3-19-15 Whiskey-Sipping ElectroGoth Torch Singer Hannah Cohen Melts The Standard East Penthouse on 3-16-15

Hannah Cohen performing at The Standard East Village 3-16-15
Hannah Cohen performs at The Standard East Village Penthouse in NYC on 3-16-15

If you liked Lana Del Rey’s first album, you’re going to love Hannah Cohen! There was suspense and expectation in the air Monday night at The Standard: East Village Penthouse. Surrounded by a nearly 360 degree outside terrace, it was an awesome space! The room soon packed and I was lucky enough to be in the front row. Ms. Cohen was there to sing songs in support of her new album “PLEASURE BOY” which will be on sale from label Bella Union on March 31st. Here’s a link to the first single from the album: “Keepsake”.

[Photos of the show after the fold]

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9-30-14 Lights plays Pinktober at Hard Rock Cafe for Breast Cancer Awareness

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If Llana Del Rey is the Queen of Darkness and Robyn is the European Queen of Ice, Lights is the Princess of Day! As soon as Lights was onstage at Hard Rock Cafe (I didn’t realize they had a nice stage) it was “Muscle Memory” and we got energized. Next, there was “Running with the Boys” and right after Lights told us “That’s the first time I’ve heard people singing along to one of my songs.” I can see why they’re doing it. Her music is bubbly synth dance pop that makes you feel good. It’s like a happy combination of Llana Del Rey, Robyn, Ellie Goulding and cool synth pop/rock with a touch of M83. Lights’ wide toothy smile, while reminding me of a Disney TV star, is also… well, friendly and charming. And her performance tonight was done with love. And that always means something. You can’t help but like her.

*Be sure to check out my photos at the end of the review…

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9-26-14 Retro New Wave and 80s Revival Music

I just found out that M83, Com Truise, College and the soundtrack to 2011’s movie Drive, isn’t the only dreamy retro 80s sythpop around! There’s a whole new genre out that’s sprung up! This relatively new genre of music is called, as far as I can tell, “80s New Wave Revival” or “80s SynthPop” or “80s Revival”. I just made the realization about this musical movement whilst exploring youtube (or course!) and ended up discovering NewRetroWave. It’s a youtube channel that hosts all these “Retro New Wave” bands.

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GOOD SINGLES: Big Data

I heard this electro band BIG DATA this past week and dig them. I’m guessing the band’s name is a nod to gigantic data sets (Big Data). Cool. There are four tracks on their debut EP and the vocals are fun, sung with relish by Daniel Armbruster (JOYWAVE) on the track “Dangerous”. “Dangerous” sounds like a bass slapping convergence of Peter Gabriel, MGMT, and Discovery. By the way, I dig the fact that BIG DATA is from Brooklyn (where I live). And from what I understand, the band is the brainchild of producer Alan Wilkis.

The track “Big Dater” adds MUSE’s sound and a touch of 90s boyband aesthetic. Dig that old school modem near the middle. Nice touch.

Next, in “The Stroke of Return” the MUSE influence is present as well as GIORGIO MORODER’s sound – an interesting combination. It’s like the Neverending Story soundtrack meets MUSE!?! And the lyrics explore how we’re all giving our personal data up willy nilly to the cloud. And that is not good. Pretty relevant paranoia!

Shoot, they just played last night at the Brooklyn Bowl! Looks like this band is starting to get big, check out their debut EP ‘1.0’ released by Wilcassettes LLC on 19 August 2013.

Big Data – “Dangerous (feat. Joywave):

Big Data – “Big Dater”

Big Data – “The Stroke of Return”

The BIG DATA Facebook page