NYS Music 20​16

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Boy and Bear to Make a Pit Stop in Albany

    Australian five-piece indie-folk band Boy and Bear will make a pit stop at the Hollow in downtown Albany on Wed., June 8. Venturing from Toronto to Albany and then to Buffalo and New York City, the group will give the Capital District a rare treat to see a band currently on the rise and promoting their third release, Limit of Love.

    The band formed in 2009 in Sydney by singer-songwriter Dave Hosking, who quickly teamed up with Killian Gavin (vocals, guitar), Timothy Hart (drums, vocals), Jonathan Hart (vocals, mandolin, keyboards) and David Symes (bass) to release their debut album Moonfire in 2011. The critically acclaimed Moonfire, which was recorded in Nashville, won numerous Australian Recording Industry Association music awards, while Limit of Love was formed at Peter Gabriel‘s Real World Studio in England. Limit of Love remains the band’s greatest attempt at honesty and good old-fashioned recording with zero automation and minimal takes, which is frequently matched and backed up in their live performances.

    Sandwiched in between Moonfire and Limit of Love was the band’s grandest release, Harlequin Dream, featuring the hit song “Southern Sun” that prominently featured slide guitar and was noted to be an homage to Australian artist and guitarist Richard Clapton. It was also the tenth most played track on the triple-A radio format in the United States in 2014. Smooth singing Hosking cuts through his lyrics like room temperature butter, making each song seem more heartfelt and emotional. While Limit of Love differs quite a bit from Harlequin Dream, both offer a shining glimpse into the guts and heads that make up Boy and Bear.

    WEQX welcomes Boy and Bear to the Hollow in Albany on June 8;  doors open at 8 p.m.

  • Prophets of Rage Announce Full U.S. Tour

    Prophets of Rage, consisting of members of Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and Public Enemy, will head out on a full tour of the U.S. starting mid-August in Virginia and closing out in October in California. The tour includes two stops in New York on Aug. 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and Aug. 28 at Jones Beach.

    por-performance

    Prophets of Rage tour dates:
    Aug. 19 – Fairfax, VA @ EagleBank Arena
    Aug. 20 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
    Aug. 21 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
    Aug. 23 – Hartford, CT @ The Xfinity Theatre
    Aug. 24 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
    Aug. 26 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
    Aug. 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
    Aug. 28 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
    Aug. 30 – Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
    Aug. 31 – Burgettstown, PA @ First Niagra Pavilion
    Sept. 1 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
    Sept. 3 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
    Sept. 4 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
    Sept. 5 – Kansas City, MO @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
    Sept. 7 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
    Sept. 10 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
    Sept. 11 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre
    Sept. 13 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
    Sept. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
    Sept. 17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion
    Sept. 25 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion
    Sept. 27 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
    Sept. 29 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
    Oct. 1 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
    Oct. 2 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Perfect Vodka Amphitheater
    Oct. 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
    Oct. 5 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
    Oct. 7 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
    Oct. 8 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
    Oct. 9 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
    Oct. 11 – El Paso, TX @ El Paso County Coliseum
    Oct. 12 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
    Oct. 14 – Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Event Center
    Oct. 16 – Chula Vista, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre

    Original post:

    The rumored reunion of Rage Against the Machine is here. Prophets of Rage play tonight at Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles.

    POR-SQ

    While not quite a reunion of Rage Against the Machine, Prophets of Rage consists of Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine; Chuck D and DJ Lord of Public Enemy; and B-Real of Cypress Hill.

    In a press release, the band said:

    We can no longer stand on the sidelines of history. Dangerous times demand dangerous songs. It’s time to take the power back. It’s time to make America RAGE again.

    The six musicians will join forces for a show at Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles tonight at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale.

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

  • Local Limelight: Seymour – Indie Rock from New Paltz

    Anyone whose life revolves around music, seeks out new ear candy as often as possible. The most difficult thing is to find something that really piques your interest, especially a complete album. During my third listen through the new self-titled album by Seymour, my interest was certainly piqued.

    seymourIn a recent phone conversation with Steve Geary (rhythm guitar, bass, vocals), who co-founded the band with Avery Maracek (rhythm guitar, bass, vocals), I was able to learn quite a bit about the up-and-coming band from New Paltz. Steve and Avery met their bandmates, John Morrison (lead guitar) and Brandon Bera (drums), while they all attended SUNY New Paltz. As is common among college friends, they all hail from different places around New York State; Steve and John grew up in the Capital Region, Avery is from Western NY and Brandon is from the Westchester area.

    They came together and melded their influences, which range from Avery’s exposure to jazz guitar via his father, to Steve’s adoration of ’90s indie rock and mixed it all with John and Brandon’s love of jam bands. The final product? A mixed sound of Weezer and Fountains of Wayne (circa Utopia Parkway) pumped into your ears from headphones, reminding you of your teenage years. Steve explained that he and Avery share the songwriting duties. He feels that with both of them writing they are able to create a symbiotic relationship, which generates a more than gratifying result.

    seymourWhen you press play to listen to the new album, you are instantly hit with the meta tune “Seymour,” their self-titled song off of their latest release. Although this is their first full-length album, these boys have an arrangement that shows just how much work they’ve put into the last two years since forming April 2014. While listening through the record, other earworms present themselves; the somber love song “Bleeding Heart” shows how there isn’t just surface feelings built into Seymour’s music, and this depth is further accentuated in their short but introspective song, “Tethered.” As mentioned before, this first Seymour album is truly easy to listen to on repeat.

    To check out Seymour’s new self-titled album, you can visit their Bandcamp page. Also, be sure to check out their Facebook page and website. You can also catch them live at their upcoming show at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY, on June 18.

  • Tragically Hip Frontman Diagnosed with Brain Cancer

    Charismatic Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie has brain cancer. The news was shared on the band’s website early Tuesday morning. A press conference with more details, is scheduled to be held at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto at 11 a.m.

    Tragically Hip CancerDespite the devastating news, the iconic Canadian band still plans to tour one more time this summer. In the statement, band members said:

    This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us. What we in The Hip receive, each time we play together, is a connection; with each other; with music and it’s magic; and during the shows, a special connection with all of you, our incredible fans.

    Further details on the tour should be released later in the week.

    According to the announcement, the 52 year-old Downie, who has four kids and is married to Laura Leigh Usher, was diagnosed in December. The band continues, “Since then, obviously, he’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we’ve been standing by him.”

    The Tragically Hip can trace its origins to the Kingston, Ontario bar scene in 1983. Downie, along with drummer Johnny Fay, bassist Gord Sinclair and guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, has served as a Canadian ambassador since the band’s breakout single “New Orleans is Sinking” in 1989, a song that, throughout the years, has served as Downie’s laboratory for improvisation.

    While the band never did break it big in the United States, cities along and near the Canadian border have been frequent tour stops for the 14-time Juno Award-winning band. The Hip’s trio of albums in the mid-’90s (Road Apples, Fully Completely and Day For Night) cemented the band’s status as Canadian royalty.

    Downie has not only been one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock and roll for almost 30 years, he’s also been a mentor to many Canadian artists. On the band’s lone live album, Live Between Us, Downie introduces the song “Grace, Too” by thanking the opening act: “This one is for the Rheostatics. We are all richer for having seen them tonight.” That hat tip from Downie exposed the Rheostatics to thousands of people who had otherwise not heard of them. This gesture is the epitome of Gord Downie.

    https://twitter.com/annetdonahue/status/735092272707035136

    The band is set to release its 14th studio album, Man Machine Poem, through Universal Canada on June 14. Two singles have been released thus far with titles that may have foreshadowed today’s announcement,”Tired as Fuck” and “In a World Possessed by the Human Mind.”

    Tragically Hip performed in Canandaigua last July 4, playing its Fully Completely album fully and completely.

    Click through below and turn up the volume for the Hip’s Woodstock ’99 performance of “Courage (For Hugh MacLennan)”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuRh6zLOVH4

  • Hearing Aide: Andy Black “The Shadow Side”

    Andy Black, also known as Andy Biersack or Andy Sixx, is the lead singer and one of the founding members of the band Black Veil Brides. On May 6, Andy Black released his first solo debut album called The Shadow Side.

    andy blackWhile Black’s fans are normally used to hearing him sing hard rock or metalcore styled music he is taking is solo debut in a different direction. The Shadow Side is comprised of a much more of a pop-rock sound than we’re used to hearing from Black.

    The album starts out with the song “Homecoming King.” This is the longest song on the album at four minutes and fifty-six seconds. It’s a bit of a more relaxed song to help ease us into the transition of the different genres. His low raspy voice is great blend with the background instruments, there’s a nice blend between his voice and the percussion.

    As the album moves on it begins to pick up in beat with the next song “We Don’t Have to Dance.” This was Black’s first released solo single from the album. This is one of the most pop sounding songs on the album and already has music video with over seven million views.

    Andy Black’s dark voice is only more complimented by the pop-rock music performed on the song “Louder Than Your Love.” It’s another upbeat song towards the end if the album that kind of wants to make you get up and dance. The album rounds out at the end with the songs “Broken Pieces” and “The Void.” Both of these songs are more deep and musically relaxed than the rest of the album. Black’s raspy voice is a good contrast to the piano in “The Void,” giving the song that pop-rock sound.

    The whole album is a bit of a different direction for Andy Black, hopefully it’ll pay off in the way he wants. Black will be touring the entire The Shadow Side album starting in the UK on May 10. He will be playing a show at the Highline Ballroom on May 27 in New York.

    Key Tracks: Homecoming King, We Don’t Have To Dance, and Stay Alive

  • Hearing Aide: Christopher the Conquered “I’m Giving Up On Rock and Roll”

    christophertheconqIowa based Christopher the Conquered’s first full-length album I’m Giving Up On Rock and Roll, released May 13, is made up of personal lyrics, powerful vocals and theatrics that are hard to match to any of his contemporaries. While listening to the album, one can often draw parallels to Elton John and Billy Joel, while the lyrics, drawing upon universal themes and experiences, are occasionally reminiscent of Ben Folds. Despite these attempts at drawing parallels, in the end, the sound is uniquely that of Christopher the Conquered, leaving the listener sold from the first track.

    The nine-track record opens with the song “I’m Giving Up on Rock and Roll,” complete with powerful vocals reminiscent of Allen Stone and gospel-like background singers, before slowing down to only Christopher’s voice. Christopher has explained that the song ultimately is about giving up on the idea of living behind a facade and misrepresenting oneself, adding that the person he wants to be onstage is the same person he wants to be offstage. Ultimately, one begins to see the truth behind this sentiment in the lyrics throughout the album.

    In the second track, “Mystery,” Christopher sings: “I’ve been thinking a lot these days about how life’s not really real/We all wanna believe it’s there/but it’s just this thing meant to conceal/The fear we have about our end and what it’s gonna do with us.” With lyrics such as these, he perhaps emphasizes a universal feeling many have experienced but do not often articulate.

    In the following song, “On My Final Day,” Christopher highlights the realization — or fear — of what people will say once he’s gone. He sings, “I just tried to share what I found to be the truth/But no one wants to listen when they know they know it, too.” These seem to be the key lyrics to the album, continuing the lyrical themes grounded in shared experience and struggle.

    The middle of the album slows the tempo down, sidestepping previous themes to discuss love and relationships. The song “Everybody Rains,” stands out because of the upbeat piano and positive feeling it creates in the listener, blending thematically with the following “Be A Good Person.”

    The album ends on a humorous, tongue-in-cheek note with “I’m Not That Famous Yet.” Lyrically, this album is memorable due to its honesty, while its sound feels simultaneously retro and contemporary.

    Christopher the Conquered is currently on tour in support of his latest release. He has two New York dates: Aug. 4 at Mercury Lounge in New York City, and Aug. 6 at Amityville Music Hall.

    Key Tracks: I Guess My Heart’s Out of Tune Again, Everybody Rains, On My Final Day

  • Hearing Aide: Radiohead “A Moon Shaped Pool”

    True to form, Radiohead delivers another anthemic masterpiece with their ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool. The creative masterminds who make up Radiohead, joined by the likes of Pink Floyd and Beck, are some of the few musicians who are able to successfully mix the use of acoustic instruments and the more “techno” side of music via their use of a wide variety of sound effects. A Moon Shaped Pool allows lead guitarist and keyboardist Jonny Greenwood to showcase his impressive orchestral arrangements, balanced by the always quaveringly powerful vocals and brilliant lyrics (including such gems as “Broken hearts make it rain,” “The wings of love fly,” and “This is a low-flying panic attic”) of Thom Yorke.

    Radiohead’s members are collectively so much more than just talented musicians; rather, they seem to be able to tap into our innermost musical yearnings and know how to pull the right heartstrings at the right times. This album does a great job of drawing in listeners who are already diehard Radiohead fans by sticking with some tunes that are more characteristic of their early sound (on songs such as “Daydreaming” and “Identikit”), but it will also attract some new fans with its more innovative and out-there sounds (as if “out there” can’t be used to describe everything that Radiohead does).

    In addition to the more traditional-sounding Radiohead tunes, the band experiments with new and different elements such as the dancey number “Ful Stop,” the island music getaway “Present Tense” and the closest Radiohead will ever come to an acoustic singer-songwriter, guitar duo on “Desert Island Disk.” Perhaps one of the more striking elements of this album is the vastly different feeling between the first and last songs: the album starts with “Burn the Witch,” a rather witty upbeat number featuring choppy fiddles with an underlying layer of electronic buzz, and very stream-of-consciousness lyrics consisting of a string of clichés and non sequiturs, and ends with “True Love Waits,” the quirkiest yet most touching love song one’s probably ever heard. (One nerdy observation — the song list is in alphabetical order; is it coincidence that the order of the 11 tracks makes perfect sense this way, or another testament to the power of the genius that is Radiohead?)

    Radiohead’s latest album can best be summarized as a veritable cacophony of sound. The music moves through your body, pulsates through your veins and takes you on a psychedelic journey, before dropping you off right where you started and wondering what the heck happened during the past hour. For those who are intrigued and desire to go on this incredible musical adventure (which, I assure you, is well worth the experience), A Moon Shaped Pool is available now for digital download, and will be out on CD and vinyl on June 17, with a special edition option available in September.

    Key Tracks: Daydreaming, Identikit, Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief

  • Sonic Boom: Cage the Elephant Stampedes Albany’s Palace Theatre

    “We’re not going to have any of that sitting down shit,” announced Cage the Elephant’s guitarist, Brad Shultz, during the band’s May 11 show at the Palace Theatre. Staying true to this promise, the Kentucky rock band delivered a stand-up spirited and dynamic two-hour performance — with frontman Matt Schultz constantly careening around the stage — that literally kept the crowd on its feet.

    Originally planned for the Times Union Center, the concert was moved to the Palace Theatre earlier this month, and ticket holders were granted general admission seating in the floor and balcony sections of the historic Albany venue.

    The night began with the Oklahoma-based indie group, Broncho, who is expected to release a new album, Double Vanity, on June 10. Portugal. The Man followed with an energetic performance that primed the crowd with excited anticipation for the night’s headliner; stand-out highlights include “Modern Jesus,” “Purple Yellow Red and Blue” and a familiar melody heard toward the set’s end that teased the Beatles “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”

    Cage the Elephant opened with “Cry Baby” from their most recent album, Tell Me I’m Pretty (2015), and soon after played “Spiderhead” off of the Grammy-nominated Melophobia (2013). The audience sang along to every word of “Spiderhead,” as Matt Shultz danced and strutted across the stage. His energy was relentless throughout the night, as the lights flashed in sync with the beat of the drums and reached to the balcony with colorful designs.

    Toward the middle of their set, they played the crowd-pleasing hits “Trouble” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” As the night progressed, individuals attempted crowd surfing or jumped on stage themselves to join the band. This didn’t seem entirely discouraged by security, or the band themselves; throughout it all, Matt Schultz displayed unyielding stamina that never slowed down or stopped. They closed the show with the popular tune “Come A Little Closer,” before performing a three-song encore.

    Coming back before the encore, Brad Schultz led the audience in a sing-along for touring guitarist Nick Bockrath’s birthday. This was followed by more group singing during “Cigarette Daydreams” with the lead singer holding his microphone stand out to the audience, and again for “Shake Me Down.” As the evening came to a close, more and more individuals jumped on and off stage.

    For the last song of the evening, Matt Schultz remarked, “let’s see how many of you we can fit on this stage,” which led to a surge of audience members in floor seating to rush the stage. A mass of people joined the band, dancing along, as Matt and the rest of the gang became nearly indistinguishable among the crowd, while closing with “Teeth.”

    Cage the Elephant delivered an unyielding, frenzied performance. Despite sporadic issues with the sound, it will remain as a memorable concert moment, particularly due to lead singer Matt Shultz’s resilience and energy throughout the Wednesday evening Palace Theatre performance.

    Set list: Cry Baby, In One Ear, Spiderhead, Take It or Leave It, Aberdeen, Too Late to Say Goodbye, Cold Cold Cold, Trouble, Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Mess Around, Punchin’ Bag, Telescope, Back Against the Wall, It’s Just Forever, Come A Little Closer

    Encore: Cigarette Daydreams, Shake Me Down, Teeth

  • Hearing Aide: Jerry Joseph ‘By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars’

    Jerry Joseph is an American indie rock icon. Playing guitar professionally from an early age, he’s never been uncomfortable expressing exactly how he feels through his music and lyrics. It comes as no surprise then, that his newest offering, By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars, sees a meaningful development much in the same direction as his last self-titled LP,  released in 2013.

    By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars

    Ten new tracks, including one previously released single “Fog of War,” culminate in an album that appeases long time listeners while sporting a flavor that cultivates new fans.

    Joseph’s minimalist sound manages to cut through today’s overly complex musical landscape. His alternative influences are clear on this album especially, sounding a bit like Elvis Costello meets Leonard Cohen. The lyrics throughout are really more like poetry or prose, touching on subjects such as the environment, friendship, and mortality. The album’s title comes from a sobering conversation that Joseph had with his son, who reminded him that even if humans do manage to land on Mars, Joseph and his generation very well may not be around to see it. The title track, “Mars”, has a somber overtone that represents the general message of the album quite well.

    This isn’t to say there aren’t some upbeat head-bobbers in there as well. “Light of Stone” and “Brother#1” both have a delightfully bluesy tinge to them. The song arrangement certainly makes By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars an interesting listen from front to back, providing inspiring peaks and (more often) lugubrious valleys throughout.

    With tour dates set in June with his band the Jackmormons, Jerry Joseph continues his legacy of true rock and roll grit. By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars is an absolute must-own for fans of the man and the genre.

    Key tracks: Mars, Brother#1, Fog of War

  • Canalside Announces Annual Summer Concert Series 2016

    The free summer concert announcements are keeping music fans in Buffalo excited. The city’s popular and free Canalside series announced its Thursday night concert series this week. Canalside is hosting 12 concerts starting June 9 and running through August 25, 2016.

    canalside 2016This year’s lineup includes a variety of acts that span over a wide variety of musical genres. The Buffalo Philaharmonic Orchestra will take the stage once again in “A Tribute to David Bowie.” Other highlights of the lineup include Public Enemy, Zappa Plays Zappa, and Claypool Lennon Delirium.

    Canalside‘s weekly events will include a variety of food trucks and vendors. All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and all start at 6 p.m. VIP packages are available.

    Event organizers will be offering local area musicians the chance to open this summer’s concerts through a Battle of the Band contest held in conjunction with local arts magazine The Public.

    Canalside Thursday concert series lineup:

    • June 9: Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaries
    • June 16: Frank Turner with special guest July Talk
    • June 23: Public Enemy
    • June 30: Frankie Ballard
    • July 7: Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa
    • July 14: Shakey Graves and Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Wild Child
    • July 21: The Arcs and Mariachi Flor De Toloache
    • July 28: BPO “A Tribute to David Bowie”
    • August 4: Tritonal
    • August 11: Lowest of the Low and Serena Ryder
    • August 18: Coolio
    • August 25: Claypool Lennon Delirium