NYS Music 2023

Category: Audio

  • Hearing Aide: Evil Sweet’s Pop-Rock EP “Queen Victoria” 

    New York-based alternative indie band Evil Sweet has just debuted their newest EP Queen Victoria, on April 28th. According to the band, the album evokes a different she of love at various stages in a relationship. 

    Evil Sweet is an up-and-coming pop-rock band based in Long Island founded by members Scotty O’Brien-Curcie and Zachary Castro. Thus, having achieved over 100K streams on the singles for the EP and playing legendary venues like The Bowery Electric. Their energy is familiar to indie artists like The Neighborhood, Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys. 

    Evil Sweet EP Releases Alternative Indie EP “Queen Victoria” 

    Zach is the guitarist and rapper for the group with Scotty on lead vocals, both having heavy roles in the songwriting. Evil Sweet blends multiple genres like rock, pop, blues, folk, and hip-hop. The two have been creating music together since their early high school years. 

    Evil Sweet EP Releases Alternative Indie EP “Queen Victoria” 

    When listening to the album, keep in mind that each song is supposed to represent a different stage of love in a relationship. Queen Victoria is a unique album for Evil Sweet to release, it has sweet and delicate songs like “Long Live The Queen,” where the lyrics are quite meaningful. Almost very similar to Panic! At The Dico’s 2008 release Pretty Odd.  

    The intro song “Something” also hits differently, having sounded straight out of an 80’s soundboard, flowy and bubbly. Songs like “Queen Victoria” and “Out of Nowhere” are energetic and high-strung, the vocalist reminiscent of The Kooks. “How To Love You” was a favorite on the album, having meaningful lyrics and an upbeat tempo.  

    Evil Sweet EP Releases Alternative Indie EP “Queen Victoria” 

    The band has also had an amazing start to 2023 with the two singles “Something” and “Out of Nowhere” achieving over 100,000 streams on Spotify being interviewed by underground indie-blog “Girl at the Rock Shows.” Evil Sweet prepare for the release of their debut EP Queen Victoria on April 28th. 

    To pre-save Queen Victoria, click the link here. 

    For more music by Evil Sweet, click the link here. 

  • Family Dinner Release Empowering Single “Revenge Dress” 

    Long Island’s Family Dinner have just served the release their newest single “Revenge Dress,” a empowering/spicy break-up track. The band has also announced a few shows with The Dirty Nil this July and will head out on a short run with Only Sibling this week. 

    “Revenge Dress” is a total breakup anthem and with lines like “This pretty face is gonna raise some hell tonight,” it’s hard not to get stuck in your head. The song rides from floaty to fierce, with chiming riffs and upbeat drums complementing Natalie O’Keeffe’s cool and collected vocals. Along with this release, the music video for the song encapsulates the mood of the lyrics. 

    Family Dinner Release Empowering Single "Revenge Dress" 

    Speaking on the song, Natalie expands by stating, “‘Revenge Dress’, put very simply is a breakup ‘fuck you’ song about realizing your worth and no longer letting yourself get taken for granted. The best revenge is success and nothing gets you over some loser more than looking good and raising hell with your friends.” 

    Family Dinner Release Empowering Single "Revenge Dress" 

    Formed in 2017, Family Dinner are friends first and a band second. Living just a few miles apart, the group formed naturally when drummer Nick Amalfitano was jamming out with guitarist Michael O’Keeffe as Natalie hummed melodies while making dinner, and thus the band name came to be.  

    The members of Family Dinner are almost as carefree as the beach town they reside in. The band has created a unique alternative rock sound that makes you want to dance, paired with lyrics that take a dark twist. 

    Rounded out by bassist Sam Weiss, Family Dinner began crafting songs, released a few singles, and started playing shows at DIY spots within the tight-knit Long Island music scene. In 2021 the band released the EP, You’re So Cool, four melodic tracks that pull from 90’s alternative rock and punk ethos.  

    Following the EP, the band knew they had something special on their hands and soon found themselves opening for acts like The Lemonheads, Grouplove, Bayside and Iron Chic. Entering the studio with Brett Romnes and Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife, I Am The Avalanche) last year, Family Dinner is currently putting the finishing touches on their debut full-length.   

    Tour Dates: 

    w/ Only Sibling 

    4/20 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Kingsland 

    4/21 – Westfield, MA @ Hutghi’s 

    4/22 – Providence, RI @ Alchemy 

    w/ The Dirty Nil 

    7/12 – Boston, MA @ Sonia 

    7/13 – Syracuse, NY @ Song and Dance 

    7/14 – Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room 

    Listen to “Revenge Dress” by clicking the link here. 

    For more on Family Dinner, click the link here. 

  • Citrus Maxima Releases Energetic Single “I Don’t Wanna Die” 

    Brooklyn-based alt-band Citrus Maxima has dived headfirst into the indie-rock genre with their newest release “I Don’t Wanna Die,” the first single from their upcoming record. With hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams and years of local gigging experience around New York, the band is looking forward to releasing their upcoming debut album this spring. 

    Citrus Maxima Releases Energetic Single “I Don’t Wanna Die” 

    The new single “I Don’t Wanna Die” is a song that cuts through the dirge of washed-out, lazy indie rock and instantly jolts the listener with its infectious chorus. The band captures this by combining wailing feedback, crunchy guitars, and driving drums with instantly catchy vocals and heartfelt melodies.  

    Citrus Maxima Releases Energetic Single “I Don’t Wanna Die” 

    Formed in Albany, but now based in Brooklyn, Citrus Maxima offers up a fresh take on indie rock, anchored by strong songwriting, raw energetic rhythms, and melodic guitars. Citrus Maxima was originally formed in 2014 with Shawn Majeed on drums and Lucas Rinaldi on guitar and vocals. The band added members Wyatt Kirschner on lead guitar in 2018, and Max Gucinski on bass and backup vocals in 2021. 

    Citrus Maxima has built up a strong online presence with a string of successful releases. In December 2020, the band released “1970”, their most played song with over 250k Spotify streams, and followed up with “Sprouts” a small collection of songs including “Seeds Don’t Bleed”, which incorporates a 90s alternative rock influence.  

    Their “live session” videos uploaded to YouTube further solidified their online buzz, as their cover of Pavement song “Harness Your Hopes” even grabbed the attention of Pavement member Bob Nastanovich, who praised the cover on social media. Devotees of the DIY ethos, all releases, social media growth, and touring was planned and executed by the band alone without the assistance of a label or management. 

    Listen to “I Don’t Wanna Die” by clicking the link here. 

    For more by Citrus Maxima, click the link here. 

  • Jim Cesare, North Side Sound, and Leyeux Featured on This Week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from, Jim Cesare, North Side Sound and Leyeux

    jim cesare

    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.

    Jim Cesare “Away We Go”

    North Side Sound “Take my Time”

    For fans of rock, indie, reggae, or funk, North Side Sound, a band out of Albany formed in 2020 and create genre bending music, releasing their EP Take My Time, January 2022.

    Leyeux “Tightrope”

    Leyeux (Jack Snyder) was born and raised in Central Vermont. He began drumming at the age of 8, and performed as a singer and guitarist in high school, playing drums in the school jazz band and other professional gigs. From 2013-2015 he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston and joined the a capella group Pitch Slapped, which competed and won the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella in the Spring of 2014.

  • Easy Star All-Stars Release New Bowie-Inspired LP “Ziggy Stardub”

    Renowned NYC-based reggae band Easy Star All-Stars have just released their new album Ziggy Stardub, a reggae reimagining of David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

    Their newest track “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide” features vocals by the iconic multi-award-winning musician, songwriter, and producer Macy Gray. Offering a fresh spin, the band has created a laid-back atmosphere within the song through a bounding drum beat and swaggering horns.  

    Easy Star All-Stars Release New Bowie-Inspired LP "Ziggy Stardub"

    Michael Goldwasser, producer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist of Easy Star says, “The main key was finding an emotive and groundbreaking vocalist, and we did just that with Macy Gray, who is truly inimitable in every song that she sings, including this one.” The track is paired with a stop motion video, taking viewers through the journey of two cats during an evening in a paper town. 

    After a run of sonically mesmerizing singles, the band releases their highly anticipated album Ziggy Stardub on the 21st.The project is a reggae reimagining of David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and features guest performances by Maxi Priest, Steel Pulse, Fishbone, Alex Lifeson (Rush), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), The Skints, Mortimer, The Expanders, Samory I, and many others.  

    Blending musical versatility, instrumental prowess, beautiful vocal harmonies, and a premier rhythm section, Easy Star All-Stars have established themselves as one of the top international reggae acts on the scene for over two decades. The band will also be performing at the Sea.Hear.Now music festival in New Jersey this September. 

    To watch the video for “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide,” click the link here. 

    To listen to Ziggy Stardub, click the link here. 

    For more by Easy Star All-Stars, click the link here. 

  • Sorry Mom Releases Punk-rock Single + Upcoming Album  

    NYC based band Sorry Mom has just liberated the punk-rock single “Shaving My Legs” in preparation for the release of their debut album babyface on May 12th. Following the album release, Sorry Mom will be hitting the road for a short northeast run that concludes with a set at Boston Calling Music Festival. 

    Sorry Mom Releases Punk-rock Single + Upcoming Album  

    Sorry Mom is an NYC-based femme punk band whose music chronicles queer experiences and suburban despair through a nostalgic punk sound. Their music boasts the lyrical playfulness of Green Day and blink-182, but sonically has a more hardcore edge. 

    Sorry Mom Releases Punk-rock Single + Upcoming Album  

    What began as a group of college friends playing music together quickly evolved into something bigger upon the release of Sorry Mom’s debut EP “Juno Goes to the Big House” in April 2021. As of July 2022, the band has garnered 10M+ streams across platforms and 50k+ followers across socials. In Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, Sorry Mom embarked on tours of the Northeast, playing 30 unique venues across the region. 

    The first single “Hiccup” shows the side of Sorry Mom that is incredibly hardcore punk. By using their artform to their advantage, they show how unique they are with powerful lyrics and punk melodies. Overall, “Hiccup” makes you want to jump straight into a mosh pit.  

    The second single “Shaving My Legs,” released on April 14th, provides a fast-paced intro to the overall album. While tackling feelings of being trapped, promising again and again to start making changes tomorrow, the band shows us that tomorrow never comes.  

    Sorry Mom is also going on tour for the release of babyface, stopping in Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus Bar. For more information and to purchase tickets, click the link here. 

    To listen to “Shaving My Legs,” click the link here. 

    To listen to “Hiccup,” click the link here. 

    For more by Sorry Mom, click the link here.

  • The Parlor Announce 4th Dream-Pop LP “You Are Love And I Am You” 

    Upstate NY’s The Parlor have just announced their newest LP You Are Love And I Am You, a psychedelic dream-pop record about ecstatic realizations associated with what some call the mystical experience, unitive consciousness, or loving presence.

    In celebration to the release on May 19th, they will also be hosting an album release show May 20th at Indian Ladder Cidery & Brewery’s Upper Biergarten. 

    You Are Love And I Am You is like a dream-pop relief compared to their more recent release in 2018 titled Kiku which chronicled the experience of grief and loss. It is meant to be listened to as an album, front to back. There were many that influenced the making of this album, such as The Mamas and the Papas, Tame Impala, Broadcast, Warpaint, Mazzy Star, George Harrison, Velvet Underground, Khruangbin, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Len, Cults, and Fleetwood Mac. 

    The Parlor Announce 4th Dream-Pop LP “You Are Love And I Am You” 

    As a neo-psychedelic dream-pop project made by husband and wife Eric Krans and Jen O’Connor, The Parlor was named after a room in the 19th century farmhouse where they live, farm, and create. The multi-instrumentalist, producer-composers express some of the most powerful aspects of the human experience. Immersive sound scaping and aural synesthetic composition is the vessel through which they share their existence. 

    The Parlor Announce 4th Dream-Pop LP “You Are Love And I Am You” 

    The song that has been released as a tease for the album, “Underneath the Universe,” is an absolute hit. It is very reminiscent of Tame Impala, with pretty indie visuals in the video to accommodate the dreamy-like melodies in the song itself.

    The Parlor Announce 4th Dream-Pop LP “You Are Love And I Am You” 

    The band stated, “Things got gloomy for us while touring on the Kiku record. Playing songs about trauma on a nightly basis, and the grueling nature of touring just sort of wore us down. (Jenn Pelly wrote an incredible piece for Pitchfork that relays a lot of what we experienced). Together these experiences ushered us deeper down a dark tapering claustrophobic tunnel with only a pinhole exit. We squeezed through somehow, thanks to meditative practice and sharing our deepest vulnerabilities with each other.”

    During the pandemic, additional darkness ensued, but there was only one way out and it was through. We found a deepened sense of presence that felt sacred. By accepting the seemingly unacceptable we were paradoxically filled with awe and wonder. Living was imbued again with light, love and gratitude. That’s the experience this album captures. Us finding ourselves again. The heart of this album is the enigmatic realization that we are and always have been the universe experiencing itself. We exist as manifestations of the universe just as everything else. And when we allow ourselves to be whole and unique, we express the universe in hi-fidelity authenticity. Something about holding that in imagination produces a sense of reverence and a desire to sing and share.

    “We got into Carl Jung, archetypal symbolism, alchemy, medieval Christian mysticism, Taoism, Sufism and found hundreds of esoteric philosophical characters that seem to be sharing similar mystical experiences of their own. This album is for them. Our new long dead friends. And everyone we ever met or wished upon. You shaped us. And to anyone out there who has had, or who hopes to have, a mystical experience in their lives that orients them toward abiding presence, awe and wonder, and gratitude for all existence. We celebrate you as us. Everything and nothing is one shining-forth ineffable non-dual eminence. Like dust in the light // Both the dark and bright.” 

    To pre-order You Are Love And I Am You, click the link here. 

    For more by The Parlor, click the link here. 

  • EQXposure Features Reese Fulmer, Modern Fools, and Northern Faces

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. 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 Reese Fulmer, Modern Fools, and Northern Faces.

    Modern Fools on EQXposure.

    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.

    Modern Fools– “Misery”

    Modern Fools don’t fall into just one genre, creating music that can be classified as country, folk, alternative, or even indie. Last year they released the track “Misery,” tune into EQXposure on Sunday to hear it.

    Reese Fulmer – “Leaving a Dream”

    Reese Fulmer and his Carriage House Band are quickly rising stars in the Capital Region. Fulmer is a bit of an old soul, and his music is reminiscent of Justin Townes Earle, Jeffrey Foucault, John Prine, and Iron & Wine. He will be performing at the Hollow in Albany on April 22, and tickets are on sale here.

    Northern Faces-“18”

    Northern Faces is a rock band formed in 2012 featuring Bryan Shortell and Marco Testa on vocals and guitars, and Matt Ippolito on bass. Their single “18” was released on March 17.

  • Olivia Reid Drops Introspective Single “Wounds (Healing)”  

    NYC indie-pop artist Olivia Reid is getting ready to release her newest single “Wounds (Healing)” on Friday, April 14th. The track is an introspective, ethereal reflection that sees the budding singer-songwriter questioning the layered, complex healing process. 

    Olivia Reid Drops Introspective Single "Wounds (Healing)"  

    Olivia Reid stated about the single, “I recognized how much I had to heal from, but simultaneously feared that truly healing it would leave an absence or a blankness in me. When I’m in fight or flight mode long enough, wounds in the form of anxiety or sadness can mistakenly feel like a crucial part of who I am. The wounds feel familiar, so starting the healing process made me feel so much weaker at first.”  

    Based in NYC, Olivia Reid’s production style blends indie acoustics with exploratory electronic pop soundscapes, landing listeners in a visceral sonic world. Reid’s interests are diversified, exploring areas such as screenwriting, neuroscience, digesting current events, advocating for nature. 

    Currently, Olivia is involved with Brian Eno’s charity EarthPercent, and listening to podcasts, she formerly hosted Spotify For Artists and Notable’s Song Start podcast where she interviewed artists like Sam Smith, Victoria Monet, Hayley Williams of Paramore.  

    As a self-proclaimed “chronic collaborator,” Reid has connected with audiences around the world via collaborations such as “Time is Mine” with Kidswaste, “What You Came Here For” with Jae Luna, and “Above the Clouds” with SŸDE.

    Olivia Reid Drops Introspective Single "Wounds (Healing)"  

    As stated in a previous article by NYS Music, Reid’s music serves as a self-reflection and dedication to her path to success, above all of the challenges. Olivia Reid’s debut EP Earth Water hit streaming platforms in 2021, with new songs on the way in 2023.  Fueled by deeply personal lyrics and boundary-pushing production, the new project conceptually details an artist’s slow descent into madness.  

    https://soundcloud.com/oliviareidmusic/02-wounds-healing/s-uLiqVENWlEY

    To listen to “Wounds (Healing)” click the link here and for more by Olivia Reid, click the link here. 

  • Fake Dad Releases 80’s New Wave Single “FASHION GIRL”

    NYC’s Alt-pop duo Fake Dad has released their newest single titled “Fashion Girl,” today, April 14th. The alt-pop duo is delivering their second project of 2023 that perfectly captures an electrifying, cathartic, throwback 90’s grunge sound that is a departure from their usual discography, demonstrating their versatility as both songwriters and performers. 

    Fake Dad Releases 80’s New Wave Single “FASHION GIRL”

    The single “FASHION GIRL” is angsty and nostalgic sounding, paying homage to groundbreaking throwback styles like 80’s new wave and 90’s female led riot grrrl punk. In the song, Fake Dad tells the story of a personal best friend breakup while offering commentary on a variety of topics like beauty standards, body and gender dysmorphia, daddy issues, insecurity, and female rage. 

    Fake Dad Releases 80’s New Wave Single “FASHION GIRL”

    At first glance, “FASHION GIRL” is a fun, energetic track that calls upon listeners to let-lose with contagiously danceable reverb-soaked Oberheim drum machine patterns, messy driving distorted guitar, heavy bass, and surf-rock style riffs. With a deeper look into the single, Fake Dad speaks to an untapped, silent pain that so many people carry around with them about constantly being made to feel like they will never look good enough, be pretty or hot in the right way, and the unacknowledged frustration, and rage, that they live in a world that assigns so much of their worth to people’s ability to live up to superficial ideals. 

    Fake Dad Releases 80’s New Wave Single “FASHION GIRL”

    Following recent releases “maybe next year” and “New Machines,” the duo delivers their second project of 202. They perfectly capture an electrifying, cathartic, throwback 90’s grunge sound that is a departure from their usual discography, demonstrating their versatility as both songwriters and performers.  

    18.jpg

    Birthed from Fake Dad’s deep dive into Russian Dark Wave (and post-punk bands) and a tragic falling out with a fashion major (childhood) best friend who hailed from a wealthy UES Manhattan type family, this song is about the insecurity and sadness hidden behind the eyes of so many of the people the fashion industry swallows up with the promise of beauty and power. It at once exalts, criticizes, and empathizes with them, aiming to hand the fashion girls back their power and grant them an opportunity to reconcile with the ephemeral love and power that masquerades as the ideal, golden shell of a life.  

    When listening to the single, fans can hear a reminiscent of 80s New Wave (New Order, Joy Division, The Cure, Talking Heads) for a non-male-led era. In other words, all the female-fronted, angsty energy of 90s riot grrrl/bikini kill punk along with its slightly more pop-leaning, bratty (yet still unequivocally angry) early 2000s sound reminiscent of bands like No Doubt, The Cardigans, Alanis Morissette, Paramore, and P!nk. 

    Fake Dad wants listeners to experience a sense of catharsis from this track, “whether it’s someone who dedicates their life to changing themselves into something that looks good enough, or someone who wishes they could opt out of the value system entirely, there is an anger that needs to be released.”

    “Fashion Girl” premiers on all platforms April 14th.

    For more music by Fake Dad, click the link here.