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Up Close with Providence’s Boo City
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by Timothy O'Keefe, GoLocalProv Contributor
Boo City describes themselves as “rooted in Soul, Ro...by Timothy O'Keefe, GoLocalProv Contributor
Boo City describes themselves as “rooted in Soul, Rock, Rhythm & Blues”, and as offering an alternative to the “noise and hardcore sound that has epitomized the Providence rock scene for the last decade.” Founded in 2009 by Andrew Moon Bain and Tai Awolaju, Boo City not only features traditional drums, guitar, and bass, but also features its own brass section. GoLocalProv caught up with Bain before the band's Sound Session 2010 gig this Saturday, July 24.
Tell me about your band Boo City. How did it form, and what kind of music do you play?
I had been growing disinterested in producing other artists and really wanted to get back to playing, writing and performing my own music. I had been playing and touring with some of the artists I produced but that was all Reggae and Dancehall music, which is not what I typically write at all. I had been thinking about starting my own project and my friend Tai, who also had not been singing or performing in a while came to me about starting something together. Boo City pulls from a myriad of influences for sure but essentially we play Rhythm & Blues. It is rooted in Soul and Rock but we have some splashes of country, blues and reggae. I think it feels and sounds congruent. We don’t have a different song in each genre per se, it is more like our diverse influences inspire us in creating a unified sound.
You've produced a number of other artists. How does your production work reflect upon your own band's sound?
I am looking forward to recording in the beginning of August. We have an EP we are going to work on in the studio so that will pull on my years of producing. My production work definitely shapes the way we write and arrange songs. I tend to lean towards a format for our tunes and always think about what people and myself would sing along with. I tend to urge strong or simple melodic hooks and shorter arrangements. I am excited to record with this band and produce it fully.
Boo City is playing at this week's Sound Session, how do you see Sound Session's contribution to our local music scene?
Yeah, we are all looking forward to that show! Sound Session is an experience for everyone in Providence and the whole region. It is one of the most exciting and anticipated moments on the local music scene. I am particularly psyched to see so many local acts on it this year. Sound Session and the Black Rep in general are a vital source of art and culture in this community. They bring and pair diverse talent that no one else around here does. ?
You've been involved in a number of music projects, what would you like to experiment with musically that you haven't had a chance to try yet?
I have been really influenced by a lot of country music over the last year and a half, and am excited about the songs I am writing through this influence. I grew up listening to a lot of Patsy Cline from my mama so it is nice to get back into that era of music and remember the stuff I was hearing as a kid. In a recent song we wrote as a band we have a Dancehall break in a kind of club-rock track. I have also been in talks about doing a Radiohead-esque dance and rock project with one of my favorite reggae artists I work with, Jahdan Blakkamoore. That would be fun.
Boo City will be performing on Saturday, July 24th on the Bank of America Skating Center stage at Sound Session 2010, and on Saturday, July 31 on the Burnside Park Stage at IndieArts Fest 2010.
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THE ALTERNATE ROOT TOP 30 ROOTS SOUL ARTISTS - RIGHT NOW!
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Soul music took its first steps in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ...Soul music took its first steps in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sees Soul as "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying.”
Originally relegated to the Black Music charts, Soul music was picked up by a generation of British teens through late-night radio shows coming from U.S. military bases in Germany. The big stage production of horns, background vocals and stacked instrumentation was stripped down to guitar, bass and drums. Northern Soul became a cherished part of the U.K.’s music structure, their love for the genre far surpassing that of American listeners.
Soul music is an inclusive form. Any instrument can come to the party; what you use is not as important as how you use it. Soul can be the steady line of a rhythm section as much as a ten note flash of a flute that is there one minute and then gone the next. It is the little touches that are as important of the big beat.
Our Top 50 list is for bands and individuals who are currently delivering Soul music. Not neo-soul, not retro-soul but Soul music as it was meant to be. Unlike other genres that claim “not your mama’s…”, this crop of Soul artists varies only from what your folks heard by the social situations the characters find themselves living in.
1. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings have come a long way in 10 years. After their previous album barely crept up to 100,000 sales, their most recent release in 2007, I Learned the Hard Way, sold 23,000 in its first week. In four months, 100,000 units had already been sold. Steeped in the gilded and gritty sounds of gospel, soul, and funk, the nine-piece group delivers a heartfelt Soul sound. Their devotion to soul music is clearly demonstrated on all four studio albums, all captured and released by the independent, the all-mighty Daptone Records, in Brooklyn, NY.
2. The James Hunter Six – James Hunter leads his band, The James Hunter Six, through fall-down-on-your-knees-and-scream style Soul. Coming out of England, James Hunter at time channels Memphis Soul in the vein of Rufus Thomas, even referencing the man’s favorite fowl with the tune “Chicken Switch” on the recent release from The James Hunter Six, Minute By Minute.
3. Mavis Staples - The name Staples implies soul. An original member of the Staples Singers who embodied the definition of soul music, Mavis Staples now works along side some of the top Americana/Roots acts whenever an infusion of "real soul" is needed. Her prolific solo career has garnered countless accolades. She's worked with, well, just about everyone from Bob Dylan to Ray Charles. She's been honored by Presidents, Kings and Queens and the industry that she's been part of for over 50 years.
4. Peter Karp & Sue Foley – Peter Karp and Sue Foley’s recent release, Beyond the Crossroads is a loud celebration of triumph over tragedy, optimism over despair and faith over hopelessness. It delivers on the promise of their critically acclaimed 2010 song-cycle, "He Said - She Said"; an inspired and compelling anthology of original songs, adapted from long distance letters and e-mails the two shared over a particularly difficult and dark period in their lives.
5. Justin Townes Earle – Justin Townes Earle has always brought an Indie feel and form to his music. On earlier albums, Justin let that Indie rearrange and remake itself amid songs that landed on the Americana side of Roots Rock. With his most recent Bloodshot album, Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, he trades open Country for Memphis Soul stew.
6. JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound are a rock’n’soul band, taking cues from 1960’s British bands that delivered true Soul with guitars, bass and drums. They rock the band crafts into their songs has a punk edge that lands them front and center for the Indie Rock Soul takeover that is a wave about to crash over the world. Their Bloodshot Records debut, Want More, crackles with life and hints at the frenzy of their live show.
7. Mike Farris - Pick any of the configurations that Mike Farris travels with; Roseland Rhythm Revue, Cumberland Saints, solo, whatever and you'll find one of the truly stirring blue-eyed soul singers out there today. Farris left his southern rock, roots band 'Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies' in 2001 and hasn't looked back yet. His fusion of soul, blues and gospel compliment his intense vocal range and new found spirituality like a glove.
8. Bettye Lavette – Bettye Lavette’s family moved to Detroit in the early 50’s. Her parents sold corn liquor while their living room was full of gospel bands like Sam Cooke’s, The Soul Stirrers, and a jukebox full of contemporary soul, C&W and blues hits. After some late 60’s chart success and early 70’s Muscle Shoals recordings, Bettye’s career became a series of short bursts rather than the upward spike the lady deserved. She has returned to greater acclaim than ever, and a voice that has not seen wear, as evidenced with her 2012 release, Thankful ‘N Thoughtful.
9. Vintage Trouble – Vintage Trouble formed in 2010. The band entered The Bomb Shelter Studio to record an album's worth of material. Vintage Trouble finished in three days, thinking songs would become demos. The tracks ended up being pressed into CDs and The Bomb Shelter Sessions became Vintage Trouble’s first album. Vintaqe Trouble chose Los Angeles to build their musical foundation as a band with weekly residences leading to a large assembly of fans, known as the "TroubleMakers.",in a short amount of time.
10. Alabama Shakes – Alabama Shakes gets a lot of attention from the rock press gaining the Athens, Alabama band a ‘My Name Is Rock’ tag. There is plenty of rock but the way the group gets to a song with a bottom heavy rhythm section, Heath Fogg’s funky but chic guitar noodling and vocalist Brittany Howard’s voice dripping soul over roots rock tunes on their most recent release, Girls and Boys is pure magic.
11. Seth Walker – Seth Walker titled his recent release Time Can Change. The sound on the album differs from the more polished, bluesy tone of Seth’s previous output. His Ray Charles-styled voice still rises up and takes control of each track. The playing and production is grittier and packs a heavy dollop of funk. The result is an album of Soul-- Seth Walker style.
12. The Blind Boys of Alabama - The Blind Boys of Alabama is a five-time Grammy Award winning gospel group who first sang together in 1939. After seven decades of touring, countless prestigious appearances, and a successful discography, the Blind Boys of Alabama have created their own musical history. Since their formation over 70 years ago, The Blind Boys of Alabama's self-proclaimed goal is to spiritually uplift audiences, giving their gospel a Soul all its own.
13. The Budos Band - The Budos Band is an instrumental group on the Daptone Records label, a Soul force in its own right. The ten-member Budos Band, with sometimes up to thirteen players on stage, found a home within instrumental music that is self-described as "Afro-Soul." The term/sound derives from Ethiopian music that the band had been listening to with a soul undercurrent to it. The band sprinkles Jazz, Funk, Afro-beat, and Soul on The Budos Band III, the groups’ most recent release.
14. Nakia - Nakia, the voice, the man and the style all contribute to his larger-than-life presence. His soulful vocal performances and ability to connect with an audience brought attention to him in his adopted home of Austin, then catapulted him onto the world stage. An L.A. casting agent discovered a performance of Nakia and his band, the Blues Grifters, on YouTube. The clip landed Nakia on NBC’s “The Voice” and his bluesy rendition of “Forget You” earned him a spot on Cee-Lo Green’s team. With an E.P., Drown in the Crimson Tide, as a tease, Nakia is writing and preparing to record a full album as he tours with the Blues Grifters.
15. Derek Hoke – Derek Hoke is a songwriter, a guitar player and a cowboy….the man has the hat to prove it. What Derek Hoke is first and foremost is a singer, and the voice that claims that title is pure soul. Waiting All Night is an album written under stage lights with songs meant for late night in a dark room. Derek Hoke makes the sweetest Cowboy Soul that digs into your brain. Just try and get “Lonely Street” out of your head. Go ahead, try.
16. Charles Bradley - Charles Bradley was born in Gainesville, Fl. He moved to Brooklyn when he was eight and in 1962, his sister took him to the Apollo Theater to see James Brown perform. That did it. Referred to as "The Screaming Eagle of Soul," Charles Bradley’s music brings the sexy of 1970’s soul, heard on the most recent release, No Time for Dreaming. Charles Bradley is a Daptone Records artist, the label that is ground zero for all things soul, owned and operated by the musicians playing and producing the tracks.
17. Aaron Neville – Aaron Neville has been trading New Orleans soul in the music market for over fifty years. He struck gold, then platinum, in 1967 with his hit “Tell It Like It Is”. His recent release, My True Story, goes back to his first chart success and re-envisions hits from the 1950’s/1960’s in a mostly honest take on the original rock’n’soul tunes. His version of The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” gives the track a Doo Wop makeover. Aaron Neville has the kind of voice that causes swoons in the strongest of hearts.
18. Jesse Dee - Jesse Dee is a Boston-based soul man. On My Mind / In My Heart is his debut recording for Alligator Records. The album is a physical and audio extension of Jesse. It is soul music through and through. Perfectly placed horns, chopped guitar chords as rhythm, a bumping bass that pops out notes like spitballs and drums thatnever let the beat wander, all creating a groove that sticks like glue.
19. John Nemeth – John Nemeth is a Blues man. His music always manages to infuse the Blues into each and every note. The excitement of his live show, the emotive textures of his vocals and the rhythm he brings to his blues give him bona fide Soul man credentials to add to his Blues pedigree. His most recent releases came in the form of two live albums, one dedicated to Blues (Blues Live), the other to Soul (Soul Live), courtesy of John Nemeth.
20. Ruthie Foster – Ruthie Foster has a sound that ignores demographic lines and a charisma that can ignites audiences with her brand of natural Soul that finds its way through a kaleidoscope of sound. As a young girl, Ruthie took in a wide variety of music, whether mother-taught hymns, Beatles songs, 45’s from her truck-driving uncle, the old-school country on variety shows, or the pop songs crackling through the family radio. Diversity was how Ruthie heard the tunes, “It didn’t matter to me what genre it was, I just took it all in as great music - music that moved me.” And that pretty much gives you the definition of Soul music.
21. Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez – Christine Ohlman is the queen of blue-eyed rock n’ soul. Christine grew up loving the sweetness of a Memphis horn line and the raunch of an electric guitar riff. She teased her blonde hair into a beehive in honor of Ronnie Spector and never looked back. Christine Ohlman is the current, long-time vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band. Here latest recording, The Deep End, was honored on five national Top Ten lists and features special guests Dion DiMucci, Marshall Crenshaw, Levon Helm, GE Smith, Catherine Russell and Big Al Anderson among others.
22. The Relatives - Reverend Gean West delivers an ambling sermon to a congregation of 15 people in West Dallas. His voice competes with the constant hum of the air conditioner as he holds court on Psalm 23, comparing the late Michael Jackson to the biblical King David. The sermon is punctuated by notes from an electric keyboard played by a young nephew of the Reverend. Most of the parishioners at God’s Anointed Community Church of God in Christ are related to West. Meet The Relatives, with a recent release, The Electric Word, that showcases a psychedelic Gospel band whose Soul revisits The Temptations once they became residents of the Psychedelic Shack.
23. Jacob Jones – Jacob Jones knows how to construct, record and deliver Soul -- old school soul from the times when soul and rock played tag in just about every song that you heard. Soul back to when blue-eyed Country soul was a goal. Trumpets, trombones and saxophones stand proudly alongside brother and sister fiddles and electric geetars. Add in some tasty organ, boogie woogie piano, strings and background vocals, and they all come together for classic Soul, East Nashville style.
24. Rick Estrin & the Nightcats – Rick Estrin & the Nightcats eat, sleep and breathe Soul due to their regimen of non-stop touring. The band, which began recording life in 1976 as Little Charlie & The Nightcats, deliver their Soul with the same musical mix that gave them life, melding electric urban blues, with early rock and roll, surf music, swing, jump blues, and western swing on their recent Alligator Records release, One Wrong Turn
25. Grady Champion – Grady Champion is the youngest of his father's 28 children. Grady grew up in rural Canton, Mississippi, outside of Jackson. Raised on a farm, hard work became a way of life for him. He joined his church choir at 8 years old. His Soul takes on contemporary topics and issues, and like much of the 60’s soul that fanned the flames of revolution, Grady’s words offer a social commentary, as on his current release, Tough Times Don’t Last.
26. Garrett LeBeau – Garrett Lebeau is a natural player. New and old fans hear Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs, Al Green and J.J. Cale in his songs and vocals. His playing style veers from blues through rock, jazz into folk and all comes together under the welcoming shores of Soul. Garrett is a Native American, growing up on a Wyoming Indian reservation far from any musical influence. The soul of the man is the Soul of his music. Look for Garrett Lebeau’s debut, Rise to the Grind, on Music Road Records in May, 2013.
27. Southern Hospitality – Southern Hospitality began its life with lap steel guitar master Damon Fowler, guitarist extraordinaire J.P. Soars, and keyboard wizard Victor Wainwright. The three each bring a unique style and fresh translation of the great Southern soul, blues, and rock music that came before them. Their chemistry, high energy and skill combine with echoes of Muscle Shoals and Macon. Southern Hospitality are Southern soul roots music with a modern sensibility. Their upcoming Blind Pig release, Easy Livin’, will set the bar for southern bands taking back the south for soul.
28. Mighty Sam McClain - Sam McClain was born on the northern edge of the Bible Belt in Monroe, Louisiana in 1943. After singing in his mother’s Gospel Church, he realized singing was his mission. He left home when he was thirteen, following local R&B guitarist, "Little Melvin" Underwood through the Chitlin Circuit, first as his valet and then as lead vocalist himself at age 15. After successful recording sessions in Nashville and New Orleans, Sam fell on hard times, working menial jobs and selling his plasma, going from the Apollo Theater to the park bench, living the songs that would jump-start his career in the mid-1980’s. Sam McClain keeps the momentum going on his recent release, Too Much Jesus, Not Enough Whiskey with the Soul blues that is hard to separate from the man himself.
29. Chastity Brown – offered musical diversity on her first few albums. On her recent release, Back Road Highways, her soul comes with a hyphen attached, generally showcasing itself in terms like soul-folk, soul-jazz and soul-roots. The key word is Soul and Chastity Brown cannot stray too far away from the term with vocals that demand, cajole and tease their way through her songs.
30. Boo City - Boo City is a creative mix of music styles that merge Country-Blues, Indie Rock Reggae, and Folk creating a sexy Southern Soul sound that points further south than their home base of Providence, Rhode Island. Dual vocals hold down the microphone duty courtesy of Tai Awolaju’s sultry voice and Andrew Moon Bain’s deep tone. The pair share vocals and complement harmonies. Boo City is energetic, whimsical, fun, melodic and edgy all at once.
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20 BANDS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
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Not so long ago, the Roots and Americana field was an open playing ground. It was a place where arti...Not so long ago, the Roots and Americana field was an open playing ground. It was a place where artists could take chances with their music and develop sounds that were outside the borders that corralled music into certain shapes and forms. Like any genre or style, once a bar is set, up and coming artists can choose to follow or lead into the future. Innovators like Buddy Miller, Bela Fleck, The Band, Sam Bush, Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas set the standard. Many bands have gone the easy route of simply sounding like the originals. Luckily, there are many others that avoid falling into the same old ruts and decide not to join the 'band wagons'. Here is a list of artists that are moving the genre forward, taking chances and deciding that is better to lead than follow, better to die on your feet than live on your knees worshipping at the altar of what has gone before.
These artists are the 'progressive' artists of the Roots Americana genre. Pushing the envelope in terms of sound, recording techniques, instrumentation and amplification. They are bringing new influences of Indie rock, swamp, post punk and psychedelic into the indigenous forms of music that lie at the roots of the sound. Risk takers, innovators and definitely worth checking out. Here are The Alternate Root's 20 Bands Pushing the Envelope.
1 - Uncle Lucius
Uncle Lucius is an Indie Rock band out of Austin, Texas that lets the roots of rock shine in its sounds and songs. The band borrows from classic rock, taking influence from The Black Crowes and The Tragically Hip. Lead vocalist Kevin Galloway takes to the mic like he is on a mission to save the world one song at a time. Uncle Lucius makes it all seem easy on their most recent release, And You Are Me.
2 - Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck
Bow Thayer plays electric banjo, running the instrument through both a bass and guitar amp to get the desired sound. The band’s latest effort, Eden, is a Roots album that follows one story line throughout the entire release with the topic that it’s the economy that kills people, not guns. Thayer writes deep, heavily textured music with complex layers both sonically and lyrically and has the band and the chops to pull it all together.
3 - Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition
Former Squirrel Nut Zipper frontman, Jimbo Mathus, drives Southern Rock, Blues, Soul and Roots sounds as a vehicle for his smart, Southern Gothic-influenced story lines. The music created could receive a Southern Gothic Rock name tag, with The Tri-State Coalition setting fire to notes and beats that send smoke signals to announce the start of something big on the album White Buffalo.
4-The Wood Brothers
Two brothers decide to form a band, adapting the blues, folk and other roots-music sounds they grew up with into a sound that is unique. They have that natural lonesome harmony and a blend that could only come from blood. For many years, the brothers took separate musical paths, Oliver brought soul, funk and country elements into the blues that he loved and Chris attended New England Conservatory of Music to study bass at the feet of jazz men. As the Wood Brothers, they bring family back together and create a new sound in the process on Smoke Ring Halo.
5- Birds of Chicago
Birds of Chicago, is a collective based around JT Nero and Allison Russell. The group tours both as a duo and with the full family band. JT Nero has country soul vocals that fit well with the warm, sun-dappled voice of Allison Russell. Somewhere between street corner doo-wop and folk soul sounds, Birds of Chicago bring the power of voices and play them out over banjo and guitar accompaniment.
6 - Vintage Trouble
Los Angeles-based Vintage Trouble have a sound and live show best described as live-wired, straight-shootin’, dirty-mouth'd, pelvis-pushing juke music. The four-piece bring Soul back into a Rock’n’Roll band format using guitar, bass and drums to fuse songs. Manager Doc McGhee (Bon Jovi) took the band to England where they were honored with Music Weekly’s “Breakout Artist of the Year” title. Vintage Trouble have released The Bomb Shelter Sessions on home turf to grab the same love.
7- Elephant Revival
Elephant Revival filters their existence as a band through five words, “Where words fail... music speaks”. They believe that we can be moved by a rhythm and soothed by a song. The five souls in Elephant Revival share vocals and play an arrangement of instruments that include banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, fiddle, washboard, djembe, musical saw, and stompbox. Group member Bonnie Paine delivers additional beats via footstomps on plywood, her stockinged feet doing near jigs as her hands, encased in antique leather gloves, rub silver nickel against corrugated metal you can hear in beatiful scratchings on their most recent E.P., It's Alive.
8 - The Wild Rumpus
The hills of Fayetteville, West Virginia are home to the three men of The Wild Rumpus. The band owns these mountains due, in part; to their marathon live shows and the pride they show for the hills in their songs. Andrew Adkins’ deep, soulful tones and Allan Sizemore’s playing his guitar like a banjo make for a combination that sets them apart from traditional bluegrass and string bands. The Wild Rumpus are set to release the floow-up to 304.
9 - The Howlin' Brothers
The Howlin’ Brothers sound is as old as the mountains that gave birth to bluegrass. The band honors traditional music and gives it a touch of today by incorporating slide banjo with old time fiddle, harmonica, and upright bass, letting the scratch of dancing feet keep the beat. Produced by the Raconteur’s Brendan Benson, their recent release, Howl, lets out a roar that will shake tradition into something new.
10 - Sons of Fathers
Sons of Fathers open their recent release, Burning Days, with a forceful thrust of sound. Moments into the opening track, “Hurt Someone”, that sound drops out to let the soul of the combined vocals and swaying Roots mix with psychedelic guitar licks, genre-bending folk rock, and gospel harmonies to create their own Texas rock sound.
11 - Over the Rhine
Over The Rhine consist of southern Ohio-based husband-and-wife team of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. The duo adds humanness to the music that they have been creating since their 1991 debut. Their most recent album, The Long Surrender (produced by Joe Henry), has the feel of a living thing, its senses alert, feet planted firmly on the earth.
12 - Jonny Fritz
Jonny Fritz is a Nashville-based songwriter set to release an ATO Records’ debut under his real name, dropping the Jonny Corndawg tag he has used for the past ten years of recording and performing. His upcoming release, Dad Country, was produced by Jonny and Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, recorded at Jackson Browne’s Los Angeles studio and finished up in Music City. The album balances Jonny Fritz humor and unfiltered worldview with a Nashville sound born on a Southern Californian wind.
13 - Kingsley Flood
Kingsley Flood spend their time between two home bases-- Washington, DC and Boston. The band debuted in 2010 with a sound that used the dusty tones of Americana mixed with a punk rock sneer. Their upcoming release, Battles, ups the ante with songs that blend Dylan-esque storytelling, Kinks-inspired melodies, and the urgency of The Clash. The albums songs are inspired by everyone from delusional dictators to spray-tanned politicians to laid-off workers trying to get back on their feet.
14 - Pete Ahonen
Pete Ahonen is a San Francisco East Bay area native. Pete is a singer-songwriter that blends Alt Country with Folk/Rock and partners the mix with an incredible knack for storytelling. There’s never been anything marginal about Pete Ahonen’s commitment to the art of putting words to music to describe life being lived in all its glory and complexity, as evidence on In The Blood.
15 – Henry Wagons
Henry Wagons’ recent solo release, Expecting Company, follows the form and feel of his band’s 2011 album effort, Rumble, Shake and Tumble, with a more personal take on his tunes. The album features duet performances from artists such as Allison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather), Jenn Grant and Robert Forster among others. As a group, Wagons will use 70’s arena rock bombast for the gut bucket glory of the sound that they create.
16-Hymn for Her
Hymn for Her may be your local band depending on where they parked their 16 foot, 1961 Bambi Airstream last night. The Airstream comes complete with dog, baby and recording studio. Their latest release, Hymn for Her Present Lucy and Wayne’s Smokin’ Flames, is a gritty, distorted cacophony of sound that bleeds through your speakers and tears a hole in your brain…..sweet!!
17-Boo City
Boo City formed in Providence, Rhode Island in 2009 by singer/songwriters, and longtime friends, vocalist Tai Awolaju and guitarist Andrew Moon Bain. Boo City is a creative mix of music that goes from Country-blues to Indie Rock, channeled through Soul and Folk. The vocal blend of Awolaju’s smokey, sultry voice and Bain’s deep tones are a foundation for the dual lead voices. Horns and a determined rhythm section cement the sound on their recent E.P. release, Anchortown.
18 - The Crackling
The Crackling’s debut release, Mary Magdalene, delivers Roots music in a slow motion sound that lets the songs flow over the listener, letting every nuance of emotion seep in. The Vancouver-based band revolves around the man that set the fire burning, Kenton Loewen, known for his work with Dan Mangan and Mother Mother. Kenton Loewen is a trained jazz musician, best known for his work as a drummer. The Crackling is Kenton’s first project as composer and singer.
19 – Spindrift
Spindrift sprinkle psychedelia liberally over their Roots music. The western sound of the Los Angeles band can be viewed through a kaleidoscope of musical colors, channeled and corralled by an electroacoustic backdrop. The most recent release, Classic Soundtracks Volume One featured theme songs to film scores and showcased the band’s music through a diverse mix of genres such as Bollywood, Sci-Fi, Exploitation films, and Film Noir.
20- Sam Marine and County
The music of Sam Marine and County contains lots of well-used styles such as straightforward classic rock n' roll, country, blues, and folk. What makes them different is the way the band jumble it all together with the passion of punk rock deliveries over an acoustic force of rhythm.
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THE ALTERNATE ROOT ANNUAL READERS' CHOICE AWARDS
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Here's the way we went about this. It's a "Readers' Poll" so we took posts fro...Here's the way we went about this. It's a "Readers' Poll" so we took posts from Facebook, Twitter, email and comments into account when choosing the nominees. We have covered these artists, albums etc. in the magazine over the course of the past year. These artists, their publicists or management companies have supported us with press releases, product and access to the artists for interviews, etc. We then narrowed each category down to 15 for the final ballot. Some of them just came down to what we, the editors and writers, thought were the best in each category. As always, there are artists that many readers will feel are missing, but when kept within the context of our criteria, these are not omissions for any reason other than what we used to create the list of nominees.
The 2012 Readers' Choice Awards drew over 25,000 votes in the 10 Catagories and produced some surprise winners and some that were, well, less than surprising. This year we have added new categories for Favorite Debut Artist, Artist, Duo or Group Pushing the Americana Roots Envelope and Favorite Roots / Americana Venue. The nominees in the 13 categories are:
Roots / Americana Group
Band of Heathens
Old Crow Medicine Show
YARN
The North Mississippi All-Stars
The Avett Brothers
Reckless Kelly
Uncle Lucius
The Alabama Shakes
Girls Guns and Glory
The Mavericks
Tedeschi-Trucks Band
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Son Volt
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Drive-By Truckers
Roots / Americana Performer Solo or Duo
James McMurtry
Hayes Carll
Todd Snider
Corb Lund
Paul Thorn
Over the Rhine (Karin Bergquist, Linford Detweiler)
Rebecca Loebe
Steve Forbert
Gretchen Peters
Marshall Chapman
David Olney and Sergio Webb
Amelia White
Seth Walker
Eric Brace and Peter Cooper
Daddy (Tommy Womack and Will Kimbrough)
Roots / Americana Artist, Duo or Group Pushing the Envelope
Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck
Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition
Hymn for Her
Uncle Lucius
The Howlin' Brothers
Birds of Chicago
The Maldives
The Wild Rumpus
The Wood Brothers
Spindrift
Elephant Revival
Jonny Fritz
Wagons
Vintage Trouble
Blitzen Trapper
Roots / Americana Debut Artist, Duo or Group
Littlewolf
The Howlin' Brothers
The Carper Family
Sons of Fathers
Southern Hospitality
Pete Ahonen
Milk Carton Kids
Garrett Lebeau Band
The Trishas
Boo City
Nakia
Amy Black Band
Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition
Vintage Trouble
Royal Southern Brotherhood
Roots / Americana Female Vocalist
Kacey Chambers
Gillian Welch
Eilen Jewell
Gretchen Peters
Alison Krauss
Kim Richey
Christine Ohlman
Grace Potter
Patty Griffin
Emmylou Harris
Audrey Auld
Carrie Rodriguez
Lucy Kaplansky
Rhiannon Giddens
Susan Tedeschi
Roots / Americana Male Vocalist
Raul Malo
Eric Brace
Mike Farriss
James Hunter
Ward Hayden
Cruz Contreras
Seth Walker
Justin Townes Earle
Jim Lauderdale
John Nemeth
Nakia
Kevin Galloway
Damon Fowler
Derek Hoke
Corb Lund
Roots / Americana Songwriter
James McMurtry
Peter Cooper
Rodney Crowell
Todd Snider
Hayes Carll
Paul Thorn
Gretchen Peters
Otis Gibbs
Steve Earle
Justin Townes Earle
Steve Forbert
Mary Gauthier
Willie Nile
Tom Waits
Jon Byrd
Roots / Americana Guitar Player
Kenny Vaughan
Will Kimbrough
Buddy Miller
Eric "Roscoe" Ambel
Mark Robinson
Darrell Scott
Dave Rawlings
Colin Linden
Derek Trucks
Richard Thompson
Rosie Flores
Bonnie Raitt
Patterson Hood
Pete Anderson
Sergio Webb
Roots / Americana Mandolin Player
Tim O'Brien
Andrew Adkins
Sid Griffin
Chris Thile
Sierra Hull
Brent Truitt
Andrew Hendryx
Kym Warner
Jay Lapp
Tim Brennan
Jeff Austin
John Skehan
Jimmy Ryan
Sarah Jarosz
Kevin Breit
Roots / Americana Banjo Player
Bow Thayer
Steve Martin
Noam Pikelny
Abigail Washburn
Dom Flemons
Gregory Liszt
Chris Luedecke
Dan Wheetman
Ian Craft
Lucy Tight
Kristin Scott Benson
Richard Bailey
Trent Wagler
Ketch Secor
John Breese
Roots / Americana Violin/Fiddle Player
Fats Kaplin
Elana James
Carrie Rodriguez
Alison Krausse
Rhiannon Giddens
Kendel Carson
Carly Frey
Bridget Law
Chance McCoy
Cody Braun
Hubby Jenkins
Billy Contreras
Gabe Witcher
Nicky Sanders
Michael Doucet
Roots / Americana Album (2012)
Peter Karp and Sue Foley - Beyond the Crossroads
Justin Townes Earle - Nothings Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Paul Thorn - What the Hell Is Going On?
Corb Lund - Cabin Fever
Carloina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
Uncle Lucius - And You Are Me
Kevin Gordon - Gloryland
Shemekia Copeland - 33 1/3
Girls Guns and Glory - Sweet Nothings
Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
Otis Gibbs - Harder Than Hammered Hell
Lucy Kaplansky - Reunion
Don Gallardo and How Far West - The Art of Troublesome Times
Tommy Womack - Now What?
Roots / Americana Music Venue/Club
The Family Wash, East Nashville, TN
Club Passim, Boston, MA
Hill Country BBQ, New York City
Antone's, Austin, TX
The Double Door, Charlotte, NC
The Iron Horse, Northampton, MA
Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH
The Continental Club, Austin, TX
The Troubadour, Hollywood, CA
Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, PA
The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN
Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, TX
Pappie and Harriets Pioneertown Palace, Pioneertown, CA
The Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
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The Love Movement : Boo City's Got Eclectic Soul
[+ Show ]
"Still a relatively young band, having formed just under two years ago, Boo City's inspired ad eccen..."Still a relatively young band, having formed just under two years ago, Boo City's inspired ad eccentric genre hopping has been impressing people all over the city. Most notably at a swanky New Year's Eve gig, and at a recent show at the beautiful ballroom at the new Fete in Olneyville, and what seems like every other stage, floor and warehouse space in Rhode Island as well. With vocal duties split between the lovely Tai Awolaju and guitarist Andrew Moon Bain, the band sprinkles a remarkable amount of stuff across their songs: country blues in vein of Taj Mahal's forays into the genre, candy-sweet rhythm and blues (as on their own "Don't Deny Me"), and dalliances in liquid smooth rocksteady and reggae, evident on the intensely atmospheric "Surgar Skull Lover," a gorgeous song that would sound right at home on Sade's Lovers Rock.
One of the highlights of Boo City is Ms. Awalaju, whose perfectly placed voice keeps the sizzying array of musical styles from spinning off the rails. Her impeccably tasteful live performances, along with her near perfect reading of their own "You're No Good," find her simply killing it in classic soul singer territory.
The band has an album ready to drop, and apparently another already written. With a more focused and refined approach to their own songwriting, Boo City could easily position themselves as a more worldly and eclectic Providence answer to New York soul revivalists Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings."
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Boo City from Providence,RI
[+ Show ]
Saw these guys last night, killer band. Amazingly tight, and both singers are good. Not sure exactly...Saw these guys last night, killer band. Amazingly tight, and both singers are good. Not sure exactly what genre they should be in, but give them a shot, I think you'd like them:
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Boo City brings its blues fusion to Beatnik’s
[+ Show ]
by Doreen Manning
Story Created: Feb 16, 2011 at 2:51 PM EDT
Story Updated: Feb 16, 2011 at 2:...by Doreen Manning
Story Created: Feb 16, 2011 at 2:51 PM EDT
Story Updated: Feb 16, 2011 at 2:51 PM EDT
Boo City aims to put the blues in your city funk. This Providence, R.I., group brings together many influences – from blues, reggae and pop to country and R&B soul. The mix brings to the mic a beautiful sound that emanates from singers Tai Awolaju and Andrew Moon Bain, whose styles blend together in a harmonious union made in musical heaven.
Formed just over a year ago, Boo City is a sextet with Awolaju on vocals and tambourine; Moon Bain on vocals, guitar; Harry Milloff strumming bass; Carey Bowman on drums; Grayson Farmer playing trumpet and pitching in on vocals; and Frank Moniz blowing on saxophone. With mostly originals on its set list, penned by Awolaju and Moon Bain but with much help from the unit — the group is set to work on a new album later this year.
According to Moon Bain, the goal of their music is to “bring people together, make people move, touch people’s hearts and souls and express our collective life experiences through our music/art.”
Awolaju’s voice is smooth like cocoa butter, and Moon Bain’s deep accompaniment really sets the tone for the group’s overall feel. With influences as vast and complex as Sam Cooke to The Clash, Willie Nelson to Missy Elliot and Dolly Parton to PJ Harvey, their American blend is truly a melting pot of goodness with a constant smooth groove that is truly their own.
“We all have a mutual respect and love for each other and what gives our sound and songs heart is that we usually are having more fun or just as much as the audience,” explains Moon Bain.
Don’t confuse this band as just another cover band. Its original tunes may be inspired by the great records of yesteryear, but Boo City offers a truly fresh, contemporary sound. Plus, its live show promises to deliver.
“We like to have a good time, stay inspired, dance and share this vibe with the audience,” says Moon Bain. “We genuinely enjoy playing and being together. I think people feel that and want to be a part of it. That’s what it’s about, gathering our energies and sharing a moment together.”
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The Hot Chicks of Rock- Local sirens make music look real good
[+ Show ]
Tai Awolaju (Boo City)
Tai Awolaju is known for both her stage costumes and her sweet harmonies as ...Tai Awolaju (Boo City)
Tai Awolaju is known for both her stage costumes and her sweet harmonies as a co-lead vocalist for Boo City. This sultry vixen of Boo City has both the pipes and charisma to dominate the room from the stage. Boo City had a big 2011 between winning the WXIN Rock Hunt and the December release of their Midnight Folklore mixtape. As I’ve said in past Midnight Folklore was really more of experimental fusing of different styles, Boo City are planning on releasing a full length that will keep more to their traditional R&B and soul roots. That said, I really dug the tracks I’ve heard of Midnight Folklore. Boo City are currently holding a kickstarter to raise funds so they can go to Austin to perform at the SXSW Festival. If you can spare any change to support a great band, go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/boocity/help-boo-city-goto-south-by-southwest-in-austint to donate.
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Consuelo’s Revenge, Boo City + Route .44 Rock Dusk
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The black country soul rocksteady sounds of Boo City took the floor next and continued the night of ...The black country soul rocksteady sounds of Boo City took the floor next and continued the night of dynamic music to the delight of the audience. Bringing the funk, soul reggae, blues that make up one of best ground-breaking acts ever, it's always a good time when Boo City plays. "Go And Tell Yo Mama", "Take It Easy On Me", "Tiny Little Daggers", "Bring It On Home", "You're No Good", a hip-hop infused reggae jam session followed up with "Closer" had everyone going crazy and the room was jumpin'. Boo City will be playing with the godfather of soul power Ty Jesso at Local 121 on January 26th and they have their brand new Anchortown EP available, you better get it because it'll put you in a state of absolute bliss.
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Boo City and Fall & Bounce strut their stuff
[+ Show ]
The "rocksteady blues and R&B" crew Boo City is in the booty-shaking business, and business is boomi...The "rocksteady blues and R&B" crew Boo City is in the booty-shaking business, and business is booming. Boo City's artistic blend of styles is impossibly seamless and on full display on the full-length debut, Midnight Folklore.
Vocalist Tai Awolaju and guitarist Andrew Moon Bain formed Boo City in 2009, and they refer to their 2012 debut release as a "mixtape," which could be taken in the literal sense considering that Boo City is all over the place and then some (the band deems Folklore "an unhinged musical roller coaster").
Scoop up the download (name-your-price for the digital files, or $12 for the limited-edition disc with silkscreened artwork and poster) at boocity.bandcamp.com. Elements of R&B and reggae intertwine ("Don't Deny Me," "Sugar Skull Lover," "Long Gone"), and Bain cruises alongside Awolaju on "We'll Be Just Fine." Bain's acoustic picking and vocals take centerstage on "Goin' Down to Wall Street." "Take it Easy" (with guest vocalist Miss Wensday) is a gem, as is the closing, six-minute love jam "No Good."
This is one act that truly transcends genres; they've gained plenty of new fans at Foo Fest, Wooly Fair, and other shows around the region, and have shared stages with Olneyville Sound System, the Famous Winters, Triangle Forest, Sit Down Baby, and the Agents, to name a few.
The band traveled to Nashville earlier this summer and recorded a single with producers Adam Landry and Justin Collins (Deer Tick, Diamond Rugs), with plans to return early next year and complete a full-length album. Next up is a self-produced five-song EP recorded at Machines With Magnets titled Anchortown, with a CD release party tentatively scheduled for November 9 at Local 121's Speakeasy (plus a Thanksgiving Eve show at Nick-a-Nee's lined up). Expect a packed room for Boo City's "Endless Summer" bash on Saturday.
"We have sold out the Fête lounge twice before, and we're hoping for a third," said Bain via email.
Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/143929-boo-city-and-fall-andamp-bounce-strut-their-stuff/#ixzz2DfCSduhM
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Boo City Brings The Funk To Local 121
[+ Show ]
On a frigid Friday night in downtown Providence, Boo City warmed everybody up with their brand of bl...On a frigid Friday night in downtown Providence, Boo City warmed everybody up with their brand of bluesy funk-soul reggae rock to celebrate the release of their Anchortown EP at The Speakeasy located in the lower level of the swanky Local 121. With Zak Drummond in his DJ alter ego Born Casual on the 1's and 2's spinning between sets, the mood was just right for another awesome night of amazing
local music. With people groovin' on the dancefloor and good vibes all around, Local 121 was definitely the place to be.
Zak Drummond/Born Casual
You might know him as one of the thunderous guitarists for Providence hardcore punk band Verse, but Zak Drummond as Born Casual started off the show with spinning some R&B and hip-hop to set the mood for the evening. Spinning Drake, Schoolboy Q, R. Kelly, Hudson Mohawke, Kendrick Lamar and Lil' Wayne just to name a few, Born Casual was putting on a clinic. Born Casual will be back at Local 121 with local rock & rollers Party Pigs on November 21st, a date you should definitely mark off your calendar.
Boo City
The place was packed and Boo City took the stage featuring Tai Awolaju's beautiful, smooth as silk voice kicking off a dynamic performance. With Andrew Moon Bain's excellent skills guitar, Harrison Milloff slappin' the bass and a fantastic horn section with Grayson Farmer on trumpet and Frank "Ranks" Moniz on saxophone, Boo City brought the soul, funk and a whole lot more. "What's Your Deal?",
"Long Gone", "Take It Easy On Me", "Bring It On Home", "You Ain't Ready", "Go And Tell Yo' Mama", a version of Damian Marley's "Welcome To Jamrock" but this time it was called "Welcome To Boo City", a cover of Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz", "Closer" with Jahdan Blakkamore guesting on vocals, "Speak Out" and "We'll Be Just Fine" had people shuffling their feet and movin' to the beat.
Boo City's emphatic combination of jazz, ska and hip-hop along with every other genre I've mentioned earlier makes them a band that has a sound so unique without having any contemporaries and anything you can truly compare them too. Boo City has the Anchortown EP available on their website at www.boocitymusic.com and you can also pick up a hard copy anywhere Boo City brings those infectious rhythms everybody loves.
Another great night for local music in The Creative Capital at one of the best little music venues in the world today, next time you want to see the next kickass show at Local 121, check out the calendar page on www.local121.com for everything you need to know
