Atlantic Current: The Music Issue - Nov/Dec 2022

THE MUSIC ISSUE

COASTAL CULTURE PALM BEACH COUNTY

ABBY OWENS (4PM) + INNA VISION WITH EARTHSTRONG (9PM) @ Guanabanas Jupiter

TREE LIGHTING /HOLIDAY CONCERT @ Centennial Park Boynton GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL @ ER Bradley’s WPB JUTT HUFFMAN TRIO @ Maxi’s Lineup Jupiter INNA VISION @ Crazy Uncle Mikes Boca 3

TIM REYNOLDS TR3 @ Funky Biscuit Boca

BREWAPALOOZA 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY @ Mathews Brewing Co. Lake Worth

ROCKIN’ AROUND THE BLOCK & HOLIDAY MARKET @ 100 NE 4th St, Boynton

PALM BEACH HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE @ Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse SLOTHRUST @ Respectables WPB 4 JERRY LEEMAN @ Sticky Bun Deerfield 7

BRIAN BOLEN @ Papa’s Raw Bar Lighthouse Point (every Wednesday) 8

DOMINIC DELANEY @ Northwood Warehouse WPB

THE LEAFY GREENS @ Maxi’s Lineup Jupiter SENSI TRAILS @ Crazy Uncle Mikes Boca 9

HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE FEAT. SPIDER CHERRY @ Boynton Harbor Marina

THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS @ Mathews Brewing Co. Lake Worth

WAIST TO CHEST CHRISTMAS SURF SPECTACULAR @ Guanabanas Jupiter

DELRAY BEACH HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE

60TH ANNUAL CHAOS FISHING GREATER POMPANO/ LIGHTHOUSE POINT/DEERFIELD HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE 10

THE RESOLVERS @ Crazy Uncle Mikes Boca

SPRED THE DUB @ Maxi’s Lineup Jupiter GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL @ Voodoo Bayou PBG

PUBLISHER

Dustin Wright

EDITOR

Darien Davies DESIGN

Richard Vergez WRITERS

Ava Bourbeau

Darien Davies David Rolland

EVENTS Danny Wright

PHOTOGRAPHY

Dustin Wright Jakob Takos

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Regina Walker Sugarshack Sessions Music Channel

MANAGING EDITOR

Ava Bourbeau

ADVERTISING 561-449-2263 info@theatlanticcurrent.com

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Copyright 2022 by the Atlantic Current LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Atlantic Current is a registered trademark of The Atlantic Current LLC.

ON THE COVER

Sometimes covers happen by accident. The Resolvers were playing a free show in Delray Beach, which was the perfect opportunity to get some live shots for their feature. After sneaking backstage for a different perspective, I was able to capture Sahara Smith belting out vocals with her fist clenched toward the sky. She performs with so much passion and charisma that it’s hard to take a bad photo of her on stage. It wasn’t going to make it into the article, so I did the edit to personal preference and left it in my files. After going through cover options, I remembered this image. I could visualize it right away and so could Rich. When that happens for the team, it’s likely we have our cover.

Singer: Sahara Smith

Photo: Dustin Wright

Dustin Wright

Big Band Reggae,

PHOTO: REGINA WALKER

Big Band Love

BY DARIEN DAVIES

Everyone knows you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. If you’re lucky enough like the bandmates in The Resolv ers, you get to pick your friends who turn into your family.

A big band reggae group, who has been playing together for the greater part of 15 years, has grown from a five-piece band, to adding a horn section, with now 10 people gracing the stage at each show. The group came together naturally, and on an as-needed basis, which ended up creating a perfect marriage of sound and energy.

“The band came together very organically. I knew Juice (Ojay Smith) from an open mic I used to run every Wednesday night out of a friend’s Cigar Shop in Deerfield Beach. He would come every so often and we would sing Marley tunes together. Around that time Nate, Steave and I were already playing together in another reggae/rock band called Mishpat. We were playing in bars and parties around town when we scored a weekly Sunday afternoon gig by the beach at Kahunas. On the morning of our second week there, our singer called to tell us he was leaving town and won’t be making the gig. We didn’t wanna call it off so

THE RESOLVERS

OJAY SMITH ON VOCALS, SAHARA SMITH ON VOCALS, RON EISNER ON VOCALS AND GUITAR, NATE LARGENT ON DRUMS, STEAVEN NIERATKA ON BASS, DEAN FISHBACK ON LEAD KEYS, JAYME GLUSMAN ON KEYS, DAVID BURGOS ON TRUM PET, DANIEL LARGHI ON TROMBONE, AND DEVON HEINRICHS ON SAX.

we called Juice to do the gig. It felt very easy and natural and he knew how to sing 1,000,000 tunes. We loved the vibes and we got a good response, but we knew we needed a keyboard player to really get the sound. We called around and we got lucky to get a hold of Dean, who was already at the time a renowned live and studio musician backing international reggae artists. His Sunday was open so he agreed to come do the gig. The core of the band was formed,” said Ron Eisner, Israeli-born bandleader. “As we kept gigging, we began releasing music and started forming a little community around the band. Then we learned that Juice had a younger sister who can sing...sooner than later Sahara would start coming to shows and she would jump on the mic to sing a few. It was a showstopper every time. To the point we knew we needed her with us every show. As the shows and stages got bigger we wanted to expand the sound with it. Particularly with a horn section. I knew Daniel from when we were students at FAU music school, and he was down to put a section together with David and Devon. That’s when the Hamsa Horns were added to the formation that is The Resolvers today.”

Yup, sounds about right. You know a guy? Sure do. Now, The Resolvers is a mashup of Ojay Smith on vocals, Sahara Smith on vocals, (Ojay and Sahara are son and daughter of international reggae artist Ernie Smith), Ron Eisner on vocals and guitar, Nate Largent on drums, Steaven Nieratka on bass, Dean Fishback on lead keys, Jayme Glusman on keys, David Burgos on trumpet, Daniel Larghi on trombone and Devon Heinrichs on sax.

“The band has grown by leaps and bounds from a small fivepiece reggae band with a splash of my sister here and there to a 10-piece big band reggae experience,” said Ojay, who says their sound is reggae Nola soul funk.

Doesn’t sound like your typical reggae band makeup, does it? And it doesn’t feel like one either. Sahara feels their sound is reggae with a side of blues and R&B, and, of course, the size of the crew is remarkable for a reggae band, too.

PHOTO: SUGARSHACK SESSIONS MUSIC CHANNEL

“It’s different because we have our own voice, our own sound, and a real friendship that shows when we play and create.”

“It’s different because we have our own voice, our own sound, and a real friendship that shows when we play and create,” said Ron, who describes the difference between The Resolvers and other reggae bands out there. “It’s also our creative process and approach. Our love for one another.”

That love has helped them share the stage with The Wailers, Julian Marley, Stephen Marley, Damian Marley, Kymani Marley, Inner Circle, English Beat, Yellowman, Matisyahu, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Mishka and many more. They’ve also graced the stages at festivals such as Marley Fest, Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, SunFest, Hulaween, AURA Music and Arts Festival and Dub Fest And about every local stage in South Florida, which are among their favorites. “I mean, it’s home, it’s family and you can feel the flow of energy from the band to Fam and vice versa,” Sahara said.

The group loves their makeup, which they say makes them unique and adds to what being in a band is all about. They are able to draw inspiration from their differing cultures and diverse backgrounds.

Right now, you can expect to enjoy new music via singles and videos, including a Sugarshack Session and a six-song EP drop ping soon. On top of that, they all hope to turn their Resolvers side hustle into their main hustle and finally drop the 9-to-5s, giving them more time to enjoy laughs on the road as they travel on tour.

Doing what you love and doing it with those you love means The Resolvers have reached ultimate success, with All The Lovin’.

“We really are a family band, and we get to go through this ad venture together. We get to be a positive force in many people’s lives, and that’s a blessing,” said Ron.

Indigo Dreamers

Married to the Music

BY DAVID ROLLAND

When married couple Jamie Craig and Pouya Pourtahmasbi tried to come up with a name for their quiet folk music duo, they discovered every name they liked was taken. “We wanted some thing without a specific meaning. We learned about the Indigo Children, this spiritual new age concept about kids with extra sensitivity. We thought how about Indigo Dreamers? We felt we were dreamy and that was a nice color to be paired with,” Jamie recalled to Atlantic Current.

The two musicians first met when they were students in 2014 at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Music. “After graduation we wanted to keep playing music together. At first it was going to be a full band,” Pouya remembered. While it wasn’t exactly a full band, they were a trio for a few years known as Jamie Craig and The Postcards. Jamie sang and played guitar, Pouya played bass, and they had a third member on the cajon, a percussion instrument.

By 2017 Pouya and Jamie wanted to go in a different direction. “We started playing as a duo and it was now more collaborative. It wasn’t just about me anymore, so we changed our name and our presentation,” Jamie said.

And thus Indigo Dreamers was born.

Their romantic relationship was also blooming. “We spent more and more time together making music and exchanging thoughts on life and we really felt a deep connection that was beyond the music,” Jamie said. They tied the knot in 2021.

Over the years they’ve played steadily throughout South Florida. One recent autumn week had a Wednesday night gig at DAS Beer Garden, Thursday was a three-hour show at Stormhouse Brewing, Friday was at Paddy Mac’s, and Saturday night was a concert at Village Music Wellington.

Indigo Dreamers play a combination of originals and covers. Thus far their recorded music has consisted of all original songwriting, though they are planning to change it up with their next release being a collection of covers.

One of their covers, a version of Natalie Merchant’s “Wonder,” put a nice spin on the 1995 song where Jamie pulled out her melodica, a small portable keyboard that’s powered by her breath. “People come up to us and suggest songs. People often suggested playing Natalie Merchant songs. I wasn’t that familiar with her, but I always liked ‘Wonder,’” Jamie said.

“Our music, creativity and relationship are entwined together and there is something so special about doing what you love with the person you love.”

The melodica is a trademark for many of their songs. “It’s always a conversation piece when she brings it out for live shows. The melodica adds new color to arrangements,” added Pouya.

Pouya’s bass playing is also a trademark for the band. He has a fifth string on the bass guitar, so he can add extra chords. But Ja mie said his playing and instrument is often compared by fans to being more reminiscent of a keyboard than a bass guitar. “Pouya has a pedalboard connected, which is more common with guitars that makes his sound more atmospheric. He also does a lot of finger tapping which makes his bass sound like a synthesizer. When he plays and people watch his hands they always comment on how he plays it like a keyboard.”

Pouya’s unconventional playing style was learned in Iran, his home country that he says is more musically diverse than American media presents it. “The reality of Iran is much bigger than its dictatorial image. Tehran, where I’m from, has a whole underground you’d never discover through media,” Pouya said. “I was part of bands in Iran. But I wanted more musical knowledge so I came to the U.S.. The image of Iran is very misleading. It only shows the ugly side of the country. Iran has its traditional music, but also modern pop and jazz fusion. There’s also a huge hip-hop scene.”

Would Indigo Dreamers ever get a chance to play his home country? Pouya said he’d love to but also mentions, “Women are not supposed to sing around me. We couldn’t play the same way we do now here.” But he ends on a hopeful note, “The restric tive laws are getting looser every day. They’re doing things we couldn’t imagine 15 years ago,” he said.

In the meantime, there are a few exciting things on the way. They have an EP of original songs in the works, and they are recording an album of covers reminiscent of a live album. “Our music, creativity and relationship are entwined together and there is something so special about doing what you love with the person you love,” said Jamie.

GirlfriendMaterial

PHOTOS: JAKOB TAKOS

BRYAN SMITH, TOM COUGHTER, MIKE MCCLEARY

NOT YOUR AVERAGE COVER BAND

BY DARIEN DAVIES

Two dudes, one goal: Fun. If you’ve ever seen Girlfriend Material play—most likely at a waterfront bar with a lovely breeze and delicious cocktails—you’ll agree. It’s just something about the energy that they put not only into their instruments and the mic, but also the crowd. Everyone finds themselves singing, clapping, dancing and repeating with each and every gloriously fun and funky cover song. Because why not? Like the saying goes, we’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a (damn) good time.

“We play to the room and we can generally win over every crowd. We never write set lists so we read the crowd and go off the room,” said Mike McCleary, who has been with the ever-evolving band since it’s inception. “We play everything from The Beatles to TLC to a lot of old classics like Bowie, then we might go into NWA. We don’t limit to any genre and we keep it fun and dance-y, with a little bit of jamming but always pretty accessible to the crowd.”

The Girlfriend Material that you know now has been in the works for about 15 years. At the helm of the band buzz was and is Bryan Smith, a self-proclaimed entertainment and music addict.

In 2000, he and Mike, who both went to Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts for music, started Gimp, a high school band that played original songs. From there, as one would imagine, the group went their separate ways, with Bryan heading to Dela ware and then Albany. So, when he came back to Florida around 2008, it just made sense to start yet another band, this time called Ladies & Gentlemen. Some of the original bandmates moved on to other high-profile musical ventures, so the original leading duo decided to keep doing what they do best, which is evolve and jam, this time as a cover band.

In a Parks and Recreation/Mouse Rat-esque vibe, they kept changing their band name about every two weeks, thinking it was the funniest thing. “People would hire us knowing it was us, but people were annoyed because they could never find us,” Mike said. “Then we were talking and I said that I needed to meet a nice girl and settle down. That I wanted to find a girl who’s girl friend material. Bryan said, ‘That’s our band name now!’ I said, ‘Man, you can’t keep doing this,’ but we decided that was it and it stuck.”

That was the beginning of Girlfriend Material, way back in 2010. Since then, they’ve not only graced about every bar that you can imagine, but they’ve also added on another bandmate, Tom Coughter. Now, you’ll find Bryan on guitar and vocals, Mike on drums, singing harmony and trombone, and Tom on bass. But through it all, it’s always been about bringing the fun, and mak ing the band more like a business and less like work.

“The best part about being in the band is having a job that doesn’t feel like work! I get paid to entertain people,” said Bryan, who said he’s never had a real job but whose past jobs included working with 103.1 The Buzz and MTV’s Ridiculousness. “Wheth er it be music or radio or comedy, I loved working on a TV set. Anything in entertainment and music as a whole. If I can provide a distraction from people’s shitty or great lives, that’s awesome. I just like making people have fun.”

Which is exactly what you’ll get at each and every one of their shows. The trio works hard to keep their gigs unpredictable,

meaning that they never have a set list and always rely on read ing the room to figure out the covers they’ll play, which include everything from Zeppelin to Outkast.

“With the exception of a couple of songs, we pick obscure songs that we still know that the crowd will recognize but they’re still fun. We put our own spin on it,” said Mike. “Bryan has more energy than anyone I’ve ever met. He’s very much an entertainer and people love watching him on stage. If you’re not having a good time, he’ll find you and get you out of your seat. The overall objective is to have fun.”

They realize that what you get out is what you put in, so they’re going all in and keeping the crowd on their tapping toes. They might be a cover band, but their band is completely original, and the crowd is loving it.

“Bryan has more energy than anyone I’ve ever met. He’s very much an entertainer and people love watching him on stage. If you’re not having a good time, he’ll find you and get you out of your seat.”

“The overall objective is to have fun.”

Beats and Bites Easy Eats to Enjoy During a Show

BY ATLANTIC CURRENT STAFF

Whether you’re an audience member at a show or part of the next act, you’re bound to need a snack. Music may feed our souls, but not our stomachs. We’ve picked a few of our favorite spots to jam out and chow down along with a standout dish from each. Some are local favorites, while others are new menu additions. But all are delicious and easy to eat during a show. So read ahead and maybe we’ll see you there. Let’s just try and avoid eye contact while we’re eating. That would be weird.

Crazy Uncle Mike’s

The Bacon Croquettes

At Crazy Uncle Mike’s you can expect a mix of brews, bites, and beats both their words and ours. What started as a brewery, restaurant and bar quickly became a go-to spot for live music. You’ll find everyone from The Resolvers (Dec. 10th) to The Flyers (Nov. 4 and 17, and Dec. 2 and 15) on their stage, making it easy to make a full night at Crazy Uncle Mike’s. Even if you had a bite before going, it’s likely you’re going to want something else to munch on after the first couple house made brews. Enter The Bacon Croquettes, a menu item since day one and for good reason. Dunk their crispy exterior into their maple aioli dipping sauce and you might be tapping the table for something besides the music.

6450 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton, FL 33487

@crazyunclemikes

Guanabanas

Mexican Street Corn Flatbread

At Guanabanas, it’s always island time. The open-air bar and din ing space are complete with a canopy of palms, stone pathways and waterfront seating. This outdoor oasis is a restaurant first but takes great pride in their live music program and full stage. Sure there are longtime staples like their empanadas that are easy to enjoy during a show, but we recommend pairing the trop ical vibes and tunes with the Mexican Street Corn Flatbread. This shareable handheld is topped with refried beans, roasted corn, queso blanco, cilantro, spicy mayo and fire crunchies. It really is like street corn in flatbread form. Grab one or two for the table during Joey Calderaio’s album release party show (Nov. 25) or the Waist to Chest Christmas Special (Dec. 9).

960 N Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL 33477

@guanabanasrestaurant

Maxi’s Lineup

Tuna & Basil Roll

What started as a live music offshoot of Little Moir’s Food Shack is now part bar and restaurant by day and music venue by night (Wednesday through Saturday). And with that comes their killer menu during live shows. Once you enter through one of the stick er-covered doors and find a table, your senses will probably be overwhelmed in more ways than one. Sure there are full meals that everyone raves about like the Sweet Potato Crusted Fish, but you’re here for the music and want something quick and easy to eat. That’s where their equally famous appetizer comes into the picture the Tuna & Basil Roll. It’s really just one of the best tasting things, especially considering how simply prepared it is. Fresh tuna and a basil leaf rolled into an egg roll, fried and sliced with a little sweet chili and teriyaki on top. Whether you’re into wasabi or not, you’re going to want to take a solid dip into the wasabi cream dipping sauce. This app will pair nicely with Spred The Dub (Dec. 10) or The Helmsmen Reunion Show (Dec. 23).

103 S. U.S. Hwy 1 Ste. D3, Jupiter, FL 33477

@leftoverscafe

Northwood Art & Music

PHOTOS: DUSTIN WRIGHT

An eclectic venue for multimedia pursuits

BY DAVID ROLLAND

Like it did for so many of us, the pandemic forced Joe DeStephan to pivot. For close to a decade he owned a warehouse in the Northwood district of West Palm Beach. When COVID shut every thing down, Joe’s tenants decided not to renew their leases. He all of sudden had a whole lot of space with no idea what to do with it.

First, he figured he could store his vintage International Harvest er Truck collection. Then an artist asked if he could also store some of his art in the warehouse and a light bulb went over Joe’s head like in one of those old comic strips. “I looked around the area and it reminded me of what Wynwood was 15 years ago,” said Joe, founder of Northwood Art & Music. “Northwood is an industrial area, but it has a certain charm to it. This could be the early stage of something special and this space is perfect for artists. I could use this building as a place for the community to get together, have some beers, and create.”

And so in 2021, with the building’s high ceilings and expansive 3,200 square footage he thought it would be a good spot to have some social gatherings because it was spacious enough to still allow for social distancing. “I started having a few private parties with friends. I’d go to Total Wine and buy a couple kegs and we’d have some live music,” Joe said. “And we started having some painters and sculptors showing their work. It started getting bigger and I was like, I better make this legit.”

In February 2022, he received a beer and wine license and North wood Art & Music was open for business. The space has up to 25 differing artists displaying their work in various bays for sale at any given time. The artists also enjoy adding to the establish ment’s decor. “One artist used kite surf material to make a cool pirate ship that lights up at night. It’s really great, but it might not be there in a few months. I want the place to be constantly evolving,” Joe said.

The beer, wine, and coffee menu he says is also shifting toward providing the best quality beverages. “My background is Italian, so I like to bring the roots of my ancestors with great Italian wines and coffees,” said Joe, who wants the beers to be more of a local variety. “I want to serve craft beer that’s only from Florida. We have 20 different beers from all around Florida, including IPAs, porters, lagers, brown ales and sours.”

The music element is also of utmost importance to Northwood Art & Music. They currently have four nights of music a week, though Joe is eager to build it up to seven nights. Monday nights is a jazz night led by guitarist Neil Bacher. “Neil is a local jazz

teacher. He has his quartet and every week he brings in his most talented students to come in and play as well,” Joe said. “He’s got something like 1,500 songs that he knows how to play.”

The venue also tries to bring in as many great blues musicians as it can round up. The November calendar is already packed with the Groove Merchant Band playing Friday, November 11, and the harmonica specialist Rockin’ Jake Band coming Saturday, November 12, among others. But stretching beyond music, they had their first stand-up comedy night in early October led by Jesse Cohen, which brought enough laughs that Joe hopes it can be a semi-regular event.

Joe says it’s useless for him to speculate what the future of North wood Art & Music could be. “I don’t know what this will be, but I do know the place will tell me,” he said. “Northwood has a crazy energy that everyone feels right when they walk in.”

SHADE TREE STUDIO

A BOYNTON BEACH GIVING TREE

BY AVA BOURBEAU

In high school Michael McCleary of Girlfriend Material and Surfer Blood had a makeshift recording studio in his bedroom. His first recordings were on an old Dell using extremely hightech equipment the plastic stick microphone that came with the computer. He went to school for music but learned sound en gineering on his own through research, friends and experience. One of his friends, Surfer Blood’s drummer, Tyler Schwarz, over lapped the first recordings tape by tape. “It sounded horrible,” said Mike. They’ve obviously come a long way.

In 2009, his bedroom hobby became a reality. Ladies & Gentle men, the band that later went on to form Girlfriend Material, was started. They played local shows like SunFest and Buzz Bake Sale.

When the time came that they needed a place to record, Mike had accumulated quite a bit of equipment. He bit the bullet and got a communal space to record. With the help of his friend Joe Butera, who is a sound engineer, they got to setting up the origi nal Shade Tree Studio.

The original studio was in East Boynton Beach. As one of the only affordable studios around at the time, Shade Tree attracted a ton of up-and-coming talent. This includes well-known locals like Spred the Dub, Roots Shakedown, and Girlfriend Material and Surfer Blood, of course. “It’s always been a space for people and kids to go and rehearse and record and do their thing,” Mike said.

Like with many small businesses, the pandemic created com plications. Closing the doors at Shade Tree became a very real possibility. The lease was getting too expensive, with not enough money coming in. But, Mike’s perspective changed when a space opened up in the Boynton Beach Art District.

PHOTOS: DUSTIN WRIGHT

His bands rallied behind him, he got approved for a grant from the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, and he was able to sign a three-year lease. The icing on the cake? He also got the news that he was going to be a dad. Instead of being forced to close, his business and his family were expanding.

Mike said that it was all possible because the bands “were there every day helping in any way possible and shared the same vision and excitement expanding and moving forward.”

He continued, “It was overwhelming to see how much love and support I received during this time, and it made me realize it was a community that I helped build…. it was bigger than I could have ever imagined.”

The new space was twice the size and built out completely by Mike and his father. They have analog vintage equipment and even an amp repair guy which is appealing to gigging bands.

Most of these renovations were possible because of the Boynton

CRA. He said, “The grants were monumental in getting the space to where it is at today and for that I’m forever grateful to my city.”

Bands like Heavy Pets and The Dreambows have recorded music at Shade Tree. Mike engineered a few songs for the former and one went on to be the most played on their album with almost a million streams. American Sigh, a band who’s been on SunFest’s lineup, also recorded their album ‘Honor System.

A shade tree describes someone who develops a skill without formal training. Mike’s father, a retired Delray firefighter, used to describe himself as a shade tree mechanic, or a shade tree carpenter. Mike is a shade tree recording studio. His training was built from passion and community.

Moving forward, Mike wants to continue to foster growth in the local music scene. “Whether it be rehearsal or recording, we want you to feel at home when you walk through those doors and encourage people to take risks and experiment, really explore the space and all it has to offer,” he said.

Album Reviews

REVIEWED BY OTHER LOCAL MUSICIANS

Guavatron

Momentous

Reviewed by Joey Calderaio

After nearly a decade of sharing their smooth jams with the southeast, Guavatron has released their debut album “Momen tous” which dropped on April 28 of this year. The unique sound can be credited to the band’s wide ranging musical interests from dance and electronica to rock and funk. A few weeks before the debut, Guavatron released “Disco Shades” as a single, which is the first track off “Momentous.” Though the album is only com posed of 10 tracks, its full length sits at an hour and 5 minutes long, providing the listener with an all-immersive experience that will make them feel like they’re rocking out in space. A few songs from the album that stood out include “Turtle Dream” and “Ray Gun”, which were all out jams filled with guitar and keyboard harmonies. Throughout listening to the record, elements of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” came to mind. Based in West Palm Beach, Fla., Guava tron continues to woo audiences all throughout the area and up the east coast. “Momentous” surely does not disappoint and is a reflection of this band’s incredible talent and musicianship. Gua vatron continues to develop and shape overtime and “Momen tous” is truly a testament to their proficiency that will continue to unfold across eons.

guavatron.com @guavatron

Artikal Sound System

Welcome to Florida

Reviewed by Adonis of Guavatron

I know most of the members in the band and am excited to listen to their album for the first time. I worked for the guitarist Chris at his music school. He always gave me great advice and support. They are all good people, and that helps the music! That alone pushes the music to a higher place. To me, the intro track “Stayed” is more of like an interlude to set the tone for the rest of the album. With an edge of lo-fi neo jazz type sounds meeting a bit of the reg gae they are rooted in. Even the more reggae-heavy tracks have their own twist meeting with other touches of colors from differ ent genres. This is what I’m gathering by the fourth track “When I Wanna.” I really enjoy the mix and master. Everything blends together cohesively considering the combination of very different genres. I’m really diggin’ this track called “You’re Not There.” One of my favorite types of reggae sub genres is dub. This track feels like roots reggae with touches of dub, so it’s totally up my alley. Maybe what I could compare it to is a higher sound quality/more polished version of something Scientist, a reggae/dub sound engi neer, would mix. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this record for the first time. Artikal did a good job all around!

artikalsoundsystem.com @artikalsoundsystem

Joey Calderaio

Chasing Constellations

Reviewed by Logan of Artikal Sound System “Chasing Constellations” pretty much immediately won me over when I heard Alan Watts’ voice come in on the intro. Calderaio hits on heavy topics like greed and the search for meaning in life and Watt’s words set a great tone for the songs that follow. My favorite is probably “Wave of Life” because Joey and Howi’s voices play so well together, although “Paradise” is also a contender since it fea tures a local favorite of ours and another rising star, Sierra Lane. Joey has really crafted a consistent sound for himself. Listening to this album one word keeps coming to mind: “thoughtful.” You can just tell how much care was put into every part of it. Every thing feels very carefully planned, very consciously considered. The album and the themes it touches on are cohesive. Nothing is out of place, and it speaks to how much Joey must love doing this. Honestly, even just when I opened the Dropbox link for the album (before it was released) I clicked around a bit and thought, “I re ally need to be more organized.” Getting to know Joey through his lyrics paints him as an introspective and optimistic fella, which, in my limited interactions with him, seems to be accurate. This album made me excited for him and for people to hear the fruits of his hard work. Proud to say this guy is from our very own South Florida and so happy to see our scene growing with artists like him.

joeycalderaio.com @joeycalderaio