NYS Music 20​17

Category: Features

  • Maybird Plays Hometown Gig at Three Heads Brewing

    Two things were made clear Friday night when Maybird commanded the stage at Three Heads Brewing. First, their time hitting the road playing gigs across the country has been paying off. Even in returning to Rochester, playing in front of friends, family and fans old and new, the band has shed that familiar ‘local band’ tarnish. It was still the same band, but tighter, more confident, boasting a more muscular full-bodied sound. The kind of bold sound that has been knocking out audiences far and wide.

    Secondly, the band has not forgotten their roots in the midst of their blossoming success and discovery. They were clearly excited to be back on familiar turf, showing their love for Rochester continually throughout their 80 minute set. The oldie but goodie song “One Love” they claimed is played nowhere but Rochester, led one to believe that when lead singer Josh Netsky sang, “You are my one love,” he was talking about his native city. Guitarist Overhand Sam Snyder proudly recounted how it made people happy to hear they were from Rochester when they were out on the road. But just the simple, “It’s sweet to be back home,” uttered a few songs into the set made it quite clear.

    From the building slinky psychedelia of “Maybird” to the tight big rock dueling guitar finish on “Turning Into Water,” the set was stacked with tracks from their two most recent EPs. But there were a few surprises as well. They dropped in a brand new tune “Don’t Keep Me Around” with synth-heavy grooves. A few covers were played, spanning the decades. They took on the 60’s with Brenda Lee’s “All Alone Am I,” payed tribute to early 80’s David Bowie with a perfectly funky “Ashes to Ashes” and brought it up to the last decade with a Rosewood Thieves cover, a song which Snyder had originally contributed to and one that their tour manager, Erick Jordan, had actually written. The show closed with a bombastic encore of “Call You Mine,” another older tune, the full sound bubbling over with Kurt Johnson on a ferocious electric lap steel.

    The band is about to head back out for more touring, this time sharing the stage with fellow Rochester success story Joywave. If you can’t be home, might as well take a piece of it with you.

    Setlist: Nocturne, Maybird, Ashes to Ashes (Bowie), Don’t Keep Me Around, All Alone Am I (Brenda Lee), Bluebird Flew Away, One Love, Grace, To the Stars, (Rosewood Thieves), Two Horizons, Keep in Line, Turning into Water

    Encore: Call You Mine

  • Hearing Aide: Mistar Anderson ‘Mistar Anderson’

    Mistar Anderson, a Columbus, Ohio based ensemble, have released their self-titled album, which is currently available for streaming and for purchase. The vinyl, though not yet obtainable, will be up for grabs within the coming weeks.

    mistar andersonThe group was founded in 2012 by Andre Walker (drummer) and Eric Rollin (vocalist). As a larger ensemble, the musicians within the group change from time to time. However, Walker and Rollin are the two members that have remained a constant over the years. Guitarist Ryan Sullivan, trombonist Elaine Mylius, and saxophonist Jon Weisbrot are featured within the current line-up, as well. Though Mistar Anderson started as a cover band, the group has expanded throughout the years and has begun to release their own songs, all of which hold a unique sound.

    The album Mistar Anderson contains a total of 10 tracks, each of the tunes varying in length. “Alley Talk,” the 5th tune on the album, starts with an interesting melodic marriage between Rollin’s vocals and a groovy line played on the the flute. Rollin’s deep, raspy voice is brought to a short stop as the tune transitions. His sound is then presented in a different light through rap verses. This track teeters from short bars and back to the experimental hook introduced in the beginning, making the song a unique listening experience. The track gets a bit repetitive over the span of four minutes, without many new elements introduced aside from the hip-hop flair.

    “Need Love,” the 3rd song on the album, contains a deeper tone quality, the rich sound driven by a strong bass line and lightened up by the funky twang of guitar. Rollin can be heard singing the hook and rapping the verses on this track, similar to “Alley Talk.”

    This group combines funky jazz sounds with hip-hop elements, creating a style that is uniquely their own, and it shines through on this album. They have experience with performing live shows, having performed over 100 as a group to date. The members seem comfortable on stage, interacting with the audience to a degree, front man Rollin animated as he moves around the stage whilst the band plays, as seen in a clip below. They are a different listen, and it seems that they are a unique group to see live, as well. If you’re on the look out for a new type of sound to incorporate into your music library, then give Mistar Anderson a listen.

    Key Tracks: Need Love, Pure Bliss, Para Mi Brotha B

  • Hearing Aide: Jorian Holka ‘EP1’

    At times it seems like the world of popular music is caught in a cycle of poppy repetitive chord patterns and excessive autotuned tracks. Diversity among genres is something that is beginning to thin more and more as specific niches become more established. With his new release, EP1, Buffalo-local Jorian Holka aims to break away from the mold, and weave the world back to the days when hard rock and alternative-influenced music reigned supreme with a diverse new collection of songs.

    Jorian Holka EP1The EP begins with a statement, both musically and lyrically, with the hard-rock anthem “Rock’s Not Dead.” The up-tempo rocker starts off relatively quietly with an energizing guitar riff before quickly exploding into a full rampage, which sounds like a combination of Black Sabbath and the Foo Fighters. The sentiment of “Rock’s Not Dead” is very apparent, as the feeling that our society is losing sight of what true high energy rock music is defined as slaps the listener in the face. As the album continues, it is very clear that Holka yearns to bring back the days of lightning-fast guitar licks, heavy bass lines, and catastrophic drum solos. Elements of alternative, pop, screamo and hard-rock can be found throughout the album, as Holka does a virtuous job at keeping his influences close while establishing a sound of his own.

    Influences of Green Day, Billy Talent, Royal Blood, Nickelback, and Avenged Sevenfold, among others, can be heard echoed throughout this debut EP. While most of the EP can be defined as raw, edgy hard rock, there are often glimpses of a more lighthearted musician throughout, as seen in the intro of “Ordinary.” Holka spills his soul into the EP as the sole writer, instrumentalist, and producer, and it clearly pays off. The EP may come as a relief to many with the way popular music has drifted in the past twenty years. For as long as there are still musicians who demand loud, screaming guitar solos and the desire to play until their eyes are burning with sweat, Holka is correct in saying “Rock’s Not Dead.”

    Key Tracks: Rocks’ Not Dead, Terrible Paradise, Party Lines

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

  • Listen to the new Teddy Midnight Lineup

    On Saturday November 4, Teddy Midnight returned to the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn with a new lineup for their first hometown gig in months. The genre bending duo In Flux and party-starting DJ Tucci kicked off the night. Teddy Midnight, now consisting of bassist Sean Silva, drummer Adam Magnan, and new member Danny Caridi formerly of Chromatropic on keys, debuted brand new material including originals and covers. 

    teddy midnight lineupThe trio kicked off the set with a cover of The Chemical Brothers “Go,” setting the tone for the night. Next up was the new original “Menudo Phalanges” that is a high energy disco romp in the vein of LCD Soundsystem’s relentless grooves. After a cover of EDM classic “We Are Your Friends” by Justice and Simian, the trio invited former Chromatropic guitarist Andrew Carton to the stage. Carton ripped through the first old Teddy song of the set, “Velvet Mist,” and continued through another new tune, the funky deep house influenced “French Press” and then a jam filled cover of the New Deal‘s “Back to the Middle.” The trio then threw down a cover of Deadmau5’s “Some Chords” that lead into the third new song of the night “Moon Funk” and a raucous cover of Prodigy’s big beat hit “Smack My B****Up,” an ode to cranking up the volume on a DJ mixer, a fitting end to a high energy set.

    The band’s exciting new direction is sure to turn heads and get crowds dancing from start to finish. Upcoming shows include The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany Dec. 8 and Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven on Dec. 9, both with Consider the Source, followed by a return to New York City on Dec. 28 to play a Phish Pre Party at American Beauty. Listen to the set below!

    Setlist: Go, Menudo Phalanges, We Are Your Friends, Velvet Mist >French Press, J > Back to the Middle, Some Chords, Moon Funk, Smack My B**** Up

  • The Other Brothers CD Release Party Meets Sold-Out Crowd in NYC

    New Paltz’s The Other Brothers have been playing music for a few years now, but this fall have released their debut EP, Jones. With roots of rock and funk laced with a blend of soul, The Other Brothers rightfully claimed NYS Music’s readers’ pick as band on the rise last year. On Sept. 30, The Other Brothers celebrated the release of their debut studio album.

    American Beauty, a perfectly sized music club located just around the corner from Madison Square Garden, hosted the band’s first sold out show with an incredible amount of energy on stage and in the crowd. Opening the show was NYC/Brooklyn’s own Huck, who put on a solid show and a closing DJ set was provided by Michael Suarez.

    From the moment Chris Owen (vocals) and John Morrison (guitar) took the stage for an opening duet before the full band came on, American Beauty was lit up with plenty of loyal enthusiasm. One of the captivating elements of the show was their ability to create a variety of moods throughout their sets, and even within songs. Behind Morrison and Owen were Jordan Mendelson (bass), Brandon Bera (drums), Jared Nelson (percussion), and Gabriel Marquez (keys). The flow of their work on stage came through as seamless, a sign of professionalism in musicianship, which combined with their character on stage created a downright enjoyable listening experience to dance to.

    The Other Brothers show can most simply be summed up as the mark of a local Hudson Valley band who continues to be on the rise.

    Jones is available over at their Bandcamp page.While we wait for a music video shot at the end of their American Beauty show, you can check out a video released for “A2W” here.

  • Watch Goose Cover “Crosseyed and Painless” with Chris Michetti

    Goose recently supported RAQ on a Halloween run all over the east coast.  On Friday November 3, the two acts played The Hollow Bar + Kitchen in Albany, NY. During the middle of Goose’s set, Goose invited up guitarist Chris Michetti of RAQ to cover the Talking Heads classic “Crosseyed and Painless.” Check out the video of the full sit in below!

    Goose continues their tour with shows at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT November 10 and Saturday November 11 at Ocean Mist in Wakefield, RI. For more information, click here.

  • In Their Own Words: Joey Arcuri of Driftwood

    Binghamton’s native four-piece Driftwood needs no introduction. However, they sure deserve one! Driftwood’s precise mix of folk, country, singer/songwriter, punk, pop, and rock has earned a grassroots following, mowing through the Upstate, NY music scene. Whether it’s with the complexity of their lyrical poetry, simplicity of the quiet melody, or the rampage of a old-timey fiddle, Driftwood continuously impresses their audience. The friendly folk family is currently working on an album with world-renown producer Simone Felice and are ready to take the world by storm. NYS Music sat down with Joey Arcuri, bassist of Driftwood. Arcuri riffed on his experience as a full time bass player for Driftwood, focusing on both the rewards and struggles of a career in music. Please enjoy “In Their Own Words,” bitesized nuggets of wisdom quoted directly from Joey Arcuri of Driftwood:

    On Bass

    Keep it simple…

    When you’re young you want to play all these notes. You want to play fast and virtuous, but, what you learn as a bassist is to be tasteful and support the group. This is the most important thing with all instruments, but especially with the bass. It’s not about you. It’s about the band, song, and lyrics. Ultimately, if lyrics are happening, the band is supporting the singer; the band is supporting the story. I learned that. I came from more of a virtuosic instrumental kind of mindset and matured into supporting the music and the song as a whole…Being that rock. Half notes are bad ass…holding it down…I didn’t see that when I was younger.

    I had a gig with a band once and they didn’t call me back. I wouldn’t have called myself back either. I was playing too fast and adding too many eighth notes. I was trying to do too much and not doing my roll. Often, you have to mess up to learn. I didn’t always have anyone telling me how to play a part properly. At the time, even if I did have someone, I probably wouldn’t have listened. Sometimes I didn’t get asked back, or i’d be getting looks instead of the high-five I was expecting. Not until that happened did I realize I needed to continue to learn and grow.

    On Driftwood

    I grew to love bluegrass, folk, and singer/songwriter music through Driftwood. Before, I didn’t love it, I appreciated it, but, playing and feeling the music of Driftwood inspired me. I remember when we were on the road and saw Del Mccoury for the first time…that was a huge thing for me, I was like, woah!

    We all write lyrics and our instrumental parts. Often at practice, someone will write a song and then present it to the group. We are all a little nervous presenting our own songs…it’s like, you feel naked, no one’s ever like ‘hey, you’ve got to hear this hot new track.’ Next, we let the parts come together naturally, and we give advice as we move on.

    Ultimately, we put the song through what we call the ‘road test.’ You don’t always know things until you perform a song live for a reacting and staring audience. For instance, you can tell so much by simply the crowds clapping and overall audience feedback. Like when you get a burner of a song, and you just kill it, the audience will give you a roar. And if something is not jiving, after the song, everyone’s just like giving a pity clap or something. There is so much to live performing I’ve learned on the road. It never stops; I am constantly learning.

    What makes a good show is when the people who come to see you dig it, the quality of sound, and our performance. Always, If  you have good sound and people listening to you, you’re going to kick ass and play well.

    Sound can be a battle. We’ve had shows where the audience just stare or they’re not really moving their heads too much.  We can tell if it’s good sound based on how the audience is looking and moving… you can feel it if the sound’s not on. It’s such a bummer! We want to share music and have it transferred in a smooth and comfortable way, and when it does go well, it’s so gratifying.

    I acknowledge I have chosen a field that isn’t always great financially like other ‘normal jobs.’ In a band, you need to all love each other… you hear the horror stories of bands that are fighting on the road. It’s so important to like who you’re making music with. I feel very fortunate. And when we’re on, I feel so blessed to be doing what we’re doing. It’s great to be a musician.

    On The Future

    We are preparing for creating and recording an album ten days in November. We are working with producer, Simone Felice. Simone is brothers with Ian Felice of the Felice brothers, a band he used to be a part of. Simone grew up a poet and a writer, and he has such an ear for words and lyrics. His reputation speaks for itself.

    We all wrote songs of our own and sent them in as demos and Simone has chosen 12 that he believes are cohesive and our strongest.  He’s helping bring together what songs go together as a whole, creating an album that works as a beautiful masterpiece, and so, as our producer, we’re leaving him the space to create and tell us what to do.

    We’re also excited for some special shows coming up. We’re playing a two night Thanksgiving weekend run at the Ransom Steele Tavern in Apalachin, NY on November 24 and 25. We’re calling it Foxfire Weekend. Foxfire is like the bioluminescence of fungi on wood…It creates these cool trippy colors that are vibrant. It’s just a cool word we found and it fits Driftwood. In addition, Driftwood is playing a two-night run at The Haunt in Ithaca, NY on December 30 and 31 for New Years Eve.

  • Hearing Aide: Collin Jones ‘Specimen’

    If you’ve ever experienced live music in Western/Central New York, the chances are you’ve heard Collin Jones. Whether he is out playing with Haewa, Ocular Panther, Stereo Nest, or collaborating with other local artists, the man exhales music. His new EP Specimen is a beautiful assortment of innovative folk-inspired melodies, and a raw reflection of the true essence of human existence.

    Collin Jones SpecimenThe first notes of Specimen transport the listener to a different dimension. The intricately woven acoustic rhythms and spacey loops featured throughout create an aura that is somewhere in between the past and future, but certainly not in the now. If you close your eyes and dig deeper into the EP you may suddenly get the feeling that you are alone, lost on a farm in Medieval times. However, you cannot be sure you have gone too far into the past as spaceships and the glowing effects of technological advancements cautiously linger above. The combination of folk-influenced songwriting with psychedelic loops throughout create a futuristic Americana sound that can delicately be defined as an Emersonian audio experience.

    It would not be fair to single out any particular track when discussing this EP, as each individual song molds together to create a magnificent sum. Had Jones decided to record the songs as a string of instrumental tracks it would be worth your listen, but thankfully he chose to layer it with soothing vocals and thought-provoking samples. The theme of the album can be heard scattered throughout, and demands that you truly examine the human condition. He asks substantial questions like why are we here, and what’s it all for? However, he dares not provide answers, but rather guides the listener to an optimistic acceptance of the world we live in. As you reach the end of the final track, ‘Chapel Perilous,’ you are a caught in an anxious daydream of wanting more with the feeling of being lost in a snowstorm and glad to have nothing left to do but keep wandering. It would not be inappropriate to queue up “Throw Hands” again, and spend a little more time in the angelic world of Collin Jones.

    Key Tracks: Throw Hands, Specimen, Cube

  • Sly Fox and the Hustlers release video for ‘Smooth’

    Sly Fox and the Hustlers have released the video for “Smooth,” off the group’s most recent studio album American Gypsy. The video was filmed at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, prior to recent remodeling of the cozy, worn in, rock club. With renovations now complete, the video now serves as a piece of nostalgia towards the ‘old’ Den.

    Sly Fox spoke with NYS Music about the “Smooth” video and the Hustlers.

    The concept for the ‘Smooth’ video is a grifter girl sneaking into the club and hustling a few of the regulars at a pool game and a few drinks at the bar. She then sets her sights on the door man and more importantly the door money bag after she sees him counting the money. She then tries to put some moves on him with the hopes of making off with the cash. If you want to know if she succeeds you will have to watch the video!

    Stay up to date for shows from Sly Fox and the Hustlers on their Facebook page.

  • Premiere: The Bowling Alley Sound present latest single “Alabama Dissonance”

    Northern New Jersey post-rock band The Bowling Alley Sound has released their latest single “Alabama Dissonance,” on their label 46 West, exclusively through NYS Music. The single follows their 2017 sophomore EP The Bowling Alley Sound, which was named a “Fresh Find” for the first half of 2017 by Spotify.

    The inspiration for this song came from a cross-country road trip with friends. “We were driving down an Alabama highway in the middle of the night,” describes guitarist Mike Basil. “Truckers were speeding past us, rain was pouring, and the thunder was unbearably loud. The woods along the highway were aflame in the distance. This tense, otherworldly experience is reflected in the song’s dissonant chords, loud feel changes, and cymbal crashes. In contrast, the youthful voice of my nephew adds peace and resolve to the track, leading it out of a confusing place.”

    The Bowling Alley Sound is a five piece instrumental band consisting of guitar (Mike Basil), drums (Nick Looney), bass (Andrew Capuano), violin (Isaac Rubins), and trumpet (Danny Molloy), and when combined bring together a sound that evokes artists such as Do Make Say Think, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai and other ambient minimalist musicians.