On Never Let You Down, Chase The Jaguar is able to link together pop, synth-funk, and indie rock in a wholly unique fashion. The multiple layers of Never Let You Down ensure that listeners will have to play the single multiple times before hearing each nuance that has been peppered through the single. The raw charisma of the vocals are a stand-out part of the isngle, but listeners should not…
Long before the band Foreigner became lazy, shorthand slang for bloated, stadium dinosaurs (often and likely unfairly lumped in alongside era peers like Journey, Styx and REO Speedwagon), they were an upcoming band of British and American rockers with a knack for writing catchy, timeless songs with wildly memorable guitar riffs. In 1978, just two years into their existence and still boasting their classic line up, they played a blistering…
Francine Honey is an Ontario-based singer/songwriter that has a familiar, rustic tonality in her sound but consistently delivers heartfelt, inspired original lyrics that are relatable to all walks of life, and in her new album To Be Continued…, we witness her breakout moment transpire over the course of eleven sumptuous songs. We open with the rustling strings of “Snowflakes on My Eyelashes,” which features Honey collaborating with the equally talented Beth…
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/1ODcZglHuNODyXKhOT0E00 The Bobbleheads dish out an electrifying slab of authentic indie rock in their latest single “I Really See You,” and it’s really got both critics and fans abuzz from one side of the country to the next at the moment. In the colorful and surreal music video for the song, viewers become as entranced by the kaleidoscopic visuals as they are by the cerebral quality of the music,…
On Middle of the Night, Norway’s Annprincess creates a bouncy dance track that draws upon the 1990s sound of Amber and Alice Deejay while whipping in hints of electrofunk and mid-1980s dance (Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode). When Annprincess moves into the chorus of Middle of the Night, the crowd will be whipped up considerably. A tremendous amount of charisma bleeds through the track, ensuring listeners are energized. The thick,…
Dream Bigger immediately draws in listeners with a soulful, impactful set of vocals that link together Leona Lewis and Adele. With little more than synths and drums playing in the background during the first minute of this single, Sammi Rae Murciano is able to ensure listeners are firmly planted on the edges of their seat. With Dream Bigger’s chorus, Murciano is able to hit listeners hard with impassioned vox and…
BANDCAMP: https://thevicsofficial.bandcamp.com/ A lumbering, jazz-influenced beat greets us as we descend into the clutches of a bulging bassline, which itself is peppered with a lusty texture that is as intoxicating as it is chill-inducing. Soon, a rich, multifaceted vocal scrapes against gilded guitar strings, shifting our focus away from the cerebral grooves resonating from the drums for a moment. There’s an air of mischievousness that we cannot escape from; it’s…
URL: www.caseyahern.com Among country artists, standing out can sometimes be as big a challenge as breaking through to the mainstream is, but for Cali country girl Casey Ahern, carving out her own identity in a sea of sameness isn’t difficult in the least. The singer/songwriter gives us a little bit of herself in four awesome songs that comprise her new EP He Was Summer, and though it isn’t the expansive introduction…
URL: https://www.derrickdavismusic.com/ Playful tempos punctuated with funk-influenced electric guitar. Twelve-bar blues taken out for a walk with a chilling bassline that throttles us into a wistful chorus. The lusty timbre of Derrick Davis’ honeysweet singing infiltrating an iridescent harmony at the peak of its catharsis. Whether it be “Best I Can,” “Blow Song,” “Hunter” or any of the other seven tracks that comprise his all-new album Anti-Social, Davis is bent on…
Chicago alt folk/Americana upstarts The Way Down Wanderers have managed to spike their music was some interesting elements on their sophomore effort, adding in snatches of jazz and pop here and there, while still remaining true to the sound that made their debut a satisfying affair. Though not vastly too different from their self-titled record, Illusions takes small steps forward both musically and lyrically for a more consistently appealing sound.…
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mattshapiromusic/ New York indie star Matt Shapiro returns with his latest effort Fade In, an extended play that sees electronic grooves clashing with melodic, urbane poetry in six brilliantly produced tracks. Featuring such thrillers as the breakout singles “Rockaway Girl” and “The Addict,” as well as fresh cuts like “Johnny” and “Water’s Edge,” Fade In fuses vicious dance beats with likeable and familiar pop song structures, but it isn’t overly ambitious in…
Bands like Sweet and The Cars have long since stopped putting out any new music, but their sound still lives on powerfully strong on Jeff Whalen’s debut, 10 More Rock Super Hits. Whalen, singer/guitarist for the fantastic, albeit short-lived power pop band Tsar, has not lost a bit of the energy or the pop sensibility that made his last group so infectious. But, while Tsar mixed a bit more punk…
Throw Them Out hits hard on two fronts. The supersonic vocals that strike out above the track will immediately draw listeners in, while the assertive, intensely driving beat will keep them there. Switching between modes here – either leading listeners through the stanza or smacking them with a happy hardcore meets 1990s dance beat – FÄR ensures that the effort will stick with fans long after the track ceases to…
Hold On is a track that deftly links together pop and R&B with sweeping, atmospheric back beat. The vocals are able to pull double duty here, with a raw passion and sensuality that is weaved through the lyrical and instrumental side of things. The dynamic between the synth and the drums provides considerable depth to the track; listeners will continue focusing into the song as it winds down. Chasing Abbey…
It would be easy to write off this latest Tom Petty Best Of as just another cynical cash grab from record labels; that is if this 38-song set wasn’t such a brilliantly-curated, meticulous collection of Petty’s best work grabbed from his solo catalogue, his long tenure with The Heartbreakers and his pre (and sometimes post) Heartbreakers gig with the band Mudcrutch. Spread out across two CDs, though the songs are…
Quarry’s newest album begins with the titular track, a track which provides the first chapter in a cohesive work. The song touches upon the styles, approaches, and genres that will ultimately be broached throughout the entirety of the disc. The bouncy tempo of this introduction builds upon 1960s rock, while the crunchy guitar builds upon the framework of The Black Keys and “Hitchin’ A Ride”-era Green Day. With assertive instrumentation…
Love X Stereo are back with their new track, Zero One. The track deftly navigates an 1980s synth-heavy style with pop influences. Emotive instrumentation pushes the vocals to an entirely higher level. The organic / electronic dichotomy is nice here, showcasing a different context than traditional compositions. Fans of Portishead and Massive Attack will find something impressive here, while those that dig Bjork or mid-1990s Madonna will absolutely love the…
Menny creates a powerful early season track that will easily spread out throughout the word. A happy beat, intense vocals, and a quick tempo ensures that listeners will go out onto the dance floor. The presence of Sean Kingston on Wings provides a nice separation between the different segments of the track. Taken all together, the effort keeps listeners’ interest high while taking up the standards of acts as diverse…
The immediate beginning of Them Guns’ Fireworks ties together the Bay City Rollers’ Saturday Night with a harder rock / industrial approach. With notes of Nine Inch Nails and Mindless Self Indulgence weaved in, Them Guns are able to make a futuristic track that is well-versed in the down and dirty rock of the MC5. A confident vocal track and a stellar set of visuals for their Fireworks videos makes…
Earthquake Lights are back with Moonlight. The track looks back to the jazz of the 1950s, psychedelic rock, and soul to create something special. Raw passion and a Rat Pack amount of cool demarcate the first half of the song, while the instrumental heavy second side of the single showcases the ability of the band. The echoing vocals that play at the top of the track make this into something…