Tom Gallo is the host of Look at My Records on Radio Free Brooklyn
Radio Free Brooklyn and Bushwick Daily are proud to announce a new weekly local-music column that will focus on artists that call Bushwick home. Each week, a Radio Free Brooklyn personality will pen a record or performance review of a different Bushwick based artist, with a curated selection of the best upcoming local gigs in the neighborhood for the following weekend.
There’s a strong contingent of alternative-country artists sprouting up in an unlikely place: New York City. Despite their unlikely urban surroundings, these musicians still manage to seize on the primary tenets that drive some of the genre’s most enduring songs: loneliness, heartache, and regret. Adeline Hotel, the moniker of songwriter Dan Knishkowy, is one of these artists, but the music on his latest effort, Away Together, doesn’t
comport with the typical country-tinged folk singer-songwriter. Instead, the 10 songs on Away Together display significant growth, as they branch out into a realm occupied by vivid textures created by delicate guitars, evocative lyrics, and powerful keys.
Away Together manages to do several things at once, and succeeds at doing them all quite well. In the past, Knishkowy has displayed a true mastery at crafting intimate folk songs, but his latest effort showcases his musical acumen, as the arrangements capture a fuller, more colorful sound. His soothing, almost tranquilizing voice is present throughout, shining on ballads and some of the record’s more rock-oriented songs. In particular, the lead single on the record, “Habits” features Cassandra Jenkins providing beautiful backing vocals and is a notably more cheerful song that focuses on the fleeting nature of happiness. “Lightning” is the stand-out track on the album for several reasons, as it maintains just a hint of a country twang, but is primarily powered by Knishkowy’s serpentine guitar work. Perhaps the album’s brightest song, it’s an up-tempo composition characterized by a more driven sound. What makes the songs on Away Together truly worth a listen is that Adeline Hotel captures the most exciting elements found on some of your favorite 90s indie rock albums, while still maintaining entrenched in a folk sound that’s driven by poetic, story-telling styled lyrics. Case in point, the quite melancholy “At Least We Tried” could fit right in on the Silver Jews classic, Starlite Walker, smack between “Pan American Blue” and “New Orleans,” while the layered feel of “Isn’t That Love,” will evoke memories of Fleet Foxes’ earlier works.
Adeline Hotel is celebrating the release of Away Together this Friday, October 26th at Union Pool with V.V. Light Bodies and Field Guides. You can purchase Away Together on vinyl via Bandcamp.
Katy Rea, Bets, Beau at Elsewhere
Wednesday October 24th, 2018 at 8p.m.
Zone One at Elsewhere plays host to a double release show on Wednesday night, as both Katy Rea and Bets are performing in support of brand new records. Katy Rea drops her debut EP, the heavily hooky Same Kind Of Woman, and Bets is releasing Future Color, which is the follow up to 2017’s Project Violent Femmes, a stunning and fascinating take on the Violent Femmes 1983 self-titled debut album. Opening the show is folk-rock duo, Beau.
The Goon Sax, Future Punx, Kevin Hairs at Alphaville
Thursday October 25th, 2018 at 8p.m.
The Goons Sax are quickly becoming one of Australia’s best young acts, and Brooklyn-ites are lucky because the group plays in town quite frequently. Thursday night marks the band’s third appearance this year, as they continue to tour in support of their second full length, We’re Not Talking, a mature sounding 12-song collection of shimmering guitar pop. They’ll be joined by Brooklyn’s premier post-wave act, Future Punx, and Kevin Hairs, who is releasing his debut EP, Freak In The Sheets, on Thursday. Formerly the frontman of The Hairs, Kevin Hairs channels several pop influences through his solo output, including Jonathan Richman and the flagship band of New Zealand’s Flying Nun label, The Clean.
Public Practice, B Boys, Gustaf at Alphaville
Friday October 26th, 2018 at 8p.m.
This week is full of release shows in Bushwick, as Public Practice, a new project that features members of Wall and Beverly, drops their debut EP, Distance Is A Mirror, on Friday. The band has already shared two singles, including “Foundation,” a danceable new wave-inspired track. Also performing are two excellent Brooklyn bands with a heavy art-punk influence, B Boys and Gustaf, who are back at Alphaville after a captivating performance at the Big Bliss LP release show on Saturday.
Monograms, Holy Tunics, Parrot Dream at Secret Project Robot
Saturday October 27th, 2018 at 8p.m.
Monograms are releasing their debut EP, Beekeepers, this Saturday and they’re putting on a stacked show at Secret Project Robot to celebrate the occasion. The trio has enlisted the support of Holy Tunics and Parrot Dream, two locals who also have stellar 2018 releases under their belts. Holy Tunics shared the beautifully jangly Butter Dish back in March, while Parrot Dream dropped the stunning and dreamy Light Goes in early September.
In Case You Missed It…
Kevin Hoopes captured the action last Thursday at Alphaville for the great Holy Tunics, Your Dream Coat, Joy Cleaner, and Algebra II show!
