JidScan “On Fire” has a tremendous back and forth between the harder flow that represents the main body of the single and the more soulful, touching voice that enters into the equation when listeners make it to the chorus. JidScan tells an autobiographical story here of self determination that is honest and earnest. There’s a bit of humanity that comes into focus during the single’s chorus. While there’s a ton…
The Veer Union are able to imbue the Mendes / Bieber track Monster with their own unique flair. There’s a larger than life rock sound that bubbles up into something ferocious during the song’s chorus. The brooding instrumentation works to lift up the vocals well, while the intense drum beats that fill the back of the track deserve some serious attention. Sizzling guitar licks come to the fore next, giving…
Candlebox make a tremendously emotional plea with the acoustic version of their Riptide. Thoughtful guitar work meshes nicely with softly-sang vocals. Ample layers ensure that fans will continue to find news twists and turns during the performance. There’s such an allure to Riptide that fans of Candlebox or of alternative rock generally will be able to find continual reasons to keep spinning the track. We’re in love with the guitar…
Dre’Co’s “Way Up” (featuring Asia Major) is precisely what modern rap and R&B stations need to include. The high-energy track has a considerable amount of depth to the composition. While the song is full of booming beats and confident bars, the production of the single ensures that one will continue to dig up new twists and turns even five or ten plays in. The pair fo vocals here further increase…
The Parcels’ Famous has luxurious funk that drips off each section. With multiple vocal layers calling back to acts like Earth, Wind and Fire as well as The Bee Gees, Parcels ensure that fans will be immediately enamored with their newest single. The tautness of Parcels’ instrumentation is hard to march; each guitar line, bass note, and drum beat combine to make something that will draw listeners out onto the…
Kulikovsky’s “Burning Up” is a release that incorporates both EDM and pop elements. With a set of vocals that are inspired by The Weeknd and Trey Songz, Burning Up seems like a no-brainer to include on a DJ’s set. The dynamism of Burning Up ensures that fans can continue to play the track for months all while finding new twists and turns during each spin. We’d love to see more…
It takes a lot of talent to go forth and create your own holiday standard. That is precisely what Alicia G does on her new track “You’re My Favorite Holiday”. There’s a chill, mid-century modern sort of tack taken here as Alicia G calls back to her favorite jazz performers. With her vocals front and center during this cut, Alicia G is able to showcase considerable skill all while making…
On Alex Woodard’s new single “Open Up”, he is able to offer up some seriously emotional content. Little more is needed during this composition than Alex and his guitar. There’s an ample boost to the overall oomph of Open Up when the track incorporates an additional vocal layer. Woodard links together performers as diverse as Tom Petty, the Crash Test Dummies, and the Goo Goo Dolls with his own unique…
Page Sevii’s “Cheat Codes” has a hopeful sound that is interspersed in each bar the rapper drops. A booming backing beat ensures that the song will be tattooed deeply into the minds and hearts of listeners. Part of Page Sevii’s allure during Cheat Codes has to be the harmonies he weaves here; the effort is holistic in how it affects anyone fortunate enough to tune in. The track could easily…
Porcelain has Principe Valiente bring in hints of Disintegration-era Cure with The Psychedelic Furs. Echoing, hauntingly sw3eet vocals are paralleled nicely with insistent drums and a synth line painstakingly draped over the composition. Porcelain is one of those rare tracks that sound absolutely authentic in a mid-1980s setting while sparkling with all of the brilliance of modern music. Adding in hints of a secondary set of vocals provides just enough…
If I were assessing the talent Janean Christine Mariani has in her new single “Red Number 5” off of the skills she has as a singer exclusively, there would be no need to write a complete review of her performance – she’s a lights-out vocalist who can sing anything she wants. Countrified and charismatic, Mariani’s pipes are solid gold in the harmony-centric “Red Number 5,” but it’s not just how…
Milky Chance’s cover of “Tainted Love” inserts an absolutely infectious bass line into the mix. With a sultry, sexy set of vocals parlaying the lyrics, Milky Chance has made a play for considerable radio play as we move into the new year. There’s a coherence here that is hard to deny; listeners will be able to enjoy the constituent elements just as much as they can the whole composition. Fans…
Fault Lines is one amazing track. Listeners will be able to play it multiple times before hearing each and every nuance that Dave Vargo has placed within. While the vocals are front and center, listeners would do well to dig in deep to the interaction between the guitar and drums. The slower tempo of Fault Lines separates it from the rest of radio-rock music. We can hear hints of Aaron…
David Dalessio’s Before Tonight refreshes the synth-pop of the 1980s while impressing with soulful vocals. The dynamic between these vocals and the funky bass lines pushes each to an entirely new plateau. Each segment of Before Tonight will get listeners on their feet. We are enamored with the sizzling horns that gradually increase in prominence as Dalessio moves to the second half of the composition. No matter whether the individual…
Greg Hoy’s Spouses of the Lowly has a classic rock track that links together a bit of the mid-1960s surf rock with Elvis Costello tm create something infectious. The charisma of Hoy during this single will endear him to anyone listening in, while there’s a bit of angular guitar work that calls forward to Bloc Party and Queens of the Stone Age. Hoy’s latest has legs for days, with enough…
Vineet’s recent successful run of singles continues with his new track “Hurry”. It’s his first attempt within the adult contemporary genre and Vineet proves he more than has the necessary chops for this music. It requires vocal control, emotive skill, and perfect balance between the singing and musical arrangement, among less obvious demands. He meets the style’s requirements without much apparent effort. “Hurry” has limited instrumental components. Synthesizers and pre-programmed…
Barrel Aged Anni Stout / 8.5% ABV / 33 IBU / Stone’s Throw / Domain / Facebook /
On Antisocial Media, Shiragirl is able to offer up crunchy guitar lines and punchy drum beats to bury the single’s melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Charisma drips off of each vocal utterance, all while a sarcastic and self-aware style issues from the speakers. The track will have fans toes tapping while all of the absurdities of social media are given considerable headlining. The song reaches a…
Colorado, the latest single from Milky Chance has a hooky chorus and a slinky pop-meets-1990s alternative sound that effortlessly blends rock, pop, and indie styles. The back and forth between the vocals and instruments during the single’s chorus pushes each into a higher plateau. An immaculate production allows each element on Colorado to shine separately as well as together. There’s a layer of polish on Colorado that ensures the single…
Epic vocals are the cornerstone of Riku’s sound, and in his new single “Overwhelming,” you could say they’re as epic as any of the potent rock n’ roll instrumentation behind him and be completely right. There’s righteousness to this track that I haven’t heard as much of in his other content, and it starts first and foremost with the dynamic way in which he layers his vocals beside the crushing…