NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • Hearing Aide: Cousin Earth “Human Music”

    Cousin Earth Human MusicThe greatly anticipated Human Music from Cousin Earth, is unlike any studio album you’ll listen to this year. Immense talent is found in this Brooklyn five-piece, and share a wide range of influences that all align greatly. The variety of songs throughout the album are each presented without pomp or overshadowing any other. Well produced and executed, Human Music is an exemplar of how to showcase the influences of your music while drawing the listener deep into an album.

    “Peculiar Patterns” opens up as the mildly upbeat intro, finding a Goldilocks Zone of not too hard, not too soft – it’s just right, and has a great swell of energy to close. “I Got This” gives off an electric feel and shows fantastic guitar work from Joey Calfa that sends this for a late-80s hair metal loop. “Train Luck” gives the gripes of subway transit in NYC with a Zappa flair and a 70’s era music video to go along with it.

    The EDM-inspired “Super Fun Laser Beams” delivers in spades, driven by ukulele wunderkind Joey Calfa and steady beats from drummer Nate Searing and percussionist Terry Brennan. Clocking in at 9:05, you can easily picture the laser beams on the crowd as they get down. Mid-Eastern flair can be found throughout the mesmerizing “Dirty Wet Rock,” some Latin tanginess in “Puerto Rican Pancakes,” and sax-driven funk throughout “Alive,” all of which burst with ukulele driven jams that take command and guide the song.

    Do you like kazoo in your music? Cousin Earth has you covered on “When the Dinosaurs come back from Outer Space,” a funky ditty that could crossover to a children’s album with ease. Tara Lawton puts on her Broadway musical shoes for “Keep on (Show me the Numbers, Ian),” but she really shines across the entire album, versatile whether singing, on keys or melodica.

    Bassist Corey Feldman charges out of the gate slapping away on the bass for “Capricorn on the Cob,” the final track and an exclamation point on the album. This is the only track that sounds like something from a jamband, with elements of Umphrey’s McGee’s prog-rock, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s bouncy, driven rock and flowing jams of moe. The start and finish of Human Music is 100% Cousin Earth and a hearty taste of what you can expect live, where they shine even brighter.

    Listen below on Spotify or purchase on Bandcamp and don’t miss the album release show tonight at Bowery Electric with The Phryg and Hunt for Hunter!

    Key Tracks: Peculiar Patterns, Super Fun Laser Beams, Capricorn on the Cob

  • Popovic’s ‘Stormy Monday’ Blues Night at The Cohoes Music Hall

    It was a “Stormy Monday” for the blues inside the prestigious Cohoes Music Hall on April 16. The heavy rain didn’t put a damper on the blues fans that had stepped inside the music hall on a Monday evening to escape from the everyday stresses of daily life for a worry-free, entertaining evening of music from both Girl Blue and Serbian-Blues guitarist and vocalist, Ana Popovic.

    Popovic

    Almost a full year since her last performance at the music hall, this time around, Popovic pulled out all of the stops as she continued to dazzle the audience with her electrifying guitar solos, captivating vocals, and a stunning cast of performers within her five piece ensemble that had joined her for her tour to promote her new three disk album Trilogy.

    Popovic’s rhythm and horn ensemble were tight and in full swing throughout the entire evening. Her rhythm section begun the evening with an instrumental of their own rendition of “Ana’s Shuffle” from the album Can You Stand The Heat. They continued to jam along to the tune before Popovic, dressed in the similar red tank top, jeans, and heels that was previously worn at last year’s concert, joined the band on stage to play some solos on her guitar before moving on to perform a series of her songs from Trilogy.

    “It’s great to be back!” called out Popovic to the audience as she had begun her song, “Can You Stand the Heat”, from her previous album. Song after song, Popovic and her ensemble were outstanding, never outshining each other as they performed their own riffs, rhythms, and solos for each song. Popovic took the time to introduce the City of Cohoes to her full ensemble before performing “Train” from Trilogy: Disk #1 (Morning) to a happy audience that was excited to also hear Popovic’s drummer, Cedric Goodman, play some riffs on the drums that got them dancing and moving in their seats. “Long Road Down” brought her listeners back in time to the times of being on the Oregon Trail while focusing on Popovic’s extensive travels as she had continued on her journey to further pursue music as she had moved from her origins of Belgrade, Serbia, to Amsterdam, Holland, Memphis, Tennessee, and settled in Los Angeles, California where she has currently resided for the past two years.

    Popovic is able to smoothly transition well from performing lead to slide guitar as she continued to play slide on “If Tomorrow Was Today.” Following suit to her empowering gym-based workout song, “Show How Strong You Are,” each of her key players in her ensemble rose to the occasion and performed their energetic, emotionally-felt awakening solos, from the jazz-lead bass playing of the bassist, back to Popovic, to the drummer, and on towards the other performers to close out their main set.

    The blues wasn’t exactly going to end completely from Popovic and her ensemble. The band returned to the stage for their encore as they concluded the evening with a cover of Popovic’s “Mo’ Better Love,” and closing out the event with a cover of a song that she had discovered recently before she began recording Trilogy, “Fence Walk” from the Brooklyn, NY based band, Mandrill. Popovic’s interaction with both the crowd and with her own band members is both electric and entertaining to watch. Moving from side to side, Popovic joined in on the jam between her horn players, Jon Ramm (trombone) and Brad Walker (saxophone), on the right side of the stage as they had gathered around each other, creating a musical dialogue heard within their notes and soloing while closing out the evening. Popovic left the stage, leaving the remainder of the ensemble to continue to jam to the tune and close out the funky number on a high note that satisfied both the band and the audience.

    Albany based act, Girl Blue, featuring vocalist and guitarist, Arielle O’Keefe, opened up for Ana Popovic and her band. Playing a set of eight original songs, O’Keefe did a great job performing solo to her tunes that were mixed in with her own vocals being recorded on a loop. My first time hearing O’Keefe perform live, the sound of her voice reminded me of a mix between Norah Jones, Regina Spector, Alanis Morrisette, and Katy Perry, as she had sung her own unique, original tunes that related back to teenage and early adult moments of angst, drinking, and other fun, significant moments within her life.

  • Hearing Aide: Cold Lazarus ‘Cold Lazarus’

    The eclectic and spacey quartet Cold Lazarus celebrated their first anniversary by releasing a self titled LP comprised solely of original material that showcases the band’s musical originality and diversity. The band, which is based out of Jamestown, NY, is comprised of  Adam Gould (vocals, guitar), Gavin Paterniti (bass), Marc Scapelitte (drums), and Drew Minton (keyboards).  This band of talented musicians creates a hypnotic jam vibe that incorporates a multitude of varying musical genres that the band members refer to as Reggae-infused intellifunk jam rock.

    cold lazarus

    Selections off of the LP like “Pieces,” that clock in at over 10 minutes, illustrate what Cold Lazarus is musically capable of.  This track covers the musical spectrum of reggae, prog rock, and funk taking the listener along for a uniquely enjoyable cosmic ride.

    “Butterflies,” another tune off of Cold Lazarus, is a more traditional reggae song with Gould’s guitar and Minton’s keyboards working in concert to create a sound reminiscent of Slightly Stoopid or Sublime.  The number also features a pleasing saxophone solo by Minton, that provides a sense of warmth and depth while adding a nice bit of contrast to the piece.

    Scapelitte’s skills as a percussionist and Paterniti’s skill on bass are excellently showcased on the intro of the LP’s fourth track “Shit’s Lit Farm”. Vocalist Gould lyrically depicts the trials and tribulations of dating and developing personal relationships in the digital information age.  The number transitions into a fast tempo bridge that features Gould’s craftsmanship on the guitar and Minton’s heavy use of trippy synth, which eventually organically evolves back to the tune’s original refrain.

    Cold Lazarus will kick off their CD Release Tour at Shawbucks in their home town of Jamestown on April 28. They will continue to tour in support of their new LP into the summer of 2018.

    Key Tracks: Maybe, Freaky Little Girl, Sun Song

  • Hearing Aide: tHrOnE “tHrOnE”

    tHrOnEAfter 10 years, Connecticut rockers Throne return with their self-titled full length album. Brothers Casey and Derek Trafton, have revived Throne after disbanding in 2009 when their cousin Justin Trafton left the band.

    In many ways, the Trafton brothers strive to create a sound that is modern while still longing for the sounds of their days touring with bands like Blink-182 and Good Charlotte.

    Few bands have succeeded at this sound in recent, but with the commercial success of Twenty-One Pilots and the return of Blink-182, Throne seems to attempt this.

    What comes through is a very different sound that can be described as a sort of Nu Metal, punk rock. In their nearly ten-year hiatus, the Trafton brothers worked with electronic music, which is clearly an influence in songs such as “That’s Just Me.”

    Throne’s self-title is a far departure from their debut album Balladry. In this latest, the band strives for more pop, catchy choruses, while creating a deeper and darker sound. Throne has become more related to bands like Royal Blood as to their pop-punk days.

    The second half of the album is much stronger with the final three songs on the album, “Make it Move,” “Breathing Room,” and “Stranger Things” all seeming unique to the rest of the album.

    Ten years later Throne has developed into a more mature sounding band, with a much darker sense about themselves and their music.

    Key Tracks: Make it Move, Breathing Room, Stranger Things

  • Hearing Aide: Big Something ‘The Otherside’

    While April 20 tends to be a day known for celebrating greener lifestyles and festivities, for Big Something, it will notch the release and celebration of their latest studio album, The Otherside.

    big something the othersideTucking away their fifth studio effort, the North Carolina 6-piece offers Big Something fanatics a piggy-back off of last year’s Tumbleweed. Thumbing listeners through an encyclopedia of genres, the 2018 release continues the haunting narrative of wandering through the depths of a post-apocalyptic desert while undergoing some serious soul searching, hoping to come out of the clutches of a bad peyote trip. Unable to place the album’s pulse on one particular sound, the sonic exploration allows focus to be placed on the group’s unfolding concept instead.

    The first few notes of “Sundown Nomad” welcome Big Something fans to their familiar, glitchy EWI sounds before diving into a land of spoken word trip-hop. As the eight-track album continues, “Wildfire” follows as a feel-good tune paired with less than hopeful lyrics, repeatedly exclaiming “woe is me.” The tight-knit ensemble of Nick MacDaniels (guitar, vocals), Doug Marshall (bass), Josh Kagel (keys, trumpet), Casey Cranford (sax, EWI), Jesse Hensley (lead guitar), and Ben Vinograd (drums) play with poetic juxtaposition on this track, while the uplifting riffs seem blissful, the lyrics divergently describe one thousand acres burning to the ground and the world going up in a wildfire.

    “We wanted to pay homage to the original concept of ‘an album’ with this release where sitting down and listening to the whole thing is an experience – 20 minutes per side with a break between. Side A complements Side B. This is the first time we’ve setup an album to fit perfectly on a vinyl record like that,” vocalist Nick MacDaniels shared.

    “The Cave” offers a more emotional outlet through Daniels’ heart-rendering vocals and slower time signatures while the album’s title track, “The Otherside,” takes shape of a fleeting 1:47 ambient break in the midst of the album. “Smoke Signal,” a track specifically written for the album and yet to receive the live debut treatment, holds it’s own as a silky smooth jazz track, with a combination of velvety vocals and saxophone. Most tracks are given a new life through Big Something live performances. It’s a wonder what they’ll do with “Smoke Signal” for its first time in front of a live audience.

    Cranford’s EWI majesty helps “Cosmic Dust” tap into 80s synth- Stranger Things theme song elements before the last two tracks showcase the groups funk and hard rock in its finest form. With the help of groovy trumpets and top-notch shredding on guitar, the album finds its fastest and strongest notes at a pinnacle of high-energy upon its conclusion.

    The powerhouse rockers found their voices through storytelling and fusing unique elements together to wrap up the story they’ve been telling since their 2017 predecessor album. Creating another layer of emotion folded into the album, it’s dedicated to the memory of Paul Interdonato, the band’s late lyricist and friend who tragically passed away on December 3, 2017 – the same exact day the band was gearing up to record in studio.

    The Otherside takes on thematics of musical journeys in more ways than one– the story of the album’s troubled, vagabond protagonist as well as a touching tribute of inspiration from a lifelong friend.

    Key Tracks: Smoke Signal, Cosmic Dust, Hole

  • Hearing Aide: Jane Lee Hooker ‘Spiritus’

    Jane Lee HookerJane Lee Hooker is back, and better than ever.

    After the release of their debut album No B! in 2016, the five piece punk-blues powerhouse caught much deserved attention among NYC’s club scene. Since then, Jane Lee Hooker has spread like a wildfire: one that certainly won’t be extinguished anytime soon.

    Spiritus, the band’s second album, was released in November of 2017. Primarily comprised of original music, Spiritus further explores JLH’s unorthodox take on the blues. The ten-track release is riddled with undeniably catchy hooks, superb guitar licks, and just the right amount of grit.

    The album goes from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds with the first track, titled “How Ya Doin’?” From there, Spiritus takes a step back with some slow/moderately paced jams (including the most popular track “Later On,” which currently has over 21,000 spins on Spotify).

    But don’t be fooled; halfway through, Spiritus lifts off once again with “Black Rat.” Shortly afterward, to the listener’s unexpected surprise, the album takes a moody turn with a downtempo track titled “How Bright the Moon.” And to wrap things up, Spiritus comes full circle with the longest track on the album, “The Breeze.”

    To say the least, Spiritus is bold, nostalgic, and groundbreaking. If you’re in search of a sound that steps far beyond the boundaries of modern rock music, Jane Lee Hooker’s gotcha covered. Keep up with JLH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    Key Tracks: Later On, How Ya’ Doin?, The Breeze

  • Magic Beans Throw Down a Stunner in Albany

    A friend recently referred to Albany as the “super deep-tiered jam band capital of the Northeast.” As mediocre as that sounds, we actually do alright. Thursday, April 12 was a “Tier 3 Night” at the Hollow Bar and Kitchen, but good luck convincing those there to see The Magic Beans that it was anything short of incredible.

    Saratoga’s rising star, Let’s Be Leonard, opened up the evening with an ultra energetic “Spit It Out.”  While the members of this band may be young, their sound is mature and smart. Even their vocal jam included nicely blended harmonies. Connor Dunn’s saxophone skills only added to the fun. Although the volume may have been a bit too high for some, it was refreshing to see a band with this much potential. It won’t be surprising to see these guys on the festival circuit for years to come.

    Around 10:30, the crowd began to swell as locals arrived to see Boulder, Colorado’s The Magic Beans. Despite their current Rocky Mountain hometown, Albanians claim a small piece of the Beans as their own. Bassist Chris Duffy, formerly of Dirty Paris, is originally from the Capital City and fans are always delighted to bring him home.

    Like a hurricane gaining strength over water, The Magic Beans’ jams tend to rise in energy and explode with each powerful crescendo. Just when you thin they’re finally ready to set everyone back down on Earth with something light and breezy, they burst back into a fast paced yet funky jam to fuel the groove of the crowd.

    With thick bass lines, heavy synthesized keys and occasional hip hop beats, their transitions are still crisp and seemingly effortless. Scott Hachey’s facial expressions as he flexes his guitar prowess indicate the thrill for both the band and the audience.

    Nearing the end of the night, the Hollow was pulsing with some pretty impressive lights. A powerful “Luck” could have closed the evening, but the Beans decided to throw in some Talking Heads “Girlfriend is Better,” with their latest “Casino Cabaret” for fun.

    After picking my jaw up off the floor, I’ve came to the conclusion we were witnessing the steady rise of what is now a lower tiered jam band. This show was better than the last and light years beyond what we saw a few years ago. Although not someone I’d compare them to in style, I have not been this excited for a band since discovering Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. I fully expect to see this band become a household name in the jam community and they will always have a home here in Albany.

  • Hearing Aide: Ozymandias ‘Godly’

    “I won’t stop until they put me in the earth” and “I’m here to bring a vibe,” Ozymandias says on his newest album, Godly, released March 30, 2018. These two lines could be the spoken synopsIs of the 14-track album which follows up on previous efforts IDKNID and Blvck Cvstles (2017). Godly discusses many topics, features local collaborators and presents polished, yet atypical, production styles.

    We are introduced to the story through the baited dial tone and answering machine that plays Ozymandias’ preoccupied voice, asking for his caller to leave a message. “I’m not picking up my phone for some reason,” he admits, sounding uncertain, as if he does not yet know the reason.

    Throughout the album, we hear the voicemails of others asking the performer why he has not picked up his phone in juxtaposition with lyrics about human connection, love, equality and strong work ethic. One could conclude that a theme of the album is ignoring modern technology in favor of more genuine, and personal, means of communication.

    Godly follows the release of a few singles, “MadMax” (produced by 4k) and “Aim High” (produced by Savion), each accompanied by a cinematic music video. From these crumb trails, listeners take away a potent sample of what to expect from the album: polished, sharp production sandwiched between obscure noise-based tracks, dressed in 808 hits. This type of production is especially found on songs such as “Temporary” (produced by L. Davis), and “No Losses” (produced by Nick Cavs). Ozymandias’ composition follows the sounds found in his previous effort Blvck Cvstles, in particular, but he all but dismisses anxiety over the past. “If I lose it all, I’mma get it back,” Ozymandias says, summing up parts of his stated world view in one line.

    Overall, Godly conveys a series of meaningful messages which could apply to many situations. Much like influencers J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, the album pairs deep beats with wide reaching lyrics with cuts like “Work” (produced by LebanonDonBeats). Yet, even with obscurity, the album has few, if any, skippable moments. At worst, it’s a solid effort with a few bangers and, at best, an anthemic, insightful crowd pleaser.

    Either way, the album is genuine and convinces the listener that it’s taken blood, sweat, tears and multiple drafts. “I pray that honesty hit ‘em,” the artist says in “Winter Bluez” (produced by Kelly Portis). His lyrics reflect the depth of challenges such as relationships, love, friends, parenthood, sociopolitical issues, and just trying to make it in his career. “Possibly the reason God challenged me is because he sees potential,” he says in the same song. None of this album is subtle, and it shouldn’t be.

  • JD McPherson Helps Abilene Celebrate Their 10th Anniversary

    Abilene Bar and Lounge has been a fixture in Rochester’s live music scene seemingly forever, but in reality, it’s been there just ten years. Ten years sitting on a quiet corner of Liberty Pole Way, in the shadow of the Harro East Ballroom across the street. Ten years bringing in quality live music nearly every night of the week. They showcase a healthy mix of both national and local talent, exploring every angle of American Roots music, occasionally venturing off into other genres. Owner Danny Deutsch has made a habit of bringing in relatively unknown talent and cultivating them for the sometimes finicky Rochester palate. He’s happy to book the same band and watch them grow locally and nationally until they’re too big for his intimate establishment. Ten years and it was time to celebrate, so for once Abilene would be casting the shadow on the Harro East. And appropriately, one of the talents that Deutsch has brought to town multiple times over the years and has since ridden a slow rising wave of success, JD McPherson, would be headlining the celebration.

    McPherson has outgrown Abilene and then some, nearly selling out the Harro East on a Friday night jam-packed with live music options in and around town. It was the place to be and to be seen, everyone was in high spirits and ready to celebrate. When opener Woody Pines, another Abilene alum, broke from his usual dark-themed songs to switch it up with a song about love, he was surprised not to hear at least some of the usual boos ring out. But the crowd was in a loving, happy and ready to party mood. Friday the 13th be damned! Pines led his trio of upright bass and clarinet/sax on the steel guitar and harmonica, through songs centered around classic New Orleans swing and southern roots music they like to call “hillbilly boogie.”

    Next up was Jake La Botz, who sat alone center stage with an acoustic guitar and microphone. That’s all he needed to captivate the filling hall. His low voice contained a ton of character, bringing depth to songs from his latest album, Sunnyside, like “The Hotel (Fix Me Now),” “Damsel in Distress” and a bit of humor with “Inflatable Duck.” The album was produced by JD McPherson bassist Jimmy Sutton and he premiered it right here in Rochester last year with a performance at Record Archive.

    Speaking of Record Archive, co-owner Alayna Alderman took the stage next to bring out cake and lead the crowd in “Happy Birthday,” but not just for Abilene, it was also Webster-born drummer Jason Smay’s birthday and the day before was McPherson’s birthday as well.

    Headliner JD McPherson finished off the night in style. The rock was big and the lights were bright. McPherson and band flew through blasts of their unique blend of honky-tonk, rockabilly and classic rock sounds. The beat was swinging and so was the crowd. It was comfortably crowded, allowing enough space for couples to dance if they so desired. Nary a head in the house wasn’t bobbing along. In an hour set, they mixed music from all three albums, making for a show that explored their full history with Rochester. Songs frequently drifted into each other with interstitial mellow rock grooves. There wasn’t a whole lot of stopping or silence at this celebration. They topped it all off with a near 30-minute encore that started with La Botz coming back out to lead them through Hank Williams’ “My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It.” McPherson thanked the crowd for making Rochester like a second home for them before closing out the night with “Northside Gal.”

    The party continued however, as across the street, back in the shadows, Abilene hosted local swing trio Bobby Henrie and the Goners back in their own joint, and the music and jubilation continued on into the wee hours.

    Setlist: Bossy, Fire Bug, It Shook Me Up, Desperate Love, Crying’s Just a Thing That You Do, Under the Spell of City Lights, Head Over Heels, On the Lips, Hunting For Sugar, You Must Have Met Little Caroline?, Mother of Lies, Style (Is a Losing Game), Lucky Penny, Let the Good Times Roll
    E: My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It*, Bloodhound Rock, Wolf Teeth, Northside Gal

    *Hank Williams Sr. Cover, with Jake La Botz on guitar and vocals

  • Aqueous Breaks Through the Ice in Rochester

    The warnings were dire. The impending ice storm was set to shut down the city of Rochester. Many events were cancelled. But Aqueous was halfway through a two-nighter at their second home, Flour City Station. Both nights were sold out, and judging by the crowd Saturday night, few stayed home because of the weather.

    If you wanted to see a shining sun in Rochester, this was the place. Aqueous began the weekend ironically with “Staring into the Sun,” and held it open through to the run’s final notes, closing the song out early Sunday morning. In between were the band’s first two full two-set shows of 2018.

    Saturday night began a bit after 10pm, the band acclimating to the evening with bopping slide-guitar led groove. Guitarist Mike Gantzer primed the pump with quickly increasing intensity. The band and crowd together reached a frothing energy and were knee deep in opener “Don’t Do It” before long. The song mixes hard-edge rocking with blues and funk grooves, but of course dissolved into something completely different. They moved through multiple movements while LED bulbs strung above flashed in synchronicity. Gantzer’s guitar danced with Dave Loss’s keys, then bassist Evan McPhaden and drummer Rob Houk took the reins, before they finally all came together for a four-headed bit of improv that pushed the envelope of the band’s full power. 20 minutes into the show, only one song played, but most of the band’s muscle had been flexed. Maybe this article was right, band’s only need to play for 20 minutes? Nah!

    For Aqueous, what is played isn’t quite as important as how it’s played. The journey outweighs the destination. So it mattered less that they busted out Steely-Dan-esque groover “Mice” for the first time in well over 200 shows, and more how the ensuing exploration, led by a ferocious battle of guitar and drums, wound around to beautiful melodic calm.

    The musical quests were often directed by Gantzer calling commands into his mates’ earpieces. Though musical cues still conducted the chaos. Amid a spacey reggae groove in “Underlyer,” Houk tempted the beast with a subtly energizing beat. The beast bit, and the jam jumped into a new realm. Later during a long steady “wah” groove in “Mosquito Valley Part 1,” Loss’s spooky Moog swirls lit a fuse that eventually caught fire, setting off an explosive jam.

    The explorations were long, at times meandering, but they always find pockets of brilliance. Perhaps none more brilliant than deep into “Skyway,” an electro-groove fit for a Nintendo soundtrack dove into a spooky underworld of dark funk and building tension. Gantzer’s guitar flooded the room with intricate sound waves that reached peaks upon peaks and just when it felt it might collapse, the raging crowd egged it on even higher. Before the night was through Metallica, Tool, Randy Newman and Pink Floyd entered into the folds of jams while a full on cover of The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” was debuted. It all finished with the aforementioned close-out of “Staring into the Sun.” But when the crowd departed, they were only staring at their cars caked in ice.

    Setlist

    I: Don’t Do It > Mice > Don’t Do It, Underlyer > Mosquito Valley Pt. 1 > Mosquito Valley Pt. 2

    II: They’re Calling for Ya > Skyway, Uncle Phil’s Parachute, Second Sight > Pinball Wizard > Second Sight

    E: Kitty Chaser (Explosions) > Staring into the Sun

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