NYS Music 20​16

Author: Sammy Steiner

  • Wild Rivers Make Waves in London, Ontario

    From Washington, DC to London, Ontario, Wild Rivers is making a name for themselves in the world of music. This Toronto based indie folk band was born out of a duo that met in university in Kingston, Ontario. Devan & Khalid (the original group) expanded their band in 2015 creating a more holistic sound to their unique music while maintaining the compelling appeal of a male-female duo. artworks-000156565070-zmnnv5-t500x500

    Wild Rivers is touring across Canada and even extended their reach into the United States with recent concerts in Washington, Boston and New York. For a seemingly new and upcoming band, they already have established a dedicated fan base who were very visible at the show in London on November 18 at The Rosewood. With only a debut album under their belt, the audience was familiar with all of the songs played and sang along in unison to every one of the poetic lyrics primarily written by Khalid.

    Two years prior to releasing their self-titled debut album “Wild Rivers,” Devan & Khalid put out their first EP entitled “This Town.” Though their set list was mainly composed of songs from “Wild Rivers,” the audience was in for a treat when the band broke out songs featured on “This Town.”

    Wild Rivers opened their show Friday night with “Undercover” followed by one of their singles and a crowd favorite, “Already Gone.” They then played a personal favorite, “Paul Simon,” a song featured on both the band’s 9-track album and Devan & Khalid’s first EP. Though Paul Simon himself is only mentioned once in the song’s lyrics, this interesting choice of title being a well-known musician is intriguing to one who may never have heard the song before. The first time around, “Paul Simon” was recorded acoustically with nothing more than a guitar and vocals. In concert, it was performed as seen on “Wild Rivers” with the addition of a drummer and bass player making for a foot tapping, high energy performance.

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    After closing their set with “Speak Too Soon,” a catchy sing-a-long finale, the crowd insisted upon hearing more. Not having anything else planned, Wild Rivers responded to their encore demand breaking out another song from “This Town.” They played “No Ribbons,” the first song for which they released a music video, paying homage to the beginning of their musical journey.

    Being able to share in the joy of not only the band’s passion to create meaningful music but the audience’s appreciation for the magic of live music made for an unforgettable night. This folk quartet is definitely one to be on the lookout for over the next couple of years.

    Set List: Undercover, Already Gone, Paul Simon, Rolling Stone, Heart Attack, Fish On A Hook, Mayday, Wandering Child, Speak Too Soon

    Encore: No Ribbons

  • Adele says “Hello” to Toronto

    On October 7, Adele graced the stage of the Air Canada Center for the last of her four sold out shows in Toronto. With no opening act, Adele was sure that every one of the 20 000 audience members came to see her…not that she needed any reaffirmation with over 8 million album sales.helloIf you thought that in going to this concert you were only going to see a musical performance, you would have been pleasantly mistaken. Not only is Adele one of the most powerful vocalists to date, but she also delivers an unintentional comedic performance. Her self-proclaimed nervous banter between songs makes you feel as though you’re sitting with her in your living room.

    After very appropriately opening her show with her hit single “Hello,” Adele immediately started chatting it up with her audience. Asking us questions as to whether we got tickets as a Christmas present or if anyone in the crowd was celebrating an anniversary, Adele expressed how getting to know her audiences helps to relieve stage fright which has held her back from performing in the past. She takes this notion of getting to know her audience a step further that Friday night by inviting a young girl celebrating her 14th birthday to the stage in order meet the star and pose for a ‘selfie’ – a day I imagine the young fan will never forget.

    One of the most unique aspects of “Adele Live” is the very real relationship she creates with her audience. Following each track, the house lights in this mass arena are turned on as she jokes about the appropriateness of singing about old exes and recounts memories associated with songs. She pokes fun at her cliché heartbreak albums saying that if it weren’t for her talking in between songs, everyone would leave her concert miserable.adele-to

    Her setlist included all the hits from 19 to 25 including some hidden gems as well. She made sure to play her popular songs such as “Rolling in the Deep,” sympathizing with the audience as to how unfortunate it is when an artist deliberately doesn’t play their most notable songs in concert. With the exception of her acoustic set, rain-falling “Set Fire to the Rain” performance and confetti filled finale, Adele stands alone at the forefront of a stage with nothing but a microphone in hand. Over the course of this tour, she most definitely solidified her reputation as a world-class entertainer.

    It was truly a privilege getting to see Adele in concert prior to her decade-long leave from touring. It saddens me that I will not have the opportunity to see her perform live for so long. We can only hope that during her leave of absence from the stage that she continues to create and release more of her ingeniously timeless music.

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    Set List: Hello, Hometown Glory, One and Only, Rumour Has It, Water Under the Bridge, Skyfall, Million Years Ago, Don’t You Remember, Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover), Send My Love (To Your New Lover), Sweetest Devotion, Chasing Pavements, Someone Like You, Set Fire to the Rain

    Encore: When We Were Young, Rolling in the Deep

  • Hearing Aide: Ali Carter “Songs of Longing”

    Ali Carter Songs-of-longingAli Carter, singer and songwriter originally from Sydney, Australia has relocated to Brooklyn with the hope of making a name for herself in the music industry. With the release of her debut album earlier this year entitled Songs of Longing, Ali is ready to bring her music to the American music scene.

    Growing up in a household filled with music, Ali was exposed to a wide range of genres of music from an early age. She describes her style of music as soulful, containing some aspects of folk music as well. Her twelve-track debut record embodies both those styles and more, being classified as an indie pop and jazz album. Songs of Longing is a multifaceted work on which Ali contributes both vocals and instrumentals.

    Ali’s unique sound is created by the combination of her dynamic voice and ukulele-driven songs. Her use of the ukulele, traditionally a folk instrument, on an indie pop and jazz album is an original creative twist. Other artists have had success incorporating non-traditional instruments in their performances such as Ian Anderson’s use of the flute in rock music. Her personal and poetic lyrics are further supported by her three-man band and showcased on every song on her album.

    It’s always refreshing to discover an artist like Ali Carter with a passion to create sincere and pure music. Songs of Longing is a cohesive work whose overall unique sound and mellow temperament will leave your ears wanting to hear more.

    Key Tracks: My Heart’s in Union Square, Sex and Cigarettes, Open to You

  • Hearing Aide: Bon Iver “22, A Million”

    jv1Five years since the release of Bon Iver, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon shares yet another piece of his artwork with our world. This indie folk band’s third album 22, A Million is an experimentally brilliant work whose meaning is difficult to fully comprehend.

    While experimenting with the auto-tune and synthetics, Bon Iver explores the world beyond the conventional three-minute song while staying true to himself. Vernon hones his exceptional songwriting abilities throughout the entirety of the album. He revives his style of singing over simplistic piano with his track “00000 Million” just as he did on his 2007 release For Emma, Forever Ago as well as his self-titled work four years later in 2011.

    The interpretation of Bon Iver’s lyrics, which are challenging to decipher is aided by the release of lyric videos to all ten tracks. Each lyrical video is accompanied by symbols that hold personal meaning to individual band members such as the rainbow featured in “33 “GOD””, geometric shapes in “8 (circle)” and countless others. Consistent with Bon Iver’s unique approach to 22, A Million, each song title unconventionally involves language, numbers and symbols to enhance its eccentric nature.

    With every new discovery, this cryptic album continues to fascinate the listener. Beginning with “22 (OVER S∞∞N)” and ending with “00000 Million” as they perfectly sandwich the imperfect “22 #Strafford APTS”. The first time listening to this intentionally flawed song I assumed by headphones had been detached from my computer to only later discover that it was an artistic choice of Vernon to record “22 #Strafford APTS” so that it appears to be breaking up near the tail end of the song.

    22, A Million is a cohesive work that when listened to in its natural order portrays the progression of its ten tracks. “21 M♢♢N WATER” seems almost indistinguishable as it flows into “8 (circle)” while effortlessly maintaining a similar feel in both songs.

    The controversial album that is 22, A Million was successful in reinventing Bon Iver to the extent that he is compared to the works of Kayne West and Frank Ocean. With this album, Bon Iver reaffirms his ability to remain of interest to our scattered millennial generation and the contemporary world.

    Key Tracks: 8 (circle), 33 “GOD”, 22 (OVER S∞∞N)