On February 26th, Brooklyn-based pop artist Love Lola Love dropped a vibrant new single, “How I Do It,” hoping to capture the feeling of self-love in musical form. Described as “straddling the line between brat pop and swagger,” Love Lola Love carries an anti-pop sound that hopes to squash previous misconceptions about the pop genre.
Anyone who’s lived in NYC knows how tough it can be. I def have had a love/hate relationship with it. This song was inspired by Lizzo’s ‘Good As Hell’ which is one of my fav self-love anthems. Living loud with absolutely zero fucks.
Love Lola Love, on “How I Do It”
Alongside Lizzo, some of her musical influences include Charli XCX and Gwen Stefani. Music of hers has landed spots in an Old Navy commercial and a Chanel commercial, the newest addition being “How I Do It” in a Samsung commercial.
Artist Love Lola Love pictured above.
If you as well are in need of a funky pop song that focuses on self-love during the pandemic, this is a must-add to your playlist, and Love Lola Love could be a rising artist that you catch before she blows up. You can keep track of her work on Spotify, where you can listen to “How I do It,” “Bang!,” and “Bold.”
It has been four years since the members of Melt came together as a band. Co-founders Veronica Stewart-Frommer (Vocals) and Eric Gabriel (Vocals, Keys) both NYC natives, started playing music together in High School. They and some of their friends entered a local battle of the bands competition and won. They took the prize money from that competition and used it to produce the band’s first song“Sour Candy” which was released as a single in 2017.
Melt is a septet, which is comprised of an additional five members: Marlo Shankweiler (Guitar), Josh Greenzeig (Drums), Coulou (Trumpet), Lucas Saur (Bass), and Nick Sare (Saxophone). Melt’s successful debut single propelled the band into the limelight with the strategic utilization of social media and substantial exposure on various internet streaming services. “Sour Candy” holds the distinction of having over 5 million streams on Spotify since it’s initial release. Between this heavy exposure and the band’s high energy live performances, Melt has been successful in establishing themselves securely in the rough and tumble NYC music scene.
Melt has a reached another important milestone with the February release of their Debut EP West Side Highway, which includes six tracks of previously unreleased music. Recorded at the Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, West Side Highway reflects a new level of maturity that Melt has been successful in developing as a band. “Coming into the studio with the goal of creating a longer work, we thought more intently on how each track worked with one another and used the opportunity to weave together the wide set of influences helping to shape a seven-person band,” said Josh Greenzeig (Drums).
“We used the EP format to create a snapshot of what that moment in time was for us, cementing elements of our sound that we love and finding new ones worth exploring.”
West Side Highway starts out with opening track “Don’t Want Me,” a moody number that details a love affair that has gone bad and is still painfully lingering in it’s final death throes. The masterful guitar instrumentation by Shankweiler and the melancholic vocal by Stewart-Frommer both work in concert to create a setting of sad desperation with a longing to be released. It was a great way to start the record and one that was interesting in it’s selection. It set the meditative tone of the EP which is soothing, comforting, and introspective in it’s entirety. This on going theme is again illustrated with third track, the EP’s title track, “West Side Highway,” which can be considered a love letter to pandemic ravaged NYC. This thought evoking number features a wonderfully muted trumpet solo by Coulou that is enhanced with Gabriel’s creative keyboard playing. his type of musical craftmanship results in another gem of a track on the record.
We were able to get some time with Melt co-founders Veronica Stewart-Frommer (Vocals) and Eric Gabriel (Vocals, Keys) in order to discuss the band and it’s debute EP – West Side Highway.
Tim Bopp: How did the band Melt form and what were the circumstances that caused the genesis of the band.
Eric Gabriel: Veronica and I went to High School together and towards the end of high school we had some more time to kind of start playing with people around the city and that was really the first iteration.
Veronica Stewart-Frommer: The first call we made was Marlo who is our guitar player.
TB: How did you come up with the band name Melt?
VS-F: The funny thing about that is that we actually had the song even before we had the name for the band. Suddenly we were sitting with this single and we were like, “Alright and we kind of want to put this out there but we don’t have a name.” So we went down this very long list of random names. The night before we were going to release “Sour Candy” we actually made a Facebook page called Big Deli Chain. We were like, “That is it! That is the name! We are going to be Big Deli Chain (laughing).” At some point between 2AM and 4AM that night I was just like this band can’t be named Big Deli Chain and we changed it to Melt. It was so random.
TB: How has the Pandemic Affected the band and the new EP West Side Highway?
VS-F: The EP really is a product of the Pandemic. In a lot of ways, it feels like an entirely new Melt. This was such a unique time for us. Something that is interesting about us is that during the year we are all either doing our day jobs or even in school. A lot of us are still in college. So we do this kind of funky long distance band thing where we unite for these crazy weekend shows and then go our separate ways. In a lot of ways due to the Pandemic, if we wanted to work, we had to live together for multiple weeks in order to justify moving anywhere. It was kind of the first time since four years ago when the band started that we were able to settle down and really be together for weeks on end and write and hang out. We are such a live band that our songs are usually tested over months and years at live shows and they are based on what the audience reacts to and how we are feeling at the show but there was none of that this time.
EG: We have mostly been thought of as a live band. On most of our singles we typically try to document that energy that we all love about playing together at a live show. This EP we kind of wanted to go into a different direction. I think it is much more chilled out and doesn’t really have as much of that live band sound. The individual tracks we kind of wanted to take a different approach in the crafting of the songs.
TB: What are some of your musical influences?
VS-F: Part of what makes up the Melt sound is that we are seven people and some of us went to school for Jazz music and some of us studied political science and were raised on the Beatles and Bob Dylan. A lot of us have been into the Jam scene. That is actually how I met Marlo, through Phish and the Grateful Dead. I think we are kind of all over the map on that. Obviously as a singer I really adore a lot of artists like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Otis Redding. That is where I fell in love with that genre and that type of singing. We are really all over the place. Right now a lot of us are into Phoebe Bridgers and the more Indie scene. I think that comes through on this EP.
EG: I grew up with a ton of Bruce Springsteen. More recently I listen to more folk music like Adrianne Lenker and also bands like the National. That kind of music.
TB: So, are you two the predominant the songwriters for Melt?
VS-F: Typically, that is how it has been. In the past, Eric and I usually write the lyrics to the songs that we sing, but we edit with each other and with other members of the band. Usually, it will either be one of the two of us will start a song and then bring it to the band. It evolves into a completely different direction from there. For this EP, since we were all together and couldn’t perform live, we wound up focusing a lot more on the production side of things as a band. Our bass player Lucas is really skilled at recording and in engineering production. He played a huge role in creating the foundation for the songs on the EP. We experimented a lot on this record this time around.
EG: This time around we started with Josh the drummer literally laying down songs, sometime just on his own. Then we would add the bass track and then that leads us into the guitar and usually vocals at the end. We really just build it up.
VS-F: We don’t know which way we like better. Maybe in the future we will go back in and play everything as if we are playing live. I think part of the beauty of Melt is that we are so young, so we don’t feel tied to any of our ways and we like to try out new things and see how it goes.
TB: How long did it take a band like Melt to complete the West Side Highway EP?
VS-F: Start to finish it was like two months. We were really lucky to be able to record the EP at the Bunker Studios in Brooklyn. We had a really wonderful producer and engineer named Aaron Nevezie who mixed some of the tracks as well.
EG: Some songs were written earlier, like Hours I wrote about a year ago.
TB: What does the future have in store for Melt?
Eric: We cannot wait to start playing shows again. We are really looking forward to playing out. The last real show Melt played was at the Sinclair in Cambridge last February. It felt like that at that show we all came together and we were fully on it. Our trumpet player Aaron even stage dived at the end of the “Sour Candy” solo that night.
VS-F: That show was awesome. It wasn’t the biggest room we have played, but just the layout of the place was great. It went straight back so you could see everyone and there was great energy that night. I also think the Knitting Factory show we played in Brooklyn. That was the first time we played “Waves.” Before a show we are always saying to the band don’t go too fast let’s keep the energy contained. Once we get out there it is just like an explosion and we are always playing at 100%. We don’t have many moments during a set where we just drop back and take a moment to breathe. In the bridge in “Waves” there is a moment where everyone drops out and it is just me and Eric. That was really a special moment. I always think about that moment when I picture live music coming back. It was the first time that we had ever played the song and I think the audience was psyched to hear a new song and it was kind of a sentimental little moment. It was really cool.
Key Tracks: Don’t Want Me, West Side Highway, Waves
Ryan Dugré is a New York-based multi-instrumentalist and composer. originally from Holyoke, MA. On February 19, the artist released his nostalgic LP Three Rivers.
Photo Credit: Annette Wong
Beginning in 2019, Dugré wrote the album’s instrumental pieces. Dugré’s work established shadowy undertones and an introspective melody. His utilization of guitar at the forefront of his work built the calmness of Three Rivers. He also supported this sound with piano, synth, strings, and sparse percussion.
The song-writing process behind Three Rivers was relatively fast-paced. Dugré developed an exercise where he created a new piece of music each day. He did this in order to build a routine of writing and creativity. The work he had to compose daily consisted of an improvisation, loose sketch, or a fully orchestrated piece.
Three Rivers Album Artwork
Dugré’s techniques allowed him to be vulnerable with his many colleagues who performed on the album alongside him. Three Rivers was re-recorded in October 2019 in Brooklyn with engineer Adam Sachs. This LP featured string arrangements from Ian Mcllelan Davis and contributions from Brett Lanier, Sean Mullins, Adam Dotson, and Will Graefe. Also, Leo Abrahams mixed the album.
The artist initially forced himself to commit to ideas without leaving time for second-guessing. He strived for an honest depiction of his original thoughts. Despite Dugré’s fast-paced process, he was able to develop intimate pieces throughout his work. Each track encapsulates the musician’s cinematic guitar-led instrumentals. He builds a simplistic mastery that is especially evident on his solo guitar track “Glace Bay.”
Over the past year, I have spent time looking through what records I could find about my ancestors. It has always intrigued me to try to picture what their lives were like. Hearing about their struggles and the relative poverty they endured puts things into perspective for me. Glace Bay is where my great-grandfather Edward Macmillan was born. It’s a coal mining town on the eastern tip of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. His father died in the mines in 1897 when he was three, leaving him as the eventual provider of the family. This piece is named in his memory.
Previously, Dugré has shared his elegant music at Le Festival d’été de Québec, Bonnaroo, and Haldern Pop Fest. He even has performed at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series and on BBC 6 Radio. Dugré is on the rise, and his new LP is nothing short of this. Make sure to check out Three Rivers available now on major platforms.
L’FREAQ has returned after a two-year absence to share her newest single, “Make Me Move.” Described as having a “sexy, neo-goth, synth pop sound,” the track features an intimate look into the hardships of a long distance relationship in the midst of quarantine. The artist sets aside vulnerability to express an experience that most, if not all of us, can relate to, after a year since the quarantine began.
Photo Credit: Kelly Cappelli
More commonly known under the alias L’FREAQ, Brooklyn and LA-based singer/songwriter Lea Cappelli has caught the eye of many with her gothic and soulful presence, alongside an impressive vocal range and a talent for writing lyrics that strike a chord, attracting an inclusive and diverse audience.
I wrote this song before quarantine about deep yearning for my long-distance partner. It was my challenge to strip everything away to primal instincts. When quarantine hit, it forbid us from seeing each other and the relationship ended, causing a spiral into craving and a deep dive into intimate voicemails that have been sampled on the song.
L’FREAQ describing the single, “Make Me Move”
Photo Credit: Kelly Cappelli
Some highlights of her career include a private performance for Muhammad Ali, sharing the stage with Jakob Dylan, and performing alongside Grammy-awarded artist India.Arie. Recently voted “NYC’s Favorite Emerging Artist” in a poll sponsored by The Deli Magazine, she pays homage to her Brooklyn roots. She cites her love of music as being nourished by her artistic mother from a young age, growing up in a music studio in the midst of the punk scene of NYC.
You can find where to stream her newest single, “Make Me Move,” on various platforms here, and keep an eye out for any new quarantine-inspired releases on her website.
Brooklyn-based psychedelic rock bank, Acid Dad, are excited to announce their sophomore album – Take It From The Dead. The album is due out June 11, 2021 via Greenway Records / The Reverberation Appreciation Society.
In preparation for the new album, the band has released visuals for the albums first single – “RC Driver.” The video debuted on FLOOD Magazine. Singer-guitarist Vaughn Hunt comments on his inspiration behind the song:
RC Driver is about how I wish I raced cars for a living. All I wanna do is go fast and do stunts. I grew up near a lake, so jet skis are the next closest thing. Ain’t nothing like rippin’ a supercharged Sea-Doo going 90mph on pure glass, baby.
Vaughn Hunt, Singer-guitarist
Acid Dad consists of Trevor Mustoe on drums, Vaughn Hunt and Sean Fahey on vocals and guitar. The band was started in Hunt’s basement in Bushwick, NY – releasing their first single “Brain Body” and EP Let’s Plan a Robbery. Acid Dad quickly rose up through the ranks in the New York rock scene, releasing their debut album to widespread acclaim.
The band spent much of 2020 creating a new studio space in Queens, while building their own guitars and continuing to independently produce their new music. With a new space and vision, the band produced their second LP, Take It From The Dead, set to be co-released in June 2021 by Brooklyn’s Greenway Records and psych powerhouse LEVITATION’s label, The Reverberation Appreciation Society.
Take It From The Dead’s influences range from the likes of 90’s neo-psych, modern post-punk and 70’s rock-n-roll. Acid Dad’s album is innovation, but still shows love for its roots. In contrast to their earlier work, they make use of slower tempos and expand their sound to include songs that are both more intricate and more hypnotic. To accompany the new record, the band spent the last year collaborating with video artist Webb Hunt, producing psych and glitch art videos that form a visual counterpart to the dreamy distortions of their sound.
Mark Morales, known as Prince Markie Dee and a founding member of hip-hop/ rap group The Fat Boys, passed away at 52 years old, just one day before his birthday, on February 18, 2021. AllHipHop reported Prince Markie Dee had died from congestive heart failure after suffering “distressing” health issues.
Mark Anthony Morales also hosted “The Prince Markie Dee Show” on LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells channel on SiriusXM radio.Credit…Robin Marchant/Getty Images
Mark Morales was born on February 19, 1968 in Brooklyn. He formed the band called ‘Disco 3′ with Darren Robinson and Damon Wimbley in the early 1980s. After they won a talent contest at Radio City Music Hall in 1983 the group signed a contract with the show’s promoter. They eventually ended up rename themselves the Fat Boys in reference to their weight under their promoter at the time’s recommendation.
The Fat Boys went on to release seven albums, three of which were gold certified and one reaching platinum status. They had hit songs like “Jail House Rap,” “Can You Feel It,” and “The Fat Boys Are Back” and brought beatboxing into the spotlight. The trio even appeared in a few films including “Disorderlies” “Krush Groove” and “Knights of the City.” They ended up breaking up in the early 1990s. Band member Darren Robinson died in 1995 at age 28 after falling off of a chair while rapping for friends and lost consciousness.
Morales started work as a songwriter and producer for Uptown Records, collaborating with Father MC and Mary J. Blige after the group disbanded. According to The New York Timesarticle “He helped write and produce Ms. Blige’s 1992 breakout hit “Real Love” and worked on her debut album, What’s the 411? He also worked on songs and remixes for Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey and others.” Later in his life, Morales became a radio personality based in Florida. He started back in 2008 to 2010, serving as the afternoon drive radio host/DJ at 103.5 The Beat WMIB radio in Miami, Florida. He also ended up working at WEDR 99.1 FM and the Rock the Bells station of Sirius XM which he hosted his show The Prince Markie Dee Show.
https://youtu.be/cvqxIDmEw_c
Prince Markie Dee aka Mark Morales will be missed by the music community. We mourn his loss and send our condolences to his family and friends.
Netflix is gearing up for the premiere of their newly announced documentary, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell, which will be released on March 1, 2021. The documentary will take a deep dive into the personal life and career of The Notorious B.I.G. with commentary from fellow rappers and close friends. The streaming platform teased the series’ first trailer Tuesday, February 16.
The documentary will provide in-depth content on the deceased mega-star, Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G. Produced by Volleta Wallace, The rapper’s mother, the series will feature interviews from friend and collaborator, Diddy.
“Biggie blew up overnight, You have no origins from what rap planet this guy came from,” you can hear Diddy say over the series trailer which features archived snapshots detailing The Notorious B.I.G.’s quick rise to fame.
Snippets of the series also shared in the teaser include Biggie’s mother talking about his Brooklyn childhood, reflecting on memories of a young Christopher Wallace writing and reciting songs at a young age.
“This will be the first documentary to focus on the experiences of my son’s life rather than the circumstances of his death. It is a celebration of who he was and where he came from. This is how he would have wanted to be remembered,” says Volleta, explaining the need for a different narrative surrounding the rapper, who died March 9, 1997 at the age of 24.
The Notorious B.I.G. remains to be just that, even 20 years after his death, he remains prevalent in in rap culture. His contributions to the genre along with never before seen blend of wordplay, delivery and songwriting ability have contributed to keeping his legacy alive.
Vevo has revealed Brooklyn emcee Sheff G as the latest artist to get spotlighted in their Ctrl series, with performances of “Eeny Meany Miny Moe” and “Lights On” from his 2020 project, Proud Of Me Now.
Vevo’s Ctrl series highlights the work of hard-hitting, cutting-edge musicians making an impact in today’s music scene – both emerging and established. These artists demand attention, and Vevo’s Ctrl shines a deserving spotlight. Sheff G’s performance follows sessions from Rick Ross, Common, Rapsody, Fat Joe, Jeezy, Jadakiss, Fabolous, A$AP Ferg and more.
From the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, Sheff G — born, Michael Williams — gained recognition for his 2017 drill record “No Suburban.” The song’s popularity — along with a slew of other popular drill songs — helped usher in a new era of rappers from the borough and spotlighted the gang activity that often served as the pre-cursor to the music.
Following the success of “No Suburban,” Sheff G released his much-heralded debut mixtape, The Unluccy Luccy Kid. The project contained popular records like “We Getting Money,” “Flows” and “Designer,” with the latter two featuring friend and frequent collaborator, Sleepy Hallow.
Williams released his next project One and Only in May 2020, and Proud Of Me Now, which includes “Eeny Meany Miny Moe,” in December. He rounded out the year with singles “Light On” and “No Negotiations.” Donning a blue bandana themed shirt and pants, Sheff G’s live performances is a continuation of the rapper’s progression from homegrown talent to bonafide star. In usual Sheff G fashion, both records are thumping and assertive, displaying his fearlessness and bravado on the streets through his music.
On February 3rd, Brooklyn-based electronic rock artist White Cliffs (Rafe Cohan) released an endearing claymation music video accompanying his newest single, “Just Like You.” Garnering a lot of attention from fans to art enjoyers alike, the video is impressively mesmerizing and perfectly captures the feeling of imposter syndrome. The single kicks off the beginning of his upcoming EP, Stockholm, to be released February 19th.
The music video is directed, produced and edited by Rafe Cohan himself and features two clay creatures, identical except for color, that are constantly molding themselves into vibrant animations and dancing around each other. Previously having expressed his struggle with accepting his true self, Cohan created a perfect visual aid to his music and the message he wants to send.
I wrote the song about our playful and hypocritical struggle with accepting our true selves. And that struggle is just a part of pursuing a career as a musician… You’re constantly drawing this attention to your project, and in the process, you end up learning quite a bit about yourself, both good and bad. Usually, you experience some denial or imposter syndrome, but after time passes, you are left with acceptance.
Rafe Cohen, on the meaning behind “Just Like You”
With this track, the artist set out to challenge conformity and use unconventional means, such as a Roland organ/strings synthesizer that allowed him to experiment at the base level, the underlying chords. This idea alongside an unorthodox topic and video meshes together beautifully to create a sense of ease and nostalgia.
The Hold Steady will be holding a live-streamed event, The Weekender , from Brooklyn Bowl on Friday, March 5th and Saturday, March 6th primarily for UK and European fans.
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is performing their annual multi-night Weekender event in an unprecedented way this year, bringing their European fans a virtual version of the recurring concert. Traditionally held in the renowned Electric Ballroom in Camden, London, this year it will be live-streamed from Brooklyn, New York. Both nights will commence at 8pm (20:00) GMT , 3pm EST (US).
At The Weekender, The Hold Steady will be performing two completely different sets, including fan favorites and new cuts from their upcoming album Open Door Policy, set for release on Friday, February 19th. Pre-order it here. Exclusive to The Weekender is a march bundle, unveiled in the weeks leading up to the main event. Following the final performance, The Weekender sets will be available on-demand for a limited time on March 6th.
Album Art For OPEN DOOR POLICY by The Hold Steady
OPEN DOOR POLICY arrives on the band’s Positive Jams label via Thirty Tigers on Friday, February 19th, 2021. It is currently up for pre-order digitally and physically, and with a pre-order one receives an instant-download of the recently released singles “Spices,” “Heavy Covenant,” and “Family Farm.” Their Bruce Springsteen and Hüsker Dü-influenced sound is something you should not miss!
Single-show tickets (£15.00/$20.00), two-night passes (£27.50/$35.00) and exclusive soundcheck tickets (£20.00/$25.oo) are on sale now exclusively on FANS.LIVE . The on-demand show, aired after the final performance, is also available on FANS.LIVE.
