AKoVA’s “You Can Have Anything” is a bouncy bit of pop rock that ties together the jam band style of acts like Jane’s Addiction and Soul Asylum with a contemporary rock style (Of Mice and Men, Mumford & Sons). The vocals that issue forth above the track are matched masterfully with a guitar and a booming drum beat. There’s an organic sound to You Can Have Anything that just feels…
Ignatius’ “All The Things” is a touching track that draws upon the R&B approach of the Jackson Five while adding a hint of modern R&B and rap styles. Ignatius’ wordplay during this single is intricate, requiring listeners to play the single multiple times before hearing every nuance that has been placed within. The emotional intensity of All The Things will be understood well by anyone that has went through troubling…
The Suburbs “When We Were Young” is a perfectly-polished piece of dark synth-pop and goth stylings replete with jangly guitars and a deliberate bass line. Haunting vocals play at the top of the track; the nearly five-minute run time of When We Were Young allows the act ample time to expand upon the theme. Listeners are kept on the edges of their seat as The Suburbs continue to add more…
Rossemberg Maza’s “Eat It Too (Cake)” is a robust pop track that succeeds due to an intelligent instrumentation that plays in the background and a unique set of vocals that punctuate the performance. With a laid-back and airy sound, Eat It Too is one of those efforts that listeners will be able to sing along with even after one or two plays. Rossemberg Maza’s vocals stretch out over the track…
Tysu’s “Valley Girl” is an EDM track that has the levity of the islands while having a poppy demeanor that builds upon the vibe of performers like Sean Kingston and Jason Derulo. A synth line and snack laid down at the mid-point of the track refreshes things and ensures that listeners are ready to devour the second half of the track.
Mr Vegas’ “Follah Da Leadah” is a high energy reggae-infused track that will get listeners out on the dance floor. The backing instrumentation is hard-hitting and provides highlighting for Mr. Vegas’ vocals, while the dichotomy of darker and lighter elements make for a track that can stand up to multiple plays. The track could easily slot into radio rotation on reggae, while the second-half (Nothing Wild) is a fun and…
Nick Lamb is able to make a frontward-facing, stripped down rock track in Gettin’ High Off Of You that has a good amount of the punk of early Goo Goo Dolls, The Descendants, and the Replacements. With little more needed than a guitar, drums, and Nick’s vocals, this effort is able to make an indelible mark on anyone listening in. The sizzling guitar work that is inserted into this single…
Little Stranger’s Sing It High is a reggae-infused track that has nods to funk and ska. With the instrumentation and vocal flow popping throughout, listeners will be locked to their seat. Listeners will be surprised at how rapid-fire LS’s flow gets during this single. Each segment of Sing It High has a different approach, but the act’s ability to make a cogent statement with this effort should not be sold…
Siren is the introductory track on We Are The West’s The Golden Shore, setting the stage for a fantastically immersive and deep album. The instrumentation and the raw passion of the band’s vocals unite to make something effecting from the get go. Hints of indie, 1970s singer-songwriters, and even bits of of 1960s Dylan can be discerned during he early stages of this release. The titular effort on the album ramps…
Sheldon Universe’s “Pretty Woman” is a sexy and sultry track that has a chill R&B, funk, and EDM-infused beat. SU’s vocals during this singles are unparalleled, reaching high and low points with absolute ease. The insistent beat, building off of the work of RAM-era Daft Punk, ensures that it can easily be slotted in to many a DJ’s set. With just a hint of a Latin flare that is weaved…
Rollin is a brooding, deep effort that will stick around with listeners long after the effort ceases to play. The band takes the standards of performers like 311, Sublime, and Linkin Park to make something wholly unique. Rollin has intense vocals, strong instrumentation, and a sound that refreshes the hard rock style of the late 1990s and early 2000s in an alluring way. The vocals stand out but only because…
Polo is the latest single by SK Quinn, an effort that immediately will draw listeners in with a sexy, sultry sound and an infectious beat. The heavier hammering of the percussive elements and the more twinkling side of the production unite to create a backdrop upon which SK Quinn’s vocals can be highlighted. Fans of Jason Derulo, early Chris Brown or Trey Songz will find something in Polo, while the…
Keith Morris’ teaming with the band Crooked Numbers has produced an indelible musical work embodying the Trump era of American history with Psychopaths & Sycophants. The ten song collection, however, has the lasting effect of music for all time, rather than limited to its historical context, and Morris’ superior talents as a songwriting allow him to bring something profound of himself to bear on the outcomes for these tracks. The…
“Rearranged” – the debut EP by Mark Rogers was recorded and mastered at Master Sound in Virginia Beach, VA by Bob Ulsh and produced by Mark Rogers himself, Bob Ulsh and Larry Berwald, with Mark’s “dream team” of Tidewater, VA players, which they’re called by many. His music is acoustic guitar-based featuring well-crafted hooks, nice vocal harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, a bit of folk rock jangle and a pinch of bossa…
We may just be a few months into the new year, but it’s safe to say Professor And The Madman are the best punk rock supergroup we’ll hear all year. Fronted by Alfie Agnew (Adolescents, D.I.) and Sean Elliott (D.I., Mind Over Four), the rest of the band is filled out with members of The Damned, past and present – Rat Scabies on drums and Paul Gray on bass.
The nine song collection from Noble Son entitled Joy in Violence is an outgrowth of an episode with mental illness that the creative mastermind behind the project, Adam Kirschner, recently experienced. He sat down and composed eight songs in fourteen days and followed that up with likely six intense days recording the album with Joel Hamilton and a small coterie of musicians in South Carolina. The result is a full…
There’s always a sense of hesitation when a universally adored, classic band puts out new music after years away. The Pixies are probably one of the best examples. “Indie Cindy,” the 2014 post-reunion album that came after two decades of silence was… well, underwhelming. Expectations are just too high for most bands to meet. The Breeders, coincidentally made up of former Pixies bassist Kim Deal, may be one of the…
As co-founder of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and dependable solo artist, it’s reassuring to see Chris Hillman get his due with the re-release of two of his earliest going-it-alone records.
Physician and author Robin Kelly has pursued a musical career for some time now and continues achieving startling results with each new release. His fifth studio recording Orewa Heartbeat is an outstanding collection of songs aiming to delve deep into the reality of our experiences while avoiding any self-indulgence common to less artful practitioners of the form. Much of Kelly’s Eastern influenced belief system works its way into attitudes in…
Dan Rodriguez’s music mixes the hard bitten rock and roll style from a Detroit upbringing with the singer/songwriter aesthetic defining much of his adopted Minneapolis scene. He sounds comfortable working in both styles and the six songs on his new release 25 Years underscores the confidence guiding his work. Rodriguez hired John Fields to handle production duties for this EP release and he brings an unity of sound to 25…