NYC Scene Report – Sammy Rae & The Friends, S. Raekwon, & Power Trash

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Sammy Rae & The Friends hittin’ the road, S. Raekwon inducing smiles, and Power Trash with something radical.

* Brooklyn-based ensemble Sammy Rae & The Friends are about to hit the road for a U.S. tour that begins October 1st, and runs all the way through November 17th (hey, they’ll be home in time for Thanksgiving!). Before packing their bags, however, they released a video for their song “If It All Goes South.”

Discussing “If It All Goes South” in a statement, Sammy Rae called it, “A dreamy, lovestruck song about keeping the pressure out of a relationship, and enjoying every moment together.”

She continued, adding it’s, “Imagined as the end tract to the magic of the first few dates, but grounded in the maturity that it may not last forever. Featuring a classical string quartet, bass clarinet, and flute, this heartfelt tune is a look at young love – or any new love – both with, and without rose colored glasses.”

Fun, theatrical, and guaranteed to get you moving, “If It All Goes South” is a great song, with a ridiculously sweet video featuring Sammy Rae in a silent narrator role for an older couple’s ups and downs as they embark on new love. Check it out, it just might make your day.

FYI – I have a fantastic interview with Sammy Rae going up next week, so keep an eye out for it!

* Another local artist who’s about to hit the road is NYC-based producer/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist S. Raekwon, who just released a new four-song EP titled I Like It When You Smile, via Father/Daughter Records.

The latest single off I Like It When You Smile is the wonderfully uplifting “Tall.” A gorgeous indie-pop shot of positivity, and expression of love, S. Raekwon opens “Tall” with the lyric “I wanna make you feel good / I wanna see you smile.”

S. Raekwon plans on making listeners feel good, and smile when he’s out on tour with Alex Dupree, and Annie Blackman from September 24th through October 7th. Until then, check out the video for “Tall,” which was shot at Coney Island, and has some very cool retro vibes.

* Readers of this column already know that Queens-based punk rock outfit Power Trash has become one of my favorite live bands in the city’s indie music scene. If you see them on a bill, you should absolutely go to the show.

The most recent time I saw them they had a new song in their set titled “They Only Live to Get Radical,” and now it’s available for everyone to hear.

A kick ass rock song that features vocalist Pierce Lightning at his theatrical best, “They Only Live to Get Radical” is a perfect introduction to Power Trash. Click play, and get ready to have a new favorite band.

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