This week, QSLehighValley gains the distinction of hosting Michael Meade’s first-ever podcast interview! Michael is a singer-songwriter from nearby Bucks County, and he telsl us about his musical history, his teaching endeavors, and his debut album, “Everyday Man.”
Track listing:
REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become (Opening theme)
Julius – Sunlit Day
Michael Meade – Never Grow Up
Michael Meade – Everyday Man
Marc Ambrosia – Take Good Care of Me
Rofo Audio – Hushed
JingerKroa – Sicko
Threatpoint – Careful What You Wish For
Michael Meade joins QSLehighValley tomorrow for his first-ever podcast interview! Catch it on SoundCloud, iTunes, and right here on Lehigh Valley Underground!
With a wisdom behind his lyrics and a sound so definitive, it’s hard to believe that “Everyday Man” is Michael Meade’s first original album. Indeed, the long-time cover artist and music instructor joins the original music party with an effort containing the prowess of a veteran songwriter.
Having a sense of satisfaction about one’s place in the world is a recurring theme on “Everyday Man.” On the album’s title track, Meade claims his own imperfections with a sense of comfort that comes with life experience. Meanwhile, the spiritual, perspective-laden “Relevant” visits the walk-on-eggshells mentality that society is often forced to adopt, a theme which is revisited on the bluesy “Never Grow Up,” where Meade proclaims his philosophy to “live life on (his) own terms.”
“Everyday Man” features sweet ballads alongside fun, down-to-earth mid-tempo rock and country tunes. The eight-track offering is tied together with Meade’s powerful, soulful voice and profound worldview, and is a great first offering from an artist with a lot to say.
The Wayside Shakeup has been a longtime mainstay on the Philly scene. Rob Volansky from the band joins us to talk about their projects, past and present. Also, we have a brief preview of some of the things to come on the scene in the next few months.
Track listing:
REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become (Opening theme)
John Scargall – Harder They Fall
The Wayside Shakeup – Optimistic
The Wayside Shakeup – Stay Up
Lauren Marsh – Dear Love
Avi Wisnia – Something New
uMan ERA – It’s All About Me
Mo7s – Make a Stand
Join us tomorrow on SoundCloud and iTunes for QSLehighValley, where we will be joined by Rob Volansky of The Wayside Shakeup. Also, check out our review of the band’s newest single, “Stay Up.”
Those who know The Wayside Shakeup know that they’re a versatile group of guys, each with distinctive musical tastes. Their most recent EP, “Private Party,” sees them use their talents to delve into the world of funk with the savvy of genre veterans.
This EP will get you up and moving from the start, beginning with the fast and fun title track. Indeed, “Private Party” sets the tone for a good time to come before heading into the groovy dance rock tune, “Silence is Your Soundtrack.” We then flow quite easily into the sunny “Finally Looking Up,” which laces jazz undertones and a fun chorus together to make even the biggest skeptics feel optimistic.
Things get very interesting on EP closer, “Wear You Down,” a six-and-a-half-minute romp that, in addition to funk, gives nods to 80s synth pop and Wayside’s trademark roots rock. This track is truly a journey, with a spacey, acoustic-based bridge that builds to the EP’s sonically climactic, feel-good ending.
If you haven’t been, now is a good time to begin following The Wayside Shakeup. The band proves on its “Private Party EP” that it has only just begun to tap into its potential. Let this EP serve as an introduction to their capabilities.
Two artists, from the same area, appearing on (essentially) the same series on back-to-back episodes.
Now, it appears as if Marc and David have something else in common: Both will be playing on the Mantis Music Showcase at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. in Philadelphia, on Thursday, March 31. D.S. Bradford just announced that he has been added to the bill, while Marc Ambrosia had previously revealed that he and his band would be there. The two will also be joined that night by the Ashton John Band, Carly and Me, and Andrew Moorer.
Tickets to the showcase are $12 ($15 at the door) and can be found here. If you can find yourself in Philly that night, do yourself a favor by checking out two great friends of Lehigh Valley Underground and The Quinn Spinn!
Being in the middle of a move won’t stop us! Despite a lack of present equipment, The Quinn comes to you on his birthday with an interview with Raymond Short from local rock band Rofo Audio. Also, we touch a bit more on the aftermath of the Lehigh Valley Music Awards.
Track listing:
REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become (Opening theme)
The Cremer Bros. – Lies, Lies, Lies
Julius – Better Life
Rofo Audio – From the Bottom Up
Rofo Audio – Maisie
The Band of Rivals – Golden Shores
This Way to the Egress – Rogue Trip
Avi Wisnia – New Year
Raymond Short from Rofo Audio joins us on an all-new QSLehighValley, sponsored by The Valley Ledger, tomorrow on SoundCloud and iTunes!
Artist:Rofo Audio Album: Now Broadcasting (LISTEN) Release Date: Oct. 1, 2015 Genre: Rock
It took Rofo Audio 18 months to complete their debut, “Now Broadcasting,” from start to finish. When it came out last October, the rock world was treated to an album well worth the wait and spoken in a voice that is unique to the band
The ability to make so many different styles play nice on the record is a testament to the chemistry of Rofo Audio, comprised of veteran musicians Raymond Short, Erik Lindermoyer, and Andy Mihalcik. One particular highlight “From the Bottom,” which showcases the band’s songwriting prowess and concludes with a two-minute instrumental jam that features a progressive bass groove reminiscent of Tool, followed by a guitar solo that calls Lynyrd Skynyrd to mind.
Another nice feature on “Now Broadcasting” are the vocal harmonies, performed by all three members of the band at various points. These harmonies are especially crisp on the album’s closer, “Tell Me Something,” which seemingly and seamlessly appears to equally derive its sensibilities from modern blues rock and 50s pop rock.
Rofo Audio is “Now Broadcasting” its members’ collective talents to the world. The album’s eight well-seasoned rock tracks make certain that listeners won’t be tuning out anytime soon.
This week, we are joined by Joe Longo from Poconos-based band uMan ERA. Learn about the band’s process, its first two albums, and the work they’re doing on completing a new record this summer.
Plus, we speculate a bit on what the Foo Fighters’ “announcement” might be.
Track listing
REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become (Opening theme)
The Revere – The Portrait II
Duke Maroon – Heart Attack
uMan ERA – 3 Steps Back
uMan ERA – Apocalyptic Rock
JingerKroa – Coward
Shottarhymes – Make You Feel
Lauren Marsh – Wildfire
Join us for an all-new QSLehighValley this Thursday on SoundCloud and iTunes, when Joe Longo from uMan ERA chats with us on the show!
Artist: uMan ERA
Album: One Blue Sky (LISTEN)
Released: 2015
Genre: Rock
You can be sure of one thing when you listen to Pocono-based uMan ERA. They will rock you. That’s exactly what happens as you listen to the band’s latest effort, “One Blue Sky.”
The eight tracks that comprise “One Blue Sky” will surely stack up in a rock fan’s collection alongside some of the genre’s giants. It all starts with a “Detroit Rock City”-esque drum beat on album opener, “Johnny Thunder,” whose guitar work from frontman Joe Longo showcases the band’s combination of hard rock energy and blues emotion. “Apocalyptic Rock” is a particularly high-octane song fit for an action movie soundtrack, with blazing guitar riffs and vocals just maniacal enough to convince you that the world might be coming to an end.
Certainly, an interesting moment is the album’s title – and longest – track, which clocks in at a whopping eight minutes and 23 seconds. It progresses from early blues metal riffs that seem to bear the weight of the world, and heads into the territory of a searching, yet optimistic mid-tempo anthem, delivering the message that our world can, in fact, live and work together under “One Blue Sky.”
Certainly, there are many stellar moments on “One Blue Sky” that are a credit to the songwriting and arranging ability of Longo and company. This is an album meant to be turned up to 11, and its tracks surely will provide listeners with unforgettable moments during the band’s live set.
March is coming in like a lion for rock artist D.S. Bradford as he launches his PledgeMusic Preorder campaign for his brand new “Elemental Evolution” EP release.
In January, Bradford released the title track from the upcoming five-track collection, a rousing rock song which is a story in and of itself. Fueled by the positive vibes and catchy songwriting, the media got behind the single, which has garnered positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Recently, Bradford joined us on QSLehighValley where he revealed that the music for the EP is finished and that vocal tracking is next in the production phase. With finished artwork and two singles ahead of the forthcoming release, Bradford is looking to continue making a great impression with existing fans and new supporters.
D.S. Bradford is offering plenty of exciting exclusives to pledgers through his partnership with PledgeMusic that are accessible here, as well as insider updates along the way.
“This project means everything to me and I want to share it with all of you and have everyone be a part of this release. “Elemental Evolution” is about all of us, our future, and the things that are important to us in our lives,” Bradford said. “Your involvement with this project will not only give you one-of-a-kind items like artwork and CDs; it also is the epitome of what this EP is about: the message that we, in this world, can come together, be a part of something, and succeed.”
Pledgers and fans will join Bradford in achieving his goals during the recording process, to the mixing and mastering by Applehead Studios (Coheed and Cambria), up to the release of “Elemental Evolution” on CD and digital formats.
