I used to think that writing about something I really liked was easy. That the words would flow from my typing fingers with fevered intensity brought on by the inspired enthusiasm created by the music in my ears. It would explode from my own creative brain without any blocks and the right words would never escape me! Then I met my friend Jeremy Hilliard.
Dammit, Jeremy.
You might have seen other pieces on this blog about his psychedelic jam funk band PEAK. They are favorites of mine around the Northeast jam scene and always a good time. I have also written about his other solo efforts as they appeal to the singer songwriter vibe I like most. It’s has always been the mission of this blog to share what I think is good. So share, I do! But this most recent collection of songs from Jeremy entitled Going Back to Where It All Began has me shook. Rarely am I speechless about anything. I take pride in the fact that sometimes I don’t know when to shut up. But this music is hitting me in a way that has knocked me on my ass and I am still sitting here wondering what happened. I have been sitting on this record for a minute, listening often and working on this review in my head but I have just not been able to get my fingers to do that whole typing out thoughts thing and I thought it was just the stress of the week or the election or the drastically weird climate of this nation right now, but I think it’s more than that. Or maybe it’s all of that?
This album is outstanding.
I make no mystery of my love for folk music, singer songwriter prose and Americana vibe in general. I was raised on a steady diet of all of it and it’s shaped my taste, as much as people have been working to really revive that vibe the last decade or so, it’s been a while since I heard music that was truly encapsulating of the mood of the world right now. The confusion, the pensive energy, but the desire not to be swallowed by it all because the world spins madly on. There is a moodiness to Jeremy’s writing that permeates this album, but it’s not a hopelessness. It’s an attitude of trying to define an emotion with sound and every song as this record progresses has more of that story to tell. A story about longing, then about remembrance. A story about the past, and then about the future.
A story.
The title track, Going Back to Where it All Began has a truly lovely but chugging sense of purpose. It’s telling a tale through the tempo and vocal but at the same time remains a blank page that you can fill with your own story. The guitar playing is reminiscent of classic folk tellers and the song moves like a train car through the countryside and if you close your eyes, you can drop yourself right on that train. The song itself tells of memories and reminiscing, something so relatable.
The second track that really stuck me was coincidently the second track on the album, Before Your Love. There is an ethereal quality to the construction of this song and I found it to be something easy to fall into and drift away. That could be a combination of Jeremy’s lofty guitar work and the dreamy song itself or just the melancholy mood of the whole package and it’s storytelling with layers of vocals of sound. It’s spiritual and lovely.
The album is full of familiar themes but I love the fact that nothing is defined too much for you so that you can still find yourself within it. I love the warmth of the song To Luna. The words resonate in such a way that you hear your own story in it. “It’s only love changing shape”.
The last track on the album, Sweet Kathleen, was written for his friend who passed in 2023. This song is a whole vibe and if there was ever a tribute to be written, that is exactly how it should be. It’s a steady but gentle, trucking, danceable song with such a freedom air to it. It’s a smile in your ears. I love that.
Jeremy also brings back the gorgeous backup vocals of his lovely wife Bethany Hilliard, as well as bass work from PEAK’s own Josh T. Carter, drums by Brendan Hefty, and key work by Marshall Norton. In his own words, Jeremy says, “I’m not great at having a “story” around and album. I live and write!” His record Trouble for Another Day was put out September 2023. It was the first official solo album but hardly the end of that journey. Jeremy went on to write another 30 songs over the next eight months. After keeping two for PEAK, this album was borne from what remained.
“I believe the album has some recurring themes and some kind of through-line”, Jeremy says, “but I try not to think about that too much and just work intuitively.”
The tracks Deep Blue Me and Sailor’s Warning will be being released as singles, so keep your ears open for that. As always, I am over here pushing the hope that there will be some live shows with these songs someday. In the meantime, you can find Going Back to Where It All Began in all the best places for new music –
The heat, the news, the storms, the HEAT. Then all of a sudden here in Northwest New Jersey, someone hit the OFF switch on summer and the temperatures cooled down, the bugs went into hiding, and good music started planning some incredible fall shows and fall tours! Nothing says the end of summer like crispy leaves, apple cider, and good live music without the intense perspiration!
Let’s get right into it, shall we?
The coolest jazz, electronica, funk trio, Octave Cat has announced a couple of fall hometown shows in the Philly, PA region. Those groovy gents, Eli Winderman, Jesse Miller, and Charlie Patierno show you what happens when you mix a lil’ Dopapod with a lil’ Lotus and a whole lot of groove. You can check them out in full, including their most recent album Sprezzatura, over at their bandcamp: https://octavecatmusic.bandcamp.com/album/sprezzatura
Then check them out live!
Speaking of good vibe danceable grooves, Magic Beans have announced a full on fall tour! These guys have perfected bringing their patented blend of funk, R’n’B, rock, soul that weaves itself into a neo-jam blend to keep audiences engaged and moving. You can check them out in full on their website at https://www.magicbeansmusic.com and then head out and catch them live at any of the posted dates below!
In some EXCITING ska scene news, The Pilferswww.facebook.com/pilfers are running two incredible reunion shows next month with their original lineup in New York City with the Hub City Stompers, El Grande, The Agents, and Solgyres at the Space Ballroom and Mercury Lounge. These shows are guaranteed to be a damn good time if you are in town so I highly recommend you get those tickets!
But wait, there’s more!
Were you bumming that you missed out on all that sweet Dopapod groove all summer long knowing they are calling it quits soon? I know I was. All is not lost, friends. Thankfully, the guys have announced some good East Coast loving for us in Philly AND New York City.
Speaking of rare opportunities to grab some GREAT live music, we have some outstanding ska coming out from the West coast and Columbia! Come out for The Toughers, The Steady 45’s, with Agent Jay of The Slackers and Boss Selektah doing some spinning on September 11th at Brooklyn Made! Tickets are a measly $15 so if you are in the area, you have no good reason not to get out and shake it with some damn good folks and incredible ska, rocksteady, and soul sounds!
Maybe you are a Strange Machines fan! They have also just announced some sweet fall dates complete with appropriately fall themed flyer to help get that vibe in your soul! These New England folks are a true melting pot of musical fusion, with sounds catering to funk, livetronica, rock, reggae and so much more! You can groove on over to their bandcamp page here for more!
Maybe you fancy some sweet, soaring, sometimes improvisational jamtronica goodness? Well Lotus has been out there promoting their new album How To Dream In Color (more on that in a later post) and they are catching that dance wave right through the fall! I am digging hard on this new album and I bet you will too – get out and catch them live if you can! It’s been a minute for me and I might have to remedy that on this tour…
If you are down for what has become the greatest ska festival in the entire united states, you still have a chance to get your tickets for the Supernova International Ska Festivalcoming to Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia this September 13th-15th! There are absolute LEGENDS on this show. I have yet to be able to make it down for this but my besties in the scene cannot stop talking about it every year – and I usually spend a few weeks pouring over their live footage and pictures and crying to myself inside afterwards! Some day…some day A Perfect Mess will be there. But anyway, YOU SHOULD BE THERE! Tickets are still on sale!
Then we have some of my personal favorites from way back when, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad coming in HOT with some fall dates as well, celebrating their 20th! These guys throw down something special and I am here kinda hoping they add a date closer to me so I can go…
That is HARDLY all, folks, and I will keep updating this post as information is sent to me. In the meantime, gather those pennies and start stacking those calendars with tasty live music this fall! It’s what’s good about life!
“Major” music news outlets over the past few days have illustrated that they are more interested in click-bait articles based on controversial ideas, “artists” (and I used that term loosely), and their questionable actions than telling you what is actually going on, new, and worthy of your ears in music.
My health forced me to slow my work with my blog and I genuinely had not realized how much I needed it…and apparently so did everyone else. What in the world are these journalists writing about? They are not concerned with promoting good music, getting people out for live music, or helping grow the scenes we have loved to be a part of and given so much of ourselves to. They want clicks. That has NEVER been what I was all about in my work, and I just remembered why.
This has reinvigorated the hell out of me. A Perfect Mess is back in full swing starting today with an album review of what is new fromLotus, tour announcements fromMagic Beans, and some local NYC area show announcements.
We are all so very flawed, no matter how great we might think we are.
However, my dad introduced me to Bourdain many years ago when he was still on Food Network. I became a fan and followed him from then on. He became a published author later in his life and its this that has kept me writing, pushing, and working to get published myself. It was his style of storytelling about real people that inspired me to tell stories that were hard to tell about myself and my own struggle. It was his metamorphosis from the person he started out as to the person he became through lessons learned in travel through other countries and cultures, always learning and passing those lessons on to readers and viewers. It was through his work that I learned a nation is its people, their food and their music, and not it’s government and wars. He inspired me to want to learn more about people and food. So today I send birthday wishes to the man I never got a chance to meet but who inspired me to write. (and long to travel…)
If you have been following the Brooklyn jam scene over the last few years, you might be familiar with the band PEAK. If you follow this blog, you surely are. The force to be reckoned with holding down the keyboard and providing the primary backups and vocal solos is the one and only Johnny Young. A multi-instrumentalist, including piano, guitar, drums and percussion, Johnny Young has played with a ton of artists and toured all over the world. His solo vocal tracks with the band such as, “It Ain’t Over ‘til the Credits Roll” emphasize his prowess as a solo powerhouse on stage and off. Beyond all that, Johnny is just a fantastic human being.
His online bio goes on to say that he has either headlined or opened “…for both the famous and the obscure.” Obviously, I know him best for his work with PEAK but he’s also an Emmy Award winning composer with work in a variety of soaps as well as the Oprah Winfrey Show. He has worked in bands with folks like Giant Flying Turtles and Mick Taylor, just to name a few. At home in Brooklyn, he runs a full studio space doing recording. When it comes to all around accomplished musicians, Johnny is an outstanding example of getting it all done and then some and how good that can sound. It should be no surprise that when it comes to a full length solo record, he is going to throw down with a little bit of everything in the pot – and that is exactly what he has done.
Johnny’s recent solo release, Up All Night, showcases just how well he knows his way around a song, both writing it and laying it all out musically. The album is a wild trip from start to finish, and it’s a trip well worth taking.
The tracks are rocking while still having a hint of ethereal flight with strong lyrics and a solid, every changing groove. You can stay on the ground and move yourself with the beat, or you can sit and think on the sentiment, the mood, and the words. Songs like Law of Gravity kick you with hard hitting drum power and soaring vocals that are laid across a cool, bluesy vibe. Those awesome drums were laid down by Rich Zuckor who can also be heard on three other tracks across the record. In contrast, the track Never Let Go sounds like it could be a movie soundtrack staple with its great vocal overlays and catchy piano. A song like I’m Feeling Alright brings a funky, jazzy pace that is not only fun, but feels like something I need to have in my headphones all day every day for the lyrical inspiration alone. This song is a vibe! My favorite song on the album though is Searching for a Clue with its dirty cool vibe and stop and go tempo that reminds me of something heard in a dark, smoky after hours club, late at night. Totally danceable, totally sing-a-long friendly, and just a really good time. There is fantastic drum assistance on four of the tracks The whole album is a great eclectic mix of styles from pop, and rock to jazz and R&B.
The full album, Up All Night, from Johnny Young is available now on all major streaming platforms. You don’t have to take my word for it, but this album is a unique step into the well rounded, well versed rock and roll world Johnny has spent his life cultivating – and it’s a damn good time!
In my just about 45 years on this planet, I have seen a lot of live music. It’s a passion of mine and one of the things that I really do make an effort in indulge in as much as is financially possible as it generally restores sanity to my overwhelming world. I don’t go to as many big shows these days as I would like to, but I blame that on pricing more than anything. It’s just hard to afford the big ones when things like groceries and utilities seem out of reach in bad months, and that is just the state we are in right now. I will say though that having curated this blog for over a decade has enabled me to squeak my way into a lot of fantastic live shows that have broadened my horizons and truly enriched my life. Music is life for me and is a thing that I need as much as oxygen, sunlight, and human contact. That being said, I just had a live music experience that I am pretty sure has changed me for life – and for me, that is saying a whole lot.
Back in 2012, I somehow got an invite to Death Cab for Cutie at the Brooklyn Museum for a filming of Live from the Artists Den. It was a visually, emotionally, and audibly stirring experience and more or less ruined me for live music for a while. Not much was going to ever live up to that experience for me. I was a fan of the band already, but that experience changed me and made me truly realize how engrossing live music could be, beyond the volume and the song. I have been to a lot of large and small venues to see a variety of music over the years and was not expecting this indie band to change me, but they did.
I already had an emotional attachment to this band. As I was going through trying times around 2007, I was doing a lot of healing to the DCFC album Transatlantacism while simultaneously doing the same to singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and generally swell guy Ben Gibbard’s other project, The Postal Service and their one and only album, Give Up. At the time, I was navigating a divorce and the insecure mourning that comes with it while working through severe depression and finding my way as a single mom working multiple jobs both day and night – and generally just trying to figure out who I was and what the hell I was doing through it all. It was a hard time that I look back on and still feel the pangs of guilt, pain, and anxiety to this day in my stomach. I leaned HARD into music then, and I still do. But at that time, this music was a healing place for me to fall into when I couldn’t stand on my own feet anymore. I was fumbling along in my life, making mistakes and bumping into things. I was dealing with health issues that would not be properly diagnosed for another 9 years (as multiple sclerosis). This music, these songs and their words and melodies, were a space for me to figure things out.
I did a lot of healing to this music. If you are into it, you understand why. The methods of songwriting used bring both meaningful words and emotionally tuned melodies together into something that gets inside you, farther than anything else seems to reach. It can light up some of the darkest corners of you and make you encounter those ghosts that you spend so much time hiding from when really, you should be sitting and chatting with them – and so you do. You do it through these melodies. You do it through these words. In the process, they become very dear to you and you find yourself deeply attached emotionally to these songs.
While this was happening, I was passing a lot of this love of songs onto my son. He was my sidekick in those days, always with me for my poorly executed singalongs and dance parties in the living room or in the car. I didn’t really realize it until he was much older and himself told me. Death Cab and The Postal Service were two sets of songs that we often came to discuss. In one of his music classes in high school, he was teaching himself the key parts to many of these songs and would send me text messages talking about them as he did. We would discuss the progressions and the themes of these albums, the way the songs blended into one another in their transitions. This is why when they announced the tour – these two projects playing these two albums in their entirety – I knew we had to go. My son’s birthday was conveniently close to the tickets going on sale, so I decided to buy them for him as a gift. I used my fandom to its maximum in that moment, having a pre-sale to a pre-sale code and being able to secure two tickets in the Sky Bridge of Madison Square Garden for us. It seemed so far away then, and the anticipation was maddening.
The night came this week.
Much had changed in nine months, as my son was now preparing to movie to Florida from our home in New Jersey to begin commercial flight school. He’s spent the last few years working his tail off with his (also pilot) dad getting his private license while making honor roll, getting a job, and still finding time to play music and skateboard. He’s an unusually amazing person. I know I am his mom, but trust me. This impending move has been a lot for me, as any parent with birds about to leave the nest knows. It doesn’t matter how much we know that it’s the best possible thing – it’s hard and we like them under our wings. It goes without saying that I needed this show to be awesome. This music being so important to the both of us, and it being just a couple weeks before he is to set off on his own adventure.
In the back of my mind was that Artists Den show 9 years ago. That was such an incredible experience with this music that I loved. What would this night be like? These songs are incredible, this band is fantastic, but this is Madison Square Garden. A place I saw my very first concert ever – Nine Inch Nails back in 1994. A place I watched incredible, life changing live shows like Rush, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Phish (twice), just to name a few. Artists with huge shows, huge songs, and huge followings that made sure you were fully engulfed in the music, the moment, and the experience with huge energy that permeated the entire massive arena.
Then it started.
Death Cab For Cutie came out wearing all black to the expected cheers of the crowd, a blending of people from numerous generations and age brackets. There wasn’t one type of people in the arena. It was a wonderful kaleidoscope of humans who have loved this music for however long and wanted to share in celebrating its 20 years. The moment the first sounds of their song “The New Year” started, the entire arena was awake, present, and ready to feel everything. Ben Gibbard’s voice began the words, “So this is the new year, and I don’t feel any different…” and everyone in the entirety of Madison Square Garden sang with him. We sang every single word, and we didn’t stop for the entire set.
As I said earlier, I have seen a lot of shows in 30 years. I have seen a lot of bands. Live music has been a massive part of my life so I am coming from a specific place when I say these things. Further, I have seen some of the biggest and well-loved bands with the most fanatical, long following fan bases. There are always songs people are singing along with, and there are folks in every crowd who know all the words to everything and make sure to sing along. That’s live music. It’s amazing and captures you with energy. But this – this was something else. This was thousands of people sharing the deep emotional connections they have to these two albums with one another and these artists the best way they know how – their voices. So we ALL sang. We sang loudly. We sang every single word. We were together an extra voice in tandem with those that came from the stage.
When it was time for the Postal Service to begin their set, they came out in all white and began with their song “The District Sleeps Tonight”. Again, as Ben began singing, “Smeared black ink…your palms are sweaty…I’m barely listening…” we all joined him, in unison, and we didn’t stop until the very last song from the album. We were dancing, singing, and breathless by the end – but the singing never stopped. Not for a moment. If there were voices coming from the stage, we were singing with them. It was audible over the microphones. Maybe to some people, it was an annoyance, but to people like me – it was the magic.
Obviously, I was not the only person who did a lot of healing to those two albums. They clearly mean a whole lot to a whole lot of people and we got the chance to celebrate that together. Our show was just one of many on this tour. I cannot imagine the situation to be any different in any other city, though we do like to show our folks a good time in New York City. We want you to know your music is our life, and I think we made that point. There was a moment that I looked from the stage to the seating at the right. That spot always catches a bit of the spotlight so those folks are easy to see. They were just a bustling, dancing batch of humans having the greatest night ever. If you were over there, I felt your vibe all the way up to the Sky Bridge!
Speaking of the Sky Bridge, I want to give quick props where they are due from an accessibility standpoint. I walk with a cane when I know I will be on my feet due to my MS making me a bit wobbly these days. The folks at MSG are STELLAR to folks like me and have made a very easy to navigate venue. Between the escalators, easily accessible elevators, ramps, and just overall layout, I had absolutely no difficulty having a fantastic night. The Garden is truly the greatest arena venue. I always buy Sky Bridge these days because they give me the ability to sit when I need to and still enjoy a great vantage point. I can see the stage no matter what. The seats I chose this particular evening allowed me the space to dance and still feel secure with the wall behind me and counter in front of me. I could easily stabilize myself with one hand. I have not been able to dance at a show in a long time due to this disease and that made this whole evening so much more magical for me. I felt like I got a part of me back that I had lost. At one point, during the Postal Service song “We Will Become Silhouettes”, Gibbard hopped behind the drums and the tempo picked up (as we all knew it would). As that anticipated moment hit and I felt myself lose myself in the music, I realized I had not been able to feel the freedom that comes with dancing to your favorite songs live in at least a year.
The emotion of that moment was overwhelming.
To top it all off, the encore was a gorgeous, acoustic rendition of Iron and Wine‘s version of The Postal Service song “Such Great Heights”, followed by what can easily be called the best cover of Depeche Mode‘s song “Enjoy The Silence” that I have ever heard. This is one of my very favorite songs, and a song I used to use as my ringback (remember those?) back when my son would be at his dad’s for a few days and would call me to say goodnight. For us, in our magical bubble, it was a full circle moment that hit me as hard as anything possibly could. I can’t explain to you how amazing that was. Not to mention, for all the many times I have heard this song covered by numerous artists, it was never done so faithfully and completely. There was not a single synthesized sound in that song that this band did not make sure was represented perfectly.
These two projects of music are made by incredible artists. It was such a wonderful privilege to see them enjoying the experience themselves with smiles and dancing. I was several times reminded of Bruce Springsteen and Courtney Cox in the “Dancing in the Dark” video as I watched Ben Gibbard and Jenny Lewis dancing together on stage – a warm and genuinely comforting sight to this born and raised Jersey girl. It made me smile. I smiled a LOT of Wednesday night, to the point that I remarked to my son on our drive home that my face hurt. That deep cheek cramping pain that comes from your face being frozen in a smile for a long time. That was the night for me. So while that night so many years back at the Brooklyn Museum ruined me for live music from then on and how beautiful and engrossing it could be, this show at Madison Square Garden solidified that for me. It reminded me with blaring signals that music is life. It heals, it enriches, and it brings thousands upon thousands of voices together in celebration of songs that found our souls in whatever state they were – and made them warmer.
You don’t stop loving live music just because you become disabled.
This is something I learned from experience, and it was not always a happy experience. In 2021, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I had no idea at the time how much it would impact my life as a music fan. Since then, I have lost significant vision (including some color) in my right eye. This has heightened the hearing on my right side. Most prominently, I have also lost some of my balance causing me to require a cane when I know I will be on my feet. This is made worse due to sudden surprise bouts of severe vertigo or the occasional “foot drop” that catches my foot and sends me tumbling. I also struggle to stay on my feet when conditions are hot and need to have someone with me all the time, just in case. This has impacted my ability to enjoy a show the way I always did. I no longer feel safe going alone and difficult conditions are now often impossible ones. Things like stairs and uneven ground, large crowds or too little space can be a dangerous situation for me. This has all opened my eyes to things I wish I had known to be conscious of before – that not all shows and venues are friendly to the disabled community.
I have had other attendees knock me over, use my cane for their balance walking up stairs, or push me into walls or barricades – mostly because there was simply nowhere else to be as space for patrons who needed it was not made available. I have been in situations that I had to climb stairs to get to rest rooms or vendors because elevators were not made available. I have had venues tell me I could not bring someone with me, despite wanting to pay for that person to be there with me. I have also had staff go above and beyond to make sure I was able to get to my ticketed seat, restrooms, and vendors safely and without issue despite obstacles and made sure that I was able to enjoy the show despite my limitations with vision.
I have experienced the very best and the very worst of the NYC area in terms of venues and whether or not they care for their disabled patrons. This goes beyond ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accomodations. Those are quite simply THE LAW and it would shock most people to know how few of those are even taken into account. Before I attend anything now, I have to Google the venue, the event, the area, and everything in between to see what their accessibility options are just to determine whether or not I can even go. When certain bands hold a “lottery” for their tickets, this becomes even more of a challenge. What’s worse – perfectly able bodied fans who claim to be otherwise to get the seats that ARE allotted for people like myself.
As an independent music journalist, it’s my job to bring these things out in the open. Moving forward, A Perfect Mess will be making sure to cover the accessibility and inclusion of all shows and venues where a review takes place. If I am in attendance, you will know what the options and accommodations are. It’s much needed information for the disabled community and the music community as well.
No one should have to stay home because they cannot feel safe at a live show due to disability. I intend to make sure that if there is a way, we will all be there listening to the music, feeling the vibe, and enjoying the show.
I admit I am very late to the party in regards to Dopapod.
About four years ago, they played with Mother’s Wine, who my husband played bass for, at the teeny tiny Stanhope House here in New Jersey. It was prior to getting my head out of my ass in regards to music and even then, I was impressed by what I saw. Did you ever see a band and think, “There is something to this and I don’t know what it is.” It was one of those moments. I never really forgot that show. The problem was that I just wasn’t into it yet. I guess I wasn’t ready yet to appreciate it. My mind was still too closed off. All that considered, I was still taken back by the sound and the groove that these gents put forth.
Fast forward to Disc Jam this past June. I was there covering the festival for the blog and was going to again have a chance to whet my whistle with Dopapod goodness. Eric and I were at our campsite, not far from the stage, prepping shrimp tacos for my upcoming Beau Sasser interview and Dopapod’s set was our soundtrack. It was in that moment, sipping beer and grilling shrimp, that my ears finally perked up. Dopapod is their own sound. They are not like other bands. I guess that is what kept drawing me to them. Still, I was not yet familiar enough with their sound to really appreciate them live. That was going to change.
Over the last couple months, as my life got increasingly chaotic, I have been leaning hard on music for stability. It’s been the glue that has held my soul together while I went through some mentally trying moments and drastic realizations resulting in major life changes. One of the bands that has crept deeper and deeper into my soul through all that has been Dopapod. It started where it probably does for a lot of folks, judging by the play numbers on Spotify. I heard Present Ghosts, and I fell hard down a Dopapod rabbit hole. Something about that song just got inside me. It had groove but was still laced with a spacey synth vibe. It had these gorgeous vocals that iced the track creating a magical, delicious chill that got down to my bones. That was it. Sold. Done. Put a fork in me. Hi, my name is Amanda, and I am addicted to Dopapod.
When I got wind of a new album coming out this fall, excited didn’t even begin to explain it. Sometimes I get to write about artists and albums and it feels like the very best Christmas morning ever for me. This is one of those times. I can’t tell you how many times I checked my e-mail waiting for this preview.
Coming October 26th, 2017, the band’s fifth Studio album, MEGAGEM, is going to drop like a bomb and blow a whole lot of minds. Mark my words. I really didn’t know what to expect when the record landed in my inbox, so I sat myself down and got ready. I was not prepared for what I heard. My first full listen through was basically me sitting there with headphones on, staring at the wall with my mouth hanging open. It’s not to say that the albums that came before this were not great, because they are. Dopapod is a band of incredibly creative songwriters and high caliber, insanely talented musicians. It’s why they can do what they do, blending dance, funk, and prog rock into a jam rock vibe that appeals to every corner of the scene. What I am saying is that they raised the bar now. Scratch that. They picked the bar up, spun it around, and fucking launched it. It’s no longer visible. The bar is gone. This record is amazing.
There is so much that is wonderful about MEGAGEM that I don’t know where to start. All those trusted components of Dopapod records are there. The gorgeous vocals that Eli and Rob weave together that are nothing short of magical in their applications. These two guys know how to take their voices and lace them together like LA Gear neon laces in 1988 creating an unmistakable sound that is 100% Dopapod. It’s one of the things that pulled me into their sound so hard. They truly understand the instrument that their voices are. It’s impressive. It’s beautiful.
The band brings that prog rock funk with trailing guitar on tracks like Buster Brown that take you to that quiet moment of sway where you have to just stop and not think. It’s the kind of song that picks you up so politely and carries you somewhere else entirely without ever leaving your seat. It’s a gentle groove with steady drums, flowing bass, and those tasty layering keys. The track Starfish is another one that got deep into my soul as well. It carries a pulsing drum beat with rain-like keys, deep bass, and vocals that pull you. The pulsing stops for a moment to give way to a quick, sharp and really cool bass spot before climaxing in a trippy emotional place. Something about the way the band wrote these songs is so incredibly Dopapod, but so incredibly different.
The song Mucho is an example of the funky groove that the band does so well. It’s an incredibly inventive track while still being that clean body moving jam funk that Dopapod does so well. This is a band that has and will always get your groove going. They take sounds you think you know well and fuse them together in ways you never thought you would love. This song has this enchanting vocal break between grooves that reminds me of Zero 7. It gives that same delicious chill. It’s so good. Confabulation has a real strong Beatles vibe. It’s got that psychedelic, George Harrison thing going on. Think Revolver era with really great guitar solos. That’s not a sound that just anyone can pull off.
But let’s talk about the big one. The first single, Plaese Haalp was a kick to my head. It shook me to the core, and I honestly can’t stop listening to it. This is the song that really made me say this is going to be the record that takes everyone by surprise this year. It kicks off nothing short of straight rocking, stopping only to lay down major funk vibe in the chorus. The vocals in this song are incredible. They hit peaks and valleys as the song progresses. The first time I listened, I didn’t know the band had posted the song as a video on Facebook and I stupidly assumed those strings were synthesized. NO. Those are in studio orchestra musicians lending their talents to the album and it lifts this song to a whole new place. The guitar solo is tasty. The bass lines are funky and strong. The percussion in this song blows my mind.
I put this song on in the car the second time because I needed to give the vibe a real feel and that is where I get it. About two thirds of the way through, the song changes. It slows and creeps but with a marching pace. Eli’s vocals here made the hair on the back of my neck stand up as the song built higher and higher. Then it comes in hard with that synth. Good God, dude. But wait. It stops for a second before kicking back in HARD with strings and drums. This part of the song gives me goose bumps every single time I listen to it. It’s an emotional explosion set to music. The power in how this track delivers is palpable. It’s a perfect combo of aggression and passion just picked up and thrown at you. You will feel this song in your chest like someone knocked your wind out. I don’t air drum in the car to much of anything outside of Rush’s Counterparts album and I was beating the ever living hell out of my steering wheel here. This song is incredible.
The band recorded the instrumentals on this album at Mountain Star Studios in Colorado in the middle of the winter. Maybe it was the isolation, maybe it was something spiritual, maybe it was just that Dopapod is that freaking good but the music that was put together on this album sings to you when there are no words. The way these guys put sounds together is something I can’t begin to understand but no one is doing what these guys have put together with MEGAGEM. A lot of artists are trying. No one is pulling it off. Not like this. MEGAGEM in a new level.
There is a big debate on Facebook jam scene groups these days about who is going to get the “torch” passed to them. Everyone wants to know who will be the next big band. Everyone has an opinion about why they think their favorite artist is going to be THAT artists who will carry the jam scene into the next generation. There are tons of theories about it. Every band’s fans thinks they will be it and they can mostly defend their position with examples and spreadsheets and full Power Point presentations if asked. After listening to MEGAGEM, I can honestly say that Dopapod is a contender. Honestly, they get my vote.
After MEGAGEM drops, the band will be embarking on a cross country tour before taking a well planned year long hiatus to focus on themselves. They have kept up a pretty impressive pace over the last seven years and it’s actually a brilliant idea. It gives everyone ample time to sit and chew on MEGAGEM for a while, and chew you should. There is a lot about this record to consider and I honestly can’t say enough about it. Of course, I finally get into Dopapod right before they take an extended break. I am going to have to hit as many of these shows as possible.
Dopapod are a band that truly feel everything that music is. They see it as the art that it can be and they remain loyal to that art. In a world that seems more and more overrun by what can be easily tapped out and sold as music, the artistry of musicians is becoming more and more precious. Far too often, creativity seems to take a backseat to what is easy and profitable lately. I am delighted to be right now sitting and listening to something so obviously crafted by artists who pour themselves into their music from the inside. I don’t know if all the emotion dripping from me as I listen was intended, but it’s damn sure appreciated.
The band will be releasing certain tracks as “Name Your Own Price” on Bandcamp leading up to the actual CD/Digital/Vinyl release as a gift to fans. They obviously don’t have to do that. The fact that they are says a lot about who they are.
You can find the list of tour dates on their website HERE which includes a New Years Eve show in Boston, the band’s origins, at the Paradise Rock Club.
I’m a ska girl who married a jam guy. We are both pig-headed, stubborn idiots who bonded over Bad Religion and Irish coffees long before we ever took off our personal blinders and truly delved into one another’s “home scenes”, so to speak. I have told this story many times on this blog, and it always ended with our strong desires – someday when we win the lottery and have all the money in the world for guarantees and VIP treatment – to have a massive festival to celebrate it all.
That’s our lottery dream. After we buy a farm, pay for college for our kids, have a good night’s sleep for the first time knowing our bills are actually all paid, we want to have a celebration of music that creates that bridge across the line few dare to toe between the jam scene and the ska scene. Now, let me clarify that this line really does not exist between musicians. The line exists in crowds. It exists between promoters. It exists to label heads. The folks to whom a scene and it’s fashions hold more water than it’s music. The folks who won’t listen to something if it’s appearance go against the grain of what they are used to being surrounded by. It exists in every scene. No one is exempt. It’s no one’s fault…but it’s there.
One thing I learned since opening my own eyes to the world outside my own scene is that nothing I thought I knew was true. Nothing I thought was typical was typical. Nothing I thought was universal was actually universal except love. A deep love for music that seeps into our skin and finds its way down into our bones until its truly part of us. No one knows that devotion to something so deep like a Deadhead. I married a Deadhead. Whats more – I married a Deadhead who was raised by a Deadhead so this deep love comes inherited. Our wedding song was Ripple. What I know though is that folks not raised with a love of the Dead don’t always find it on their own. They often carry a misunderstanding of everything that surrounds the Grateful Dead.
Enter Roots of Creation. An incredible fusion of reggae and funk fusion that has been fueling the jam scene with love and groove since 1999. Their smooth reggae feel and strong, sweet mix of vibe and sound has made them a well respected presence and who better to take the songs of one of the most legendary bands in the world and create something magical… and that is exactly what they did. Their album, Grateful Dub, was a crowd-funded effort to bring collaborations with some incredible artists to the songs of the Grateful Dead and see what sort of incredible explosions occurred. What they achieved is nothing short of amazing. Not only that, it’s been a true bridge across the scenes. It’s an example of that thing we lottery-dream about. It’s right here.
With songs like They Love Each Other, the Dead’s 1973 classic, presented on Grateful Dub as a vocal collaboration with the jam scene’s own Hayley Jane of Hayley Jane and the Primates. Hayley is an extremely versatile vocalist and performer, so it’s no surprise that she could nail such a great Dead song. What is amazing though is that she nailed a great Dead song covered in reggae style. Not amazing because I didn’t think she could, just amazing because I never heard her do anything like this and it’s straight FIRE. The horns in this song are sexy as hell, the beat is steady and grooving, and the way Roots vocalist Brett Wilson harmonizes with Hayley is just fantastic.
I mentioned above that Ripple was my wedding song. It’s safe to say that I hold it close to my heart and I am a bit of a snob about covers when it’s songs I have a deep connection to. I won’t lie. I was worried about this one, even being the ska girl I am. I have to say though – they nailed it. Roots teamed up with G Love and longtime Jerry Band member Melvin Seals on this 1970 Grateful Dead classic. It’s gorgeous, it’s got groove, it makes me want to shake my body and cry a little. It sounds like a backyard party with the best people you ever knew. It sounds like the spirit of the Dead in a different package. It’s infused with everything that makes this music great.
Now let me get to where my mind exploded on this album. Roots included a cover of the 1972 Dead song Deal. It has a kicking, smoking, purely hot groove that would be at home at any ska, reggae, rocksteady show I ever attended. This song was a collaboration with dirty reggae masters The Aggrolites and Jesse Wagner’s vocals lit this song up like dry sticks doused in gasoline. My husband called me up almost in tears when he first heard this song and the moment I heard it, I got it. This was a primary band in the jam scene teamed up with a primary band in the ska scene ripping up an incredible song from the Grateful Dead in their own ways as one. That right there is everything. This whole thing has my mind in a million pieces for the best reasons.
That’s just a sampling. You need to listen to the whole album. What Roots of Creation did here, taking some of the best loved songs by some of the best songwriters and performers and weaving the with reggae-fusion and style, is a treat on it’s own. The fact that they did it with prominent faces from both the jam scene and the ska/reggae scene is something extra special. It bridges a gap between fans of wonderful music who in many cases have no idea how much in common they really have. The love and unity I found in both of these scenes redefined my life at different stages and made me the person I am, and the person I am constantly evolving into. I can only hope there is more of this to come. More incredible scene crossing collaborations and eyes that open all across the board, There is so much more magic to be had.
The album was recorded in the band’s hometown of Brookline, New Hampshire with legendary producer and engineer Errol Brown – known for his work with masters like The Paragons, Alton Ellis, and Bob Marley. They recorded the album over ten sixteen hour days in January of 2017 and what was captured is pure, soul shaking goodness straight up to the heavens. The thing I love the most about the jam scene has always been how I am continuously being shown I know nothing about how much music can surprise me. This brought that love to a much more personal place.
I can’t believe how much this album floored me. I love discovering I can still be floored. You can find out more on the band’s website here: https://www.rootsofcreation.com
Presented by Jibberjazz Productions, this year’s musical camping extravaganza will feature 24 musical acts on 3 stages, along with late night jams, kid’s activities, workshops, vendors, parade, plenty of room for camping and more. Festival artists are hand selected from all corners of the USA, and will showcase a variety of musical styles including: Jam, Funk, Bluegrass, Rock & Roll, Blues, Folk, Fusion, Prog, World, Roots, Jazz etc. Presale tickets are available now! Our Some Kind of Jam 17 lineup features bands drawn from 13 different states. Additionally, 14 out of 24 musical acts have never played a Jibberjazz event before. The true spirit of Jibberjazz is alive and well, as we continue on our quest to find the next great sounds that emerge from the abyss.
Going back almost 20 years, Jibberjazz has produced over 50 music & camping festivals, including the annual Some Kind of Jam and Meeting of the Minds – as well as Madsummer Meltdown and Boogie In The Bungalow and many other music-related events. These gatherings have featured national and regional, original acts ranging in funk, jam, bluegrass, psychedelic, jazz, blues, folk, reggae, rock & roll, singer-songwriter, and many more musical styles too numerous to list. All Jibberjazz events are 100% self-produced, with no corporate ties or sponsorships, as we remain a fiercely independent grassroots organization.
The Jibberjazz focus is finding national and regional bands on the rise and unleashing them on unsuspecting audiences. We are a bridge between vast musical pockets scattered across the country and our main purpose is to find and develop these bands. We take great pride in the quality and diversity of our lineups, and we are always on the lookout for the next great sound to emerge from the abyss. Tomorrow’s Headliners Today: The mantra Jibberjazz has embraced throughout past couple decades.
