If Melody’s Echo Chamber were to release a recording of their performance at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Sunday, April 2, the second of back-to-back sold out shows, I would buy it immediately. This was their first show in New York City in nearly eight years, and based on how the crowd responded to this one, they won’t have trouble selling out more whenever they come back.
The band was an absolute force on stage from the moment they kicked off their set with “Endless Shore.” And throughout their set, they brought already-excellent songs to life in rollicking fashion while staying true to the vibe established in the studio versions. It’s one thing to listen to a band’s records, but when a band is this good live, getting to feel the music and have it played loud hits harder.
Hailing from France and led by Melody Prochet on vocals in both French and English, synth, and tambourine, the band featured Reinhardt N. Fischer on guitar, bass, and synth, Frederik Swahn on bass and guitar, Johan Holmegard on drums, and Jay Pich on guitar and backing vocals. And all five of them were excellent.
Not that there were any doubts about where the night was going after the first few songs, but “Some Time Alone, Alone” off the band’s self-titled 2013 release was an early standout in the set, showcasing the band’s collective and individual talents. And the setlist was very well crafted, with a mix of songs from all of the band’s studio releases intertwined, with songs from the self-titled album serving as the backbone.
“Quand les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser la Neige” closed out the main set, and about halfway through the song, Prochet exited the Music Hall of Williamsburg stage, allowing the full focus of the audience to remain on the rest of the band as they blasted through a jam that felt like it could last forever.
As for the encore, the band kicked into the super popular “I Follow You,” one of their catchiest. And they closed out with “Cross My Heart,” the first track off Bon Voyage, another one that felt like time had stopped specifically for the audience to bask in the sound of this incredible band.
If you’re looking to catch the band live and happen to be out west in the fall, they’re playing Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. Those shows are just days before Desert Daze, and while there’s no lineup info about the festival yet, it wouldn’t be surprising if they wound up playing there, too.
Setlist: Endless Shore, Looking Backward, Mount Hopeless, The Hypnotist, Some Time Alone, Alone; Personal Message, Quand vas-tu rentrer?, Pêcheuse de Lune, Bisou Magique, Unfold, Where the Water Clears the Illusion, Crystallized, Shirim, Visions of Someone Special, on a Wall of Reflection; Alma, Quand les larmes d’un ange font danser la neige
Hip Hop’s underground continues to make waves as Emo, Trap-metal and phonk pioneers Bones, Xavier Wolf and Eddy Baker announced they will hit the road this summer for the InLovingMemory Tour. Produced by Live Nation and Rolling Loud, the 20-city tour kicks off in Los Angeles, CA, on May 20, and includes a stop at the Knockdown Center in Queens, NY, on Friday, June 2. Additionally, this latest expedition will be the first-ever co-headlining tour by the three members of Seshollowaterboyz (a mash-up of their self-releasing labels TeamSESH, Hollow Squad. Waterboyz and Healthy Boyz). Simultaneously, this will Bones’ first time back on the road in four years and Bones’ first time back on the road in four years.
However, the InLovingMemory tour announcement continues a busy 2023 for Bones. The prolific artist recently shared TheWitch&TheWizard, a haunting album created with longtime TeamSESH music producer Greaf. In March, Bones and Eddy Baker teamed up for “YellowStone,” the first single from Jones Peak, their upcoming collaborative effort, their first since 2019’s cult favorite SparrowsCreek. Jones Peak is set to release on April 14 through TeamSESH and Empire Records.
For over a decade trio of underground mainstays have consistently churned out music to little mainstream fanfare. Yet, their quality and innovation leaves fans wanting more. Despite their underground status, the trio have still cultivated commercial success. Bones recently earned his first-ever gold certification from the RIAA for his 2014 hit “HDMI,” while Hollow Squad CEO Xavier Wulf went gold with his 2014 Blood Shore Season 2 cut “Psycho Pass.” BONES, Wulf, and Baker recently treated fans to a preview of the upcoming tour, joining forces on the main stage during Rolling Loud California 2023.
InLovingMemory Tour Dates
Sat May 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Tue May 23 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
Thu May 25 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus
Fri May 26 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Tue May 30 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
Wed May 31 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Fri Jun 02 – Queens, NY – Knockdown Center
Sun Jun 04 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
Mon Jun 05 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Tue Jun 06 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
Thu Jun 08 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Fri Jun 09 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Sat Jun 10 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater
Mon Jun 12 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center
Bushwick’s Dead, a new series launching in May at Brooklyn Made in Bushwick, features a rotating roster of local jam bands on the first Sunday of the month. The first three shows have been announced and include bands covering The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Beatles and Steely Dan.
Bushwick’s Dead is produced by Brooklyn-based production company Loop Troupe, which has a history of producing series and residencies. Loop Troupe launched Walrus with a six-month long weekly residency at The Delancey before Walrus started playing larger venues like Brooklyn Bowl and Brooklyn Made.
The first show of the series, on Sunday, May 7th, features Walrus and Near Dead Experience. Walrus is a Brooklyn based jam band playing the music of the Beatles and Near Dead Experience brings a fresh and dynamic energy to the Grateful Dead catalog. The two groups have previously performed shows together at Brooklyn Bowl.
Walrus is Chris Mackin (Guitar/Vocals), Josh Santiago (Guitar/Vocals), Dan Shein (Drums), Satoko Mori (Keyboard/Vocals), Jason Figueredo (Vocals), & Will Corona (Bass/Vocals). The members of Walrus have previously performed together in Loop Troupe Family Band, an original funk band.
On Sunday, June 4th, Dead Meat, an electrifying tribute to The Grateful Dead, is supported by Steely Jams, a one time only experiment to jam on songs from the Steely Dan catalog. Dead Meat has become a fan favorite known for their moving harmonies, high-energy blocks of music and routinely pushing the limits of Dead’s vast catalog. The band’s unique renditions of timeless classics make them a must see, whether you’re a lifelong Dead head or a casual listener.
On Sunday, July 2nd, Uncle Ebenezer and Strangers Stopping Stopping play the music of the worlds two most iconic jam bands, Phish and The Grateful Dead. Uncle Ebenezer are four musicians and Phish fans who are dedicated to spreading the joy and excitement of the live Phish experience. Strangers Stopping Strangers bring a youthful energy to the music of the Grateful Dead. The band approaches the songs with a folk and bluegrass influence, much like the original members of the Dead.
Brooklyn Made is located at 428 Troutman St. Doors open at 6pm, with 7pm showtime. Tickets are $15 advance / $15 day of show and available here
Stay tuned for future show announcements and never miss a sunday show!
On Thursday March 30th, The Yumi Kurosawa Trio showcased their new new album “Metamorphosis” in the intimate setting of East Village’s historic Joe’s Pub. The small public theater had a limited guest list, for Yumi’s sound pulled in a high demand of listeners. The contemporary Japanese composer commanded the dimly lit setting as she and her instrumentalists told phonetic stories to the audience.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
A multitude of instruments were perched on display before the trio and a couple of musical guests began to woo the crowd with their sound. A violin, a drumset, a variety of percussion instruments, a microphone, and Yumi’s infamous twenty-string koto. She grew up playing the koto, Japan’s national instrument, and eventually her talents transcended her into national stardom. On her koto, she composed her discography, and with the addition of strings, percussions, and horns her album “Metamorphosis” was fortified. Naho Parrini on the violin and Eric Phinney covering percussion completed the trio.
After performing some soothing introductory songs, Yumi took to the microphone. With gratitude overtaking her stage presence she beamed, “I have waited for today for a long time.” She proceeded to introduce the members of the trio, which elicited a warranted applause from the audience. Thanks were made to ZOHO Records, the Chamber Music Award, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and lastly those who chose to be there that evening.
Photograph by Emma Dowd
With each song came a story. While one song embodied the anxieties and thrills of traveling through South America on her previous tour, the other was meant to infuse life into the emotional stages she goes through when she composes. Her range as a composer was admirable. Traditional Japanese musical roots, Middle Eastern sounds, and contemporary instrumentals were living influences in “Metamorphosis.” She spoke on her ideas, calling them her most “beautiful and unusual” ideas, and referred to the term mandala – sequenced art.
The Yumi Kurosawa Trio surrendered to their music as the instruments seemed to be in control of their bodies. Yumi’s arms flailed into the air and swarmed across the koto strings. Her hands looked so natural. How new spring branches dance from the body of a tree. One couldn’t help but pay attention to their physical show, it almost seemed inhuman, the way they moved. Or perhaps it was the most human thing a person can do, devote their bodies to their instruments and their sound. Their expertise was magnetic, no one could pull their eyes away.
Two guests joined the trio on stage; Carlos Maldonado on the Latin percussion, and Zac Zinger on the shakuhachi and the alto saxophone. Their sound layered ethereally with the trio’s. All of their instruments blended to produce music of the elements. The very raw echo of the hand drums, the fine notes of the violin, the pluck of the koto, and the hollow whistle of the shakuhachi transported the audience out of New York City, to the forests of Japan. If a sound could float, “Metamorphosis” hovered above our heads as a soft rain cloud.
Carlos and Zac left the stage, taking their bows and waving their goodbyes. The trio thanked them and carried out the rest of their show. Once they arrived at their final song, Yumi spoke about her hometown Morioka-city, Japan. She told the audience about their annual event “Obon,” a tradition of welcoming back their ancestors and bidding them farewell again. She related the celebration to the closing of her show by performing their song “Departure.” Each instrumentalist on stage took turns soloing in the middle of the song to “display their roots.”
When Yumi signaled their outro, the audience erupted into lengthy applause. Yumi, Naho, and Eric took to their bows and expressed their grace. The trio reminded everyone to pick up their CD copy of their album, and to tell their neighbor about their sound. Yumi took the microphone and with a proud smile she bid farewell. “We hope to see you again somewhere.”
Photograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma DowdPhotograph by Emma Dowd
Hip Hop’s underground scene will be getting a jolt as Queens rapper — and television star — Meyhem Lauren is teaming up with legendary DJ, Cypress Hill’s own DJ Muggs and one of the best producers of his generation in Madlib. The trio have announced an album titled Champagne for Breakfast set for release on April 7 through Soul Assassins Records.
In anticipation for the project they’ve released the brooding album cut “Szechuan Capital.” Featuring fellow Queens-bred rapper/actor Action Bronson, “Szechuan Capital” is the name of a restaurant in Flushing Queens. “It closed down around 20 years ago,” Meyhem remarked. “It was a special spot in Flushing and Action is a special human from Flushing so it all made sense; at least to me.”
Meyhem and Action Bronson share a personal relationship as part of the hip hop/art collective Smart Crew. Additionally, Meyhem stars in Bronson’s food documentary series F*ck, That’s Delicious. However, their true ties are as cultural vanguards for the borough of Queens. Whether it be through their graffiti, music or being food aficionados, they pay ode the historic borough. “Szechuan Capital” is no different, as it is an ode to the lesser-known cultural landmarks that have bred some of hip hop’s best. With DJ Muggs and Madlib on production the essence of the culture pushing the artist will always be conveyed.
Madlib and DJ Muggs
After all, the fabled producers have spent the last few years fortifying their legacies. A founding member of Cypress Hill and the Producer of House Of Pain’s “Jump Around,” the Grammy-nominated producer has collaborated with a whose-who in hip hop’s underground scene. In the last few years alone he has released projects with Mach-Hommy, Roc Marciano, Yelawolf, Rome Streetz and Jay Worthy; and he’s currently putting the finishing touches on the forthcoming Soul Assassins 4 album. Meanwhile, Champagne for Breakfast will be Madlib’s third project of the year. The legendary producer has already released Liberation 2 with Talib Kweli and In The Beginning, Vol 3 with Declaime this calendar year.
In like manner,this latest album will add to the extensive collaborative history between Meyhem, Muggs and Madlib. Meyhem has previous projects with DJ Muggs 2017’s Gems From The Equinox, 2018’s Frozen Angels and 2019’s Members Only.
The gifted Keyanna Hutchinson announced her Uncharted concert, Plugged and Unplugged, at the Greenwich House Music School. The show will begin at 8pm on Thursday, April 13.
Keyanna Hutchinson is a Brooklyn-born versatile musician. The multi-talented artist uses her Caribbean lineage, love for music, conservatory training, experience with rock, jazz, R&B and experimental composition tours as inspiration. While known for her mastery of the guitar, Hutchinson is also a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer.
Hutchinson reveals that the efforts of Terri Lynne Carrington, Lizz Wright, and Brandon Ross of Harriet Tubman have motivated her throughout this journey. Her mentors inspired her to craft a sound that pays homage and to propagate the roots of black and indigenous sound. She also is a recent awardee of the prestigious Next Jazz Legacy fellowship through New Music USA.
Plugged and Unplugged will feature Hutchison’s many talents for a new project that will eventually be released as a debut album. The album will fuse her love of live performance with recent explorations into electronic composition and remix culture. In its ninth year at Greenwich House Music School, the Uncharted residency and concert series provides a resource for New York-based musicians to develop original material, foster new collaborations, and premiere first-look projects in an intimate concert setting.
Greenwich House Music School was founded in 1902 and currently offers innovative programs in arts and education, older adult services, behavioral, mental health, and workforce development. The music school strives to help communities by taking thoughtful risks, piloting new models and approaches, and implementing effective solutions. More information about the Greenwich House Music School can be accessed here.
Long Island’s The Sleeping has just announced the upcoming release of I Feel Like I’m Becoming A Ghost, out July 28th. After coming down from the high of two sold out reunion shows in Brooklyn and on Long Island, the post-punk outfit band has announced their first new album in nearly 13 years featuring their original lineup that hasn’t written together in over 16 years.
“Now that this is the original lineup, it feels like a massive evolution,” says vocalist Douglas Robinson. “I would describe this new record as a band that stayed true to who they are while completely reshaping the approach to their sound. This record feels way more focused from every angle, but it’s us at its core. We were never a band who copied our influences. Everything that we put out is influenced by our love for music as a whole, and not just particular bands or artists.”
On I Feel Like I’m Becoming A Ghost, The Sleeping dials in their eccentric and erratic blend of ambient indie rock, post-punk, and melodic hardcore. The abum overall shines a light on mental instability. It was written, recorded, and produced at Applehead Recording in Woodstock, NY with the infamous production duo Mike Birnbaum and Chris Bittner (Coheed and Cambria, Bad Brains, Weerd Science, Team Sleep) with insight from the band.
The Sleeping formed in 2003 in Long Island, founded by Cameron Keym, Sal Mignano, and Joe Zizzo. After auditioning twenty-two potential vocalists, they came across Douglas Robinson, former singer/guitarist of the band Stillwelle.
Their live performances are known for their emotive, high-energy and tight-knit sound. They’ve toured with infamous bands like Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, Bayside and ALEXISONFIRE. Their music has been featured in video games including Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, Madden NFL 07, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: World Tour, and FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage.
I Feel Like I’m Becoming A Ghost is due out on July 28th and is now available for preorder on here. Along with this, there will be items and limited-edition bundles available as well.
Gotham Jazz announced their Gotham Jazz Festival at The DTA in lower Manhattan on Sunday, April 16. Fans can enjoy their favorite hot jazz, swing and blues tunes from 1pm-12am.
The Gotham Jazz Festival is an annual celebration which features New York City’s best hot jazz, swing, and blues bands. The DTA, otherwise known as the exquisite and exclusive private club from the Gilded-Age, contains four ballrooms and lounges that will showcase performances with over 100 musicians & 20 bands.
The commemoration was founded in 2017 by Prohibition Productions. In the following year, Prohibition Productions partnered with New York Hot Jazz Camp to exhibit performances by their splendid faculty, students, & alumni. The camp is a seven-day educational experience that allows adults to connect with the city’s top traditional jazz players. It is located at the Greenwich House Music School and has been running for six years. Prohibition Productions and The New York Hot Jazz Camp have now announced their partnership with The Gotham Jazz Festival.
All music enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and savor the eleven-hour musical marathon of harmonious jazz featuring an eclectic star-studded line-up.
Tickets and more information about The Gotham Jazz Festival can be accessed here.
NYHJC All-Star Band:
Catherine Russell, Bria Skonberg, Dan Levinson, Ron Wilkins,Cynthia Sayer, Rossano Sportiello, Tal Ronen, Kevin Dorn.
EYAL VILNER BIG BAND
FRANK VIGNOLA & VINNY RANIOLO
DANNY JONOKUCHI & THE REVISIONISTS
MONA’S HOT FOUR – led by Dennis Lichtman
STÉPHANE SÉVA SWING ONDULE 4TET (from France)
TERRY WALDO’S GOTHAM CITY BAND feat. Tatiana Eva Marie
HOT TODDIES JAZZ BAND feat. Hannah Gill & Queen Esther
Kicking off the spring with a tour in support of their twelfth studio album (Cruel Country, dBpm Records) released in May 2022, recorded live at their studio known as The Loft, Wilco played three consecutive sold-out performances this past weekend at The Capitol Theatre located in the center of downtown Port Chester. As one of 1,800 lucky participants to attend the Chicagoans residency finale on Saturday night (April Fool’s Day) and witness their multi-genre talents, all were treated to an eclectic blend of experimental rock, indie art rock and alternative country.
Dubbed the “American Radiohead” due to their stylistically diverse catalog, Wilco’s career-spanning trio of shows at the iconic concert hall constructed nearly a century ago boasted no repeat songs. Their setlists from Thursday, Friday and Saturday night included a whopping total of sixty-nine different offerings, making for the perfect recipe of deep cuts and crowd favorites that were presented to their adoring fans.
Promptly at 7:30 pm, fellow Chicago natives Horsegirl unassumingly strolled onto the stage. Formed a little more than three years ago when they bonded over their shared love for acts like Sonic Youth, Stereolab and Pavement, the punk-infused trio of indie-rockers comprised of Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals) and Gigi Reece (drums) have been providing support each night of Wilco’s residency at The Cap, including Wilco’s three night residency a couple of weeks back at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago.
Speaking of Pavement, I first witnessed the immense talent of these young women back in October 2022 when they also opened for said band at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. Although it was merely six months ago, their growth as a live act has blossomed since then, and they are surely on the right path to a bright future in the music business.
With a palpable, undeniable chemistry, Horsegirl performed a 28-minute set filled with guitar feedback and hypnotic melodies during a collection of songs taken from their debut album (Versions of Modern Performance, Matador Records) released in June 2022, including Homage to “Birdnoculars,” “World of Pots and Pans,” “Option 8” and “Anti-glory.”
As I stood in the photo pit talking with fans along the steel barricade, all of whom were waiting with eager anticipation for the roadies to finish preparing the stage and Wilco’s instruments, I reminisced about the very first time I witnessed the greatness of Wilco. It was here at The Cap, way back on October 30, 2014, when Wilco were celebrating their 20 year anniversary as a rock ‘n’ roll outfit. The night I was in attendance, like tonight, was also the third consecutive sold-out evening of a residency stint that has hosted legendary artists the likes of Janis Joplin, Traffic, Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead.
At 8:30 pm sharp, when the house lights suddenly went dark, I raised my trusted Nikon “Kamera” to my eye as the sextet of frontman and guitarist Jeff Tweedy, guitarist Nels Cline, bassist John Stirratt, drummer Glenn Kotche, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen took the stage to thunderous applause. Tonight’s two-hour, 23-song set that would bridge nine studio albums altogether – only offerings from 1995’s debut album (A.M.), 2015’s Star Wars and 2016’s Schmilco would be absent – commenced with two tunes from their fifth studio album (A Ghost Is Born, 2004), including “At Least That’s What You Said,” followed by “Spiders (Kidsmoke).”
As I remained in the photo pit for the third song of the night (“The Universe”), taken from the newest addition to their discography Cruel Country, I reminded myself to unglue my eyes from the band in front of me and occasionally glance at the thousands of fan faces behind me. The expressions I witnessed included sheer joy and complete awe, and even one guy headbanging incessantly as he clutched the rail in front of him with both hands. Then, with the song nearing its end, Cline’s guitar tech quickly emerged from the dark shadows at stage right and began working on what appeared to be the pedal board.
While the technical snafu lasted for several minutes until it was successfully resolved by either a repair or a complete change-out of the rig, it resulted in an impromptu setlist change as “Jesus, Etc.” (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2001) moved up to the fourth song slot – it was originally slated to be the last song before the encore. Tweedy, taking advantage of the rare down time, also executed a “Tight Five Comedy Set” where he explained the rules behind winning the “Best Behaved” trophy awarded to only one lucky audience member each night. He also enlightened us that even Horsegirl claimed the top prize back at one of Wilco’s recent Chicago gigs.
The bulk of the main set, which included one musical treasure after another, had Wilco fans dancing with each other, as well as in the aisles. Whereas queues of fans had inundated the venue’s bars and merch tables earlier in the night, they were non-existent now that Wilco was playing. With too many incredible tracks to dive into for this concert review, a few highlights (to name but a few) included the title track from 2011’s The Whole Love, two more songs from Cruel Country (“Mystery Binds” and “Tired of Taking It Out on You”), “Impossible Germany” from 2007’s Sky Blue Sky (there were six total tracks performed tonight from this formative LP) and “Laminated Cat,” a cover song dating back to 2003 by the indie rock supergroup of Tweedy and Kotche, along with multi-instrumentalist Jim O’Rourke of Sonic Youth.
After nearly 100 minutes on a non-stop musical journey, Tweedy and his bandmates, in prime form all night long, collected their breath backstage. After a short recess, our heroes reappeared onstage with Tweedy exclaiming, “I hope you all had as much fun as we have,” before launching into “The Late Greats” (A Ghost Is Born). The gifts kept on coming in the four song encore with “Heavy Metal Drummer” (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot), “A Shot in the Arm” (from 1999’s third studio album Summerteeth) and the final number, “On and On and On” (Sky Blue Sky).
From the box office to the security personnel to the bartenders to the ushers and of course, to the fans, it’s always a memorable time at The Cap, and Saturday night’s closing show was certainly no exception. One of America’s most critically acclaimed acts, Wilco’s rich history of music for nearly the past three decades has made them a beloved band on a generational scale. My NYS Music colleague Chris McShane, a diehard fan since 2007 who attended all three residency shows at The Cap and has seen them perform live more than forty times, proclaimed “What’s amazing is that Wilco is still getting better and better over time, and their three-night run at The Cap had all of their incredible skills on full display. If and when they return to the venue, you’ll want to grab a ticket, whether you’ve never seen them before or are a seasoned veteran of a Wilco show.”
Next up for Wilco is a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland for another three night, sold-out residency on April 6-8. The spring tour continues back in the United States with a stopover at the High Water Festival in North Charleston, South Carolina (April 16), followed by eleven more dates culminating in Athens, Ohio on April 30. Additionally, Tweedy will be performing solo at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, Illinois for a pair of dates on May 19 and 20.
Wilco are also set to release an alternate version to their seminal album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for Record Store Day on April 22, dubbed Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Only 4,500 copies of the vinyl will be available to purchase through participating record stores, so you’ll have to act fast!
Wilco Setlist: At Least That’s What You Said > Spiders (Kidsmoke) > The Universe > Jesus, Etc. > You Are My Face > Whole Love > Mystery Binds > I’ll Fight > Side With the Seeds > One and a Half Stars > Tired of Taking It Out on You > Everyone Hides > Impossible Germany > Sunken Treasure > Laminated Cat (Loose Fur cover) > Reservations > Either Way > Hate It Here > Dawned on Me > Encore: The Late Greats > Heavy Metal Drummer > A Shot in the Arm > On and On and On
Brooklyn’s Romi O has just released her second ever single “M2M” on Friday, March 24th, a ballad you won’t want to miss. The single is brilliant, having a truly one-of-a-kind musical journey feel to it; retaining more immediate elements from punk and alternative music.
Understanding the flow of “M2M” requires a bit of a backstory about the artist. This is the second single from her upcoming debut album, which is expected to be released later in 2023. Hailing from Tel Aviv, Israel, Romi O has been making music ever since she can remember. She continued to develop her songwriting chips, eventually switching from singing and writing in Hebrew to performing in English.
Romi O’s sound is unique because of the juxtaposition of understated textures, relatable lyrics, and hard-hitting grooves. By the time she turned 22, the artist had relocated to Brooklyn, where she had sought a fresh start in music. She co-founded the band “PowerSnap” to pursue high-octane punk and garage aesthetics.
Eventually, Romi O circled back to her initial fondness for ballads. The resulting sound she made is truly one-of-a-kind, still retaining more immediate elements from punk and alternative music. But this time, in “M2M,” she comes to light in a soothing, softer way that makes her sound more intriguing and dynamic.
Her chosen stage name comes from the beloved figure of “Romeo,” from Shakespeare’s timeless “Romeo and Juliette” play. Being a huge fan of Shakespeare herself, Rome O felt a truly special connection to the character.
The single stands out as an example of her art and musical craft. The song deals with the idea of always being ready to question life choices and decisions and approaching everything without the fear of taking things too seriously. It’s important to find a balance, and the song is a very poignant observation of the fleeting nature of the path we carve for ourselves in life with our choices.
The song’s music video feels like another layer. In a way, it is another approach to telling the story, and it offers a visual representation of the core concept that drives this release. Overall, it features some punchy electronic sounds, as well as organic elements such as vocals and guitars to round up the wide palette of sonic colors on this song.
To listen and watch the music video for “M2M,” click the link here.
To listen to more music by Romi O, click the link here.
