Category: Band of the Week

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Artist of the Week: Katie Moore

 

I witnessed Katie Moore live last September in Canada during the Emerging Music Festival. While going through my music collection recently I stumbled on her latest release, Montebello. Moore told me that the self-funded album took four years to produce with her friends and fellow Canadian musicians from rock band Plants and Animals. With emotive vocals showcasing her heartbreaking, yet relatable lyrics, Moore blends old country, folk, bluegrass and rock influences for a standout release.

Songs like album opener “Something On Your Mind” captivate the listener with her wavering vibrato and whispered vocals. Alongside impressive guitar licks, striking piano and fitting percussion, the song strikes a chord.

When she’s not performing her own music, Moore tours with friend and rapper Socalled.

“We were neighbors in Montreal and we shared a back alley. He lived in this basement apartment that everyone would go into through the kitchen window and hang out,” she said. “He knew that I sang and thought that it was country music. I like country music, I just feel like if you were into country music you wouldn’t call it that. It’s folky and rootsy. It’s a bit similar to rock country from the 60s with some organs and keys, but it’s nothing like today’s country music which is sort of like pop music.”

While she doesn’t classify herself as country, it didn’t stop Socalled from collaborating with Moore. He found the sample, “There is nothing so unusual about being a Jewish cowboy” and decided to make a Jewish cowboy song and enlisted Moore’s help.

“I wrote the words and I sang. That was the first thing we did together. The song is called “You Are Never Alone” and it became a hit in France because he’s on a French label and then he asked me to tour with him. I don’t know how it got to where it is today where I do most of the singing, but it’s pretty fun.”

Socalled later contributed to Moore’s release, playing piano on many of the tracks.

Moore says she gets inspired by things that people say. One song in particular she contributes to her guitarist.

“If someone will say something I’ll write it down. Our guitar player came over my house for rehearsal once and he’s known for his great expressions. He was really hung over and he said, ‘I can’t wake up every day like this, Katie.’ And I was like, “Wake Up Like This!” And I wrote a song for it.”

While she has her guitarist to thank for the song’s inspiration, Moore’s songwriting chops earned her the SOCAN ECHO Songwriting Prize, beating out nominees Arcade Fire, Austra, Handsome Furs, and PS I Love You.

“Wake Up Like This” showcases her country roots with slowed, raspy vocals, and title track “Montebello” has more of a R&B feel with distinct drum and organ elements, further exhibiting her versatility.

Never afraid to reveal too much in a song, Moore says music is therapy.

“If I don’t feel really strongly about a song it’s painful to play it again and again because it feels like a fraud. Sometimes if you’re missing a line somewhere and if I were to try to put in anything because it sounds good, I know that it’s not real.”

Having beat out Arcade Fire and continuing to tour, Moore isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

“I’m working on songwriting. I feel like in 15 years I’ll be pretty good. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

For more on Katie Moore, visit her Website.

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week

Band of the Week: Howlin Rain

Described as “A psychedelic cocktail of Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Faces, the Damned and author Raymond Carver” by Rolling Stone, Howlin Rain is no doubt a band to watch. Their upcoming release, The Russian Wilds, is a captivating mix of solid rock & roll with Southern and jam band influences. With minute long instrumental interludes, striking vocals and captivating percussion and guitar accompaniment, Howlin Rain grabs the listener.

The San Francisco quintet’s third LP, The Russian Wilds embodies all the components of a standout album. Each track offers a new side to the band and whether it’s ear-grabbing vocals, impressive guitar riffs or impeccable percussion parts, it’s nearly impossible to not hit that repeat button.

“There was a point when we were really trying to blend Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, Steely Dan’s Gaucho and Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness On The Edge of Town,” says frontman Ethan Miller. “There’s a sense of audacity to these records — a band chasing down strong, invisible connections — and there’s moments like that on our record. We didn’t always do the smartest or safest things.”

The standout “Phantom In the Valley” blends genres with distinct rock influence at the song’s start before a Latin flavor with horn features and seductive vocals enter mid-track. As soaring vocals that bring to mind Queen crescendo five minutes in, it is evident that Howlin Rain are in a league of their own.

Listen to “Phantom In the Valley” on SoundCloud here.

Able to transition from the high energy rock numbers to ballads effortlessly, songs like “Strange Thunder” showcase the band’s more serious side. With ethereal vocals by Miller, delicate guitar strumming and light percussion for five minutes, the nearly nine minute track picks up mid-song with powerful guitar riffs, a heavier bass component and surprisingly forceful vocals. Likewise, the mostly instrumental “…Still Walking, Still Stone” embodies jazz elements with a beautiful piano introduction, soothing background vocals and impressive guitar chops.

A versatile album, Howlin Rain’s The Russian Wilds is due for release February 14. About to kick off their tour, Howlin Rain performs next week in New York. Catch them February 7 at Mercury Lounge and February 8 at Brooklyn Bowl. For more on the band and complete tour dates, visit their Website.

I have a pair of tickets for their intimate, invite-only acoustic set at The Living Room in New York City on Monday, February 6. To enter for your chance to win, e-mail me the answer to the below question. Good luck!

What band was Ethan Miller in when he started Howlin Rain?

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Concert Reviews

Artist of the Week: James Morrison

Last week, James Morrison performed an intimate NYC showcase for fans at Dominion NY. For just under an hour, the UK singer-songwriter played material from his latest release, The Awakening, as well as older fan favorites. All the while, he told the stories behind many of his songs alongside quirky banter of him trying to talk in an American accent.

The soulful singer kicked off the night with the emotional “6 Weeks.” Powerful backup vocalists, soaring keyboard interludes and a driving percussion beat flushed out the track. The poignant “In My Dreams” followed suit. A song he wrote for his father who passed away a few years ago, he dedicated the track to “anyone out there who has lost someone.” With heartfelt vocals and a slowed beat, the song struck a chord.

Aptly titled, “Say Something Now,” Morrison told the audience that the track was written when his girlfriend wasn’t talking to him. “I wrote her a song to persuade her . . . she still doesn’t talk to me,” he joked. Bluesy electric guitar parts blended impeccably with Morrison’s raspy singing style.

Easily able to switch gears from serious subjects like death and heartbreak to more lighthearted, upbeat numbers, Morrison proved himself as a standout performer. The powerful “Up” was written from firsthand experience.

“This song started out as a personal song for my dad and it became a single,” he said. “Every time I play it, it reminds me of the feeling I felt when I wrote it.”

A massive Michael Jackson fan, Morrison said “Slave to the Music” was inspired by the King of Pop. The danceable number had the crowd clapping along throughout the song’s entirety.  Fan favorites included older numbers like “You Give Me Something,” Morrison’s first big hit. Written years ago, he said he’s still in love with the girl he wrote the song for. With sexy vocals and captivating keyboard features throughout, he had fans singing along word for word.

“This is just a little taste of what’s to come in April and May, so I hope to see you again then,” Morrison said before he closed his set with “Wonderful World.” As he neared the edge of the stage signing autographs for fans, there was no doubt that they’d be back in a few months time.

Watch Morrison’s interview and live performance on “Today” below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Interviews Q&A

Band of the Week: Ben Tap Soul

On any given night in New York you can stumble into a venue that’s hosting a hip-hop dance party, rappers or a live band. But, have you ever seen a tap dancing rapper that combines all three?

Meet Benjamin Ryan Nathan.

He’s a performer that combines all his skills into one performance, and he’ll hit the East Village Thursday night for a performance.

“There’s always that reaction, ‘You tap and you rap? What does that look like?’” Nathan admits. “There’s a lot of intrigue around that because people have had so much exposure to tap as children. And then to see it again as an adult and see it in a different way that’s not in a dance class, in a venue that’s onstage with popular music, it’s interesting.”

Combining rap and tap is a long process for Nathan, which often begins with lyrics.

“I write lyrics whenever it comes to me, a lot of times it’s on the train,” he said. “I create structure of the song first and then once I get together with the rest of the band and they’re writing their musical parts I’ll bring in the beats and see where that fits. It’s an experimentation together starting with the lyrics first.”

As with creating a song, Nathan’s routine is always getting tailored to his surroundings.

“Often I have to bring my own floor with me. It’s about figuring out what the space constraints are, how much I can move around, how it will be audible with musicians. My first question always is, ‘Will they have a wood floor?’”

Nathan didn’t want to audition when the National Dance Institute came to his school in the fourth grade. Today, though, he can’t imagine what his life would be like without dance.

“I definitely wouldn’t have become a dancer or a filmmaker if it wasn’t for this program in particular. It helped me get outside of myself and be able to get onstage in front of a community,” he said.

While Nathan admits there were challenges over the years, one being that it’s never easy being a young boy taking dance classes, he said he has always been an individual.

“I think I’ve learned from a young age that people are going to judge what I do. It’s just a question of really pursuing what matters. To me, I feel like tap is in my blood and I can’t not do it,” he said. “I’m always tapping, whether it’s tapping my fingers, or tapping my feet or tapping in my mind. It’s just how I express myself. I tap because I love it but I also tap because I have to.”

At the end of his first year dancing he performed onstage at Madison Square Garden with 1,000 other kids from New York Public Schools. He loved dancing onstage so much he decided to stick with it and soon discovered tap.

“I would go to jam sessions with older tap dancers at Swing 46. It was encouraging and supportive. Everyone would come and dance,” he said. “The other way I learned tap was by just watching. I would get my hands on any video tape on great tap dancers and just watch it again and again in my room and try to copy the steps.”

As a teen he started rapping and once college came around, Nathan decided to combine his tap and rap skills.

“I started a band in college called Ben Tap Soul and we started to experiment with how we can bring the tap and rap together with musicians. Instead of hip-hop beats behind it, there is actually live music being created with all of these elements.”

Additionally, Nathan has started to loop his tapping into his live band performance, providing an entirely new element into his live show.

“It’s great. I love to push the envelope. It’s important to keep pushing new ideas and surprising people and bringing it to a new audience and level,” he said. “It’s always been important to use the skills I have in a positive way. I call it conscious rap. There’s a Hasidic saying that music is the language of the soul. When you put music out there, it’s speaking people’s language and it’s important to know what you’re putting out.”

Ben Tap Soul performs tonight at Alphabet Lounge at 8 p.m. For additional tour dates in February, visit their Website.

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week

Artist of the Week: Matthew Perryman Jones

I first witnessed Matthew Perryman Jones live in 2008 and was blown away by his songwriting talent and striking vocals. Performing tracks off his release, Swallow the Sea, including hit “Save You,” Jones impressed a packed room at New York’s The Living Room.

Since then, the Nashville musician has released three solo albums, co-written standout tracks for artists including Mat Kearney and Zach Williams, as well as traveled the country with Ten out of Tenn, a group of musicians from Tennessee. Not to mention, many of his songs have been featured on television dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Jones has garnered comparisons to U2 with his thoughtful lyrics and powerful singing style. With a new album in the works,  Jones will no doubt continue to leave a lasting impression on his listeners.

Songs like the beautiful “Until the Last Falling Star” off The Distance In Between strike a chord with soaring string features and Jones’ poignant vocals. With delicate strokes of the piano next to light percussion features, never overpowering the emotional tale within the song, it is the perfect musical blend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__V68Y1exZM

Last year, Jones released Until the Dawn Appears, an impressive compilation of new versions of some of his most acclaimed works in addition to two new songs never before released. While the more stripped down and haunting take of previous hit “Save You” captivates with string and piano interludes, others such as “Waiting On the Light to Change” leaves its mark with hand snapped rhythms and Jones’ wavering vocals.

For more on Matthew Perryman Jones, be sure to visit his Website and catch him on tour in January with Griffin House (flier above). Download “Looking For You Again,” co-written with Williams and featured on “Grey’s Anatomy” here.

Related Links:
• Q&A with Matthew Perryman Jones
• Matthew Perryman Jones’ Intimate Performance at New York’s Living Room
• Artist to Watch: Trent Dabbs
• Q&A with Mat Kearney
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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Features Q&A

Band of the Week: Apollo Run

Apollo Run performed to a packed room last night at Mercury Lounge. Dubbed their “Dragon Party,” the set included many of the tracks off their newly released EP, Here Be Dragons, Vol II. Blending a three-piece horn section, powerful keyboards, intriguing bass accompaniment and a heart pounding drum beat, the band impressed.

“Dragon Party are you ready?” frontman John McGrew asked the crowd before the band began their set. “Dragon Party is where we’ve been and we’re we’re going,” drummer Graham Fisk later added before McGrew took the stage in a dragon mask while singing the powerful “Fireman.”

Energy jumped off the stage and onto the floor as fans danced and screamed along. One even held a sign high in the air which read, “We Love You Mr. John.” Mr. John, aka frontman John McGrew, leads a double life as Apollo Run’s lead singer and music teacher at a nursery school in Brooklyn.

Throughout the set, McGrew’s striking vocals captivated. While his voice soared impeccably when alone on keyboard, at times the blasting horn and bass beat overpowered. The audience didn’t seem to mind though, as they sang along word for word. Apollo Run ended their set onstage with the beautiful holiday track, “All In Good Time,” dedicated to McGrew’s father, before the trio joined the audience on the floor with the energetic “H B D.” With foot stomping and hand clapped rhythms, Apollo Run showed everyone what they’re made of.

For more on Apollo Run, read my interview with McGrew on CBS and visit their Website.  The band is currently working on their debut full length due out next year. Watch the band play “Fireman” below.

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week

Band of the Week: The Wood Brothers

New Yorkers got a special treat late November when The Wood Brothers played a free set at Patagonia Tin Shed. The opening party for the Upper East Side store, the band impressed with their seamless blend of Americana, folk, blues and country throughout their 90-minute set.

With wavering harmonica, striking vocals and a steady drum beat, The Wood Brothers had the entire store tapping their feet along while nodding in unison. Throughout their performance, the band played many tracks off their latest release, Smoke Ring Halo, as well as older fan favorites. Set opener, “When I Was Young” drew the audience in with fast-paced bass and intricate acoustic guitar parts while the soulful title track featured spot-on harmonies between brothers Chris and Oliver Wood.

“We’ve played some unusual gigs before and well, this is one of them,” Oliver Wood joked.

Set up at the front of the store surrounded by racks of clothing, it was no doubt a unique venue for the band. As the night drew on, music fans entered the store, some who soon found themselves dancing along.

The stripped down “Chocolate On My Tongue” slowed the set, but not for too long. Soon after, standout track “Shoofly Pie” impressed with a distinct Southern twang and foot-stomping rhythms.

While the fast-paced tracks showcased the band’s prowess, it was slower ballads like “Postcards From Hell” that left the biggest mark.

“We’re going to play a song about the spiritual qualities and musical healing of art,” Oliver said while he introduced “Postcards From Hell” off their second album, Loaded. With slowed guitar strumming, delicate bass and harmonica accompaniment and Oliver’s soft vocals, the track struck a chord.

A fan favorite, one concertgoer was pleasantly surprised that the band played the song.

“I go to hundreds of concerts a year and these guys are the best,” he told me. As their 17-song set came to a close, I had to agree.

Be sure to watch The Wood Brothers perform live in New Orleans Monday, December 5 at 7:30PM Eastern/6:30PM Central, on liveset.com. For more, watch them perform “Shoofly Pie” below.

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Concert Reviews

Band of the Week: Blackberry Smoke

 

Earlier this month, Atlanta based Blackberry Smoke transformed New York’s Hill Country basement into a hillbilly hoedown of sorts, to steal words from their track “Up In Smoke.”

 

“We’re playing in the basement in New York City and it’s beautiful. We came to boogie, didn’t we?” frontman Charlie Starr asked the energetic crowd.

 

With screams and raised beer bottles, the audience agreed.

 

The band exudes classic Southern rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd. It comes as no surprise then, that Blackberry Smoke have shared the stage with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Shooter Jennings, Cross Canadian Ragweed, among others.

 

Their set November 2 at Hill Country combined gritty electric guitar riffs, rollicking keyboards, a steady drumbeat and Starr’s charismatic stage presence, making for a captivating show.  Blending Southern rock, country and blues, the soulful act had everyone in the basement dancing and clapping along.

 

Performing for nearly two hours, one hour in Starr let the crowd know that they weren’t going anywhere.

 

“Don’t get in a hurry, we’ve got a lot of boogieing left to do,” he said.

 

While Blackberry Smoke performed many of the tracks off their most recent release, Little Piece of Dixie, including their hit “Good One Comin’ On” and the stand-out “Restless,” their two hour set spanned their catalog with older fan favorites like the bluesy “Son Of A Bourbon.”

 

In between songs, the lively crowd would frequently scream song requests that were often fulfilled soon after. With a killer live show and collaborations with George Jones and Jamey Johnson, Blackberry Smoke continue to impress. With any luck, they’ll soon become a household name.

 

For more on Blackberry Smoke, visit their Website. Watch their video for “Good One Comin’ On” below.

 

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Concert Reviews

Band of the Week: The Drums

The Drums played to a sold-out crowd Monday night at Bowery Ballroom. Their third New York show and final North American tour date before a stint of performances in Europe, the Brooklyn based band proved just why they’ve become one of New York’s most buzzed about bands.

With dance along beats, driving percussion and a charismatic frontman, The Drums showcased their staying power. In fact, it was hard not to be captivated by Jonny Pierce flailing his body around the stage, mic in hand and arms contorted in various positions throughout the show.

Their 80-minute set combined fan favorites from their self-titled debut release and current LP, Portamento. While energetic single “Money” had the audience singing and dancing along, tracks like “If He Likes It Let Him Do It” slowed down the pace of the night with deeper vocals and an intriguing drum beat.

“Oh New York, you’re making us feel so great. It feels so therapeutic to us and kind of heals us,” Pierce told his hometown crowd. “We have to go to Europe in 20 days but we’d love to stay in New York for the rest of our lives.”

Concertgoers shared the same sentiment as many screamed out song requests, most of which were later performed. From songs about Pierce’s dead dog to a track dedicated to Girl Scouts everywhere, the band impressed with layered textures, dark bass parts and enticing synthesizer. Though they won’t be staying in New York for long, the band’s next homecoming is sure to be equally well received.

For more on The Drums, visit their Website. Be sure to watch their album-themed web series, “Visiomento,” (episode 1 below.) Each Tuesday, the band airs a new episode through their website and YouTube page, featuring song previews, special guests, exclusive interviews, in-studio performances and more. To watch each episode, click here.

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Artist of the Week Band of the Week Q&A

Band of the Week: We Are Augustines

Earlier this month, We Are Augustines captivated a sold-out crowd at Bowery Ballroom. Their second of four performances at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon, they had festival-goers screaming along song after song. While tracks like the poignant “Chapel Song” captivated with emotive lyrics, others like the bass heavy “Headlong Into the Abyss” stood out with sweeping guitar and horn features.

After having their album on repeat for days, I chatted with frontman Billy McCarthy about his songwriting process, the band and what it’s like playing live. Formed after the demise of former band, Pela, McCarthy explained the start of Brooklyn-based We Are Augustines.

“I think we had an abbreviated run with our last band and we felt like there was so much more to say so it was worth our time to refocus our lives to do it,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy writes candidly about his life within his music, something he likens to running down the street screaming your journal to rooms full of people.

“Honestly, it’s not always easy to talk about stuff in the literal sense and have to keep redoing it every night but I think it depends what kind of art you’re doing,” he says. “It is personal and I guess that’s just my commitment to the music that we’re making. I just want to be honest. It’s not always easy, but that’s what it is.”

While on stage, McCarthy says a mixture of thoughts run through his head.

“Every single night it’s different, it has a different feel, a different color, a different smell. It’s a lot of reaction to that. The lyrics . . . sometimes it’s a great feeling of relief and sometimes, when I sing in the moment they hurt a little bit. It’s like this big mash up of emotions for an hour. It’s an interesting thing to do with your life.”

You can read my interview with McCarthy on CBS. Below are additional questions that didn’t make it into the writeup.

What is your songwriting process like?
I think I’ll take a song any way I can get it. Maybe one that’s a little more imagined that’s in your head before you even get to an instrument. Or, it’s keeping your eyes open for something that’s happening in the moment. It’s funny. There are songs that happen very quickly.

There’s a song on our record called “Augustine.” I wrote it in the morning, wrote the lyrics in the hotel room and recorded it the next day and it was done. And then there are songs that you work on for eight months. A song, “Headlong into the Abyss,” that song was just really difficult to get control over. It was like a wild horse or something. I just couldn’t reel it in, and then you do. Sometimes you find that you work on a song for months and the song’s frankly not really that good but you just can’t stop trying to wrap your mind around it and get it out. It’s just about getting stuff out.

Do you have a favorite song to play live?
They’re all special to me. I like them all. Some of them are easier than others, just technically. But some of them are really difficult with your fingers and moving around it can be a little hard. Some of them you’re just so happy because it’s like a Cadillac cruising down the highway, a big old boat, just cruising, it’s easy. And then some of them are little nimble, challenging ones.

Is there a song that means more to you now then when first written?
No. I guess I’m like a mother hen with the songs. But there are songs that I didn’t think were very good or didn’t come out very good that I go back and I have a different relationship with them now. They say different things to me now, or they kind of make me smile.

Currently on the road with Glasvegas, visit their Web site for more information. Watch their video for “Chapel Song” below.