Music

Local musician, producer and music studio owner Ric Hordinski spends a few minutes with our Brian O’Donnell to talk about his recent projects, including producing the latest projects for singer-songwriter David Wilcox and Ruthie Allen Lincoln. Wilcox’s album, blaze, is his 18th and features some well-known local musicians providing back-up.

Cincinnati native Bryce Dessner is not only one of the founders of the internationally acclaimed band The National, but is also founder and artistic director of the local MusicNOW festival, happening the weekend of March 21-22. This year’s event is a groundbreaking collaboration with Louis Langrée and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, presenting two completely separate nights of music involving world premiere compositions, special guest starts, and a Music Hall experience unique and provocative for traditional concert-goers. Bryce Dessner is on the phone with our Frank Johnson to discuss MusicNOW and his passion for both rock and classical music composition and performance.

If you were to Google the phrase "great rock storytellers" you'd get... well, a list of useless garbage. But, if you were to ask me, I would probably give you a list of names like Pete Townshend, Shane MacGowan, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters, Neil Young... and I would then find some way to include the names of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Willie Nelson because, although they are not rock storytellers, they are probably the greatest American musical storytellers of all time - and their influence of those listed previously is undeniable.

The latest release from Northside Garage, All the King's Horses, is a 2-track sampler of modern-day garage rock that unites the raw, unbridled energy of punkabilly with the straightforward groove of roots-rock.  Eddy Mullet of ClassX Radio called Northside Garage, "One of my favorite local bands in town to go out and see." 

My introduction to The Upset Victory came when I saw them perform at Covington's Madison Theatre as part of this year's CEA event.  Shortly after, I received a copy of the EP Wall Street from the band.  My first impression was that this may be the best-produced CD I have reviewed so far.

The band went to Starlight Studios in Orlando, FL to record Wall Street and worked with producer Brock BerryHill and engineer Evan Coffman. Together with BerryHill and Coffman, The Upset Victory have crafted a sound that is top-notch and completely ready for air-play.

This may say more about me than about the band, but the first time I listened to Falling Like The Sun by The String Theory, I was reminded of the time Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins [Foo Fighters] joined forces with Nick Raskulinecz to perform "Overture" from Rush's 2112 at The 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  This was a nod of acknowledgment and honor for the former and a passing-of-the-torch moment for the latter. 

Legendary Cincinnati musician Philip Paul has just released his self-produced CD, The Masquerade is Over - Live at the Cincinnatian Hotel, and he joins Lee Hay to talk about the members of his trio and his long career.

Torn Light Records on Monmouth St. in Newport, KY is the dream-child of Alex York and Kyle Shibinski, formerly of the band White Walls.

Alex and Kyle formed Torn Light originally to help distribute their own band's material, but soon found themselves producing records for bands like Vacation and Sunken Cheek.

If you live, you're gonna suffer.

This is the straight-no-chaser, honest and 'sorry, but it's true' message behind Saint Ain't - the third solo release by Rob Fetters [Raisins, Bears, Psychodots].  Fortunately for us, this message is wrapped-up nicely in a rockin' good time that allows us to enjoy the short ride we're allowed in our own hand basket.

Frank Black and John Flansburgh had a baby, and they named it Day Camp.

Rarely do I get the opportunity to see a band live BEFORE I get my hands on their recording, but I was lucky enough to share the Mainstay stage with Day Camp recently and, frankly, fell in love with what I heard. So, when I found out they were releasing their first EP, I (quite literally) dropped what I was doing and rushed out to pick it up.

This Saturday night, February 8th at 11pm, you'll hear music from three groups who'll be appearing in the Cincinnati area soon.  The first is Tommy Castro & the Painkillers who'll be at the Redmoor in Mt.