Category: Features

Posted on: December 22, 2023 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

James Robert Webb’s Latest Single “I Just Wanna Be Your Santa Claus”

I’m betting that nearly everyone who hears and enjoys James Robert Webb’s new song “I Just Wanna Be Your Santa Claus” will agree its big payoff moment arrives with the track’s chorus. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has proven his mettle for crafting memorable refrains and I’m certain that, when we’re looking back on Webb’s musical output, his propensity for such hook-laden moments will shine especially bright when replaying this track.…

Posted on: December 19, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Prickly Pear Sour (Ska Brewing)

There are a lot of fun things coming out from Durango, Colorado’s own Ska Brewing. A new effort from the brewery is their Prickly Pear Sour. Available in cans, the brew pours with a brownish-pinkish coloration and just the lightest in the white of light head. The depth of the flavors here provide Ska’s Prickly Pear Sour with a leg up on a great many other sours we’ve had the…

Posted on: December 19, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Q. Ali Bey “Wonderful Day”

Wonderful Day immediaterly will capture listeners’ attention with the classical, thoughtful composition that starts off the single. There’s a lot of Souls of Michief or J. Dilla in the production here, while Knoc-turn’al’s paralleling of the chorus adds a distinctive style to the composition. This is one of those sorts of songs that listeners will have to put on multiple times to hear everything that has been ensconsed within. When…

Posted on: December 19, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Bombardier Jones “Golden Hour”

What Bombardier Jones does on his new track Golden Hour is summon the spirits of Chris Isaak, Donovan and Paul McCartney to make an easy-going and softly-sang composition. The honesty that is imbued into this track will bring fans aboard, while deft instrumentation (keys, drums, and guitar) are able to keep them firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The range that Bombardier Jones achieves during this single is…

Posted on: December 19, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Liza Jane “Man Or The Monster”

On her new track Man Or The Monster, Liza Jane is able to build upon the framework of performers like Cher, Lady Gaga and Madonna all while putting her own unique flair into the composition. Man Or The Monster is a modern dance song with an assertive beat and considerable charisma poking through. Liza Jane’s vox are able to do double duty here in telling a narrative while building up…

Posted on: December 18, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Jeuse Kastoan – Dodo I-IV (4 album review)

Dodo (2020), 14 songs Bleedin is the first track that starts off the “Dodo” set of releases that Jeuse Kastoan has released over the course of the last few years. Percussive elements continue to set the stage for subsequent releases as the emotive vocals peek their head through the instrumentation. I Know has Kastoan build upon the style of performers like Kid Cudi to make for something thoughtful and deep,…

Posted on: December 15, 2023 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

“Alone on Christmas Day” by The High Plains Drifters

“Alone on Christmas Day” is the new single from New York City’s The High Plains Drifters and it’s a winner. This charming, unassuming tune brims with compelling melodic strengths and a sleek arrangement that never bites off more than it can chew. It comes across as the result of a band who began recording the song knowing exactly what aims they looked to achieve and sounds like they tossed off…

Posted on: December 15, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Ingram Street – “Throwback”

Throwback is an effort that showcases Ingram Street’s vocal chops as the backing instrumentation presented during the single’s first minute is fairly light. As the song continues to roll along, the vocals and instruments unite to create something special. Classic R&B, soul, and even hints of gospel can be heard here as Ingram Street makes something familiar while still bold and refreshing in its execution. Providing a back and forth…

Posted on: December 15, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Benedict Sinister “Only Sixteen”

Benedict Sinister creates an engrossing narrative-dense track in Only Sixteen. The vocals come forth with a wizened, well-worn approach in the vein of Tom Waits and late Johnny Cash. The track straddles the space between traditional American singer-songwriter and modern dance genres. This is one of those tracks that listeners will have to focus on to properly receive everything that Benedict Sinister is laying down. I appreciate the distinct vocal…

Posted on: December 15, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Ingram Street – I Just Want Your Love

We always love covering music from our old stomping grounds. Ingram Street – from Columbus, Ohio – have just released their new single I Just Want Your Love. The track is a picture-perfect recreation of 1980s and 1990s R&B, touching all bases (a robust bass line, intricate arrangements, and superb vocals) over the course of the single’s run time. The sweeping synths are our favorite on this track as they…

Posted on: December 15, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Benedict Sinister “Spitting Rhymes From Debby Harry”

Spitting Rhymes From Debby Harry has a wonderful blend of 1980s and modern musical styles, with hints of The Psychedelic Furs and The Pogues playing alongside the synth-pop of Owl City and MGMT. The spoken word / early rap (e.g. Gil Scott-Heron, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) approach refreshes the track and gives it the energy needed to end strong. Benedict Sinister’s narrative here is as inviting as a…

Posted on: December 14, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

DJ Stan Johnson feat. Daryl Dixon “Arlena”

On Arlena, DJ Stan Johnson is able to expertly craft a dance track that links together disparate musical styles including salsa and funk into an effort that will get listeners out on the dance floor. Particularly interesting about Alena has to be the fact that the narrative requires no vocals to succeed; the dynamic achieved between the different instruments is enough to tell a rich and fulfilling story. The sizzling…

Posted on: December 14, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Belle VEX “Nobody, But Me”

Nobody, But Me is a high-energy pop/dance track that showcases Belle VEX’s clarification and polishing of his creative output over the years. There is a confidence that is exuded here that will appease fans of Mike Posner and Charlie Puth. The song has enough momentum to it that it could garner some serious consideration for placement on DJ mixes. The momentum that Belle VEX achieves here ensures that Nobody, But…

Posted on: December 14, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Diamond Collective “Pull Up”

The Diamond Collective come forth with a wholly-engrossing track in Pull Up. The song is deeply reverent to the rap of the 1990s while allowing each performer ample time to lay down their own inimitable style. There are nods here to LA and NYC with a bit of the chiller approaches heard in the Chicago and Atlanta scenes of the early-oughts. Pull Up is a true bop, a song that…

Posted on: December 14, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

twenty3wayz “twenty3 & one”

twenty3wayz’s “twenty3 & one” has a booming bass beat that acts as a solid canvas upon which the flow can reside. The track nestles itself well between R&B and rap styles utilizing a production that ensures that it could hang well on radio and Spotify playlists. The song hits the two minute mark, leaving an indelible mark on anyone fortunate enough to listen on in. There’s a good cohesion between…

Posted on: December 13, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Love Crushed Velvet “Roll The Dice”

During Roll The Dice, Love Crushed Velvet are able to make a slinky and sultry splashy into modern rock. The sheer distance between the chorus and the stanzas ensures that fans remained energized through the entirety of the single’s runtime. Theswitch to a more swingy sound (around the 2:22 mark) acts as the glue to meld the beginning and ending of Roll The Dice together. This is a song that…

Posted on: December 13, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Stacy Gabel “Merry Christmas My Friends”

Stacy Gabel’s “Merry Christmas My Friends” is a welcome addition to holiday music. Where it seems like every mall store and public place has the same playlist, Gabel is able in her latest track to refer back to this corpus of Christmas music and to add her own unique take things. The multiple vocal layers that come forth during Merry Christmas My Friends’s chorus keeps things light and airy, while…

Posted on: December 13, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Shawna Linzy “Silent Night”

The emotional gravitas that Shawna Linzy imbues this performance of Silent Night is amazing, showcasing an amazing vocal range. There are nods to gospel, traditional musicals, and R&B genres with this performance. The atmospheric arrangements playing throughout the track are nearly as eye-popping as Linzy’s vocals. Together, these elements end up making for a wholescale reimagining of Silent Night, a must-listen for anyone that has appreciated the song in the…

Posted on: December 13, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 2

MattO “Let It Out”

Let It Out is a wind-swept rock track that links together Paul Simon and John Denver with the California pop of a Tom Petty. The back and forth between the guitars and drums on MattO’s latest make for a bouncy backdrop upon which his vocals can reside. As the song continues to play, MattO is able to ratchet up the tempo. Let It Out is one of those efforts that…

Posted on: December 13, 2023 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Robinson James Band “Spoonful”

The Robinson James Band’s “Spoonful” immediately washes over listeners with a bit of retro-inspired swagger. There are powerful blues-rock infused guitar lines mixing with assertive drums and insistent keys, all providing support for the Nancy Sinatra-meets-Elle King vox. The song hammers its melody over fans’ heads with precision. Smart repeition of the titular phrase ensures that the song’s melodies will be buried deep into one’s mind. The video (presented below)…