NYS Music 20​16

Author: Jimmy Chambers

  • The National: The Band an Ocean could not Break

    North Adams Mass sits in the nook of the Berkshires, a quaint college town known for its art, culture and its museums. Mass MOCA, (MOCA being short for Museum of Contemporary Art) hosts hundreds of displays as well as musical events. On June 11, The National was one of these and they made the museum theirs for the day.

    Known for a melodic somber sound, The National, found a way to take this feel and turn it into a rock show with emotions and waves of feeling – a rare find with bands of this genre. By digging deep into their whole catalog, the audience never knew what to expect, a tactic that left us with a phenomenal feeling. Opening up with the Trouble Will Find Me hit, “Don’t Swallow the Cap,’” the band knew they had the audience in their hands from the get go. After a few more rocking tunes the band slowed things down with the Grateful Dead classic, “Peggy-O,” citing that even though the dead didn’t write the song they still played it a lot so this is their homage to the Dead. This comes off the heels of the highly anticipated Day of the Dead – an album, four years in the making, featuring 59 tracks of Dead covers and over sixty artist.

    They kept things slow for the next two songs and then they treated the crowd by playing three new songs in a row. This is most likely a preview for an album that may see light sometime next year. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again… and again. This was the case when the band dug into their catalog again to bust out “Slow Show.” When they finally got it down, it was one of the highlights of the show. The passion that singer Matt Berninger sang with was second to none. These guys are rock stars.

    “About Today,” from the Cherry Tree EP, was a song that many wouldn’t anticipate would be good live. It’s a slow song which Berninger sings, slowly, almost a whisper “ How close am I, to losing you?” What made the song that much more enjoyable was their ability to captivate an audience with a song that rightfully so can put you to sleep. They kept the energy going and closed out the set with “Fake Empire” off the Boxer LP this song left the crowd wanting more, and more is what they received. The National came out with a four song encore ending with High Violets “Vanderlye Crybaby Geeks,” a sing along song during which the band played acoustic which was totally genius.

    In a show rife with slow and sad songs, the band was able to keep the crowd at attention and not drifting off into oblivion.

  • Hearing Aide: The Felice Brothers- Life in the Dark

    The Felice Brothers album, Life in the Dark, to be released on June 24, is a great example of how to be a relevant folk band. Many bands feel they need to discuss the good ole days or life out on the farm, but the Felice Brothers largely steer clear of this theme, and are able to get their message across just fine. They define as indie-Folk, if that’s even a thing.

    Songs like the opener, “Aerosol Ball”, “Plunder” and “Sally” are rocking tunes reminiscent of shows like Happy Days. Not many bands would try and pull this sound off – mixing the rock n’ roll of the 1950s under lyrics about issues of today is just, well, nifty.

    “Jack at the Asylum” and Life in the Dark” are two examples of a slower side of the Brothers. In “Asylum”, Ian Felice howls “America” with what would seems like his last breath while “Life in the Park” preaches a different, very morbid message. At the end of the song chanting that “we live and we die and we don’t know why”, there seems no place for such a line, but maybe, since the album was named after this song, there is a reason its on here.

    “Diamond Bell” is the only song that has a new age folk vibe. It is the story of a girl who seemingly goes on a murder spree across the country and he loves her anyway: more of the same story that’s been told a million time. My deepest apologies if this “Diamond Bell” did enter your life and cause such a ruckus, but it seems far fetched and when all is said and done it didn’t add very much value as the album is strong enough on its own. The style that fans have grown to love shines through this album. People who think folk is a dead art need to listen to “Life in the Dark”, by The Felice Brothers.

    Key Tracks: Jack at the Asylum, Life in the Park, Plunder

  • Hearing Aide: BREN ‘Hot Lunch’

    BREN, from Plattsburgh, have just released their debut EP, Hot Lunch. In a world where many will say punk rock is dead or watered down, those skeptics have not heard BREN. BREN is a three piece ensemble that can honestly call their music punk, complete with nasally vocals screaming personal lyrics. Yes, this is fun punk rock and you can dance to it, but to actually sit down and listen to the lyrics being sung and written by Matt Hall, there is a lot more going on and that is what makes this debut album a must-have.

    Opening with “Parade”, and the lyric repeating “ There was something there, there was something there! I’m not imagining it.” shows that this punk rocker has a paranoid, more emotional, side to him. This could be ground breaking: a three piece punk band that actually has something personal to say in a punk rock setting. In “If there was something going on.” Hall paints a perfect upstate New York autumn of contemplation and anger. This song is brilliant. But in the 1:28 second rant if you don’t pay attention, the fast paced music will take away from the song’s meaning.

    “Dream Song” is different from the other tracks on the album in a few distinct ways. The lyrics are short, but sweet. Matt sings “ I kissed you in a dream last night” and then there’s an instrumental bit that showcases Sarah Mundy’s bass slapping as well as Zach Hircsch’s drums. This is a direction punk rock does not often take. The songs are usually short and to the point with very little to show in the jamming out sense. This song, however ,was different, letting listeners know that this group is more than three power chords and yelling – they are the real deal. In the album closer, “I’m better now”,the lyrics take us on an American Psycho journey through some very dark imagery in pleading her to talk to him again, because he’s better now. The song seems to be a metaphor for going through a rough patch in life. This album has the potential to reach many different audiences, and each unique listener can find their own meaning.

    KEY TRACKS: Parade, Dream Song, If There Was Something Going on

  • Hearing Aide: Trinity Park Radio “TPR Comes Alive”

    TPR, short for Trinity Park Radio, just released a live album playfully titled TPR Comes Alive. Many nuances throughout this album make it an unique adventure from Cleveland to Chicago (more on that later), and these fun loving college guys have etched themselves a niche in the live music scene. Some live albums overshadow the band with long drawn out jams, and don’t highlight the personality of the band and focus on their ability. TPR connects with their audience in a more intimate way, making them feel as if they are part of the show. By recording in a cozy setting, the listener feels like they’re one of the people in the crowd.

    Right off the bat, “King of the Park” hits you in the face with pure adrenaline charged rock and roll while “Cleveland Gary” shows a different side of the band – a softer, more emotional side. “You’re on Fire” is a catchy little number with a fun repeating title phrase which speeds up to astronomical speeds, bringing out a silliness from the band members as they get increasingly excited and deliver that energy through the speakers.  TPR also put a hip spin on a grade school classic, the famous “Stop Drop and Roll.” These lads added rock ‘ n before the roll and all are left singing along. That wasn’t the only point in the album where the lyrics were ironic, the title “I Love Dick’s….Sporting Goods”, is another perfect example.

    The album closes out with “Carl Winslow,” yes, that Carl Winslow, the Chicago mailman from the ABC hit “Family Matters.” It’s a delightfully hokey song telling stories of Steve Urkel and others cast members, but the music itself is the most catchy part, although you may find yourself confused by the band saying Carl Winslow, as the music doesn’t fit the character at all – a middle class, mid-America man – does not translate to hard kicking guitar riffs and slamming drums.  Again, this fits the over riding motif of the album, with the titles and the lyrics making the listener believe they are going to hear one thing, but the music delivering another.

    Listening to TPR Comes Alive, the amount of effort put in becomes clear straight away. You can tell they don’t take themselves too seriously, but they are far from a joke. TPR is having fun toeing that line, and if they stay they the course it can only mean a bright future for these guys from Upstate New York.

    Key Tracks: Cleveland Gary, King of the Park, You’re on Fire