CD and DVD reviews
Chilled out to its very core, Tripp Denom’s “The Funktional Addict E.P.” exists in a delightful haze. With a wonderful dazed delivery, the songs are luxurious, decadent even with their flawless production. Best heard with headphones for maximum effect, the songs are surreal with their spacious sounds. Flows are phenomenal nicely meshing with the mellowed…
Originally born in the rather exotic environs of Calcutta, India, Rhett May enjoyed the fruits of living in such a vibrant culture for many years and started his first band early on in life after the sounds of 1960’s music like The Beatles, Steppenwolf, The Yardbirds, and Cream migrated from the distant west into eastern…
With a true theatrical flair, Captain Of The Lost Waves displays an uncanny knack for spinning beautiful storytelling on the lovely “Hidden Gems”. Instrumentally rich the way the songs unfurl show a true talent for form. Over the course of the album the melodies shimmer in the distance as the passionate vocals take center stage.…
Don’t dare mistake this band for a gimmick. The Magnifiers are a four piece alt punk rock band from the Windy City and comprised of the Dombrowski siblings. None of the band is over twenty years old. The oldest member, lead guitarist Elliot Dombrowski, is only seventeen years while lead vocalist and second guitarist Eden…
The twelve song album from Nell Robinson and the Jim Nunally Band, Baby Let’s Take the Long Way Home, marks the first historic studio collaboration between one of the most prodigious vocal talents in Americana music today and a legend’s row of bluegrass and country musicians backing her up with an idiosyncratic musical voice. These…
With a smooth classic sound, the BeeKeepers deliver a beautiful bliss with “Songs from the Hive, Vol 1”. Quite stylish, the BeeKeeper embody the past of dreamy folk throughout the collection. Lyrics possess a poetic poignancy to them. Everything comes together in a glorious blur, from the light emotive percussion all the way to the…
Indianapolis based Cost of Attrition is a pop rock duo whose debut EP There You Go features three songs with a larger than life sound. The members, Wheeler Castaneda (vocals, production) and Joshua Grow (instrumentals, backing vocals, engineering, production), have quickly gathered momentum with their sound and their obvious talents have scored them opening slots…
Lyrically masterful and tapping into a sense of optimism is Rev Peter Unger’s rich “Only Grace”. The way that Rev Peter Unger paints a beautiful picture of the world feels deeply comforting. His articulate thoughtful words focus on the overwhelming beauty of the world, of how wonderful it can be. Arrangements add to this with…
With a wonderful theatrical flair is Niq Reefman’s elegant “A Selection of Musical Tastes”. The true element that ties the entirety of the album together is Niq Reefman’s sense of play. Lyrics reflect this absurdist strain of humor, with clever wordplay and sharp insights strewn across the tracks. Instrumentally, Niq Reefman proves himself to be…
Soothing and contemplative, Jennifer DeFrayne’s “Sisu” is a gentle, elegant album. The way the songs have a delicate touch to them makes them almost ethereal. By opting for such a rich luxurious sound, the songs have a way of drawing the listener into their unique worlds. Completely wordless, the songs create a series of lovely…
Catchy to its very core, Eddy Yang creates a reassuring piece on the tender “Split the Night”. Yearning defines the piece, for love and celebration. The way that the song builds up gives it a masterful feeling, from the careful layering of sound to the infectious beat that serves as the song’s heartbeat. By far…
Guitarist, vocalist, and percussionist, Carlos Santana, best known to lead the Latin rock band of the same name, simply called Santana; has not only had Carlos Santana do vocal work, but has had other vocalists come in, including Tony Lindsay. Whose frontman work for Santana has been going on for 25 years now. That said…
Bobby Rue starts the collection off right on a light and airy note with “Changes Coming”. With a spirited rhythm, the song has a classic rock sound. The true highlight are the sage-like vocals that rise above the track thanks in part to the glistening organ vamp that dominates the sound. On “Ready For The…
The third full length studio album from Indiana’s bluegrass practitioners Blue Mafia, Hanging Tree, features a dozen songs speaking to heart of a particularly American experience. Bluegrass is, likely, something only Americans can truly understand as an art form. Despite the form’s European/African roots, bluegrass speaks directly to American experience in much the same way…
Embodying the best of hard rock, Through Fire’s “Breathe” simply overpowers the senses. Riffs rage on through the album with every song build off the last. Vocals rise above the din with a commanding presence. Anchoring the colossal sound is the massive percussion which propels the whole sound forward. Layer upon layer of sound intermingles…
Monsta Kodi says “I ain’t a rapper, I’m a Monsta!!!”. Hence the namesake but the music style is indeed rap, hip hop, even some reggae mixed in there. Which is what you get after listening to his new song turned single “Concrete Jungle”. It’s a song that mixes around the genres mentioned, as well as…
Kevin Carroll embodies the DIY ethic informing the work of many indie artists today. Working in his soundproofed living room alongside his friend Joey Conception, Carroll produced his debut effort The New You and the three songs off this release highlighted on SoundCloud and Reverbnation are mightily representative of what the full work offers listeners.…
Performed with true passion is the pop perfection of Stuart Hollinger’s “Endangered Species”. Within this album Stuart Hollinger taps into a joyful 80s sound with guitars that glisten and glow. Inviting rhythms add to the overall spirit of the songs as they drive the songs forward with great determination. Akin to pop classic revivalists like…
Sung with great passionate is Ivan Beecroft’s pop perfection of “Believe”. Rather stylishly the song glides forward with great optimism even despite the obstacles that the world often places in front of people. Arrangements have a punchy amount of percussion behind them as everything simply comes together in a marvelous display of color. Melodies ties…
Sometimes a little goes a long way. The latest release from Chicago based singer/songwriter Leah Capelle is a three song EP entitled Joshua. Despite the apparent brevity of such a collection, Capelle encompasses vast musically imaginative worlds in this trio of songs thanks to two crucial factors above all others – the songwriting talent involved…
It has taken, in essence, ten years to make this release reality. Emma DeCorsey first conceived of her band, I Am the Polish Army, during her years as a college student and worked hard over the intervening years at hammering out a clear, comprehensive vision for the band’s presentation and sound. Her recent acquaintance with…
Singer/songwriter Susan Calloway’s latest single “Time For This” continues the upward trajectory of a career that has seen her find widespread success in some of the least traditional ways imaginable and reflect the changing face of the music industry. Her hit song for the Final Fantasy video game franchise, “Answers”, staked her claim as one…
The title track from James Raftery’s upcoming album will set some ears on fire. Few composers and performers use their typical array of instruments with the imagination you hear on a James Raftery recording and the song has simmering sonic energy that’s impossible to deny. Stylishness plays a big role in Raftery’s presentation as well…
Hope and optimism define the jubilant pop perfection of Roger Jaeger’s “Elevator”. Tasteful arrangements work wonders building the piece up into a wonderful energetic rhythm. Attention to detail means that the percussion has the right punch, the piano the right level of passion, and the glistening keyboards referencing a classic 70s rock sound. By far…
“Why Ask Why” shows Sarantos contemplating the way life unfolds. Strong vocals rest at the very heart of the sound with everything else revolving around them. Lyrically the song focuses on living to the absolute fullest, both as an individual and as a member of the world at large. Throughout the song, a philosophy begins…
Michael Van and the Movers do soulful country great justice on the beautiful “A Little More Country”. With thoughtful lyricism that attests to the hard times life brings, the songs show off Michael Van and the Movers ample storytelling abilities. Nicely framing these slices of life are the laid-back, almost dreamy arrangements that at times…
Bongo Boy TV Season 6 Ep3NAT – SuperPower premiered on Channel 29 in Portland, OR. on 2.17.17 and follows it heavy TV rotation on all 66+ Terrestrial TV Channels through March. A spacious classic rock ballad emerges on Anana Kaye’s “Carolina”. Vocals lead the song forward featuring a poetic delivery. Nicely framing this is a…
Strong and true, A Little Bit More’s self-titled album represents the best of classic country and Americana. Everything simply works from the physicality of the drums to the emotionally charged guitar work that graces the sound. By far the soulful comes from the earnest vocals that tie the entire sound together. Lyrics have a determined…
Saint Mars delves into a dark beauty on the timeless “Ocean Blues EP”. Rather stylish, the way the songs unfurl gives them a truly majestic quality. Everything works together perfectly creating a vast tapestry of sound. Poetic lyrics are peppered throughout the collection adding to the emotional heft. A great variety of genres are touched…
This is more than just another project for Tim McDonald; it is a real, heart-beating dream with a breath of fresh air. This has been a long time coming and a labor of love for Tim going back to 2010 where the idea originated. McDonald is singer, songwriter and guitarist for the indie rock band…
Tripp Demon, could be a namesake for about anybody, whether it’d be a band or an artist. In this case, it’ goes to an artist, within the rap, hip hop, category. Tripp Denom or his alter ego Uncle TD is what he likes to be called, either one works. His artistic talents would include rapping,…
The Pete V Project, is just that, a project done by singer and song writer Marie Virginie Pierre, except instead of using her namesake, she has gone with the decision of The Pete V Project. Why that name for said project, who knows, how does the music play out? Well with her brand new song…
The sixth release from Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Made to Move, continues this band’s extraordinary run as purveyors of modern Americana as well as imaginative interpreters of traditional material. If this music form is destined to continue living, as myself and many others hope, then artistic units like Jones and The Night Drivers…
The second release from Green Bay based, Wisconsin three piece Sweetalk, Mutiny, is five track EP building well on the success of the band’s 2015 debut full length Picturesque. Vocalist/guitarist Jamie Koebe, bassist Travis Grahn, and drummer Brian Boelter have discovered a spark in their songwriting and performance interplay promising to carry them higher than…
Neatly tying together folk, hard rock, country, with a psychedelic pop sheen is Jonathan Di Renzo’s confident “Getting Nowhere”. Highly articulate lyrics guide the way resulting in a series of songs that come together to create a great sprawling narrative. Jonathan Di Renzo’s vocals are pristine showing off a wide range from commanding to comforting.…
Whenever a band uses the word “loud” in their song titles, let alone lyrical context, it could go both ways, be a good track, or be a bad track. In the case of rock and r&b act, Roadcase Royale, they have a little track they like to call “Get Loud”. This debut song turned single,…
Pop music is always the center of attention, out of all the music genres, available. But why is this, well perhaps it’s basic it has more relatable topics, or even because it has a better tone or groove, that people adjust to, more so than other genres. Or maybe it is just one of those…
Several genres under one artist’s namesake, can be a tricky one, for the likes of Amilia K Spicer and her song “Fill Me Up” off her upcoming album ‘Wow and Flutter”. This track takes the genres of soul, folk, rock, country, and some Americana thrown in for good measure, you get quite the combination. “Fill…
Debbie Anthony’s “All Over Again” does country just right. Serving as the heart and soul of the sound are Debbie Anthony’s powerful vocals from which all else emanates. Lyrically the songs focus on relationships and all the complications they bring. By choosing such an approach the songs possess true character and show off Debbie Anthony’s…
Delivered with true panache is the celebratory spirit of John Hickman’s “Hello Hello”. Giddy to its very core the lyricism is profound, focusing on the idea of true affection for the world. Led by exquisite piano work and passionate vocals, the song glides by in a blissful rush. Rhythms add to the overall sense of…
