Alex Kelly: Electro-Rock Singer Plays CMJ Show at Sullivan Hall on October 16th

Alex Kelly got her start playing with Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac's side-project Amungus. Kelly moved back to NYC in 2010 and released her debut full-length album, Orange Circle, earlier this summer. To expand on her sound, Alex collaborated with Kelsey Warren and engineer Justin Rose. The sassy dance-rock title track “Orange Circle”, is the first single to be released in May. Deli Magazine described this new disc as "showcas[ing Kelly's] clear, free-wheeling vocals backed by energetic beats, grungy guitar riffs, and evidence of an array of influences."

The band will see the addition of DJ Tiger and Howard Alper on drums this coming show season.



Kelly is playing a CMJ Show at Sullivan Hall on Tuesday, October 16th. Tickets are $10 and the show starts at 7:30PM. Also on the bill are the always fabulous Die Pretty along with Brooklyn garage-punkers Mancie and iPhonic.

Links:
Alex Kelly

Cruiser - "Cruiser" CD EP Review (Power Pop)

"Cruiser, a solo project by Philadelphia native Andy States, was brought to life in the walk-in closet of a crowded inner city loft. States’ demos eventually landed in the hands of Jeremy Park, producer of Youth Lagoon’s The Year of Hibernation, who offered to produce Cruiser’s EP after hearing the songs. With its infectious melodies and beachy guitars, the Cruiser EP captures the carefree essence of the summer months. Whether enjoyed in good company or completely alone, quite simply, Cruiser is meant to make you feel good."

Cruiser is an impressive six-song EP (21 minutes) that sounds like the work of a full band rather than a solo project. The disc opens with "The Fritz" which is an atmospheric guitar-driven power-pop number whose sound falls somewhere between The Plimsouls and The Walkmen. The first three cuts on the disc follow in a similar vein and all the songs have a upbeat "summertime" vibe. States slows things down with hazy 60's pop of "Souvenir" which emphasizes his vocals in place of the tight guitar-driven melodies on the first three songs. "Home Turf" picks back up the pace and, with its earnest vocals and vocals harmonies, sounds like a number by one of early 60's doo-wop groups. Continually shifting styles - the disc ends with "Moving to Neptune", which could be mistaken for an 80's New Wave song if it wasn't so chill.



Links:
Cruiser

Von Shakes - "Almost Nobody" CD EP Review (Power-Punk)

I hadn’t heard the band Von Shakes prior to receiving a review copy of the band’s latest EP “Almost Nobody” (which was released March 2nd). This new four-track (15 minute) disc is an enjoyable slice of power-punk that is reminiscent of bands like Rooney and Weezer. This is high-energy, guitar-driven rock with the focal points being Paddy Brazel’s vocals and the band’s slashing guitar lines.

Von Shakes was formed in Dublin by childhood friends Brazel, Hugh O’Reilly (guitar), Cillian McSweeney (bass) and Aaron Masterson (drums) who moved to New York to try and break out. Paddy Brazel said “We love Dublin, we love Ireland, we love the scene, but we just got sick of playing the same spots. It’s a small pond. Unless you break out, you will play those same spots until you die.” Masterson went back to Dublin earlier this year and new member Ryan Normandin (from New Hampshire) joined the group.

Three of the four songs on the new EP are studio tracks and the fourth new track, “Coming Down”, was recorded live.



The three studio tracks - “Pale”, “My Side” and “Talk and Crawl” - are upbeat, edgy rock numbers, each of which captures a sense of urgency and energy. Each of these songs features strong hooks and memorable guitar leads which build up to anthemic, sing-along choruses. While all three tracks are very strong, my favorite is “Talk and Crawl”, as it shows the band’s versatility. This song highlights rolling guitar lines that build up beneath the vocals and there are rises and falls in the song’s intensity levels (the other two songs are played b*lls out). The disc’s finale, “Coming Down”, shows that the band generates the same energy and intensity live that they do in the studio. My only ‘complaint’ with the live track is that I would have liked to have heard more bottom-end in the mix (…but that is a function of the mix, not a fault of the song).

Von Shakes are playing a number of local shows over the next few weeks and are also going back into the studio next month for what I would assume will be the band's second full-length. NYC seems like a tough city to make it as a band but Brazel said “When we feel we’ve grown, we’ll visit home, but not before then. Not till the Bowery Ballroom is sold out in advance with 100 ……looking through the window”.

Von Shakes Fall Tour Dates
Sept. 08 - State College, Pennsylvania - Kildare's State College
Sept. 12 - Hartford, Connecticut - The Half Door
Sept. 15 - Brooklyn, New York - Kitty Kiernans
Sept. 17 - Utica, New York - Hi Lo Recording Studios
Oct. 03 - Pomona, New Jersey - Richard Stockon College of New Jersey
Oct. 05 - Allentown, PA - Muhlenberg College
Oct. 06 - Manhattan, New York - Arlene's Grocery
Oct. 13 - Cobleskill, New York - SUNY
Oct. 16 - Utica, New York - Mohawk Valley
Oct. 17 - Manhattan, New York - The Delancey

Links:
Von Shakes

The Coastals (DC Power-Punk) Play National Underground on Thursday, Jan. 12th

The Coastals - Burn White Hot by thecoastals

DC power-punk band The Coastals just released their second disc, Burn White Hot, and the band is playing a show this Thursday at National Underground with Greg Burroughs, Neil Davis, and Will McCranie.

On this new disc, the band delivers 17 songs about love, anger, addiction, mental illness, class warfare, and mortality, pervaded by the themes of resilience and finding strength in adversity. The band describes their music as mixing reggae, modern indie, and British invasion influences into the bedrock of raw punk rock and that is probably a pretty fair comparison. In listening to the band's disc, comparisons to a mellowed-out Ruth Ruth, Matthew Sweet and The Pilmsouls all come to mind.

The Coastals are playing upstairs at National Underground and I think those shows are free (though don't hold me to this). The band is scheduled to play from 9PM - 11PM.



Links:
The Coastals

The Cinnamon Fuzz: Live Footage from NYC Debut Show at Arlene's Grocery, NYC 9-30-10

Boston power pop band The Cinnamon Fuzz made their NYC debut last week with an early morning show at Arlene's Grocery. (These post-midnight start times are going to kill me one day.) The band played a strong set consisting of "80's new-wave" sounding originals from their debut EP "Cruise of the Century" along with a well chosen Prince cover.



The Cinnamon Fuzz just released their debut CD as a pay-what-you-will download on Bandcamp and the disc captures some of the best elements of 80's new wave. The five tracks range from the funk/Nile Rodgers style guitar work on "Reboot My Heart" to the exuberant Kim Wilde syle harmonies on "Time Bomb Tickin'" to the Depeche Mode style melancholia of "Strangers".

Links:
The Cinnamon Fuzz

Boston Power-Pop Band The Cinnamon Fuzz Makes Their NYC Debut at Arlene's Grocery on Sept. 30th

DOWNLOAD: The Cinnamon Fuzz - "Strangers"

Boston's The Cinnamon Fuzz play synth-oriented power pop with a sound that falls pleasantly between The Cars and Fountains of Wayne. The band captures some of the best elements of 80's new wave on the disc's five tracks which range from the funk/Nile Rodgers style guitar work on "Reboot My Heart" to the exuberant Kim Wilde syle harmonies on "Time Bomb Tickin'" to the Depeche Mode style melancholia of "Strangers".

The band just released their debut CD as a pay-what-you-will download on Bandcamp (click on the CD cover to go over to the download site) and they are making their NYC debut at Arlene's Grocery on September 30th. White Collar Crime (9PM), Fosterchild (10PM) and The Golden Girls [x-Fixer](11PM) are sharing the bill and The Cinnamon Fuzz is going on at midnight.

Links:
The Cinnamon Fuzz

The Standstill Release New EP / Show at Bar Matchless on June 19th

Long Island alt-rock/power pop band The Standstill have just released their debut EP Southern State Somewhere which is available as a pay-what-you-will download on Bandcamp. The band is playing a show at Bar Matchless in Brooklyn on June 19th with Playing Dead.

Check out the video for "Hide & Seek" - the leadoff track from Southern State Somewhere.


Links:
The Standstill

Mascara Plays the Trash Bar on February 4th (Boston Power Pop)

DOWNLOAD: Mascara - "B261" (from Fountain of Tears)

Boston buzz band Mascara is playing a CD release show at the Trash Bar on Thursday in support of the band's newly released second CD Fountain of Tears.

I've been pretty apathetic about going to shows these last few weeks (too bloody cold) but this is one that I'm going to make an effort to see. The tracks that I've heard thus far sound like a cross between Cheap Trick and Jesse Malin's short-lived band Bellvue. The faster tunes rock-out with some explosive melodies and the slow tunes were sufficiently off-kilter to hold my attention from start to finish. Two of the songs on the disc pay tribute to tragic artists; 1930’s Spanish poet-iconoclast Lorca (who inspired the album’s title) on "Ainadamar" and 1960’s soul icon Jackie Wilson on "B261". The new disc was recorded by David Minehan (The Neighborhoods) & David Westner at Woolly Mammoth and it was mixed by ShimmyDisc head honcho KRAMER (Bongwater, Galaxie 500, Ween, Low, Urge Overkill, Butthole Surfers).

On an interesting/related note, lead singer/guitarist Chris Mascara modeled moves for all lead singer avatars in the games Rock Band and Rock Band 2. Game creators Harmonix shuttled him to New York to perform marathon motion-capture sessions in the "spandex suit of lights."

Cover for Thursday's show is $6 and Mascara's website lists the band playing at 11PM. Get there early though for the free happy hour from 8-9PM.

Links:
Mascara

Welcome to Ashley Release New Video For "Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead" (Chicago Post-Punk)

Chicago post-punk band Welcome to Ashley have released a new video "Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead", which was filmed by singer Coley Kennedy and bassist Jeremy Barrett. "Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead" is the first video from the band's newest EP "Absent Man" which is available on iTunes.



Links:
Welcome to Ashley

Welcome to Ashley - Absent Man EP Review (Power-Pop)

Welcome to Ashley is a four-piece post-punk band from Chicago, IL whose music combines the melancholy pop influences of bands like The Smiths and The Bravery with an Urge Overkill style alt-rock swagger.

This new 4-track EP follows a 2007 EP ("The Catbird Seat") and the band's 2006 self-titled full-length debut. Singer Coley Kennedy has a distinctive voice and a way of turning a phrase that keeps this CD memorable. The band also keeps the production lean (there is none of The Bravery or Echo & the Bunnymen's "layers upon layers" of sound) which gives focus to the jangling guitar and melodic bass sounds and keeps the music uplifting over the somewhat melancholy lyrics.

Welcome to Ashley look like they are staying close to home for the next few months. Here is the band's upcoming tour dates:

Oct. 23, 2009, 9:00PM, Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois
Dec. 04, 2009, 9:30PM, Radio Radio, Indianapolis, Indiana
Dec. 09, 2009, 9:00PM, Schubas, Chicago, Illinois

Links:
Welcome to Ashley's MySpace Profile

Go Crash Audio - Dear, Song in My Head CD Review

DOWNLOAD: Go Crash Audio - "The Gift"

By chance, I met some of the members of Go Crash Audio when they were in town for a show at Webster Hall and they were kind enough to give me a copy of their current CD Dear, Song In My Head.

There isn't a lot of background information on the 'net on Go Crash Audio so I can't lead in with much of a bio sketch. I did find that the band is based out of Omaha, NE and they released their first disc ...With Wings and Radar in 2006. Go Crash Audio played some dates on the 2007 Warped Tour and their punk-pop sounds fits well alongside bands like Cute Is What We Aim For, Hit The Lights and a lot of the Drive-Thru Records acts.

The band's current disc was produced by Zach Odom and Kenneth Mount (Cartel, Mayday Parade, All Time Low, Every Avenue, Radagun, The Fold, etc.) who give the band's sound a nice balance between Deryck Stanek's vocals and the band's energetic pop hooks. Lyrically, Go Crash Audio fall within the emo genre but they have more of a sense of humor than many of their contemporaries and don't seem to embrace the "life sucks" outlook that defines a lot of the emo genre.



Go Crash Audio is currently touring the East Coast with Conditions and here are the upcoming tour dates:

Sept. 21 2009, 7:00PM, Vibe Lounge, Rockville Center, New York
Sept. 23 2009, 7:00PM, Melrose VFW Post 1506, Melrose, Massachusetts
Sept. 24 2009, 5:00PM, Stadium Ten Pin, Manchester, New Hampshire
Sept. 25 2009, 5:00PM, Russellville Grange, Oxford, Pennsylvania
Sept. 26 2009, 6:00PM, The Eldolyn Terrace, Altoona, Pennsylvania
Sept. 27 2009, 6:00PM, Rockstar @ Peabody’s, Cleveland, Ohio
Sept. 28 2009, 5:00PM, Mac’s Bar, Lansing, Michigan
Sept. 29 2009, 6:00PM, The Mixtape, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Sept. 30 2009, 6:00PM, The Korova, Morris, Illinois

Links:
Go Crash Audio

Interview with Bad Flirt's Jasamine White-Gluz

This past week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jasamine from Bad Flirt and she graciously allowed me to record our conversation as a podcast.
For those non-iPod folks (like me), here is a direct link to the mp3 file.




The band had to cancel their show at Club Midway last weekend as the other dates on their mini-tour fell through at the last moment but hopefully the band will be back in New York soon.

When we spoke, Jasamine mentioned that the band is finishing pre-production on their first full length CD. I didn't think to ask her about producers but was reading online that the band is working with producer Ted Nicely. Nicely has done great work with bands such as Jawbox, Girls vs. Boys, and Ruth Ruth so the new Bad Flirt release should be a lot of fun and something to look forward to next year.

Lastly, I have two copies of Bad Flirt's current CD EP Head On to give away. Drop me an email at Mike.BrooklynRocks@Gmail.Com with the subject "Bad Flirt" if you are interested. I'll select winners at random on Thursday night.