“Broke My Heart” is a lush piece of pop. Alice Sungurov’s voice serves as the focal point for the entire track. With a relaxed easy groove the song reflects upon the oftentimes confusing aspects of being in a relationship and the heartbreak that comes with the end of a relationship. No breakup is easy. Here…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Random Dander, Second Cuming EP
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Random Dander sound truly completely out of their minds on the “Second Cuming EP” and this is a very good thing indeed. Throughout the collection they appear to be possessed by a boundless energy. Hence the songs have a strong physical quality to them as every song appears to be dripping with sweat. Incredibly catchy…
Tyler Gilbert, Okay Murphy
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Tyler Gilbert’s “Okay Murphy” is a well-balanced blend of electric and acoustic rock. His distinctive voice and vision help bring together a diverse range of approaches, from the celebratory to the tragic. “Okay Murphy” takes its many elements to create a beautiful, oftentimes tragic sound. Tyler Gilbert ” Ok, Murphy” EP https://soundcloud.com/tyler-4-2 Kicking off with…
RxGF, Any Other Way
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RxGF’s “Any Other Way” is what dark wave should be. The edge in the arrangements is nicely complemented by Angeline Schaaf’s powerful emotive voice. Alongside this the music itself benefits from the extensive subtle use of samples which give the overall sound a greyish foreboding atmosphere. For the more decipherable samples the overall effect is…
Deborah Henriksson, Traces
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Traces is an eclectic yet unique musical offering from Swedish vocalist Deborah Henriksson. Henriksson has released 4 albums thus far and clearly an established and experienced vocalist. I’ve been to Europe, and for someone like me no doubt inspiration comes from daily emotive impressions including a bumper-sticker, scribbles on a wall, signs of various purpose…
Mark Claytor, Uprising
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Ok, all you shredders out there this new CD by Mark Claytor is custom made specifically for you. Claytor is from Kansas and is ripping it up on his latest release, Uprising and showing the world how it is done. Listen – http://markclaytor.bandcamp.com/ It is a full instrumental from beginning to end and each song…
Imani Hutton, Go The Right Way
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Imani Hutton’s “Go The Right Way” is a soulful album. The songs are lush with a wide spectrum of smooth sounds. As the album progresses it becomes gradually more ambitious. With the first half of the album the songs retain a pop structure format. Later on the pieces become much more ambitious as proven by…
Dwayna Litz, “I’m the Girl I Used to Know Again”
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New York based singer/songwriter Dwayna Litz just released her latest work entitled “I;m the Girl I Used to Know Again”. This latest CD from Dwayna Litz “I’m the Girl I Used to Know Again” is refreshing. It has original songs reminiscent of the country/rock/bluegrass LA-Sound-of-the-70s with songs written similar to the style of early Linda…
ERLAND, On Our Side
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ERLAND takes the best of folk and makes it better. On Our Side is an easy-to-love warm collection. Respectful of the past while trying something new the songs are positively lush. At times reminiscent of the meticulous work of Fleet Foxes the songs shine. Lyrically the songs focus on relationships, how difficult they can sometimes…
The Tiger Club, Mephisto Island
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The Tiger Club’s “Mephisto Island” is incredibly cool, Bossa Nova 60s revival cool. Listening to it is an absolute joy. With a joyful take on lounge the songs have perfect arrangements, the kinds of things that Joao Gilberto would have been proud to call his own. By updating the sounds it is a modern take…
Matt Hannah, Let the Lonely Fade (Gammie Records)
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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 Minneapolis based Matt Hannah’s latest musical offering “Let the Lonely Fade” it’s clear to me he has surpassed…
2Four & DJ Majestic, Intergalactic
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2Four & DJ Majestic offer up a bombastic collection on “Intergalactic”. Incredibly loud it is pure party music. The music virtually demands to be put on full blast. Adhering to a strong pop template the songs clock in around the three minute mark. Vocals are shouted. Extremely energetic the songs virtually burst at the seams,…
Owen Duggan, 11 Song Sampler (2 Albums) Puppy Dog Jig, An Elephant Never Forgets
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Owen Duggan’s music is inspired by the folk music of the US, Canada and the British Isles as well as jazz, classical and world music. Applauded for its positive message and wide appeal, Owen’s CD for children, An Elephant Never Forgets, has won numerous awards including those from National Parenting Publications (2006), Parents’ Choice Foundation…
Rhett May, Insatiable (EP)
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Who doesn’t like Singer-Songwriter music? However I’d bet not all hands go up in the air. I mean, while Singer-Songwriter, which by the way kind of emerges in the late 60’s and 70’s with the arrival of Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Elton John and Billy Joel, represented a close and personal artistic snapshot from the…
Carmen Lundy, Soul to Soul
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(WOODLAND HILLS, CA) California based singer/songwriter/musician Carmen Lundy just released her new CD entitled appropriately enough “Soul to Soul” in 2014 Carmen Lundy began her professional career in Miami, FL as a jazz vocalist and composer when there were very few young, gifted and aspiring jazz vocalists on the horizon. Over four decades later, Ms.…
Phil Varca and The Slamjammers
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(Long Island) New York based blues band Phil Varca and The Slamjammers are no stranger to musical movement. The band is composed of three veteran rockers: Phil Varca (guitar. vocals), Tom Porter (Bass) and Russell Stone (Drums.) Having cut their teeth with multiple albums and 35 years of experience they have also has enjoyed a…
Origami Horses, Trashola!
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“Trashola!” runs the gamut from the Velvet Underground’s party rock to Slint’s Post-Rock. Styles range from noisy abrasive lo-fi garage rock jams to droning Zen-like repetitive pieces. While they extensively reference the past they add their own peculiar take. Unique vocals, the soothing calm of the bass, and the large dollops of distortion that pepper…
Steven Norman Long, Message for the Masses
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Steven Norman Long is one of those singular composers out of San Francisco armed with an acoustic guitar and a whole lot of wisdom. He just released his latest CD entitled Message for the Masses in 2014. Long presents an original blender of sound mixing classic artists like Teddy Pendergrass, Sam Cooke, Arthur Cooley and…
Damon & Matthews, Bayside Boats
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Damon & Matthews deliver their latest album, Bayside Boats, a collection of easy listening so laid back it’s virtually floating on the gentle waves. Listen – http://damonandmatthews.bandcamp.com Opening with the album’s title track, ‘Bayside Boats’ comes across as a kind of poor man’s ‘Dock Of The Bay’. With that Otis Redding classic casting such a…
Billy Roberts And The Rough Riders, The Last of the Originals
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Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders is a celebration of Americana. “The Last of the Originals” does country music just right. Everything fits together perfectly from the western twang of the guitar to the bluesy feel of the band. With great attention to detail the songs feature fiddle, harmonica, helping to give color. Lyrically the…
Jupiter in Velvet, Glitter on the Sun
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Enter London based Jupiter in Velvet a singular band in the studio but different live. On his latest release entitled “Glitter on the Sun” you can expect a semi-experienced rock musician who champions a highly melodic sound against a passionate backdrop of vocals and lush guitar and keyboard combo, With his latest 13 song CD…
Doug Cash, Secrets
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Doug Cash is a jack of all trades, singer/songwriter, musician and producer out of Sacramento, CA. His current EP, Secrets is a wide variety of surprises in a short span of time. He has clever ditties that pleases the ears and wakes up your senses. Cash has smooth, soothing vocals that lay out his message…
Elad Zabinski, Moving to Wonderland
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Who doesn’t like Singer-Songwriter music? However I’d bet not all hands go up in the air. I mean, while Singer-Songwriter, which by the way kind of emerges in the late 60’s and 70’s with the arrival of Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Elton John and Billy Joel, represented a close and personal artistic snapshot from the…
Ghostrain, Eulogy For The Living
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Opening track ‘Let’s Rock And Roll’ is unabashedly euphoric in its use of classic rock tropes, with the swirling organ and fizzing guitar solo. Eulogy for the Living CoverThe track gets the album off to a roaring start, before moving into ‘City of the sun’, a more smouldering track with gritty vocals and a low…
Matthew Neves, Diligence
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Matthew Neves released his third studio recording, Diligence in September of 2014 and is celebrating its success. He is from New Bedford, MA and has been playing since childhood. He has had success in TV when he wrote the soundtrack for a mini-series called, Angles and his success keeps on coming. Matthew Neves – Butterflies…
Cole Washburn, Traveler’s Moon
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Heartwarming folksy americana is what to expect when putting Cole Washburn’s EP Traveler’s Moon on for a spin. Audio: https://soundcloud.com/cole-washburn Opening with ‘Anastasia’, Cole Washburn’s signature sound is firmly established with its warm tones and gentle rhythm. As an opening track, it’s the perfect introduction to Washburn’s style, with the lap steel notes that ebb…
Mayhem Deranged, 50 Megaton Love
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Mayhem Deranged know how to have fun. 50 Megaton Love hits fast and hits hard. Everything comes together perfectly: from the driving tempo to the forceful vocals. With a clear nod to Billy Idol’s work in the 80s, the song is an absolute joy. Though 80s nostalgia is in full swing few others really seem…
Füneral Käb, Füneral Käb EP
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Possessing a thoroughly deranged intense energy, Füneral Käb’s debut EP shows off their destroy everything mentality. Literally a rush with absolutely no stopping whatsoever the EP burns through twelve minutes like it was nothing. How they manage to maintain this level of madness throughout the five songs is doubly impressive. This is what punk rock…
Sarantos, Not Where I Want To Be
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“Not Where I Want To Be” is a diverse eclectic album. Displaying a fondness for a vast variety of genres all of them viewed through a distinctly 80s filter. The earnestness of the album shines throughout its duration. From acoustic to the more dance-orientated work the pieces tend to work together to create a coherent…
Mike Vinson, Remembering Who I Am
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Mike Vinson is a musician that plays for the love of the music. He always tackles a project with the intention of what is best for the song. He has built a career playing in several bands for others and decided to put his own stuff out in the world with his latest project, Remembering…
The Voices of Terror, Rock-Rap Dynasty
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The Voices of Terror creates a frantic assault on the senses with Rock-Rap Dynasty. With a hyperactive approach matched with an ominous aggressive tone the album manages to create something equal parts compelling and disturbing. Completely relentless the energy keeps up for the duration of the album. Such consistency is stunning as is the remarkable…
Alvin Harrison, The 99
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The 99’s self-titled debut is political pop done right. Lyrically the songs are subversive. Instrumentally the songs have a glorious sheen to them that gives them an almost jazz-fusion kind of sound. When the subversion is put alongside these rather luscious sounds the result is something that truly engages. Each song reinforces the general theme…
Cara Smith, Off I Go
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With her unique blend of country and blues, Cara Smith’s Off I Go is a collection of feel good tunes to get lost in. https://carasmith.bandcamp.com/releases ‘Gonna Get Up’ set the tone from the start with its upbeat, cheery country vibe. The rhythm shuffles along as Cara Smith’s vocal struts confidently through the track’s mix. There’s…
Americans UK, Hostile Takeover
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Opening with ‘Lights Out In Zap City’, the sound of Americans UK is immediately set as punchy and futuristic with its fluttering synth and twanging guitars. Listen: http://americans-uk.com/album/hostile-takeover Americans UK – Hostile TakeoverAs the vocal comes in, at first it’s something of a surprise – the tone is so deep and serious sounding that it…
Craymo, Love You More
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Craymo is a New York native belting out his new pop single called, Love You More. This is a tribute to the Beatles and has the pop flavor that takes you back to the root of what makes popular music. A universal appeal with whimsical upbeat rhythms. Listen: http://www.reverbnation.com/craymo/song/20630103-love-you-more Craymo brings a lot more than…
They Made Monsters, Time To Breathe
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Wonky and brittle, ‘Time To Breathe’ starts off airy and light but shifts almost immediately into an explosion of sound. http://www.reverbnation.com/theymademonsters/song/21719762-time-to-breathe-feat-sharon-obrien Hailing from Swansea, Wales, Steve Lock delivers his own brand of music as They Made Monsters. Settling somewhere between alternative rock and hip-hop, this track from They Made Monsters is wide ranging in its…
The Brazen Youth, Alright
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The Brazen Youth is a duo out of old Lyme, CT. that includes Nick Lussier on vocals and guitar and Charles Dahlke on piano and vocals. They have morphed a sound together that is pure and unique with a subtle pleasantness creating profound results. Their latest single, Alright, is sublime elegance. Song: “Alright” https://soundcloud.com/thebrazenyouth/alright This…
4X, Talk To Me Now!!!
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With its relentless repetition of the mantra like phrase “She twerkin’” from the opening of ‘Talk To Me Now!!!’, the track embeds itself in the frontal lobes like a cerebral wasp. Listen – http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/0vumig6j01/4X_-_Talk_to_me_now_.mp3 The beats are restrained, not filling the spectral soundscape and yet create a solid base for the simplicity of the rap…
Aaron Gwynaire, Who We Are
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“Who We Are” is a collection full of sunny optimism. Aaron Gwynaire’s arrangements are tasteful and remarkably clear. Giving the songs a relaxed feeling works wonders for the mood of the collection. By focusing on positivity the songs create an inviting atmosphere. The vocals are strong and the lyrics are clever. Clearly Aaron Gwynaire is…
Modest Midget, CRYSIS
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Modest Midget’s “CRYSIS” is an impossible album to pin down. Ranging from sweet acoustic pieces to fluid progressive rock jams “CRYSIS” brings together disparate genres into a coherent and highly enjoyable whole. A sense of play is prominently displayed throughout the album. Elements of it recall the best of 70s progressive rock from the guitar…
