North Jersey hard rockers Reality Suite have expanded upon their 2018 self-released “Awaken” EP with the 12-track LP “Awaken (Deluxe),” their debut for the Denmark label Lions Pride Music.PHOTO BY DAVID NARDIELLO
For 10 years, childhood friends Brian King (drums), Antonio Valenti (bass) and Joe Padula (guitars) have been slugging it out in the local music scene as the three founding members of the North Haledon-based Reality Suite. Their hard work and fierce determination have paid off. With Kimmii Heart, the melodic hard-rock band’s adored lead vocalist since 2013, Reality Suite have released their international debut for the Denmark label Lions Pride Music.
The 12-track “Awaken (Deluxe)” features four great new songs added to the heralded self-released five-song 2018 EP, “Awaken.” There are also three bonus tracks, including an unplugged version of the EP track “Grave,” as well as radio edits of two new songs.
They are the LP’s first single and video, “Kiss the Ring,” a fun but furious refusal to conform within an abusive relationship, and the likely next single, “Wrong with Me,” a self-examining survival saga of a fool in toxic love featuring great gang backing vocals.
The sassy “Kiss the Ring” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week, which can be heard four times daily at AsburyMusic.com, 6:45 p.m. on Friday and Monday on the station’s “Radio Jersey” show, and at Makin Waves’ Spotify & YouTube playlists. “Kiss the Ring” also can be enjoyed as one of the year’s best videos by a Jersey band with Kimmii stepping into the ring at Savage Boxing & Fitness in Hackensack for a fun mix of beauty and beast infectiously lensed by Alex Kouvatsos of Blackwolf Imaging.
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Co-produced with the band by hard-rock helmsman Mike Ferretti (Sevendust, Saliva) and pop/R&B producer Earl Cohen (Lady Gaga, Jessica Simpson, Pink), the LP version of “Awaken” also features the new tunes:
“Blame It on Angels,” a tale of redemption that’s as beautiful as it is exciting, especially Kimmii’s soaring vocal and Joe’s squawking guitar
“Bury Me Alive,” poppy hard rock along the lines of Bon Jovi and Def Leppard but with better vocals and a particularly strong drum performance by Brian, all of which has been captured in the band’s latest fun video.
Their first full-length since the internationally acclaimed 2015 self-produced effort, “Skinn,” Reality Suite’s latest collection of power chords and power vocals also features the “Awaken” EP tracks:
“Live Now Forever,” a Randy Rhodes-like guitar scorcher balanced out by strong vocal harmonies.
“Cut, Burn, Bruise,” a spirited salute to Brian’s late mother within a tug-of-war of love
“Dead to Me,” a rockin’ stomp in which Kimmii takes on the role of Mafia Princess, while another fun gang backing vocal adds to the punch to the vengeful tale
“Lust,” one of the strongest vocal turns on a tune about obsession.
Throughout the album, I like the way Kimmii’s vox goes from angelically sweet to witchy snarl within a verse; Joe’s guitars solos soar and explode, and the machine-gun rhythms of Antonio and Brian make it sound as if there’s a double-bass drum on some tracks. Check it out live when Reality Suite open for L.A. ’80s rockers RATT on July 13 at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pa. They’ll also play Aug. 24 at The Chubby Pickle in Highlands; Aug. 30, Crossroads, Garwood with Centennials and Circle of Grief, and Oct. 11, Revolution Music Hall in Long Island.
"I'm excited, I love traveling and singing. I don't really tour for any particular reason; except for the pandemic I've never stopped since 1968," began music legend Don McLean as he talked about his career, folk music, "The SONG," and his upcoming May 4 show at Monmouth University's Pollak Theatre. "I just like rambling and singing and going and having a certain rhythm to my life where I'm home for a while and then I go to some place that maybe I've been to before or maybe never was before; when I would do foreign tours in places like Australia, England or Europe, that would often be behind an album and that would be called the "Prime Time" tour or the "American Pie" tour, the "Headroom" tour or whatever it was depending on the album because you'd be on a bus for a month and do 25 to 27 shows and that was intense and I've done many, many of those. I've decided to stop doing that sort of thing and what I'm doing now and will continue to do is the occasional one or two nights and then some time off. I'll go overseas for one or two shows; I'm going over to England to perform at a festival in August and I'll stay at a nice hotel with my girlfriend and we're gonna visit nice restaurants and do some sightseeing and that's what I'm gonna do from now on. Anybody else would say, "You are still working" but to me that's semi-retirement."
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons – The Last Encores on Friday, September 27, 2024 at 8:00pm. The original Jersey boy himself, Frankie Valli is a true American legend. His incredible career with the Four Seasons, as well as his solo success, has spawned countless hit singles. With unforgettable tunes like "Sherry," "Walk Like A Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," "December '63 - Oh What A Night," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," and of course, "Grease."
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- Fresh off the heels of announcing their first album in 15 years, Happiness Bastards, legendary rock band The Black Crowes has announced their 2024 headline tour – set to hit 35 cities in North America and Europe this Spring in support of their forthcoming studio album. Locally the tour comes to Radio City Music Hall in NYC on April 27; Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on May 4; and The Met in Philadelphia on May 7, 2024.
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