Shwa Losben; Bryan Dunn; Luke Wesley @ Rockwood Music Hall

Shwa Losben; Bryan Dunn; Luke Wesley
@ Rockwood Music Hall
New York, NY - January 13, 2010

A friend of Pennypacker decided to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her expunging from the womb with some old friends including a trio of musicians and their cohorts well known around here. Shwa did a version of "So Cry" that gave this old black heart the chills. Bryan Dunn, who I last saw perform at the final reviewed gig of 2009, took part in the first reviewed gig of 2011 with his usual array of impeccably crafted tunes. And I was finally introduced to the work of Luke Wesley who has the same instinct to make these sharp, savvy songs. An inserted cover of Cohen's "Hallelujah" was an added benefit.

But don't let these nice fellas fool you. There is rock n roll punk danger here. After all, who else could bring on a RAID BY THE NYPD?! OK it wasn't a raid. It was a mere regulatory building inspection. But the unit was led by a well manicured man in a wide-brimmed fedora and trench coat (I shit you not on this people). So it COULD have been dangerous, dangerous circa 1946.

If you read this blog regularly, you know there's been a little whining around here lately about a dearth of excitement on the concert calendar. This is what happens when you get spoiled. And it's very easy to get spoiled in New York where on seemingly any night of the week you can find guys like these guys (and plenty of gals too) doing what they do. Sometimes the hack that writes this blog needs a reality check and needs to be reminded of what he's got right here in front of him in the Big Apple. And what better way to get that dose of medicine? Playing these artists on The Sonic Parthenon Show. THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE PLUGGING! Shwa, Bryan, Luke, and the rest of New York's best and brightest will be heard on Pennypacker's trampling of all things internet radio streaming in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

The Ramblers; Bryan Dunn @ Mercury Lounge; Patrick Thomas @ Rockwood Music Hall

The Ramblers; Bryan Dunn; Bucky Hayes
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - July 3, 2010

Patrick Thomas
@ Rockwood Music Hall
New York, NY - July 2, 2010

It was a July 4th weekend for the singers and songwriters in New York City, particularly down on the Lower East Side which last I checked still managed to churn out a snifter of class or two in a sea of clubbers and Sex and the City types.

At Rockwood on Friday, Patrick Thomas played less than an hour but handed out a set to be remembered. He proved to be an adept bar rocker the first time I saw him but this time he displayed some very deliberative, very gut-punching ballads. It must be said folks: he's a keeper.

The Ramblers have that thing. You know the thing in which a band reminds of you this and that but you can't quite name this and that because they sound like a thing all their own. Yeah that thing. Name the greats in country and rock and these guys know it but they have their own graceful spin on what's come before and it makes for a smiley time variety hour.

Alright by now you know if you read this blog you know the work of Mr. Dunn. It was another inspiring set on a New York stage that while it is not the biggest, it is the best (some say the Bowery Ballroom stage is the best and you know what? Bryan's played there too, so there). There's a new record coming. Spread the word. It's gonna be gangbusters.

Bucky Hayes can be a reminder of all things good that must come to pass. But in addition to the roots that make rock what it is, there's also in the Bucky Hayes milieu a desire for the big guitar pop solo, the wailing kind, that has bettered power pop balladry for the last 20 years. I'm a sucker for that stuff.

Bryan Dunn @ Rockwood Music Hall

Bryan Dunn
@ Rockwood Music Hall
New York, NY - December 30, 2009

After ten years and just about 500 shows, I was feeling in an obviously reflective and philosophical mood. The many sounds and scenes of various size and scope all felt very alive together in the waning days of this decade and what better place to think about it than at a place like the Rockwood Music Hall and with an artist like Bryan Dunn. Bryan's intimate song-writing has reminded me of classics like Springsteen and contemporaries like Ryan Adams. His love of country makes me think of Old Crow Medicine Show and Langhorne Slim. And his addiction to Prince's "Kiss" (and if you catch him on a quiet night, Cameo's "Word Up") reminded me of the soul and funk I picked up over the last ten years. It would be utterly ridiculous to put the weight of a decade's worth of music and music learning on one artist. It would be highly more fitting to simply take it in and say "This is what it has been all about".

Shwa @ Mercury Lounge

Shwa & The Cuddlef*cks
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - July 25, 2009

Shwa, joined by pal Bryan Dunn on guitar, lit up the stage on a Saturday night with his arsenal of power pop, including a bust out of covers - "Little Red Corvette" and "Mysterious Ways" culminating in a rather thorough going over of "Brooklyn Girls".

Chris Cubeta; Bryan Dunn; Shwa @ Mercury Lounge

Chris Cubeta & The Liars Club; Bryan Dunn; Shwa Losben; Emily Easterly
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - March 21, 2009

On a night dominated by power pop, Chris Cubeta brought the raw, stripped down version of it when the guitars were flying. The ballads were classically pop troubadour torch numbers crossed with country-fried lament. There was a Ryan Adams-ish mellifluousness to his sound.

When Bryan Dunn's band peaked at 10 people, playing enthusiastic pop music and anthems replete with horns, backing singers, and a dread-locked rapper - and also when his outfit shrunk to a handful of basics to play alt-country - it all felt like college, 1993. And that's far from a bad thing. Lots of talent on the stage, and a whole lot of fun.

Shwa Losben is one of those singer-songwriters that would be a pop radio wunderkind if good pop music was allowed on the radio. He knows exactly how to craft the hooks behind sterling lyrics. Whether it's the intensity of "Never Too Soon To Compromise (Yourself And All Your Values!!)" and "Brooklyn Girls" (the latter of which is just good bar band fun) or the textured grace of "Chop Chop" and "So Cry", there is some serious success afoot here. And, as I learned from NPR's SXSW coverage, you need to have a name you can easily google. Shwa wins.

Emily Easterly looks like Jenny Lewis but more importantly has a thing for outlaw country in between her ballads. Grab a beer, wear some plaid, and have a listen.