Rochester reggae outfit Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS) have announced the release of their latest single “Revolution.” The powerful track features Josh Swain and was co-produced with Italian-born international reggae icon, Alborosie.
Beginning April 7, fans can enjoy “Revolution” amongst other songs on the band’s upcoming album, Love In Time.
The essence of the collaboration was indisputably present throughout the creation of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad’s news album. The consultation between the band and Alborosie helped shape “Revolution” into a song that can only be created by complete openness and trust in the process.
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad took a contrasting approach with the writing and recording process of the new album compared to previous tracks. Since the band was facing a potential six-month separation at the start of 2020, they rushed into the studio to record as many tracks as possible. Recording with longtime friend Matthew Goodwin, the reggae ensemble developed over 25 song ideas and riddims within a week. Various tracks were sent to musicians, engineers and producers such as the production trio Zion I Kings, Akae Beka, Midnite, Lutan Fyah, Alborosie, and Danny Kalb.
Originally GPGDS planned three different releases, but the diversity of the songs and production styles all complemented each other in ways the band had not expected. Working with Danny Kalb on the “Steady” single in 2014 was the first time GPGDS collaborated with an outsider and the results were so powerful that they strived for a similar sound for their new album. Additionally, working with featured guests such as Fearon and Botri, The Movement, Anthony B, Double Tiger, Blakkamoore, and Skribe Da God, inspired GPGDS to select the best tracks from the past sessions which resulted in Love In Time.
Formed in 2001 in Rochester, GPGDS consists of guitarists Dylan Savage and Eli Flynn, Chris O’Brian on the drums, and Tony Gallicchio on the keyboard. The band is recognized for their world beats and reggae rhythms with an urgent energy and jam band dynamics. It
GPGDS released six studio albums, ranging from their alternative Americana releases Country (2012) and Bright Days (2015) to their Billboard Reggae Chart-toppers Steady (2014) and Make It Better (2016). Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad’s Love In Time delivers a fresh new evolution of the band’s trademark sound that results from their newly collaborative approach.
“Revolution” from Giant Panda can be enjoyed by fans here.
John Wesley Seneca is debuted his new album, While Rome Burns, earlier this month. The album consists of 14 tracks, most of which are largely instrumental. The tracks were recorded during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic from March to November of 2020, and the album’s release comes near the three-year anniversary of the world shutting down due to the pandemic.
Promotional artwork for While Rome Burns. Credit: Wes Seneca
A veteran Capital Region performer, Seneca goes by the alter ego “Wes.” An acoustic musician, he never intended to make an electronic album but said “circumstances” led to it. At first, it was just a way to pass time during the lockdown, but it became something bigger as the world “slowly started to open up.” The singer never intended to release an album, but upon hearing again in 2022, he thought he could “curate” some of the songs into something more. The music of WhileRome Burns is vastly different than what he normally makes, which is why he made the album under an assumed name.
“All for Me Gorg,” is a highlight of John Wesley Seneca’s new album. The track is a disco-inspired version of an Irish sailor’s song and lyrically quotes both “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and Shannon’s 1983 dance hit “Let the Music Play.” While the Covid-19 pandemic is certainly something many don’t want to remember, especially since it is on-going, While Rome Burns provides a glimpse into how music helped Wes Seneca cope with the most arguably some of the most disastrous months of the virus. WhileRome Burns is now available, however, the album currently isn’t available to download for free. Click here for more information.
Watch part 1 of the John Wesley Seneca interview for While Rome Burns
Sister pop duo Aly & AJ released their fifth studio album, With Love From, on March 15. The album comes after 2021’s A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun, their first studio album in 14 years. Prior to its release, four singles, “With Love From,” “Baby Lay Your Head Down,” “After Hours,” and “Blue Dress” were released in support.
The cover of Aly and AJ’s debut album, Into the Rush. Credit: Amazon
Aly & AJ were born in Torrance, California in 1989 and 1991 respectively, and raised in both Southern California and Seattle. Both of their parents, who are now divorced, work in the music industry, their dad is a producer, and their mother is a musician who performed in the Christian rock band, JC Band. The sisters have a history with Disney, with Aly playing a supporting role in the sitcom Phil of the Future from 2004-06, co-starring in the 2005 Disney Channel Orginal Movie Now You See It, and starring with AJ in the network’s 2006 original movie Cow Belles.
Their debut album, Into the Rush, was released in 2005. The album was heavily supported by Disney, with their cover of “Do You Believe in Magic” appearing in the soundtrack of Now You See It…; the single “No One” appearing in the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures Film Ice Princess; another cover “Walking on Sunshine,” appearing in the soundtrack for the Lindsay Lohan film Herbie: Fully Loaded. The album’s debut track and fifth single overall, “Rush” was featured in Disney’s Twitches, before being released to mainstream radio and becoming their first single to chart the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 59. Their single, “On the Ride” appeared in the soundtrack for Cow Belles.
Insomniatic, their third studio album, became their most successful release to date in 2007. The album’s debut single, “Potential Breakup Song” similarly became the duo’s most successful single to date. The sisters took an extended break after the album’s release, marking their return in 2017 with the EP Ten Years. In 2021, they released their first studio album in 14 years, A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun. The album didn’t reach the same success as their previous work, but it was supported by a single, “Slow Dancing.”
With Love From marks a minor departure from Aly & AJ’s previous work, something they started doing with their prior album. Highlights from the album include the title track, “With Love From,” and “After Hours.” While their early work encompassed upbeat dance music you were likely to hear at a party in the late 2000s, their newer music is a slower-paced, soft-pop sound. The change feels natural, reflecting the growth they’ve had over the years of their career. Aly & AJ are ready to introduce their new sound to a live audience, headlining a tour this spring that will have a stop at the Hammerstein Ballroom on April 22.
Listent to the With Love From music video by Aly and AJ.
The improvisatory Rust Dust, also known as Jason Stutts, has announced the release of his sophomore Album, Twere But It Were So Simple via Omad Records. On March 10, the new album was celebrated with a CD release party at The Museum of Folk Art in NYC.
Some musicians require precision for the success of their projects, while others take a supple approach. Rust Dust belongs to the latter group, allowing whatever sounds, words, energy, and emotions to manifest into songs. According to Dust, “I don’t typically sit down to write a song. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to recognize them when they appear.” This process can occur for minutes or over the course of years.
Twere But It Were So Simple is a spacious-sounding LP that was recorded live in a ramshackle Brooklyn brownstone. The vivacious instrumental “Helter Fukov Awakens” segues into improbable guitar pop, with songs such as “All-Lit-Up-With-Nowhere-To-Go” and “UFO.” Additionally, songs like “Ice Queen Sandwich” and “Speaking In Tongues” vibe together like Robyn Hitchcock cornering Townes Van Zandt at a buoyant, boozy rent party. Songs such as “Snakes In My Pockets”, “A Rope Around My Neck” and “Sky,” a haunting, heartbreaking collaboration with the award winning John DeNicola took a somber turn.
Fans can expect to enjoy a harmonious country and a blues roots melody when listening to Rust Dust’s new album. To match his vintage aesthetic, Dust used an old Yamaha nylon and a Godin Multiac which is a modern nylon-string electric designed to mimic an acoustic when plugged to craft his sound.
A mutual appreciation for old gear initially brought Stutts and DeNicola together. The two helmed the first Rust Dust record known as Diviners and Shivs in DeNicola’s Upstate New York studio. His newest album can be featured here.
Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, on March 10. The album, which Cyrus describes as her “love letter to LA,” was preceded by two singles, “Flowers” in January, and “River” on the same day as the album’s release. The former Disney star delivers again with her newest release, reminding her fans why they love and support her so much.
A streaming special, Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) was released in support of the album. Photo Credit: Good Morning America
Miley Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1992, originally as Destiny Hope Cyrus. While Cyrus has since made a new for herself in the music industry, she comes from a famous family, being the daughter of county singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife Tish, who has managed her daughter since the start of her career. She got her big break when she landed the starring role in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, which made her into a teen icon and role model for young children while the show was airing from 2006 to 2011.
In the early days of Hannah, Cyrus released her debut album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which doubled as the soundtrack album for the show’s second season, followed by her first solo album, Breakout, in 2011. She has since made a name for herself outside of Disney, shedding her “good girl” image as early as 2010 with her third album, Can’t Be Tamed, while still starring on Hannah Montana.
Endless Summer Vacation starts out strong, stays steady throghout, and picks up again for the last few trakcs. Highlights from the album include “Flowers, “Jaded,” “Thousand Miles,” “Muddy Feet,” “Island,” and “Wonder Woman.”
The album closes out with “Wonder Woman,” and perfectly so, reminding us exactly who Cyrus is: a modern day Wonder Woman. The singer was born to a famous father but has come to be known as much more than the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, and was given a platform through Disney that spearheaded her to success, yet she was still able to break free from that “Disney bubble” that so many stars find themselves in. Endless Summer Vacation is sure to guarantee Miles Cyrus an Endless career in the music industry.
Sawyer Fredericks has released his brand new EP The Golden Tree, featuring tracks “Lonely Bear” and “The Golden Tree,” recorded at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock in the summer of 2022.
Sawyer Fredericks became the youngest male winner of the Voice in 2015 at the age of 16, and ever since then has cemented himself in the folk scene, his latest release being his record Flowers For You in 2020. Fredericks has lived in Fultonville on an 88-acre farm since he was eight, learning how to sing at age 11 and performing at clubs such as The Bitter End for the experience. Discussing the EP, he says “I couldn’t be happier with how this EP came out. I feel the recordings really captured the sort of melancholy beauty that I wanted. I’m very excited to get to perform the songs live on this upcoming tour.”
The album includes four new tracks featuring his band, Gannon Ferrell on bass, Jerome Goosman on dobro, and Chris Thomas on drums, as well as Sav Buist and Katie Larson of The Accidentals on strings and backing vocals.
The first song “The Golden Tree” starts out slow and sweet, with Fredericks’s signature folk vocals shining through, with background vocals that make listening feel easygoing and calm. The song has deep emotional resonance, and Fredericks talks about growing up in poetic terms, singing “But with the light shined on me, a shadow is what I’ll be/To those below that watched me grow from seed to golden leaves.” He also goes on to sing about toxic masculinity and the dangers of growing up, and how you become noticed once you are older.
The second song “Lonely Bear” is just as slow as the song that comes before it. Speaking on the song, he says “I wanted ‘Lonely Bear’ to progress like a kid’s book, but the character and story itself is inspired by my dad, as well as my own personal struggles. I feel this song captured the sort of misguided hero I wanted, he is always helping others, but never letting others help him.” He makes me feel fuzzy and warm inside, as well as comforted when he sings “They’ll be times I’m lost and scared/And I’ll reach out to lonely Bear/And he’ll come running bruised and battered/He’ll make me feel I’m all that matters.” Everyone needs to have a “lonely bear” in their life to feel safe and sound, and it makes me think about my parents and how they protect me. The slow guitar solos near the end of the song wrap it up well and make the listener be able to sway to the music.
The third single “Farm Song” is a nostalgic folk tune about his life growing up on a farm and seeing life being born then feeling grief when they leave. I can’t imagine growing the emotional attachment one does with animals just to see them leave, but he puts it into words with fiery words and passion-filled vocal arrangements. The song is beautiful with added strings to show this emotion further and makes tears well in my eyes as I keep listening to him paint this picture of a beautiful farm.
The final single “So Smooth” talks about a relationship ending but in the best possible way, knowing it is going to be okay, and that the future will be much better. This song is much different than the previous ones as he adds drums in the background, maybe to signify his pounding heartbeat as he has to leave the relationship. All he longs for is happiness with himself, and he is going to experience that. There is a sad and sorrow-filled string solo near the middle of the song that tugs on your heartstrings and makes the listener feel emotional along with Fredericks. Overall, the EP The Golden Tree took me on a journey of happiness, sadness, nostalgia, and more as his smooth and sharp vocals filled my ears with delight. The guitars, strings, and drums in some songs all worked together harmoniously to create something enjoyable.
Fredericks will be returning to the road with a two-part tour with Chastity Brown, beginning on March 16 and stopping at the City Wineries in Boston, Nashville, Chicago, and NYC. To purchase tickets to his tour, go here.
Sawyer Fredericks Tour
March 16 Boston, MA – City Winery
March 17 Keene, NH – Colonial Performing Arts Center
March 18 Portsmouth, NH – The Music Hall, The Lounge
A recent import to New York’s forever evolving jazz scene, 25-year-old guitarist-composer Tomer Cohen notches a notable debut with his album, Not the Same River (Hypnote Records). It’s a collection that showcases not only an originality of compositional approach, but a distinctive, fingerstyle and folk shaded playing technique that could one day launch him into the upper reaches of the jazz guitar strata.
The album title, Cohen explains in the press release, relates to an expression by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus: No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. “That’s the sentence that encompasses all the compositions on the album,” Cohen said. “We are constantly in motion, we’re always changing, and we just need to accept that.”
Cohen demonstrates his unique fingerstyle-and-pick technique on eight thoughtful compositions reflecting his pastoral upbringing, from age 4 to 21, on a kibbutz in Israel. “The kibbutz is located in the countryside and has a strong sense of community,” he recalled. “I used to play outside with my guitar, watching the fields and the blue sky. I believe some of that vibe is reflected in some of the tunes on this record.” The guitarist is expertly accompanied on this varied collection by the fluid drumming of Obed Calvaire (a current member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis) and the rootsy grooves and frequent soloing of bassist Matt Penman (formerly with the SFJAZZ Collective).
Critics have made smart comparisons of Cohen to players like Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell, influences acknowledged by the guitarist, but I may hear even more of the late, great Mick Goodrick in his style.
For those not in the know, though Goodrick recorded with the likes of Gary Burton, Jim Hall, Charlie Haden and many more, he may be better known as the Berklee School of Music educator who nurtured Frisell, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Julian Lage and many more of today’s leading jazz guitarists. Goodrick also authored a key educational primer for practicing guitarists, jazz and otherwise, The Advancing Guitarist. Like Goodrick, young Cohen is quickly becoming a master of subtly weaving chords and melody, and in serving up expected harmonic turns in his solos and compositions. Collectively, his trio are musicians who are doing some serious listening as they play, err more appropriately interplay. There’s nothing rote or cliched to be found in these grooves, which are expertly recorded and mastered. It’s a music of the mind that never sacrifices the passion and soulfulness.
Cohen’s unique technique is apparent right from the album opener, the title track, “Not the Same River.” There’s a boatload of Metheny’s “As Wichita Falls” to be found in this pastoral composition and in the appropriately titled “Pastures.” The latter is a more energetic number fueled by some knotty single note soloing from the guitarist and one of bassist Penman’s many solos of the album. Penman also stands out on “First Lap.” He kicks this off with an unaccompanied solo before its moves into a chill melody and chordal workout from Cohen. Drummer Calvaire steals the show with a thundering solo on both the opening and the outro of “Connecting the Dots.” Calvaire again gets the chance to show his range and power, and Cohen his remarkable chops as a technician and composer, on my favorite track on the album, the time-shifting, melodically tricky “Probably More Than Two.”
With his fingerpicked chord and melody stylings, it would be interesting to hear Cohen record an unaccompanied solo disc. We get a taste of what that might sound like when his rhythm section drops out for a time in the middle of “Empty?”
Vance Joy, the Australian global superstar announced the series of summer headline dates, including a stop in New York City. On August 30, you can watch Vance Joy perform at the SummerStage in Central Park.
The announcement of his new headline dates marks the end of the North American leg on Joy’s epic In Our Own Sweet Time Tour. Canada’s Dan Mangan and Ruby Waters, and fellow Australian Singer Songwriter Dan Sultan are in support of Joy’s upcoming shows.
Vance Joy is additionally celebrating the premiere of the concert version of Joy’s RIAA gold-certified 2018 fan favorite, “Saturday Sun (Live At Sydney Opera House)”. The premier signals the upcoming release of Vance Joy Live At The Sydney Opera House. Arriving April 14, the 16-track album was recorded during two special headline performances at the world-famous Sydney Opera House Forecourt in Sydney, Australia.
Recorded November 18 and 19, 2022, Vance Joy Live At The Sydney Opera House includes electrifying performances from RIAA platinum certified hits “Georgia,” “Mess Is Mine,” and the 6x platinum certified classic, “Riptide.” Live versions of “Clarity” and “Catalonia are also among the many highlights of Joy’s acclaimed new album, In Our Own Sweet Time.
The multi-platinum superstar’s album, In Our Own Sweet Time, includes emotionally charged tracks like “Looking At Me Like That”, “Don’t Fade”, and the RIAA gold certified smash, “Missing Piece”. With over 43.5 million streams “Clarity” has proven to be a global favorite. The song is placed in the top 5 at Alternative radio outlets across America while also earning prestigious “Song of the Year” and “Best Pop Release” nominations from Australia’s 2022 ARIA Music Awards. Additionally, Vance’s “Every Side of You” recently took home the ARIA for “Best Video”
Tickets will be available for purchase beginning February 17 at 10am, here.
VANCE JOY IN OUR OWN SWEET TIME TOUR NORTH AMERICA 2023
FEBRUARY
15 – Hamilton, ON – FirstOntario Centre (SOLD OUT) *
17 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! (SOLD OUT) *
18 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre (SOLD OUT) *
“I feel your pain” was a catch-phrase made popular by former President Bill Clinton, in an attempt to convey empathy. Brothers Leigh and Eric Gibson have a new album, Darkest Hour , set for release on January 27th, might be the best example on how music can draw empathy out of us. This is especially true in the track, “I Feel The Same Way As You”.
The Gibson Brothers have had wonderful success in the world of bluegrass, and there’s no stopping them now. Superb songwriting on “Darkest Hour” they deliver 12 tracks produced by Jerry Douglas. The album holds dear to the standard bluegrass and a few of the tracks have lap steel, percussion, and electric guitar masterfully blended together by Jerry Douglas.
Connecting through Conversation
You know Gibson makes some really fine guitars. There’s nothing like the Gibson brothers! I had an extended converation on The Long Island Sound podcast, as we took a deep dive into their back story and the pending release of their new album, Darkest Hour.
I’m so interested in families, wives and husbands and brothers who play music together. The musical journey of the brothers on a dairy farm in northern New York, about two miles from the Canadian border. Their dad would alway keep instruments around the house, he’d order a banjo or pick up a fiddle at an auction or order a guitar, but nobody played. Little did their father know that his was laying the foundations for his son’s future musical career.
The Gibson Brothers Eric and Leigh
Instrumental Influences
Eric O’Hara, who still plays in the band these days, was instrumental (pun intended), in helping the brothers Gibson woodshed and hone their craft. They began getting serious about playing music when they were eleven and tweleve years old. The influence of Country and Bluegrass music stayed steady as they listened to Merle Haggard and Earl Scruggs. Living so close to the Canadian border, the fiddle played a big part in Canadian Country music.
Early in their career, the Gibson Brothers did not have the opportunity to travel South, so they looked North. The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company), was a was an influence. The Tommy Hunter show had country music every Friday night, and they’d have American country people come up, but also really good Canadian country, artists were on the show. they would see people like Gordon Lightfoot, on CBC, and so many great songwriters from Canada, like Stan Rogers.
And that song started coming and I came through the kitchen door and my wife started talking to me said I gotta go, I gotta go upstairs ,I gotta write I gotta get this down.
Eric Gibson
Success by a Thousand Trys
Wondering if they could recall their one big break into the music industry, Leigh Gibson said “it was such a slow climb, we were prepared for when things don’t always go your way in your career, which will happen. It’s Ups and Downs, you know, but sometimes we’re glad that we weren’t that act that just jumped on the scene.”
Things sometimes go by so fast that it is hard to appreciate what just happened. The boys recounted an experience meeting a future celebrity early in their career in Nashville.
Erik: “Well, I mean, it was early on, we’re playing, playing the station and stuff. And one of the guys is hanging around was the guy named Dirk Bentley just happened to be working on a deal, you know, and nice guy. Just don’t know who you’re gonna run into.”
In Nashville, the Gibsons were meeting and rubbing elbows with their heroes. They met Dave Ferguson, before he hit the big time, and recorded their first album. Ferguson is a ‘s a legend now, but when they met he was second engineer, now he’s one of the hottest producers in Nashville and, and eighteen years later, he remembered the Gibsons and wanted to do a record. And then when they did the record in 2018, it was supposed to be with Dave Ferguson, and then they get a call from their manager who said, Dan Arbok of the Black Keys wants to be involved. Circumstances came together and as they say, “The rest is history”.
I Go Driving
“I go driving”, the sixth track on Darkest Hour, is one of the only songs Eric had written at night. He was feeling stir crazy, wanting to get out of the house, he went for a ride and drove on Backroads of his hometown, listening to Old Country music and just trying to pretend that things were going to be good again. Eric: “And that song started coming and I came through the kitchen door and my wife started talking to me said I gotta go, I gotta go upstairs ,I gotta write I gotta get this down.”
Energy exudes itself in Bluegrass music and the Gibsons Brothers sure know how to deliver.
Tour Dates
Eric and Leigh have begun their tour to promote the album.
Catch The Gibson Brothers On Tour
Jan. 27 – Fairfield, CT – StageOne
Jan. 28 – Shirley, MA – Bull Run
Jan. 29 – Newburyport, MA – Firehouse Center
Feb. 2 – Glens Falls, NY – The Park Theater
Feb. 3 – Clinton, NY – Kirkland Art Center
Feb. 4 – Norwood, NY – Norwood Central School
Feb. 9 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head
Feb. 10 – Richmond, VA – The Tin Pan
Feb. 11 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center
Feb. 12 – Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall
Feb. 16 – Newport, KY – The Southgate House Revival
Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers will unite for a 2023 winter tour across New York. The tour features the incendiary talents of Bob Bert, Sam Coomes, last but not least the original jet-scream, Jon Spencer. The musicians will visit Albany, Rochester, and Ridgewood (Queens) and more. Fans can enjoy this exuberant starting from late January to early February.
The rockstars will be performing Spencer’s latest album, Spencer Gets It Lit and will feature songs like Junk Man, Death Ray, WormT own and more. The album is a classic Jon Spencer taken to the extreme, it emphasizes a sound of electro-boogie, constructivist art pop, a psychedelic swamp of industrial sleaze and futurist elegance. The album is recognized as an epic master work of freak beat from the world’s weirdest garage.
Spencer Gets It Lit features mind-boggling layers of fury, fuzz guitar a crash-bang battery of phaser blasts and photon torpedoes. Jon Spencer is the ultimate performer; he frantically spits, croons, rhapsodizes, and seduces. The album is his most complex and sensational album in years. It is a dark, danceable odyssey, and a celebration of the place where electricity meets the mind.
Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers are here to crank it up and blow our pants off, … Anyone who has the chance to see this current ensemble, must do so immediately. Peppered with rarities, Blues Explosion songs, even Pussy Galore cuts, Spencer was a bewitching figure on stage, ripping through all the tracks with raw grit and fury
-Gun Control Magazine
Come watch the true heroes of the underground perform hits that will rock your world. Spencer’s says “We are back – primed and loaded – ready to bring the HITS to all the rockers!” Spencer Gets It Lit can be streamed here.
