CD and DVD reviews
Heavy Shoes is a compelling statement of freedom and defeating the struggles of darkness during these post pandemic times. Yet currently the pandemic rages on, and perhaps this fantastic duet of Chris Tapp and Brian Mullins are content on giving us something to celebrate. Certainly, Cold Stares succeeds in delivering a crafty and defining blues…
Soul is so much more than a genre, or even a sound. It’s an identity that takes many working parts to completely develop and connect with, and in his new single “It’s a Feeling,” RockLee personifies it better than most any non-singing musician I’ve heard this year has. He isn’t completely without a voice in…
“I was stoked to realize that whatever I was saying, I was incredibly comfortable and had a surge of adrenaline come from within while performing.” These are the words of the immensely impressive artist making waves in the scene right now – Don Esco. You can feel this in his music. He records as if…
I’m not sure how many people, at this point, are aware of Bruce T. Carroll’s songwriting abilities, but after hearing “Nobody Knows”, I am certain that many more people will know just who Bruce T. Carroll is. Bruce actually wrote this new song while driving around the country, so literally many miles put in toward…
It takes considerable daring to include an outright progressive track near ten minutes in length, a doo wop song colliding with some classical, and a heartland rocker on a single album. Joe Piket doesn’t care. He goes a step further with the eight track release entitled Everything is Different. The album opener “Now I Have Everything”…
“Time goes by so fast when you’re having fun” may be a cliche, yet we all know it to be true. New York-based singer-songwriter Kenny Fame has released a summer-fuelled single with this heartfelt message at its core. It’s safe to say that this statement can be proven when listening through his diverse discography; time…
Brad Byrd is known for his heartfelt lyrics and mesmerising melodies. His sound swirls with an effortless, acoustic air and makes even the greyest of days seem wistful. His self-professed soulful cinematic sound has reached new heights in his latest EP ‘Where Were You When The World Stopped’ This EP is an incredible manifestation of…
“Redbud Road” by Dan Ashley has the potential of being one of the defining songs in his entire discography. It perfectly captures what the artist represents. He’s a man made of stories and wanting to spread positivity wherever he can. It’s not an easy feat in a world that becomes as increasingly jaded but in…
C Rod is the rapper rising the ranks pretty quickly right now, and with a repertoire of hip-hop tracks packing in some real truths, you can see why. His intricate flow and innate ability to sit slickly on the beat emphasises the realities that resonate throughout his lyrics. Just look at the power that propels…
This new, 2 CD set features extremely talented artists from all across the globe sharing their gifts of music. ‘Homestead Volume Five’ is Bongo Boy Records’ 5th Anniversary album celebrating the best that the Country & Americana worlds have to offer. This record features 20 tracks from an eclectic group of award-winning Indie artists and…
Brooklyn’s own JaredSB along with CBZ Nay are coming correct on the new track titled “Bed Stuy”. This song comes complete with that New York flavor and city vibe. JaredSB aka Jared Shemar Bradford has music running through his blood as he’s been musically-inclined since he was a child. Together, with his rap compadre, CBZ…
Uncle Tadashi & Da Boyz’s “Better Days” is a combination track, alternating between throwback, old school soul, and contemporary rap. It also throws a jazzy saxophone solo into the mix. In other words, this track has much going for it. It touches on the groups outlook on the global Covid situation and how they see…
Saturated in overdrive and hitting us with retro rock energy right off the bat, Brett Copeland is riding big riffs hard in his new single “Don’t Fight It” this summer. Though coupling the old school dynamics of classic rock with the new school nimbleness of contemporary pop isn’t a new element of Copeland’s sound, this…
Many younger artists have a limited frame of musical reference. This isn’t a criticism. It’s an observation. Writing and recording music capable of reaching a wide audience doesn’t require that an artist draw from a range of influences. Settling on a familiar formula and executing it with competence is often more than enough for a…
This last year has halted even the best-laid plans of musicians all over the globe. Yet, this didn’t stop the newly formed rock outfit ‘Thirty Three Degrees’. Meeting over Facebook (like all good pandemic ventures) Shane Romeyn and Chris Roberts formed the band just last year, yet from the sound of their self-titled debut, you…
Adrian John Szozda is expanding his discography this year with a captivating concept album. His debut may have only been this year, yet this up and coming artist has another story to tell through the folk-infused album ‘The Life Of Someone I Once Knew’. The Ohio-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist plays on themes of love,…
We need more bands like Hawaii’s Executive Order. The Honolulu based power trio’s new single “A to Z” is everything a modern rock single should be – aurally imposing, melodic, and riffs recalling the past while piercing listener’s consciousness with an individual bite. It’s music firmly of the moment, alive, and doesn’t look to the…
Singer/songwriters of all styles and backgrounds are coming out of the woodwork and taking over the narrative of pop music in 2021, and on the country/folk end of the spectrum, indie players like Chris St. John are trying to redefine what it means to be a purist in the genre. St. John is a singer/songwriter…
Cover songs are strange musical animals. They not only provide a commentary on the talent of the interpreter but the song itself and its enduring value. It serves us well to remember popular music, by nature, is disposable. Listeners and devotees of the form have been fortunate, however. Several transformative figures emerged over the course…
Matthew Austin Hunt is on a mission to make country cool again and with his upcoming album ‘Two’ I must say he’s succeeding. Matthew burst onto the scene with his self-titled album last year and from the slick production, vibrant vocal ability and captivating penmanship it’s hard to believe it was a debut. Building on…
Brooke Josephson is the formidable force making waves in the pop music scene right now. From her expressive lyricism to her captivating videos, Brooke is setting out to prove just why she deserves a place on our playlists. Her 2018 debut album ‘Sexy N’ Domesticated’ burst onto the scene with captivating confidence and a real…
What a well-organized record here where it seemed like every single song was perfectly placed throughout the 13-track album. ‘Influence’ is comprised of 13 original compositions by guitarist, Bob Sabellico. This is Bob’s first full-length album in eight years and he plays all guitar and bass parts along with most keyboard sections. ‘Influence’ also features:…
The Synaesthetic Picture Show Now Play, Pt 2 by electronic group Elektragaaz is probably going to be the best electronica release you hear this year. If you don’t believe or agree with that, I can guarantee it’ll land amongst the most interesting and memorable. Elektragaaz is headed by Frisian composer Redband and features a revolving…
Gar Francis has quite the musical background that dates back to the 60s. Gar has played with many bands throughout the years and still does to this day. These bands include: Rockids, Ricochet, Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs, The Satisfactors, New Bardots and The DOUGHBOYS. And fittingly enough, Gar even played as Keith Richards in…
Rolled out like a stadium rock anthem in the style of classic Van Halen but quickly shaped into something too grungy and disobedient to live by the disciplined rules of metal, it’s obvious from the first couple of seconds we hear in Greye’s “Over My Head” forward that we’re in for something particularly loud in…
A fantastically smooth saxophonist, Brittany Atterberry embraces a chilled-out atmosphere on the splendid style of “Summer Vibez”. The tremendous amount of color she brings into the mix is outright gorgeous. She really makes the thing sing too for her approach revels in a certain degree of affection for there is a kindness to the entirety…
The San Francisco music scene survived the pandemic someway, somehow, and out of the ashes of a global pandemic is now emerging what could be the most excitingly post-bohemian era the city’s underground has ever known. The fine lines separating synthpop from hip-hop, ambient from rock, and electronica from pastoral folk have never been as…
The complicated history of Black America has been scrutinized like never before this past year. One of the events that has been brought up and discussed a lot is the terrible fate that befell the Black citizens of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1920s. Darrell Kelley, a singer/songwriter and R&B artist, honors…
We’re high in the skies as we enter the music video for Wingman’s new single “Crash Land,” our pilot and featured poet commanding the stick of a superlight aircraft made for a perfect summer day. Everything is going smoothly, and the soundtrack in the background seems to have been tailored to the level flight path…
Space Engineer — Terry Lyndon’s alter ego — is a Sydney, Australia-based dream pop project. It’s has nothing to do with do with space — or engineering, for that matter. However, opening track (“How Everything Works”) at least sounds like a phrase any self-respecting engineer might well consider. Most importantly, these ten songs are all…
Brooding pop music is where it’s at right now, and whether he was intending to or not, adult contemporary singer/songwriter Jason Shand might have the perfect piece for the moment in his new single “I Know.” Driven by a fearless vocal harmony that encapsulates the emotion of his words exquisitely well, this is a song…
Mars Hall’s sound may be an admitted throwback to 80s hard rock, but the group’s album, Is Anybody Out There, is packed with strong songs – whether considered retro or not. From looking at their group photo, it’s clear these guys aren’t kids any longer. Therefore, the songs they write are written from the perspective…
Bongo Boy Rock n Roll TV show series is proud to bring to you seven amazing music videos by talented artists from all around the world. These featured artists are included on Bongo Boy Rock n Roll TV’s latest installment of “Make It Count”. Episode 5 of Season 10 is on fire and all seven…
Whether he’s rapping or singing, there’s a presence to the vocal Kiron Rasheed puts up in his new single “Be in Love” that follows us like a shadow from the moment we press play forward, his emotions translated through both words and the wistful melodies surrounding them. He’s putting a lot of thought into this…
Joe Fox and The Frantics is a band with a focus on creating music that blurs the lines between two seemingly different musical worlds. On the one hand, the track has some killer old-school sounds, bordering with psychedelic rock (Think Tame Impala, or Black Angels.) On the other hand, the group has a massive riff-driven sound with…
Richard Schroder opens his EP, The Stillness, appropriately with a song called “We All Start Somewhere.” After all, even the greatest human accomplishments have a starting point. With this upbeat track, this country singer sings about the way very beginnings can sometimes be rocky. But just because this genesis is not exactly smooth sailing, is…
Danny Lamport might just be my new summer soundtrack. His upcoming album ‘Musician On A Mission’ is a sonic adventure through the foundations of folk and it makes for some seriously easy (and introspective) listening. This upcoming project that’ll be hitting our headphones on the 2nd of July is an exciting evolution from his previous…
Blake Red is the fearless force to be setting the metal world on fire right now. Her latest single ‘The Cradle’ is a defiantly dynamic track, showcasing the more hardcore edges of her artist persona. It comes off the back of her previous single this year ‘Follow Me’. ‘The Cradle’ is an effortless evolution for…
There are some debut records that are so perfectly realised, that you can tell it’s a result of a lifetime of experience living and breathing music. That is most definitely the case for Keith Curtis’ debut album ‘Happiness is Hard’. The Minneapolis based singer-songwriter has been honing his craft for over ten years and only…
Andrew Neil’s album title track, “Sunny Side,” borrows its chorus from a great old Carter Family song. That classic song encouraged a focus on the positive. Yes, there are rain clouds in life, and it rains. However, if all you think about is how much you hate cold weather, you’ll never leave enough time to…
