Mason Embers’s “Rush” is a hopeful, timeless sort of track that succeeds not only because of the carefree vocals but also because of the emotive guitar lines and on-point drums. There’s a bit of mid-1990s alternative here alongside a bit of the richness of Say Anything and Jack Johnson. With there being so many twists and turns present here, Rush is one of those efforts that fans will really need…
Ready Steady Die!’s “Vent” showcases a soulful, passionate set of vocals. Add a bit of slinky instrumentation and the smallest amount of synths, and the bnad ultimately is able to create something that builds upon the alt and goth sounds of the 1990. A robust production has each of the single’s sides able to shine on its own as well as easily contributing to the overall whole of Vent. The…
Marathon Domm’s new single “Stamped Up” (which includes a feature by Philthy Rich) is a powerful refreshing of mid-oughts rap. There’s a very matter of fact flow that issues forth during Stamped Up’s first minutes, as Marathon Domm is able to link together 50 Cent, The Game and even Chamillionaire into something special. The beat is matched masterfully to MD and Philthy Rich’s contributions to the single. Stamped Up is…
DaŹaY’s “Quarantine” has a haunting backing beat that will stick around with listeners long after the song ceases to play. The sly lyrical content and patois of DaŹaY ensures that the song stands out boldly from the rest of the music that’s currently present on rap rotation and radio. The insistent beat playing at the bottom of the track adds a bit of a groove to the laser-like focus of…
Terri Bannister’s Little Is Much has a truly timeless feel to it. Terri’s vocals play at the top of the composition, wile the keys and drums create a memorable instrumentation. The dynamic between Terri’s voice and the instruments pushes each to an entirely higher plateau, while the message that is espoused here is one that will hopefully spark the light of faith deep in listeners’ hearts. Little Is Much is…
Stringz EMB’s Perfect begins with some stellar production. Setting the stage for heady lyrical content, the retro-infused beat of Perfect will immediately bring in fans. The words dropped down here by Stringz EMB showcase some intense emotions, discussing familial riffs and the perseverance of humanity in a fashion that everyone will understand. Perfect’s multi-media approach (the video for the single is below) adds a further dimension to the composition. The…
Pennan Brae’s The Love That I Got is built on a very traditional rock approach that will appease fans of 38 Special and Van Halen. The vocal style utilized here brings in hints of Michael Hutchence and Trent Reznor. What results in Brae’s latest is something fun and catchy as all get out. The Love That I Got has some serious guitar licks that keep things fresh throughout the track.…
Holy Ground (Shake The Memory) is some of the most-polished hard rock that we’ve heard in recent memory. Taking the super-sonic vocal approach of KISS and Stone Temple Pilots and incorporating lush bass lines, sizzling guitar work, and booming drums, The Dead Daisies are truly larger than life here. The tempo of their latest song never slackens; fans will be out of breath by the time that the single concludes.…
Chris St. John’s I Called You Rose has a traditional rock sound that melds together performers as diverse as John Denver and Billy Joel. There’s a bit of a more traditional, even 19th-century approach to St. John’s single that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases. The instrumentation that bubbles forth at points during I Called You Rose hangs with Chris’s voice. There’s a robustness, a richness to…
Tom Tikka is and has always been a natural storyteller with the release of his newest EP That’s What Winston Churchill Said. With a majority of these songs written over the course of his life (the ending track “A Good Thing Going On” was written when Tikka was 18,) its clear why Tikka has remained in music and garnered as much acclaim as he has both solo and with other…
Very clearly from the beginning of his titular track “Things to Come”, Jeremy Parsons makes it clear that nostalgia is a powerful thing. The Nashville resident has made a name for himself, reclaiming the sounds and storytelling of more classic country as seen by the likes of legends like Hank Williams and George Jones (the latter of whom Parsons has opened for) and its easy to see why he’s a rising…
Forrest Isn’t Dead’s Here We Are is a track that links together Death Cab For Cutie with Muse and Incubus. Dreamy vocals and layered instrumentation unite to make for a track that will simultaneously impress fans of pop rock and the crunchiest indie out there. With the vocals building up both the narrative and harmony sides of the effort, Forrest Isn’t Dead is able to make some seriously cohesive music…
Okey Dokey’s “Wine Friends” is a fun track that looks all the way back to the mid-1950s and early 1960s for pop music. The sweet vocals and the doo-wop meets garage sound is absolutely timeless. The production of the song simultaneously calls back to the masterfully-product records of the early 1960s while achieving the crispness and clarity of modern music. While Okey Dokey is able to keep their output extremely…
Drew Citron’s “Free Now” is an light and airy composition that immediately brings Drew’s vocals in alignment with a dreamy guitar lien. There’s a bit of fuzz and a hint of reverb; Free Now looks back at the alt-rock of Fiona Apple and Sheryl Crow all while giving Drew the ability to impress her own unique take on things. While it would be easy for the single to make it…
‘Wholething’ is that rare song that the heartless can enjoy thoroughly and the soulful can enjoy thoroughly. The former may be due to the completely irreverent, devil-may-care soliloquies of a one Afroman, an expert feature on the track given its tired and cliched subject matter about relationships, girls, being hot, and slipping past one’s significant other. HEWAS INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/iamhewas/ The latter will enjoy it for the sharp comparison to Afroman’s…
She Agreed, the latest track from Emily Edrosa, will immediately draw listeners in. The guitar / vocal dynamic that is presented from the beginning of the track gradually grows in intensity and momentum. When the speed kicks up, fans can really hear the emotion and intensity bleed through. There’s so much passion presented in this track that when the instrumentation starts to swell (at the 3:!5 mark), one will be…
Tsunami of Sound craft a stripped-down rock approach with their new single Motor Oil that is part surf, part-Mojo Nixon, and part Doors. There’s even hints of bluegrass and psychedelic rock that can be discerned here. The act is able to create a song that has a voluminous amount of narrative despite being instrumental in its approach. This is due to the fact that the act has a tremendous ability…
CEO FLow is a track that immediately hits listeners over their heads. Frank Hugo is able to shake things up with a flow that links together Killer Mike and Freddie GIbbs. There’s a deep and dark sound present to the single’s backing beat, tying together choral elements with a haunting set of synths. There’s nary a second during CEO Flow for listeners to gain their breath as Frank Hugo continues…
Bad Lot is an electronic / EDM effort that feels as if it forwards the sounds of the late 1990s. This means that there are nods to Plastikman and Dirty Vegas as well as a sound not quite unlike drum and bass standards. Airy, soulful vocals are balanced out nicely with booming bass, twinkling synth sequences and just enough Nine Inch Nails to hone the track’s edge. SOUNDQ has a…
Makes My Blood Dance’s “Communion” has an awesome chugging ferocity that refreshes the sound of Machine Head and Coal Chamber, incorporating a sublime theatrical set of vocals that will appease fans of Guns n Roses and The Ghost alike. The band’s instrumentation during Communion is perhaps their most polished. There’s no edge lost here – the guitars are able to tear heaven and earth asunder while the drums keep things…