Fans of creative and expansive takes on rap music would do well to search out squirtgrandhoover’s new album. Slated tentatively to be released in 2020, Gett It Off Boss is slated to cover considerable ground. While we touched briefly on squirtgrandhoover’s previous recording Dis Letter of Mind, a few years have passed. This does not mean that squirtgrandhoover has rested on his laurels in the slightest. With intricate wordplay, booming…
Loot is a bouncy, robust track that builds upon the tradition of performers like Ciara and Beyonce. Gabby B’s vocals will immediately draw listeners in while an intense backing beat make this the perfect track for the mall, dance floor, or anywhere in between. Londynn B’s feature on Loot is able to keep things popping at max speed while hitting high-water marks for the single. Loot is a single that…
Chelzzz comes forth with some intense bars on her latest cut, Somewhere in Miami. With a backing beat that brings late-oughts Jeezy and Rick Ross, Somewhere In Miami succeeds in pushing Chelzzz’s rap and pop cred. The 2:115 mark indicates a different section for the single as the backing beat fades a bit into the periphery. By showcasing Chelzzz’s flow, this middle section resets listeners’ expectation. Another shift into a…
On Bad Attitudes, Laney Lynx is able to make the approach of Vitamin C and Mandy Moore sparkle with an entirely new veneer. Lynx has a coyness to her vocals that are bolstered through the laid-back sequencing and synths. As Bad Attitudes moves to the chorus, Laney is able to build up the momentum and keep butts firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The switch over to a…
Kick 5000 has just released a new single, Birthday. This hard-hitting, rapid fire flow will immediate turn heads. With hints of Migos and The Game acting as a backdrop upon which Kick 5000 can further add his own flair, this single could easily slot onto rap rotation just as it will bounce around hip-hop aficionados’ playlist. As Birthday moves towards its chorus, the bit of echo that is included into…
Dreams in the Witch House is a haunting piece of lo-fi indie rock, given a bold new turn with sequenced percussion and a haunting demeanor. stAlkid’s vocals come from a distinct place than the backing instrumentation, ensuring that the whole composition has a stark sound. This means that fans will be eagerly devouring what follows; subsequent movements in the track blend a dark and brooding synth with sizzling guitar work.…
No One Can Stop You calls back to the synth-pop of performers like Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. There’s an insistent synth / percussion backdrop upon which the hopeful vocals of Aradia lay. The single could easily be the theme for any 1980s teen flick. By hitting all the highs of a Scandal or Suzi Quatro, Aradia is able to put a bit of current sheen on a timeless style. No…
Wanna Share is the opening effort on Renay’s new album, Pure Love. The effort will immediately draw fans in with the unique melange of pop, dance, and ambient / atmospheric styles. While the song is draped in the mid-to-late 1990s style of performers like Christina Aguilera and Madonna, there’s a vibrancy that permeates this single that will have it hang nicely with other songs climbing the charts. Inspire Me is…
On his aptly titled fifth album, LP5, Oklahoma’s John Moreland still hues closely to his trademark, introspective songs laced over a satisfying blend of modern Americana and folk that flirts with punk rock candor. But he also manages to deviate a bit from the tried and true with a little musical experimentation for one of his strongest records to date. This also happens to be the first album Moreland has…
Sometimes, we receive products that have such a buzz around them that they never actually make it to our door. The first time Skullcandy’s PR firm sent us a pair, one of our neighbors kept the box and swore up and down that they had neither seen hide nor hair of them. Anyway, we received a second pair to check out. The battery life of the Riff wireless headphones is…
Propelled by little more than strong word of mouth and a decade-and-a-half worth of stunningly impressive albums, The Wood Brothers were able to pack Philly’s 2,500 capacity Filmore on a recent Saturday night for an enthusiastic show that was as close as many will come to a religious experience. The Filmore is more than twice the size of the Union Transfer where the band played less than two years ago.…
Theo Czuk is, arguably, a singer/songwriter and musician first. He has seven music releases and counting, including a complimentary musical take on this novel; some are out of print, but sheer numbers alone make it apparent music is his primary vehicle for self-expression. He has two poetry collections in his résumé, Channeling Venice: Apparitions of Light and Pariscapes: Conversations with Paris, and a debut novel entitled Heart-Scarred. His latest novel The Black Bottom: The Measure…
Patricia Lazzara’s flute duels with Kristin Johnson Dabaghian’s piano in “Woodland Sonatine.” It harmonizes with the alto melodies distributed by Steve Markoff in “Reflections of Radiance.” Lazzara finds the perfect vocal partner for “Ave Maria” and “Oblivion” in soprano Jessica Davila, while in “Serenata,” not even the most vibrant of instrumental backdrops could distract us from her exquisite play in the center of the mix. Contrasting in tone and yet…
What is it about three-piece bands hold our attention? How do they slam all that sound into their music? In the grand tradition of Cream, Green Day, Motorhead, Nirvana, The Police and ZZ Top – to name a few – Dallas, Texas, has unleashed another wall-of-sound trio in the band, Clifffs. Out now via State Fair Records is the brutally tight Panic Attack. Panic Attack has 13 tracks, starting with…
Eclectic elements are practically everywhere you look and listen in modern pop music, and Mike Donello & the New Essentials are a perfect example. Donello and his band blend together influences from R&B, indie rock and classic pop in their eponymous debut EP, and though their first record only clocks in at about 19 minutes in total length, it doesn’t come off as limiting nor a scattered effort from a…
Imagine growing up on the other side of the world and discovering Michael Jackson or Tina Tuner? Imagine using the CDS from your parents music collection to learn English? Merlin, who grew up in Albania and Germany, moved to Boston when she was seven. Her passion for music and instant rapport with her listener is transported in the exciting debut single, “Love”. While her EP is anticipated later in 2020,…
Behold the Light brings together world music with hints of reggae and the singer-songwriter tradition. The beautiful vocals which listeners encounter shortly after the song’s beginning reverberate long after the song ceases to play. A male / female dichotomy pushes each side to a tremendous high, while the touching guitars do the same for the vocal / instrumental duality. Fans can strap on a pair of headphones and enjoy Behold…
Four stars Springsteen’s got nothing on David Lowery… well, at the very least, Lowery would have no problems keeping up with Bruce’s legendary reputation for on stage stamina. Lowery played two complete sets to a full capacity crowd at Philadelphia World Café Live recently, first playing a career-spanning set from Camper Van Beethoven and then taking the stage with an almost entirely different line up about 20 minutes later for…
You have to applaud any musician and songwriting who, in 2020, can stake out individual territory in the increasingly recycled world of pop music. Gabriele Saro accomplishes just that. His single “Skippin’” reflects his grounding in classical music while exhibiting the skills necessary for writing and performing memorable pop songs. He brings these seemingly ill-fitting elements together without the single ever coming off as disjointed or half baked. Instead, it…
Flaunting the wide reach of Americana in 2020, the latest, next best shot at growing the genre into a much deservedly wider following is based in Liverpool. On his third album, Robert Vincent puts forth a collection of songs that would make Guy Clark proud. Thankfully ignoring the advice that musicians should avoid politics, In This Town Your Owned is 10 deeply personal songs reacting to everything from the state…