Stuyvesant formed in the early ’00s as a new project involving many musicians involved in the ’90s indie rock scene in New Jersey. Ralph Malanga (guitar and vocals) played in the band Footstone; Sean Adams (guitar and vocals) and Brian Musikoff (bass) performed with Friends, Romans, Countrymen. Having now been performing as Stuyvesant for over a decade now, the band has settled into a comfortable yet energetic rhythm. The group’s newest LP, the forthcoming Shmyvesant, displays its ability to write a toe-tapping, party-starting groove. “Alright” is a case in point here; with its driving power chords and backing horns, the song captures the youthful zeal of these longtime performers.
The band tells PopMatters this about the tune: “We all know what it’s like to be afraid to make that first move when you’re attracted to someone. We also know what it’s like to be overcome by a song that moves you in just the right way. ‘Alright’ is about that moment where the two intersect, where the power of music helps a wallflower overcome his shyness — and he gets the girl.”
Shmyvesant is out on November 25th via Sugarblast.