NYS Music 20​17

Tag: matthew o’neill

  • 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

  • This Week in Protest Music: Snoop Dogg, Juliana Hatfield, Sex Pistols and Stefan Lessard

    Snoop Dogg released “Lavender” (Nightfall Remix) featuring a clown named Ronald Klump, who wants to deport all doggs, and later Snoop fires a fake pistol at Klump, who later in the video is in chains. Watch the roller coaster video and judge for yourself:

    Boston-based soul/rock band Dan & the Wildfire released their new single, “Nothing But Love” on February 22nd and will donate all proceeds to the ACLU.

    Juliana Hatfield will release a Pussycat, a politically themed album, on April 28. Hatfield said of the release, “I wasn’t planning on making a record … All of these songs just started pouring out of me. And I felt an urgency to record them, to get them down, and get them out there.”

    Tom Maxwell profiles The Hutchinson Family Singers, who were abolitionists with an anti-slavery anthem.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyoC-JccYcc

    Katy Perry released “Chained to the Rhythm”, a ‘purposeful pop’ protest song, which was then skewered by the NY Post.

    Protest music towards Trump has taken off globally, and through dance music, as detailed by The National, based in United Arab Emirates.

    Connecticut based saxophonist Noah Preminger released Meditations on Freedom, on Inauguration Day and Mike Hamad at The Hartford Courant breaks down the albums political themes.

    Canadians are getting in on protest music too! Hollerado from Ontario wrote “Grief Money” prior to Trump’s election but it was “It was an unhappy coincidence” the song had a secondary meaning. Blood, Sweat and Tears former singer David Clayton-Thomas wrote “Ode to the Donald” and Wintersleep wrote “Amerika,” tunes that show the interconnectedness of American policy and our Canadian neighbors.

    Jon Lydon of the Sex Pistols, who rebelled against the system with punk in the 70s and 80s sees the bright side in Trump, in a new interview with Vulture.

    Stefan Lessard of Dave Matthews Band spoke out on the inclusion of political themes in the group’s music as a rebuttal to some fans disagreeing with combining politics with music.

    The Colorado Springs Independent takes a look at The Politics of Protest Music.

    Matthew O’Neill released “Louisiana” with all proceeds benefiting Earth Guardians.

    Portland, Oregon’s Jeffery Martin released “What We’re Marching Toward,” and the Worcester Telegram breaks down the song’s message.

  • Matthew O’Neill “Louisiana” to Benefit Earth Guardians

    Matthew O’Neill has released “Louisiana,” the first single from his upcoming album Trophic Cascade, coinciding with the March 10 Native Nations March in Washington D.C.

    matthew o'neill Recorded in Gowanus, Brooklyn, the emotional original song combines elements of Americana, psychedelia, and rock. The single is a pay-what-you-want release with all proceeds benefitting Earth Guardians. The album is due out May 5 from label and environmental coalition Underwater Panther Coalition, who will donate 50% of all profits to frontline earth protection groups, with a focus on indigenous rights and conservation.

    Catch O’Neill at Lantern Inn in Wassaic, NY on April 15 and April 26 at Parkside Lounge in NYC. He heads west on May 13 to perform at Raven Cafe in Prescott, AZ and returns east for a show at Radio Bean in Burlington, VT on May 17.