Lansdale, Pennsylvania’s LMI is tough to pin down stylistically, so please don’t take that big “PUNK” above this write-up too literally. LMI isn’t punk in the sense that they trade in three-chord anthems and bratty dispositions, but rather it has a youthful willingness to try just about anything under the heavy music sun. Its most […]
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Album review: ‘Sit & Smile’
Willow Bay “Sit & Smile” Self-released willowbay.bandcamp.com Let’s see now: thickly chopped power chords; snotty vocals; clever songs; little or no excessive guitar noodling; accelerated tempo. Lemme guess, it’s the new Green Day. No? Then it’s the Foxboro Hot Tubs? No? This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Rochester punkers Willow Bay’s “Sit & Smile” […]
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POST-HARDCORE | Thrice
For a band on the precipice of entering its 20th year, Thrice still sounds as vital as ever. While the group of kids who wrote the blistering post-hardcore anthems found on 2002’s fantastic “The Illusion of Safety” and 2003’s major label follow-up, “The Artist in the Ambulance,” have done a lot of growing up over […]
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Album review: ‘Algorithmic Soul’
Red Sky Lullaby “Algorithmic Soul” Self-released redskylullaby.com Red Sky Lullaby’s new “Algorithmic Soul” is the soundtrack to lunar-bound, waking dreams in all of its narcotic splendor and ambience. Red Sky Lullaby is the one-man-mission of producer Stuart Kilbride, who paints an infinite expanse of colorful wonderment. It’s chill and mellow to the max. But before […]
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HIP-HOP | Scarface
Scarface is probably your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. Nas has listed “Mr. Scarface is Back” (the Houston emcee’s 1991 solo debut) as one of his favorite hip-hop albums; Killer Mike has called Scarface the greatest of all time; and Jay-Z in his book “Decoded” writes he’s “maybe the first truly great lyricist to come out […]
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VOCAL/HOLIDAY | ‘A City Sings for the Season’
Nothing quite says “holiday celebration” like a community-wide event to benefit others in our city. This Sunday, Rochester Oratorio Society will host the fourth annual “A City Sings for the Season” at the Stardust Ballroom. This free concert is notable for the sheer number of ensembles and artists set to perform: the Rochester Oratorio Society’s […]
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SOUL | Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People
Danielle Ponder’s voice is a peerless blend of strength and smoothness. The charismatic singer and her band, The Tomorrow People, have long galvanized audiences with their infectious pop-R&B sound and dynamic message of love, understanding, and social justice. On Friday, Ponder and company will take it to the next level when they return to The […]
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JAZZ | Larry Carlton
There’s smooth jazz and then there’s the music of Larry Carlton, who is just too good to be pigeonholed under that label. That’s Carlton you hear on Joni Mitchell’s “Court And Spark” album. And that’s him playing the great guitar solo on Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne.” And then there are his four Grammy Awards, including […]
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ROCK ‘N’ ROLL | The Regrettes
The Regrettes’s video for its song “Seashore” features singer Lydia Night being burned at the stake like Joan of Arc while suggesting I go fuck myself. And that’s all it took, really — I’m in love with this band from Los Angeles. It’s straight-out-of-the-garage pop with a bite from punk rock teeth. It’s The Ramones […]
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Forever sunshine
Cammy Enaharo is easily filling a large role in Rochester’s indie music scene. The 25-year-old, ukulele-strumming, singer-songwriter performs solo acoustic shows on a regular basis and plays with several local bands, including Pleistocene and Ben Morey and The Eyes. She also recently got involved in a new project, Gold Koa, with Matt Battle and Kamara […]
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BASS | Shlump
Michael Petzel, aka Shlump, made his musical start on classical guitar, but in 2009 began an electric portion of his career. His production and composition style resonates a balance of electric-pop, glitch-hop, and even hardstyle — subtly reflecting a sound design like duo Dodge & Fuski. His Soundcloud profile proclaims the moniker “Alien bass music.” Also on the […]
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JAZZ | Joe Policastro Trio
The Joe Policastro Trio has all of the ingredients of a typical jazz trio, with Policastro on bass, Dave Miller on guitar, and Mikel Patrick Avery, drums. But this Chicago-based outfit has a sound all its own. Each musician is a phenomenal player capable of reinventing his instrument and expanding its horizons. Even the repertoire is nicely […]
