Beauty In The Breakdown’s “Thinkin Bout You” is a high-energy track that will get listeners out on the dance floor. Skillfully blending equal parts pop and dance music, the act is able to keep an insistent percussion percolating as strong synths and delicate vocals comprise the top part of the single. Thinkin Bout You succeeds because it builds upon the framework of late 1990s and 2000s female popstars while putting…
Sometime in the past few years, someone made the decision that modern rock bands were free to add liberal amounts of funk, soul and creativity to their sound and (thankfully) the floodgates seem to have finally opened. On the heels of some of the great eclectic Americana, folk and R&B musicians that seem to have surfaced from nowhere – folks like Nathaniel Rateliff, The Wood Brothers and Shovels & Rope…
The Clash’s record label once dubbed the group as “the only band that matters” in the promotional materials introducing them to the U.S. and while the phrase was certainly polarizing at the time, you can’t help but find their influence stronger today than ever before. Whether it was adding strong, sing-able melodies to punk rock – heard in bands like Green Day and every Green Day clone since; their strong…
Antherius’ take on Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas” is an interesting take on the classic. The number of twists and turns that listeners will encounter is impressive. Hints of progressive, synth-pop, and AOR can be discerned in the track. No matter how expansive the song may seem, there is a cohesive element that links each section together. Antherius’ steady hand makes this an effort that is reverent to the original while…
Justina Valentine has just released a new single, a reframing of the Eminem single “Stan”. This single, “JUST”, is able to continue the same heavy emotional content of the original while providing listeners with a tremendously introspective look into Justina Valentine. The original backing track is held over from Stan, but the rapidity of Valentine’s flow will amaze and keep fans firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The…
David Haerle’s “Finding Natalie” is a rock track in the vein of Dire Straits and Elvis Costello. The dynamic between the guitars, bass, and strings ensures that the tracks 6-plus-minute run time goes by quickly, while Haerle’s narration on the single will have listeners clamoring for more after the songs concludes. The chorus of the single will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The guitar work that…
“In the Fall” is the latest single from Natalise + the Sunset Run. This track immediately kicks into high gear and deftly maneuvers between rock, EDM, and pop genres over the course of its run time. Of course, Natalise is able to immediately capture listeners’ attentions with her unsurpassed vocals, but the punchy drums, sweeping synths and masterful usage of volume. In the Fall is the best track we’ve heard from Natalise…
Lady Moon & The Eclipse’s “Star Gazing” is a wonderful blend of classical and modern forms of R&B. This means that there are lush, funk/jazz-infused bass and drums, a bright and sunny set of vocals, and taut playing that ensures that the resulting effort is appeasing to all fans. On Star Gazing, Lady Moon is able to build upon the style of India.Arie, Corinne Bailey Rae and Mary Mary. Star…
Jungle’s “HAPPY MAN” is a funky and fun track in the vein of Crystal Castles or Chromeo. A shuffling dance beat and vocals that shift into a falsetto keep listeners on their feet. Despite this being a track destined for DJ rotation, there is a pretty intense depth that Jungle plums with this single. The clap track that delineates the first and second half of the tracks acts as a…
Adrian Conner’s “Airport Coffee” is a fun track that takes a bit of 1980s synth-pop and imbues it with an inimitable set of vocals. The track is able to get listeners out on the dance floors just as well as impress fans that have a pair of Grados strapped on. Conner’s funky, guitar-heavy effort is one of the quirkiest efforts we’ve heard so far this year, and it bodes well that the…
Shattered On The Inside, the latest single from ash.ØK is bolstered through a Conkarah x DJ Jounce collab. The track is able to bring in some of the ambient electronic music of the mid-1990s with hints of modern R&B and EDM, making for a haunting effort that has enough of a beat to draw listeners out on the dance floor in droves. The bit of echo present on the main…
Mr. Vegas’ “Wakanda Jam” a bouncy, fun reggae track that will stay fresh through this whole summer. A bigger than life beat matches perfectly with Mr. Vegas’ hopeful vocals. We’re particularly surprised at how the instrumental and vocal elements are able to combine here; each side is able to push the other into an entirely higher plateau. A vibrant video is the glue that is needed to tie each of these…
We’re digging the production choices made during the newest Silver Spoon single, “In the Heat of the Night”. With a seventy-five second introduction that sets listeners adrift on a voyage, Silver Spoon is able to make the main body of this song pop. A deliberate, driving beat keeps the energy high. The dynamic between the guitars and bass line keeps things bouncy, while the drums punctuate the track at all…
StereoRiots “Ghost Machines” is a perfectly-posed piece of thoughtful indie rock that draws upon Disintegration-era The Cure, The Appleseed Cast, and Brand New. Assertive guitar lines and splashy drums run parallel to the supersonic vocals. The StereoRiots are able to shift and modify this composition throughout its extended run time, keeping listeners firmly planted on the edges of their seats. We’re in love with the mid-point of Ghost Machines, as the…
People Like You’s “Why Say Why?” is surprisingly deep track that builds off of the alternative tradition, moving through the 1990s (Blur, Dishwalla), 2000’s Panic at the Disco to the current era (Of Monsters and Men). The raw passion and charisma exuded by the vocals are matched well through the dense instrumental of the single. Fans will have to play the track multiple times before being able to appreciate every…
Sweet Sweet’s “Roam” is a bouncy track that draws heavily from the rock of the 1960s. Dreamy vocals, utilitarian guitars, and a bouncy beat ensure that Roam is ultimately memorable. The song is very organic, as listeners can easily imagine listening to the constituent elements of the bands playing the single in tight quarters. The final minute of Roam has Sweet Sweet moving into a more instrumental-heavy section that provides a…
Duncan Morley has just released Find You Now, a track which features the inimitable vocals of Rick Ross. The soulful vocals of Morley reach out over the track, while an EDM-infused backing beat ties together the work of Diplo and Avicii. The track’s rhythms will get listeners out on the dance floor, but the bit of introspection that Morley includes in this effort will be understood by anyone that has…
Herb Alpert’s take on the classic “What A Wonderful World” is able to hit all of the highs of the original while infusing the track with a very cosmopolitan sound. With nods to Native American and Indian styles, the myriad of styles here will keep listeners on the edges of their seats as they discern what’s going on. Alpert’s playing is (as always) impeccable, working perfectly in each format in…
Dave Sereny’s “Talk To Me” is an electrified, funky sort of track that calls back to the halcyon days of Cameo and Zapp & Roger. Emotive guitar riffs, a thick and chunky bass line, and soulful singing are all that is needed to make Talk To Me a must-listen. Dave Sereny’s musicianship on this effort is fantastic, with each element contributing to the overall sound as well as sparkling brilliantly on…
David Olney’s “Situation” is an unique track that has David expertly tell a story. To add further complexity, a brooding, rich, and dark instrumentation is included. Situation succeeds because each element organically builds upon the others. A driving, insistent beat inexorably leads listeners to Situation’s conclusion. The track weaves together traditional country and western wth hints of psychedelic and folk elements. David Olney gets listeners interested; make sure to pick up…