Ink and Riffs: Epic adventures and honest explorations

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to and why I think it’s awesome. Feel free to send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com.

Not Your Type (Music)
Having heard her recent single, “Villain 2.0,” I wanted to check out the rest of the music from singer-songwriter Leanne Galatti, and her latest EP is a great listen. “Not Your Type” brings a seasoned sound, a blend of folk, rock and a bit of pop sounds, with Galatti’s powehouse vocals a solid accompaniment.

The aforementioned single is among the four track in the EP, a realistic look at relationships and being honest about your role and what you did. I really liked this take on the love song and feel it as something different to offer.

One cool aspect is the varied instrumentation, with “Villain 2.0” featuring a great piano track and the opening song “Standoff” giving a kickass saxophone player. Definitely something cool to hear.

Outer Lands (Comic)
What begins as a historical epic unexpectedly turns into a post-apocalyptic thriller. When a young prince living in a seemingly Ancient Grecian world is exiled to a prison isle to keep him from assuming the throne, he unintentionally discovers a massive global conspiracy in this science-fiction fantasy mash-up.

This has been such a great comic, and I can safely say I’ll be reading it again. The story by writer Matthew Arnold kept me hooked and I read the whole thing in a couple of hours. It takes a twist that I did not see coming, and the worldbuilding shows a lot of work and research. The art by Davide Gianfelice is incredibly detailed, and adapts well to both daylight and evening scenes, really bringing the tale to life.

Witness Titanic (Podcast)
I’m a huge fan of the history of the Titanic, having read books and visited museums. Following my visit to the Titanic museum in Cobh, Ireland, I knew I wanted to learn more, and this podcast, hosted by Titanic researcher James Penca, has a lot to offer.

The series takes the form of a formal inquiry, with interviews with Titanic researchers and experts, to reading statements made by the survivors of the sinking. It covers a lot, from what it means to see the ship today, to uncovering the truth about what caused this maritime tragedy in 1912.

Ink and Riffs: Sharing some new stories

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to and why I think it’s awesome. Feel free to send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com. 

“Influencer” (Audiobook)
An Audible Original, “Influencer” is a thriller following Aaron Fortin and Crystal Giordano.

“Aaron is new in town. He drives a brand-new Acura—a gift from his parents for uprooting him in the middle of senior year. Showing up on his first day at the local public school in that nice of a car? He knows he’ll never blend in, and he doesn’t care to try. The car, the new kid mystique, he can use all that....

Crystal carpools to the same school in her friend Trevor’s beat-up van. In the van along with Crystal and Trevor are Paul, Harmony, and Gayle. When Aaron Fortin sits at their lunch table, Crystal can see he’s not who he says he is. But how big of a fraud is Aaron Fortin? Crystal clumsily exposes Aaron and becomes his target, falling victim to his insidious campaign to erase her. Only then does she discover who he truly is—and it’s so much worse than she thought.”

This story was one I picked up from the intriguing cover and the story has really drawn me in. Aaron is a Jim Jones, Charles Manson-style personality, using his influence as The Speaker to draw people in and brainwash them to serve his ends. He’s smart, devious and cares nothing for who he might hurt. A truly insidious villain. Crystal, by contrast, is the opposite—she wants to be invisible, and seems helpless to stop Aaron. But like Aaron, Crystal is more than she seems.

The voice talent Isabela Merced (Alien, Superman Legacy) and Christopher Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty) really dive into their characters. Briney brilliantly portrays the manipulative Aaron Fortin and I gotta say, it’s pretty unnerving how well he voices this character. Merced is equally perfect for the role of Crystal and shows the character’s hidden strength. They use a light touch with the other characters, and I liked this approach and had no issues following the story.

All told, this is a really addictive story and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton (podcast)
I checked out the debut episode of this new podcast, in which Wil Wheaton, who’s an award-winning audiobook narrator, takes up the mantle of Levar Burton’s “Levar Burton Reads” podcast. And I must say, he does an amazing job doing so.

In Wheaton’s first episode, he reads “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Love, Death” by Caroline M. Yoachim. It’s story about love, time travel, and the lengths we go to to save those dearest to us. It’s a great story, heartfelt, creative and it keeps you hooked.

Wheaton’s reading, well, it’s really engaging. He’s done a ton of audiobooks, but I am embarrassed to say that I’ve never heard them. That’ll change soon, I promise. He’s an excellent narrator and you can tell he loves the story he’s sharing. He has a lot of heart, and his reading is well-articulated, full of emotion and he takes care with each word.

So yeah, I’ll be keeping my ears open for the next episode.

“Ghost Box” (comic)
I’ve just begun reading “Ghost Box,” but I am already hooked on it. Written by Mike Carey and art by Pablo Raimondi, this new Comixology series is witty, sharp and has a really engaging story.

Chloe and Jan come into an unexpected inheritance when their uncle passes away, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Chloe, who’s just lost her job and is desperate for cash. She advertises her late uncle’s possessions online, and gets a very motivated buyer. But what is the ghost box, and just what does it do?

The first issue is a great combination of giving us enough without giving us everything. We’re introduced to Chloe and Jan and given enough of a look into their lives to show who they are, and shown what the ghost box is, but still leaving a lot of questions. It’s a great storytelling pace and I’ve heard to much about what an excellent writer Mike Carey is, I’ll be looking for more of his work.

The art is really great, and Pablo paints a really detailed scene on each page, giving added depth to the story and giving us a lot to see. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Lisa Diane Kastner’s protagonist finds a new family in the sequel to “Cure”’

Let’s face it, family can be a challenge. But when that family is a group of supernatural shapeshifters? Well, that’s a horse—or a wolf—of a different color.

In our newest Citywide Bytes interview, I talk with author Lisa Diane Kastner for her recently-released book, “Family Pack,” the sequel to her 2022 release, “Cure.” The book continues the story of Luna Auber, whom after her brother dies suddenly learns that she is both a shapeshifting lycanthrope and the descendent of a legendary female Viking warrior.

In “Family Pack,” Luna’s epic journey continues amidst a conflict between The Lycanthrope Society, which believe that humans and lycanthropes should exist in harmony, and The Righteous Group, which believe that lycanthropes are intended to rule over all other species.

Lisa talks about the series got its start on a dare from fellow author and New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry, and full disclosure, I nerd out quite a bit here. When one of the greats of the writing world dares you to do something, you just gotta!

We also go into how Luna’s progressed on her journey in this new life and the conflict that she’s about to be a part of. Lisa talks about Luna’s powers and how she adapts to this new world as well as how the character and author parallel one another.

And if anyone out there wants to make my dream of Citywide Blackout cookies happen, I’m here for it!

Citywide Bytes-That time I lived in Edgar Allen Poe’s basement

Author and storyteller Matthew Mercier has a certain claim to fame—he once lived in the Bronx home of Edgar Allen Poe. In fact, the experience was so life-changing, he made it the subject of his recently-released book. “Poe and I,” out through Crystal Lake Entertainment. Here’s a look at what’s in store:

Jonah Peabody takes a job as caretaker and head docent for a historical house in The Bronx that once served as the last home for Edgar Allan Poe, a job that requires him to live on the premises so he can give tours on the weekend. To be more precise, he must live in the basement of Poe’s home—Poe’s Basement.

This is Matthew’s first book and in this episode, we talk about the writing process and what of his own experiences made it into the story. We talk about his protagonist, Jonah Peabody and how he and Matthew relate. He also shares some memorable times living in the home of one of the legends of the horror genre.

Reflecting on a ‘sterling’ career

Sterling Golden is retiring.

Those are four words I never thought I’d say. But, here we are. As of Jan. 1, 2024, Sterling Golden will bring a 15-year career in music, nightlife, events, radio, and podcasting to a close and enter his next phase-focusing on family.

In this interview, Sterling and I talk about the decision to retire made early this year and how he’s processed it in the months that followed. Sterling shares his thoughts on stepping down and how he’s already begun adjusting to his new role.

But the man isn’t quite done yet. He has two interviews dropping this month, as well as a final, 23-hour playlist covering some of his favorite music from 1976 to present. Sterling gives a few previews as to that you can expect, but trust me, you’ll want to check them out and hear the full stories.

Fifteen years is a long time in any industry, and Sterling and I talk about some of his best moments and memorable encounters. We look at business left unfinished and if there’s any chance that Sterling Golden will return to the world of nightlife. He also talks about his last live event and the experience of being on stage for the final time.

Stephanie Mathias returns with new music, videos, and artist collaborations

Singer-songwriter Stephanie Mathias is back with a lot of great news to share. She was last on the show in May 2020, as the pandemic was becoming a long-term situation. In that time she has remained very busy with new music, including “Hero Side” released last October and “Blue Diamond Light,” available on all streaming platforms on March 26.

Stephanie and I talk about her work over the last 10 months, including the influences for the two songs and how real life played a role. She has a music video out for “Hero Side” and we talk about Jarreau Williams, the artist she worked with and her plans for the production.

We also look at other artists she'll be working with in the future, including a cool podcast that she's become a part of.

Following this interview, enjoy “Hero Side,” followed by “Blue Diamond Light.”

The creators of The Sandbox Police give us a new take on comedy

In this episode, I'm talking with Sharisse Zeroonian [Flynn], Stephanie Wang [Ellie and Caroline], and 

Evan Gabovitch [Charlie], the creators and cast of the new YouTube series, The Sandbox Police. The show is a comedy about a podcast and was going to take place in a fictional college radio station. 

But when the pandemic happened, the trio decided to make the show happen anyway and instead began filming episodes entirely on Zoom. We talk about the story behind the show, the role that each character fills, and what we can expect in future episodes.

The expanding creative world of Jeremy Flagg

In this live Instagram broadcast, I'm joined by author Jeremy Flagg to talk about the many new things he has going on. This includes Superhero-Fiction, a consortium of authors that focuses on writers who specialize in the novelization of superheroes. They've also got a virtual convention happening May 18-22, with panels scheduled for each day.

If that wasn't enough he's also working on a new comic with Amanda Kahl, known for her title, “Age of Night.” We also do some serious nerd chat on what we're doing to fill the extra time in the midst of the pandemic.

EDM artist talks self-production and horror movies

In this episode, EDM artist SARiKAiDEN (pronounced as Sara-Kaden) takes us through his career, which has seen the release of three albums, two EPs, and over six singles, all using only an iPhone and a MacBook. He talks about the production process and some of the programs he uses, as well as how music has helped him to deal with issues like anxiety and depression.

In addition to his work in EDM music, SARiKAiDEN also produces a podcast called Mumble the Owl, focused on horror movies and books, which he relaunched earlier this year.

Rhode Island Author Expo pre-show podcast, Episode 1

Max with Coral Isabella Aurora 

In this podcast series, I speak to several of the authors who will be part of the upcoming Rhode Island Author Expo. In this installment, Michael Squatrito talks about the fourth and final installment in his “The Overlords” series. 

After that, Coral Isabella Aurora and I chat about horror movies that we love, all of which ties into her new book, “The Teenager’s Guide to Surviving a Horror Film.”

The final interview in this episode is Pete O'Donnell, who has transformed a collection of short children's stories into a popular podcast series, “Ill-Advised Stories,” which features himself, his wife, and daughters in the cast.

Review Roundup, Edition 5

Editor's Note: This is a weekly collection of mini-reviews of music, books, comics, movies, and more that I've enjoyed. Unless indicated, no one has requested a review, but I am open to submissions or suggestions, which can be sent to citywidemax@yahoo.com. 

Books 
“She Rode a Harley,” by Mary Jane Black
When I first picked up this book I thought, “I'll just give chapter one a read”.....a moment later, I had finished the third one. That's it. That's how I knew this one was a keeper. A story of second chances, unexpected love, and loss, this story pushes a lot of buttons for me, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Podcast 
Wolverine: The Long Night
Comic fans will definitely want to check this out! While it's not the usual “battle for the fate of the world,” the story is compelling and draws you in from the first episode. The voice cast is stellar and the audio quality is perfect. Add in great music and sound effects, and it brings the story to life and had me tearing through this 10-episode series.


Music 
Jamie Hart—Get Closer
This new single from Jamie Hart has a pretty relaxing effect at first, but that changes pretty quick, as this song has a lot of power to it, with a strong, measured tempo and intense vocals from Jamie. This release follows a pretty tumultuous time in Jamie's life and that emotion really fuels the music.

Time and Place—Ships That Pass (requested by the band)

The new EP from Boston-based Time and Place is an intense punk/rock offering that hits you hard from the opening and track and doesn’t back down. Described as “five pals who can clear a room faster than a fire alarm,” I'll be among those who'll stick around after that alarm gets pulled. This brings me back to basement shows in Boston or some of my earliest concert experiences on the South Shore, when plenty of my friends were in punk bands. Savage instrument work combined with “don't give a damn” vocals makes this one a solid recommendation.

Jakals—Belted in and Taking It

I'm a longtime Jakals fan, so of course their new single gets reviewed. Vocalist Katie Solomon shows a great range in this new song, beginning with a mellow, almost brooding tone that shifts as the song proceeds. The feeling that comes from seeing the cover art of a figure on the docks on an overcast day is really captured in this song.

June 16, 2019: Sterling Golden and The Sterling Perspective Podcast

The hosts of The Sterling Perspective

Longtime radio host Sterling Golden joins me to talk about his new podcast, The Sterling Perspective, which premiers on June 21 on Boston Free Radio's Podcast Network. Sterling talks about how it felt to close out his morning show, Sterlingtology Live, what the new program will focus on, and his co-hosts, Whitney Otte, Jon Afrobeats, and Tiara Life. We also look at the public reaction to the end of his last show and the debut of his new one and how he's adapting to being a podcast host. 

Playlist Bianca Kaiser—Broken Window