Having just released the “Unhurried Journey” on May 29, Brooklyn musician Elena Moon Park, current co-Artistic Director of Found Sound Nation, a member of Bang On A Can, and a former player of the Grammy winning Dan Zanes and Friends, today premieres the video for the eponymous single. The world traveling Park, along with artist Lauren Gregory, illustrate what a free spirited world could sound and look like.
The albumUnhurried Journeyoffers a fresh and dynamic collection of reimagined East and Southeast Asian music and original, Western-style songs that encourage listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in their journey. Park says of the single of the same name:
The track “Unhurried Journey” is inspired by a serene and beautiful scene of the same name, created by artist Kristiana Pärn, which reminds us to take our time and make space for self-care on this journey of ours. In the song, I celebrate the beautiful things in nature that flow around us, slow and steady, with patience and care. I invited the wonderful musician Elizabeth Mitchell to sing this with me, as her music exemplifies patience and care for me.
On the website for the album, Park offers a suggested activity for kids (and adults) that accompanies the song, where you can try to draw a representation of something in the world that moves around you, slow and steady. The website also serves as a gallery dedicated to the collection, sharing the artwork that inspired each song, as well as the lyrics in original languages, translations of songs, stories, videos and more.
The video for “Unhurried Journey” was created by Park’s childhood friend Lauren Gregory, an oil painter and animator from Oak Ridge, TN. Park always found herself mesmerized by Gregory’s creations using stop motion oil painting animation. Gregory also created the video for the song “Anta Gata Doko Sa” from Park’s last album, Rabbit Days and Dumplings. Gregory said of her method behind the video:
When Elena asked me to make an animation for “Unhurried Journey,” I wanted to paint a sort of lullaby experience that was both adventurous and cozy. The landscape that this little bear family travels through is inspired by the foothills of the Smoky Mountains where Elena and I grew up as neighbors and friends. The two bears aren’t concerned about getting anywhere fast, they’re just enjoying the journey and getting some good quality time in together.
Unhurried Journeywas produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman and was recorded, mixed and mastered by Rob Friedman at littlelife studios and David studios in NYC. The 16 song collection encourages listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in the journey.
Artists strive to develop, grow, evolve. Blacktop Mojo’s latest release, Static, is certainly a product of that ethic. A 4 song EP that it is a get in your car, roll down the windows, crank it up, and drive recording. With their first three albums laying the groundwork, Static represents a defining moment in this East Texas based band’s career.
Blacktop Mojo
Issued as an EP, it equates more to a perfect album side. The bond between the songs begs for it to be played in its entirety. No singling out a song or two, you need to play them all. On first listen, I was so hooked that I played the EP through a second and third time before taking a breath. Simply put, this is a rocker. Raw, hard and an unfiltered.
Statoc = Blacktop Mojo
Twist the antenna around
Is there something wrong
There’s nothing but white noise now
The signal’s gone
“Signals Gone” – Blacktop Mojo
Blacktop Mojo has set a high watermark for future projects. If you are new to the band, what a place to start. For those those who have been in the know, Static will live at the top of the collection.
Joe Bonamassa shares perhaps his most monumental rock opus to date, “When One Door Opens,” recorded in the famous Abbey Road recording studio in London, England.
Released in tandem with a music video and co-Written by longtime collaborators, Kevin Shirley and songwriter Pete Brown, this brand new track harkens back to the glory days of Rock & Roll. Harkening back to the 60s/ 70s, ” When One Door Opens” celebrates Abbey Roads iconic history justly. This single marks the second of so far two surprise releases from Bonamassas Abbey Road studio session. Last month, he shared “A Conversation With Alice,” which was a follows in pursuit of Bonomassa instrumental side project, The Sleep Eazys.
Bonomassa is telling fans to keep their eyes peeled, hinting towards future releases. In the meantime, the Non-for-profit, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation continues to gain support for the recently announced, Fueling Musicians program which has been raising profits for musicians who are feeling the effects of COVID-19s constraints around the music industry.
Visit the Fueling Musicians website to find out more.
Legendary art-rock group The Residents has released their latest single “DIE! DIE! DIE!” featuring Black Francis of the Pixies. Their upcoming album, METAL, MEAT & BONE is based on newly discovered recordings of Alvin Snow (a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog) and includes 10 Dyin’ Dog Demos, 10 interpretations of the demos by The Residents, and six new works inspired by Dyin’ Dog.
The Residents have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music for almost fifty years. In addition to their groundbreaking work in the areas of trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group has also been credited with being among the originators of performance art and music video, with their videos included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
To know the story of Alvin Snow a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog, one must enter the world of an outsider turned bluesman. Born on Friday, January 13, 1939, Alvin Snow was abandoned on the steps of an orphanage. Snow created his own reality from the fragments of life drifting through his consciousness. He endured thoughts that were lined with the feeling life’s out to get him. This explains Snow’s unspoken rage and overpowering air of entitlement that allowed him to evade lawyers, angry victims, and the police. Lurking in the dark creases of his mind was a beast that haunted his every being.
The penetrating sounds of a jukebox pouring out of a small Mississippi town’s bar suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks one day. “Who’s Been Talking” sung by Howlin’ Wolf left Snow mesmerized and an overwhelming epiphany came over him. He began to devour every song recorded by Howlin’ Wolf and became interested in The Blues ever since.
Alvin Snow needed to come up with a stage name and everyone agreed Alvin Snow just wasn’t it. It took some thinking on his part to match the perfect name to his ruffled voice, and even more blemished character. A hospital bed fell on and crushed his dog which give him the inspiration to come up with the name Dyin’ Dog. Before the debut performance of his 10-recorded demos on January 13, 1976, Snow vanished and was never to be heard from again. In September 2019, the Dyin’ Dog Demos were extraordinarily released as a Box Set. The Residents bring these long-lost songs to fans worldwide with the release of METAL, MEAT & BONE on July 10, 2020.
Music has the power to bring people together in the name of solidarity. Throughout protest history, there have always been songs to aide in carrying the cries for social justice. Protest music came into mainstream popularity during the civil rights movements of the 1960s and 70s, with folk and gospel artists such as the late Pete Seeger and Mahalia Jackson. In todays current political state however, protest music has chosen a different voice. Hip-hop along with punk music have provided the loudest songs of racial protest during the black lives matter movement.
“Sound of da Police” by KRS-1
Off of the Bronx natives’ debut studio album, Return of The Boombat, “Sound of da Police” takes a hard look at police brutality. Although released in 1993, the song remains relevant in the current Black Lives Matter movement. Throughout the song, KRS-1 makes comparisons between the police and overseers who would police southern plantations while keeping slaves in check.
Key Lyrics:
“Officer, Officer, Officer, Officer! Yeah, officer from overseer You need a little clarity? Check the similarity! The overseer rode around the plantation The officer is off patrolling all the nation”
“One Four Love (Pt.1)” by Mos Def
The second track off of Mos Defs’ Hip Hop For Respect EP released in 2000 is another song centered around police brutality and racially-centered violence. With a hook that sings ” My people unite and lets all get down.”
Key Lyrics:
“My people unite, hop up and do it right We gotta have what? love peace and understandin One god, One love, One light One aim, One voice, One fight”
“Changes” by 2Pac
Riddled with commentary on the life of an inner-city black man, “Changes” is 2Pac’s timeless meditation on racial injustice. The song consists of verse after verse of 2Pac calling for change.
Key Lyrics:
“I see no changes all I see is racist faces Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races We under I wonder what it takes to make this One better place, let’s erase the wasted”
“Sunshine” by Pusha T
Bronx rapper Pusha-T takes a conscious approach in his 2015 release “Sunshine” telling America that the country is in need of a miracle. Pusha remembers Freddie Gray, another victim of police brutality and neglect.
Key Lyrics:
“These ain’t new problems, they just old ways I see one time turn sunshine into Freddie Gray Just another n**** dead, just another n**** dead Send another to the FEDs, send another to the FEDs”
“Banned in D.C” by Bad Brains
Well affiliated with the Afropunk movement of the 70s and 80s and regarded by many as the pioneers of hardcore, Bad Brains deliver this rage filled track about racial solidarity.
Key Lyrics:
“We, we got ourselves Gonna sing it, gonna love it, gonna work it out to any length Don’t worry, no worry, about what people say We got ourselves, we gonna make it anyway”
“Don’t Shoot” by Dave East
Dave East takes a creative approach, altering his voice to reflect on his encounters and experiences with NYPD through out his childhood, as a teenager, and as an adult. Born and raised in Harlem, Dave East delivers descript bars verse after verse detailing life in the city and coming to terms with racism and police neglect.
Key Lyrics:
“Left and right I’m seeing homies get interrogated, we ain’t safe where we live, this America ain’t it?”
“Spiritual” by Jay-Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFW5p2Qlx7M
In 2016, “Spiritual,” was Jay-Z’s first solo release in 3 years. Penning the lyrics after the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, Jay-Z said he held onto the release because he knew ” his death wouldn’t be the last” in a statement released with the song. Jay-Z calls out police brutality and the cycle of poverty and depression many in the black community are stuck in.
Key Lyrics:
I am not poison
Just a boy from the hood that got my hands in the air
In despair don’t shoot
I just wanna do good”
“Oppressor” By Jesus Piece
East Coast hardcore band, Jesus Piece target the oppressive behavior of police in the song “Oppressor” off of their 2015 EP release. Fronted by Aaron Heard, one of the most prominent black vocalists in the current hardcore scene, the song is delivered along with a brutal instrumental and has since been a highlight of many hardcore festival performances, bringing together people of color in the hardcore scene, all taking turns grabbing for the microphone.
As we enter June, the fourth month where live music performances are postponed until it is deemed safe to have mass gatherings due to COVID-19, we take a look at the music venues across the state that are closed for now, but in the coming months will hopefully reopen.
Working with 13 photographers to document more than 60 venues in 20 cities across New York State, we present this monthly series that will look at the current conditions of these beloved venues. As they reopen, we will provide photo documentation recording the changes over time in all corners of the state.
Great thanks to all photographers and venues who take part in this series.
Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Lorelei Rose Taylor released a gift to the world on May 22. Stepping into the studio for the first time to record her music gave light to her debut EP, Versailles, which lyrically navigates her own stream of emotion, intertwined with dreamy baroque-pop sounds. As Taylor explained to NYS Music, she treads on the strong influence of The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan, evident in her flawless singing, which also subtly nods to Florence Welch and Lana Del Rey.
Taylor grew up between Texas and Upstate NY and began exploring music on her own at a young age. But it wasn’t until 2017 when her interests returned to music following her college studies. With the help of the friendship of Robbie Grabowski, she began writing her own music and was given the courage to step into the studio in 2019.
Versailles EP
Taylor recently spoke with NYS Music about her experience bringing her music to the world for the first time and some of the inspirations into her songwriting.
Steve Malinski: The Versaille EP is your debut audio portrait to the public. How would you introduce yourself as a musician/songwriter?
Lorelei Rose Taylor: I would introduce myself as someone that’s very consistent in my message and my sound. I think I’m overall pretty melancholy, as much as I try to fight it that’s kind of just what happens.
SM: One thing I noticed about your sound is that it’s very clean and refined – particularly on one the songs, “If You Love Another,” almost right away I can hear the influence Dolores O’Riordan has on your singing. How has she been an influence on you and your songwriting?
LRT: She’s huge. I mean The Cranberries in general…when I think of my past and you know, out of my experiences in childhood that really shaped my direction, she stands out tenfold and it really comes back to growing up. I felt like it wasn’t a glamorous childhood by any means. So I’m in my room and I had this white boombox and I would like to sneak out to the living room. Remember those rotating CD things with the velvet interior that held the CDs? So I’d go in there and grab all the CDs I could find and shove them in the back of my room.
I would just like sit there for hours listening to all the weird stuff, and everything like that. I was kind of obsessive in that way. That was my outlet. No Need To Argue was that album that stayed with me and never left the rotation and I feel that way because I think Dolores sings like there’s a pain in her voice – that’s definitely her style – but she’s also really strong like you’re safe under her wing, in a way. I just I felt very understood by her.
And then “If You Love Another” was actually inspired by W.B. Yeats who is an Irish poet legend. I love the Irish. But yeah, I feel like it’s twofold, like there were a lot of strengths that I was trying to channel which I found in Dolores.
SM: Now that Versailles been released, what does that milestone – reaching that accomplishment mean to you?
LRT: I feel like I’ve always…this sounds so cliche, but like… dreamed of this moment. And now that it’s here, it feels a little bit like that false beginning, you know, when you’re like watching a show and they tease the beginning, and then they start the bullshit of the intro and the music. And I think it’s like the real show, the real beginning. That’s kind of what it feels like for me. Because I think… I don’t think like I’m doing the Lord’s work here. Like, I love the EP, and I’m so proud of it but I think that there’s so much growth to come and like so much exploratory work that I’d love to do from here. So it’s the beginning, but I don’t think it’s like the big moment for me, but I’m excited to see what happens.
SM: You’ve been exploring music since a young age…so what drew you into eventually writing your own songs?
LRT: So growing up, I spent a lot of it solitary and I feel like when you don’t have an outlet you kind of build your own and I feel like the writing and music that I turn to when I’m alone or whatever I was going through experiencing and it just always stuck with me. I recorded the Robbie Grabowski (from I Can See Mountains, Super American) and he like, kind of pulled the rest out of me.
SM: So the motivation to actually bring your material into the studio was that driven by Robbie?
LRT: Oh, yeah. Before that, I was just fucking around, like I wasn’t really… I mean, I dreamed of recording but I didn’t have that motivation or confidence to do anything with it and then he was like, “put your shoes on, we’re going to the studio today!”
SM: So this being your first recording project, how was the recording experience?
LRT: Oh my god. terrifying. I think it was last August [2019] – was the first time I’ve ever sat down in the studio. I was just right in front of a mic, that’s not my comfort zone. I don’t pretend to be a performer. So it was traumatizing. And I’m really grateful that I recorded with Robbie and Stephen Kellner and Jesse Cannon and Roderick, kind of like this very tight-knit circle which I’m grateful for. So Robbie just became a mentor and he was just like “pick up from the beginning, relax, chill out, it’s gonna be fine,” because I was terrified and it’s really difficult.
And you know, I learned a lot because when you’re singing a cover, for instance, “When You’re Gone,” that came super easy because I was just spinning the musical machine, you know, you have to channel the emotion, the performance, are you on TV?, the lyrics…there’s so much in one moment that you have to articulate and get right and I was just learning a lot the first time. I think “Casanova,” the first track on the EP, was the first song that Robbie and I wrote together, the first one we took to the studio and it took me probably eight months, nearly a year to like come around with that song and say “okay, we can just push it to the public,” because I just hear fear and I hear trauma because I was so scared in the studio. I guess it adds to the vulnerability a little bit.
SM: So now that you’ve learned a lot from that experience, do you think that might influence how you write your songs going forward? Or do you think you’ll still have the same approach?
LRT: Yeah, I’ve learned so much. And I think like, it really comes down to going back to being alone and just alone with my thoughts and not having to worry about any other element. It’s just me and the music and I feel like, especially during quarantine, recording by myself, there’s a different… It sounds very different when I’m writing alone and recording alone. There’s a different confidence. There’s a different way. I’m excited to share what I’ve done now alone in my own little studio to bring that to studio that’s going to be very different.
SM: You’re very introspective with respect to writing your songs and the emotions flow from what you’re feeling in that moment. So, when you go and you listen back to the songs especially in these current times, do they have a different meaning to you?
LRT: Yeah, I definitely think so. I mean, from like a personal standpoint…My favorite piece of was that our job is not to like our own music. It’s just to like keep making it. And I feel like the biggest thing in quarantine and creating (or trying to), removes that element to it. Hearing back the EP there’s so many moments where I’m like, “oh, I wish I did that differently” or “I wish this was scratched completely” but I think that removing that and just living in the moment more… I mean with COVID there’s just so much that we took for granted and I feel like just so lucky to be in a position to keep making music and I’m eager to get back to it. I feel like I’m more grateful for the music that I’ve made and more proud of it. I hope to make… all I have right now is that fucking record, so I hope to make happier ones because everything is very sad right now.
SM: You’ve also had a full length album in the works too?
LRT: Yeah, that was in the works. I mean, I’ve been writing for so long, but with everything that happened I didn’t have time to go back to the studios. I was like, well, I could either release an EP now or just have radio silence for the next… who knows how long. But yeah there’s a full album which will likely be called After Party. And it’s nearly done. It’s just like, you know, the finishing touches. But to your point now that everything has happened, I suppose there’s gonna be a lot of changes that I want to make to it with so much time to think.
SM: Have you been able to create any new content in this quarantine?
LRT: I’ve written one song from beginning to end. I was sad one day about two months ago and I was like, I’m clocked out, I’ve got nothing. So much of what I write is thriving off other people’s energy and people that I meet and see and right now I’ve only seen one human being for a few months now. It’s just very hard to find that inspiration. But I did write one song, a demo I recorded which was really an interesting experience because I wrote the whole track. I bought a MIDI controller and I produced the whole thing which I…that’s not my element… so I sent it to Robbie and he was just like “okay keep going.” It was kind of like a little pat on the back like, “okay this probably sounds like shit but like, I’m not gonna tell you that.” But yeah, great to bounce ideas off of him. Hopefully I have at least one more on the way in this infinite era.
SM: Once this whole thing blows over and you’re finally able to get the album recorded, what do you think you’re gonna be up to as far as live shows? Do you want to go out and perform these or just share them?
LRT: Yeah, definitely performing is on my roster. Especially around New York. New York has been home to me for eight years so there’s like a bond I have here. I’ll probably get back up to Syracuse. I spent a lot of my time there and all my friends are there, having like that space to have the energy to go off of which is very nice to perform to. Looking forward to that, looking forward to the album. My first music video for Versailles will be out soon, waiting for the final cut and my album will be out sooner than later.
You can stream Lorelei Rose Taylor’s EP Versailles below.
For years Utica’s own alternative rockers Trampoline Jetstream have played shows without recording a single track. Now even with measures in place that prevented them from being together they have produced their debut EP For Days On End.
The first single off the EP, “Patience,” shows off futuristic dreamy bedroom pop sounds backed by heavy bass that produces a psychedelic image. Urging listeners to take their time in ‘deciding their own fate’ and showing yourself patience in a time of drastic change and uncertainty, “Patience” is a track you can put on and forget about now.
For Days On End was long awaited from a band that has seen some trouble since they first decided to start recording their debut album in 2018. Plans were all brought to a screeching halt when lead singer Nick Vanderwood sustained vocal injuries that lasted over a year.
Recorded completely separately due to social distancing measures implemented during the pandemic, the debut EP will consist of three songs that did not make the debut album. The band has plans to release a full debut album hopefully in the fall according the press release. ‘For Days On End’ is available for streaming on all platforms.
It’s Memorial Day weekend and typically, you might find yourself at a music festival to kick off summer. With COVID-19, the collective experiences are on hold for the year, but festivals are doing their best to provide fans with a bridge to the experience they look forward to all year. Summer Camp Music Festival, founded by moe. in 2001 is holding a Virtual Festival all weekend, with live performances, throwback highlights, new songs, interviews, panels, and much more to bring Scamp vibes to the Scamp family across the country.
Each day kicks off with OM On The River hosting Yoga. Then Scamp will dive into various panel discussions, artist retrospectives, and close it out with bangin’ late night sets from some of the your favorite performers over the years, including hosts moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Keller Williams, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Twiddle, Gov’t Mule and more. As a bonus, Zac Brown Band, Trey Anastasio Band, Jane’s Addiction, Willie Nelson, Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Roots will be making appearances in Headliners: A Look Back segment, on Sunday, May 24.
Get a 3-Day Summer Camp Virtual Festival Pass and you’ll have the ability to rewatch the entire stream through June 17! Each 3-Day Virtual Pass is just $24.99 with a portion of proceeds going towards nonprofits including Headcount, Conscious Alliance, and Backline, plus participating artists and their crew. Get your pass here, and check out the schedule below!
With their new single “Open Sky,” Brooklyn’s Escaper give a taste of their upcoming studio release, Apotheosis, their first official studio album in nearly two nears. Due out on June 19, “Open Sky” fits the mood of the country right now – comtemplative, melodic and a needed reminder to take time to celebrate the simple beauty of human existence while the world is on pause.
Guitarist Will Hanza says of the album,
“[Apotheosis] represents change and growth for us as a band, as well as individually… On “Open Sky”, the first single from the album, we feel a freedom of being.” “Open Sky” represents the sheer Escaper way of breaking free of confinement and allowing our most true selves through. The idea… reflects the climb to self actualization.”
The single was recorded and mixed by John Davis at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, and colorfully exhibits the refined sound of Escaper’s dedicated core of musicians. “Open Sky” is the combination of each band member’s individual expertise combined with their musical sensibilities, keeping your feet moving and brain grooving as you listen.
An airy sequence starts off “Open Sky,” with light percussion and keys being introduced before a velvet smooth bass line frames the song as Hanza and company work into the structure of the song. The song has a full-bodied quality to it, with no one member standing out more than the others. “Open Sky” finds Escaper firing on all cylinders in a groove that is reminiscent of their live performances.
Escaper continues to bring fans both new and old their weekly Escaper at Home video series, and listeners can expect a great deal of fresh content ahead of Apotheosis‘ release on June 19 on Ropeadope Records.
