Reviews

“The New Electronic Guitarist” Explores Modern Guitar Methods

July 21, 2020 by Howard B. Leibowitz

The New Electronic Guitarist is a journey through the world of modern guitar technology that promises to be of interest not only to professional musicians,... read article

The Fu Mos Strike a Soulful Funky Chord in Brooklyn

March 23, 2020 by B.L. Howard

The Fu Mos, a horn-heavy funk, rock, soul and jazz band based in Brooklyn, played an impromptu show at Bar Chord in Ditmas Park on... read article

Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band / ohoto by Kevin R. Mason

Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band On Stage at Kingsborough photo by Kevin R, Mason

Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band -A Musical Love Fest

February 27, 2020 by B.L. Howard

Valentine’s Day 2020 became a musical jazz love fest at On Stage at Kingsborough, thanks to Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band‘s stunning performance.... read article

The Lone Bellow’s “Half Moon Light” Lights Up Brooklyn

February 12, 2020 by Howard B. Leibowitz / David K. Moseder

The Lone Bellow celebrated the official release of their fourth album, Half Moon Light, by performing an acoustic set at Rough Trade NYC in Williamsburg,... read article

Lora-Faye Åshuvud / photo by Kyra Kverno

In The Moment at The Sultan Room photo by Kyra Kverno

Arthur Moon Shines at Bushwick’s Sultan Room

December 16, 2019 by David K. Moseder

On December 3, 2019, Brooklyn Roads visited Bushwick’s newest music venues, The Sultan Room, to catch one of the most intriguing artists our borough has... read article

Pete Yorn On Stage At Warsaw photo by Will Oliver

Pete Yorn and Band Rock Out in Greenpoint

November 26, 2019 by B.L. Howard

The Pete Yorn faithful packed Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Warsaw concert venue on November 9, 2019, eager to hear this New Jersey native’s fiery brand of melodic... read article

Rise Up With Fists /photo by Adela Laconte

Jenny Lewis : "Rise Up With Fists !" photo by Aedla Loconte

Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins Roll In Brooklyn

October 30, 2019 by B.L. Howard

The hallowed Art Deco lobby of the Kings Theatre in the heart of Brooklyn was buzzing, as the overflowing crowd of Jenny Lewis fans anticipated... read article

The Maybelles_BKAMF19_Jalopy Opening Night_Photo by Quincie Hydock

The Maybelles On Opening Night photo by Quincie Hydock

Fifth Brooklyn Americana Fest: One Crowd-Pleaser After Another

September 29, 2019 by David K. Moseder

The fifth annual Brooklyn Americana Music Festival presented 50 free shows on nine stages from Dumbo to Red Hook on Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 19... read article

Jesse -Guitar In Hand/ photo by Candy Cohen

Jesse Malin -Guitar In Hand photo by Candy Cohen

Jesse Malin’s “Sunset Kids” — A Musical Sunrise

September 18, 2019 by Howard B. Leibowitz

If you’re not familiar with New York City rocker Jesse Malin, or thought that he was in danger of becoming a musical memory, he was... read article

Afropunk BK Fashion / photo by Kyra Kverno

Afropunk Brooklyn 2019: Fun, Raunchy, Eclectic

September 7, 2019 by Azriel Wallace

2019’s Afropunk Festival Brooklyn, held on August 24 and 25 at Commodore Barry Park, was an abundance of pure vibes. One word to describe this... 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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