The chair was well-packed when it came to us at the NeuFutur offices, ensuring that all of the constituent elements arrived without any damage. The construction process for the chair was extremely easy, ensuring that the chair was functional within 15 minutes – while the chair only came with one page of instructions, they were illustrated in an intuitive fashion. The build quality of the chair means that one is…
Legacy Records continues its massive project cleaning out every company vault and looking under every old rug for goodies and extras to tack onto their Elvis Presley re-releases. The latest, the massive eight CD, two DVD collection for Presley’s 1970 concert and documentary, That’s the Way It Is, is one of their best offerings date. But be warned, this is not for the casual Elvis fan. It should be noted…
1) Let It Go is your latest album. What does it contribute to the story of Eileen Carey, the performer? I think my music has always had an upbeat, life is good if you just choose to let it happen message in it. It is a personal choice whether to embrace it or not. All my music advocates that embracing….Possibilities 2002, Hearts of Time 2005, Movin On 2009 and now…
Devil’s Night is a fun track that showcases the sheer depth and breadth of Royal Holland. The music is a bouncy bit of alt-rock that ties together influences as disparate as Warren Zevon, Blur, Dick Dale, and The Smiths. The track is further bolstered through the presence of on-point claps and an infectious beat. Statues is a track that keeps listeners on the edges of their seats through a dual-barrel…
After The Lights Failed has a tremendously emotive and orchestra sound that creates a larger than life feeling for the track, with rapid shifts in tempo showcasing a Protean nature to this San Jose-based act.Instant Gratification has Curious Quail kick things into high gear, with the band taking up the standard of fun. And Mumford & Son.
It’s All Pretend is a catchy effort that allows Maggie Anderson’s vocals and instrument to shine brightly. This track has hints of Yael Naim, Ingrid Michaelson, and She & Him, with some of the most tender and softly-stated acoustic guitar work. The track’s charm ensures that listeners will be singing along whenever the track comes up on their MP3 player. You’ll Be Around is a sea change from It’s All…
HELLO, HICKS. HOW ARE THINGS GOING OVER IN STOCKHOLM? Everything’s great here in Stockholm. Just got back from a well needed vacation in Greece with the family. So now the batteries are charged to the max and I’m ready to go back to work.
Stacy Burk makes a tremendous splash with his latest track, Mix a Little. This timeless country effort works perfectly alongside the works of Jason Aldean and Dierks Bentley while staying honest to the nineties traditions of Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt. Mix a Little succeeds because of the front-forward vocals of Burk and epic arrangements on the track – each guitar line, punchy drum beat, and the sounds created by…
Crying on the Dancefloor, Parralox’s latest single is a track that touches upon a wide array of dance styles, ensuring that the track resounds loudly for anyone that has dug 1990s, 2002, or current dance music in the past. The vocals utilized in the track absolutely soar over the composition, while the arrangements keep the energy high. The dubstep-esque drops that demarcate the mid-point of the track provide a further…
Pin Me Up is a track that is built off of the work of mid-nineties Mariah Carey and It’s Not Right-era Whitney Houston and more contemporary influences (Carly Rae Jepsen). The track’s slower tempo is dreamy and represents a good love song. The slight hints of electronic music that are interspersed through the track firmly moor it to the cutting edge of music, while strong production values make it a…
Lifeline is a track that skillfully blends R&B with EDM, creating a track that shines no matter in which context listeners enjoy it. The production is immaculate, keeping the energy high while enrobing Elle’s vocals in a very current and contemporary format. The tempo ebbs and flows as Elle captures a very common set of feelings for anyone that has found love, with the track gradually gaining speed as…
Amanda Lamb has a new effort that straddles the line between pop and country, with her vocals fitting into a Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry type of groove. Unlike a great many pop tracks, there is a substantial focus on the instrumental arrangements during We Were Here. The guitars are emotive and thoughtful (and are reminiscent of The Eagles), while there is a chugging bass line and an…
Dennis Lehane is no stranger to Hollywood, having seen his books Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and Shutter Island all make their way from the bookshelf to movie screen. The Drop is different only in the time it has taken for it to hit theaters, coming out as a book and a movie at the same time.
Nicholas Cage and Danny Glover star in this film, which surrounds Paul Maguire’s (Cage) struggle to locate his daughter, and the violence that has to occur before he can realize this goal. Forced to resume a life that he thought was dead, Paul is forced to jump through dangerous and deadly hurdles to get back one of the individuals mooring him to a normal life.
Karim Baggili’s latest effort, Kali City, features Le Trio Joubran. The first few efforts of the album (Down Town, Ella & Jad, Dawn at Sea, Big Fish, and Silent Stories) provide listeners with a stellar introduction to Baggali’s unparalleled approach to world music. Arabic Circus is a stellar effort in terms of how taut the instrumentation is, while there is a fun and playful sound that is cultivated by the…
It’s sometimes easy to forget just how controversial the genre of punk rock was years ago. Long before every mall in America flogged Ramones and Clash t-shirts and before 6-year old kids were sporting mohawks on the school bus, the Sex Pistols scandalized a conservative England and eventually the U.S., by going on a live TV Show and cursing at stuffy host Bill Grundy, essentially ending his career and launching…
My Religion is your latest album. What does it contribute to your story? The name of the album starts from the song “My Religion.” And the name for the song starts from this idea that my step-father had, that I shouldn’t watch these religious shows on TV, with those nonsense preachers. This was when I came to Canada at age 11. Which tracks off of My Religion are your favorites, and what…
Given the current state of realty TV, comprised of vapid celebrities and back stabbing nobodies who will step on anyone to grab their 15 minutes, this series based around the Boston hamburger joint, co-owned by Donnie and Mark Wahlberg and run by their chef brother is surprisingly sweet. This being realty TV in 2014, the entire series is written and staged like every other show masquerading as “realty” (hey, look…
The title comes from the famous SNL sketch where Star Trek’s William Shatner implores a group of Trekkies with the message: Get a Life! This documentary, based on Shatner’s book of the same title, is much more positive, with Captain Kirk and his camera crew following around a wide range of fans, from different backgrounds, to find out why Star Trek is such a defining piece of their life. Despite…
Kevin Kern has imbued a number of his classic tracks with a vitality and vigor that allows Always Near to speak volumes to anyone listening in, whether it be long-term lovebirds or those that may be new to romantic relationships.