Andrew X has released a new single in Whatever It Takes that builds upon the radio rock tradition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Learning to Fly and Jeff Healey’s Angel Eyes and incorporates just a hint of Endless Summer Nights-era Richard Marx. Huge synths and splashy are the perfect one-two to bring his vocals into the stratosphere. The sizzling guitar work and intense drums work well as the bridge.…
Mike Smiff’s new single goes deep into the crate for the incorporated single, Brand Nubian’s 1998 classic Don’t Let It Go To Your Head. The flow here takes up hints of Fat Joe and Notorious BIG, all while showcasing tons of his own style. Smiff’s lyrical content is poignant while working perfectly in the single. Rap fans will be bopping their head after a single play of Go To Ya…
On Good Enough, G Flip is able to create a compelling, honest effort. The song’s introductory section is able to draw in listeners as a more rock-forward beat rises to promise. The blend of singer-songwriter and pop-punk styles is something that keeps the song’s momentum high as Good Enough hits its chorus. The guitars, synths and drums are able to provide an emotive and rich backdrop upon which the vocals…
Jenny Grace’s Dreaming is a hopeful, bright track that builds upon the tradition laid down by 2000s and early 2010s country performers. There’s a vibrancy to this single that would make it slot in perfectly to modern country playlists. Strong, vocal-led with just a hint of guitar and drums, Dreaming is that track that will reverberate long after Grace ceases singing. The range that Grace achieves here does more than…
On Funky Rhetoric, Lee Oskar is able to create a fun track that is able to tell a tremendous story all with his harmonica and backing instrumentation. There’s a certain timeless sound to this single that ensures fans of all ages will be able to find something that they can sink their teeth into. The different sections of Funky Rhetoric are able to keep things engrossing from the single’s first…
Rich R&B in which Holley’s voice is going to bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Smart repetition in the single’s chorus does well to ensure fans will be eagerly hanging off of each word Amanda lays down here. There’s a dynamic feeling to Ride or Die that makes the single’s run time go by quickly, stoking one’s desire to delve ever deeper into the singer’s discography.…
The Dead Daisies refresh a Whitesnake classic with “Slide It In”. The band’s cover is able to keep the oh-so-smooth styling of the band whiled exhibiting the swagger we’ve came to love from the band. The supersonic voclas are able to fly on top of the chugging guitar lines, while the drums punctuate the instrumentation at all the right times. The guitar solo that kicks in at around the two-minute…
When and how did you discover your passion for music and songwriting? What made you want to pursue music as a career? I was around eleven years old. I was really into Broadway music and showtunes. I had such an admiration for composers such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Schwartz, and Alan Menken. Broadway, Disney…really great songs with big orchestrations. My mom and I loved listening to Broadway soundtracks in…
Plans is a touching track that feels destined for any sort of high school dance or wedding ceremony. The hopeful vocals of FIREROSE are matched perfectly by the dusty, wizened tenor of the master himself, Billy Ray Cyrus. The track captures the last forty years of country music perfectly, with FIREROSE building off the tradition of the Chicks and Mary Chapin Carpenter as well as early Taylor Swift. The guitar…
Last Train To Nowhere has a powerful bayou rock sound that starts off the track. Tremendously emotive guitars and vocals unite to immediately bring in fans, while there’s a booming, intense approach taken to keep fans out on the dance floor. The production of Ghost Hounds’ latest ensures that each element is able to shine singularly and as part of a greater whole. The chorus of Last Train To Nowhere…
Take You Home has a hopeful, bright sound that blends R&B and rap music in a fashion that will bury iuts melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The back and forth between SAYNT JAYSN and Jônelle keeps things interesting, as does the fascinating music video (attached) for the track. With a number of distinct scenes and intentional glithces included, fans will be on the edges of their…
Today I’m Gonna Friday is a song for the weekend, done up in an R&B style that will undoubtedly garner Frankee Razor considerable airplay. The song is an ode to being away from work and enjoying life, done in a style that fans of Sean Kingston or Akon will be able to appreciate. There’s a vocal-forward approach taken to Today I’m Gonna Friday that gives individuals ample opportunity to familiarize…
Serious Voice has made a splash with her new single Kill Tha King. The song shines with booming bass and some of the most assertive vox we’ve heard. The verbal pitter-patter does more than tell the story of the song, but adds mightily to the aforementioned backing instrumentation. It is this combination that transforms Kill Tha King from a simple single to something fantastic. While the song peaces out before…
Poor Boy has an immediately-inviting sound that will ensure Sheldon Universe’s latest will garner serious attention on pop radio playlists. The passion and charisma exhibited here will remind fans of Iyaz and Jason Derulo, while the song’s inclusion of R&B and rock elements will bring over crossover fans. Crafting a chorus that stands out from the rest of the music currently garnering attention is a rare feat, but Sheldon Universe…
Anna Aya’s “Someone Else” is a delightful effort that is able to build off the pop music of the late 1990s and 2000s. This means that there are nods to performers like Vanessa Carleton, Jordin Sparks, and even bits of J-pop performers like Ayumi Hamasaki. Someone Else’s chorus is infectious as all get out, with Anna Aya’s rich vocals drawing fans in by the barrelful. This is one of the…
“Open Ur Eyes” is a thoughtful composition that shows a window into SMILEZ’s psyche. The usage of repetition in this single will bury its melodies into fans’ brains. The guitar that builds up the backing instrumentation is perfect in that it is delicate enough to allow SMILEZ’s vocals ample highlighting. The vocal masks that gradually overwhelm the single’s final few seconds ensure that listeners will be eagerly anticipating the next…
The Great’er Pumpkin is a Heavy Seas effort that vanquishes a great many of the faults associated with the pumpkin ale style and creates something that is heavy, intense, and fun all in the space of each 12 ounce bottle. The ale pours with a dark brown, mahogany to orange coloration and small wisps of a lightish-tan head that tenaciously remains on top of the glass. There is a powerful…
On Not A Real Blond, Jojo Engelbert is able to create one of the catchiest pop songs we’ve heard in 2023. There’s a touch of Avril Lavigne, a hint of Ashlee Simpson, and just a touch of early T-Swift here. The sheer charisma that Engelbert brings to this track separates Not A Real Blond from the rest of the tracks bouncing around pop stations. While the song is solid throughout,…
Philosopher Pirate’s “Raven” has a colorful collection of distinct musical styles that range from 1960s psychedelic rock to 1990s alternative, even bringing in hints of more experimental artists. At all points during his latest track, PP exudes tremendous charisma in the vein of a Donovan or a Ray Orbison. Raven’s melodies will be bouncing around listeners’ brains long after the song ceases to play. There’s more than enough depth to…
On One Step At A Time, RJ’s Latest Arrival links up with Slum Village to create something impressive in its depth. There are so many distinct things occurring at any one second during this track that listeners will have to play the segment back to hear each inclusion in its full context. It is this heady depth that catapults the song above anything else that’s currently enjoying radio or playlist…