CD and DVD reviews
Perth. Australia’s four piece Scizzorman returns with Schizophonic. It’s their fourth studio release and features nine songs overall divided into two “sides” released in physical format as separate EPs. The first side “Introvert” has four songs while the second side “Outrovert” concludes the project with an additional five tracks. The conceptual trappings of the release are…
We could all use a little pick me up in these cold winter months. The days are growing shorter than the amount of time it took you to get a cold this season, and it’s constantly raining. There is nothing more uplifting and sunshine-filled, though, than the new Kate Lomas track, ‘Happy Like This’. Kate…
West of Corey is a band consisting of Corey, the group’s lead guitarist, bassist West and a female singer Janie. Slammed is an album filled with mainstream (leaning towards classic) hard rock. Corey is a rock veteran, having played in the bands 73 Paces and Slow Burning Car, with a full 30 years of experience.…
Hannan’s “Break Me” begins with a wonderfully aggressive electric guitar groove. Graham Hannan, the band’s lead singer, doesn’t waste any time getting right to his vocal. This, then, is not one of those slow build, grow on you types of songs. The band points to Def Leppard as a musical influence, and you can certainly…
Creating one album is difficult, releasing two EPs can take a toll on most bands but The Pierce Project successfully embraced the challenge and have thrived through it. The Indie-Rock trio of brothers are bringing retro rock to the mainstream once again, reminding us all of why we love that genre of rock so much.…
With a relaxed swing that isn’t lacking in swagger by any stretch of imagination, we find the sexy beats that will form a rhythm in Lexi Todd’s new single and music video “Window Shopping,” but these grooves are just a taste of what’s about to come out of the speakers in the next few minutes…
The Dallas String Quartet present a breathtaking collection of classic Christmas ballads in their latest release, A Very Merry Christmas with Dallas String Quartet, and while it contains ten songs that most of us know by heart, it’s elegant treatment of the iconic material is as unique as a glowing winter sunset. The record begins with…
There’s a lot happening in country music right now, and amidst all of the hype that the Nashville underground has been receiving, independent singer/songwriter Casey Ahern has been getting her fair share of the limelight and then some – but not without just cause. Though I was convinced that it just wasn’t possible, her vocal…
URL: https://www.flymypretties.com/ Out of New Zealand and into the studio for the first time, prolific live band Fly My Pretties recruited a community of musicians and vocalists to perform on the welcomed distraction The Studio Recordings, Part One. This band has never recorded an actual album in the studio, rather they’ve only released live recordings…
One (of many great) quotes from the movie Office Space happens when the Peter Gibbons character says “Let me ask you something. When you come in on Monday and you’re not feeling real well, does anyone ever say to you, “Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?” However, Pistol for Ringo speaks of…
There aren’t a lot of indie artists getting the kind of buzz that MkX is this summer, but it doesn’t come without just cause. His latest single, the acrylic “right place, at the right time,” does a lot of experimenting in its tri-tiered suite of supple beats and illicit melodies, and for the current climate…
The Keymakers are two brothers, Rederic and Rome Alexander, originally hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Their new single “California in the Sun” provides listeners an illustrative example of the pop oriented songwriting and performing chops that has garnered them a growing following. It underlines, as well, why the duo scores more…
Bobbo Byrnes’ “Mrs. What’s His Name” starts off ever so nicely, with a jangly guitar intro. Once Byrnes’ singing begins, he’s immediately joined by an organ-augmented full band. He begins by admitting, “All I’ve got, to my name/A few guitars and a little fame.” Therefore, it’s obvious from the outset this isn’t 99% of male…
Alisa Chirco performs an impressive balancing act with her single “Norma Jeane.” It’s a dance song that sounds deeper than mere dance music. The track begins with a sparse melodic groove, combined with finger snaps and equally sparse cymbals. Shortly therein, though, Chirco’s strong voice kicks in – a little like Stevie Nicks’ singing on…
With a gallop of the drums, Dan Ashley’s “What Really Matters” kicks into gear on the back of an electrifying string melody that is as glowing as it is effervescent. The rhythm is relaxed, but there’s an underlying sense of urgency in the music pouring out of our speakers so seamlessly. In this colorful, guitar-powered…
The Cold Stares draw from a bevy of influences to inform their songwriting and the latest studio release from this duo, Ways, is their best recording yet. Chris Tapp and Brian Mullins are longtime musical collaborators and their years working together has helped them establish the necessary musical rapport to make the impact they leave on…
Hard rock is such a specific genre that the lovers know exactly what they like even in the midst of a lot of cacophonous sounds. Hannan is a refreshing sound that you can’t help but embrace at the first listen. The band is made up of Louisville KY natives that remind you of the iconic…
Farrah Frostt is one diligent woman but all work and no play makes Farrah a monotonous girl. “Work Hard, Play Harder” Featuring Mateo: is the perfect solution offering up plenty of harmless fun & entertainment. Farrah Frostt is letting her hair down in the new video and enters into a world that is equipped with…
One thing is for certain and that is whoever this “Lizzy White” is, she doesn’t giving a flying f!?k about conventional music. Norwood is an eccentric band that doesn’t play by the rules and defies the odds, which I dig. I wish more bands would take risks musically these days, so hat’s off to Norwood…
American Pleasure Dome — although from Minnesota — nevertheless has a name that sounds like the Americanization of a Frankie Goes To Hollywood album title. The act’s self-titled album is comprised of relatively straightforward rock & roll. Maybe this is due to the Midwestern musical values instilled in ‘em. The track (among this strong album’s…
Gregory Suarez’s “Blue Sky Kiss” opens with a wonderfully, jangly electric guitar intro, before going into a subdued pop-rock arrangement. This single is taken from Suarez’s album Around the World. In fact, its electric guitar/organ intro is so good, one wishes it would have continued throughout the whole song. Suarez’s singing is light and airy,…
Heathcote Hill draws the name for its single, “Promised Land,” from the Old Testament story about a homeland God promised to Abraham and his descendants. This was a region described as a land that stretched from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates river. In modern terminology, however, this promised land came to be known…
Released by Lugnut Brand Records, The Railroad Ave. Bullies’ single “Alligator Shoes” and accompanying b-side “She Ready” are more than glorified vehicles for Austin, Texas six-string ace Nick Diaz. The track has an outstanding pedigree deriving inspiration from the legendary Stax label and Chicago electric blues and never wearies you despite being instrumentals. The press…
Adrian Sutherland’s “Politician Man” boasts the complete package. This is a first rate composition and band performance enhanced even further by an accompanying video dramatizing its concerns in a visually arresting manner. It is Canadian born Sutherland’s debut single as a solo artist and birthed by his passion for following the often fraught relationship between…
The old joke goes, ‘I like both kinds of music: country and western.’ Once upon a time, you didn’t see ‘country’ when it wasn’t immediately followed by the word ‘western.’ That’s because country music was all about the west. In other words, these were cowboy songs about the cowboy lifestyle. As Ken Burns’ wonderful documentary…
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…
