Hard Rock Cafe Cleveland
The Hard Rock Cleveland was founded in July of 1998 and retains some of the old-school rock charm which the city is known. The restaurant is ornately decorated with ample amounts of classically-stained wood and brass.
Author: Sargeant
Sasha Leonov Skies Change CD Review
Sasha Leonov released Skies Change in 2013, and this release is absolutely essential to understand the twists and turns that he has had in the years since. The album begins with Believe Once More, a touching and softly-played track that showcases a cool, calm, and collected Leonov. Hints of Dave Matthews can be discerned here, as there is a unity of instrumental and vocal sides that opens up into something…
Big RICC (Tallgrass Brewing)
Kansas’ Tallgrass Brewing Company has just released a canned run of their Big RICC, a 10.5% ABV Russian imperial stout (RIS) that includes coffee and chocolate. Big RICC pours with a dark brown to black coloration with a substantive amount of tannish head. The beer laces its way down a glass, while providing imbibers with a good amount of bitterness (both from the inclusion of coffee and the 65 IBUs…
Alchymie Midnight Clear CD Review
Angels We Have Heard On High adds considerable depth to this holiday classic; the dense arrangements of this effort will stand up to repeat listens. The most important part of this composition has to be the narrative that is weaved through the playing; there does not have to be anything in the way of vocals to have listeners experience a full tale.
Gallamine Feature
Gallamine is a Canadian EDM artist that has just released the single U (Do It So Good) on Blue Label Records. There is a depth to the composition that showcases Gallamine’s considerable array of influences. Hints of 1980s electronic, Italo Dance, and contemporary EDM bubble through at points during U (Do It So Good), but the energy and overall style presented during this single is unique.
Gambrinus Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Bock (Portside)
Bocks (or their imperial variant) are a hard beer style to do correctly; a number of bocks end up being toasted sugar bombs without much depth. Cleveland, Ohio’s Portside Distillery has crafted something special in their Gambrinus Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Bock. There is a good amount of malt that is immediately present, a taste that is quickly muted with hints of vanilla and bourbon granted it during its time…
Five Fingertips – Self/Titled CD Review
Five Fingertips released their self-titled album a few months back; the album begins with The Lines. This initial salvo establishes a catchy style of pop-rock that links together a confident set of vocals with a delectable guitar/drum backdrop. The effort takes on equal amounts of Chris Cornell with a rich country-rock tradition. Time is Tasteless inserts a fuzzier guitar into the mix, making for a timeless track that feels ready…
Undercover Rabbis Electric Sand CD Review
Rocket to Space begins with an expansive guitar line and smaller amount of instrumentation that will ensure listeners are focused in on what New Jersey’s Undercover Rabbis will ultimately do on their latest album, Electric Sand. The anger and fury, the indie meets stoner rock fuzz that the band creates during this initial track is spun a hundred different ways, but the talent of the act is what keeps each…
Bud Summers The Way CD Review
That’s Why is the introductory effort on St. Louis’ Bud Summers new album, The Way. This first track does well to showcase Summers’ eclectic blend of styles. Hints of rock, blues, jazz and pop can all be discerned with this first track; the rich musical backdrop that Bud crafts here will ring in listeners’ ears long after The Way has ceased playing.
Shelia Moore Piper Are You Ready Chapter 2 CD Review
Shelia Moore Piper hits off her latest release Are You Ready Chapter 2 with Get Excited, a soulful effort that turns up the tempo considerably with hopeful vocals, inspired brass, and an on-point percussive element. What a Friend (feat. Gene Moore Jr., Derrick Leon & Tachina Danielle) is a tremendously complex track; the contribution of each element during this composition makes for a varied and deep arrangement that stands up…
Zedd Cleveland “True Colors” Tour Stop (Wednesday, September 30th)
The weather has been a little on the wonky side the last few days, but the Jacobs Pavilion is covered and spirits could not be higher for Zedd’s True Colors Tour date Wednesday, September 30th. Current weather seems to portend a normal autumn northeast Ohio night, with 20% chance of rain and a high of 63. The venue is going to run a lot hotter tomorrow night.
Ted West – Bittersweet Descent
Los Angeles’ Ted West has released a new track, Bittersweet Descent. This effort is slinky, soulful, and builds off of the work of Placebo and Stabbing Westward. There is a dichotomy of electronic and windswept desert, a complexity that is given further depth with tribal drums and jazzy brass. At the center of the single are West’s vocals, dripping with charisma.
Toaster Pastry (21st Amendment)
Toaster Pastry marks the previous life of 21st Amendment’s facilities; this effort is described by San Leandro’s 21st Amendment as an “India style red ale”. The beer’s name is a bit of a misnomer, but what ultimately results from Toaster Pastry is an eminently drinkable beer that takes the best points of the IPA and red styles and melds them together seamlessly. There is a good malt presence that imbues…
The Black Tears La Ghooste / Liquid Fabulous
The Black Tears’ La Ghooste is modern rock that is darkly emotive and rich in instrumentation. The layered approach that The Black Tears take during this effort will require a number of spins to hear everything that has been inserted into the composition.
Oktoberfest (Left Hand Brewing Company)
Left Hand Brewing Company (Longmont, Colorado) has released their latest seasonal, Oktoberfest. The beer is a marzen with a dark yellow / light mahogany coloration. There is a decent tannish to brown head that laces its way down the glass, with has good amounts of sweet and malt elements. The 6.6% ABV of Left Hand’s Oktoberfest calms down the sweeter elements of the beer; instead of taking on a more…
The Capital Grille Pittsburgh
We were lucky enough to be invited to The Capital Grille in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (301 Fifth Ave) and made our way into the restaurant a few minutes before our reservation. We were invited into The Capital Grille’s lounge and offered a drink in the few minutes while the restaurant prepared for its 5 PM opening; a smart usage of wood, prominent display of luxurious liquors, and plush seats made the…
Andy Evans Miracle CD Review
Andy Evans begins his Miracle with a brief introduction before moving into the eponymous track. The soulful rock that Evans creates here links together John Mayer, Rob Thomas, and Jack Johnson. This track is single-worthy as Evans crafts a dense instrumentation that will stick with listeners long after the track has concluded. A Santana-esque guitar solo adds a sizzle to the track, keeping listeners on the edges of their seats.
Bergamonster Imperial Wheat (Two Roads Brewing)
Bergamonster Imperial Wheat is the latest offering in Two Roads Brewing’s Road Less Traveled Series. This unfiltered wheat ale pours with a light yellow coloration and a small amount of whitish head. Lacing is pretty thick along a glass. Two Roads’ imperial wheat ale packs a kick at 8.2% ABV, blending together a strong alcohol bite with sweeter (the titular Bergamot, lemon, and orange) and hoppier elements.
Tim Neumark Interview
We had a few moments to sit down with Washington DC’s own Tim Neumark. Can you give us a little biographical information about yourself? I grew up in Western Maryland where my focus was sports, primarily baseball. At about 16 years old, I started tinkering around with the piano. I started writing my own music in college, and I released my first album about eight years after college. So…
Doppelshot Doublebock (Maui Brewing Company)
The inclusion of coffee into the latest Maui Brewing Company seasonal, Doppelshot Doublebock does a good job at hiding some of the overly sweet elements that can sometimes be discerned from the bock style. Doppelshot pours with a hazy dark brown – light orange coloration and a small amount of wispy white head that trails its way down a glass or mug. The ABV (8.2%) is similarly well hidden with…