On On Purpose, The Peculiar People come forth with some tremendous beats and spat-out lyrics forged in the fires of Kanye and Meek Mill. The rapid-fire word play on this single puts traditional gospel music on its head while cutting up some hard hitting lyrical content. The Peculiar People use a bit of screwed and chopped sound to separate the two distinct sections of On Purpose. With a crystal clear…
Nothins Changed is a hard-hitting rap track that blends together a robust flow with an in-your-frace backing beat. The bit of thoughtful pre-chorus bars that issue forth during Nothings Changed allow for switching out between the distinct vocal approaches of 88 Lo and 88 Goldie. This single is able to refresh the rap approach of the late-ought while calling forward to performers like Migos and Young Thug. It’s this desire…
On Sad Summer, Baker Grace effortlessly blends together modern pop music with the electro-pop of the mid-1980s. With nods to Gloria Estefan and Madonna, Baker Grace is able to bring to bear all the sultriness and coy sounds of her inimitable take on modern music. Mixing together a bit of Lily Allen and La Roux with Halsey , Baker Grace is able to transform Sad Summer into something that deserves…
On Take Care, Chloe Tang is able to make a pop track that ties together mid-oughts R&B with modern EDM. These stylistic flourishes allow the track to shine brightly when compared to other tracks. The soft, silky sound of Tang’s vocals are able to bridge the gap between the sweeping synthesizers and the booming beat that issues forth. A stylistic shift at the 2:20 mark provides a brief breathing space…
The Gillum Bros are able to reinvigorate the style of Lou Reed and Pulp with their latest track, Sticky Note. With wistful guitars and deliberate keys, the act is able to imbue a timeless sound to the composition. Beautiful in its execution, The Gillum Bros are able to make something that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. All too short at a hair over three…
Chris Butler creates his own brand of 1960-infused rock. Dreamy vocals and contemplative guitar riffs paint a solid picture while Butler’s vocals add fine detail to the composition. With a lead-in to the chorus built upon the tradition of Van Morrison and The Who, Summer Money sails away with contemplative arrangements. The extended instrumental interlude separates the two sections of the track, keeping the song’s energy high while showcasing some…
The Pale Blue Dot is a bouncy effort that links together surf rock, rockabilly, and has the band come forth with a tremendous amount of charisma. The distinct sections to the track are what will keep fans coming back to the track, as it showcases the tremendous capability of the band. Able to change up styles at the drop of a dime, the NaveBlues are able to keep their fans…
ONLAP creates some hard-hitting melodic rock with their new single Miracle. The track is delightful not only for the supersonic vocals that reach their crescendo during the song’s chorus, but also for the intricate arrangements and interplays that exist between the guitars and drums. Each part of ONLAP on Miracle is clear and crisp, be it the synths, the double-bass drums, or the shouted-out statement “We Don’t Care”. With enough…
On Breaking Your Silence, the Generationals are able to call back to the power-pop of the 1970s and a bit of the late-oughts (e.g. Peter Bjorn and John) alt sound. The dreamy vocals are matched well with punctual drums. When the synths and a fuzzy, echo-laden section confronts listeners at the 1:15 mark, the effort is well on its well. With gradual increases in the song’s momentum as it continues…
On Stay High, Brittany Howard is able to create a soulful, laid-back effort that draws on 1970s soul and funk. Including Terry Crews is a major get, but Howard’s technical ability will ultimately be what wins fans over. The sheer range that is achieved by these vox is testament to Howard’s ability. The percussion and driving beat that plays behind Howard’s voice adds a bit of momentum to Stay High.…
On Tenderness, Jay Som is able to make a compelling track that opens up with little more than softly-sung vocals and a sequenced drum beat / guitar back drop. When the song opens up (at around the 1:20 mark), the instrumental dynamic become more dense and thrushier, a response to the higher registers Jay Som reaches. The interesting arrangements continue through to the second half of Tenderness. A subtle update…
Bold starts listeners off on Donna Zed’s new release, the Surrounding Me EP. The piano that kicks off things creates the perfect backing instrumentation upon which Zed’s 1990-infused vox can shine. Together, these two elements are able to make a rocking chorus that will tattoo itself deeply into fan’s psyche. The strings / vocal dynamic is perhaps the most tantalizing of this first track; fans of Fiona Apple or Tori…
Baradar (translated as “Brother”) is a short film about the distance that exists by two siblings. Composer Daniele Carmosino is able to cover a wide swath of ground with Hope, the release’s first composition. He is able to create an effort that will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Hope has an airy sound that builds its way to prominence by linking together a gradually-increasing tempo…
Low is the first effort on Summer Colds’ Here Comes Nothing, which unites the vocal styles of They Might Be Giants with the heavy fuzz of mid-1990s alternative. The bouncy beat that the band crafts during this intial salvo will draw in listeners, a trend that continues with Found. The refreshing take on pop-alt music like Weezer will appease fans of the style as well as those that are coming…
Air and Water is the introductory effort on An Ethereal Landscape, providing listeners with a lighthearted track. Sommavilla blends together organic and electronic sounds along with touching upon traditional, modern, and new age genres to craft a wholly unique sound. Everything flows naturally into one another; a synthesizer can open up to emotive guitars and vocal-esque arrangement. All in all, this first song will keep fans firmly planted on the…
Ease up (Into Love) is a soft-rock track that refreshes the singer-songwriter style of performers like John Denver and Gordon Lightfoot. Jay Elle’s instrumentation link together the Barenaked Ladies and Semisonic with a very germane and honest approach. There’s a surprising deep sound to this introductory track that will continue to yield dividends to listeners even five or ten plays in. Take a Holiday adds a bit of laid-back Island…
Talking With Owls immediately will draw listeners in with a high-energy guitar line, bold and assertive bass lines, and a set of vocals that meld together Sum 41 and Glenn Danzig. The Finger Guns are able to build upon the pop-punk of acts like Wakefield, Rise Against and Mest by mooring their music to the intricate early emo of mid-1980s DC acts. The immediacy of Go Away will call back…
Forgotten City is the initial track on Alex Hass & Bill Laswell’s Smoke and Glass, and it immediately takes listeners on a journey that refreshes the synth-heavy electronic music of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The fascinating thing about this introductory track has to be the narrative quality to the song’s compositions; listeners will be able to draw as much of a story here as they would with a…
Back Home is the first track on ei8ht and it immediately calls listeners back to the days of power rock bands like Boston and Journey. With a driving beat, down and dirty guitars, and supersonic guitars present from the onset, fans will be enthralled by the music that is to follow on Innuendo’s latest. Hard To Remember keeps the momentum of the first part of ei8ht high with guitars that…
On Life Without You, Mark Newman is able to make an impassioned, funky rock track that soars due to interesting arrangements and a timeless set of vocals. While the song builds upon the 1970s type of rock of Thin Lizzy and Wild Cherry, there is a vibrancy present throughout Newman’s latest that will make his latest into something special for many eras of fans. The contemplative instrumental dynamic that kicks…