Jersey Rock Artist of the Week: Rachel Ana Dobken
“Acceptance” Album Release Show Rocks the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park on Friday April 5!
Rachel Ana Dobken’s latest album “Acceptance” is available now. The LP features an all-star lineup of collaborators. Dobken and her bandmates Dan Haase (bass), Erik Rudic (guitar) and Mark Masefield (keys) worked alongside Paul Ritchie (The Parlor Mob, Gods, Dark Heart) and Erik Romero (The Front Bottoms) to lay down a carefully cultivated collection of tracks. One single from the release “Bed You Made,” even features Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon! The album shines brightly with star power and much of it comes directly from Dobken herself. In many ways, she’s her own galaxy amongst a sea of celestial powers. Even with so many talented collaborators at her disposal, she handles drums, guitar, piano, and vocals. Take a listen to this LP and you will without a doubt get caught up in its gravitational pull. Speaking of the new LP, Dobken said:
“The record as a whole is about radical self love and acceptance. Understanding that there’s circumstances in life which we have just face our realities and accept life as it is.”
A lot went into crafting the sound of “Acceptance.” Speaking of the process, she said:
” I will always do scratch guitar and vocals then Dan my bass player and I will always do drums and bass live. …drums is one of my strongest instruments because it gives you the live feel of a song without having to play with a band. …and then I can layer on everything and bring in guitar players. …So it allows for a really nice experience where you get to really dig deep into the song and that’s what I love… that’s part of my favorite process of being an artist.”
“Acceptance” is available now for streaming. Turn it up HERE! You can score it on vinyl at the album release show at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park on April 5! Score your tickets HERE or buy them in person at the Stone Pony Box Office to skip the ticketmaster fees!
Beyond the LP release show at The Wonder Bar Rachel Ana Dobken has a lot planned for the future. Those plans include a performance on the same bill as Bruce Springsteen and Gaslight Anthem at the Sea Hear Now festival in Asbury Park this September. She said:
“It’s a dream come true. We’ve worked very hard to get to this point so we are stoked and hoping for a whole summer full of touring! It’s kind of surreal. It’s gonna be a great time. I’m super grateful to the Asbury community and to all the love that helped us get here.”
Tune to Jersey Rock on 95.9 The RAT Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 11:30 pm to hear cuts from “Acceptance.” Rachel Ana Dobken will call in to the show each night!
Learn more at rachelanadobken.com.
Check out the video for “Cruel, Cruel, Cruel”!
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9 Best Hair Salons In Brick According To You
Looking For The Best Hair Salons In Brick, New Jersey? There has to be a boatload of Brick hair salons, but how many are good?
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about my experience as a member of the Toms River community and my quest to find a hairstylist who suits my needs.
A few people reached out and asked me to do a deep dive and find the best salons in Brick. I always ask online, on the air, and on the message boards.
Below is the original article I wrote for the Toms River area. It will be followed by the top 9 salons in Brick, according to you. Thank you so much for all of your help.
I have been looking for a stylist who can not only give me a great haircut, but someone who can transform my look. No one can make you look like a million dollars, but they can certainly make you feel like a million bucks.
I have been searching high and low for years for a hair artist who I can connect with. Someone who gets me and doesn’t treat me like I’m invisible. I want to be treated like a client, not just another head of hair to cut and style.
When you reach a certain age, some stylists don’t want to bother with all the bells and whistles that they give to their younger clients.
First of all, I’m not ancient. Secondly, I am in a business where looking, good counts. Yeah I’m on the radio and no one sees me while I’m in the studio, but I do make public appearances. I want to look more than presentable. I strive to look good, and I want my hair to reflect that.
I finally found someone who I can connect with. Her name is Caitlyn. I found Caitlyn by searching for opinions online on community message boards and social media pages.
I called the salon last Summer and made an appointment. Caitlyn is somewhere in her 20s and loves bands like Lamb of God and other not-so-mainstream artists. She also dresses like a rock goddess.
Caitlyn treated me with respect and was interested in getting to know me and what I liked. Not a typical experience for me.
My first haircut wasn’t the time to experiment. I wanted to see how she worked her magic. For the next haircut, I asked for her opinion on doing something different. She gave me a shag cut that was easy to work with. She spent some time showing me how to style it myself.
I am not good at this sort of thing. I have zero talent in recreating the look I walked out of the salon with. Caitlyn was patient and kind. She suggested hair products but did NOT try to upsell me on products the salon carries. I love that!
The other day, I called the salon to make another appointment. Unfortunately, the receptionist told me that Caitlyn no longer works at the salon which took me 5 years to find.
What Now?
I had to do a little detective work to find out where Caitlyn wound up. I found her on social media and discovered that she is in the process of opening up her own hair studio. It’s not going to materialize for at least another month.
I could go back to the salon she used to work at and use another stylist. The owner there is pretty awesome. Her name is Tracy and she’s a rock chick too.
I’m still thinking about it, but in the meantime, I went back online to find out from the locals what other salons do great work and have stylists who actually take a personal interest in their clients.
Here’s The List For The 9 Best Hair Salons In Brick.
Tom Hanley is the host of Jersey Rock, New Jersey’s longest running local rock show on 95.9 The RAT. He got his start in broadcasting at Monmouth University's WMCX-FM. He's hosted Jersey Rock since 2016, been on the air at WRAT since 2008, and been listening to RAT Radio since 1996! Jersey Rock is a multi-platform local music brand that provides exposure to NJ artists. The on-air program features a different Garden State band each week. Tune to 95.9 The RAT every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday night at 11:30 pm to hear call-ins and songs from the Jersey Rock Band of the Week! Each week Jersey Rock features a different music video as the Jersey Rock Video of the Week . Between Jersey Rock's on-air and online platforms, there's opportunities for 9 different NJ bands to be featured each week. If you're in a NJ band and want to be on Jersey Rock, e-mail Tom Hanley. Send your mp3's, videos, pictures, and links to jerseyrock@wrat.com