CD and DVD reviews
Patrick Ames plays from the heart on “Mutually EP”. These are songs that possess raw power through Patrick Ames’s earnest vocals and the careful arrangements that pepper the collection. Fondness for the blues is apparent throughout the collection as Patrick Ames adds his own unique twist on the sound. “Do You Think That You Love…
Headshy’s triple feature EP is a sound straight from the heart. The sections work together to create an overall moody series. Dreamy textures are explored in full with their lyrics helping to convey a romantic sense, a sense that romance does not have to be loud. Here Headshy opt for the softer textures with the…
Eight months in the making is “Never Giving Up”, the newest recording from singer and songwriter Brett Vogel. I always have said that musicians should take their time when making new music; there is no need to rush the creative songwriting process. The end result is well worth the wait. That is exactly what Brett…
Oddly enough, Matthew Morgan and I have something strange in common! My brother’s name is actually Mathew Morgan as well – just one less T…how bizarre is that? So, completely due to his gentle approach and a melodic acoustic pop/folk sound, I hereby dub the new Matthew Morgan my official brother-from-another-musical-mother. Stream Empathy for Inanimate…
“A Mission of the Heart” shows Sarantos at his most vulnerable. Throughout the song Sarantos shares his innermost hopes and desires. His band proves to be particularly adept at matching the sadness and hope that permeate the piece. In particular it is his soothing voice that gives the song its true power: by emphasizing the…
‘Honor By August’ in their latest album, ‘Four Sides’ explores four different varieties of tracks as they offer their latest version of rock to its audience. The band is essentially a quartet with Michael Pearsall as the lead vocalist, Evan Field on the guitar, Chris Rafetto on the bass and Brian Shanley on the drums.…
Watch out for this five-piece band from Long Island…this is a HOT EP! Get out your over-mittens and push play on this set of five songs that blaze by all-too-quickly from Sir Cadian Rhythm’s new EP – this self-titled EP is STUFFED full of tight-hooks, supreme musicianship and an entire full-length album’s worth of good…
For some of these collected singles from Byron’s page…we’re nearing the one-year anniversary of their creation. Some will say, you go out and you spend all that money on the studio and the production-dudes, that you should then be touring and supporting that very material for the next two or so years to justify the…
Ransom Scenery’s “Ear to Ear” has the same dreamy intimate quality of latter-day shoegaze acts like No Joy, Belong, and their ilk. “Ear to Ear” constantly moves closer and closer to the listener from an unknowable distance. Mysterious, beautiful, and full of shadows, these are songs that possess a great level of detail as Ransom…
“Matter of Time” is a rollicking good time. Jessica’s Theme Band pours a great deal of heart and soul into these songs. Nicely interwoven the songs build off of each other as they explore the best of classic rock. At times this gives the songs a familiar sound as if they have not only listened…
This is such a complex, amazing and dramatic album what else can I say in the end? Feels so Good by Xavier Toscano is more than amazing and dramatic, it’s also extremely invigorating and infectious. It has a very danceable and entertaining quality to it as well. The intro tracks “Feels So Good” and “Never…
The Voice, an admittedly more upscale version of its hugely successful and crass older cousin American Idol, has distinguished itself for many reasons. However, the show’s “mentoring” feature, where a celebrity participant coaches the contestant, has distinguished itself from the beginning as one of the show’s marquee gimmicks. Maroon 5 vocalist Adam Levine coached Kat…
This will be the fifth article I’ve done for Planetary Nights so definitely have some history with this band. I knew when I first heard Planetary Nights back in 2009 reviewing the album ‘Elliptical Motion’, (http://skopemag.com/2009/12/17/planetary-nights-elliptical-motion), that this group had something special and unique. Jump ahead six years and Planetary Nights is still rolling along…
“My Heart” is a cry out to the Heavens. Remarkably passionate Bosaya belts it out, letting her voice serve as the song’s core. From there the arrangement serves her perfectly orbiting around her power. Carefully selected and remarkably wild it shows the potential of a new Americana. Written and produced by Bosaya it shows exactly…
Marco Antonio Restrepo was born in Marietta, GA, the son of Nigerian and Panamanian immigrants. He moved throughout Atlanta during his childhood due to the separation of his parents but he was primarily raised by his mother. At age 6, Marco was exposed to several different types of music by his father, who was a…
Neon-hued, Olya’s “Utopia” is a pure pop confection. Her vocals are honeyed, the sounds are sweet cheerful elements. Together these elements create the kind of thing pop music was made for: reassurance, happiness, and finding the joy in life. Song are full of infectious hooks and the melodic sensibilities found within them are sound. Everything…
Royal Holland’s “Flamingo” shows the importance of the build. These are songs of a master craftsman. By carefully letting his songs build up into boiling cauldrons full of all the elements that began so quietly, he is able to show the true power of the gradual progression towards those glorious finishes. “The Grave” introduces the…
New Jersey-based indie rockers Y Fly 2 London provides a much needed throwback to 80’s hair bands that are rarely enjoyed since yesteryear. Clearly, the nostalgia is in just their look alone, but for the foursome – Chris Hopp on vocals, Nick DeStefano on lead guitar, Bill McCloskey on percussion, and Rob Beaupre on bass…
A good friend of mine passed on this single of Naomi K, mentioning that we might have a potential hit-song on our hands here in this review of her new song “Take Me Home.” I suppose I’m mentioning this as to make sure you all suffer the same spoiler as I did, pre-listening. I remain…
Sightlines a six song EP from Steve Benjamins that really pushes the envelope with his creation of making music. This is Steve’s third EP and was released on May 15 2015. I really enjoyed listening to his creation and the way he put this together. I know that Steve plays almost all of the instruments…
Tod Hughes’ website describes his music as real songs coming from the heart and full of the joy, wonderment, excitement, and disappointments we experience in our lives. These aren’t modest aims and are often misunderstood. Real songs coming from the heart means rendering life as it is rather than as we’d like it. The songs…
As nostalgia for twentieth century songwriting and rock and roll builds throughout a new generation, a new style of music is rising from shadows of the past. ‘Modern retro’ music, or contemporary music with vintage influence, is becoming increasingly popular, especially among young, indie bands. Mirage Box, a collaboration between songwriter Nick Coppola and instrumentalist…
When taking a look at Scott A.F’s new EP, ‘Under Your Skin,’ it may be important to note that this didn’t come around like your typical independent artist’s record. Sixty-three backers on Kickstarter sent Scott Fleener (A.F. is his stage moniker) propelling forward with nearly five thousand dollars to record his album. The singer-songwriter called…
“Today is the Day” recalls the best of classic rock. With an area-sized hard rock edge this is the kind of song that really deserves to be blasted as loud as possible. Volume is an absolute must. Boisterous guitars riffs, dominating rhythms, and pitch-perfect vocal delivery make it a thing of wonder. Lyrically the song…
Cedar Teeth’s “Hoot” is full of rustic wild pastures. This is folk-influenced rock with bite. Songs tell small stories little snapshots from life. Remarkably earnest these are songs that come straight from the heart. At times the music is reminiscent of Modest Mouse’s raw, early work. Emotionally the songs range from the contented to the…
James Rawson’s “Tristan & Isolde” effortlessly combines classical and electro sounds into a tasteful whole. The album itself creates a distinct narrative, one of lonely journeys before meeting other like-minded individuals. Wilderness is implied through the spacious territories and James Rawson’s calm reassuring voice. Remarkably elegant the arrangements are imaginative as they forge a path…
Billy Ray Deiz’s “Rollin” is a cool and confident track. Aptly named the leisurely groove is near perfect as it takes its time establishing the mood. The organ serves as the song’s backbone with an expressive, classic rock sound. Playful at times the organ does great work in emphasizing the overall sense of hope from…
It isn’t enough to fill songs with the everyday details of your life. Let’s face it – most of us lead prosaic lives. We wake and sleep the same times every day. We keep appointments, put in appearances, and wade into each new day praying we have a marginal idea, at least, of what to…
Entertainers fade while true performers endure and evolve. Bunny Sigler’s transition from a talented young firebrand and one of Philadelphia soul’s biggest talents into an elder statesman still capable and willing to challenge himself with modern approaches proves essential facts about popular music. Fundamentals steady careers for the long haul and, above all, Sigler’s music…
Talk about subliminal messaging to the masses, talk about remixing the world, talk about bullying, talk about everything aforementioned and you’ve got Sir Ivan, an artist set to raise awareness to bullying through music. It’s time to “Kiss All The Bullies Goodbye,” and you may not know it, but that’s what you’re being trained to…
Here’s a whole mitt-full of sounds you might not expect on this new EP All Along, and specifically Mandy Woods herself, a singer/song-writer of the folk-variety. Currently based in the UK, you can hear the accent creep through every once in a while…what can I say aside from it adds a little…hmm…like a little bit…
Small Leaks Sink Ships hits all the right notes with “Face Yourself, and Remove Your Sandals”. Cryptically titled the songs are wrought with genuine adoration for the world. Together the pieces come to form a story that grows ever larger with the additional chapters. Running the gamut from chamber pop a la Grizzly Bear to…
Troy Lindsey & Bosaya’s “Outlaw Love” is a lazy river of comfortable country grooves. With a true feeling of Americana “Outlaw Love” nicely embodies all that is good about articulate, thoughtful country rock. It is a restrained and tasteful piece of work. From the steady persistent rhythm to the colorful guitar work the entire piece…
“The Witching Hour” is a bewitching album. Marchan Noelle’s impassioned vocal delivery guides these lovely pieces. With an impressive range Marchan Noelle’s simple setup (a voice and a guitar) runs the gamut from folk to the angular precise work of bossa nova. Her lyrics explore want, desire, and the dynamics of relationships. Vocals are very…
Shayne Leighton’s creativity never stops turning. Not content with a considerable fan following resulting from her popular Of Light and Darkness fiction series and a promising acting career, this intelligent young artist and performer has readied her first music EP for release. Invincible is a six song collection full of songwriting recalling themes in her…
Alexis Keegan, New Jersey born singer/songwriter, continues her climb towards widespread commercial success with her new single, “Nobody Compares”. This is the lead single from her upcoming EP, Endless Road, and marks her first new release since 2014’s Clean SLATE. There is an urban feel to her work, but it never sounds facile or packaged.…
Head is a sensual synthesized experience. These are songs that dig themselves deep into the mind and refuse to leave. With the right mixture of rock, pop, and a bit of glamour, Head create brash confident songs. Instrumentally the songs are rich in detail nicely balancing out the fragile sounds with the powerful. Everything comes…
“What If I Never See You Again” recalls the best of early 90s rock. The grunge beginning blooms into an increasingly busy arrangement. Sarantos proves to be particularly adept in letting the lyricism neatly match the sense of optimism that takes hold over the rest of the song. Repetition serves as the backbone of the…
“Random Access Digital Audio Heresy” is a whole-hearted album full of optimism. JoyFocus takes a look at optimism from years of experience and hardship, not from naiveté. Colors of the sound are magnificent ranging from driving rock to chaotic unwieldy beasts. What weaves these songs together is Holly’s powerful voice. The songs work together to…
Chicago native singer/songwriter, Leah Capelle, is one to watch after releasing her first EP. Capelle is no stranger to the music scene as she has been writing songs, singing and performing from a young age. She later attended Berklee College of Music to pursue her passion for songwriting and performance. Both her natural talent and…
