EYESWAN—Stanhope, NJ
My buddy, the lovely and talented, Lindsay Klein-Hrynio, recently spotlighted a band on her “Homegrown Spotlight” show on WDHA from Stanhope, NJ, who call themselves Eyeswan. I loved the song that I heard on her show, but I couldn’t remember the name for the life of me, and I wanted to hear more. I came across the band’s Bandcamp page, Eyeswan.Bandcamp.com, where I got to hear songs like, “Hope Like Opium,” the title track “Manipulations,” “Steve Caballero” and “Pink Mist.” Then, I also noticed that my brother, Brett Aveni from Intuition, The Substance and Getaway Car and his partner, Chris Pennie from Coheed and Cambria and The Dillinger Escape Plan, mixed and mastered Eyeswan’s, Manipulations. This whole thing was getting very incestuous. I’ve known Brett since I was in college, but then I heard that Lindsay Klein has known Eyeswan drummer, Brian Leahy, since childhood. See what happened there? Anyway, these guys are so awesome! Their music is original. Singer, Warren Swan’s voice is magical. I really liked what I heard. It was almost like Radiohead meets, well, Coheed!
According to their bio, Eyeswan formed in 2008 as an outlet for singer and songwriter Warren Swan after years of playing with much heavier bands, like Unsound and We’re All Broken. What was meant to be a solo project quickly became a full band. Swan said in an interview with WDHA’s Lindsay Klein, “In the beginning, it was just me and a drum machine.” Swan praises all of the musicians that have come and gone through the years because he felt that he could have never have gotten the band to what they are today all on his own. Eyeswan has released five records including their latest CD, Manipulations, which came out in May 2016. The band boasts a wide array of influences from punk, folk, hardcore, synth pop, grunge, and garage rock with hints of all these genres trickled into their music. Joining Swan in this power trio are drummer Brian Leahy and bassist, Guy Neighmond. After hearing what I heard, it didn’t sound like three guys creating that kind of music.
Eyeswan is currently writing some new music now with hopes to release a new CD in the Spring of 2018. If I was them, I would have the Fight Mannequins team of Brett and Chris mix and master again because Manipulations is a masterpiece. It might be one of the best CDs I’ve heard in 2017 from a local band. Catch Eyeswan live at Krogh’s in Sparta, NJ on Nov. 25 or check them out online at Facebook.com/EyeswanMusic. Trust me, you won’t be let down! Thank God I was listening to “Homegrown Spotlight” on WDHA that night! And thank you, Lindsay Klein!
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My boys from Stagger recently released a brand new single and music video for their song, “Sprinkles Are For Winners,” which is currently not on any CD. The band just wanted to release this song as a single, and this is a song that hits you hard where it hurts. It also shows you that the guys from Stagger are not to be trusted if you pass out at a party! For more info on Stagger, visit Facebook.com/StaggerOfficial.
Speaking of new music videos, my bro Danny Roselle and his band The Mylars, released a new music video for their song, “Forever Done.” It’s off of their brand new CD, Melody Records, named after a local record store in Union where Danny met bass player, Quig. The CD features some great alt rock tracks like “Betty, Buddy, and Me,” “12 Minutes,” “Home to You,” my favorite track, “Breathe Again” and the single “Forever Done.” This is an uplifting, feel-good CD with some cool harmonies, and at times, reminds me of the Goo Goo Dolls. For more on The Mylars or to get your copy of Melody Records, visit TheMylars.com.
And finally, my new buds in the band Everything Falls have a chance to play the Viper Room in L.A. Yes, that’s the place where River Phoenix died. Who’s River Phoenix? Ask your parents! Anyway, Everything Falls is part of a competition called Next2Rock, where the nation’s Top 5 bands will get a chance to perform at the iconic Sunset Strip venue on Dec. 12. However, Everything Falls needs your vote to get there! For more info on Everything Falls, visit EverythingFallsBand.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember…We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
11/2—Whiskey Dick/Sekond Skyn/Flatleaver—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
11/2—Broken Angels—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/2—Killcode/Dee Snider—The Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ
11/3—Killcode/Dee Snider—The Paramount, Huntington, NY
11/3—Symetria/Sampere—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/4—Last In Line/Black Water Rising/Borgo Pass/Share The Burden—Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall, Wantagh, NY
11/4—Triple Goddess/Black Dawn/Ripped/Zoso—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
11/4—Don Jamieson/Dark After Dawn/Obsidion/Spider Rockets/Dusk—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/4—Killcode/Dee Snider—The Chance, Poughkeepsie, NY
11/4—Red Hymns EP Release Show/Hunter Alive/Another Distraction/Pralaya/Delta Falling—The Clash Bar, Clifton, NJ
11/8—Jersey Campfires Production Presents Anthems For Autumn/Blackout Paul—Debonair Music Hall (formerly Mexicali Live), Teaneck, NJ
11/9—Listener/Levi The Poet/Comrades/Everett/Slojam/Shutter—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/10—Punky Meadows of Angel—Debonair Music Hall (formerly Mexicali Live), Teaneck, NJ
11/10—Ryder/Regalia/Kevin Begorrah Corrigan (Acoustic Set)/Embrace Agony/ElefantKiller/St. Bastard—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/11—Blud Red Roses/Fragile Sky/Lunatic Fringe/The Carnival of Shadows/City In The Clouds/Natural Born Losers/Broken Angels/Immoral Support—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/11—One Hundred Thousand/Chevonne and The Fuzz/Owl Kill/One Time Mountain—Maxwell’s Tavern, Hoboken, NJ
11/12—Angel Vivaldi/Scale The Summit/Andy James/Divinex/Etheria—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/16—Vista/Strive/From The Concrete/Latewaves—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/17—Brookfield EP Release Show/Casual Friday/The Breakout Year/Casanovacaine/When Thieves Are About/Cult Classic—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/18—Borgo Pass/Exist Among/Eternal Black/Leeds Point—Mr. Beerys, Bethpage, NY
11/18—Metal Mike/Lyken21/Orbynot/Fiakra—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/19—Traitors/Sabella/Planetary Alignment/Comb The Desert/Circadian Lapse/Stronger Than Death—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/22—Circuitry/Paralysis/Deer Hollow/Funghoul—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/25—Eyeswan—Krogh’s, Sparta, NJ
11/29—Sun and Flesh/One Hundred Thousand/Swanky Tiger—Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
11/30—The Penthouse/Tura Lura/Economy Flights—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
