Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: November 22, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The High Plains Drifters “Alone On Christmas Day”

Alone On Christmas Day is the latest effort from New York’s The High Plains Drifters. The single is very touching in its execution. Hints of 1980s alternative (e.g. They Might Be Giants, Cocteau Twins) are present as the act makes a play for “most memorable holiday track” of 2023. Smart repetion of the vocals are paralleled well with twinkling instrumentation and perfectly-paced drums. The crooning vox imbue Alone On Christmas…

Posted on: November 22, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Duprai Marcel “BUCKSHOTS”

BUCKSHOTS is a fun, funky journey. Duprai Marcel’s tight groovy is matched to a fantastically sultry set of vocals. The shuffling beat created with the guitars and drums on BUCKSHOTS will have one out grooving, while the stellar production of this effort ensures that both instrumental and verbal sides of the song are able to shine singularly or as parts of a greater whole. Listeners will be singing along with…

Posted on: November 21, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Fayro “Hickory Dickory”

Hickory Dickory is a rap single that builds upon the sublime swagger of Ludacris, Kendrick Lamar and I-20. The patter-patter of Fayro’s flow will have listeners bobbing their heads, while the keys that comprise the backing instrumentationadd further depth to the composition. Increasing in speed through the single, Fayro is able to keep fans firmly on the edges of their seats. This song is able to work perfectly alongside other…

Posted on: November 21, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Ashley Best “You Make Me”

Ashley Best comes from Cadiz, Ohio, a town I’d always used to stop through when we’d take 22 East to see my grandparents. You Make Me is a composition that will bring similarly positive memories bubble to the surface through its spot-on homage to Bob Seger and early-1990s country music. Ashley’s vocal range on his latest single is nothing less than impressive; adding a secondary voice into the mix further…

Posted on: November 20, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Dos Floris “Somebody Else”

On Somebody Else, Dos Floris is able to establish an engrossing and emotionally dense style that is bolstered through emotive keys and electronic keys. The song incorporates hints of Suzanne Vega, Bjork and Adele all while allowing the performer ample opportunity to insert herself. Somebody Else has a style that will ensure plays on pop radio stations, but contains tons of intricate dynamics among the instrumentation and Dos Floris’s vox.…

Posted on: November 20, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Jake Miller “I Got You”

I Got You is a bouncy, fun pop track in the vein of N*Sync and Robbie Williams. The charisma that is infused into this composition does welll in getting listeners focused on to what Jake is laying down. The multiple vocal layers that are built up at points during this single add a good amount of depth, further increasing the single’s replay value. The song is utterly timeless in its…

Posted on: November 20, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

ADVM “She’s Gone”

ADVM’s “She’s Gone” is a soft and sedate track that will be appreciated by anyone who has been in and fallen out of love. Even years after the relationship ends, there are still times where I briefly miss those I was previously with, and it’s this single that perfectly matches that feeling. The vocal styling of ADVM will be eagerly devoured by fans of Oliver Tree, while the airy composition ends…

Posted on: November 20, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Baker Grace “Painkiller”

Powerful vocals will immediate draw listeners in to Baker Grace’s latest single, Painkiller. The track is able to stand out distinctly from the vast majority of popular music in that it brings in new and refreshing instrumentation. This means that there are subtle nods to Pulp, Cornershop and Massive Attack even as Baker lays out lines that will garner high rotation on radio stations and in playlists around the world.…

Posted on: November 20, 2023 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

Peter Gural’s “Birdy’s World”

Philadelphia’s Peter Gural is the primary author of one of the year’s best releases with his collection Birdy’s World. The Berklee School of Music graduate has chops galore, that’s obvious, but his technical skills never undercut the immediate authenticity of his songwriting art. The unabashed autobiographical nature of Gural’s writing never limits its ability to connect with a wide swath of the Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter’s target audience. The bright bounce of the…

Posted on: November 18, 2023 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Kick 5000 – Sink

Kick 5000 released his new album Frequencies in September; the lead single “sink” will immediately tattoo booming bass deep into listeners’ brains. A sublimely confident flow follows forth. sink’s dynamic sound is crafted through Kick 5000’s desire to continually tweak and test different segments of the track. This effort concludes at the 2:30 mark, making a big splash from its onset while hurtling headlong into the final moments of the…