Bad Mary, New York punk veterans and tight knit family band composed of lead singer Amanda Mac, her husband, father and professor, released a video EP for their A Very Bad Christmas — three punk rock takes on classic Christmas songs. Their covers of “Silent Night,” “Angels We Have Heard High” and “Little Drummer Boy” juxtapose Blondie, Joan Jett-esque vocals against traditional medieval illustrations in the three-part video EP. The EP will release on all streaming platforms December 6.
The band has animated medieval paintings of Mary and Jesus, children’s choirs, angels and little animals in little two-dimensional movements so they mouth the lyrics and move their hands to the beats of each song. The short videos are so well executed because the aesthetics are consistent through all the songs, and though it might be sacrilege, it’s undeniably funny to hear pop punk renditions of “Silent Night” come from little baby Jesus’ mouth.
In “Angels We Have Heard On High,” an angel with the voice of Amanda Mac flies down onto the scene while singing to toga-clad farmers, as goats and puppies hop around, like paper dolls. The angel’s halo spins and the hooves of the goats are heard in the background, overlaid onto the song.
“Silent Night” has Mary holding baby Jesus, and lovingly rocks him to sleep with a screaming rendition of the Christmas classic. Halfway through, Joseph and Mary suddenly acquire a pair of sick shades and baby Jesus starts to go absolutely crazy on the electric guitar, all while enveloped by a heavenly light. The children’s choir joins in with an occasional “Woo” and “Yeah!”
The band, Mike Staub on bass, Bill Mac on Drums and David Henderson on guitar, specializes in using music as a force to find humor in the mundanity of life. Where Christmas songs could be called repetitive and boring, either overtly religious or overtly ambivalent, Bad Mary confronts the silliness of Christmas time, and has fun with its traditions. The medieval scenes portrayed are full of frollicking creatures, chaotic dancing and a love of music. The accompanying EP will be released on all platforms December 6, pre-save here.
Whether you have spent the last week cheering on Morocco, Brazil or Argentina, Enisa caters to all World Cup fans in her latest single “Olè.” In the music video — which has already accrued over 20,000 views — Enisa dons the colors of three different teams, looking past rivalries in an ode to the camaraderie of the World Cup.
Enisa is a first generation American born and raised in Brooklyn. Her roots in NYC go deep, she attended Brooklyn College, where she honed in her sound: a beautiful combination of contemporary European and American pop, with some Balkan quirks. Her global approach to music in general is on display more illustratively than ever in “Olè,” which celebrates teams across continents and cultures.
Though “Olè” is an uplifting song, Enisa said she wrote it at a time when she was needing self-confidence and was looking for encouragement. When listening to lyrics, the song would be empowering to both the average person and a world-class soccer player, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders while lining up for a penalty kick. The song inspires coalition and support, a relief from the pressures of life in the city.
“I wrote this song with the World Cup in mind as well,” Enisa said. “When I closed my eyes, I pictured people all around the world singing the chorus and shouting ‘Olè’.”
This single closes out an exciting and productive year for Enisa, who released her first seven song EP, Fake Love and three other singles in 2022. Listen to “Olè” here, and see the video before.
The Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill is a big stage to fill for anyone. Over the decades, the historic theater has been graced by the music greats the likes of B.B. King, Toto and Patti LaBelle, as well as high-profile comedians such as Tracy Morgan and Sinbad. However on this particular night, the stage was shared not by star-studded celebrities but instead by four Westchester and NYC based bands, Platinum Moon, No Grudges, Lovehoney and The Bluechips.
Paulie Beladino guitarist and singer of The Bluechips, performing at the Paramount in 2019
The event, advertised simply as a “rock n’ roll show” was a definitive, but not unwelcome departure from the Paramount’s usual lineup. For local bands struggling to make it on the scene, this was a unique opportunity to transcend from dive bars to the big stage. For audience members, this was a chance to experience their favorite local bands in a new light or to discover brand new artists for themselves.
The show was put together by River Towns Music Group, a local music production and event company who has taken the live music scene by the storm over the past few years, hosting widely popular battle of the bands competitions as well as previous shows at the paramount.
First up was Platinum Moon, featuring vocalist Ava Anduze (21), lead guitarist Anton Klettner (19), keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Joseph Klettner (17), drummer Ethan Grosman (20) and bassist Toby Dorfman (18). The young band earned their spot on the Paramount stage by winning River Towns Music Group’s Battle of the Bands completion in the fall. Composed of members from Mt. Kiscoo, Lewisboro, Chappaqua and Putnam Valley, the group has played all throughout Westchester and built up an impressive resume opening for the band X Ambassadors at the Pleasantville Music Festival this summer and winning various other music competitions across the tri state.
Platinum Moon featuring Ava Anduze, Anton Klettner,Joseph Klettner, Ethan Grosman and Toby Dorfman
Platinum Moon came out with something to prove, jumping around stage amidst a flurry of power chords as they launched into their first song “Into A Minefield.” Anduze demanded the audience’s attention with growling vocals worthy of Axl Rose and a fiery swagger as she moved across the stage. The next number “Hey Beautiful,”- the band’s most popular song with over 100,000 streams on Spotify – showcased every member with a mix of funky bass solos, bright keys and searing guitar licks.
The young guns closed out the set with their newest single Lockdown NRG, a Black Keys-esque song with pounding kick drum, grungy guitars and a punchy chorus. Overall, the band brought an abundance of energy to the stage with incredible synchronicity rivaling that of veteran rock bands.
No Grudges featuring Crystalla Gonzalez and Gabriel Castellar
No Grudges, was next, a funk/punk duo influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Iggy Pop. The band brought maturity in sound and vocals to the stage, further rounded out by the addition of bass and drums. Frontwoman Crystalla Gonzalez dominated with charismatic vocal runs and a dramatic flair reminiscent of Amy Winehouse, while guitarist Gabriel Castellar echoed her vocals with wah-induced solos and screaming bends. The two had undeniable chemistry having performed together for over 10 years and having dated since high school. This connection was further highlighted with a vocal duet of their song “Put It Together,” that navigated funky guitar chords in the verse and a more metal hook in the chorus. The band’s cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Foxy Lady was another crowd pleaser that highlighted Gonzalez dynamic personality and raspy vocals along with Castellar’s distorted guitar solos..
Lovehoney, was the first of the two main acts composed of Aly Quinones on vocals, Tommy White on guitar, Tom Gelhaus on drums and Meghan Rose on bass. The band clearly took influences from 60’s psychedelic rock and blues. White’s guitar solos were reminiscent of a man possessed with face-melting distorted solos a la Hendrix. Meanwhile, Quinones kept the audience entertained with playful banter and strong, diverse vocals capable of smooth and soulful melodies as well as throaty growls.
Lovehoney featuring Aly Quinones, Tommy White, Tom Gelhaus and Meghan Rose (not pictured)
The band also stood out with its slower R&B and soul-inspired ballads like “Liquid,” which featured Quinones’ silky yet spicy vocals accented with splashy guitar, tight snare hits and smooth baselines. Still, the band could also pack a punch on songs like “Little Soldier” featuring a “voodoo child” style guitar intro and the catchy, “Feelin’ No Way” which recalled the likes of Black Sabbath’s Iron Man.
Still, If there was any doubt who the crowd was there to see, the Bluechips, dispelled all uncertainty. The Peekskill/HudsonValley based-band brought serious “hometown hero” energy to the show, with a devoted fan base that knew every word.
The Bluechips feautring Paulie “Pasta” Beladino, singer and drummer Jake Albi and bassist Tom Davis
Of all the bands on the bill, the Bluechips were the only ones to have rocked the Paramount previously, performing back in 2019. They’ve also performed at similar venues like Garcia’s at the Capitol Theater.
The trio, made up of singer and guitarist Paulie “Pasta” Beladino, singer and drummer Jake Albi and bassist Tom Davis, had a lush sound further filled out by two and sometimes three part vocal harmonies, highlighted on original tracks such as “Go Blind” and the fan favorite “San Diego” a catchy ballad with jazz, rock and pop influences melding into a infectious and playful chorus. In general, the band had the most memorable originals of the night, and the vocal interplay between Beladino’s high-pitched voice and Albi’s deeper, powerful vocals made for a refreshing combo.
The band also had some exciting covers like Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and their encore song, “Time” by Pink Floyd, fueled by vicious drum fills and guitar solos that cut like a knife. The band was also the only group that succeeded in rousing the audience from their seats, bringing nearly half the crowd to the front row, where fans moshed and chanted for the rest of the set, an impressive feat considering the typically reserved nature of the sit-down theater.
Altogether, it was an incredible night filled with diverse music, an extremely supportive audience and overwhelming talent. There’s also something to be said about the importance of highlighting local bands on a big stage such as the Paramount. The younger-than-average crowd for the venue goes to show how new bands can bring new fans to older venues in a mutually beneficial way. When all was said and done, the show lasted over 4 and a half hours, and for a ticket price of less than $20, it was well-worth the price of admission.
On Thursday, Live Nation announced the return of Lawn Pass, a service which guarantees customers special access to concerts at select venues across the country.
Services of the Lawn Pass include guaranteed general admission lawn seating all summer long for 30+ shows at specific venues such as the SPAC for $199 in addition to a fee. General sale will begin online this Wednesday at 1 p.m., while previous Lawn Pass holders have had the chance to purchase again since Thursday.
Citi cardmembers will also have presale access from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday through the Citi Entertainment program.
After purchase, Lawn Pass holders will receive a custom personalized credential that will serve as their ticket on each show day. These credentials will be shipped directly to customers this upcoming Spring.
Full list of venues participating in the Live Nation Lawn Pass program:
· Ak-Chin Pavilion (Phoenix, AZ)
· Blossom Music Center (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)
· Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek (Raleigh, NC)
· Concord Pavilion (Concord, CA)
· Darien Lake Amphitheater (Darien Center, NY)
· Dos Equis Pavilion (Dallas, TX)
· Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Camden, NJ)
· Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Tinley Park (Tinley Park, IL)
· Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
· Isleta Amphitheater (Albuquerque, NM)
· iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre (West Palm Beach, FL)
· Jiffy Lube Live (Bristow, VA)
· Lakewood Amphitheatre (Atlanta, GA)
· MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre (Tampa, FL)
· North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (Chula Vista, CA)
· PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel, NJ)
· PNC Music Pavilion (Charlotte, NC)
· Ruoff Music Center (Noblesville, IN)
· RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater (Ridgefield, WA)
· Saratoga Performing Arts Center (Saratoga Springs, NY)
· Shoreline Amphitheatre (Mountain View, CA)
· St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview (Syracuse, NY)
· The Pavilion at Star Lake (Burgettstown, PA)
· Toyota Amphitheatre (Wheatland, CA)
· USANA Amphitheatre (West Valley City, UT)
· Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach, VA)
Lovejoy made a stop on Wednesday on December 7th at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. Selling out every one of their shows within minutes of announcing their US tour, the upbeat indie-rock band put on an amazing performance, full of jumping, head-banging, and enthusiastic crowd interaction. The UK-based band played various songs from their first EP Are You Alright, and their latest release, Pebble Brain.
Lead singer Wilbur Soot and bassist Ash Kabosu
Lovejoy, consisting of lead singer Will Gold—better known by his Youtube name, Wilbur Soot—guitarist Joe Goldsmith, bassist Ash Kabosu, and drummer Mark Boardman, played their second ever show in New York this past week. The band formed in 2020 when Wilbur Soot, with his already large fanbase of 6.35 million followers on Youtube and Twitch for video game streaming, uploaded his comedic yet catchy song, “Your New Boyfriend.” The song pushed Soot to pursue music on a more serious level. Already friends with guitarist Joe, Soot met bassist Ash Kabosu at a burger shop and drummer Mark Boardman through the freelance company Fiverr. After Soot and Goldsmith’s first day of recording music with their newly found instrumentalists, the four decided to form their band.
Lovejoy first entered the stage by pushing through the crowd, generating screams of excitement from the crazed fans, many of whom brought their parents with them to the packed venue. Given that Lovejoy had only four scheduled tour dates in the US, many dedicated followers traveled hours from far away states like Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and even Florida to see their favorite band play.
A teenager from the crowd handed guitarist Joe Goldsmith a black-and-white striped beanie, which he wore during the entire show. Prior to playing their song “Model Buses,” the crowd collectively booed Boris Johnson and sang along to lyrics like “We can barely see your hair receding..” and “Sound as good with slurred speech as I do when I’m sober…” After facing some technical difficulties during their performance of “Concrete,” the band replayed the song with the whole crowd screaming the lyrics and jumping eagerly to the beat.
Before their encore, the band members pretended to leave the stage and re-enter from behind the curtains, prompting the crowd to scream in excitement once again. Lovejoy is continuing their US tour with two last shows in California on December 9th and December 11th.
Setlist: Tomorrow, You’ll Understand When You’re Older; Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?; Taunt, Consequences, Model Buses, Cause for Concern, The Fall, It’s Golden Hour Somewhere (unreleased), One Day, Sex Sells
Encore: Perfume, It’s All Futile! It’s All Pointless!, Concrete
Shot between January and November 1971, Neil Young’s docu-film Harvest Time is a cinema verité capture of Neil Young‘s most prolific era as a songwriter. Caught bounding between locations in the Bay Area, London, Nashville and New York, the film documents Young’s work on his most popular LP, Harvest. The celluloid finds the Young produced film in the midst of creative growth, coming to terms with his increasing popularity, and on the ceaseless search for inspired song.
Neil Young – Harvest Time poster
During the years 1971-1975 Young was composing music and developing creative ideas at a furious rate. Recent years have been a goldmine for Young and his fans as the homegrown Neil Young Archive platform has released films, demos, unreleased albums, and a plethora of ephemera from this era and more, all hailing from Young’s substantial archival collections.
The Harvest Time film played in theaters for limited engagements and is included in Young’s 50th anniversary deluxe edition box set documenting the Harvest record. The film in turn procures a collection of intimate moments and diverse locations during the development of the record. While sometimes rambling, a bit shaky, and always stoned, the cut of the film reflects the intent of its producer and originator.
Convivial recording sessions in Young’s legendary barn highlight the early segments of film. Nashville musicians Ben Keith, Tim Drummond and Kenny Buttery were invited to Young’s rustic compound after a timely meeting the previous year. Christened by Young as the “Stray Gators,” their early sympatico is evident in the existing footage. For Young’s hardcore Rusties, the film is a revelation, once mythical happenings have now been reanimated with an inspired soundtrack.
Young’s long time manager Elliot Roberts is often found running through frames, while keeping things in line. Young’s friend and arranger Jack Nitzsche is also a collaborator lending piano, slide guitar and an attentive directive to the proceedings.
Extraordinary footage shot just over the tops of the piano keys finds Young with his famed Gretsch White Falcon guitar directing the stony groove of the group with lidded eyes and a genuine smile. Surrounded by antique farm implements, hay bales, farm dogs, a mess of gear and lots of marijuana, Young and his new bandmates get down to business in the pastoral air of Young’s Broken Arrow Ranch.
The film follows a loose narrative as the album is developed between varying locals and times. In Neil’s barn, “Alabama ” and “Words (Between the Lines of Age)” are volleyed about through extended and patient jamming. The camera captures Young’s textural work with feedback and detailed vibrato on his Bigsby, as he attempts to shade the arrangement. The band cooks the basic stock of the soup before additional ingredients are added.
The Nashville rhythm section of Buttrey and Drummond are a latch board on the barn door, keeping things in the stall and the arrangements orderly. Ben Keith, who would remain one of Young’s best friends following the sessions, spreads butter on the toast with slick tasteful steel. Young often sits back on a bail with curt melodic statements and dynamic chording while letting Keith’s strings sing. The ambiance of which songs recorded at the ranch can be easily discerned on the official record after watching the film by recognising their hearty resonance.
The Wally Heider remote recording truck sits outside of the barn so the Stray Gators and Young can listen to their work. As the band and crew gather, the cameraman captures Neil walking across the field away from the barn. He catches up with Young, finding him lounging on the ground with a Coors and a joint. An extraordinary interaction takes place in the scene with Young documented musing about his creative exploits and ultimate goals.
“Are you happy with this one?” Young is asked by the filmmaker. “No,” Young answers, smiling. “It’s nice, though. I don’t know what I want. I don’t know till I hear it. I just don’t know.”
Young muses as his work is reflected back at him by the surrounding green hills. The glimpse of the artist in his own natural environment cultivating his creativity is an essential moment in the film.
Following the basic tracking taking place at the barn the film jumps from country to city to the vocal overdub sessions with two of Young’s bandmates from Crosby, Stills and Nash and Young. Stephen Stills and David Crosby gather around a microphone at Wally Heider’s lending their vocal acumen to a barn recorded version of “Alabama”. The film offers priceless insight into the volatile brotherhood between the Crosby, Stills and Nash team and the inspiration is ripe as the triad gather around the studio piano to work out harmony notes.
After work on “Words (Between the Lines of Age)” Graham Nash adds vocals at a session in New York. A tremendously entertaining segment between friends and an insider view of their harmonies in production.
The Young team is transplanted to England for a session with the London Symphony Orchestra. The contrast between the talented but stuffy and all male LSO and the rich hippy aesthetic of Young and his pals is fascinating. The segment illustrates the orchestra’s attempts at following Young’s music and how his ultimate vision comes to fruition. Both “A Man Needs a Maid” and “There’s a World” are fully formed, with nary a detail missed by Young. Midway through this essential sequence, Young debut’s a lacy fragment of “Harvest” on acoustic guitar in the canteen between takes.
Toward the conclusion of the narrative Young and the Stray Gators find themselves in a cramped studio in Nashville during a heated groove. After enjoying a unique improv segment the viewer is moved to the control room as tape is being spooled and final mixing of the record is about to take place. A high powered cannabis contraption is procured by Tim Drummond for the band and crew and a joyous listening session for Young’s developing LP is captured for eternity.
We are then placed in front of the DJ desk as Young sits in on a local Nashville radio show. Young is asked by the DJ Scott Shannon the intent behind the film crew and if the result will ever end up in the theaters. Neil replies, “Maybe pretty soon.” Similarly, to many of Young’s inspired projects, he is confident that it will come to fruition, just not sure when or how.
In one of the final more surreal clips, Young and his entourage run into Gil Gilliam, a 12-year-old Nashville personality who is seen at the station. The interview between Young and the excitable star is natural, different, and highlighted with young Gilliam asking the tough questions. The honesty in their interaction lends the movie a poignancy that hadn’t occurred in it up to that point.
While some may find the documentation of recording sessions and other musical minutiae tedious, for the Neil Young fan and music lover Harvest Time allows a deeper understanding of the creative artist at work. Young’s obvious perfectionism, varying approaches, as well as his collaborators illustrates his endless quest to find inspiration by following any and all paths. Harvest Time is truly a must see music documentary.
Similarly, to Peter Jackson’s on screen portrayal of the Beatles during their famed 1969 sessions in the Get Back documentary, the mundane becomes revelatory. Relationship dynamics and creative emotions are laid bare. Filmed snippets of song, musical connections, and captured clandestine comments not only help us to better understand the artist, but get closer to the heart of the music.
Crane School of Music graduate Josh Barkley will host a unique tour of North Country churches, performing organ and piano music at each stop this December. The tour is free to the public, and even with stops at these historic churches, the performances will not include a religious service.
A multi-instrumentalist, Josh Barkley has played the accordion for his high school production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” the saxophone in his high school marching band, electric bass in a local country music group, and the organ at church on Sunday. This man of many talents is best known as a jazz pianist who plays the piano on the fly, improvising music more than sticking strictly to sheet music.
Barkley, an SLC Arts musician, will begin the holiday music tour featuring organ and piano on December 11, with each performance beginning at 6:00PM and taking place at a different church in St. Lawrence County, with the final concert on December 22nd at SUNY Potsdam’s Hosmer Hall.
This week’s episode of Saturday Night Livefeatures SNL veterans Steve Martin and Martin Short co-hosting, with musical guest, singer-songwriter, Brandi Carlile.
The cold open features Kenan Thompson, Cecily Strong, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang, and Sarah Sherman sharing how they keep their cool during the holiday season. They sing a jingle about current events happening in the world, including Elon Musk buying Twitter, Kanye West’s antisemitic comments, and the unexpected album drop from convicted pedophile R. Kelly.
The monologue sawMartin Short and Steve Martin talking about how many times they have hosted in a montage video, with Martin hosting an incredible 16 times, and Short comically having hosted only three times, including this evening. They joked about how nostalgic it felt to be back and meet the new cast. Martin and Short are celebrating the third season of their Hulu show Only Murders in the Building as well. The two also jokingly read about what each other’s eulogies would be. Selena Gomez made a guest appearance at the end of the monologue.
The first sketch features Short and Martin premiering on a spin-off of a scientific PBS Kids TV show. The two use cast members Cecily Strong and Mikey Day as kids helping out in demonstrating different scientific scenarios, but they are comically unhelpful and make obscene jokes. Both Martin and Short become increasingly frustrated at the kids, and the segment cuts out.
The next sketch features the SNL writing room. They are making fun of a cast member’s ex and saying she smelled bad, and more. The funny joke is that they got back together, and she was in the room, with the family members seeing them talking badly about the ex. Martin and Short show up, and as the two cast members try to get themselves out of it, it keeps progressing.
Another holiday-themed sketch follows, taking place on a train ride. Martin Short and Steve Martin, along with Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson are sitting in a booth together. They break out into a song and dance about snow, wanting to see it and be in it, having not experienced it before. The sketch takes a turn, where Strong, Martin, and Short turn into bears, hibernating through the snow.
The next sketch features Martin as Santa and Short as an elf named Sprinkles. He is short-tempered and yells at each child as they try to tell Santa what they want. Following is a sketch about A Christmas Carol, with Short being The Scrooge. He comically blinds an orphan trying to give him money. Martin, being the Spirit or Christmas Present, also blinds people when throwing coins, even accidentally stabbing someone.
Brandi Carlile recently released a deluxe record titled In The Canyon Haze. This isn’t Carlile’s first time performing on SNL, having been featured as a guest earlier in the year. She will be opening for P!nk at Citi Field on Aug. 3, and tickets are on sale here. She carried a lot of energy in her performance of her song “The Story” dressed in a festive suit. Her unique and powerful vocals shine as she smiles at the audience several times.
https://youtu.be/CpNqR-ff_TQ
Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che talked about the political race, including Herschel Walker losing the election, with the audience clapping. They made a lot of jokes about Brittney Griner being released from prison as well as talking about the World Cup finals.
The next sketch features Short as Minky Carmichael on a show, teaching women how to treat their men. It gets funny as Cecily Strong makes fun of him, and humiliates him on the show. Brandi Carlile came back out, in a different black and blue outfit. She is singing a much chiller song, “You and Me on the Rock ft. Lucius” with the same powerful and beautiful vocals.
https://youtu.be/-sEbBaXMImY
The final sketch is a Father of the Bride spinoff, featuring Martin and Heidi Gardner as his daughter, celebrating her eighth wedding, with Short being a wedding planner. Kieran Culkin makes a guest appearance, as he was in the original movie along with Martin and Short. Selena Gomez also makes an appearance as the wedding singer.
Next week’s Saturday Night Live show features Austin Butler hosting, with musical guest Lizzo.
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.
Sydney Worthley –“How Soon Is Now”
Sydney Worthley is an alternative artist from Albany. In 2017, she released her debut 14-track album titled Strong, followed by performances at Mountain Jam Music Festival, First Night Saratoga, and all over the Capital Region. In 2019, she became an independent artist at the age of 17. Her newest track “How Soon Is Now” is a glittery pop single that will be played on EQXposure.
ShortWave RadioBand – “So long the Hopeful”
ShortWave RadioBand resides in Schuylerville. Starting out as a semi-acoustic duo in late 2019, Lonny Eaton and Andy Scullin performed cover songs for a little more than a year before meeting drummer John Woods. They started writing their own songs at the end of Summer 2021 and then added Abby Stone on trumpet and Ryan Shaw on guitar.
Rhoseway – “Country Sunrise”
Rhoseway is the solo project of Albany-based songwriter Rob Fleming. All writing, arrangements, performances, and production are done by himself in a DIY fashion.
On November 18, Rochester recording artist Ryan Sutherland released his third album, Sutherland II. In the album art, by illustrator Sabrina Cintron, neon green smoke curls around a pumpkin-headed scarecrow. Set against “crimson skies” emanating out of a huge, looming full moon with black cats hanging around its crescent, you gain the perfect visual of Upstate New York, taken as the days get cold, the season of the witch, after the harvest.
Halloween’s spirits and spooks still hang in the air like old smoke as winter dramatically conquers fall; decreeing daylight cut-backs and strict sunlight curfews. While winter reigns, cold seeps through cracks in the once-grand, now dilapidated houses that line neighborhoods, the kind college students crowd into. Meanwhile, everyone dons kingly robes: trailing coats, vintage furs, cashmere socks, grandmother’s knits. Everyone’s digging things up, remembering, forgetting. Everyone’s just trying to get through another Upstate winter.
Through love affairs, drinks with the boys and a trip to the psych ward, Sutherland II documents how Sutherland himself gets through these days — with graceful vulnerability and powerful guitar chops. It nails down acutely the beautiful sadness of winter, its forced periods of intense introspection, its loneliness and its frustration. Sutherland validates all those emotions through shared experience and earnest vocals.
The sharp wind of winters can pull tears out the eye unwittingly, can flush cheeks artificially; the early sunsets can warp time — 6 p.m. starts to feel like midnight. Everything is not as it seems, but in the frigid sunlight you can see your own air when you breathe, it reminds you you’re alive, it reminds you where you are. “Take a deep breath / it’s the only thing that’s real,” Sutherland sings on “Breathe.”
Sutherland II is comprised of 11 tracks of psychedelic rock n’ roll. Sutherland is on guitar, vocals and bass, Alex Cote is on drums, and local legend Ben Morey played organ on “Breathe,” in addition to engineering and recording the album at his Submarine Sound Studios in Rochester. Ryan Sutherland notes his references as the likes of Kurt Vile, Bob Dylan and Sturgil Simpson, but there’s also a bit of Billy Bragg in his tone and chord progressions.
The album is perfect to listen to when walking through snowy streets at night, when they haven’t been plowed just yet, when the snow just fell, blanketing everything in eerie silence, stillness. You can listen through earbuds tucked into puffer jackets and hats and scarves, cold beer in a cold hand, frozen finger flicking a lighter, cracked knuckles, chapped lips. When it’s so quiet, too quiet, and you think you might go crazy, listen to track six, “Psych Ward Blues.” Sutherland shouts out the local Rochester staple: Strong Memorial Hospital, and bluntly recounts checking himself in, with smart timing and easy humor.
Driving Upstate in this season is surreal as well — all black trees, white lakes and red barnes. It’s depressing, but the depression of Upstate winters twists itself in the minds of those of us who have been here for the long haul, and it turns into a sense of pride, a game of “how much of this can I take?” “Everybody wants to leave Upstate NY,” Sutherland sings on “Everyone’s Leaving (Upstate NY)” Even Sutherland wants to leave sometimes, when the cold is bitter, when his boss calls him into his office, when the economies bad and he can’t save a dime. Still, Ryan Sutherland doesn’t leave, a mysterious force exists, holding him here, the beauty in the sadness: “I got a feeling this city needs me / or I need it / desperately.”
