Category: Features

False Pockets Are Ready to Experiment With Their Future

Rochester trio False Pockets have returned with their new single ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’, off their upcoming album, Selfish Prophecies. The album, out February 18th, features more of the math rock sound their fans love, along with some new elements.

After celebrating the release, Ben Chesnes and Erik Happ are here to share some behind the scenes of how it all came together.

Kamra Wint : So, the new single just came out, congrats! How do you guys feel about it?

Ben Chesnes : We’ve been listening to these for a while, so it’s nice that others can hear it, for sure.

Erik Happ : It’s nice that it’s finally out, we don’t have to be in the processing stage anymore.

KW: When did the band start writing and coming up with the idea for ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’?

EH : Almost two years ago. During quarantine, we all got together and started making music.

BC : I think one of the riffs in this song was one of the first things [Erik] sent me for the new album.

KW : What made you guys want to release ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’ as your first single?

EH : I think, as a band, we all mutually agreed that it was the best one.

BC : There’s a bunch of catchy parts in it, and some of the other songs on the album are a little more long winded.

KW : How did you guys get together? How did you all find each other?

BC : Erik and I originally met at FLCC because we were both studying audio technology, but we didn’t start playing music until years after.

EH : I think it was Fall 2018, I was wearing a Caddywhompus shirt and Ben was like “yo, nice shirt!”. I was like “we should really play some music together sometime.” I had just moved out here, and had nobody to play with so I was down.

KW : Zach is your third member right? How did you guys meet him?

EH : We were looking for a bassist, so I asked my friend, who was an Eastman Kid [Eastman School of Music], if he knew anyone and he suggested Zach. I just got lucky finding the right people.

KW : So what do you guys have in mind for the future? What are you thinking of?

BC : Well, I feel like our writing process is generally more like Erik coming up with the starting points and then we get together and kind of work it out. We honestly don’t have much written for our next leap, I feel like we wanted to sit with this one for a little bit.

EH : We have a bunch of stuff actually. We have like three songs in form and then a bunch of little ideas. I’m hoping to stray away from writing every single thing, and have us just like get into a room and just come up with ideas collectively.

BC : I think this album definitely has a lot more of that though. Our first EP that we came out with in 2019 was more older stuff that Erik had written and this album that we’re coming out with soon is more collective.

The math rock group has even more in store for their fans, with an upcoming New Paltz show in March and another show in Brooklyn. The future is very bright for False Pockets.

‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’ is available on all streaming platforms and more information can be found on the band’s website.

February 3, 2022
Post-Punk Band Catcher release single ‘Behind a Bleeding Heart’

Brooklyn-based post-punk band Catcher have released their newest single ‘Behind A Bleeding Heart’ off their upcoming debut album, The Fat Of A Broken Heart, set to release on February 18th.

Diving into a successful career in their first year as a band in 2021, Catcher released five singles ‘Yesterday’s Favorite,’ ‘The Skin,’ ‘Only Advice,’ ‘Fallen Stones,’ and ‘Comparing Saviors and Friends.’ The band had their first headline tour with Been Stellar across the U.S. and sold-out numerous shows across the city.

The band is still early in their career but some have been childhood friends like bassist and drummer Cameron McRae and Wilson Chestney. The vocalist of the band, Austin Eichler draws the fans in with his lyrical performance of emotion, powerful screams, chaotic presence, and the ability to create a world of their own.

Catcher’s newest single is a wailing and anticipative treat, fit to soundtrack a dramatic scene on your favourite crime drama. The NYC five-piece have delivered a moody, grungy track that will make your hair stand on end. The track ends in a cacophony of percussion, planned to perfection.
Safe and Sound

Catcher’s newest single is the first song the band has written that sinks into the root of the band. Wanting to shake things up with their sound the band went in the direction of listening to music that was distinct from theres. The directions went from noisy chaos of Due Mary and T.P. Orchestra Poly-Rhythm, free jazz, and back to the bands southern roots with Johnny Cash.

February 2, 2022
“Grapplin’ Greg”, new Documentary About Albany-Area Promoter Greg Bell To be Released Fall 2022 from Mirth Films
Albany promoter Greg Bell, of Guthrie/Bell Productions, has been a staple in the Albany music community for more than three decades. Starting in the early 90s, he began a journey that led him to give countless new and rising bands from the Capital Region a stage to play on.

For bands touring from across the country, Bell has made Albany a stop to look forward to, and always with the support and enthusiasm you might find from a fan, rather than a promoter.

“Grapplin’ Greg” is an upcoming full-length film slated for release in late fall 2022. The film is shot, edited and produced by Frankie Cavone of Mirth Films, and co-produced by Kim Neaton of Guthrie/Bell Productions.

The story told in ‘Grapplin’ Greg‘ will share how Bell fell in love with live music, then began booking a couple small bar shows for friends, and later events at venues like The Palace Theatre, Albany Armory and beyond. Greg Bell doesn’t just book shows, he has helped nurture a music scene that truly feels like a community.

To tell the story, Mirth Films is in the process of speaking with musicians, venue owners, fans, promoters, family and friends that help to piece together this three-decade legacy. Shot at venues including The Hollow in downtown Albany and the Palace Theatre with those that know him best, the interviews have proven to be full of stories both heartfelt and hilarious.
photos by Frankie Cavone
The title of the documentary derives from the Eastbound Jesus song, for whom Bell serves as manager, of the same name. The song tells a tale of Bell as a wrestler, defeating a bear that attempts to start a drum circle at his legendary festival, Bellstock. Perhaps he never went toe to toe with a bear, but from being a star wrestler to threatening to burn drums, much of the tale is true. The song, like his life, is an entertaining ride.
February 2, 2022
Brooklyn Band Endearments Share Video For Coldplay-Inspired “Delicate”

Brooklyn synth-pop project Endearments have released a Coldplay-inspired music video for their original song “Delicate,” off their debut EP Father of Wands.

Endearments and the video for “Delicate.”

The video for “Delicate” is directly influenced by Coldplay’s video for their song “Yellow.” Speaking of the video, singer Kevin Marksson spoke about the influence.

When we decided to make a music video for ‘Delicate’ I knew immediately that I wanted it to be an homage to Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ video. It’s one of my all-time favorite music videos: beautiful, earnest, simple. Thematically ‘Delicate’ is really the opposite of ‘Yellow’ though. It’s a song about walking away from a bad relationship, so setting the video on an idyllic beach didn’t feel right. Filming on the street in Bushwick felt like the perfect way to pay tribute to the original while still being true to this song.
Kevin Marksson, Endearments.

Marksson recently began writing and composing for himself for the first time in over a decade, after his previous band ended. He chose the name for this project because he wanted to convey a sense of affection, though the music he makes is sad.

Father of Wands uses brilliant basslines and dream-pop aesthetics to tell the story of Marksson’s own heartbreak and healing. The title of the EP comes from tarot cards, as the Father (or King) is the ultimate card in the suit of Wands, which lets Marksson be guided to a place of healing.

Endearments.

Endearment’s Coldplay-inspired video for the new song “Delicate” is out now. Descrived as “irresistible and gratifyingly groovy” by Bands Do Brooklyn, your ears will transcend to a place of wonder.

February 1, 2022
Cory Wong, Antwaun Stanley and Sierra Hull Hit All the Right Notes in Rochester

When funk mavens Cory Wong and the Wongnotes announced, over two variants ago, that mandolin phenom Sierra Hull would be opening their winter tour, it seemed like an odd pairing. With the tour finally getting underway, their recent stop at Anthology in Rochester on Sunday, January 30, proved it to be a brilliant choice.

As Hull took the stage, the crowd was already near capacity, escaping the deep-freeze portion of the Rochester winter and taking advantage of what little scraps of live music could be found amongst the pandemic-ravaged scene. The audience was immediately rapt with Hull’s masterful playing as she strummed and picked through “Poison” off her 2020 release, 25 Trips. It didn’t take long for the bill to pay dividends as Wongnotes saxman Eddie Barbash came out to join her on a fantastic duet cover of “People Get Ready” and would stay out for the rest of her short set. After a blazing bluegrass number she brought out more Wongnotes: Sunny T on bass, Kevin Gastonguay on keys and Petar Janjic on drums. They played through Hull’s “Weighted Mind,” Del McCoury’s “Blues Rollin’ In” and closed out on blazing instrumental that showcased the groupings unique collective talents.

After a short break, Cory Wong took the stage with his full Wongnote unit. A five-piece horn section including members of Prince’s New Power Generation Band and Jon Batiste’s Stay Human joined Janjic, Sunny and Gastonguay to round out the band. They blasted non-stop through high-energy funks, bluesy grooves and dancehall throw-downs, going five songs into the set before taking a breather. Wong was content to lay the groundwork from which his bandmates could shine. He was happy to play bandleader and not draw the spotlight to his own playing as much as one would expect. Then midway through the set he broke free on a ripping effects-laden solo. With the reins loosened, he would rock out a bit more liberally in the second half of the set.

Nearing the end of the first set, it was time for Hull to come back to the stage. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are not a band that draws a lot of comparison, with good reason. But what Cory Wong and the Wongnotes pulled off with Hull on stage could worthily be described as “Flecktones-ian.” The unique blend of funk, soul, jazz and bluegrass with a splash of Irish jig highlighted in a brand new song Wong and Hull penned together, brought to mind the distinct sounds Bela and his band introduced to the world. Stunning stuff!

As if backing a bluegrass mandolin and then a guitar-led instrumental funk band wasn’t enough of a flex for the Wongtones, they emerged after another short break for a closing set backing R&B singer Antwaun Stanley. Converted to a full bore party band, they ably kept pace with Stanley as he bounded and twirled and preached and effused love. The crowd, who were fully engaged since note one of the opening set, were easily molded into Stanley’s party-goers. They were at the ready, clapping the beat, waving arms in sync, or singing in call and response with only a hint of a prompt. Whether it was on originals like “Speed Of Night,” and “Where Are We Now” or on a Stevie Wonder Medley, the results were the same, this was Sunday night party and we were all invited.

The moments unfolded in exciting and enjoyable fashion one by one, but the show’s dynamic presentation, when taken as a whole in the rearview, revealed a one-of-a-kind concert experience.

January 31, 2022
Andrew Thomases’ Reminiscence of His Past In NY Inspires New Song “Suburban Void”

Andrew Thomases, reflects on his adolescence from the point of view of suburban life within the busy streets of New York. This past Friday, January 21, Thomases released a new single, “Suburban Void”, sharing his experiences.

Thomases discusses life as a teenager and all the boredom-driven antics he pursued during that time. “Suburban Void” is a catchy upbeat rock song listeners can dance to. He highlights some activities pursued that were “so pathetic”, which is a feeling people may share in remembrance of their immaturity as a teen. Thomases looks back into what was deemed important to adolescents, like getting drunk or preparing for a sweet sixteen. Ultimately, his views have changed since then, resulting from seeing the world differently as he grew up.

Looking back, it seems so pathetic. We were just living in a suburban void, we didn’t know all we could’ve enjoyed. We were just living in a suburban void, that explains why we were oh so annoyed.
Andrew Thomases

All within his first year of being an established artist, Thomases’ fan base spread across 35 countries, 388 streams, and 235 listeners through Spotify. Considering Thomases takes his audience on an emotional and thoughtful journey through his music, he presents himself as relatable to the masses.

For more information on Andrew Thomases’ music visit his website.

January 31, 2022
Interview: Snake Anthony and the Wood Brothers Shed Across New York State

The Wood Brothers started 2022 in the Empire State with dates in Rochester’s Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater, Albany’s Palace Theater and Plattsburgh’s Strand Center for the Arts. It marks the Wood Brothers first time at Kodak since Feb 2020, and bassist Chris Wood took some time after the gig for a quick chat with NYS Music.

Matthew Romano: Good to have the Wood Brothers back at Kodak Theater for the first time since Feb 2020. Eastman School of Music Steve Gadd’s quote comes to mind from your performance. “When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are. That’s the goal.” How did last night’s energy feel at Kodak?

Chris Wood: Yea last night was the first show we had since the holiday break. Combination of excitement to be back and playing with band mates and touring with our crew we love. But also the feeling of being a little bit rusty. Got to get my sound right. Ya know?

MR: Well the vibe you guys gave off on the bandstand looked like a lot of fun. The dynamics alone. You jumping from the Hofner to the stand up. Jano jumping from the kit to shitar. Handheld keyboards. Oliver switched acoustic and electric with rip snorting slide guitar.

CW: We want sonic variety. As well as musical variety and of course dynamics. Some songs are like a rock band and then some stripped down. For us that’s what makes the show interesting. It’s not just one thing all night. There’s a real shape to the set. Different moments that have a completely different vibe. The tone pallet ya know?

MR: Well your going back to The Palace Theater in Albany where MMW in December 2000 had Trey Anastasio come sit in for an improvisational Partido Alto. Then a “We are rolling” second set jam. Any memories of that pallet?

CW: Trey has sat in with us a bunch. I didn’t realize that it was in Albany too. Before we knew Phish was when we were in our downtown New York City music scene. We had no concept of the jam band scene. We lived in a different musical universe. Phish started playing us during their set breaks and then their fans showed up almost overnight in our crowd . But as far as musical memories that go back to 2000…I had no idea that tape was out there (laughter)

MR: MMW’s “Your Name is Snake Anthony” has helped coin the term for the Capital Region for cats on the road, “Shedding up and down the Hudson River”

CW: Well you can thank Col. Bruce Hampton for that.

MR: That was the Colonel?

CW: That’s Bruce. Yea we just sent that track to him and we’re like do something over this and he just improvised that over it. Right. Like “we lived in a shed.” That’s all Bruce.

MR: Seeing “Atlas” get played differently again last night keeps that song with a fun on the road vibe, stopping on a dime. What’s behind the scenes on “Atlas” that keeps it fresh?

CW: It was on our first wood bros record. It was a song that existed before the wood bros in Oliver’s band King Johnson. He wrote it for them in the 90s. The live arrangement is always morphing. It’s gotten really fast and sometimes it’s stripped down with the Rix on shitar and then electric loud and rocking. That’s what’s fun. A song like that can arrange it in completely different ways. Real, versatile and playful.

MR: Hopefully “Snake Anthony” will help you realize that you’re the best on the road in 2022.

Photo Gallery by Brian Ferguson: The Wood Brothers, Richie Stearns and Aaron Lipp from Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

January 30, 2022
Miles Francis Brings You Back to Your Childhood with new single ‘Let Me Cry’

NYC singer-songwriter Miles Francis is here to bring back old memories with their new single, ‘Let Me Cry,’ from their upcoming album Good Man, out March 4th. The album covers the topics of masculinity and Francis’s own struggles with identity.

Produced by Francis over quarantine and recorded in the basement of their Greenwich Village building, the single plays into emotions we’ve all had at one point or another. During the creation of the album, Francis came out as non-binary, which resulted in a deeper dive into the ideas of masculinity and all it entails.

Along with this self revelation came the desire to help others, with Francis assisting organizers during the height of NYC’s Black Lives Matter protests. They played the drums during marches as a way to help organizers keep beat and also helped to found New York-Based collective Musicians United. They plan on continuing their activism efforts by organizing a benefit concert for Trans housing in April.

“Everyone starts from the same place, regardless of gender. As children, we let our emotions go, uninhibited and in touch with our vulnerabilities. As we age, we go through a ‘boxing in’ by family or society – unless we can break out.”
Miles Francis

The one-shot music video utilizes the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the method of improvisation to perfectly mirror Francis’s inner feelings. Inspiration for the project was drawn from greats like Prince, David Bowie and the early 2000’s boy bands Francis had listened to in their childhood. Actor Jim Carrey and artist Marcel Duchamp have also impacted Francis’s work.

Good Man Album Cover

The single is available on all streaming platforms and the music video is available to watch on the Miles Francis youtube channel. Pre-order for Good Man as well as its’ vinyl and cassette forms are available here. Check out photos from Miles’ show at Baby’s All Right in October 2021.

January 30, 2022
Emo Conquers COVID: Thursday and Cursive At Irving Plaza
In light of the fact that COVID-19 and its variants are going to be with us for the foreseeable future, bands and concert venues are trying to adapt in order to keep the curtains raised. One particular challenge was on clear display Wednesday night for the Thursday and Cursive show at Irving Plaza, when positive COVID tests amongst three of the four bands on the bill threatened to cancel the show. Instead of making the easier (yet painful) decision to cancel dates on the tour for a second time, the bands came together to put on a truly memorable night at Irving Plaza for the veteran emo bands.

Thursday at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

The tour was originally announced back in November 2021 and was set to feature Thursday as the headliner with Cursive, Jeremy Enigk and The Appleseed Cast providing the support. Cursive have toured with Thursday on and off since the 00’s; the two bands’ stage presence complement each other quite well and one could find an equal number of Cursive and Thursday T-ees throughout Irving. The first show was scheduled for 1/6 in Virginia but the Omicron surge late in 2021 forced the postponement of the first couple weeks of shows, leading to an opening night on 1/19 in Detroit. As a result, Jeremy Enigk was forced to drop off the bill but was replaced by Nate Bergman (solo) from Lionize.

Tim Kasher of Cursive. Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

Cursive was the only band to be spared from any positive COVID tests and were thus the only band to play a full set with all their members. Bergman performed solo and The Appleseed cast was whittled down to mostly a solo set from frontman Chris Crisci. Chris admitted on one song that he roughly recorded a backing drum track right before the show and was later joined by Bergman on guitar and Cursive frontman Tim Kasher on drums for a noisy jam to end the set. At this point in the show, even though it was clear all aspects were being put together on the fly, the two opening acts had done it so successfully that had you been unfamiliar with the music you would have never known.

Cursive took the stage to an enormously warm welcome from the Irving Plaza crowd. Not many bands from the emo/hardcore heyday of the 2000s are still touring (let’s call the upcoming When We Were Young festival an outlier for the time being) but Cursive have released two solid LPs in recent years and still garner support from fans all over the world. Their blend of horns and strings with emo and hardcore was unique back in the 2000s and remains to be so today. Featuring an electric cello, brass horns, keys, and Tim Kasher’s eclectic vocal delivery all blend together to create an infectious “baroque-emo-core.” Cursive played a career-spanning set featuring Ugly Organ tracks “Art is Hard” and “Gentleman Caller” as well as personal favorite “The Martyr” from 2003’s Domestica.
Cursive at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photos by Buscar Photo
Right before Thursday kicked off their set, frontman Geoff Rickly came out on stage to let the crowd know what was going on. He explained that guitarist Norman Brannon had tested positive and that instead of cancelling the show they decided to “play a basement hardcore show at Irving Plaza.” Several of the touring guitar techs were tasked with learning as many of the guitar tracks as they could and they filled in throughout the show, including on the opener with War All The Time’s “For The Workforce, Drowning.” Thursday made their name in the NJ/NYC DIY hardcore scene so the band was channeling their roots to come through for the fans who came out.

Thursday at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

Thursday closed the main set at Irving Plaza with their emo anthem “Understanding In A Car Crash” and while a very recognizable guitar track was missing, the void was filled by a guest vocal appearance from Wax Idols singer, Heather Fortune. This show had every reason and excuse to be cancelled, but the will to make it work created one of the more memorable shows NYSM has seen in quite some time. Nate Bergman showed off his vocal prowess, Chris Crisci stripped down The Appleseed cast to its bare songwriting genius and jammed out with Tim Kasher, Cursive held down the fort with a perfect dose of nostalgia, and Thursday sounded as heavy and emotional as ever even if our ears were tingling with missing guitar notes. The crowd provided all the energy needed to overcome COVID in a very typical 2000’s way.

Thursday at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

The tour is continuing on as planned with a couple shows in New England before the bands return to New York for a show at The Paramount in Huntington. A big hometown show for Thursday is planned at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ for 2/27. Nate Bergman will continue to open the shows until Jeremy Enigk rejoins the bill in February. Find the full itinerary HERE and check out our full photo gallery below.
Cursive at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photos by Buscar Photo
Thursday at Irving Plaza, 1/26/22. Photos by Buscar Photo
January 29, 2022
This Week’s EQXposure Features Adequate Phil, Joe DeFelice, grape juice! And More

Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into EQX this Sunday night to hear new music from Adequate Phil, Joe DeFelice, grape juice! and many more!

WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

Adequate Phil

Psychedelic folk band Adequate Phil has released a double single, “Baby Leeches/Vessel,” featured on EQX this week. Both sides are experimental pieces, especially “Vessel,” which is more of an audio atmosphere than a traditional song. “Baby Leeches” almost follows in its footsteps, until vocals and a recurring melody jump in at the halfway part. With its background whispers about spirit guides and crystal caves, “Vessel” feels like a window to another world. The Troy freak-folk group’s Spotify bio cites Animal Collective, The Beatles, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Radiohead as major influences.
<a href="https://adequatephil.bandcamp.com/album/baby-leeches-vessel">Baby Leeches/Vessel by Adequate Phil</a>
Joe DeFelice

Singer-songwriter Joe DeFelice has released his debut EP, Outside Looking In. Originally from New Hampshire, DeFelice has been a live music fixture ever since relocating to the upstate New York area. The penultimate song on Outside Looking In, “We Fell Apart,” is upbeat and anthemic despite its bittersweet lyrics:

grape juice!

Albany alt-rock band grape juice! is back with another song, “Goodbyes Suck.” Like their previous single, “Sad Songs,” its title is deceptive: the narrator sounds more than happy to be moving on with his life after a breakup.

January 29, 2022