NYS Music 202​1

Category: NYC Metro

  • Watch Nathaniel Rateliff Perform “Redemption” on Saturday Night Live

    This week’s Saturday Night Live featured Oscar winning Actress Regina King, now nominated for Best Director for One Night in Miami, and musical guest Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.

    Saturday Night Live nathaniel rateliff redemption

    Nathaniel Rateliff performed “Redemption” for his first song of the night, which was recorded for the upcoming Justin Timberlake movie Palmer. Timberlake, along with director Fisher Stevens, asked Rateliff to record the song for the film. Rateliff started the song solo, then was joined by a trio of backup singers and a full band who joined in.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkPr-P2132M&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJDlt-mCuLRVbb13areCCOk&index=5

    For the second song of the night, Rateliff sang the solo track “A Little Honey” from his band’s 2018 album Tearing at the Seams. With the line “I need you, baby / More than you’ll ever, ever know,”  Rateliff gave a nod to Valentine’s Day.

    Rateliff earned an Album of the Year nomination at the 2020 Americana Honors & Awards for And It’s Still Alright.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKRWAjQyKgw&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJDlt-mCuLRVbb13areCCOk&index=6

    Saturday Night Live returns on February 20 with host Regé-Jean Page and musical guest Bad Bunny.

  • Serge Bulat Releases His Newest Single ‘Digital Guillermo’

    Maldovan-Ukrainian musician, Serge Bulat, releases his new single “Digital Guillermo”, his first song after his most recent album Wurmenai.

    Serge Bulat
    Serge Bulat Cover Art for Digital Guillermo

    Bulat came to the U.S in 2009 to start his music career. He currently resides in New York and Virginia. His creativity expands further than just music, he experiments with many mediums consisting of video games, sound design, theater productions and more. Wurmenai is actually the soundtrack for his video game Wurroom and serves as the video game in album form. The game gives music a new and interactive experience. The album was his first full-length album after four years since releasing his album Third World Walker.

    The work from Wurmenai was his most diverse, featuring artists across the globe who contributed their own sound. More of his notable projects include Queuelbum that gained him the Best Electronic Album of the Year from the Independent Music Awards. Also, he is the creative behind the multimedia Inkblot, the psychological test that appeals not only to seeing but also to hearing.

    His artistic expression has only increased throughout the years and he has more in store this year. “Digital Guillermo” is Bulat’s newest release and it further explores his musical ability using several instruments throughout the song. The song is on the soundtrack for the psychological horror video game Isolomus.

  • The Hold Steady Announce Annual Multi-Night Event, The Weekender

    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 WEEKENDER
    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.

  • Finnish Singer Petra Jasmiina Releases New Single, “YCHM”

    New York City-based Finnish singer, Petra Jasmiina, releases new love song, “YCHM”, just in time for Valentines Day. The new single follows her debut EP Cyget which released in 2019.

    Jasmiina

    Born in Helsinki, Finland; Jasmiina moved to New York City at the age of 25 after years of travelling to pursue a music career. Jasmiina comments on her risky move to New York City saying:

    Now that I think of it, it’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done. I had no job, no apartment and knew no-one in the city.

    Petra Jasmiina, Musician

    Jasmiina has always had a deep love for music, consistently writing songs since the age of nine. After making her way around the local New York City scene and gaining recognition, including a stint at the Writer’s Room Songwriter Series, Jasmiina released her acclaimed debut EP, Cygnet.

    Jasmiina’s is well known for her fresh, unique indie pop sound and witty lyricism. Much of Jasmiina’s music follow in the steps her indie pop idols such as Ellie Goulding, Taylor Swift, and Halsey. Through the success of her debut EP, Jasmiina has since blossomed into a bright new artist in the New York indie scene, and has opened doors to legendary music venues such as Pete’s Candy Store and Pianos.

    Floating over synth heavy production with ease, Jasmiina delivers her beautiful upper register combined with uniquely catchy vocal melodies. The track is a collaboration with Vietnamese-American electropop producer Wind Meets West and tells the story of rising above a bad break-up and learning to love being on your own. The fun, sassy energy of the track warrants it own dance party. The song embodies a message of self love as well as a celebration of being single.

    YCHM is now available for pre-order here.

  • Gov. Cuomo Plans to Bring Back Live Music with Reopening Large Venues and “NY Pops Up”

    Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his plans for reopening large sized venues throughout the state on February 10, 2021. This will help bring live music back to the state in combination with the “NY Pops Up” program which is bringing 300 live performances for free. 

    NY Pops Up MSG
    Empty Madison Square Garden in NYC. Photo by Steve Malinski

    Cuomo plans to use a testing- based program, which was used by the Buffalo Bills, to bring live performances back to any large stadium or arena later this month. How the testing- based program would work is the people who provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the live event in question would be able to attend live entertainment like musical events. The program would also be able to be made into person for sport events like baseball, soccer, football and basketball games possible. Arenas can open to the public on February 23, 2021. 

    According to NBC New York though there will be certain rules and restrictions in place to make this possible. Some of the restrictions include a, “strict 10 percent capacity limit in arenas and stadiums with more than 10,000-person total capacity. Venues have to submit their plans to the State Department of Health for approval. Core mitigation efforts like mask-wearing, temperature checks and mandatory assigned seating to ensure social distancing will also be required.”

    cuomo regulations NY Pops Up
    NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo conducts press briefing and makes a presentation at the 3rd Avenue office in New York on July 23, 2020. Governor, announced that President Trump will not send federal agents into New York City. He again pleaded to young people to be responsible, keep social distances and wear masks. (Photo by Lev Radin/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

    On top of this excitement of the prospect of live music in person in venues there is also the announcement of  the “NY Pops Up” program starting on February 20 through Labor Day bringing over 300 live performances. Cuomo announced that the first performance will happen on February 20 in New York City with a free performance especially for healthcare workers featuring big names like  Jon Batiste, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Ayodele Casel. The ‘pop up’ will be traveling across the city’s five boroughs to perform in different parks, on street corners, and outside hospitals. 

    With COVID-19 still raging on throughout the world the prospect of some sense of normalcy is extremely intriguing and exciting. People across NY can be attending live events again before the beginning of March with these new programs. 

  • Genre Bending Body Language Share “Start It Up” Video

    Sensual pop experimentalists Body Language have been developing their genre-blend tone for some years now. Beginning in 2008, the band (Angelica Bess, Grant Wheeler, Matt Young, and Ian Chang) has added a future-shocked mixture of soul and R&B to their sound. These Brooklyn-based musicians have even received praise from NPR, The New York Times, and The Guardian. As a matter of fact, Body Language and their new music video for “Start It Up” doesn’t stray away from this amount of appraisal. 

    Body Language Start it Up
    Photo Credit: Nat Magliore

    With an introduction of glamorous dancers and a pulsating beat, “Start It Up” gives viewers nostalgia of packed dancefloors. The combination of the smooth vocals from the front-woman Bess, the glitzy outfits, and an electric flow makes anyone want to get up off their seat. The video travels through a fisheye lens creating a greater sense of funk to the already bouncy instrumental and harmonic hook.  

    Bess characterizes the video as a “Dreamlike mirage of glamour and shimmering movement. It’s a tribute to our favorite videos of the 90’s and early 00’s. An ode to the New Roaring 20’s: a little old and a lot new. ‘Start It Up’ represents the new age of loving yourself, expressing yourself, and having a good f*cking time.”

    “Start It Up” is featured on Body Language’s latest LP Travel Guide. As described as their most collaborative effort yet, Travel Guide consists of ten tracks of genre-bent psychedelic. Check out the LP below for an escapism of the realities of day to day life. Also, look out for Body Language’s remixes for “Start It Up,” coming soon.  

  • Janani Shankar Releases Deeply Personal And Emotional New Single “I Wanna Know”

    Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Janani Shankar is set to release her new single, “I Wanna Know.”

    In this track, Shankar speaks about deeply emotional issues such as abandonment, and pays tribute to her late grandmother Viji Shankar who she never met, and her late great grandmother Lakshmi Shankar.

    Janani’s “I Wanna Know” touches on personal issues she has faced in her life. Shankar attributes these issues, such as loss and estrangement from close family members, to greed, jealousy, and death.

    “I Wanna Know” is written from the perspective of a little girl longing for her family, asking why they left. By the end, the track speaks to a less empathic, more emotional feeling, driven by the accelerated drumbeat.

    A singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Shankar started learning classical Indian vocals and violin at the age of three. Later on she picked up guitar, bass, and keys.

    She began gigging in New York at the age of sixteen and went on to play in London, Los Angeles, and other cities around the world. Her style combines the nineties with folk, jazz, and indie influences.

    Janani’s songs “Wanderer,” “Forgettable,” and “Get Up” have been played on BBC Radio: The Asian Network. Her most recent single, “The World is on Fire,” has been featured on radio stations and music blogs worldwide.

    The track features Gingger Shankar on the double violin, Patrick Adams on trumpet, Mike Frazier (Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Escarioka) on drums, Nataliya Zaytseva on keys, Trevor Brown on bass, and Michael “Bull” LoBue on electric guitar.

    Janani Shankar released “I Wanna Know” on February 9th, the day her grandmother Viji passed away, in her honor. Visit her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

  • Long Island’s Card Reader Takes First Place at Interstate Music Awards

    Long Island pop-punk band Card Reader won first place at the Interstate Music Awards, an underground artist competition created by the CEO of Interstate Music, Jeff Peterson.

    card reader
    Long Island Pop-Punk Band Card Reader

    Card Reader, won the Interstate Music Awards out of hundreds of submissions. Their first place prized earned them $5000 in gift cards, as well as the opportunity to perform live on the Interstate Music stage in Wisconsin later this year. 

    In a year of uncertainty and lockdown, Card Reader continued to put out music, their bright sound illuminating days spent inside. This spring they will be releasing an acoustic EP set to release on Friday, March 26th. It will contain new versions of previously released tracks, stripped down and engineered by their very own Matt Sullivan. They will also be recording their sophomore EP this April with veteran producer, Nik Bruzzese, at Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. 

    Guitarist and vocalist, Tom Petito, spoke about Card Reader’s big win and the road ahead. “We’re fired up right now. Starting 2021 off on the right foot is crucial for any band. I think we did just that. We received a big wave of support in this competition and winning it all has been an unreal experience. Our family, friends, & fans had our back in a big way.

    We’ll use this momentum to help fuel the fire as we prepare to record our new EP in the spring. Nik reached out to us after the contest win and expressed his desire to take our sound to the next level. We couldn’t agree more. It’s our move now and our opportunity to show the music world that Card Reader is for real.

    Stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp and find Card Reader on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

    Watch their studio documentary for their 2020 EP Mental Scars here.

  • Vast Aire and COSMIQ deliver some “Good Fuel”

    In anticipation of a new album, Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox, has released a brand-new record in collaboration with producer COSMIQ. With the duo’s collaborative effort set to be released soon, the hip hop veterans are hoping “Good Fuel,” will be just the song to give the album a push. 

    A gritty old-school New York record, “Good Fuel” sees Vast Aire continue a trend that has defined hip hop itself. In “Good Fuel” he descriptively conveys a proper image of the tough inner-city neighborhoods that Black people have inhabited for decades. The record begins with Vast Aire shouting out where he is from (Washington Heights, Harlem, New York City), with these locations also representing the setting for the story-like “Good Fuel.”

    Vast Aire COSMIQ

    “Good Fuel” resembles other inner-city themed rap songs. Humble beginning, “we used to be shoulder to shoulder like ‘someone push me.’ Holes in your sucks, you got no p****.”  To taking an interest in the street life in search of a better life for self and family, “I’m talking sky pagers with the fly beepers, all the drug dealers had the fly sneakers.” To eventual questioning of the political regime whose job it is to help the disenfranchised, “my commander-in-chief is running amuck. These right-winged lobbyists could care less, it’s settle for this evil or settle for less.” 

    “This track is important for our times right now,” says Vast Aire.  “We all are coping with the chaos of COVID-19 and also the shock and trauma of Trump’s political coup. ‘Good Fuel’ reminds the youth and elders to remain righteous, while standing up in the face of oppression.” 

     “This song represents what Hip-Hop has always stood for, being the voice of the streets; from the lost criminal to the struggling and hard-working blue-collar workers. My late parents are those very people– and so am I!”

  • PEAK Announces Parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ Series

    PEAK announces parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ series. The series features full sets from the band and will be free and open to the public. 

    PEAK part 3 and 4

    PEAK is a Brooklyn based band that formed in 2016 with frontman and guitarist, Jeremy Hilliard, who originally went under the name before members Kito Bovenschulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Hayley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and newcomer-extraordinaire Johnny Young on keys joined in 2019. PEAK released their critically acclaimed debut album Electric Bouquet, produced by Dave Brandwein (Turkuaz) in 2018. The band has spent a decent amount of 2020  writing, rehearsing and recording an album in their Brooklyn studio, with hints of their sophomore album being in the works. 

    The first of PEAK’s ‘Live From The Studio Series’ started back on November 14, 2020. The second session took place on December 5, 2020. Both sessions were available on their YouTube Channel and on Jamcast. Each of the performances was a little over an hour in length and featured lots of original music from fan favorites to some straight jams. 

    The third session will take place on February 27, at 8 pm. The fourth session will take place on March 20, at 8 pm. The sets will be streamed live and for free on PEAK’s YouTube Channel and their Facebook.

    They will be accepting donations though to their virtual tip jar through Venmo @jeremy-hilliard1. People can also support the band and their efforts by visiting their Bandcamp page and checking out their audio releases. Head to their online store and pick out some PEAK merch, including new pins and T-shirts designed by the formidable Dave Vertino. 

    The shows are being supported by MKDevo, Michelle Young, and Matt Calabrese who are going to be bringing the audience a pro-shot video, multitrack audio, and light shows. 

    For more information on PEAK and their upcoming parts 3 and 4 of their ‘Live From The Studio’ series visit their website.