So, maybe it’s not a surprise that Black Electric are releasing their debut album on CD and LP through Magnetic Eye Records this Nov., and less so when you consider that Mike Vitali, who handles multiple instruments as well as vocals on the offering — which the band put out digitally last month — is also the honcho behind the label. At that point, why go anywhere else?

Vitali has a live incarnation of the band playing shows now — two are booked for this weekend in Albany, New York, for example — and reportedly there’s already more new stuff in the works, so I’ll be curious to know which version of the band ultimately wins out, or if one does at all and there isn’t just a live version and a studio version going forward. That’d be kind of interesting too. Don’t see a lot of that kind of thing these days.

Did you catch the part where I said the album’s been out for a month? Cool, because I wouldn’t want you to miss it streaming at the bottom of the post. I know how easy it is to get to the links and begone. Here’s info from the PR wire before you get there:

BLACK ELECTRIC Strips Rock Down to its Essence on Self-Titled Debut

Albany heavy blues rockers BLACK ELECTRIC have emerged with a stripped-down, hook-centric debut that’s as catchy as it is understated.

The creation of multi-instrumentalist Mike Vitali, Black Electric’s music has a bit in common with his previous bands, but draws far more from the intersection of traditional blues and early 70s dive bar rock ‘n roll.

With boundary-pushng and heavily distorted past projects like Ajna Chakra, Ironweed and Greatdayforup to his credit, Vitali spent several years building taste-maker independent label Magnetic Eye Records, which (of course) inevitably demanded much of the attention he’d once devoted to music.

So, in 2018, when he returned some of his energy to writing and playing, it was with a new shift in perspective. Vitali explains:

“Growing up next door to longtime Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto and getting to know him, I learned that, at the end of the day, music is really all about the song. My other bands were always about everyone sharing the creative input and writing process each step of the way, but with Black Electric, I wanted to create material that’s singularly-focused on delivering the songs and hooks as concisely as possible.”

Re-emerging as a musician after years on the business side of rock has produced a new energy and passion for playing and performing that are evident on the Black Electric debut album.

With a full band assembled in the wake of completing the album with noted Saratoga engineer/producer David Tyo, Vitali and his cohorts have already undertaken their first live outings, with more to come and work already commencing on the band’s next studio release.

Upcoming Black Electric shows:
Sat Sept. 21 at Lark Fest, Albany, NY
Sun Sept. 22 at Pauly’s Hotel, Albany, NY (with High Reeper)

Black Electric is available now digitally on all streaming and download outlets including their Bandcamp, with physical formats forthcoming from Magnetic Eye Records.

Produced and engineered by David Tyo at Tyo Mixes
Mike Vitali – Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Piano
David Tyo – Drums, Percussion and Vocals
Mike Langone – Vocals track 5 ‘Fade Along’

Black Electric live is Mike Vitali / Mike Langone / George Lipscom / Zack Cohen / Stew Overocker

https://www.facebook.com/BlackElectric666/
https://theblackelectric.bandcamp.com
http://store.merhq.com
http://magneticeyerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords

Black Electric, Black Electric (2019)