CD and DVD reviews
There is nothing ‘Pseudonymous’ about this group that calls themselves Whitewater Ramble because what I’m hearing is 100 % legit music that is super original. Whitewater Ramble resides in Colorado and was named one of Denver Westwood’s Top 10 Colorado Bluegrass Bands for 2018. If you’re thinking this is your typical bluegrass band then think…
Sabiine is knocking it out of the box with her latest release titled “On My Mind”. The 23 year old singer/songwriter from Atlanta has a single on her hands that is just screaming for Pop radio! I promise you that “On My Mind” will get stuck in your head for days to come! “On My…
You can’t beat a good pun. Unless it’s a good tune. Thankfully Darren Michael Boyd has a way with both. Just where The Earth is B Flat fits in to rock and roll’s big picture is anyone’s guess; part classic rock, part progressive technicality, all instrumental and totally mind-expanding. Music, even something as established as…
It’s hard to believe that this young artist is about to release her third album with her debut release coming out when she was only 13 years old! Erin Coburn is a real force and firecracker that is ready to explode onto the music scene. Her latest single, “Fast Paced & Freakish”, is the perfect…
Gently rising from the dark silence that precludes the start of any great album, we find an emotionally-charged string melody beginning to take shape in “I Can Still Make Cheyenne” that instantly clues us into the chill-inducing tonality that is about to come pouring out of the speakers just moments from now in Little Bit of…
Out of a haze of synth melodicism, a pulsating beat comes into focus riding a riptide of a rhythm that will form the bedrock of WARCRIES’ “Run for the Hills,” their first single of 2020, but as we sink deeper into the track, it becomes obvious that potent grooves are but a single gem in…
A strong message of camaraderie and freedom runs though Matt Westin’s latest release. From soldiers in the field to bikers on the open road, fire fighters to old school outlaws, it was, is and always will be all about brotherhood or sisterhood, just call it solidarity or looking out for your fellow man, Hey Bro…
Smooth B is a hip-hop musician from the original-school “Boogie Down” Bronx, NYC, birthplace of the sound. Perhaps best known as one half of famous rap duo “Nice & Smooth” alongside Greg Nice, Smooth has been variously represented by the Fresh Records, Rush Associated, Columbia, and Street Life record labels. Punchy, direct, and backed by…
It’s odd that so much music made under the umbrella label of country is actually about the urban experience. Songs about the working man, the flag, the lights of Nashville, faithful dogs and reliable pick up trucks abound but less often are the songs actually about their namesake. The country…small c. Thanks to The Flat…
In her debut single “Show Me You,” self-described neo-soul/intellectual pop singer/songwriter Dynamyte doesn’t waste a second in getting her audience wrapped around a swanky, R&B-style groove for what will ultimately become a three-minute anthem of amalgamative aesthetics, and more prominently, bold hybrid harmonies. Right from the get-go, we’re enraptured by a slickly-produced drumbeat colorized by…
In the six-song self-titled EP from Sour Widows, the band’s growth is felt from one song to the next. Supposing the goal of every band or artist is to achieve a connection, an emotional reaction with a listener, then Sour Widows have done more than what is expected from them. To describe their sound as…
Watch out Country music world because Brei Carter is “Smiling” her way into the spotlight! Born in Monroe, Louisiana, this Southern belle has a brand new single that is sure to put a smile on your face. This singer/songwriter has a presence about her and on her latest song, “Smiling”, she is letting everyone know…
One Dime Band embraces a modern take on the blues with the giddy “Hoodoo & Holy Water”. Sung with true fire the whole of the album has a massive, all-consuming tact to them. By embracing such an incredible swinging rhythm, the collection positively teems with life. Instrumentally rich they incorporate a wide variety of sounds…
Frances Ancheta is a Filipina singer from the Bay Area. The sound on her album Hidden Gems is best described as folk music, as it’s mostly little more than acoustic instrumentation and vocals. Ancheta is quite the gentle singer. In addition to folk strains, one can also hear touches of dream pop in her overall…
It’s not uncommon for rock performers to sing about how they were born to rock. In Erin Coburn’s case, though, this is literally true. She was performing at open mic nights at only seven. She wasn’t just there to look cute, either, but was playing guitar and singing at the same time. She created her…
When taking in an eclectic instrumental compilation like Magic Corporate Ride, a 17-song treasure chest of tonality and expressive melodicism featuring Ron Verboom’s “First in Class,” Gregory Tan’s “Take Flight,” Tim Tully’s string-powered “Wonderful Splendor” and the lushly elegant “So Shall It Be” by Timothy Juliano, it’s important to stop everything else going on in the…
While listening to Paul Childers’ “I’ve Got You” you can feel his smile. He’s just that positive energy, that melody you need in your life. Childers’ newest track is from his robust album Secondary Colors. Feeling good and hitting all the sweet, jazzy notes is indeed becoming secondary nature to Childers’ listeners. URL: https://www.paulchildersmusic.com/ “I’ve…
Richard Lynch delves into a loving, tender moment of growing up with “Back In 1953”. A wonderful remembrance of his father, the lyrics have a tremendous poignancy to them. His voice emphasizes a gentle disposition one that expresses a sincere gratefulness. By allowing the work to simply move along at its own pace everything about…
Ed Roman delivers a classic rock spirit on the powerful “Stronger”. With a glowing organ swell, the track careens with a gleeful abandon. The lyrics have a tremendous sense of optimism, one that informs the entirety of the piece. His voice has an earnestness to it. Percussion helps to propel the whole thing forward with…
Bill Abernathy sings from a life of experience on the country-folk of “Crossing Willow Creek”. Utilizing a painterly approach to songwriting the impressionistic quality of the album works wonders. Rather dreamy the hyper detailed narratives add to the fully lived-in quality of the works. Stylistically grounded in a rustic Americana, Bill Abernathy draws heavily from…
An angry strum of the guitar wakes up the implied beat in “Keep On Fighting” like almost nothing else could as we listen in on the opening bars of Jonathan Emile’s fourth studio album, Spaces-in-Between. It doesn’t take very long for Emile’s honeysweet vocal to find its way into the fold and strike up a harmony…
Dubgee has a lot on his mind and the ‘Truth’ is that there is not a shred of phoniness present. Dubgee raps with a purpose and he is not playin’ around on the new release. The rapper/producer hails from Vancouver, Canada and has a hat trick of his own with ‘Truth’. It’s worth mentioning that…
Juan Sanchez is a multi-talented composer, pianist and music producer from Barcelona, Spain who is rejuvenated with a brand new release titled ‘Rebirth’. This new album contains nine, carefully-constructed compositions that includes elements of: Neo-Classical, Ambient and New Age piano music. The beauty here is that each single on ‘Rebirth’ was recorded at a different…
Ashley Puckett goes for a gritty southern rock charm on the commanding “Bulletproof”. Everything about it goes for the jugular from the intense rage of the riffs to the unending driving rhythm. By far the high point of the entire thing comes from Ashley’s fiery vocals. Done with the greatest level of intensity the lyrics…
Colossal rifts and righteous indignation reign supreme over Candlelight Chaos stately “Crush Of Innocence”. Incredible aggression rules over the whole of the track from the intense buzz of the guitars to the sheer force of nature that are those pounding drums. Vocals have a triumphant, defiant air to them. Rising above the din with such…
At the song’s start – the opening piano keys thrust the listener into a bit of a time warp. It’s when Josh Christina sings that first note that you know you’re about to hear something special. You’re about to hear the story of someone’s life, note by note, word for word. Christina invites you along…
Hypnotic but not deliberately ambient in nature, the guitars that we hear in tracks like “Faithful Mistress,” “The World is Not Your Oyster,” “The Meriwether Pull” and “Must Be the World” (including in its brilliant music video), all of which can be found on the new record from Thomas Charlie Pedersen titled Daylight Saving Hours, are…
Sky Orchid comes storming out of the gates with an explosive new video/single titled “I Am On Fire”, Sky Orchid brings an electrifying energy to this production that can’t be contained or extinguished. The musical flames are set in motion on the fresh, new release and I would have to say “I Am On Fire”…
If you’re looking for a well-versed singer/songwriter with thoughtful, finely-constructed compositions, then Bill Curreri and ‘Hard Road Home’ are your ticket! This highly anticipated record is set to be released on March 01, 2020 and I, for one, am psyched! ‘Hard Road Home’ is the third album for Bill Curreri and one of his strongest…
Brittan Church is not from England, and not – at least not obviously – religious. Instead, he is a scratchy-voice singer. “Dirty Little Thing” doesn’t just share a sandpaper-rough lead vocal with AC/DC, but also has a title that would make Angus Young proud. The track begins with a rollicking electric guitar chord groove. Church…
When it comes to classical flute music, there aren’t many artists in the genre getting as much buzz as Patricia Lazzara is lately – and for good reason. Her collaborative album with Steve Markoff, Timeless – Hits of Love and Hope from Pop, Rock & Soft Rock, has been getting a lot of hype in the…
A palm-muted acoustic guitar riff slowly claws away at the darkness that precedes the opening verses of “Humming Bird,” one of the songs you’ll find on the new record from Andy Michaels, Incendiary Heart, and as it comes into focus alongside a midrange-heavy vocal from Michaels himself, the haunting harmony that ensues is hard to forget…
The latest single “Hasan” from Schaus’ album Grinding continues exploring how Scott Schaus has expanded his songwriting talents since the release of its predecessor Quite Okay. His idiosyncratic brand of bedroom pop has no clear antecedent in the modern indie music scene but nonetheless proves accessible to any attentive listener. The Pacific Northwest based songwriter/musician oversaw each aspect…
Framing Hanley, a five-piece band from Nashville, TN, share’s little in common with Music City’s country music monopoly. Instead this band plays rock and roll, with a touch of emo. Envy is the act’s fourth album, and it’s an emotionally charged effort. Kenneth Nixon is the group’s lead vocalist, and he’s joined by two guitarists…
DJ NIK:11 delivers a colossal sound on the jubilant “Kickback”. A modern mix of house influences from electro to tech house intermingle with such ease. The groove proves to be absolutely infectious for it demands to be played as loudly as possible. Physical to its very core even the sound conjures up images of sweaty…
A lush late-night swagger runs through Gary Palmer’s “Chicago By Morning Remix”. The blend of jazz, funk, and electro opts for a truly luxurious atmosphere. By going for such a unique approach Palmer’s take feels akin to Telefon Tel Aviv. Layer upon layer of sound is applied in a pitch perfect way. Evolution of the…
You have yourself a real songstress here with a poet’s mindset and high-caliber material! Alpha Cat is her name and “Mockingbird” is her game that she performs flawlessly. The new single is full of colorful and vibrant notes showcasing Alpha Cat as a real-life “Mockingbird”. Alpha Cat is Elizabeth McCullough and her music lies within…
Dirt Track Racer is coming quick out of the gates with their latest release ‘Something’s Gotta Give’. Referred to as “music to feed your mind and move your feet”, I couldn’t agree more with that sentiment. Dirt Track Racer has created music that will make you stop and contemplate while also wanting to get down…
Molly & The Krells is a quartet from Sydney, Australia, and even though the act features seemingly a girl’s name in its moniker, all four members are actually guys. The group plays what can best be described as punk-inspired pop music. (Or is it the other way around?) Whatever, the case, “What Went Wrong” is…
Rev Peter Unger embraces a full-band sound on the lovely country chamber pop of “My Reunion with You”. With an arrangement that recalls Kurt Wagner’s “Lambchop” there is a great sense of beauty imbued within the lyrics. A reflective disposition rests front and center of the entirety of the track. His powerful voice ties it…
