NYS Music 20​17

Category: Genres

  • Vintage League Music – Rekindling True Musical Production

    It seems that our society is finding comfort in nostalgia more and more every day- “It” and “Star Wars” reboots are in theaters, Dave Chappelle is back on stage and vinyl records are back on store shelves. Some say they like the sound quality and others just like the idea of having a tangible collection. Whatever the reason may be, artists are taking notice and it has sparked the imagination of great producers and musicians like musical prodigy Alan Evans of Soulive. The popularity of vinyl and today’s recording styles have pushed him to create something truly unique.

    Evans said he is “… taking it back to the basics,” with his creation of the Vintage League Music (VLM). The idea behind this project is to allow musicians to create a “‘Singles’ way of releasing music worldwide both digitally and physically on vinyl records.” In a press release, Evans said that when music was printed on vinyl records, most recordings were released days after the master track was finished, keeping the music fresh and the listeners engaged. Evans intends to recreate this process and will release 7” and 12” vinyl, digital singles and full length albums from all groups that work with VLM.

    NYS Music spoke with Evans to get a deeper understanding of how and why he created this project.

    The focus of Vintage League Music is to release 7″ singles both vinyl and digitally. This gives us and the artists a lot of freedom in terms of release schedules but also in terms of creating the music. I just want to create a very relaxed environment for artists to create something new. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played or seen shows during Jazz Fest, on Jam Cruise or any number of festivals where some magic happens on stage with people you have never played with before. I want Vintage League Music to be the place where this all can happen (one single or a triple album).

    So far, five groups have started working with VLM, most of which Evans has had a hand in, and have all released a single available for streaming on the VLM site. As of now, Evans said the vinyl is going to be released very soon and thanks to Fat Beats, they will be available wherever people are buying records now. Those who are interested in this project can go to the VLM site and find samples from each band.

    Recently released projects include:

    Crowd Company – “ Saw You Yesterday” – “An 8-piece modern take on vintage soul funk. Brimming with energy and a raw edge, catchy hooks, and tight grooves. The band combines a retro Hammond organ-based sound with a virtuoso horn section, soulful lead, and harmony vocals.”

    This is the only group currently affiliated with VLM that has a predicted full album release date. Their single “Saw You Yesterday” is available for download on Amazon, iTunes and Spotify but a full length, 13-track album will be released digitally Oct. 20.

    Matador! Soul Sounds – “Get Ready” – “Matador Soul Sounds was born from the vision of Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) and Alan Evans (Soulive). Combining the dynamism of each band leader, the music they have created is brand new, hard hitting and drenched with their shared musical passions – jazz, funk & soul.”

    This will be the first group to release a 7” single during their first official performance at the Brooklyn Bowl, Sept. 23 during Brooklyn Comes Alive. Alan says the full length album will be released at the beginning of 2018.

    Agent 3 – “Mission Received” – On stage, Agent 3 is a band that tours the world playing music for adoring fans. Off stage, Agent 3 operating under Management, is a band of spies that surgically eliminates secret governments, terrorist groups, corrupt politicians and evil spy organizations.

    Agent 3 will release a full length album serving as the story’s soundtrack to a comic book that is planed to be released.

    4 Brothers – “No. 2” – Spiritual-Soul-Rock-Jazz. This is a concept record – put a pair of successful “brother” musicians together with another pair of successful brothers and see what happens. This one has a buzz before a single note is released.

    Alan says they are planning on releasing 4 Brother as digital 7″ versions (two songs at a time) towards the end of this year and on vinyl early 2018.

    Rolland Blackrock – “Buffalo” – Black Rock from the blackest rocker on the scene – Roland Blackrock. Soulive’s Alan Evans goes (sort of) undercover to create a Lenny-Kravitz-meets-Sly-Stone style Masterpiece.

    The Roland Blackrock album is planned to be released digitally as volumes 1, 2 & 3 spring of 2018 along with a 12″ vinyl version.

    Without the breath of big record labels steaming down musicians’ backs, Evans says there is more opportunity for spontaneity. He said some of his best work came from fiddling around on his guitar and believes up and coming groups can create some incredible work through the same process. He believes that great ideas have gone to waste because nowadays, bands see time in the studio as just a time to record, not experiment, and Evans intends to change that idea.

    This project is still in it’s early stages but is definitely worth keeping tabs on. VLM can be found on multiple social sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and has kept a steady flow of information coming since its start.

  • Kettlefest to Feature Homegrown Music

    The lineup for this year’s KettleFest includes Anastazja, Some Ska Band, Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers and String Chickens. The one day celebration of sustainable farming takes place in on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Kettle Ridge Farm in Victor, NY. In addition to music, there will be workshops, children’s events, crafts from local artisans, and a wide selection of food and beverages.

    kettlefestAdmission is $6, and children under 13 are free. Kettleridge Farm is located at 515 Log Cabin Road in Victor, NY. For more information, visit the Kettlefest website.

    Music Schedule:

    Main Stage:
    – 10:15 a.m. – Anastazja
    – 12:15 p.m. – Some Ska Band
    – 2:15 p.m. – Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers

    Porch Stage:
    – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – String Chickens

    kettlefest

  • Hüsker Dü’s Grant Hart Dead at 56

    Grant Hart, drummer and one third of the highly influential St. Paul, MN band Hüsker Dü has succumbed to cancer at the age of 56, according to Variety. The announcement was made through an uncaptioned photo of Hart on Hüsker Dü’s Facebook page posted around 2 a.m. Thursday.

    https://www.facebook.com/huskerduofficial/posts/2065361240366226:0

    Hart met singer/guitarist Bob Mould and bassist Greg Norton in 1978 at the Cheapo Records where Hart worked. As Hart remarked in a July 2000 interview with The Onion, it wasn’t so much what the three had in common that brought Hüsker Dü together as a band, but their differences. Hart was a champion of the local scene while Mould was a fan of the punk being made on the East Coast and largely unavailable in the midwest.

    The band’s hardcore sound evolved into a more melodic style, earning them airplay on college radio stations around the country. Hüsker Dü’s first release, the single “Statues” was released in 1981 on the band’s own label Reflex Records. Hart’s songwriting contributions were a stark contrast to Mould’s more bitter lyrical style, offering ranging subjects in songs like “Diane” and “It’s Not Funny Anymore,” his contributions to the band’s EP Metal Circus.

    Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt offered his condolences in a Facebook post early Thursday:

    https://www.facebook.com/wattfrompedro/posts/10155654920454666

    Hüsker Dü’s breakthrough came on the seminal double album Zen Arcade, released in 1984. That same year Watt’s Minutemen also released their high watermark Double Nickels on the Dime, both on Greg Ginn’s SST label. The two bands toured together often in the early years and formed a bond in the process.

    Hart was the subject of the 2013 documentary Every Everything: The Music, Life and Times of Grant Hart. The film gives a unique inside view of Hart the man and Hart the musician from his youth up to the recording of his final studio album The Argument, a concept album based on John Milton’s Paradise Lost.

    Hüsker Dü proved to be a huge influence on what would become the alternative scene of the early 1990s with bands such as the Pixies and Nirvana citing them as an influence. Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic once said,”What Nirvana did was nothing new; Hüsker Dü did it before us.” Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters has cited Hart as a huge early influence on his style of play.

    The band was one of the first of the early ’80s punk/hardcore scene to score a major label record deal, signing with Warner Brothers for 1986’s Candy Apple Grey. However, it wasn’t long before tensions between Mould and Hart would lead to the dissolution of the band on the tour for its final album together, the 1987 double album Warehouse: Songs and Stories.

    The acrimony continued until just recently when the two performed on stage together at a July show in Minneapolis that also included fellow Minnesotans Babes in Toyland and Soul Asylum. At the end of a set that saw Hart perform several both solo and Hüsker Dü works, Hart signed off simply, “We’ll see you a bit further down the trail.”

    Mould paid tribute to his bandmate in a Facebook post early Thursday, saying:

    We stopped working together in January 1988. We went on to solo careers, fronting our own bands, finding different ways to tell our individual stories. We stayed in contact over the next 29 years — sometimes peaceful, sometimes difficult, sometimes through go-betweens. For better or worse, that’s how it was, and occasionally that’s what it is when two people care deeply about everything they built together.

    The tragic news of Grant’s passing was not unexpected to me. My deepest condolences and thoughts to Grant’s family, friends, and fans around the world.

    Grant Hart was a gifted visual artist, a wonderful story teller, and a frighteningly talented musician. Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember.

    Godspeed, Grant. I miss you. Be with the angels.

    Just last week, it was announced that a new Hüsker Dü box set entitled Savage Young Dü will be released in November. The three-disc box includes 69 tracks recorded during the band’s pre-SST days from 1979-1983 including all of their 7″ singles, a remastered version of their second album Everything Falls Apart and an alternate recording of the debut, Land Speed Record. Also included in the set is a booklet chronicling the band’s early years.

    In a 2009 interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Hart offered the following on his legacy:

    A long time ago, I started looking at my permanent record — the history of me after I’m gone. Even to speak of it reeks of egotism run wild. But I think when all is said and done, the work that I produced in this lifetime will more than repay the world for any inconvenience I’ve caused it.

    Hart is survived his wife Bridget and a son.

  • Wild Woods Festival: An Intimate Affair

    Driving up the long dirt road to Page Farm, you start to realize just how far away from civilization you are. The trees get thicker, the houses scarcer. This comes as very good news because things get a little crazy once the sun sets on Wild Woods Festival.

    This small festival comes from the minds of Greenvibe Entertainment and founder Ryan Dubois. In its fourth year, Wild Woods had its best year yet, unfolding August 11-13. There’s something amazing about this place that you just can’t seem to put your finger on. It has an almost familiar feel to it.

    The campgrounds are tucked away in the forest, trails winding through with lights hanging overhead for when the day gets dark. As you walk out from your site, you pass a vendor village with treasures and trinkets of all kinds. A little further, you pass through a towering gate into an open field. Surrounded by trees on every side, you can’t help but feel at home. Every inch of the grounds feels like the woods you played in as a child. Except here, there was a wonderful lineup of music to be played.

    Strange Machines kicked off Friday with a bang. I said it last year and I’ll say it again this year: these guys had the best dance party of the weekend. Not to say it was the biggest, but the crowd was definitely dancing the hardest. Kung Fu gave us a huge dose of funk before the sun set on Page Farm and things took a very different turn. Supersyllius was joined by Lespecial for his “Lifeband” set. The main stage closed with a long intimate set from Papadosio. The crowd was really feeling it. The stage may have been small but The Reliquarium display that surrounded the stage was lit with mapped visuals. The night ended with sets from Lespecial, Esseks and Jade Cicada, rolling everyone into the early morning.

    Saturday was really quite a surprise. The threat of rain was constant and lightning in the distance was alarming at times but never came too close. Honestly, it made the whole night that much more memorable. The slight drizzle that came with it danced off of the lights and lasers. Local favorites, Harsh Armadillo, really brought the crowd to life that evening. It’s really hard not to dance to their high energy funk. The same could be said though for Hayley Jane and the Primates and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, both giving the crowd incredible shows. Hayley Jane was accompanied by her good friends in The What Collective. Their choreographed dancing was a really cool touch for the Primates’ set.

    New Hampshire’s own Roots of Creation played a very unique “dubtronica” set for the crowd. This is something the band is pretty used to playing. They love to put their own spin on the dub/reggae sound so it was a real treat to be able to get a lot more out of this set. Greenvibe was really proud to have Papadosio join the Wild Woods lineup this year, and the crowd was more than thankful. Their incredibly beautiful and deep tracks filled the field with violin and heavy bass sounds. The whole festival was in attendance for this set. The night finished with a huge set from Mr. Bill and Govinda played us deep into the morning with his mesmerizing tracks. Music bounced off the tents and tarps until the sun rose.

    The weekend was full of fun and laughter. The Wild Woods fam is a real thing, a real feeling you get after a weekend with these characters. Hopefully Wild Woods will return next year. If so, we can be sure that it will continue to live up to its name.

  • Photo Gallery: The Werks at Bearsville Theater

    The Werks arrived in Bearsville, NY fresh off a performance at Last Daze of Summer Music Festival in Sterling, NY. They capped off Labor Day weekend with their first ever show at Bearsville Theater, with an opening performance by Dharma Bums.

    Photos by Jim Rice

    Setlist: Fire Eater, Fly Like an Eagle, Slab, Waiting Room>Lights Out, Drop, Duck Farm

    Encore: Into the Moss

    the werks bearsville

  • Little Feat Play To a Sold Out Crowd in Albany

    Little Feat played to a sold out crowd at The Egg on Sunday, September 10 in Albany, NY. Wasting no time, the group opened up with “Spanish Moon” and throughout their two hour set, Little Feat gave the fans what they wanted with tunes such as “Oh Atlanta” and “Time Loves A Hero.” For more information on Little Feat’s upcoming tour dates, visit littlefeat.net

    little feat albanylittle feat albany

  • Hearing Aide: The Penthouse ‘Overnight’

    When we hear the name Berklee College of Music, it’s natural to think of the great musicians who attended this institution such as John Mayer, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) and Annie Clark (St. Vincent) to name a few. This impressive school has fostered the talent of a countless number of artists and bands and continues to do so with the members of the up-and-coming New England band, The Penthouse with their new album Overnight.

    This indie rock group consists of Eric Derwall on the drums, Kyle Raney on the bass, Jacob Arias on guitar and Patrick James as the front man. Although their band is based in Boston, they are making a name for themselves through live music performances in major cities such as New York and Boston.

    The band’s latest releases “City Lights” and “Another Day” perfectly embody what it means to be ‘indie rock.’ Every track makes you both want to move but also listen closely to the story being told through the lyrics. “Best Friend” for example is a relatable track about falling in love with your best friend that also makes you want to dance to its fast-paced and foot-tapping beat.

    The band member’s varying musical backgrounds make the instrumental portions of their music even richer in songs like “Everytime” and “Clear As Day (feat. Noah Jackson)” as each instrumental solo is just as strong as the next. This new rising band welcomes you to The Penthouse as stated on their SoundCloud page so don’t miss a chance to listen to their new music!

    Key Tracks: Everytime, City Lights, Another Day

  • Interview: The Demos Prepare to Take The Parcel 5 Stage at Rochester Fringe Festival

    The Demos, a mainstay of the Rochester music community, are prepping for their set at KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival. They play on Saturday, September 16 at 6:30pm at Parcel 5 on Main Street. The 75-minute long set will span the power pop band’s fifteen-year career, which they’ve spent continually writing, recording and gigging. With a couple EPs and a full-length album already under their belt, they’re in the studio again working on a new project.

    Over the years, The Demos have been through a few lineup changes. Singer/guitarist Jay Milton and bass guitarist Cal Saunders have remained the core of the group, with the addition of Caela Moore on keys, Jeremiah O’Reilly on guitar and the newest addition, RJ Papaleo on drums. They took time away from rehearsing for the big show to talk with NYS Music about Rochester Fringe, The Demos’ body of work, and identifying their spirit animals.

    Paula Cummings: I’ve seen the promos you’ve been posting to promote your set at Fringe Festival. How excited are you for this year’s event?

    Jay Milton: It’s really exciting to play in such a huge space in the heart of the city that most of us grew up in.

    CS: And that we call home.

    JM: This is our home and it’s awesome. A very unique venue, and a free show. I always feel it’s great to play a free show. I love doing free stuff.

    Jeremiah O’Reilly: I think what appeals to me most is that I think sometimes when you play at specific venues around town, you run into the situation where you’re often playing for the same people. Playing at an outdoor free concert during a festival allows you to play to a different variety of people in the community. It’s nice to be able to share and express ourselves to those people as well as the ones who come to our Bug Jar shows.

    JM: And it can be a family show. We’re PG.

    https://soundcloud.com/younglionofthewestrec/sets/the-demos-lovely

    PC: You’re recording songs for the next album. Will some of those songs be on the set list?

    CS: For sure.

    JM: It’s going to be a very eclectic set from us. It’s a lot longer than we usually play. Most of our sets are 45 minutes or so. So this is a double set almost. So we’re digging deep into our catalog. Me and Cal have been together in this band for 15 years. So we’re going back and playing songs from every era of our time as a band, from our first EP’s in the mid-2000’s. We’ll be playing songs off Lovely which is our full length from 2012.

    CS: The notes on that are that it was the one that went #1 on FMQB.

    PC: That was the one that was big in Japan, right?

    CS: We’re very proud of that.

    JM: It was big in Japan. That was the one that got us the Tokyo billboard. And obviously, we’ll play songs from our latest EP, Paramount Clouds, which came out last year. And then a whole bunch of new songs, and a few covers for good measure. Obscure though. We can’t be playing songs that everyone knows. Because then they’ll know how bad we play them.

    (Laughter)

    CS: We kind of make them our own.

    PC: Although the Andy Kaufman cover was awesome. It might be the wrong crowd for that one.

    CS: But I think though at Fringe, it’s weird enough that if you did it people would laugh, which is the point.

    JM: Andy Kaufman is my hero in life.

    CS: He’s your spirit animal.

    JM: He’s definitely my spirit animal. I have been obsessed with him most of my adult life. And the thing I love about him is the more I learn about him the less I understand him. Which is what I love about it. Every time you think you’re getting deeper into what it was about, it seems you’re just opening millions of other things which go nowhere. Which to me is… Life as performance art, perhaps.

    CS: The whole world’s a stage.

    JM: I actually own Andy Kaufman’s childhood record player. And his smoking jacket as well.

    Jay with Andy Kaufman memorabilia, Photo: Jeremiah O’Reilly

    PC: So we’ve got your spirit animal. What would you say yours is, Cal?

    CS: Billy Martin, a friend of ours, once told me that he thinks Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes is my spirit animal.

    JM: I’d believe it.

    CS: But it’s not that easy. My struggle is endless. I seem to go around, which makes me think serpentine, like a snake. I’m year of the dragon, too.

    JO: I think I’m an earth dragon.

    JM: What’s the difference between a dragon and an earth dragon?

    JO: So there’s different parts, like your animal that’s part of the Chinese zodiac, and then an element that goes along with it.

    CS: Like earth, water, fire.

    JM: I thought maybe an earth dragon was one that couldn’t fly, or something.

    JO: I’m like the black sheep of dragons. I guess that’s my spirit animal.

    PC: Is it too soon to divulge any details about the next album?

    JM: We don’t know when it will be ready. I would say by this time next year, there will be something.

    PC: Jeremiah, this is your first time recording with these guys?

    JO: Yeah, I’ve known these guys for a while. I actually went to one of their shows back in 2005. When I was a wee little lad. One of my best friends Alex Northrup was one of the founding members of The Demos. And I’ve been playing music with him.

    CS: He’s the Syd Barrett of The Demos.

    JM: That’s actually very accurate.

    JO: I was 16 back in 2005, so I’ve known you guys for a while. But I’ve only been playing with them for 8 months. It’s been a blast.

    PC: And now you’re no longer the newest member of the band.

    JO: I am not the newest member.

    CS: We’re like a restaurant. We change staff as much as we change clientele sometimes.

    The Demos: Jeremiah O’Reilly, RJ Papaleo, Cal Saunders, Jay Milton, Caela Moore

    JM: Honestly, I think we’re just intense workers when it comes to music. We just pour everything into it.

    JO: It frightens some people.

    CS: Or people have lives.

    JO: Aren’t you glad you found me – I have no life!

    JM: That’s the worst thing about being a musician in a place that has such a great local scene is that it’s hard to work on music and do things. Tart Vandelay is playing tonight and I’d love to go do that, but we’re doing this and then we’re going into rehearsing right after. And if we’re not in the studio, then we’re rehearsing, or we’re writing. It’s hard to do cool things, like watching other people play music, when you’re so focused on doing it yourself. That’s my least favorite part. We’re very dedicated.

    CS: We’re dedicated, honest, and hard working.

    JM: Every moment that we’re not working on music, we wish that we were.

    JO: Me and Jay text each other at work saying, “I wish we were in the studio.”

    (RJ Papaleo arrives)

    PC: Hey, we’re just wrapping up. What is your spirit animal?

    RJP: I feel like it would be a bird of some kind.

    JM: Maybe like a pterodactyl.

    PC: And what is Caela’s spirit animal?

    JM: A fox.

    Catch the Demos live at what is sure to be a memorable performance Saturday, September 16 at 6:30 at Parcel 5 on at 285 East Main Street in Rochester. Get ready by listening to their catalog of music on Bandcamp. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on this and other shows.

  • Teenage Halloween to Play in Rochester and Albany in Advance of Upcoming Release “Eternal Roast”

    Teenage Halloween will be playing at Vineyard Community Space in Rochester on Sept. 16, and then at The Rice House in Albany on Sept. 17. Both venues offer safe spaces to showcase indie talent in home-like settings, promoting diversity, respect, and inclusion.

    Teenage HalloweenThese are values that Teenage Halloween embraces, as they deliver upbeat numbers about self-acceptance and empowerment served youthful exuberance and a twist of whimsical irony. Just this week they announced a new release, entitled Eternal Roast.

    In Rochester, Teenage Halloween will be sharing the stage at Vineyard Community Space with their tour mates from New Jersey, Secret Mountain, and local bands Full Body (celebrating their new release), as well as Taking Meds and California Cousins (on the final night of their East Coast tour). Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show ends by 10 p.m. The suggested minimum donation is $7.

    In Albany, Teenage Halloween and Secret Mountain will be joined by local bands Jouska, Hate Club, and i feel okay. The show runs from 8 p.m. to midnight. Entry is $5. 

    Members of Teenage Halloween hail from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The entire octet was in the studio to record the latest release: Luke Henderiks on vocals and guitar, Brandon Hakim on Saxophone, Kevin Sabik on trumpet, Lynn Tuimil on bass, Brian DeSeno on drums, Danni Ciminnisi on keyboards & vocals, Eli Frank on lead guitar & Connor Egan on trombone.

    Eternal Roast is the follow-up to Teenage Halloween’s 2015 EP It Was Weird But It Worked, and will be available on Oct. 20 in a variety of formats (including vinyl). The limited-edition cassette is now available for pre-order on ‘Get Better Records.’

  • Hearing Aide: The Backseat Bullets ‘Give You The Moon’

    Much like fashion, music trends tend to circle their way back around. We knew we would see 90s grunge rock make a return, and that day has arrived. So wrap that flannel around the waste of your favorite ripped jeans and get ready for The Backseat Bullets.

    Despite having been born well after the untimely death of grunge icon Kurt Cobain, the Albany based band aids in the nostalgia for those of us in their 30s and 40s.  This foursome has done a great job encapsulating the Seattle influence while offering their own take on a familiar genre.

    Their five-track, self-recorded EP, Give You the Moon, has a bit of a garage band feel with overpowering symbols and under emphasized vocals throughout. However, part of what we love about grunge is the grit, right?

    The first track, “Danger,” is aggressive with consistently smooth bass lines. While the guys say they try to avoid being political or vulgar, this would be the perfect track in which to riot. Similarly, “Don’t Shut Me Out” is fast, upbeat and reminiscent of early Offspring.

    The title track, “Give You the Moon,” however, is somehow darker and encouraging of thrash. Where “Suede” is beautifully simplistic; a love song about heartbreak that bursts with passion in the latter half.

    We get to hear a little more of the guitar riffs in the final track, “The Smell of Rain.” No doubt that with a professional studio recording, we’d hear more of this.

    Close your eyes and kick back to Give You the Moon and tell me you aren’t reminded of Nirvana. Is it rain you smell? I think it’s really teen spirit.

    Key Tracks: Give You the Moon, Danger

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