CD and DVD reviews
Classified Misinformation, The Grey Agents’ debut effort, garnered considerable acclaim upon its release, but their sophomore release Last Generation consolidates the promise of that initial recording and expands on its musical possibilities. The West Virginia based five piece continues to embrace songwriting influences like REM and Elvis Costello, wiry adult oriented rock with a decidedly…
Popz, also known as “The Triple OG” is based out of Merced, California, and it probably one of the coolest artists you could ever listen to, hip and cool at the age of 73, when most people are settling down, Popz want to know “R U Freaky?” “R U Freaky” is a combination of Funk…
Fans of rock, country and folk alike will be very thrilled to hear the new split EP by Stephen Karl & Handsome Animals and Darlin Darlin, available this coming May 4th. I was fortunate enough to give the split a couple of spins today, pre-release, and was not only satisfied with what I heard, but…
The factual date when Bud Collins Trio Band did form lies in ambiguous; it may be the 70s’ or 80s’, even the band members are not sure about it. But, when it comes to producing gorgeous pop music, evoking powerful emotion with beautiful yet strange effects, Bud Collins Trio stand in the first row. From…
Canada has been known for giving the world everyone from Anne Murray, Brian Adams, Justin Beiber and Drake;however, there is a group that may not have been as well known as the above names but around longer than Beiber and Drake, they are called “Crack Of Dawn” The group was originally signed to Columbia Records…
David T. Dunn’s release, Catch That Train, is a straightforward singer/songwriter effort. These six songs never attempt to do anything fancy. You won’t hear unusual instrumentation or unexpected time signatures. Instead, Dunn gives us a six-song set of solid songwriting. The title track is like the troubadour’s siren song. Dunn isn’t sure where ‘that train…
Mr MooQ’s “Double Happiness” is a simple song about the joys of romance. Over a gently bopping beat, colored with various keyboard elements, it’s like a perfect date soundtrack. “You can let your hair down/I will put the top up,” Mr MooQ advises. It’s all about relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. This is…
Using carefully arranged acoustic guitars and brooding harmonies, the Texas branded Suzanne’s Band creates a charming set of songs on the new extended play, Breathe, which is available now on Amazon.com. Suzanne’s Band is the official vehicle for Houstonian singer/songwriter Mia Suzanne Walker, and Walker is nothing short of a blinding force of positive energy…
It takes a lot of intense focus to craft an album, and it demands even more focus to compose and record an instrumental album. Although a lot of people might think that a band without a singer is a band with a lot less details to cover, quite the opposite is true. The effort and…
Joshua Ketchmark has made a career out of splitting time between Nashville and Los Angeles, two music maker hotspots, but his enthusiastically energetic album The Misses (mostly) sounds more L.A. than Music City. About the only place where cowboy boots win over fancy nightclub shoes comes at the album’s end with “Those Were the Days,”…
Loya’s ”Heptapod” from the upcoming album ”Komaglass” is something that one cannot judge by its title. If you judge the song by its title and expecting to hear something related to heptapod, be sure, you will receive a total badass blow. Call it an artwork, a hunch on the musical landscape, or hell just coming…
Austin Colon embarks on a mystical path of self-discovery with the illuminating “The Path Ahead”. Drawing from psychedelic rock, folk, electronica, with a little experimental pop edge, the album employs a wide variety of twists and turns. Over the course of the album’s journey, Austin Colon’s highly articulate thoughtful lyrics come to give these songs…
Bruce Lev explores a soothing pastoral realm on the spacious “Through the Vortex – The Sedona Effect”. Quite playful, Bruce Lev incorporates a wide variety of styles into the mix, going from field recordings to classical with folksy elements all filtering in. The uniqueness of the album comes from how Bruce Lev creates an entire…
I think this may be one of the more potentially under the radar gems I’ve heard in recent years and, based on its merits, deserves remembering at the end of the year when people start compiling best of lists for the year. Across the Board’s second full length studio recording Sonic Boom ups the creative…
The Australian artist Daxton Paul James Monaghan has released his ninth music album, “In Verses”, and it has already become one of the most centers of attractions in the musical landscape. It is a collection of amazing nine soundtracks that will encourage and provoke the blues lover to get escaped into a marvelous sonic journey.…
Giant – The new EP, by Anjali Ray, shows a different side of the artist, as the opening track explores. The Illinois native was raised in Dew Delhi, India, until the age of 10, and is now working in Chicago and Los Angeles. She stays in tune with her roots by practicing Hundustani classical singing.…
So much fuss surrounds Michigan’s Jake Allen’s guitar work, and rightfully deserving. But, don’t forget the guy can sing and write songs that carry the listener into far and wide spaces. His lush orchestrations and layered music beds are much more New Order and Nine Inch Nails than Nugent; his alt-pop tunes are much more…
Left On Tri, is Parker Longough’s third album, and it finds this Alaskan band in their element. Longbough is the stage name for Matthew Witthoeft, to front the Parker Longbough band with other various members. It follows up the last album, “Bridges To Nowhere” with tracks written around the same time, which makes it a…
Marley Waters knows how to get the party started with the wild free-spirited style of “Wine Pon It”. Allowing for multiple layers of sound to intermingle in such a fantastic way means the whole song feels all-encompassing. By opting for such a loose freeform quality, the piece has a timeless youthfulness to it. Over the…
Hailing from the roads and corners of Brooklyn, Gary Douglas Band has recently released a song on the radio, on 20th April, titled, “River Road”, a gorgeous preview to their upcoming music album, “Deep In the Water”. This remarkable song is showcasing the peerless energy and talent of Gary Douglas and his band: why their…
Noone is quite sure when this band officially started which adds to the allure of Bud Collins Trio and their eclectic nature. We do know that the musical journey started many years ago for Bud Collins Trio and the music never died. This Connecticut-based band has shared the stage with the likes of: Blues Traveler,…
If you’re a fan of classic alternative rock ala Beach Slang, Superchunk and R.E.M. but aren’t interested in hearing modern knock-offs or half-baked attempts at recreating the style, then checking out the new music from the recently reunited Big Mother Gig should be on the top of your agenda. Critics and audiences alike have been…
Farahd Abdullah Wallizada, working as No Name Hotel, will undoubtedly make some waves with his second full fledged solo release Tristan. The four song EP may be brief, but singer/songwriter, producer and instrumentalist Wallizada encompasses an album’s worth of material into this short release and anyone encountering Tristan will be monumentally impressed by the expansiveness…
“Metro Shuffle” – featuring Mindi Abair, by Project Grand Slam, is the latest single from the 2017 EP -The PGS Experience. This track by the jazz-rock fusion outfit led by NY bassist Robert Miller is surrounded by– five new studio cuts, three new tunes written by Robert and two new PGS-style covers arranged by Robert,…
Alex Dingley presents offers us something truly unique in the new single “Not Alone in the Dark,” which leaves a haunting impression that fans of independent music will go crazy over. To be honest, I wasn’t familiar Dingley or his work prior to hearing “Not Alone in the Dark,” but after just a single listen…
A joyous rustic Americana reigns supreme on Randy Steele’s reassuring “Moccasin Bender EP”. Playfulness runs free throughout these tracks, courtesy of the wide number of instruments that Randy Steele incorporates within the great scope. Moments of the work recalls Will Oldham’s tremendous heartfelt outpouring of emotion and thoughtful storytelling abilities. The arrangements vary, from a…
Almost Awake goes for a dreamy indie rock sound with “Cloudwalker”. Over the course of the track Almost Awake draws from a wide plethora of styles, from shoegaze to hard rock, all anchored with a strong emotional core. By opting for such a spellbinding swirl of colors, the entirety of “Cloudwalker” ensures that it becomes…
“Everyday is Your Day (The Wedding Song)” is the brand new single from the calculated R&B mind of Tone Malone, whose name instantly is recognizable for fans of the northern California sound he champions. Although fairly new to the business, Malone is raising eyebrows and garnering immense praise for this cut from his latest studio…
Like a bat out of hell, Choqlate Songbird comes rip roaring through the sonic mist on “Stay Down (By My Side),” his new single from the EP “Choqlate Elements,” both of which are available now everywhere digital downloads are available. With little fanfare, Choqlate Songbird has emerged onto the rap scene with a style that…
Australian native, half Irish and Filipino, Cat Thompson has occupied stages Down Under and across the globe. She fields a team of backup dancers to help present a breakneck paced show with monumental entertainment value, but equally capable of seducing audiences and listeners with genuine musical allure. She’s more than just a powerhouse young performer;…
Iranian group BANAFSH creates the unexpected in their soaring song “Soul Man of the East.” Bridging together peace-focused lyrics and ambient sounds, this world-music track surprisingly really rocks. “Soul” is from the forthcoming album, “A Pledge For Peace” and has many things going for it. Sung in both English and Persian, with vocals sounding much…
Devi goes for a stripped-down dance floor darkness with the intense “Bad Boy”. At times the intensity of the electro sound recalls Crystal Castles at their most intimate. By opting for such a style Devi’s vocals gain a tremendous power to them that allows them to move forward at an incredible speed. Infectious to its…
Music cannot become more tangible and substantial than this! ‘This’ means the latest single of Joseph Eid, ”Watch It Fall”. The Los Angeles based singer and songwriter Joseph Eid is not a new personality in the world of music. And once again his adorable voice has taken an adorable shape in his new EP ”Watch…
Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, Robert Ashley is bringing you a sound that is so damn inviting and so freakin’ personal. I’m not sure what drugs Robert is referring to here but let me be the first to say that it’s the perfect amount and just the right dosage to soothe all of the senses. “The…
Joshua Ketchmark has finally returned with another series of beautiful and thought-provoking images, in his new soundtrack, ‘Her Voice In My Head’ from the album ”The Misses”. This damn good song plays through a country sounding story of love about his life. But why would you care? Because the story that this soundtrack tells may…
Barrett Martin Group goes for a gorgeous swinging style on the infinitely playful “Transcendence”. Keenly anchored in jazz, the Barrett Martin Group draws from rock, funk, the blues, even elements of post-rock flow into the mix. Right at the heart of the entire album is a strong emphasis on rhythm. This rhythm transfigures itself in…
Greg Jacquin’s baroque folk of “Hudson River” simply stuns with its lovely arrangements. Over the course of “Hudson River” Greg Jacquin sings straight from the heart, proving to be an exceptional storyteller. Exploring elements of relationships, of looking back on one’s experiences, elements of nostalgia and yearning permeate the pieces. A wide variety of influences…
The new twelve song release from Becky Buller and her band, Crepe Paper Heart, is the second release from this renowned fiddle player and follows up the 2014 release ‘Tween Earth and Sky with a resounding successor. The same mix of secular and spiritually themed originals powering her first collection continues with this release and…
Hitting the streets of their hometown – Edmonds, Washington – in 2006, The Gothard Sisters first began playing together as a violin trio busking for tips at the local farmer’s market, working their way onto stages at local fairs and festivals. In December 2016 The Gothard Sisters charted on Billboard’s World Music Chart with their…
Pop music phenom, David Shane, released his first album at the young age of 13. City Boy, the first single from the self-produced album, was picked up by radio stations throughout Australia, and the brilliantly self-produced music video for the song was aired on Australian TV. Domestically, the hit single and video received substantial airplay…
