"Song of the Week" ~ Mr. Midnight by: deena

‎"Song of the Week" for 09-29-10 is: Mr. Midnight* by: deena. off the CD: somewhere in BLUE.

Featured on IndepenDisc in Dec. '08 ~ here's what I (G.Gone) had to say about it then...

~snip~...somewhere in BLUE is a powerful statement from a Rock-n-Roll adult. Deena has taken her sweetness, evidenced through some of the most versatile vocals of pure innocence, and crafted a gem of an album. This album becomes a classic for every mid-life rocker whose roots drink deeply from the country/southern rock/rockabilly influences of the 50s, carried through the 60s, and 70s, right on up to where this huge demographic of music listeners is today. This album is a history lesson tied around Mid-life and it gives back the love/music that has gone missing in our lives. It metaphorically updates our love affair(s) with music by taking to task a story of a lonely, loving, isolated, caring soul committed to a long term relationship with many ties and obligations. But, there is something missing – while committed enough to understand the scope of her world and how much rests and relies on her, she has convinced herself content with her situation – Yet, she seeks solace in a semi-dreamlike state, or as the narrator calls it: somewhere in BLUE. A story arc develops through several different perspectives and scenarios as she begins, not to abandon her state, but to explore the possibilities of all the stages she needs to fulfill, in order to validate her existence, in regard to what cannot be found or fulfilled within the limited reaches of her everyday life – a life which grows shorter with each year – a Mid-life crisis? A Love crisis? A music crisis? Or simply a crisis? Well Deena, with somewhere in BLUE, has made it all a celebration....~snip~ Read the entire review HERE.

*Link is a direct audio stream.

Sharing some B'day cake...

For those who couldn't join us Sat Sept. 18th at Cafe` 9 in New Haven, CT
for the IndepenDisc 12th B'day Bash... here's 3 slices of cake for you...

The Big Fat Combo - The Hucklebuckle

The Frank Critelli Band - On

The Mold Monkies - Hound of Heaven

IndepenDisc 12th Birthday Bash!

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY INDEPENDISC!

Come Celebrate with us!

9:00 - The Big Fat Combo
10:30 - The Frank Critelli Band

12:00 - The Mold Monkies

Sat. Sept. 18th, 2010

Cafe` 9

250 State St.

New Haven, CT

9:00PM - Sharp! $5.00

B'day gifts to the 1st 50 (or so) guests!

Radio Radio

This Sunday (9-12-10) night, I will be a guest on "The Local Bands Show" hosted by Rick Allison & James Velvet.

For the past 20 years, Rick & James have been supporting Local New Haven/CT music every Sunday night at 10PM on WPLR 99.1 FM.

And for the past 9 they've been gracious enough to allow me to be their guest in order to promote the Annual IndepenDisc Birthday Bash, which I traditionally host in early Sept. at Cafe` 9 in New Haven.

The Birthday Bash always Features Local Music and The Local Bands Show is one of the best places to listen to Local Music on your Radio. So tune in to The Local Bands Show this Sunday at 10PM to hear me babble a bit & play songs from the 3 bands performing at this years IndepenDisc 12th B'day Bash, The Big Fat Combo, The Frank Critelli Band and The Mold Monkies, as well as tracks from Shark & Twenty To Twelve.

And don't forget to listen to The Local Bands Show every Sunday night as Rick & James continue to educate the masses.

On the subject of Radio, there are two other shows I'd reccommend as well. First every Thursday at 5:05PM be sure to tune in to "Homegrown - Connecticut Connected Music" hosted by the Thin Man himself, Rob DeRosa, which can be found on WESU 88.1 FM.

Then, every Wednesday night from 9:00PM - Midnight, I host Radio IndepenDisc online on Cygnus Radio. I play 3 hours of "Select" independent music from all over the globe, but with a solid base of Local New Haven/CT music. I've been "on air" for 5 years now and one years worth of streaming/downloadable shows are available 24/7 on the Radio Archives page of the IndepenDisc web site. There is a slight format in which I run "freeform 70s style AOR" mostly 3-4-5 song sets from various artists. There are Feature shows, like "Mix-Tape Wed" - every 2nd Wed of the month I put together a "Themed" Mix-Tape style show, and the reason for this blog post, besides promoting my appearence on The Local Bands Show, every 1st Wed. of the Month is "Features Wed." where I play music from every CD that has been Featured for that month since IndepenDisc began in 1998. To accentuate this concept I'm including a transcript from the Cygnus Radio chatroom of a conversation that took place during this months "September Features" show.

After which I will list the artists played, what year they were Featured, & the direct stream links for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

(05:42:42) Dave: It is Independisc September Songs
(05:42:51) DJ_G.Gone: Yes it is!
(05:43:03) Dave: But that no way means that they were created or recorded in September
(05:43:13) Dave: Just ones that happened to be featured
(05:43:24) Dave: over the years, that Month
(05:45:05) DJ_G.Gone: No, not created or recorded in September
(05:45:12) Dave: yes so it is your selection of Sept. Songs
(05:45:30) DJ_G.Gone: Just Featured on IndepenDisc in Sept.
(05:45:49) DJ_G.Gone: Meaning most of this stuff was my real summer listening material
(05:45:49) Dave: any way super funky show dude
(05:45:57) Dave: I dig your style mon
(05:46:15) Dave: oh
(05:46:17) DJ_G.Gone: because I normally listen to a CD for at least a month or 2 or 3, before I get to Feature it
(05:46:19) Dave: ?
(05:46:25) Dave: oh
(05:46:35) Dave: yah, I dig studing music
(05:46:40) Dave: IC
(05:46:54) Dave: clean
(05:46:55) DJ_G.Gone: so I'd be listening to this stuff in like June & July & Aug and then Feature it
(05:47:05) DJ_G.Gone: in Sept
(05:47:20) DJ_G.Gone: there's the business end that slows the process
(05:47:21) Dave: But with an idea, that this will be Sept. Music?
(05:47:36) DJ_G.Gone: no, with & Idea that i want to feature it
(05:47:56) DJ_G.Gone: so then I have to take time with the band to do the business end
(05:48:05) DJ_G.Gone: that could take from 2 months to 6
(05:48:12) Dave: an idea - ummm - Biz end slows? got me on that
(05:48:13) DJ_G.Gone: depending on the artist
(05:48:34) DJ_G.Gone: meanwhile I'm digging it more & more
(05:48:43) DJ_G.Gone: playing it on the show
(05:48:48) Dave: So like
(05:48:55) Dave: just for fun
(05:49:05) Dave: like i was doing a Rolling Stone
(05:49:14) DJ_G.Gone: To turn you on to what turns me on
(05:49:19) Dave: interview - which is the best Month haha
(05:49:36) DJ_G.Gone: well, that is a vry interesting question!!!
(05:49:38) Dave: So one week out of the Month
(05:49:55) Dave: you do an historical collage
(05:50:01) DJ_G.Gone: yes
(05:50:06) Dave: of past years Sept. features
(05:50:13) DJ_G.Gone: usually the 1st week
(05:50:20) DJ_G.Gone: the 1st wed of the month
(05:50:36) Dave: yes as a journalist for the RS I have to interest my interviewees
(05:50:45) DJ_G.Gone: but this month we did the 4hour 12th Birthday Celebration show on the 1st week
(05:50:58) DJ_G.Gone: Ab-So-Lutely
(05:51:10) Dave: another question
(05:51:27) Dave: so you have latitude yearly , some wiggle room, to make
(05:51:33) Dave: a different show
(05:51:40) Dave: within those parameters
(05:51:41) DJ_G.Gone: ahahaha yes indeed
(05:51:48) Dave: of course song order etc
(05:52:00) DJ_G.Gone: dave, I'm impressed
(05:52:15) DJ_G.Gone: you sir are a Radio IndepenDisc scholar
(05:52:17) Dave: Well yes, it is very impressive
(05:52:36) Dave: Well, Hey Boss
(05:52:45) Dave: your the Man , it is running with your concept
(05:52:51) Dave: its your baby
(05:53:07) Dave: u can do it anyway you like
(05:53:12) Dave: and i like the way u do it  : )
Radio IndepenDisc 09-08-10 September Features Show

Hour #1 ~ Features: The Mold Monkies ('10), Burner ('98), Charlie Burton ('98), Jessica's Attic ('98), emil muzz ('98), Rocket Frog ('98).

Listen Now  Download
Hour #2 ~ Features: The Mold Monkies ('10), The Differents ('00), Hi Fi Automatic ('01), Parker ('02), Gravity Jacket ('03), Furors ('04).

Listen Now  Download

Hour #3 ~ Features: The Mold Monkies ('10), The Bret Logan Band ('05), Frank Critelli ('06), James Velvet ('06), Uncle Carl ('08), Age Of Reason ('09).

Listen Now  Download

CD Review: The Mold Monkies ~ Stoats Afire!

The Mold Monkies ~ Stoats Afire!
Stoat: A short tailed weasel with brown coat.

Afire: Being on fire.

Mold Monkies: A New Haven, CT based Rock-n-Roll band that draws heavily from the New Wave era.

The connection? Got me. What I do know is that The Mold Monkies 2nd release in 5 years continues the pristine, poppy, New Wave indulgence displayed on their 1st CD - “O Brave Yet Ignorant Swine.” With classic songwriting, slick production and an aggressiveness sound that doesn’t lose the professionalism of the band, the songwriting team of Russell Shaddox and Nick Appleby prove once again that their popfest, musical signatures and ingeniously, witty lyrics can nestle in with the likes of XTC, Tonio K, The Jam, The Kinks and Warren Zevon to name but a few.

15 tracks (7 by Shaddox, 7 by Appleby) augmented by an awesome cover of Billy Braggs 1985 song, “A New England,” which makes the transition, along with all the others, to 2010 perfectly. There are a lot of ’80 New Wave records that sound ridiculously dated when played today, but Stoats Afire! works both ways here. It would fit comfortably in the 80s alongside the entire Stiff Records Catalogue and beyond, while it also represents how 2nd Wave English Pop is still a viable format in today’s Rock-n-Roll landscape. Not to mention that the album closer, “Average Plan” could be on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

The Mold Monkies are on fire here, as to whether or not the “Stoats” apply, maybe playing the “Stoats Afire!” board game enclosed in the CD will help you decide. Either way it’s great fun and Great Rock-n-Roll.

Listen to "Hound of Heaven" now, it's the IndepenDisc 09-08-10 "Song of the Week"

To Wally Gates

I did not know Wally Gates. His time spent in the local New Haven music scene (80s / 90s) fell mainly between my stints (70s / 00s). It's a shame, because after attending the Memorial show at Cafe` 9 this past Saturday (9-4-10) I came away knowing that Wally & I would have most likely enjoyed each others music perspective.

Dean Falcone put together an amazing musical tribute to his childhood friend. With a house band consisting of Dean (guitar), Ed Valauskas (bass), Jim Balga (drums), and a keyboardist whose name I do not know (my apologies), we were treated to many, many local artists climbing onto the Musicians Living Room stage and thrilling us with favorite songs of Wally's. Too many to list and name, but with the crowd spilling out and packing the sidewalk as much as the club, to realize that approx 2/3 of them were local New Haven musicians, and almost 2/3 of them were playing/singing at one point or another, one could only be taken back by the outpouring of love and respect.

A few of my personal favorites were Scott McDonald singing and playing acoustic guitar for The Waterboys Fisherman's Blues, Bret Logan doing a spot on Morrissey, and The Mocking Birds performing I've Got A Shirt (Wally Gates ver.).

The Mocking Birds - I've Got A Shirt (Wally Gates ver.)
Cafe` 9 ~ 9-4-10

There were tons more, and if you were there, I'd love to hear about your highlights of the evening. And if you weren't there, this is going to be one of those nights that will be talked about and shared for many a year to come. I have no doubt the audience numbers may just triple that of those that were there. Because like so many shows that everyone would be proud to say they were in attendance for, this is another that will be added to the list. Either way, many Thanks to Dean Falcone and the masses of everyone involved, especially you Wally. God Bless.