Speak Into My Good Eye Just Released Their 58-Song, 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Comp. Come Party with Them Tomorrow at AP Brewery for Freaksgiving.

The 4th Annual...

I'm just gonna be straight with you here. There are 58 songs on Speak Into My Good Eye's 4th Annual 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge compilation. It only came out a short time ago; and, well, I haven't had a chance to listen to all of it. That doesn't matter, though, because I will.

We've heard the contributions from Lowlight, No Wine For Kittens (ft. Jon Stewart), Brian Erickson, and Yawn Mower in the form of track premieres. I've bopped around the comp and listened to fantastic songs from Jackson Pines ("Bay Ridge," the birthplace of my parents, my brother, and me), Francie Moon, NO ICE, The Brixton Riot, Ben Pagano, and Firemaid. I can't wait to start digging through the rest of it.

You can start your own exploration by heading over to Speak Into My Good Eye's Bandcamp page. That's where you can purchase either the whole thing or individual tracks knowing that your contributions will go to support the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).

Tomorrow, November 18th, Speak Into My Good Eye will be celebrating the release of this year's compilation when they join us for our Freaksgiving Fuzz Fest, presented by the Garden State Beard and Mustache Society, Little Dickman Records, and CoolDad Music, at Asbury Park Brewery.

24-Hour Songwriting Challenge participants, Yawn Mower and Dentist (whose members participated as No Wine For Kittens), will be joining The RockNRoll HiFives for a Friendsgiving celebration that will be remembered for generations to come. There will be beards. There will be beers. Oh... ...just come. It's only 5 bucks, and it all benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

If you can't make it to the show, please think about purchasing some portion of this year's SIMGE comp. And... just some financial advice... I've done the math; and, at $1 a track for 58 tracks individually, the $10 full comp purchase option is a STEAL!

Premiere: 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Contribution from No Wine For Kittens (w/ Jon Stewart)

No Wine For Kittens at their final performance in 2012 by Kristen Driscoll, courtesy of Speak Into My Good Eye

"Catastrophes"

No Wine For Kittens were an award-winning and much-loved Asbury Park band who played their last official show in December of 2012, about two years before the first-ever Speak Into My Good Eye 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge. Since then, NWFK members Justin and Emily Bornemann and Andy Bova went on to form Dentist, one of the most vital and important acts to come out of the current Asbury Park music scene. Rick Barry released an EP and a stunning LP, Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations, that took him all the way to a performance at Lincoln Center as part of the "American Songbook" series. Andy Bova eventually left as Dentist's full-time drummer to focus on the production and engineering side of things with his Simple Sound Studio in Oceanport.

Speak Into My Good Eye's 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge has a way of making interesting things happen. After almost five years of focusing on other projects, the members of No Wine For Kittens got together for one 24-hour period to write and record a new song, "Catastrophes." Oh, and joining them for the session was up-and-coming drummer and van owner, Jon Stewart.

With "Catastrophes," No Wine For Kittens have gone for something a little more sprawling and wide open than the sometimes jittery indie pop of their early work. The trademark vocal harmonies between Rick Barry and Emily Bornemann are still there making this one a treat, especially for anyone who's been missing this band. And the drums are spot on.

For "Catastrophes," No Wine For Kittens are:

Rick Barry - guitar / vocals
Justin Bornemann - guitars
Emily Bornemann - vocals
Andy Bova - keys / synths
Jon Stewart - drums / has a van



"Catastrophes" will appear on Speak Into My Good Eye's 4th Annual 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge compilation, available on November 17th at the SIMGE Bandcamp page. All proceeds from sales of the compilation will benefit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK).

SIMGE will be celebrating the release of the compilation when they join us for Freaksgiving: A Friendsgiving Fuzz Fest at Asbury Park Brewery on November 18th. That show also features a beard and mustache competition, music from The RockNRoll HiFives, Yawn Mower, and NWFK alums Dentist. It benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention as well as 1-800-273-TALK.

Speak Into My Good Eye Releasing Their 4th Annual 24-Hour Songwriting Comp on 11/17. Hear Lowlight's Contribution.

Album art by Sarah Ver Hoeve

To Benefit The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

We should all know the drill at this point. That's because it's been such a fun and successful drill for the last several years. Speak Into My Good Eye invites artists to write and record a brand new song over the course of 24 hours (This year's challenge happened on October 21st). SIMGE puts all of the contributions together into a great, big compilation and makes that available on Bandcamp on a "Pay What You Want" basis for either the whole thing or for individual tracks. All proceeds go to a charitable cause.

This year, the project's 4th, SIMGE got contributions from over 50 artists. Proceeds from the sale of the songs will go to benefit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK). This all goes live on Friday, November 17th, at SIMGE's Bandcamp page.

And, as an example of just the kind of magic that can happen in 24 short hours, we've got the premiere of "Kenosha," the contribution from the ever evolving and always brilliant Lowlight.

Lowlight show a constant willingness to step outside any kind of comfort zone, and "Kenosha" is another example of that. The fact that the band -- or any artist -- could do something like this in a day is amazing.



And that's not all.

The Garden State Beard and Mustache Society, Little Dickman Records, and CoolDad Music are holding their own benefit for both the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and 1-800-273-TALK on November 18th at Asbury Park Brewery. Freaksgiving: A Friendsgiving Fuzz Fest features Dentist, The RockNRoll HiFives, and 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge contributors, Yawn Mower.

There was no prior planning between SIMGE and us. The timing and the cause just happened to line up perfectly. So screw it. It's Friendsgiving. We invited SIMGE to join us on November 18th and to make our party the release celebration for the compilation. We are thrilled to announce that they've accepted!

Look for Speak Into My Good Eye's 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge compilation on Friday November 17th. Then come party with us at Asbury Park Brewery on November 18th.

Speak Into My Good Eye Announce Their 4th Annual 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge. It's 10/21.

We had the honor of premiering Fruit & Flowers' contribution to last year's 24-hour Songwriting Challenge.

To Benefit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Well, our friends from way back, Speak Into My Good Eye, are coming back for another go 'round with their always fun 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge. This is that thing where artists create a completely original work over the course of a specific 24-hour period.

Previous challenges have resulted in songs that ended up on albums or EPs like The Vansaders' "Ripped It Apart" or Hot Blood's "Cop in a Tank." We've gotten to premiere a couple of tracks here like the Rick Barry / Andy Bova collaboration, "All Is Well," and Fruit & Flowers' great live-set staple, "Way Out." There have been those unexpected contributions like Rick Barry's 27.5-minute "Prisoners" on the first-ever challenge and Roy Orbitron's first-date-story-set-to-music, "#tinderfail," back in 2015.

Each year, the comp has attracted great artists, and sales have benefited a worthy charity. This year's challenge will begin at the stroke of midnight on October 21st with proceeds from the sale of the final compilation going to support the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Speak Into My Good Eye have tapped uber-talented individual and tireless supporter of local music, Nicole Calascibetta (fka, Nikki Black), for an as-yet-to-be-determined role; but her involvement can do nothing but enhance an already successful tradition.

SIMGE and Nicole have decided that they'd like to open the challenge up to artists in all media, and they're in the process of trying to come up with some type of combined art show / concert to coincide with this year's release. If you're interested in participating in any artistic capacity, you can get in touch at speakimge@gmail.com.

So, mark your calendars; and, remember, no cheating. Everything needs to be done in 24 hours starting on October 21st. Keep your eyes on speakimge.com for details as they develop.

2014



2015



2016

Speak Into My Good Eye Announce Wilco Tribute Album in Support of The Project Matters. Submissions Welcome.

I'll Be Around

Our longtime buds over at Speak Into My Good Eye have a track record of interesting compilation releases. Back in 2014, the site released a five-song covers tribute to Queens Of The Stone Age. For the last three years, SIMGE has sponsored a 24-hour songwriting challenge during which artists write, record, and submit an entirely new song all in a single day. Each of those comps raised money for a specific charity. Today, Speak Into My Good Eye are announcing I'll Be Around: A Tribute To Wilco. Due on May 5th, 2017, this release represents both the second volume in SIMGE's covers series and a continuation of the site's charitable efforts.

Proceeds from I'll Be Around will benefit The Project Matters, a 501 (C) (3) corporation that works to further the creation of music with an emphasis on aspiring musicians aged 25 and younger. Artists are offered a network of industry advisors and mentors who lend their expertise in the areas of business, technical, performance, and emotional support.

The choice of Wilco is significant explains The Project Matters' executive director, Karen High:

"Shortly before my beautiful son passed, he had me listen to two Wilco songs. Both from their latest release [at the time], Sky Blue Sky. The first was the track "Either Way" and the other, the title track. I started to listen and had to stop. Those songs affected me physically, and I started to cry. I have to say, it was a very strong reaction. I explained this to Ben, and he understood saying, "that's what it's supposed to do, emotionally touch you as a listener." Sky Blue Sky turned out to be the last CD he purchased. Jeff Tweedy was one of his influences. And I continue to be a huge fan."

Today, we also get the first track from I'll Be Around in the form of Being There's "Red Eyed and Blue" as realized by Jackson Pines.

"Ben was one of the first people to push Wilco on me," shares Jackson Pines' J.T. Makoviecki. "I had heard of them and liked 'Jesus Etc.' but Ben FORCED me to dig deeper; and when I discovered Being There, the record changed my idea of writing an album, and what pop music could do.

This song reminds me of Ben, not because of the references in the song, but because of how it's about recording; and Ben LOVED making records. Recording parts of my first album, YES (Makoveskus), in the Highs' basement were some of the best memories I have of my teenhood. Believing in music, doing it yourself, and doing it with Ben at the helm."

Speak Into My Good Eye are looking for additional contributions for a May 5th release of I'll Be Around. Any artists interested in contributing a cover or a re-conceptualization of any Wilco song can contact Michael Mehalick at mikemehalickmm@gmail.com. Contributions are due by April 28th.

Friday Stuff: Blox Cord Recap, NGHTCRWLRS, The LeMats, Very Fresh

Slonk Donkerson

POTPOURRI

Moving slowly today. Got home early this morning from Queens, but damn it if those cooldaughters don't still have to get fed and driven to school in the morning. Anyway, I spent the morning editing pictures and thinking about some of the stuff I'd like to tell you about.

Blox Cord 1 featured Slonk Donkerson, Fruit & Flowers, The Vaughns, Leland Sundries at The Footlight Bar in Ridgewood, Queens

Here are just a few quick notes and links to some pics from last night's first-ever monthly Blox Cord showcase at Ridgewood's Footlight Bar.

1. It was great to meet the folks from Elmore Magazine and The Joy of Violent Movement face-to-face. The music world is an interesting place now with people laboring to tell you about new and interesting stuff just because they feel like it. Emily and William are dedicated folks who also know how to rock out.

Will (The Joy of Violent Movement), Emily (Elmore Magazine), and Mike (SIMGE)

2. The guy in the front bar made some amazing sliders: pulled pernil, vegan, more. He was also very cool despite being a Red Sox fan.

3. The bill was eclectic and solid. My first experiences with Leland Sundries and Slonk Donkerson were highly positive. The Vaughns made the absolute most of their debut NYC gig. And -- I think I keep saying this -- Fruit & Flowers are just better and better every time I see them.

The Vaughns

4. The Footlight is a great room with an up-to-date and really nice backline. I'd love to see more stuff happening there in the future.

5. Thanks to Mike over at Speak Into My Good Eye for including me on the first go 'round. Good luck with the future showcases. And don't lose my number.

Pics from the evening are in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page.

NGHTCRWLRS, "Coffee and Weed"

NJ-based alt / indie rock band, NGHTCRWLRS, are back next week with their sophomore LP, Raging Hot. Earlier this week, they gave us single "Coffee and Weed."

It's a one-minute burst of a guitar freak out, short on lyrics but long on emotion. I'm going to admit to being able to identify only with the magic of a morning cup of coffee, but I get where the guys are coming from.

NGHTCRWLRS

Raging Hot is out on 11/11 via Sniffling Indie Kids.



The LeMats, "The Astronomer"

New Asbury Park four-piece, The LeMats, released their first single just before playing the Halloween installment of Happy Mondays at Wonder Bar.

"The Astronomer" is alt-rock with some prominent lead guitar. The guitar moves in tandem with the vocals in a way that -- and I'm reaching back into the memory bank here, but sometimes music will shake things loose like that -- reminds me of a band like The Church. Remember them?

Anyway, it's a solid first effort from a new band with kind of a classic sound; and it will be interesting to see where they take things from here.

The LeMats

You can download "The Astronomer" as a Name Your Price download from The LeMats' Bandcamp page.



Very Fresh, Hey, It's Me!

Sometimes, you come across something that just gives off a vibe that speaks to you. Very Fresh ringleader, Cindy Lou Gooden, infuses EP Hey, It's Me! with a personality and sense of humor that manage to connect with my indie-rock fan brain.

The sound of Hey, It's Me! harkens back to 90s indie like Pavement and Liz Phair (though, I've read interviews where Gooden says she hasn't spent much time listening to Phair): left-of-center guitars, vocals that alternate between sneering almost spoken word and sweet singing. The subject matter is personal: the struggle to grow up and act responsibly ("Schedule IV"), mapping your life out according to a pre-determined set of expectations ("Cool Kids"), and wrapping part of your identity up in a relationship ("Hat Tree").

It's some pretty inwardly-focused type stuff that I've wallowed in a bit myself over the years, and Gooden seems to acknowledge having some guilt over her feelings on "Kamikaze."

Hey, It's Me! is funny, honest, and self-aware; and, rather than treating its subject matter in quiet, acoustic, singer / songwriter style, it pretty much rocks.

Very Fresh

Hey, It's Me! is out today on New Professor Music / Inflated Records.

Premiere: Fruit & Flowers' 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Submission

"Way Out"

On October 1st, I was at Wonder Bar to see Tacocat, Dude York, and Sharkmuffin. The members of Fruit & Flowers had made their way down to Asbury Park from Brooklyn to see the show. They were there to see Tacocat and to support their buds in Sharkmuffin even as the clock was ticking down to the deadline for their Speak Into My Good Eye 24-hour Songwriting Challenge submission. At various times throughout the night, guitarist Ana Becker and bassist Caroline Yoder had to excuse themselves from conversation to head out to the parking lot and put some finishing touches on the song in their tour van.

Today, you can hear the final product of all of their efforts in the form of "Way Out." The song starts off with an opening slightly reminiscent of Nirvana before it transforms into Fruit & Flowers' trademark, retro-inspired "surf noir." The voices of Yoder, Becker, and guitarist Lyzi Wakefield combine in a haze of reverb. There's a nice, little bit of guitar freakout just before we get to the outro.

The stuff that comes out of the 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge amazes me every year. I'm a person that has never written a single song (if you don't count the dad-joke type things I make up in the car for the kids), so it's just mind-blowing to me to see people come up with things like this in such a short time. To kind of have witnessed just a little bit of the process makes this one all the more amazing to me.

Have a listen to "Way Out" below.



You can see Fruit & Flowers this Friday at Brooklyn's Sunnyvale when they are part of a bill that also includes Lost Boy ?, Sharkmuffin, Fraidycat, and Dan Francia. That one is a benefit for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation for Louisiana flood relief. Next month, Fruit & Flowers are my pick for the Blox Cord 1 showcase (presented by Speak Into My Good Eye) at the Footlight in Ridgewood, Queens on November 3rd. That's an excellent bill that also features Slonk Donkerson, Leland Sundries, and The Vaughns.

Speak Into My Good Eye Presents: Blox Cord 1, New Monthly Band / Blogger Showcase at The Footlight, 11/3.

Fruit & Flowers

...And They Invited Us

A while back, our friends over at Speak Into My Good Eye asked me if I'd like to participate in the new monthly band and blogger showcase they'd be throwing at The Footlight Bar in Ridgewood. The idea is to get blogs and / or music writers to invite bands to play and to DJ in between sets. Never one to miss an opportunity to foist my musical tastes on other people, I jumped at the chance.

The first edition, "Blox Cord 1," (Get it? Like "AUX cord" but with blogs...) happens on Thursday, November 3rd. In addition to Speak Into My Good Eye, the blogs include Elmore Magazine, The Joy of Violent Movement, and CoolDad Music. I invited the amazing Fruit & Flowers. Currently they'll be joined by Slonk Donkerson (SIMGE), Leland Sundries (Elmore), and an as yet to be announced pick from The Joy of Violent Movement.

The event is sponsored by Narragansett Beers and Austin Eastciders who will be hosting a happy hour to include drink specials and giveaways.

I, honestly, think this is going to be a lot of fun; and I'm looking forward to an evening of meeting other bloggers, music writers, and bands while hearing some great music. Come join us at The Footlight on Thursday, November 3rd. Things get started at 7pm and $10 gets you in the door.

In the meantime, here's Fruit & Flowers during their BTR Session from earlier this year.

Third Annual SIMGE 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Starts Saturday, October 1st, at Midnight

ThreePeat

Our good friends over at Speak Into My Good Eye have run their 24-hour songwriting challenge for the last two years. It's been a wonderful showcase of talent from the NJ / NY / PA area, and the event has raised money for some very worthwhile charities. The site is kicking off its third installment of the challenge at the stroke of midnight, just as the calendar flips to October 1st.

Just like prior years, participants have 24 hours to write and record an original song to be featured in the Speak Into My Good Eye 24-hour Songwriting Challenge Compilation. So far this year, over 50 artists have stepped up to contribute something; and there's still time for anyone to get involved. Just shoot a message over to speakimge@gmail.com and let them know that you'll be turning something in by the deadline, which is midnight on October 2nd.

This year's charity is City of Angels NJ, an organization that offers help and resources to those affected by the addiction epidemic that has been ravaging our communities.

So, if you're a musician or just someone with a song in your heart and a smartphone, get in touch with the good folks over at SIMGE and show us all what you've got.

Dead Stars Announce New Album. Premiere Video. Playing Shows This Week.

Dead Stars at APYC back in November.

Bright Colors

Our friends in Brooklyn fuzz pop band Dead Stars announced today that the follow-up to their excellent LP, Slumber, will arrive on March 4th via Weird Tree Records. Preorders for Bright Colors, which include a limited to 100 cassette, are live over at the Dead Stars' Bandcamp page.

The band also premiered the video for single "Calm Punk" over at Under the Radar.

Finally, Dead Stars have a pair of New York shows this week. First, they hit Shea Stadium tomorrow, January 13th, with kindred spirits Slonk Donkerson as well as My Teenage Stride and NO ICE. Then, on Friday, January 15th, Dead Stars are part of the showcase our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye are hosting at Piano's. That show also features The Black Clouds, Crazy & The Brains, and Those Mockingbirds.

Check out the video below, and see if you can't get your Dead Stars fix later this week.

Exclusive Premiere: Rick Barry / Andy Bova SIMGE 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Contribution

"All Is Well"

For the second straight year, our extended family over at Speak Into My Good Eye held a 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge in which they invited artists to write, record, and submit a new, original song all in the space of a single 24-hour period. Last year's event focused on New Jersey. This year, SIMGE opened things up to New York and Pennsylvania (and beyond) as well.

Things kicked off this past September 11th with a show at Wonder Bar. At the stroke of midnight on September 12th, the clock started. By the time it was all over, SIMGE received nearly 40 submissions. Proceeds from the resulting compilation will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

SIMGE will be officially releasing the 2015 compilation at their CMJ Showcase. That show takes place on October 15th at Littlefield in Brooklyn and features Mount Sharp, A Deer A Horse, Vivid Dreams, Deal Casino, and Julian Fulton.

You don't have to wait until October 15th to hear a track, though. We've got the premiere of "All Is Well," the contribution from Rick Barry and Andy Bova, right here. The pair have worked together before, both as members of No Wine For Kittens and on some of Barry's solo work.

"All Is Well" is spare and beautiful, featuring, simply, Barry's trademark low-key vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar. As I listen, I get the sense that the title phrase is more of a half-hearted reassurance than a forceful declaration.

Check out "All Is Well" below; and keep your eyes peeled for more info on Rick Barry's upcoming Curses, Maledictions and Harsh Reiterations, slated for an early 2016 release. Also be on the lookout for the Andy Bova-produced follow-up to Dentist's debut.

This year's 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge Compilation will be out on October 15th. Make sure you grab a copy when it's available to support a great cause and a bunch of great artists.

2nd Annual Speak Into My Good Eye 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge

The Vansaders were one of many contributors to the 2014 SIMGE 24-hour Songwriting Challenge.

Expanded Reach for 2015

Last year, our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye challenged New Jersey songwriters to write and record a new, original composition in one 24-hour period. The resulting compilation consisted of 33 songs and included submissions from a wide range of NJ artists like John Muccino, Son Of Dov, Paper Streets, A Halo Called Fred, Joe Makoviecki, The Battery Electric, Glycerine Queens, Deal Casino, The Clydes, and more. A few of the songs, like Hot Blood's "Cop in a Tank" and The Vansaders' "Ripped It Apart," even ended up on official releases. All proceeds from the 2014 compilation went to benefit the Monmouth & Ocean Counties Arts Council.

SIMGE are doing it all again this year; and, this time, they're expanding the scope of the challenge to New York and Pennsylvania as well. I'm just guessing here, but I think that if you over there in Alabama or you over there in Colorado wanted to submit something, you wouldn't be turned away either.

Anyway, the date for this year's challenge is Saturday, September 12th; and the 2015 beneficiary will be the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Songwriters interested in participating can send an email to speakimge@gmail.com, and you'll be added to a list to receive updates as they're released. I'm even hearing rumors of a celebratory concert associated with this year's challenge, so keep it tuned here for updates on that.

As a little bonus, here's The Vansaders' re-worked version of their 2014 contribution, "Ripped It Apart." It will show up on the band's Jumping At Shadows EP to be released tomorrow, August 22nd, when they play a pre-Social Distortion set at The Stone Pony. Who knows? Maybe you'll write something this year and end up playing it on that big stage somewhere down the line.

Slowdive Played Terminal 5 with Low, 10/25/14. Check out Allyson Dwyer's Review at SIMGE.

My view of Slowdive for most of their show at Terminal 5

Oh, Terminal 5

It's kind of a thing to bash the suckitude that is seeing a show at Terminal 5. I've had some not horrible experiences there in the past: The New Pornographers, OFF! / Fucked Up / Dinosaur Jr. (playing Bug), and Real Estate / Girls.  I even watched the New Pornos from the floor. I saw both of the latter two from the railing along the balcony; and, while I got really claustrophobic and feared for my life on the way out, I didn't have that many complaints.

I've also had some horrendous experiences there: The Shins / St. Lucia and The Walkmen / Dum Dum Girls / Daughter. Both of those involved obstructed views (by both the pillars that dot the space and the pillar-sized humans that seemed to find me at every turn), loud talkers, and people just not really interested in what was happening onstage. My experience seeing Slowdive / Low on Saturday night definitely fell into the horrendous camp.

I really like Slowdive; but, like all of the shoegaze bands that are not My Bloody Valentine, they're kind of not My Bloody Valentine for me. One thing in Terminal 5's favor on Saturday, though, was that Slowdive sounded absolutely great (Well, that and the absolutely immaculate bathrooms). I tried a couple of times to do that close my eyes and let the music wash over me thing, but my level of discomfort just made it impossible. I'm not quite sure how I would have felt if I were as much of a fan of Slowdive as I am of My Bloody Valentine.

Well you can get a fantastic perspective on that from Speak Into My Good Eye's Allyson Dwyer, a true Slowdive fanatic who attended the show with me:

In Terminal 5, surrounded by 3,000 people, a concert never felt less communal, less real, than this one. My view of the band began more towards the front of the crowd, Rachel Goswell’s voice an actual presence calling out above me. I battled to even hear her as people talked to each other, a couple making out took over my space, and people fidgeted to spots as others left. I struggled to see anything above my head as attendees raised a wall of phones high in the air.

Take a look at the rest of her review to understand why going to Terminal 5 may just be the worst way to see your favorite band and why she (and I) will, most likely, never go back there. Asbury you've spoiled us.

Don Giovanni Coverage Over at Speak Into My Good Eye

Laura Stevenson headlined Night 2 of the Don Giovanni Records Showcase at Music Hall of Wlliamsburg on 2/7.

Nights 1 & 2

You can head over to Speak Into My Good Eye to check out my recap and pics of Night 1 along with my pics of Night 2, which accompany Allyson Dwyer's excellent recap, of the Don Giovanni Records Showcase. I tried -- and I think Allyson succeeded at -- conveying the sense of community and good feeling that runs through these shows every year.

More than that, though, I'm kind of -- and I don't want this to sound corny -- inspired by what I observed at both shows I attended. It's a hard thing to live your life and run a business just the way you want to, but that appears to be just what Don Giovanni Records and their stable of bands are doing. I didn't see any limos or paparazzi outside either Death By Audio or Music Hall of Williamsburg, but I did see everyone -- from the label's founders to the bands to every member of the audience -- smiling, sweating, crowd surfing, and just having a fantastic time both nights.

I may post some more pics here at some point; but, for now, check out the stuff over at SIMGE. And if you'd like to experience some Don Giovanni bands first-hand, pick up tickets to see Screaming Females and the mighty Shellshag support Kathleen Hanna's Julie Ruin at Asbury Lanes on April 12th.

New Releases from Rick Barry, Dentist. SIMGE Starting GoodEye Records.

Busy Day

While I was busy dealing with morning meetings, late morning orthodontist appointments, early dismissals, and 3-hour conference calls today, lots was happening in the world of Asbury Park-based music.

First, Asbury's Rick Barry -- whose work I've really been enjoying since reviewing This Postdiluvian World earlier this year and catching his full-band set, opening for Wesley Stace -- released a single from his forthcoming LP, Curses, Maledictions, and Harsh Reiterations. Barry picked an appropriate day to release "Removing The Stitches," which opens with the line, "Snow is falling calmly from the heavens to the earth" and goes on to describe a cold that's settled over a relationship. Beautiful harmonies come from Allie Moss.

Later in the day, former Rick Barry collaborators in No Wine for Kittens and current CoolDad Music favorite, Dentist, released a track from their own as-yet-untitled debut LP coming this spring. "No

Matter" makes me think of warmer weather as Emily Whitt's airy vocals float over some surf-y guitar riffs, but the two-minute kiss-off is anything but warm and fuzzy.



The band premiered the track via our friends and co-conspirators over at Speak Into My Good Eye who then went ahead and announced that Dentist's debut would also be the debut release for the site's own GoodEye Records.

That's a lot of cool stuff from a lot of cool people on a pretty cold day.

Asbury Music Awards

Congratulations Are In Order

Late Tuesday night, the Asbury Music Awards released their 2013 slate of nominees. The awards show takes place on December 12th at The Stone Pony. It was a great year for music in these parts, and the nominations reflect that.

Little Dickman Records -- a local Asbury Park label that launched in 2013 -- and its roster of bands received several nominations. More than just a label, though, Little Dickman is a tireless promoter of music in the area, and it's nice to see them recognized.

Countless bands whose music I've reviewed and enjoyed or whom I've seen week after week playing at places like The Berkeley, Langosta Lounge, The Brighton Bar, The Stone Pony, The Saint, Asbury Lanes, or The Wonder Bar received well-deserved nominations. So did all of the venues that offer them a place to play.

In a strange twist, great FoCDM, Jim Norton, was not nominated for "Most Outlandish Stage Performance By A Middle-Aged Man Wearing A Dress, Eating Dog Food, and Using a Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Indoors." Instead, he made the list in the more mundane "Top Live Sound Engineer" category along with several other deserving nominees.

I'll admit, though, that the most special nomination for me was Speak Into My Good Eye's for "Top Website in Support of Live, Original Music." When Chris Rotolo contacted me at the end of last year to ask if I'd be interested in contributing to the site, I couldn't have been more flattered. I still haven't met every contributor personally; but as the year went on, the ones I did meet -- Chris, Mike, Allyson, Tara, Drew -- became not just colleagues, but friends. Chris and Mike Mehalick let me do, pretty much, whatever I wanted. They sought my input on things and actually listened.

Those kids over at Speak Into My Good Eye have worked hard -- writing about local acts and events and bringing touring acts like The So So Glos, Diarrhea Planet, The Men, and Purling Hiss to Asbury Park -- to let the world know that Asbury Park is still a pretty bright star in the musical universe. It's been an honor and a ton of fun to help them do that.

Congratulations and good luck to all of the nominees this year, and I look forward to celebrating with you all on December 12th.

The Men / Purling Hiss at The Saint TOMORROW

Wednesday Night Rawk

I've been waiting for this one for a while. Our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye are bringing yet another show that seems like it was put together just for little, me to Asbury Park. Tomorrow night, Brooklyn's The Men and Philly's Purling Hiss will be taking over The Saint with help from Ruby The Hatchet and Pampers; and I will be there front and center.

I've talked quite a bit about The Men here, but Purling Hiss are not to be underestimated. Anyone who's spent any time around this blog can tell immediately what I like about their sound.

So get a good night's sleep tonight, and come find me at The Saint tomorrow. I'll buy you a beverage.

Photos of Deap Vally at The Stone Pony, 10/3/13

Opened for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Mike Mehalick over at Speak Into My Good Eye has an excellent interview with soon-to-be-huge blues rock duo Deap Vally. They played The Stone Pony, opening for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, on Thursday night. Mike invited me along, and I got to take some pictures of the band. A few of those accompany his piece.

Here are a few more.

Screaming Females and Waxahatchee Played Asbury Lanes with Tenement and Kicking Spit, 9/28/13 (PHOTOS)

Don Giovanni Records 10th Anniversary Tour

I've been talking up the Screaming Females live show to CoolMom for a while now. She loves the records but still hasn't had a chance to see them play. Turns out last night wasn't going to be her night either. As the day wore on, babysitting options slowly fell away; and it looked like I was going to cover this one on my own again.

CoolDaughter #2 had a couple of birthday parties to attend. The early party started at 10:45 and was out at iPlay America. Her afternoon party was around the corner from our house. CoolMom came back from dropping her off over there and said, "We have to go back over to that party. The whole town is there."

As we got closer to the house, all the little kids at the party passed us on the road, being driven on a little train. The yard had three bouncy houses, a little carnival spinny-type ride, and plenty of beverages for all of the parents. There were piñatas and water balloon wars. Another couple that we're friends with were there accompanying their kids, and I jumped at the opportunity to invite another cooldad to the punk rock show with me. I'm not sure if he knew what to expect; but I don't think either of us really could have imagined what we were about to see.

Presented by our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye, this was another all-ages show. Music started early so that the show could finish up before midnight. New Brunswick's Kicking Spit started things. The band, like Screaming Females, play a brand of punk rock that relies on some powerful lead guitar. Through the noise, the trio reference lots of classic rock in a way similar to Dinosaur Jr. Guitarist Mark Bronzino was impressive in the J. Mascis role.

Tenement, recent Don Giovanni signee from Appleton, WI, were next. More noise pop or pop-punk than Kicking Spit's, Tenement's sound also contains traces of classic rock, though with fewer extended guitar solos. The band lived up to their reputation as all-out live performers, and appeared completely spent following their short set.

My friend and I were loving the evening so far, and the two headliners were still to come. We hit the merch tables before Waxahatchee's set, and then moved up front.

Katie Crutchfield and her band took the stage at around 9:30, opening with Cerulean Salt's "Peace and Quiet." The set was heavy on tracks from that record, and -- as has been the case the last couple of times I've seen Waxahatchee -- even songs like the title track from American Weekend got the full-on power trio treatment.

Waxahatchee are kind of the outlier stylistically on this tour. That's not a bad thing at all. Crutchfield's songwriting and unique voice held the crowd rapt for the entire set. My friend -- the father of a daughter the same age as CoolDaughter #1 -- turned to me and said something along the lines of, "I wish my daughter could have been here to see that, to know that she could write songs and front a band that way."

"Just wait, " I said.

At about 10:20, Screaming Females -- the New Brunswick trio of Jarrett D (drums), King Mike (bass), and Marissa Paternoster (guitar / vocals) -- took their places, and lit into "It All Means Nothing" from 2012's Ugly. Up to this point, I'd only ever seen Screaming Females as an opening act; and I'd never seen them when Paternoster had the room to move afforded by the large stage at Asbury Lanes. It was almost like I'd never seen them before.

Paternoster stalked and leapt around the stage, played from her knees or while lying on her back. And the band never let up, never stopped. There was no stage banter. There were no breaks between songs. The set was more than an hour of non-stop music, Paternoster executing her guitar wizardry the whole time. As usual, the rhythm section -- a huge part of the band's sound -- was excellent. But, and this is meant as no slight to Jarrett and Mike, it was almost impossible to turn your gaze from Marissa.

Paternoster finished the main set by setting her guitar aside, disassembling the mic stand and making her way into the crowd. The band returned for an encore, taking the stage one-by-one; and we all stood open-mouthed when they finally walked off for the final time.

My friend, who'd never heard a single note by any of the bands before last night, just shook his head in disbelief over what we'd just seen. On the car ride home, we talked at length about what it would mean to our 10-year-old daughters to see bands like Waxahatchee and Screaming Females perform live. I think we'll both be on Amazon this morning, shopping for some tween-sized earmuffs as we wait for the next opportunity.

SIMGE Hosted the Prehistoric Forest LP Release Show with Dentist and Paper Streets (PHOTOS)

The Berkeley Bar

Prehistoric Forest celebrated the release of their self-titled debut last night at Asbury's Berkeley Bar. Speak Into My Good Eye presented the event that featured the downtown NYC garage sounds of the Ocean County headliner along with the surf-infused rock of Dentist and the 1990s-inspired indie rock of Paper Streets. The evening ended up being a showcase of some of the interesting, original, and modern rock and roll that's currently flourishing in our area.

I had a lot of great conversations with some passionate and creative people, and I came away with some interesting ideas for CoolDad Music. Watch this space for some of those.

You can check out some pictures of the evening below.