NYS Music 20​17

Category: Features

  • Hearing Aide: John Ginty ‘Rockers’

    John Ginty has recently released a new album titled, Rockers, featuring his band’s new lead vocalist, Aster Pheonyx. This is his fourth studio effort, which was set into motion following his discovery of Pheonyx’s powerhouse vocals when she opened for his band at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Following some backstage conversation and jamming, he invited her to perform with his band and the chemistry during the unplanned performance was what led to the birth of this swell new line-up and album.

    Ginty is a celebrated performer and recording artist, known not only for his mastery on organ and keys, but also his extensive catalog of performances as a session musician. His career kicked off in the mid-1990’s following his contribution on Neal Casal’s “Fade Away Diamond Time,” which opened a number of doors for him. He joined Jewel’s touring band soon after, and then, went on to perform on records by Citizen Cope, Matthew Sweet and Shannon McNally. Ginty joined Robert Randolf in 2000, as a founding member of Robert Randolf & the Family Band. He has performed with nationally acclaimed artists such as, Warren Haynes, Albert Castiglia, Cris Jacobs, Alecia Chakour, Todd Wolfe and more.

    His band also features Justine Gardner on bass, Maurice “Moe” Watson on drums and BKG vocals, and Mike Buckman on guitar. Special guests on the album include Jimmy Bennett (guitar), Paul Gerdts (BKG vocals), Josh Gannet (guitar, percussion, backwoods), Paul Kuzik (bass) and Reggie Noble as DJ.

    Aster Pheonyx certainly brings her own flair to the table, bringing spice to Ginty’s expertise with her compelling vocals. Pheonyx, a three-time winner of the Top Female Vocalist from the Elephant Talk Indie Music Awards, is influenced by artists like Beth Hart, Susan Tedeschi and Amy Helm, which is undeniable in the way her sound ripped through the 12-track album that she co-wrote with Ginty.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZgPXVv1Z5o

    The first track, “The Shark,” doesn’t feature vocals, and instead eases you in with a funky melody that has Ginty rip-roaring the organ. “Lucky 13,” a hard rocking blues number that features the full band and Aster’s raging vocals that fit the music like a glove, was released as a single prior to the album release, with an accompanying music video. It has an urgent tone that shows right off the bat the power of Pheonyx’s vocals, underlined by the band’s rock fusion. “Believe in Smoke” is a great track, because it showcases the successful combination of Ginty’s sound buttered by Aster’s vocals, before diving into a great jam at the end of the song. “WKYA” breaks up the music a bit with an amusing skit featuring Reggie Noble as a radio DJ interviewing Ginty.

    Another favorite was “Mountains Have My Name,” which is where one can really hear the Susan Tedeschi influence on Aster’s voice, while the keys in this track add a special element. This beautiful soulful number features Ginty on piano and is about a woman who is called away from her man by the mountains. The instrumental title track, “Rockers,” is the last track, and it is a great way to close the album, because it leaves the audience with a full lick of their musical capacity.

    John Ginty is currently on tour in the south. He returns to the Northeast for an album release party on Feb. 17 at Revolution in Morristown, New Jersey. He also plays the Fountain House in Newton, New Jersey on Feb. 24. Rockers will be released on Friday, Feb. 17. For tickets and more information visit here.

    Key tracks: Lucky 13, Believe in Smoke, Mountains Have My Name, Target on the Ground, Captain Hook

  • Get the Led Out at The Palace

    I am not old enough to have said that I was lucky enough to see the original line up of the mighty Led Zeppelin in their hay day, but I have to say I came mighty close with seeing Page and Plant touring together back in the 90s. I also have been lucky enough to see Robert Plant solo whenever the chance presented itself, but it was never the real deal. When it looked like the remaining boys and Jason Bonham were going to get back together to do a tour in 2007, we were all on the verge of Nirvana, but that fell apart.

    So what is a poor fanboy to do in the face of never seeing this timeless material live? A Zep tribute band of course, and not just any tribute band but Get the Led Out from Philadelphia, PA, who took over the Palace Theatre on Saturday, February 11. With their passion for Zeppelin completely eclipsing mine, I knew I was in for a night of pure heaven. Get the Led out is made up of Paul Sinclair on lead vocals and harmonica, Andrew Lipke, vocals, guitar, theremin, and keyboard, Paul Hammond, on guitar and mandolin, Jimmy Marchiano on guitar and vocals, Phil DeAgostino on bass, Diana DeSantis, vocals on “The Battle of Evermore” and Adam Ferraioli on drums these fine musicians with exclusion of a few lineup changes early on have been bringing these past masterpieces to life since 2003. This was no Las Vegas theater show where the players are dressed up with wigs and crazy period costumes these folks came to play and played they did.

    Albany’s Palace Theater was packed with the Zeppelin faithful and the band kicked off the show with a ferocious version of “Rock and Roll” which set the tempo for the beginning of the first set. They followed up with “How Many Times,” “Killing Floor,” and “The Lemon Song.” They took it down a notch with “Down By the Seaside,” “Babe I am gonna Leave You,” and “Ramble On.” Sinclair proved himself a force to be reckon with a consummate version of “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” which then transitioned again to the mellow side of Zeppelin with “Going To California,” “The Battle Of Evermore” which featured the extremely talented Diana DeSantis on a stirring backup vocal. The band finished the first set with a crowd pleasing version of “Hey Hey What Can I do.”

    After a short break the band came back in force for the beginning of the second set with a classic version of “The Song Remains the Same” followed by “The Rain Song.” Then it was drummer Adam Ferraioli’s turn to take center stage with a version of “Moby Dick” that would have made John Bonham proud. Finally the band rounded up the final set with versions of “Thank You,” “The Rover,” and fan favorite “Kashmir.” The band left the stage and the crowd called them back for an encore that started with Zeppelin IV’s “Black Dog” and “Stairway To Heaven” and finally ended with a killer version of Zeppelin II’s Whole Lotta Love.

    Lead Singer Paul Sinclair nailed the nail on the head when he said on stage that the band were first and foremost Led Zeppelin fans just like the audience and it was apparent the band was feeling the love from an incredibly grateful audience that appreciated the craftsmanship and skill that Get the Led Out had for this amazing material.

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers Play Key Bank Center

    I can’t believe I made it this far in life without ever seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers but I’m so glad I was able to drive in a snow storm from Syracuse to the Key Bank Center in Buffalo on February 10 to make this at the last possible minute.  I just feel bad for missing the openers. Going into this concert my first thought was “what on earth is this band going to be like without John Frusciante?!”  And honestly this band still holds its own as the kings of funk rock. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is damn amazing at what he does, plays the parts justified, the solos slightly different, but nails the backing vocals.

    Overall, the band is as vital as it ever was, and show no signs of slowing down.  But their stage production was massive and unique.   Above the crowd and stage was the new kinetic light sculpture, designed by the production company called TAIT Towers.  This technique and stage design has  never been done before at other shows.  The band made an ambitious move to excite the crowd and add to their already insane musical experience.  It is really hard to explain how these lights work but check out this link to see a better explanation.

    The band opened with a cool little jam before frontman Anthony Kiedis stormed the stage before going into “Can’t Stop” and “Dani California.”  I also want to point out that Flea is still one of the most bad ass bassists ever to grace music and Chad Smith can pound the drums meaner than Animal the Muppet.  Eat your heart out Will Farrell.  Also in addition to all the crazy production, the band had additional musicians when they performed songs off their latest album The Getaway.  They had an additional guitarist, keyboardist, and percussionist to make the songs more massive.  It was also cool to see the band do jams, bass interludes, and guitar solos in between songs, as well as showing off their sense of humor.

    One of the highlights of the night was “Aeroplane” which was off their 1995 album One Hot Minute which featured Dave Navarro on guitar at the time….which was why it was such an unexpected treat to hear.  And my life was complete towards the end of the show when they played the iconic “Under The Bridge.”  Found it interesting when the band did a cover of Iggy and The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy” in which Kiedis took his shirt off.  Not sure if that was supposed to be a nod to Iggy himself.  The band closed off their set with “By The Way” before a kick ass two song encore of “Good Bye Angels” off The Getaway and the oh-so-fun and dirty song “Give It Away” which the crowd went bananas over.

    Overall it was an unforgettable night, I would expect RHCP will be back in NY very soon and will still sell out a massive arena…and it would be great to see what kind of ambitious production they would carry next.  Not to mention with so many albums out, there’s so many songs that still need to be incorporated into their set.

  • Castle Studio: Rehearsal and Recording Studio for Burgeoning New Paltz Scene

    In the Hudson Valley, the village of New Paltz is giving rise to a healthy music scene. With venues like Snug’s Harbor and Oasis Cafe, and bands including The Other Brothers and Upstate Rubdown, Castle Studio arrives as a key component to the scene. Castle Studio serves as a welcome recording and practice space for bands in the area who seek to stay local while playing and recording music in the midst of touring out of the greater lower Hudson Valley region. Open for less than two years, Castle Studio is the preeminent recording studio in the area, and Danny Berger spoke to NYS Music about the early history of the recording space and how the studio benefits New Paltz area bands.

    Pete Mason: What inspired you to open Castle Studio?

    Danny Berger: Two years ago, Jim Kramer had bought this really stunning 4 acre property just outside of New Paltz, and I went to check it out for the first time in August 2015. There was all this extra space on the property, including this garage-workshop that was in its own building. It was like looking at a blank canvas. I knew I wanted to do something creative with it and proposed the idea of turning it into a cool music rehearsal space. I’m a musician, so I wanted to use it for myself, and I also felt there’d be a demand in the community for a fully equipped studio, especially among the college students. Jim’s company, Organic Harmony Music Management, manages the local band Upstate Rubdown, and they needed a place to rehearse at the time, so he was into the idea. So we started the project as part of his company.

    PM: Where did the name come from?

    DB: When Jim worked full time in the music industry, he and his friends lived in a mansion they nicknamed “The Castle.” Fast forward a few decades and my friend Henry, who is also Jim’s son, dubbed the new property “The Castle” in reverence to the mansion of yesteryear. Plus, it really was a shock to see such a beautiful and expansive property after living in college housing. We all sort of knew it was much more than just a house, but at the time we didn’t know what form it would take.

    castle studioPM: Castle Studio is not just a rehearsal space, but also a studio and music venue. How has managing these three focal points contributed to your success? How has it hampered success?

    DB: The main focal point has always been rehearsals, and we’re doing well in that regard. This past fall, as the space was starting to take shape, I realized I needed to get creative in order to get the word out about the studio. I got a bunch of my friends in bands to play a show to get bodies into the space to see the mural that had just been finished by my talented friend, Mel Berardicelli. I think it was really successful. A lot of people showed up, the bands all sounded great and everyone had a blast. But once you promote a show, and it goes over well, you get bit by the bug. It’s kind of a high, and you have to do it again. It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it. So I put on a couple more shows and I think it’s provided additional publicity as well as being a ton of fun.

    The first time we did a recording session was a surprise. The Other Brothers had booked a couple of days and brought in my friend Max Siegal to engineer the session. It went really well, so Max and I decided to offer recording services to anyone who wanted them. For me, Castle Studio is a rehearsal space first, but if someone likes the sound of the room and thinks the view of the mountains is pretty enough to hole up for a recording session, we’re more than happy to have them.

    PM: What background do you and Jim Kramer have that makes you confident in the future of Castle Studio?

    DB: Jim and I both have strong backgrounds in music, but in different ways. He used to work in the industry as a booking agent for a lot of big bands, and has a solid business-oriented mind. Plus, I know the local scene in New Paltz. I know the young musicians and some of the long-time veterans. I have connections at the college and some of the local music businesses in town and they’ve really helped me out with referrals. The reciprocal, collaborative nature of the music community here has really been a blessing.

    PM: What variety of events do you currently hold at Castle, and what long term ideas do you hope to explore and bring to fruition over the next two years?

    DB: There are a lot of ideas cooking in the pot right now. Yoga classes with live music, monthly jam sessions, big cookouts with great local bands, live art installations during concerts, flow arts, hopefully even a mini-festival. I think we’ll just have to wait and see.

  • This Week in Protest Music: Tribe at the Grammys, Depeche Mode and Standing Rock

    In a busy week for protest music, the Grammy’s served as ground zero for speaking out against the actions of the Administration in Washington, D.C. Katy Perry wore a ‘Persist’ armband, a nod to Senator Elizabeth Warren.

    A Tribe Called Quest stole the show at the Grammy’s with a three song medley of “Award Tour,” “Movin Backwards,” and “We the People,” which featured Busta Rhymes thanking the President:”

    “I wanna thank President Agent Orange for perpetuating all the evil that you’ve been perpetuating throughout the United States. I wanna thank President Agent Orange for your unsuccessful attempt at the Muslim ban. Now we come together!”

    Depeche Mode released the video for “Where’s the Revolution,” off their upcoming album Spirit, due out March 17th. The lyrics are straightforward – wondering where the revolution is – and the video dark with nods to authoritarian leaders.

    “You’ve been kept down / You’ve been pushed ’round / You’ve been lied to/ You’ve been fed truths / Who’s making your decisions / You or your religion / Your government, your countries / You patriotic junkiesWhere’s the revolution / Come on people / You’re letting me down / Where’s the revolution / Come on people / You’re letting me down”

    Joan Baez talked to Rolling Stone to discuss protest movements in the 1960s and today and her feelings on our current president.

    Billboard checked in with record shops around the country to see what protest music people are buying. Stores in L.A, NYC, Detroit and Madison, WI were sampled and among others, Bob Dylan’s music stands the test of time.

    Wayne Coyne isn’t a fan of protest music, telling Newsweek “If you want to protest, you can’t do it abstractly. Music only works as an abstraction.”

    Musicradar.com takes a negative (or tongue in cheek – we really couldn’t tell) look at why protest songs are making things worse.

    Glassine, a musician from Baltimore, created a track comprised solely of samples from the Women’s March to benefit Planned Parenthood.

    Charlene Haparimwi from Depaul University writes for Huffington Post with a look at women of color in folk music, a direct tie-in to protest music of today and yesteryear.

    Trapdoor Social, an activist-centered music group, produced “Never Stop Listening,” focuses on the group’s experiences at Standing Rock in North Dakota, and the fight that has yet to come.

    This cover of Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” includes overviews of the protests in the past four weeks.

    People Magazine has as list of 16 protest songs from the past century, including some lesser known tunes.

    Brendan Maclean’s explicit “House of Air” video was pulled off YouTube and Huffington Post discussed the idea behind the song and video with him.

    Washington D.C. group Coup Sauvage and The Snips released Heirs of Nothing, the title track speaking like a sermon on gentrification before it gets funky.

    The Cornel West Theory released “#weaintblack,” using samples from Cornel West speeches ahead of deep lyrics on race and the struggle of African-Americans through U.S. history

    The Observer, serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s colleges, reflects on how we arrived at 2017 with a look at modern protest music, summing up the current state of affairs:

    Internet fundraising in 2017 may not have Country’s Joe’s iconic flare or Springsteen’s popular appeal, but it makes up for these shortcomings with its clear logistical vision. Awareness won’t cut it anymore. A successful movement turns its obstacles into assets and embraces a political game movement in which persuasion is king and money the most convincing premise

  • Disco Biscuits Drop Mid-Run Heater at the Fillmore

    All Disco Biscuits shows are not created equal.  Throughout their career, the band has gone through periods of inconsistency that can last for years at a time.  In fact, the only guarantee involved in attending a Biscuits run are the differing opinions that the massively diverse fan-base somehow accumulates over the course of the weekend.  The Disco Biscuits homecoming at the Fillmore Philadelphia last weekend drove this point home yet again, with nearly everyone’s preference all over the musical map.  Thursday, February 2 kicked the weekend off with a rarely played tune, “Biscuits Are Coming Home” which has only been performed 3 times previous, the last of which was in 2010.

    From the information gathered, it seems as though there was a 33/34/33 split as to who championed February 2, 3, and 4 as the best shows, respectively.  Friday happened to be my 50th Disco Biscuits show, so let’s hope there isn’t a slight bias in my agreeing with the slight majority.  Thursday’s setlist selections didn’t seem to stream, while Saturday was nearly completely frequent repeats (with several of the evening’s tracks having been performed multiple times during the last 3 runs)  from last year’s rotation.  Anyway, let’s put on our red shoes and dance.

    The 3rd began with familiar Philadelphia locals, Swift Technique.  Combining aspects of funk, rock and roll, and hip hop with a heavy rhythm section and the sparkling lead vocals of Chelsea ViaCava provided an excellent warm up to the ultimately horny theme of the evening.  A skintight rendition of Rage Against the Machine’s “Know Your Enemy” provided the horn section a platform on which to display their multifaceted choreography routine; playing while darting through the crowd to the delight of surprised early birds.

    The Biscuits hit the stage a few minutes before 10 PM, coming hot off the line with “Bernstein And Chasnoff.”  Guitarist Jon “Babs” Gutwillig took a few minutes to gain his sea legs, but by the time they rolled into “Voices Insane” his licks and hairstyle for the evening fulfilled the wacky technicality demanded by the composition.  The solo was noticeably brighter than the commonly minor and eerie jam that suits the song’s unsettling lyrical content. It appropriately continued the upbeat theme as bassist Marc “Brownie” Brownstein slapped it silly into the end of “Bernstein and Chasnoff,” bringing the first segment of the night to a promising end.

    Quite a tasty sandwich, and only the first course!  The opening bars of “The Very Moon” proved another slight challenge for the Barber, but he seemed to lock in and flash a smile at keyboardist Aron Magner just as the galloping acoustic piano lit up the whole room. With 2 crystal chandeliers flanking the stage on either side of the ceiling at the Fillmore, the light show was multiplied in a dazzling array of prisms.  Just as the tune was about to peak into its heavy riffing funk section, Swift Technique’s horn section rejoined the stage for a seamless transition into Rick James’ “Give it To Me Baby,” which the Disco Biscuits have played once before on Halloween of 2015, also accompanied by horns.  This version seemed more frequently rehearsed, having been at both performances.  The ST horns exited stage left as the funk cover transitioned into an ending of the old school “Morph Dusseldorf” to complete the final round of the first set.

    After a quick half hour plus set break, the boys from Philly came out swingin’ harder than Rocky with a pummeling “King of the World,” with the horns of Swift Technique once again in their corner.  Drummer Allen Aucoin kept pace as immaculately as usual, slowing things down for a debut cover of David Bowie’s 1983 smash hit “Let’s Dance.”  The white lasers playing off the disco ball like a crown brought the energy of the crowd straight back to the 80’s dance vibe that we all hate to love.  Disco Biscuit cover tunes are usually not, in any way, my bag; but something about Gutwillig’s low crooning register actually worked with the classic.  It was roughly 10 to 15 times more together than last year’s covers of “Touch Me” and some other unmemorable tripe at the February Fillmore run, which were also performed with Swift Technique horns. And the Doors are completely unbearable as it is.

    The resulting improvisation was quite danceable, flirting with a few familiar melodies before taking flight with an inverted “Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.”  “Astronaut” continued the segment with a surprising drop in and quite the dreamy bridge, conjuring an image and feeling of zero gravity.  There were many contradictory opinions as to where the next jam was leading, and the Biscuits turned up the heat big time with the lead in to the chorus of “Down to the Bottom,” playing a fully dyslexic version instead of their typical last-first inversion arrangement.  Combining that classic with the end of “Confrontation” to bring the evening to a close left many fans with their favorite high energy segment of the weekend.  For the encore the boys selected “On Time,” which was a bit strange considering they played it in the encore slot on the second night of last year’s Fillmore run as well.

    With two down and one to go, the internet was ablaze with vastly differing commentary.  We rushed to our Ubers and off to typical Philly after parties in cramped lofts to continue having our brains jangled by DJs, Space Bacon, and other sixth tier jam squads…and to continue the beautiful and elusive flight of the Flugel.

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  • Hearing Aide: Thievery Corporation ‘The Temple of I & I’

    Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, better known as the electronic duo, Thievery Corporation, have been genre-blending their way from upbeat dance halls to groovy lounges for over two decades. Their new album, The Temple of I & I, which drops on February 10, presents two middle-aged music-heads redefining their sound once again. While their last album, Saudade, took the group to Brazil to gather ideas from their bossa nova upbringing, Temple drops them off on the beautiful beaches of Jamaica in search of inspiration from a higher power.

    The roots rock reggae feel can be found immediately as “Thief Rockers” treats listeners to their first hit and much like featured artist Zee’s lyrics indicate, the sound has also “got the magic ganja gonna make your head spin.” The delicate mix of ambient-dub with Jamaican vocals sets the vibe for the remainder of the hour-long Caribbean vacation.

    Thievery Corporation is known for eliciting talent from hip-hop to trance backgrounds, and in their new album, they discovered Kingston’s own singer and MC, Racquel Jones. “Letter to the Editor” is the first of two tracks she appears on and her fast paced flow glides well with the disco-dub beat. Long-time collaborator, Mr. Lif, uses his lyrics to tackle worldwide socioeconomic conditions in “Ghetto Matrix.” After a highly political 2016, this protest-tronic piece fits into early 2017 with unfortunate ease. “It’s a complex plan that keeps us confined,” can be easily said about political interest in Jamaica as well as here in the states and around the world.

    Our nation’s capitol is where Thievery Corporation calls home and in tracks like “Weapons of Distraction,” “Road Blocks,” and Mr. Lif’s second appearance, and“Fight to Survive,” there are signs of revolt and reaction to injustices from the duo and the supporting artists. While The Temple of I & I could serve as a good sit-down and smoke a joint album, it also works as a stand up and raise a fist mix.

    “Strike the Root,” showcases a Thievery Corporation regular, Notch Howell, singing over a dub beat with a horn section that sounds reminiscent to the Star Wars “Force Theme.” “Let The Chalice Blaze” is a timeless track from these electronic kingpins that would fit nicely on to any one of their eight studio albums. The Temple of I & I may be one of their wordiest releases to date, but this instrumental track brings new and old Corp. fans to a safe space.

    In reference to the record’s title, Hilton explains, “It is a place of worship that exists only in our imagination.” While the album sounds uniquely different from previous releases, there is the central theme of consciousness and self-reflection that melodically finds its way into most of their work. The eclectic arrangement of varying themes and sonic journeys give each listener a chance to enter one’s own temple.

    Key Tracks: Thief Rockers, The Temple of I & I, Let The Chalice Blaze

  • EC Radio Launches in Utica

    Former owner of The Electric Company, Anthony ‘Zee’ Donaldson, offers a glimmer of hope for the Utica music scene in the form of EC Radio. Launched in January, the radio show host has had a hand in the Utica area for more than 20 years, owning the fabled venue from 2002-2012. With the new show, Zee hopes to breathe life back into The Handshake City.

    The Utica music scene has fallen on hard times in recent years. The 2012 closing of The Electric Company marked the lack of a main music venue in town, and Utica Music and Arts Festival not returning in the fall of 2016 have not been the best news for the once burgeoning scene in Central New York. Utica does have Saranac Brewery summer concert series that continues to be well-received and attended by fans for a variety of music each summer, but the rest of the year, the Utica scene is struggling, to put it lightly.

    EC RadioPete Mason: What made you want to start EC Radio?

    Zee: EC Radio starts with the D. Disruption Networks is a new media channel my partners and I launched on January 30th this year and features a lot of uncensored talk shows. On EC Radio I like to focus on live music, indie bands and introducing the world to all different types of music.

    PM: What can listeners expect to hear when they tune in?

    Zee: Topics range from everyday life, music, sports, different segments and interviews. All uncensored and live.

    PM: As the former owner of the Electric Company, which closed in 2012, how has the Utica music scene fared in recent years?

    Zee: There’s a lack of venues unfortunately. It’s a risk to run a live music venue. People aren’t supporting live music like they used to. It’ll come back again. It’s always a constant circle.

    PM: How can the Utica scene find its footing again?

    Zee: I hope my new platform with EC Radio will help get people out there supporting the music.

    PM: Are there bands in the Utica area that may be part of a future renaissance?

    Zee: There’s so much talent in the 315, I would be typing for days, but off the top of my head: Rusty Doves, Glen Street, Nineball, Mason’s Revolt, Copper Vein Clones, Enemy Down, Dying Breed, Floodwood, jay n nick, Alpaca, Matt Lomeo Band, Showtime, Simple Props, The Bomb, Gridley Paige, Dave Snediker Band, Joe Sweet n John Kelsey, Old Main, and there’s way more but that.

    EC Radio airs Monday through Friday from 3-6pm. Tune in!

  • Strange Machines Launch Kickstarter Campaign for First Full Length Album “Voice of Color”

    Strange Machines is hitting 9b Studio in Milford, MA this winter to record Voice of Color, the band’s first full length album. Working with producer Toft Willingham (Spiritual Rez) who also worked with the band on 2014’s Turn the Tide, the group has launched a Kickstarter campaign with a great deal of rewards for fans new and old.

    Guitarist/singer Mike MacDonald talked to NYS Music about the campaign and shed some light on the project. Catch them on the road this spring at April 8 at Putnam Den with Lord Electro and April 20 at The Haunt in Ithaca supporting TAUK.

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/strangemachines/strange-machines-first-full-length-album

    Pete Mason: The video is hilarious and gets the message across for purpose of the Kickstarter in a unique way. How did you guys come up with the concept and how long did it take to shoot?

    Mike MacDonald: Haha the video was a blast to make, we were in tears laughing the whole time. The concept came from myself and Toft one night in the studio tossing around concept idea’s and that one stuck. We shot it the next day over the course of several hours, Toft has a great eye for film.

    PM: You are recording at 9b Studios in Milford, Mass. How did you come across the studio for your first album and what brings you back for the second time, with producer Toft Willingham?

    MM: We came across 9b back in 2013 when our previous bass player recommended the studio for our first music video shoot. We did our Steal Away video there with Toft and clicked immediately with him on both a creative and personal level. The chemistry was right so we decided to do our whole EP there and we couldn’t have made a better choice. Toft is an incredible producer, he brings a wealth of technical knowledge to the table as well as creative input and is just down right fun to work with. He’s become a great friend over the years. 9b has almost become like a second home to us, we feel completely relaxed and at ease there which is essential when creating any form of art. It’s for all these same reasons that we decided to return for our new album.

    PM: How does the upcoming album “Voice of Color” compare to 2014’s “Turn the Tide”?

    MM: You’re going to see a whole new side of SM on this record. Some new songs as well as some we’ve been playing out for awhile but with a new twist. We also have two new members since the last one which brings a very different feel. It’s already starting to sound incredible, we couldn’t be more excited to share it with everyone. Turn the Tide was a very reggae-oriented album; and while Voice of Color touches on some reggae at points, there is much more diversity. A lot of rock and a lot of funk with hints of livetronica, hip hop and other things all  while keeping to our roots. I think there is something for everyone on this album.

    PM: How has Strange Machines grown and evolved over the past 5 years, and where does 2017 find the band headed, both directionally and on tour?

    MM: The band has evolved a great deal since it’s incarnation back in 2012. We’ve had several lineup changes but we’ve finally found the perfect fit. Isaac and Craig are both incredible musicians and we’re lucky to have found them. We all have very diverse musical backgrounds which has been the cornerstone for our eclectic sound which is constantly developing and changing. We’re dreaming big for 2017; we plan to release the album in May and we will be releasing our spring tour soon with some big surprises in the mix. We also plan to hit more festivals than ever before this summer, which ones we can’t say just yet but there’s some good ones on deck. We’ve even discussed doing our first tour to Colorado in the fall but that’s still a little ways away. Keep an eye out for spring dates coming soon.

  • Hearing Aide: Laughed the Boy ‘Here Is Fine’

    At long last, some honest indie rock rolls around and it comes from the great white north, of all places. Laughed the Boy‘s style is guitar driven, easy to enjoy and  edgy. They’ve had some time to nail their sound so it’s very refined and professional. That, coupled with the production quality makes this a record that will definitely yield some recognition.

    Most of their music was created by singer, guitarist and bassist Chris Panacci and were brought to fruition with help from his brother Sean who plays drums on the recordings. Their goal, according to a press release, was to create “honest and unpretentious 90’s nostalgia inspired songs,” and it’s safe to say that’s a mission accomplished. The brothers recorded a few albums together and soon after brought bassist Brennan Hrehoruk on board so they could perform their creations live. During rehearsals, they created several new songs that will be released as a full album on February 10.

    There’s a few key tracks that listeners should look into that will quickly help them decide if this is their cup of tea, and “Autumn” is the best place to start. The tone is fairly melancholy, with chord progressions that don’t seem to flow together nicely, but somehow work perfectly. It’s a bit like anti-pop (pop meaning popular music in general) but their sound is natural and doesn’t come across as ostentatious. Instead, listeners get the sense that the songs are inspired and genuine. In other words, it doesn’t feel like they listened to a four chord  pop/rock song and say, “let’s do the opposite of that.”

    They created something that comes across as a real expression of themselves. “Autumn” is definitely the least aggressive track and is more dainty with most of the attitude coming from a lightly distorted guitar solo found at the tail end of the song. Laughed the Boy’s music is very reminiscent of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind”  but a little more brushed up and refined. This is definitely true when compared to “Bell Rock” and “I Sold Out For This.”

    Another key track is “Warm Hands Cold Feat.” It sounds very much like Ben Folds without the piano, which isn’t a bad sound for them, but it most likely won’t be a direction they will go with on future records. It’s a little too airy and lighthearted for them, but it’s definitely one that people will enjoy. It’s a nice segue into the realm of indie/punk/rock because it can be very hit or miss with listeners. Many of their other songs sound pretty similar, like “Double Down” and “Trip Down the Gold Mine.” They’re well done, but the works mentioned before are definitely ones to be looked into first.

    This is a great album for those interested in delving into the world of indie rock. The name of the genre  brings to mind a sound of angst and pretentiousness which can push people away, but if listeners dig deep enough they can find groups like Laughed the Boy that create quality work that’s fun and addictive.

    The album drops Friday, February 10th. Listeners can find singles from the new album on their  Soundcloud account.

    Key Tracks: Autumn, Bell Rock, I Sold Out For This, Warm Hands Cold Feat