Music Reviews – NeuFutur Magazine

Brian Mackey “Learn To Be”

Brian Mackey’s “Learn To Be” begins with tremendous passion, with Brian providing a vocal-heavy foot forward on the onset. When the guitars and synths enter into the mix, greater nuance is shown. Mackey’s adoption of sounds and styles like 1990s alternative, Maroon 5, and Soul Asylum is given a new lease on life through contemplative instrumentation. Learn to Be is perfectly polished pop-rock, with a tremendous amount of care taken to make for a well balanced effort. The track stands up to repeat plays, while fans need to hear the secondary set of vocals that enter into the mix at the 2:45 mark to find the true beauty of Brian’s latest effort.

Brian Mackey “Learn To Be” / https://twitter.com/brianmackeynyc

The Yawpers – Boy in a Well (CD)

Clearly not a band to shy away from a challenge, the Denver country punks in The Yawpers decided to make their third LP a concept record about a tragedy set in World War I France… including a song in French. Oh, and none of these guys actually speaks French. Continue reading “The Yawpers – Boy in a Well (CD)”

Slayer / Lamb of God (7/21; St. Augustine, FL)

When this year’s Slayer tour was announced I was on vacation out at sea on an eight night cruise and got the fan club email after the various presales and general ticket sales had already started (which translates to all the good seats were already taken – since I am now older, wiser, wear glasses and no longer consumer adult beverages I opt for a seat at shows instead of the general admission pit). The closest tour date was in St. Augustine, just over three hours away, but with the announcement of Lamb of God opening AND going on hiatus after this tour, as much as I wanted to go see this pure thrash metal combination I just did not see it happening. Continue reading “Slayer / Lamb of God (7/21; St. Augustine, FL)”

Hamell On Trial – Tackle Box (CD)

The first voice you hear on the 10^th album from acoustic punk poet Hamell On Trial is from Donald Trump (“I’d like to punch him in the face,” declares the Whiner in Chief on the opening line, to the album’s opening track “Safe”). And much like Ragan launched a slew of great punk bands in the ‘80s, Trump’s white-pride-and-fuck-the-rest style of leadership serves as fodder for much of Hamell’s latest brilliant offering. He’s always been the conscious of modern music and nowhere is that more obvious then on “Tackle Box,” where Trump’s America is on full display. Continue reading “Hamell On Trial – Tackle Box (CD)”

Brick + Mortar – Dropped Again (CD)

For a two-man band, Brick + Mortar have figured out a way to make an impressively big sound. On “Dropped Again,” their latest album, Brandon Asraf plays guitar, bass and sings; Jon Tacon drums, while both handles samples. The result, though a little sterile at time, for the most part is an eclectically fun mix of Indie pop and electronic rock. Continue reading “Brick + Mortar – Dropped Again (CD)”

AJ The Kid “Keep It Litty Feat. Young Gully”

AJ The Kid’s new single “Keep It Litty” featuring Young Gully has really caught our attention here at NeuFutur. The beat is lively and reminiscent of the Atlanta rap scene. AJ’s rapping is lyrical and melodic, it’s well complimented by Young Gully’s flow. The production of the song is solid with no monotonous areas, though the arrangement may be a little chaotic. Aj has a lot of potential in his ability. “Keep It Litty”, I believe is just beginning of what we will see from AJ The Kid. Make sure to check out more about AJ on his Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AJTheKid415/ .

Aj The Kid / http://www.ajthekid.com / 2017 / Self Released

Korby Lenker – Thousand Springs (CD)

Nashville musician Korby Lenker decided to skip the traditional record studio for his latest album, “Thousand Springs,” and take a field trip instead. Armed with his guitar, some recording equipment and a tent, he headed to a dozen various places including his home state of Idaho, Texas, Massachusetts and Standing Rock, the site of the recent government standoff. He played in bookstores, hotel rooms and even a mortuary. The inspiration can be heard all over “Thousand Springs,” an expansive, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable album. Continue reading “Korby Lenker – Thousand Springs (CD)”

Eztain Feature

Over the course of the last 19 years, we have covered a wide variety of performers that have run the gamut from Christian to death metal. One of our major focuses was in electronic and dance music, based on my own love for 1980s synth-pop and 1990s dance and ambient genres. As the styles laid the blueprint for the modern style of EDM and all of the subgenres that reside within, it is interesting to see new artists draw upon this earlier format.

One of these artists turning something on its head is Australia’s Eztain. We have covered the Iconoclast EP a few weeks back ( here ) and were impressed how unique of a sound that Eztain was able to create over the course of five tracks. Where may artists struggle to create a narrative over the course of a full length release, Eztain has packed enough twists and turns present to keep listeners focused in for multiple plays. The rich narrative quality of the tracks on the Iconoclast far outstrips what is being played on our side of the pond. After covering this release, we were quite surprised to find out that only a few people had liked him on Facebook.

It’s rare to get so far ahead of the curve when it comes to musicians, but what Eztain is doing with his music is pretty revolutionary. Where there is such a vocal component to the vast majority of EDM charting on Spotify and Beatport, Eztain’s instrumental-heavy approach is something that fans will eagerly devour. Where there was more than enough of Eztain’s personality that was shown to fans over the course of the Iconoclast EP, we were surprised at the transformative aspect of his skill. This can be found with his remix of Bonnie X Clyde’s Where it Hurts single.

We want you, NeuFutur readers, to keep an eye on our interview section. We sent Eztain a set of questions a few weeks back and will place his answers online when we receive them. I think there will be a greater appreciation for his music when additional information comes down the pipeline. For those individuals that are looking to find out more about Eztain, check out his, his Facebook, or hear samples of his music on Soundcloud and Spotify. For a song-by-song synoopsis of his music, visit our previous review written all about the Iconoclast EP.

Eztain Feature / 2017 /

Airy Jeanine “Everywhere”

Airy Jeanine’s “Everywhere” is a delightful track for August. Powerful vocals and a powerful dance beat vie for dominance. Airy Jeanine’s vocals are deep, drawing well from pop and singer-songwriter traditions. The track hammers home a beat that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of leaders. There is a sense that the instrumentation does more than provide highlighting for Airy jeanine’s vocals. Give Everywhere a few additional spins to find twists and turns that no other pop/dance/EDM track has. Everywhere is an immense track, something that could easily be on BPM or Beatport charts .

Airy Jeanine “Everywhere” / http://www.airyjeanine.com/

My Silent Bravery “Got It Going On”

My Silent Bravery’s “Got It Going On” is a bouncy effort that has just a hint of Latin guitar to it. This allows for a more robust backdrop upon Matt (My Silent Bravery). The bit of beatboxing bridges the gap between vocal and instrumental, making for a compelling effort that hangs well with other pop fare. My Silent Bravery is able to make a catchy tune, have thoughtful instrumentation, and tell a bit of a story in the space of 2:30. The melody will bounce around listeners’ ears long after Got It Going On ceases to play.

My Silent Bravery “Got It Going On” / https://www.facebook.com/mysilentbravery / http://mysilentbravery.com/