Forget everything you know about Sonny and Cher, Kenny and Dolly or (Ack!) Nick and Jessica. When it comes to performance hodge-podge one only need look back at the original variety show: Vaudeville. And much like the performance art of yore, the Minnesota band with the same moniker is doing right by it as evidenced…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Pollock, The Moonlight Show
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Pollock hails from New York with their 2013 release “The Moonlight Show.” Overall Internet presence for Pollock is rapidly taking shape as I learned a lot about them even before I hit play. The CD hits the deck running with a series of strong songs “Devil,” A New Machine” and “Elder Crow.” All 3 pieces…
Tarnished Heaven, Matchbook/Exit
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Baton Rouge resident Casey Mixon and his brainchild Tarnished Heaven bring some heavy metal with a gothic flair. In the past, Mr. Mixon had traveled around and played in various groups, before making that oft-dangerous decision to create entirely his own music. Two years was the length of the break he took; he spent this…
Oakes & Smith, First Flight
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Folksy with a bit of adult contemporary and bluegrass flourishes make up most of First Flight, the new album by Oakes & Smith. The duo has created a passionate and intimate album full of meditations and breezy themes. First Flight starts off with Once, a very 70’s AC song that reminds me of acts like…
Twisted Piglet, Eternity
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Who doesn’t like music from the UK? I bet all hands go up in the air. Most people can’t deny getting into an English groove from time to time and really enjoy well written and performed music from that region of the world. You know bands like: The Beatles, David Bowies, The Rolling Stones, Oasis.…
MAESTRO DOBEL TEQUILA AS SKOPE’S SPIRIT OF CHOICE DURING HOLIDAYS
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With the holidays coming up I was getting tired of drinking the same things over and over again. Eggnog is boring and beer over the holidays can get really stale as well. People at holiday parties seem to have the same old drinks available throughout Christmas time like schnapps, Whiskey, vodka and beer. So many…
Merrill Leffmann, New and Old Christmas Classics
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Merrill Leffmann’s New and Old Christmas Classics is a little something for everyone with her sultry and sometimes hilarious voice shining through both original and classic Holiday songs. Acclaimed vocal instructor, Merrill leaves no stone unturned with her vaudeville performances highlighting the album. The album kicks off with I Love A Man In Uniform, an…
Dylan McGuire, Gravity (Or Lack Thereof)
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Philadelphia musician-songwriter Dylan McGuire first garnered attention a decade ago with his band Broken Jones. Then, in 2009, some of his own compositions were featured on the broadcasts of baseball’s National League playoffs. Now, drawing on such influences as Radiohead and U2, McGuire has released his solo album Gravity (Or Lack Thereof). The track “Sunny…
Arjun, Space
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Arjun is a 3 member band from New York. Band members include: Eddie Arjun Peters on guitar, Lamar Myers on drums, and Andre Lyles. New York is a colorful place and it has its fair share of unpredictability and chaos. This might just be the perfect locale to explore the realm of musical expression. Their…
Chris Beall, The Gin Mill Hymns
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I’m not a huge fan of country music, I’ll be dead honest. But in this day and age, occasionally our ears are graced with a second thought. This one being an obvious mistake because first of all Austin Native Chris Beall does not write for the country music genre, but rather bills himself as an…
Amy Allen, Someday is Today
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Amy Allen is a new comer on the country charts and is making some waves with her new release, Someday is Today. She has an irresistible, bubbly personality backed by powerful vocals that evoke real emotion. The title track rings true as she is proving hard work and solid talent is what it takes to…
Low Rent, Words On The Wind
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Brace yourself for Low Rent as you find yourself getting blown away by ‘Words On The Wind’. Melbourne, Australia’s own Low Rent has spoken and ‘Words On The Wind’ is the talk of the town! The group is led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Dan Swan along with his father Mike Swan on Lap Steel/guitars/mandolin and…
Meir Shitrit, “Wayâ€
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Meir Shitrit just released his latest offering “WAY” in 2012. It’s a funky yet worldly jazz album that gleefully dances up and down the spectrum of modern jazz music with some impressive fretwork and some breathtaking arrangements and performances along the way. Shitrit has earned accolades from critics and audiences alike for his work mainly…
Dugway, The Up and Up
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Based in Lenox MA, the band Dugway is a duo consisting of Chris Considine and Blake Poore. They used to perform as ‘Chris & Blake’ but scrapped that name for something a bit more cryptic. Drawing on their large repertoire of songs (as well as a few Beatles covers), they’ve entertained at a number of…
Danielle Bloom, “Meet me in the Middleâ€
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Most fans of the country music that comes out of Nashville are real people looking for sound and words that relate. When you think about it that’s pretty much everybody, but sometimes the music is so bad, so abnormally atrocious that your disappointment seems to surround everything but you at once. Ultimately you get the…
N Wolex, Newness Of Life EP
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N Wolex is a London songwriter with a multidimensional background ranging from music engineering to fashion modeling. His latest endeavor is the refreshingly-titled EP Newness of Life. It’s a six-pack of songs involving devotion both romantic and spiritual. With the track “I’m Sorry,” there is scant ambiguity about the theme: “I’m sorry / Please please…
Ma-Te Lin, Ancient Mark EP
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Formed only last year, the Taiwanese band Ma-Te Lin is a musical duo consisting of vocalist Asha Lin and DJ-producer Shao-Yong Huang. Drawing on such influences as Portishead, the two purvey their own brand of electronic music. They also have a socially-conscious bent, writing that: “We are inspired by many stories involving human and animal…
Kevin Haynes, Pure EP
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Illinois-based Kevin Haynes and his trusty sidekick Matt Kupcso have years of experience in various bands and/or choirs. The two once thought about assembling a full band, “but then decided, since they work well together, to just put an all original acoustic EP together themselves.” The EP is called Pure, and it primarily involves Haynes’s…
Casinova, “What I Needâ€
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Introduction: This is the latest from songster Casinova entitled “What I Need”. Right from the start of “What I Need” Casinova reminded me of soulful pop stars of the past like Johnny Gill, After 7, Babyface, Tevin Campbell, and AZ Yet. But there is also a modern spin to his music that will remind…
ESQUILLE, “Rock This Club Downâ€
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The eminent purveyor of Pure Nordic Trance known as ESQUILLE is once again acting like a mad chemist with his synthesizer (a Roland Juno-60 for all you beat freaks). His videos can be quite stimulating as well; think of some Swedish bombshell fox-trotting through urban Malaysia. About ten years back he quit in frustration, as…
Nathalie Raedler, Four Elements EP
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Here’s some simple math: pop + British invasion + funk + acoustic = four elements. And ‘four elements’ is the title of the debut EP of one Nathalie Raedler, a songwriter of Brazilian-German extraction who currently resides in Boston. Singing since age 4, Raedler also played piano but later chose the guitar as her vehicle…
Marga Lane, Expressions
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Marga Lane’s latest release, Expressions is a body of work that tantalizes your senses. She exudes exceptional skills that is a cut above the rest. She has a strong powerful voice that is a source of inspiration for musicians regardless their genre. Marga Lane is not playing around, she is a serious talent inspiring young…
KickBend, Various Songs
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KickBend is an Illinois-based rock band that eschews the “latest fad” and instead strives to create “honest and moving” songs. They draw on such influences as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Springsteen, and Bon Jovi. Among other pursuits, the band has produced three tracks. “Taken” is a very easy track to get into. A fine piano score,…
Alvin Lee, The Last Show
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The iconic British blues guitarist who recently passed away, was best know for his frenzied performance of I’m Going Home (Going Home) with his band Ten Years After at the original 1969 Woodstock. This release is a 14-song live disc that covers his Ten Years After and solo offerings, as performed in Holland on…
Kevin Haynes and Matt Kupcso, Pure
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Kevin Haynes and Matt Kupcso celebrate their debut EP, “Pure”. These two musicians from different walks of life teamed up to create this unique collaboration. Kevin is a singer/songwriter and Matt is a classically trained guitarist, together they form a down to earth, soulful duo. K&M’s debut was named appropriately as its purity unfolds their…
Common Ancestor, The World is Changing
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According to front man Clive Stewart, the name of the band Common Ancestor is symbolic in that “we are all descendants of the first created man and woman.” Indeed, this is true; in fact, geneticists say that every living human shares one particular descendant who roamed the earth some 70,000 years ago. As for a…
Escher’s Enigma, From me to There
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It’s funny how music can change. It’s so malleable; you could hear it in one setting and hate it, vowing to never again let such filth invade your eardrums again. I’m referring to sonic pop by the way. Then, you could hear it at a different time, in a different situation, a different artist and…
The Bend, She’s Evil
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Epic rock band The Bend hail from Seattle and bring an inspirational approach to modern day Melodic Rock or Epic Rock. All of this with a hint of Industrial Sonic theatrics and guitar driven fusion between the two. I like to call this genera Passion-Rock. First a bit about this latest EP. Before I…
Jupiter In Velvet, Shut off Your Mind
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UK Rock act Jupiter in Velvet’s new CD, Shut off Your Mind is a carefully crafted collections of songs showcasing Electro-Punk Rock artisanship at it’s best that creates a punk based foundation for memorable and hooky songs. There is also a clear-defined messages about love and life itself that will sure to have a positive…
Street Choir, Sympathetic Friend
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Formed in 1999, Street Choir is a band that cut its teeth on the sidewalks of San Luis Obispo CA. Founding members Benjamin and Matt Lemburg “heard a sound that set them free and wanted others to hear that same sound.” There was, however, an obstacle to this musical liberation, as the band “struggled to…
Wicked Bees, Ska Skank Redemption
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It is with much fondness that I recall my first Fishbone show… I had never seen instrumentation used like that; I remember the energy was borderline overwhelming and the feeling the frantic pace of the show and music evoked was habit-forming. Needless to say, Ska has remained in my musical heart ever since. Listening to…
Soraia, In the Valley of Love and Guns
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The story of Soraia, the band and the person, is one of personal triumph and it actually has very little to do with making music. The triumph resides in lead singer; ZouZou Mansour’s (Soraia is her given name) decision to take control of her life and walk away from the personal demons that almost devoured…
Matthew Neves, You and Me
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It seems that New Bedford MA native Matthew Neves was hardwired to be a musician. His dad played guitar, his mom played piano, and as an infant he was jammin’ to classical tunes all night in his crib. At age four, he received a guitar as a gift; after teaching himself to work that instrument,…
Wooden Hez, “The Hez Garageâ€
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3 member Philadelphia based band “Wooden Hez” just dropped their live latest CD entitled “The Hez Garage” in 2013. Band consists of: Timmay Stevens (Drums), Alan Lee (Bass), Dave Pitone (Guitar). To say the least the music on this CD is as unique as the band itself. Wooden Hez is a sensational, eccentric and…
Jus Post Bellum, “Oh Julyâ€
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If you’re a fan of the singer songwriter Genre like me, then more than likely it doesn’t take much to upset you these days. And the lethargy just hasn’t been the same since your ex girlfriend finally gave you a reason to think twice: in the form of a surprise altercation with a Car accident.…
eM, The Dark
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The Australian singer/songwriter/producer is back for more but unfortunately this time the occasion and the conditions are less than favorable. The new single “The Dark” is exactly that because it is centered around eM’s battle with Crohn’s disease. Undergoing painstaking operations and in and out of hospitals has been the regular routine for…
Julian Temple Band, Upsidedownbackwards
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Julian Temple’s description of his sound is “Surf Noir.” Confession: I don’t know what “Surf Noir” is. Surf rock harkens me back to the “Learn the Guitar with The Ventures” albums or the frantic, string-busting lead of Dick Dale. That is not what this is. This is an 11-track compendium of dark-tinged, acoustic matter that…
Her Bed of Thorns, Alive
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Camaraderie, complement and a steady flux of hard-hitting rockers and melodic ballads is the stuff that makes up Her Bed of Thorns. The guitar interplay of Chris Irick’s melodic rhythm offerings versus the technical and intricate finger work supplied by Tim Nicholson is the shiniest facet of their debut, Alive. The 10-tracks wax and wane…
Sean Wagner and The Ne’er Do Wells, Word Came With the Evening
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Rendered by self-introspection, removal and reflection, perhaps the best thing Sean Wagner could have done was, in fact, to walk away from it all. As evidenced by his new album, Word Came With the Evening, Wagner seems to have found whatever he was looking for. The 11-tracks play out with exuberance–proto-pop sentimentalities and radio friendly…
Les Fradkin, Suite for Ztar and Orchestra in G Minor Op. 1 No.1
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You might already have heard of Les Fradkin, a contributor to “dozens of Top 40 hit records” during the 70s and 80s who also starred in the hit Broadway show Beatlemania. Aside from being classically trained to the nines, Fradkin has been on the cutting edge of the latest in musical technology. Back in the…
