the411

Email to Dan - Well you know me. Never A Phoebe fan. She has hooked up with Matt B of the National now. A mediocre tune, in my opinion. Wonder why? I am not touching that. We need David to do that one :) Peace & hugs   Dan to me -   Bet the National Guy is looking to make out with her. Hope he got to. Me to Dan - I am guessing it went further... Oh yeah he is married too.  Bleach blonde homewrecker.   Then I told him a story. I need to make out with someone lol. Now Keanu went and got a Silver Fox gf. I actually met him in Soho at an art gallery.  I Should have given him my #. We chatted for 20 mins.  He basically asked me to hang with him because these cougars were honing in on him. They owned the gallery. It was comical. He said I looked nice. The exhibit was for his ex-girlfriend’s photography show.   His ex was Amanda De Cadenet. She was badass. Her photos were lovely actually. I remember he and I stared at th...

Patti Smith was trending on the holy grail of misunderstood hashtags, Twitter. I took a breath. Please not Patti.  Nah. It's her birthday. It reminded me of Barney’s lush song that rides on nostalgia and retro centric grooves. The native Philadelphia musician is crafting music with late 70s ambiences and alternative bending styles.  He penned a song titled for an artist he admires, the one the only Patti. Barney is a raconteur of the highest order. He pulls you in with swirling lyrics like:   Do you know I think of you all the time?/ Someone wrote a song for me/ But I don't love her / Barely know her name/ I want the song to come from you / That cruel game   He also finger picks his acoustic Harmony guitar with practiced flair and panache without arrogant swagger. He takes on an almost Charlie Chaplin like humility as he saunters in to the garden area in the finely arranged video soaked in lush colors and a simple arrangement....

There are a plethora of guitar players out there but few with sublime graceful yet edgy playing that makes Steve Gunn a standout. Steve was part of Kurt Vile's Violators but left PA to pursue his dreams of being a solor artist  in the urban chasm of New York City.  He has quietly put out 15 LPs and live versions. His latest offering, The Unseen In Between, consists of 9 tracks. The song that grabbed me was "Luciano". A bodega cat was the inspiration for the track that showcases Steve's unique finger picking style and his elevated use of acoustic guitar. He frequently partners with women with ethereal voices and harp as well as piano playing prowess. On Luciano, the lovely Meg Baird adds her angelic backing vocals as well as handling the keys. Mid way through the song, Steve digs into his otherworldly vibrato. It is comforting as he sings the following lyrics, no doubt invoked by the death of his father last year. Apparently this album is showered with drips of gr...

T he latest single from the Brighton band, Fragile Creatures, does not take on the p olitical system as the 5 piece did on the edgy “A New Low”. Instead this song, penned by front man and band manager, Adam Kidd, rips the band aid of an old romantic wound. If you haven’t been cheated on I applaud you. If you have, it’s kind of like getting fired, it’s confusing and hurtful but ultimately toughens you up. Or in Adam’s case becomes fresh material for another of Fragile Creature’s absorbing songs.   The bending guitar sounds in the intro stab your auditory system like freshly sharpened knife. Adam winds up his Fender to offer a mix of perplexing riffs along with a muted keyboard beats. This is a visceral song as Adam sings with a wounded growl. There is nothing light about this track. This song was conceived on a desolate plane ride back from Spain after a painful end of a long term relationship. He admits “It hurt inside to let the killer go free but I numbed ...

Bad Mary , the spirited band from Long Island, guns along in pure punk DIY fashion. They are unmanaged, handle their social medias solo and they even take the plunge to go live on Patreon, "the membership platform that makes it easy for artists and creators to get paid." They throw down at their live shows with big sounds mixed with the hardy candy they throw at their loyal audience. Bad Mary  has that Big Bertha Badass musical persona yet they still remain loyal to their hometown by performing at the 5th Annual Bad Mary Holiday Disaster on December 13th in Bethpage, LI.  Amanda Mac handles vocals with wide eyed curiosity and subliminal confusion. Her sig other, Mike Straub, leads the rhythm section with his tasty bass lines. The Mighty Professor (Mike's actual college prof) applies his scissor rip up guitar sty while Amanda's Pop handles the kit. Bad Mary keeps it genuinely all in the family (no fights unlik...

The tasty pop rocking tune "Dwell on It" has earworm quality plastered all over it. Perry Shall, the multi creative artist and musician from Philly, and his band Wildflowers of America, gifts us a tune that is ripe with nostalgia and a fake ending. This delicious track marries Elvis Costello vocal impersonations along with the rip and rev of the Replacements.  The video, shot by Bob Sweeney, is ripe with a home movie grainy feel. The long haired, bespectacled artist  floats around a greenhouse complete with a running waterfall. He appears perpetually amused by the colorful flowers and the fauna.  He sings in a rubbed out, nasal baritone voice about  his thoughts about drinking. He quickly U turns to say that won't solve what is besieging his mind.   I can tell myself to get over it But that just feels unrealistic   He plays a game of hide and seek with himself while walking in wonder of the flower power surr...

The first time I heard the Philadelphia based musician, Matt Vantine's power popping song "Drop Dead" I was driving.   I immediately started that little car groove I do when a song comes on that grabs me. The track ripples with shimmery guitar sounds mixed with dark subject matter. In short, it’s a snarky jam that made me say Yes! While Matt and I are not of the same generation (X vs. Millenial) I dated before cell phones. Being able to tell a person, whether a romantic interest or friend to "Go Drop Dead" was a right of power. One couldn't hide behind a text back in the day. Now if a "Go Drop Dead" text sailed onto the screen it would be a slap in the virtual face. Either way, Matt’s righteous bop sums up getting fed up with narcissists and flakes.  Matt is a seasoned musician who spent the past decade fronting Fleeting Ends, who came upon moderate success in Indie rock circles.   Matt makes his money as a guitar instructor who told me...

Bad Mary Return of Space Girl Punk rock band Bad Mary just released a new album called, “The Return of Space Girl”, and it will make you want to cut the fingers off your gloves and head bang into oblivion. When I say “punk rock” do not get it confused with the low budget garage rock. This New York group has a few EP’s recorded and mixed by Matt Storm and Francisco Botero at Studio G in Brooklyn and mastered by Fred Kevorkian, who has previously mastered for The White Stripes, Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry. They are professional rockers and this new album is TIGHT just like their jeans.                 If a double kick, crunchy guitars, and sweet sweet vocals is what you are craving, then come get your fill with Bad Mary. “Return of Space Girl” is a 21 st century punk master piece. You can tell their roots come from that old school 70’s punk/rock but they really know how to put a current day twist o...

The Gang is all here. STELLA RUZE writtten by Violet Rosette Stella Ruze? More like Stella Rulez! Stella Ruze was birthed in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia in 2014 and is continuing to grow. They just dropped a new video for their newest song “Open”. This song will be featured on their new album “The Greater Dog”. Brendan Johnson & Katie O’Donnell are the band founders and help write most of the songs. The group also includes Keyboardist Mason Wallack and Alex Styer on trumpet. Together they make a stellar team! What could be better than Stella Ruze the 4-piece?   Stella Ruze the 7-piece! These funky monkeys have added accomplished blues drummer Sean McIntyre who really knows his way around a drum set. They also merged Bass guitar extraordinaire Ted Mayo and saxophone player, Vince Gleason, who is a lifetime member of the legendary Mummer group – Ferko String Band, into the previous 4-piece. According to the band, “Our new sound emboldens our message t...

I get to review some pretty awesome bands but this one Takes the Cake! A prickly,punk band out of Long Island New York Bad Mary- fronted by Amanda Mac with the edgy, pretty voice.    They have played all the classic venues like the Trash Bar, and the Highlight Ballroom, were in the lineup of the 2015 Warped Tour in Jonas Beach and the Liberty Music Festival in Philadelphia in 2016.   Backed by Mike Staub on vocals and bass, David Henderson on guitar and Bill Mac on drums. They make a thunderous sound that brings on their own strain of punk.   With four albums under their belt,  live shows, airtime and awesome songs like the Itch, Motor Mouth, Addicted, and Soapbox, these guys are going places! They are right up there with the Ramones, Blondie and The Clash.   Note:  I got to say this, when reading up to do this review I was totally amazed that Billy and Amanda are father and daughter I totally dig it and I'm feeling the love! ...

*they have since parted ways. Still this is damn good. The Pollies exude smooth humility. The band’s camaraderie is evident. They imbue insouciance when playing their way. The  need to not rush their synchronized playing is definitive Pollies’ style. They can hang with anyone. It’s obvious they are cooly content to play for an audience. Still, if you don’t show up, physically or emotionally, They are going to play exactly the same way. Attempt to stay off your phone during live sets of music. The Pollies are a band to be savored. This music marinated in my brain before I put pen to paper. I did write it up long hand. It felt appropriate. While listening to the Pollies pair nostalgia with modern musical arrangements, I let myself get lost in their good vibrations. They chose their band name after someone's Grandmother for fuck sake. As Brian Wilson sang,  “I guess I just wasn’t made for these times”. It's too rushed, too much screen time. I want...

Flow Tribe: Flow Tribe the band is exactly as their name portrays. By definition FLOW is to “go from one place to another in a steady stream, typically in large numbers.” This six piece pack stays busy going on tour and bringing down the house at different venues around the United States. TRIBE by definition is known as a “social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities.” To be in a band you need to be like family or else society will tear you apart piece by piece leaving nothing left but a memory. This tribe of six is full of New Orleans natives and have been a wolf pack since 2004 when they were founded. And we thank the heavens they haven’t ceased their existence.  Front-man KC O’Rorke, raps, he sings, he dances and plays trumpet. He really is a true showman/entertainer. O’Rorke and his backing band have given us some brilliant music over the years. Their live performance is equivalent to a circus, without the animal cruelty. They br...