Manhattan has more than a few great places to hear amazing unsigned talent, from the storied stage of Radio City to (slightly) more intimate venues like Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge. But when it comes to left-field artists and experimental acts, Brooklyn is hands-down the place to be. While there’s a time for plush seats and a perfectly-tuned sound systems, Brooklyn artists have a DIY character and communal feel that can’t be replicated by big promoters on giant stages. With that more adventurous spirit in mind, let’s talk about Jay Ax and his hit single “Drill Theme ft. TR

Jay Ax – Drill Theme ft. TR

Manhattan has turned into a “playground for the privileged. The idea of living in Manhattan for an artist is preposterous – completely unaffordable.”

While New York has produced plenty of bands playing “alternative music” since Gira’s halcyon days of cheap rents, they have tended to be groups with at least one eye on commercial success – the Strokes, or groups of the post-post-punk revival. But under the radar and outside Manhattan, the seeds of something quite different have been germinating. The latest crop of musicians look for inspiration not to new trends, but deeper: back to the roots of New York’s venerable history of experimental music. Jay Ax – Drill Theme pays homage to a military style, streets track that’s blazing it’s way across the underground with lyrics like:

“I’m a one man army – a general / a crazy soldier / anywhere I’m at – strapped like a baby stroller” 

Overall, this is an absolute artistic jewel of a track from start to finish. The quality of the songwriting, both musically and, particularly, lyrically is of the highest calibre and you can tell the whole album has to be a labor of love. While it’s hard these days for an artist to break through, Jay Ax has everything it takes and I look forward to hearing a whole album from him.

https://soundcloud.com/jay-ax

Check out Jay Ax on ReverbNation
http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/artist/190843