From the opening bars of Skymonk’s self titled EP, a confident wash of smoky blues tinged indie rock launches itself forward, paving the way for ten minutes of solid tunes. Listen – http://skymonk.bandcamp.com Opener ‘Stop Looking At Me’ manages to set the bar high, with a sultry, hazy rock riff that perfectly underpins the track’s…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Heylel, Nebulae
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Heylel’s “Nebulae” shows the evolution of progressive rock. With a well-placed King Crimson cover thrown into the mix (I Talk to the Wind) Heylel displays progressive rock influences and progressive rock’s future. Ana Batista’s vocals appear to be the unifying force throughout the collection. Such a strong distinctive voice helps to bond the many different…
Jelani Lateef, Manhood Talk
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Jelani Lateef’s “Manhood Talk” is aural optimism. The rhythm of the piece feels incredibly colorful. Samples are carefully selected and lightly manipulated to fit with the overall positivity that emanates from the sound. Over the course of the piece Jelani Lateef manages to convey the image of someone who is slowly realizing their purpose and…
Amen Alibi, Addicted
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Amen Alibi could well be time travellers, bringing their instruments with them from forty years ago to make use of the modern recording technology that is now so readily available. Their latest release, Addicted, brings together a whole host of influences and ideas from the classic prog/psych rock era, and delivers it with a sense…
Clouds and Clocks, Aliantha
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Clouds and Clocks creates a truly surprisingly piece with “Aliantha”. With many different twists and turns the piece manages to be full of life and full of influences. Many of the sounds are those that otherwise would never meet. The juxtaposition of the varying styles works surprisingly well. Few groups have ever tried merging these…
Benn Bacot, 4Love of Abbey! (VOLUME I)
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This CD 4Love of Abbey! (VOLUME I) is the latest release from San Francisco based Jazz Vocalist Benn Bacot. A CD of standards, some classics, of the American Songbook. Old blues from 1895 to 60’s vocalese this CD showcases the many layers of a voice not often heard in today’s music. No tenor or baritone…
Eric Frisch, “Mary Ann”
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Country is as country does right here with Eric Frisch’s ‘Mary Ann’. Stream the single: https://soundcloud.com/ericfrisch/mary-ann Cracking out some classic blues riffs and laying down some serious square dance fodder, this is one of those tracks that ain’t going to be for everyone. Writing as a Brit, it’s not one of those genres that gets…
Azwel, From Now On
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Azwel’s “From Now On” is studious, well-crafted pop made perfect. “From Now On” sounds remarkably similar to Jon Brion’s soundtrack work. Azwel’s casual songwriting approach and vocal style make it surprisingly tender with a warm, well lived-in sound. Much of the album has a cinematic feel to it that allows the songs to gain an…
Devyn Rose, Falling 4 U
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“As if Rihanna and Labyrinth decided to turn to diamond theft, only to give up halfway through the heist and head to a club instead without bothering to change out of their cat burglar outfits.” Loaded with emotion, yearning, and the ache of new love, Devyn Rose’s ‘Falling 4 U’ is a rich and soulful…
Mesa Jane, Level
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The new “Level” CD from Pennsylvania based Mesa Jane is an exceptional 10 Track release and is very multi-dimensional to say the least. It also however possesses an undeniable Alternative Rock-Pop core sound accessible by all listeners – even old school Singer/Songwriter, 80’s, 90’s Pop fans. Does all of this sound a bit over the…
Jambalaya Brass Band, On the funky Side (2012)
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On the funky Side (2012) is the latest album available by New York based Jambalaya Brass Band and their red hot Creole Soul sound. First a bit about the band: The Jambalaya Brass Band is a group of seasoned musical pros from a variety of impressive previous musical settings as diverse as the Duke Ellington…
A Light Within, Preface (EP)
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Patient, refined, with enough space for the ultimate crescendo, the three pieces on “Preface (EP)” build off of each other. Together they work to create a series of fascinating dark territories. Outside of the obvious debt to Post-Rock they have a number of particularly well selected moments. From their focus on constant change the songs…
BEEMA, Scuse Me
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Ft. Pierce, Florida is the home to BEEMA, a female rap artist who knows how to work her hooks and flows into epic tunes at every turn. Citing T.I, Lauren Hill, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Lil “Queen Bee” Kim, and Nas as her influences, BEEMA is known as THE BOSS OF THE SOUTH.…
Jacob Acosta, For the People by the People
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One of the greatest things a music-lover can experiences is the discovery of a new artist so exciting, so invigorating it makes the listener want to “really” write about it. Though I don’t write reviews under false pretenses I will admit many times I find myself writing reviews based on music that is to say…
Gone By Sunrise, Gone By Sunrise
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Gone By Sunrise makes the perfect weekend soundtrack. These are casual songs in the best way possible creating a relaxed atmosphere. Utilizing a myriad of stylistic choices from straight-up rockers to acoustic-centered pieces, they manage to nestle themselves into the mind. Everything comes together nicely. Perfectly balanced they are full-bodied, fully formed pieces with plenty…
Hellgate EP
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This is such a sizzling EP what else can I say in the end? This stacked 8 track EP by three piece Hellgate is more than explosive, amazing and dramatic, it’s also extremely suspenseful and delivers a classic old school alt-rock style. HELLGATE are: Joel Floyd West (Guitar, Vocals), Scott Daniels (Bass), Jordan Sean (Drums).…
The Disc Rays, “Love Ain’t Easy”
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The Disc Rays is a musical project from Owen Martin, he is a songwriter and guitar player out of Ireland. This is a total jam band, he’s having fun and pulling out the big guns with some influential presence from the Velvet Underground and Jesus and Mary Chain. The recording and production have an old…
Roxanna, Exotica
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Having cut her teeth with multiple of stepping stone life experiences Roxanna has been turning people’s heads and ears. Ultimately, it was the relative of a hospital patient who asked why she wasn’t pursuing entertainment professionally—and offered the missing ingredient: financial backing. Roxanna then contacted producer Portmann and sang Aguilera’s “Lift Me Up.” In a…
Charlee Remitz, These Veins (EP)
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Who is Charliee Remitz anyway? Listening to her music I get a sense of urgency. It’s a need to capture the moments before they are gone and you forget. Sometimes, it’s about the dust left behind by what just got burned off, and the sense of loss that comes with that. Sometimes it’s about the…
Sarantos, I Love To Love You Too
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Europop drenched in auto-tune right here. Sarantos’ ‘I Love To Love You Too’ is enigmatic and curious. On first listen, it comes across as naive, but as things unfold, the track reveals itself to be more overly earnest in its efforts. On the face of it, ‘I Love To Love You Too’ is a straightforward…
Atom Strange, The Lost Cosmonaut
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ATOM STRANGE formed in 2006 with musicians Alex Rude and Rick Dunn. They shared a vision of forming a rock band that was inspired by science fiction, true life, and the absurd, and intentionally tries to avoid the clichés normally heard in the hard rock genre. The band now has several albums to their credit…
Save the Radio, Calculating the Sum of Your Life
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“Save The Radio, a Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida based modern rock band has been drawing industry comparisons to such iconic adult contemporary acts as Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty. It’s rather odd that I like this as much as I do. I mean, it’s very mainstream and even feels a bit like two bands I…
Esthema, Long Goodbye
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Esthema’s Long Goodbye is a rich progressive rock record that harnesses classic and modern sounds. With its short opening track ‘Three Sides To Every Story Part 1′, it’s clear from the start that Esthema have worked hard to bring together a range of instruments to create some provocative prog. As the three part opening section…
Billy Ray Deiz, “Rather Have Sooner”
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Laced with woozy tremolo and everything you would expect from smooth country tinged soul, Billy Ray Deiz’s ‘Rather Have Sooner’ lets loose the big guns. It’s all here; swaggering saxophones, snappy funk guitars, and vocals that balance melancholy with a cheeriness that makes the track sunny and uplifting. With funk like this, it’s impossible not…
Xavier Toscano, Feel So Good
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Taking cues from Bruno Mars and throwing in a huge sprinkling of electro pop, Xavier Toscano’s new album Feel So Good is a party album full of bright lights and vibrant colours. Opening with ‘Never Wanna Leave’, Toscano’s style is shown to be upbeat and playful from the start, leading into ‘The Remedy (Feel Alright)’…
Winchester Revival, Eyes in the Canopy
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Eyes in the Canopy is the latest four track EP from East Bay, California based band Winchester Revival. Winchester Revival is a difficult band to categorize, with a refreshing and unique sound that carries throughout Eyes in the Canopy. The EP opens with “Chemical Yellow,” an alternative trip-rock tune that proudly displays the musical prowess…
AntoineRNB
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Antoine is hitting the scene and is building his career one song at a time. His soulful melodies come across smooth and vibrant, unleashing true raw emotions in every beat. Straight from Poughkeepsie, New York he is ready to take on the world. Each track is defined by catchy hooky lyrics and foot tapping rhythms…
Sex With Strangers, You Know Something We Don’t (CD)
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Vancouver rockers “Sex With Strangers” seem to making all the right moves. Working hard, releasing music, hitting the pavement. Make no mistake about it these 5 from Canada appear to be surging and are quickly becoming a household name – North and South of the border. For a 5 piece band like Sex With Strangers…
Farewell, Manchester, ‘Found’
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Perfect pop in the style of Owl City and the Killers right here from Farewell, Manchester. Opening with title track ‘Found’, the sound of Farewell, Manchester might not be the most original but it is delivered in a way that comes across as caring about the place it comes from. Making use of the aforementioned…
Stone Diamond, We Stole the Stars from the Black Night
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The clarity of this Stone Diamond is spot on with one jamtastic, brilliant cut! Stone Diamond is a rock band that has a lot of history together. Starting as a garage band some many years ago plus dealing with a breakup at some point in the past, Stone Diamond is moving forward with no regrets. …
Mini Diaz, Invisible Fences
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Taking cues from Chrissie Hynde and Zero 7, Mini Diaz delivers eclectic pop filled with passion and heart. Let’s face it, if music doesn’t make you feel something then it rarely seems worth giving it the time. Thankfully, Mini Diaz creates exactly the kind of music that is impossible to listen to without being moved…
Blue Light Bandits, The BLB Demo
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Classic bluesy soul. That’s the dish of the day from the Blue Light Bandits, with a generous side order of funk. Blue Light Bandit’s music is smooth and stylish, shown firstly with ‘Sarah’, a smoochy love number littered with all the funk-soul elements you would expect. As the track progresses, it becomes clear that there…
Rick Shaffer, Misadventure
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I had the pleasure of reviewing Rick Shaffer’s second solo album titled ‘Hidden Charms’ (http://skopemag.com/2011/05/25/rick-shaffer-hidden-charms) back in 2011 for Skope and I knew then that Rick had a special quality about him. His latest release and now 5th solo effort, ‘Misadventure’, proves that Shaffer’s ‘Hidden Charms’ are revealed once and for all by way of…
Xombie, Capital X
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With some brutal beats and out there vocal stylings, Xombie’s latest album Capital X will shake the dust from your weary bones. Stream the full album here: https://soundcloud.com/xombienyc/sets/capital-x/s-VNfUp Starting strong, ‘Velocarapper’ sets out Xombie’s stall with clarity and focus, laying down some aggressive hip hop vocals with some real nu metal leanings. The fusion of…
Matt Townsend And The Wonder Of The World
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Matt Townsend’s curious blend of folk rock leans in many ways towards Neutral Milk Hotel and Apples In Stereo, immediately made clear on opening track ‘Seventh Story’. Listen: http://matttownsendmusic.bandcamp.com/ The folksy americana makes good use of lap steel and emotive, wailing vocals and form an undulating rhythm. ‘Carry On’ continues in the same vein, with…
Sean Wagner And The Ne’er Do Wells EP
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Blasting into the soundscapes with trumpets blazing, Sean Wagner And The Ne’er Do Wells blend Irish folk, americana and marching band tunes to complete abandon. After seeing Monsters University it irritated me that the best tune on the entire soundtrack wasn’t featured on the main OST. It was ‘Gospel’ by the Marchforth Marching Band, and…
Tanya Marie Harris, Second Hand Dreams
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Citing inspiration from Patsy Cline to Carrie Underwood, Canadian and Nashville country pop rock singer Tanya Marie Harris is destined to inspire future generations of country music lovers with her new single “Second Hand Dreams”. Something that really stood out to me are the lyrics, her story is about her father that sacrificed his own…
D.Z tha DoK, A Souljah’s Ambition
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D.Z tha DoK’s latest mixtape lays down tight beats and confident rhymes, with a narrative approach and a sense of direction all the way. http://www.datpiff.com/DZ-tha-DoK-A-Souljahs-Ambition-mixtape.628239.html Opening with ‘Combative Soul’, the military imagery is immediately present, with a beat that creates the sense of marching onwards to fight a noble battle. Lyrically the track calls into…
Larusso, Life In Static
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Larusso aren’t afraid to hide their influences. Rather, they are the kind of band that shows through their music that they are proud to be a part of the rich legacy of modern hardcore. Larusso-pic-4-750x500Let’s get the comparisons out of the way; Anberlin, Brand New, Yellowcard, Taking Back Sunday (spot the reference in the track…
Alex Cook, The Swing Set
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Who can forget the greatest party of all time? Fortunately I am old enough to remember some of it. Trust me when I say being in Las Vegas in the 60’s and late 70’s was the place to be as artists like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett dominated the strip and airwaves. So…
