SOUNDCHECK from WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

You don’t have to be familiar with the wild late night NuBlu scene in the East Village to know Forró In The Dark's music is mean to be played under the cover of night. 

The band is named after forró, a type of Northeastern Brazil dance music. The New York based Brazilian ex-pats give traditional music an update with jazz, rock, psychedelia, folk and charismatic and attentive rhythms.

Since their formation in 2002 (beginning as a birthday entertainment for lead singer, Mauro Refosco), Forró In The Dark has worked with musicians like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace and David Byrne among others. Working with Western rock and pop musicians has only fueled their cross-cultural sound, and in their latest album Forro Zinho: Forro in the Dark Plays Zorn, the group takes on American avant-garde sax player/composer John Zorn's works with a Brazilian twist.

Listen to their performance: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/forro-in-the-dark-in-studio/

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Evan Caminiti Live on Soundcheck

Evan Caminiti's soundscapes bring to mind the work of Brian Eno and other electronic, avant-garde musicians.  His past works – both solo and with his other project, Barn Owl – were rooted in sweeping, manipulated guitar drones, but his latest album, Meridian, focuses on synthesizers, combining Caminiti’s post-minimalist techniques with the micro-sounds of “glitch” electronica.  Oh, and Caminiti says it’s meant to be played loud.

The album is named after the concept of energy flowing through the body along different paths, called meridians. Some of that energy flows in the Soundcheck studio as Caminiti, who has promised to do some rare solo touring this year, visits for a live performance

Listen to Evan Caminiti performing live in the Soundcheck studio: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/evan-caminiti-in-studio/

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Sharkmuffin, Live on Soundcheck

Read and listen to the full article here.  

In film, they call it the "meet cute" - the moment when two strangers lock eyes and ignite a cinematic classic. In music there isn't necessarily a name for a band's formation or meeting, but that instance can inform the group's music just as deeply. For Brooklyn's Sharkmuffin, their "meet cute" occurred July 4, 2012 at a beach house that was later destroyed by Hurricane Sandy - a possible reason why the band's music is visceral, explosive, sharp and a little dangerous. Tarra Thiessen (guitar, vocals, theremin, pocket piano) and Natalie Kirch (bass, vocals, claps) make up the core of the band, with often rotating drummers. Counting from their album artwork, an illustration of themselves and all of the drummers to have played with the group, they've employed 13. One of which was Death Valley Girls and Hole's Patty Schemel who recorded on their latest and first full-length LP, Chartreuse.

The album has the punk attitude of the riot grrrl movement and the musicality of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It covers gritty and very real subjects: first dates, favorite colors, violent emotions felt on Mondays and even feminine products. Some songs might provoke laughter just from their titles, like "Tampons Are For Sluts" and "Mermaid Sex Slave," but Sharkmuffin is dead serious. Hear them perform their short slap-in-the-face songs live in our studio.

Photos By: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

George Ezra, like many young adults exiting their teens, had big dreams.

Unlike many young adults, his dreams very much came true. Discovered on Youtube when he was only 18, George Ezra’s career has skyrocketed. His irresistible hit “Budapest” made it into the World Singles Top 40 chart for 19 consecutive weeks. In that time, George Ezra toured Europe and North America, bringing his earnest sound to stages from Le Bataclan in Paris to our very own Beacon Theatre. His deep, soulful voice and his easygoing lyricism belie the fact that he's still only 21.

Listen to his performance and interview: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/george-ezra-in-studio/

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Listen to the full performance: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/emily-king-in-studio/

Emily King’s debut, East Side Story, was nominated for a Grammy back in 2008 in the “Contemporary R&B” category. But King’s latest album, The Switch, has more of a classic soul vibe. It glides through orchestral R&B hooks, poppy, syncopated rhythms with simple and soulful melodies. It’s spawned a couple of striking videos – “Distance” especially has gathered a lot of attention – and after years of opening for artists like John Legend, Alicia Keys and Sara Bareilles, Emily has just completed a headlining tour of the East Coast. But before her band members went their separate ways, everyone gathered in our studio for one final performance. 

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Watch George Ezra perform ‘Barcelona’ and ‘Blame It On Me’ live in the Soundcheck studio.

[soundcheckradio]

For fans of the band Violent Femmes, this year has turned out to be a pretty happy one. The trio sold millions of records during the heyday of alternative rock in the '80s and '90s, but hadn’t released any new music since 2000. And things seemed bleak for Violent Femmes fans in 2009 when internal legal wrangling led the band to actually break up. But then came a surprise reunion at Coachella in 2013, and this spring, a new 4-song EP called Happy New Year. The group is now on a summer tour and they’ve stopped by the studio to play some of their new songs, and an old favorite as well.

Listen to their performance: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/violent-femmes/

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Hear Sam Lee’s deep croons and intricate vocals as they breathe life into forgotten stories live in the Soundcheck studio.

[nprmusic]

Sufjan Stevens, a surprise James Taylor performance, Jason Isbell and more: this was Saturday at the 2015 newportfolkfest. Check npr.org/newportfolkfestivalsoon for archived audio of selected sets.

All photos: adamkissick for NPR

[npr]

Catch up on photos and audio from the Newport Folk Festival! -Emily

[soundcheckradio]

Watch Eszter Balint Perform In Studio

Listen to the podcast: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/eszter-balint/

Balint is a long-time musician; she's been making music since her early teen years. She grew up with in an avant-garde theater family in New York. Moving from Hungary when Balint was 11, the family would perform from their storefront on W. 23rd. You can sense the deep-rooted European influences in Balint's music but her newest album Airless Midnight sounds more Sleater-Kinney than Eastern-Euro folk. She effortlessly combines the raw elements of punk and rock with a gentle sophistication.

[soundcheckradio]

Watch Girlpool Perform in the Soundcheck Studio

Girlpool's uncompromisingly honest punk is comforting; like an intimate embrace haunted by self-realization. The drumless duo, Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, use driving guitar, raw melodies and pregnant pauses to create a raw and full sound. It's a new way to look at punk—rather than a hard-edged rebellion it's a vulnerable yearning. The pair formed as teenagers in L.A. and have since moved to Philadelphia.

The group isn't afraid to imagine an "Ideal World" or to look back at wearing matching dresses with mom in "When The World Was Small." Tucker and Tividad's warm memories take shape into deep, no-nonsense lyrics. Lo-fi production evokes that existential nostalgia—fitting since Girlpool was named after a chapter in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. Their first full-length album, Before The World Was Big, is out now and wanders through delicate emotions with candid and simple arrangements.

Read more and listen to the podcast here: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/girlpool-in-studio/

Girlpool: ‘Dear Nora,’ Live On Soundcheck

Girlpool: ‘Before The World Was Big,’ Live On Soundcheck

Girlpool: ‘Crowded Stranger,’ Live On Soundcheck

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Watch Titus Andronicus Live In The Soundcheck Studio

Named after an especially violent Shakespeare tragedy, Titus Andronicus has been playing an increasingly expansive type of punk since forming in New Jersey in 2005. The band can range from blistering to cheerful, Broadway to "Bohemian Rhapsody." Their stylistic influences are manifold but the music is always grounded with educated, poetic and sometimes prickly lyrics.

Frontman and writer Patrick Stickles uses themes of American history, philosophy and sociopolitical theory to address modern life---and a few of his own demons. 2010's The Monitor was set with the American Civil War as its backdrop. The group's new double album,The Most Lamentable Tragedy (out July 28), is a 29-song rock opera in five acts, which has spawned a 15-minute short film with more apparently on the way. Listen to the band tear through a few of their new tunes live in the Soundcheck studio.

Read More and listen to the podcast here: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/titus-andronicus/

Titus Andronicus: ‘Dimed Out’ Live On Soundcheck

Titus Andronicus: ‘Fatal Flaw,’ Live On Soundcheck

Titus Andronicus: ‘Fired Up,’ Live On Soundcheck

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Listen to Richard Thompson in the Soundcheck studio: http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/richard-thompson-in-studio/

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Leon Bridges in the Soundcheck studio. Hear his performance and interview at Soundcheck.org.

Pictures by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

[soundcheckradio]

Hear Great Lake Swimmers play live in the Soundcheck studio at Soundcheck.org. 

Photos by: Bailey Constas / WNYC

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Speedy Ortiz performing in the Soundcheck studio!

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The Maccabees perform in the Soundcheck studio.