Legendary songwriter, guitarist and singer, J.J. Cale, was taken from us back in 2013, but his musical legacy will live on forever with Stay Around. His catalog of tunes have shaped lives, influenced musical styles and helped make the careers of more than one musical superstar. With songs like “Cocaine,” “After Midnight,” and “They Call Me The Breeze,” Cale’s storied musical catalog will outlast many of today’s contemporary artists. This fact is backed up by one, Mr. Eric Clapton, who has covered multiple J.J. songs and has described his 2006 Grammy award winning collaboration with Cale, The Road to Escondido as being, “the realization of what may have been my last ambition, to work with the man whose music has inspired me for as long as I can remember.”
Luckily for fans, Cale isn’t done providing new material just yet. With the posthumous release of StayAround, listeners are lucky to be provided with previously unreleased material that has been painstakingly compiled by J.J.’s widow, musician Christine Lakeland-Cale; along with friend and longtime manager, Mike Kappus.
The result is a 15-track gem of an L.P. that includes unheard material penned by Cale with the exception of “My Baby Blues,” which was written by Lakeland-Cale. This track captures Cale’s cool vocal style and sets the scene of a funky, smokey Juke Joint somewhere south of the Mason Dixon Line. The multi-layered rhythm guitar is interrupted by an oh-so-pleasing fuzzy guitar lead that effortlessly weaves itself in and out of the tune.
Another Gem on Stay Around is the tenth track, a stripped down soul cry titled “If We Try.” Lyrically, the song describes one man’s attempt at saving his relationship with his long term time lady by putting all of their mistakes in the past in an effort to give each other a fresh start. The song features a solo Cale, starkly playing on the acoustic guitar, which creates a real feeling of intimacy, as if you were comfortably sitting in J.J.’s living room next to a fire while he performs the piece on his strumming guitar.
Another favorite is the wonderfully produced “Long About Sundown,” the album’s 13th track. They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery. If you are familiar with Eric Clapton’s long musical career you know that there was fundamental shift in his playing in the mid to late 1970s. A good portion of that distinctive sound can be attributed to the fundamental core of Cale’s musical aesthetic. Sundown perfectly illustrates those similarities with an arrangement that could be right off of Clapton’s 1974 release 461OceanBoulevard.
J.J. Cale’s life in music may be over, but his long musical career was one that he lived by on his own terms. His rejection of the big corporate musical industry was the nexus of the man’s music. Truth, honesty and a genuine love for the music that he readily embraced, yielded an enviable body of work that has forever changed contemporary music for the better. Stay Around is a perfect summation of that incredible work by a legendary artist.
Key tracks: Lights Down Low, Tell Daddy, Long About Sundown
If you were to construct a timeline showing the evolution of hip hop music, where would it begin? Some may think to credit the rhythmic jazz and blues of Bo Diddley, dating as far back as the 1950s. Some may say the birth of hip hop was in the creation of turntables and sampling, made popular with the scratching and beat matching of DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash in the 1970s. Beyond these names, and others that we’ve come to know under the hip hop umbrella, nobody has stood the test of time more than The Last Poets – the spoken word masterminds of the late 1960s, and the true trailblazers of hip hop music.
Fifty years ago, The Last Poets began their ascension into the public sphere using moving poetry and smooth reggae backing tracks as a platform for voicing political activism, describing their experience as children of the civil rights movement. After decades of releasing albums and touring the world, the group released Understand What Black Is is 2018. While followers of the group are forever grateful for new music, it took the dubbing of the album by British producer Prince Fatty to bring this music – and the powerful message of unity and peace – to a younger generation.
In the 2019 dub release of Understand What Dub Is, Prince Fatty adds transient delay and reverb over The Last Poets’ original tracks, keeping many of the album’s elements the same. From simple guitar riffs to decorative flute that decorates the spaces between each stanza, Prince Fatty keeps attention on the resonating lyrics of The Last Poets. At the same time, he tends to bring light to the 1970s -style rhythm in “We Must Be Sacred,” crisping those off beat drum hits. You can hear the chilling melody of “Certain Images” intensify with panning mastery, making it almost comparable to a hook in late hip hop.
It’s clear that Prince Fatty has a deep understanding of The Last Poets’ immense impact on music and culture, as well as other creators of that era. His name, Prince Fatty, is an ode to Jamaican dub engineer, King Tubby, from the 1970s. Prince Fatty’s other successes include working with The Sugarhill Gang, making their mark on Harlem shortly after The Last Poets, with the first organized rap song to date. There’s no doubt that Prince Fatty developed a love for poetry at a young age, and followed this emergence of hip hop over the years, mixing and dubbing along the way. Understand What Dub Is is a tip-of-the-hat to the undefinable emergence of hip hop music, while bringing the inspiring voices of The Last Poets to center pan.
Key Tracks: Certain Images, Understand What Black Is, We Must Be Scared
Brian Auger and the latest incarnation of Oblivion Express played just six songs in each of their hour-long sets on Sunday, May 5 at The Egg. The modest but appreciative audience was treated to plenty of marvelous solos from both 79-year-old English keyboardist, Auger, and the incredible Australian guitarist, Frank Gambale, a mere stripling at 60.
Earlier versions of Oblivion Express recorded six studio albums from 1971-1975, mining a progressive vein of soul-jazz that also incorporated traces of funk and rock. The current band somehow manages to make all these elements sound relevant and contemporary, even when they’re covering jazz numbers such as Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” Wes Montgomery’s “Bumpin’ on Sunset,” Eddie Harris’ “Freedom Jazz Dance” and Gene McDaniels’ “Compared to What.”
The current quintet was filled out by relative youngsters: singer/percussionist, Lilliana de los Reyes; bassist, Andreas Geck, and Karma Auger (yes, he’s Brian’s son) on drums. Anyone who thinks nepotism accounts for Karma’s presence should just listen to him – he’s an excellent drummer who doesn’t overplay, yet made the most of his brief solo-spot during the coda of “Whenever You’re Ready.”
Reyes has a lovely voice and she gained confidence as the evening progressed, stepping out from behind her percussion array, really emoting on a beguiling version of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” It was first cut by Auger with Julie Driscoll and the Trinity on their 1967 debut Open.
“We were recording on clay tablets at the time,” noted Auger. “This tune was a smash all across the Roman Empire.”
Reyes’ ebullient vocals and the energetic solos from Auger and Gambale were well-suited to the positive messages conveyed by songs such as “Happiness Is Just Around the Bend,” “Straight Ahead,” “Whenever You’re Ready” and “Sundown.” Auger is best-known for a robust Hammond B-3 organ sound, though he also deployed a Korg M3 synthesizer. Gambale was dazzling throughout, with such a clean tone and precise articulation, he demanded attention even when playing rhythm accompaniment behind Auger’s lead on “Compared to What.”
Brian Auger finished this performance by saying “drive carefully because you never know: I might be walking back to the hotel. Thanks again everybody we will see you in the future.” Though he turns eighty on July 18, he’s got a European tour booked for the fall, and shows few signs of slowing down. Mr. Auger, long may you run.
“We’re having sooooooo much friggin’ fun on this little run of shows!” quipped Marco Benevento in an Instagram post on the afternoon of May 3. Later that night, the sentiment became overtly obvious as Benevento and Co. brought their colorfully energetic mix of pop and rock to Jersey City. White Eagle Hall, an historic venue is situated in the Village neighborhood of downtown Jersey City, welcomed every note as if it knew Marco came home to play.
Providing a short opening set was New York City native Andrew Fox, a solo singer/producer with a small assembly of toys and knobs but a large sweeping psychedelic soul. Warming up the Jersey crowd with a selection of songs from his recently debuted EP Shock by Shock, Fox sang passionately over a mix of deep bumping bass and sinking synthesizer leads. The live performance of these tracks varies slightly as Fox mixes, filters, and plays keys. A stand out was the funky “John / Candy,” featuring a pop laced guitar riff and chopping snare claps.
In a nod to the oh so obvious theme of welcoming that encompasses Benevento and crew, Fox mentioned that the two had in fact only first met in person just prior to the show. It was just a few weeks ago that Benevento reached out to Fox via the internet and asked him to tag along for a few shows. This speaks volumes to Marco’s openness to opportunity and appreciation.
After a short break, the headliners appeared to an uproarious applause and took a moment to settle in before jumping right into “Free Us All.” Immediately, the rainbow lights began to blanket the room as the crowd swayed in delight. The trio continued on through a mix of old tunes like “All The Other Dreams,” “Greenpoint,” and “Dropkick.” Still, there was room for a new song debut and announcement that a to-be-titled album is on the way, due out in September.
Dressed in silver sequin jackets and white tees reading “We’re using time for fun” (a song committed to tape on 2007’s Live At Tonic) the trio of Benevento, David Butler and Karina Rykman held on to their smiles as much they did the groove for 2 hours straight. There is an incredible enthusiasm in this group that creates an energy so palpable it’s hard to not participate in the celebration. Marco takes every opportunity available to thank the audience, thank his bandmates, and relish in the feel-good momentum that makes their performances uniquely positive.
The mid-section of the set brought more from the recent The Story of Fred Short record with the zany “I Can’t See The Light,” a soaring “Stay In Line,” and the bouncy “Walking With Tyrone.” Benevento jumped back and forth between center stage to dance around and sing and then again to his piano rig just in time to walk up and down a solo.
Just after Rykman removed her jacket, but not the smile, Benevento made banter by recalling a previous show where the crowd roared for 10 minutes when he announced the bassist by name. The audience took this obvious cue and cheered ever more loudly as Marco clapped and yelled “KARINAAA” into the mic. It was a cheerful moment that shined a happily embarrassing spotlight on the youngest band member just before she took a distortedly delayed bass solo. This paved the way for the crowd-pleasing cover of the Butthole Surfers 90’s hit “Pepper,” led by Rykman on vocals.
As is with most musicians, this band and Benevento, especially as the songwriter, gets as much out of sharing in the music as they do playing it. This was evident through the entire set but was most clear when the trio “answered the call” to play “The Real Morning Party,” an infectious pop number that had the entire crowd gleefully singing along to the melodic hook. As the audience bounced up and down in enjoyment, it was hard to tell whether the ground was shaking because of the dancing or because of the powerful rhythm section and soulful jamming.
After one last thank you, the party was brought to a close with the aptly titled finale “At The Show.” Members of the audience were still humming the vocal melody as the three band mates took their final bow at center stage.
Marco Benevento tour continues on May 10 in Washington D.C. with Andrew Fox.
*Setlist was not written down and songs were being called out by Marco. The following list was provided by management:
Free Us All, All The Other Dreams, Solid Gold, Dropkick, Greenpoint, Send Me On A Rocket, Walking With Tyrone, Live a Certain Life, Stay In Line, I Can’t See The Light, Follow The Arrow, Pepper, Witches of Ulster, The Real Morning Party, Oh Baby Can’t You See, At The Show
Colter Wall travelled from Saskatchewan in southwestern Canada to grace the stage of The Haunt in Ithaca on Saturday night. Though he had no problems connecting with the sold out crowd. Songs centering around cattle branding, ranching and rodeos were cut with more universal themes like love, friendship, trains, cars and motorcycles.
He arrived to the stage alone with his guitar and his cowboy hat, appropriately opening the set with the old cowboy song, “Old Paint.” He continued with a more modern tale of his own making, “John Beyers.” His voice, a resonant baritone, is rich like a finely aged whiskey (aged just 23 years in this case) and had a strong presence that echoed throughout the room. Though, possibly, the echo was from the audience, who exuberantly sang along, to each other, to the stage or to themselves.
A few songs in, Wall’s band joined him on stage. Together a quintet, pedal and lap steels, harmonicas, drums, and bass joined him and his guitar. Each brought their own character to the mix. There was an entire arsenal of harmonicas, and even a jaw harp, to match the mood of every tune. The pedal steel’s howls and whirls intermingled beautifully with the harps in an unexpected and somewhat unusual combination. The steady bopping red and gold paisley covered bass and swinging and tasteful drums held it all together perfectly.
The set was filled with songs from last year’s release. Songs of the Plains, and 2017’s Colter Wall. The tried and true, the ones everyone knew, were tossed in with something new, like “Western Swing and Waltzes” and also some much older selections, like covers of Ramblin’ Jack Elliot’s “Railroad Bill” and Townes Van Zandt’s “White Freightliner Blues.” No matter their age, coming through the voice of Wall and with the skill of his backing band, it was all sounding great to the adoring crowd.
Fellow Saskatchewans Kacy and Clayton warmed up the evening. The two cousins played a short set of lovely folk songs but were unfortunately competing with a rowdy crowd anxious to sing and dance to the main attraction. The subtle beauty of their voices and guitars was no match for the clanging of glasses and boisterous barroom conversations, but attentive ears were rewarded with another example of Canada’s increasing and ironic grip on the Americana genre.
In a sold out show, a blast to the past of the late ’60s – ’80s progressive rock era, the Alice Frost band had the crowd rocking in their seats to the music of YES! The core of the band started performing in the late ’70s and the friendships made then have endured to this day. The members of this ensemble, original and newly added, have developed a true love for the music and for playing together. The group is composed of experienced area musicians who enjoy the challenge of this complex and beautiful music. On guitars is John Eisenhart who has played in 805, out of Syracuse, Lake City, Blind Design and currently performs around upstate New York as a solo artist.
John Eisenhart – Guitar
John has a diverse background which includes a wide range of musical styles. From 17th century classical guitar to delta blues, as well as more popular music, John adds his own style and the audience loves it. Harold “Clutch” Reiser, on drums and percussion, is a founding member of The Maynard Brothers Band, and also played with The Sundowners, Blind Design and other bands. Matt Donnelly, keyboards, plays with The South Street Saints, The Music Box and hosts the Thursday night jam at the Lawrence Street Tavern.
Matt Donnelly – Keyboardist
Matt brings years of experience on the keyboards to the Alice Frost band. He currently is associated with many other bands in the upstate New York area. Once you hear his mastery of the keys, you can understand why so many bands want to be associated with him. Frank Esposito, the vocalist, played for Howard Stern’s show and works in the Vibratones. Carl DeSantis jr., on basses and a Berkeley graduate, plays in North Carolina in a number of ensembles. Steve Hymowech, the bassist for Dirt Cheap, assists Alice with extra guitar, vocals, percussion and inspiration. The show encompassed music from the Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, and Relayer.
Playing at a high level of difficulty to bring this music to audiences makes the work enjoyable and rewarding, and it was be a show to remember. The May 3 date kicked off the 2019 season for Alice Frost, ending as the headliner to an outdoor prog music festival in the Syracuse area. They have a Facebook page with videos, pictures and more information.Â
Harold “Clutch” Reiser – Drums
“Clutch” not only sets the beat for the songs, but he did a tympani set which drove the fans wild and onto their feet.
Steven Hymowech – Acoustic GuitarCarl DeSantis Jr. – Bass
Just in time for the impending summer heat comes the revival of the generally unappreciated sound of surf rock, unless you’re Quentin Tarantino. Then, a track off this album will likely wind up on your next movie, shot in glorious 70mm film. The Abyssmals are treading new water on their sophomore album as they explore a surf rock sound. The genre is very cut and dry – a good majority of the top surf rock songs of the 1960’s did have a similar feel to it.
But The Abyssmals try to break out of the mold by mixing in new flavors, both modern and classic. Where would someone listen to something like this? Hard to say. A slow cruise with the top down on a blistering, mid-July heat wave? Tiki bar party, perhaps? The tone of surf rock isn’t what people call uplifting either. It’s odd that it’s associated with relaxing at the beach at all. Nevertheless, it’s timeless sound, and The Abyssals have thrown a unique spin on the genre while flaunting their mastery of the quintessential sound of California’s beaches circa 1960.
The album is good fun. It won’t be in the Billboard Top 40 list anytime soon, but it could strike a chord with lovers of surf rock, grunge, psychedelia and even folk. The Abyssmals experiment with a several types of surf rock fusion, each of which has a natural and palatable feel to it, although the influence of grungy, darker tones can be found in almost every track. The album has a very familiar sound, but is also still very unique and almost indescribable. Listeners can pick out influences of anything ranging from Dick Dale to The Beatles, even Queens of the Stone age.
Listeners can enjoy a mainstream, stereotypical surf rock sound like in, “Enter… The Abyssmals!” and “For All Time.” Quintessential instrumentation will drop listeners right into the bench seat of a ‘37 Split Window Ford, racing to Bikini Beach. Modern recording tactics keeps the sound recognizable but modern and tasty.
But dive deeper and listeners will find a more unique blend of their influences. Songs like “Sleepwalker” and “See You Go” are built upon surf rock basics but are laced with psychedelia and indie. At this point, their sound is that of The Beatles meets The Black Keys. Lackadaisical vocals from Jarpon Reyes and Bob Forget are coupled with washy but sturdy instrumentation creating a unique atmosphere and a throwback to simpler times.
This will be fun to see live and there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Check out their Facebook events page for the full list of dates and try to catch them in New York and Massachusetts area where they’ll be spending the majority of their time. The album is up for download on Bandcamp and available to stream on Spotify and Soundcloud.
Trey Anastasio Band closed out a long weekend run with the second of two sold out show at Brooklyn Bowl on Monday Night. Playing the beloved Brooklyn venue for only the third time, fans didn’t hesitate on packing this venue/bowling alley to capacity. This is one of the smaller venues TAB will play, but it seemed like Trey’s eight-piece solo outfit felt right at home in this tiny space.
The show began with “Blaze On” a song TAB debuted three nights earlier at Anastasio’s Me and My Mind documentary premier. The band continued in top form offering up TAB favorites Including “Alive Again,” “Night Speaks to a Woman,” “Curlews Call,” and “Dark and Down” before bringing an amazing first set to an end with “First Tube,” the Phish fan favorite.
After a short set break Trey and his amazing band returned with “Money Love and Change” where Anastasio shined with amazing guitar work. The rest of the set included speak to me, the first “The Land of Nod” since 2017, and a fun version of “Alaska” that the entire crowd sand every word to. The set came to a close with a smooth pairing of “Shine” into “Rise/Come Together.” The band returned for a two song encore offering up “Drifting” and “Ghost.”
Trey Anastasio Band Continues with a four night run in the southeast at the end of May as they prepare for a full card of summer dates. See a full gallery from the show Monday below.
This past Saturday, Dopapod returned from their hiatus at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. Fans flocked from all over the country for the show, which should say something about how anticipated this day has been over the last year. The weather was perfect, spirits inside the Cap were high, and fans were ready to rage. Dopapod was nearly back.
The show started just as any Dopapod show starts: lighting designer, Luke Stratton, playing mysterious-sounding keys from the front of house to set the mood. As the lights came up and the band walked out onstage, the entire crowd erupted in applause. Keyboardist, Eli Winderman, sat down and got right into it, starting into the opening riff of the quintessential “Vol 3 #86,” which had the entire crowd freaking-out from the first note. Right off the bat, the band was very visibly happy to be back onstage playing this music together and they were absolutely locked in with each other. (Stream Matt Moricle’s recording below or download here)
After playing through the main composition of “Vol. 3 #86,” Winderman took the helm with his Moog and the band was off into uncharted territory. The jam in “Vol 3” was very patient and allowed for Winderman and guitarist, Rob Compa, to explore different melodic ideas before locking in on a driving, synth groove that led the group into a mini peak, before dropping back into the “Vol 3” ending, hard. Bassist, Chuck Jones, immediately started into the heavy intro riff of “Nuggy Jawson,” an instrumental that’s very riff-centric and progressive. Following “Nuggy Jawson” came “Mucho,” the mysterious funky jam that provides an optimistic outlook on life. The crowd was getting down and singing along to every word, including the chorus, which is completely in Spanish. Winderman led the group on his Moog. The jam was fairly short and the band sang the last round of lyrics before having some fun with the clapping part, as the song ended.
Compa finally broke the silence and addressed the crowd with a “Welcome back!,” before starting the opening notes of “French Bowling,” a jazzy tune that features a lot of intense melodic lines. “Bowling” would fit perfectly in a spy movie, the vibe is almost Pink Panther-esque in the way it slinks around and leaves the listener wondering where it’s going next. At this point in the show, the entire theater was grooving and cheering at nearly every section change.
The jam in “Bowling” was dark and mystifying, led by Compa with a remarkable solo weaving through each chord change expertly. The group crushed the dubby outro of the song and used the energy to transition into the heavy rocker, “Braindead.” It didn’t feature a jam, but “Braindead” allowed room to breathe, making for an experimental, but tight version of the song. The slower “My Elephant vs. Your Elephant,” was a testament to Winderman’s ability to draw the sweetest melodies out of his synth. The composed section was tight and led the band into a groovy, bouncy jam led by Winderman on his Moog and organ. The jam never reached a peak.
To close out the set, the band dusted off fan-favorite “Trapper Keeper,” with Jones introducing the song as such. “Trapper Keeper” was one of the highlights, featuring the most exploratory jam that tapped into the use of space and ambience to create a wonderfully mystical atmosphere. Towards the end of the jam, Compa took an absolutely beautiful slide solo that seemed to be him pouring out emotions built up over the hiatus. After a powerful ending, the band left the stage and the fans were speechless. In-house set-break entertainment was provided as Stratton projected the movie Shrek the Third onto the walls of the theater.
To kick off the second set, the group broke into their recently released “Numbers Need Humans,” a funkier tune that’s never been played live before. The song translated to the live setting easily and the band was obviously enjoying it. Following “Numbers” came “FABA,” which is arguably the group’s greatest song. The crowd was ecstatic from the opening melody. “FABA” was another one of the night’s highlights; it was absolutely perfect front to back and by the looks on the members’ faces, they thought so as well. The jam explored a bit different territory, with the band locking in on a funk groove before getting into this rising, atmospheric groove that built up perfectly into the crescendo of the jam.
Winderman wasted no time post-“FABA” and started right into “Onionhead,” which was an excellent follow up to the 17 minutes of goodness that preceded it. The intro was extended and stripped down, before the band dropped heavily into the recorded intro and started into the song’s driving, bass groove. Winderman led the jam on piano, working around the grooves that Jones and Evans were laying down. Before starting the next song, Jones addressed the crowd saying: “Luke gets paid way more to light this song,” as the band broke into “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” by the Smashing Pumpkins, who Stratton has been working for during the hiatus. Apparently the group tricked him by putting a Dopapod song in this spot on the setlist, so Stratton had to light the song on the fly.
Winderman started the opening of “Superbowl,” laying down heavy synth bass notes that literally shook the venue. The jam in “Superbowl” was sweet and succinct, not going far outside the realms of the song. The upbeat “Roid Rage” came next, a fusion-esque tune that quickly got into a jam, which featured an incredibly impressive metal section before Compa took the helm and soloed masterfully through the quick changes. Up next was “Plaese Haalp,” off of the group’s 2017 release Megagem, played uptempo which gave it a funkier feel. “Haalp” didn’t feature a jam section, but featured yet another impressive guitar solo from Compa. Evans started into the groove of “Cloud World.” The song’s jazzy sound served as a nice follow up to “Haalp”’s harder rock sound. The jam section in “Cloud World” was very spacey and had elements of reggae, before the band started rising the groove back into the ending of the song.
Winderman thanked the crowd and introduced his and Compa’s parents, telling the crowd that they decided to play a song they were going to save for the VIP set: “Never Odd or Even,” the secret track off of the 2014 album of the same name. This was the live debut of the song, and it was a very emotional moment for a lot of lifelong fans. There were some heavy emotions flowing out of this performance, and it was the most beautiful part of the show. To close out the second set, the group kicked off “Bubble Brain,” another fan favorite and one of the band’s best compositions. The jam section of “Bubble Brain” carried some of the emotion from the previous song “NOOE,” as Winderman led the charge with an emotional organ solo that was a shining example of why he’s one of the best organ users on the scene right now.
The band took a very quick encore break before returning to the stage, and Jones started introducing the members of the band, asking if “you wanna hear ‘Trapper Keeper’ again? Absolutely not! Shame on you!” Winderman opened with the synth notes of “Freight Train Filled With Dynamite,” a powerhouse of a song that sounds like a freight train barreling down the tracks. Freight Train’s jam section had an overall jamtronica sound, with collaborative electronic grooves. The band masterfully transitioned back into the head of the tune.
This show was incredible. Dopapod was locked in with one another, the jams were fresh and explored really interesting territory and the setlist was phenomenal front to back. Luke Stratton also put on one of the most astounding light shows the crowd had ever seen, seemingly never repeating a single move. It’s hard to put into words the emotions the band conveyed musically, but one thing is very clear: all four of them really enjoyed performing that show and are happy to be back.
Dopapod, April 27, 2019 – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY
Set 1: Vol. 3 #86 > Nuggy Jawson, Mucho, French Bowling (1) > Braindead, My Elephant vs. Your Elephant, Trapper Keeper
Set 2: Numbers Need Humans, FABA, Onionhead, Bullet With Butterfly Wings (2,3), Super Bowl, Roid Rage, Plaese Haalp, Cloud World, Never Odd Or Even (2) > Bubble Brain
Josh and Adam Netsky have been mainstays on the Rochester music scene for the past decade at least. Older brother Josh was writing songs beyond his years, while Adam brought the songs to life both on stage, playing drums, and on screen, crafting accompanying videos. Their creative teamwork reached a new high in 2012 with a song-cycle and experimental documentary about the ghost town of Centralia, PA.
Part of being a great bandleader is crafting the songs. The other part is putting together the right parts to bring your visions to life. The Netsky’s pulled off a bit of a coup, scoring arguably the two best and most versatile guitarists in Rochester: Sam Snyder (Overhand Sam, Anamon) and Kurt Johnson (Moho Collective, Wallboards). Together they became Maybird, providing a more consistent outlet for their output. The band flourished on the Rochester scene and in 2016 they signed to Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records, on which they’ve released two EPs, Turning Into Water and Unravelling.
On Things I Remember From Earth, their debut LP for 30th Century, releasing Friday, the band’s sound takes a huge leap forward. With major label backing and national tours with acts like Portugal. The Man under their belt, the Netsky’s creative visions are finally reaching their full potential.
The title, “Things I Remember From Earth,” was taken from Kurt Vonnegut’s “The Sirens of Titan,” as were the themes of many of the songs. “Human purpose, holding on to memories, and losing control of your mind/memory are all themes in the book that found a place on the album.” Josh Netsky explains.
No longer encumbered by the what-ifs of a shoestring budget, colorful sounds explode from the record like tubes of paint being smashed with a hammer. The opening track “In Technicolor (for the first time),” sets it all up perfectly: “If you mix the colors in your eyes / darkened tears will fall / into vivid seas and multiply.”
From the driving march of “To You,” to the slinky grooving “Gonna Lose Your Mind,” to the 80’s style bright pop of “Montreal,” track after track, colors are added and the vision becomes more complete and more impressive.
The band might consist three guitarists and a drummer, but they pushed the studio to the limit, layering sounds upon sounds for a complete sonic scrub that leaves no stone unturned: A perfectly placed horn track, catchy backing vocals, an eerie whistle, a burst of piano, a humming organ, alien bubbles and wails from outer space, not to mention, all of that glorious guitar. A bevy of beautiful and unique choices color the edges of the psychedelic pop songs throughout. Don’t fret about the how’s and who’s, close your eyes and let the grooves wash over you.
“When you feel it / for the first time / in spectacular color.”
How will it sound from the stage? Find out at their record release show this Friday, May 3 at Radio Social where they’ll be playing the album front to back. It’s a free show and Maybird will share the stage with Mikaela Davis, Cammy Enaharo and August West.
Key tracks: Gonna Lose Your Mind, Don’t Keep Me Around, When I Find My Out of the Circle
