NYS Music 202​1

Category: Audio

  • Architrave, AliT and more are 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 new music from Architrave, AliT, Annie Scherer and many more.

    architrave

    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.

    Kicking off the night is Architrave with their cover of True Widow’s “O.O.T.P.V.” A dark and cool jam, the track is brooding with a huge, electrifying sound. After discussion with members of True Widow, Architrave agreed all proceeds from the sale of the track would be donated to Feed the People Dallas Mutual Aid.

    WEQX will also be matching that donation with a donation to something more local to us, the Free Food Fridge of Albany, a cool project that sets up fridges stocked with food staples, to help tackle food insecurity in the area.

    Next up is AliT with “Sitting Pretty,” featuring a bright pop sound, drum machines, a huge boundless voice, and an all-heart sensibility. AliT is a true singer-songwriter and instrumentalist making pop music with a touch of grit, soul, and emo harmony. Tune in for AliT’s weekly set live on her Facebook page every Friday at 7:30 pm.

    In the vein of Lana Del Ray comes Annie Scherer, a modern pop cinematic journey with images of longing and desire. Open minded listeners will hear the voice of a songwriter opening up her soul, crawling up the walls to find a new plane of existence. “Take Me Places” is a cool tune that transcends the idiom and is treated delicately with plenty of space for the listener to attach their own images to and yet want to listen again to bring those feelings back.

  • Emo-Rock Duo Losers Club from Rochester are Back with New Music

    Losers Club are making their label-debut on Substream Records with a new single called “Fux W/ Ur Head,” set for release on March 5th, 2021.

    The duet’s emo-rock sound is crafted by frontman Nate Blasdell, known for his role as lead guitar and background vocals in the melodic hardcore band I Set My Friends on Fire, and backed by Andy Champion on guitar. Losers Club’s sound is poppier than Blasdell’s previous work, akin to The All-American Rejects. Their music is anthemic and tightly packed with melody.

    On their instagram account, Losers Club recounted the past year, saying “This year was a rollercoaster to say the least. What started as four, turned to three, then three became two, and now here we are, stronger than ever with 2020 in the rearview and so much to look forward to in 2021. New sound. New look. New album. New era.”

    With their new sound and formation, Losers Club is ready to take on the music world with their label-debut single, Fux W/ Ur Head. You can pre-order it here.

    You can find them on Instagram and Facebook and the label’s website.

  • boys cruise Release Groovy Indie Track “Room for Reason”

    boys cruise has released “Room for Reason” as their first single off of their upcoming self-titled sophomore album.

    boys cruise

    Their new jangly, poppy, but also garage-rock song is the first taste of boys cruise’s music since their acclaimed 2019 debut record Jerry. Mastered by Felix Davis, who worked with artists such as Lana Del Rey, HMLTD, and Swim Deep, added extra flair to boys cruise’s unique, playful sound. Their musical style combines several genres, creating a colorful blend that could make anybody want to dance. Zach Bloomstein produced their upcoming album.

    Drummer and bassist Jack Parker spoke about the newest single: “Johnny Clarke (lead vocals/guitar) and myself, Jack Parker (bass/drums), wrote the main ideas before linking up with Sammy Josh (guitar) to really flesh everything out. I wrote Room for Reason over the span of a few days this past summer when I fell terribly ill with 102 degree fever.”

    He continues that “the song is about how I felt trapped in my mind palace and how I was longing for rest. This past summer was a generally manic and confusing time for all of us in boys cruise, and the lyrics are just sort of a reflection of that confusion and some of the weirdness that was simultaneously going on in my personal relationships.

    Based in Burlington, VT, boys cruise had its genesis in 2018 in the Northeast DIY scene. Their wild stage presence and riveting shows made them a notorious and beloved name in the northeast underground circuit. From cutting the lead singer’s hair mid-set to boxing matches between members on stage, they began selling out Vermont venues.

    Their sound has evolved on their upcoming record in a new artful and noisy direction, compared to the poppier 2019 LP Jerry. boys cruise is Johnny Clarke (lead vocals/guitar), Jack Parker (vocals/bass/drums), and Sammy Josh (vocals/guitar).

    Find out more about boys cruise on Instagram and Facebook.

  • Revisit 1930s Jazz from Hickory House

    Where else can you get a steak and jazz performances all in one spot? Step back nearly 90 years and visit Hickory House.

    A New York jazz club located on West 52nd Street, Hickory House was opened in 1933 by John Popkin and was a swinging venue and a great spot to grab cocktails and dinner before a show.

    Hickory House

    Located in a stretch of midtown that was crowded with jazz clubs in the 1940s and 1950s, Hickory House stood out because they also had a branch in Miami Beach, as seen on the menu cover.

    Hickory House
    Vintage menu – source

    With the 18th Amendment repealed in 1933, post-prohibition New York City hit the bars and drank without abandon, and the cheap prices for the time show it.

    Hickory House
    drink menu – source

    The music from the club is somewhat lost to time, but we know that Marian McPartland, as well as the Jimmy McPartland Sextet performed at Hickory House, as well as Hot Lips Page, Zutty Singleton and Jutta Hipp.

    In 2014, NPR profiled Hickory House Trio, a 1950s group of Marian McPartland, Bill Crow and Joe Morello, the latter of whom was part of a reunion session in 1990. Morello fielded offers from both Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey, but ultimately went on to work with a small group taking a new direction in jazz led by Dave Brubeck, notably on his “Take Five.”

    NPR notes that during the 1950s when McPartland and company were playing the Hickory House, jazz musicians including Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Oscar Pettiford and Thelonious Monk, would stop by the club for a meal and to watch the band. Some would even sit in with the trio, and after coaxing, Ellington might join them on the bandstand (it didn’t hurt that he shared a publicist with the club.)

    Although all trace of Hickory House is gone, it continued to be in operation at least until 1964. See more images of the venue, and what 52nd Street looks like now, at JAZZ LIVES.

    A similarly named venue, The Hickory Log, located on 47th St., and known simply as Lou Terrassi’s. also hosted jazz performances. While the two venues share a name, they do not seem to be related, and a connection between the two venues is unable to be discerned.

    One recording from The Hickory Log, made available by JAZZ LIVES, provides a glance at a half-hour broadcast recorded at the lost venue. With host Aime Gauvin, a.k.a. “Dr. Jazz,” featuring musicians from the Jimmy McPartland Sextet: McPartland (cornet), Dicky Wells (trombone), Cecil Scott (clarinet), Joe Sullivan (piano), Walter Page (string bass), George Wettling (drums) and Marian McPartland (piano).

    Hickory House
    Hickory House, 1937

    The band is introduced by Leonard Feather, who chats with both McPartlands, amid serene ambiance that is comparable to Central Plaza or Stuyvesant Casino at the time. Listen closely and you’ll hear the crash of dishes, as the stage and kitchen were located near each other.

    Performances on Jazz Club U.S.A. from 1952 include “Love Is Just Around The Corner,” “Tin Roof Blues,” “Embraceable You,” “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home,” and “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

  • Ferriday, Eoin Noonan and more are 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 new music from Ferriday, Eion Noonan and many more.

    ferriday

    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.

    This week’s featured band is Albany’s Ferriday, where Pearson will be playing four in a row off of Everywhere You Go. Ferriday’s tunes are straight forward pure rock and roll indulgence with unique lyrical stories. They stand alone as individual singles yet also work cohesively flowing from one tune and vibe to the next. The playing from all the members is excellent, with note choices, song treatments, guitar tones, down to bass drum use, are very well put together for a well honed sound.

    Also featured is Irish-born Vermont resident, Eoin Noonan, and his beautiful tune, “Lovin’.” Eoin continues to create original and inspiring music that alternates between indie rock, country and folk music.

    Noonan has excellent song crafting and performance, with a great mood set forth in this piece of music. The march tempo and catchy lyrics, make “Lovin’” a creative single that inspires a desire to hear more from this Irish transplant now finding an artistic home in Vermont.

  • Sarah King, Skeletons and many more are 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 new music from Joe Mansmen and the Midnight Revival Band, Sarah King and many more.

    sarah king

    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.

    Sarah King has just released a new single ahead of her debut solo EP The Hour, due out in March. “Not Worth the Whiskey” is a gritty, bluesy, stomp-and-holler murder ballad that is raw and authentic with devil-may-care whistling, and atmospheric blues-rock guitar. King stands up to the idea that women should just smile and be quiet, exploring how righteous anger, revenge, and fear can actually lead to empowerment.

    Joe Mansmen and the Midnight Revival Band have unleashed a new single from their forthcoming album Renegade called “Wild Woman” that will be played at the top of Sunday night’s EQXposure show at 7pm. Raw visceral rock and roll at its finest, and EQXPosure is the only place you can hear this jam.

    You’ll also catch “Grape Juice,” the latest single from Skeletons; Red Light Rivals from Mayfield, NY with their latest “Ghost Town,” and “Turn to Dust,” the title cut off Son of a Gun’s newly released EP of the same name which will make it’s EQX debut on EQXposure. Read our profile of Son of a Gun here.

  • Long Island’s Card Reader Takes First Place at Interstate Music Awards

    Long Island pop-punk band Card Reader won first place at the Interstate Music Awards, an underground artist competition created by the CEO of Interstate Music, Jeff Peterson.

    card reader
    Long Island Pop-Punk Band Card Reader

    Card Reader, won the Interstate Music Awards out of hundreds of submissions. Their first place prized earned them $5000 in gift cards, as well as the opportunity to perform live on the Interstate Music stage in Wisconsin later this year. 

    In a year of uncertainty and lockdown, Card Reader continued to put out music, their bright sound illuminating days spent inside. This spring they will be releasing an acoustic EP set to release on Friday, March 26th. It will contain new versions of previously released tracks, stripped down and engineered by their very own Matt Sullivan. They will also be recording their sophomore EP this April with veteran producer, Nik Bruzzese, at Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. 

    Guitarist and vocalist, Tom Petito, spoke about Card Reader’s big win and the road ahead. “We’re fired up right now. Starting 2021 off on the right foot is crucial for any band. I think we did just that. We received a big wave of support in this competition and winning it all has been an unreal experience. Our family, friends, & fans had our back in a big way.

    We’ll use this momentum to help fuel the fire as we prepare to record our new EP in the spring. Nik reached out to us after the contest win and expressed his desire to take our sound to the next level. We couldn’t agree more. It’s our move now and our opportunity to show the music world that Card Reader is for real.

    Stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp and find Card Reader on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

    Watch their studio documentary for their 2020 EP Mental Scars here.

  • This week’s EQXposure features New Releases by Paintbox Records Artists

    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 new music from Paintbox Records Artists Senior Living, The Classical, and many more artists from across the Capital Region and Hudson Valley.

    Paintbox Records

    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.

    On Sunday, February 7, WEQX will feature four cuts from the newly minted Paintbox Records Pallete release series. Among them are two songs from Senior Living and two songs from The Classical. Paintbox Records happened because the bands, who are all friends, were planning on touring together last year, but the pandemic prevented those road runs from happening.

    But COVID-19 couldn’t stop this crew of creatives from making rock happen, thus Paintbox Records was born.

    Also featured are new music debuts from two Albany groups – Fine Grain, “Missing Adult,” and Son of Gun “Cry all Night,” the latter off their forthcoming release Turn to Dust, due out February 12

  • Girl Blue Releases Shimmering New Single “Just a Dream”

    Girl Blue released the first single, “Just a Dream,” off of her upcoming Fall debut, full-length album. Apt for a walk in the woodlands, her shiny piano tones and synths are reminiscent of breaking sunlight through trees.

    Her voice soars above the instrumental melodies weaving with the punchy percussion. She sings “You and me / we should be driving faster / music should be blasting / cast out.” She chronicles a journey to freedom, driving, and remaining her true self even through difficult periods.

    girl blue just a dream

    The album art beautifully juxtaposes the sonic landscape; a car floating in the sky, pink clouds, and her profile facing out to the path. Compared to her intricate, stripped-down Instagram videos, Girl Blue is venturing into a more vast sonic land with glittering synths and LIGHTS-esque vocals. 

    Her pensive lyrics focus on overcoming hardship and empowering oneself, especially in a period of isolation and global strangeness. Girl Blue’s voice sounds fresh against a warm piano and electronic drum beat. The sound is full and lush, painting a picture for Girl Blue’s sound to come.

    “Just a Dream” was written and produced by Girl Blue, released in mid-december 2020. Her debut full-length album is set for release in Fall 2021. The song was also engineered and produced by Scoops Dardaris, and mastered by Steve Fallone (Taylor Swift, Tame Impala, Kacey Musgraves). Recorded at White Lake Studios, another capital region favorite, the band Dark Honey also performed on the track. “Just a Dream” features Jimi Woodul on guitar, Dan Dekalb on piano, Ben Woodul on bass, and Josh Morris on acoustic drums. 

    Find her newest single and other projects here.

  • Upcoming Indie Band Yo Kinky Release new single “Resistance,” video for “Wire”

    Alternative duo Yo Kinky is in its nascent stage, with members Tom Unish and Laura Wight meeting in early 2020. The duo immediately felt a musical bond, and started crafting songs together.

    Yo Kinky
    Laura Wight and Tom Unish of Yo Kinky

    Queens-based band Yo Kinky follows their first single “Somebody That I Used to Know,” with the second single, “Resistance.” The song is delicately created, yet exudes a confidence created by Tom Unish’s spaced-out guitar licks. The sonic landscape undulates with hypnotic layers of sound; the song yearns for the intimacy long lost by social isolation.

    Laura Wight sings “Love is all we breathe,” and “Swing me off my feet,” transporting the listener to a beautiful place where love is all-surrounding. “Resistance” is an ode to the sanity one has during this time by finding delight in the small things in life. 

    “Resistance” follows their first single “Somebody That I Used to Know,” which, albeit its darker vocal passages, is playful, seductive and clever. It has received heavy play on WFMU’s radio station, as well as named as one of the best tracks of 2020 by Three Chord Monte. The band is beaming in their own path as they create and release more infectious music.

    Over 2020, Yo Kinky self-produced and are releasing their first, self-titled EP. This collection of songs addresses trust, communication, love, loneliness, freedom, identity, and expectation. The group combines drum machines and bright, buzzing synths and guitars that shimmer with reverb and delay.

    Yo Kinky’s music is reminiscent of Blondie, X, Mitksi, and Soccer Mommy, as they blend the pop and rock elements of indie into an incandescent artwork. When shows are possible again, Yo Kinky looks forward to playing locally, nationwide, and beyond.

    Yo Kinky’s debut EP is due out on February 26, 2021.

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