CD and DVD reviews
“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.…
Joseph Pagano’s “Graveyard of Dreams” taps into the best of Americana. With a classic rock sound the songs display the true virtue of earnestness. Throughout the album Joseph Pagano comes across as a caring, empathetic soul. Lyrics reflect this as well as he express joy at seeing people treat each other with kindness. For it…
While it is true many feel the music industry is in disarray, it’s always a breath of fresh air to hear a new band or artist that’s not afraid to take chances with their musical expression. With Chicago based Kevin Durr’s latest musical offering “Songbird” it’s clear to me he has surpassed what many consider…
Ralph Burg’s “Time to Sing” is pure bliss. With a dreamy sample that weaves in and out of perception the song takes on a laid-back vibe. This is nicely matched by Ralph Burg’s flow. Lyrically the song focuses on growing up with others. A lot of life’s many paths rests upon the past and the…
It’s easy to know how to categorize a band like The Sweet Lips. This Aussies 3 member band just released “Out of Nowhere.” This band seems to deliver an uncharacteristic fusion of hard, thrashy guitars and unique songwriting techniques, with a limber rhythm section that keeps the music loose yet powerful. Band members: Daxton Monaghan…
From Southern California comes Alternative Singer/Songwriter Mark Gothard who just released his latest 13 Track CD “Fly the Coop” in 2014. Many of you are already aware how fickle this industry is. Right from the start it might be easy to just categorize Gothard as some straight ahead old school folk-country-esque rocker toting a cowboy…
Dave Britt is a driven, passionate and charismatic singer-songwriter with a unique approach to his blend of folk, rock and pop. His country and Americana roots blend in with an uplifting modern songwriting sensibility; not unlike few. “Country Flow” on Spectra Records is a fine effort for this pop-country sort of blend hitting shelves mid-February…
I’ve been listening to Michael Tracy for a few years now and I’ll tell you why, because he’s good, plain and simple. He really didn’t even know he had this all in him, not too long ago, and that helps all the more as an interesting back story to this Seattle native’s life, who now…
Jumpship Astronaut’s “Humans” embodies the perfect mixture of rock and dance. Strong-willed the songs blast forward with great energy. Elements of their work are reminiscent of much of DFA’s immense catalog in particular the hyperactive work of Holy Ghost! Synthesizers sparkle with catchy melodies. Able to embrace their pop sensibilities these are pieces that display…
Df3’s “Tell Me” embodies dance pop at its most optimistic. Akin to Röyksopp at his most ebullient the piece absolutely bubbles with well-crafted hooks and satisfying pieces. Singing through a series of filters the song tries to capture the emotion that transmits over such long distances. Clearly this is reflected in the song’s sound which…
Piqued Jacks “Climb Like Ivy Does” is full of heart. Songs are full of Byzantine twists and turns. The sound is a rich tapestry merging elements of psychedelic, dream pop, classical, and even elements of post-rock. Vocals rip through the distortion to make themselves heard. Lots of textures are thrown together with a nice balance…
Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and raised in Vologda, a small city of a few hundred miles from Moscow, Ivan Smirnov was heavily influenced by American/British rock scene and started writing his own musical material in English at the age of 8. While studying classical piano for five years, Ivan also picked up interest in…
How shall I sum up the sound of Dave Bailin & the Bailouts for you? How about kind of ground breaking? While actually sounding like he’s not so over produced like some of the more modern sounding artists out there like John Maher, Bailin manages to capture a sound that is old yet surprisingly fresh…
DIY / Homemade guitar loop composer from New York, Ian C. Bouras just released his latest 6 Track release entitled: ”Two Sides to Every Sunset.” Ian produced, played guitar, bass, and mixed AñaVañA’s second release entitled “R*U*B” (2005), which was called: “Sophisticated and musically brilliant… a magnetic hybrid of music… a refreshing 2nd full length…
J. R. Holmes is one of a select few musicians moving the R & B sound into the future. “The Truth” possesses a beautiful lush sound that elegantly displays J.R. Holmes’s classical and jazz training. He matches this training with dark electronics that help to set the shadowy atmosphere that comes to define the song.…
The great artists out there offer listeners something that can be awe-inspiring. This artist based out of Australia fits well into Sonic-Pop category with his 2015 release entitled “Atmospheric Disturbances.” Project consists of 1 primary core member: Luke Jon Shearer. This CD “Close Your Eyes, Open Your Mind” keeps on going and the passion remains…
“A Paris August Moon” reveals a warped jazz sensibility that recalls the best of Angelo Badalamenti’s work. With a night vibe to it there is a darkness that informs much of the song. From the vocals to the shadowy instruments things hide in the background. The song is full of love, the kind of love…
First thing that hit me off C-Rod’s latest record, The Devil Is Real, was the incredible beats he had found throughout this mix. C-rod himself has a wicked flow…almost sounds like he would have fit in with the Onyx crew from back in the serious-rap heyday. After the intro drops, he launches into hard-tales from…
Big fan of these five songs on this new EP from Arid Garden, let me say that right from the get-go. This is a highly ambitious band bringing a form of progressive jazz right to the top of my playlist right now. There’s a complete wealth of ideas within each song and within this entire…
Former winner of the Miss Virginia title, Meghan Shanley made the move from her home state of Virginia to Nashville to follow her musical passion. She achieved high acclaim once she got there with appearances at the venerable Ryman Auditorium and an appearance on Food Network performing her song “Here” at TV personality Paula Deen’s…
Liv Margaret’s voice is clear and distinctive on “Spinning”. Full of peppy energy “Spinning” virtually bursts at the seams. The giddy sensibility of the songs is obvious. Additionally the arrangements flow perfectly with Liv Margaret’s strong voice at the center. By focusing on a bouncy pop sensibility the songs work together to create a comfortable…
Stocked full of hooks and a jovial playing style that never lets its guard down, to melodies which linger long after the playing has passed. From the fringes of New York comes Amarachi with her latest EP release entitled “All or Nothing” This stunning collection provides 6 tantalizing tracks with unique melodies that soak every…
Well…if there’s definitely one thing I can tell you, it’s that the album you’re about to hear about from Saints Eleven is so true to the rock-country music genre – the REAL one, not the modern-pop version; so genuine and authentically played I can all but guarantee this would drive many of our rock-metal fans…
Kari Tieger is a Singer/Songwriter and Composer who writes and performs in both English and French, about love, spiritual growth and relationships. Her compositions traverse seamlessly from the realms of dramatic vampire love lore and songs full of hope for the future, to Neoclassic chamber music and jazzy instrumentals. Kari’s music has also been described…
It’s not too often you’ll find me speechless not quite knowing how to describe what I’m hearing…forgive me if I stumble a bit here in this review for Joe DeVita’s latest album, Liquid Slumber… It starts with beautiful, haunting guitar work that literally gave me chills. From there…it’s a series of interesting choices, some of…
Septimius The Great adds an additional pulse of power on “Who’s The Sexiest”. By letting the song feel a little unhinged complete with nice electro touches Septimius The Great add a bit of wildness to the proceedings. Throughout the track the song at times feels like it simply wants to suddenly swell in power and…
Hard not to appreciate good songwriting like this. Even though I’d probably consider this just outside of my ‘normal’ genres of choice, there’s a ton of reasons I found to crossover to The Grave Jinglers and give them some ear-time for their latest album Reign Of The West. An extremely rewarding choice; this blend of…
Progressive music project Seconds Before Landing headed up by John Crispino seems to making all the right moves. Make no mistake about it: he’s becoming a household name around some Progressive Rock blogs I’ve been reading. This latest release entitled Seconds Before Landing 2 includes a few impressive names you may have heard before. Most…
Mind the Journey explore the playful side of psychedelic music. With lyrics akin to Mayo Thompson at his most surreal and arrangements that recall Ariel Pink at his best, “Mind the Journey EP” is a truly wonderful journey. The collection works best when taken together for each piece comes together to create a unified vision…
This might be some of the most fun I’ve had in listening to social commentary coming back over the mic combined with the beats coming out of these speakers. I’m pretty much guaranteed to enjoy music that has a message buried in there somewhere, but rarely do the sounds that come along with it feel…
Tony Levitas is in a jovial mood throughout “Black Sky Blanket”. Playing the songs through a nostalgic filter the songs possess a keen sense of warmth. By keeping the pieces relatively low key Tony Levitas explores the quieter impulses in life. Day-dreamlike in tone the pieces are well-crafted pieces of art. Lyrically the songs convey…
Bridgend explores one community’s experience with what appears to be an ongoing tragic series of events. Incredibly tight-knit it has seen a large amount of media attention for the large percentage of individuals who took their own lives. While John Michael Williams explores some of the explanations for these events ultimately it is impossible to…
“Imperial Majesty” is all about being smooth: smooth flows and smooth samples. KING has impeccable taste in how each song is arranged. As KING states in “Bulletproof Wallet”: It’s that smooth shit right here. The number of references thrown into the mix is incredible. Kaleidoscopic at times it is an incredible assortment showing off KING’s…
Joni Mitchell meets Nora Jones–stunning voice, dazzling guitar, brilliant originals and innovatively interpreted covers. “Absolutely amazing voice, pitch strong and with a wonderful delivery” Niklas Hansson, Universal Music Scout. Victoria Blythe has been performing for many years in the SF Bay Area and beyond as vocalist, songwriter and co-leader of the award-winning Americana band Calaveras,…
