CD and DVD reviews
Alex Price is from Ontario, Canada, but if his single is true to life (which he says it is), he needed to go all the way to Los Angeles to finally fall in love. He explains how the song was inspired by his first trip to Los Angeles. He’d been playing a guitar riff over…
Matty Marz says his single, “Mine!,” took a full three years to create. That sounds more like Steely Dan, which also took that long – but to create full albums! He describes the song’s lyrics to be about “a blossoming relationship.” Let’s hope that relationship didn’t take three entire years to blossom, as well. The…
Ryan Todd Garza’s single, “These Arms of Mine,” is taken from his album Ekam. The song is a soft and gentle recording, featuring Garza’s tender singing voice, which is placed atop acoustic guitar and accompanied by supporting violin. The track also includes organ running through it. It’s a pretty, if extremely sad, song. The album’s…
The first few seconds of “Transmission” by Hemisphere sounds like the beginning to Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” It has the pop sheen that Springsteen created in the ‘80s while taking a break from the E Street Band. However, after an extended synthesizer part, the vocal kicks in – and it’s not at all…
One can easily imagine how fans that miss those early those days of Killers music will take a liking to “Hold Me” by Harbor and Home, off the group’s Hold On To Love album. Vocalist Kaleb Williams sings this love song with a conspicuous quiver in his voice, similar to Brandon Flowers. Even before the…
Frankie Marcos is the founding member of the band Clouds and together, with the help of Grammy & Emmy award-winning jazz artist Arturo Sandoval, have created pure magic on “Oh Havana, When I Think of You”. This song and video captivates the audience with stellar audio and pleasant imagery. Just stop everything you’re doing for…
Maybe you need to be from the Los Angeles area to get this joke, but Velodrone clarifies, “We are not cyclists, but a power trio ROCK BAND in Los Angeles, CA,” on the group’s Facebook page. They’re likely referring to the Olympic Velodrome (entirely different word) in Carson, CA where 1984 Summer Olympics bicycling events…
The effortlessly cool jazz rock fusion of Edward W. Sealey’s “Brighter Than This (Ft. Felton Pilate)” displays a deft understanding of pop dynamics. Chops are abundantly clear throughout as the guitar and keyboard fuse to become one. Without needing to say a single word they forge their own path one that offers rising action with…
CIENFUE’S music has been described as psicodelia tropical, which speaks to the Panamanian region where the man is from. Life in the Tropics is the artist’s first English-Language album, and it’s a jumbo variety-packed release. Latin music has been burning up the pop charts of late. Whereas not all that long ago, it would have…
Get ready for a musical duo that will knock your socks off with their third album titled ‘Shadow of the Cyclone’. Aaron Nathans is a guitarist/songwriter from Philadelphia and Michael G. Ronstadt is a cellist/songwriter based in Cincinnati. Together, these artists have created music that speaks volumes and offers much depth. With 11 songs on…
With a heavy-handed thrust to lead the way, Dan Ashley’s new single “We Stayed Home” comes stomping out of the silence ready to turn any mundane moment into a memorable highlight of the day. While it’s beat is saturated in a poppy swing that doesn’t necessarily match up with the rustic feel of the strings…
Como Asesinar a Felipes is a Chilian band, which is also known by the acronym CAF, and its new single is titled “Hemos Vuelto del Abismo,” which translated means, ‘We have returned from the abyss.’ It’s taken from the group’s album, MMXX, released on October 16. It is also a strangely moody song, too, which…
Under the Gallows revel in a dark brooding series of vignettes on their self-titled debut. Pain, loss, salvation, and searching rest at the center of the entire sound. They deliver these narratives with so much fire and passion. Vocalist Brandon Gallemore opts for a commanding presence for his voice conveys so much anguish with a…
I love music which I can’t quite put my finger on. Music which doesn’t fit neatly into one box or another. That’s why Rodeo is an interesting prospect. It’s not really pop but utilises all of the energy and engaging qualities that pop professes to run on. It isn’t quite rock but employs some of…
The singularly named Taouil has released a single, with the singular title of “Bleed.” It’s a chunky, guitar rock track, which begins with a heavy riff, and then pummels its way through 3:24 of hard rock & roll. Lyrically, this New York-based singer/songwriter begins by stating his impressions of what another is doing to him,…
A cryptic piece of gritty pop, Robert Eberle’s “Why Did I Lose a Friend” is a soulful ballad sung straight from the heart. While framed within a pop context, elements of R&B, hip-hop, and hard rock filter into the mix further lending the proceedings a sense of color. Instrumentally rich it is easy to get…
Pop’s most transcendent players have never been the type to care about the status quo. From Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga and beyond, there aren’t many singers, songwriters or pop producers who haven’t been best described as rebels in their own time, and to some extent, the same goes for young Giadora, whose third single…
Many music fans were wondering what kind of music a pandemic would bring. What would happen with all those creative musicians at home or in the studio, with nothing better to do but be creative? One fruit of this unique situation was Taylor Swift’s relatively introverted Folklore, which may well be her best album to…
Billy Jeter plays and sings deep on “Sins Of Me,” a single from his upcoming release Shineye Landing. And to my surprise it is an easy to swallow master work of sorts, and that is because after researching Jeter as an artist it helped to know more about him to understand where he is really…
EP I, the debut song collection from Smith, Lyle & Moore, is a four-song triumph. A trio with a mix of quirky music beds, fresh harmonies and stylish licks, EP I unravels into a multi-textured mix of Americana, rock and pop. Working their way through tales of Hollywood, the price of popularity, sex and relationships,…
In his new single and music video “She’s so Carefree,” Montreal’s own FrankySelector shows off his diverse musical roots through the majesty of a songcraft that is as indebted to his time in the States as it is the Great White North. With a less than precise sting, he works his way from verse to…
International recording artist Zoe Scott spent the beginning of her career in the entertainment world being on the stage and in films. So it is hardly surprising that when it came to launching her debut Bossa Nova record ‘Shades Of Love’ the visual element would become equally important as the music. The first single from…
Spotty Coverage is a collection of cover versions, hence the humorous title. It’s not, however, the sort of covers album where the listener may say to himself/herself, ‘Aha, I now know exactly what his record collection looks like!’ No, instead, it’s the sort of covers release made up of songs Christmas likes, no matter the…
Eddy says his album Pray On was inspired by the Bible verse, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which reads, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” If your idea of spiritual music is…
Nick Sumner and the Assistance is a rock trio from New York. These three players are also experienced musicians, having frequented some of the city’s biggest venues and highest profile gigs. “Look Out Below” is this act’s striking new single. The song begins with far off drumming, which echoes throughout the track’s intro, before the…
Russ Still and The Moonshiners hit a country music home run out of the park on “It Ain’t Me,” and I haven’t heard of them until now. It was a case of; where has Russ Still been all this time, and since that was the case for me it’s also a chance to catch up…
P Bailey’s strong, heartfelt vocals radiate with a crystal clarity on “Change the World EP”. A colorful blend of R&B, pop, and soul blends together into a blissful mix. The way he crafts his work feels highly reminiscent of an updated Motown spirit. Done with such love and care, his lyrics possess a tremendous amount…
If you enjoy the classic folk/folk-rock songs of yesteryear, then you’ll LOVE this new album from Long Island, NY-based trio, Gathering Time. ‘Old Friends’ is composed of 13 reimagined covers of well-known, 60s/70s hits performed brilliantly by Gathering Time. From start to finish, Gathering Time is completely in sync and proves that timeless music never…
Parfait, that French dessert (it’s a French word, after all), is a frozen delicacy created with sugar syrup, egg and cream. This new The Pierce Project single salutes the vanilla flavor of this after-dinner delight, and it’s a light, pretty little tune. Sonically, this track doesn’t sound like anything, say, Cardi B might record. Instead,…
Consistent to the point of feeling a bit robotic (but never plasticized, mind you), the beat we’re circled by in the new song “Please Don’t Ever Let Me Go” from Jupiter in Velvet is as essential to the construction of the track’s mood as any of its rebellious lyrics and the gentle new wave harmony…
Steve Markoff’s alto flute, Patricia Lazzara’s flute, and Allison Brewster Franzetti team to re-interpret Ennio Morricone’s composition “Gabriel’s Oboe”. Culled from Morricone’s score for the 1986 period-piece movie The Mission starring Robert DeNiro, this tribute to the Italian composer’s considerable talents. The pairing of Markoff and Lazzara has been successful before and will continue to do so…
Last Charge Of The Light Horse, a band first formed in 2004, was created as forum for singer/songwriter Jean-Paul Vest’s musical creations. The Sand Reckoner reveals Vest to be quite the creative musical mind. Although it’s difficult to pin just one stylistic label on the music he creates, progressive rock seems to be the closest…
Don Da Menace employs an elegant take on trap and hip-hop with the fully realized world of “Falling Towards Success, Vol. 1”. Luxurious atmospherics radiate throughout the whole of the mix. Samples are teased out in a subtle way for he possesses a tremendous sense of taste throughout. Elements of jazz, classical, and ambient are…
Felton Pilate features a futuristic funk with “We’re Still Here”. Vocals rest in the very center of it all from which all else flows. The arrangement mixes elements of pop, R&B, and a G-funk into a soothing whole. Melodically rich, the lush luxurious soundscape feels inviting. Lyrically they choose their words carefully for maximum impact.…
So much rock & roll is created for the sole purpose of meeting girls. Many of these songs are about girls, and even feature girls’ names in their titles. One might well postulate that there would be no rock & roll without girls. (There would be no human population without women giving birth either, but…
A roots-y piece of Americana emerges out of Richard Lynch’s tender “Cathead Biscuits”. Country, folk, and rock n’ roll comes together in a joyful celebration of childhood. Best of all the vocals have a warm, welcoming presence to them while they unfurl with the utmost of grace. Every single verse is carefully balanced, every word…
Izzie’s Caravan embarks on a wild, playful ride with the freewheeling, free spirited style of “On The Pull”. Here the lyrics are delivered with such the right level of brashness that they are a true joy to behold. Everything about the song is wild from the carefree chaotic energy of the band to the unexpected…
Teddy Wender delivers a bluesy ode to the world with the emotionally charged “Peace Will Come”. Sung with such an earnestness, the track has a timeless, classic take to it. Jazz-rock fusion, the blues, and pop are effortlessly blended into a thought-provoking whole. A force of nature quality runs through the entirety of the piece…
The masks we wear are not always visible. Chilean rock group, Aisles, thrusts the listener into a space of experimental sounds and bountiful light in their song “Smile of Tears”. Brushed up against the ambient tones is new singer Israel Gil’s mesmerizing vocals. Gil’s re-record of the 2009 original, is hauntingly beautiful and the listener…
There is something both wonderfully retro’ yet brilliantly of the here-and-now about this great new track from Jeremy Parsons. Retro’ in that it reminds me, slightly, of that wave of new sounding pop which came flooding through in the wake of punk because of the barriers that had been kicked down. You can almost hear…
