NYS Music 20​16

Category: Regions

  • Utica Music and Arts Festival Not Returning this Fall

    Utica Music and Arts Festival will not return fall, as reported initially by Utica Observer Dispatch. The city-wide weekend long event each September featured dozens of bands from across the country playing at venues throughout the city.

    The two-day festival grew over the last 8 years, and made the event affordable to attendees – $10 granted you entrance to participating bars and other venues, including art galleries. Local business owners shared their thoughts on the lack of UMAF returning this fall.

    “It’s a lot of work,” festival founder Joe Sweet said. “I just feel so beat up by the end – so physically and emotionally tired that I just need a rest. … It’s grown bigger than me. So before I get too buried, I just want to let it breathe and see what grows out of it instead of just keep pushing and pushing.”

    “I would love to partner up with someone who could fill that space that the festival needs as it grows,” Sweet said, noting his 7- and 8-year-old children and his business also have kept him busy. “We know we can keep packing bars and that’s awesome, but I want to grow it more than that.”

    “I think it was something that people began to expect each year,” Schram said. “Hopefully, someone else will step up and bring it back next year. While there are plenty of music options in town, this event brought everyone together and introduced the city to a lot of bands and artists from outside the area, which is rare to see outside of the The DEV.”Tim Schram, owner of The DEV.

  • A Milestone at 10: Pondfest Continues to Innovate

    For any festival to survive – let alone thrive – for 10 years is an impressive feat. Bonnaroo and Coachella are two names that immediately pop into mind, but now it’s time to add Backwoods Pondfest to that list.

    This past weekend at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, N.Y., Pondfest, which is put on by northern New York band Lucid, celebrated its 10th birthday by throwing a truly cohesive party melding the fun of camping in the middle of the forest with live music.

    The lineup mixed the best that the Adirondacks has to offer, with some of the bigger acts of the festival circuit. Lucid, a band straight from the heart of the Adirondacks, has been a staple of the weekend since inception, and while this year was the same, it was also very different. Last year, the band announced it was taking a long break, but not officially breaking up and would continue to play events like Pondfest.

    And just to put any rumors to bed, bassist Chris Shacklett gave me a brief interview on Saturday afternoon to discuss the state of the band. First off, Lucid is not breaking up.

    “We are totally shifting our focus,” Shacklett said. “Instead of continuing to hemorrhage money, we are being smarter about what we do. There’s not going to be much in the way of touring anymore, but we’re going to do more things like this (Pondfest).”

    Along with Lucid, the other headliners were Melvin Seals and JGB, Pink Talking Fish (is Bowie), the Blind Owl Band and Twiddle’s guitarist Mihali Savoulidis and his ‘Frends’, who brought the surprise of a Twiddle set. NYS Music contributor Chelsea Wright was in attendance and gives us a first hand account of how it went down:

    “I received a message from Lowell, letting me know that there would be a special surprise Thursday night. I made the last minute decision to travel the two hours from Vermont for the ‘Mihali & Frends’ show, knowing that if Lowell promised a surprise, it was bound to be extra special. Having seen Mihali & Frends the weekend prior as a part of Twiddle’s first major event, Tumble Down, I knew that some amazing collaborations were going to happen – at his sold out Higher Ground show, he brought together musicians from Nahko & Medicine For The People, Twiddle, and the Kitchen Dwellers for two full hours of incredible jams.

    Pondfest Arriving just on time, I approached the stage and Mihali was just getting it started by inviting a few good Frends up to join him. It was like revolving doors, including some of my favorite musicians; Ryan Dempsey on keys, Jamie Armstrong on Sax, Joshua West on drums, to Kevin Sabourin on guitar and vocals. At one point Brad Hester from Annie in The Water came up and had a back and forth match on a kazoo, with Jamie’s sax. Then they switched it up to Chris Shacklett on bass, Lowell Wurster on percussion and vocals, the beautiful Meadow on vocals, and then the big surprise of a total shift into a set by Twiddle. After Twiddle finished, Mihali remained, and invited members of Capital Zen up to join him. It was an all-around party, with special moments that no one could have anticipated.”

    Arriving on Friday, I was greeted by multiple ambulances and state police cars with lights flashing all over. I was not allowed to enter for nearly two hours as the entrance was blocked for any cars getting in or out.

    When pressed for a reason, a State Police officer said, “We’re here because of some overdoses. Make sure you’re safe when you go in.”

    Derek Haviland, the press and marketing man for the festival, said there weren’t any overdoses in the sense that you’d think of, but rather that someone had simply imbibed a bit too much and just needed a little help. He hinted at a bit of an overreaction by local first responders.

    “Little towns like this aren’t really used to stuff like this, so I think they just took any and every precaution while they were here,” Haviland said, adding that the individual was fine by the following morning. “We are safety first; we took all the right precautions.”

    With my delayed arrival killing any chance at seeing Hayley Jane and the Primates, Bella’s Bartok, Thunder Body and Lucid, I arrived just as Melvin Seals was taking the stage. The longtime keyboardist for Jerry Garcia had a nice groove going for “Cats Under the Stars,” before starting right up into a Grateful Dead regular, “Sugaree.” “Strugglin’ Man,” “Rhapsody in Red” and “Money Honey” perfectly captured the essence of a JGB show, with swirling, noodly guitar and the big church organ sound. “Sisters and Brothers” and “Deal” were my personal favorites, with the latter coaxing an uproarious applause from the crowd of beards, sun dresses and dreadlocks.

    Pondfest Right after, on the Woods Stage, Syracuse hip-hop trio Sophistafunk took the audience on a positive mental trip with lyrics of encouragement, happiness and elation.

    Spiritual Rez then started the late night sets and there seemed to be a large congregation of fans in attendance mainly to see this band. After a set with some sit-ins, Rez gave way to Tweed on the Woods Stage at around 2:25 a.m.

    Tweed could be categorized as a jamtronic act, but I thought the set was more dreamy than anything else. Because of the downpour, I made the decision to hear the set from my tent which was about 300 feet from the stage. I drifted right off into blissful slumber.

    Waking up in the woods when the weather is hot but still pleasant, is everything I want in a festival morning. This morning was special as some of my favorite live acts were slated to perform. Making my way backstage to interview some folks, I bumped into Formula 5’s bassist and the young Gregg Allman-lookalike James Woods, who was energized and pumped for the band’s set later that afternoon.

    Pondfest After grabbing a sausage, egg and cheese, two coffees and water (thanks to my editor), I made my way to catch some of Doomf#@k, a band with some of the Lucid guys. I can only describe this act as a talented, humorous joke band.

    The Honey Smugglers were slated to perform on the smaller stage, but because the members of The Brummy Brothers, scheduled to perform on the main stage later, got into a car accident and were unable to make the trek, the Smugglers were asked to move from their slot and play on the main stage later.

    Formula 5 comprises young men from the Adirondacks, led by guitarist Joe Davis who totes a red Gibson SG, a guitar he loves with all his heart.

    “This thing is a beauty,” he said before loading in his gear.

    F5’s set consisted of some of the tightest jamming I have ever heard from the group. Matt Richards, who recently took over keyboard duties, displayed the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the band. Woods and Davis are a natural team, with Davis typically weaving his speedy licks around Woods’ boisterous bass lines.

    Mister F’s insane pace and tempo made them perfect for the late afternoon slot before Lucid and The Blind Owl Band satiated the crowd’s thirst for jams, before leading into Pink Talking Fish’s set in honor of David Bowie. The band weaved in songs from Bowie, Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd seamlessly while guitarist Dave Brunyak shredded uncontrollably.

    Gang of Thieves, The Nth Power and Subsoil finished off the music with abandon and there wasn’t an unhappy soul in attendance.

    With 10 years under the belt, Pondfest shows no signs of slowing down, even a bit. Attendees often speak of the weekend as “going home” to see their friends and make new ones. With a great philosophy and positive outlook, Pondfest stands to be around and rocking the Adirondacks for years to come.

  • AWOLNATION ‘Sails’ Through Upstate Concert Hall

    AWOLNATION ‘sailed’ into Upstate Concert Hall on Wednesday, July 13, energizing the audience despite the imposing heat.

    Kicking off the evening were L.A. natives Irontom. With flamboyant gestures and high energy, the band quickly engaged the audience and became the highlight of the three sets of the evening. Irontom consists of guitarist Zach Irons, singer Harry Hayes, bassist Dane Sandborg, drummer Dylan Williams, and Daniel Saslow on keys. Lead singer Hayes was fascinating to watch as he gestured and mimed his way through the band’s set, almost reminiscent of Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz.

    AWOLNATION

    Unfortunately for the audience, Irontom’s set was over too soon, as time constraints forced them to end before their last song. Irontom has released a compilation album of their 2012-2014 recordings. Check out their upcoming tour dates.

    Following Irontom was San Francisco’s Finish Ticket, who just recently opened for Fitz and The Tantrums at UCH on June 23. While less energetic than Irontom (lead singer Brendan Hoye frequently cited the heat), Finish Ticket is reminiscent of Walk the Moon. The highlight of their set was a cover of the Killer’s “When You Were Young,” sounding perhaps better than the original.

    Finally, AWOLNATION took the stage around 10pm. Consisting of front man Aaron Bruno, Kenny Carkeet on keyboards and guitar, Isaac Carpenter on drums, and bassist Marc Walloch, AWOLNATION combines electronica and rock to create a unique sound. Their second album, Run, was released in March 2015.

    AWOLNATION

    Opening with “Run,” the band covered the majority of the tracks from their sophomore album, while also throwing in highlights from their debut. The crowd covered all of the floor at UCH, with little room left to spare. As the night went on, the temperature rose as condensation dripped from the ceiling.

    AWOLNATION didn’t let the heat slow them down, powering through “Hollow Moon,” “Not Your Fault” and “Jail Break,” joined by Irontom’s guitarist Zach Irons (replacing AWOLNATION’s Drew Stewart who left the band in September 2015), and with Irontom’s drummer Dylan Williams on one song.

    The band was thankful to be there and appreciative of their audience, frequently checking in with the crowd, telling people to look out for each other, and often remarking that their music “is for everyone.”

    AWOLNATION

    Highlights of their set include a drum solo, the appearance of inflatable shark pool toys in the audience (which one crowd surfer climbed atop), and “Dreamers” during the encore.

    The band closed the evening with a medley of “Now I Can See You” and crowd favorite “Sail.”

    Setlist: Run, Hollow Moon, People, Not Your Fault, Jailbreak, Soul Wars, Windows, Kill Your Heroes, Woman Woman, All I Need, Like People, Like Plastic, Drum Solo / Burn It Down, I’m on Fire, I Am, Dreamers, Sail

    Tune in below for an interview with AWOLNATION’s Aaron Bruno and Keller of WEQX, prior to their UCH appearance

  • Taste of Country 2016 Music Festival: Kid Rock Sets The Mountain On Fire

    I had never been to a country music festival until I attended the 2016 Taste Of Country Music Festival, and I honestly did not know what to expect. The yearly festival was held June 10, 11 and 12 on Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY. Driving into Hunter, NY, I had to double check my GPS to make sure that I was in the right place. I was fairly surprised that mega country stars like Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen and rock star Kid Rock, artists who usually sold out stadiums such as Ford Field and Gillette stadium with capacities of over 60,000 people would play a small mountain town with a population of just over 2700 people. But the small town, usually known for it’s superb winter skiing, with its amazing mountain views, ended up being a great choice for the fourth annual Taste of Country Festival, which set a new attendance record with over 53,000 fans over the weekend.

    Taste of Country Kid RockThe festival split it’s acts between two stages, the main stage, named The Dodge Ram Guts and Glory Stage which featured the festival’s bigger acts, including the headliners, and the Bud Light Stage, which featured up and coming country artists. This provided three days of back to back country music, with a touch of rock to keep things interesting, and kept this reporter running back and forth between the stages to try to catch most of the action. The first day of the festival was headlined by Kid Rock, and featured Big & Rich, The Cadillac Three, Logan Brill, Annie Bosko, Jana Kramer as well as Dylan Jakobsen.

    Annie Bosko, was the only artist to be featured on both the main Ram Stage and later in the day, the Bud Light Stage. Bosko is an American Idol alumni, and has paid her dues singing backup vocals for the likes of Adele and Darius Rucker. She was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as “One Of 10 New Country Artists You Need To Know: Summer 2015.” She has powerful voice and backs it up with a bold on stage attitude. I was especially impressed by her single “Crooked Halo.”

    Taste of Country Kid RockThe Cadillac Three took the Ram Stage at 6pm. The Cadillac Three or TC3 as they are also known, launched their first album in 2012, and are currently on tour with Florida Georgia Line. Each member had long hair and wore a baseball cap over it. Their look, sound and love for the South, reminded me of a modern Lynyrd Skynyrd. The group told the crowd about the first time they played a show in New York, a few years ago and were worried about how their brand of country would be accepted this far north, but then realized that there were more rednecks up here than in the South.

    Up next was Logan Brill on the Bud Light Stage. Logan released her first album in 2013, but has been preforming in front of crowds in Tennessee since she was 11. I was impressed with the diversity of her music, she was able to transition from the blues, to country and pop without missing a beat. Her experience showed in the emotion and soul that she brought to her performances. I especially loved her heartfelt single, “World Still Round”.

    Once Logan finished her show, I rushed back to the Ram Guts and Glory Stage for Big and Rich, who broke out to the country music scene in 2004 with their mega hit “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)”, and have been making country music history since. Including a CMA, ACM and CMT nomination and two platinum albums. The crowd definitely responded to them and seemed to sing along to most of their songs. Their on stage, fun loving energy animated the crowd who seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

    Taste of Country Kid RockLast but definitely not least, Kid Rock took the stage around 10 o’ clock to end the night with a bang, both literally and figuratively. Kid Rock is one of the few artists to successfully be able to mix rock, rap, and a touch of country. He released his first album in 1990, a second in 1993 and his third album in 1996, but it wasn’t until 1998 when he released his fourth album, Devil Without A Cause that he found success. His 1998 album sold over 10,000,000 copies and ensured that he would become a household name. His appearance was met with screams and cheers. At one point during his performance, with a grin, Rock lamented to the crowd that he had no idea why he kept “getting booked at all of these country festivals.”

    Perhaps it was because, although he did not technically sing country music, he definitely embodied what southern rock was all about, and that his modern cowboy persona fit perfectly in a country festival. Rock showcased his musical talent during his show by jumping between being the lead singer, to the drummer, to playing the piano, to playing the guitar, to playing DJ by scratching on the turn tables, while at the same time pouring himself a glass of Jim Beam. The show even included a row of moving, mechanical flame throwers behind Rock and a few loud bangs at the perfect moments in various songs. This put an amazingly explosive end to had already been an amazing first day at the TOC festival.

  • Photo Gallery: Alive at 5 Welcomes Tumbleweed Highway and Molly Hatchet

    Tumbleweed Highway and Molly Hatchet performed in Albany at Alive @ 5 on August 4. The two bands gave a performance that rocked the hearts of all attending. The crowd roared with patriotism and pride as they listened to the sweet riffs and vocals of the southern rock bands. It put a great end to the Alive @ 5 free concert series for Summer 2016.

  • Joey Pettinato Uses Music to Control Disorder

    Joey Pettinato is about to make the biggest deal of his life at 16-years-old.

    Pettinato, known by his stage name of “JJ Savage”, is about to sign his first contract with Overit Studios in Albany.

    The contract with Overit states that the studio will pay for Pettinato’s various expenses needed for things like recording, mixing and mastering.

    Joey Pettinato
    “I feel accomplished, I feel blessed, lucky and grateful,“ said Pettinato.

    Since he was five-years-old, Pettinato has battled Tourette Syndrome. Despite taking medication, his tics are still recurrent, especially when he’s nervous. “I take medication and it helps a little, but I get some tics especially when I am nervous,” he said.

    He doesn’t battle Tourette Syndrome empty handed. Whenever Pettinato picks up his guitar, his symptoms disappear. “When I pick up the guitar, the music totally takes me over and I get no symptoms…it’s amazing,” said Pettinato.

    This discovery did not only surprise Pettinato, but also his family. “My dad noticed [the lack of symptoms]. He sat and watched me play and the more he applauded, the more I played,” he said.

    A gift from his parents, Pettinato starting playing the guitar at ten-years-old. Loving the instrument, he immediately started taking guitar lessons. “I remember playing for hours,” he said.

    Pettinato recalls playing one hour per day when he got his first guitar. “After week two I couldn’t put it down, I played every chance I got,” he said. The first song Pettinato learned in it’s entirety was, “Iron Man”, by Black Sabbath.

    Now 16-years-old, Pettinato plays music from home. Being bullied from other students for his tics, Pettinato left public school around sixth grade. He is currently homeschooled.

    “I tried to go back in eighth grade which lasted one day, and then again in ninth grade. It lasted a few days, but the kids laughing and making fun of me was too much.”

    Although Pettinato has been out of public school for many years, he still is bullied. “I get laughed at by kids my age everywhere I go,” he said.

    The bullying Pettinato faced was difficult for him, but only fueled his passion for music. When he was 13-years-old, Pettinato wrote and recorded, “We Are The Brave”, a song against bullying.

    “I made 200 copies and gave them to anyone who wanted one free of change, and mailed them everywhere at people’s request,” he said. Pettinato was sold-out of his song in about two weeks, with the farthest recording being sent out to Vietnam.

    “It’s nice to know, and it makes me proud I spread the word about anti-bullying all over the world.”

    Through his success, Pettinato now has five endorsements from companies like Sinister Guitar Picks, Von York Guitar Strings and Intex Cables. Besides these, Pettinato was recently made a Gibson Artist.

    This January, Pettinato attended the National Association of Music Merchants Convention in Anaheim, CA. After playing some guitars at a Gibson booth, he was approached by a Gibson representative who inquired about Pettinato becoming an official Gibson Artist.

    “Behind a set of curtains they heard me play and wanted to talk to me the next day,” he said. “On day two I went back, and the AR rep told me they wanted me on the Gibson team.”

    Spending most days playing the guitar, Pettinato started his first rock band, Savage Child, at 11-years-old. “We were together for about a year. We opened for local acts at Humpy’s and the Fuller Roadhouse,” he said.

    Pettinato is currently a member of the rock bands Obsidian, Backlash and the John Morse Band. His band Obsidian performed last weekend at the Red Buddha Lounge in New Jersey and PJs in Mahopac, Putnam County.

  • Pink Talking Fish Announce Fall Tour, New Years Eve Show

    Pink Talking Fish has announced a huge fall tour and a New Years Eve show that will close out the year in their hometown of Boston. The show will not only include the music of Michael Jackson alongside that of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish, but will include special guests Natalie Cressman & James Casey, both of Trey Anastasio Band.

    PTF fall tour includes stops at Catskill Chill, Wormtown, Luna Light and Hangtown music festivals and will perform Phish’s Gamehendge rock-opera in full at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT on September 15. Halloween weekend finds Pink Talking Fish in Covington, KY and Denver, CO performing as Pink Talking Fish is Bowie.

    Full Tour Dates through NYE:

    8/19: The Beachcomber, Wellfleet, MA
    8/20: Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, NY – Track Week Party w/ Hayley Jane & The Primates
    8/31: The Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO – Phish PreParty w/s/g Greener Grounds
    9/1: Dulcineas, Denver, CO – Phish Pre-Party – intertwining sets with PTF & John K Band
    9/2: Dulcineas, Denver, CO – Phish AfterParty
    9/15: Higher Ground, Burlington VT
    9/16: Portland House Of Music & Events, Portland, ME
    9/17: Wormtown Music Festival, Greenfield, MA
    9/23-25: Catskill Chill Music Festival, Lakewood, PA – PTF & Pink Talking Fu: Prince Bowie
    10/6: Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY
    10/7: The Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA
    10/8: Backyard Fall Festival, Scranton, PA
    10/14: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
    10/15: Gypsy Sally’s, Washington, DC
    10/16: Luna Light Music & Art Festival, Darlington, MD
    10/18: Winstons, Ocean Beach, CA
    10/19: Teragram Ballroom,Los Angeles, CA
    10/20: Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
    10/21-22: Hangtown Music Festival, Placerville, CA
    10/27: Mercury Ballroom, Louisville, KY
    10/28: Madison Theater, Covington, KY – PTF is Bowie
    10/30-31: Dulcineas, Denver, CO – PTF Is Bowie
    11/9: The Pour House, Charleston, SC
    11/10: Smith’s Olde Bar, Atlanta, GA
    11/11: New Mountain Theater, Asheville, NC
    11/12: Southbound Brewing Company, Savannah, GA
    11/18: Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA
    11/19: Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, NY
    12/1: The Magic Bag, Detroit, MI
    12/2-3: Woodlands Tavern, Columbus, OH
    12/31: The Paradise, Boston, MA – with Bearly Dead

  • Cousin Earth to make Brooklyn Bowl Debut Friday, August 12

    This Friday, August 12, Brooklyn’s Cousin Earth will make their Brooklyn Bowl debut at 8:30 p.m. The five-piece band is rich in diversity, performing with ukulele, melodica, Ubass, kazoo; play a variety of originals and covers, with a style spanning genres and drawing in fans with anything from bluegrass to electronica with just about everything covered in between.

    When NYSMusic first encountered Cousin Earth at Rock n Roll Resort 2015, Neil Benjamin had this to say:

    “Cousin Earth, a five-piece, is about as far from a gimmick as possible. Calfa plays an electric ukulele, tuned GCEA, Corey J. Feldman plucks a four-string U-Bass, which is essentially an electric bass the size of, you guessed it, a ukulele. On lead vocals and melodica is Tara Lawton, a trained theater actor, who fits perfectly with Terry Brennan, another actor. Together, the pair added a Broadway-style flair to the hour-long set. On the backbeat is Nate Searing.

    The group’s sound is so rich and full. I heard everything from calypso, to jam rock to hip-hop, reggae and even video game themes. Cousin Earth opened with a riveting cover of Phish’s ‘Possum,’ which featured Calfa’s technical, but fun, chops. Out of all the acts I witnessed for the first time this weekend, Cousin Earth gets my recommendation for band you absolutely need to experience.”

    Cousin Earth opens for Love Canon, performing bluegrass covers of your favorite ’80s hits. More info here.

  • Photo Gallery: Warren Haynes Brings The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration To CMAC

    On Thursday, August 4, Warren Haynes brought The Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration to Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY. Photographer Jake Silco was on hand to capture the performance.

  • Hearing Aide: The New Daze ‘Give Them Laughter’

    Summer is a time for embarking on adventure and expanding horizons. Syracuse psycho-funk group The New Daze have been increasing their ear drum influence by regularly touring throughout New York, wrapping up a July residency at Funk ‘N Waffles downtown, and just releasing their third studio album, Give Them Laughter. Recorded in Ontario, NY at The Green Room, this is the first studio project for Steve Graf (drums) and Erik Hoffman (keyboard), with senior members Max Flansburg (guitar/vocals) and Jamie Knittel (bass) rounding out the quartet.

    new daze give them laughterThe New Daze are known for their articulate, psychedelic, disco-driven jams featuring consistently solid instrumentation and wacky effects interspersed with metaphoric yet relatable lyrics. The musicians aren’t afraid to get silly, sometimes crafting elaborate back stories to provide a whimsically rich context for their music. Take, for instance, Uncle Stremnf, the zebra mascot who often appears on stage in stuffed animal form and serves as a central part of their new album artwork.

    Give Them Laughter embodies the highly danceable and imaginative foundation of The New Daze but also traverses all corners of the musical map, exploring the realm of reggae while retaining a trademark funkiness with the first track, “Pumpkins.” Flansburg’s warm vocals add richness to the tune before it breaks away with a zippy instrumental jam. The first half of “Disasterpiece” bears striking familiarity to a peppy Disney number featuring Knittel on vocals before it too picks up speed, expanding into a noble duet of guitar and keys before Knittel repeatedly decrees, “Life is meant to celebrate, even when it’s a disaster.” It’s almost impossible to not crack a smile as the song concludes with this devil-may-care notion. Flansburg resumes command on vocals for “Send It,” eliciting a more sophisticated, scratchy soulfulness which conveys a youthful crossbreed of Randy Newman and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

    “Face Paint” inhabits the album as a one-and-a-half minute tornado of circus-like effects swirling with spurts of heavy drumming, guitar and organ. It serves as an enticing interlude before “Mr. Bonzai,” the longest track on the album at almost fourteen minutes long. This extended track offers a sonic patchwork stitching together techno, jazz and rock elements, at times evoking the muted melancholy of Pink Floyd. The album concludes with “Sunroof Cop,” culminating in the most intense jam on the album, giving listeners one final chance to freak out before the last thirty seconds of book end to the album with a slew of cartoon-like voices reinforcing the nonsensical nature of The New Daze.

    Key Tracks: Send It, Mr. Bonzai, Sunroof Cop