NYC Scene Report – Fire Alarm, Crying, & more

This week's NYC Scene Report features the club ready reggae of Fire Alarm, some indie pop/rock from Crying, singer-songwriter Jaymay giving us a little bit of “Lovin’,” and a hypnotic tune from Dirty Dishes.

* When you combine the talents of NYC club scene veteran Proper Villains, and the reggae stylings of NYC's Metric Man, you get Fire Alarm, a dynamic duo that brings together the best of both of their respective musical worlds to create something you can't help but move to.

Fire Alarm's latest is "Inna Dat With Dem," and it features a sample from the Suzanne Vega classic, "Tom's Diner." "Inna Dat With Dem" is off of Fire Alarm's self-titled debut EP, which was released last month, and you can check out the video for it right here.


* NY-based indie pop/rock band Crying may be inappropriately named, as there’s a pretty good chance they’ll have you cheering. Although they say they'd describe their upcoming debut LP, Beyond the Fleeting Gales, as "probably not cool" to those unfamiliar with them, their latest single, "Wool in the Wash," is downright delightful.

There's an anime, and video game, influence to Crying's music, as evidenced by the section of "Wool in the Wash" about 2:40 in, when the band harnesses a vibe that sounds like it's perfect for an anime movie, or a classic video game.

Beyond the Fleeting Gales will be released on October 14th (the day before my birthday. Coincidence? Probably, since I don't actually know Crying personally. Man, if you don't know I'm talking about a band, that last sentence makes me sound like quite the tough guy). Crying will also be on tour from September 24th through November 3rd. Before you catch them on the road, check out "Wool in the Wash" right here.


* Singer-songwriter Jaymay hasn't has the easiest decade, but, for those who are lucky, life, and loss, can bring about inspiration. This seems to be the case for Jaymay, who just released her latest album, To Tell The Truth.

To Tell The Truth is an introspective effort from the singer-songwriter, whose life has included being hospitalized due to Crohn's Disease, and experiencing the tragic loss of her sister.

One listen to the single "I Was Only Lovin' You," will show listeners that Jaymay has not only triumphed over tragedy, she's made something beautiful out of it. Give it a spin. Her voice has a classic feel to it that could easily cross generations.


* Prepare to be hypnotized by Dirty Dishes. No, this isn't a commentary on what may, or may not, be in your sink (but if your sink is full of dirty dishes, handle that sh*t. Seriously), I’m talking about Brooklyn-based band Dirty Dishes’ new single, "Lackluster."

Moving at a slow pace over the course of the majority of the song's nearly six and a half minutes, “Lackluster” draws you in, and has an almost mind-altering effect, before crashing into a wall of noise for the final 40 seconds. The video, which was directed by producer Bradford Kreiger (Soft Fangs, Horse Jumper of Love), builds on the vibe of the song with live shots of Dirty Dishes' Jenny Tuite interspersed with colorful video collages.

"Lackluster" is off of Dirty Dishes' debut album, Guilty, which was released in January of 2015. How's THAT for a nice lifespan for an album!


For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.