Category: Features

Posted on: February 10, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Vermillion Road – “Only One”

Vermillion Road’s “Only One” is an intense and thoughtful pop/rock effort. The supersonic vocals are matched perfectly with the taut instrumentation. There is considerable depth to this single that will ensure that listeners continually find new twists and turns even five or ten listens. Particular pinnacles to Vermillion Road’s latest has to be the echoing guitar lines, the synth sequencing, and the on-point drums. This could easily make it onto…

Posted on: February 10, 2018 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Randy Lyght – Bumped Into Love

Randy Lyght’s “Bumped into Love” is a fantastic single from his fourth solo studio release, Another Side of Me, and marks another high point in the career of this fantastic vocalist and song interpreter. Lyght plays to what we know as familiar, but he has the talent and good sense to choose outstanding collaborators in such a way that there’s a signature luster emanating from the tune that others will…

Posted on: February 9, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

JJ Appleby – Sweet Love

JJ Appleby’s Sweet Love is a timeless effort that touches upon the R&B and pop styles. The robust synthesizers that are interlaced through Sweet Love create a well-defined backdrop upon which JJ’s vocals can shine. The polish of the production here ensures that each of the elements, instrumental and vocal, can shine alone or as contributing to a more cohesive and coherent sound. The melodies of Sweet Love will bounce…

Posted on: February 8, 2018 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Ruby Boots – Don’t Talk About It (CD)

One of the best new voices in Americana interestingly enough is Australian. Ruby Boots (Bex Chilcott) made her way to Nashville from her native Perth years ago and has managed to record a remarkably powerful follow up to her 2016 full-length debut; the record is part Country, Southern Rock, Folk and Blues with plenty of attitude. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com

Posted on: February 8, 2018 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Vessbroz – “Nothing” (feat. Kyle Davis)

The first single from the new Vessbroz album featuring Kyle Davis’ singing and lyric contributions, “Nothing”, has all the catchiness you’d hope for, but there’s an additional layer of substance coming from Davis’ songwriting skills. Davis doesn’t settle for just writing a grab bag of phrases but, instead, constructs a natural sounding lyric that his vocals handle with more than a little aplomb and that have something genuine and powerful…

Posted on: February 8, 2018 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Reina Mora – Trouble

Reina Mora’s first single from her debut album Bird’s Eye View is the invigorating “Trouble”. She wisely doesn’t aim for remaking the musical wheel with her first single release, but Mora does prove herself quite skillful at pouring old wine into new bottles with her mix of light atmospherics, an evocative performance both vocally and from the supporting musicians, and a definite rock attitude coming through the song. Cyrus Rhodesrapidfirepr.com/

Posted on: February 8, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Tony Valor Interview

Today, we are speaking with Miami-based artist Tony Valor. Can you give us a little background information about yourself? How did you get into music? Well I’ve been into music since I was a little kid. I would always observe my father when he was working on his projects as early as 3 Years old. I Tried to observe the most I could before getting into the practice of music.…

Posted on: February 7, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Lyrikha Interview

Today, we are speaking with Lyrikha (Erica Leonard). Can you give us a little background information about yourself?  How did you get into music?   I was told I sang before I talked.   My mother was a great inspiration for me. She sang at home and church played the piano.  Her voice was so power I remember how it radiate our home.  I connected with music at a young…

Posted on: February 7, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Nipun’s NOOP sits down with us

Today, we are speaking with Nipun from NOOP. Can you give us a little background information about yourself? How did you get into music? Well I guess my tryst with music started at the age of 6, when i found myself plonking keys on a family friend’s piano. Apparently I was making music, much the the awe of my parents. They saw the spark in me, and put me into…

Posted on: February 7, 2018 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Luther Russell – Selective Memories: An Anthology

Throughout his musical career, Luther Russell has been many things, but predictable is not one of them. Since going solo in the late 1990s (after leaving the Freewheelers), he has flirted with funk and soul music, power pop, punk rock and even hints of blues. The proof of this eclectic resume is all over the stunning two-disc anthology “Selective Memories.” The set also includes Russell’s work with the Freewheelers and…

Posted on: February 5, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Collins and Streiss Interview

Today, we are speaking with Collins and Streiss. Can you give us a little background information about yourself? How did you get into music? From early childhood, we both loved music and wanted to play and sing. For both of us, at the age of eight, Anton started on piano and Mark got his first guitar. Anton was encouraged to take lessons because of his natural musical ability. Mark heard…

Posted on: February 5, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

DownTown Mystic Talks “On E Street”

Today, we are speaking with Robert from DownTown Mystic. Can you give us a little background information about the band? DownTown Mystic started about 20 years ago as a side project for myself. I was managing a few artists at the time and working with them in the studio. I had started as a writer/musician/artist and put it all aside when I started my company Sha-La Music, Inc. in 1987.…

Posted on: February 4, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Gerard Edery – Morena me Llaman

Morena me Llaman is a powerful track that draws upon a rich musical tradition. Edery’s vocals are punctuated here Maria Krupoves, adding a number of distinct twists and turns that listeners will continue to discover after numerous plays. The interaction is provided additional depth through the robust instrumentation on Morena me Llaman. There are more jangly and orderly elements to this composition that multiply the complexity to a degree that…

Posted on: January 31, 2018 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Culture Club – Live At Wembley (DVD + CD)

Boy George was way ahead of his time. A band fronted by a male who performed in full make up and androgynous clothes was groundbreaking in the early 1980s, when gay were almost unheard of at the time. The fact that Cultural Club had remarkably catchy songs certainly helped prove that the band and Boy George were more than just a gimmick. In fact, their music is right up there…

Posted on: January 29, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

VAYA – VAYA and ELEPHANTUS

VAYA’s titular single is a slinky piece of hard rock that will tattoo its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The act is able to call back to the halycon days of the 1980s and 1990s while keeping things current and contemporary. The vocals both tell a story and add to the overall harmonies of the effort. ELEPHANTUS, the other new track from VAYA, slows things down…

Posted on: January 29, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Stoutella | Knee Deep Brewing Company

Stoutella is Knee Deep Brewing Company’s (Auburn, CA) chocolate hazelnut milk stout.  The beer pours with a dark brown coloration and a fairly small head that dissipates fairly quickly. The presence of the hazelnuts in Stoutella calms down the tendency of milk stouts to be on the sweeter side of things through the presence of a fair amount of bitterness. There is a diverse set of flavors that are presented throughout…

Posted on: January 29, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Ryan Zimmerman – “Ephemeral as a Kiss” EP

The Reason is the first effort on Ryan Zimmerman’s new EP, Ephemeral as a Kiss. The track showcases a nice blend of styles, with hints of acts as broad as Soundgarden and John Mayer. The specific array of styles that listeners can pick up after their first listen to Zimmerman’s Ephemeral as a Kiss EP is pretty substantial. Beyond his own unique approach to things, it is the fact that…

Posted on: January 29, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

SKY by Caroline Ferrante

Feels Like a Holiday is the first track on Caroline Ferrante’s new EP, SKY. The track is confident, fun, and showcases a blend of straight-forward pop, island rock, and even the styling of performers like The Carpenters and Sheryl Crow. The production on Feels Like A Holiday is amazing, allowing each element ample opportunity to shine on its own or to contribute to this very cohesive and coherent opening. The…

Posted on: January 29, 2018 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Pale Monsters – Are You Feeling Alive?

All This Time We Wait is the new single from Boston’s Pale Monsters; the track comes from the act’s new release, Are You Feeling Alive?.  The band come forth with an indie/alternative sound with a hint of 1960s rock. The vocals on All This Time We Wait build off of the work of performers like Rivers Cuomo and John Rzeznik. The distorted guitar on this introductory track calls back to…