At the end of May, I went to see Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast perform. It was a show I was looking forward to based on having heard their new full length debut record Over The Undercover which is scheduled for digital release on June 15. The record is a nice slice of Sunday afternoon back porch and sweet tea soul with dashes of pop and folk blended in.
I've been listening to Over The Undercover for about a month or so now. The first thing that catches you is the voice of Caitlin Krisko. She has a rich soulful instrument that goes from sultry to vulnerable and back again with ease. Krisko reaches down in her soul and comes up a grand amount of passion that sucks the listener in. With every inflection, be it subtle or blistering, she makes the listener feel all of the pain and pleasure of each song.
Krisko, who wrote/co-wrote all ten songs on Over The Undercover proves she's not just a good singer but also a good songwriter. She dishes up acoustic based fiery soul as is the case with "Little Release" and "Exactly Like Today." The powerful "Pull The Trigger" takes on a bluesy R&B stance and Krisko lays it all out there for the world to see, raw and open. At the same time, she proves capable of delicate piano driven pop leanings with the stunning "Let In Love" one of the two songs on the album co-written with The Broadcast's keyboard player Rich Brownstein.
The first time I listened to "The Unintelligible Truth," I thought to myself, this is one hell of a song with it's sweet toned guitar solo. Krisko and her band The Broadcast opened their show with this song when I saw them and nailed it all up to the wall leaving me with one of those "DAMN!" moments that you get when you've just been smacked by something good. Since then, this song has moved to the top of my list of favorites.
Krisko, with The Broadcast, Brownstein, Nick Coolidge (bass), Michael W. Davis (drums), Tyler Householder (percussion) and Dave Rosenthal (guitar) have put together ten ear pleasing tracks. Over The Undercover is one of those records that you can't really pick out just one standout song on. Some records you like a song or two and after the first few times, you don't really listen to the album as a whole. This is not one of those records. While each track stands well alone, Over The Undercover is a record that can be fully appreciated as a whole without hitting the skip button on any songs.
"Pull The Trigger"
"Love Come Now" (live at the Over The Undercover record release show, May 30)
New York indie band A Brief Smile will be rocking The Delancey this Saturday, June 13. They have just released a new three song EP, Restaurant Airport, the second of their 3 EP summer release series. The first one was released in May and the third and final one will be released in July. For a limited time, A Brief Smile is being cool and hooking fans up with the EP's for free via their website, HERE.
Also on the bill at The Delancey is guest DJ Pat from Pop Tarts Suck Toasted. It sounds like a fun evening to check out if you're down on the LES.
Langhorne Slim will be playing George Wein's Folk Festival 50 on Saturday, August 1. Music impresario and festival founder George Wein and his team are celebrating the 50th anniversary of this legendary festival mixing legends and "new" kids for this grand event. Slim, will be in fine company for this grand celebration. Also taking the stage that day will be festival co-founder Pete Seeger, The Decemberist, Fleet Foxes, Gillian Welch, Mavis Staples and many more.
Folk Festival 50, a two-day event, takes place at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI. Performers for the second day of the festival, Sunday, August 2, will include another performance by Seeger with special guest Judy Collins, Joan Baez who performed at the first festival, Arlo Guthrie, Neko Case, Josh Ritter and many more.
It sounds like a great weekend of celebrating history, making history and great music!
Six live shows have been put together for Adult Swim fans! These shows, Adult Swim Presents Summer at Santos Series, will feature comedy and music performances from some of Adult Swim's creators and stars. For those who don't know what Adult Swim is (do such people actually exist?), it offers up animated and live action series for adults nightly from 10 PM to 6 AM (ET, PT) on Cartoon Network. I am a proud Adult Swim fan. These shows will take place every other Thursday, starting this Thursday, June 11, 7 PM at Santos Party House here in NYC. All of the shows are free but you have to be 18+ to get in. Current line-up for Adult Swim Presents Summer at Santos Series :
June 11 – Andrew W.K. Opening sets by: Cherie Lily, Aleister X, Bad Brilliance & Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
June 25 – Jon Glaser (Delocated!) With The Woggles, Cheeseburger, A.C. Newman and masked burlesque dancers, The Pontani Sisters
July 9 – Brendon Small (Metalocalypse) With Paul Green’s School of Rock
July 30 – Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!) With DJ Douggpound, Gildon Works, The Party Animals and Beat Jams
August 6 – Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies) With special guests
August 20 – Christy Karacas (Superjail!) Featuring a night of local New York bands
For the first time, fans of George Harrison will be able to lay their hands on a collection that spans his entire solo career. Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison will be released on June 16. The tracks have been digitally remastered and the CD, a 19 song deluxe package that includes an extensive booklet containing rare and unseen photos. For those who prefer to go the digital route, the collection will also be available via all of the major digital outlets.
Of course all of the favorites are included. The disc features three of Harrison's legendary Beatles tunes "Something," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes The Sun" all taken from the 1971 classic all-star Concert For Bangladesh. In addition to those three gems, his #1 singles "My Sweet Lord," "Isn't It A Pity," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" and "Got My Mind Set On You" are also featured.
It looks like a good collection. Personally, there are a few songs missing in my opinion. I would have liked to have seen "Crackerbox Palace," "I Dig Love" and "Cloud Nine" on the disc. But, that's just me. If they put everything everyone wanted in the collection, it'd be a box set!
A high spirited Hot Seconds kicked off summer, albeit a bit early, at Union Pool on Saturday night. Union Pool with its vintage appeal and cozy stage was the perfect setting for the lads, James Love (vocals/guitar/tambourine), Eran Westwood (guitar/vocals), Marcel Simoneau (keyboards/guitar/megaphone), Bob Toria (bass), Ian Hudgins (drums/vocals) and the audience to get up to all sorts of boisterous fun.
We were given a eleven song, fifty-four minute set. I checked out the set list prior to the show starting. I won't say I was cheated but, ahem, what happened to "Excuse Me?" I'm going to assume it was cut due to fact that three songs in, The Great Guitar Escapade of '09 took place and cut into their time. For those who need a Quirky to English translation, that means technical difficulties over there on stage right, in Westwood world, necessitated the switching about of guitars. With that all sorted out, the shindig continued.
They played all of the favorites. The big news is, they hit us with another new song. It's titled "Push To Pound." I haven't made out the words yet but, I'm diggin' on the music. It puts pictures in my head of the boys in sailor uniforms and pea coats on a gray day in the mist of some sweeping b&w epic video. What? Am I the only one who sees that? Probably. My head is a scary place filled with great music.
If you've been reading and paying attention to my little space here in the virtual world, then you know they debuted "Pink Caesar" back in February. I noticed this time out how much more relaxed and comfortable they looked and sounded playing it now. They're all loose and have the cool laid back rhythm in their moves. Go on with your bad selves. It's been great fun witnessing the new stuff and watching it as it gels.
"When I Go," the harmonica solo is back. Love was unable to do it last time out. But thistime, he busted out the harp and blew a mean solo. Yep, all is right in my happy little Hot Seconds world of music.
In addition to the new song, there were new visuals too! They've gone fancy and perhaps a bit trippy with a portable flashing light rig over there on stage right. And if that wasn't enough for our happy little eyes, they've done gone and slapped their logo on the kick drum ... that's tight. While we're on the back line, it should be noted that I'm still feeling mad love for the rhythm section. Those boys are bad ass back there. Okay, I have mad love for the rest of the band too! I don't want anyone to think I'm being neglectful. But it can now officially be said that I'm a drum fan or perhaps just a fan of Hudgins drumming. I'll ponder that.
Much fun was had by me. Perfect weather, cheap drinks, a taco truck and a rockin' Hot Seconds ... it'd be impossible to not have fun, right?! If you're anywhere near when they play next, you should go and partake in the fun too. Bring on the next show boys. I'm ready!
Canadian folk duo Dala will release their new album, Everyone Is Someone, Tuesday, June 9. The duo, Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine show off classic pop harmonies reminiscent of girl groups of yore on the albums lead single, "Levi Blues." Their vocals are a pretty fountain of melodies bubbling forth surrounded by an easy blend of acoustic folk pop.
Dala is on tour. They'll be all over Canada and the east coast of the US. Among their stops will be George Wein's Folk Festival 50 on August 2. They'll be in fine company too. Folk legend and festival co-founder Pete Seeger will be performing that day. Joan Baez, who along with Seeger, played the festival when it started 50 years ago will be there and so will Neko Case among many others.
Listen to the first single "Levi Blues" and "Alive" from Everyone Is Someone.
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