CD and DVD reviews
MRIZ has released the song “Freakshow”. The song appears on the album “Chimera”, which will be released on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. The song crosses many genres, and deserves a listen from fans of pop, rock, indie, and alternative music, as well as people who judge songs off of catchy instrumentation. STREAMING: https://open.spotify.com/track/0jGBzLmNWQNIpNGc1uEeCo & https://mriz.bandcamp.com/album/freakshow-single…
Blind Uncle Harry is Bloomington, Indiana singer-songwriter Chris ‘Harry’ Doran’s stage name. According to Doran’s biography, he does have a great uncle Harry, who is blind. His band describes its music as “hillbilly hippie shreddin’ folk rock.” The album, The Gospel According to Blind Uncle Harry, is just that – a stylistic melting pot. The…
As a fan of real hip-hop growing up, I think back to the Golden Age of hip-hop when old-school rap reigned supreme. Jumping ahead to 2020 and I have to say that I am heavily disappointed with the mainstream rap scene overall. Too many generic, copy-cat artists being pumped out and promoted to the public…
[English] – The role of artists has been vital during this time of confinement and loneliness that COVID-19 has caused. Many musicians have been working hard to give very good music to their followers. Some, like Gareth Koch, have also taken the path of honor to medical professionals around the world. That’s why we are…
Get ready to have your ears blown away by the sheer strength of Sophie Dorsten’s voice box! This teenage singer/songwriter from the Phoenix, Arizona area may be young, but her singing and songwriting abilities exhibit extreme maturity. I was lucky enough to review Sophie’s previous singles, “Roses” & “Growing”, and now I am blessed to…
Hip hop artist Eddy P brings his A-game with his latest independent release – a five-track EP. Well known in the Seattle hip hop community, these tracks are the perfect chance for him to grab a larger audience. Songs like “Snowglobe” and “They Need Me” are riveting and great chances for new listeners to become…
Midwest Rhythm Exchange features acoustic instrumentation (standup bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin and fiddle), which combine to create what this quartet terms ‘gypsy grass.’ Yes, its self-titled album includes plenty of traditional bluegrass elements, yet with a gypsy folk music attitude. The act’s name, featuring the two words “Midwest” and “Rhythm,” suggests there exists some sort…
Art Tawanghar’s “Divine Addiction” features vocalist Shahin Rashidi, who is described on its YouTube video for it as an “World/Middle Eastern/EDM/Folk/Electronics/DownTempo/Trap/Chillout/New Age/Jazz Fusion Composer/Singer/Producer.” Now that’s a lot of hyphens! This ‘divine addiction’ song was (at least partially) inspired by a Rumi poem, which states in part: “Because of your love I have lost my…
Crafty’s single, “Wonder Why,” is taken from the appropriately titled One Sugar EP. Appropriate, because this is such a sweet song, with sweet being a primary component in bubblegum rock. Kicking off with a touch of beautifully bitter guitar feedback, the song’s sugar rush than quickly kicks in, intensely. Next up is an aggressive, power-pop…
Sean Hobbes’ single, “They Never Told You,” is an atmospheric ballad. Yes, it’s a type of piano ballad, but it’s more than just that. It opens with what sounds a little like wind sound effects, before the piano part kicks in. Hobbes sings this lyric with a soulful vocal that sometimes resembles Stevie Wonder. Although…
Shallow Side offer a stripped down, soulful take on Bob Seger’s classic “Turn the Page”. Proving to be a timely cover, the way the piece unfurls grants it a unique grace. The whole of the track opts for an intimate quality. Forgoing electric guitar and drums, the whole of the weight relies upon a spares…
Right off the bat I am hit with a powerful portrait of a Native American on the cover of this album, which gives off a very strong presence. Ken Dunn certainly matches the intensity of the mighty yet peaceful warrior depicted on the cover with easy-breezy, thought-provoking tunes. ‘Ashes In The Morning’ is Ken Dunn’s…
[English] In the attempt to continue his musical trajectory, the singer and producer Taouil launches this spring his latest single “Last Night”. A song that reaffirms his marked artistic projection, in the environment of the commercial music, characterized by a romantic style that, although promotes a visual juvenile design, moves aside the musical tendencies of…
Unsettling pulsations enter the mix from all angles. Together, they cast a shadow over any strands of melodicism that are swelling beneath the surface of their heartbeat-like rhythm. The tones are eclectic and unsubtly menacing, but we as listeners are given no other option than to get lost in the trance they’re creating. This is…
This project’s single, “Gimmie What It’s Worth,” which is a smartly mashed up combination of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimmie Shelter” and Buffalo Springfield’s “What It’s Worth,” might lead you to believe that the project it’s attached to, Faux Pas, is also more of that same protest music. It’s not. In fact, except for that lead-off…
[English] In the middle of the worldwide uncertainty and all the political, economic and social dilemmas, Black Note Graffiti launches a new call to rebellion. This group surprises their followers with “Fallacy”, the first single from their third musical production Volume III Fall/Rise. Black Note Graffiti marks the Apocalypses of our reality, showing desires of…
Rock music’s brightest new artists have never been quite as hard to categorize by subgenre as they are right now, and that’s certainly true when analyzing the new single from Lily Vakili Band, “Facial Recognition Technology.” A product of alternative rock’s cutting lyrical prism but untethered to most any of the style’s modern efficiencies, this…
Devon Worley Band has released the album “Teatime for Thieves”. The album features five songs: “Black River Magic”, “No Fool”, “Broken Record”, “Leave Me Slow”, and “Wytch Hunt”. Any listeners who enjoy classic rock, modern rock, and modern country music should give this album a listen. “Teatime for Thieves” begins with the song “Black River…
Country music today is taking on a new dimension as artistes are not afraid to push the boundaries of sounds as we know it. Devon Worley Band is at the forefront of the musical revolution of country music, led by Devon Worley, a native of Minnesota. The band has been together for a number of…
There’s plenty of rock music to listen to today but the moment “Goodbye” opens, you can feel the vibe deep in your soul. The rock band is led by Travis James who also writes all the songs by the band and plays several instruments. The group, though relatively new, have already received critical acclaim from…
A gorgeous blend of the traditional and modern, Masa Takumi crafts a vivid universe with “Heritage”. Such a crisp sound every single element is given plenty of room to breathe. Instrumentally he incorporates a wide variety of sounds into the mix. Though full and completely bewildering to behold, he knows the art of balance. Such…
ILYAH’s new single “Habibi” carries on the work he’s established in recent history with earlier singles. It’s the latest mile marker in a trip that’s taken the Boston based Moroccan performer from his status as a fledgling YouTube poster with a small but rabid fan base to one of the most promising talents working in…
Nelson Sobral is most certainly musically-inclined and musically involved coming up with ear-catching material as a solo artist. Nelson is also a co-writer and guitarist for rock and roll band The Celebration Army, plays lead guitar for soul/R&B singer/songwriter Jeremy Voltz and plays bass for singer/songwriter Mattie Leon. When playing live, Nelson’s band goes by…
“She is Everything,” the song Élan Noelle sings with Art Tawanghar, is a lament. Sung over a slow, quiet musical bed, Noelle vocalizes about how a walk outside once brought her joy. Now, this same act brings her nothing but pain, instead. It’s a strikingly sad ballad, but it is also an effectively informative lyric,…
I have a long history with Rhett May and have to be honest when I say if I was to give away an award for Most Improved Artist Over Time, this musical trendsetter would take the grand prize! It has been an amazing journey for Rhett May thus far and I am proud to say…
Art Tawanghar was inspired by Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” when creating this recording of “Adagio in GM.” Just as Beethoven created “Moonlight Sonata” while experiencing a lot of emotional pain, so to was Tawanghar experiencing similar, if not the same, pain while tracking this piece. He has written how circumstances necessitated he separate himself from his…
There’s a line in the song “Forgiver” from the alt rock band Dendrons that says “consumes”. For many, the act of forgiving and wanting forgiveness can be a relentless need. Filling every thought, every action, Dendrons’ newest release is a choreographed wall of sound that protects the vulnerability of forgiving. It’s a rock/punk-laced track that…
When Art Tawanghar refers to “she” as “everything,” he is referring to a mother, specifically Mother Earth. It’s his musical response to “the cracking sound of suffering bees smelling the burning fires of the beautiful rainforests.” It’s also a call to action. “Let’s all come together and raise our vibrations. Help mother EARTH the only…
A sense of community defines the cheery optimism of Wayne Olivieri’s “We’re In This Together”. Sung with such passion and honestly, the whole of the work has a defiant hopeful quality. Classic rock to its very core there is a timelessness to it. His voice has a warm, reassuring presence to it which is featured…
No Small Matter calls itself an alternative rock band from the South Shore of Massachusetts. Its single, “Eyes Open,” opens with a weird sounding vocal intro that sounds a little bit like The Cars’ “Hello Again” opening salvo. However, this is where the group’s comparison to that other Massachusetts band begins and ends. Whereas The…
Bray Gurnari, leader of San Francisco’s Bray & The Dens, has been described as one who creates music with “Bowie-esque hooks.” However, “I Guess I’m Changin’,” a single from his act’s forthcoming Stingray album, doesn’t put off too many Thin White Duke-lique vibes. Instead, it’s a relatively straight forward pop tune. The track begins gently…
“I feel cold without your bliss / Feelings lost, feelings cost a lot” sings Sébastien Lacombe in the company of a surreal string harmony in the foreground of his new single “Gold in Your Soul,” out everywhere indie music is sold and streamed this spring, and with his words comes a flood of emotional subtext…
There’s a music competition every other year and each one gives one participant a chance to change their lives and make music for a larger audience. Lukas Rossi found his chance in the CBS Television reality show called Rock Star: Supernova. The audition led to Lukas becoming the face of the Rock Star Supernova Band.…
As a solely instrumental track, Church Music is a wild ride. It starts off simple enough with a tame tempo. This, I think, reflects effortlessly on the title. Church is something quiet, understanding, and calm. But as the song continues, you can feel the energy heighten as the music speeds up and becomes much more…
Motel Room is a high energy jam. Kiss the Tiger’s vocals have a similar style to another band called the Regrettes and I am all for it. There are not nearly enough groups or singers who venture into this kind of territory. While it isn’t an intense track, it doesn’t need to be. It’s fun…
Italian singer/songwriter Claudio Conti weaves together his unique stamp of 60s psychedelia with modern electronica in the 11-track album Frail Boats. Supposing these songs are about his time spent in Chicago, Los Angeles and London, the culmination of Conti’s life journey is certainly ripe with his observances on human nature and more. Conti’s nurturing vocals…
Tomorrow is a somber tune. It reeks of a simple kind of maturity that can really resonate through the vocals and lyrics. The tempo is steady and builds slightly, only to be returned by Sophie Dorsten’s powerful voice. She truly has an amazing talent. It’s filled to the brim with emotion and that adds so…
Gestalt is an act that creates instrumental music. Just what style of music this group creates, however, is up for a debate. This is because a bevy of styles get thrown together, and Gestalt can be many different groups, depending upon which particular track you’re listening to. With that said, though, no matter the flavor,…
Optimism and faith come to the forefront on Peace Spirits’ soothing “Oh God”. Everything about it shimmers and shines. Production goes for a glowing, angelic hue. Instrumentally rich the satisfying drones wash over the listener. Elements of pop inform the dreamlike world that takes shape. Nods to Beach House appear through, for like that group,…
Austin Carson is an artist that goes by the name YYY, and Aquadungeonafterdark is an album filled with music that’s impossible to define as just one specific genre. The track on this wide-ranging 10-song collection that grabs your attention first is “Waste.” It’s a psychedelic little creation that audaciously borrows a melodic line from the…
