Author: James McQuiston

Ocean Blue is an effort that draws heavily on the rock of the 1960s and 1970s. The charisma of the vocals, confident guitars, and a taut instrumentation unite to make for an effort that will tattoo its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Makin’ Good Time is an effort that goes a bit further back to the halcyon era of The Beach Boys and The Animals for its influence. The bright and bouncy sound of Zuffalo here keeps the album’s momentum high as the act continues to provide fans with further information about their influences and styles. A particular high-point during this cut has to be the robust bass line that plays at the bottom of the instrumentation, providing a secondary narrative aspect that interacts well with the lyrical content of the composition.

I See My Future has a jammy demeanor to it and a fantastic secondary set of vocals that further delineates this cut from the rest of this self-titled album. It is during this single that the instrumentation of the band may be the most dense and detailed. It will take fans multiple plays to hear each and every dynamic that the act establishes here.

The one-two approach of Lately and You Didn’t Tell Me provide an emphatic end to a solid album. Lately’s got a more laid-back, 1970s-infused style that will appease fans of Meatloaf and The Steve Miller Band, while You Didn’t Tell Me whips in a bit of psychedelic rock into the mix. While many bands are perfectly okay with winding things down in a general fashion, Zuffalo keeps things intense until the album’s concluding notes. Make sure to get your own copy of the band’s release from your favorite DSP.

We previously covered Zuffalo’s Any Given Speed and Loose Cannon.

Top Tracks: Any Given Speed, Makin’ Good Time, I See My Future

Rating: 8.4/10

Zuffalo – Zuffalo / 2019 Self Released / 9 Tracks / Domain / Facebook /

Everything, the latest single from J-Carter, is able to refresh the sound of late-1990s and early-2000s acts like Common, Nas, and Talib Kweli. Booming beats and sultry secondary vocals are able to mesh well with the pointed and intense wordplay of J-Carter. There are a number of distinct arrangements presented here that will take fans multiple plays to fully appreciate. The 1:45 mark demarcates an increase to Everything’s momentum, a decision made that keeps listeners firmly on the edges of their seats until J-Carter rides through the single’s last note.Everything does much to reinvigorate a classic form of rap into as modern timeline. Everything comes out on September 13th.

J-Carter – Everything / Facebook /

Bad Energy is an energetic track that blends together a haunting backing beat with a rap flow that builds off of the tradition of J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. The nuanced wordplay here will have listeners repeating LINKS’s latest single to hear everything that had been contained in. The chorus is able to strike out in a bold new fashion while riffing on the main backing beat. Bad Energy allows the instrumental and vocal sides of LINKS to shine. Together, they are able to establish the single as something wholly different from what’s currently garnering air play while keeping reverent of the acts that immediately preceded them.

We previously checked out LINKS’ STEPS.

LINKS – Bad Energy / Domain /  Facebook / Twitter

The one-two punch that begins the Broke Royals’s new album Saint Luxury is warm, emotional, and musically impressive. The brief introduction that washes over listeners with Ave continues into the full, confident alt-rock that issues forth with Saint Luxury . The same deep sound is fostered during the extended vocal introduction to Bad Chemicals. The Broke Royals move into bold new territory with Love & Tatters. Blending together the 1980s rock approach of Dire Straits with the same charismatic sound of The Ataris and Brand New. A hint of electronic tinge interspersed into the track ensures that fans will continue to find new dynamics even five or ten plays in.

Can’t Say draws well from the lo-fi sound of early-oughts indie rock. With bits of The Anniversary and The Red Hot Valentines studded throughout, the Broke Royals are able to craft a bold new sound that is tremendously reverent of the acts that have preceded them. Born To Break’s beginning blends together sizzling guitar work with punchy drums; the vocals stand out in a timeless fashion as fans of both John Mellencamp and Jakob Dylan will be able to find something alluring during this cut.

Love, Youth & Glory is a polished power-pop track that maintains the same serious vocal gravity that had been a cornerstone of previous efforts on Saint Luxury while kicking out the jam. God Bless Saint Luxury goes back to the late 1990s with hints of Cake, Weezer, and Marcy Playground. The rising motion that the vox hit at points during this cut keeps the momentum high as fans move into This Is Really Happening. The album’s final cut is massive, a monument to ten-minute epics that has the band traverse considerable ground in a space less than half of that.

Top Tracks: Love & Tatters

Rating; 8.8/10

Broke Royals – Saint Luxury / 2019 Self Released / 14 Tracks / Facebook / Instagram   

The Oddneighbourhood’s Cherry Wine is a laid-back, fuzzy track cast in the mold of 1990s alternative music. Dreamy vocals do more than merely contribute the lyrics, adding mightily to the swirling guitars. Instrumental interludes are used to great effect during Cherry Wine, allowing the vocals to punch back in with oomph. With subtle nods to 1980s acts like The Psychedelic Furs and David Byrne, The Odd Neighbourhood are able to craft a song that is truly their own. Cherry Wine will stand up to multiple plays as fans will continually find new nooks and crannies secreted away by the band.

The Odd Neighbourhood – ‘Cherry Wine’ / Bandcamp / Facebook

Slark Moan, the pseudonym for Nashville singer/guitarist Mark Sloan, has spent plenty of time of late gigging with some of that town’s greats, serving as touring guitarist for folks like Margo Price and Erin Rae. But even with that impressive resume, it’s still remarkable just how great his latest effort, Superstition For The Consumer Romantic, manages to be.  

Across 10 tracks, delivered with airy, soaring vocals – steeped in sweep melody and wrapped in strong, tight guitars, Slark Moan churns out dreamy indie pop that would fit just as comfortably on a playlist alongside bands like Deer Tick and  J Roddy Walston as it would with some of the Americana bands he tour with. While there’s not a weak track in the collection, the up-tempo “American Middle-Class Disaster” is easily the highlight of the set.

In true indie fashion, he not only wrote and played every instrument on the record, he also produced and engineered the album himself as well. After years spent standing on the side playing someone else’s music, Sloan proves that he is more than ready to have his name at the top of the show flyer.

Slark Moan – Superstition For The Consumer Romantic/10 tracks/self-released / 2019 / Facebook /

During Endless Seconds, FerrariLover is able to make an expansive effort of little more than atmospheric noises and a light, ethereal guitar. The resulting effort is heady and will continue to yield more as listeners strap on their headphones and focus on in. This effort is able to further a narrative without the slightest in lyrical content. The dynamics that are established during Endless Seconds will resound with listeners long after the single ceases to play. FerrariLover’s new album Exotic Legend will make its way to DSPs on August 23rd. Visit the stream for Endless Seconds below and let us know what you think.

FerrariLover – “Endless Seconds” / Domain /

Sidewalk showcases a taut sort of alternative rock cast in the vein of acts like Weezer and Golden Smog. Sizzling guitar solos are interspersed with charismatic vocals and all-in choruses. The resulting song will have listeners’ toes tapping while Scoville Unit makes something special.

Beach Song refreshes the math-rock sound of the Descendents and Pup as Scoville Unit brings in a bit of the sadness and weariness of life. Truly beautiful in its execution, Beach Song expresses the brightness of the titular location and the simple fact that things never stay as good as they once were.

Scoville Unit “Beach Song”  and  “Sidewalk” / Domain /

6 (Ignited) has a touch of 1980s Latin dance flair with layered vocals that will require a few spins to hear the entire scope of what’s happening. This bouncy, dense effort will continue to yield new twists and turns even after one keeps it on replay for weeks, if not months.

2 Worlds (Remember) is a traditional R&B track crafted in the vein of a Whitney Houston or Toni Braxtojn. The twist that makes the effort so catchy is the presence of a booming bass beat and enough synth to bring this in line with modern EDM efforts. Taken together, the synths and vocals make for a single that slaps while being traditionally impressive.

SAYONNE ft. K-Starr “6 (Ignited)” and “2 Worlds (Remember)” / Domain /