On You Should Know, Vita Chambers is able to tie together ambient, EDM, and dubstep into a shuffling, bass-thumping track. Vocals call back to Madonna’s early-nineties output. We’re in love with the dynamic established between the vocal and electronic segments of this composition. Where the main body of You Should Know has these working in lockstep, some of the most interesting sections of Vita Chambers’ latest occur when the synths…
One Giant Farm is the newest effort from Les Stroud. With impressive guitar work laid down here from Slash, One Giant Farm soars. Impassioned vocals in the vein of Jethro Tull meld perfectly with some of the most taut instrumentation you’ve ever heard. Both vocal and instrumental sides are able to turn on a dime, moving the track through emotive guitar licks, intricate drum / bass dynamics, and a melding…
On Ukrainian Cowboy, Josie Cotton is able to craft a track that calls back to the strong female country & western tradition of performers like Patsy Cline and Nancy Sinatra. On-point guitars and additional vocal layers make this track dense; fans will be able to find different twists and turns even after they have spun this single multiple times. The walking bass line is matched with a bit of oompah-like…
Cool is an infectious pop song that has just enough of EDM-infused synths playing at the bottom of the single that fans can’t help but to be swept onto the dance floor. The blending of vox and keys during the chorus is reminiscent of Owl City and The Rocket Summer. Considerable charisma is brought to bear here; the rising and falling of Belle Vex’s voice here will have fans sitting…
Antiseptic Heart begins with a dark and brooding guitar line before incorporating mournful vocals shortly after. With a nod made to OK Computer-era Radiohead complete, the band is able to boldly forge forward with their own taut blend of alternative and rock styles. Pulling double duty, the voice is able to weave a cogent narrative while providing further depth to the song’s instrumentation. Antiseptic Heart shifts to a heavy, chunky…
Ray Wylie Hubbard may not be top of mind to casual Country/Americana music fans, but he certainly influenced a slew of the musicians making that music today. It seems rather appropriate then that Hubbard’s peers and acolytes would come together to explain his musical brilliance in writing. The Messenger, though not the best book to explain the life and career of Hubbard (that one would be his own 2015 memoir,…
When you think of Japan, you think of sushi, manga, anime, bullet trains, and the samurai; what you do not think of is solid death metal. And Coffins are a prime example of why we cannot spend any more time sleeping on Japanese death metal. The death/doomsters are back with their fifth release “Beyond The Circular Demise” an infernal release with grit and teeth. It is a crime that after…
On Retrospective Outlook, Chris Mardini is able to blend easy-going pop vocals with a musically intricate, intense sort of composition. With assertive guitars, booming drums, and a spotless production, Retrospective Outlook’s arrangement will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. Mardini’s vocals are a part Asher Roth, a part Cake, and (during the chorus) a bit Jonas. With this eclectic approach, Chris is able to make a…
On All Because of You, Michael Costantini is able to recreate the crunchy alt-rock sound of the 1990s. The song succeeds with charismatic lead vocals forged out of the Rivers Cuomo mold and a fuzzy set of guitars that will appease fans of Soul Asylum and Belly. Michael hits some high notes during his latest single, a move that further increases the depth of the track while showcasing some serious…
Mike Bertini’s Those Nights immediately begins with a soulful set of vocals that links together Jake Owen and Dave Matthews. With a chorus that equally draw from modern country and 1990s jam bands, Mike is able to give a little something to everyone. The track’s inclusion of female vocals towards its half-way mark spins the song in a bold new direction. The dynamism of Those Nights ensures that no two…
Plants’ Life Until Death begins with a contemplative effort, Life, that provides listeners with a sedate introduction that gradually leads in to the rest of their disc. Cruze is a taut track that blends together a ropy bass line with ska / psychedelic horns. What ultimately results is a trippy soundscape that is further set to new territories when the vox kick in. Alex’s vocals will set fans upon a…
“Let It Melt”, the first and title track from Diesel Park West’s ninth studio recording, serves notice this venerable UK outfit is showing no signs of slowing down. Thirty plus years in the music world are defined by impressive peaks and challenging fallows, but Diesel Park West kept the flame burning throughout thanks to the bonds of shared experience and a passion for their craft. Let It Melt is their first release…
Hola Bonita is a perfect track for the early fall. There is still an ample amount of the island vibes and Latinx styles that will get the dance floor popping, but there’s a bit of chill that is inserted into the track that will get fans vibin’. While the vocal side of things is given a focal point during Hola Bonita, the instrumentation is able to spend a bit of…
JTruthPA comes forth with a bright effort that straddles the line between pop, R&B and rap music. The production on this single ensures that the lyrical flow is crisp and clear, while the bouncy beat will bury itself deep into one’s psyche. Sunflower will get one out to the dance floor, while JTruthPA’s flow continues to shift and change throughout the cut’s runtime. All together, Sunflower is a perfect introduction…
High Key is able to blend together the last 40 years of R&B into a cohesive sound that is present throughout the entirety of their new song, Ain’t Cool No More. This three-part act is able to infuse blues, funk, and soul into a three-minute space like no one’s business. The piano / vocal dynamic that bubbles forth in the middle of the song is a sight to behold, as…
The sedate, touching opening to Owls & Lions’s new track, God Bless You & Protect You will immediately draw one in. The back and forth between the pair of vocalists pushes each to a higher plateau, as does the moment when the rest of the band kicks in (~1:20 mark). The second segment of this single has both vox intertwine in a beautiful fashion before shifting back to the close…
On In Silence, Grimass is able to blend together hard-edged rhymes in the vein of early Rick Ross and Freeway with a bit of more reggae-infused backing beat. The chorus is absolutely haunting, providing a nice counterpoint to the gritty backdrop of the main body of the single. The flow presented fans on In Silence will get fans heads bobbing while the shuffling, industrial-tinged synths and drums tattoo a melody…
With a visual element that matches the sweeping synths of Summertime is Here, Szandra Mayer is able to make an engrossing multi-media effort. Showcasing the carefree experience of youth, the videography of Mayer’s latest blends together sunflowers, horseplay, and verdant landscapes. With smart use of vibrant colors and an overall palette that just pops, Summertime is Here showcases well the considerable potential of every summer to be special. Ending the…
Cover albums usually go one of two ways: They are either exhaustingly mediocre exercises in stalling while the performer buys time until a new record is finished or, in very rare instances, it’s an example of an artist being able to stretch way beyond expectations and their relegated genre and deliver a satisfyingly compelling album. For Corb Lund, the latter applies here. The only real downside to Cover Year Tracks,…
Make it Better is an alt-pop track that looks back to the halcyon days of the late 1990s. With hints of Bloodhound Gang, Hanson, and Smash Mouth interspersed with his own unique approach, Mark Ian is able to make a single that will have fans singing along after their first play-through. The chorus sufficiently changes things enough to keep fans’ interest levels high through the entirety of Make it Better.…