The Jersey Shore Sound and Carolina Beach Music: Is There A Difference? (SNS week of 6/4/2023)

 THEY SHARE the same ocean, and are just a few hundred miles apart from each other, but the sounds emanating from these locations couldn't be more different.   But are they really any different?

While Carolina beach music has made such an impact on what I've been listening to in the last couple of years (and even inspiring a new wave of soul music in general that doesn't exactly qualify for the shagging crowd), I always remind myself that I am a Jersey boy, and have spent most summers of my life "down the shore", from vacationing in Manasquan growing up, to joining friends in shore houses in Belmar, to nowadays, taking day excursions to Point Pleasant Beach and other shore communities.

Of course, back in the day, I've taken in the club scenes, which, among other things, featured many bands that essentially play cover music.   It's mostly rock in nature, but deejays at these clubs will also play party music, rock or pop, and throw in the occasional R&B classic as well, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

I've only been to the Carolina beaches a few times in my life:  Myrtle Beach in 1982, The Outer Banks in 1985 and 2010, Hilton Head Island in 2012, and Ocean Isle Beach, NC in 2019 as well as this past April there to visit friends.     While I did hit a few clubs in the 80's, I am not really familiar with the nightlife that goes on, aside, of course, from knowing where the beach music artists generally play.   I'm sure there are also rock clubs that line those communities along the Grand Strand, but perhaps, like the Jersey shore, they are cover bands.

But when it comes to comparing the two scenes, they really aren't that far apart.    While I've never heard people talk about the "Jersey Shore sound", per se, our state is rich in music coming from here.      In the 1960's and '70s, there were many a band that made their mark here.    You can, of course, start with Bruce Springsteen, who spent his formative years playing in bands like Steel Mill and Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom.   With the E Street Band, he developed a unique sound, yet derivative of rhythm and blues, and his band contained a horn section.     Bruce, of course, made it big, and while bands like Salvation, Holme and many others made a living with the similar sound, others, like Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and eventually, Bon Jovi, scored with national recognition as well.     The Wikipedia page lists five bands that have the "Jersey Shore Sound", the three mentioned above, plus Looking Glass (of their 1972 hit "Brandy" fame, which incidentally is considered beach music by that community), and current band The Gaslight Anthem, currently on the SNS 100 with "Positive Charge". 

Of course, there are many more bands than that, as with the case with many Carolina artists, have never made a major trade chart.  One that comes to mind is The Eddie Testa Band, an outfit that captures the classic Jersey Shore sound.   They are very active and play at venues like Asbury Lanes, in Asbury Park, which is sort of the North Myrtle Beach of the Jersey Shore. Bands of all genres play there as well as the nearby legendary Stone Pony.   Another band that did make it big, although hailing from Rhode Island, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band, still together, captures that sound as well.    And they have this week's Top Debut.  More on that below.

But, getting back to the Carolinas, bands like Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets, Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper, and The Tonez, while in the beach lane, have also captured the heart of that Jersey Shore sound in their music, which no doubt had to be influenced from several states up the coastline.

The problem is, however, is that my fellow Jerseyans probably don't know what "beach music" is, and would probably think it's the West Coast surf sound popularized by the likes of The Beach Boys or Dick Dale.   But they indeed know the music, but as 1950's thru 70's soul and R&B music.   There is one cover band that plays many Jersey venues that is a nod to that era:    The Sensational Soul Cruisers.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers, a Jersey-based cover band playing soul, Motown and R&B classics, are essentially a Carolina beach music, although they do not label tehmselves as such, but evoke the same nostalgic vibe.

For almost 40 years, the Sensational Soul Cruisers have been at it, playing various clubs along the Jersey Shore and New York City.    Their bio and website indicated that they "pay homage and tribute to the very best of 60's, 70's and 80's Old School, Classic Soul, R&B, Motown and Disco".   Well, that is, in essence Carolina Beach Music in a nutshell.   I have caught them a couple of times, and while the crowd around me just knows it as R&B oldies, I felt like I was right there in North Myrtle Beach, even though I was actually at Martell's Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant Beach.     For my Jersey readers who can't make it down south, check out this 11-piece band, and you'll know exactly what Carolina beach music is all about.  

Sadly, unlike beach music, there are no charts for Jersey music that I know of, and any radio station that does play that music is most likely a classic hits or oldies station which doesn't label it beach music.   But there are stations here that do have specialty shows.   Pat Gwinn, a DJ for "Carolina Gold" radio station (93.9 and 106.3 in Myrtle Beach SC, and Wilmington NC, respectively), hosts his syndicated "Pat Gwinn at the Beach" show.  In the New York/New Jersey area, his beach music show airs on Fridays from 10 PM to midnight on WOLD 95.1 and 107.9 out of Somerset NJ.

SNS 100:  Speaking of beach music, that genre has the top two this week as The Main Event Band featuring Sharon Woodruff, scores its first blog topper as its cover of "Love Makes The World Go Round" moves 2-1, topping its #2 peak of the previous "Poor Side of Town".    However, making a 8-2 move is another beach remake, "Love Really Hurts Without You", by Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry West.  Meanwhile, Orbis Max moves 6-3 with "R U OK", and the big mover is the soulful Thee Sacred Souls with "Love Is the Way" (15-4).   Last week's #1, "The Shoop Shoop Song" by the Carolina Queens, is at #5, and Deb Browning's former #1, "Think I Found Forever" is at #6.   "Valentine" by Drugdealer (12-7) and Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper's "Love Me Like I Love You" (11-9) are new Top Ten entries.

New Jersey based Colorjoy, has four songs in this week's top 20, tying a record set in 2021 by ScreenAge, which included both members of Colorjoy.

Meanwhile, the two hottest non-beach acts in 2023, Colorjoy and Say She She, make moves in the 11-20 range.  In fact, Colorjoy's new take on "Blue Eyed Addiction" (22-12, Impact Award), as predicted last week, makes FOUR songs in the top 20 by the duo of Emily MacMahon and Sam Novotny.    That ties a record for most simultaneous songs in that region by......that duo's predecessor, ScreenAge, which crammed four songs in the top 20 on June 20, 2021.   The duo's former #1's "Golden Age" and "Beautiful People" are 19 and 15, respectively, while the still-rising "Drops of Honey" moves 18-15.   Still on the rise is "Vacant Side" (49-42).    Colorjoy is busy on the touring circuit; they are playing two of the area's Pride festivals this month:  Sussex County Pride in Newton NJ, Saturday, June 10 (tomorrow, as I write this) at Brooks Plaza there, at 4 PM; and Morris County Pride, Center Grove Rd, Randolph NJ on Saturday June 24, with the set time to be determined.   

Meanwhile, Say She She captured Mover honors with the septet's latest, "Don't You Dare Stop", last week's Top Debut, moving 47-20, while the "flip side", "Reeling", goes from 77 to 54.

EDDIE STILL CRUSIN':   Last week on one of the beach music charts, as one of the picks, was "Day In The Sun" by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band.    It also debuted last week on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 national chart at #40.   As I mentioned above, it's another example of the melding of the Jersey Shore and Carolina Beach sounds.   It's vintage Shore rock with R&B roots, and ranks with some of that band's best material over the years.   While, as mentioned above, the band actually hails from Rhode Island, they are closely associated with the Jersey Shore scene as well.    Formed in 1972, the band gained popularity thanks to its music included in the movie Eddie and the Cruisers, set in Asbury Park.  Songs like "On The Dark Side", "Tender Years" and a personal fave "Wild Summer Nights" gained much airplay back in the mid 1980's.   That continued with their album Tough All Over with "C-I-T-Y", "Small Town Girl", and the title track.  They also charted with songs from Rocky IV ("Hearts on Fire"), and the sequel to Eddie & the Cruisers, 'Eddie Lives', "Pride and Passion".   That, believe it or not, was their last release---until "Day in the Sun".   It's a good timey song, like the band never left.    As a result of this, and early beach music acceptance, it debuts at #69.

Indie poppers Cannons, from Los Angeles, had a string of blog hits from 2019-2021 and return with "Loving You".  It's a steady, understated but persistent and pulsating song that is very catchy and should continue their blog string of successful releases.   K. Flay's "Raw Raw" is her best in a while.  Rock and contemporary pop mixture is very provocative.   The Arcs' "Heaven Is A Place", the third single off of Electrophonic Chronic, is a bluesy ballad, in contract to the other two singles of that album.  Rather haunting, it could make a mark on the chart.    

Another band from the past hits the Tremors list this week, that being "Cut From the Stars" by Yes.   That's right, the classic prog band returns with this track from the outfits new Mirror To The Sky set.   The band is still recording regularly; this album comes out just two years after The Quest.    However, there are no original members of the band on this set, although Steve Howe, present during their initial successful period in the early 1970's, is here on guitar, and Geoff Downes, a member during the early 1980's who also was in The Buggles and Asia, is back on keyboards.   Handing lead vocals is Jon Davison, whose voice does resemble longtime frontman Jon Anderson to an extent.   Musically, the song has elements of several phases of the band and has prog tendencies true to its legacy.   Donna Missal also debuts with "Move Me", continuing her EDM/pop hybrid mix displayed on her current album.    The Six Piece Suits, who have scored two blog #1's with Deb Browning, step out on their own with "That Groove", which has that Kool and the Gang funk-style vibe down pat.   Incidentally, the Florida based sextet came up to North Myrtle Beach for several dates last week, including some with Ms. Browning.    Finally, Halogens' "Without Warning", clearly int he alt-rock lane, completes this week's adds.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

June 4, 2023

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	2	NUMBER ONE:  THE MAIN EVENT BAND featuring SHARON WOODRUFF "Love Makes The World Go Round" (Single Only)	6
2	8	Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You	5
3	6	Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols ft. Ed Ryan - R U OK	10
4	15	Thee Sacred Souls - Love Is The Way	5
5	1	The Carolina Queens - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)	10
6	4	Deb Browning - Think I Found Forever▲	12
7	12	Drugdealer - Valentine	8
8	5	Marlisa Kay Small - Anyway	8
9	11	Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You	14
10	7	Goldie Boutiiler - Cowboy Gangster Politician	12
11	10	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Got it Right (The First Time)●	19
12	22	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: COLORJOY "Blue Eyed Addiction (Renewed Version)" Album: Golden Age	5
13	13	The Heavy - Hurricane Coming	11
14	18	Colorjoy - Drops of Honey▲	8
15	3	Colorjoy - Beautiful People●	11
16	19	Hannah Goodall - The Girl Who Once Loved You	8
17	14	Say She She - In My Head●	14
18	9	Colorjoy - Golden Age▲	13
19	21	Beck - Thinking About You	14
20	47	MOVER OF THE WEEK: SAY SHE SHE "Don't You Dare Stop"● (Single Only)	2
21	17	Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again	14
22	20	Devon Gilfillian - All I Really Wanna Do●	15
23	26	Juliet Callahan - Depth of Soul	8
24	28	Miya Folick - Bad Thing	9
25	34	Jerry Powell - One More Summer Night	6
26	16	The Castaways - Mr. Dream Merchant	13
27	27	SZA - Kill Bill	13
28	24	The Arcs - Keep On Dreamin'	9
29	23	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta▲	20
30	50	The Tonez - Caught Up	3
31	29	Pink Slips Band - Ought To Be A Song	11
32	37	I-42 Band - Beach Fever On My Mind	8
33	38	The Heavy Heavy - Go Down River	6
34	25	Steve Lacy - Helmet	12
35	44	Hanna Jadagu - What You Did	4
36	32	Arlo Parks - Weightless▲	16
37	31	Allie Privette - Ain't Nobody	15
38	40	Tennis - Forbidden Doors	6
39	41	Tim Izzard - Alice Pearl	7
40	30	Hannah Jadagu - Say It Now	16
41	43	Allison Ponthier - Hollywood Forever Cemetary	4
42	49	Colorjoy - Vacant Side	5
43	42	Metric - False Dictotomy	7
44	36	The National - Tropic Morning News	11
45	39	Deb Browning and  Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than This	30
46	33	Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Wolf	12
47	35	Inhaler - Love Will Get You There	13
48	68	Einsteins Dad - Anytime Blues	2
49	48	TYTILLIDIE - Body On Me	9
50	64	Miley Cyrus - Jaded	3
51	53	Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed	7
52	52	Grouplove - Hello	7
53	54	The Beths - Watching the Credits	6
54	77	Say She She - Reeling	2
55	67	Rhonda McDaniel - Say A Prayer	3
56	55	Lizzo - Special	8
57	79	Orbis Max - No Hero	2
58	57	Michigander - Superglue	12
59	69	Wayne Free - Our Paradise	5
60	61	Jenny Lewis - Psychos	7
61	46	The Blue Stones - Don't Miss	13
62	45	Edie Bens - Don't Love You Anymore	14
63	71	Isn't It Always - Laced Love	6
64	58	Portugal. The Man - Dummy	9
65	70	JW Francis - Swooning	7
66	88	Too Much Sylvia - It Still Is	2
67	56	Hozier - Eat Your Young	10
68	75	The Gaslight Anthem - Positive Charge	3
69	---	TOP DEBUT: JOHN CAFFERTY and THE BEAVER BROWN BAND "Day In the Sun" (Single Only)	1
70	62	Say She She - Trouble●	28
71	74	Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You●	20
72	59	Tim Izzard - Walk the Walk	18
73	51	Sam Fender - Spit of You	15
74	76	boygenius - Not Strong Enough	5
75	96	Sunny War - No Reason	2
76	---	Cannons - Loving You	1
77	60	Death Cab For Cutie - Pepper	17
78	63	The Cowsills - Rhythm Of the World	7
79	73	Linkin Park - Lost	13
80	98	Pageants - Worse	2
81	66	Milky Chance - Living In a Haze	9
82	81	What's Left? - Do It To Me	4
83	83	Moon Taxi - Classics	4
84	94	Jim Quick and Coastline - Those Summer Days	2
85	78	Miley Cyrus - Flowers▲	20
86	84	The Hold Steady - Grand Junction	4
87	93	Morgan Wallen - Last Night	8
88	92	Foo Fighters - Rescued	3
89	86	Wednesday - Quarry	3
90	80	Tame Impala - Wings of Time	11
91	90	Gary Lowder and Smokin Hot - I'll Be Loving You Always	5
92	97	Phoenix ft Clairo- After Midnight	3
93	102	Dua Lipa - Dance The Night	1
94	---	K.Flay - Raw Raw	1
95	65	Donna Missal - Flicker	10
96	91	Deb Browning - 3 More Minutes●	51
97	103	Prairie Fire - Death of An Artist	1
98	72	Jenna Ren - Fools Gold	17
99	---	The Arcs - Heaven Is a Place	1
100	82	The Revivalists - Kid	14

Tremors:

101. Yes, "Cut From the Stars"

102. Donna Missal, "Move Me"

103. The Heaterz, "ILeane"

104. Halogens, "Without Warning"

105. The Six Piece Suits, "That Groove"

 

Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.

 

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.   ● Songs with 25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲   Songs with 50 or more plays. ▲Song garnered most plays on Spotify in current or past month.  ● Song among top 3 most plays on Spotify in current or past month.

Songs on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists

 

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40:  Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS 100

Scenes Up and Coming:  Songs below #40 that are moving up the chart.

Scenes Recurrents: Songs which have dropped below the top 40 but are still on the SNS 100