[Cover photo credit to Rob Armstrong]
Rock artist Steve Conte, known for his work with The New York Dolls and Michael Monroe, has announced the release of his new album, The Concrete Jangle, on vinyl via Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records. Previously only available on vinyl via Record Store Day, The Concrete Jangle is the successor to his 2021 opus Bronx Cheer.
Conte says:
“I’m super excited about my new album on Wicked Cool Records – and once again, I must crow about how psyched I am to have written 1/2 of it with one of my songwriting heroes – XTC’s Andy Partridge!
I pulled out all the stops to make this my most melodic, hard power-pop, Beatles-eque, rock ‘n’ soul album to date – with lyrical themes I haven’t explored before!
I cannot stress how much Andy Partridge contributed to this record – it would not exist without him and his input. I’ve given him a co-production credit for helping with the arrangements of the demos, which were ultimately followed when making the final record. To my earlier point, it is the listeners who have have proven to me that I’ve become better on this record because they’ve thought that some of my lyric and melody lines were Andy’s – which is the highest compliment.
When tasked with which songs were going to exist on Side B, I knew they’d have to stand up next to the Partridge co-writes so I pulled out some the more psychedelic, adventurous soulful songs from the Beatles/XTC/Motown side of my musical brain. I think I picked the right ones because people have mentioned some of those songs as their favorites – and even Andy himself perked up when he heard “I’m Decomposing A Song For You”.
In keeping with the aesthetic of 60s-meets-80 power pop, the record had a limitation on what I could use. I played a multitude of guitars; both acoustic & electric, mandolin, Mellotron, strings, piano & organ (all sampled), tambourine & maracas. I had my other co-producer, Andrew Hollander play real piano & Mellotron while keyboard whiz Rob Schwimmer added an authentic 1960s Ondioline as well as Theremin & synthesizer sounds. Real trumpets by Chris Anderson, cello by Mark Stewart, bass by brother John Conte and drums by Prairie Prince (The Tubes, XTC, Todd Rundgren), Thommy Price (Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Mink DeVille) and Brian Delaney (New York Dolls). My sons Zia Conte & Baz Conte sang backing vocals.
Some of the lyrical themes on the record are truth vs. misinformation, entitlement, boredom, heartache, fidelity, addiction and loss – and of course, love and lust.”
Steve Conte has announced an album release show at NYC’s The Bowery Electric on June 5th, 2024. Joining him on the bill is Joybuzzer, Spanking Charlene and Bobby Mahoney.
