NYS Music 20​19

Category: Album Reviews

  • Best of NYS 2019: Albums of the Year

    NYS Music’s annual rundown of the best and brightest that 2019 had to offer musically rolls on with our selections of the best albums of the year. The staff has spoken and selected the best album release for both national recording acts and those who call New York home. The results ended up producing a well known name in the jam community whose latest release shines and a band well known and revered in the rock scene that just returned to touring after a long layoff. And if you missed our earlier selections for 2019’s best “under the radar” bands, go here and catch up.

    Album of the year – NY edition

    The one name that seemed to pop up more than any other in our NY poll belonged to a Mr. Marco Benevento. His new release Let it Slide has been received with much acclaim and highlights the keyboard extraordinaire’s signature sound. In a departure from his other solo album releases (this is his sixth one to date), Benevento handed the keys for this one over to an outside producer in Leon Michels and the two Hudson Valley residents collaborated to make a record that’s both complex and an easy listen, combining elements of rock, jazz and funk.

    With a host of tracks that feature poignant piano fills and simple yet effective rhythms, Let it Slide has received its fair share of critical acclaim. Rolling Stone praised “the textures and colors available in his keyboards and arsenal of manipulated pedals and effects,” along with his “deceptively rich, catchy melodies and straight-ahead grooves.” The album, as a whole, does a superb job of putting the music first and foremost with vocals and effects that compliment it.

    Some of the more interesting tracks on the album are the strictly instrumental ones dubbed “Graffiano” that are brief piano interludes placed between the more traditional three or four-minute tracks. Although they are short in length, it gives an insight to level of creativity Benevento brings to his music. “The piano sound at one point didn’t feel right, so when no one was looking, I put some gaff tape on the strings to mute it,” says Benevento. “Everybody loved it and started calling it the Gaffiano. They’d say, ‘Go play something that sounds like Sun Ra meets Keith Jarrett on the Gaffiano,’ and I’d make up these crazy pieces on the spot.”

    Between this and tracks with insightful vocals like “Lorraine” that deals with loss and change and “Solid Gold” which explores tenets of friendship, Let it Slide flows beautifully from start to finish, never getting too high or too low in mood or tempo. And between the initial tracking done at Diamond Mine in Queens with mastering and overdubs being taken care of in Upstate NY, it’s an ideal selection for our NY Album of the Year.

    Album of the Year – National

    For the non-New York Album of the Year, one seemed to rise above all the others. And it’s from a band that just made their triumphant return to touring to support it. Released in August, Tool’s Fear Inoculum is the group’s fifth studio album and their first one in nearly thirteen years. It features the signature Tool sound of pulsating, driving rock grooves with ethereal vocals supplemented by front man Maynard James Keenan. The album is the product of many years of work with setbacks and injuries to band members laced in between. In retrospect, Keenan recounted that the band constantly second-guessing themselves was a reason for the album taking so long, and that he believes the version of the album the band had going eight years ago in 2011 would have been “fantastic” too. But it still gets the job done in terms of bringing the intense sounds and feelings of a Tool show to your living room.

    Not your typical hard rock band, Tool features several tracks on this album that stretch past the 10-minute mark, showcasing the band’s ability to find a groove and explore from within. The album as a whole has a runtime of 80 minutes – the maximum length for any CD. The concept of seven is a recurring theme of the album both musically and conceptually; guitar riffs were written in unusual time signatures related to the number seven, while Keenan introduced ideas related to seven as well. This is highlighted with the song “7empest,” a 15-minute rock exodus that’s the longest on the album.

    The album also explores the concept of growing “older and wiser”. Keenan explained that the album covers the idea of “embracing where we are right now, acknowledging where we’ve come from and some of the things we’ve gone through.” They must be doing something right because the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 in September and has reached almost 250,000 album sales. It seems to have been well worth the wait and a recent successful tour in North America helped solidify this. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Take a listen below to the entire and listen for yourself.

  • Hearing Aide: Treasure Plate ‘Engine Core Phenomenal’

    Galactic space travelers Treasure Plate have traversed time and space to send a message in the form of a rock opera of epic proportions. The self-professed blue collar cybernetic spacemen from somewhere in the 4000th millennium forewarn of a future filled with the dangers of space travel, encounters with hostile alien life, and harrowing narrow escapes on their album Engine Core Phenomenal.

    The audio recording conveys the cosmic story, alternating between songs and narrative segments that push the story line forward. The band is comprised of a mix of sci-fi fans and a theater major, and the full effect of the story is best felt during their performances in full costume with special effects.

    Whether it’s live or recorded, the story of space travelers under siege is a great escape from our run-of-the-mill modern day problems. But then again, some things never change, like the yearning to explore the outside world in order to discover ourselves. As they sing in the final verse of the album, “It’s who you are, it’s how we grow / It’s now where we’re gonna go.”

    Treasure Plate is Brian McCormick on guitar, Ryan Kinal on bass, Luke Cornwell on keyboards, and Joshua Lownberger on drums. They brought a host of friends into the studio for backup on several tracks. Engine Core Phenomenal was recorded and mastered by Jesse Sprinkle at Bluebrick Studios.

    Key Tracks: The Wrong Way, End of the World, Stargazers

  • Hearing Aide: The Stedwells ‘Hideout’

    With their 2018 EP, Rochester rockers The Stedwells announced they were coming of age with the title I’m Too Tall For My Time Machine These Days. It begged the question, what happens now that they’re all grown up? What comes next for the trio after “Body Shots” and “Pipe Dreams”? The answer came this fall in the form of their new EP Hideout.

    When you’re too tall for your time machine, you’re finally mature enough to play in the big leagues. This time they’ve gone with not just one, but two Grammy-winning engineers – Stephen Roessner (Recording Engineer) and Dave Collins (Mastering Engineer). They also had assistance from award-winning Mixer Joseph Chudyk.

    Even without the glossy sheen applied by the dream team of audio engineers, brothers Ryan and Brendan Warren and their friend Alex Durr work together like a well-oiled machine. The new songs play to their strengths. Anchored by a rocking beat, they dig into high energy riffs reminiscent of The Black Keys, The Strokes, and even Arctic Monkeys (minus the cheeky lyrics). Over the top of the instrumentation, lead vocalist Ryan serves lyrics with catchy pop hooks that will have you singing along in no time.

    Key Tracks: Wake Up, Wrong, Hideout

  • Hearing Aide: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound ‘A Jazzy Little Christmas’

    It’s no easy feat to make a Christmas album stand out these days. There’s a lot to choose from and they all tend of blend into each other. Even original songs can have a tough time climbing the charts, except for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” No one will ever understand how that song got so popular. Regardless, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound have put together A Jazzy Little Christmas, a unique collection of Christmas classics with a twist as well as original scores that are sure to turn a few heads.

    What’s more, they follow the holiday spirit by vowing to donate a portion of the proceeds to New York Cares’ Winter Wishes program – a branch of the New York Cares group that is dedicated to providing gifts to low income families.

    A Jazzy Little Christmas

    Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is an Emmy-nominated southern gospel quartet stemming from all over the country. They’ve released a copious amount of albums over the years, but this album is their first Christmas album in a decade and it brings that classic, magical, warm Christmas feel that has transcended time. 

    The album is filled with a variety of classics such as “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Mister Santa.” They’re chock full of rich, bold brass instrumentation, swirling strings and, the cornerstone of the group, the unbelievable chops of Ernie Haase, Devin McGlamery, Dustin Doyle and Paul Harkey. Together, they created some otherworldly harmonies and sounds that are warm and inviting, perfect for this time of year. They also created some original tracks that Haase hopes will become holiday classics. In his online bio, Haase tells a heartwarming tale of how his original, “Christmas in Manhattan” came to be. 

    “New York City is a very special place for me and my wife, Lisa. We’re going on 30 years of marriage, and one of the things we started doing when we first got married was going to New York and doing a Broadway blitz, especially at Christmas time. We would get there and just look at the lights and take in the city, so I wanted to write an original love song about those experiences.” 

    It’s a sweet tale that makes the song more sincere and unique. This authenticity, coupled with their charitable nature, makes this an underrated album. So fire up the yule log on your TV, spike the eggnog and fall into the holiday spirit with this in-depth and unique album. Stream it on Spotify, iTunes, or download it on their site.

    Key Tracks:  Winter Wonderland, Mister Santa, Christmas in Manhattan

  • Hearing Aide: Fruition ‘Wild As the Night’

    Portland-based quintet Fruition has come a long way since busking on the streets of Portland, and as they take the country by storm, they’re not afraid to dive into new ideas in their latest album release Wild As the Night.

    Perhaps the greatest talent of this group is their ability to weave in and out of different genres with ease, and their versatility can qualify them to perform at all types of festivals, from Telluride Bluegrass to Bonnoroo (both of which they’ve played).

    The album is a true testament to this group’s musicianship and experience. The opening track “Forget About You” is riveting, with piano-arpeggiated runs to fill the spaces between the thunderous drum beat that carries the song. As the commotion builds, we’re introduced to tight three part harmonies and rhythmic mandolin strums. The title track of the album has a rich balance that warms the mix, and just as you get past the tenderness of the ballad, you’re suddenly thrown into the trip-hop trance of “Sweet Hereafter.” It’s here where the beat thickens, the heads bob and the mandolin is given a bit more bite so as to mimic an electric guitar.

    Wild As the Night is unique glimpse into the band’s history, which has lasted more than several years. While they can all play multiple instruments, there is no fight for attention on this album. This group has their own language, and they leave space to breathe and allow each other to contribute. They even describe themselves as pieces of a bigger part when it comes to their music, and it’s evident in the album as well as their live shows. A band this creative and daring can generate a buzz quickly, so do yourself a favor and catch one of their shows while they’re still on the rise.

    Fruition will be stopping by the Hollow in Albany on February 1, and if you’re in NYC, you can catch them at the Brooklyn Bowl on February 5. For info and tickets, check out their website and Facebook page.

    Top Tracks: Forget About You, Wild As the Night, Sweet Hereafter

  • Hearing Aide: Ian McCuen ‘Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. III’

    Curl up, get warm and fall into a world of self discovery, an introspection that Ian McCuen has created. McCuen of Buffalo will release the third installment of his album, Songs of Fleeting Permanence, on November 22, once again capturing a daunting but beautiful atmosphere that anyone can relate to – the feeling of confusion and self exploration that we have all felt at some point in our lives. 

    McCuen has created these last three albums virtually by himself, in his bedroom using using only a laptop, two microphones, and every instrument he could find in his house. His ability to create such an impressive and professional sound under these conditions is jaw-dropping. Yes, technology can give anyone with a computer an opportunity  to reach stardom, but it takes a certain level of creativity, wisdom and soul to do what McCuen has done. He created feelings and sensations that people can relate to lyrically, but most impressively, instrumentally. The timbre of every instrument is ideal for the melancholy mood devised; it brings the whole thing home. 

    A genre like this, with such small orchestration of instruments, can become redundant. But each of the 11 tracks are truly unique, despite using minimalist chord exploration. Defining each track is a well balanced use of major and minor sounds, a colorful use of picking and strumming styles as well as unique percussion choices. The oscillation between these stylistic choices result in an album you can listen to all the way through. There is one thing that could use some balancing; the instrumentation can over power McCuen’s voice at times. When the lyrics are this deep, it’s important to embellish them with a bit more annunciation. 

    When McCuen composed a song as enthralling as “Buried At Sea,” filled with immersive instrumentation and builds, it overpowers his voice. But when you hear McCuen’s deep lyrics, “..bury me at sea, there’s nothing left for me,” it sucks listeners into the storyline, searching for more. In less complex tracks like

    “Don’t,” you hear his wispy, spine-tingling voice speak:  “Don’t want your pity, don’t want sympathy, don’t want your advice on how I’m supposed to be. Don’t need constant scrutiny, don’t you know this is all just chemistry.”

    “Don’t,” – Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. III

    We hear more very honest lyricism in “Giving Up.” “I give up so easily. I can’t seem to follow through with what’s required of me. When I quit on everything else. It’s only a matter of time before I quit on myself.” It takes courage to listen to. These lyrics are revealing and personal, another reason why this album merits respect and attention. 

    This style of music is hard to swallow sometimes. Listeners will need to be in a similar mindset of McCuen’s trials, relating to being twenty-something. If not, the album will draw you to that space. But, we could all use a little self reflection, and listening to someone else’s troubles can bring us some peace, knowing that this was McCuen’s creative outlet that allowed him to work towards a place of homeostasis.

    Key Tracks: Buried At Sea, Don’t, Love Lost, No. VI

    Give Songs of Fleeting Performance a try on November 22 with Soundcloud, Spotify and Bandcamp. In the mean time, listen to the single off the album “Love Lost, No. VI” on his Bandcamp page.

  • Hearing Aide: Acidhead ‘Distractions’

    Distractions, the debut album from the Brooklyn-based Acidhead coming out on November 15, is a moving opening statement. It’s an honest delivery of feelings and emotions that are often the very essence of being distracted.

    The brainchild of multi instrumentalist Patrick McGee, Acidhead doesn’t say outright that it’s about a breakup but the cues from Kanye West’s 808’s & Heartbreak combined with song titles like the opening narration “Everything Got So Distant” and the album’s single “Throw Away The Time” are obvious hints.

    Distractions lead single “Throw Away The Time.”

    Throughout the album, distorted auto-tuned vocals and 808 beats put McGee’s influence on full display. The second single, “Love Has Me Keep On Dying,” is chock full of the aforementioned effects while the lyrical content drives the emotion forward – “Everyone’s lonely, hearing her voice late in the morning.”

    While each track has strength in their own right, showcasing instrumental fluency and pulling from a variety of styles, the entire track list is cohesive and, ironically, not distracted at all. Each song sits just where it should and even as they are different in their composition, they feel like they all belong together on this album. On the fourth track, “Marciac Doney,” there’s a steadily building and lighthearted instrumental that crescendos into a hard-hitting drum and synth pad jam. Then, track five, “Hanover Rains,” features a straight up piano ballad. It’s nicely even-keeled

    Lending a hand throughout the album are Andrew Forman of Goodfight, Lou Rogai of Lewis & Clarke, and the Rat Trap Pack, McGee’s avant-garde horn ensemble. The closing track “Wrongright” brings the set to it’s conclusion with a manic, guitar-duo-solo but settles down as if to say, “That was a whirlwind. I’m tired, Time to relax”

    Key tracks: Hanover Rains, Throw Away The Time

    You can catch Acidhead on tour in New York and Pennsylvania through mid-December. Be sure to check out Distractions when it drops on November 15.

    11/22/19 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Karl Hall – w/ Lou Rogai, Chukwu

    11/27/19 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory w/ Jesse and Forever

    11/30/19 – Easton, PA – Connexions Gallery w/Chukwu

    12/7/19 – Beacon, NY – Quinn’s w Jesse and Forever

    12/8/19 – Cambridge, MA -The Lilypad w/ Mario Fabrizio/Phillip Gollub, Wendy Eisenberg, Crylophone

    12/14/19 – New York, NY – Con Artist Collective – w/Amani Fela

    12/15/19 – Ruba Club – Philadelphia, PA w/ Flanafi, Cheeky

  • Hearing Aide: Jess Novak and Ben Wayne ‘Rise’

    The Syracuse based duo, Jess Novak & Ben Wayne, are dropping their four track EP Rise today, November 10, across all streaming platforms. This alternative Indie-folk rock-duo fused their previous individual works with their environmental inspiration while recording in Nashville, Tennessee to breed Rise. The EP builds on both their individual strengths from Wayne’s Southern California rock and reggae roots, and Novak’s distinct violin, songwriting and vocal skills, which are well recognized with her winning Best Female Vocalist by the Syracuse New Times back in 2018.

    Ben Wayne (left) and Jess Novak (right) promotional picture for Rise.

    The EP opens with the song, “After All” which has a distinctly doo-wop rhythm to it. In conjunction with Novak’s vocals it differs from every other song coming up on your favorite streaming service. It’s a refreshingly unique combination of doo-wop and alt-rock that we don’t hear nearly enough. With the rhythm section being layered with lead guitar, carrying an almost country feel, the song is hard to categorize into one singular genre. A trend of Rise in general. It’s not one singular sound. It’s not one singular genre. It is a little bit of its own thing – which is one reason it’s so enjoyable and a well rounded.

    The second track “Carousel” is a known Ben Wayne song. While Jess Novak writes and takes the lead vocals on the other three tracks, Wayne leads on this hauntingly beautiful and painful song. It starts with a little walking bass line on the acoustic guitar played by Wayne and a violin smoothly dropping in, with Wayne’s drawl starting shortly after. The song revolves around accepting that things are coming to an end and letting the other person go even though you could still be happy with them. It’s the kind of song you listen to on repeat with your headphones stuck in your ears, escaping the world, or maybe more correctly escaping your own carousel that you are stuck on. 

    Ben Wayne (front) and Jess Novak (back) promotional picture for Rise.

    “Here to Stay,” an abrupt change from “Carousel,” fits Rise‘s diverse musical and artistic showcase of both Novak and Wayne’s talents. They don’t have to stick to one particular sound or genre or tempo. The song is heavy on Novak’s vocals without Wayne backing on it much if at all. This track really stars Novak’s accompanying band which is made up of Jeff King on guitar, Steve Brewster on drums, Mark Hill on bass, Tim McDonald on keyboards, and of course Jess Novak on Violin. Between the tempo changes, build ups and guitar riffs it’s definitely a track that is beyond vocally focussed and gives credit to all the great musicians involved. 

    “Ripper” swings. It has and upbeat, dance-tempo, making it hard for you to sit still. You will find yourself bobbing your head without meaning to. The song has a similar sound as “Here to Stay,” with more punch to it. With the topic of having your heart ripped out and being excited about it, it’s not the most common motif.

    The EP had help from producer Bill Warner and songwriter Kirsti Manna, who is best known for her work with Blake Shelton. Rise is a powerful piece of work made by Jess Novak & Ben Wayne. It’s something worth listening to if you’re looking for new music to add to your arsenal. The EP release party is at The Ridge located at 1281 Salt Springs Rd, Chittenango, NY 13037 on November 10th at 3PM. For more information check out Jess Novak’s website and Ben Wayne’s website.

    Key Tracks: Carousel, Here to Stay.

  • Hearing Aide: Aqueous ‘Burn it Down’

    Buffalo-based four-piece, Aqueous, explores their indie dance-rock roots with their latest EP ‘Burn it Down.’ Comprised of Mike Gantzer (vocals/guitar), Dave Loss (guitar/keys/vocals), Evan McPhaden (bass), and Rob Houk (drums), Aqueous has been evolving, and this EP embodies that evolution. It consists of four songs, all between 3 to 4 minutes long. Though each song has it’s own Aqueous groove, but you can also hear the heavy influences in each one; going from a rebellious indie-rock jam in the album’s title song to an electro-pop rock dance anthem with “On the Edge.”

    Burn It Down signifies a straight up paradigm shift for Aqueous. We dove headlong into our rock, indie, and dance roots, and put a much sharper focus on concise, badass rock and roll song writing. We really wanted to further explore a certain attitude that has always been a part of all of us but that might’ve been a little underrepresented in our music up until now. 

    Mike Gantzer – Aqueous (guitar/vocals)

    The band is in the first leg of an extensive fall tour, and they have been subtly teasing fans with the EP by covering songs that heavily influenced the music. These include songs from Weezer, Chromeo, Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age, Tears for Fears and more.

    While the EP is not what fans would normally expect from Aqueous, it is no doubt catchy and exciting. Aqueous has always been well known for their songwriting, and this is highlighted in the EP. Burn it Down sends a powerful message about living your personal truth. It tells a story of a fresh start rising from the ashes.

    This EP is about not being afraid to stand up and make a change that will get you closer to living your truth, whatever that might be. It’s about self honesty, and about questioning unhealthy situations and relationships, and calling bullshit when it needs to be called. It’s meant to say ‘whatever your situation is, it’s never too late to just tear the whole thing down and start over’. 

    Mike Gantzer

    Burn it Down is available on all streaming platforms now.

    Key Tracks: On the Edge, Little Something to Me

  • Hearing Aide: Citris ‘Delusions of Glamour’

    Brooklyn’s Citris has an animated energy synonymous with an experienced on the L-Train, when some bare chested entrepreneurs decided to bust into a dance routine. It’s a flash of joy when the rest of the day remains unsurprising; it’s that sort of spontaneity and uncertainty that Delusions of Glamour inspires.

    Citris has grunge rock principles, but remind listeners of experimental metal. While they’ve been described as a ‘pop grunge act,’ “Hell is a Place on Earth” vibrated with metal nuances, instantly. It’s Gwar infused with System of a Down’s political and social angst.

    Cirtis’ Angelina Torreano experiments with vocal passages, vocoder layering, and finds a way to lyrically loop varying emotional moods within a single song.

    Delusions of Glamour will also appeal to fans of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors. It has solid, intricate drumming, lyrical themes of toxic relationships and societal disagreements, and incredible instrumentation throughout. They’re never scared to have intricate harmonies, with little bass lines like in the song “Genetic Makeup” that keep your ears glued to the track. Citris is a group to stream and enjoy during the remaining bitter sweet days of autumn.

    Key Tracks: Genetic Makeup, Hell is a Place on Earth

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