CD and DVD reviews
Paris Tompkins is the singer and songwriter in the musical trio, The Riot. Love Makes Me Crazy is one of the song on the band’s superb EP titled Tonight We’re Alive. Tompkins has a unique voice that fits perfectly in the rock genre in the old speaker-pounding type of rock way. His voice is mature…
You might be inclined, given the twang in his voice, to think Marc Daniels is a southerner, but the Spokane, Washington native is actually a superbly talented singer whose voice is apparently capable of inhabiting any musical landscape. His performance on the single “Summer Song” definitely has a retro quality, but the production and forceful…
Seventy six years young Bunny Sigler, a key piece of the “Philly” sound and renowned for his extensive work with producers Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble, isn’t yet done despite selling millions of records over his long career and garnering multiple Grammy nods. His latest single, “Angel Eyes”, is a song first popularized by Ol’…
This outside the box project conceived by the trio of renowned actor/musician Steven Bauer, producer/songwriter Jim Petersen, and multi-instrumentalist/producer John Burke highlighted by American singer Gabriella Kreuz and a revolving cast of additional female vocalists. The theory behind this design is keeping the project’s audience on their toes and never allowing things to grow stale.…
Multi-facet singer and songwriter Jacob Acosta and DJ Conrad Sasinski have teamed up for what can be easily considered one of the most intriguing and interesting acts of the last decade, HYTS. One comes from the fine desert in Tucson, AZ while the other have been making some waves in the Bay Area and beyond.…
Unlikely collaborations often bear the tastiest fruits. The self-titled debut release from Weatherboy brings the talents of Los Angeles based restaurateur and artist John Walquist with those of Iceland native and multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Rosinkranz in a ten song collection invoking recognizable sounds from the past while still firmly planting flags in the present. Their penchant…
The expression about cream rising to the top holds true here and doesn’t smack of cliché. Trevor Drury’s “I Know You From the 70’s” deserves every bit of the mainstream attention it has so far garnered as a supreme example of the stylistic prowess modern music can still manifest in the right hands. Drury’s surprising…
“Warfare”, was just released and is the second single out of the series of new singles coming from Dublin’s own Anton Cullen. A multi-instrumentalist and producer of sorts, who has this single as well as a previous single titled “Breaking Through”. Both that single and this single ” Warfare”, expose the ability of what one…
Following a European tour behind his new album, Land Of Doubt, Sam Baker is turning his attention to creative projects in 2017: Opening his first-ever exhibition as a visual artist, staging an original play and filming a documentary. As you may know, Sam has limited hearing after being on a bus that exploded during a…
Through The Dog’s Eyes by bd. Gottfried is an eclectic album with a lot of influences drawn from those he has worked around over the years which reads pretty impressive. This is an album he’s obviously proud of, and the moods it swings through tell all about that. As a veteran musician, he’s seasoned beyond…
After keeping everyone waiting for the past three years, finally Seconds Before Landing makes a compelling comeback with their third album, “Now That I Have Your Attention”. Pittsburgh based John Crispino, the talented composer and vocalist have recreated the magic similar to what their first critically acclaimed album, “The Great Deception”, has retained all these…
Sweden based singer/songwriter Deborah Henriksson is coming out with her new album, Near and Far, on the 25th of August. Henriksson’s music is a mix of Celtic, folk, and country. You can even hear some pop influences if you pay attention. With a rich and distinct sound, Henriksson stays true to her roots in her…
It’s been a little over seven years since I last worked with Steven Bryan and reviewed his album ‘One Way’ back in 2009, – https://skopemag.com/2010/06/22/steven-bryan-one-way. I said then that “You haven’t seen nothing yet from the man they call Steven Bryan; just get ready and prepare yourself because it’s gonna be HUGE!” And man does…
Californian Nicc Angeles is a musician like many other artists within the music scene, making something of themselves in the ways of the art that is music. But of course Nicc’s music is an accessible language of its very own. It is comprised of the elements that go of bring out the true and unapologetic…
Have you come to notice that whatever your age, class, the profession is, there is always a song that appeals to you? No matter how stressed you are or how busy you are or occupied you might be; whenever that tone of music comes to your hearing you enjoy every line of the song. For…
“Stolen Moments” is the eighth solo album for Rick Shaffer, as it would have it, he was inspired by the concept that there is no guarantee’s or promise’s in life, and every minute he has spent writing and recording is his precious time. That said, this album takes 10-tracks of pure rock n’ roll mixed…
Crossing the lines between adult contemporary and indie, all while adding a comedic twist. That’s what Charles Boyd has been doing for over two decades now. A finalist in CBC Radio Canada’s “Young Composer of the Year” in 1992, he showed major promise early on in his career. Due to a mental health condition, he’s…
Sung with heart and passion, Rev Peter Unger creates a true classic with the delicate “Sounds of Christmas”. The way the song builds up feels warm and familiar, akin to spending time with loved ones during that blessed time of year. Rev Peter Unger crafts a fascinating story, one of faith and togetherness that drives…
Music is powerful, everyone knows that. It can make you feel more than you thought capable, it can take you to faraway lands or to distant memories. It can put you in the shoes of a stranger, and it can make you understand parts of yourself you never really considered before. When musicians put their…
During law school, the music of Skipper M. Drost became more than a hobby playing in various drinking establishments in and around New Orleans, La. earning enough to pay for law books. After graduating from Loyola Law School, his passion for music continued, playing once again with his family band in and around his hometown,…
To start with, Elyza is a solo female artist from the Charleston SC area who began her songwriting and singing career in 2013. Her songs, about love and relationships, have a flavoring which she feels is unique to her personality. Currently, her songs are being played in over 131 countries and in all US states,…
Nashville-based indie artist Josh Birdsong is coming out with a new EP on August 28th called Where The Light Bends, and one of the songs on it is called “Complex Context.” Birdsong has a unique sound and it reminds me heavily of atmospheric rock, with all of the elements. It feels more like it’s an…
In the inaugurations of Carter, Jamie Gazelle opened on the eclipse that day in Washington DC as he was then living in Maryland with new wife Roxi. About 50,000 people were on the lawns that day and the song “Open Window” shook the whole place, and a few girls were coming up afterwards who that…
A Registered nurse, passionate poetic and lyric writer. Writes to give voice to those impacted by social issues. A parent of both chosen and birth children, Ruth Garnes is an advocate of children affected by abandonment and abuse. Born in Belize, she migrated to New York at age eighteen. After studying nursing, worked as an…
ZupaNova are a trio consisting of Kimala, who expresses true beauty naturally with her loving character, but ultimately, through her passion for singing, songwriting, fashion modeling and consistently evolving swagger. Davy Brown, who is a multi-genre music producer, recording artist, songwriter, composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, graphic designer, film editor, and…
R.G.F. is an Alternative rock band they have been writing songs and playing music all over the Midwest for over twenty years and it really shows through in their talent. They have several talented guitarists. Scott on bass, Adam metal string acoustic guitar, and Barry on Metal guitar. Definitely a stellar drummer named Mark and…
For an artist or band to be around for a short amount of time, but already have quite the following is saying something. Guest Actors may have been around for a mere 2 years, but it is only within that time frame that they have done so much. “By Demand”, just happens to be their…
Souleye’s “Hip Hop Medicine”, was quite the summer time hit, when released this past June. Now that the summer is drawing to a close, with fall right around the corner, what better way to beat the heat, then with a new track like “Wildman”. The track has already gotten such a buzz with reactions ranging…
Alex Otey wears many hats. He is a songwriter, a singer, a pianist and a producer all rolled into one. Talk about being talented! After having participated in one Grammy winning and two Grammy nominated projects, Otey has set his sights on leaving an indelible mark on the music landscape with his new album, ‘Love…
I won’t lie, when I see political bands, I feel a little nervous. I am definitely on the left, and usually the issue is that there’s something missing, or the band doesn’t think an issue even counts. I was glad to see that this isn’t the case with Chicago-based band Voice of Addiction. Their new…
Soles Of Passion is a political country/rock band based out of Los Angeles, California. Their primary mission is to help victims of foreclosure, and to reinstate the real American Dream. The duo, comprised of Steven Wolfe and Myla Snow, have a unique sound and a specific goal, one that gives them the title of being…
Rick Shaffer has been going at it since the 70’s, with no signs of stopping. He’s out with his newest album, Stolen Moments, which focuses on the preciousness of time. Shaffer stays true to his sound and himself in this album. There’s a melancholy edge to some of the tracks and a fitting reminder that…
West Virginia natives Bobaflex are the hard rock band of your dreams. They’re out with their new album, Eloquent Demons, on August 25th. This is the perfect time to get familiar with them. The band is made up of Shaun and Martin McCoy (guitar and vocals), Dave Tipple (guitar and vocals), Tommy Johnson (drums), and…
Paige Keiner is a rising star, and one to look out for. The Orlando born singer has been capturing hearts since 2011, and she is gradually becoming a musical sensation. Paige is a dynamic singer and songwriter as she’s always seen experimenting with various genres; Indie, pop, and country, being her favorites. The vocalist’s vast…
New Jersey based rock band, Dust of Days, is out with a new album called Analog Mind Bender- and from that album is the track “Heavy.” The band is the result of drummer and songwriter Frank Lettieri Jr.’s musical therapy that has been producing great music since 2009. Guitarists Jim McGee and Mike Virok make…
This is a distinctly different twist on what Jonathan Cavier has offered listeners in recent years. “Blue Room”, the title track from his latest studio release, eschews the pop leanings of Cavier’s earlier efforts in favor of a straight forward rock music attack that, nevertheless, retains immense accessibility. It has been a number of years…
This is one of the most oddly endearing and affectionate songs I’ve ever heard. Some might find it initially off-putting that someone has devoted this much time to penning, recording, and releasing an ode to some distantly iconic pop singer like Taylor Swift. Ossy O’Neal, however, has responded to Swift’s public and performing persona in…
Nick Black’s joy to the girl is an appeasing track with soulful music and excellent usage of vocal and rhythms. Nick Black surely deserves a standing ovation and a great round of applause for the latest track “Joy To The Girl”. Where else can you expect such a perfect culmination of modern soul with R7B…
2016 was a rough year for the entertainment industry, with the loss of so many incredible people. A number of musicians that made huge impacts to modern music passed away, as well. Singer Gregg Stewart recently came out with a cover album called Twenty Sixteen, a tribute to all of the wonderful talent we lost.…
Sarantos sculpts a spellbinding story with the joyful “Tonight”. Over the course of the song Sarantos weaves in elements of classic rock, pop, with a hint of hard rock thrown in for good measure. From this unique hybrid of genres Sarantos creates a song that possesses great heart. By opting for such an approach the…
