CD and DVD reviews
It’s an understatement to say that the last couple of years has been trying for everyone. Getting out of bed and going to work is hard enough as it is, but for the creatives of the world, there’s been an even harder fire lit beneath their soles. Some took the quarantine as a chance to…
“Why Do You Lie” is the unstoppable new release from Quebec’s Jeremy Rice. Tame enough to be in the pop rock world, but rowdy enough to feel like even the chiseled, callous classic blues rockers might strut a few moves listening to it, “Why Do You Lie” unleashes an irresistible sonic escape. Rice, who’s previous…
Nick Phoenix has released a cinematic video for the song ‘Andromeda’ from his ‘Wide World’ album. The video was shot in Pasadena, CA on the historic campus of the California Institute of Technology and various locations in the Mohave Desert. Explaining about ‘Andromeda’, Phoenix says “The song is about an astronomer who dreams of visiting the Andromeda Galaxy and he designs…
Austin, TX based Cody Jasper is a chameleon of Rock N’ Roll – releasing music that is themed around the way he lives and shared life experiences with his fans. His bold choices show a daring to mix in different genres along with straight ahead Rock N’ Roll, including Blues and Outlaw Country. With the release of new…
George Mallas’ 2015 debut Small Reminders didn’t represent a beginning for the North Salem, NY-based songwriter but, instead, a culmination. He’s written songs since his teenage years and emerging, at long last, with a full-length album was the realization of a lifelong dream. It has unleashed further creativity. He followed Small Reminders with 2018’s unscathed, a collaboration with lyricist Melanie Berti,…
I can tell when I hear a genuine singer/songwriter and Tyler Edwards fits the bill to a T! ‘A Falling Sky’ is the new, upcoming album from Tyler Edwards and expect high quality material and professional recordings. Tyler Edwards digs deep on the new record and pours his heart & soul into every single song.…
Christopher the Grey presents a flow that is pure fire, “Oh My Damn!” Hard to deny the absolute infectiousness of the rhythm, he’s able to ride the beat with ease. The layers that he sculpts have gorgeousness. Beats hit hard, punctuating the power of his words. Word choice matters because he observes his environment in…
Levi Zadoff and Dead Hendrix offer up a true hybrid of styles on the faded vibes of “Dead Summer.” With a slew of genres running the gamut from pop-punk to hip-hop to dance, the work has a kaleidoscopic quality. By far, the highlight comes from the insistent lyrics that rise above the rest of the…
When I think of “Strangers in the Night”, my mind shifts immediately to the timeless number performed by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. The song was originally composed by Bert Kaempfert and a fun fact here is that the English lyrics were provided by Richy Snyder’s father Eddie Snyder. The 1966 classic made famous…
As soon as you hit Play, an extraordinary blend of music will hit your eardrums and will have you hooked in from the start. Working Class Hussys is fronted by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ian Patrick Gentles and the band is based in Central New Jersey. Jersey never sounded quite like this as Working Class Hussys…
With his 2021 album King of One, and his latest ‘Wide World’ from April 2022, Nick Phoenix set the stage for what listeners could anticipate out of his future work, and with the arrival of his new single and music video “Andromeda,” he proves that conceptualizing typical pop themes is something is quite adept at to…
When Laura Sumner recorded her debut release, she wasn’t swinging from the fences creatively just yet. As a rookie recording artist, she wanted to establish some sense of self before delving into the vast experiments one must undertake when trying to unearth the best parts of their sound from the ethers, and although she’s still…
Post Dystopian Love Songs is quite the loaded album title. A dystopia is the opposite of a utopia, so it’s the after-effects of a complete breakdown of civility. Or so the movies tell us. Thus, one wonders just what kind of love songs would be left after living through a dystopia. Whatever the case, it’s…
Modern original bluegrass is more than safe in the hands of Circus No. 9. The Tennessee-based four-piece’s new self-titled release continues building on the foundation of traditional bluegrass coupled with current sensibilities that’d defined the band for the entirety of its existence. Ben Garnett, Thomas Cassell, Matthew Davis, and Vince Ilagan have appeared on the…
It’s safe to say that Joshua Ketchmark poured his ‘Blood’, sweat and tears into this new record where Joshua Ketchmark can be heard laying it all on the table. ‘Blood’ is Joshua’s 10th studio album and the singer/songwriter states that this project is all about his past. Joshua provides an all-access pass and inside look…
Chris St. John delves into a blissful ode to love with “I Just Knew (with Leah Haley)”. Tender tones radiate throughout. The mixture of country and folk helps to lend the song an intimacy. Vocals intertwine to create this joyful story. Guitar work keeps things simple and effective. Every gesture is carefully considered. By far…
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Brian Shapiro Band first formed during the height of the pandemic and released their debut, All That We See, during the same period, but their second collection shows them remaining as urgent and inspired as ever. It’s Amazing features ten songs and a small cast of supporting guest musicians such as saxophonist Michael Brenner, piano…
Marcelo Maccagnan delivers a truly unique take on Soundgarden’s classic hit with “Black Hole Sun”. The instrumental variety here means they infuse that classic grunge track with an unexpected and outright delightful amount of experimentation. Lots of the interplay feels quite spirited for they truly listen to each other. Quite psychedelic the song gains a…
Rob Eberle delivers an experimental pop brilliance with “Doubtful”. There’s a flexibility here that is absolutely genius. Grooves here feature an elastic quality to them, for he stretches it all out in unexpectedly delirious ways. Everything here is game for getting distorted and distended into pure chaos. Vocals here veer from treated to untreated as…
As soon as you hit play, the listener will be invited into an adventurous world where “Run Rabbit” reigns supreme. Cary Shields is a creative spirit who has composed a song that is full of spirit. Based in Kentucky, Cary is a talented singer/songwriter & drummer with a snappy tune in his hands called “Run…
The listener will receive an unexpected yet pleasant surprise when he or she hits play on Joshua Ketchmark’s “Covered In Blood”. One might think of a gory type image when you say “Covered In Blood” out loud but the music doesn’t fit that description at all. Mastering the element of surprise right from the start,…
NYC “sleepy surf rock” band Deep Sea Peach Tree, a project first concocted by Kristof Denis and enlisting friends Zack Pockrose and Andrew Dell Isola to complete the band, sound like Dick Dale transplanted into the early 21st century and loaded up on downers. The surf rock tendencies of the music are often obscured or…
Uncle Tadashi & Da Boyz embrace a truly remarkable luscious sound with “Decisions (Remix)”. The instrumental variety has a grandeur to it, and they offer a wide spectrum of styles. Saxophone, bass, ambient washes, all of these come through to create this peaceful quality one that draws the listener into this finely honed sound. Everything…
R.O.M.A.N. goes for a whole universe of sound with the hip-hop/R&B hybrid of “Touch”. Everything here features a lushness from the pinpoint stabs of percussion to the taut strings that sweep through. By far though the true heart of the song stems from the forceful vocalist who takes on a commanding presence. “Mr. Crazy” shows…
VRBS definitely harken back to that classic early aughts style of indie rock on the joyful “The VRBS”. Strong nods to the Strokes in all the right places mean that these songs linger on in the listener’s mind long after they have ended. Lots of it has a life-affirming aspect to it featuring wonderfully warm…
Rev Peter Unger captures the zeitgeist of the moment with “For the Little Ones”. A nice mixture of reflections alongside elements of faith, the piece radiates a coolness. Lyrics here rest in the very center of the entire thing. He keeps things simple too in order to further emphasize the sheer power of his words.…
Steph Sweet lets “A Wicked Man” soars all the way out into the sky, with an expansive take that possesses a wild freedom to it. The blues, dream pop, hard rock, and shoegaze all mesh into a singular experience. A western twang certainly rests right in the center of it giving it a hazy, animalistic…
Palms Psalm’s piece, ‘The Coast,’ is a gorgeous track that delivers indie tastes while giving a vibe that matches surf rock. After listening to the art, Psalm did a brilliant job. His vocals produce a smooth and groovy sound which is more indie. The music maintains the gear it starts with through the three and…
Although they aren’t tasked with pushing a lot of brawniness to the front of the mix, there’s no denying the imposing strength of the guitar parts in the new single “Fate” from Follow No One this summer. From the moment the strings first come into focus, it’s obvious that this song is as driven by…
When you feel helpless, remember what’s in the light, sings Bloom in the invigorating, inspiring new pop track “Choices”. A blend of gorgeous melodies and poignant, motivating lyrics, Bloom connects with the listener on all levels in this stirring hit. Bloom, who hails from Australia, is joyful and completely in command of her wide-ranging vocals.…
Listening to Stephen Jacques’s new single “Symphony of Freaks” from his new album, “Send Them Love”, was a pleasant and classic country music experience. There’s a nice blend of recognizable instruments in the arrangement that are not out of place in the genre. Also the Vocals are playful and full of good vibes. I appreciated…
Melodicism is the most important thing on Chris St. John’s mind heading into this summer season, and if this weren’t the case I doubt he would be giving us as purely melodic a listen as he does with his new album Fly Away. Fly Away is beautifully smooth and driven by harmonies that remind me…
Hoodie Rob Uzumaki delves into their innermost thoughts and feelings with “Teardrops (2010)”. A vulnerability of sorts filters through the entirety of the mix. Nods to groups like Yung Lean feel unavoidable given the indebted of Emo Rap to that sort of distinct sound. Everything within it feels majestic to behold in full. By allowing…
Chris Sunfield does indie rock right on “Far Away Objects”. Incurably optimistic, the hope that radiances throughout feels downright infectious. Lyrics matter a great deal for the sunniness comes through within the whole of the journey. Everything here has a power to it, one that advises to believe in oneself and to truly seize the…
What an exhilarating listen this was from beginning to end as Joss Jaffe truly brings you into his world of ‘Sun Mountain Sea’. Joss Jaffe’s music has a way of uniting people through a universal sound that is inviting and positive in nature. The new album from Joss Jaffe is a real gem and so…
Debbie Deane is a talented composer/pianist/vocalist from Brooklyn and is releasing her highly anticipated 3rd album called ‘Red Ruby Stars’. There are many layers & dimensions to this record but all material is 100% genuine, honest and original. Debbie Deane is digging deep on the new album and not holding back at all. Reflecting on…
Joe Keene has been recording and performing songs for over 60 years and this new album, ‘I’ve Done It All In My Time’, is a true testament to Joe Keene’s longstanding career in music. With 20 songs on this new album, Joe Keene offers a flashback to the golden oldie sound. It comes as no…
Black Masses bring hard rock and garage rock together on their unhinged self-titled effort. Volume is a given for they play as loudly as they possibly can. Everything here has a degree of wild, feral spirit to it. They dive deep into rock’s very soul within each of these tracks while they conjure up a…
There’s a pastoral calm to the string play in the single “Weary Old Highway” that draws us back to a simpler time in the history of Americana, where the aesthetic was less an influence and more a force of culture all on its own. URL: https://www.jimhurst.com/ Neither complicated by construction nor filled with any of…
Nick Phoenix doesn’t have anything to prove. His ongoing work as one half of film music outfit Two Steps from Hell more than occupies his time, especially considering their pending European tour and status as the #1 streaming film music artist working today. Such lofty heights, however, haven’t dampened Phoenix’s desire to write and play…
