What was behind the scenes like for “Hell 2 Pay”? Exciting! Fun for all. Watching actors act and being able to take control of the story line was really the coolest. How do your personal experiences shape your songs? By a few bad break-ps. Seems like writing about them tends to make me feel better. What are your favorite topics to write about? Breakups and also issue songs in regards…
Who are your musical influences? Andrew X: For my new record, I was really influenced by the late ‘80s work of Steve Winwood, Bruce Hornsby, Tracy Chapman, Don Henley, Peter Gabriel, and a lot of late ‘80s and early ‘90s pop and adult contemporary music. What or who inspires you? AX: When it comes to my songwriting, my biggest inspirations are usually situations around personal relationships, romantic relationships, and stories of people…
Though presented against a backdrop as vibrant as the summer sun can be, the vocal harmony in “Be Where,” one of the new songs on Wastelander’s What is Left of Me LP, is as much of a sonic centerpiece as listeners could have hoped for in this latest release from the acclaimed indie singer/songwriter Cooper Formant, and truth be told, it tends to be the cornerstone component of every powerful moment this…
Marc Miner does what he does out of love. He’s not destined to be country music’s next Chris Stapleton and doesn’t want to be. He’s following his own songwriting and musical path. There is an avenue open for him into the mainstream spotlight thanks to his wont for big-time choruses, perhaps but Miner will never back off telling his stories in a way he sees fit rather than tailoring his…
Today, the rising Nigerian artist and rapper ODUMODUBLVCK (pronounced “O-doo-moh-doo-black”) – who’s ode to Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice went viral earlier this summer and just last week took home ‘Best Rap Single’ honors at The 2023 Headies – returns with his latest single “MC OLUOMO” produced by Cross YDC. The fifth track taken from his highly anticipated EZIOKWUmixtape slated for release October 6th via NATIVE Records/Def Jam Recordings, this latest release showcases the breadth and depth of this exciting artist’s sonic…
Denzel Curry releases new single “SKED” featuring rising Atlanta artist Kenny Mason. The new single arrives on the heels of Curry performing 4 sold out shows at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (at which Kenny Mason made a surprise appearance at one of the shows to perform “SKED”) and his July single “BLOOD ON MY NIKEZ” with Juicy J and its companion “ICE COLD ZEL FREESTYLE” with ICECOLDBISHOP.These…
Vili V has been on the edges of my musical radar for several years as one of the most artful practitioners of roots rock working today. The Canadian performer is prepping for the release of his latest studio album In Daddy’s Arms Again and the single “Tupelo Rhythm” from that collection is ample evidence that he’s still keeping the same prodigious creativity that he has since the late 1990s. “Tupelo Rhythm” is…
Long Beach, CA based Rockers OF LIMBO have released their controversial and provocative new single “California Demon”. The heavy and sinister groove-laden track explores the concept of making a Mephistophelian bargain for diabolical favors to achieve your Hollywood dreams. The song was recorded at Fab Factory Studios and produced by Mike Pepe (Taking Back Sunday, Plain White T’s), withmixing and mastering done by Grammy Winner Jett Galindo. The song features wicked & sinewy dark guitar…
Nate Smith’s style is as reverent as it gets, spanning a creative spectrum inside of a single track if necessary to get a specific point across to his audience, and under the Saint Pacific moniker, we’ve got to hear some of his very best work to date. Saint Pacific’s new album, Blue, doesn’t sport an ironic title by any means, but instead, one that tells us exactly what we’re getting into…
During Vibe Flow, a sizzling horn is able to provide the perfect counterpoint for the intense wordplay and patter of Nemesis. Listeners will enjoy the cohesion between the lyrical and instrumental sides of things, making for one hard-hitting track that has ample finesse to incorporate at all the right times. Nemesis’ approach refreshes the midwest and NYC rap style of the mid-to-late 1990s. The single’s production is able to make…
On Kronos, Sonarpilot explores a variety of sounds and thematic elements in order to create something utterly engrosssing. As listeners progress through Kronos, they will be confronted with dark industrial elements, wind-swept synths, tribal-inspired sections and more. The dynamism of Sonarpilot here is part of the experience. While one can pick out some sections that come back periodically through Kronos, the distinctive movements presented on the song ensures that fans…
Jealousy is one hell of an intense reggae effort. There’s such an assurance to the delivery of the single’s vocals that fans will be immediately incorporated into the dirty groove. The chorus is something that serves both masters – it both is able to punctuate the main mass of heavy bass beats and horns while furthering their themes and overall sound. Jealousy is one of those songs that will have…
Andrew X has released a new single in Whatever It Takes that builds upon the radio rock tradition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Learning to Fly and Jeff Healey’s Angel Eyes and incorporates just a hint of Endless Summer Nights-era Richard Marx. Huge synths and splashy are the perfect one-two to bring his vocals into the stratosphere. The sizzling guitar work and intense drums work well as the bridge.…
Mike Smiff’s new single goes deep into the crate for the incorporated single, Brand Nubian’s 1998 classic Don’t Let It Go To Your Head. The flow here takes up hints of Fat Joe and Notorious BIG, all while showcasing tons of his own style. Smiff’s lyrical content is poignant while working perfectly in the single. Rap fans will be bopping their head after a single play of Go To Ya…
On Good Enough, G Flip is able to create a compelling, honest effort. The song’s introductory section is able to draw in listeners as a more rock-forward beat rises to promise. The blend of singer-songwriter and pop-punk styles is something that keeps the song’s momentum high as Good Enough hits its chorus. The guitars, synths and drums are able to provide an emotive and rich backdrop upon which the vocals…
What was important to you when creating the visuals for the song “People Get Ready”? I have a good girl who is very creative. I just gave her a blank canvas. Did you have an idea of what you wanted the video to look like when you were creating the song in the studio? Not really, but surely love what she came up with. Especially that big train. How has…
Jenny Grace’s Dreaming is a hopeful, bright track that builds upon the tradition laid down by 2000s and early 2010s country performers. There’s a vibrancy to this single that would make it slot in perfectly to modern country playlists. Strong, vocal-led with just a hint of guitar and drums, Dreaming is that track that will reverberate long after Grace ceases singing. The range that Grace achieves here does more than…
On Funky Rhetoric, Lee Oskar is able to create a fun track that is able to tell a tremendous story all with his harmonica and backing instrumentation. There’s a certain timeless sound to this single that ensures fans of all ages will be able to find something that they can sink their teeth into. The different sections of Funky Rhetoric are able to keep things engrossing from the single’s first…
Rich R&B in which Holley’s voice is going to bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Smart repetition in the single’s chorus does well to ensure fans will be eagerly hanging off of each word Amanda lays down here. There’s a dynamic feeling to Ride or Die that makes the single’s run time go by quickly, stoking one’s desire to delve ever deeper into the singer’s discography.…
The Dead Daisies refresh a Whitesnake classic with “Slide It In”. The band’s cover is able to keep the oh-so-smooth styling of the band whiled exhibiting the swagger we’ve came to love from the band. The supersonic voclas are able to fly on top of the chugging guitar lines, while the drums punctuate the instrumentation at all the right times. The guitar solo that kicks in at around the two-minute…