Tuesday, November 19, 2013

BBQ Films Brings the Ninja Turtles Back to Battle the FootClan at a Radical Once-In-A-Lifetime Party and Movie Screening.

As a young boy when people used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered the same way: A Ninja Turtle. I had Ninja Turtles everything: the clothes, sheets, costumes, school supplies, all the movies and of course the action figures. Ask my mom... I'm pretty sure we still have a big ol' box of TMNT toys somewhere deep in a closet filled with all their obscure mutant friends.

This Thursday, the amazing folks at BBQ Films are helping make my childhood dreams come true. They are taking the fully immersive approach to they have brought to their Labrynth, Zoolander and Fifth Element parties and putting a half shell spin on it. In case you haven't heard, these guys are known to take things to the next level.
Photo by Jacob King & Derick Winsett
I got so excited I had to personally ask Gabriel at BBQ Films why they are choosing this moment to humor us 90's Manchildren with such tubular party. His answer made us instant best friends.
For the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the time is now - the new movie is about to come out in August 2014, we've just elected a new mayor and the press has been talking about how crime in the city used to be (and how it was depicted in the movie). But mostly all of us grew up watching the film, and we always wanted to visit that amazing foot clan hideout. So we're building one!
Speechless... In case you aren't familiar, the Foot Clan were the evil and innumerable henchmen of Shredder, the arch enemy of our crime fighting friends Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael. They were as bad as bad guys come... BUT THEY HAD THE COOLEST EVIL LAIR EVER!! I can see it when I close my eyes in all its graffiti covered glory, strewn with skateboard ramps, arcade games and wasted youth. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about how BBQ Films is doing this massive installation at Villian in Williamsburg for one night only. I had to ask one more question, the most necessary one a Turtle Fan could ask... Who's your fave?
This is complicated for me. I'm a thinker, so I feel partial to Don, I'm the head of the BBQ Films 'film crew' of crazy creatives, so I am partial to Leo. But, I've always loved to party and chill out, so Mikey's also my guy. That, and Mikey is going to be the free-wheeling spirit of this wild event.
Everyone knows only nerds like Donatello, but that's okay because its going to be a Turtle-Nerd's paradise! The price of admission includes a Foot Clan headband, a screening of the First Movie with popcorn, a signed event poster, photo booth, free Ninja Turtle Drink, and of course, two slices of pizza dude. The event starts at 7:00pm with the screening at 8:30 and a bodacious party to follow. They are encouraging people to come dressed up and there will be all sorts special guests, prizes and activities.  I even hear the original MC's from the film, Partners in Kryme will be in attendence to do a live version of their soundtrack hit Turtle Power. I can't imagine anything like this will ever happen again so make sure to tell every Ninja Turtle Fan you know to get their tickets before they sell out and prepare to upload a new Facebook profile photo.

Partners In Kryme - Turtle Power

Sunday, November 17, 2013

René Magritte Gets Surreal at MoMA

I just got back from the René Magritte Exhibit at MoMA. The way the Belgian surrealist deconstructed social concepts and juxtaposed them to familiar sights really has my mind in a twist. I really started getting into Magritte via my favorite philosopher, Michel Foucault, who referenced the famed "The Treachery of Images" and used it for the cover of his work "This Is Not a Pipe."

While looking through some of his later work I recognized his ubiquitous apple imagery from the painting "The Listening Room" on one of my favorite records. The powerhouse combo of Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood combine to do to your ears what Magritte does to your brain with this gem, Spanish Boots. 
  

Jeff Beck with Ron Wood and Rod Stewart - Spanish Boots

Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Time I Met Gordon Gano Before The Violent Femmes Hacked My Brain Apart.

Thursday night, I was treated to the concert experience of a lifetime when the Violent Femmes made up for a Rain Soaked Summerstage show and completely blew my mind. Known to be Wisconsin's greatest non-cheese import, the Femmes brought a booming setlist that included their entire debut album just in time to coincide with the 30th Anniversary of its release. Every Day Another Song was there in the middle of a death sentenced Roseland Ballroom, as these guys showed why they are firmly regarded as one of the top Alternative Rock acts of all time. 

Lead singer Gordon Gano's gritty, angst drenched words suggest a painful and often overtly sexual vulnerability that has connected with decades of listeners. His physically small but lyrically powerful presence was flanked by fellow original member Brian Ritchie, who may have given the single greatest bass performance I have witnessed in my career. Ritchie spent most of the punishing a full sized acoustic bass, shredding solos with a mastery on par with some of history's greatest axemen. A recent falling out with their original drummer Victor DeLorenzo meant his spot was filled by Brian Viglione of Dresden Dolls fame. Viglione never missed a beat (pun intended) on this unique Tranceaphone, a minimal drumkit which is played fully standing and features some sort of metal washbasket upside-down over a tom. The cavalry came in the form of a full compliment of horn players that included a personal favorite of mine, The Bogmen's Brendan Ryan who also chipped in on the keys and accordion. The evening nothing short of magical and even crossed the border into absurdity when I even was able to meet and talk with Gordon before the show.
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As previously mentioned, the guys tore through a set which featured their whole eponymous first offering as well as some of their more country and bluegrass influenced cuts from Hallowed Ground, 3 and Why Do Birds Sing. They even played "Color Me Once" their obscure contribution to The Crow soundtrack. This night will probably go down as my favorite show of the year and ranks up there with some of the best concerts I have ever seen in my life. I was sad to see most of the youtube recordings have garbage sound, so I have shared a personal favorite video which dates back to 1983 to a local Milwaukee TV show where they play the heck out of one of my absolute favorites. They don't tour often so if they EVER come to your town for any reason, pay however much money it costs and go, they just plain old don't make 'em like this anymore.


Violent Femmes - Prove My Love

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

LONG LIVE THE YELLOW DOGS! (Updated with Donation and Benefit Info!)


Obviously I wish it were under better circumstances, but my interview with one of my favorite NYC bands, The Yellow Dogs, went viral after brothers Looloosh and Arash (second and third from the left respectively) were murdered by a fellow Iranian musician early yesterday morning. Obviously I didn't choose the headline, but I'm sure you know how that goes. I only hope I was able to further the reach and legacy of their music. You can read it in its entirety from VICE.com.

UPDATE: The surviving Yellow Dogs have since released a statement and set up a fund to help offset the costs associated with this tragedy. My sources are even telling me that there will be a Benefit Concert to help gather additional support the band.


LONG LIVE THE YELLOW DOGS!

The Yellow Dogs - Molly

Friday, November 1, 2013

RIP RSJ

Ronald Shannon Jackson
There is sad news to report on the hard jazz front.  The Legendary Ronald Shannon Jackson, or RSJ, passed away peacefully this past week. The man was a giant in his own right, but was also behind such groups as The Decoding Society and Last Exit. He was known for his larger than life drumming but was also a masterful composer and one of the only people I have ever heard of to play the schalmei, a personal favorite of mine which looks like a mutant trumpet-oboe and can play sounds straight out of Super Mario Brothers. 


A pioneer of free and hard jazz, but truly unbound by categories. The raw power and talent in music his has touched many, including one of the best drummers and overall most radical guys out there, Eric Slick. Slick took some time out of his busy schedule touring time behind the kit of Dr. Dog and Lithuania. A legend in his own right, I asked Eric if he had anything to say about the passing of RSJ. This was his response:
"I'm not worthy of speaking about a titan of drumming such as Ronald Shannon Jackson. I first became familiar of his work through friends who played in the avant music scene in Philadelphia/NJ. A lot of Philly dudes (Jamaladeen Tacuma, etc.) were in Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, which probably meant they played with Ronald at some point. I'm a big fan of abrasive and unhinged improvised music, and RSJ's 80's group Last Exit with Peter Brotzmann, Sonny Sharrock, and Bill Laswell is downright incendiary. I don't know the song title of this one, but I remember that it freaked me out for a while:


Ronald is aggressive, free, and simultaneously melodic in his playing. This isn't noodling, this is a cohesive effort to terrify the audience with his sheer power. Who plays drums like this anymore? Brian Chippendale, Ches Smith, Tyshawn Sorey, and Chris Corsano come to mind - but not many drummers besides those beasts can groove this hard, even while playing free. RIP Ronald Shannon Jackson, and may your musical legacy live on well beyond your years."

Sincerely,
Eric
Can't say it much better than that.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Don't Miss Quadron Play a FREE NYC Show at Summerstage on July 27th!

About a month ago, we posted a glowing review of Quadron's latest pop-centric offering off Vested in Culture Records, Avalanche. We basically came to the conclusion that it might be the best collection of get-out-the-massage-oils and come-a-little-closer pop/R&B/soul jams I’ve heard in recent memory. But some people are still asking "who dare make me rekindle my love affair with pop music?"

Coco & Robin, Quadron
The guilty party is Quadron, a duo consisting of vocalist Coco O. (who recently made the jangly throwback ’20s-style “Where the Wind Blows,” on The Great Gatsby soundtrack) and multi-faceted producer Robin Hannibal, (who is also part of Rhye and the duo Owusu & Hannibal). The project is an offshoot of the Boom Clap Bachelors, a Denmark-based collective. There, now we have that all cleared up, right? Sigh...

Let’s simplify: Coco O. fronts the band with a voice that sounds like Adele or Amy Winehouse—but without Adele’s boner-killer melodramatics and Winehouse’s propensity to get too drunk and ruin everything. That’s the band’s biggest asset: Coco’s pipes, laid over hip-hop stutter-step beats and hooky melodies that range from laid-back groove to near-perfect pop composition. Yes, they're from Denmark, yes, they're soul/R&B and pop. Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Kendrick Lemar guests on the album on a track called "Better Off."



Robin Hannibal, who's in charge of instrumentation, said they owe their style, at least in part, to none other than Michael Jackson. The band cited the King of Pop as a guiding musical influence, especially during the recording of Avalanche. In an interview with Billboard.com, Coco and Hannibal said that they channeled Jackson’s inspiration during sessions at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, where Jackson recorded often and cut several songs for Bad. They even dubbed the sixth track on the album “Neverland.”

But it’s the first single, “Hey Love,” that’s most likely to bring the boys to yard. It’s the kind of track that you might hear from the DJ booth at a club with a ridiculous name like “Splash,” or “Rain,” or “Grift” or whatever, where girls wear their best get-fucked heels and guys pretend that they don’t live in their mother’s basements. It’s also the kind of track that you'd hear over the speakers at Forever XXI and think, “This song is so catchy! Why haven’t I heard it before? Who sings it? And since when did I start shopping at stores that sell only clothes that dead prostitutes are found in?”

I mean that as a high compliment—to Quadron. What I’m suggesting, or attempting to suggest, anyway, is that Quadron’s one-girl-one-guy dance-pop aesthetic appeals to different audiences—the teen-pop set, club goers, college kids, mollied-up dubsteppers, etc.—which might be enough for the band to build the buzz it needs to make its summer tour schedule a success. That’s the last piece of the puzzle for an outfit like Quadron: the live shows. If the band can pull off big, bombastic shows that get people talking, Epic might have something potent on its hands. They opened for Raphael Saadiq on his 2011 tour, so now it’s time for them to branch out and fly on their own.

Can they do it? Come by Summerstage at the Rumsey Playhouse in Central Park Saturday July 27th at 6:00pm to catch Quadron open a FREE show for Lianne La Havas. Get there early because something tells me its going to fill up fast. To get you psyched for the insane natural vocal talent of Coco, here is a special acoustic version of her single, Hey Love.

Quadron - Hey Love (Acoustic)

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Another Song: Odetta, Motherless Children

by Justin (@justasstrazdin)


You know when you go to a discount superstore and they have a bin full of crappy DVD's for a dollar, but some of them have two movies packed onto the same disc, and they have little to do with each other, save for being kickass action movies from the same era? If you are like me, you typically buy it, take it home, watch both movies in one sitting, and never look back.


Odetta may have left this traditional song on the platter titled "Motherless Children," but soon after it starts, she jumps into the traditional "This Train," which was covered widely by folk artists thanks to the Lomax's. Who knew that two songs could sound the same musically?

Odetta's arrangement is fierce throughout the combo song, weaving between sounding powerful, yet at times, wary, while handling the dark subject matter and religious undertones so naturally that it's a shame that she is left out of a lot of conversations about the Folk Revival that was so critical to American music.


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Sinkane Gives Exclusive Interview to #EDAS. Plays Lincoln Center tonight (7/24) for Fela Kuti.

Today marks the beginning of the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival. Tonight's show pays homage to Fela Kuti and is produced by one of the finest curator's around, Anthony Demby of HumbleRiot. One of the stars of the show is Sinkane, who I bumped into at last month's summerstage show opening for Fela's Son, Femi Kuti. After talking about how we lived in neighboring dorms freshman year at The Ohio State University, I was able to convince frontman, Ahmed Gallab, to sit down with Every Day, Another Song and answer some more music-centric questions. 

People braving the heat for Sinkane at Summerstage
EDAS: I know your path has taken you from Omdurman, Sudan to Columbus, Ohio and now to Brooklyn, but where does your music come from? 

AG: My music comes from all that I have experienced in the world. [These places] are all different. That's what makes them so interesting. I have spent a great deal of my life traveling and learning about different things. I'm drawn to unique and interesting people and situations so every experience in different and exciting.

EDAS: There is some amazing, world influenced music coming out of Columbus Ohio these days, why do you think this town specifically is having so much success fusing these long estranged musical types together?

AG: It's easy to live in Columbus. There also isn't much to do so creative people have the freedom to really work on their art. This yields amazing art. Because there isn't a serious competitive vibe in Columbus; community thrives and is well respected there. People love each other and sincerely support each other. This helps tremendously.

EDAS: You cut your teeth in Ohio's Punk Scene. What is the difference between your attitude then, and your worldly and jammy attitude today?

AG: I was young, naive and angry back then. I wanted to emote and I wanted to do it loudly. Playing drums in a hardcore band was incredibly therapeutic for me. I got a lot of out it. I am now older, more experienced and not angry. Love was always there but, now that the anger is gone, I can embrace it whole-heartedly.

EDAS: Last time we saw each other was at Femi Kuti's Summerstage show. Tonight you play a show honoring Fela Kuti. How does Fela and the Kuti legacy affect young African musicians today.

AG: He was a hardworking man with a vision. He created something larger than himself that will live on forever. That is inspiring to me.

Make sure you head over to beautiful Lincoln Center tonight to the Damrosch Park Bandshell and catch Ahmed and his band Sinkane perform alongside Baloji, Abena Koomson, Kronos Quartet, and M1 (of Dead Prez), in addition to many others. I'm pretty sure the show is free and the atmosphere over there is absolutely beautiful. I can't think of a better way to spend a hump-day evening. 

In case you need a little convincing, here is a taste of the great world vibes Sinkane will be bringing to the bandshell tonight. 

Sinkane - Jeeper Creeper

Thursday, July 18, 2013

#EDAS Talks with TAUK. See them play an Intimate Show Tonight (7/18) at Spike Hill.

Recently, EDAS' newest soldier Stevez reviewed TAUK's great LP Homunculus. Afterwards the guys were nice enough to sit down and talk a little TAUK with us. 

TAUK
EDAS: Are the songs on Homunculus just loose jams or do you already have them pretty much set in stone as far structure? Is there a lot of improvisation in the recording studio?

TAUK: There are a few sections on the album that we let loose a little bit, but for the most part everything on the album is pretty structured. We wanted the album to feel to the point and not have sections where it was just opened up for no reason. When we play live, we tend to play the songs a little bit differently each time, weather it's the feel or through extending certain parts and improvising more. It's something that happens kind of spontaneously at the shows and is really exciting, but we didn't think it would translate as well to the album. When it came to improvising on the album we picked our spots.

EDAS: What was it like working with famed producer Robert Carranza? I'm familiar with his work on the Mars Volta's Bedlam In Goliath and really love how he can give each instrument its own voice within the song.

TAUK: We had worked with Robert before, and going into the album new that we wanted to make it with him. Like you said, he is able to give each instrument its own voice within the song. We have some songs where there are lots of layers, a lot of things happening. You never want things to sound mushed together. Robert has an ear for keeping the parts that are necessary and making them fit together. You want to be able to hear all the details of everything that's happening.

EDAS: From a touring perspective, which do you prefer more; large festivals like Peach Fest or smaller DIY shows like your current Spike Hill Residency?

TAUK: It's hard to say which is better, because each has its own experience that you can't get from the other. We've definitely played more of the smaller shows, and I would say we feel more comfortable in that situation. Being close to the crowd with everybody in a smaller space, you can feel the energy right there. It's different at the bigger shows, but playing our shows on a larger scale like that really focuses us in. We always want to put on as good a show as possible so depending on the situation, whether its a bigger festival or smaller stage, we'll tweak our setlist and approach and try to have it come off in the right way.

New Yorkers can see them play one of their more intimate shows tonight as they finish their three show residency at Williamsburg's Spike Hill. Beginning next week the guys set out on a mainly East Coast tour that includes a string of shows with Robert Randolph and festival stops in Roscoe NY, Virginia and the insane looking Peach Fest in Scranton, PA. I have to say out of all the amazing looking festivals that fill every weekend of the summer across this country The Peach Music Festival may have the best lineup of them all. The promise of two nights of Allman Brothers sets has brought a caravan of spectacular musicians to Montage Mountain, just two hours outside of NYC. Besides the Allman's I am particularly excited for the Black Crowes, Gov't Mule, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and TAUK's musical Big-Brother, Lotus. For tickets to that, you can click the giant ad below and it'll take you straight to Peach-Site.


Special thanks again to my boy Stevez and Matt Jalbert, axeman for TAUK for taking the time to speak with us. If you live anywhere in the area, I strongly advise you to come out tonight at around 11:00 to catch these boys from Oyster Bay. If you say "Every Day, Another Song" at the door they will let you in for free! Also if you say anything at the door they will let you in because it is a free show. Here's another jam from Homunculus, which is now available on iTunes.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Heat Wave Music: Sinkane's Warm Spell

Sinkane @ Summerstage
Sinkane @ Summerstage
This one has been on repeat all summer from the early rains to this week's heatwave. I Sinkane tear it up a few weeks ago at Summerstage. Stick with it for 40 seconds until the actual song starts. You may have another concern on your hands because this vid is a little NSFW due to slight nudity, but if you work in an art gallery I'm sure you'll be okay. Here's the totally SFW spotify link just in case you are worried.

Sinkane - Warm Spell

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Another Song: De La Soul, Get Away

De La's newest video reminds me of that old Nas Lyric, "As a music dude / I mastered this Rubik's Cube." These guys keep getting better with age so click below.

De La Soul - Get Away

Friday, July 12, 2013

#EDAS Reissue Review: King Tuff, Was Dead


by Justin (@justasstrazdin)

King Tuff – Was Dead

Label: Burger Records – May 28, 2013

Artist-Fair Shopping: Burger Store/Site

Style: Formative Years, Cleaning Out the Garage, Some Rad Pop

Audience: The Unemployed, People Who Draw Cats with Laser Eyes, Soda Straw Sippers

Better Tracks:  Lazerbeam,
Freak When I'm Dead, Ruthie Ruthie, Animal

The one thing you have to respect King Tuff for is that his recordings have fidelity to them. There are not many exercises in lo-fi production on the early recordings featured on Was Dead. If anything, there's some warm, cheap tape like some 70's power pop band would have used to squeeze their budget in the studio. Rather, the experimentation comes in the in form of occasional synths and noise-making gadgets that never get in the way of the guitar and drums propelling the rock with which King Tuff artfully reconstructs and moves forward with nostalgic power pop, a framework for a sound that probably just makes you wanna shimmy, or just drink a beer next to the grill.

Listening to King Tuff's work, there are a few instances where I draw comparisons to TheApples in Stereo, of all bands. Where the Apples worked eighteen years ago to bring the pop-saturated studio trickery of the late 60's to an indie base, King Tuff created a similar sound five years ago with the late 70's. King Tuff is a bit rougher around the edges than the Apples, but listen to his 2012's King Tuff and you'll hear bits of the sonic imprint that bands like the Apples left on this sort of pop revival. It's even more evident with the straight-forward set of songs on Was Dead. This album proves he was really good at it back then, too.

Verdict: Neat-o Look into His Early Work.



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

#EDAS Album Review: TAUK, Homunculus

by Stevez First Listenz

Released on Tauk Records
April 30, 2013

Artist-Fair Shopping: Digital / CD

Style: Progressive Fusion,
Strong Silent Type,
Where'd All the Time Go,
Allman Brothers Brothers

Audience: Bonnaroo Jammers,
9-5 Clockwatchers,
Musical Scientists

Better Tracks: Afro-Tonic,
Hello Narwhal,
Dirty Mouth, When in Doubt,
In The Basement of the Alamo

Let’s get real for a minute: I usually hate jam bands. Maybe hate is a strong word, but generally, I don’t find much I like about them. Aside from their outstanding musicianship, they usually just don’t offer much for a harder rock guy like me. With that said, I was converted by Homunculus, the latest release from jamrock-fusion cadettes Tauk.

These dudes are no strangers to the jam band circuit, having shared the stage with genre giants Moe, Robert Randolph and Tea Leaf Green. If I didn't know any better, I would have certainly lumped them together with the aforementioned bands and wrote them off as a throwback to my younger, more psychedelically influenced days. However, after listening to the record I was taken back at A) how Jazz influenced the record sounds B) Tauk's amazing band chemistry (the record definitely has a live feel to it) and C) how well they were able to craft actual songs out of the jams instead of 30 minute rambling guitar solos (I’m looking at you Trey).

I lieu of my normal listening activities (often a bong and a set of headphones) I decided to listen to this record while I paint. I generally find instrumental music sparks creativity the brain and it’s easier to focus when there are no vocals. I couldn't have picked a better way to enjoy this record. It’s palpable energy moves freely and openly and gave my brain the right boost of motivation to hone in on my art. It may be a little too subtle for a roaring house party, but spinning this during a solo meditative excursion was perfect. I was able to appreciate the outstanding musicianship and stellar production while simultaneously getting lost in the record and excelling at the task at hand.

TAUK
As a DIY-recording engineer myself, the production on Homunculus really stands out from the pack. So much so that I even had to look it up. I was shocked to find out it was Robert Carranza whom I adore for his work with The Mars Volta. He really did a great job giving each instrument it’s own voice as well as an opportunity to stand out in the mix. Nothing is lost here and I think that is important to note. The guitar never gets lost, the keys never over do it and the drums set up the proper foundation on which to create the complex structure built from jazz and rock influences.

Of course, with each track are subjected to individual solo’s from each band member periodically. While these overdone solo-sessions are usually the downfall of these  types of records, it really goes over well on Homunculus. Although the structure becomes somewhat predictable, it was never a case of “Look how well I can solo” or “I’m the bass player and I can play better than the guitarist.” Each instrumental serves the song purpose and does it justice by making it better.

In a genre that is typically diluted with guitar solos, patchouli and Hammond Organ, Tauk really released a solid effort with Homuculus. They cut out the bullshit and leave you with what they are; a truly solid band who won’t forget their roots but aren’t afraid to hold back a bit for the sake of making a good and solid record. Fans of the genre and the band definitely won’t be disappointed. If you’re not a fan of the genre I encourage you to at least listen. What’s the worst that could happen?

Tauk takes the stage tomorrow, Thursday 7/11 in swanky Williamsburg for the second installment of their three-part Spike Hill Residency. Get your tickets here and check out Tauk's additional summer tour dates below. Pay special attention to that final date, Peach Fest looks like it could be the runaway winner for NY-Area Festivals.

Verdict: Homunculus transports you to a friction-less dimension where time doesn't exist and all tasks are completed without an ounce of procrastination. Just press play and watch that To-Do list disappear.



Tuesday, July 9, 2013

#EDAS Album Review: Way Yes, Tog Pebbles


by Matt (@bones_jones)

Self Released: May 7, 2013

Artist-Fair Shopping: Digital / CD

Style: Synth & Surdo,
Ituri Dreamscapes, Muppet Voices,
Every Genre Ever Mushed Together

Audience: World Music Lovers,
Sensitive Bros, Vampire Weekenders,
Future Dead People of America 

Better Tracks: Colerain, Holy Drop,
Get Healed, Don't Give Up,
Macondo



If you are a frequent reader of this website, you know how much this band means to me. Way Yes is a group of legitimately nice dudes from my college stomping grounds, delving deep into uncharted types of world fusion. Their first full-length offering, Tog Pebbles, is a psychedelic stew slowly cooked in the heartland of Columbus Ohio, and it is ready to nourish the masses.


Make Your Own Way Yes Meme 

These guys had me hooked from the second I heard their breakout EP, Walkability and the attraction has only intensified with Tog. This album seems to explore the distinct space between actively participating in and wistfully remembering one's childhood. It even goes as far to tell you what happens afterwards. SPOILER ALERT: It's either an adulthood filled with complex emotions or death. I suppose the goal is to chase the former with the latter but you might as well use your time to live and love while you can.

The brainchild of Best Buddies Glenn Davis and Travis Hall, Way Yes picks up where Paul Simon left off at his most adventurous. A sophisticated work of art that dabs tropical hues over dark existential undertones, then melts the whole thing down and pours it all over your body.

Hall and Oates Davis have worked together for what seems like lifetimes, and they have fused all prior incarnations of themselves into Way Yes. This epic bromance provides most of the singing and songwriting as well as the dueling guitars and multi-layered synthscapes that structure their unique sound. The rest of the band’s identity comes from their double-edged drumming attack of Max Lewis and Tim Horak. A veritable planet of percussion that consists of bongos, darbukas, junior congas, timbales, crash, splash, high-hat and ride cymbals, both a tamborim and a tambourine, a jam block, a mounted drum stick, shakers, agogo bells, darbukas, two cow bells and a surdo. It can’t be easy to lug all that crap across the country in your mom’s minivan, so if they come to your town, grab all your loved ones and see this amazing band live.

Way Yes @ Glasslands 7/20/2012
Almost a year after their mind blowing NYC debut, Way Yes returns for their somewhat annual double dip. Catch them this Friday July 12th at 8:30 PM for an amazing show at Glasslands, headlined by The Echo Friendly, then follow them to a free Manhattan Show at 7:00 at Pianos the following day. Get your tickets for Friday's Brooklyn shindig here and get to Pianos early enough and its free. I'm clearing my schedule so I can go to both. It may be a full weekend, but I'll be the one in the back, standing there like a proud (and likely drunken) father watching his kids make all his vicarious musical dreams come true.

Verdict: Feel free to sell all of your belongings and follow these psychedelic sages as they unlock the secrets of the universe. You'll be hearing from these fine fellows again come Best Of 2013 time. 


Get The Album Here

Monday, July 8, 2013

Back from Nantucket

After a few horrible bus rides, I am back in in NYC. It feels good to be home, however I have received some unfortunate news regarding this Saturday's BackYard Fest headlined by Aerosmith. 


Due to the heavy rains during "Spring" and exacerbated by the horrible conditions of Governor's Ball, the NYC Parks Department has decided to close Randall's Island for necessary landscape work and the festival has been cancelled. I knew the second I got confirmed that it was too good to be true, so here is a taste of what was supposed to be. 

Aerosmith - Back in the Saddle Again

Friday, July 5, 2013

Another Song - Unknown Mortal Orchestra, (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

by Justin (@justasstrazdin)

Be glad these lads churned out a smooth and understated cover, lightly awash in their style, with a smooth ass bed of soul and punchy drums to drive the beauty of this song.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Another Song: Mountain, Nantucket Sleighride

In just a few short minutes, I am headed to Nantucket Island, which was considered the whaling capital of the world in the 19th century .The term "Nantucket Sleighride" was coined by some old salts to explain the most immensely dangerous part of the whaling process process. The first strike of the harpoon was not intended to kill the whale but only to attach it to the whale boat. The whale would take off pulling the whale boat along at speeds of up to 23 mph (37 kmh). Once the whale had finally tired itself out, the leading officer would deliver the fatal blow with a penetrating lance and begin the arduous process of finding their way back to dry land.


The song "Nantucket Sleighride" is dedicated to Owen Coffin, a cabin boy aboard the whaling ship Essex, which was destroyed by a sperm whale in 1819. Owen ended up in the lifeboat with Captain Pollard, his uncle. Two other lifeboats also put out. During the next 3 - 4 months, the lifeboats separated. One was never seen again, but a certain few were destined to be part of the most memorable sea stories of all time.

During those long months at sea (and on desert islands), many of the men died. The survivors eventually had to resort to cannibalism to live. After those who died naturally were consumed, the men determined to draw lots to see who would sacrifice his life for the others. Owen Coffin "won" the lottery. The Captain tried to take Owen's place, but the youth insisted on his "right". The executioner was also drawn by lot. That "winner", another young man named Charles Ramsdell, also tried vainly to swap places with Owen. Again he refused. Owen's body kept the others alive for ten days, although Captain Pollard refused to eat his nephew. Another man died, and his body kept Pollard and Ramsdell alive a few more days until they were rescued.

The story of Owen Coffin still resonates on Nantucket Island and  certainly caught the attention of a young New York Jew named Leslie West. He and his band of Long Island Vagrants would eventually play Woodstock under the moniker Mountain and record an amazing album named after this an album that would bear the name, Nantucket Sleighride. 

Mountain - Nantucket Sleighride

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Another Song: Supertramp, Hide in Your Shell

by Justin (@justasstrazdin)

Little known fact: There are three types of people on this entire planet. Those who love electric pianos, those who are in denial of their love for electric pianos, and those who have never heard an electric piano but would totally love them. The title of Supertramp's 1974 album, Crime of the Century, is arguably a reference to their confession of not having enough electric piano on the album.

Supertramp is an exemplary binge band. One day, you're all like, fuck, I could really use some music to clean my apartment and drink white wine to! And that's where Crime of the Century comes in, with a dense overload of orchestral pop production over a bed of coke rock and a spot o' prog that leaves you feeling super British for forty minutes.

A few days pass. You catch yourself listening to it on the way to work. It's playing on your tiny speaker while you shower. Your friends are exposed to it when they come over. It's a problem. You're thinking about back-to-back binging with Steely Dan. But all this shit has got to stop, your apartment is clean. You're not surfing down that mountain of coke anymore in the British countryside, into a spacious recording studio where the battered grand piano guides you through the halls of excess. No, you put the scratchy LP down and crawl back to some retro soul or noisy indie pop. Still, you ponder taking on Nilsson for next month's apartment cleaning, that time when you blast any damn record you want with a Sauvignon Blanc and a vacuum cleaner.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Monumental Victories For Equal Rights!!


A big day for human rights as the Supreme Court strikes down DOMA and returns Marriage Equality to California. In honor of the decisions made today in Washington D.C. I present one of the original Gay Rights Anthems, written by David Bowie and generously given to Brit Glam Rockers, Mott the Hoople. This song has spoken to the LGBT community since its release in 1972 due to lyrics like this:
"Now Lucy’s looking sweet,
Though he dresses like a queen,
He can kick like a mule, it’s a real mean team,
We can love, we can love"
These lyrics harken back to a time where the Stonewall Riots had just occurred. Homosexuals and alternative lifestyles as a whole were still highly marginalized if not violently targeted. Bowie's Lucy was not likely the stereotypical capri pants wearing, tea-cup yorkie holding, gay guy portrayed ad naseum in many media outlets. This Lucy was more likely a huge burly fellow who may have served in a war, ready willing and able to put the dukes up to defend his or herself and the corresponding way of life. If don't like seeing a 6 foot guy in a dress, big enough to be a linebacker... well tough luck Peppo, because this guy can change your mind by kicking a stiletto heel straight through it. 

For the non-violent protesters out there, think of All The Young Dudes as an "It Gets Better" Video 40 years before its time. I just don't think it makes any sense to have a government who control a who a person is attracted to. Today regardless of your political or religious beliefs, I think we can all take solace in the triumph of love over hate. 

Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes

Monday, June 24, 2013

#EDAS Album Review: Statistics, Peninsula

  

by Matt (@EDAS2Go)

Label: Afternoon Records
June 25, 2013
NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD HERE

Style: F-Zero
Miami Vice Swag,
Japanese Crossover Potential

Audience: Deep White V-Necks,
Late Night Internet Cafe Hoppers,
Hot Air Balloonists,
Cool Cars Driving Through Tunnels

Better Tracks: Take The Lead,
Waiting, Look Alive
Nineteen Ninety Nine,
Pictures of Success

One of the true great guys in this business, Denver Dalley has a talent for doing it right the first time. Whether it's smashing guitars in Desaparecidos, droppin funky basslines with Har Mar Superstar, writing two solo projects or saving mexican orphans, this is not a person who gives any less than all of himself. I can sit here and gush about how this guy is legitimately one of our great americans, but his pet project Statistics is releasing it's first album, Peninsula, in over 8 years tomorrow and he personally gave me an advance copy.

Here's the scoop in PR Speak:
"It’s been 8 years since the last Statistics album. Peninsula has been in the works for the past 5. But it doesn’t sound labored or meticulous. The album is instead made up of songs that have stood the test of time, that are at once nostalgic and cutting edge... The grooving “Take the Lead,” featuring Har Mar Superstar, could easily have been a single off of Justin Timberlake’s Justified... A mellow cover of Rilo Kiley’s “Picture of Success” rounds out the record, its sparse arrangement showcasing Dalley’s subtle vocal power."
Denver with Desaparecidos
2.27.2013 @ Webster Hall
Usually this press stuff is just gibberish, but in this case it is spot on. Peninsula is a dynamic and vibrant return from a long hiatus. A versatile offering with twinkly electrojams, dance-rockers, acoustic handwritten ballads, and a just touch of legit, early-2000's Emo. As a band member, Denver is reliable enough to show up and play any instrument at the finest level, but as a mouthpiece, he has the unique ability to disarm and get right to the heart of the matter.

I did have a slight unquenched thirst for some guitar smashing bangers, but considering how hard Denver rocks as integral parts of Desa and Har Mar, I can understand his use of Stats as a more reserved, serene-sounding outlet. It may be on the softer side but if you choose to pass, know you will be missing out on some introspective songwriting on top of excellent arrangement and production.

Verdict: This is a peek into the mind of one of today's most versatile treasures. Like anything worthwhile, it may take time grow on you and you'll be glad it did. Download it for FREE at the Afternoon Records Site.