In thirteen elegantly produced tracks, John Vento invites us into his world of Love, Lust & Other Wreckage, while offering up some brooding confessions and inspiring balladry along the way. For fans of eclectic rock, Vento needs no introduction. The Pittsburgh-based performer has made a career out of never sticking to the script, and his attitude of constantly adapting and evolving his style of play has earned him a permanent place…
Penelope Robin is the rare example of a young pop performer that is able to showcase an honest and earnest side during her singing. On Some Girls, Robin’s latest single, the track needs little more than Penelope’s vocals and a piano before a more emphatic instrumentation kicks into the mix (at around the 2-minute-mark). The effort is able to end as sweetly as it began, providing fans with a brief…
Jeremy Ravine’s Don’t Let Go is an emotional effort that will immediately draw listeners in with a healthy dollop of emotion. The track takes up hints of Owl City and slower Good Charlotte efforts while adding in considerable depth with intricate arrangements. Don’t Let Go moves to a more vocal-focused side at the 2-minute mark, punctuated through sweeping strings. This effort is one that listeners will have to really focus…
The video showcases an animated style with a tremendous amount of gravity present. The central crux of the video’s narrative concerns the presence of an animal and the tension that is present when one’s life situation changes. The animated style of Please Don’t Go is unique and draws upon the animation of the mid-1990s. Taken together, these two elements (aural and visual) combine to provide a considerable amount of gravitas…
AceQuared is able to create an alluring R&B / pop track in his current single, Empty. The passion and charisma that is exuded during this effort will have listeners hanging on every world. A sedate, soft sound to the introductory minute or so of the composition gradually increases into something incredibly catchy. The dynamism of Empty is perhaps the key reason why AceQuared will garner massive airplay for his latest…
With a name like Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout, this compilation of various artists performing music written by the legendary Rick Lang promises to get you on your feet and singing along to the bittersweet melodies of old Appalachia. Dave Adkins stops by to dish out the churn of “Thinkin’ Outside the Box” and the humble “There is a Light;” Marty Raybon takes up the mic with “I See God” and the…
Renee Cologne’s – Coverlings, is an album you’ll be talking about for a while if you get wind of the majesty to be heard on this release full of precious gems that she put her stamp on with effortless magic. Her voice isn’t exactly unknown but as an indie artist she’s making her own footprints, and she has written or performed for stage, dance and film, including M&M’s and other…
On Happy (We’ll Never Be), 3D Friends are able to create a laid-back dance track that ties together Savage Garden, Depeche Mode and mid-oughts emo music into a delectable package. The charisma of the band’s vocals stands out above the taut instrumentation. This blending of masterfully arranged synths, chunky bass lines, and a smooth production makes it easy to imagine the single garnering heavy airplay. The bit of an instrumental…
Today, we are speaking with Ryan Zimmerman. We previously covered his Ephemeral As A Kiss EP back in January. Give us some of your story. I grew up in Southern New Jersey and started out on saxophone when I was in the second grade. I liked it but it didn’t stick. My family had a piano and I would mess around on that but then gravitated toward the guitar when i was 12 or 13.…
Memories of Love is a mid-tempo track that establishes Ha Phuong as a formidable performer. The look back towards the 1990s does Memories of Love well, as Ha’s vocals are able to rise and fall upon a supporting Latin/world-music beat. When Phuong moves into the chorus of Memories of Love, the presence of a secondary set of vocals is more than enough to keep the track energetic. Blending the pop…
Andrew W. Boss has just released his single Avengers (video is above). This effort calls back to the rap-metal of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hints of Limp Bizkit and P.O.D. can be heard here; a sick flow lays on top of crunchy guitar riffs and intense drum beats. Boss’s vocals draw upon the tortured, furious sound of Freak on a Leash-era Korn. Together, the instrumentation and Boss’s vocals…
Dyk’s Trashcan is a rock track that builds upon the style of U2, Audioslave, and OneRepublic with hints of a harder rock style (e.g. Jane’s Addiction, Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age). The environmentally-friendly message is present at all points during the single. A more jam band guitar line enters in at points, providing a wonderful counterpoint to the harder edge that began things. Contemplative, musically proficient, and with…
On Reveries, Lucas Ray Exp takes listeners through a tremendously intimate journey through his psyche. Initially starting out with a more sedate sound, LRE is able to gradually add in technical guitar riffs and booming drums to the mix. Of the course of this nearly-five minute single, Lucas Ray Exp is able to establish one of the most detailed instrumental compositions that we have ever heard. Effortlessly moving through progressive,…
The Stealth 600 headphones by Turtle Beach are a must-have for anyone that is looking for a middle-price head set that has a good build quality and a solid set of features. The design of the head set keeps one’s head comfortable with a big, thick band and comfortable ear cups. The ear cups are covered with a mesh to wick away perspiration. The positionable mic is tiny to hide away…
In 1993, The Posies turned in one of the finest power pop records of the decade with “Frosting on the Beater.” So, it was almost a given that it’s follow-up wouldn’t stray too far from that formula. And thankfully it didn’t. The 14-track “Amazing Disgrace,” was just as accessible as it’s predecessor, if a little less optimistic in tone, likely a result of troubles within the band (drummer Mike Musburger…
Christmas in the Desert is a touching, sedate effort that allows Miguel ample opportunity to showcase his songwriting skills. The track is able to succeed because Estrada pulls double-duty, telling a story as well as adding a further level of depth to the sleigh bells and backing instrumentation. The smart usage of silence provides further gravitas to the composition. I feel that Christmas in the Desert is able to be…
Tony Tripi has released a trio of Christmas songs that are able to address the topic of the holiday without falling tinto the same pitfall many performers do when attempting to make tracks that have staying power. On Family Christmas, Tripi is able to craft a seventies-infused rock track that includes sizzling guitar work, a female chorus, and absolutely emphatic drum work. With so many pieces shining, it’s no surprise…
Project Grand Slam’s Greetings from Serbia URL: https://www.projectgrandslam.com/ Fans of pure jazz fusion as it was always meant to be consumed rejoice; 2019 officially commences with the release of the Robert Miller-led Project Grand Slam’s Greetings from Serbia, the group’s first live album and virgin offering to a brand new year. We begin with the rolling grooves of “You Started Something,” which as its title implies inspires something beyond infectious inside of…
The Jackson Whites have released their new Christmas 2018 single, Dressed To Get Naked. The track builds upon the down and dirty rock of the 1970s, bringing in hints of blues, funk, and soul in the instrumental mix. We’re in love with the slightly gritty, incredibly charismatic vocals that sit on the top of the track. The instrumentation laid down here by The Jackson Whites is similarly intense. Fans will…
Don’t Hold Back, the latest single from Paden, is a tremendously hopeful rock track that will immediately draw fans in with intense instrumentation that resounds loudly with each additional drum hit. The charisma of the vocals works well with these instruments, both telling a story and providing further depth to the harmonies of the single. Paden is able to craft radio-worthy rock in the same vein of Of Mice and…