NYS Music 202​1

Author: Lucas Essex

  • Hearing Aide: Fake Dad ‘Old Baby’

    Brooklyn Lo-fi indie R&B duo Fake Dad strike back with their silky smooth new EP Old Baby. The duo consist of Andrea de Varona as the lead vocalist and Josh Ford doing most of the albums production. The EP releases today on all streaming services.

    Old Baby is a masterclass example of creating a vibe. Personality oozes out of every corner of this EP and that is largely thank to the project’s supreme production along with de Varona’s incredibly serene vocals. Verona’s voice glides effortlessly over the production on nearly every song on this EP. Several songs such as “Listen” see Verona’s vocals distorted and mixed in some incredibly inventive ways. The signature nasally deliver of Verona makes every song incredibly comforting and welcoming. Ford comes through on the song “Breakfast In New York” adding a refreshing bass filed contrast to Verona’s high pitched R&B inflection.

    Verona’s vocals is only one half of the equation as the production is a feat of its own. The glossy production is reminiscent of contemporary indie band with a classic R&B flare added by de Varona’s vocals. The groovy bass leads and chilled out synth keyboards are a highlight in songs like “Breakfast in New York”.

    A unique assortment of instruments are present on the EP, with every song having its own uniquely identifiable musical motif. Motifs such as the trumpet present on the song “Knit Sweater” acts as a lowkey corner stone to the songs peaceful energy.

    Fake Dad take listeners on a trip down memory lane — but it feels closer to a cautionary tale than a fond retelling.

    The Wild Honey Pie

    Old Baby offers the perfect soundtrack to any relaxing experience, weather that be studying or chilling at the beach. The universality embodied by this album makes it recommendable to nearly everyone. The smooth vocal will satisfy any R&B fan and the mix between hip hop and indie pop will be loved by any fans of each respective genre. The EP is available for purchase here.

    Key Tracks: Pretty/Ugly, Breakfast in New York, Knit Sweater

  • Greywolf Releases Debut Album “Operation Wolf”

    Queens artist Greywolf debut album Operation Wolf has been hotly anticipated. In preparation for the album, Greywolf has released a new single – “Temple.”

    Greywolf operation wolf

    Greywolf is a one man project masterminded by Jason Grey – lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. “Operation Wolf” see’s Grey dive into a lot of heavy themes with his unique blend of electronic, punk and indie. Operation Wolf is a culmination of a lifetime of fighting, dreaming and loving. The lyrics are fusion of poetry, journal entries and incantations — and at times a lucid journey into my own psyche.

    Lead singles for the album include “Exit Key” and the newest release – “Temple,” which features Aya Nori. Grey is also the co-founder and bassist for the band Escaper. Escaper has had a solid career so far, sharing the stage with the likes of Aqueous and Karl Denson.

    “Temple” touches on released, cutting of chains of everything that has weighted you down. Whether it be shame, adversity, betrayal – making a conscious choice to live your best life and project love even in times of peril.

    Live For Live Music

    Other songs on the album include “Arcade” and “End of Days.” “Arcade” is based on the notion that life can feel like a video game. People are constantly trying to get to the next level — at times not realizing there is a lesson to be learned. Survival is a key theme here and being able to grab the joystick and be your own hero. “End Of Days” touches on not only the idea of global apocalypse but of the personal apocalypse one may face in their own lives.

  • 22nd Annual Brooklyn Jazz Festival Announced For April 2021

    The Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium is hosting the 22nd Annual Brooklyn Jazz Festival from April 16 to April 30th.

    Brooklyn Jazz

    Brooklyn’s longest continuously running festival dedicated to Jazz is excited to come back after taking 2020 off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series offers a blend of in person and and online musical events, with several pop up food booths being present at the conecerts. The in person concerts are located at restaurants located throughout Brooklyn in the neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, East New York, and Gowanus. All programs and concerts are free to the public and follow NYS mandated Covid Social Distancing Guidelines.

    The festival offers a diverse array of performers, including the likes of Gerry Eastman Trio, The Mat Baker Trio, The October Revolution and Grammy Nominee Nicole Zuraitis. The festival simultaneously encourages people to experience the borough’s unique ethnic enclaves and sample international cuisines. Participating institutions, organizations, and venues are Fusion East, Lila’s Café, Nostrand Social, Kingsborough Community College, Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz, Sistas’ Place, and Williamsburg Music Center.

    The social impact remains long after this music series and is less noticeable. Building relationships among neighboring businesses, interactions among the different ethnic groups, and memorable experiences are some of the intangible advantages derived from bringing people together in this environment.

    Clarence Mosely Jr, CBJC Chariman

    Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999, provides services and is a presenter of live music events within Brooklyn’s underserved communities. The Consortium was founded and organized by Torrie McCarthy, Viola Plummer and Alma Carrol. For the past 22 years, The Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium has produced an annual jazz festival, established a Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame, and featured local jazz talent in its programming.

    The full list of performers can be found here.

  • Borderland Music Festival Announces 2021 Return

    Borderland Music Festival is excited to announce their 2021 return to Knox Farm State Park on September 18th and 19th.

    Borderland

    The two-day cultural festival takes place at the historical Knox Farm State Park in Erie County, New York. While the festival lineup has not been announced as of yet, past lineups have included a mix of country and bluegrass bands ranging from worldwide fame to local acclaim. Art, food and beer are also a focus of the festival, offering local varieties of each for people to partake in and enjoy.

    In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Borderland Festival was cancelled. The music industry as a whole has been dramatically impacted this last year, however, Borderland continued to work hard to survive. They created a handful of music and farm-to-table experiences while feeding the local economy and supporting local musicians. The Borderland Broadcast acted as a stand-in for the usual festival, streaming audio from former festival performances over the two days when the festival would have happened. Borderland is looking forward to returning this fall with their annual festival, just on a smaller scale, at Knox Park.

    Like many others, we were hit hard this past year and really miss that connection of community. I feel like we all could use this breath of fresh air. The power of music is so healing and we want to be able to bring that on whatever level we can.

    Jennifer Brazil, Event Organizer

    The festival is working closely with the State of New York and Erie County and will continue to operate under all social distancing and COVID guidelines. There will be an initial, limited amount of tickets for sale with hopes that things will continue to progress throughout the summer. Blind Faith Tickets are on sale now and Borderland will announce more information in the coming weeks. Tickets are available for purchase here.

  • Supergroup The Limit Release New Single “Death Of My Soul”

    Heavy rock supergroup The Limit, consisting of former The Stooges and Pentagram members, release new single “Death Of My Soul” accompanied by a video in preparation for their upcoming album Caveman Logic – releasing April 9, 2021.

    The Limit

    The Limit is an astoundingly fresh and hot-blooded shot to the veins that heavy rock needs in this day and age. “Death Of My Soul” sees the band go straight to the heart of rock to deliver a electric performance accompanied by some eerie visuals. The gothic mood of the track conjured forth by the intersection of all the various sounds from the band members background helps deliver a song that does the legacy of these rock mainstays justice.

    This song and video is not something warm and fuzzy you can wrap your arms around and feel good about. It represents a deep feeling of alienation, loneliness, a sense of an unchangeable and Doomed timeline of life and world events.

    Sonny Vincent, Musician

    The Limit consists of several high profile members such as Ex-Stooges member Jimmy Recca on bass, Sonny Vincent an early NYC punk scene legend and member of Testors on guitar and vocals, Bobby Liebling from Doom Rock originators Pentagram on vocals, and Hugo Comin and Joao Pedro on guitar and drum from Portuguese band Dawnrider. The diverse range of musical influences come together and create a sound that respects the band’s Punk and Doom Rock origins while creating a whole new sound entirely.

    The upcoming album Caveman Logic is set to be released on April 9, 2021, the album can be pre-ordered here.

  • David Byrne Premiers SOCIAL!, The Social Distance Dance Club

    Legendary Talking Heads front-man David Byrne has unveiled his lasted project, SOCIAL! This social distance dance club takes place in Park Avenue Armory as a part of the Social Distance Hall.

    SOCIAL david byrne dance club
    Park Avenue Armory

    SOCIAL! is part of the Armory’s Social Distance Hall commissioning initiative, which provides artists with the space and resources to create and present to in-person audiences new works designed specifically for the tumultuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Armory, with its immense, 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall and multiple airy rooms and entrances, featuring an air volume comparable to being outdoor. This hall is shaping up to be the shining example of how to re-open performing arts in New York and beyond.

    SOCIAL! invites 100 participants, 10% of the Drill Hall’s normal capacity, to the Armory’s Drill Hall for a socially distanced dance club, where each member will have a six-foot diameter circle in which to dance and move, spaced out from surrounding circles to provide proper social distancing at
    all times.

    The curated playlist will include a recoding of dance directions narrated by Byrne. All participants are welcome to move freely or choose to follow David Byrne’s magical suggestions. A video of Byrne teaching choreography for a song on the playlist will be sent in advance to all participants can prepare their dance moves. Ultimately, the goal of this program is to provide a powerful healing moment that can be experienced individually and communally.

    SOCIAL! will begin previews in the Drill Hall on April 9 and open April 13, running through April 22. Show times during the week will be at 7pm and at 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets can be purchased here.

  • “Isolation: Concerts For No One” to feature Kitchen Dwellers, Andy Frasco, and Mihali

    Distrokid, a digital music distribution company, announces digital concert series, “Isolation: Concert for No One”. The series focuses on several artist traveling to idyllic natural destinations throughout the Untied States playing concerts to an empty crowd.

    isolation concerts

    The bands began their roundtrip around the Southeastern Untied States in the fall of 2020 with the goal of trip to document their experiences and perform empty concerts in scenic wilderness area. The featuring artists include Andy Frasco, Shawn Eckles, Kitchen Dwellers and Mihali from Twiddle. The groups all traveled together, not only growing closer but honing their music chops on the way. The goal of these concerts is to emphasize the importance of isolation and being out and nature, ideas brought to light because of the current global pandemic.

    We’re doing this to show people that isolation is needed. Sometimes we need to go outside of our comfort zones and go outside of what we know; we are trying to experience something together that we haven’t experienced in four months because we’ve been sitting in our houses.

    Andy Frasco, Musician

    Distrokid, in collaboration with Fans.Live, is hosting “Isolation: Concerts for No One” as a four episode concert series which filmed across the week-long caravan featuring sets from each act, never-before-seen collaborations, and behind-the-scenes footage. New episodes will air every Tuesday night beginning March 30 at 9 PM ET. Fans can purchase each episode for $10, or the full season for $30. Episodes will remain on demand through Sunday, May 25.

    STREAMING SCHEDULE:

    Episode 1: Lake Powell, AZ (March 30 @ 9PM ET)

    Episode 2: Monument Valley, UT (April 6 @ 9PM ET)

    Episode 3: Moab, UT (April 13 @ 9PM ET) 

    Episode 4: Boulder, CO (April 20 @ 9PM ET)    

  • White Cliffs Releases Brooklyn/Queens filmed Video for “Kick the Can”

    White Cliffs, a psych-electronic band based out of Brooklyn and masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Rafe Cohan, released a new music video for their song “Kick the Can” off their recently released debut EP Stockholm.

    White Cliffs video

    The White Cliffs music video debuted on VENTS Magazine website on March 23rd. The songs central focus is on growing old but a addressed in a playful manner which highlights Cohan’s musical and directorial talents.

    Cohan edited and directed the video, recording all over Rockaway Beach, Queens and Highland Park in New York City. It was shot on a vintage Super 8 film and developed by Mono No Aware in Downtown Brooklyn. Makeup artist Kate Browse help Cohan to achieve an old man look to go hand and hand with the song’s themes of ageing and the old school directorial methods.

    I shot this little video to give a visual element to the meaning of ‘Kick the Can.’ The song is about an old man who is realizing the beauty of mortality and aging. We will all be old one day, so I just wanted to poke fun at what I might be doing when I’m 80 or so.

    Rafe Cohan, Musician

    White Cliffs formed in Cohan’s home town of Brooklyn in 2017 after years of experimentation and attempting to find a sound that really spoke to Cohan. The result of this is the duality seen throughout much of White Cliffs work, the balance between the purist and the unconventional creator. Cohan’s first big break was securing a cross-country tour with Big Wild, among other acts like Elderbrook, STS9, in addition to a set at the Panorama Festival in New York City and debuting a four-person band at CRSSD Festival in San Diego.

    Stockholm EP featuring “Kick the Can ” is available on all streaming platforms.

  • John Oates and Saxsquatch Team Up To Reimagine “Maneater”

    John Oates, one half of the iconic New York based duo Hall & Oates, has teamed up with viral sax player Saxsquatch to reimagine the chart-topping hit “Maneater” as an electro-jazz fusion.

    John Oates Maneater

    The song was accompanied by a video released on Monstercat which see’s both artist revisit their hometowns of Nashville, Tennessee and deep with in a rainforest. The video then quickly pivots to an animated psychedelic experience, interlacing live action footage and animation throughout. “Maneater” was released in preparation for Oates Song Fest 7908, a charity livestream benefitting Feeding America hosted by John Oates and Saxsquatch.

    I like music that gets people’s big feet tapping along. It’s been a tough year for everyone. We could all use music and stories that help us dance and feel less alone. I know a lot about feeling alone

    Saxsquatch, Musican

    John Oates is not only just a part of Hall & Oates, but a well accomplished artist on his own. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The American Songwriters Hall of Fame, recipient of the prestigious BMI Icon Award as well as numerous American Music, MTV awards, and multiple Grammy nominations. Since forming his legendary pop duo with Daryl Hall in the early 1970s, they have gone on to record 21 albums, which have sold over 80 million units, making them the most successful duo in rock history. 

    Saxsquatch is one of the biggest live streaming musicians in the US, with 300k weekly views, and Facebook’s #1 recurring music show, ‘Live From the Woods’. His usual blend of saxophone, electronic music, and Bigfoot folklore has catapulted him to viral fame, earning 1.5M followers and recognition from instrumentalists around the world.

  • Fake Dad Announce Debut EP ‘Old Baby’

    Brooklyn duo Fake Dad return with their new EP Old Baby, and its final single “Listen.” The band is previewing the album on March 19th via Baby’s TV, a livestream series presented by Williamsburg venue Baby’s All Right.

    fake dad old baby

    Fake Dad, comprised of Andrea de Verona and Josh Ford, formed in early 2018. Their sound is defined by their signature butter-smooth R&B vocals combined with buzzing hip-hop and electro-pop textures that form a dizzying cocktail that always finds its groove. The band has three singles in preparation for their debut, “Summerhill”, “Breakfast in New York”, and their newest single “Listen”.

    Brooklyn-based electro-duo Fake Dad bring that same energy to their new single, “Breakfast in New York,” a bite of R&B-tinged bliss guaranteed to make your mouth water for a bacon, egg, and cheese from your bodega or deli of choice (for those of us outside The Big Apple, maybe an Egg McMuffin at the very least).

    The All Scene Eye

    Other song on the EP include “Pretty/Ugly” which sees the duo imagining themselves among the ranks of famous pop stars. The song “Knit Sweater” offers an innate comfortability, seeing the band reaching for something safe and whole. The newest single, “Listen”, is grounded in silky meditations offering a serene mood. The unique soundscape offered by this EP see the band meld these inflection points together for something both invigorating and comforting. The EP is an exciting a bold move for the promising duo.

    Tickets for the March 19th preview livestream are available here.