CD and DVD reviews
Maine native Christopher Giles’ debut album, Finding My Way, is a strong entry in Christian contemporary circles. Terms like that tend to leave secular listeners wavering over an artist’s personal appeal. A single listen to this album will dismiss any concerns. Giles astutely filters his spiritual message through every day language and resists any temptation…
This is the energy that I need right now to wake me up. I’ve been on my grind again; passing the 300th mark for reviews officially with #301 right here with Young Pandas, the opening cut “Say What You Mean” starts off Enigmas with the musical equivalent of a Red Bull as they get the…
Singer/songwriter L.A. Davis was born in the bustle and commune of London’s East End. His spirit and determination to succeed come from an overwhelming ability to understand life from a lesser advantaged view point. As a true ‘Cockney’ Londoner, he centers his lyrics right from the heart…. ‘….it really doesn’t matter what a melody sounds…
We Accept The Love We Think We Deserve is a song dedicated to that universal truth: the feeling of hopelessness that precedes and follows any breakup. The lyrics focus on the sadness that one experiences with being alone. A full sound accompanies Sarantos’s voice as the band takes on a cinematic scope. Sweeping sounds help…
True Groove All-Stars gives a new twist to the old classics. Stretched out mellow covers tap into the calm of each original song. Usually these grooves verge on the dreamy, as the pieces themselves highlight their unique approach. Vocal delivery seems to come from far away and are rather airy in terms of delivery. By…
Pat McGee’s self-titled record, his 10th effort is a doozie. Recorded in Los Angeles in 2014, with a legendary band: Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, Jeff Pevar and guests: Little Feat’s Paul Barrere, Blues Traveler’s John Popper, Train’s Pat Monahan, Punchbrother’s Gabe Witcher as well as the PMB powerhouse players! To land…
“Magic Dreams” recalls a woozy kind of pop, the kind of comforting thing needed after eight hours at work. Damon & Matthews work in creating an unusual mood, rigid with a motorik rhythm before it loosens up into a strange dream interlude. Comparisons to those wonderful early 2000s solo artists, the ones who did it…
East meets west in perfect harmony with New Delhi’s Anjali Ray as she releases Indigo Boy. Influenced by the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Sade, and Tori Amos, this Hindi artist understands the irresistible mix of pop sensibilities and dynamic lyricism. Citing her extensive training in playing classical piano, Indian Hindustani classical vocal training, and even…
I think it’s safe to say Tony Lucca is someone The Voice got right. While lacking international superstars of staying power like American Idol in its heyday, Lucca, the second runner-up of season two, is known for touring with the likes of Maroon 5, Sara Bareilles, and Marc Anthony. Not a bad job to say…
Two years passed before Philly singer-songwriter Andrea Nardello could put pen to pad and chime out a love song for which she wrote for her girlfriend. Echo, her seven-song EP, comprises Nardello’s self-awareness of who she is as an artist and a human being. Choosing the best batch out of twenty demoed tracks, Echo comes…
Pure Dynamite’s “Bisexuality ft. Quinsessa” is a beast of a track. First of all it samples perhaps one of the catchiest things Armand Van Helden has ever done. In fact in many ways the Armand Van Helden track “You don’t even know me” feels like an apt pick. Lyrically the song focuses on personal identity…
Thru the Looking Glass uses a wide variety of samples to offer a reflection of sorts on religion. Heavy dollops of discussions from the movie “Dogma” are used as are nostalgic sweet tidbits from sounds of long ago. Such things help to make it a unique involved listen. Noah Archangel lets the songs feed off…
Wolf Pakk’s “Swerve” is simply stunning. Every sound is immaculate and perfectly produced. Punchlines and jokes abound within the song. At times there are so many and they move so quickly that it is impossible to pick up on them with the first listen. Upon multiple listens the cleverness of the piece begins to fully…
V2.5 is what goes bump in the night. Antone’s tracks positively bounce with energy. Elastic grooves define the album. Melodies are infectious. Pieces of it are reminiscent of early Warp Records, particularly pioneers like LFO. For Antone’s work is that concise. Here Antone further refines his approach using a remarkably large palette of sound and…
The Mailman’s Children’s “The Spiders We Eat” marks the bands fourth release since forming in 2000. Containing only 5 tracks (2 of which are an electric and an acoustic version of the same track – “Ride in Your Mind) I was curious if these limited-track albums were perhaps the band’s “thing” and discovered that their…
The Blackmail Seduction is rock done right. Blasting forth with energy it recalls the best elements of classic rock. Kept to the absolute basics (no synthesizer, no walls of sound) these are songs that feel remarkably familiar. Pleasant in their demeanor the songs oftentimes stretch out forming rather intricate rhythms. Vocals are earnest. Lyrically the…
Not so much in music but in movies there has been for a while this kind of curse where sequels usually are doomed to failure, though a few films find the way to break away (take the The Godfather II as an example), they happen to be better than the original. Well, the same happens…
Shaded Glitch’s “Lost in a Labyrinth” begs to be played as loud as possible. Dance music has rarely sounded this uninhibited. With massive everything (bass, beat, distortion) the songs are a pure rush of energy. This is pure uncut party music. Vocals in the mix help to add to this overall feeling of decadence. Everything…
Troy Petty…sir…WHERE have you been hiding? Let me just say…I am absolutely giving you the first-impressions I’m getting from Troy’s new EP departure here…and if it stays ANYTHING like the opening track “All Ghosts” we are completely listening to a future superstar…and that future might not be far away at all with a massive sound…
Don’t think for a single moment that I don’t appreciate just how lucky I am…I do…constantly. I’ve had the good fortune to discover some really excellent music as of late; but even I don’t know if I can pinpoint something I’ve heard that I’ve loved as much as I do the new EP Sad Generation…
Nick DeStefano is a singer/songwriter from NJ who performs with his band The Spiders at local bars in North Jersey. He has performed all over North America. He has appeared on MTV with videos he shot with Faces In The Crowd & Y Fly 2 London. He signed a publishing deal with Grammy award winning…
Renee Ruth Band’s “Wanting Me” is a hot spicy song dedicated to passionate love and lust. Her voice carries the entire thing. The rest of the band merely orbits around her commanding voice. Playful the lyrics bounce off the lively rhythms. With remarkable clarity the song’s clear narrative between the singer and the onlooker show…
Radiolab’s “Dreamless” possesses a truly ethereal quality. Samples filter their way through the gauzy, shoegaze-inspired sounds. Then there are the vocals which have an airy quality to them almost appearing to float above the rest of the mix. Guitar work is delicate nimble work that reaches the right balance between that of simplicity and transcendence.…
Let’s keep this party going shall we? Been reviewing music all day long, and these guys are making for the perfect cap on a great day here at sleepingbagstudios. And I’ll be sampling a great deal from these guys as we review this double-album-debut with the other half of the album-set coming up right after…
Welcome back! You can consider this Part II of our L.A. Brownies review more or less, with this second half of their debut known as #Deuce carrying on from where we left of yesterday with their album Citizens United; if you didn’t read it, click here. You never know, I might make a reference or…
Question: what´s the thing that comes to your mind when the last name of an artist is Random? Well, I am pretty sure we will all most likely think the same thing – this guy must be a comedian. If that was your first thought, then you are completely right. Max Random´s Analog Man kicks…
No, this is not Tori Amos or Coldplay but they definitely play a big role on Minneapolis singer-songwriter Jourdan Myers which even though she says she doesn’t consider herself a perfectionist, you can really hear she did paid attention to details on every song in her new album Run Me With Love. ‘Lifetime or Before’…
Title Of Album: “Love Phases” released in 2015 independently by Carol Riddick. The genre is soul but I say it also has R&B and jazz undertones. There are 11 tracks with a total time of 44:22. I’ve had the pleasure of observing the transformation of Riddick from a shy young lady developing into a powerful,…
Aptly named, Spinn’s “City Country” displays a true talent in updating country music, to show how geography no longer limits its appeal. For a long time country music has been a particular style of music heavily associated with the south and the west. On “City Country” Spinn sings of both New Jersey and the South,…
“Whatz Up” is RNB down to an absolute science. Everything syncs up perfectly: from the crystal-clear production to the smooth vocals. Rhythms are infectious the melodies glistening and overall there is a true sense of comfort within the track. The bass hits in all the right ways helping to solidify the track’s slow-moving groove. By…
“Fuel Yer Delusion vol. 4” is the new album from Chicago-Based self-described Grounge band, The Mutts. Opening the album is “America’s Next Top Something, Pt. 1” which clearly represents a blend of gunge and lounge in which the Mutts live up to the expectation set by their mashup conceit. It’s a fun listen, though may…
It seems to me that this set feels a little desperate. It moves from one cliché and generic pop sound to another. When it works best is when it stretches a bit beyond that. Too much like by-the-numbers pop, the first song (“You, Me, and the Whiskey”) doesn’t work well. That is, except for the…
Musical energy and the exchange between audience and a song or band can be such a crucial lifeblood for a composer gathered in the name of fulfilling exhilarating music for music fans. Some of this applies to Trippy Alternative Folk based music and Alternative Rock of the 90’s. It may not be for everyone but…
“Close Your Eyes” is a gentle lullaby perfect for late-night listening after a difficult day. Tempos are considerably slowed down from his previous works. Reassuring in tone and reassuring lyrically the song becomes a mantra for those suffering from long endless days. His voice serves as the focal point for the piece. Extended into a…
Composer, David Crocco (vocals, guitar, bass, drums) and fellow singer, songwriter and guitarist, Cela Scott of Automatik Eden are making all kinds of noise of the sensational audio variety. David’s post-production engineering skills have been in demand for a while now, having worked with a plethora of contemporary music icons, in various genres. Performers include…
For the most part this is quite a strong album. I love a lot of the arrangements here. There is a lot of soul and emotion built into it. At times it does wander towards the generic pop end of the spectrum, though. Imagine mixing the Beatles with Fun (the group, not the experience). That’s…
Robert J. Hunter delivers a high energy, gruff, performance of dirty blues. RJH’s debut single, “Demons” is out now and has reached number one in the UK iTunes Blues Chart. His debut album, “Songs for the Weary” is out 10th February 2015. Heavily influenced by Peter Green, Tom Waits and The Doors to name a…
Joe Ness has gone through a few name changes so some might know him as Jo Payso, Amillio Jones, and now Joe Ness. You cannot disprove raw talent and he will not be denied. He was born in Brooklyn and grew up between there and Queens. he started rapping at the age of 12 and…
Swirl has an incredibly loud brash sound, the kind of sound plenty of bands promise but few deliver. A rare beast indeed Swirl demands to be played at the absolute maximum volume. They do not let up: their energy persists from the first second to the final moment of the collection. For their sound is…
“Who Do You Think I Am” is a lovely song that displays the best of pop’s universal appeal. Julie Diano’s voice is quite affectionate. Accompanying her is a pianist who sounds completely attuned to her lyrical nuances. Everything feels balanced within the particular piece. Kept tasteful the piece is stripped down to the absolute essentials.…
