer in years without the sweet sounds to fill the air.
Furthur is playing the Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY on July 14th. Mail order tickets will go on sale April 16th online Here. Internet Pre-Sales are during April 16-18th, and regular on sale April 19th. They will return to CMAC in Canadaigua, NY on July 19th. Ticket info is the same for both venues as well as all dates on the tour schedule. For more information please visit the Furthur website Here.
Furthur Tour Dates:
July 11 – Brooklyn, NY
July 12 – Holmdel, NJ
July 14 – Cooperstown, NY
July 16 – Gilford, NH
July 17 & 18 – Boston, MA
July 19 – Canandaigua, NY
September 19, 20, 21 & 22 – Red Rocks, CO
September 24 – Redmond, WA
September 25 – Eugene, OR
September 27, 28 & 29 – Berkeley, CA
October 1 & 2 – Las Vegas, NV
October 4, 5 & 6 – Los Angeles, CA
“The List”, containing information about each and every Record Store Day exclusive release is up on 
