Category: Reviews

Hearing Aide: Cannibal Corpse ‘A Skeletal Domain’

Cannibal Corpse are nothing if not punishing and unrelenting, but since their career defining album Kill in 2006 they’ve also become complacent, yet at the same time they’re consistent. Cannibal Corpse has yet to put out a bad album but they also haven’t put out any material since Kill that pushes the band outside of their comfort zone, a zone they’ve been in since the band started.

Fans know what to expect with the band and on their 13th effort A Skeletal Domain they deliver the goods. The album is a great death metal record. Songs are heavy, dark, fast, and full of the slightly cheesy but oh so good twisted lyrics that the band is known for. A Skeletal Domain doesn’t have the same pop some of their other efforts do but there are a couple of songs here that will find a long stint on their live setlist.

Cannibal Corpse leave producer Erik Rutan, who did their last three releases, in favor of Mark Lewis. Lewis himself is becoming a go-to producer having been behind the boards for the fantastic Die Without Hope by Carnifex, Our Endless War by Whitechapel, and Battlecross’ War of Will in the past two years alone. Cannibal Corpse made a great choice because Lewis makes the band sound as heavy as ever with a great mix. Each instrument is fully represented and you don’t get that weird “where did the bass go?” feeling a lot of metal albums have.

Speaking of the bass player though, Alex Webster is a little less pronounced this time around. The legendary bassist has long been herald as one of the all time greats and usually has a few songs where you get a taste of his technical skills. But even without those moments, the musicianship on display here is at the same level it’s always been with Cannibal Corpse, at the highest of those in their genre.

Two of the songs on A Skeletal Remain rise above the rest. The opening salvo “High Velocity Impact Splatter” starts things off right. A relentless assault of guitars and blistering drums that lets you know that the kings of old school death metal are back with a new record. The highlight track of the album has to be “Kill or Become”, which will no doubt become a fan favorite when played live. Just picture a room full of metal junkies screaming along with vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher when he bellows “Fire up the chainsaw!”

However, that complacency does start to become apparent as the album moves through its middle stages. Few of the middle tracks have parts that stick with you. It isn’t until the final few songs that things pick up again. The album starts off great and finishes strong but songs like “Bloodstained Cement” sound like they’re using recycled riffs from albums past.

It’s hard to complain about sameness with a band like this; this is what they do. They make great death metal. They have a recipe and they stick to it. And after all these years it still isn’t old. Some bands can’t figure out what they want to sound like and go from album to album bouncing from gimmick to gimmick never finding their footing. Cannibal Corpse stuck their hooks into old school slamming death metal decades ago and they’ll never stop and they’ll never change. And to be honest, I don’t think anyone wants them to.

Key Tracks: Hight Velocity Impact Splatter, Kill or Become, Asphyxiate to Resuscitate

You can purchase “A Skeletal Domain” here.

September 19, 2014
Slaid Cleaves, A Folk Singer With an Endearing Voice and Stories to Tell

On Thursday Sept. 11, Oneonta received a hefty dose of folk with Slaid Cleaves’ performance at the B Side Ballroom and Supper Club, the city’s classiest joint. With one of the most extensive bars in town, along with a delectable menu consisting of fresh seasonal foods and exotic nightly specials, those lucky enough to have made reservations or arrived early to B Side were greeted with pleasant aromas and tasty meals coming from the kitchen. By the time show time rolled around, the place had filled up quite nicely with lots of fans, as well as newcomers to the classic folk sounds and storytelling they were about to be treated to over the course of the evening. Slaid Cleaves surely did not disappoint in that department.

Getting off to an abrupt start, Slaid was joined on stage by Chojo Jacques on alternating fiddle and mandolin. While Slaid is traditionally a solo performer, Chojo truly rounded out the sound, adding nice touches of sometimes Appalachian-style sometimes haunting-sounding fiddle and mandolin accompaniments. Opening with one of his more popular tunes, “Horseshoe Lounge” Slaid effectively warmed up the crowd with this mellow tune. One element that you must make note of when listening to Slaid is that it is extremely important to pay attention to his lyrics, as each song has a story to tell. Following his next tune “Drinkin’ Days” with a chorus of “My drinking days are over, but I’m still troublebound,” Slaid took the opportunity to compliment Oneonta for the hotel he is staying at that he can walk to from the venue, having a liquor store that he can also walk to that stays open until 10:00PM, the music store across the parking lot where he was able to procure a new capo for this evening’s performance, and its residents being so friendly and welcoming.

After spouting all these positive accounts, Slaid explained that he was going to move on to some sad tunes that will still make the audience feel good and threw in a Woody Guthrie quote to further emphasize his point: “A folk musician’s job is to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.” That sentiment definitely seemed to resonate throughout the rest of his set. Intermixing stories in between his tunes had the effect of making the audience feel like they were sitting around the campfire devotedly listening to the wonderful stories Slaid had to tell and the songs he wanted to share. Touring in support of his new album Still Fighting the War, Slaid jokingly warned everyone not to listen to the album more than once a week since it will be at least another year until he puts out his next album. Yet of course he shared some material off that new album with the audience including “Whim of Iron” about his Aunt Prudence who had married his 92-year-old uncle, a strong lady ahead of her time living in New York City in the 1960’s; and “Texas Love Song” about how much pride Texans have in their own state. He also threw in some classics, including “Broke Down” which he wrote along with his buddy with whom he used to play in a garage band (the band was called The Magic Rats) and “Wishbones” which was actually a request from a group who had traveled three hours to see this show, so in an effort to not send the group back home feeling disappointed, Slaid obliged. Ending with his signature yodel, Slaid took a break before settling in to the second set.

Again starting kind of nonchalantly without any announcement or fanfare, the audience quickly stopped their conversations when he started with “No Angel Knows”. Segueing from one relatively melancholy tune to another, the next song entitled “Cry” really hit a nerve. With a chorus of “Cry for your mama, Cry for your dad, Cry for everything you know they never had,” tears actually came to my eyes, as I used to see Slaid Cleaves with my mom every time he came into town, as my mom absolutely adored him. She has since passed away, so I took a hiatus from seeing Slaid for a bit myself, not wanting to deal with getting all choked up and emotional at his shows, but this song made me realize it’s OK to listen to his music and feel these emotions.

Honoring an audience request he got for “Everette” during the break, Slaid asked for complete silence before he began, and prayed that he would remember all the words, as this song is extremely lyric-intensive, written by his friend Steve Brooks, about “what poets do”. At one point during this song, someone must have ordered a mixed drink that required shaking, which might have otherwise been distracting to a musician, but thankfully the bartender/owner of B Side, Wayne Carrington, happens to be a drummer, so he just started shaking along to the rhythm of the song. Soliciting any last-minute requests before he began the final portion of his show one fan asked him to play “Sinner’s Prayer” for which he said he might need help with the lyrics, so the fan ended up shouting out the lines that Slaid couldn’t remember.

The last several songs of the second set consisted of songs taking us from Slaid’s humble beginnings in Maine to his instant rise to stardom in Texas. Singing about his childhood neighbor Willie in “Horses” letting us know that “If it weren’t for horses and divorces, I’d be a lot better off today,” the audience was treated to a much-needed chuckle, as this song followed the much sadder number “Green Mountains and Me” about a soldier’s wife missing her husband. Paying tribute to the Texas family who had taken him and his wife under their wings when they first moved to Texas, Slaid sang his well-known tune “New Years Day” which he had written about and dedicated to one of the members of his Texas family. Finishing off the set with his popular “One Good Year” Slaid graciously thanked the audience for coming out on a school night, but rather than bothering to leave the stage before the encore, he made the choice to bypass that process and went right into it. This encore was quite special though, as he and Chojo decided to play acoustically and actually walked through the audience while playing a gospel tune off his new album called “Go for the Gold”. Being a small and intimate venue they were able to walk through the entire place and give everyone a good view and opportunity to hear what they were preaching.

It is rare to see a musician and an audience have such an intimate connection, but it was very enjoyable to see that happening. It was almost as if the boundary between the band and the crowd was nonexistent. From the woman in the front of the venue singing along to every lyric, to the man at the next table over who had never before seen Slaid but kept smiling and saying “Sweet!” Slaid more than satisfied his loyal fans, and gained new ones at the same time. Be sure not to miss Slaid Cleaves the next time he comes to your town.

September 18, 2014
Hearing Aide: Marco Benevento ‘Swift’

Adding another instrument to a band is always a hard choice, but when it works out so well, the band and its’ fans embrace it forever. On his new album Swift, Marco Benevento has done just this, except the instrument he added is his own voice. Not one known for singing, Benevento sprinkled his voice all over Swift and it works great. Opening track “At The Show” has been played live for about a year and it is finally nice to hear the studio version. His voice adds character to a song that was already a great one from the wizard of the keyboards. Benevento explains. “I’m surprised it took me this long to sing, but growing older, getting into music by The Band and James Booker and the Grateful Dead, the singing door has opened. It’s a new instrument.”

Andy Borger and Dave Dreiwitz, on drums and bass respectively, are not hidden by the new instrument on the scene either. They are an integral part of what makes Marco’s music so special. Borger’s drums are heavy throughout the record, constantly driving each song forward while Dreiwitz’s bass dances right along with Benevento’s keys and lyrics, keeping them honest. “Eye to Eye” is a slowed down hazy dream that you get lost in immediately and feels longer than the four minutes that it is listed as. For fans of jamming, “Coyote Hearing” is a blissful jam, creeping closer to craziness the longer the track goes. This song is sure to thrive in a live setting with the beautiful work on the keys from Benevento, the thumping bass from Dreiwitz, and Borger’s impeccable drum work.

On “The Saint” an evil bass line pushes everyone else to go down the path of full on rock and roll and should be another one that thrives in the live setting. Album closer “Free Us All” is one that will be one of the tracks you find yourself listening to and clapping along with it. The song is sure to get stuck in your head. The vocals shine on this one with Marco belting out “Why don’t you free us all?”, over and over. Swift is new territory for the band and it should come as no surprise that these great musicians thrive on it. The band is going to be touring the country behind the album and make a stop in New York early in the tour with album release parties in New York City on Sept. 16 and 17, and a stop at Kingston’s BSP on Sept. 26. Grab the album before going the show though so you can learn the words and sing along with Marco; I’m sure he’d love it.

Key Tracks: At The Show, Coyote Hearing, The Saint, Free Us All

September 17, 2014
Snarky Puppy and Mister F bring worldly dance party to Upstate Concert Hall

Music lovers at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park got a taste of homegrown, world-class music Thursday Sept 11th with performances by Mister F and Snarky Puppy.

The livetronica four piece band, Mister F calls the Capital District home and was surrounded by familiar faces as they celebrated their 100th show of the year. Mister F played multiple songs off their debut album released this year, The F Stands Four and has been touring heavily to share their electric dark funk sound. Opening the night with “Vocoder” featured Scott Hannay demonstrating his wild keyboard playing skills and vocals on the talk box with upbeat flair. Ben Pickering laid down major bass rhythm as he grooved to the steady tempo for “On and On” while Andrew Chamberlaine stretched out his strings for a hard-hitting melody. The jams got dark as Matt Pickering clashed cymbals and struck drums with seriously focused energy that spread across the venue. Don’t miss Mister F as they will be all over the Upstate area this week, making stops in Oneonta, Ithaca and Albany performing their electric fusion with force.

Snarky Puppy is one of the biggest bumps under the radar; you either have no idea who they are or were losing your mind that you got to see them in the intimate setting of Upstate Concert Hall. This year, Snarky Puppy won a Grammy Award in the Best R&B Performance category for their rendition of “Something” by Brenda Russell from their album Family Dinner – Volume 1 and have been catching the main stream ear ever since. The all instrumental band was a 7-headed monster that night as they kicked off their World Tour here in Upstate with hypnotizing tight jams. Bassist and pack leader, Michael League joked that it feels like they have been on a nonstop tour since 2006. League is everything you would want in a band leader, with friendly crowd engagement and strong transition assists, encouraging the band to always take it to the next peak. They have nonstop buildups with tremendous horn solos stretching out mellow jazz notes before leaping right back into the jams. They have a foreign yet universal sound that speaks to everyone with a fusion of pop, funk and futuristic jazz. The drummer and percussionist had an all-out dizzying solo session of salsa rock as jazz flute was introduced for a circus melody. The show ended with a celebratory all out blast of an encore that left the crowd still wanting more. Here’s wishing Snarky Puppy a safe and awesome tour with a fast return to Upstate NY!

September 16, 2014
‘Wake Up to Find Out’ – Revisit The Grateful Dead Live at Nassau Coliseum March 29, 1990

Culled from a tour now represented by two box sets and a number of official releases, the new Grateful Dead vault release, Wake Up to Find Out captures the most famous and arguably the most powerful performance of the Spring 1990 tour taking place on March 29, 1990. This concert occurred during the middle night of a legendary three night stand at Nassau Coliseum, the site of many memorable Dead Head convergences. In Dead Head circles this particular tour is mentioned in the same breath as Europe 1972 and Spring 1977, well-known era’s containing musical alchemy occurring on a nightly basis.

The factor that contributes to making this particular concert even more unique is the addition of jazz saxophonist extraordinaire Branford Marsalis joining the band for one song in the first set and the entirety of the second set. As is usual for the Grateful Dead, when guest artists sit in it often drives the band members to new and unusual heights in their improvisations. In the case of Marsalis who was no stranger to jamming, he was indeed a virgin to Grateful Dead music, making his instant assimilation and dissemination of their music even more impressive. Wake Up to Find Out captures the Grateful Dead prior to their slow decent and at their final musical pinnacle. Following Garcia’s 1986 coma and 1987’s gigantic resurgence with the hit LP In the Dark, the Spring of 1990 is witness to a culmination of the group’s career coming to a head in a flurry of all-star performances.

Taken from the original multi-track recordings, the sonic clarity and definition on this release is unsurpassed. As this particular run of shows was being recorded for the eventual live release, Without a Net, all of the shows were being captured for posterity in a professional manner. This ain’t no bootleg. The high musical standard set during the playing of the tour was equaled by the recording method of the shows.

The concert and recording begin with the high tempo on-two punch of a “Jack Straw”/”Bertha” opener. Rough but ready and extremely high energy the band comes out swinging with a stinging duo of opening songs. The entire first set is typical of the era, which is to say played to an extremely high standard. The set is somewhat short but in this case quality outweighs quantity. After reaching an early summit with a fragrant and fat “Ramble On Rose” the first highlight of the set lifts off of the earth with a breezy and all time version of “Bird Song”.

Marsalis joins the band for an extended and delicately constructed version of the song in which his saxophone blends in with the band like a permanent fixture. Immediately Garcia and Marsalis trade feathery licks while Lesh and the drummers navigate the winds aloft, rising and falling with the altitude. It doesn’t take long for the band to generate a blustery convalescence of sound. Garcia switches to rhythm causing the jam to collect and disperse momentum. Once the tempo has been stated Mydland, Garcia and Marsalis weave their scaled discoveries into a slithering melodic dance. The song is driven by the breezes of inspiration, moving by its own accord, Lesh the main impetus constantly shifting the directive allowing for the soloists to create on an ever changing canvas. “Bird Song” soon gently returns to earth, headed toward the “Promised Land” and a rip snortin’ rock n roll conclusion to the first set. The rendition of “Bird Song” obviously got everyone off because as Marsalis prepared to leave after his appearance, he was notified by Lesh and other band members that he would be invited to join the band for the entirety of the second set. What a set it would turn out to be.

The second half begins with a patient and jazzy “Eyes of the World” built like the old days, this is actually the version that would end up being represented on the official release Without a Net. Finding the perfect tempo, this “Eyes” feels like the band has discovered the version they have been waiting their entire career to perform. Billy and Mickey tumble like rolling thunder and Lesh swings like a nimble club musician. Marsalis streaks across the landscape with transcendent melodic statements that not only play against Garcia’s statements but draw them in intimately before shooting across the bands percolating groove. Garcia uses his new-found MIDI capabilities to join Marsalis not only on guitar but on a breathy oboe.

In contrast to normal procedure the band segues into “Estimated Prophet” after a wonderfully strange wah-wah’d outro jam. Again, this “Estimated Prophet” is one of the better versions you will hear and an ace choice for Marsalis to play on because of its 7/4 time signature and jazz aesthetics. This is solid electric blue 1990’s Grateful Dead, containing tasteful true ensemble playing where the band interplay drives the jams, not individual soloing. This is what has and will always separate the Dead from other improv ‘Jam’ bands, their ability to listen and respond to the minutest musical detail and grow it into a stately sonic statement.

“Estimated” stretches like warm taffy, Marsalis drops out, Garcia starts to get strange and the jam has nowhere to go except for its natural resting place, “Dark Star”. The obvious choice to go after the delicious jamming that has preceded it, this “Dark Star” makes up the central meat of the set encompassing a pre-drums first verse, drums/space and a post space verse two. The band skips around the theme for a while making glorious statements. After the first verse is sung a kinetic ambiance settles on the band and they enter a sideways fusion flavored groove. A strange brew develops with the drummers getting especially excited by the proceedings by laying down a three dimensional dissonant rhythm. The central orbit of “Dark Star” is reached and the highlight of the concert is created with all members locked into an unseen influence. The jam takes on a tangible form, a pinwheel tumbling through a star filled transparent box that lacks gravity. Garcia thumbs through his diverse MIDI index hitting on multiple tones and even a “Close Encounters” vibe at one point while Lesh slides across wooden floors in his sock feet. Marsalis joyfully syncopates with Garcia tumbling into a multicolored ball of experimental scales, converging and then drifting away. The jam gets thick and heavy with quirky additions by Mydland and Weir before falling into a trippy drums segment and a spacious space horizon of bells, clinks, dings and other playful ‘noises’ by the drummers.

In all honesty I feel the band had busted their proverbial nut at this point as they move out of a foggy space and into verse two of “Dark Star” then into the joyousness of the “Wheel’. This is not negative in any way, I just feel had reached the end of their journey of discovery and now locked it into cruise control to rock the assembled crowd home. The band then blasts through “Throwing Stones” >”Lovelight” and the poignant encore of “Knockin on Heavens Door” – all played extremely well and find the band exhibiting the same enthusiasm in place since the opening numbers. Marsalis illuminates “Lovelight” with his sexy horn blasts, making the familiar brand spanking new as he has consistently the entire evening. The crowd walks dazed to the exits after the gentle closing of “Knockin On Heavens Door”.

Wake Up to Find Out is a wonderful document of a band getting a second and even third wind after an extended and influential touring career. The concert is possibly the finest of an era saturated with evenings always perched on the edges of musical genius. The addition of Branford Marsalis only increases the bands penchant for improvisation and originality. This 1990 concert can lock into any era of Grateful Dead music and compete with the finest nights the band ever played. The quality of performance, recording capture and song selection combine for a perfect and proper listening experience.

Key Tracks: Bird Song, Eyes, Dark Star

September 16, 2014
Hearing Aide: Greensky Bluegrass ‘If Sorrows Swim’

Emotionally driven and musically diverse, Greensky Bluegrass’s newest studio effort, If Sorrows Swim, defines the group’s growth going into their fifteenth year. This intense collection of road-tested and unheard originals aims to capture the quintets dynamic, contrasting stage sound.

Targeting a more concise sound than previous albums, If Sorrows Swim, does exactly that. The album opens with Paul Hoffman’s (mandolin/vocals), “Windshield”. Strong, yet desperate, Hoffman’s vocals grow intense and dramatic, bringing an immediate sense of emotional release to the album. Impassioned rhythmic interplay between Mike Bont (banjo) and Dave Bruzza (guitar/vocals) immediately engage the listener as bass player, Michael Devol, adds light bass lines to the mix.

“In Control” displays the bands ability to weave intricate layers of sound. The albums MVP’s, Michael Bont (banjo/vocals) and Anders Beck (dobro), create delicate, yet fiery lines that gives Hoffman’s ballad a powerful texture that doesn’t quite exist on earlier albums.

What stands out the most on this album is the extreme attention to detail compared to their previous releases. If Sorrows Swim captures some of Hoffman’s and Bruzza’s best songwriting, as well as the band’s meticulous interplay. While the album loses a little steam over the twelve tracks, “Leap Year” brings back an energy that features a Garcia/n inspired sound. Reaching past the five-minute mark, the tracks dramatic instrumental exchanges make this the improvisational cut on the album.

While putting out what could be their best studio album, If Sorrows Swim still falls somewhat short of recreating their intoxicating and energized stage sound.

Key Tracks: Forget Everything, Leap Year, Windshield

Order the album here

September 16, 2014
Hearing Aide: Mary Fahl ‘Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House’

Mary Fahl has released a two cd live performance, Mary Fahl Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House. Recorded at The Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, Pa., as a follow-up to her 2013 cd Love & Gravity and a precursor to several upcoming live dates including a performance at Syracuse’s Red House on Oct. 4. Her concert at The Mauch Chunk Opera House was filmed for PBS and is scheduled to air this fall nationwide. Fahl’s musical history is highlighted as a founding member of October Project and her critically acclaimed solo career is growing exponentially through live performances.

This concert features CNY’s premier multi-instrumentalist, music director, arranger and producer, Mark Doyle (acoustic + electric guitars, grand piano, vocals), along with Edgar Pagan (bass), Bill DiCosimo (keyboards), Joshua Dekaney (percussion) of Syracuse’s “Grupo Pagan” and John Lissauer (piano) accompanying Fahl (acoustic guitar, vocals). Recorded by Andrew Roberts of Purple Audio on Sept. 7, 2013, engineered and mixed by Leonard Hospidor, this 24 track offering includes Fahl originals, October Project material, a taste of her re-imaging of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of The Moon” she self-released in 2011 as “From The Dark Side Of The Moon”, along with some extremely well-chosen covers.

Of note is how the Fahl/Doyle collaboration happened. In 2005, David Werner, longtime friend and former band mate of Doyle, approached him about re-doing a classic album in its entirety with Fahl in mind. Werner would produce, Doyle would co-produce, engineer, as well as play most of the instruments with Fahl vocalizing the rest.

After meeting Fahl, they agreed to try one song, then decide on the completion of the project. They recorded “Us and Them” in October ’05 at Doyle’s studio in Syracuse, the same starting point Pink Floyd had. A similar magic happened, culminating in the full recording happening, during the summer of ’06. Having to prove the recording could be re-produced live to receive their contract, Fahl and Doyle presented the project in concert to V2 Records. V2 signed them, gave a budget, the recording was finished and sent to legendary mixologist Bob Clearmountain. The label promptly folded a week before the project’s release and it was shelved until Fahl self-released it in 2011. This cd is absolutely worthy of a listen by anyone affected by the themes, history and magnitude of Pink Floyd’s masterwork. It is indeed a re-imaging. This was the beginning of an amazing musical relationship between artists Fahl and Doyle, which continues today.

Now, on with this most current release.

At first breath it may seem easy to pigeon-hole Fahl’s voice, she’s another Joni, Joan, Judy or Sarah, but there’s something more there. From the first song, “Deep As You Go”, when she sings, “Don’t save me – Don’t lose me – Don’t wake me now – You let me – You release me – Let me drown – Take me down – Take me down” you know she’s coming from a place very deep in her soul. This, being an early ’90s October Project song, should also bring knowledge of how long her road has been to this point in her career.

While firmly planted in the singer/songwriter category, her voice, whether performing originals or songs written for her, is magnified fronting a full band. Especially when that band is under direction from someone whose skills are so deft and subtle as Doyle’s. They’re so perfectly complimentary that her stories rise and fall emotionally without contrast from the accompaniment. Instead, they’re enhanced and taken to another level. Not the simplest task or for the faint of heart, even Doyle’s backing vocals provide depth, counterpoint and richness as if he was in fact the protagonist without taking that spotlight.

Fahl’s ability and range give her the flexibility to take on a wide range of expression not available to most singers. One of the most dramatic examples is the three-song medley from Dark Side as she voices instruments and verbalizes with a breath of Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention or Clannad. At moments the Celtic feel echoes a little Sinead O’Connor to me, but that may well be the depth of emotion she carries in her instrument and that alone speaks volumes for Ms. Fahl’s talent.

“Coming Home” opens the second disc and was used in the Civil War movie “Gods and Generals”, it’s appropriately deep and fitting for a movie of this context. I would be remiss not to mention the skills of Julie Flanders and Emil Adler, the credited songwriters from October Project who had an uncanny ability to write with Fahl’s voice in mind. They consistently nailed it. “Bury My Lovely” is another great example of this. Her reading of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is close enough to the box to be a homage and drifts far enough to accentuate the difference. Her rich contralto ranges freely from dark to light, breathy and rich, railing against category into individuality.

Fahl’s own compositions fall directly from her heart and the subject matter is reflective of this. I suppose this could be construed as ordinary from a singer/songwriter, but the difference comes through in the depth of her emotion and her ability to express them without over-personalization or false dramatization. She flexes her writing with “Exiles”, the theme song for Anne Rice’s audiobook “The Wolves of Midwinter”, released last fall. Though she admonishes the previous “goddess of Goth” moniker, bestowed on her by the vampire movement in the October Project days, perhaps it paid-off a little. She surely can adapt to the darkness of the role, but does it as just another page in her novel of artistry through this song and does it well.

Fahl’s emotional take on the traditional Irish tune “The Dawning of The Day” is her lyrical tribute to the fallen firefighters from 9-11 that was performed by Ronan Tynan at the re-dedication of the Seven World Trade Center in NY. It’s riveting and is followed artfully by “Meant To Be” with pianist John Lissauer sitting in. “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” may well be the poppiest song of the night with Doyle on call and response backing vocals, all hands on deck doing oohs and aahs, while Mary jumps into a bit of Flo and Eddie for good measure.

“Be My Hero” is a fantastic closer that allows not only Fahl’s world-class voice to shine, but the band has space to cut loose with each individual finding a little place to rave-up the ending, especially Doyle ripping his signature Stratocaster to finish.

The combination of musicianship, arrangement and delivery are far beyond anything I’ve heard recently. If only more musicians were this thorough in their preparation and execution, the life of rock and roll would surely be extended. This is the kind of release that can send an artist to world-wide exposure, something akin to “Frampton Comes Alive” in the sense that the audience knows the songs as the live album is being toured. This work and the people associated with it all deserve just that kind of acclaim. It’s my sincere hope they attain just that. Kudos!

Key Tracks: Deep As You Go, Ben Aindi Habibi, Take Me As I Am

Mary has a very nice series of solo and full band dates available on her website including a date at The Lestat Coronation Ball in New Orleans on October 31st. There she’ll highlight her work with Anne Rice, her song “Exiles: The Wolves Of Midwinter” was written for Ms. Rice’s audiobook, “The Wolves Of Midwinter” (check here for details). Full band shows include a supremely intimate concert at Syracuse’s Red House on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at The Red House online, do not sleep on this 100 seat venue, it will sell-out quickly! Then at The Cutting Room in NYC on Nov. 15 and at “Concert For Epilepsy Awareness” at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ewing, NJ on Feb. 7, 2015.

Follow her rise on Twitter and on FaceBook she’s a great follow!

September 15, 2014
Clutch Brings Earth Rocker to Upstate Concert Hall
In Upstate New York, it is that special time of the year again. Time for the leaves to change, the nights to get colder, and Clutch to return to the area. For much of their 24 years of playing, they have managed to always make Upstate a stop on their tours. Good thing too, because this area absolutely loves the band and comes out in droves to witness their pure rock fury.

Neil Fallon of Clutch

Upstate Concert Hall, the premier club in the area to bring acts like this around consistently, was on point for this show. Their great security staff kept the patrons safe, the fine bartenders kept everyone’s thirst at bay, and the stage crew kept the whole thing running smoothly. Without establishments of this calibre, audiences would not be able to see so many great acts come to their town.

First up for the night was American Sharks from Texas. A three-piece consisting of a bassist/vocalist, guitarist and drummer, they took the stage to an already half-packed room at 8:00 PM. Before exploding into their first song, the singer told the crowd he was betrayed, and with tongue in cheek, said that he was drinking vodka instead of water all night. This was a good gauge as to the type of fun the band had on stage, and the infectious riff-rock music they played. Hints of Alice Cooper, Motorhead, and Red Fang permeated their sound, and the audience ate it up. Driving guitar and bass riffs helmed each song, short and sweet at about two or three minutes in length. The drummer was the most mesmerizing, hitting his skins like a crazed caveman, then walking away from his set after each song to stare it down, eager to beat it into submission on the next one. At one point, the atmosphere was like a zombie prom, or a romanticized punk rock show, with groups of people feeling the grooves and infecting nearby fans to dance and sway with them. The fast-paced rock was peppered with trippy instrumental nuggets, giving a big, full sound from the band. “We have a few more warm up songs before we get to the set” the singer would say from time to time, gaining chuckles from the audience and increasing the good vibes of the show.

Lionize hit the stage next, a stellar act off of Clutch’s label, Weathermaker Records. In fact, their sound was very parallel to Clutch, with big groovy hooks and funk riffs, littered with a commanding vocal presence. Some songs made use of reggae-esque timing and vocals, while other songs produced full-on southern metal assaults. They were a contrast from American Sharks’ two minute sonic attacks, as Lionize played longer epics that were full of sound. A little bit for everyone, bouncing between burn-up-the-road heavy jams to introspective, keyboard-heavy, funk ballads. Relying heavily on their newest album’s material, they delighted the now almost-packed house of Upstate Concert Hall with their musical prowess.

With the lights down and a rowdy backtrack song ushering Clutch onstage, the crowd was whipped instantly into a frenzy. A fast four count from their drummer Jean-Paul Gaster broke directly into set opener, “Cyborg Betty”, off their new album Earth Rocker. Neil Fallon picked up his mic and slid right into his onstage preacher persona, gesturing madly at the audience with each cadence. They easily had the best sound of the night, and possibly one of the best sounding stage performances ever at this venue. A straight four-piece band, fans were able to pick out the guitars, bass and drum riffs with ease from wherever they were in the tightly packed room. By the time the band hit “Crucial Velocity”, both in song title and in intensity, the crowd was mere putty in Clutch’s collective hands. A brand new song was unfurled at this show, and possible a few others on this tour, and Neil belted out “Decapitation Blues” with poise and determination that seemed like they had been playing it for years. It featured the first full on guitar solo of the night, and Tim Sult’s expertise washed over an already incredible array of sounds.

I was lucky enough to be backstage before Clutch went on, and heard Jean-Paul warming up like a well-wound clock. It showed on stage, too, because coupled with an epic bottom floor held down by Dan Maines, is a tight-as-nails rhythm section that is unparalleled in this type of music. Screaming “Fire it up, Yeah that’s the ticket now kick out the jams” as they launched into crowd favorite “Mice and Gods” reflected exactly what was happening that night.

The crowd was full of happy faces, all mesmerized by the sheer brilliance of the heavy, powerful rock and funk that was being bestowed upon them. At times Neil would chew his jaw like a grandfather telling you an important story, or he would get more worked up and anoint the crowd with his microphone. If you have never seen Clutch live, it is an experience akin to something almost religious, as you feel better afterward like you could take on anything. The ethos of the band are summed up perfectly in the title track of “Earth Rocker”, as he sings “If you are gonna do it, do it on the stage, or don’t do it at all.” This isn’t a band that uses backing tracks or loops. They produce all the high-octane intensity directly in front of the audience, no smoke and mirrors. There was no signs of slowing down an hour into the set either, as they brought out acoustic guitars, with Neil on a beautiful hollow body for “Gone Cold”. Finishing out the night with a two song encore and giving props to the two openers, Clutch proved, once again, why it is always a treat to see them in Upstate New York.

Clutch will be on tour throughout September, check their website for dates and tickets.

Setlist: Cyborg Betty, Book Saddle and Go, Crucial Velocity, Burning Beard, Decapitation Blues, Mob Goes Wild, Mice and Gods, Profits of Doom, Power Player, I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth, The Yeti, Texan Book of the Dead, Unto the Breach, Earth Rocker, Cypress Grove, Gone Cold.

Encore: D.C. Sound Attack, Electric Worry
- Dan Maines (Clutch) at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
- American Sharks at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
September 15, 2014
The Bots Albany Debut

The Bots Albany debut at The Hollow on Sept. 10 and made sure to leave a mark on the venue. Hailing from California, brothers Anaiah and Mikaiah Lei brought all of their energy to the stage for their one hour performance. Mikaiah’s guitar playing can only be described as watching a man who is possessed by his instrument. Dancing all over the stage and completely letting go of himself throughout most songs, Mikaiah tore up the fret boards on both of the guitars he used during the show. With all of the moving he does on stage, one would think that his play would be sloppy, but it was anything but. Every song was played beautifully with ripping solos that his body and guitar produced – making The Bots Albany debut one to remember.

Over on the drums all night, Anaiah sat there moving his arms like lightning all over his kit. Putting his full body into the music as well, Anaiah set the pace for the evening and it was fast and furious. The amount of music that these two produce together is astounding. “Dinosaurs” was a great song and closer “5:17” was powerful. Both of these songs mixed a lot of punk and hard rock into them, making an interesting blend to listen to. A great cover of The Ramones “I Wanna Be Well” was played straight forward and let The Bots honor one of their major influences. The small crowd loved every second of the show wanting the band to continue, but it was not meant to be on this night. For all of you who were not at this show, do not sleep on this band the next time they are near you. The Lei brothers have a lot of talent and are just starting on their journey to bigger and better things. Seeing talented bands in smaller rooms doesn’t last forever, and The Bots should be moving on up in no time. Their debut album Pink Palms is out Oct. 14 and you should look into getting yourself a copy to hear what you missed.

September 13, 2014
Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars Bring Salvation and Metal to the Putnam Den

The time had come for metal to return to Saratoga Springs. On Friday, Sept. 5, the Putnam Den held court for Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars (JCHA) monthly residency, where they bring the best in hard rock and metal from locals to bands up and down the East Coast. Unfortunately for this show, Surfacing from Brooklyn had to drop off last-minute due to vehicle troubles. The three remaining bands though from the local scene were primed to give up their offerings to the gods of metal, and to the wanting masses gathered at the venue.

First up was Crown of Vultures, from Albany. Formerly known as the band Vacant, they have a progressive, heavy sound reminiscent of bands like Tool or Chevelle. The singer did his best to croon in that vein over the music, but their set was lackluster. People were already milling about the venue as they took to the stage, but a dynamically flat performance did not grab too much attention. Not sure where this band might fit, but in the bulging heavy scene that breathes metal and hard rock, this band sounded reserved and gave an almost boring performance. Their set was peppered with some great driving riffs, but they were too few and far between, with some stumbles along the way by the drums. They are a budding band though, which has been re-tooled with new members, so look for them to hopefully coalesce into a powerful outfit soon enough.

Next up was Foaming at the Mouth, who flanked the stage with two towering posters, depicting a screaming girl writhing in the dirt. With that image in full display, the two-member band took no time diving into their first song. Guttural vocals being slung by both the guitarist and drummer, they instantly redeemed the show. Playing their own brand of crushing metal, with elements of death metal and grooving riff-rock, the sound paralleled to Lamb of God and Dying Fetus. With a brand new music video that dropped the same day and a new CD coming out in December, these guys are on a fast track to turn heads and melt faces. The absence of a bass player was never felt, as the onslaught of sound and technical prowess of the guitarist won the crowd over, gaining huge responses after each song. Both guys looked at ease and truly enjoying being on stage, even covering a Death song almost flawlessly.

Resident pushers of all things stoner rock, JCHA prepped the stage with all their tricks. They took their traditional whiskey shot onstage, served by their bearded bartender-slash-light tech. They then launched into a barrage of sound and laser lights that instantly took over the audience. The band commanded the best sound of the night from the Putnam Den, but the vocals of bassist Dustin were a little overpowering at times, losing the drums in the mix. But these were only small technical problems that were made up for by the energetic performance the band produced. Jon, the guitarist, showed the crowd his brilliant talent through precise riffs and big solos. Ross beat his drums like they owed him money, but kept the floor held down throughout the performance. Dual vocal harmonies from Dustin and Jon, and well-timed lights and smoke brought the performance higher than a casual listener might have anticipated. At one point, during a cover of “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent, Jake the bartender stepped out from behind his stage bar to mix a drink in the faces of the audience, adding to the intense fun being had by the band on stage.

They raffled a beautiful piece of art from local artist Alexis Herzog, who paints live during their set. The only downfall was that the stage lights were too dim to make out the piece being raffled, and she was working on the side of the stage in virtual darkness, making it hard to see what she was producing. There was still a good crowd as the show went on past 12:30 AM, and JCHA livened it up by unconventionally launching into three cover songs in a row. The fans that remained were still hungry for more, and they graced them with a brand new song as their final offering of the night.

JCHA will be performing again Sept. 12 at Monirae’s in Pennelville, NY, as well as Sept. 19 at Sharpshooters in Amsterdam, NY.

Setlist: Greed Makes You Fatter, Great Sage, Stranglehold, Late and Lost, The Mountain, Extension, Never Clean, Bear Steak, Green Machine, Children of the Grave, Ommision, Dying in Leather

September 13, 2014