Posted By Jeff Niesel on Wed, Apr 21, 2021 at 12:22 PM click to enlarge David Pokrivnak Anthony LaMarca. Known for his role as guitarist in the indie rock act the War on Drugs and as the drummer in St. Vincent and Dean & Britta, multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Anthony LaMarca, who tours and records as the Building, moved back to Youngstown a few years ago. Once back in the town where he grew up, he started recording at Peppermint Productions, the vintage recording studio where polka superstar Frank Yankovic has recorded. Last year during the pandemic, he recorded his latest album,
Indianola Pizza Dough, working out of both his home and the Peppermint studio.
“Indianola Pizza Dough” is like an audio journey through the history of Anthony LaMarca’s family and of the Mahoning Valley.
LaMarca, who is a member of the Grammy-winning rock band The War on Drugs and releases solo albums under the name The Building, weaves his own songs around polkas a melody written by his grandfather, “Happy Time Polka” performed with Youngstown polka legend Del Sinchak snippets of conversations recorded decades ago at a pizza shop owned by his great-aunt and great-uncle, and recording studio / radio soundbites by Peppermint Records owner and polka radio host Gary Rhamy. It also features a song written by Tony March, founder of Youngstown label Tammy Records, and a sample from the 1973 debut album by Blue Ash.
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No one can blame Chardon Polka Band’s Jake Kouwe for thinking in pairs.
Kouwe and his wife, Emily, who also is in the band, had twin boys who will celebrate their first birthday on Dec. 27.
They followed that 2019 release with a pair of CDs released last month.
“A Very Polka Christmas” features holiday favorites given a polka makeover as well as a couple of originals. “Oh No! Not Again!” mixes polka standards that are staples of the band’s live show along with polka-fied renditions of some ’90s rock favorites that most listeners probably never imagined played on an accordion or tuba.