Scott Tady: Beaver-Butler rockers & Aliquippa rapper impress on new releases; Sebak launches podcast

Doesn't take long to realize Beaver-Butler counties rockers The Redlines cooked up something special with their new EP, "Kick Out Tomorrow."

The song titled "A Good Haircut and a Great Pair of Boots" immediately grabbed my attention, as I found myself roped in by singer Brian Seese's evocative vocals calling to mind the great Randy Newman.

"That's cool," Seese later said of my comparison before explaining the song's true inspiration.

"I was listening to a decent amount of Mott the Hoople and digging on the theatrics and grandiose nature of the songs," Seese said. "I wanted to try my hand at it, or rather my feet ― dip my toes in those unknown waters. It started with the intro and outro riffs. I could hear the expansive guitars and piano in my head and knew that the piano had to be the driving force in this song."

Athens, Ohio, producer Eddie Ashworth, whose engineering credits include Sublime's hugely popular self-titled album, and Great White's breakout "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," brought in piano pro Jeremy Schaffer who added a keyboard element that further elevated the song to the level Seese sought.

"I wrote the song in two days, and it was recorded four weeks later," Seese said. "That was a first and a tremendously satisfying feeling and the result is what I feel is the best song we've ever written."

The whole EP slaps ― as the kids say ― including the track "Black Wheels," a jam about "running from and trying to forget your past but never being successful at doing it," according to Bridgewater guitarist Jason Lizzi.

From the Joe Grushecky-ish guitar grinder "Drown in Gin," to a fierce, garage-rock cover of James Brown's "It’s a Man’s Man’s World," the EP commands respect.

“If the MC5 weren’t afraid to cover James Brown, then we weren’t going to be afraid to cover the MC5 covering James Brown,” Redlines bassist Tony Vinski said.

Beaver Falls drummer Sandro Campagna, who has since stepped down and been replaced by Sam Berman, sets the lively pace throughout the EP, including on the upbeat "Take What You Can Get," a song about "being grateful for what you have at the time, however short, that you have it for," Seese said. "I have found over and over that this saying can apply to so many things in life and that situations can change for the better or for the worse at any moment."

Earning regular radio support from Butler's The Rock Station (97.7 FM), things are going well for The Redlines, which host an album release party June 3 at Club Cafe on Pittsburgh's South Side. The music starts at 8 p.m. with local bands No Sleep for Zombies and Paging Doctor Moon. Admission for this 21+ event is $10 in advance; $12 at the door.

The logical follow-up to 2022's predecessor “Kick Out Today,” the “Kick Out Tomorrow” EP will be released physically on CD and digitally by Pittsburgh's Swade Records. Both EPs will come out on a double 12-inch vinyl edition from Katzulhu Records, also of Pittsburgh.

I'd like to see a sequel to 2022's "Runnin' With The Pack" music video that The Redlines shot entirely at Wooley Bully's Juke-joint in New Brighton and in amusing sequences where the band jogged throughout Beaver, including Fourth Street, East End Avenue, Taylor Street, outside Kretchmar's Bakery, the Beaver County Courthouse and The Times' former home on Fair Avenue.

Aliquippa's 'Messiah' gets national write-up

National online site Hip Hop Since 1987 did a praiseful write-up on Aliquippa rapper Messiah of Madness, who's signed an imprint deal with Global Sounds Records/ MNRK Music for the release of his new album “Monstrosity.”

The album is "cinematic, grimy hip-hop," Hip Hop Since 1987 said, also describing it as "Sci-Fi hip hop."

Messiah of Madness, aka Tone Fultz, has released a really cool 3-D animated music video for the track "Well Beyond," which I've attached to the web version of this column.

Messiah of Madness lyrics like "Good things come to those who hate" and his boast about kicking as hard as Solange in an elevator (ask Jay-Z about the 2014 Met Gala) impressed me.

"Messiah of Madness is a very intelligent writer, as he boasts his mental and lyrical superiority over the average hip hop/rap artist," Hip Hop Since 1987 said.

Rick Sebak launches podcast

Western Pennsylvania's favorite documentary maker, Rick Sebak, has launched a podcast called “Gumbands.”

The podcast celebrates the Pittsburgh region, its people, its history, its products and its seemingly endless supply of unusual charms.

“Gumbands” is available at wqed.org/gumbands, on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. There will be audio-only programs and video versions of most interviews hosted by Sebak, working closely with Rich Capaldi who has been producing Sebak's WQED-TV documentaries since 2017.

“I’ve never done a podcast before,” Sebak said in a press release, “so we’re learning as we go. Are there rules? We just want to try a new format for celebrating many of the things that I like about this city and the surrounding area.”

Debuting this past Monday, Sebak's first podcast guests were Sarah McAlee, who makes and sells soups as an Instagram entrepreneur called @brothmonger, and local author Bill Tippins, who has written two books for young readers set in a fictional prehistoric place near where two rivers come together.

“We know that people around here have special affection for words that are called Pittsburghese, and most local folks just know that a gumband is simply a rubber band, although the exact origins of our variation are not known," Sebak said in a press release. "So, I like to say that our podcast is ‘holding Pittsburgh together.’”

Lincoln Park’s Summer Music Camp

Tri-state student musicians entering grades 5-9 can sign up for a free summer music camp June 26-30 at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland. All skill levels are welcome for the daily sessions lasting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The camp is designed to improve reading skills, ensemble and solo performance, and help develop an understanding of music theory and history.

Students must bring their own instrument and provide their own lunch daily.

Registration closes May 31 at LincolnParkArts.org

Local singer for TSO passes

James R. Lewis, a tour vocalist for the famed Trans-Siberian Orchestra, from 2004-2012, died this past Monday following a battle with cancer. The Cranberry Township native and Seneca Valley grad was 63.

Lewis' obituary, published in The Times and including services in Hopewell, notes he also did nationwide voice-over work in commercials for G.I. Joe, Campbell's Soup and Chevy trucks.

An annual holiday tradition at PPG Paints Arena and the former Civic Arena, Trans-Siberian Orchestra bandmates posted warm memories and praise for Lewis.

Fellow TSO vocalist Jeff Scott Soto said, "So sad to hear this news, this man was the real deal, a true gentleman and wonderful singer."Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Tady: Beaver-Butler rockers & Aliquippa rapper impress on new releases