NYS Music 20​17

Tag: rock

  • Singin’ To Strangers: The Wood Brothers at Webster Hall

    On Friday, February 10 at Webster Hall in Manhattan, The Wood Brothers brought their unique blend of soul, folk and rock to a packed house. In a venue known for DJs and dance parties, the rare bill featured an Oakland based indie-Americana band known as The T Sisters. A short opening set from the ladies warmed the room up for the main family act of the evening and created a comfortable space for everyone in the room.

    As the stage darkened and The Wood Brothers appeared in the shadows, the heartbeat of “Stop That Train” began pulsating on stage. The song, popularized by Bob Marley and The Wailers, created a fantastic segue for “Two Places” off their newest studio album Paradise. The topics of lost love and the urge to embark on a new adventure are etched into the lyrics of both songs. “All my life, I’ve been a lonely man,” paralleled with “I’m livin’ a beautiful dream while I’m chasing another” made this opening combo one of the most delicately crafted surprises of the show, and we had only just begun.

    Couples began embracing each other during the always-beautiful “Keep Me Around” as Jano Rix gave the song something extra with his self-made instrument, the Shuitar. Friday night partiers at the venue bar slammed rounds of shots after Oliver Wood announced that the song, “Loaded” was on their newest live album, Live at the Barn. Much like the recorded rendition, Oliver asked for assistance from the rowdy audience and we were happy to belt out the playful lyrics along with them.

    The trio always does an outstanding job of cleverly crafting their set lists and digging deep into the twelve-year-old catalog. Friday night was no exception. “Tried and Tempted,” which found its way into the sixth spot of the set list, can be heard on their debut record, Ways Not To Lose. In only a half dozen tunes, they had played a new cover and songs from each and every one of their five studio releases. Chris Wood showed off his moves during “Snakes Eyes” and got the crowd shaking along with him during this crisp and rocking version. Oliver unleashed a new song with a bluesy reggae feel and since they have been working on some new material in their hometown of Nashville, TN, one can only hope that a new studio album is on the horizon. The year 2016 sucked for so many reasons, and the lack of a Wood Brothers original release didn’t help.

    Speaking of 2016, “American Heartache” was next up and lead into an uplifting “Atlas” which was one of the first songs the Wood Brothers ever played onstage nearly a dozen years ago in the same city. The somber “Blue and Green” mellowed Webster Hall out before “One More Day” brought the fire to a roar and allowed Oliver to show off some unusually bluesy chops at the end the tune.

    To the crowd’s enthusiastic approval, the band brought out Big Mike (an old -timey stand-up microphone) and quietly played one of their loveliest pieces, “The Muse” off the 2013 album with the same name. Along with Big Mike, the brothers also welcomed their opening act, The T Sisters, to join them for another song off The Muse, “Sing About It.” After hearing the live NYC debut of this song at the Bowery Ballroom a few years prior, I knew there was something special about it, but Friday night’s version took it to a whole new level with the addition of female vocalists. In pop culture, three brothers and three sisters sharing the stage may remind you of rainbows, sunshine and dancing all through the night, but unlike the Brady Bunch, the six members on stage Friday night sang about the power of music in its most spiritual and rawest form.

    As The T Sisters exited the stage, “Postcards From Hell” kept the relaxed and thought-provoking vibe present in the room. To finish the set, they executed two more songs from their southern rock influenced catalog with “Singin’ To Strangers” and “Honey Jar.” A new version of their old hit “Luckiest Man” brought smiles to faces throughout the room as part one of a two-song encore. The Band’s “Ophelia” closed out the show and gave the audience one more chance to sing along with the trio.  In a recent interview, Oliver mentioned how much of an influence Levon Helm has been for the band’s development, and they certainly paid tribute during the well-received finale.  The show started and ended with classic covers and gave long-time fans and strangers alike one more fantastic Wood Brothers show for the books.

    Setlist: Stop That Train> Two Places, Keep Me Around, Loaded, Smoke Ring Halo, Tried and Tempted, Snake Eyes, (New Song), American Heartache, Atlas, Blue And Green, One More Day, Muse*, Sing About It*^, Postcards From Hell, Singin’ To Strangers, Honey Jar

    Encore: Luckiest Man, Ophelia

    *Big Mike ^w/ The T Sisters

  • White Denim Hits Brooklyn Bowl for 2 Night Blast

    Austin indie rock band White Denim swung through NYC for a quick two night stop at the beloved Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday and Friday, February 9 and 10. The band of James Petralli on vocals and guitar, Jordan Richardson on drums, Steven Terebecki on vocals and bass, and Mike St. Clair on trumpet and synthesizer performed a variety of their studio albums, but leaned heavily towards their most recent release Stiff, the 7th in their catalog.

    white denim brooklyn bowlThe band only has a handful of tour dates posted for the rest of 2017 at them moment, with their next return to New York this summer at Mountain Jam. Be sure to catch them if you can.

    White Denim Setlist Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2017

    White Denim Setlist Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2017

  • Melissa Etheridge Bringing True Self to Troy

    Academy Award and Grammy winning musician Melissa Etheridge is bringing everything she’s got to the Troy with the Hodges Brothers this April.

    On April 23. at 7:30 PM, Etheridge will be performing at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy on her M.E. tour. With two Grammys and an Academy Award win behind her, Etheridge has continued for over two decades to be one of America’s beloved female singer-songwriters.

    Known for hit singles such as, “I’m the Only One”, “Ain’t It Heavy” and “I Want To Come Over,” Etheridge is bringing her signature smoky, raspy vocals to Troy alongside new content for her tour.

    On Oct. 7, Etheridge released, Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically acclaimed, This Is M.E. Receiving praise from renowned publications such as Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, Etheridge will be sharing some of her newer works across the country for her M.E. tour.

    Etheridge is also known for inspiring people beyond her music. Beating her battle with breast cancer, Etheridge appeared at the 2005 Grammys to perform Janis Joplin’s, “Piece of My Heart,” bald from her chemotherapy. Doing so, Etheridge inspired women across the world with her powerful message.

    Tickets go on-sale for the M.E. tour this Friday, Feb. 17 at 10 AM.

  • Hearing Aide: Laughed the Boy ‘Here Is Fine’

    At long last, some honest indie rock rolls around and it comes from the great white north, of all places. Laughed the Boy‘s style is guitar driven, easy to enjoy and  edgy. They’ve had some time to nail their sound so it’s very refined and professional. That, coupled with the production quality makes this a record that will definitely yield some recognition.

    Most of their music was created by singer, guitarist and bassist Chris Panacci and were brought to fruition with help from his brother Sean who plays drums on the recordings. Their goal, according to a press release, was to create “honest and unpretentious 90’s nostalgia inspired songs,” and it’s safe to say that’s a mission accomplished. The brothers recorded a few albums together and soon after brought bassist Brennan Hrehoruk on board so they could perform their creations live. During rehearsals, they created several new songs that will be released as a full album on February 10.

    There’s a few key tracks that listeners should look into that will quickly help them decide if this is their cup of tea, and “Autumn” is the best place to start. The tone is fairly melancholy, with chord progressions that don’t seem to flow together nicely, but somehow work perfectly. It’s a bit like anti-pop (pop meaning popular music in general) but their sound is natural and doesn’t come across as ostentatious. Instead, listeners get the sense that the songs are inspired and genuine. In other words, it doesn’t feel like they listened to a four chord  pop/rock song and say, “let’s do the opposite of that.”

    They created something that comes across as a real expression of themselves. “Autumn” is definitely the least aggressive track and is more dainty with most of the attitude coming from a lightly distorted guitar solo found at the tail end of the song. Laughed the Boy’s music is very reminiscent of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind”  but a little more brushed up and refined. This is definitely true when compared to “Bell Rock” and “I Sold Out For This.”

    Another key track is “Warm Hands Cold Feat.” It sounds very much like Ben Folds without the piano, which isn’t a bad sound for them, but it most likely won’t be a direction they will go with on future records. It’s a little too airy and lighthearted for them, but it’s definitely one that people will enjoy. It’s a nice segue into the realm of indie/punk/rock because it can be very hit or miss with listeners. Many of their other songs sound pretty similar, like “Double Down” and “Trip Down the Gold Mine.” They’re well done, but the works mentioned before are definitely ones to be looked into first.

    This is a great album for those interested in delving into the world of indie rock. The name of the genre  brings to mind a sound of angst and pretentiousness which can push people away, but if listeners dig deep enough they can find groups like Laughed the Boy that create quality work that’s fun and addictive.

    The album drops Friday, February 10th. Listeners can find singles from the new album on their  Soundcloud account.

    Key Tracks: Autumn, Bell Rock, I Sold Out For This, Warm Hands Cold Feat

  • Queen and Adam Lambert Announce North American Summer Tour

    Queen has announced that they will once again team up with former American Idol rocker, Adam Lambert, for a 25-city tour across North America this summer. May, Taylor, and Lambert, will not only perform all the Queen hits, they have specially designed and created a new show for this outing, after a wide range of very successful sold out tours throughout North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Latin America.

    queen adam lambertThe arena tour will start to rock you on June 23, at the Gila River Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, and will play it’s last “Bohemiam Rhapsody” on Aug. 5 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

    New Yorkers can catch the tour when it comes through the state on July 28, at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn. Depending on your location, New York fans can also see shows within driving distance on July 17, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC,  July 18, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON, July 23, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, July 26, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and July 30 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.

    The trio first teamed up when Lambert was part of the singing competition show American Idol in 2009 when they performed “We Are The Champions.” They once again shard the stage in 2011 at the MTV European Music Awards in Ireland. They played an eight minute medley of “The Show Must Go On,” “We Will Rock You,” and “We Are The Champions” to close out the show. The three first hit the road together in 2012, when Lambert joined Queen for several shows across Europe, including at several festivals.

    In a Blabbermouth report, quotes from Adam Lambert, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor about working together were published.

    queen adam lambertMay on Lambert : “Adam is the first person we’ve encountered who can do all the Queen catalog without blinking. He is a gift from God.”

    Taylor on Lambert: “Adam’s incredibly musical, and we certainly take anything he says quite seriously.”

    Lambert on replacing Freddy Mercury: “There’s never going to be another, and I’m not replacing him. That’s not what I’m doing. I’m trying to keep the memory alive, and remind people how amazing he was, without imitating him. I’m trying to share with the audience how much he inspired me.”

    Tickets go on sale to the general public on Feb. 3, at LiveNation.com.

    Queen Tour Dates:

    June 23 – Gila River Arena – Phoenix, AZ
    June 24 – T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV
    June 26 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
    June 29 – SAP Center – San Jose, CA
    July 1 – Key Arena – Seattle, WA
    July 2 – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
    July 4 – Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB
    July 6 – Pepsi Center Arena – Denver, CO
    July 8 – CenturyLink Center – Omaha, NE
    July 9 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO
    July 13 – United Center – Chicago, IL
    July 14 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN
    July 17 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
    July 18 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
    July 20 – The Palace of Auburn Hills – Detroit, MI
    July 21 – Quicken Loans Arena – Cleveland, OH
    July 23 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville – CT
    July 25 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
    July 26 – Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
    July 28 – Barclay’s Center – Brooklyn, NY
    July 30 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
    July 31 – Verizon Center – Washington, DC
    Aug. 2 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
    Aug. 4 – Americans Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
    Aug. 5 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX

  • Hearing Aide: Andy Suzuki and The Method ‘The Glass Hour’

    Andy Suzuki & The Method (Kozza Babumba) are on the verge of releasing something incredible. It’s called The Glass Hour and it’s going to get them the recognition they deserve. Their past work, unfortunately, blended in among other folk-rock/pop bands, but they have taken a new direction that will definitely make waves in the New York music scene and it’s only a matter of time before they reach national recognition. They’re slowly finding their niche, now focused around future-pop with heavy R&B and soul touches, garnished with rock undertones. There are a wide variety of tones and attitudes and one could imagine these songs fitting seamlessly in between today’s popular music radio stations.

    The Brooklyn based bunch have known each other for some time and have been producing music for about 10 years now. They first met in college and knew that they would fit together perfectly musically. Their unique backgrounds made them gravitate towards each other with Suzuki, being half Jewish and half Japanese, practicing music in both languages, and Kozza, being the son of Grammy-winning percussionist Babatunde Olatunji. They teamed up, created three albums and on February 3rd they will release their fourth one which  is arguably their best work.

    Their prior album, Born Out of Mischief,  is very heavy on the folk/country side and it slipped under the radar. It was creative, well thought out and well produced. It showed that they knew what they were doing and could work their way around a studio and recording process. It was great work but it just wasn’t special and wasn’t worthy of great recognition. Going above and beyond, trying new techniques and combining sounds that have not been fused together before is what gets the name out there. Mischief didn’t do the trick, but The Glass Hour sure will.

    The album starts off with “Run Away” and the attitude and tone is such an incredible change compared to Mischief. It’s a giant leap towards today’s pop music direction. The Method, who will be referred to as Babumba, has a keen ear for an addictive beat. That, paired to Suzuki’s sultry voice, is the perfect recipe for a not too distant future-pop sound that feels familiar but has enough flare to keep things interesting and unique. This track is a softer entry into the album but things get even more interesting as it goes along.

    “I Can’t Live” is one of the singles they released and it’s one of which they seem to be particularly proud. They say it’s one of the tracks that sounds like a cross between Jack Garratt and Michael Jackson. That’s a bold statement, but it’s arguably true. The song is more impressive because of its properly balanced mix of pop and rock. Both clean and distorted guitar sounds ring throughout the entire song which gives the heavy pop beats and licks a nice flare.

    Andy Suzuki“Shelter” is definitely a notable track because of it’s heavy R&B and gospel  influences which makes for a very emotional song. It seems that it’s about trying to convince a girl that he will take care of and “shelter” her, which is very R&B-like lyrical content. One of the best phrases of the song is when it climaxes and they bring in a beautiful gospel/church-like chorus line and it can send chills up and down the spine of listeners.

    “Fire” is more typical pop, filled with tribal drum beats and plenty of vocalization. It brings to mind a movie montage of a group of friends on their way across country via a VW Microbus. It’s well made, but lacks direction. It’s very predictable and can be uneventful to those who don’t enjoy this type of sound.

    Once listeners hit “I Need You More” they’ll see that he group is still in experimental phase as they toy around with a very 90’s pop sound. The tone stems from the beat mainly with it’s peppy and upbeat grooves and recognizable synthetic snare hits. They again combine this sound with a gospel chorus line that adds a nice flavor to an old sound. And it works pretty well, but more than likely for a small demographic. But society is full of surprises and may eat this stuff up.

    “Come Forward” is very well done and has one of the most aggressive attitudes on the record. It carries a primarily minor tonality all the way through and it makes for a very unique track. Once again, Babumba creates a very cerebral and intriguing series of beats. It’s very busy and complicated but listeners can still feel the beat and that’s not something that’s easily accomplished.

    “Overtime” will definitely be a crowd pleaser. It was another one of the singles they released so it’s obvious they’re very confident about it. The chorus is so well done and it’s hard to explain why, but Suzuki hits a perfect series of notes over a super smooth, laid back and spacey beat. Again, a bluesy and distorted guitar solo makes a for a fantastic and addicting climax.

    If listeners weren’t perplexed by the album’s diversity by this point, then they will be by the time they hear “Digging My Way Out.” It almost sounds like a modern chain gang song. It’s march with a “four on the floor” beat with a jingling tambourine on the upbeat to give it an authentic chain gang song feel. Once again, their guitarist absolutely crushes the solos and adds a fantastic emotional flavor to the song that separates it from other genres and bands alike.

    The album is highly experimental, but it seems that there is one central theme among all the songs and that’s the intricacies of the music and how they propel the songs forward. Suzuki’s voice is immaculate, there’s no argument, but a lot of the focus is directed towards how addictive the song is musically. Hopefully, they will stay with their influences of R&B and rock because these flavors obviously work with so many different genres.

    Key Tracks:  Overtime, Shelter, I Can’t Live, Digging My Way Out

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_CH_FhCKb4

  • Coheed and Cambria Announce Tour for Breakthrough Album “Good Apollo”

    Coheed and Cambria have announced a U.S. tour for their monumental third album, Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness for this spring.

    After releasing a mysterious video on their YouTube channel, the band announced the tour for the album the day after. The tour, entitled the NEVERENDER GAIBSIV tour, will visit North America from April to May with the progressive rock band performing the concept album from 2005 in its entirety. The Dear Hunter will be direct support for the tour on non-festival dates.

    Good Apollo, which features the most popular works by Coheed and Cambria including “Welcome Home” and “The Suffering”, has sold over a million records worldwide.

    The name “NEVERENDER” for the tour comes from Coheed and Cambria’s performances of the album originating in 2008, where they performed their first four albums over the span of four nights.

    Stops on the tour include Terminal 5 in New York, Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA and the “Welcome To Rockville” festival in Jacksonville, FL.

    Tickets are on sale today via Ticketmaster and you can visit the band’s website for more details.

    NEVERENDER GAIBSIV Tour dates:

    April 11 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
    April 13 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
    April 14 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
    April 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
    April 18 – San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
    April 19 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
    April 22 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
    April 22 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
    April 25 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
    April 26 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
    April 27 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
    April 29 – Jacksonville, FL – Welcome to Rockville*
    April 30 – Saint Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
    May 2 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
    May 3 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
    May 5 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
    May 6 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
    May 7 – Concord, NC – Carolina Rebellion*
    May 9 – Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
    May 10 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
    May 11 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
    May 13 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
    May 15 – Saint Louis, MO – The Pageant
    May 16 – Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
    May 18 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE – Indoor
    May 19 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
    May 20 – Columbus, OH – Rock on the Range Festival*

    *Festival show, No Neverender or The Dear Hunter

  • 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.

  • Hearing Aide: Creamery Station ‘Creamery Station EP’

    Connecticut isn’t known to pump out world renowned musicians like New York, Seattle and California do, so it’s refreshing to see a group of guys emerge from the backwoods of the state with some true talent and passion for the art. Over the past three years, Creamery Station has been cooking up a collection that’s surprisingly good.

    Creamery says they’re a combination of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, The Band, Little Feat, Railroad Earth, David Grisman, Doc Watson, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and their first album is a fantastic representation of all these legendary groups. They manage to sound unique while giving glimpses of the defining characteristics of their inspiration rather than a copy of them. Some songs sound more familiar than others, but this is their  first compilation and it’s thoroughly impressive.

    They started from humble beginnings as a small band playing for a few house parties and slowly grew to a full seven-man group that brings a classic and a universally enjoyable country/ jam sound to the stage. They are based in CT but are making their way to New York City for the very first time and are definitely worth checking out.

    A lot of the inspiration came from the adventures some members endured, as well as a love for playing and performing music. All of the tracks were written and contributed to by every member of the band, which makes the connection between the musicians something truly exceptional, says singer and mandolin player Dylan Kader. “The energy between us when we play is something special and the crowd can feel that and they respond to it,” said Kader.

    This album is a bit all over the place, and that’s meant in the best way possible. Every song has a tie to country music with most of the tracks being based in that genre. But then some can, arguably, even have a reggae feel to it which is a combination that works surprisingly well.

    Things start off with “Ramblers Delight” and it’s about as country as it gets. It has a pretty straightforward chord progression with spices of mandolin a violin/ fiddle and relatable lyrical content. The feel of the song changes a bit when a very bluesy and fairly distorted guitar solo rings over the group that reminds listeners that a lot more is in store for the rest of the album. Country sounds are the basis of their musical content but that’s just the ground floor, and it’s a sturdy and simple one to build upon, giving Creamery free range to experiment with all sorts of genres.

    “Kansas City Blues” is appropriately named and placed at a  slower pace and even more like the typical melancholy country song. It’s the same sound as “Ramblers Delight” in terms of country sounding instruments, but the pace and chord progressions and lyrics make it a little more somber with just a few hints of uplifting major chords.

    “Walking for miles just to get a drink, then resting when we could find the shade, it’s hard to find the time for this poor boy to think, when he only eats if he sings and plays.” It’s still a well done song but this isn’t something that changes the minds of people who don’t like country.

    “Railroad Blues” is another very well-performed and professional sounding track. It’s comparably more upbeat and will definitely hit home with anyone willing to give Creamery Station a shot. There are light hints of country style instruments and it is based on a 12 bar blues chord progression which makes this one feel more rock and roll than anything else.

    Now “Sam the Clam” is where things get interesting. Harmonica player Don DeStefano dreamt up this song years ago in a separate band of his own while rehearsing backstage of a blues club called “Sam the Clam’s.” John Coltrane and Miles Davis were a big part of the inspiration behind this track as well as renowned harmonica virtuosos like Toots Thielmans and Little Walter. The combination makes for a jazzy, bluesy and damned smooth recording. It’s all instrumental to give keyboardist Jon Truelson, guitarist Jim Kader and DeStefano a chance to strut their stuff. The guitar is set to a perfectly smooth and warm tone, Truelson nails his time in the limelight and DeStefano absolutely kills his solo. It’s definitely the most fascinating song on the album and should be the go-to for first time listeners and those not soon keen on getting into the country scene.

    And just like that, “You Did Me Wrong” jumps on and the listener is thrown back into the world of country. Unfortunately, like the first three songs, it blends into the rest of the old-school country scene, but they still absolutely nail the style.

    “Out of Reach” is one of the most interesting songs on the album being that a country group created a pretty in-depth reggae sounding song. Everything about it is quintessentially reggae; a down beat, loads of percussion and funky guitar but a little hint of blues with a flavor of harmonica that sets this track apart from other songs of the same style. The best part of this song has to be the guitar solo. It’s a little dissonant and very similar to the styling of Carlos Santana. It’s a phenomenal track considering the roots of the band

    The album ends on a bit of a bittersweet note with “Sleep Late,” a very lazy country sound that leaves a little bit of an odd taste in the mouth of the listener, but again, as far as EP’s go, this one was really, really well done.

    Again, Creamery Station is coming to New York for the very first time and is going to blow the socks off of anyone that attends. This is a band that will be appreciated most in a live  setting, so see them on Friday, January 20th at American Beauty in Manhattan, find their free first album online, and keep an eye out for their soon to be released full length album, Pastures of Plenty.

    Key Tracks: Sam the Clam, Out of My Reach, Railroad Blues, Rambler’s Delight