Wednesday, August 4 kicked off the Capital Concert Series at the Empire State Plaza in Albany and it did not disappoint with headlining act 90s favorite R&B singer, Ginuwine and opening act Freedom Stratton.
Gracing the Albany stage for the first time in 25 years, Ginuwine kept the crowd dancing and smiling with hits like “In Those Jeans” and “Pony.” While a large crowd was drawn to the Plaza with the chance to see an old school performance on a warm summer night, they had the perfect warm-up in the form of an opening act that came across as an artist with years in the business.
Setting off the night of dancing was a young local artist Freedom Stratton. Popping onto the stage with an energy that reached beyond his stature, his vocals and movements took up the massive staging area. Slated to do two 10-minute sets, Stratton focused on his newly released singles. During the first set, listeners got to hear Stratton’s singles ‘Ray Banz’ and ‘Prophecy’, which gave them a taste of Stratton’s clever lyrical power.
Born and raised in Albany, Freedom Stratton very recently celebrated his 21st birthday only days before the performance but is no stranger to the struggle and beauty of making music in the 518. At an early age, Stratton fell in love with musical theater, which led to his participation in high school plays, studying modern dance at Berkshire Ballet, and also a slew of performances in community productions across the Capital Region.
During the second set, he got the crowd dancing to more r&b/pop inspired singles ‘Tell Me What You Need’ and ‘New Things’. The audience bounced and grooved along all the way until Ginuwine took the stage. After Stratton’s second performance NYS Music had a chance to sit down with the budding artist.
NYS Music: What started your career in music?
Freedom: About three years ago I started working with BChaps. Then I had this idea to get a bunch of artists together for an album called “The Future” and it broke over 400,000 streams in less than a year. Then I knew.
NYS Music: What sets you apart from other artists?
Freedom: The drive. The drive to know that nothing is going to happen without you doing something to make it happen.
NYS Music: Do you have a dream collaborator and why?
Freedom: Anderson Paak. Oooh. He’s spicy. He’s spicy right there. I feel like that’s one of the most influential people to me in the music industry. It’s like that newer version of the old school.
NYS Music: Do you have any music that you often listen to these days? And who are the musicians that inspired you?
Freedom: Jason Derulo, gotta throw him in there. Ariana Grande. Justin Bieber, I ain’t gonna lie. I really mess with pop, like Dua Lipa. It’s the kind of music that I’m pushing for. More mainstream but at the same time they can make a heartbreak song, or a happy song, or a love song. I just love the diversity pop brings.
NYS Music: How would you like to see music help the community?
Freedom: Bringing people back together, you feel me? People are literally scared to be around each other. Music can bring us back together.
Things shifted in 2018 though once it became clear to Stratton that pop stardom would achieve his goal of leaving “a legacy. Something that will carry on forever and be able to touch people for generations”. Stratton began working with local music producer, Brian Chiappinelli(B.Chaps) to capture music that makes people happy. All the hard work has already begun to pay off. Just last year Stratton released his first full-length studio album dubbed “The Future”. With a loaded roster of other 518 artists, Stratton pushed himself out of his typical style comfort zone. Not only did the success of the album cause him to release a deluxe version that included a whopping thirty songs but “The Future” was also picked up for distribution by record label Rexius Records in Sweden.
Already back in the studio, Stratton has 2 singles set to be released this month. ‘First Love’ with Kortnee Simmons is dropping on Empire Media on August 13 and ‘For The Summer’ with B. Chaps and Money Montage is dropping on Foundation Media on August 20.
Freedom Stratton is available on all major streaming platforms (iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Google Play).
Here’s some news sure to excite New York metalheads! Infected Rain are just three weeks away from kicking off their extensive fall tour around the country. The tour features over 30 dates, including stops across the Empire State in Buffalo, NYC, and Poughkeepsie. Infected Rain will be performing alongside headliners Butcher Babies on their “Butcher Babies vs. Goliath” tour. Other supporting bands include Stitched Up Heart and Kaleido.
Infected Rain’s newest album is expected soon. The five piece band from Moldova most recently dropped their full length album Endorphins in 2019. Endorphins brought fans favorite tracks like “The Earth Mantra”, “Passerby”, “Lure”, “Storm”, and “Black Gold” and definitely brought a head banging energy with booming instrumentation, heavy riffs and intense vocals.
Formed back in 2008, Infected Rain have established themselves as one of modern metal’s most iconic acts. Over the years, they’ve toured extensively around Europe and signed a deal with Napalm Records. The band is thrilled to be back on the road, especially with some of their contemporaries. Their three New York stops include Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo, the Gramercy Theatre in NYC, and the Chance Theatre in Poughkeepsie.
Here we come America – to all of you that have been patiently waiting, we are coming for you with the amazing Butcher Babies, Stitched Up Heart and Kaleido.
Lena Scissorhands, vocalist, Infected Rain
All tour dates are listed below. Connect with Infected Rain on their website, Instagram, and Facebook for updates.
INFECTED RAIN U.S. Tour Dateswith Butcher Babies, Stitched Up Heart and Kaleido:
Aug 29 – Jacksonville, FL @ Hooligans Music Hall
Aug 30 – Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
Aug 31 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Sept 1 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Hall
Sept 3 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
Sept 5 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
Sept 6 – Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
Sept 7 – Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
Sept 9 – Chippewa Falls, WI @ Every Buddy’s Bar^+
Sept 10 – Ashwaubenon, WI @ Epic Event Center^+
Sept 11 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club
Sept 12 – Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop^+
Sept 14 – Lakewood, OH @ Winchester Music Tavern
Sept 15 – Warrendale, PA @ Jergels
Sept 17 – Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo Iron Works
Sept 18 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East (Downstairs)
Steely Dan are ready to rock the East Coast this fall with their new “Absolutely Normal” tour. The tour starts in Miami Beach as the band works their way up to Boston. They will play a two-night stint at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on November 9 and 10. Tickets for the Cap shows are available for purchase here.
Along with their extensive tour, Steely Dan is releasing two new live albums. The first is a live recording of Donald Fagen’s acclaimed solo album The Nightfly, complete with instrumentation by the Steely Dan Band. The other, Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!, is the first live album by the band in 25 years and was recorded at various venues like the Beacon Theatre in NYC and the Met in Philadelphia. Both live albums will release September 1, with vinyl releases October 1.
Steely Dan’s New York roots run deep. Founded by Fagen and the late Walter Becker when they were students at Bard College in Annendale-on-Hudson, the duo later moved to Brooklyn before settling for many years in Los Angeles. The hit “My Old School” is inspired by Fagen and Becker’s Bard days, chronicling their arrest for marijuana possession with tounge-in-cheek lyrics. Steely Dan have performed at countless iconic New York venues beyond the Cap and the Beacon, including SPAC, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, and Madison Square Garden.
Becker and Fagen in their Bard College days, photo credit unknown.
Fagen and the band will play through Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! along with additional hits at the first Cap show (Nov. 9), and through the entirety of their iconic fifth studio album The Royal Scam on Nov. 10. Fagen most recently played the Cap in 2017, supporting his solo project, Donald Fagen & The Nightflyers. All tour dates are listed below.
Steely Dan: Absolutely Normal Tour Dates
Oct. 5 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct. 6 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct. 8 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct. 9 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct. 12 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Oct. 13 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Oct. 15 – St. Petersburg, FL – Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 16 – St. Petersburg, FL – Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater
Oct. 19 – Jacksonville, FL – Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts – Moran Theater
Oct. 20 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Oct. 22 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
Oct. 23 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater
Oct. 25 – Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome Theatre at France-Merrick Performing Arts
Oct. 27 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
Oct. 29 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
Oct. 30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
Nov. 1 – Red Bank, NJ – Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center
Nov. 3 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
Nov. 4 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
Nov. 6 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
Nov. 7 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
Nov. 9 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
Nov. 10 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
Nov. 13 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Nov. 14 – Bethlehem, PA – The Wind Creek Event Center
Binghamton is bringing the heat this summer with several live concerts and other events planned. This summer’s lineup includes Wheelhouse, Wreckless Marci, and much more!
Otsiningo Park in Binghamton, NY, which will host several concerts this summer.
The city of Binghamton is jam-packed with fun musical events this summer, most importantly their Broome Bands Together concert series that began in July. Upcoming concerts include Wheelhouse on August 10, and Wreckless Marci on August 17. The events will be held at Otsiningo Park in the Town of Dickenson from 6pm – 8pm and all those attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
In addition to the Broome Bands Together series, Binghamton will host the Harper Stantz Rec Park Music Fest on Sunday, August 8. The festival features local and regional musical acts and is a great event for music lovers of all ages. The event takes place in the historic recreation park in Binghamton and offers many fun activities besides music, making it a fabulous way for families to enjoy a Sunday afternoon. This year’s performances will be mostly bluegrass and Americana, with some reggae mixed in as well.
Binghamton Recreation Park
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra also has some exciting performances coming up. On August 14, Trio Pastoral will be performing as a part of the Summer Chamber Music series. On August 21, BPO’s Summer Chamber Music series will conclude with a lively performance featuring Unanimous Four, a greatly admired mixed ensemble.
The action continues in Binghamton with Porch Fest, one of the community’s most highly anticipated events, on August 29. Porch Fest is a collaborative celebration of cultures, combined with nonstop dancing and live music.
Binghamton Porch Fest
You surely do not want to miss out on all that Binghamton has to offer this summer. The lineup of events is as follows:
August 8th: Harper Stantz Rec Park Music Fest, 1-9pm, Recreation Park
August 10th: Wheelhouse, 6-8pm, Otsiningo Park
August 14th: BPO with Trio Pastoral, 5pm, Salvation Temple
August 17th: Wreckless Marci, 6-8pm, Otsiningo Park
August 21st: BPO with Unanimous Four, 5pm, Centenary-Chenango United Methodist Church
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 Caity Gallagher, Joseph Beaty 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.
Caity Gallagher
With its calming piano and breezy vocals, singer-songwriter Caity Gallagher’s single “Give It All” would fit right in at the Lilith Fair. Equal parts Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan, the song is about hesitance in starting a new relationship: “What’s holding me down? What happened to the lightness I thought I’d found?” Gallagher and her band, collectively known as Caity and the Gallaghers, are playing at The Linda on Thursday, August 12.
Joseph Beaty
Joseph Beaty’s latest album Rust, You Can Leave Me Now is available for pre-order. The Adirondack musician and producer creates a gloomy atmosphere on its singles, the industrial “Thick of Things” and the grungy “Still Forming,” which he acknowledges in the Bandcamp notes:
[This album] is the embodiment of 2020. Things in my life (in all our lives) were put in perspective and it was time to remove the negative bits. This record was my catharsis, my therapy. It is gritty, unsafe, and dark. No sense in sugar-coating it. You will hear many lyrics talk about knocking the rust out. This therapy experiment helped me arrive as a new, more focused person for 2021.
El Modernist
Albany band El Modernist gives us a geometry lesson on new wave song “Lines.” Its talk-singing style hearkens back to the early 1980s, when Blondie and Talking Heads flirted with spoken word and early rap.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper will perform at The Stanley Theater in Utica on September 22, 2021. The shock-rocker, who is touring with former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley as his opening act, will mark Utica as his one and only gig in New York for his “Ol’ Black Eyes is Back” 2021-22 tour.
Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock audiences. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he is best known for.
With a schedule that has included six months year in and year out on the road, Alice Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock-rock, Cooper (in both the original Alice Cooper band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn.
Released in Feb. 2021, his latest album Detroit Stories, produced by Bob Ezrin, is inspired by the garage rock music of Detroit in the late 1960’s. The album includes several classic covers of Detroit-hits from that era and was recorded in Detroit featuring all Detroit musicians. On top of that, “Nights With Alice Cooper,” Cooper’s nightly radio show, continues to air in nearly 100 cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K.
Though his 2020 worldwide concert tour was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooper looks forward to continuing to bring his iconic brand of rock & roll to fans on five continents now in 2021, 2022 and beyond. With his influence on rock & roll and pop culture long since acknowledged, there is little that Alice Cooper hasn’t achieved in his remarkable career, including platinum albums, sold-out tours and any number of honors and career achievement awards.
For nearly a century, The Stanley Theatre has brought the community together with live concerts, Broadway shows, musicals, ballets, movies, graduations and recitals. Today, The Stanley Theatre operates as a not-for-profit organization run by the Central New York Community Arts Council. Originally built as a movie theatre, The Stanley opened its doors in 1928 with 2,963 seats, a grand entry staircase that resembles the main staircase of the Titanic, a gold leaf interior and terra cotta and tiled mosaic exterior. Stanley Theatre was designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, whose remaining creations include The Stanley Theatre, Proctor’s Theatre and The Landmark Theatre.
A pre-show dinner is also available, for the cost of $52 per person. The 3-course meal will be hosted in The Red Room of The Stanley Theatre on September 22, 2021 at 5:00pm. For tickets, call The Stanley Theatre Box Office at (315) 724-4000.
The menu includes Hors D’oeuvres (Blue Cheese stuffed Figs wrapped in Bacon, Roasted Tomato & Pesto Bruschetta with Mozzarella, Belgian Endive with Mandarin Orange Vegetable Relish with Goat Cheese) a Mixed Berry Salad, Dinner Buffet (Carved Tenderloin of Beef, Chicken Poulet a l’Estragon, Vegetable Lasagna Roulade, Green Bean Almandine, Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes) and Dessert (Miniature Mixed Berry Tacos, Fresh Fruit Plate)
Fans are also able to enter to win this beautiful, one-of-a-kind painting created by local Utica artist Stephen Fletcher. For just $5 a ticket (or 6 tickets for $25), one lucky winner will be able to take home this priceless painting.
Tickets can be purchased either in-person at The Stanley Theatre Box Office (10:30am-6pm) OR by calling 315-724-4000. The raffle will end after the Alice Cooper concert on Sept. 22. The lucky winner will be announced via social media the following day. That gives you plenty of time to throw your name into the hat to win this amazing piece of artwork!
While you are getting your raffle tickets, make sure you get yourself a ticket to see Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley on Sept. 22 at 7:30pm. Tickets are going fast! Test your luck and enter to win this beautiful painting, courtesy of Stephen Fletcher.
Please Note: Raffle tickets will be unavailable for purchase on Sept. 15 and 16, as The Stanley Theatre will be closed those two days. In addition, the winner will be responsible for proper shipping and insurance costs, depending on where they live, or arrange for pick up at the theatre. No international shipping.
Schenectady native and artistic producer Lecco Morris along with fellow New Yorkers, singer Kimberly Hawkey and lyricist Justin K. Rivers, have announced the live premiere of their thirteen-track album We the Nighthawks. Occurring on August 17 at The Linda in Albany at 8 p.m., the audience will be treated to performances that pull many genres including art song, jazz, musical theatre, and America.
Released earlier this year in May, the album captures within Hawkey’s crystalline and sometimes haunting voice what makes us all human – “life, love, and loss”. Recorded at Dreamland Studios in upstate New York with an impressive full orchestra of twenty musicians, the album has a solid foundation behind it. Despite covid putting the album on a brief hold, each musician showed up on recording day after receiving the required negative COVID test to enter the studio. Bringing a plethora of experience to the team is Grammy-nominated Assaf Gleizner as musical director, and seven-time Grammy-winning producer, Joel Moss. Moss’s impressive client list includes the late Ray Charles, Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash, and many more during a career in the music industry that has spanned over fifty years.
Moss was at first skeptical about undertaking the indie record at first saying, “My first listening of these Morris/Rivers compositions was a simple piano/vocal recording. The fact that its simplicity featured the brilliant playing of Assaf Gleizner and the angelic voice of Kimberly Hawkey was not wasted on my ready-to-be-unexcited ears. I was immediately captivated, and rather than quickly scanning, tune to tune, I listened intently, top to bottom…twice.”
While We the Nighthawks might be Morris’s first full-length studio album that he composed, it is only a small fraction of musical experience this pianist has under his belt. Growing up in western New York, Morris was “born in the theater” due to his father Philip Morris’s positions at the Arts Council for Chautauqua County and The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown. While Morris did not participate in the theater directly, it was the springboard for future artistic endeavors. Since the tender age of 3, Lecco Morris has been perfecting his piano skills before turning to create music in his early teens.
During Morris’s senior year is when his music career took off. While entering his senior year of high school, Morris was given special permission to attend college-level classes at SUNY Schenectady School of Music. The stellar programming prepared Morris for a heavy curriculum that he later took renowned NYU Steinhardt where he obtained his degree in Music Theory and Composition. Morris also credits SUNY Schenectady School of Music for the ability to overcome the creative challenges faced trying to compose an album during the midst of a pandemic.
“The program’s music fundamentals – particularly theory and aural skills – were so thorough that I tested out of an entire year and a half of required credits at NYU’s music theory and composition program, affording me space in my schedule to explore more advanced musical coursework.”
Morris has since participated in many different art forms including acting, improv poetry, touring theater pieces but never straying far from his love for music. Fans can stay tuned for more stunning creative alchemy from Morris, Rivers, and Hawkey for their upcoming holiday album “A New Noel”, set to be released November this year, and a sophomore studio album.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.
Indie rock band Japanese Breakfast returned to Rochester on August 3. Earlier this year, Japanese Breakfast released their newest album Jubilee. This textured and imaginative album brought even more joy when the songs were performed live.
Opener Mannequin Pussy brought intense energy to Anthology. The Philadelphia punk band is made up of Missy on lead vocals and guitar, Colins “Bear” Regisford on bass, and Kaleen Reading on drums. Michelle from Japanese Breakfast described this trio as the “punk self-help motivational speaker that we all need.”
Front woman Michelle Zauner has transferred from her previous album dealing with grief to now a new era searching for happiness. Michelle keeps her ambitions high while constantly trying to search for new ways to express indescribable feelings. She has utilized her love of creation to develop unique tracks that cater to her childhood love in an adult catered world.
When Japanese Breakfast took the stage there was instant euphoria that took over the crowd. The band opened with their popular song “Paprika” that sent the crowd into a dreamlike state. The profound instrumentation in addition to Michelle’s airy vocals made the vision for the album come alive on stage.
Returning to Rochester after previously playing at the Bug Jar in 2018, Japanese Breakfast paid tribute to many die-hard fans in the crowd. Some fan favorites of the night included “Be Sweet,” “Posing in Bondage,” and “Everybody Wants to Love You.” A member from Mannequin Pussy even joined on stage as well. She performed a saxophone solo for Michelle’s single that’s dedicated to her love for soccer: “Slide Tackle.”
With a packed crowd, entrancing instrumentals, and Michelle’s angelic vocals, the performance left everyone mesmerized. Japanese Breakfast is continuing on their tour throughout the U.S. and even returning to Brooklyn in the fall. Tickets are available here.
Setlist: Paprika, Be Sweet, In Heaven, The Woman That Loves You, Kokomo, IN, Tactics, Boyish, The Body Is a Blade, Savage Good Boy, In Hell, Posing in Bondage, Road Head, Slide Tackle, Ballad 0 (Bumper Cover), Everybody Wants to Love You, Posing for Cars Encore: Diving Woman
Formed in 2014 by lead singer and songwriter Rob Morrison, The Booklights have cultivated a specific breed of futuristic Americana, equal parts orchestral and gritty. In addition to Morrison on guitar and mandolin, the band is made up of Lauren Molina (cello), Rachel Green (fiddle), and Benny Elledge (percussion). Their lofty vocal harmonies conjure up Appalachian psychedelia that speaks to the future of Americana and all facets of the genre.
When not playing with the Booklights, each member of the band can be found acting shows on Broadway, Off-Broadway, TV/film projects, composing scores, doing voiceover work, or playing in separate bands. The talented New York City-based group will release their debut EP, Into a Ball, on August 6 on all streaming and listening platforms.
NYS Music recently joined the members of The Booklights in a lighthearted tell-all to get to know the artists behind a new wave of Americana. The band discussed their multitalented backgrounds, upcoming music, creative process, group direction, and a recent surge of musical inspiration around the globe.
Matthew Perez Gin: The members of this group seem to have extensive backgrounds in acting, theater, comedy, and much more. How do you think this impacts not only the way you create music together but also perform together?
Rob Morrison: The Booklights are a pretty lively bunch, and we’re very instinctual. We know that as actors, it’s really important to follow our artistic impulses, so that carries over into how we make music. It’s not a judgmental group — we have a very encouraging vibe. I wouldn’t consider myself a natural leader, but as the primary songwriter and lead singer, I’m sort of the de facto leader of the band. And to me, that means harnessing the “yes, and” energy we all naturally bring to the table, rather than trying to be too controlling of any aspect of the band. And thankfully, with such funny people onstage with me, I don’t ever have to worry about coming up with good banter while I’m re-tuning my guitar.
Rachel Green: Being performers, we share a common language, respect and understanding. We’ve all had our fair share of amazing (and terrible) experiences as actors and musicians. I think that helps us be grateful for our time together, and makes working together fun and seamless. And we laugh a lot. Also our harmonies are sick. I love harmonies.
Benny Elledge: I think we all have a natural sense of play which helps in the creative process. We definitely all have similar performing backgrounds which makes for a lot of fun when we are together. It also helps because we aren’t afraid to try and fail at different attempts while coming up with parts.
We are all a bunch of funny people. When we make music it’s not just a gathering to make music, but make each other laugh. We enjoy the banter and the collaboration.
Lauren Molina
The Booklights perform live from Rockwood Music Hall
MPG: Who are some of your inspirations and influences?
RM: There are more influences than I can list…I always feel like I’m going to forget somebody important! For the Booklights’ music, one of my biggest inspirations would be Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Their music is hugely important to me, in not only in terms of how beautiful or haunting it can be, but because of their massive encyclopedic knowledge of folk music forms, the way they’re able to, say, reference a Son House lyric in the middle of their own song, and what that does for the listener…for me, my brain flags the homage, but also feels transported to another time and place. And it makes their music feel timeless. That’s a really powerful effect. Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Band, John Prine, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Norman Blake, Lucinda Williams, Gram Parsons, and Townes Van Zandt are other big influences of mine from the world of (arguably) Americana. But I listen to a wide variety of music, a lot of which has shaped our music in more subtle ways. Some of my favorites include Radiohead, Soft Machine, Big Star, Fleetwood Mac, Randy Newman, the Kinks, the Bats, Tom Waits, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and of course the Velvet Underground.
RG: It really runs the gamut. I’m a huge fan of 90s hip hop and R&B, but I’m also classically trained on the violin and did musical theater for years. I love all kinds of soulful voices, from Aretha Franklin to Stevie Nicks. But also playing with bands and teaching myself to play in more of a fiddle style, I learned to really appreciate 70s rock, country and folk. The Band is iconic.
BE: My music tastes span a pretty wide range. As a percussionist, I love so much stuff from Buddy Rich to Neil Peart, Clyde Stubblefield, Carter Beauford. There are so many. I also grew up with drummers in my family, both my dad and brother are drummers as well so it’s always been important to me.
MPG: When you look at the current presence of Americana within the music industry today, where do you see it going in the future? What are you excited about and how do you plan to be a part of it?
RG: Both bands I’ve played with considered themselves some version of Americana. I think Americana is moving in the direction of society’s growth, where diversity is being more and more embraced. As an artist, for years I was told to “concentrate on one thing and get good at it. you’re spinning too many plates.” Nowadays, being a multi-hyphenate is accepted and encouraged. Humans are dynamic – why shouldn’t their music be? Plus, combining multiple influences makes for some really cool music.
RM: I think we’re at a really exciting time in Americana music…one of my favorite bands, Our Native Daughters, dropped one of the best Americana albums ever just a few years ago. And now all of those incredible women in that band (Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Allison Russell, and Leyla McCalla) continue to release absolutely mind-blowing work, and are really making waves. I think the folk music scene is going through a lot of the same, necessary changes that our country is reckoning with. There have always been amazing artists of color, in every music genre. These traditions have been practiced by a wide variety of people, in some cases for centuries. I think the more inclusive the Americana/folk/country music scenes become, the better that is for everybody, and the better it is for the art form.
BE: I don’t know if I can really speak to the presence of Americana. I am thrilled that artists like The Avett Brothers and Brandi Carlisle have come into the mainstream and people are excited about them. But honestly I’m just excited to be performing in any aspect, especially after this last year.
MPG: Clearly, Americana music has so many different musical facets, origins, and explanations behind it. What is “futuristic Americana” to you and how would you define it?
BE: Um… Rob?
RM: Well, I think “Americana” is a really intriguing term to start with. Imperfect, but intriguing. It’s not “United States of Americana”…it’s not even “North Americana.” So it could be applied to music from so many regions! And I think that’s lovely because so many of these musical forms that we might consider “Americana” are the result of so many groups of people interacting with each other — immigrants settling in a given area, and their music mingling with and being changed by music from other groups of people, either indigenous, or from other immigrant groups. A melting pot. As for “futuristic Americana,” that term was coined by a friend of ours. I gave him an advance copy of the EP, and asked him if any words came to mind to describe our music, because I felt a little too close to the songs to be able to describe them. For me, “futuristic Americana” indicates a willingness to bend tradition, and mix in sounds and textures that your average listener might not associate with folk music. I have a lot of reverence for musical tradition, but none of the songs on the EP are traditional songs. So it’s helpful to be able to dip into “traditional” or familiar sounds when we need to; it’s also helpful to channel Radiohead or Low, and get spaced out and eerie at times.
RG: I think Americana in the past was associated a lot with country, folk, and bluegrass. We definitely have a lot of those influences but also incorporate some cool rock sounds and other ambient and unusual styles and effects.
MPG: The Booklights is such a unique name for a band, can you tell us the story behind it?
BE: Hahahaha! Um……Rob?
RG: That’s you, Rob.
RM: Ha! So, funny story. At our very first live show (Spike Hill in Brooklyn, 2014) I played the first half of the set solo, then invited the band up onstage for the second half. I told the band in advance that I’d christen them with a surprise name at the gig, so when they joined me onstage, I said, “please welcome to the stage: The Booklights!” The response was hilariously underwhelming. But the name stuck! I realize it sounds like the object: a book light. That wasn’t the inspiration, but I don’t mind the connection. The inspiration for me was that feeling of writing a song, by myself, at night, with a candle or small bedside lamp throwing a little pool of light on my notebook, illuminating my ideas one line at a time. Writing is a very private experience for me; it’s almost like the only witness to my process is whatever light source is near me. Definitely not something the average person would deduce from hearing our band name, but I’m okay with that. And on the plus side, there weren’t a slew of pre-existing bands called the Booklights.
MPG: Your songs seem to invoke images, musical realism, and a strong ethos for so many listeners. What do you think is the importance of storytelling in your songs, and how do you go about finding that perfect story-song balance?
RM: There is a delicate balance between story and feeling. I think my approach to songwriting is to usually leave a lot up to the listener to decide; kind of a David Lynch approach to songcraft, if you will. It’s not important to me for everyone who listens to “Waywiser” to have the same idea of what it means. Individual interpretation is so much more exciting! Lyrical details are important. I can’t stand songs that say something like, “I love you, you’re my desire, you’re so hot, you’re like fire.” Oof. What do you love about that person? Can you find a way to say it without literally saying it? “My Woman, the Almanac” is about as straightforward a love song as I’ve written, but it doesn’t come right out and say much about love. There’s a lot of specific imagery, poetry in that song. The language hints at that feeling of romantic love. The listener goes on the journey, with the speaker of the song, and maybe they get something totally different from what I intended when I wrote it. Again, that’s really exciting to me, not a bad thing.
MPG: Your new EP Into A Ball comes out on August 6, would you mind delving into the creative process that went behind developing this, perhaps some of your starting points musically or lyrically?
RM: The Booklights were an active gigging band in 2014 and 2015…I broke my wrist in 2015, we took a little break while I healed, and then we all got pulled in so many directions as artists, so the band was on an unofficial hiatus until the pandemic hit. Like so many people, I lost employment opportunities, and of course we were all quarantining in our apartments, and it was a really hard time. I started looking back at all the projects I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of, and I thought, “gee, why didn’t the Booklights ever record anything? We’ve got so many great songs!” So I started talking with Lauren, Benny, and Rachel about making a record remotely. We tapped the wonderful James Frazee to produce, mix, and master the EP. James is incredible…I had a really great time incorporating his adjustments and ideas, things like adding or removing a chorus, layering in new overdubs that had never existed on a song before, that kind of thing. The whole process was honestly one of the few bright spots of 2020 for me. As for the creative process for the songs themselves, many of them date back to our time as a gigging band, some even before that. “Waywiser” was inspired by a trip to the Ben Franklin Museum (a waywiser is essentially an old-fashioned odometer, which Franklin built), and “My Woman, the Almanac” was written during a solo cabin retreat I took in the Catskills in 2011, inspired by my relationship with Lauren as well as all the nature I was taking in. I had the melody for “Slingshot” in my head for a while, but was having trouble with the lyrics, so Lauren and I collaborated and wound up with a playful song about summer flirtation. “Sweeter on the Vine” doesn’t sound anything like the 1930s blues and novelty songs I was listening to at the time, but it was definitely inspired by the work of folks like Bo Carter, the Memphis Jug Band, and the Dallas String Band. And “All Tomorrow’s Parties” …well that’s just one of my all-time favorite Velvet Underground songs. It works perfectly with the droney, space-folk approach we gave it on the EP.
BE: It was very interesting to record an entire album alone in our apartments without the others being there. And with no “in the moment” directions. But it was a great experience to learn that that was possible.
Rob is the major force behind the music, these songs are his creations. He comes with melody, lyrics, chords and vision, and then trusts us to build the “house” around it. All of our harmonies (instrumentally and vocally)
Rachel Green
MPG: What does this debut EP mean to you and what kind of mark do you aim to leave on fans listening to it?
RM: I’m honestly in awe of the end result. I’m so proud of everybody who came together to make this record. That includes our special guests Jay Julio (viola on “My Woman, the Almanac”) and Hilary Hawke (banjo and backup vocals on “Slingshot”) as well as our incredible visual artist, Elanor Gabriela. Making a record during the pandemic was challenging, but not making a record would’ve been even harder! Into a Ball is an apt title, because the EP rolls together all these genres, sounds, and emotions that we as musicians like to play with, and collects them into one, succinct 5-song statement. Working on the EP was a wonderful escape during a time when I really needed to be somewhere other than in the confines of my apartment; I hope it provides listeners with an aural escape too!
LM: I’m so proud of everyone involved in making this album. I love the songs and how each one takes you to a different place. I hope people feel something when they listen to it.
BE: I’m just really proud of us for getting something done during Covid and more proud of Rob for spearheading it and writing such amazing music and being such a great leader. I’m very happy the world gets to finally hear his music. I think people will really dig his unique style and his take on the “Americana” genre.
I really love how each of our songs tells a different story and has a different sound. I think fans will be taken on a journey, from breezy chillaxin’ to rockin’ out.
Rachel Green
MPG: You have also recently released a music video for the track “My Woman, The Almanac” on the EP, how was that experience for everyone? Can we expect to see more music videos in the future?
RM: Making the music video was such a joy. I want to give major kudos to our team Varya Rootwood (director), Yura Makarov (DP), Mackenzie Jamieson (key PA), David Withrow (wardrobe), and our hosts, the Big Victorian in Chester, NY. That shoot was a leap of faith; a few days earlier, we had lost our director and location, so Varya and Yura were brought on at the last minute. And they absolutely nailed it. I couldn’t have asked for a more professional team. It was also the first time our full band had hung out together in quite a while, so the camaraderie was through the roof! We hope to have another music video in the near future; I’ve been really interested in doing a stop-motion version of “Waywiser.”
LM: Shooting the music video was a blast. It was such a beautiful place with bucolic imagery. We shot it at an old Victorian mansion that had a dilapidated and beautiful feel. It was set upon a green hillside with a red barn and a swing on a tree. Our music fit so perfectly with the setting. It was magical. I hope to make more videos. It’s always fun to put a visual with a song.
RG: Working on the music video was a wonderful experience, from the amazing location to the costumes to the creative team. It was also the first time we got to hang out as a band (and friends) in 6 years! It also gave me a deeper connection to the song and its meaning or what it could mean. It was a truly beautiful day all around.
MPG: Does Into A Ball mark a new aim and direction for the band?
RM: Well, the Booklights had never recorded any of our songs before this EP, so in that way it’s a very new direction for us! We played a lot of shows in 2014-2015, so that was always our focus; putting together exciting sets of live music. It was a very different experience to take each song apart, role by role, or sound by sound, and decide what belonged in a recording, and what songs wanted a little extra juice. In the Booklights’ live shows, I usually play a resonator guitar, acoustic guitar, and mandolin. Having the flexibility to record on our own schedules, in our own homes, opened up a lot of possibilities. At James’ suggestion, I added some electric guitar overdubs to “Waywiser” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” tipping my hat a bit to British folk bands of the 70s like Fairport Convention, Pentangle, and Steeleye Span. Lauren layered several cellos on top of each other for “All Tomorrow’s Parties” and Rachel did the same with fiddle for that song. We created all new harmonies; “All Tomorrow’s Parties” had always been a solo vocal song for me, but we went all out with some strange, modal group vocals for the album. And adding wonderful outside musicians like Jay and Hilary also opened things up. It became less about replicating our live shows, and more about sculpting a cohesive, transportive sound for the whole record. So that was a really unique experience, to look at these songs in a whole new way.
LM: I’d say this was definitely a new aim as the debut album. The pandemic brought us back together after not playing for a few years due to people’s schedules. This new music feels like it’s blossoming into the world as it reopens.
This new music feels like it’s blossoming into the world as it reopens.
Lauren Molina
MPG: What is one message you would like to give to your fans and listeners?
BE: We know it’s been a tough year for everyone and this album is a great representation of pushing through and making something good come out of a bad situation. So thank you to everyone for listening! We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!
RG: Do what you love, follow your own path and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
LM: Be good. Be kind. Keep others on your mind.
To anyone who listens to this record, I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. We made this EP at a time when I wasn’t sure at all about what the future held, for live musicians, as well as for the world. But we still somehow created something, in spite of all that uncertainty. So, if anyone feels inspired by the music on the EP, that would be the greatest reward.
Rob Morrison
Tracklisting For Into A Ball: EP By The Booklights
King’s Disease II, the sequel to Nas’ Grammy-winning King’s Disease has officially been released through Mass Appeal Records. The predecessor – produced exclusively by renowned producer, Hit-Boy — obtained Nas the only Grammy award of his illustrious career. As such, the sequel has garnered a fair share of hype, especially after Nas revealed the track list through his official Instagram page.
The project has a varying guest-list, fluctuating between contemporary acts and established legends. The earliest contributions come from Eminem and East Coast hip hop legends, EPMD, consisting of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. As fans anticipate how the contrasting lyrical abilities of Eminem and Nas will co-exist on a record, an appearance from EPMD is sure to be Nostalgic and be reminiscent of a classic hip hop posse cut.
King’s Disease II will also see the reappearance of Ms. Lauryn Hill to the mainstream hip-hop scene. While she still tours and drops the occasional record, an album cut of this magnitude has eluded, the Grammy-winning rapper/singer for quite some time. In turn, her presence on the album has raised hopes that the duo can create more magic together.
Apart from old collaborators, the Queensbridge native has also enlisted the likes of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, YG, Los Angeles rapper Blxst and Charlie Wilson (who also featured on King’s Disease).
Unlike the prequel, is seems as though the production will vary on King’s Disease II, with only one record featuring Hit-Boy. The Grammy-winning producer will still earn executive producer credits, along with Nas.
Accompanying the album will also be the official music video for “Rare.” King’s Disease II is Nas’ 14th studio album.
