Brooklyn-based indie-rock band Wilder Maker released their newest single, “A Professional” on June 27 from their upcoming album, Male Models, out on July 29 via Western Vinyl. The single features guest lead vocalist Felicia Douglass of Dirty Projectors and Ava Luna.
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
Made up of musicians Gabriel Birnbaum, Nick Jost, and Sean Mullins, Wilder Maker began with a series of self-releases and home recordings before debuting music such as “New Streets” (2017), and Zion (2018) to much acclaim. Their upcoming Male Models album was live-recorded over several days and includes an impressive lineup of guest vocalists.
The track, “A Professional” is one of twelve songs on Male Models. Although the lead vocalist and songwriter of Wilder Marker, Birnbaum, does not sing on the track, Douglass’ vocals shine right in the start. Her voice carries the song’s message of isolation with feeling. With simple chords eventually overlaid with drum beats and other instrumentation, the track blends together beautifully.
’A Professional’ dips into the feeling of digital isolation … the way the physical world has become less real and more ghostly, less mysterious and more quantifiable. It’s inspired by this recurring experience I have, usually traveling, where I’ve been alone all day and I suddenly want to connect very badly with people I care about. I fire off several texts and sit there waiting for the phone to light up, with this strange feeling that everyone I know might have vanished. As soon as I imagined Felicia singing this song, I knew she’d be perfect for it, and she was. I’m so happy and grateful she was able to do it.
– Songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum
The upcoming Male Models features more guest lead vocalists, including an impressive line-up of Adam Duritz (Counting Crows), Katie Von Schleicher, Felicia Douglass, Alex Schaaf (Yellow Ostrich), V.V. Lightbody, and Mutual Benefit. Across the 12 songs on the album, audiences will find electrified soul, heartfelt folk songs, indie rock, and more.
Birnbaum drew from a wide array of inspirations for the album, including everything from American novelist James Salter, the NBA playoffs, to Thin Lizzy and the topic of masculinity. After making music for nearly a decade together, Wilder Maker is set for the release of yet another energetic album – stay tuned for July 29.
Navigating relationships as a young adult is akin to walking a maze blindfolded, often never knowing where you truly stand. While the term “dating” remains a pseudonym for two people getting to know one another, Gen-Z has developed its own distorted relationship standing, where the two parties are neither “just friends,” nor committed, yet are dependent on one another. On the single “Breadcrumbs,” Piper Page brings transparency to a messy situation.
The song came right from a personal experience with my ‘ex-who-wasn’t-really-my-ex.’ We had an on-again, off-again relationship for several months and it inspired me to write about the concept of ‘breadcrumbing’ which I had just come to learn about.
Breadcrumbing is defined by Urban Dictionary as “the act of sending out flirtatious, but non-committal text messages in order to lure a sexual partner without expending much effort.” The song “Breadcrumbs,” is a soulful ballad that sees the 21-year-old Brooklyn native cleanse herself of her situation-ship. Remaining brutally honest about her standing within this cycle of ambiguity.
Piper Page’s songwriting paints a vivid picture as she recounts a common tale within the current social media based dating scene. While infidelity has alway played a part in relationships, Piper Page captures the essence far less desirable role of “best-friend, with a little romance and flirting in the DMs.”
The meanings are supposed to be completely obvious and relatable. Navigating dating is recognizing that at a certain point, you just have to say what you mean. Instead of always thinking someone is going to know what you mean.
The record is one in a slew of singles from the songstress in anticipation of her upcoming album, Based on True Events. Singles like “Do You Want Me Or Not?” and “Risk” follow similar themes of “experiences with dating and exploring relationships as a young adult for the first time.” Yet, Piper Page’s polished vocals gives each record a mature feel.
Long running series Bowlive returns to Brooklyn Bowl in July. Bowlive IX will celebrate Brooklyn Bowl’s 13th Anniversary with a three-day celebration featuring soul-jazz organ trio Soulive on Thursday, July 7th, Friday, July 8th and Saturday, July 9th.
For the debut performance of their three night run at the Bowl, Soulive will perform a special Rubber Soulive Beatles Set. Marking their only performances in 2022, the trio will be joined by legendary Meters founding bassist George Porter Jr. on Friday, July 8th and Saturday, July 9th for a special performance to showcase Brooklyn’s iconic venue in style. Three day passes are sold out but you can purchase individual passes for Bowlive IX for 7/7, 7/8 and 7/9.
Bowlive is one of Brooklyn Bowl’s most unique traditions. It’s New Orleans at three in the morning after Jazz Fest and one of the venue’s longest running residencies. Guitarist Eric Krasno, drummer Alan Evans and keyboardist Neal Evans have been playing every year since 2010 and have welcomed a number of world class musicians to the stage over the years, including Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes, members of Lettuce, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Karl Denson, Questlove, Chris Robinson, Luther and Cody Dickinson, Bernie Worrell, Talib Kweli, Anders Osborne, GRiZ, Lee Fields, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo, Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, Nicki Bluhm, Steve Kimock, Citizen Cope, Matisyahu and more.
Brooklyn Bowl New York is the flagship venue for the Brooklyn Bowl franchise, with its groundbreaking integration of premiere music, 16 lanes of bowling, a bar featuring locally crafted beers, and food by the acclaimed Blue Ribbon restaurant group. Keeping its homegrown values on its sleeve, the Brooklyn Bowl is the first ever L.E.E.D.-certified bowling alley in the world and boasts a sound system and amenities that “no other local rock club can offer” (The New York Times). Open seven days a week, Brooklyn Bowl has become a mainstay for New Yorkers and has hosted greats like Guns N’ Roses, The Roots, Lauryn Hill, and Elvis Costello.
Mayan Warrior brought their immersive and otherworldly Art Car to The Brooklyn Navy Yard for two shows this past weekend on Friday June 24th and 25th. The legendary music collective has been a part of Burning Man for ten years now and has a long history of bringing the spectacle outside of The Playa for shows in cities across the United States.
These shows are the only chance to see the Art Car this year outside of the festival and also serve as a fundraiser for the collective’s ability to travel to Black Rock Desert and fund their charitable work. June saw the collective stop in Austin, TX as well as New York City and there are two more events in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the months following Burning Man.
Mayan Warrior at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, 6/24/2022. Photo by Tyler Alixx
The Mayan Warrior Art Car is one of the most unique music and art installations in the country. “The mutant sound system has attracted hundreds of thousands, blazing a trail of sonic creativity that celebrates the burgeoning underground Mexican electronic scene and pairs ancient art with modern technology.” The car itself is a large bus that has been stripped down and rebuilt with the goal of portraying ancient Mexican art and culture. The front of the bus adorns a large Mayan head and the entire production is laced with vivid lighting, pyro, and laser features. Even in such a large room, the production is mesmerizing no matter your perspective.
Mayan Warrior at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, 6/24/2022. Photo by Tyler Alixx
The music for the night came from the Mayan Warrior community and musical curators including Mandrake, Perel, Jenia Tarsol, Dramian, Asaf Samuel, Chaim Avital, Moscoman, Robin Scott, and Lovecraft. While you can not pin down the music to a particular genre, there is a strong deep house background but all of the performers brought unique and interesting elements to their sets. From live guitars, to vocalists, and deeply experimental tangents the music never stopped evolving throughout the weekend.
Mayan Warrior at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, 6/24/2022. Photo by Tyler Alixx
Stranger Than partners with Mayan Warrior to design a truly immersive experience around these shows. The Art Car itself is a dominant presence in the room, but there are also art installations, vendors selling jewelry and art, food vendors, and advocates. While the music is certainly a major proponent of the experience, it is far from the whole story. Fully costumed dancers and acrobats are seen dancing and engaging with the crowd. Two dancers on stilts put on a spectacle on the dance floor while fire breathers were seen blowing flames from the Art Car. The fans that Mayan Warrior attracts also contribute with costumes and wearable art of their own. Combined with the Pride celebration in NYC over the same weekend, the energy and atmosphere of these shows was unmatched.
Mayan Warrior at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, 6/24/2022. Photo by Tyler Alixx
Next up for Mayan Warrior is The Playa at Burning Man. After that, you can see the Art Car in Los Angeles in October and San Francisco in November. Check out a photo gallery below for more photos from Night 1 at The Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The Green-Wood Cemetery series of concerts in Brooklyn will feature boundary-breaking performers in its historic catacombs from July through September. This season features performances with violinist/violist and interdisciplinary performing artist eddy kwon, multi-instrumentalist and composer Zeena Parkins, and free jazz legend William Parker.
The Green Wood Cemetery
Established in 1838, The Green-Wood Cemetery is recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful cemeteries. As an affordable alternative to traditional burial spaces, the Catacombs are rarely open to the public. At the same time, Green-Wood is also an outdoor museum, an arboretum, and a repository of history. Throughout the year, it offers innovative programs in arts and culture, nature and the environment, education, workforce development, restoration, and research.
eddy kwon – July 6th and July 7th
eddy kwon will display their unique brand of interdisciplinary performance art, which explores transformation and transgression, ritual practices and mythology. Their art is inspired by American experimentalism, as shaped by the Associate for the Advancement of Creative Musicians as well as Korean folk timbres and inflections, textures, and movements from natural environments.
eddy kwon
Zeena Parkins – August 10th and August 11th
Zeena Parkins will bring their pioneering electro-acoustic style to the Catacombs. Parkins has designed a series of one-of-a-kind electric instruments and is also a master of modern harp practice.
Zeena Parkins
William Parker – September 21st and September 22nd
The New York City native William Parker will perform with his blistering improvisational bass. He has had a prolific career, released over 150 albums, published six books, and influenced countless students, musicians and artists over his decades long career.
William Parker by Peter Gannushkin
Because the Catacombs are deep in the Cemetery, attendees will be transported to and from the Catacombs from Green-Wood’s Main Entrance (25th street and Fifth Avenue) via trolley. There will be two performances each night, at 6:30 and 8pm.
Tickets start at $40, and are $35 for Green-Wood members. Attendees must wear a face covering at all times on the trolley and in the Catacombs. Doors close 30-minutes after the time on their ticket.
The NYC-based funk and rock collective Specialists are set to perform across New York as they kick off their summer tour on July 1. The band completed a Southeast US tour in January of 2022 and returns to the Northeast with 6 shows across NY and PA.
The summer performance schedule coincides with the band’s release of their upcoming full-length record. Other Specialists releases include Too Easy (2020), Specialists (2019), and No Need to Explode (2018). With irresistible groove, crafty arrangement, witty lyrics, and catchy hooks, the band’s sound will get any audience up on their feet.
Specialists initially consisted of duo Billy Harden (guitar) and Mikey Rotunno (bass) before adding Christian Hickey (drums) and Pete Harden (keys) to the mix. Their newest single, “I Got You,” released in March of 2022, gives listeners a taste of their newest sound.
After the band’s Brooklyn Made performance on July 1, they will head off to Syracuse’s Funk N Waffles on July 2. The Specialists will then take their sound to the Sterling Stage Ameribeat on July 3 before eventually finishing their tour in Peekskill. To listen before their upcoming tour dates, the band’s music is available on Apple Music or Spotify.
Specialists Summer Tour Dates
July 1 – Brooklyn Made – Brooklyn, NY
July 2 – Funk N Waffles – Syracuse, NY
July 3 – Sterling Stage Ameribeat (4pm – 5:10pm) – Sterling, NY
July 22 – Deutschtown Music Festival – Pittsburgh, PA
DJ Mickey D recently spoke with Liam Sweeny of RadioRadioX.
When you think of a DJ, you might think of turntables and scratching, record skipping and beat tracks and all kinds of bending of time and space. But DJing, in its simple reality, is providing a soundtrack for an experience. We might think that DJs play music tracks, and the good ones are talented, but maybe it’s more to the point that DJs play the crowd itself.
DJ Mickey D has a wealth of experience playing different crowds, from “Rocking New Year’s Eve” with Ryan Seacrest to DJing for Mary J. Blige. And with a show called “The Spice of Life”, he shares with his crowd a special little mix of his own.
RRX: On your website, you talk about DJing never being a job, but a passion. And you’ve DJ’d for such people as Mary J. Blige and Jay Z. So, most people would see your resume as a dream come true. When you talk about it being your passion, there is also a job in there. How do you keep it a passion when there is so much work involved?
MD: I started DJing when I was 13. It gave me such self-confidence which I needed because I had low self-esteem due to being born with a cleft-lip and palette. I found that I was able to connect to people through music and make them smile. Over the years I have always volunteered to DJ for all sorts of worthy causes like Operation Smile fundraisers, Boys & Girls Club, the list goes on. I always make sure to give back and my gift to give is music. I think that’s how I stay passionate about music. It always gives me confidence like nothing else in my life, and I always make sure to play gigs that are changing the lives of others.
RRX: When you open for a superstar, when you open for a Jay Z, it’s probably not the same as when you open up for your cousin Mark. There are, I imagine, requirements, conditions you have to navigate through that you wouldn’t on a smaller gig. And I’m not talking state secrets; just a different level. What might be some differences?
MD: I created the opportunity to open for Jay Z as well becoming Mary J Blige’s tour DJ. That’s the first and most significant difference. Jay Z was on his “American Gangster” tour and when we hit the Hammerstein in NYC the dream gig presented itself. Funk Master Flex was opening the show and had to leave early while Jay Z has been delayed and was coming in late. I approached the tour manager and told him that I was an awesome DJ and wanted to play. It turned into an unbelievable 40-minute set of old school NYC hip hop in front of a sold-out crowd. It was a similar situation with MJB. The front of house engineer was playing boring music at the top of the show so I approached the tour manager and asked if I could DJ. I had researched Mary’s influences and put together a sample playlist of what I would play. The next day I auditioned in front of the tour manager as well as Mary’s manager and the gig was mine. It’s important to note I didn’t get paid extra to DJ and I still had to perform my stage-managing duties. But I knew the experiences would be amazing and pay off in the long run.
When creating these amazing opportunities, it’s important to stay humble and true to the task at hand. Just because you have a massive sound system to play on and thousands of people to play for doesn’t mean that’s your opportunity to become DJ number one and create an energy that is not conducive to the opening acts or headliner taking the stage. My name was not on the marquee or the flyer. My job was to play music that set the crowd up for the show to take them on their journey.
If I could offer someone one piece of advice to a DJ that finds themselves in the position of opening for an act of any caliber, don’t play their tracks during your set!
RRX: You have a show, called the “The Spice”. I saw that you had Whoopi Goldberg on the show for the season two finale. And also, climatologist Ginger Zee. It’s a diversity that speaks to a show called the “The Spice”. Can you tell me a little bit about the show, how it started? Who was an interesting person you’ve had on that surprised you?
MD: When the pandemic began, and we went into lockdown I quickly became bored with livestreams. There was no connection between the performer and the audience. And we needed to connect to one another. I started throwing Zoom dance parties and that evolved into the virtual events company Uru Connects with my partners Chris and Kerstin. My role is director of events so I began experimenting with different ideas for music centric virtual events. This is when The Spice was born. A show where friends gather each month to tell stories and share memories that remind us how essential music is to our lives. The first season was completely virtual. The second season was streamed live from a private social club in Brooklyn called Club Curious. This club is a creative space created by my friend and the owner of the craft nonalcoholic beverage Curious Elixirs. Having the guest in person with a small feast of friends gave the show such amazing energy that I decided to take The Spice on the road this summer. First stop is Arlington, VA on 6/12 with Meghan McCain and Kyra Phillips.
MD: During my NYC DJ Series I had Catori from Bespoke Musik as guest. Catori is an accomplished actress and musician who fell in love with DJing while working at The Boom Boom Room in NYC. Under the tutelage of my friend DJ ObAH (Oldskool Beats and Harmonies) who was also a part of the DJ series (at the time of booking I didn’t know about this connection). I learned that Catori has only been DJing for four years and she was already playing massive events such as Burning Man as well as headlining consistently in NYC, LA, and Miami. If I remember correctly, I told her she was a rocket ship.
RRX: There’s something about variety shows, like what I feel Spice of Life is, and correct me if I’m wrong. It’s all in the pattern. Like if you look at something up close, it’s yellow and blue dots; step back, it’s green. So, if you step back from all different types of guests you’ve had on Spice of Life, what do you see?
MD: When I step back and look at the guests that I’ve had on The Spice the first thing I see is friends and family. For the first season this is literal the only people I could convince to come on my show were friends and family. Now that I’m booking more well-known guests and the list grows longer (23 total so far!), I still see friends, but more so I see an entire spectrum of life perspectives that can all be related to music. And that’s the beauty of my show. No matter social or economic status, everyone has the song that reminds them of their mother. Everyone who loves music can relate to every question of every show because we all have soundtracks to our lives. I can ask you what song makes you smile the same way I can ask everyone from a movie star to the guitarist from a heavy metal band (shout out Joey Z LOA!). I mention smile because I am starting an initiative through The Spice to raise funds for Operation Smile, an organization that is near and dear to my heart.
RRX: “Rocking New Year’s Eve”, with Ryan Seacrest, I have to ask about that. Something like that is an intersection between an entertainment event and a historical event. And as a DJ, you have a huge responsibility for stoking the crowd in between segments. It’s high pressure, I imagine, but also high fun. Any neat facts about RNYE?
MD: Every New Year’s Eve for the past nine years I’ve worked as Ryan Seacrest’s audio handler. I run through Times Square with Team Ryan all night making sure he sounds good, can hear what he needs to hear, as well as managing communications for the others in our group. I’ve always said you could never get me to go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve unless you paid me. Be careful what you wish for. It can be a grueling gig with the endless rehearsals and terrible weather (a few years ago it was the coldest New Year’s Eve in 100 years, that sucked). But no matter the challenges, the energy of the show is always amazing and Ryan is awesome to work with. He really sets the bar for energy and professionalism and when it’s cold and wet, he is suffering the same as his crew. But he always pushes through with a smile and so do we because like they say, the show must go on.
RRX: You do a lot of events and play in a lot of places. You’re constantly being put into new situations and having to adapt. So, if you have a choice between a big, huge show or festival, or a small, intimate gathering, is it an easy choice on its face, or does it depend on who’s there? Do you have a ‘sweet spot’ for places to perform?
MD: For me at this time in my life it’s not about the size of the crowd or the venue. It’s all about whether or not I can play the music I want to play. My father passed last year from cancer and this was a very difficult and transformative period in my life. My dad was a DJ also and even though he moved to South Carolina when I was 12 and we didn’t have the closest relationship, we always had music and DJing. So many times he would be at a wedding and hit me up for music to play. We couldn’t talk sports, but we certainly could talk music. When he died, I thought about the amount of anxiety I go through when preparing for gigs such as weddings and corporate events, the panic attacks on the way to the show, and I realized I was having these problems because I wasn’t staying true to myself. I was continuing to endure pain because the money was great. Not to say I didn’t enjoy these gigs; I always rocked the party and have only five star reviews. But when I decided to get real with myself and stop taking gigs because of the money, so many amazing opportunities opened up for me. Now I’m a Love Prophet with Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets as well as the DJ and color commentator for an MMA promotion in Rockland County. I don’t make nearly what I did before but I don’t care. I have so much fun and only play music that I love.
Brooklyn-based artist stevexcooper has just dropped his new single “Water Wings,” sharing open-hearted tales of human connection in all its glory, from romance, awkwardness, and uncertainty.
stevexcooper by Pete Gibson
Recognized by Wonderland Magazine, stevexcooper has embossed within the music business for nearly 20 years. He earned credits in writing, recording and performing, as well as collaborated with Grammy nominees. He has also previously co-produced London’s ATO (MCMXCV) alongside platinum artist EDEN, which garnered on-air support from pop star Tom Grennan and multiple BBC Radio 1 DJs.
stevexcooper
Influenced by the artists Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, stevexcooper expressed his fond of “capturing the sound of worlds breaking”. His works are also described as left-wing pop and rap, his music bends stereotypical genres, creating dynamic beats and a uniquely exclusive sound.
The recently unveiled “Water Wings” feat with Rothstein is off of the pair’s upcoming collaborative EP, What Are You Made Of?, which was written in Brooklyn over the course of a year and a half. The uptempo “Water Wings” demonstrates Rothstein’s polished pop songwriting over Cooper’s off-kilter anthems. Delicate chiming synths and syncopated beats provide the backdrop for Rothstein’s glossy vocals, as he sings “It’s contagious, the way that you’re so sure we’ll be alright.”
This is my first producer project release that’s about relationships. I’m excited about the prospect of not only switching genres with abandon, but also switching message and content. They’re pop tracks but without straight up pop sounds. The structures are familiar, but the guts of the place are new.
Radio Free Brooklyn, NYC’s globally-reaching freeform streaming radio network, is releasing its first-ever compilation album featuring previously unreleased tracks from some of the station’s favorite acts.
Titled Sonic Resource Kit, the 17-track compilation is designed to support a new fundraising effort by the listener-supported station. The tracks were compiled and curated by music director Rachel Cleary after an extensive search and represent international acts including SUSS (US), Mikal Amin (US), Bodoni (Italy), Early Remains (UK), Pallbearer Industry (CA) and Suns of Southern Ulster (Ireland). The breadth of artist contributions attests to the international following of this “hometown” streaming freeform radio network.
Founded in 2015 by NYC underground performance scene veterans Tom Tenney and Robert Prichard, Radio Free Brooklyn provides a platform for independent musicians and activists of all stripes. It has grown from a small Internet radio station operating from the basement of a Bushwick bike shop into a community organization with over 75 shows, streaming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Radio Free Brooklyn also functions as a community organization providing a radio platform for the diverse cultures that comprise the borough of Brooklyn, with a focus on music, local politics, LGBT rights, gentrification, gender issues, food, and more. As their motto says, “It’s what Brooklyn Sounds like!”
The bands have graciously donated their tracks and time to support this effort and all proceeds from the sale of the Sonic Resource Kit album will go to directly support the ongoing operations of Radio Free Brooklyn. The cover art was created by Kosmo Vinyl with additional graphics by Lisa Levy.
Hip-hop artist Mikal Amin opens the compilation with his track “Icon,” a hard-hitting stomper that asks the question –“Do you have what it takes to be an icon?” Grunge-era fuzz and distortion highlight “Sala Must Be A Great Place to Visit” from Italy’s Bodini, while “Shadow” by Lovehoney is an update on the bluesy psychedelia of Hendrix. The band Death Trap provides an exciting live track called “Stole Your Rock and Roll,” while “Cheyenne” by SUSS provides a taste of their critically-acclaimed fusion of ambient and country.
Brooklyn-based indie-alternative artist Osaze Akerejah, also known as Butterfly Haus, is set to release his new record, Hold It Against Me on June 22 via Glass Bullet Sound Company.
The New-Jersey-born Nigerian-American artist came up with the project in 2019, and after three years, is ready to share it with the world. As an indie musician, the young artist’s production explores indie rock, alternative pop, hip-hop elements, and even snippets of the ’70s/’80’s new wave. Akerejah originally began making music in the late 2000s, and formerly went by the moniker SAZE.
With this upcoming record, Butterfly Haus becomes more introspective, exploring themes such as love, mental health, identity exploration, and more. The project was born out of intense personal struggles, including a recent heartbreak, cancer diagnosis, and other mental and physical health battles.
These last few years have been beyond transformative. I’m not nearly the same man or artist I initially set out to try to be. Making music under the SAZE moniker was a lovely cocoon that I existed within since 7th grade, and I guess all the trauma, growth and self discovery of the past three-four years especially was what finally cracked the cocoon, ya know?
Osaze Akerejah
Butterfly Haus wrote “Hold It Against Me” after an extended hospital stay and as he attempts to grapple with questions about life, the nature of the universe, and manifestation. The record is quite an emotional one, featuring hard-hitting lyrics, background vocals from Norwegian singer-songwriter Rosarii, and psychedelic electric guitar from Levi Wilkinson.
Stayed tuned for this record’s release on June 22, and see below to explore more of the impressive artist’s work.
