NYS Music 20​17

Category: Genres

  • Hearing Aide: The Other Brothers Debut EP ‘Jones’

    Everyone, at some point, dreams of being in a band. Everyone who is in a band, dreams of achieving ultimate success. Some bands spend years in musician purgatory, putting forth albums, riding the in-between waves of small victories within their genre and trying to come to terms with if they’ll ever break through to fame or if the future remains with sold-out hometown shows. The Other Brothers, while still managing similar questions of their own, have showed relentless passion and drive to come out on top over the years, despite the lack of tangible music, until now.

    Trading in hometown gigs for Capitol Theatre collaborations with Theo Katzman and Joe Dart of Vulfpeck as well as slots on festival bills, The Other Brothers have quickly hopped amid their own neo-soul totem pole to the top. Beginning as a New Paltz quartet in 2012, the six-pack made up of the flavorful Chris Owens (lead vocals), John Morrison (guitar), Jordan Mendelson (bass), Brandon Bera (drums), Gabriel Marquez (keys) and Jared Nelson (percussion), constantly performed to friends and family while hitting up the town bars and cafes, quickly making their name known and earning the gold star achievement of local favorites. Fast forward five years and the high-talent sextet have finally compiled a five-song, debut EP, Jones, ready to bestow a plentiful stew of soulful R&B, funky, rock and roll genres onto new listeners.

    Adorned with a simple cartoon drawing of a burnt orange beanie, Jones offers up a fusion of sound from the very first track. The EP kicks off with “A2W,” or better known as “Addicted to Weed” and if you’ve had the pleasure of catching The Other Brothers live, you’ve noticed it’s quite the crowd pleaser, evoking smiles around the room. The song’s theme is centered on playful lyrics about tokin’ and jokin’ as listeners are lead into Jones with a head-knock worthy drumbeat and funky bass line. Owen’s launches into a narrative of all things that have been blown off because of his unwavering marijuana morale. His deep and smooth articulations are perfectly supplemented by the sultry back up vocals of Mary Corso which make a second pop up later on the release.

    Lyrics like “Used to make me laugh, now I just wanna quit” and “get a full-time job and maybe a car” allude to the crossroads many people come to–when to shake a certain comfortable lifestyle in hopes of shifting into a different one or how to make both worlds coexist. The end of the song finds a rap breakdown filled with inner thoughts about giving up personal addictions while guitar aficionado Morrison dives into a funky segue with a build up and climax of heavy, mind-altering psychedelia. The EP quality is top-notch as Jones was recorded to tape, mixed and mastered by David Andersen at Art Farm in Accord, NY and Sound City Studios in Los Angeles.

    “Can I Get It” quickly follows as the second track of the EP, with pronounced drum-circle percussion by Nelson and Mendelson’s bass hook stealing the show in the midst of a dance-party anthem that awakens all senses. The lyrics, while repetitive and straight-forward, aren’t meant to be the highlight of the track. Rather, they state exactly what the band will do as vocal growls and embellishments unleash before wrapping back to the song’s theme of  “We’re gonna funk you up, gonna funk you down!”

    An abrupt ending welcomes another fan favorite “Hit You Up” ft. The Other Brothers’ companion Wavy Cunningham. Taking a slower R&B approach to track three, silky smooth vocals and Marquez’ assistance on the keys come to the forefront of the tune before Cunningham steals the mic for a quick rhyme, appropriately placed smack dab in the middle of the track. Owens truly displays his powerhouse singing chops as the song nears its end with high-hitting notes, running scales and impressive falsetto.

    Up to this point, the EP has offered slower, smooth arrangements and dance-centered tracks until “Your Machine” comes as the funkiest tune off of Jones, immediately placing you in a time machine to their enchanting Disc Jam 2017 performance. An unmistakable groove first grabs hold of your ear as odd time signatures, soaring guitar licks and swift tempo-switches keep you attentively listening to the very ending note. The guitar-wailing track collectively showcases all member’s talents and even ends with a stellar outro that tantalizes a full spectrum of sentiments.

    “Cave In” is delivered as the EP’s 5th and final track, giving off a stimulating and inviting arrangement to tap your toes and swing your hips to. The dreamy vocals enter into airy falsetto, unmistakable growls and even add jazzy scatting into the mix for a nod to yet another wall of sound. “I’m gonna hide inside this groove, baby, until I get back to you” perfectly depicts the soulful and emotive themes the ending track delivers.

    Before The Other Brothers even released their tunes in any capacity, they shared the stage with Vulfpeck giants Theo Katzman and Joe Dart at the famed Capitol Theatre, sold out their EP release party at American Beauty in NYC on September 30 and tore up their festival slots and summertime gigs. Taking the frontman’s signature hip sways and energetic bops across the stage out of the equation, the debut places focus on the band’s music alone–solidifying what most already knew. Owens may act as the mitochondria of The Other Brothers cell, but each of the members carry out their own complimentary duties to craft their ever-morphing sound.

    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.

    Celebrating their first official EP, a release party will take place at American Beauty in NYC on Sept. 30 at 8PM. Keep your eyes peeled for impending fall tour dates that will be released prior to the show.

    Key Tracks: Your Machine, Cave In

  • Strange Machines Ready to Drop New Studio Album

    The long awaited first full-length studio album from Strange Machines, Voice of Color, will be released on Oct. 6. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the electro-funk quartet is ready to deliver a beautifully mastered LP. With some older tracks their fans will recognize, and some new tracks, this will become a staple in anyone’s catalog. This album has it all, from power ballads to reggae, some psychedelic rock and a lot of funky jams. Catch them at their album release party being held at Jewel in Manchester, NH on Oct. 7.

    The album will be available through iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp and all other major music streaming outlets. You can check out their brand new single, “Motion Potion,” below.

  • Watch Talking Under Water’s Live In-Studio Acoustic Video For ‘Gravity’

    Elise Hughey and Dave Chisholm make beautiful music together. The pair recorded an acoustic version of “Gravity,” a song from their band’s debut self-titled album Talking Under Water. “Gravity” is a melancholy tune about trying to break free from the weight of the world.

    “I need to run away, I need to fly away,” Chisholm sings while playing his acoustic guitar, “But there’s so much gravity. This planet is too big for me.” Hughey accompanies on her cello, playing the stirring notes with elegance and grace. This intimate performance of the Talking Under Water duo was captured on film by Dave Drago and Jon Lewis at 1809 Studios in Macedon, New York, and edited by Drago.

    Visit Talking Under Water online or follow on Facebook for updates. Sign up for their mailing list to receive special features like free song downloads and exclusive previews of videos.

    The full-length debut Talking Under Water is available to stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp and iTunes. For more about the album, read the NYS Music review.

  • Ferocious Funk: Rich Bomzer Project

    Funk and jazz improvisation was served up at the Big Kahuna in Huntington, Long Island, when members of the Rich Bomzer Project took the stage to close the night with an electrifying performance!
    Rich Bomzer ProjectThe lineup on the night’s gig consisted of Rich Bomzer on tenor sax, Eric Frost and Christian Crawford (trumpet), Annie Mclean (vocals), Tj Adorno (guitar/rap), Colin Dooman (bass),  Evan Sundquist (keyboard, vocals, computerized sound effects), Angel Lau (percussion) and Alex Aitken (drums).
    The group truly showed their skills as both instrumentalists and vocalists. Some members demonstrated extreme versatility by switching from lead guitar and keyboard on one chart, to lead vocals and rapping in another. They touched on all corners of great classic genres from Motown to rock followed by jazz ballads and R&B. All songs were infused with heavy horn hits and ferocious tenor sax improvising.
    The set list included hits from Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Rolling Stones. Amongst those hits were original compositions written by Rich Bomzer himself. Some songs by Bomzer performed that night were filled with such expression and memorable phrasing, namely: “Everything Is Gunna Be Alright,” “Never Felt Like This Before,” “The Dank” and “Feel You.”
    While watching the band’s performance, their strong stage presence and synchronization could all be felt. This major attribute is rooted in their tight sound and mutual melodic style. Rich Bomzer Project is full of energy and expression; they do what they love with ease. The band’s unique sound and flair emulates their musical influences.
    For music by the Rich Bomzer Project, listen to their recently released EP titled Last Night that can be found on apple music, iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.

  • Darryl “DMC” McDaniels Celebrating New Release With Series of In-Store Appearances

    Hip-hop superstar and rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels drops his latest work, Back From The Dead, The Legend Lives on Record Store Day, Nov. 24. To celebrate the release, he’ll be doing meet-and-greets and talking about his life with fans at record stores throughout the entire weekend:Looney Tunes Records on Long Island (Friday, Nov. 24), Vintage Vinyl Records in Fords, NJ (Saturday, Nov. 25), and The Record Archive in Rochester (Sunday, Nov. 26). Each event starts at 3pm. Fans must pre-order Back From The Dead, The Legend Lives through a participating record store in order to get a wristband to attend.

    Darryl "DMC" McDaniels Fans will not want to miss this rare opportunity to meet the legendary Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and hear his inspirational story! The founding member of Run-DMC will be joined at these events by Jason Rockman of Slaves on Dope, who performs on the album. The pair will be available after the talk to take pictures and sign copies of “Back From the Dead, The Legend Lives.” Released on Brookvale Records, the LP is limited to only 4,000 copies.

    Friday, Nov. 24
    Looney Tunes Music and More (LONG ISLAND, NY)
    631.587.7722
    www.LTCDS.com

    Saturday, Nov. 25
    Vintage Vinyl Records (FORDS, NJ)
    732.225.7717
    www.vvinyl.com

    Sunday, Nov. 26
    Record Archive (ROCHESTER, NY)
    585.244.1210
    www.recordarchive.com

  • Dave DiPrimo Band Returns to Rochester Fringe Festival

    On the eighth day of KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, the city-wide celebration of performing arts was still going strong. I drove downtown after work on Thursday night to catch a set by Dave DiPrimo Band at Java’s Café. Even on a weeknight, people were out and about, congregating on the sidewalks or making their way to one of the 25 Rochester Fringe venues.

    Dave DiPrimo Band Photo: Joseph DiPrimo

    When I entered Java’s Café, Dave DiPrimo Band’s set was already in full swing.  The mid-size cafe was standing room only tonight for the local indie quartet. DiPrimo, front and center, strummed his acoustic Martin. He was flanked by Ian Benz on bass and Karis Gregory on saxophone. Reid Hoffmeier manned the drums. They were playing a dreamy folk-art song which could be pulled off as a solo singer/songwriter performance, but is made so much richer with a full backing band.

    The joy of alternative music is that the rules that govern music writing can be bent. And Dave DiPrimo Band revels in this freedom from needing to conform. Pulling on influences as varied as classic rock, soul, jazz, blues, punk, and even Latin music, they create original tunes that defy convention. Put a saxophone on a folk song? Why not!

    Karis Gregory Photo: Joseph DiPrimo

    Gregory traded the sax for an electric guitar, and DiPrimo switched to a hallow-body Ibenez for the next song, “Somethings.” DiPrimo was adept in the art of engaging the audience, getting us to sing along in a call and response of melodic oh’s and la’s. He picked up his favored Martin for the heartfelt ballad “Four Letter Word.” Gregroy was back on sax for this one, playing long, low notes full of longing and soulful expression. He stole the spotlight with solos full of fancy trills and flourishes.

    The songs got livelier as the night progressed. Midway through the nostalgic “Glory Days,” the music swelled in joyous revelry. That night Benz and Hoffmeier displayed skill, but restraint. Here, they finally had a chance to go all out. Hoffmeier, in his t-shirt from Rush’s 40th anniversary tour, threw himself into the song wholeheartedly. The song also showcased DiPrimos vocal range, from crooning soft contemplative verses to belting out the strong, bellowing chorus.

    Dave DiPrimo Photo: Joseph DiPrimo

    Before the final song, DiPrimo thanked everyone for coming out. He told us that last year he played Fringe Festival solo, this year as a full band, and joked that next year they might expand even further with the addition of a full backing choir.

    They closed out with “Selina.” DiPrimo counted in, in Spanish and the band launched into a spicy Latin-influenced number. It was a shame the room was so packed, there was no room to dance. But that didn’t stop people from moving in their seats and clapping along. In the morning, the members of Dave DiPrimo Band would be back in their college classes, but they still took the time to hang around for a while after the show to talk to members of the audience and pass out cards for a free download of their new single, “Now.”

    Dave DiPrimo Band Photo: Joseph DiPrimo

    Dave DiPrimo Band’s Thursday Setlist:  American Dream, End Of The World, Know You Best, Out In The Cold, Now, Somethings, Four Letter Word, Glory Days, And It Goes, Selina

    Dave DiPrimo Band’s music is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and Spotify. Watch for their new full-length album, coming out this fall. Follow on Facebook for updates.

    Photos by Joseph DiPrimo.

  • Kyle Albano goes Unconventional to get his Name out to the World

    “There’s a tremendous difference in what social media has done for me in {the past} couple of years,” said Kyle Albano, who has taken a different approach to promoting his music since dropping his second album Kings with Queens in June.

    Albano is a student of the internet as much as he is a graduate of The College of Saint Rose’s prestigious music program, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. By day, he’s a music teacher at Albany High School, teaching sound production and music composition. At night, he’s working on his own music from his one-bedroom apartment in Guilderland.

    Kings with Queens dropped in June. To promote it, Albano hit the keyboard. His computer keyboard. Like most musicians, he’s a one-man show composing music with one hand and shooting out emails to people throughout the music industry with the other. However, the level of his multitasking is not that simple. He is consciously taking steps promoting a brand — #kylealbano — and doing so through multiple channels outside the norm.

    “I don’t really gig out too much anymore, because it wasn’t doing me well,” said Albano. For his 2012 release Poor Love, Albano released a video on YouTube and hit the stage several times a week. Despite his efforts, he said he wasn’t getting the results. The video received 800 hits. When sometimes looking at playing a local venue on a Wednesday evening, promising the potential for small turnouts, he said, “It wasn’t worth my time.”

    Time is a concept Albano is conscious of, but not beholden to, while he works on his music. He gets to work whenever the inspiration hits him. For one track on Kings with Queens, Albano was struck with an epiphany and went to work at the personal studio he converted from his apartment’s dining room. The sound from his Yamaha HS-7 speakers reverberated throughout the apartment complex. “Sometimes I turned them up too high and they rumble,” he said. It was 10 p.m.

    “So, I got a nasty [complaint],” said Albano. He answered a knock on the door to find his neighbor, in his pajamas, with a copy of the lease in his hand, reminding the musician he was breaking the rules. “And, then, I kept doing it,” he said. “Now that the album is done, we’re in a better part. But, yes. I’ve gotten some complaints.”

    Outside from his neighbors, the pop-punk sounds of Kings with Queens has been well received. He’s not getting on stage just yet. (Though, he said, there are plans for a show in October.) Nonetheless, Albano’s pop-punk sound is played across local radio on WEQX and WEXT.

    “Someone once told me that every song [on Kings with Queens] is different, but inclusive,” said Albano, who is receptive to people interpreting his music for themselves. “Whenever I write a song, it’s however I feel. Any artist is going to write like that. What they’re feeling that day. Hopefully, I try to shed light within the songs. You do your dark times and high times. But, if someone just listens to the song and interprets it in their way, and it helps them… When I listen to a song, I [may] not know what they’re talking about, but I know what that song means to me. Sometimes, it gets me through certain days. … I want somebody to listen. And, if someone listens to that, and it helps them in any fashion, I did my job.”

    In the five years between albums, Albano said he plotted out a plan to increase exposure. The end result is a layered strategy that includes hooking up with Made in Truth Clothing. As he models the Albany-based company’s clothing line he shares its brand on social media. On Albano’s home computer, he has a word document with several of his most effective hashtags for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In August, just two months after dropping Kings with Queens, Albano doubled the amount of hits on his promotional video, compared to that from “Poor Love.” He’s also started making connections with people from larger record companies.

    “There’s a tremendous difference in what social media has done for me in [the past] couple of years,” said Albano.

    The students Albano teaches even catch him on the internet and ask him how they can follow in his footsteps. He tells them to keep on working. Build a fanbase. Read. Watch interviews of artists on YouTube and see how they did it. Just learn as much as you can, and apply it. But how it all will end, the teacher has no answers.

    “Right now, this social media thing has kept me up above and on the flow,” he said. “I think I’m just doing it the right way this time.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518 and is the property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Pixies Rocked an Incredible Hometown Throwdown

    Most people might not know this, but The Pixies got their hometown start at UMass Amherst back in 1986, when two of the founding members were neighbors. Over 30 years later, they still play like the 90’s never ended. On September 20, their alt-punk-rock filled the John M. Greene Hall in Northampton, MA. With no set list, the band came out to a packed crowd and played hit after hit. After each song, the lights would dim while Black Francis would choose where the band would go next, feeding off the energy of the crowd. They have a few more shows in the northeast and Canada before moving westward. Do not miss these guys. Check out photos below from Zatchmo Lives Media.

  • Exclusive: Shouthouse Debuts Video for “ANTS”

    New York City ensemble Shouthouse debuted their single “ANTS” last week on NYS Music, and today, they debut an elaborately choreographed music video for the tune. Watch below.

    Composed by pianist Will Healy, shot and edited by Jack Frerer and colorized by Bobby Wagnerman at Haym Pictures, the music video traverses the city and combines various elements of New York City with “ANTS,” bringing two complex components together for one multi-dimensional video. Healy spoke with NYS Music about the video:

    “Living in New York can become oddly isolating, even though there are so many people living there together. As you move through the streets and subways, it’s easy to feel alone in a crowd. There is an impersonal atmosphere in New York, and any amount of self expression can be seen as bizarre, shocking, or dangerous.

    shouthouse video ants“For this video, I wanted each rapper and dancer to slowly transform from a normal face into the crowd into artists. As the music plays, they are shown walking or standing, and over time they separate from those around them, transitioning into movements and verses that express their inner dialogue.

    “I wanted the viewer to get a sense of the different sides and heights of urban living, progressing from underground in the subways to ground level in Times Square, and finally on a roof overlooking East Harlem.

    “We had a blast shooting this video. Any excuse to interrupt the routine among commuters gets great reactions (especially the shots on the escalator!). There are also so many interesting spots to shoot, the city was our playground for the day. There are three dancers in the video–Taylor LaBruzzo and Zach Gonder from Juilliard, and Quilan Arnold, who is a Brooklyn-based hip hop dancer. It was great to see their different styles interact, and they did a great job visually representing our unique style of music-making through their different genres of dance.”

    Shouthouse performs next at Shapeshifter Lab in Gowanus, Brooklyn, on October 6. More info can be found here.

  • The Local Limelight: Rob The Guitar Guy

    Patchogue Village, The setting of incredible nightlife teeming with live entertainment! Walk down Mainstreet Friday and Saturday nights and you’ll find yourself immersed by one of Long Island‘s greatest music scenes.
    Rob The Guitar GuySurrounded by avid clubs and music venues dawning bright lights, all host such enthusiastic musicians and performers. One in particular performs to achieve one simple objective: Give em’ what they want! This is the essence of the solo act that is Rob (the guitar guy) Baione.
    Step into Patchogue’s neighborhood restaurant and bar The Tap Room located at 114 W Mains St, and you’ll immediately feel a warm environment and feel-good vibes creating the mood for the place where Rob entertains his local audience.
     
    When becoming a solo act, songs began to take on a new life when stripped down to an acoustic guitar and a vocal. Selections range from classical to country, rock to rap, folk to metal, etc. There’s a song for everybody. Audiences are always entertained by his charisma and ability to include them in the show! 
     
    One way Rob the Guitar Guy does this, is by allowing the audience to choose the songs. “It’s like having your own personal jukebox. No one wants to leave when they hear ‘their song’ played.” 
     
    Each show is unique and you never know what to expect! But one thing is for sure, you’ll always leave feeling good, and that was definitely the case last week at The Tap Room. 
     
    You can find Rob performing there the 3rd Friday of every month, with a musical repertoire growing larger and larger each return!
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