The Be Word

a lowly music blog, mostly focusing on the tri-state (NY - CT - NJ) specializing in: - reviews, - interviews - music news SUBMIT YOUR ART, MUSIC, or WRITING for coverage BY EMAIL---> [email protected]

[thebeword]

Review: "Blind Sober" by Little Big Toe

Last we checked in with Jimmy James Cutrera was March of 2013, he had just released his first full length Coin Toss Timelines, which wow-ed audiences with a new perspective. Jimmy James’ sweet singing and intricate musical stylings, previously featured as the backbone of NJ indie-psych-folk favorite Accident Seabirds, was then brought front and center, and accompanied by a slew of multi-instrumentalists. Blind Sober is written in a similar style, except JJC has completely taken matters into his own hands by writing, performing and recording all his own music. Jimmy James’ most recent undertaking has been studying and mastering the drums specifically for this album. The only instruments not played by JJC himself are horns and strings, performed by some familiar NJ faces. Although usually somewhat reserved in demeanor, JJC really lets loose on Blind Sober. All 18 songs own a certain air of wisdom and masterful word-play. It feels as though Jimmy James has been holding back some contemplation about life and how most people go about living it. Specifically in track 7, “Ahem,” (which seems to be cleverly named after the modest throat clearing at the beginning of the recording), JJC rips into serious questioning of modern life. “Eyes don’t lie, that’s why you write letters, with a diamond shaped eye and the dialect of a sailor”… “Cream and sugar kill the taste but that’s the way that most prefer it.” Another show stopping track, and my personal favorite, “Pulled Hamstring,” compares ending a relationship to pulling a major muscle. It comes in with some appropriately somber and dramatic soprano sax, played by the locally renowned Andrew Demos. “It wasn’t such a clean break more like the pulling of a hamstring, in the span of your eyes blinking to your favorite song.” Be warned this album is not a casual listen, boasting 18 songs, lasting a total 1 hour and 20 minutes. It is for those looking to get lost in a critical analysis of life’s tougher questions. Jimmy James humbly offers his personal and innermost ideas with an impressive backdrop of musical accompaniment, that clearly suggests a meticulous nature and care for his art. you can purchase your own copy of Blind Sober at the official album release, tomorrow, Saturday July 26, at The Saint!

[thebeword]

Interview: Breakfast in Fur

Once upon a time before our lives were reduced to nothing due to finals week, we were all happy-go-lucky at Purchase's Culture Shock 2014 There we saw tons of awesome acts such as Kelela, Milo, Flatbush Zombies, Speedy Ortiz, Lightning Bolt and LIL B to name a few... On Saturday, just before the rain came to ruin our outdoor fun, Breakfast in Fur put on a lovely performance to fans who stuck out the drizzle!

BiF's Kaitlin answered a few questions for me! B: where is everyone from? BiF: We're a band from New Paltz NY, we all met and were students at the college here at some point. Mike is from Tarrytown, Chris is from the Bronx, Dan is from Syracuse, I'm from Sayville on Long Island, Sandy is from Poughkeepsie and Matt is from Monroe in Westchester. B: how long have you been playing as a band? BiF: Our band has been playing together for about 5 years this month! B: how did you get involved in the purchase music scene?  BiF: We started playing Purchase back in 2010. Yoni David (now of Big Snow/Leapling/Baked fame) was putting on shows at The Stood at the time and had come across our EP at a record store while visiting New Paltz. He liked it and contacted us about playing Purchase. That was our first experience with the music scene there. The ever-delightful Dave Grimaldi was our next contact at Purchase because of our mutual friend and fellow New Paltz musician Dean Engle of the band Quarterbacks. Ray Chalme organized to put us on Culture Shock this year--we've always had a great time at Purchase. B: have you ever played any other big festivals ? If so, do you enjoy festivals or smaller shows more? BiF: This is our first festival I think. We had a great time. We played Storm King Art Center once and that had a similar feel in some ways--an outside stage to a large group--but the vibe and the crowd at Culture Shock is really unique. It is fun to play anywhere where people are enthusiastic and interested in listening. B: do you think you'll be coming back to purchase for other shows in the future? BiF: We'll definitely be back-- At Purchase there is a very open-minded and supportive attitude towards artists making original music. The community you've developed is a very positive place to share work and we're always happy to play on your campus. B: do you have any big plans for this summer// any exciting things in the works? BiF: Earlier this Spring we completed our first full-length album which is called "Flyaway Garden"--a work which we have spent years developing. We are very ready to share it and are currently working out the details of its release. As for the Summer, we'll be taking a break from playing shows so much so we can work out new live material, prepare for our release, and maybe even go swimming up in the mountains once in a while.

[badcello]

here’s a new track.

[thebeword]

NEW MUSIC

[thebeword]

New Music:  “Laid Back” by toilet. (Music To Sit On The Couch To)

MUSIC TO SIT ON THE COUCH TO COMING OUT ON 4/20

[thebeword]

Show: SUNY Purchase SPRING COVER SHOW 2014

Spring Cover Show 2014 was INSANE Thank you to everyone who took the time to practice these songs that we all know and love, Ray, Dave & The Stood Staff for making this possible! Thanks for the rad shirts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a *special* thanks to More Store for being open when my camera needed batteries halfway through the night. All photos and videos taken by Rosie Onderdonk & Leann Bescript

Death From Above, 1979

The Dicks

Patti Smith

Third Eye Blind

Coldplay

Death Cab For Cutie

P!NK

Say Anything

Los Campesinos!

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Gorillaz

Talking Heads

Frank Ocean

Daft Punk

#

[thebeword]

Show: Mitski, Bad Donor & Nine of Swords 2/28

Nothing like a good apartment show on a Friday night ;) Photos and videos by Rosie Onderdonk !

Mitski

Bad Donor

Nine Of Swords

Way 2 GO everyone!

[thebeword]

Show: TL Hugo, Morning Star, Baby Mollusk, AceMo

A week ago, on February 17, this blog turned 1 year old…..

but more importantly, a week ago today, on February 17, Paris Hilton turned 33

On Friday, February 21, We partied and enjoyed the musical stylings of our peers @:

TL Hugo who sounds a lil somethin' like this:

Pig'86 by TL Hugo

Now, you can have TL and a SICKKKKK custom-made sleeve for 7$

Morning Star

Baby Mollusk

Ace Mo

that escalated quickly….. Thanks so much to Andy, and everyone he lives with, who so graciously allow us to infiltrate their space in the name of Purchase Music You should definitely check out Andy & friends in Co-Pilots

Han by Co-Pilots

[badcello]

limp deuces

[thebeword]

New Music

[thebeword]

Show: Bad Cello, Comfy & Band Practice @ The Stood (SUNY Purchase) 2/7

Our very own Rosie Onderdonk has put together a banger for your weekend-kick-off needs !

Come to Whitson's Memorial Greeting Hall (room to the left) in The Stood @ SUNY Purchase TOMORROW

;) come thru

[thebeword]

Show: toilet., The Battery Electric, The Guru, Julian Fulton & The Zombie Gospel, Cold Fronts - 1/4 @ Red Bank Rehearsal Studio

Saturday, January 4, 2014 was a stacked line-up of NJ-greats at Red Bank Rehearsal Studio:

Toilet. The Battery Electric  The Guru Julian Fulton & The Zombie Gospel ++ Cold Fronts 

Here's some pics taken by Leann Bescript & Rosie Onderdonk

Toilet. 

The Battery Electric

The Guru 

Cold Fronts 

[thebeword]

Review: Please - X%

Album Cover By Nick Corbo According to the girl's bathroom wall in the Stood, I lucked out when I sat down with "TOTAL STUD" Ryan Schnackenberg, Please's guitarist, and senior New Media major, last week.

After hearing X%, the band's first EP released on November 20'th, I felt an explanation was due. The album not only serves as Please's first release, (and, you know, the marking of a beautiful new journey as a band) but it's also a statement to Purchase's decline in punk scene, as many of its core members have recently graduated.

Ryan and Christopher Postlewaite, Please's drummer and junior Photography major, previously played in another noise-punk band, Jean Jacket, (http://jeanjacketmusic.bandcamp.com) and Please, "…Is all the leftovers…… and we grabbed Will [Rutledge, guitarist, and junior screenwriting major]!"

But as our conversation progressed, I began to get the feeling that there wasn't anything I really needed to "get." 

X% isn't an answer, or a statement towards anything but being themselves.

When I asked Ryan for a copy of the lyrics, he told me they probably didn't exist anymore, that they were "mainly made up on the spot."

"They were collaborative…really, everything is collaborative," Ryan said. "We're just trying to be that hardcore band Purchase needs."

This attitude, entwined with a sweet aura of "fuck it, let's have fun," reverberates throughout the album, from it's fuzzy, screeching highs-and-lows, to it's entirely white Bandcamp page (hint: highlight it!!!).

X%, equal parts filmic and "noisy-punk-weird…mainly weird," (according to Ryan) is instantly attention-grabbing, with enough emotion in both the vocals and instruments, to make you feel like you're listening for something deeper.

 The album is comprised of 4 songs, "Dry Spell," "Don't Romanticize Me," "The Rats," and "Sleepwalker." Ridden with high-energy guitar riffs, well-trained vocals, and punky, anthem-esque drum beats you just have to mosh to, the EP is unapologetically in your face.

It's obvious that it is not to be analyzed, or deciphered. X% is the soundtrack to your daydream in class about next Friday night at the stood when you're buzzed with all your friends, feeling courageous enough to have your moment in pit… And then, of course, actually doing that. 

"Dry Spell," is not only my personal favorite, but the track that best exemplifies Please's sound. Complete with sentimentally familiar rhythms and enough highs-and-lows to choreograph your brutal head nods ahead of time, it's all-in-all feel-good-go-crazy-just-for-the-sake-of-the-music fun. 

Most appreciated not only in "Dry Spell," but throughout the album, was its underlying and unwavering sense of genuineness. The album was recorded on a 4-track cassette player, then mixed in Garageband by their good friend Nick Corbo, who did the artwork, as well.  (Note: Nick makes really amazing things that you should buy for your loved ones during this holiday season @ http://www.totallyruinedcircuits.com) X% ALSO includes a small bit of "Close," by Crying [a band that Nick plays in], at the end of the closing track "Sleepwalker." How nice!

X% feels honest, loyal and down-to-earth in all ways; lyrically, musically, AND production-wise. 

All in all, X% is simple to grasp, easy to jam to, and supporting Please feels like rooting for the home team.

It is punk for punk's sake, and it rules. Perhaps Please is that hardcore band Purchase needed. 

-Rosie Onderdonk 

[lvlupband]

here’s a video of us playing a new song at the Big Snow benefit at Shea Stadium this past weekend!

[gcbeobvuiefsk-deactivated202404]

new lvl up song. looking forward to starting work on LP2.

[thebeword]

A great show it was

[thebeword]

Show: SUNY Purchase’s FAREWELL to SIRS w/ Weird Korea, High Pop & Please

Once upon a time I was visiting Purchase as a high school senior with my friend Biff, who had friends in the area....the tour of the school highlighted all of the cultural outlets on campus, excluding The Stood...which would go on to be just the thing that sold me...

When the tour ended that day, Biff and I ran into a friend of his, Mike Caridi, who just happened to be heading over to The Stood for band practice with SIRS. He offered to bring us in to look around, and played one song, and that was all it took. Now I'm here.   I didn't know then that I couldn't have seen a better light of what Purchase was really about. Sirs has shaped the Purchase music scene and will be missed greatly

Their final show at Purchase is TONIGHT FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2013

WiTH: Weird Korea 

------> http://weirdkorea.bandcamp.com/

High Pop -----> http://highpopforever.bandcamp.com/ &  Please -----> https://pleaseforgiveme.bandcamp.com/

Poster by : Dave Medina  Mike Caridi gave a final statement to accompany this post: "

It's kind of a surreal feeling to be ending after a four year run as a band, but there's no place we'd rather be having one of our last shows than the stood.

Purchase is the place we first found support as a band, and it's a really nice feeling to end it all where we started.

The line-up is perfect and we wouldn't change a thing. We managed to wrangle up our good friends Weird Korea for a sort of reunion performance, High Pop always rocks, and we're honored to play with our friends in Please at their first show.

Can't wait, it's gonna be a great night : ) " DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW! 8 PM

[thebeword]

New Music: EXCLUSIVE SONG RELEASE! THE ROTARIES - “DOTTED LINES”

The Rotaries are a band of dapper dudes from NY. James, Danny and Bernard play a high quality blues-y garage rock, and continue to melt the hearts of fans all over the East coast.

In an interview, James Rapp, Rotaries front man, expressed his interest in releasing a brand new song from a recording session they did in his attic earlier this summer with Matt Labozza, who also recorded their first full-length album.

"We recorded three songs in the beginning of the summer in my attic all on a tape machine, no computers," said James. "It was very freeing to not be looking at the screen the whole time, and it was the first time we had done anything like that."

Since recording these attic tracks, things have been taking off for The Rotaries, as they gear up to go into the studio in December with JP Bowersock, who has previously worked with The Strokes.

"We are going to release the three songs we recorded with Matt as three separate singles, to remind people that we are still making music while we start writing and recording for the winter."

CHECK OUT THE ROTARIES TONIGHT @ THE STOOD (SUNY Purchase) @ 8 PM

(poster by Carly Moreno)

https://www.facebook.com/events/211796595665622/ 

[thebeword]

Interview: POVERTY HOLLOW

Poverty Hollow is a group of established men from Connecticut, who have continued making some punky melodic rock music through the years, despite their distance,  simultaneously surviving work/college and even changing their band name. 

The show they're playing this saturday, November 9th is with some great friends and awesome acts ~**and it's Will Rutledge's birthday**~

I interviewed Will and Pete in Starbucks, about the beginnings of Poverty Hollow and the beginnings of writing their new album.  B: So how did Poverty Hollow start? 

Will: I started Suns as a young singer/song writer project in 2008. In the beginning it was just myself and our drummer, Will Ponturo, and then we picked up our bassist, Bill Indelicato, and Peter Katz. Eventually, we had been Suns for so long and there were some songs we just never played anymore. We felt it was time for a change. 

Peter: The way that the band operated had changed so we felt it was time for a change in name. Our writing process was more of a collaborative effort instead. We literally just said "fuck it" with our old ideas of what we wanted to do

B: Where did the name 'Poverty Hollow' come from?

Peter: The source of Poverty Hollow is actually the name of a street in Connecticut, that we have driven down many time. 

B: How did this show on November 9th come together?  Will: I emailed Pile and asked if they would want to play a show at Purchase this fall and they said 'How about November 9th!?' and I said 'That's my birthday…and a Saturday' and it happened. 

I contacted Ovlov, who we went on tour with this past summer, and The Rotaries who played our 12" release show last December, and it really fell together.

We've really liked all of these bands for a long time.

Peter: This is a really great line-up of bands, we tried to choose the best musicians we knew to put on a really great show and we're really proud to have taken part in putting it together. 

The Line-up Is:

- Ghostblood  - The Rotaries - Poverty Hollow - Ovlov - Pile

B: Is the mask going to come back for this show?

Will: the mask might come back…the last time I wore it, I kinda couldn't take it off for like 4 days, it got stuck to my face a little bit. So, We'll have to see how the day goes and then I'll decide.  B: What else have you guys been doing musically?

Will: Peter and I are also members of Pupppy, and we've been playing some shows. 

Peter: I'm also in a band OXEN, and we're going on tour at the end of this month to Vermont and Massachusetts, kicking off here Thursday, November 21, our EP release show Pupppy is also playing at the November 21 show.

(Pupppy at their November 3 show @ The Stood)

B: What's next for Poverty Hollow?

Will: We're going on tour from December 29 to January 11, down south to Georgia, then to the midwest and Chicago and then back, with our friends of Tawny Peaks, which features Sam Skinner, fellow member of Pupppy.

We tour whenever we can. We're hoping to play a lot more in the spring and We're writing a new record. We're just letting the new record make itself, whenever we can get together. 

**LET IT BE KNOWN THAT POVERTY HOLLOW WILL NOT EAT MCDONALDS ON TOUR, ONLY WENDY'S**

Peter: We don't really play very often anymore because our band members are not in the same area during the school year, so we're pumped to play this show and write whenever we can get together.

We're working on this new album with a new band attitude.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the Poverty Hollow band camp page ---------------------> http://povertyhollow.bandcamp.com AND KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR SOME NEW SONGS AT THEIR SHOW ON SATURDAY >>>>>https://www.facebook.com/events/211796595665622/<<<<< Or mosey on over to any other affiliated project: OXEN -----> http://oxendied.bandcamp.com Pupppy -----> http://pupppy.bandcamp.com/

[thebeword]

Show: SUNY Purchase Fall Cover Show + EXCITING NEWS

Last weekend everyone had a blast at SUNY Purchase's Cover show!  There was a lot of sweat, maybe a little bit of blood, and possibly some tears of joy. DEFINITELY some crowd surfing, 2006 moshing techniques and speaker dancing came as an added bonus and only made the throwbacks all the more authentic.  Here's some crazy photos and videos of what I could manage to capture of the hysteria.  **If you have any photos or videos you'd like to share, I'll post them !!  email to -----> [email protected] 

The Velvet Underground

At The Drive-In

Paramore

Rage Against The Machine

Weezer

Taking Back Sunday

James Brown

Thank you to everyone who participated in Cover Show!!! Again, if you performed at Cover Show and would like your photos displayed here please send them to [email protected]

NOW FOR THE EXCITING NEWS ABOUT THIS WEEKEND 

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8  8 PM

official event: (https://www.facebook.com/events/211796595665622/) PILE (http://pile.bandcamp.com/) OVLOV (http://ovlov.bandcamp.com/) POVERTY HOLLOW (http://povertyhollow.bandcamp.com/) THE ROTARIES (http://therotaries.bandcamp.com/) GHOST BLOOD (http://ghostblood.bandcamp.com/)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

View this SICK line-UP

to get you PSYCHED for this KILLER SHOW 

EXCLUSIVE STUFF FOR YOU: FRIDAY

- INTERVIEW WITH POVERTY HOLLOW ON WRITING THE NEW RECORD

SATURDAY

- INTERVIEW WITH THE ROTARIES AND THE RELEASE OF AN EXCLUSIVE TRACK 

[thebeword]

Interview: Tim Woulfe

TIm Woulfe is a solo musician, record-label pioneer of Apollonian Sound, and genuinely nice person from Providence, Rhode Island.

A Junior at SUNY Purchase, studying Arts Management, Tim also somehow manages to find time for two jobs, and upholds a standard at Apollonian Sound that each item "will be unique, priced fairly and feel good on the pads of your fingers."

Tim's Debut album, "The Uncouth Swain" has a sweet and uncomplicated musical structure. The end result is melodic and honest, an overall endearing experience that cradles you in its arms, smoothly transitioning between tracks in true LP style. 

If all of this wasn't enough to impress, Tim Woulfe also wholesomely invited me into his residence on Purchase campus for an interview. A Velvet Underground record playing on a portable record player, upon my arrival, Tim then offered me a cup of a hot chocolate, which I simply couldn't resist. 

Tim will be TW in this interview

B: When did you first start playing music?

TW: I started piano lessons at 6, but I didn't really get into making music until I was 11 or so, when I started playing around in Garage Band on my sister's computer. I started writing songs, and gathering up any recording equipment I could possibly get.  Music has always been very therapeutic for me. It's not really something extra-curriculure. I sometimes write songs that aren't even for people to hear, they are just comforting for me to play.

It's very important, in that it keeps me sane.

B: Do you still play any of the songs you wrote when you were really young?

TW: *laughs I barely play songs I wrote last year!  B: Do you still record all of your own music?

TW: I do almost everything myself, other than tweaking the vocals, which I send to my friend in production, Tom. I'll record the vocals by themselves and he tweaks them for me and makes them sounds the best they could be. Other than that, it's all me.  B: Tell me about your label, Apollonian Sound...

TW: I'm currently working on pressing my album to vinyl, right now. It will probably be ready in November. I'm screen printing all of the jackets, and I designed some inserts for it, download cards. I also got a bunch of people to do artwork for each song, that will be included.  The main goal of my label is to make things that are totally unique and visually interesting.  Although it makes the process very time consuming, I like to do a lot of things by hand and by myself. It's more satisfying to me that way.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://apolloniansound.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncouth-swain" data-mce-href="http://apolloniansound.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncouth-swain"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Uncouth Swain by Tim Woulfe&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

B: Any shows coming up? TW: I played at the Stood a few weeks ago, opening for Breakfast In Fur and Lake, and I'll be playing the show hosted in the graveyard [on campus] on Thursday, October 24, but for the most part I've been focusing on the new LP. Next year I'm hoping to play a lot more, and possibly go on my first tour.

B: Do you usually play shows alone?

TW: I'll be playing alone in the graveyard, and the shows that I play in Rhode Island, I usually play alone. When I opened for Breakfast in Fur and Lake, my friend Tom (who tweaks my vocal recordings) knows my songs very well, and played them with me. He understands what I do, and compliments it. 

I'm interested in playing my songs in many different ways. 

B: Who are your major influences? TW: Well, when you came in, I was listening to The Velvet Underground. They're one of my favorite bands, and very important. I also love The Microphones.

Calvin Johnson is particularly important to me, not just with his music, but I also really admire him as a person. He created a really great business, K Records, on his own, which stands for everything that I would want to support. It's about doing things for yourself, and giving women a voice in music and going against the negative trends in music industry these days.

K records and Calvin's general ethos are some things I really admire.  B: What are your plans after school? Will you stay in New York or go back to Rhode Island. 

TW: Mentally, I am always in Rhode Island,  just because Providence taught me a lot of very important things growing up. I like Rhode Island for the same reason I like Calvin Johnson, I just really admire the ethos. 

I already have a job going for me in Brooklyn with Captured Tracks, working on a section called The Shoegaze Archives. I've grown up either in the woods or near the coast, so after school I'm looking forward to experiencing the city after college. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR THE DEBUT LP COMING OUT SOON, THE UNCOUTH SWAIN, MADE WITH LOVE BY TIM HIMSELF

- Available now for download **Name your Price** on Bandcamp  ----------------> http://apolloniansound.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncouth-swain

****$1 from your purchase goes to the "Save the Bay" foundation:www.savebay.org****

Purchase a 7" of "Joyce," or a limited edition copy ***Only 9 left!   ----------------> http://apolloniansound.bandcamp.com/album/joyce

*****$1-2 from your purchase will go toward the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children*****

Check out Apollonian Sound 

----------------> http://apolloniansound.com

COME TO THE GRAVEYARD SHOW OUTSIDE OF THE STOOD TONIGHT, OCTOBER 24, 2013, FOR A NIGHT OF SPOOK-TACULAR AUTUMNAL ACTIVITIES! Pre-fall fest/Stood-o-Ween 

5 PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

View the line-up ----- > Here