NYS Music 20​14

Author: Kevin McCallum

  • Harvest Fest Rings in Autumn at Bard College

    This past Saturday, September 27, Bard College held an exciting music event Harvest Fest. This autumn-welcoming festival appropriately took place in the campus barn, situated somewhat in the middle of Bard’s open fields and expansive gardens. Pizza with veggie toppings provided by the gardens themselves, was sold along with a Bard Harvest Ale. Mixed in with a lineup of great bands, it’s pretty clear that Bard can throw a music festival.

    Kevin McCallum - Plouse

    Plouse, a three-piece from New Jersey, kicked things off slamming into tunes from their newest EP seltzer, etc. Their easy-going sound and carefree attitudes created a fun, catchy and immediately likeable atmosphere that had even the earliest crowd dancing amidst a setting sun. With songs like “Moving & Storage” and “David Blaine” Plouse gives you a comforting feeling similar to riding your bicycle through a neighborhood in the lost city of Atlantis. Though the guys are situated at different colleges, they’re still able to find time to get together, play shows and rattle off new recordings.

    Adam Greenburg - Throw Baby

    As the night went on, another three membered band called Throw Baby hit the stage and lit things up with some mesmerizing synth-featured rock songs. Playing along to prerecorded synth, the makeup of the band consisted of drums, bass and electric guitar. The sound, which falls somewhere within the realm of a more technical and danceable STRFKR, is as if someone left a game of Mario Kart on during band practice. One thing you don’t always hear is an artist telling you what their song is about before they play it. The lead singer of Throw Baby was quick to inform the audience of each track’s subject matter, adding a unique aspect to the performance. By the time Jose Oyola & The Astronauts got on, the barn was filled to the brim with college students. The lead singer, who sang through a vintage microphone, offered an inviting stage presence and effectively brought his lyrics to life with a genuinely positive attitude. One of their more notable songs was a cover of La Mamba, which had the entire crowd in full sing-along spirit.

     Adam Greenburg - Jose Oyola & The Astronauts

    Before the main act of the night, Kitty, performed, who showcased an energetic set popular among the Bard College crowd, a band from Boston, Mass called Vundabar cranked up the volume, tearing into the upbeat instrumental opener “Troubadour” and let everybody know they’re a band worth hearing. Take one slice of crisply reverbed guitar, another slice of wild drums that are rhythmically all over the place, add a smooth bass in between and finally sprinkle some catchy and lyrically meaningful singing on top and you’ve got a good recipe for Vundabar. They’re definitely a band to check out and see live if ever given the chance.

    Kevin McCallum - Harvest Fest

    With more strong performances from bands like Morus Alba, Battle Ave. and Furniture Girls, Harvest Fest was certainly an all around good time. If ever in the area this time next year be sure to greet fall by catching this event.

  • Boston Calling Music Festival, May 23-25, 2014

    Friday’s start of Boston Calling 2014 was a little far off from a “summer” music festival as the grayish-blue cloudy skies and chilly air swept through City Hall Plaza. “Banana Pancakes” singer and one of the most chill Dads out there, Jack Johnson ,noted humorously, “So Boston this is what you guys call summer? I had to put shoes on,” something that’s likely uncommon for the Hawaiian native. The weather however seemed to have no affect on the singer/guitarist as his voice sounded remarkably similar to what’s heard on his records and with his band including dazzling pianist Zach Gill, Johnson was able to bring the summer vibes to Boston. Upon one fan’s brief speech earlier in the night of discovering good music during Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ performance, Johnson responded during his own set, crediting Fugazi as the gateway introduction to his love for music.

    Prior to Johnson taking the stage, the crowd heard performances from Cass McCombs and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. The Edward Sharpe gang brought sing along tunes that kindled high spirits and enraptured the city in one feel good atmosphere. Still to this day, nearly five years since their first album released, one song remains as absolutely relevant as it ever did, and that’s the widely popular “Home.” The group played the song acoustically and there’s just something about the realness of front man Alex Ebert’s voice and lyricism that paraded a calming nature over the crowd. Their performance also featured storytelling from Alex Ebert as well as members of the crowd. At one point Ebert went over the railing and into the crowd to take a phone from a girl who was filming. The singer filmed back up on stage before returning the video to the delighted fan. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros carried out an involved show with their fans that broke down the barrier between audience and performer.

    Though Saturday’s rainy overcast weather hung over Boston, spirits were high amidst the crowd with acts like Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists and The Head and The Heart all putting on great shows.

    The last day of the festival featured some indie bands who been around for a while like Built To Spill, Brand New and Modest Mouse. Brand New front man Jesse Lacey credits both Modest Mouse and Built to Spill with much of their own band’s start up inspiration, saying that they likely wouldn’t be here without them. Brand New gave a straight up rock and roll show, smashing over amps and breaking off lights and using them to play their guitar for thunderous sounds. The night’s headliner, Modest Mouse, lit up Boston with everyone’s favorite dance party disco groove “Dashboard” and the well-known hit “Float On,” both of which had the audience in high applause. Tegan and Sara, another early 2000’s indie band, played Sunday to an excited crowd with heavy synths and stadium-like drums, fitting for their newest album.

    This May’s Boston Calling festival brought connections between bands and their inspirations, gave the audience an important role in performances, and fought weather with spirits aided by music- pretty impressive for only the third-ever event.

  • Preview: Boston Calling Music Festival May 23-25 2014

    For quite some time there were no major music festivals in Boston besides EarthFest—an all-day summer concert, which holds the title as the biggest free radio station concert in the country (hosted by Radio 92.9). And then only last year, an event called Boston Calling sprung up out of nowhere, dipping its toes in the festival waters. Surely enough it did not disappoint and with bands like Of Monsters and Men, Portugal. The Man, The Shins, Matt and Kim, Fun. and The National all performing, the festival even developed its own sound. With the widely acclaimed success of its first event, Boston Calling 2014 geared up soon after for a September 2013 festival, this time featuring acts like Vampire Weekend, Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit and The Airborne Toxic Event. The festival was even more popular the second time around than the first.

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    Now, in only two weeks, the third-ever Boston Calling is coming back from May 23-25. This Friday through Sunday weekend event features some of its biggest names yet including Jack Johnson, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Death Cab For Cutie. The ticket options consist of a 3-Day Pass, a Weekend Pass (just Saturday and Sunday) and then single-day passes for each day.admat-spring

    The festival, which is held at City Hall Plaza, kicks off Friday when the dates open at 6pm. The main entrance is located on Congress Street and the staff highly recommends taking public transportation as the event is easily accessible from multiple MBTA stations, including the Orange, Blue, Red and Green lines. Friday features the mellowest superstar—Hawaiian native Jack Johnson, along with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Cass Mccombs. The music is expected to end that night around 11pm.

    Saturday’s gates open at 12pm and the all-day event will, again, go on until roughly 11pm. With Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists, The Head and the Heart, Frank Turner, Jenny Lewis and The Neighborhood it should be an exciting day. Also scheduled to hit the stage is Warpaint, Walk Off the Earth, Maximo Park and Magic Man. Sunday starts and ends the same times as Saturday. Modest Mouse, Tegan & Sara, Phosphorescent, Built to Spill, Brand New, and Bastille will all be playing. Additionally there will be Kurt Vile and the Violators, The Districts, and Tigerman WHOA!.

    Altogether it’s looking like a great weekend for Boston that’s sure to live up to past Boston Calling festivals, if not surpass those.

    Check out Boston Calling – Lineup General Info  Tickets

  • Hearing Aide: Amanda Rogers’ ‘WILD’

    Amanda Rogers

    Several weeks ago I had the chance to review six songs off Amanda Rogers’ newest album WILD. The EP was a solid set that previewed the direction Rogers is taking with the album, which dips its toes in all sorts of musical genres. Rogers draws on some widespread influences from country to pop to piano ballads, all of which help keep her work undefined in any broader musical classification. The first half features singles that stand well on their own, while the second half really settles in, flowing agreeably between tunes.

    One of the best songs off the album is a piano pop gem “Welcome To The Show.” With a really distinct and pleasing tone, the piano plays an upbeat rhythm that will have you hooked—a great way to start off. The drums pick the song up into a groove when they come in on the chorus and the carefree piano solo following after creates an open and unencumbered space of some feel-good music. Free and easy whistling throughout brings you back to an outdoor summertime atmosphere, something almost all of us in the New York area are longing for right about now when spring hits. With “Welcome To The Show” leading off, Amanda Rogers anticipates a sort of driving in your car with the windows down/living in America vibe to the rest of the album.

    “The American Dream” presents this American feel throughout Rogers’ music, however not in an idealized or glorified way as she addresses some national issues with lines like, “We’re overworked and we’re underpaid” and “This American dream right in front of your TV screen,” as a possible call out to those who forgot about their dreams, contented by TV. “More, More, More” adds to Rogers’ exposing of the United States corporate structure by putting down certain CEOs who make an unnecessary amount of money at the expense of others.

    “Sweet Sleep” is a soft lullaby tune that’s definitely meant to be listened to under the covers at night. There’s an airy freshness in songs like “Someone Waits” and “Genes I’m Always Wearing,” both of which have a similar feel to what’s heard in “Welcome To The Show.” With “10 Years Closer” Rogers offers a gloomy side to the album with some darker style singing. Altogether WILD is a long 19-song album with Amanda Rogers’ unique voice and piano style traveling through various styles of music.

    Amanda Rogers on

    Soundcloud Website Facebook Myspace Youtube Bandcamp

  • Hearing Aide: Amanda Rogers “WILD”

    Upstate New York native Amanda Rogers is an internationally recognized singer-songwriter whose ninth studio album WILD will be released Wednesday, April 2nd.

    Having spent the past 15 years centered around her musical career, Rogers has seen her music make appearances on television networks such as MTV and the Discovery Channel, and has multiple international tours under her belt. Her 2008 album Heartwood reached #81 on the International Top 100 Charts, and in its May 2012 issue, Rolling Stone Magazine stated that “Amanda’s tender, elfin voice is reminiscent of Heather Nova.” Additionally, Rolling Stone went on to illustrate how “[Amanda] has always been honest,” which is really an admirable trait in the pop world of music. Amanda Rogers has a classical background, while her sound is often unbound to any one genre. She encompasses various influences from Carole King’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’ style as well as Tori Amos’ classical roots and her unique sound can be classified as “lo-fi bedroom ambience,” or “pop with a dash of folk and blues.”

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    Amanda Rogers’ new upcoming album WILD was written and recorded right in the heart of Syracuse, New York, at Subcat Studios, where she worked with Co-Producer/Engineer Jon Lessels as well as L.A. recording engineer Patrick Macdougall. Towards the end of the summer, Rogers had a staggering total of roughly 30 songs written and recorded as demos. These recordings were then reworked to complete the final album. With a solid DIY way of going about the music industry as an independent touring and recording artist, Rogers’ return home to Upstate New York must have seemed fitting for the process.

    “10 Cent Songbird” is a notable song off the album with its opening piano chords under a storm of thunder-like ambiance, which is then followed by the introduction of some light fiddling of a distorted guitar. The chorus will likely be stuck in your head only after the first listen, displaying Rogers’ knack for writing catchy pop music. “More, More, More” shows Amanda’s lyrical abilities as she calls out a distaste for corrupt corporations while pushing for working-class Americans with lines like, “I’ll work three jobs and still be poor, So CEOs can have their whores.” Straying a bit from the theme of WILD, and “Walking” offers a different aspect to the album as Rogers talks of “being careful these days” and “looking for steps to follow in,” which is quite contrary to anything wild, but possibly adds to Rogers’ sincerity and honesty noted by Rolling Stone. The album could maybe have been recorded and polished up a little bit better, as the drums and electric guitar often sound somewhat generic throughout and in need of innovation and freshness. With the many rigid rules commonly found in todays pop music however, WILD takes aim towards becoming an overall original, unconventional pop record.

    Key Tracks: 10 Cent Songbird, Walking, More, More, More

    Amanda Rogers on SoundCloud Website  Facebook MySpace Youtube Bandcamp

    [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/27312111″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

  • Into It. Over It. and A Great Big Pile of Leaves at The Waiting Room Buffalo

    On Tuesday, February 25th, three bands all sharing pretty interesting names: A Great Big Pile of Leaves, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, and Into It. Over It, performed at Waiting Room in Buffalo, NY. Opening for their tour was a local band based only a couple hours out of Buffalo called Taking Meds, who started off with a tight and powerful set.

    The quartet admitted that this was their biggest show yet since they started playing together but that didn’t seem to worry them as they brought their explosive tunes into the Waiting Room. The lead guitarist, Ben Kotin could definitely shred, bringing in various metal influences into the group’s set along with drummer Matt Battle and bassist Steel Wolf. Frontman/guitarist Skylar Sarkis displayed an adequate screaming ability, adding to the energy and emotions of the songs.

    great big pile of leavesA Great Big Pile of Leaves took to the stage shortly after, kicking things off with their newest single “Snack Attack,” which is off their 2013 album You’re Always On My Mind. The band’s live sound was so similar to their recorded sound that if it wasn’t being heard twenty times louder it would probably be a little difficult to tell the difference between the two, which is a really good thing considering how well-recorded they sound. After the grand first tune, A Great Big Pile of Leaves broke into “Alligator Bop”, probably their best-known song, which gives a great expression and feeling of weekend adventures as a teenager. Of note was their lead guitar which could have been a little quieter to fit in with the overall sound of the band, but other than that A Great Big Pile of Leaves brought a solid and entertaining performance.

    The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, for the sake of brevity will be referred to as The World Is… They definitely played the most interesting songs compared to the other bands, featuring spoken word. However it was difficult to hear what was being said much of the time and the fact that there are eight members creating a large and expansive sound probably didn’t help. Altogether their show maybe could have been a little stronger but Buffalo is tough in the winter so maybe it was just a seasonal thing.  

    Roughly around 10 pm Into It. Over It. (a band lead by Evan Weiss, who writes all the songs) came on. He’s put out a lot of music over the years and has a big and committed following. Evan told the crowd that he’s actually friends with members of Taking Meds, which is pretty cool to see a band that’s just starting out having a connection with one that’s been around for some time now.

    Altogether the night was a solid showcase of four bands all connected and clearly in support of each other as musicians and as friends.