NYS Music 20​16

Tag: pop

  • Rising Popstar Jacob Whitesides Brings Lovesick Tour to Darien Lake

    Eighteen year old Jacob Whitesides is taking the pop music scene by storm. Originally a kid who uploaded covers to YouTube, he’s completely captivated the audience similar to that of Justin Bieber.

    Jacob WhitesidesAnd this talented musical artist and young entrepreneur is ahead of his time in the best way possible, stealing the spotlight and not taking it for granted. His headlining U.S. tour began on May 18, and we had the opportunity to catch up with him, while preparing for his first stop in Washington, D.C. And on May 28 you can catch him at 6 p.m. at Darien Lake, which will be his last show in the Empire State during the Lovesick Tour. Read on as Whitesides opens up about his roots and where he plans on taking them.

    NYS Music: Your headlining tour kicks off in D.C. tonight. How are you feeling?

    Jacob Whitesides: I’m very excited. I’ve been getting ready for this tour. We had rehearsals for 12 hours a day and it’s all worth it. I love that it’s a headlining tour.

    NYSM: What are you looking forward to the most?

    JW: Being able to perform new music from the album that comes out in September. I really look forward to the feedback from the fans. I have a full band with me and it’s going to be great. My tour manager is playing the keys for the shows and it’s going to be a lot of fun.

    NYSM: Speaking of new music, you released a new single last month called “Lovesick.” How did this song come about?

    JW: I was in Europe for a month and a half doing nonstop promo and the frustrations of being that far from home, from my family and my girlfriend, just resonated a lot. I would journal everything. When I got back I flew into Nantucket and I sat there talking with my producer and manager; I was able to collaborate with Alex and Mark from Magic. They had this song idea and we worked together. I wanted to mix the singer-songwriter with pop elements and in the end we were able to create the single. I looked toward musical influences like John Mayer and Justin Timberlake. Having found the single so early on helped guide the album production.

    jacob whitesidesNYSM: Let’s go back to how it all started. You began covering songs on YouTube and then auditioned for the The X Factor, so how did being a YouTuber help your career?

    JW: I’m going to start from the very beginning. My dad was into music and I wasn’t really that interested at the time. It wasn’t until he took me to a bluegrass festival when I was 13. I was listening to Chris Stapleton and Steel Driver, and I started to really become inspired. A few weeks later I got my first guitar and joined my dad’s band. After a bit I realized that I didn’t want to keep playing performances like this—I wanted more. I looked at Justin Bieber and Austin Mahone and saw how they were doing, and I decided to jump on the YouTube wave. I posted a few videos and would respond to comments and eventually it spread. I still like to look at my own videos and respond to the comments and interact with everyone as much as I possibly can. I believe that everything happens for a reason and this one just happened to work out.

    NYSM: How did auditioning for The X Factor impact you professionally?

    JW: I was on The X Factor for a really short period of time, but it was one of the most important. I was super unprepared and not really ready for it, but it was worth a shot. I made friends and it was my first experience in the industry. I had this super unrealistic picture in my head of what the industry was like, but as I slowly watched my friends sign to labels and have these labels tell them who they should be and what they should do, I saw them losing passion. The record labels tried to mold them into what they wanted, and I realized I didn’t want that; I wanted to be able to mold my own career. Now I have this great deal and I work with amazing partners. I am able to to have control over my music and being a part of The X Factor gave me a better understanding of the industry as a whole.

    NYSM: You’re only 18 and you’ve already created your own record label, Double U Records, and partnered with BMG to mold your career. What made you decide to take such a big this early?

    JW: BMG presented a deal to partner and the social media waver really helped me. I was able to get a bigger team and the opportunity to go to radio, and when it’s time, I get to make a lot of the big decisions. I wanted to be able to have control of who I was as an artist and thankfully, I was able to. A lot of it is because of the fans’ response.

    NYSM: You’re always interacting with your fans; it seems they’ve had a lot of good things to say about you.

    JW: Yea. My relationship with the fans is so special. They’ve helped me create so much and I’m so thankful.

    NYSM: Where do you want be five years down the road?

    JW: In five years? I’m really enjoying the pace right now. I really just want to keep building and get better as an artist. I want to keep growing as a person, and hopefully, I’ll be doing the same thing I am now, but bigger.

    Jacob Whitesides will definitely be playing larger stages in five years. He most recently performed at the Marlin Room at Webster Hall in New York City on Sat., May 21. The crowd was full of girls screaming and singing along; these girls hung onto every word that came out of Whitesides’ mouth. It was incredible to see these fans interact with him; some of them had even followed the tour from D.C. and planned on going to as many shows as possible. Whitesiders are passionate and dedicated fans, and are no doubt helping this talented 18-year-old from Knoxville, TN, dominate the pop charts.

  • Hearing Aide: Howardian ‘A Smurf At Land’s End’

    Howardian CoverBrooklyn-based band Howardian has released their sophomore album, A Smurf At Land’s End. The group records and operates under the name Howardian, but the band is fronted by and more commonly identified by Ian Vanek.  It’s seemingly more common for artists to brand themselves with the musicians they work with, even when the bulk of the recognition and creative distinction stems from that lead singer or performer.

    Howardian has labeled themselves as an “art rock” band, and that genre is defined by noticeable influences from classical music and/or music that features experimental avant-garde styles.  One listen through the album and the unique, experimental nature of the compilation is quite evident. This is a prime example of genre bending: pop, hip-hop, punk, and rock.

    Samples of pre-recorded voices of short monologues give the tracks more meaning and allow listeners to identify any potential significance for the inclusion.  It’s hard to pinpoint who is speaking in these voiceovers; they could be from noteworthy individuals or events.

    In “Over the Laptop,” you can clearly hear Vanek’s vocals doubled with two separate takes. This technique gives the track a fuller sound, but also gives it an indie flair with the vocal pitches not 100% congruent with each other.  The indie-esque sound is reinforced with the percussion; the snare sounds authentic and not of the best quality.  “Front Street” uses a video game power-up sound every two measures which is a unique timbre that nicely juxtaposes the heavily distorted power chords throughout.  

    “I’m The Ocean” is quite repetitive in nature and it’s important to note that it’s purely instrumental.  The repetitive melodic lines make listeners feel like they are sifting through a monotonous flow of ocean waves.  “Cap’n Such n’ Such” is interesting because the instruments are playing a pretty standard of a rock groove, but the syncopated hook spelling out the band’s name is a bit hip-hop eqsue. “Fulton Mall” is the song that is closest to a standard pop song due to its immensely repetitive nature and backing vocals.

    There doesn’t seem to be one central theme in terms of album’s subject matter, but there is a distinct flow in terms of style that makes the album work.  The instrumental parts of the tracks are not overwhelmingly challenging.  The musicianship is evident, but each song is quite simply outlined with basic beats and chord progressions.  The synth is a crucial element in almost all of the tracks as it breaks up the streams of vocal phrases with a simple top line. However the lack of virtuosity seems to be what the band is getting at.  The band’s sound is quite unique in terms of non-musical elements.  The music seems to be an outlet for artistic freedom, and not a way to showcase high-caliber musical talent.  This album is a cool listen if you wish to diversify your aural palette of music and experience something new.

    Key Tracks: Over the Laptop, Capn’ Such n’ Such, Front Street

    http://www.youtube.com/embed?layout=gallery&listType=playlist&list=UUKJ8qe7vCz4SztGjuZ2gm9A

  • Catey Shaw Ends Tour at Knitting Factory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Encore: Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover)

  • Zuli at Le Poisson Rouge

    Zuli took the stage at Le Poisson Rouge on Monday, January 25th, for their first Manhattan show of the year. The New York City based four-piece played a set involving strong three-part vocal harmonies, a complex instrumental cover and striking dynamic changes. I got the sense that the whole thing was admirably unlabored, despite the highly detailed musical composition, as the band moved between songs with a casual ease. Some thoroughly speedy guitar work, courtesy of frontman Zuli (Ryan Camenzuli), was underpinned by the nord electro keyboard and the bass, which made the songs followable, fun and accessible.

    zuliZuli arrived just in time for their 9.30 slot, having played another set – in another borough, no less – just beforehand. A pretty intense schedule didn’t impede the joyous musical moves that were on display throughout their performance. A large room like LPR, when not-quite-full with the mixed crowd of a Monday night – fans, friends of the other bands, NYU juniors catching up after their Christmas breaks – can create an awkward vibe for some live bands. If Zuli sensed this difficulty at all, they tackled it with jesting stage banter, the settling of a beef about their favorite restaurant (it might, after all, be CJ’s), and a set full of rhythmic surprises emerging like bold rabbits pulled from sonorous hats. I sense that Zuli are not quite at their peak, yet: they’re probably building up momentum for the spring, when they’ll hit SXSW and the West coast. In the meantime, Zuli have a busy March lined up with shows DC, Charlotte, New Orleans and Phoenix.

    zuli

  • Hearing Aide: My Plastic Sun “jumping karma trains”

    Album Art by April Laragy Stein

    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

  • Hearing Aide: Mayve ‘Animals’ EP

    MayveFresh 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]