BEFORE I START with this week's blog, I just wanted to offer my prayers to those who have been affected by the recent damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which has destroyed many communities in Florida, Georgia, The Carolinas and Tennessee.
THE WEATHER wasn't that great up here in New Jersey, either, but it was a lot more manageable with a light rain falling much of this past weekend and a couple days before that. But a rainy forecast wasn't going to stop me from attending the 10th annual Roselle Park Arts Festival, which took place on September 28 in my hometown's downtown district. The festival showcased arts in its many forms, from paintings and sculptures, to dance, drum circles, and of course, musical performances.
 |
| Charlotte Sessions performs at the Roselle Park Arts Festival, held on September 28. |
While I didn't attend the whole festival, I did want to get down there for a couple reasons. Last year I had a severe case of vertigo which caused me to miss the festival, so I definitely wanted to make sure I got there this year. Secondly, I wanted to catch two performers that I have been listening to (and charting), Charlotte Sessions, and Ryan Chatelain. Glad to say that I was successful.
I arrived in Roselle Park around 12:30 as the festival was getting underway. Unfortunately, what was a light mist at most during part of my travels down there, developed into a steadier, albeit light rain, which pretty much continued throughout the afternoon, which kept the crowds down. I caught a bit of the leadoff band, The Itchy Ankle Boys on the Breakwater (Main) Stage; what I saw of them was very awesome. I did walk up and down the main street (Chestnut Street) to check out the drum circle, which at that time were just the two volunteers in charge doing the drumbeats.
Upon heading back up, I ran into the person who I had come to see, that being Charlotte Sessions, who was on her way to the stage area. I introduced myself to her. She actually knew who I saw since we are Facebook friends and have featured much of her music on my blog.
Charlotte took the stage at 1 PM and I caught her entire set. She was accompanied by two others, including her mother on drums. She showcased most of her originals, and displayed a multitude of styles, sometimes, very jazzy, sometimes awesome pop. She, of course, played her #1 blog hit, "Should I Be the Man", then explained that the inspiration from that song was derived from "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles, which she then played. Another awesome cover was a great version of Carole King's "It's Too Late"; Ms. King being one of her influences. The final song of her set was her other blog-topper "I've Fallen For A Dragon". This was Charlotte's third appearance at the RP Arts Festival, but her first at the Main Stage after a couple performances at the smaller Library Stage.
Ms. Sessions is very talented; she is home-grown and has made some inroads in the music industry. Continued exposure to many venues, and she will be one to be reckoned with in the near future. Her keyboard playing is extraordinary.
After her performance, I chatted with my friends and classmate Barbara Roche, who helped her brother, Al Walcoff, who was responsible for booking all the music acts on the festival bill. Walcoff has been doing similar bookings for over fifty years going back to the 1970's, including many name acts. He has been responsible, of course for many talents at Roselle Park's, including ScreenAge, and its offshoot Colorjoy.
 |
| Jersey City-based Widely Grown, performing at the RP Arts Festival |
I then headed to the Roselle Park Museum, which contains many memorabilia associated with my hometown, which was incorporated in 1901, and shows a lot of its history. After that, I caught a bit of Widely Grown, a multi-member ensemble based in Jersey City (the members are actually all over the state, but the consensus was that they identify with Jersey City, a town with an active music community. The two songs I hear were awesome, and will delve into their catalog shortly. Their current single, "While the Night Is Young" is in my Murmurs queue of future adds.
I then joined a couple of friends at Dowling's Irish Pub, which was supposed to have an outdoor beer garden adjacent to the festival, but the rain killed that, thus I went inside the pub. Dowling's recent re-opened after floods in 2021 from Hurricane Ida destroyed the facility. They finally reopened a couple months ago.
 |
| Ryan Chatelain performing at the Library Stage at the Roselle Park Arts Festival. |
As it approached 4 PM, I headed up north to the Library Stage to check out the other act I wanted to see, that being Ryan Chatelain. Like Charlotte, this was Ryan's third appearance at the festival. Two years ago, he was also at the Library Stage, but last year, played at the Main Stage with his band The Dust-Ups, which had included another former RP festival performer, Alek Speck. While his band is still together, this was a solo outing (he was set to perform with The Dust-Ups the next day in Easton PA's Porchfest). His was a mix of solo material, one Dust-Ups song, and a couple of covers. While I wished he would play his top 10 blog hit of 2022, "Static" or the current single with The Dust-Ups, "What Getting Over You Looks Like", his original compositions featured here were well-performed, in spite of the lack of audience.
Ryan, like Charlotte, lives in Roselle Park, but actually grew up in Louisiana, and was part of the New Orleans scene for some time, before moving up here to New Jersey.
Unfortunately, because of the weather, Ryan didn't have much of an audience, which I felt really bad. Usually, you have a lot of activity in the front lawn of the public library, but except for a couple of booths around the periphery of the front (who were trying to stay dry), and the sound guy, it was only me watching (and I had to, several times, pick up the sign showing all the performers at that stage a few times, as the wind blew it down repeatedly).
I do feel bad that many cool performances weren't really heard by many. Charlotte Session's performance only had a few people watching (there were rows of chairs set up, but with the rain, nobody was sitting down but a few hearty souls still were out there catching her performance. The next band, Widely Grown had two people sitting, one guy dancing around, although several were in the nearby gazebo, a distance from the stage, but still within view.
Normally, the rain date for the festival is the next day, but it was decided to make the event rain or shine. While that may have been a controversial decision, it turned out to be the correct one as it also rained the next day. Besides, artists like Ryan would have had to miss it due to his prior commitment with The Dust Ups.
Aside from catching a glimpse of the Latin band Grupo Vallenato y Folklorio Los Costenos, I missed the other performances, as I had another place to go. Thus, I wasn't able to see perennial performers like The Saxsations, and Isabelle Latorre, who I had caught in years prior. The headliner act at the Main Stage this year was Verdict, who I saw two years ago here, and many times over the past thirty years.
This year's festival was dedicated to the memory of Pam Welch Reinsoso, who founded the event, but who had passed away earlier this year. And while Roselle Park's festival is small compared to other places, including nearby towns, it's really a great starting place to learn your craft. About 12 years ago, I blogged about many friends from here who had careers in music, some are still performing in one capacity or another. I would love to see where artists like Charlotte and Ryan will take their music careers to.
TURNING TO THE CHARTS, Shaboozey logs a 12th week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)". Much of that is due to the recent stagnation of the top of the big chart, as just about every song in the top 10 stays the same. At this point, it's going to take a big-name artist to drop an album causing tracks to debut up there. It seems that if a song doesn't debut in the top 10, it can't rise into it, and that's a big problem I have lately with the charting of popular music. More on that in a future blog.
Meanwhile, Gotts Street Park featuring Pip Millett's "Got To Be Good" reclaims the top spot on the SNS 100 for a third, non-consecutive week. moving "A Bar Song" back down to #2. Cage the Elephant's "Rainbow" is still a solid #3.
The song to watch is "Takes One To Know One" by The Beaches. While the song holds at #4, it cuts into the gap between it and the top three as it garners Mover of the Week honors, unusual for a song already in the top part of the chart. This could challenge for the #1 spot as early as next week. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm of this song doesn't seem to be shared by alternative or Triple-A radio; It ranks #51 on the RadioWave Monitor of Alternative stations and isn't really advancing; to me the song is much better than the quartet's earlier "Blame Brett" which was a hit on that format. Even the band has apparently moved on, promoting a new single, "Jocelyn". The band played Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park last week; by the way, so hopefully some blog readers will get into this cool band.
Aside from Jitwam's advance from 7-5 with "Opendoors", the rest of the top section of the chart is relatively calm after the top nine had bullets last week. Post Malone and Blake Shelton, and Jalen Ngonda drop a notch apiece, and Michael Kiwanuka holds at #8 despite topping Triple-A this week. Beach music songs are bulleted at #9 and 10; the former is Dustin Ahkuoi and Sharon Woodruff's "Back By Popular Demand", the latter is Marsha Morgan's "Knockin' Down Doors" (11-10). Speaking of Ms. Morgan, please say a prayer for her and her family as she is from Asheville, North Carolina, one of the towns devastated by Helene.
Activity in the second ten includes Steve Cheek's "Last Summer" (12-11), Starbuck's "Jones About You" (15-14), national hit Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' "Die With A Smile", the Impact winner (26-16), two Black Keys songs ("Don't Let Me Go", 20-17, and "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" 24-19), and finally The Pozers' "Missing You (Missing Me) (29-20).
As for the two artists who performed at Roselle Park's festival, Charlotte Sessions, still the only artist to have dual number one's in 2024, rebounds 87-70 with former blog-topper "I've Fallen For a Dragon", now in its 32nd week. Meanwhile, Ryan Chatelain's band The Dust-Ups, advances 80-57 with "What Getting Over You Looks Like" in its third week.
DEBUTS: Teddy Swims continues his hot streak with his new one, "Bad Dreams" copping the Top Debut at #62. While streamers are still stuck on "Lose Control" and Top 40 and AC outlets are still busy with "The Door" (which is also on John Hook's Beach Music chart), I am moving with his latest. This is another soulful gem which is so compatible with the retro-soul renaissance and is perfect complement to other current acts like Thee Secret Souls, Jalen Ngonda and Michael Kiwanuka. Beach music outlets should be on this, especially since Swims has had success there, hopefully after "The Door" runs its course. Here, "Bad Dreams" should make it three in a row.
Next, is yet another new one from Orbis Max, who have now tied a record with six songs simultaneous on the SNS 100 this week. Entering at #75 is their latest, "We Shall Rise Again". As the title indicates this is another topical comment on the times which gets the message across of the current state of affairs without really having to delve into details. A similar recent protest song, C. Lynne Smith's "Follow It Down" reached the top ten a few months back. Message aside, this is a melodic, yet rocking and emotional piece from Dw Dunphy; musically this should put the Internet-ers back into the top twenty, if not higher.
Sylvia Johns Ritchie is next with her latest, "I Don't Care Who Knows (I Love My Baby)". Ms. Ritchie who scored a #1 with "Good Love Don't Come Easy" which came in 2nd in my "Song of the Summer" contest, comes up with another swingin' good time romp, and she is sure having an awesome time doing this one. While I had sampled and charted "Burnin' It Up for Your Love", that was actually a 2023 release; this one is the official follow-up to "Good Love" and should follow that one up the charts. The song also appears on her current compilation album, Burnin' It Up for Your Love: Greatest Hits.
Next is "Joyride" by Kesha, who is coming off a big blog hit with "Only Love Can Save Us Now", which was #1 for three weeks last year but widely ignored anywhere else, including her long-time pop base. If you believe the hype, you would think her new one is a huge, smash hit. I think I read somewhere that it's #2 on some streaming chart, but it's nowhere to be found on the Hot 100. Starting off with what sounds like an accordion that you'd hear at the start of a polka, it quickly transforms into a pulsating dance song with Kesha's vocals alternating with a chorus. I pretty much added the song because it's the follow-up to a #1 SNS hit. This one might take a few listens; hearing it the first time didn't do much for me but I started getting into it with a second listen. The jury is still out on this one.
Two songs which debuted on Tremors last week advance to the SNS 100. Myles Smith's "Stargazing" (103-88) and The Amplifier Heads' "They Came to Rock"(104-89), Smith's song is currently topping the Alternative chart and is another rhythmic and soulful trek. Glad to see that this format is embracing this music. Meanwhile, indie band Amplifier Heads is a cooking, sax-filled old-time romp, and it follows up "The Best It's Gonna Be". Both songs have a shot here.
Back to the beach, we find The Randy Clay Band's latest, "It's the Simple Things" entering at #92. It's in a similar mode as Rev. Bubba D. Liverance's "In My '64", and Randy sings about the small things that matter in life. Soulful and positive. Next is Phantogram's "Happy Again". This is a palatable outing from this Greenwich NY duo, very ambience filled. A worthy follow-up the #21-pekaing "All a Mystery". Badflower makes its blog debut with "Detroit". The band is in the alt-rock mode, and is a quartet from Los Angeles, and is reminiscent of bands like My Chemical Romance. Finally, we have the second single by Foster the People, "See You in the Afterlife". This one is a little reminiscent of their "Best Friend" blog hit from 2014. Perhaps not their best, but it should top the recent "Lost in Space".
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
September 29,
2024
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  GOTTS STREET PARK featuring PIP MILLETT Album: On the Inside (3 Weeks at #1) |
7 |
|
2 |
1 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
4 |
4 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
6 |
|
5 |
7 |
6 |
|
|
6 |
5 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
6 |
8 |
|
|
8 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
10 |
11 |
9 |
|
|
11 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
12 |
13 |
10 |
|
|
13 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
14 |
15 |
6 |
|
|
15 |
18 |
11 |
|
|
16 |
26 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
5 |
|
17 |
20 |
5 |
|
|
18 |
10 |
14 |
|
|
19 |
24 |
5 |
|
|
20 |
29 |
4 |
|
|
21 |
28 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
17 |
11 |
|
|
23 |
16 |
15 |
|
|
24 |
35 |
4 |
|
|
25 |
34 |
4 |
|
|
26 |
30 |
5 |
|
|
27 |
22 |
10 |
|
|
28 |
33 |
6 |
|
|
29 |
40 |
3 |
|
|
30 |
31 |
10 |
|
|
31 |
32 |
7 |
|
|
32 |
19 |
13 |
|
|
33 |
37 |
7 |
|
|
34 |
39 |
5 |
|
|
35 |
49 |
4 |
|
|
36 |
42 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Down With That |
5 |
|
37 |
21 |
14 |
|
|
38 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
39 |
38 |
10 |
|
|
40 |
36 |
11 |
|
|
41 |
25 |
13 |
|
|
42 |
23 |
11 |
|
|
43 |
27 |
12 |
|
|
44 |
47 |
9 |
|
|
45 |
54 |
8 |
|
|
46 |
43 |
14 |
|
|
47 |
44 |
Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay
Small -Sunshine and Summertime● |
23 |
|
48 |
65 |
5 |
|
|
49 |
55 |
9 |
|
|
50 |
41 |
24 |
|
|
51 |
61 |
4 |
|
|
52 |
46 |
16 |
|
|
53 |
69 |
3 |
|
|
54 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
55 |
64 |
7 |
|
|
56 |
72 |
3 |
|
|
57 |
80 |
3 |
|
|
58 |
59 |
8 |
|
|
59 |
51 |
Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Radio On |
14 |
|
60 |
48 |
16 |
|
|
61 |
56 |
19 |
|
|
62 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) |
1 |
|
63 |
53 |
18 |
|
|
64 |
50 |
13 |
|
|
65 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
66 |
52 |
16 |
|
|
67 |
62 |
18 |
|
|
68 |
78 |
4 |
|
|
69 |
70 |
6 |
|
|
70 |
87 |
32 |
|
|
71 |
58 |
17 |
|
|
72 |
75 |
21 |
|
|
73 |
63 |
11 |
|
|
74 |
57 |
7 |
|
|
75 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
76 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
77 |
67 |
18 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
Sylvia Johns Ritchie -I Don't
Care Who Knows ( I Love My Baby) |
1 |
|
79 |
60 |
13 |
|
|
80 |
89 |
2 |
|
|
81 |
100 |
2 |
|
|
82 |
66 |
12 |
|
|
83 |
68 |
11 |
|
|
84 |
88 |
28 |
|
|
85 |
94 |
2 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
76 |
43 |
|
|
88 |
103 |
1 |
|
|
89 |
104 |
1 |
|
|
90 |
86 |
15 |
|
|
91 |
93 |
2 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
93 |
71 |
17 |
|
|
94 |
97 |
30 |
|
|
95 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
96 |
77 |
14 |
|
|
97 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
98 |
81 |
23 |
|
|
99 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
100 |
74 |
16 |
Tremors:
101. The Wheelgunners - Devil's Train
102. Hippo Campus - Paranoid
103. C. Lynne Smith - Follow It Down
104. Glass Animals - A Tear In Space (Airlock)
Tremors: Songs which have steady
or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Einsteins Dad - Atomic Time
Arc De Soleil - Got Caught In Amsterdam
Mavis Staples - Worthy
Linkin Park - The Emptiness Machine
Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Driving MMe Out of Her Mind
Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe
Bon Jovi - Living Proof
Hannah Goodall - Narcissist
Gwen Stefani - Somebody Elses
The Fray - The Well Rated
Franz Ferdinand - Audacious
The Shang Hi Lo's - Morganatic Panic
Michael Des Barres - Fox on the Run
Isabella Pombrio - Cherish Life
Widely Grown - While the Night is Young
Murmurs: Songs which are in the
queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week
▲Song
garnered most plays on Spotify, for the
month, with a superscript following the symbol if most played for multiple
months; or if a song was among the top 5 most plays for two months. ● Song
among top 5 most plays on Spotify.
Awards given during the last blog of each month. To qualify, the song must be currently or
have peaked in the top 40.
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 From 41-100 that are moving up the
chart that have not reached the top 40
Scenes
Down and Going: Song formerly in the top 40 that are descending
but still on the SNS 100.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which had been in
the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off
the SNS 100.
No comments:
Post a Comment