Boston’s Elsewhere is able to build upon the foundations of acts like R.E.M. and Collective Soul on their new single, The Pledge. Elsewhere is able to deftly link together emotional pleas with seriously intricate instrumentation. Challenging norms of traditional time signatures, there’s even a bit of a nod to prog-rock legends like Pink Floyd here. Elsewhere creates a cut in The Pledge that will require individuals to strap on their…
Groove, a new cute from De Royce (along with Jay Dutch and BiiG Dreams) is a perfectly-polished piece of electrofunk. The song is easily able to make it onto R&B playlists, but there’s no denying that the inspiration for the track comes from the funk and disco of the late 1970s. There’s nods to early Michael Jackson and even Lionel Richie during the more laid-back and chill introduction. Even the…
Christopher Watson’s “Truth Is” is a powerful effort that tells a story of African-Americans historically and in the current era. With a narrative of uplift, Watson is able to showcase how much of a positive force an individual can be. The backing instrumentation on Truth Is is laid-back but deceptively deep. The different samples and deliberate percussive sample acts as the perfect palette upon which Watson can paint his vibrant…
Eliza May’s new single I’m Coming Home is one of those EDM tracks that immediately inspires hope in listeners. ;Alluring vocals combine with dynamic synths and percussive beats. Eliza May has the ability to create a cohesive blending of instrumental and vocal with her latest track, showcasing tremendous emotional depth even as she creates a burning desire in listeners to make it onto the dance floor. I’m Coming Home has…
Higher Love is one of my favorite tracks of all time, and it is great to see that there’s a new cover that does more than just hit the high notes of the original. Kamoken’s take on this (with Malou Beauvoir laying down the vocals) is one of those rare examples where a cover is absolutely able to hang with the source material. There’re hints of island melodies with just…
Kevin Phillips’s Order My Steps is a powerful composition that showcases the importance of keeping your faith. The struggle that believers have with all of the ills of the world are addressed here, as Phillips identifies the only way to truly be successful is to follow Jesus. The track has Kevin’s vocals at the forefront, but the instrumentation is nothing to sneeze at. A funky bass line is perfectly punctuated…
X File 8675309 is the evolutionary step forward for AV Super Sunshine. The track comes forth with a dreamy, Wallflowers meets Goo Goo Dolls vocal approach and just enough synth to provide an otherworldly feel to the composition. The narrative – an alien race picking up radio transmissions of Tommy Tutone and crashing to earth – is fascinating. Science fiction and the most human of feelings (love) are matched by…
Dancehall Hallelujah is a tremendous reimagining of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah with Mr. Vegas’s tried and timeless approach to dancehall music. Vocals are front and center during this track, while booming synths immediately tattoo a beat into fans’ minds. There’s double duty being pulled by Mr. Vegas here, as his vocal delivery adds mightily to the song’s overall melody. The track can easily be slipped into holiday rotations as well; it…
Greg Hoy has released Can You Take It, a hard-edged track that calls back to the days of power-rock bands like ELO and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Charismatic vocals unite with a chugging guitar and on-point drums to make for something that will have listeners tapping their toes. Without giving fans a moment to spare, Greg’s approach will appease fans of any variety of rock. Hints of the Foo Fighters and The…
Jae Mansa has hot fire on his hands with his new track Swan In My Pond. Immediately smacking fans with a tremendously catchy chorus, Mansa’s decision to have Riff Raff throw up some bars is fantastic. While RR is always a good get for your track, Jae Mansa’s flow is able to match blow for blow. Couple the hook with a sweeping, screwed-and-chopped backdrop and one has a track that…
Rich Dance is one of those tracks that will immediately get people out on the bar floor. Confident and assertive vocal flows lay on top of a booming, bassy synth / percussive beat. The chorus is perhaps the highwater mark for GoodLook’s latest. Three minutes is all that Rich Dance needs to bury itself deep into the cardiac muscles of anyone fortunate to listen in. There’s a good shot for…
The Tennessee Werewolves’s new single American Dream blends together very traditional country instrumentation (replete with a lap steel) with a more modern (think 1990s-onward) pop / country vocal approach. The booming instrumentation on American Dream will have fans on the edges of their seats, all while the considerable vocal range of Angel Mary firmly places the track into the stratosphere. The dynamic established between the guitars and drums during American…
Show Me You has a very confident set of vocals linked with a pop-rock backing beat. Dynamyte is able to vary things up considerably over the course of this single, with multiple approaches and genres making their appearance felt before the track’s conclusion. The production on Show Me You allows these disparate sounds to collaborate, ultimately creating something unique and alluring. Very few artists today can so successfully imprint themselves…
“The saints come marching home, the holy ghost is on his knees, crushed by sticks and stones,” a serious-sounding John Vento sings in this gripping chorus. The song, “America (The Saints Come Marching Home)” is just the defiant rock and roll sound the rock pioneers had in mind when they created a new genre. Vento takes it even further and adds in that spirited Pennsylvanian workmanship to his interpretation of…
Proving he still has the pulse of the working class close to his heart, and the rock rhythms even closer, Ed Roman delivers yet another strong outing in his “Tomorrow Is Today”. A follow-up to his previous 2020 single, “Stronger”, “Tomorrow Is Today” is from Roman’s anticipated album, A Recipe For Perpetual Spring (produced by Roman and Michael Jack). A one-time Billboard Emerging Artist and Josie Show Award Winner, Roman…
Where have you been hiding Yachtclub101? In the new sizzling self-titled, 10-track album Oakland’s Yachtclub101 imbue the listener with a sense of awe, a feeling of ecstasy and a listening experience unmatched. The Bay Area has a long underground tradition and Yachtclub101 dares the listener to thrust the music to the masses. At times full of zest and other times more of an emotional anchor, Yachtclub101 manages to escape completely…
donSMITH comes forth with one of the most engrossing and interesting rap efforts that we’ve covered so far this year. The track may start and end before three minutes is up, but the wordplay is knotty and deep. Fans will have to listen to the single multiple times before hearing everything that has been secreted within. The production of Table is integral in making the track stand above similar releases;…
Paul Maged’s new single Culture War has hints of Judas Priest and Tenacious D present within its heavy riffs, solid drum work, and supersonic vocals. With an all-in approach to the song’s instrumental sides, Paul is able to lay down some seriously focused vocals. Multiple vocal layers are utilized here to add a further bit of gravity to the composition. A rapid switch to a killer instrumental section ensures that…
Stars In Their Eyes on SSRIs is a track that seems like a letter explaining bipolar disorder. From the bouncy beginning to the track to the more despondent second half of the track, the narrative component seems to identify some of the issue present with the titular class of medication. The video (presented below) showcases a bit of the quirkiness that is expressed in the lyrical and instrumental side of…
Fuego & Hielo is an inspirational track. Passionate in his delivery, Stokoff is able to reach high registers and rich lows. Thwe dynamics established between Stokoff’s vocals, the country-tinged guitars, and the traditional rock styling of the drums virtually ensures that fans of all stripes will be able to find something to sink their teeth into. The guitar work is the highwater mark for the song’s instrumentation as it does…