Meet the musical chameleon at the forefront of the Finger Lakes roots scene.
Rockabilly
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Saint Free fuses rockabilly grit with soulful reggae rock beats on ‘Tussio’
On this daring sophomore release, Saint Free pairs inventive wordplay with a fusion of stylistic influences to tell clever and entertaining stories.
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Album review: ‘Modern Sounds in Rockabilly Blues, Vol. 1 & 2’
The Manda-Tones ‘Modern Sounds in Rockabilly Blues, Vol. 1 & 2’ Self-released themandatones.bandcamp.com If you’re looking to up the size of your jumpin’ and pumpin’ record collection, you can call the search off and wrap your sticky mitts around The Manda-Tones’ “Modern Sounds in Rockabilly Blues, Vol. 1 & 2.” This is a big collection […]
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Album review: ‘The Big Sound’
Wyatt Coin ‘The Big Sound’ Rockshow Records wyattcoin.bandcamp.com Wyatt Coin is a down-home punk, country, and rockabilly quartet currently based in Buffalo. Formed in 2014, the band has since released an EP and two live albums, and has played the vans Warped Tour twice. Wyatt Coin’s first full-length studio album "The Big Sound" – produced […]
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Album review: ‘Krypton 88’
Krypton 88 ‘Krypton 88’ Self-released Krpyton 88 on facebook.com The Rochester rockabilly raconteurs of Krypton 88 have really gone and done it now. I ran into guitarist Jim Via and he handed me the trio’s new eponymous record, which he kind of dismissed as “three old guys playing honky-tonk in the basement.” Age is arbitrary, […]
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Album review: ‘Blue Darling’
Aaron Lipp & The Slacktones ‘Blue Darling’ Self-released on Temple Cabin Records aaronlipp.com The sweet country-swing emanating from the grooves of Aaron Lipp and the Slacktones’ brand new single is intoxicating. Is it Lipp’s haphazard phrasing? The soft moan of the pedal steel? The casual 2/4 lope to and fro on the string bass? Yes, […]
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Album review: ‘Simple Case of the Blues’
Rosie Flores ‘Simple Case of the Blues’ The Last Music Company roseieflores.com So they’re calling it a blues record, huh? Well I’m here to tell ya it’s so much more. Rosie Flores’ brand-new “Simple Case of the Blues” touches upon everything that makes us like the blues and love Flores. The epitome of it all […]
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INTERVIEW: Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot
Brian Setzer is the gateway drug. It doesn’t matter how cool you think you are, if you’re of this generation and know anything about rockabilly, you learned it because of Brian Setzer. If artists like Warren Smith, The Johnny Burnette Trio, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran are in your record collection, it’s because of Brian […]
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Hope sings eternal
Sure, Lara Hope has a crackerjack band that knows how to flood a dancefloor with its cool, custom bop and swing. And The Ark-Tones know where the traditions stand as they forge fresh tracks to avoid the mildew and clutter. But what’ll grab you and won’t let go is Hope’s creamy contralto. Whereas a lot […]
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Album review: ‘Rodeo Radio’
Mad Cow Tippers “Rodeo Radio” Self-released facebook.com/madcowtippers Mad Cow Tippers temper its rockabilly with hysterical misappropriation of the genre’s traditions. The band’s new album, “Rodeo Radio,” opens with a spot-on Scotty Moore, slap-back lament over a song about addiction to cable TV before morphing into singing praises of Amazon’s Kindle Fire. MCT will have you […]
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McKinley James plays beyond his years
The joint was packed and jumping. It was shoulder to shoulder on a hot Rochester night when McKinley James took the Harro East Ballroom stage. The crowd came on like a groundswell. There was nothing standing between James and the nearly 1,000 voracious spectators except for his red guitar. He had missed freshman orientation at […]
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I Scene It: A Pony Named Olga at Abilene
A Pony Named Olga. The barkeep was raving extreme tossing out guarantees for free. Step right up. I concluded I had to go. Dodging the raindrops, I came upon the scene at Abilene to a thunderous giddy-up coming through the joints pores and doors. I can think of better names, but I can’t think of […]
