Category: Genres

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.

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.

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.

September 30, 2020
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Announce Weekend Live Streams

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead announced new dates for live streams which will benefit Headcount to encourage voter registration among music fans. The live stream multi-day event will take place from October 1-3 on multiple platforms.

The live stream was originally supposed to take place from October 2-4 on the pay-per-view system. Now, the event is being presented by LOCKN’, Relix, Twitch, and FANS and will be free for viewers on the Twitch channel at 8:00PM EST, October 1 – 2. It will also premiere for LOCKN’ 2021 admission ticket purchasers exclusively on October 3. .

Ticket holders will receive an access code to watch an exclusive set of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead which will be hosted on FANS at 8:00PM EST. All purchasers of the previously announced pay-per-view live streams will receive a full refund according to the press release.

The live streams will accept donations to help support voter registration and turnout in the upcoming election. They are doing this in teaming up with HeadCount, the non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy. People viewing the live streams on each day will have the opportunity to make in-stream donations to HeadCount and be able to verify their voter registration status.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will be performing at an indoor location for the streams and then the broadcast will feature visual integration of LOCKN’ landscapes, giving fans at home a unique and immersive experience. The show is being presented by LOCKN’ as well as Dayglo Presents and Dogfish Head Brewery.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is made up of Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. They are a well known and loved Grateful Dead cover band that formed back in 2013.

For more information on the live streams and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead visit their website.

September 30, 2020
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.

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.

September 29, 2020
Nicolas McCoppin Provides A Jepsen-esque Adrenaline Rush on “Loverboy”

On Friday, September 25, NYC pop artist Nicolas McCoppin released his debut studio EP Loverboy. The eight-track EP includes four new tracks, as well as previous singles “Stuck,” “Ur Love,” “Remember That Night,” and “For Years.” New dance-pop song “Heaven” was released shortly before the EP:

Continuing the lovestruck nature of its singles, Loverboy is positively infatuated. Besides the whimsical and even naive lyrics, McCoppin channels a disco-fied Cupid on the album cover. But in addition to his proclamations of romantic love, the album is equally a love letter to his city.

New York City played a really huge role in the project. It’s where I wrote and recorded all the tracks. In my eyes, the project is not only about falling in love with a boy, but it also doubles as a love note to New York […] I touch on growing up in a small town in Upstate New York and then escaping to the city to find love.
Nicolas McCoppin

In addition to “Heaven” and “Remember That Night” shouting out Brooklyn and the Bronx, there are two whole tracks just about New York: “Subway Sunsets” and “City of Love.” The brief electric guitar bridge in “Subway Sunsets” is one of the album’s most creative moments, and “City of Love” feels like an East Coast “Teenage Dream.” Loverboy’s sound and lyrical content also borrow heavily from Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion and Dedicated albums, specifically her song “Now That I Found You,” but the added city homages help McCoppin make the 80s-inspired dance-pop sound his own.

While this type of pure pop is rarely found on the Billboard Hot 100 these days, it still has a steady cult fanbase kept afloat by Jepsen, Kim Petras, and Charli XCX (at least when the latter leans into a more accessible sound). McCoppin fits right in with those artists on Loverboy, and their fans will definitely gravitate towards him.

Stream Loverboy on Spotify:

September 29, 2020
Jericho Drive-In Theater to Host Drive-In Concerts

High Peaks Event Production has announced a series of double feature drive-in concerts. Set to take place at the Jericho Drive-In Theater in Glenmont, NY, the live performances will begin at 7 p.m. A special movie screening to follow at 9:15 p.m.

Jerry Garcia fans will rejoiced as The Garcia Project live performance on October 2nd at 7 p.m. Watch as the only nationally touring Jerry Garcia tribute celebrates the past 10 years of success. A special showing of the documentary film Festival Express follows. The 2003 film gave an undoubtedly insightful look at the 1970 train tour that featured rock musicians such as Grateful Dead.

Jericho Drive-In Flyer

On October 3, Zac Brown Tribute Band will perform prior to a showing of Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. And on October 9, Classic Rock Legends of the Vietnam War will perform ahead of Oliver Stone’s The Doors. For the latter, all proceeds from this event will go to benefit Capital Region’s “Blue Star Mothers of America.”

The latest double feature announcements come after a successful turnout on September 18. A few hundred music fans turned out for the Pink Talking Fish and Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused.

While music fans have the chance to jam out, social distancing guidelines are to be enforced nonetheless. Attendees are required to stay within their group and face mask must be worn at all times outside the vehicle.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.jerichodrive-in.com.

Despite strict social distancing restrictions still in place drive – in concerts have become just another way many have been getting their concert fix. High Peaks Event Productions and the Jericho have adopted this new normal as well.

Over the summer High Peaks Event Production introduced NY Rock N Roots. Every Sunday artists from the local Saratoga Springs area performed live Rock N Roots Facebook. The 60 year old drive-in hosted a handful of special concerts this summer as well.

Concert Schedule:

Oct. 2 – The Garcia Project / Bob Smeaton’s Festival Express

Oct. 3 – Zac Brown Tribute Band / Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous

Oct. 9 – Classic Rock Legends of the Vietnam War / Oliver Stone’s The Doors *all proceeds from this event will go to benefit Capital Regions “Blue Star Mothers of America”.

September 29, 2020
In Focus: Jimmy Herring and the 5 of 7 at Brooklyn Bowl
On Saturday, September 28, 2019, Jimmy Herring played Brooklyn Bowl NYC with his new band The 5 of 7. The band consists of bassist Kevin Scott, drummer Darren Stanley, guitarist and singer Rick Lollar, and Matt Slocum on keyboards.

Herring is best known for being the lead guitarist for the band Widespread Panic. He is also the founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit and Jazz is Dead. Jimmy is a guitar legend and has played with other legendary bands like The Allman Brothers, Phil Lesh and Friends, and The Dead.

The two hour set started with a Miles Davis cover of “Black Satin” and continued with songs from Jimmy Herring during his solo career like “The Big Galoot,” “Matt’s Funk” and “1911.” The show was also streamed live on The Relix Channel, seen below. The show was amazing and an absolute must for fans of jazz infused rock and roll with heavy guitar solos.

Setlist: Black Satin, The Big Galoot, Matt’s Funk, Sketch Ballad, Soulful Hang, Miss Maybelle, One Strut, 1911, Check the Hand, Former Lives, Buddy, Kaleidoscope Carousel, Two Good People (Zone 28 Grams, Baby Gas & King Cydal cover), Scapegoat Blues
September 29, 2020
Public Enemy Returns With first Def Jam Release in 26 Years

In a year mired in social and political unrest, it is only fitting that legendary hip hop group Public Enemy returns for their first album in three years, and the first under the Def Jam umbrella in almost three decades.

Known for their stern political commentary, P.E. has served as an inspiration for a number of thought-provoking emcees and it seems they have deemed their work incomplete with the release of What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?

Simple yet Effective

An eventful year — that has seen the group named as recipients of the Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, front man Chuck D named chairman of the Universal Hip Hop museum’s celebrity board, as well as a public breakup turned hoax/makeup between the group and popular hype man Flavor Fav — is punctuated with a 17-track album that serves as a conjecture to the racially charged year that has been 2020.

The album features classic hip hop acts such as: Cypress Hill and rapper turned actor Ice-T, production from the one-and-only DJ Premier and a remake of the group’s most infamous record, “Fight The Power.” The star-studded remix features Nas, West coast emcee Rapsody, Roots front-man Black Thought, Jahi, as well as YG & Questlove.

In an interview on TNT’s popular late-night basketball talk show Inside the NBA, Chuck D was interviewed by basketball legends Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, where he revealed his motivations for the latest project. On the meaning behind the album’s tittle, Chuck D reveals, “using the platform of music to make a statement. Beware of government tricks on the way to the voting poll. This has been a strange year and we want people to be prepared and aware.”

While trends in music are anachronistic, Public Enemy’s brand of passionate and demanding form of politically charged hip-hop has maintained relevancy. With their efforts being one of the reasons that commentary on the plights of minorities has become ubiquitous.

September 28, 2020
Phish to celebrate Trey Anastasio’s birthday with Dinner and a Movie from Polaris 1999

As Phish moves their Dinner and a Movie series from weekly to monthly, the newest installment has been announced, featuring the band’s performance on July 23, 1999 from Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, OH. The never before seen full show archival video will air on Wednesday, September 30 at 8:30PM ET at LivePhish.com, which also happens to be Trey Anastasio‘s birthday (more on that below).

For the Dinner part of the evening, Phish HQ’s Betty Frost has put together a spread that includes enchiladas, a jicama/orange/cucumber/mint salad and apple fritters. You can find recipes for all these here.

Released on Live Phish in November 2019, the show in the Columbus suburbs was the 17th show on a 20-date summer tour. A humid evening, the show started with a 12-minute “Ya Mar,” and features Anastasio on keys briefly on the “Punch You in the Eye” intro.

On July 23, 1999 Phish returned to Polaris Amphitheatre for their second show at this 20,000-seat outdoor shed in the Columbus suburbs. It was the 17th show on a 20-date U.S. summer tour.It was still light out on a sticky Ohio evening when the band took the stage with a rollicking Ya Mar opener, followed by NICU, followed by Back At The Chicken Shack > Punch You In The Eye with an extended synthesizer-infused intro.

Set 2 turned up the heat with a first even pairing of “Ghost” > “Free,” with a lightening storm growing as intense as the jams between these two. A 25-minute “Birds of a Feather,” then still a new song in their catalog, allowed the band to play on and off with the storm as it raged overhead. During the late-set “Meatstick,” Anastasio announced that the band’s New Years Eve performance would be held at Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in southern Florida.

Sticker sold on Summer ’99 tour – courtesy of PhanArt

Dinner and a Movie is presented free to all, with a charity selected each week where donations are asked to be directed. This installment’s beneficiary is the ACLU. Founded in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, multi-issue, public interest organization devoted to protecting the civil liberties of all people in the United States. Recognized as the nation’s premier public interest law firm, the ACLU works daily in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

Over $850,000 has been raised by Phish fans since late March for the Waterwheel Foundation and other charities highlighted in the Dinner and a Movie series.

Sticker sold on Summer ’99 tour – courtesy of PhanArt

Additionally, a group of Phish fans have put together a fundraiser idea for Dinner and a Movie, celebrating Trey Anastasio’s birthday. The goal is to raise $20,454 for the Waterwheel Foundation, which is the number of days Trey will have been alive on his birthday. See below for details and support Waterwheel Foundation!

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Ya Mar, NICU, Back at the Chicken Shack > Punch You in the Eye[1], Fast Enough for You, Back on the Train, David Bowie, Strange Design, Possum

Set 2: Ghost -> Free > Birds of a Feather > Meatstick > Fire

Encore: Bouncing Around the Room > Rocky Top

[1] Trey played keys for part of PYITE.

Trey played keys for part of PYITE. During Meatstick, Trey talked about the band’s desire to teach fans the Meatstick Dance and break the world record. He then informed the crowd that the New Year’s Eve concert would be played in Florida. This show is available as an archival release on LivePhish.com.

September 28, 2020
Long Live Rock the Casbah: The Who, The Clash Rock Rich Stadium

London punks, both young and old, invaded Orchard Park, NY on September 26, 1982. The Who and The Clash, as well as New York Dolls frontman David Johansen, performed before a sold out crowd at Rich Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills.

photo by Michael Mack

This concert is seen as an historical moment, where one older punk band, The Who, passed the torch to a new, younger one, The Clash.

An expectadly rowdy crowd of more than 80,000 packed The Rich. David Johansen warmed up the crowd with a half-hour set, including “Stranded in the Jungle” and a medley of the Animals “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”, “Don’t Bring Me Down” and “It’s My Life.”

The Clash were just coming off the release of Combat Rock, recorded at Electric Lady Studios on West 8th Street in New York City. Hits including “Rock The Casbah,” which reached the Top 10 in America, and “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” gave The Clash a worldwide smash hit in 1982. Less than a year after this performance in Buffalo, guitarist Mick Jones would leave the band. Watch a slideshow of photos by Michael Mack of The Clash from the performance below.

For The Who, this was the first of many farewell tours, having lost drummer Keith Moon just 4 years prior. Kenney Jones (Small Faces, Faces) took over behind the kit, with Tim Gorman on keys, Roger Daltrey on harmonica, guitar, and vocals, John Entwistle on bass and Pete Townshend on guitar and vocals.

Given the packed stadium – with entrances only on the floor at the time – the temperature inside the stadium was warm to say the least, with fans drenched in sweat, and some passing even out. As if Keith were looking down from heaven, the skies that were overcast all day opened up during the emotionally charged “Love Reign O’er Me,” the only time of the evening it would rain. As the song ended, Daltrey remarked “How’d you like that one?,” with Townshend saying “Even the Rolling Bones couldn’t have done that one.”

via Matthew Heimberg

While no video or audio exists from this show of The Who, you can view a slideshow of photos by Michael Mack here, and watch below for The Who from December 17, 1982, closing our their North American tour in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Clash setlist: London Calling, Career Opportunities, The Guns of Brixton, Police On My Back, Rock the Casbah, Magnificent 7, Train in Vain, Brand New Cadillac, Armagideon Time, Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Encore: Clampdown, I Fought the Law

The Who setlist: Substitute, I Can’t Explain, Dangerous, Sister Disco, The Quiet One, It’s Hard, Eminence Front, Behind Blue Eyes, Baba O’Riley, I’m One, The Punk And The Godfather, Drowned, A Man Is A Man, Cry If You Want, Who Are You, Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, 5.15, Love Reign O’er Me, Long Live Rock, Won’t Get Fooled Again

Encore: Naked Eye, Summertime Blues, Twist And Shout

photos by Marc Starcke

September 27, 2020
A$AP Ferg releases latest project: Floor Seats II

On a day clouded by social media turmoil featuring Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Ferg has quietly released Floor Seats II, the sequel to his 2019 EP, Floor Seats. Looking to follow-up on the success of its predecessor, which spawned hit records like “Jet Lag” and “Floor Seats.”

This latest project comes on the heels of reported disfunction within the A$AP collective. A$AP mob founding member A$AP Illz has accused the 31-year-old Harlem-bred emcee of stealing ideas and claimed the “Plain Jane” rapper’s affiliation with the Mob was over.

Not one to go back-and-forth through the media, Ferg has predictably kept quiet, relying on his art to do the talking for him. The 10-track project features a myriad of notable guest appearances that captures Ferg’s Kaleidoscopic approach to music.

The intro features rock & roll legend Marilyn Manson, while the star-studded tape also features: Lil Wayne, Tyga, Nicki Minaj, Puff Daddy, New York City up-and-comer Jay Gwuapo, as well as XXL 2020 Freshman Class members Fivio Foreign and Mulatto.

Known for his hard thumping and anthem-like records, Ferg and A$AP Mob affiliate A$AP Rocky, serve as the lynchpins the the group’s success. With their ascension as major players in hip hop, the collective has been able to venture successfully into other fields. With A$AP Bari’s successful Vlone brand a prime example. While the group’s dissimilation may seem in effect. For now though, A$AP Ferg still carries the moniker, and with an impressive resume of Billboard charting hits, his descension is certainly not imminent.

September 26, 2020