CD and DVD reviews
Matthew Carroll sings with a fiery passion on the lovely lyricism of “Left To Burn”. Narratives, vignettes of relationships, all of these come into view throughout the album. Attention to detail means these sounds radiate with a tremendous amount of life. By opting for such an all-encompassing style, it is easy to get lost in…
Craymo delves into an epic journey on the ornate “December Rain (Carol of Love)”. Lyrics employ a poetic sensibility while a story comes into focus. A sense of the theatrical permeates the entirety of the track for everything further heightens the dramatic tension. Patience becomes an important virtue for the whole piece unfurls with a…
Rev Peter Unger places his faith in a higher power with the tender spirituality of “Lord Guide Me Home”. Arrangements perfectly match Rev Peter Unger’s gentle vocals. The pastoral quality of the track works wonders as it draws from a wide variety of styles, going from a bluesy tenor to a little bit of folk…
Asha Pieper sings with a sense of passion and urgency on the timeless “Voices”. Sounding akin to an instant classic, Asha Pieper draws from a wide swath of artists. Chamber pop serves as the framing device from which all else flows, nicely tying together the many multifaceted elements. The references stream into the proceedings with…
The Australian sensation is back with a music video that is out of this world! Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is her bread & butta as eM has been mixing it up for years on the music circuit. eM is an established & accomplished artist/producer/vocalist who I’ve known for a long time and have had the…
Greg Harrison Band chooses a confident take on classic rock with the playful “As Long As We’re Dancin’”. With an impressive display of songwriting chops and ear for melody, the Greg Harrison Band creates a warm welcoming world. Rich and luxurious the sound is easy to get lost in, from the soaring organ swells to…
“Forget About Yesterday” comes from the album “Little Boat”, by Ajay Mathur. An up and upcoming indie Americana go getter whose style is truly funky yet very appealing and upbeat. The way he crafts together the lyrics with the music upon “Forget About Yesterday”, is just mind bending. The clear state of Americana is visible…
Texas born and raised, musician Ranzel X Kendrick has incorporated his rich roots into his new album, Texas Sagebrush, the second of the 3-part Texas Series. From it is the single, “What A Pretty Day,” is a charming track that was a welcome introduction to Kendrick’s music. Singing with him is Rebecca White, who has…
Alpha Mule represent the best of bluegrass with the warm inviting presence of “Peripheral Vision”. Every song feels akin to a grand journey, an exploration of relationships and of the world at large. Never overdoing things, Alpha Mule makes sure to keep everything balanced with gorgeous slide guitar adding to its dreamy aura. By opting…
On “Main & Lincoln” stop.drop.rewind tap into the best of pop punk. With infectious riffs and an unstoppable energy, the song perfectly embodies the optimism of youth. Lyrically precise, a story unfolds of a shaggy dog quality. By letting the whole thing rush by in a gorgeous blur everything simply stuns, from the ringing of…
It’s not often these days that you come across someone whose sound is just as genuine and sweet as the person inside. But that is Katie Garibaldi to the core as she sings from deep within and has a BIG heart to boot. For example, when I received the album from Katie it was signed…
Right Said Fred are probably one of the hardest acts to forget of the last two decades, with multiple hits to back them, including the 1991 smash “I’m Too Sexy” and the 1992 hit “Deeply Dippy,” to name among their well-known catalog. Coming from the UK they have that British factor of which they make…
Jennifer Hope is out with a new acoustic EP called SINspirations, a dark and whimsical collection of songs featuring three covers and one original song, “#1 Deadly Sin.” Hope is based out of California and is known for her enchanting and otherworldly sound. It’s an EP with a unique and haunting charm that will send…
The Band of the Hawk offers a thoughtful take on the contentious political climate of the United States with “Dunno Wut To Believe In”. Flows intermingle with incredible ease as the song unfurls with a naturalistic quality. Small gestures mean a great deal as the Band of the Hawk ensures that patience becomes an important…
Sarantos goes for an expansive anthem with the potent “Rock The Vibe”. Pop anchors the entire piece while Sarantos incorporates dub, EDM, and even a hint of electro into the proceedings. A playful quality infuses itself into the entirety of the track, thanks to the powerful lyricism of Sarantos. Over the course of the track…
Uncle Tadashi & the Boyz goes for a leisurely, pastoral quality with the soothing “Stay For Awhile”. Vocals display a great deal of tenderness. Opting for a timeless quality the light and airy arrangements work wonders. Recalling a 70s-soft rock sort of style, the lyrics focus on a life lived to the absolute fullest. Quite…
Conceptz employs a playful retro-referencing sound with “Break It Down”. Reminiscent of Jurassic 5’s highly articulate carefully considered flows, the song rushes by in a fantastic blur. Quite thoughtful Conceptz create a myriad number of stories to explore in exquisite detail, proving to be deft storytellers. “Nothing’s Rights” shows off the sweet sounds of Kristy…
Dr. C & The Gris Gris nicely blend together the blues, garage rock, and country into a satisfying whole on “Graveyard Dog”. With a literal shaggy dog approach the song’s hazy dazed atmosphere works wonders. Lyrics have a playful quality to them. Proving to be more than qualified storytellers everything comes together creating a compelling…
Theo Czuk has sported a number of identities during his life but artist remains among the most abiding. Czuk pursues self-expression through time-tested forms such as poetry, fiction, and songwriting, but even a cursory examination of his biography and the experiences he delineates through his work reveals a exploratory soul whose life likely stands as…
Rausch embraces an all-consuming, expansive scope on the theatrical fury of “Book II”. Effortlessly blending together metal, folk, classical, and electronica into a satisfying whole, the songs burst forth with tremendous energy. Lyrics rest at the heart of it all with Rausch proving to be deft storytellers. Over the course of the album they craft…
Myja crafts an instant classic on their timeless self-titled debut, a debut that possesses incredible hooks and life-affirming lyricism. Volume is an absolute must for these songs are physical with their swaggering rhythms. Rhythms have a hard-hitting quality to them with everything serving the powerful grooves. Infectious to its core, the way that Myja lets…
Rayne Michael sings with a tenderness and passion on the heartfelt & soulful pop of “Baby I See”. With an ornate arrangement, Rayne Michael displays an uncanny knack for storytelling. Lyrics truly carry the song along, as Rayne Michael utilizes the journey to great effect. By letting the lyrics explore what a relationship is, the…
The group 10 Years consists of Brian Vodinh on guitar and background vocals, Jesse Hasek lead vocals, Kyle Mayer on drums, Matt Wantland on guitar, and Chad Huff on bass. In addition to touring as a support act to a lot of big names, this is the eighth release by the Tennessee alternative/progressive metal band.…
Nine Shrines consists of Andrew Baylis and Evan McKeever on guitar, Andrew Wetzel on drums, Chris Parketny on vocals, and Devon Voisine on bass. This is the debut EP release by the Ohio band that can probably be described as alternative/metal. Bend has a drive to it. The instruments and vocals are nicely blended in,…
I have to say that this new album is perfect timing with the frigid, cold temperatures we’re experiencing here in Indiana as well as many other parts of the country. Erica Sunshine Lee is spreading plenty of sunny sound that warms me up from my head to my toes on ‘Buried Treasure’. This Georgia Peach…
Swirl delves into a triumphant thankful spirit on the stellar rollicking world of “The Lift”. From the commanding vocals to the driving rhythms, everything possesses a joyous, downright celebratory spirit. Throughout the song Swirl prove to have a fine ear for melody, with infectious riffs that linger in the mind. Everything simply comes together in…
Noah Archangel & The Band of the Hawk are at it again pumping out tracks like madmen mercenaries as I’m starting to think these guys are some of the hardest working kats in the rap game today. Relentless with material, Noah Archangel & The Band of the Hawk deliver 22 fresh mixes and cool cuts…
Zombie Garden Club goes for a meditative weird world with the surreal sound of “Animals”. Akin to a modern-day mantra, the song opts for a strangely soothing quality to it one that guides it forward with great care. Effortlessly blending together, a sun drenched psychedelic rock alongside elements of industrial ambience, the whole thing feels…
Hip-Hop producer Houey Freeman, formerly known as Ash RA, drops his new single “Dirty Dollars (Reloaded)” and it’s a HOT one! This track also features: The Band of the Hawk (Breeze, Yeaux Majesty, Noah Archangel) & J Hope and together they are tearin’ the roof off the damn thing. “Dirty Dollars (Reloaded)” is just a…
No Mud in Joyville contains the song Caterpillars, it’s a song about rebirth which is highly reflective of the album cover as well as the tone of the instrumentals. The rebirth which is in the song is the way a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. Into something more beautiful, powerful and at the same time…
Theo Czuk has sported a number of identities during his life but artist remains among the most abiding. Czuk pursues self-expression through time-tested forms such as poetry, fiction, and songwriting, but even a cursory examination of his biography and the experiences he delineates through his work reveals a exploratory soul whose life likely stands as…
Crow Eats Man embraces a raw gritty hard rock energy with the powerful “Jaded”. Reminiscent of Stone Temple Pilots’ effortless cool, they rush by with tremendous fury. Fiery guitar riffs adorn the entirety of the piece while things swirl about with such majesty. With the entire piece simply propelled forward courtesy of an incredible rhythm…
Sometimes a song is so utterly specific and memory-inducing that it leaves you in awe. Joshua Ketchmark’s track, “17,” from his album, Under Plastic Stars, is one such song. The singer and songwriter is based in LA, with deep ties to Nashville, Tennessee as well. This album came out in the summer and if you’ve…
Richmond, Virginia born budding hip hop star S-Trill moved to the Newport News of the state when he was seven years old following his father’s death, but success sprang from the tragedy. S-Trill went on to soon become a decorated and respected basketball prodigy, but his talents on the court never displaced his blossoming love…
2017 brought us not only the year of the doom and gloom of “Trump-ism” in the U.S and the world, but divisions across the political worldwide landscape. Australian Electronic/Rock band Collegians just brought everyone back together with a hard edge new single ” Black Mass” . the fouresome have been able to maneuver their very…
Above The Sun injects a playful sense of humor in their anthem-driven “Make Music Not Money” being released on January 12, 2018 via Bongo Boy Records. Crafting songs that virtually demand to be sung along with, Above The Sun embrace a casual cool which informs the entirety of the collection. Punk rock, indie rock with…
When words fall short, music is the only aid that can help to comprehend the desires and commune the thoughts of an artist. Joshua Ketchmark is one of those talented musicians who has always used the power of passionate music to convey his ideas and thoughts to his huge audience. With his newly released EP…
Collegians go for a series of beautiful dramatic flourishes on the powerful rollicking alt rock of “Vaccine”. With an interesting blend of industrial, hard rock, even classical and a little bit of balladry, the entire piece simply stuns with its majestic grandeur. By far the heart and soul of the track comes from their powerful…
JDR taps into a tropical, summery sound on the party-infused atmosphere of “Only U”. Poppy to its very core the track bounces through with a tremendous amount of energy. Vocals simply stun as they go for a loose form of poetry, as they focus upon a yearning a true desire to be together. Indeed, the…
RaR’s “Darkness” delves into a pulsing techno wilderness, one that truly taps into the best of celebratory house music. Epic in scope, the way RaR allows everything to simply teem with life feels absolutely masterful. Layer upon layer of sound works in unison to create a virtually kaleidoscopic, almost rave-like, with its intense energy. Perfectly…
