Tag: NYC based

Scorpion Tea Releases Death-Rock Debut Single “Scarlet Misquote”
NYC-based death-rock band Scorpion Tea has just released “Scarlet Misquote,” the first single from the band’s upcoming self-titled album. Accompanying the new single is a music video, overall just giving an introductory glimpse into the band’s full-length debut anticipated to drop October 27^th.

In the first half of the song, ODowd’s tight snare roll rushes the listener into Fern Puma’s poshly-distorted bass. Seconds later, Christian Cruz’s barbed guitar cuts in like a hot knife. Soon after, vocalist Anthony Diaz chimes in with his declamatory lyrics and it’s apparent that Scorpion Tea is a special blend of death rock intoxication. The song’s construction proves to be the perfect introduction to the new hot and upcoming band.

The band stated, “During our time in LA, recording the album, Edley introduced us to the whimsical, yet dead serious routines of the legendary choreographer Bob Fosse.” explains the video’s director, Scorpion Tea vocalist Anthony Diaz. The music video explores what happens when a single baleful missive causes one’s entire understanding to unravel.

Diaz continues, talking about the dark aesthetic of Fosse’s work that resonated with the band, “The dancers in the piece seemed mesmerized, their strings pulled by an unseen force. I wanted to incorporate this idea with the hypnotic quality and longing breathlessness of ‘Scarlet Misquote,’ while still drawing on Scorpion Tea’s style of brightside-facing hilarity.”

Loaded with new content regularly (most unavailable anywhere else), the band’s ‘Dig Your Own Grave’ pass is the ultimate limited edition collector’s item for the fortunate few.

Pre-order the limited ‘Dig Your Own Grave’ pass and get “Scarlet Misquote” now plus:
- early access to the next two Scorpion Tea singles
- unreleased studio cuts
- remixes
- behind the scenes video
- exclusive artwork
- VIP access to select events
- and more
https://soundcloud.com/givetakelife/sets/scorpion-tea-scarlet-misquote/s-bi4BPd6dNml?si=650ccea083174d06b56a12ca1cae6d74&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Listen to “Scarlet Misquote” by clicking the link here.
June 28, 2023
Stalking Gia Releases New Alt-Pop Single “Euphoria”

NYC-based alt pop singer/songwriter Stalking Gia has just released her newest hit single titled “Euphoria.” The song materializes aspects of art between online fantasy and Manhattan’s real-life nocturnal glow.

Gia writes, the song is “about the desire to find a deeper connection with someone and the fear of losing them. The lyrics describe the struggle to break free from the monotony of everyday life and the search for something more…. A longing to escape the mundanity of their current situation and reach a new level of intimacy.”

At age 5, Gia had her first dose of the limelight when she starred as the child lead in one of Cheerios most globally successful commercials. She was a professional Broadway actor (alongside her friend, Nick Jonas) and Top 5 Disney Radio artist with songs featured in the movie “Another Cinderella Story” starring Selena Gomez. She then lent her voice to Popstar Barbie in the 2012 animated movie Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar, which was produced by Universal Studios and premiered on Nickelodeon.

As an independent artist in 2016, she released her debut single “Second Nature,” kickstarting her viral fame and gaining her over 13.2 million streams on Spotify. It was later sampled on the single “Wish U The Best” by Blackbear, an A-List Top 40 recording artist with 20 million Spotify monthly listeners. The two artists would later tour together and collaborate for their track “Miracles” which has earned over 4.9 million streams.

Last summer, she teased a demo on TikTok using the famous nursery rhyme “Oh My Darling Clementine.” It gained traction and after getting a positive response she went on to release a full version titled “saddest happy girl.”

From co-writing with other artists for their projects to creating her own “no rules” music, Stalking Gia is a sought-after name in the game; bicoastal between New York City and the music scene of Los Angeles. Since then, she has returned to releasing music independently and continues to gain a loyal fan base.

Listen to “Euphoria” by clicking the link here.

For more music by Stalking Gia, click the link here.

June 27, 2023
Michael Ian Cummings of Skaters Announces Debut Solo EP, Releases Single “Contemporary Me”

Infamous lead singer/songwriter of NYC’s Skaters, Michael Ian Cummings, has just announced his debut solo EP Oldest Troubles, out May 26^th. To tease the upcoming release, he has decided to release a single from the album titled “Contemporary Me.”

10 short years have passed since Skaters’ formation in Lower East Side Manhattan. Within months of forming and a self-released EP, the band was signed to Warner Brothers Records. They toured around the world, had global critical acclaim from NME to the New York Times. And two years later, they released their debut album, self-released their sophomore album Rock n Roll Bye Bye independently, and then disappeared.

It was a whirlwind ride for the band that came at one of the most difficult transitions in the music industry, the exact time digital downloads plummeted, and streaming had not yet reached the masses. Skaters were caught in the shuffle, and broke up.

Now, after years of reevaluation and new inspiration, working an array of day jobs and night jobs for that matter, Michael Ian Cummings has rediscovered his muse. He has something special to show for the struggle, returning just a bit wiser with the debut solo EP titled Oldest Troubles.

“There are things in everyone’s life that will haunt them forever,” he writes of the EP’s title track. “Whether it stems from internal or external influences from our past that have marred, mamed, and influenced the way we handle life. No matter how far we try to run from them they always find us. This song is about welcoming those relentless “troubles” in, confronting them, and beginning to make yourself stronger. Or, at the very least, learning to live with them.”

“I love having autonomy over how and when I release music. Making decisions and moving on,” Cummings continued. “Reminds me of when I was a teenager. Just make things because they are worth making. Move forward and try not to look back too much.”

To accompany his new release, Michael Ian Cummings will perform at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on May 31 (7:00 PM).

To listen to “Contemporary Me,” click the link here.

Tickets and more information about the show can be found HERE.

May 24, 2023
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 12^th. 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 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.

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 14^th, 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.

April 21, 2023
Homeschool Announces Authentic EP And Releases Single “Loving You To Death”

NYC-based singer-songwriter and actor, Homeschool, has just announced the release of his newest EP Just Now. As a follow-up to the EP’s first track and lead single which documents D’Agustino’s burgeoning sense of self, today finds the release of another new track entitled “Loving You To Death.”

It has been a tumultuous year for Tom D’Agustino, also known as “Homeschool,” a solo project of NYC singer-songwriter. As an independent artist with unfettered control of the creative process, Homeschool has spent the past year experimenting with music and masculinity, inching closer to what they feel is an “authentic” way of being in the world. As a newcomer to acting, D’Agustino is reveling in the opportunity to explore the worlds of different characters, to “experiment with who I’m able to become,” he states.

Formerly known as the front person of the garage pop quartet, Active Bird Community, Homeschool pokes fun at traditional masculine rock archetypes by blending bedroom pop textures with anthemic, self-aware hooks to tell detailed stories of loss, identity, and self-exploration.

Just Now, the new 6-track EP slated for May 19th, is the result of this new exploration. AsD’Agustino’s first foray into self-producing his own music, Just Now showcases their independence and shameless autonomy as a gender-fluid person, while taking ownership over all aspects of their creative life, whether it be songwriting, production, acting or writing.

In celebration of these new releases, Homeschool sold out their debut headlining show at Mercury Lounge in NYC and received positive press from outlets such as Ones To Watch, Brooklyn Vegan, FLOOD, Under The Radar, Paste, Stereogum, Our Culture. Now, D’Agustino announces the upcoming release of a long-awaited brand new EP entitled Just Now, due May 19^th. As a follow-up to the EP’s first track, he has also relased the single “Loveing You To Death.”

D’Agustino wrote, “‘Loving You To Death’ was written during the tail-end of the Covid lockdown when my partner and I had just moved into an apartment together. We had spent a year living with her parents before that, and this song explores my neediness, clinginess, and overall attachment to her. It’s a fun, upbeat way to interrogate my constant need for love and reassurance that I have value. I think by reminding someone how much I love them, I can be sheltered from how I don’t love myself enough. I’m sure all that affection can get annoying though, so in the song I am trying to convince her of all of these positive things about me so she won’t think I’m a needy little baby. But I so am.”

To celebrate the EP on its release day, May 19, Homeschool will play an EP release show at Baby’s All Right with fellow NYC rocker and queer/non-binary TikTok champion Libby Larkin. Tickets are on sale this Friday, March 31th click the link HERE to purchase.

Homeschool’s Just Now weaves genre-bending stylings into self-aware reflections that paint the pain of life with a surprisingly upbeat and humorous brush. “While some of these topics are heavy, I think a lot of this record turned into me poking fun at myself,” they say. At the end of the day becoming “just now,” doesn’t have to be a bummer. It can be a dance, a laugh. It can be the glitter on your eyes that make the tears sparkle.

To listen to “Loving You To Death,” click the link here.

For more music by Homeschool, click the link here.

Just Now is available everywhere on May 19th.

April 2, 2023
FRIDAY Shares Clown-like Grunge Single/Video “Dear God”

NYC-based multihyphenate creative Nicole Daddona, also known as FRIDAY, has shared her new single and music video, “Dear God.” The grunged-out ballad is a punk reclamation of emotions, paired with a video that shows her dressed up as a crying, cigarette-smoking clown as she takes over an empty indoor children’s entertainment facility.

When Nicole Daddona preforms as her alter ego FRIDAY, she channels her creativity in each moment and brings a sense of nostalgic fun to each track. Daddona catches her audience with an emotionally deep sound that when you listen, you’ll transport you to a world where the weekend never ends.

With each song, FRIDAY captures different aspects of the human experience, adding her unique, colorful perspective. When listening to “Dear God,” her hook-filled songs and playful melodies will get stuck in your head and your heart.

Besides Nicole’s new project FRIDAY, she is the founder and designer of the “lowbrow, high fashion” clothing and accessories company Magic Society, creating iconic, playful, and maximalist designs like the Judy Bag (a purse made from deadstock blow-up dolls). She’s also one half of the production company Magic Society Pictures, who just debuted their most recent film The Mundanes at this year’s SXSW.

It’s well known that FRIDAY is a true creative powerhouse. This talented artist is not only a visual artist and filmmaker but also a fashion designer who has turned her hand to music. Through her whimsical and eclectic solo musical project, FRIDAY explores themes of love and loss with a touch of nostalgia and DIY aesthetics. In fact, she once described her music as “Harry Nilsson meets Nirvana,” which gives you a taste of the unique sound she brings to the table.

FRIDAY’s music draws inspiration from a range of artists, including Marc Bolan, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, Nirvana, and Harry Nilsson. Her sound is an accumulation of multiple genres, inspired by Art Rock, 70s power pop, grunge, bubblegum pop, and NU-Disco influences.

From the influences of NYC, her music is inspired by vintage horror films, unrequited love, dreamcore, and weirdcore. It’s a cross-genre project that has something for everyone. FRIDAY channels her creativity in each moment and brings a sense of nostalgic fun to each track.

To listen to “Dear God” by FRIDAY, click the link here.

To watch the music video for “Dear God,” click the link here.

For more on FRIDAY, click the link here.

March 31, 2023
Camp Bedford Share Femme-Pop Single “Jupiter”

Brooklyn based folk-pop trio Camp Bedford have just shared the second single from their upcoming debut EP So Often & So Sweet titled “Jupiter.” With Roxanne Quilty on guitar and vocals, Mariela Flor Olivo on lead rhythm guitar and vocals, and Tallen Gabriel helming the cello, this anticipated album comes out on March 31st.

The queer and femme-led band’s deep friendship shines through in their music. At once witchy, nostalgic, and magical, “Jupiter” and “2 AM,” which were released in February to warm reviews, both capture Camp Bedford’s sonic essence beautifully. Thus, these two releases are setting the stage for what’s soon to come from the band.

Of their newest single, Camp Bedford wrote, “‘Jupiter’ is about recognizing the parts of yourself that no longer serve you and setting them on fire. Written like a spell or incantation, this track’s ethereal elements and driving energy capture the experience of surrendering to your own power.”

“This folk-pop trio finds beauty in the form of complex musical arrangements packed with substance”
–chorus.fm

When talking about their follow-up single “2AM,” the band wrote, “A rousing angsty anthem, ‘2AM’ captures the post-breakup frustration and anger of watching your former partner give someone else the time and energy you wished they would have been able to give you. Even if it’s not logical and both parties grow and expand into new versions of themselves after a breakup, we wanted to honor the gnawing hurt that comes in initially watching an ex be ‘better’ to someone else than they were to you.”

By melding their unique voices and styles of instrumentation, Camp Bedford is a folk-pop-rock band spinning tales of adventure, self-discovery, and overall, their life’s journeys. They are nostalgic forward-thinkers, for instance, Camp Bedford’s music is infused with the magic of possibility. Compared to the likes of Joseph, First Aid Kit, and Wye Oak, the group finds inspiration in poetry, nature, and musical genres ranging from bluegrass to hyper pop.

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

For more on Camp Bedford, click the link here.

March 21, 2023
Warn The Duke Drop New Album “All That’s Solid” Out March 17th

Brooklyn-based melodic punks Warn The Duke are back with a new album titled All That’s Solid, out on Friday, March 17^th. The band will celebrate that night with a show at Brooklyn’s Our Wicked Lady.

The new LP All That’s Solid is a window into the ebbs and flows of recovery. Songwriter and lead singer Dan McCool (former River City Rebels) leads us through cycles of despair, renewal, and self-forgiveness that emerge after trauma and loss.

This is Warn The Duke’s first album in eight years, being written on the heels of lockdowns, divorce, and addiction. By layering harmonies and the combo of male/female vocals, the band emphasizes the record’s bittersweet atmosphere.

There are some far-ranging influences bringing the listeners through All That’s Solid. For instance, the warmth of Mike Ness’s vocals, the wry defiance of Against Me!, the dense, dark guitar tone of Nothing. Also, the earworms and hooks of The Replacements, early 2000s math rock-inspired lead guitar lines, and the hard-hitting punk grit of Hot Water Music.

“These guys play that brand of punk rock and post-hardcore that bands like Hot Water Music perfected.”
-Nerdist

Joining McCool on the album are drummer Derek Davis (former Big D and The Kids Table/The Toasters), bassist/vocalist Chris Marciniak, lead guitarist Chris Ferreria, and guitarist/vocalist Dori Cameron.

The album features the songs “Sometimes,” “The Middle” and the single “Anniversaries” (the latter of which is now streaming). Watch the music video for “Anniversaries” below and pre-save the album on Spotify. “All That’s Solid” arrives on 12” LP vinyl and digital on Friday, March 17th. The band will celebrate that night with a show at Brooklyn’s Our Wicked Lady.

All songs on All That’s Solid were written, performed, and produced by Dan McCool and Warn The Duke. Furthermore, some were recorded and mixed by Jeff Berner at Studio G (Brooklyn). Additional record recording and co-production was done by Chris Duggan at Blue Banshee Studio (Brewster, MA), and mastered by Jon Markson.

For more on Warn The Duke, click the link here.

To pre-save All That’s Solid, click the link here.

March 14, 2023
FRANK Release One-Take Instrumental Album “Moment”

NYC based FRANK have just released their newest instrumental recording Moment, on Thursday, Feb 23^rd. The album captures the more jammier side of the band, which is what the band is known for sounding during their live performances.

The band recorded this piece a few months ago in one live take at the end of the night. They stated, “We had no plan, nothing said at all, we just started playing. As always, we listened to each other, explored together, and when we stopped, something that didn’t exist before was in the world. We decided to release it as an instrumental FRANK record we are calling Moment.

Originally NYC based, FRANK has been playing live and creating music since 2001, with seven studio albums and another on the way. One night in December in between album sessions, they created Moment, an impromptu instrumental improvised and recorded in one take.

FRANK has been working on a new LP to follow up their 2021 release Dreams and Fears of the Outside. They stayed, “We’re very proud of Moment as it represents the jammier side of our band. We are always exploring new sounds, rhythms, spaces, and ideas, which our audience doesn’t always get to hear as part of our recorded works.”

FRANK’s new album features many songs like “The Sparkling Realization,” a song that features the bands core collaboration. Other songs like “Sucker for a Pharoah” and “Broken Kaleidoscope” give fans what they love most, rock. All of these songs are classic studio jams that sound as if you were at one of FRANK’s sessions personally.

In a previous article by NYS Music, the album Dreams and Fears of the Outside was described as “…It has everything you want from a Rolling Stones influenced vibe. It still maintains the characteristic heavy drums and renegade guitar that FRANK has been putting on display throughout the record.” For more of this article, click the link here to read.

To listen to FRANK, click the link here. To listen to Moment, click the link here. For more about FRANK, click the link here.

February 24, 2023

Built in Breakdance