CD and DVD reviews
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…
Mishti’s “Obsessed” nicely weaves together EDM and a gritty industrial edge into a glorious poppy whole. Possessing absolutely addictive grooves Mishti’s attitude is what truly carries the track forward as she sings with a punk like level of swagger. Vocals simply dominate everything else in view, with a colossal beat giving the whole track a…
Margie Singleton’s “Jesus Is My Pusher” represents the best of country, with a powerful message alongside a gritty western twang. Vocals rest front and center as all other features figure quite prominently, from the nimble guitar work to the loose drum work. By far the true heart comes from the playful lyricism. Over the course…
Lyrics of Two celebrate the joy of togetherness with the poignant “Let’s Make This Earth From House To Home”. Exploring the pointed difference between a house (where someone resides) to home (a word that expresses a greater level of warmth and welcoming spirit) everything simply works within the song. The song drifts by with a…
Electric Radio Kings opts for a dreamy, yearning atmosphere on the spellbinding swirl of “Grabbing at a Distant Star”. Volume deserves to be blasted, for there an immediacy to the entire piece. By far the true heart of the track comes from the powerful vocals that take front and center stage, with lyrics that focus…
Valerie Fahren’s own career as an artist started in her teens when New York City radio began playing an original song by her band Gypsy. She has starred in principal roles in Equity productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Carmen, and Three Penny Opera; recorded with The Wilson Sisters, Neil Diamond, Edgar Winter, and Chick…
So this guy’s last name certainly stands out but rest assured there is absolutely nothing cheesy or lowbrow about this artist or his music. This new single by Tim Cheesebrow is like a good, strong cup of coffee in the morning to start your day off right. “You Will Never Walk Alone” has just the…
Guided by the nicotine and bourbon bruised vocals and songwriting of Brandon Butrick, a.k.a. Django Mack, 100 Page Tattoo is the latest release from an Americana/singer-songwriter themed outfit whose previous studio platters have established them as one of the more imaginative and potent musical forces working today. Butrick handles the bulk of the songwriting, alongside…
Elena Andujar sings with fire on the passionate “Flamenco In Time”. Nicely drawing from Flamenco’s storied past while incorporating futuristic flourishes, the pieces radiate with warmth. By far the true soul of the sound comes from Elena Andujar’s highly emotive vocals that rise above it all. Instrumentally the sound incorporates elements of pop, acid jazz,…
Dru Cutler’s “Bring Closer The Distance” taps into the best of heartfelt rock, with a sense of wonder and awe with the world. Sung with true grit and soul, the pieces have an intimacy to them. Things are kept to the essentials, as the warm sound of the guitars intermingled with the steady emotionally-charged drums…
Eli Lev & The Fortunes Found incorporate funk and folk together on the intimacy of “Go Down”. Possessing such heart and soul, the song evolves in an organic, highly nimble manner. Downright infectious the track has a gorgeous, colorful quality to it. By opting for such a stylish approach Eli Lev & The Fortunes Found…
Rhett Repko is a renowned singer who gained instant fame with his special style of fusion music. He has rejuvenated the music industry with a new and refreshing musical harmony by dramatically amalgamating the music styles of rock and roll and pop music. His debut EP ‘’Thanks For The Ride’’ generates the new single ‘’And…
Morgan Heritage ft. DreZion delves into a party atmosphere with the polished perfection of “Reggae Night”. From the joyous vocals to the bouncing beats, everything works. Best of all the song offers a playful melody, one that lingers in the amount. With a fragile beauty Danaë Xanthe Vlasse’s “Fantaisie #2 “Schwanengesang”” keeps things to the…
The state of Kansas never sounded better and after residents get a load of Sky Orchid and their latest single, “The River”, they’ll probably be saying I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore. Sky Orchid is sweeping through the area with high intensity and velocity consuming everything in its path. “The River” has such a…
Mandy Brooks chooses an angelic sort of folk with the glistening world of “Have I Told You Lately”. From the tenderness of the banjo to the graceful vocals, everything has a majestic hue to it. A pastoral quality takes hold while the airy spacious atmosphere adds to the lovely aura. A modern take on the…
Angelica Joni rides a colossal dancefloor friendly groove on the stylish “Exhale”. Tapping into a 90s trance-pop sort of fervor, everything about the song teems with life and optimism. Right in the heart of it all are her soothing vocals that simply wash over it all. With a timeless classic sound is Conceptz casual cool…
It is true that talents can be found anywhere, even under many grave circumstances. Big Rome is a living example of such a talent who has made his name in the music industry with his efficiency to create original and innovative musical melodies. His recently released EP ‘Urban Renegade’ is the best proof for the…
Söur Bruthers offer the best of Americana with the raw grit and soul of their self-titled debut. Featuring a muscular western twang, they craft entire stories from a life lived to the absolute fullest. With a sound that at times feels reminiscent of Tom Petty’s best work, the songs come through absolutely swinging. Beats hit…
Play Pretend represent the best of lo-fi garage rock on the underdog anthem “Summer Heat”. Over the course of the track Play Pretend go for the jugular as everything positively roars, from the ramshackle rhythms to the raw unhinged bluesy riffs. Downright infectious with melodies that linger in the mind long after they are over,…
Just gimme a second…I’m almost ready to start this review. I’m just doing some quick math here and I’ll be ready to let these words rip… …alright…yep…I’ve double-checked all these calculations I’ve done…everything seems to add up to success when it comes to the music of Conceptz presented by Bongo Boy Records in NYC. Timeline-wise,…
Bree Taylor’s musical voyage began in the delivery room as she arrived into the world with music piped through the speakers and continued at age six when she began singing in a choir. Self-expression soon became one of her life’s dominant motifs. The Canadian born singer/songwriter released her first single “Broken Dreams” in September, 2016…
