Drew Schultz comes by his funk and soul credentials through years of experience. He got his start with the Four Tops. That experience allowed him to work with a lot of greats in the industry. When it came time to do this disc, he got quite a few of them to guest here. Some of…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Joe Melillo, 1 Step Toward 1000 Miles
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Joe Melillo brings a musically and lyrically eclectic medley with his album 1 Step Toward 1000 Miles. From the raucous and guttural blues of “Toughest Around” to the disco endeavor “Music is my Life,” even the most seasoned listener would be unable to predict what comes next. One track, “Percy,” involves the stealing of prescription…
Review of Shadowplay “Visions” LP
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Every band strives for that timeless hit. That track, or tracks, that will last longer than a fad, but for an endless period of time. Some come close, or have one track that fits the mold. With “Visions”, the New Jersey rockers Shadowplay have managed to put together a collection of timeless hits. With elements…
DNAC, Shine on Crazy
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A zippy title for a lively album, DNAC’s Shine on Crazy is eminently suitable for the dance floor. Even during those moments when the album is subdued, there lurks the potential for a sonic explosion at the drop of a beat. With a diverse past encompassing punk rock, piano, percussion, and bass guitar, DNAC has…
John Dartnell, The Road Goes On
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It was surprising to discover that this album of eminently American-sounding music comes from a U.K. native. Not only does Britain’s John Dartnell pull off the sound of Uncle Sam’s country & blues, he also damn well looks the part. See this for yourself at his cyber “circus”: www.JohnDartnell.com As for the album, it is…
G2, Control
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Born out of a troubling time in his life, rapper G2 does right by his EP namesake with seven-tracks of electro-laced Hip Hop with nuanced R&B melody and lyrical matter that hinges on the positive and upbeat. Control stands apart from much of contemporary Hip Hop in that it eschews much of the trappings of…
Air, ‘Le Voyage dans la lune’
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Let’s just start by saying that creating an album inspired by French director George Méliès’s silent 1902 film A Trip to the Moon is not every band’s cup of tea. However, the dynamic french duo Air have an upper hand since they were already hired for composing a soundtrack for the restored version of the…
Kraig Kilby, Satori
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Satori is a Zen Buddhist concept, involving a sudden rush of spiritual awakening; it is also the most recent album of one Kraig Kilby. Having discovered the trombone as a child in Denver, Kilby relocated to Germany with his army officer father. There, he played trombone in a symphony, and also began to hone…
YOUR FUTURE LOVERS, Eat, Play, Leave (2012)
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About the Artist: San Jose based band Your Future Lovers just released their latest CD entitled “Eat, Play, Leave” in 2012. Band members include Tom Jackson (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Greg McFall (Bass, Vocals), Alan Chang (Keys), and Brad Ranola (Drums) This CD was produced by Alan Chang. I have to say I was extremely impressed…
Vayizaku, We’ll Always Remember (CD)
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New Jersey 3 piece band Vayizaku just released their CD “We’ll Always Remember” (2012). Band members include: Albert Kahn (vocals, Guitar, Piano) and Coray Selfert (Bass). This latest 13 song release is far from a self-indulgent ego trip, rather a moving and elegiac artistic statement from start to finish. This is not your overly predictable…
Rosemary’s Garden, Royal Flush
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Removed from the acoustic leanings of their debut album, Rosemary’s Garden has returned with their follow-up, Royal Flush–10-tracks of L.A. Pop-laced Alt a la the Charles Bukowski novel, Women. Thematically, the album is rife with lyrical matter that all fall in the range of “love, sex and relationships.” The musicality has also taken a shift…
Antonio Resende, Everything I Know
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With his EP Everything I Know Brazilian songwriter-guitarist Antonio Resende has condensed “everything he knows” into a quarter-hour of song. These fifteen minutes — consisting of six tracks, four of them instrumental — offer a blend of Brazilian warmth and vivacity. The opening track, “I Hope You Don’t Say Goodbye,” brings a rather soothing display…
THE CONTRASTING EMOTIONS OF BLACK VENDETTA
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Black Vendetta is the one-man ship led by 22-year-old songwriter/guitarist Nathan Virica. Having spent three years of his young life in various bands, he left the small northern UK city of Harrogate and migrated to London. Now master of his own domain, Virica has succeeded in attracting a troupe of talented female vocalists to serenade…
HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY, QUEEN LIVE IN BUDAPEST
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Queen is acknowledged as one of the greatest all-time live rock acts. Even the reincarnation tour with Paul Rodgers was a great event. The title is of course a clever play on the compositions of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. At the time of this 1986 concert performed in Budapest, Hungary, a record…
Nick Peay, Feathers & Fables
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Following up on last year’s EP, Nick Peay has released his new four-track album, Feathers & Fables. The album is a snapshot in time, which features Peay at his songwriting best with Blues-spiked, Alt Country musicality and lyrical matter that waxes and wanes between melancholy and upbeat optimism. Throw in Folk and Americana leanings and…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, NOVEMBER 2012
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Highlands, Singularity (self-released) A more psychedelica-focused Gliss or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club would sound like this, mid-speed deep-reverb beach-vampire-rock infused with guitars native both to Warlocks and Kyuss. Makes sense — they’re Long Beach metal-hippies doing the best they can; if you’re keeping score toward an actual buying decision, what you want to keep…
Engloria, Shine
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If you take the vocal delivery of Oasis and the jangle guitar of The Connells, you have two of the driving facets behind New York’s Engloria. Following up on last years EP, their debut full-length, Shine is an 11-track collection of guitar driven tunes with nuances of standard Rock, Brit-style Pop and occasional Alt-Country leanings.…
Early Girl, Forever We Change
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Collaborative efforts between Gina Longo and Rosemary’s Garden frontman, Michael-Louis de Terre initially began as a backing effort for Longo as solo artist. However, as the music evolved and songs began to take form, they made the effort a duo collective under the working title, Early Girl. The partnership recently yielded fruit from many labors…
Edo Castro, Sacred Graffiti
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From San Francisco area comes a fresh Jazz Bassist known as Edo Castro who just released his latest release “Sacred Graffiti” in 2012. (2012) Under Passion Star Records. I always listen to the opening track extremely carefully. It’s the opening track the artist has personally selected to hit your ears first and foremost. The opening…
Al Brake, Self Titled
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Among Canada’s greatest exports are hockey goons and country music. With vocals as crisp as his name, and bluesy twang blistering from his guitar, Al Brake lives up to the proud Maple Leaf country tradition. The youngest of 11 children, Al picked up the guitar at age 8 and…
SECRET SEASON, Paris Rain Dances (2012)
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About the Artist: From France comes the musical dynamic duo known as Secret Season. Secret Season is comprised of Mark Moogalian on vocals/guitar and percussion and Isabelle Risacher on vocals, keyboards and flute. This is their second release entitled Paris Rain Dances released in 2012. I have to say I was extremely impressed with…
The Ringflowers, Money for Music
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The genres and influences are boundless on The Ringflowers new full-length album, Money for Music. Leaning heavily on throwback sounds, the album incorporates elements ranging from funk-laced guitar, Latin American influences and bent note Blues facets. The genre bending is so rife through the tracks; the only place you’re…
Robbie Dupree, Arc of a Romance
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Robbie Dupree is certainly no newcomer to the music business. In 1970 he was playing in a band called “New World Rising” with none other than Nile Rodgers, and he’s been pursuing his music career ever since. His first solo album was released in 1980 and Arc of a…
Big Love, “Jumpâ€
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The collaborative effort by Big Love and Melanie Jade has rendered an electronica-laced demure track implementing backing electronically generated melody and percussion paired with Jade’s powerful vocal prowess. The opening synth and keys are joined by airy percussion at the background before the vocals take the foreground. [vimeo 45484455] BUY ON I-TUNES – CLICK HERE!…
Erez and the End, Silent Mountains
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The raw, organic effort shines on Silent Mountains, the new five-track EP from Erez and the End. Hallmarked by honest, melodic Rock stripped of post-production effects lends a gritty purity to the tracks. Meld that with the raspy vocal delivery of lead man Erez Eiserman and the all-analog approach…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, OCTOBER 2012
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Bright Little Field, Treatment Bound: A Ukelele Tribute to the Replacements (Bar None Records) No, it’s not a collection of early Chinese punk rock played by armless midgets or anything weird, it actually is what it says, a bunch of old Replacements songs played on ukulele, in this case played by…
Lannie Flowers, New Songs Old Stories
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From Texas comes an amazing male artist known as Lannie Flowers who just released his latest effort “New Songs, Old Stories” (2012). Flowers is strongly established in that region and this latest released is a collection of his best material. I always listen to the opening track extremely carefully.…
JERZEY STREET BAND, BREAKING RADIO SCIENCE
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The seven piece English group has made their ambition a modified country rock based genre, complete with a pedal steel player. It’s easy to tell their influences when listening. You can hear a mixed bag of folk, country, a touch of rock ala Dylan, The Boss, Alabama…
Alan Jarvis, Forever
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Soft rock sounds, pop mentality and an easy-listening ethos are the hallmarks of Canadian crooner, Alan Jarvis. Born in London, a love of The Beatles as a teen prompted him to start playing guitar and after several years and twin stints in live bands, Jarvis is a lap top…
Nadia Ackerman, The Ocean Master
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From New York (originally from Sydney) comes a fresh female artist known as Nadia Ackerman who just released her latest release “The Ocean Master” (2012). I always listen to the opening track extremely carefully. It’s the opening track the artist has selected to hit your ears first and foremost.…
A Six-Pack of Democracy: Behold the Blurred Vision EP
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One week before the U.S. Presidential election, Toronto-based outfit Blurred Vision releases its debut EP: Democracy. Could this six-pack of tracks be a bilateral success? Quite possibly. Indeed Democracy has moments (and sometimes minutes) that could delight a listener of any political bent. The opening track, “Hammer Shaped Scar…
Et Tu Bruce, Suburban Sunshine
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NEWSFLASH: London based 4 piece band Et Tu Bruce just released their latest CD entitled “Suburban Sunshine” (2012). URL — http://www.ettubruce.com/ Review: Right from the start of the track “Dress Me up in Bruises” the music reminded me of pop starts of the past like The Beatles, Steel Wheels,…
Keychee, All
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“Theory of Everything”: hip buzzwords in contemporary science, as they pertain to the grand project of legendary physicist Stephen Hawking. “Theory of Everything” is also the first track on keychee’s fourth album All, which will be released on November 15. keychee, a multidimensional entity of music and visual expression, hails from the cultural mecca of…
Trademark Experience, Too Strange To Live, Too Rare To Die
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With catchy beats and synthesized rhythm, Trademark Experience offers a great dance club album with Too Strange To Live, Too Rare To Die. The first of three studio albums by solo artist Thomas Mulherin that offers elements of funk, pop, hip-hop and a splattering of many other genres of music including some disco vibes. On…
Lionel Ziblat, Songs from the Drawer
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Born in Argentina, raised in Israel, Lionel Ziblat now lives in The Netherlands. His eclectic tastes and versatile compositions are befitting of such a heterogeneous background. This background is also strongly musical. Ziblat’s father was an Argentine rocker; his mother, a classically-trained pianist. Both genres are found on his album, Songs from the Drawer. There…
Cryptic Calling, Debut EP
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There has been a recent trend lately in the realm of hard rock music in the USA lately. That being that it has found it’s way, and made a home in the capitol of country music. Yes, Nashville has seen a rise in great music, and banjo’s have nothing to do with it. This is…
Mayhem Deranged, Here I Go Again
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This time “Here I Go Again” is not the Whitesnake monster ballad but the single from Mayhem Deranged, a band that is sure capable of evoking the sleaze and splendor of 80s metal. “Here I Go Again” is good ol’ dirty, guitar-driven rock with crunchy riffs that make one think of Slash circa 1987. About…
Oxford Train, Mister Oxford Train
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This Oxford Train from Rochester, NY has so many tricks under their sleeves it’s not even funny! What do I mean by this you ask; well I’ll tell you! This band incorporates so many different styles & genres within their music that there is no way you could categorize them. Everything from Pop, Jazz &…
Amanda Kind, Hello Heartache
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Most would agree most popular artists out there have something truly special to give to their fans. This goes above the typical attributes like raw talent, amazing songs, nice voice, or even a very marketable look, sound & image. There’s something truly infectious at the core of these artists…
Industrial Rhapsody: Halovox, Everybody Lies
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With their second album Everybody Lies, halovox brings the seductive sound of urban risk and venture. Somewhat reminiscent of Depeche Mode, most of these heavily electronic tracks waste no time in gathering energy. Despite the heaviness of the actual music, the vocals are clear; every lyric is accessible. And…
