Reviews

Tori Amos On The Kings Theatre Stage Photo by Kyra Kverno

Tori Amos Captivates the Crowd at the Kings Theatre

May 16, 2022 by B.L. Howard

The historic Kings Theatre was a perfect setting for Tori Amos to play her first ever concert in Brooklyn on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, to... read article

Ocean To Ocean Album Cover Art

Tori Amos’ “Ocean” Offers Smooth Sailing — With an Edge

May 13, 2022 by Michela Arlia

Ocean to Ocean, the latest release from singer, songwriter and pianist Tori Amos, has a captivating range of sounds that accentuate her talents and take... read article

No Band of Thieves photo by Alexa Viscius /courtesy of Pitch Perfect PR

Big Thief Steals Listener’s Hearts With Latest Release

April 20, 2022 by Michela Arlia

Originating from the great borough of Brooklyn, Big Thief is a four person indie rock band with folk roots. Composed of members Adrianne Lenker, Buck... read article

Crimson Album Cover photo by Keaton Matusich- resized

Crimson Album Art photo by Keaton Matusich

Adrian Daniel’s Crimson EP Adds Color to the R&B Scene

April 15, 2022 by Michela Arlia

Brooklyn native, singer-songwriter and producer Adrian Daniel , fresh off of his SXSW performance , has just released his newest EP, Crimson. In his official... read article

Tommy James’s “Rock Party”: Alive, Kicking and Relevant

February 25, 2022 by David K. Moseder

Tommy James & The Shondells’ Rock Party compiles some of James’s favorite tracks in new versions that he has recorded over the years. None of... read article

Bobtown at the Dumbo Archway for the 2021 BKAMF photo by Enresto Gonzalez

Brooklyn Americana Fest Returns LIVE — and as Lively as Ever

September 26, 2021 by David K. Moseder

The annual Brooklyn Americana Music Festival (BKAMF) was back live again this year after having to go virtual in 2020. Six venues hosted more than... read article

The Crowd at Club Quarantine -Celebrate Brooklyn!

The Club Quarantine Crowd at Celebrate Brooklyn! photo by Al Pereira

Club Quarantine Goes Viral At Celebrate Brooklyn!

September 24, 2021 by Al Pereira

When the pandemic hit last year, D-Nice decided to hit back. The humble DJ, known to his mom as Derrick Jones, dragged his I-Tunes collection... read article

It’s Me Or The Dog Or Was It “Cats”?

September 22, 2021 by Michela Arlia

Emily Frembgen is a singer-songwriter, hailing originally from Denver and Maryland, but is now based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Since first moving to the Big Apple... read article

While the Angels Sigh, Cindy Alexander Perseveres

August 25, 2021 by Michela Arlia

Cindy Alexander is a singer-songwriter in the indie music genre who currently resides in California. In April of this year, Alexander released her 10th studio... read article

Bristol County Tides Album Cover

Annie Keating’s “Tides” Ebbs and Flows Through Trying Times

August 9, 2021 by David K. Moseder

The songs on Annie Keating‘s new album, Bristol County Tides, are about “finding human connection amidst times of isolation [and are] deeply personal to my... read article

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Artists on our Radar

Brayden Baird Is Asking the Big Questions – And Making You Laugh Through the Pain

Brayden Baird -photo courtesy of Mix-Tape Media

After decades of producing and releasing music under various aliases, Brooklyn’s own Brayden Baird is stepping into the spotlight with his most raw and refined work yet. Backed by the Once in a Lifetime Band, Baird’s upcoming LP Lord, why do you do these things to me? is a heartfelt and even satirical exploration of grief, identity, and faith that refuses to follow conventional sounds before its time. Across the ten-track album, Baird weaves catchy humor with emotional vulnerability, building a soundscape that feels intimate and extravagant all at once. His lyrics are clever without being cynical and full of sincerity; this delicate balance places him alongside emerging alt-folk figures like Cameron Winter and Nate Amos. The album kicks off with its title track, a sharp, stomping folk-rock number that wrestles with clever anecdotes and the chaos of unanswered prayers. From there, the songs unravel like chapters in a personal essay. The blending of stories of loss, family, addiction, and self-discovery comes about in just about every track. “Light in the Tunnel” turns a daily subway ride into an anthem of personal awakening. At the same time, “When Will the Sun Rise Again?” delivers a haunting, piano-led meditation on mourning and artistic authenticity. Other tracks showcase Baird’s gift for finding light in unlikely places. “Blue for the Body” is a lively reflection on coping mechanisms based on Gatorade flavors, which Baird says “is intended as a fun jam that people can sing and play along to and make light of the weight of addictions.”. “Pelican” draws on childhood lore amid his father’s mythical stories that untangle complex family bonds. With the accompanying music video for this track, Baird draws on whimsical elements of his father’s storytelling, saying, “In life, it is so easy to hate somebody based on the things they’ve done and so hard to forgive. After all, we are just working with the things we’ve got.” One of the album’s most affecting moments, which comes halfway through “It Kills Me to See You Sick,” channels rage and helplessness into a hushed piano ballad that’s both deeply personal and widely relatable, with Baird recounting the pain and sadness behind the song’s creation as his mom was diagnosed with Cancer as other family members were simultaneously hospitalized. On the last track of the album, “When You Were Castrated,” Baird confronts mortality and estrangement with brutal honesty about his father’s passing, delivering a final note that is at once heartbreaking and cathartic. Baird’s musical world is one of contradictions: funny and tragic, sarcastic and sincere, spiritual and grounded. With Lord, why do you do these things to me?* he’s created an album that doesn’t just tell stories but invites listeners to sit with them, question them, and sing along anyway. Catch Brayden Baird and the Once in a Lifetime Band at their album release show at The Rabbit Hole in Brooklyn on June 26 and stream the whole record on June 20.

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