Just a little over a year after their debut album Family Tree, The New Jersey-based psych/funk rock band Uncle Stump have released their second studio effort, Panacea. Although officially an EP, this five-song release is jam-packed with the depth and diversity of a full-length album. Avoiding a sophomore slump, the band was able to capture the texture and sound of their live shows while in the studio. Something that can be challenging to artists that improvise as much as Uncle Stump does on stage.
After the gloomy psychedelia, the record brightens up a bit with “Body Talk”. A lighthearted track with both tropical and jazzy sections, that is sure to end up being a dance-floor favourite for fans to sing along to. The final track of the EP “Anita”, starts as an upbeat and playful romp that finds itself spinning around into a deep groove, complete with vocals parts influenced by the likes of Zappa or Claypool. A catchy little jam you may find yourself humming even after the album is over.
Uncle Stump has been added to this year’s Sherman Winter Jam at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, PA on February 16th. Headlined by revered Grateful Dead tribute Splintered Sunlight, the line-up promises to be a party full of explorative rock n’ roll.
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
Meat Puppets’ original lineup, Curt and Cris Kirkwood and returning drummer Derrick Bostrom, will be releasing a new album, Dusty Notes on March 8. This will be their first album together since 1995. The band has also announced that they will be touring the U.S. in support of the new record.
Formed in Arizona in the ’70s as youngsters, Curt Kirkwood (guitar, vocals), Cris Kirkwood (bass), and Derrick Bostrom (drums) found a sound that caused a stir in their local music scene and eventually became one of the most important bands of the alt-grunge era of the ’80s and ’90s.
The band was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2017, this is where the the original lineup played together for the first time in over two decades. The onstage chemistry between the three was overwhelming, as Bostrom stated, “It was so intense that even I couldn’t deny it! I remember why we did this. It was magical.” From this, Dusty Notes was born. Two tracks from the new album are available now on YouTube. You can see them below Tickets will be on sale Friday, January 18 on the band’s website.
Meat Puppets — 2019 Tour Dates:
April 4 – Sweetwater Music Hall – Mill Valley, CA
April 5 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
April 6 – Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
April 7 – Soda Bar – San Diego, CA May 8 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY May 9 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
May 10 – Underground Arts Philadelphia, PA
May 11 – Asbury Lanes – Asbury Park, NJ May 13 – Colony – Woodstock, NY
May 14 – Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT
May 15 – Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME
May 16 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
May 17 – 3S Artspace – Portsmouth, NH
May 18 – White Eagle Music Hall – Jersey City, NJ
For their Winter Tour opener in support of the upcoming album All For Money, Greensky Bluegrass found an enthusiastic welcoming crowd at The Palace Theatre in Albany on Thursday, January 10. Fan familiarity has grown greatly throughout New York in the past few years with two memorable shows at The Egg (the latter of which sold out), and now, a tremendous show at The Palace in Albany.
Circles Around the Sun performed a 45-minute opening set of instrumental Grateful-Dead-inspired compositions. The first few rows were packed-in with fans of Neal Casal’s Fare Thee Well project, which is finding tremendous response from fans in the live setting. The pairing with Greensky Bluegrass could not have been more perfect.
Amid a sea of bobbing heads, who were rapt with attention throughout the night, Greensky kicked off their first set of the tour with a quick jumpstart in “A Letter to Seymour” and “In Control,” off 2014’s If Sorrows Swim. “All for Money,” the title track of their latest release was an early highlight, featuring instrumental consonance that was coupled with exquisite vocal harmonies, and had room to jam built in.
“All 4” had an ebb and flow during the slow developing improv; one that grew to a remarkable peak before returning to a unified point. Greensky really shines when they unleash a jumble of jam inside their songs, always with an ear to bandmates and eventually finding their way home with applause to end the journey. It was followed by Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” to wrap up the first set.
Dobro-extraordinaire Anders Beck said, as the band returned to the stage shortly after 10pm, “You can tell it’s Set 2 because it’s after the first,” and with that Yogi-ism it started with “Old Barns” and “Murder of Crows.” The lights on this evening towered over the band, and illuminated the audience in a minimalist design that fit the stage and sound aptly.
Love was in the air on the back-to-back pairing of Jimmy Martin’s “Hit Parade of Love” and the ‘grassed up psychedelic reggae of Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved.” Happy Birthday wishes to Emily, from Beck, turned into Happy Birthday wishes to the entire audience over the course of the year. The show wrapped up with an encore of “Dustbowl Overtures” with a tip of the hat to NY in the vivid lyrics: “And the world’s whistle of a bullet going by / It’s a New York minute, New Mexico sky … It’s the volume of an image, it’s a vision in a song.” Closing the encore was the extended instrumental by the founder of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, in “Wheel Hoss.”
Greensky Bluegrass performs at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on Saturday, January 12 and All For Money will be released on all platforms on Friday, January 18.
Setlist:
Set 1: A Letter to Seymour, In Control, All for Money, The Four > Bottle Dry, Into the Rafters, Like Reflections, Burn Them (1), Blood Sucking F(r)iends, All 4, Money for Nothing
Set 2: Old Barns (2), Murder of Crows, What You Need (3), Hit Parade of Love, Could You be Love (4), Radio Blues, Broken Highways, Run or Die, Windshield
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
Radiohead fans were treated to an Internet-streamed surprise of a b-side track to 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. “Ill Wind” begins as a brooding, bass-driven track which opens to a full suite of synth inspired soundscapes towards the latter half. Released with the song “Spectre,” the band’s rejected intro theme to the 2015 James Bond film, the two tracks were an extra CD bonus with the purchase of the vinyl record.
Take a listen.
The release of “Ill Wind” comes during a flurry of news regarding solo work from Thom Yorke. He’s announced a limited edition release of more than 20 songs, cut from the soundtrack to the 2018 remake of Suspiria. Separately, a solo record, apparently sharing some political themes has been confirmed for 2019.
According to an interview with El Mundo, with translation from Pitchfork, Thom states “I didn’t have any desire to make very political music, but everything I do tends to go that way anyway.” The album will be produced by longtime Radiohead collaborator, Nigel Godrich.
Thom Yorke and Radiohead fans have much to look forward to in 2019, including Radiohead’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Coincidentally, Thom won’t be able to make it to the ceremony, he’s got some other things to attend to.
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.
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.
The 40th Anniversary Blues Music Award nominations have been announced by The Blues Foundation. Nominees in twenty-five different categories will converge in Memphis on May 9th 2019, at the Cook Convention Center for the award ceremonies and artist performances.
Several Blues Music Award nominees appeared in Central New York venues within the past year, including The Westcott Theater, Funk ‘n Waffles, Wakely’s, the New York State Blues Festival, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and the Chenango Blues Festival. The nominated artists that appeared at these venues are
Larkin Poe – Band of the Year,
Samantha Fish – Contemporary Blues Female Artist, and Contemporary Blues Album – Belle of the West,
Danielle Nicole – Contemporary Blues Female Artist, and Instrumentalist – Bass,
