NYS Music 20​17

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  • Best of NYS Music 2017: Albums of the Year

    With a wide ranging variety of music across the state, New York has an intense amount of bands releasing music each year, much of it recorded in New York State. Whether it was recorded at in Syracuse at Subcat Studios, at Albany’s Overit Studios, New Paltz’s Castle Studios, or Dreamland Recording in Woodstock (among the numerous options around the state), these 2017 albums from homegrown artists reflect the diverse music being produced right at home in New York.

    Best Albums by a New York Artist

    Staff Picks

    Dopapod MEGAGEM

    Dopapod may be taking 2018 off, but they left a fantastic album for fans prior to their year long hiatus. After their Fall Tour closing show in Syracuse this past Saturday, the band gears up for two final shows – December 30 at Fete Music Hall in Providence, and December 31 at Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Catch em while you can, because these NYS Music faves won’t be back until 2019!

    Read what Alyssa Ladzinski had to say about Megagem: “With their most themed release to date, its apparent the quartet knew exactly where they wanted to go, as they take their listeners on a dream pop journey to the center of self fulfillment. The 5th studio album comes a a bittersweet symphony, the last creative piece relinquished by the jam rockers before the looming hiatus. While its bittersweet to know you wont witness the live, raw talent of a band so deserving of its praises for an entire year, at the very least, we’re left to see how the entire album translates on stage and if any of those strings just so happen to surface during fall tour.”

    Big Mean Sound Machine Runnin’ For The Ghost

    Ithaca’s Big Mean Sound Machine is no small touring band. Nine members have been storming the Northeast for the past few years, and their fan funded album Runnin’ for the Ghost served as a catalyst for the group to launch outward in 2018. “Known for throwing some of the sweatiest dance parties in the Northeast, Big Mean Sound Machine has been ambitiously touring and working hard to welcome new followers with no plans of slowing down.  The new fan-funded album, Runnin’ for the Ghost, is just one example of how relentless experimentation on the road can lead to something positive and fruitful in the studio.” Read more of Ben Boivin’s review.

    Formula 5 All Points North

    Eli Stein said of the jam happy foursome “On All Points North, the new album from Albany jam-rockers Formula 5, ‘North’ is not a physical direction, but a mental state. North is up, and up is good.” Read more and don’t miss Formula 5’s final show of the year at DROM following Phish on December 30.

    The Other Brothers Jones


    New Paltz is alive and kicking with The Other Brothers storming out of the gates with their Jones EP, released in September with a sold-out show at American Beauty to celebrate. Alyssa Ladzinski said of Jones “With eclectic and effortless transitions between a broad horizon of styles, The Other Brothers don’t allow themselves to be labeled as a one-genre group, if anything, they’re simply contagious. Instead, they master a collection of ballads and soul-soothing soundscapes leaving their exploration and further projects open to directions of all kinds.” Read more here

    Folkfaces How Long

    Folkfaces have had a great year – they were one of the founding bands of NYS Music 87/90, they had a relentless Summer Tour, and released How Long back in April. Buffablog said of the album “From the back-country banjo charm of “Institution Blues,” to the rowdy foot-stomping pandemonium of album opener “Arrows We Break,” right on down to the sultry jazz elements of “Indian Lake,” there is something for everyone on this record. No matter what your poison, it is served with a smile on How Long.

    Reader Picks

    The Other Brothers Jones

    Readers loved The Other Brothers Jones, and why not? Their dedicated fans sold out their album release show at American Beauty in September. Check out our recap.

    Aqueous Element Pt. 1, Element Pt. 2

    Aqueous has had a monster year, including signing with Nugs.net and releasing not one but two live releases in the form of their Element series. Stream these jam favorites below and pick up the album at their Bandcamp store.

    Best Albums – Nationwide

    Staff Picks

    Mike Gordon OGOGO

    The evolution of Mike Gordon’s side project has been a delight to watch over the past decade. The current incarnation of Mike Gordon Band straddles the line between Phish’s jammy goodness and Mike’s inherent weirdness. Tracks like “Marissa” and “Crazy Sometimes” have made their way into Phish’s rotation this year and OGOGO was well received on Mike’s recent fall tour.

    Body Count Blood Lust

    Ice-T’s heavy metal band returned with their first album since 2014’s Manslaughter received a Grammy nomination for the song “Black Hoodie.”

    Kendrick Lamar DAMN.

    When you are named the greatest living rapper, you expect greatness. That’s exactly what DAMN. delivers. It ended the year as the #1 album on Billboard, and was nominated for Best Rap Album and Album of the year, which is Lamar’s third consecutive album to be nominated for the honor.

    Queens of the Stone Age Villains

    Marc Ronson produced the seventh album from the heavy rocking QOTSA, led to longer than usual tracks (six of nine are over 5 minutes long), all based on hearing the Ronson produced “Uptown Funk.” Frontman Josh Homme told VICE earlier this year “I knew I wanted to make something that sounded very tight, and with the air sucked out of it and very clear. So he was just a great reminder just as an opening and then his desires are so beat-centric. And so are mine […] we had this tremendous amount of overlap.”

    lespecial Cheen

    Boston’s heavy jamband lespecial produced a winning album in Cheen, released this past Halloween. Read more in our review, that said ‘lespecial has spent several years cultivating a dedicated fanbase with a sound that cleverly interweaves psychedelia, technical math-rock, metal, electronica, and a tribal influence that feels like it comes from deep in the jungle. The entire album has the coherent flow of a concept album, with its many themes seeming to bleed effortlessly from one song to the next.

    Dopapod MEGAGEM

    No surprise here – Dopapod was a staff favorite, enough to be selected as album of the year nationwide.

    Reader Picks

    King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Polygonawanaland

    Australian Psych rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard produce a style of rock that is as unique as their name. They’ve produced 12 albums in the past five years, with Polygonawanaland their fifth of 2017 alone. Stream the full album below and discover the weirdness within.

    Dopapod MEGAGEM

    NYS Music’s readers were on the same page with us. There’s no denying how great Megagem is.

    Kendrick Lamar DAMN

    Kendrick’s conscious rap received rave reviews from media outlets around the country. It’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t win top honors at the Grammys in January.

  • Best of NYS Music 2017: Staff and Reader Picks for Best Venue

    NYS Music is celebrating the end of 2017 by sharing our staff and reader picks in 10 categories, and today we are highlighting the winners of the Best Venue in New York State.

    Staff Picks

    Brooklyn Steel

    This new venue in the heart of the East Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn has been quite busy in its first year of existence.  Playing host to such acts as Ween, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Turkuaz and Yo La Tengo, this 1,800 person capacity room prides itself on open sight lines and great acoustics thanks to a roof specially designed to keep in sound.  The venue’s name is derived from the previous use for this building on the corner of Frost and Debevoise streets, steel fabrication, and patrons are constantly reminded of this with a minimalist decor furnished with scrap metal.

    Owned by Bowery Presents, the similarities between Brooklyn Steel and Terminal 5, another Bowery Presents-owned NYC music venue, are unmistakable.  Both rooms have an industrial feel to them, highlighted by the standing room only viewing areas that surround the stage on both sides.  With fairly easy access thanks to the L line Subway stop nearby and featuring a room with good sound and sight lines, it’s a pretty easy prediction that Brooklyn Steel will be a staple of the city music scene before long.

    Here’s an interesting time lapse video showing the remarkable transformation of an old steel factory into a first rate concert venue.

    The Capitol Theatre

    Located just a short drive outside the city is Port Chester, home to the historic Capitol Theatre which is constantly housing first rate bands and artists.  It was originally designed and used as a theater for cinema and Vaudeville acts when it first opened way back in 1926, but it’s since been redeveloped as a music venue and has seen a wealth of musical royalty pass through its doors.  Acts like Pink Floyd, Janis Joplin, Traffic and The Grateful Dead, who played 13 gigs there in a one year span from 1970-71, all drew large crowds there back in the day just as acts like moe., The Disco Biscuits, Twiddle and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead do now.

    Affectionately known as “The Cap,” this building has all the looks and feels of a classic music hall with modern day amenities. An open floor area generally has more than enough space for concert goers, even for shows that are sold out, while the expansive mezzanine offers seats as well as additional bars upstairs. And if that’s not enough, the adjoining establishment to The Cap was bought out and turned into a bar as well, appropriately named Garcia’s. Peter Shapiro, who also owns Brooklyn Bowl, has done a nice job of refurbishing and putting the Capitol Theatre back on the map as a first rate home for live music in New York State.

    Here’s a clip of moe.’s performance from last year that gives you a little idea of the views and the usage of the walls to double as projection screen of sorts at The Cap.

    The Egg

    The last of our staff picks for best music venue in NYS is that oddly shaped building you might have seen at Empire State Plaza in Albany.  Completed in 1978, this circular shaped performance venue actually holds two different theaters inside with the 982 seat Hart Theatre being the one mainly used for concerts. Although the smaller, 450 seat Swyer Theatre that resembles more of a lecture hall than a music hall recently played host to an acoustic evening of Keller Williams tunes.

    As you would expect from observing it from the outside, The Egg has no sharp angles or straight lines inside with almost everything having a gentle curve to it, even the walls as they meet a gently concave ceiling above them.  This results in not only a relaxed atmosphere for a show, but impeccable acoustics as well. Phish’s Mike Gordon even put out a live release that was recorded here simply called The Egg.  It may not host the large, national touring acts that can fill an arena, but for a pure musical experience with pristine sound in a sit down environment, it doesn’t get much better than The Egg.

    Here’s a clip of the aforementioned Keller Williams playing piano in the smaller Swyer Theatre that gives you a taste of the sound and intimate feel of the room.

    Readers’ Pick

    Bearsville Theater

    The NYSMusic.com readers have spoken and, in a bit of a surprise, the Bearsville Theater located in Woodstock came out on top when the polls closed.  This iconic, yet quaint, music hall is located on the outskirts of town and a perfect location for an intimate evening. Stop next door at Bear Cafe for fine New American dining options before the show, then saunter next door and enjoy the warm ambiance of the lounge and bar inside, before entering the venue and enjoying the incredible acoustics of a popular venue in one of New York’s most iconic towns for arts and music.

    Stay tuned all week for more of our series of the Best of NYS Music.

  • NYS Music’s Guide to 2017 New Years Eve shows around New York State

    NYS Music combed the state, across I-90 and I-87, up into the North Country and down into the Southern Tier, and has compiled a comprehensive list of all events coming up this New Year’s Eve. Make your plans for New Years Eve 2017 and say hello to a brighter 2018! (If we missed a show, email details to editors@nysmusic.com)

    Buffalo and WNY

    Join Intrepid Travelers and Folkfaces in their Buffalo hometown at Nietzsche’s. Event Link

    2017 new years eveRing in the New Year at Buffalo Iron Works with Moon Hooch, Gnomedad & Honeycomb. Get your tickets in advance – this show is sure to sell out! Event Link

    Aqueous has a Gorillaz-themed set planned for their bash at Town Ballroom. Event Link 

    Renown Pink Floyd Tribute band The Machine will be performing at Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls. Event Link 

    North Tonawanda’s Strand Theatre has Miller & The Other Sinners with special guest Cinnamon Jones. Event Link

    Celebrate The New Year in Jamestown at Jamestown Eagles Club with the Kates Brothers Band. Event Link

    Ithaca

    Big Mean Sound Machine’s Big Mean New Year’s Eve will mean of night of getting down at Lot 10. Event Link

    Get a double dose of folk rock at The Haunt with Driftwood. Event Link

    Rochester and Finger Lakes

    Rochester’s hottest new venue, Radio Social, has a hot show planned featuring harp-playing singer/songwriter Mikaela Davis. Event Link 

    Mosh your way into 2018. Floated Magazine is hosting a hardcore show a show at Bug Jar with REPS, The Weight We Carry, Kodivk, and Bone Mask. Event Link

    Funk n Waffles Rochester: Dirty Blanket & Root Shock. Event Link 

    Anthology has two nights of fun planned. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad plays both nights. On December 30 they’re joined by John Brown’s Body and Thunder Body. And on New Year’s Eve, they share the stage with Easy Star All-Stars (performing Dub Side of the Moon) Event Link

    Syracuse and CNY

    In Syracuse, Sophistafunk and Skunk City will rock out at Funk N Waffles Downtown. Event Link

    Or catch The Ripcords at the Fireside Inn in Baldwinsville.

    Verona – Mick Adams and The Stones at Turning Stone Casino. Event Link

    Capital District

    Throughout Albany, Schenectady and Troy this New Year’s Eve, celebrate responsibly. Call for a free cab in the Capital Region during New Year’s Eve, courtesy of Martin, Harding, & Mazzotti LLP.

    Twiddle will ring in the New Year, with a second performance at the Palace Theatre in Albany with special guest Giant Country Horns. Event Link.

    Join in on the mystique of Albany, at the Hollow Bar + Kitchens NYE Masquerade party with live music by The Late Shift, and Mirk. Event Link

    The Albany Hilton will host a NYE ’80s theme party, with music by The Refrigerators. Event Link

    A Pirate, and mermaid themed Shipwrecked party will take over The Desmond Hotel in Albany, with live music by The Audiostars, Skeeter Creek, and DeeJay Element. Event Link

    Playing With Fire Band, along with many others, will perform at Bethlehem’s First Night, in Delmar. Event Link

    Ring in the New Year at the annual First Night, in downtown Saratoga, where there will be a wide range of activities and live music. Event Link

    Vapor Nightclub at the Saratoga Casino and Hotel, with feature the biggest balloon drop in the Capital Region along with music by The New York Players. Event Link

    Motown will take over the Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, as R&B and Funk legends, The Commodores, are set to ring in the New Year in the Electric City. Event Link

    Proctors Theater in Schenectady will hold their own Motown NYE bash with music by The Chronicles. Event Link

    Soul Provider will rock in the New Year at the Rustic Barn Pub in Troy. Event Link

    The Shop in Troy, along with other neighboring spaces, will host a Masquerade party with Burlesque performers and live jazz bands. Event Link

    Hudson Valley

    Kingston’s BSP Lounge will host Rubblebucket and local organist Marco Benevento. Event Link 

    Bearsville Theater will welcome Gratefully Yours on New Year’s Eve for a night of Grateful Dead music. Event Link

    In Woodstock, check out The Big Takeover at Colony Cafe. Event Link 

    North Country

    In Plattsburgh, The Monopole will host Groovestick for all night party with some Grateful Dead added in! Music starts at 10pm and goes until 6am. Event Link

    Saranac Lake at The Waterhole will feature Annie in the Water and Nina’s Brew. Event Link

    Westchester

    Portchester’s Capitol Theatre brings in Colorado’s String Cheese Incident for 3 sets! Event Link

    New York City

    Brooklyn

    They Might Be Giants at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Event Link


    Brooklyn Bowl will host the legendary funk troupe Lettuce along with rising dance artists Jaw Gems. Event Link 

    Rich Medina presents HOME at C’mon Everybody  in Brooklyn, performing house, rare groove and garage classics. Event Link

    Soul Clap will keep the Crew Love real this New Year’s Eve with special live performances from rhythmic house duo No Regular Play and Afro-Futuristic pilots The Illustrious Blacks. Event Link

    Budos Band will hit The Knitting Factory with Evolfo and Electric Citizen. Event Link

    Bell House hosts The Rub NYE featuring DJ Ayres, DJ Eleven, Makossa Brooklyn Cookout and Prince Klassen. Event Link

    Manhattan

    Holly Bowling will perform her annual pre-show at The Cutting Room at 4pm on NYE. Event Link

    Electric Love Machine hosts a FREE pre-party at American Beauty before Phish. Event Link

    Gov’t Mule will host ‘The Rockin Mule Revue’ at The Beacon Theater, with special guests including Jackie Greene, Shawn Pelton, The Chronic Horns and The Better Half Singers. Event Link

    Gramatik throws a dance party like no other at Terminal 5 on NYE. Event Link

    Prefer Jazz to kick 2018 off? Try The Birdland Big Band at Birdland. Event Link


    Three sets of Disco Biscuits await their loyal fans at The Playstation Theater in Times Square. Event Link


    Macy Gray’s soulful voice will be singing the crowd into 2018 at Iridium Jazz Club. Event Link


    John Digweed and Tara Brooks headline a bevy of DJs at Output. Event Link

    and of course, Phish at Madison Square Garden. Event Link

    Followed by and one final Phish After-party, this one with Kung Fu, Wyllys, Jerry Lounge Experience and more at American Beauty. Event Link

  • Cal Kehoe Collaborates with Tom Marshall on New Track, ‘Marilyn’

    ‘Marilyn’ from Cal Kehoe, with Tom Marshall, is light, airy and a pleasant thing to have stuck between your ears. I mean that in a good way, the chorus is a bit of an earworm.  At face value, the video and music elegant and emotional, but dig a little bit deeper and listeners will find that the creation of this piece makes it more even more spine-tinglingly good. The production quality is top notch. The song moves effortlessly, making it a great piece of work to add their resume. Before we get into the music itself, there’s a small history lesson to be learned first.

    The song was conceived by Cal Kehoe, Tom Marshall,  Anthony Krizan of the Spin Doctors and independent artist Sherman Ewing. Kehoe says this is the second song a series of tracks that he collaborated on. He will be releasing more tracks over the course of the next few months. Kehoe spoke about the tracks and video’s conception.

    Tom and I met at Madison Square Garden at a Phish show in 2009. We began talking about music, favorite guitar players, favorite Phish songs, etc. I stayed in touch with Tom and we became friends . Last year, I was playing a VIP side stage in Hartford, CT where Phish was performing and Tom came to see my band. He was impressed enough with my guitar work and vocals that he offered to work with me on some original compositions.

    I wrote music for 5 or 6 different songs, until one finally resonated with Tom. That song became “Limbo”, which was loosely based on the Netflix series, “Stranger Things.” During the collaborative process, Tom sent me an unfinished demo he had written with Anthony Krizan and Sherman Ewing.  I began to write and work with Tom on the demo he sent and that song evolved into the final product – “Marilyn”. From there, Tom and I went down to Anthony Krizan’s studio in New Jersey and began recording some vocals and guitar. Tom and his daughter Anna Marshall appear as the background singers on the song “Marilyn”.

    We completed the recording at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT  with Greg Giorgio (mixing, production for The National, Trey Anastasio, Kurt Vile, etc.) with the help of Rob Allen (formerly of Augustines) on drums and Crispin Cioe (the Uptown Horns, Rolling Stones) on saxophone.

    It’s an incredible thing when musicians of different strokes come together and create a beautiful piece of music.  The song is truly beautiful and the video footage accompanying the track further proves that point. Dancers grace the stage and perform an elegant routine that matches perfectly with the songs tone.

    The song somewhat differs from his prior work, although there are still traces of his earlier characteristics. It’s jammy with some rock feel but this track leans more towards easy-listening elements. It boasts some sultry saxophone, open chords on an acoustic guitar in the background and one of the catchiest chorus riffs you’ll hear.  Most impressive is his guitar solo in this track and across most of his tracks. Every note is logical and fitting for the style, even though it seems he’s trying to break into a scene that thrives off of ten minute guitar solos. He stays humble, wails high up on the fret board for a few bars and backs off. It’s perfect for the genre and revealing in its modesty.

    It seems he’s found a great group of artists that he works well with and initial signs show it’s going to really pay off. Keep track of his newest releases on his YouTube channel, personal page and Facebook page.

  • Victor Wooten Trio Speaks without Words at Anthology

    A modern jazz club manifested at Anthology Thursday, December 14, welcoming Victor Wooten Trio with Dennis Chambers (drums) and Bob Franceschini (sax). A red curtain backdrop stippled with strands of soft yellow lights dripping to the floor radiated an understated elegance, setting the mood for the trio’s dichotomous playing style. A melodic infusion of jazz, R&B and funk abstractly bestowed upon eager ears, many belonging to fellow musicians.

    The relaxed musicians stood comfortably on stage, emulating a nonchalant but composed demeanor similar to one who might stand in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal while contemplating life’s deep questions. Victor Wooten Trio provided a musical approach that can seem simple upon first listen or to the untrained ear. They offer an underlying complexity that grabs the listener’s attention more fervently with purposeful, controlled sound than a performance riddled with wickedly intricate sequences.

    Their performance seemed to unfurl organically, in a free flow of notes with ever-changing rhythms that kept the head bobbers and toe tappers constantly reinventing their own body movements in a frivolous attempt to mirror the music. Wooten, Chambers and Franceschini know when to push and when to pull back, leaving ample space for each musician to unhurriedly showcase their style.

    In Wooten’s words from a TEDx talk at Gabriola Island a few years back he offered: “To be a good musician you have to be a good listener. Doesn’t matter how great I am as a bassist. We can put five of the world’s best musicians on this stage but if we’re great separate from each other it’s gonna sound horrible. But if we listen to each other and play together, individually we don’t have to be as great and it’ll sound much better.”

    Wooten contrived several noteworthy instances, the least of which was casually slipping from electric to double bass. The latter an instrument he less commonly plays, yet fingertips danced across the fingerboard unabashedly. Fusing classical and modern, he even doubled back to brandish his bow across the electric bass to create provocative sounds. Perhaps one of Wooten’s most intriguing acts unfolded as he utilized his loop pedal to create multiple polyrhythmic melodies, adding each note one at a time. The mounting complexity of this sequence mesmerized listeners because of the precision and patience behind it’s development.

    The method of slowly building a progression note by note could be traced back to Wooten’s TED talk where he describes music as a language, and one that he learned at a very early age, when he was also learning the language of speech. Just as children begin by learning one word at a time to build their vocabulary, Wooten still applies that same basic principle on a professional stage decades later to communicate with his audience.

    Midway through the evening, Wooten introduced his two comrades before jokingly introducing himself as Stanley Clarke, a prominent jazz bassist. Later on in the set, he treated listeners to a mashup of Clarke originals to the delight of those familiar with his work. The trio inserted other Easter eggs throughout the set, including a Stevie Wonder sample, but even these more recognizable riffs were cleverly disguised, detectable to those listening intently.

    What was plainly obvious was Wooten’s almost comically precise ability to manipulate his bass to sound like other instruments. At one point I found my eyes furiously darting across the stage to locate the elusive flute player. Low and behold, it was coming from Wooten’s electric bass. The running joke of the evening was that after talking to him for ten minutes, he could probably make his bass sound like that person’s voice. Perhaps this feat of musical wizardry can serve as his next musical conquest.

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  • Hearing Aide: Wavy Cunningham ‘Welcome to the Wave’

    Albany has always had a diverse music scene. The Capital Region has a way of nurturing countless acts and genres throughout the years and our city always seems to have a surprise up its sleeve. The biggest surprise in 2017 has been the release of the newest project from Wavy Cunningham, Welcome to the Wave. This endeavor showcases Wavy’s ear for samples and his ability to paint a story. Ever eloquent, Wavy shows us that he can be the light of the party.

    wavy cunningham
    Wavy’s most ambitious project yet starts with “Sunrays,” a calypso-inspired introduction track whose chorus echoes the theme that persists throughout the album, “518, if you didn’t know you know now.” He peppers his storytelling with various local references and a sound that encompasses the feel of the State Capitol. This is apparent in his upbeat manifesto, ‘Welcome to the Wave,’ which is a prime example of how Wavy can balance the tempo, timbre, bass and rhythm of a track while spinning a yarn to the listener.

    The most impressive aspect of Wavy is the sheer number of genres he uses in his samples. Two shining examples of this are the incredible Barry White sample in ‘Back on the Scene’ and the Bob Marley vibe surrounding ‘Montego Bay’. However, Wavy is able to move past relying on popular samples by creating his own atmosphere which permeates the album. ’Bout Me’ possesses a striking West Coast influence while maintaining Wavy’s Northeast attitude and the angelic track, ‘Ain’t Fo Sho’ flourishes while Wavy floats amongst syllables.

    Welcome to the Wave shows that hip-hop is alive and well in Albany. This is the perfect summertime album and while we may be in the depths of winter, don’t be surprised if the next 518 party you attend has Wavy playing in the background.

    Key Tracks: Sunrays, Welcome to the Wave, Aint fo Sho

  • Hearing Aide: Five Finger Death Punch ‘Decade of Destruction’

    The fact that Five Finger Death Punch falls under the groove metal sub-genre is either fitting or ironic for their latest album Decade of Destruction because I can’t tell if they’ve found their groove (metal) and are sticking to it or have been stuck in a decade long creative rut. For diehard fans of 5FDP the two never before released songs on this compilation album are able to justify picking this album up even if you have all their other albums, but for casual fans such as I who find most songs interchangeable, it gets really difficult to recommend. So to help here are two semi quick reviews of the new songs on the album.

    The first track, “Trouble,” opens with lyrics that I hate to say feel like the band is satirizing themselves:

    “I don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for me/That’s how it’s always been, that’s how it’s gonna be.”

    The song is full of what fans love about 5FDP including aggressive vocals interrupted with anthemic chants, but there’s not much to say about it. If you love 5FDP’s emotional lyrics then this is another song to add to your collection when feeling down or angry at the world, otherwise it’s completely forgettable/replaceable. There’s nothing necessarily bad about the song it’s just another 5FDP song for better or for worse.

    5FDP is known for covering songs, some from fellow metal bands, some from completely different music genres. Their track record is without a doubt a mixed track record. “House of the Rising Sun” and “Bad Company” are well praised and favorites among fans but then there’s songs like “Mama Said Knock You Out” originally by LL Cool J which is best not mentioned. Unfortunately the latest song to be covered by 5FDP, “Gone Away,” originally by The Offspring is most likely to end up sharing company with the likes of “Mama Said Knock You Out” instead of “Bad Company.” There’s just nothing about this cover that warrants its place on a greatest hits album and was also a wasted opportunity of a library such as The Offspring’s which is chock full of songs that fit 5FDP’s usual subject matter. Songs like “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” would have been perfect songs to be covered by 5FDP, so to find out that “Gone Away” was the song 5FDP decided on is just truly disappointing.

    Overall this is a mixed and confusing album and not just because it’s a “greatest hits” album with new material. While bands like Cannibal Corpse have also stuck to one sound, refusing to experiment, they have worked to improve that sound so that anyone can hear the difference between Vile (1996) and Red Before Black (2017) but 5FDP has relatively stayed the same for over a decade without improving their sound. In conclusion if you like 5FDP you’ll like ‘Decade of Destruction’ because it’s full of “greatest hits” and two new songs but if you don’t like 5FDP then you should be used to this by now considering they’re for better or for worse the closest thing metal can get to mainstream music.

    Key Tracks:  Lift Me Up (feat. Rob Halford), Jekyll and Hyde, Remember Everything

  • The Addy Opens at Proctors Theatre

    “You should know that as of five o’clock last night there were still lights and speakers still being hung,” said Proctors CEO Philip Morris at a Wednesday morning press conference to announce the opening of the Adeline Graham Theatrical Training and Innovation Center on Nov. 29 (The Addy for short) “In fact, you might even smell the dust burning off of the LEDs.”

    Named after the philanthropist and longtime supporter of Proctors Theatre, the third floor space of the complex now houses a 100-seat theatre, multi-use classrooms, a media lab, a dance studio and a variety of amenities Proctors expects will serve more than 500 students and 10,000 patrons annually.

    Proctors CEO Philip Morris speaks with visitors during the unveiling of The Addy on November 29

    “There is nothing for us as exciting as opening The Addy,” said Morris. “This is as laser focused as our mission gets — bringing together education, entertainment and economic development in one ‘wow’ package. We are beyond proud.”

    The Addy is already in use by the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME program, serving 60 musicians from local elementary and middle schools. But, in January, The School of the Performing Arts at Proctors will host more than 200 students in weekly classes, including the middle school-based Acting Academy and the high school-oriented TheatreTECH.

    Built as part of a larger capital campaign, the $2.2 million project was supported by grants from Empire State Development and the Capital Region Economic Development Council, Schenectady County, Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority and the Wright Family Foundation.

    “Philanthropy was such an important part of Adeline’s life,” said her niece, Heather Ward, now chair of The Wright Family Foundation, Inc. “She shared this passion with so many organizations, and she dedicated so much of her time and energy to Proctors because she really understood the importance of education, training and community education through the arts.”

    With the Workforce Development Institute and TheatreTECH, The Addy will provide participants apprenticeship programs, training and certification that will allow them to work in a variety of performing arts careers. The performance space will also add another distinct venue to Proctors—serving as art house cinema, concert hall and theatrical stage.

    A classroom currently used by the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME program at The Addy.

    “Any time you are willing to affect youth, you have an opportunity to change the world,” said Arnold Will, deputy regional director of Empire State Development. “In this case here, it’s really what we’re doing. We’re glad to be a part of taking a vacant facility, renovating it, being a part of the revitalization of downtown Schenectady, and we wish our continued support for Philip and continued success of this project.”

    Ray Gillen, chair of Metroplex, said the new creativity hub should only help Schenectady as a whole, as it adds another venue to attract visitors to the city.

    “This new venue completes the renovation of the cherished Carl Company, one of the last undeveloped spaces on State Street,” he said. “The third floor now features performing and exhibit space, including a versatile 100-seat theatre that will draw more people to downtown Schenectady.”

    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.

  • Falling short on a chance to open Albany’s largest block party, The Late Shift thrives nonetheless

    Wednesday night gigs guarantee small crowds. The Late Shift was one of four bands to play Jupiter Hall on what was the final round of Wednesday night shows 102.7 WEQX organized for a weekly Battle of the Bands. The vertical string of mid-week nights strung across the month of August to determine who would open its annual Pearlpalooza music festival in Albany that summer.

    There is, of course, an exception to every rule of thought. It wasn’t just a “battle” amongst musicians fighting for recognition: each band was tasked with the near impossible task of coaxing its fans to come out for support. Thursday mornings are not the time to be nursing a hangover, either from alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation or both. It’s the type of dedication to their bands that fans pay forward with sloppy TPS reports and copious amounts of coffee.

    The Late Shift consists of four guys who graduated from Shaker a few years back. They messed around with some instruments in high school and about five years ago, band frontman Scotty Somerville said they flipped the switch to become the group they are today. That band has cultivated a following that now allows them to host an annual Halloween party on the Captain J.P. Morgan Cruise and a regular “Thanksgiving Eve” gig at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen.

    When Scotty, Mike Davies, Jake Lester, and Sean Murphy took to the Jupiter Hall stage, a relative swell of people crossed the floor towards the stage — relative in terms that a bulge of bodies from the approximately 80 in attendance started dancing. In a competition where the crowd was asked to submit hand written ballots to decide the winner, the proverbial hat had been tipped. Chanting and singing along to the songs, the favorite seemed to have already been named with still two bands yet to perform. But, it wasn’t so.

    Ultimately, Hasty Page won over the crowd as the final act of the evening. The three-piece band out of Albany (has since been playing with a fourth band member) earned the spoils of kicking off the Capital City’s biggest block party of the year. But, it turns out that oft-quoted line by Ricky Bobby “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” isn’t true.

    “Sometimes it’s a humbling experience to go into something very confidently and not necessarily have the results you want,” said Somerville, who added he and his bandmates didn’t walk into the room with the expectation of winning. He acknowledged that the pool of bands they were up against, like Hasty Page, were already “more up-and-coming than us.” [But,] we actually wound up getting a lot of great exposure from it. It really started our relationship with a lot of people.”

    Along with the exposure to additional fans and WEQX, Somerville said Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions was in attendance, too. Bell is responsible for bringing in many of the regional acts who perform at the Palace Theatre, Cohoes Music Hall and The Hollow. Somerville said the performances at the Battle of the Bands impressed Bell enough to have The Late Shift open for Jimkata’s farewell performance at The Hollow in October.

    Jimkata is one of those regional bands with the reputation of working hard, performing more than 150 shows a year. After several years together, the band’s last album In Motion dropped last year, Jimkata decided to call it quits. The opportunity to play with them, Somerville said, was inspiring.

    “It’s funny whenever you get an opportunity to play with a band having a lot of success, whether that success is coming to an end or it’s just starting,” he said. “Just speaking with them, we’ve done a lot of things similar as bands, we know a lot of similar people. It’s amazing to find people who are having a lot of success and see that they do a lot of the things you are, it’s definitely inspiring.”

    Flash forward to the day before Thanksgiving. Another Wednesday night gig. Another surprisingly large crowd. The Late Shift is headlining its “Thanksgiving Eve” party, a show they’ve put together now for four years at arguably one of the hottest joints in a hot local music scene. “There are more and more incredible acts popping up everywhere,” said Somerville. “It seems like on any Saturday, you’ll see several great shows that you actually have to pick and choose between what you can actually go see. To me, although it fluctuates… I see the scene as hot as it’s ever been right now.” And, on an evening before fans go to see family for the holidays, a vibrant crowd packed the Hollow to see The Late Shift, along with local hip-hop artists Wavy Cunningham and DJ Mercy, and The Other Brothers, a funk rock band out of New Paltz. No TPS reports or college papers due the following day so the crowd let loose. Late into the night, The Late Shift lead the crowd into a sing-along to Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” It’s an obvious favorite, but it lends something of an anthem. A mid-week crowd wishing it can “stay lost in this moment,” dedicating themselves to both a band and music scene on the rise.

    Plans are already in motion for 2018. Somerville said the band has two more gigs planned this month, including a New Year’s Eve show that’s still being worked out. The band already has the bridge work laid out to follow-up last year’s Fork & Knives.

    “We can’t put a date on it, but there’s definitely some stuff going on behind the scenes,” said Somerville. “There’s some new songs, and some new approaches for some of the songs, too. Some new styles. All within our wheelhouse, but kind of exploring a few different things. There’s some stuff we’re really excited about.”

    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.

  • Hearing Aide: Sun Parade’s ‘Shuggy Mtn Breakdown’

    Relinquishing their debut full-length album to the world, Sun Parade successfully tugs at familiar emotions to send listeners on a 12-track sensory highway. Shuggy Mtn Breakdown boasts airy pop-rock blended with vibrant psychedelia that comes crashing down in waves. The 5-piece Northampton, MA outfit take you on a journey through self discovery with thematic commonalities all humans endure–love, life, questioning happiness and how to pursue it.

    With infectious melodies and light-hearted vocals,  Chris Marlon Jennings (vocals, guitar), Jeff Lewis (vocals, guitar), Max Wareham (bass, vocals), Karl Helander (drums, vocals), and Eli Salus-Kleiner (keyboard) are able to instantly grab a listening ear through their radio-ready sound while remaining comfortably candid. Reminiscent of elements of the White Stripes’ prominent and punchy vocals, Tame Impala’s airy singing and the Black Keys‘ american rock tone, the indie, power-pop album was recorded in a one-room studio on the 4th floor of an old industrial Brooklyn building. It’s no surprise that Rubblebucket’s own Ian Hersey sat in the producer’s chair to extend a helping hand and trained ear.

    The whimsical opening track of “Sleep Alone” warmly welcomes listeners into a dream-pop state of mind before launching into the cheeky “Cheer Up,” which does just as its title implies with both tempo and mood simultaneously picking up. Distorted noise and spoken word vocals shine on “Steal My Thunder” while “Game Boy” brings forth an extremely relatable message, embracing hooks and easy-to follow lyrics.

    A relaxed and slowed down “Braindrain” flips a genre switch as it walks away from the bubblegum sound and introduces a more delicate, soul-leaning attitude, complete with mesmerizing synth sounds and whistle-along tangents. The hard hitting and emotional rock track “Psycho” follows with wailing vocals and gritty grunge guitar breakdowns you didn’t see coming but can’t imagine the album without. “Shuggy Mtn” holds its own as the album’s party anthem. The namesake song dives into sonic exploration and punk tendencies by blending psychedelic rock elements with wailing vocals and hard hitting on the drum kit.

    The second to last track on the album, “Echoes of My Heart,” softens the tone and slows the release’s pulse with a quick, dreamy interlude before “Tear (Can’t Stop Believing),” wraps Sun Parade‘s initial release and circles back to the album’s blunt storytelling and hopeful tone.

    Through airy vocals and melodic exploration, the quintet proved they aren’t afraid to have fun and dip their toes in a pool of myriad genres while getting emotionally raw with their audience. Shuggy Mtn Breakdown aims to be timeless, allowing their hopeful and tender lyrics to appropriately contrast and offset its darker rock and roll musical elements.

    Touring in support of their release, Sun Parade will storm through Rochester’s Bug Jar on Dec. 10 just ahead of Swordpaw on Dec. 15. Listen to Shuggy Mtn Breakdown in it’s entirety below:

    Key Tracks:  “Steal My Thunder,” “Braindrain,” “Psycho”