Category: Reviews

Rock On the Range 2014: Day One

Rock on the Range promised to bring Columbus, Ohio the biggest and best lineup to date for this years festival, and on day one, they certainly delivered. This year’s festival marked the first featuring a full 3-day lineup, and Rangers were eagerly waiting outside the stadium early on Friday morning to get their weekend started. Cold weather and rain tried to put a damper on the sold out crowd, but the bands and tens of thousands of fans energized one another and made sure the weekend was unforgettable.

Featuring former members of Egypt Central, Devour The Day were given the task of warming up the Ernie Ball Stage early on Friday afternoon. Mixed in with the new material was an unexpected surprise, Egypt Central’s hit “White Rabbit”. The Monster Main Stage was christened by Redlight King. The instantly recognizable opening notes of “Comeback” got the crowd going immediately. The band steered clear of their more relaxed rap-rock tracks, keeping it heavy for the festival crowd.

Intro music could be heard at the Ernie Ball stage the moment the main stage wrapped up, allowing a few seconds to rush over in time for Thousand Foot Krutch. Playing mostly newer material, the band was sure to bring it back for the old fans on “Move”, which had the entire field doing just that. Black Stone Cherry had just the right balance of entertaining lyrics, southern charm, and high energy rock to convert just about any ranger into a fan, taking the main stage to deliver a set that was nearly impossible to not sing along to.

While We Came As Romans played the Ernie Ball Stage, Japanese four piece ONE OK ROCK took the Jägermeister stage for their first US festival performance, a not so modest transition into their upcoming Warped Tour appearances. Killswitch Engage seem to never disappoint, and that certainly held true for the band’s main stage set. The fun and eccentric playing style of guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz was contrasted by the growl of vocalist Jesse Leach, who held his own on the final track, a cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver”.

Black Label Society were next up on the main stage to ensure that the lucky few not exhausted following Killswitch Engage were completely worn out by the end of their 50 minute set. While the band may cater to the middle aged biker crowd, it’s safe to say that everyone that caught the set appreciated the undeniable talent of Zakk Wylde as he effortlessly shredded through guitar solos that lasted as long as some band’s songs.

(Interview with Seether from Upstate Rock Station Q103’s Wes Styles)

The anxiously awaited return of Seether to the festival scene was well received next at the Monster Stage. Following the addition of a touring guitarist, the former trio sounded better than ever. Not even the slightest split second of silence occurred throughout the entire set, with improvised transitions from song. On top of the old favourites the band included their brand new single “Words As Weapons”, which many devoted fans had already memorized word for word.

Also having laid low for the last few years, Staind took the stage next to show Columbus that they are far from finished. Despite the fact that each of the members have been working on various side projects in recent years, the band proved to be as in sync as ever. Flames lit up Crew Stadium on rock ballads like “Outside”, with Seether’s Shaun Morgan accompanied Aaron Lewis on vocals. Time for rest on the lighter tracks allowed fans some much needed time to catch their breaths and rest up for heavier tracks like “Mudshovel”, during which bodies flew in every imaginable direction amongst the crowd.

Guns N’ Roses may have been a surprising choice to close out day one of Rock on the Range, but the rest of the day’s killer lineup left little room for complaints. Whether it was out of mere curiosity or genuine excitement, the majority of the sold out audience stayed for the final show of the night. After starting out slow with a newer track, the famous guitar intro of “Welcome to the Jungle” caused every single face in the stadium to light up. Backed by a theatrical stage set up and scorching pyro, Axl Rose wowed with powerful vocals that haven’t wavered since day one. After teasing everyone with a taste of the GNR classics, he number of newer songs included in the band’s set list left many disappointed and rushing for the exit to beat lines of traffic on the way out. While the set list wasn’t spectacular, Guns N’ Roses put on a solid performance worthy of closing out an incredible day of rock.

May 31, 2014
Hearing Aide: The Primrose Path “A History in 9 Parts”

The Primrose Path came out with a new single, “Eve” last year, and it would have been easy to dismiss the Albany metalcore outfit as just another one of those ‘breakdown’ bands that generically emerged somewhere around 2009. But their debut album, A History in 9 Parts, proves that the band is so much more than that.

Anyone who enjoys the rhythmic notions of bands like The Plot in You or Whitechapel and the dissident chaos of August Burns Red, will find A History in 9 Parts worth a listen at least. Their music is heavily rhythmic, and less melodic. The album opens up with “Dred Raggin’,” with the vocals of Grant McMahon opening up the song. His lyrics are easily understood and the sound of his voice conveys aggression without being unintelligible.

This track leads into the assertive song “Eve” which was already a well known live number before the album was ever released. Somewhere around the middle of the song, the listener is taken through a progressive – metal twist. “Are you living happily ever after?” McMahon yells over odd – timed guitar grooves. The following song, “Love” seems to carry the same lyrical and musical motifs. “I’m sorry, I’ll never do this again/I’m trying to figure out why she said what she said/I love you so much, but you’re responsible for the death of all my friends”

This leads a listener to realize a key element of this album: emotion. This element is perfectly encapsulated by the “weaving” guitar patterns set up by bandmates Justin Tatar and Joey Grant, who understand how to blur the lines between Dream Theater’s brand of progressive metal and Volumes’ style of playing cluster chords atop atonal rhythm. Simply put, the melodic parts of this album are used effectively to create specific atmospheres – anger, sadness, wrath, and so fourth.

This is what makes the ‘acoustic’ section – featuring ‘clean’ instruments and a piano – played by McMahon – so effective. “My heart belongs to you,” he says. The lyrics are perfectly placed, for the most part, because they ride along with the mood of the music.

A History in 9 Parts is not perfect on its own, several issues come up after a few listens. For one thing, placement of “clean vocals” could have been more prominent – but that is simply a matter of subjectivity, however, it is practically indisputable that their production, on the part of the band or the studio – was basically half – hearted. Although the argument over whether pitch correction software is musically “ethical” will go on for years, the band can perform these parts live, so they should not be afraid to enhance the recording of clean vocals in a minimal way that is non – intrusive to their songwriting – much like a bodybuilder may chose to use supplements, but not steroids.

Then again, this idea only comes across on the “metal” songs. One stand alone moment in the album is “The Dwellers,” a soft ballad played on acoustic guitars. Its vocal and musical structure will appeal to fans of bands like Bayside or even Times of Grace, and captures the spirit of a softer side of the sound.

Other flaws included the mix itself, as in some songs, one part found itself in competition with another part, or an incoming lead was clearly given too much volume. Drums and bass became victim to this dilemma, especially.

If there is one thing that sticks out before anything else, it’s the rhythmic aspects on this piece of work — this is not to say the rhythm section, but instead, the fact that the album is complex in terms of definitive beat. Aaron Uline provides a backing to this album that could be seen as an experimental style of musicianship. Clearly, the man is not afraid to lay down his beats in unconventional ways. He makes regular use of toms and auxiliary percussion which add to the overall chaotic feel of the music. However, the drums may sound triggered and nearly “too perfect.” Whether this was planned or not, the recording would have been better with more dynamics, especially from the cymbals, which sound programmed. Anyone who is a fan of the Converge – style of “real drum sounds” may find this dilemma particularly unsettling, but not unforgivable.

On the other hand, Tommy Miller, the bass player, specializes in mirroring the crazed beats of the drums. For songs like “Eve” his tone comes through as that of a funk bassist, leaving a strange, but interesting taste on each note.

This is the problem: because of the mixing, it could be argued that except a few tracks, neither Miller nor Uline cut through the speakers enough for the audience to take large notice of small subtleties. This is the solution: listen to the album a few times. You may start to notice the differences between this and other artists if you bend an ear close enough.

Overall, this album does not sound like a debut. It sounds like a third or fourth record. Guitarist Justin Tatar commented that the album has a lot to do with the “growing up” of the members of the band. He said that the album’s lyrical themes surround the idea of speaking against “institutions that try to pull kids like us down,” meaning that the band kept the interest of their listener in mind — a particular area in which most bands fail. A History in 9 Parts starts strong and ends strong. The Primrose Path have clearly taken a long time to perfect their writing process — each members’ influence is complimentary instead of competitive. If they keep cooking up whatever chemistry is happening now, they’ll be playing amongst some of the greatest in no time at all. Make Upstate New York proud, boys!

Key Tracks: “Love”, “To Space,” “Dwellers.”

Stream and download the album on Bandcamp

May 30, 2014
Hearing Aide: Dan Johnson “Mercury 85”

Despite calling Vermont home, the origins of Dan Johnson’s music career lie here in Upstate New York, where he first strummed his guitar to the public inside where Valentine’s Music Hall and Beer Joint once stood. Valentine’s is gone, but Dan Johnson’s Americana sound continues today with the release of his latest, Mercury 85. The album was released on May 27th.

Located off Albany’s New Scotland Avenue, Valentine’s was a popular venue for live music before it succumbed to a local hospital’s progressive movement to expand last year. Johnson, along with his Expert Sidemen, had hosted his Americana music series every Tuesday night featuring the likes of Woody Pines, Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs, The Farewell Drifters, Hamell on Trial, JP Harris and the Tough Choices, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, and Eastbound Jesus.

“Most of the album is about people I’ve known,” said Johnson, “especially folks from the time I spent in Buffalo, but also moving from New York to Vermont, and life changes [too]. The songs mostly use driving and cars as a metaphor for writing,” he added. “I’m curious about what other people get out of the songs so don’t want to go crazy breaking it down.”

Mercury 85 is Johnson’s third album and features twelve original songs that were all recorded at his home in Jericho, VT. It presents a departure from the live instrumentation of his previous releases, featuring drum machines, amp modeling and MIDI instruments to support his acoustic guitar, banjo and mandolin. While the instrumental support has taken some new turns, said Johnson, the songwriting remains rooted in storytelling and first person narration with strong poetic imagery.

Johnson’s unassuming approach to the mic is intended to allow the story to take the spotlight: Well-matched with his low-key but welcoming attitude towards the listener. The presentation is reminiscent of Bob Dylan, as each song tells a story surrounding common people remembering yesterday, lamenting today, and looking forward to a better tomorrow. Never does there seem to be a resolution to change. As with “Rose”, for which Johnson only recently released a video, the protagonist speaks to another about a woman he casually met at a bar his band had played. Over the course of one night, skirting around the truth and telling lies over cups of coffee, he fell in love. But, it’s apparent he has since spent a long span of time searching her at each bar he happens to play and seems to have given up hope on ever finding her. “If you ever see this girl, she’s got a tattoo of a rose. Tell her that I miss her when the chilly wind blows.”

Johnson attributes the country landscape of his new home for the stripped down production of his latest release. The focus on the storytelling is certainly his strong suit, and is the most appealing factor to this album. This same quality may also be off-putting to the casual music fan used to a contrasting style, but it is a sound that can easily find itself played at trendy coffee houses. And, for those who appreciate good storytelling, Mercury 85 is worth a preview (and purchase) on Bandcamp or contact the artist directly on his Facebook page.

Key Tracks: Rose, Mercury 85, and Allentown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1TQ21xYfKQ

May 30, 2014
Biohazard “State of the World Address” Turns 20

1994 was a pivotal year for rock music. Rock and grunge ruled the charts, but mainstream metal was nowhere to be found. However, Biohazard’s career began to peak after the successful run of 1992’s Urban Discipline and exposure from the music video for “Punishment” on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball. Biohazard was the top act coming out of the New York City’s hardcore scene and becoming one of Brooklyn’s finest. But on May 24, 1994, State of the World Address was unleashed to the masses that truly showcased Biohazard at their best.

1State of the World Address was produced by Ed Stasium, who is well known for his work with The Ramones and Living Colour. This album is loaded with brilliant rifts and guitar solos from Bobby Hambel. The duel vocals of Billy Graziadei and Evan Seinfeld are raw, brutal, and heartfelt, especially on “Failed Territory”. Danny Schuler’s drumming is bone crushing and brilliant. Just listen to “Tales From the Hard Side,” the beat to that song is just insane. Biohazard continued their trend cross over trend by bringing in Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog for “How It Is” which is real stand out on the album as well.

Even to this day, the album’s political views are still relevant, especially in “Remember.” The album really paints a picture on New York City street life with tracks like “Down For Life,” “Tales From The Hardside,” and “Five Blocks to the Subway” (a personal favorite). The album will get you amped up every time you listen. It’s a must own album for any fan of metal or hardcore.

State of the World Address was the last album that the original lineup of Evan Seinfeld, Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel, and Danny Schuler for almost 18 years. Their unique chemistry is unmatched. You can buy the album here.

May 29, 2014
Modest Mouse Hits the Stage for Brewery Ommegang’s Opening Show of the Season

This year, the Friday night that traditionally marks the unofficial first day of summer, the Friday night of Memorial Day Weekend, also marked the first show of the season at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, with Modest Mouse’s first of two sold out shows. The promoter of the event, Dan Smalls, came out on stage just before the opening band to offer up a toast to the crowd for the new season, and took the opportunity to announce several performers who will be making appearances at Ommegang later in the summer, including Conor Oberst with special guests Dawes and The Baseball Project, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Neutral Milk Hotel!

The opening band for the Friday night Modest Mouse show was Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls, a band from England who seemed to have a fair share of fans in the crowd. The band members all walked out on stage to what sounded like an Irish sea shanty that was being played as music over the speakers, which was a cool introduction. The first song had a nice acoustic start, and then went right into a more gruff (in a good way) British punk style. After introducing the band, Frank Turner had the chance to demonstrate his leadership of the band a bit, and it became clear that he would be the storyteller of the bunch. One of the first memorable ones was about a time when they had a bit too much to drink after they were on the Ellen Degeneres Show and woke up the next morning wearing the underwear that had been given to them in their goodie bags from being on the show, inspiring Turner to write a song called “Wet Underwear!” After that story, Turner invited an audience member to join him on stage to help him out during a song. A security guard actually came from the side of the stage to help a fan by the name of Sean up from near the front of the crowd; he was asked to play a harmonica solo during “Dan’s Song.” Turner mentioned that, thankfully, Sean could actually play the harmonica because he’d heard a lot worse at some of his other shows and felt bad for having put those people on the spot!

The next song up was called “Wherefore Art Thou Gene Simmons,” which was inspired by Turner having read Simmons’ autobiography. Despite the kind of out there title, the song really showed off Turner’s amazing talent on the acoustic guitar; he was playing such nice harmonies with himself that it was hard to believe he was the only guitarist on the stage! This song was in stark contrast to some of the band’s other, more hardcore, tunes, but that just demonstrated the versatility of this group, who were able to move seamlessly from pop to folk to punk, and back again. In fact, the last song of the set had an almost “Lawn Boy”-esque quality, featuring Turner, joined only by the piano at first, crooning to the audience. Striving to keep the audience involved throughout the show, the band employed multiple singalongs and clapping sections (Turner actually had the crowd doing jumping jacks along with one of their tunes after complimenting them on their participation earlier on in the show). This band is definitely going places. Featuring Frank Turner on acoustic guitar and vocals, Ben Lloyd on electric guitar, Nigel Powell on drums, Matt Nasir on electric mandolin/ keys, and Tarrant Anderson on bass, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are not to be missed.

The time between when the opening band left the stage and when Modest Mouse came on was the perfect time to check out the food vendors who were lined up along the back of the concert field. From burgers and sausages, to pizza, to meals from the Cooperstown-based Origins Café food truck, which uses only ingredients grown locally (tonight’s selections included macaroni and cheese, black bean enchiladas, and a spicy green Thai curry), there were plenty of delicious choices. As far as beverages go, Brewery Ommegang’s rich, Belgian-style beer was on tap throughout the night. Judging from the antics of the crowd, it became evident that not everyone was aware that their beers have a higher alcohol content than most; there were definitely some folks out there who were having trouble standing up even before Frank Turner came on to play!

The headliner of the night was Modest Mouse, a Washington State-based indie rock band who got their start in the mid-90s. Having seen them several times in years past when living elsewhere, it was exciting to have such a well-respected band sell out two shows right here in our neck of the woods. There were several die-hard fans out there who seemed to know every lyric to Modest Mouse’s lyrically-complicated songs, as well as people who were there mainly because they knew some of their more popular tunes like “Dashboard,” which they played as the second song in the set.

In similar fashion to Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Modest Mouse entered the stage as a segue out of the heavy techno-trance beats that were being played between sets over the speakers, which seemed to mellow out the crowd, before switching over to an almost “Rock and Roll High School” sounding melody, getting the crowd revved up all over again just in time for their opening number “Invisible.” Heading straight into “Dashboard,” on which the band was joined by an amazing female fiddle player, Modest Mouse never ceased to amaze the crowd with their versatility. At first glance, one may think of Modest Mouse as sounding kind of poppy, but once you experience them live, it’s a different story. During one song they played, “This Devil’s Workday,” several people in the crowd practically started waltzing! It was the closest Modest Mouse’s music will ever come to the music you hear when you open up one of those jewelry boxes with a ballerina inside, but then they came back to their more echo-y, darker sounding material.

At this point in the set, it was raining pretty heavily and band leader Isaac Brock announced that at some point during the evening, either all his equipment was going to stop working because it was not designed for rain, or he would get electrocuted, which would only be fun for him if he survived the ordeal, and then he proceeded to light up a cigarette. Luckily, no electrical issues ensued, and instead, Brock brought out a banjo and guitarist Jim Fairchild and the fiddler brought out a tuba and trumpet, respectively, for the song “Bukowski,” which sounded a bit like a cross between the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Primus. Later on in the set, the band’s song “Dark Center of the Universe,” evolved into a more head bang-y section and even inspired some crowd-surfing. For their next song “Sugar Boats,” the band chose to use the unique combination of trumpet and electric fiddle, the fiddle sounding almost like a clarinet, giving it an almost klezmer feel.

Putting in a plug for the Hall of Fame Classic baseball game happening in Cooperstown on Saturday, May 24 (leading me to think that they might make an appearance at the game?), Modest Mouse moved on to one of their most popular songs, “Float On,” which definitely got a rouse out of the crowd. Feeling a bit beat up from all the rain, the band closed out their set with three more tunes, all of which were more of their harder sound, and ended quite abruptly with “Sh-t Luck”. After a fairly long break backstage, leaving the audience uncertain as to whether the band was going to be coming back for an encore, they surprised us with another five numbers, which again showed off the band’s versatility. The night ended with an extended version of “The View” to coincide with Brewery Ommegang’s signature fireworks display, which they typically have at the end of each of their shows.

After such a high energy show, it was hard to believe that Modest Mouse was going to be doing it all over again the next night (on Saturday night, the band Brand New opened up for them), but they have such a vast repertoire of music that the crowd was sure to be pleased all over again. And as an added bonus, for those lucky enough to have checked out the Hall of Fame Classic baseball game on Saturday, Modest Mouse made an appearance during the “seventh inning stretch” to lead the crowd in a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame!” What an treat after having left Friday night’s concert having felt totally satisfied! Be sure to check them out when they come back to our area again in July for The Hudson Project in Saugerties, where they will be joined by none other than The Flaming Lips, Conspirator, Lettuce, Bassnectar, and many others.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Lb4xjIv1Q]

Setlist: Invisible, Dashboard, Satellite Skin, Black Cadillacs, Be Brave, Dramamine/Life Like Weeds, This Devil’s Workday, Bukowski, Broke, The World At Large, Spitting Venom, Dark Center of the Universe, Sugar Boats, Float On, Tiny Cities Made of Ashes, Sh-t In Your Cut, Sh-t Luck

Encore: Cowboy Dan, Paper Thin Walls, Gravity Rides Everything, Heart Cooks Brain, The View

May 29, 2014
Trey Anastasio Band at House of Blues Cleveland, Friday May 23rd

On Friday May 23rd, Trey Anastasio Band rolled through Cleveland for the first of two Ohio shows leading up to headlining Summer Camp Music Festival on Sunday. Taking the stage shortly before 8pm, the septet certainly didn’t waste any time, jumping right into the reggae flavored ” The Land of Nod”.

Fresh and tight from the get-go, the band showed absolutely no signs of rust from the three month break. If there’s one thing that’s clear, TAB brings the heat on a nighty basis. Trey certainly wasn’t hesitant in reintroducing the midwestern crowd to the slew of new material debuted back in February. Anastasio also premiered two new originals – “Flying Machine” and “The Song”, while later confirming the band is working on a new album. Master of harnessing energy, Trey and company delivered two high octane sets complied by a mix of new and old school staples. “Magilla”, “Drifting” and “First Tube” provided the closing credits to an incredible night of music on the shores of Lake Erie.

Setlist – Trey Anastasio Band, House of Blues, Cleveland, OH 5/23/16

Set One: Land Of Nod, Bounce, Cayman Review, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Flying Machine*, Pigtail, Money Love and Change, Frost, Dark And Down, Valentine, Gotta Jibboo

Set Two: Sometime After Sunset, The Song**, Night Speaks To A Woman, Shine, Plasma, Architect, Sand, Clint Eastwood, Push On Til The Day

Encore: Magilla, Drifting, First Tube * – First Time Played (Anastasio) ** – First Time Played (Anastasio/Pollak)

Download the show from Etree

May 28, 2014
Hearing Aide: The Crystal Method

Earlier in 2014, The Crystal Method released their self-titled fifth album, a mix between the classic electronica dance tracks and the currently popular electronic pieces with vocal accompaniment. Abiding by the shifts in mainstream music, where lyrically catchy electronic dance music tracks are prevailing amongst the general population, six of Crystal Method’s new eleven tracks feature various singers.

The remaining five tracks keep with Crystal Method’s experimental, club music feel, including old-school synthesizer-based tuned. However, Crystal Method continues to evolve, incorporating increasingly popular trends in the electronic genre, as evident by the influence of bass in their songs and the prevalence of cohesive rhythms. Collaborating with heavy hitting singers, such as Dia Frampton and LeAnn Rimes, pushes The Crystal Method to draw attention to soulful tones from inorganic machines, mixing pop and catchy vocals with classic electronic and dubstep dance tunes. The mesh of the two creates a well done divide between relatable singer-songwriter feel and machine-made, attention-grabbing dance music that fans expect from the electronic duo.

The bands experimentation on the electronic scene is heavily seen in “Grace” featuring country-pop singer LeAnn Rimes. The track appeals to the mainstream as seen in their expanding dive into lyrically shaped, vocal-laced tracks. However, The Crystal Method maintains their signature style by including moving rhythms and seamless, smooth transitions in their composition.

The biggest single off the album , “Over It”, features Dia Frampton, most famously known as the runner up contestant on the hit show The Voice. The song works around Frampton’s vocals, respecting her individual, light, airy voice without using numerous voice modulation techniques as seen on other vocal tracks. The piece, however, is hardly a vocal accompaniment. The electronic music is the clear focus, including hard synths and interlaced rhythmic creations that mesh well with Framptom’s rising and falling pitches.

This new album is a strong effort by The Crystal Method to stay incorporated into an ever-changing, evolving field like electronic music. In a field that has no set foundations except to push the foundations, The Crystal Method’s self-titled album meshes both classical electronic techniques, calling back to a retro feel, while including newer, trendy and experimental vibes such as vocals and strong bass and drum use.

During the Sunset Music Festival, The Crystal Method will be teaming up with the festival through the grassroots organization for dance music, Electronic Music Alliance (EMA), largest non- profit of its kind co-founder by the band’s Ken Jordan. During the festival, EMA will encourage sustainability, health, and community within the dance music culture with their on site space called Planet SMF. Planet SMF will provide festival-goers with educational resources, a chill-out zone, and chances to win points for festival clean up and other volunteering advantages.

The Crystal Method’s fifth album can be found HERE

Key Tracks: Storm the Castle (feat. Le Castle Vania), Over it (feat. Dia Frampton), Dosimeter (feat. Nick Thayer)

Keep up to date with The Crystal Method:

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May 28, 2014
Hearing Aide: moe.’s ‘No Guts, No Glory!’

Pretend for a second that you are in the band moe.: you’ve been playing together for twenty-five years, performed alongside rock-and-roll legends, hosted major festivals for fifteen years, acquired a cult-like following, and now you are staring down the barrel of recording your twelfth studio album. Now what? How do you create something new while acknowledging the path that brought you to this point in the first place? More importantly, how do you find the fire to keep going at all? These questions seem to be underlying motifs throughout, No Guts, No Glory!, a balls-to-the-wall, 11-track record, clocking in at just under an hour. No Guts, No Glory! is a unique blend of musical styles that stay true to the “moe. sound”, while acknowledging their journey as a band, and paying homage to their scene, contemporaries and influences.

The album opener, “Annihilation Blues” is a quintessential, up-tempo moe. song, with a sharp rock hook that busts into a sustained bluesy-guitar chorus. This tune, along with the last track,“Billy Goat”, which features catchy licks and quick, sealed bass lines are arguably the most ‘classic’ in terms of fun, sing-along type songs that are undeniable jam platforms. It is easy to imagine swaying to either song in the Upstate New York summer sun while polishing off a Saranac. The album really comes alive though on less-traditional tracks, where moe. explores different sounds and focuses more on succinct, meaningful song writing. “Same Old Story” for example, has a sort of washed out, surf-rock feel with rant-like lyrics, while “White Lightning Turpentine” showcases a tasty slide guitar and meditative xylophone patterns while maintaining a country-twang feel that feels like a rainy night. The nods to musical influences are also huge on this album: “Little Miss Cup Half Empty” starts off with a Beatles-type melody before transitioning into a 90’s ska/reggae up-stroke and percussion lines; “Calyphornya” has a grunge feel that challenges the idea of stardom and Hollywood and is very reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Californication”. “Silver Sun” is perhaps the most notable homage, with undeniable Pink Floyd influences (think specifically “On The Run”), including steady low-end drums, distorted dream-like vocals and a slow, tasty guitar solo with a thickened tone.

With all that said, my favorite tracks are where moe. turns introspective and self-referencing. “Do or Die”, for example, tackles the idea of keeping on as a band, while finding new inspiration and the drive to keep fans interested. This song also touches the idea of pseudo-stardom and always striving for the next level of success, with lines like: “Keep on workin’ / I know someday the time will come / I’ll make it someday.” The standout song of the album for me, however, is “The Pines and The Apple Trees” which is a beautiful, thoughtful, coming of age song that is bittersweet and nostalgic. This track is exceptional because it not only addresses the passage of time and changes for moe. as a band (“Wouldn’t trade those memories for diamonds or gold … Can’t guess where you’re headed next / overwhelmed and underdressed“), but for their fan base as well. The biggest moe.rons are now twenty-five years older than their first moe. show and the times have changed. Passed are the days of the “Happy Hour Hero” with “a pint of ale and a shot of jack / a pack of Camel Lights”; these days, as Rob sings in “The Pines”, it’s more like “can of beer, can of prier, and a fistful of pills”. Still, if No Guts, No Glory! is any indication, moe. doesn’t plan on slowing down or going anywhere anytime soon. With an arsenal of fresh songs and new ideas, paired with that classic feel-good moe. sound, fans are sure to enjoy continuing to age (gracefully) with the band until their next chapter.

Key Tracks: White Lightning Turpentine, The Pines and The Apple Trees, and Billy Goat

May 26, 2014
Al Kooper Celebrates Belated 70th Birthday with Friends at The Egg

Al Kooper, one of Rock n Roll’s most historic musicians, performed at The Lewis A. Swyer Theatre inside The Egg in Albany on May 17th in celebration of his 70th birthday. The small theatre held less than 400 people who greeted Kooper with a standing ovation. Al Kooper has quite the resume, recording with such musicians as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, B.B. King, and dozens more. Kooper thanked the audience for attending his belated birthday party since he had to reschedule due to his age and New York’s harsh winters. It was just Kooper on stage for the first few songs as he went back and forth between the electronic keyboard atop his vintage Hammond organ. His vocals were tender and worn, but sincere. He was then joined onstage by a bassist and his drummer “The Sheriff” as Kooper himself switched to electric guitar to play a slightly off-key version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”.

Kooper has classic “Dad Humor” that anyone can relate to with corny puns and jokes about being clueless as to what all the buttons are for on his electric keyboard. Keeping the atmosphere light and funky with his Funky Faculty band, Kooper led the way into Booker T’s classic “Green Onions”, a laid back summer time groove. One of the highlights of the show was to hear his version of “Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones where you can hear Kooper’s organ playing on their original album. He has a smoother jazz vibe to him but can pack a big punch like The Stones. The Funky Faculty built up repetitive peaks with vintage guitar riffs, funky bass rhythm and blaring horns to make a solid, modern day groove.

For the second portion of the show, Kooper was joined by longtime friend and guitarist Jimmy Vivino, known to today’s youth as a member of the house band for Conan O’Brian. The Sheriff jumped on the cymbals and was joined with a quick bass as Vivino lets out the long echoes of his guitar strings. The whole crowd felt it and began to sway from the pressure of the heavy blues being played out. Vivino sounded like he was revving an engine, a lot of built up energy waiting to zoom by and sent hearts racing to keep up. Given the Upstate NY location, they were eager to pay tribute to both the late Levon Helms, performing The Band’s “The Weight” which sparked an endearing sing-along, and Bob Dylan on their rendition of “Highway 61” which caused the band members to pause and join in on the rhythmic clapping. Kooper ended the night by introducing the last song by saying, “This was the word to me” as he went into Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” another album you can hear his gospel organ playing. After all these years, Kooper still performs the classic hits with a youthful kick that is easily recognized and cherished.

May 22, 2014
Look Under Your Couch, You May Be Lucky to Find some Cosmic Dust Bunnies

The streets of Saratoga Springs were jammed packed on Saturday, May 17th night and there was little doubt that the Putnam Den would be receiving much of this overflow, especially considering the first beer was on the house, and two of the best progressive bands around, The Cosmic Dust Bunnies and the Squid Parade, were about to tear the place down. Yet somehow, the room was sparse, as fans of these bands looked around in befuddlement wondering if they were in the right place. They were, and regardless of how many people were there, the band did not mind one bit as they played some of the best sets seen at Putnam Den in quite some time!

Squid Parade, formed at SUNY Oneonta, opened the evening with their own variety of jamtronica and a steady groove, setting the evening’s vibe. All the supporters of the bands knew they were in the right place: this was going to be a party! Guitarist Zac Westbrook had a very similar style to that of Chris Michetti, yet with his own soaring flow, showing his influences but also proving he is his own musician. The drums, played by Emmett Rozelle, and bass, played by Pete Piscitelli, played perfectly in sync with each other, leaving Westbrook to do his thing. Although many bands play to this formula, Squid Parade did it in a manner that exemplified practice and experimentation leading towards a new twist on what is becoming a tedious sound in a fantastic genre. The stand out track was a brand new song, among a set that showed extreme diversity, from speed metal, to classic rock, to electronica poppy choruses, yet never losing groove or the attention of the fans. This is a band that some may say are trying to find themselves, due to all the different sounds but they have already found themselves, in creating a new sound.

Setlist: The Hammer, Out of Phase, Mutation Engine, Leave that Thing Alone,Never Odd Or Even, Frog Legs, S.S.R.A.S.B., Dualit

New Haven, Connecticut natives The Cosmic Dust Bunnies then took the stage and hit the crowd with another type of a daring musical adventure. Their sound of new wavetronica seems like an anomaly in itself, but it wasn’t long before the crowd understood what this meant. With Chris Sellas spouting a synthesizer over the other instruments, it felt like 1984 all over again. Bassist Matt Beckett constructed the perfect bridge between Sellas and guitarist Matt Dempsey. A very fulfilling sound, giving both soloists time to slowly make their way to the spotlight. This concept is not used as precisely as the Dust Bunnies did it; they showed patience in that they were willing to solo at the right time, with no rush. This made the blissful compositions that much more significant. “Flood the Streets” was a very high point, starting out with a Talking Heads groove. It wasn’t until Sellas used the vocorder, that new wavetronica made complete sense. Erik Hyland’s drums were wailing away, as Demspey’s guitar screamed, and Sellas was just having a blast, along with everyone else.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2folv1H9Hs&w=420&h=315]

When the band played “Mission: Possible”, they threw in a bit of dub, although it wasn’t clear if the dub sound was going to take away from the sound that was already a staple that evening. This seemed a tad disheartening, as it appeared there was no room for the darkness that dub brings to the happy bouncy feeling that had already been established. As with everything else, however, CDB knew what they were doing and used just enough to make it interesting. This tactic was used for the next few numbers, with a little more of the electronica then the new wave, but there were no complaints, as everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. The group continued to show their uniqueness by playing“Down”, a poppy radio friendly song. Sung by Beckett with passion, this song seemed like it meant more than words to him, as he sang from the heart. This would be the perfect song to hear on the radio, with a little guitar and key solos thrown in bit, but it wasn’t the focus of the song: the vocals and lyrics were. The Cosmic Dust Bunnies have started a new style of genre blending. This doesn’t seem to be a flash in the pan. New wavetronica could be the sound of the future.

Setlist: Gotcha>Moleculo>Gotcha, Emerald Zone, Flood The Streets, Mission: Possible, Cosmonauts, Down, Jay in My Life, Hipster Champagne

May 22, 2014