There are very few holiday albums that look to do anything special. Joyful Noise is an album that will shatter all conceptions that listeners will have about holiday music. The album begins with Crunchy Drummer Boy, a much more eclectic and bouncy version of the classic Christmas track. The music here does come from left field, but it is done in a fashion that is absolutely catchy and hard to…
Likely one of the most underrated rock bands to come out of the ‘70s, a decade that inexplicably made everyone from Journey to Styx famous, Memphis-based rockers Big Star always seemed on the edge, (but just not quite there yet) of making it big. Their debut, 1972’s #1 Record, arguably their best, boasting songs like “The Ballad of El Goodo,” “Don’t Lie to Me” and “In the Street” (sadly, best known…
Cajun Queen is a catchy bit of blues-rock that unites a strong instrumentation with a narrative that is weaved through the entirety of the album. The smooth, soulful vocals that listeners experience through this introductory track buttresses well with Broken Road. Broken Road has considerable pep and stands at the juncture of country and rock. Fans of the sixties C&W heyday, CCR, or contemporary acts like Mumford and Sons…
All My Money is a track that would work perfectly on rock rotation, as the band’s overall sound ties together the disparate works of acts like Papa Roach and Our Lady peace. The vocals touch upon a rich tapestry of influences including Kid Rock, Every Mother’s Nightmare, Moot the Hoople, and Cinderella, while the accompanying arrangements take up the standard of acts Foo Fighters and Guns ‘N’ Roses. All My…
The Art EP may only have three tracks, but the variety of styles and approaches chosen on the CD ensure that listeners have a good idea about whom Alexander is and what he may do in the future. Emiline is a track that could easily make it onto top 20 rotation. Alexander’s vocals built off of the work of Adam Levine and Chris Martin, imbuing their easy-going style with more…
Jupiter, It Won’t Be Long begins with I Don’t Really Wanna Go To College, a track that provides listeners with some semblance of the styles and approaches which Cassata will broach throughout this effort. Liberation is a track that touches upon the work of Contravene, The Devil Is Electric, and even Defiance, Ohio. There is a certain catchiness present to this effort that will make this a good fit for…
Formerly of Broken Poets, Lana Antropova has just released new music as Addicted to Pop. Over the course of five tracks, the mystique behind the new act is explored and Antropova is able to forge a bold new course with her musical career. This self-titled EP begins with Outcast. Outcast has a high amount of energy and immediately privileges the instrumental side of things. When Antropova’s vocals kick in, the…
The Messenger is a soulful track that deftly blends the instrumental and vocal sides of Vaudeville, creating a statement that is much greater than the sum of its constituent elements. The production of this track (and is present on the whole of Vendetta) allows the strengths of Vaudeville to be highlighted; V represents a distinctly different side to the act. Soaring upon hints on indie-rock, peppered by hints of surf…
Stryper is an act that has came back strong, while still maintaining the same concern for quality and engrossing music that has made them such a lauded band over the course of the last thirty years. The band’s rendition of the Arthur Reid Reynolds class Jesus is Just Alright completely changes the overall sound of the track while keeping the positive message present, providing listeners with the momentu Jesus…
Casinova is an up and coming artist from New York that changes what listeners will expect from the R&B genre. What I Need has a very funky and soulful style that will appease fans of Chris Brown and Trey Songz. There is a certain dynamism that is present in this track that makes Casinova’s output into something that touches equally upon the nuances of a rich genre. Whether it is…
