NYS Music 20​17

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band Bring High Energy Rock and Roll to Plattsburgh, NY

    This past Saturday, February 25, Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band brought their original sound to Retro Live, a new concert venue in Plattsburgh, NY. Between original guitar solos from Alex Mansman and the leadership of front man Joe Mansman, each member perfectly complemented each other.

    joe mansmanThe band brought a fully stacked set list with them and most being originals. I found myself head banging to new riffs that felt right. To sum up Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band, the only words that I can use to describe them is rock and roll. Joe Mansman brought a stage act that to me has been missing with a lot of newer bands. With songs like “Below or Above” and “Dead as it Gets,” I really felt that I was at a rock show in the late 1970’s but with fresh with new rock music. About half way through the set, the front man and keyboardist Chris Becker played a couple duets to give the show a smooth transition to a heavy ending.

    joe mansmanJoe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band is a group that  gives people an option to let loose and bang your head. They ended the show with “Live Free or Die,” and were not afraid to bring the show off the stage. With front man Joe Mansman jumping onto a pool table and guitarist Alex Mansman hopping down to the venue floor to play heavy riffs, the group brought a show that had something for everyone.

    Setlist: Dead as it Gets, Below or Above, Born to be Wild (Steppenwolf cover), Reap and Sow, Cold Virginia Nights, Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi cover), Hell or High Water, All Along, Den of Thieves, Mother (Danzig cover), She’s Mine, Long Rope, You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive (Darrell Scott cover), Rock and Roll ain’t Noise Pollution(AC/DC cover), Nobody’s Sun, Boundless Grace, Too far gone, Cut out my tongue, Crowbar hotel, House of Wolves, Live Free or Die

    joe mansman

  • Hearing Aide: The Bowling Alley Sound ‘The Bowling Alley Sound EP’

    On Friday, February 24, New Jersey’s own The Bowling Alley Sound will release their self-titled EP on their label 46 West. Their sophomore release brings musical and physical growth, as the original 4-piece has now transformed into a quintet with the addition of bassist and album cover artist, Andrew Capuano.

    The post-rock follow up to their 2014 debut, Metaphysical You, begins with the most energetic release of the four-track list, “Henry and Clark.” Well-known bands in the post-rock genre such as Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai can be heard echoed in their opening song as EP producer and guitarist, Mike Basil, kicks it off with a soft and subtle rift. Nick Looney’s drum playing anchors the song in place until the final section finds Issac Rubins’ violin eerily bringing the song to an end.

    “Night Flight” recreated the rich and repetitive textures heard in the first track, but much like the song title, the listener is reminded of dreams about flying. While the song will not make you want to get up and dance, or get up at all really, it would fit well at a yoga studio, meditation session, or music score of a Planet Earth episode.

    During the final two tracks, they inject muffled crowd noise to bring the listening audience together as one with the band. The group attempts vocals for the first time during the closing track, “The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words,” a title almost as long as the EP itself. The post-rock vocal approach is very different from the typical verse-chorus structure found in many other rock genres, and The Bowling Alley Sound stay true to form using soft, spoken words to poetically describe a 2017 New Year’s resolution. While I would have liked to hear more trumpet textures from Danny Molloy, the final track sends the listener off in a tranquil and serene mood.

    The digital-only release of The Bowling Alley Sound will be available on all major platforms and can be pre-ordered now for only $1 (US currency).

    Key Tracks: Henry and Clark, The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words

  • Sinkane Brings A Well-Traveled Musical Experience to Great Scott

    This past Thursday night, February 16, Great Scott welcomed the hip shaking, heart grooving, culturally wide-brimmed (wider than the brim of frontman Ahmed Gallab’s awesome cowboy cap) group known as Sinkane to an excited crowd.

    The Brooklyn based band was only on their second stop in their Life & Livin’ It tour. And after spending the past month in a rehearsal space in New York City, it was clear Sinkane was eager to show exactly what they had spent their time honing in on, which was nothing short of a very tight, impactful and all around free flowing and positive performance, often extending their songs into engaging jams.

    Sinkane1

    Immediately of interest was the shear size of the crowd. Last time Sinkane trekked their way up to the Bean Town (without the accompaniment of keyboardist and co-singer) they played to a mere ten people, one of which Ahmed Gallab impressively remembered and called out to from the stage in thanks of the support. This time however, the audience packed the venue and it’s a clear case in point of Sinkane’s success with the time acquired in-between. The band has really honed in on their sound, and with Life and Livin’ It, Sinkane is able to exhibit where they truly glow. It isn’t in one particular style in fact. Reggae, psychedelic, jam, funk, world—all of these peak their way into the uniqueness of what is Sinkane. Take their tracks “U’Huh” and “Favorite Song” for example, both off Life and Livin’ It. These take on so much influence from great songs and genres that the outcome is more along the lines of highly cultivated originality.

    Sinkane3

    With the help of one of the opener bands, No BS! Brass Band, for horns, Sinkane even furthered the immensity of their sound. The two groups had actually never performed together, as Gallab was excited to admit, and yet the result was an even fuller and more dynamic, refined sound. This might be something Sinkane wants to consider adapting to their live set next time around on tour, which if history repeats itself will likely be performed to an even bigger crowd.

    Sinkane closed with the audience favorite “How We Be,” and afterwards came back on stage for an encore that jammed into the wee early hours of 1:30am. This is a band that simply loves to play. And only the most respect goes to this group who’s shining attributes are giving every musical bone a rattle and shake and spreading some obvious cheer and positivity while doing it.

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  • Hearing Aide: SCHMAVE ‘Painted Post’

    There’s always that one, odd, sunny day at the tail end of winter that breaks away from the routine gloom and darkness characteristic of the past few months. The sun is shining and there isn’t a soul that’s not outside enjoying the weather. SCHMAVE, an indie rock band out of New Paltz, New York, embodies that spirit in their debut album, Painted Post.

    Each track on this seven-song project has a story and is told through seeable lyrics and tangible melodies. While songs like “Drunk” and “Hand Washed Clothing” are reminiscent of Local Natives style rhythm section and melodic structure, songs like “Fruitless” provide a jumpy alternative, creating a refreshing change of pace from the rest of the album.

    Recently, the indie rock music scene has definitely emitted great projects, although most of them visibly try to create for themselves a unique sound that has never been heard before. After a while, the definition of “unique” gets lost among the saturation of bands trying to set themselves apart from the rest. Painted Post proves that a band doesn’t need a completely original sound to get recognition. In effect, SCHMAVE makes a name for itself by simply making good, relatable, honest music.

    As the opening track, “Alfred” symbolizes the rising of the sun with an open chord structure and uplifting melody, the final song, the albums title track, symbolizes the setting of it. This irregular sunny day is now over and tomorrow the weather returns to the dreary winter cold, as spring tries to officially push through to the surface. Yes, tomorrow will not be the same, although those fleeting hours were the perfect remedy to getting through the rest of the season.

    Key Tracks: Drunk, Hand Washed Clothing, Painted Post

  • Mountain Jam Lineup Finalized, SCI Joins Petty, Miller as Headliner

    The field for the 13th edition of Mountain Jam is set. The annual Catskills festival, held at Hunter Mountain, announced its lineup and headliners, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the Steve Miller Band back in November. Friday, the full line up was announced, including additional headliner String Cheese Incident.

    Also added to the June 16-18 bill are indie folk artists the Head and the Heart, reggae rapper Matisyahu, Brooklyn-based sax buskers Moon Hooch, Sudanese pop, krautrock, free jazz artist Sinkane, country legend Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives and “hometown” girl Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers.

    Helm is the daughter of the late Band drummer Levon Helm, whose studio, affectionately known as “the Barn,” is located in nearby Woodstock.

    Matisyahu, Moon Hooch and Sinkane will participate in the Late Night Jam. The full lineup is available here.

    Noticeably absent from this year’s bill are festival hosts Govt Mule and Mountain Jam regular Grace Potter. However, festival mainstays Michael Franti and Spearhead and Gary Clark, Jr. will appear. Also appearing is Peter Frampton, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Holly Bowling, TAUK, White Denim and the Big Takeover.

    Mountain Jam prides itself on its family inclusive environment and the kids can expect to see sets from the Paul Green Rock Academy and Ratboy Jr. along with kid friendly activities in the Kozy Kids area.

    Three-day general admission tickets, camping and parking passes as well as several VIP packages are available at the festival’s website.

  • 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

  • Hearing Aide: Hand Habits ‘Wildly Idle (Humbly Before the Void)’

    Hand HabitsA persistent cold rain taps the window while the trees shake it off with the blowing breeze. But you sit comfortably warm in your living room. Feet warming by the fire. Belly warming by a glass of your favorite brown liquor. Ears and soul warming by the new Hand Habits’ album, Wildly Idle (Humbly Before the Void).

    It fills the empty void of sound in the room pleasantly enough. As your mind grows heavy with thoughts of the day, it almost passes by without notice. Then it grabs you. Maybe it was the angelic harp-like strum from “Actress.” It could have been the softened “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”-esque building progression of “In Between.” Or perhaps it was the gentle hook and groove in “All the While.” Regardless, it grabbed you, and trained your ears on the subtler moments.

    The moments grow and feel more complex with each listen. The droning proggish guitar lead in “Book On How To Change” gets punctuated in the background with slashes of reverb-drenched guitar. “Nite Life,” a pleasant psychedelic groover, has layer upon layer of musical treasures floating just below the surface. The repetitive vocal close of “Demand It” is decorated with a swirling multi-part guitar jam.

    Each moment on Wildly Idle (Humbly Before the Void) feels crafted to the nth degree, but remains simple, sparse and intimate. It makes sense then that multi-instrumentalist Meg Duffy is responsible for every bit of instrumentation and production. A native of the Albany area, she has been playing extensively with Mega Bog and Kevin Morby for the past few years. Now striking out on her own, Hand Habits becomes the latest branch on a Woodsist family tree that has been sprouting incredible talent at an impressive pace.

    Key tracks: All The While, Book On How To Change, Nite Life

  • Firefly Music Festival Lineup Announced, Passes Now Available

    Firefly, the first ever fan curated music festival, has announced the lineup for this year’s weekend of live music and camping. The sixth annual event takes place on June 15-18 at The Woodlands in Dover, Delaware. With the lineup announcement, rumors were laid to rest and the Swedish House Mafia will not be part of the lineup, and they won’t be missed with the stacked lineup Firefly has produced for 2017.

    Headliners for the biggest east coast music and camping festival will include the Weeknd, Muse, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper and Bob Dylan and his band. The festival will also feature Thirty Seconds to Mars, Alan Walker, Weezer, Dillon Francis, T-Pain, Busta Rhymes, Galantis, Benny Benassi, DJ Jazzy Jeff, AFI, Flume, Phantogram, K. Flay, Kesha, O.A.R., Franz Ferdinand, Daya, Capital Cities and OK GO.

    Being the first ever fan curated festival, Firefly festival lovers had the chance to pick the lineup, choose what merchandise was sold and what designs would look like, activities, food and even the entertainment for Wednesday night’s pre-party as NYS Music reported earlier this year.

    Since its inception in 2012, Firefly has produced a great mix of musical talent across several genres. Some of the best in the music industry have graced the festival stages throughout the years. Past performers include Paul McCartney, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, John Legend, Bassnectar, the Killers, Lupe Fiasco, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, the Chainsmokers, Blink-182 and Deadmau5.

    General admission passes for the four day weekend are now available and start at $289. Camping packages are also available at the FireflyFestival website.

  • Everyone Leaves, Fossil Youth, and Pine Bring Indie Road Show to Rochester

    An eleventh hour scheduling change brought alt rock bands Everyone Leaves, Fossil Youth and Pine to Rochester, on the final weekend of their tour, to the delight of local fans. Everyone Leaves and Fossil Youth are standouts among the indie acts emerging from America’s heartland. Canadian band Pine joined them for the northeastern leg of their journey. Despite the last-minute notice and the bitter cold weather, the show drew in a crowd at Vineyard Community Space.

    Pine

    Local singer-songwriter Rosehip warmed up the crowd with her soft, sweet voice and finger-picked melodies. Female-fronted Pine took to the stage area next. Dreamy melodies created a backdrop for sad songs about writing letters to ghosts and a long lost father. Between a couple of songs, lead singer Darlene Deschamps commented on the Rochester weather – and this is a band from Ottawa who knows what cold is!

    Fossil Youth

    Fossil Youth picked up the pace a bit.  Strong beats and heavy riffs were interspersed with soft melodic interludes. Singer/guitarist Scottie Noonan delivered emotionally charged lyrics with passion and conviction.  The set included songs from their recently released full-length album, A Glimpse of Self Joy, such as “Forest Eyes” and “Late Night Swim.” They also deviated from the set list to accommodate audience requests for songs from their earlier EP, Intertwined with You, including the title track. 

    Everyone Leaves

    After a quick set change, Everyone Leaves was up. The five-piece band from Columbus, Ohio serves up pop punk featuring multi-part vocals. They performed “Better Love” and other songs from The Lonely End, their latest EP. Given the weather, it was fitting that they also played last winter’s single “Seasonal Affective” which ends with the lines “I won’t let the weather take me/I won’t freeze over again/I won’t let the winter take me/I’ll never hide myself again.”

    Local punk trio Tandygrey closed out the night with original garage-band grunge from their someday-to-be-released demo. They’ve played the Vineyard Community Space before and I’m hoping to catch them there again soon.

    Nestled in the city’s South Wedge, Monroe Park Vineyard Church graciously offers the bottom half of a converted house for indie artists and performers in order to promote community building and friendship. The communal space is filled with comfortable couches, throw rugs and eclectic decorations, creating a comfy home-like atmosphere.

    Throughout the event, band members were readily available to chat, sign autographs and sell merchandise. Music and merchandise are also available online: visit Take This To Heart Records webstore for Fossil Youth and Pine, and Little Heart Records webstore for Everyone Leaves.

    For more on Fossil Youth, read the interview by NYS Music.

    Photos by Carolyn Ambriano 

  • This Week in Protest Music – Gorillaz, Frank Turner and Carole King

    Artists of all genres and popularity take part in this American tradition, one that we at NYS Music hold dear. Our series “This Week in Protest Music” arrives at a time when there should not be silence from the media and amplify the voices of the people who strive to be heard, in particular those who are amplified by musicians. Dissent is patriotic.

    This week we have the first new song from Gorillaz in six years, Frank Turner’s “The Sand in the Gears”, an ode to protesting, with lyrics beginning “Can’t I spend the next four years at a punk show?” and ending “Let’s be the sand in the gears for the next four years,” Carole King’s re-released “One Small Voice,” reaffirming the role of the individual voice, and Radney Foster’s “All That I Require,” singing about the rise of fascism in politics today.

    Most recently, Bruce Springsteen performed in Australia on Friday, performing “American Land”, and saying “America is a land of immigrants, this is fundamentally un-American. This is a song about immigrants.”

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