NYS Music 202​0

Category: Album Reviews

  • Carnival Crash: A Legacy of NYC Post-Punk found within ‘It Is A Happy Man’

    New York City was much different in the early 1980s then it is today, and without Carnival Crash. The city had a dangerous seediness that was fueled by a Reagan era recession and a deadly arms race that was being perpetrated between the Super Powers of East and West. Everyday could be your last, and the young people of that time questioned everything and trusted no one. They banded together with a “can’t take it with you” attitude that challanged all of the prevailing norms of Reagan’s 80’s America. This cacophony of chaos was the genesis of the post-punk movement, which created some of the most iconic music in history in dank & dirty NYC punk clubs like CBGB and the famed 82 Club.

    Carnival Crash-photo - high res crop 2.jpg

    Bands like the Talking Heads and Television transcended from the punk scene to legendary heights, but for every success there were a multitude of brilliant but brief post punk outfits that never made it out of the NYC scene. This unfortunately was the case for Carnival Crash, a three piece dynamo that lasted just about two years, but luckily for the listener, this obscure trio left us a glorious time capsule. Their legacy of recordings, compiled on It Is A Happy Man (Obelisk Records), stands the test of time. This seven track gem of an EP is the reissue of two different recording sessions that Carnival Crash engaged in back in 1981 and 1982, before they ultimately disbanded later that year.

    The now defunk trio was comprised of Norman Westberg (guitar), Ivan Nahem (vocals/drums), and John Griffin (bass/vocals). Although the lifespan of Carnival Crash was short, the members left their mark with tracks like “Tell Tale Heart.” Nahem’s vocals and Griffin’s bass paint the picture of a smoke filled club with sticky floors and plenty of patrons adorned in black leather “slamming” to the hypnotic beat. The band showcases Westburg’s club seasoned guitar stylings, as well the band’s affinity for the classic monster genre with just a dash of twisted humor with numbers like “Frakenstein” and “Edge Of Night.” Both songs could easily be used today on any maccabe low budget horror flick soundtrack.

    Carnival Crash brings out their inner Bauhaus with Griffin’s haunting vocals and Nahem’s spot-on percussion work for the album’s fifth and sixth tracks “Nostalgia” and “Method 1.” The recording fidelity on these tracks could be described as poor compared to today’s digitally sanitized world, but these numbers were recorded on a TEAC 4-track recorder way back in 1981. The roughness and grittiness of these recording works in complete synergy to the Carnival Crash’s artistic aesthetic. There are no fancy modern Pro Tools production gimmicks like auto tune on this EP. The band just provides a boat load of reverb with healthy dose of post punk angst and pure artistic expression.

    Although their tenure as a band was brief, the members of Carnival Crash continued to create powerful and provocative art throughout the years and are still at it even today. Norman Westberg went on to join Michael Gira as the guitarist for NYC experimental rock band Swans, which would eventually disband in 1997. Westburg still creates music performing and recording as a solo act. Ivan and his brother Andrew formed Ritual Tension with Michael Shockley and Marc Sloan which has recently re-formed after their dissolution in the early 1990’s. They are currently touring and have recorded a new album It’s Just The Apocalypse, It’s Not The End, will be released this Fall on Arguably Records. John Griffin is still producing work as a painter and musician . His latest musical project is called  the griffin morrissey catastrophe.

    It Is A Happy Man by Carnival Crash will be released by Obelisk Records later this month. The record will be pressed on a limited run of 150 copies on chartreuse vinyl as well as being available in a digital format.

    Key Tracks: Tell Tale Heart, Fool, Frankenstein

  • Shubh Saran Becoming a Musical Medium of Genres

    Brooklyn based musical fusion, Shubh Saran, is Becoming a musical world map for genres. In a cell-phone driven society, you would open your GPS to navigate outward. Saran, 29, becomes a medium, channeling a multitude of genres inward and back out through his compositions. The Indian native fuses traditional music, with punk, blues, rock and his head-on studies in Jazz.

    The Delhi high school student made Berklee dream come true, honed his passion amongst a “best-of-the-best” melting pot at the college. He has resided in multiple countries, grabbing musical influence at every turn, and it shows. Now calling New York home, Saran’s latest creation, Becoming, is a must explore.

    The title track and lead single off the album was originally released Nov. 12, 2019.

    The 5-track EP is an navigation to new color palettes that will re-texture the ears of the most seasoned listener. The goal is not a means to an end; It is an exposition of clashing sounds that provoke a journey of unforeseen turns.

    Take The title track “Becoming” as example. Saran cresendos into a collapsing overture, filled with dual-drum-sets, arching strings and key pads. Everything peaks at once until Saran reels you back in with his ethereal guitar passage. It draws you into the basement of Berklee’s practice rooms and jam-sessions; the moment where you are sucked in reverse to the doorway, as an unknown musical fusion burst from its seams.

    Pairs of drums, Saxophones and strings create a flam-like density. An illusion of the same track being overlapped in slight delay should sound abrasive yet this creates an ever-expanding feeling. The 5:09 track feels like one deep inhale. Its healing breath ends abruptly.

    ‘Becoming’ definitely wasn’t written as the single off the album, nor was the EP supposed to be named after the song, or vice versa. As I started writing it, though, I began to realize that this is the anthemic song that really sums up the whole message of the EP.” 

    Shubh Saran
    Shubh Saran Becoming – Released February 10, 2020

    Saran’s musical quests become physical as he travels across the globe with his work. Strength, musical and cultural growth bloom in the cyclical nature of Suran’s playing. Most recently he took this EP on tour to with performances and workshops across New Delhi, Goa, Gurgaon and Mumbai. “I compose in a modern jazz sort of idiom, but I decided to revisit the music I grew up with as a teenager… it was Blink-182, punk rock, Green Day, the kind of music you don”t associate with ”serious music”,” Saran told Outlook India. Saran is giving back, filling the music void he had as a high school student. He excites the musical realm and young artists alike.

    “I’ve always liked artists who have long music careers, where their first album is really different from their last album, and you can see the evolution and influences over time. I’m just celebrating that by being who I am as a musician.”

    Track Listing:
    1. Becoming
    2. Storm
    3. Safe
    4. Comfort (feat. Hannah Sumner and JAE SOTO)
    5. Dust

  • Hearing Aide: Vaporeyes “Cantrips”

    Syracuse quartet, Vaporeyes, is set to release its sophomore album Cantrips this Friday the 13th. This comes on the heels of Vaporeyes’ eponymous first album, a Syracuse Area Music Award winner just last year. Both albums were beautifully produced by More Sound Recording Studio and are quite the sonic achievement.

    vaporeyes cantrips

    “Cantrips is an old Scot word that basically means a magical spell of any kind” says Jonas Reddy-Nicholson (keyboards, vocals) when asked about the meaning of the name. He goes on to say, “Cantrips is also what they call the type of spells one can cast at any time in the game Dungeons & Dragons.” The band ended up tying the new album thematically to a D&D campaign that they played together.

    And play together, they do. Stylistically they fit snugly into the jam genre. Pat Tierney (guitar) is such a versatile player. He can solo and do the heavy jam riffing so familiar to fans of the jam scene. But he also steps back and lets the other players in the band shine in their roles. “Juice” opens the new album and has a psychedelic, escapist vibe to it. The ethereal vocals and keyboards from Reddy-Nicholson lay the foundation. And the rhythm section members, Shannon Zory (bass) and Sean Cadley (drums) only accentuate the flow.

    vaporeyes

    But before you close your eyes and float away, the band changes things up, shaking the listener from the dream state. One of my favorite examples of this on the new album is “Donye Wump.” Cadley on the drums turns the tempo up and brings everyone along with him. Zory’s bass lines are a joy here, too – thumping, moving and bumping. Hearing this song live is an absolute blast.

    The members of Vaporeyes all live together, which made all band activities (band meetings, practices, livestream performances and working on new music) all that much easier to schedule and follow through on. Moving into the Covid-19 lockdowns of this past Spring, the band was in a unique position. They had an abundance of time together and really were able to do even more work on the music and new album. When their gig money dried up, they launched what turned out to be an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign to fund Cantrips. It wasn’t just a win for Vaporeyes. Give this album a listen. This is a win for all of us!

    vaporeyes

    Key Tracks: Juice, Donye Wump, Peregrine

    For more Vaporeyes information, as well as recordings of their excellent “Quarantine Jams” can be found on Vaporeyes’ Facebook page.




  • Hearing Aide: Joe Bonamassa ‘Royal Tea’

    Utica’s all grown up boy wonder guitar god, Joe Bonamassa, has just unleashed another fantastic solo album, Royal Tea. Recorded at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios. Bonamassa’s latest is a tip of the hat to his British blues rock heroes, Jeff Beck, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Led Zeppelin, Cream and more. It is also as much a showcase for his increasingly progressive and mature songwriting, as is his always sizzling six-stringery.

    The 10 originals here were co-written by Joe and Brit notables including former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, ex-Cream lyricist Pete Brown and piano man Jools Holland of Squeeze fame. Bonamassa’s long-standing producer Kevin Shirley and his touring band, Anton Fig (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass) and Reese Wynans (keys), flew in for the sessions.

    Joe Bonamassa Royal Tea

    While Royal Tea is a nod to British blues masters, it is not at all about retreading the classics, or the simple but saintly joys of going round and round the 1-4-5 pattern. It’s an album full of songs that are firmly rooted in a blues feel, but with very progressive and surprising leanings. It’s all about the unexpected chordal turnarounds and multi-movements that span epic length, things that owe more than a bit to Brit prog acts of the ‘70s.

    Bonamassa sets the tone with the album opener, “When One Door Opens.” It kicks off with baroque strings and brass that could’ve been mustered up by another true Abbey Road legend, Beatles’ producer George Martin. It’s a mournful ballad that feels a bit like Guns N’ Roses “November Rain,” until it shift into a nasty Led Zep-styled groove and then a boogie for a screaming wah-fueled solo. It solo winds down with rhythmic quote from “Beck’s Bolero,” before returning to the mournful orchestral mood for the close.  A ballsy move, as this one clocks in at 7:34, making it the longest track on the album.

    The title track follows. It’s another hard blues with a thick slamming groove and unexpected descending chordal turnaround, and yet another Beck-era Yardbirds’ quote in the solo. Here and everywhere on the album Joe’s guitar tones are killer, honey thick and biting. And his solos here are kept brief, always in service of the song. And why not? Joe’s got one of the world’s best employed vintage guitar collections to make these varied sounds, a virtual museum that can be viewed here.     

    “Why Does It Take So Long to Say Goodbye” is another of the many slow grooves here. Joe wrenches every bit of emotion out of the melody, with his guitar playing and his vocals, the latter which gets better in each passing album. This is another blues in a few epic movements over its six and a half minutes, where he complements thick power chording with sweet flourishes on his acoustic.

    For a John Lee Hooker-styled boogie, with extra crunch, turn up “High Class Girl;” for a bit of Southern rock and slide, tap into “A Conversation with Alice.”  On “Lonely Boy,” Joe and company go for broke, with a sprightly big band jump blues with rocking’ horn parts. Some beautiful soloing from Jools Holland and what must be flashy chromatic runs on a vintage Telecaster from Joe. This is a track that would be totally at home on a Brian Setzer album.

    One of my favorites is the offbeat “Lookout Man!” This one combines another Jimmy Page-styled riff with Space Rock sound effects a la Gong/Steve Hillage, with a nasty blues harp and a chorus of female singers that sound like Ike and Tina Turner’s Ikettes. “Savannah” ends the album on an up tempo, with slamming’ country picking and a droney fiddle.

    This week Royal Tea made a big splash on the charts, earning Joe Bonamassa his 24th #1 album on the Blues Chart, an incredible feat, more than any other artist in the history of the chart!  More importantly, it’s gaining Joe fans beyond the narrow blues niche. He’s #5 on Current Albums, #6 on Indie Albums, #7 in Rock and #7 in Rock charts. 

    Bands like Cream and Zeppelin were successful because they took to the wonderful foundation of American electric blues and did something new and different with, with each album as their careers progressed.  Bonamassa deserves their level of success because he is following in their progressive and bold footsteps.

    Key Tracks: When One Door Opens, Why Does It Take So Long to Say Goodbye, Lookout Man!

  • Garcia Peoples Serve Up Psychedelic Studio Effort “Nightcap At Wits’ End”

    Nightcap at Wits’ End has been out for a month, and the buzz behind Garcia Peoples latest release is well justified. Named one of the fall’s most anticipated albums by Uproxx, and “their most focused and engaging work to date” by AllMusic has put the New Jersey band on the radar of Rolling Stone and live music afficianados in New York City. The group’s grand psychedelic sound and penchant for improv when live carries through on Nightcap at Wits’ End, an ambitious effort that delivers from start to finish.

    garcia peoples nightcap
    Artwork by D.Norsen

    There is an actual Wits End Tavern on the NY/NJ border in Unionville, NY near Black Dirt Studios where Garcia Peoples recorded their last two albums, Cosmic Cash and One Step Behind. The nightcap offered on their new release is more than a pre-bedtime listen – the experimental weirdness of “Fire of the Now” and the early Genesis mixed with psychedelia of “Gliding Through” are meant to provoke the listener early on into continuing the journey of Nightcap at Wits’ End.

    Tom Malach and Danny Arakaki formed the band in New Jersey, slowly solidifying the lineup with Danny’s brother Cesar (drums) and Derek Spaldo (bass) joining the two guitarists in mid-2016. Having since relocated to New York, they have added Pat Gubler (keys) and Andy Cush (bass) with Spaldo shifting to vocals and guitar, making a trio of guitarists at the center of Garcia Peoples‘ sound. Nightcap is the first time the six have recorded together in the studio, the result being a transference of the live experience to the studio album.

    In discussing Nightcap with NYS Music, Spaldo revisited One Step Behind, with its 30-minute title track making for a one of a kind album.

    One Step Behind is certainly a unique type of record – primarily one long piece of music with multiple movements. We’ve played that entire piece live, even drawing it out to about 50 minutes of non-stop music. But Nightcap at Wits’ End feels like a solid snapshot of “here’s what you might get at a Garcia Peoples show”: high energy, hard-rocking tunes, with a tempting taste of our improvisational flair.

    I like to think of Nightcap as the record where all six of us let our musicianship really soar in a “balls to the wall” kind of way. When we were recording it, there was a strong sense of being in the groove. There was even an improvisational nature in the way that the songs were created. We really put a lot of ourselves into the making of it.

    Derek Spaldo, Garcia Peoples

    Nightcap is indeed a full album where the musicianship shines, particularly on the second side, where one finds songs interconnected as they flow from one to the next. This effort mirrors the live experience of seeing Garcia Peoples, while offering early Pink Floyd influences heard on “Crown of Thought” and the seamless segue into the 1:36 of “Sound Controls Time.”

    Drawing on 1960s era psychedelic music frames Nightcap, and influences the band without emulating them outright.

    Blossom Toes, Jefferson Airplane, The Turtles, and Mighty Baby are some bands that come to mind. Our whole ethos of having super open-ended jamming, taking things way out sonically, is certainly inspired by the late 60s psychedelic movement.

    Though from a songwriting POV, I feel that our collective inspiration works more as an accumulation of influences that seep into our creativity through osmosis. I wouldn’t necessarily say that we deliberately set out to imitate our influences. Though having a common frame of reference is always useful in the development stage when trying to convey what the vibe of a song should feel like, what the arrangements should be like, etc.

    Derek Spaldo, Garcia Peoples

    A majority of Nightcap at Wits’ End was recorded earlier in 2019, just after finishing a tour, adding to the comfort in switching from the road to the studio.

    Most of the basic tracks were recorded with the six of us playing live in the room together, so there is that kinetic interplay that one can hear on the record. I think recording as live as possible is the best way to go for us; the way we play off each other is so in-the-moment and essential.

    Derek Spaldo, Garcia Peoples
    garcia peoples

    Whether you catch the Doors vibe of “Altered Place,” find yourself lost in the seven-minute acoustic-prog journey “Painting a Vision that Carries,” or fall into “(Our Life Could be your Van)” – harboring a long spacey beginning that picks up steam, traveling through valleys on an instrumental vision quest – Nightcap at Wits’ End is an album that puts Garcia Peoples in the spotlight and on a pedestal as we patiently look forward to what comes next.

  • Hearing Aide: Soviet Dolls ‘Keep Sweet’

    Rochester-based synth pop outfit Soviet Dolls have emerged from the cocoon of their retrofitted studio. Their third EP, Keep Sweet, swathes the listener in an ethereal neon sheen of electronica. It’s lighter fare than their previous releases, but then we could all use a little levity these days.

    soviet dolls


    New vocalist Emily Brown made her debut with Soviet Dolls earlier this year on their cover of Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer.” She’s a natural fit for the band’s original work as well. Her subtly nuanced vocals temper the robust instrumental textures. She keeps the vessel on an even keel as the music careens between the distinct twinkle of keyboard runs and segments awash in fuzzy reverb. The digital sound is augmented by analogue processes and instruments, marrying the nostalgia for 80’s culture with the sophistication of modern techniques.
    All funds raised by album go directly to help Rochester Hope for Pets, an organization created to assist pets in the greater Rochester area whose owners are facing financial difficulty. Donate $5 or more via Play It Forward to get the Keep Sweet download code via email. Follow Soviet Dolls on Facebook for more information and updates.


    Photo by Krit Upra

  • Charley Orlando Writes a Simple and Honest “Note to Self”

    My extended family have tried to sell me on Bob Dylan’s music for years.  Although it took them all my life, I’ve come to appreciate Dylan’s influence. The Folk and Americana genres have certainly grown on me.  And I’m not the only one. Many folks listen to and play folk music. Need another example? Look no further than Charley Orlando — who is prepared to launch a new album, called Note to Self.

    charley orlando Note to Self
    Photo by Ian LaRochelle

    The new/old wave of Folk Music

    It seems like just a few years ago, only independent artists exposed themselves as folk lyrics require. But recently, Top 40 artists such as Post Malone and Taylor Swift have both released charting records with folk backbone. As such, folk music has a lot of new listeners from the Millennial and Zoomer generations.

    Looking at the music industry in terms of trends like this, Orlando could not have picked a better moment to release his new songs.

    Who is Charley Orlando?

    Orlando’s career spans 30 years with jam band Dexter Grove on his resume. But instead of a group with multiple instruments, Note to Self contains acoustic guitar and raw vocals almost exclusively.

    But this doesn’t make the project any less ambitious. Note appears with visual aid with Orlando performing each song at various locations. And Orlando is an ambitious person with a cult following. Note holds a spot in a lineup of over fifteen releases, and it’s of course hard to say where this one falls. But it doesn’t matter. The album is accessible to those hearing Orlando for the first time.

    Starting From the Bottom…

    Like many of Dylan’s songs, you can pretty much start anywhere and you’ll eventually hear the right track. Both Orlando and Dylan’s lyrics make me think, “yeah, that is a good idea. He’s totally right.”

    They say, “Less is more.”

    The thing that draws me to this album is that unlike many albums of this year, Charley relies on few, if any, sound effects or ProTools plugins. While I do emphatically enjoy a good polished sugar pop album — such as the aforementioned Swift or Post — there is something wonderfully real about an acoustic guitar and a voice coming from a backyard or by a lake.

    And it is real. Orlando convinces the listener of his true emotions in this effort while making larger statements about the world in 2020.  Orlando leaves a positive impression while also asking relevant questions.

    Another thing I find so accessible about this album is that — especially due to the visual element — Charley seems like a person that you could have a jam session with on your back porch, not the impossibly busy celebrity persona that surrounds many musicians.  It is likely for this reason that Orlando has built himself a steady listener base without the aid of major labels or big advertisement.

    That realness on Note to Self the exact same thing I enjoy so much about the Bob Dylan songs I’ve heard so far. And I don’t have to say much more about it, because good art sells itself.

    Note to Self is available October 30th 2020 on all major streaming services.

    Key tracks: Note to Self, Torch, All It Can Be

  • Sarah Noell Releases EP About ‘Love and Solitude’

    Ithaca-based and indie-folk musician Sarah Noell released her first solo EP Retreat To Space on Friday, October 16 on all streaming platforms.

    Album cover art for Retreat To Space

    Noell was originally in the band Wildflwr, along with her mates Nick Scollard and Mary Cain, but the pandemic forced her to experiment with her music independently.

    I wasn’t sure I could do this by myself, a year and a half ago Nick was still setting up all of my gear and Marty was booking all of our shows. This EP has shown me that, when forced to be alone, I can still learn and grow without the hand-holding of others, which I really needed before. 

    Sarah Noell

    Growing up in rural Connecticut, Noell began her musical career at age 13, but didn’t take it seriously until after graduating from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. She stayed in the trendy city, where her music grew and flourished. Since then, has Wildflwr come out with multiple folky EPs, but when the pandemic put the band to a halt, she began writing her own songs.

    Sarah Noell
    Sarah Noell

    According to Noell, this EP is about love, relationships and life over the years.

    The EP is a collection of songs that reflect on my experiences in love, friendship, and solitude in the last five years or so. The title track ‘Retreat to Space’ reflects on a soured relationship but also deals with living mostly in my head, blurring reality, which is a recurring theme on the EP. I’m sure many people can relate, as we’ve all in a way retreated inwards during the pandemic.

    Sarah Noell

    The young musician hopes because live shows are on a break, that internet, social media and live streaming will pass her new music along.

    If you’re in the mood to listen to some dreamy tunes and ponder about life, go one of the streaming platforms and enjoy the ride.

    Retreat to Space is available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and more.

  • Magic Dance gets us into the Halloween spirit with new EP “From Death To Life!”

    Magic Dance, the solo project of singer/songwriter Jon Siejka, is releasing a new album this December titled Remnants. However, the band decide to couple the release of the album with a new EP From Death To Life!

    Siejka does not stop there and pleases fans with also a new music video for the first single “Zombie Breath Surprise.” Siejka had fun writing and recording the song, as he wanted to create an AOR celebration in the spirit of Halloween.

    Magic Dance

    Formed in Long Island, NY, Magic Dance was started by Jon Siejka in 2012. Siejka is a self-taught musician and producer. Siejka wanted a platform express his synth-wave music, which was influenced by iconic-synth 80’s pop and movie soundtrack music. His sound has evolved over time, and has now become a heavier, guitar-oriented style, reminiscent of classic AOR music. The songs also have strong elements of mid 80’s music.

    The line-up for the EP consisted of Jon Siejka on the vocals, guitars, and synths. Kevin Krug, Gabor Domjan, Luke Anderson, Emanuele Moretti were on the bass as Kevin Mcadams was on the drums. Gdaily was credited for the saxophone, and Tim Mackey provided guitar solos on “Zombie Breath Surprise” and “No Light (Hand Of Death)”. Ziy Shalev also had a guitar solo, for the track “Oh No”. For more information, you can find Magic Dance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Their new EP, “From Death To Life!”, is out now!

    Key Tracks: Zombie Breath Surprise, No Light (Hand Of Death), Oh No

  • Hearing Aide: Body Language “Travel Guide”

    Body Language, a Brooklyn-based indie-electronic quartet, will be putting out their fourth LP entitled “Travel Guide” via OM Records on October 9th.  The band is comprised of Angelica Bess, Grant Wheeler, Matt Young and Ian Chang.

    Body Language Travel Guide

    The band was formed in 2008 and since then they have released three LPs – Social Studies, Grammar, and Mythos. Their hit single “Well Absolutely” off the sophomore album was featured on a Lord & Taylor advertising campaign. Previous releases have been described as a transportive experience.

    “One thing is for certain, the album will be transportive (as with their previous releases) whether that’s moving people to dance at home on their own or travel to sunnier days in their imagination.” -Cool Hunting

    Ahead of the official release of the their forthcoming 2020 LP, they have released three singles – ‘Perfection’, ‘Boomerang’, and ‘Wherever I Think if You’. ” “Perfection,” is a soulful and bubbly single . The tracks relaxed melodies along with the silky instrumental go along harmoniously with vocalist, Angelica Bess’s easy going voice. The band described the track saying, “we love how alluring Perfection is on the surface…because all the while, we’re portraying the impending ruin approaching…and just like the, the track unravels.”

    Body Language’s fresh electronic sound with infusion of R&B, disco, and house have already garnered a great anticipation for Travel Guide, which chronicles an itinerary in route through ten tracks and is their most collaborative effort yet. The album premiered on Glide, who pr commended the group for their ability to meld genres and, “create their own musical mood swings over a virtuous mix of loops, beats and spot-on-vocals”. Perfection by Body Language is a great escape album to look out for.

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