CD and DVD reviews
Sasha’s Bloc Band is Alex Gershmann and features guest vocalists, Jane Monheit and Alvin Chea. Gershmann brings the airy feel of big band and jazz with a splash of R&B that puts you right in the groove. This single, Runaway Blues is a perfect blend that accomplishes what this band set out to do, make…
Angelic in tone is the grandeur of Cooper Philip’s “Silence”. Sung straight from the heart her vocal delivery is phenomenal with light accompaniment done via the strong and expressive piano work. The song unfurls ever so gently with her story serving as the beating heart of the piece. Her voice simply soars as she reveals…
Ashley J, a lovely young lady out of Orlando, FL. She is not only a pretty face, but a black belt, dancer and singer/songwriter, triple threat. She is celebrating her latest Pop goodness, Dare Ya. It has the same vivacious charisma we’re used to hearing from this budding new artist. She is fearless and puts…
With a strong sense of play Barbara Mamabolo’s “Hold Up” – (Bring It Down)” brings the funk. At times reminiscent of Parliament’s delightful sense of style the song feels perfect. Paul Pesco’s incredible work on the guitar helps to keep the entire thing fully grounded as the rhythm works its impressive magic. By opting for…
Defiant in tone is the rebellious, independent-minded sound of Natalie Jean’s “Please Don’t”. Cleverly framed in a tragic story, the song expresses how exactly to overcome deep loss. Lyrics express exactly one becomes sick of a bad relationship, of how a bad relationship can poison a life. With lyrics cowritten by Natalie Jean and Michael…
Sly and seductive, Natalie Jean’s “Now I See” offers a luxurious inviting sound, one perfect for the summer. With a dubstep affect to it the piece feels ever so clear. At times reminiscent of James Blake’s careful approach to song craft the piece positively shimmers in tone. Downright glorious the build of the song results…
With a nice mixture of the blues and classic rock is the stylish sound of Topham McCarty’s “All Your Love”. Romantic to its very core Topham McCarty plays with tempo to great effect. Incredible guitar riffs abound throughout the piece showing off their impressive chops. Plainfield Slim utilizes a playful approach with the giddy work…
The duo of Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee, collectively known as The Lowest Pair, has followed an idiosyncratic path since their 2013 formation. Few performing and songwriting units embody the idea of “following the songs wherever and whenever they come” as completely. Like any professional musical act, The Lowest Pair understand the value of…
Formed in 2012, the Los Angeles based big band Sasha’s Bloc has been wowing audiences worldwide with their own particular brand of Americana music – a chops-laden, full on invocation of popular jazz from the early through mid 20th century. This isn’t intended as a purely academic, retro-fitted tribute to past forms. Instead, this is…
Norwood’s “Notes To My Blood” is valentine to the downtrodden and wanderers of the world. All their strengths, all their faults are laid bare. Small snapshots of people, little stories, are peppered throughout the album. Tying it together is Christopher Norwood’s passionate performance and impeccable arrangements. From the slow and steady to the absolute frenzied…
Lush and languid, Sarantos creates an introspective atmosphere with “Hero Falls”. Sensitive to its very core, “Hero Falls” explores what love can do with a person, of how it can carry a person forward. Through this strength a person is able to continue onwards, more powerful in knowing they are truly cared for, together with…
With a true twee sensibility is the satisfyingly sweet sound of Marissa Lauren’s “Now & Forever EP”. Light and airy the songs have a summery feel to them. Structurally sound Marissa Lauren explores a variety of different styles and settings throughout the EP, from the subdued to the bombastic. Throughout all of these many variations…
With a sense of grandeur, Tehon’s “Burning Alive” is one that effortlessly weaves together elements of rap, hip-hop, and rock into a satisfying whole. Tehon’s flow is done just right as his lyrics emphasize a nightmarish atmosphere. Helping to further add to the mood is the gargantuan beat which keeps everything fully centered. Flourishes of…
The Bongo Boy Rock N’ Roll TV Show is proud to present the latest episode in their Rock N’ Roll TV Show Series “ Rock n Roll All The Way”, featuring 7 talented independent international recording artists in 1 special ½ hour TV show. This latest Bongo Boy TV produced episode premieres this Saturday June…
Sensitive and stylish, Karen Willough’s “World Without You” duet with Michael Jones is a brilliant beautiful song. Romantic to its very core the song unfurls ever so slowly. The soft, gentle arrangement works wonders with her clear, careful vocals. Lyrically the song focuses on relationships, on what they mean, and how their dissolution can result…
Rachael Sage returns to the music scene with her new album “Choreographic”. Sage is a talented vocalist and a well-seasoned musician with a long list of credits to her name. Her work has been on MTV, HBO, the movie “Fame”, and on the TV show “Dance Moms” , just to name a few. Sage is…
“MorIs Better: The Hangover” shows off J’Moris’s impressive lyrical flow and strong sense of storytelling. Throughout the collection J’Moris peppers the pieces with lots of pop culture references. Keeping this centered are little snapshots of a life, anxiety of parenthood, loving people, etc. By doing this he is able to go for a playful nimble…
The Jess Novak Band create a funky soulful sound on Rat a Tat (Remix). Full of energy the song explodes into beautiful color. Playful to its very core everything simply works from the smooth vocals to the infectious bass line. How the song evolves ever so gracefully is particularly fine, throwing together elements from so…
Midwestern alternative rock doesn’t wield the same artistic or commercial clout it did during the halcyon days of the nineties or early 21st century, but its lowered profile certainly doesn’t equate to an exhausted musical genre. Inbokeh didn’t get the memo. The three piece from the Columbus, Ohio area first formed in 2015, but the…
Mortinus is a new artist coming to the scene with his own version of the musical expression. His sound is more of a New World meets electronic feel. Throughout his songs, you can also hear influences from many parts of the world, as well as some pop music. All of his songs so far are…
SakkieFTW’s “Experimental 1.3.2” takes the best pieces of EDM and dubstep transforming them into an irresistibly catchy whole. Energetic to its very core the songs are pure adrenaline. Moving at incredible speed SakkieFTW shows incredible skill at weaving together layer upon layer of sound. Rhythms are relentless with the melodies bouncing off of them iridescently.…
The kinetic force crackling through the five songs on Reverist’s debut EP Dreaming will find its ultimate express on a full length effort, but this abbreviated introduction to the band will send them straight into the spotlight with ease. The band hails from the Orlando, Florida area and has been working as a quartet on…
Ashley J is a new recording pop artist trying to make her mark. Hailing from Orlando, Florida, her beachy, sunny sound is reflected in her music. Before she became an artist, Ashley had an extensive writing career in Nashville, TN. While she was there, she solidified herself as a songwriter in the country music industry.…
Bluesy to its very core, Junior and the Rude Mood taps into a timeless sound with “Trust and Happiness are Gone”. With lyrics that focus on feeling outright rejected the song moves along lazily, looking for little glimmers of hope. The slow dirge-like tempo further emphasizes the tragic, introspective mood that dominates the piece. Gradually…
South African born singer/songwriter Jeri Silverman is cut from familiar cloth. The texture of her multi-faceted talents, however, differ enough that she deserves consideration as more than just another competent member of a particular musical school. She is working well within the same traditions established by iconic trailblazers like Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, but her…
Thoughtful and elegantly executed, Dak’s “2 Face” presents brilliant poetic pop. Dak carefully crafts his lyrics, presenting a hopeful look at the world determining exactly what the deeper meaning in life may be. By accompanying these questions of life with a tasteful hybrid of jazz and hip hop the songs are given just the right…
Chris Murphy’s quarter century long journey as a professional musician embodies the idea of calling versus vocation. There’s a tremendous amount of hard work and routine that professional musicians, like any laborer, endures to deliver their product. It isn’t uncommon to hear many veteran musicians say that they’re paid for their travel; the gigs are…
Canadian singer, Lynne Taylor Donovan’s new single, The Strong One is making waves, sitting on HotDisc at number 1 for 3 weeks straight & has been in the top 10 for 7 weeks. She has an old school country appeal and her voice takes you back in time when country music was ruled by the…
Sweet and succinct, Cage & Co’s “Tyneside On My Mind” is a tender ballad. Full of love the song’s core rests within its articulate highly thoughtful lyrics. Passionately delivered the song shoots for the heavens and lands among the stars. The arrangement is impeccable kept to the absolute essentials and completely engrossing. By opting for…
Effortlessly blending elements of pop, hip hop, RnB and soul, Ave Emi’s “Faux Hearts EP” is a pure joy. With a sound at times reminiscent of Frank Ocean the songs glisten. Attention to detail, from the smooth melodies, crystal clear vocals, and casual grooves result in a perfect kind of harmony. Lyrically the songs serve…
Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, The Energy is a five part rock band with a unique sound. With over a decade of experience, The Energy has been featured in countless publications, including MTV, ESPN, and much more. They’ve also been cosigned by many talented artists, including going on the road with 3 Doors Down. Now The…
“TDAU (Tear Dat Ass Up)” is an immaculately produced, hard-hitting club banger showing off Ki-Mani and Fat Trel’s undeniable skill. Volume is an absolute must as the bass is physical in nature. Rhythms dominate anchoring the entire thing. Serving as the heart of the song are the vocals, which are perfectly smooth. Lyrics are playful,…
Grant Lyle’s “Nu” taps into the sweetest kind of style, of a lovely languid form of classic rock. Throughout the album Grant Lyle’s voice resonates clearly. By far the heart of the album is Grant Lyle’s soulful approach to the guitar. With an incredible range from the atmospheric to the straight-up pure blues influenced rock…
Cool and casual, Sam Crooks creates an inviting deprecating piece of work on “What a Shame EP”. Displaying a true knack for storytelling the songs move on ever so leisurely helping to further emphasize the overall introspective tenor of the sound. With a sound reminiscent of the Sea and Cake’s mellow jazz tinged airy pop,…
Sung straight from the heart, Tod Hughes recalls past singer songwriter storytellers like Bob Dylan and Neil Young with “Time Slow Down”. His attention to detail is exquisite in terms of the impeccable arrangements and the poetic lyricism. Throughout it all Tod Hughes sensitive voice and keen observation helps to give these songs great power.…
Based out of the Washington D.C. area, Broke Royals is a two piece band formed in 2014 by multi-instrumentalists Phillip Basnight and Colin Cross. The band’s music defies neat categorization. There’s an underlying rock aesthetic to the band’s work that has allowed them to share bills with a classic rock institution like Lynyrd Skynyrd, but…
Immaculately produced by Keith Hines, Tammi T’s “Dance with a Stranger” is an incredible ode to the power of house music. Tammi T’s voice rises above tying everything together with fiery passion. Attention to detail is absolutely stunning from the physicality of the bass to the crisp handclaps. What truly serves as the heart and…
Bruce Mountain Band’s “Another Day Lost” offers a modern update of classic psychedelic rock. Their adherence to the sound is admirable: from the fuzzed out guitars to the endless heavy grooves, they keep on driving forward. Akin to similarly structured latter-day driving psychedelic rockers like Wooden Shjips, Bruce Mountain Band is a force of nature.…
Franco/American duo Secret Season, featuring multi-instrumentalist Mark Moogalian and vocalist/keyboardist/flutist Isabelle Risacher, have released four albums since their 2011 debut with On Our Own. Their latest release Love is the Only Game in Town carries on the band’s tradition of writing intelligent alternative music drawing from an array of influences. The album’s twelve tracks are…
Delicate and refined, Midwest Rhythm Exchange create a warm intimate sound on “Take Me Home”. With lilting lovely melodies the songs shine through full of confidence. The intermingling of a wide variety of styles from jazz to country to folk and everything in between. Such an approach, especially when coupled with their thoughtful lyricism, is…
