Author: Sara Mills

Rene Lopez Releases New Genre-Melding Single “Flamingo”

Singer-songwriter, guitarist and drummer Rene Lopez has just released his new single, “Flamingo”. A master of cross-genre work, Lopez’ single features Caribbean roots, rhythmic Jamaican ska drum loops, Cuban son montuno with cha-cha-chá influence. “Flamingo” stands as a direct reflection of Lopez’ multicultural upbringing in New York City, where he resides today.

Son of the famed Puerto Rican salsa musician and trumpet player René López, Rene embraces the traditional roots of his father while incorporating his own unique musical influences, including soul, jazz, funk, and rock.

An audience can audibly hear this melding of genres- with the fusion of Latin rhythms and instruments like timbales, congas, cowbell, flute, trumpet, Cuban tres and melodies similar to the pop musical soundscape today.

It just feels so right to incorporate my roots into my songs.
Rene Lopez

Dubbed “a one-man song factory” by Félix Contreras of NPR’s Alt.Latino, Lopez takes a personal approach to songwriting.

There is also a story that I tell in each song that is basically my own way of dealing with stuff going on in my life [and it] helps me face myself when I sing it out loud.
Rene Lopez

Lopez’ ability to write a autobiographical discography that melds Latin music, funk, rock, doo-wop, and soul is what keeps him hitting the mark with these catchy songs. Throughout the course of his work, Lopez’ music has only continued to become more Latinized, invoking a thematic otherness as an immigrant or being from a certain urban ethnic neighborhood. Keeping his songs close to home has reflected an authentic, nostalgic sound that shows listeners Lopez is “being completely honest with who I am, and a big part of that is my Latin roots,” as well as telling stories of personal relationships and experiences in an unflinching way.

Written as an ode to a “special woman” Lopez fell in love with after he got divorced, “Flamingo” bears Lopez’ vulnerability. He successfully transformed a situation he dubbed “extremely difficult and heartbreaking” into a beautiful tribute to the experience. Simultaneously graceful and outlandish, the flamingo serves as the perfect metaphor to quantify his unattainable love.

The title of the single then alludes to the doomed romance due to the lovers’ star-crossed circumstances. Beautiful and tragic, the song is a Latin lullaby of love and healing. The poetic lyrics serve as the perfect gateway into Lopez’ self and coupled with the personal roots of his past, “Flamingo” serves as a testament to Lopez’ past. And evidently, the song is yet another incredible hit to add to his collection of singles, keeping his growing audience waiting for the future.

The single is streaming on Soundcloud and does not disappoint!

July 8, 2021
Esquela Releases Fully Remote Produced New Album “A Sign From God”

Based in Bovina, NY, Esquela released their fifth studio album A Sign From God on June 25th. The album features 10 tracks, produced by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, and was recorded entirely remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented members from getting together to record during the Spring and Summer of 2020.

Esquela, via bandsintown.com

Over the course of several months, Finn wrote all the songs on the record, except the final track, “Wait For Me” which utilized a poem by Konstantin Simonov and was arranged musically by Becca Frame and Brian Shafer. He then sent bits of songs to Roscoe, involving Keith Christopher on bass, Brian Shafer on guitar, Becca Frame on vocals and Matt Woodin on guitars and mandolin, and Mike Ricciardi on drums with the audio engineering accompaniment of Jeff Stachyra. Their individual parts were woven together by their brilliant engineer, spinning a 70’s style overdub in a completely remote 2020 world.

Once the reality of COVID 19 hit us, nobody knew what was going to happen and for how long our normal routines would be disrupted. Since I was homebound for the duration – I decided that I should get my home recording studio up and running again. After weeks of technical frustration– I was finally able to get my home setup cobbled together with a Universal Audio Apollo interface and my MacBook, using Protools recording software.
Bandleader John “Chico” Finn

Amidst a race war and global pandemic, the album captures the cultural conversation surrounding the time, including addressing sensitive topics that unfolded during the year like racism, sexual assault and climate change. The first track on the album, which premiered ahead of the others, addresses climate change and humanity’s impact on Earth. “Not In My Backyard” was inspired by a conversation that transpired between Finn and a friend about fracking in West Virginia. Between the rhythmic guitar riffs and pulsing drum beat, a larger message lies at the core of the song.

The bottom line is that energy is cheap right now…in order for the climate to improve will mean people will have to pay more for their energy source, and I am afraid it won’t happen anytime soon, sad to say.
John “Chico” Finn

Premiering as Esquela’s first album since 2017, the band chose to tackle pressing issues about the world, spreading a message while telling a narrative throughout each song. The last song, “Wait For Me,” has a more stripped sonic atmosphere with soft acoustic guitar and less processed vocals. The song tells the story of Konstantin Simonov and a poem he wrote as a homesick Russian soldier during World War II. Esquela uses the poem as a vessel to acknowledge racism in the deep South, much like the French village of Oradour Sur Glane destroyed by Nazis within the poem.

With Esquela, challenge brings creativity. The album is a true testament that challenge breeds creativity amidst the pandemic. Even prevented from taking a band photo all together for the cover art, they crafted a creative solution to replicate images of them in a fun illustration pictured below. While COVID-19 forced the members to send over the tracks individually, the cohesiveness of these tracks expands beyond Roscoe’s phenomenal work as a producer. These songs tell a narrative about what we need to change as a society in 2020 (and now, its roots have spread into 2021).

The album is now available on Bandcamp or Spotify, with a music video for “Not In My Backyard” on Youtube.

July 7, 2021
Opera Saratoga Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Summer Festival

This summer marks the 60th anniversary of the Opera Saratoga Summer Festival. Initially dubbed the Lake George Opera playing to a crowd of 230 people, Opera Saratoga regularly performs for over 25,000 a year. Having performed over 90 works by 52 composers, this summer’s festival commemorates the history and continued success of those who have put on these critically acclaimed productions. The festival features three concerts inspired by the literature of Miguel de Cervantes: Quixotic Opera, Man of La Mancha, and Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding.

Working with a team of those dedicated to ensuring safety in the time of COVID, Opera Saratoga has committed to bringing audiences back safety for this summer’s festival for an outdoor experience during the months of June and July. These performances, produced in partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, and Pitney Meadows Community Farm, provide different performance spaces for a safe and enjoyable concert.

Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

“Quixotic Opera”

June 24th and 25th saw the kickoff of the festival with an 80 minute “Quixotic Opera” at Pitney Meadows Community Farm. Following a series of scenes from operas inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote, the concert brought the audience on the adventures of nobleman Alonso Quizano who became a knight to serve his nation under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. Lead by musical director Laurie Rogers, it featured scenes from Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse (Boismortier / Favart), Die Hochzeit des Camacho (Mendelssohn / Voigts), Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo (Donizetti / Ferretti), Don Quixote (Kienzl) and more.

“Man of La Mancha”

Via Opera Saratoga Official Site

July 8th, 9th, and 10th will feature the 120 minute musical “Man of La Mancha” at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Amphitheater. Written by Dale Wasserman, the Tony Award winning musical, which features Broadway and Opera star Zachary James in the lead role as Cervantes/Don Quixote, tells the story of Don Quixote with music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion.

“A universal tale of love, hope, and adventure, Man of La Mancha celebrates the perseverance of one man who refuses to relinquish his ideals, and who is determined to see life not as it is, but as it ought to be.”
Opera Saratoga Official Website

“Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding”

Via Opera Saratoga’s Official Site

For lovers of more traditional classical music, Opera Saratoga will be presenting the 50 minute “Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding” with twelve performances scheduled between July 14th and 18th. A one-act comic serenata, the performances will feature artists from Opera Saratoga’s Young Artist Program. Written by Georg Philipp Telemann with a libretto by Daniel Schiebeler, the concert incorporates an episode from Part Two of Don Quixote where the knight and his squire stumble upon unusual weddings while exploring the world.

Tickets for both the musical Man of La Mancha and the serenata Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding on Opera Saratoga’s website. Ensured audience safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has limited tickets this season and Opera Saratoga anticipates that performances will sell out in advance of the show date. Advance ticket purchases are required for Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding and while not required for Man of La Mancha, they are strongly advised to ensure a spot at the special 60th anniversary performance.

July 3, 2021
Danger Ken! “Up is Down” – a Dangerously Diverse

Danger Ken! released their 10 track debut album, Up is Down, on May 7th. Aside from a few guest appearances on certain tracks, drums, keys, guitar, bass and vocals are a product of the album’s creator. A multi-talented instrumentalist and composer local to New York, it appears Dan Gerken’s musical alias, a play on his own name, is just as clever and catchy as his new music.

The opening song, Lagoon (Intro), creates an air of mystery as we unravel what’s to come. Free of lyrics, the song invites the listener to relish in the evolving peaceful synthesizers in the background. By contrast, the intro is followed by Jubilate which pushes back our preconceived notions about the album as a whole. Expanding instrumentation, Jubilate, accompanied by guest Andrew Chamberlaine (Mister F, Timbre Coup) brings a punchy retro-sounding electric guitar and pumping drums to get you moving.

Once lyrics emerge in the third track of the album, Astral Traveler, accompanied by guest instrumentalist Dave Berger (Groovestick), its evident no track is alike on this album that keeps you on your toes, switching from tracelike to groovy all in a matter of seconds. Through the diverse discography, there are staples to the album the listener can count on: catchy electric guitar lines, experimental ethereal synthesizer backgrounds, and unique layered vocals.

The psychedelic cover embodies the range of emotions the lister is drawn to feel while listening to this ever-changing musical soundscape. My ears were constantly attuned to the minute changes in instrumentation. While seemingly minimalistic standing on their own, individual loops placed over top one another allowed for a repetitive yet diverse music range across songs.

My personal favorite track, Time to Go, had notes parallel to 80s synthesizer and electric guitar parts with contrasting rock-like vocals bringing a 90s element. The cross-generational track’s beautiful smooth evolution of instrumentation, experimenting with both tempo and timbre, was both catchy and peaceful. The perfect song for a cross-country solo road trip or backyard concert, I was completely entranced, particularly by the thread of electric guitar that wove in and out of the piece.

A self proclaimed “byproduct of being home a lot the last year and having the studio here for the first time in my life,” Gerken’s vocals are passionate and personal, inviting experimental rock into an intimate atmosphere. I highly recommend giving it a listen, and feel confident in saying between the diverse genre shifts within the album, there is bound to be a favorite for everyone.

Streaming on Bandcamp and Spotify, the album is just waiting to be checked out!

June 26, 2021
Queer Pop and Melodic Chaos: Arthur Moon Releases Newest Single “Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!”

Standing at only a mere 4 days old, “Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!” the new single from Arthur Moon has already amassed thousands of streams and landed on playlists alongside huge artists like The Japanese House, Sufjan Stevens, and St. Vincent. Before the mark of their one year anniversary, they earned themselves an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.

It’s clear this band is praised for their excellence, and their new single hits the mark the very same.

The Brooklyn avant-pop group, led by composer and singer Lora-Faye Åshuvud with collaborators Cale Hawkins, Martin D. Fowler, Dave Palazola and Aviva Jaye, released the single while announcing their new album to be released in the fall under the same name: “Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!“

And that’s just what the single is: a beautiful and haunting chaotic musical masterpiece. Boarding on the genres of indie and electropop with elements from jazz and a choral influence, Arthur Moon is able to seamlessly meld these opposing musical soundscapes in a captivating and genius way.

“Avant-pop group Arthur Moon are more than happy to deconstruct the conventions of typical pop music”
-Billboard Music

Not a single time during my first time listening through to the single did I know where the next note would land. Against dissonant to resolving vocals and piano vamping that explored multiple keys sometimes within the same measures, there was a sense of peace in the chaos. The droning electronic sounds complimented rather than clashed with the more organic instruments.

The vocals evolved from melodic singing to speak-singing with a metallic overlay, creating chaos in the mix. But never did the chaos not resolve, paving the way for a beautiful jazz piano solo overtop the synth drone.

Rather than staying in the confines of one genre, Arthur Moon seems to reconceptualize boxing artists into one genre over another. They explore so many different soundscapes that at one point, I scrapped the idea of attempting to label them as alt or pop, instead praising their ability to operate outside of anything I’ve ever heard before.

“Dump the heteronormativity and get on Arthur Moon’s wavelength instead”
-Refinery 29

“Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!,” sung by lead Ashuvud who identifies as queer, was released for Pride Month. The music video captures two queer women dancing alone together in the purple light, expressing themselves and their love unequivocally. Their music shows the same queering of pop, electronic, and experimental music. Ashuvud is not afraid to defy traditionalism, bringing a unique approach to timbre, melody, and rhythm throughout all of her pieces.

The unpredictable nature of Arthur Moon’s music alludes to a rejection of heteronormativity within music and a huge step towards the acceptance of queer music which is so very crucially important, particularly in a month honoring our LBGTQIA ancestors. Following the accolades from monumental influences in the music industry, including Billboard and NPR Music, it’s clear Arthur Moon is on the verge of blowing up. If you want to secure bragging rights of knowing their name and following their music before they’re the household name they’re bound to become, stream their new song asap!

June 25, 2021
Happy Birthday, Cyndi Lauper!

Today, talented singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT+ activist, and pioneer in music Cynthia (Cyndi) Ann Stephanie Lauper celebrates her 69th birthday. From her residence in New York’s Upper West Side to childhood in Ozone Park, Cyndi Lauper is a true New Yorker through and through.

The perpetually campy orange haired princess of pop like her image in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun“, Lauper is underrated as a master across genres. With one of the greatest rock voices of her generation, she described her struggle even to emerge as the pop artist she was labeled as.

Cyndi Lauper in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun/ credit: MEDIAPUNCH

Despite misogynistic barriers that initially barred her from entry into the industry, Lauper’s album She’s So Unusual was the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the Billboard Top 100s, earning her a Best New Artist Grammy award in 1985.

Iconoclast who revolutionized the role of women in rock and roll
Songwriters Hall of Fame

Lauper’s discography spans across genres, movie soundtracks like The Goonies, and even Broadway numbers like Kinky Boots, earning her Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Awards, and American Music Awards. She’s one of the few singers to have earned 3 out of the 4 EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Throughout her entire career, Lauper has consistently taken on serious topics including racism, homophobia, spousal abuse and AIDS. Her sincere advocacy for gay and transgender rights even earned her an invitation as a special guest to attend President Barack Obama’s second-term inauguration. As the co-founder of True Colorshttp://Nysmusic.com/tag/LGBTQ United, Lauper sought to eliminate youth homelessness among LGBTQ+ young people and even uses her iconic song True Colors to raise awareness for issues among the gay community. A true humanitarian, she was even presented the High Note Global Prize in 2019 by United Nations Human Rights.

As we all wish Cyndi Lauper a happy birthday, let us not forget all her contributions to the music industry and human rights alike!

June 22, 2021