NYS Music 20​17

Author: Ally Dean

  • Victor Wooten Trio Speaks without Words at Anthology

    A modern jazz club manifested at Anthology Thursday, December 14, welcoming Victor Wooten Trio with Dennis Chambers (drums) and Bob Franceschini (sax). A red curtain backdrop stippled with strands of soft yellow lights dripping to the floor radiated an understated elegance, setting the mood for the trio’s dichotomous playing style. A melodic infusion of jazz, R&B and funk abstractly bestowed upon eager ears, many belonging to fellow musicians.

    The relaxed musicians stood comfortably on stage, emulating a nonchalant but composed demeanor similar to one who might stand in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal while contemplating life’s deep questions. Victor Wooten Trio provided a musical approach that can seem simple upon first listen or to the untrained ear. They offer an underlying complexity that grabs the listener’s attention more fervently with purposeful, controlled sound than a performance riddled with wickedly intricate sequences.

    Their performance seemed to unfurl organically, in a free flow of notes with ever-changing rhythms that kept the head bobbers and toe tappers constantly reinventing their own body movements in a frivolous attempt to mirror the music. Wooten, Chambers and Franceschini know when to push and when to pull back, leaving ample space for each musician to unhurriedly showcase their style.

    In Wooten’s words from a TEDx talk at Gabriola Island a few years back he offered: “To be a good musician you have to be a good listener. Doesn’t matter how great I am as a bassist. We can put five of the world’s best musicians on this stage but if we’re great separate from each other it’s gonna sound horrible. But if we listen to each other and play together, individually we don’t have to be as great and it’ll sound much better.”

    Wooten contrived several noteworthy instances, the least of which was casually slipping from electric to double bass. The latter an instrument he less commonly plays, yet fingertips danced across the fingerboard unabashedly. Fusing classical and modern, he even doubled back to brandish his bow across the electric bass to create provocative sounds. Perhaps one of Wooten’s most intriguing acts unfolded as he utilized his loop pedal to create multiple polyrhythmic melodies, adding each note one at a time. The mounting complexity of this sequence mesmerized listeners because of the precision and patience behind it’s development.

    The method of slowly building a progression note by note could be traced back to Wooten’s TED talk where he describes music as a language, and one that he learned at a very early age, when he was also learning the language of speech. Just as children begin by learning one word at a time to build their vocabulary, Wooten still applies that same basic principle on a professional stage decades later to communicate with his audience.

    Midway through the evening, Wooten introduced his two comrades before jokingly introducing himself as Stanley Clarke, a prominent jazz bassist. Later on in the set, he treated listeners to a mashup of Clarke originals to the delight of those familiar with his work. The trio inserted other Easter eggs throughout the set, including a Stevie Wonder sample, but even these more recognizable riffs were cleverly disguised, detectable to those listening intently.

    What was plainly obvious was Wooten’s almost comically precise ability to manipulate his bass to sound like other instruments. At one point I found my eyes furiously darting across the stage to locate the elusive flute player. Low and behold, it was coming from Wooten’s electric bass. The running joke of the evening was that after talking to him for ten minutes, he could probably make his bass sound like that person’s voice. Perhaps this feat of musical wizardry can serve as his next musical conquest.

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  • GrooveSafe Seeks to Eliminate Assault at Shows

    It’s a Saturday night in your city and people all over town are making plans to hit up the most popular music venue to catch a prominent local band. Groups of friends meetup beforehand to plan outfits, shoot the shit or convince each other to stop hermitting and be social. On this particular night, all walks of life turn up to see the band, and it’s a blast. The room is alive with energy, nearly everyone is dancing. Most people leave at the end of the night feeling invigorated. But there are a few music-goers whose night was clouded by discomfort. Why? Because another human inappropriately laid their hand on them without consent.

    Ew.groovesafe

    Many of us, both men and women, can share a story of a time someone invaded their personal space at a show by touching them without permission. Since I began writing this article, I attended a fantastic show and as I was dancing, a man walked up behind me and put his hand around my waist. I wheeled around and calmly but sternly told him to never do that without asking someone because it’s basic respect. After my friend continued to glare at him, he came up to me to apologize again. That experience was mild compared to what some show goers have experienced. Though alcohol or other drugs may be obscuring the boundaries of what is and is not appropriate interaction, it absolutely will never be an excuse for a complete lack of basic human decency.

    This abhorrent behavior goes far beyond the live music scene. The recent “Me Too” campaign spearheaded by actress Alyssa Milano against film producer Harvey Weinstein has ignited overwhelming support within the acting community, highlighting the prevalence of this inappropriate behavior within the larger population. It raises questions about why predators feel entitled to treat other human beings like items in the produce department of the local grocery store.

    That’s why Ashley Driscoll has spearheaded GrooveSafe, an initiative seeking to bring awareness to the need for consent before physical contact at shows. They have created an elegant and eye catching logo that when displayed, is a reminder that we all need to be conscious of the way we conduct ourselves around other people. When asked to describe what we can do to prevent these unwanted interactions she stated:

    Unfortunately prevention is a difficult word. The main goal of GrooveSafe is to spread awareness that these sorts of behaviors are happening all the time, all around us. I believe change in behavior starts in understanding how truly unwanted these advances are. Our true goal is to become obsolete someday. Nothing would make me happier than to go to a show and not have to constantly look over my shoulder and just be able to watch the show in peace. This is a difficult question because it is not as simple as going in groups or wearing a certain thing or another. Females and males alike should be able to look, feel and be whatever or whoever they want without being touched by a stranger or sometimes even a friend in a manner that they have not agreed to or have not welcomed. – Ashley Driscoll, founder of Groovesafe

    Perhaps one solution is to more effectively teach the importance of consent in early education, so our younger generations can grow up with a stronger understanding of consensual behavior. In the meantime, Driscoll is doing what she can to raise awareness through GrooveSafe. With a new website, Ashley is now selling stickers, pins and other merchandise so people can brandish the logo to bring attention to non consensual touching. The money she brings in from these sales will be used to keep producing gear to perpetuate her important message.

    To donate through PayPal, use teamgroovesafe@gmail.com

    Groove safe everybody.

  • Hearing Aide: The Ghost of Paul Revere ‘Monarch’

    As autumn sets fire to leafy landscapes, The Ghost of Paul Revere is turning over a new album, Monarch, transitioning through the seasons with an altered lineup, but staying true to their self-proclaimed “holler folk” inclinations.

    ghost of paul revere monarchMonarch emerges Oct. 27, borne from the minds of Ghost’s three mainstays: Griffin Sherry (guitar/vocals), Max Davis (banjo/vocals) and Sean McCarthy (bass/vocals). Though the recent departure of harmonica man Matthew Young has trimmed Ghost to a trio, by no means has their sound been diminished. This album abundantly features a kaleidoscope (also the term for a group of butterflies) of instrumental contributions including drums, cello and piano.

    Thematically the songs hover heavily over heartache, with lyrics written by Sherry and Davis. Sherry’s more straightforward, relatable verses are delivered with a slight gruffness compared to Davis’ more poetically descriptive, obscure language and delicate vocals. The three musicians harmonize beautifully, adding a warmth to even the saddest of songs. Several of the songs pose questions for the introspective: “Little Bird” asks “Do your bones feel hollow? Do you tremble and shake? Do you cry when you’re all alone?” “Kings Road” ponders “What will you tell the dogs of your past? What will you tell the rest of your bloodline pack?” “Montreal” achingly offers “Are we growing apart or are we growing up?”

    Not many songs on this album will induce a stomp and clap barn dance, but the music is gripping. The musicians add weight to their lyrics through beautiful intonation, where seemingly mundane words suddenly become powerful. There is a lot of power in feeling pain. Hardship often leads to metamorphosis.

    Catch The Ghost of Paul Revere as they swing through the southern states into early November before heading up north, where they will play at Rough Trade in NYC on December 2 – be sure to keep an eye out for Monarch, released via Kobalt Music Recordings.

    Key Tracks: Little Bird, Wild Child, Monarch

  • Soulful Sunday Closes out LOCKN’ 2017

    People seemed to lazily roll out of their tents on the final day of LOCKN’ 2017′, but Keller Williams returned to the stage on Sunday in full force, this time with his Grateful Gospel project. It was specifically conceived as a Sunday morning installation for LOCKN’. Playing some of their favorite Grateful Dead tunes with a black gospel spice, it filled the dusty air with a fitting soundtrack for the snoozy attitude shared by many.

    Virginia-based Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos stayed with the funky blues theme, Rosano’s sturdy bellowing voice married soulfully with a sweetly played saxophone. “Devils Hand” was among their setlist, as was a tease of Zeppelin’s “Black Dog.” Mid-set he addressed the crowd, “Make some noise so I know you’re still breathing out there!” Glancing around at the listeners, some with nose and mouth draped in a bandana to block out the red dust billowing up, there was no doubt everyone’s lungs were a little worse for wear after four days of inhaling the dirt-speckled air. A quick nostril excavation would surely reveal the treasure trove of crusty reddish-black gems harbored by festival goers all weekend.

    Keepin it classy, Eric Krasno Band‘s jazzy flair featured an old school organ with those quintessential revolving speakers that have fallen out of popularity but are always a nostalgic site. The female vocalist sharing the stage complimented Krasno’s vocals beautifully, making for some soulful harmonies.

    Over at the main stage, The Record Company emerged with their rough and rowdy rock n roll to which lead vocalist Chris Vos assured, “It’s rock n roll, it ain’t gotta be pretty. At least not the way we do it I suppose.” After a short but intense set, the band thought their time was up but were cued to keep playing, to which Vos announced, “And now we will play the entire Rush 2112 album,” followed by cheering in the audience. Vos quickly responded, “Just kidding, we couldn’t play that if we tried! But glad you’d let us get away with it.” His humble humor made his set stand out even more after bonding with the crowd over a good laugh.

    JJ Grey and Mofro followed, dressed to the nines with lead vocalist JJ Grey donning a black sport coat and red satin tie. Bouncy keys and two horn players, who swayed in choreographed unison, brought a more upbeat and dance-worthy feel. Grey sang several songs inspired by his grandmother, a woman who heavily influenced his life. He exclaimed, “If she taught me one thing, it’s that you can’t fight darkness, you have to be the light.”

    The atmosphere mellowed out during Margo Price’s set which transitioned to a slightly more country folk style. Her soft vocals almost felt a bit lost as they floated through the crowd, her music seeming muted after the two lively sets before. Her song “Desperate and Depressed” spoke of the woes of trying to make it as a musician, but things must be looking up, getting a slot at LOCKN’.

    The Revivalists opened their set with “Bulletproof” and also played their popular radio hit “Wish I Knew You.” They played mostly to the books, without too much experimentation outside of their established  song structures. The band concluded with a classic, “With a Little Help from My Friends.” 

    Phil Lesh and friends accompanied by moe. was an eagerly anticipated collaboration given that it will be one of the last times moe. plays for a while as Rob Derhak tackles a recent cancer diagnosis. Their lighthearted sound brought a warmth felt throughout the crowd. After their set, the crowd thinned out a bit, leaving more room for fans excited to watch The Avett Brothers close out the festival. They opened with “Satan Pulls the Strings,” and also played “Down with the Shine,” during which their vocals could have been raised, a sentiment echoed by several in the crowd.

    The laid-back comfort between the band members gave the feeling that  they could just as easily be playing together in a cozy living room instead of on display in front of thousands of fans. Cellist Joe Kwon didn’t even utilize his cello stand, preferring to hold the instrument up and walk around with it, which was both amusing and impressive. Violinist Tania Elizabeth and Scott Avett shared a fun chemistry, as they both enjoyed breaking it down, at one point standing face-to-face before bending down on their knees at the front of the stage to the delight of the audience.

    The Avett Brothers also played “Headful of Doubt/Road Full of Promise,” “Laundry Room,” “Morning Song,” “Vanity,” “Kick Drum Heart” and “Murder in the City” before Bob Weir joined them onstage. Weir’s sweet guitar added a richness to their set, a perfect marriage of sound they continued to carry out for the rest of their performance. The Avett Brothers made a fitting cap to the four day festival, with their honest storytelling illustrating scenes many in the crowd can relate to. As their set played out, listeners seized the last opportunity to genuinely connect to the music and with the LOCKN’ family of music fans they forged over the long weekend.

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  • LOCKN’ 2017 Day 3: Music Unites in Tumultuous Times

    A gentle breeze wafted across the festival grounds to keep festival goers cool on Saturday for the third day of LOCKN’ 2017. Nashville group Los Colognes helped start off the day at the Relix stage a bit before noon, with a few enthusiastic dancers already in the mood to move. One older gentleman with a silver ponytail beneath a weathered safari hat and donning a brown kilt pranced around the gravel pit directly in front of the stage.

    Not to be outdone, a toddler sporting a billowing batman cape and brandishing a brightly colored parasol flitted about observing the black fabric flap wildly behind him. Los Colognes conducting their own dance on stage, showcased their instrumental finesse in the way they would carefully build up the momentum in their sound, which kept the crowd engaged in their performance.

    A very enthusiastic crowd flocked to the field to see Pigeons Playing Ping Pong fly away with some energetic funky grooves that got the entire pit jumping to the beat. Ping pong balls were flung through the air in every direction, just as some toss glow sticks during their favorite jams. Lead singer Greg Ormont adores his flock, as Pigeon fans are fittingly named, as evidenced by the warm gratitude he expressed to the crowd throughout the set.


    Attendees raged to their animated cover of “Psycho Killer,” and solicited loud cheers when Ormont, Jeremy Schon (guitar) and Ben Carrey (bass) all spun in unison with their instruments, clearly having as much fun on stage as the crowd was below. At one point Ormont proudly decreed, “I think it’s officially FLOCKN’!” Their performance of “Couldn’t We All” immediately brought Charlottesville back to people’s hearts as the band repeated the line “couldn’t we all just get along” before Ormont, arms outstretched, paused briefly and smiled widely before diving back into their spritely brand of jam.

    Virginia native Keller Williams took up residence on the main stage with a guitar and some pedals to loop in his own effects. He put forth a low key, but upbeat set as people mulled about, many lounging happily in the dusty grass. A woman tapping on a hand drum offered it to the curious toddler gazing in her direction, mesmerized by the toy, but unsure what to do with it. The scene painted a heartwarming snapshot of the countless friendly interactions igniting across the festival grounds as complete strangers crossed paths and became friends.

    The energy shifted drastically as Greensky Bluegrass emerged, standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder armed with their instrument of choice, emitting their powerful barrage of mountain music. Some audience members displayed their sense of humor carrying poles with an assortment of figures mounted atop. One of the most recognizable was none other than the beloved character Wilson, the white volleyball marked with a blood red handprint from the movie Castaway. It’s owner freely passed Wilson on a stick to anyone desiring to dance with it.

    Lead vocalist Dave Bruzza took a moment to appreciate playing the festival and commented, “This is awesome. I watched this from my couch last year.” The crowd laughed and cheered in response, recognizing Bruzza’s supremely upgraded festival experience from last year. Greensky closed out their set with “Atlantic City” to loud cheers of the crowd, beautifully timed with the sunset as their last views of the crowd were awash in glimmering golden hues.

    Once again the main stage rotated to unveil John Butler Trio, who opened their set with “Cold Wind.” Butler then addressed the crowd stating, “Before we go any further, we’d like to pay our respects to the Native American people whose land we’re on today,” referring to the lands of Nelson County that the Monocan tribe originally called home. Butler is well-known for tying social, environmental and political issues into his songs, and his audience enthusiastically responded. He dedicated his next song “I’d Do Anything (Soldier’s Lament),” expressing, “To all the soldiers, may they call come home.”

    Following that he lightheartedly explained, “The intro to this next song is called ‘My Little Pony on Crystal Meth.’ I want to see that image at least once in my life. I dunno why I want to see that, but I just do.” He then quickly transitioned to “Better Than,” followed by “I Used to Get High.” Again Butler addressed to crowd to say, “On the day we arrived in your country we witnessed a whole bunch of bigotry… So we dropped this new song and it’s very fitting. It’s called “Bully.” The tune embarked with an electric guitar distortion that sounded like an emergency siren before engaging in a heavy hard rock sound.

    Next Butler brought out his acoustic for his meditative solo of “Ocean,” a full hand of long fingernails picking furiously as the crowd swayed. Butler continued to tie political awareness into his performance, at one point stating, “This is a great time to be playing music,” in reference to the power of creativity to fuel positive change within the community.

    Classic rock legend, John Fogerty, singer and songwriter of Creedance Clearwater Revival, pulled out all the hits in an explosive set opening with “Green River,” “Born on the Bayou” “Suzie Q” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” A jovial gentleman then trotted across the stage for an accordion solo as the crowd cheered him on. The band followed with “Lookin’ out My Back Door,” and Fogerty continued to wow the crowd with his non-stop energy, building momentum and at some points mixing rapid elements of punk rock into his performance.

    Widespread took to the stage for a jam that pushed into “Fishwater” which included Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” “Who Do You Belong To?” and the ending of “Fishwater” to start the night off. Other highlights of their energetic headlining set included Dylan’s “A Hard Rains Gonna Fall” and a monster verison of “You Should be Glad” to end it.

    When Joe Russo’s Almost Dead took the stage, Bob Weir joined shortly after “Althea” for “Black Throated Wind” and a “Jack Straw” that pushed Bobby’s limits as he was sweating and gave a look of relief when the build up finally paid off and he could simmer things down into to end “Straw.” A stellar version of “The Wheel” included a ‘Benevento/Russo Duo-esque’ jam for the ages and Weir joined the band for the finale of the expected “One More Saturday Night.”

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  • Kings and Queens of Rock Reign at Lockn’ 2017 on Day 2

    As the Friday morning migration of early risers dispersed to acquire their first fix of caffeine at Lockn’ 2017, the fairly priced $3 cups were a welcome relief from the $9 beers that drained wallets the night before. Local rock group Sun-Dried Opossum, aided by the climbing heat of the mid-morning sun, beckoned attendees out of their tents and campers toward the Relix stage.

    Marcus King Band followed, upping the rock and roll intensity even more, to a noticeably larger crowd. The Relix field’s undulating topography provides varying levels that aid people further back in viewing the stage, but also offers some rather slanted footing that can make it trickier to find a comfortable place to stand. But patrons weren’t letting that stop them from gathering to soak in the sultry southern rock led by Marcus King. His rough around the edges vocals accompanied by trumpet, sax and organ blended to form a rich and mature sound. The heavy rock made a fitting soundtrack for the crowds dragging footsteps, weighed down with the increasing heat.

    New York band TAUK brought a level of sophistication with their polished sound, releasing beautifully executed instrumentation with a slightly spacey, ethereal tone. Accompanied by some much appreciated cloud cover, they provided the perfect soundtrack for the web of frisbee throwers flinging their tiny UFO’s through the air on the main stage field.

    The tribal soul vibes of Sinkane mellowed out the atmosphere with a lighthearted sound as people mingled, sprawled out in hammocks between whatever trees they could claim, and made the whole show field feel like one giant living room shared by all.

    The main stage welcomed Blackberry Smoke as it’s first performer of the day. They put out a satisfying performance of savory southern rock before Jim James completely switched up the energy with a solo acoustic performance. Despite his softer sound, he had a way of focusing the crowd’s attention with thought-provoking sentiments.

    He opened his set with an acoustic rendition of “Young at Heart” before paraphrasing the Nelson Mandela quote: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” He explained it’s a quote he’d been thinking about a lot recently. He poignantly followed it with a tune about people making the same mistakes over and over again.

    Brandi Carlile took to the stage next and exploded through the speakers with a full band and really tight, controlled sound that laid a strong foundation for her unbelievable vocal ability. There was a lot of love for Carlile at the start of her set, but as she bounced around on stage, exuding positivity and grace, she quickly won over a lot more hearts too. The crowd was in awe to the point that she took notice and expressed to the crowd, “This is some of the best energy I’ve felt on stage.” The mutual love and respect between Carlile and the adoring crowd continued to grow throughout her set.

    After each song she wistfully tossed her guitar pick into the crowd, to the cheers and delight of many. One of her set highlights was an acoustic rendition of “The Eye.” She sung in a three-part harmony with two of her bandmates whom she has been performing with for fifteen years. They happen to be twin brothers, and she humbly introduced the tune exclaiming, “They are amazing singers and they could be standing at this center mic any day of the week and we’re about to show you why.”

    Next the band picked things up with “Hard Way Home,” followed by an energetic rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues,” which she sang in an effortless flutter between sweet and smooth to gruff and rusty vocals. Carlile remarked right after, “Momma’s getting’ to old for that shit,” and the crowd hollered in laughter at her sincerity, and ability to level with the crowd. Her conversational style between songs allowed her to genuinely connect with the audience. She played “The Mother,” a song off her new album about the impact of having a daughter. Jim James came back out to duet with her and their mutual respect for each other provided the glue for great stage chemistry. Next she dedicated “The Story” to Charlottesville before ending her set by covering “Going to California,” which she sang effortlessly because she is the queen of country rock.

    Phil Lesh and The Terrapin Family Band came out next to the utter joy of the very Grateful Dead-centric crowd. Their mellow rock sound was punctuated by a sea of cheers as fans recognized their favorite songs and proudly brandished their vibrant tye dyes. Gov’t Mule followed with more heavy rock, aided by the sharp vocals of Heart’s Ann Wilson during a one-two punch cover of “Immigrant Song” aptly followed by “Black Dog.”

    Wilson took a moment to express, “We judge each other by what we have or how successful we are, but that’s complete and utter bullshit. So let’s take it all back.” Wilson and Gov’t Mule then went into a deep bluesy, “I Don’t Care What You’re Wearing,” as a man donning a glitter-laden jellyfish hat paraded through the crowd at just the right moment.

  • LOCKN’ 2017 Day 1 Recap

    As the sun lowered behind the Blue Ridge Mountains, bathing the show field and it’s patrons in an opulent cloak of sun-kissed finery, the Mount Zion First African Baptist Choir paraded onto the main stage to welcome patrons to the 2017 LOCKN’ Music Festival. A sense of contentment swirled with eager anticipation permeated the crowd as the National Anthem and “Amazing Grace” drifted through the air.

    A moment of silence in honor of recent events in Charlottesville unified the respectfully silent crowd before local group Kendall Street Company took to the stage to get into the festival groove with some homegrown, incredibly danceable tunes. Their tight instrumentation and seasoned rock sound defied their youthful visage boldly displayed on the larger screens bordering both sides of the stage. Lead vocalist Louis Smith uttered the lyrics, “We are here now, so come along,” an inviting sentiment as patrons continued to accumulate near the stage. At one point Smith exclaimed, “I need to get things that fit tighter on my head. I’ve lost my glasses, I’ve lost my hat.” It was a fair representation of his energetic performance.

    Luckily LOCKN’ provides a general store on the grounds with a variety of essentials  for anyone, musicians and attendees alike, if they find themselves lacking something they can’t do without. Umphrey’s McGee did not seem to forget anything behind, producing an incredibly lively follow-up to Kendall Street Company. As night fell, the show field continued to populate with head banging humans, approving with jovial cheers and applause as Umphrey’s flooded the audience with dazzling lights and heart pumping jams.

    As Umphrey’s first set concluded, the stage gracefully spun 180 degrees as The String Cheese Incident flawlessly picked up where Umphrey’s left off, with no time wasted.   Lead vocalist/guitarist Keith Moseley donned a flat brim with a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, as if trying to remain incognito while playing their unique brand of bluegrass rock to thousands of spectators. During their set, some crowd members couldn’t resist the urge to release handfuls of vibrant glow sticks through the inky air despite being banned on festival grounds. They are a time-honored tradition that will die hard despite known environmental and personal health hazards. During their performance of “Texas,” the rhythm provided an almost salsa-like feel that even reflected in the bouncy footwork of the more enthusiastic dancers in the crowd.

    Umphrey’s and String Cheese each produced one more set seamlessly sharing the stage as festival goers danced, mingled, sampled the vast assortment of food and brews provided by local restaurants and breweries. At the conclusion of String Cheese set two, another seamless transition to the Relix stage took place as The Disco Biscuits took up residence to carry on the heavy and never-ending musical stimulation that LOCKN’ executes so well.

  • Hearing Aide: The Southern Belles ‘In the Middle of the Night’

    The sort of plasmic, shape-shifting rock and roll spawned by The Southern Belles of Richmond, VA, has been released to humans everywhere for their listening and dancing pleasure on August 5. Their third album, In the Middle of the Night, is oddly akin to Willie Wonka‘s three course dinner chewing gum, in that, through the consumption of one product, several flavors can be indulgently experienced in a brief period. At least by listening to this album, no one will need a swarm of oompa loompas to roll them to the juicing room… that we know of.

    This album dives deeper than their previous release Close to Sunrise, offering heavier jams, tighter instrumentation and an overall more spacious and grandiose sound. The Southern Belles is Adrian Ciucci (guitar), Tommy Booker (keys), Aaron Zarrow (drums), and Derrick Englert (bass). In the Middle of the Night was recorded at The Ward recording studio in Richmond.

    “Everywhere 1” floods the eardrums with runaway guitar like an antsy racehorse exploding out of the starting gate. In under a minute the tune relaxes before getting groovier, continuously arousing the listener’s curiosity. Ciucci’s vocal tone is a crosshatch of Motion City Soundtrack’s Justin Pierre and Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins. The song culminates with an uplifting message of gratitude: “Everything I try to be, there’s someone there reminding me/ Life is grand, we’re so lucky/ And it’s amazing everywhere it takes me.” This closing sentiment is a suiting cap to the opening song of an album, almost an anthem to their success, four musicians converging, playing their brand of music together in a way no other combination of musicians could exactly replicate. Something to be thankful for.

    “Deja Vu” offers a more somber beginning, with higher octave backing vocals that emulate The Flaming Lips with a sea of airy voices echoing Ciucci. It shifts from whirring organ to bouncy guitar, offering an uplifting release from the heavier tone. “L.A. Moves” opens with delicate guitar and elements reminiscent of NY synth-rock band Jimkata. “Tryin” promptly brings the Vulfpeck vibes with playful keys before escalating into a rock-opera ballad replete with gospel-like vocals and undulating tempos. The album closes with “Everywhere II,” trickling in with calming water effects, muted organ and vocals with Pink Floyd connotations before Ciucci utters the heartening sentiment, “Just know in the end you’re gonna get where you’re goin, so take good care of your friends/ They’re the only ones who know you and the only ones who care so be kind and fair.” The song then picks up tempo and finishes on a high note with a cathartic swirl of guitar and pounding drums, bringing it full circle to the beginning of the album.

    In the Middle of the Night was officially released on August 5 at The Broadberry in their hometown. The single is being streamed via Soundcloud and their website, and can be heard on SiriusXM’s Jam On. The Southern Belles have been touring the East Coast leading up to the album release, and will hit the road again for their fall tour. They will be playing Saturday August 12 in Capon Bridge, WV at La La Land, followed by the Peace of Mind Fest in Halifax, PA on August 31.

    Key Tracks: Everywhere I, Tryin, Everywhere II

  • Interview: Escaper Unleashes Space Funk on Planet Earth

    Since last year, Brooklyn-based Escaper has been offering listeners a medium through which to contemplate the most practical methods for farming space worms. Or finally realizing that astronauts can create aliens by giving birth in space, or that there are so many cats on the internet because dog people go outside. Either way, Will Hanza of Escaper (bandleader/guitarist) took a moment to reflect on the creative spirit of making music that facilitates the contemplation of life’s most important questions.

    Photo Credit: Brian Edward of Sobokeh

    Ally Dean: The band members in Escaper have collaborated with a highly impressive assortment of musicians. Does Escaper come first for all band members? Is it a challenge for members to juggle this band with other collaborations and projects?

    Will Hanza: We are all proud of our past accomplishments, for sure! Scheduling is tough for any band, but we manage pretty well. There is a lot of creative opportunity surrounding each player, which is terrific! We all support each other’s other projects, which is really fun. Doing so only helps—rising tides raise all ships, and all that. One of the nice things about Escaper is that it was specifically designed to be a band where each member is able to be completely themselves, as players. For each of us, the band is a conduit of free expression, which I think lends itself to the higher levels we are able to get to as a team.

    AD: What do you think people most often contemplate as their minds wander to distant places under the melodic gaze of your music?

    WH: Fun question. We do try to make transportive music. Hopefully, there are no constraints to where the mind wanders. Maybe it’s something transcendental and thought provoking. Maybe it’s, “pizza vs. tacos?” or, “why don’t cats like to swim?” Regardless, our duty is to move ourselves when we play, or we have little chance of moving the listener.

    AD: Do you form your own meanings for what the songs represent or do you prefer not to assign specific meaning to them?

    WH: The songs have taken on some meaning and ‘vibe’ as they have developed. Being an instrumental album, it is certainly more open to interpretation. That said, we call our song titles our one shot at “lyrics.” The songs and titles have developed into their own story line. The journey of escaping confinement is allowing one to be oneself without barriers, and only then is one truly able to unlock all doors and open themselves to many different realms. In the end, our hope is that the listener is able to find their own meaning in all of that.

    AD: Skeleton Key is your first album together. Have you all had separate recording experience before coming together for this?

    WH: Yes. We’ve all recorded/been part of other albums. All separately, except Will and Jay, who were both on the Kalen & the Sky Thieves album, Bluebird (also on Ropeadope). Johnny Butler was an original member of Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds and recorded with them. He also has credits with Beyonce, Randy Jackson and others. Adam Ahuja was also on the Ropeadope roster with his band The Flowdown before joining Escaper.

    AD: I read that you guys laid each track down in one take. Is that because you all had an exact goal and executed it perfectly on the first try, or because this style of music lends itself to a little flexibility and you could afford to have a little creative freedom, while still feeling satisfied with the end result?

    WH: A little bit has been lost in translation, as far as how we made this album, so this is a good chance to clarify how we went about our process. We recorded most of the album together in one day in the studio. We all played together, simultaneously, while isolated in different rooms, but with windows so we could see each other. This enabled us to best capture the synergy of playing live. Instead of layer upon layer, we all played together, lending the ability to also play *off* of each other, and inspire each other in the moment. Lift each other up in the moment. While a couple of tracks had some light layering for some orchestral effects, for the most part what you hear is the 5 of us just playing with each other at the same time. The music definitely lends itself to the flexibility of “how do we feel right now,” which we absolutely wanted to allow for in the studio.

    AD: As of now you have a few dates booked in July and just a couple in the Fall. Are you hoping to add more dates in support of the new album or are you not trying to tour too extensively just yet?

    WH: Oh yes. We had a great release show in NYC back in May and have played Brooklyn Bowl a couple times since the release. We’ve played around the northeast, from New England to Virginia. The late July/early August dates are mostly in New York state! We’re excited for the pre-Phish show at American Beauty in NYC on July 26. We’re also excited to be returning to some Hudson Valley favorite spots; July 28 at Snug Harbor in New Paltz, NY and August 4 at Olive’s in Nyack, NY. We haven’t released all of our Fall schedule yet, which will include a couple more festivals and bunch of dates in the northeast, in particular. We’ll continue to fill out our schedule for Fall, Winter and beyond! With the next album currently being recorded and mixed (and due for release in a few months), we’ll be on the road quite a bit. Stay tuned!

    Upcoming Tour Dates:
    7/21 – New Haven, CT – Pacific Standard Tavern
    7/26 – New York, NY – American Beauty NYC
    7/28 – New Paltz, NY – Snugs
    8/4 – Nyack, NY – Olive’s

  • Hearing Aide: Matisyahu ‘Undercurrent’

    Matisyahu may have found a unique niche in the Jewish reggae and hip hop scenes, and with the 2017 release of his sixth studio album Undercurrent, his religious convictions are woven into a stream of consciousness that flows between genres throughout the album. The album was described in a recent press release stating, “The vulnerability felt throughout the lyrical narrative comes from acceptance in uncertainty. “Step out into the Light” sets the tone for the record, as Matisyahu delves into a musical reframing of the Jewish philosophical differences between the constant of faith and the immediacy of trust.”

    Matisyahu completed the album with a team of esteemed collaborators including some who have a long history working with Matisyahu on past projects. Aaron Dugan (guitarist), Stu Brooks (bassist), Joe Tomino (drums), Tim Keiper (drums) Cyro Baptista (percussion) and Big Yuki (keys) serve as the vehicle through which Marisyahu delivers his rhythmic remarks.

    Undercurrent serves as the musical checkpoint along Matisyahu’s continued journey of seeking greater truth within himself and the world around him. “Step out into the Light” opens the album with a modern hip hop vibe. Matisyahu quickly entangles the album with religion, mentioning a dreidel in the first few lines. The lyrics are at times ambiguous but flow well. Matisyahu offers some seemingly deep philosophical musings but leaves it to the listener to fully unpack their meaning

    “Coming up Empty,” is more heavily produced than much of Matisyahu’s work and may catch fans off guard. “Blue Sky Playground” is heavy on the hip hop and is the first song on the album worth a head bob or two. Halfway through, the nasty hip hop groove fades to a mellow jam which rounds out the eight-minute track. “Forest of Faith” is easygoing and pleasant on the ears with instrumentation that sounds like a tropical xylophone. “Head Right” tricks the listener into thinking its a heavy rock tune, but quickly morphs into a hip hop/reggae hybrid and flips back and forth to the rock realm. “Driftin” concludes the eight-track album with a song that could almost be split into tow separate tracks. The first half serves as a low key hip hop track akin to Dirty Heads before the last seven minutes resort to minimalist instrumentation with Matisyahu displaying his beatboxing ability. This album will certainly keep listeners on their toes.

    Key Tracks: Blue Sky Playground, Forest of Faith, Head Right

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