Apr 04 : "Sandals" and "Flight 815" - FLOTUS (Syracuse)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (Feb 14)

HOW TO LIVE LIFE

A week ago Friday I went to Pianos after work and saw Syracuse band FLOTUS do their first New York show! I thought it was excellent with good performances all around, but I was especially mesmerized by the work on the keys! Wow!

They recently came out with a new album, "Sundance"; two of the songs deal with what to look for in life. How should we live life? One sure thing is that "FLOTUS" (acronym for "Funky Lads of the United States") doesn't have any doubts; they know what they want. And what they seek revolves not so much around actions or material goals, but, rather, on the right attitude. And part of that attitude is an uncommon confidence that everything will turn out fine. Some songwriters talk about hope for the future, but the FLOTUS guys don't talk about a good future in terms of "if" things turn out ok, but in terms of "when" things turn out ok. In other words, life turning out right is a given.

More details in "Sandals", which is the lead track on the new album :::

Unexpected and cool that they say that when everything "falls into place" for you, they remind you to thank your siblings and parents.

Here's more, these on "Flight 815", the second track on the album :::

FLOTUS doesn't have any shows coming up in the near future, but here is the click to their Facebook page where you can watch what they're doing in the meantime: FLOTUS on Facebook (CLICK HERE). I will have my eye out for their next tour.

Mar 28 : "After the Storm". - Panophonic (Philly)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (Nov)

Philly Music!

RECOVERY

I've been watching Panophonic for a long time. The first time I saw Panophonic, it was a one-man outfit, with Tom Lugo playing live along with some pre-recorded accompaniments. But the lineup has been fluid with extra band members added when he headlined at the Popnoise Festival at The Fire back on February 23. Tom is also the mastermind of Popnoise Festival as well as an indie recording company, Patetico Recordings.

One thing that hasn't changed, though, is Tom Lugo's commitment to helping important causes, both local and world-wide. I first have to say that, on the very local level, he donated merchandise to our community org when we were doing a fundraiser. He's selflessly helped to promote many musicians here in Philly and beyond.

On the national and world-wide level, Tom has brought together many of the artists he has known to do benefit albums to help those who have been stricken by major natural disasters, most recently the victims of Hurricanes, Harvey, Irma, and Maria. He brought together fellow musicians to create a FIFTY-SIX TRACK ALBUM called "Rock Back: Stronger Than the Storm". Tom traces his own roots back to Puerto Rico.

The concept of the Rock Back compilation series was born in 2011 when disaster hit Japan and Tom Lugo, Patetico Recordings’ label owner who is very passionate about helping causes and non-profit organizations, decided to reach out to the community of artists he has in his network to put together a compilation with profits being donated to relief efforts. The response was overwhelming, over 100 artists all over the world joined to together in the efforts. What was to be a single CD compilation grew to an 8 disc compilation titled “Rock Back for Japan”.

The compilation series hit the top 10 Indie Rock releases on Amazon's chart for several weeks as well as certain volumes holding the number 1 spot.

Since then Patetico Recordings has released the benefit compilations “Rock Back: Animal Rescue”, "Rock Back for Nepal", “Rock back for Ecuador”, “Rock Back for Haiti”

“Whenever Tom Lugo reaches out to his musical family you know it’s for a crucial and essential cause, The Rock Back for Nepal CD compilation is no exception. I’m proud to be part of this relief effort / fund raiser for anyone affected by the recent earthquake disaster in Nepal and if I can help or contribute in some way to aid support and assistance to the many displaced people I will without question. Please support this cause and donate as generously as you can.” -Dean Garcia

“It is a horrible tragedy this destruction of culture and life. I feel lucky that I can use my craft and contribute a song to this fund to help them raise money for relief. If we can all do something to help and give relief for the people of Nepal we should do it now.” – Oliver Ackermann

On this most recent album Tom's own musical contribution via Panophonic is the last track on the album: "After the Storm". The track's instrumentals show a quiet yet strong resolve :::

Here is the link to all 56 tracks: "Rock Back Stronger Than the Storm" (CLICK HERE)

And, again on a personal level, when I first became interested in hearing local bands, Tom educated me on what was going on in the Philly music scene. Thanks, Tom!

Panophonic doesn't have any other concerts coming up soon, but here is the click to their Facebook page so you can keep an eye on them: Panophonic on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

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RECOVERY EFFORTS in Puerto Rico have hit the news a couple times recently.

Last Week

Last Wednesday, "Democracy Now" did an entire show on the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Here is a link to that episode ::: "Democracy Now" March 21 Show on Puerto Rico's recovery (CLICK HERE).

This Friday

This coming Friday, March 30, there will be a symposium at Rutgers in Camden, titled. ::: "A Call to Action: Future Challenges for a New Puerto Rico" (CLICK HERE). The Honorable Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, Mayor of San Juan, will be the keynote speaker.

Mar 11 : "Invisible Lines" - Dani Mari & Brooklyn Shanti - Invisible Lines (Rap Mix) ft. Kid Graavity (Brooklyn)

At the Popnoise Festival at The Fire here in Philly on February 23, were there going to be six bands, five bands, or four? I wasn't sure. "Dani Mari" was listed in some of the publicity for the February 23 show, and "Primitive Heart" was listed in others, and both were listed in still others. It turned out that Dani Mari was performing as "Primitive Heart", her solo project, but also playing solo versions of music from bands in which she played. And maybe some solo work pre-Primitive Heart. Not sure; the lines were a little blurry as to what was which.

Dani Mari is a prolific writer whose work spans many genres. A look at her Soundcloud page shows work in many styles played not only as solos but also as collaborations with an impressive list of other musicians from many backgrounds.

Here is an excerpt from her web page: Dani Mari is a multi genre music producer and visual artist that works with artists from all over the world. She is currently working on a solo album as Primitive Heart and her love for shoegaze has brought about collaborations with Violentene, Omega Vague, Xeresa and more.

As a visual artist, Dani Mari creates live visuals for her performances and other events. She is a huge horror fan and created a series of songs & horror films inspired by Dario Argento's movies about witches (Suspiria, Inferno & Mother of Tears) with Johnny Butler for Cruel Beauty Productions & premiered them at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival.

Dani Mari is the founder of Female Frequency, a community dedicated to empowering female, transgender & non-binary artists through the creation of music that is entirely female generated. She created an album made entirely by women with co-founders I Am Snow Angel & Claire London, Madame Gandhi, Ryat and many other female producers & engineers.

Even though there's a huge amount of work on her web pages, this was one of those situations where the live performance bore little resemblance to what's on line. I actually enjoyed her live style much more than the web music. One of the qualities I liked best about her performance that night was a dynamic similar to what I had heard by the musician in my previous blog, that there were a couple of different tempos and textures operating at the same time. I couldn't find anything on the web pages that resembled that. While the tempo and tonality of her vocals at the show were similar to what we hear on much of her page, the accompaniment at the live performance was in many instances a fuller, up-front, slow-moving bass. It was a solid foundation to the words she was singing. I'm intrigued by the combining of textures.

Of the music on her page, one of the tracks I like the most is "Invisible Lines". While she has a few renditions of the song, this is one with Brooklyn Shanti and Kid Graavity.

If you'd like to see Dani Mari live, you're in luck. She'll be doing a show on Tuesday, March 20th, at Brooklyn's "C'mon Everybody". In the meantime, here is the click to her Facebook page: Dani Mari on Facebook (CLICK HERE). And here is the click to her Soundcloud page where I'm sure you'll be impressed by her wide variety of work: Dani Mari on Soundcloud (CLICK HERE).

Feb 18 : "The Shortest Distance" - Quiet Luke (New York)

WIDE RANGES

I was completely captivated by the instrumentals in this track. I fell in love with the chord progressions right away. There's an ethereal and mysterious intro to this song, but these fascinating chords start in about 0:40 on the clock, followed by the beginning of the vocals.

Midway through the piece is an intriguing multi-tempo interlude that starts about 1:56. While the basic foundation of the song's tempo remains the same as in the first verse and refrain, some fast-paced rippling instrumentals enter at this point and take us to the second verse. I like the two tempos playing with each other at the same time.

I like instrumentals that are complex and grandiose and those at the conclusion of the piece certainly fit the bill, with the basic foundation tempo created by the percussion along with the rippling that we heard in the interlude now blending equally with vocals.

While there is a wide range of instrumental textures and tempos in this piece, I have to say that the vocals are equally impressive. Quiet Luke has a flexible voice that covers a wide range. He switches very comfortably back and forth between chest voice and falsetto. He even incorporates the two styles in one sentence! Listen to the second line of the chorus or refrain, where he sings "how i got here" in falsetto and then "i couldn't tell you at all" in chest voice. All one sentence! Another example is in the second line of the second verse where he sings "i know it's for the birds i've heard enough" entirely in chest voice with the exception of the one word "I've" which pops in as falsetto. Nice enhancements to the expression of the lyrics.

"The Shortest Distance" is the fourth track on Quiet Luke's debut 2016 ep "Beholden". I've been listening to this and his other music on Soundcloud ever since I went to his live show at Alphaville in Bushwick last week. Stopping in on my way home from work I was just able to hear a portion of his show before train time said I had to leave.

Here is the click to "The Shortest Distance" Soundcloud page where you can see the lyrics to the song while listening. He also has an eclectic mix of other work on Soundcloud as well: "The Shortest Distance" on Soundcloud (CLICK HERE). And here is the click to Quiet Luke's Facebook page: Quiet Luke on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Feb 11 : "Lonely Bully". - Tygerstrype (Philly)

UNEXPECTED TURNS

Philly Music!

One show I did get to in the last couple months was Philly band Tygerstrype's headlining a benefit show for Prevention Point at Everybody Hits. The band's sound was a perfect match for the venue and the stage setup was just right. Tygerstype's music on stage has become a little grittier and a little looser as I've listened to them over the past six plus years, although that grittiness doesn't necessarily carry over into their recorded sound, which remains a little crisper and more tightly controlled.

A couple years ago Tygerstype came out with a new full-length album, "We Learn to Love Our Chains". The album has some intriguing songs including the unique "Lonely Bully".

The song starts out with the bully singing to the victim about how he or she taunts now and will keep taunting later. Symbolic of the bully's lack of empathy, the instrumentals convey a surprisingly casual and nonchalant feeling when compared to the severity of what's expressed in the lyrics and what the bully is actually doing.

The first unexpected turn occurs as the song progresses into the second section ("1.58" on the clock) when the bully's words begin telling of the subconscious reasons for being a bully, such as the insecurity, the need for attention. But then the song takes another and bigger unexpected turn, because the bully then starts talking about maybe channeling his or her need for attention and for showing off strength to "protecting" the victim from others who might be trying to do the same harm.

After the second section there's an instrumental interlude which might symbolize the progression of the interactions (change does take time). The music is still active but quiets down, sort of a "simmering" then opens up beautifully into the third section (about "4.30") where the bully winds up very much wanting a friendship with the victim. The bully has been redeemed and the relationship has been redefined. A very unexpected conclusion! If society could only make this the norm!

After that third verse the instrumentals continue with increasingly varied stylings along with some more vibrant percussion work. It shows that everything is fine.

Here is "Lonely Bully", from Tygerstype's album, "We Learn to Love Our Chains":

Tygerstrype is Gabriel Guerrero and Alden Towler. Their song shows a refreshing consciousness that's not always evident in instances where society discusses bullying, where the talk seems to move toward punishing the bully and protecting the victim, but less often addresses the underlying psychology of the bully's actions in the first place. Their story of repairs being made to a once thorny relationship can only fill the listener with hope that there can be a good answer to the problem of bullying. Schools should make this song required listening! :)

Tygerstrype doesn't have any shows coming up in the immediate future, but here is a link to their Facebook page where you can keep track of what they're doing ::: Tygerstrype on Facebook (CLICK HERE).