Category: Features

Machine Head Bring “Electric Happy Hour (Live)” To Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus Bar

In the middle of a 38-date tour of smaller venues across North America that kicked off November 3 in Fresno, California, thrash metal titans Machine Head played an intimate show to a raucous Saint Vitus audience in Brooklyn on Tuesday, November 29. A live extension of the band’s “Electric Happy Hour” online shows, which were streamed remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the first half of the tour has seen their diehard legion of fans thrilled by a free-form style set filled with deep cuts.

Robb Flynn | Photo by Michael Dinger

Nestled in its Greenpoint neighborhood, Saint Vitus opened in 2011 and has been known as the premier heavy metal hang spot ever since. On this weekday night, the bar would be taken over by the quartet hailing from Oakland, California who are touring in support of their tenth studio album Of Kingdom and Crown. A 13-track concept album that follows the stories of two main characters, Ares and Eros, was released via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings this past August.

Arriving to the venue for my first time, I knew I was in the right place (despite the venue displaying no street signage as to its existence) when I spotted the band’s tractor trailer rig parked out front and a contingent of lucky VIP fans who were already making their way into the venue for soundcheck. The remaining fans, including myself, chatted and shivered together on the frigid evening as the general admission line steadily grew until it wrapped around the street corner.

Jared MacEachern | Photo by Michael Dinger

At approximately 7:00 pm, security returned to escort us into the warm confines of the 250-capacity concert hall. After my media credential was confirmed by the stamped application of the bar’s skull logo to my right hand, I walked through the bar area and headed straight for the coveted rail position. With no area designated for pit photographers, I was glad to be as close as possible to the metal action that would unfold before our collective eyes in a little more than an hour.

Without any opening support and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman” playing over the house PA, the stage lights suddenly dimmed and the chants from the fans began . . . “Machine-Fucking-Head,” “Machine-Fucking-Head,” “Machine-Fucking-Head,” “Machine-Fucking-Head.” For the next 2 hours and 15 minutes, Robb Flynn (vocals/guitar), the only remaining original member, Jared MacEachern (bass), Wacław Kiełtyka (lead guitar) and Matt Alston (drums) would deliver a heart-pounding, 21-song set that fully displayed the hard-hitting musicianship that made Machine Head one of America’s pioneering influences in new wave heavy metal.

Wacław Kiełtyka | Photo by Michael Dinger

Performing a set that included at least one song from each of their studio albums – spanning the course of nearly three decades – the San Francisco Bay Area metallers’ first offering was “Imperium,” from Through the Ashes of Empires (2003). With Flynn urging the crowd to “open up that circle pit,” he took us back to 1997 with the speed metal single “Ten Ton Hammer” (The More Things Change…). Reverting to their thrash metal roots, we lost our collective mind during “CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE,” taken from the aforementioned Of Kingdom and Crown and the first of three offerings that would be performed tonight from that 2022 release. The next trio of songs comprised two tracks from 2014’s Bloodstone & Diamonds (“Now We Die” and “Killers & Kings”), followed by “The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears” (The Burning Red, 1999). The night’s second contribution from Of Kingdom and Crown ensued, “UNHALLØWED,” an anthemic tune featuring dual-lead guitar lines and Flynn’s melodic vocals.

Matt Alston | Photo by Michael Dinger

With Machine Head’s set approaching the one hour mark and his plastic cup of Guinness running low, Flynn summoned crew member Junior to the stage to remedy the problem. After a quick refill of the Irish-made suds and another toast to the fans for coming out and their support, a special guest appearance was made by Joey Zampella (better known as Joey Z), guitarist for the Brooklyn alternative metal band Life of Agony that Joey Z co-formed in 1989. Taking over axe duties for Kiełtyka, the first of three cover songs followed, Life of Agony’s “This Time.”

Robb Flynn | Photo by Michael Dinger

Joey Z | Photo by Michael Dinger

Over the next thirty minutes, Machine Head gave us “Old” (Burn My Eyes, 1994), “I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)” (Unto the Locust, 2011) and “Aesthetics of Hate” (The Blackening, 2007), with Flynn again urging his fans to form another circle pit that nearly engulfed the entire room. Following a brief pause in the action, Flynn reappeared, now armed with an acoustic guitar. Pulling his hair back and wiping the sweat from his eyes, Flynn addressed the steamy room of sweaty bodies:

The song that we’re going to do for you here is about mental health. It’s about religion. It’s about music, and it’s about depression. And, you know, for me, I wrote this song when I was in a pretty dark place in my life. I wasn’t raised with religion. I never prayed to a God upstairs to help me when times went tough. No, the thing that I always, always turned to throughout my life was music. It could be Black Sabbath or Pink Floyd or Metallica or Slayer or Hatebreed or Life of Agony. [There were] a million fucking bands [with] the power to reach down and pull me up out of that hole. It was never my music. It was someone else’s.

So, I tell you what. If you relate to the words that I’m talking about, I want you to feel free to sing them as loud, loud as you want to. Be louder than me if you want to. I don’t care Brooklyn, you’re in a Machine Head show, New York. You can do whatever the fuck you want. Get your flashlights way, way, way up in the sky [and] turn the lights on for all of you who have a little bit of darkness inside you. This song is called “Darkness Within.”

Robb Flynn | Photo by Michael Dinger

In accordance with the show’s career-spanning theme, a foursome of songs followed, comprised of “Catharsis” (2018’s self-titled track), “Bulldozer” (Supercharger, 2001), “From This Day” (The Burning Red, 1999) and “Davidian,” a pulverizing, groove metal number from their 1994 debut album (Burn My Eyes) about the Waco, Texas siege the year prior. Following a brief moment offstage to collect their breaths for the final push, Machine Head performed two back-to-back covers as part of their encore. The first, Alice in Chains’ “Man in the Box,” was spontaneously played in response to a request from the crowd. A blistering rendition of “Roots Bloody Roots,” released by Brazilian metalists Sepultura in 1996, was performed next.

The epic night of heavy metal ended with “Halo,” a second track played from 2007’s The Blackening, with Flynn addressing us for a final time: Brooklyn, New York, we love you fucking maniacs. You were absolutely incredible. Thank you for making us feel so good. We are Machine-Fucking-Head, good night! Before leaving the stage for the final time, all four Machine Head members took a long, gracious bow before Alston handed his sticks to a pair of blissfully stunned fans and handfuls of picks were handed out by Flynn, MacEachern and Kiełtyka. The metal festivities officially concluded with the exclusive Machine Head t-shirt award to the most worthy fan who raged the hardest, a young man I personally witnessed headbanging in the front row all night long, while screaming every lyric in unison with Flynn.

Machine Head | Photo by Michael Dinger

Machine Head will continue their string of U.S. tour dates until the tour finale at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on December 23. Additionally, on the heels of a recently postponed show in Portland, Maine due to “transportation issues,” that show has already been rescheduled for April 2023.

Machine Head Setlist: Imperium > Ten Ton Hammer > CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE > Now We Die > Killers & Kings > The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears > UNHALLØWED > Locust > NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS > This Time (Life of Agony cover) > Old > I Am Hell (Sonata in C#) > Aesthetics of Hate > Darkness Within > Catharsis > Bulldozer > From This Day > Davidian > Encore: Man in the Box (Alice in Chains cover) > Roots Bloody Roots (Sepultura cover) > Halo

December 2, 2022
Musician Martin Bisi Releases New LP, Feral Myths

Martin Bisi is a producer, songwriter and musician. He has worked with artists across the musical spectrum from Herbie Hancock, to Sonic Youth, to Whitney Houston. He is also the notable founder of BC studios in Brooklyn. On top of that, he is a musician and songwriter in his own right. On Dec. 2, he is releasing a brand new, self-produced LP titled, Feral Myths.

Martin Bisi’s latest project explores ‘tales of the wild state, of New York heroes and villains and random paranormal encounters.

Contributing writer for NYS Music, Ryan Bieber, sat down with Bisi to discuss his recent project and the meaning behind his music.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Ryan Bieber: So you have this new solo LP Feral Myths. What was the initial catalyst behind this project?

Martin Bisi: ‘I think with all with all my records, and maybe even entire songs, I don’t necessarily have the end picture in mind. I’m always asking myself, ‘Well, what am I really talking about?’ I knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to get back into more narrative songwriting. With the previous two solo records of mine, I got more into … broad social concepts and very existential stuff about religion and even a song about human sacrifice. I knew I wanted to get back to talk about more specific personal experiences.

RB: Feral Myths advertises itself as having ‘tales of the wild state, of New York heroes and villains and random paranormal encounters. What does this mean to you? What were you hoping to achieve with this collection of stories?

Bisi: It’s not a pandemic record … but ultimately, that did kind of happen because there was a lot of time by myself. That was a really wild time. I was really engaged in Black Lives Matter protests like every day, practically. I went down to the occupation at City Hall, and I was helping supplies and stuff and it was a fantastic time because the constraints of society had loosened. You can kind of take over the city, you can take over the streets. There was a perceived ‘lawlessness,’ which I liked. It felt very liberated. And so that felt feral, in a sense.

RB: I found it interesting too that while most songwriters prefer to speak from experience, writing about themselves or their feelings, you on the other hand tend to write about people and concepts you find interesting. What is the mindset behind this approach? What effect does it help you achieve?

Bisi: Right now, our current cultural moment is a lot about personal voice. They say your voice is not heard … and it’s funny because my songs are about other people mostly. I’m a bit detached. It’s my music and I want it to be me, yet on the other hand not every voice on the record has to be mine. Actually, that’s why there are so many other people singing on the record. The reason the other vocalists are all women is because I want two voices, I want them to contrast.

Feral Myths’ album art courtesy of Martin Bisi

RB: I particularly like how the song, “A Storm Called Ida,” combines myth with reality. It’s a song about Hurricane Ida hitting Brooklyn, but the production and lyricism also bring out the almost mythical power of this natural disaster. I think many people would tend to view myths and reality as two things inherently at odds with each other, but you seem to have found the common ground. In my mind, that’s what Feral Myths is all about. How on base am I here?

Bisi: Oh yeah, absolutely. I personified [Hurricane Ida} using Sara Fantry on vocals. That storm itself is gendered, it’s one of the female ones [Ida]. The quality of her voice, it sounds like the power of a storm. It’s punishing, yet we’re still in the graces of nature and it’s bestowing a sort of empathy towards us. So it was conflicted, but then I realized, I don’t need to clarify. It can be both things at one.

RB: I’m sure many people know you as a producer but don’t know you are a songwriter. What made you want to go beyond producing and be an artist yourself? Or was that always the goal?

Bisi: I used to lean more towards producing and then I slowly shifted to songwriting and performing being more of where my heart was. When I first started songwriting, I really felt that was something on the side. I never really thought that I could abandon the recording studio. I knew that I would need that to earn a living. The only reason I could get people to care at all, I think, about my songs is because they care about records that have been recorded here. Now I’ve sort of gotten into a place where it’s both kind of coexisting and feeding off each other.

Bisi playing guitar in the studio

RB: There’s also an obvious mix of genres and influences evident throughout the track. What kind of sounds and overall vibe were you going for with this album?

Bisi: Combining genres is tricky and hard. With Feral Myths, there’s an orchestral quality, especially with the singing being more operatic. And it’s funny, because I’m not that into some of these genres. Another quality that I like in the production is the general sense of disorientation. I like the idea of people kind of losing a sense of what’s going on in the psalms of it … So sometimes, mixing influences or superimposing them is a powerful tool to get the disorientation that I really like.

RB: New York City also seems to have had a big impact on your life. You grew up in Manhattan and later opened up your studio in Brooklyn where you currently reside. You’ve also mentioned being an active member of the Brooklyn community when it comes to activism and protest. How does the energy and history of New York City influence your music but also yourself as a person?

Bisi: I’ve always sort of been in the trenches with New York. I think at this point it would be a difficult choice to leave New York City because I think it would really affect me as an artist. It’s not just an attachment or a love for New York City, it’s been a part of my process of how I work with bands. I need the chaos of New York City to bring the few gems to my door. New York City is crucial to me.

RB: Activism is something you incorporate not just in your daily life but into your songwriting as well. Was this always the case?

Bisi: I’m essentially a musician, but my heroes, the people that I look up to, are revolutionaries. I’ve always had a strong inclination towards the revolutionary aspect underlying music as well. There’s a lot of political punk, Jello Biafra, the Clash. And these were all things that were always very attractive to me. Even if the music specifically wasn’t all the time about politics, it was underlying what I was supporting, so I would support feminist bands or anti-corporate brands. So yeah, it’s always been there.

RB: That’s all of my questions, but is there anything else you want to talk about either behind or specific song or. the general process?

I realized all my records now have a song that is almost like a collage. of song ideas. It’s not a complete song. it’ll be a series of different choruses that don’t repeat. And it’s just sort of songs and ideas that I thought don’t warrant a full song. It’s not even that they’re not good enough, but I just don’t see a path forward to a full song.

I don’t throw away work. I’m not really the type to pick the best stuff and put the strongest songs forward. I think it should all be there. It’s almost like a diary. Every record that’s recorded in the studio is a story in and of itself. It’s a story of my time in New York, every band I’ve worked with, so its all of these diary entries. So whatever made me come up with these ideas should live. [And that is the case with the last song on the album] “The Great Trap in the Creek.”

Feral Myths will be released on all streaming platforms on Dec. 2. You can preorder the LP on Bandcamp: here. Find Bisi’s tour dates: here

December 2, 2022
Such a Night: Second Annual ‘Last Waltz on Lark Street’ a Rambling Success

Family, friends, local musicians and fans of The Band’s ‘Last Waltz’ got into the Thanksgiving spirit a day early at Lark Hall in Albany on Wednesday, November 23^rd.

Based on an idea conceived by drummer Joe Sorbero and building off the success of 2021’s inaugural ‘Last Waltz on Lark Street,’ an impressive ensemble of some of the Capital Region’s best players, eighteen in total, came together to celebrate the famed “farewell” performance that originally took place at Winterland Ballroom in 1976. Martin Scorsese’s iconic documentary film of the same name is considered by many to be the best concert film of all time.

The Last Waltz on Lark Street | 11-23-2022 | Albany, NY | Lark Hall

Set 1: Don’t Do It, Up on Cripple Creek, The Shape I’m In, Ophelia, This Wheel’s On Fire, Further Up the Road, Who Do You Love, Such a Night, Genetic Method, Chest Fever, It Makes No Difference, King Harvest, Life is a Carnival

Set 2: The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down, Acadian Driftwood, Rag Mama Rag, Baby Let Me Follow You Down, Forever Young, Evangeline, Helpless, Four Strong Winds, Caravan, W.S. Walcott Medicine Show, Stage Fright, The Weight

Encore: I Shall Be Released (with all musicians on stage)

December 1, 2022
Columbian-American Artist Valley Latini Releases Sensual Electro Pop Album “Attention Lover”

NY-based Columbian-American pop artist Valley Latini has announced the release of Attention Lover, a sexy dose of introspection for lovers of electro pop. Musically inspired by the industrial sounds of Bushwick, Brooklyn, the album is sensual and direct. This 11-track project drops on December 1 and shares stories of past relationships and love affairs as well as a deeper look at self-love and female empowerment.

As a singer, songwriter and music producer, Valley’s creative style reflects on a lot of social issues, self-realization, and personal philosophies on romance, delusion, and joy. “Attention Lover” branches further into Latini’s personal life and the relatable chaos that ensues when attempting to fall in love.

A huge part that goes into her sound and lyrics are fun and chaotic love life. Along with this, she is highly influenced by her religious background. In a transgressive way, she chooses to combine said elements with contrasting themes like sensuality and divinity as a unified entity.

A lot of her live performances are centered around the expression of individual freedom and finding power in her female essence. Having recently performed on her national tour with comedian and author Jacq Frances, Valley has performed in venues and bars all across NYC. Valley’s music has been featured in a few local blogs like Bushwick Daily, The Hudson Valley News, Indie Wire, La Mezcla, and so much more.

The combination of her Colombian upbringing with the sounds of NYC offer a diverse musical background. In her lyrics she embodies true strength through fearless vulnerability, proving herself to be a modern day renaissance woman.

As stated in a previous article from NYS Music, Valley talks about herself as the triumphant protagonist, dangles a literal carrot in front of the priest and wreaks havoc on his deserving soul in her song “Tu Y Yo.” Ultimately, as it turns out, the “haux house” leads to a beach utopia where the women 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.”

Listen to “Attention Lover” by Valley Latini below.

December 1, 2022
An Interview with Taconic Foothills Singer/Songwriter Deb Cavanaugh

I met Deb when she was performing in the duo Cavanaugh and Kavanaugh at the RPI Community and Cultural Center. It was an eclectic music event, and I was drawn to Deb’s easy-going vibe. We later grew loser when my son participated in her family friendly Music Together classes. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed seeing Deb’s songwriting flourish. She always challenges herself to create new music and take a fresh spin on popular cover songs.

Variety and going with the flow are hallmarks of Deb’s lifestyle. She inspires me with her free spirited, “say yes” approach to life. A 518 musician who has traveled to Germany and China sharing her talents, Deb spends her life exploring musical creativity, expression and education. You can learn about that and much more in her upcoming memoir “Stories from A Free-Spirited Life”.

Deb Cavanaugh, photo by Stephanie Bartik

Niki Kaos: I’m looking forward to your memoir. You have many stories to tell! What can people expect to find in the book?

Deb Cavanaugh: All of my adventures! I start off with my childhood, which was not an easy childhood. I want people to see what led me to the choices that I made later, and the crazy lifestyle that I had. So, we start in those early days. Then I took off hitchhiking in 1975 with the man who would eventually become my husband. Our goal was to go to Mardi Gras, but we never made it because the rides kept taking us west. We ended up in a hippie commune in San Francisco, where my mind was totally blown.

NK: That’s a hallmark of your style, free-spirited hippie. And that’s what I love about you. It keeps you open to new experiences. What are some of your favorite later experiences from the book?

DC: There were so many crazy things! Like having a prophetic dream that got us out of California, which ended up being true later. The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD that is an amazing work of art! Being in Portland, OR when Mt. St. Helen’s was erupting. Sticking my kids in a VW bus with a cat and driving across country and breaking down in every state across the way. My favorite things about my travels were the variety of people I met and the unique things I saw along the way. My favorite thing about the book is in the face of all these different horrible things that happened, I was able to just kind of go with the flow and look forward to whatever was coming up next. And those things led me down a path that I’m happy with.

NK: That’s powerful. One of the things I admire about you is that you’ve always invested in your career as a musician, in addition to being a mother, and a person taking care of their family. I suspect this memoir would give some insight to the backdrop of what you were going through while you were building your music career.

DC: Absolutely. I put all the struggles as well as all the wonderful, fun exciting things. Because I think it is important for people to realize that you can get through those struggles and maintain that goal and that focus. And one of my focuses was raising my family, so although I never gave up on my music, it did kind of take a back seat to a certain degree.

NK: I can understand that! Pivoting to that music career, when I met you, I was always so impressed with the different things you did musically. You have such a great resume! Performer, music educator, singer-songwriter. Experimenting with new instruments. You have great technical ability with pitch. One of the things that blew me away is you took that trip to China. Tell us a little bit about how you got there and what that experience was like for you.

DC: I really try to stay open to the Universe, I guess. I get gifts all the time, and this was one of those. I join all the different social media sites and I joined Alignable. I never really did anything with it and this woman emailed me and asked if she could observe some of my Music Together and pre-school classes.
She came and observed and asked me if she could take me out to lunch. At lunch she explained that she was a co-owner of two pre-schools in China and would I like to go for two weeks to teach. I never say no.

NK: Laughs

DC: And I think that’s one of the things that helps me along. I’m going to veer off for a minute, but I went to Germany – same thing – I got this random phone call from this woman asking if I wanted to be part of this orchestra. And then a couple years later we took the show to Germany. I never thought I would leave this continent, and I’ve done it twice now.

The hardest thing for me going to China was that I had to teach the adults and I don’t have any degree in teaching, and I felt completely incapable of doing that. But I pulled it off. And they loved it!

NK: Wow! Your spirit of adventure has served you in life. And helped you get where you are, which is amazing! You’ve been extremely successful lately. You just did a gig at the Jive Hive with your band Dandelion Wine. You’ve got some new material you’re releasing with your take on Electric Avenue.

DC: Jive Hive was amazing and I’m really loving these two guys I’m working with, Jared Carrozza on bass and Ben Heart on drums. I was just talking to Joel about doing some recording this winter. We’re going to use some of the tracks from Jive Hive and we’ll also go in the studio, and hopefully put out a full-length release. Ben, although he started out as a drummer, most recently has been a singer-songwriter. So, he’ll jump over to guitar for a little while sometimes. It is a very different experience playing with a singer-songwriter that plays drums. Because he understands the songs in a different way, and he colors them in a different way.

NK: I can definitely understand that. What’s coming up next that we should look out for?

DC: I have a few gigs coming up in November and December, but mostly I’m working on new material.

NK: On that topic – you like to pick unusual instrumentation. Are you playing the electrified dulcimer exclusively now? Or are you switching to guitar or other instruments during your performances?

DC: It’s basically dulcimer and guitar. I’m trying to write more songs on the dulcimer, because for a long time I was writing on guitar and piano, and I really want to incorporate more dulcimer. That’s the instrument I feel the most comfortable with and that I get in an intuitive way. Whereas guitar has always just been a tool.

NK: Thank you so much for sharing a taste of your adventures with us. I encourage readers to check out deb-cavanaugh.com and keep an eye out for your memoir and upcoming shows!

Originally published in The Xperience Monthly

December 1, 2022
Twiddle Put the Frends in Frendsgiving at The Capitol Theatre

Twiddle performed for two nights at the legendary Capitol Theatre for their annual Friendsgiving, this time welcoming Dogs In a Pile on Friday and Neighbor on Saturday.

Dogs In a Pile have been quickly gaining fame and have been on tour with Twiddle. Twiddle welcomed a two-piece horn section and members of Dogs in a Pile for multiple sit-ins, notably a “How Sweet It Is” encore featuring both bands, as an homage to Jerry must be paid when playing The Cap.

“Apples” proved to be a lengthy, psychedelic jam. Favorites such as “Orlando’s,” “Syncopated Healing,” and “Lost in the Cold” were great within a jam heavy set list, especially with the added horns section.

Twiddle “Frendsgiving” – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – November 25, 2022

Set 1: Every Last Leaf I [1], Beautiful, Stroganoff, Life Back Now, Complacent Race [2], Moments [2], Latin Tang [2], Polluted Beauty [2] > The Box#

Set 2: Syncopated Healing [2], Distance Makes the Heart [3], Enter [2] > Orlandos^ [2], Apples > White Light > Mushrooms of the Sea > Apples, Lost in the Cold [2]

Encore: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) [4]

[1] First time played. With Adrian Tramontano on guitar
[2] With Michael Bafundo and Mike Oehmen (Horns)
[3] With Brian Murray and Sam Lucid (Dogs In A Pile)
[4] Marvin Gaye (Debut). With Jeremy Kaplan and Jimmy Law (Dogs In A Pile), plus Michael Bafundo and Mike Oehmen (Horns)

# with Mihali Cowbell Jam
^ with Crosseyed and Painless teases

Twiddle “Frendsgiving” – The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester – November 26, 2022

Set 1: Frends Theme, The Devil, Dr Remidis Melodrium [1], Fighting For, Every Soul > Mamunes The Faun [2] > Every Soul

Set 2: Grandpa Fox > The Mission, Beethoven & Greene, Frankenfoote > Grandpa Fox, Slippin in the Kitchen [3]

Encore: Why Canât We Be Frends [4] > When it Rains it Poors > Every Last Leaf II [2]

[1] Apples Vocal Reprise
[2] With Scott Hannay
[3] With Rick James (Neighbor) & Scott Hannay
[4] WAR (Debut)

December 1, 2022
Karina Rykman talks Seth Myers, Marco Benevento, Upstate NY and December Tour

Karina Rykman is a name that is often brought up in conversations discussing everything from “who is next ” to “who is doing it best” with good reason. Growing up in New York City and never adhering to a single band or bending the knee to one musical subculture, Karina breaks down genre barriers naturally. Charismatic and upbeat, Karina’s live music experience provides a sense of togetherness during a time of intense isolation and separation. Karina Rykman’s music defies perceptions by providing a big sound with few bodies on the stage.

Photo: Jesse Faatz

Karina is currently hitting the road with her power trio featuring Adam November (Guitar/Looper/Effects) and Chris Corsico (Drums). Destinations will be throughout the Northeast and begin in Upstate New York. She’ll be performing at The Upstairs in Ithaca on November 30th and at Albany’s Lark Hall on December 1st. Karina’s live show provides nourishment for the brain with technical hypnotism while simultaneously allowing stress relief with an attitude heavily weighing on the side of fun.

Photo By Em Walis

Opening the night in Albany for Karina Rykman is Burlington, VT-based Quiltro, who bring a psychedelic sound reminiscent of Circles Around the Sun. Their 2020 debut record has been described as the soundtrack for a dystopian sci-fi film that has yet to be released. Featuring Mark Taylor (guitar/keys), JD Hoffmann (drums) and Mike McKinley (bass), their Lark Hall performance marks the first hometown show for the Albany-native McKinley. Get a taste of what’s in store with their performance of “Antilla,” filmed at Autochrome, a community studio space in the south end of Burlington.

Karina took time to chat with Em Walis about her upcoming tour, creative process, oysters and the metaverse. This conversation took place the week after filling in on Seth Meyers for the second time and before playing a few shows with Marco Benevento. Karina gave insight on how growing up in New York with parents in academia led to a mindset framework for discovery and integration.

Em Walis: Where are you right now?

Karina Rykman: I’m home actually. Unbelievably, I’m home. I will play with Marco tomorrow. It’s nice – a little hometown vibe then off to Connecticut followed by Massachusetts and then home on Sunday. Then Thanksgiving week, and then on to the next. We’re going to enjoy this time. It’s pretty crazy. Last week specifically I thought “oh my god, I have a weekend at home to dial everything in”. I’m really trying to prepare in a big way.

EW: And some recovering I’m sure.

KR: Oh, definitely and in a super big way because my October was so slammed and just, just crazy. I spent two weeks on the road with Marco on the West Coast. And the first weekend of the month my band did a festival in Virginia, and a festival in Pennsylvania. It felt as though I was just on the road the entire time; flying, driving, planes, trains, automobiles. November was going to be chill, rehearsing with my band, and just one weekend with Marco, and then I get a call from my buddy Eric, who’s the producer on Late Night with Seth Meyers asking “Hey, are you around this week?” “Oh snap. Yes, I AM around!”

EW: Stars aligning is awesome.

Photo: Jesse Faatz

KR: Crazy, crazy. And then I did last week and it was amazing. It was on guitar. The last time I publicly played guitar was last December at the Capitol Theater. I played two tunes on guitar for this Headcount benefit. It was with Larry Campbell and so many incredible players. In the past I played guitar on the Today Show, backing up Julia Michaels in 2017. So anyway, all I’m trying to say is there have been very few and far between guitar gigs. I got that call late Monday night, and they asked for me to come in on Wednesday and Thursday. That Tuesday was Election Day, so I was voting and then practicing, just trying to become a confident guitar player again. I just want to do such a good job and I don’t want to let anyone down, almost to a fault. I over prepare and over prepare.

Photo By Em Walis

EW: This can be good. Even if it’s just a visualization or something. I would be curious how you manage all of the hats that you wear? In switching head spaces from Marco mode to solo mode to, you know, selling guitars on the side. Haha

KR: Great question. It definitely requires patience with yourself, as well as actively recognizing that you’re switching gears and shifting hats. When I work with Marco it’s really fun for me because I am a hired gun who’s not in charge of anything.

EW: And he’s really fun.

KR: Oh, he’s the most incredibly fun loving, hysterical, wonderful band leader and mad scientist. He’s just incredible. So all of that combined, results in not a lot of stress for me in the same way that my solo band is. The solo stuff is more pressure on me because it’s my band, it’s my name, I book the hotel rooms and rent the van and figure out all the logistics, and everything. It’s my music. So you’re kind of putting yourself out there in a big way

Photo by Em Walis

EW: On all sides of music, from every angle, it seems we all have this similar internal story going on or a question of how safe is this space for me? Just emotionally and with that, you know, there are different levels. Sometimes it’s totally chill and at other times, as you said, which I think is great. Just a little more active noticing where am I? What’s the actual thing that’s at stake here? Why is everybody here? Sometimes you’re in situations where you feel a little more pressure or more scrutinized. Depending on the venue or if it’s a festival with strangers.

KR: Especially this TV gig, you know? Those nerves never quite go away. Working on a new thing, or taking a new gig, or launching into some sort of uncharted territory, I’m often thinking “I’m so nervous, why do I keep putting myself in these situations?” But honestly, those are the moments where you know you’re doing something cool as shit, because you feel that way. There’s something worth suffering over. And then you overcome it. You’re like, wow, learn from that.

Photo: Michael DiDonna

EW: Absolutely. I’ve been curious about what brain scans of musicians might look as compared to extreme sports dudes. We are acclimated to these huge buckets of epinephrine and dopamine being poured all over us. It seems as though in those down moments, when we can remember that one time that you were home. We look at our laundry. It’s not all the excitement, tea cups are worth of satisfaction from that. I don’t know if that’s worth it.

KR: It’s so funny. I find that especially in the last few years, having adjusted to no gigs for a minute there. Now, with them coming back, you’re in a constant state of readjustment – you’re either adjusting to tour life or adjusting to home life. And honestly, if you do it as much as I do it, you don’t have the time to be fully adjusted to either, but as soon as you do, you have to go home and then you are a total circus freak at home for a minute with this misplaced adrenaline that hits you at midnight when you’re supposed to go to sleep and you’re thinking, ‘Wait, where’s my show? Where’s the show? Where are the people? Where are my friends?’

Photo By Em Walis

EW: I was curious about your creative process and how you manage or if you have any recommendations for those that are newer in this back and forth. Do you have anything that helps you get into it?

KR: That’s a great question. I’m very lucky to have such a great producer and writing partner whose name is Gabe Monro, whom I’ve written almost all my tunes with. I can’t speak too much on this, but I have a whole record that’s going to see the light of day next year. I’m so much more of a social creator, if that makes sense. I don’t go into my bedroom and come out 12 hours later with the greatest song – I find that when I work with Gabe or I work with my band, we make the creative process sort of a communal thing and that elicits better results. For lyrics though, I do need to be alone. Gabe and I have this process where we basically write what we refer to as ‘seedlings’, which can be just an A section and a B section or whatever it might be, but it’s just a vibe. I bring that home with me and if I always know that, if we work in the studio all day and then I come home with a seedling that I’m so geeked on, it’s two in the morning and I HAVE to listen to it, you know that it’s worth developing and worth sticking to. But sometimes you have seedlings and then you listen back the next day, and you’re not inspired at all. So it goes.

EW: We’re not seeing roots. We’re not seeing a little leaf pop out on that paper towel.

KR: Totally. It’s amazing to have folders and folders of seedlings that maybe in a year or two I can go back through them and be like, ‘Oh my god, there was something here! This is an inspiring moment.”

Photo: Steph Port

EW: What’s your view on the balance between a purist straight plugged in sound versus effects driven sound?

KR: I am a big fan of both things in moderation. With my band specifically, I really love the fact that with Adam November on guitar, he’s so much more than just a classically ripping guitar player. He is a complete mad scientist over there with multiple loopers and effects and crazy stuff going on. I don’t even know what to call it or what it is, but I think that’s very specific to us. That is a big part of the sound.It’s obviously a trio, but we are larger than the sum of our parts. I don’t want you to come to my show and think that you’re seeing a measly three piece – you’re seeing a power trio. You’re coming to see a full, lush sonic experience.

EW: I was wondering if you ever, in perhaps middle school years, had any particular musical identity commitments?

KR: You know, from the jump I had very diverse tastes, I had my metal friends, my jam friends, and beyond. I was a sponge. I never pledged allegiance to one style or genre. I would see Slayer on Saturday and Phish on Sunday.

EW: I think sometimes it gets forgotten is that you can you can belong in multiple spaces and be welcomed into multiple spaces and your status or validity does not come from your commitment to one particular scene or your amount of shows on your spreadsheet or you know, which you know which special event with that special seat and you happen to be present for that. There’s so much more.

KR: I never pledged allegiance to one style or genre. I would be at Slayer on Saturday and Phish on Sunday.

Photo By Em Walis

EW: What was music the relationship with music in your house growing up?

KR: Well, my parents are both academics.They both teach at Columbia University. They are so supportive. They’re so thrilled, and can recite to you every lyric of every song I’ve ever written. They’re at every show that they possibly can be at, but there was very little music exposure in my house growing up. My dad would listen to Goldberg Variations (Bach) on CD while he was writing, but they didn’t show me the Beatles, The Stones or Led Zeppelin, or any normal stuff, and I’m super grateful honestly. I was able to form these absolutely insane bonds with the music I enjoy, and it was such a desire of my own and not a desire of somebody else’s. Those were all my own discoveries. I really appreciate them for that.

EW: Beautiful. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems your parents provided a framework to pursue a curiosity and manifest a passion. Maybe there wasn’t literally music in the house, but there were many curiosities being pursued.

Photo by Em Walis

KR: In a big way. My dad writes books and gives lectures, he’s a philosopher, and for me growing up, I saw this guy wake up every day, sit on his yellow chair and write and write. And then he goes for a walk, and then he comes back from a walk and, you know, in his super jovial, hilarious manner, has all these thoughts that came to him on his walk, and he runs back to his yellow chair and writes them all down before he forgets them. And seeing his complete dedication and commitment and joy for what it is that he’s interested in, gave me the utmost permission to do the same, and it allowed me to explore the stuff that did it for me in that exact same way.

EW: Thank you again for taking the time. My last question is from Dogs In A Pile. They would like to know what your favorite gas station snack is while on tour?

KR: Chex Mix Bold Party Blend. Thank you!

Karina Rykman Late Fall 2022 Tour Dates

NOV 30 The Upstairs Ithaca, NY TICKETS

DEC 1 Lark Hall Albany, NY TICKETS

DEC 2 Soundcheck Studios Pembroke, MA TICKETS

DEC 3 Nectars Burlington, VT TICKETS

DEC 7 The Press Room Portsmouth, NH TICKETS

DEC 8 Sun Tiki Studios Portland, ME TICKETS

DEC 9 Park City Music Hall Bridgeport, CT TICKETS

DEC 10 Pearl Street Warehouse Washington, DC TICKETS

December 1, 2022
Hearing Aide: Queens’ Iceblynk Washes and Swirls on Dreamy Self-Titled EP

Queens dream pop group Iceblynk’s eponymous debut EP is a solid five-song, 25-minute effort that showcases the best of the genre.

Appearing to be named after the acclaimed Cocteau Twins track “Iceblink Luck,” the group leans into dream pop’s prized traditions. From reverb-tinged vocals that ring familiar of the easy melodies and loose enunciation of Elizabeth Frazer, to the whirring, effects-drenched guitar playing of My Bloody Valentine, Iceblynk captures key elements of the genre with precision.

Cover art for the record.

Notes of surf rock are obvious as well, especially on the EP’s first two tracks. Summery guitars characterize “Tragic,” an upbeat opener with slippery drumming and wistful lyrics that define the record. Its follow-up, the new-wavey “Spared,” is a highlight with its infectious, harmonic-laden guitar riff and a simple chugging bassline. It also features some of the EP’s most pointed lyricism, with lines such as “and then you’ll ask me to explain, I know I know that you won’t do the same.”

All tracks are consistent but none are static, with guitar solos and waves of swirling effects padding out almost every song to around five minutes in length. Such is the case for track #3 “Imagined Life” with its subtle verses of watery synths contrasting atmospheric guitar-driven choruses. While melancholic, it’s not depressing with lyrics such as “and when you can’t imagine life, another day of asking why, I’ll take you to a quiet place.”

This subdued energy continues on “Seen Gone,” the only number shorter than four minutes. Genuine lines such as “I always take two moments to break it all apart, to form a simple sentence from my scattered thoughts” add vulnerability to this lowkey, surf-rock oriented track, which also features some of the record’s grooviest drumming.

This EP starts upbeat and fast, becoming subdued and meditative, before finishing loud with “Sunshine.” A slow, waltzy closer, its array of synths and vocal effects reminisce a bit of Animal Collective. Uplifting lines such as “sunshine, you always make me feel like I’m the only one in the sky” make this a final note that comes off as genuinely uplifting.

Iceblynk’s debut EP doesn’t reinvent dream pop or shift drastically in tone at any point, but it doesn’t need to. The band’s musicianship is solid, the lyrics are endearing, and the songs are enjoyable. While just five songs long, this is a fulfilling debut project.

November 30, 2022
Phil Firetog Trio & Co. Release “Long Island Christmas Eve”

In December, Long Island-based alternative acoustic rock band, Phil Firetog Trio & Co. will close out the holiday season with a festive and heartwarming set at Beach Brewing Co. in Westhampton Beach, NY. Their first show at the brewery is on December 30, the perfect way to end the year. The show follows their newest holiday single, released today, that speaks directly to their home community, “Long Island Christmas Eve.”

Thanks to the musical talents of Phil Firetog Trio & Co — Firetog on lead vocals and guitar, Johnny “Pots” Potocnik on drums and Liam Gordon on bass — anyone can fulfill a secret desire to be from Long Island for the duration of the song. The tune is catchy, as most Christmas songs are engineered to be, so I’ve been singing it while home in Washington, D.C. for the holidays. This has been confusing, I’m sure, for family and friends.

Phil Firetog Trio & Co. have an indie-pop take on rock and roll, that feels nostalgic for decades past and, overall, spreads positive messages through chords. Their upcoming gigs come as they arrange and prepare material for 2023, so there is much to look forward to in the next year from the band, including two more shows at Westhampton beach Brewing Co. on January 21 and February 4.

Tickets to their show at Westhampton Beach Brewing Co. are on sale now on their site.

November 30, 2022
Two New Books Explore the Intricacies and Staying Power of Pop’s Most Iconic Songs

Earlier this month, Bob Dylan made waves with the publication of his long-awaited critique of 66 of his favorite tunes by other songsmiths, The Philosophy of Modern Song. Now veteran music journalists Marc Myers and Steve Baltin are weighing in with their own fascinating and divergent explorations of this turf, with Anatomy of 55 More Songs (Grove Atlantic Press) and Anthems We Love (Harper Horizon).

Unlike Dylan’s book, which doesn’t delve into the paint-by-numbers makings of the classics, Myers and Baltin’s approaches are straightforward explorations of the creation and lasting impact of some of pop’s most iconic compositions. Where Dylan often employs his selections as jumping off points for impressionistic, very personal essays about the subject matter of his chosen songs (divorce, career crash, gambling, etc.), Myers and Baltin serve up approaches that are far more direct and satisfying, especially for music-makers.

Myers’ newest is the second book culled from his long-running Wall Street Journal column, “Anatomy of A Song.” The first, a critical smash released in 2016, provided oral histories on the making of 45 era-defining hits from interviews with the artists that crafted them, names like Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart and Roger Waters to name a few. Myers’ latest takes on 55 more including Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising,” The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation,” The Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around,” Blondie’s “Rapture,” Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman,” The Youngbloods’ “Get Together” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

In his interviews with the songwriters and collaborators like producers Tony Visconti and Bob Ezrin, Myers brings you backstage for an incredibly detailed view of their inspirations and creations. These are engaging narratives that are dressed up with offbeat trivia that will make you the star conversationalist of any cocktail party.

John Fogerty tells how his “Bad Moon Rising” was a marriage of the short story, “The Devil and Daniel Webster,” and Scotty Moore’s guitar licks on early Elvis records. The secret sonic sauces? He did it with his Les Paul tuned down to D and slapback echo on the vocals that make everyone think his final lyrical couplet may be “there’s a bathroom on the right.” The latter is something Fogerty now periodically deploys in concert to the amusement and delight of his audience. The versatile Todd Rundgren shares how his twice-recorded “Hello It’s Me” may not have come to be if his high school girlfriend’s dad hadn’t turned the garden hose on him for having long hair or if he hadn’t heard jazz organist Jimmy Smith’s version of “Johnny Comes March Home.” Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Crystal Blue Persuasion” was not an “acid song” as many believe. It was something inspired by a poem put in James’ hand after a college gig by a kid who was never heard from again. Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead shares that their “Truckin’” really crossed over largely because of the harmony tricks they had picked up from jazz great Jon Hendricks. As for AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” it also was almost not to be when the cassette containing the rough rehearsal demo became unraveled and was nearly destroyed before they could share it with producer Mutt Lange.

Shock rock pioneer Arthur Brown’s hit “Fire” sprang from a poem he had written at 15, while Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle” only solidified after he added electronic trimmings from “the cheapest, dumbest synthesizer” he could find at his local music store. Steely Dan’s “Peg” only got its finishing touch when they wrestled the perfect guitar solo from session man Jay Graydon, the eighth musician to try his hand at it. Earth, Wind & Fire’s lyric collaborator Allee Willis never knew the significance of the date in their song “September” until years after leader Maurice White’s death (September 21 was the due date of his son as told by his widow to Willis). And even though she begged White 20 times or more, he would not replace the “ba-dee-yah” in the song’s refrain with lyrics “that made sense.”

Myers’ book also provides astute musical analysis that places the songs within the context of their time and meta musical trends. His chapter on Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” begins with a pocket history of power ballads of which this tune is a solid gold example. Myers’ traces the birth of the power ballad to days of movie musicals and Judy Garland’s show-stopper, “Over the Rainbow,” from The Wizard of Oz.

Where Myers is more focused on the big bang of their creation and immediate aftermath, Steve Baltin’s book is more focused on the reverberations – how hit songs with a unique staying power become anthems that connect with generations and have many lives beyond their time on the charts.

Baltin’s book investigates 29 iconic songs that have grown to anthem stature with the passing of time. These include everything from 60s classics like The Temptations’ “My Girl,” The Beach Boys “Good Only Knows” and The Doors “Light My Fire” to more modern rock and pop staples like Linkin Park’s “In the End,” My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” and TLC’s “No Scrubs.”

To become an anthem a song needs two things per Baltin – timelessness and universal appeal. Most anthems are “mistakes.” Some like Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” were throwaways that nearly didn’t get finished or recorded (it only was when Roland Orzabal’s late wife insisted that he decided to complete what he called his “rubbish song”). Others like Chic’s “Le Freak” were almost too silly in the minds of their creators, while still more like Graham Nash “Our House” were deemed almost too simple to be really proud of, even with their runaway success.

Baltin’s chapter on “God Only Knows” is a good template for his approach. While Paul McCartney and others called it “the greatest song ever written,” it was buried on a now-classic album that was largely ignored upon its release, Pet Sounds. Beach Boy Al Jardine compares it to “The Nutcracker,” a classical not pop production, something that its writer, Brian Wilson, also admits. He notes the “Tchaikovsky-influence” on his writing at the time. As with most of the entries here, Baltin goes on to note the many cover versions of the song (200 and counting for this one, from the likes of mellow crooner Andy Williams to art rockers Flaming Lips). He also completes many entries with a list of their frequent and very lucrative use in film, television and commercials.

In his chapter on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Baltin relates how this bit of sunshine pop from 1969 became a sports anthem for The Boston Red Sox and something that helped heal the city when Diamond performed it at Fenway Park five days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick labels her “White Rabbit” a “rip-off of Ravel’s Bolero and Alice in Wonderland.” She credits its popularity to the “sex build up to climax” of the song’s arrangement. Interestingly, her favorite version of the song is not her own, but the one done by Pink – though she would still love to hear a cover by Barbra Streisand. In the same spirit, the Tears for Fears duo actually now prefers the downtempo electronica version of “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” recorded by Lorde for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. It’s an arrangement they sometimes perform in concert and have considered re-recording.

The only anthem in the book that was conceived as one was KISS’s “Rock and Roll All Nite.” According to guitarist Paul Stanley, the president of their record label, Casablanca, Neil Bogart, said to the band they were still struggling need an anthem to really breakthrough. Stanley went straight to his hotel room and penned the killer chorus which was fused with a partial tune by bassist Gene Simmons, “Drive Me Wild.” The tune did not really take off until it was re-recorded and featured on their 1975 live album, Alive.

The descriptions above just scratch the surface of these fine books, ones which belong on the bookshelf of any diehard music-lover and every music-maker seeking to capture lightning in a bottle.

November 30, 2022