On Abused, Liyah Bey is able to show tremendous emotional content with some of the most impactful vocals that we have heard. Building upon the trends of performers like Lorde and Stevie Nicks, Liyah establishes the narrative on her latest single while building up the melodies. Taken together with the keys and drums, what results in Abused is something that works perfectly on modern pop playlists while having enough substance…
On Super-Hi and Luke Spiller’s version of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know, there are subtle nods to the original source material while the backing instrumentation ends up exploring bold new areas. While the song still sonically resides in the pop genre, there are bits of EDM and expansive indie sprinkled throughout its run time. The song feels fresh and new, destined to be picked up by an entirely…
Nuke The Soup’s Lost On You is an emotive, rich composition that showcases tremendous engagement with the song’s subject matter. The act needs little at the song’s onset besides the vocals and guitars. When the drums and bass kick in at around the minute mark, Lost On You shifts to a blend of 1970s rock and 1990s alternative music. The driving beat will tattoo itself deep into the minds of…
D-Shot’s “Take A Shot is a braggadocious effort showcasing all the style and swagger of D-Shot. There’s a good amount of E-40 and the Yin Yang Twins that can be heard here, while the tight lyrical content experienced here showcases D-Shot’s own unique take on the rap genre. There’s a high replay value to this single because of the depth of these aforementioned compositions as well as the sheer amount…
On Keep The Feel In, Michelle Galas is able to create a high-energy dance track that will bury itself deep into the hearts and minds and listeners. Whether it is through booming beats, sizzling sex music, or charismatic vocals, there is something that everyone can find and appreciate in this single. While one can discern how much Michelle loves 1990s dance music, there is enough experimentation and engagement with different…
When We Two Parted starts off Liz Luceris’ new EP, Liz Luceris – Hommage à Byron, immediately bringing listeners in with a delicate set of vocals. These vocals are paired nicely with strings, something that will continue onward with the next few tracks, I Speak Not and So We’ll Go No More A Roving. So We’ll Go No More A Roving is a more deliberate, classical-infused composition that is spiced…
On Let’s Find Out, Alyson Faith is able to create a timless pop track that has something for the widest array of listeners. The deliberate instrumentation here provides a solid backdrop upon which Alyson’s inimitable vocals can shine. Tying together rock, 1990s country, and even hints of alternative ensures that Let’s Find Out stands out boldly from the rest of the music currently residing on the top of the charts.…
Not Dead Yet is the latest work from Ron Brunk. The song shines with Ron’s inimitable style as well as the guest vocals that act as the counter-point for Ron’s vox. The song’s walking bass line adds a bit of blues to Ron’s rock approach. There’s a timeless feeling to Not Dead Yet that will appease fans of all sorts of music from the late 20th century all the way…
Flavor is the next track up for A-Wax 1 Million. The track shines with snaps and keys that feel influenced by the mid-1990s California scene. The intricacies of A-Wax 1 Million’s flow will have listeners rewinding the single to hear everything that has been worked in. Flavor’s chorus is a true head-bopper, something that will be welcomed whenever the song comes up on a playlist. Flavor ends at around the…
Subtle Hurts is the newest track from The Racing Pulses. The band defies genre conventions. While nominally a rock act, there are subtle nods to acts like Pulp and Massive Attack as much as Wilco and Jet. The tautness of the instrumentation is what will get people tuned in. Fuzzy guitars are punctuated by assertive drums, all while the vocals rise above the resulting effort. Subtle Hurts’ bridge is a…
Rewrite the Past is a delightful rock track that links together hints of Rush and Styx with the vocal stylings of a Neil Young or Donovan. This single has a number of distinct twists and turns that will make fans come back for more. The gradual increase in Rewrite the Past’s chorus as it approaches the chorus showcases an act that is all-in with their approach. We are particularly fond…
Mind Gag, hachajah’s latest single, succeeds because of the tremendous vocal range that are present from the onset. The harmonies that are achieved by the vox are matched well by brooding synths and booming bass beats. The song does not outstay its welcome, coming to a close at around the 4:30 mark. Mind Gag is a dark, rich pop effort that works well along modern music while standing out boldly…
Divergent’s “Not Until Its Right” is a fun effort, something that will get listeners’ toes tapping as the band plumbs the early 1980s (e.g. Billy Joel, Hall and Oates) for inspiration. The keys and drums create a solid backing upon which the vocals can shine, all while the bass adds nicely to the track’s low end. Divergent’s tautness here ensures that the song can easily slot into rock rotation, while…
Heavy Kid’s “Day By Day” is a track that brings me back to the mid-1990s, where bands like Soul Asylum and Sponge were on high rotation at all the college radio station. The tightness of the arrangements and decidedly lo-fi feel showcase a band that is absolutely comfortable while creating a track that is decidedly deeper than most similar fare. Day By Day is brought brightness by the lead vocals,…
Pure Order’s Sovereign State is an effort that links together the immaculate NYC rap of the late 1990s and early 2000s with the more low-key and contemplative Chicago production of the mid-1990s. The dreamy chorus here is a welcome switch-up from the more straight-forward stanzas. The pairing of performers presented during Sovereign State keeps things fresh from the onset all the way until the song winds to a close. Pure…
Last Quarter begins with some beautiful vocals and a crunchy guitar. The song takes some bold stylistic shifts as Hoy brings in hints of 1950’s teenage crooners, 1990s alternative rock, and a bit of the ol’ Wayne Newton glitz. The swinging style of the single’s instrumentation ensures that the effort buries itself deep into the minds and hearts of anyone that has tuned in. Last Quarter winds to an end…
Mark Newman’s Tulsa is an engrossing effort that pulls the curtain back on the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, delving in deep to a type of history that a great many Americans may not know about. The deliberate instrumentation here keeps fans firmly on the edges of their seats, while the blend of blues, 1960s protest music, and progressive rock make for something that will stick with fans long after the song…
The announcement of the 2025 reissue of Ultravox’s seminal compilation, The Collection, has generated considerable buzz, and the final product—specifically the expansive 2 LP vinyl record release—delivers a presentation worthy of the band’s legacy. I know I was excited as all get out, as it seems as if 1980s music has been largely passed over for 2000s re-issues by the various labels this year. This album, which originally chronicled the…
On The Fiddle Player Stays, Rebekah Snyder is able to infuse a traditional sound into modern country music. With rich vocals and robust instrumentation, The Fiddle Player Stays is one of those songs that will get listeners out on the dance floor. The range that Rebekah achieves here is a testament to her as a performer; one can easily discern influences as storied as Reba and Martina McBride. The fiddle…
Cycamore’s Heart Of America is a tremendously effecting single that showcases soulful vocals and contemplative instrumentation. The song blends together early-2000s country music with southern rock in a flawless fashion. As the song progresses to its end, the gradual increase in tempo will bring fans together. Slowing things down for the final 30 seconds, Cycamore complete their musical epic in as fulfilling of a way as they began it. Cycamore…