Interview: Nick Sanborn from Sylvan Esso
Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso (Photo: Peter Hutchins)
In an age where the meaning of pop music is changing with the seasons, Sylvan Esso is putting an extraordinary spin on the style. The duo from Durham, NC, consisting of producer Nick Sanborn and vocalist Amelia Meath, bring complex beats and deep melodies to the table. It’s catchy music that will put you in a good mood once you start listening. With New York City beatmaker Suzi Analogue kicking off the night, Sanborn and Meath will be performing at The Strand Ballroom and Theatre on Apr 4. It seems like a prime time to check out a band that has caused a buzz since their latest album What Now came out last spring.
Sanborn and I had a chat ahead of their show about switching from folk to pop, the new music video Sylvan Esso put out, everything coming together at the right time and the difference between creating something new and imitating it.
Rob Duguay (Motif): Before Sylvan Esso started, both you and Amelia were in different folk bands. You were in Megafaun while Amelia was in Mountain Man, and you also had a solo project called Made of Oak. Sylvan Esso’s music is in the electro-pop style, so what made you and Amelia want to make the transition to a different kind of music?
Nick Sanborn: This is going to sound weird, but there wasn’t really a transition. We both have always loved pop music and, when we started making things together, it was the natural thing that made sense for us to create. We started cutting a remix of a song from Mountain Man and that came out as a combination of what the two of us were interested in. From that, it became the template for what we would make afterwards. Amelia was having a great time in Mountain Man and singing with Feist,s but she always wanted to do something that was a little bit more accessible.
She wanted to maintain the flexibility of the music she was doing before, but she also wanted to do it in a style where more people could find it. We’ve both been fans of all kinds of pop forever, but we’ve bonded over a shared love of Aaliyah, Rihanna and all sorts of music like that.
RD: Back in January, Sylvan Esso put out a music video for “PARAD(w/m)E.” The video takes place in a very rural backwoods town. Where’s the location where it was filmed? NS: It was filmed in Vaughn, New Mexico.
RD: What made you and Amelia pick that location? Was it through whomever directed it, or was it both of your decision?
NS: Amelia was actually the creative director or the whole video. She’s done a bunch of our music video treatments, so that was all her idea. When she wrote the treatment for this video, it took place in the desert. We ended up having to change that because we don’t live in the desert and we didn’t have a ton of time to go somewhere that was like a desert. Our friend who directed it, Dan Huiting, was shooting something else out there in New Mexico and passed through that town and immediately thought that’s where we should shoot the video.
It was one of those magical things where everything just worked out. It perfectly fit the treatment that Amelia had written and the crew was available for this tiny window of days when we were also available. It all came together in less than two weeks.
RD: That’s awesome.
NS: Yeah, it happened really quickly.
RD: Did Amelia play a part in directing the choreography as well?
NS: She didn’t choreograph it. John Mark is a fantastic dancer and choreographer, and he handled that part of the video. The dancers were all local, which was really cool. We didn’t fly any dancers in, they were all from Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
RD: How did you get the word out locally to get the dancers involved?
NS: There’s an interesting arts collective there called “Meow Wolf” that is made up of a ton of different creative professionals. They have a gigantic installation in Santa Fe that’s their headquarters. They did a ton of outreach trying to find a crew of dancers, and it was all done through their network.
RD: You mentioned earlier how you and Amelia like a lot of pop music. From being in a pop duo, do you feel critical at all when it comes to mainstream pop music? Do you think a lot of pop is homogenized where a lot of it sounds the same, or do you think otherwise?
NS: I think both of those things. When any art form at any point in history that reaches a certain critical mass, which is “pop” by definition, you’re going to have a lot of great music and a lot of other music that’s kind of imitating things in the hopes of being noticed. Just like every other period of time, we’re living in one of those now. There’s obviously banal stuff you hear on the radio, but I also think radio is finally taking chances on cooler, interesting and less overt music. At the Grammys this year, they didn’t reflect my personal taste, but I thought the nominations were really exciting.
To see someone like SZA get so many nominations, even though she didn’t win, bodes well in the present tense for what people are actually listening to.
RD: SZA has been rising very fast.
NS: Yeah. RD: I remember her playing small clubs all over the place, including Providence, and then all of a sudden she’s doing all of these big tours and stuff with Kendrick Lamar.
NS: Yeah, it’s incredible.
RD: Yes it is. Sylvan Esso are going to be touring a lot this year, so other than the upcoming show in Providence, which city are you most excited to perform at?
NS: There’s a bunch of places I’m excited to play. On the leg of this tour that we’re currently on, it’s exciting because it’s places like Providence. It’s cities that usually get stepped over in favor of a bigger city that’s an hour or two away. We’re doing only those cities this time so it really is the most rewarding as someone who grew up in one of those cities. I grew up in Madison, WI, and I moved to Milwaukee which got consistently passed over for Minneapolis and Chicago when I was a kid. This is our favorite kind of tour with doing these kinds of shows.
I’m really excited for our two-night stand in Milwaukee this summer, which sold out faster than I think any of our other shows did, which is really cool. We’re playing Mass MoCA in North Adams, MA, on Mar 31 and I’ve never been there before. We’re also playing [at the State Theatre] in Portland, ME, on April 2, and I’ve never played in Maine ever so I’m really excited about that. I have family up there so I’m really hyped. We’re going to be all over the place this year.
Tickets to Sylvan Esso with Suzi Analogue @ The Strand Ballroom and Theatre, Apr 4: thestrandri.com/events/sylvan-esso-2
“PARAD(w/m)E” music video: youtube.com/watch?v=4W9VYY5QpLg
Web site: sylvanesso.com
Tiny Diamond Returns, News Café, Mar 30
Tiny Diamond (Photo: Scott Pacheco) Last year, 2017, was busy for Providence alternative rock trio Tiny Diamond. Multi-instrumentalists Mia Dady, Piera Leone and Jess Texieira released the band’s second EP Light Codes on Jun 9 and Leone also became a mother for the first time on Aug 27. Due to Leone’s parental obligations, they took some time off for a few months while the Ocean State’s music scene missed their presence. Thankfully, they’ll be returning to the stage at the News Café in Pawtucket on Mar 30. It promises to be a much- anticipated return for a band that has a unique approach and style.
Their most recent EP shows a different tone from the band’s self-titled debut that came out in Apr 2016. It’s a primary example of an act’s artistic evolution while also sticking to their roots. Varied musical dimensions are heard in a stunning array of songs.
“We went with Mikey Bullister and he recorded us at Newcastle Sound in Barrington,” Leone says on the making of the EP. “We had the ideas for everything and we had a big say in the mixing and the mastering.” Dady adds, “He had great ideas in the studio too. He would want to add extra guitar tracks, which was something that we weren’t really used to. He had a lot of great input.” Leone continued, “We decided that the three of us wanted to contribute two songs each of us had written. Then we kind of picked them from there, but we didn’t really have an idea of a theme.”
“Musically, I’m headed in a more of a rockin’ kind of direction versus when I was starting out as kind of a folk musician,” Dady said of the evolving of the Tiny Diamond’s music. “I’m trying to add more distortion and more effects to my guitar while slowly getting louder. I think the other songs that were written picked up on that vibe and rolled along.”
The experience in the studio also contributed to Dady, Leone and Texieira trying new things out. “Having the ability to do multi-track recording and being able to know that I can play bass in one song and switch with Jess to drums on another was greatly beneficial,” Leone pointed out. “Last time we recorded, we recorded once live and this time we layered it and it felt more complete.”
With the band’s return to performing live, they also have goals to reach in the future. Leone said, “We have enough songs to have a full-length album.” Dady said “It mostly comes down to money” of the realistic hurdles that lie ahead, “We want to get out on the road eventually.” Leone said of the past few months, “We had a little tour last year and that was really fun, we got to play two shows in New York and Connecticut and that was really great.”
As March nears its end, Tiny Diamond will be embarking on a new beginning. Head to the heart of downtown Pawtucket to see the new elements Dady, Texieira and Leone are bringing to their band’s already interesting sound.
Event page: facebook.com/events/577305185975445
Web site: tinydiamondband.com Interview: Marissa Paternoster from Screaming Females
Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females
Screaming Females from New Brunswick, New Jersey, have been one of the leading bands in independent music for over a decade now. Their punk sound is intensified by Marissa Paternoster’s bombastic voice and impeccable guitar shredding. King Mike on bass and Jarrett Dougherty on drums create tight rhythms that serve as the fantastic foundation to the band’s songs. The trio released a new album with All at Once back on Feb 23 [named our Album of the Week shortly after], and it has what it takes to be one of the top releases of the year. On Apr 8, Screaming Females will be taking the stage at AS220 for a wild time with Philly punks Hirs, Baton Rough sludgemasters Thou and local vocals Assembly of Light Choir opening things up.
Paternoster and I had a conversation ahead of the show about the new album, focusing on instrumentation, the rise of women-fronted rock bands and what has changed the most about the band over the years.
Rob Duguay (Motif): In February, Screaming Females put out their seventh album All at Once. One thing that’s noticeable about it is that it has more tracks than any of the other previous albums with 15. Is there anything in particular behind that or was it just having a bunch of great songs that the band wanted on the album?
Marissa Paternoster: We went in with the intention of not cutting any of the songs, but we also had a feeling that some of them might be getting cut. When we were all done, we had a moment with Matt Bayles, who produced it, about which songs might be better and which ones to take out, but we decided to keep them all on the album. All of the songs paint a great picture, so we came to a consensus pretty rapidly to not remove any of them. There wasn’t a long talk about whether or not some songs were absolutely going to be cut. We very rarely do that whenever we record anything for an album, I think we did it on our debut but that was probably the only time.
RD: It’s interesting because the band’s previous album, Rose Mountain [also our Album of the Week], has nine songs on it and this one is a lot longer. A few of the songs have the presence of a keyboard that sounds like a church organ. Was that something that you, King Mike and Jarrett Dougherty wanted to incorporate for a long time or was it a spur of the moment decision?
MP: That keyboard is a ‘60s-era model so it’s pretty much just an organ. I have one at home that I play with and use for writing songs and stuff. It made sense to use one while we were tracking the album in Seattle. Matt found one for me and we used it. We’ve always wanted to have a great deal of instrumentation in our songs, but time never permitted us to do so. We spent a month tracking the album, so we had some time to mess around with the songs for an organic feeling, and that’s what happened.
RD: I think it sounds great on the record.
MP: Thank you.
RD: You’re welcome. It’s been mentioned that going into the studio the band wanted to capture the spontaneity of their live performances, which can be a hard thing to achieve. Was there any difficulty with getting that right or was it relaxing with you, Mike and Jarrett letting it loose?
MP: I would say on this record that the focus wasn’t really on capturing our live show and the energy. We were definitely more focused on making a studio album with different instrumentation and tones, along with using parts of the room to get different drum sounds. In our previous albums we’ve focused more on being a great live band, that’s why we made the Live at the Hideout record a couple years ago. We’ve tracked all of our records live, but this one is definitely the one where we had more time to perfect songs, use different guitar tones and let Matt work his engineering magic with Pro Tools and stuff. He’s great to work with, so we trust him to make those decisions on our behalf. Within our discography, we’ve wanted to make this one a complete studio album rather than have it capture us performing live.
RD: Over the past few years, there have been a lot of female-fronted rock bands starting out. Bands like Sheer Mag, Bully, Cayetana, Charly Bliss and Downtown Boys come to mind. Are there any female bands that you feel inspired by and you hope to perform with?
MP: Yeah, we’re going to be on tour with a one of them actually. Hirs are like a grindcore band from Philadelphia and we’re gonna go out on the road with them and a band from Baton Rouge called Thou. They’ve been playing shows and making music forever. They’re really radical people who have a really important message, and they also happen to be a killer band.
RD: I’ve listened to Hirs a bit and they sound amazing. This year, 2018, marks 13 years since Screaming Females got their start while playing basement shows in New Brunswick, New Jersey. What do you think has changed the most musically with the band over the years and what do you hope the future is for the band?
MP: I think we’re a lot more comfortable with being in a band with each other, making music with each other and talking about music. Someone will bring an idea that they have and we’ve been playing music for so long that we appreciate each other’s judgment. We don’t think that any of our ideas are too precious so we can bounce them off each other to see what we all think of it. I’d say that’s probably the biggest change, we’ve never really made any rules for ourselves so we just do whatever that interests us and is fun to play.
Event, tickets: as220.org/event/screaming-females-thou-hirs-assembly-of-light-choir
Faceboook event for Screaming Females, Hirs, Thou and Assembly of Light Choir @ AS220 on Apr 8: facebook.com/events/268351770355557 Web site: screamingfemales.com
Top 20 Albums of 2017 (Because 10 Wasn’t Enough)
To say that 2017 was a wild year for music is a vast understatement. As a reaction to the current administration in the White House, various musicians took a political stance to oppose the views of a president with questionable values. Ranging from singer-songwriters like Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy to major bands like the Foo Fighters, there were numerous acts that wrote songs about the current political and social landscape.
The music world was also shaken by the passing of legends Tom Petty, The Tragically Hip’s Gordon Downie, Chris Cornell, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Gregg Allman. This year has shown that music can still be a reflection of the times, despite how scary these times may be.
In Providence, the local music scene has seen people from various ethnic backgrounds and different orientations starting bands. Whether it’s hip-hop, punk, metal, folk or anything in between, it’s adding a glorious dose of diversity to a community that prides itself on being so. The music scene has also been resilient despite the closing of a few venues: RIP Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, Aurora and Firehouse 13. There are a lot of questions being asked about the sustainability of the city’s music, art and culture, and we’re still waiting on the answers. With all of this being said, here are my Top 20 Albums of 2017 (Because 10 Wasn’t Enough).
20. SydeSho – SydeSho the Maestro (self-released)
SydeSho the Maestro by SydeSho Providence native Oliver Arias, also known as SydeSho, is a blast from the past in terms of hip-hop. He can breakdance like a maniac and he can spit rhymes with the best of them. His debut album SydeSho the Maestro that came out in March had him teaming up with producers Cognate and F.L.E.E. the Maestro. It’s a stellar album that celebrates hip-hop’s roots with a respectably modern spin. Tracks like “Get Up” with vocalist Becky Bass, “Excuse Me” and “Better Than Yourz” featuring fellow emcee Big Scythe prove that mumble rap is whack and the real style is coming back. soundcloud.com/sydesho/excuse-me-prod-flee-the-maestro
19. Weaves – Wide Open (Kanine/Buzz/Memphis Industries)
Wide Open by Weaves
There’s something awesome about rhythmically tight and quirky alternative rock. It possesses an honesty that other genres can’t hold a candle to. Weaves from Toronto hit this on the head with their sophomore album Wide Open released in October. Jasmyn Burke has a uniquely soulful voice that has stunning range: “#53,” “Walkaway” and “Law and Panda” are prime songs off this record that are abundant with melody and energy. weaves.bandcamp.com/track/law-and-panda
18. Pile – A Hairshirt of Purpose (Exploding In Sound) A Hairshirt of Purpose by Pile
Indie rock act Pile has such a distinct take on music that it’s hard to pin them down to classification. They can sound like a post-punk act at one point, then they’ll go full-on noise, and finish a track off by venturing towards math rock. Their versatility is what makes this act from Boston so great and their sixth album A Hairshirt of Purpose that hit record store shelves in March could be their most brilliant release yet. It’s unapologetically intense while providing an electrifyingly awesome listening experience. Turn it up loud and listen to songs like “Hissing for Peace,” “Texas” and “Leaning on a Wheel” to get amped. pile.bandcamp.com/track/hissing-for-peace
17. Ron Gallo – Heavy Meta (New West/American Diamond)
Heavy Meta by Ron Gallo
Moving to a new city can change an artist. They’ll adapt to new kinds of music and then they’ll put their own spin on it. Philadelphia native Ron Gallo went through that transition after the Americana band he was in, Toy Soldiers, broke up and he moved to Nashville. He got into the garage rock scene there and released a badass debut album with Heavy Meta in February. Wakefield, RI, native Dylan Sevey plays drums in his band. “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me,” “Kill the Medicine Man” and “Please Yourself” are definitive scorchers. rongallo.bandcamp.com/track/kill-the-medicine-man-3
16. Alexandra Savior – Belladonna of Sadness (Columbia)
Belladonna of Sadness by Alexandra Savior
A breath of fresh air came from Portland, OR, artist Alexandra Savior when she put out her debut album, Belladonna of Sadness, in April. Subtle jazz elegance adorns the album from start to finish while walking the line between dream pop and psychedelic. She’s only 22 and the future looks very bright for her if she keeps it up. Coolness flows from each song on the record and the senses will be hooked. Try out “Mirage,” “Shades” and “Frankie” and you won’t be able to stop listening. open.spotify.com/track/62IQSAGpdUI2NK1UcRCCgQ
15. Ho99o9 – United States of Horror (999 Deathkult) United States of Horror by Ho99o9
Usually a fusion of hip-hop and punk can be quite lame, but in 2017 anything was possible and the Los Angeles-via-Newark, NJ, duo of TheOGM and Eaddy proved that. Ho99o9 (pronounced as “horror”) released one of the most important albums of the year with United States of Horror in May. The album confronts oppression, police brutality and racism head-on. It’s a powerful record that musically hits like a stack of dynamite blasting through a brick wall. “Street Power,” “Sub-Zero” and the title track are incredible. soundcloud.com/ho99o9/street-power
14. Toad and the Stooligans – Very Handsome (self-released)
Very Handsome by Toad and the Stooligans
The year 2017 saw Providence hip-hop band Toad and the Stooligans become one of the top up-and- coming acts in the local music scene with the release of their debut album Very Handsome in September. It blends syncopated harmonies and jazzy rhythms while riding a groove that takes over the senses. You can either rock your body to it or relax while taking it all in. Tracks like “All Things Considered,” “Part Time Lovers” with Bianca Sings and “Statements” really shine. open.spotify.com/track/4xEVtF5U8AoMfju5EfDC7o
13. Land of Talk – Life After Youth (Saddle Creek)
Life After Youth by Land Of Talk
Toronto musician Elizabeth Powell went through a reinvigoration before she released Land of Talk’s third album Life After Youth in May. She went on a hiatus that lasted four years and then she came back to put out a wonderful record. There was no rust and Powell’s songwriting is pristine. This album will put you under a spell. “Yes You Were,” “This Time” and “Inner Lover” are jaw-dropping songs that each has its own special quality. landoftalk.bandcamp.com/track/this-time
12. And So I Watch You from Afar – The Endless Shimmering (Sargent House) The Endless Shimmering by And So I Watch You from Afar
When an act returns to their roots, it can be a beautiful thing. And So I Watch You from Afar went back to what made them fantastic in the first place when they unveiled their fifth album, The Endless Shimmering, in October. The experimental instrument prog rock act from Belfast, UK, got rid of the chanting that was present in their two previous albums and they stuck to unbridled shredding. The production of the record is excellent as well. “Mulally,” “Three Triangles” and “Dying Giants” melt brains and rev things up. asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/mullally
11. At the Drive-In – At the Drive-In – in-ter a-li-a (Rise)
After 17 years since a band’s previous release, there’s a hard choice what the comeback can be: It can be disaster or it can hark back to the band’s glory days. The latter happened when post-hardcore legends At the Drive-In soothed the masses with their fourth album, in-ter a-li-a, back in May. Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s voice still has impeccable range and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez consistently proves why he’s one of the best guitarists alive. Plug in to “No Wolf Like the Present,” “Governed by Contagions” and “Holtzclaw,” and prepare to unleash some rage. open.spotify.com/track/3GdvFtZvR2m9fVldPcbYEX
10. Downtown Boys – Cost of Living (Sub Pop) Cost of Living by Downtown Boys
With all of the social and political turmoil that went on in 2017, it’s only fitting that Providence punks Downtown Boys put out their biggest release yet with Cost of Living in August. The band’s third album has a Clash-like essence that screams for revolution. It also musically punches bigotry, racism and ignorance in the face until all the teeth are on the ground. Victoria Ruiz is a fearless frontwoman and Joey La Neve DeFrancesco shreds on guitar. “A Wall,” “Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas)” and “It Can’t Wait” will energize you while also making you think about society as a whole. downtownboys.bandcamp.com/track/somos-chulas-no-somos-pendejas
9. Broken Social Scene – Hug of Thunder (Arts & Crafts)
Hug of Thunder by Broken Social Scene
Kevin Drew and his wide ranging collective known as Broken Social Scene put out their best album in years back in July. Hug of Thunder is a stunning album with so many gems that it should be re-formed as a crown. There’s a distinct amount of force that’s bound to capture your attention – and, if that doesn’t do it, then the orchestral songwriting should do the trick. Tracks “Halfway Home,” “Vanity Pail Kids” and “Gonna Get Better” are too amazing to be ignored. open.spotify.com/track/4nUT86Gudk78XZLjcScZ3M
8. Dutch Uncles – Big Balloon (Memphis Industries)
Dutch Uncles are a very cool alt-pop act from a small town in England called Marple, and not a lot of folks know about them in the United States. It’s puzzling because their fifth album, Big Balloon, that came out in February is so brilliant that they should have a bigger fan base. Their sound is ideal for anyone who digs new wave, post-punk and math rock. These cats have prog tendencies as well. Listen to “Combo Box,” “Oh Yeah” and “Hiccup” and you’ll know what I mean. dutchuncles.bandcamp.com/track/oh-yeah
7. Roz and the Rice Cakes – Devotion (Team Love)
Indie pop act Roz and the Rice Cakes put out the best album to come out of Providence this year. The trio of Roz Raskin, Casey Belisle and Justin Foster has grown so much musically and their versatility knows no bounds. Their third album, Devotion, was released in October to feverish anticipation. It lives up to the hype through sheer originality and artistic progression. “Revolving,” “Open Eyes” and “Do You” are rhythmic jams that latch on to the ears. rozandthericecakes-tl.bandcamp.com/track/revolving
6. Wu-Tang Clan – The Saga Continues (Entertainment One)
One of the best hip-hop acts – ever – returned to form this year. The Wu-Tang Clan put out their seventh album, The Saga Continues, in October and it’s astounding. Mathematics and RZA co-produced the record while the crew of Method Man, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa and Cappadonna put down some of their best rhymes in years. There’s also an assortment of special guests including Redman, Sean Price and Killah Priest among others. “Lesson Learn’d,” “If Time Is Money” and “Pearl Harbor” are fine examples of fantastic hip-hop. open.spotify.com/track/2wdjA0qJ1zbVN9JriPh2hc
5. Death from Above – Outrage! Is Now (Last Gang) Outrage! Is Now by Death From Above
If 2017 put any band through the ringer, it had to be Death from Above from Toronto. Sebastian Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler got rid of the “1979” part of the band’s name and they also got grouped in with the alt-right against their will because Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes is a fan, and Keeler ended up making a public apology for him. They also put out their third album titled Outrage! Is Now in September, and it’s the tightest album of the year. Each song is compact, fast and intense. Dive into “Freeze Me,” “Never Swim Alone” and “NVR 4EVR” and get your mind blown. open.spotify.com/track/18Dt1iRKaYFU9NaTlNeM0h
4. Ty Segall (Drag City)
Ty Segall’s self titled album cover
After eight albums, Los Angeles garage rock phenom Ty Segall finally put out his ninth under his own name in January, with Steve Albini producing. Segall goes back to the T. Rex-esque brand of rock ‘n’ roll for which that he’s loved. He also doesn’t let up when it comes to the volume, either. If you ever find yourself in need of a musical weapon to combat a neighbor’s bad taste in music, this album is it. Songs like “Break a Guitar,” “Warm Hands (Freedom Returned)” and “Thank You Mr. K” are highly recommended to be listened to as loud as possible. www.youtube.com/embed/V6dk31yRA8I
3. Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life (Anti-/Arts & Crafts)
Japandroids
Japandroids have to be one of the hardest working bands today. Guitarist and vocalist Brian King and drummer David Prowse tour relentlessly, and their Vancouver-bred rock sound is so damn good. They released their third album, Near to the Wild Heart of Life, in January, and it shows maturity and growth in their music. Like their other albums, there’s a hard-hitting, honest aesthetic that’s unrivaled. “North East South West” is an ode to their continual touring, “Arc of Bar” is a rejoicing jam and “In a Body Like a Grave” is a triumphant anthem. japandroids.bandcamp.com/track/north-east-south-west
2. Ted Leo – The Hanged Man (SuperEgo) The Hanged Man by Ted Leo
Technically, this can be considered to be a local release due to Ted Leo’s residence in South County, Rhode Island, but, regardless, his first solo album that came out in September is magnificent. There are classic pop leanings that compliment his class mod punk style. It seems as if Leo is trying to embrace the aging singer-songwriter role while also maintaining his punk roots. The artistic conflict breeds genuinely poignant music that has Leo pouring his heart out. “You’re Like Me,” “Can’t Go Back” and “Lonsdale Avenue” will excite the nerves for different reasons. open.spotify.com/track/6V8xjM2iJzJMc7aMJx0DMK
1. St. Vincent – Masseduction (Loma Vista)
Masseduction by St. Vincent
Annie Clark has become a symbol for individualism through art, and her fifth album, Masseduction, that hit the charts in October is the pinnacle of it. Her project explores various dimensions to achieve a sound of its own. There are groovy electronic beats, sick guitar riffs and intelligent lyrics that make this latest addition to St. Vincent’s catalog her best yet. The album also examines our society’s obsession with sex, drugs and power, and how it affects humanity. Get down with “Pills,” “Fear the Future” and “Savior,” and realize that this is the best album that came out in 2017. open.spotify.com/track/6jcKQzA6fxIrof4AlrojG1
Album of the Week: Preoccupations – New Material
New Material by Preoccupations
Calgary post-punks Preoccupations have come a long way since changing their name from the controversial “Viet Cong” in 2015. Their 2016 album under their current name garnered a ton of positivity from critics and fans, and, in turn, brought them to the forefront of today’s post-punk and new wave scene. On Mar 23, they’ll be releasing their third album, titled New Material, via the indie label Jagjaguwar. The band shows artistic expansion in their new album while staying true to their distinct style. There’s a fine balance of synth and bass guitar providing the structure for a hypnotic sound.
There’s a pulse throughout the entirety of New Material that runs like an engine in a hot rod. Matt Flegel’s vocals walk the fine line between low and high pitches, almost as if the qualities of both Ian Curtis and Morrissey’s singing were combined into one. The synth presence is more accentuated versus the band’s previous album due to Scott Munro’s techniques. Mike Wallace’s drumming is the spark that sets everything off. Munro and Daniel Christiansen unleash their guitars in stellar ways to complete the sonic arsenal.
It’s always a breath of fresh air when you can notice a band’s influences through their music but the band isn’t a complete rip-off. Originality is just as important as embracing the past. Preoccupations pull that off by having an approach that harks back to the golden age of post-punk, and, at the same time, keeping things fresh. It’s a brilliant take on tones and rhythms that flows blissfully to the ears. Dive deeper and read up on my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:
An excellent representation of the balance between the synth and bass guitar is “Solace,” where Flegel’s bass guitar has a deep resonance that melds nicely with Munro’s electronic sheen. “Espionage” has Wallace serving as the musical firestarter on drums; there’s a forceful intensity that’s apparent from beginning to end. Aural supremacy is epitomized in “Antidote” with all of the band’s elements coming into play to seamlessly create a fantastic song.
Preoccupations will be coming through Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA, in the Boston metro area on Apr 18. These Canadians are amazing live, so it’s highly suggested that you attend. Don’t forget to grab a copy of New Material while you’re there; it’s a wonderful album that shouldn’t be overlooked.
New Material: preoccupations.bandcamp.com/album/new-material
Web site: preoccupationsband.com
Interview: Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from Lucius
Lucius (Photo: Petecia Le Fawnhawk)
Indie pop act Lucius has evolved since their beginnings at the Berklee College of Music in Boston during the mid-2000s. Their 2013 debut album Wildewoman put them on the map with a fusion of folk and ‘60s pop. Then they moved from their home base in Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 2015. Recently they’ve been involved in Roger Waters’ Us + Them World Tour along with releasing the acoustic album Nudes on Mar 2. On St. Patrick’s Day, they’ll be performing stripped down versions of their songs for a sold-out show at the Columbus Theatre in Providence’s West Side.
I had a conversation with Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from the band about the new album, being on the road with an originator of theatric rock, being in the studio with Nels Cline, covering a song by a contemporary act and their plans for their next release.
Rob Duguay (Motif): Lucius’ new album Nudes seems like it’s delving into the band’s folk roots. Is that what the band was going for or was it simply an idea for doing an acoustic album?
Holly Laessig: One of the best parts of our set for us, along with the audience, is that during every show we try and do a couple of songs completely broken down. Sometimes we’ll even just have a couple microphones and an acoustic guitar, or even sing a cappella. It’s one of our favorite things to do while performing live. While we were part of Roger Waters’ current tour, we wanted to give something to our fans to stay connected with them, to let them know that we’re still here and to give them something special to hold on to in the meantime. We did some writing and put a couple of new songs on the album, along with some rearrangements of some of our old songs and some covers as well.
RD: With the rearranging of the songs, did it take any adjusting at first to go from the synth-backed songs to making them acoustic? Or was it seamless?
HL: I think it was pretty seamless. We’ve done so many different iterations throughout our touring, including morning radio sessions where there’s only enough room to have two acoustic guitars and one drum. We’ve done the “Tiny Desk Concerts” for National Public Radio and we’ve broken down songs in various ways according to our boundaries that are set for us. We’ve done all of our songs in so many different versions, and, every time we write, it’s with a vocal and a piano or a vocal with an acoustic guitar, so it starts pretty simple. It’s easy to strip everything away and we enjoy it.
RD: You mentioned touring with Roger Waters, who you also did a rendition of the folk standard “Goodnight, Irene” with him on the new album. What has it been like being on the road with Roger? It must be a wild experience.
Jess Wolfe: It’s been amazing. Being a part of something like what Roger is currently doing where the music is embedded in all of our DNA, we have this nostalgic attachment to these songs and seeing it come to life every night is incredible. The way it affects people and how relevant it feels is huge at a time like now where things are so unpredictable. It feels really important to be a part of something like that.
Roger is also very conscientious about how the visuals are portrayed with the music and with us that’s already something that’s part of our own experience as well. He’s kind of the guy who invented that, so it’s incredibly inspiring. He created the theatrical element of rock ‘n’ roll in the way that we know it.
RD: The influence he’s had on the both of you is very noticeable, especially with how Lucius presents themselves on stage. For example, the way you both dress identically, and even when you have your keyboards set at a certain angle. Nudes also has the band collaborating with Nels Cline, who is notably the lead guitarist for Wilco and an avant-garde jazz musician. How was it doing a song with him? I hear he’s a friendly guy.
JW: He’s very friendly and he’s a good friend of ours. We’ve been fortunate to perform with Wilco a bunch of times. When we were in New York recording the album and we wanted to have beautiful guitar experimentations, he immediately came to mind. We contacted him and luckily he was in town and the timing worked perfectly. He just came to the studio and we did it, it was awesome.
RD: I’m a huge fan of his so it must have been amazing to work with him. One thing that really struck me about the album, because I didn’t expect it, was the version of “Eventually” by Tame Impala the band did. It’s a stunning rendition and it had me amazed. What inspired that when there were so many other songs the band could have covered?
JW: We’re huge fans of theirs and that record, Currents, is something [to which] we were listening on repeat while writing. That song is just so beautiful and a lot of times, because we’re singers, the both of us gravitate towards the classics, nostalgic music and oldies. With that going on, it was important to us that we did a song done by one of our contemporaries. That was the first song that we thought we could cover and fit in well with the album.
RD: I love how different it is and how perfectly it fits with the vibe conveyed by the original.
JW: Thank you.
RD: No problem. This acoustic tour that Lucius is currently on goes until the end of March. Afterwards you’ll be back on the road with Roger Waters. So what else does the band have planned?
JW: We’ll be going back into the studio to work on the next record before we head to Europe with Roger for three months.
Nudes via Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/4CJOeZrzjHBiLXEusekD5y
Web site: ilovelucius.com
Album of the Week: Carissa Johnson and the Cure-Alls – Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk Talk by Carissa Johnson and the Cure-Alls
Carissa Johnson is a musician who has been injecting rock music with a refreshing dose of originality for the past few years. Her blend of ‘70s punk, power-pop and melodic modern flair has put her at the forefront of Boston’s legendary music scene. She also hits the road with her backing band known as the Cure-Alls often, and they’ve gained loyal followings throughout the United States. Johnson and her band, featuring drummer Nick Hall and guitarist Steph Curran, recently self-released their third LP, Talk Talk Talk, on Mar 10. It’s an album that’s a hard-hitting display of lyrical honesty and musical amplification.
For a mostly DIY record, Talk Talk Talk has a very professional sound quality. That’s due to the production skills of Doug Batchelder and Benny Grotto along with Jay Frigoletto taking on the mastering duties. Every track on the album is rhythmically tight while being not too long and not too short. It’s music that’s ideal for the rock enthusiast who can’t stand it when a song is longer than four minutes. There are plenty of memorable riffs, courtesy of Curran and Johnson’s bass guitar lines that meld perfectly with Hall’s beats.
Johnson, Curran and Hall’s artistic ascendancy goes to show how good the local music of New England has been recently. Talented acts from all genres, and some that fuse a few together, have been popping up on a monthly basis. It varies from established vets starting new bands to kids in their late teens graduating high school and wanting to take on their city’s scene. The high concentration of bands and musicians in such a small region of the country is astounding. To see how this trio takes their rightful place in this burgeoning community, let’s dabble with my top tracks off of the Album of the Week:
Curran’s riffs are best exhibited in “After All” – they capture a pristine tone that’s magnificently electrifying while not being overly distorted. “Home” is fast-paced and fun with a hybrid of harmony and vigor; what makes the track even more enjoyable is a cat’s meow finishing it off. Starting off acoustically into an emotional spark plug is the best way to describe the gem that’s “Two Weeks.”
Johnson and the Cure-Alls’ next show is with Los Angeles electro-psych rock duo War Twins and fellow Bostonians The Stampede at the Thunder Road Music Club and Rock ‘n’ Roll Bistro in Somerville, MA, on Mar 26. They’ve played Providence a few times, so be on the lookout for when they’ll be coming back. Before you see them live, make sure to grab a copy of Talk Talk Talk and turn it up: It’s a bold take on rock that definitely shreds.
Talk Talk Talk: carissajohnsonmusic.com/shop/talk-talk-talk-carissa-johnson-and-the-cure-alls
Facebook: facebook.com/CarissaJohnsonMusic
Correction: The contributions of Benny Grotto and Jay Frigoletto in production were incorrectly omitted in a prior version of this article. We regret the error.
2018 Motif Music Award Nominees
Voting is closed, but please join us on Tuesday, May 8th at The Met for the awards!! Doors open at 6pm!
There was a record number of voters this year at 6,363. Thank you to all who voted! AMERICANA
Best Act Consuelo’s Revenge GrandEvolution Ian Fitzgerald & Something Else The Horse-Eyed Men The Huntress and Holder of Hands The Quahogs Vudu Sister
Singer-Songwriter Briana White Chrissy Stewart Dean Petrella Ian Fitzgerald Jodie Treloar Kris Hansen Mark Cutler Nate Cozzolino
Female Vocalist Amanda Salemi (Consuelo’s Revenge) Aubrey Atwater (Atwater-Donnelly) Jen Long (SwampBirds) Jess Powers (Cowboy & Lady) Jodie Treloar Kim Trusty (Kim Trusty Band) MorganEve Swain (The Huntress and Holder of Hands) Shannon Corey Tara Hansen (Man & Wife)
Male Vocalist Elwood Donnelly (Atwater- Donnelly) Ian Fitzgerald (Ian Fitzgerald & Something Else) Mark Cutler (Mark Cutler and Men of Great Courage) Steve Delmonico (The Quahogs) Tyler-James Kelly (Cowboy & Lady)
Bluegrass Band Blackstone Valley Bluegrass Band Cactus Attack Four Bridges Lizzie James and the Greystone Rail Wilbur Hill
Breakthrough Act Avi Jacob Beardogz How’s About Charlie Lainey Dionne SIMO
Blues Act Black & White Band Cannibal Ramblers Popa Chubby Sugar Ray & the Bluetones The Low Cards The Silks Tim Taylor Blues Band
Choral Act Assembly of Light Choir Newman Church Choir Providence Gay Men’s Chorus Providence Singers RI Civic Chorale Schubert-Lorelei Sängerchor Folk Act The Horse-Eyed Men SwampBirds Cardboard Ox Cheryl Wheeler Haunt the House LittleBoyBigHeadonBike The Vox Hunters Wilbur Hill
Jazz Baba Yaga Ben Shaw Dan Moretti Greg Abate Joe Potenza Quartet The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra
R & B Jetty Keytar Bear The Love Dogs Steve Smith & the Nakeds Superchief Trio World Premier Band
World Music Bohemian Quartet Chachi & The International Players Chris Monti Trio Eastern Medicine Singers The Gnomes Sidy Maiga
Street Band / Brass Band / Marching Band Black Out Drum Squad Brass Attack ERB (Extraordinary Rendition Band) The Kickin Brass Band TAPA Percussion Ensemble What Cheer? Brigade
Open Mic 10 Rocks Jazz Jam Madcap Mondays @ Dusk Open Mic Tuesdays @ The Parlour in PVD Songwriter’s Open Mic @ Perks & Corks Two Hundo Broadway Open Mic @ The Parlor in Newport Open Mic Tuesdays @ Wharf Pub Sundays at the Wood @ Wood River Inn
Americana Album Brian McKenzie / “Bruising from the Fall” Dan Blakeslee / “The Alley Walker” The Huntress and Holder of Hands / “Avalon” John Juxo / “Long Distance Driver” Mike Laureanno / “TIGHTROPE” Phil Adams / “Pieces of Her” The Swampbirds / “no parentheses”
Best Americana Festival BRT Summer Solstice Festival Newport Folk Festival Newport Jazz Festival Rhythm & Roots Festival United Folk Festival of Westerly Warren Folk Fest Providence Folk Fest
ALTERNATIVE
Best Act Arc Iris The Copacetics Hope Anchor The Low Cards Math the Band Roz & The Rice Cakes Tall Teenagers Tapestries
Best Live Act Atlantic Thrills Blackletter Eric & the Nothing Torn Shorts The Viennagram Whorepaint The Worried The Z-Boys
Reggae / SKA Boo City The Mystic Jammers Natural Element Professor Roots Soul Shot
Jam Band The Cosmic Factory Daddie Long Legs Jabbawaukee Most Dangerous Men Alive Northeast Traffic OroborO The Stupid Robots
Garage Band Atlantic Thrills Eric & the Nothing The Hangovers Harvey Garbage Jets Can’t Land The Really Heavy Seven Hats Parade Sick Pills Tall Teenagers
Post Punk / Goth Act Alek K Redfearn & the Eyesores CIVILITY Hope Anchor The Viennagram Vudu Sister
Pop Punk Act Karis Owen The Callouts The Essays Senior Discount Sweet Babylon Ten Cents Short
Punk Act Hairspray Queen Harvey Garbage The Inhumanoids The McGunks Neutrinos Pyramid Tony Jones & the Cretin 3 Zero Holds
Hardcore / Metal Act The Black Dove Social Club Blind Revision Lolita Black Olneyville Sound System Reason to Fight Sire Teazer Violet
Female Vocalist Chelsea Paulhus (Tall Teenagers) Jen Janet (Blind Revision) Jess Maroney (Nymphidels) Malyssa BellaRosa (Sugar Cones) Missa Hills (The Callouts) Scarlett Delgado (Lolita Black) Tai Awolaju (Boo City) Tammy Laforest (The Dust Ruffles)
Male Vocalist AV Vienna (The Viennagram) Damian Puerini (Tall Teenagers) Dave Laros (Blackletter) Eric Shane (Eric and the Nothing) Paul Everett (Hope Anchor) Steve Delmonico (The Quahogs)
Album Bill Keough / “You’ll Disappear Just Like They All Do” The Complaints / “Talk To Me” Hope Anchor / “Beautiful Corpses” Kilgore Smudge / “Kilgore” The Lincoln Tunnel / “Phone This One In” The Low Cards / Self-Titled Nobody’s Boyscout / “In Tongues” Roz & the Rice Cakes / “Devotion”
Breakthrough Act Grizzlies Harvey Garbage Nobody’s Boyscout Nova One OroborO People Eating Plastic The Shakes Sugar Cones Zoink Zulag & The Galactic Shag Tribute Band Dirty Deeds (AC/DC) Forever Young (Neil Young) Hey Nineteen (Steely Dan) Through the Doors (The Doors) Wicked Petty (Tom Petty)
Cover Band Atlantic Avenue Band Fat City Band Never Enuff The O’Tooles The Pogs The Senders Sybil Disobedience Band Tanya McIntyre & The Professors What Matters?
Karaoke Night Friday Night Karaoke @ The Parlour PVD Hot Club Monday @ The Hot Club Saturday @ Muldowney’s Sunday @ Miller’s Crossing Trivioke @ The BoomBox WRIK Saturday @ Picasso’s Pizza
Best ALT / Rock Festival 4th of July Revival Fest Foo Fest Forge Fest PVDFest SENE Fest
ELECTRONIC / HIP-HOP
Hip-Hop Act DirtyDurdie Eric Axelman Hil Holla The Funk Underground Khary Spocka Summa Sun of Sound
Breakthrough Hip-Hop Act Cam Bells Lily Rayne Nino Da Kidd Toad and the Stooligans WHYTRI
Best EDM DJ DJ Oscar Champagne DJ Pauly Danger DJ Venom DJ Zydrate Joey Electric Michael Savant
Best Club DJ DJ Beáto DJ Dymand Teixeira DJ Handsome Pete DJ Pauly Danger DJ Ty Jesso The Westminster Yacht Club DJs Where’s Nasty
Best Dance Night Desirenegade Night @ Scurvy Dog Island Saturdays @ Alchemy POW! Indie Dance Party @ Dusk Soul Power @ Dusk Wattzbeatz @ The Salon
Photo / Photography Damian Zed Meneghini James Lastowski Lisa Gourley Matthew Fratiello Richard McCaffrey Rick Farrell
VOTE HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018musicawards
Six Good Things; Six Good Strings Here we are in the Ides of March; I don’t know how we got here so fast, but I do know that as winter moves toward spring, clocks and times they are a-changin’! And unlike the foreboding that is associated with the Ides, I see good things on the environmental horizon as evidenced by some recent shifts.
First thing: the Providence Bag Ban passed its first hearing with no opposition, and is set for its second hearing this week. This ban penalizes use of single use shopping bags and also fines you for buying paper ones. It’s all about changing people’s behaviors. Imagine! If the bag ban becomes the law, future signs of spring may no longer have to include the sight of plastic bags popping out from under the snowmelt. That would really be springing forward in the right direction!
The second thing moving in the right direction, and powerfully, is the resistance to Trump’s and Zinke’s The National OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Here in Providence, a powerful citizen action led by Climate Action Rhode Island‘s Justin Boyan and the Climate Disobedience Center‘s Tim DeChristopher popped up in the center of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s recent pro-drilling “science-fair” event to hold its own “People’s Hearing Against Offshore Drilling”! Scientists, activists, artists, poets, a nun, school children and retirees took their turns and delivered informative and impassioned pleas to keep the oil in the ground. They are joined nationally by 227 members of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators who signed a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. The signatures represent legislators from 17 coastal states who oppose the draft oil and gas leasing program.
The third thing is the Zero Waste Movement, and as you may know, I am a contestant on the YouTube show “100 Days to Zero Waste,” created by RISD media student Tara Gupta. I’m into my fourth week already, and as I get more deeply involved in it, I find more and more people who are trying it, blogging about it and making products for this conscientious lifestyle. All this leads back to item 1 – the bag ban – turns out the ordinance was crafted with input from the citizens group Zero Waste Providence and the city’s Office of Sustainability. Clean Water Action was also involved in the process.
The fourth thing is the opening of the bulk grocery store Hope & Thyme, owned by Bryan Rinebolt and Chrissy Teck. To be able to go to this little gem of a grocery store and not be overwhelmed by endless aisles and screaming packaging is a very grounding experience. In the couple weeks since it opened I have noticed the number of customers increase. Slow grocery shopping and slow foods are catching on and there is potential in that shift for big impact in the world. With each person who sees how ridiculous it is to use a material that lasts forever to hold a snack that lasts a couple minutes comes hope. Hope that the era of rampant single-use plastics is coming to an end before the oceans are completely trashed. The fifth thing is a new store called Impact Everything, owned by Lanna Nawa and Saroj Bhandari.
Together they opened this little emporium of goods from around the world on Thayer Street. Everything you can purchase there contributes to 12 different causes, including the environment, education, animal welfare and ending human trafficking. It all started out when Nawa and Bhandari raised money to help rebuild a village in Nepal following an earthquake in 2015. They have been involved in social enterprise ever since.
The sixth thing has been around for a while here in Providence and is the Social Enterprise Greenhouse, which has helped to launch and accelerate hundreds of social enterprises. The SE Greenhouse has shared workspace at 10 Davol Square for entrepreneurs, as well as coaching and intensive programs to help them launch and run their businesses successfully. What exactly is a social enterprise? It’s a business with an objective to achieve social and environmental impact as well as economic growth. Just like Impact Everything. And hopefully, soon, The Whale Guitar Project, which has recently become a member.
And now here’s where all these six optimistic things play together on six strings: An invitation to PVD Green Drinks! It’s a gathering where environmentally minded people meet and enjoy a drink and a presentation about a green endeavor.
Hosted by SE Greenhouse, it takes place on Thursday, March 15 at Impact Everything from 6 to 8pm. At the event, I will be presenting The Whale Guitar Project! I will tell attendees all about the guitar’s inception, its creation by RI artist-musicians William Schaff, Rachel Rosenkrantz and Gwen Forrester, its journey to date and hopes for the future – and we’ll take an action together to protect the ocean! I’ll be accompanied by two amazing guitarists, Chris Quiray a.k.a. The Solar Guy, and Jake Menendez who you can read about in the profiles below!
These monthly events are made possible in partnership with: Cleantech Open Northeast, ecoRI environmental news, NECEC Institute and The Slater Technology Fund.
Jake Menendez is an amazing young guitarist who I was introduced to by Chrissy Stewart of PVDlive. The Whale Guitar Project had been invited to The Newport Art Museum for one of their Second Saturday programs, and I called her to see if she knew of an available guitarist who might be interested in making the trek to Newport to play for kids. She recommended Jake and he was fantastic! He was completely at ease with The Whale Guitar and entertained the audience with upbeat covers, jazzy instrumentals and an improvised song about The Whale Guitar that he made up on the spot!
When we were asked to do a presentation of The Whale Guitar for PVD Green Drinks and feature a couple performers, I immediately thought of Jake. I wanted someone to perform who would bring the Green Drinks audience the same delight he brought the kids in Newport. I hope you’ll get to know him a little here in this interview and come see him play at the event!
Jen Long (Motif): How long have you been playing guitar? Can you tell me about your influences?
Jake Menendez: I started toward the end of my senior year in high school. Throughout that following summer. I decided to pursue and study music. It’s been five years now. My style of playing is heavily blues influenced. I listen to a lot of BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King and T Bone Walker, which also led me into jazz. So my playing is jazz and blues influenced, but really I like anything that has some soul in it. JL: Last year you played The Whale Guitar at the Newport Art Museum and I was impressed with your ability to just make up songs in the moment. Can you tell us how you go about improvising?
JM: Improvisation is one of the things I have been working on the most. When it comes to guitar playing, you really have to have a lot of scale knowledge and chord knowledge. You have to kind of have these sounds under your fingers so you can just feel it out while you’re playing. And then that really helps spur creativity when it comes to things that are less impromptu like writing lyrics or just coming up with lyrics on the spot. It also allows you to be more comfortable on your instrument and have a foundation there so you can kind of feel more at home when you’re singing and if you’re making up some lyrics.
JL: Five years isn’t that long to have progressed as much as you have. Are you very methodical? What is your practice schedule like?
JM: My method has been pretty structured and regimented. I just like learning scales, learning chords, learning the relationships that they share. Around six months into playing guitar, my friend who had already started music school pushed me along into the more theoretical aspects, like learning music theory, what notes are in a chord, and how that’s built from the scale you’re using over it. And that all started opening my eyes to the possibility of just teaching myself by learning how music works. You kind of then go and then take your own path and find your sound and find what relationships you like. And everyday you put in a little bit of time you get a little more out of each day.
JL: Do you keep a guitar journal?
JM: Yeah I do actually. For the longest time I was just doing everything mentally, but it turned out I wasn’t getting everything done in a day, and I was like what do I need to do? So I went back and rewrote a regimen. I wrote everything that I wanted to include and set a time to it; it ended up being 5 or 6 hours a day, including studying jazz and blues history. I’ve got a Joe Pass chord book and Mickey Baker’s jazz guitar book. There’s some online instructional things I’m working on and also some exercises I’ve created myself based on scales and interval playing.
JL: Do you practice every day?
JM: For the longest time I didn’t take any breaks. I did 7 days a week – I thought, “That’s the way to do it. But I started to realize, like anything else, you do need to take a rest. You don’t go to the gym seven days a week. My hand started to tighten up. I wasn’t able to play at my full capability because my hands were just so sore. So usually I do take Sundays off. Can be any day, really, but Sundays tend to be best for my work schedule.
JL: Where do you play out?
JM: Saturdays I play the Federal Tap House on Atwells Avenue from 9pm – midnight. I do covers, jazz standards, and keep it more hip to what people want to hear. Beatles Covers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, blues. I keep learning more songs, and just learned “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, and “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5. If someone were to ask me for a song and I don’t happen to play the artist or don’t know the song, I can at least relate it to something else that’s similar — I strive to at least give them a little taste of what they were asking for.
Wednesdays starting April 4th from 6:30 to 8:30, I’ll be at Cav with my friend Alexis, a really great jazz singer and pianist. Cav’s in the jewelry district at 14 Imperial. We’re getting some promo photos done today.
JL: You also teach. How can someone get ahold of you for a gig or a lesson?
JM: Teaching is $25 hour, and I can be reached at [email protected]
JL: What advice do you have for new guitarists?
JM: It’s pretty awesome what you can build if you do a little every day. Day to day scheduling of your life, just like in all things.
JL: Tell us about your guitars!
JM: I have two guitars: a Taylor GS mini Koa wood acoustic, and an electric fender Stratocaster with a maple neck. I look at them and think of how much time I spend with them, thousands of hours, and it’s a rich relationship, a meaningful connection.
JL: Do you use pedals?
JM: I don’t use many – I do have a little suitcase pedal board I made. It’s based off of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Wah, Tube Screamer, Octavix – I keep it simple, just a little flavor to give a little punch here and there.
JL: What was your first big breakthrough in playing – one of those moments when everything clicks and opens a whole new energy?
JM: The pentatonic scale! It’s related to the blues scale and it’s a simple scale for how it sits on the guitar. It’s all about how it stacks on the neck. Pentatonics lay out really well for your fingers. The more you look into what you’re playing into, theory wise, the more you get insight, as it’s all so heavily intertwined. It brings the building blocks of music.
My journey has lately gotten into altering chords — in the moment of playing a song being able to make these decisions as a feeling-based thing. Chords are built from scales and they are so intertwined to become almost the same thing. I’ve been altering them by diminishing and augmenting them. It’s really cool when all the time under my fingers comes together with the theory and my fingers intuitively reach to alter them without thinking about it.
JL: Do experiment with tunings?
JM: So far I only do two tunings: standard tuning and a drop all down one fret. It’s something Stevie Ray Vaughan did and it makes strings lower and reduces the tension, so you get lower sounds and it’s easier on your hands.
JL: Pick or no pick?
JM: I do whichever suits the feel and speed of the song. I use my pick when I want to l play fast and my fingers when I need to say something. I learned that from Robin Ford, an incredible online guitar instructor. Check out Robin Ford and the Blueline tune “Start it Up” it’s a kind of a shuffle blues. Also check out “Cut me to the Bone.” He’s influenced by Django Rhinehart, and Charlie Christian – the first jazz guitar soloist, because until he plugged in his electric, acoustic guitars couldn’t keep up with the sound level of the big bands.
JL: As you know The Whale Guitar has an environmental mission. Can you share your thoughts and actions about environment stewardship with us?
JM: You’ve been inspiring me with your participation in 100 Days to Zero Waste! I’ve been realizing how far the environmental degradation dates back. By the time you even know what’s going on you’re 16 – you’re already so far into your consumerist habits. I’ve been trying to cut back on plastic bags. And I’ve been involved with some of the good stuff happening on the West Side. Like with the pedi-cabbers, Sol Chariots – they pick up compost for everybody – they give you a bucket and some sawdust and pick it up take it to a garden on Ring Street. It’s a really beautiful place. And it all made me aware of my food waste.
It’s good to be a part of something – I go to the garden and turn their compost tumblers and it’s just gorgeous! They grow so many different types of plants and there are creatures around, too. I like finding people who are like-minded in such a beautiful way – not looking for security and comfort – I’m looking for people to push me to grow and who inspire me. People who come together to build a community. There are so many great people around this area, yet the world beyond can be so greed- driven and chaotic. It’s bought into a kind of isolated mass mindedness. This whole idea of being in it for yourself and dog-eat-dog. It’s endless keeping up with the Joneses. I doesn’t have to be that way, but when we’re in that mindset we’re not even witnessing that we’re throwing trash into the ocean.
It really is a crisis. I grew up on a lake in New Jersey and the lake was more polluted every year. You could see the oil rings floating on its surface. I’m just glad to be becoming more aware and hope maybe we can all inspire others to have a breakthrough – like that moment on the guitar when you suddenly see how intertwined everything is.
I also spoke with Chris Quiray in advance of his performance.
Jen Long: First of all, thank you for your interest in playing The Whale Guitar! I have to say that you are one of the guitarists most excited about playing the guitar that I have ever met! Can you tell a little about how you heard about our project and why you are so excited about playing it?
Chris Quiray: Everything about the Whale Guitar excites me. It brings together my passions: music & environmentalism, and I love the allusion to Melville. I first heard of the Whale Guitar when Roz Raskin played it a few years back, thanks to social media. As an instrumental guitarist, the Whale Guitar called to me. I’m very much looking forward to exploring it.
JL: It’s always been a dream for The Whale Guitar Project to highlight guitarists who have a shared alignment and commitment to the environment, especially the ocean. I have to say I think you are one of the champions of this dream, because not only are you an amazing guitarist, we met at a Climate Action RI meeting and you are The Solar Guy! You have your own solar company and that is in total alignment with our project’s mission because the move away from fossil fuels helps the ocean in so many vital ways! We’ll talk about that in a minute, but first let’s talk about your guitar playing! I looked you up on YouTube and saw you play “Tachycardia” and “Self-indulgence” and I have to agree with your commenter phillyfanjd7 who wrote: “Excuse me while I pick up the pieces of mind because it was just blown!” Please tell us about your style of playing – there is a lot of precision and also a lot of heart. I’m amazed by all the harmonics and the way you play notes way up on the neck. Who are your influences, teachers, when did you start playing guitar? How did you master such a fluid and precise technique? Is your practice a daily discipline? Did you have any breakthrough moments in the learning process that you would like to share? What got you through discouraging moments? Tell us about your guitar(S) and favorite pedals if you use them. I know this can be an obsession!
CQ: Thank you for that. My father was a musician and passed that gift onto me, along with teaching me the basics and many insights along the way. Otherwise, I am self-taught and have discovered myself repeatedly through music. Influences range across a wide spectrum and while I write guitar instrumentals I also perform in groups as both a rhythm and lead guitarist. As to how I write and play the instrumentals, there is a certain amount of inspiration but mostly it’s a lot of experimenting and then practice, practice, practice. Music is my sanctuary and that’s led to many hours of playing, practicing, and exploring. Most breakthrough moments I’ve had came while exploring. It takes a level of conviction to get through discouraging moments and I’ve found that having support from community does make a difference, but ultimately it comes down to inner resolve. Personally, it’s not a sexy breakthrough, but what I would share is that if the art you’re creating is important to you, then you have to be willing to put in the required work. It’s going to involve some struggle, but that’s key to growth. My go-to guitars are my Martin GPC acoustic/electric, my customized SX Telecaster style electric and my 1967 Fender Jazzmaster. I keep it simple on pedals (for now) and will use this forum to tell all the young rockers out there to buy a noise suppressor!
JL: Tell us a little about your band Back Rhodes – I also saw Back Rhodes won the Cat Country 98 Hometown Throwdown a year ago – to an ecstatic crowd! Congratulations! Also the NE Country Music Award. I also see you have a banjo and fiddle and a kind of suitcase drum, and I really am loving the sound you all make together. How would you describe your sound? How long have you been playing together? Where/when can people catch your next shows? Any words on the RI music scene?
CQ: Thank you! Back Rhodes has been an absolute blast to be part of. We’re an energetic mix of country & rock with hints of folk and bluegrass. I’ve been with the group just over 2 years now, and they started back 5 years or so. I can’t say enough about how fantastic the local following and support is. Best fans a band could ask for and it’s allowed us to sort of dominate competition type events, leading to some incredible opportunities. RI always has great music venues and a lot of undiscovered talent. Upcoming Back Rhodes shows can be found at www.backrhodesband.com
JL: The Back Rhodes song Champion Spot is a sweet little love song about the Ocean State, and I like to think that that affection for Rhode Island is part of how you came into a solar energy career. You know – a way to protect this little treasure. And so this is where I’d love to hear how you got into solar energy and became The Solar Guy. And what are some of your own personal Champion Spots!
CQ: You are correct that I have a deep affection for my home state of Rhode Island. My start in the solar industry was actually in Massachusetts, which is one of the best states in the country for solar incentives. I worked both in sales and then as a site coordinator for a major and local company, respectively, before creating my own path as The Solar Guy. It was the passing of solar legislation in RI that allowed me to move my focus to the Ocean State. My current Champion Spot that comes to mind is the area of pristine forest in Burrillville that is currently being threatened by a fracked gas power plant, as well as the Port of Providence where we are facing an LNG facility. JL: We met at a Climate Action RI meeting a couple month ago. Please tell us about your commitment to environmental groups and campaigns you have been involved in – noLNG in Burrilville perhaps? I have seen an article you wrote – do you write regularly about solar industry and environmental topics?
CQ: I was raised with an awareness of our impact on the planet and I believe it has been a major guiding factor in my journey. My parents had a bit of hippie in them. I was the kid with the spelt bread. I had a college internship in environmental, health & safety. We were able to win a competition and eliminate Styrofoam cups from the workplace. My love for nature and the environment has only grown and working in renewable energy for the last few years has been a blessing in that it woke a sleeping giant within. I’ve been active in the opposition to the power plant proposed in Burrillville, and have spoken out against this and other fossil fuel infrastructure projects in the area. I have been writing more and more and producing content related to solar energy and environmental issues.
JL: From your perspective as a solar professional, and also someone in the music world, what is one thing people can do that would most improve the environment in the Ocean State?
CQ: Well my obvious answer is to go solar, if it makes sense for you. It’s a simple way to have a significant positive measurable impact and has other benefits as well. If you want to improve the environment, being vocal and being present with your message is so crucial and then finding a way to turn that message into actions that yield the desired results. Whether that’s fighting for green- legislation, advocating for renewable energy, cutting down on waste or signing up for an Earth Day clean-up, it’s about having a goal and taking action.
JL: Who is your dream guitarist for playing The Whale Guitar? If there was anyone in the world who you would be most stoked to play it, who would that be?
CQ: Excellent question. Ideally it would be a musician that has the platform and following to spread the message and make an impact. My first choice would be Chad Stokes of Dispatch, because he has a history of using his music to affect change and it would make sense for him to play the Whale Guitar. And then he would invite me to play along. Everyone wins.
Alt-Nation: New Biscuits and Shows That Don’t Blow
It is a challenge when you start a column late and it’s your brother’s birthday, your best friend may have bought a bar and your very good friend Mario, who is in from out of town, insists you buy two pizzas at 3am and then promptly falls asleep. Left in the cold of the night, I think of Motorhead’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll” and Lemmy’s words make me feel less alone in Trump’s America. So for Lemmy, Joey Ramone and Joe Strummer, here we go! The Dustbowl Revival – Self-Titled
I heard the name The Dustbowl Revival and was hoping for a tribute to the music in the era of the HBO show “Carnivale.” They are not. They have nothing to do with it. So I was understandably skeptical, but when the beat of “If You Could See Me Now” kicks in like what Dr. Dre created for Tupac’s “California Love” meets ’60s R&B soul, I’m all ears. The Dustbowl Revival swings even harder when powered by Liz Beebe’s get-on-the-dance-floor vocals on “Good Egg.” The party gets more lit when “Gonna Fix You” comes on like soul jam juggernaut. Keep in mind I’ve been doing this a long time and I hate hippies, but I love The Dustbowl Revival. The Dustbowl Revival nail it on crossover appeal matrix, where unlike my good friend Mario’s pizza request of extra cheese, they offer up a pie of R&B, soul and Americana that nobody is going to fall asleep to.
The Dustbowl Revival and Town Meeting will rock the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River on March 15.
Mr. Airplane Man – Jacaranda Blue
I remembered Mr. Airplane Man as a millennial Boston-based two-woman blues jukebox that was interesting, but not essential. They were kind of out of sight, out of mind for a decade-plus when I started to see new shows pop up. Last summer, I caught one in Providence in a place that doesn’t exist. Mr. Airplane Man provides the sexy rhythms that make graveyards shake. I recently got a sneak listen of their new biscuit, Jacaranda Blue, and one of the tracks, “Blood From A Stone,” has a bone-scraping slink of The Cramps. “(Do You Wanna) Hang Out” starts with the rhythm of Del Shannon’s “Runaway,” but veers away from the pop direction to a sultry blues waltz. “Believe” waddles forth with one foot in the swamp blues of Dr. John, just far enough to make Jack White jealous. “Never Break” is the John Spencer stomp number here that sounds desperate enough to stomp everything else that’s out this year into oblivion.
To celebrate the release of Jacaranda Blue, Mr. Airplane Man, Tall Teenagers and Alec K Redfearn & the Eyesores will rock the roof off of The Parlour on March 22.
Hope Anchor – Beautiful Corpses
I did a half review of this album last fall when I only had access to three songs. I don’t think I did it justice. Jams that have been rocking my world on this biscuit include the primal “Primal Mover,” which just makes me think of the band Magazine Meets Wire on amphetamines. Before it came out, guitarist Terry Linehan warned me this was their goth record, but I grew up on that shit in the ’80s. The creeping “Skeleton Waltz” takes me down some dark hallways of my past; Paul Everett acts like a tour guide, leading you through an extended doom. The guitars on “Xoxosos” jump out like the sunlight hitting you exiting a bar at 6am. The piano outré duet between Everett and Lolita Black’s Scarlett Delgado leaves a haunting touch. One of my favorite local bands, The Lincoln Tunnel, is opening this show. They are great despite the presence of my mortal enemy, Christian Caldarone.
Hope Anchor, The Lincoln Tunnel, The Shakes and Dirty Laundry will rock The Met Café on March 22.
Shovels and Rope – Busted Jukebox Volume 2
I got to see the Evening With Shovels and Rope experience last October at the Columbus Theatre, and it is a more intimate experience than what people might be accustomed to from their Newport Folk Fest appearances. The husband and wife duo switch off from guitar and drums while telling great stories that crisscross sonic highways from folk to country to rock ‘n’ roll. Busted Jukebox Volume 2 finds them reinventing the haunting vocals of Concrete Blonde’s “Joey” to Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man” with friends. There is a rollicking version of The Clash’s “Death or Glory” and a yearning version of The Breeders’s “Do You Love Me Now.” Busted Jukebox and all, Shovels and Rope are a must-see band right now.
An evening with Shovels and Rope goes down at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River on March 22.
Brian McKenzie and Always September – Bruising From the Fall
A few months ago I wrote about the new Kilgore Smudge record, and now I’ve got Kilgore’s guitarist Brian McKenzie’s solo album. McKenzie’s solo jams are a different world from the thunder of Kilgore. “Someday” has the relaxed strum of stepping out on the porch door on a Sunday contemplating how all your friends have started families. McKenzie has a deep voice that carries the harmonies on “Later On.” “On With the Sun” kicks off with a power pop burst that plays out like a stripped-down Hollywood theme. McKenzie proved with the new Kilgore record he could still write power metal riffs. On Bruising From the Fall, McKenzie proves he can blaze another path to Nirvana.
Shows That Don’t Blow
Southside Johnny is one of the great bar rock ‘n’ rollers. In Rhode Island, we have John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band as that kind of Springsteen, take-you-to-a-higher-soul rock ‘n’ roller. Southside Johnny is New Jersey’s answer … if they didn’t already have a Springsteen. Okay I give up. The takeaway is the guy is good.
Southside Johnny & The Ashbury Jukes will rock the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on March 16.
The Smithereens were one of the few great rock bands to make it on mainstream airwaves when I was growing up. All bets are kind of off with the unfortunate passing of singer Pat DiNizio last December. They have so many great tunes, though, so it is great to see The Smithereens keeping DiNizio’s legacy alive.
The Smithereens rock the Narrows Center for the Arts on March 24.
I first saw The English Beat at an expensive Save The Bay fundraiser like 10 years ago when they were redoing The Foundry building. Now I go there for physical therapy twice a week, but such is the circle of life. The English Beat always put on a good show. When The English Beat are in town, it is money that you are going to have a good time dancing around. But The Copaceptics are secret artillery here; get there early!
The English Beat and The Copacetics will skank it up at the Greenwich Odeum on March 24.
One year into the depravity of the Trump Administration seems like a good time to make America swing like the roaring ’20s, or, at the very least, like the Clinton administration. Their big hit was called “Hell” and nobody has yet accused Vladimir Putin of writing it.
Squirrel Nut Zippers will have the Narrows Center for the Arts swing on March 30. Body art and loud rock ‘n’ roll! I don’t know to say it other than: top tattoo artists from around the world and Hatebreed! Obviously, we have some of the best tattoo artists here in Rhode Island so … Hatebreed!
The Providence Tattoo & Music Festival 4, featuring Hatebreed, is at Fete on March 30. Doors are at 2pm, and the festival will rage into the night.
Don’t fear the legacy act; I saw Blue Oyster Cult last year in Woonsocket and I can attest they are still “Burnin’ For You.” A great show that will make you stop saying Christopher Walken’s “More cowbell.” I mean, unless you are really into sick shit like that.
Blue Oyster Cult rock the Narrows Center for the Arts on March 31.
I’m told Kool Keith is one of the most interesting personalities around. I’m going just because Eminen names checks him in the rhyme “maybe I’m as crazy as Kool Keith.” Sold.
Kool Keith, Jetty, Keytar Bear, G.U.M. Entertainment and Sean Sinatra get weird at The Met Café on March 31.
Marshall Crenshaw is a legend in his own right; my dad has CDs by him. My dad is pretty cool, but I keep going to see this bill for The Bottle Rockets. Look up The Bottle Rockets’ “Gravity Fails,” and I think you’ll be joining me at The Met.
Marshall Crenshaw and The Bottle Rockets rock The Met Café on April 1.
Email music news to [email protected]