Stacked Like Pancakes: Hollow

Written by Robin Ervolina
Stacked Like Pancakes recently released a new song, "Hollow," and fans of this Baltimore outfit are in for a surprise. For "Hollow," Stacked Like Pancakes have blended their ska sound with a few rock sub-genres to produce a vibrant tune. The first verse features compelling lyrics woven into a space rock feel. Then the second verse brings the delicious Stacked Like Pancakes horn line. As the brass builds, they layer a solid rock groove in the second chorus. All of this genre blending lends itself to an impossibly intriguing tune.

Check out "Hollow."

The stylistic blending of genres shows Stacked Like Pancakes is paying attention to trends. What's delightful is they incorporate them without losing their individuality. This possible new direction is particularly exciting given "Hollow" is the official launch of their upcoming CD, Strange Creatures, which will be funded via Kickstarter. The campaign will run for two months in the hopes of raising 100,00 dollars for recording, production and distribution.

Check out Stacked Like Pancakes, "The greatest brass-rock band to ever exist, because we made that genre up."

 

Website:www.stackedlikepancakes.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SLPancakes
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SLPancakes
Instagram: www.instagram.com/SLPancakes

 

Also, catch them on tour!

 

4/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge

4/6 - Brooklyn, NY @ Gold Sound

4/7 - College Park, MD @ Milkboy Arthouse

4/8 - Nashville, TN @ The End

4/9 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

4/10 - Orlando, FL @ Soundbar

4/13 - Lancaster, PA @ Launch Music Conference

4/16 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose

4/17 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place

4/18 - Cleveland, OH @ Winchester Music Tavern

4/20 - Chicago, IL @ Wire

4/21 - Burnsville, MN @ The Garage

4/22 - Madison, WI @ Ruby

4/24 - St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill Duck Room

4/25 - Newport, KY @ Southgate House

4/26 - Raleigh, NC @ Deep South The Bar

4/29 - Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar

Stacked Like Pancakes Bio

Stacked Like Pancakes (SLP) is a boisterous Baltimore-based brass-rock band.

Beginning in 2007, Stacked Like Pancakes was founded on an idolization of artists like Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, and Less Than Jake. Following the 2011 debut ska album We’re Not Insane, SLP and renaissance frontman-songwriter Kellen McKay began to develop an obsession with breaking genre boundaries. SLP has since proven to maintain a thick sonic texture through a synthesis of inspirations including Reel Big Fish, twenty one pilots, Foo Fighters, Paramore, Cage the Elephant, and an untraceable amount of other artists and genres.
Stacked Like Pancakes found their niche in music festivals in 2012, supporting Kid Cudi at Towson University’s Tigerfest. In 2014, SLP won the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands competition, earning their first appearance on the Vans Warped Tour. When they were invited to return in 2015, the Warped Tour sparked a love for the road. In March 2017, Stacked Like Pancakes was a featured artist for the Vans Warped Tour, performing alongside Bless the Fall, Memphis May Fire, Jule Vera, and Microwave at the official Warped Tour Kickoff Party in Orlando, Florida. During this stretch of time, SLP embarked on several self-booked headlining tours, a national tour supporting ska-parallels Reel Big Fish, and in 2015 released their fan-funded sophomore album THIS IS US.
Concert venues and music patrons alike should be prepared for the stage to shake, the crowd to be wild and unpredictable, and the show to be a deliberate fusion of spontaneity and precision. The band’s trumpet and two trombonists won’t be standing in the back or blending in with the backdrop as mere support. In this self-proclaimed brass-rock band, the horns will steal the show, and the Pancake Nation community fanbase is hungry for their band to grow.
Stacked Like Pancakes epitomizes a tough DIY band despite a meaningless band name, and are rightfully on the rise to claim an international stage of their own.

Turbowolf: The Free Life

[caption id="attachment_37222" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Turbowolf: The Free Life[/caption]Written by Robin Ervolina

 

I have returned from a psychedelic trip. The vision: a disruptive landscape surrounded by a borderless galaxy. The drug: Turbowolf. The route of administration: The Free Life (releasing 3/9/18). 

 

In the ever-evolving world of rock, Turbowolf spins new tunes with a retro feel. The déjà vu goes deep. Vocals and synthesizers dive into the recesses of my mind. I’m hearing fragments of Jefferson Airplane, Enter Shikari and The Cure. I’m floating on an eclectic atmosphere of ambiguity. The quirky quartet from Bristol seem hell bend on breaking every rule but one: there are no rules in punk rock.

 

Our introduction to the theme of The Free Life is a brief oratory by Joe Talbot of Idles. “All for you, not for you, the free life.” Then, “No, No, No” kicks in and it’s as trippy as it is pretty. "Capital X” comes in hot, reminding you Turbowolf is also a rock band, in case the psychedelic bend had you confused. Talbot loans his vocals again, and the dirty funk feel underlying his feature is strong. “Cheap Magic” has a clear 70s vibe and a strong jazz improvisational feel to it. Guest vocalist Sebastian Grainger (Death From Above) grounds this tune in a sublime blending of tones.

 

Proving The Free Life encompasses the punk rock concept of community, fourth track “Very Bad” (which is so very good) features Turbowolf friend and voice of Vodun, Chantal Brown. Her cool, clean, soulful sound is the yin to the yang of Chris Georgiadis throatier delivery. Brown croons “Are we not people with a human touch? Are we not even human that much?” Get that stuck in your head. That’s where good lyrics should live. However, my favorite part of this song is the purely punk deconstruction of its previously cohesive melody. "Very Bad" ends with a frenzy of heavy bass, chaotic synthesizers and an escalating tempo. By the time the feedback announces the finale, I’m exhausted. This track is a highlight of The Free Life, and I could listen to it repeatedly.

 

“Half Secret” calls to mind B-52s. “Domino,” (featuring Mike Kerr of Royal Blood) induces vertigo. “Last Three Clues” ditches the pretense that there is any “sound” Turbowolf is going for. It shoots you straight to the rule-less era of proto-punk. It’s at this point I understand that when you do whatever you want, you’ll do something no one else does. Bravo, Turbowolf.

By the time “Up N Atom” cues, I’m comfortable with the Turbowolf sound. It’s no longer a shock, still intriguing, but I’ve been going warped speed for 25 minutes and I need to pull over and rest before continuing this journey.

 

It is, of course, at the point I let my guard down that a semi carrying a truck load of frenzy plows through my respite in the form of “Black Hole.” The intro is tight and intense. Title track

"The Free Life” follows, and oddly enough was the one I zoned out on. (Maybe it’s because “Black Hole is so intense?) However, on second listen I found a gem in lyrics that sum up the CD for me.  “Science, magic, all things in between, freedom, free will, the free life is a dream.”

 

But we’re not at the end of The Free Life. The final track is appropriately titled, “Concluder,” and does its part to sum up the entirety of the CD. Andy Ghosh's descending riffs are illustrative of The Free Life, which begins in chaos and ends in peace. What more could we ask for in life, in general?

 

It is no wonder Turbowolf critics have struggled to define them as a particular genre. This CD will not make their job easier. There is complete unpredictability in The Free Life. If this makes you uncomfortable, that is even more reason to sit up and pay attention.

 

Turbowolf is:

 

Chris Georgiadis (vocals/synthesisers)

 

Andy Ghosh (guitar)

 

Lianna Lee Davies (bass)

 

Blake Davis (drums)

 

 

Myles Kennedy: Year Of The Tiger

[caption id="attachment_36767" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Myles Kennedy: Year of the Tiger[/caption]

Year of the Tiger CD Review - by Robin Ervolina

Myles Kennedy, the instantly recognizable voice of both Alter Bridge and Slash and the Conspirators will release his first solo CD Year of the Tiger on March 9th, 2018. The celebrated vocalist and guitar player is rock royalty, but Year of the Tiger is not a rock album. Missing are the furious guitar solos and the signature Kennedy high register. The metal-edge is absent as a softer Myles emerges. It’s clear the artist has more music inside him, but why would this rock god veer away from what he does so well? It’s simple: Myles Kennedy has a story to tell, and he must take off his royal garments to don his father’s mantle. 

 

Kennedy’s father died in 1974 (the year of the tiger) when Myles was four years old. Year of the Tiger tackles his father's untimely, and perhaps wholly unnecessary death.

My family was very involved in the Christian Science church. So, when he became ill, he chose not to seek medical attention, and passed away a few months later. By all accounts, my father was a good, honest man, but I still can’t understand his decision to die from something that didn’t need to happen.

Year of the Tiger

The title track “Year of the Tiger” sets the tale in motion and is written from his mother’s perspective. It's a dark, harmonic, and chugging tune, like a widow trying to move through her grief. Kennedy describes it as “a battle cry of resolution, to persevere under those circumstances.” “Turning Stones,” “Ghost of Shangri-La” and “Mother” also focus on her in the aftermath of her husband's death. All feature that same forward-motion rhythm, a brilliant score for the scenes and emotions Kennedy still carries.

 

Myles also talks to his father a great deal in Year of the Tiger. In “Blind Faith” he sings “Faith can be blind, but it cannot justify the tragedy of love’s demise.” “Nothing But a Name” digs deeply into his grief, and with naked honesty. 

Your conviction, your belief, how could you choose that over me

I still miss you now 

Goddamn, I miss you now

It's so impossible to face, when all that’s left behind is nothing but a name

Kennedy states both songs are open letters to his father. The lyrics and delivery in these tunes testify.  Sorrow and anger are evident in both, and at times it's almost too painful to hear.

 

From Dark to Light

The first ten tracks of Year of the Tiger are dark. There is a frantic nature to the tunes, portraying energy, struggle, and despair. Track eleven, “Love Can Only Heal” is the natural progression from a place of pain to a place of hope. Kennedy croons in his lower register, as he does in most of the CD, and it's nothing short of glorious. The last two songs continue down the path of light. In “Songbird,” Myles declares his legacy will be different than his father’s. "One Fine Day” sees him looking to a future when this pain subsides.

 

Year of the Tiger is a huge departure from the Myles Kennedy music his fans have come to expect, but illustrates that his brilliance transcends any medium. Kennedy plays banjo, lap steel, bass, and mandolin as well as guitar. He wrote every song on acoustic or resonator guitar and then dropped them straight to tape. Try as I might to be objective, the heart and soul of this project seeped in and found cracks in my armor. With sincere intention, Myles created something honest that speaks to the pain of his past and his hope for the future. It is with great vulnerability he shares this part of his life with a different tone and mood. Never has a cover art been more apropos. Year of the Tiger is Myles Kennedy, stripped down and coming out of the darkness.

The Nectars: "I Want It"

By Robin Ervolina
New Jersey Punkrockers The Nectars just unveiled their latest tune "I Want It" via SoundCloud and it's massively hot, straight out of the gate. Lead vocalist Jessica Kenny purrs,"You're telling me to wait. I don't wanna wait," before exploding "Give it to me now, now now." That's just the intro. What ensues is trashy beats, crunchy guitars, and pure punk feedback bliss. This track is one minute and 48 seconds of sexy, powerful abandon. While the content might be controversial, it's for that precise reason The Nectars penned "I Want It." Says the band:

'I Want It’ is 2 mins of scorching, garage rock emotion. As a band we always like to toy with power dynamics and thought a woman demanding sex would be jarring to chauvinist ideals. With that in mind we needed to write a song encapsulating the feeling of being stoned, late at night, post show, covered in sweat, eager to fulfill our own physical desires.

Check out "I Want It" via SoundCloud now!

It's hard not to draw a comparison to No Doubt or the Cardigans in their video for "Heaven."

However, I think it sells short the potential and reach of this relatively young band. I'm instantly transported to the 70s, and I'm recalling some heavy hitting female punkers, if not in tone then certainly in attitude. I can't be the only one seeing hints of Polly Styrene (X-Ray Spex) singing "Oh Bondage! Up Yours!"
Based on these two tunes alone, I'll be following The Nectars closely. Check out their Facebook page for new music and updates. If you'd like to see them live, which I desperately do, they will be playing NJ and NY this weekend!

Friday, February 23rd, 2018

7:00 PM

Ramapo College of New Jersey Alumni Lounge Mahwah, NJ

Charity Battle of the Bands in support of the Ramapo Food Bank.

 

 

Saturday, February 24th, 2018

7:00 PM

The Delancey New York, NY

NYC’s Glamglare presents

The Nectars is:
Jessica Kenny (vocals)
Jon Paul (bass / vocals)
Mike Montalbano (drums / vocals)
Michael Baron (guitar / vocals)

Dellacoma: Interview with Dellacoma Rio

DELLACOMA: Back to the U.S.!

by Robin Ervolina
I can't talk about the band Dellacoma without talking about it's frontman, Dellacóma Rio. The absolute Pictionary definition of a rockstar, Dellacoma caught my attention in 2015 at Rock on the Range. After a brief chat and a few selfies, I kept up with his comings and goings. This hard rocking, hard touring Aussie has made his way to the states many times, playing festivals, a Kiss Cruise Pre-party, and (perhaps my favorite of all time), an intimate acoustic tour with Jasin Todd (Shinedown, Fuel) in 2016. Last week Dellacóma told me he was coming back to the states to tour and record with his new lineup. Cue the angels, and check out our convo below!

Shockwave Magazine Chats with Dellacóma Rio

Shockwave Magazine: It's been awhile since Dellacoma toured the U.S. You've had some band member changes! Can you introduce us to the new members, and tell us a bit about how you came together?
Dellacóma Rio: Yes, it's definitely been a turbulent 12 months but the lineup we now have is incredible on so many fronts. The first to join was Tommy Sunset on bass. Tommy has been a good mate of mine for many years now and was actually involved with the writing of "Change" and "Under My Skin" on the first album before I'd met Matt and Art (original guitarist and drummer). He's from Melbourne, Australia and has a long history of local Melbourne bands including Kill Shott and Atomic Riot.
Jarrod Medwin on drums was second to join. He's also from Melbourne and is quite a talented pianist as well. His most recent band was called Massive who were signed to Earache Records in the UK and have done a stack of touring across Europe. Both Tommy and Jarrod filled in on my last European tour and I asked them to join permanently as soon as we all got home.
Jasin Todd was the final piece of the puzzle and has only done a handful of shows in Australia to this point with us. I met Jasin a couple of years ago and we have become good mates. He was the original guitarist in Shinedown and has also been a member of Fuel and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster so he's quite experienced and has been a wise head to have around the group.

"We are still a hard rock band, but you can expect a lot of new textures and flavours on this album."

How have the new members changed your sound? Has it pushed your music in a different direction?
I guess that'll be up to the listener at the end of the day, but I do feel that we are more expansive now with our sound. I already wanted to be broader with the second record, but having the new lineup has definitely helped that to happen. Jasin has a lot of soul and blues in his playing and writing and Jarrod plays keys so that brings a different feel to the writing process. We are still a hard rock band, but you can expect a lot of new textures and flavours on this album. It's been a truly collaborative writing effort.
You did some pretty extensive touring both as a band and as a solo artist last year. There's no easy way to recap the whole thing, but what were some highlights of your time both at home in Australia, and abroad?
Last year was such a blur with everything going on but I reckon I would have to say our first nightliner tour across Finland and Sweden with Jeff Scott Soto and his band SOTO was at the top of the list along with getting to headline the second stage at Hard Rock Hell in the UK.

"It will be broad and expansive, light and dark, heavy and soft -- the broadest musical composition I've ever been a part of creating."

A little birdie tells me you're coming to the states soon to record your new album. What's the concept for the new project?
The concept will continue the loose concept of Dellacoma musically which is rebuilding and restoring/remodeling something that feels like home. We want to write music that we want to play live so it all comes from a deep personal desire to create something that moves us individually. It will be broad and expansive, light and dark, heavy and soft -- the broadest musical composition I've ever been a part of creating.
Will it be a full EP, or an LP to get out quickly?
It will be a full album. I know so many bands and artists that don't make albums any more, but I love the process of creating stories (songs) within the bigger story (album) and taking the listener on a journey.
Have you selected a name for it?
I think we're on our 4th working title so far haha
Any hints on content or song titles you want to throw out?
We haven't selected the songs yet but some of the songs in the mix are "Til We All Belong" "Vampires" "Leave a Light On" and "I Don't Want It".

"There is a live video of Jasin and I playing "Vampires" acoustic from my house a couple of months ago."

Any clips floating around or samples of new music we can direct the readers to?
There is a live video of Jasin and I playing "Vampires" acoustic from my house a couple of months ago.
Stories behind any of the songs?
Plenty of stories behind the songs. I always write from a very personal place, either stories or feelings I have experienced or observed.
What are your tour plans for the U.S. and beyond?
We will be touring the US in April, June and July, Australian dates will be in May and June and we are looking at a return to the UK and Europe in Sept/Oct.
Tour van or bus?
Would love a bus but the bank account tells me it’s going to be a van tour haha
Who drives?
Mostly me but Jarrod and Jasin will jump when needed. We're looking at bringing a road manager with us this tour to help with driving, load in/load out and merchandising etc.
What kind of music will you be listening to and who gets to choose it?
I guess we'll see! We've never actually been in a van together as this lineup so it’s all fresh and new!

"Topeka has always been a special place for me."

What is the story behind your strong bond with Topeka?
Topeka has always been a special place for me. I have been touring there since 2011 and I have played the venue there (The Legendary Boobie Trap Bar) more than any other venue in the world!!
Will you be playing songs off the new album soon?
Absolutely! We will be playing new songs from the first show of the next tour.
What will your set list look like?
We will have songs from our debut album in the set but there will be a heavy focus on playing new music. We will throw in a few covers that we enjoy to play and we've also included a few Shinedown classics.
 Other than reading Shockwave's exclusive content as we follow your adventures, how can we keep up with all things Dellacoma?
Our website (www.dellacoma.com) and our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/dellacoma) are always up to date with everything we have going on
****
Dellacoma will be touring April 12-24, 2018, east coast up through Ohio to Wisconsin, and finishing in Topeka. Stay tuned for dates and locations as they become available. Make sure you follow Shockwave on all our socials as we jump in the studio and on the road with Dellacoma to bring you exclusive behind the scenes coverage!

Super Bowl Half-time: Justin Timberlake and the Great Redemption

Photo: AP 

Written by Robin Ervolina
Back in 2004 Justin Timberlake made headlines not for his performance, but for "accidently" exposing Janet Jackson's breast. Fast forward to 2018 and he not only managed to redeem the faux pas, he up'd the bar for future performers. Let's recap:
The initial scene: Justin playing to a small crowd in a smaller room. It was a social media commentary on how we watch concerts through our fucking phones. Spoiler: don't.
When he takes the field one thing is evident: Justin is a talented artist who either portrays humility or has managed not to take himself too seriously. I would love to thank him for his personal touch to this halftime experience. He played the camera. He engaged with the fans. He gave us the music we love, and he gave us the personality we crave. Then ... then he sat down to the white piano.
I'd heard rumors he would perform with a hologram Prince.  Don't. Just don't. Hologram ... I can't Motown even. He didn't. He dropped a beautiful white screen backdrop and sang harmony to a video of Prince performing to "I Would Die 4U" and it was more moving than I would like to admit. Hand against my heart, I pooled tears as Minneapolis went purple for our lost dove.
I want to thank Justin for performing. PERFORMING.  I want to thank him for the selfie in the stands at the end of his show. I want to know if that kid even knows who he selfied with, but I won't complain too much. Timberlake deserves to continue cultivating generations of fans.
No boobs. No politics. No agenda. Justin Timberlake understood the honor of performing at the Super Bowl and he honored it with a performance for the ages.

Dance Gavin Dance: Interview with Will Swan at The Joint Las Vegas 12/5/17

[caption id="attachment_32656" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Photo Credit Andrea Furguiele Legato[/caption]
by Robin Ervolina
If it's true what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, I screwed up. I arrived at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino prior to Dance Gavin Dance's limited engagement, sold out Mothership show with a million questions in my head and butterflies in my stomach. I was about to meet and interview Will Swan, and I knew I wasn't burying that in the desert.
When Mothership released in the summer of 2016 I eagerly accepted an advanced copy for review. The moment Jon Mess  (screamo guy) gave the call "Gimme that canvas/let me paint some shit" and Tilian Pearson (clean vocals) gave the response "Pass me some poison/let me take a hit," my musical trajectory changed. Lyrics and melodies wove their way into my psyche and Dance Gavin Dance became my passion. Seeing Mothership performed live meant flying from Florida to Vegas, which I did happily. When I received a last minute approval to photograph DGD and interview Will, I hit my first Vegas jackpot.
Will Swan comes out to the hall with almost a bit of ... reservation? I've interviewed people that clearly did NOT want to be dealing with press so I know that look, but this was familiar to me on more of a personal level. It was almost as if Will was thrust into the spotlight all alone with no ride or die to back him up, no wingman to start the conversation, no Thelma to accompany Louise off the cliff. I got it immediately. Immediately. My nerves disappeared as soon as I saw that Will Swan is not affected by his success and he's not going to put on a pretend face for an interview. This artist who has created brilliant melodies and inspired songs is just a normal guy, slightly hesitant when meeting someone for the first time. I'm suddenly overcome with the desire to be a gracious hostess, get him a sweet tea, and offer him my favorite recliner. All my questions are out the window. It's just me, Will, and 11 of my favorite minutes of 2017.

I take a deep breath and hit the record button. "Up in the casino, ain't no doubt I'm 'bout to let it all go..."

[caption id="attachment_32655" align="aligncenter" width="684"] Photo Credit Andrea Furguiele Legato[/caption]