Singer-songwriter Cosby Gibson has returned for her seventh album, the poetic and wonderfully whimsical The Hollow Crown.
Hailing from near the Adirondacks, Cosby Gibson is a singer-songwriter who specializes in unique and original folk-style songs on guitar and dulcimer. With multiple Capital District Music awards among many other trophies on her shelf, she spins whimsical tales on life in all of its aspects- the beautiful and the less than so.
Returning for her seventh album, Gibson has released The Hollow Crown– an album capturing the chase for something empty that she aptly dubs a “hollow crown”- something ultimately fruitless or unimportant.
At its core, however, the album tackles what is worth one’s time- remembering. Remembering the good, to remind oneself of the foundation you stand upon, and the bad to untangle the brambles of negative emotion.
Entwined with a sense of the magical between Gibson’s gentle vocals, deft acoustic guitar, and vivid lyricism, tracks like “In This Kind of Rain” and “Asking The Lilies” craft a sense of imagined adventure through the woods, pondering the complications of meanings of life while observing babbling brooks or blooming flowers.
Imagery is also rich in “Spinning in Spirals,” a song full of roses and sparkles and a sense of excited wanderlust, which is contrasted in the vulnerable and insightful “What’s Happening Is You” that decides that lyrical honesty is best for the frank conversation being had.
Wonderfully poetic and positively teeming with flora and fauna, The Hollow Crown is a beautifully crafted collection of tracks that balance emotional honesty with the whimsical. The full album is available now both in digital and physical format through Gibson’s Bandcamp page here.
To learn more about Cosby Gibson, listen to more of her work and The Hollow Crown, and keep up with all of her latest endeavors, be sure to explore her official website here.
New York City-based outfit Ecce Shnak has released their latest single off of their forthcoming EP titled Prayer on Love, meditating on the complexity of the word and all of its implications.
Subverting all concepts of genre and style while playfully embracing the full spectrum of sonic opportunities, Ecce Shnak is truly a one of a kind band. Based in New York City, their art-rock endeavors span pop, classical, punk, and beyond as they tackle the wide variety of ideas that capture their interests most.
Debuting in 2019 with Joke Oso with their second album Metamorphejawns soon to follow, Ecce Shnak has returned with the second pre-release single off of their latest project Shadows Grow Fangs.
Self-described as their most “whole-grain rock song to date,” “Prayer on Love” considers the concept of love in contrast to the conclusions drawn by today’s society.
Richly textured with guitars, snare drums, and distinct vocals, the track explores their ruminations on the topic above the group’s signature sound that subverts notions of style and is simply overflowing with dedicated creative care and complexity.
“It’s a meditation on the nature of love and its diverse manifestations. It honors the complexity of love without declaring that it ‘is all we need.”
– David Roush, frontman of Ecce Shnak
Defining love as not a singular necessity but a beautiful, intangible entity that coexists with the countless other aspects of life and in turn only making the others more precious, “Prayer on Love” is an entrancing contemplation whose deft lyricism lends itself to a rather poetic track at large.
Ecce Shnak has also published an official music video for “Prayer on Love” alongside the track’s release, featuring the members exploring their ruminations among a field of flowers and various eye-catching psychedelic visuals.
“Prayer on Love” is one of five tracks slated for release on the band’s upcoming EP Shadows Grow Fangs, which will reach the public on February 7.
For more information on their current endeavors, the upcoming Shadows Grow Fangs, and all things Ecce Shnak, be sure to check out their official social media pages here and here.
Albany indie-rock band Canella has released their latest single titled “Groomer,” a powerful track of resiliency and reclamation.
Based in and frequently performing throughout Albany, Canella is rooted in a shared love of creation. Written acoustically by lead singer and songwriter Juliana Castrillón, members Joe Taurone, Gabe Klingler-Horn, and Dan Carr expand each and every track to whatever extent they feel- whether that results in a song meant to make you laugh, or a track that’ll bring you to tears.
Having released their debut albumCan’t Make You Smile in 2023, Canella has returned with the second pre-release single off of their upcoming EP The Snake, the deeply personal and intense “Groomer.”
Penned after a turning point in Castrillón’s life, “Groomer” encapsulates the intense and complex emotions felt after she reconnected with a former music teacher from her adolescence, consequently uncovering an uncomfortable truth about her past.
With her perspective altered, Juliana was caught in a limbo of deep depression and months of silence. Unable to put the storm of emotion to paper, Castrillón would not be able to write again until 2024, driven by a mix of fear, anger, and shame.
Now, after years of processing and healing and in the wake of the 2024 election, Juliana is not only ready to share her story but is determined to do so in a show of reclamation, solidarity, and support.
“I didn’t realize how much I had blamed myself for being a victim of abuse,” says Juliana. “Now, taking back my story and sharing it is a crucial part of healing—taking my power back and feeling finally free and not alone.”
– Juliana Castrillón
“Groomer” is heavy, gritty, and full of sharp emotion. It’s always awe-inspiring to hear tracks full of pure emotion, but this track takes it to another level. The rage, disgust, betrayal, and defiance can all be felt palpably, an all-consuming experience with cutting vocals and aggressive instrumentals where words fail- perhaps the kind of all-encompassing emotion that can only be communicated through sound.
The track concludes with a powerful moment of pure guitar, drums, and bass- the kind of music felt down to the bones. “Groomer,” is a rallying cry just as much as it is a moment of emotional release. Intense, emotive, and guttural, Canella’s latest release is a striking example of shaping one’s darkest moments into something relentless.
Canella will be gracing the stage of No Fun in Troy on December 20 to celebrate the release along with support by Tula Vera and Rat Motel. Tickets are priced at $10 and are available here.
For more information on Canella, their upcoming EP, and all other future endeavors, be sure to check out their official website here.
Hudson Valley singer-songwriter Ginger Winn has released her newest single in honor of musical icon John Lennon, “Dear John.”
Based in the Hudson Valley, Ginger Winn is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who was launched into the spotlight after a captivating performance at Woodstock Way Hotel.
Since this fateful performance, Winn’s folk-tinged guitar and melancholy-tinted vocals have captivated folks across the Hudson Valley and beyond- eventually resulting in a gig touring the west coast alongside Gipsy Kings.
Released earlier this year, Winn debuted with Stop-Motion, a ten track album that quickly set the tone for Ginger’s career as a promising one.
Returning with her latest work, Winn has released “Dear John,” a heartfelt single dedicated to John Lennon that was published on the anniversary of his untimely passing; a crestfallen letter to a hero she’ll never have the opportunity to meet.
“John Lennon has inspired me from an early age. I remember being about 12 and buying a magazine that told his life story. It taught me a lot about being an artist, following the path you feel is right, and making sure that path leads you to a destination that is best for you, which I’ve used as a guiding light in my journey. He’s a true creative who did whatever he wanted to do, no matter the consequences.”
– Ginger Winn
Co-written with Matthew Baione, co-founder of Keep Good Company Records, “Dear John” has its roots in Paul Goresh’s images capturing Lennon’s interaction with Mark David Chapman, Chapman’s manifesto, the moment in the Imagine documentary where John invites the stalkers on his property in for tea, and the famous image of Pope John Paul II forgiving his would-be assassin.
“The song is as beautiful as it is tragic and John has always been an inspiration; we share a birthday and I’ve always admired his audacity, creativity, search for interconnectivity in society, and his attempts at leading with love, especially near his life’s end. He was a dreamer.”
– Matthew Baione
Following this release, Winn will be performing “Dear John” and other works of hers live at two upcoming shows in New York City. She’ll be gracing the stage of the Bowery Electric on December 29, and Arlene’s Grocery on January 29.
For more information on these shows, Winn’s previous works, and to keep up with all of her future endeavors, be sure to visit her official website here.
New York City-based singer-songwriter Olivia Reid has released her latest work in the form of the beautifully nostalgic “Quite Simple”.
A singer-songwriter who’s been putting her proverbial musical pen to paper since just six years old, Olivia Reid’s indie folk anthems contain an undeniable yet intangible touch of vibrant humanity.
Capturing the human experience in all of its forms, Reid and her guitar formally debuted in her 2021 EP Earth Water. Since then, Olivia’s work has caught the attention of many through its appearances on television shows in the likes of Love Island Australia and several official streaming service playlists.
Returning for her latest release, Reid has decided to channel hopeful optimism into the single “Quite Simple” in the face of personal and global strife. Inspired by her strong relationship with and gratitude for her grandparents who have recently passed, Olivia reflects upon the wisdom granted by her elders and the inherent wisdom and fondness for life that comes with age and a retrospective understanding of life.
Through a nostalgically woven sonic soundscape and storytelling-style lyrics, Reid walks listeners through an enlightening conversation with an older man that reframes her entire understanding of the world, especially in the face of the busy mindset so many share today- life is, in fact, “Quite Simple.”
“In old age, it seems there’s so much to look back on fondly and so many experiences that you don’t even know are ahead of you. I wanted to write a song that gives people my age some optimism. We’ve got time.”
– Olivia Reid
Curating a beautifully nostalgic ambiance with its guitar plucking, vocal layering, and warm outro, “Quite Simple” captures the beauty found in taking life in the slow lane while also giving a nod to the kind of perspective on life that comes with age and wisdom.
To learn more about “Quite Simple,” her future endeavors, and all things Olivia Reid, be sure to check out her official website here.
Buffalo based singer-songwriter Ian McCuen has returned with their latest release, the utterly emphatic and scathingly topical As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls.
Buffalo-based Ian McCuen has been wowing listeners since 2017 with the release of their debut album Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. I, the next two installations following in 2019.
A master of the soundscape, McCuen is no stranger to telling tales with their musical skill- which is a strength that lends itself perfectly to their latest release, the 22-track album As the Oceans Rise and the Empires Fall.
Utterly cinematic, As the Oceans Rise and the Empires Fall pulls listeners through each and every notion of emotion with an admirable span of instrumentation, tracks full of lyricism and others left purely instrumental- all-encompassing in an admirable and awe-inspiring critique on the state of the United States and its politics today.
“A Fairy Tale for the Obedient” makes deft use of the Omnichord, drawing upon sounds of whimsy and childhood nostalgia alongside haunting horns which carry directly into the simmering brush percussions and foreboding baselines of the instrumental “Indoctrinated, Propagandized.”
The omnichord returns in “I Don’t Know What Will Kill Us First,” this time taking on an undertone of grimness as McCuen ponders which environmental disaster will be the one to finally do us all in over the sounds of acoustic guitar and later horns, which have evolved into a sound almost funerary in sentiment.
“The Intermission” and “The Underture,” unsurprisingly enough mark the midpoint of the album, at which point McCuen takes the time to remind you that as much as their lyrical pieces stun, soundscapes are well within their wheelhouse too.
“Fear & Loathing (in the Home of the Brave),” while certainly not subtle in its messaging, makes a staunch statement regardless. McCuen pulls no punches in critiquing the hypocrisy found in defending the status quo blindly and existing in fear of anything new without interrogating the reason as to why either of those reactions were elicited- as they conclude, “in the home of the brave, it’s all we’ve got.”
They lean fully into the ominous for “A Ghost Story for the Sheltered,” telling a horrifying story of some untold monster that’s sweeping through your town, hunting you down- a haunting parallel to the paranoia kicked up and experienced by the “Sheltered” of America and a striking narrative on fear-mongering and its consequences.
“Death Is a Business and Sales Are Up” is not only incredibly topical but stunningly produced- headphones are highly recommended for this track, as the panning utilized creates an all-encompassing listening experience that’s practically impossible to pause.
The final lyrical track “A Swan Song for Quittin’ Time” feels like a conclusion in every sense of the word. Featuring a line that became the album’s title, this track feels simultaneously hopeful and hopeless, as McCuen struggles to come to terms with the state of the world- even for those with so much fight in them, there comes a point where the draw of nihilistic acceptance is unavoidable.
The song concludes in an anthemic culmination of all of the album’s instrumentation as McCuen accepts the state of the world as one full of strife and struggle, yet finding a determination to go on in the hope for a better future, they sing “just in case, stick around for the encore.”
There’s a certain cognitive dissonance to Ian’s work- if you let yourself be distracted by their calming vocals or gentle instrumentation, you may just miss their scathing critiques on today’s society. Haunting, scathing, and effortlessly engaging, As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls captures the full range of emotions felt within and in critique of the United States today.
To learn about Ian McCuen’s past work, more about As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls, and all of their future endeavors, be sure to keep up with them on their official Instagram page here.
Singer-songwriter Katie Gavin, who rose to fame as lead singer of indie pop trio MUNA, gave a heartfelt performance at The Bowery Ballroom December 10âthe first New York show of her solo What a Relief tour.
Photo by Molly Higgins
After an opening set from Liam Benzvi, Gavin strutted on stage to Frank Sinatra’s “(Theme From) New York, New York,” and poured herself a cup of tea before she sat down to tune her guitar. Immediately, the atmosphere in the 575-capacity venue was cozy and personal, as if Gavin was inviting her fans into her living room for a private acoustic show.
Candles flickered and the stage lights warmed as Gavin began her set with “Today,” a soft track that set the tone perfectly for an evening of showcasing her folk-leaning solo record What a Relief.
Katie Gavin and Nana Adjoa
In contrast to the upbeat pop sound of much of MUNA’s discography, Gavin’s solo project is stripped-down, with an acoustic sound and deeply personal lyrics that highlight her artistic versatility. Throughout the live show, Gavin delivered warm vocals, chatted with the audience like friends, and seamlessly cycled through instruments, trading in her acoustic guitar for everything from the keyboard to the violin to a shruti box.
After playing an additional Bowery Ballroom show December 11 (which featured an appearance by surprise guest Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls), Gavin will continue on the What A Relief tour through December 18.
Liam Benzvi and Katie Gavin
Katie Gavin – Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan – December 10, 2024
Setlist: Today, Sparrow, As Good As It Gets (with Liam Benzvi), Casual Drug Use, Inconsolable, Sanitized, Sweet Abby Girl, I Want It All, She Gives Me Feeling, The Baton, Keep Walking, Sketches, Aftertaste
From 1986 until 2014, David Letterman would close out his final show of the year with a Christmas episode that featured the one and only Darlene Love. Over the span of those 28 years, Love would perform her holiday hit “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” one of Letterman’s favorites.
The appearance found its origins after Letterman saw Love perform the song at the Bottom Line, in a show called Leader of the Pack. He immediately had to have her on the show. Love told Variety in 2014:
He had David [were] down to see the show. [Letterman] said, “You know that song that girl sings? That Christmas song? That’s the greatest Christmas song I’ve ever heard. We need to get her on the show.” That was 1986, and so I’ve been doing it ever since.
The tradition spanned two networks over nearly three decades, appearing from 1986 until 1993 on Late Night with David Letterman, and later on the Late Show with David Letterman when Letterman joined CBS.
The song was originally recorded for the 1963 Phil Spector album A Christmas Gift for You, and while Love performed the song on Letterman’s shows, she told the New York Times in 2014 that she will not sing it for any other TV talk-show hosts moving forward.
For her final performance, the Late Show paid tribute to Darlene Love. Following her brief interview with Dave, the stage filled in with additional musician, including string and horn sections and several backup singers. These singers would not overshadow Love’s powerful voice, and sang her final last verse from the top of Paul Shaffer’s piano, with fake snow falling around her.
Recently, an animated version of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” has been released through Legacy Recordings. The short video follows a young Black girl as she walks home through a snowy neighborhood, accompanied by a happy snowman. Along the way, she stops to admire a Christmas tree and runs into her dog, who is singing along with a pair of carolers. The girl and her dog arrive home, where they are lovingly greeted by her parents. As the video nears its end, the girl opens up one of her presents to find a snow globe with the smiling snowman inside.
At the end of the music video, Love posted a message paying tribute to her late sister, Edna Wright Perry, who sang backing vocals on the track.
Featured on the show prior to Love’s show-stopping performance, Letterman annually welcomed comedian Jay Thomas, to share, as Letterman put it, “the best story I’ve ever heard.” Thomas would then launch into his true story about an encounter with Clayton Moore, the actor famous for playing The Lone Ranger. For 17 years starting in 1992, Thomas would come on the show and deliver the joke, much to Letterman and the audience’s approval. Watch the story unfold over the years.
After Thomas delivered the punchline, he and Letterman would alternate throwing a football at the meatball on top of the Late Show Christmas tree. To wrap up the show, Darlene Love would come out for “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and send the show into the night.
The Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra (BCCO), led by its Music Director Dorothy Savitch, performed an afternoon of classical music spanning 180 years to a packed Brooklyn Museum Saturday 7th December.
The performance began with a rendition of the Siegfried Idyll by Richard Wagner, a delicate, soft Symphonic Poem for chamber orchestra. Wagner wrote the piece for his wife and first performed it with 15 musicians as she woke on Christmas morning in 1870, setting the bar absurdly high for those of us who can just about get the sprouts out on time.
Brooklyn Museum
The piece is gentle and beautiful, led by strings who never reach higher than a pianissimo whisper. A flute arrives, giving the audience an indulgent start to the weekend. After 20 minutes or so the piece breathes its last breath, coasting gently to a stop to enthusiastic applause.
Next up is Vivaldi’s Concerto for Oboe, strings and continuo, written more than 150 years earlier. This Baroque music contrasts vividly to the Romantic poetry of Wagner and was led by Alison Mari, the BCCO’s tenured principal oboe. Mari showed us that the oboe – presumably after far more years of dedication than the classmates who introduced me to it – can be a beautiful instrument.
The strings and oboe, accompanied by a harpsichord, deftly trade a call and response in melody. The piece is highly energetic, evoking, writes Mari in the program notes, the doomed search for an answer to some problem.
The Chief Executive of the BCCO spoke briefly to tell of the Orchestra’s long and proud history at the center of the community – he quoted a bulletin written in 1910 stating how the orchestra was open to anyone from any background. We heard of various fundraisers for the needy held throughout its lifetime, a refreshing reminder of the social power of music and the Orchestra’s mission.
The main event was Tchaikovsky’sSymphony No. 5. The 50-minute work is led by a central motif, dubbed the ‘fate theme’, which appears in various guises throughout its four movements.
The first movement, the Andante, begins with an ominous clarinet. Just at this moment a light draft breathes above our heads; is this fate, some extrasensory dimension slipping into the room? (Or did someone just open the door at the back?)
Finally, part way through this movement and after two relatively restrained performances, the Orchestra can huff out its full dynamic range. This – the raw acoustic power of lungs and fingers and elbows and chambers and valves – is the best part of seeing live classical music; there is something so powerful and timeless about seeing real people make this real sound. We feel it as much as we hear it.
The horns drive us to a staccato climax, pushing, for the time being, fate back whence it came.
The second movement begins with a French horn – plaintive and insecure. The horn and its brass-mates are the driving force behind the entire symphony, and Tchaikovsky and the BCCO show us that the French horn makes a strong case for the world’s most beautiful instrument. This sound, made by this person, is something otherworldly – pure, soft and perfect.
The theme is passed around the stage like a game of telephone, reminding us that one should never take this for granted, this primal, authentic, tangible magic that is acoustic live music. Later it returns once more, Darth Vader style this time – it’s that pesky fate come again to drag us out of our revery. The concert has ended and we must wake from this dreamlike state the BCCO has massaged us into. We trudge out into the cold December evening better-equipped, for this experience, to face whatever our fates hold.
The Brooklyn-based alternative rock band The Upstart Crows have returned with their newest single “House Fire” on the frustrations of the creative process ahead of their upcoming EP.
Rooted in Brooklyn, The Upstart Crows have brought their unique combination of folk, punk, and Americana sounds throughout New York City and beyond in live shows spanning haunting acoustic solo performances to the full effect of a rock unit.
Debuting in 2018 with a 12 track self-titled album, The Upstart Crows have been performing live shows and honing their sound among a small set of single releases since they formally emerged on the scene.
Now back and better than ever, the band has returned with new music in the form of the single “House Fire”.
Penned during the Covid-19 Pandemic, “House Fire” captures a unique frustration felt by creatives when it seems as though no part of the act of creation is going your way.
With fast-paced and hard hitting drums, insistent guitar lines, and vocals that compliment the oscillating bass line, “House Fire” is a stellar example of how indulging in the negative can not only relieve personal stress but result in a work exploding with emotion.
“The song is about the self-doubt doom spirals we all face when we are working on something… Where you start to question your own taste and ability to make something good.”
One of many parts of the Crows’ upcoming EP slated for the spring, “House Fire” marks a promising start to the next era of The Upstart Crows.
For more information on this release, the band’s upcoming endeavors, and all things The Upstart Crows, be sure to check out their official website here.
