For some lucky rock n roll music fans, the end of April will usher in some rough around the edges, ecstatic basement rock by the name of TPR. What do those three letters stand for? Guess you’ll have to turn up at one of their two shows scheduled later this month in the Capital District and Central NY.
TPR formed in the rugged Adirondacks by Will Scheifley (guitar), Justin Schultz (bass), Kevin Lewis (guitar) and Sam Egan (drums). Now they’re migrating from the forests to assist live music seekers with dancing their pants off. To not miss out, rock fans are strongly encouraged to attend at least one but preferably both of their upcoming appearances. Their sound concoction incorporates flavors of Pink Floyd vocalists David Gilmour and Roger Waters, seared to a golden brown with early 2000’s rock akin to Jet and the Hives, finished with a garnish of punk rock spice. Don’t regret not seeing them and supporting local homegrown music. Go dance and have fun. You deserve it.
See them Friday, April 28 at 8 p.m. with special guests Good Hair & Robo-France 29 at Our Place Bar & Grill in Mechanicville, NY. Can’t make that date? Try the following night where TPR will be joined by the Thirds at the Beer Barrel Inn, in Oneonta, NY on Saturday, April 29 at 8 p.m. In the meantime, check out this NYS Music review of their live album and get pumped by listening to it on their Bandcamp.
In the wake of some chilling Syracuse winter weather, local reggae renegades Root Shock provided some relief with the soul warming release of their first official music video for “Sunlight” on March 21. The tune is off their debut self-titled album released earlier this year.
The video, dropped the day after lead singer Jessica Brown’s birthday, showcases all seven musicians in their element, participating in their personal daily rituals before coming together to make music. Just shy of four minutes, Bill Eppel (bass) Cix Nyne (drums/vocals), Phil Grajko (guitar/vocals), Nick Kaczmar (keyboards), Jason “Jocko” Randall (percussion/electronics/vocals) and Dan Valvassori (guitar) are all seen juggling a range of human experiences and emotions. The video captures elements of each musicians’ personality and gives the viewer a sense of what energy they bring to the band.
Brown commented: “The concept for the video was to show some real life situations, keeping it relatable and personal, where each band member has some obstacle to overcome- day to day stuff. And just being able to let go, move forward & let the music uplift you. Our good friend Kyle Corea directed, shot and edited the video. He came up with the ideas and themes in the video. He has done many films and music videos in the past so we had full trust in his vision. Our hope is that the video will make you smile, possibly laugh, dance, cry and have hope that even in dark places the sun always comes back out to shine.”
Future groove group Ross Jenssen put forth their sophomore release February 7, titled Stories. The instrumental nature of the album , sans lyrics, provides a suitable backdrop for listeners to marry their own imagination with the instrumentation. A frantic moodiness looms throughout the EP, keeping the listener ever so slightly on edge. Ross Jenssen (writer/producer), Brian Ross (bass), Sam McGarrity (guitar), Jules Jenssen (drums/moog), and Ricky Tiven (violin on tracks 2,3) are the instrument wielders behind the madness.
Stories opens with “The Chronicle,” which begins with brooding bass before quick and subtle percussion and guitar distorted with a trace of metal lend the song a sense of urgency. “The Tall Tale” holds a beat that ceaselessly drives the song forward before sliding into its own noodly jam. “The Myth” rounds out the three-track trio with a flurry of wavering tempos that suggest the group couldn’t settle on a cohesive rhythm for the closing tune.
The songs are similar enough in style that if you were to listen without paying attention to track numbers or knowing this was a three song EP, you could mistake it as one lengthy jam. It’s a bit too repetitive, although the musicianship is crisp and controlled. Recorded at Sub Station Studio in Housatonic, MA, the EP was engineered by Jackson Whalan, Jules Jenssen, Ian Stewart, mixed by Ian Stewart, mastered by Taylor Larson (periphery, veil of maya, FFTL) with album cover by Simon Ban. Get the album here.
Funk mastermind Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck has released his second LP today titled Heartbreak Hits, following the 2011 release of Romance without Finance. This latest work oozes heartache, with Katzman‘s youthful vocals lamenting the loss of a lover. The songs evoke the agony of painful breakups, and might even open old wounds for some listeners, but they’re delivered with such gripping soul, that most won’t even think to press pause.
The album kicks off in rock ballad fashion, akin to the likes of 70’s icons The Eagles. Katzman confirmed on his crowdfunding album campaign that the band did in fact lend inspiration. Wailing guitar on album opener “Hard Work” shocks the eardrums to life before Katzman’s breathy pop vocals attempt to make sense of a failed relationship. People will go the extra mile for someone they love, and with pragmatically comical lines like “I held your hair back when you had too much to drink/ I used my bare hands to unclog that bathroom sink” and “When you got depressed and your mind was on the brink/ I peeled you off the floor and drove you to a shrink” it’s easy to see how a guy thinks he’s earned his keep.
“Breakup Together” is sweet on the ears, but the melodic sing-songy quality carries Katzman’s tenderly brooding words as he laments “We used to make love together, now we break up together.” Trilling backup vocals follow this somber sentiment. The silver-tongued harmonies call to mind that flock of helpful songbirds chirping away in Snow White, but instead of helping the fair maiden do laundry, they perch on Katzman’s shoulders and chime in as he mopes (understandably) in a corner.
“Crappy Love Song” supplies some of the most gut-tickling harmonies on the album before “My Heart is Dead” goes nineties angst as Katzman pouts, “My heart is dead girl/ It doesn’t beat no more.” “Good to be Alone” presents a sobering, understated country folk charm replete with slide guitar. A more earnest tone on this number replaces Katzman’s raspy pop attitude found throughout much of the album. Lyrics seeking the silver lining of reclaimed independence in the wake of a breakup, he attempts to convince himself, “No one to scratch you down your back/ No one to cut you any slack/ You got to scratch it on your own/ It’s good to be alone.”
“Lost and Found” staccato style drums, guitar and vocals add a bouncy feel, revisiting the lively pop realm before “My 1-Bedroom” finds Katzman dreamily fantasizing about the prospect of sharing his small dwelling with a significant other, nearly whispering the lyrics with stripped down instrumental accompaniment. Already the album has led the listener on a roller coaster ride, each song undulating along the spectrum of sadness and resentment, lyrics spiced with cynicism. “As the Romans Do” injects some steam into the track list with powerhouse pop vocals and pounding drums. This song in particular demonstrates the skillful subtleties in Katzman’s singing ability, especially through the lines “I bid a fond farewell to my bestest friends/ I packed my possessions in a Uhaul then/ I sailed like a sailor to the promised land.”
“Love is a Beautiful Thing” mellows the track list again with soft jazz guitar, muted drums and light piano laced with Katzman’s delicate falsetto. The words convey a familiar scenario in breakups: the pain of seeing an ex-lover involved with someone else when you’re still hurting. He sings, “Love is a beautiful thing/ Hugging, kissing, laughing, holding hands/ Love is a beautiful thing/ Unless it’s you loving another man.” After this song the listener almost surely feels as if Katzman has beaten them over the head with such relentless harping on the same themes of loss, yet by sticking so loyally to this theme, he has created a very real portrayal of the cyclical thought patterns many experience in a breakup. “Plain Jane Heroin” rounds out the ten-track album on a somber note, ending the album on a bit of a cliche, comparing the allure of a woman to the addictive nature of heroin.
Katzman has crafted a string of songs that thoroughly display the breadth of his vocal ability. The rawness of the lyrics suggest Katzman might have actually had his heart recently ripped from his chest by whichever woman called it splitsville. While profit from fresh heartbreak is a form of sweet songwriting revenge, it doesn’t appear that a recent tragic breakup is the essence of inspiration. Katzman stated in his album campaign, “I started writing songs, and found myself exploring different angles of letdown/loss of expectation/heartbreak: My own personal experiences, as well as the extrapolation of those experiences into my imagination.” Nevertheless, nearly anyone can empathize with Heartbreak Hits’ sentiments, and dance, rage or cry to the album at their discretion.
The album was recorded by Tyler Duncan at The Barber House, mixed by Duncan and mastered by Devin Kerr. Cover photo by Claire Marie Vogel and album artwork by Robert Lester. Musicians contributing to the album include: Joe Dart (Fender bass), Woody Goss (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano on “Break Up Together”), Laura Mace and Mike G: (omni backing vocals), Lee Pardini: (Wurlitzer electric piano), Drew Howard: (pedal steel guitar) and Brett Farkas: (additional electric guitar on “As the Romans Do”).
Currently Katzman has one scheduled performance on January 26 at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, California. The album is available for purchase here.
Key Tracks: Hard Work, Breakup Together, As the Romans Do
Future groove group 
Funk mastermind Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck has released his second LP today titled Heartbreak Hits, following the 2011 release of Romance without Finance. This latest work oozes heartache, with