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…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
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…
Erica Sunshine Lee, Road to Recovery
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Blessing in disguise is the only way to sum up the career of Erica Sunshine Lee. In true “country mouse goes to the big city” fashion, Lee traded her demure hometown in Georgia for the bustle of San Francisco and brought her lifelong love of singing with her. But in 2008 the economy caught up…
Michel Ackermann, Cole Porter’s Blues
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Berlin-based singer/songwriter/pianist is back with his first full-length album release of Cole Porter’s Blues. Coming off his 2009 EP, Kite, Ackermann decides to delve deeper into his musical & artistic side. Kite was piano-driven music that included elements of jazz, pop & classical to go along with a peaceful/tranquil setting. The title…
One World (R)evolution, Transitions
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Are you ready for a green…red, white & blue revolution? Well, Austin, Texas-based singer/songwriter Astrum Lux Lucis sure hopes so. Astrum is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the group One World (R)evolution and their now project is fittingly called Transitions. One World (R)evolution is attempting to save this world one…
Against Me, White Crosses
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Let’s face it, punk rock bands have it tough as the second they achieve any success in the mainstream media they get labeled sellouts. The Gainesville, Florida based Against Me know this well as it got slammed by long time fans when it released New Wave, its first record with a major label, back in…
Kira, Run Where No One Goes
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When you look at the acts that dominate radio today in the United States, you notice that women are king. It is artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Kesha that make the most noise nowadays. So this must be good news for Danish singer Kira Skov who has just released a seven song…
Catalina, Catalina
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No stranger to acclaim, rising pop princess Catalina was named to 2008s list of National High School Teen Idols, made an appearance on the national morning show Fox and Friends and received invites to perform at the September 11th Memorial and the Victims of Violent Crime Gala along side Gloria Gaynor. Now the up-and-comer is…
Dr. Mac & Friends, Ready to Rock Kids, Vol. 3
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Get ready for the third installment of children’s songs that teaches valuable life lessons. Dr. Mac is the genius behind the Ready to Rock Kids series and before you ask, yes he is an actual doctor. The singer/songwriter/producer is also known as Don MacMannis, Ph.D. and for many years he has been a…
BILLY LAVENDER, MEMPHIS LIVIN’
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Although it’s the blues, it’s stepped up a bit right from the start. With both mixed male vocal leads, female backup and some lead vocals, the album takes on a non-traditional approach. Non-traditional is Billy’s style. As a lefty, he learned to be a left-handed player playing upside down on a right-handed…
ARIF MARDIN, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE HERE
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This was the last recording by the legendary multi-Grammy winning producer, who was originally known as a songwriter. Arif Mardin, spent over 30 years with Atlantic Records, covering virtually every type of music that was thrown at him. The album was co-produced by Arif’s son Joe Mardin, and features original compositions. Arif…
Skip-Dawg, Trust Me, I’m A Rapper
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The Havertown, PA rap artist is back with a fourth studio album and a new message that reads: Trust Me, I’m A Rapper. Skip-Dawg, aka Dann Furia, is coming off an exciting & motivational album titled We Will Rise that featured the hot, slammin’ joint “Skip To The Floor”. Not to mention, “Skip…
WE ARE SCIENTISTS, BARBARA
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Barbara is the fourth release by this songwriting duo of Chris Cain and Keith Murray, following the success of Brain Thrust Mastery, and With Love And Squalor. Drummer Andy Burrows was enlisted for this album. The single Rules Don’t Stop was picked from the material on the disc. The group has been on…
Eric Christensen, David Christensen Tribute, Volume One
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One dedicated father, Eric Christensen, pays tribute to his son David who was a talented singer/songwriter from Chicago. David Christensen tragically committed suicide on February 17, 2009 at the young age of 26. One life is lost, but one loving dad has decided to breathe new life into his son’s timeless music. This…
Pheromones, Hotel Royal
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Hot on the heels of last years impressive debut EP, (You And The Digital Age), the Pheromones have returned- inviting you in for a stay at their lush, dark, and atmospheric Hotel Royal. The ghosts of former guests like Bowie, Morrissey, and Radiohead still roam the halls of Hotel, and can be heard creeping about-…
Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be the Same
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After garnering acclaim at SXSW, Hot Docs, and even winning a Special Jury Prize at the Sarasota Film Festival, director Jody Lee Lipe’s directorial debut, Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be the Same, will be released June 29th, on Factory 25. “Art is anything you can get away with.” -Marshall McLuhan Chronicling Brock…
I Need That Record, The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store
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Brendan Toller’s documentary, comprised of in-depth interviews with cultural pundits, public domain footage, wonderful animated collages by Matt Newman, and archival footage, chronicles the death of over 3000 record stores across America. “There’s a lot of bad isms floating around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism.” -George Seaton The doc…
Schleusolz, The Weinheim Experiment
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Coming off their 2009 debut Running Out Of Time, Schleusolz are back with another spaced-out record titled The Weinheim Experiment. Frankfurt, Germany natives Worsel Strauss and Schani Wolf are the magicians behind the special Schleusolz sound. Watch as they attempt to pull a rainbow of sounds/beats/styles out of their hats once again. …
Sandman Viper Command, Everybody See This
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The fresh and unadultered sounds of Sandman Viper Command may be a little tough to immediately classify, but the immediate exposure that the band will enjoy from Everybody See This, their debut, isn’t a bad start. It’s a largely harmless listen, but odds are the four young dudes that make up the band aren’t out…
The Bloodshot Gamblers, Pain & Other Simple Pleasures
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Are you ready to take a journey and listen to some stories about Pain & Other Simple Pleasures? If so, then prepare yourself and get ready to enter the world of The Bloodshot Gamblers. You will be engulfed by a world full of despair, addiction, pain, depression and heartbreak. Now wait a…
Schleusolz, 10 Movies
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Are you ready for some well-orchestrated, cinematic pieces that will keep your attention from beginning to end? If you answered yes, then get prepared for Schleusolz and their exciting set titled 10 Movies. This record definitely reads as a movie transcript with something for everyone out there. Just as you get lost…
Manuel Bruce, Manuel Is Back With Friends
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Manuel Bruce (pronounced Broo-say) is the man behind this new project that includes SO MUCH! The CD offers wonderful instrumentals, original material and covers that will leave you wanting more. Bottom line, this new record is just all about the music and that’s it! On this album, you are getting a wide range…
Darklight Corporation, Self-Titled
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Get ready for some hardcore metal for your eardrums. Darklight Corporation is going full steam ahead with their new record and they don’t seem to be letting up on the gas at all. DC is bringing you adrenaline-rushed music that you can bang your head to, so throw up those horns and get…
Frank Zappa, The Freak-Out List
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On the sleeve of his immortal debut album, Freak Out!, Frank Zappa listed 179 well-known and obscure artists and bands that acted as a roadmap to his signature style. The Freak-Out List chronicles some of the more obscure Jazz, Classical, and Doo Wop artists, through a series of interviews and found footage.…
Ron Contour & Factor, Saffron
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Is Ron Contour notorious Canadian rapper, and MC Moka Only’s cousin; or just Moka Only wearing a cheap costume shop moustache? Whatever the case, the moustachioed madman raps “rugged and raw like McGruff the Dog”. “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key.” – Winston…
Swade G, Ghetto Life
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Get ready for Swade G as he pumps your ears with funky ‘n’ fresh flavor on the new album, Ghetto Life. Born Wade Kibby, Swade has decided to step out of the shadows to come hard with his debut record. His older brother is actually “Dirty Walt” Kibby, who is the co-founder of…
Blank Generation, Stars: Richard Hell, Carole Bouquet and Andy Warhol
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In 1980, an instantly forgettable film documenting a surreal relationship between Billy (Richard Hell) and Nada (Carole Bouquet) was released. Inspired by French New Wave cinema, it features odd transitions, several moments of cinema that leave you puzzled, and things that’ll have you laughing out loud. With its beautiful cinematography of a grimy…
Mac Leaphart, Line, Rope, Etc.
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I have got to come clean… I am warming up to country music. Albeit slowly… yes, warming up. Now as a disclaimer that doesn’t include all country. I still have no palate for kitschy twang or play on word, hokey lyrics. But the heartfelt, cut-me-I-bleed country that comes from some deep place within, I can…
No Second Troy, Colors
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The first time I heard No Second Troy with the shiny new mp3’s from the guys and gals at Green Light Go, I thought I wasn’t hearing the fire in the music. Soon I realized I had listened to the tracks out of order, and that the crackling was under a surface scratched. More importantly,…
Bob Pressner, Honor Among Thieves
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Inspired by the after effects of the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, Bob Pressner gives you his own dose of reality. This singer/songwriter now based in Florida tries to make sense of this crazy, unbalanced world. Honor Among Thieves is Pressner’s answer to it all as he hopes to smooth matters…
The Kissing Party, The Hate Album
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This isn’t your everyday Kissing Party; this is a group of Denver musicians that gives you their Hate Album. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, The Kissing Party will definitely get your attention. Coming off their previous release, Rediscover Lovers, from two years ago, this band is ready to set the bar high NOW.…
Deftones, Diamond Eyes
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It’s been awhile, Deftones. Four years since their last release, 2006’s Saturday Night Wrist, but more likely it’s been even longer for many. Visions of my late-90s flash through me when I hear this band, mainly because I don’t hear them any more. But that doesn’t comment on what kind of band the Deftones are…
I Am the Dot, Minimal Love
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Amidst a Young Coyotes’ hiatus, Zach Tipton donned the moniker I Am the Dot and has since been steady releasing a series of terse EPs. Both strange in arrangement and approach, the EPs are replete with multi-layered tracks that run the musical gamut from eerie to comforting. His latest outing, Minimal Love, stays true to…
The Jim Ivins Band, Self-Titled
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Get ready for this pop/rock band from Richmond, Virginia as they set the bar high with their new EP. The Jim Ivins Band is rich with sound and heavy on the acoustic side. Whether it’s rock you crave or pop goodness that you desire, this group will satisfy all of your musical needs.…
Martinez FX, Self-Titled
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Are you ready for a wild dance record for 2010 & beyond? If you answered yes, then Martinez FX is your guy. Techno & electro are displayed in flying colors on this new album. You’re also getting doses of alternative, electro-rock and shoegaze. Overall, Martinez FX has put together groupings of…
Christopher Hawley Rollers, Comes Around Again
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The Christopher Hawley Rollers are a band you find in a juke joint on the side of Route 62, letting the dust come in and coating bar top, boots and guitar fret boards; playin’ crowd-pleasers ‘til sunrise and going home with enough money in the pocket to come back next week. At least, that’s the…
Damon, Song of a Gypsy
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The summer of 1969 saw Woodstock, where hippies abounded, love was in the air and the brown acid was not recommended. That year also marked the release of Song of a Gypsy, the debut album from artist, Damon. The record reflected much of the sentiment and culture of the times, namely love, deep emotion and…
Lisa Bell, Dancing On The Moon
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Lisa Bell is ready to ring in the summer with her delightfully exquisite new record, Dancing On The Moon. This singer/songwriter from Colorado has an incredible vocal presence on this new album. Bell digs down deep to bring you spellbinding lyrics and an emotionally-drenched performance that will leave you wanting more. Full…
Carney, Mr. Green Volume 1
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Carney are parading their goods in all the right ways. They look like a rock band, they sound like a rock band, and they’re probably just as cool as your typical, young LA rockers. Laid back and carefree, despite some melancholic vocals delivered in the most tragic and withering way possible, watching these guys perform…
