I’m streamlining Twitter handles as well. You can follow me @mnelson071799.

Thanks for reading folks — see you over at mnelson071799.com!

Anyhoo, when I woke up and shook the cobwebs I realized that two really cool vids had since been released by two quality WNY bands. So, for your enjoyment here’s “My Best Mistake” by Buffalo’s Son of the Sun and “Farewell” by Rochester’s Old Tapes.

BTW, turns out both these bands have December shows at Pianos in New York City, so it’s great to see more of our local friends going further afield.

Nick Young

Nick Young is one busy Rochester-based beaver.

He’s gettin’ the band back together for two shows on Friday, November 18th and Saturday, November 19th. The Friday night show will be in Buffalo, NY at The Forvm and the Saturday night show will be at the Bug Jar in Rochester, NY.  Both nights will be shared with Rochester-based Hinkley and Buffalo-based The Corrections.

Nick will open up two solo shows later this month for critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Chris Trapper. On November 27th you can see the pair at The Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, OH. On November 30th you can catch them at The Derby in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Here’s a rundown of Nick’s upcoming shows. For full details and tickets, go to http://www.nickyoungonline.com/fr_shows .

November 18th- Buffalo, NY
November 19th- Rochester, NY
November 27th- Cleveland, OH
November 30th- Poughkeepsie, NY
December 9th- Fairfax, VA
December 10th- Asheville, NC
December 11th- East Nashville, TN
December 12th- Jonesboro, AR
December 13th- Nashville, TN
December 16th- Angelica, NY
February 3rd- Portland, ME
February 4th- Burlington, VT

LaMontagne released God Willin & the Creek Don’t Rise last summer 2010. Rolling Stone had this to say, “His band freshens up his sound here, with two pedal steel players adding country lilt and drummer Jay Bellerose stoking the engine. It doesn’t always hang together, but LaMontagne’s growl makes everything sound menacingly sexy. Lock up your daughters.”  M’kay so strike one. I will miss this live and it’s a real good sound emanating out of this album: clear, streaming, reflecting  and all in only that lusty, naturalism that reeks Ray LaMontagne.

And so I’ve got all the Brandi Carlile albums save the latest one: Live at Benaroya Hall With The Seattle Symphony.  Methinks Brandi on album is one thing and I suspect live Brandi radiates pure awe.  Here’s what Paste had to say of Give Up The Ghost: “The album was a fresh 10-song collection of rootsy, straightforward acoustic rock, shot through with wide-eyed, weary wonder. Bit with that voice—warm and bell-clear, skipping up and down her register like smooth, flat stones tossed across a still lake—she would’ve been right at home on the Opry stage, crooning tortured ballads alongside Patsy and Loretta, or maybe harmonizing with Gram Parsons in some alternate Emmylou-less universe. But by some stroke of fate, she landed in these times instead.” What else can one say? Youtube her and listen to some of Carlile’s live covers….

6pm gate/7pm show at CMAC. Go see for me and report back. Stat! I’ll be doin’ that Mamma thing with my ball playin’ little guy wishing that CMAC would consult my calendar first before scheduling their events. I’m to remind you that my son doesn’t need the tee to hit that ball. okaybye.

Son of the Sun are on the rise. Today marks the release of the Buffalo-area quintet’s new single “My Best Mistake”, culled from their forthcoming six-song EP Almost Not There, to be made available on June 28th. The band is marking the single’s release with a free download, via their Bandcamp site. You can preview the track here (below), or head right over to Bandcamp to claim your copy.

Son of the Sun are also planning a CD release party for June 25th at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo, NY. Kingsley Flood and Here Come the Comets will be be in support. Full concert details can be found via Facebook.

Expect to see a whole slew of show listings from the Sons in support of their new release. Stops are planned throughout western New York, as well as visits to NYC, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. You can get full up-to-date concert details via the band’s official website.

Left to right: Chad Ayers, Greg Gefell, Steve Nelson, Mike Nelson, Brian Ayers

I need a good Blue Jimmy fix. Wherever I can. Measuring by the crowd that gathers for these boys, I am not the only one. This particular time I trekked west to Buffalo with final destination at the Blue Latern Lounge in Elma, New York. A quaint hideaway most cozy illuminating aura’s chance to be intimate with sweet sounding musics. Blue Jimmy musics to be exact.You’re up front and personal when you walk in the place and the place was packed. And according to lead vocalist, Brian Ayers, “there’s no other place to be than right up front.” And right he was. WNY was well represented that eve: Cheektowaga, Amherst, Brighton, Victor, and of course the home stomping ground of Blue Jimmy themselves hailing from Bloomfield, New York.

You ever get yourself a chance to hear you some Blue Jimmy, take it. Don’t walk, run. Their repertoire never ceases to amaze me, nor does the authentic intensity of their own originals. These boys are Brian Ayers on sweet lead vocals, strummin’ an acoustic guitar and sportin’ a harmonica; Chad Ayers who rocks an electric guitar, harmonizes, strums a mandolin and sings a mean Blister in the Sun, Greg Gefell on this steel lookin piano thing — a.k.a. pedal steel — blends in more harmony, and also rocks an electric guitar. Then there’s Mike Nelson, the bassist blending all rhythms together, and Steve Nelson ultimate on drums. I mean ultimate on drums — show stopping! You never heard yourself a drummer nor a bassist ’till you see the Nelson brothers.

Now there’s lots of different ways to enjoy these boys and I reckon you try them all. Each is a different real good time; perhaps even a different Blue Jimmy essence. Whether you head out to Cheap Charlies in picturesque Bloomfield to catch a literally rocking dance floor or out to a lounge intimate like the Blue Lantern, you will experience. Guaranteed. Their fan’s voices attest to this. These are musics rooted in earthy harmonies, heartfelt soul, rhythms rocking, slight twang longing, inspiring every toe tap and head bob you try to conceal. You’ll be shaking your hips right next to Ma and Pa Ayers in just a matter of time. The boys of Blue Jimmy are infectious. Soothing of any week of crazy busy you got. Bring it. These boys ‘ll play you some originals, some Ryan Adams, Jayhawks, a lil Simon and Garfunkel, Jackson Browne, Barenaked Ladies, Kershaw’s Tennessee Girl, they’ll put their own spin on Willie’s Whiskey River, some Josh Rouse, Little Sister and whatever else you want to shout out. If I got me a dance floor I gotta hear Rusted Root’s Send Me On My Way and some Paul Simon Diamonds and You Can Call Me Al. If I got me an intimate setting, I wanna hear The Boxer, Desire, Chin Up Cheer Up, and again, they’ll invite you to make a request.

But pay close attention friends. Mingled inside each set list are the real gems of Blue Jimmy. Their own original lyrics are simple, clear and melodic set to textured, rich harmonies. Their songs are ardently powerful connecting listeners to lyrical messages through harmonizing, roots-rock americana. See here from Madelyne, “So Madelyne where’s the girl with the worldly smile? You’re hard to find and I’ve been looking here for a while. I know your world’s been shifted all out of line but if you’re still out looking, don’t wait just show me a sign…Madelyne…” Blue Jimmy albums are smooth, rockin’, sweet-tempered. They’re in your playlist drivin’ down a highway untraveled, sun shinin’ down and warmth spreading over fields as far as you can see. You crank it up just one more notch.  The boys have got four albums out there, The Two Feet Between You and Me, The Good Old Days, self-titled Blue Jimmy and South Ave. Sessions.

So, really. Sincerely. “What can I play for you?” They ask.  And they mean it. Because, you know, within the hour you, me, the bar stool next to you and the band are super real good friends. Yes: they’re that infectious.

See yourself some Blue Jimmys. Grab their albums. We’re a real good crowd. You’ll be singing and chanting with us all in no time.

…Take it off…

“The footprints over the snow, the fabric of all the lonely, c-covering only, the fables and hands, the rest is out in the cold, holding the last of the season, F-F-F freezin…”

We were twenty minutes early. Plenty of time. Winter storm warning? Bah. A cold, crisp, clear Sunday eve.  Like usual, I hadn’t a clue where I was headed, save this:  I was going to see my newest discovered music compulsion, The Avett Brothers. And they stopped here, in our own celebrated Finger Lakes region.

As we neared the street, flashing cop cars blocked the streets. Security and patrolmen escorted people to and fro like cops that block off the ROC’s War Memorial Square. And yet, here we were at the historic Smith Opera House in Geneva, New York. While stepping onto the sidewalk, night vision took stock. There was already a mass of people gathered and a spiraling line that wrapped around this block of notable buildings and into the side street. Folks continued to stream in behind us. The local college flock, the bartender from Rochester’s Lovin Cup, a Mom and her two children hoping Dad was already in the House, the young and the less younger alike and yet all had the same expression in purest, organic form: awe.

It was mad in the Opera House. We scurried to find seats with a view as we were much too late for anything near front row. We hiked plush carpeted stairs into the house, rounded halls into a most opulent balcony area and sat enveloped in mohogany and Victorian papered walls. In the house: darkness. How the night-sky stars illuminate in ceiling overhead! I don’t know if this lavish is truly as I paint it, but the point is: you believe.

The David Mayfield Parade opened.  Clad in skinny jeans and what appeared to be a hillbilly beard of length from my view, I was making instant note to google this guy and find his music. Interactive, one-liner cracks, crowd-luring; the range of lyrical notes to downright toe-tapping bluegrass. We were mighty prepared to hear us some Avett Brothers.

The Avett Brothers are a tapestry weaving and kaleidoscoping in brilliant color after color after color just like their stage presence at the Opera House; a Colorshow indeed. Hailing from North Carolina, the four-piece group includes a pair of brothers, Scott Avett (vocals and banjoist, et al), Seth Avett (vocals and guitarist, et al), the stand up bass player Bob Crawford and cellist, Jon Kwon.  I first discovered the Avetts when I downloaded the album Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine — the Avetts covered “Spanish Pipedream”. From there I was led to their website, and quickly took to their I and Love and You album released in September of 2009. In October 2010, The Avett Brothers Live, Volume 3 followed. They were featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk in simplistic form, but humanly amped out in full inspiration.

These musics… these lyrics are your passionate sincerity spotted with unyielding rustic harmonies and melodies. It’s your bad-day-at-the-office pick me up; your “chin-up” against a windstorm; your salve on a gritty wound. Their voices echo against those silky opera house walls never wavering as they rock out on stage jumping and dancing in rhythmic time. Such crowd-seizing energy! You find yourself on the edge of your seat and completely wishing to be uninhibited. Second song in, “Kick Heart Drum”, you are fist-shaking in time with the Avetts’ own hearts.  You can’t figure out where you want to hear ‘em best. Here in an auditorium or surrounded by campfire, roasting marshmallows and a hard cider in hand. Give me my shades and a breeze off Seneca lake. You feel that very candid sense of home, family, faith and togetherness packaged in unashamed, bumpkin roots-rockin’.  Their songs dwell, they indeed take root.

Consider “Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise”:

When nothing is owed or deserved or expected, and your life doesn’t change by the man that’s elected, If you’re loved by someone, you’re never rejected. Decide what to be and go be it.

Or a “Slight Figure of Speech” where you start out head just bobbing to full blown rap-like rockin’:

A slight figure of speech, I cut my chest wide open, They come and watch us bleed, Is it art like I was hoping now?

And in final reflection, “Murder in the City” resonates in the house:

Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name.

The Avetts treated us to “I Killed Sally’s Lover”, a true spectacle of hillybilly and banjos, “The Laundry Room”, “Paranoia in B Flat Major”, and of course, “I and Love and You” with full audience participating with sweet adoration, and so many others.  We clapped. We cheered. We were renewed. And they treated us to an encore.

Stepping out of the Opera House, we were greeted with the biggest snowflakes ever, but I never felt more alive. I recently downloaded their Carolina Jubilee album, another treat and insight to their earlier days.  In short, get yourself an opportunity to see the Avett Brothers. You will inevitably come “Down with A Glistening Shine”, every time…

“I think he was alarmed that I might miss something essential about who he was and who I was.” — Rosanne Cash, on the list behind The List

After spending a career separating herself from her parents’ musical legacy, and setting her own course as a songwriter, Rosanne Cash realized it was time to revisit “the list” — an account of 100 essential country songs, hand-written on a legal pad by father Johnny Cash, and handed to young Rosanne while he said, “This is your education.”

Almost 40 years later, with a Grammy, several additional nominations, and twenty-one top 40 country singles in between, Rosanne Cash has paid tribute to her musical upbringing on The List (Manhattan), the Grammy-nominated 2009 album of 12 classic country and folk covers, selected from her father’s original list.

As an original songwriter of such acclaim, it is Rosanne’s new-found role as musical interpreter that makes The List so intriguing. And when Cash visits Rochester on February 27 (NOTE: this has been postponed. See note above), surprises will be in store as her approach to the songs will certainly have evolved since the release of the album.

Whether you’re a fan of Rosanne Cash, a student of the Cash/Carter legacy of country and American traditional music, or wanting to experience the music that played a role in shaping that legacy, this show is for you.

You can visit Jesse Sprinkle’s website for more information on the project, or to make a donation.

NCMR will have more information on Jesse’s project in the coming weeks.

Son of the Sun. L to R: Joseph Stocker, Steve Matthews, Jeremy Franklin, Zak Ward, Brandon Delmont

“Keep it simple”. Three-chord rock-n-roll. Phrases offered up by Joseph Stocker of Son of the Sun when describing the band’s over-arching songwriting philosophy. Yet when one sits down and listens to one of their albums (like 2010′s The Happy Loss), “simple” is not what immediately comes to mind. Minimalist in parts, perhaps. Stark in others, possibly. But not simple. That is the beauty of the philosophy when employed by such a gifted writing and performing ensemble — the whole becomes much greater than the sum of its parts.

I wanted to learn more about how this practice is employed by Son of the Sun, and dive deeper into what informs their unique take on the pop aesthetic.

North Country Music Report (NCMR):
A remote, Internet-powered collaboration spawned your debut EP Before the After. Talk us through what led to your collaboration, and the process of remote collaboration when you were living on opposite coasts. Did it pose any sort of difficulties, or did it open up creative freedoms?

Joseph Stocker (JS):
I was coming to an end with the band I was playing with at the time, around 2007-ish. I was a drummer/engineer/noise maker up until that time. I bought an acoustic guitar for 50 bucks and taught myself how to play a G and Em chord. 2 days later I had the song “Listen Darkly” which was the first song I had written and recorded for what became our first EP. after that I recorded a few more songs… all instrumental with no words or lyrics but fully done arrangement/instrumentation wise. I played them for Zak (Ward, lead vocals and guitar) just to get some overall feedback on the guitar tracks/playing etc., and to see if I was the only one that thought they were good. He was really into them and asked if he could write some lyrics for “Listen Darkly” and “How Can It Be”.

So after that, we just started working on those, and with him moving to LA it created the Internet swapping that worked out really well actually, given the ease of having a Pro Tools setup in the bedroom. It wise nice that I could create a pretty complete musical idea, with Zak only having to worry about lyrics and singing. Which was new for him considering he was always used to taking control of both rolls in other bands. So we both kind of had this great new freedom to try whatever came up.

NCMR:
Now that you’re all local to the Buffalo, NY area, what’s collaboration like for Son of the Sun these days? In what ways did the process of making your current release The Happy Loss differ from your first release?

JS:
Ever since the full band came together we started to write in the same room or work off of demos that someone would bring in. So instead of me sitting at home and mutiltracking a full finished idea I could just bring a few chords and a basic structure, pass it around the room and create a vibe that way. But again picking these guys for the band I knew I could trust what kind of parts they would be putting together or at least get where I was coming from stylistically. Whereas the EP was me sitting at home just building tracks with no care or concept of them actually being performed live or with a band. So I think we end up with a little more energy or “magic” that you can get when you have live instruments and players all in the same room tracking together. That’s the way most of my favorite records were made.

NCMR:
Let’s talk about some of your influences. Elements of The Beatles, and perhaps a few dashes of Summerteeth-era Wilco present themselves in your recordings, but your multi-layered work certainly goes deeper. Talk a bit about your influences, musical or otherwise, and how you feel they may manifest themselves in your work.

JS:
Well the Beatles and Wilco are definitely 2 bands we all really love. I think it’s 2 things: the song writing rule of “keep it simple”, and 3-chord rock-n-roll. But with instrument choices and mixing classic and modern recording techniques gives the chance to bridge the gap between the two time periods, making it have a familiar “classic” vibe while staying new and refreshing.

We all draw from the same pool of influence for the most part. For me personally I could listen to Roy Orbison’s In Dreams as much as Gimme Danger by the Stooges, followed by a Hank Williams song, and get equally turned on by all of those. I’m equally turned on by a film or piece of artwork. So watching the movie “Alphaville” is just as motivating as listening to a Velvet Underground record. So in some way all of those things manage to sneak into the songs whether through a songwriting style or a certain choice of instruments, effects, etc.

NCMR:
Large portions of The Happy Loss feel like they could be a continuation of one thought, or of a particular state of mind. Tell us about some of the themes that run through the album, and if you intended for there to be a continuity of mindset.

JS:
I think its just a natural progression. Other than “The Franklin”, all of the topics are definitely about girls or relationships in general. But I suppose the best or at least most of my favorite songs are basically love or heartbreak songs, whether they are presented in a more ballad tempo/vibe (“How Can it Be”) or in a more rock setting (“Stay The Same”). All in all, the inspiration seems to come from the same well.

NCMR:
Your songwriting style and your choice of instrumentation and production technique seem to go hand-in-hand. Your overall sound has a certain vintage characteristic to it, without sounding dated at all. Talk us through how your sound has developed and evolved. Do your songs inspire a certain selection of instruments? Do certain instruments inspire you to write in a certain style?

JS:
I’ve been doing engineering and recording for around 10 years and have always been into researching how my favorite records were made and what kind of instruments were used. So when you open the liner notes of a King Crimson record and see a “Mellotron” listed… I spent the next 3 months trying to figure out what the hell a Mellotron was… but once you do you realize “oh that’s what the flutes on ‘Strawberry Fields’ are and the strings on that Zombies song were not real players, it was the Mellotron”. You say to your self, “I WANT THAT!”

We all have vintage or classic gear with the same aesthetic and vibe as 60′s and 70′s gear. So my Rickenbacker through my tube amp with a ton of reverb on it is probably gonna always sound more like a Kinks song rather than a Creed song.

So yeah… to answer your question, the choice of gear/recording techniques establishes a vibe or color pallet that gives the mood of some earlier classic records or time periods. Seeing as I’m a drummer by nature I only know chords on guitar and piano… I have no clue of scales or theory. So I never question if a certain chord can come after another chord or anything like that. If it sounds good and I’m moved by it, I keep it.

NCMR:
Orchestration and arrangement are hallmarks of Son of the Sun music as well. The ensemble strikes me as one that really understands that each member playing a role is perhaps at times more important than just playing a part. How are orchestration and arrangement decisions made? Is it a collaborative process during the writing phase? Do they come about while jamming? During overdubs and post-production?

JS:
I Heard Tom Petty say a great line about songwriting: “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus”. That has always stuck with me. As much as I like Avant Garde, instrumental, forward thinking music, at the end of the day I like pop songs.

So my biggest rule and motto for this band is that the part HAS to serve the song. Being a selfless player is my biggest thing. Seeing as I know very little about the guitar and piano I always under-play. But for the others (Steve Matthews, bass; Jeremy Franklin, guitar; Brandon Delmont, drums) who are very good and well-rounded at their craft, I’m sure they have to approach it from a different angle. But honestly everyone is really on the same page. We’re all “song guys’. No one is here to show how awesome their part is alone. I’d rather have 4 really simply boring parts on their own, but put together make a thick wall of sound to create a bigger picture or color.

Most of the time the arrangement or structure of the song is ready when its presented as a “song” to the band. But we have definitely worked on them as a “jam”, or just worked out parts as a band. It’s usually all done by the time the recording process starts. Then after that come some overdubs and extra colors, etc. But the structure usually stays the same from the time it was put down.

NCMR:
The past several years has seen you busy not only writing and recording, but touring and promoting — which has garnered a healthy collection of accolades. Talk us through some of the high points of of the past few years, with respect to touring and promotion.

JS:
We have gotten some great reviews and write-ups for The Happy Loss. We’ve been having a real good time going down to NYC and playing there. We did CMJ and it was a great time. We had a couple great summer shows here in Western New York doing Artpark (which was the biggest crowd numbers-wise for us), and Thursday at the Square. Just meeting new people at the shows who are into it and building relationships is always good. Every show is kinda mushed into one, but we always tend to have a laugh while we’re working.

NCMR:
Your music is starting to get TV placement, such as “Stay the Same” on MTV’s The Real World, and “How Can it Be?” on PBS’ Roadtrip Nation. Tell us more about these types of opportunities to which you’re being exposed. What sort of other opportunities are coming about because of song placement?

JS:
We have a music licensing deal, so it’s nice that these things have been popping up. As far as I know it’s mostly some iTunes and CD sales over the internet in places we’ve never been. And some royalty money as well .

NCMR:
Your February 11 and February 12 shows are billed as “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, and feature a few other exciting acts. Tell us about your shows at Buffalo’s Mohawk Place and Rochester’s Lovin’ Cup, and what folks can expect.

JS:
They are 2 of my favorite places to play. Very different in aesthetic but equally warming. We’re playing with some really good bands: Buffalo’s Here Come The Comets, and a band from Rochester, Walri. It’s gonna be our usual “Little Wagon Of Rock N Roll” but may have a new cover or something to spice things up. We’ll probably dress up the stage a bit too. Ever since our album release we’ve kinda grown accustom to creating a little mood on stage.

NCMR:
What’s next for Son of the Sun?

JS:
We are working on some videos for “The Happy Loss”, and are currently recording new material for a EP to come out in the spring. I’d like to do another 7″ vinyl release or a cassette release for fun. We are also heading to SXSW in march so that will be a week on the road. Basically gearing up to play out of town more in spring/summer, get these new tunes out, and keep on truckin’.

Son of the Sun’s two-part “Love Will Tear Us Apart” show will visit Buffalo’s Mohawk Place on Friday February 11, and Rochester’s Lovin’ Cup on Saturday February 12. Go to the band’s website (http://www.sonofthesunmusic.com) for full details on these shows, other upcoming events, and online store.