Masters of dark synth pop Soviet Dolls strike again with their new EP Hunters. In a mere four tracks, the Rochester band flaunts their prowess at delivering decadently dark and sensual lyrics shrouded in seductive glittery electronica.
Soviet Dolls make no bones about their intentions to seduce the listener, starting from the first lines in the title track. “We are the hunters, we make sacrifices. We leave our mothers, cause we have appetites,” croons singer Alexandra Wendt in her deliciously sultry voice. Pulsating beats pound out beside undulating rhythms which swirl together to entice the listener into a mesmerizing hypnotic state.
In subsequent tracks, Soviet Dolls continue to marry supernatural reveries and pop electronica in a way that will delight fans of new wave acts like Echo and the Bunnymen, The The, and The Cure who are looking for something fresh and new. The gothic storylines also hearken back to classic themes of glorification of eternal life, the thrill of the hunt, and falling in love with a phantom. Hunters is the perfect pick to listen to on a night prowling the town, or indulging in the guilty pleasure of reading goth novels.
The Pulse of Music lies deep in the heart of Rochester Institute of Technology. The 89.7FM WITR DJ booth is visible from the campus’s centrally located student union. But below the hustle and bustle of the popular student hangout lies the original radio studio, complete with recording booths, stacks of physical copies of music, and a recording studio large enough to comfortably fit a full band. It was here on an unassuming Sunday afternoon that, unbeknownst to most students, Rochester alternative rock band Total Yuppies were unloading their gear and setting up to record some songs for Rochester Sessions.
Foreground: Ben Burdett Background: Jacob Walsh and JT Fitzgerald
The show’s producer and host Bailey Gribben and audio engineer Austin Frey helped the band members to connect cables and set up the studio. Bandmates chatted lightly, joking about consuming Smart brand water at RIT as they set up for the recording. There was no need to bring a lot of equipment to the studio. WITR has microphones, cables, speakers and a drum kit (if a band wants to use it instead of bringing their own). A full list of amenities is on the WITR website, and it concludes with “…. and 1 red couch.” Bands who have been featured on Rochester Sessions have signed the black walls in white ink. Names include Mikaela Davis, Maybird, Nerds In Denial, Tart Vandelay, and Talking Under Water.
The story behind Rochester Sessions is documented by these signatures, and oral history and social media posts. There’s no formal history. People who originally started the series have long since graduated. Turnover happens frequently as students come and go from the college. And those who get involved have an opportunity to move up the ranks fairly quickly.
Bailey Gribben and Austin Frey
Gribben became involved with the program just last year. “I started booking last fall semester,” Gribben told me as we walked through the studio, “I started off working with a group called Love Hope Strength. They do bone marrow drives at concerts. They wanted to do a drive at Springfest when we had Walk the Moon. So I started working with them. They got me an interview with Andrew McMahon. That was my first interview and booking. From there, I went with it. I interviewed Kevin Devine. I primarily only do local bands now.”
When the former producer of Rochester Sessions graduated last June, Gribben took the reins. He’s incorporated some innovations into the sessions, hosting a station takeover where the session was spent with Tart Vandelay, choosing the songs from amongst their influences. As a third year Motion Picture Science student, he also incorporated his videography skills to direct and edit the first video session, featuring Zuli from Long Island performing their song “Kubadiver.”
Jacob Walsh and JT Fitzgerald
During this session, Gribben asked Total Yuppies to introduce each song by saying a little something about it. With Frey at the helm of the soundboard, the band recorded two songs from their recent EP Care, as well as two new songs they have been working on, “Holy Place,” and “Numb.” Jacob Walsh (guitar and vocals), JT Fitzgerald (bass guitar), Ben Burdett (guitar) and Dylan Vaisey (drums) play with an intense focus and passion, but also convey the confidence and ease that comes from doing this together for years. Their music is distinctive for its pop melodies and extensive use of fuzzy effects, which balance out the somber nature of the lyrics.
Jacob Walsh
Members of the band knew their way around the studio. This was their second time appearing on Rochester Sessions, Fitzgerald and Walsh used to be involved in WITR while students at RIT. “It’s really cool to see the next generation of people doing what we used to do,” Walsh told me after the recording session as the band packed up their gear.
Dylan Vaisey
Gribben showed me around the rest of the studio, where RIT students interested in radio broadcasting have access to a vast array of tools and resources. While the upstairs booth is sleek and streamlined, with wall murals depicting WITR alum, the basement has an old-school station feel that hearkens back to the heyday of FM radio. Movable library shelves hold what the school boasts as the second largest privately owned vinyl collection in New York State. In addition to updated technology, they’ve retained some of the traditional tools such as reel to reel machines. There are tapes of interviews with The Ramones and The Pixies from ’88 lying atop a shelf of vinyl, crammed amongst other memorabilia.
Rochester Sessions airs Mondays from 4-5pm. Local listeners can tune in to 89.7 FM, and it can also be streamed online. The Total Yuppies session airs on Monday, March 26. It can also be found on Bandcamp. Previous sessions appear on Rochester Sessions’ Soundcloud. Follow WITR and Rochester Sessions on Facebook for program schedules and news. For more details about the station, check the RITpedia article.
Long Island metalcore outfit Call It Home are on the verge of releasing their debut full-length album Better Days. The latest single “Deserter” made this week’s Alternative Press “9 Songs You Need To Hear This Week” list. Lineup changes have brought long-time member Dom Delfino to the helm of clean vocals and lyric-writing, resulting in a fresh new sound that appeals to both new fans and long-time followers. His bandmates are Chris Christofi on harsh vocals, Jay Schwartz on guitar, and Jon Beane on drums. NYS Music spoke with Delfino in advance of the album release and upcoming tour with This Curse.
Paula Cummings: How does the new album compare to your previous work?
Dom Delfino: It’s still the same sound, but more mature. It’s more technical in the instrumental work, more interesting for the listener. There’s a little sampling of piano/synth, and a little dub step in there. We also have a few different guest vocalists, which we haven’t done before: Jayden Panesso from Sylar, Landon Tewers from The Plot in You, and Michael Swank from Myka Relocate.
PC: What about the lyrics?
DD: The lyrics are a lot different. We’ve had a switch in clean vocalists. My writing style is different. The album is called Better Days because every song is about an issue people go through every day, whether it be a relationship or a family issue. Every song is a breakdown of these things, but we show how to get through them. A lot of bands write angry songs that people can relate to, but not about how to get through it.
PC: I could see that in the video for “Lanterns.” Can you tell me about the filming of the video?
DD: Josiah Moore filmed and edited the video in Rochester. It was so much fun, but there was a lot of stress. The day we left for filming, we couldn’t get in touch with the actress. At the last minute we were able to find a replacement.
PC: You’ve spent a lot of time touring. Any memorable moments you’d like to share?
DD: We were starting a tour. On the first day we were going to Michigan from New York. We’re in Pennsylvania, and it’s snowing. As we’re going it gets worse and worse to the point where we can’t see. We have another band following us. We pull off and look to the left and there’s a big hill. We turn in the other direction. It turns out there’s a giant hill. Both vans with their trailers get stuck on this hill. The only way out is to go in reverse, two vans with trailers going down. After a couple hours, we’re on flat ground. We find a gas station six miles away, and a drive that should have taken six minutes took thirty. That was a crazy experience. We still got to the show on time.
PC: And that didn’t deter you from continuing to tour?
DD: We do everything we can to make it to the show. That’s the worst thing in the world to us is cancelling a show.
British electro-funk act Jamiroquai announced their first New York show in more than a decade. The recently-reunited group will perform at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on September 8. They have been touring the world to promote their new album Automaton, and will be playing Coachella next month. A full list of dates they will play are available on the Jamiroquai website and tickets for the show at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, NYC go on sale Friday, March 23 at 10 a.m.
The seventh annual Rochester Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place at Rochester’s Eastman Theatre at 7 pm on April 22, 2018. Among those being honored this year are percussionist and composer John Beck, Sacred Steel band The Campbell Brothers, drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Tony Levin, and Emmy-nominated composer Ferdinand Jay Smith. Guest performers include members of the band L’Image and Grammy-winner Robert Randolph. More musical guests will be announced. Prime Time Funk will perform as the official Hall of Fame house band. Tickets are on sale now.
Steve Gadd is hailed as one of the most accomplished and skilled drummers of his generation. Born in the suburbs of Rochester, Gadd took up drums when he was seven years old. When he was 11, he sat in with Dizzy Gillespie, launching a lifetime of work with some of the greatest artists of our era. He has performed in studio and on tour with iconic artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Eric Clapton. He continues to make music in conjunction with other artists and with the Steve Gadd Band. His work in the field of percussion has inspired generations to follow. Chick Corea once commented, “Every drummer wants to play like Gadd because he plays perfect…He has brought orchestral and compositional thinking to the drum kit while at the same time having a great imagination and a great ability to swing.”
Bassist Tony Levin was born in Boston, but moved to Rochester to study at Eastman School of Music, where he studied under the great Igor Stravinsky. After meeting fellow student Steve Gadd, he traded upright bass for electric bass. After playing in several New York bands, he was offered the opportunity to tour with Peter Gabriel in 1977. He still plays in the Peter Gabriel Band, and along the way has become a member of such acts as King Crimson, Stick Men, and Levin Brothers. He has authored books containing photographs he has taken throughout his career, and a book of poetry and lyrics.
Percussionist and composer John Beck has been teaching at Eastman School of Music for six decades, and currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Percussion. His work has led him to perform around the world, and has earned him numerous accolades, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from prestigious organizations here and abroad. At the induction ceremony, Beck will perform solo as well as with a percussion ensemble and the Hall of Fame house band Prime Time Funk.
Sacred steel band The Campbell Brothers features Chuck Campbell on pedal steel guitar, Phillip Campbell on electric guitar and bass, Darick Campbell on lap steel, and Carlton Campbell on drums. From their humble beginnings as the house band for a House of God Church, they have been invited to bring their gospel music to such venerable music halls Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Their work is now being featured in the Sacred Steel exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Heritage and Culture.
Ferdinand Jay Smith’s impressive resume includes his work at Jay Advertising, his early career as a radio DJ and manager of musicians, and a list of credits in the music industry for movies and television. The Emmy-nominated composer is best known for his theme songs for the HBO feature presentation, the CBS movie of the week, NHL Tonight, and the musical themes for the 1980 and 1988 Olympics. A musical medley and video presentation will celebrate Smith’s contribution to music in the entertainment industry.
Tough Old Bird are venturing from their home in the Allegheny region and taking to the road this month and next. The Northeast run began on March 15 at The Bug Jar. Local support for this show came from indie folk duo Bitter Bells and alt-country outfit Brindamor.
Tough Old Bird
Bitter Bells is Ben Proctor and Rita Harris Proctor, who are better known for their work with the band The Crooked North. Songwriter Ben Proctor alternated between guitar and banjo, and they both sang. Their beautifully harmonized vocals resonated as they performed a selection of sad songs, followed by even sadder songs, with themes about loss, like unrequited love, tragedy, and being far from home. The mood was lightened by their playful banter, and a running jest about refraining from banjo jokes.
Bitter Bells
Tough Old Bird took the stage next. Hailing from Fillmore, New York, songwriting brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan were joined on stage by Jay Corwin on upright bass. From the first strum on the banjo, the music seemed to transport the listener through time and space, and everything from the psychedelic decor on the walls to the digital camera in my hand seemed oddly out of place.
Tough Old Bird
Their music taps into the time-honed tradition of roots music, plucking at the heartstrings and reviving forgotten innate rhythms. The intriguing story lines in the lyrics carry listeners on a journey through the instrumental landscape. In addition to a selection of songs they’ve written over the past five years, their set included a stunning rendition of Tom Wait’s “Cold Cold Ground.”
Tough Old Bird
This was the first of many dates they have lined up over the next several weeks, as they trek along the Eastern Seaboard and venture into the Midwest. I picked up a copy of their latest CD, Where The Great Beasts Are Buried at the show, but their music can also be bought online.
Brindamor closed out the night. They brought copies of their brand new CD released that day, and handed out copies throughout the night. The songs on the EP are titled “About You” and “Betsy, Before I Forget,” and they were recorded nearby at 1809 Studios with Dave Drago. That was all I knew about them before the quartet took the stage. Even though we were heading into late hours on a weeknight, I was intrigued and I stuck around a bit later than planned. I’m glad I did. Brindamor’s sound is grand and seems larger than the sum of its four members. The music straddles the lines of indie folk and contemporary alt-country, giving it broad appeal.
Brindamor
Tough Old Bird’s Upcoming Show Dates:
MAR 18 – Bourbon & Branch w/ Deep City Healers – Philadelphia, PA
MAR 19 – PIANOS – New York, NY
MAR 20 – The Bebop w/ Aaron Wardwell Lindsey Sampson – Boston, MA
MAR 31 – Hot Mama’s Canteen – Buffalo, NY
APR 6 – Postcrypt Coffeehouse – Manhattan, NY
APR 7 – Cafe Veritas – Rochester, NY
APR 14 – The Geneseo Riviera w/ Straw Hat – Geneseo, NY
APR 18 – Hotel Crittenden – Coudersport, PA
APR 19 – The Funhouse At Mr. Smalls – Millvale, PA
New York City alt-rockers The Flux Machine just released a groovy, psychedelic music video for “Hurricane.” The song is the title track of their sophomore album. Directed by John Jinks of FTC Studio, the video captures the band’s flair for a retro aesthetic and classic rock and roll influences.
“The song puts into music the concept of one or a series of events that take over our life, like a Hurricane does, but we withstand this with our own fury.”
– vocalist Luis Accorsi.
Hurricanes is available on iTunes. Follow The Flux Machine on social media to stay up to date on news and upcoming events: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.
The latest episode of Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight features Tough Old Bird. On the show, brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan talk about their songwriting process and performing together with the host Dan Gross. They also discuss the renaissance of folk music in the region, and the consistent presence of the genre despite going in and out of popularity with audiences. Tough Old Bird is on tour this month, with shows spanning from Buffalo to Boston. Following the interview, they perform a selection of songs from their catalog, including “Built It Again” and “No One Knows Your Mind.”
The live events are free and open to the public, and are recorded at Bop Shop Records at 1460 Monroe Avenue in Rochester from 7-9pm. Upcoming Spotlight sessions include Vanishing Sun on March 9, Grand Canyon Rescue Episode on March 10, Seth Faergolzia’s Multibird on March 16, and Jimmy Highsmith Jr. on March 31. The remaining four guests for Season 5 will be announced soon.
I Set My Friends on Fire played at Mohawk Place last weekend. The show on February 25 marked the third sold out show in a row on the 10 Years of Slaughter tour, celebrating the anniversary of their popular debut album You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter.
Awaken I Am made the trip all the way from their hometown of Brisbane, Australia to tour the US with Kissing Candice and I Set My Friends On Fire. Although far from home, they received a warm welcome from the crowd. Their music was more in the vein of rock than the metal bands that make up the rest of the bill, but it resonated with the crowd. Awaken I Am played a selection of songs which included some off their latest album which they released last year on Victory Records, Blind Love. When I stopped by the merch table, I noticed that the t-shirts and album cover included the words ‘Blind Love’ spelled out in braille, which was a nice touch.
Awaken I Am
Long Island metal heavyweights Kissing Candice was a stark contrast to the previous act. The stage filled with the haze of smoke, as the five piece ensemble took the stage in horror-show costumes and masks. The music was as intense as the theatrics, an industrial metal rage that got the crowd moshing once they were over their initial awe. This band is not for the faint of heart. If you’re a fan of heavy hitters like Slipknot, you need to check them out. While tour with Awaken I Am and I Set My Friends On Fire ends on March 16 in Oklahoma, they are playing a show in Illinois on the 18th, followed by a hometown show when they get back to New York at Revolution in Amityville on the 21st.
Kissing Candice
Then came the act that fans had been waiting all night to see: I Set My Friends On Fire. A decade ago, two teenagers with a laptop posted a punk cover of “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” on MySpace. It’s been an incredible journey for the band since then. Worldwide tours, lineup changes, and two full length albums later, the band is still challenging the status quo. Clever insightful lyrics are paired with experimental sounds that incorporate a myriad of genres including hardcore and funk.
I Set My Friends On Fire
The band is currently comprised of founding member Matt Mehana on vocals, Nathan Blasdell on clean vocals and guitar, Connor Mitchener on bass, Chris Thompson on drums and Hector Bagnod on guitar. Out of the gate, the guys brought an energetic vibe that was contagious. Blasdell was encouraging crowd participation between and during songs, but honestly the crowd didn’t need much encouragement to get moving. A mosh pit opened up on the first song, and it didn’t let up.
The setlist was comprised of all the songs from You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter. I was expecting them to play all the songs in order, like other bands that I’ve gone to when they had 10th anniversary tours, but they mixed it up a bit, which was a pleasant surprise. The music was intense and raw, but with an overarching sense of fun. The band members just seemed so happy to be up on stage, and grateful to be celebrating the birthday of this iconic album.
I Set My Friends on Fire
There will always be a place for music that captures adolescent antics and questioning of authority and societal standards. Fans of I Set My Fire who turned out at the show included everyone from teenagers who were too young to see the band on previous tours to middle-aged folks who were seeing them for the fourth or fifth time. But the majority of the people in attendance were those who were coming of age when the album came out ten years ago, those who connect on a personal level with the disillusionment and angst of a generation that had their American dream ripped away by the great recession. For them, this concert seemed like both a validation of their experience and a communal catharsis. They purged their emotions in the mosh pit.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers are back in business with their highly anticipated new album, Beasts of Burgundy is the first release in eighteen years.The twelve tracks are “inspired by the city of New Orleans, the poet Ron Cuccia, and a disregard for convention.” Pre-orders are being taken for the album, which will be available March 23 via Southern Broadcasting. They are already on tour for the album, and additional dates have been scheduled. They’ll be playing in the Northeast from late March to early April, with shows at the Center for the Arts of Homer on March 25 and City Winery in New York City on March 28. Tickets are on sale now.
Squirrel Nut Zippers – 2018 Tour Dates
March 2 – Palm Springs, CA – McCallum
March 3 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Coach House
March 4 – Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage
March 5 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre
March 6 – Arcata, CA – Humboldt State
March 7 – Nevada City, CA – Miner’s Foundry
March 8 – Reno, NV – The Saint
March 9 – Grants Pass, OR – The Rogue Theatre
March 10 – Eugene, OR – Jacqua Concert Hall
March 11 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
March 13 – Seattle, WA -Triple Door
March 14 – Seattle, WA – Triple Door
March 22 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
March 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Jergels
March 24 – Williamsport, PA – Arts Center March 25 – Homer, NY – Homer Arts Center
March 27 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe March 28 – New York, NY – City Winery
March 29 – New Haven, CT – The Ballroom
March 30 – Fall River, MA – Narrows
March 31 – Plymouth, NH – Flying Monkey
April 1 -Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
April 2 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
April 28 – Oxford, MS – Double Decker Festival
April 29 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s
May 10 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
May 11 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
May 12 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard
May 13 – Wichita, KS – Crown Uptown Theatre
May 15 – Indianapolis, IN – The Hi-Fi
May 16 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
May 17 – Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner
May 18 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
May 19 – Milwaukee, WI – Wilson Center
May 20 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
Soviet Dolls make no bones about their intentions to seduce the listener, starting from the first lines in the title track. “We are the hunters, we make sacrifices. We leave our mothers, cause we have appetites,” croons singer Alexandra Wendt in her deliciously sultry voice. Pulsating beats pound out beside undulating rhythms which swirl together to entice the listener into a mesmerizing hypnotic state.
For more about the Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight, read the 
