Category: Reviews

Hearing Aide: Wray ‘Hypatia’

Upon first listen, it would be easy to mistake Birmingham, Alabama’s Wray for a band from Birmingham, England. The initial chords of Wray‘s sophomore release, Hypatia start the listener on a shoegazing journey back to the London scene of the early 1990s.

Bands such as Lush, Ride, My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and Mary Chain were the prominent purveyors of the scene then and are obvious influences for Wray today. But while many of those earlier bands dealt in the drone of dark introspection, one can easily see the members of Wray (lead singer/bass player David Brown, guitarist David Swatzell, and drummer Blake Wimberly) pogoing along with the audience, especially during songs like “Regular.”

Reverb-drenched guitars are at the forefront here, recalling Link Wray’s surf style guitar in several spots throughout the album.

The title song is a song where one could imagine the audience singing along with Brown. The song opens with a heavy steady drum beat that is maintained throughout with a chord structure reminiscent of The Cure‘s “Just Like Heaven” with a slight Feelies sway.

All earlier references aside, Wray is surely a band that will resonate with fans of The National, My Morning Jacket and Silversun Pickups. While deeply rooted in the sounds of 90s London, Wray distinguishes itself with an American take on the shoegazer sound by mixing in a bit of southern jangle pop, establishing a unique sound in today’s indie rock scene. Wray is currently touring in support of Hypatia.

Key Tracks: Hypatia, May 23rd, Regular

https://vimeo.com/144731589

February 17, 2016
Brad Paisley Crushes It At Oncenter with Eric Paslay & Cam

As the Crushin’ It Tour rolled through Central NY, Brad Paisley together with Eric Paslay and Cam certainly did ‘crush it’. This mutitalented country music superstar redefines the persona of a country music star. Yes, he wears a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a plaid ensemble, but with his quick wit, stage presence, and musical talent he wins over the most skeptical rock fan to this new age genre of country.

His show at the Oncenter was a perfect example of this. As a music journalist/photographer, I often find myself visiting with security guards at these events who perhaps may not know the artists they are “securing”. After a few moments conversing about who will be performing, I happily informed them that they were in for treat as these three artists would take the stage and absolutely win them over, while also pointing out the need to pay attention to Paisley’s guitar playing and less to their preconceived notion of what country music is or sounds like.

First up was Cam. This beautiful young lady, with a sunny disposition and attire to match, has exploded onto the country music charts with her song “Burning House.” Up for several Grammy and ACM awards this year, this young artist, who writes from the heart and performs the same, is bound to be walking away with several armfuls in 2016 and rightly so. This song, written about a past relationship, comes from the heart, speaks to fans, and what really stands out is it’s unique folky sound which is refreshing and retro. She was a joy to see perform, and will be headlining a tour one day soon.

Next up was Eric Paslay, a great interview and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. His down to earth personality, together with honest lyrics, and playful stage persona has earned him scores of fans along the way, including moi. Referred to by Brad as his ‘red headed step brother’, Eric’s musical talent extends far beyond the stage as his knowledge of the music business includes behind the scenes talents of producing and writing as well. A graduate of MTSU (go Middle Tennesee State Univerity Blue Raiders) with a degree in Music Business, this young man is a force to be reckoned with and is making a name in and around Nashville. In fact, this young newcomer has been nominated this year for a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance along with Charles Kelley and Dierks Bentley. Songs written by Paslay have hit number one for several artists and his song “She Don’t Love You” was one of the best songs in 2015. As he played hit after hit, it was his final song, a new one, “High Class” that grabbed attention as the band donned Ray Bans to rock out.

As Paisley took the stage, the energy surrounding his show explodes visually and audibly. He is a presence, an undoubted superstar and puts on one of the best visual shows I’ve seen recently. The kaleidoscope of colors, animation (some penned by the man himself), music videos, and cameos engage the audience from the start. Paisley plays for the crowd too. He enjoys moving around; he’s not a sedentary musician. He plays front and center, out on the catwalk, in the back of the auditorium on another stage, and throughout the crowd as he meanders around giving out high fives. Paisley makes sure no matter which seat you purchased, you had a great opportunity to see him up close and personal and not just on a video screen.

As Brad played hit after hit, several moments stand out throughout evening worth mentioning. First, “Country Nation.” The video featuring college football mascots, released in 2015, unfortunately omitted our beloved Otto. As the song began and the video began playing, the omission was corrected as the new video that graced the jumbotron featured not only the one and only Otto, but also panoramic views of the Syracuse University campus, the Oncenter War Memorial, and the SU basketball team taking it to the hoop. The crowd exploded in joy and cheers every time they graced the screen. Always curious how they chose the original mascots for that original video, I learned the video made last year featured the cities in which he visited during that tour, while the new one features this years mascots from cities he is currently touring. Okay Paisley, you’re forgiven, you absolutely have redeemed yourself.

The onstage bar was a sight for envious eyes. From the moment I spied that lovely set, I wanted an invite. How fun is that to join the show onstage while being served by the Brad Paisley Mascot? Whether is was lucky fans invited up, or tour partners, the fun times had at the bar were a highlight for all.

One of Paisley’s best loved songs is “Whiskey Lullaby” where he is joined in the original duet by the lovely and amazingly talented Alison Krauss. Never part of his sets at the past shows I’ve attended, on this tour, he is joined by Cam on stage for this song, and they completely blew my mind as she nailed it. This beautiful rendition was one of a highlights to the evening. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his ability to skype in Carrie Underwood to join us all chatting and singing along. We all knew this was pre-recorded but it still was way cool and needs a shoutout.

I’ve never met Brad personally, but I am a pretty good judge of character and I’ve formed this opinion of him: I think he’s an all around “good guy” who loves his family, wife, fans, and what he does for a living. Each time I hear “She’s Everything” or “Perfect Storm” I know he wrote those about his wife. His sense of humor is also one of his admirable qualities. He has no problem busting chops on a co-star, calling Carrie Underwood “too stuck up to come to the show” or his agent for booking him in New York in the dead of winter.

His sincerity is genuine too. As he speaks with the audience he asks, “How you doin’ tonight?”, explaining, “That wasn’t one of those gratuitous artist things, where I go, ‘How you doin’?’ Seriously, how you doin’? How’s it goin’ at your job? How’s it goin’ at school? “I really want to know”. His graciousness is another quality that speaks volumes. He took every opporutnity to thank us for buying tickets and coming to see him. This fan oriented artist collected kudos as he gave away a signed guitar to a little girl in one of the front rows and his hat at the end of the evening to cute little adoring fan who caught his eye. He does this every show. He adores his fans, and they certainly adore him, rightly so.

This artist is much more than a country singer singing about beer, back roads, and ticks (okay he does sing about ticks, just another example of his sense of humor.). But in all seriousness, this guy can play a guitar. His ability to play is what constantly wins over those unsure of country music after seeing him. As one of my colleagues wrote, “he sticks out like a sore thumb” in country music. Perhaps it’s the fact he can play the guitar like a rock star. With his musical ability, he never needs to sing about beer, even as he played the guitar with a beer bottle. Come on? Who needs to sing about beer when he can use it as a musical tool.

As the evening came to an end, I approached the security team to find out their final take away. I believe they had been converted. They were surprised and pleased with the evening’s performances. Proof once again that good music, is just that, good music no matter what genre.

Set List: Eric Paslay – Song About A Girl, Like A Song, Never Really Wanted, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, She Don’t Love You, Even If It Breaks Your Heart, High Class, Less Than Whole, Keep On Fallin’, Friday Night.

Set List: Brad Paisley – River Bank, Water, Moonshine in the Trunk, Celebrity (joined by Eric Paslay), Country Nation, This is Country Music, I’m Stilla Guy, She’s Everything, Ticks, American Saturday Night, Wiskey Lullaby (joined by Cam), Beat This Summer, Perfect Storm, Old Alabama, Waitin’ on A Woman, You Remind Me, Southern Comfort Zone, I’m Gonna Miss Her, Crushin’ It, Mud on the Tires, Encore: Online, Then, Alcohol

February 17, 2016
Catey Shaw Ends Tour at Knitting Factory

For those hardy enough to brace for the biting cold wind blowing through the streets and alleys of Brooklyn on Saturday February 13, the Knitting Factory was one haven where one could duck in and enjoy some quality homegrown live music in an intimate atmosphere. Locally based rising pop star Catey Shaw was the headlining entertainer, but openers Gillian and Memoryy were just as much a part of the experience for anyone present early enough to catch them.

Gillian is a band that sounds like it came together as the result of getting just the right alt-rock junkies with just the right record collections together at just the right time in just the right place. They unabashedly own the stage, the band members emphatically traversing in every direction while projecting their tight and polished riff and vocal hook driven pop rock to an attentive audience. Despite all this confidence and cohesion, they don’t come across as trying to be anything more than what they are: a Brooklyn band well worth seeing. Over the course of their 45-minute set, Gillian demonstrated impressive versatility, nimbly navigating tempo changes and dynamic shifts and integrating a guest two-piece horn section into their lineup. The switching off between male and female lead vocals and use of rough-and-ready harmonies kept one guessing at just where this band draws its inspiration but indicated that these fun loving musicians are more than schooled in rock and roll history and infused with the spirit of the same. Gillian’s primary goal in performing music seems to be to have a great time. Warming up the Knitting Factory stage on Saturday, they took several dozen folks along for the ride and set the tone for an engaging evening of rocking and dancing, holed up out of the cold in this cozy little hole-in-the-wall club.

Next up the curly haired synth-pop maestro Shaun Hettinger, a.k.a. Memoryy, stepped onstage with his 5-piece band. Hettinger’s unassuming demeanor and almost self-deprecating nonchalance as he introduced his band and bantered throughout their set may have allowed one to overlook his understated passion for warm electronic pop if one wasn’t paying close attention. A sense of ’80s nostalgia pervaded Memoryy’s music, but there was also kid-in-a-candy-shop innocence and the plainly personal sentimentality of a 21^st century workaday musician who hasn’t been able to help writing songs as a reflexive habit since childhood. Working in his preferred medium with a band he put together years ago under another name and just now reassembled for the first time in a while, Hettinger could barely contain his passion for this project enough to keep his fingers in contact with the keys as his body jerked about in much the same way as some of his more enthusiastic fans on the floor. This particular Memoryy set had an added layer of significance as it marked Hettinger’s final performance as a Brooklyn resident, and he made sure to point out just how special it felt to be playing again with the same four guys he first played with in New York City. The packed room showed Memoryy a lot of love.

At 11 PM the lights dimmed for the third time, and a trio of clean-cut fellows clad in mod suits ambled on to the stage. After situating themselves behind instruments and striking up a punchy rhythm, Catey Shaw appeared at the back corner of the stage dressed for the weather in a full-length off-white fur coat. Shuffling up to the microphone without much pomp, it was clear from the get-go where the artist wanted the audience’s attention to be focused: on the songs. No distracting choreography, props or other visuals were provided that could have taken away from the raw presentation of the songs that Shaw clearly takes a lot of pride in. The hour-long set consisted of all but one of the tracks from The Brooklyn EP plus a few more recently released singles. The still-small repertoire of this budding pop chanteuse holds together pleasingly onstage as it spans from folksy to bubblegum to synthpop revival.

The energy was ratcheted up early in the set with the fiery “Walks All Over You,” a pre-Valentine’s warning to all those prone to being played for fools by a blazing beauty. The anthemic “Brooklyn Girls,” which was met with some criticism upon its release in 2014, was nonetheless delivered with confidence and zest by Shaw after she announced that this hometown gig was also the culmination of her seven-date east coast tour. Coasting off the pep of the preceding party-starter tunes, the crowd swayed to the dreamily optimistic “Revolution” and continued to ride the decreasing tempos until Shaw put on a slightly more earnest face and sang the poignant ballad “Show Up,” with the studio track’s piano replaced by gentle, clean electric guitar.

The remainder of the set was a string of Shaw’s danciest and most satisfying material. A cover of Drake’s spacey R&B jam “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” was received with a surge of enthusiasm from all the dancers on the floor. Shaw’s two newest singles, the Maroon-5-esque “Tell Everyone” and the deep and bouncy “The Ransom,” came up next. These sleek and heavily ’80s-influenced ragers were full of glistening, icy guitar, but the triggered synth lines that make these tunes so fresh on record added a sense of incongruity in the concert setting where a live keyboardist could have achieved more depth and balance. The band did play these songs for all they were worth, the guitarist and bassist breaking away from their rigidly held positions onstage to feed off of each other and rock out, leaning back with knees in the air and fingers working their instruments so as to squeeze as much excitement out of them as possible in these penultimate moments of the performance. Shaw picked up her ukulele and brought the set to a close with “Human Contact,” the most reliable tune in her arsenal. Not quite ready to let the show end there, she quickly reemerged with uke still in hand after the band quit the stage to give a solo encore performance of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” hearkening back to her days busking on the subway. Catey Shaw was happy to be back home in Brooklyn, and well over 200 Brooklyners were happy to be there with her at the Knitting Factory.

Setlist: Walks All Over You, Brooklyn Girls, Revolution, Night Go Slow, Show Up, Outerspace, Hold On We’re Going Home (Drake cover), Tell Everyone, The Ransom, Human Contact

Encore: Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover)

February 16, 2016
Hearing Aide: Future Rock “Daft Rock Live”

Fans of the French electronic duo Daft Punk, rejoice! Err…perhaps clap energetically. While Daft Punk rarely performs in the United States, one group that covers them, Future Rock, has recently released Daft Rock Live, a full, 13-track song featuring the very best of their live Daft Punk covers. Album releases go hand-in-hand with tours, meaning American fans can get taste of the interstellar sounds of Daft Punk right here in the United States including performances at Euphoria Fest and Electronic Forest.

Have a dance party in your living room. Future Rock’s latest release covers songs from a variety of albums spanning from Daft Punk’s debut album, Homework, released in 1997, to their most recent and Grammy-winning album, Random Access Memories.

The cover album is spot on. Future Rock loops their live drums, keys and bass to create an electronic astronomical audio journey that precisely parallels the originals of their muse. One can’t help but picture themselves with a futuristic helmet and spandex suit hurtling through space as the songs aggressively crescendo and then subside with dance-mandatory grooves.

The album begins with covers like “Robot Rock” and the frequently sampled “Technologic” from the 2005 album Human After All. Future Rock provides their own flavor to “Technologic,” the first of three Future Rock mixes on the album. “Around the World,” perhaps one Daft Punk’s more popular songs, is the fourth song on the album and covered true to original form.

The rest of the album is heavily focused on the 2001 Daft Punk release, Discovery. This album was featured in the animated film, “Interstella 555.” This includes “Crescendolls,” named after the film’s fictional protagonist band, which is teased in later songs as well as “One More Time,” although this song is not listed as a full track.

Other tracks include teases of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” made famous to non-fans by Kanye West’s sampling in 2009. The tracks weave songs from different albums into one, as Daft Punk themselves often do during live performances. Several of the tracks include sounds of a crowd cheering and singing, reminding the listener that these are indeed live recordings.

The album ends with “Contact,” from Random Access Memories, which is uplifting, fun and the perfect ending to the audio space odyssey the listener has engaged in throughout the album. It again teases “One More Time,” reminding the listener of where they’ve been.

With repetition, intense crescendos and high-energy rhythms, Future Rock covers Daft Punk with precision that so closely resembles the real thing, it’s hard to decipher the difference when listening to the songs at parallel. Even when adding their own mix, it only adds to the thrill. Daft Rock Live leaves a craving for a live performance. If their live performances sound like this, it certainly wouldn’t feel like settling to see these guys instead of the real thing.

Key Tracks: Aerodynamic – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, Around the World, The Prime Time Of Your Life – The Brainwasher – Rollin’ & Scratchin’

February 16, 2016
Hearing Aide: Hands Like Houses “Dissonants”

Australian rock band, Hands Like Houses, will be releasing their third studio album Feb. 26. Trenton Woodlley, Matt Cooper, Alex Pearson, Joel Tyrrell and Matt Parkitny entered the studio in March for the first time since the release of Reimagine in 2014. Dissonants will be released on Rise Records.

Frontman Trenton Woodlley addressed the band’s relief and excitement to end their fans wait:

We’re feeling a powerful mix of relief and excitement in finally releasing Dissonants. We knew from pretty early on that this album would make us or it would break us — and it nearly did. But we were honest with ourselves, each other and most importantly, the music, adopting the mantra, ‘It’s better to get this right, than to just get it done.’ And we’re proud to finally say that we’ve done both.”

The band released a teaser from the album in March 2015. “I Am” is the first single from Dissonants and also the first track on the record. The entry into this song reminds me of the opening credits of a romantic comedy from the ’90s; it seems light and fun. The feeling lasts for about 10 seconds and then we realize, these guys are for real. The deeper I fell into this track, I realized their are many levels to this song, and so many different elements to love. The slow build up in instrumentals to the chorus grabs the listener’s attention as if to say, “you better be ready for what happens next.” In the bridge, Trenton sings, “I will melt into a choir of angels,” and for a brief moment we hear a choir singing with him. It is the smallest detail but was perfect and chilling. I found myself wondering what was going to happen next and loving every minute of it. This is the song that introduced me to Hands like Houses, and the song that made me a fan.

“Colourblind” is the most recently released single from the album. The beat of this track may seem more upbeat than the previous songs on the album. However, the song holds a very deep meaning. It is a song that separates these rock musicians from the pretty pop princesses of this generation. It is a song with soul. The band described “Colourblind” on their Facebook page:

(The song is) about our cultural obsession with binary ideas — we are black or white, right or wrong. We’re so caught up, we forget that we live in a world of color.”

Hands Like Houses took a different approach with “Momentary” and “Division Symbols,” allowing the tracks to stand out. I fell in love with the way “Division Symbols” enters with a piano and continues the riff throughout the song. The tenderness of the piano allowed me to feel an emotional pull towards the song before even hearing the lyrics. Using a similar soft approach, the beginning verse of “Momentary” is quiet and gentle. And then suddenly the song bursts into the chorus.

Dissonants is an excellent display of the passion that separates the good artists from the great ones. Each track contrasts well with the previous one to make listening to this album a rush of emotional highs and lows. The lyrics blend with the instrumentals perfectly to prove every moment was choreographed and not just thrown together. I believe fans of Hands Like Houses will find this album worth the wait.

The album is available to pre-order on iTunes.

Key Tracks: “I Am,” “Colourblind,” “Division Symbols,” “Degrees of Separation”

February 12, 2016
Valentine’s Day Pairs Local and Veteran Rockers at Paramount Hudson Valley

More than a musical blind date is coming to Paramount Hudson Valley this Valentine’s Day. Veteran indie pop rockers Gin Blossoms will be joined by Peekskill’s own Joe Duraes & The Skills for an exciting Sunday night double-bill.

Over the past two decades, Gin Blossoms have been a staple in ’90s playlists with their albums New Miserable Experience and Congratulations I’m Sorry peaking high on the charts and each achieving Platinum status. Since the band’s 2002 reunion following a five-year hiatus, Gin Blossoms have recorded two studio albums and continued to tour.

Complementing the iconic 90’s sound of Gin Blossoms is the hometown outfit Joe Duraes & The Skills, making their second appearance on the Paramount stage. The band drives home their own style of Hudson Valley rock building off of Duraes’ previous solo acoustic songwriter work fit for any house, whether coffee house, theater, or street festival.

Sunday’s show is set to start at 8pm, and the Paramount Hudson Valley has special prix fixe dinner-and-a-show tickets available through participating Peekskill restaurants. Visit the Paramount’s website for more information on this offer and tickets to the event.

February 12, 2016
Hearing Aide: Jimkata ‘In Motion’

After a short hiatus that took the band off the road and included a change in the band’s line-up, Ithaca based jamtronica/indie rock band Jimkata is back with their much anticipated release In Motion. The album marks the band’s second fan funded album and is packed full of mellow grooves, driving beats and captivating lyrics.

Simply stated: Welcome to Jimkata 2.0.

If Jimkata lives by its own musical mantra’s, In Motion is best described by a single line from the band’s 2012 release Die Digital –“All the best things seem to surface after the worst times.” The group’s latest release is a revealing composition that celebrates living in the moment and the gripping realities of love, life and loss.

Musically, In Motion is a varied departure from Jimkata’s signature driving, dance beats and swirling, glaring guitar. There’s a warmer, more peaceful groove infused throughout the entire album, different from some of the band’s harder and edgier releases. But what the band does successfully is create songs that you can lose yourself in. In Motion is full of inviting, listener friendly ear worms; songs that you want to hear constantly on repeat.

There is a world of musical discovery to this album – like a musical onion. Almost undetectable layers to the band’s sounds that present themselves differently every time you listen to a song. Technically, it may be Jimkata’s most successful album to date. You are forced to listen to the album’s production value, because that’s what the album really is about. Yet, In Motion succeeds at sounding sleek but never over-produced.

What’s missing from In Motion is the musical push and pull that has become synonymous with previous Jimkata releases. At times, the album teeters into more ambient territory, but despite less edge, the album never borders on sleepy. There is always something to keep your ear listening. And although the album isn’t full of mind altering guitar solos or face melting jams, In Motion showcases a completely different side to the band.

In a time where bands are incorporating the glory of 80s snyth and new wave technology, Jimkata is exploring it. Whereas the band’s last few releases simply infused the era driven sounds into their mix of catchy guitar riffs and hooky lyrical mantras, In Motion delves deeper into that already established aspect of the band’s sound.

The album’s first single “In the Moment” captures the essence of Jimkata past and present. It is the one single that feels like it could have fit on albums past, yet In Motion would somehow be incomplete without it. Perfectly timed drums from Packy Lunn create a mellow yet focused disco beat while layers of snyth and keys cascade around vocalist/guitarist Evan Friedell’s comforting vocal style.

The true gem of In Motion is the album’s lyrical experience. Friedell creates a haunting familiarity that is personal and connective. In several songs, like “Wild Ride” and “In the Moment,” it feels that he is singing directly to the listener. And it’s that quality that makes this album so special. It takes a confident and self-aware lyricist to create the kind of moments that feel connected and relatable. At times, the album feels like a movie soundtrack without a movie. If you listen close enough, the story is perfectly laid out for the listener to discover.

As the band launches a late winter tour in support of the album, it will be interesting to see how these songs will fit into the live, high energy performances that Jimkata is known for. Of the albums nine tracks, “Innocence” has the most intriguing live performance potential. “Ride the Wave” and “Build Me Up” have already seen stage time during the last year and fit neatly into the Jimkata live show.

In Motion drops on February 12, but is still available for pre-sale through the band’s Pledgemusic campaign. Jimkata kicks off their In Motion Release tour on Feb 19 in Burlington, Vermont.

Key Tracks: Ride the Wave, In the Moment, Wild Ride

<a href="https://jimkata.bandcamp.com/album/in-motion">In Motion by Jimkata</a>

February 11, 2016
Hearing Aide: Samantha Fish ‘Wild Heart’

Singer-songwriter and blues guitarist Samantha Fish’s third studio release, Wild Heart, is rife with powerful vocals, raunchy guitar riffs and thunderous drumming. Fish’s vocals will remind listeners of other female powerhouses like Grace Potter and Susan Tedeschi.

The album’s standout track, “Road Runner,” kicks off the 12-song collection and lays down the framework for what is to come—a 52-minute showcase of Fish’s soulful range backed by rocking guitars. “Go Home,” the first ballad on the album, features more delicate vocal work with hint of country to the sound. Returning to her roots in the hill country blues, she delivers a fitting cover of Charley Patton’s “Jim Lee Blues,” and it’s probably the most important tune on the record.

However, many of the tracks seem to fall flat with no real arrival. When one expects the song to progress to a climax, it simply continues along the same steady path where it started. Much of the drumming throughout the album is uninspired, not matching the intensity of the guitars or vocals. But many listeners will find this aspect of Wild Heart to be familiar and comfortable, as the simple backdrop beats let Fish’s rebel-twang steal the show.

Samantha Fish is currently on tour in support of Wild Heart, and she is scheduled to perform at New York City’s Cutting Room on Feb. 13.

Key tracks: “Road Runner,” “Jim Lee Blues,” “Bitch on the Run”

February 10, 2016
Blind Owl Band Roars Through The ‘Cuse

The Blind Owl Band rode their roaring four-stringed freight train right through the Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Feb. 6, and with a full house of faithful fans, they surely got the dance floor heated. The bearded band responsible for breaking in your dancing shoes consists of Arthur Buezo (guitar, vocals), Christian Cardiello, (double bass, fretless bass), James Ford, (banjo, vocals) and Eric Munley (mandolin, vocals).

The band strummed their instruments so effortlessly, there were times I wondered if their swift fingers even touched the strings. They most definitely live up to their name the “Blind” Owl Band, if they were blindfolded I have no doubt their manic, musical mastery would be no different, as the dance floor was moving all night.

If you missed this furious fleet of string masters, you can catch them in their hometown of Saranac Lake at the Waterhole on Feb. 13, the Hanger in Troy, NY, on Feb. 18 and at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT, on Feb. 19 with Bella’s Bartok.

February 10, 2016
Hearing Aide: The North & South Dakotas ‘Been Away’

The North & South Dakotas, from the Saratoga Springs area, have been bringing their blend of bluegrass, country and rock n’ roll infused folk to music fans around the area since 2013. While they’ve always been a great combination of those genres, their new release ‘Been Away’ shows them able to put together an album that even further masters that sound. Start to finish, this is a great piece of alt-country, full of a healthy portion of slide guitar, great harmonies and songs that just sound like the sound track to living and loving far away from the lights of any big city.

The album’s opening track “Caroline” starts off full of twangy goodness and sets the tone for the album, in the listener’s mind it’s all rural country life, there’s going to be lots long roads and heartbreak. But perhaps most importantly there’s some fast-as-lightning string picking and great melodies to carry us through the ups and downs. Once the vocals kick in, you know you couldn’t be listening to any other group it’s the distinct sound of Zack Hay’s voice, now with a hint more grit and attitude from their previous releases.

Sometimes though, the long nights full of whiskey, the growing feeling of needing a change, and perhaps a bad choice or two catch up with you and a day in bed is in order, contemplating how rough the lows really may have become. On one of the records slower tunes, “Please Don’t Wake Me” there’s talk about about speaking with the devil if he chooses to shows up, and admitting maybe it’s time to pack up and move along. “I ain’t ashamed to float like a feather as I fall from grace. And I ain’t putting up a fight, and heaven knows I’ve tried, and when I land, you know I’ll find my place.” Guitarist Mark Retajczyk never misses the opportunity to throw in a classy guitar solo and in the video below, seeing the band in the warm golden glow of a fall corn field helps you hear the breath of hope even in a sad song.

Other stand out tracks include “Katie”, fast paced with quick little starts and stops this is a song in the live setting that is going to get the ground shaking resulting from a room full of stompin’ boots. Nayt Patenaude sets the strings of the mandolin on fire in this track, good luck trying to sit still when it hits your ears. Throughout the album, the rhythm section of Mike Graves on drums and Colin Hunt on bass stay locked in time and provide a steady backbone throughout an album with plenty of musical turns and changes in tempo that give the songs life.

“Nowhere Slow” is a little more outlaw country, like a dark storm rolling in, hot on your trail as you bolt out of town. The break down towards the end even sounds as if they threw a dash of sludgy metal into the every-type-of-Americana stew they’ve whipped up through the album. “Prayin’” will be the track that gets hips swayin’, before leading into the album’s final track “Swan”. The album’s closing track talks about making the way back home, after an album that has taken the listener through several tales of love, a few lonely nights, and no shortage of fun evenings spent with a drink in hand. With a long instrumental close to the song and album we’re reminded that these tracks are just as catchy as they are complex, and at its heart this is a group of very talented guys that are capable of showing us a good time while maintaining a level of depth and integrity that is often lacking in modern country music.

On Saturday, February 13th The North and South Dakotas will be celebrating the release of Been Away at The Parting Glass in Saratoga. $10 entry also gets you a copy of the new album. The night will start off with a performance from Rebel Darling, the full band that M.R. Poulopoulos, one of the area’s strongest songwriters, puts together with a rotating cast of talent. Doors open at 7pm, music is set to start at 8pm. The Parting Glass is located at 40 Lake Ave. in downtown Saratoga.

Key Tracks: Katie, Nowhere Slow, Please Don’t Wake Me

February 9, 2016