WOOZLES

It’s not uncommon for artists to struggle with putting a genre label to their music in this day and age. Now more than ever it seems, artists feel comfortable dipping into various aesthetics and styles, even in a single release. Solo project of Connecticut-based producer Conor Ryan, Woozles, is an exemplary display of what beauty can result from this sort of eclectic approach.

Though the style may change from song to song, two things remain consistent throughout the project’s work – impeccable, emotive, and deeply thoughtful songwriting; and Conor Ryan’s notably deep, resonant, and rich vocals. These characteristics serve the project well; they act as a commonality among the wide ranging execution of genres. Ryan’s smooth, relaxation-inducing voice and poetic, introspective songwriting ability will anchor listeners to Woozles, regardless of whatever sonic realm the project finds itself in.

Since 2015, Conor has released four full-length albums under the Woozles moniker on the labels Z Tapes, Galaxy Train, and Feels So Reel. He was also formerly the touring drummer for the critically acclaimed indie-rock band Boyscott and has played in multiple other bands including Skating, Fairy Godmother, Heart Eyes and Ghost Boy.

“…Ryan makes it sound organic and natural, the part where many artists come up short in their attempts to be original and creative.”

V13

Linnea’s Garden

Linnea’s Garden is a glam punk trio from Boston, MA. Channeling elements of indie rock, new wave, grunge, power pop, and dance punk, the band has wowed audiences across New England and New York with their brilliant songs and flashy vibes. The brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Linnea Herzog (formerly of PowerSlut), bassist Amy Galaviz, and drummer Hands, Linnea’s Garden combines melodic riffs, danceable grooves and introspective lyrics into an energy that’s all their own.

Linnea’s Garden’s first LP, Fashion Show, was released April 1, 2022 on Red on Red Records. The album’s lead single, “Looking,” is about searching for an escape, putting in the work, and doing the thing instead of finding reasons not to. These ideas represent the logical extension of Linnea’s Garden’s 2021 debut EP Nowhere Friday Nights, a joyous celebration of art, science and love. But with another year and the band’s first live shows under their belt, their sound has veered outside the lines of Nowhere Friday Nights’ straightforward power-pop-punk approach. The ‘60s backbeats have evolved into ‘70s disco beats, with an emphasis on heavier grooves and deeper themes. Hippie bell-bottoms, disco glitter, grunge flannel and combat boots, androgynous skinny ties, face gems, smeared eyeliner and mesh crop tops – Fashion Show wears it all. Staying true to their first single, they do it ‘cuz they like to do it.

Linnea’s Garden was pent-up and productive in 2020, self-releasing 3 singles and videos: the glam, gender-bending “I Wanna Try On Yr Clothes,” subversively sexual “Like the Patriarchy,” and apocalyptic rocker “Superspreader.” In March 2021, Linnea’s Garden released their Nowhere Friday Nights EP, whose singles “Non-Dramatic Breakup Song,” “Science and You,” and “Replacement” garnered worldwide airplay and critical acclaim. Since their live debut in June 2021, Linnea’s Garden is proud to have shared the stage with many talented acts such as Screaming Females, Freezepop, Brandie Blaze and Melissa Ferrick. Offstage, Dr. Linnea Herzog is an internationally recognized neuroscientist and electrophysiologist whose work has been published in Current Biology and The Journal of Neuroscience.

“As the band moves from indie rock to disco to funk to post-punk, there’s no whiplash from this genre-bending. It feels seamless.“

Jammerzine

LAUDS

Hailing from the beaches of Wilmington, NC, Lauds are five friends (two of whom are brothers) united by a love of the water and chiming guitar hooks. The quintet composed of McKay Glasgow (lead vocals, guitar), J Holt Evans (vocals, lead guitar), younger brother Boyce Evans (keyboards, third guitar), Gavin Campbell (bass), and Ross Page (drums, vocals) play a pulsing take on indie rock with lush intertwining guitar melodies that draw on everything from C86 jangle pop to British titans like Ride and The Cure.

On “II”, Lauds trade some of the more languid structures of their debut EP (Lauds, Fort Lowell Records) for hard hitting motorik-inspired pop. Now, the bass and drums are given equal footing with the guitars, which while catchy as ever, vacillate between moments of chorused-out bliss and searing noise-rock catharsis. The final product remains distinctly Lauds, with Glasgow’s vocals beckoning the listener to get lost alongside him in the sprawling guitarscapes.

Having become a staple of Wilmington’s thriving guitar-rock scene–playing packed sets at places like the Palm Room, Satellite Bar and Lounge, and, most notably, a sold-out Bourgie Nights slot opening for Athens, GA’s Futurebirds–look for Lauds to continue to make noise in their native the Carolinas and beyond. Next up: a 4/2 release show at Modern Legend, the first in-store show hosted by the record store and scene luminary in over two years. Featuring opening sets by local legends Color Temperature and Louis, this set promises to be the show of the year and a (noisy) celebration of all that live music has to offer in the Port City.

“…a sprawling, psychedelic, melodic masterpiece of pulsing indie rock and jangle pop with a motorik edge.”

Post Punk

“…these songs bustle with richness and warmth…”

Big Takeover

“In just 15 minutes, Lauds hit the sweet spot between dream pop, post-punk, and shoegaze.”

Laid Off New York

“…melodic jangle pop with chiming guitar hooks and dreamy vocals, with a biting undertone that will also appeal to fans of noisy shoegaze.”

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THE ROSIE VARELA PROJECT

“The song always tells us what it wants.”

This philosophy is at the core of The Rosie Varela Project. As a result, this El Paso, Texas-based Avant-pop band is always surprised and delighted during their creative process. In their songwriting and recording sessions, they collaborate with what they have that day and explore a wide range of production techniques that continues throughout the tracking, editing, and mixing of their songs.

Growing out of the El Paso-based shoegaze group, EEP (formed in 2019, The Rosie Varela Project is more a musical collective than simply a band. With Rosie Varela, Ross Ingram, Sebastian Estrada, Serge Carrasco, and Lawrence Brown III, the project includes all the members of EEP with the addition of Aldo Portillo on guitar and keys. They’re all multi-instrumentalists, and vocalists, performing different roles based on the needs of the song. For the Rosie Varela Project’s first release, Varela wrote a good portion of the songs, but also brought in unfinished songs for the group to collaborate on together.

These are songs that didn’t quite fit the shoegaze genre of EEP and in fact, they weren’t meant to be genre-specific at all. Varela considers it “very much a fusion project.” This is a fusion not just of musical influences, but of life experiences. At its core, The Project is about simplicity – simple song structures that leave room for free studio experimentation and innovation.

Despite multiple health and vision issues, Rosie Varela is also one of the most upbeat and optimistic people you’ll ever meet. She’s learning Pro Tools and thinking up inventions to increase accessibility and ability to play on stage. At 54 years old and having started her musical journey late in life, she has no intentions of stopping.

“Like the Ramones’ song ‘I Wanna Be Sedated,” Varela says, “Put me in a wheelchair and roll me out to the studio until the day I die.”

As a kid in child of the ‘70s, Rosie Varela was influenced by her older brothers who had an impressive As a child of the ‘70s, Varela was influenced by her older brothers who had an impressive record collection ranging from 1920s jazz to early rock and psychedelia. She started writing songs at an early age. By the time Varela was 50, she had a few hundred demos and decided it was time to put together a band and begin recording them, which led to the genesis of EEP.

She wore many hats before that with jobs in management, administration, and film production. The wisdom and experience from those years, alongside the mentorship of her studio and label partner – producer Ross Ingram created something of a powerhouse of musical production. The Rosie Varela Project started as a one-off single called ‘Low‘, released in February 2021. Varela, Ingram, and her husband Justin Oser then decided in March 2021 to start their own record label, Hogar Records. 

Their production methods are unconventional. Conscious of the time everyone has, they typically spend two days a month in the studio using time management planning tools (such as Agile) that Varela learned while working in the tech industry. They work in iterative, short sprints of tracking, editing, and mixing and Varela and Ingram have a retrospective at the end of every session to reflect on improvements for the next sprint.

The “paint with sound” iterative process on her latest album, ‘What Remains’ (out June 3, 20220), freed Varela to dive deeply into the emotional stories of her life. “Music helps expose the demons inside of us and helps us process and sometimes tame them.” Some of the music in this album explores pain and trauma. The title track ‘What Remains’, for example, is a song about the experience of childhood sexual abuse and its aftermath.

This album explores many moments and moods throughout a woman’s life through the lens of the experiences that Varela has lived. She shares her inspiration freely with her bandmates. “We become not only a better band by knowing each other’s stories, but more intuitive and compassionate musicians,” Varela says.

‘What Remains’ is the first of five albums The Rosie Varela Project plans to record. Varela reflects on this journey by saying, “With every record we make and the deeper we dive into our creativity, the more the music will evolve and hopefully create a connection with everyone who listens to it.”

THE UPSIDES

The Upsides are a 4-piece rock act based in New York City, consisting of brothers Matt and Dan Fullam with longtime friends Matt DaSilva and Hart Mechlin. The guitars from Matt Fullam and Mechlin blend the Strokes with early ‘70s Heartbreakers tones, while the younger Fullam (drums) and DaSilva (bass) incorporate uptempo, danceable grooves that are reminiscent of the early aughts rock revival in their home city. Fullam’s vocals are a focal point in both the live and studio settings, as he effortlessly flips from a croon to a falsetto whether the band behind him is in a downtempo groove à la The Rolling Stones’ ‘Angie’ or electrifying the audience with overdriven, Queens of the Stone Age-esque tenacity.

The band’s debut EP, Patterns, showcases slick riffs, clever lyrics, and a diverse yet succinct palette of the group’s influences. The title track shows how the band can tastefully shift from Nick Valensi-esque guitar licks to meet Nile Rogers on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories while still maintaining an identifiable sound. Fullam displays strong command of his vocals, but stays reserved and lets the melodies speak for themselves on sleek singles Gold Rush and Holy Water. Recorded at Grand Street Recording in Brooklyn, NY, the blend of vintage instruments with engineer Jake Lummus’s modern mixing prowess results in a sound that is instantly big and accessible, yet unique and timeless.

An energetic and engaging live act, The Upsides debuted new material at New York’s famed Mercury Lounge in September 2021 as well as an October 2021 show around the corner at Arlene’s Grocery. Debut single ‘Gold Rush’ will be supported by a release show on Friday, February 4th at The Bowery Electric.

“While there is clearly an indie rock edge to this music, there is also something that brings to mind left of the dial radio of the 90s.“

Glide Magazine

“With a lighthearted feel and a pleasant up-tempo groove, the band is hitting all the right notes…”

V13

“…hearkens to a Strokes-era rock and roll sound.“

Music Mecca

CIARRA FRAGALE

Ciarra Fragale is an indie pop singer/songwriter, producer, and actor from NY’s Hudson Valley. By blending the nostalgic traditions of songwriting with unique new-wave sensibilities, she creates a refreshing sound all her own. In addition to making her own music, Ciarra has also composed many works for theater and film.

In 2017, Ciarra released her first full-length “Seasons,” written and recorded entirely in her home. It was during this recording process that she started to experiment with different sounds and textures, igniting her love for production. After two more years of touring and recording, Ciarra followed up “Seasons” with her second full-length “Call It What You Will” in 2019. Shedding the nu-folk sound for more of an Indie/alt pop direction, “Call It What You Will” was an ambitious project that artfully portrayed Ciarra’s growth as an artist. Produced by Fragale, the album was recorded at Nashphone Recording, a studio owned and operated by engineer Jesse Bolduc (of the band Candy Ambulance ).

Fragale’s newest self-titled LP is her best, most cohesive work to date. Ranging from Motown inspired heartbreak pop to modern and cerebral indie rock, Ciarra creates a distinct sonic world that allows her to display what makes her artistry so special. Pounding keys, angular guitars, and steady driving beats grace these buoyant and emotive tracks, with Ciarra’s one of a kind vocals gliding in and out of smooth and sweet harmonies showcasing her masterful musicianship and songwriting prowess. She currently resides in Western MA, and can most likely be found at the top of mountains or at your local thrift store.

“It’s a more confident work than her previous releases, showing off an impressively elastic range to her songwriting and soul-baring honesty to her performances.“

Under The Radar

“Sounding like a heady combination of Weyes Blood, Linda Ronstadt, and Gossip, Fragale’s sweet croon hovers over a pulsing bassline evoking the feeling of a long-ago summer ride in the “way back” of an old station wagon, eating popsicles with the back window cracked open.“

Post Punk

“Alt-pop singer-songwriter Ciarra Fragale stamps out the last of her heart’s coal-stoked flame with her song ‘Too Good (For You, Baby)’…“

Audiofemme

“While “Lose My Cool” has a section tagged “instrumental freak out,” it excites not through deployment of effects pedals but through Fragale’s knack for uncovering the feelings hidden within feelings.“

Beats Per Minute

“Indie singer-songwriter Ciarra Fragale is a great example of an artist with a wide range of experiences, talents and influences.“

Music Mecca

DUSTY THE KID

Hailing from the mountains of Western Montana, Dusty The Kid brings politically charged folk with grim determination and idealistic hope. A multi-instrumentalist, actor, and playwright, The Kid weaves stories with the sounds of olde tyme mountain songs, rowdy pub sessions, and coal covered folk punk.

His debut album “Days of Love & Rage” is a ramshackle ride across the country. The Kid teamed up with friend and producer Quint Bishop to record the album in their home studio, built with scraped together gear and reclaimed construction materials. Along with Recession Special bandmates “Bucky Eyed” Geoff Taylor (Fiddle) and Stovepipe Rides Again (Bass), Bishop captures cunning live performances with clarity and artistry.

Dusty The Kid is a long time busker and traveler. He’s shared the stage with everyone from folk punk bands like S.S.W.E.B. and Tejon Street Corner Thieves, to country legends Reckless Kelly, to indie heartthrobs Del Water Gap and Alaska Reid. As a playwright, his first full length play, “Hearth”, was recently produced by The Montana Repertory Theatre. This summer The Kid plans to release the debut EP from his band The Recession Special, as well as tour nationally.

“Drawing from the vast history of folk music, it’s clear he’s using his art as a platform to keep the revolutionary spirit alive.“

Jammerzine

“Dusty The Kid’s debut album Days of Love & Rage, takes you on a journey..“

IndieBandGuru

TAYLOR KELLY

Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Taylor Kelly is now a fixture in the vibrant Philly music scene further honing her introspective take on jazz, soul, and funk. She combines her smooth, powerful, technically-informed voice with a full horn section, addictive hip hop and electronic beats, and complex arrangements she writes herself with long-time collaborator and trombonist Mike Rilli. Her sound is a dynamic blend of several genres but ultimately establishes a strikingly authentic niche all its own, rich with melodic contour, intricate harmonies, and deeply personal but anthemic lyricism.

“Maybe”, the first single off of Kelly’s forthcoming EP slated for release in early 2022, is an intimate and minimalistic departure from her previous work, which typically features an 8-piece band. Kelly brought this newest single from the ground up alone with her producer, Robby Webb, at his home studio before adding the tasteful flavors and textures of Simon Martinez (guitar), Danae Greenfield (keys/synth) and Matt Keppler (bass). Kelly’s voice is the most prominent instrument in this latest project, providing both the melodic focal point of the track as well as lush, layered harmonies for a deeply groovy but melancholic meditation on stagnancy and yearning.

Kelly is a Berklee College of Music graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Music. Along with her band, she has released four albums and performed hundreds of live shows, sharing the stage with Moonchild, Becca Stevens, Bahamadia, and Georgia Anne Muldrow. She was a finalist in the PHL LIVE Center, has amassed over half a million listens for her single “California” on Spotify, and is committed to continuing this exploration of music’s ability to incite passion and self-actualization with her upcoming 2022 EP.

“Smooth vocals and a warming melody make Taylor Kelly’s “Maybe” a sublime anthem of anxiety that looks back on the world these past few years.“

Atwood Magazine

“If you love postmodern old soul, Philly songstress Taylor Kelly is sure to pull at your heartstrings and get your feet moving.“

Music Mecca

ARMS OF KISMET

Arms of Kismet is singer-songwriter Mark Doyon. His work as record-maker and author has been featured in PopMatters, The Washington Post, The Daily Vault, Hybrid, Skope, The Absinthe Literary Review, 3AM Magazine, Hypebot, Riffraf, and many other spots.

Doyon works with a diverse “conspiracy of equals” that fills out the Arms of Kismet sound. The collective includes John Lee Sanders (Randy Newman, Jimmy Page), Audrey Karrasch (ALKE, The Voice), Eamon Loftus, Kowtow Popof, Steve Burdette, Chris Armes, and Ritchie Rubini (the Caulfields). The mastering of the new songs is by Brian Lucey.

Arms of Kismet first landed with the release of the ‘Eponymous’ album and a six-week U.S. tour. Since then it has put out four more records on Wampus, plus a couple of off-the-wall entries under the alter-ego Waterslide. Like Giant Sand or Smog filtered through a pop lens, Arms of Kismet might sell records in an alternate universe — stubborn, literate, oblique, and stalkingly catchy. Guitars coat sugary melodies and fractured lyrics, blending genres in offbeat and revelatory ways.

“Next time you feel like you need to take a second and feel a bit of sorrow, spin “Potter’s Field.” It’s a peculiar proverb for the modern age.“

Glide Magazine

“Doyon uses Arms of Kismet as an avenue for blending genres in novel, innovative ways which make him a songwriter certainly worthy of your focused attention.“

V13

“…a solid hook and ‘glidelike’ nature…”

Jammerzine

VANDEN DOOL

Vanden Dool is the moniker of Ty Vanden Dool, a synth-pop and alternative artist originally from the country and hard rock-dominated community of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and now based in Calgary. His sound combines the classic aesthetics of ‘80s new wave and ‘90s electronica with the ease of shamelessly digital production and the timeless and often deeply personal songwriting qualities more associated with folk and singer-songwriter genres.

With this latest single, “You Will Not Love Me Forever”, Vanden Dool has let his usually synth-centric style take a backseat in favour of putting acoustic instruments in the forefront. Along with the first appearance of upright piano in his music, the song also features a violin played by Lethbridge’s Megan Brown, a.k.a. Makiisma, who also contributes backing vocals. Complementing it is the B-side “Distant Company”, a return to form for Vanden Dool’s usual style, albeit with a less obvious ‘80s lens.

Vanden Dool’s past releases (a self-titled album on which he toured across Canada and an EP titled The View from Here) have made small but meaningful ripples within Canadian indie music, making the charts on various campus radio stations including Earshot’s National Top 10 Electronic charts, along with attracting a healthy amount of positive press from Divide and Conquer, Cups N Cakes and Obscure Sound among others. Though this is a smaller release, he hopes “You Will Not Love Me Forever” continues the momentum.

“The result is another hugely potent track that will surely hit the hearts of many…”

Jammerzine

ANTWON – “Blasian”

Bay Area rapper Antwon has had an incredibly productive decade. Since 2011, the artist has released 10 albums and a handful of EPs. Each release is riddled with sonic exploration, and Antwon’s insightful lyrics about the human condition. Full of infectious beats and compelling rhymes, the rapper’s newest album, Blasian, is proof that the examined life of the artist will always yield fruit.

Antwon began his musical career as a member of Philadelphia hardcore band Leather. Since the release of his first mixtape, Fantasy Beds, in 2011, he’s received a wave of critical success. He was included in Complex’s list of “15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW” in 2013, and again on their 2014 list of “25 New Rappers to Watch out for” in that year.

And what’s not to love about this latest record? It’s a self-produced collection of bedroom style beats, perfect for a sunset cruise or a rainy day inside. From the triangle-heavy rhythm of “Puppy Chow” to the hard kick/snare beat on “Doohickey,” Antwon showcases his ability to compile all sorts of influences into a cohesive, singular sound. Often compared to Biggie Smalls, Antwon’s flow sounds both nostalgic and fresh simultaneously. As the rapper talks about issues of identity, heritage, and current events,
you’ll find yourself hypnotized by the beats and captivated by the lyrics. Antwon put his heart and soul in these songs – you can hear it thru the headphones.

These thirteen songs are perfect if you’re looking for something that will take you back to the early 90s without sacrificing a fresh, modern sound. As you get deeper into the lyrics, you’ll hear an artist who is trying to make sense of the cascading and overlapping identities of the modern world. Antwon has once again delivered a near immaculate collection of songs on Blasian.

“Antwon continues to make himself known among the very best..”

FLEX

“Clocking in just over thirty-one minutes, every one of these tracks packs a punch.

Jammerzine

DROP PARTY

Led by choice horn melodies built on boisterous grooves, and launching off of hypnotic dance rhythms, Drop Party is a genre-bending American 7-piece band seamlessly carved out of the coastal Connecticut post ska scene, endowed with new age funk, apt to get the crowd moving. 

Formally created in 2018, lifelong friends Anthony Chabla (percussion), Ryan Furbush (alto sax), Jake Krasniewicz (bass and vocals), Dan Raccuia (trumpet), Jacob Raccuia (tenor sax), Zach Rader (drums), and Jeff Wickun (guitar and vocals) bring a lush culmination of talent and sound to Drop Party.

Their newest release “What Can I Say” combines the power of their live chemistry with great songwriting and craft. The better elements of modern groove greats Ripe and Vulfpeck come to the fore with intricate horn lines weaving through a seamless and unrelenting rhythm section. This is genre-less without out being unfocused, there truly is a little bit of something for everyone in Drop Party’s sound. Whether it’s the more blues guitar elements or the Motown style bass breaks, Drop Party show they’ve got staying power on musicianship alone.

Drop Party members first started playing together in the fall of 2005 when their shared musical interests resulted in the formation of ska band Knightsbridge Fiasco, and they developed a tight bond that is seen and felt in their music now. Following high school the band took a hiatus for a few years, but eventually all members found their way back to the loyal and local Connecticut scene with newfound intensity, focus, and drive. Drop Party’s primary collaborators, Jake Krasniewicz and Jacob Raccuia bring atypical elements of composition, arrangement, and creativity to the band’s sound, while the swagger and mantra for each song is derived from the contributions of the entire group. 

This septet truly comes to life in their live performances – incorporating themed shows ripe with hidden Easter eggs, and scattered with seamless transitions and engaging moments. Having cut their teeth at The Acoustic and The Warehouse in Fairfield, CT, and several other select legendary local spots, Drop Party was forged right out of early 2000’s show bills that were all ages, no alcohol, and a less than functional sound system. At their shows, they have found a way to fuse and channel the energy in Ska, stank of Funk, and sophistication of Jazz into something far more palatable. 

In other aspects of their lives, members enjoy a wide variety of hobbies including video games, attending concerts, foraging for mushrooms, glass blowing, and much more. Their first record. Lean Into The Wave, is a concept album that paints tapestries of imagination and fantasy, based on the adventures of the protagonist James. Drop Party’s forthcoming record Live at Carriage House is split with some songs rooted in realism while others continue the story from their first album. The band aims to release songs every month leading up to this anticipated release.

For Fans Of: The Cat Empire, Ripe, Phish, Lettuce

“‘What Can I Say’ packs an upbeat punch that brings to mind contemporary jazz-funk engineers Vulfpeck and Snarky Puppy.“

It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine