NYC Scene Report – Jessie Wagner, Car Astor, & Body Language

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Jessie Wagner with a joyful tune, Car Astor with a gorgeous cover, and Body Language getting remixed by J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science.

* Spring is in full effect, and column favorite Jessie Wagner has a perfect soundtrack for the season with her soulful, joyous single “Passin Me By.”

All about finding silver linings, one can’t help but feel good as Wagner sings, “And though the times get rough / I know that they'll be passing me by.” The colorful, fan-inclusive video for the song provides even more good vibes.

“Passin Me By” is off Wagner’s debut album, Shoes Droppin, which was released last year via Wicked Cool Records. Take my advice – don’t pass this one by!

* Car Astor surprised listeners with a new single last month, a beautiful cover of the song “Sarah.”

In a statement, she discussed the inspiration for the cover, and the arrangement she put together for it, saying, “My label is releasing a series of covers, and asked me to contribute, so I took this song ‘Sarah’ from the 1970’s band America, and totally twisted it into a new song that fit the musical vibe I've been feeling recently.”

Recorded and produced back in December in her apartment studio with her girlfriend, Astor adds, “The song ended up having a really uplifting feeling, which was so needed because I’ve definitely been feeling really trapped in my apartment, and maybe more depressed than usual given everything going on in the world + the fact that it’s too cold to walk outside (BLAHHH).”

Click play, and feel the warmth of Astor’s gorgeous cover of “Sarah.”

* If you’re looking for some dance grooves, Body Language is here to make you move with J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science remix of their song “Start It Up.” 

Body Language’s Angelica Bess discussed the song in a statement, saying, “‘Start it Up’ is a song about dealing with the frustrations of the beginning of a relationship. It’s about waiting on someone to initiate the first move; the dealings of all ‘back and forth’ before we get to the love part.”

Revealing his own musical contribution, J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science said that for the remix, “I started with Angelica’s hook and decided to give the track a lo-fi house flavor with horns, drums, and cowbell.”

That’s right, he heard “Start It Up,” then he developed a fever, and the only prescription was more cowbell!

I think you’ll find he used just the right dosage.

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