Uncle Ben's Remedy and the hopeful dance of "Cozy Up"

 

"cozy up, come and sit with me by the fire tonight, hold my hand like you did when we were young..."

When it comes to any kind of art it is less important why you like something than it is that you just do. I have a tendency to look for the sideways aspect of things. Sometimes I admit that I am easily swayed by the slight of hand of false starts, at things being wildly different, at piano playing the guitar parts and the guitar playing the organ sections, of being surprised, of being artisitically grabbed by the collar. Known of those feelings, those sensations knocked me over when listening to "Cozy Up" by Western New York's Uncle Ben's Remedy. The overall sensation is the thing of barn dances in the south, of honkytonks and of most in the audience wearing cowboy or work boots of some sort. 

And then there is that other thing too. An utter swelling feeling of acceptance, of the vagaries of youth, of life with all it has to offer, good times and horrible times but getting through it. I love the running organ, the blending of porch blues, western country, and 70's garden rock. The vocal aesthetic is incredibly earnest and so fucking beautiful. The bass sway with falling guitar keys and the sprite drumming has the feeling of hope and soothing bruises. Digging this in a big way. 

[Uncle Ben’s Remedy is Shawn Huestis, Ben Westlund, Jimmy Royce, Brendan O’Connor and Harmony Griffin, playing all sorts of traditional and rock n’ roll instruments and stomping the floors; all while singing their hearts out in service to the song.]

-Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://www.instagram.com/unclebensremedy/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uQ0scXhBskkgqLQWf0haS

https://www.facebook.com/unclebensremedy/

https://twitter.com/YeOleRemedy


“These are story songs. Songs about the people we grew up with; grew together with and grew apart from. This music is medicine.”--Uncle Ben

Roots grow deep in fertile soil. The sound of Uncle Ben’s Remedy is rooted in the small towns of western New York, where community still matters and music is a part of every event. The boys learned to play and sing in this small town atmosphere, giving their music the honest, back porch feel of the country music they love. Uncle Ben’s Remedy is (from left to right) Shawn Huestis, Ben Westlund, Jimmy Royce, Brendan O’Connor and Harmony Griffin, playing all sorts of traditional and rock n’ roll instruments and stomping the floors; all while singing their hearts out in service to the song.

Uncle Ben's Remedy, country, alt country, folk rock, alt rock, indie rock, New York, "Cozy Up",