NYS Music 20​17

Blog

  • Prodigy Bobby Paltauf Comes to Stage One in Fairfield Connecticut

    It’s hard to be so humble and mature when talent comes so naturally to someone, but Bobby Paltauf proved in an interview it’s possible, as he is undoubtedly one of the most professional and grounded  young musicians out there.

    He’s coming to the Fairfield Theater Company‘s secondary venue, Stage One, on Saturday, March 11 and NYS Music revealed some information about the show and how he got started. Paltauf also talks about a pre-show fundraiser with organizations like Horns For Kids, along side Rock Cottage Studio as well as how a portion of the ticket sales going to Zach Staden, a man who requires stem cell therapy for a spinal chord injury.

    Dave Ostroff: What age did you pick up the guitar?

    Bobby Paltauf: Around 7, I’ve been playing for about 10 years now. Started right on a Strat too, it’s a huge guitar. My dad used to play a lot and he had an acoustic and Strat and I dove right into those.

    DO: Did your dad tempt you to play?

    BP: It was always more of my doing. My dad always played great music. When I was a kid we would just rock out to Led Zeppelin. He played one Zeppelin song and it just intrigued me. I picked up his guitar one day and I tried to learn it.

    DO: Did you ever get stumped and need that extra push to keep learning?

    BP: Definitely. It was hard especially when you have those baby fingers. There were songs that I wanted to learn, a lot of Led Zeppelin stuff. It was about a year, year and a half where I was kind of getting it… and then it just clicked.

    DO: When did you get together with the people you put the album out with?

    BP: 2013. I started going to BRYAC. They had a funk night and there, someone told me about this bass player and drummer and we met in their basement and we just clicked right away. We added a keyboard player that we knew and then we put together that record.

    DO: You guys sound fantastic. One of my favorites is Atmosphere. Talk us through the creative process of that song.

    BP: When I first met with the drummer Kaitlyn, and the bass player Miles, we jammed on a funk tune and directly after, Miles started playing some diminished line, and we wrote the tune right there on the spot. It was the first or second time we met. We molded it out every night that we were on tour and it just came to be the song.

    DO: What would you define the album is in terms of genre?

    BP: A lot of it is instrumental, it’s funky with a little bit of jazz influence, so I would just call it a funk rock album.

    DO: A lot of the music, as you said is instrumental, but in some songs you sing. Did you want to stay more instrumental because that’s your strong suit?

    BP: At the time we put out the record I was only 14 and at the point your voice is changing every couple of months. At that point my voice wasn’t my strong suit and I was more engulfed in the guitar, so I just wanted to make that album based around instrumental stuff. I wanted to let my voice develop more. That’s actually what I’ve been doing for the past year/ two years now is writing lyrical based music. The next record is going to be a complete twist, all lyrical stuff.

    DO: Led Zeppelin was your muse for your guitar work. Do you pull any inspiration from famous vocalists?

    BP: Back then I was focused on guitarists. But in the past couple years I’ve been getting into folk singers like Bob Dylan. I like his less technical approach, just singing from your soul. I’ve been working on my own, which will be on the new album.

    DO: Is there an expected date for the album drop?

    BP: Mostly likely early May.

    DO: Compared to Lost and Found, are we going to see a similar genre? Striving for something new?

    BP: I’m definitely going to go for more of a rock and roll feel, going back to the music I really fell in love with years ago. It’ll definitely be more rock based, there will be tracks that go off a little bit and jam with a little bit of funk thrown in. Also some more lyrically developed idea.

    DO: You’re show at the FTC is coming up in March, are we going to see anything from the new album?

    BP: We’re actually going to play the entire new album. We might throw in some stuff from lost and found, but it’ll almost all be new stuff.

    DO: You got to sit in with Buddy Guy among other famous musicians. How did you get that gig and what was it like?

    BP: I played with him at the Ridgefield playhouse and my aunt who works there set me up with him. I didn’t really know who he was. I was more into the rock stuff, but I started to check him out and thought, “I need to see this guy he’s a legend!” She ended up getting me to meet him before the show, he had me play a little bit in front of him, he said, “Stand over here by the side stage and I’ll call you up for a song. It was just so incredible and surreal.

    DO: Was that the most memorable sit in with an artist?

    BP: Buddy Guy was probably the big one. The other one at Catskill Chill when I sat in for The Meters with Paige from Phish. That one was incredible. I was around 14 for that one. I happened to be a in a Meters phase too. It was incredible to play with George and Leo.

    DO: Did any of these big names say or do anything that will stick with you for the years to come?

    BP: I’ve seen Buddy Guy so many times after that. You see he brings so much energy to the shows. It shows that it’s all about the music, but you need to keep people engaged, especially nowadays. The Meters show was a fun jam for jam lovers, but the Buddy Guy one stuck with me. You need to keep the crowd engaged. He walks around the stage, into the crowd and up into the balcony. He has a lot of fun with it.

    DO: You’re playing with Grayson Hughs at the FTC, have you talked to him? Know him at all?

    BP: I’m actually in his band too. He called me up a few years ago, I had no idea who he was. He got my number from a girl in my school who was family friends with him. He’s this legendary soul singer from the 80’s who fell out but is making a come back with a few albums.  He happens to be from Danbury and he tried to put together a band, he found me, a drummer and bass player and we’ve been rehearsing for about a year and a half. We thought about the idea of merging the two bands at a bigger venue- Stage One in Fairfield.

    DO: So your group is going to open first, and then you’ll combine together for the second set?

    BP: We’ll do a little over an hour and then change over and he’ll do about 90 minutes with us.

    DO: Do you guys plan on heading over to NYC anytime soon?

    BP: We plan on doing a bigger run when the album drops. We loved playing New York City, and hopefully try to get a nice run together for the early summer.

    DO: Any other info regarding your upcoming FTC show?

    BP: Before the show we are going to have a bunch of local organizations and causes setup in the art gallery at FTC StageOne to promote what they do and to raise donations.  There will be a table for Zach Standen setup where they will be collecting donations for medical funds, stem cell therapy, and more (as well as a portion of the ticket proceeds will be also going to him).  Rock Cottage Studio will have a setup to spread Horns For Kids, which gives instruments to underprivileged kids who can’t afford them. There will be many other things set up at doors before the show and we will also have merch and cd’s.

  • Kung Fu and lespecial Bring Friday Night Heat to Putnam Den

    An eager, tight-knit crowd impatiently awaited a double header of CT-rooted funk-fusion Friday, February 24 at Putnam Den, straight from the talents of lespecial and Kung Fu.

    Fresh off the heels of a sold-out double header at Vermont’s own Nectar’s and Bishop’s in Northampton, livetronica act and festy favorite, lespecial, is riding their wave of growing fame. Last year at Disc Jam they offered an unforgettable late night set to their fans in Stephentown, NY, just 40 minutes out from the Den’s home. Kung Fu made a return to the Saratoga Springs venue in less than a year, after their last run around performance with Particle to a 330-person crowd. Acting as their first show of 2017, the five-some will soon after embark on tour before hitting the summer festival circuit, incorporating one original set and one Steely Dan set each night of The Fez Tour.

    lespecial hopped on stage with an impressive amount of gear to warm things up for a Saratoga crowd. As the aggressive, death-funk dance trio exploded into the first set of the night, gentle improv ensued but not for long. Completely unforeseen, the genre-spanning musicians swiftly ditched light and airy tunes and kicked into high-gear heavy metal paired with matching facial expressions. The intensity was written all over drummer Rory Dolan’s face as the grit grew stronger, so did the jam face.

    Dipping into afro-latin fusion with “Harambe Zombie” and funky, self-explanatory acid jazz improv, they took the crowd by storm with Star Wars’ delights as the opening notes of “Imperial March” had all ears perked up. Jonathan Grusauskas and Luke Bemand swapped their guitar and bass to face each other on synths and samplers for the Darth Vader theme. Another treat of the night came wrapped up with a Beau Sasser sit in. The Kung Fu keyboardist aided the trio with a Beatles cover, bringing the naturally slow and emotional “Because” into an unforgettable reggae jam with sprints of polka sprinkled in between. Cowbells were broken out during “Jackwise” ahead of a “Feel it in the Air” cover that segued in and out of what sounded comparable to R.L. Grime/DipLo and Friends mix samples.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ7CMFtjtBD/?taken-by=nystatemusic

    Their hard-hitting and glitch-hop tunes have a way of capturing you inside of a real-life video game as each level-up introduces you to yet another genre or sample. Conventional isn’t their game– and that’s why they’re so captivating. Their ability to span multiple genres in one song and effortlessly transition between them makes you wonder why these guys haven’t gotten the blown up recognition they so rightfully deserve. Yet at the same time, you cherish the fact that they’re still loved in a small, niche group and not popularized to the masses for your own selfish reasons.

    An already amped crowd moved forward and tightly packed together for Kung Fu’s introductory show of 2017, which quickly and almost instantly incited an electro-fusion 70’s dance party. In addition to recent waves of global warming, Kung Fu brought the heat, making Den dwellers feel as if they stepped into a groovy time machine.

    Beau Sasser, Todd Stoops’ keyboard replacement, Adrian Tramontano and Chris DeAngelis of Fu have all been recently found in the Albany/Capital Region area playing with side projects and supergroups at local pubs and restaurants, offering smooth tunes at Speakeasy 518 or getting funky at the City Beer Hall for what used to be Funk Night Wednesday’s. Although this Putnam Den stop wasn’t scheduled as part of the Fez Tour, fans certainly got a treat of what was to come with two Steely Dan songs, “Black Cow” and “Peg” sandwiched throughout the night’s tunes of “Scorpion>Gungho” and “Bopcorn,” before closing out with an encore of “Getdown.”

    Imaginations were left to roam wild and wonder what Steely Dan bust outs will make their way to the national, 28-date Fez tour.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ8Uxa8DcV9/?taken-by=nystatemusic

    If Friday night was anything close to what fans can expect from both groups on tour and on festival bills, summer 2017 is one to be cherished. lespecial will continue their current tour with four more NY dates in Ithaca, Buffalo, Rochester and NYC while Kung Fu embarks on their inaugural tour of 2017, making their Putnam Den stop feel like an ultimate launch party.

    lespecial Set List: Improv> Pentachronic, Harambe Zombie, Pressed for Time, Acid Jazz Improv, New Fish, Imperial March>Force>Lamp, Because*,Sound We Do, Jackwise, Bugg’n>Air>Bugg’n
    *the Beatles

    Kung Fu Set List: Hammer>Paragon, Black Cow*, Scorpion> Gung Ho, Bopcorn, Peg*, Do The Right Thing, Saul Good, Samurai
    Encore: Getdown
    *Steely Dan

  • Benevento/Russo Duo and WOLF! at The Brooklyn Bowl

    This past Saturday, February 25, The Benevento/Russo Duo and WOLF! played at the Brooklyn Bowl as a part of the Freaks Ball XVII.

    The show was The Duo’s first official show in the states in 7 years, although they played a last minute warm-up show for Jamcruise at Threes Brewing in Brooklyn a few weeks ago.  Both bands have strong ties to the Freaks Ball as Joe Russo has played in 14 of them, but Scott Metzger of WOLF! has him beat with 15 appearances himself. The show sold out in 30 seconds, extras were expensive or scarce, and although the venue was packed, it was full of people who wanted to be there.

    WOLF! played a great opening set, they let the energy build up as Scott Metzger shredded throughout the whole set. The Benevento/Russo Duo slid back into their catalog like a worn glove. They crushed all the classics, the peak of the night came during the “Becky” and “Scratchitti” section. They paired two of their most loved, high-energy songs together and the crowd at the Brooklyn Bowl was losing it. Though they’ve played together throughout the years in different bands and line-ups, it’s hard to deny the chemistry and connection those two old friends have when it’s just them on stage together making music. The Duo has no other shows scheduled for this year, but I think it’s safe to say that they will be back again soon.

    Setlist: Best Reason To Buy The Sun, Sunny’s Song, 9X9, Soba, Powder, Walking, Running, Viking, Welcome Red, Becky, Scratchitti > Something For Rockets, Hate Frame, My Pet Goat

    Encore: Play, Pause, Stop

  • GZA Runs through Wu-Tang Classics at the Waiting Room

    On Saturday, February 25, the bizarre weeklong heatwave in Buffalo finally came to an end as snow blustered across the city. And at the Waiting Room, numerous patrons were wearing Wu-Tang Clan shirts, GZA hats, and one wearing a New York Rangers style jersey, but with Wu-Tang images instead. The smell of weed permeated the air, and the audience on the bottom floor stage was packed from the front stage to where the merchandise stand would normally be. Wu-Tang was certainly representing this evening. And the crowd was here for one of it’s prime members: GZA the Genius.

    GZA Waiting RoomBorn Gary Grice from Brooklyn, New York, the GZA is the cousin of Wu-Tang mastermind RZA. He’s the oldest member of the 9-piece rap group and the only MC who released an album before the Wu-Tang Clan formed. He’s often regarded as having one of the most extensive vocabularies of any MC, which I suppose comes naturally with being in a group with as far ranging rhyme styles as the Wu-Tang Clan. It must come from trying to keep up with everyone else.

    GZA wasn’t touring behind a new release. His last solo work was 2008’s Pro Tools, and the last Wu-Tang project was the infamous Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The Genius decided to take the mostly Wu-Tang clad audience on a trip down memory lane, spitting out some of his best-known rhymes from his 90’s glory period.

    The majority of the first set of song/excerpts were from the acclaimed Liquid Swords, the album that established where, even if he was solo, GZA was one of the most lyrically adept members of the clan. From the standard hip-hop braggado of “Duel of the Iron Mic,” and “Shadowboxin’,” to the more street-conscious “Gold,” “I Got Ya Back,” and “Living in the World Today,” it’s impressive how GZA can still manage such precise, dense lyrics from albums made 2 decades ago, even as the backing tracks cut out to let the audience chant along some of the iconic lines.

    Something else that was prominent throughout the performance was how GZA, in his effort to appeal to the massive Wu-Tang fans there, would rap some of the other MC’s lines, occasionally some songs he had no part in. The DJ said a few times during the set this show was dedicated to the deceased Ol’ Dirty Bastard. And as a proper tribute goes, the audience was hectic as the piano line of “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” started playing, with them shouting how they “like it raaaaaw.” The same was for when songs from the Wu-Tang’s debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was playing. Aside from “Clan in Da Front,” essentially a GZA solo track, he went through other MC’s verses on “Protect Ya Neck,” “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin ta F’ Wit,” and “C.R.E.A.M.” (dolla dolla bils y’all!)

    During a break in-between songs, GZA asked the crowd where we got the name Buffalo from anyway, out of curiosity. Mainly because he goes through towns with Native American names, of which Buffalo is one such place. GZA then went on a bit where he asked if there were any Trump supporters here (there were none), followed by if there were anti-Trump people there, where the whole crowd responded. He then gave off a “we’re not with you,” before saying how “we’re gonna make America great again our way.”

    GZA waiting roomGZA even jumped into the crowd to do a rendition of “Crash Your Crew,” surrounded by eager fans taking cell phone pics and videos.  Some bodyguards came out from backstage in case any fans got a bit too crazy. He also casually signed autographs in the middle of his set, sometimes while still in the middle of rapping. That showed the level of cool and experience GZA gave off.

    The show ended with a seemingly freestyle bit incorporating “Triumph,” “Shame on a Nigga,” and “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin ta F’ Wit,” ending an hour-long set keeping the Wu faithful plenty satisfied. And no doubt if any other of the Wu’s killer bees ever come into town again, the same situation will play itself out again.

  • Show Preview: Pierce The Veil The Rest in Space Tour

    Pierce The Veil fans are running in circles from the excitement of the Rest In Space tour. 

    Pierce The Veil, alongside direct support Falling In Reverse and Crown The Empire, are scheduled to play at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, N.Y. on Sunday, March 5.

    On May 13, the band released their fourth full-length album, Misadventures. Fans are welcoming back the band to perform their new material at the Clifton Park venue for the first time since their nearly sold-out show in 2013 with Memphis May Fire, Letlive and Issues.

    Their third U.S. headlining tour promoting the album, the Rest In Space Tour will be hitting North America until March 10. Since the release of Misadventures, Pierce The Veil have released music videos for fan favorites, “Circles,” “Dive In” and “Floral & Fading.”

    Direct support Falling In Reverse are scheduled to release their new album, Coming Home, on April 7 via Epitaph Records. Their fourth full-length release, Coming Home features hit singles, “Loser” and “Coming Home.”

    Following the departure of vocalist Dave Escamilla, in July of last year Crown The Empire released their third full-length album, Retrograde. Their Retrograde Tour promoting the album hit the Clifton Park venue in late November.

    Doors open for the Rest in Space tour at 6 pm on Sunday, and the show kicks off at 7 pm. 

  • Former Assembly Candidate Jesse Calhoun Named GM at School of Rock Albany

    School of Rock Albany has announced that former Assembly candidate, Jesse Calhoun, has been named as General Manager. The position brings Calhoun’s experience as an organizer and musician to a nationally famous program. Thanks to the 2002 Jack Black film, School of Rock has 11 chapters around New York State, expanding in recent years and opening an Albany chapter in 2013. Calhoun spoke to NYS Music about his new role and what he brings to the job, and why we need to save the arts.

    Pete Mason: How did you first get started in music as a kid when you were growing up?

    Jesse Calhoun: I had been involved with vocal music ever since I was a kid, had my first solo thanks to Miss Mescudi in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, (fun fact that’s actually Kid Cudi’s Mom.) But I really dove in my senior year of high school. I asked my mom for a guitar that Christmas, and then spent every waking hour that I wasn’t in school trying to learn riffs from my favorite bands. I learned the little riff from “Come Out and Play” by the Offspring and the riff from “Song 2” by Blur and was hooked forever after that.

    Jesse Calhoun

    PM: How did you start The Ameros?

    JC: I started a band called “Cultural Relativity” in Ohio with my best friend since 5th grade, Charles Pope. We recorded a little 5 song demo CD called The Controlled Demo – which the same night we recorded it and put it up, I was contacted by a DJ from Leaf Pile Radio out of Columbus who loved our song “Name Your Price for Freedom” and wanted to put it into rotation. We were sharing that song all over the country to local activist groups. It was right about the time of the Patriot Act being passed and I was concerned with a swift erosion of liberty that was happening in our country. It wasn’t long before Sean Muniz, a local organizer (who would eventually become our bass player) asked us to come do a benefit concert here in Albany, NY. A few years down the road not only had my view on relativism changed but our moniker had changed as well.

    jesse calhounPM: What can be done to increase access to music and arts education in schools today?

    JC: Great question! To me Paul Green (the guy the School of Rock movie was based off of) in his creation of the School of Rock has found an amazing answer. In the current educational model, what’s the first thing to get cut? The arts. Always. Not only does the current educational model come from a scarcity mindset, meaning that there are very many talented music teachers out there in the world, decreed officially or not, not many of them can find work, they have to wait for the music teacher to retire or die and then fight for that job amongst hundreds of other applicants. The School of Rock Albany not only enables local, active musicians to teach some of the greatest skills that they have learned both on stage and on their instrument, but it provides an outlet for children who are interested in music that might not be getting it otherwise. Here locally we are happy to supplement great local music programs and provide opportunities for children to unleash their inner rock stars, building confidence, teamwork and more.

    PM: Can you tell us about what’s behind the planning for a Blues show and David Bowie tribute this spring?

    JC: We are early in the season right now, so we’ve cast a variety of students into each show. We aim to teach concepts in context of some of the famous songs that many of us have come to love. We try to choose songs for each student that challenge them or help them learn concepts and expand their musical vocabulary. Right now it’s cool to see the students starting to learn both about the blues form and the roots of Rock ‘n’Roll, and also to explore the multifaceted artistry of David Bowie.

    These shows have filled up due to popularity so we are excited to announce that on Thursdays we are starting up a Tribute to Nirvana show rehearsal from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. So if you know any young aspiring musicians who are looking to make friends, learn music, and get on stage – let us know!

  • Hearing Aide: Battle Beast ‘Bringer of Pain’

    Imagine this scenario if you may: you are about to enter an epic battle of man vs the world. You have your leather wrist bands and your battle vest prepared for combat. The boots are all laced and ready to kick up the mud. Deep inside you know something is missing. What could it be? Suddenly the answer came from the metal gods, a wicked and powerful soundtrack to capture the energy of a true warrior. The battle hymn of choice goes by the name, Bringer of Pain from Finland’s own Battle Beast! Today we shall fight for the metal.

    Battle Beast Bringer Of PainNo strangers to the way of steel, Bringer of Pain, is the fourth installment to be added to the band’s ever growing discography. This follow up from their 2015 release Unholy Savior (via Nuclear Blast) and my personal favorite Battle Beast (2013 via Nuclear Blast), they once again present their own unique brand of heavy and power metal to the metal masses. The vocal approach by Noora Louhimo will capture the hearts of the male fans and inspired many females lurking in the genre to take up the horns. With such powerful tracks like “We Will Fight” and “God of War,” they will ignite a flame inside the listener  that will burn brighter than any other star in the sky. The guitar work of Juuso Soinio and the drumming of Pyry Vikki will remind you of Odin’s eight hooved horse galloping to crush the enemies of metal. You will find yourself doing your battle cry as you raise your sword or roll a d20 while playing DND, as each soaring guitar solo with the help of bone crushing war drum makes the opposition tremble before you. Critical hit; victory is yours.

    When it comes to power metal, you know there will be some songs that hit you hard straight into your soul. The track on the album that puts the emphasis of emotion is the very passionate song “Far From Heaven.” The vocals mixed with the guitar skills of Vikki and Björkroth created a masterpiece of melody and melancholy resonance. I am a big scary looking guy and let me tell you, this track makes me feel like a hopeful teenage boy again; simply beautiful. I do admit this is my personal favorite from the new release. Another track that has a wonderful executed dread-filled painted landscape is “Lost in Wars” which features Tomi Joutsen (Amphoris). His deep sorrowful vocals mold a dark picture where a world lost all hope and light because of man’s own doing. It will send chills down your spine with the bass playing of Sipilä giving the song as if it was a funeral dirge. I do see this song  becoming the most popular one on the album in the coming weeks as well as help the band grow their devoted fan base.

    If I could give this album a rating, it would be a solid 5 out of 5. You may order it from the band’s page and your local record store. Buy it and together we will fight with Odin!

    Key Tracks: Bringer of Pain, Lost in Wars, We Will Fight

  • Iraqi Metalists Acrassicauda Host Immigrant Resettlement Benefit in Brooklyn

    Brooklyn-based Acrassicauda, a metal band originally formed in Iraq and featured in the 2007 documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad, is hosting a benefit at the Knitting Factory Sunday to support immigrant resettlement programs in Brooklyn. The 6:00 p.m. all-ages show is free to attend, donations are encouraged.

    AcrassicaudaSpeaking with Billboard about the decision to conduct the benefit, the typically apolitical band says it was sparked by President Trump’s executive order calling for a travel ban from seven majority Muslim countries. Drummer Marwan M tells the magazine:

    We dodged that conversation because of everything we went through growing up in Iraq. But what’s going on here is idiotic and making us sick to our stomachs. We decided that we can’t pretend nothing is happening. This country is built on immigration and the idea of diverse cultures united. So many Americans are people who have fled their countries for one reason or another and built a home here. And this country has benefited from them.

    The Sunday show features special guests Alex Skolnick of Testament – who produced Acrassicauda’s debut EP, Only the Dead See the End of the War –  and Jay Weinberg of Slipknot, along with the bands I Killya, Sun & Flesh, Robots and Monsters and Signals of Bedlam.

    Original Acrassicauda members, drummer Marwan and guitarist/vocalist Faisal Talal, with assistance from members of Staten Island band Sicada, will headline the affair. All proceeds from the event, including from all Acrassicauda merchandise sold, will go towards immigrant resettlement causes. The band hasn’t designated one specific organization, but did say a portion will go to the International Rescue Committee, an organization instrumental in helping the band members when seeking asylum in 2009.

    Weinberg was enlisted to help via text message from Marwan after witnessing the recent airport protests. He was on board right away.

    If you’ve seen the documentary, then you know what those guys went through just to be a band; just to practice. They are trying to live, quote unquote, the American dream, but it seems more difficult to attain these days.  So, they are standing up and speaking out for what’s right. They walk the walk, and if I can contribute to a cause that they’re behind, I’m honored to be a part of it.

    Acrassicauda released its first full length album Gilgamesh in February 2016. Watch the powerful video for the single “Rise” below.  The Vice documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad can be viewed in its entirety on the band’s website here.

  • Hearing Aide: Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds ‘Fowl Play’

    If success is playing over 700 shows and releasing three wildly successful studio albums, then Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds have it. Their presence on stage is infectious, contributing to a vast and ever-growing festival scene. The Brooklyn-based Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds just released their newest addition to the catalogue, a two-disc live album titled Fowl Play, that provides enough horsepower and sheer grit to get you in the mood to roll down the windows and hit the road.

    The album starts hard and heavy with “Freight Train,” complete with wailing horns and a voice that could bring just about anyone to their knees. It’s no surprise that lead vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe can use her voice to soar over the rest of her seven-piece band. “Freight Train” is how you start a live album. If you’re new to the band, then that’s the song that will keep you listening.

    “My House” slows it down, with that 50’s soul feel almost comparable to a Sam Cooke ballad. The song is bookended with Kincheloe’s sultry voice, but the meat of the song is the guitar solo in the middle. You’ll definitely want to go back and listen again to get the full effect. For a band who prides themselves on hard-hitting, gritty rock, the ballad is where you really see the definition and talent. Ballads can be tough for a large band, but their ability to settle down and hit you with the feels is undeniable.

    Disc two opens with “Dirt,” which is a prime example of why you should set the computer down and go see them live. The attitude and low-end growl is what makes Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds so popular among a vast fan base. The harmonica and sax solo battle is one for the ages, grabbing your attention from every angle. Arleigh’s brother Jackson Kincheloe on harmonica and Brian Graham on saxophone somehow fit more notes into a solo than what should be possible. But nevertheless, it builds to a full-band roar, like a battle cry after winning the war.

    Fans crave live albums, and this one does not disappoint. It appeals to just about every genre, and provides funky, gritty jams that can get just about anyone moving. Get your copy on their Bandcamp where you can also preview the album. They don’t currently have any tour dates announced, but keep a close eye on their website for upcoming tour and festival announcements. Do yourself a favor and hop on the Dirty Birds train, because wherever it’s going, you’re in for one wild ride.

    Key Tracks: Freight Train, Dr. Feelgood, Dirt

  • This Week in Protest Music: Debbie Harry, Las Cafeteras and NY Fashion Week

    Winding down African-American history month, The Crows Nest looks at the top protest albums from black artists that you should know, Gothamist looks at NYC Protest songs in their detailed history and Vogue looks at how protest music took over Fashion Week in NYC this month.

    Nelson Jancaterino and Wyatt Edmondson, two singer/songwriters from Montgomery, AL have two different perspectives and paths with their music. Nelson performs protest music that addresses both sides, recalling folk music as a root of protest music:

    “I feel like with the current political climate, not just in America but around the world, there needs to be a new revival of folk music. You had such a big folk genre, such a big folk influence in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and it just kind of died off. Now there’s a void that needs to be filled by people who have something to say.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmRywKktSsw

    The children of immigrants, Las Cafeteras take roots music and remix it while telling modern day stories. The band “wanted to engage people’s imaginations about the future of this country. Everyone knows what’s wrong, but not many know what to do. We hope to push people to think about themselves as presidents of their homes, schools, workplaces and to create the kind of country they would like to see starting from the local and moving outward.” Listen to “If I was President.” below.

    Klezmer music has roots as protest music, as described by Asher Putnam of Bella’s Bartok.

    Columbia, South Carolina’s Free Times spoke with local musicians on the influence of the age of trump on protest music.

    Forbidden Folk, part of the Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas ended last week, with about 1,000 musicians and singers gathered for five days of music, song and mingling with promoters, critics, agents and disc jockeys for a maniacal, magical feast of music that ran almost 24 hours a day.

    Blondie’s Debbie Harry feels that protest music is on the rise: “I don’t want to go backwards in time; I don’t think isolationism is a good thing at this time in history. I think he’s an idiot. “I don’t like the idea of promoting fear to gain popularity. It’s so ugly.” She believes music has a part to play in voicing protest against him, although “no one has written an anthem yet”.

    This playlist by Vijay Iyer looks at the roots of Protest music in jazz.

    And if you were curious if protest music was relegated just to American, here’s a little something from Nigeria, where Timaya’s ‘Pity 4 Us’ “is a clear representation of the mood in the country, and seeks positive changes in the state of affairs.”