Christian Parker’s “Spirit Of The Trees” a delicate effort that ties together John Denver with the more emotive works of Billie Joe Armstrong. Little more is needed during this new cut than Christian’s vocals and guitars. What results is an enthralling track that plays perfectly in the singer-songwriter genre. The narrative that Christian lays down here will have listeners focused in. Spirit of The Trees moves into an instrumental section…
I Believe God is the latest effort from Jekalyn Carr. From the onset, the song has a full and engrossing sound that will resound loudly with listeners. Carr pulls double-duty in this track, both providing fans with a strong narrative while further bolstering (along with her backing choir) the overall harmony achieved by the track. The dynamic that is established between the vocals and the band is amazing; there’s fury,…
Hit The Spot, the newest single from Life Change, builds upon the 50 Cent classic Candy SHop. Along the way in establishing his own unique flare, Life Change (along with featured artist B Red) craft a track that will immediately draw in fans of Tyga, Akon, and Jason Derulo. There’s a bit of harder-edged rap, but where the track succeeds the most has to be in its poppy demeanor. Emotive…
MattO’s “The Angels Went Back To Heaven” has a timeless rock vaneer that calls back to recalls acts like R.E.M., The Psychedelic Furs and The Violent Femmes. Fuzz-laden guitars, catchy hooks, and bright vocals combine here to make a song that will undoubtedly bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of anyone listening in. MattO’s harmonies here ensure easy placement on college and alternative rock stations as well as…
I Don’t Know The Way To Your Heart is an engrossing pop-rock track that simultaneously draws inspiration from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus. Along the way, the thoughtful instrumentation builds off of the work of rock stalwarts like Dire Straits and Queens of the Stone Age. The song’s charisma is off the charts, with the track’s instrumentation benefitting from a production that allows each instrument’s contributions to flow…
Codefendants’ “Def Cons” that a wonderful mash-up of The Transplants and more traditional ska-punk. The intense bass line that comes forth at points during this single acts as a solid counterpoint for the gritty vocals that are front-and-center. The band continues to shift and modify their sonic assault throughout the entirety of this song; the brooding intensity that demarcates Def Cons’ second half will keep listeners firmly on the edges…
Percussion that resembles a fire’s powerful glow comes up against a melody that is just as evocative in Louis Siciliano’s “Translucent Dodecahedron,” one of the four powerful tracks included on the stunning new EP Ancient Cosmic Truth. The instruments dance in perfect cadence without breaking their trance here, but there’s a deliberate unevenness to the harmony they create that is utterly spellbinding and hard to forget. URL: https://louissiciliano.com/ A gentle groove…
We’re digging the latest track from Shaheed and DJ Supreme. The unfettered hope that is espoused during S.T.E.M., S.T.E.a.M., and S.T.R.E.a.M. is infectious. By showcasing the potential of education alongside a hooky backing beat, the duo is able to reach a wide swath of fans. Fans of rappers as wide-reaching as Outkast and T.I., NYC to California (“all across the nation”, to use a lyric from the single) will be…
Brian Keith’s “So Long Emily” shines immediately by its whole-hearted appreciation of 1980s and 1990s country music. Each element that one will hear on the single works perfectly singularly as well as part of the overall whole. Up first is the rich tenor of Brian’s vocals, which weaves a story of love into a track that shines with smart time signatures and masterful instrumentation. Whether it is the robust bass…
Taken By Desire is an effort that showcases the breadth of influences that inspire Cleo Alexandra. There are nods made to industrial, goth, and late 1980s hair metal that one can pick out through here. The honest and intense vocals continue to push the track along, while there’s a brooding, dark, and rich backing instrumentation that adds a fullness to the composition. This means that one will have to play…
On This Is Awkward, CALLISTO are able to tie together Green Day and Good Charlotte to provide listeners with a crunchy, chugging pop-punk track. Building upon that style, there’s a bit of a Foo Fighters growl and Monster Magnet-meets-early Sugar Ray stripped down set of raw guitar riffs. The song will tunnel its way deep into the minds of listeners. By working within this late-90s sort of paradigm, CALLISTO are…
Neon Dreams’ “This Is It” is a sunny, hopeful blend of pop, R&B and even a bit os island music. The song could easily make its way onto radio rotation as well as Spotify playlists. The inimitable vocals laid down here will draw in listeners, while the smart instrumentation that plays at the back of the track will keep fans focused in until the single’s final few notes. The cherry…
What is one of your proudest moments as a group, and how did it impact your music career? Shaheed: Touring with Jurassic 5 nationally and abroad, and doing the work we do in the community with our foundation Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding for the youth. DJ Supreme: One of our proudest moments to me was touring the world with Jurassic 5. We traveled to the UK and Germany representing with…
Social Lube, a Hazy India Pale Ale from Ohio’s Sixth Sense Brewing Co., pours with a vibrant yellow coloration and a fair amount of white head. Lacing makes its way down the glass, while the initial nose of Social Lube brings astringent notes along with just a bit of wheat. There is a balance between the more bitter hop notes with juicier and fruit-forward flavors. The beer succeeds because of…
In songs like “This is for Someone,” Nolen Sellwood is so much more than a singer; he’s a vocalist who can own the energy of the room even when he’s coming to us from within the four walls of a recording studio. His charisma is one of the focal points to be found in his new album Otherwise, and whether you’ve heard his work before or not, he’s likely to make…
Portland’s Ecliptic Brewing and Boneyard Beer of Bend, Oregon are collaborating on a mashup IPA to release next week. The beer, named STARPM IPA, will ship February 22nd in 16-ounce cans and draft and will be the second beer in Ecliptic’s 2023 Cosmic Collaboration series. STARPM IPA is a mashup recipe of Ecliptic’s Starburst IPA and Boneyard’s RPM IPA – both companies’ flagship beers. Both of the original beers are heavily hopped, and…
“Insane” is an intriguing take on the inside of your mind. Why is it necessary to cover mental health topics in your music? Mental health is a very important topic to cover because so many people still have such a negative view on those who struggle with mental health. It’s something that people don’t take seriously until it’s too late. Many people keep their struggles to themselves because they are…
Oakspire, New Belgium’s collaboration with Four Roses, is a great effort in the American strong ale style. Crafted on a somewhat regular basis since 2018, this brew is something special among all of the other efforts that are currently being stocked in LBSes nationwide. The beer pours with a brown color and a small amount of white head. Lacing occurs as one continues on with the beer. There’s a good…
Whether grinding out a cerebral jam in “New Blood,” laying down something a bit more calculated in “Soul Power,” hammering away at texture-based ridges and grooves in “Electric Revolution” or disassembling what feels like a familiar arrangement in “Cold Outside,” there’s something very experimental about what The Veldt is playing in their new album Entropy is the Mainline to God. Still keeping a flame lit in the American underground and sporting…
1. Can you describe your songwriting process? Does it differ for every song you write? My process works this way, pick up a guitar or sit at a piano and try to stumble on a seed of inspiration. From there it’s about doing the emotional digging to fully uncover the story and message of the song and then applying craft to it in a way that avoids cliché. 2. Why…