Rochester-based musician Caleb Churchill is on the verge of launching his next album, the fourth in a span of a little over a year. “Chuck Had Days Like This” gives us a first glimpse at the upcoming release. Indie rock influences abound in this frantic percussion-driven song. And the stream-of-consciousness spoken word sections are reminiscent of the 90’s lo-fi avant-garde stylings of King Missile and The Mountain Goats.
Churchill’s solo work shows another side of the frontman from Antilock, a garage punk band that’s been making waves in the underground music scene in Rochester for the past few years. More details about the new album will be revealed via social media. Follow on Facebook for news and upcoming events.
Like top shelf whiskey, country music is best served straight up. This is what Ryan Sutherland serves up in Sleepwalker. Pure unadulterated country, without any neotraditional, pop, or indie-rock influences to water it down. If you listen to what passes for country these days, and wonder what happened to musicians like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, give this album a spin.
I don’t trust any musician who works the bar venues and doesn’t have a decent drinking song. This 8-track long album’s got two. Sleepwalker kick starts with one of them, “Jimmy Tequilla.” Sutherland, with his guitar and slide, sings about the kind of guy everyone knows and shakes their head about. After the second chorus, the conclusion of song is told from Jimmy Tequilla’s perspective: You see, I can’t love nobody / as much as I love to hate me / She is like a deep dark well / A Better reflection of myself/ That’s enough to dull the pain. And in that moment, he becomes relatable as we realize that there’s a little bit of Jimmy in each of us.
“Bar Weirdos,” the other drinking song, features harmonica interludes as Sutherland turns a phrase about the communal nature of local watering holes. Well, leave your politics and your worries behind / Drink your communion straight from the vine / Here at the bar we’re all the same. Although the song is set at a bar stool, it’s the kind of song that’ll make you want to dust off your old cowboy boots and kick up your heels.
Sutherland continues to exhibit his ability to spin a yarn and set it to tune in “The Ballad of the Trap Man” and “Twisted Liz.” Interspersed are some songs that aren’t story-based: a contemplative medley called “Maybe Ya Can,” the longing reminiscence “Yuletide Regrets,” and the soul-searching “Two Bedroom Apartment.”
Sleepwalker was recorded and engineered by Eric Pinales at Nothing to Lose Studios in Irondequoit, NY. The album art featuring a hiker in the mountains was designed by Adam Kujawski. Sutherland wrote and performed the entire album himself.
Key tracks: Jimmy Tequilla, Bar Weirdos, Maybe Ya Can, Yuletide Regrets
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
Toronto quartet Wild Rivers returned to Rochester after their set this summer opening for Donna the Buffalo at the outdoor party, Band on the Bricks. Now it was winter, and the eternally gray skies were falling in the form of cold rain. The venue was cozy and warmly lit. Good Luck and the crowd was the highly attentive audience who frequent Honest Folk’s productions. Dancing feet were replaced by listening ears and Wild Rivers’ brand of poppy folk would hold strong across that divide.
They opened with their first written song, “Wandering Child,” a song which opened quietly before exploding with a full folk sound. Later, they introduced “Moving Target,” which is still two-weeks out from officially being released. Guitarist Khalid Yassein switched to keys and the band went fully electric, becoming more moody and ethereal. The set closed with a stunning, near-acapella, front-of-stage performance of “Howling.” Wild Rivers performed songs oldest to newest, electric to completely un-mic’d acoustic and the rest of the set was a healthy blend of everything in between.
Yassein and bassist Devan Glover traded lead vocals song to song and verse to verse. In the moments when their criss-crossing met with two-part harmonies, musical sparks ignited. Lead guitarist Andrew Oliver added in tastefully restrained yet intricate leads and also took over on bass for a couple tunes. Drummer Julien Laferrière kept everything humming along, from the slowest slow to rocking highs, matching the mood perfectly throughout.
Local singer-songwriter Cammy Enaharo opened the show with a short set. In the Swiss-Army-Knife of the Rochester music scene Enaharo has been a go-to vocalist for bands of every ilk. But tonight, it was just her and a baritone ukelele. Her rich and smooth voice was more than capable of carrying the day. Put them in front of her honest and personal songs and 30 minutes just had us hungry for more. Originals like “Neighbors,” “Home,” and “Mermaids” matched wits with her emotional cover of Desiree’s “You Gotta Be.”
If you like to see live music, but are not a fan of standing around in a crowded bar waiting around until late at night for the bands to finally take the stage, give Honest Folk a try. They start promptly around 7pm and don’t ever go past 10pm, so even on a weeknight you’ll be home at a reasonable hour. The shows are seated, the decibel level doesn’t require earplugs and most importantly the music is top notch. Their next show is March 12, back at Good Luck, featuring Dead Horses and Honeysuckle. Tickets are on sale now at early bird pricing.
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 Forestis 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.
Rumors have now turned into answers with the official announcement for the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock. Questions have been answered as to when the show will take place and where, as we now patiently wait for next month’s official lineup announcement when tickets for the event will also go on sale.
Woodstock 50 will take place on August 16-19, at the Watkins Glen International Speedway in Watkins Glen. The event will run the same weekend as the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival’s own Woodstock anniversary special. Original Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang stated that he is still working with organizers on capacity for the event which he expects in the six figure range.
Lang also stated that the three-day event will see “newer bands,” to honor the legacy of the festival by staging “celebrations of artists” who appeared at the original Woodstock event. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lang stated: “Having contemporary artists interpret that music would be a really interesting and exciting idea. We’re also looking for unique collaborations, maybe some reunions and a lot of new and up-and-coming talent.”
For the past several weeks, music enthusiast have been checking the internet everyday waiting for an official announcement ever since original Woodstock co-founder, Michael Lang, told the Poughkeepsie Journal that plans for the anniversary show was in the works but not a done deal.
Lang’s event will also feature programs, speakers and partnerships like Headcount. He said: “We want this to be more than just coming to a concert, and hopefully a lot of the bands will become part of this effort to get people to stand up and make themselves heard, to get and out vote. And if they don’t have a candidate that represents their feelings, to find one — or to run themselves.”
With Live Nation backing the Bethel Woods event the same weekend, and with Lang’s statement about “newer bands,” both lineups should look completely different. There is a 90-mile radius clause for artists when performing shows within a certain time frame. It’s highly unlikely that Live Nation will allow artists appearing at the Bethel event to appear at the Watkins Glen event. Having the same artists at the same shows on the same weekend could also hurt ticket sales for both events.
WNY’s Carpool and Syracuse’s Lily Grave are heading out on a weekender this month – hitting Buffalo, Rochester, Asbury, NJ and Brooklyn. They start off with an intimate show in Buffalo on January 16 before hitting their familiar stomping grounds at Bug Jar in Rochester on January 17. From there, they head to Asbury Park Brewery for a show on January 18 before wrapping it up at Bushwick Public House in Brooklyn on January 20.
Carpool recently released I Think Everyone’s A Cop, a follow-up to 2017’s I Still Blame Everything Else. In an interview with NYS Music, lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Colasanto said the latest collection of songs “is about complacency, substance abuse and relationships – like you’re stuck in a stagnant state of molasses.”
Lily Grave also had a new release in 2018, entitled Absurd Faces.
Jan. 16 – house show w/ Ghostpool & Previous Love – Buffalo, NY Jan. 17 – Bug Jar – w/ California Cousins – Rochester, NY Jan. 18 – Asbury Park Brewery w/ Toy Cars, ManDancing, and Prim – Asbury, NJ Jan. 20 – Bushwick Public House w/ Cold Wrecks, & Common Sage – Brooklyn, NY
