“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…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
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…
The Pete V Project, Come on Baby (Come on Over) ft. Reece Bahia
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Marie Virginie Pierre has a new single, Come on Baby (Come on Over) released on her new record label, Pierreplay Records. It was produced and written by Marie, featuring the amazing talent, Reece Bahia. This poppy number displays Marie’s versatility and the plethora of talent known as the Pete V Project. Reece Bahia executes the…
Lions Named Leo, A Crisis In Conscientiousness
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Lions Named Leo is a band from Bakersfield, CA. Their latest release, A Crisis in Conscientiousness not only is a clever title, as is the name of their band, but is awesome quality with a full on, positive vibe of hard core energy. Listen – http://lionsnamedleo.bandcamp.com/releases Wow, very rarely does any band leave this writer…
Les Fradkin & Michael Brown, “As Eagles Fly In The Night”
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Les Fradkin & Michael Brown are soaring high with their latest release titled “As Eagles Fly In The Night”. The duo performs this song as a complete instrumental with Pop/Rock/Classical elements hitting you all at once. The overall sound is quite appealing and the recording is very clean ‘n’ crisp. Both members have rich musical…
Catalina Shortwave, “Repeater
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Indeed many feel solid musicianship is a dying art form in music as Power Pop and Rap dominate the airwaves with music that is for the most part – well not very real. But regardless of how you feel about Pop, or even Rap strong musicianship has remained strong and resultant over the years primarily…
ThaGataNegrra, Gata City
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ThaGataNegrra sounds neon. Akin to FKA Twig’s nuanced compositions ThaGataNegrra’s are nimble bright and remarkably catchy. Rhythmically “Gata City” never stops. With an endless amount of kinetic energy the songs blast forward. Plenty of cat references are thrown throughout the album which fits neatly with the overall playful feel of the album. Melody and rhythm…
Late Cambrian, Peach
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3 piece rock band Late Cambrian just released their latest CD entitled “Peach” (2014). This 13 Track offering captures the energy and foundations of this band. Songs such as “Ryan Gosling”, “The Label Needed a Single” and “The Wolf” have off the hook vocals, thumpy beats, crunchy guitar, and heavy bass lines that will make…
Alpha over India, One Last Chance
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Alpha over India’s “One Last Chance” lives in hope. Within these two tracks is a great deal of care. The sound is warm. The vocalist is confident. Sonically the songs are reminiscent of a time in the 90s when rock sounded more personal, less scrubbed. Rhythmically the pieces employ a driving beat which helps each…
Beth Whitney Bradford Loomis, The Banner Days
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Today I listened to the 7 Track CD by Marysville, WA musical duo Beth Whitney Bradford Loomis entitled The Banner Days. These 2 are one up and coming artistic duos that cannot and should not be underscored. All music, lyrics, and fretwork invites the listener to sift through a multitude of folk-pop-rock sounds, all of…
JD Hardy, Ride On Single
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About the Artist: Today I’m checking out the latest single “Ride On” from California Cowboy JD Hardy. Another track featured is “Country Saved Me.” RIDE ON is dedicated to Hardy’s Bull Rid’n Heroes! Gary Leffew, Lane Frost, Ty Murray and many many more of you tough of ole cowboys who’s ridn’n your way to the…
Pipe Dream, The Oak
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Cleveland based Pipe Dream haven’t had their head in the clouds putting this well executed EP together. http://pipedreamofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-oak The OakOpening with title track ‘The Oak’, Pipe Dream’s sound comes off as fresh, airy, and soothing. That hipster indie sound is there -à la Mumfords, Bon Iver – but it’s wistfully done, an optimistic and hopeful…
Eric Kamen, Serenades
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Having cut his teeth with multiple of stepping stone musical experiences guitarist/producer/songwriter Eric Kamen is turning people’s heads, and ears with his latest 15 track collection entitled “Serenades.” Quite simply Kamen set his sights on creating a new style of music: a radical collection of Spanish Style Flamenco guitar and Hip Hop. This latest CD…
Big Tribe, From the Fringes
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With some help from us (Bonnie, Dave, Joe, Liz, Michael, Peter) are The Fabulous Neptones, the core of Big Tribe – Panyon crafts a sweet non-glossy LP that reminded me of a low-fi Traveling Wilburys at times. “From the Fringes” sets the stage with his quirky vocal delivery and Harrison-like guitar. Most songwriters discover songs…
Sleeping Babys, Idolize
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Sleeping Babys keep things simple on “Idolize”. With a distinctly 60s retro flair to their sound they are reminiscent of other 60s pop revivalists like Stereolab and their ilk. “Idolize” is a great take on what pop music often forgets: simplicity. By stripping the sound down to the basic drum, bass, guitar, vocals they are…
Jenny Jarnagin, Bullseye
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Jenny Jarnagin’s “Bullseye” is a celebratory pop perfection. With a large sound and great energy Jenny Jarnagin defines her sound with a phenomenal amount of instruments. From piano to banjo and many more, Jenny Jarnagin’s voice confidently soars above it all. At times cinematic in tone Jenny Jarnagin’s songs are well-crafted pieces of art. The…
Danny John Trio, Mr Twister
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It’s fusion, Jim, but not as we know it. Mind altering jazz-metal for the thinking music aficionado. https://soundcloud.com/dannyjohntrio/sets/mr-twister Opening with the spiky ‘Drift’, it’s immediately clear that this is a band that ventures into the unusual, the experimental, and on occasion the downright bonkers. The track’s frenetic and splintered riffing skitters madly throughout its nine…
Emma Constance, Hot Stuff
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Don’t panic! If you’re looking for a sassy reworking of the Donna Summer classic ‘Hot Stuff’, Emma Constance has got it covered. Buy – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hot-stuff-single/id906163832 Listen – https://coast2coastmixtapes.com/audiodetail.aspx?audioid=375008 It’s always a little concerning when approaching a cover version of a song that is so embedded in classic pop culture, not least when it’s the kind…
Django Mack, Sweet Life
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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 San Francisco based Django Mack’s latest musical offering “Sweet Life” it’s clear to me he has surpassed what…
Royal Holland, Volume One – The Maze
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Running the gamut from folk to dance Royal Holland’s “Volume One – The Maze” is a lot of fun. The combination of the radically different styles brings to mind Beck’s early experiments with folk and found sounds. Lyrically the collection ranges from the celebratory into sadder territory. With such a collection Royal Holland is able…
Curious Quail, After The Lights Failed
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“After The Lights Failed” is an album about togetherness. Curious Quail creates a rich warm sound with satisfying buildups. Chamber pop rarely sounds this good. Thanks in part to the immaculate taste of Curious Quail the rock and classical elements play off of each other. Strings sound positively divine as they give the songs their…
Maggie Anderson, Acoustic EP
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Maggie Anderson’s “Acoustic EP” is soulful. Quite the accomplished singer-songwriter she keeps things remarkably simple. With a stripped-down raw feel to the work her music comes directly from the heart. Exploring different playing styles throughout the three songs she is able to display the subtleties inherent in her voice and in her guitar. The songs…
Perry Bonck, Heart of a Cowboy
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Perry Bonck is celebrating his latest release, Heart of a Cowboy. This Louisiana native shows his true colors throughout this entire CD. He boasts with pride about his home town in several tracks and paints melodic pictures of his life and upbringing. Bonck has a vocal styling that is reminiscent of Dwight Yoakum and is…
Christina Gaudet, Wild Things
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Christina Gaudet s a hot running artist/band from the New York area. Her latest CD released in 2014 is entitled “Wild Things”. Nowadays making music is so accessible to anyone and being that we have the do it yourself attitude, it just makes sense. Most bands don’t want to sit around just waiting for someone…
Stellar, Fight For Love
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Positive, upbeat, and filled with sounds that will cheer you up this summer, Stellar’s latest track, ‘Fight For Love’ is one of the happiest electronic pop song’s you’ll hear today. https://soundcloud.com/stellar4u/fight-for-love-singlefree-download It’s easy to be immediately reminded of Cheryl Cole’s similarly titled ‘Fight For This Love’. That song was altogether darker in tone – Stellar’s…
Ari and the Alibis, Self titled EP
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Ari and the Alibis are a band out of Sarasota, FL and is making waves in a short period of time. Building quite the following with their worldly sounds fused with jazz, blues and a powerhouse vocal that exudes confidence and is winning their audience over. Listen – https://soundcloud.com/ari-and-the-alibis/sets/ari-and-the-alibis-ep There is a nice Latin flair…
Big Apple Blues, Energy
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On “Energy” Big Apple Blues narrates a day in the life of an average New York. Full of kinetic energy the songs refuse to slow down. Rather they move at full speed for there is no slowing down. The band clearly listens and works off each other creating a well-oil machine that effortlessly creates fully…
Tommy West, Frequencies of the Sun
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Tommy West’s “Frequencies of the Sun” is a real trip. Over the course of eleven songs Tommy West displays his considerable chops. “Frequencies of the Sun” is a remarkable album with the uncanny ability to show off talent while remaining well attuned to the necessity of melodic progression. His penchant for 70s rock is particularly…
THE EMPTY HEARTS, THE EMPTY HEARTS
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The Empty Hearts are another super group of sorts, where successful members of past bands (The Cars, Blondie, The Romantics and The Chesterfield Kings) get together to collaborate. This group is made up of Elliot Easton (Cars) on lead guitar, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Clem Burke (Blondie) on drums, Wally Palmar (Romantics)…
VANDENBERG’S MOONKINGS
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This Dutch group is made up of former Whitesnake guitarist and songwriter Adrian Vandenberg, Jan Hoving on vocals, Sem Christoffel on bass, and Mart Nijen Es on drums. Jan has a Robert Plant quality with the range and delivery that fits the songs here. The vocal duties would have also been right in Sammy Hagar’s…
