The Waters is a wonderful blend of pop, EDM, and 1990s R&B in a bold fashion. With an organic / electronic dichotomy between Breen’s vox and a carefully curated synth track, the effort is able to immediately draw listeners in. The rising and falling action of Patrick’s vocals recede a bit at the 2:30 mark to allow for the instruments to establish a new normal. The more traditional pop-rock style…
Heart on the Run is a tremendously touching effort that has Currin weave a tale that will impact anyone that has ever been in love. A dense, detailed instrumentation creates a sound that will resound loudly long after the song has ceased to play. The dynamics between the strings, guitars, and Currin’s vocals make for a cohesive, coherent statement. The guitar work stands out on Heart on the Run; linking…
Seattle Twee Pop pioneers Tullycraft (and, I’m sure they cringe at every reference to that genre name) may have taken six years between albums, but they are still in top form on this, their seventh album. The Railway Prince Hotel, like their earlier efforts, still brims over with sticky sweet melodies, trading off male/female vocals and Sean Tollefson’s endearing habit of writing too many lyrics and rushing to get them…
“Vibrations,” the new single from acclaimed rapper NoTrace (and featuring vocalist Glenn Travis), isn’t a political song in nature, but its intellectual lyricism and intrepidly stylized narrative can’t help but evoke some pretty strong imagery and thoughts about our society as it stands today. In the track, NoTrace raps about the difficulties of life, keeping his head above the water one day at a time, never allowing too much of…
A generation removed from a number of brilliant Western Mass bands that mixed pop melodies and occasional hooks with a strong punk rock foundation (think Dinosaur Jr and the Pixies), Potty Mouth have managed to resurrect much of that same loud, fast smart indie rock spirit on their sophomore LP, Snafu. Following up 2015’s EP and their 2013 debut, the band (now a trio), spent much of their time away…
The absolutely epic sound of Hold Your Breath begins with an assertive, R&B-infused set of vocals that are matched to a tee with sweeping synths. Hybrid adds together varied arrangements that draws upon 1990s dance and pop. The electricity that flows through Hold Your Breath will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seats. The accompanying video for Hold Your Breath further hammers home the distinct style that is…
Damn The Consequences, the latest song from Sam Densmore, refreshes the 1990s alt-rock sound. Smoothed-out guitars and wistful lyrics in a similar vein to 1990s-era Tom Petty ensures that there is a very inviting sound to the cut. The instrumental and vocal elements on Damn The Consequences combine to make something special; a memorable chorus and taut arrangements push this to the next higher plateau. Sam Densmore is able to…
On Lost Yo Mind, Houston’s Imaní Scott is able to draw upon a rich R&B tradition that traces its way through TLC, Destiny’s Child, and Ciara. The track shines due to the sheer range that Scott is able to achieve here. With a strong message of female empowerment expressed through Lost Yo Mind, Imaní is able to contribute to politics as well as the playlists of dance clubs throughout the…
Breathe Me In includes the vocals of Anna Yvette. The track draws a bit of instrumentation from Gary Jules and the thick, omnipresent beats of mid/late-1980s synth pop. The dark and emotive production here provides a secondary vocal element. This means that Anna’s vox and ash.ØK’s arrangements combine to make something special. With a tempo that rises and falls at all the right points, Breathe Me In is an unfettered…
Let’s Dream Tonight is an effort that builds upon the basis of 1980s performers like Elvis Costello, Robert Smith, and The Cure. With guitars, bass, and drums uniting to make for a tightly-knit backing beat, Sonic Rade is able to hang with hard-rock luminaries like Dire Straits and XTC. Modern production ensures that each element of Sonic Rade are able to shine alone and as a contributor to a cohesive…
On Mine, Steff Neff is able to immediately draw listeners in with a booming set of vocals. Little more is present during this early section of Mine than a piano, drums, and Steff’s vocals; this tri-partite arrangement gradually moves into a more supportive role to allow Neff to lay down vox in the fashion of Adele and Corinne Bailey Rae. The traditional (drum) and electronic (synthesizer) that are laid out…
Caroline, the latest by Raised On TV, has a very late-nineties / early 2000s indie rock sound to it. With sorrowful, somber lyrics matched alongside jangly, complex guitar lines and a rapidly-shifting instrumentation, Caroline has the band wear their influences (At The Drive-In, early Death Cab for Cutie) on their sleeve. We’d recommend playing Caroline a number of times to hear each of the distinct sections of the band. Raised…
A bluesy bit of guitar draws upon Uncle Tom’s Cabin-era Warrant, Every Mother’s Nightmare, and a bit of Whitesnake and Cinderella. The power of the vocals (especially with the call and response that is present at points) is matched by the tremendous guitars. Imagine Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Frank Hannon’s bayou-infused guitar styles, polished up a bit and with some of the most intense arrangements one has ever heard. The…
On their latest single TAKEOFFYOURCLOTHES, Water District are able to make an engrossing and intense effort built off of Plus-44 and Alkaline Trio. With a bit of the vocal-forward styling of Rise Against, Water District is able to make a punky, poppy track that will even appease the most technically-minded listeners. The vocal / drum dynamic pushes the cut’s momentum higher, while the bit of synth that is peppered in…
Player Way is the perfect laid-back track; this new Warm Brew effort comes forth with some of the catchiest hooks this side of Nate Dogg. Wiz Khalifa’s flow works well to keep things varied while promoting the chilled-out spirit of the effort. The 1:30 mark of Player Way is marked through rapid-fire bars building upon the styles of Twista and Bizzy Bone. The production of this single creates a haunting,…
It is difficult to put your own fingerprints on Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, but Gregory Harrington is able to do so. This is because of the tremendous close-knit and touching woodwinds that establish the song’s narrative. The richness of Harrington’s Hallelujah continues as additional elements are included in the mix. With nods to classical, jazz, and blues weaved in here, Harrington is able to make something that absolutely soars. The careful…
On Beaming Right Up, Makes My Blood Dance are able to tie orchestral metal, angular indie-rock and mid-oughts emo into something that will appease fans of Guns ‘N Roses and AFI alike. Taut instrumentation and a dense, thrushy layering ensure that listeners will have to play this cut many times before hearing everything that has been placed within. The charismatic vocals of Beaming Right Up is matched quite nicely by…
On Cupid, Juliana Hale is able to build upon the strong singer-songwriter style of Pink and Lady Gaga. For much of this single, a piano represents the sole force establishing the instrumental side of things. Hale’s inclusion of strings at opportune points puts a highlight on the track, especially when her vocals go silent. Each part of Cupid is able to contribute mightily to a cohesive sound. Fans of early…
On Waiting For This, Kelly Padrick is able to refresh the sound of The Bangles and Bananarama. Equal amounts of alternative rock and electronic pop are blended to create something that hits the same mark as Madonna’s Ray of Light or Blondie’s Heart of Glass. Padrick is able to do more than tell a story on her latest single; she is able to build upon the harmonies achieved by the…
On The F-Word, John Paciga is able to create a song that could easily slot into a Broadway musical. The talent, a driving piano line, and oodles of allure ensure that the melodies crafted on this single will bury themselves deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. With the dynamic between the piano and Paciga’s vocals ensuring each are on the top of their game, it’s not surprising that…