Song of the Day: Clementine & The Galaxy - "Heart Shaped Box"

Today we have for you "Heart Shaped Box" from Clementine & The Galaxy.  The duo have put their electro spin on the Nirvana classic.  Check it out at the bottom of the post.

Clementine and the Galaxy is a collaboration between acclaimed vocalist Julie Hardy and producer/guitarist Mike MacAllister. With their unique brand of electro pop, you'll be able to hear influences by artists such as Miike Snow, Chairlift, Florence & the Machine and James Blake.

Lead vocalist Julie Hardy is well on her way to becoming one of most in-demand studio recording artists & performers in New York City. In May 2011, she made her national television debut on Saturday Night Live where she performed live with rising star Ellie Goulding and this past August she sang on David Letterman with indie rock star St. Vincent. She has received rave reviews from the New York Times, Time Out New York, Downbeat and Jazz Times.

Producer Mike MacAllister, when not generating C&G's phat beats, works as a composer for films and TV commercials. His tracks have been featured in ads for XBox, Nike, Levis, and many others. His recent film scores for "Freakonomics: The Movie" and "The Spirt of Laxmi" were premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Mike also plays guitar for other NYC up and comers Wishes and Thieves, Young Unknowns, and the Awakening Orchestra.?

Gig Alert!
09/28 - Arlene's Grocery - New York, NY (w/ Futurist)
10/09 - Flux Studios - New York, NY (Video Release Party!)
10/16 - Alphabet Lounge - New York, NY (CMJ)
10/18 - Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY (CMJ)

Band of the Day: Men of North Country

For about a month or two I've been enjoying The North, the debut album from Israeli band Men of North Country.  The album is full of modern day, old school, soul and is on my list of recommended listens.  Check out the video for "Pandora" below.  The song is insanely infectious.  One listen to it and you'll be hooked.

Men of North Country emerged from Tel Aviv’s soul scene, bringing with them a fresh approach to creating the perfect three-minute soul nugget. The band started by chance, when soul DJ Yashiv Cohen was overheard singing along to the tunes he was playing at one of his Tel Aviv Soul Club parties. With the encouragement and eventual collaboration of his musician friends (from Israeli bands Electra, The Ramirez Brothers, Funk’n’stein and Coolooloosh) they formed Israel's finest soul outfit. And whilst managing to stay true to their beloved 60's Soul they also introduce a contemporary, fresh and personal twist.

“The North” is an album rippling with memorable melodies, infectious hooks and refreshingly honest lyrics, which betray the band’s love of a genre in which they truly excel. Influences worn with pride: The Teardrop Explodes, Style Council and Dexys, but with an approving nod towards their 60's favourites: Al Wilson, Robert Parker and Gloria Jones.

Video of the Day: Heathers - "Forget Me Knots"

Today we have for you, "Forget Me Knots" by Irish twin sisters Ellie and Louise Macnamara known as Heathers.  The song is from their album Kingdom which was released earlier this month.  Check out the video below.

Song of the Day: Pravada - "Someone Else"

Today we have for you, "Someone Else" by Pravada.  Check out and grab the song using the handy widget at the bottom of the post.

It has been quite some time since we have heard from Indianapolis trio, PRAVADA. Rising from the ground of Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Jesse Lee (vocals, guitar), Casey Tennis (drums, keyboards), and Hubert Glover (horns, bass), take on an epic form all of their own. Seven years ago we saw the release of their debut album, Manus Plere, which created an overwhelming buzz about the group in the Indianapolis music scene. Creative differences saw Lee, Tennis and Glover separating themselves from the eight-member Margot, as the issue within the band took it's toll. The three saw this opportunity as a blessing in disguise and forged ahead once again with PRAVADA.

Over the time span of a year and a half, Tennis and Lee prepared a batch of new songs which blend Tennis's refreshing rhythms and Lee's phenomenal knack for writing shimmering pop riffs. The band enlisted a few former bandmates, Andrew Fry and Tyler Watkins, whom shared engineer duties, as Fry co-produced alongside Tennis. PRAVADA had then laid down the tracks for their newest release, which combines their musical and life experiences. Available now is the poignant and catchy No! EP, which serves as a preview of their upcoming full-length, Dirty Looks, due out Fall 2012.

"We look forward to challenging ourselves musically on every recording," says Tennis

PRAVADA has just released their newest single “Someone Else,” with alternately evokes the Cars and the Faint, masterfully interweaving staccato guitar licks with a danceable beat, spearheaded by Lee's deliciously distorted vocals, which sound as if he might have wrapped his microphone in cotton candy.

   Pravada - "Someone Else" by CityBirdPR

Video of the Day: Adventure Galley - "Weekend Lovers"

Today we have for you the catchy "Weekend Lovers" by Adventure Galley.  The band will be releasing their album Anywhere That's Wild soon.  The album is the follow up their 2010 The Right Place To Be EP.  Check out the video below.

Newport Jazz Festival: Through My Lens, Sunday, August 5

Newport Jazz Festival, Sunday, August 5 at Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI 

 
We have for you today, a photographic review from the final day of this years Newport Jazz Festival.  The complete photo collection can be seen HERE.

Fort Stage

I missed the first act on the main stage so my first visit to the stage was to catch some of Ryan Truesdell's Gill Evans Centennial Project.  More photos HERE.

Ryan Truesdell

Up next, jazzy siblings the 3 Cohens: Yuval, Anat & Avishai.  Their closing number "Shufla De Shufla" was a highlight for me. More photos HERE.

Yuval, Avishai & Anat Cohen

They were followed by the Maria Schneider Orchestra.  More photos HERE.

Maria Schneider

Closing out the day was the Tedeschi Trucks Band.  This was the set I most looked forward to and my favorite set of the day.  They tossed a little Sly & The Family Stone in the mix as well as a nice rendition of "Wade In The Water." While some of the more traditional jazz fans may not have found them their cup of tea, there were a fair share of people who couldn't get enough of the band.  More photos HERE.

Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi

Quad Stage

Kicking off the day on the Quad stage was the Lewis Nash Quintet.  More photos HERE.

Lewis Nash

Up next was Kurt Elling.  I ran into more than a few people who were gushing about how much they enjoy Elling and couldn't wait for his set to start.  The previous weekend I witnessed people swooning over Gary Clark, Jr.  On this day, I witnessed people swooning over Elling.  More photos HERE.

Kurt Elling

My final trip to the Quad was to take in the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet.  I'm not a trumpet fan but gosh darnit, I dug Akinmusire's set.  More photos HERE.

Ambrose Akinmusire

Harbor Stage

I only made it around to the Harbor stage to catch one act, Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell.  More photos HERE.

Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell

The Audience

More photos HERE.

Fans enjoying the festival.

Fan hula hooping while enjoying the music.

Fan enjoying the Tedeschi Trucks Band

It was a great weekend of music and I enjoyed myself even if the heat, while less than it had been the previous week, did me in.  Until next time.

Newport Jazz Festival: Through My Lens, Saturday, August 4

Newport Jazz Festival, Saturday, August 4 at Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI 

During the first weekend in August, we made our way to the Newport Jazz Festival once again.  It was a hot weekend but unlike the previous weekend at the folk festival, there was no rain!  For your viewing pleasure a visual recap of the festival.  The complete photo collection can be seen HERE.

Fort Stage

Things kicked off on the main stage with John Ellis & Double-Wide.  More photos HERE.

John Ellis

Up next, Bill Frisell played John Lennon songs.  I spoke to a lot of people who were excited by and loved the set.  I personally prefer the edgier Lennon songs of which he didn't play.  More photos HERE.

Bill Frisell

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society were up next.  Their opening number reminded me of one of those songs you'd hear in an old school television crime show or in a James Bond movie.  More photos HERE.

Darcy James Argue

Vocalist Dianne Reeves and her band took the main stage next.  More photos HERE.

Dianne Reeves

Closing out the day was the Pat Metheny Unity Band.  More photos HERE.

Pat Metheny

Quad Stage

The Pedrito Martinez Group kicked things off in the Quad.  They had the early afternoon audience dancing. I was even tempted to do a little dancing myself but I didn't want to frighten anyone.  More photos HERE.

Pedrito Martinez

The Jack DeJohnette Group were up next.  DeJohnette who has been celebrating his 70th birthday, taking to stages and showing why he is regarded as a master.  He played two sets, I missed the performance he did with his All Stars who closed out the Quad stage for the day.  More photos HERE.

Jack DeJohnette

Then, the James Carter Organ Trio with Rodney Jones.  The moment I arrived at the stage, I got distracted by Carter's mint green outfit and as a result, the music never fully gained my attention, sorry.  That sounds a bit shallow, huh?  More photos HERE.

James Carter

The Bad Plus with Bill Frisell were next.  They paid tribute to drummer Paul Motian.  This was Frisell's second of three appearances of the weekend.  More photos HERE.

Reid Anderson of The Bad Plus

Harbor Stage

Kicking things off on the Harbor stage was the RIMEA Senior All-State Jazz Ensemble.  More photos HERE.

RIMEA Senior All-State Jazz Ensemble

Bassist Christian McBride brought his Inside Straight to the stage next.  More photos HERE.

Christian McBride

Up next, drummer Dafnis Prieto took the stage to lead his sextet.  More photos HERE.

Dafnis Prieto

My final trip to the Harbor stage was to catch a bit of the Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints.  More photos HERE.

Joe Lovano

The Audience

More photos HERE.

Couple dancing during the Pedrito Martinez Group set.

A young jazz fan.

Even her hair was purple.

Coming soon ... Day 3, also known as Sunday.

Dates Announced For Newport Folk & Jazz Festivals

George Wein

Newport Festivals Foundation Chairman, George Wein, announced the dates for the 2013 Newport Folk and Jazz festivals.  The Newport Folk Festival is set for July 27 - 28 while the Newport Jazz Festival is scheduled for August 2 - 4.

“Following this year’s Folk Festival that sold out three months in advance and one of the best Jazz Festivals ever, we want to make sure that music fans have the 2013 dates now. More than 40,000 people attended the two festivals, many from throughout the area and from around the world. Music lovers are already looking toward next year’s concerts and it is helpful to give them the opportunity to schedule travel and lodging plans as early as possible,” said Wein, who has produced the Jazz and Folk festivals since their inceptions in 1954 and 1959, respectively.

Upcoming: Tall Tall Trees at Mercury Lounge, 8/31

New York, Tall Tall Trees will be paying a visit to the Mercury Lounge stage.  Head on down on Friday, August 31.  It all happens at 10PM and it'll cost you $10.

Check out the video for "Waiting on the Day" at the bottom of the post.  The track is from their sophomore album, moment which was released earlier this year.

Tall Tall Trees, formed in 2008, is the musical project of multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Mike Savino . Often performing on a home-rigged electric banjo sent through a number of effects pedals and loopers, Savino along with longtime collaborators Mathias Künzli (drums), Kyle Sanna (guitar, keyboard), and Benjamin Campbell (bass) create music that is a blend of folk and rock with the occasional foray into psychedelia.

Moment (February 2012/Good Neighbor Records), inspired by a group camping trip into the Alaskan wilderness, tells the story of a man yearning for escape and connection with nature. The band's sophomore album showcases their evolution from a quirky bluegrass-leaning side project into a fully formed indie-rock band. Recorded by Matthew Cullen (My Morning Jacket, Ray LaMontagne) at Dreamland Studios (Fleet Foxes, Delta Spirit) outside of Woodstock, NY, and mixed by Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Man Man).

Upcoming: Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons at Rockwood Music Hall, 8/18

New York, Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons will be taking the stage at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1, this Saturday, August 18.  The fun starts at 8PM.  I caught them a couple of weeks ago at the Newport Folk Festival and they put on a helluva good set.  If you haven't had the opportunity to check them out yet, then I would highly suggest you do; your night will be all the better for it.  Don't be stingy with your love New York, head on down to the LES and show them massive amounts of it.

Check out the video for "Flat Tire" at the bottom of the post.  The track is from their sophomore album White Lighter.

Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons is an Americana band that began in Providence, RI in 2005. In the center of this revolving cast of musicians, songwriter Joe Fletcher remains at the helm of this country blues-based outfit while still playing many solo acoustic shows throughout the land every year.

Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons released their sophomore effort WHITE LIGHTER in December 2010. This time they entered the illustrious Machines With Magnets Recording Studio in Pawtucket, R.I. with a cast that included local luminaries Scott Boutier, Jack Hanlon, John McCauley, Alec Redfearn, Damien Puerini, Dave Lamb, MorganEve Swain, Lily Costner, and Tyler Hayden.

Following the recording of White Lighter, rhythm kings Dave Hemingway (drums) and Joe Principe (upright and electric bass) joined the organization, and guitar hero Damien Puerini stayed on in the lead role.

White Lighter has attracted a whole new level of attention to the band. Most notably, No Depression has championed the band, saying that “Joe Fletcher proves his versatility on White Lighter. His signature brand of dark and lyrically driven honky tonk is interspersed with a softer side that would make Hagg or Jones proud.”

"Flat Tire" from brett davey on Vimeo.
"Flat Tire" as performed by Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons. Video by Brett Davey.