NYS Music 20​19

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Hearing Aide: Jocelyn & Chris Arndt ‘The Fun in the Fight’

    Jocelyn and Chris broke into Billboard’s Top 40 in the Adult Album Alternative chart with “Red Stops Traffic,” the third single off their 2017 release, “Go.” The album as a whole was Jocelyn and Chris’ most successful release. It peaked at No. 2 on Relix’s Jamband Top 30, and stayed there for three straight months. Perhaps what’s most notable fact about the album is it was produced while Chris was still attending Harvard.

    The Jocelyn and Chris team chase radio play. It involves networking, sending tapes, exchanging phone calls and logging miles between more than 120 radio stations that fall under the AAA format. When “Outta My Head” debuted with Parade Magazine last November, David Bourgeois, the band’s manager at Bridge Road Entertainment, said it caught the attention of different radio stations. And, that’s exactly the point they’re trying to make.

    The Fun in the Fight, promises to be a venture that will take the band into new territory. It’s debut track “Outta My Head” starts off with Jocelyn singing over Chris’ bluesy guitar riffs, but it then turns into something different. It swiftly progresses into a layered, contemporary production; it’s uptempo and hook-focused. It is the most commercial-leaning song the two have yet to produce. And, that’s just the beginning. Other songs within the 11-track album suggest Jocelyn and Chris could take aim at alternative radio in addition to the AAA and jam-band genres they are accustom to playing.

    The album’s opening track sets the table for Jocelyn and Chris’ styling of a new generation of classic rock, featuring Danny Louis of Govt’ Mule. “Witness” is a love letter to all artists that have influenced the sister-brother duo since they were young children. A powerful guitar riff leaves bread crumbs in a lyrical homage to Ozzy Osbourne, Prince, Pink Floyd and more.

    Any given live, Jocelyn and Chris, performance is defined by both power and energy. “Kill in the Cure” may best capture that. It’s a controlled burn, with emotional vocals from Jocelyn and metronomic guitar playing from Chris. It’s an appropriate segue to “Outta My Head,” which within itself, beautifully progresses from Jocelyn’s lyrics to a craftily layered track worthy of its debut status.

    Chris plays a mean blues guitar and it stands out on a track that also features Beau Sasser on the Hammond Organ. The two are paired well on this darkly powerful, midtempo groove.

    “Don’t Hang Up” is a stop-and-listen track. Dark lyrics reveal one side of an intimate phone conversation from someone desperate and contrite. Jocelyn’s voice is front and center in a ballad that lingers on through the next track. A stark contrast to “Problematic,” which follows with a pure rock riff.

    Featuring Vulpeck’s Cory Wong on lead guitar and Louis again, this time on the Hammond, “Be That as it May” is an all-out jam. It starts slow and busts out into a stomping, danceable track. “Original” is yet another track that’s going to get you up and moving.

    “Things I’ll Never Know” is a retro ballad that, again, reveals the roots to Jocelyn and Chris’ influences. More organ in the back, allowing Jocelyn to take the listener to church on this love song.

    The album ends on two fun tracks, “The Western” and “Weatherman.” “The Western” is a story, as one would imagine, with pistols and a climactic duel, complete with a trumpet that will place you into the middle of a spaghetti western. The flute playing in “The Weatherman” accentuates yet another retro track that harkens back to the wistful ballads of Linda Ronstadt and Dan Fogelberg that dominated radio play in the 70s.

    Jocelyn and Chris Arndt have shown versatility, and The Fun in the Fight showcases an effort that should help push the band out in front of different audiences. It’s a road map of where the two have been over the past several years and it shows where they plan on going from there. Should you be one of those who has not yet picked up on this duo, pick this up.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518, is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYSMusic. TheSpot518 and NYSMusic work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com

  • Angelique Kidjo to Light Up UPAC

    Remain in Light, the Talking Heads’ fourth studio album, peaked at number 19 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in 1980. Even more impressively, Rolling Stone named it the fourth best album of the decade in 1989. On April 11, Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo will perform her interpretation of the iconic album at Kingston’s Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC).

    angelique kidjo upacAngélique Kidjo, (Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo) is a native of the West African nation Benin. No stranger to creating astounding albums, Kidjo won three Grammys for her contemporary world music and was nominated on multiple other occasions. Kidjo premiered Remain in Light at Carnegie Hall in 2017 and she claims that West African influence on the original Talking Heads’ album made her interpretation an organic fit. While Kidjo’s musical interpretation will be a unique twist, the Talking Heads’ lyrics are sure to be familiar to all. 

    Collaborators for this Angelique Kidjo project include producer Jeff Bhasker, who has worked with The Rolling Stones and Beyonce among others, Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and songwriter Dev Hynes, also known as Blood Orange. Bhasker states the lofty goal of the collaboration was “to rip out [Remain in Lights’] guts and turn it on its head.” He explains that he and Kidjo hope the project brings the worlds of rock and African music closer together. The event takes place on Thursday, April 11 at 7:30. UPAC, located on Kingston’s historic Broadway, hosts the event. Tickets can be purchased here.

  • Rubblebucket with a Bang in Rochester

    For a band, that by normal band-conventions shouldn’t even exist, Rubblebucket is stronger and as vibrant as ever. Leaders and remaining original members, Kalmia Travers and Alex Toth, have both climbed personal hurdles over the last couple of years, including the end of their romantic relationship. Instead of breaking up the band, they shuffled up the other members and put out a new album, Sun Chaser, last summer. Still in heavy support of their new release, they played through the entire record at their tour opener in Rochester, albeit in a modified order.

    A proper review of Rubblebucket’s show might be a dense word-cloud of adjectives and verbs, all punctuated with exclamation points. The stage was a constant blur of action and color. Their past antics were like a low budget Flaming Lips or Of Montreal, but here it was more reminiscent of the Talking Heads and David Byrne. Less party, more art. White fabric screens were hit with splashes of light, orange and green, red and blue, purple and magenta. Band members turned into psychedelic dancing silhouettes when they went behind the screens.

    The crowd was engaged 110% from note one, moving and grooving with every beat, singing along with every lyric. When prompted to help out with the chorus of “Annihilation Song,” they needed no instruction,  already acting as the collective backing chorus. Crowd and band merged at the inevitable march of the horns, including new trumpet player Sean Smith, down the length of the venue and again at the post-encore acoustic session in the back by the bar. Kal heaped praise on the Rochester audience frequently, even calling out a trio of front row fans with matching rainbows, who gifted her with a rainbow boa.

    The new rhythm section was a crack trio of New York City musicians (Ryan Dugre on guitar, Noga Shefi on bass, Jeremy Gustin on drums) who were more than up for the task, but mostly stayed in the background. As a bit of a palette cleanser after the set, they emerged on stage first for the encore, showing off their wares more overtly with a few minutes banging deep grooves.

    The night began with Alex Toth who mixed his live guitar and trumpet playing with effects pedals and pre-recorded material including beats, cellos, backing vocals in a preview of what is sure to be a very good album out in May.

    Mikaela Davis then showcased her harp-led pop-folk from her superb 2018 album Delivery, adding in a few new songs which mostly featured her playing keys. Her band was joined by Maybird’s Kurt Johnson on pedal steel and guitar throughout the entire hometown set. Davis, who sat in with Bob Weir in Syracuse last November, added a beautiful cover of “Brokedown Palace” to close out her night on stage. Davis will rejoin Rubblebucket midway through their tour, which will wind it’s way back to Upstate New York with a show at the Westcott Theatre on April 25.

     

     

  • Bhuman bring ‘Gorgeous Wigs and Plenty of Lewks’ in video for “Goodbye”

    NYC alt pop duo, BHuman, have shared their stunning video for “Goodbye,” which premiered exclusively on Billboard this week, who highly noted the “whimsical, avant-garde” nature of the video.

    “Goodbye” is a playground loaded with giant puppets, massive wigs, a bunch of costume changes and a whole lot more. While the duo looks stunning in their own right, the addition of dance group Visceral Abstraction and the bold puppet outfits from Chromatico, takes the glamor to a whole new level.

    bhuman“Goodbye” is a breakup song turned 180. Billie Lloyd, a musician, composer and producer, and one half of the power duo, said she channeled her feelings of frustration with the emotionally charged lyrics, while Harrison Scott helped turn the song on its head and create an anthemic, confident statement.

    Bhuman’s work is an emotional journey through absorbing melodic hooks, intimately hushed vocals, chill-step beats and chiming synth tones. Not straying far from their interwoven message of sexuality, gender and self-acceptance, “Goodbye” is universally relatable to fans no matter what their specific situation might be. BHuman emphasize the human experience and remind fans that, no matter what they are going through, it is this human quality that keeps them interconnected and never alone.

    “Even if you’ve never transitioned or questioned your gender before, you can still understand the themes of what I’m going through or what Harrison is going through,” Lloyd explained.

    BHuman kicked off 2019 with NewNowNext including them in their list of “6 Transgender and Non-Binary Acts to Add to Your Playlists.” As the lead single off their self-titled first EP, “Goodbye” is the follow up to “Safe” and continues the process of carefully unveiling BHuman’s musical vision.

  • The Felice Brothers announce new album and release first single ‘Poor Blind Birds’

    The Felice Brothers have released “Poor Blind Birds” from their upcoming album Undress , set for release on May 3 via Yep Roc Records. Brothers Ian and James Felice grew up in Palenville in the Catskills, and are joined by Will Lawrence and Jesske Hume and other Hudson Valley musicians from time to time.

    Reflecting on the current political climate and general uncertainty in the world, Undress finds the group in a very different place than their last album, 2016’s Life In The Dark. Between personnel changes, families growing and the political landscape, the result is a tighter, more pared-down release. “Every song is a story,” said James Felice. “On this album everything was a bit more thoughtful, including the arrangements, the sonic quality and the harmonies.”

    photographs by lawrence braun

    Ian and James Felice are self taught musicians, inspired as much by Hart Crane and Whitman as by Woody Guthrie and Chuck Berry, they began in 2006 by playing subway platforms and sidewalks in NYC and have gone on to release nine albums of original songs and to tour extensively throughout the world. Following the release of Life in the Dark, The Felice Brothers served as the backing band for Conor Oberst’s 2017 release Salutations and the subsequent tour.

    Tour Dates:
    April 27 – Skyloft – Albany, NY
    April 28 – The Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
    April 29 – The 9th Ward at Babeville – Buffalo, NY
    April 30 – The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto, ON
    May 2 – Sleeping Village – Chicago, IL
    May 3 – On the Rail Roots Festival – Lexington, KY
    May 4 – Rumba Cafe – Columbus, OH
    May 6 – Club Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA
    May 7 – Tellus 360 – Lancaster, PA
    May 9 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
    May 10 – The Bell House – Brooklyn, NY
    May 11 – BSP Kingston – Kingston, NY
    May 12 – Hopewell Theater – Hopewell, NJ
    May 15 – 35 Artspce – Portsmouth, NH
    May 16 – Columbus Theatre – Providence, RI
    May 18 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA
    May 23 – Elevation 27 – Virginia Beach, VA
    May 24 – Richmond Music Hall – Richmond, VA
    May 25 – Wolf Trap – Vienna, VA (with The Avett Brothers)
    June 6 – Grey Eagle Tavern – Asheville, NC
    June 7 – Eddie’s Attic – Decatur, GA
    June 8 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
    June 9 – Avondale Brewery – Birmingham, AL
    June 10 – Gasa Gasa – New Orleans
    June 12 – Barracuda – Austin, TX
    June 14 – Tumbleroot – Santa Fe, NM
    June 15 – 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ
    June 16 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA
    June 17 – Bootleg Theater – Los Angeles, CA
    June 19 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA
    June 21 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
    June 22 – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
    June 24 – Visual Arts Collective – Garden City, ID
    June 25 – Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
    June 27 – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO

  • Hearing Aide: Bruiser and Bicycle ‘Woods Come Find Me’

    This is Bruiser and Bicycle’s second stab at an album and they have found something worth sticking to. Nick Whittemore and Keegan Graziane decided to make a change of tone and left their first albums, post-punk basement-core group with dark undertones and synesthetic lyrics, as they described it on their Promo Juke Box page. Now, they are pursuing an indie, psychedelic and eccentric writing style that keeps the album spicy and plain fun to listen to.

    They burst out of the gates with a quintessential indie and energetic tone in “The Train,” which is broken up by odd vocals choices. As for as an intro goes, it’s definitely exciting but feels like a big tease. A huge build up, and then drop off. No big jumps or launches. But listen on and you’ll see it’s not their style.

    “Casper” moves into their straightforward, folky roots and we begin to realize how their vocal style and tone separates this group from others. It’s not too deep in terms of production – we hear straightforward instrumentation, but also an omnidirectional and engaging sound. The duo showcases their lead guitar skills with a call and response from two very different voices. Static and distortion precedes a clean and spacious sound but both work over just the a-persistent, folksy guitar riff. It’s brilliant!

    “Woods”  is about as mainstream as the group gets. Without the electronic and quirky touches, we can see how well tuned into the music industry these two are. They know what works and they can recreate popular sounds but make it their own. That’s not a skills everyone has. However, we find ourselves on the other side of the spectrum with “Yonder”  – it’s an acid trip compared to “Woods.” We get very trippy and lazy vocals, omnidirectional and experimental instrumentation and some guitar licks that are plain discomforting. Lets just say the chorus isn’t something you’ll be whistling along to at work.

  • Chateau Shows in Albany meld Professional Practices with DIY Methodology

    Among the network of musicians in Albany, there are select venues that are known to be “off the beaten path” but still provide the listener with the intimate experience many are searching for from live music. Since the unfortunate closure of Valentine’s in 2014, the need for these spaces has increased, leading to house venues popping up across the area to cater to fans. With no particular venue picking up where Valentine’s left off, the mission of getting a PA and inviting your friends over for a show got the ball started for house venues such as the Chateau. One of these artists, Girl Blue, was recently profiled by NYS Music, and we present the premiere of Girl Blue’s Chateau Shows performance.

    The Chateau was born in 2014 with the first show in 2015, and since then, roughly 15 shows a year, or 1-2 a month are held at the house. Dan Maddalone says of Chateau, “It’s not a money maker, just something for fun and a sign of the healthy and continually growing music scene, both above and underground, in Albany.”

    Albany native turned international performer Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) and beloved DIY stalwart Lomelda have both performed at Chateau, making it a utility space for musicians on their way up. More established acts like Spoon, White Denim, and White Reaper have also performed in the space due to Maddalones previous involvement with the radio station WEQX.

    Thanks to venues like The Chateau, bands can build an audience in Albany and branch out to other towns without traditional airplay and booking. “House shows are an incubator for a small part of the scene, for a talented group of people who do a lot of great art and create amazing things.” As the industry has broken down, artists have found a new way to prosper and The Chateau is but one small part of an international movement. But make no mistake, Maddalone says, “This has always been happening in Albany and abroad, and will continue to happen forever. We are but one tiny part of a long running DIY methodology.”

    Chateau Shows

    Chateau is one of many house venues in Albany. Normally, house venues last between six months to two years, depending on who manages them. Traditionally, it is college students who take on the practice and either move on or pass the house onto another group when their tenure is up. Chateau has such a long legacy due to it being owned and operated by the same persons year after year.

    These venues are all several steps above house parties due to the focus being put on the music. The setting typically involves a house kit, PA system, with some lights and decoration in the ‘venue’ part of the house, which is often an attic or basement. In non-venue parts of the house lie comfortable living quarters for bands to rest before moving on to other shows. Between bands, guests are typically welcome to wander about the house sipping whatever they brought with them, and chatting with friends.

    The atmosphere of the Chateau and other house venues offer a different musical experience than what you typically find at a club or bar. Performances at clubs can foster a passive and inattentive crowd, but at house venues, the focus is intently upon the performer with a small audience of 30-80 people gathered to see something new, special, and intimate.

    All around Albany, a music scene continues to thrive in venues of all sizes and styles. The Capital Region has produced nationally touring bands already because of venues like The Chateau, Valentine’s, and The Hollow. Supporting artists from the ground up ensures a healthy breeding ground for future musicians down the road. House venues like The Chateau may be the place to catch your new favorite band.

    Girl Blue video was produced at The Chateau by Chris and Brian Leary of Chrome Glass Productions along with Dan Maddalone. Girl Blue audio was engineered, mixed, and mastered by Troy Pohl with engineering assistance from Judybelle Camangyan.

  • The Dirty Pennies Announce New EP and Release Show in April

    Save the date. On Friday, April 19, the Dirty Pennies celebrate the release of their new EP with a show at the Bug Jar in Rochester. Special guests include Buffalo’s Handsome Jack and indie rockers The Stedwells. Tickets are on sale Thursday, February 21.

    The Dirty Pennies’ much-anticipated sophomore release will be out a couple weeks before the show, on April 2. Entitled ep, the collection will be available over all major music platforms (including Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Bandcamp).

    The new work demonstrates The Dirty Pennies’ ability to create a cohesive sound from blues and surf rock influences. The Dirty Pennies turned to Josh Pettinger and Greg Thompson of Wicked Squid Studios to record and engineer their new songs. The pair took on the herculean task of harnessing the raw energy of this dynamic trio and translating it into a recording that remains true to the feel of the Dirty Pennies’ live shows.

    Visit The Dirty Pennies online or follow on Facebook for updates. While you’re waiting for the new tunes, give their 2017 album Kick Out The Rocks a spin.

  • Cold Night, Hot Music: False Pockets, Vacation Daze and The Low Spirits at Abilene

    The reprieve from polar temperatures has drawn people out to enjoy some of the night life. In the spirit of the mid-winter thaw, Rochester’s Abilene Bar and Lounge threw an event called “Feel The Warmth” on Friday night. The cozy bar was lined with posters from shows’ past. On the bill were a few of the newer bands on the scene: False Pockets, Vacation Daze, and The Low Spirits.

    Over the past year, the quartet has released a few self-recorded singles that were mixed and engineered by their bassist Jim DeWitt. Mid-set Egling announced that they had finished recording an album at Wicked Squid Studios. The work is set for a spring release. They played a song from the upcoming album. The tune, called “Measurement,” features drummer Billy Martin on lead vocals. If this groovy jam is any indication, we can look forward to great things from the new album.

    The Low Spirits rounded out this night of discovery. The quartet includes two of the three members of the psychedelic/blues band St. Phillip’s Escalator (Ryan Moore and Zachary Koch). Both bands build upon a foundation of rock ‘n roll, but The Low Spirits has more of a 70’s rock vibe. The difference was apparent when there was some riffing on Led Zep during their sound check at Abilene. Moore, a man of many hats, was on guitar, vocals, and sometimes his vintage Farfisa keyboard. The distortion on guitars and rhythms pumped through an antique VOX bass cabinet lent to their authentic retro sound.

    Zachary Koch was stationed behind the drums. With his sticks held  in a traditional grip, he added fills which evoke a comparison to the drumming style of Ringo Starr. This was only their second show, but they’ve already got a third booked at Photo City Improv on March 9.

  • Adrianne Lenker Moves Hearts at Music Hall of Williamsburg

    Adrianne Lenker took to music from childhood, learning the craft of songwriting from her musician father and other teachers. Her path eventually led her to pull on the hearts of the audience at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Febraury 14.” Mostly drawing from 2018’s abysskiss, Lenker brought her personal, imaginative and often complex world to life during her sold out performance.

    Adrianne Lenker

    Taking a break from leading Big Thief, Lenker opted for a smaller stage. Starting off with “Not,” a relatively new track debuted in France, she then followed with the rarely played “Spud Infinity.” The lyrical wit and sing-a-long pace of the song belied Adrianne’s heartfelt recurring theme of acceptance; to not be so harsh to exorcise the frightening unknown within us, and learn to embrace it as part of who we are.

    Lenker’s childhood is filled with material that she draws on for her songs. In multiple conversations with Pitchfork, she explains being raised in a religious cult in Indianapolis until she was four. She moved about 14 times before she was eight, bearing witness to her family’s fallout from religion and constant identity shifts. These years inspired a disposition to begin writing songs from different perspectives; a spectator looking from the outside, in.

     

     

    Lenker’s songs are examinations of identity, steeped in metaphors and themes of love, family, trauma, femininity and sex. Her words are descriptive and visceral, so delicately accented by her clear, expressive voice that they pierce straight through your core. Thematically, Lenker’s lyrics are reminiscent of artists like Laura Marling, showing a strength in moving through the pain.

    Playing “Pretty Things,” a song which Lenker describes as a mantra in a Stereogum interview, she struck a tone that was equally arresting and soothing. Singing about penetrating the facade of her lover’s toxic behavior and coaxing him into embracing the power of his feminine qualities, she repeated: Don’t take me for a fool, there’s a woman inside of me, there’s one inside of you, too.

    As the line lulled the men in the audience into embracing their Valentine’s dates a bit tighter, it was followed by a graphic representation of the power in feminine energy to wash away the sins of damaging masculinity: There is a meeting in my thighs where, in thunder and lightning, men are baptized in their anger and fighting their deceit and lies.

    Amongst the more raw, vulnerable songs, “Hours Were the Birds”, from the 2014 album of the same name, represented the romance of traveling with no destination. The song included hints of a poetic Springsteen-esque sehnsucht, a feeling of yearning for an idealised experience somewhere in the distance, reflecting on what you’ve gained and the traces of yourself you’ve left behind.

    Lenker’s sage storytelling was matched by her guitar skills. Her training at Berklee College of Music began when she filled a scholarship sponsored by Susan Tedeschi, and was accepted as one of only two women in the guitar program. Changing to an open tuning, she sang “Kerina,” filling the spaces between words with melodic guitar phrases which harmonized with her voice.

    Experimental indie folk artist Luke Temple opened the show, and joined Lenker on stage for a number of songs. The two explored various moods as Temple provided atmospheric accompaniment and effects from the mystical, peaceful declarations of love in “womb” to the darker and grungy “symbol.”

    Adrianne Lenker is a special kind of artist  who can make you feel just as exposed as she feels on stage, and yet help you find immense strength in that vulnerability. At only 27 years old, hers is a talent that’ll be heard for years to come.

    Visit Adrianne.