NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • Kendrick Lamar Kicks it Old School on the Top Dawg Entertainment Championship Tour

    The Top Dawg Entertainment Championship Tour touched down at the Northwell Health outdoor amphitheater Theater at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, New York on May 30 and gave the audience every bang for their buck. The tour consists of Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, SiR and Lance Skiiiwalker. SZA is currently still out due to her vocal cords being damaged but the rest blew the crowd away in her absence in a one of a kind show.

    Kendrick Lamar – photo by Nora Hones

    When arriving at the event, the parking lot was packed with people from every age range which would be an unexpected gem when going to a rap concert but that’s what you get when you have a headliner like Kendrick Lamar– it’s more than understandable. With his recent win of the Pulitzer Prize he has shown his worth to all generations. The set opened up with Lance Skiiwalker who performed only one song and then moved on to Ab-Soul who performed three songs.Than SiR entered the stage. SiR wasn’t an artist I had previously known but he’s not someone I’m going to forget after seeing him perform. During his set he had to deal with technical difficulties where there was no sound and then where only his vocals and none of the backing tracks or live accompanying band came through the speakers but he handled it like a champ and ended up performing through it anyways.

    Next came Jay Rock who put on a show performing,“King’s Dead” off of Black Panther: The Album, which was one of the first singles off the record that was released, to the crowds excitement. Even though the song features Kendrick Lamar, Future, and Jay Rock on the studio version the fact that only one of the three was on stage was barely noticeable because of the amount of energy and devotion Jay Rock was putting into the song. Next ScHoolboy Q came out on stage to perform his set list and this is when the audience really started to get excited screaming along to their favorite songs including “Collard Greens” which cut short just before Kendrick Lamar’s verses leaving the the audience hungry for Kendrick Lamar to appear.

    Than after all the waiting and anticipation the king finally made his appearance standing on a stage half way above the stage and opened with his hit song, “DNA” with the background behind him reading “Pulitzer Kenny.” He proceeded to perform an array of songs from his albums, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, To Pimp a Butterfly, Untitled Unmastered, DAMN and Black Panther: The Album. To the crowds delight and my own he performed quite a few songs Good Kid, M.A.A.D City which was a welcomed and exciting surprise. He said that he just felt like playing songs of his old stuff to the crowd which everyone was more than happy with screaming along to every word.

    He continued to wow the crowd performing, “X” which features ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz & Saudi in the studio recording with ScHoolboy Q live and “Money Trees” with Jay Rock and performed, “King’s Dead” for a second time which the crowd wasn’t expecting in the slightest and from the look of Jay Rock’s face when Kendrick Said something along the lines of, “Let’s do King’s Dead again” he wasn’t either. The show ended on Kendrick telling the crowd he hadn’t been to Jones Beach since 2011 and he wanted to kick it up a notch and performed his hit song, “Humble” twice. Once with barely any music and with the crowd just singing the entire song and then once with the full music and Lamar accompaniment. To quote the guy behind me talking to his friend about what he was going to do after the show saying, “I guess I’m gonna cry myself to sleep tonight, idk man” sums up the show experience, unbelievable and sad that it’s over.

  • Jukin’ Bone’s Second Chance

    Imagine being in a band and living the rockstar life in your 20s—touring, recording, the whole bit. Life happens and you part ways for a mere 44 (Go Orange!) years. Then imagine getting a second chance to write a fresh record and perform live with the group of your youth. That’s the story of Syracuse Area Music Awards (The SAMMYs) Hall of Fame inductee Jukin’ Bone. For years, the band never quite received the recognition they deserved until now. And this recognition sparked the idea to get together and work as a group again. NYS Music sat down with Joe Whiting and Mark Doyle to discuss the past and present of the roots rock band.

    jukin boneCreating the Initial Group

    Joe Whiting, a Skaneateles, NY native, and Mark Doyle, hailing from Auburn, NY, met when they took part in a jam session hosted by a music teacher. They were aware of each other for a couple years and things clicked the first time they played together. Whiting and Doyle played a couple of gigs with some rotating musicians-“bits and pieces”- before they formed a real group. Doyle said the group’s formation was “serendipitous” and formed around 1968.

    Doyle was teaching guitar lessons at Music Mart, a music store that used to be in Auburn. Dick Howard, a bit of a local legend and shop owner, introduced Doyle to their would-be drummer: Tom Glaister. Tom was out on a Salvation Army truck delivery when he stopped by the store to say a quick hello to Howard. “[Doyle and Glaister] hit it off and somehow he ended up in the band. These things just happened” according to Doyle. Doyle then met George Egosarian at “The Beach” on Marshall St. in Syracuse. Though it’s not there today, it was a space that was across from what’s now Pita Pit for those familiar with Syracuse’s Marshall St. today. It was a big grassy area next to a parking lot where the “hipsters” used to hang out, smoke weed, drop acid, etc. Egosarian started on bass in the group and later transitioned to second guitar. John DeMaso eventually joined the group and became the bass player. Glaister left before the second album, and his talents were so great they opted to replace him with two drummers to fill the void: Danny Coward and Kevin Shwaryk.

    Record Deal and Name Change

    Before the group was called Jukin’ Bone, they were known as Free Will. Free Will signed with some promoters that worked with Concerts West on the premise that they could help the band secure a record deal. The band played a brutal showcase in New York City that was five sets a night for five consecutive nights. The showcase attracted A&R scouts from various record labels to sign new talent. The band’s efforts were rewarded when they received two record deal offers: one from Janus Records and a “better” offer from RCA. The band signed with RCA.

    RCA had strict union policies and mandated that their artists record only in their studios. When someone ratted the band out to RCA for recording a demo at a non-RCA studio, RCA said they had to change the name. Whiting recalled that they had to record the demo again in RCA’s studios just as a formality.

    “The first RCA album was a disgrace” according to Doyle. Their producer, Lewis Merenstein, had the vision to record a live album at Electric Lady Studios. Live albums can be a great way to capture the live energy, but their final product was greatly compromised by the hippies off the street in attendance and the “buffet of booze and drugs.” The group would stumble up to the stage to perform multiple takes and the “least offensive takes made the record.” That was Whiskey Woman. The second album was slightly better because it was recorded in the studio, but it still wasn’t what they considered their best sound. That was Way Down East. Neither album adequately captured the essence of Jukin’ Bone’s sound.

    Eventually, RCA bought the band out of their agreement before they recorded a third album. “By then the wheels started to come off in all aspects.”

    Besides the recording, the group shared their music on tour all around North America, from New York to Minnesota, Florida, Texas, and more. They opened up for the Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, The Kinks, and John Mayall just to name a few.

    While opening for John Mayall at a college in Rochester, the power went out not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 times! This was a rocky start as this was during their first song. But they earned fan support as they persevered and played through it.

    Though their tour life was relatively mild, they did manage to crack up a few Winnebagos in their travels. When traveling to Texas, they’d drive without stopping from New York. “You gotta be young and high” to do those drives.

    The Interim

    Before they reunited as a group, Doyle and Whiting kept up with their musical careers and continued their friendship even as the band parted ways. Whiting did stints with Bobby Comstock who had a few hits in the late 50s, Elf, and Savoy Brown. He really focused on his own band for years which opened for Van Halen.

    Doyle, who also had an interest in production, worked on a number of records playing and producing. Doyle found that working with great producers was a fantastic way to learn. He played with Meat Loaf and spent time with the record producer Tom Dowd. He saw how to bring performances out of musicians when he observed Arif Mardin in the studio with Andy Pratt. He also hooked up with David Werner and learned from that experience how NOT to produce a record.

    Unfinished Business

    Fast forward to 2017/2018. The band finally earned the recognition they deserved in the Syracuse community. Whiting called Doyle and asked him “what if we got together and made the record we never got to make?” Doyle didn’t even have to think about it before saying yes. George Egosarian and John DeMaso were also on board and they got to writing.

    Prior to this, Doyle had played on a couple of Jimi Hendrix project albums for an Italian record label. The head of the label contacted him ten years later and asked about leasing the early Free Will music. (Not Jukin’ Bone!) This call happened to be the day after Whiting phoned Doyle and this gave them a way to fund the new record.

    Aptly named, Unfinished Business is a true Jukin’ Bone masterpiece comprised of all new material. They wrote from scratch, not relying on any residual music from the past.

    The first song written was “Nothin’ to Lose.” The old Motown song “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” was stuck in Doyle’s head, and was a sentiment the group felt with this fresh chance. They eventually came to “Ain’t Got Nothing to Lose” to substitute in the song instead. Egosarian, “the master of the unobvious phrase,” got to work on the lyrics which Joe fine tuned later. They were off and running with the rest of the album from there.

    The old Gibson SG was used on the new record; Egosarian played it on “End of the Bar” just to have it on there. When asked about how his voice has held up all these years, Whiting says he doesn’t really have a secret in terms of maintenance. He feels has a better high and low end than he ever did, and he feels his voice has held up because he says, “I never shut up.”

    They recruited Syracuse University professor Josh Dekaney to play drums on the album. They wanted a percussionist with a classical training like their former drummer. The album was recorded as they wrote between Doyle’s home studio and More Sound Recording Studio and engineered by Jason “Jaco” Randall and Andrew Greacen.

    They went into this new project with no expectations. They just wanted to make good music and set the record straight!

    Key Tracks: Nothing to Lose, End of the Bar, Gris Gris

    Shows in August

    With the new album comes live shows. Jukin’ Bone will be playing two nights at Auburn Public Theater in Auburn, NY. The shows are August 17 and 18, and there may be future live dates depending on how this goes. More show information can be found here.

    Don’t miss a great opportunity to see some local legends doing what they love once again!

  • Hearing Aide: Teddy Midnight ‘French Press’

    French Press Album Cover

    Teddy Midnight, the Brooklyn-based live electronic band, dropped their newest EP, titled French Press, at its release party at Pianos NYC on April 26. The EP has a jazzy feel to it. It’s sample heavy, but it doesn’t feel like it is when listening to it. It doesn’t sound like something you’ve already heard; it’s got its own originality to it. One of the ways it’s able to do this is with it’s blend of new and vintage synths, keeping the music unpredictable. It uses combinations of Disco, Soul, 90s House, New Wave, Techno and a little Hip Hop, into non-stop, dance party vibes to keep itself intriguing to the listener.

    The EP starts off with the song “Say it Loud!” which is an all instrumental track except for the very end when the title of the song is said. It has a very, almost “New Order” feel to it which mostly comes from the repetitive drum machine acting as a backbone to the song. It then moves into the song “Eclipse (Go There)” which is also an instrumental track but more upbeat and best illustrates the intended Hip Hop feel. This sounds like a song that you might hear in a dance club soon. Both songs are good, but slightly repetitive and long. Each song lands close to the six and half minute mark, and for someone not particularly knowledgeable or invested in electronica, it was hard to sit through without having some repetitive pieces of the song to anchor onto, like a chorus.

    Then French Press takes a turn with its next song, “Come Over (feat. Tara Lawton & David Schnurman).” You finally get to hear some vocals and the fact the song is six minutes long is barely noticeable, unlike like the previous songs. The album then goes into “Mind the Gap,” which is another instrumental piece. It is very upbeat and has a lot of change-ups that make it one of a kind and continually interesting; this is important since it’s almost nine minutes long. The next song is “Not Enough” which starts off saying, “It’s not enough baby. It’s just not enough,” building up with the tempo in the song. The techno dance party feel increases with those lines appearing often in the change ups of the song. This song, much like “Come Over,” was easier on a listener like myself who might not have as much experience listening to instrumental electronic music. Even though it only really landed on those simple phrases throughout the song, it acted as a point of destination for the song to loop itself back in. The EP concludes on an instrumental version of “Come Over,” which was good, but knowing what it sounded like with the lyrics it felt like it was missing something slightly important to its overall feel. It was able to convey the emotion through the music but, without the words, the listener is left without a direction in which to run those emotions.

    The six song EP has a run time of 41 minutes, which is long but, if you’re into mellow synthesized electronica, this definitely could be an album for you. Even the dance party songs have very mellow undertones to them to make the EP something the listener can just close their eyes and disappear into. Not being someone who previously listened to much electronica music, this album wouldn’t necessarily be something I would pick up to listen to regularly, but it was a satisfying mix of those mellow, almost entrancing, undertones, and upbeat, “can’t sit still while listening to” overtones. First time listeners might want to start by dipping their toes in and starting with “Come Over” or “Not Enough.”

    Teddy Midnight will perform next on June 1 at Olives in Nyack, NY. And be sure to check out the entire EP available on SoundCloud and Spotify

    Key Tracks: 

    https://soundcloud.com/teddy-midnight/not-enough

    https://soundcloud.com/teddy-midnight/come-over

  • Hearing Aide: The Tins ‘The Tins’

    Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, so they say. But what about an album? In the case of the self-titled album from The Tins, a trio out of Buffalo, you’d do okay making judgment without listening to a note. But you definitely should… listen that is.

    At passing glance the cover is just a painting of the band’s members, keyboard player and vocalist Mike Santillo, drummer and vocalist Dave Muntner, and guitarist and vocalist Adam Stanley. But to any readers of Rolling Stone magazine in the ’90s, the style will feel quite familiar. That’s because it’s the work of Philip Burke, whose art donned the magazine’s covers for nearly a decade. Burke is also from Buffalo, as is the album’s producer, the Goo Goo Dolls’ Robby Takac. So The Tins have the backing of some historical talent in their hometown.

    Burke’s cover, familiar as it is, is sprinkled with bold surprises. Bright and unnatural color combinations jump out of the frame, figures that seemed normal at first glance ooze with distortion on further examination, and hidden shapes emerge from nowhere the longer you stare.

    Likewise, the music inside the package, familiar at first, is packed with surprising twists and turns and exciting splashes of color that push it past the ordinary. The rock trio lays out interesting enough rock tunes at their base, with bits of psychedelia, new wave and folk mixed in, and just the right amount of melody and hook to reel the listener in closer. That’s when the colors and shapes start to pop, turning the interesting into the exciting.

    Santillo’s keys carry the first pair of songs. Immediately, a bubbling and floating organ joins Muntner’s driving beat on “Hear Me Out,” then returns with an 8-bit sounding flurry near the song’s end. His sound gets crunchier and a bit reminiscent of Genesis next in “Oh My God.” Stanley’s guitar picks up the next two, with a catchy Death Cab for Cutie-esque head bobber in “Sundried Mind” and the ’80s-style rocker “Jigsaw Queen” that bursts with colorful zigs and zags throughout. Bruce Springsteen’s classic “State Trooper” gets updated with a dark underbelly of keyboard swirls and an exhilarating post-scream rock out. “A Minute of Your Time” seems standard at first, but slows to reveal a watery guitar jam, and later again opening up to a suspenseful building finish. “Mountain Song” is what it says, a mountain of a song, a straight up power rocker with loud crunching guitars, pounding drums and big three-part harmonies. But it, too, is not without surprises, as it repeatedly dips into atmospheric interludes.

    What does it all mean?! According to Stanley, the songs stand as a singular unit, “about feeling stuck, the need for freedom and escape.” But more importantly, it’s about making people dance. “What good is this if you can’t groove to it, you know?” The Tins‘ eight tracks clock in at a bit over 30 minutes. Perfectly situated to throw it on repeat, surely cracking with new discoveries on each listen.

    The album drops this Friday, June 1 when the band will celebrate with a release show at the Lockhouse in Buffalo, followed by a summer tour that will bring them all over the northeast. See the full dates below.

    Key Tracks: Jigsaw Queen, Sundried Mind, State Trooper

    JUN 01
    Lockhouse Distillery
    Buffalo, NY
    JUN 02
    Photo City
    Rochester, NY
    JUN 08
    Bsp Lounge
    Kingston, NY
    JUN 09
    Lyric Hall
    New Haven, CT
    JUN 14
    News Cafe
    Pawtucket, RI
    JUN 15
    The Plough and Stars
    Cambridge, MA
    JUN 16
    Dover Brick House
    Dover, NH
    JUN 18
    Radio Bean
    Burlington, VT
    JUN 20
    La Vitrola
    Montréal, Canada
    JUN 21
    The Rainbow
    Ottawa, Canada
    JUN 23
    The Cavern Bar
    Toronto, Canada
    JUN 27
    Larkin Square
    Buffalo, NY
    JUN 28
    The Low Beat
    Albany, NY
    JUN 29
    The Otherside
    Wilkes-Barre, PA
    JUN 30
    Ortlieb’s Lounge
    Philadelphia, PA
    JUL 01
    Black Cat
    Washington, DC
    JUL 05
    Mercury Lounge
    New York, NY
    JUL 06
    1919
    Baltimore, MD
    JUL 08
    Shawnee Riverfest
    Shawnee On Delaware, PA
    JUL 10
    Bidwell Park
    Buffalo, NY
    JUL 13
    Cyber Cafe
    Binghamton, NY
    JUL 14
    The Barn
    Volney, NY

  • Intrepid Travelers celebrate composer John Williams at penultimate Cinco en Mayo Residency show

    Intrepid Travelers kept their month long residency at Nietzsche’s going with a skillful tribute to the movies with a theme by the name of John Williams. Opening up with a Star Wars Suite, which included “Main Theme,” “Force Theme,” “Emperor Theme,” “Imperial March,” “Rebel Strike,” and “Cantina Band” all seamlessly linked together for an opening segment you have to see. Throughout the rest of the night, the band performed original IT arrangements of John Williams compositions from Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, along with originals mixed it.

    https://www.facebook.com/intrepidtravelersfamily/videos/1952134884819376/

    Setlist: Star Wars Suite, Maddy & Anna, Jurassic Park Theme > Randoh’s Island, On the Grass > Indiana Jones Theme > On the Grass, Boomerang, Groove’s On You > Hedwig’s Theme > Groove’s On You

    Stay tuned for this week’s show, the final of the residency, joined by Mosswalk with a theme of Freedom. More info here.

    intrepid travelers John Williams

  • 518 Songfest at The Egg provides special moments shared between musicians and fans

    518 Songfest at The Egg proved to be an intimate experience between songwriters, performers and fans throughout the night on Friday, May 18. Some of the best stories, however, happened prior to the show.

    Below, we’ve captured the evening through vignettes under each artist.

    Sydney Worthley

    Michael Worthley looks with a smile on his face as Rose Gabriel puts the finishing touches upon the merchandise table. It’s two hours before 518 Songfest at The Egg, and everyone is getting ready. She just placed battery-operated tea light candles in each of several miniature lanterns.

    518 songfest

    “It’s looking good,” he said, with the sound of appreciation in his voice.

    She looks up with a smile on her face and shares how someone already asked how much the lanterns were going for.

    “Priceless,” she said.

    Rose and her husband Andrew Gabriel make it their jobs to make his daughter, Sydney, look good. The owners of Ambassador Music Group have been doing just that since Sydney dropped her debut album last September.

    Michael shakes his head when asked how things are going. He and his wife, Shauna, are sports parents. They’re accustomed to corralling the kids and traveling long hours on the road for their son’s hockey games in Buffalo or in Plattsburgh. Sydney’s burgeoning music career has added another wrinkle to that lifestyle. The two parents helped convince their son to put a hold on hockey. He’s since transitioned to soccer. The family just recently returned from Ohio, where the Gabriels hoped to persuade one of the largest radio stations in the Midwest for more airplay by offering facetime and an interview. Michael shows off a few pictures from when the family stole away a few hours to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

    The local music scene has looked at Sydney and asked two common questions; The first is, “Who is this?,” once asked in a disconcerting tone. Here was this local girl with a 14-track CD with a high-polish shine. It made no sense until you popped it into a player and listened. Then, the following question,“Where’d she come from?” would follow with surprise.

    “We thought Tulip Fest was big,” said Michael, at which Sydney played only last May. Next month she’ll be at Mountain Jam. She’ll play at one of the largest festivals in the Northeast, on the same playbill as Grammy Award-winning artists Sturgill Simpson, The War on Drugs and Portugal. The Man.

    Nonetheless, Michael said, she hasn’t developed an ego. Her softball teammates have nicknamed her “Famous.” But, he said, there’s still plenty of her classmates who don’t know who she is.

    518 songfestJulie Gold

    Julie Gold listens attentively while seated in the auditorium with her companion as Super 400 conducts its sound check on stage. Despite attending the show as the night’s special guest, the Grammy Award-winning artist sits unassuming while attendees prepare the theater.

    Gold is from Pennsylvania and lives in New York City. In this one-day festival focused on showcasing music from the 518 area code, the commonality she shares with the region is her proximity to the Hudson River.

    “I love this piano,” she exclaimed during her own sound check. “I could play it forever, but The Egg would kick me out.”

    The river served as inspiration for her song, “Love Is Love Is Love.” Later in the evening, while introducing the song to the Songfest crowd, she shared her fascination with the river.

    Each morning, at 9 a.m., Gold would call and speak with her mother while walking along the banks of the Hudson River in New York. Gold’s mother immigrated to America and processed at Liberty Island in 1930. She was a part of what she called the “great generation” of people who left their homeland for a better life for their children. As she watched the river roll past, Gold said she imagined that some of that same water helped bring her mother to America.

    Gold fell in love with music while watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when she was 8 years old. Her first piece of music was a 45 of Petula Clark’s “Downtown.” Within its dust cover was the mystery behind finding who “T. Hatch” was. Gold approached her mother, only to learn that there was such a thing as a songwriter. “Before that moment, I thought songs were always there,” she said. Tony Hatch, the songwriter behind the words to “Downtown,” was “one of the lucky ones” to create them.

    When it looked like music would be in Gold’s life, her mother didn’t stand in the way. She was open to all sorts of music. In their home, rock and roll was not the “Devil’s Music,” she said. When Gold introduced friends to her mother, with music ever-present in her life, she would always ask what instrument they played. On those morning phone calls — despite her clockwork-like frequency — Gold’s mother would answer, “Oh, Jules! I was hoping it was you.” Last year, on the last day of summer, Gold’s mother died. She said it was the most appropriate time for who she called the “most beautiful of people.”

    “Everyday, for all those years, I had her in my life. Until just recently.”

    518 songfestSuper 400

    After more than 20 years of establishing a reputation as a hard-rocking trio, Super 400 prepared itself for a rare acoustic set.

    Guitarist Kenny Hohman said he didn’t like playing acoustic guitar, and stayed away from it all together until he and his wife, the band’s bassist Lori Friday, started the Troy Music Academy nearly seven years ago. The school was created out of necessity. Friday sustained serious injuries to her neck, back and kidney after a car accident. Hohman said he learned to appreciate playing acoustically while teaching people the guitar.

    Hohman, Friday and the band’s drummer Joe Daley sat inside the auditorium to talk about catching a quick dinner before the show when Julie Gold interrupted.

    Gold was listening in on the sound check and wanted to compliment each of them on their musicianship. Before long, a genuine moment of musicians bonding over their craft ensued. Hohman immediately complimented Gold on her “radiating positivity” and the two hugged.

    Musicians have a natural curiosity to learn how another started in music.

    Check out a full gallery courtesy of The Spot 518.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Hearing Aide: Komrads ‘Resistor’

    Komrads 'Resistor'Before I start this review let me disclose that I am not well versed in electronic music, my expertise lies within metal so I will be reviewing this album from that perspective and will be comparing elements of songs to other groups in an attempt to best review the album.

    The first track “Resistor” is full of industrial glitchy instrumentals accompanied by drums in the back leading the beat. A little after halfway through vocals start chanting about the resistance. “Resistor” is definitely a great intro track while the second track “Midnight Sun” was an abrupt change from “Resistor”, with its slow paced and droning styled vocals and notes that echo.

    “Prom Dress” was one of my favorite tracks with vocals that are reminiscent of Marilyn Manson and Element A440 and has a rock sorta sound to match. Any fans of Manson style vocals should take a look.

    “Petra” felt like an experiment that was attempting the same thing as some doom metal projects with what sounds like a few bass strings and a deep bellowing whisper that is a departure from the rest of the tracks.

    “Sick Boy” instantly reminded me of “Plur Police” by Knife Party. It’s full of those edm sounds that I have no clue what they’re called and had humorous lyrics like “why you bring him to this office can’t you see he’s too big” and “can you do one thing for me?”  This track should definitely be a top contender for a single if Komrad decides to release any singles.

    “Lay Me Down”, “Pocket Full Of Knife” and “Midnight Sun” were completely out of my realm of music and I couldn’t find anything in them to personally latch onto.

    Overall this has more of a rock and roll sound than a metal sound but that’s not a bad thing- I enjoyed multiple tracks. I don’t know who to recommend this to me but my electronic music tastes are limited to Knife Party and Master Boot Record so if you are into either of them you might enjoy this album.

    Resistor was released online May 25. Head to their Bandcamp to purchase.

    Key Tracks: Petra, Sick Boy, Prom Dress

  • Queensryche Withstands Another Rainy Night in Upstate NY

    On Saturday, May 19, Queensryche, with special guests Great White and Autograph, took the Budweiser Summer Stage at Tag’s in Big Flats, NY despite intermittent rainy showers and brisk temperatures.

    Slated to kick off this headlining show at 10 pm, Queensryche, a powerhouse staple in rock and roll history since 1982, hit the stage early, just before 9:30, following solid performances by both Autograph and Great White. Although many thought this show might actually run behind, fearing rain delays, Queensryche busted out with their first song “Best I Can,” from their fourth studio album Empire, released in August 1990.

    Queensryche

    Led by original members Michael Wilton on guitar and Eddie Jackson on bass, Queensryche formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington. The band has gone through only a few notable lineup changes in 36 years, including Todd La Torre on vocals who replaced lead singer Geoff Tate in 2012, Parker Lundgren who, since 2009, has filled original guitarist Chris DeGarmo’s duties masterfully, and Casey Grillo, who is currently filling in the drumming department while original Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield is out on hiatus for paternity leave.

    Despite recovering from a broken right hand, La Torre’s vocals were amazingly powerful and strong as he belted out most of the progressive metal band’s catalog of hits including “The Lady Wore Black” and “Queen of the Reich” from Queensryche’s 1983 self titled EP, as well as the powerhouse hits from 1988’s Operation Mindcrime, “I Don’t Believe in Love” and “Eyes of a Stranger”. La Torre’s vocals only seemed to get stronger as the night progressed as he closed out with “Jet City Woman” and “Take Hold of the Flame.”

    Queensryche

    Although fans were thoroughly impressed with both Autograph and Great White, who were definitely in the pocket and put on great shows, they were most certainly left mesmerized by Queensryche’s powerful performance and 16-song set list that seemed to only get better after each song, leaving the crowd of thousands at Tag’s Summer Stage screaming for more. Queensryche closed this almost 90-minute set with the encores “Screaming in Digital” and “Eyes of a Stranger.”

    Setlist: Best I Can, Damaged, The Whisper, The Mission, Breaking the Silence, I Don’t Believe in Love, Silent Lucidity, Guardian, The Lady Wore Black, Empire, Queen of the Reich, Jet City Woman, Take Hold of the Flame, Walk in the Shadows, Screaming in Digital, Eyes of a Stranger

  • Hearing Aide: Jon Lewis Band ‘Get Wild Somewhere’

    Everyone loves rooting for the hometown star to catch a big break. Rochester’s very own Jon Lewis Band’s  latest offering Get Wild Somewhere has the potential to expose them to their widest and most diverse audience yet. It has nothing to do with luck though. The eighth album they’ve recorded in four years stands solidly on the five member’s pure and unadulterated passion, dedication, friendship and, most importantly, talent. 

    The band’s namesake, Lewis is on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, accompanied by Dave Drago on bass, Jake Walsh on drums, Shawn Brogan on lead guitar and Alex Northrup on keys. With more time spent traveling to Los Angeles to record than actually spent in the studio, Get Wild Somewhere’s classic sound was accomplished through the use of vintage recording gear. All ten tracks were written with the intention of being played and recorded live.

    “We didn’t want to do overdubs or try to manipulate our sound too much,” said Lewis. “That made it possible to record in a shorter period of time and also enabled us to make something that showcases all of our individual strengths.”

    Fueled by adrenaline, backed by fans who crowdsourced over $2,000 to support the band’s trip to LA to record, and fed by the largest pizza they’ve ever seen (it had to be delivered through the loading dock door) Get Wild Somewhere has a polished, timeless sound that could only be done justice with vinyl.

    The Jon Lewis Band consists of Dave Drago, Shawn Brogan, Jon Lewis, Alex Northrup and Jake Walsh.

    Written by Lewis and produced, mixed and mastered by Drago in his 1809 Studios in Macedon, NY, Get Wild Somewhere tears onto the scene with the catchy opening track “Jerry My Berry.” Borrowing from the piano track that was used in famous recordings like “Werewolves in London” and “Summer Breeze,” combined with a catchy chorus, driving beat and melodious guitar licks, “Jerry My Berry” kicks the album off on an energetic note.

    Track two, “Charity,” is a beautiful opus with rich vocal harmonies complimenting mournful wails from Northrup’s organ.

    “You Don’t Wanna,” the third offering on the album, has a Beach Boys, surfer rock vibe to it. The clavinet introduces listeners to a an easy, breezy, likeable song that encapsulates the vintage vibe.

    I just want to see your face

    I just want to waste your time

    I just want to talk to you

    Cause you will see that I’m alright

    The rough riding “Cinnamon Only,”carried by a driving lead guitar, is the first song on the album to have a full-length video to accompany it. Lewis created the video over one month’s time entirely with colored papers and sketches.

    “I draw and cut out the characters, then photograph/animate them against a green screen, then I put all the layers together to create something I like to call ‘Paper World,’” he explains ,”The plot and story completely unfolded as I continued to work, just letting the song dictate the imagery.”

    The album’s closer, “So Familiar,“ is a gorgeously dark and stormy, mostly instrumental, song that hits to the core.

    Get Wild Somewhere is the sound of five friends pouring their hearts out and having the time of their lives producing fresh, original and crush-able jams, heartfelt ballads and indie rock. Each song come together effortlessly and stands on their own, as if they were just waiting to be born.

    The energy and connection on the album translates easily to the stage. Check the Jon Lewis Band out for yourself Friday, May 18 at their Album Release Party at Three Heads Brewing. Here’s hoping that this is just the start of something even bigger for these five Rochester musical dynamos!

    Key Tracks: Jerry My Berry, You Don’t Wanna, So Familiar

    https://www.facebook.com/jon.lewis.1401/videos/1781207945233793/

  • Hearing Aide: TJ Foster ‘First Person, Volume One’

    Anyone who’s ever questioned their purpose (so all of us) will relate to the sentiments laid out in TJ Foster’s recent release First Person, Volume One. The album unfolds like a diary decorated with a mix of acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica and occasional drums. Each song explores the obstacles that emerge as people struggle with defining their own identity and finding their place in the world.

    The lyrics won’t shock the ear with poetic potency but Foster’s words will validate the listeners’ own questioning of self. The first track, “I Don’t Know,” sets the tone for the album with modest guitar elevated by strong vocal harmonies. The title offers a simple and honest response to the questions that escape our grasp. “57” wrestles with the desire for human connection but hauntingly echoes the chorus “Should I just be alone.” The melancholy ensues with “Basement,” which details a few of the emotional hardships Foster has experienced including losing a friend to suicide and dealing with his parents’ divorce.

    “An Ode to my Twenties” surprises the listener with the most upbeat tune on the album, recounting important milestones including graduation, getting married, having two kids, getting a first tattoo, and perhaps most notably, finding a taste for wine. It’s may seem like a minor adult accomplishment, but detecting the subtle nuances in a glass of merlot is an ability often lost on younger drinkers. In “Upside Down,” Foster almost whispers the line “I may act like I’m awake, but I’m perpetually dreaming.” It speaks to the human tendency to be caught up in our thoughts and not actively participating in our own lives, too busy focusing on the negative to revel in the positive.

    Though First Person, Volume One offers no comforting solutions to the numerous existential questions it poses, perhaps comfort can be found the questions themselves, as they are familiar to many of us. Released on April 13, the album is available for purchase here.

    Key Tracks: I Don’t Know, An Ode to My Twenties, Upside Down

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