Tag Archives: Jersey Shore music

Hey You! Check Out The Band Palm’s Debut Single

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Any time music makes its way to us from the Jersey Shore, we can’t help but stand up and pay attention. There’s something so timeless and exciting about the unbridled energy of the region, and many of its acts have the talent to match our enthusiasm.

With that, we found a submission from Asbury Park’s The Band Palm in our backlog. After having a couple listens, it appears that our faith has been rewarded yet again!

The band’s debut single, “Doves (Hey You),” was released last July. Born from a spiritual awakening, the punchy alt-rock anthem reflects a moment of clarity shared by bandmates Brooke Riso (vocals/rhythm guitar) and Shayna Bay (bass/vocals) — and is credited by Bay as “the catalyst that allowed The Band Palm to come to life.”

“Brooke and I had a shared experience in which we felt under spiritual attack. We were confused, scared, and our only way to understand what was happening was to channel our feelings into music,” Bay recalls. “We rushed home and instantly got to work. The verse progression was one that Brooke had in her ‘unfinished/writers block’ collection. She knew right away to bring this progression to the forefront, but expressed to me that she was unable to continue it. Upon hearing, with inspiration in my mind, I instantly got pulled into the zone. I wrote the chorus progression almost instantly and, from there, The Band Palm was born.”

The duo then recruited lead guitarist Mike Ortlieb and drummer Matt Veiga to round out their lineup, which they’ve already begun taking on the road in advance of their forthcoming second single. The band performs across the tri-state area regularly, with a special date coming up at Musikfest — you know, that Bethlehem, PA-based festival that is at least indirectly responsible for UMC’s very existence — in early August.

There’s plenty of excitement to come. For now, immerse yourself in “Doves (Hey You)” by The Band Palm!

LISTEN: Bobby Mahoney Offers a Sign of Summer with ‘Empty Passenger Seats’

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Photo credit: Hannah Greve

Fun fact: Although UMC itself got its start in Pennsylvania as Lehigh Valley Underground, I’m actually a New Jersey native. And so, I’m greatly immersed in the Garden State’s storied rock and roll lineage — from Bruce Springsteen, to Bon Jovi, to The Gaslight Anthem and more.

Today, it seems that my original home state will be carrying its grand rock tradition into a new generation.

Responsible for carrying the torch is Bobby Mahoney, who released the high-powered summer anthem, “Empty Passenger Seats,” this past Friday. That timelessly youthful Jersey Shore sound is alive and well, with a punk edge breaking through by way of Mahoney’s rugged vocal.

“I initially wrote the first part of ‘Empty Passenger Seats’ while we were driving home overnight after playing Richmond, VA for the first time,” Mahoney said. “We were driving up the NJ Turnpike as the sun was rising. We had this feeling of accomplishment that we were doing exactly what we should be doing, and that imagery became the bridge of the song. I then spent time with our friend Dan Cohen (Creating Clementine) on the riff and the chorus in East Brunswick at my parents’ house. I remember also working on it with the band in a Motel 6 in Carlisle, PA, and listening to rough mixes in a parking lot in Georgia.”

He continues, “It is very much a road song, and a good representation of what we do as a band.”

I’ll definitely have this one blaring as I cruise down the Parkway on the way to Cape May later this summer. For now, enjoy it as a clear sign that summer is near!