CRUMBS Cafe

10 Dec 2007: We are celebrating our 30th episode of CRUMBS Café with the renowned musician Sean Rowe. Let's just go right to the end of the episode. Sean played a new song that will appear on his new album called Old Black Dodge. If you have seen or Sean before you know that his voice and songs are like no other, especially in this area. This new song takes all that you know about him to a new level. This song is what being a songwriter is all about. It can be described as haunting and one that resonates similar to Tom Waits. Chills ran up my spine when we first were privileged to listen to this. This is an acoustic performance at its best. It's, well just listen to the song. If Old Black Dodge is any reflection of what we can expect from the new album we all better catch him now because he is sure to be signed by someone at a regional or even national. Since this was a momentous occasion the episode was also broadcasted live which was a first for us. The night went on without a hitch and we had listeners from Schenectady, Albany, and as far away as Wichita, Kansas. Thank you to all that tuned in including Dan Ross and Platypus for sending in questions and comments for Sean. I expect we will do a live show again during the recording of Season 3. And oh by the way, this episode is the season finale. Thanks for listening Season 2 and we'll be back in February 08.

19 Nov 2007: In the studio this week is Idette and the Sunrunners. They offer a contemporary sound filled with soft melodic tones and rhythm. Even if you are a hard rock music fan you will discover that these songs can be catchy at times. The band gets back to their roots with the release of their new album Little Jeffrey and Sarah Jane. The songs have a simple meaning on the surface but dig further and a deeper meaning will present itself. The album includes song tiles such as Frozen Wipers and Itchy Finger but there is more to it than just a direct title. They were able to play one live song in the studio and two from their album.

12 Nov 2007: Loose Cannon Live is a band out to have a good time and while taking everyone in their path with them. The moment they walked into the studio they were chomping at the bit to start playing even before the video cameras were set up. Some bands play out to just cover songs; This band plays out to entertain and from what we saw in the studio, do they ever. It's hard to just sit back and listen. You'll often find yourself noticing that your foot is subconsciously tapping to the beat. They were able to play three acoustic songs in the studio including the popular blue grass song Man of Constant Sorrow. Catch them at Northern Lights the Wendesday before Thanksgiving: show at 9pm. Thanks again to Dan from BestBytes for filming this episode.

04 Nov 2007: Joy Adler, a native to Rensselaer, is a singer song writer who has been successful through out her career. Although she has seen her music take off more so outside of this area, she continues to come back and share her talent with other local musicians. Case in point: She just completed a new album that features some of the best and talented musicians in the area including Mike Steiner, Gregg Nash, Jim, Holshue, and our very own Bill Bucher. Her lyrics are thoughtful and often warm the heart. I realize this may sound a bit off color form how I may typically write but, give the songs a listen and you'll understand what I am mean. Besides her music she is active on the music scene, both local and aboard, by giving back to the area and to those in need. She often finds herself supporting others with their music career at the same time she is getting her voice out there to more listeners. Experience her warming lyrics and positive outlook on this episode of CRUMBS Cafe.

01 Nov 2007: When we talk about the Albany scene we don't often mention bands that make it out of the area. We just may have the next big artist. This week on CRUMBS Café we are featuring an artist who is just a couple of mere steps away from making it big. We first met up with Rachel Vogt at the Dreamspun conference back in the spring when she was just laying down her tracks. Since then she has been working vigorously on her new venture with one of the area's best producers, Don Ferro. Both Don and Jim Holshue form Dreamspun Recording Group are lining her up for national success and a chance to have a future with a national record company. This up coming weekend she is starting her promotional campaign by headlining at the new GE Theatre at Proctors.\n\nThis is a rare opportunity for this young artist and one that we all should support her on. The reason why I say this is because I believe that the local artists in the area need all the help they can get to become successful. And if someone does make it to the national level then others will have a path to follow. Remember all of the support we gave to Sirsy when they were competing for the Lollapalooza seat? They made it all the way to Chicago with our support and are still playing gigs out there. My point is that bands and artists in this area cannot make it on their own; they need a shove for all of us. Alright, I'll get off my soap box. Check out Rachel Vogt on this episode of CRUMBS Café and support the local music scene.

29 Oct 2007: This week we had in the studio The Blisterz who have an edgy blend of rock, punk and power pop. We classify them in the same category as the one for Blackcat Elliot: which, for this band, speaks volumes. The band is comprised of former members from Strawdogs and Absence of Malis who have both been around for many years. When playing live they have that loud, punk, pop sound that leaves you with the notion that the drummer loves his job. Case in point: when we had them in the studio to play the songs the levels on the drummer were off the scales. Vinny, the drummer, brought a snare and new brushes. So far everything was going as expected. When the first song started the poor nylon bristles on the brushes did all they could do to stay attached to their handle. Vinny was, and I am not using this term lightly, wailing on the snare. I can safely say that the brushes where new before we started because after, they were pretty much destroyed. Needless to say there was some extra work with the post production. In the end the songs came out great. Not to worry. Let me know what you think of the mix as the drum track was literally muted. Back to the music. The songs are catchy. They have simple lyrics in the chorus and are easy to sing along with the first time you hear them which are great for the song's longevity. The last song they played may be especially familiar. It's about the social life and an experience on My Space that started with a new friend request. Check out this episode and let us know what you think.

22 Oct 2007: Vocals are the predominate instrument with this band. Especially when it comes to the harmony parts. One thing that I gravitated to in the beginning when listening to their songs where the vocals. Both Mike and Chris sing have developed a similar voice. It can be difficult to pick out who is singing what part which works well for the songs because the harmonies are able to have depth and congruency. And the music? They have an amazing Live sound. What I mean by that is they can sometimes sound like the band Live. You can hear what I mean with the first song on this episode, 'Fear the Monkey', which was recorded live at the Altamont Fair Grounds. This song is a well defined and polished song which could possibly be their best. In the studio we had Mike and Chris from the band who are also a part of other local bands and have solo careers. These guys are busy but were able to stop by an play two live songs in the studio.

09 May 2008: Sirsy is back and better than ever. They are about to release a new album, Revolution, on October 20th but this time with just Mel and Rich. I sometimes hear the comment that Sirsy would be better off with two more musicians but we here at CRUMBS, and I am sure most of their fans, beg to differ. Based on the three songs from this episode and the discussion on the rest of the album we can tell that Sirsy is on a new, more mature path with their musical direction. These songs have depth and detail. They scream of trial and tribulations that offer inspiration and push you to reinvent yourself. The band was able to play two new songs for the album acoustically. The last time we had Sirsy in the studio they played 'Sorry Me', a rough cut of form their then upcoming album Revolution (refer to episode 007). Last time it was the acoustic version and this time it is the final studio version from the album with a bunch of changes that helped define this song.

01 Oct 2007: This week on CRUMBS Café we have in the studio Ten Year Vamp. I'm sure you have heard of the name before but some of you out there may not have herd some of their original songs. They released a couple of CDs over the past years but have never released acoustic versions of their songs. On this episode Debbie and Mark stopped by and played three rockin' original licks acoustically. Also, the topic of NYC crowds came up and it was interesting to hear how responsive they can be. They are also working on their new album and turning to their fans to help them produce and fund it. The interview went a bit long and some segments of it were edited out which may have been a good thing since there was an edgy topic on a tour bus event. But that's one of the words to describe this band: pop, rock, progressive, and of course edgy.

24 Sep 2007: The power, the raw energy, the passion. This was one of the most honest shows I have seen in a long time. Keeping true to their 80's punk soul, The Last Conspirators, led by Tim Livingston, belted out some killer songs and often seen trying to bust out of the relatively small stage for such a band. At one point he vaulted over the stage rail, got in the face of the crowd with his direct lyrics, and didn't back down. This episode was recorded at Larkfest '07. The band was first in a long line up of bands to go on. Even though they started at 11:00 am they still managed to generate a healthy crowd. It must have been the power, the raw energy, and the passion of the music.