Powerful vocals will immediate draw listeners in to Baker Grace’s latest single, Painkiller. The track is able to stand out distinctly from the vast majority of popular music in that it brings in new and refreshing instrumentation. This means that there are subtle nods to Pulp, Cornershop and Massive Attack even as Baker lays out lines that will garner high rotation on radio stations and in playlists around the world.…
Philadelphia’s Peter Gural is the primary author of one of the year’s best releases with his collection Birdy’s World. The Berklee School of Music graduate has chops galore, that’s obvious, but his technical skills never undercut the immediate authenticity of his songwriting art. The unabashed autobiographical nature of Gural’s writing never limits its ability to connect with a wide swath of the Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter’s target audience. The bright bounce of the…
Kick 5000 released his new album Frequencies in September; the lead single “sink” will immediately tattoo booming bass deep into listeners’ brains. A sublimely confident flow follows forth. sink’s dynamic sound is crafted through Kick 5000’s desire to continually tweak and test different segments of the track. This effort concludes at the 2:30 mark, making a big splash from its onset while hurtling headlong into the final moments of the…
Alternative rock – despite the irony of the name in present times – is hardy dead, and if you’re looking for hard evidence of this, I seriously recommend giving Blueburst a listen sometime. In their rookie album Significance, this band comprised of Craig Douglas Miller and Marty Willson-Piper of All About Eve/Noctorum/The Church fame, doesn’t just try their hand at the modern alternative rock model; they try to redefine the…
Hell 2 Pay is an engrossing track that builds upon the framework of Stevie Nicks and Vixen to straddle the line between pop and rock. The song gradually grows to incorporate a sizzling sax line that kicks things into high gear. Watching Hell 2 Pay’s video provides additional narrative depth, contrasting distinct visuals with a song that keeps bringing in new and unexpected twists. This means that the guitars delve…
Losing Out To Crazy is a powerful rock track that brings the supersonic vocal approach of Sammy Hagar and Hall & Oates into the modern vernacular. These vox are paired with intricate instrumental arrangements, a collection of drums, guitars, and bass that run the gamut from rock to progressive metal and even contemplative alternative rock. The extended instrumental bridge acts as a palette cleanser for listeners, resetting them as Philbrick…
Lan Lawd’s So Good will draw listeners in from the single’s first few seconds. The patter of the vox bring considerable harmony to a backing arrangement that seems very close and cozy. The dynamic that is established between the guitars and vocals push each to a higher plateau, making So Good into a single that could easily garner attention of pop or college radio stations. The presence of Nicko Rebel…
The Real Meladee’s Set The Tone is a head-bopper, a track that has both the booming beats and impeccable synths combine to create a solid framework upon which she can lay down some sublimely confident bars. The double duty by The Real Meladee ensures that the track both is able to tell a story while coming forth as a coherent effort. Changing up her flow a bit for the final…
Petit Biscuit’s You Don’t Ignore (Too Late) is an effort that immediately impressed with the thumping beat and airy synths. Taking up the standards of insightful 1980s new-wave, the band is able to imprint their own approach to things with each passing second. The vocals kick in, bringing an engrossing element on top of the composition. Petit Biscuit has made their new single into something that can easily slot onto…
How does the city of Vienna speak to you in your creative musical pursuits? Cobblestone streets echo whispers from the big history of a former empire. The timeless morbid flair of Vienna forms the typical Viennese with his grumpy mood, pessimism and cynicism. But there is also another side of Vienna. Eat Schnitzel and cake and dance waltz – likely at a funeral party. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we are…
