Rosewater - Madison, WI

Rosewater's newest release is called So Long SoCal.
Check it out on their bandcamp, scroll down for link.

Rosewater is Blair Clark's new pop punk band out of Madison, WI.
Rosewater is a three piece garage band from Madison WI. Male and Female fronted band of two guitars and a drummer. Both guitarists sing. We have been together for 3 years. The music is frantic and fun, sweet punk, sour pop. We put on a killer show, no yapping just rock and roll. 
Thanks for listening - Blair 

https://soundcloud.com/blair-clark-804478008/bad-city-by-rosewater
https://www.facebook.com/rosewaterlbc/
https://rosewaterlbc.bandcamp.com/

So Long SoCal album art

Blair Clark - guitar, vocals
Leah Brooke - guitar, vocals
John Driscoll - Drums

Recorded live in the basement of John's house.

All rights reserved

Review of Rosewater's So Long SoCal by Joe Tell.
Rosewater's latest release is called So Long SoCal.
The first song is 405. It has a straight ahead, no frills punk rock sound. Punk rock minimalism at it's finest. The combination of Blair Clark and Leah Brooke on vocals gives the music a hip sound, reminiscent of the Velvet Underground and early B-52's. The band sounds like something straight out of CBGB's from the late 70's or early 80's.
Family sounds like a (sped-up) conservation between a loving couple set to punk rock music. The fast pace and guitar heavy mix makes the lyrics hard to make out. This quality will have you listening to the song over and over in an attempt to make out exactly what the words are...at least that's what happened to me but after a few attempts I finally made out the lyrics. 
California Girl has a totally authentic garage rock sound and feel. The single coil guitar sound sounds cool along with the cymbal crashes and intermittent stops and starts.
ER is a song about a place most of us don't want to be in lately. Despite of the subject matter the song still rocks. 
Lookout! closes out So Long SoCal and rocks out in a similar style following suit with the rest of the songs on the release. It's another short but sweet song played with a strong sense of punk rock urgency.

Love Bomb album art 

Bad City album 

Stereo Pharoah - Ridgway, Pennsylvania

Stereo Pharoah - Ridgway, Pennsylvania

Aggressive Back to Basics Rock & Roll
-Cody Legacy Laughner (Vocals/Guitar)
-Michael Padasak (Drums)
-Elle Laughner (Bass/Artwork)

Recorded at Graphite Sound Studio (Warren, PA) by Anthony Brown
Produced by Cody Legacy Laughner
Artwork by Elle Laughner

Stereo Pharoah Catastrophile music review by Joe Tell.

Kitty Riptide is the opening track and the quick song sets a fast pace and an aggressive feel. The adrenaline filled solo ramps up the energy even more. This track is sure to get your blood pumping, leave you wanting more and waiting for the next song to kick in.
Can you please repeat that?...what did you say?...Tinnitus is up next. Tinnitus is a fast paced punk song. The first time I heard this song I couldn't understand the lyrics, maybe due to my tinnitus?...Tinnitus is something I am familiar with but the lyrics are split between the hearing impairment and something that makes you feel all right. First thing in the morning, rolling all day and night, hmm?... It really sounds like 2 singers on this song even though I don't think there are 2. This is a unique and cool touch which differentiates each part musically and lyrically. The lyrics may be tongue in cheek but the song packs an energetic rock punch.
Ultragotha is a mid-tempo alternative rock track. The drum performance on this track is excellent. Ultragotha sounds like a unique pairing of Soundgarden and Silverchair. The sound is further enhanced by some really cool wah-wah guitar flurries.
Right Now has the sound and structure of a great 90's alternative rock song. The band starts fairly quiet and mellow but then ramps up the energy playing faster and harder. The band conveys a strong sense of urgency and a feeling of angst in Right Now. 
Spoon and Key has a cool stereo guitar intro. The band then busts out into an intoxicating, fast groove. The lyrical content has a couple of narcotic references and in between the verses the band sounds melodic, creating a different sound and feeling from the verse.
Hangman is one of my favorite tracks on Catastrophile. The band shows off a slower, heavier side. The verse music is crunchy with its muffled guitar. The band then transitions from a melodic passage to a riff heavy groove which sounds like a combo of Black Sabbath and Soundgarden, two of my favorite bands. I would have loved to hear a guitar solo but the song doesn't suffer from the lack of solo.
Running Away kicks off with a killer drum intro. Running Away is a straight ahead hard rock track. The vocal timbre and lyrical content reminded me of Kurt Cobain.
Morphine is sure to get ya movin' and groovin' along with the bristling tempo. The music is strong and hard-driving and further accentuated by a steady helping of cymbal crashes. 
Marketbasket is a catchy and melodic track and one of my favorite songs on Catastrophile. The guitar progression sounds like it was played with a slide giving it a blues rock feel. The vocal performance is one of the best on the release and it may have you singing along by the end of the song.
California Rain sounds like one of the most musically adventurous tracks on Catastrophile. The guitar and drum performances are some of the best on the album. After reading the title of the song I was expecting a mellow song but California Rain is definitely one of the best songs on the release.
Old School Obese Horse is pounding and powerful, I really like the slide guitar touches. The emotional vocals sound mysterious and seem to describe a secret plot. 
Dozer is literally a musical bitch slap, a sonic attack on the senses. Stereo Pharoah definitely saved one of the best for last. The mid-tempo pace should induce some movement of the physical body. The drum performance is the best on Catastrophile, especially on the bridge section of the song.

Any fan of the 90's alternative rock sensibility will love Stereo Pharoah's Catastrophile.

To hear Steroe Pharoah goto...
https://stereopharaoh2020.bandcamp.com/releases

Under Arrest - Buffalo, NY

Under Arrest - Buffalo, NY

Voted "Best New Group." Night Life Music Awards 2016. 
Best Drummer 2018, Nominated For "Best Rock Band" 2017, 2018 Night Life Music Awards!

Under Arrest is a rockin' cover band that plays classic rock songs and country music from the 60's to the present day.
Check out their website for show dates, videos, photos and contact info http://www.underarrestband5.com
Band members include Debbie Schulmeister - Keyboards and Lead Vocals and Will Schulmeister - Drums and Vocals.

"Under Arrest" Current Song List:
Ex's & Oh's- Elle King
Don't Stop- Fleetwood Mac
Somebody To Love- Jefferson Airplane
Hit Me With Your Best Shot- Pat Benatar
No Matter What- Badfinger
That'll Be The Day- Linda Ronstadt
Drive to Survive- Jimmy Thackery
Harden My Heart- Quarter Flash
Keep On Loving You- R.E.O.
You're So Vain- Carly Simon
All Over Now- Rolling Stones
Little White Church- Little Big Town
Temptation Eyes- Grassroots
Red- Taylor Swift
Summer of '69- Brian Adams
Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me- Terry Clark
Change in My Pocket- Georgia Satellites
Before He Cheats- Carrie Underwood
Half Breed- Cher
It's So Easy- Linda Ronstadt
Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac
Stop Draggin My Heart Around- Petty/Nicks
Take it On the Run- R.E.O.
I Will Survive- Gloria Gaynor
Cool Guitars- Jimmy Thackery
Done- Band Perry
Bad Case of Loving You- Robert Palmer
Because The Night- Natalie Merchant
When Will I Be Loved- Linda Ronstandt
Let'er Rip- Dixie Chicks
Alone- Heart
Jolene- Dolly Parton
Heartbreaker- Pat Benatar
Raise Your Glass- Pink

General Manager - Will Schulmeister
Email contact - willschulmeister@roadrunner.com
Website - http://www.underarrestband5.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Under-Arrest-104262226332911/?fref=tsfacebook.com

Russ Vesci and Texas Revolver - Buffalo, NY

Russ Vesci: Comin' Home music review by Joe Tell.
Russ also performs as Russ Vesci and Texas Revolver, a band that pays tribute to the legendary guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan. 
https://www.facebook.com/Russ-Vesci-and-Texas-Revolver-SRV-Tribute-1007593389381525/

Russ Vesci: Comin' Home music review. 

Comin' Home highlights the diverse talents of Buffalo musician Russ Vesci (whom initials are one letter away from SRV). Russ provides the vocals and all the instrumentation, along with all production and songwriting credits. A very impressive feat to say the least. Comin' Home starts off with a jumpin', uptempo blues song called Take Me Home. Russ' guitar style revolves around a pure blues stratocaster sound, reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Russ proves that he has all the bases covered when it comes to blues guitar rhythms and solo guitar playing. Take Me Home starts off with a killer blues guitar solo as he introduces himself in the lyrics as the Boogie Woogie Man. The production is very polished and the sound is top-notch. The guitar solo includes some Joe Satriani-like quicksilver slides that punctuate all the fast blues licks. Russ' vocal style is along the same lines as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Take Me Home kicks off the Comin' Home CD with class and style.
(Pro wrestler Jimmy Valiant came to mind when I heard the cool Boogie Woogie man line. I also remembered the blues metal song UFO wrote with the Built for comfort, Not meant for speed lyric line.)
Too Hot sounds to me like an uptempo reinterpretation of Cold Shot. The guitar rhythm is solid and steady and the keyboards compliment the strong rhythm. The guitar solo is lightning quick with its tasty tremolo bar (or whammy bar) wiggles.
I Hear The Devil Call My Name highlights Russ' slow blues guitar style, expertly bending notes throughout this song. A song about the devil is a common theme in blues music and Russ totally nails his own version on the evil subject. Russ shows off his mastery of all the coolest blues licks, licks that Albert and Freddie King made famous. Russ sings a line and follows it up with a guitar fill, executing the call and response blues song structure to perfection. 
Give As Good As You Get picks the energy back up with an uptempo rockin' blues number. The catchy chorus became stuck in my head as I listened to this song to come up with something to write about. This is one of my favorite songs on Comin' Home.
I'm Comin' Home highlights Russ' mastery of all things Stevie Ray Vaughan, many of the guitar licks and the rhythm of this song reminded me of Pride and Joy. Russ even mentions Austin, Texas in the lyrics, the state where Stevie Ray Vaughan was from.
Next up is an uptempo number called Blues Makes Everything Alright. Russ tells a story about a one-sided love that's OK as long as he can grab his guitar and play. The guitar playing on this song is one of the best on his release, full of fire and soul. Russ starts off with a sound that is fairly clean but at about a minute into the song Russ literally kicks the solo into overdrive. After ripping on some speedy blues licks Russ throws a couple of Hendrix solo trademarks in for good measure. This song is one of the best on Comin' Home.
Kisses In The Rain is a ballad which allows Russ' musical ability as a singer and a guitarist shine through. Russ' guitar playing is slow and very melodic, showing his versatility as an accomplished guitar player. Full of heartfelt soul and emotion his vocals on this song are some of the best on Comin' Home.
Dusty Boots Blues closes out Comin' Home. This track opens up with the sounds of pouring rain and continues on with the classic blues slide guitar. After listening to 7 songs with electric guitar this short but sweet instrumental track sounds cool with the acoustic guitar. Once again Russ nails it playing the blues slide guitar exceptionally well. If you are a fan of rocking blues with killer guitar solos then I would highly recommend Comin' Home by Russ Vesci.

Stone Priest - Buffalo, NY

Stone Priest - Buffalo, NY
Helmet Lady Records

Stone Priest description and artwork courtesy of their bandcamp page.
https://stonepriest.bandcamp.com/
Stone Priest on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0aW7EbGUqN2WwZXWe9C8mQ

Stone Priest band members...
Harold Pollinger - Keys, Vox
Shea Rayhn - Drums, Vox
Christopher Delmont - Guitar, B/U Vox
Larry Gartley - Bass

Stoner rock roaring out of Buffalo, NY – Stone Priest are bringing a keyboards infused riff assault to the masses! Their keyboard histrionics and gothic undertones set them in a league of their own.

Pallor Mortis is available on blue vinyl.

Stone Priest: Pallor Mortis album review by Joe Tell. 
(Pallor Mortis is the first stage of death, it's an after-death paleness that occurs in those with light/white skin.) 
Pallor Mortis from Stone Priest starts off with Take It Back. The first few measures are dominated by a keyboard sound that can best be described as the eerie sound that is often heard in horror/slasher movies, the sound sets the tone for what's to come. A solid, melodic bass line pierces the keyboard sound establishing the rhythm. The vocals immediately reminded me of Black Sabbath's drummer Bill Ward. Bill Ward sang lead vocals on It's Alright and Swinging The Chain. Comparisons can also be made to Dave Walker and Al Atkins. The tempo of the music gets faster as the keys take a solo, a return to the original tempo takes the song out.  
Warped begins with a wavering keyboard line that continues into a melancholy melodic line. As the band comes in the keys and band switch off playing a descending and ascending melodic pattern, the sound is distinctive and psychedelic. The song continues with some staccato starts and stops, a brief keyboard solo adds yet another cool sound to the mix. 
Doomsday kicks off with the band showing off some excellent musicianship, with its fast tempo and blazing lead guitar. The vocal mix could be better. Deep Purple and Faith No More come to mind when listening to this particular track.
Time Takes All starts off slow and builds into a 70's space rock jam. The rhythm section and the keyboards dominate the mix. The sparse sound effects and spacy vocals are a nice touch. My only qualm is the guitar could be louder in the mix.
Dwarf is a quick little jam that starts off with a laugh that sounds evil. The band shows off a progressive side that is pierced by some cool keyboard rakes. Stone Priest fits in some quick tempo shifts that keep the sound interesting.
One For The Money is my favorite song on Pallor Mortis. The keyboard intro is dramatic leading into the song. A comparison to Pink Floyd seems obvious going by the song title and lyrical content. The guitar solo is the best on the album. The band shows off it's tight musical chops and a great keyboard solo takes the song out.
Rotten Blarney Stone features the best vocal and percussion performance on Pallor Mortis. The song has a decidedly 70's progressive rock sound. 
Ash To Dust is the heaviest track on Pallor Mortis. The bass heavy mix is powerful and full of aggression. 

Special thanks to Stone Priest and Helmet Lady Records.

Terrible Lizard Comics - Buffalo, NY

Pat OConnell - Buffalo, NY

Pat OConnell - Buffalo, NY
The Way And It's Power CD art
www.rogueelephantmusic.com
Special thanks to Paramount Music Center.

Carina and The Six String Preacher - Buffalo, NY

Carina & The Six String Preacher - Buffalo, NY

Latest Performance News and Events

https://www.facebook.com/CarinaandTheSixStringPreacher/

2020

2019

Lotus Road Productions LLC presents "Heartbreak Falls" THE PARTY! on Nov. 2nd.

Join the producers of the upcoming feature film "Heartbreak Falls", slated to film in and around the Buffalo/Niagara Falls region in 2020, at this one of a kind fundraising event.
"Heartbreak Falls" is a modern day ensemble set against the back drop of a crumbling mob empire and is centered around the lives of two dissonant brothers.  Both lost personally and seeking redemption for love lost with two downtrodden dancers, the brothers confront their past and present while embracing the deteriorating health of their grieving father.

THE PARTY! NOV. 2nd!

Tickets are $17 presale and $25 at the door.  Your ticket will include a free Resurgence beer sampling and one free drink during cocktail hour (7pm to 8pm).  Each ticket also grants entry for one of many door prize raffles.  Refreshments will also be provided.
VIP tickets (Pre Sale Only) are $75 and includes early entry to the event (6:30pm).  Two free drink vouchers for the cocktail hour, a sheet of raffle tickets and a special Heartbeak Falls gift.  
One of a kind silent auction items for the event include -- Authenticated autographed posters and photos from "Game of Thrones", "The Dark Knight Trilogy", "Star Wars", "The Sopranos", "The Natural" and more!

Live Music provided by local upstart ascending band "Carina and the Six String Preacher"

Described as a spicy blend of crime jazz, surf, latin, and pop with a touch of blood and a dash of cinnamon, Carina and the Six String Preacher’s signature sound is a modern day jazz noir with a twist.  The band was formed by singer/songwriter Carina M. and guitarist/songwriter Vincent James Mastrantonio— has been independently writing, recording, and performing since 2013. They’ve since released three albums and singles, including their most recent song, Shattered. While recording their second album “Why You So Wild, Crocodile?”, the duo began making music videos on YouTube for the new songs off their forthcoming EP. Their videos have garnered thousands of views and followers from around the world. Recently joined by esteemed drummer Erik Eimiller in 2018, the band continues to create music and perform at some of the most renowned venues and festivals in the region.

Pre-sale ticketing ends 24 hours prior to the event!

Live Music from Carina & The Six String Preacher this Sat the 28th!

Carina & The Six String Preacher will be performing in the Revolution Gallery auditorium this Saturday the 28th from 3:15pm to 4:30pm.  Check out the incredible art installations in the works at Play/Ground 2019! This is an interactive/immersive art experience featuring over 30 artists plus live music and food all weekend long. Check out the link for directions and to purchase tickets online- https://www.artplaygroundny.com/about

Check out the latest video from Carina and the Six String Preacher called Shattered.
Carina and the Six String Preacher have their own website
https://carinaandthesixstringpreacher.com/
and they can also be found online on all the major music digital platforms.

www.facebook.com/carinaandthesixstringpreacher

Special thanks to Vince and Carina.

Helmet Lady Records - Buffalo, NY

Helmet Lady Records is an independent boutique record label based in Buffalo that specializes in high quality, limited release vinyl, t-shirts and CDs. 

Helmet Lady Records website: https://helmetladyrecords.bigcartel.com/
FB - https://www.facebook.com/helmetladyrecords/

Bands on the Helmet Lady Records roster include Stone Priest, Nine Layers Deep, Hawkeyes, 1886, Brothers Of The Nod, Saturndust and Shepherd Demonstration 2. 

Stone Priest - Pallor Mortis album art. Pallor Mortis is available on blue vinyl.

Nine Layers Deep - Sludge Life: I album art. Sludge Life: I is available on red vinyl and CD.

Hawkeyes - Last Light Of Future Failure album art. Last Light Of Future Failure is available on yellow and blue vinyl.

1886 - Before The Fog Covers The Mount album art. Before The Fog Cover The Mount is available in red/orange/white-smoke psych starburst vinyl. 

Brothers Of The Nod - album art. Album is available on opaque tundra grey vinyl.

Saturndust - debut album artwork. Album is available in grey/black smoke, copper/black smoke and purple/black smoke vinyl.

Ruination Series #1- Shepherd Demonstration 2 album art. 

Nine Layers Deep - Buffalo, NY

Nine Layers Deep - Buffalo, NY
Helmet Lady Records

All art, photos and description courtesy of the 9LD bandcamp page: 

Firmly rooted in underground filth and with weighty ambitions to match their filthy tones, Nine Layers Deep are looking to take on the world. Powerful, heavy and undeniably potent Nine Layers Deep are bringing thoughtful and simply crushing doom metal to the masses and forcing you to choke on their wonderfully bitter sonic pill.

9LD is:
Alaysa - Guitar/Vox
Jim - Lead Guitar
Kevin - Drums 

https://helmetladyrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ninelayersdeep/
https://ninelayersdeep.bandcamp.com/

Review for Nine Layers Deep: Sludge Life: I by Joe Tell. 

Before starting I wanted to say that Nine Layers Deep reawakened my love for hearing loud de-tuned guitars, working together in harmony. A heavy, raw sound that initially drew me into music which led me into wanting to learn how to play. So special thanks to 9LD. 
OK, on with review, Sludge Life: I starts off with the instrumental title track Sludge Life. Before you play this song I have a small suggestion, dial-up a little more bass on your stereo system, more on this later. Placing Sludge Life as the first track of this new release is a brilliant choice. The choice for an instrumental works as it highlights each members musicianship as well as showcasing how the band works together as a cohesive unit. The pounding drums by Kevin and the crushing dual guitar attack by Alaysa and Jim kick off this song and will beat you into submission leaving your brain numb and waiting for what's next. The slow tempo and doom and gloom sound harks back to the late 60's and early 70's when the band Black Sabbath were in their prime. Fans of Metallica, early Queens Of The Stone Age and the lesser known band, Trouble will certainly love the sounds on Sludge Life. This is one of my favorite tracks on Sludge Life: I.

My review copy of Jupiter starts off with "When your heart is in love you're floating weightless. But when you lose that love you have to re-enter the atmosphere and it can get pretty rough. You're just bouncing off one molecule and on the next. Ripping through them at such a pace that they just ignite and explode. Until you find another heart that's doing the same thing, it has landed and cooled and then you start to float again." 
Jupiter is another outstanding heavy track. Combined with the de-tuned distorted guitars and bombastic drums the unique vocal sound that Alaysa contributes to the band gives the music a special quality. All of these factors combine to give the band a distinctive sound which sets them apart from a lot of the other doom metal bands on the scene. The raw, emotional lyrics tell of a undying love that lives on through space and time. The cool lead guitar fills add melody and aggression to the sonic palette. The band breaks into a massive pounding groove before the song ends with some melodic guitar picking.

Funeral is another offering of crushing mid-tempo doom metal. The guitar intro sounds very cool and unique. I like the heavy fade in which brings in the power of the rest of the band. Alaysa's vocals are laid back highlighting the grinding groove. The vocals become more aggressive right before the solo, setting it up perfectly. More screaming vocals and guitar soloing take the song out.

Fury // Beauty is my favorite track from Sludge Life: I. The power the band possesses is undeniable and on full display. The intro sounds cool with one guitar exchanging notes in harmony with the other guitar. The guitars then come together to sound like pounding sledgehammers only to sound like an angry swarm of hornets on the next verse. The lead guitar and drum performances on this song are some of the best on Sludge Life: I. The heartfelt and angst-filled vocals from Alaysa really shine through on Fury // Beauty. Remember my suggestion to turn up the bass on your stereo system in the beginning of this review?... Most listeners probably won't notice but being a bass player I noticed a bass guitar missing from the mix. I still enjoy this song a lot, I can picture a giant monster (Godzilla?...) stomping through a burning landscape along with the beat when I listen to this song as well as the title track from the album. A nod to one of my favorite bands, Black Sabbath is definitely in order.
The intense MetaSin is up next. The sarcastic lyrics add a sly sense of humor to the song, which I appreciate. The band shouting "That's Neat!" along with trading vocals with Alaysa show a different side of the band.    

Nero is a fantastic song that closes out the album. Nero is well composed with it's many tempo twists' and turns. The dual guitars work in unison to set a dark tone for the drone metal that's to come. The heavy pounding riff is further enhanced with Alaysa's screaming vocals. The band then breaks into a uptempo, giant-size riff completed with some killer soloing. The energy of the track is lifted high then brought back down intro the crushing intro music as it closes out. 

I think 9LD is a great, doom and gloom metal outfit and Sludge Life: I is a great first release. 

Special thanks to Helmet Lady Records for submitting 9LD for review. Visit the local record label, Helmet Lady Records online @ their website https://helmetladyrecords.bigcartel.com/ to purchase Sludge Life: I and many other great local metal releases.