While Nashville remains the epicenter of contemporary country music, the population of veteran and up-and-coming crooners has seen their numbers diversified, turning the one time country stronghold into more of a singer/songwriter town. Indiana native son Jeffrey James is one of the latest to relocate to Music City, bringing his pop/rock debut album Just Right…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Stomacher, Sentimental Education
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The Bay Area quintet formerly known as In Reverent Fear has remerged with a new name and a new album. I can’t say that the name “Stomacher” is a trade up from their old one, but their quasi-debut is definitely worth noticing. Sentimental Education is riddled with poignant ambience and heavy bass -driven riffs that…
Thee Nosebleeds, Self-Titled
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Thee Nosebleeds and their exhilarating debut album definitely get the Jimmy Rae WOW factor here. Hard to imagine that this BIG & LOUD sound comes from just three guys out of Philly. The three members in this group include: Kermit Hell Lyman on lead vocals & guitar, Rev. Kevin J. Cooper on bass…
The Roots, How I Got Over
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One of the more head scratching moments in music in the past couple of years was when it was announced that the hip-hop band the Roots were going to be the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s late night show. Once that was declared, nearly everyone thought one of two things: 1) ?uestlove and Black Thought…
Ric Zweig, Running Out Of Time
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I have to say that Ric Zweig is not Running Out Of Time by any means. Quite the contrary actually; this singer/songwriter/classic rock musician is just getting warmed up. With the release of this new record, the music world has a lot to get excited about. Zweig spent 20 years in the field…
The Gaslight Anthem, American Slang
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Being compared to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band can be a burden for any young band but The Gaslight Anthem is not just any band. The New Jersey quartet proved it was a force to be reckoned with when it released the fantastic album The ‘59 Sound two years ago. Yes, that release…
MARK OLSON, MANY COLORED KITE
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In the mid 80’s, Mark Olson founded the Twin City band Jayhawks, who have often been described as an alternative, country/rock band. I must admit, out of the tons (literally pounds anyway) of releases I receive, this is the first in years that made me draw comparisons at times to The Youngblood’s, Peter,…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, AUGUST 2010
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Growing, Pumps (Vice Records) In the same way that it’s hard as a reviewer to report correctly on the actual artistry involved in creating such bizarre sounds as this, it’s difficult to tell what this Brooklyn technologist is genuinely hoping to accomplish. In layman’s terms, it immediately demands a reality check of the stereo…
The Bluesmasters, Featuring Mickey Thomas
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Like a lot of people, I’ve grown plain tired of rehashed old style blues songs. After not having heard a stack of such things recently, it really doesn’t feel too bad listening to a group of da old blues. This disc features Mickey Thomas on vocals, best known for his tenure with Jefferson…
Anna Madorsky, Talk Is Cheap
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I had the pleasure of reviewing Anna Madorsky’s last album Incantation. The previous record was more of a story-telling narrative with a full range of characters and the whole nine yards. I even went so far as to call Incantation “Modern Age Narrative Pop”. Completely switching directions now, Madorsky has created a…
ANNA ROSE, NOMAD
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When I reviewed the EP, I mentioned that I prefer female rockers that can also deliver a ballad. After many years of listening to just about every genre on the planet, I’m very picky when it comes to personally judging female singers. Anna held my interest as a storyteller,…
Blow Up Hollywood, Take Flight
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When you hear the title of this band Blow Up Hollywood, one might think for a second that this is a fast, punchy & violent rock, punk or metal band. BUH actually is none of the above and they are not blowing up anything literally but figuratively Blow Up Hollywood is making a statement.…
Kristina Westin, What A Night/Promo EP
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Kristina Westin is giving you a taste of what her upcoming album What A Night will sound like. On this five-track promo EP, you are getting just enough flavor to know that the new album will be special. What a day that will be when What A Night is officially released and after…
Ten Speed Taxi, Spinning
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With their ranks comprised of three teachers and a healthcare professional, it is only natural that Ten Speed Taxi injected a healthy dose of intelligence and clever tongue-in-cheek humor into their latest album. Couple that approach to songwriting with their multi-genre sound and their penchant for tight instrumentation and the result will leave you (with)…
Exile Kings, Shine
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Exile Kings is a New York City based Indie music project started by musician & singer/songwriter Manoo Halati. This is his debut CD entitled “Shine”. When the Exile Kings play live it consists of 3 other members: Hommy Rossa (Drums), Dan Austin (Guitar), Paul Merson (Bass) so it’s a 4 piece in that respect. …
Shade, Highway
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Of all the subjects that popular music has tackled over its long history, one of the most attractive is that of life on the open road. Sure, nearly every artist has an on-the-road song in their catalogue so it is hard for anything on that topic to sound new nowadays. (And let’s face it, the…
Me, Three, The Space Race
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Get ready for Alan Chesnutt’s second release, The Space Race, which is a mix of indie rock, alternative & electronica. The Alabama-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist that calls himself Me, Three comes back strong with this solo project. That means Me, Three is the wizard behind all the music on this record, so in this case…
Gioia, Flawless
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If there’s one thing I can say about Frank Gioia, or simply Gioia (pronounced ‘joy-ah’, which means ‘joy’ in Italian), the man is truly persistent. Not in the bad way persistent, but the ‘I-know-what-I-want-and-do-what-it-takes-to-get-it’ persistent. Since New Year’s Eve, I’ve received e-mails from Gioia, and yes, sometimes a writer gets caught up in deadlines,…
David Altenor, The David Altenor Project
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The expression I swear to God comes to mind because David Altenor is doing just that in every sense of the word. This four-track demo is a true testament to Altenor’s strong faith to make music for the lord. But don’t assume that this is your typical Christian or Gospel record because if…
Don Puglisi, Goodbye New York
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Don Puglisi’s new album may be called Goodbye New York but you can rest assure that this singer/songwriter is not leaving the Big Apple any time soon. Puglisi’s playing days go back to the late 80s/early 90s when he was playing guitar at alt-rock and punk clubs all over Detroit. Since making the…
JONNY LANG, LIVE AT THE RYMAN
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Recorded at one of his shows at Nashville’s Historic Ryman Theatre, this release gives a good summary of Jonny’s career. Jonny is accompanied by Jim Anton on bass/vocals, Barry Alexander on drums, Jason Eskridge on vocals/percussion, Sonny Thompson on guitar/vocals, and Tommy Barbarella on keys. Always a master of hitting the licks in…
Greg Walsh, A Busy Street
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Are you ready for a big spoonful of rock/blues/soul mixed together in a bowl of well-polished music? I hope so because that is exactly what you are getting with Greg Walsh’s new record, A Busy Street. Besides the core sound of rock, soul & blues heard here, I also picked up on elements…
The Speaking Tongues, Wild Sound
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It’s a wild sound, indeed. Straight out of the hallows of Southern Ontario (Though at times, you’d swear this gnarly two-piece came straight from hell) comes The Speaking Tongues, whose fervent, rollicking approach to cut and dry blues rock takes no prisoners. This is hard music not for the faint of heart; this debut LP…
Mikingmihrab, Tres Tontos
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With a band name like Mikingmihrab, you already know right out of the gates that this group and this album will be very different. How different though is the real question; well that will be up for you to decide? I would call this new record adrenaline-rushed insanity on wax that is ridiculously…
Ria, Self-Titled
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Don’t foget these three letters RIA because they will absolutely stick in your head after experiencing this debut album. The Miami sensation born in Columbia calls herself Ria and fittingly enough she named the record the same. The audience is receiving a large dose of nothing but Ria here and the talented singer/songwriter…
ROB, Rise On Belief
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Rise On Belief (ROB) is ready to take the music world by storm with his hot debut album. This NYC artist mixes it up with some classic rock and hard rock grooves that will get you pumped up from start to finish. You will also hear elements of soul & funk that comes…
Fang Island, Fang Island
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The youthful, anthemic exuberance of Fang Island’s debut is a curious thing. On one hand, tracks like “Sideswiper” jump around without a care in the world and soar to prosperous heights. But on the other hand, when you strip away the soaring solos and playful gang vocals, there really isn’t much substance on Fang Island.…
Voice of Addiction, Re-evolution
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Politically-charged punk outfit Voice of Addiction self-admittedly have no intention of putting their addiction themed lyrical subject matter up against a wall and taking a look at it. Instead, they’d rather just crash through the wall. That approach to making music is none the more apparent than on their latest release Re-evolution, six-tracks of agro…
Tanner Gordon, Calm Down This is Only The End
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One would surely glean that the average teenager has a limited experience and understanding of “endings” (the end of high school does come to mind). But true Edmonton son Tanner Gordon isn’t your average teenager. Far from it actually. Having been embroiled in music for most of his young life, he is a socially aware…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, JULY 2010
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Call the Cops, Call the Cops (Myspace Records) The self-titled debut from an OC-based emo-electro boyband is destined to piss off the poor downtrodden Vans Warped Tour attendees who stupidly bring their girlfriends. Past that there may actually be something in this band’s future, although what more could you really ask for in life…
Dead To Me, African Elephants
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Punk and reggae, with their socially conscious roots, have long been two genres that go down rather well in a mix. And while African Elephants, the second full-length from this San Francisco four piece might lack a certain punch as far as production is concerned, the effortless, punchy harmonies sound as close to The Clash…
Lithium Seven, Something Else Is Waiting
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Lithium Seven prove that the musical bond cannot be broken on their new album, Something Else Is Waiting. The chemistry is strong here as all four members mix together to make up one big compound that is Li 7. The band’s magic formula is further enhanced by their eclectic style that includes: pop,…
The Telepathic Butterflies, Wow & Flutter!
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Like any good music fan, you’ve no doubt been stockpiling all your summery, guitar-driven pop chestnuts throughout the winter on playlists that won’t see the light of day until your first trip to beach or the inaugural cheeseburger picnic. If there’s any room left, save a spot in your eager eardrums for The Telepathic Butterflies.…
Brian Lee, Moth
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Seattle-based singer/songwriter Brian Lee transforms into a finely-tuned musician on Moth. Lee is ready to bust out of his shell to bring you a 10-song set full of personal emotions & feelings. The artist expresses good times & bad times through the eyes and life of Brian Lee. The balance between happy…
Unnatural Helpers, Cracked Love & Other Drugs
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Unnatural Helpers aren’t so much a supergroup as they are a righteous collective of some of the most talented, unknown musicians from the Pacific Northwest. So perhaps they are the forested, laid-back version of Them Crooked Vultures, though you wouldn’t know it from the driving, edgy rock that permeates throughout Cracked Love & Other Drugs,…
Steven Bryan, One Way
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I had the pleasure of reviewing Steven Bryan’s Let Me Stay EP last year for Skope and I was so glad I had the opportunity to do so. Through that four-track set, I was introduced to a REAL musician who showed huge potential as an emerging artist. Bryan definitely didn’t disappoint or let…
Greg Brown, Ol’ Blood N’ Guts
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Are you ready for some good, old-fashioned Blood N’ Guts brought to you by Greg Brown? The Boston-based singer/songwriter/guitarist lays it all out on the table for you with nothing left to hide. Ol’ Blood N’ Guts is actually named after World War II U.S. General George S. Patton’s nickname and the title…
Elevator Art, Self-Titled
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Are you ready for not one…not two…not three but four lead singers and a drummer/percussionist? If so, that is exactly what you’re getting from NJ-based Elevator Art and their debut album. The fact that this band is breaking the mold by including four lead vocalists is irrelevant here because Elevator Art offers so…
Miriams Well, Indians And Clowns
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Get ready for some bluesy soul rock that will quench your thirst for worthwhile music. In a day and age where unfortunately a lot of CRAP dominates the major music markets, it’s refreshing to hear an indie rock band really shine through and own it. Miriams Well is a musical duo made up…
Montana 1948, Teaser EP for the album Picket Fence
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First off, this band is not from Montana, they do not play 1948-styled music and there aren’t any white picket fences around. If you thought that then you were way off base I’m sorry to say! And no, I’m not teasing you on this matter either! The real truth of the matter…
