NYS Music 20​17

Category: Genres

  • Pink Talking Fish Jazz Up Sold Out Boston Show with Giant Country Horns

    Fusion tribute band, Pink Talking Fish, offered a special treat for fans during their sold out Boston performance at The Paradise Rock Club on May 6. As the group took to the stage they were joined by sax player Matt Wayne, and the Giant Country Horns, who famously backed Phish during their 1991 summer tour.

    Wayne skillfully composed all the horn compositions for the night’s set list. In addition, he traded in his usual horn for the baritone sax, as Dave Grippo’s instrument of choice is the alto sax. The Giant Country Horns consist of Grippo, Russell Remington on tenor sax, and Carl Gerhard on trumpet. This solid horn section stood on risers behind the members of Pink Talking Fish, which consist of Eric Gould on bass, Dave Brunyak on guitar, Richard James on keys, and Zack Burwick on drums.

    The group charged right into a jazzed up version of Phish’s “Landlady,” complete with dancing steps by Gould and Brunyak. Heavy horns got the crowd in an engaging mood from the get go. The steamy energy in the room continued as they flowed into the Talking Heads “Nothing But Flowers.” Burwick added an island touch on drums as the melody melted into an extended jam. Brunyak took his guitar on an easy ride through the tune, ensuring fans were given a hefty dose of improvisation early on.

    Burwick led the entrance into the next song as a drum-heavy intro for Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine” took over. Massive horns kicked in, rounding out the heady flavor to the melody. The entourage of musicians then blasted full steam ahead into a double whammy that featured a sandwiching of “Lizards” with “Girlfriend is Better” stuffed in the middle. Hints of “Gumbo” teased the audience but the party kept going as Floyd’s “Money” blasted out in all its glory. Most of the horn section left the stage for the majority of the song, with the exception of Remington on sax. As the song rolled along to the backend, the complete horn section rejoined the band on stage, as “As She Was” absolutely begged for a brass-filled jam.

    A clean finishing “Gumbo,” followed by Grippo showcasing his talent on sax during “Have A Cigar,” had the audience fully primed and charged up. A jazzed up first set closed out with a double decker duo of awesome featuring “Slippery People” and “Suzy Greenberg.”

    After a much needed break, second set blasted wide open with “Burning Down The House,” stacked with horns blaring and fans jumping up and down. Phish’s “Tweezer” was cranked out, stuffed thick with keys pounded out by James, and a plethora of slick brass rounding out the spaces in the melody. Grippo let loose on sax and blazed a lay of the land with a quick walk around the stage as fierce notes flew out from his instrument.

    Taking the intensity down a notch, Brunyak and James flowed into darker tones by easing into Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” The mood in the room tensed up as mysterious vibes shared by the keys and guitar danced around each other. With Brunyak’s locks on full flow mode, and a slight hesitation before the tune picked up, touches of James’ keys gently chimed in, swaying the song towards an energetic pace. The horns behind added extra punch, as if the brass tones should naturally have always been there to begin with. Wayne busted out his chops on sax briefly before Remington took over and ran with the song on tenor.

    Brunyak took lead on vocals during a playful “Found A Job.” Screaming horns filled in the spaces throughout, before a chilled out “Wolfman’s Brother” took hold. “Run Like Hell” ran like hell with excessive energy throughout the walls of the venue. The powerful horns continued to bring magic to an already mystical flow throughout the set. Without skipping a beat, the music melded into “Making Flippy Floppy,” with James taking lead on vocals. Midway through, the vocals flipped over to Gould, making sure the song stayed true to its flip flop roots. Brunyak broke a string and, without skipping a beat, switched out guitars while the audience barely took notice. The tune was spiced up with a touch of salsa before coming to completion.

    The epitome of a brass, bass, and guitar heavy tune sneaked onto the set as “Frankenstein” reared its head, demanding attention by fans in the venue. The jam did not disappoint as heavy crunches of guitar and clean chops from the brass section blew the roof off the venue. Cheers and hollers coming from the crowd almost drowned out the band. The extended jam, complete with in-your-face drums, horns that wouldn’t quit, and an extra serving of spice delivered by James on keys, held all the ingredients for an epic end to second set. Encore brought out the big guns, as “Golgi Apparatus,” “Cavern,” and “Tweezer Reprise” neatly brought the fired up show to a magnificently splendid close. With the Giant Country Horns filling in the spaces, and adding the perfect blend to Pink Talking Fish’s performance, we can only hope this brass trio make more appearances with the band down the road.

    Set 1: The Landlady , Nothing But Flowers> Astronomy Domini> The Lizards> Girlfriend Is Better> The Lizards, Money> And She Was, Gumbo, Have A Cigar> Slippery People> Suzy Greenberg
    Set 2: Burning Down The House#, Tweezer@> Shine On You Crazy Diamond> Found A Job, Wolfman’s Brother> Run Like Hell> Making Flippy Floppy%> Frankenstein
    Encore: Golgi Apparatus> Cavern > Tweezer Reprise

    # w/ Possum tease
    @ w/ Lullaby of Birdland tease
    % w/ Rift and Caravan tease

    Click here for the audio of the event!

  • Plentiful Pineapples, Disc Golf and Late Night Sets: Disc Jam 2017 Is Upon Us

    Next week, all walks of festival life will be welcomed into the pineapple ridden, lush meadows of Stephentown, NY–the stomping grounds for Disc Jam 2017, just as it has been for the last two years.

    For the last seven years, jam, electronic and funk fans have flocked to the Northeast to enjoy a smaller-scale celebration of music, and this year it’s from June 8-11 at Gardner’s Farm. That’s not to say it’s small when it comes to heart. Disc Jam has gathered exponentially growing festival goers each year in operation, whether it took place in its starting location of Massachusetts or where it sits now, just 40 minutes from New York’s state capital.

    Nestled in an cozy location just over the border of Massachusetts and its original festival grounds, Disc Jam is easily accessible and hours away from larger cities like Albany, NYC, Hartford, Providence and Boston. The Northeast can effortlessly swarm to a flat, perfectly sized area to catch their favorite musicians across four stages, all while staying in close quarters to camp sites, vendors, artists and the side-by-side main stages. Remaining a tight-knit event with around 4,000 attendees last year, the festival still brings a larger-than-life mentality to the forefront of its stages. Along with booking popular acts in the scene, he crafts unique daily lineups with late night sets, silent discos and mesmerizing moves provided the talented flow tribe, helping you get into a groove of your own.

    This year, be on the lookout for a number of New York groups coming from all corners of the Empire State. By now, we all know not to miss the heavy hitters like Brooklynites Turkuaz, NYC trio Consider the Source and Oyster Bay’s TAUK. Be sure to lend your time to catching Giant Guerilla Dub Squad, Aqueous, Teddy Midnight, The Other Brothers, Chromatropic and Sophistafunk as well as the Capital Region’s own Mister F, Lord Electro, Wild Adriatic and Formula 5, who now comfortably hold their own in the middle of the jam pack. Before you know it, these are the names that could one day headline Disc Jam and your other favorite summer fests–jump in on the early stages of their careers and enjoy the journey from day one.

    Last year’s highlights included a Radiohead set by Consider the Source and fans can expect big talent from the enlightening, NYC based trio again with two sets– one being a two hour acoustic set from 2:00am-4:00am.  SO if you happened to be passed out in your tent, hooping fearlessly into the night or checking out the cows on site, you have a chance to redeem yourself and see the magic that is Consider the Source after hours.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qjdeniyk2U

    Remaining a faithful headliner, Dopapod has topped the bill each year since the fest’s birth. Fans only have one complaint: they’re not playing two sets. Although it’s something they’ve done on past bills, the Boston-born quartet will instead jet over to Colorado for a gig the very next day, which can only lead one to imagine what stops they’ll pull out for Dopafans in Stephentown.

    On the bill for the second time, Pink Talking Fish brings their tantalizing Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish covers to the Disc Jam stage. The multi-talented group has gained such expedient notoriety over the years; they rank among the best cover bands in the scene. In 2016, an impromptu “bachelor party” for keyboardist Richard James broke out with Hayley Jane leading a band of ladies on stage, appropriately dancing to “White Wedding” and circling him with dance moves and leopard print garments. Both James and Hayley Jane, who recently signed on to be managed by PTF’s Eric Gould, will be back this year with their respective bands, ready to surprise audiences with hidden tricks up their sleeves.

    If it’s your first fest of the year, you may want to take this week to dig out and wash your cooler that I can only bet smells like last summer’s festivities. Round up the troops and pre-game with the Spotify playlist below.  Disc Jam starts in one week!

    Check out daily schedules, vendors, parking information and more here.

  • Hearing Aide: The Mountain Carol EP

    There’s not much information to be found about The Mountain Carol aside from their origin and what their intentions are. They’re from Saranac, NY and make “infinite music for infinite people.” They say their creations are the result of “countless musical and non-musical influences [formed] into a sound described by some spiritually-minded fans as ‘too powerful.’” It’s an ambiguous statement but the mysteriousness of the group does make the tracks more intriguing.   

    the mountain carol

    This EP has just three recordings but sheds enough light on the band to give everyone an idea of what they’re after. Their tracks can be a tad repetitive due to the drum track, but a relentless, chopping beat gives the laid back melody some direction and energy. The guitar gives every track a hopeful and pleasant drifting-through-space experience as well as a subtle synth that contributes to the same feeling. The percussion is distant, lacking of bass tone and the vocals are a little unintelligible as a result of loads of echo, but it creates the open and spacey effect they’re going for.

    “Mountain Carol” is up first and has a synthesized, persistent drum beat that contrasts with a clean and reverb-filled guitar. Under the breathy vocals is drone tone from a synth that helps fill out the song and gives it more life. It would have been nice to see a change of scenery in the percussion section because the track does clock in at 6:11 and the same beat over and over again does get a little monotonous. At the very least, a break in the drum track would be extremely impactful. Although the song does blend very well from  section to section, it can be easy to get distracted, making it hard to appreciate each part.

    “All Is Lost” has a less organic feel to it, containing a funkier guitar and a very 80’s drum fill that jumps out from time to time. This song does take a rest from the relentless drum beat which makes more of an effect than the group might think. The point of the song style is to put listeners in a trance, which it does well, but a quick pause from the perpetual drums is a quick and simple way to draw the listener’s ears back in. One would hope they would continue to do this trick in future tracks because the ears tend to wander as they delve into a song that’s over six minutes long.

    “Adventure Safari” is a change of pace, moving back to more natural sounds with the most prominent tone coming from an acoustic piano which sounds a bit dated but holds a beautiful character. The track would not have sounded the same with an electric piano and it was an excellent choice to use an acoustic one. The transition from bridge to what could be defined as a chorus is a little rocky, but the track is still unique and true to their ideologies. Listeners get the sense that they’re being carried along through a variety of environments, all of which are pleasant places to be with bright lights awaiting them at the end of their trips. This track is the most captivating of the the three because there’s less obvious instrumentation and more alluring sounds, like that off wisps of wind and drops of rain, all of which are synthetically created.

    It’s a special collection and a valiant effort from the group. A bigger sound would be a good step forward – maybe more instruments and less obvious ones that could definitely make this sound more immersive than it already is. The EP is available on BandCamp.com with an option to purchase all the tracks.

    Key Tracks: Adventure Safari, Mountain Carol, All Is Lost

  • Listen to the Exclusive Premiere of Wurliday’s Debut EP ‘Bedtime Blazer’

    NYS Music is proud to present the exclusive premiere of Wurliday’s new EP Bedtime Blazer! Co-written by frontman Justin Henricks (Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, The Chronicles) and Arielle O’Keefe (Girl Blue), the EP was recorded and produced at Alan Evans’ (Soulive) Iron Wax Studios in Millers Falls, MA.

    Bedtime Blazer is the first look into this group’s sound, giving audiences a chance to listen before the band officially kicks things off this summer. The EP offers a fresh and modern take on funk and soul, and you can hear soulful vocals and harmonies by Arielle O’Keefe, Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), and Tyrone Hartzog. The EP features some great synth/organ overlays throughout with a consistently funky guitar. With just four tracks, you’re left wanting more! The clean recordings are pleasing to the ear, and the individual musicianship sounds effortless. Click here for an interview with bandleader Justin Henricks.

    Be sure to catch Wurliday live at The Hollow for their EP release party on June 30th! The party kicks off at 8 pm and the band will be joined by special guests The Rechorduroys and Olivia Quillio. Wurliday will also be part of Albany’s Alive at Five on July 13 when they open up for New Orleans legends The Funky Meters.

  • I Prevail Part Ways with Drummer

    Detroit rockers I Prevail have announced on social media that they have mutually parted ways with drummer Lee Runestad. No word was given as to the reasons for Runestad’s departure from the band, just a statement by remaining members on social media that read “Life an unpredictable journey that takes us all down different paths.”

    Fans who had VIP meet and greets with the band during the band’s most current headline tour, started to speculate if something was going on, as Runestad was absent from the fan interactions, hinting at a possible falling out.

    I Prevail’s full social media statement:

    ATTENTION I PREVAIL FAMILY: We have mutually parted ways with our drummer Lee Runestad. We wish him and his family all the best. Life is an unpredictable journey that takes us all down different paths, but the important thing is to value every step along the way.
    That said, we are stoked to have our talented brothers Gabe Helguera (drums) and Eli Clark (bass) joining us as touring members going forward.
    Things have never been more exciting in the world of I Prevail and we have TONS of awesome stuff coming your way soon. Stay tuned.
    See you at Warped Tour this summer.
    -Brian, Eric, Steve and Dylan

    Runestad, took to his personal social media page and posted the following brief statement about his departure:

    Hey guys. It was a difficult decision, but I Prevail and I have decided to amicably part ways. I enjoyed my time in the band and wish I Prevail luck in its future endeavors.

    I Prevail has just wrapped up their own headline tour, which featured an amazing performance in the Capital Region at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park in early May. I Prevail will head back out on the road this summer as part of the annual, Vans Warped Tour, performing on the Journey’s Left Foot stage.

  • Hearing Aide: St. Phillip’s Escalator ‘The Derelict Sound’

    Come on out to the garage, it’s hot in here. Rochester’s St. Phillip’s Escalator released its latest batch of psych-garage-blues rock on Record Store Day. The Derelict Sound, the band’s second full-length, is just that, an amalgam of the influences this power trio has cited since first forming as teenagers back in the early aughts.The band, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Moore, drummer Zachary Koch and bassist Noel Wilfeard, have been best friends since childhood and have been playing together as a unit just as long.

    The Derelict Sound is heavily rooted in the psychedelic sounds of the late ’60s garage bands. Many of the tracks wouldn’t be out of place on Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets compilation. Yet while there’s that trace of the past in the band’s sound, there’s a sense of looking forward as well. “New Age,” the lead single from Derelict signals just that in the band’s sound. It’s a swirling, not-quite-a-pop song that takes a step back from the band’s more frequent references of the Stooges, the Sonics and Blue Cheer.

    The album was recorded live at Temperamental Recording in Geneseo near Rochester. In an interview with NYS Music in March, Koch spoke about why they chose to record live, “It was not just a live record, but the bass, drums, and guitar, the core of it we played together because it’s the only way we could draw that energy. We tried before to record separately.” This is a band that thrives in a live environment. That is apparent when listening. The production feels live and gives the listener a great indication of what to expect in person.

    While the production value isn’t exactly what one would call “clean,” it is, after all, a garage rock album and it hits all the right spots. “Turn On, Get Out” opens with uptempo snare drumming reminiscent of Mudhoney. Koch’s beat drives this one and is one of the high points of the album. A Ron Asheton-style guitar solo kicks the frenzy up a notch before settling back in to Koch’s pocket.

    Influences are a-plenty throughout. Aside from the Stones, Stooges and Sonics references, there are times one can pick up shades of the Dickies’ “You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)” at the open of “Outside Mind.” The Escalator then brings you back down to Fun House-era Stooges dirge before kicking you over the rail into Dickies territory again. Koch is the driving force on this album. It is obvious that he is informed by such icons as Ginger Baker and Keith Moon.

    Ultimately, The Derelict Sound is a highly satisfying record that implores repeated listening. The band had a limited edition run of 300 copies printed in vinyl format. It is also available for download/streaming and on CD.

    Key Tracks: Turn On, Get Out, New Age, Outside Mind

    The Derelict Sound Tracklist:

    1. Sleepy Silver Train Haze
    2. Turn On, Get Out
    3. New Age
    4. Outside Mind
    5. Find My Way
    6. She’s Gone
    7. Turn the Blame
    8. Whiskey Woman Blues
    9. Undone
    10. All is Lost

  • Photo Gallery: Mihali Savoulidis at the Hollow

    Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle rocked a capacity crowd at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, NY on May 17.

    Mihali Savoulidis hollowThis was his 2nd stop from the recent six-show solo tour where he shared some Twiddle classics, material off the new album Plump: Chapter 2, and some crowd pleasing covers that had everyone singing along.  Adam Brockway of Eastbound Jesus started the night off, and set the tone for an epic night full of positive vibes. Check out the photos below!

  • Kevin Morby Provides a Preview of Things to Come in Philadelphia

    Kevin Morby is releasing his new album in just a couple weeks (out June 16), but you’d forgive those in attendance on Friday, May 26 during the sold out show at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia if they were unaware.

    The album didn’t even getting a passing mention from the stage, even as the band filled half the 80 minute set with it’s songs. That is of course unless you count Morby’s stark white suit, decorated with bold black musical notes. Across the back the album’s title, City Music, was spelled out in sparkling jewels, while the lapels included his initials. An unorthodox but rather fashionable way of getting the message across.

    Regardless, there was no need for the announcement. Most in the crowd seemed well aware of the music that was on it’s way, to the point of singing along with the couple of singles that have already made their public appearance. The set got off to a wailing good start with the title track off the new album. Morby played a dueling guitar lead with Albany’s Meg Duffy, who released her own stellar album earlier this year under the Hand Habits moniker. Her soft voice and precise playing were the perfect foil for Morby’s monotone and brasher guitar strokes throughout the night.

    The set explored material from the full breadth of Morby’s catalog. The energy peaked with “Destroyer,” where the rhythm section, Nick Kinsey on drums and Cyrus Gengras on bass, locked into a tight groove while Duffy soared with slide guitar leads. They kept the energy high with “I Have Been to the Mountain” and “Harlem River” featuring more heady guitar action. It slowly mellowed out from there, before closing with the quietest moment, Morby playing solo on “Beautiful Strangers.”

    Though non-traditional with the album promotion, Morby promised the crowd that they would honor the old concert tradition of coming back out for a few more songs if the crowd clapped after they left the stage. And they didn’t disappoint, playing two fan favorites off of last year’s breakout album, Singing Saw, and then finishing it off with a bombastic cover of Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll.”

    John Andrews, who we last saw drumming in Quilt, was fronting his own band, The Yawns, in the opening slot. They played a short but exciting set featuring material off their recent release, Bad Posture. Lazy, slinky, psychedelic folk rock, songs like “Drivers” and “Old News” gave way to the engrossing set closer “Audrey” that had the crowd desperate for more.

    Kevin Morby Setlist:
    City Music, Crybaby, 1234, Aboard My Train, Destroyer, I Have Been to the Mountain, Harlem River, Come to Me Now, Parade, Downtown Lights, Beautiful Strangers
    E: Cut Me Down, Dorothy, Rock and Roll

  • Albany’s Alive at 5 Concert Series Begins June 8 with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Let’s Be Leonard

    Alive at 5 is heading into its 28th season, starting off on June 8 with performances by Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Let’s Be Leonard. The summer series takes place at Jennings Landing from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays (with the exception of July 4). A partial lineup for other dates has been announced, including performances by Average White Band, The Funky Meters, Marian Hill, and King Yellowman & the Sagittarius Band. Regional support for these headliners comes from Victory Soul Orchestra, Wurliday, and Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets.

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe  is a funk soul band from California. Frontman Denson also plays saxophone for The Rolling Stones, and just wrapped up a tour with them. Primed to release a new album this year, KDTU will be performing some of their new songs at Alive at 5.

    Saratoga’s jazz fusion phenoms Let’s Be Leonard will open the show. Renowned for their improvisational style, the band just released Live at Gug’s, a session recorded in Glenn’s Falls earlier this year. Read the NYS Music review.

    2017 Alive at 5 Dates (Full Schedule Will Be Announced Soon):

    June 8 – Karl Denison’s Tiny Universe / Let’s Be Leonard
    June 15 – Average White Band / Victory Soul Orchestra
    June 22 – TBA
    June 29 – TBA
    July 13 – The Funky Meters / Wurliday
    July 20 – TBA
    July 27 – Marian Hill / TBA
    August 3 – King Yellowman & the Sagittarius Band / Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets

    For more information and updates, visit www.albanyevents.org.

  • Lord Electro Means Business

    Albany’s funktronica act, Lord Electro, will get down to business this summer as they continue their tour in support of their debut studio album, Business. The band will also release its first live album recorded at the legendary Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont.

    Lord Electro continues its “Business” Tour in support of its debut album of the same name, which was released in March. The tour brings them around the state, starting on June 8 at the Disc Jam Festival in Stephentown, where CEG Presents named them one of the top five acts to see on the main stage.

    They make a few festival appearances over the summer. They hit up the Woodhenge Festival in Adams, where they are scheduled for two sets, on June 23. They play a late-night set on July 8 at Kenny’s Cosmic Campout in Barryville. They finish up their festival appearances on July 29 at the GEM Festival in Glens Falls. In addition to the festival appearances, they’re playing a number of shows in the Northeast, including the Monopole in Plattsburgh on June 24, Lukins in Utica on June 29 and Silvana in New York City on Aug. 5.

    Lord Electro will also release their first live album at the end of the week on June 2. Live at Nectar’s was recorded on May 10 at Burlington, Vermont’s legendary Nectar’s Lounge. The live album showcases the band’s improvisation. It will be available digitally on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify and Soundcloud.

    Lord Electro Summer Dates:

    June 8­ – Disc Jam, Stephentown, NY
    June 23 -­ Woodhenge Festival, Adams, NY
    June 24 – ­ Monopole, Plattsburgh, NY
    June 29 -­ Lukins, Utica, NY
    July 8 – ­Kenny Cosmic Campout­, Barryville, NY
    July 29 – GEM Festival, Glens Falls, NY
    Aug. 5 – Silvana, New York, NY

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