NYS Music 20​16

Category: Album Reviews

  • Hearing Aide: Jack and Amanda Palmer “You Got Me Singing”

    You Got Me Singing, Amanda Palmer’s first full-length album since 2012’s Theatre is Evil with the Grand Theft Orchestra, is a heart-felt tribute to both folk music and family. Along with her father, Jack Palmer, the album consists of twelve cover songs, spanning from Sinéad O’Connor’s “Black Boys on Mopeds” to Leonard Cohen’s “You Got Me Singing,” after which the album was titled.

    AmandaPalmer

    Funded entirely by Patreon, the album cover itself is a pastiche of Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home. Recorded with a once-estranged father when Palmer was eight months pregnant, the simplicity of the songs reminds us of the power of music, and why we listen to it in the first place. They aren’t merely covers, but new versions of old favorites.

    The album opens with Leonard Cohen’s “You Got Me Singing,” with both Palmers sharing vocals, Jack’s bass (think: Johnny Cash) complimenting Amanda’s quieter tones. From there, covers include a nursery rhyme, Richard John Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” where both Palmers swap vocals, and particularly relevant in today’s political climate, Sinéad O’Connor’s “Black Boys on Mopeds.”

    As a complement to the O’Connor cover, Phil Och’s “In The Heat of the Summer,” soon follows. Written in 1963 about the Harlem riots, some of the lyrics have been changed in order to bring home the message. Jack Palmer sings, “Another black kid face down in the road, whose life did not seem to matter.”

    Other highlights include “Skye Boat Song,” a tribute to Palmer’s mother’s family who originate from Scotland. The song tells the story about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie to the Isle of Skye after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Both Palmers again share vocals here.

    The album overall has unconcealed messages about unity and togetherness. Though the songs were chosen because of their meaning to Jack and Amanda personally, the themes of family and peace are ubiquitous.

    Amanda and Jack are currently on a short tour together now. Two New York dates remain:

    July 20 – Le Poisson Rouge, New York
    July 23 – Basilica Hudson, Hudson, New York

    Key Tracks:     Skye Boat Song, In The Heat of the Summer, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9LlSYGM0Rg[/embedyt]

  • Hearing Aide: Tasha Taylor “Honey For the Biscuit”

     

    Tasha Taylor’s third album Honey for the Biscuit

    Tasha Taylor is bearing her heart and her love of soul and blues in her third album Honey for the Biscuit. Daughter of American vocalist Johnnie Taylor, Tasha released her third album in February 2016. The 13-track disc infused with soul and blues, funk and pop, is the perfect vehicle for Tasha’s powerful yet measured vocals and instrumentation.

    “It’s soulful blues and good storytelling, but it also has something you can shake your butt to here and there,” said Tasha.  

    Honey For The Biscuit features a star-studded line-up. Tasha is joined by Keb Mo on Track 03 “Family Tree,” Robert Randolph contributes to Track 06 “Little Miss Susie” and Tommy Castro lends his vocals for Track 13 “Same Old Thing.”

    “I think being on tour and doing so much live music with these blues artists inspired me on Honey for the Biscuit to find my own blues,” she said. “Most of the songs I wrote on my guitar. I felt inspired by these guys. If I heard something I thought they’d be perfect for, I’d call them up and ask them if they had time.”

    Track 10 “Leave That Dog Alone,”  features a sultry and salty duet with Samantha Fish about kicking a man to the curb.

    “Had a Sweet Talking Man. Had to let him go. He wouldn’t leave other women alone. He wouldn’t stop, messing round on me. I had to throw his stuff out on the street. Better leave, better leave, cause his back, his back, his back ain’t got no bone.”

    The Blues Caravan, featuring Ruf recording artists Ina Forsman, Layla Zoe and Tasha Taylor, rolls into Rochester at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester.
    The Blues Caravan, featuring Ruf recording artists Ina Forsman, Layla Zoe and Tasha Taylor, rolls into Rochester at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester.

    Nathan Watts, best known as Stevie Wonder’s bassist for 30 years, helped produce the album, pulling together a band for the studio recording including Tasha’s brother John Taylor on guitar. Tasha also collaborated with Richard Flemming and Grammy award-winning Buffalo native rock, country and blues artist Tom Hambridge on the songs “Weatherman,”  “How Long” and “Leave that Dog Alone” during a traditional Nashville songwriting session.

    A fireball of energy, actor/musician, Tasha is fresh off a European tour promoting her album and from starring in “The Heart of Soul…The Stax Musical,” about the record label with which her father recorded with Booker T. & the MG’s.

    Tasha rolls into Rochester with the Blues Caravan at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester along with fellow Ruf label artists Ina Forsman and Layla Zoe. Click here for information and advance tickets.

    Key Tracks: Little Miss Susie, Leave That Dog Alone, Family Tree, That Man

  • Hearing Aide: Eric Krasno “Blood From a Stone”

    Eric Krasno and his debut solo album Blood From a Stone references an original composition, as well as the effort he put into singing on an album for the first time; indeed for him the experience was like drawing blood from a stone. Taking the album as a whole, the soul infused into the rock throughout the album (featuring Derek Trucks, the London Souls and more) creates a binding production, a step in a slightly different direction that will be welcomed by Krasno’s fans throughout this more than two-decade career.

    Fans will find a rock and soul project, rather than the jazz and funk instrumental feel of Krasno’s Chapter 2. “This is more of a lyrical and songwriting album with elements of improv and funk in there. This was more about presenting the songs and letting them take life from there,” said Krasno.

    The two-time Grammy winning Krasno shared that the album finds its influences in the era of Stax Records, with elements of Hendrix, psychedelic rock and the Grateful Dead, lyrically speaking. “I have very eclectic tastes from hip hop to Neil Young, and I pulled from many influences but made it a cohesive project — that was the toughest thing after wanting to go in so many different directions,” he said.

    In recent years, Krasno has seen a shift to the studio, producing albums for Allen Stone, Tedeschi Trucks and Aaron Neville, and started a record label, Feel Music Group. Reflecting on working with such legends, Krasno said, “Neville was a dream come true to produce for one of my favorite singers.” He has gotten a healthy amount of attention from the New York Times, which has helped to spread the word and brings new fans into the fold. Bowlive, an eight-night event that aims for a Spring 2017 return to Brooklyn Bowl, “helps the whole family grow — from Lettuce to Soulive, to Bowlive and the new record label.”

    Blood From a Stone shows a soul stirring and haunting “Jezebel,” an “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” influenced “Curse Lifter” featuring Derek Trucks, and “Wicked this Way,” a full bodied mellow funk number, featuring Alicia Chakour on vocals. The album’s longest track, “Please Ya,” is deeply bluesy, pain creeping from the words over the longing from a sad tempo. The flow to the album along with variety in the tracks makes it a passive or active listen — sit back or dive in, no matter what you’re easily hooked.

    The Eric Krasno live band will feature Danny Mayer (Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan), Mary Corso (Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan), Eric Kalb (the Dap Kings), Alex Chakour (Charles Bradley), and DeShawn Alexander (a Berkelee student whom Krasno met when he taught a Master Class recently) which was brought together after the studio album was complete. While the London Souls are featured on the album and Nigel Hall, too, Krasno set out to create a band that could tour in support of the album. Krasno went with musicians he’d worked with, whom he felt would rep the album well. Check out Eric Krasno Band tour dates and catch this new soul rock group as they draw blood from a stone.

    Key Tracks: Waiting on Your Love, Jezebel, Unconditional Love, Curse Lifter

  • Hearing Aide: Dentist “Ceilings”

    Dentist is an Asbury Park-based indie rock band whose catchy sound blends the best of surf, punk and pop. Think: dreamy vocals, fuzzy guitars and beachy jangle. The band’s 2014 self-titled release received much positive attention, and the four-member group has shared the stage with a variety of national acts, including Jeff the Brotherhood, Laura Stevenson, Television, Screaming Females and many more. And on June 24, Dentist debuted their follow-up album, Ceilings.

    A first listen through the 10-track record might leave listeners not knowing what to think — but, after a few additional run-throughs, the album certainly comes to life. Vocalist Emily Bornemann can be compared to Stevie Nicks, and the rest of the band (Justin Bornemann, Nick Kaelbein, Rudy Meier) nicely gels with her signature styling.

    There are a few standout tracks on Dentist’s new full-length album. The opening song, “Climbed Too Many Trees,” kicks the record off with a sense of what is to come ahead, offering a great blend of vocals and driving guitar and drums — this song really sets the pace. The second noticeable track, “Over and Over,” slows the album down to an almost complete stop, but after how driving the first few songs are this one is perfectly placed for a nice mid-record breather; and the sheer brilliance of this song coupled with its beautiful melodies might bring on the tears for some. The third ear-catcher is “Joel,” and it seems that this song details a bad breakup with a long-term boyfriend; but, it ends up being more of a feel-good piece once the beat picks up.

    Ceilings is definitely worth a listen, as this band has a lot of potential and upside, and any chance to see Dentist live now in intimate hometown settings would be highly recommended before this group bursts through to bigger venues — plus, their tunes provide a perfect soundtrack for summertime escape.

    Key Tracks: Climbed Too Many Trees, Over and Over, Joel

  • Hearing Aide: Darling Valley “Crooked Orchards”

    As the latest album from the newly re-imagined folk quartet, Darling Valley, falls into our laps, there is quite a bit of substance undetermined. With this double wife-husband duo, we get all the warm feelings of family and hospitality, even in the freezing climates of Upstate New York, where the four band mates first originated. From their distant years under the name Accents, this group has numerously reshaped their genre, band members and multi-instrumental capabilities to land them where they are now —releasing Crooked Orchards on June 24 through Sounds and Tones Records. The real question is, where, in their transition from Accents to Darling Valley, was their musical peak as an ensemble? To some, it may not be in this new release.

    Featuring a plethora of emotional roller coasters, instruments and vocal timbres, this 11-track record was the first step in pulling together what is now Darling Valley. They made their first appearance online competing in the NPR Tiny Desk Competition, where they performed “Widows and Revolutionaries,” which eventually made its way to this album. Their other hit singles are featured on this album as well, including the adorable “Graces” and the uplifting ode to growing pains, “You’ll Go Far, Kid.”

    Multi-instrumentalists TJ Foster, Ashleigh Whitfield, Lauren Foster and Jordan Stewart are testaments to a premier ensemble. Their songs are uplifting, while featuring an array of instruments, from mandolin to trumpet. They have the most warming videos, including their newest video release of “You’ll Go Far, Kid,” which was directed by an 8 year old and features the bandmates dressed as animals.

    With the stories they portray through songs like “Widows and Revolutionaries,” there is no doubt that the 1,186 likes they have on Facebook are truly devoted fans. However, there is still something missing from Crooked Orchards. One theory would be its overall lack of contrast, featuring nothing new enough to bring to the table of 2016’s top charts. That being said, there is a market for folk-pop lovers on the Internet, and there is no doubt that they will eventually find Darling Valley, and that will be all the fans they need. Listening to Darling Valley will also provide three things you didn’t know you needed: tight vocal harmony, a variety of instruments and an overwhelming mix of heartbreak, encouragement and joy. And for that, we are grateful for Crooked Orchards. 

    Top Tracks: Graces, Widows and Revolutionaries, You’ll Go Far, Kid

  • Hearing Aide: Waydown Wailers “Empty Promises”

    The whiskey drinkin’ outlaws of Waydown Wailers from Northern New York have been roaming across the state supporting the release of their sophomore recording, Empty Promises. Brothers Dave (lead guitar/vocals) and Christian Parker (guitar) along with Michael Scriminger (drums/percussion) and Connor Pelkey (bass/backing vocals) outfit the four-man roots rock band, which coalesced in 2012.

    Waydown Wailers Empty PromisesReleased February 2016 through Woodstock Records, Empty Promises embodies a multitude of familiar human experiences nestled in straightforward blues-rock riffs and uncomplicated lyrics. The cautionary “Don’t Let Life Pass You By” opens the 10-track album, spurring listeners to derive meaning through a slew of thrill-seeking adventures. Dave contends, “You can spend your money, ya won’t ever get it back, to get that feeling that you lack.” Though jumping from an airplane or being shot from a cannon may only appeal to some, anyone can relate to the notion of attributing meaning through memorable experiences.

    The title track “Empty Promises” engages a harder rock sound with more percussive guitar. Waydown Wailers‘ genre-bending outlaw jam style is embodied by the varying stylistic elements of this song. Low octave backing vocals reiterate lyrics in a “Monster Mash” fashion, while the chorus in unison with guitar impart a likeness to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” “Jealousy” concludes with an uptempo organ-driven siege perfectly tailored for a wild west cowboy chase. Strong classic rock vibes on “No Time to Waste” emulate a satisfying Allman Brothers-esque guitar mix, while “St. Vraine” gets a little softer in Eagles fashion, depicting the unrelenting power of a river in Colorado.

    These rock outlaws are keeping fairly busy throughout the summer playing shows across the Empire State, with the next upcoming gig on Thursday, June 16 at the Westcott Theater opening for Devon Allman Band. Interested in the album? Purchase it here.

    Key Tracks: Empty Promises, No Time to Waste, St. Vraine

  • Hearing Aide: Devon Allman ‘Ragged and Dirty’

    Life on the road, the sights in the rearview mirror and the hard lessons learned along the way, Devon Allman and his latest album Ragged and Dirty is the perfect soundtrack to crank on the speakers over a nice long summer road trip, perhaps one marked with a few stops at some biker bars and dives.

    Devon Allman’s latest album “Ragged & Dirty” debuted at #4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Recording last October.

    Raised in Texas by his mother, Shelley, he did not meet his famous father, Gregg Allman, until he was 16 years old. Now 43, he’s been touring nationally and has released eight albums with bands including Honeytribe and Royal Southern Band.

    Ragged and Dirty, Allman’s third solo work, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Records last October. It’s produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, who also co-wrote three songs on the album. Allman shakes the dust off his father’s signature style of guitar-driven blues and rock and infuses it with his own modern, hard-hitting licks and powerful lyrics in this latest incarnation.

    You can almost feel the grit in your teeth throughout this professional, polished album, which runs the gamut of styles from country roots in track one, “Half the Truth,” to blues and rock n’ roll with a slight edge of funkiness in the album’s title track 11, “Ragged and Dirty.” Get lost in the soulful, sultry steam guitar-laden sixth track, “Midnight Lake Michigan,” and then find yourself in the honky-tonk stylings of track 10, “Times Have Changed.”

    A highlight for me was track number three, “Leavin’,” which reminds me of a mix of Joe Cocker and the Allman Brothers Band in a song about running away from the same old problems and falling into old routines. A solid rock n’ roll journey with heartfelt lyrics, it’s a great song for a road trip without a destination.

    The seventh tune, “Ten Million Slaves,” a song about the journey and trials faced by millions of slaves as they were ripped from their homeland and brought to America to be sold, came as a timely surprise as the original A&E mini-series “Roots” recently aired on television.

    Track 10, “Times Have Changed,” is a good reminder to stay relevant and not get caught up in looking back on the past and making up your mind to change things. As the lyrics note, “I’d do anything you say, and now there ain’t no way/ That was yesterday, and times have changed/You’ve got to pick and choose, and I was bound to lose, but I’ve got some news for you, times have changed.”

    Track 12, “Leave the City,” is the perfect way to wrap up this album, with Allman’s soothingly familiar voice gently commingled with sounds of a resonator guitar seeping through to wash you clean, as you leave the dirty city for land of riversides and mountain tops.

    It’s clear this an album inspired by life on the road. To steal a line from the fifth song, “a road runner baby, Citadel platinum frequent flier,” Allman brings his tour to New York with a June 15 show at Iron Works in Buffalo, at the Wescott Theater in Syracuse on June 16 and Albany’s Empire State Plaza on June 29. Catch him before he travels on.

    Key Tracks: Times Have Changed, Midnight Lake Michigan, Leave the City

  • Hearing Aide: Mudcrutch ‘2’

    mudcrutch-2-two-album-tom-pettyAfter lying dormant for more than 30 years, Tom Petty reunited his pre-Heartbreakers, pre-breakout band, Mudcrutch, for a tour and album back in 2008. Turns out it wasn’t just a one-off a-good-time-was-had-by-all affair; they’re back again with another effort, simply titled 2. Supposedly, it really was a good time after all, and worth revisiting.

    2 is a down-to-business, no-frills name, for a down-to-business no-frills record. The band has shed the reunion-for-reunion’s sake facade and come forth with a set of new and all original material. Petty is prevalent from the get-go with the opening blasts of harmonica and his signature, lazily drawling vocals on “Trailer.” More classic Petty sounds follow with the jangling rock “Dreams of Flying,” leading into a slow-burn on his “Beautiful Blue,” which blends slide guitar with dark piano lines stirring into a Petty original that can go toe-to-toe with his best.

    Three songs in and the hopes are high for this album. Unfortunately, with Petty ceding his title-name, he also cedes full creative control. Each of the five members contributed to the songwriting, starting with drummer Randall Marsh’s “Beautiful World,” a paint-by-numbers rock song that completely deflates the energy built up from the opening tracks. From there, the album rotates back and forth between Petty’s songs and those of his bandmates, with expectedly mixed results.

    2 succeeds in making whoever pushed Tom Petty from Mudcrutch, back in 1975, to front his own outfit, look like a genius. It is very clear through this recording that Petty puts forth a higher standard of songsmithing compared to the rest of the band. Fortunately, seven of the 11 tracks are Petty’s, and as excellent additions to his catalog, they elevate 2 to a must-listen for any Petty fan. 

    Key tracks: Beautiful Blue, Forgive It All, Hope

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HITFsKh99os[/embedyt]

  • Hearing Aide: Assembly of Dust ‘Tales from the Oregon Trail’

    Tales-From-the-Oregon-Trail_AssemblyofDust-980x980In December 2014, Reid Genauer took Assembly of Dust on a tour of the West. They made a stop in Portland, Oregon, on Dec. 12 where they were joined by Mark Karan, of RatDog and the Other Ones. Ten songs were picked from this show, mastered and included on Tales from the Oregon Trail.

    Reviewing a live album can be difficult, especially when it’s short and every song is a highlight, as is the case with Tales from the Oregon Trail. The 10 tracks on the album contain Assembly of Dust fan favorites with full band and a couple solo acoustic songs performed by Genauer, including a cover of Neil Young’s “Comes a Time,” which is sure to delight. Genauer’s warm, folksy vocals give the song a different feel from Young’s original. The other acoustic song, “Crest of my Wing,” gives a soft, but powerful close to the album.

    The full band songs are equally enjoyable. “All That I am Now” is the longest track on the album, clocking in at just over 10 minutes with some great soloing by Karan. The very next track, “Filter,” will have listeners dancing in their seats, cars, or wherever they choose to listen to the album. The jazz/funk jam is upbeat and will leave everyone with an ear-to-ear smile. The album also contains fan-favorites “Mama” and “Rachel” that always delight.

    All-in-all Tales from the Oregon Trail is a fantastic album from start to finish. It is sure to provide an enjoyable listen for Assembly of Dust fans, old and new alike. It’s currently available for free streaming at the band’s SoundCloud page or for download at the band’s website.

    Key Tracks: Filter, Rachel, Samuel Aging, Comes a Time

  • Hearing Aide: The DuPont Brothers ‘A Riddle for You’

    The DuPont Brothers, a sibling duo from Burlington, VT, have the gift of being both poets and musicians, a rarity these days. It’s always refreshing to hear sibling duos, because you can sense the true bond felt between them. Whether they’re harmonizing or singing in unison, Sam and Zack hit every note head on and flawlessly, while at the same time giving each other the space to shine individually. Joined on their latest album by several Burlington-based stars, A Riddle for You showcases just what this corner of the world has to offer in the way of talent.

    While guitars are the most prominent instrument on this album, interjections from the occasional fiddle, banjo and pedal steel are certainly welcome throughout. The musical influences of Neil Young come through strongly, perhaps most obviously on “Trespassers,” which sounds a lot like “Harvest Moon,” while hints of the musical stylings of Ray LaMontagne can be heard on songs such as “The Arbor.” Then there are songs like “The Positives of Ten Degrees” that offer a more unique and individual style, while staying true to the folk element that seems to prevalent to varying degrees.

    In terms of the vocals, each brother has his own distinctive and divine voice, both being particularly easy on the ears. Zack’s strong vocals seem to come effortlessly, giving the sense that he must share his voice and music-writing talents with the world. With Sam taking over the vocal leads on the album’s fourth song, “Ben’s Song,” one can sense a heavy vocal influence from Nick Drake, with an almost otherworldly tone.

    It would be fair to say that this album would be perfect for a stay-at-home date night, having it playing in the background, while eating a romantic dinner, providing background music during periods of conversation with its mellow under-spoken tone and intelligent lyrics to ponder upon during moments of silence. A Riddle For You has a way of really tugging on your heartstrings, having the quality of sounding familiar while at the same time offering a fresh twist on traditional folk music. The DuPont Brothers’ second album will be available in stores this June, so be sure to pick up a copy.

    Key Tracks: Something to Write About, The Positives of Ten Degrees, Fuse