Anna Rose - “Gimme Danger”

Anna Rose released her cover of the Stooges’ “Gimme Danger” earlier this month.  Check it out below.

Anna Rose released her sophomore album, Behold A Pale Horse, in August 2013.  

Shonen Knife To Release New Album This Spring

Shonen Knife will release their new album, Overdrive, on April 16.  The record will be released in North America via Good Charamel Records.  The group will be touring in support of the album with North American dates planned for September/October.

Hank & Cupcakes - “Cocaina”

Hank & Cupcakes released a video for their song “Cocaina” yesterday.  The video was shot almost entirely on their iPhone.  The track is from their upcoming album Cash For Gold which is scheduled for release this summer. Check it out below.

This is the first time we've made a music video completely on our own, we shot almost all of it, edited it - the works! It's another step on our path to creative independence & having the ability to realize our own vision which feels really good. For those wondering about 'The Booty Factory' in the video credit, since we're wearing so many hats at the moment, we came up with a pseudonym which will represent us in everything we do that isn't actually Hank & Cupcakes.

Everest Cale To Play Pianos TOMORROW, 1/24 + Cover John Lennon

Brooklyn based band Everest Cale will be taking the stage at Pianos tomorrow night, Friday, January 24.  It happens at 11PM and it’ll cost you $10.  See below for more details.

They also recently recorded a cover of John Lennon’s “Mother” which was engineered and mixed by Parks Vallely.  Check it out via the handy widget at the bottom of the post.

Everest Cale

Friday, January 24

Pianos

158 Ludlow Street

New York, NY

Set: 11PM

Tickets: $10

21+

Upcoming Shows

• Jan. 24 @ PIANOS, New York City
• Feb. 22 @ The Grand Victory, Brooklyn, NY
• March 16 @ Rockwood Music Hall, New York City

Everest Cale released their EP Constellation Choir in October 2013.

Saint Motel - “My Type”

Saint Motel released a video for their single “My Type” earlier this week.  I really dig this song and the Sam Winkler directed clip has earned the ‘video crush’ title here at QNYC headquarters.  Check it out below.

Upcoming: Hannah vs. The Many at The Rock Shop on 1/25

Hannah vs. The Many will be taking the stage over in Brooklyn at The Rock Show.  The show takes place on Saturday, January 25; doors are at 8PM.  See below for more details.

SADfest

Hannah vs. The Many

Haley Bowery and the Manimals / The LoveHowl / Slick Zombie / J and The 9s

Saturday, January 25

The Rock Shop

249 4th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY

Doors: 8PM

Tickets: $8 adv / $10 dos

21+

Newport Jazz Festival Announces Line-up

The line-up for Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management was announced yesterday.  The festival, which has expanded to three full days, is scheduled to take place August 1 – 3, 2014.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 23, at 10:00 am at www.newportjazzfest.org.

2014 Newport Jazz Festival Line-up:

Friday, August 1, 2014, 8:00 pm
International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840

• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
• Dee Dee Bridgewater – To Billie with Love

Friday, August 1, 2014, 11:30 am – 6:00 pm
Fort Adams State Park, 90 Fort Adams Drive, Newport, RI 02840

• Jon Batiste & Stay Human
• John Zorn’s Masada Marathon: Dave Douglas, Marc Ribot, Cyro Baptista, Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Ikue Mori, Greg Cohen, Joey Baron, Kenny Wollesen & many others
• Miguel Zenón Big Band
• Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
• Snarky Puppy
• Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Rudresh Mahanthappa – Charlie Parker Project, A World Premier
• Amir ElSaffar Quintet with Ole Mathisen, John Escreet, Francois Moutin & Dan Weiss
• Mostly Other People Do The Killing: Steve Bernstein, Jon Irabagon, Dave Taylor, 
• Brandon Seabrook, Ron Stabinsky, Moppa Elliott & Kevin Shea
• Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors
• University of Rhode Island Newport Jazz Big Band

Saturday, August 2, 2014, 10:30 am – 7:00 pm
Fort Adams State Park, 90 Fort Adams Drive, Newport, RI 02840

• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
• Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
• Dave Holland Prism with Kevin Eubanks, Craig Taborn & Eric Harland
• Gregory Porter
• Robert Glasper Experiment
• SF Jazz Collective: Miguel Zenón, Avishai Cohen, David Sanchez, Robin Eubanks, Warren Wolf, Edward Simon, Matt Penman & Obed Calvaire
• Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band with Jon Cowherd, Chris Thomas, Melvin Butler & Myron Walden
• Pedrito Martinez Group featuring Ariacne Trujillo with Alvaro Benavides & Jhaire Sala
• Dick Hyman, Howard Alden & Jay Leonhart
• Kurt Rosenwinkel New Quartet
• Newport Now 60 Band: Anat Cohen, Karrin Allyson, Randy Brecker, Mark Whitfield, Peter Martin, Larry Grenadier & Clarence Penn
• Umbria Jazz presents Stefano Bollani & Hamilton de Holanda
• Symposium on Jazz
• And More …

Sunday, August 3, 2014, 10:30 am – 7:00 pm
Fort Adams State Park, 90 Fort Adams Drive, Newport, RI 02840

• Bobby McFerrin spirityouall
• David Sanborn & Joey DeFrancesco with Billy Hart & Warren Wolf
• Dr. John & The Nite Trippers
• Gary Burton New Quartet with Julian Lage, Scott Colley & Marcus Gilmore
• Vijay Iyer Sextet with Graham Haynes, Mark Shim, Steve Lehman, Stephan Crump & Marcus Gilmore
• Danilo Perez Panama 500 with Ben Street, Adam Cruz & Roman Diaz
• Django Festival All-Stars featuring Samson Schmitt, Ludovic Beier, Pierre Blanchard, DouDou Cuillerier & Brian Torff
• Ron Carter Trio with Russell Malone & Donald Vega
• Lee Konitz Quartet with special guest Grace Kelly
• Ravi Coltrane
• The Cookers: Gary Bartz, Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee & Billy Hart
• Mingus Big Band
• The Brubeck Brothers 
• George Wein & Newport All-Stars with Anat Cohen, Howard Alden, Randy Brecker, Lew Tabackin, Jay Leonhart & Lewis Nash
• And More …

*Schedule Subject to Change

U.S. Royalty Release Blue Sunshine

DC area band U.S. Royalty released their new album, Blue Sunshine, yesterday.  Though I’d heard most of these songs live, I’d been looking forward to hearing the album as a whole with headphones.  I wrote this a week or so ago off the top of my head, in the wee hours, upon hearing the album stream.  I thought I’d change it between then and release date but, I didn’t.  Perhaps I should have.  It just felt right to give you what I felt upon first listen.

Things kick off with “Into The Thicket” a track full of pretty harmonies and excellent finger picking.  It’s a nice start and is followed by the title track, that for some reason, has drawn the ire of my cat.  

The standout track is the primal and glorious “Lady In Waiting".  Yeah, some of the guitar bits remind me of “Edge Of Seventeen” but, so what...the guitar work on this song is among my favorite on the album.  Seriously, put on some headphones and just listen to the guitar.  If I had to play one track from this album for someone who had never heard U.S. Royalty, this would be the one.  

“Get On Home” contains my favorite bit of lyric on the whole album, possibly of all that they’ve written. ‘Well, I wasted some time ... and I’ve been on the road ... lost a few friends ... no fault of our own ... wasteland of the places I’ve come now to call my home .... and you still reappear in my thoughts and my dreams ... how to distinguish what’s real from my fears ... tender are the moments we realize we’re not alone.’  (I think I got that right!)  This song resonated with me on a personal level more than any other on the record.

Additional highlights, “Valley Of The Sun” and the vaguely creepy, yet superb, “De Profundis”.  The latter is an acoustic instrumental gem. 

As much as I like this album, the are a couple of moments I’m just not feeling.  “South Paradiso”, first of all, for some reason, Neil Diamond pops into my head while listening to it. Anyway... Maybe I'll feel differently live or a year down the line but right now, I need to put that song away and leave it alone.

Then, there’s “Slow Magic”. I'm on the fence on this one.  I'm not sure if I like it or strongly dislike it.  I just know at the moment, there's no in between for me.  One thing I do know, the intro bit (it pops up throughout the song as well), will never grow on me.  It gives me bad 80s flashbacks...please don't make me think about my big hair, bad fashion choices and clown make-up!  I feel like the album should come with a tambourine just so I can play along with this track.  At any rate, this song is what I imagine would happen if 70s era Stevie Nicks had a song-baby with 80s era Stevie Nicks.

"Breathless", I really liked this song when I heard it live.  But...yes there's a but.  Something about the recorded version doesn't feel right to me.  I'm not sure why.  The lyrics are solid and it's well played but, I was left feeling a little, for lack of a better description, let down. Am I the only one that is reminded of Cheap Trick when listening to this one?  Probably.

Overall, Blue Sunshine is a nice, solid body of work.  It's saturated with sounds of the 70s with bold sprinkles of the 80s.  It reminds me of listening to Grandma's three button radio as a kid and The Midnight Special and Don Kirshner's.  The only thing missing is the crackling hiss and pop of vinyl which should be satisfied with their white vinyl version (scheduled to be released mid-February).  It reminds me of all of that while cleverly not sounding dated and crafting something that's all their own.  Where their previous album Mirrors was more raw and sexy, Blue Sunshine is more focused, polished and pop.  And that folks, is just fine with me.

Track List

• Into The Thicket
• Blue Sunshine
• Lady In Waiting
• Breathless
• Slow Magic
• Valley Of The Sun
• Only Happy In The Country
• Get On Home
• South Paradiso
• De Profundis
• Two Worlds

#whatdatbootydo: The Show at Parkside Lounge on 1/27

Get thy backside down to Parkside Lounge on Monday, January 27 at 8PM for some bootytastic burly-q.  It will cost you $10 or 2 for $15 (bring a friend or three!)  Nina La Voix and the New York School of Burlesque’s mentoring program Driver’s Seat present, #whatdatbootydo: The Show!  See below for more details.

Showing you #whatdatbootydo will be Bombazeen Bean, Brooklyn Irons, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Dottie Dynamo, Essence Revealed and Nina La Voix.  For your go-go delight will be Zoe Ziegfeld.  Iris Ex Plosion will be your hostess.  

It's happening and you should definitely go!  

#whatdatbootydo: The Show

Monday, January 27

Parkside Lounge

317 E Houston Street

New York, NY

Doors: 7:45 PM / Show: 8 PM

Tickets: 1 for $10; 2 for $15

Upcoming: Sasha Dobson To Play NYC on 1/21 + New EP

Sasha Dobson will be taking the stage at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1 on January 21.   It all happens at 9PM.  See below for more details.

Dobson is scheduled to release her new EP, Into The Trees, on January 28.  It was produced by Joel Hamilton.

Sasha Dobson

Tuesday, January 21

Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1

196 Allen Street

New York, NY

9PM

Free (one drink minimum)

21+

Track List

• Big Louise
• A Thousand Years
• A Forest
• The Fix Is In
• No One Else
• Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair

“The inspiration for the album was my budding collaboration with Joel Hamilton. Joel and I have pretty eclectic musical taste and influences.  We thought a covers EP could help delve us further into this new world/sound we are creating together. And also to put ourselves in a world of no rules...just see what happens if we let ourselves go.”