Hometown horn funk favorite, Victory Soul Orchestra, features the dirty sounds of New Orleans’ driving brass, with influences including Galactic and The Dap Kings. You can find them fronted by Albany’s own JB aka Dirty Moses and singer Dali Soto. Their efforts combined help create a funk/rap show that brings the house down. In January 2019, they released their first album, Astrobeat, which is available on vinyl and all streaming platforms.
C.K. and the Rising Tide’s brand of music features poetic, nostalgic lyrics supported by music that is rockin’ and emotionally evocative. Curtis K. Flach (“C.K.”) appreciates how a film’s soundtrack enhances and cements the emotions portrayed on-screen. C.K. has a similar agenda for his tunes: “I write music as a soundtrack to daily life – a way to express things you might not be able to say otherwise…or may not want to say.”
Tickets are available via Eventbrite for Victory Soul Orchestra on April 17 and C.K. and the Rising Tide, with special guest Julia Alsarraf on April 24. Expect more live music announcements from Lark Hall in the coming weeks.
On Saturday, April 10, Lark Hall welcomed The Wheel and a crowd of 70 or so Deadheads who barely found time to take a break from dancing. It seemed like everyone was letting loose the pent up dance moves honed over the past year. With two sets packed with Grateful Dead classics, including a fiery “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot” > “Franklin’s Tower,” the crowd was elated and showed the band their love all throughout.
Spring of 2021 marks a first time release from the unexpected duo of Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl. Like anyone waiting around at home for the world’s next move, Mick Jagger had the idea for a new song while sitting in limbo. The single “Easy Sleazy” was sent to Dave Grohl who says “It’s beyond a dream come true. Its the song of the Summer, with out a doubt”
The duo sent parts to each other back and forth over the past month, with Mick Jagger on vocals and guitar and Dave Grohl handling guitar, drums, and bass. Mick says of the duo “Dave likes it ’cause it rocks hard. I like to rock hard, too, so it feels good in that way.” The song covers almost all of the world’s hot topics from the view of someone who might still have Sympathy for the Devil.
“Shooting the vaccine, Bill Gates is in my bloodstream, It’s mind control… there’s Aliens in the deep State.” Jagger’s lyrics immediately suggest not wanting to fall in line with the masses right now. “I haven’t written loads of songs about it. ‘Eazy Sleazy’ is the only song I’ve written on this subject. I wrote it quickly a few weeks ago”
Jagger’s point of view on the experiences of the kind of general long lock down is relatable. “You see a pretty girl, but you can’t take any chances before the vaccine. And then all the silly things that you could try and do to pass the time because you feel you got to “better yourself.” Everyone tried to do something, didn’t they? Cooking and dancing and learning another language badly.” Jagger expresses this during the tune while singing, “I think I’ve put on weight, I’ll have another drink and clean the kitchen sink”
He addresses his own angle during this time on whether or not he actually tried to better himself. Mick Jagger is as open as we all should be to one another when loved ones are checking in “Not really, to be honest. No. It’d be so stupid if I said, [puts on sarcastic voice] “Oh yes. I did say that I bettered myself. It was an introspective time for me.” It’s a piss-take out of all these things; I mean, you try and learn another language and all this.”
Remembering when Mick first went solo outside of the Memory Motel of The Rolling Stones in 1970, he released “Memo From Turner” with lyrics all ready reflecting on previous times experience. 51 years later, Mick is still relevant to the times and the world around him. This single is his newest memo to all: “Please Me, It’ll be a Memory You’re Trying to Remember to Forget.”
Live music website JamBase has announced Cluster Flies, a cover album of the legendary Phish album Farmhouse, set for release on Friday, April 30th.
Performing artists on the album include William Tyler on the intro track “The Inlaw Josie Wales,” Club d’Elf on “Sand,” Ryley Walker on the monster 20 minute outro track “First Tube,”and many other talented artists.
I tasked the team to come up with an idea that we could rally around in place of live music and to raise lost revenues for JamBase. Rather than a standard fundraiser, the Cluster Flies project was conceived, and we soon reached out to an incredible group of musicians who graciously jumped at the opportunity to support JamBase.
David Onigman, CEO
Each song on Cluster Flies will premiere through a daily rollout on JamBase and a corresponding episode of The JamBase Podcast that will also feature interviews with each of the participating artists. A select number of Cluster Flies songs will debut on SiriusXM’s Phish Radio on episodes of Crowd Control and Headbands.
The limited-edition 3LP album was mastered by engineer Joe Lambert and features custom artwork created by longtime Phish collaborator Jim Pollock. The Cluster Flies Pollock poster will be available to bundle with the triple gatefold, 180-gram vinyl edition. A standalone triple gatefold, 180-gram vinyl edition without the poster can also be purchased. A high-res digital version can be downloaded as well.
The band Moon Kissed prides itself on joyful, high energy performances, and they certainly didn’t miss the mark when it came to their newest single. “Clubbing in Your Bedroom” embodies self-expression and creating your own fun in the midst of a pandemic, rather than the wallowing and unengaged attitude many express during this time.
Photo Credit: Sara Laufer
“’Clubbing In Your Bedroom,” is an invitation to get dressed up for no one and nothing and to move your body in order to heal. The song was written in an attempt for salvation and levity amidst pandemic despair. We miss playing live, we miss our friends, we miss touch. But, “Clubbing In Your Bedroom” celebrates the fact that we still have the power and ability to let it all go, even for just one song, and we can and should dance in our bedrooms and be free for a brief moment in time.”
Khaya, on the new single
Written and produced by Khaya Cohen and Emily Sgouros, “Clubbing in Your Bedroom” followed a dynamic late-night clubbing session in Emily’s bedroom. Mixed and mastered by Justin Dan Ver Volgen, the song encourages honest self-expression, encouraging “weirdness.”
Moon Kissed met each other at a party on New Year’s, 2019, and quickly connected, making their debut with I Met My Band at a New Year’s Eve Party. A catchy, synth-pop style was developed, taking influence from artists such as Charli XCX, Chairlift, and Grimes. Making a name for themselves through energetic, often sweat-inducing live performances, the group sets out to capture the moment between themselves and the audience, emphasizing the magic of being in the moment.
Albany-based artist Gavin Preller excitedly announced his debut album: There is Wonder. The project is being mastered by Kramer and is set to be released on May 21st via Shimmy-Disc/Joyful Noise Recordings.
There Is Wonder was written and recorded between the months of October 2020 and February 2021 in Preller’s home town of Bethlehem, New York. Preller wrote, arranged, and performed every song from a basic basement setup in his parent’s home – except for drums on two tracks, which were recorded by Leor Manelis. Initially, Preller wrote and recorded the first six tracks before sending it to his iconic producer Kramer for mastering, Preller was them unexpectedly signed to the Shimmy-Disc label and encouraged to expand the six songs into a full record.
It’s hard not to hear flares of the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Jeff Buckley, proof of just how much Preller’s vocals are truly captivating.
Variance
Gavin Preller began studying classical piano at the age of 3, later picking up guitar at ten years old. In 2019 he attended Berklee College of Music before dropping out after one year to live in an agricultural community in Southern France. Back in the States in February, 2020, Preller took his backpack and acoustic guitar on a cross-country train to Portland, OR. He was living by himself in a used van, without a job, using a nearby Planet Fitness for showers, when Covid hit. That March, he sold the van and returned to his parent’s home in Upstate New York where he has been working on new music ever since.
Today marks the anniversary of the final show The Grateful Dead ever played in Binghamton, NY. The final three of these all took place at Broome County Arena, with the first show being at Harpur College in 1970. Shows at the Arena then followed in 1977 and 1979. After a short run of shows on the West Coast to open 1983, the Dead traveled east for their spring tour. With keyboardist Brent Mydland now comfortably established in the band’s dynamic for a few years now, this show offers a glimpse of vintage of early ’80s Dead and a taste of all their varied sounds and styles to date.
The show starts off in a somewhat disjointed fashion with Jerry Garcia mumbling a good portion of the lyrics to “Alabama Getaway.” Harmonizing vocals and the customary wailing Hammond B3 organ fills from Brent Mydland help to mitigate the early shortcomings. After a fairly tame Garcia solo, the band quickly shifts into “Greatest Story Ever Told.” Bob Weir leads the vocals on this quick one that features a much improved Garcia solo at the end. Jerry continues his first set ascent with the “Bird Song” that follows, nimbly maneuvering through the lyrics and delivering some ethereal guitar work. Mydland on electric keys now and Weir on rhythm guitar create a wonderful canvas of sound upon which Garcia paints effortlessly.
“New Minglewood Blues” is next on the docket with Weir once again taking lead and Garcia and Mydland each exchanging boisterous solos on this one as each song so far seems to get progressively more cohesive. This carries on right into a must-hear “Peggy-O” that features a truly heavenly tone from Mydland on keys that accompanies Garcia on vocals.
The emotions remain high and flow nicely into the “Cassidy” that comes next, with Mydland continuing to dazzle with an array of different tones emanating from his keyboard rig. This yields another short but ferocious Grateful Dead jam that the Binghamton fans applaud appropriately on this recording.
“Loser” brings the first set heat back down to a simmer before another few Garcia solos rile up Broome County Arena once more. Things continue to pick up with the cover of The Rolling Stones’ “It’s All Over Now” that follows and features more spectacular work from Mydland on the Hammond. Afterwards, the Dead throw it back a little with “Dupree’s Diamond Blues,” a recently revived classic that dates back to the late ’60s. A rousing “Let It Grow,” heavily fueled by the percussive tandem of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, then ends the first set that seems to celebrate almost ever era of the band’s musical catalog to date.
The Grateful Dead‘s final set in Binghamton starts off in traditional fashion with a “Help On The Way” that unfortunately sees Jerry revert back to some fumbled lyrics. Its traditional tag-team partner “Slipknot!” gives Garcia a chance for redemption as he delivers a mesmerizing guitar solo atop another full bed of sound with constant accentuating flares thrown about by Mydland and Weir. A jazz-like jam evolves from this for a bit in a “Slipknot!” that gets stretched out nicely before rounding back into form. The abrupt segue into “Franklin’s Tower” then rounds out the second set’s triumphant opening trifecta. Garcia has no issues with the vocals here and throws in a few exuberant, rapid-fire guitar runs for good measure that surely enthralls the Broome County crowd.
A second set “breather” of sorts then ensues with another traditional Dead sequence. Bob Weir takes lead on “Lost Sailor,” a song the Dead would only continue to play for a few more years after this. Another abrupt segue then serves as the lead-in to “Saint Of Circumstance,” completing the longtime song pairing that had been a regular part of the band’s live repertoire since 1979. This paves the way nicely for “Terrapin Station” as the Grateful Dead delight Binghamton with yet another classic.
The song’s drum-heavy ending, as it had and would continue to do many times going forward, serves as a natural entrance ramp to the evening’s “Drums” > “Space” sequence. To little surprise, after the band reemerges on stage, so too does “The Other One.” At several points moments earlier, drummers Kreutzmann and Hart seemed to be fashioning a similar-sounding drumbeat to the iconic one that begins this song.
In vintage Dead fashion, the intensity of “The Other One” is juxtaposed nicely by the fairly mellow, in comparison, “Wharf Rat” that follows. This gives Garcia one last chance to deliver a couple of choice solos with a nice, jazzy backdrop of sound provided by the rest of the group. As “Rat” dwindles out, the opening chords of “Not Fade Away” start up as the Dead begin to close their final Binghamton gig. At its conclusion, the crowd shows its appreciation and continues singing “Not Fade Away’ all the way through the encore break, something that would become commonplace for this song throughout the rest of the band’s career.
As a result, the encore begins with the Dead reciprocating and playing an NFA-reprise in response back to the crowd. Fittingly, the show then ends with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” With a setlist featuring two songs with the words “It’s All Over Now” in it, it’s almost as if the Dead knew this is the las time they would ever grace the Parlor City.
Grateful Dead – Broome County Arena – Binghamton, NY 4/12/83
Set 1: Alabama Getaway-> Greatest Story Ever Told, Bird Song, New Minglewood Blues, Peggy-O, Cassidy, Loser, It’s All Over Now, Dupree’s Diamond Blues, Let It Grow
Set 2: Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower-> Lost Sailor-> Saint Of Circumstance-> Terrapin Station-> Drums-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat-> Not Fade Away
On April 7th, multi-talented visual and musical artist Valley Latini released her latest single “Tu y Yo,” a lustrous heartbeating alt-pop track.
In the single released on Side Hustle Records, Latini takes listeners on the dark adventure of a late night rendezvous.
The song is inspired by an encounter that only happens in a place like a strip club or a dance club. It’s about having a connection with someone but not talking to them the whole night. Just a very primal connection through dancing, and spirit vibration.
Valley Latini
For the visual, the Brooklyn DIY Queen crafted a stop-motion music video, which she produced, shot, directed, and created all of the art for (she’s also a visual artist in addition to her music).
The video takes viewers on another journey through the underbelly of hell on earth where men in power attempt to control womxn. There are themes of shaming and corruption as a sleazy priest exiles women to a hell, known as the “haux house.”
Not to fear, Valley, herself as the triumphant protagonist, dangles a literal carrot in front of the priest and wreaks havoc on his deserving soul. Ultimately, as it turns out, the “haux house” leads to a beach utopia where the womxn can enjoy the finer things in paradise anyway.
Valley expands on the concept, “the video is a metaphor for a modern day ‘witch hunt’ caused by men in power that fear female sexuality and censor the female body and sex workers.”
Latini writes about her personal philosophies on delusion, joy, and romance. Her performances are based on expression of individual freedoms, and finding power in the human essence.
Originally born in Bogota, Colombia, she’s now been living in the US for most of her life and currently has a studio in Brooklyn where she writes and records all her music.
In addition to her career as a singer-songwriter, Valley is also an artist and a stripper. She uses her artwork as a way to escape from technology and defines it as transgressive divinity, mixing sensuality with alternate realities. To view her artwork, visit valleylatiniart.com.
As a stripper, she advocates for both female autonomy and the dignity of those who choose sex work. When J Lo released the critically-acclaimed award-winning “Hustlers” film, Valley was invited to partake in the premiere events as a member of New York’s sex-worker advocate group to share their experiences and the validity of the movies’ themes.
She spoke to IndieWire and others about the “whorephobia” that exists within her industry to help raise awareness and break down the misleading, misinformed labels often forced upon her occupation.
Her single “Pay My Rent” has been a sex worker’s right’s anthem ever since releasing it in 2018. Her subsequent singles “Serpiente,” “Ask Me Why,” “Blue Moon,” and the latest addition “Tu y Yo,” are set to be part of a bigger collection called Attention Lover due out by the end of 2021.
The Colombian pop artist wrote, recorded, and produced “Tu y Yo” in Austin, TX with her songwriting collaborator “Ben Cina.”
For music updates and more, stay connected with Valley Latini on Instagram, and be sure to follow her on Spotify and Apple Music.
Promising Young Woman actress Carey Mulligan hosted this week’s Saturday Night Live, with rapper Kid Cudi joining her as musical guest. Cudi released his most recent album, Man on the Moon III: The Chosen in December of 2020, concluding the trilogy he began in 2009.
Mulligan’s husband Marcus Mumford appeared during her opening monologue, offering to be the night’s musical guest. After Mulligan informed Mumford that Kid Cudi was performing already, he pulled an acoustic guitar out of thin air and accompanied her closing remarks. Of course, Mumford is the front-man of folk rock band Mumford & Sons, who previously played SNL in 2012, 2015 and 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-BfpGLs0Cs
Before his performances, Kid Cudi first appeared in a sketch with Pete Davidson and Chris Redd, “Weird Little Flute.” It parodied flute rap, a burgeoning subgenre including songs like Future’s “Mask Off.” Previous SNL host Timothee Chalamet made an unexpected cameo, endorsing the weird little flute as a musical asset.
Kid Cudi chose “Tequila Shots” as his first song of the night, with lyrics about alcohol-induced anxiety and depression: “It seems I’ll never learn / I won’t stop ‘til I crash and burn / Tell my mom I’m sorry.” He wore a t-shirt depicting late SNL cast member Chris Farley, who famously struggled with addiction.
Cudi closed out the episode with “Sad People,” a toast to contemplative night owls. Following in the footsteps of Kurt Cobain, he wore a floral dress. Cobain died by suicide this week in 1994, and Cudi has been open about his own experiences with suicidal ideation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsagiYnmN_4
As for Kid Cudi’s 2021 plans, an album is likely on the horizon for his supergroup, The Scotts. Made up of Cudi (whose first name is Scott) and Travis Scott, The Scotts formed in 2020 and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 with single “The Scotts.”
The episode ended with an in memoriam tribute to rapper DMX, who played SNL in 2000.
An iconic song title and hook from a rapper whose career was made off of distinction. From his voice, to his aesthetic, to his simultaneously vulnerable and gangster persona, DMX was going to give you his all, his true self. You were to be witness to the amazing highs and the, at-times, embarrassing lows. The lead single from 2003’s Cradle 2 the Grave (starring DMX) soundtrack is more than just a catchy tune. Has any other rap lyric embodied an artist quite so well?
As the world mourns the loss of one of hip hop’s grittiest, raw and complex characters, it’s important to remember that DMX’s premature death does not put a sour note on the full life that he lived. He said it himself, in his very last aired interview — an appearance on Noreaga’s Drink Champs podcast — ‘X declares, “If I was to drop dead right now, my last thought would be: ‘I’ve lived a good life.”
This DMX vs Jay-Z freestyle battle still one of the most legendary moments in hip hop
After all, his journey began in the project buildings of Yonkers, NY, having to grow up with a non-existent father and a violently abusive mother. ‘X — born Earl Simmons — spent spurts of his childhood in group homes, where he honed his skills within the budding genre of hip hop. It was during early adolescence that DMX met Ready Ron, an influential figure in his development as a rapper, and the man X claimed is responsible for birthing the addiction that kept a stronghold on him throughout most of his adult life.
Based on his turbulent childhood and a criminal record (that began in adolescence), DMX is one of the few artists who could claim the oft-used adage that hip hop saved their life. Where else can one go from group homes and detention centers to releasing two number 1 albums in the same year? In fact , DMX’s first five studio albums debuted at number 1 on the Billboard charts.
Although the one known as Dark Man X had done a complete 180 with his life, fame and riches only exasperated who he truly was. And at his core, DMX was a troubled individual. Despite his success, he hadn’t gotten his addictions under control, a fatal trait that eventually cost him his life.
So while he was starring in blockbuster films and performing in front of an excess of 200,000 people, he was still succumbing to his vices, with a rap sheet that might be longer than his lyric sheet. In a fall 2019 GQ magazine interview, DMX once stated,
“Before I really had a life, jail was a playground. I’d be like, ‘I’m going to jail and have fun.’ Jail used to be fun.”
It seems as though he carried that mentality throughout his time as a famous entertainer, with substance abuse issues a clear factor in his life as he had been arrested for various and repeating offenses including: possessions of cocaine, driving while intoxicated, driving with a suspended license, animal cruelty, failure to pay child support, among others. His offenses are equally puzzling and impressive. You would think after a few DUI arrests, one would get a driver, especially someone of DMX’s stature. Yet, his blatant disregard for the law revealed his truly detached nature from life and consequence, a characteristic found in many addicts. Notwithstanding, it revealed something else, ‘X was gon’ give it to the man as well, even if it was to his own detriment.
What’s dangerous about fame and success is that it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re living life righteously, it just means the masses resonate with the persona and content being packaged to them. For DMX his personal downfalls helped make him the superstar that he was. In a smoke and mirrors industry, his authenticity was never to be questioned, as he laid it all on his records, never shying away from the demons that constantly kept him in the headlines.
That’s what makes his death such a tough pill to swallow. When someone shares as much of themselves as DMX did, you can’t help but care about their wellness. Before this tragic turn of events, there were reports of an upcoming album and a re-invigorated DMX.
Nevertheless, it is better to rejoice in the life that DMX got to live, rather than his death. For he gave us everything he had. He has been on the opposite ends of the spectrum, reaching highs that most wouldn’t dare dream of, to experiencing lows that many can’t even imagine. In that sense, DMX lived a complete life, as he truly gave us all he had.
Brooklyn Lo-fi indie R&B duo Fake Dad strike back with their silky smooth new EP Old Baby. The duo consist of Andrea de Varona as the lead vocalist and Josh Ford doing most of the albums production. The EP releases today on all streaming services.
Old Baby is a masterclass example of creating a vibe. Personality oozes out of every corner of this EP and that is largely thank to the project’s supreme production along with de Varona’s incredibly serene vocals. Verona’s voice glides effortlessly over the production on nearly every song on this EP. Several songs such as “Listen” see Verona’s vocals distorted and mixed in some incredibly inventive ways. The signature nasally deliver of Verona makes every song incredibly comforting and welcoming. Ford comes through on the song “Breakfast In New York” adding a refreshing bass filed contrast to Verona’s high pitched R&B inflection.
Verona’s vocals is only one half of the equation as the production is a feat of its own. The glossy production is reminiscent of contemporary indie band with a classic R&B flare added by de Varona’s vocals. The groovy bass leads and chilled out synth keyboards are a highlight in songs like “Breakfast in New York”.
A unique assortment of instruments are present on the EP, with every song having its own uniquely identifiable musical motif. Motifs such as the trumpet present on the song “Knit Sweater” acts as a lowkey corner stone to the songs peaceful energy.
Fake Dad take listeners on a trip down memory lane — but it feels closer to a cautionary tale than a fond retelling.
The Wild Honey Pie
Old Baby offers the perfect soundtrack to any relaxing experience, weather that be studying or chilling at the beach. The universality embodied by this album makes it recommendable to nearly everyone. The smooth vocal will satisfy any R&B fan and the mix between hip hop and indie pop will be loved by any fans of each respective genre. The EP is available for purchase here.
Key Tracks: Pretty/Ugly, Breakfast in New York, Knit Sweater
