Enter Gentle Ben
Different Noises 45
This selection of new releases and classic tracks is perhaps a little more eclectic than usual. There are a variety of genres on show with Lulaworld Records contributing an excellent set of releases. There’s also a focus on the Snarski Brothers and other Australian sounds including Ben Corbett’s new band with their stunning new album.
SHOW
PLAYLIST
Chrome Waves - When Night Falls - Lost Horizon Live 1/5/2024
Gentle Ben And His Shimmering Hands - Spices - BRUT
Media - Flicker - Output
Scenius - Breezing Through It - Single
Jess Ribeiro - Howl - Summer Of Love
Beny Esguerra & Los Gaiteros de Ovejas - Eterno - Eterno
Dave Graney Show - Aristocratic Jive - The Dave Graney Show
Tio Chorinho - Andre Sem - Sapato - Tempestuoso
The Antikaroshi - Sticky Hands - L’intertie Polaire
Mathilde Monique feat. Steve Whitfield - Here I Am - Single
Kwabna - One That Set You Free - Single
Maura Hector - Mr Collins - Keep On
Nyctronix - Chroma - Single
Penny Shades - Hard Lines - Single
SnarskiCircusLindyBand - Somewhere, Sometime - I Know I Know
Chad’s Tree - Take Away Their Blue - Crossing Off The Miles
The Nearly Brothers - Its All Tumbling - You Can’t Hide From Your Yesterdays
Nastasia Y - Salgir River - Kyiv Soul
The Vanrays - Queen of Breaking Hearts - Hey! Alright Now!
Ahmed Moneka - 90 Days - Kamzafula
Chrome Waves - Wind Blown - Lost Horizon Live 1/5/2024
The Silversound - Low Sound - The Silversound
Michael O Neill - Snappy Snafu (Again) - Arrival
Gentle Ben And His Shimmering Hands - No Encore - BRUT
Percussia - A Year in New York - Plucked & Struck
SHOW NOTES
Chrome Waves
Midwestern post-black metal outfit presents their first live album, Lost Horizon – Live 1/5/2024, through Disorder Recordings. The show was recorded at the long-running Syracuse, New York venue Lost Horizon on January 5th, 2024, on their short Northeastern tour kicking off the new year. The lineup for the show included founding member Jeff Wilson (Deeper Graves, Contrition, ex-Nachtmystium) on guitar, Zion Meagher (Anti-Human Thesis, ex-Nachtmystium) on bass, James Benson (Amiensus, Comatose) on guitar and vocals, and Garry Naples (Without Waves, Novembers Doom, Contrition) on drums. The set included six songs spanning five albums. Two tracks from the album on the show.
Gentle Ben And His Shimmering Hands
Formed from the remnants of Ben Corbetts’ previous sultry rock and roll group "His Sensitive Side" who incidentally recorded three brilliant and much loved albums,he has regrouped, after way too long, with a group that has more edge and more rawness than previous albums. With the new “shimmering hands” Tony Giacca – Guitars, Dan Baebler – Bass and Jhindu Pedro-Lawrie – Drums, they've made a record without compromises, that is indeed refreshing in the sanitised world of so called Indie-Post-Punk. Lyrically packing a punch the record is littered with Regret, Bitterness, Tragedy, Redemption. Describing a fraught, taught exploration of broken bodies, hearts and minds of our capitalist hell-scape in “Spices” to wailing rock and roll eulogies “De Bliksem” & “No Encore”, a drifting death-country ode to colonialism “Five Stars”, to a bloody kitchen sink drama “Tactical Empathy”. Two tracks from the album on the show.
Media
Phoenix, Arizona based psychedelic/alternative rock trio surprise-releases a new EP, Output, marking the third and final instalment in their trilogy of joined concept titles. The band was founded by Billy Tegethoff (The Oxford Coma) and Richard Wnuk who performed this first piece of the triptych, with Tegethoff handling guitar, bass, and vocals, Wnuk playing drums, and both contributing various synthesizers and electronics throughout the release. Wnuk had a very clear picture of how he wanted the record to sound, so he wore the producer hat throughout a very meticulous mixing process. Following the recording of Influence, the duo welcomed bassist CJ Sholtis (Goya) to the lineup
Scenius
Steve and Fabrice back with a new single their 18th I think…..deriving their name from a Brian Eno concept I also think. The Bandcamp page says……. perpetuates the art of making electronic dark-pop out of vintage synths and rhythm machines, lending the spirit and sounds of early electronic outfits (Kraftwerk, Eno, Foxx, Numan) with a clearly modern approach. The duo is composed of UK producer Steve Whitfield (The Cure, The Mission, Yann Tiersen…) and French singer Fab Nau,
Jess Ribeiro
Continuing to feature Jess’s new album…again, Bandcamp says… a shape-shifting musical enigma. The near-untouchable quality of her recorded output is astonishingly consistent and the wait for new music is always worthwhile. Ribeiro’s songs are cinematic in scope: it’s music that travels, across deserts like a Western, through city streets like Film Noir. Narrative and poetic.
Beny Esguerra & Los Gaiteros de Ovejas
The first of a lot of new albums from Lulaworld Records on the show. "Eterno" is a testament to the enduring spirit of collaboration and cultural exchange. From the streets of Toronto to the sabanas of Ovejas, Colombia, NTM and LGDO embarked on a journey of creativity, crafting ten compositions that blend tradition with innovation. The album's genesis began with each collective contributing five original compositions, culminating in a fusion of Indigenous-Colombian and Afro-Colombian influences dating back to the sixteenth century. Through a diverse array of instruments including Indigenous kuisi flutes, Afro-Colombian drums, turntables, MPC, electric guitar, and trombones. "Eterno" is a platform for intercultural dialogue and exchange. NTM and LGDO, comprised of performers, arts educators, and folklorists/ethnomusicologists, unite to preserve and innovate within the música de gaita tradition and to celebrate the unbreakable bonds of musical heritage.
Dave Graney Show
Dave says “It's a vague, jazzy song about those people who pull themselves up by their bootstraps to become members of society by aping the manners of their betters. Strangely they always become very conservative as they get older and seem to be completely cut adrift from their common beginnings. I was thinking of the dandy cowboys like Wild Bill Hickock and the Yankee Poms such as Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Errol Flynn , Slick Rick and Jimi Hendrix.”
Tio Chorinho
Dedicated to performing authentic Brazilian choro music, Tio Chorinho follows up on their debut Canadian Folk Music Award-winning release Chora Brazil, with Tempestuous, which features the dynamic Brazilian-born, Quebec-based vocalist Flavia Nascimento as special guest. Having recently showcased at Folk Music Ontario, Global Toronto, World Music Fest Taiwan and Mundial Montreal, the group features Carlinhos Cardozo (cavaquinho), Maninho Costa (percussion), Milos Popovic (accordion), Eric Stein (mandolin), and Andre Valerio (7-string guitar).
The Antikaroshi
Three years after their Extract.Transform.Debase LP, the band is releasing album number six, which can be considered as a successor in terms of content. The trio continues exactly where they left off on L’inertie Polaire: songs that take their time to breathe, only to start up again frantically the next moment and indulge in the noise. Their volume is always a means to an end, but overall, it’s about dragging you into the moment. While the drums and bass prove to be the foundation and yet try to break through the all too familiar, the guitar is often hypnotic and imaginatively searching, while vocals consciously wander between spoken word-esque snapshots and contained phrases.
Mathilde Monique feat. Steve Whitfield
Steve of Sceniusagain this time with Mathilde (or it may be Mathilda). Described as an expression of one of those delicate human contradictions : yearning to escape from this world and wanting to stay here forever.
Kwabna
Kwabna came to prominence on the Reggae scene in the UK and Europe with a string of popular Reggae Singles, and is now a popular and regular voice on UK, European, and Worldwide Radio Networks, with many regular appearances at some of the most prestigious events across Europe. Kwabna then teamed up with the Queen of Reggae Music, the Legendary Marcia Griffith and Anchor Studio top producer Fatta, turning their attention to delivering a popular masterpiece called 'Governs of Africa'. After the success of these collaborations, Kwabna was brought to the attention of Jamaica's most famous Reggae twins Sly and Robbie, who immediately decided to record together.
Maura Hector
Drummer Igor Willcox says “Here is another album that it’s just released and features the talented Brazilian guitarist Mauro Hector. I had the pleasure of recording the drums, mixing, mastering, and also producing it. The music leans towards a Blues Fusion style, and I think you'll really enjoy it.” I did!
Nyctronix
Another single in Jed Stephens new series of works
Penny Shades
Penny Shades, hailing from Nelson BC, is a vibrant neo/alt soul quartet ensemble renowned for their original music. Characterized by mesmerizing 3-part harmonies, electrifying lead vocals, and contemporary grooves infused with a touch of psychedelic allure. Sometimes it’s the most devastating moments that force you to consider who you are, where you stand, and where you need to go in order to stay true. For Penny Shades frontwoman Sarah Orton, the pivotal moment was the freak-accident Nelson Flood that drowned the basement music studio that she, her partner, and four other bands shared under five hundred gallons of water.
SnarskiCircusLindyBand
A trio of Snarski brothers related things.. This is the most recent and i’ve been featuring over the last few weeks….this one is Rob of course
Chad’s Tree
Mark and Rob’s first outing - often compared to The Triffids, mainly because of geographical links but there are some musical similarities. In March 2010 Memorandum Records released thsi compilation album which includes both of their studio albums, all the singles, together with eleven early demos and live recordings. The release also includes an excellent 32-page booklet with photos and liner notes from eight contributors including both Rob and Mark, authors Niall Lucy and David Nichols and band insiders. The brothers are probably better known for what followed - Mark with Jackson Code and Rob with The Blackeyed Susans. Bandcamp has some excellent recent work by both.
The Nearly Brothers
A bit of a supergroup from 2010 with Martyn Casey on bass , Bongo Fury on drums, T.B. Allen on guitar, Mick Harvey on keyboards and Mark Snarski on vocals and guitar. Not to be confused with the band from Texas with the same name.
Nastasia Y
Inspired by the Ukrainian word "dushevna", which means "soulful" , Nastasia's new album explores themes of war and love. Raised in Kyiv, Ukraine, listening to her late father's protest songs, Nastasia began to fuse ancient Slavic folk songs with jazz and funk after moving to Canada. Trauma exposes the dusha (soul), and these ancestral voices emerged as a force for resistance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a world where people shield themselves to global events, Nastasia seeks to open the hearts of her listeners with Kyiv Soul.
The Vanrays
The promo says “Taking notes from classics and contemporaries like Spencer Davis group, Detroit Cobras, Curtis Harding and the Daptone Records roster, The Vanrays have delivered a dynamic release full of soulful classic R&B and garage music. Their bio reads like a manifesto for their brand of music: It’s a Motown beat down in a sharkskin suit. It's wailing like it’s gospel while they're laying in the boots. It's a curb stomping rhythm on the corner of control. It's a nod in the direction, when all shoes had leather souls. And to when those shoes were twisting, to Otis and to James. And so now do, The Vanrays too, we are here to do the same.” Indeed.
Ahmed Moneka
Drawing on his Afro-Sufi music heritage, Ahmed Moneka delivers a joyful and transcendent mix of African grooves and Arabic melodies informed by funk, soul and jazz. Reflecting on his journey from Baghdad to Toronto (arriving as a refugee after an appearance in a movie about gay rights), the actor, artist and activist, alongside his all-star global ensemble, draws listeners into an ecstatic celebration of life.Through original compositions and West Asian classics, Ahmed explores nostalgia for one's home and love in all its forms.
The Silversound
Another Australian supergroup The Silversound are Shane O’Mara, Andrew Tanner, Stu Thomas and Leroy Cope. Between them, they have been involved with the icons of the Australian music scene; from Paul Kelly to Rebecca’s Empire, Kim Salmon to Dave Graney, Tim Rogers to Lisa Miller, toured the world and recorded a plethora of albums over the last three decades. Shane O’Mara, maestro guitarist, has played/recorded with Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers, Lisa Miller, Rob Snarski, Chris Wilson and many more. Andrew Tanner (vocals, guitar) is a founding member of Seven Stories and with Leroy Cope (drums) key member of psyche band Sand Pebbles and The Woodland Hunters. Multi-instrumentalist Stu Thomas (bass) is a member of Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, Dave Graney & the Mistly, and he fronts his voodoo surf band The Stu Thomas Paradox. All masters of their craft, they coalesce in The Silversound.
Michael O’Neill
Michael O’Neill’s services as a guitarist have been called upon at the highest level of the music industry for over 4 decades. Starting with his first tour of the U.S. and Europe on the Crusaders Street Life tour to his ongoing work with George Benson, Michael has played on hundreds of recordings, dozens of world tours, recorded 5 solo CDs, made numerous television and video appearances while working with a who’s who of contemporary jazz and pop artists. George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, Barbra Streisand, Rickie Lee Jones, Toni Braxton, Sheila E, Gato Barbieri and many more have called upon his services.
Percussia
Plucked & Struck is a collection of works for Celtic (lever) harp and small percussion. Many feature the Orff xylophone, a miniature didactic instrument developed by the German composer Carl Orff in the 1920s as part of his early childhood music education system. This album might be the first to explore the classical compositional potential of this particular combo. The music is deeply rooted in New York City. All three performers—and most of the composers—are from “the world’s borough” of Queens. You might say this album demonstrates one solution to the problem of transporting large and bulky instruments on the subway to gigs. It’s all a matter of scale.