Koosh Saxena’s “Trying My Best” is one of the most innovative tracks we’ve heard so far this year. There are nods here to Pink Floyd and The Eagles even as subsequent sections will build upon the tradition of acts like 311 and Incubus. Both the vocal and instrumental sides of Trying My Best are generous, pushing the other piece to a higher level. The shining light on the top of…
Casey Ahern’s “Bradley” is an illustrative tale about love. Casey’s ability to have listeners hanging on every word is unparalleled. The careful guitar work and immaculate drums that play in the background of Bradley ensure that each utterance is easily devoured by those listening in. The track is easily able to fit into modern country rotation, but there’s more than a fair share of pop that is weaved into the…
On Chosen and Justified, The Dead Daisies are able to refresh the arena rock of Argent and Boston to possess a more current sound. The vocals this time out blend together Sammy Hagar with Chris Cornell, while the guitars, bass, and drums create something larger than life.; The back and forth between the guitar riffs and the vox pushes each to a high plateau, while the gradual shift of the…
It’s always fun keeping tabs on an artist between releases. You really get to feel like you’re alongside a journey with them as they hone their musical craft and the journey from 2014’s Daydream to Open Sesame, Vol. 1 Her Dress singer/songwriter Barista has truly become an unstoppable force of nature. While maintaining a rock and pop edge to him, there are hints of the kind of poetry word working…
Kristina Murrell’s Got Me Dreaming is dripping with emotion. The range that Kristina’s vocals hit during her latest track is fantastic, adding considerably to the harmonies achieved by the synths and booming drum lines that punctuate the track. The song refreshes the style of 1990s R&B all while allowing Murrell ample opportunity to impress her own unique approach upon listeners. The journey that listeners will be taken on during this…
Here Comes The Light is an intense track that immediately kicks things into a high gear with its guitar / drum dynamic. When the overall fury of the single’s first few seconds recedes a bit, what results is a taut piece of alternative rock that places Greg’s vox at the front and center. The deep and dense instrumentation that plays throughout the entirety of Here Comes The Light will ensure…
La La La (Bulletproof) has a vibrant sound that echoes through time. There’s a bold and confident sound that is fostered through this sound through booming drums, charismatic vocals, and assertive guitar work. It is this instrumentation that will bury itself deeply into the minds and hearts of fans, but the narrative that is weaved through the entirety of La La La is similarly strong. While the song builds off…
Natalie has rich instrumentation that will immediately set the stage for the vocals. Camera2 has a sultry, slinky set of vox here that work well with the backing instrumentation. There is an insistent beat that will have fans focused in deeply to what the band is trying to do here. There’s a surprising depth to the arrangements that one will encounter during Natalie. While the resulting music feels consistent from…
Alex Woodard’s “Halfway” is a powerful piece of Americana that has nods to performers like Neil Diamond and John Mellencamp. Confident guitars skirt the line between country and rock while the bit of grit in Alex’s voice imparts the composition with a well-worn patina. There’s a good amount of crossover appeal here, as fans of college and alternative rock will be able to find something that they can sink their…
Blxst’s “Overrated” has some of the catchiest wordplay that we have heard this year. Blxst’s voice builds off of the tradition of performers like Akon, Eamon and Trey Songz all while having enough melody present to added multiple layers to the single’s backing instrumentation. Repetition of the chorus’s main statements is smartly done here, providing just enough of a foundation upon which listeners can center themselves to. Blxst’s Overrated is…
Keelie Walker’s “Girls Night” is a high-energy track in the vein of oughts-pop like Katy Perry and Carly Rae Jepsen. The bouncy beat that backs up Walker’s vocals will tattoo is melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners, while the range that Keelie is able to achieve during this track is considerable. These two elements are able to join together and create a track that will absolutely be…
Lesibu Grand ghas released the remix to her Hot Glue Gun. The bit of electronic trapping presented on this iteration is precisely what is needed to imbue the composition with a late-1990s / early 2000s sort of sound. The booming bass line ensures thatt the single will garner DJ placement, while the drum and bass-heavy approach of this remix will appease fans of L7 and The Breeders. It’s rare to…
Kam Dutchie’s “Pain” is a laid-back effort that has a backing beat that calls to the 1990s for inspiration. The keys and booming bass that contribute to the backing beat create the perfect backdrop upon which Kam Dutchie’s vocals can flow. The song is able to give KD just enough time to establish a touching tale while not lingering. This means that the song is able to accomplish all it…
Herstory’s My Time is a call back to all of the girl groups of the 1990s and 2000s. With confidence akin to acts like Destiny’s Child and the Pussycat Dolls, Herstory is able to create a work in My Time that will have listeners singing along after the first play. The distinct style of each of the members of the group is essential in making My Time into a must-listen.…
Nick Hawk’s You Can’t Talk As Much S**t As Me has an assertive sort of flow that does not require anything beyond his own unique style to shine. There are nods here to performers like Eminem, Tom McDonald and Riff Raff here. The bit of brooding synths and drum sequences that play at the bottom of the single add just enough in the way of flair to keep listeners firmly…
Stizee’s Wave immediately stands out with an emotive synthesizer and Stizee’s immaculate flow. There’s a harmony that issues forth during this single that is impossible to deny. The chorus of Wave works perfectly with the main bars laid down here; there’s an earth and earnest sound to this single that makes it pop. Stizee’s grimy approach here is moderated by a dollop of pop, making for an effort that has…
OBAS’s Hug The Streets is a great jam-up of hard-edged street styles with enough melody to get fans out on the dance floor. OBA’s delivery is grim and gritty, standing out bolly from the J Dilla meets Kanye production that drips off of the synths, drums, and samples. Rick Ross’s contributions to the track are immaculate as always, recalling some of his early career hits. Together, the pair is able…
The Org’s Peace is a track that will impact listeners from the first few lines. There’s a gravity here that showcases the permanence of the faith that one has. Where there’s a lot of earthly strife tthat may depress or otherwise negatively impact listeners, just picking up a bit of religion should be enough to well all the drama in one’s life. There’s an honestness and earnestness to the vocal…
On Live The Madness, the Moonshine Bandits are able to come out with tremendous swagger. Hot bars and sizzling guitar work do well to carry the rap-rock style into the 202s. There’s crunchy guitar riffs, a catchy AF chorus laid down by Corey Taylor, and even a hint of the mid-oughts Psychopathic Records sound. Live The Madness is one smooth track, an effort that will make any sort of party…
Anie Delgado’s “Cloud9” has a wonderfully introspective beginning that builds upon the tradition of performers like Madonna with modern EDM and pop instrumentation. The plinking of piano keys during Cloud9 gradually builds up into a crescendo before the drop gets heads bobbing. Delgado’s ability to effortlessly flow through styles portends big things for the performer. The dynamism of Cloud9 ensures that song will stay fresh through the rest of the…