There is no shame in feeling the need to reach out for help or needing to talk through personal issues, regardless of how big or small they may seem to others. There are always people willing to help, whether they be a friend or an anonymous stranger. The Samaritans of Rhode Island have been providing […]
The breathy and clear techno chords opening this track definitely surprised me, given that the premise of this song is lyrically a bit depressing without the musical context. But the paradoxical mix of the bright with the dark, and joy with despair, brings a unique flair to this duo’s newest release. Fronted by vocalist and […]
Troubled times call for audacious measures. Math the Band is back, this time with a whirlwind of multimedia the likes of which has never been attempted. Their latest project, Flange Factory Five, is an immersive experience that includes a novel, record, game boy cartridge, energy drink and boutique guitar pedal. MTB, sometimes billed as “Math […]
Okee dokee folks… I have been languishing in Facebook detention for more than a week now, and I still have three weeks to go before I am free to speak my mind on social media once again. Then I’ll probably last 24 hours before I am shut off once more. Facebook has put me in […]
Throwing Muses — Sun Racket (Fire Records) It’s amazing to think that Newport’s Throwing Muses have been together 40 years now. To celebrate, Throwing Muses will release a new album, Sun Racket, on September 4. Sun Racket is packed with singer/guitarist Kristin Hersh’s abstract poetry that floats and flails in the seas of psychedelic guitars […]
If you hear guitar at a jazz gig around Providence, there is a good chance it’s coming from the amp of local musician Gino Rosati. Rosati has a voice that fits a variety of styles, and he’s highly sought after by ensembles all over the state. One ensemble that he helped found and is a […]
Motif’s jazz writer, Ben Shaw — interviewer of musicians, reviewer of albums and guy in the know — also is a jazz performer, and he dropped an album of his own last month that definitely deserves a listen. The 5-track album was entirely written by Shaw and was influenced a range of jazz styles, from […]
One of Rhode Island’s finest local entertainers is Bob Mainelli.He has performed for more parties, organizational events, civil and otherwise, private celebrations, small clubs, large clubs, restaurants, casinos, political happenings, weddings, funerals, bar-mitzvahs and probably hangings than most professional singers. Bob taught music at Johnston High School for many years. His daughter, Jennifer has emulated […]
With the opening notes pulling a distinct power move by featuring just stripped-down vocals, I was thinking this would be a capella upon my first listen – but I was immediately transported somewhere new once the bright piano chords blended with the warmth of Emily Goldsteins’s half-sung, half-spoken raw vocals. Later, she is joined by […]
Lowell experimental alt-rock band Wax On has led local fans through plenty of different emotions throughout the years. With every album release, they find a way to surprise fans with their sound. On August 4, they released single “Wolfsheets,” and we got a whole new level of Wax On we didn’t know we needed. The […]