On their live version of Idiology, Last Giants are able to unite fuzzy, distorted guitars with a ropy bass line and splashy drums. The act is able to call forth the spirit of influences like Audioslave, Jane’s Addiction and Queens of the Stone Age. Last Giant’s charismatic vocals shine as brightly as any of the band’s arrangements, making for an extremely well-balanced composition. There’s an insistence to the drum /…
Stringz EMB “Lights On” is bolstered through the presence of Katarra Parson and Will Buchanan. The flow on Lights On takes inspiration from sources as diverse as Cee-lo and Kendrick Lamar. With the back and forth between Katarra and Stringz EMB, there’s a narrative that will stick around long after the song ceases to play. The bit of guitar that plays throughout Lights On showcases not only Will’s chops but…
Trap Commander’s “He Hell” is a head-banger effort for sure. The passion and charisma that the performer brings to the single is palpable. Bold bars blend with a Three 6-styled backing beat to make for something special. The production of He Hell is crisp enough to ensure each bar drops crisply, while there’s a dynamism fostered by this approach that ensures no two notes are the same. Taken as a…
Gaten’s “Add Up” is a booming track that will immediately draw in listeners. With bassy beats and a rapid-fire flow, the single will have one tapping their toes and nodding their heads after its first minute. Add Up has a timeless feel to it, meaning that fans of 1990s gangster and 2000s Atlanta street rap will be able to find something that they appreciate. At all points during his latest…
Corbu’s “Lost & Found” features Jimi Goodwin from the Doves. The track is able to move through countless musical styles. While the first portion of the song is in the vein of reggae (e.g. 311), there’s a more transient, new age meets world – breakdown that occurs shortly after. The shifting into a more focused and intense beat follows shortly after that. Fans will continually have their expectations subverted with…
Sharon Hendrix’s “River Run” is one of the most infectious tracks that we’ve covered so far in 2021. With an approach that is built upon the style of Gloria Estefan and Taylor Dayne, Hendrix is able to bring listeners out onto the dance floor. Synths and a large dollop of bass unite to make for a booming beat upon which Hendrix’s vocals can shine. There’s a strong amount of devotion…
On Move Along, Greg Hoy ties together a very deliberate bass / drum instrumentation with a 1990s alternative sort of approach. Fans of Weezer and early Smash Mouth will find something to sink their teeth into, while technical music fans will adore the dynamic that is established between the guitar, bass, synths and drums here. There’s a bit more substance to Move Along than exists in most of the alt…
On Face2Face’s titular single, the act creates some of the most beautiful pop music of the year. Soulful vocals are matched perfectly with synths and soft percussion. The song possesses a narrative that showcases the results that will occur just as soon as everyone takes the vaccination plunge. While we’re about halfway thee (in the United States, at least), there is still a lot of work that has to be…
Eddie Cohn’s “Animals” calls back to the more introspective rock of the 1980s. With nods made to performers like Peter Gabriel and U2, Cohn is able to establish himself among genre royalty all while crafting music that is wholly different from that garnering attention today. The layered approach taken to Animals’ arrangements will give listeners ample material to dissect in subsequent listens. The skillful usage of the track’s tempo keeps…
The Dead Daisies’s “Like No Other” is a high-energy hard rock track that ties together Axl Rose and Rage Against The Machine to make something loud, furious, and catchy as all get out. The act is able to intersperse the composition with rough and tumble guitars, splashy drums, and tremendous charisma during each segment. Like No Other is able to draw on an earlier hard rock tradition while keeping things…
Wings is a dance/pop track that takes inspiration from the 1980s. Yevae’s vocals stand out boldly from most radio tracks, adding substance to an approach that is a blend of Madonna and Tori Amos. The rapid increase in the tempo on Wings during the song’s second track ensures that fans are kept involved until the effort’s final notes. I Run To You has a slower and more contemplative approach than…
AV Super Sunshine’s “A Wedding Song” is a bold step forward for the act. The track is able to taken up an approach that is partially mid-1970s rock, partially psych / prog. The resulting track both brings a compelling message to the fore while titillating fans’ ears with taut instrumentation. A Wedding Song is a track that will pick up steam as listeners hear it and use it for their…
The visuals that The High Plains Drifters include in their new video add a further layer of complexity to their Since You’ve Been Gone. The track has a futuristic veneer to it that would appease fans of retro sci-fi or of current shows (e.g. The Expanse). The actress utilized in the video is able to showcase strength with attractiveness. The juxtaposition of the vocals with the visuals will tattoo the…
PIERA’s “Unraveling” has a synth-heavy backdrop that shifts between new wave rock and mid-1990s industrial. There are nods here to performers like Shirley Manson and The Cardigans. The crunchy synth and drums that comprise the single’s instrumentation create a darker, emotive sound upon which PIERA’s vocals shine. The multiple layers of Unraveling will ask listeners to take the titular step; one should strap one a pair of headphones and keep…
Kendall Spencer’s “All In” has an epic flow. The synths that begin this single give an epic sound to the composition that would be at home with mid-oughts Jeezy. Kendall Spencer’s rapid-first flow will have listeners’ head nodding, while the hint of guitars that peek their way through give a bit of additional oomph. This is a timeless track that has enough street to make it work on rap stations…
T.A. Parker’s “Endless” has each part of the band working perfectly together. This means that the guitars, drums, and bass are able to create a wonderful track that would be at home on a modern rock station. There’s a timeless sound to this composition that would appease fans of acts like Seven Mary Three and Cracker. Perhaps the cherry on top of this sundae has to be the voice of…
Foolish Human’s “Lake Union” starts off in a timeless fashion splitting the uprights between melodic rock and 1990s alternative music. There’s so much raw passion and emotion that is presented here. The guitar / vocal dynamic that marks the single’s first minute will bring fans to the edges of their seats. Just a hint of Americana is brought in to play, before the act is able to add a synths…
EZ Longway’s “Thug In The Room” has a lot of material to consider. There is a soulful horn line that weaves its way through the track. EZ Longway’s flow both tells an interesting tale while having enough in the way of harmony to interact well with the piano and aforementioned brass, while the song itself has the ability to play well on rap and modern pop radio station. Each movement…
10-19 & The Number Men’s “July 10th” will immediately catch listeners’ attention with a bit of a narrative. The splashy drum beat that starts the act’s current single acts as the song’s instrumental backdrop. A haunting synth interacts with this drum beat to make for a mechanical meets electronic sort of vibe. The track ends up being a bit experimental, a bit dreamy, and July 10th ends up being that…
The instrumental opening to Faizan’s take on Kanye’s classic Blinding Light is engrossing. There is sole that is dripping out of each and every note here. The saxophone work included here by Husen adds further depth to the composition. There’s a driving beat that is cultivated here, one that works when compared to the island vibes built up on the song. Nary a word is needed here, but Faizan and…