CD and DVD reviews
It’s been a good year for bluegrass fans all-around, but if you’re particularly interested in the independent beat the genre has to offer, 2020 has been a watershed of epic proportions. Faces both old and new have been coming out of the woodwork and toppling some of the high bars set by their competitors in…
Calling this new release by Partington & Sweeney a throwback album would be an understatement to say the least. Reason being is because this eclectic duo has decided to travel all the way back to the 19th and 20th centuries in America. Their latest album titled ‘Commonplaces’ focuses on the immigrants, farmers and factory workers…
Richard Lynch offers a timely piece of Americana with the powerful “He’ll Make Everything Alright”. Done with the greatest level of care the stately essence of the track is a sheer force of nature propelled forward by a belief in what’s right. Nicely capturing the chaos of this moment in time it looks for something…
Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcap sings a song of fire and passion on the deeply felt “Just Like Xmas (Love Is War)”. Keeping things to the essentials his lyricism has a poetry to it sprawling out into beautiful illusions. Intimate to its very core he lets the guitar sing alongside him, going for an…
Female singer/songwriters are taking charge of a new movement in American pop music right now, and whether we’re looking at the underground or the mainstream, their influence is just about impossible to ignore. Trying to find a place in the hierarchy of independent players this fall is none other than Boston upstart Leni Black, whose…
Michael Cleary is a talented artist who has been playing with his Michael Cleary Band for close to 30 years. During that time span, Michael Cleary Band has released six highly acclaimed albums but now it is time for Michael Cleary to spread his wings a little and find his own way. ‘Last Man Standing’…
D2UR captures the emotional toll of the pandemic on the lives of millions with “Slippin Away”. Sung with such earnestness the way that the track incorporates such a wide swath of styles feels outright gorgeous. Country rock, the blues, and pop blend together into a singular whole. By far the true heart of the piece…
John Vento delivers a wild sermon about the state of America on the soulful “America (The Saints Come Marching Home)”. Tapping into the spirit of the politically charged folk of the 60s, he incorporates something truly profound within the piece. Lyrics speak truth to power as he sings with an incredible fiery passion. Every single…
With a delightfully tongue-in-cheek take on the holidays, See Your Shadows represents the playful side of country with “Christmas on Cellblock 9”. Original country focused on a rebellious spirit one that could not be tapered down and See Your Shadow delivers on that promise. Lyrics incorporate a great deal of humor for their storytelling shows…
Slipping out of the silence like a fleeting whisper in the autumn wind, the title track in Affirmation Day, the new album from singer/songwriter Jake Allen, begins to carry us away with its dreamy strings. There’s a sense of unreal indulgence in the air as Allen begins to sing, but it’s ironic as there aren’t…
A simple guitar chord riff opens Jason Chaffee’s single “River to Row.” Shortly thereafter, acoustic piano chimes in. “I don’t belong,” Chaffee informs us, “walking down the wayside/Wasting all of this life/Swimmin’ in a riptide.” This is a downer way to begin singing a song, no question about it. Nevertheless, these relatively depressed words are,…
A pure shot of adrenaline, the Little Wretches’ “The Ballad of Johnny Blowtorch (Ambridge Version)” races forward at a blistering pace. The volume demands to be played at maximum volume for it is an intense piece. Sounding like an instant classic the production has a flawless, gritty take to it which accurately captures its visceral…
In an exotic amalgamation of strings that come ripping through the silence as though all life depended on the sharpness of its melody, Ricky Comeaux’s “Theme from Kiss of the Spider Woman” doesn’t dillydally about before getting right into the guts of its powerful elegance – it jumps right into the heat of battle and whisks us away…
Over a relatively mechanical beat, Cody Lee helps explain today’s so-called new norms with his single “New Normal.” The track is taken from his album Woodpecker Crisis, and it’s a strong piece of music. With a few more soulful aural elements, “New Normal” might have even passed for a disco song. It’s far more stripped…
Harrison Avery aka DJ Hello loves all types of music from A-Z and pretty much everything under the sun. His latest EP, ‘Hello’, focuses on the wonderful world of electronica with elements of dance, EDM and dubstep along with other styles of digitized music. The listener will hear DJ Hello honing in on his craft…
Ashleigh Still delivers a deeply felt message on the defiant “Not Fuckin’ Around”. From the gentle grace of the guitar to the slight nods to dub, there is a quiet celebratory triumph that radiates throughout. Bass perfectly lifts the sheer strength of her vocals emphasizing her carefully chosen lyricism. The pastoral ode of Lydia Liza’s…
Stephen Jacques’ single, “When I Fell In Love With You,” is taken from his album Charmed to Death. On it, he was helped by multi-instrumentalist and producer, Alan Weatherhead, who has worked with such artists as The Cardigans, Sparklehorse and Cracker. This song’s sound features more of a resemblance to Cracker and Sparklehorse’s roughnecked Americana,…
Emcee Monte taps into hip-hop’s roots on the powerful “I’m So Black”. Lyrics are delivered with such a swaggering confidence for they hit hard. A positivity runs through the whole of the track for Emcee Monte has a razor-sharp focus on the present. Word choice is done with so much care and consideration. Words tie…
Terrill Williams delivers a soulful blend of R&B on the lovely “Better Than That”. Honeyed vocals lead the way for they are full of so much kindness. Instrumentally rich the whole of the track absolutely bounces with such joy. A sense of optimism reigns supreme for her verses are ones of rising above the basest…
A questioning attitude drives Bill Abernathy’s thought-provoking “More Than Meets The Eye”. Cutting through propaganda he encourages people to see beyond the surface-level truths for deeper meaning. The message at times touches upon the Matrix perception of reality of taking the red pill to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Rather than be blissfully…
The gorgeous exploration of a day in the life David Arn finds the poetry of the everyday in “Mother’s Day – The Mother’s Tale (feat. Ava Hart)”. Fragile with its delicate melody, the way the beauty is brought out happens with the utmost of care. Classical and folk intermingle in a dreamy way. Guitar and…
Rattling to life with a vitality that is rather grim for being the primary source of life gushing through the groove, “When the Devil Rides with Me” doesn’t force its subtle melancholy upon us with any sort of urgency – instead, it lets singer/songwriter Sébastien Lacombe unfurl the moodiness in the music from behind the…
Paul Mark & The Van Dorens – “December At The P.O.” is a single for the holidays, culled from the latest album – Gravity, and even though I have heard this album it didn’t dawn on me that I would be reviewing the last track on the album by the end of 2020. “December At…
Have you ever noticed how musicians are so quick to tell you everything they know? It’s almost as though they only have around three short minutes to bowl you over with their knowledge, so they just have to get to it – and fast. Of course, many artists only think they know it all, kind…
Jim Stanard is a talented singer/songwriter who has a knack for storytelling as you will hear when you listen to his new album titled ‘Color Outside The Lines’. This is Jim’s second album with his debut release coming back in 2018 with ‘Bucket List’. Jim proves that he is a true wordsmith on ‘Color Outside…
An earnest, honest ode from the heart Shayne Cook sculpts a slice of Americana on the timeless “Matters of the Heart”. Chamber pop, folk, and country effortlessly blend together to create a stream of consciousness quality to it. The richness of the sound further extenuates the gentle disposition of his voice. With honeyed vocals that…
Kandy Apple Redd (KAR) drops their Isotopia Records debut with a new sexy sound on “Do Things”. A sultry sensual sound rises above from Kandy Apple Redd’s silky smooth “Do Things”. Everything about the track feels charged with an intense energy. Layer upon layer is filtered into the mix giving it a lush, luxurious tenor.…
Ione’s new single provides throwback dreamy RnB with a modern flair that’s sure to have you belting out the lyrics at home. ‘Loved by You’, Ione’s latest musical offering, serves up some warming 90s pop vibes with crystal clear vocals and catchy songwriting. Self-penned and produced by Tone Jonez with assistance by Gavin Holligan the…
LoungeZotica 3000’s offers a tasteful surf-rock soaked rendition of “The Munsters” theme. They channel the energy of the great Dick Dale while the guitar work weaves itself together into something truly invigorating. Rhythms opt for a taut, driving pulse thanks in large part to the impeccable bass work. Wayne Olivieri delivers a wry piece of…
Uncle Tadashi & Da Boyz go with a timeless funky hip-hop sound on the celebratory “Clap Beat”. The liveliness of the piece makes it feel so outright physical for it virtually demands participation. Incredibly infectious the groove is a tight one as it brings together handclaps and foot stomps in a way that has a…
Confidence can make or break any album, and in Marc Miner’s debut offering Smile When You’re Wasted, it’s the catalyst for some of the record’s most profound moments, such as the otherwise poetically heart-wrenching “Nothing Good Bout the Way I Live” and uncompromisingly rocking “Border Town Bar.” Miner doesn’t want to run with any particular crowd…
I’ve had the pleasure to work with Les Fradkin numerous times in the past and I have yet to be disappointed with his material. Les is an award-winning songwriter/composer, highly-skilled guitarist and a pioneer of MIDI guitar. The 21st Century “New Media” artist is a man of many layers and has continued to peel away…
It doesn’t take much to get a hold of the melody and the vice grip Leo Sawikin has on the listener in his debut solo song, “Golden Days”. Sawikin, who also sings in the alternative rock band, The Chordaes (out of NYC), doesn’t hold back his emotions or true thoughts in the wistful hit. Composed…
“My world is love / My world is peace / My world is lovin’ me for me” croons a confident Linda Imperial in the swinging chorus of her new single “I Found Me,” currently out and digitally available everywhere smart indie blues-rock is sold and streamed. Imperial has built much of her extensive career off…
Chicago’s own Misha Swain is coming out swinging on the mic with her latest release titled ‘She’. The new EP features 8 blazing tracks that highlights Misha in a dominating fashion. This savvy rapper proves that she can own the stage and rhyme with the best of them on ‘She’. Misha Swain worked with Grammy-nominated…
The Pierce Project’s Songs for Emi swings widely back and forth between extreme emotions. Although the album opens with the emotionally deep “Hi Emylia,” it’s followed by “Oh Banana,” which is a kind of ode to that elongated yellow fruit. Like a lot of songs on this full-length, this latter song prominently features acoustic piano.…
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Sophie Dorsten is: BIG VOICE! This young artist from the Phoenix, Arizona area can sing with the best of them proving that she has the chops to go a long way in the music business. I honestly think that Sophie could sing the alphabet…
Get ready to light the candles and crack open the bubbly as Ayeasha serves up the main course with her latest single, “Old Fashion Romance”. This California, soul singer delivers a heated performance with her new song. “Old Fashion Romance” will pull you in and provide one enjoyable listening experience from beginning to end. “Old…
Captain Mike is Mike Goldberg, and he goes under the name of Captain Mike &The Totems. The act’s single is titled “Far to Go,” and the video for it finds Mike dressed as a cowboy. In fact, the video even sports a storyline. It begins with Western-looking writing that says: “Bounty hunters, “Woodrow Dibbs and…
Rolling out of the darkness with a rollicking string groove that immediately invites memories of listening to Bad Company on a late summer afternoon, there’s undeniably a classic rock energy to the groove we first hear in the opening bars of Winchester Revival’s new single “Rock in My Soul.” Although steeped in a strain of…
