Ithaca’s growing music scene includes prog soul project Noon Fifteen. This band of seasoned musicians have blended elements of 60’s rock and 70’s blues, creating catchy songs that make it impossible to sit still. The songs on their debut release, Volume 1, showcase powerhouse vocals, intriguing musical arrangements, and captivating story lines.
The EP captures attention from the first track, “Knock Knock Knock.” Sassy chanteuse Mandy Goldman sings about the time her drunken neighbor was banging on her door in the middle of the night. The story takes a surprising twist as she waits for an apology, and hopes that it would come in the form of an Olive Garden gift card. Goldman’s powerhouse vocals are backed by funky rhythms, starring Harry Nichols on bass and Chris Armitage on drums. The songs have a timeless quality, achieved in part through the use of vintage instruments, with Joe Massa on guitar and Sam Lupowitz on keyboard. Saxophones punctuate the melody, adding yet another layer of dimension to this plucky little number.
A couple other songs on Volume 1 incorporate horns (trumpet and sax), as well as a string section featuring violins and cellos. One of them is “Dave Coulier.” This tale of passion and revenge features a character who realizes that she is only loved when she is needed. “I will be the girl to fix it for you,” later becomes the bitter line “I won’t be the girl to fix it for you.” The instrumentation also reflects the change. It starts as a jangly and upbeat love song, with some hand claps thrown in for good measure. It becomes progressively darker as the narrator becomes more embittered, and picks up as she exacts vengeance. Each chapter is separated by a dramatic musical interlude. The song was originally titled “You Oughtta Know,” but Alanis Morissette already used that title for one of her songs.
“Her (Morisette’s) song is about Dave Coulier, the actor who played Uncle Joey on Full House,” Nichols told NYS Music. “So, in a moment of randomness equal to that of the song’s overall composition, we called the song Dave Coulier.”
Overall, the EP is a jam, with infectious grooves, skillful arrangements, and rich vocals. As the title Volume 1 suggests, this is just the beginning for this group. Just don’t let the name throw you: it’s always a good time to listen to Noon Fifteen.
Chris Eves and The New Normal debut their album Find Your Way this Friday night, December 22 at Funk n Waffles in downtown Syracuse, and on a busy night of Christmas parties and shows, its a must-see show given the prowess shown on this release. Recorded, produced and mastered at More Sound Studios in Syracuse by The New Normal and Andrew Greacen, this homegrown album and band sound ready to deliver in a live setting.
Chris Eves Band
Opening tracks “Remember to Forget” and “Green and Blue” show off the guitar work of Jay Lock, with the latter a stand out track on the album, truly soaring to height after height. “Walking on a Wire” is light and poppy in a Dave Matthews/Dispatch way, down to the built in crowd sing along. “Find Your Way” – all eight minutes of it – is a journey of a song, with peaks and valleys with an Assembly of Dust vibe throughout, down to Mike D’Ambrosio’s keys, which shine even more on “On Rainy Days.”
The album doesn’t have a lull or soft spot, and halfway through there’s a steady rock groove that gets harder with “The Chains You Wear,” with an early Soundgarden vibe. “Fall” is the hardest rocking track, bringing to mind moe.’s “McBain” and “George” amid an accelerated raging first half and a mellow reflective second one that turns up with Bayliss/Cinninger-esque guitar licks. Eves’ vocals are a treat throughout the album – like a diamond in the rough of jam band vocalists – notably, on the soul-extending “New Normal” and song of longing that closes the album, “Flown Away.”
Most tracks clock in between 4-6 minutes, giving a sign that these songs will stretch out much further in a live setting. After a few listens to the album, two things are apparent: Find Your Way is a debut album with shine and depth, and The New Normal might be the best new band out of Syracuse.
Key Tracks: Green and Blue, When the Stars Start Falling, Fall
With a wide ranging variety of music across the state, New York has an intense amount of bands releasing music each year, much of it recorded in New York State. Whether it was recorded at in Syracuse at Subcat Studios, at Albany’s Overit Studios, New Paltz’s Castle Studios, or Dreamland Recording in Woodstock (among the numerous options around the state), these 2017 albums from homegrown artists reflect the diverse music being produced right at home in New York.
Dopapod may be taking 2018 off, but they left a fantastic album for fans prior to their year long hiatus. After their Fall Tour closing show in Syracuse this past Saturday, the band gears up for two final shows – December 30 at Fete Music Hall in Providence, and December 31 at Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Catch em while you can, because these NYS Music faves won’t be back until 2019!
Read what Alyssa Ladzinski had to say about Megagem: “With their most themed release to date, its apparent the quartet knew exactly where they wanted to go, as they take their listeners on a dream pop journey to the center of self fulfillment. The 5th studio album comes a a bittersweet symphony, the last creative piece relinquished by the jam rockers before the looming hiatus. While its bittersweet to know you wont witness the live, raw talent of a band so deserving of its praises for an entire year, at the very least, we’re left to see how the entire album translates on stage and if any of those strings just so happen to surface during fall tour.”
Ithaca’s Big Mean Sound Machine is no small touring band. Nine members have been storming the Northeast for the past few years, and their fan funded album Runnin’ for the Ghost served as a catalyst for the group to launch outward in 2018. “Known for throwing some of the sweatiest dance parties in the Northeast, Big Mean Sound Machine has been ambitiously touring and working hard to welcome new followers with no plans of slowing down. The new fan-funded album, Runnin’ for the Ghost, is just one example of how relentless experimentation on the road can lead to something positive and fruitful in the studio.” Read more of Ben Boivin’s review.
Eli Stein said of the jam happy foursome “On All Points North, the new album from Albany jam-rockers Formula 5, ‘North’ is not a physical direction, but a mental state. North is up, and up is good.” Read more and don’t miss Formula 5’s final show of the year at DROM following Phish on December 30.
New Paltz is alive and kicking with The Other Brothers storming out of the gates with their Jones EP, released in September with a sold-out show at American Beauty to celebrate. Alyssa Ladzinski said of Jones “With eclectic and effortless transitions between a broad horizon of styles, The Other Brothers don’t allow themselves to be labeled as a one-genre group, if anything, they’re simply contagious. Instead, they master a collection of ballads and soul-soothing soundscapes leaving their exploration and further projects open to directions of all kinds.” Read more here
Folkfaces have had a great year – they were one of the founding bands of NYS Music 87/90, they had a relentless Summer Tour, and released How Long back in April. Buffablog said of the album “From the back-country banjo charm of “Institution Blues,” to the rowdy foot-stomping pandemonium of album opener “Arrows We Break,” right on down to the sultry jazz elements of “Indian Lake,” there is something for everyone on this record. No matter what your poison, it is served with a smile on How Long.
Reader Picks
The Other Brothers Jones
Readers loved The Other Brothers Jones, and why not? Their dedicated fans sold out their album release show at American Beauty in September. Check out our recap.
Aqueous has had a monster year, including signing with Nugs.net and releasing not one but two live releases in the form of their Element series. Stream these jam favorites below and pick up the album at their Bandcamp store.
The evolution of Mike Gordon’s side project has been a delight to watch over the past decade. The current incarnation of Mike Gordon Band straddles the line between Phish’s jammy goodness and Mike’s inherent weirdness. Tracks like “Marissa” and “Crazy Sometimes” have made their way into Phish’s rotation this year and OGOGO was well received on Mike’s recent fall tour.
When you are named the greatest living rapper, you expect greatness. That’s exactly what DAMN. delivers. It ended the year as the #1 album on Billboard, and was nominated for Best Rap Album and Album of the year, which is Lamar’s third consecutive album to be nominated for the honor.
Marc Ronson produced the seventh album from the heavy rocking QOTSA, led to longer than usual tracks (six of nine are over 5 minutes long), all based on hearing the Ronson produced “Uptown Funk.” Frontman Josh Homme told VICE earlier this year “I knew I wanted to make something that sounded very tight, and with the air sucked out of it and very clear. So he was just a great reminder just as an opening and then his desires are so beat-centric. And so are mine […] we had this tremendous amount of overlap.”
Boston’s heavy jamband lespecial produced a winning album in Cheen, released this past Halloween. Read more in our review, that said ‘lespecial has spent several years cultivating a dedicated fanbase with a sound that cleverly interweaves psychedelia, technical math-rock, metal, electronica, and a tribal influence that feels like it comes from deep in the jungle. The entire album has the coherent flow of a concept album, with its many themes seeming to bleed effortlessly from one song to the next.
Dopapod MEGAGEM
No surprise here – Dopapod was a staff favorite, enough to be selected as album of the year nationwide.
Australian Psych rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard produce a style of rock that is as unique as their name. They’ve produced 12 albums in the past five years, with Polygonawanaland their fifth of 2017 alone. Stream the full album below and discover the weirdness within.
Dopapod MEGAGEM
NYS Music’s readers were on the same page with us. There’s no denying how great Megagem is.
Kendrick Lamar DAMN
Kendrick’s conscious rap received rave reviews from media outlets around the country. It’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t win top honors at the Grammys in January.
Albany has always had a diverse music scene. The Capital Region has a way of nurturing countless acts and genres throughout the years and our city always seems to have a surprise up its sleeve. The biggest surprise in 2017 has been the release of the newest project from Wavy Cunningham, Welcome to the Wave. This endeavor showcases Wavy’s ear for samples and his ability to paint a story. Ever eloquent, Wavy shows us that he can be the light of the party.
Wavy’s most ambitious project yet starts with “Sunrays,” a calypso-inspired introduction track whose chorus echoes the theme that persists throughout the album, “518, if you didn’t know you know now.” He peppers his storytelling with various local references and a sound that encompasses the feel of the State Capitol. This is apparent in his upbeat manifesto, ‘Welcome to the Wave,’ which is a prime example of how Wavy can balance the tempo, timbre, bass and rhythm of a track while spinning a yarn to the listener. The most impressive aspect of Wavy is the sheer number of genres he uses in his samples. Two shining examples of this are the incredible Barry White sample in ‘Back on the Scene’ and the Bob Marley vibe surrounding ‘Montego Bay’. However, Wavy is able to move past relying on popular samples by creating his own atmosphere which permeates the album. ’Bout Me’ possesses a striking West Coast influence while maintaining Wavy’s Northeast attitude and the angelic track, ‘Ain’t Fo Sho’ flourishes while Wavy floats amongst syllables. Welcome to the Wave shows that hip-hop is alive and well in Albany. This is the perfect summertime album and while we may be in the depths of winter, don’t be surprised if the next 518 party you attend has Wavy playing in the background.
Key Tracks: Sunrays, Welcome to the Wave, Aint fo Sho
The fact that Five Finger Death Punch falls under the groove metal sub-genre is either fitting or ironic for their latest album Decade of Destruction because I can’t tell if they’ve found their groove (metal) and are sticking to it or have been stuck in a decade long creative rut. For diehard fans of 5FDP the two never before released songs on this compilation album are able to justify picking this album up even if you have all their other albums, but for casual fans such as I who find most songs interchangeable, it gets really difficult to recommend. So to help here are two semi quick reviews of the new songs on the album.
The first track, “Trouble,” opens with lyrics that I hate to say feel like the band is satirizing themselves:
“I don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for me/That’s how it’s always been, that’s how it’s gonna be.”
The song is full of what fans love about 5FDP including aggressive vocals interrupted with anthemic chants, but there’s not much to say about it. If you love 5FDP’s emotional lyrics then this is another song to add to your collection when feeling down or angry at the world, otherwise it’s completely forgettable/replaceable. There’s nothing necessarily bad about the song it’s just another 5FDP song for better or for worse.
5FDP is known for covering songs, some from fellow metal bands, some from completely different music genres. Their track record is without a doubt a mixed track record. “House of the Rising Sun” and “Bad Company” are well praised and favorites among fans but then there’s songs like “Mama Said Knock You Out” originally by LL Cool J which is best not mentioned. Unfortunately the latest song to be covered by 5FDP, “Gone Away,” originally by The Offspring is most likely to end up sharing company with the likes of “Mama Said Knock You Out” instead of “Bad Company.” There’s just nothing about this cover that warrants its place on a greatest hits album and was also a wasted opportunity of a library such as The Offspring’s which is chock full of songs that fit 5FDP’s usual subject matter. Songs like “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” would have been perfect songs to be covered by 5FDP, so to find out that “Gone Away” was the song 5FDP decided on is just truly disappointing.
Overall this is a mixed and confusing album and not just because it’s a “greatest hits” album with new material. While bands like Cannibal Corpse have also stuck to one sound, refusing to experiment, they have worked to improve that sound so that anyone can hear the difference between Vile (1996) and Red Before Black (2017) but 5FDP has relatively stayed the same for over a decade without improving their sound. In conclusion if you like 5FDP you’ll like ‘Decade of Destruction’ because it’s full of “greatest hits” and two new songs but if you don’t like 5FDP then you should be used to this by now considering they’re for better or for worse the closest thing metal can get to mainstream music.
Key Tracks: Lift Me Up (feat. Rob Halford), Jekyll and Hyde, Remember Everything
Relinquishing their debut full-length album to the world, Sun Parade successfully tugs at familiar emotions to send listeners on a 12-track sensory highway. Shuggy Mtn Breakdown boasts airy pop-rock blended with vibrant psychedelia that comes crashing down in waves. The 5-piece Northampton, MA outfit take you on a journey through self discovery with thematic commonalities all humans endure–love, life, questioning happiness and how to pursue it.
With infectious melodies and light-hearted vocals, Chris Marlon Jennings (vocals, guitar), Jeff Lewis (vocals, guitar), Max Wareham (bass, vocals), Karl Helander (drums, vocals), and Eli Salus-Kleiner (keyboard) are able to instantly grab a listening ear through their radio-ready sound while remaining comfortably candid. Reminiscent of elements of the White Stripes’ prominent and punchy vocals, Tame Impala’s airy singing and the Black Keys‘ american rock tone, the indie, power-pop album was recorded in a one-room studio on the 4th floor of an old industrial Brooklyn building. It’s no surprise that Rubblebucket’s own Ian Hersey sat in the producer’s chair to extend a helping hand and trained ear.
The whimsical opening track of “Sleep Alone” warmly welcomes listeners into a dream-pop state of mind before launching into the cheeky “Cheer Up,” which does just as its title implies with both tempo and mood simultaneously picking up. Distorted noise and spoken word vocals shine on “Steal My Thunder” while “Game Boy” brings forth an extremely relatable message, embracing hooks and easy-to follow lyrics.
A relaxed and slowed down “Braindrain” flips a genre switch as it walks away from the bubblegum sound and introduces a more delicate, soul-leaning attitude, complete with mesmerizing synth sounds and whistle-along tangents. The hard hitting and emotional rock track “Psycho” follows with wailing vocals and gritty grunge guitar breakdowns you didn’t see coming but can’t imagine the album without. “Shuggy Mtn” holds its own as the album’s party anthem. The namesake song dives into sonic exploration and punk tendencies by blending psychedelic rock elements with wailing vocals and hard hitting on the drum kit.
The second to last track on the album, “Echoes of My Heart,” softens the tone and slows the release’s pulse with a quick, dreamy interlude before “Tear (Can’t Stop Believing),” wraps Sun Parade‘s initial release and circles back to the album’s blunt storytelling and hopeful tone.
Through airy vocals and melodic exploration, the quintet proved they aren’t afraid to have fun and dip their toes in a pool of myriad genres while getting emotionally raw with their audience. Shuggy Mtn Breakdown aims to be timeless, allowing their hopeful and tender lyrics to appropriately contrast and offset its darker rock and roll musical elements.
Touring in support of their release, Sun Parade will storm through Rochester’s Bug Jar on Dec. 10 just ahead of Swordpaw on Dec. 15. Listen to Shuggy Mtn Breakdown in it’s entirety below:
Key Tracks: “Steal My Thunder,” “Braindrain,” “Psycho”
Buffalo rocker Jorian Holka is at it again. Not long after the release of his debut EP, EP1, he went right back at it to bring us his new single, “Loser With Ambition.” The track starts off with a pounding drum intro that immediately gets the blood flowing, and leads into a melodic swirl of fast paced, hard rock riffs from what feels like a small orchestra of distorted guitars. The lyrics are a raw reflection of what it feels like growing up differently than everyone else, and what it is like breaking away from the status quo as a youth by rejecting what is forced down your throat by society.
Holka reminds listeners that it is okay to think differently, and that doing so is often a good thing, even if others believe you are weird for it. The incredibly catchy chorus makes a statement that even if other people might not see the world the same way as us, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are comfortable with who you are and doing the best you can, so you should not care what other people think.
While the song may provide a very positive message, that does not mean it does not rock. It does, hard. The guitar solo following the second chorus highlights Holka’s technical knowledge on guitar, reminding listeners that although he may be playing every instrument on the track, the guitar is where his true talent lies. As he creates more music, it is very clear that Holka is becoming a more proficient songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.
In nature, flow is associated with movement, like water rippling down a current. In psychology, finding flow is associated with engaging in an activity which brings on a feeling of being energized, focused, fully aware and conscious. Rochester indie pop artists Tart Vandelay have linked these concepts in their new release, aptly entitled Flow.
The jazzy four-track-long collectionpaints a landscape filled with images of whipping whirlpool winds, relentlessly echoing rays of sunshine, midnight moonlight, and misty rain clouds. The elements of the cosmos become metaphors for emotional states, as a story unfolds about facing fear and uncertainty. Tart Vandelay isn’t just stopping to smell the roses; they’re making a mindful exploration into the cyclical rhythms in the universe and tendency for tumult to succumb to order. Songstress Katie Halligan draws from her own experiences when writing, however her words strike a chord deep within. She taps into her uncanny ability to connect what’s personal to what’s common to the human experience. “Sun, melt away by fright, tell me it’s alright,” she pleads in the song “Cloudy Doubts.”
Book ended with birdsong, the instrumentation on the album mirrors the sentiment of the songs and compliments Halligan’s crisp, sparkling vocals. Marty LoFaso’s jazzy guitar work serves as a vibrant accompaniment. The bass line provided by Pete Zamniak and percussive stylings of Christopher Dubuc-Penney intersect to form in an undulating groove that adds dimension to the soundscape. The music demonstrates restraint during the apprehensive disquietude of the first two songs “High Noon Haze” and “Lonely Girl.” Then it swells during “Cloudy Doubts,” before reaching a magnificent crest in “Drifting.”
As the sequel to last year’s debut EP Frontier Pioneer, Flow offers further proof of Tart Vandelay and their endearing ability to uplift and inspire through music. Recorded at Wicked Squid Studios in Rochester, and produced by Josh Pettinger, Flow is available on Bandcamp. You can follow Tart Vandelay on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Rochester-based songwriter and vocalist Sharon Coates recently released her second album just in time for winter, entitled here now. This eleven-track jukebox brings a variety of styles to our ears, with a persistent folk and americana intention, only complimented by her soft vocal timbre.
Her intriguing lyrical stories take us through her personal timeline, apparent in her reminiscent song “The Town Where I Live,” and in her evolution of complex concepts through poetry in “Cathedral.” Joining her on the record are instrumentalists Dave Drago, Alex Northrup, Jacob Walsh and Dave Chisholm, and in sync, their sound is familiarized as Southern country, with use of an accordion, banjo, organ, and even a trumpet to round out the sound.
With interesting rhythm changes and unique guitar strumming patterns, songs like “Mexico” and the major-minor combative “Just Don’t” stand out as the album’s commanders. The song’s opening track “A Bullet Ain’t Got A Name” has a slight Tom Petty hint to it, with a light, smooth groove to introduce Coate’s new chapter. Her initial release was back in 2016, and it wasn’t long before she was ready to release new material to her listeners, and this album was well delivered the second time around. There’s no reason for her to be here now, when she’s been here all along, releasing music back-to-back.
Despite her library of music, Sharon Coates puts her music in few places. To listen to her full album, you can go to her Bandcamp site, or stream a few songs form her album below.
Brooklyn-based alternative hip hop artist Vendetta has released his debut album Press Play [and Live]. After cutting his teeth in the music industry as the front man for Hollywood Drive-By, Vendetta is striking out on his own with this solo project.
Armed with a microphone, a laptop, and a deep-seated love for rhythm, Vendetta (aka Vijay Ramcharitar) weaves together stylistically divergent influences. Funky rhythms and rocking riffs pave a foundation for his raps. As the moniker Vendetta implies, his lyrical themes are rife with conflict. Urban survival vs. escapism. Violence vs. humanitarianism. Dive bars vs. block parties.
Lead track “The Getaway (Vendetta Day)” is a groovy number about getting away from the stress of city life for a cruise along the East Coast. The song melds together an array of influences, from old-school hip hop artists like Tupac to alternative rock in the vein of Red Hot Chili Peppers. “Two Things” further explores the impact that music has to uplift spirits in the face of adversity. The chorus goes “Two things I remembered: the CD that I picked / And the feeling I got when I pressed play and lived.” The feel-good summer jam “BBQ Sauce” features the vocal styling of friend and fellow musician Rocksteady (Jason Hernandez).
Press Play [and Live] was recorded at Westfall Recording Company, Farmingdale NY, with production and engineering by Nick “Karate” Gallick.
Key Tracks: The Getaway (Vendetta Day), Two Things, BBQ Sauce.
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The jazzy four-track-long collection paints a landscape filled with images of whipping whirlpool winds, relentlessly echoing rays of sunshine, midnight moonlight, and misty rain clouds. The elements of the cosmos become metaphors for emotional states, as a story unfolds about facing fear and uncertainty. Tart Vandelay isn’t just stopping to smell the roses; they’re making a mindful exploration into the cyclical rhythms in the universe and tendency for tumult to succumb to order. Songstress Katie Halligan draws from her own experiences when writing, however her words strike a chord deep within. She taps into her uncanny ability to connect what’s personal to what’s common to the human experience. “Sun, melt away by fright, tell me it’s alright,” she pleads in the song “Cloudy Doubts.”
