Dec 27 : "Envy Smile" - The Extensions (Asbury Park)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (September)

photo from The Extensions' Facebook page

ANGULAR AND TIGHT

The Extensions did a great show at New Brunswick's Barca City. I caught them a couple weeks ago; it was my first time seeing them. First impressions as I first started to watch centered a lot around the keys! It was unusual to see the keys right up in front on the stage, right under the spotlight. The keys were also weaving in and out of the front of the arrangements, providing a foundation, yet being versatile to meet the stylistic demands of each song. Power of the keys was much more evident in the show than what we hear on the Bandcamp page.

The strong melodic lines also stood out, the way they travel with some surprising twists and turns followed by chords that come along unexpectedly.

A third aspect that stood out in both the show as well as the online music is how tightly the work is written. The band itself calls it "angular". Their self-description says Angular indie rock with lyrics sharper than a box cutter, and hooks as sweet as grape soda. The Extensions prove themselves to be the estranged powerpop love child of Spoon and Elvis Costello.

The Extensions are a four-piece band, featuring Brian Erickson, Kevin Newcomb, Lisa LoVell, and Pete Stern. They recently released their debut EP, "Bellicose", back in September. Here is "Envy Smile", which is the last track on the album and encompasses several of the features I like about the band's sound.

Here is the click to The Extensions' Facebook page where you can find out more about the band and any upcoming shows they'll have in the future ::: The Extensions on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

p.s. ... Excellent evening was put together by "Embrace DIY Productions".

Dec 17 : "Millennials Are Going Gray" - Amanda Rose Riley (Lincoln Park)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (Summer 2019)

Last week my travels took me through the Secaucus Junction Station, where I saw "NJ DIY acoustic girl-with-guitar rock" Amanda Rose Riley do a solo show. She was performing as part of New Jersey Transit's "Music In Motion" program.

Generations are not static.

Generational transitions and reflections are a central theme of Amanda's recently released album "Millennials Are Going Gray". It's also the title of the third track on the album.

The song points out that Millennials are no longer the kids in the generational scheme of things and are fast moving into the next older status at the same time as a younger new generation is moving up. She's old enough to remember nine-eleven, and, at this point, that event is now DECADES in the past! She points out that, looking in the mirror, she's seen the first two gray hairs on her own head. As the song says, Millennials are going gray, We're just another generation trying to make our way. The song reflects on the past and into the future.

And in terms of "making our way", there is definitely an upbeat tone to the album. The album talks in big brushstrokes, and, in the opening song, "We Are Pioneers", she points out Every day is a potential new beginning.

She captures the cyclic attributes of generational movement!

Looks like the next advance show that Amanda has booked right now is on April 25 at the Glen Ridge Singer Songwriter Series event (btw it's also in a train station). In the meantime you can check out her Bandcamp where you can find more music. ::: Amanda Rose Riley on Bandcamp (CLICK HERE).

Dec 11 : "Familial" - Quiet Luke (New York)

News
Quiet Luke Releases New Video

A couple weeks ago New York artist Quiet Luke released a new video, "Familial". As with his other recent videos, Familial expresses some starkly contrasting emotions, dramatically separated from each other in the visual part of the presentation, but sometimes less so in the audio. Even our conflicting emotions are sometimes integrated!

In one of the previous videos, "Interference", we start with a feeling of hope, but then end dramatically with despair. In "Familial" we do a little bit of the reverse. We start out in uncertainty but end in peace. Quiet Luke is a master at conveying the intensity of emotions in part by his use of these contrasts. As much is said with the camera as with the lyrics and instrumentals.

Quiet Luke just released his first full-length album, "21st Century Blue", last week. "Familial" is the 6th track on the album. "Interference" as well as "Something to Lose" (which I've written about previously) are also on the album.

While Quiet Luke doesn't have any shows coming up in the next few weeks, here is the click to his Facebook page. ::: Quiet Luke on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Dec 05 : "Hi Sam, It's Nan: Robby's Birthday" - Sam Seeger (New York)

News
Sam Seeger Releases New Video

NAN JUST LEFT A COUPLE MORE VOICEMAILS. Here is a new video from Sam Seeger; it's another piece based on voicemail messages from Nan, his grandmother. This time it's about Robby's birthday. The title is: "Hi Sam, It's Nan: Robby's Birthday"

Sam doesn't have any other shows coming up in the next few weeks, but here is the click to his Facebook page where you can keep watching what he's doing ::: Sam Seeger on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Dec 02 : "Mary Song (Shady Grove)" - 185668232 (Brooklyn)

A couple weeks ago week my friend, Iam, (or as musician & noise artist "185668232" when performing), did a very unique show at Wonderville in Bushwick. The bar is a destination in itself! When you walk into Wonderville, it looks like many bars, but, off to a separate room to the left is an arcade game room with a stage up in the front. This was where 185668232 did a show.

I have to admit that this was a first for me. It was the first time I had ever been to a show in a game arcade, as well as a first time I had been to a show in a venue where there were other activities or objects competing for my attention at the same time that the show was going on. What to do? That was my dilemma. Should I play some of the exciting and innovative games, talk with people milling about, watch the performance on the stage (with even a moving video in the background), go out to the other room and get a beer? Yikes! So much to do!

I was very intrigued by the games. They aren't of the mass-produced variety you might see elsewhere. I asked Iam about them, and he told me : all of the WONDERVILLE games are really unique artisan designed including a line of them by WONDERVILLE themselves. Some topics for games are so human it makes you question whether you are just part of a gaming parameter. Worth a trip to Wonderville just for the games!

In the Spring of 2018, 185668232 did a new album "Existure". Here is the description of the album on Bandcamp : eXiSTuRe is 185668232's 12th consecutive annual album. It was released in beta/scratch/demo-mode on May 30, 2018. This album is an improvised expression hold-me-over for easier times. It is a practice of vapid melodies and casual beats with heavy hooks, organized noise into a definitive glitch concept of #PowerPop as a more accessible gateway entry for the standard 185668232 content. The album has 19 or 20 tracks, depending on which version of the album you get. I see a trend towards more spoken words in the new album. Here is track #7 (either version) on the album, "Mary Song (Shady Grove) :::

Right now 185668232 is on its first European tour, but will be back mid-month. I'm hoping to get to their next show at Wonderville, which will be on Thursday, Dec. 26th ::: 185668232's Experimental Ecliptic Experiential Eco Echo. Here is the click to the band's Facebook page ::: 185668232's Facebook page (CLICK HERE).

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12/20/19 UPDATE ::: Iam admonished me that I should include a photo with EVERY writeup, so I looked through my files and found this picture of us from earlier this year.