Stuyvesant

The title here
is the band’s 2nd nod to a classic record in as many tries (their
2008 debut was called Linden Calling). This one, of course, being a nod to the Beach
Boys’ 1967 classic, Pet Sounds. Another thing about the sophomore effort by
this New Jersey
quartet is how refreshing it all sounds. They’re not trying to be the hippest
kids on the block or get signed to Captured Tracks, they simply want to write
good songs and rock the fuck out and who can blame them, right? On Fret Sounds they do a darn good job of
it.



Opener “Clyde’
brings to mind the glory days of Superchunk and later period Husker Du, but it
doesn’t stop there; the record is a barrage of rapid fire guitar, scattershot
drumming and a tough, thick bass sound. Guitarist/singers Ralph Malanga and
Sean Adams sound like they’ve been doing this since the first grade (which
maybe they have) while the rhythm section (Pete Martinez on bass and Brian
Musikoff on bass) could’ve done the same thing at a neighboring school. In just
over half an hour the jackhammer is set on stun and out comes a 10-song batch
of rockin’, melodic tunes. “Johnny
Tinnitus”, “Duly Noted” (which has this unexpected beautiful middle part), and
“St. Cloud” should all be hits on college
radio.



With Mr. Springsteen
getting a bit long in the tooth maybe these guys will give the Garden State
something new to cheer about. - Blurt

Listeners familiar with the ‘90s Hoboken scene will remember singer/guitarist Ralph Malanga from the band Footstone and singer/guitarist Sean Adams and bassist Brian Musikoff from the Jersey City-based Friends, Romans, Countrymen. At the advent of the 2000s, these indie rock veterans teamed up with drummer Pete Martinez (formerly of the Coffin Daggers) as Stuyvesant, and picked up where they left off with their respective former groups, continuing the pursuit of perfect power riffage, rousing choruses, and impassioned vocals. As on their 2008 debut, Stuyvesant succeed at keeping things tight, upbeat, and driving throughout. Fret Sounds opens with "Clyde," a frenetic ode to an adolescent friendship fostered over arcade games and Big Gulps, followed by "Johnny Tinnitus," a moving paean to a friend who's passed on, and the legacy of strength left behind. Sweetness and crunch prevail on "Let's Talk Topography," where the exasperated lead vocal spars with bursts of rhythm guitar to create a curt kiss-off to those who surf the shallows and deal in deception. "Bullfrog," "Neato," "St. Cloud" (spotlighting Martinez's drum prowess), and a cover of Lemonheads' "Ever" continue in the pop-punk mode, but the potential sameness is mitigated by some key mood-shifting songs. "Duly Noted," while still an uptempo number, has richer textures and a dynamic arrangement that layers ringing guitar harmonics and keyboards over Musikoff's fluid basslines. Musikoff is similarly featured on the instrumental "Bish. (Dub)," which is -- as the title suggests -- an off-the-wall indie rock take on dubstep. "Cimarron, NM," a quiet exercise for clean electric guitar and two intertwined vocals, ends the album on a meditative note, pondering those mysteries of life, love, and yearning that don't disappear with age. Fret Sounds may not be a wildly ambitious outing, but, to paraphrase a memorable line from "Johnny Tinnitus," the able musicians in Stuyvesant "do the best they can, where they are, with what they have." And what they have is pretty damn cool. - All Music Guide

Stuyvesant, the high-energy indie rock band from New Jersey, is unabashedly, and refreshingly, forward with its intention to lose all pretenses and just play good rock music. From its solid rhythm section to its catchy melodies, Stuyvesant throws everything it has on the table for Fret Sounds, the band’s second full-length album. It ends up with 10 songs that are most effective when the guitars are upfront, the drums are heavy and the lyrics are clever.


Opening track “Clyde” epitomizes the simple and effective formula that the band uses so well: steady rhythms, blazing guitar work, tempo variations, sing-along choruses and vocals that somehow maintain their musicality even when inching toward screaming. When Stuyvesant sings, “Selfish. Hellish/It’s been duly noted that you are ego-centric./Gutless. Clueless,” on “Duly Noted,” the phrasing is so fitting with the instrumentals that the words don’t feel overly harsh, just accurate.


Fret Sounds, a play on the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, emphasizes the four band members’ strengths as musicians, from Sean Adams and Ralph Malanga’s guitar riffs and harmonies on “Let’s Talk Topography” to the smart lyrics of “Bullfrog.” All the while, Pete Martinez and B. Musikoff are anchoring the music with a rhythm section that is capable both of providing a solid foundation and of taking the lead. All of these parts come together on “Neato,” an inescapably joyful track that is set apart by its pop hook and that succeeds in the mission it sets forth in the first verse when it vows to do “anything to brighten up your day.” By the time the too-brief a cappella section at the end arrives, there really isn’t anything left to do but succumb to Stuyvesant’s charm and do as it says.


For an album that starts out so crazed and remains that way for much of its duration, it goes out not with a bang but with a gradual fading until there is nothing left on serene closing track “Cimarron, NM” but the vibrations of the sound that was once overwhelming. It’s a kind way to end: After spending nine tracks riling you up, Stuyvesant brings you down gently. - CMJ

Stuyvesant is something of a NJ supergroup, except there's a decent chance that you've never heard of the earlier bands involved unless you were intensely involved in the northern NJ indie-rock scene of the late Nineties:

Ralph Malanga was the lead singer/guitarist of the band Footstone, while Sean Adams (guitar/vox) and Brian Musikoff spent about a decade playing in the underrated (and much too rarely seen) Friends, Romans, Countrymen.

Add young drummer Pete Martinez and you've got a powerhouse combo with two powerful but complementary lead singers and a dynamite rhythm section - melodic basslines underpinned by steady thrashy drumming. To make this even tastier, Sean and Ralph's chugging guitar styles echo the high-energy fusion of punk, hardcore, and rock 'n' roll that fueled the great roster of bands on the SST label back in the early Eighties.

On this debut EP, the band's still working out the kinks (and,from what I understand, recycling some leftover songs from earlier bands) but when Stuyvesant clicks - as on the roiling, infectiously poppy "Preamble" and "Bi-Polar Bears," you get a combustible fusion of heavy and catchy that reminds you why a lot of us old-timers consider the late Nineties as the Golden Age of NJ indie rock. And you have to love the indomitable, undeniable Jerseyness of this band, like when Ralph twists the word "garbage" into six syllables in the hook to "Born In A Rickshaw," or their hometown homage to Mark "Bishop" Abney (of Footstone and American Standard) on the rollicking "Ode To Bish."

As good as this EP is, the newer songs they're doing live now blow this material away, as Ralph and Sean become ever more confident in trading off lead vocals and guitar licks in the same song. Keep an eye on this band, there's a load of talent and potential here.

- Sceneless

When I started to put together this end-of-the-year show, my first thought was to invite back my two favorite acts from 2005, so the first bands I asked were Stuyvesant and the Amber Jets. Stuyvesant - which includes members of NJ 90's stalwarts Footstone and Friends Romans Countrymen - make maximum use of two talented frontmen, Sean Adams and Ralph Malanga, giving them each a chance to shine on lead vocals and guitar. Their newer songs really meld the band's talents, even leaving space for Brian Musikoff's melodic basslines, all anchored by Peter Donnelly's efficient, rock-steady drums. Thanks to a little tinkering with the Charleston's pesky p.a., these guys sounded great too.
- Jersey Beat

I recently went deep into my old CD collection and pulled out some vintage power-pop-punk goodness like Big Drill Car, The Doughboys and Overwhelming Colorfast. I’m so happy I did, you can’t help but feel good — invigorated, I dare say — after listening to these bands. Ahhhh… musical memories… of delicious, fleeting youth…

Songs like BDC’s “Let Me Walk”, OC’s “Everyday Saturday” and absolutely everything off The Doughboys’ “Whatever” are crunching blasts of pure melody and emotion. These tunes and the overall Cali punk vibe from that era still hold up strong and this made me wonder if anyone is still making this kind of music?

Sure “power pop” is back but most is way too refined and saccharine, and there’s a tad too much of the Brit pop variety. I need me some monster Mould-like waves of distortion, insanely tight drumming and a bit of self-deprecation to temper the sweetness of all the “la la las” and girl trouble topics.

While contemplating my needs, I was more than surprised and excited to find out about Hoboken’s own Stuyvesant. After one listen to the song “Victorian Lawns” I was hooked. Completely. “Party on my lawn?” Why yes, let’s!

Thanks to our pal Dave Hill of Valley Lodge who turned me on to the band in one of his hysterical emails. Stuyvesant will be sharing the bill with the Lodgers at The Mercury Lounge in NYC this Wednesday on October 8th.

While Stuyvesant evokes the aforementioned bands, their sound is fuller with big, layered vocals and many unexpected musical diversions from the pop rock norm (killer harmony break in “Hang Five”). Almost all the songs on “Linden Calling” build to an impressive emotional outburst like on “Tape Hiss,” a song that could be a massive hit if commercial radio actually played anything resembling good music.

Stuyvesant puts legit power in their pop and can rock out with the best of them (”Yahweh from Rahway”). When I hear a song like “Liars Poker” I can’t help but be reminded of the old and underrated 80s band The Producers (based on the palpable high energy, not the outfits). “I Repent At Stuyvesant” and “Hang Five” have the nice gravelly edge of Armchair Martian and “Forgotten Two” evokes Ted Leo at his hyper-melodic best. “Bullshit Away” is rollicking little ditty that puts a “let’s slow it down and take a breath” capper on a extremely fun and rewarding record.

So if you’re like me and need a change of pace from the predominant and precious, skinny-guy-with-the-big-beard low-fi music that’s all the rage in the blogosphere, Stuyvesant should do the trick.

Website: www.stuyvesantrock.com


- UsedWigs.com

While their album Linden Calling might not be as monumental as the Clash album from which they pun the album’s name, New Jersey rockers Stuyvesant (pronounced “sty-vas-ent”) churn out a well-crafted range of rock and roll that should satisfy the palettes of all kinds of music lovers.

After a brief intro track, Linden Calling launches into the type of blue-collar pop and punk influenced rock and roll that drives parties all over the country (well, the good parties at least).

Dominated by the kind of bright-yet-crunchy electric guitar riffs and progressions one might expected from bands like blink-182, the music is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to. Guitarist Sean Adams and Ralph Malanga shine throughout the album, but never outshine each other or the rest of the elements of the band. These guys have found an excellent balance in their sound, making the band feel like one cohesive unit. They don’t even list a lead vocalist or guitarist, which is a nice way of affirming the band’s sound in writing.

The band is also deftly capable of writing a variety of sounds. From the blue-collar rock anthem of “Victorian Lawns” to the lovely balladry of “Salieri,” Stuyvesant manages to succeed where many bands fail. They provide enough varying sounds in the album to prevent the songs from all blending together. Each song is a separate entity that is easy to give individual attention to. The band knows how to write catchy, they know how to write somber and they know how to write pure fun.

Essentially, it’s hard to find something not to like about the album Linden Calling. The songs “Victorian Lawns,” “Salieri,” and “Bullshit Away” are highly recommended. Anyone who just likes good rock and roll, especially if you’re into pop-punk, should love this album. I sure do. I foresee this getting regular playtime on my iTunes.
- Nate Williams @ Independent Clauses

"In an era when inspiration for pop-punk upstarts dates only as far back as Good Charlotte's latest album, what a treat when you find someone a little older and wiser. Thankfully and rewardingly, the Garden State-based Stuyvesant are both. In fairness, this quartet's first priority isn't really "punk" to begin with, rather, pummeling, heavy duty power-pop prodigiously informed by The Desendents/ALL, and more acutely, the phenomenal '90's era bands that "descended" from them , like Armchair Martian, Pollen, and Game Face. A zillion times over more smarter and more sincere than the latest batch of ersatz flakes hogging the limelight, it's all the more comforting to have a primo quality combo like Stuyvesant to fall back on." -Neal Agneta, The Big Take Over Magazine (iss. 63)
- The Big Takeover

All good pop rock (and just about every musical genre) is filled with references and influences from other bands and eras, and the music on "Linden Calling" is no exception. But Stuyvesant also proves the band has absorbed some of what's going on with the new music scene. These Hoboken-area scene veterans reference CBGB's- era Television, Stiff Little Fingers, and more than a little bit of The Raconteurs' songwriting style, which makes for an interesting and adventurous album! Subjects range from tales of tragic characters to tape hiss, and listening to "Linden Calling" in its entirely, it all makes sense. These 14 songs hold the potential to hit a home every time. The high energy opener "Victorian Lawns" promises the listener will embark upon an exceedingly infectious musical journey, and the album maintains that energy and diversity all the way through. - Phil Rainone


- Jersey Beat

There are two stories about how this band got their name. One is that they're named after Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant. Why? Simple. Because on February 5, 1663 Stuyvesant granted one Nicholas Varlett a patent for the very first brewery in America. It was located on Castle Point–now Hoboken.

While this seems a logical back story for a proud Hoboken band, the name actually comes from a liquor store where band member Sean Adams once worked in Jersey City. Well, at least the beer relation is still there. But I digress. 'Linden Calling' is the band's latest CD and it has one of the coolest titles ever.

'Yahweh from Rahway' is a fine showcase of the powerfully infectious hooks on 'Linden Calling'. The slightly skewed guitars bounce around the stereo field then sync up in percussive unison. The drum and bass drive solid as horns come in and the rest of it all breaks down in the middle. Building back up to the chorus, you're smacked head first into a brick wall of an ending.



Oh and by the way … I love the cover of 'Linden Calling'. A while back I was at an art show for bassist Brian Musikoff. The dancing amps caught my eye. As I chatted with singer Ralph Malanga, we both agreed that it would make a great cover. Now, I would never dream of taking any undue credit, but…
- StephenBailey.com

There is something to be said about a band who unabashedly embraces their roots and in so doing makes music that appeals to an almost singular set of people who come from the same place. This approach has led to what has become a hugely popular genre of music: Americana. Stuyvesant is one of those bands. It's not Americana, though; it's not roots-rock, either. They're from Jersey. Call it Jers-emo.
Stuyvesant's official press release has an entire paragraph devoted to the origin of the band (they're named after an area in northeastern New Jersey, as well as the name of a liquor store where one of the members of the band worked as a teenager), and there are many, many, many references to various haunts in the Garden State littered throughout the press material I was sent (something about a statue and a brewery and a cannonball -- it's all very abstract -- but they're from Jersey, how abstract can it be? I'm kidding; I love the place).
Linden Calling, Stuyvesant's newest release (on Manual Phono Records), is what you'd expect it to be given the long list of famous Jersey rockers (The Boss, Jon Bon, Kool and the Gang, The Jonas Brothers). It's rock music. Plain and simple. Very similar to Bon Jovi's seminal New Jersey (released in 1988, two years after Slippery When Wet, and, in my mind, criminally neglected). If you want a rock and roll record, this one will do just fine. Its themes include the normals for rock and rollers -- drugs and sex and poker and so forth. There are also two mysteriously unnamed songs, unnamed for the sake of something in the name of rock and rollllll (though I'm not sure what that something is).
Linden Calling is solid, though. It's a fun ride through the landscapes of New Jersey (Exit 14 on the Jersey turnpike kicks ass), and there is a lot here for the fan of American rock and roll music. Loud but sweet guitars, extra-pound-y drums, lyrics that strike deep and stay there, and probably long-haired singing dudes. Really good stuff. (Brandon Hernsberger // 08/26/08)
- spacecityrock.com

This band is an outfit born out of the ashes of two other Jersey bands, Footstone and Friends, Romans, Countrymen and this 7” offers two pieces of enjoyable pop-rock. The A-side, “Victorian Lawns” is the more sugary of the two with a chorus of “party on my lawn tonight” that inters itself into your brain. Sean Adams and Ralph Malanga share responsibilities of guitars and vocals and these two construct a warm sound. The second side of the record is a departure from the opening effort as “Chocolate Phoenix” is a thicker, blues-inspired tune. Credits are given to musicians playing trumpet and trombone, but neither of these instruments dominates the song. Instead, Stuyvesant offer a nice range of styles on the two tracks.

- Jersey Beat

New Jersey has been producing great music for some time. In fact we will grandstand here and say all the fools who move to newborklyn or la to "make it" or be entertained are retards. Stuyvesant is all parts equipped with punk veterans and can keep the attention of any special needs kids who needs to be spoon fed their music. Sometimes sounding like the west coast and other times packing that NJ edge makes Stuyvesant's latest tasty album release on Manual Phono unlike the acquired taste of a Fishmilk shake. I kid them because I think I've known a couple of them for more than 10 years (Yikes! we're fuckin old) so it is hard to be an ass and be constructive at the same time so I can only tell it like it is my brothers. So lets start with Linden Callings artwork shall we? I love it, nobody takes the time anymore to make stuff look cool, as if were handled with care, in particular if you are comic book fan the Boy Howdy tv illustration is killer(which you can get from their site stuyvesantrock.com i think). The lyrics here won't win a Pulitzer but if there were a rock lyrics award Ralph Malanga (formerly of Footstone) would be in the running for story telling and fitting large amounts of syllables in 3 minute pop-punk marvels that don't need to studio pro-tool polish most bands hide behind these days. Plus,there are only three chords required to rock and this records proves the point. Their music shows their fan dome for the likes of Social D, Ted Leo, Mats and the Decendents ,etc,etc, blah, blah. Hats off to some of the song names but these are the stand-out tracks: "Liars Poker", "Tape Hiss", "forgotten two" and "Salieri". Enjoy.
- review stalker