Two distinct musical styles get the feature treatment here this time around, showcasing a wide spectrum that inhabits this genre we define as “rock music.” Alice Limoges is a musical storyteller combining pop, jazz, rhythm and blues with rock and a healthy dose of soul, while the hard rocking SickWalt pushes the boundaries of rock and punk, both creating their own unique hybrid sound.
Presented here on DaveCromwellWrites is the premiere of Alice Limoges brand new video for her latest single “Yellowstone.” Released today SaturdaySeptember 14, 2019, the song and video rolls out a gorgeous blend of dazzling sight and sound wrapped around a strong lyrical message of setting yourself free. Initially inspired by the bold adventure taken via a Himalayan mountain expedition in India last year, the enlightenment gained from that extreme and difficult undertaking served to inspire this song and video's creation.
Originally hailing from the Northeast coastal state of Maine, Alice now calls New York City home. While the city that never sleeps might be the place to further your musical career, there's something to be said for the wide open spaces and natural beauty of places outside busy urban centers. Disconnecting from electronic communication devices and focusing on our planet's undeveloped beauty is an important message in these high tech times.
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Recorded at Right Angle Studios in NYC, the song (and videos initial imagery) focuses on Alice's piano chords and melody, immediately creating the sensation of an unfolding journey. The destination of Yellowstone Park is quickly shown, followed by quick cuts of car travel and then Alice herself singing the song in recording studio style. “Lets go out to Yellowstone - Drop it all and drive tonight and on through the morning” she sings as her accompanying musicians on drums, bass and guitar are shown in quick succession.
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Those three instruments provide a solid underpinning combining a light-touch indie-rock backbeat to the softer feel jazzy guitar and piano chords. As for the vocals and lyrical content – while recent comparisons to Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan are certainly in the ballpark, Alice's hybrid sound of pop, jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and soul bring to mind the talents (and vocal tone stylings) of legendary New York “folk singer” Laura Nyro.
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Like most quality songs residing in the pop realm, the track gets to it's dominant earworm hook in under a minute with the dramatic statement “If we leave right now - by what hour - Will they notice we went - That I didn't pay my rent - I've got these city blues - Got myself to lose - And I'll get lost soon” resolved by the lovely turn-around (and back into the verses groove) “If I stay.” The video enhances all of this further with the most stunning natural images that is the everyday majesty happening outside of city life in big sky country USA.
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Check out this inspired song and breathtaking new video from Alice Limoges here:
New York City's SickWalt delivers a heavy, hard rock sound that fuses a similar energy and lyrical ethos found in the most influential punk bands. With Walt “Sick Walt” on vocals, and Matt Middleton on guitar, the band’s current lineup includes legendary drummer Eric Arce (who has played with notable punk bands The Misfits and Murphy’s Law) and bassist Rob Buckley (previously with the equally illustrious Cro-Mags). With two EP's under their belt, a full-length album “Shove n' Love” will be released on September 20th.
Opening track “Demand The Stage” comes out blazing from the very first note, with slashing power chords, locked-in bass guitar and drums, a riff straight out of the Angus Young playbook drives everything forward. “You're always whining on and on,” Walt sings - “yeah who you were and now you're gone.” Delivered in a vocal style that draws from dynamic front-men like Rollins, Danzig, Bon Scott and Brian Johnson, the lyrics burn at those unwilling to seize the day. “You're talkin' trash like you mean it – the saddest part is you dream it – when no one listens you scream it – and you don't know.”
Key Hook Line : “You don't know – you're a know it all” - which is repeated right through the end-out.
An aggressive syncopated drum pattern and searing precision guitar riffs kick off the barely over two minute “Die Like Belushi.” With those riffs initially placed between the vocals lines guitars are soon run continuously throughout. This early Stooges vibe takes a sharp turn midway with a slowed-down tempo change enhances by thundering drum fills and momentary bass guitar emphasis. While that heavy progression stomps along, quick-stop space is provided for Walt to drop in lines like “meet me on the corner of 8th and Avenue D.” The opening maniacal progression returns full throttle with the ultimate, sobering statement “when I die like Belushi, excess is what I bleed.”
“Song For Johnny” introduces a slightly western, cow-punk feel and lyrical content that brings to mind the work of a band like Social Distortion. It's still very much in the rock genre, while hinting at the twangy undercurrent often found in the now classic recordings of X and The Gun Club. An impressive chugging guitar and rolling drum mid-section eventually bursts into a searing guitar solo that would not sound out of place with any big time southern rock band. It ends on a triumphant note with the lyric “that train is mighty.”
Other cuts like “Million Dollar Man” chug and stomp like the best of AC/DC. There's that Bon Scott/Brian Johnson hybrid level again in the way Walt's vocals drop between crunching Angus Young style chords. Straight ahead 4-on-the-floor drumming on the verses gives way to slithering bass, leading into a sinewy guitar solo. “My strength come from the inside” Walt sings, indicating the necessary component for the confidence needed to “strut like a peacock.”
Tapping into the aggression that served The Sex Pistols so well on their “Never mind The Bollocks” debut album, “Punk Almighty” is unleashed with similar force. “Rebellion is your nature. Attitude is the norm," Walt sings. "Adolescent uprising. Spitting in the face of danger. . . . now a poster on my wall. Wasn't always clear. The truth hurts sometimes. DIY is the mantra – violence is the guise. Anarchy the common theme, a wicked mind arise. So much more than the music, we keep a state of mind." The Chorus delivers a triumphant statement: “All hail the punk almighty, you gave us a place to stand. Turning children in to men. All hail the punk almighty, you took me to the promised land. All hail the punk almighty, you gave us everything you can.” A roll call of influential artists get name checked with Joe Strummer, Wayne Kramer and Iggy Pop earning special mention.
Ten songs in all, the full-length long-player comes out on September 20th.
SickWalt will play an album release show on the 20th at The VNYL- Vintage New York Lifestyle
100 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10003. Find out all the details about it HERE.
New York City's Lower East Side of Manhattan and the borough of Queens share a unique historical place in the annals of punk rock's evolution ever since The Ramones burst on the scene in the mid 1970's. That same gritty, blue collar toughness can be found in today's like-minded and similarly situated rockers GIFTSHOP. Their latest EP “Big In Astoria” (set for a February 16th digital release) delivers five searing tracks of updated power-punk with pop styling that would make Joey, Johnny, DeeDee and Tommy proud.
However, this is no all-boys club as GIFTSHOP comes fronted by a firey female lead vocalist and features a female keyboardist/backing vocalist. That allows the band to broaden their style and follow in the footsteps of other late 70's and early 80's punk and new wave pioneers like Blondie. What you ultimately get is the perfect blend of heavy-as-hell rhythm section, quick chugging/riff-raging guitars and pretty ladies who exhibit a sweet-but-tough New York edge.
The band graciously agreed to an interview, answering a variety of questions that explores each member's musical beginnings and current thoughts on being in this band, as they prepare to release their latest work.
Q: Let's talk a bit about the recording process for this latest digital release EP. There were a few indications on social media that you recorded some of it at a studio in Tribeca. Where exactly was that? Was any of it done in home studios?
Bassist and Songwriter Damian Eckstein: We recorded at Mark Dann Studios which is located somewhere between Tribeca/Chinatown. Mark has been at the address for like forever, it's a classic New York loft from the 1970's that has a cozy creative vibe. There are isolation rooms with glass panels so the musicians have line of sight and can rock out but still be in sync. The recording equipment is Pro Tools mixed with classic tube amps and state-of-the-art microphones, a remarkably wonderful blend of old school and modern.
Q: How much revising goes on with things like the lyrics and song structures? Does each writer bring in a mostly fully formed song, or is there still creation going on in the studio?
Lead Vocalist and Songwriter Meghan Taylor: Every song is different. Even when a "fully formed" song is brought in it gets tweaked. I think it's just bound to happen with a group of creatives. Could really depend on how everybody's day went and where their head is at at any given moment. Once we're in the studio the structure remains but new harmonies, group vocals, percussion just might pop into our heads. It's fun.
Damian:For the most part GIFTSHOP makes it a rule to come into recording with fully formed song ideas. Writing and even revising on the fly in the studio gets expensive fast. That being said, rules need to be broken now and then so the lyrics and arrangement for the tune "Same" was pretty much finished in the studio. We had written it in parts but hadn't put the whole thing together. Luckily, our engineer Rich Lamb helped us pilot that one in for a smooth landing.
Keyboardist/Backing Vocalist and Songwriter Nichole Onopiak:For this album at least, we each came in with lyrics and melodies already written, then fleshed out the rest of the songs and individual parts together as a group during rehearsal. Going into the studio we had an idea of how we wanted things to sound, but there was still plenty of improvisation. Once we had all the tracks recorded we each listened to the songs individually, took notes of things we wanted to change or improve, and went back into the studio and put the finishing touches on the album. Personally, I have an easy time starting songs, but a hard time finishing them, so it's great to have other people to bounce ideas off of.
Photo by Andy Estevez
Q: Where are each of the band members from? Where you grew up, went to school and live now.
Meghan:I was born in Middletown, CT but spent my early childhood in Germany - pre-school thru kindergarten. Then my family moved back to the States to a sweet little town outside of Rochester, NY.
Damian:I'm a native New Yorker. Growing up SoHo was my stomping ground. I still live in Manhattan but hey, guess what?!?! The record is called BigInAstoria!!! At one point 4/5ths of the band lived in Astoria. I spend A LOTTA time in Queens now!
Guitarist and Songwriter Matt Santoro:I Grew up in a small town outside of Rochester, NY called Victor.
Nichole O:I grew up in Collierville, TN right outside of Memphis, and went to college at Middle Tennessee State University, about 40 minutes away from Nashville. Then I got bored one day and moved to NYC on a whim and I've been here ever since.
Drummer Jordan Kramer: Went to UAB, Alabama at Birmingham. Studied Marketing and Industrial Distribution, then Masters in Business.
Photo by Scott Wilson
Q: You previously did a 7" Blue Vinyl Double A-Side 45rpm Single off of your previous record Blue Monster for the songs "Despicable" and "Dontcha Know" on Tarbeach records. Are there any plans to do a similar thing with this latest one? Otherwise, are you putting this digital release our independently on your own?
Band Manager Nicole Vandestienne:Tarbeach Records has approached the band about another vinyl release and right now we are just in the talking stages but we hope to put out a large compilation album including work from all of our EPs. This would probably not happen before Summer 2019.
Q: Talk about your earliest memories of getting started with music. When did you first start playing or singing and what instruments did you pick up first?
Damian: Music was always flowing throughout my parent's apartment from the time I was born. My Dad was a self taught multi-instrumentalist so we had an upright piano, electric and acoustic guitars, and unfortunately for the neighbors...a Ludwig drum kit. For me, it was a natural evolution to become a performing musician.
Photo by Scott Wilson
Meghan: I learned to sing mostly by listening to my Dad while in the backseat of the car while he was driving. He liked to sing the harmonies to all the Crosby, Stills and Nash songs. And we LOVE John Denver. I didn't actually start singing in a band onstage until much later. I had been studying dance since I was 4 years old and went to Sarah Lawrence for Modern Dance so that had always been my focus - not singing. I was about 23 or 24 years old when I actually started singing in a band.
As far as being the front person in GIFTSHOP - I don't feel pressure in the way that I'm nervous - but more pressure not to let my band mates down during a gig. I just want them and the audience to have a great time!
Nichole O:My dad is a drummer and huge music lover so he got me into great music from an early age. As a kid he made me memorize the rap part to Blondie's "Rapture" and my parents always took me to concerts and Broadway shows. I've been singing ever since I can remember and I've played piano since I was 5 years old. Growing up, I did a lot of musical theater and once I was a teenager I started playing in bands. A few years after moving to NY I met Meghan and we came up with the idea to do a 90s theme DJ set at the bar where she works and while singing along with some of the songs we realized we harmonized really well together and she asked me to sing backing vocals for the Blue Monster album. Then I did a few live shows with the band and eventually added keys as well!
Photo by Scott Wilson
Jordan:I started actually playing in 7th grade, but my dad taught me to play a beat when I was 4 or 5 years old, just a basic doo, dah, doo doo, dah, but I got struck with the desire to play early. When I actually started playing and practicing often, I really got into Danny Seraphine from Chicago, especially Chicago II, I remember my dad telling me, "if you can cleanly play the drums to this album, you're a good drummer." That made a huge impact and started the direction of my style and taste. I got into Mike Portnoy and Neil Peart through high school, playing prog rock and more technical challenging things, and then Martin Lopez from Opeth for the grooviest heavy / death metal drumming I've heard. But as I got older and started to appreciate studio drumming and playing the best part for the song without letting ego decide how much you want to try to show off, I really got into Jeff Porcaro, the drummer from Toto, but what people don't usually know is that he was the drummer for "Thriller," recorded on Jackson Browne's "The Pretender" Steely Dan and with Boz Scaggs, many more than that in fact, but the guy laid down more perfect drum tracks than people realize, and as far as role models go, you can't do much better. The world of drumming was improved through his life, and I just try to think, not necessarily what would Jeff do, but, how can I focus on the song, what it needs and more importantly what it doesn't, when trying to decide what to play when recording. That's most of what's going on in my head when I'm trying to sort the best part in the studio.
Q: Do you use rack effects or guitar pedals to forge your own sound? If you do, please list the ones you use the most and let everyone know why you love them.
Matt:I don't use a rack unit but I do use a couple pedals to juice up the sound for GIFTSHOP. I build guitar pedals as a hobby and used to use a whole range of homemade effects in our sets. These days I like to keep things pretty simple. If it were up to me I'd just use a guitar, a cord, and an amp but for various reasons that isn't possible at the moment. GIFTSHOP has a lot of layered tones that are needed for the songs we write so additional effects help fill up some of that space. Right now I'm only using an Ibanez TS-9 Overdrive that I've modified a bit along with an Electro Harmonix Memory Toy. The TS-9 is just a great all-around clean overdrive that doesn't effect the tone of my guitar but just juices it enough to give me the grit I need for our louder songs and my solos. The Memory Toy is a smaller version of the Memory Man but still has tons of sweet modulation and nice organic sounding delay settings. Those and a Boss TU-2 tuner are the only things in my set up lately.
Photo by Scott Wilson
Q: Is there a person outside the band that's been important in perfecting your recorded or live sound?
Damian:Every band should have a "ringer" to call on to help them out in the studio. The Who had Jimmy Page. Iggy Pop had David Bowie. GIFTSHOP is lucky enough to have Jason "Steak" Maksymilian Szkutek from the American Darlings who has sung background vocals for every EP we have ever done. Jason will always be part of the GIFTSHOP family. We all go way back.
Q: Would you say that your live show informs your recording process or that your recording process informs your live show? Both? Neither?
Nichole O: We haven't really played the new songs live yet so I would say most of the recording process was either inspired by things we came up with individually on our own time or by ideas we had as a group during rehearsal. A lot of the time we will notice a particular arrangement of a song working really well during rehearsal and make a point to replicate that during live shows. It's always fun during rehearsal when we figure out a new way of performing songs we've played hundreds of times before.
I remember during one of my favorite live shows I've played with GIFTSHOP (Tompkins Square Park last fall) I thought of a different way of singing the background harmony just completely in the moment and went for it, and it ended up working really well. it's always really cool seeing what we come up with playing off each other in a live setting.
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Having been privileged with the opportunity to listen to the "Big In Astoria" EP in it's entirety, a full track-by-track review now follows below.
Immediately hitting the ground running with a bass and buzzy synth driven pulse, the Damian Eckstein written opener “We Want You” comes wrapped in an early 80's “new wave” sheen. The initial hook has Meghan circling through it's title line as a sweetly sung mantra. Sharp angled accents quickly punctuates the verses, adding a punk rock urgency to the “meaningless” of false (or at the very least, questionable) idols. Playfully weaving in popular French language expressions “Je ne sais” (hard to describe), “Voulez vous” (do you want?) and the classic expression of exuberance “Joi de vivre” pits desire against illusion. A well-placed bridge at the songs mid-point finds snare drum rolls powering harmonized vocal lines that accurately cut through trite, media driven “platitudes.” The direction of “want” comes full-circle as those delivering the clichés are the one's craving mass appeal. It's thought-provoking social commentary woven inside of an uptempo, poppy three-minute song.
Thundering out of the opening gate like some pent-up racehorse unleashed, quick-cut accents slice up the Nichole Onopiak/Meghan Taylor dual authored “Same.” With the lead and backup vocalist frequently blending their voices for maximum effect, shades of Blondie's “Rip Her To Shreds” is channeled in both lyrics and attitude. “You and all your shitty friends - Think you’re starting all the trends -But the rest of us just don’t buy in - No the rest of us just don’t buy in.” Those vocals are delivered with a smooth contoured phrasing as initial tambourine gives way to a deeper synthesizer texture. With alternating single voices taking the next verse, the simple question is asked “are you hollow and just fake?”
Gears suddenly shift with a tempo change underpinning the lyrical realization that “it's a hive mind can't escape” even when you “try turn around try to walk away.” The powerful movement underneath comes courtesy of some well-recorded (and inspired) tom-tom heavy drumming. Cymbal percussion provides an additional bridge to the next segment serving as the heart (and centerpiece) overall. “We fight the same, We talk the same and everything is just a game. We laugh the same, We cry the same, We stay up till we feel insane. We drink the same, We smoke the same, We steal your boy to cause you pain. We are the same, We have no shame” - delivered with hand-claps, cheerleader style – until the denial - “We’re not the same” followed by a telling pause. Cycling through the progression a second time leads to rising synth buzzing – another dramatic pause – before a brief solo bass guitar leads the band into it's confessional outro and the repeated mantra “We're the same.” It's an honest approach of being put in the position of being both the critical eye and the one being criticized.
It shouldn't surprise that guitarist Matt Santoro brings hard-charging crunchy rocker “Stacked” to the record. Powerful, chugging chords get punctuated by sharp, quick cymbal shots, ticking high-hat timekeeping and singular bass notes, setting an instantly aggressive tone. Meghan delivers the incendiary lyrics with an appropriate sneer, as a confident dominance is clearly spelled out. As each line is delivered (“All I know is that I’m better than you - My bag o’ tricks is full it’s easy to see”) razor sharp guitar-bass-drums crunch punches down on the accelerator.
Lunging directly into the chorus stating “It’s not a riddle, You lack the subtlety, You’re second fiddle, The chips are stacked for me,” leans on card game imagery as metaphor of significant edge. It's as if John Malkovich's “Teddy KGB” character in the classic late 90's poker film “Rounders” is once again exerting his upper hand.
Under a minute in, and with the verse/chorus cycle passed through twice already, a searing guitar riff barrage is unleashed that is quintessentially rock and roll. The full spectrum assault is pulled back for Meghan to deliver the lyrics in a more intimate, almost playful way. Those momentary quieter moments inevitably set-up immediate, explosive full-band broadsides, and that is what follows here. More hyper-drive Chuck Berry riffs ensue before a final round of the chorus. A clever choppy rhythmic pattern with alternating vocal “ahhhh's” close out this barely over two minute song.
Photo by Andy Estevez
With just a hint of feedback on the front end, the Meghan Taylor penned “Things I Feel” alternates throbbing bass guitar with combined rat-a-tat drums and quick chord guitar strokes before hyper-speed vocals kick in. Angry punk-rock vitriol comes lashing out in maniacally screaming waves - “Get lost you creep. You're in too deep. You make me sad. So Goddamned mad.You'll strut your stuff. I'll call your bluff.You make me ill.” And yet there is somehow room for “I love you still.” Mixed emotions? Love or Confusion? The complicated nature of relationships have been known to produce these results.
“You make me cry. Why won't you die? Go. No stay just one more day. Things I feel when I see you!”
When the tempo change kicks in it's like a welcome respite from the initial 40 seconds of pummeling. This chugging, Stones-like groove with big power chords, melodic riff and rising keyboard stabs is instant head-bobbing material. However, the drums begin to quicken in pace and the half-minute groove is once again full-throttle shouted punk fire. The whole track clocks in at under a minute and a half, making it something of a marvel that so much is packed into such a concise and tightly wound space.
What a band chooses for a cover song often reveals as much about their state-of-mind as any of their original compositions might. Selecting well-known classics from an equally universally loved artist can be risky but ultimately rewarding as well. Having already previously established a penchant for cards, poker and gambling in general, it makes sense that the thrashing, punk-heavy metal hybrid that is Motorhead's “Ace Of Spades” would serve as the EP's signature homage.
Although the original track is kicked off by guitarist “fast” Eddie Clarke, GIFTSHOP flips that script slightly with bassist Damian taking that honor. It's a subtle twist as the full force throttle of bass-drums-guitar power trio lightning is launched. Meghan embraces Lemmy Kilmister's gambling metaphor lyrics with the appropriate desperado edge. A deeper understanding of the song's origins take shape by singing both “ace” and “eight” (“the dead man's hand again” - aces and eights' - Wild Bill Hickok's hand when he got shot).
Photo by Andy Estevez
As the band careens forward, duplicating the originals teetering-on-the-edge breakneck speed, tasty guitar riffs shred between the verses. “The pleasure is to play” speaks to more than just card games, and in fact could apply to any band that above all else, simply enjoys what they do. The song's recklessness and lack of concern for consequences from hard-living appeals to those who feel they were “born to lose.” And while “gambling's for fools,” the outlaw declaration “But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live for ever” unleashes a thrashing charge and quick-cut chord progression. Modern day studio upgrades come by way of enhancements on the line “and don't forget the joker!” Here's where the band (once again) delivers a ferocious battering of rhythm section and mad riffage over top.
It's a fitting close to a record that packs as much (mostly) fast and ferocious music into an economical not-a-minute wasted five songs as possible.
The "Big In Astoria" digital release happens on February 16th and will be available via Spotify, iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.
The band has a number of shows and appearances coming up, including:
While it may appear to be a seemingly endless wave of live show coverage here on this site, it’s been a number of years since last ventured out to Prospect Park in Brooklyn for the free concert series BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival.
However the opportunity to catch a big time live show from Canadian dream-poppers Alvvays was too good to pass up.
Thursday, June 23, 2016 was one of those lovely early summer nights that make being at an outdoor show in a borough of New York City completely worth it.
Although decidedly a fully formed band, the unique attraction factor comes from front woman Molly Rankin.
The offspring of a popular Canadian country/folk recording and performing family (not surprisingly called The Rankin Family), an early inside look into this world couldn't have hurt in fast-tracking her own rise.
Whether its solely inherited talent, or some combination of that and the benefit of witnessing how it's all done, she's made all the right moves in the evolution of this band.
Rankin certainly can't be faulted for her meticulously crafted promotional image. We all want to put our best foot forward, right?
Certainly being the featured act on a big lighted big time NYC stage underscores just how far they've come.
Apparently a firm believer in the "blondes-have-more-fun" category (no roots showing on this night, but are visible in other appearances) her perfectly pressed-straight hair gets whipped from its primary position to the other direction deeper into the set.
But looks alone aren't enough to make you care about a bands music, and Alvvays put out a debut album of quality songs that strike true to the heart of 90's era nostalgia.
Under the capable hands of established producers John Agnello and fellow Canadian Chad VanGaalen, the record is a blissful collection of songs that echo paths originally established by innovators Camera Obscura and current artists like Best Coast.
Capturing the essential hook of midpoint album track "Party Police" serves as honest representation of the bands appeal, and how they appeared on this night.
The adoring Brooklyn audience dragged them out for an encore, even though they readily admitted they'd already played most everything they knew - their entire debut album and a few new tracks they were working on.
Still, they managed to pull one last "working" song out, and left the audience satisfied and feeling like they got their money's worth.
Supporting Alvvays on this night was ex-Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondanile's current project Ducktails. He and his band played a seamless series of dream-pop songs that melted perfectly into the early evening air.
Opening the show were indie rockers Big Thief, who rolled out their dirge-rock to the larger-than-they're-used to local audience. Although singer/guitarist Adrienne Lenker was visually and personally appealing, the downer nature of one slow, sad lamenting song after another was a bit too much to take.
Minor quibble aside, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is a valuable contribution to the city, much deserving of continued support.
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The final day of June 2016 - Thursday the 30th - had friend Michael L. travel in from Pittsburgh to NY for us to finally check out the much celebrated Ramones Exhibit at The Queens Museum.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Ramones self-titled debut album, the Exhibit has been on display since April 10th and goes through July 31. After that the second leg will be on display at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles from September 16 through March 2017.
Getting to the Queens Museum is much easier by car than by the barely-there public transportation - which Michael discovered the hard way.
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However, once there you can't help but be impressed by the large structure that sits near historical 1964 World Fair architecture.
Once inside, you are immediately immersed in vibrant and bold world that only The Ramones could have created.
With the Queens Museum segment of this Exhibit focusing on the bands beginnings and early ascendancy, unexpected surprises like the above baseball bats and knives are fascinating discoveries.
Fascination with local Coney Island "Sideshow at the Seashore" stars Pip and Flip contributed to the randomly bizarre lyrical point-of-view.
At an early age you could see how seriously Tommy took his education. Already knowing he wanted to go into audio-visual production in High School.
Dee Dee on the other hand, was "rarely in class" and therefore the recipient of this hilarious report card.
An extremely popular item on display. Johnny's original amp from 1974-75, signed by the man himself.
Johnny and his wife Linda retired to "Ramones Ranch" in the Los Angeles hills. Their house is decorated with many items relating to his childhood passions, like horror movies, baseball and Elvis Presley.
The Museum had a number of other Exhibits going on, and one right nearby was particularly fascinating.
For the 1939/1940 World's Fair, city agencies were commissioned to produce exhibits for the New York City Pavilion - which not-so-coincidentally is the very location this present Museum is on. To educate New Yorkers about their water supply system, an ambitious 540 square foot model was made. Expensive to make (especially during the depression era) it was ultimately deemed too big for its allotted space and was excluded from the fair.
Making only one public showing in a 76 year time span, the 27 piece model was re-discovered, restored and can now be viewed in its originally intended location. The model represents the Museum's close ties to the history of the building its in and to NYC overall. It's also very cool to see up close and walk all around it.
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Saturday, July 9th saw the annual single-day outdoor event 4Knots Fest return to it's original location at The South Street Seaport.
Setting up the appropriate avenues for semi-respectable event coverage, mass transportation was opted for over stressful parking restrictions.
Coming up from the best option subway stop on this day, the first thing spotted was that spiky structure out in front of where the world trade center once was - and now is again.
As well as the new Freedom Tower. It's an impressive pencil point, and a welcome addition to the NY skyline.
Memories are jarred walking past old familiar buildings down Broadway in lower Manhattan.
Past the ever evolving concrete, glass and steel landscape of NYC - and places once worked at, lo these many moons ago.
Entering the Pier 16 Stage area, a modest sized crowd had already begun to assemble as first band Promised Land Sound began to play.
A steadfast touring psych-folk band from Nashville, their name is taken from Chuck Berry's song about life on the road.
Their sound combines a Byrds-doing-Dylanesque vocals feel while adding in some interesting extended guitar jam forays.
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Doing the first scurry across busy South Street to view the Fulton Stage (this would be repeated numerous times) Boulevards was kicking off their set.
More the solo act of Jamil Rashad than an actual band (though he had a live bass player and drummer - as well as the obligatory turntable and laptop sound enhancer) the music produced was a dance oriented mix of r+b, blues and jazz.
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Another mad dash all the way down Fulton Street, across the heavy automotive trafficked South Street to catch the next act - well before the one you were watching was done - note to event promoters - this set-up does not work all that well.
Performing on the bigger stage was rising producer, songwriter and emcee Kirk Knight.
One of the most interesting developments of recording technology has been the creative use of samples. A genre quick to embrace sampling capabilities began as subset of dance music that ultimately evolved into hip-hop. Here's the most popular one of all.
Kirk Knight exhibited impressive skills in the sampling department on his 2013 release “Dust,” an unreleased collection of songs that he put out earlier this year after gaining notoriety thanks to his 2015's LP 'Late Knight Special.'
A total of ten under two minute tracks on “Dust” exhibit a mastery of the Ableton production software, allowing the artist to weave in bits of his own voice samples. The approach delivers a series of dream-like tracks that include electronic, cut up Motown with an easy, breezy, trip-hop-jazz feel to it all. Featured track “The Right Thing” incorporate sampled elements that breakout acts like Charli XCX explored on a number of her debut album tracks like “So Far Away.”
As anticipated, at this event Kirk was less of a producer and more of a rapper who had the crowd bobbing up and down while soaking up the sunshine and vibrations.
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Another rushed trundle back towards the other (far away) stage (although unexpected side benefit was the gauntlet of free Monster Energy Drinks and bags of various chips) just in time for the next act.
Minimalist loop composer Bayonne (who used to perform under his name Roger Sellers until he grew weary of being referred to as a "dj") created a rich tapestry of cascading sounds.
The Austin, Texas resident quickly captivated the audience with a hypnotic blending of sonic layers.
Performing solo with a bank of devices in front of him, his sound is comparable to early Washed Out and Animal Collective's Panda Bear.
Along with the urgently dreamy soundscapes created, he would wave his hands and flutter his fingers like a composer deep in trance.
Playing live drums over initial loops, those then became part of the looping sequence that followed.
Check out his song "Waves" as a prime example of this.
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Weaving and bobbing through the tourists on Fulton street (grabbing yet another can or two of Monster energy drink along the way) catching the back half of Mothers set.
The Pier 16 Stage has packed in fuller now, creating opportunities for "long view" shots.
Based out of Athens, Georgia - Mothers is the vehicle for singer songwriter Kristine Leschper to expand on her emotional songs with jam-band accompaniment.
* * * * *
One more trundle down Pier 16, wading through the tourists crowding The Circle Line ticket counter to take boat ride up and around Manhattan's waterways - out across the increasingly busier by the hour South Street - stuffing more free chips and energy drinks into my bag on route to catch a set from Diane Coffee.
This step-out-in front project from sometime Foxygen drummer Shaun Fleming comes off as an odd blend of pop rock with some psych tendencies, encased in a whacky form of glam imagery.
With recent press release photos making him look more like Diane Keaton in Annie Hall (perhaps there's the inspiration source for this surely tongue-in-cheek persona) - this performance had "Diane" dressed as a jaunty sailor of sorts, complete with nautical wheel set up for just this occasion.
Playing a number of songs from sophomore release "Everybody's a Good Dog," - whose lush production (complete with frequent vocal distortions that can only be achieved in the studio) emphasizes energetic blending of tried and true ideas.
Making the most of a mid-day spot on the "smaller" stage, Diane Coffee did not lack for confidence in the material presented.
Working further back through the into it crowd, the nagging pressure to make the gauntlet run one-more-time to the Pier 16 Stage was ever present.
* * * * *
That's because the even-more-hyped, absurdly named Car Seat Headrest was about to take their star turn on the main stage.
Hitting the photo pit just as the boys began lurching into their set, the now-swelling audience appeared hungry for ex-ci-tation.
Some press accolades (meticulously promoted by their label Matador's PR arm) point to early Television (the band) as a reference point. Certainly the left-handed six-string slinger has some Richard Lloyd qualities to him.
While the youthful frontman/vocalist/band visionary Will Toledo shares a similar reedy vocal tone with the legendary Tom Verlaine.
With songs like “(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem),” Toledo has mastered the awkward, self-conscious, chemical experimenting millennial persona on current album "Teens Of Denial."
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In the live environment here there were equal amounts of guitar jam theatrics to further comparisons with Television, The Strokes and Stephen Malkmus.
Boyz in the (photo) Pit
and those who approve
* * * * *
Due to a number of emerging circumstances, the 2016 4Knots experience would conclude at this point. There is certainly a variety of other sources to check for details on the remaining performers.
* * * * *
Later on that very same evening, Rooftop Films presented a screening of Goodnight Brooklyn, the documentary about Death by Audio.
Shown at the Old American Can Factory in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn, the film was followed by a live performance from the combined members of A Place to Bury Strangers and Grooms.
Those two bands were frequent performers at DBA, with APTBS's Oliver Ackermann being the venues creator.
After showing the film (which was presented in two parts and two separate locations due to an hour long rain delay) documentary creator Matt Conboy and others involved in the project spoke to the audience.
Including Edan Wilber, the venue’s soundman and booker of bands for the venue's seven year existence.
At the conclusion of a brief Q+A segment, equipment was pulled out from under protective tarps and live sound soon filled the open courtyard.
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A signature expectation of every APTBS show is the combined billowing smoke and dazzling light show accompanying its sonic assault.
Grooms frontman Travis Johnson and Oliver traded off vocals during the performance.
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The "superband" played a version of APTBS “Ego Death,” which can be viewed here:
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Before dissipating into an ambient wall of noise that the band is known for (and owe's a nod to Sonic Youth's 1986 classic "Expressway To Yr Skull").
Back in 2010 I had the pleasure of interviewing Oliver and Dion at Death By Audio.
Part 1 with Oliver
and Part 2 with both Oliver and Dion
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Word is a distribution deal for Goodnight Brooklyn is coming together and the film should be widely available by Fall.
Dave Cromwell has been writing about music since the dawn of the internet age. In addition to the steady flow of features here on this site, he has been a regular contributor to The Deli Magazine (both Print and Web) since 2010. With numerous Print Issue cover features and weekly contributions on the Deli website, scores of artists have received the Cromwell point of view. Along with ongoing contributions to this site and The Deli Magazine, Dave has written for Dingus, My Social List, The Waster, Spin and Rolling Stone magazines.
