I hear new music every day. Yesterday, I gave you a playlist of some of the things that have been filling up the CoolDad Music inbox. Today, I've got some new things from some people we've posted about often here at the site.
Sweet Spirit, "Los Lonely Girls"
Austin's Sweet Spirit feature the songwriting team of Sabrina Ellis and Andrew Cashen of A Giant Dog. Where A Giant Dog are glam punk, Sweet Spirit are more soulful power pop. The band will be releasing a new single tomorrow; and, today, they gave us a video for the song.
DIY'd together by Ellis, the video features lots of Sweet Spirit band members and friends dancing and generally getting their groove on. The song has sort of a 50s or 60s pop vibe, and the video is a perfect accompaniment.
Oh, also, the video is sideways. I guess just lie down on your side while you watch it or something.
Adam B Schlett, "Eat Your Heart Out"
It's always a cool thing to watch artists evolve. Adam B Schlett used to front the hard riffing Deaf Rhino. For solo track "Eat Your Heart Out," Schlett worked with former Maxwell's Tavern sound man, Greg Sgar. The song is a departure from Schlett's previous work, going in a more ambient direction than his stuff with Deaf Rhino. The song still features some hard rocking, but the overall feel -- aided by some synths and vocal effects -- is totally different.
Schlett says he has some other songs in the works, and it will be interesting to see where he takes his sound from here.
Lost Boy ?, "Ted's Permission"
Davey Jones of Lost Boy ? is one of those people who can't stop creating. He makes new songs all the time and just releases them, without much fanfare, to the world. His latest creation is "Ted's Permission." Jones works in lots of different genres -- garage rock, pop, post punk -- and "Ted's Permission" is a foray into kind of anti-folk.
Lost Boy ? also likes to work with characters and personality, changing from project to project or song to song. Lost Boy ?'s last LP, Goose Wazoo,features the high strung, frantic version of Lost Boy ?; while "Ted's Permission" is told by a deep voiced, slower-moving Lost Boy ?
Just about everything Lost Boy ? does works for me. There's a new record coming soon, and I can hardly wait.
Since their inception in 2015, Deaf Rhino, a beast of a rock n roll band from Glen Rock, NJ, have been making quite a ruckus across the Garden State and have been smashing down all barriers into the NYC rock scene.
The powerhouse quartet have been giving their all on stage to the delight of their loyal listeners, whether it be during their residencies in Hoboken or when throwing down at gigs along the Jersey shore.
The band have also won over countless new converts during their high-profile opening spots for the likes of the Deftones, Refused, Willie Nile, and Nicole Atkins, just to name a few.
In June of 2017, Deaf Rhino released their latest single, "Snakeskin," along with an accompanying music video. The video tells a gritty crime-noir tale that pays its respects to Tarantino in the form of drug deals gone wrong, intense interrogation tactics, and some badass female ninjas.
Speaking of badasses, I recently caught up with Deaf Rhino's frontman, Adam Schlett, to ask a few questions about the band's experiences recording the single and making the video for "Snakeskin." We also got to talking about music, politics, and some other stuff too.
CoolMattyC: The Tartantino-esque video for your single "Snakeskin" just dropped earlier this month. The video was made for the band by Film Forge. Whose idea was it for the storyline? How much input did the band have in production, and can you talk about the making of video?
Adam Schlett: I'm gonna go 80-20 Film Forge to Deaf Rhino. We knew video wasn't our forte. We wanted to avoid "the same old thing" when it comes to videos and we really love when we get a chance to collaborate with creative people. We sent them the song, and they came back with a skeleton for the final product. After a few conversations where we shared both ideas and inspirations, we landed with the video concept.
CMC: Deaf Rhino recorded the song along with a batch of new tunes at Studio G in Brooklyn. "Snakeskin" features Sasha Dobson, a high-profile session player and bassist for Norah Jones's band, Puss & Boots. How did the band hook up with Sasha? AS: We have made records with producers who we know through the local scene many times and for this one, we made a band decision to work with a "big name" producer as a change of pace. Joel Hamilton who has worked on some mammoth records and has one of the hottest bands in modern rock (Highly Suspect) produced these tracks for us. He had a relationship with Sasha and one day was like, "We need a female vocal here…do you care if Sasha sings on this?"
It was a no brainer for us. She is crazy talented and added a nice energy to the sessions.
CMC: What were the recording sessions at Studio G like? AS: Honestly speaking, the sessions were hard for us.10 songs in 5 days is a huge undertaking with the level of production that went into these tracks. We're going to release 5 of the tracks. Some are going to be re-approached in the coming months at some different studios.
CMC: In addition to the "Snakeskin" single, you have posted a clip of "My Two Eyes" which is listed as a track off of Deaf Rhino’s forthcoming album which will be the follow up to 2015's Dirt, Rust, Chaos. What details can you clue us into about the new record? AS: A full LP may be a ways away. Some of the tracks hit it hard from the Studio G sessions. Some need to be tweaked. Balancing a touring schedule, jobs and the right bandwidth to come in with fresh ears in a new studio is what we're figuring out right now. At the least, we will have an EP out in the fall of our favorite tracks. "My Two Eyes" is up next were working on a video to support that release.
Deaf Rhino at Asbury Lanes
CMC: You often curate and share Spotify playlists that include a sampling of artists ranging from Blondie to Alanis Morrisette to the Drive By Truckers… and the band has also been known, on occasion, to perform some full on Black Sabbath sets…. So I guess it\s safe to say you have some pretty eclectic tastes when it comes to music. With all that said, who are you currently listening to or drawing inspiration from these days? AS: I have personally been listening to a lot of Hank Williams this week. I've been obsessed with lyricism and trying to get better as a writer over the past year or so. I try to stay open to new stuff all of the time as to avoid the constant repeat of playing my favorites over and over again. The playlists are fun to make and the few folks who follow them enjoy the new tunes. I don’'t know what it is, but getting a text saying "I LOVE this new song or band" makes me happy.
CMC: Deaf Rhino just played a show at Maxwells with the Last Internationale. What are your take-aways from working that show with them in Hoboken? AS: This may sound cocky but [Maxwells] is our room. We have hosted multiple sold-out shows there and even had a two month residency in the front bar.
We love that place! It is literally down the block from where we live and is one of the only hubs for original music in our neighborhood.
We decided to take a break from doing our headline shows there and are only doing support slots now in Hoboken.
We got asked to play with the Last Internationale. We are fans of theirs and any chance to play with a band that is "bigger" than us is something we really don't take for granted.
We had the room packed, and we played what we felt was a great show.
The opener is supposed to get the energy in the room up and that's what we did.
We also partied our asses off with the Last Internatioanle after the show. A bunch of rock and rollers getting toasted and celebrating rock and roll!
CMC: The Last Internationale are known for their outspoken political commentary and I was wondering if you'd be comfortable with sharing your thoughts on the current political climate in the U.S. and your hopes for the future? AS: Be comfortable with the idea that you aren't always right. Debate and disagreement are GOOD!
That is how we grow as people, as artists and as a society. If everyone spent more time understanding ideals that are different from their own, then we would be in a much better place to make effective changes to complex problems…I think…..
CMC: Oh and hey, one last question: what's up with the band's fascination with Randy Jackson and Guy Fieri? AS: Making a stop in Flavortown on the way to Hollywood. Out of bounds my man. Out of bounds. It's a yes for me dawg.
The new single, "Snakeskin," is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Deaf Rhino will be performing: June 29th at Pianos in NYC (along w/ Faux Furs, Nemes and more) Aug 11th at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ (along w/ Wicked Hollow) Aug 14th at the Wrat in Long Branch, NJ (acoustic set) For more info please go to www.DeafRhino.com.
New Jersey's Deaf Rhino occupy a sweet spot between DIY and professionalism. They book their own shows, do a lot of their own promotion, and are always up for swapping gigs with out of town bands. The guys have been able to parlay that relentless DIY work ethic into some pretty big, professional-sounding things: a weekly residency at Maxwell's Tavern in Hoboken, support slots at venues like New York's Webster Hall, even a mention on SiriusXM's Little Steven's Underground Garage channel as one of the "Top New Jersey Songs of 2015."
Deaf Rhino are a loud and raucous live act. The band's recorded output -- beginning with 2015's Dirt, Rust, Chaos -- captures that energy and grit while exhibiting a polish that makes it sound like Deaf Rhino will soon be reaching beyond the basements and bars of the Tri-state Area. That also comes through on their latest track, "Can't Say It Ain't True."
Singer / rhythm guitarist, Adam Schlett, says of the song, "'Can’t Say It Ain’t True' was written a few months after our first LP was released. It’s been in our live show for a bit now and we decided to record it on a weekend we weren’t traveling. The tune covers ground sonically and lyrically we’ve never really traipsed over during the recording of Dirt, Rust, Chaos. Were ready to get back in the studio to hash out the music we have been working on in rehearsals. We just wanted to get something in front of people while we take a short break from playing shows to write and record.”
"Can't Say It Ain't True" finds Schlett reminiscing about really enjoying an experience that he didn't necessarily expect he'd like. Sonically, the song blends Deaf Rhino's hard rock leanings with a sense of alt rock accessibility. The video skillfully blends titles and typefaces into one of the most engaging lyric videos you're likely to see.
Check out the video for "Can't Say It Ain't True" right here. You can stream the song starting today over at your favorite platform (Spotify, Google Play, etc.) for doing that kind of thing. If you'd like to get your digital mitts on a copy of the song, just email Deaf Rhino at the address on their Facebook page and ask for an MP3.
You can catch Deaf Rhino before they lock themselves up to write and record some new material when they play a rooftop show at a secret location (ask the band) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on May 14th.
Alvarez Kings are an indie rock / alt pop 4-piece from Sheffield, UK. They are Simon and Paul Thompson, Sean Parkin, and Richard Walker. From their beginnings in South Yorkshire, the band developed a devoted hometown following. They received a nod from BBC Radio, who named their song "No Resolve" Single of the Year, and hit the UK festival circuit with appearances at Isle of Wight and O2 Wireless.
Alvarez Kings then set their sights on North America with two consecutive appearances on Vans Warped Tour and their current tour with Melanie Martinez. They bring an epic alt pop sound to the stage, and there are likely big things in their future. This Friday, March 25th, the band headline Wonder Bar in Asbury Park. Also on that bill are our good friends YJY, Roy Orbitron, and Deaf Rhino.
The guys in Alvarez Kings were kind enough to answer a few questions for me. Check out what they (collectively) had to say below, and then check them and the other great bands out at Wonder Bar this Friday at 7:30pm You started out by cultivating hometown crowds in Sheffield, UK, eventually parlaying that into a Single of the Year Award from the BBC (“No Resolve”) and slots on some big festivals like Isle of Wight and O2 Wireless. What was that ride like? Was it just a long slog or was there some moment when things just took off?
We haven’t found a moment so far when we haven’t been working as hard as we can to try and forward our careers in this band. We’ve yet to really see a single point where we feel like things have totally taken off, though the response to our shows on this current tour has been amazing. There certainly hasn’t been any shortage of hard work thus far.
You then came over to the US and did the 40-date Vans Warped Tour. Twice. What was that experience like?
Warped Tour is truly an experience that anyone in music would do well with being a part of. Every day is nonstop. One minute you’re setting up the tent for your merch, the next you’re walking the line before doors to try and convince people to come to the set. It’s been hours and you haven’t even performed yet. Every city turns into a whirlwind of activity. We loved being a part of the tour though and the relationships we’ve made with people from the tour are still strong to this day.
Had you only ever toured the UK before Warped? Were you prepared for the vast distances covered by a North American tour?
Warped Tour was not our first introduction to North America. We had toured different parts of the country, doing SXSW, CMJ & a big Canadian tour with our friends in the band Hey Ocean. You can drive from one side of the UK to the other in less time than it took to drive between two shows on Warped Tour, so it was crazy to try and understand the sheer size of the United States.
Didn’t a film crew for Warped Roadies follow you around on one of those? Do people recognize you from the show now? Did it help to get your music out to a wider audience?
We did have the film crew for Warped Roadies follow us around on the 2013 tour. After Simon got stuck in Canada following the show date up there, they asked us if they could be a part of the journey in getting him back to Warped. Someone told us that the show has been added to Netflix just recently and we have actually had people stop us in different places because they recognize us from the show.
In June of 2015, you released your Fear to Feel EP on Sire / Warner Brothers. Compared to “No Resolve,” the sound on Fear to Feel is what I’d call more epic. Bigger. With lots of almost orchestral elements. What drove that change in your sound?
Our sound has certainly changed from the inception of the group all those years ago. We’ve been lucky to be able to add more production and things like those orchestral elements to our songs as we gain more opportunities as a band. Adding these elements really rounds out the songs and brings out more of the sound that we want to express with our music.
How has your experience been working with a major? Do you feel like you’re in as much control of your sound as you were before?
We love working with Warner. They’ve been so receptive to our music and encouraging us to keep doing what we’re doing.
You’re currently in the midst of a 27-date North American tour with Melanie Martinez. How does it compare to your experience on Warped Tour?
The tour with Melanie Martinez right now is massively different than our experience on Warped Tour. The first major difference being of course that we’re playing indoors instead of the typical fairgrounds that we’d be playing on Warped. The architecture in most of these theatres is absolutely gorgeous and being centrally located in the cities allows us to take in a lot more of the sights.
You’ll be headlining your show in Asbury Park on March 25th at Wonder Bar. Are there any plans for a full headlining tour of the US in the future?
We’ve done a couple other headlining shows on off days throughout this tour with Melanie and they’ve been great so far. It would be incredible for us to have a full headlining tour of the United States and we’d love to do it. We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds!
When can we expect a full-length from Alvarez Kings?
We can’t tell you that just yet, but know that it is coming and that it won’t be too far off. We’re working everyday on gathering together the tracks for our debut album and can’t wait to release it to all the fans.
Last week, our good friends in Hightstown's YJY premiered the excellent video for Couch Surfin' USA track "Amelia" with our other good friends at Speak Into My Good Eye. Directed by Dean Luis Chuqui and edited by YJY's own Ricky Lorenzo with added VHS footage from bandmate Steve Sachs, "Amelia" features Steve Sachs taking exceptionally good care of a 1974 Volkswagen Beetle.
Over in the SIMGE write-up, YJY drummer Dave Sachs mentions experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger as inspiration. It would appear that Anger's "Kustom Kar Kommandos" was the most direct inspiration for the clip, but the split screen shots, the fiery color palette of "Amelia," and that Steve Sachsian je ne sais quoi are all YJY-specific touches.
Deaf Rhino at Deal Casino's Nika release show at Asbury Lanes.
Third Annual Mega Party
For the third year in a row, Glen Rock alt rockers Deaf Rhino have curated a "Holiday Mega Party." This year's event takes place at Maxwell's Tavern in Hoboken on Saturday, December 19th. Joining Deaf Rhino on the bill will be Wyland, Bounders, and Boston's Annabel Lee.
A portion of the proceeds from Saturday's show will go to Stop 22, a campaign designed to draw awareness to the fact that an estimated 22 of our military veterans commit suicide each day. The campaign reminds our veteran service men and women that they are not forgotten. It's run by K9s for Warriors, an organization that provides service dogs at no charge to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma.
Deaf Rhino vocalist / guitarist, Adam Schlett, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about the show, the North Jersey music scene, and how the band decided on this year's charity.
Maxwell's Tavern has become kind of a home base for you guys. You've held a couple of sold-out shows there already this year and had a weekly residency. Do you feel like that corner in Hoboken is becoming an important part of the New Jersey music scene again?
I feel like the NoJo scene as a whole is looking for an identity, musically and geographically. What I know personally is that the new owners of Maxwell's along with the staff (Sup Dave!) are really keen on being great to the bands that play there. The word is still getting out there that Maxwell's is "back" and hosting live music. They have re-done the sound set up like 3x since the summer along with the layout and art in the back for the bands and fans that go there. They struggled in the shadows of Maxwell's past along with the sentiments from the folks who used to enjoy shows there when they originally re-opened.
I can't speak to much of that because I was just becoming an adult as the old club closed, what I can say is there is a real genuine investment of love and being good to Hoboken and the NJ music scene. They really have done everything to help Deaf Rhino and our peers make Maxwell's our home base.
Can you give us a little report on the state of the Hudson County / North Jersey music scene from your perspective?
I know Jersey City has a lot going on with new clubs and DIY spaces. When we saw Maxwell's was back, we made a point to get in front of the owners and bookers so that we can help do our part in creating real identity for North Jersey. We know bands we dig as pretty much all of our non-headline gigs in NJ are down in your wonderful neck of the woods.
You've played a fair amount down here in Asbury Park. Is there a difference compared to playing closer to home or is New Jersey just one big home for you?
NJ musicians are incredibly lucky to live where we do. A few hours either way from NYC, Boston, DC, Philly or Baltimore. We do a lot of weekend warrior runs, so the one hour trek to Asbury is a breeze. Folks like Christine Feola at Dark City and bands like Deal Casino, The Battery Electric and Bounders have been really cool in getting DR into Asbury a lot in 2015. At this point were starting to feel connected to AP much more than we did at the start of 2015.
This is your third Holiday Mega Party and you're bringing together bands from North Jersey, South/Central Jersey, and Boston. Is it one of your goals to expose those different scenes to one another?
We book our own shows, and we promote hard. The last thing I want to do is to tell my friends to come to a show and then have a band that isn't good playing. I love being inspired by my peers, and I love getting to expose talent to my small network. The show swaps are a great way to get new bands onto a stage with an audience and with no draw pressure. We guarantee gas and food money even if they don't sell tickets. We do ask that the bands return the favor, so we get the chance to play in front of new people and in new places. It works out for everyone: the fans, the bands, the venue and Deaf Rhino... It takes a village
You've also picked a pretty important charity to receive some of the proceeds from the show, Stop 22. Can you talk a little about what they do and how you ended up choosing them?
Absolutely. We have a fantastic group of friends that are all veterans of either the Army or the Marines. We met most of them while opening for He Is Legend at the Studio at Webster Hall. We hung out, had some smokes and drinks during the show, and became friends. They are all big music fans and have supported us ever since by coming to shows and telling people about our band.
We asked them where the money should go and without hesitation they pushed back Stop 22. We love our country. We love our service members, and we love dogs. Helping vets get retired service dogs as a means to tackle PTSD, TBI and MST is a fantastic cause on multiple levels. We don't have the means to make a big impact on our own, but the collective Deaf Rhino community does. These mega parties are a great catalyst for our communal philanthropy.
Do you have any other shows planned for the rest of 2015? What does 2016 look like for you?
We open for Thank You Scientist! At Mexicali Live on December 30th which should be interesting. We have new music, a crazy busy schedule through March and an entire East Coast tour mapped for April. You haven't seen the last of us, Cooldad... Not by a long shot.
Husband and wife Vincent Minervino of The Brigantines and Magdalena O'Connell organized the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival.
Nika, Run Koko, and The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival
A couple of weekends ago, I stopped into Asbury Lanes during one of their Eat, Drink, Bowl, Hang Friday nights. "Where have you been? It's been weeks."
It had been a little while since I'd been at Asbury Lanes. CoolMom's been doing a lot of traveling. I spent some time in Brooklyn for Northside Festival. The cooldaughters have their evening swim meets. I just haven't been getting out there like I usually do. I made up for lost time this weekend, though.
Friday saw record releases from both Deal Casino and Hey Anna. Deal Casino held their party for Nika at Asbury Lanes with Smalltalk, dollys, and Deaf Rhino. They absolutely packed out the place and pulled out all the stops with extra lights, smoke, and their usual all-out show. Hey Anna went a little more low-key, but no less impressive, at the Run Koko release with a late set at The Saint.
On Saturday, Asbury Lanes hosted the second annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival. I spent from 1pm until about 1am enjoying the music, taking pictures, hanging out with friends, and -- yeah -- trying a couple of the tiki drinks. I was blown away by traditional surf bands like Blue Wave Theory and The Sharkskins. As always, our friends in The Brigantines, Black Flamingos, and Dentist were fantastic. Things got harder and darker as the day closed with great sets from Night Birds and The Coffin Daggers. Special shout out to Disco Mike, who danced non-stop, all day long to just about every band that played.
Click through on the links below for pictures from both days. NOTE: Thanks to some slow service at the North Eats food truck pavilion, I missed one band at the festival. Sadly, that band was one of our favorites, Plato Zorba. I came back inside the Lanes and Ryan Gregg was just dismantling his keyboard. Damn. I hear there was a mummy and everything. They are a fantastic avant-garde surf band, and I urge you to check out their album Pageant of the Transmundane. Also, here are some pics from their release show a while back.
Overlake were back in Asbury Park for Happy Mondays.
Happy Mondays
The weather's warming up and the crowds at Wonder Bar's weekly Happy Mondays series are starting to grow. It wasn't just the weather, I'm sure. Last night's bill included three excellent and very different bands.
Hailing from that Bergen County rock mecca of Glen Rock, Deaf Rhino brought their heavy (and LOUD) rock music that ranged from 1990s-inspired alt-rock to heavy jams. Overlake didn't give anyone's eardrums a break as they mesmerized again with their whirling shoegaze. New Brunswick's Sink Tapes rattled off Pollard-like indie pop gem after indie pop gem to close things out.
I've got lots of stuff to work on over the next couple of days, so I'll just leave you with with some pics from last night. The rest of the shots are up at Flickr.
