NYC Scene Report – Whitehall, Fusilier, & Tomás Doncker

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Whitehall with a tour inspired tune, Fusilier releasing his Ambush, and Tomás Doncker with a soulful reminder that “Hard is Hard.”

* Whitehall have spent quite a bit of time on the road, and that’s the inspiration for their recently released single, “Malibu #2.”

Written during their time touring the West Coast, the band’s Brennan Clark explained the song in a statement, saying, “It’s about touring, and a life of travel, but using it as an escape from my problems. You get out, but your issues are still there. When you come home, everyone has gotten better as people, but you’re still emotionally stunted. So you end up frustrated. It has the right energy to introduce this chapter.”

The chapter in question being the indie rock band’s upcoming album, which they’re currently working on, and plan on releasing later this year.

Before that, Whitehall will be hitting the road again for a tour that will run from April 16th through May 3rd … but there aren’t any West Coast dates this time around, so we shouldn't expect a Malibu #3 anytime soon. That’s alright, though, “Malibu #2” is an absolute winner.

* Fusilier released his standout LP, Ambush, last week, and it’s one of my favorite albums of the year so far. The most recent single from the album is “NSA,” which he jokes was released because people kept asking about it after seeing him perform the song live.

“This one’s a single because YOU ALL asked for it,” he wrote on social media, “Coming up to me after every show talking ‘bout some damn ‘cuckoo song,’ If you were gagging over the live version check out this badass band I was able to put together for the recording! Thank you all!”

Badass is a perfect description of the song, as “NSA” is a killer mixture of soul, rock, and pop, and a prime example of why everyone should give Ambush a spin.

For more on Fusilier, and his music, check out our interview from earlier this year.

* Soulful, funky, and supremely cool, “Hard is Hard” is the latest single from Tomás Doncker, and the title is apropos, as it goes hard.

Discussing the inspiration for the song in a statement, Doncker said, “We are living in a pivotal time in history. Things are tough for everyone, everywhere. Someone once asked me, ‘What’s the difference between being The Champ, and being a contender?’ I had no idea. The answer was, ‘The Champion has the strength of character to get up off the canvas one more time.’ Probably the most difficult thing to do. Hard is Hard. Stay strong, keep gettin’ up. One. More. Time!”

We all have times when we need a bit of inspiration to get back up off the mat, and “Hard is Hard” provides exactly that. It’s theme music for folks who refuse to give up.

This is the type of song you wish you could have playing behind you as you walk down the street, a la I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. Give it a spin, and show life what ya got!

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