CD and DVD reviews
Surreal Nation delves into a masterful blend of indie rock and dream pop on the shimmering “I Know Better EP”. Vocals rest at the heart of the everything, radiating with a great warmth. Layer upon layer of sound intermingle in a perfect way. At times the lovely storytelling lyricism feels reminiscent of Beat Happening’s charming…
Guitarist and producer Ian C. Bouras, based out of the New York City area, has achieved the bulk of his acclaim thanks to his songwriting and guitar work with the New York City reggae/rock band AñaVañA. Their 2004 self-titled debut led Billboard Magazine to label him among the top songwriters in that year and 2005.…
Who says Halloween is strictly about trick-or-treating, ghoulish costumes and horror movies? How about a show centered around some of the greatest American, popular music ever created thrown into the bag as well? If you said yes, then Motown The Musical is the perfect candy that will satisfy your sweet, musical tooth. Opening night for…
Rebecca Lappa’s voice sings with fiery passion on the elegant “Spirit EP”. Lyrics focus upon the great moments in life, the ones that come to truly define a person. Vocals possess a great range, going from soaring into the heavens to more hushed, intimate moments. Throughout it all her uncanny ear for melody allows the…
Disconnected Genius taps into an early 90s shaggy dog indie rock with the insightful “Nirvikalpa Meow”. Sung with such tenderness, the lyrics have a sharp wit about them while they offer reflections on the current state of affairs. These stories range from the personal to more wide-scope thoughts. Arrangements go for an intimacy of sorts,…
Chris Murphy is a renowned multi-talented violinist, singer, and writer who have been enlightening the music world with his engaging performances and brilliant song recordings for the past twenty-five years. He has used his expert skills to bring back the magic of age-old musical styles but with an innovative fusion of his own modern and…
Amilia K Spicer is a renowned American singer and songwriter from the early nineties, who has enchanted her audience with her amazing writing and singing skills. A native of Pennsylvania, Spicer is a well-trained pianist who had moved away from home to Los Angeles CA to seek her dream of becoming a film director. Later…
Originally hailing from Northern California, Jonathan Cavier is a renowned singer and song composer who has been producing creative pop music for quite a long time now. Cavier merges the various styles of pop and rock music to create a unique quality melody of his own. His new album ‘Blue Room’ released in 2017 brings…
Sarah Morris sings with true heart and soul on the gentle folk journey of “Hearts In Need Of Repair”. The loveliness of the entire album cannot be overstated – Sarah Morris knows exactly the right level of accompaniment her voice requires. Never overdone, she keeps the arrangements thoughtful, stylish, and with a true sense of…
The latest single from Nashville based singer/songwriter Kelly McGrath, “O Holy Night”, takes some of its inspiration from Jeff Buckley’s famous rendition of “Hallelujah”. Instead of subjecting listeners to the customary approach to Christmas themed music, bloated arrangements replete with strings and whole host of other clichéd elements, McGrath strips this spiritually minded tune down…
Sammi Rae Murciano sings with passion on the sophisticated pop perfection of “Reflection”. Keeping things to the absolute essentials works quite well, for Sammi Rae Murciano’s voice radiates with a great feeling of yearning. With this caring, almost caressing delivery, Sammi Rae Murciano allows the track to possess a meditative quality. Throughout the entirety of…
Nothing But You, Nicky sings with fire and passionate on the sweeping beauty of “On My Own”. With powerful vocals leading the way, Nothing But You, Nicky serves as the very heart of the track as her voices rises up towards the heavens. Poetic lyricism defines the entirety of the piece while it unfurls in…
Ryan Zimmerman sings with soul on the down-to-earth style of “Ephemeral as a Kiss”. A loose, laid-back vibe informs the entirety of the collection. The way the entire collection comes in and out of focus lends it a dreamy aura. Lyrics further emphasize this spacey quality, as the vocals have an intimacy to them. Easily…
Ali B offers a fresh bold take on the ballad with the neon-hued “Strangers In Love”. With a neat mixture of dub, electro, house and pop the song offers an infectious energy. The optimistic quality of the track feels undeniable while Ali B’s lyricism describes the lust that allows relationships to truly blossom. Her voice…
Thoughtful and delicate, Asha Pieper crafts a mysterious, mystical world on the gracious style of “History”. Chamber pop anchors the piece while Asha Pieper draws from jazz and folk to deliver a fully-formed whole. Framing the entire piece in a slightly theatrical context, Asha Pieper lets the piece evolve with such deliberate pacing. How Asha…
Chris Sullivan sings about a little slice of Americana with the joyous celebration of “By The Light Of The Radio”. By letting country, the blues, and classic rock come together the track has a communal, all-consuming spirit to it. What truly ties the song together is the passion and fire of the vocals which gives…
In a generation of evolving talents, many new artists are gradually hitting the limelight with their innovative thoughts and ideas. ‘Band of the Hawk’ is a group of some of the best-talented souls that have evolved with time with their innovative style of Hip Hop music creations. They have recently released their first single, ‘Black…
When I pushed Play on “Circles”, I was instantly attracted to the glorious sound coming through. Blue Apollo is firing off a Hit Song here that is sure to take off and make a successful landing. This four-piece band from Dallas, Texas has created a sound that is insanely compelling. “Circles” is a bonus track…
From its title to its final hollow tunes, Black Water is a track that haunts and seduces listeners into relating to its singer. The first track in Thomas Abban’s album A Sheik’s Legacy, Black Water has a legacy of its own. The first word that comes to mind with the opening notes from Black Water…
Caroline Ferrante sings with a sunny optimism on the fantastic thoughtful pop of “SKY”. With such an incredible fervor, Caroline Ferrante shows off her considerable chops. Over the course of the collection Caroline Ferrante draws upon twee, country, classical, jazz, all brought together through carefully woven stories. Attention to detail works wonders as she incorporates…
The U.S. American deliver defiance on the rebellious spirit of “Greatest Hits”. Jagged guitar riffs, shouted lyrics, and infectious rhythms, everything about it views the U.S. through a critical lens. Consumerism, lack of geographical knowledge, yet they have a patriotic edge as displayed on “FCK THE KGB” as to be a true patriot means to…
Robbing Johnny delivers a stylistic tour-de-force on the powerful “Cold March”. Neatly merging folk, indie rock, rap, and the singer-songwriter tradition into a potent whole, Robbing Johnny proves to be a deft storyteller. Over the course of the album Robbing Johnny focuses upon the unique worlds that come together to make up New York City.…
A Killer’s Confession pummels the listener with an all-engrossing sound on “Angel on the Outside”. Effortlessly merging metal and hard rock into a satisfying whole, the track barrels through with such bombast. Volume is an absolute must for “Angel on the Outside” deserves to be felt as much as heard, packed with a tremendous amount…
Christian Rock finds its roots back in 1960 when some Christian metal artist bands started gaining commercial success. ‘’Here and Now Don’t Stop” is a new rock band based in Hillsboro, Ohio, who has recreated the magic of Christian rock with their very first released single track ‘Battle Cry’ with Thermal Entertainment, from their first…
Thomas Abban proves to be a singer-songwriter of the highest caliber on the bluesy rock of “A Sheik’s Legacy”. Quite versatile, Thomas Abban creates an entire journey over the course of the album, allowing things to get real wild. Nimble and quick on his feet, Thomas Abban ensures that things veer through with an unquenchable…
Employing almost fifty musicians to help realize his musical aims, singer/songwriter Cameron Blake’s second release Fear Not aspires to the same level of achievement as his previous album 2015’s Alone on the World Stage and surpasses it in many respects. No one can sanely accuse Blake of keeping his goals modest. The dozen songs included…
We should, in these increasingly homogenized times, appreciate unique musical acts when they come along. Most are genre hybrids and Toronto’s FXRRVST (pronounced as forest) is no exception. The duo of Matthew Fuentes and Holly Forrest are close onstage and off and demonstrate a remarkably sympathetic musical point of view for a musical act that…
It’s refreshing to hear traditional sounds finding new expression in 2017 and showing continued relevancy. You have to measure relevancy by more than just sales and commercial standing. Relevancy means that this song, cloaked in a combination of guitar, steady percussion, and organ, speaks as directly to listeners as the combination did when it first…
Sung with such tenderness, Ron Hamrick’s “I Saw the Sign” has a perfect autumnal quality to it. The intimate approach works well as Ron Hamrick keeps things to the absolute essentials. With only a synthesizer, piano, and guitar leading the way, the arrangement has a warmth to it. By far the true highlight comes from…
Sung with great soul, Larry Kolker offers a refreshing additional to the great singer-songwriter tradition with the powerful “Dog Year”. With a great ear for melody the arrangements feel positively energetic. Attention to detail means that these narratives feel akin to seeing a glimpse of a life being lived to the absolute fullest. Instrumentally rich…
Hunter deBlanc’s “Back 4 More” offers a triumphant optimism, one that revels in its pop perfection, with hooks aplenty and a fiery spirit. With a strong adherence to a neon-hued electro approach, the way the song builds up feels majestic. Layer upon layer comes into the mix giving the entire track a kaleidoscopic vibe. Easily…
Ravenscroft nicely embody all the best of hard rock. Volume deserves to be blasted to the absolute maximum for they opt for a physical kind of sound. The riffs are heavy, the rhythms rush through, and the vocals rise above the maddening din. While hard rock nicely anchors their style they also veer into elements…
Rev Peter Unger’s reassuring “Requiem for a Weary Soul” offers a kind of graceful salvation. Exploring the concept of faith, Rev Peter Unger incorporates a fine knack for storytelling with these miniature vignettes. Throughout the piece the way everything twists and turns gives it a timeless, classic quality. Guitar work features a perfect mixture of…
Sarah Ragdale offers a timeless narrative of the ups and downs of relationships with the spirited swing of “Whimsical Romance”. Neatly drawing from ragtime, jazz pop, and the big band era everything feels perfectly balanced. Impassioned vocals tie all of this together, with Sarah Ragdale’s fiery delivery working wonders. Arrangements possess an incredible level of…
I’m no stranger to Les Fradkin as I have been lucky enough to work with this extraordinarily talented singer/songwriter/composer/producer on numerous occasions. Not to mention, Les is a masterful guitarist and MIDI guitar innovator taking the instruments and technology to a whole new stratosphere. So, it’s safe to say I am a certified Les Fradkin…
Sarantos sings straight from the heart on the passionate love ballad “You Should Be With Me (Not Him)”. With a stripped-down, intimate approach Sarantos at times feels akin to be right there, watching his loved one from far away. The tenderness of his vocals depicts a mournful yearning, for a serious relationship with a special…
After the immense popularity from her previous two albums, critically acclaimed singer and songwriter, Sarah Morris have again returned back with her third album, ‘Hearts In Need Of Repair’, which is scheduled to be released on the seventeenth of November 2017. Born and brought up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sarah has been singing and creating music…
The intense desire to communicate their passion with a wide range of audience has brought many gifted musicians into the spotlight. Creating fusion music for some time now, the ‘O.D.D.’ group of musicians has further accomplished their proficiency in creative music with the release of their second EP, ‘The Disorder’. Based in Atlanta, GA, ‘O.D.D.’…
Sheba’s ‘A Real Good Woman’ offers a modern take on the classic blues sound. Over the course of the album the way Sheba delves into a gritty take on relationships feels particularly profound. Layer upon layer works in unison as Sheba displays a true knack for storytelling. Thoughtful narratives permeate every single piece, ones that…
Whenever you undergo a strenuous workout in the gym, you are continuously challenging your muscles to surplus their limits. Due to this, the fibers of this vital tissue start to disintegrate on the impact of such damage. Medical practitioners and fitness experts say the process that your muscles fibers go through to repair and rebuilt…
