Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies, the latest effort by Bruce Sudano, has a ropy, thick bass line and a call-back to the high-water mark of 1970’s soul. The call-and-response presented here pushes the track into rarified air. The inclusion of gospel-esque organ at the back of the track makes the effort even more heady. Listeners will have to put Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies on multiple times before…
On Don’t Be Yourself, The Rocket Summer is able to emote tremendous emotion and build upon a very close and cozy sound to craft something utterly brilliant. As additional pieces are added to the mix, listeners will find themselves engrossed in the composition. What we’re particularly impressed by are the different feelings that Bryce are able to establish without much more than his inimitable voice. Don’t Be Yourself is a…
The Art of Letting Go is a hopeful, sunny track that links together fun. with Sublime to make for something that simultaneously works well with modern pop-rock as well as mid-oughts rock. The production of the track allows for sunny vocals, punchy drums, and a hooky chorus to all be highlighted. With the collab cutting off at a hair above the three-minute mark, fans will be left wanting more. Everything…
Better is one of those dance tracks that we will be hearing for years around clubs. That is because Meresha is able to create something that is tremendously reverential of the electronic music of the 1990s while having a crispness to Better’s production that allows it to hang with other modern EDM tracks. Everything’s working at a high level here, whether it be the silky-smooth vox or the infectious dance…
Robyn McCorquodale’s Eagle is a song that draws upon the proud American music of the mid-20th century. One could easily see this as a musical interlude in a “boys go to war” B&W film. Robyn’s vocals soar above the delicately-crafted instrumentation, establishing a situation where listeners will be eagerly hanging on every word. The gradual inclusion of electronic-tinged drums to the mix keeps the song’s momentum high while allowing Robyn…
On Aftermath, Jessica Carter Altman is able to blend together emotive pop, jazz, and new wave into a timeless track that benefits from Jessica’s tremendous vocal abilities. The instrumental side of Aftermath is similarly impressive, with the sultry brass working as a perfect counterpoint for Altman’s vox. The balanced approach of the guitars, horns, and drums on Altman’s latest imbues the single with melodies that will stick with listeners long…
Darren Waller’s “Faith Test” makes as much of a splash into rap music as his plays do in games. The production incorporates an ethereal sample and drill-esque beats to provide a solid foundation upon which Waller’s bars can shine. The lyrical flow laid down by Darren showcases drive and determination, with goals of occupational as well as spiritual success as endpoints. When instrumentation and vocals as combined, Faith Test ends…
Dogfish Head has dipped their toe into the hazy game with the aptly-named Hazy Squall. The IPA pours with a straw/hay-yellow coloration and a small amount of white head. The initial nose of the beer pits sweet against more hoppy notes. An initial sip of Hazy Squall is bright and effervescent with ample fruit notes (e.g. apricot, tart orange) coming forth. The bevy of flavors that present themselves during Hazy…
Blind Emotions, the newest track from Love Crushed Velvet, is an 1980s infused synth-pop track that will have fans immediately paying attention. The layered instrumentation on Blind Emotions acts like an onion. As one continues to play Love Crushed Velvet’s new song, they will continue to find new twists and turns that the act has incorporated within. We’re particularly impressed with the vocal range that A.L.X. achieves here. These vocals…
Carolee Rainey’s Hard Times In The Heart is an engrossing track that immediately draws fans in through a pairing of heartfelt vocals and guitar. There are hints of classic country performers (e.g. Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire) and artists like Stevie Nicks presented here. The delicate production of Rainey’s latest song imbues the composition with a close-knit feel; listeners can imagine that they are in a smoky bar or coffee shop…
Stewart Taylor’s new single Nightmares showcases a tremendous vocal range and a production that ensures that both instrumentation and vocal sides are able to coalesce into one cohesive effort. The song utilizes the R&B of the late 1990s and early 2000s as a start point, ensuring that there’s a certain familiarity to Stewart’s voice. This ensures listeners’ attentions are focused on what is to follow. Nightmares is a welcome addition…
May Fall’s Sleep is a dreamy pop track that calls back to the days of New Wave for inspiration. With twinkling keys bolstering the alluring vox, SLeep is one of those efforts that will have fans singing along after their first experience. The song is coherent while keeping things interesting. Each of the tracks’s sections contributes something else to the effort. Sleep’s bridge is precisely what is needed to keep…
We’re floored by the tremendous range that APROPOS is able to achieve with his new single Heartbreak. The song builds off of the R&B of the late 1980s with bits of INXS and Bell Biv Devoe incorporated alongside modern sensabilities. The dynamism of this effort ensures that one will keep this on high rotation. There are so many twists and turns present in Heartbreak that fans will be finding something…
On Selfish Rason, Nya is able to create tremendous emotional complexity while adding mightily to the song’s instrumentation. By putting the vox front and center from the onset, Nya’s able to draw listeners in. With the addition of drums and guitars to the mix, Selfish Reason ends up being a momentous track. Fans will be falling off of every word by the time that this single concludes. The strings that…
Nothing is one of those tracks that listeners will have to play multiple times before they can properly appreciate everything that Ron Brunk has included here. There is a shuffling beat that firmly implants the melodies deep into listeners’ psyches, while Brunk’s rich vocals will keep listeners engaged with the song through its entire run time. The song builds off of REM and the charged political content of a Rage…
On Be Somebody Reimagined, Ron Brunk is able to immediately draw listeners in with a high-energy rock track. Bringing in hints of punk and 1970’s radio rock, Brunk’s fuzzy guitars and punchy drums will tattoo their melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Including the secondary set of vocals for a call-and-response, Brunk is able to draw in fans of blues and early R&B. The track wil have…
On Good 2 Yuh, Stylz Milleon is able to create one of the catchiest singles we’ve heard so far this years. The rapid-fire lyrical delivery of Stylz Milleon both conveyes the song’s narrative while working with the single’s instrumentation to make a melody that will stick around long after listeners conclude the single. The dynamism experienced during Good 2 Yuh keeps things fresh the further one plumbs the depths of…
On Ain’t Thinkin About You, the MAKO Girls are able to craft an R&B track that is reverent to early 2000s pop while putting their own spin on the genre. There’s a booming bass beat, rich vocals, and a set of visuals that will have listeners sitting at the edges of their seats. Each of the performers are able to add to the single’s cohesion while poking through with their…
12 ounce can, originally reviewed 2/2024. Juicy Oasis is an fruited, hazy India Pale Ale offered up by Breckenridge Brewery. The beer pours with a yellow-brown coloration and a small amount of whitish head. Lacing gradually creeps down the glass as one continues their journey. The initial nose of the brew is a blend of peaches and apricots, coming forth with more sweet notes than previewing the hoppiness that is…
Maple Pecan Bligh’s Barleywine Ale pours with a dark-brown to mahogany coloration. The initial nose of the brew provides a solid hit of alcohol burn along with a sugary note (likely from the inclusion of maple syrup). Perhaps most interesting about this effort is how well the burn is hidden through the caramel and pecan flavors at the onset. This “zing” begins to grow as one progresses further in each…