Van Wyck Gazette Winter Issue 2015 Holiday

Winter Issue 2015

Van Wyck Gazette

New Paltz • Rhinebeck • Poughkeepsie • Wappingers Falls • Fishkill • Beacon • Newburgh

Editor In Chief Welcome to our Winter Holiday Issue & Gift Guide. This celebrates issue #20 of Van Wyck Gazette community magazine and introduces several of our newest writers and improved format with larger photographs and regional topics.

We publish content that includes art, music and what any futurist loves, upcoming trends prior to their becoming common place. And we watch as our writers, insightful artists and musicians push their envelopes and share what are certain to become the next trends in our lives. So, how about we unwrap a few of these trends.

Hudson River town revitalization is a trendy topic. Everyone is aware of the growth in Beacon and their tie to Metro North railroad which delivers guests to the Riggio Galleries – Dia:Beacon. What happened to Kingston, though? One topic on our radar is the review of urban renewal policy of the past and consequent troubles. This subject is examined in our feature about urban renewal, in the documentary film by Lynn Woods and Stephen Blauweiss: “Lost Rondout: A Story of Urban Removal”.

Table of Contents

3

How to Make a Good Impression

Meryl Hartstein

The Feelies: Art Rock Comes to 4 Storm King Janet Hamill

Lost Rondout

8

Lynn Woods

Music appreciation is a very hot topic as many argue the best music is behind us. Probably the time to interview “one of the best and most enduring bands to come out of the post-punk new wave rock scene in the late ‘70’s”. This is our exclusive Q&A with The Feelies at Storm King by Janet Hamill.

The Gift of Gab

World citizenship is more crucial than previously calculated and is expanded upon by music legend Graham Nash in his interview with our Senior Writer Michael Jurkovic. In the spirit of world citizenship, we have selected a painting of a very optimistic woman by Tel Aviv artist Noa Knafo to grace our Winter Holiday cover.

The Power of Acceptance

Chocolate and a shortage of cacao beans made recent headlines.

Some of the best chocolate is crafted in Shokan by Fruition, as Katie Maus shares in her exclusive expose about one of our favorite trends.

Holiday Gift Guide

Plus, Adrea Gibbs shares “The Gift of Gab”, Meryl Hartstein covers “How to make a Good Impression” and Diane Lang writes about “The Power of Acceptance” to wrap up our Winter Holiday Issue & Gift Guide 2015.

Joseph Caplan I am an artist who focuses on spirituality and on how the world is right now, but in ways that we cannot necessarily see. My paintings contain certain energies which allow viewers to experience these realities in their own personal ways. I envision my paintings in my mind, often spontaneously and entire paintings can occur to me all at once. These visions can happen at any place or any time. In order to materialize Cover Artist what has come to me, I begin by drawing Noa Knafo the composition on a canvas, which eventually becomes the painting. At other times I paint intuitively from my subconscious, allowing the visions to occur to me as I paint.

My early paintings involved many feelings and were focused on the Jewish religion. I would sign these paintings anonymously, because I wanted people do judge the paintings for themselves, and not because I was the one who painted them. After a while, I began to think about things in larger more all-inclusive ways, understanding that all human beings have a lot in common, and that spirituality can be expressed in many ways. My ongoing journey has taken me from religious painting based on my history, through intuitive painting which comes from my heart, to visionary painting which comes from my mind.

10 Adrea Gibbs

11 Diane Lang 12

Graham Nash

14 Mike Jurkovic

What is Fruition & Why Are They 16 So Unique?

Katie Maus

Holiday Eats

18 Amy Zarichnak

NYC Comic

CD Reviews

20 Jeremy Cash 23 Mike Jurkovic

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How to Make a Good Impression Meryl Hartstein

When we meet someone for the first time, it’s natural for our guard to be up.

We automatically size them up with our eyes. We subconsciously check out their attire, their accessories, how they style their hair. We even go as far as to check out their nails, teeth and hairline. This is all a learned behavior, something embedded in us from our role models.

What a nasty way to behave. It’s almost embarrassing, if you think about it too much.

We need to be aware of this in order to change it and open ourselves up to people. What we give is what we get. This competitive nature is not healthy. We all excel in different ways, and that’s what makes us unique. To feel that you are better than another person is to have a false sense of superiority.

When meeting someone for the first time, search deeper than what the eye sees. Sometimes, a person who is lacking confidence and self-worth will put up a front only to hide their lack of self-belief. That front will only come across as cocky and condescending. We will automatically dislike this person for those reasons. I believe that there really isn’t anyone who is truly like this without feeling low self-esteem.

There are exceptions, such as a narcissist.

When I meet someone, I make sure to open myself up to them. I keep my walls down. I have learned to reach out with open arms.

Sometimes, it can take some time to break down their wall, but with a little patience, it can be done and it will benefit both of you. It’s not important to impress people with a false attitude; it’s much more impressive to be real and welcoming.

It doesn’t take much to give a compliment to someone who could really use one. That is a great way to break the ice. Also, finding a commonality works like a charm. If you see something that you share with that person, a similar item they have on, a favorite food or even a comment on the weather, it also helps to make the other person feel comfortable.

Next time you meet someone for the first time, try searching their eyes instead of their handbag and shoes.

Give them an unexpected hug instead of a handshake. Let them see your warmth and caring. You will receive it back and so much more. People will see you as a role model. They will pass on what you gave them. If we could all stop judging people, we would all be so much happier.

A sincere person is one who really cares and it shows. Sincerity is attractive. If you come from a caring, loving place it can be felt. There is nothing worse than a phony.

With Holiday time rapidly approaching, it’s a great opportunity to practice showing your best from the start. Keep in mind how you can make a difference in someone’s life. Start the day thinking about how you can bring cheer and warmth to another person. Make these thoughts part of your daily objective. We are given the power to spread goodness and hope, if we use it, people will remember us not only as someone they know, but as someone that made a lasting impression.

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THE FEELIES:

Art Rock Comes to Storm King On Sunday, September 20, The Feelies – one of the best and most enduring bands to come out of the post-punk/new wave rock scene in late 70’s lower Manhattan – performed at Storm King. It was an absolutely spectacular day to visit the 500 acre sculpture park in Mountainville. The line of cars waiting to get into Storm King stretched from the entrance to Rt. 32.

Hudson Valley residents and day-trippers from NYC had come to enjoy the grounds and sculptures on a pleasantly temperate day, under brilliant blue skies, two days before autumn’s official start. An estimated 1200 of those people came, specifically, to see and hear The Feelies. Sitting on blankets, canvas chairs and the ground of the sloping hillside, surrounded by three monumental Mark di Suveros, the enthusiastic fans of this elusive, cult quintet (Glenn Mercer – guitars, vocals; Bill Million – guitars, vocals; Brenda Sauter – bass guitar, vocals; Stan Demeski – drums; Dave Weckerman – percussion) were treated to

a rousing, charging, emotive set of songs culled from all five of The Feelies’ albums – Crazy Rhythms (1980), The Good Earth (1986), Only Life (1988), Time for a Witness (1991) and Here Before (2011). From song to song, the layered guitars and pounding drums overwhelmed, aided by a superb sound system. The audience was a great mix of aging boomers, gen Xers, and Millennials, who’ve just recently discovered this musically, timeless treasure. If you really know your rock n’roll, you know The Feelies!

Private and protective of his time, The Feelies co-founder, Glenn Mercer, was a willing and generous respondent to this writer’s questions. Our interview, following the Storm King performance, follows.

JH: Performing at an outdoor monumental sculpture park wouldn’t be every band’s idea of the perfect venue, nor would most bands seem suitable for such a venue. How did The Feelies like performing at Storm King?

GM: The show was scheduled a little earlier than we’re used to, but I think we all enjoyed it a lot. We appreciate nature and art, and having them represented together made for an inspiring context. In general, outdoor shows can be more of a challenge in regard to sound, but we always have our own mix person who knows how to adapt

and he’s familiar with the band and the sound we want to present.

JH: It’s been a long time for me between Feelies’ gigs. Storm King marked the first time I’d seen you since Mikey Ruskin’s lower Manhattan Ocean Club in 1977. At the time I was working at Cinemabilia, on 13th St., with your then manager Terry Ork. Terry encouraged me to see you play. How did you get from Haledon, NJ to the Terry Ork and the Ocean Club?

GM: We had been playing in local clubs and schools for about a year, but there weren’t a lot of places that welcomed bands playing original music at that time, so we knew we needed to get involved in the N.Y. underground scene, which was getting a lot of attention from the press. Our first step was to play on “audition night” at CBGB. At that show, Mark Abel was working as the sound mixer and he really flipped for the band. He was friends with Terry and he invited him to see us at our next show. We quickly established a strong rapport with Ork and he agreed to manage us. In turn, Terry was friends with Mikey and they booked us into the club. We’d have to say that Terry played a big part in the band’s early days, and we’re glad that the Ork catalog is finally being reissued.

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On stage are Glenn Mercer and Bill Million - (Photos by Marisa Arezzi) JH: I understand that while you and Bill (Million) were in the process of creating the definitive Feelies sound you spent a good deal of time at CBGB’s. In its “punk” heyday, what bands/ musicians were you most likely to go see at CBGB’s.

Which ones influenced you the most and in what ways?

for the Stones, the Who, the Stooges, the MC5 and the Velvet Underground, helped us form the basis for the Feelies. And, as important as these influences were, we were also defined by what we didn’t like and what we wanted to avoid sounding like.

studio environment.

JH: Also, as far as influences, what do you think of George Harrison as a guitarist and solo artist? I ask because from 1986’s The Good Earth through your present, solo instrumental album, I wanted to add a footnote to that - Hearing Incidental Hum, I hear Harrisonesque the Beatles and Stones doing cover songs lilting, open cord phrasings and GM: At the time, bands pretty much brought to me a great appreciation for the melodies. played either CBGB or Max’s Kansas City architects of rock & roll, primarily, Chuck GM: I love his playing and songwriting, and I remember seeing a lot of bands at Berry, Buddy Holly, Elvis and Little Richard. especially his slide playing. He’s probably both venues in their early incarnations, like JH: As I listen to all five of your my biggest influence as a slide guitarist.

Patti Smith, Television, Talking Heads, the albums, I hear your great “avant-garde And I’m a big fan of his use of drone tones.

B52’s, the Cramps, Pere Ubu. I think we punk” sound, and I pick up the Velvet were mostly influenced by the music we Underground influence. What strikes me JH: The Feelies are exceptional in that heard while growing up, but we were also is that it’s a post John Cale & Nico they have proven their staying power inspired by what was happening in New Velvets’ sound. It’s the sound of Lou and maintained their artistic integrity York at the time. We also got into a few Reed’s Loaded Velvets. Can you address over a long period. We’re used to seeing that with writers and painters. It’s English bands like Wire. that opinion? definitely less common with rock JH: What music most influenced you GM: Well, in a general sense, I think that musicians. To what do you attribute this when you were growing up? when John Cale left, the distinction between success?

GM: I guess the biggest influence, what the music’s components became more GM: It’s a bit of a trade-off. We could made me want to play guitar, was seeing focused. It was easier to hear what each have made more concessions and made the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. It was certainly member brought to the group. Consequently, more money, but we’ve always been driven a ‘big bang’ moment for many of our the interplay between the guitars resulted by the creative process. We’ve also operated generation. From that point, most of what in a more ebb and flow, with less sonic in a reactive, rather than proactive, manner, I heard on the radio, or from my older assault. That was something that intrigued allowing things to be revealed and to let brother’s extensive record collection, us. We do also manage to include some of them happen in an organic way. That kind probably had some kind of lasting impact. that feedback laden density live at various of process requires a lot of patience, but it When Bill and I first met, our mutual love points, but it’s a hard thing to create in a kind of works for us. We take things slow

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Winter 2015 Issue

From Left: Stan Demeski, Dave Weckerman, Brenda Sauter, Glenn Mercer, Bill Million (Photo by Fumie Ishi) and take time off periodically to recharge.

JH: You have always been an extremely independent artist. You’ve fought to maintain artistic control of your albums, and with one exception, you’ve preferred your albums to be selfproduced. (R.E.M.’s Peter Buck produced The Feelies 1986 album, The Good Earth.)

With the overhauling of the music industry, the break-up of corporations and streaming music, many young bands are doing things independently.

Has your independence been hard won?

Do you see yourself as a pioneer?

GM: Actually, Bill and I have always been the producers. Pete was a co-producer.

We’ve had outside help with each record since it seems like a good idea to have someone listening in the control room while we’re tracking. Also, for the rare occasion when Bill and I might have different perspectives, it’s good to have a third opinion. I do feel that we’ve had to earn our independence. We’ve actually turned down record deals that wouldn’t allow us to have total control.

JH: Technical questions….Are you happy to see the rebirth of vinyl? Do you prefer to record digitally or acoustically?

GM: I can see value in every way that music is presented, and also the drawbacks with each. I understand that cassettes are also coming back, and I’m a big fan of that media as well. It seems to me that a lot of music buyers are talking a great deal about sound and audio fidelity, without much

discussion about the songs and the music.

I remember listening to my transistor radio and being excited by the music, so I believe that a good song will transcend the delivery vehicle.

JH: Here Before was released in 2011.

You just released Incidental Hum, and the band is working on a new album. It would appear that you’re going through a prolific period, or at least struck a productive cord. Am I correct?

GM: Just prior to Here Before, I released my first solo record, Wheels In Motion, in 2007, so I’ve been recording a lot recently, and we have an album’s worth of new songs that we’re getting ready to record. For me, my productivity comes in waves. I trust the process enough to know when to be active or passive about it. When it feels like the time is right, I take advantage of that feeling by trying to establish a momentum, where each act leads to another, each song inspires another.

JH: The Feelies have a devoted fan base, a cult status and an enormous European following. How do you think you’ve achieved that and how do you hope to sustain it? Do you see more touring in The Feelies’ future?

GM: I try not to be too analytical about it. I think our most devoted fans can relate to how we work, in our own time, on our own terms. They know, by now, that our intentions are pure in the sense that we only make music when we’re driven by the creative urge. We’re very grateful for that loyalty. As far as touring, we don’t really do

that anymore. The band is spread-out logistically and it would be hard to do any extended playing at this stage. The way we work, on weekends, with an album every 5 or 6 years, is hard enough to manage.

When we’re able to complete those goals, it feels like a big accomplishment.

JH: Which do you prefer most, solo work or working with the full band?

GM: There are aspects of each that I like.

When I work on my own I work very fast and do a lot in a short amount of time. The band takes a bit longer, but I don’t mind that either. Playing with a band can be very rewarding on many levels. Enthusiasm can spread and reach a point that you can’t get to alone.

JH: Finally, as a musician and songwriter, what would you like to do that you haven’t yet done?

GM: That’s a tough one. I’ve played with a lot of great people, in a lot of great venues, been to a lot of great places, scored a film, been in a film...I guess my goal, at this point, is to keep making music that gives me pleasure.

The Feelies will be re-issuing Only Life and Time For A Witness, with bonus tracks, later this year. Next year will be the 40th anniversary of their first gig. They’ve been talking about “some sort of celebration of that, although that’s still in the early stage of planning.”

Follow The Feelies on Facebook for information on current events and releases https://www.facebook.com/The.Feelies

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Lost Rondout: A Story of Urban Renewal Brings Back to Life a Vanished Community!

In the early 1960s, Kingston’s waterfront Rondout district, once a vibrant commercial center and the busiest port on the Hudson River between New York City and Albany, had fallen on hard times. Like so many other working-class neighborhoods in cites throughout the Northeast and Midwest, Rondout, or downtown, as it was known to locals, had lost most of the industries that had enabled it to prosper and its retail sector and housing stock had become obsolescent as suburban growth exploded in the postwar years. With the passage of Title One of the Housing Act in 1949, the federal government made available millions of federal dollars that enabled cities to tear down what was dubbed “blight” and offer the cleared land to private developers at a discount. The expectation was that new Modernist buildings would provide better housing for the poor and result in more appealing commercial and residential districts as a way to lure investment dollars back to the city.

Ferry Street - Canfield’s Supply (Photo by Eugene C. Dauner) Rondout, once a separate town that had boomed with the opening of the D&H Canal in 1828, which enabled coal from Pennsylvania to be transported by barge to the port and from there down to New York City, was a place of immigrants and millionaires, who built their mansions on the bluffs overlooking the crowded, smoky city. Trapped in a long, steady decline and the place where the city’s poorer citizens resided, it was nonetheless a vibrant neighborhood up to the late 1950s, its hundreds of mom and pop stores offering residents, many of whom didn’t have cars, everything they needed. It was a place where everyone knew everybody, where many business dealings were based on trust, where kids played in the streets and nobody worried. Because it was poor, the rows of Italianate brick buildings, dating mostly from the post Civil War years up to 1900, were little changed, their original ironcolumned storefronts, some bearing clerestories of stained glass, and signs reading “ship chandlery” and “M. Kerby Dry Goods,” still intact.

But back in the early 1960s, when everyone wanted to live in a ranch house and the strip mall was fast replacing Main Street, such attributes counted for little. The Broadway East Urban Renewal Plan devised by planners in 1961 sought to replace the old infrastructure with a shopping center and multi-unit, Modernist apartment

buildings, and in 1966, after obtaining $9 million in federal funds, the demolition began. By 1970, nearly 500 buildings had been taken down. Entire streets vanished, to be replaced by two low-income housing projects and a huge vacant lot. Thousands of people had been displaced, many of them African American families who could not find housing elsewhere in the city. The small remnant of buildings that remained on the west side of Broadway and West Strand was boarded up and abandoned.

Rondout had died.

As a young man delivering flowers for his father’s Port Ewen-based florist business, Eugene Dauner, distraught at the loss of his community, took nearly 1,000 slides of the doomed area starting in the early 1960s.

Dauner’s photographs and the story of urban renewal in Rondout is the subject of a new film, co-produced and co-directed

by Lynn Woods and Stephen Blauweiss, entitled Lost Rondout: A Story of Urban Removal.

Dauner’s slides, thanks to their wonderful depiction of late afternoon light and careful composition capture the similar sense of abandonment, mysterious passage of time and sorrowful emotion embodied in an Edward Hopper painting, constitute a meticulous photographic record of the vanished neighborhood. The film utilizes Dauner’s slides as well as images by other

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photographers and archival footage, The hour-long film is nearing completion For more information, visit www.lostrondout. including 1930s footage of tugs on the creek and will be screened November 21 and com, the Lost Rondout Facebook page, or and excerpts from a 1969 IBM recruitment December 4 at the Arts Society of Kingston, email info@lostrondoutproject.com . film (IBM had constructed a massive plant 93 Broadway, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10. on the outskirts of Kingston in 1954, spurring a boom in suburban development that serves as a distinct counterpoint to the obsolescence of Rondout’s urban streetscape) to re-create lost Rondout. Interviews with former residents bring the destroyed neighborhood back to life—its bars, clothing stores, and bakeries - as well as the difficulties of being relocated. Commentary by historians, urban planners, including the original urban renewal planner, and city officials provide perspective on urban renewal, which impacted cities across America. The film also chronicles the area’s slow recovery from total abandonment to the flourishing waterfront neighborhood of restaurants, antique shops, and cultural attractions it is today, even as the city still struggles with urban Hasbrouck, Ferry to E Strand - Ship Chandlery (Photo by Eugene C. Dauner) renewal’s problematic legacy.

(Photos by Eugene C. Dauner)

Corner of Mill Street & Broadway c. 1965

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Winter 2015 Issue

Adrea Gibbs

The Gift of Gab it sitting on the bed or in the laundry hamper.

The same thing is true of gifts we give others. It is all about remember me and remember that I care about you.

The funny thing is how many times do you pick up that last minute something or email a gift certificate without much thought at all? It is still serving the same exact purpose, the difference is the time and energy and, yes, even thought, that goes into it. What makes this all so interesting though is that regardless of whether you have spent hours deliberating over which thing-a-ma-bob is the “right” thing-a-ma-bob may or may not, in the short or long run, make any difference. Sometimes we get careless about the who and the why and get caught up by the convenience, the price tag and the sheer fact we remembered to do anything at all as our saving grace.

Everyone knows that the perfect gift is elusive. Sure, you may know exactly what sweater someone wants or who their current band of choice may be, so it seems easy and for all intents and purposes, in those cases, it may well be. But, do you suppose a year from now, two years from now, ten years from now that person will actually remember what you gave them? It may have been a need or a want for that parWhen I think about the most impactful ticular time and moment, but what is the real purpose behind gift giving? Besides gifts I have received, they have more to do the obvious, of course, giving and getting with someone’s intimate knowledge and connection with me more than anything stuff. else. And it’s not always close friends and I believe that underneath the superficial family to whom I am referring. It includes concern for getting the right color and so some of the most distant of acquaintances. forth, there are two things subconsciously The gifts that resonate with me are most we consider when we give someone a gift. often things that involve activity and First, it is an opportunity to let that person communication. They are experiences that know you care, that on some level you need volumes of exposition to even begin recognize them as an individual, as to share with others, but in a single flash of someone who has meaning and, perhaps sense memory, a smell, a color, a word, even more, someone who has meaning to those memories rush back in full Technicolor you and your life. The second thing? We and surround-sound. I may be dating myself, all simply want to be remembered. We want but you get the idea. that person to put on the sweater or play Why, when I look at certain kind of the CD we gave them and think about us. sherbet, do I instantly think of my Godparents It is the same reasoning behind the sale of who gave me a stuffed cat that looked like, souvenirs at your favorite amusement park. well, sherbet when I was all of 8 years old?

The parks want you to buy that teddy bear I remember years later my Mom telling me or t-shirt emblazoned with their brand so it that my Godmother had been perplexed will spark a memory the next time you see

about what to get me, but knowing my fondness for cats and the unique colors I had chosen for my room at the time, settled on that particular stuffed animal. It was the knowing from whom it came and the personal connection to me that continues to bring them to mind. Or the mix CDs my husband makes for me, with each song carefully selected for its tie to a certain time and a specific place for us. I need only let it play and allow myself to be instantly transported. My parents are masters of this craft and even when things were tough, when I was living off elsewhere and away from everyone, a package arriving filled solely with Peeps candy made that birthday or holiday feel real and connected to those about whom I cared. For that moment, the memories were engaged.

I can look at DVDs and books others have given me and sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t remember from whom they came, or for that matter that they were even a gift.

Things don’t always come with some personal attachment. They can be nice and appreciated, but as time creates distance, so too goes a general connection to any given object. For my money, a collection of Monty Python’s Flying Circus skits watched over and over and over again in college, nacho cheese Doritos, and whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese from my college roommate speaks volumes. And for long after the Doritos and cream cheese are gone.

Most of the people I know don’t need “things.” If they do, I will get them those “things,” but not in celebration of Christmas.

I can do that anytime, really. But for holidays or special occasions, I want to give them a piece of me, a bookmark, if you will, to place in their memory whether something from

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Va n Wyck Ga ze tte yesterday or something yet to come. I want them to know they are special because they have helped to make me who I am, for better or worse. Well, hopefully for better. To me, the gift of gab is the gift of communication and while “gab” may be tied directly to gossip and ad nauseam speech, I define it by other parameters. Sending someone a handmade card that illustrates a specific shared experience by which you communicate your recollection of that time. Honoring someone with a charitable contribution to their favorite organization showing you do listen and their passion has affected you.

Hand delivering a picture in a quirkily coordinated frame that takes them to a past event or mailing a postcard anticipating

some forthcoming adventure with location circled on the front saying “meet me here, 3:00pm, Tuesday, February 13,” will become the stuff of which memories are made.

Promising, and keeping that promise, of calling every month just to say “hi.”

That may be why gifts with an artistic tie, a landscape of a place long ago visited, a book with roots in a particular town, a handcrafted quilt purchased in a Main Street shop, or a CD purchased from a musician that played in the special restaurant evoke the strongest responses. They encapsulate the time and space and place where those experiences were drawn. Like a caricature from a street artist, the image may be a bit distorted, as time and memory have a way

of doing that, but it is still recognizable.

There is a simple reality found in the lyrics of “My Favorite Things,” from The Sound of Music. Though kitten whiskers and copper kettles may not rise to the top of my list, I can as easily insert my personal choices.

My favorite things are the ones that are tied to memories of conversations and laughter or tears, of time spent together or apart, of real pieces of my life that will forever keep my heart and soul warm. And that tea infuser I have been looking at for a friend? To the outsider, it may not look entirely thoughtful.

To the recipient, it will barely be revealed beneath the tissue before the smile begins and the gabbing starts.

The Power of Acceptance

Diane Lang

the old phase but can’t get to our new start.

This area, otherwise known as the gray area, is a time that most of us will feel stuck and powerless. We can use this gray area in a few different ways.

• We can use it as a teachable/learnable moment – what can I learn from my past experience? What changes do I want to make for a smooth transition?

Sometimes the only power we have left is to accept and let go. When we look at things in our life that are out of our control, and there is nothing left we can do to fix it or change it, then we feel powerless. The best thing we can is regain our power. To do this, we must first let go of our need to change it or fix it. We must let go of our resistance. If we keep resisting the change we will stay stuck. We will stay in a spot (the gray area) where we are no longer at

• We can use it as a time for self-inquiry and reflection – we can take the time to ask questions such as: where do I want to go? What does my new chapter of life look like? What habits/ patterns do I keep repeating that no longer serve me?

Instead, it’s time to let go of our past experience and old chapters of life. Look at the clues/signs that are going on in front of you that will help lead in you in the right direction. Follow your intuition to help make better choices. Let go of your resistance and accept where you are at this very moment. This is true acceptance. You have let go and accepted your place for now! I use the word “now” at the end of the sentence because acceptance does not mean the situation and/or how you are feeling is permanent. It means where you are at this current time. Once we let go and accept things can change, resistance is gone, the power is brought back.

So, when all else fails and your’re feeling • We can stay stuck in fear. In most completely powerless, take it back by letting cases, if we stay stuck for too long, go and accepting where you are so you can we end up back in our old habits/ move forward. patterns which leads us to being stagnant. This can also lead to depression.

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Mike Jurkovic “Nash,” he greets, in that seer-like voice generations recall. And it’s that warmth speaking to us humbly and humanely, in his best-selling book, Wild Tales. No revision. No apology. In a free- wheeling discussion, we touch upon many of the themes he’s written about and how the journey that started in Manchester, England has brought him here: Author, activist, artist, humanitarian, mentor.

He paid for Maroon 5’s demos. “They were my kid’s classmates.” Yes he’d tour with The Hollies if Clarkie (Allan Clark, Hollies bedrock and childhood bud) sang like he did at the Hollies’ 2010 Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Induction.

The Hollies ascent was. . .“Immediate!

We were a real good band who wrote good songs that caught the imagination and we never looked back. We’ve never even officially broken up.”

MJ: You recall in the book writing out

Graham Nash

the lyrics to Arthur Alexander’s “Anna” for Lennon in ’63 the night before The Beatles recorded the song. It reminded me of John bringing Paul into the Quarrymen after Paul showed him the lyrics and chords to “Twenty Flight Rock.”

it paralyzes them. David broke my paralysis and for that I will be eternally grateful.”

In both book and daily interactions, he’s ever loyal to Croz. “David’s a fascinating person. A great heart. A great humor. He basically saved my life during the latter days of the Hollies as artistic tensions began tearing at the band. I was writing songs and they wouldn’t record them because “King Midas In Reverse” hadn’t done well chartwise. That’s when David comes along and says “”Marrakesh Express” is pretty cool.

Follow your path.”” He said the worst thing to do was give an artist self doubt because

discuss LSD in Wild Tales is really refreshing given all the mea culpas these days.

He’s still close to Joni (who earlier this year suffered an aneurysm and is reportedly slowly recovering.) “I couldn’t have started the book without her. She confirmed the first time Croz, Stephen, and I sang was at “John was a very smart boy. He her house, which became our house.” surrounded himself with the best.”

MJ: The openness with which you

GN: “I’m not advocating drug use, but I discovered things I believe I intrinsically knew. I’m a speck of dust on a gigantic planet in an expanding universe moving ever away from us. So to bark at someone because your coffee’s too hot is utterly pointless. So I try to do the best in everything I do. It’s obvious I won’t make it though.”

His Manchester laugh pitches high above

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Page 15

my South Bronx chuckle, harmonizing as ever. And harmony, and voice, is why he’s deeply saddened by Linda Ronstadt’s Parkinson’s diagnosis. “Linda was and still is a very powerful, beautiful woman. But losing her voice means not only never singing, she may never again speak out for justice, and we need every voice to be heard to overturn the corporations.”

MJ: You were at the fall of the Berlin Wall and participated in, and supported, Occupy Wall Street. Why can’t we sustain a global people’s movement to defeat the corporate/ political order?

GN: “But we can! And it’s most important to remember that we are! It’s a revolution of ideas!

Is the Berlin Wall still standing? Occupy isn’t grabbing headlines but they’re working towards getting better people elected and “Y’know, I had a meeting with the reducing student debt and inequality. We Rockefeller Foundation a few days ago. just need to continue talking to those who We have eleven hundred environmental oppose us. It’s a slow process, but not groups that all want the same thing but hopeless.” speak a slightly different language.”

“It’s the same thing with the climate MJ: Why eleven hundred? Why can’t deniers. We know damn well what’s going we all get on the same page?” on. Ninety five percent of scientists agree GN: “It’ll happen. By divesting from fossil we’re the reason behind global warming.

But you have senators saying “It’s freezing fuels that’s what they’re hoping to do: in Topeka. All those scientists are wrong.” empower a divesture movement. But it’s truly a matter of educating our kids. Bring MJ: As a founder of Musicians United music and art, bring imagination, back into for Safer Energy, does that frustrate you? the classroom and watch new thinking, new GN: “I understand it takes a great deal ideas, arise.” of energy to move the planet even a MJ: As a world citizen, do you see the microsecond forward. And, in all due same attack on education throughout respect, most people are taught just the the world as in the States? opposite. The powers that be, in the endless GN: “No. No, I don’t. It’s not like that in pursuit of greed, don’t want an educated populace. They want sheep. So they Indonesia. It’s not like that in China. It’s pigeonhole us with their media. Everywhere abysmal here.” else in the world those who stand up for MJ: Most readers of Wild Tales will human dignity are called freedom fighters. discover for the first time your other Here they call us unwashed, unemployed, artistic achievements: Your photography unorganized, homeless hippies.” is globally acclaimed. Your digital art is “There was a great song in the 40’s, “Money is the Root of All Evil” (sings a line or two) an incredibly profound song that I’m thinking of bringing back to life.”

“But not one nuke plant has been built here since the late 70’s when we started.

Several have been shut down ‘n we’re gonna get them all. Because what’s happening in Fukushima will be going on for centuries and that has been deliberately buried in the news under Kim Kardashian’s ass. It’s dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. You’ll never find out the truth because 37 plants in the US are built on the same design.”

setting standards while the founding role you played in the realm of digital printing cannot be understated (www. nasheditions.com). You’re a new grandpa. Do you still fret your cool quotient?

GN:“Miles is cool. Belafonte is cool. Am I cool? I don’t know. I try to create something of beauty everyday. Sculpture, music, art . . .a great cup of tea. Creating beauty advances mankind forward.”

MJ: Any recent wild tales?

GN: “I was at a book signing in Manchester and this bloke hands me an envelope and says I should look at it later.

So I get back to the hotel and open the envelope. It was my report card from when I was eleven and the teacher’s remarks were ‘this boy wants to know everything.’

And that’s who I am.”

Original interview re-published with permission from Elmore Magazine (www.elmoremagazine.com) For this reprint new content has been added.

Page 16

Winter 2015 Issue

Katie Maus I opened the door to the overwhelmingly delicious smell of chocolate. Bryan Graham, Founder of Fruition Chocolate in Shokan, NY, greeted me, ready to share some stories, some facts, and, thankfully, some chocolate.

First, a little background about Fruition and what they do. About six years ago, Bryan and his wife were “burnt out” from their jobs at the Culinary Institute and in NYC. They hadn’t planned to open a chocolate shop, but the two quit their jobs to travel and scout out the perfect location for their new adventure. After about five months of searching all over, they finally landed on a location: home. Both raised in the Hudson Valley, Bryan and his wife decided to purchase their current location, which actually used to be a burger and ice cream joint frequented by both before they were together. The rest, as they say, is history. The wholesale company took off and they decided to make the front of the shop into a small retail store, and recently opened another in the heart of Woodstock.

When I asked why they settled on the Hudson Valley, Bryan told me that both locations were perfect for a craft chocolate shop. The original location is on a main road, Route 28, that leads into the Catskills, which is a major destination for folks from New York City and other places who may

Winner of Gold and Silver Awards in The International Chocolate Awards:

What is Fruition and Why are They So Unique? have more “discerning palates” to own second homes, so they are sure to pass by. As for the other store, Woodstock is clearly a major tourist stop in the area and people are constantly walking around town visiting all the unique, sometimes eccentric, shops, so why not have a retail outlet there?

Bryan also tells me that he has formed close relationships with other local businesses, farms, and distilleries, which is important when you use as many local ingredients as possible, as Fruition does in their highly intriguing chocolate- making process.

Fruition is a craft chocolate company, which means they import the raw cacao beans and take them through the entire process from bean to bar right there in the shop.

Bryan showed me the bags of cacao beans, the cacao nibs, and the chocolate bars they eventually turn into. It is fascinating to see

something in its raw, natural state right next to what it will become after some hard work and careful processing.

While we know Bryan uses as many local ingredients as possible, cacao beans aren’t exactly growing on the side of Route 28.

So where do they come from? Fruition imports beans from countries including Peru, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rico, Ecuador, and Madagascar. I asked Bryan why he goes through all the trouble of finding beans at all these different places. He told me the type of chocolate made depends on how it’s made, of course, but also where the bean comes from and how it is picked and cared for before it even makes its way to the States. The beans from the Central and South American countries produce more intensity in the chocolate they become.

These beans make a “really chocolatey” kind of chocolate, whereas cacao from Madagascar will lead to chocolate with a fruitier flavor, which Bryan says he is able to play up to make the different kinds of chocolate more unique.

It is extremely important to Fruition to have the variety of different types of beans to make their chocolate. Bryan took some time to explain why that is: Major corporation chocolate companies will make a bar of chocolate that will taste the same if you eat one today as if you eat one in twenty years.

There isn’t any room for growth. For chocolate made directly from the bean,

Page 17

Va n Wyck Ga ze tte every little step affects the taste. As the chocolate is made by real humans rather than a machine, there is still room to change the process; find things that may be better or even create a different product. Every batch can be better than the last. This is also why Bryan himself, along with a few highly trained employees, is careful to oversee all of the production, signing off on each individual bar and stamping them with batch numbers. He wants his consumers to know that “one of us was is there, every step along the way, caring for it.”

Craft chocolate is a growing practice, but when Bryan started there were only 20 or so other companies that actually made chocolate.

This is including the big-name brands we know so well. The rest make different types of products out of chocolate, but don’t psychically develop the raw material themselves. Many of the microbatch, bean to bar chocolate makers that make up that original 20 have remained close during the growth of their industry. You can find some of their products in Fruition’s shops. Bryan laughed when I inquired as to why he would sell someone else’s chocolate in his store. He considers some of his competitors to be his best friends, so he sells their chocolate to support them and the industry in which they work. Another reason he noted was that his customers might really like his Maranon chocolate, may also really enjoy another chocolatier’s creation using the same type of bean. Though surprising to some, selling his competitors’ chocolates in his shop works out well for Bryan’s customers and his friends.

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Speaking of Maranon, Fruition’s Maranon Milk chocolate bar recently won the Gold at this years International Chocolate Awards. When I asked Bryan what he thinks of winning so many awards (a full list can be found at tastefruition.com), he was of two minds. Awards are “subjective,” he says. Of course, there are certain qualities, how it melts, how it tastes, but it ultimately comes down to what people like, and the judges are rigorous. On the other hand, he feels as though awards help to “validate their hard work,” both to themselves and among their peers. When I asked if Bryan had ever expected to be making some of the most respected, best chocolate in the world, of course he hadn’t. He says he’s just “obsessed with making chocolate— making good chocolate.”

Naturally, I wondered which chocolate Bryan makes is his favorite He told me that it’s like having kids, “how do you pick your favorite?”

He seems to like whatever is the most recent creation the best. For now? Limited edition Bourbon Barrel Aged 61% Dark Milk chocolate bar. The cacao nibs (what the chocolate is called at some points during the stages between bean and bar) are aged in recently drained bourbon barrels to absorb the “charmed oakey flavor” from the wood, adding a bit of a vanilla flavor despite the fact that no vanilla is added to the chocolate. He uses some caramelized milk when making the chocolate to compliment the flavor taken on from the barrel where the nibs stay for three months. This bar has won this year’s Silver Award at the International Chocolate Awards, so clearly, however outlandish it may sound to age chocolate in a bourbon barrel, this process works! He even sent me home with one to try—and it is a seriously delicious chocolate bar!

As for the holiday season, while he says they don’t make chocolate Santas, Bryan did tell me that there will be some limited edition holiday filled chocolates and truffles coming out; definitely a good gift to bring to a holiday party or dinner.

Check them out at 3091 Route 28 in Shokan, NY 12481 or visit their website www.tastefruition.com to see where else their products are sold!

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Holiday Eats As someo ne who cooks for a living, I get bombarded with questions about food all the time.

H o w e v e r, i t seems that the questions I get Amy Zarichnak asked most are questions about what I make for my loved ones during the holidays. Whether you’re simply wanting to make the tastiest dishes for the people you love, or if you’re looking to impress your guests (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love to get compliments on their food?!), it pays to have a couple dishes in your repertoire that are easy and delicious, but also extraordinary enough to “wow” your guests.

I have a hard time getting my family to try new things, and they like to have the same dishes year after year (“Or it doesn’t feel like Christmas!” according to my brother). However, I usually try to sneak in at least one new side dish or appetizer every year. Sometimes it’s a keeper, and sometimes they don’t love it the way I thought they would.

I have decided to share some of my family’s “keeper” recipes for this holiday season. We usually do a tapas meal for Christmas Eve, full of cocktail meatballs, cheese and meat platters, fondue, crudité, dips, and small bites. For Christmas, we do a prime rib, and it’s outstanding. New Year’s is again about a smorgasbord of small plates. However, no matter what holiday(s) you celebrate, you’re sure to find something below to crush your craving or satisfy your sweet tooth.

As much as we love to eat, keep in mind that the season is actually about those people with whom you spend the holidays!

Winter 2015 Issue

My family has the story about the time my grandmother dropped the turkey, and the year I brought home a new boyfriend only to have juices from the roast spill out into the oven, smoking us all out of the house for an hour as the smoke alarm screeched.

These things add to our history as families, and make us laugh over the years. Your food doesn’t have to be perfect for memories to be made. Food is important, but family is why we cook!

Garlic and Rosemary Rubbed Prime Rib with Au Jus and Horseradish Sauce My parents were always undecided about what to have for Christmas until I started cooking more, and I felt that the best meal for my red-meat loving family was a prime rib. As it turns out, my mom was just not comfortable preparing such a large (and expensive!) piece of meat, worried that she’d make a mistake, but it’s quite simple.

It’s also extremely delicious and makes for a rich, satisfying holiday dinner when paired with your favorite potato dish – we do either twice-baked or garlic-mashed with the skins on – and a vegetable. Make Yorkshire puddings as a traditional accompaniment.

of the roast as well. Cover and chill for up to one day.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Uncover beef and roast in oven for 30 minutes for a nice crust on your roast. Turn the heat down to 350°F and roast for another 45 minutes.

Temp your roast by placing a thermometer into the center of your roast (from the top).

Your roast will be around 120°F degrees for rare, 130°F for medium rare, and 140°F for medium. Add cooking time as needed, but pull the roast from the oven when the temperature reaches the desired doneness.

Reserving all the juice, gently remove the roast from the roasting pan to a large cutting board. Let the roast stand, loosely covered with foil, for a minimum of 20 minutes for juices to redistribute and for carry-over cooking to allow the roast to reach its desired doneness, up to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim all fat from the juice, and simmer lightly in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 – 10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Taste, and add reserved rosemary, garlic, and salt and pepper as needed. Beef broth can be added if juice doesn’t yield enough to serve all your guests.

Prep time: 25 minutes Marination time: Up to 24 hours Slice roast into 1” – 1.5” slices and serve Cook time: 1 hr, 45 mins to 2 hrs 30 min. with au jus and horseradish sauce (recipe Makes approximately ten 1” slice servings below). of prime rib Horseradish Sauce Ingredients Prep time: 15 minutes 1/2 cup rough-chopped fresh rosemary, Makes approximately 1 ½ cups plus 2 teaspoons minced and reserved Ingredients 1/3 cup good quality olive oil 1 ½ cups sour cream 10 large garlic cloves, chopped, plus 2 2 tablespoons – 1/3 cup prepared cloves minced and reserved horseradish, to taste 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 -10lb well-trimmed beef rib roast, tied Salt and freshly ground pepper (bone-in will yield more flavor, but Chopped chives, for garnish boneless will work) Method Method In a small bowl, mix first three ingredients Add rosemary, oil, garlic, and salt to a together.

Add salt and freshly ground pepper food processor and pulse to a chunky paste.

Massage into the beef roast while standing to taste. Serve in small ramekins garnished in a roasting pan. Massage into the bottom with a sprinkling of chopped chives.

Va n Wyck Ga ze tte

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Winter 2015 Issue

Jeremy Cash

NYC Comic as many open mic’s as we could. The first week of class he encouraged it but by the second it was mandatory.

In a place like New York City there were literally dozens to choose from every day. After that first mic everything changed. Stage time suddenly became something that I not only sought after but craved. It was the first time in my life where I was just like “yes, this is it, I’m doing this.” Without contention this was a huge moment in my life.

I grew up in Rockland County in the town of Nyack, NY. Throughout my life, I was never into the performing arts. I loved music and wanted to be in a band but never pulled that off. I always had a passion for comedy however without really realizing. I loved to make people laugh; it was easy for me and became a way to break the ice in social situations. I was pretty nerdy back then and I think I would often catch people off guard. Time and time again I have heard the phrase, “you’re way funnier than I thought.” I watched a ton of stand-up and comedies in my free time but it never dawned on me to pursue it as a career path.

Anything else I had done up to then felt forced on me. This was totally my decision and I loved that.

My heart races as I anxiously pace the green stone steps. I’ve walked around the block twice reciting out loud the contents of my set. By any indication I have the appearance of a crazy person. Perhaps that’s exactly what I need to be. The host calls my name and I approach the stage.

The light is piercing and I can’t make out the crowd. I keep telling myself to just breathe. I start speaking yet am only vaguely aware of what I say. As I stammer through my jokes, I get this intense feeling of excitement. A blue blinking light signifies my time is up and the host calls me off stage. Unaware if the crowd enjoyed it or In the past year I have certainly changed even laughed once I knew one thing I was a lot as a person. That shy out spoken hooked. person I was has become much more These were some of the reactions I had comfortable and confident. I’ve moved out while performing at my first open mic. The of Nyack and am now only minutes outside Village Lantern on Bleeker Street in New of the city. I’ve done upwards of 50 shows York City’s West Village is home to many and 200 open mic’s in the past year. I’ve a spectacle such as this. It was just over a taken several other Stand-Up and Improv year ago, and I was enrolled in a class at Comedy classes too. I’ve been in a play, The Gotham Comedy Club. My instructor been a background extra in television shows explained to us that the best way for us to and even attempted to sell tickets for a jump into Stand-Up Comedy was to go to comedy club outside in Times Square. When I was just starting like during the first week

I watched this documentary that had a quote that always stuck with me. In the words of the acclaimed sushi chef Jiro from the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi: Once you decide on your occupation you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success and is the key to being regarded honorably.

This concept of dedication is very much present in the comedy world. It takes a lot more than just being funny to make it in stand-up comedy. When you’re beginning you have to juggle so many different tasks.

To mention a few; you have to network, promote and manage yourself. That’s of course in addition to being extremely disciplined with your writing and getting on stage as much as possible. I aim to write for one hour every day but I know some comics that do much more. These are the guys that are hitting 10-15 mic’s a week and have been doing this for years.

Right now my focus is to keep improving and learning. Living in New York City is a game of survival and stand-up is no different.

I’ve had a lot of positive results in my first year but am still a long ways away from where I want to be. This year has been loaded with up’s and down’s and I am excited to see what year two has in store for me.

Jeremy Cash is a NYC based comedian originally from Nyack, NY. He has performed in many clubs including Levity Live, The Stand and The Gotham Comedy Club. He hosts a bi-weekly open mic at Olive’s in Nyack and produces a monthly show at The Whiskey Kitchen in Valley Cottage, NY.)

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Emergencies and Your Exotic Pet VCA Animal Specialty Emergency Center Introduces Dr. Michelle Ravich DVM, DABVP (Avian) With the holiday season fast approaching, and all the commotion, houseguests, decorations and festive foods to think about, our exotic pets can easily get lost in the midst. Exotic pets are surprisingly common pets, and include birds (parrots, canaries, finches, etc), reptiles, small mammals (rabbits, ferrets, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, chinchillas, small rodents) and others such as sugar gliders. While many exotic pets are housed in cages, and subsequently thought is often not given to their medical care, medical emergencies are not uncommon.

Honestly the best way to prevent a medical emergency in your exotic pet is to bring them to an exotic pet-savvy veterinarian at least once yearly, to ensure they are housed appropriately with the ideal diet, to monitor their weight, and have a physical exam.

Some exotic pets (especially parrots, rabbits and ferrets) should also have routine blood work. Sadly most exotic pet sicknesses/ emergencies could have been prevented if they received the proper care initially.

There are two general types of emergencies. The first are true emergencies (such as toxin ingestions, trauma/injuries, seizures, etc) where the pet was truly normal before the incident happened.

The second are what’s called “acute on chronic” episodes. Exotic pets are typically prey species, and therefore are programmed to hide obvious signs of sickness so as not to draw attention to themselves. Even with fairly significant disease, they will often continue to eat, groom, and go about their regular business, making it difficult for their owner to tell they’re sick. Eventually, however, the disease gets so severe that the pet can’t hide it. At this point, the pet rapidly appears very sick, and it can seem as though this happened all of a sudden, while in actuality, the

disease process was going on for much longer.

While the first group of emergencies make it obvious that your pet needs immediate medical attention, it’s harder Dr. Michelle Ravich DVM, DABVP to pick up on the second group before they become severe. The most important points for exotic pet owners to monitor at home are appetite, bathroom habits and activity level. These are easy to monitor and should be monitored daily. For most exotic pets (except certain reptiles) missing one or two meals is a big deal. And some of these animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, can develop severe intestinal disorders just from missing 1-2 meals. Additionally, most of these animals are fairly prolific bowel movement producers. Their cages should be cleaned (or at least spot cleaned) daily to remove old stool, so it is obvious if they are not producing fresh stool each day. Lastly, activity level is essential to monitor daily. For example, if your exotic pet usually runs to its food dish at meal times, but one morning stays on the perch, or in its house or bed, that indicates something is wrong.

Once you notice your pet has missed a meal, is not producing stool, or is lethargic, often something has been going on for at least a few days, if not longer.

During the holiday season, there are a few things to keep in mind. Trauma is more likely due to more people in the house, doors opening and closing, and the presence of electrical wires, candles or fires in the fireplace. Please make sure your exotic pet is well contained prior to having guests, and if you are having

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Va n Wyck Ga ze tte company, your pet may be more comfortable and less stressed with its cage in a different, quieter room. If your pet likes to have time outside the cage (especially parrots, rabbits and ferrets), make sure all electrical wires, hazardous foods (especially those containing chocolate) and any flames are not within easy reach. Research any new plants you wish to display, to ensure they are not hazardous to animals. Lastly, any fumes in the air (including the use of non-stick cookware) can be dangerous if not deadly for birds, and should be avoided.

It is essential to have a small, species-appropriate carry cage at home in case of emergency, in order to transport your pet to the vet safely. Due to the cold weather this time of year, cars should be warmed up prior to transportation. Blankets or beds can be helpful to add for the mammals, and reptiles can benefit from heating pads or other external heat sources (placed outside the carry cage so they can’t get burned). Call the nearest veterinary hospital or emergency clinic to ensure they are open and comfortable treating exotics before you head over. The specialty websites (aav.org and arav.org) have “find a vet” features to help you find veterinarians comfortable treating exotics.

Mike Jurkovic

CD Reviews Fino detonates her recent past (life’s unyielding barrage of romantic chokeholds, booze flings, writer’s block, artistic brownout) to phoenix Out From Under with a mighty 4-song ep that has one thing glaringly wrong: It’s a friggin’ ep!

2013’s eponymous debut rendered several excellent tunes (“Seventies Trousers,” “Boxed Wine,” “City Lights,” “Packed Up.”) But in critical hindsight, the RoseAnn Fino girl got lost in the mix amid such seasoned, well-intentioned players as John Platania, Professor Louie, and Gary Burke. ‘12’s Little Girl Lost, a cacophonous, self-produced, 3-song mish-mosh (though “Hallways” defies the wreckage) didn’t do anyone any favors either.

Out From Under

Now, after two years of scouring Bowery clubs and the dark dives of Queens and Brooklyn, busking solo or with her whip-smart Lovely Misfits, Out From Under fully liberates an unapologetic, life-wise kid carrying a badass, old school heart into battle. “The Devil Says” (“Don’t you dare make a deal with me!”) lashes out like every opening salvo should: brazen, percussive, all the player’s strengths blowing full gale.

In the open wound “Night Rolls In” she pleads in a voice needing no comparison to define, color, or categorize it “Can you tell me what you see my friend/When you look at me,” because “I haven’t seen myself/In quite a long time.” “Love is not first kisses,” she triumphantly (yet mournfully) comes to grip with on the conscience cleansing namesake track, laid ever more bare by Ryan Shapiro’s, Roy Bittan inspired piano and Allyson Clare’s darkly shining viola. “The River Song” decisively sums up her recent revelations: “If you’re gonna love/do it without fear.” Right. And if you’re gonna make an artistic statement, do it the same way. Like this. - www.roseannfino.com

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