CD and DVD reviews
With Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, Forest Robots (AKA Fran Dominguez) continues its seasonal-themed instrumental series. In the past, Forest Robots has given us Supermoon Moonlight Part I, focused on Spring, and Timberline And Mountain Crest, inspired by summer. With Times When I Know You’ll Watch The Sky, though, Forest Robots zero…
Andrew Neil calls himself a “freak” on the title cut to his new album. However, he’s not nearly as freakish as this song’s lyric implies. Instead, he’s more of a normal guy, with typically normal life issues. In a few places, he sings about human vices. Both “Kentucky Whiskey” and “Drunk Tonight,” for example, address…
2019 has been a banner year for experimentalists like the duo known as Streaking in Tongues, and you needn’t do much more than listen to their new record Oh My Darlin’ to understand why. In songs like “Our Love (Couldn’t Outrun a Train)” and “Wait Wait Wait Wait Wait for Me,” Streaking in Tongues reestablish themselves as…
This new EP by singer/songwriter Emme Lentino is dedicated to the summer months and she adds, “It’s a nostalgic musical journey and I wrote it so that folks traveling on the road this summer would enjoy driving to these tunes!” ‘Summer This, Summer That’ is one HOT EP that is simply on fire, so the…
Through the misty haze of acoustic guitars and synthetic melodies that seem almost divine in nature, we find AV Super Sunshine’s signature grooves at the onset of “Candyland (Dance Party Mix),” one of two versions of a track that has been catching fire this October with fans on both sides of the Atlantic. As most…
Jennifer Hope offers a sweeping, cinematic scope on the intensely emotional “Runnin’ With The Devil”. With a sound that seems to virtually soar into the sky, she effortlessly ties together elements of classical, electronica, even a hint of metal into the mix. The approach recalls the similar sense of impending doom that Chelsea Wolfe utilizes…
Embarking upon a spiritual journey, Rev Peter Unger’s soulful voice shines through on “Selah”. Quiet confidence runs through the entirety of the piece. Sung with a sense of love, his lyrics reflect upon the utmost principles of faith. By ensuring the song retains an intimate approach he makes sure to speak directly to the listener.…
The first time I saw this then unknown ensemble (with everybody doing great solos), was as Boz Scaggs backing band on the Silk Degrees tour. Now, their 40 Trips Around The Sun tour marks the bands 40th anniversary. The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years, but each member of this Toto…
“Never Turn You Down,” a Tony Levitas single, swings and sways to a waltz time signature. The track includes strummed acoustic guitar and tinkling piano. It also features a tasteful electric guitar, which gently nudges the song along, rather that bursting in loudly. This is followed by an equally unobtrusive piano solo. Lyrically, the song…
Admittedly, Twin Lakes’ lead vocalist Robert John Baune and his nasal singing tone, can be an acquired taste. Nevertheless, he sings over some tasty, folkish music beds much of the time, which sweetens sonics significantly. Twin Lakes is at its rarest whenever revving up the rock and roll. “Devil Will Comfort Me” trades acoustic tones…
“Winner of the Losin Game” has one of those ringing electric guitar backings that just gets stuck in your head. It’s a rock song that starts quick, without too much of an initial buildup. The guitar groove is also a lot like one of those fine old Gin Blossoms songs, which is always a winning…
Tony Levitas’ “Never Could Be Wrong” opens ominously, with a swirling keyboard part, before easing into its vocal. There is also a soft percussion section preceding Levitas’ singing, which sounds a bit like a bongo rhythm. The song’s overall groove is propelled by strummed guitar. Lyrically, the track talks about love as a kind of…
Tortured, taut, and tense, A Killer’s Confession goes for the jugular with the ferocious “The Indifference Of Good Men”. Proving to be deft storytellers they possess a tremendous intensity. A hard-hitting sound reminiscent of hard rock greats like Tool and Slipknot, they hold nothing back. Clearly influenced by those bands they manage to create a…
“Misty Mound,” a song with a Led Zeppelin-like title, is a gutsy rock single from West of Corey’s album Slammed. Although new, this rocking number will make classic rock fans’ hearts smile. The song kicks off with an irresistible hard rock guitar riff. Much like many great AC/DC tracks, you’ll likely love this song before…
On “DMLY (Daddy Mi Love You),” the first single from a west coast up and comer who goes by the handle Swigga Geovanni, a thoughtful poetry is merged with a cosmopolitan swing, crunchy bassline and lightly-overdriven synthetics to make a track that is as much a product of experimental dancehall as it is new school…
Mesa Jane’s single begins simply with just piano and vocal. It soon goes into a fairly standard snap track rhythm, underpinning Jane’s acoustic piano. Jane has a pretty voice, although her under-enunciation can sometimes make it difficult to make out exactly what she’s singing here. With that said, though, this is still a pretty tune.…
K-Brown begins his single, “The One,” with the paraphrase of a cliché. “Time only flies,” he reminds us, “when we’re having fun. It’s a simple introduction to a relatively simple song. Simple is not always a bad thing, however. Don’t forget that the Ramones basically played the same simple song over and over throughout their…
The Pierce Project, three brothers making harmonious music together, have released “Time is Absurd (Favorite Song),” a single from the group’s album Last Days of Summer. The song begins with a summer-y keyboard part, before the lead vocal begins. It’s not long after that where a few more voice join in the mix. The song’s…
‘Incendiary Heart’ is the right title for this new album from Andy Michaels because it is exploding with love & compassion. This record is jam-packed with feeling as Andy Michaels covers the entire scale of emotions from A-Z. Immediately, one will be immersed in the richness of the recordings allowing for the listener to be…
Macaco, a band from Barcelona, Spain, has released the video for its single “Blue (Diminuto Planeta Azul).” It’s a fascinating visual, which begins with a look at a beautiful, pregnant woman, as well as a zoom in from outer space — right down to planet Earth. The chorus, to this song (mostly) sung in Spanish,…
Radio Drive’s In The Light hearkens back, in many respects, to early work from The Cars. The songs are endearingly concise, much like The Cars’ debut album. At its best, as on “Moving On,” Radio Drive featuring Kevin Gullickson even sounds like vintage, mid-Sixties Beatles – especially this track’s earworm electric guitar riff. Where In…
Out of the darkness and into the light, the Toronto Tabla Ensemble begin their new single “Dream Symposium” in a haze of disharmonic percussion, a synchronized melody beckoning us into the mudslide of beats without warning us of what might lay on the other side of its thick wall of sound. The drums run head-first…
A stunner of an opening strum officially welcomes us into Yours Truly, Me…’s first song, “Woe Is Me,” and singer/guitar-slinger Alex Lopez will use the next four and a half minutes that follow to show us how powerful a blues melody he can pump out when he gets into a sexy groove with the bass. This…
Ian Bouras has been a fixture on the New York City music scene for almost two decades now and, despite medical problems, shows no signs of slowing down or allowing his creativity to be stifled in any respect. His latest release A Chipmunk’s Interpretation of Space is another instrumental release using guitar looping as the basis for…
The sounds of Canada’s best indie artists have been shaking up the States quite a bit lately, and after listening to the new single from Jeremy Rice, it isn’t difficult for me to understand why at all. Rice has been described by some as one of the premier melodic pop singers in his scene, and…
There are moments during Fred Argir’s No Pushover album where he sounds a bit like the Sam Kinison of rock & roll. You remember comedian Sam Kinison, right? He was funny, just like all great comedians, but he was also one loud screamer. Kinison was the antithesis of Steven Wright, the quiet, monotone Bostonian best…
Fred Argir’s “Beggar’s Anthem,” is a hard charging rock & roll song. It’s slightly harder than the Goo Goo Dolls, and very much Tim era Replacements. If that’s not a fully, hearty recommendation, you probably didn’t grow up listening to 80s alternative rock. If so, pity on you. If you sadly missed the golden era…
If you’re looking for a fun, happy-go-lucky and upbeat album then this won’t be your cup of tea. But, if you’re looking for a raw & somber record that cuts right through then ‘Champagne and Childhood Hunger’ is your ticket. Eric Terino has delivered a haunting performance that will stir up many emotions on the…
Canada’s own Linda McRae releases a new album called ‘Going to the Well’ that is just drenched with heart & soul. This record is soaked with raw emotion as Linda McRae proves she is one dominant singer/songwriter. ‘Going to the Well’ is one you will want to drink in fully because it just offers the…
The husband and wife duo of Brianna and Kurt center their material around their in synch vocals. The instrumental background is used sparingly which is a good thing. Guitar, sax, bass etc. are used more as accents. Willie Dixon’s If The Sea Was Whiskey has vocal arrangements that remind me of some of Three Dog…
The Oklahoma City based quintet One Two Ten draw from acts like Kings of Leon, The Killers, and Walk the Moon to forge their pop rock sound, but their new single “Heathers” proves they are capable of synthesizing those elements into a style, in the end, all their own. The new single, in particular, pulls…
What would happen if you took an iconic country song and turned it into a swinging little Americana number? Well, wonder no more because Alias Wayne has beaten you to the punch with its version of “Ring of Fire.” Taken from the act’s SNAFU album, it is built on many of the elements oftentimes found…
On its Facebook page, The Issue lists “propane and propane accessories” as personal interests. This reference to the animated TV show King of the Hill reveals a sense of humor. However, there isn’t any humor in this Minneapolis, MN band’s single “Moving On.” It’s a hard rock exercise in the letting go of a relationship.…
URL: https://www.sharonliaband.com/news/ Hailing from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, the Sharon Lia Band first coalesced in 2013 anchored by founding member Sharon Lia. The band has enjoyed a sharp uptick in the trajectory of their ascent through the music world in recent years landing a plum supporting slot for indie rock band Lydia, sharing the bill…
“Roses” is taken from Sophie Dorsten’s EP, which is also titled Roses. Dorsten is a sixteen-year-old singer (that’s right; just sixteen), and “Roses” is a moody, acoustic guitar-driven ballad. Dorsten sells it with a precociously lovely voice. Dorsten is a self-described indie/folk singer that calls the Phoenix, AZ area home. If you think sixteen is…
This was a fantastic listen because the recordings are stripped completely down and the project wasn’t some over-the-top, over-produced production full of bells & whistles. Sylvius just lets the piano do all the talking on his new EP titled ‘Here With Me’. The result is refreshing to say the least and the effect it will…
Taken from the album Cranial Matter, this version of the single “Turn It Up” is a Dave Lombardo mix of the Primitive Race’s track. The album Cranial Matter, in fact, is an album comprised of all remixes. The recording begins with moody keyboard sounds, over tribal drumming. The vocal jumps in, low in the mix,…
Vicki F has a long musical history dating back to the 70s and early 80s, but she took a break from the music scene for years. Her new EP titled, ‘Definite Yes!’, is making a loud statement that Vicki F is back and better than ever. This new release proves that Vicki F has not…
2019 has produced a lot of really surreal videos across the pop spectrum, but country pairing The Promised offer music enthusiasts something totally straightforward in the video for their new single “We Could Be In Love” that stands as a breath of fresh air amidst the flow of mostly predictable fodder we’ve seen this season.…
Right away, I am instantly gravitated toward Scheckler Brothers and their recent video/single, “Love You So” because the siblings have a way of pulling you in. “Love You So” is not just a cool music video but also a featured single on the new album titled ‘Magic’. I am lovin’ everything about this song/video from…
