NYS Music 202​0

Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Front Biz, Waitress, In the Valley and more Featured on This Week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from Front Biz, Waitress, In the Valley, and many more!

    front biz

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    In the Valley – “Rest”

    Starting out in the bygone days of 2018, James and Katie Johnson have been playing folk-pop covers, but this year 2020, the married singer-songwriters announced an original music duo under the name In The Valley. Catch “Rest” this Sunday evening on EQXPosure during the second hour, and be sure to check out their performance on WHMT/PBS, “A House for Arts” this month. In The Valley’s music is a blend of folk indie, with lo-fi alternative pop grooves, with soaring voices and well told stories.


    Waitress – “Lonely”

    Ending the first block of tunes on Sunday evening’s EQXPosure is a tune called “Lonely” by Waitress. The band just lost a key member but their music is deeply enriching. A unique folk and electronic mix with Indie pop, Waitress utilizes ambient synths, and elaborated guitar lines, paired with electronic production provides a new twist on pop sound that is both relaxing and dance-y. Waitress’s beach-like ambience gives listeners a chill and relaxed musical environment, while at the same time inspiring them to move to the beat. More music from this dynamic outfit will be available in the coming few months.

    Front Biz – “Little Mutants”

    Front Biz is a shell company for an intergalactic real estate firm primarily focused on laundering money through an Earth-based rock band. Their latest album, Lunch Money, was recorded over three days in an Upstate NY cabin in March of 2018. The album was tracked live with virtually everything piped through a vintage Roland Space Echo for that timeless UFO hover. Victoria Rutledge and Anna Lazarou were ‘abducted’ for vocal support. Deep in the delay chain, the band made first contact with a disincarnate intelligence, entrapping them in a cosmic Ponzi scheme. Lunch Money is the group’s attempt to pay off their debt, and maybe get a bite to eat. Either way, the portal is open.





  • Indie Rocker Arsun Releases New Single “Southern Winds”

    “Southern Winds” the new standalone single from NYC indie rocker Arsun, showcases a mature songwriting approach with nostalgic vintage aesthetics and an original style. Glide Magazine praised “Southern Winds” for effectively incorporating the sound of previous decades. Indie88 acknowledged the catchy instrumental that highlights Arsun’s gritty vocals.

    Arsun
    Photo Cred: Tasmin Meyer Erashin

    Arsun’s musical influence for “Southern Winds” comes from a combination of Phil Spector, Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice” and The Beach Boys. Arsun also used inspiration from Homer’s epic “The Odyssey” and popular music from the 1950s and 1960s. The influences help to highlight Arsun’s mature approach to songwriting at 21. Click here to listen to Southern Winds.

    The main melody kind of just came out of the blue when I was messing around with some chords one day. I really liked them and thought they had kind of a special surreal sound. I made the lyrics try to kind of reflect that vibe.

    Arsun

  • Brooklyn Duo Bottler Capture Natural Beauty with “Soft Winds”

    Brooklyn’s electronic music duo Bottler released “Soft Winds,” their first single off their newest EP Grow, set to release on October 9. The collaboration with Samurai Velvet captures the mesmerizing beauty of the tropics’ ambiance with lyrics about reclaiming power in relationships.

    Bottler
    Photo by Rick Perez

    After working on different projects for years, lifelong friends Pat Butler and Phil Shore founded Bottler in 2017. Their strong emotional bond has allowed them to make musical discoveries together and explore their creative chemistry. The two break the boundaries of conventional music and represent true creative freedom. They don’t limit themselves to a single genre or form, and experiment with indie, dance, and electropop with acoustic, digital, and analog instrumentation. Their unique style is inspired by the vibrant Brooklyn music scene. Bottler’s artistic inspiration combines the past, present, and future of music.

    This blending of style is truly present in “Soft Winds,” which captures the feeling and sounds of nature’s beauty. Bottler says that “the song materialized in a day” on a trip to the tropics. “The goal was to capture the feeling of being in awe at the beauty of nature around us.” “Soft Winds” transports you to a place of tranquility with its blend of the electronic and the natural.

    bottler

    The track shows all the wonder of Bottler’s personality blended together with vocals from Samurai Velvet’s Saige Smith. As good friends with Bottler, Samurai Velvet “were moved and eager to collaborate” after hearing the track. Smith’s voice and lyrics stand out in the track, as she sings about reclaiming personal power after infidelity. The message of inner strength matches perfectly with the everyday quality of Bottler’s instrumentals. Surrounded by nothing but nature’s beauty, Smith sings, “I have the power to make myself free.”

    Grow follows Bottler’s previous EP, Clementine, and describes Bottler’s personal and creative growth. Bottler recorded the EP in their home studio with their analog synths, guitars, pianos, samples, and drum machines. The homemade quality contributes to the individual message of the album for Butler and Shore. Grow is Bottler’s debut with French electronic label InFiné, who quickly discovered them after the release of Clementine.

    “Soft Winds” is available to stream now. Stay tuned for Grow‘s release on October 9.

  • Montreal’s Le Couleur take Influence from the Skies on “Concorde”

    Le Couleur, an alternative pop group from Montreal comprised of vocalist, Laurence Giroux-Do, bassist Patrick Gosselin, and drummer Steeven Choudinard, has released their latest album Concorde. Despite COVID-19 cancelling numerous live performance schedules and release dates, that has not stopped Le Couleur from expressing fine work; Concorde is a well-tuned, melodic, and soothing album.

    Le Couleur

    When performing live, Philippe Beaudin joins on percussion and Francis Do Monte plays guitar and keyboards. For their new show, they recently changed and showcased their new formation, consisting of six musicians in total. The French-Canadian group had put out EPs in 2013 and 2015, before finally releasing their critically acclaimed debut album P.O.P. in 2016. Le Couleur’s synth-pop sound is filled with intricate melodies, tight basslines, and the album is a very enjoyable listen for indie pop listeners and recent live performances at home are just as nice to listen to. Amid the pandemic, they have recorded home performances in place of in-person events. Interested readers can find these in-home performances on YouTube.

    Concorde is named after an outdated airliner model that had a notable incident in 2000 when a fuel tank explosion on an Air France flight killed all onboard. The airliner would go out of service in 2003. Prior to the disastrous effect of the Concorde flight, it was positively perceived for its sleek design, and allowed faster flights in comparison to other airline models. The group was inspired by the ups and downs of the Concorde timeline along with the airliner’s symbolism. The Concorde’s sleek design represents that sexy, idealistic image of the carrier. The crash and its eventual retirement mark the “macabre” side that Le Couleur.

    Key Tracks: Concorde, Comme une fin du Monde, Train de Minuit,

    Concorde is out now on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Deezer, and many other platforms.

  • Get Familiar with Lucas Garrett and his new EP ‘Familiar Floors’

    Lucas Garrett, a 27-year-old musician from Glens Falls, NY, has just released his album Familiar Floors. Since his EP Evening’s Come, but It’s Not Dark in 2017, he has come out with a few powerful singles. However, this album marks a transition in his career where he sings about his life in a new, but confusing light.

    Lucas Garrett
    Lucas Garrett’s ‘Familiar Floors’ Album Cover

    Consisting of four songs – “Wires Humming,” “All Around Me,” “Inside Out,” and “One More for the Road,” – his album’s lyrics speaks volumes. With a mixture of rock and roll and folk, Garrett shows his talents with great musicians by his side. Bandmates including Kevin Kosach on bass, Emmett Rozelle on drums, and Cassandra Pratt and Bob Bates on Violin, all who contribute to Lucas Garret’s musical vision.

    Where am I right now?
    I cannot pretend
    To know where this room starts and
    Where it will end
    I have a strange feeling
    I’ve been here before
    Nervously make my way
    Across familiar floors

    Lucas Garrett – ‘Inside Out’

    The album’s name, Familiar Floors, resonates with anyone who has ever felt befuddled in their own life, not knowing what got them to where they are now or where it will take them in the future. Garrett has made this clear through his music that life takes you on unexpected journeys, but you always have to make the most out of where it takes you.

    Two Tails Graphics and Consulting

    Lucas Garrett has not had an easy life, but he is also very aware of how fortunate he has been. The singer-songwriter suffers from Pompe Disease which makes him wheelchair bound and in need of respiratory aid, but still he gets to live his dream of producing music. He understands the meaning of music and how music is different for every ear listening. Garrett says, “Music is an equalizer, ‘cause everyone gets it, you know? I play a lot better than some people, I play a lot worse than some people, and it has nothing to do with what I got goin’ on health-wise. And no matter what you do in life, there’s always gonna be someone better than you—and someone worse than you.” He does not let his condition define him, which continues to speak to his identity as an individual and as a musician.

    I can see your ecstasy all around me
    We have eaten, now we wait for the new day

    Lucas Garrett – ‘All Around Me’

    In his new song “All Around Me,” he sings about ecstasy which expresses his feeling of great happiness. Not only does he speak of happiness in his lyrics but he demonstrates all emotions: sadness, anger, and enjoyment, to name a few. On “Wires Humming,” you can hear these emotions come to light.

    My mind is burning
    The world is burning
    What the hell can we do?

    Where do we go?
    Gone before tomorrow
    We’ve been wasting
    Away our days
    Unrelenting dreams

    Lucas Garrett – ‘Wires Humming’

    It is not an easy task making lyrics that resonates with not only himself, but his listeners as well, and Lucas Garrett shows his talents better than ever in this new album.

  • The Sea The Sea, Sarah King, The Rough Shapes and more featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from The Sea The Sea, Sarah King, The Rough Shapes and many more!

    The Sea The Sea

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    The Sea The Sea – “I’ll be Loving You”

    On the wave of their latest release, Stumbling Home, WEQX will play the single “I’ll be Loving You.” Heartfelt lyrics, soul stirring harmonies, and very attentive arraignments make this music so interesting to indulge in listening. 15 million Spotify streams can’t be denied. The Sea The Sea is a pop band only in their melodic infectiouness, otherwise they are at their best when subverting conventions and making really excellent music.

    Sarah King – “Nightstand”

    Sunday evening EQX will broadcast Sarah’s newest single, “Nightstand” before it is released on October 2. Sarah’s powerful and dynamic voice is a link between Americana roots and pure wide open soul. Her songs are insightful and cut to the many dualities of the human condition. There is an intensity to her lyrical honesty and vulnerability. You’ll feel like you’re sitting on a front porch in the deep south on a sultry summer night with one too many drinks behind you, looking out at a dark, beckoning path toward a future you want to believe in but can’t quite see.

    The Rough Shapes – “Lost Stations”

    If dark moody rock-billy is a thing, here it is in all its glory. The Rough Shapes latest release is titled “Lost Stations” and is full of significant flowing melodic songwriting coupled with world-class performances by this guitar, bass, and drums trio of Jeff Kadlic, Colin Almquist and Dan Cartwright. On the surface the music plays, but there are layers of rich textures that continue to reveal themselves upon each deep listen to this awesome new release.

  • Premiere: Brooklyn’s Greywolf collaborates with Aya Nori on “Temple”

    Today, Greywolf drops the second single, “Temple,” off his upcoming debut album, titled Operation Wolf. A perfect follow-up to his solo debut “Exit Key,” the track continues the beautiful sounds and harmonies of the first release, as well as similar themes of release, cutting chains that weigh you down.

    greywolf

    Whether it’s shame, adversity or betrayal, “Temple” sends a message, making a conscious choice to live your best life and to project love, even in times of peril. The track opens with synth sounds that remind one of church bells ringing in the distance, as well beautiful harmonizing between Greywolf and guest vocalist Aya Nori. The track contains elements of hip hop and R&B, particularly Aya’s verse, and sounds at times like a Justin Timberlake tune.

    Aya Nori

    While Greywolf (Jay Grey) is best known for his work as bassist for Brooklyn-based Escaper, he has branched off to deliver a sound all his own. Once again he plays all instruments on this track — vocals, synth, bass, and beat programming. Additional lyrics written and sung by Aya Nori, who has recently released her sultry single “Daze,” the follow-up to her critically acclaimed song “Young And Offended.”

    Teaming with Aya Nori for “Temple” was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of her music for a long time and couldn’t be more excited with the end result. I feel we’re cut from the same cloth in terms of tonality.

    Greywolf

    “Temple” was mixed and mastered by Abe Seiferth. Greywolf’s debut album, Operation Wolf, will be available for release in Fall 2020. Wolf says of the upcoming album, “The timing of the record — I don’t think there is any better time to put music in the world. If I can project light and hope into this world then I know I’ve done my job.”

  • Wiley Watson Releases Pop Rock Late Night Bar Anthem “The Kid”

    Brooklyn based artist Wiley Watson today releases his new single “The Kid,” taking listeners on a journey inspired by a rambunctious night in York, England, post-breakup.

    Wiley Watson

    The song features a variety of styles blended to construct the party-induced instrumental. The vibe you can expect going into this track is cheerful regret, its the type of music that plays in the background of a dive bar with a PBR in hand and, that is what makes it “indie” in the best way.

    The instrumentals fuse influence from across genres including pop, indie rock, and hints of hard rock but, with a heavy reliance on a new-wave funk swagger.

    The alt-rock/pop artist promises to bring all the energy on his new track exclaiming, “The song is a party/bar fight type song,” exclaims Watson. “I want the listener to listen to this song before they go on a night out with the lads. It’s all about bad decisions, poor choices, and having a legendary night with your pals.” A statement which, is swiftly delivered as the track progresses.

    Wiley Watson

    Wiley is genuinely giving in his approach to writing his music and it’s content. You can feel robust with his upbeat rock anthems, can transcend into a memory with his melodic guitar riffs, or even feel melancholy through his sadder, ‘lost love’ songs. His style can be credited to a broad range of influences from classical composers, heavy metal shredders, arena singing pop stars, and even spaghetti western films; Wiley’s influences broadens his sound which allows for a wide audience appeal. 

    A former college athlete, Watson returned to New York City, a place that influenced his childhood and now lives in Brooklyn. Here is where Wiley would begin to challenge his sound and grow with influences of contemporary indie rockers such as Bleachers and F.U.N. 

    To find out more about Wiley Watson, visit his website, and for more music, check out his Soundcloud.

  • Fairy-Folk Artist Shira Releases Birds of a Feather EP

    Shira, a fairy-folk singer-songwriter from Rochester, has released the first part of her new EP Birds of a Feather on Sept. 18. The four-song EP is the first part of a two-part release with the rest of her project, called Birds of a Feather Flock Together, coming in 2021. Shira’s radiant personality provides listeners with an infectious amount of hope on her latest project.

    Shira
    Courtesy of One in a Million Media

    Shira released the music video for the song “Wait For Me” on Sept. 18 alongside her EP. The ukulele arrangement perfectly complements her journey from the US to reunite with her fiancé in Barcelona in the video. Shira’s nervousness for her international journey is also accompanied by a sense of hope as she sings, “One more breath before I go, there’s nothing left to hide.” While the lyrics reveal a level of vulnerability her graceful singing reveals optimism towards taking a risk as she did when she embarked on her journey.

    “Usually” positively embraces anyone who is going through adversity, especially fitting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her lyrics: “Don’t let fear kick in, it’s just trying to make your bright light disappear” encourages listeners to hold to hope even during times of uncertainty. Shira’s self-described “fairy folk” sound resonates through the lively orchestral arrangement on this track.

    Shira
    By Iraia Olivas Etxaniz

    On her title track “Birds of a Feather,” Shira successfully blends her voice with the ensemble of drums, piano, and guitar as she sings about the value of strength and unity in partnership. Even through life’s adversity, Shira’s reassuring lyrics: “We’ll brave this storm, birds of a feather” emphasize the strong partnership displayed in her video when she traveled to her fiancé across the world. Shira’s violin filled arrangement on “Go Uncharted” captures the decision to take a leap of faith into the uncharted unknown. In a mission to bring healing to the world through music, Shira’s Birds of a Feather delivers a needed sense of unity to listeners.

    Birds of a Feather is about finding yourself first, exploring, not being afraid to ask for what you want, struggling with the fear of never being seen, listening to your inner voice over outside noise, letting go and trusting.

    Shira

  • In Focus: Goose play sold out Drive-In shows at South Farms CT

    Goose wrapped up a run of Drive-Ins around the Northeast with two nights at South Farms in Morris, CT. Over September 16 and 17, fans spaced out on individual grids to properly socially distance during the show. The remote location in Western Connecticut is conducive to limiting a large amount of fans from descending on the show, as we slowly recover from the industry wide live music shutdown.

    With this past June’s Bingo Tour the last fresh Goose for hungry fans, they played two shows in Cape Cod at Yarmouth Drive-In prior to South Farms, and next plays Drive-In shows at Essex Junction, VT on October 2 and Swanzey, NH on October 3.

    goose south farms ct

    Having added percussionist Jeffrey Arevalo to the lineup in recent months, the five-piece group kicked off a funky night one with “Me and My Uncle,” a John Phillips tune popularized by the Grateful Dead.

    Night two featured a handful of notable covers, include Rick Mitarotonda singing Jim James level vocals on My Morning Jacket’s “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.) to close the first set. The second set kicked off with 25+ minutes of original “Indian River” -> “Crosseyed and Painless” by Talking Heads.

    Setlist South Farms, CT, September 16, 2020

    Set 1: Me and My Uncle (1), Flodown, Western Sun > Tumble, Jive II -> Jive Lee, Electric Avenue (2), Echo of a Rose (3)

    Set 2: Travelers > White Lights > Bob Don > Madhuvan

    Encore: Disco Inferno (4)

    (1) John Phillips
    (2) Eddy Grant
    (3) W/ Vocal Ending
    (4) The Trammps

    Setlist South Farms, CT, September 17, 2020

    Set 1: Switchin’ (1) > Doc Brown, Wild Night (2), Elizabeth, Rosewood Heart, This Old Sea, State of the Art (3)

    Set 2: Indian River -> Crosseyed and Painless (4), Lead The Way, So Ready, Arrow

    Encore: Arcadia

    (1) Wes Montgomery
    (2) Van Morrison
    (3) Jim James, FTP
    (4) Talking Heads Goose South Farms CT

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