With a rollicking groove and a bouncy acoustic guitar harmony to lead the way, White Owl Red’s “Out of the Waters” comes swinging out of the shadows hard and clears a path for the trademark vocal of one Josef McManus in this cut off of his latest LP, Afterglow. In Afterglow, McManus’ White Owl Red project is sounding as warm and embracive as ever, and arguably putting down some of their most…
Though it’s understated in some moments and beastly in others, there’s scarcely a juncture in the tracklist of Kodacrome’s The Banff Sessions where the piano play of one Elissa LeCoque isn’t the very heart and soul of every sonic hurricane the record has to offer us. In the haunting “Tender Exit,” it gets a run for its money courtesy of the ebb and flow of a string section that nearly washes away…
Theo Czuk is, arguably, a singer/songwriter and musician first. He has seven music releases and counting, including a complimentary musical take on this novel; some are out of print, but sheer numbers alone make it apparent music is his primary vehicle for self-expression. He has two poetry collections in his résumé, Channeling Venice: Apparitions of Light and Pariscapes: Conversations with Paris, and a debut novel entitled Heart-Scarred. His latest novel The Black Bottom: The Measure…
Patricia Lazzara’s flute duels with Kristin Johnson Dabaghian’s piano in “Woodland Sonatine.” It harmonizes with the alto melodies distributed by Steve Markoff in “Reflections of Radiance.” Lazzara finds the perfect vocal partner for “Ave Maria” and “Oblivion” in soprano Jessica Davila, while in “Serenata,” not even the most vibrant of instrumental backdrops could distract us from her exquisite play in the center of the mix. Contrasting in tone and yet…
What is it about three-piece bands hold our attention? How do they slam all that sound into their music? In the grand tradition of Cream, Green Day, Motorhead, Nirvana, The Police and ZZ Top – to name a few – Dallas, Texas, has unleashed another wall-of-sound trio in the band, Clifffs. Out now via State Fair Records is the brutally tight Panic Attack. Panic Attack has 13 tracks, starting with…
Eclectic elements are practically everywhere you look and listen in modern pop music, and Mike Donello & the New Essentials are a perfect example. Donello and his band blend together influences from R&B, indie rock and classic pop in their eponymous debut EP, and though their first record only clocks in at about 19 minutes in total length, it doesn’t come off as limiting nor a scattered effort from a…
Imagine growing up on the other side of the world and discovering Michael Jackson or Tina Tuner? Imagine using the CDS from your parents music collection to learn English? Merlin, who grew up in Albania and Germany, moved to Boston when she was seven. Her passion for music and instant rapport with her listener is transported in the exciting debut single, “Love”. While her EP is anticipated later in 2020,…
You have to applaud any musician and songwriting who, in 2020, can stake out individual territory in the increasingly recycled world of pop music. Gabriele Saro accomplishes just that. His single “Skippin’” reflects his grounding in classical music while exhibiting the skills necessary for writing and performing memorable pop songs. He brings these seemingly ill-fitting elements together without the single ever coming off as disjointed or half baked. Instead, it…
Echoing into the ethers for what feels like an eternity, the opening chords of the aptly-titled “Notational Witchery” might not seem like the most elaborate of any you’ll hear on the new record from Darren Michael Boyd, the instrumental Lifting the Curse,” but they turn out one of the more captivating melodies on this incredible LP just the same. In Lifting the Curse, Boyd pushes the limits of rock n’ roll guitar…
Welcome! I would love to talk about all things songwriting! But first – I would love to hear from each of you something that most people would be surprised to learn about you. Marie B, vocals: Hello! Okay, most people would be surprised to learn about me that my first field of study is printing and publishing. I grew up working the family business, collating books and craft patterns, and…
