Earlier this month, Suit of Lights released their album Break Open the Head. Suit of Lights is a musical project that was started by Joe Darone who’s played in a number of bands prior to this including The Fiendz and The Rosenbergs. You can hear Darone singing the vocals and playing keys, Chris Connors on guitar, bass and keys, Billy Carrion also on bass, and Corey Colmey on drums. Suit of Lights is based in New York City and though the band self-identifies as a rock group, this album is far from a standard rock album. Most rock albums contain songs that remain in one key and in one time signature. Break Open the Head pushes the limits of genre categorization and explores the capabilities of musical structure in just ten tracks.
The title track and first track on the album has a cool groove with offbeat accents on the hi-hat during the verse and then morphs into a half-time feel during the chorus. In accordance with the groove shifts, the mode of the music changes from minor verses to a more major sound in the chorus and instrumental break. The song “Break Open the Head” seems to be first so that the songs that follow illustrate what happens once the head (presumably figuratively) is broken or thoughts span outside of the box.
“New Frontier” begins with a spooky introduction on piano that’s passed off to the guitar. The chord progression throughout is a little unsettling as there is a harsh balance between tension and release. Featured on the track is an organ sounding instrument, or better yet, a calliope- type instrument that creates carousel or carnival music. The instrument comes in when the singer sings about a continuous carousel of time. That’s clever introduction to the timbre but the tones get a little distracting. The song is slightly unresolved at the end with the guitar feedback, perhaps indicating that the future is uncertain.
“Monsters” has a neat little 7/8 introduction that features a repetitive guitar melody. It’s all about getting rid of your monsters; it’s quite empowering. “Zero Camera,” along with others, frequently changes harmonically with the chord progressions. Though artistic, someone who doesn’t appreciate the theory may find it unsettling or too dramatic “Circle the Drain of History” features the lyrical line “monkey with brains all full of mush, about to get the royal flush, circle in the drain…” over and over again, perhaps to reinforce the concept that history repeats itself.
The instrumental prowess of the musicians is quite strong as, technically and harmonically, the backing works. But the vocals don’t match. The tenor tones are a little whiny sounding, almost in the vein of an acoustic pop punk vocalist. Some upper range notes sound like a push or slightly unrehearsed. The vocals are on key, but they’re not as strong as the instrumentals. The purpose of the album may simply be to stand as a work of art. It may be an album to spark change and stand for something more than notes and rhythms. In that case, it definitely succeeds in sounding unique and has some catchy lines that may stick in your brain. They’re not the easiest songs to sing along to as they’re very unpredictable in nature but, over time, they could become participatory.
Overall, it’s a quick album to listen through and interesting if you’re looking for a change from more mainstream artists.
Key Tracks: Monsters, The Beginning Is Near, Break Open the Head
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cslOSbzyss










Wandering into the large building, hundreds of glorious beings milled about, most of which standing like a rippling ocean of rhythmic movement at the base of stage. And just as stood there in awe of the spectacle, you heard a noise above you and looked up, only to realize there was a full balcony of music freaks overhead. Sure, there were two full sets of music, roaring like a freight train across the spectrum of the band’s career, making musical stops ranging from reggae to hip- hop, gypsy to nitty-gritty blues. And yes, it a performance that sent a chill through your body, where you raised your arm and could see the goose bumps emerge. But, that wasn’t what the evening was about, at least for those in the band and their inner circle.
And as I stood there on the side stage, watching my musical brothers take their final encore for may be awhile, I was struck by how loud the standing ovation was from the enormous crowd. It wasn’t surprising, it was more so awe-inspiring, this never-ending roundabout circle of passion and energy shooting back and forth between the band and the audience — the essence of what music is, always and forever. Lucid chose “Whiskey Dreams” for their encore, a song whose word ricocheted around the depths of my heart when the lyric “we are them, and they are us…” catapulted out of the speakers, tying a bow on a career that, to at least myself, still
The Arndts identify as rock artists and refreshingly don’t try to get too fancy labeling their music as a sub genre. They tag team during the writing process and for recording, Jocelyn handles the vocals and keys, Chris plays lead guitar, group member Kate Sgroi plays bass, and David Bourgeois plays drums. Though the artists have management, publicity, booking, and legal representatives on their team, it looks as though they are not affiliated with a record label. Up ahead in 2016, they two will be playing a few dates a month in places like New York, Virginia,
Telegram hurtled through their first couple of songs with bold assurance, gain-soaked instruments and a touch, I think it is fair to say, of glam-rock styling. It is tempting to lump Telegram in with a troupe of other ‘new psych bands’, as the Guardian did back in 2014, and as I had mentally done before even arriving at the show. But their third track of the night,
The bassist, Moon, is normally at the sonic frontier of the band’s sound. This is the case with their cover of Bowie’s
On Friday, March 25th, Telegram played at Brooklyn’s Shea Stadium. I am jealous of anyone who could make it and catch this forceful and impressive band on their last evening in New York City. Here’s hoping they return soon.

Zuli 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 