Category: Alternative/Indie

  • Green Island Gazebo (GIG) Announces 2022 Summer Concert Schedule

    The Village of Green Island, located just north of Albany and located on (and in) the Hudson River will once again hold its annual free summer concert series at the Green Island Gazebo, or GIG.

    green island GIG

    Located in River Park on the north end of Hudson Avenue, GIG is mainly known for the free summer concert series, although GIG also hosts the annual Festival of Trees in December.

    Summer concerts are held each Wednesday night from 6pm-8pm and made possible by generous sponsors and the GIG-a-bite crew who cook up and serve delicious weekly treats along with a group of volunteer bakers who donate desserts.

    No taxpayer dollars are used to fund the GIG summer concert series, with profits from GIG used to make improvements in River Park and Paine Street Park, and to support other groups such as the GI Senior Citizens.

    green island GIG

    Concerts are held at the River Park Gazebo on Hudson Ave. In the event of rain, concerts iwll be held under the Collar City Bridge on Hudson Avenue. Smoking and alcohol are not permitted in the park.

    Green Island GIG 2022 Schedule (with food specials)

    July 6 – The Accents (fried chicken basket, strawberry shortcake)

    July 13 – Lustre Kings (steak sandwich, banana split ambrosia)

    July 20 – Get up Jack (Irish Night) (Corned beef sandwich, mint chocolate chip ice cream)

    July 27 – New York Players (Mac-n-cheese, Rice pudding)

    August 3 – Swing Docs (Sausage and Peppers, Watermelon)

    August 10 – Capt. Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers (Foot Long Hot Dogs, S’more bars)

    August 17 – Big Fez and the Surfmatics (Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich, Cookies and Cream Ice Cream)

    August 24 – The Oldiest Show (Sock Hop Night) (Pulled Pork Sliders, Peach Pie with Ice Cream)

    August 31 – TS Ensemble (Pasta Fagioli)

  • Day Three Of Governors Ball 2022: J. Cole, Playboi Carti, Clairo

    Governors Ball Music Festival wrapped up its third and final day on Sunday, June 12. Narrowly avoiding passing thunderstorms, the weekend was punctuated by a headlining performance from J. Cole, who performed a career-spanning set, including songs off his 2021 LP The Off-Season.

    J. Cole, Governors Ball, 6/12/22. Photo by David Reichmann

    J. Cole has lived much of his life in New York, and reminisced about writing some of his most influential music in the city. “It’s so crazy to be here, with the train going by…I used to live right down the street, writing songs as the trains go by.” J. Cole opened his set with a fiery performance of “95.South” and also brought out J.I.D. and Kenny Mason for “Stick.” J.I.D. broke his hand moshing during his set earlier in the day, and pleaded to the crowd: “Don’t be like me; safety first!”

    Kaytranada, Governors Ball, 6/12/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    As with all three headliners over the weekend, a majority of the bands on the lineup are celebrating releases dating back to 2020. With a complete year and a half hiatus in the live music industry as a result of the pandemic, 2022 is jam packed with artists touring off releases a couple years old as well as albums that are hot out of the studio. Soccer Mommy is only two weeks away from her highly anticipated fourth LP Sometimes, Forever while Coin are only a few months into the life of their fifth LP Uncanny Valley. Clairo is also still touring behind her strong sophomore LP Sling, released last year.

    clairo governors ball
    Clairo, Governors Ball, 6/12/22. Photo by David Reichmann

    Stay tuned later in the week for our full coverage of the entire Governors Ball weekend. In the meantime, check out more photos from Sunday from NYS Music photographers David Reichmann and Joseph Buscarello in the gallery below. 

  • Levitt AMP 2022 Utica Music Series Is Back

    Levitt AMP 2022 in Utica, NY has announced the lineup for the summer music series. The artists will perform at Kopernik Park this summer. Concerts will take place on Monday nights from 6-9 P.M. from June 20 to August 29.

    levitt amp site

    The 2022 season will feature headlining artists from New Orleans, Nashville, Chicago, Iowa, Virginia, Rhode Island, Canada, and New York State. The concerts also feature opening local and regional acts and youth intermission acts.

    The series brings in the most diverse audience in the city in a family-friendly, non-alcoholic, joyful, welcoming environment. The music series also helps add to the economy in Utica and promotes communal bonding.

    Headlining Acts.

    Levitt AMP 2022 Lineup

    June 20- The New Respects

    The New Respects were named the Levitt Foundation’s National Touring Band for 2022. They are a mix of pop, soul, and rock and deliver a high energy and funky music. Through their music, you hear their inspirations like The Rolling Stones and Lenny Kravitz.

    June 27- Roberta Lea

    Roberta Lea is a rising artist, described as having “a voice like cinnamon and a pen-like butter.” She plays a mix of classic country, country soul, country rock, and pop country, and has no limits to expressing herself through her songs.

    July 11- B2wins

    Walter and Wagner Caldas, are 31-year-old identical twins better known as the Brazilian 2wins or “B2wins.” Their instrumental music ranges from pop to hip hop and iconic classics reimagined. Each song drips originality and youthful exuberance. Their mission is to make the world smile after growing up very poor in Rio de Janeiro.

    July 18- Argonaut & Wasp

    Argonaut & Wasp are a blend of indie, alternative, edge, and funk grooves described as the perfect soundtrack to NYC. They formed over a love for house/dance music and bring in 70s fashion, 80s synths, and 90s culture to their band.

    July 25- Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble

    Curley Taylor and his band, Zydeco Trouble use soulful, bluesy vocals along with zydeco beats to create their unique musical style. Curley began his music career at 16 playing drums in his father’s band, and since then has always had a passion for music.

    Aug. 1- Bassel & the Supernaturals

    Bassel & the Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani’s experience as a first-generation Syrian-American using funk-inspired rhythms, soulful melodies, and lyrics regarding love, loss, and the war in Syria. They have performed at major festivals, performance halls, and more while also working closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees.

    Aug. 8- The Big Takeover Band

    The Big Takeover Band is a seven-piece New York band that plays original music that is rooted in the genres of Jamaican pop, reggae, rocksteady, and ska. They also cross lines between genres and blend traditions. They connect the spirit of Motown and the sophistication of the 21st-century retro-soul scene.

    Aug. 15- Miranda Writes

    New York hip-hop artist Miranda Writes is known for her modern sound with strong lyrics and diversified beats. She is not signed to a major label, however, her 2018 single “Too Blessed” rose to No. 5 in the Digital DJ Pool charting alongside Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj, and Ciara. She is the first biracial female hip-hop artist to cross over into the snowboarding market.

    Aug. 22- Ariel Posen

    Ariel Posen is “one of the most exciting guitar players around” with show-stopping extended solos. His influences are electrified Americana, R&B, Beatles-inspired pop, and rock and roll. He has spent his childhood on the road with his musical parents, and found himself doing his own gigs traveling the world.

    Aug. 29- Eh Shawnee

    Shawnee Taveras is a Dominican-American singer-songwriter who brings heat to the stage with high-energy salsa accompied by a band creating music that is impossible not to dance to. In 2019, Taveras was awarded the Premio Conga de la Salsa in the Dominican Republic for best new musical act. She has had top ten singles in the Dominican Republic and has toured extensively in that country.

    The Levitt AMP 2022 summer concert series is free to all those who attend and is happening from June 20 to August 29.

  • Day Two Of Governors Ball 2022: Halsey, Flume, Denzel Curry

    Governors Ball Music Festival continued on Saturday, June 11th, outside of Flushing Meadows in Queens. Saturday featured a triumphant headlining set from Edison, New Jersey native Halsey who is still running strong off her fourth LP If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power released in 2021.

    Halsey, Governors Ball, 6/11/22. Photo by David Reichmann

    Halsey had a setback earlier this week when her show on June 8th at Merriweather Post Pavillion had to be abruptly cancelled due to severe flooding at the venue. Unfazed by the heartbreak, Halsey delivered a powerful performance for the Flushing crowd. Governors Ball will always be a special occasion for Halsey; she attended the festival in 2014 (the day she signed her record deal), played an early evening set in 2018, and headlined on Saturday.

    Halsey, Governors Ball, 6/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    During Halsey’s set, she admitted she “couldn’t resist” playing a cover of Kate Bush’s timeless classic “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” and also treated fans to the live debut of her just-released new single, “So Good.” Other performers included Flume, Denzel Curry, DJ Diesel (Shaq), Tove Lo, and Dehd. Photos from day two of Governors Ball by David Reichmann and Joseph Buscarello are below. 

    Denzel Curry, Governors Ball, 6/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Day two was not without it’s hiccups. With a packed main stage waiting for Roddy Rich, the festival announced halfway through his set-time that Roddy Rich would not be performing. The disappointed crowd flooded over to the other stages and packed in for Joji and Denzel Curry.

    Flume, Governors Ball, 6/11/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    The third and final day of the festival is today and features a headline performance from J. Cole. Other bands NYS Music are excited to see include Kaytranada, Japanese Breakfast, 100 Gecs, Soccer Mommy, and J.I.D.. Check back tomorrow for photos from the Governors Ball finale.

  • In Focus: Young Culture and State Champs at Alive at 5

    On Thursday, June 9th, 2022, Albany’s first Alive at 5 show of the year opened with Alternative/Indie rock band Young Culture and closed out with Pop-punk band State Champs. The show was moved to the rain location at Corning Perserve Boat Launch after rain was in the forecast. The sun was shining bright, however, for a high energy performance with crowd surfers just as high.

    Both bands are originally from the Capital Region whose music might bring out feelings that a typical high schooler would have from their crush. Both bands share an alternative rock style that a teenager going through a break up could bop their head to. After many years of success, they decided to come back home to open the Alive at 5 series.

    Young Culture started in Albany in 2016, and quickly blew up after the release of their EP “(This is) Heaven.” Young Culture performed at Empire Live back in November of 2021 for Grayscale’s Umbra Tour. Young Culture is gearing up for a summer tour titled, Into the Raging Sea with Broadside. State Champs also performed at Empire Live as the head liners for Frozen Fest. This was the release show for State Champs’ new album, Kings of a New Age.

    Alive at 5 could not chose two better bands to open the series. Young Culture’s lead vocalist, Alex Magan connected with the young crowd with “Kinda Over You,” a song he said was about his ex-girlfriend in high school. That song, along with “Laylo,” helped the young crowd to mellow out for a short bit and connect with the band on a more personal level. Both songs where about a love that did not last, a theme that resonated well with the audience.

    They left on a high note with “Party Girl” and “Holiday in Vegas.” Alex stood on equipment boxes in the pit to grab the hands of those crowd surfing. There was a long of head banging from other members of the band along with the crowd. They thanked Albany for inviting them back home.

    Representatives from In Our Own Voices and the Capital Pride Center came out with Kathy Sheehan, the Mayor of Albany and Sam Mills, Albany’s 2022 Tulip Queen. They all gave a brief speeches about upcoming pride events in the Capital Region.

    State Champs brought energy back up when they opened with “Here to Stay.” The band tried to remind everyone that Alive at 5 was supposed to be a family fun event, but then performed “Everybody But You,” one of their hit songs with the F-word emphasized in the chorus. Members of the band stood on the equipment boxes to greet crowd surfers during the set. The crowd surfing was constant by mostly young people. It was evident that the crowd may have been getting tired of the surfing as many surfers were being thrown to the barricade towards the end. The most pit opened twice, first for a circle mosh ad the second time for a traditional mosh.

    It was a great performance from State Champs, that lasted over an hour. They answered cheers for an encore with two songs. They have a tour lined up for Sad Summer Fest starting in July. The festival comes to New York on July 22nd at Pier 17.

    Young Culture Setlist: Bloodthin, Better Off as Friends, Hum, Godspeed, Kinda Over it, HB16, Fantasy, Laylo, Shiver, 21 Days, Drift, Party Girl, Holiday in Vegas

    State Champs Setlist: Here to Stay, Eventually, Frozen, Outta My Head, Hard to Please, Mine is Gold, Act Like That, Simple Existence, Remedy, Easy Enough, Criminal, Just Sound, Losing Myself, Slow Burn, History, Everybody But You, Dead and Gone, Elevated, Secrets

  • Day One of Governors Ball 2022: Kid Cudi, Black Pumas, JPEGMAFIA

    The 2022 edition of the Governors Ball Music Festival got underway on Day One, June 10th, outside of Citi Field in Flushing, Queens. The festival has revamped itself in the new location with greater accessibility via mass transit, a dive bar area featuring intimate acoustic sets from artists on the bill, and more of a focus on local food vendors.

    Kid Cudi, Governors Ball, 6/10/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Friday was headlined by Grammy Award winning recording artist Kid Cudi who released Man On The Moon III: Chosen back in 2020 and is set to release his eighth LP later this year. Kid Cudi previewed the new record with “Do What I Want” as well as playing the all-time hit “Memories.”

    NYS Music photographers David Reichmann and Joseph Buscarello are on site all weekend covering Governors Ball. Other artists on Friday included Channel Tres, Black Pumas, JPEGMAFIA, and Jack Harlow. Lil’ Wayne was booked as a last minute replacement for Migos who dropped off the lineup earlier in the week. However, only a couple of hours before his set, the festival announced that due to “flight delays” Weezy would be replaced by Harlem native A$AP Ferg.

    governors ball black pumas
    Black Pumas, Governors Ball, 6/10/22. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Saturday is going to be a packed day with sets from Denzel Curry, DJ Diesel (Shaq), Dehd, Tove Lo, and Flume. Halsey headlines the Governors Ball Stage, making her return to the festival after last playing in 2018. Tune back in tomorrow for photos from those sets and more. 

  • A Phone Free Festival: What’s in Store at Over Yondr Festival, June 24-26

    Cell phones have changed the dynamic of concerts and festivals in the past 20 years. Whereas in the early part of the 21st century, holding up your cell phone so your friend at home can (sort of) hear a song was fairly common, now in 2022 you can stream the concert direct to them with clear sound and visual quality.

    It doesn’t have to be like this. When you’re at a show, naturally you want to take a photo or post to social media, but that can distract from your enjoyment of a show, as well as the enjoyment of those around you.

    over yondr phone

    Enter Yondr. Since 2014, the company has partnered with comedians, musicians and even schools to provide pouches that seal phones inside so they cannot be used during performances or instructional time.

    If you haven’t heard of Over Yondr Festival via social media, there’s a reason for that – the company does not have any social media accounts and does little advertising. “People are bombarded with so many notifications and advertisements, it’s not something we need,” said Yondr founder and CEO Graham Dugoni. “People don’t need to be hit up for new things. We practice less is more. Social media isn’t going away but its presence in daily life is going to change.”

    The lack of social media hasn’t prevented Yondr from partnering with big names like Dave Chappelle, Alicia Keys, John Mulaney and more to keep events completely phone-free using Yondr’s patented sealable pouch.

    The use of these pouches at shows is so that patrons are not distracted by their phones and unable to use them, all while holding onto them during the performance in a sealed pouch. Returning to the intimacy of a distraction-free environment is one thing that drove Dugoni to build the brand in the past 8 years.

    At a show when someone photo or text, their attention leaves the space for a moment, making it harder to re-engage. You miss what a great show can be. Spaces need to be carved out for things, like music festivals and live entertainment, that are negatively affected by the presence of phones and digital media.

    Yondr founder and CEO Graham Dugoni

    Considering the impact phones have on young people, and the next generation of festival attendees, live music and performance patrons will need to keep the phone at bay so they can enjoy the full scope of the event, not what is limited to glances at screens.

    Dugoni notes the factors that go into the artist’s decision to insist on a no-phone policy. “When there is privacy, perhaps an artist wants to try out new material and not have the music show up the next day. You need a degree of privacy to make that happen. If you pull a phone out often it can have a negative impact.”

    By entering the venue, locking your phone in a pouch and carrying it with you, possession is maintained if access is not. There is of course a smokers-section style area to check your phone just in case, while creating a simple gorund rule for all to get along with.

    “After 5-10 min people will forget about their phones. You get out of the rhythm of responding to texts and pings,” noted Dugoni.

    Dugoni and his team first came up with the plan for a phone-free festival when the company was founded, he notes how “there is big community of people paying attention to their phones and social media who want to get together without that. Society is looking for spaces where they can unplug.”

    aerial view of the festival grounds

    Scheduled to take place from June 24-26 on private farmland at 5143 Route 81 in the town of Greenville, the Over Yondr Festival will bring more than a dozen eclectic musical acts and hundreds of music fans to Greenville.

    over yondr phone
    map of the Over Yondr Festival grounds

    Greenville was chosen for the location of the festival after the Yondr team took a trip to the area several years ago. They stopped in Rensselaerville and also looked for sites in California but they felt built up. Given how Yondr sees the world now, it seemed like a natural fit. “The locals have been great and it just seemed right. You still have the feel of counterculture and with this generation we are ready for one, pushing back on technology and aiming for simplicity in life. And I think it’s already beginning. Coming out of college, grads don’t want to stare at a screen all day, and a lot of political and social division can arise from that.”

    We are trying to put the technology in its right place. The next generation has to learn to treat the physical world as real and their interactions online as different. If you don’t disaggregate those two, a lot of negative things tend to happen. Phone free spaces are helpful and unique places to see 20-30,000 interacting and talking in concession line. It takes only a little to remove this social impediment.

    Yondr founder and CEO Graham Dugoni

    As for that eclectic lineup? Dugani and his team assembled the artists, looking for a diversity of sounds among the more than 15 performers, a lineup that felt right for the atmosphere, per Dugani.

    Tickets are on sale now for Over Yondr Festival. and get 15% off by entering code NYSMUSIC.

    Over Yondr Festival Daily Lineup

    Friday, June 24

    Topaz Jones
    Kaleta & The Super Yamba Band
    Black Mountain Symphony
    Anna Fox Rochinski
    Nas Leber
    SVB

    Saturday, June 25

    !!! (chk chk chk)
    Sheer Mag
    Bones of JR Jones
    Kississippi
    Jadeisdxpe
    Artz

    Sunday, June 26

    Hanzolo
    Jak Lizard
    Rhys Tivey
    Andrew Richards

  • This Week’s EQXposure Features Sabrina Trueheart, Jacob Shipley 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 WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Sabrina Trueheart, Jacob Shipley 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.

    Sabrina Truheart – “Holding on to Something Good”

    On Friday, May 20, Albany folk singer Sabrina Trueheart released her debut EP, Holding Onto Something Good. The four-song project follows the release of singles “To Die Alone” and “Wait,” released in January and March respectively. The title track will be aired on EQXposure. Read more about Sabrina here.

    Jacob Shipley – “Persimmon” 

    Born out of a short lived romance, Jacob Shipley wrote “Persimmon” hoping that things would have lasted longer, but knowing that it wasn’t in the cards. It’s for those hugs that feel like they’re sucking you back in the second you pull away, the drawn out kisses where the lips can’t seem to separate, and the days where you can’t keep your mind off of who was in your bed that morning. It is a love song for those who have to leave, but can’t bring themselves to go.

    This track was produced in remote collaboration with incredible singer/songwriter Sarah Gross who sings, plays synth, and mixed the track. The bass line is by Katrien Van Riel, the drums by Misia Vessio, and the violin by Erikka Walsh. Matthew Gregory mastered the track. The cover photo and art were done by Jacob Shipley.

  • Eddies Hall of Fame Celebrates Capital Region’s Music Scene at UPH

    The rich music history of the Capital Region was celebrated on Tuesday, June 7 with the Eddies Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Held at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. The eight honorees included folk, ambient, rock, and acoustic artists, as well as a promoter, writer/musicians, and an independent radio station founder.

    Paul Rapp, a musician and entertainment rights lawyer, as well as a 2020 Eddies Hall of Fame inductee knew them all and gave opening remarks noting such. Rapp, drummer for renowned Albany act Blotto, weighed in on each musician, offering heartfelt thoughts and a few laughs as he discussed his connection and the impact each of the eight left on the Capital Region scene.

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Paul Rapp – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Honorees included Joel Ross, a 7-time Grammy Award winner who engineered songs for Broadway musicals and TV shows, and worked with Ray Charles and Tony Bennett among many others.

    Joel Ross – photo by Joe Putrock

    Brooks Brown, founder of WEQX, an independent radio station, was referred to by Rapp as having “saved the Albany Music scene” by creating a radio station that played local bands that couldn’t be heard elsewhere. Rapp noted that Brown took great joy in telling corporations looking to buy his station to “go fuck themselves.”

    Jason Keller and Mimi Brown – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Super 400 from Troy has had an impact felt as far away as Spain, which led to Spanish band Red Apple sharing via prerecorded video how they were looking for bands that were real and similar to them. In discovering Super 400, they found a band on the same wavelength, as well as future friends. Red Apple then performed “Green Grass End” in tribute to Super 400.

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Super 400 – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Greg Bell, the promoter who made Albany a jam band mecca and must hit tour stop, has run Guthrie/Bell Productions since the early 1990s. His presence in the Capital District will be profiled in the upcoming documentary from Mirth Films, Grapplin’ Greg. Rapp noted that no one has done more to support local bands than Bell, adding, “Music promoters are like adding kindling to a fire. The good ones make it burn bright.”

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Greg Bell – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Rich Ortiz, the “fishin’ musician,” comes from a family rich in music history and plays more than 300 gigs a year and has been featured on the cover of numerous fishing magazines.. If night fishing were a thing, we may not have this legend from the Lake George region. Saratoga Springs guitarist from 80’s band The Morons, Steve Candlen, later performed Ortiz’ “I Love You Everyone.”

    Eddies Hall of Fame
    Rich Ortiz – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Michael Eck is many things – a painter, arts writer, Caffe Lena board member, and Ramblin Jug Stompers spoke with great emotion in receiving the Eddies Hall of Fame honor. Candlen later performed an Eck original “You’re a Mountain,” with the fitting lyrics “you’re a mountain, you’re a legend, you’re a king.”

    Michael Eck – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Sara Ayers, with an eclectic career that includes folk, punk, bubblegum, rock, electronica and especially ambient music, was a crowd favorite as she was honored for her contributions to the scene.

    Sara Ayers – photo by Erin Reid Coker

    Greg Haymes, a man who did so much for local bands, venues and aspiring writers and photographers, was the final honoree of the night. The late “Sarge” Blotto has a varied career in multiple genres and styles, and in founding local music website Nippertown, he had a connection to nearly the entire room of musicians, journalists and fans. Rapp pointed to one of the many quirks of Haymes, was his mentions in reviews of a musician’s shoes, considering those with good shoes to have ‘made it’, and with that, Rapp pulled out a ruby slipper. The unofficial Jug Stompers theme song, “Jug Band Music,” by the Memphis Jug Band, and performed by Tom Lindsay to honor Haymes.

    A young Greg Haymes. Photo by Amy Modesti

    While Haymes passed away in 2019, he was fêted by his fellow inductees in a slideshow retrospective. Ayers accepted on behalf of her late husband, noting that he lived an artistic life as a musician, a writer and a website publisher, and it was a life he was proud of. His not too serious approach to preparing himself for a performance on stage (whether with a customized washboard, or a typewriter for a percussion instrument), his experience as a musician made him want to share the passion of local musicians in the Capital District through his writing. In doing so, Haymes gave many writers and photographers a chance to, a tradition we continue at NYS Music.

    Photos by Erin Reid Coker

  • Spaghetti Eastern Music Shifts to Singer-Songwriter Mode on “I Believe in Love”

    Spaghetti Eastern Music, the solo venture of genre-fluid NYC/Hudson Valley guitarist Sal Cataldi has released “I Believe in Love, a stripped-down, all-acoustic ballad previewing the spare narrative style of his forthcoming song-centric EP, Turpentine Valentines.

    i believe in love

    With “I Believe in Love,” Cataldi serves up his hard-earned take on romance: the pain it can cause and the beauty too… if one is willing to throw his/her heart back into the ring for another go-round after heartbreak.  Two crystalline acoustic guitars and a solitary voice carry the tune whose narrative arc is reflected in the below, the first and concluding verses of the song:

    I believe in love but not everlasting love
    Life has shown me, it’s just a temporary disease
    Attacks the heart, breaks it in two and does something funny to your knees
    But I believe in love…
    I believe in love but not everlasting love
    If you can accept these terms, maybe we can get the disease
    Warms the heart and make its whole
    At least that’s what life has shown me so
    I believe in love

    “I Believe in Love”

    The song comes with a counterpart video featuring some of the great screen kisses from the classic film era, seen below. It was recorded and engineered by Cataldi at his studios in Woodstock and a floating studio aboard his Houseboat Garlic Knot in Port Washington.

    Critics from The New York Times, Time Out New York and Huffington Post have praised Cataldi’s debut album under the Spaghetti Eastern Music moniker, Sketches of Spam.  This 16-track, 69-minute surf through a slew of contrasting moods, with largely guitar-driven instrumentals inspired by the acid funk of 70’s Miles, Krautrock, Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Western movie soundtracks as well as Fripp & Eno ambience and the sound of ECM guitar god Terje Rypdal.

    These contrasted bare-bones acoustic vocal songs are reflective of the influence of John Martyn and Nick Drake, the mode showcased on his latest single. The discs’ acoustic titles included originals like “Wild One” and “Mama Called,” an instrumental cover of the Zappa rarity “Sleep Dirt” and a DADGAD-tuned, ballad paced reinvention of the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride.”

    I have never understood the desire to shove musicians into tiny boxes, the belief that you only get to be and play in one genre. I love all sorts of styles – straight-ahead and avant jazz, post-rock, prog, metal and funk, world music, electronic experimentation and, yes, quiet acoustic ballads like my new single, something that is definitely a 360-turn from my recent releases.

    I love it all equally, listen to it all and want to perform it all – and that’s what I do with Spaghetti Eastern Music, at gigs and on recordings.  That might make it hard for the algorithms that govern everything in the music world these days, so I guess my genre is best stated as iPod Shuffle.

    Sal Cataldi – Spaghetti Eastern Music

    The new single is available as of June 7 as a digital download via Spaghetti Eastern Music’s Bandcamp site, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, CD Baby and other online stores.