Category: Reviews

Hearing Aide: My Plastic Sun “jumping karma trains”

You know 2016 is starting out fine when word of a new My Plastic Sun EP emerges. jumping karma trains includes five songs, one re-do, a former single and three new songs, it’s their third EP. If you’re unfamiliar with My Plastic Sun, the Rochester duo consists of Johnny Cummings – lead vocals, piano, various keyboards, bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, and Roy Stein – drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals and studio engineering. This project spends most of its time in the studio, they excel there, each with deep writing, musicianship and live performance creds. They work under the radar, but their products continue to be way above expectations, which are extraordinarily high.

The timing of the news from My Plastic Sun couldn’t have happened at a better time, the morning of January 11th, the morning the music world was shaken by the loss of David Bowie. There are few things that could’ve brightened that day, but there it was, an e-mail from Roy Stein, sent the night before. I could see the excitement in his eyes and hear the enthusiasm in his voice, “It was great to press the send button and get it out to you.” Stein continued, “We wanted to make a gentler EP with a bit of a spiritual journey kinda undercurrent to it. Not sure how that will play out but we made the record we wanted.” Ultimately, it’s what they always do, make the record they want, it’s been a solid benchmark for them for years.

“Wheels Turn Slow” is an introspective opener. It begins the story with a longing refrain, a look back, a look forward, reflecting on the progress of change and enlightenment. Brilliantly built-up from a acoustic track, the Sam Snyder floating electric guitar feels wanting, the soft march speaks to determination, the vocal toward mistake, deceit and re-invention, the difficulties of momentum.

“Falling Awake” will be familiar to long-time fans. Stein said, “We redid “Falling Awake” in a new way we felt captured the essence of the song better.” “Falling Awake,” the source of the EP’s title, has it’s origins founded in Sgt. Pepper’s with Lauren Becker’s subtle french horn, but this remake is all Pet Sounds. The light orchestration from the keys and choral backing harmonies ring true to the concept of “gentler EP” and the singer/songwriter basis shines through clearly. “In The Moment” has a bit of Philly Soul like Hall and Oates, but Cummings’ play with words keeps hinting at something more spiritual. Something bigger, more true, just slightly out of reach, from hand and heart. It’s hymnal, it’s beautiful. It’s love.

Cummings voice has a distinct feel of Chris Martin and the production plays right into it on “Somethings Coming Over Me.” It reveals itself as he goes to falsetto and retains the strength of his full voice. The hoped-for undercurrent is on full display here, the piano, the choral backing vocals, the broad mix, the “Tears For Fears” opening and rhythm. A tall standard to accomplish indeed. John Viviani’s guitar track is perfectly placed and Bree Draper’s vocal speaks to spirituality, strongly.

“Couldn’t Love You More” wasn’t on any EP and we thought it fit well on this so it was in.”, Stein says. “Couldn’t Love You More” is as sweet as pop can be, Johnny’s light vocal reading and ukulele lilting with the emotions expressed then enhanced with the acoustic bass by Kyle Vock. This is well visualized by Stein’s multi-talented wife, April Laragy Stein and John Runkel in the video previously released with the single. (see below) This song is Revolver quality, the addition of accordion (April Laragy Stein), acoustic guitar and reversed electric are deftly applied with Snyder’s assistance.

jumping karma trains was produced by My Plastic Sun, recorded and mixed by Roy Stein and mastered by Brad Blackwood. EP artwork by April Laragy Stein. While this band has seen a few bright lights, they haven’t been nearly as bright as they deserve. They consistently deliver music that is way above their current recognition and if someone in the know actually listened, there is so much more ground for them to cover. My Plastic Sun continues to be among the clearest voices expressing true pop art music anywhere. Get on the train and learn more about the band on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify and Youtube.

Key Tracks: Couldn’t Love You More, Falling Awake, In The Moment, Somethings Coming Over Me, Wheels Turn Slow

January 19, 2016
Trivium Destroys A Sold Out Lost Horizon

On Saturday, January 16th, Trivium finally returned to Syracuse for the first time in what seemed like ages. Touring behind their latest album Silence In The Snow, Trivium are showing no signs of slowing down after releasing their 7th album. Even though Trivium decided to release Silence In The Snow without any of their trademark screaming, the album is still doing incredibly well. With the increase in radio play and demands, it’s no wonder why the guys in Trivium sold out The Lost Horizon in advance.

Prior to Trivium kicking off their winter tour, they went through yet another drummer change. With the announcement of Paul Wandtke taking over as the new drummer, Trivium fans were left asking questions about the new guy. When looking to replace the previous drummer due to creative differences, bassist Paolo Gregoletto and singer Matt Heafy looked to none other than John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Petrucci then brought Dream Theater’s drummer Mike Mangini into the conversation to get some ideas. Mangini recommended Paul who actually studied under him at Berklee. Making his debut at Knotfest in Mexico in early December, Wandtke quickly meshed with the band and has made quite the impact.

Trivium took the stage at the Lost Horizon after two local bands got the crowd warmed up and ready to go. The night opened up with “Silence In The Snow”, the title track of their latest album. Right off the bat, vocalist/guitar player Matt Heafy experienced issues with his microphone which was echoing every word he sung. After a quick look over to his tech and a laugh the issue was quickly fixed and the night was perfect from that point on. The best thing about seeing a Trivium headlining set is that they’re going deep into their 7 album catalog. The set included 3 songs off their album Ascendancy which were “Like Light to the Flies”, “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “Rain”. Fans responded to Trivium’s choice of songs with nothing but pure energy and madness. Fans who were looking to enjoy the show casually weren’t found on the lower floor because it was a whirlpool of bodies crashing into each other. Those who were trying to stand off to the side were even seeing the side effects of the mosh pits brought upon by songs like “Rain,, “Insurrection” and “Becoming the Dragon.”

Throughout the night Matt Heafy addressed the crowd, demanding them to be loud and rude. Heafy didn’t want any silence in the venue, even while he was speaking himself. Paolo Gregoletto was busy throughout the evening keeping the bass riffs going, singing backup vocals and getting up close and person with the crowd. With the barrier only a mere foot away, Paolo, Matt and lead guitar player Corey Beaulieu all took turns leaning into the crowd. Being so close to the crowd helped the band absorb the energy from the fans easily, especially those in the first few rows who could reach out and touch them. The new drummer Paul Wandtke was an absolute animal behind the drum kit. For being the new face in the band, Paul seems to fit in perfectly. The 14 song set seemed easy for Paul who nailed all the parts he needed to while adding his own personal touch in just the right places. Hopefully for Trivium and their fans, this is the last drummer that Trivium will ever need.

After ending the show with “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “In Waves”, Trivium left their fans wanting even more. Hopefully with the response that Trivium got on Saturday night, they realized that they need to come play in Syracuse more often. For fans looking to catch Trivium a few more times this year, they can hit up almost any of the major festivals in May such as Carolina Rebellion and New York’s very own Rock N’ Derby. For all Trivium news including tour dates and music, visit their website at here.

Setlist: Silence in the Snow, Into the Mouth of Hell We Match, Strife, Rain, Tread the Floods, Built to Fall, Like Light to the Flies, Insurrection, Dead and Gone, Becoming the Dragon, Down from the Sky, Until the World Goes Cold, Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr, In Waves

January 19, 2016
Singing To An Ocean, I Can Hear The Ocean Roar – Day 3 of Phish Riviera Maya

Phish capped off their first Mexican excursion to Riviera Maya on Day 3 with a heavy hitting show that was packed to the brim with solid song selection and adept improvisation. After letting off the gas pedal the second night, Phish came back for the third night blazing from all cylinders. From the opening note of “Mexican Cousin” to the last note of Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” in the encore slot, the band wasted no time crafting a creative setlist.

During the day fans were showing no signs of fatigue as the large crowds congregated on the beach or at the pool for a DJ set. The energy was contagious and in full swing all the way up to show time. Walking inside the venue area there was a notably larger spread of food and drinks on the last day. The beach was absolutely beautiful and standing in the water as the sun was setting was nothing short of breathtaking.

When the band took the stage the crowd stretched as far back as the eye could see. The cooler temperatures however didn’t discourage fans to jump in the water and it was common to see people in and out of the water for the duration of the show. There was a collective celebratory splash from fans in the water as the opening notes of “Mexican Cousin” came through the speakers. Fan favorite “The Curtain With” was well executed and kept the applicable word play relevant given how far south the band and fans had to travel. The “With” section of the song was gorgeous and the band patiently moved through this section with grace. After a quick “Sample In A Jar” Trey used this time to explain that the band was going to be taking some time off and going back into the studio. This ignited an outcry of confusion and emotional questions and it wasn’t uncommon to overhear different conversations about the future of the band looking into 2016. Personally, I believe not much will change except possibly a lighter summer tour. The fact the band is going into the studio is a sign that the best is yet to come. Rumor around the camp fire is that Phish has locked in a three year contract at the Barcelo and Wrigley Field in Chicago in June is all but a sure thing. However, the term “hiatus” hit everyone hard.

After “Yarmouth Road” the band busted out “The Landlady” which came out of left field completely unexpected. “Army Of One” found its way into “Kill Devil Falls” before a monstrous “Bathtub Gin.” Nobody knew it at the time but the band was setting the stage for some serious heat as they delivered “Funky Bitch” > “The Moma Dance” > “Saw It Again,” which featured a lot of deep and thick improvisation from the band as they closed the first set.

When the band returned Trey teased “The Rover” before Mike played the opening notes to “Down With Disease.” After an extended jam which took the crowd deep into parts unknown, the band used “Roggae” as the perfect landing gear out of “Disease” before shifting gears to the beloved Talking Heads cover “Crosseyed and Painless.” “Farmhouse” was a stepping stone into “Mike’s Song” > “Bug” > “Weekapaug Groove.” Just as it looked like the band was going to close out the last set of the run, the opening notes of “Slave To the Traffic Light” came as a nice surprise as the band wasn’t done yet. This was an especially beautiful version that really hit home. What happened next was a swift reminder just how much power and authority the band has when they debuted Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean.” I immediately flocked to the water with hundreds of other fans who were dancing so hard like it was their last night on Earth. Page took the driver seat for “The Ocean” and his voice is perfect for covering Led Zeppelin and it’s fitting that he also commands “No Quarter” as well for the band. The debut came as a shock and whiplashed the crowd into a frenzy as if they were possessed by something not of this earth. These are the moments that make everything worth it.

Phish bookmarked a chapter in 2016 that was nothing short of legendary. The best is absolutely yet to come and the news of the band going into the studio should be enough security to fans aching to see more live shows.

January 18, 2016
A Sea Jubilee – Day 2 of Phish Riviera Maya

When the Phish Riviera crowd finally finished navigating the queue to proceed into the venue at Barcelo Maya, they were met with a full buffet of food, drinks to drown a pirate, Mayans dressed in full traditional garb, and a full feeling of how on Earth Phish was going to follow the previous night’s magic. However, within moments of them walking out onto the stage it was obvious that the momentum from the night before hadn’t left their souls.

From the first measures of “Camel Walk” it was an all out beach dance party. Phish failed to disappoint as they navigated through the first set, following the opener with “555” and “Rift” and satisfying many phans with a cover of Talking Heads’ “Cities.” The vibe was simply electric as “Cities” led into “Light”, which made way for “Simple” and “Timber.” The emotions really took hold as the first chords of “Wading in the Velvet Sea” could be heard. The exodus to the water was breathtaking and so few people had realized at that point how badly they wanted to indeed be wading in the sea to such a powerful song, which since Coventry has always hit one’s heartstrings. The first set wrapped up perfectly with a “Reba” that no one could stop talking about at set break and capping it off with a short “Chalkdust Torture.”

Second set started off with the same explosive energy that fired up the crowd in the first. TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age” was the preamble to another major flocking to the water so people could finally float upon the waves to “Prince Caspian.” The seaside dance party continued as the second set progressed, with the energy reaching insurmountable levels. Moving into an ever-impassioned “Joy” brought everyone down to earth, but a string of “46 Days” > “Twenty Years Later” > “Julius” caused huge amounts of splashing in Jeff Waful’s bright white lights that seemed to replace the always common glowstick wars at past shows. The set was finished, creating full crowd participation with “Harry Hood,” followed by a very quick break and Phish coming back out to encore with “Character Zero.”

As the flocks of phans exited the venue after night 2 of this amazing destination festival, everyone was buzzing. People walked back to their rooms or shuttled to their respective resorts to finish out their nights with poolside parties, dancing in numerous resort bars, and for a lucky few staying at the festival resort, some very welcome fireworks. After everyone caught their breath, the realization started to set in: the Sunday show is next!

January 17, 2016
Page Side, Wave Side – Day 1 of Phish Riviera Maya

The hype and anticipation surrounding Phish’s first tropical destination was colossal to say the least. This is the first time Phish has done anything with an all inclusive resort and more importantly this was the first time the band has performed at Riviera Maya in Mexico. The resort is absolutely gorgeous and phans alike were taking full advantage of the amenities.

With CK5 and Jefferson Waful collaborating on a variety of lighting insertions, the concert area came alive once the sun set. Getting into the venue area was honestly more tough than going through Mexican customs. As the line of almost 7,000 people stretched as far as one could see, there were a few brave souls trying to bribe security with up to $400 to get inside. Since there were several waves of security, including a stage where they scan your wristband, it seemed almost impossible to sneak in. Inside the venue there was added security on the beach for swimmers. It was completely locked down.

The first set kicked off fittingly with “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing” and the band wasted no time getting into thick improvisation. “My Soul” surfaced next lifting the no covers ban. Trey ripped through this version with conviction. The crowd favorite “Martian Monster” whiplashed the crowd into a dancing frenzy before “Ya Mar” brought everyone back to earth. There were many notable highlights in the first set but a special moment was when Trey stepped up to the mic and said “well, this doesn’t suck” which inspired a roaring cheer from the crowd. Trey then subsequently dedicated the next song to the people standing on paddle boards in the ocean before the band stepped into “Theme From The Bottom.”

The second set was full of prime song selection and buttery transitions. The band opened up with “Drowned” which segued into “What’s the Use?” “Sand” was all too perfect given the atmosphere on the beach and the transition into “Ghost” was absolutely beautiful. Just as the the opening notes starred the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down, which was actually quite refreshing. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “2001” > “Wolfman’s Brother” > “Possum” kept the flow and energy consistent. It was especially nice to see the last two songs in the second set, outside of their typical first set placement. Phish closed with a tender, breathtaking take on The Rolling Stones’ “Shine A Light” that was full of emotion. Capping off the encore with “Rock & Roll” was a fitting reminder that everything is alright. One down and two to go and something tells me the best is yet to come.

January 16, 2016
Hearing Aide: Larry Keel’s ‘Experienced’

Larry Keel’s latest album Experienced, due out on February 26, can truthfully be described as ear candy. For those who like music of the bluegrass or blues persuasion, or even for those for whom these are not your favorite genres, this album is a highly recommended addition to your collection. Accompanied by his wife Jenny Keel on upright bass and vocal harmonies, and longtime band-mate Will Lee on vocals and banjo, Keel is also joined on this album by a cast of bluegrass superstars, including none other than Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush and Keller Williams.

This album has all three elements going for it: the instrumental, the vocal and the lyrical. It takes several listens-through to feel the full effect of this extremely well-rounded album. It is definitely worth “binge listening” to, taking the time to truly listen to each of the album’s elements. Treated to a healthy mix of sing-along-able songs, and those songs that make you want to just sit back and listen to the poetry coming at you, you’ll find it hard to eject this CD from your player.

It is clear just how much heart was put into each and every word written, and every note sang and played. It also seemed that Keel took the time to write songs that fit well with the musical stylings of his guests. Opening with guest Sam Bush on “Ripchord,” this song manages to tell a silly, whimsical tale without any words, something Bush manages to do so well. On “Fill ‘Em Up Again,” Keel takes the opportunity to employ bluegrass masters Del McCoury and Jason Carter of the Del McCoury Band and Mike Guggino of the Steep Canyon Rangers on this, the most bluegrass of all the tunes on the album. Keller Williams’s fancy guitar picking is complemented nicely on “Miles and Miles,” and Peter Rowan’s signature yodeling is featured on “The Warrior.” The last song, “Another Summer Day,” featuring Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass, provides a mellow sing-songy ending to this gem of an album, making you want to start the whole thing over again.

It’s amazing how different Keel’s voice sounds on each of the tunes. Reminiscent of Eddie Vedder on “Miles and Miles” and Johnny Cash on “The Warrior,” his voice gets so deep on “The Warrior” that it almost sounds like a didgeridoo. Keel’s voice balances very nicely with Will Lee’s more distinctive, mellow, pitch-perfect vocals. Keel’s wife, Jenny, adds beautiful harmonies on several of the tunes, blending perfectly as only a husband-and-wife duo can.

Larry Keel’s Experienced is essential for any music lover’s collection, no matter what type of music suits your fancy. It is appealing on so many levels, with its approachable more traditional tunes drawing in listeners, and some of the more rhythmically out there songs giving those listeners a taste of something a bit more sophisticated.

Key Tracks: “Ripchord,” “Fill ‘Em Up Again,” “Another Summer Day”

January 15, 2016
Local Talents Unite to Fund the Bern at the Palace Theater

A cavalcade of vehicles armed with Bernie Sanders political stickers barricaded the streets surrounding the Palace Theater in Syracuse on Friday, January 8. Bernie supporters flocked to the 1920’s era theater for a diverse assortment of musicians who volunteered their time and talents to bring awareness to Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and to Fund the Bern. Presented by Funk ‘N Waffles, the event was initially slated to be held at the downtown location before widespread interest garnered the need for a larger event space. With a more suitable venue in place, Sophistafunk, Joe Driscoll, Root SHOCK, The Fat Peace, Subsoil, Charley Orlando and Castle Creek were among the large assembly of local talent who performed for the roughly 700 attendees who coalesced at the Eastwood locale.

With the iconic fluorescent sign beckoning onlookers from the James Street sidewalk, spectators filtered through glass doors and down a carpeted entryway. A gaggle of smiley volunteers donning outfits littered with political pins greeted passersby asking them to sign the petition to get Bernie on the ballot in NY state. Just beyond the congregation of friendly volunteers, the corridor opened into a lobby bustling with jubilant activity as guests happily sipped on adult beverages and talked politics.

The theater room seats were amply filled with Bernie devotees as Chris Merkley sweetly grazed a slide guitar, serenaded the attentive audience from a dimly lit stage, soft spotlight outlining his seated figure. Merkley exuded a city-meets-country vibe sporting a hip purple beanie and dishing out a satiating serving of country blues. By the end of his set, a few brave souls had ventured to the open space between seating and stage, dance moves demonstrating their satisfaction.

Castle Creek, named one of New York State Music’s “Bands on the Rise” filled the theater with blues-infused fire, drum beats furnished by Sophistafunk’s Emanuel Washington. Kim Monroe asserted robust lead vocals, piping through a petite frame as she strummed away at her electric guitar, while Chris Eves (guitar/vocals) tactfully interjected attention-grabbing guitar work. Among the sparse dancers at the family friendly event, a young woman clothed in fashionable Sunday school attire merrily spun in circles, jostling a preschooler in her arms who giggled in delight.

Charley Orlando, a familiar face to frequenters of Funk ‘N Waffles Downtown, wielded harmonica and guitar, inviting a number of musical guests including Merkley and Eves to play alongside. Orlando’s song choices seemed to consciously reflect the themes of the event with lines like, “I try to listen more than speak,” which could reflect Sanders’ more diplomatic demeanor in contrast to Republican candidate Donald Trump’s “carnival barker” disposition.

As Rochester-based Subsoil began their set later in the evening, the bohemian hip-hop group featuring Mooney Faugh and Laz Green on the mic invigorated the room with dancing and excitement as theater goers abandoned their seats, forming a mob at the foot of the stage. Trailing their performance, environmental activist Renee Vogelsang briefly brought attention to current environmental struggles, championing Sanders’ support of many of these efforts. Reggae collective The Fat Peace followed, infusing some funk into the ongoing dance party, keeping the crowd on its toes when the drummer mysteriously disappeared. The remaining band members resigned to gawking awkwardly at the abandoned drum kit and speculating the drummer’s whereabouts until his much anticipated return. Directly after their set, the projection screen behind the stage displayed a video of Bernie Sanders addressing a Muslim student’s concerns regarding racism in America. The room filled with cheering and applause as the video ended, before reggae group Root SHOCK immediately took the stage, sustaining the audience’s animation and radiating energy with a snappy, high-powered performance. Jessica Brown seared ear drums with a spicy heat that seduced a crowd, amorously applauding her howling mid-song vocals. Joe Driscoll followed, revving up the crowd with catchy beats and praises for Sanders.

Sophistafunk rounded out the musical marathon with an overall well-polished performance despite a few brief moments of disorienting beats and the unsettling sound of popping cables. Crowd undeterred, dancing raged on until nearly 1 a.m. as performers from earlier in the night including Joe Driscoll and members of Castle Creek joined Sophistafunk to bid the crowd farewell.

January 14, 2016
Hearing Aide: Mayve ‘Animals’ EP

Fresh off of Long Island came some hot bagels and Mayve’s new EP entitled Animals. Mayve, pronounced like the Irish first name “Maeve” and not to rhyme with “maybe,” got the inspiration for their name from lead singer Nick Micheline; he liked his little cousin Mayve’s first name. The band is comprised of five guys and they’ve been playing together for a few years. Back in 2012, they were featured on “Rick’s Rising Stars.” On the show, Rick Eberle talks about the best upcoming artists in the local scene. This indie pop band fits the standard rock band archetype instrumentation-wise with some synthesizer ornamenting the band’s recordings.

They’re currently unsigned to a record label, but the EP was recorded with the help of Rocky Gallo, who has engineered a number of records with many artists like John Legend, Andrew Bird, Jim Wolf, and more.

Songs like “Hearts on Fire” and “Talking to Myself” aren’t new to their repertoire and have been performed since 2014. But it seems like they’ve compiled five of their more recent original recordings as a marketing tactic to get their songs out there as a unit.

Overall, the lead singer sounds a bit like Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin and has a little flair of pop punk with his pronunciation of some lyrics. Almost all of the songs have melismatic repetitive phrases which make them easy for listeners to learn and sing along to. No one in the band primarily specializes on synthesizer, (based on the band’s social media and music videos) but the synth definitely helps augment the sound and give it that edgy pop sound.

“Hearts on Fire” is all about love, which is the predominant subject matter in each of their tracks. The band sounds much like The 1975, especially with the bright guitar timbre on this track. The lead singer talks about young love and how no one can take that love away. In “Higher,” the idea of animalistic desires as per the EP title is evident in the lyrics with lines like “My body’s taking over; your body’s taking me higher and higher.” The tune has background group vocals singing “higher and higher” throughout which aurally reinforces the lyrics. “Magic” is the only slower song in the lineup, and uses an acoustic guitar to highlight the emotion behind the words. This song also has backing harmonies, which adds some nice texture to the tune.

The band’s sound is not terribly unique; they sound like a generic indie/pop band. This is just the beginning of their time in the music business with the release of the EP and they have a lot of room to grow. They need to expand beyond what they’re doing both stylistically and instrumentally. They all sound like they are very proficient players, and the production quality is quite high, but they need something to make themselves stand out in a sea of many similar-sounding bands. It will be interesting to see what creative direction they take moving forward.

This EP is available for free listening on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Spotify, and for purchase on iTunes.

Key Tracks: Talking to Myself, Hearts on Fire, West Coast

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDrjLlw-d2U[/embedyt]

January 13, 2016
Hearing Aide: Last Conspirators ‘Hold That Thought Forever’

The Last Conspirators just released fourth album Hold That Thought Forever moves the band into new territory. While past releases’ lyrics have dealt with politics and the feelings towards how things have been moving along in the country, this album showcases a more personal side of the band. To go along with the lyric change, the music has also been toned down at times from the punk rock aesthetic known by their fans. The changes are welcomed and it is great to hear the band try something different and succeed in Hold That Thought Forever.

“Addiction” is one of the darkest songs on the record and the funk bass line that it follows goes right along with the subject material, taking the listener into the depths of what addiction can be. “1302” is the first track on the album to have the band start to rock behind Tim Livingston’s lyrics and constantly builds until the end when a fury of music takes over the proceedings and joins the voice in bringing the song to a fiery end.

“Two Days in May” is one of the tracks on the album that finds The Last Conspirators trying something new. The chorus almost comes out of an early Bruce Springsteen song when you could hear him and Steven Van Zandt harmonize with one another. The fact that The Last Conspirators have gone for a more eclectic sound on this record shows how many bands truly influence them as a unit and brings the history of music to the fore front as they continue to push on wish new tunes.

The song “Tracks” bring the punk attitude back, with Tim spitting the lyrics and Nick Bisanz laying down some dirty grungy guitar licks that would fit right in on an old Patti Smith record. “Alright” is great rocker with Mike Grundy and Al Kash constantly moving the song along with their fantastic bass and drum playing on what is sure to a great song to see live.

While most of the record isn’t political, “Truth and a Gun” hits the mark perfectly, especially with how crazy gun violence is gotten in the past year. The song easily makes clear which side of the argument the band is on and ends in a blaze of guitar work by Bisanz. Being a local Albany band, they may not get out of the state to play, but if you’re close enough they definitely are worth checking out. In the live setting their songs get you moving and thinking and this record does the same. Hopefully the band can keep the creative juices flowing and give us another collection of music soon.

Key Tracks: Addiciton, Tracks, Truth and a Gun

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS3pMUJk2Ow[/embedyt]

January 12, 2016
Deaf West’s “Spring Awakening” Revival Breaks the Mold for Broadway Shows

The Spring Awakening revival on Broadway is really a revolution. It’s changing the way we should be looking at Broadway shows.

Spring Awakening is based on a controversial 1891-banned play written German author Frank Wedekind. His work led to the original groundbreaking musical that opened on Broadway in 2006.

The musical focuses on the lives of three teenagers in 1891 Germany while they are trying to figure out where they belong in the world as they move into adulthood. But trust me, this isn’t your Breakfast Club-type of teen-angst show. This goes much deeper. Touching upon still-controversial topics like teen sex and pregnancy, abortion, suicide, masturbation and homosexuality.

The revival includes the barbaric 1880 resolution passed in schools in the United States and Europe, where sign language was no longer taught and Deaf students had to learn lip reading and speech mimicking. Those who could not learn in such a way were deemed failures.

All 22 Deaf and hearing actors on stage in Spring Awakening use American Sign Language. The Deaf actors each had their own ‘voice’ on stage with them, acting as their character’s conscience.

The voices for the two main characters were perfectly chosen. For Wendla, Deaf actress Sandra Mae Frank and Voice actress Katie Boeck were flawless together. Boeck’s soft and innocent soprano helped to portray Wendla’s innocence. For Moritz, Deaf Actor Daniel Durant and voice actor Alex Boniello were also a superb pair. Boniello’s sad, angry, and powerful voice brought back memories of John Gallagher Jr. – who originated the role on Broadway.

The only disappointing moment for me was during ‘The Dark I Know Well.” Voice of Martha, Katherine Gallagher, fell short as she attempted to bring her own edge to the song, taking away from the lyrics.

There were moments throughout the show where sign language or voice interpretation could not be used, so the words were projected on the wall of the set, using different fonts for each character. Those moments were the most incredible throughout the show, comparable only to the times when the Deaf actors spoke or yelled.

There is no doubt that this show was meant to be portrayed with the inclusion of sign language. The addition of Deaf history and the extra symbolism that teens often feel like they aren’t heard by society, made the experience that much more special.

You will leave feeling invigorated; you will have a rush of emotions. You will also wonder – why aren’t there more Deaf West revivals out on Broadway?

Spring Awakening is a limited engagement on Broadway – closing on January 24.

January 12, 2016