NYS Music 202​2

Tag: New Single

  • Brooklyn-based zannie Releases Hopeful ‘get that star’ Ahead of Debut Album

    Zannie Owens, a Brooklyn-based artist, has released their title track “get that star” ahead of their upcoming debut album, out Aug. 19 via Kill Rock Stars. Under the moniker, zannie, the artist has crafted a space-inspired single with a captivating music video to accompany it. 

    zannie crafted their new single based on the inspiration from the Voyager One Golden Record which Carl Sagan and Lynn Margulis sent into outer space in 1977. The Brooklyn singer-songwriter lyrically explores an alien who is trying to return home, and intertwines that story with a message of hope about human connection.

    With warm guitars, layered vocals, and whimsical instrumentation, “get that star” carries over hard-hitting but hopeful truths and lyrics of the human experience. zannie’s beginning vocals and dictation slowly draw you in before the melody takes off as the song builds. Despite being recorded in zannie’s bedroom, the video’s unique lighting effects, and focus on zannie, transform listeners into another space as they ponder over the song’s message.

    The single is just a glimpse at what may be to come off of zannie’s upcoming album, How Do I Get That Star. Written over the course of four years, zannie explores the unknown, the mystical, and more. During the process, they listened to artists such as Judee Still and Prince, and the album reflects some of those inspirations.

    If the single is any hint for what is to come on How Do I Get That Star, then listeners are in for some great new music to add to playlists on Aug. 19. To keep up with zannie as an artist, follow them on social media here. Listen to another single, “for a while,” off of the artist’s upcoming album, available below.

  • Soulful Ali McGuirk Announces Tour with 5 NY Dates

    Blues and soul singer Ali McGuirk has announced upcoming shows in promotion of her new album, Til It’s Gone, which is set for release on September 16 via Signature Sounds. The songwriter shared her single, “All Back,” on July 20 ahead of the album.

    McGuirk grew up outside of Boston before calling Burlington, Vermont, home. The singer-songwriter always knew she wanted to become an artist and her inspirations include Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, and Abbey Lincoln. McGuirk’s music has explored multiple genres, but the upcoming album leans into its blues foundation.

    Celebrated folk-blues songwriter Jonah Tolchin helped produce Til It’s Gone alongside McGuirk, allowing for emotional tracks, guitar interludes, and delicate moments in the album. “All Back,” the first single off of the record, is an easy groove. McGuirk wrote the track about the end of the pandemic, and the track combines a vintage sound and a recent event into one. 

    Surviving the pandemic as an artist required some faith and this song felt like a little prayer of hope and resilience … we are faced with pandemics, climate chaos, ever-deepening inequality, and so much ignorance, but we learned a lot in March 2020 about our ability to adapt and I need to believe that it’s going to be alright, but we’ve got to do something right now.

    – Ali McGuirk on “All Back”

    McGuirk recorded much of the upcoming record in Los Angeles and included collaborations with an impressive lineup of artists. Legendary guitarist Fred Tackett of Little Feat, organist Larry Goldings, singer Valerie Pinkston, percussionist Lenny Castro, and more helped finalize the complete sounds of the album.

    The nine-track album, with intimate introspections, and thoughts on oppression and justice, would not be the same without McGuirk’s signature, hypnotic vocals. Take a listen to the first track, “All Back,” and see the full list of tour dates for the upcoming record, below.

    Ali McGuirk On Tour:

    Sept. 16 – Nashville, TN – Five Spot (AMERICANAFEST)

    Sept. 17 – Easthampton, MA – Arcadia Music Festival

    Oct. 1 – Albany, NY – The Linda

    Oct. 2 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room

    Oct. 5 – Lancaster, PA – Tellus360

    Oct. 6 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House

    Oct. 7 – Somerville, MA – The Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville

    Oct. 8 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine

    Oct. 14 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Lounge

    Oct. 19 – Syracuse, NY – 443 Listening Room

    Oct. 22 – Rochester, NY – The Abilene

    Oct. 23 – Buffalo, NY – Sportsmen’s Tavern

    Oct. 29 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square

  • Upstate Shares New Single “Lovers & Friends”

    Hudson Valley-emerged band Upstate shared their new single “Lovers & Friends” after a time of profound exploration and self-discovery in the last few years. They are returning with tours in New York State in July, August and October.

    Upstate is a band guided by clear ambitions: to write honest songs, play rich music, and “leave it all” on the stage and in the studio. Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney lead as singers and guitarists, while Harry D’Agostino plays bass with percussionist/drummer Dylan Mckinstry. The band weaves traces of Americana, Jazz, Gospel, and R&B with their eyes towards music that tells the truth above all.

    Great changes happened to Upstate since the last new music in summer 2020. There’s been babies, marriages, engagements, relocations, new career paths, band members changed. Upstate has been writing and recording a fresh collection of songs and lately shared the first single, “Lovers & Friends”, a delicate yet soaring indie folk gem that explores the subtle intricacies of cherished relationships.

    Photography by Genesis Baez

    This is a tune that reflects on the different kinds of stakes wrapped up in our romances and intimate friendships, the ways that we know each other, and the ways that we don’t. The kind of honesty that can flourish in a genuine friendship, and the kinds of lies that romance often begets.

    Harry D’Agostino

    “Lovers & Friends” hints at Upstate’s creative rebirth which may arrive with their forthcoming album in Spring 2023. In the meantime, Upstate scheduled dates for tour in the remainder of this summer as followed with additional Autumn shows to be added shortly.

    Upstate Tour Dates

    7/16 – Sherman, NY – Heron Farm & Event Center
    7/29 – Cortland, NY – Main Street Music Series
    8/17 – Katonah, NY – Caramoor Center for Music & Arts
    10/15 – Geneva, NY – Smith Center for the Arts

  • Pop-punk Baby Got Back Talk Release Single and Video for “Model Minority”

    New York City-based pop-punk band Baby Got Back Talk debuted their latest single and music video for “Model Minority” off their upcoming Wiretap Records debut EP, Existential Shred, due out in September.

    The band was originally formed in 2017, consisting of G’Ra Asim (vocals/bass), Rhiana Hernandez (keyboard), and Jake Lazaroff (guitar/vocals).  After years of sharing bills with acts like Choked Up, Universe Ignore Her, and Gibbons, Wes Ruiz (drums) was eventually brought into the band’s fold.

    Baby Got Back Talk likens this new single to Keri Hilson’s “Pretty Girl Rock,” – where “Model Minority” is a rallying cry for queer people and people of color. The accompanying music video directed by Carla Troconis is a homage to My Chemical Romance’s “I’m Not Okay (I Promise) with a more modern twist. The band also teamed up with producer John Naclerio and Nada Recording Studios for their latest EP.

    We’re what punk looks like in the 2020s: driven by a DIY ethic, conversant with social issues–especially as they pertain to gender and race, enabled by inter-web, bankrolled by day jobs, powered by a rad like-minded community, resonant with the most venerable iterations of rock ‘n’ roll but firmly committed to injecting some new flavor into the mold.

    – Baby Got Back Talk

    Previously named one of AfroPunk’s Top 8 Punkest Bands on the Planet, some of the band’s performances include the AfroPunk Festival in 2019 and Punk Island the year before. Their full-length album, Genre Reveal Party, was mixed by Paul Leavitt who has worked with All Time Low, Senses Fail, and Yellowcard in the past.

    To keep up with the band, you can find them on socials @babygotbacktalk across platforms and at babygotbacktalk.com.

  • Marina Laurendi Releases Nostalgic New Single “Neighborhood Kids”

    Buffalo-based indie singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released her second single “Neighborhood Kids” of her Stay Mine EP releasing this August.

    Neighborhood Kids – Mariana Laurendi

    “Neighborhood Kids” is a sweet and summertime hometown ballad. It starts with simple acoustic guitar, piano and light synth until it culminates with the bluesy electric guitar solo ending. The folksy Americana vibe reminiscent of Brandi Carlile, melancholic indie pop evoking Lana Del Rey, and an edgier blues sound with notes of Gary Clark Jr. could be sensed from this song. The lyric video of “Neighborhood Kids” will be released on Monday, June 27th.

    Marina Laurendi is a unique singer-songwriter who fuses elements of cinematic pop, alternative rock, and singer-songwriter lyricism. She was also a theatre performer and moved to NYC shortly after college to perform Off-Broadway and around the East Coast. However, as she returned to her hometown of Buffalo during the pandemic, she explored her roots with the “everything happens for a reason” attitude. Her music is heavily influenced by the pulse of the city along with the quiet nostalgia of her roots

    I wrote “Neighborhood Kids” after coming back home after years of living away. Seeing and re-experiencing my hometown in the summertime as an adult hit me with a wave of nostalgia-driving down the neighborhood streets at sunset, reconnecting with people I hung out with in high school- all of it brought back this youthful sense of rebellion, curiosity, and a sense of suburban restlessness that summed up my entire youth pretty well.

    Marina Laurendi

    She sums it up perfectly at the end of the song when she croons, “Bittersweet baby, I got nothing to chase it. The music’s been here but we don’t wanna face it. Nothing feels different when I’m hanging with the neighborhood kids.”

    Marina will be performing this summer at Griffon Gastropub in Lewiston on July 9, and at Gallo Coal Fire Kitchin in Lewiston on August 7. For more info visit her webpage.

  • Back to Yours Release “MONSTER” Single

    NYC based indie sensations, Back to Yours, have released their highly anticipated single “MONSTER,” which came to Spotify on April 22nd. This is the first single off of their sophomore album, It’s Dangerous at Home, the band’s second full-length album which is scheduled for release this fall. Additionally, the band will be releasing two more singles coming this later this summer.

    “MONSTER” is a catchy headbanger, consisting of pop and hard rock influences. Because of it’s up-tempo pace, the song was written from the perspective of someone being chased by their sleep paralysis demon. By blending the unique euphonious music taste of each band member, Back to Yours produces warm, nostalgic, and accessible indie rock with a range of genre-spanning influences.

    Back to Yours Released MONSTER Single

    This upcoming a five-piece indie-rock group began playing together in the Spring of 2019, right when the pandemic started. Consisting of Aiden Jones (bass), Bryce Kassalow (vocals, guitar), Daniel Luttway (vocals, keys), Jiaan Mansuri (drums), and Tommy Levin (guitar). Originally meeting at Georgetown University sophomore year, the boys would go on to preform Beatles covers for their locals. This quickly turned into sold out performances all along the East Coast.

    Back to Yours Released MONSTER Single

    The boys ended up graduating remotely, and have managed to stay together to create, perform, and publish music regardless of the Covid pandemic. Despite all of the challenges they’ve overcome, Back to Yours will be having a big NYC show at the Bowery Ballroom on June 10th. You won’t want to miss the newer direction the band has taken in order to evolve with the constantly changing indie-alternative scene.

    For more information about Back to Yours and their upcoming shows, please visit the link here. 

    Their latest single “MONSTER” is available for download on Spotify, Bandcamp, and more. In check out this catchy headbanger, click the link here.

  • Rachel Bard Releases New Single “The Buildings Are Fake”

    NYC-based singer-songwriter Rachel Bard has released a new track, “The Buildings Are Fake,” her third song to be put on streaming services.

    Having written it in 2018 after visiting Los Angeles as a first year film student, the track “is a heartbreak song about the City of Angels.”

    A greyscale image of a television featuring on screen a vague image of a beach with a palm tree.
    Cover art for “The Buildings Are Fake.”

    Produced by Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey, the song takes a stripped down garage rock approach. Almost Pixies-like it sets a nice quiet-loud contrast between its imagery-driven verses and disillusioned, anthemic choruses as the track builds towards a loud finish.

    As for Bard’s vocal performance, comparisons that ring strongly include Nico and Dan Bejar of Destroyer. Her gloomy, vibrato-laden delivery faithfully match the song’s cynicism and rise to meet the track’s energy during louder moments.

    In “The Buildings Are Fake,” Bard is quite visual in how she delivers her ideas. During the verses she muses about pushing “through crowds of teardrops and sunscreen” and “watching the stars all over the floor,” picturesquely reflecting the excited curiosity of a young film student.

    It’s all for nought however. “The buildings are fake, and so is your job,” Bard shouts on the hook, comparing the glamorous facade of Los Angeles and the artificial nature of movie sets to that of a dishonest romantic partner, enforcing the track’s general sense of disappointment.

    While Rachel Bard doesn’t stray from being artsy and metaphorical in “The Buildings Are Fake,” its message never fails to be clear. This air of let down and heartbreak is conveyed in full articulation over a solid slacker-rock backdrop, making for a fine new addition to Rachel Bard’s resume.

  • Marina Laurendi Romances On New Single “Gramercy”

    New York City-based singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi has released a new single “Gramercy.”

    A lush five-minute track, it’s the lead single for her debut EP Stay Mine coming this Friday, which will be accompanied by the release of a music video for the song.

    Encloaked in purple lighting, Marina Laurendi sings at The Bitter End in NYC.
    Marina Laurendi performing at The Bitter End in Manhattan. (Photo found on website)

    On “Gramercy,” Laurendi croons about an impassioned romance using New York City imagery. Taking an approach reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, a former Lake Placid native, she muses about kissing on the L Train and compares the euphoria of her bout of love to the heights of skyscrapers.

    Laurendi always returns to the song’s guiding analogy: the connection between her relationship’s vulnerability and the secrecy of Manhattan’s Gramercy Park. “You got the key to me, treat me like I’m Gramercy,” she sings on the infectious hook.

    Her lyrics paint a genuine and intimate picture, and Laurendi’s shaky vocals which never stray from technical peerlessness convey her ideas perfectly.

    The same can be said about the song’s musical arrangement which only moves her message forward. The track’s instrumentation varies across its runtime, featuring light chords on acoustic guitar and bright licks on electric, rich keys, pulsating violins, and a noisy organ in the song’s final seconds. “Gramercy” never overplays itself with all these components however, swelling and falling throughout its pop-oriented song structure in a way that stays true to Laurendi’s sentimental subject matter.

    No piece of “Gramercy” goes to waste, as Laurendi’s knowledge of her hometown and endearing vocals over a well-crafted musical backdrop contribute to a captivating love song and worthy lead single.

  • Monotronic Release New Single “In Between”

    New York band Monotronic release new single, “In Between”, on May 27. Monotronic is the brainchild of musician/producer Ramsey Elkholy. “In Between” was recorded in Costa Rica during the pandemic.

    Monotronic

    Monotronic defines itself as not just a band but “a music collective that defies genre”. Their punchy brand of electronic music features bouncy synths, energetic vocals, and approachable lyrics.

    “My friend Dan Freeman has a studio in Nosara, which is on the coast and surrounded by lush jungles,” Elkholy explained. “It’s kind of a hippy place, lots of yoga going on, organic food, ayahuasca retreats. Very simple location, close to nature, which inspired a lot of creativity.

    When Elkholy returned to New York he began working on the lyrics. Once they were complete he collaborated with vocalist Russell Graham to record the vocals for the track. Elkholy, Freeman, and engineer Killian Cruiser played and recorded all the instrumental parts on the track, which Cruiser mixed and produced.

    Monotronic released its debut album in 2019, which it then followed up with the notable singles “Kids of Summer” and “Buy Yourself a Dream”. Both of which debuted at #1 on VEVO’s Incoming Indie playlist.

    There are currently plans for an upcoming music video for “In Between”.

  • Bryan Carter Releases Heartfelt New Single “Making Love”

    NYC-based drummer, vocalist, and bandleader Bryan Carter just released his newest single “Making Love” on Friday, April 29th. The single is from his upcoming album I Believe, which comes out June 3rd via La Reserve. 

    Bryan Carter Releases New Single "Making Love"
    Photo Credit: Colton Williams

    “There’s more to love, I know, than making love,” Carter continues, reciting the lyric. “It’s more than just the hookup. How do I have a normal socialized relationship with this person? How do I learn to hold their hand at dinner in the park? Can I kiss them in the park? Is that okay? Is someone going to say something? I think that’s what that song is about.” 

    In addition to his career as a solo artist, Bryan is active as a performer, composer, arranger and music director in the world of film/television. He is currently working with pop icons like Nick Jonas, Steve Martin, Jimmy Fallon and more. Likewise, he is working on series like Live with Kelly and Ryan, HBO Music Box, and Sesame Street.

    The upcoming album I Believe takes listeners on a journey of love and self-acceptance featuring a kaleidoscopic track list. “Black American music through the lens of a jazz musician,” as Carter describes it. With “Making Love,” Carter captures a deep sense of vulnerability, both exhilarating and frightening in new love. “I’m embarrassed to hold your hand, I feel uncomfortable,” Carter says, expounding on the song’s message.

    It’s a coming out story, it’s a coming of age story. It’s along the same lines as mine. But mine is a lot more messy, and it’s hard to weave into a narrative. Those coming out videos on YouTube ten years ago, they were really helpful for me. When you actually speak to those people, you just realize that this shit is not that organized. ‘I realize I wanted to come out, then I came out, then everything was better.’ That’s a nice thing to say, but that’s not how this stuff works. The honest to God truth is when you come out, you come out every day. Every time you meet someone new, it’s like you have to come out again. That’s what coming out really is.”

    Bryan Carter

    Listen to “Making Love” below.