Boy George was way ahead of his time. A band fronted by a male who performed in full make up and androgynous clothes was groundbreaking in the early 1980s, when gay were almost unheard of at the time. The fact that Cultural Club had remarkably catchy songs certainly helped prove that the band and Boy George were more than just a gimmick. In fact, their music is right up there…
VAYA’s titular single is a slinky piece of hard rock that will tattoo its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The act is able to call back to the halycon days of the 1980s and 1990s while keeping things current and contemporary. The vocals both tell a story and add to the overall harmonies of the effort. ELEPHANTUS, the other new track from VAYA, slows things down…
Stoutella is Knee Deep Brewing Company’s (Auburn, CA) chocolate hazelnut milk stout. The beer pours with a dark brown coloration and a fairly small head that dissipates fairly quickly. The presence of the hazelnuts in Stoutella calms down the tendency of milk stouts to be on the sweeter side of things through the presence of a fair amount of bitterness. There is a diverse set of flavors that are presented throughout…
The Reason is the first effort on Ryan Zimmerman’s new EP, Ephemeral as a Kiss. The track showcases a nice blend of styles, with hints of acts as broad as Soundgarden and John Mayer. The specific array of styles that listeners can pick up after their first listen to Zimmerman’s Ephemeral as a Kiss EP is pretty substantial. Beyond his own unique approach to things, it is the fact that…
Feels Like a Holiday is the first track on Caroline Ferrante’s new EP, SKY. The track is confident, fun, and showcases a blend of straight-forward pop, island rock, and even the styling of performers like The Carpenters and Sheryl Crow. The production on Feels Like A Holiday is amazing, allowing each element ample opportunity to shine on its own or to contribute to this very cohesive and coherent opening. The…
All This Time We Wait is the new single from Boston’s Pale Monsters; the track comes from the act’s new release, Are You Feeling Alive?. The band come forth with an indie/alternative sound with a hint of 1960s rock. The vocals on All This Time We Wait build off of the work of performers like Rivers Cuomo and John Rzeznik. The distorted guitar on this introductory track calls back to…
JES’s “Get Me Through The Night” is a tremendously emotive EDM track that has both the instrumental arrangement and JES’s vocals pushing each other to a high level. The assertive beat that dominates the track is a great counterpoint to the much more human and emotionally affecting vocals laid down. What happens during Get Me Through The Night is that fans will be thinking about what JES is singing as their…
Tiny Fighter’s “New Century” is a complex track that deftly takes up a number of different genres in its sound. Hints of nineties alternative, the singer-songwriter tradition, and even hints of pop can all be discerned here. The thoughtful guitars, chunky bass lines, and on-point drums unite to make for a solid backdrop upon which Therese’s vocals can stretch their arms. A laid-back tempo allows alt-country and 1980s-era Cure influences to…
WOLVES’ “Animal” will immediately draw listeners in with an emphatic beat and a charismatic, sultry set of vocals. A bit of call and response to a choir of voices transforms this from a fun track to something that could easily be rocketing up the chart. With each piston hitting perfectly, it’s no surprise that Animal’s melodies will be bouncing around listeners’ minds long after the song ceases to play. WOLVES…
The Winter Sounds’ “Earth After a Thunderstorm” is a wonderful effort. The passion of the vocals, the effortless call backs to mid-1980s synth pop like Depeche Mode, Erasure and the Pet Shop Boys, and the twinkling instrumentation distinguishes this single from the rest of the music being played on the radio.
The Chicago Vin Coalition’s Silence is Golden is an effort that effortlessly ties together the rock of the 1960s and 1970s, all while putting out vocals that are reminiscent of early Dylan or Tom Waits. The backing instrumentation provides the perfect backdrop for these vocals but do deserve their own time in the spotlight. The percussion, fuzzy vocals, and vocals unite to make for a track that simultaneously is radio-friendly…
Itamar Borochov’s Tangerines is the lead-off single from his latest release, Boomerang. The single will immmediately draw listeners’ attentions with the thoughtful and intricate piano line that begins the song, while the horn that kicks in shortly after adds considerable amounts of narration to the effort. Through taking a vocal-like approach to the trumpet’s arrangements, Itamar is able to make a sub-three minute track resound loudly in listener’s ears long after…
Birds is a tremendously emotive effort, the lead-off track from ShÄy’s new LP, Quest. The track blends together indie-rock with ambient and electronic elements. This unique mash-up of approaches and styles will have listeners focused in, as rich jazz horns and contemplative guitar lines unite into something special. The bit of vocals that are presented to listeners are the unifying element, making for a track that could easily make it onto…
Angela C. Howell’s “There’s Nothin I Don’t Love” is a sultry track that deflty links together blues, jazz, and funk into an alluring package. Angela’s vocals do more than merely building the lyrics side of things, adding considerably to the taut instrumentation that is present here. The sheer vocal range of Howell is a high-water mark for There’s Nothin I Don’t Love, further bolstered through the emotive guitars, the thick,…
It’s al;ways exciting to get something for review from a brewery that is new to you. It’s doubly exciting when they are fairly close to you (the brewery is located in Oklahoma City). COOP Ale Works’ Gran Sport Porter pours with a dark, rich brown coloration and a small amount of off-white head. The beer’s initial nose is a bit nutty, with bits of toasted male poking through. The full…
I Don’t Know is a powerful rock track that takes up hints of blues, soul, funk and rockabilly. There is considerable charisma that is interlaced through the vocal and instrumental sides of this single. The tautness and robust sound of the guitars, drums, and horns here will have everyone up and active on the dance floor.
Listeners will be immediately thrown into the fray with NIK:11’s new single, 6AM. An intense percussive track and sweeping synths immediately draw fans in before allowing the vocals ample opportunity to shine. The different styles that are built off of with 6AM is considerable. Hints of 1980s synth-pop like The Pet Shop Boys and early-1990s can be heard here. The vocal harmonies commonplace during this single provide a good counterpoint…
Today, we are speaking with Brendan McMahon. Can you give us a little background information about yourself? How did you get into music? I’m a country boy born in a town of 900 people about 50 miles north of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. I lived in that area for the first half of my life. I recall loving music from when I was very young and…
Inside/Outside has a slower tempo that blends together synths and a spontaneous, human element (drumming). The touching vocals build off of Momus’ work, while the presence of a piano provides ample highlighting to these lyrics. The different segments present here will keep listeners guessing, while Idealism is able to invite considerable unity among these disparate elements. By refreshing the electronic, chill, and trip-hop styles of the late 1990s, Idealism is…
Surreal Nation make something completely unique with the first song on their I Know Better EP. There are hints of punk, goth, rock, and even emo and alternative that can all be heard with Would You Do Me The Honor of Becoming My Mexican Divorce?. The guitar work is reminiscent of the surf rock stylings of Dick Dale, a decision which will have listeners bouncing around as they move into…