CD and DVD reviews
Norwegian Pop Rockers, Bobby And The Crew have released their latest single. “Prince Of Charm” is a 3 minute, mid to up tempo, dance-flavored track. 3 guys and a gal, Bobby And The Crew boast a traditional line up. The band plays originals, but has the chops and the range of a cover band. Their…
If the name Sick Puppies looks familiar to you, you’re either part of their massive international fanbase or a recovering emo kid who came to know them from their breakout 2007 hit “All the Same.” It was a track that dug deep into that generation with its powerful lyrics and presence, and people began to really take notice…
Swinging with a casual beat that evolves into something capable of relaxing even the tensest of moods, The Real J Israel’s “I Am Me” – one of two songs you’ll find on his new EP Glass Half Full – is a song defined as much by its tonality as it is its tenacious sway. Singer/songwriters have been…
Otherish embrace the strange on “Their Mistake”. A wild mixture of jazz, pop, and psychedelic rock the playfulness has no limits. Interplay amongst the band adds to the flexibility of the rhythm. Things start and stop on a dime, without any further need for clarity. Lyrics embrace this jagged, giddy path as well, with the…
The future of modern hard rock is in good hands with bands such as Messer. The young outfit’s new single “Unbreakable (Unfvckwitable)” surges with youthful yet polished power. You get the feeling when you hear the urgency in its vocal and the everyday truth of its words that the song’s message is derived from experience…
’Tis the season to get spooky, and Milwaukee’s favorite rock group The Keystones are happily rising to the occasion with their new single “Chameleons,” hitting streaming services just in time for Halloween. It’s a rip-roaring rock track that feels indebted to modern rock acts like Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, and even The Black Keys —…
The expression to hell and back can relate to singer/songwriter, Chris Beland in many ways, shapes and forms. From being homeless and addicted to drugs to locating his real father at age 32, Chris Beland has had his fair share of trials and tribulations in this thing called life but I say what doesn’t kill…
He gives you faith that real rock and roll, not slam banging raise hell runes thought-provoking rock with muscle, still happens. I need that. A lot of people do. The band’s new singles “Last Prayer” and “One Out of Many, One” aren’t necessarily. They do, if nothing else, illustrate a point. Age matters too much…
From its first moments, Eduardo’s latest single “Time Machine” more than lives up to its name. The throwback rock ’n’ roll riff from the guitar feels like something straight out of a Beatles or Beach Boys track, and the lightweight chorus interwoven with lyrics that pack a punch are like something that feels as if…
“Hand In Glove” shows off the incredible chops of the Matt O’Ree Band in creating a wild, animalistic fury of classic rock n’roll. Stylistically they bring together gospel, soul, southern rock, and the blues into a cacophonous whole. Guitar work proves to be exceptional for they touch upon the unruly spirit of AC/DC at their…
This new album is certainly bittersweet for Sugar Lime Blue because this record has been in the works for quite some time. During the making of ‘The Blackbird Sessions’, Sugar Lime Blue lost its founding member and bassist, Russ Dean back in 2020. Through perseverance and sheer will power, members Ashley & Dave Beth remained…
I don’t know how good your current company is, but this Present Company has an inviting sound and is very approachable. Come on in because Present Company welcomes everyone to this fun ‘n’ friendly show. Present Company is a Minneapolis-based group with a lot to say and you have a one-way ticket to the new…
Ashante P.T. Stokes, otherwise known as PTtheGospelSpitter, first forged his musical path as a hip-hop and R&B vocalist. The Atlanta, Georgia born singer/songwriter first experienced singing as a youth chanter in church and touring with his mother, a singer as well, as she toured the US and abroad with a gospel choir. PT, however, lived…
Sugar Lime Blue is an energetic band that crosses genres and is not afraid to do so. The nucleus of Sugar Lime Blue are Ashley and Dave Beth and unfortunately they lost the founding member and bassist, Russ Dean, back in 2020. With a tough loss, Sugar Lime Blue is moving forward and staying strong…
Moody Bank$ is a Texas-based R&B artist hailing from the state of California. Her unique artistic approach has driven thousands of fans her way in a few years. As an indie musician, she’s been able to create smoky R&B pop music for many fans and work with many other talented musicians. However, none of her…
Adding to his already quite impressive catalog of albums and singles, Gungor has released the highly anticipated single I Forgive You. A collaborative effort featuring the elegant and sophisticated soprano vocals of Isa Ma. I Forgive You is a sleek offering as the softness and delicacy of the call and response style verses calmly and…
Piercing but hardly colorless, the immeasurable strength with which the opening squeal of the guitar in “Kaleidoscope” starts up is intimidating and tone-setting, but it’s representative of a small dose of what Young Lions came to do in 2022. With rock n’ roll’s reputation in total and complete shambles, the legacy of its gods has…
You could make a good argument for music being taken too seriously. Or at least have forgotten where it came from. With all the attention to detail, polished finished product, overheated to the point of sterile, commercially driven, focus group influenced music today, it is easy to forget its simple pleasures. Perhaps music is at…
Radio Drive is a talented act out of Minnesota fronted by Kevin Gullickson who sings and plays all instruments on the new EP titled ‘One Breath Away’. Midi software was also used during the making of this record to incorporate more string & keyboard arrangements. For the drum tracks on ‘One Breath Away’, Radio Drive…
Many years ago, certainly more than I would care to remember, I came across an album in a second-hand shop called The Renaissance of the Celtic Harp by Alan Stivell. I played it to death and still occasionally give it a spin. For years, I thought I was the only person in the world who…
Reviewed by: Lee Callaghan Evolution Music Press October 7, 2022 From her incredibly unexpected gem album, Le Olam, Alex Krawczyk has released another single; Turning. Following the widely successful singles; Better Days and There Will Be Light, Alex delivers a quick, fast-paced invigorating acoustic performance that charges at the listener and then cuts them off…
Reviewed by: Lee Callaghan Evolution Music Press October 7, 2022 The global pandemic has affected everyone differently, for Jeremy Parsons, however, he took this opportunity for self-reflection. The result of this reflection cultivated the single; Tickin’. This Country gem channels traditional Country stylings with contemporary melodies allowing Jeremy Parsons to incorporate his baritone voicings to…
Reviewed by: Lee Callaghan Evolution Music Press October 7, 2022 Synthesizing metaphors and blurring connotations, Country starlet Ashley Puckett delivers an expressive, intriguing perspective on searching for acceptance and feeling more noticed within the lives of others around us on her latest single; Tequila. By using the imagery of one talking to your drink, asking…
Greg Loftus’ Western Medicine EP is a brief 2 song sampler of the full-length cd of the same title. Recorded in the Boston area, he’s joined during the first track “When My Day Comes” by stellar backing. Mike Machaby’s keyboards, lap steel, slide guitar, bass, and backing vocals is Loftus’ key collaborator for this performance, but Loftus…
The Dallas String Quartet enjoys a reputation that few other musical units of their ilk can claim. The synthesis of classical and pop instrumentation isn’t entirely new, but few bands boast the layered and deeply emotional sound these musicians achieve. They’ve opened for five-star acts such as Chicago, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Josh Groban. The quartet…
Heat the Silent is a seven track jazz tour de force that takes on any style it likes and doesn’t sweat a second. It’s effortless. It is the latest release from the powerful modern jazz tandem the MUMEx Duo featuring the talents of pianist Louis Siciliano and drummer Mauro Salvatore. Siciliano is arguably the primary…
Opera singer Angela Hench will make you rethink what opera is capable of. Her take on Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury’s cross-over classic “Barcelona” with second vocalist Gregory Markel lives up to its dual billing as a fitting tribute to that one off marvel and a glorious reinvention of the song for modern audiences. The…
Wildfire is one of the models of sustained consistency modern bluegrass fans can point to in the genre and a big reason for that, among many, is they’ve discovered a balance that works for them. They work in a varying number of originals but their ability to re-envision the work of other songwriters as convincing…
King James Boys are a prodigiously talented gospel quintet that originally began life limited to their own church family. They had no intention of traveling to sing and play the music they loved. However, the King James Boys, led by the tandem of lead vocalist/guitarist Randy Spencer along with bassist and backing singer Cole Spencer,…
What hits me right away is the name of this musical act because Achilles Tenderloin certainly stands out and is unique to the bone. Whether you’re craving a Tenderloin sandwich now OR wondering who this Achilles character is, you will certainly be intrigued and inquisitive from the start. Achilles Tenderloin has released a new single…
David Singley is a talented singer/songwriter & guitarist with over 40 years experience in performing music. David has played with many notable acts over the years and with his background in jazz, Singley knows how to make a quality tune. With that being said, “Change Gonna Come” is David’s latest single and what a fine…
Canadian-born and based musician Caracol is back for the first time not attached to remix since her knockout last album Tout est différent, which was released last November, with her latest single and the lead-in for her upcoming still-untitled LP, “Infinity.” Fans might quickly catch on to the fact that the song is, indeed, a…
Greg Hoy & The Boys pen a fine love letter to classic rock on the powerful “Demons At Night EP”. Everything about it radiates defiance. Best listened to loud because theirs is a physical sound they make sure to hold nothing back. Riffs race on through accompanied by some incredible grooves. Much of the atmosphere…
Seattle’s music scene is a long way removed from the halcyon days of grunge and alternative music when record company A&R personnel trekked to the Pacific Northwest hoping to score the next Nirvana. The city, however, retains a strong musical identity and one of its chief exponents in recent years has been the quartet The…
Bright and airy, the celebratory “Something In The Water” shows off JB Elwood’s infectiously good spirit. Everything about it has a strong, purposeful disposition. Country rock, hard rock, and overall party music this is the sort of thing that touches the very soul. Best of all are the vocals that have their own sense of…
Kate & Anna McGarrigle delivers a beautiful slice of classic folk on “Tant Le Monde”. Recorded live, one feels an intimate sensibility that rolls through the entirety of the work. Every track plays off the last for their voices have a tremendous sweetness to them. Instrumentation blooms adding a magical beauty to it. So much…
Harmony rules as king in the new single “Cooler if U Did” from Little Hurt, but if you think this means this solo project is skimping in other areas, you don’t know what you’re in for this fall. Where a lot of pop musicians like to base their identity around a concept today, Little Hurt…
Miami’s Dici is a thoroughly modern performer who, nevertheless, embodies important and timeless fundamentals. He likewise writes about the tried and true subject matter of thorny romantic relationships with a keen understanding of the conflicting emotions we often experience during and after such connections. “Beautiful Collision” is full of understanding that goes far beyond everyday…
If you’re wanting true artistry, then look no further! Stephen Jacques is hitting on all cylinders with his latest album titled ‘Send Them Love’. This is music done right as Stephen Jacques has put together a wonderful project that has so much heart and stellar material. ‘Send Them Love’ is full of potential and will…
A freewheeling free-spirited sound defines D2UR’s “Right Now”. With an insistent sense of questioning, the song has an intimacy that feels quite refreshing. Production further lends itself to the nice raw grit and soul on display here. The many layers intersect to deliver a fully realized approach. Rhythms here have a careful cadence to them…
