I’m no EDM luddite, nor an adherent, but I believe I’ve heard enough music to know quality when I hear it. Nik:11’s new single “Pillow Talk” shines. The reasons are numerous. The Detroit native begins, however, with the song’s foundation. She plucked Sylvia Robinson’s 1973 R&B classic “Pillow Talk” from the past and refurbished it with producer Chicco Bennett. The results produce unfettered musical magic. She further displays her creativity…
Harvard Law Professor, and veteran comic book artist Will Rosado are a formidable team. Together, they’re much like Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins, and their pivotal work on Watchmen. Their latest work,1/6: The Graphic Novel, is probably the literal equivalent for Jenkins, Golan, and Rosado – something pretty darn seminal to the times we’re in, and may be in if we’re not careful. This week marks a significant milestone for the trio,…
I’m betting that nearly everyone who hears and enjoys James Robert Webb’s new song “I Just Wanna Be Your Santa Claus” will agree its big payoff moment arrives with the track’s chorus. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has proven his mettle for crafting memorable refrains and I’m certain that, when we’re looking back on Webb’s musical output, his propensity for such hook-laden moments will shine especially bright when replaying this track.…
“Alone on Christmas Day” is the new single from New York City’s The High Plains Drifters and it’s a winner. This charming, unassuming tune brims with compelling melodic strengths and a sleek arrangement that never bites off more than it can chew. It comes across as the result of a band who began recording the song knowing exactly what aims they looked to achieve and sounds like they tossed off…
Pastoral guitar strings are ready and willing to wash a bit of optimism over anything within earshot as we listen to the opening bars of “Good Kind of Tired,” the first song in Josephson’s new EP Live & Let Live. Slowly but surely, an electric melody creeps out from behind the strumming and imparts a thunderous emotional power chord that will reappear later on in the song in a much more…
Adrian Sutherland, the indie rocker hailing from Canada’s Far North, emerges as a formidable force in the musical landscape, and his latest singles, “Precious” and “Diamonds,” provide a captivating glimpse into his upcoming album, “Precious Diamonds.” What sets Sutherland apart is not only his musical prowess but also his distinct identity as an Indigenous artist, a facet that draws intriguing parallels with other established Native American musical luminaries. Sutherland’s journey…
Cody Coyote is blazing his own trail through the modern music landscape and there’s no signs of slowing down. His new single “There Tonight” proves that Coyote continues gaining momentum with each new release. “There Tonight” comes off as aggressive, yet controlled, intelligent and serious, yet wildly entertaining. It likewise illustrates how Coyote is likely capable of tackling any sort of material. “There Tonight” makes his mastery of contemporary pop…
Philadelphia’s Peter Gural is the primary author of one of the year’s best releases with his collection Birdy’s World. The Berklee School of Music graduate has chops galore, that’s obvious, but his technical skills never undercut the immediate authenticity of his songwriting art. The unabashed autobiographical nature of Gural’s writing never limits its ability to connect with a wide swath of the Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter’s target audience. The bright bounce of the…
Alternative rock – despite the irony of the name in present times – is hardy dead, and if you’re looking for hard evidence of this, I seriously recommend giving Blueburst a listen sometime. In their rookie album Significance, this band comprised of Craig Douglas Miller and Marty Willson-Piper of All About Eve/Noctorum/The Church fame, doesn’t just try their hand at the modern alternative rock model; they try to redefine the…
How does the city of Vienna speak to you in your creative musical pursuits? Cobblestone streets echo whispers from the big history of a former empire. The timeless morbid flair of Vienna forms the typical Viennese with his grumpy mood, pessimism and cynicism. But there is also another side of Vienna. Eat Schnitzel and cake and dance waltz – likely at a funeral party. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we are…
