NYS Music 20​17

Tag: alternative

  • Hearing Aide: Matthew O’Neill’s ‘Trophic Cascade’

    Underwater Panther Coalition, an emerging record label with a mission to take care of our Earth, recently released Matthew O’Neill’s LP Trophic Cascade on May 5. This debut LP features O’Neill’s single “Louisiana” released in March earlier this year in support of Earth Guardians.

    Currently living in Upstate New York, O’Neill was raised in Pennsylvania and spent much of his time immersed in the Eastern Woodlands. O’Neill’s musical inspiration and style is drawn directly from his relationship between modern life and his exposure to the indigenous lifestyle. Half of all profits from the record sales are to be donated to frontline earth protection groups and more specifically to conserving indigenous rights.

    O’Neill’s perspective of the world is drawn from varied experiences that can be heard throughout his LP as he channels these contrasting lifestyles into music. Trophic Cascade is composed of fourteen tracks that experiment with sounds from a broad range of music genres. Styles such as psychedelia are prevalent during “1000 years” and the mountain styled music peaks through on songs like “Golden Boy” and “Relaunching.”

    Other songs on Trophic Cascade include elements of Americana, rock, folk and soul. “There You Go Again” features a horn section while “Break Stride” embodies a toe-tapping and fun upbeat rhythm. Each of these fourteen tracks embodies another emotional message and strives to build the bridge between activism and action.

    Whether or not you are an avid tree hugger is not integral to be a fan of O’Neill’s music. The sincerity within his music shines through as it goes hand-in-hand with his message of appreciating and protecting our world’s natural beauty.

    Key Tracks: Louisiana, Ain’t No Way, Relaunching

  • Hearing Aide: The Bowling Alley Sound ‘The Bowling Alley Sound EP’

    On Friday, February 24, New Jersey’s own The Bowling Alley Sound will release their self-titled EP on their label 46 West. Their sophomore release brings musical and physical growth, as the original 4-piece has now transformed into a quintet with the addition of bassist and album cover artist, Andrew Capuano.

    The post-rock follow up to their 2014 debut, Metaphysical You, begins with the most energetic release of the four-track list, “Henry and Clark.” Well-known bands in the post-rock genre such as Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai can be heard echoed in their opening song as EP producer and guitarist, Mike Basil, kicks it off with a soft and subtle rift. Nick Looney’s drum playing anchors the song in place until the final section finds Issac Rubins’ violin eerily bringing the song to an end.

    “Night Flight” recreated the rich and repetitive textures heard in the first track, but much like the song title, the listener is reminded of dreams about flying. While the song will not make you want to get up and dance, or get up at all really, it would fit well at a yoga studio, meditation session, or music score of a Planet Earth episode.

    During the final two tracks, they inject muffled crowd noise to bring the listening audience together as one with the band. The group attempts vocals for the first time during the closing track, “The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words,” a title almost as long as the EP itself. The post-rock vocal approach is very different from the typical verse-chorus structure found in many other rock genres, and The Bowling Alley Sound stay true to form using soft, spoken words to poetically describe a 2017 New Year’s resolution. While I would have liked to hear more trumpet textures from Danny Molloy, the final track sends the listener off in a tranquil and serene mood.

    The digital-only release of The Bowling Alley Sound will be available on all major platforms and can be pre-ordered now for only $1 (US currency).

    Key Tracks: Henry and Clark, The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words

  • Hearing Aide: Left Hand Shake ‘8-Track Mind’

    Left Hand Shake 8-Track MindOne day, I was given the task of reviewing this album, a debut, no less, from a band I had no idea what to expect from. All I got was a set of audio files from the album 8-Track Mind, and a brief description of Left Hand Shake’s members, David Decker and Blaze Sepowski, and the previous projects they’ve been involved with, featuring names like Bang Zoom!, Picture This, and Bottle of the Dog. Initially, I thought this would just be something I could sit through and move on.

    Even the album cover itself led me to think anything could be inside. It’s of a suit with an old speaker where the head should be with an 8-track of the album loaded inside. Upon further research, I saw it was named album of the year by WVCR, the radio station for Siena College. Okay, I thought. College-age people like this. I finally got around to listening to the album, which started off with the various synth noises of “F.S.B.” until 45 seconds in when the slow drumbeat and guitars finally kicked in. And from there, I was hooked.

    The album comes across as a breath of fresh air because it delves into a particular genre I don’t think gets enough credit: dream pop. There are definitely artists nowadays influenced by this particular underground scene, M83 comes to mind, but it’s rare to see an act fully embrace the mindset. The mid-tempos that put listeners in a state of bliss. The sweeping, soaring guitar lines. The echo-y vocals less concerned with singing clear lyrics and more with being another texture of the song.

    In terms of extent of what Left Hand Shake is willing to do, it’s on the second song, “Being There (Django).” Along with the ethereal 80’s dream pop guitar work happening, there are also hints of violin and a mandolin underneath. Of it’s eight and a half minute runtime, the last five are purely instrumental. And it’s not only more guitar work that gets to shine, there are harmonica, saxophone, and trumpet solos dispersed in that time. And oddly enough, though it sometimes feels it goes on for too long, it all works in making the dreamy atmosphere stick.

    There are also songs that tone down the dream atmosphere considerably. “Right Hand Shake” reminds me of “She Bangs the Drums,” by the Stone Roses, with the similar guitar tones and echo-y vocal work. “Fly” is pretty much a condensed version of the longer songs, but notably more down to earth.

    In terms of shortcomings, I’d say Decker and Sepowski get a bit too experimental with their instrumentation. The songs that are 7 to 8 minutes long have a good chunk made up of solos that serve only to continue the state of euphoria. “People Like,” starts off sounding like a dated 90’s industrial act before it really gets going. “Fabreeze” has a muted trumpet solo while “Path Less Taken” essentially ends with a violin solo taking up the last third. The lyrics, when you can make them out, at times come across like they’re trying too hard. Lines like “Life is a garden, I’m sowing all the seeds, when something starts to grow, it comes out as weeds” (“Fly”). And “People like you, people like me, we can change the world” (“People Like”) Then again, lyrics were never the emphasis of this genre.

    So, if you’re a fan of the works of The Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and Lush, give Left Hand Shake and 8-Track Mind a chance. We should look forward to whatever efforts these guys have planned in the future, if they continue this direction or move on to something else.

    Key Tracks: Being There (Django), Because/Second Hand Shake, Fly, Iced & Alone

    Listen to Left Hand Shake 8-Track Mind below.

  • Rock Band Iüdica Talks New Album, Roots and The Glens Falls Scene

    Upstate New York rock band Iüdica just got out of the studio after recording their first album entitled Brain Carvings and debuted it in proper fashion. Earlier this month, the band held an album release party at Gug’s in Glens Falls, NY with Paradox Saints, Chestnut Grove, Dustin Sawyer and Germy Cats supporting them. NYS Music spoke to frontman Brian Alvarado, drummer Nate Fidd and bassist Chris Walker about their recent rise in the scene.

    IüdicaFrank Cavone: First of all, I would like to congratulate you guys on the new EP Brain Carvings. What was the process like writing the album all the way to mixing?

    Brian Alvarado: Recording and mixing this EP with Jason Brown at Starling Studios was a great experience. I had the worst feeling in my stomach the days leading up to the recording session. The band had practiced every week several times a week for months leading up to the recording session though, and we all managed to talk ourselves into a point of calm collected mindsets.

    After about an hour of setup, we recorded these songs in one take. Everything, the vocals, drums, guitars at once – but through separate tracks of course. It was amazingly easy, and after all that worry – we proved to ourselves we were indeed ready to rock. After a couple of touch ups here and there, we are now left with our Brain Carvings EP.

    FC: So the name Iüdica is a cool name that you guys chose as a band. Where did the name originate from?

    Nate Fidd: Brian actually had the name from a prior band. It was the name of a song first.

    BA: Iüdica is a Latin word that means to judge yourself. Especially from past actions that you make and transgression with the same conviction as god himself.

    FC: What were your influences prior to forming the band?

    Chris Walker: I like to keep an open mind but I would definitely say that classic rock and grunge are my favorite genres of music.

    BA: The bands that really mean alot to me are Modest Mouse, Brand New, and Nirvana.

    FC: What are your favorite local bands that you have played with?

    NF: There are a lot of great bands in the area but I would have to say playing with Formula 5 at a benefit concert was pretty cool and the Paradox Saints.

    FC: Over the past year, the music scene in Glens Falls has expanded. For those outside the area, what is your scene like?

    BA: My favorite venue to play is and always will be Gug’s. I see a lot of potential in places like the 190 grille. The scene is developing and I think that we are in the middle of a boom. There is going to be even more live and local music and that is what the area needs more of.

    To check out the Iüdica’s new album check out their Bandcamp and stay up to date with the band on their Facebook page.