NYS Music 20​16

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  • Hearing Aide: The Macpodz “Underwater Encounters”

    The MacpodzThe jazz-fusion, disco-funk band from Michigan, the Macpodz, recently dropped their latest release, Underwater Encounter, and this album will light up a room. “Leijah’s Victory Lap I” eases listeners in with a breezy jazz tempo, while introducing the album via electronic voice. “Cities, Highways” is the perfect song to listen to while stuck in traffic, as it gives the feeling of moving beyond the bottleneck at that one exit, only to proceed to step on the pedal and floor it to 70. This jam is not sorry about bringing the funk with a continuous build.

    The jazzy “Until the Next Time Around” is filled with smooth moves, organ slams and bursts of trumpet that demand attention. Between tracks, a quick “Quiz” from a children’s electronic toy is in store; listen carefully, and see if you can decode the answer. “$5s & $10s” is crammed with sexy tones that aren’t afraid to let loose during the slow and easy flow of this track.

    A groovy “Bouncin’ Off Satellites” creates an infectious tone, and dancing is the side effect. There’s no avoiding the need to get up and bounce around the room to this track. With intense energy exerted from dancing, “Hitchhikers Love Song” is the breather halfway through the album. Sleepy trumpet notes dance through this relaxed tune before sliding into the jazzified “Put Some Stank On It.”

    “No Dead Air” keeps the chill vibe rolling with hints of Frank Zappa, while “N Congress” brings a supercool rhythmic flow. “Sammy’s Reprise” is heavy on organ and spoken word, a spiritual nod to the musical influence on life. The soulful “Temesgen’s Homies”  is packed with slapping guitar strokes and down and dirty brass, coupled with keys that aren’t afraid to dance around the other instruments.  The album wraps up with the outro of “Leijah’s Victory Lap II,” bringing a clean close to Underwater Encounter.

    Overall, this record is the perfect playlist addition to an evening with friends, when attempting to capture the heart of a woman, or when in need of something funkadelic. Crammed with musical surprises, beats that take you way up high and then back down for a cool break, Underwater Encounter will surprise and delight even the most discriminate music fan.

    Key Tracks: Cities, Highways, Put Some Stank On It, N Congress

  • 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

  • Midwest Festival Season Kicks off with Summer Camp! Field Day, Music Recs and More

    And we’re back! Music Festival season hits hard around the country in May, with Summer Camp Music Festival being a destination event for fans of all things jam and funk, Umphrey’s McGee and moe., and more at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. NYS Music heads west this weekend, as many do when bands like Aqueous, Jimkata, Break Science, moe., Lettuce, Dopapod, Turkuaz, among others, perform at the same four-day festival, now in its 16th year.

    Summer Camp has a lot going on, making it tough to see it all, but far from overwhelming like mega-festivals. Check out the full schedule here, or create your own on the Summer Camp app (recommended). To break down the music, camping and activities, here’s a sampling of the live performances for each day of Summer Camp:

    Thursday

    There is a lot of Chicago love on Thursday, and the Second City takes center stage with Chicago Funk Mafia (3:30-4:30 p.m.), Family Groove Company (6:30-7:30 p.m.) and Future Rock (8-9 p.m.), all at the Starshine Stage.

    Make your way to the nearby Camping Stage for Buffalo’s Aqueous (8:30-9:30 p.m.), where they typically have quite the crowd of AQuaintences, one that should merit Starshine Stage in future years.

    Heading into the late night of Summer Camp Day One, you’ll want to hit the Vibe Tent at 11 p.m. for Adam Dietch’s Break Science and stick around after for a nu-disco DJ set from Wyllys. Down at the Campfire Stage, the London Souls rock from 1:30-3 a.m., winding down the day with ease, before the heavy hitters arrive on Friday with the majority of the crowd.

    Friday

    It’s a given that you’ll probably see moe. (2:30-4 p.m., Moonshine) and Umphrey’s (7:45-11:15 p.m., Sunshine), but there are many other bands to discover at Summer Camp, even those that might be the next moe. and Umphrey’s — just venture through the festival grounds and find some new music to explore.

    Two highly talented acts can be found at Starshine Stage on Friday afternoon. Soul never sounded so smooth coming from the Nth Power (1-2 p.m.) and experimental prog-rock from Tauk (5-6 p.m.) is a sound you need to experience firsthand, despite having some incredible albums under their belt. One band I have been eagerly waiting to see live is prog-funk band Earphunk, performing at the Campfire Stage (4:30-5:30 p.m.)

    There will be a trio of New York bands to check out on the Camping Stage, starting with Aqueous at 3:30 p.m., followed by Jimkata at 5 p.m. and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad at 6:30 p.m. After Umphrey’s, late night is looking prime at Campfire Stage with Turkuaz (11 p.m.-12 a.m.), Mike Dillon’s New Orleans Percussion Consortium (12:30-1:30 p.m.) and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong closing out the stage (2-4 a.m.). And then return to the Sunshine Stage field (if you still have the energy) for sunrise kickball—the best unofficial activity at Summer Camp.

    Saturday

    Have you ever wanted to combine a carnival, circus and funk band all at the same time? Then Marchfourth! is your wake-up remedy today. Head over to Sunshine Stage at 1 p.m. to see one of Portland, Oregon’s heavy hitters blow you away. You can’t go wrong with Steve Kimock and Friends who grace the Moonshine Stage at 2 p.m., bringing keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, bassist Bobby Vega, drummer Jay Lane and guitarist/vocalist Leslie Mendelson together for a set of blues, Grateful Dead and classics. Check out a recent setlist for a taste of what’s to come.

    At this point, you should be heading over to the Vibe Tent for Field Day. More details on this day below, but while you’re taking part in the always eventful activities surrounding Field Day, Gibbz will surprise you with his voice and musicianship at 5 p.m. in the Vibe Tent. Then, you can turn around and walk over to Starshine Stage for Dopapod, another of the heavy hitters on a stacked stage.

    One of the next great supergroups, Hardworking Americans, featuring Todd Snider and bassist Dave Schools from Widespread Panic, hit the Sunshine Stage at 6:45 p.m., followed by two more sets of Umphrey’s (9 p.m.-1 a.m.) and of course, late night moe. (10 p.m.-2 a.m.), which will make you feel like you’re at moe.down, but with a few thousand extra people clamoring to the hillside. And after moe., if you still have the energy, late night includes Slow Magic, Shiba San and Grandtheft in the Vibe Tent until 4 a.m.

    Sunday

    Exhausted yet? If not, Sunday will do the trick. You’ll have the heavy hitters and a lot of decisions to make today in order to drain all the life you can out of Summer Camp 2016. Start the day at Starshine with American Babies at noon, Main Squeeze at 2 p.m., Twiddle at 4 p.m., The Werks at 6 p.m. and Here Come the Mummies at 8 p.m. Or head to Moonshine for the New Mastersounds, the Motet, George Clinton and P-Funk, Lotus and more moe.

    Sunshine Stage hosts Umphreys McGee (1-2:30 p.m.), Ani DiFranco (3:15-4:15 p.m.), Yonder Mountain String Band (5-6 p.m.), Jason Isbell (6:45-8:15 p.m.), Mudcrutch (9-10:30 p.m.) and Big Grizmatik (11:45-1 a.m.). Have you ever wanted to be in more than one place at a time? The Sunday lineup alone will make you support cloning. Top your weekend off at Campfire stage with Kung Fu at 10:30 p.m., Horseshoes and Hand Grenades at midnight and Dopapod playing from 2-4 a.m.

    Check out the full lineup below—but there’s more…

    Counselor and Camping Options
    You should listen to your counselors. Seriously, these are the pros who know Summer Camp inside and out. They’re the best resource for Scampers of all ages and experience levels (myself included). Read the handbook, which covers virtually every detail and question about the festival, and if you still have questions, join the Facebook group where you can find answers to virtually any question that may arise over the weekend.

    When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, I recommend the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.

    And while you are at Summer Camp, Make a Difference! there are so many ways to leave Three Sisters Park better than how you found it; clean up trash, cigarette butts, bring a reusable water bottle, recycle your waste and check out the Soulshine Tent to find ways to bring some of that positive energy from Summer Camp back home with you.

    Then, of course, what do you do when you want to relive a little bit of Summer Camp from your youth? You participate in Field Day! Yes, Field Day is an annual tradition at Summer Camp, one that has a rightful place in the history of the festival. Started in 2011, the annual event takes the cake as the most unique and most fun non-musical component of Summer Camp. Sign up online, and the first 100 get a free team bandana on Friday from noon–1 p.m. at the Vibe Tent. Come back Saturday at 3 p.m. and participate in capture the flag, arm wrestling, spelling bee, banana eating contest and much more, with a Champions ceremony at noon Sunday. Field Day is open to all, the smack talk is free and it has become a growing event everyone should check out, whether as spectator or participant.

    The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:

    The number-one reason why people should sign up is because of the amount of awesome people you’ll meet doing so, especially myself Ashley Pardy. What keeps me coming back is all of the memories, and the Red Team wins. I mean would you leave a team that has won almost every year?” – Ashley Pardy

    “You will meet amazing people, laugh your ass off and drink free beer. Participating in one of the many cool activities at Summer Camp will make your festival experience unique beyond just seeing shows.”
    – Jessica Coughlin

    “Bragging rights.” –  Elizabeth Cox

    What memories of past years keep these wonderful staff keep coming back, year after year?

    I come back year after year because the people are so amazing. Favorite memory is Sheppy nearly getting arrested by some serious looking state troopers for defacing an American flag, while simultaneously being hoisted on our shoulders raising the red flag after yet another contested victory.”
    – Anthony Piccirilli (Shep talked his way out of it and the cop came to our keg party.)

    “Every time kids will tell me it was their favorite part of Summer Camp. Knowing that we can make people so happy just by being silly is so rewarding. I have seen Field Day bring together lifelong friends who would have never otherwise met. And it is a chance to make a difference like with our ‘big butt challenge’; we picked up 3,500 cigarettes last year! Field Day feels like ‘Revenge of the Nerds: the Grownup Hippie Edition.’ We are all just a bunch of kids, best friends who get to run around our own personal playground at Summer Camp year after year.” – Jessica Coughlin

    “Mud Tug-o-War, Drunken Spelling Bees, Sheppy drunken walks with the cup.” – Elizabeth Cox

    “Drunken Spelling Bees.” – Anthony Piccirilli

    The Palmer kids showing up to Field Day when they were middle schoolers, joining our staff and literally growing up in front of us at Field Day becoming the coolest kids at Summer Camp, aka, ‘the front row family.’” – Jessica Coughlin

    And while sunrise kickball isn’t an official activity, it has been the unofficial opening ceremony of the games for six years now. This is one of the highlights of Summer Camp; at 5:30 a.m. come to the Sunshine Stage for a game of kickball with 200 Wookiees led by Ryan Stasik. There will be trampolines, bacon at second base and no apparent rules; it is the most beautiful and absurd shit-show ever witnessed, and one worth staying up for!

    There you have it; NYS Music gives you the ins and outs of Summer Camp 2016. Make sure to follow us all weekend on Twitter and Instagram to live vicariously if you can’t make the trip to the Midwest.

  • A Night Of Smooth Jazz and So Much More in New Haven

    The Lilly’s Pad was low-key but very much alive with Rohn Lawrence and Friends lighting up the intimate venue as they do every Monday night. The venue, found above Toad’s Place in New Haven is the epitome of a jazz lounge; soft lighting, a few tables and sectional couches lining the walls of the room, drinks in hand and people enjoying a relaxing night of incredible music

    Lawrence on guitar, Jay Rowe on keys and Trever Somerville on drums brought a huge sound to the small venue that captured the whole audience. It was a diverse crowd, a few students, a family or two, some regulars and good friends of the band members, and they loved every second of the show.

    Smooth yes, but just jazz? No. This was a night of everything smooth: jazz, funk, blues, soul. They had it and mastered it all.

    All of these genres require one to pour plenty of emotion and feeling into the songs and everyone on stage was obviously lost in their sound. Lawrence was perched on a stool for the night but by no means was he stagnant. Every note he hit was an emotional decision and you could see it in his face. His eyes shut,  head rolling and bobbing on his shoulders and body twisting.

    Somerville was in the same seated predicament but that didn’t stop him from moving around in his throne and pumping out some intriguing and driving grooves off of his four piece set. He was tight, technical throughout the whole night and brought a big sound from the tiny set.

    Rowe was just as into it as the others while managing to play bass on his upper board and mess around with his lower synthesizer to add a unique color to the already gripping performance.  All of the band members were working double time like Rowe, with Lawrence singing and working a plethora of pedals below him and Somervillie accompanying the band with backup vocals.

    The night started out with an energetic piece “This Is Where You Belong” off his second album Hangin’ On a String. It instantly drew the crowd in from the bar with Lawrence’s unique guitar tone and the intricate drumming from Somerville. It had a very jazzy tone to it but managed to be fairly aggressive and that was very prominent when Rohn soloed. One could even say it he was shredding away, not an adjective associated with smooth jazz. The night continued with a variety of smooth tones and took a shift when Rohn introduced his guest star, Wallace Gary.

    Lawrence brings on a guest musician every Monday, and this week the venue was treated to a very emotional Gary who fit the sound of Rohn and friends flawlessly. With his bright red leather jacket and acid wash jeans, Gary brought more than one type of color to the stage. His voice was very fitting and diverse, singing a few covers from Chaka Kahn’s “Tell Me Something Good” to Prince’s “Kiss” and absolutely nailing every note.

    The four of them made for a unique, powerhouse team that had everyone in awe at the unexpectedly big sound from a small band in an even smaller room. Rohn Lawrence and Friends play every Monday night for five bucks at the door and is definitely a friendly and inviting place for anyone to try once.

  • Heartless Bastards and Old 97’s Bring Texas Rock to Buffalo

    IMG_1291An unadulterated evening of Texas-style and Texas-sized rock and roll with Heartless Bastards got started with a little North Carolina folk music. American Aquarium’s BJ Barham played a set of his new songs, commanding the audience at the Tralf in Buffalo, with just his voice and sparse acoustic guitar. The material was inspired by the attacks in Paris last year, during which Barham happened to be about an hour outside the city.

    But then the rock came. And later the roll.

    Austin’s Heartless Bastards blasted out of the gates with “Gates of Dawn” off of their latest release, Restless Ones. Their music is like a silly putty replica of classic rock. They’ve mashed the putty down, lifted up the image of rock as it was, and pull at it, distorting it into a creation that is all their own. They stretch it out until it slows almost to a standstill, bringing out the beauty of every nuance.

    Drummer Dave Colvin controlled the putty, shaping and forming the rhythm with master strokes and splashes of cymbals and brilliant fills. Bassist Jesse Ebaugh accentuated the drawn out pace, while still managing to enter in some full-on lead bass lines into the mix. Mark Nathan’s guitar crunched out some good old anthemic rock lines slowly building into epic soars as Colvin and Ebaugh drive the beat forward. Kyleen King filled in the empty spaces when and where they existed, playing guitar, percussion, keys and backing vocals. Above it all, and lending as much to their signature sound as anything, was rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Erika Wennerstrom. In a different era, Wennerstrom’s voice would be on every radio in America, a one-of-a-kind marvel of a sound that perfectly melds with the oozing power of the Heartless Bastards.

    Heartless Bastards hit upon all eras of the band, and peaked throughout the mid-set trio of “Hold Your Head High,” (from 2009’s The Mountain) “The Fool” (off Restless Ones) and “Down in the Canyon” the epic closer of 2012’s Arrow.

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

    Rhett Miller (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Ken Bethea (lead guitar), Murry Hammond (bass) and Philip Peeples (drums) have been touring together as the Old 97’s for 23 years. After 10 studio albums and countless shows, it’s been the same guys sticking together through it all, a rare feat to say the least. But in fact, on the road, the lineup changes on a nightly basis. The crowd is undoubtedly the fifth member of the band. The audience was singing every word to every song, hitting all the right emphases, stomping, clapping, hooting and hollering the whole way through. They added an energy and excitement to the proceedings that wouldn’t be the same with just the same four guys onstage.

    With song titles like “Stoned,” “Wasted,” “Smokers,” “Let’s Get Drunk and Get It On” and an opening number that dropped more than a few none-too-subtle F-bombs, you might expect a stage full of brutish hard partiers. They appeared, however, to be a group of pretty easygoing guys that life has been pretty kind to. When Hammond took a swig of his bottled water he joked it was filled with straight liquor. But there was no alcohol to be had on this stage. Just earnest songs with a rockabilly bent and a lot of twang, staying true to their alt-country roots, much to the delight of their fans.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACWvgFQ5t8[/embedyt]

    Miller sang, “I’m gonna play my guitar ’til my fingers fall off; sing till my voice is gone.” Through a 22-song career-spanning set amidst a lengthy spring tour, truer words may never have been sung. Or perhaps maybe they had hours earlier, when Wennerstrom belted, “I know whenever you are feeling down, you gotta have, gotta have, you gotta have rock and roll!” Those Texans seem to know a thing or two.

    Setlists:

    Heartless Bastards
    Gates of Dawn, Got To Have Rock And Roll, Black Cloud, Into the Light, Blue Day, Hold Your Head High, The Fool, Down in the Canyon, Only For You, Parted Ways, Nothing Seems the Same

    Old 97’s
    Nashville, Rollerskate Skinny, Melt Show, Stoned, Wasted, Crash on the Barrelhead, Dance With Me, Big Brown Eyes, Won’t Be Home, Longer Than You’ve Been Alive, Wish the Worst, Valentine, Barrier Reef, Victoria, Give It Time, Smokers, Nineteen, Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You), Most Messed Up
    E: Question, Let’s Get Drunk and Get It On, Timebomb

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’794′]

  • Dark Star Orchestra Returning To Buffalo At The Town Ballroom May 24

    Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), the Grateful Dead tribute band hailing out of Chicago Illinois, will return to the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Since forming, DSO has played 2,200-plus shows, recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomTo any Dead Heads that need their fix, this show is not to be missed. It’s been more than 20 years since Jerry Garcia has passed, but the Grateful Dead’s music lives on with the passion and extensive touring DSO has displayed over the years.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomDark Star Orchestera has had a slightly changing line up throughout its existence; the current band members include Rob Barraco (keys/vocals), Rob Eaton (guitar/vocals), Dino English (drums/percussion), Rob Koritz (drums/percussion), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Jeff Mattson (guitar/vocals) and Skip Vangelas (bass/vocals), and look forward to their return to Town Ballroom.

    Tickets for the May 24 show are still available and can be purchased from Ticket Fly or through the Town Ballroom box office; door open at 7 p.m.

  • Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine Remembers Former Drummer Nick Menza

    During Sunday night of the first-ever Rock ‘N Derby, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine asked the crowd for a moment of silence for late drummer Nick Menza. “I don’t know if you know this or not, but Nick went to heavy metal heaven last night,” he said, before leading the group into “Trust.” Watch the homage to the former bandmate in the video below.

    On May 21, Menza, 51, died onstage during a performance with his current band, OHM, at the Baked Potato in Los Angeles. According to an official statement, Menza collapsed three songs into the set, and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful; it was later reported that he suffered a massive heart attack and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

    The late heavy metal drummer was with Megadeth during the group’s peak commercial success in the 1990s. Nick Menza contributed his signature drumming style to the albums Rust in Peace (1990), Countdown to Extinction (1992), Youthanasia (1994) and Cryptic Warnings (1997).

    After news of Menza’s passing became known, the Twittersphere and other social media channels were abuzz with expressions of sympathy from former bandmates Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman and Chris Poland, among other rockers like Steve Lukather (Toto) and author J. Marshall Craig who was working with Menza on his memoir. In the excerpt below from Megadeth’s Facebook page (see the full post above), Mustaine explained his personal relationship with the former bandmate:

    …As a player, Nick had a very powerful jazzy flair, unpredictable and always entertaining. And as great a drummer as he was, the time spent with him as a person, a bandmate, and a friend was even more fun. There were several times we discussed him coming back to the band, but for various reasons it never came together. We’ve been in touch all along, he had come out to our shows recently, and he had remained a great friend, a true professional and a larger than life personality…”

    Before Megadeth played the May 22 show at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds during Rock N’ Derby, Mustaine announced plans to honor Menza through an all-alumni benefit concert in California on the Albany rock station Q103, according to Loudwire. Stay tuned for updates on this Megadeth band members reunion show.

  • 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

  • Daemon Chili to Tour This Summer

    Massachusetts-based American Roots Rock quintet Daemon Chili is hitting the road this summer in support of their sophomore album released earlier this year, titled Mercy of the Sea.

    Their 10-city tour is set to start June 3 in New Hampshire before trekking though New York with two stops in SaranacLake and Syracuse following shortly after. Their tour wraps up at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City on Oct. 8.

    Daemon Chili - Promo photo - Copyright Coleman Rogers

    Daemon Chili is made up of five members including singer Michael Dion (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) formerly of Hot Day at the Zoo, Steve Benson (pedal steel, electric mandolin), Jason Moretti (lead guitar), Jay Breen (drums) and Jason Samiagio (bass). The group formed in the fall of 2013 and quickly hit the studio to begin recording. Their first album, titled Rise Up, was released in 2014 to great reviews of their transition from acoustic string band to a roots rock force.

    Mercy of the Sea details provided by the bands website:

    The band’s second album, Mercy of the Sea (2016), is Daemon Chili’s first official full-length studio effort, which peaked out at number 5 on the Relix/Jambands.com Radio charts. This album marks the band’s unquestionable metamorphosis into a musical outfit that truly defies genre categorization. The album also features a myriad of additional musicians whose talents help to round out a sophisticated musical juggernaut that heaves up-and-down with purpose and intention. The lineup includes Max Chase (Amulus) on keys; Nick Heys (Hot Day at the Zoo) on piano; Seth Bailin, Mike Kaskiewicz, Alex Allman (The Party Band) on horns; and Jes Sheldon (The Lightkeepers) on backing vocals.

    June 3 – Manchester, NH @ Shaskeen

    June 17 – Saranac Lake, NY @ The Waterhole

    June 18 – Syracuse, NY @ Funk N Waffles Downtown

    June 23 – Portsmouth, NH @ Thirsty Moose

    July 1 – Peterborough, NH @ Harlow’s Pub

    July 30 – Lowell, MA @ Dudley’s

    Aug 12 – Worceter, MA @ Beatnik’s

    Aug 22 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Players’ Ring

    Aug 26 – Waterville, ME @ Mainely Brews

    Aug 27 – Old Town, ME @ The Boomhouse

    Oct 8 – New York, NY @ Arlene’s Grocery

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–AtlxiYp3w[/embedyt]