NYS Music 202​2

Category: Regions

  • WCDB Fest 2022: A Celebration of Albany’s DIY Music Scene

    Saturday April 9th, the University at Albany’s student run radio station, WCDB 90.9FM, hosted their 2022 WCDB Fest at the Albany Barn. The day’s events featured local artists, businesses and bands, while celebrating the efforts and accomplishments of all those involved. The student organized event lasted late into the night and included an art fair, eight live performances and an award show.

    WCDB Fest 2022

    Throughout the night, bands rotated on the stage, each playing 15-minute sets. The music for the evening kicked off with WCDB’s own DJ Riddick who played an electronic set before Jack Lynch took the stage for his own solo performance. The bassist played a seven string bass and had an arc of pedalboards and electronics before him while he looped some out of this world sounds.

    The first band to take the stage was Grampfather. The Kingston based eclectic rock band’s album Gramppappies was nominated for WCDB Fest’s Best Album of the Year. Their set included ‘Poppies’ from the new album, which recently broke through 1,000 streams on Spotify. Canella followed Grampfather and were nominated for Rising Artist of the Year, as well Song of the Year with ‘Quiet Love.’ You can watch the music video for the single on Canella’s YouTube channel.

    Canella

    Canella were followed by Safety Meeting, who were nominated for Best Alt Rock/Indie Artist. The Saratoga band often play around Albany, and have an EP available to stream on Spotify. Following Safety Meeting, Mr. Every Day kicked off the first of two hip-hop performances. He opened his set with a passionate speech about his life, his family, and what music means to him. The intimate moment was followed by a high energy performance, priming the audience for a performance by Laveda.

    The young shoe gaze band took the stage and immediately took control of the room. Their music had a beautiful blend of ethereal melodies over driving back beats, orchestrateed by familiar faces; Joe Taurone and Dan Carr of Canella. It was his second appearance on the night as he swapped between drums and bass (Dan would also appear on stage a third time, playing drums with Stella and the Reptilians). Laveda’s catalogue on Spotify includes a 6 track EP from their 2020 session with Audiotree. After Laveda, WCDB Fest’s Best Hip-Hop Artist, Scrambled performed a unique set. The Boston-based rapper began rhyming a-cappella while walking throughout the Albany Barn, projecting her voice throughout the room without any help from a microphone.

    Ladybyrd

    The evening ended on a high, with Stella and the Reptilians taking the stage right after taking home the Best Artist of the Year award. Everyone in the Barn was up on their feet for the final songs of the night, as bands and students alike were jumping and shouting along in celebration of not just Stella and the Reptilians, but in celebration of the WCDB community as a whole.

    Stella and the Reptilians

    Everyone present found themselves in the embrace of a tight-knit community of music lovers. WCDB Fest would not have been possible without the dedicated students who run the station, the musicians who are constantly creating and performing and the fans who create the demand for such an ecosystem to exist. Albany’s underground music scene is something to behold, and those who find themselves in a dirty, dusty basement will be glad they did. Every weekend you can catch a show whose music, energy, and excitement challenge those found at any mainstream venue in Albany. And with entry usually costing around $5, what’s the downside of checking out a basement show?

    Rachel Freeman WCDB / Byrdhouse

    If you are a music lover in Albany, or anywhere else for that matter, be sure to follow WCDB, the featured bands, and the music venues that are helping make Albany’s underground music scene flourish. You can find shows every weekend around the Capital District at The Byrdhouse, The Laundromat, Makeout Reef, Troy Speakeasy, Caesar’s Palace, and likely many more in the semesters and years to come. Also be sure to check out the gallery below for a full recap of WCDB Fest 2022.

    WCDB Fest 2022 Award Winners

    Best Punk/Hardcore Artist: Dirtybandaid

    Best Country/Folk Artist: Beargrass

    Best Electronic Artist: Soo Do Koo

    Best Jazz Artist: Colleen Pratt

    Best RnB/Funk Artist: The E-Block

    Best Hip-Hop/Rap Artist: Scrambled

    Best Alt Rock Artist: Senior Living

    Rising Artist Award: Ladybyrd

    Best Song: Quiet Love by Canella

    Best Album/EP: Anniversaries by Senior Living

    Best WCDB DJ: DJ Shmit

    Music Scene MVP: Rachel Freeman

    Best Artist of the Year: Stella and the Reptilians

  • Syracuse Jazz Festival Back After Five Year Hiatus

    The Syracuse Jazz Festival is back after a five-year hiatus. Since 1981, the Syracuse Jazz Fest has served as Central NY’s oldest, longest-running, and most-attended festival. It has received four International Awards and 30 National & Regional Awards.

    The Syracuse Jazz Fest will run for three nights from Thursday, June 23 through Saturday, June 25. It will feature international and national artists on the Clinton Square Main Stage in downtown Syracuse. There will also be performances by 20 of Syracuse’s finest jazz groups, who will be appearing at clubs, bars, restaurants, and performance venues downtown.

    Festival Founder Frank Malfitano thanked Amazon for sponsoring the event in a statement.

    We couldn’t possibly be more grateful to NYS Assemblyman Al Stirpe, Onondaga County Executive J Ryan McMajon, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, US Senator Chuck Schumer and Amazon for co-sponsoring and bringing Syracuse Jazz Fest back to Downtown Syracuse this June. I know we’re all thrilled to see this longtime Syracuse summertime tradition coming back, and that would simply not have been possible without Amazon’s support.

    A lot of legendary artists have performed at the festival, including Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Sonny Rollins. These performances gave the festival international acclaim.

    The Syracuse Jazz Festival is back with a stellar lineup of world-renowned artists. And perhaps the best part about the annual festival that will be happening for three nights in June is that admission is free.

  • Indigo De Souza Sells Out Both Nights at Music Hall of Williamsburg

    Indigo De Souza played two sold out nights at Music Hall of Williamsburg last week on Thursday, April 21 and Sunday, April 24. Originally scheduled for January, the shows were postponed due to the pandemic surging in New York City at the time. She played with support from Friendship and Horse Jumper of Love.

    Indigo De Souza at Music Hall of Williamsburg, photographed by David Reichmann

    You can listen to Indigo De Souza’s latest full-length LP here, and follow Indigo’s ongoing North American Tour here. She will return to New York during her upcoming fall tour. You can listen to Horse Jumper of Love‘s music here and Friendship’s music here.

    Photos by David Reichmann

  • New Caffe Lena TV App Now Available

    Caffe Lena is known for its extraordinary music and for being the longest operating folk music venues within the United States. Caffe Lena has now taken it to another level with their launch of their brand new app “Caffe Lena TV.”

    The app allows easy access to live streaming concerts, archived videos, and the opportunity to be an interactive audience member by texting comments throughout the show. To download the app, just search “Caffe Lena TV” in your AppStore (iOS), PlayStore (Android) or Roku Store or click the link above and follow the instructions to sign in! 

    Caffe Lena launched a School of Music in 2020 which helps to carry on the folk tradition of music for students, children and adults. Some of America’s best loved songwriters have gotten their careers launched from Caffe Lena like American-blues songwriter, Sawyer Fredericks.

    Caffe Lena was called “An American treasure” by The Library of Congress and is recognized for their help in the development of American music from The GRAMMY Foundation.

    Check out Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs and the world-class performers that will get your foot tapping to the music. The Caffe Lena App thanks those for supporting their non-profit venue and keeping independent music alive!

  • First Ever Backroads Blues Festival Coming to Bethel Woods and Artpark

    Backroads Blues Festival will tour the east coast on a six date journey from Rhode Island to Virginia. Starting August 13, fans will see performances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Buddy Guy and Cristone “Kingfish” Ingram.

    These three generations of artists will come together to bring forth a renaissance for the genre. It serves as an extension of Shepherd’s 2007 film and album project, 10 Days Out : Blues From the Backroads, where he traveled the country, recording and performing with artists like Etta Baker, Honeyboy Edwards and Hubert Sumlin. 

    Shepherd’s hope for the Backroads Blues Festival is that it will help to revive the tradition of touring Blues festivals. Inspiration comes from his past experiences with the B.B King Blues Festival, where legends such as Buddy Guy, Etta James and the Neville Brothers performed. He aspires to give blues performers and blues fans a place where they can come together and celebrate the genre. 

    Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
    Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

    Shepherd will celebrate his 45th birthday with special performances 6/11 – 6/12 in Indiana and Ohio. He will be joined by Samantha Fish, the Ally Venable Band and Blues Entertainer of the Year, Shemekia Copeland. More information can be found here.

    Tickets are on sale now.

    August 13 – Bold Point Park, Providence, RI

    August 14 – Bethel Ampitheatre, Bethel, NY

    August 16 – Artpark, Lewiston, NY

    August 18 – Symphony Hall, Sprinfield, MA

    August 20 – Elmwood Park, Roanoke, VA

    August 21 – Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band Announce Four Album Rock Experience, ‘I Am The Moon’

    Tedeschi Trucks Band has announced their plans to release a four album and four film experience titled I Am The Moon. The ambitious project will push the band into a new era.

    The albums include I Am The Moon, I. Crescent, II. Ascension, III. The Fall, and IV. Farewell, will be released in succession, starting 6/3. The first film will debut 5/31 at 9 PM on the band’s Youtube channel, with the films coming three days before its partner album. Directed by Alix Lambert, the films combine studio and performance footage with photography and other images designed to capture the specific atmosphere of each album. 

    The concept for I Am The Moon came from the band’s vocalist Mike Mattison, while they were on hiatus due to the pandemic. Drawing inspiration from the 12th century poem “Layla & Majnun” by Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, the albums explore themes of love, collective struggle and faith. 

    PC : David McClister

    Each band member contributed their own unique perspectives to the work and by January 2021, they were recording at Tedeschi and Trucks’ home studio, Swamp Raga, in Jacksonville, FL. Derek Trucks served as producer and long-time studio engineer Bobby Tis was in charge of recording and mixing.

    Tedeschi Trucks Band will kick off their 2022 tour in Florida, Alabama and Michigan before stopping at Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY. They will also appear at the Great South Bay Music Festival, Artpark and SPAC.

    Preorders for I Am The Moon are available now.

    Tour Dates:

    June 24 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily’s Place Amphitheater

    June 25 — Mobile, AL — Mobile Civic Center

    June 26 — Tuscaloosa, AL — Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

    June 28 — Indianapolis, IN — The Amphitheater at White River State Park

    June 29 — Detroit, MI — Fox Theatre

    July 1 — Canandaigua, NY — Constellation Brands: Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center

    July 2 — Gilford, NH — Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 

    July 3 — Saratoga Springs, NY — Saratoga Performing Arts Center

    July 6 — New Haven, CT — Westville Music Bowl

    July 8 — Philadelphia, PA — The Mann Center

    July 9 — Essex Junction, VT — Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo

    July 10 — Patchogue, NY — Great South Bay Music Festival

    July 12 — Lewiston, NY — ArtPark

    July 13 — Cincinnati, OH — PNC Pavilion at Riverbend

    July 15 – 16 — Atlanta, GA — Fox Theatre

    July 19 — Vienna, VA — Wolf Trap

    July 20 — Richmond, VA — Virginia Credit Union LIVE!

    July 21 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union Music Park

    July 23 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion 

    July 24 — Huber Heights, OH — Rose Music Center at The Heights

    July 26 — Aurora, IL — RiverEdge Park

    July 27 — St. Louis, MO — Fabulous Fox Theatre

    July 29 – 30 — Morrison, CO — Red Rocks Amphitheatre

    August 18 — San Diego, CA — Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater

    August 19 — Los Angeles, CA — The Greek Theatre

    August 20 — Berkeley, CA — The Greek Theatre

    August 23 — Sacramento, CA — Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

    August 24 — Eugene, OR — Cuthbert Amphitheater

    August 26 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheater

    August 27 — Bend, OR — Hayden Homes Amphitheater

    August 28 — Reno, NV — Grand Sierra Resort & Casino

    August 31 — Boise, ID — Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden

    September 1 — Bonner, MT — Kettlehouse Amphitheater

    September 3 — Moorhead, MN — Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater

    October 17 — Copenhagen, DK — Amager Bio

    October 18 — Copenhagen, DK — Amager Bio

    October 20 — Randers, DK — Vaerket

    October 21 — Oslo, NO — Sentrum Scene

    October 22 — Stockholm, SE — Cirkus

    October 25 — Berlin, DE — Verti Music Hall

    October 26 — Hamburg, DE — Edel-optics.de Arena

    October 27 — Prague, CZ — Forum Karlin

    October 30 — Rotterdam, NL — RTM Stage

    November 2 — Dublin, IE — The Helix

    November 4 — London, UK — The London Palladium

    November 5 — London, UK — The London Palladium

    November 6 — London, UK — The London Palladium

    November 9 — Manchester, UK — Manchester Academy

    November 10 — Glasgow, UK — O2 Academy Glasgow

    November 12 — Paris, FR — Le Trianon

    November 13 — Paris, FR — Le Trianon

    November 15 — Paris, FR — Bataclan

  • Natural History Musuem’s Blue Whale makes Cameo at Phish Earth Day show

    Night three of Phish at Madison Square Garden not only brought with it three sets of music, but a whale of a chance to do “New Year’s” all over again. Friday night represented the NYE celebration of the rescheduled end of 2021 shows and revelers took full advantage, dressing up to nines and all but signing “Auld Lang Syne” on the way in.

    Photo by Jake Silco

    An “Everything’s Right” opener did nothing to curb the pre-show enthusiasm and had the MSG crowd rocking in unison from the get-go. A smooth segue into “Tube” only further enhanced the early show vibes. Another first set pairing of “555” > “Back On The Train” went off without a hitch, with a “Train” jam that slowly increased in both tempo and emotion. The Page McConnell-penned “Army Of One” gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath before Phish welcomed back “Axilla (Part II)” to the live setting after being resurrected last year. A rowdy “Bathtub Gin” was met with open arms before “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S” closed out a raucous first set.

    The second set was the “all gas, no brakes” portion of the evening with a string of segues that started with an ebullient “Set Your Soul Free” that made its way seamlessly into the “Light.” This was followed by a simmering “Fuego” before a quick trek into “What’s The Use?” gave the second stanza a chance to breathe. A “Backwards Down The Number Line” that Trey Anastasio dedicated to his daughter for her birthday brought yet another slow build and release jam in closing out the second set.

    Prior to Set 3, the stage was cleared off entirely, and new, more compact drum and key rigs were brought to the stage, centered more than usual. The wide area around the stage that now surrounded the band was revealed to be a white sheet just prior to the 11:45pm start time. With the band’s return to the stage for “Free,” the stage lifted up, bringing with it the now-stretched sheet upon which projections would appear during an Earth Day-themed set. Five songs – “Free,” “A Wave of Hope,” “Waves,” “Sand” and “Split Open and Melt” – would play off their lyrics while water and laser projections lit up the stage from underneath.

    Anastasio and company found themselves lifting up off the stage, with all found on the same level, so as to avoid a repeat of 2019 where Anastasio found himself stuck on his a platform, 30 feet above the stage. Much like in 2013 and 2015, the band moved the stage within the confines of The Garden, keeping the fans on their toes.

    phish whale
    photo by Pete Mason

    The Earth Day gag as a whole did not give a direct nod to this rescheduled New Year’s Eve show, but there were connections to the past that could be found within the production. The foam blowing during “Split Open and Melt” was a callback to 2002’s “Seven Below” foam party; the ‘rain’ during “Free” and “A Wave of Hope” was similar to 2016’s “Petrichor” production; the overall aquarium feel throwing back to 1993’s New Year’s Eve, and the overall water theme from 2017’s “Soul Planet.”

    During “Waves,” drone-operated dolphins made an appearance, floating through the air, gyrating as they flipped and bounded through waves of smoke and fog. The famed Blue Whale from the Natural History Museum arose from Mike-side moments later, coasting through the water and providing a stunning visual effect for all 20,000 fans to behold. For 20-30 minutes, The Garden felt like The Ocean, with a blue hue accenting the stunning set.

    As the stage descended at the end of “Split Open and Melt,” the sound of cracking ice could be heard, giving a subtle hint to the single song encore of “It’s Ice” that was yet to come. For the grand finale, a giant donut was raised behind the stage, reminding phans that even on Earth Day, the universe is a donut.

    photo by Pete Mason

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Set 1: Everything’s Right > Tube, 555 > Back on the Train, Army of One, Axilla (Part II) > Bathtub Gin > Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.

    Set 2: Set Your Soul Free > Light > Fuego > What’s the Use? > Backwards Down the Number Line

    Set 3: Free, A Wave of Hope, Waves > Sand, Split Open and Melt

    Encore: It’s Ice
    This was the rescheduled date for the show that had been postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surge in New York City in December of 2021. Trey teased Happy Birthday in Set Your Soul Free and wished his daughter Bella a happy birthday in Backwards Down the Number Line. For the third set and encore, the stage was raised with a screen showing moving images in front of and below the band. During Waves, dolphins and a whale flew throughout the venue. Kelp descended from above the band during Split Open and Melt and fell to the stage after the song was over. Prior to It’s Ice, there was a prerecorded freezing sound as the image on the screen “froze.”

  • The Great New York State Fair 2022 Concert Lineup Announced

    The Great New York State Fair‘s 2022 lineup has been announced with a wide musical variety, taking place August 24 – September 5 at the Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

    Founded in 1832 by a group of local farmers for agriculture and local fairs, it did not become a musical showcase until until the 1950’s and 1960’s, when the fair began gearing towards entertainment.

    the great New York State Fair logo
    The Great New York State Fair Logo.

    Artists performing at the Great New York State Fair 2022 are some fan favorites, but also some new faces making their State Fair debuts.

    Chevy Court Stage- free with admission

    Jimmie Allen – August 24 at 6 P.M.

    Jimmie Allen is making his return to the State Fair after a 2019 performance that put him on the map. Now, Grammy-nominated for Best New Artist and nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist, this all after being named the Academy of Country Music’s New Male Artist of the Year and the Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year in 2021. He takes the Chevy Court stage on opening day at 6 P.M.

    Jimmie Allen.

    Niko Moon – August 26 at 6 P.M.

    Fast-rising country star Niko Moon will be making his Fair debut on August 26 at 6 P.M. His song “Good Time” hit number one on the Billboard country charts and spent nearly half of 2021 on the top 40 pop charts. He has written for artists like Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, and Rascall Flatts.

    Niko Moon

    Tai Verdes – September 2 at 1 P.M.

    Platinum-selling breakout singer-songwriter Tai Verdes will make his debut performance at the Fair on September 2 at 1 P.M. He is known for his chart-topping hits like “A-O-K,” and “Stuck In The Middle” and has performed on The TODAY Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Verdes has been hailed by the likes of TIME Magazine, Rolling Stone, New York Times, NPR, and more for his music.

    Tai Verdes.

    Also Returning

    September 2 at 6 P.M.- Gin Blossoms

    September 5 at 4 P.M.- Night Ranger

    Chevy Park Stage- free with admission

    Foreigner – August 28 at 8 P.M.

    Rock band Foreigner will return to the Fair stage and close out the first weekend of the Fair’s concert season on August 28 at 8 P.M. Foreigner has 16 Top 30 hits over their decades-long career, with nine Top 10 hits. Their catalog has sold over 80 million albums, and they held the longest number 1 on the Billboard charts with their album “4.” They are also looking for a junior high, high school, or college chorus to perform a 10-minute acappella set before their show, and they can apply here.

    Foreigner.

    Boyz II Men – August 29 at 8 P.M.

    Grammy-winning vocal soul powerhouse group Boyz II Men will return to the Fair for the first time since 2009 on August 29 at 8 P.M. They have a long catalog of top hits, which fans will be able to sing to all night long.

    Boyz II Men.

    24KGoldn – September 2 at 8 P.M.

    Rapper 24KGoldn is making his debut at the Fair on September 2 at 8 P.M. He made music chart records with his song “Mood” with Iann Dior as it became the first song ever to top four Billboard music charts at the same time. His mix of genres from rap, rock, and alt-rock will bring a wide variety of fans to the show.

    24KGoldn

    COIN – September 3 at 2 P.M.

    COIN will bring their bright indie-pop to their debut performance at the Fair on September 3 at 2 P.M. They are most known for their single “Talk Too Much” which hit high on the indie charts. They help diversify the lineup with their fresh sound, which will bring a lot of young fans to the Fair.

    COIN.

    City Girls – September 4 at 8 P.M.

    Rap duo City Girls are coming to the Fair and are making their debut on September 4 at 8 P.M. Miami-based Yung Miami and JT are known for their single “Act Up” which went platinum, and for their contribution to Drake’s song “In My Feelings.”

    City Girls.

    Also Playing

    August 24 at 8 P.M.- Chevelle

    August 25 at 8 P.M.- The Art of Rap Featuring Ice-T

    August 31 at 8 P.M.- Nelly

    September 1 at 8 P.M.- Riley Green

    September 3 at 8 P.M.- Dropkick Murphys

  • This Week’s EQXposure on WEQX Features Kendra McKinley, The Pine Boys and more

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm 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 Kendra McKinley, The Pine Boys, Gozer, and many more.

    EQXposure logo on WEQX

    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.

    Kendra McKinley – “Dirty Laundry”

    Kendra McKinley is a Hudson Valley singer-songwriter who blends pop, jazz, and soul using vibrant sensuality and wit. Her new single “Dirty Laundry” will be on EQXposure, and the music video is out now.

    The Pine Boys – “Lunatic”

    The Pine Boys is a three-piece band that resides in Albany, NY, and consists of members Andrew Cerone, Brett Maney, and Sam Lasky. The group brews together genres like Alternative Rock, Hip-Hop and Funk. Their song “Lunatic” off of their album Vacationland will be shown on EQXposure. The song is very funky, with muffled vocals and cool synths and an almost wolf’s howl in the background.

    Gozer – “Braindead”

    Gozer are a band also from Albany, NY. The members include Mykah Dillenger, Sean Murphy, Nick Kossor, and Seth Maset. They are an original hard rock band and music contributors to various podcasts/movies. Their single “Braindead” will also be shown on EQXposure. The song has a lot of heavy guitars and is reminicisent of an early 2000s rock song, with stellar vocals and lyrics.

  • Get Some Mo’ Love on Winter Nights

    They say love is all-around. Sometimes the feeling is as palpable as an embrace. Yet, finding the accurate words to frame love into its proper context remains one of the world’s greater mysteries. Love can be all-encompassing, it can be selfless, it can blossom out of desire and it can even be fickle. Only one thing is certain, once love is in the air, it builds its own cocoon within the consciousness waiting to be explored. And on Winter Nights, we get a first-hand look into how Mo’ Love handles his ever-changing disposition. 

    Lately I’ve been f****d up, all these feelings got me worked up.

    In five swift songs we see the enchanted crooner jostle between lust, desire, commitment and emotional weariness. Beginning with the anthemic “Pgp,” where he wastes no time addressing the point of contention. The record opens with voicemails from various women looking to get in touch demanding that he call them back. Instead, he makes himself readily available to all, where his promiscuous flair is captured.

    She think I’m a player cause she like what I’m saying. I’m not into selling dreams, you should buy what you like. And if you don’t, you can return me after the night.

    Mo’ Love – Pgp

    While the project intros with an emotional free-for-all, the more tightly wounded “The Same” is the inverse of its predecessor. With his distinct singing voice and sultry delivery, the r&b singer confronts the feelings of complacency that comes from a long-standing relationship. From fighting about the same things, noticing changes in a partner’s feelings and behavior, while dealing the subsequent yearn for the person responsible for your pain.

    Comparatively, “Slow Dance” is next on the queue and sees the South Bronx native do a complete 180. While “The Same” left him picking up the pieces of his dissolved relationship, on “Slow Dance” he goes from prey to vulture, picking at the remains of a woman’s freshly severed union as he looks to seduce her. As the third of five records on the project, the song placement seems to be indicatory of the middle ground between committed and spending time, as he lulls,

    flowing through the vibes, I can it in your eyes, Oh I love.

    – Mo’ love, Slow Dance

    Mo’ Love shows his talents for performative arts with his thespian-like display of character arc, going from player, to sucker and back to the life of easy virtue in just three songs.

    Won’t you slow dance for a n****a yea, if you want these bands from a n***a yea.

    We keep fighting about the same thing, I need some space so I could maintain Since you left, I haven’t been the same. 

    – Mo’ Love, The Same

    Winter Nights follows this ebb-and-flow throughout all five records, where each mirrors its predecessor and vice versa. It’s a Ying and Yang of commitment versus freedom and promiscuity, with an intermission to ponder giving up both on “F****d Up Anthem.”

    Who doesn’t want to be in a nice healthy relationship? But then, also I like my peace. I’m on a journey, I’m trying to get somewhere and there’s distractions. A lot of people are distractions more than help. Me knowing that, I definitely battle with being in relationships, wanting to take one serious. It takes a big, big person to make that leap and I battle with that all the time.

    – Mo’ Love

    It can be played frontward or backwards and the same message still echoes, combine that with the concise length of the EP and it is a reflection of the fleeting emotions that we share with one another.

    I’m losing myself. The only thing I want in this life is bad for my health.

    – Mo’ Love, Dirty Diana

    Such is the uncertainty that surrounds many modern-day relationships, with not only the number of options, but the availability of it all. Lust can turn to infatuation, which metamorphoses into commitment, yet can just as quickly transform into weariness.

    I deserve more than this, hurt on my mind so it’s hard to reminisce.

    I’m hoping they [fans] go through the rides of emotions that I felt when I made it and the attention that I put into it. I know I wanted people to dance to it, I know I wanted people to feel good to it, but also, I wanted people to understand that there’s always a message in everything that I’m saying. There’s a message in every song that I put out and that means the most to me.

    – Mo’ Love