Album Of The Week: Operators’ Blue Wave
Mostly known for his work with Montreal indie rockers Wolf Parade, Dan Boeckner is both versatile and enigmatic. With the supergroup Divine Fits, Boeckner joined forces with Spoon frontman Britt Daniel and Sam Brown, who’s the drummer for the Columbus, Ohio, garage punk act New Bomb Turks, to do a project that was heart-on-the-sleeve rock with tinges of synth. This time around Boeckner dives right into the post-punk realm with Operators, teaming up with Brown and electro madman Devojka to make music that’s meant for the dance clubs of the world. There are a lot of dimensions to the band with sonic bass lines serving as the backbone for a lot of the band’s material. Operators’ long-awaited debut full-length Blue Wave serves as a prime exhibit of turning a vintage genre on its head.
The debut has infectious rhythms, and there’s no drum machine making it sound bland and cookie cutter. There’s even a killer saxophone sample throughout the album adding a bit of a jazz vibe. Operators have a wide-ranging repertoire that separates them from the countless other post-punk acts that have been popping up since the early 2000s. Nothing is redundant and each track will keep the listener engaged.
With so many electronic-based bands and musicians out there today, it’s rare when a band with similar sounds puts out something refreshing. That’s exactly what Operators have with Blue Wave — something different from other bands that have a synthesizer and pedals giving everything an echo. To indulge in more of the freshness, give a look and listen to my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week:
“Rome” starts the album off with dark tones coming from the bass and screaming guitar chords; when the chorus hits it will cause dancing sensations. “Cold Light” is a perfect example of how great Brown’s drumming is. Its persistent beats that never let up. It’s also a drum kit being played without a loop — there’s genuine musicianship here. The title track has that sax that brings things up a level; it’s definitely one that’ll make the ears jump for joy.
Operators will be coming through The Middle East in Cambridge on April 23 for what should be a wild time, if Boeckner’s band is as good live as their new album. While you’re at the show you should grab a copy of Blue Wave. There’s a certain allure and luster to the album that shouldn’t go ignored.
Stream “Blue Wave” on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=_u9GLyaWgXg; Operators’ Website: http://operatorsmusic.com/ The Mountain Goats at The Columbus Theatre
PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Tidd
Usually Sunday is a down period during the weekend. You wouldn’t normally spend the evening enjoying a sold-out show, but this past Sunday at the Columbus Theatre was an exception. Precursors to this decade’s indie folk renaissance, The Mountain Goats took hold of the main theater as part of their tour with solo artist William Tyler. It was a truly memorable night that was one of the best shows to come through the Creative Capital so far in 2016.
Columbus Cooperative member, member of The Low Anthem and resident harmonica collaborator Bryan Minto got the crowd revved up and then Tyler came up on stage. At first he seemed a tad nervous performing in front of a crowd consisting of over 1,000 people. Then he showed that he’s not your typical guy who plays an acoustic guitar; each song he played was completely instrumental and accented with loops, sonic progressions and jazzy improvisations. One funny highlight of Tyler’s performance was him jokingly debating with some guy in the audience about whether drop c or a flat tuning is better on a guitar. It got a laugh from everyone and it set the mood for a relaxing and laid- back experience. Tyler had people in a trance while playing his guitar on stage, hopefully he’ll come back around these parts soon.
After a brief intermission and Minto once again going up on stage to keep the crowd company, The Mountain Goats were greeted with rousing applause. Kicking off the set with “Woke Up New” off of 2006’s Get Lonely, the band started off a tad slow and low key. After performing “Stabbed To Death Outside San Juan,” the scene shifted to frontman John Darnielle taking things over solo with his six string. Following up “1 Samuel 15:23” by talking about the bible story of Jonah & The Whale and relating the story to the buttons on his jacket getting caught on the strings of his guitar, Darnielle proceeded to play “Rotten Stinking Mouthpiece” to the audience’s delight. Darnielle then went to the piano to play “Black Pear Tree” and bassist Peter Hughes, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas and drummer John Wurster rejoined him for “The Diaz Brothers,” the latter igniting the crowd.
The Mountain Goats finished off their initial performance with “Liza Forever Minnelli” and everyone in the theater stood in applause. Proving that they weren’t done yet, Darnielle and crew came back for an encore and upped the energy with “Up The Wolves,” “This Year” and “No Children.” The crowd still wanted more and the band came out one more time to finish off the incredible night with “Spent Gladiator 2.” Rarely do you get to see a double encore at a show, but everyone who was at the Columbus Theatre on Sunday got to experience it first-hand. It was an amazing experience that no one who was in attendance that night will ever forget.
Follow The Mountain Goats on the web: mountain-goats.com
Making Providence “Better Off” in the Digital Age
“I think that creating space to pursue art and entrepreneurship is the most important thing you can do.” Sitting across from me is Brandon Lane, owner of Better Off, a local business situated on the West Side of Providence. It’s a chilly Monday night at 168 Broadway, and as the sky dims the city comes alive outside with lights and colors.
The first thing Lane did to welcome me to his urban creative space, Better Off, was invite me to put on a vinyl record — but to not just pick one out. He wanted to me experience a process. Once I chose an album, Classics by Ratatat, he showed me how to load it onto the turntable and play it. There’s a certain novelty to that experience, learning something new while feeling as if you’re taking a step back in time … and the record player isn’t the only instance of that experience. From operational typewriters to Polaroid cameras, old-school devices fill Lane’s studio.
Lane, a teacher of entrepreneurship at the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (The Met School), is a strong advocate of turning problems into opportunities, an example of which is his own business. “We’ve integrated digital into our lives without enough dialogue or discussion around it,” he said. “It’s not to say we have too much digital, we just haven’t thought about when and how we want to be digital.” He pointed out that for many of us, our default mode is just digital and almost nothing else. “How do we carve out and create a space for slowness, for balance and for thinking about how to navigate the digital world? A lot of people, when they want to engage with a slower world and more balance they go on a nature retreat, or they go into the woods and they go camping. But 98% of our time is spent in urban environments.”
It leads to the question he next asked: “How do we meet people where they’re at?” With the help of business partner and graphic designer Devan Durante, Better Off was created to start that conversation, as well as give people things to do that aren’t just creative, fun and engaging, but also help them learn to balance their digital habits.
When asked about his choice in decor, Lane explained that everything at Better Off is purposeful rather than ornamental. “You can call them vintage; they are old,” Lane admits. “But more importantly than old or vintage, they’re functioning tools for creation, and they’re slow-tech tools. The stuff in here is old because it does one thing at a time. A lot of it is cool by nature because of the design of it, and because it’s nostalgic, because it brings people back… We use those not as cool objects, but as deliberate objects to get a job done.”
Aside from technology that most people today would consider outdated, the space is adorned with art of various mediums, including paint, photography and paper collages, all created by the people who come to Better Off. One particular item I became interested in was a table that was, as described, “a marrying of art and function.” Created by a RISD artist, the table was built with just enough room for a standard meal to discourage people from using their phones at dinner.
“There is deep value in a tangible artifact,” Lane says. To illustrate, he tells a story: When you’re at a coffee shop with a book, people are more likely to ask what you’re reading. When you’re on a digital device like a phone or tablet, nobody asks what you’re doing or who you’re talking to. Having a physical object in your hands makes you approachable and connectable — and it makes people curious.
“The people who come in here are curious people,” he continues. “No matter who comes in here, one of the questions that we usually get is, ‘What are you?’ And one way to answer that question is to say we’re a non-digital space. That’s what we are. But I think the more important question is, ‘Why are you?’ We’re here to gather people, get them thinking about the present moment, the value of human connection, and the idea that maybe our digital devices are distracting us from the lives that we’re living.”
For people who want to experience more balance and slowness in their lives, many activities at Better Off are open to drop-ins. Recurring events include Creative Pause, a guided meditation followed by a creative exercise, and Future Fridays, a discussion group focused on the world of tomorrow. For those who want to be more involved, they can enroll in the Creative Gym, a 4-week program of group workshops, take-home projects and access to the space.
We continued to talk until after the last song on the record faded out. Lane’s refreshing outlook on life and technology, along with his stories and anecdotes, are best summed up with his closing quote: “I’m not trying to save a business,” he explained. “I’m not trying to revive, say, film photography. It’s bigger, it’s different than that. It’s more about just getting people together.”
Better Off is located at 168 Broadway, Providence. werebetteroff.com Guitar Virtuoso Joe Satriani to Play at The Vets
Photo Credit: Jon Luini
Joe Satriani is bringing his prodigious guitar shredding to Providence this Thursday, March 31, where he will play at The Vets Auditorium at 7:30pm.
Since picking up the guitar at 14, Satriani has sold more than 10 million albums, been nominated for 15 Grammys, gone on tour as Mick Jagger’s lead guitarist and been a teacher to many other famous guitarists, including Steve Vai. “We are celebrating 30 years of making instrumental rock guitar music,” Satriani says about the tour in an interview with Motif. He’s got a lot to celebrate.
The tour bringing him to the Ocean State is called “Surfing for Shockwave,” for his latest album, Shockwave Supernova. The album is based around Satriani’s idea of a performative alter-ego character, “Shockwave Supernova,” who is more outlandish than he is. “I’m basically a shy person with a job that requires a very outgoing personality, so, getting out on stage, meeting fans and mixing with industry folks requires extra effort,” he says. The album is also a return to the sci-fi/space motif that Satriani has circled around since his first album Surfing with the Alien. “I didn’t start out wanting to be a space cadet, but maybe that’s what I am.”
Satriani has a reputation not only for technical prowess, but for playing the guitar in ways that others never thought of or dared to try. He infuses intense fast-paced solos with legato licks, and layers elements of jazz and blues guitar onto hard rock songs. “I always stay focused on creating strong melodies first, then let the technical innovation follow if needed,“ he says. “I love the recording process, too. It’s an art form all its own. I use the studio like an instrument. …I’m always looking for ways to make new and interesting recordings.” Even after more than 30 years, writing music still has its challenges. “It’s always hard work, emotionally and physically. Writing from the heart takes its toll and can leave you feeling a bit wounded now and then.” But Satriani says that Shockwave Supernova was a thrilling and cathartic roller coaster. Providence fans can expect to experience it for themselves, alongside a mix of older material as well.
Album Of The Week: White Denim’s Stiff
Austin, Texas, rock ‘n’ roll act White Denim have been doing something for the past few years that’s a bit of a rarity. When this band was just starting out, they had this crazy blues punk sound that was raw as a t-bone steak. Recently the band has gotten a tad more polished and adopted some psychedelic elements. What makes this a rarity is that over time White Denim has gotten better in an era where bands are never able to recapture the initial greatness they exhibited in their first few albums. This couldn’t be more evident than with their seventh studio album, Stiff, that was released on March 25.
After the departure of drummer Josh Block and guitarist Austin Jenkins, who left to work on Leon Bridges’ stellar debut that came out last June, vocalist and guitarist James Petralli and bassist Steven Terebecki retooled the band with Jonathan Horne on guitar and Jeff Olson on drums. The new additions make for fresh music that’s abundant in Stiff. Following up 2013’s Corsicana Lemonade, White Denim’s new album has that similar psychedelic sheen, but it brings back the rawness of the band’s earlier material. Stiff is a pretty ironic name for an album that’s going to make you feel the exact opposite.
White Denim brings the fuzz with their new album. There’s a classic rock feel to it that’s accessible and infectious. Show it to your old man and he’ll probably say, “That’s what the kids are listening to these days?” with a gleam in his eye. For a guide of what to have him listen to first, check out my top tracks from the Album Of The Week:
“Holda You (I’m Psycho)” is rhythmically pristine and you can definitely tell why the band picked it to be the lead single. Petralli and Horne scorch the track with riffs; burning ears are a guarantee after listening to this. The fuzz is apparent in “Mirrored In Reverse;” it sounds like something Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy would have written. You’ll be hooked when Terebecki’s bass hits. There’s a little bit of funk and Motown going on in “Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah),” a mover and shaker. New England music fans can go see White Denim at The Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 22, and they’re incredible live. While you’re at the show or right after you read this, go grab a copy of Stiff. The title is a bit ironic but the music isn’t.
Stream “Holda You (I’m Psycho)” on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/whitedenim/holda-you-im-psycho; White Denim’s Website: whitedenimmusic.com
Album Of The Week: Bella’s Bartok’s Change Yer Life
Within the depths of Western Massachusetts, there’s a band that’s been causing a stir. They’ve also been causing a frenzy, a ruckus and they’re making people dance. Who are these party starters? They’re Bella’s Bartok and they’re one of the most exciting live acts in New England. Hailing from Northampton, this band has a fun brand of gypsy-infused folk punk that has been getting people in the mood to move since the beginning of the decade. They have a new album coming out titled Change Yer Life and it perfectly captures their unique sound.
The rhythms are infectious and their collective multi-instrumental talents add countless dimensions to their material. Jesse Putnam plays accordion, mandolin, guitar and trumpet. Chris “Fancy” Kerrigan also plays guitar and clarinet and assists on vocals. Amory Drennan alternates between the trombone and banjo and Dan Niederhauser and Crisco complete the rhythm section on bass and drums, respectively. With frontman Asher Putnam adding genuine charisma on the mic, this sextet is a force to be reckoned with.
Bella’s Bartok’s new record is a lot of fun to listen to. There’s an abundance of energy and zest from front to back — no wonder they’ve been a hot commodity around the Northeast recently. Speaking of hot commodities, the value of my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week can’t be ignored. With a groovy bass line starting it off, “Ramona” has jumping tones and Putnam’s mandolin is very much present. The horns also make it a gem. Catchy shouting is all over “So Calm, Relaxed;” the chorus will be stuck in your head for eons. One for the peculiar types, “The Strange Ones” is haunting and triumphant. It’s truly a ballad for the people who like to keep it weird.
Bella’s Bartok will celebrate the release of Change Yer Life at Pearl Street in Northampton on Saturday, March 26 with Burlington, Vermont garage punks Rough Francis. With two heavyweights sharing the stage this is a can’t-miss show. Head to the show and grab a copy of the new album from Bella’s Bartok. Its moving and grooving sensation is rivaled by few.
Stream “Ramona” on Bella’s Bartok’s Bandcamp: bellasbartok.bandcamp.com/track/ramona; Grab tickets to this Saturday’s release show for Change Yer Life at Pearl Street in Northampton, MA: nbotickets.com/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=10&event=10229; Bella’s Bartok’s Website: bellasbartok.com.
Motif Interviews Craig Finn of The Hold Steady
Craig Finn from Brooklyn indie rock act The Hold Steady believes the lyrics make the song and it shows with everything he writes. In support of his second solo release, Faith In The Future, he’ll open for New Jersey act Titus Andronicus at The Met in Pawtucket on Saturday March 26 as part of his current tour with them. I had a chat with Finn about making the transition from where he grew up in Minneapolis to where he lives now in Brooklyn, what his vision of his new album was while he was making it, being a fan of hip-hop and what his plans are after this current excursion.
Rob Duguay: You grew up in the Minneapolis music scene, starting Lifter Puller and then moving to Brooklyn after the band broke up in 2000 to eventually start The Hold Steady in 2004. When you moved to Brooklyn was it a rough adjustment?
Craig Finn: It’s certainly a bigger city; during my first year in New York my ability to take the wrong subway was impressive. I was riding all over and I was definitely getting on the wrong train. Daily stuff like that took some adjustment but I was also very excited to live in New York and have a bigger area to explore. I get a lot of inspiration artistically from walking around and seeing things so I was initially excited to kind of get lost in neighborhoods I didn’t know. I think I adjusted pretty quickly though.
RD: A lot of critics have noted The Hold Steady’s classic rock influenced sound. You’ve said in interviews that you used to hate bands like Led Zeppelin and other bands from that era while loving The Clash, then you eventually got to love a lot of rock ‘n’ roll from the ‘70s. Why the change of heart?
CF: I think the big thing is, and I find that a lot of people go through this, is that when I was young and I was kind of coming up punk rock was such a big part of my identity. That’s what I wanted to people to think about with me and I was thinking that I had to listen to obscure music or music that was really fast and difficult in some way. Led Zeppelin was what you heard at high school parties in the parking lot with these sort of mainstream kids. Even though it was great, that part of it was a turn off for me. I think I had to get confidence in myself as a person to sort of listen to any music and appreciate them while not making it so much about me and wearing the t-shirt of the band. As you get older you hear music differently and you understand how impressive it might be.
RD: People love your lyrics. One lyric from The Hold Steady that sticks in my head is off of “Positive Jam.” “The ‘80s almost killed me, let’s not recall them quite so fondly, some Kennedy OD’d while we watched on MTV.” You’ve mentioned the ‘80s in a few other songs in a somewhat negative context. Was that decade rough for you on a personal level or is that just an observation?
CF: Being in the 2000s or even in the 2010s and hearing ‘80s inspired music leaning back toward a new wave sound. I don’t think it’s a decade we should necessarily be romancing although when I think about it, I like the ‘80s better than the ‘90s. I think it’s sort of just a cultural thing, a lot of that ‘80s stuff was not that cool and not that exciting. It was kind of fake and not that soulful to me so it’s speaking to that, it’s more about the ‘80s music revival so to speak.
RD: This past September you released your second studio album, Faith In The Future. What were you trying to capture with the album?
CF: When the producer on the album Josh Kaufman and I got together, the first thing I said to him was “I want to make something that’s hopeful and elegant.” By elegant I mean kind of age appropriate for someone in their 40s. I wanted it to be an extension of myself; we talked about the songs and one of the things we did on the record was really put the stories and the words up front. We made decisions on how best the songs could support the stories they’re telling. That was something in the mix and a lot of the vocals were up front, but also a lot of the instrumentation was fairly sparse. We didn’t load a lot of the tracks with too much music and even with the way the drums are played and sound throughout the record. I don’t think there’s a drumstick being played on the record. It’s all brushes, softer things, mallets and whatnot. That was just to make the vocals be up front and let the stories carry the song.
RD: You don’t hear a lot about indie rock musicians being involved in hip-hop. You’re somewhat involved in the Minneapolis hip-hop scene, you’ve worked with the rapper P.O.S. and Lifter Puller has gotten a few shoutouts on Atmosphere’s albums. So why do you gravitate to hip-hop?
CF: Certainly in Minneapolis when I lived there the Rhymesayers label was coming up and it was really exciting to see because it just turned on and people were going crazy for it. Atmosphere roared out the gate pretty quickly, I saw an early show of theirs and I knew they were going to blow up right away and we were friendly. In Minneapolis it was just knowing those people, getting close to them and being excited by it. I know less about hip-hop now, I sort of listen to the stuff everyone else does. Drake, Kanye, that kind of thing. It’s stuff you kind of can’t ignore, I wish I knew more but I think the thing that’s fascinating about hip-hop is that obviously it’s a lyrics first genre. It’s a lot about the lyrics and I like how they’re competitive when it comes to being the best lyricist. Lyrics are a very interesting part of what I do and they’re the most important thing to me so I like that hip-hop follows suit.
RD: What can we expect from you after this tour with Titus Andronicus?
CF: I’m working on another solo record and then hopefully The Hold Steady will play some shows soon. We’re kind of taking a break because we figured we all needed one, but I’d like to think that we’re going to play some shows so we’re going to figure that out. There’s nothing imminent and I’m not sure about a new record with the band because we don’t have any new Hold Steady songs but eventually it’s a possibility. I’m hoping we’ll come back at some point and play some shows, we’ve taken over a year off now and everyone needed a break. Everyone is a little older, people with kids and stuff but I don’t have any kids so I’m out on the road so I’ll keep on writing music and telling my stories any way I can.
Buy tickets for Titus Andronicus & Craig Finn @ The Met on March 26: etix.com/ticket/p/3343244/titus- andronicuscraig-finn-of-the-hold-steadyon-sale-friday1218-noon-pawtucket-the-met?cobrand=themetri; Craig Finn’s Website: craigfinn.net
2016 Motif Music Award Nominees — Vote!
VOTE NOW
VIEW THE FACEBOOK INVITE (To the Awards Show on May 3 at the Met, 1005 Main St. Pawtucket)
People often ask – here’s how the nominations are arrived at:
We contact the booking agents at over 85 local venue that host live music. That’s every place we can find – but if you’re a live music venue that wasn’t contacted, please let us know. Many places are quick to respond by email – if they’re not, we also contact them on facebook, call them, and go to their locations to try to get their suggestions.
We also send the nominating ballots to all the local music radio stations, to the local music labels, and to all our music writers (17 of them).
Each nomination counts once. We add them up, and the most votes in each category are nominated.
Here’s the tricky part – we get a number of nominations for the same band or performer in different categories or multiple categories (for example, americana and alt). We have a last-minute meeting with our senior writers in each category (a group of four) to review categories and make sure we have everyone in the right places. We may even ask nominees which category they belong in. If there are any ties, we break them at this point too.
Then everything is proofed – for spelling and also, again, for categories and geography, first by our proofing team, then by our editor and then our publisher. We work very hard to get this right. We’re not saying we don’t make mistakes – there seems to be one every year – but we certainly do everything we can to keep them to a minimum.
That’s the nomination process – the last part is then up to you – everybody votes (restricted to one vote per person).
So chose wisely, its your civic duty. Vote! Here is a complete list of all nominees:
[AMERICANA]
BEST ACT
Cactus Attack
Consuelo’s Revenge
Frankie Ranks and the Freeloaders
Jay Berndt & The Orphans
The Horse-Eyed Men
Smith&Weeden
SINGER / SONGWRITER
Esmeree Skye
Joanne Lurgio
John Faraone
Keith Munslow
Mike Laureanno
Nate Cozzolino
Steve Volkmann
FEMALE VOCALIST
Amanda Salemi (Consuelo’s Revenge)
Aubrey Atwater (Atwater-Donnelly) Jenn Lombari
Jess Powers (Cowboy & Lady)
Joanne Lurgio
Kala Farnham
MALE VOCALIST
Brian McKenzie
Dylan Sevey (Dylan Sevey & The Gentlemen)
Elwood Donnelly (Atwater-Donnelly)
Mark Cutler (Mark Cutler and Men of Great Courage)
Steve Delmonico (The Quahogs)
Steve Allain (Cardboard Ox)
BLUEGRASS BAND
Ten Rod Ramblers
Blackstone Valley Bluegrass lizzie james and the grey stone rail
Hope Valley Volunteers
Local Freight
Four Bridges
BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Back Rhodes
Cardboard Ox
Cowboy and Lady
The Fates Great Gale
BLUES ACT
Big Cat Blues
Cannibal Ramblers
Johnny Watson
Neal And The Vipers
Roomful of Blues
Tim Taylor Blues Band
CHORAL ACT
Assembly of Light Choir
Chorus of Westerly
North Kingstown Community Chorus
Prism of Praise Community Gospel Choir
Providence Singers
Schubert-Lorelei Sängerchor
FOLK ACT
Allysen Callery
Atwater-Donnelly
Beth Killian
Haunt the House
The Vox Hunters
Warbler Roost
JAZZ / R&B ACT (1 more?)
Brass Attack
Cote Percussion Jazz Quartet
Dick Lupino Band
Greg Abate
John Allmark Jazz Orchestra
Miss Wensday & The Cotillions
WORLD MUSIC
Bohemian Quartet
Eastern Medicine Singers
The Gnomes
Occidental Gypsy
Pendragon
Tom Lanigan Band
BEST OPEN MIC
Java Madness
The Knickerbocker Cafe
The Parlour
Pub On Park
The Spot Underground
Wood River Inn
ALBUM
Dylan Sevey & The Gentlemen – “New Mischief” Joanne Lurgio – “Rise from the Storm”
Consuelo’s Revenge – “Mercy”
Flav Martin – “Indestructible”
Mike Laureanno – “Road Signs”
Torn Shorts – “Be My Mechanic”
[ALTERNATIVE]
BEST ACT bloodpheasant
Jetty
Last Good Tooth
Math the Band the Band
Roz and the Rice Cakes
The Silks
Twin Foxes
BEST LIVE ACT bloodpheasant
Cactus Attack
Jetty
Math the Band
Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys
Tall Teenagers
The Viennagram
REGGAE / SKA
The Copacetics
The Mintones
Natural Element Band
Professor Roots
TRUTH in SOUL
JAM BAND
The Cosmic Factory
Daddie Long Legs
Green Tea Band
Most Dangerous Men Alive
Viral Sound
GARAGE BAND
Atlantic Thrills
Eric & the Nothing
NEUTRINOS
Pyramid
The Really Heavy
Tall Teenagers
POP PUNK ACT
Anyone Anyway
Morals
The October Accord Sayings
Trophy Wives
War Games
PUNK ACT
The Down And Outs
Downtown Boys
Fucking Invincible
GYMSHORTS
Less Than A Felony
Neutral Nation
The Worried
HARDCORE / METAL ACT
Bad Marriage
Black Acid Prophecy
Churchburn
Elder
Reason To Fight
Superlimit
FEMALE VOCALIST
Alyson Hell (Reign of the Last)
Reba Mitchell (Whore Paint)
Roz Raskin (Roz and the Rice Cakes)
Sarah Greenwell (GYMSHORTS) Shannon Le Corre (bloodpheasant)
Tammy Laforest (The Dust Ruffles)
Tracy Garrity (VulGarrity)
MALE VOCALIST
Dave “Arsen” Laros (Blackletter)
Derek Knox (WAY OUT)
Kris Hansen (Viking Jesus)
Sasquatch (Sasquatch and The Sick-A-Billys)
Tony Jones (Tony Jones & The Cretin 3)
Tyler-James Kelly (The Silks)
BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Blackletter
Cat Has Claws
Eric & the Nothing
Jets Can’t Land
Public Alley
Tall Teenagers
Arc Iris
ALBUM
Atlantic Thrills – “Vices”
Dolan – “Kill the Wolf”
Blackletter – “Station 15”
Le Roxy Pro – “Le Roxy Pro” Math The Band – “Math the Band the Band – The Album”
TRIBUTE BAND
Black No. 1 (Type O Negative)
Dirty Deeds (AC/DC)
Hey Nineteen (Steely Dan)
Power of Love (Huey Lewis and the News)
Playing Dead (Grateful Dead)
Forever Young (Neil Young)
COVER BAND
Biscuit City
The Mark Ray Band
Sugar
Sybil Disobedience
Tanya McIntyre & The Professors
HIP HOP ACT
Dolan
Big Rush
Chachi and the International Players
Sage Francis
Spocka Summa
Symmetry / Mike Slap
BEST EDM DJ Blevin Blectum
DJ Siren
DJ Zydrate
Jackie Treehorn
Jeff LeClair
Michael Savant
BEST CLUB DJ
DJ Lefty
DJ Nook
DJ Pauly Danger
DJ Psycho Eddie
Music Please
Ty Jesso
BEST DANCE NIGHT
Foundation Mondays at the Parlour
SinisteR Fetish Night at The Dark Lady
Soul Power at Dusk
The Sweatshop at The Salon
Mike D’s Top 10 Can’t Miss Tracks of March
1. Angry Angles “Things Are Moving” In 2010, the world lost too soon the super talented musician Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., better known by his stage name Jay Reatard. At 18 years old Jay released as The Reatards his first album, Teenage Hate, a memphis garage rock album that at first blast outshined his experienced peers. Jay had energy and talent that seemed limitless. In 11 years he had 9 projects, a solo career and was touring constantly. Angry Angles was formed in 2005 with Jay and then girlfriend Alix Brown. Jay intended to make this band his priority, but their relationship ended before they finished the album. Now a decade later, Goner Records is releasing what exists and what’s left and unreleased this May. This is the teaser and it’s vintage Jay Reatard.
2. DMA’s “Too Soon”
The Australian heirs to the Oasis throne are back in my top 10 with their first full length Hills End. Their previous 2015 release, a self titled ep, had my favorite song of the year, “Your Low.” This track doesn’t have the bite that “Your Low” had, but it does show their range. This is more of a straight ahead ’90s brit bop banger. I can’t wait to see this band live, and I have a feeling that their profile is going to grow exponentially this year. (DMA’s play Great Scott in Allston, Massachusetts on 3.29)
3. Savages “The Answer”
I am new to the Savages bandwagon. This song is a tour de force that is as personal and sonic as a punch in the face. I love songs that make you want to hit replay right afterward as if once and twice isn’t enough. This is that for me out of this batch. “The Answer” is off the band’s new album Adore Life out now on Matador Records. I hope their live shows are as chaotic as this music video. (Savages play The Paradise in Boston on 4.1)
4. Animal Collective “Golden Gal”
It feels like forever ago since Animal Collective played the old beloved The Living Room in Providence. Here is the single off their 10th studio album, Painting With. It’s a great mix of psychedelic dance with a twinge of strange, but not so much that it seems out of place. It’s reminiscent of psychedelic pop cross-over act Super Furry Animals. And with the “Golden Girls” sample to start the song, its nice to reminisce about one of them golden gals while listening along.
5. Kanye West “Facts (Charlie Heat Version)
Love him (I mostly do) or hate him (I sometimes do), Kanye West is one of the most talented artists of his time. When he is on point, he is unstoppable. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a hip-hop album masterpiece. But not only is he an artist, he’s also a provocateur. His desire to share with you his music comes with an overwhelming desire to share with you his often strange and sometimes out of wack views of life and circumstance. His new album, The Life Of Pablo, which currently isn’t for sale or available and may or may not ever be, is full of Kanye’s ranting and anger. Too much. I feel like his anger is distracting him from his talent. This track “Facts” is a good example of Kanye’s battle with everything and everyone. Here he goes at Michael Jordan, Drake and Future, Phil Knight and Nike shoe and boasts about selling emojis. While the rest of the album his anger feels lost, at least this track seems to be close to focused.
6. Macklemore And Lewis “Light Tunnels (featuring Mike Slap)”
Vintage clothing song pioneers Macklemore and Lewis are back with the follow-up record from the Grammy winning album The Heist. Their new record, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, has a ton of hip-hop collaborations on it ranging from legends like Krs One & Kool Moe Dee to recent comers like Chance The Rapper, Anderson .Paak, & Rhode Island’s own Mike Slap. Mike Slap, who recently changed his performing name from Symmetry to his birth name, was 2015 Motif‘s Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. No better way to celebrate the switch than with a big high profile like the one on this track. Mike is working on his first album under his own name; expect big things. (Macklemore and Lewis play The Agganis Arena in Boston 4.17)
7. Quilt “Roller”
Ahhh. Some nice blissful indie dream pop from Boston. The track starts off like it’s gearing into my favorite guilty pleasure genre of Yacht Rock, then travels into more of a Liz Phair meets Stereolab vibe. This is off their brand new album, Plaza. I hope they make the 45-mile trip south soon.
8. Two Inch Astronaut “Good Behavior”
If this track from Maryland’s Two Inch Astronaut reminds you of Jawbox / Dischord Records ’90s stuff, its for good reason. The band sought out musician / indie producer J Robbins from Jawbox to produce their 2016 “Personal Life” record.
9.The Dirty Nil “Zombie Eyed”
Here’s this month’s grunge-drenched punk song on the list. The Dirty Nil hail from Hamilton, Ontario and this track is off the excellent release Higher Power. While this is my favorite song off the record, the song title “Wrestle Yu to Husker Du is certainly my favorite song title in quite some time. (The Dirty Nil play Great Scott in Allston, Massachusetts on 4.9)
10. Yo Gotti “It Goes Down In The DM”
This song is pretty funny. The sort of funny you know is pretty low brow but still makes you giggle regardless. 2016 is a different place and so much of the courtship of affection goes down in the dm. Finally a hip-hop song about the desperate and dirty side of the social media courtship. Beyond being entertaining, the beat is pretty good and the song is certainly a hit. Try not to listen to this around impressionable children, it already came on shuffle in the car with my 13-year-old and was certainly an awkward moment til I hit next… (Yo Gotti is playing exclusively in the DM)
Christian McBride Takes Reins of 62nd Newport Jazz Festival Before winning five Grammy awards and being hailed as a “jazz virtuoso” by The New York Times, Christian McBride, touring as a bassist with all-star lineup of Jazz Futures, played his first Newport Jazz Festival in 1991. Now, five Grammys and 25 years later, he is returning again — but his presence will be felt not on the main-stage, but behind it, as he takes over the festival from George Wein, the founder and soul of the festival since its inception in 1954.
After over 60 years of managing the internationally acclaimed festival, Wein, at age 90, appears poised to retire. Announced by the Newport Jazz Foundation, a nonprofit endowment for the festival, McBride will officially hold the post of Artistic Director, replacing Wein.
While the lineup for this year has already been finalized, plans are being laid for 2017, the first year of McBride’s scheduled tenure. Danny Melnick, longtime associate producer, has also been placed on the management team of next year’s festival, and will collaborate with McBride on a lineup.
McBride is widely considered as a true grandmaster in myriad jazz forms, and his diverse talent was echoed by Wein himself, who lauded McBride, noting that, “Christian fits the bill in his concern for all types of jazz. He’s interested in the totality of the music.” This echoes the oft-diverse lineups of the festival itself, which has traditionally hosted widely recognized masters like Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong, and also embraced the advent of fusion jazz in the early ’70s, placing it well-ahead of the both the critical community and festival circuit at large.
Bruce Gordon, a chairman at the board for the Newport Festivals Foundation, which also includes the Newport Folk Festival under its administrative umbrella, stated that reaction to McBride’s appointment was “overwhelmingly positive,” and that Christian was in-fact a “first-round draft choice”—and that the rest of the board supported the appointment from the beginning.
Even though McBride is still quite active as a performer, he has a great deal of experience as a festival director. He has held leadership positions at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and Los Angeles Philharmonic. He also tenured as a programming director for the Montclair Jazz Festival in New Jersey. In addition, he runs Jazz House Kids, an art education initiative tied to Montclair.
In spite of this diverse and extensive experience, McBride feels a sense of respect and even awe toward Newport: “We’re talking about the granddaddy of all music festivals, so this is very serious business for me,” he said in an interview session at the Lincoln Center in New York City, home to his alma mater, the Juilliard School. McBride handles the crowd naturally, with a cadence and intellect that are often on display as host of NPR’s “Jazz Night in America,” a syndicated weekly on the airwaves. The appointment follows McBride’s fifth Grammy win for his stunning solo-bass performance in his acoustic track “Cherokee,” a masterful melody that successfully breaks the nature and mold of bass solos, taking the instrument to places it rarely goes with a deft mastery only featured by Christian, who has been called by the New York Review and many others the “World Ambassador of Jazz.”
The 62nd Annual Newport Jazz Festival will be held between July 29-31 in Newport, RI.