NYS Music 202​1

Tag: New Album

  • Chrissie Hynde Presents New Collection of Bob Dylan Songs

    Chrissie Hynde has announced a new album of original Bob Dylan covers. Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan arrives via BMG at all DSPs and streaming services on May 21. 

    Chrissie Hynde

    During lockdown, the artist recorded remotely nine Dylan interpretations with her Pretenders bandmate James Walbourne. The album includes interpretations of Dylan’s songs “You’re a Big Girl Now.” “Love Minus Zero / No Limit,” Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight,” and “Every Grain of Sand.” All of which were recorded last year. 

    The nine-track collection was nearly made exclusively via back and forth text messages. Additionally, Walbourne would record an initial idea on his phone and send it off to Hynde to add her vocals. Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Fiona Apple) mixed the new versions. After all the collaboration, the works premiered on the Pretenders’ YouTube channel. 

    This process began a few weeks into lockdown when Walbourne sent Hynde the new Dylan track, “Murder Most Foul.” The impact of the song changed everything for Hynde. She connected to every reference that track had and after listening, her mood was also lifted.

    Chrissie Hynde Shares her Inspiration:

    Whatever Bob does, he still manages somewhere in there to make you laugh because as much as anything, he’s a comedian. He’s always funny and always has something to say. I called James and said, ‘Let’s do some Dylan covers,’ and that’s what started this whole thing.

    The process behind Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan is featured in the new documentary, Tomorrow Is A Long Time. This documentary premieres exclusively via the UK’s Sky Arts channel on May 24. This work by International Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt will commence the celebration of Dylan’s 80th birthday.   

    CD and vinyl LP release will take place on August 20. The pre-order is available here.

  • The Chris Ruben Band Leaves the Funk with New Album

    Psychedelic funk-rock group, The Chris Ruben Band, released their new album Madness on Repeat on April 20.

    The Chris Ruben Band
    Cover Art Credit: Will Wood Visuals and Mark DiMattei

    This six-piece Long Island band is nothing short of their fiery and forceful reputation. What started off as Chris Ruben writing his own songs at 16 began to turn into something more in 2014. At this time, The Chris Ruben Band was initially formed, but players got interchanged until the ideal lineup was created.

    The band started off playing in basements, but they shortly made their way onto the local music circuit. The group consists of Chris Ruben on lead guitar/vocals, Brendan Allan on bass, Frank Iovine on synthesizers/saxophone, Eugene Iovine on keyboards/cello, Nick Marino on guitar, and Russell Miller on drums.

    The Chris Ruben Band
    Photo Credit: Mark DiMattei

    Madness on Repeat is the culmination of eight years of songwriting and use of numerous studios. The album is reminiscent of old-school rock while also layering a psychedelic tone. Ruben’s vocals drive each head-banging track alongside the dynamic guitar work. The group smoothly blends their sounds together to develop a modern funk.

    “Unsure” opens the album with a sense of groove and hard-hitting lyrics. It eases listeners into the liveliness of Madness on Repeat, and the high-octane energy developed. The Chris Ruben Band keeps the album upbeat throughout with an epic guitar solo in “Starfish” and driving drums in “Prayer for Sadness.” Madness on Repeat closes with a sensational saxophone on “Hernia” while not losing that driven passion they provide.

    The Chris Ruben Band has become a staple in the Long Island music scene. They have performed at various venues there in addition to their performances at SXSW, The Jones Beach Bandshell, and more. Until those events are back up and running, The Chris Ruben Band has a livestream performance on April 29. The group will be live-streaming Madness on Repeat, tickets available here.

    Madness on Repeat is available now on major platforms.

  • Serge Bulat Expands Mediums with New Single and Album

    Multi-disciplinary artist and musician Serge Bulat recently released his new single with Japanese artist Dai Sekiguchi. The new song “Possible Plausible Reversible” is off of his upcoming LP, released on April 30.

    Serge Bulat

    In 2009, Bulat immigrated to the USA from a town under the Soviet Union. He was determined to pursue his musical career and expand on numerous frameworks within media. Bulat’s work varies from audiovisual installations to sound design to experimental video and more.

    “Possible Plausible Reversible” is the artist’s most recent release off of his full-length album Similarities Between Fish And A Chair. Bulat experiments in this work to fuse genres, cultures, and media. He seeks to challenge traditional formats to develop this non-conforming project.

    The new album is a direct continuation of his 2020 release Wurmenai which also delivered an immersive video game. The project features notable collaborators from ten different countries. Some of these artists include Katie Buckley, OYME, and Pavel Vit.

    The new work deals with identity, normality, and personality; it questions reality and perception as well as imagines future.

    Serge Bulat
    Serge Bulat

    Similarities Between Fish And A Chair will release alongside an audiovisual installation, “Inkblot,” as well as an experiential video game “Isolomus.” Bulat’s take on the standard psychological test, “Inkblot,” seeks to expand on the senses and connect his albums.

    Five years in the making, Similarities Between Fish And A Chair, will finally be released later this month. Make sure to pre-order/pre-save the album here and stream “Possible Plausible Reversible” on major platforms until then.

  • Brooklyn’s Dräger Chases Thrills on “Light Years”

    Brooklyn based musician, Dräger, released his new single “Light Years” on March 11 and announced his debut album Goths à la Discothèque comes out May 7.

    Dräger
    Dräger Credit: Andrew Segreti

    Spencer Draeger founded Dräger as the essence of his modern dystopian era. “Light Years” is an upbeat song with a message about choosing the road less traveled and following the unknown. According to Under the Radar this is the perfect example of his “synthedelic pop” sound. Synthedelic pop is a mixture of modern pop, ‘80s new wave and the underground dance scene. The single explores the excitement of chasing thrills on the journey to the future.

    Goths à la Discothèque delves into the many universal themes of modern times including technology, love and society, and makes it his own. His album was inspired by 2020 and the effect it had on the world as it switched to a digital reality and caused people to forge new ideas. He portrays the present-day issues and fuses it with a party sound.

    The album consists of 11 songs which were all produced, written, recorded and mixed by Dräger in his home studio. “Light Years” is now available for streaming and the lyric video is on Youtube. The album Goths à la Discothèque drops in May under Trash Casual.

  • Afro-Cuban Musician Bobi Céspedes Releases New Album “Mujer y Cantante”

    Cuban singer Bobi Céspedes releases her new studio album Mujer y Cantante in celebration of her 40-year career and experience. 

    Bobi Céspedes

    Bobi Céspedes represents and promotes Cuban music from the Bay Area in California. She specializes in Cuban son and is a composer, bandleader, and educator. She fronted the band Conjunto Céspedes creating unique music staying true to her roots. Her music fuses Cuban folklore and modern sounds. In the 90s her work with Conjunto Céspedes was notorious in the local music scene and internationally. She took a break from the band and toured with Mickey Hart of Grateful Dead and played the drums on his album Supralingua.

    Throughout the past few years, Céspedes performed at several events and been a part of powerful lineups. She performed for the launch of the Smithsonian’s Museum of African American History and Culture at the “Freedom Sounds Celebration” along with international legends Angelique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello. Her music has been used in some television series and was a part of soundtracks for a few movies as well. 

    Céspedes tribute to Celia Cruz in 2016 started a connection between her and SFJazz. She performed another tribute for Celia Cruz in 2019 and her band was a part of their series “Fridays at Five” and the performance was released on Oct. 2, 2020. Last year after the pandemic began, she appeared on the Kennedy Center’s “Couch Concert Series.”

    Mujer y Cantante, which translates to “Woman and Singer” is her latest release. It was initially released in June 2020 but has recently been officially introduced to the public. The album is personal, consisting of eight songs inspired by her family, upbringing, culture, spirituality and experience. Her sound returns to her Afro-Cuban roots and is led by Cuban son. The messages are drawn from the Yoruba-Lucimi traditions she practices and, prays to the Orishas to bring strength and guidance during these times. During the initial release, the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests were taking place and she wanted the album to be uplifting.

    The rest of Conjunto Céspedes worked with her on Mujer y Cantante as well. It was co-produced by the Latin Grammy Award-winning producer, Kenya Autie and mixed as well as mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer, Oscar Autie. Céspedes takes another step in her acclaimed 40-year career with her newest work.  

  • Guitarist Ryan Dugré Hones his Technical Mastery on New LP

    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.”

    Ryan Dugré on “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.

  • 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.

  • Chris Garneau Releases New Transparent Album The Kind

    New York City Indie singer, Chris Garneau, released his newest and vulnerable album titled The Kind, on The Orchard on Jan. 29.

    The Kind is Garneau’s fifth studio album and resonates with the themes present in his debut album Music For Tourists. This album was written and recorded during a rough time in his life when his father passed away. Garneau goes through the motions and expresses grief and transparency. It serves as a release of emotions and explores his relationship with his father, setting boundaries, growing into and accepting self, and resilience. With every song, you feel the authenticity in his lyrics and empathize with his journey. The Gay Times presented the record and acclaimed it as “beautifully haunting.”

    Along with Garneau’s candid lyrics was the production coming from versatile musician Patrick Higgins. Their creative collaboration thrived through patience and understanding. The album was carefully crafted and made with the intent of staying true. Higgins respected the time Garneau needed to tap into his most artistic self, leading to every song’s completion before entering the studio. His mellow instrumentals complemented the mood of the words in each track. The beats didn’t overpower the words, it helped bring them to life.

    Garneau announced that he’s playing a live-streamed release show in New York’s oldest theater, Hudson Hall Opera House, on Feb. 14. Higgins will join him and play the drums, bass, synth, and programming. They are performing the whole album onstage. The show will be airing at 3 p.m and tickets can be found on Dreamstage. 

    https://soundcloud.com/arcadianow/sets/the-kind-1/s-FOftkn3dws1