CD and DVD reviews
Jon Arthur Schmidt is a gentle soul, and his From The Marrow album is packed with gentle, folky, sincere songs. It’s mostly acoustic, and in turns both spiritual and philosophical. And it’s all good. One called “It’s All Falling” reminds us that we shouldn’t ever live our lives in the past, but instead focus on…
Flutist extraordinaire Bill McBirnie unveils a magical, whimsical sound topped off with the jazzy and samba-fused selections in the new album Forever. The songs are written by Bruce Jones and also feature Robin Latimer on electric bass guitar. At their core, these tracks are postcard glimpse of the diverse Brazilian culture. They are also entirely…
The textured inlays beneath the strings of B.B. King’s “Lucille #9.” The faded paint on Steve Harris’ ’74 Fender Precision Bass. The inelegant burst of color against a dark backdrop on Hendrix’s iconic Flying V, the same guitar he would play at the Isle of Wight festival just shortly before his death. From the blues…
I’ve had the pleasure to work with Radio Drive on numerous occasions over the years and the music just seems to get better & better over time. Radio Drive is like a fine wine aged to perfection and with the new release titled ‘Before The Day is Through’, it’s time to break out the wine…
There’s an infectious energy to President Street’s music that you can’t quite put your finger on. And neither can Pete Moses, one half of the Melbourne duo. ‘It’s an organic thing,’ he says. ‘We write to the emotion and work back from that.’ Which you’ll discover if you go down to Roachford’s upcoming UK tour,…
Wine is the most interesting alcoholic beverage since it has various unique parts to view when it is tasted. There is no other drink with so many tastes, colours, types, and from so many countries. There are many incredible types of red wine, and one of the most impressive ones is the perfect mix of…
Larry Mindel’s most recent release is the remarkable ‘Okarito Ways’. In part a lament, in part a celebration, this track is nonetheless an ode to nature in all its splendour and fragility. Having visited in Ōkārito Lagoon, New Zealand, 2019, Larry Mindel approached local conservationists Swade Finch and Paula Sheridan this year to share their…
Charlotte Champian is an artist who stands loud and proud in the music scene, unafraid to represent her unique personality and distinguish herself with her distinctive approach. Charlotte’s most recent studio work, As The Summer is indeed a very special combination of soulful pop appeal and indie-folk energy, featuring a lush modern touch when it…
The latest release from L.A. band Joe Fox & The Frantics hits the spot yet again. ‘Haze’ is very catchy, yet it shows no unnecessary studio frills. However, this does not mean that the creative intensity and expressive urgency of the artist are trapped in any way: on the contrary, it is the restrained sonic…
Willard Overstreet and the Highborn Kinsmen is a long band name. However, the group’s music isn’t quite so complicated. Instead, it’s instead relatively straightforward rock music, which supports strong, relatable songs. The song you may notice first from this eleven-track album is a cover of “Heart of Glass.” The original of it was controversial when…
Ellie Grace has just dropped her fresh project, Better Off Alone, which is already causing a stir in the industry. What stands out in Ellie’s latest release, is the distinctive blend of vibrant melodies and an atmospheric soundscape. That’s not to mention Ellie’s memorable lyrics, which showcase her raw talent as a songwriter. These days,…
‘Mellowdrama’ is the new, debut EP from VELVET SHAKES and it is the most perfect debut they could have possibly made. They have been establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the music scene since 2018. They take that endeavor a step further with this EP. Each track is fun, fresh, and of the…
Bo Baskoro’s “The Color Blue” is the sort of romantic-themed pop once prevalent on radio and prominently featured in films and television shows. We live in a much rougher age, however, coarsened with cynicism, and the audience for this sort of idealism is seemingly smaller than ever before. Tastemakers for modern music are remiss for…
After listening to all eight tracks on Erik Odsell’s latest project, I can confidently say that it is his best project yet. It features several new tracks and a few singles from the past couple of years. Together they comprise an incredibly consistent album that is insanely enjoyable to listen to. The album is short…
Sanctuary is the new album from singer/songwriter Kevin Durr. Featuring a welcomed mix of warm harmonies, interesting strings and inspiring lyrics, Sanctuary has semblances of Americana, pop and roots music. Hum along to the ditty “Every day is Beautiful”, slow dance to “Love Will Find a Way” and cozy up to fleshier “Feel That Heartbeat”. Durr’s James Taylor-like…
“Hurry” is one of the best adult contemporary songs in recent memory. It’s a surprising development for Vineet, an artist who hasn’t tried out this form before, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. Vineet has made much of his growing reputation on an ability to inhabit multiple genres without ever hitting a false note. People who…
Although Gabriel is not a country album, this Australian singer/songwriter incorporates banjo into the textures of the project’s title track. Like all of the elements applied to Jack Nolan’s fifth solo album, however, each element applied fits the song perfectly. The very next track, “Chit Chatter,” puts electric keyboard up to the front of its…
West of Corey’s three-song EP, Big Ass Deal, opens with a power ballad titled “All Alone.” Like everything on this project, the song combines scratchy, soulful lead vocals, with guitar-heavy rock & roll. It’s both classic rock and contemporary, at the same time. The album’s default title track is titled “Big Deal.” It’s only missing…
Luis Mojica is a most gentle singer/songwriter, as his album Songs From The Land is filled with meditative pop-rock music. It sounds like an authentic form of New Age music. This isn’t the light jazz of that you may associate with New Age, but is instead songs that feature New Age lyrics, put to ethnic-sounding…
There’s an innocent joy running through Dizzy Box Nine’s album Last Call Before The Fall. The album, however, has a title that suggest something dead serious. Apocalyptic, even. However, don’t be dissuaded by these ‘end of the world’ suggestions. Dizzy Box Nine is about having fun in making fun music. The “dizzy’ in the band’s…
A limber dance track, Jay Elle’s “Miss Mess” offers a noir darkness to it. Full of mystery he ensures that the beat helps to give the track a pulse of sorts. His voice has a rather deep register about it for he delivers verses in a truly unique fashion. The word choice gives the song…
A whole raw grit and soul enters into the fray with Gary Pratt’s “Country To The Bone” featuring a great balance. The volume is a must for this is a piece that needs to be felt in order to tap into the communal presence of the experience. His voice has a commanding presence to it…
London Down does indie rock right with the intense trip of “Dreamcrusher”. With clear hints of the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s unique style thrown in, theirs has a soulful disposition behind it. Every little detail matters for they make sure to push everything forward in a truly physical fashion. Done with dignity their ear for melody…
West of Corey has brought out the gun in their recent single ‘All Alone’. With a sound so self-assured, you’d be forgiven for thinking West of Corey had been on the scene forever, yet this is their first collaboration with the singing sensation Stacey Squires. Having lent her pipes to celebrities such as Ricky Hatton,…
“The only way out is through” is a statement we have all heard at one time or another. For the up and coming artist, Robin Tucker, it was the cataclysmic phrase for his recent album ‘The Way Out’. His recent album is the latest addition to his ever evolving discography and comes off the back…
A wonderful celebratory track, Barista delivers a mixture of four to the floor dance with a nice dosage of indie rock on “Dreams Remix B”. There is a distinct LCD Soundsystem aspect to the whole thing with this casual cool that seems to tie it all together. Her voice truly lifts the atmosphere for there…
Gorazde describes its The Fury of Lullabies album as examining “the notion of shadow archetypes and their assimilation into conscious reality; the human condition fully realized is ultimately and equilibration of opposites.” To describe this music as conceptual, is an understatement. It’s heady stuff, but still well worth the exploration. The act began as a…
Pamela Hopkins features a playful spirited work with “Back When”. The nostalgic kick of the lyricism stuns for the reflection on the past has a realness to it. She incorporates a lot of life within the sound. Genre-wise rooted in country, she brings in southern rock, folk, and pop into the mix giving it such…
“Grandpappy” draws from an entire life and proves the undeniable storytelling power of Richard Lynch. The song radiates with a tremendous good energy. With a live approach to the production, you can virtually sense every single little gesture. Rhythms have a driving presence to them making sure that there is a physicality to it. Edgy…
“Hey Siri!” I must say that statement more than a couple of times a day, yet never when singing along to a tune that turns that phrase into a hypnotic hook. That was until Chris St. John released his latest in a string of singles, ‘Hey Siri’. Chris St John has been going from strength to…
Blind Uncle Harry’s unique brand of ‘hillbilly hippie shreddin’ folk rock’ just keeps getting better and better of late. His latest single ‘American Way’ is an effortless evolution of his folk-infused sound. This single comes off the back of his previous release ‘Song For Kori’ — a delicate depiction of an unjust and broken system…
For more cynical audiences, it would be easy to write off a talented, yet recycled singer, Kiara Chettri, as just another Pop creation. However, with her new single, “Falling,” she isn’t taking an entirely conventional approach. Kiara Chettri recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone India, which of course is her native country. At…
There must be a connection between the rapper, Catfish Walkin’, and The Walking Dead (TV show). This Cleveland rapper titles his album, “Back From The Dead.” He’s Walkin’, and back — or so he says – from the dead. His minimalist single is titled “16 Bit,” and it’s an explosive blast of hip-hop. This track’s…
Cory M Coons sings of faith with a touch of Americana on the soulful steady rhythms of “Freedom Road”. The exploration of patriotism through a religious lens helps to truly capture the spirit of the vast land. Geography is implied here, from the gentle gait of the drums to his voice’s reassuring croon. Layers are…
One of Cecy Santana’s many five-star qualities I love is her understanding of her place in a musical lineage. She views herself as the next logical step for a genre producing such era-defining talents as Gloria Estefan, Lady Gaga, and Sade, among others. Her musical output definitely bears this out. URL: https://cecysantana.com/ Santana is building…
Certain kinds of charisma just can’t be taught, no matter how willing the pupil or even how capable the teacher happens to be, and if there’s one rapper rocking a charm that is all his own this season, it’s ALYST. ALYST’s new single “Gleeming” with Affluent Oscar Sanchez has been scoring a lot of attention…
A passionate, playful piece Ed Roman brings bursts of color into the neon-hued gorgeousness of “Happiness”. The careful mixture of pop, electro, and country into a satisfying whole feels magnificent. Everything here pops from the drums to the joyous melody. By far though the greatest amount of unbridled joy emerges with his distinct, compassionate lyrics.…
I’m a sucker for good singer/songwriters who play a mean acoustic guitar and Bruce T. Carroll fits that bill to a T! This new album by Bruce T. Carroll is called ‘First Bird To Sing’ and features eight amazing songs. With elements of Folk and Americana, Bruce puts together an original blend of music that…
Love stands the test of time in the new contemporary pop track, “Olivia”. From singer/songwriter (and medical doctor), Rob Alexander, the smoldering guitar and erupting beat runs alongside an intoxicating vocal. Where many indie artists aim, few hit the mark from which Alexander has claimed stake. And if you think he sounds a bit like…
Tanner Gordon – ‘Empty Promises’ A soulful slice of Americana, Tanner Gordon pours his heart out with “Empty Promises”. The western twang seems to nod towards the endless expanse of America, the way it goes on for miles upon miles. With this his lyrics touch upon the dissolution of so many families, the mixture of…
