We're Gonna Build Something This Summer

On June 29, 2008, boys and girls from all over America (quite literally) came together to see the exuberant Hold Steady in their hometown and the open air.

The McCarren Park Pool venue is a unique one, to be certain. The once-pool has been out of use for quite some time, and some promoters over at JellyNYC thought it would be a fitting place to set up a stage and invite a couple of thousand people out to play and hear great music. The show was free, as are most of the Pool Parties, and concertgoers were discouraged by neither heavy showers, lightning, nor thunder. Apparently there is absolutely nothing that can get The Hold Steady's fans down--especially not when they know they are just moments away from seeing their favorite band.

The Hold Steady has enjoyed a constant ascent to the top of the indie rock scene over the past several years, recording four albums along the way. Each album has its own characters and stories, but the messages remain the same. Guys go for looks, girls go for status. You can make him like you. Certain songs get scratched right in your soul. Ya gotta stay positive. It is those simple truths that have garnered the band a huge following. Maybe not huge in size compared to say, Radiohead's fan base, but huge in spirit, comraderie, and passion. The Unified Scene travels from all over to meet up at shows, with matching shirts that certain scene members front the money for, to have a couple of drinks or talk music with each other - everyone with the same thing in common - love for a band that has truly impacted their lives. At any Hold Steady show you can bet that you will see a bunch of nerds in matching shirts, forced forward into the stage or barrier, shouting lyrics and getting a glimmer in their eyes at the beginning of each song. The Unified Scene certainly made a strong showing at June 29th's Brooklyn show.

When the band took the stage, it was like coming home again. There is comfort in finding a band -and a scene- that makes you feel like you are home at last. The cheers were overwhelming. The setlist was absolutely conflagerant. Almost every track from the forthcoming CD, Stay Positive, and plenty of crowd pleasing back catalogue songs. With the sun just coming out after a rough day in torrential rain, there was a certain something in the air that infected everyone present-in a positive way of course. Screaming lyrics up to the stage with arms outstretched to embrace and be a part of something bigger, The Hold Steady's biggest fans exuded energy that enchanted press photographers, who took as many photos of the fans as they did of the band.

The entire band was on. Every song was performed to its fullest, with each band member feeding off of the crowd's energy in his own way. Close your eyes and imagine if you will: Craig Finn: spitting and ranting and singing, moving around the stage to have little dialogues in pantomime with the crowd. Tad Kubler: humbly accepting birthday wishes, rock solid soloing, facile fingers and a double-necked guitar. Galen Polivka: slumped and sweating, pounding out basslines with precision and animation, adding something new to each song. Franz Nicolay: shouting, grimacing, smiling, stomping, spinning, dancing, and making eye contact and singing with the fans. Bobby Drake: an anchor to the entire band, creating the entire texture of every song from the bottom up, blindingly precise beats. Seriously serious musicians. Friends and colleagues. It is pretty clear that not only do each of these men know exactly what they are doing, but they do it damn well together. The chemistry is incomparable.

In an interview just yesterday, The Hold Steady's frontman and lyricist, Craig Finn, said this, "Do I believe in the redemptive power of rock'n'roll? Absolutely. At its peak, played with the best intentions, it can be transcendent." Inadvertantly, Finn described the experience that the Unified Scene undergoes at every show, every venue, in every city, state, and country. As they start a huge tour again (after 200 shows last year), hitting Europe and the states, I once again encourage you not to miss it. It is truly one of the most euphoric things that a music lover can experience.

These songs, they get so scratched into our souls

Another music ramble. Bear with me for some true content coming soon...

Summer memories always seem to be the most saturated with music. I can remember the exact order of tracks on a mix CD I used to listen going back and forth to summer camp; bands who played shows in our small venues; and songs I listened to in the solitude of my air conditioned bedroom. For some reason my brain is like a sponge during the summer, and each song takes on twice as much meaning. When I was going into 11th grade, an English teacher who I was close with loaned me a cassette of The Smiths' Greatest Hits, and I can't listen to that band without thinking of that summer. I hope that this summer can be equally steeped in musical memories..

Pop Culture Informs Itself - Ramblings about the interconnectedness of all popular culture in the 21st century

I was listening to a recent NPR podcast of the show "All Songs Considered" with Bob Boilen in which a panel of Generation X and Y-ers talked about how music-and what specific music-defined their respective, and the current, generations (The Sound of a Generation). They ended the show with a song by Okkervil River called "Plus One," which name drops a good number of popular song lyric references. This got me thinking about other similar songs, such as Jimmy Eat World's "A Praise Chorus," and the WFUV's radio show, Mixed Bag, which occasionally themes entire shows after songs that name drop pop culture and otherwise. And to be quite honest, this happens very often. Sometimes it's a stolen riff, a beat, or just straight out referencing your predecessors or contemporaries.

The point I'm trying to get at is that pop culture informs itself. Pop culture is one meta-idea encompassing all music (yes, all music), films, reality TV, comic books, mass market paperbacks, literature, all of it. And none of it would exist without the rest of it. Everything is symbiotic and interwoven. Weezer jabs fun at the youtube "culture" as it were with a music video referencing America's favorite web-video-follies. Pop-writers like Nick Hornby write books such as High Fidelity, which truly only exists because of the music that makes up its heart, which feeds into the film industry, which then makes the music more popular through its soundtrack and so on. Even the TV show "American Idol," which I refuse to watch and abhor for its superficial harvesting of "talent"--that show feeds into this idea too. If little miss pop-star covers a Simon & Garfunkel hit on her segment, maybe downloads and sales will spike a bit that week. The same goes for any artist subjected to a very strong spotlight in an unusual venue. Largehearted Boy, a music blog favorite of mine, has a regular feature entitled Book Notes, in which authors discuss music that was important to them while writing their latest work.

As a musician and also a writer, I find this meta-culture truly intriguing. I suppose it calls the ago old question of "What is Art" into play. Everything is granted an equal playing field when it is in the present moment. Record albums pressed on weighty 180g vinyl are consumed parallel to ringtones bought off of iTunes; books are sold in pulp and digital form. It's hard to exist and thrive in such a multi-faceted arena. There are just so many options that it becomes overwhelming. With the realization of the internet as a truly level playing field for all creative artists, it becomes more a matter of the discretion of the consumer to decide what is quality. I think that this puts us in a very different place than music lovers or bookworms of our parents' generation (spoonfed only by Rolling Stone magazine and the NYT Book Review).

This was just rambling of a bunch of ideas that the "All Songs Considered" show put into my head that I wanted to get down, no matter how many times and ways they've been said before. I recently picked up a retrospective of Lester Bangs' work (who, by the way, I didn't know was a real person until 2 years after seeing Almost Famous for the first time) and felt the need to get some words down. Even music journalism has been brought down to a level playing field, because I can just easily buy a copy of Paste magazine as I can pull up Pitchfork Media in my web browser (or someone could pull up MY blog for that matter). If anyone does happen to read this, chime in and give me some specific talking points. This whole idea of the interconnectedness of pop culture is just too large of an idea to take on at once.

Guignol: Tour de Force Ethnopunk

Brooklyn-based Guignol (pronounced Geen-yol) weaves together sounds familiar to many cultures to synthesize something totally fresh. The four-piece group consists of clarinetist Peter Hess, accordionist Franz Nicolay, tubaist George Rush, and drummer John Bollinger. Tonight's two-set show at Zebulon in Williamsburg featured guest guitarist Jeremiah Lockwood (of Balkan Beat Box and Sway Machinery) at the helm in Nicolay's place. Each musician is not only able when it comes to their specialty instrument, but goes above and beyond the normal expectations. The clarinet wails up and down gypsy scales and dips pitch seamlessly. The guitarist's stony visage, contrasted by his resonance with the music and ease of playing, through changes and solos, adds depth to the group. The tuba holds up the entire group, freeing Bollinger to fool around with off-beats and mixed meters. Anyone trying to follow his every motion would have surely been baffled and amazed.

The group plays so tightly in even the most obscure harmonic-minor and modal scales, and mixed and changing meters and tempos. This isn't your every day quartet. It is self-proclaimed "ethnic music for a country that doesn't exist." A mix of all their tastes, from traditional to gypsy to 20th century, this music truly embodies individuality while keeping the familiar flavors of Balkan music close at hand.

The first set consisted of a mix of songs from the band's self-titled album as well as new cuts. The musicians burned through the hour-long set, a non-stop tour-de-force. During the interim of the two sets, the younger crowd filtered out. When it was time for the second set, most of the crowd a few more drinks deep, got to the front of the now-less-crowded room and began to dance. This crowd obviously enjoyed themselves even more, resonating in time (and sometimes not in time at all) with the aforementioned obscure rhythmical music.

For someone who's never seen Guignol before, Friday night's gig at Zebulon was quite a treat. Although missing their signature mustachioed accordionist, the group played just about every song they know. That's not something that happens every show.

Sometimes frantic, sometimes tense, sometimes held back, this music always throws you a curveball. Many people believe that music's most important impetus is the ability to control and vary levels of tension throughout a piece. Let's just say that these guy's have got a grip on that. The next time these four get on stage, you'd be foolish to miss it.

According to their website, Guignol is scheduled to play a show on June 30 with The Zydepunks.
http://www.myspace.com/guignol

Reel Big Fish concert kicks off Springfest

Published in the 5/2 issue of The Racquette.

Springfest started with a bang on Saturday, April 26, when well-known ska-punk band Reel Big Fish took over Maxcy Hall Gymnasium. Many fans got their tickets in advance, and several just showed up at the venue.

The opener, Brad Byrd, an acoustic singer-songwriter, did not fit the bill at all. Some audience members said he was trying too hard to sound like Bob Dylan, and thought that alt-country didn’t belong on a bill with an upbeat ska band. People in the audience rudely booed and chanted “folk sucks.” Singer Brad Byrd has played at SUNY Potsdam before to a better reception from the crowd, but most concertgoers agreed that this opener was simply the wrong feel for the show.

Reel Big Fish stormed the stage to chants of their name. They opened with their big hit, “Sell Out,” off of their most popular album, Turn the Radio Off. The crowd was dancing immediately, though clearly not as hard as they would have liked, with moshing not allowed at the event. Charismatic singer Aaron Barrett, with his signature California style, sang right to audience members to approving screams. Other tracks they played spanned their discography, from Cheer Up! to their new album Monkeys for Nuthin’ and the Chimps for Free. Towards the end of the set, they played more favorites, such as “Beer” and “She Has a Girlfriend Now,” which, by the way, is based on a true story. Several concertgoers attempted to crowd surf, and security guards at the front of the stage promptly removed them from the top of the crowd. Although it was previously stated that crowd surfing was not allowed, these audience members were not penalized, and were allowed to stay in the show.

During a laid-back pre-show interview, the band attributed their success over the years to their dedicated fans. Through the years, the band has gone through a myriad of line-up changes, but the reason they keep making music is that they “don’t want to do anything else,” said lead singer, Aaron Barrett. “Most of the time bands break up because the fans stop coming, but the fans keep coming.” “It’s better to say, ‘hey, let’s get a new [musician]’ than…let’s quit,” Barrett pointed out. The band has no venue preference: they said that they like to play anywhere there are people.

Making fun of themselves on stage also wins over fans, they say. It is that high energy, fun-loving attitude that gets the audience involved. They danced and kicked across the stage, often making crazy faces and dressed in slightly mis-matched garb.

Ska might not be as popular of a genre now as it was in the early 90s, but Barrett liked it because of “the funness of it, and the exoticness of it, and the danciness of it, and the island rhythms…I was always a fan of lots of kinds of music…[in Reel Big Fish] we can take all these types of music and mix them together.” When the band got together in the early 90s, “all the local bands were playing ska.” No Doubt and Sublime were just getting big and contributed to the success of the genre.

After touring for so many years, it’s to be expected that some line-ups and shows played will have been a bit strange. Reel Big Fish played only the night before with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and have played in the past with rapper 50 Cent. They said one of the best line-ups they’ve ever played was their tour last summer with Less Than Jake.

Although members of the band said that they do keep up with current music, they haven’t found anything exciting coming out. On the bus, the band listens to music such as Frank Zappa, Destroyer, Elvis Costello, Rasputin’s Stash, Fugazi, and The Frogs. They cite the ipod as the “best thing that ever happened,” saving them from bringing huge cases full of CDs on tour. Aaron Barrett calls American Idol a “travesty…the most horrible thing to happen to music ever,” with the soprano saxophone as a close second. Other ways of passing the time on the bus include playing Call of Duty, Brain Age, and Scrabble (although they aren’t too good at it.)

Those who simply arrived at the concert when doors opened would have no way of knowing how much preparation and hard work it took the members of Student Entertainment Services and the crew to make the show happen. Load-in and set-up started at 8am, and members of the organization worked non-stop all day to make the event a success.

Reel Big Fish’s latest album, Monkeys for Nuthin’ and the Chimps for Free is available now. They will be touring on the Vans Warped Tour all summer. To hear Reel Big Fish, visit their website at http://www.reel-big-fish.com or their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/reelbigfish.

Photos credited to Ben O’Brien Smith.

Cities Over Seas celebrate the release of National Phantom

Published in the 5/2 issue of The Racquette.


On Friday night, April 25, Cities Over Seas hosted a house show to celebrate the release of their new CD, National Phantom. Opening band The Assless Chaps played a variety of covers that got the audience dancing, such as three of Reel Big Fish’s greatest hits, poking fun at the concert that would happen the next day. They also played party hits like “Shout,” and “We Like to Party.” Although the group was humorous and fun, it wasn’t what the show-goers had come to see.

When Cities Over Seas finally made their way to the front to play, the audience was wholly riled up and ready to hear tracks from the CD. The room was very small and the mix made it hard-to-impossible to hear the vocals and electronics. Regardless, the band used eye contact and cued each other in at the correct spots, guaranteeing that when they got lost they could find each other again. Many people in the crowd didn’t even notice the off-synchronization that happened at times, and were too busy dancing with friends. Clearly, a large percentage of the audience had heard some of the tracks either on the CD or on Myspace, and clapped along excitedly, despite the technical difficulties.

Madstop Records released National Phantom after several months of hard work from the members of Cities Over Seas and the record label. They are primarily an indie/electronic band, with influences such as Radiohead and The Postal Service. The CD is a mix of upbeat songs great for dancing, and darker, more introspective songs and lyrics. The band is already in the process of planning out the next album in their heads, but for now they are focusing on publicizing National Phantom and getting out there to perform.

National Phantom is available now at the College Bookstore. Hear tracks by Cities Over Seas on their myspace, http://www.myspace.com/citiesoverseas.

Photo credit: Amanda Stockwell

The Tryloves Bring Audience-Pleasing Rock To Campus

Published in the 5/2 issue of The Racquette.

One of Potsdam’s newest bands, The Tryloves, has several upcoming on-campus shows. They boast variety of music presented and a high-energy performance. Paul Tryon, singer and pianist, describes the band as “party rock” and then some, exploring many different genres through their music.

The band consists of a whopping seven members: Shane Loverro (guitar), Dan Havranek (bass), Chris Fleury (drums/percussion), Katie Cotterell (singer), Robby Castro (singer), Delia Wohlleben (singer), and Paul Tryon (piano/keyboards/vocals). The singers all contribute to the music; when one has a solo, the others harmonize to fill out the sound.

The Tryloves play an array of songs, from originals written by the band to familiar covers of artists such as Elvis and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This promises to include the audience in a way that bands performing all originals cannot.

Some music fans may be familiar with previous projects of members of this band, such as Northern Lights and Grove Shore. Tryon says that The Tryloves differ in that they are dedicated to bringing the audience a consistently high-caliber performance while still having fun.

The Tryloves’ goal in making this music is to get people in a good mood, dancing, and even singing along. “If the audience hasn't had fun, we haven't had done our job,” says Tryon. Audiences can surely expect a fun, high quality performance from The Tryloves, a promising up-and-coming Potsdam band.

The Tryloves will perform on May 1^st at Hurley’s and on May 3^rd in the Lehman Quad for Bearstock. Check out their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/thetryloves.

Susquehanna String Band

Published in the 5/2 issue of The Racquette.

On Friday evening, April 24, quite a crowd filled Hosmer Hall to hear the bluegrass, folk, and traditional music of the Susquehanna String Band. The crowd was composed predominantly of community members and families, though some students were present. The Susquehanna String Band consists of three members, John Kirk, Dan Duggan, and Rick Bunting, who constantly switch instruments. Instruments on the stage included piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, pennywhistle, and hammered dulcimer. This concert was the annual benefit concert for the Community Performance Series, and though admission was free, donations were encouraged. The Susquehanna String Band is no stranger to the North Country, and was greeted enthusiastically by the crowd.

The songs that the group played ranged from American folk songs to traditional music of the British Isles. During some of the more rousing songs, the group taught the audience lyrics ahead of time and encouraged everyone to sing along. Other songs were peaceful, lyric ballads. One of the slower songs was even prefaced by the recitation of a poem by William Butler Yeats. The set was sprinkled with funny and reminiscent anecdotes, ranging in subject from Helen Hosmer of the Crane School of Music to fishing trips.

Crane Students Amanda Hayden, Jackie Cypress, Sarah Bleichfeld, and Meghan Smart joined the String Band as a string quartet, performing a beautiful song called “Trillium Lane.” Hayden played fiddle on several more songs, and the quartet joined the group again later in the program for more playing along. Members of the audience, which included current Crane Students, alumni, and community members, were proud to see some of their own up on stage with such renowned musicians.

The event was very family friendly. It was at times fun, and at other times, poignant and touching. The last song before the encore, “Auld Lang Syne,” caused members of the audience to raise their voices together in song, and even shed a tear or two. Seeing a group such as the Susquehanna String Band perform is a truly unique experience, exposing people of all ages to traditional songs and instruments that they may never have heard or seen before. The audience was enthralled, and gave the group several standing ovations.

Potsdam Says Goodbye to The Cherubs and Welcomes Cities Over Seas

Published in the 4/18/08 issue of The Racquette.

For a show only advertised on Facebook, by word of mouth, and with conspicuous but information-void posters, Saturday night’s house show featuring The Cherubs, Cities Over Seas, and Electrical Bananas, was brimming with people. Over 100 people filtered through the few small rooms before the music even started. Electrical Bananas, a Vegan Straight Edge punk band played first. The band was heartfelt, with some great melodic guitar lines and vocals. They didn’t quite fit into the same niche as the others on the bill, but still added to the appeal of the show.

Next up were Cities Over Seas, playing their second show ever. They easily brought their live show to the next level between those two shows alone. The room was tight and intimate, and due to Cities’ burgeoning fame, the crowd was completely engrossed. Fans danced and knew the right moments to clap during the upbeat electronic breakdowns. It was truly a stellar performance from a band that is the next big thing in the Potsdam music scene.

Finally, The Cherubs’ set was filled with familiar songs from their debut EP and CD as well as a few new songs. The night was full of surprises, including dancing contests and free toothbrushes. The attendees danced enthusiastically and bounced off of one another in a mosh pit in one of the smallest living rooms to ever hold a show of such magnitude. The room was overheated and full of sweaty people having a good time. The performance was over the top as usual, but nevertheless extremely fun to participate in. Shows this diverse and unique are hard to come by.

This show truly ushered out the old, with the Cherubs ending their stint in Northern New York, and brought in the new, with Cities Over Seas about to take Potsdam by storm. Cities Over Seas’ CD, National Phantom, was released this week, and will be available at the College Bookstore and any Madstop events.

Check out the bands:

Electrical Bananas: http://www.myspace.com/electricalbananasx

Cities Over Seas: http://www.myspace.com/citiesoverseas

The Cherubs: http://www.myspace.com/dancemfdance

Potsdam Rock Orchestra to perform rock and pop favorites

Published in the 4/18/08 issue of The Racquette.

The Potsdam Rock Orchestra is thrilled to present a program of all newly arranged but familiar rock tunes on Friday, May 9^th at 7:30PM in the Knowles MPR. The group consists of 17 members, playing everything from standard rock band instruments to woodwinds and strings. The musical selection will be quite diverse, ranging from Carmina Burana to Bon Jovi to Phantom of the Opera. “It’s going to be all stuff you know, but with a different twist to it,” claims bass player Zakk Eastman. Ron Cuevas, guitarist, calls the group “rock meets classical.”

The show promises to be exciting and unique. “It’s something that concertgoers probably never experienced if they’ve never seen us,” says Cheryl Paine, clarinet player and vocalist. Zakk Eastman values this because “it’s a different genre that Crane doesn’t really expose you to.” It will surely be something different than Potsdam students usually see, but still very high quality. “You’re going to come in and hear intellectual music,” promises Ron Cuevas.

The Potsdam Rock Orchestra originated from Ron Cuevas’s vision to lead a rock band with a full orchestra behind it. The vision came into reality last September when he got together fellow musicians and friends from the Crane School of Music, and prepared a Christmas program based off of Trans-Siberian Orchestra covers. The program was performed in Potsdam and Utica. Since their last performance, the group has expanded significantly, adding more members and more varied songs.

Tickets for May 9^th will be available for advance purchase at the SGA Office, where Bear Express is accepted. Advance tickets are $4; tickets will be $5 at the door.

For more information about the Potsdam Rock Orchestra and booking, contact info@potsdamrockorchestra.com. Be sure to check out their website at http://www.potsdamrockorchestra.com.

Latin Ensemble Performance Spices Up Crane

Here's the next piece that I wrote for the Racquette. More will be coming soon! This was published in last week's paper.

The Crane Latin Ensemble, under the direction of Marsha Baxter, had excited audience members dancing in the aisles of Hosmer Hall during their performance on Thursday, April 10^th. The group is comprised of the finest and most versatile musicians in Crane. They played a variety of Latin songs, focusing in on those made famous by familiar performers such as Carlos Santana and Gloria Estefan. Some songs, such as “Para los rumberos” and “Everybody’s everything” were performed by the full ensemble, which consists of vocalists, trumpets, saxophones, flute, violin, a percussion section, and other rhythm instruments. Other charts, including “Terriaki,” were played by smaller, more intimate, groups of instruments from the ensemble. The energy of the group was overwhelming, and perhaps the loud amplification of the instruments was unnecessary. Nevertheless, the blend of the group and the excitement they induced from the nearly 100 audience members was surely a change of pace from most Crane events.

The stage was flanked with tables and chairs to evoke a café setting, and brightly clad Phoenix Club singers sat in the chairs and at the edge of the stage. Half way through the Latin Ensemble’s set, they welcomed the ladies of Phoenix Club (a Crane choral group) to center stage to sing an a capella number. Although it was performed enthusiastically, it did not match the feel of the rest of the performance. The singers did help lighten the mood with their brightly colored shirts and dancing at the sides of the stage and in the aisles.

Thanks to the encouragement of the ensemble members and those dancing on stage, many audience members got out of their seats to try out new dance moves in the aisles. This is a sight rarely witnessed in Crane, where most programs are classical and audience is expected to behave in a more refined manner. At one point, a conga line even started to dance around the floor of the Hall, picking up more and more enlightened concertgoers as it went.

Seeing the Crane Latin Ensemble perform each semester is a new experience, as the group is constantly changing. Instead of having the ensemble conform to set instrumentation standards, the group adapts to fit which musicians are eligible and compatible with the group. This year has brought flute and violin into the group, as well as more vocalists and even an accordionist.

Cities Over Seas Brings Unique Sound to Potsdam Music Scene

So, as a bit of a preface to this...I'm writing for my college's newspaper now, The Racquette. It's pretty exciting, and is getting me writing again, and on a more regular basis! Here is my first published article, about a new band I saw in Potsdam last weekend.

Hurley’s was unusually crowded on Saturday night, April 5^th, for the long-anticipated debut of local band Cities Over Seas. At 10 minutes past 8pm, just as the crowd was getting anxious for music, warm-up act Meredith Atkinson took the stage. Atkinson, the titular “Mouse” of Mouse and the Love and Light Orkestra, played a solo set, accompanied only by her acoustic guitar. Her cloyingly sweet voice belted out academic, polysyllabic lyrics, reminiscent of literature-loving romantics, The Decemberists. She sang songs of love and loss, and yet she kept an ingratiating smile on her face, regardless of the gravity of some of the lyrics.

Cities Over Seas came onstage and were greeted by their enthusiastic, already established fan base. The audience was mesmerized by the familiar sound of Doug Campbell’s ethereal, mellow vocals in a new context: one of ambient guitar, bass lines, and beats. Campbell rose to the occasion, delivering the vocals with as much emotion as a solo show, with Matt Durkin’s harmonies supporting them even more. The song “Sand Sculptures” washed over the audience and filled the entire room with sound, enhanced even further by the pre-programmed material that was recorded for the album and played simultaneously. The album title track, “National Phantom,” was appropriately characterized by a haunting piano line and languid, slide guitar. After the somber title track, the band plowed into an energetic pair of songs to end the set: “Time Bombs” and “The Kitchen Party” (to which an enthusiastic concert attendee shouted, “I love this song!” after presumably hearing it on their website). Newcomers Cities Over Seas proved that they have the flexibility to be diverse and the ability to transcend genre stereotypes. One of the most refreshing things about this band was that they clearly were enjoying making music. The musicians of Cities Over Seas smiled and interacted with each other and the audience.

The most obvious benefit of seeing this band live, as opposed to recorded, is the fact that the pre-programmed musical material only colors the live show: it doesn’t define it. On some of the recordings, the electronics and synthesizers are almost overdone, and the real musicianship gets buried. Chelsea Wischerth, Freshman Geology major, thought “the electronic tracks definitely gave them their unique sound, but more importantly made it more pleasing to the ear and made it more fun to dance to.” Adam Conforti, Junior Music Education major, agreed, “they were a fun band with great energy.” A crowd of 88 definitely spoke volumes to the benefit of using the internet and word of mouth to advertise.

Wired after an intense first set, Alex Butler, bassist for Cities Over Seas, cited the chemistry of the band members as the key to their success. Alex Butler, along with Craig Marrer and Matt Durkin had all played together previously in the now defunct band Slow Release. “We wanted to still play together…and I’d always wanted to play with Doug [Campbell],” said Butler, so it was only natural for the group to click. Joe Parker, drummer, was added into the mix, and the vision was realized. Bulter and Marrer credited Radiohead, The Postal Service, Ratatat, and jokingly, Rush, as influences on their music.

Madstop Records A&R Executive, Jared Brickman, is extremely excited to welcome Cities Over Seas to the label. “This band comes at a great time,” said Brickman, noting the increasing influence of electronics in indie music. Cities Over Seas is “an awesome step in the direction the label wants to go,” and is going to target the market that Madstop has always been interested in reaching. When asked what has made this project such a success, Brickman stated, “This is music that we [Madstop Records] really truly believe in.”

Cities Over Seas’ debut album, “National Phantom,” is slated for release during the week of April 20^th. It will be available for purchase at the College Bookstore, as well as Northern Music in downtown Potsdam. You can listen to tracks from the album at the band’s myspace, http://www.myspace.com/citiesoverseas

We are not critical listeners.

During Symphonic Band rehearsal today, whilst watching student conductors (attempt to) strut their stuff at the podium, this thought struck me: "we are not critical listeners." Upon further contemplation, I realized that this would be a great topic to explore on this delightful yet oft forgotten blog. Until now, I have only written concert reviews, but as I am in a music school and encounter music from all different angles daily, there's no reason for me to continue to limit myself.

When I say that "we are not critical listeners," I am referring to everyone I encounter on a daily basis: musicians and non-musicians alike. This is something that we all need to take into account if we are truly serious about music.

So, first of all, what do I mean by "critical listening?" To me, critical listening is essential, yet, like this blog, often overlooked. The thought came to me for two reasons. The first reason was that during a close listen to The World/Inferno Friendship Society's "True Story of the Bridgewater Astral League" album, I picked up on things I'd never heard before. Voices, sound effects, instruments, that may as well have not existed before. Of course those sounds have always been there, I just haven't been perceptive enough to accept them into my preconceived aural notion of the music. This tells me, personally, that I haven't been listening critically enough.

The other thing that perpetuated my thoughts on critical listening was that the student conductors of my band could easily conduct, keep a beat, and attempt to get what they wanted from the ensemble, but they couldn't act in real time and adapt their actions to the response they were getting from the musicians. From personal experience, I'd say that this is close to impossible for me to do. I understand that this real-time correction requires great experience, familiarity with the music, and flexibility. But, let me pose this question: When a conductor gets on the podium, is he or she truly listening to and being affected by the sound the musicians produce, or is he or she just accepting what they hear and assuming that it matches the sound in their head?

One final example of when the inferiority of our listening skills is highly evident is when my Aural Skills class takes dictation from the piano. We are handed the information on a silver platter--key signature, time signature, starting pitch and number of measures--yet somehow we all get tongue-tied every time, simply can't follow the pitches and patterns of the piano. If we had been listening critically for our entire lives, this activity would be a cinch.

For musicians as well as music lovers, this lack of critical, and creative listening, can be crippling when it comes to understanding and appreciation. So, how then, can we hone in on our listening skills and fix them?

The easiest and most practical solution is, as teachers and parents, to begin incorporating critical listening from an early age. This is an essential part of the Suzuki method, in which students are constantly exposed to music and then asked simple questions, such as those regarding instruments and dynamics. To get children's minds to think like this from such a young age will incorporate it into their thought process much sooner. I didn't even think about the instrumentation on pop and rock records until I was in high school. Imagine listening to music for 14 years without consciously realizing that yes, there is a bass guitar, yes, there is a drum set keeping that beat steady. At a higher level even, we do close listening to period-exemplifying pieces, paying close attention to sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, and growth.

Of course, for most everyone reading this, it is impossible to go back in time and readjust how you were introduced to music. So, I present to you some simple listening exercises that can help you become a more active and critical listener. The first thing that you can do is take a piece of music that you are sure you know inside and out, and listen to it closely, challenging yourself to find something new about it. With each new thing you discover, you'll find that you have deeper understanding of the music. Another way to understand the music more deeply is to pause it mid-song and see if you can continue to sing the prominent line. If it's a piece you know well, you can continue to sing it as you know it, but if it's something that you aren't familiar with, just try to see if you can imagine where the thread of the melody is going. This will give you a better understanding of functional harmony, melody line, and the tonic.

To be quite honest, I just thought up those two exercises on the spot, as I have to be at my next class in just a few minutes, but they are things I am anxious to try myself. I hope this was at least a little bit insightful...happy listening!

That was Whack

Oftentimes I leave shows with a headache. Maybe someone's amp was way too loud or the singer couldn't carry a tune. Tonight, I drove home with a headache because during Whack's set, the mosh was so sick that my brain literally rattled around in it's cage.

Tonight the WESPAC in White Plains hosted an array of bands, but the stand out act was clearly Ardsely, NY's Whack. Their driving, original instrumentals kept the entire room dancing-not to mention drenched in sweat. The space is small and personal, and boy did we all get up close and personal. Moshing turned to dancing turned to skipping in a circle for no reason at all, and then back to mosh again. What a crowd.

The six-piece group is celebrating the release of their new CD, Angel Hong and the Diner Punks (Tapeworm), and commemorated the release by playing the album in its entirety. The night was full of fun surprises, not limited to: Will McAndrew stagediving off an amp (while wearing a dress), pinatas filled with candy and musical instrument treats, and a moment of calm for Max Gordon's organ interlude. The Wall of Death at the end of the show was definitely a highlight, and I'm glad that Drew Mollo was on my side. I, for one, can say that I have never danced so much in my life. This show reminded me what it is to love and support a thriving local punk scene, and realize that I'm not too old for it yet.

Silly me, I've gotten this far and hardly said a thing about the music. The band boasts a classic line-up (guitar, bass, set, keys) and some less traditional, but indispensable additions, saxophone, accordion, and sometimes xylophone. Every song is a tour-de-force wall of sound, the accordion adding infinite depth to the mix. Their song titles are clever ("I've Got Miles of Davis," "Cosine Me Up") and their sound is unique. I'm actually having a really hard time with this. I don't usually include my inner monologue in my posts but I need to explain what I'm going to do. I'm going to make a list of all of the things that meld together to make this band what it is. Ready? Go. Punk, ethnic influence, minor keys, organ, breakdowns, fun, circuses, coffee & cigarettes, spontaneous combustion, bass amp stage dives, danceability (yes, I made up a word), and pure passion. Tell me guys, do you think I got it right? You'll all have to hear for yourselves.

Angel Hong and the Diner Punks, Whack's full-length, is out now on the wonderful Tapeworm DIY label. Those boys do such a nice job, don't they? Actually as far as I know this is only Tapeworm's second release, the first being Men Who Lunch's Discography (confirm/deny). Please go to their myspace, come out to a show, and keep this wonderful scene going.

Whack's Myspace
Upcoming show schedule:
6/15 - St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church - White Plains, NY
6/23 - SNRF Benefit - Liberty Park - White Plains, NY
8/3 - Wespac - White Plains, NY
8/10 - The Backdoor - Nyack, NY

Wind Ensemble Emotes and Delivers

Tonight's Crane Wind Ensemble concert was nothing short of extraordinary. Although a classically trained clarinetist, I've never found refuge in art music like I have in rock and roll. Tonight has blown that norm out of the water.

The highlight of the night was easily Roshanne Etezady's "Anahita," an explosive, programmatic, three-movement piece. It encapsulated her reactions to a mural that has since been destroyed, but used to adorn the ceiling of a prominent Albany building. Based on mythology, it features vivid images of the "terrifyingly beautiful" goddess Anahita and the horses, or "Night Mares," as they are so aptly titled. The piece was frantic at times, simply explosive at others. The amount of energy in the piece was phenomenal, and it was absolutely humbling to have the composer present. The final movement was so very delicate and serene. It featured four cornet players scattered through Hosmer Hall, representing the last hearkening of angels.

Conductor Brian Doyle was certainly on his toes, especially for his first concert since his emergency room trip. The amount of passion and effort he puts into the ensembles he works with is nothing short of admirable. It is refreshing to see a conductor and teacher who cares so much about the quality of the group's performance as a whole as well as the needs of his students.

The other new piece, "Interior," by Kristin Kuster (also present at the performance), was less accessible as far as expressionist art music of the 21st century is concerned, but when paired with the composer's notes, could begin to paint pictures in one's mind, of the very unique things that happen within the walled confines of where we live and work. The piece tackled human interaction and emotion very well.

The ensemble as a whole had a way of blending--passing solos from one woodwind to another--that is hard to come by. The horn section ripped out some heart wrenching chords. The two tuba players and string bass held the entire ensemble up on their shoulders. The percussion section, as always, held the group together with its intensity and determination.

Everything about tonight's performance--the refreshing 21st century pieces blended with more traditional literature, the intensity and extreme focus of the performers, the conductor's passion, and how it all came together--absolutely blew me away. Bravo.

In case you missed the joy

Or you want to watch it again.

Bruce Springsteen and Friends performing "Rosalita"

My First Inferno Show

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to writing about seeing The World/Inferno Friendship Society. They played at Fastlane (next door to Asbury Lanes) in Asbury Park, NJ on March 25. Since then, I’ve just been letting it sink it. Seeing this band live was a long time coming, but absolutely worth it.

Pre-show consisted of waiting outside with a ton of kids and I just stood and absorbed. People from all walks of life: self proclaimed “punks” with piercings and back patches, men in full suits with ladies in dresses, kids wrapped two to a sweatshirt to battle the wicked shore winds, hats and hairstyles.

The venue itself was perfect for this show. It was big. All of the Infernites could mill about and socialize at the back half of the room. Everyone knew each other. I had no idea that the scene was this close-knit until I got to this show. I spent most of the time that the opening bands played meeting people and socializing with people who I’d just met. We went up front to hear The Ergs! The Ergs! are an incredibly tight punk rock trio out of New Brunswick, NJ. The last time I heard them was two summers ago, so it was overdue. The Ratchets and Hunchback also played. Hunchback had an interesting stage show, and I situated myself for Inferno. After a lot of um…drama…played out, the full band finally came out.

From the first bass drum kicks of “Tattoos Fade” I was transported. The band was absolutely enthralling. They have enough stage presence to knock all of Broadway off its feet. Jack sang right to the crowd. The crowd knew every single word. It was amazing to watch Jack, Sandra (their absolutely stunning bassist) and the saxophone section from the very front. It was interesting to see Franz’s intensity playing the accordion and keys; he was so into the show, never missed a beat (does he ever?) and had a whole new level of electricity to him than when I saw him with The Steady (not to downplay what a terrific performance that was as well). “Tattoos” is played at every show, but it felt special to know that it was my first time hearing it live. Semra, Jack, and the drummer (who’s the drummer now?) all playing made it triply intense. The set was a great mix of songs from Just the Best Party (my first Inferno album), Red-Eyed Soul (brilliant), and the Peter Lorre song cycle. I didn’t know the Lorre songs at all and didn’t hear the demos and bootlegs until after the show. “Fiend in Wein” was definitely phenomenal to hear live. “Heart Attack Waltz” was incredible as well. I wish I’d had the guts to dance with someone…well, there’s always next time. “Only Anarchists are Pretty” was a terrific encore. And if there's any song I love that they didn't play that night (mostly "Your Younger Man"), I rest assured in the fact that I'll hear it sooner or later.

After the show my eyes must have been bugging out of my head. The band blew me away. It was great to see all of the ladies and gents of Inferno come out and mingle with the fans. I finally got to meet Franz formally, and we had a chat about his groups, and some upcoming shows, as well as his Moondog piece that has clarinet (that I want to play sometime). Rich and I jetted after that, as he had classes the next day. I did hear that a bunch of kids took a dip in the ocean afterwards.

Possibly the best thing to come out of all of this was the great people I met, and the warm welcome I received from the scene. In hanging out around the Inferno board for the past week or so, it’s been nice to interact with these people who I’ll hopefully be seeing again soon. The Inferno bug did bite for a few days when I lost sleep over researching the Bridgewater Astral League and The Master and Margarita. Thankfully that died down a little, but here’s to more fun in the future.

The World/Inferno Friendship Society's latest full length, Red-Eyed Soul on Chunkasaah Records is available at a record store near you. Don't be a bum, go pick it up and support the cause.

World Inferno's Official Website
Inferno Myspace
Pictures taken by Brainy

Lost in Fog and Love and Faithless Fear

Last night, The Hold Steady burned a hole in the stage with their ROCK at Syracuse University. From the opening ("Stuck Between Stations") to the phenomenal encore ("Citrus," "Killer Parties"), the entire room was electrified. Craig Finn-sporting a new beard-twitched, spazzed, spit, shouted, and testified his lyrics to the sold out room. Franz Nicolay, my true hero, dressed in a vintage tux and combat boots, had just as much character, shouting and dancing around-doing jumping jacks, even-while playing everything note and cue without missing a beat. The band was extremely personable, making eye contact with all of us often and going as far as blowing kisses (at Meredith) and throwing dollar bills ("I don't really need these..."). There's chemistry between the Hold Steady and their audience that is unmatchable. Despite the tomfoolery of the security staff before and after the show, it was a truly explosive experience from beginning to end.

"Rock and Roll means well, but it can’t help tellin’ young boys lies." Craig Finn's lyrics don't do anything but capture this vivid, exciting, and sometimes crushing teenage/twentysomething life. Sounds pretty true to me.

On Wednesday, the Hold Steady released the music video for their next single, "Stuck Between Stations." They also announced the limited release of a live, acoustic EP on April 17th on Vagrant Records. The recording is from an in-store appearance at L.A.'s Fingerprints record store. The EP will only be carried by independent distributors listed here. I've embedded the new video below. Enjoy!

STUCK BETWEEN STATIONS - The Hold Steady

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we had some massive nights...

I vividly remember the first time I heard Craig Finn wail out a line off of The Hold Steady's second album, Separation Sunday. I was in the back seat of a rental car, driving through the Arizona wilderness right after sunset with no cell phone service for miles. I'd had enough with family vacations--I don't know how I ended up there -- but this NPR feature was my first connection with the outside world. The Hold Steady are the first new escape I've had in years.

The release of Boys and Girls in America was something I've been anticipating, but I never would have guessed that it would get so much attention. The amount of buzz that's been surrounding this album -- since weeks before its release -- has been wild. As a follow up to the absolutely phenomenal Separation Sunday, this album doesn't disappoint. The new depth in the music is what serves as the surprise on an album from a band that could be mistaken for a Wednesday-night regular at some seedy dive.

The title comes straight out of Kerouac. Mineapolis native Finn was out to tackle the entire country this time around, and encapsulated it with piss, vinegar, and eloquence. The hang-outs may be different, but the parties and the lost loves are always the same. There are strong roots in Springsteen and arena rock, and appropriately so. I think this sound is something that the band's fans approve of. The lyrics, as in the two preceeding albums, are something you have to hear to believe. The massive nights are vivid as hell when you spin this album. For once, I can say I've been there-- Finn knows exactly what he's talking about.

I didn't set out to write this article about The Hold Steady, but their recent celebrity (including a whopping 9.4 on Pitchfork's unmerciful review scale) seemed like a good segue into the recognition of their unrelenting keyboard player. On to the feature.

Franz Nicolay just might be the hardest working man in music. The keyboardist, accordianist, and composer has been recieving so much (yet so little) exposure. His composition/chamber music collective, Anti-Social Music, started as a small project of friends who liked to make music and turned into something much more--a known name with original compositions performed live and released on CD. Nicolay's performance with the circus punk outfit The World/Inferno Friendship Society can't be described as anything less than frantic. Just listen to the opening notes of "Tattoos Fade;" Franz's fingers strike the keyboard's keys faster than your mind can even register--the next thing you know, he's moved on to his accordian.....and without missing a beat--back to the keyboard. He put in time with the gypsy punk band Guignol and he's recorded for countless others such as hardcore favorites Leftover Crack. With The Hold Steady touring extensively around the nation that it's come to love, it seems that Nicolay isn't planning on taking a break any time soon. Keep your eye on this mysterious moustachioed man. I think that we should be expecting (more) great things from him.

The Hold Steady
Franz Nicolay
Anti-Social Music
World/Inferno Friendship Society

The Day the Music Died? Tower Records to be Liquidated

The LA-based Tower Records chain record store was sold at auction to the Great American Group and locations will begin clearance immediately. Of 89 stores located in 20 states, at least 24 will close. It was quite evident that these changes were to take place immediately when I pulled into the parking lot of the Ramsey, NJ location to be bombarded by "Going Out of Business" signs. The mecca of my high school music connoisseur-ing is closing for good. We mourned by stocking up on 10% off DVDs and CDs. A full-length review of the Hold Steady's "Boys and Girls in America" will follow...

I'd like to amend this post by telling you all what we actually got!
I got The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America, along with the films Taxi Driver, Midnight Cowboy, and Thank You For Smoking.
My stepdad got Barry White's Greatest Hits, Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti and Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy.

AND, My sources tell me that I beat Andrew Lowden to this, who always beats Stereogum to everything. Andrew reported that the Nanuet, NY location is also slated to close by December.