Sam Page is an interesting character to say the least. He worked as a professor of philosophy for 5 years. Then decided to pursue a life of music and has been hitting the ground running ever since, with his grinding guitars and witty lyrics, he has been stealing the hearts of his fans since 2010.…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Summer Glows with Sarah Petrella
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From the beaches of Southern California hails Sarah Petrella, an inspiring singer/songwriter with a voice that definitely adds a much needed dose of sunshine to our everyday lives. Sarah wrote her first song at just 10 years of age, and at 15, she made her way to Nashville to perform with top notch musicians…
The Spins, “Never Let it Go”
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“Never Let it Go” is the new single from the Italian pop-rockers known as The Spins — a quintet of battle-tested music veterans. Among these members is Alessia Mattalia, voted in her native land as one of the “ten best female drummers [of] all-time.” Okay, the single begins with a rather playful piano bit. This…
BURNING SHIPS, Empty Hold CD (2012)
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About the Artist: Burning Ships is the brain child of San Jose Bay area artist Fritz Limner. Limner brings a diverse creative background to bear on his first full-length CD, Empty Hold. Filled with multifarious musical styles and ambient soundscapes, Empty Hold is an aural journey not soon forgotten I have to say I was…
Monks of Mellonwah, Sky and the Dark Night – “Control”
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2012 was a good year for Australia’s Monks of Mellonwah having brought home “International Rock Artist of the Year” and “Best Indie Rock Band” accolades from the Los Angeles Music Awards and the Artists in Music Awards, respectively. Now the Alt Rock outfit is expanding its horizons with a three-track EP with all three songs…
Louise Aubrie, Time Honoured Alibi
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This month will see the anticipated follow-up album from London transplant rocker, Louise Aubrie. On the heels of her 2010 debut, Fingers Crossed, Aubrie has again teamed with famed British Rockabilly pioneer and producer, Boz Boorer (Morrisey) on Time Honoured Alibi–8-tracks of her signature Post Punk Indie leanings and vocal/ guitar tandem. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/louiseaubrie2 Opening…
Jefferson, All The Love In The World
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The Jefferson is a Pop/Rock band out of Australia, who just released their first single, “No Surprise” through Spectra Records: A division of Spectra Music Group. http://thejeffersonband.com Their album can be found at www.thejeffersonband.com. Jefferson offers a fresh sound that is reminiscent of classic rock, without sounding just the same as everything else around…
The Brown Edition, Soulpocalypse
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Who doesn’t like funk? I’d bet not many hands go up in the air. I mean, while funk and jazz might not be your first and foremost musical choice, most people can get into the funky groove and really enjoy well written and performed music in that genre. Well, this is all of the above.…
Jason Daryush, Three Cities EP
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Three Cities, a 3-song EP, is the debut release from Jason Daryush, an Oakland native with a taste for Brit pop. With Daryush’s harmonically pleasing, though downcast acoustic track “Aurora,” I don’t so much think of the UK as I do of band from Indiana called Days of the New, which you might recall from…
Review of 2 EPs by Alex Von Z
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At some point, Alex Seleznov underwent a metamorphosis. Leaving behind the proverbial ‘rat race,’ he adopted the name Alex Von Z, went vegan, forayed into devotional yoga, and began to cultivate his latent spirituality. Though he forsook much of his former ways, Alex drew on the musical background of his youth to forge his new…
Patti Smith, Live at Montreux
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Patti Smith proves her legendary status as she walks out on the stage at the world renowned Montreux Jazz Festival. She owns the stage and commands your attention as the audience is mesmerized by the performance of a lifetime. This is Patti Smith’s first time ever live video release filmed in 2005 at Montreux, Switzerland.…
Dan Kern, 1977
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Influences run the gamut from nuanced subtlety to worn-on-the-sleeve emulation. For SoCal by way of NOLA singer/songwriter Dan Kern, he is unabashed about his early exposure to mainstream radio and the affectation it had on his personal musical tastes. As evidenced on his new full-length, 1977, the 10-tracks contain facets of radio Pop sentimentality, Southern…
Rick Hornyak, Marigold
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For the forefathers of Country Music, getting their music to fans meant long road trips usually packed in some old sedan along with gear from one dive bar to the next honky tonk. Point is… it was a labor of love that often involved sacrifice. And though afforded many more creature comforts, the story of…
Loose Hinges, Nothing’s Permanent
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Yes, Nashville is still the epicenter of Country Music. However, in recent years if the city has taught me anything it’s that Nashville has morphed into a “singer/songwriter” town. The diversity of acts and music coming out of it is perhaps more varied than ever. For example, take the duo of Eliot Houser and Kris…
DWEN, Get This Money
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Get ready for Dwen which is short for “Dwennimenn” and stands for “strength and humility”. His new single “Get This Money” is definitely strong with a real toughness layered over the track. Dwen hails from South Florida where the temperatures are hot and now this rapper is tryin’ to “Get This Money” with…
CONCERT REVIEW: HALL & OATES @ AKRON CIVIC THEATRE, 1-22-2013
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The smaller hall venue sold out in a flash. As hoped, the guys did the Greatest Hits list, which in the time allotted they still couldn’t cover everything. A major statement of the group’s accomplishments. Both guys stay busy with their solo work, John recently promoting his CD Mississippi Mile, and Daryl…
The Lotus Fire, Come Out Swinging
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Drawing on exotic and sophisticated influences, The Lotus Fire lives up to their new album Come Out Swinging. That the musicians are classically trained is no surprise; The Lotus Fire provides a continuous stream of supreme sonic craftsmanship. They have performed across the western world at festivals, resorts, and casinos. Personally, I would say that…
BOOK REVIEW: DICK WAGNER, NOT ONLY WOMEN BLEED
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Dick Wagner is a rock and roll guitar legend, for both his playing and songwriting. The work with Alice Cooper (producer Bob Ezrin, and songwriter Bernie Taupin) and Lou Reed are at the top of his resume that also includes Aerosmith, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Meat Loaf, Frank Sinatra, Ringo, Air Supply, Guns N Roses,…
Sarah Kervin, Passing Through
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About the Artist: New York Singer/Songwriter Sarah Kervin just released her latest CD entitled “Passing through” in 2012. Label — Independent Artist URL: http://www.sarahkervin.com/ Review: In this overly saturated genera/market with a plethora of artists coming out of the woodwork, armed with nothing more than a PC, Microphone, a guitar and a crappy sounding…
RIP, Theory of Rap
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The reputed lyrical undertaker known as RIP has carved up his Midwest block since 1990. Having rapped with Wikit Kimistry and Eargasm Entertainment, he now fronts Soultaker Records, the label behind his recent solo release Theory of Rap. With “Intro,” there’s this scientific lecture, and I wonder “what the hell,” until it dawns on me:…
Never A Hero, Bleed Between the Lies
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If the Manson family were to rob armored trucks, they might look like Never a Hero, a quintet of masked bandits who dare to mix the devil’s metal with classical and dubstep. Hailing from Suffolk in the UK, Never a Hero released their debut EP Socially Awkward in 2010. And a few months ago saw…
E.G. Holmes and David Vanden Enden, Wonderful You
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About the Artists: This is Holmes’ latest release. Researching his bio these 2 have managed to Incorporate elements of Traditional Pop, Jazz, Blues, and Classical Rock in a thoughtful new Adult Contemporary album, E.G. Holmes – Wonderful You is a sexy and edgy compilation with alternating light heart-ed and intense subject matters coupled with…
Erisa Rei, Black Ball
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Like many a musician, Illinois native Erisa Rei began in the church choir. What ensued is the “torrid” romance that has dominated her for over two decades. Her recent release, Black Ball, has already secured itself a spot on the AMA charts. “Sojourn Band” starts all hypnotic, and when Erisa begins to sing, the…
The Cat Lady, Rise Up
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The Cat Lady has a mystifying sound with her new release, “Rise Up”. She has a subtle, soothing vibration that slithers around in one’s head like a snake. It tickles your senses with enticing intrigue. It opens with a burst of horns and a smooth bass line. Then lays the ground work for an…
Gilbert Neal, Dirty Red Pagan
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As a “very poor and directionless” youth, Gilbert Neal drifted whichever way the wind blew. As it happened, Fate took him to the musical vocation. Bass guitar was his specialty, and he plied his craft at various venues in his native Buffalo. Now a resident of North Carolina, he has branched out to the six-string,…
Sterling Witt, Sterling Loves You
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Review: “Sterling Loves You” is his third release and the result though far from a self-indulgent ego trip, rather a moving and elegiac artistic statement from start to finish. This is not your overly predictable Ramon Noodle “Sing-Songy” Nikelback-esque Rock artist. Instead Witt who hails from the midwest could even be classed as a…
All of One, The Writings on the Wall
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Ontario native Paul Grenier a.k.a. “All of One” is a veteran of the Canadian music scene, having sold thousands of albums with his previous band Kottmeier. He now has a promising trajectory as a current member of The Makshftr. And yet he needs more. So we have his second solo offering The Writings on the…
Sonarpilot, Radar
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Sonarpilot is back with a blast of sound that is titled ‘Radar’. I had the pleasure of reviewing Sonarpilot’s last album ‘Mothership’ back in 2010 (http://www.skopemag.com/2010/04/09/sonarpilot-mothership) and I knew then that we had something unique in our hands. The new release comes in a Limited Edition Double CD and Extended Digital Bundle that…
CONCERT REVIEW: GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS
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Grace Potter & The Nocturnals are a hard-touring, prolific act with no shortage of diverse material for their live show. This is a band who has collaborated with Willie Nelson, Daryl Hall, Gov’t Mule, Heart, Kenny Chesney and Dan Auerbach on one level or another. After experiencing them in the 1,700 person capacity…
A.S., Exile
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When Pop Rock duo, A.S. penned the tracks on their debut EP, they seemingly stumbled onto a songwriting formula that combines the demure approachability of Keane; the textural multilayered ethos of Radiohead’s The Bends and the emotive, yet ethereal matter of Coldplay. That formula is again the foundation for their new full-length, Exile. The 10-tracks…
Desmond Jones, Marketplace
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Desmond Jones is exactly what the music industry has been needing for quite some time. This 6 piece funky, jam band released their debut CD, “Marketplace”, in January and hit the ground running. It is a unique blend of funk, blues, ska and a few other genres mixed in; to create a vibe unlike anything…
Stages of Sleep, Carousel
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About the Artist: San Francisco 7 piece band Stages of Sleep just released their latest CD entitled Carousel in 2012. Review: In this overly saturated genera/market with a plethora of artists coming out of the woodwork, armed with nothing more than a PC, Microphone, a guitar and a crappy sounding CD — it’s nice to…
Big Lo, Magnum Opiates
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It’s a provocative title — Magnum Opiates — the fourth studio album from rapper James Lopez a.k.a. “Big Lo,” who has opened for such acts as Lil’ Kim, and has performed in major southeast cities, even creeping up to NYC on at least one occasion. The well-produced album’s opening track, “Salome Den of…
Andrea Desmond, Milk and Rain
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Andrea Desmond is a singer-songwriter who often takes a seat at the piano. Having belonged to a succession of bands in the past, she’s now gone solo — with the help of her trusty backing outfit The White Lights — for her 4-song EP Milk and Rain. Desmond has ridden frequencies at radio stations from…
DK & The Joy Machine, Love Harder
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Like I have mentioned on other ocassions, words aren’t really necessary in order to make a song or band awesome. In fact, many of the music made before was all pretty much about rhythm with no words, just dancing and some dudes maybe “aahhh”-ing or “oeh-oeh-oeh”-ing. One proof of this is DK & The Joy…
Curious Quail, Instant Gratification
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One thing that’s for sure in music is that it not always leads to the same path. Over time, styles have led to other genres that eventually inspire other musicians to create their own sounds. Some of this can be seen in the latest album of Curious Quail, Instant Gratification. “Once In A While” and…
Imiuswi Aborigine, Uprising
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Uprising is the breakout offering from Imiuswi (pronounced – I, Me, Us, We), a genre-splicing outfit rapping many-a-lyric. However, these rhymes are no odes to bling and booty. They instead address those grand concepts of injustice and revolution, while eschewing the utterance of uncouth words (ex: motherfucker, punk-ass-bitch). The vocalist is a young lady from…
Piqued Jack, Just A Machine
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If power is what you need and adrenaline is what you want, here’s a perfect band to help you spend it and get it in seconds. Just A Machine by the Italians Piqued Jacks is an album that crosses border to border. It is heavy and catchy, violent but quiet at the same time. “Welcome…
Surefire, Another Take On The Same Difference 2.0
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We have been talking about five, four, three and even two-piece bands that manage to create something to remember. Something that will stick in our brains and will stay there for a while. However, with technology and everything, one individual is able to create what normally all these people work their asses off to come…
Wooden Hez, Children’s Parade
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Band Members: Dave Pitone – Vocals, Guitar, and Alan Lee – Bass. Other Co-conspirators: Sam Shemin — Drums, Aviv Roziner — Drums, Chris Welty — Drums, Mark Pilli – Guitar. Meet Wooden Hez — https://www.facebook.com/WoodenHEZ I always listen to the opening track extremely carefully. It’s the opening track the band or artists has selected to…
