NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • Mike Powell set to release new solo EP, ‘Shelter Without Walls’

    Mike Powell has had a prolific few years, performing throughout the northeast with his solo act, his duo, and his full band the Black River.  He also released a solo album and an album with his band. This Friday, Oct. 5, Powell will release his latest solo effort, Shelter Without Walls.

    shelter without walls

    The six song EP features two previously released, but re-worked songs, “Twenty One Rounds” and “Sad Day in Champion” and four brand new heartfelt compositions. The album can be pre-saved on Spotify and Apple Music through this link. It will be available on all streaming services beginning Oct. 5.

    Powell is a unique storyteller who writes with emotion, breaking down walls to allow the listener into the story. He writes best when he draws from personal experiences. “Twenty One Rounds” tells the tale of a mother who lost her son while serving his country; something Powell has knowledge of through his upbringing in Carthage, just outside of the Fort Drum Army Base in Northern New York. This much-loved song gets a rework on the new EP and has lost little of the original’s emotional appeal.

    Writing songs has always been a soul satisfying activity for me. I just have a deep love for words and telling stories. Music is the most impactful medium I’ve found for connecting with people and evoking emotion. Being able to play intimate acoustic sets in tandem with rock n’ roll shows with my band is like scratching two creative itches at once. I feel like I have two separate vehicles that share the same fuel system.

    “Sad Day in Champion” recalls the closing of a paper mill in that same region of the North Country that affected so many of the people in the region as well as those close to the young Mike Powell.

    One of Powell’s new songs, “Poison Diamond” closes the record. A dirgy number, highlighted by Hanus’ trademark guitar and a church-like organ, where the narrator laments, “You took my hand/You stole my heart/ You loved me to pieces/That’s what tore me apart/You set the fire/And it made me cold/You made me higher/And you cut me down low/That’s what tore me apart/I need some glue, or something heavy I can hold on to/This old bottle here will do/I’m never together with you.”  This is one of the Powell’s most powerful recordings to date, from the lyrics to the delivery to the musicianship within the song. The subdued duet with a female voice on “I’m never together with you” hits the listener in the heart. This song could be Powell’s launching pad to a wider audience.

    shelter without walls

    “The Polite Rebel” will also embark on the most ambitious month of his professional music career beginning Friday. The busy month kicks off with the Black River opening for Canadian rockers The Trews at Exhibition Hall in Watertown this Friday, Oct. 5. Following the Watertown gig, Powell and his duo partner, John Hanus trip down to Goshen, CT for a main stage gig at the Black Bear Americana Music Fest on Oct. 6. The weekend wraps on Sunday with an intimate gig at The Sinclair in Skaneateles on Oct. 7.

    Powell’s intense schedule continues Oct. 10 and 11 as he makes his solo debut at Ani DiFranco’s 9th Ward at Babeville in Buffalo and Lovin’ Cup in Rochester. Oct. 12 sees Powell closer to home at the Brewerton Center for the Arts for another solo show.

    The most highly anticipated nights of the month occur at the historic Nelson Odeon, a renovated former Grange Hall located in the rolling hills of Nelson, near Powell’s current hometown of Cazenovia on Oct. 13 and 14. These shows will be used to record Powell in both solo and duo formats as well as certain selections with the Black River, to be included in a future live Powell album.

    The Odeon is one of Powell’s favorite rooms to perform and is the reason he chose this historic building for the recording of his first live album. He says of the building:

    The Nelson Odeon stands for everything I love about music. It’s like stepping back to a simpler time. I have always dreamed of releasing a live record and this is the perfect room to try and bottle up a moment in time. It will be a special night.

    The Black River, in addition to their gig opening for The Trews on Oct. 5, will take up a Thursday residency at King of Clubs in Syracuse’s famed Armory Square on Oct. 4 and 18. Dubbed “The Thursday Night Rock Show,” this ongoing event is hosted by the band and features some of the region’s top acts. Capital District rockers Wild Adriatic will join the Black River in a November session of “The Thursday Night Rock Show.”

    Finally, on Oct. 19 Powell makes a trip to Blue Mountain Lake for a performance at the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts and wraps up with a songwriters and on Oct. 20 the 18 Songs Tour visits Casita del Polaris in Ithaca. This set brings together three of Central New York’s premier singer songwriters for a night of music – 18 songs- with Powell joined by Charley Orlando and Chris Merkley.

    When not on the road, Powell will be in the studio recording the Black River’s sophomore effort. The band released its debut, Classic Universe in January.

    Check out the video for “Sad Day in Champion” below featuring Powell and members of the Black River.

  • Hearing Aide: The Upstart Crows ‘The Upstart Crows’

    The Upstart CrowsMoving out from a small college town music scene into one of the world’s largest and most diverse arts cities is daunting. For The Upstart Crows, fitting in means being different. So, when they moved from a small college town in New Hampshire into the Big Apple, they were able to settle right in. Late in August the band released their first album; a combination of punk, honkey tonk, and a vaudeville styled theatrical influence. The self-titled album, The Upstart Crows, is a grab bag of these various influences that the band draws from. The two piece group, comprised of Jon Adams (vocals/guitar) and Forest DeCoste (drums/bass), recorded at Proper Pop Studios in Brooklyn, NY. The band seized the opportunity to layer on elements that their two-member setup has handcuffed them from doing; the band plays as a guitar and drum duo typically. The addition of bass and some other backing instruments gives every song more dimension and enabled the group to hash out the ideas a bit more. Despite this, the album does feel a little meandering, focusing on the lyrical theme of sadness but not staying true in terms of genre and flow. The album remains an interesting listen despite the scattershot and shows how well the duo can formulate a song with consistently catchy melodies and tight performances.

    The album opens a little heavier with “Bad Medicine”, the first single The Upstart Crows put out in anticipation of the album. The song feels similar to an early 2000’s era emo tune, without the over-saturated production. The bass line fits well with the drum beat and provides a solid foundation for the rich guitar chords to lay out the progressions. The guitar ultimately leads the bass, with both instruments locking together in such a way you’d expect to hear in a song written by a smaller crew of people. The song is fun, heavy, and not overbearing. Adam’s vocals immediately stand out as theatrical and exciting. A few songs follow this formula of heavier instrumentals and grittier vocals. One vocal performance, from “Lying and Crying”, has Adam’s singing with a distortion on his vocals. This works really well with his higher tenor voice, commanding the listener’s attention. The end of this song also has an octave-matched guitar solo that adds some meat and more development to the melody.

    While the heavier songs provide good energy to the album, The Upstart Crows do really well in their more pop-oriented songs. Adam’s vocals shine in track 7, “Heart to California”. A more bubbly song with an indie/alt vibe, the band takes a catchy hook and layers on a lot of fun percussive parts and some group vocal refrains. Similar to a song you’d hear from The Dear Hunter, this offers a view of the band that would be interesting to hear more of. “What Did I Say” gives a similar vibe, keeping the song fresh with catchy hooks and a honkey-tonk feel. Adam’s vocals float above the instrumental like Ben Folds or Tom Chaplin (Keane). The mix gives the song a heavier feel without pumping the distortion of muddying the vocals. Like a few other songs on the album, this one had a seamless transition from the previous track. The band makes portions of the album feel like they were recorded one after the other without break, which yields a cool effect.

    From the heavy distorted wash of instruments, to a more jangly and organic songs, this album does not get boring. While the rocky flow and genre mixing can be a drawback at points, the ability to write consistently catchy hooks and execute performances that are tight make this album fun to listen to. The Upstart Crows cover a wide spectrum of genres in this album, and it’d be interesting to hear an album (or two) that focus on a steadier narrative and true genre. With this first release, the band has started to establish a theatrical alt-rock sound that can be refined to great effect. Check out the album, and if you’re in the NYC area don’t hesitate to catch a live set! You’ll get something a little different than the album, and that’s a great reason to catch a live set.

    Key Tracks: Heart to California, What Did I Say, Bad Medicine

    https://soundcloud.com/user-362945912/bad-medicine

  • Hearing Aide: The Lionfish ‘You Won’t Keep Me Down’

    Fairfield University bred rockers, The Lionfish, sting. Their second studio release, You Won’t Keep Me Down, is as colorful as the marine fish itself. It’s packed stout with driving rock, intimate blues-ballads and sounds that delineate genres. The Lionfish cannot be defined, nor contained. You Won’t Keep Me Down sounds more like a greatest-hits rock party than anything else.

    the lionfish

    The Lionfish will be debuting You Won’t Keep Me Down Friday September 28 at Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint from 9:30 pm to 12:30 pm. The beauty and purity of the record will be preserved, performed in its entirety, amidst a non-stop three-hour set.

    “Our origins are not based on a pop single,” said frontman, Robby Schwartz. “We are all raised and influenced on the idea of an album as a whole.”

    The album’s title track “You Won’t Keep Me Down” is a full-fledged swamp tune. Heavy drums hold the band steady, as screaming guitar licks respond to Schwartz’s vocal chants. Each instrument speaks; arpeggiated keys, guitar and bass all crash into the bridge. Their energy is sharp and venom-like. Your feet won’t have a choice. Go ahead and try.

    “The album speaks to a voice in favor of loving your neighbor, instead of building walls. ‘You Won’t Keep Me Down’ was one of the first songs written. It is anthemic in its own way,” said Schwartz.

    “Dogs of Quito” is a more poetic take on rock n’ roll. Schwartz had been writing most of the songs while in Ecuador, volunteer teaching, as “a release from the normal working world.” Inspired by authentic Quito graffiti,  the tune has a recurring theme of Without Love Nothing. The desolate streets can be heard in Schwartz’s distinct ‘howls’ throughout the driving chorus.

    The dogs of Quito are howling / In a fight like there’s no tomorrow / The rest of the world is watching / In a trance of pain and sorrow.

    The Lionfish get intimate with “She Lifts Me Up.” The track is jazzy and soulful, opening with finger-snaps and backed by powerful female harmonies. Schwartz’s keys take off. The dynamic change reveals the subtle articulation of each instrument. “She Lifts Me Up” was also featured as  a NPR fan favorite, submitted as a Tiny Desk entry.

    Acoustic guitar sets the mood for “The Last Town,” with a southern air that makes the listener sway with the breeze. “The first five tunes are my favorite,” said Schwartz. “There were times on the record when I was writing from an outsider perspective.” However, “Some of the tracks date as far back as high school.”

    Other tracks stand out, such as “The Wall,” which features Schwartz on solo piano. “Love (Sin Amor, Nada),” becomes otherworldly, with clave ostinatos and a variety of percussion. “Untitled Blues,” concludes the twelve-track record, with a nine minute anthem of nonstop soul.

    “I think this show at Peaches will be a great opportunity for us to show off how proud we are. We are playing the album in its entirety, along with a bunch of covers. It will be interesting to play it live as a four-piece,” featuring core band members Chris Finelli (guitar), Mark Schwartz (bass/guitar/vocals), Robby Schwartz (keys/bass/trombone/vocals) and DJ Horstmann (drums).

    Key Tracks: You Won’t Keep Me Down, Dogs of Quito, Untitled Blues.

  • Hearing Aide: Turkuaz ‘Life In The City’

    Brooklyn’s own, Turkuaz, has released their fifth full-length studio album Life In The City. With a soundscape more vibrant than a rainbow, each track is crowded with intensity and expressionism. Life In The City paints the aura of a mundane, overstimulated world and bespatters the canvas with electro-funk graffiti. It’s infectious, luring ghost-walkers in from the darkest alleys. Once the nine-piece powerhouse entraps your mind, life as you know it, will cease to exist.

    Turkuaz Life In The City

    The title track, “Life In The City,” sets the stride with heavy isolated synths and layered upbeat guitar.  The pulse is familiar, like walking. Weighted four-on-the-floor kick drum echoes the mass of worn shoes, marching without question. Every step brings a new impetus. The overtones and decay of the drums juxtapose reality as they ring out through a suspended chorus. Choir-esque harmonies, punchy horn lines and random hi-hat splashes seem chaotic, but become increasingly cohesive

    “Life In The City  portrays a dark and dystopian future, or current city environment, full of over stimulus,” said guitar/vocalist Dave Brandwein. “It gets harder and harder to appreciate life. Blind in the spotlight and caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city. We want it to feel that way in our songs.”

    Collectively the album is a constant echo of life. From a willingness to try and “just letting it come out”, themes arose, like the reoccurring ‘city noises’ throughout the record. “Make You Famous” is full of funky-energy, bells and ambient percussion. Freeform keyboard leads squawk, reminiscent of Hancock’s Head Hunters. “The Question” becomes more airy and soulful, with predominant female vocals, but as it fades away, synth taunts us with a motif from the title track.

    Life In The City is the most elaborate Turkuaz collaboration to date, according to Brandwein. “If I Ever Fall Asleep,” was co-written with Baritone Saxophonist, Josh Schwartz, with driving energy. The record was co-produced by Jason ‘Jacko’ Randall of More Sound Studios in Syracuse, Rob O’Block of Nashville and Dave Brandwein in the band’s “home-base,” Galaxy Smith Studios in Brooklyn. Moreover, Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads produced “If I Ever Fall Asleep” at The Bunker Studios. “It definitely doesn’t hurt when an inspiration of the band, like Jerry, is on your side,” Brandwein confessed.

    In comparison to the daunting 24-track Digitonium, this release was boiled down to nine tracks. “All of those nine songs, I stand strongly behind,” said Brandwein. “ We actually recorded 20 songs. We will be trickling out material little by little, which is exciting.” Turkuaz will debut the new record on a upstate New York run in early October at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, Town Ballroom in Buffalo and Putnam Den in Saratoga with Butcher Brown. The band is excited to make their first appearance at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester with Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles on October 19.  

    “We’re drawing from an eclectic pool of music,” said Brandwein. For newcomers, check out Turkuaz’s latest in-studio video. “I think that song combines a lot of things into one. You can see our energy. It’s got the full package.”

    Key Tracks: Life In The City, Make You Famous, Lady Lovely

  • Hearing Aide: Roan Yellowthorn ‘Indigo’

    The color indigo is unique in pigment, featuring hues of inspiration across the color spectrum, while staying true to a rather dark disposition. Such is the feeling of the album released by indie pop songwriting pair Roan Yellowthorn, titled Indigo in its own right. You may recognize the last name of the band’s lyricist and lead singer, Jackie McLean, from her father, the great songwriter Don McLean. Following slowly in his footsteps, McLean and production partner Shawn Strack release their debut album with no outside assistance, honing in on their personal vulnerability and growth as songwriters.

    Roan Yellowthorn Indigo

    Supporting McLean’s buzzing vocal lines are a variety of instruments, including soothing piano lines, cranked guitar chords, and interesting choices of auxiliary percussion. The title track of the album is a clear example of this, switching from a soft section to a more abrasive rock interlude, with words of inner crisis to round it out. The duo also released a pulsing preview to the album with the single release of “Talk About It” earlier in August, with a unique video to go along with it. While this song may lead you to believe this album is dance-oriented, it surely isn’t. There are energetic surprises, but the album is about reflection, so the somber tone is an overarching theme of the album.

    The soft guitar strumming of “How Are You” to combat the forceful piano chords creates an inner conflict, a true testament to the band’s ‘indigo’. Arguably the best song on the 10-track album, entitled “Mark My Words”, is slightly out of place from the rest of the album, and ultimately sounds like a sweet serenade of inner despair. Being only about a minute and a half in length, McLean’s voice is filtered with some kind of EQ, giving off the sound of a voice through an old radio, to match the abrasive chords and feedback that resonate behind her.

    All in all, this first crack at audio production for Stack is above adequate, only to improve with the genres of music they tap into in future albums. As this group develops their style, the lyrics will follow, a musical choice that contrasts them at this moment. The group has a series of vignettes to inspire their lyrical creativity, and with some more work to strengthen the backbone of their sound, Roan Yellowthorn is sure to become a beloved duo in the indie pop sphere.

    Don’t forget to follow Roan Yellowthorn on her journey via her website and Facebook page. They’ll also be playing a show at the Bitter End in NYC on October 20th in celebration of their new release, Indigo.

    Key Tracks: Talk About It, Mark My Words

  • Hearing Aide: Groovestick ‘Mosaic’

    Mosaic carves out a unique jazz-funk sound in the vein of Head Hunters while injecting subtle pop melodies, making the album as accessible as it is complex. Original member Dan Gerken (guitar/bass/vocals) has assembled a power house of a group with Chris Carballeira on keyboard/vocals and Dave Berger on drums. A fun mixture of richly dynamic songs gives Groovestick a few staple releases, as well as 10 tracks of dance-able tunes drawing influences from funk pioneers all over the board.

    Right from the start, any funky human can tell that the album is going to be a pleasure to listen to. “Balloons” sets the scene with a laid back groove with a great hook and a theme of soulful guitar solos and organ majesty is conveyed immediately. Groovestick takes a handful of sticky riffs a step further than offering a single hook and elaborates on that by casting out a collection of ear worms within each song. They tastefully add in elements of prog rock by developing and layering on new ideas and hooks for the listener to latch on to. It is vital to be able to keep the song interesting to the audience in this style and genre, and Groovestick shows they definitely learned how to engage people with a song by playing live and getting that feedback. The key here for the band is that they were able to transfer the atmosphere of a live show onto an album. They do really well to keep the songs fun, and are able to showcase their jam-ability; no doubt a product of their intensive work on stage and in numerous musical projects.

    The second and sixth tracks (“Mischief”, “Nola”) show the band foremost instrumentally, as they’re able to keep the vibe of the opening track going without needing any words. Groovestick takes a wordless tune and still emotes the feeling of each piece through their skillful improvising. There are a few instrumental tracks on the album overall, with one standout being “Crablegs.” Gerken’s bass lines match seamlessly with Carballeria’s left-hand work on the organ to great effect. One major point on the album that stands out is the way these two are able to sync so well together to hold a groove. Berger is able to lay out quick yet spacious drum beats to hold the groove down, giving each song a flash of jazzed taste. There is a lot of play with dynamic range as well, namely in “Scrumptious” where the band seamlessly breaks the song down to almost nothing before coming back into set the mood for the next song, “Inkblot.”

    A highlight track on Mosaic is definitely “Inkblot.” It’s possible to write an entire review on this one song with how many dimensions the band is able to mesh together. From jazz, to funk, to even ska (!), this song covers so many bases while still being….a song! The band is able to navigate the line between these genres and fuse them together. As a whole, the album has a similar feeling to this song in that the transitions between each song gives the album a nice instrumental and dynamic arc. Switching between vocalized and instrumental pieces while maintaining a consistent theme and feel added a lot to the listening experience and gave a nod to the deep knowledge the band possesses in their musical experience.

    All of the performances are very tight, with everything from rumbling and climbing bass solos, to ripping guitar leads and magnificently executed key-lines, with the drums never faltering in the groove foundation. This was a very fun listen! Definitely check out Groovestick’s release and go out to see them live if they come to town. It’s going to be interesting to hear some of these songs live with how much they make me want to dance in my seat.

    Album release party is 9/29 at Parish Public House!

    Key Tracks: Inkblot, Crablegs, Mischief

  • Rochester Fringe Goes ‘Instrumental’

    Dave Chisholm has a knack for writing and illustrating comics and a gift for making music. Last year, he released the graphic novel Instrumental along with an accompanying soundtrack that he composed. The multi-instrumentalist has a doctorate degree from Eastman School of Music, and not only wrote all the parts for the ensemble, but also performs on the trumpet himself. The members of the band also represent the characters in the graphic novel, who are also in a band. The story line centers around the moral dilemma faced by a musician who is gifted a killer trumpet. Yes, the instrument literally kills listeners.

    Luckily for those of us in the audience, this is a work of fiction. Even if it weren’t, I would have taken the risk. While the soundtrack has been performed live a couple times since its release mid-2017, this was the first time it has been projected onto a screen behind the musicians. The effect was spectacular.

    The novel has seven chapters, each corresponding with a track on the album. As you see the characters in the ensemble playing, you hear their instruments being played live. The characters really come to life.

    One of my favorite characters, the drummer of the fictional band, has an intense practice session at the beginning of the chapter entitled Decompression, and it was such a thrill to see and hear the drum solo played live by local percussionist Matt Bevan-Perkins. Syncing video and audio is no easy task, especially when the music is being performed live. As the drummer, Bevan-Perkins deserves kudos for setting the pace for the rest of the band so that it appeared seamless to the audience when the song ended at the same time as each chapter of the book. Bevan-Perkins was a stand-in for the Instrumental band, but performs regularly in Chisholm’s other project Talking Under Water.

    The protagonist of the work is a trumpet player, so the trumpet is featured prominently in the performance. Chisholm has masterfully infused musical symbolism and applied principles of music theory to create harmony and dissonance as appropriate to the story line, and carrying through golden threads of melody that tie the work neatly together. The listener is swept along as the trumpeter marches through the frustration of grinding out a gig, soars to heights of celebration, then plunges into depths of despair. All the while, Chisholm is playing the role of both musician and conductor giving visual cues to bandmates.

    One of those bandmates was saxophonist Colin Gordon, who performed an absolutely stellar solo during tonight’s performance.The string section was comprised of Chris Potter on guitar and Dave Kluge on bass. On the grand piano was Matt Curlee, whose part was featured prominently in the finale.

    The audience members fell completely under the spell of Instrumental, and rewarded Chisholm and the Instrumental band with a standing ovation. The line to meet the musicians afterwards lasted nearly as long as the performance itself. If you missed the show, the graphic novel and soundtrack are both available on Amazon. Visit Dave Chisholm’s website for more information about his comics and music.

    This event was one of more than 500 events that have been slated for this year’s KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival. The state’s largest multimedia festival runs through Saturday, September 22.  A comprehensive list of events can be found at the Rochester Fringe website rochesterfringe.com. Stay tuned to NYS Music for continuing coverage.

  • Hearing Aide: PEAK ‘Electric Bouquet’

    PEAK Electric BouquetPEAK combine the characteristic flair that a weathered live band brings to the table, along with the instrumental prowess and focus needed to capitalize on recording a studio album with an all-star engineer. Produced by Dave Brandwein (Turkuaz), this thirteen-track epic is aptly named Electric Bouquet for its variety of styles and poetic narrative arc. Vocalist and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard weaves a tale of existential breakdown and regrowth of a relatable narrator. Packaged along with a stellar instrumental backdrop, this album checks the necessary boxes for a song cycle washed in arresting psychedelic musings and jams. The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard, percussionist Dale Paddyfote, bass player Eric Thachuk, and organ/keys player Otis Williams. This album offers a staple sound that PEAK can use to differentiate themselves from an ever-growing list of funk/rock bands.

    Electric Bouquet highlights many aspects of the band’s dynamic approach to songwriting; from the poetic use of narrative to the transitions between songs that create the flow and feel of the album as a whole. From funk, to psychedelia, to folk, Hilliard is deft in his writing and grouping of the songs. The first track, “Barometric Pressure (Here Comes The Rain)” starts off with a heavy hand alongside a drum and bass groove akin to Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” PEAK wears their funk influence on their sleeve for much of this album, showcasing the ability of the band to lock in on a groove and develop its melodic nuances until the song “peaks” (no pun intended), often with a grand guitar solo. Many of the tracks are built around a bit of a blank canvas that the group paints with aesthetic guitar layering, big Bonham-like drums, and new interesting rhythmic features (like the congas in track 11 “Nothing New Under the Sun”). Thachuk (bass) and Paddyfote (drums) have great chemistry throughout, matching the bass and drum parts to give each song a strong backbone while organist Williams brings color and flavor to the instrumentals, yielding room for Hilliard’s full-toned guitar solos to blast through the mix.

    As the album progresses, there’s a feeling of resolve in the lyrics with an emphasis on coming to grips with the predictable yet arduous nature of life and growing up. It feels like a coming of age story, referencing passing time and transitions from night to day, while simultaneously showing present growth of the narrator. Thematically, the album stays interesting. Instrumentally, the album not only conserves its appeal throughout while taking the listener on a psychedelic funk rock adventure, but also develops and changes as the songs roll on. There’s a gradual departure from the darker and heavier type of psychedelia early on (“Win Some, Lose Some”, “On the Grind”), to a more Grateful Dead or The Band folk rock/Americana feel (“Ballad of Wiley Jones”, “Mama’s Got A Lot of Love”). I would absolutely recommend giving this album a listen. From the production, to the actual performance of each song, it was a treat to look at each one of these baker’s dozens of tunes.

    Stream PEAK’s music here!

    Key Tracks: Barometric Pressure (Here Comes The Rain), Ride Through the Night, Feel Like Moving

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_WUa7wZXLI

  • Robert Walter discusses his new album ‘Spacesuit,’ performing with Mike Gordon and more

    Robert Walter takes his 20th Congress out of the box and gives his songs room to breathe on his latest album, Spacesuit, out today. The album takes on a sci-fi and psychedelic sound, with meandering compositions that leaves space for improvisation in the live setting. The album lifts off with “Spacesuit” and blasts off with the funky “Nerva and Dumbo,” named for a pair of experimental NASA rockets. Songs such as “13th Key” and “Chalk Giant” jump out with catchy rhythms and a range of influences intertwined.

    Indulging in this album will stoke the listener’s imagination, the progressive melodies capturing your attention and taking it on a journey. Walter, reflecting on the genesis of the album says “I always wanted to make the record that I wish I found going through the record stacks. I love the idea of trying to create an imaginary film or a record from 1972 that you wish you could buy.”

    Robert Walter

    Walter spoke with NYS Music ahead of a performance at Big Henry Vinyl, next to Antone’s in Austin, Texas, to discuss the influences of the album, bringing in New Orleans musicians to record on the album, and how writing and performing with Phish’s Mike Gordon has affected his songwriting.

    Pete Mason: Having been a fan going back to early music festivals this century, I have always wondered – if this is the 20th Congress, what happened to the other 19?

    Robert Walter: My wife was reading a book on Soviet Russia, and the 20th Congress is the most important in Soviet history, a turning point in the Communist Party when they called off their quest for world domination. I saw my band as a chance to break away from The Greyboy Allstars and take a different turn and bring in more effects to a soul jazz sound.

    PM: On Spacesuit it sounds like you are creating space in songs for more improvisation.

    RW: You want to give people sign posts and material to work with, but not so much that they can’t go anywhere. At times an interesting chord change or a bar or the scale can make things irregular, but you don’t want to block people in too, letting people be natural to play. Sometimes we do just play freely, but I like to have a little bit of composition in it.

    PM: How did sci-fi become an influence for the album? Was this just a shift in what you’ve been doing in the studio?

    RW: I always like El Topo and Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky’s and sci-fi has always been an interest of mine and there are a surprising amount of effects in some of these soundtracks, more synth especially. I always liked the imaginativeness where you can create things with not a lot of rules and use your imagination on it. The songs don’t have to live by the rules. I wanted to get rid of the rules of a song – is this jazz or funk? – and tear it down and let the imagination flow.

    PM: For this album you brought in a pair of New Orleans musicians, drummer Simon Lott and guitarist Chris Alford.

    RW: I have always been sort of attracted to drummers throughout my career, having played with several drummers from New Orleans. The music can still go places but be rooted in something, especially if you’re doing something a little left of center. They have an anchor in the fundamental American rhythms, the use of clave, but I didn’t set out to hire New Orleans guys, they’re just what I liked.

    PM: How has playing and writing with Mike Gordon influenced this album?

    RW: It’s been five years since I recorded on Overstep, and I’ve been playing with him in Mike Gordon Band for three years. Being around him, you feel like you can be imaginative and inspiring. If something doesn’t work, he throws it out, and he’ll try every route to try to get to something interesting. He broke me out of a lot of preconceptions of how to write music. He’s so open and positive about creativity and indulging new ideas to see if it works or not. He’s fearless.

    Robert Walter

    PM: There is a great deal of futuristic funk and soul on the album. What influenced your writing this time around?

    RW: I have been listening to a lot of German Krautrock, a type of prog rock from the 70s. It tends to be very spare and have a lot of space in it. Kraftwerk is a big one too, and dub reggae which is kinda the same thing. I was interested in music that was subtractive, dealing with the recording and pulling things away to reveal texture. Cymande, a British funk group from the 70s, are very minimal and have simple repetitive bass lines towards this new music. I made a playlist on Spotify of music that directly influences the album.

    PM: Next up for you is a performance at Brooklyn Comes Alive on September 29 with Johnny Vidacovich and Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom. What can fans expect from your set at Rough Trade?

    RW: I am stoked for the Brooklyn Comes Alive set. It’s with Johnny Vidacovich who has been on two of my records so we have a lot of history. Johnny and I used to play as a duo when I lived in New Orleans. He played with Professor Longhair and James Booker, two of my favorite pianists.  Bloom is incredible as well and has great ears and is super fun to be around.

  • Photo Gallery: Perpetual Groove at Brooklyn Bowl

    Perpetual Groove brought their usual non-stop, southern style jams to Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday, September 15. Featuring Brock Butler (guitar, vocals), Adam Perry (bass, vocals), Matthew McDonald (keys, vocals), and Albert Suttle (drums), they reminded the packed house exactly why they skipped out on other awesome shows. One fan said before the show that he was skipping David Byrne for this show, and at intermission confirmed to that he had made the correct choice.

    Set One: Release>GreenTea>Mayday>NaiveMelody>OutHere>GreenTea>DetoxMansion>GreenTea, PaperDolls, OnlyAlways

    Set Two: AIM, Crapshoot, MOTA>Closer>RobotWaltz, StealyMan>BestOfAnything

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