Category: Reviews

Hearing Aide: JJ Grey and Mofro ‘Ol’ Glory’

From the former farmlands of Jacksonville, JJ Grey and his band Mofro have made a sweep of the northeast, bringing a funky sizzle that can only come from down south. In their most recent release, entitled Ol’ Glory, this seven piece ensemble brings listeners an eccentric mix of Earth Wind & Fire, James Brown, and Al Greene sensibilities.

There’s no doubt that Grey has a bluesy roughness to his vocal tone, and with the combination of a brass section, tight harmony lines, and gnarly bass parts, this is guaranteed to be the soundtrack of your (hopefully soon) spring barbecue.

Despite the underlying groove ringing throughout Ol’ Glory, there are 12 unique tracks that make up this record. Tracks like “Hold On Tight” set the scene for your candlelight dinner, while the incorporation of the guitar slide on “The Island” brings you to an outdoor tailgate scene. As the songwriter, JJ Grey also incorporates his coffeehouse roots with a country sensibility in songs like “Tic Tac Toe” and “The Hurricane.”

For those with motown-colored ears, tracks like “Everything is a Song” and “Brave Lil’ Fighter” are sure to be right up your alley. While those may be great warming up tunes, however, the real dance jams come later in the album, like my personal favorite, “Turn Loose.” I try not to use the slang term ‘phat’ often, but if you hear the rhythm of this tune, you’ll be sure to understand my reasoning.

While JJ & Mofro may not be stopping in on New York this festival season, they will be headlining several national festivals and playing alongside bands like No Doubt and Zac Brown Band. In the meantime, you can learn every song on their Soundcloud and keep up to date with their tour via Facebook and their website.

Key Tracks: Ol’ Glory, Turn Loose, Brave Lil’ Fighter

March 4, 2015
Badfish drops 40 oz. on the Westcott Theater in Syracuse

On the first night of their spring break tour, Badfish started the weekend off right, at the Westcott Theater on Feb, 27. Bringing all of Sublime’s greatest hits, which included the album 40 oz. to Freedom in its entirety, the band was clearly seeking to entertain and have a great time. Before they brought their nostalgic summer rock to the stage, they welcomed two local bands to share the evening with.

Street Rock Mafia

Street Rock Mafia, an energetic funk/rock band from Utica, NY, was the foolproof start to the night. They laid down the groove and set out to put some boogie in your butt. The drums and bass mounted the framework of each song while the guitar and vocals brought captivating melodies and lyrics. Not a pair of ears were disappointed with the energy that the mafia was giving.

The second outfit was Lucky 33, a punk/indie rock band from Syracuse. This four piece, old school, punk driving, band of rockers formed in late 2011 and were more than ready to tackle the anxious crowd. With enormous confidence, they stormed the stage bringing their own distinct brand of original songs to a new gallery of ears. With no luck at all, viewers and admirers soon turned into fans, and the crowd greatly applauded their performance as it came to a close.

Lucky 33

Just before Badfish was set to hit the stage, the crew raised a vibrant backdrop of a koi fish smoking a cigar and holding some alcohol, which charged the audience with excitement. A moment after, the band members entered the stage to the opening voice track of “Waiting for my Ruca” and persisted to play the full album with other great hits including “Santeria” and “Summertime.” The memorable punk and reggae songs of Sublime brought back the urge to dance and jump around like a teenager again.

Badfish

Each song was beautifully matched with vocals and guitar by Pat Downes, who cultivated the same soul and passion of the late Sublime singer, Brad Knowles. Bassist Joel Hanks and drummer Scott Begin played mercifully through the two sets, though Scott had become injured a few hours prior to the show, from loading in equipment. Injury or none, their dedication to entertaining fans was nothing short of spectacular. Rhode Island based Badfish is currently traveling down the east coast on this leg of their tour and are expected to break in early July. Their next visit to upstate New York will be at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY on May 1, 2015.

http://www.badfish.com/tour/

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Lucky 33 Gallery:

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Street Rock Mafia Gallery:

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March 4, 2015
NYSMusic looks back at Rock n Roll Resort: Ball Drop

Pulling up to the secluded Rock n Roll Resort: Ball Drop after a long drive through thick woods, we arrived at what appeared to be the set of The Shining. Thankfully we found that it was the snappy, upbeat rhythms of Mister F, not ‘Johnny‘ smashing through the door.

The Capital Region’s energetic quartet set the tone for the night, throwing plenty of funk in the air and it was very, very well received. Happy faces milled about the lobby, some torn between the intimidating long line for dinner and the finite. waning minutes of Mister F – while others splashed themselves on the many couches preparing body and mind for the marathon of music ahead. Mister F made every minute of theirs count, and as always – left us wanting more.

After a swift stop at a friend’s room and a run to the local pizzeria (we turned out to be heroes as the resort rocked themselves right out of food) we were delighted to re-enter to the smooth jams of Spiritual Rez. The Boston-based Reggae-rock dance party was exactly what I needed to warm up after a nice meal. Hearing their sound for the first time, I understood the smile that accompanied the many faces that have urged me to give them a listen. That room was a shoulder to shoulder mass of happiness for a full hour, swaying in unison and overjoyed at every sing-along & keytar solo. Both the literal and figurative positive vibrations flying off that stage were magical, and the perfect appetizer for the night’s main course.

Immediately upon striking their first note, it became evident that Turkuaz had taken the stage donning their finest dancin’ shoes. It was electric from the start, the crowd was locked and the Brooklyn locals proceeded to blow the socks off the 700+ ringing in The New Year. My personal favorite, Bubba Slide, may have been the highlight of my evening, though the cover of the classic Beatles hit “With A Little Help From My Friends” was staggeringly perfect. I was frozen from beginning to end with rich harmonies and heartfelt melodies, guts & guitars – it was perfect.

At the very moment midnight struck and those balloons struggled to fall, one by one, I had to put my camera down for a moment and physically take it in. Everyone in that room was exactly where they wanted to be, including me – and for good reason.

Following the humongous sound of Turkuaz is a tough act, but Primate Fiasco brought their best hand to the table and showed Kerhonkson that they do, indeed, got the funk. Their live sousaphone & electric banjo give Primate Fiasco a unique tone to say the least, and they milked that cow like a seasoned farmer. The body heat was at a max, but it didn’t stop a soul from dancing as the room stayed full and folks filtered in and out – midway through the marathon and showing no signs of stopping.

The main stage was graced next with a unique situation. John, the bassist of Consider The Source had unfortunately fallen ill & unable to perform, however, Jeff Mann & Gabriel Marin stepped up and per usual performed their wizardry. Accompanied by members of the evening’s other acts, CTS didn’t disappoint – delivering an impromptu and hugely improvised set. For those of us that had seen them before, it only further cemented their technical skill and musical prowess, and for those who haven’t – it was an all-star jam of an inauguration.

Finishing the night for me was the exploding balancing act of the thick chunky jams and ethereal raining melodies of TAUK. Bringing what might be the fastest growing thumbprint in the live music scene, the young men from Montauk do what they do best – drop jaws to the floor. Roaring syncopation, cinematic climaxes, and mind-blowing sit-ins (including Consider The Source’s Gabriel Marin) were the perfect nightcap to what was truly a magical evening and a beautiful start to what will undoubtedly be a fantastic year of music.

Thank you Turkaz & Rock ‘N’ Roll Resort – I’ll see you next year!

March 2, 2015
Finale at The Palace Theatre: Umphrey’s McGee Closes Out Winter Tour in Albany

As they closes out their Winter Tour, Umphrey’s McGee wrapped things up at The Palace Theatre on February 21 alongside TAUK, a great pairing of bands both rising and established. For the first time, Umphrey’s was brought to the Palace and out of the doldrums of Upstate Concert Hall, and finally, Jefferson Waful’s lights could properly shine and the band could show they could fill a theatre in Albany-proper.

cOpening up was the instrumental funk of TAUK, who only a year ago were playing Parish Public House to 100 or so fans. The growth of this band over the past year was remarkable and now a tour with Umphrey’s has only solidified their ascendance among the jam world. To cap the set, TAUKwas joined by Joel Cummins, Ryan Stasik and Andy Farag during “Mindshift”. TAUKis incredibly talented and worth seeing in any capacity.

Umphrey’s dove in deep for their tour closer and resurfaced only briefly for air in what was an entire rocker of a show. After an introductory “Dump City” the relatively light “Piranhas” and heavier “Educated Guess” off Similar Skin mixed the set up early, as well a shredding “Atmosfarag”. A 14 minute “Plunger” was a clear highlight of the first set, dropping into an exploratory jam that segued into “Andy’s Last Beer”. The fluidity exhibited by Umphrey’s is one of their musical trademarks amid what some may perceive as musical chaos and overly complicated compositions; what they are missing is the core of this prog-rock jam band and soaring peaks and valleys of songs and jams that few bands can come close to replicating.

“Wappy Sprayberry” with TAUK’s Alric Carter (keys) and Isaac Teel (drums) sitting in was a chance for these incredibly talented musicians to shine under a brighter spotlight. A clean segue into “Pay the Snucka” with a shredding ending capped a superior first set.

An abbreviated “All in Time” opened up the second set, seguing into the lyrically and musically powerful “Hajimashite” which launched into a great expanse of a jam, one not seen too often in “Haji”. The jam that ensued worked off of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” and dipped into the funk of “Day Nurse” accented by Joel Cummins’ airy synth framework.

“Phil’s Farm” took some huge swings and had a great pay off, with a bonus of the drummer from local band moe., Vinny Amico, sitting in on drums. Working back into August and into the closing of “All in Time” made for a filling second set sandwich and capped off a monster set from start to finish. A big “Bad Friday” encore was the icing on Umphrey’s first ever performance at the historic Palace Theatre, a perfect venue for them for the foreseeable future.

Set 1: Dump City, Piranhas, Educated Guess, Atmosfarag > Plunger > Andy’s Last Beer, The Weight Around, Wappy Sprayberry* > Pay the Snucka

Set 2: All in Time > Hajimashite > Day Nurse, Ringo, Phil’s Farm^, August > All in Time

Encore: Bad Friday

* with Isaac Teel and Alric Carter of TAUK

^ with Vinny Amico of moe.

Download the show on Archive.org or at UMLive.

After the show was over, fans flooded Pearl Street looking for their late night fix and a sold out crowd found just that at The Hollow. With Mister F performing, friends stopped by for a few songs, including Joel Cummins’ sitting in next to Scott Hannay on “Answer the Dog”, and an extended “Vocoder” jam featuring Alric Carter and Isaac Teel of TAUK as well as Justin Henricks of Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan.

Joel Cummins sitting in with Mister F @thehollowalbany #postumphreys #umphlove

A video posted by pete mason (@phanart) on Feb 21, 2015 at 10:18pm PST

February 27, 2015
JJ Grey and Mofro at The Egg

The soul of the south warmed up Albany at The Egg on February 19 with JJ Grey and Mofro performing a riveting and inspired set of classic songs and new tracks from their new album Ol’ Glory, due out this month.

Opening was The London Souls, now a duo, but still with a heavy sound that resembles a trio, even though the band didn’t seem to be as loud as they could have been. With a London rock sound and smooth blues base, they were augmented with the influence of The Beatles, The Guess Who, and especially Cream and The James Gang, particularly on the open-ended “Under Control” that closed their set.

JJ ~~“50 shades of”~~ Grey, with a slight twang in his voice from his Northern Florida home, where the accent fades a little, brought southern soul along with Mofro, a band that has been on the march for nearly 15 years and a perfect combination of forces. The stage was setup as an intimate room, inside another intimate room, The Hart Theater in The Egg Performing Arts Center. The lighting resembled a chandelier, a tapestry was the backdrop and floor and table lamps made it feel like JJ Grey and Mofro were performing in your own backyard. The band opened with “Hide & Seek” which had a hint of “Hush” by Deep Purple, followed a few songs later by the debut of “The Island,” a mellow and personal song off the upcoming release Ol’ Glory.

“Brighter Days” displayed a building energy throughout which carried over in the back-to-back high power combo of “Orange Blossoms” and “Everything Good is Bad” to which the crowd roared with approval. The understated organ player Anthony Farrell shone on “Ho Cake” and “A Night to Remember,” the latter of which had hints of Bachmann Turner Overdrive.

The encore was an expected “Lochloosa” starting with a dark stage and soul-filled organ and the band slowly assembling, and as Grey sang the opening line, the audience sang the second verse, knowing this heart and soul tune from 1100 miles away from its origin.

JJ Grey and Mofro, The Egg – February 19, 2015

Setlist: Hide & Seek, Every Minute, 99 Shades, The Island, Your Lady, Light a Candle, Brighter Days, Everything is a Song, Orange Blossoms > Everything Good is Bad, Slow Hot Sweaty, Ho Cake, Night to Remember

Encore: Lochloosa, Ol’ Glory

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February 26, 2015
Tumbleweed Highway Brings the Boogie to Funk N Waffles

Funk N Waffles Downtown is a special place to visit, not only for the delectable combinations of waffles and appetizers, but for the variation of live music they choose to have entertain their guests. This past Sunday evening, they hosted Tumbleweed Highway, a southern rock band with an old school twang, hailing from Norwich, NY.

Tumbleweed Highway brings home-grown country to the stage and pumps it full of energy, yet stays consistent with maintaining the authentic mood of what country is all about. With a humble five piece band and four-part harmony, a wide array of classic songs can and will be covered on any given night. This particular show was no exception. The group performed a vast amount of originals including “Break My Heart,” “Another Day,” “Western Winds,” and even treated their audience to “Diesel in the morning” from their soon to be released album this May.

The lavish rhythmic backbone of the this group consists of Steve O’Connell on drums, Dennis Walrath on stand up & electric bass, and Uncle Nobby on acoustic guitar. Each song is bound together so beautifully, that it allows Patrick Strain on pedal steel to create a melodic resonance underneath Nate Gross and his seductive electric guitar solos. There is no doubt these five gentlemen know how to set whatever mood they feel is right, when they feel it’s necessary.

With a busy schedule of touring and making a new album ahead, they have set aside time to boogie woogie in our beloved city of Syracuse, yet again. You can find them performing at festivals, theaters, and bars all over the Northeast coast, opening for bands such as Donna the Buffalo, Driftwood, and Dickey Betts to name a few. Look for them in a town near you and when you see that 34” drum on stage, you’ve found Tumbleweed Highway.

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February 25, 2015
Umphrey’s McGee Rocks Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

Three months from now, Umphrey’s McGee is going to be playing at a festival, outdoors, for a couple thousand fans wearing t-shirts and hula hooping. When the Midwestern six-piece came through Syracuse on Friday night, they packed the lavish Landmark Theatre in a manner that paid no attention to the swankiness of their position. Rather, they embraced the venue’s beautiful architecture and seated floor with a level of welcomed informality.

While Umphrey’s is a regular on the summer festival circuit, it’s not uncommon to see the band play a venue like The Landmark. All six members are incredibly talented musicians, which is an obvious fact to anyone who has the chance to witness their several-hour set.

Upon taking the stage on Friday, Umphrey’s played for over seventy minutes straight, continuously jamming without pause. The set came in waves, ebbing and flowing in a pattern dictated by the band’s instinctive energy. At times the music would gradually build, then crash in an upheaval of guitar solos and layered percussion. Other times the music would transition without warning, timed by seemingly telepathic communication amongst the musicians on stage.

Umphrey’s played like a band that had been jamming together for almost twenty years, and they have. Since their formation at the University of Notre Dame in 1997, Umphrey’s have perfected their live performance. Guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger each took turns playing lead, oftentimes matching each other in brisk, intricate riffs. The two would go between simultaneous playing and a call & response pattern, constantly producing melodies for the band’s remaining members to sustain.

While bassist Ryan Stasik and keyboardist Joel Cummins laid the groundwork for Bayliss and Cinninger to harmonize on guitar, Andy Farag and Kris Myers made up a percussion section with full, driving instrumentation. Farag’s use of auxiliary pieces – ranging from bongos to rototoms and everything in between – created an almost worldly style of rhythm.

Umphrey’s ability to diversify their sound is a main component in what differentiates the band from its counterparts. With progressive rock influences fused into traditional world music stylings, Umphrey’s is able to take their performances in a uniquely exciting direction.

The band has begun to take advantage of this particularly impressive sound, offering fans a product called Headphones & Snowcones. For $40, audience members at the Landmark wore Audio-Technica headphones with a live feed from the soundboard piped directly into their ears. In an attempt to give people the clearest, most pristine sound, Umphrey’s has added this component to almost all of their current tour dates. While only a small handful of fans took advantage of the opportunity in Syracuse, the idea of it certainly says something about the importance Umphrey’s places on their sound.

Headphones or no headphones, everyone at the concert found a way to tune into the performance. The chance to see Umphrey’s play at the historic Landmark was well worth braving Friday’s winter conditions, and for a couple of hours, it felt just as good as it will in the sun three months from now.

Set 1: Gurgle > Out Of Order > Mail Package, Miami Virtue > Mad Love, 2X2 > 1348

Set 2: In The Kitchen > Similar Skin, Puppet String > Believe The Lie, Immigrant Song, Tribute To The Spinal Shaft -> In The Kitchen, Wizard Burial Ground

Encore: Young Lust -> Puppet String

February 24, 2015
Aqueous is My New Jam

Aqueous – a four-piece out of Buffalo – has been making waves recently in the ever crowded and continually diversifying jam band circuit. Those waves hit my ears finally on a frigid night at the Flour City Station in Rochester.

Flying out of the gates with a beautifully soaring slide guitar, and some heavy driving beats on Don’t Do It, Aqueous grabbed hold of the waiting audience and buckled them in for rocking ride late into the night. The rock assault was fairly relentless, each song flowed seamlessly together with hardly a let-up. But even for the uninitiated like myself, the switches were well-marked and never left you lost or disoriented. This speaks both to the quality of the songwriting, and the pointed-ness of the jamming. It didn’t veer off into aimless noodling, chugging always ahead.

My internal running commentary was devoid of the usual thoughts on the talents of the individual musicians – not that there wasn’t plenty of it to notice. It was also devoid of the usual they-sound-like-this-band comparisons. Aqueous is that rare band that blends it’s myriad influences into a wholly unique sound, while also blending its individual components into a singular force.

They seem to be caught squarely at a juncture of heavy groove and heavy rock. Perhaps best exemplified in their exploratory vehicle Origami, which lulls you with a quasi-reggae groove, before blasting you away with a heavy rocking assault, and back and forth it went from there. And the heaviness kept rearing its head throughout the set, culminating in a climactic set closing cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” that had the band and crowd alike banging heads and saluting the altar of rock with devil’s fingers. Impressive through and through.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – another band quickly on the rise – was also on the evening’s jam-heavy bill. On the surface, a pretty standard funk outfit, they cracked open each song to reveal a glowing improvisational interior featuring the phenomenal guitar work of Jeremy Schon. I never knew that’s what funk looked like from the inside! While mostly funky and jammy, songs later in their set like Horizon and Julia showcased a poppier side, with instantly likeable hooks and melodies. As their name might imply, this is a band that brings a playful energy to the stage that can’t be contained, seeping generously into the crowd.

Ocular Panther, a two guitar and bass trio out of Rochester, got the evening started with some long instrumental prog rock explorations. They recently found themselves without a drummer and made effective use of electronic beats managed by one of the guitarists. Though with the complex improvisational nature of their music, a live drummer almost seems a necessity to bring their incredible visions fully to fruition.

Setlists

Aqueous:

Don’t Do It > What’s the Connection, Complex > Fame* > Origami, Underlyer > Dave’s Song > Master of Puppets**

ENCORE: Mosquito Valley Pt 1 > Gordon’s Mule

* David Bowie

** Metallica

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong:

Upfunk, Time To Ride, Whoopie, Pop Off, Horizon, Burning Up My Time> The Liquid, Julia>Rugrats>Julia

Ocular Panther:

Marking Houses, Compartmentalizations, III E III, Protactinium, Insistences, I Feel Love * , Stairs

* Donna Summer

Review by Eli Stein

Photos by Darren Kemp

February 24, 2015
Hearing Aide: Castle Creek ‘The Only Life’

Central NY based Castle Creek is a duo composed of singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalists Kim Monroe: vocals, guitars, Rhodes, organ, bass, percussion, cello and Chris Eves: vocals, guitars, Rhodes, organ, bass, drums. This is their first full-length CD, The Only Life, released in November 2014 and is solidifying the path they’ve been creating from the northeast to Austin, Texas and to the west coast at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. in January. They’ll have the honor of performing at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse following the sold-out SAMMY Award Hall Of Fame Dinner on March 5.

As if that wasn’t enough, the CD is self-produced and engineered, with all song-writing credits to Kim and Chris besides track 6 which is a Monroe/Mark Doyle composition. Bruce Monroe contributed lap-steel to track 1. Matt Mangano at Southern Ground Studio, Nashville is credited with the mix, and Independent Mastering, Nashville with the finishing touches. All of these facets together make for a dynamic and soulful blend of what the duo describes as alternative blues. It’s fitting as the elements of snarl and bite mix intricately with the bluesy rise and fall of their emotive vocals, each voice standing easily alone or perfectly complimenting the other.

The duo first met at a mutual friend’s wedding where Kim sat in with Chris’ band that was performing there. They talked afterward about songwriting and their own solo projects, eventually writing “Brand New Blues”, that is on this release, that day. Before Castle Creek, Chris attended Berklee and had been a national touring/session guitarist, writing and recording his own songs along the way. Two of those are featured here, “New Normal” and “Bigger Than the Two of Us”. Kim is a multiple SAMMY winner for her two solo albums recorded with Mark Doyle in Syracuse, she credits him for, “Essentially teaching me how to rehearse with a band, how to record music in a studio, introducing me to Soul Music and pushing me to be a better performer.” She then performed in a Buffalo area musical collaboration with Robby Takac of Goo Goo Dolls, called Amungus. After building a reputation around the northeast under their own names as a duo, they took the name Castle Creek for this, their first full-length release.

Before reading their answers to my questions and while listening to their disc the first time, I had a good idea where some of their influences came from. It’s one of my favorite parts of writing reviews, and it’s always interesting to see where those influences take them. Kim lists Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, I had both, even before seeing a picture of Kim placing her left hand in Bonnie’s left handprint at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Chris’ were evident watching him rip the slide guitar during a Vinyl – Albums Live performance of The Black Crowes, “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion”, he lists The Allman Brothers as well among others. Both he and Kim have diverse musical tastes, something that holds true with many great musicians, they appreciate, listen to and learn from all genres of music from classical to pop to metal.

The opener, “The Only Life I’ve Ever Known” gives a deep expression of what’s to come throughout this whole offering. The counter-point between Monroe’s growl, the plaintive wail of Greg Monroe’s lap steel and Eves’ slide work illustrate the emotion pouring from the lyric. You can almost hear Raitt split into two personalities and doubled through the mix, it grabs at your heart and pulls hard. “Brand New Blues” straddles a similar line with Eve’s blues riff coloring Monroe’s grit and determination. The way their vocals compliment is noteworthy as well, Eves’ tempered soul softens Monroe’s edge at just the right moments while allowing her natural twists and turns to come through in a searing fashion. She’s telling you a story, it’s real, heartfelt and emotional, commanding your attention.

“Dragging My Heart Around” lets Eves come to the front vocally and the tune rolls to the rock side of blues embellished by the Hammond swirling. The depth of their instrumental abilities is remarkable, Chris hits ‘em hard here, he could easily be a drummer and that’s a lot to say. Many attempt this and it ends in tears, here he does that and more as he answers with a ripping guitar solo to top it off, amazing stuff! You can almost hear The Black Crowes on “Burning Bridges” with it’s swampy slide and rhythm until Monroe kicks the vocal in and it becomes all Castle Creek. The driving beat and quality of the mix provide a platform for Monroe to tell another incredibly personal tale from. Her vocal range and consistent quality are exemplary and allow the song to rise and fall with each new verse supported by and accentuated with Eves’ brilliant guitar work.

“New Normal” brings Eves to the forefront again and Castle Creek keeps showing different levels and voices they have in their arsenal. This tale of triumph is well written and expressed as kindred spirits find each other. While tales of being outcast and alone can sometimes wear heavily, disaffection becomes something of the past to reflect on and rise above here, uplifting while the sadness slips away. “New Reality”, the Monroe/Doyle composition, is straight-up blues and self discovery. Monroe shreds an exposition of growth away from small town entitlement to the heights available to her through herself. “Glass Heart” is a classic moving on song, the difficulty of doing so and the disillusion of love gone bad. The analogy is strong and the lyrical turns ring true.

“Brace For The Heartache” shows how the blues turns so easily to rock, the rave-up guitar tracks push Monroe along, “I could see this coming from miles away, We bend until we break, All that I could do is hold on and brace for the heartache”. The Hammond solo fits so perfectly and segues into the big guitar riff that takes you to the close, brilliant rock music right here.
“Bigger Than the Two of Us” has a Buckingham/Nicks self-exposure kind of feel, after all, the best of songs come from personal experience. The guitars are big and the groove is solid, when Kim and Chris sing together it’s very easy to believe everything they say. This is single material for sure.

“The Saddest Long Song” brings the tempo down and Kim’s bluesy vocal evokes an image of a smoky club and a single spotlight shining as she pours her heart out to a silent audience hanging on every note. The blistering guitar solo only heightens the tension in the room until it softens and ushers her story back in. Cue the audience standing and cheering. “Warpaint” spins the disc back into overdrive, flexing the muscle of a determined woman expressing her self-confidence and her undeniable charms. When this band rocks, it hits hard and wonderfully counters its softer side, but I believe it’s where the band soars. The closer, “Flown Away” acoustically brings the set to an end. Chris’ lead and Kim’s harmonies combined with the string parts are stunningly somber, yet beautiful at the same time. When it’s a song of hope, there’s always a chance for another chapter in the story.

Key Tracks: The Only Life I’ve Ever Known, Bigger Than the Two of Us, The Saddest Love Song

Kim and Chris have deep appreciation for their families, friends and supports. From Chris: My parents who are very supportive. My Brother Travis. My teachers growing up in the area- Ed Vollmer, Carmen Caramanica, Rick Balestra. From Kim: My Mother Liz and Father Bruce who both introduced me to the music business in different ways. My Step-Father Greg for introducing me to off the wall music I never would have heard. Mark Doyle for essentially teaching me how to rehearse with a band, how to record music in a studio, introducing me to Soul Music and pushing me to be a better performer. Chris for making me the performer/musician that I currently am. And it seems obvious but of course to everyone who has bought our music, come to our shows, loaded our gear, made us look/sound good on stage, given us places to stay on the road and musicians who have learned our music and been a part of a band with us. Castle Creek will give you many opportunities to experience their musical magic live and I highly suggest you do that, after you purchase this cd of course. You can follow Castle Creek on Facebook and on their website.

February 24, 2015
Fred Gillen Jr. Debuts New CD ‘Wage Love’ in a Homestyle Fashion

It seemed as though a town meeting was mustering at EMBARK@EMC as the locals, family, and friends poured in from the clammy cold street to help Fred Gillen Jr. celebrate the release of his ninth studio album Wage Love on Feb. 8. From the outside, EMBARK’s space at the Energy Movement Center is just like any other small-town storefront, that evening decked out with posters and artwork for the show and a well-placed portrait of Pete Seeger to greet folks as they came in.

The show started off with a few songs from Philadelphia based street performer, Laura Bowman, who contributed vocals to the album and joined Fred and his band (also composed of contributors to the recording) later in the evening. It was the first time for many at the show to hear Bowman but its a name they’ll remember for years to come – her beautiful dynamic singing and accompanying guitar work fueled by an engaged audience is something to not be taken for granted.

A performance like this made for an exciting and enjoyable first listen to the album through a live re-enactment of it. The CD itself is skillfully composed, and hearing it first through a live performance adds a connection with the spontaneity of Fred’s style and jest – something liner notes cannot do. The first impression of Wage Love is much more vivid than that of listening at home. Fueled by a potluck-spread of snacks and goodies, the audience fed a communal energy into the room – singing along with and becoming engaged in the music – in feedback to the lyrics, soul, and music generated from the auspices of the American flag hung on the curtains behind the band.

Joining Fred was the same crew that backed him up on the album – Laura Bowman on vocals, Paul Magliarli on drums, Matt Turk on guitar and mandolin, and Jeff Eyrich on bass.

The album itself is political yet not dreary. Fred’s style, which throughout his compositions brings a fresh sound to the traditional folk and Americana music setting, lends a net of optimism to topics (worker’s rights, war, government) that tend to sometimes stir a sense of gloom. As a token to the lesser-sung songs of the working American and undermined heroes the album starts off with “Walking Down That Freedom Highway” – written to the tune of Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” – and ends with “I Dreamed I Saw Pete Seeger” – a hymn to the unparalleled spirit we lost in 2014 sung to the air on part of “We Shall Overcome,” a staple of Seeger’s songbook.

The setlist included Wage Love from start to finish and an encore of two songs from previous albums – “This Old Car” and “Devil’s Bluff.”

Key Tracks: Killing Machine, We The People, I Dreamed I Saw Pete Seeger

February 23, 2015