Amerie has truly come a long way since her “Why Don’t We Fall In Love” days back in 2002 when she first hit the scene. With “In Love & War”, we can definitely see some serious growth in this fourth album, released in late 2009. Popularly known to have love themes in her R&B…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
BLK Orpheus, Where Words Fail
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It’s a breath of fresh air to hear music that truly conveys a message, one that has been shown by BLK (pronounced “black”) Orpheus, with his debut album, “Where Words Fail.” BLK Orpheus, real name Omotola Ajibade, is a native Nigerian, who has lived in the Bronx (birthplace to hip hop) and now in…
Gail Marten, In Love…Again
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“Never let me go,” Gail Marten sings in the opening track of her album, In Love…Again. But she’s not just singing, she’s pleading. And you’re not just listening idly; you’re transfixed and fascinated by the voice in your ears, a voice of maturity and depth, smooth and airy, the voice of someone who knows a…
Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Jo-Ann Geffen, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story behind the Song
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If there were any way I could give a higher Skope rating than “5” on a book review, I would definitely do so for “Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story behind the Song.” The Chicken Soup for the Soul series has been circulating since 1993, with various titles that relate to everyone from…
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, NIGHT CASTLE
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TSO is recognized as the ultimate touring operatic/theatrical act in music today. Selections from the new offering are being previewed on the current annual TSO Christmas tour. When you have a stable of the top writers, musicians and vocalists in the business, it makes for a flexible and versatile, writing platform without boundaries.…
Matthew Curran, Simplify
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Matthew Curran and his trio (Matt Jurasek on bass & Kevin Conray on drums) introduce a powerful yet simplified rock ‘n’ roll sound. Curran & company are blending together elements of rock, blues and alternative to offer you a creatively fresh recording. With catchy guitar rhythms & vibrant hooks, Simplify sums it all…
Alligators, Piggy & Cups
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Recently were seen some impressive music come out of the Pacific Northwest. Bands like Loch Lomond, Kane Hodder, The Dandy Warhol’s, and of course Death Cab for Cutie just to name a few. This new brand of music flows and ebbs with rich liquidity, exotic musical textures, and a lot of positive creative energy. Enter…
Cool Aide, Flavor Ade
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Have you ever put a CD in your laptop or CD player and right before you hit play, asked yourself why? Why do I really want to put this on? I felt that exact feeling before putting on the latest from Cool Aide, “Flavor Ade”. But with a sense of optimism, I…
Project DNA, Self-Titled
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Singer/Songwriter, Jimmy Blecher is the driving force behind this new & exciting act. Project DNA stands for “Do Not Ask”, which is what Blecher would tell people inquiring about the new album. The record is all said & done now and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised after taking a listen.…
Planetary Nights, Elliptical Motion
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Planetary Nights and Elliptical Motion are ever-flowing with raw energy. R.J. McSweeney is responsible for all the songs & lyrics as well as being the lead vocalist & rhythm guitarist. The CD is produced, engineered and mixed by Mark Hermann who also contributed all lead guitar parts as well as keyboard/organ sections. …
Panda Transport, Monorail
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Kathy Compton and Thierry Holweck are bringing a diverse array of audio to the forefront. As the sole songwriters on Monorail, Compton and Holweck aka Panda Transport have created Electro-Pop grooves. The record offers acoustic & pop elements mixed with a unique display of sounds. Monorail comes after Panda Transport’s debut release,…
Drum Dynasty, Drum Dynasty
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One can envision the drums as a heartbeat, pumping blood into the rest of a song. That’s what can best describe how Drum Dynasty works and is truly expressed in their two-disc debut release, “Drum Dynasty.” Drum Dynasty consists of members Bruce Burgess on drums, Arturo Rodriguez and Marco Zonka on percussionist tandems,…
The Bramble Jam, Move Your Boots
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The Bramble Jam are introducing their new brand of kids’ music to the world. Inspired by their own kids, Jason Kern and Jessie Griffiths have decided to create something magically special for ALL to enjoy. Move Your Boots is fun & inquisitive music for children and families to enjoy for generations to come.…
REO SPEEDWAGON, NOT SO SILENT NIGHT: CHRISTMAS WITH REO SPEEDWAGON
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Singer/songwriter Kevin Cronin and the boys have assembled their version of 13 Christmas staples. Kevin explained that they didn’t realize that Christmas albums have to be recorded in spring/summer months, and that the late start had them rushing to get distribution before December. They are currently on their Can’t Stop Rocking tour to…
Rick McGuire, Dust and Tears
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The first thing to say after listening to Dust and Tears is that Rick McGuire is the man! This singer/songwriter from Minneapolis has created something here that is so incredibly cool-sounding. Pop/Rock is the main driving force behind the album, but McGuire adds his suave & edgy vocals to the mix to make…
Ultimate Power Duo, New Normal
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Saskatoon isn’t exactly a tourist destination of the highest accord in Canada, but at least acts like Ultimate Power Duo are doing their best to put the province’s musical talents at the forefront. The raw energy of the band’s second full-length, New Normal, is a surprisingly meaty listen for a three-piece, with scuzzy solos laced…
The Balconies, The Balconies
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Finding a balance between unrestrained energy and genuine talent can be a tough pill to swallow for young bands. Finding their footing as far as capabilities and limitations is a practice that often takes a few records. Such is not the case for The Balcones. Their self-titled release features three remarkably talented musicians having a…
Rhett Frazier Inc, Escape From Dee-Troyt
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The cover art for Los Angeles based Rhett Frazier Inc.’s debut disc Escape From Dee-troyt says plenty. A classic orange muscle car is parked along a street surrounded by a couple of colorful retro-looking buildings. This picture is a perfect metaphor for the disc’s sound because old time soul and funk and bluesy rock…
BOB DYLAN, CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART
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I wonder sometimes if it isn’t tedious being Mr. Bob Dylan, having listened for decades now to people lamenting over his inability to “sing.” Mr. Dylan sings in Christmas in the Heart, his 2009 collection of holiday classics, both secular and pious. He sings well. Yes, Mr. Dylan’s vocal chords are old and abused, beat-up,…
These United States, Everything Touches Everything
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The motor is really running at full steam on Everything Touches Everything, the latest from alt-country groove masters These United States. They move with the melodic ease of a rowboat at dusk while still giving a noticeable homage to an unyielding joy that results in some pretty damn catchy rock and roll. If there’s an…
Kill The Lights, Fog Area
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Montreal’s Kill The Lights certainly know how to run a gamut of sound. They’ve toiled with various sonic elements for the past few years; often allowing their records to stomp with a definitive brood-rock authority. They’ve even toiled in shoegaze, but the expansive double guitar attack of Joseph Yarmush and Alex Hackett ended up breathing…
Acres and Acres, All Nations
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When David Scholten speaks, people ought to listen. The lead singer of Acres and Acres, the harmonic folk duo out of Halifax displays a poignant penchant for expressive his own personal truths on All Nations, their latest full-length. His voices creeps from side to side as a natural, gentle current might, making for some pretty…
The Shells, Written Road
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The Shells give their listeners a lot to take in. Listening to Written Road, you’ll find beautiful vocals, stunning 3-part harmonies, empowering lyrics, not to mention the layers of the instrumental side. Yes, these women are country, but don’t let that fool you. They let the country come in as they please, and the rest…
L’illon, Warrior Angel
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L’illon is a singer/songwriter based in Washington, D.C. who is about to take the music world by storm with her debut release. This artist is hitting the indie music scene hard with her vibrantly fresh sound. L’illon appears to be playing the role of the Warrior & the Angel on this new record.…
You Are Home, Phoneyhome
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You Are Home is solely made up of Matthew Dake as bassist, multi-instrumentalist & songwriter and Phoneyhome is his baby. The creation of this band though goes back to the brain work of Dake and a drummer by the name of Breighton Engeman. Engeman eventually left the band and in return left it…
Headlights, Wildlife
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According to the bio of Wildlife, the latest full-length from Headlights, the record stems from some very troubled beginnings. If that’s the case, it’s worth asking this Illinois foursome exactly what they did to find peace with these troubled beginnings, as Wildlife easily settles in as one of the most endearing records of 2009. Wildlife…
Alec Ounsworth, Mo Beauty
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As the frontman of quite possibly the biggest buzz-bands of the 00’s, Alec Ounsworth has seen his career as a songwriter evolve and devolve, from a dorm room in Connecticut College, where he first shared his eclectic brand of songwriting with future Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! bandmate Lee Sargent to the self-distributed release of…
A Place To Bury Strangers, Exploding Head
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Exploding Head, the second full-length from A Place To Bury Strangers isn’t so much loud as it is piercing. Sonically, it’s the equivalent of a root canal. There are moments of pain and distrust. But the end result is satisfying; imagine never having the aching pain of a pesky tooth again, or better yet, never…
Fifth Nation, Flight
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Fifth Nation is named after a Native American tribe and the band consists of Julia Richardson as singer/songwriter/guitarist & Music Read on drums. This duo is bringing a style all of their own here that is full of life. The two members are blending together so many different musical styles such as: …
Ty Segall, Lemons
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Lemons, the second full-length from Ty Segall, calls to mind many genres, including psychedelia and garage punk. Hell, there’s even hints of freak-folk and noise-rock, if you want to get really specific. What doesn’t work in Segall’s favour is how many bands are proliferating knock-off sounds in each of these genres these days, jumping on…
Lake, Let’s Build A Roof
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If Let’s Build A Roof, the latest record from Olympia’s Lake is going to be classified as a “Pop” record, then the record may have forged a new genre for eagers ears; patient-pop. From “Breathing,” the budding and rolling opener, one can’t help but envision a young couple in summertime, lying in the cool grass…
The Very Best, Warm Heart of Africa
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I’ll admit that I didn’t have the faintest clue what I was getting into before I heard Warm Heart Of Africa, The Very Best’s first official release. Judging by the slight word of mouth I heard, I couldn’t help but wonder: was I for an initiation into the mysterious world of African pop?Well, after hearing…
Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
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Change was a very good thing that happened to Lady Gaga. This time last year, we were introduced to a much different Gaga than the “freak b****h”(as she calls herself on “Bad Romance) that we are coming to know her as. Radio stations were blasting her electro-heavy dance singles, “Just Dance” and “Poker Face”, but…
Paramore, brand new eyes
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The last two years have been very life-changing for Franklin, Tennessee rockers Paramore, led by fiery-haired femme rocker Hayley Williams. Not only did they settle a permanent spot on the radio with the many singles that spawned from 2007’s Riot!, but holding the official single(“Decode”) for the hugest movie of 2008, Twilight, just made it…
The Wheat Pool, Hauntario
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Sombre bands often get backed into a corner. Listeners often feel that their records are only worth being heard on rainy, hungover Sundays. Such is the case with The Wheat Pool and their sophomoric release, the appropriately titled Hauntario. But there’s more to this Western Canadian alt-country outfit than just chugging tales of lost loves…
The Slew, 100%
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Admit it: the idea of legendary Canadian Kid Koala teaming up with bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett (The original rhythm section of Wolfmother) has you intrigued at the very least. Yet there’s the distincy possibility you’re salivating beyond control. But the intriguing combination that The Slew are, there is the possibility that 100%,…
Castanets, Texas Rose, The Thaw & The Beasts
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I first got turned onto the “Freak-folk” genre a few years ago, while touring through a dank little record store instead of attending University classes. Now, the record that turned me onto the movement has faded into obscurity. But I’m quite sure had it been Castanets, also known as the musical stylings of Raymond Raposa…
Shaky Deville, Self-Titled
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Named after the classic ’76 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, Shaky Deville are revvin’ their engines loud on this one. Lead singer and guitarist, Matt (M.S.B.) DeVille fittingly enough, actually owned this car thanks to his dad. “Best car I’ve ever owned” are DeVille’s exact words, but will this album be the best thing…
Bottle Up & Go, These Bones EP
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Haven’t we heard enough of blues-punk power duos? If anyone ever asks you that question, ask them if they’ve ever heard These Bones, the debut EP from Brooklyn’s Bottle Up & Go. Sure, whoever you’re engaged in a conversation with might insist that Bottle Up & Go are a two and a half piece band.…
Early Day Miners, The Treatment
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It’s a rather remarkable thing when a band like Early Day Miners stays under the radar for so long. Six full-length records into the game and they remain a niche band, whose name rarely gets brought up within indie rock discusssions. Enter The Treatment, the aforementioned sixth full-length. This is where things will probably change…
