@skopemag Review – ‘The Mighty Quinn’ by California ™ – feat. Les Fradkin
Having recorded reinterpretations of The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” earlier this year, Les Fradkin continues reimagining pop staples through his musical project California™ with their latest cover “The Mighty Quinn,” originally sung by Bob Dylan.
Few songs in Dylan’s catalog have taken on such an afterlife as “Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn).” Born from the 1967 Basement Tapes, the tune quickly escaped Dylan’s hands and became a chart topper through Manfred Mann’s 1968 version. Since then, the song has been synonymous with playful energy and a communal singalong spirit.
https://californiatm-featlesfradkin.bandcamp.com/track/the-mighty-quinn
https://california.hearnow.com/the-mighty-quinn
Fradkin approaches The Mighty Quinn with clear affection, and that shapes the entire recording. Rather than radically reinventing it, California™ leans into the buoyancy, eccentricity, and sense of sunshine and kicks it up a notch. Dylan’s sparse instrumentation is replaced by brighter guitars, keyboards and mellotron textures.
But the first thing that hits the ear is the production. Filtered through a modern studio sheen, the single sounds bright, crisp, and inviting. The result sits somewhere between homage and update: recognizable enough to immediately slot alongside the Manfred Mann version, but with that California warmth characteristic of Les’ work.
Fradkin’s vocals keep the mood light, perfectly complimenting Dylan’s surreal lyrics while making no attempt to overdramatize it. The cheerful, almost conversational delivery is supported by Loretta Fradkin’s backing harmonies, reinforcing the singalong quality that has always been at the heart of The Mighty Quinn.
California ™ feat. Les Fradkin’s The Mighty Quinn is a loving cover that honors the song’s legacy while dressing it in bright, West Coast colors. It doesn’t seek to outdo Dylan or Mann, but rather to carry the tune into the present with care and craft. This single is sure to be a delightful playlist addition for listeners who appreciate well-produced, sunlit pop with psychedelic accents.
https://www.lesfradkin.com/
https://www.reverbnation.com/lesfradkin
Phi Tribe’s use of Phi Balanced™ Technology can Improve Your Sleep
As someone who’s spent over two decades in audio production—editing, mixing, mastering, and tearing waveforms apart frame by frame—I’m rarely surprised by what lands in my inbox or algorithm feed. But Phi Tribe (https://www.youtube.com/@PhiTribe)? This is something altogether different. It’s not just music; it’s precision-crafted resonance. Their sonic compositions aren’t made for passive listening; they are psychoacoustic sculptures that interact with your brainwaves and body.
Phi Tribe’s use of Phi Balanced™ Technology grabbed my attention immediately. Most music floats around 440Hz tuning, but their compositions intentionally work with 432Hz, 528Hz, and other Solfeggio frequencies—tones long linked with healing, balance, and altered states of consciousness. This isn’t pseudoscience when done right. When you align frequencies with the Fibonacci sequence and natural harmonics, you’re effectively working with the same acoustic ratios found in ocean waves, planetary orbits, and even DNA structures.
The first time I analyzed one of their tracks, I was impressed by the harmonic layering. These aren’t lazy drone loops or faux New Age pads slapped together. Each piece shows attention to frequency spacing, spatial modulation, and envelope shaping. Ford and the team clearly understand how the psychoacoustic brain responds to stereo field manipulation and subtle shifts in timbre. It’s music you feel in your chest as much as your ears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz1VXiLGNaI
I’ve since started using their music during mixing sessions—not just for inspiration, but as a tuning reference. Seriously. If my own mixes feel dissonant or tense after listening to Phi Tribe, I know I’ve strayed too far from the golden mean. Their content has also made its way into my personal space—bedroom, meditation room, even the studio lounge. My clients have commented on the shift in vibe. There’s a tangible shift in the room’s energy when their tracks are playing.
Ford recently addressed the YouTube ad policy changes in a video message. I respect how transparently it was laid out: ads might now disrupt some videos due to platform changes, but there’s a low-cost membership to keep content ad-free and support their mission. As a fellow content creator, I know how hard it is to balance passion and platform algorithms. And for just $0.99/month, the value is undeniable—not only for uninterrupted listening but for keeping high-quality, human-created content alive.
What really strikes me is that Phi Tribe is forging a middle path between scientific rigor and intuitive creativity. They’re not selling snake oil, and they’re not catering solely to the woo-woo crowd either. They’re creating a new category—music that’s engineered not just to entertain but to attune.
They’ve even hinted at future offerings—like live studio recordings, podcasts, and monthly Zoom calls for members. As someone who’s always hungry to learn from other audio professionals, I’m particularly excited about hearing the behind-the-scenes process. I want to know what plug-ins they’re using, how they layer binaural effects, how they modulate and spread frequency bands. This is fertile territory for innovation.
To those who think audio production has hit a plateau—think again. Phi Tribe is pushing the conversation forward. And if you care about how sound can shape human experience, you’d do well to listen—really listen.
Gwen Waggoner
@skopemag Review – The Compassion Project: Songs for Animal, Human, and Earth Justice
Activism through music is often a difficult balancing act where artists must walk the tightrope between advocating their cause and aiming for musical perfection. Artists & Activists Records tackles this challenge head-on with their ambitious project: “The Compassion Project: Songs for Animal, Human, and Earth Justice”
Featuring contributions from twenty-one artists with genres spanning folk, rock, world, and indie, the compilation sets out to align a plethora of urgent struggles, ranging from climate action and animal liberation to human rights and spiritual resilience, under one unifying theme: compassion.
https://aaarecords.hearnow.com/the-compassion-project
From the start, this album’s intentions are clear: each song is chosen not only for musical merit but for its ability to use it as a tool for change and progress. This is protest music in the broadest sense, not confined to one genre, but connected by a common call for justice, hope, and compassion.
The album begins in quiet reflection with North Carolina-based Kim Smith’s single: “Human.” This track is intimate and vulnerable, pleading with the listener to be humane and consider the interconnectedness of all people and the environment. This single stands out because of its stripped-back arrangement that lets the emotions take center stage.
The San Diego rock band Sometimes Julie switches things up with “I won’t go quietly,” a heavy protest anthem that calls audiences to “Resist, oppose, stand up, and demand change.” The shift to confrontation together with the immaculate production serves as proof that activism can also be catchy.
One of the standouts is William Robertson’s “One Day Chicks,” a scathing punk number that is blunt, uncompromising, and graphic. This single confronts the egg industry’s killing of male chicks, forcing us to face some uncomfortable truths.
The album closes with Danny Hamilton’s “Until we all rise,” a gentle ballad written in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing that points out that nothing will change for the better until “we all rise up.” featuring full orchestral backing and gospel notes with a full choir, this is a beautiful call for compassion and action.
The album’s diversity is both its appeal and its flaw. It spans a wide sonic terrain, but the production quality fluctuates; polished studio tracks rub shoulders with lo-fi recordings. Still, this very unevenness underscores the grassroots nature of the project: authentic voices gathered under a shared cause.
The Compassion Project situates itself in the long lineage of socially conscious compilations, from protest folk anthologies of the 1960s to modern climate-justice albums.
It demonstrates how music can move hearts where arguments cannot. In a time when the world often feels short on empathy, The Compassion Project argues that compassion is not just a feeling; it is an act, and sometimes, it is a song.
https://www.animalrightsmusic.org
“Angles” by the Douglas Ray Jaffe Project
Angles, by the Douglas Ray Jaffe Project, is a set of four singles culminated into an EP release, with the vocal position going to three female and one male singer to round out the four elegantly written, produced, and arranged tracks. The production side is important to the Angles EP, as Craig Brandwein with Center Sound Productions (Alabama) at the helm it’s always a serious undertaking with an excellent outcome with his projects and the often student personal involved. Each track takes you on a journey through Jaffe’s mind for a snapshot worth hearing on repeat without any hesitating whatsoever.
URL: https://www.douglasrayjaffeproject.com/
These four tracks play like the gems they are, and as the end draws near the vocals change up for the surprise of the release, but not before the first three tracks grace your ears with a delicate balance of beauty and finesse. “Paychecks And Daydreams” featuring Drey Arnold on vocals, with a most angelic singing effort over Jaffe’s lyrics and Brandwein’s precision sound making for a blend of perfection. The whispery voicings of Drey Arnold deliver a remarkable resonance that radiates throughout the opening track, going to show a voice can absolutely make a song at the end of the day.
The songwriting of Douglas Ray Jaffe provides a deep foundation for the songs on the Angles EP, which although can be heard on the first track, it really starts to show on the second track “Brooklyn Eyes” featuring the angelic vocal skills of Mollie Flotemersch. This is a mesmerizing song that could put anyone under the spell of the singer’s voice in just one listen, as she completely commands the melody and wraps it around your ears. The writing of Jaffe must be noted at this point, for giving the singers so much to work with on the Angles EP.
“To Pass” is the middle track, and these features another sweet vocalist in Natalie Kasper, known for her country music, which the song does ring a little of, but it’s generally a ballad with a story about taking the next train to somewhere besides the present where all things pass. This is where Jaffe’s words make perfect sense to music with harmony in a narrative storytelling fashion, and Kasper takes it from acoustically quiet to a wonderfully bursting chorus. The Angles EP just gets better as it goes, with Craig Brandwein ultimately to credit for the ultrasonic sound.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/jo/album/angles-the-douglas-ray-jaffe-project-ep/1826144343
The sense of humor and whit of Douglas Ray Jaffe starts to shine through some on the final track “Today’s Forecast… Anything Goes” with Bob Schnider taking the vocals down another road altogether, which is mostly lighthearted but pulsating as the lyrics play out about no surprises in anything from the whether to anything at all. The final song from the Angles EP tops off a solid collection of four modern pop leanings with country and folk styling, cleverly arranged and mixed with world class songwriting with great hand-picked musicians and singers. Angles by the Douglas Jaffe Project comes recommended for all these points and more.
Gwen Waggoner
David Bailis Presents “Running Through My Mind”
With “Running Through My Mind,” guitarist and composer David Bailis delivers a record that is both modern in its electric textures and timeless in its emphasis on ensemble interplay. This album marks Bailis’s fourth outing as a leader, and it’s his most cohesive to date; highlighting not only his deft guitar work, but also a level of group chemistry that makes jazz records memorable.
The album’s title draws inspiration from David’s own passion for running as he’s a 2:53 marathoner, competitive runner, and triathlete. And the concept really shines through on this record, as the freedom with which the ensemble performs is perfectly reminiscent of the liberating feel of a morning run.
The original compositions showcase Bailis’s wide-ranging imagination. “Ordinary Trash” sets the tone with bright grooves and easy camaraderie between Caroline Davis’ alto sax and Andrew Links’ keyboards which blend together in an unusual dissonance. “Angles” on the other hand is somewhat of a misnomer as the textures on this track are the smoothest of the entire record.
https://davidbailis.bandcamp.com/album/running-through-my-mind-2
With a runtime of over seven minutes, “Telepathy” is a journey into dreamlike soundscapes with the high-register keyboard passages lending a cosmic glow that Bailis rides into lyrical soloing. Each piece on the record has a distinct character, yet together they trace an arc that feels organic, like chapters of a single story.
The record also takes an interesting turn with two covers: solo guitar readings of Stevie Wonder’s “Joy Inside My Tears” and John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” These songs, originally built on lyrical confession, demand an emotional sensitivity that goes beyond virtuosity. Bailis resists the temptation to overplay, instead shaping the melodies with restraint, patience, and nuance.
Part of the album’s charm lies in its spontaneity. With just enough mixing to sound professional, but not enough to seem mainstream, the sessions capture the kind of spontaneity that can’t be manufactured. The band’s energy translates beautifully, showcasing Running Through My Mind as a testament to collective creativity.
For listeners who appreciate contemporary jazz with an electric edge, David Bailis’s latest album is an essential listen. Running Through My Mind doesn’t just run through your ears; it stays lodged there, resonating long after the final notes fade.
Generations Present ‘Mess We Leave Behind’
Generations makes a powerful statement with their debut single “Mess We Leave Behind,” an intimate, late-summer indie-folk ballad. Consisting of the father daughter duo of songwriters Harry Offutt and his daughter Phoenix Hoppe, Generations’ musical identity appears to be one of homegrown honesty carefully balanced against a polished arrangement.
The song starts with a gentle acoustic accompaniment with Phoenix’s voice taking center stage. As the track progresses, the electric guitars kick in together with a tastefully subtle percussion. The emotional impact grows as Phoenix’s voice rises, but it never sounds heavy; just warm yet powerful.
The lead vocals are the song’s emotional anchor, and perfectly suits the resolution that the song makes: to build a relationship that ends gracefully. The refrain in the chorus is really smartly written here, with the line “The only mess we leave behind/is filled up passports/and worn-out shoes” perfectly conveying the concept with relatable imagery.
Harry Offutt’s role as co-writer/producer gives the track a multigenerational perspective that comes through in the phrasing and lyrical focus: it’s personal but written so listeners of any age can find a foothold.
The production on this track is another highlight, as overproduction is an easy trap to fall into when you go for a single that gradually builds into a soaring climax. But the mixing team on Mess We Leave Behind respects the song’s emotional content, and keeps the arrangement sounding polished yet organic.
If the song has a predictable moment, it’s in the final surge toward anthemic territory. But while the intimacy of the opening verses is nice to capture an audience, enlarging the arrangement is the right strategy to make an impact and win over listeners who like that cathartic ending to a ballad.
Overall, Mess We Leave Behind is a confident debut that places Generations in the sweet spot between singer-songwriter intimacy and small-stadium heart.
ONLINE:
https://generationsmusicofficial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/generationsmusicofficial/
Rev Peter Unger Presents ‘So Pick Up The Banner’
Rev. Peter Unger has built a reputation over many years as a singer-songwriter whose music is rooted in faith, hope, and gently persuasive spiritual introspection. His latest single, “So Pick Up the Banner,” deviates from the established tradition and carries ambitions that suggest a bolder, more declarative posture from Unger.
While this single combines folk, country, gospel, and acoustic textures in Unger’s signature style, he ventures into the concepts of nationalism and liberty, singing the virtues of democracy and the principles of the founding fathers.
– https://www.reverbnation.com/revpeterunger/song/35105230-so-pick-up-the-banner
As usual, the great thing about Unger’s songwriting is that he’s never preachy, even when taking a strong moral position. With lines like “If the Sons of Liberty were alive today/What would they fight for/What would they say?” He invites the listener with questions instead of making broad and challenging statements.
The musicianship on this track is refreshingly simple, with Unger’s warm vocals accompanied by nothing but gentle acoustic guitars. You know from the start that the focus is on the message and not entertainment. It’s a rare poetic work in a musical landscape dominated by mass-produced singles.
“So Pick Up the Banner” is an outward-looking and action-oriented single with the imagery of a banner suggesting identity, community, and purpose. It’s less about quiet solace and more of a declaration, showing a clear evolution in Unger’s work, but his strongest asset remains his ability to deliver emotion without over-production.
“So Pick Up The Banner” has strong potential to be one of Peter Unger’s more galvanizing songs. For listeners who already appreciate his faith-centric folk style, this might become a favorite when they want to feel more emboldened, to reaffirm identity or conviction.
Blake Red Presents “Scorpion”
Blake Red returns from a four-year studio silence with “Scorpion,” a compact, hard-edged anthem that pairs blistering alt-rock/metal instrumentation with pointed, survivor-first lyrics. Guitars bite, drums push, and Blake’s vocals ride the crest of the arrangement to craft a thrilling lead single for her upcoming EP “Out of the Cage.”
Scorpion opens on snarling, overdriven guitar and a roomy drum hit that immediately tells you that the next few minutes are going to be intense. The production favors impact over polish: guitars sit up front with saturated mids, bass and drums supply a muscular low-end foundation.
Blake’s vocal tone alternates between a controlled, evocative mid-range and a harsher, venomous top line. There’s no vocal gymnastics on show here, just pure attack which suits the track’s confrontational mood. These elements combine into a tight blast that feels like a modern punk-inflected rock single built for immediacy.
Blake’s multi-role involvement gives the track a personal, DIY edge without sounding undercut in production value. The drums are punchy and slightly compressed for impact, which keeps the verses driving. The mix choices favor attitude over sonic hygiene, which suits the song’s raw lyrics.
What “Scorpion” does best is concentrate rage into a concise, memorable form. The riffs are hooky in a bruising way, and the single’s directness is refreshing in an era when softer ambiguity is often the norm. If the track has limits, they’re in nuance; listeners who want layered metaphor or melodic unpredictability may find the song’s bluntness a little jarring.
All considered, Scorpion succeeds as a statement: musically muscular, lyrically purposeful, and well-suited to Blake Red’s persona as a genre-bending alt-rock/metal artist unafraid to confront dark themes.
https://www.instagram.com/blakeredrocks
Frances Ancheta Presents ‘Saving Graces’
After a hiatus of over five years, Frances Ancheta returns with an album three years in the making: “Saving Graces.” Combining elements of folk, pop, and blues rock, this is a quietly powerful record that wears its honesty on its sleeve. The nine-song collection finds the Filipina-American artist moving from the intimate, acoustic textures of past releases into a fuller band sound without losing the personal warmth that defines her work.
The lineup for this album features Toku Woo on lead guitar, Maia Wiitala on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Peter DeHaas on percussion. The minimal accompaniment keeps the arrangements uncluttered and places the spotlight on Frances’ vocals while still giving the songs a rhythmic backbone and occasional electric bite.
The album opens with “In My Time of Need,” an energetic single that explores relying on others when life gets difficult. This is followed by the musically distinct “The Place Where I Need to Be,” which is a warm, steady ballad that wrestles with the need for separation even when it’s painful. The lyrics and melody of these two tracks seem to announce the album’s broader theme of reaching for support while retaining personal agency.
One of the highlights of the album is the energetic “No More Judgments,” which features heavier instrumentation and is lyrically a fiercely independent callout track about not bending over backwards to satisfy others anymore.
The closer, “When That Day Comes,” leans fully into the folk genre and winds the record down with a future-oriented perspective. At the end of the emotional
rollercoaster that Saving Graces was, Frances leaves us with the most comforting feeling of them all: hope.
The engineering led by Bozho Lasich is notably tasteful on this album, opting for a few production choices that make the record sound close and immediate in accordance with the lyrics. Frances favors clarity over metaphor in her words, and lines about boundaries, recovery and everyday perseverance recur. But that plainness is the album’s power: these are songs meant to be entered and felt immediately rather than decoded.
Saving Graces is a rewarding listen for fans of intimate indie folk/pop and anyone drawn to songcraft built on lived experience and recovery. It’s nothing radical, but Frances Ancheta brings honesty, melodic sense, and a trustworthy band to these nine songs.
Sites/Socials:
https://www.francesanchetasongwriter.com
https://www.instagram.com/francesanchetasongwriter
https://www.facebook.com/francesanchetaSongwriter
https://www.reverbnation.com/francesanchetasongwriter
https://www.bandcamp.com/francesancheta
https://m.youtube.com/@francesanchetasongwriter215/featured
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dKtDheKMLsJh4bgW5VtKd?si=xnaU9VlVQ7elSyLyPMFlJw
The Earthly Frames New Album ‘Vanity Pressing’
In 2017, Gabriel Walsh, under the long-running project The Earthly Frames took on an incredibly ambitious project under the title: “Rainbow Table”. With the seven colors of the rainbow together with black and white, he uses music to explore chromatic landscapes, each time crafting a concept album that challenges the listener.
2025 pushes this project into a new color: “Vanity Pressing” is the violet installment that marries Walsh’s longtime appetite for experimental textures with elements of radio-friendly pop music. He’s joined on this album by guest vocalists Shirley Kudirka, Aloysius Fortune, Katherine Koherence, and Busayo Oninla.
The record kicks off with “Thought Rays,” a single that could’ve passed itself off as a standard pop hit if it wasn’t for the electronic soundscapes and vocal distortion.
This is a common theme across the album, with “Gallows Girls” also featuring retro-futuristic synths and lightly mechanical vocal processing.
“Birthday Effect” is the other track released as a single, and changes up concepts in the form of a heartbreaking ballad that laments the endless march of time. This single uses ethereal vocal layering and demonstrates Walsh’s new inclination for lush, radio-ready sonics without erasing his experimental fingerprints.
In addition to musical experimentation, this album shows off Walsh’s abilities as a thinker and a songwriter, as he masterfully pairs melancholy with sharp wit. The record interrogates self-image, spectacle, and solipsism while balancing confessional lines with moments of abstract, imagistic phrasing.
Fans of Walsh’s more adventurous work will find plenty to admire, as the conceptual throughline of the Rainbow Table remains. However, the record’s willingness to flirt with pop structures makes it more accessible to the average listener, and there’s bound to be something here that suits your vibe.
Overall, Vanity Pressing is a confident, listenable entry in Gabriel Walsh’s project. It’s smartly produced, emotionally truthful, and still strange enough to stand out. It proves The Earthly Frames can expand toward pop without losing the weird, literate sensibility that has long been the project’s hallmark.
https://www.earthlyframes.com/
Jason Kao Hwang Presents ‘Myths of Origin’
Violinist, composer, and conductor Jason Kao Hwang stepped onto the Roulette stage at the 2022 Vision Festival to lead a hand-picked improvising string orchestra in performing his powerful statement defying social expectations of orientalism.
Now released as “Myths of Origin,” this sprawling composition confirms is a testament to Hwang’s legacy as one of contemporary music’s most fearless boundary-crossers. He creates chaos through his music, not for the sake of dissonance, but to build order out of it at the end.
From the outset, Myths of Origin positions itself as more than a concert document. Hwang frames the work as a rejection of cultural pigeonholing and reductive “Orientalist” narratives. Instead, he invents a musical language that dissolves distinctions between East and West, with the eerie string harmonics and percussive bursts of “The Collapse of Gravity,” drawing inspiration from the likes of Penderecki.
“Multiply and Rise,” on the other hand, is more representative of the fusion of jazz and classical, notation and improvisation. It’s a powerful, funk-inflected march that brings a dance-floor energy rarely found in art music.
https://jasonkaohwang.com/myths-of-origin
https://jasonkaohwang.bandcamp.com/album/jason-kao-hwang-myths-of-origin
The final movement; “Never Forgotten,” is hauntingly somber, stretching like an elegy and masterfully using silence and space as a musical device. It immerses the listener further and further until at some point the music stops, and you’re only brought out of the reverie by the applause of the live audience.
The power of Myths of Origin lies not just in Hwang’s conception but in the collective he assembled. The strings dominate the soundscape, but the drums add rhythmic volatility while the guitars and bass introduce a diversity of timbres. Individual players shine briefly, but the focus is squarely on group momentum.
This performance succeeds because it is both a bold artistic statement and an emotionally gripping journey. It begins in uncertainty, builds toward collective ecstasy, and closes in reflective quiet.
‘Tree to Tree’ by Ashley Maher Out 10/15/2025
Veteran singer-songwriter Ashley Maher returns with her eighth studio album, “Tree to Tree.” With this album, Maher continues her lifelong mission of fusing Western songwriting with the polyrhythmic fire of West African music.
Recorded entirely in Dakar, Senegal, alongside some of the finest mbalax and jazz musicians from Senegal, Benin, Gabon, Congo, and Côte d’Ivoire, the album stands as a cultural bridge: fiery, intimate, and deeply rooted in collaboration.
The Mbalax-inspired percussion drives the songs with vitality, while jazz-inflected instrumental lines weave in and out, creating a musical backdrop that’s alive with movement. Maher’s voice, expressive and crystalline, is the anchor. She sings with clarity and conviction, carrying lyrics filled with poetic imagery.
You get a taste of this right in the first track, “Music,” a beautiful anthem on the power of music to liberate us and release our burdens. With ethereal instrumentation backed with playful percussion, it sets the mood for an album quite unlike anything you’ve heard before.
The track “American in Dakar” takes inspiration from Sting’s classic, “Englishman in New York,” and puts a Senegalese twist on it. It’s a perfect choice for the concept, as the lyrics reflect Maher’s dual identity as a Western songwriter steeped in African rhythms.
The album closes with “Nenam,” a single that blends Wolof verses into the lyrics, creating a true cultural fusion between America and West Africa. Together with its lyrical intimacy, this single radiates warmth and groove, serving as the perfect ending to the musical experience.
Much of the album’s strength comes from its authenticity. This is not surface-level fusion but a continuation of relationships Maher has cultivated over decades of working in Dakar. The ensemble playing on Tree to Tree reflects that history: it is vibrant, deeply rooted in tradition, and yet flexible enough to embrace Maher’s
Western melodic instincts.
With Tree to Tree, Ashley Maher offers more than an album; she delivers a conversation across borders, a celebration of rhythm and language, and a reminder of how music can connect us all.
https://ashleymaher.com
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/hummingbird5
Mike Freeman ZonaVibe Presents “Circles In A Yellow Room”
Veteran vibraphonist Mike Freeman, together with his latest musical project ZonaVibe, makes waves in the jazz world once again with their latest release: “Circles in a Yellow Room.” Blending swing, blues, and Freeman’s signature Latin-jazz sound, this ten-track album feels both fresh and familiar to enjoyers of his previous works.
What makes Circles in a Yellow Room immediately striking is its clarity of texture. Jim Gailloreto (tenor sax), Guido González (trumpet), Rubén Rodriguez (bass),
Roberto Quintero (congas), and Joel Mateo (drums) have great synergy, knowing when to add layers and when to step back and give the soloist space.
https://mikefreeman.bandcamp.com/album/circles-in-a-yellow-room
The album opens with the light and buoyant “Valentine,” a nearly 7-minute number where each instrument gets its chance to shine, with Freeman’s Vibraphone solo being the standout performance. The follow-up, “Funky chai-cha,” is a more vibrant and playful horn-driven track with a distinct Cuban rhythm being set up by the percussion.
Things switch up yet again when we get to the titular track “Circles” is driven by melodies that seem to go around in circles until the lead passes over to a new instrument. The trumpets and bass clarinet make appearances here, adding to the overall variety of the album.
One of the standouts on this album was “River watch,” an ethereal and soothing journey that captures the often-ignored gentler side of Latin music. The album closes with the more upbeat “The Trek,” which brings back the energy characteristic of the album and gives the setlist a narrative coherence.
Circles in a Yellow Room is proof that restraint can be as powerful as excess. Freeman and ZonaVibe don’t flood the canvas with sound, and let the rhythms do the talking instead. The result is an album that feels timeless, rooted in the Latin-jazz lineage yet distinctly Freeman’s own.
HEAVYMUSIK LLC Presents Bravo Diablo ‘Can’t Control Me’
Indianapolis-based artist Bravo Diablo, also known by his producer alter-ego HEAVYMUSIK LLC, makes a powerful statement with his latest single “Can’t Control Me.” This stripped-down manifesto continues to build on Diablo’s reputation for emotional rawness while also highlighting his unique DIY approach to production.
From the opening lines of the chorus; “u tryna play wit me can’t control me…”, the song establishes an immediate tension between self-determination and vulnerability.
There’s a simmering defiance: “she think she know me / u don’t know me,” signaling the disconnect between perception and identity.
This opening sets the stage for a single that takes you through isolation, emotional fatigue, and the struggle to reclaim your life amid when the world tries to bring you down. Diablo delivers bars on Work, desperation, and sacrifice coupled with the struggle to escape and rebuild with lines like “I’m just a loner tryna get out da city… long as I do it, I’ll never be wishin”.
The minimal accompaniment on this single is incredibly tasteful compared to contemporaries who might favor heavier beats and distortion. The easygoing beat and light keys set the atmosphere perfectly for Diablo’s emotional delivery and make the impact of his words feel just that much heavier.
What stands out is the depth of the lyricism here with the repetition of the chorus; “u tryna play with me can’t control me… I been feeling like my heart dyin slowly,” acting as both a cry for space and a reminder of self-imposed armor against forces of deception or emotional neglect.
The production compliments this artistic decision, as the song still feels gritty, introspective, and unapologetically raw. Yet, there’s also a sense of class to it, and you feel that nothing is ever out of place.
With “Can’t Control Me” Bravo Diablo asserts his autonomy in both life and art while offering listeners a window into the raw vulnerabilities that fuel his journey. The song isn’t polished, but perhaps that’s its power. For supporters of underground authenticity and unfiltered expression, this track hits home.
https://www.instagram.com/heavymusik_llc
Circus Mind Presents “Barstool Hero”
Circus Mind has been teasing their upcoming EP “Barstool Hero” for a while now, and this past week we got to hear the titular track. Starting off with a gentle reggae beat and evolving with elements of rock and psychedelia, Barstool Hero is an incredible single that manages to entertain while also showcasing the band’s capabilities
What’s interesting about this track is its duality. The principal melody makes the song accessible on its surface, but there’s an intricate underbelly hidden for the more discerning listener that is a testament to the band’s musicianship.
Mark Rechler’s powerful roaring vocals begin ramping up the intensity at about the 1:30 mark, but this is just a feint that drops back into easy reggae-psychedelia. The instrumental sections on Barstool Hero are especially impressive, with the impeccable chemistry showing in how the guitars, drums, and keys come together in the shifts from reggae to rock.
Lyrically, the single delivers an incredible story that feels epic, but yet has no clear narrative structure. It complements the musical experimentation and hints at a deeper concept that might be explored in the EP.
But the standout of this track is the closing guitar solo which kicks in as sort of the third movement of the track. Despite being so thematically distinct from the rest, the transition into this section is seamless and you don’t realise what happened until the sonic wall hits you.
Overall, Barstool Hero is a standout single that marries a sly reggae pulse to a cinematic arc. It’s hooky enough for casual spins, but deep enough to reward repeats, serving as an effective prologue to the album.
https://www.circusmindband.com/
The Gravel Project Present ‘Find What You Need’
Boston-based roots-rock collective The Gravel Project returns with their fourth studio record, “Find What You Need.” Released earlier this year, this ten-track collection showcases the band’s signature blend of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll.
While the collection is written entirely by the band’s guitarist-vocalist Andrew Gravel, the synergy of the ensemble really stands out with organist Jordan Gravel, drummer Dave Fox, bassist Jesse Williams, percussionist Eguie Castrillo, and vocalist Jen Kearney all playing their parts to perfection.
https://thegravelproject.bandcamp.com/album/find-what-you-need
“Love the Life” is the perfect opener to the album as it crashes out of the gates with an infectious rhythm, driven by Castrillo’s percussion and Jen and Andrew’s soaring vocals. What’s impressive here is that the band immediately switches things up with “Stay with Me,” a soulful piece driven by gentle synths and husky vocals.
“Who did you think you were” is one of the standout singles with a groovy beat and soulful vocals reminiscent of Marvin Gaye. But what’s more impressive than the musicianship is the emotional range that’s covered in this collection, with the band diving right into the emotional turmoil of relationships and tackling topics like doubt,
regret, and conflict.
What I like about “Blues for LA” is that it breaks free of the mould of the “safe” closer. It continues the pattern of varying styles between singles and employs distortion and dissonance to great effect.
Produced by Grammy-winning producers Greg Ogan and John Paterno, Find What You Need is meant to capture the band’s live energy while still maintaining a level of polish. The minimal overdubs allow listeners to feel as though they are sitting front-row at one of the band’s gigs, but the engineering is good enough that nothing feels out of place.
– https://skopemag.com/2025/08/22/the-gravel-projects-releases-find-what-you-need
Find What You Need is a record that lives up to its title. It offers something for every listener: groove-heavy jams for those who want to move, and introspective ballads for those who want to reflect. With this record, The Gravel Project have captured the essence of their musicianship, and it’s an absolute joy to behold.
https://www.instagram.com/thegravelproject/
https://www.facebook.com/thegravelproject/
Status Foe Present ‘Cheers, Amigo!’
After making waves back in 2022 with “Falling Awake” and suffering through the tragic loss of their bandmate Warren Kost shortly afterwards, Status Foe returns to releasing new music with their latest album, “Cheers, Amigo!”
With a new lineup featuring Harrison Spencer and Chad Prifogle alongside founding members Colby Holmes and Larry Anderson, Status Foe deliver a lean and focused collection of indie rock songs that balance immediacy with reflection.
Across ten tracks, the band showcase their ability to craft tight hooks, thoughtful lyrics, and guitar work that feels both polished and heartfelt. The album is dedicated to Warren Kost, lending an emotional weight to the songs that permeates the record beyond its catchiness.
The album opens with “All That We Own,” a brisk track that screams desperation and immediately sets the tone with instrumentation that keeps on intensifying from beginning to end. This is immediately followed by “Clearing in the Fog,” a more melodic and introspective single driven by mellow guitar tunes.
One of the album’s most striking moments comes with “Finding What It Is You Seek,” an infectious pop-rock single with an infectious chorus that gets in your head and refuses to leave. Built around layered guitar textures and some delightful solos at the end, this single is a perfect example of anthemic ambition.
Closing track “Tail’s Ripped Up” come full circle and delivers the opposite of the first track with its sparse, uncomplicated lyrics and runtime exceeding five minutes.
Equal parts raw and reflective, this track’s driving energy and lingering sense of resolution ties up the album perfectly.
Musically, the record is driven by guitars that alternate between jangly rhythms and crunchy riffs. Holmes’ vocals sit confidently at the center, supported by a rhythm section that favors groove and pocket over flash. The production is clean and direct, allowing the interplay of melody and message to take priority.
Cheers, Amigo! isn’t an album that tries to reinvent indie rock. Instead, it excels at what it sets out to do: deliver sharp, melodic, emotionally grounded songs that stick. It’s an album made for listeners who appreciate straightforward songwriting with enough nuance to reward repeat listens.
https://statusfoe.co
https://linktr.ee/statusfoemusic
Antonia Bennett Presents ‘Expressions’
A lot of us know Antonia Bennett as the daughter of jazz legend, the late Tony Bennett, but with her new album “Expressions,” Antonia continues to carve out a path that is distinctly her own while nodding to the illustrious legacy of her father.
Released in June 2025, this record feels at once personal and polished, weaving together jazz standards, American Songbook classics, and original material in a way
that reflects her musical journey.
The album opens with a light, playful, and personal ode to lost love in the form of “Do You Still Think of Me.” The theme of romance is consistent throughout the beginning of the album with Antonia delivering beautiful renditions of jazz standards like “Exactly Like You” and “Once I Loved.”
Much of the album’s charm lies in its intimacy. Bennett’s voice has a warmth that draws the listener close, and Christian Jacob’s elegant piano arrangements create a candlelit atmosphere that exudes class. With established names like Kevin Axt on bass, Kendell Kay on drums, and Larry Koonse on guitar the album finds its footing
in both tradition and reinvention.
https://hypeddit.com/antoniabennett/expressions
The track list itself is a study in balance. Familiar standards like “Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir” and “Right on Time” are delivered with an affectionate ease that sounds playful and unforced. The effortlessness with which Antonia delivers her interpretations is truly impressive and a testament to her talent as a vocalist.
Expressions is not a record that chases trends, but is driven by natural artistic inspiration. The production feels unhurried, unforced, and natural. Each performance reveals Antonia’s ability to find emotional resonance in understatement, inviting listeners to lean in rather than be dazzled by vocal acrobatics.
With Expressions, Antonia Bennett demonstrates not only her ease with the Great American Songbook, but also her readiness to expand its borders, bringing in contemporary elements without ever compromising on elegance. It is the work of a singer who knows where she comes from, but more importantly, knows exactly where she wants to go.
https://www.antoniabennett.com
https://www.symphonicms.com/album/view/id/2009e06130402fa5434edee9af123582
https://linktr.ee/antoniabennett
Pat Petrillo Presents ‘Contemporaneous’
Vetera drummer Pat Petrillo takes you on a genre-bending journey through groove itself with his new album: “Contemporaneous.” Released in July 2025 via Innervision Records, this album is less a collection of songs than a musical project that slides seamlessly between jazz, funk, blues, and even touches of world music.
With an all-star lineup featuring Scott Ambush, Blake Aaron, Matt Rohde, Mike Cordone, Lemar Guillary, Scott Mayo and Phillip Wack, Petrillo has surrounded himself with players who can keep up with his restless imagination.
https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/6rMFLsglqVysxjzZ7YSZwi
The record wastes no time setting the tone. “Fused” bursts out of the gate with the kind of high-energy jazz-rock fire that cements Petrillo’s reputation as a drummer of both precision and power.
https://sym.ffm.to/patcontemporaneous
While Petrillo’s groove is relentless throughout the album, what keeps Contemporaneous from tipping into monotony is its stylistic variety within that groove-centered frame. “On the Regular” is a cheekily misleading title with its unpredictability and irregular instrumentation. Similarly, “Late Night Diner” stands out, evoking smoky after-hours vibes with glowing horn arrangements.
The production on this track is as smart as its composition, maintaining enough polish to sound professional, but never going far enough to feel artificial. There’s a sense of spontaneity in the music that makes it all the more appealing to listeners
Petrillo isn’t shy about his intentions as Contemporaneous clearly emerges as a genre-defying musical montage. It’s a record that resists easy categorization, much like Petrillo himself; a drummer who can lock a stadium groove one minute and improvise with jazz subtlety the next.
By the time the closing notes fade, you have nothing but admiration for Petrillo’s musicianship. Contemporaneous is bold, unapologetic, and brimming with life. For listeners ready to embrace a heady mix of funk, jazz, and soul, this is one of the most engaging fusion records of the year.
https://www.innervisionrecords.com
Rick Shaffer Presents New Album ‘Rites & Stories’
Starting out in the trenches of rock and roll nearly three decades ago, Rick Shaffer has been grinding away with no signs of slowing down or softening his edges. Kicking off his solo career in 2010, Rick Shaffer has made a name for himself with his gritty, uncompromising sound, and continues to build on that legacy with “Rites & Stories,” his latest release.
This album arrives as a testament to an artist whose solo career is now thirteen albums deep, but still refuses polish in favor of raw, ritualistic intensity.
LINER NOTES: https://tarockmusic.com/2025-rites-stories-liner-notes/
The title of the album itself reveals Shaffer’s maturity as a musician. Initially beguiling, it later becomes clear that the “Rites” are the fragmented instrumental sections and trance-inducing rhythms, while the “Stories” come through in the form of narratives: songs about temptation, regret, and redemption. Together, they create an atmosphere that is as unsettling as it is immersive.
“Standing in the Shadow” and “True Religion” are incredible openers, creating a dark and dissonant sonic landscape that immediately sets the tone for what is to come. This is not music for casual listeners; it’s meant to challenge, disrupt, and question the audience.
“Pleasure” stands out as an intriguing centerpiece, as it settles into a more melodic groove with eerie guitar riffs. Shaffer’s raspy vocals cut through the accompaniment, with lyrical depth that questions how meaningful our pursuit of pleasure is. The song embodies the album’s central tension: indulgence laced with regret; beauty tangled with danger.
Shaffer’s production choices lean toward a more raw and unpolished sound. It’s not radio-friendly, but provides a more authentic experience to the serious listener.
This is a philosophy Shaffer’s carried from his earliest days with The Reds into his current Berlin-inspired phase, where echoes of Bowie and Iggy Pop resonate.
As the album comes to a close, it simultaneously slows down its tempo while ramping up the intensity. Tracks like “Slow Days” and “Cry for Justice” feature more
aggressive, even violent, guitar sections that reveal the experimental edge of Shaffer’s musicianship.
For listeners who crave rock that feels dangerous and unafraid to dwell in the shadows, Rites & Stories is a powerful offering. It’s an invocation of sound from a seasoned musician still pushing himself, and his audience, into deeper, darker territory.
