BROOKLYN VOICES — JUNE 2016

May 26, 2016 by David K. Moseder

Flatbush Zombies /photo by Tiffany Komon for The Come Up Show /courtesy of Wikipedia

Kudos to the Flatbush Zombies, whose first full-length studio album, 3001: A Laced Odyssey, topped Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and debuted at number 10 in the Billboard 200…The reunion tour of Fort Greene jazz-rappers The Digable Planets will include a performance at Celebrate Brooklyn! on July 30. No word yet as to whether they may be getting back in the studio anytime soon…

Parquet_Courts_2016_photo by ZurichlsStained_courtesy of Wikipedia

Parquet Courts /photo by ZurichlsStained /courtesy of Wikipedia

Within weeks of the April 8 release party for Parquet Courts’Human Performance at The Bell House, the album cracked the top 20 on Billboard’s Rock, Alternative, Independent and Tastemaker charts…

Bay Ridge punk rockers The So So Glos have released their third full-length album, Kamikaze, on East Williamsburg-based Shea Stadium Records. You can catch them June 25 at Market Hotel in Bed-Stuy with another local punk act, Big Ups…

So So Glos /photo by 40boro /courtesy of Wikipedia

Our borough is well represented on Day of the Dead, the brand new, 59-track Grateful Dead tribute box set curated by Ditmas Park rockers The National. The other Brooklyn-based artists contributing to the project include Lucius, Charles Bradley, The Lone Bellow, The Walkmen, Real Estate, Sharon Van Etten, Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus…

Dan Zanes / photo by Howard B. Leibowitz/ courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Dan Zanes hints on his website that he’s working on a new CD featuring covers of folk-blues legend Lead Belly’s children’s songs…Congrats to Broadway’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; June 5 marks the show’s 1,000 performance…Among those contributing original songs to Nickelodeon’s Broadway-bound The Spongebob Musical are a trio Brooklyn acts: Jonathan Coulton, Dirty Projectors and They Might Be Giants.

NOTABLE QUOTE: “[Brooklyn] is not an easy place to survive in…which makes it easy to write a sad song…it’s been a great muse” –Yarn’s Blake Christiana, who, after 10 years in his adoptive home town, has relocated to North Carolina.

Artists on our Radar

Ricky Stein: Texas Roots in Brooklyn

Ricky Stein/ photo courtesy of the artist

If you’re looking for music inspired by New York City with a Texan flare, look no further than Ricky Stein, a Brooklyn-based artist originally from Austin, Texas. Stein is a singer-songwriter whose music is grounded by a combination of his upbringing in Texas and his present life in the bustling streets of New York City and Downtown Brooklyn. Stein has an impressive discography of singles and albums, and since moving to New York City in August 2016, he has released a full album, “Long Summer” and many singles. Stein’s music is best defined as Americana and roots, with folk-infused acoustic and electric guitars, and his lyrics paint vivid images of nature and life. The listener feels connected to Stein, as his musical stylings resemble talent from the likes of John Prine and Bonnie Raitt. His most recent single, “Passenger,” highlights Stein’s talents with a strong harmonica section. The song’s instrumentation and structure is built on one verse, which compliments the song’s message about the uncertainty and ominousness of being a passenger on a long journey. Another standout, “Street Lights,” is a lighthearted commentary on the comfort of hope, the street lights representing persistent light even in the dead of night. Stein’s live performances are carefully tailored, his sets performed at local venues in Brooklyn like Pete’s Candy Store and many other venues known to support live roots and country music. His talents are always showcased, whether performing a solo show with a guitar and harmonica or being supported by a full band. Stein’s upcoming months are packed with performances at many venues, including Saturday, January 11th at Skinny Dennis Bar in Williamsburg and Friday, March 7th at Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook. You won’t want to miss it!

... read article