St. Patrick’s Day is normally for pints of Guinness, Irish music, parades, and indeed in New York City that was the case in 1990, as always before the plague temporarily swept all that away. The Pogues had played a Friday night gig at the Beacon, and were playing Saturday Night Live on this night, the parade happened in Manhattan, the pubs were no doubt full, but in Brooklyn there was nary a tin whistle in sight, only the loud and the heavy. This was a killer triple-bill on St. Patrick’s Day that had naught to do with being Irish: Quebec heavies Voivod, Seattle bruisers Soundgarden and just-achieving-stardom west coasters Faith No More, at L’Amour in Brooklyn – doubtless one of the great gigs ever.
This was the final night of this tour – Voivod and Soundgarden had been on tour together for months, with FNM the opening band on early shows, and then again at the end of the tour. So there was a celebratory air, each of the bands getting on stage during the other bands’ sets, jamming.
Voivod headlined. Soundgarden was in the middle slot. This seemed unthinkable just a year or two later, when FNM and Soundgarden both blew up, but in 1989-90, Voivod was the bigger band, beloved left-field underground metal kings.
Voivod jamming with Soundgarden and Faith No More – Chris Cornell with two beers in hands. Photo by Greg Fasolino
So Faith No More, on ‘The Real Thing’ tour, opened the night – they were certainly the least-known of the bands, but shortly before this gig, MTV started playing the “Epic” video on heavy rotation, and FNM were the trendy new band of the moment. ‘The Real Thing’ started selling bucketloads. Consequently, L’Amour, a Voivod stronghold that would have been full even without the other two bands, was utterly sold out, jam-packed before FNM hit the stage.
The crowd went apeshit. When they played, they were excellent, opening with “From Out of Nowhere,” playing a roaringly-received set of mostly ‘The Real Thing’ songs (plus old chestnut “We Care a Lot”) and closing with Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Various guys from Soundgarden and Voivod jammed along.
photo by Greg Fasolino
Soundgarden played second, promoting their heavy, killer Louder Than Love record. I’d seen them not long before this, but they were definitely my favorite band in 89-90, so I had to see them (and Voivod) again. They played “Flower,” the pummeling “Gun,” “Loud Love,” “Hands All Over” and a bunch of other sludge-metal classics.
Snake from Voivod – photo by Greg Fasolino
During “Big Dumb Sex” Voivod guys sexually harassed Chris Cornell with an inflatable sex doll, and at one point Chris Cornell crawled out over the crowd hanging from the low ceiling and dropped right in to the packed, swirling pit. Mighty. They finished with Spinal Tap’s “Big Bottom,”,and the creeping, all-consuming doom-metal of “Beyond The Wheel” closed the show.
Photo by Greg Fasolino
Voivod headlined, touring behind that godlike Nothingface record, played almost that whole record, plus a few choice oldies and a cover of ZAPPA’s “What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body?,” during which song drunken Soundgardeners and Faith No Mores jammed or just undulated around them like 60s bellydancers, with Mike Patton running around with a sex toy strapped to his head. Which was odd. Great night, amazing bands, and this one was up there with the best triple-bills ever.
Setlists
Faith No More: From Out Of Nowhere, Introduce Yourself, The Real Thing, Underwater Love, Zombie Eaters, We Care A Lot, Sweet Dreams, Surprise! You’re Dead!, Epic, Woodpecker From Mars, War Pigs
Soundgarden: Flower, Hands All Over Me-American Woman, Gun, Loud Love, Get On The Snakel Big Dumb Sex, Full On Kevin’s Mom, I Awake, Big Bottom, Beyond the Wheel
Voivod: The Unknown Knows, Nothingface, Tribal Convictions, X-Ray Mirror, Tornado, Pre-Ignition, Missing Sequences, Brain Scan, Into My Hypercube, Astronomy Domine, Inner Combustion, What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body?
New York City’s post-punk, art-rock ensemble Imaginary People return with an irreverent, amphetamine-fueled new track “Renegade,” lifted from the band’s forthcoming album Alibi due later this year.
Any music worth its salt will reflect the times it’s made in. It’ll absorb the atmosphere of everything around it, hold up a mirror to what’s happening in the lives of the people who made it and also the wider world outside.
That’s exactly what Imaginary People aims to portray in Alibi, the band’s third full-length album. It is, as frontman Dylan Von Wagner, explains, a response to the cultural civil war that he sees unfolding all across the USA. That cultural dystopia bristles through Alibi’s 11 songs.
The band – consisting of Mark Roth (guitar), Justin Repasky (keys/synth), Kolby Wade (drums), Bryan Percivall (bass/synth), and with additional synth work by Grant Zubritsky – have not just perfectly captured the times in which this record was written, but have managed to turn the nightmare of the modern world into something truly exquisite, pitting emotional vulnerability against an almost resigned stoicism.
Just listen to the way that Von Wagner’s voice trembles on the albums opener “It’s Simple,” the tenderly mournful opener written minutes after the singer watched the gun massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School unfold on live television.
Listen to the tentative fragility and dark romanticism of “Bronx Girl” and the jittery “Neon Age” which rails against a world in which people present a different version of their lives to society in order to impress them.
“It’s a giant sh*t on Instagram,” Von Wagner says matter-of-factly. “I have no problem with people using it, but everybody’s just making up their life to be their own little movie, and I think it’s making a lot of people mentally ill.”
While there are glimpses of light throughout the darkness that permeates every aspect of Alibi – one that captures the nature of what humanity has become – and while its songs do reflect the harsh, bleak reality of being alive – it also manages to exist on its own, and in its own terms.
The official video for “Renegade,” directed by Dylan Von Wagner, is out today. Von Wagner says, “After spending two nights in jail for trespassing in an empty warehouse we found the ‘right’ one and performed an exorcism!”
Alibi is being recorded by Phil Weinrobe (Nick Murphy, Pussy Riot, Stolen Jars) at Rivington 66 in the band’s home of New York City, as well as upstate with Eli Crews (Tuneyards, Deerhoof, Xylouris White) at Spillway Sound in the Catskills and mixed by Crews at Figure 8 in Brooklyn.
Imaginary People have created an album that shimmers with a twisted beauty, which feeds off all of that disturbing substance and turns it into something both harrowing and beautiful.
“Renegade” is now on all streaming platforms. The release follows up the album’s two pre-release singles, “Hometown” and “Crazy Eight.”
“Hometown” was described by PopMatters as “landing somewhere between ’80s stadium rock (The Alarm, War-era U2) and latter day saints such as the War on Drugs.” Both songs are available now to listen and share on streaming services.
After a pair of hometown shows this past weekend, Twiddle has announced a pair of socially distant outdoor pod shows in New England in May. On Friday, May 14th, the band will visit Northlands in Swanzey, NH and on Saturday, May 15th they’ll perform at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT. Attendees at both shows will be seated in pre-selected, socially distant pods.
Twiddle visited Northlands (formerly Drive-In Live) in Swanzey last fall while the venue was set up as a Drive-In theatre. The owners have transformed the scenic, mountainside location into a thriving, pod-style concert field. Northlands also expanded the operation, promising food trucks, beer and wine, improved sound and lights, and much more.
Twiddle will also be one of the first few bands to perform at Westville Music Bowl, formerly home of the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. Both shows will adhere to all state and local guidelines regarding masks and social distancing.
This past weekend, Vermont jam quartet Twiddle returned to the stage for the first time in 2021 for a pair of special hometown live stream shows from The Double E in Essex, VT.
Hosted in partnership with Fiddlehead Brewing, the virtual events featured carefully curated setlists, highlighting individual chapters of the band’s sixteen-year history. Performing a few short miles from Castleton, the rustic college town where the band started, the shows were a masterful depiction of the evolution of the signature sound Twiddle continues to refine.
photo by Dave Decresente
The band kicked off night one (3/11/21) with a first set comprised of fan-favorite tracks from their 2017 release Plump Chapter One. After weaving together the first four songs of set one with a series of seamless segues, viewers were treated to an acoustic rendition of catalog rarity, “Dusk ’til Dawn,” led by drummer Brook Jordan on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. The opening set was highlighted by the debut of “Lost in the Rain,” a reggae mashup of originals “Lost in the Cold” and “When it Rains it Poors.”
Set two featured fresh takes on deep cuts from Twiddle’s early days, with all of the music coming from the band’s 2007 release, Natural Evolution of Consciousness. The nonstop six-song marathon provided a glimpse at Twiddle’s precise, genre-bending composition, contrasted by their unbridled, exploratory improvisation. The 75+ minute set was performed without a break.
Night two incorporated similar thematic elements to the previous show, with set one focusing on songs from Plump Chapter Two. For the second consecutive set, Twiddle performed without a pause, sandwiching multiple songs between distinct parts of “Orlando’s,” most notably an extended “Nicodemus Portulay,” complete with a “Find Frankenfoote” transmission.
Night two, set two contained some of Twiddle’s most recognizable tunes, focusing on music written for the 2011 release, Somewhere on the Mountain. The improv-heavy set included subtle odes to influential musical counterparts, including Papadosio and Phish teases in “Daydream Farmer” and “Frend’s Theme.” Twiddle closed the hometown run of shows with an extended take on Tears For Fears’ 1982 hit, “Mad World.”
photo by Dave Decresente
Setlist – March 11, 2021
Set One: Syncopated Healing> Every Soul> River Drift> Every Soul, Dusk Til Dawn$, Distance Makes The Heart^, Lost In The Rain&, Zazu’s Flight
Set Two: Frankenfoote > Grandpa Fox > Tiberius> Brown Chicken Brown Cow> Tiberius> Subconscious Prelude
Encore: Caterpillar % > Frankenfoote
$ Brook on Acoustic Guitar ^ Mihali on Acoustic Guitar & Mashup of Lost in The Cold and a reggae version of When It Rains It Poors % With A Go Go by John Scofield teases
Setlist – March 12, 2021
Set One: Enter > Orlando’s > Dinner Fork > Nicodemus Portulay $ > The Fantastic Tale of Ricky Snickle > Slippin’ In the Kitchen > Orlando’s
Set Two: Daydream Farmer ^> Frends Theme & > Apples # > Doinkinbonk> Apples, Earth Mama
Encore: Mad World+
$ With a “find Frankenfoote” Transmission ^ With Find Your Cloud by Papadosio Teases & With Divided Sky Teases # With Ghostbusters Theme tease + Tears for Fears
Our last installment hooked your ears. This one will sink its teeth. New York State bands are in bloom, and you are (still) here to discover. While halftime has come and gone, the tunes are still raging from last week’s round three, where we exposed each bands sound.
Now its time for NYS Music to lay it out for you, see what our Sweet 16 winners have been up to, and play a game of old school, heads-up, one-on-one.
Yet music discovery – the deeply subjective process of sifting through everything out there to find new audio candy – has never been harder. Quite frankly… the process of music discovery really sucks. Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket to showcase some of the hardworking, up-and-coming musical talent in the Empire State.
Central New York promoters Creative Concertsbring together fans at venues, stretching from Albany to Rochester and Syracuse to Utica. Lark Hall is the soon to open mid-sized venue in Albany that will host bands of all sizes, events and more. If you need to market your show, event, band or brand, Rochester’s Balbert Marketing has you covered. Need merchandise? Homegrown Eastern New York’s 518 Prints makes quality goods for local, regional and national bands or tours. High Peaks Event Production is a team with years of experience, aiding in all your stage, lighting and sound demands.JamCast proves high quality streams for bands, podcasts and much more. Between these companies, bands will find a great deal of what they need, and support businesses from across New York and the Northeast.
NOTE: Make sure you vote in ALL matchups for each region. And Vote once per device, duplicate votes will not be counted.
One of Rochester NY’s hottest bands blending the Blues with Garage Rock
“The gritty song features staple driving guitar riffs that the Pennies are known and loved for. It’s a more aggressive song…fueled by the times in which we are living. The video gives fans an opportunity to follow along to the lyrics. Learn those words, because when live music resumes and The Dirty Pennies can play live, this is an anthem we’ll want to sing along to.” Video Premiere: ‘I’m Your Man’
(A. you get to discover new music the old fashion way, using your brain and (B. there are all sorts of gems, like this badass music video from Rochester’s own The Dirty Pennies – a little bit of surf rock, a little bit of gritty Americana.
Collectively, we’re a musical representation of the sounds floating around in our heads. We use the instruments of our ancestors, but play music of our time” – Co-founder Eric Munley (mandolin, vocals).
“After harnessing the rawness of traditional bluegrass instrumentation, the band has taken the genre into an entire new dimension. The fast-fingered, high energy, cohesive group explores their live performance with an element of improvisation, gaining energy from their audience.” Blind Owl Band Host a Halloween Bash
https://youtu.be/zijC6QdIomY
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
“On this classic Black Sabbath tune. Sarah King adds to the field of great artists who have brought a twist on this brilliant anti-war song.Sarah King’s acoustic rendition is chilling, and cuts to core of the song, a treatment so honest and pure that it is as powerful as the original.” Pete Mason on Sarah King
And now you're greeted by a day you knew would come
Staring down everything we both know you done
And I can only be good for so long
You done me so wrong
You're not worth the whisky
Chanda Dewey – drums* – Eddie Hotaling – Guitar* – Jeff Picarazzi – bass* – Greg Pittz – lead guitar* (*vocals)
If you aren’t into songs long songs, Glass Pony might not be the band for you; about half of their songs hit in the 8-10 minute mark and take their time to get in the groove with long intros and outros. Their second song on the album, “Swing That Maximus” has a full two-minute instrumental intro.
With tempo changes up the wazoo throwing the listener from dance beats that make you want to get up and boogie, to slow sections you would barely move your body, they are definitely the type of band you can let loose to live or shamelessly-groove-to on your daily commute. Glass Pony brings you out of the mundane with some chaotic, yet systematic rhythms and beats that make Glass Pony one of a kind.
These four young men, Bryan Davies on tenor banjo, guitar, wash tub, bass, and vocals; Tim Slusarcyzk on upright bass, harp, and vocals; Ben carrier on guitar, mandolin, harp, 5 string banjo, and vocals; and Chris Taylor on Gatling harps, mouth harp, harmonica in a beer can (yes you read that correctly) and vocals bring something unique with their bluegrass, Americana sound.
Playing a mix of original music, such as “Over You Darlin” and “Am I Best” along with some all time favorite covers such as “Stuck In the Middle With You” by Stellars Wheel, they had the crowd wound up and ready for their day long of music and fun. – RSC at Oak Mountain Bluegrass
Joe Bellanti – organ, keys – Corey Kertzie – drums – Dave Ruch – guitar
Organ Fairchild is a musical party that won’t quit. Take your old-school organ trio (organ, guitar and drums), add dance-heavy grooves and adventurous jamming, and shake vigorously. Enjoy all night long.
“Jan. 2021 marks the release of single, “Seepin’,” from long-time Buffalo jam band veterans Organ Fairchild. Members have a history on the jam scene dating back 40 years.” Debut Single”Seepin”
LISTEN to Organ Fairchild’s debut single, from the forthcoming May 2021 album release! Mastered by Alan Evans of Soulive.
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
Jared Cowen – Guitar/Vox – Scott Reill – Bass/Vox – Jager Soss – Drums/Vox
“An impressive musical and technical feat from start to finish. The opening track, “The Vision That I Can See,” is a jaw-dropping epic that really showcases the prowess of this band” – Baked Shrimp ‘Bubble Suit’
“Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” was released March 12, and is the single off of Baked Shrimp’s second studio album Conscious, set for release on March 26th, 2021. The new single features Nick Rufolo on saxophone, trumpet, and keyboards. The track also features Jager Soss on percussion.
“But before you close your eyes and float away, the band changes things up, shaking the listener from the dream state. On “Donye Wump,” Cadley (drums) turns the tempo up and brings everyone along.”
“Cantrips is an old Scot word that basically means a magical spell of any kind” says Jonas Reddy-Nicholson (keyboards, vocals) when asked about the meaning of the name. He goes on to say, “Cantrips is also what they call the type of spells one can cast at any time in the game Dungeons & Dragons.” The band ended up tying the new album thematically to a D&D campaign that they played together.
And play together, they do. Stylistically they fit snugly into the jam genre.
Elite 8 Polls are now CLOSED. Final 4 voting will BEGIN on Sunday, March 21 at 8:00am!
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket delving into the musical harbors of our great state. As fans and musicians ourselves, we spotlight the great talent across New York in friendly competition and discovery. Its furry never looses sight of the underdog, a headliner’s humble beginnings, new musical discovery and rolling with the punches in our ever-changing industry.
When you think of great funk soul bands that have come out of Buffalo, New York only two names come to mind, Rick James and Soulive. Alan Evans, drummer and founding member of Soulive took time to talk about his musical journey that started in Western New York to around the world with the best.
Buffalo, NY native Alan Evans at “Bowlive”
“It just kind of happened, To be honest I’m surprised I’m actually doing this, some people can point to… “ Oh I saw this, I heard this” Then all of a sudden I wanted to play music , but man music for me is like breathing, like literally ya know?, “ Its always been ingrained”
He has been playing gigs in Buffalo since he was eleven years old.” “For Neal and I it started like one day we were playing music, the next day basketball, then football, maybe skateboarding, then some times all that in the same day” Alan first started out with a band called The Groove and then Moonboot Lover that prompted him to touchdown outside Buffalo in Brooklyn’s pre-developed 1992 Park Slope. “At 7th between 8th and Prospect right at the park “ “Park Slope was a completely different world then ”.
He went on to form Soulive with his brother Neal Evans and Eric Krasno in 1999 that has gone through the past two decades culminating in their own Seven time residency at the historic Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Dubbed as “Bowlive”, it brings all of the best musicians on the scene today to collaborate with Alan and his Buddy Miles like vocals and drumming on “Them Changes” for each one over the years.
NYS Music had some time to talk with Alan Evans about his musical experiences over the career, Here is the Conversation:
Matthew Romano: Where was your first collaboration with Sam Kininger who became an instrumental part of Soulive?
Alan Evans: So… Soulive started in 1999 and Sam came and was part of the Lettuce crew at Berklee at the time, So literally all of our early gigs were with Sam, I remember the first time we played with Sam was at House of Blues in Cambridge, Mass in 99’ and Kraz was like “Oh my boy Sam is gonna come through and play” “and we were like all right cool whatever” Then we recorded on from there with two great records in Woodstock with him
Alan Evans, Sam Kininger
MR: Jumping from House of Blues on the East Coast with Sam K to the House of Blues in Los Angeles on the West Coast in 2005 where Stevie Wonder was in the crowd for your set and then joined for the encore on “Jesus Children of America” Did you know he was in attendance and was gonna close the show out with you?
AE: We had no idea he was there that night, we finished our last song and left the stage he was there and wanted to sit in with us, so um when we went to play as usual, the funny thing is at that point and time we played Jesus Children a lot. Especially for an encore ,we played it to get into a groove in the set list on tour so we were probably gonna do that any way. They said his driver had to get his harmonica out of the car, so basically we went on and were just stalling and started playing and I look over and saw him on the side stage and the people gave me the thumbs up and I introduced him, and he came out so yea it was pretty wild.
The funny thing it was the first time I ever saw Stevie Wonder live and they set him up right next to me. I thought he was gonna come on and play harmonica and leave , he’s not gonna sing and split, he comes out and the first thing he does is start to blow the harp, ok just as expected and then we got in to it and were grooving pretty hard, his solo came to and end and then started singing!
MR: In 1972 Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones, Soulive opened for the Stones on a couple different occasions, In Philadelphia you did for an intimate Tower Theater performance at a three thousand capacity venue . Any cool takeaways from that infamous backstage scene with them?
AE: A lot of funny stuff happened with the Philly show, like some Planes, Trains and Automobiles kind of stuff, So this is pre uber days and we landed at the airport and were cutting it close for soundcheck, a car pulls up that can finally brings us but we had gear and needed a van but couldn’t get one…the catch is that he has like a bag of trash that he ended up strapping to to the hood so we can all fit in and brings us to the venue where we tried to keep a low profile to get dropped off away from the Stones tailgate around the corner
So we got inside and did a soundcheck and hung out downstairs and was used to the typical go back to the hotel to chill before playing, that wasn’t the case the with Stones since it was such a mob scene they couldn’t leave either so we were all just hanging out
Backstage: Soulive and The Rolling Stones
We couldn’t leave, we were just there hanging out in our green room which had catering and a cavernous hallway leading to it. I remember Kraz and I were sitting by the door and ah Neal and I were on the couch too. But anyway Kraz is in this other chair by the door , all of a sudden someone kicks in the door , and the it flies open and BAM! I mean it was loud as hell , I mean what the fuck is going on? And in comes Keith Richards who just kicks the door down and walks in and goes I heard one of you is from Connecticut ?! So Kraz was from CT and Keith lives in Connecticut and they talked for a while and then Keith just splits
So we opened and were just up there doing our thing , some people in the crowd were checking it out, the other were just rolling their eyes and the thing is I looked to my right and all of them were hanging out like listening. All the Stones were posted up the whole set, they were digging the shit out of it, so um that was fine, we came off on time and they were like just like damn we got to work tonight, and i’m like OK cool
MR: After seven Brooklyn Bowl Residencies, is it even possible to pick a stand out moment with all those collaborations with every great artist over the years ?
Bowlive Poster & Setlist
AE: Man that’s a really good question, so much of it is , it seems like every year there is a moment like wow I can’t believe this is happening
I remember the set with Bernie Worrell and we did a like whole P Funk thing, I wasn’t even playing drums on that, it was me Kraz and Shmeeans playing guitar, I remember soundcheck and were running through the tunes with him, and were like damn this is Bernie, and we knew him for years but this is the first time we’ve played him, but it the was also the ideal time to realize this dude is a living legend, that was one experience I remember being insane
I grew up listening to P Funk, our older brother was way in to to them , hes 65, so he literally experienced them in 1977 when they were touring and saw them live landing the Mother Ship
MR: I’ve seen you play at Madison Square Garden, that being every artist’s dream venue in the State to play, are there any other venues in New York you have fond memories of?
AE: Its tough to beat the Garden, but ya know SPAC right? Yea man i have a sweet spot in my heart for that place man, Peter Prince my band mate in Moon Boot Lover back in the day is from from Saratoga Springs, His father is a really great artist, so for Jazz Fest we’d always get his dad’s vendors pass there. I saw some great shows and actually Soulive got to play there one year for the festival. There’s definitely something special about that place and I’d love to perform there again actually
MR: It was last Valentines Day at the Tralf in Buffalo seeing you perform with Soulive, it’s been almost a year since you were able to play live in front of sold out crowds pre pandemic, what is the expectation on live music for yourself in 2021 during these new times?
AE: That was my last run. We did the The Tralf, Pittsburgh ,The Capitol Theater and Boston. We had the most Soulive shows lined up till August for the first time in years. People have hit me up since, but I’m in no rush. I have been doing a lot of recording at my studio in the meantime. But I reflected in the beginning of the pandemic while my wife and I were out for a walk. I thought this would be a thing possibly for a while. I remember saying I don’t know how long this would last but at the end of it when things open back up that I didn’t want to not do anything or wish I did more. During this time I’ve looked at my life if I never would do a live show again. I’m not gonna sit around and be bummed out’ about it
MR: My final question to Alan was drummer to drummer, relating to the same concept , that there is a silver lining to be had during these times, for me I was able to collaborate with musicians that would normally be on the road or with other projects who are now available to jam and Alan’s reply was much obliged.
AE: Exactly man, yea for me you’re so right, it’s just how you look at it. My Father said it the best, its simple there’s two ways to looking at things, you can be positive or be negative, and so of course we all know the negative of the pandemic so we don’t have to talk about it, but its like with in that though I think good. I’ve been really positive. I’ve been making music and can spend time with my family. For me its like a cleanse, to really look at my life, I can’t just do any old gig , I just take everything away and have time to step back and feel what’s really important. What do i want my life to be about? Thats what been a positive for me and I hope it’s like that for a lot of people.
MR: I just scooped Rick James and Stone City Band “Bustin out of L Seven” on Vinyl, are there any recordings from your fellow Buffalo native that stick out?
AE: Man…that’s a really tough one. I mean this really does, you kinda cant go wrong. That’s a dope record
Check Out Soulive’s last home show on Valentines Day in Buffalo, New York on February 14, 2020.
On March 5th, South African-born, Brooklyn-based artist Sulene released her new EP, he•don•ic, on Trash Casual.
The five songs on the EP dive deep into her struggles with alcohol addiction, depression, and hedonic pleasures, and finding a way out of these destructive cycles.
Sulene’s dark lyricism is juxtaposed by dancey, sexy beats strewn with synth and guitar that she describes as a “gothic disco party.”
This vulnerable-meets-underground club aesthetic is found on songs like “identity crisis” and “photo booth”, both questioning bad habits she’s encountered in her life.
Written at the start of the pandemic, “diner coffee” brings a more slowed down, sullen moment to the record as Sulene states “I promise to be useful” – a nod towards needing to create while blocking out depression.
For Sulene, writing he•don•ic was a painful and difficult process, but also one that allowed her to experiment with music in a new way.
Exploring a darker side of her character and production, Sulene wrote, recorded, and produced the entire EP out of her apartment in Brooklyn, NY. She also delved into filming and editing her own music videos and artwork, giving a full 360-degree view of her newest art.
Speaking on the release, Sulene stated:
he•don•ic explores my relationship with hedonism and addiction. Lyrically it speaks an uncomfortable truth and sonically it makes me wanna be in the club; a contradiction I find intriguing.
This is definitely a fair overview or the EP. Each song is introspective in its own way, with Sulene analyzing her habits and tendencies, as well as her mental state. Sulene is heavily critical of her relationships with others, and her indulgences and dependencies.
At the same time, the pounding, synth-heavy beats remind the listener of going out at night and partying with friends at clubs. It is a truly interesting contradiction, especially now in a time when clubs have been completely empty for almost a year.
With the release of the he•don•ic EP, Sulene has broken new ground as an artist, bringing an experimental and refreshing take on pop music. You can stream he•don•ic here now and purchase the EP on vinyl here.
New York City-based singer-songwriter Amsi releases the second single of 2021 today, “Cry” being an outlet for listeners to be vulnerable and express their grief on matters pandemic and beyond. The artist prides herself on her culturally diverse background and unique sound, whilst also addressing experiences that are all too universal and relatable.
There were many instances where I was told I was too sensitive or too emotional, but now especially in this past year, I realized that crying doesn’t mean I am weak, it means that I am processing & growing. I hope people find comfort in knowing that it’s okay to cry too.
Amsi, on “Cry”
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine on the mental health of today’s society is one that cannot possibly be looked over, with the yearning for things to return to normal and the fears that someone you love could possibly be affected. These fears became a reality for Amsi, who was quarantined with her father, sick with COVID-19, ten days after her last live performance.
You can stream her newest single here, as well as check out the rest of her works on her Spotify.
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 Under the Den, Jade Relics, and many more!
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 EQXposure starts with a four-song feature from Under the Den, a group that hopes to capture the positive essence and momentum of the progress which has become symbolic of the Upstate NY area.
Under The Den formed in the autumn of 2017 as a collaborative effort in Upstate New York of four people trying to make good music. Madison Lewis, the group’s lead vocalist from Orange County, CA, pours her soul into live performances, understanding the need for connection and reciprocation with an audience large or small. Benjamin “Ideas” Zoleski, a music major from Berklee, brings a great range to the guitar following a recent outing as the Musical Director for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “School of Rock” (2018-2019) theatre production, as well as the guitarist for the European hologram tour of Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison (2019). The rhythm section is comprised of identical twin brothers John Nowak (on bass) and drummer Jason “J NO” Nowak. Both have a long musical history in the 518 and abroad, with bands on indie and major labels.
They are performing on March 27 at Albany’s oldest bar, Pauly’s Hotel. The show is supported by Kid Vicious with live sound by Lyons Den Productions. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.
Jade Relics from Vermont is a trio of IamE, Rico James, and Elder Orange. The music floats along a hip hop feel with emo heartfelt singing, excellent production and instrumentation creating a head bobbing yet smart piece of music.
Jade Relics recently released “Start Over” a massive sounding intoxicating grooed out jam about pushing the rest button or at least being forced to do so.
After preparing a massive arsenal of puns in preparation for a ten year tour of stand-up punning in pun-friendly venues worldwide, Troy, NY’s DayBloom packed a van and set out, only to get a flat tire in the driveway. Plans dashed and bored, they started playing music.
‘Till the Sky” is a deep roots style track with enriching harmony and clever twists and turns. The acoustic instrumentation which implies a laid back sense does not cover up the rumbling intensity and dark turns of this rather well put together piece of music.
Record Heat, formerly known as Spirit Animal, is back with a new 3-song EP titled 1 out on March 12. “Nathan” and “Just Hits” are previously released tracks, with brand-new closer “Networks.” Produced by Nolan Lambroza, 1 has an industrial, ground-shattering, alternative-rock sound.
Record Heat’s NST Album Art
The opening track “Nathan” booms into headphones with a huge grimey bass sound and commanding, catchy vocals. The beats are redolent of “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West, delivering a powerful energy that is cinematic and danceable. One could imagine a live show with pyrotechnics and a zealous crowd. “Couldn’t really say that I’m the patient type,” lyrically encompasses the strength of this song.
“Just Hits” opens with a mysterious synth line and a techno beat that kicks in with a groove. Steve’s vocals are confident, almost rapped, giving the song a quick, invigorating aura. There is a spoken-word prechorus that induces reflection about nature: “We came from the sky / We came from the trees.” The song morphs into a bravado-filled chorus, with idiosyncratic production. The manipulated vocals, sirens blaring, and synth motif coat the song in a bold color palette. Record Heat knows that they are hot stuff.
The newest track on the EP is the closer “Networks.” It opens with a jangly percussive bar and instantly adds groovy guitars. The energy is infectious immediately. The song criticizes networking and its inherent artifice; Record Heat are not in search of fortune and fame – even stating “The music industry sucks” as an ad-lib – they are artists, here for music, not commerciality. “Networks” is an anger-tinged indie dance track. It’s a powerful track in less that 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Record Heat’s new EP “1” is a whirlwind of confident, experimental, industrial rock. Their sound is refreshing, and you can listen to it on March 12th on all streaming services. You can find more about Record Heat on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
On March 1st, Brooklyn based singer-songwriter and poet Lowhency Pierre unveiled a new single and visual for his latest single “Losing.”
The genre-bending crooner delivers a strong and passionate vocal performance that details not measuring up to gain the attention and affection of a partner.
The somber cut is his most vulnerable and emotional track to date – with its thrumming heartbeat and bassline that grow more pronounced with time, over theatrical strings and overlapping vocals.
In “Losing,” Lowhency Pierre turns grappling with self identity and worth into moments of clarity, security and liberation.
Lowhency shares, “Lyrically, I’m saying that it’s really hurtful, and exhausting trying to exceed your expectations to win your love; and, recognizing my value and self worth enough to set myself free from that negative and toxic space.”
Inspired by the art form of dance and natural human body movements, Lowhency says, “After discovering choreo-cinema films by Maya Deren (Study In Choreography for Camera), and Robyn Brentano and Andrew Horn (Cloud Dance), I really wanted to challenge and explore new areas of my body to express myself beyond writing and singing for the visual.”
Pierre teamed up with longtime collaborator, choreographer and director, Barby Beauvais, to share his vision, and began training for two months on steps and movements that conveyed the concept of the song.
Barby created the choreography piece-by-piece to showcase reflection, frustration, vulnerability and peacefulness.
The new release is a taste of what’s to come on Lowhency’s forthcoming (yet-to-be-titled) project. Pierre’s last single “Crew Love” received and generated support from Grandma Sophia’s Cookies, Music and Other Drugs, Bands Do Brooklyn and more!
