North Jersey Notes: Brian Mackey, With Daggers Drawn, Darrow Chemical Company and More!

BRIAN MACKEY—New York City

I got a package in the mail back in August promoting a NYC singer/songwriter named Brian Mackey. I finally got a chance to listen to Brian’s recent Honest Love EP. The six-song masterpiece features the title track, “Sun Shower” and “Color Blue,” which were definitely much lighter than I expected and am used to listening to. I have to admit, though, that I enjoyed listening to these tracks.

Brian Mackey, originally from the North Florida/Georgia region, has found a new home in New York City. It was Brian’s relocation that gave him much of his recent songwriting inspiration. Musically, he has nothing but an eclectic mix of acoustic and synthesizer-driven indie rock, which is pretty soothing to listen to.

Big things have been happening for Brian Mackey lately. He was recently featured on the Songs Of Love For Japan compilation CD, which also included songs by Sarah Barielles, Ani DiFranco and Tori Amos. His song “Color Blue” was featured in the indie flick Fake and the new feature film Fathoms Deep. His “Honest Love” music video was released in March with a video for “Sun Shower” to be released sometime this month. Brian is currently in the studio working on his next CD, which should be out just in time for the holidays. If you’d like to give Brian Mackey a listen, log onto reverbnation.com/brianmackey.

 

NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:

The boys from With Daggers Drawn recently made their new full-length CD, Heart Of The Universe, available for free download on withdaggersdrawn.bandcamp.com. Yes, FREE! Apparently, this is the band’s way of saying thank you to their fans for being so patient while they took their time recording this CD. Physical copies of Heart Of The Universe will also be available at their shows, and digitally for purchase via iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, etc. while supplies last! Keep your eyes peeled on facebook.com/withdaggersdrawn for all of your With Daggers Drawn news.

I recently received a copy of the debut EP from the band Darrow Chemical Company called A Nightmare On Seventh Avenue, and it’s pretty damn good! Old school punk fans will love this EP! For those of you scratching your heads, Darrow Chemical Company is an all-star band featuring members of Gotham Road, Michael Graves and Mister Monster with my bro J.V. Bastard from Doomsday Prophecy fronting the band. The EP’s title track, “Anything You Want” and “Full Moon Rising” were songs that really caught my attention from the beginning. You can learn more about Darrow Chemical Company on reverbnation.com/DarrowChemicalCompany.

And finally, my bro John Mosco from Sixty Miles Down, recently emailed me a brand new Sixty Miles Down song called “Light Up Ahead.” This was the last song that they worked on with the late LowBuz guitarist and producer Mike Koenig, making this song a pretty sentimental piece. “Light Up Ahead” is definitely not a song that I would’ve expected to hear from the Sixty Miles Down crew, but it’s amazing and probably the best that I’ve heard Mosco’s voice yet. Keep updated with all of your Sixty Miles Down news on 60md.com.

That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!

Just remember: We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!

Tim Louie is the author of S**t Happens.

NJN Concert Calendar:

11/3—Will Killmore/Betrayus—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

11/3—Don Ryan—The Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NY

11/3—Darrow Chemical Company—Club Europa, Brooklyn, NY

11/4—Audio Insight/Scale The Summit—Architekt Music, Butler, NJ

11/4—Deathrash/Generation Kill/Hostile Rage—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

11/5—Long Gone Day—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

11/5—PUi/Killcode/Anaka/P.T. Grimm/Bound By Substance/Viza—Irving Plaza, NYC

11/5—Sebastian Bach/Natasha Komis/Knucklebone/Sykohed—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ

11/5—L.A. Guns/20 Shades/Metalfier—Rebel, NYC

11/5—Sundown Conspiracy/Seas of Wake—The Pavillion Lounge, Budd Lake, NJ

11/10—Sebastian Bach/ Cashmier—Irving Plaza, NYC

11/11—Dead Fish Handshake—The Crossroads, Garwood, NJ

11/11—Venus Vegas/Hope Kills Fear—Connolly’s Klub 45, NYC

11/12—Borgo Pass—McBeery’s, Bethpage, NY

11/12—Banding Together Benefit—Buddie’s Tavern, Parlin, NJ

11/16—Mercury Morning/Kosmic Daydream—Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ

11/18—Sundown Conspiracy/Vooodoo Terror Tribe/Seas of Wake—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ

11/19—Ashes of Your Enemy—The Backstage @ Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ

11/19—Sundown Cosnpiracy—Canvas Clash, Boonton, NJ

11/20—The Zombie Mafia—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ

11/23—Mother—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA

11/23—Sundown Cosnpiracy—At Da Game, Staten Island, NY

11/27—Doomsday Prophecy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ