NYS Music 20​19

Category: Album Reviews

  • Hearing Aide: The Blind Spots ‘Talk’

    Ithaca is a hotbed of creativity. The Blind Spots are its shining example of the caliber of musical talent emerging from the city. The five-piece, female-fronted band has spent a decade wowing audiences with their punchy pop rock performances. With Maddy Walsh at the helm, on vocals, The Blind Spots have reached new heights with their latest album Talk. 

    Catchy melodies and driving rhythms create a scaffold which can support Walsh’s powerhouse vocals. Her soulful voice is at times sweet and other times sultry as she delivers catchy lyrics and choruses that make you want to sing along. The range of her voice is as wide as the subject matter of the songs on the album. She could be your confidante. She could be your lover. She could be your big sister. She could be your partner-in-crime on adventurous sprees. And the music sweeps you up into the storyline. “Trampoline” is a twinkly ear-worm that I catch myself humming: morning, noon, and night. The “Bliss Seeker” stands out, showcasing the band’s zany fun-loving side. The lyrics highlight the ability to put a positive spin on anything: How did I get here? I might have a problem. You could say I have a problem, but I don’t. That’s not what I call it. I’m a bliss seeker, bliss seeker.

    Even the saddest song on the album, “Song for Leyla,” is oozing with heartfelt messages and optimism: You’ll always have one foot in this world wherever it is you land. Believe that little girl, she’ll help you understand. They’ve saved the best for last with the title track “Talk.” It’s the perfect late night last-call-at-the-bar slow dance with the one you’re taking home after the show. They may call themselves The Blind Spots, but they’re strutting into the limelight with Talk.

    Key tracks: Trampoline, Bliss Seeker, Song For Leyla, Talk

    http://youtu.be/z6Hao5de9yo

  • Hearing Aide: Harmonic Dirt ‘Anthracite’

    When I first started to pick apart Anthracite by Harmonic Dirt , I did so just instrumentally. The first track really pulled me in with sweet and simple instrumentation, angelic vocal harmonization and a catchy chorus. I dove deeper into the album and started to pick apart each song lyrically and found that it’s somber – Like really, really sad, in a good way!

    Harmonic Dirt was created by Mike Gridley and Susan Coleman, who began writing songs together about two years ago. Coleman wrote the lyrics, Gridley put them to music and sent their creations off to friend and percussionist, Taylor Bucci. They saw the potential they had as a group, went off to record and just a few months later, created a full length album. ‘This endeavor is a testament to the power of confidence, the magic of compatible musical visions, and blind faith,’ said the bands bio.

    They pull inspiration from Son Volt, Wilco, Neil Young and other heavy hitters of the sixties folk-rock genre. Not many aspiring musicians make music like this anymore. In an era of four on the floor song about partying, mumble rap about money and women, or even jam bands playing 15 minute songs, where 95 percent of a track is the guitarist shredding away, it’s good to fall back on genres like this; where we slow down, simplify, and focus on the more somber parts of life. Harmonic Dirt delivers that.

    “Please,” could absolutely be an unreleased Neil Young song – the formula is there. A sweet, major chord progression and harmonica are the ideal welcome-matt to invite listeners into what Harmonic Dirt has to offer.  The chorus is the absolute best part. The groups vocal harmonization is addictive and well done, but it’s a shame this is really the only time we hear it on the album.

    “Anthracite” is another key track. They again capture the sound of the best folk rock artists, with sultry guitar riffs, catchy harmonica hooks and some very somber lyrics. We hear a story about about deceased coal miners? Perhaps, someone working in a mine that has passed? Is it depressing? Absolutely. But it’s good to get in touch with those emotions and to hear about other people’s hardships and loss.

    “Maybe” is another one listeners should spend some time dissecting. We get some flavors of 60’s pop – The Beatles definitely shine through on here instrumentally and lyrically, as we hear about complex relationships. It’s a common theme these days, but stories aren’t usually written in this way. It’s a nice change of pace.

    This may differ compared to what’s being released lately, but it’s worth trying. Sample this album out at the end of a long day, as a way to wind down. It may be a little melancholy if you look into the lyrics, but it’s softened by the peaceful, and simplicity of, instrumentation, which can make dealing with sadness and somber thoughts just a little easier.

  • Hearing Aide: Tortoise Forest

    Every now and again, a local NYS band will come from seemingly nowhere to drop an album with next level performances. Come January 12, one such band will release a 5-track album that has potential to impress rock fans not just in NYS, but around the country. Tortoise Forest is a Buffalo-based quartet whose sound resides somewhere in the realm of Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, and Umphrey’s McGee. A mixture of prog with aspects of jam, dub, and jazz give the group an eclectic sound that departs just enough from its classical music roots to create something exciting and new sounding. Their self-titled release, Tortoise Forest, offers a great re-imagination of the live versions of some of the tracks that the band has been playing for a while. This gives each piece a well crafted structure and a huge range of dynamics and aesthetic. The band’s current lineup is comprised of Dan Gagliardi (drums), Tom Varco (bass), Mike Cassidy (guitar) and Max Davis (guitar). This first release from Tortoise Tree actually features their past drummer, Laith Al-Khalidi, but the chemistry of this group on the album does not waver despite any pending lineup changes that would occur post-production. As far as albums in 2019 go, this is an incredible start and showcases one of the hidden up and coming gems of NYS.

    Tortoise Forest has this very slick way of working in electronic aspects into their music with their use of effects, but even more so, they are able to maintain an untreated sound that borders on a live performance experience. The first song on the album, “140×148,” starts off as a statement for the album in its entirety, offering a smattering of much of what comes later on. This isn’t to say that this reveals too much, but rather that the band does a good job of achieving their sound. A little bit of amp buzz in the background during the opening riff pulls the listener in, and reveals just how real the technical proficiency of the band is. There is no heavy or imposing production here, nor anywhere else on the album. The performances are what take the spotlight. A heavy set of drums give pulse to the groove and cuts up the intro guitar section to create intrigue and some build. A layering of shimmering guitars creates a lush ambiance for a lead guitar to come in screaming over top of the established rhythm. A build about two minutes in takes the song in a more visceral direction, which eventually changes course to a funkier groove with the progressive edge that characterizes the band. Guitar duets develop a smattering of motifs and melodies, giving character and life to each theme that Tortoise Forest explores. A climactic tapping duet between the guitars helps bring the song to a softer ending. From the first song alone, it is clear that the group has set forth on an ambitious project with how clean and well performed the intro song is.

    The other four tracks do not disappoint in any aspect. Every song features a variety of ideas and timbres that keep the songs from getting redundant. The composition of “Mooncones” is a great example of this. The bass in the beginning of the track is subtle, grooving quietly underneath the soundscape set up by the guitar harmonies. As the song builds, the bass becomes more apparent and begins to shape another aspect of the song that wasn’t there initially. They write these builds in that are more angular as opposed to linear, with different instruments coming in and out of focus without ever completely dissipating. Every piece matters in the context of the entire song.

    The guitar duo also do an incredible job of using their effects pedals tastefully. The band is aware of this and leverages it appropriately. The inflections and nuances added to the riffs separate the phrasing of their lines from being clean, sweep-picked arpeggios to pieces of a conversation where every inquiry has an equally impressive and important reply. The timbre of the guitar parts speak just as loud as the content of the notes. Perhaps a bit more bite will be added to a guitar line that sits on a grimier bass; sometimes the use of a whammy pedal will be the driving force of a guitar line. Overall, their usage of pedals on top of the already very proficient performances separates these guitar players from the likes of players such as Plini.

    Much of the album is very serious, even without lyrics. The mood is often heavy and the theory behind some of the modulations can be hard to grasp on first listen. This really only gives the listener a reason to listen again. But don’t be fooled by the heavier tone of the album, the band can have fun and they do a good job of keeping the songs accessible. There are little additions here and there that inject much character to these instrumental tracks. A couple of lines from a well known Aesop’s Fable make an appearance, as well as a tease of “Streets of Cairo.” The band performs without so much as a hiccup. Each song is a combination of a hurricane and a sunset. Tortoise Forest is bound to turn heads in 2019. The album drops on January 12 on all major streaming platforms. Tortoise Forest will be playing their album release show at Mohawk Place in Buffalo the same day and will have hard copy CDs available for purchase.

    Key Tracks: Clouds, Mooncones, Mashkeys

  • Hearing Aide: Princess Nokia ‘Metallic Butterfly’

    Princess Nokia released Metallic Butterfly on 14 Dec. 2018. The album travels through most of the musical spectrum from radio pop to modern trap with glimpses of Afro-Cuban and soul, tied together by obscure, but smooth sing along – friendly choruses.

    It’s difficult to say whether the public should treat Metallic Butterfly as a new body of work. Nokia created the album before 2014 and had distribution under Nokia’s original moniker, Wavy Spice — however, the work went largely unnoticed at the time and was pulled from shelves and the internet until now. The 2018 edition launched with redux packaging, promotion, and new tracks.

    This project stays unique but maintains accessibility. “Earth is My Playground” and “Versace Hottie” are true to their bouncy titles, both carrying the feel of an electronic rave. The melody of “Hands Up” tributes Lana Del Ray’s sultry croon, and the boom-bap percussion on “Seraphims” is a cousin to J. Dilla’s frantic work with A Tribe Called Quest. Most songs find the perfect balance between vintage and modern with 808 sub hits weaved in and out.

    The album slows down on “Young Girls,” a chillstep track where Nokia addresses modern issues relevant to #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, discussing her feelings about the entrusted responsibility of women to be the “patrons of the earth.” “They need their own respect,” she says.

    The slow, but progressive side continues with “Biohazard Butterfly” which introduces further melodies and encourages her listener to not settle for a toxic relationship. “She don’t wear no chain, play no game, refuse to be a slave to a romance rage.”

    Although albums are typically praised when they fit a continuous theme, it is the “all over the place” manic feel of this body of work that gives it such strength. Although it may have been recorded earlier in her career, this could certainly be Princess Nokia’s strongest album to date.

    Metallic Butterfly is available on all major streaming platforms.

    Key Tracks: Cybiko, Biohazard Butterfly, Anomaly

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