Staten Island-born musician, multi-instrumentalist and member of Blue Oyster Cult, Richie Castellano, celebrates his 41st birthday today.
Growing up in Staten Island, New York, Castellano is a fifth-generation musician who developed his musical talents at a young age. He is also an audio engineer.
Castellano earned his degree in Music Production at the State University of New York at Purchase. In 2001, he produced and engineered Regina Spektor’s debut album, 11:11. During his undergraduate career, he won three awards for his talents, including first place in the Songwriter Hall of Fame’s songwriting competition, 1998.
His versatile musical talents led him to Blue Oyster Cult. Beginning in 2000, Richie Castellano was one of their engineers. However, in early 2004, he received a call that would change his life: Eric Bloom of the band asked him to play bass. A few years later, in 2007, Castellano switched from bass and became the full-time guitarist.
His cover of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, in which he played every instrument and sung each harmony, went viral.
Today, Castellano continues to be a creative force in music. He sometimes works at his family’s music store in Staten Island, while also running a podcast called Band Geek, and continues to engineer and produce music.
Saturday Night Live welcomed Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy (dad Eugene stopped by too) and musical guest Phoebe Bridgers for the smashing second episode of 2021.
Phoebe Bridgers is without a doubt the year’s breakout indie darling. Her 2020 sophomore album Punisher garnered four Grammy nominations, including Best Rock Song and Best New Artist. While there’s some stiff competition for the latter, including Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, she’s one of the most acclaimed of the eight nominees.
Bridgers is also one third of the supergroup Boygenius, with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. On Thursday, February 4, she tweeted in support of Marilyn Manson’s accusers after sharing her own experience.
For the night’s first song, Phoebe performed “Kyoto,” the second single off the emo-folk Punisher, and one of the most upbeat offerings in her catalog. It concerns Bridgers’ tumultuous relationship with her father, and dissociating on a trip to Japan she took in February 2019. One of the song’s hardest hitting moments is the first line of the chorus, “I’m gonna kill you / If you don’t beat me to it.” Throughout the set, Phoebe and her band both wore her signature skeleton onesies.
After the more accessible “Kyoto,” Bridgers closed the night with Punisher’s final track, “I Know the End.” The apocalyptic song concluded with calculated cacophony: after her guitar solo, Bridgers yelled into the mic and smashed her guitar, joining the likes of SNL alums Arcade Fire, Nirvana and Cypress Hill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LE5tafaayc
Tune into SNL next week, February 13, with host Regina King and musical guest Nathaniel Rateliff.
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.
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
Originally premiered on the Bonnaroo Virtual Roo-ality, Turkuaz played a set of Remain in Light alongside two Talking Heads members, Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew. Although the album came out in 1980, the legacy of the band and passion of the existing band members continues to carry on well into 2021.
Turkuaz Announce “Remain in Light” Shows with Talking Heads
Based in Brooklyn, Turkuaz is a band of nine members that strive to combine and perfectly balance harmonies of powerful voices, a variety of instrumentals, and an intense consonance incorporating elements from multiple genres.
Remain in Light and Talking Heads have been part of the soundtrack of our lives, and a huge inspiration to us as a band since day one. It was definitely unlike anything I had ever seen and is still unlike anything I have ever seen. It was right about the time we were starting this band. We wanted to cover their material as much as we could so we could get inside the arrangements and figure out what was going on—what made it feel that way and sound that way.
Dave Brandwein [ Turkuaz’s guitar/vocalist] on the collaboration with Talking Heads
Originally set to tour alongside Harrison and Belew in the summer of 2020, COVID-19 unfortunately interrupted their plans and derailed live music for the foreseeable future. Turkuaz’s “Ophidiophobia” had garnered a lot of excitement, having yet to be performed live, so it was added alongside the Remain in Light tour. As live concerts seem unlikely anytime soon and the band was itching to perform, Bonnaroo Virtual Roo-Ality offered them a chance to perform several setlists together to an adoring virtual audience.
The setlist consisted of “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads, “Houses in Motion” by Talking Heads, “Ophidiophobia” by Turkuaz, followed by the final “Crosseyed and Painless” by Talking Heads. The chemistry between the band and Talking Heads members is evident in their performance and how perfectly they bounce off of each other’s vibe.
What a joy it is to be playing music with Adrian Belew again. Having recently produced music for Turkuaz, it was like I was introducing close friends who had never met. We all left the rehearsal very excited.
Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads on performing alongside the band
Meditation and mental well-being go hand in hand and there’s never been a period in time quite like the current that demands a positive mindset. Enter Sounds from the Bardo Volume II, presented by Psychedelic Sangha. This undertaking, an album-based series of immersive journeys into liminal states of consciousness, is the brainchild of Ethan Covey and Doc Kelley and a follow-up to Volume I which was released on Bandcamp this past December.
Spanning almost 90 minutes, this project was created to provide the means to meditate while immersing yourself into beautiful music as a means of finding inner-peace. It features Tony Leone on percussion, Scott Metzger on guitar and Jeff Hill on Bass and was recorded live in November at the Judson Memorial Church in NYC. The release consists of 4 tracks, which include a meditation and instrumental track, each containing the same jam performance with and without guided meditation, and 2 additional soundcheck jams from the same session. Additionally, this multi-media collection also includes a video of the full length original light show produced by Bubba Ayoub.
The meditation begins with Jessica Angima’s soothing voice helping to bring calm to your surroundings while Scott Metzger’s guitar begins to playfully dance around her words. As her words began to fade away, the trio begins their gentle improvisation into the soundscape. The journey they start is akin to a sunrise and sunset, slowly building and shining more light as the meditation progresses and flowing into ambient sounds as the hour reaches it end.
The delicate jamming begins to give way to delightful melodies halfway through journey and this continues to a beautiful crescendo before bringing the participant back to an ambient outro. The paths that this trio takes between each of Jessica’s guided meditations are a phenomenal example of what these three talented musicians are able to create together. This release is the first published recording of these three musical geniuses performing together and hopefully it’s not the last that we see of them collaborating together on something special.
Also included on this release are additional 2 soundcheck jams from Leone, Metzger and Hill. These bonus tracks continue the psychedelic energy that the trio brought to the meditation and show the trio stretching themselves and their abilities out, as you’d expect from any soundcheck. Both of these tracks flow between genres, tempos and energies while showcasing the themes and strengths that each of the artists would bring to their magnum opus. At the end of the second jam, you’ll find yourself agreeing with the band when you hear them exclaim, “We’re vibin’ so hard!”
Psychedelic Sangha’s Sounds from the Bardo Volume II will be released via Bandcamp on February 5th and can be purchased for a minimum of $12 USD. This release is a must-own for anyone who engages in or is considering dipping their toes into meditation, and certainly for everyone who is a fan of ambient jamming or improvisational soundchecks.
“Autumn,” the new single from T@NE, is a pop song of sensual proportions conveying the feeling of fresh kisses on your lips, romantic nights, and ecstasy. Autumn is sure to highlight what love is and can be.
Composed by T@NE and Be Steadwell and produced solely by T@NE, Autumn went through many musical stages. From the time T@NE and Be sat down at the piano and laid out its foundations, to the point of its completion where it became an epic pop song, one thing that stayed consistent throughout the writing process was the feeling and the vibe of the composition.
Album design by Fishman Art 89
“Autumn” is a step in a new direction for T@NE. The track exemplifies the diversity of T@NE’s sound, incorporating different pop elements to create the sensual vibe the song brings. While the sound of “Autumn” may stray away from the intricate jazz and rock heavy tones of T@NE’s debut single, “Rock Joint,” the quality of the track shows T@NE’s progression as an artist and producer.
T@NE – a musician, saxophonist, composer, producer, rapper, and vocalist – hails from Brooklyn. Growing up in a musical environment influenced T@NE’s deep love and passion for what he does. T@NE, along with his bandmates Taber Gable on keyboard, Andrew Renfroe on guitar, Dan Pappalardo on bass, and Peter Manheim on drums, are making music for the future. Incorporating elements from all genres of music and fostering a real sense of unity and teamwork allows T@NE’s music to be enjoyable, inspiring, and energizing to listen to.
On January 22, 1977 Johnny Cash brought his band to Upstate New York to the Onondaga County War Memorial to promote his 56th album The Rambler. A concept album about traveling, the songs interspersed with dialogue between Cash and hitchhikers he picked up or other people he met during the album’s cross-country trip. It truly is an American roots album where Cash shares various county road tales about the lost love of women and family anecdotes about his grandfather’s preaching days in North Carolina.
Outlaw country outfit Mr.Days from Albany have adopted a similar alt-country/jam/Americana sound concept for their first album, Infinitus. Released on January 1, 2021 is influenced by the same America as Cash was. Mr. Days is a trio consisting of James Matlock on guitar and vocals, his father Rick Matlock on guitar and vocals and Jacob Karker on drums and vocals. The father-son duo have been writing these songs and performing them in Capital Region saloons for a couple years now.
The Matlocks wrote a song called “Bill and Ed,” a story about their great-great-great grandfather who made a living in part by traveling the country selling Christmas trees by train in the winter. There was a family legend that he had died when looking out the window of a moving train during one of these endeavors, being decapitated by a light pole. Genealogical research indicated that it was actually just a train crash that resulted in his passing, but it still holds roots for a great ballad, with drums echoing the train rolling down the tracks. The Matlocks sing, “Riding out toward Toledo, got four cars of spruce, that Christmas pine, the train keeps rolling and a winter storm is blowing.”
Rick Matlock’s travels in America are also reflected in the tune “Carolina Bound,” a musical memoir of his trips down south to visit family, singing, “Pack my bag and leave the valley, say goodbye to Mohawk cold … I’m moving on to the southern plains where I belong.” Another great track that reflects America’s history is “Appalachian Bloodstone.” This song travels to the hillsides of West Virginia where the Buffalo Creek Flood occurred in February 1972. The Pittston Coal Company impoundment dam in Logan County had burst four days after having been declared “ satisfactory” by a federal mine inspector. The accident that was referred to as “an act of god” and displaced the 5,000 people who lived along Buffalo Creek Hollow. The Matlocks praise, “we all sink the same … that’s the price they pay for taking all that blood stone”
Rick Matlock, Jacob Karker, James Matlock
Mr. Days started their own history in 2021 with the release of their debut record. Hopefully it will bring them across the vast American landscape that they sing heartily about. Much like Johnny Cash on The Rambler, the journey of Mr. Days takes place on the open road. Cash preaches “Life out on the interstate is very much alive, there’s magic in the mountains and music in the valley down below, and my song ain’t through playing yet so I believe I’ll hit the road and go”.
Key Tracks: Bill and Ed, Carolina Bound, Appalachian Bloodstone
Syracuse based rapper Evil Key (Jonas Nicholson) follows his 2020 release SAVE FACE//ESCAPE FATE with his newest concept album The Host. Nicolson is also member of fellow Syracuse psychedelic jam rock band Vaporeyes. The Host is a brave departure from any of Nicholson’s previous work done with Vaporeyes, opting for a bold lo-fi rap concept album that explores becoming a new person, possibly without your control.
About a decade ago, I had a particular experience that changed my life. I made positive changes and stopped being overall self-destructive. Looking back at it now, it feels like a lifetime ago. Like a different person. What if I am? What if I’ve been taken over? What if I’ve been someone else all these years? Would I know? Am I in here?
Evil Key, Rapper
Meeting at the crossroad between the moody emo rap ruling the mainstream and the nerdy backpack rap of the early 2000s, Evil Key finds a unique niche to fill. While Evil Key’s influences from the likes of Aesop Rock to Eminem are abundantly clear, he operates in a unique enough lane that it does not take much out of the overall experience. The Host offers a stellar mix of beats from upbeat synth driven songs like “The Host”, to more spaced out cloud rap tracks like “Happy”, to noisy sample heavy tracks like “Concords”; all containing a particular lo-fi edge. “Hear It Still” has a particular vocal sample that meshes perfectly with the tracks chilled-out hook.
Evil Key’s amateurish lunch room battle rap approach to rapping is endearing at first, but quickly becomes the records biggest flaw. Evil Key will often go off on tangent-like flows, such as on “FYPM,” that only serve the purpose of flexing his ability to rap fast rather than add an appealing sonic element to the songs. This tactic comes across awkward and can kill the mood of the multitude of somber and reflective songs on the album. With the beat being as subdued and laid back as they are, this hyper-aggressive approach to rap does not mesh well. On songs like “Hear it Still,” Evil Key is able to find a much more measured flow that shows he is capable of a more relaxed approach.
While The Host’s core concept is vague and hard to follow, the basic themes of depression, reinvention and paranoia are easy to identify with and ring throughout each track. As a whole, the album is a cohesive experience with each track sonically and lyrically meshing well together. The general mood of the album is oppressively gloomy and with pockets of light such as on songs like “The Host.” Each track being as versatile as they are adds to the engaging seamless listening sequence.
The overwhelming highlight of The Host is Evil Key’s impressive lyrical ability; Evil Key is able to create incredibly verbose bars seemingly effortlessly. Creating impressive rhyme schemes such as on songs like “Usurper.” Evil Key offers an endless stream of impressive rhymes that refuse to let up at any point throughout the album. While the nonstop rhymes are undoubtedly impressive, just like with the aggressive flows, they often act directly against some of the more subdued moments on the albums such as “Good Morning.”
Overall, The Host is an ambitious sophomore effort from Evil Key. An array of diverse beats do wonders in crafting the album’s depressing mood, some even being produced by Evil Key himself. Lyrically, Evil Key proves he is a force to be reckoned with on the mic, dropping one clever and emotional bar after another. What sets Evil Key apart from his obvious influences is his ability to craft unique and focused song concepts along with his dictionary-like lyrical arsenal. Even if Evil Key’s flows set the mood of certain songs off-kilter, what this album shows more that anything is serious potential in the budding artist.
The Host is available for purchase physically on CD and Bandcamp as well as streaming on all platforms.
New York City based band, Black Suit Youth, released a new single off their upcoming album, The World Is Almost Over, due out this spring. The group began work on the album in late 2019 following the release of groups 2017 projectFalse South. The 9-song LP navigates the harsh reality that the worst may be yet to come.
“Survivor’s Guilt” is the second single off the bands upcoming new album. Bryan Maher, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, comments on the song’s meaning:
It’s a song about two buddies of mine, Mark and Mike (who was Black Suit Youth’s original bassist). I miss Mark and Mike the most out all of those I’ve lost. The first verse is a reflection about Mark when we were teenagers, and the second verse is about Mike and I growing apart before his untimely death and the total shock of it.
Bryan Maher, Guitar and Vocals
Formed in 2005, NYC’s Black Suit Youth remain a relentless 4-piece outfit that blend elements of punk rock, classic rock, and indie rock. Two-thousand and ten saw the release of the LP, Meet Me in Death Valley, from which Black Suit Youth managed to secure opening gigs for Story of the Year, Alien Ant Farm, The Undead, and more.
After a few DIY tours, the album was re-released on vinyl. In 2016, the band signed with 59 X Records and released 2017’s False South which saw the band take a new direction while maintaining their DIY punk rock ethos. Black Suit Youth is comprised of Bryan Maher (Vocals/Guitar), Fed Canalos (Guitar), Juan Orellana (Bass), and Ray Mazza (Drums).
Episode 109 of The Rochester Groovecast Podcast is a new edition of “At The End Of The Day with Ben.” Ben chats about the hardships the past month (and year) has brought, announces two new amazing partnerships (one of them is this website), and admits that “I NEED HELP!”
At The End of The Day: I Need Help!
At Rochester Groovecast, the mantra “We’re Fans First!” harnesses the belief that the best businesses are built by fans. The podcast is deeply dedicated to playing an active role in the culture of its local scene.
The brainchild of Rochester native, Ben Albert, was created in 2016 to serve as a portfolio of the city, and nowadays, the entire region.
The podcast believes in the artistic brilliance abundant in Rochester, NY, and the surrounding regions. Ben seeks to play a pivotal role in our community by helping give Rochester a well-earned voice. He has seen first hand the abundance of talent, character, creativity, innovation, and beauty the Flower City has continuously offered.
“Ben Albert’s Rochester Groovecast provides local musicians and artists with a much-needed platform to promote their creative endeavors. The Rochester Groovecast is the perfect podcast to listen to on your daily commute. It is both entertaining and informative. Ben was a gracious host and you could tell he was genuinely interested in learning more about our band’s music and creative process. He gives local musicians a much-needed voice and we are thankful to be a part of it.”
