While not quite in Ryan Adams/Willie Nelson territory when it comes to prolific visits to the recording studio, Graham Smith’s Kleenex Wonder Girl is certainly on a role. “White Lacuna,” was his second full length in 2018, and sixth in less than 10 years. And far from sounding like a collection of cast-offs and B-Sides, the tracks that make up this latest effort can stand strong against any of his…
R&B has been celebrating its third great renaissance of the last 70 years recently, and perhaps no one captures the essence of the genre’s new generation of performers and their worship of the old school better than Seattle’s Ronnue does. Popping his new single “Something About U (The Retro-Funk Mix)” and its accompanying remix into your CD player will result in taking a step back in time to the golden…
A pendulous bell is warning us that the clock has struck midnight. As if awakening from a horrid nightmare, we hear a gasp cut through the abrasive wails of the bell. A bittersweet vocal clings to a tempered guitar part that slowly skulks about in the distance. A softly spoken prayer joins it, followed by an electrified guitar that seems to emerge out of the ethers like some sort of…
Jordan Astra released his All Blessings single late in 2018, and we were immediately floored by the catchiness of the hook. With hints of Eminem and Kendrick Lamar weaved into Astra’s unique vocal flow, All Blessing is pushed into high gear with luscious synth lines and snaps / tribal drums entered into the mix. A heavier, more wobble-focused approach ensures that listeners are as amped up as they were when…
On See You Later, Stewe is able to skillfully tie together rap and R&B styles in a fashion that will get listeners out on the dance floor as well as nodding their heads. A bit of passion and sex appeal is weaved into each and every line on Stewe’s latest. The backing beat is full of booming drums, acting as a perfect counterpoint for the more nuanced and intricate vocal…
In thirteen elegantly produced tracks, John Vento invites us into his world of Love, Lust & Other Wreckage, while offering up some brooding confessions and inspiring balladry along the way. For fans of eclectic rock, Vento needs no introduction. The Pittsburgh-based performer has made a career out of never sticking to the script, and his attitude of constantly adapting and evolving his style of play has earned him a permanent place…
Penelope Robin is the rare example of a young pop performer that is able to showcase an honest and earnest side during her singing. On Some Girls, Robin’s latest single, the track needs little more than Penelope’s vocals and a piano before a more emphatic instrumentation kicks into the mix (at around the 2-minute-mark). The effort is able to end as sweetly as it began, providing fans with a brief…
Jeremy Ravine’s Don’t Let Go is an emotional effort that will immediately draw listeners in with a healthy dollop of emotion. The track takes up hints of Owl City and slower Good Charlotte efforts while adding in considerable depth with intricate arrangements. Don’t Let Go moves to a more vocal-focused side at the 2-minute mark, punctuated through sweeping strings. This effort is one that listeners will have to really focus…
The video showcases an animated style with a tremendous amount of gravity present. The central crux of the video’s narrative concerns the presence of an animal and the tension that is present when one’s life situation changes. The animated style of Please Don’t Go is unique and draws upon the animation of the mid-1990s. Taken together, these two elements (aural and visual) combine to provide a considerable amount of gravitas…
AceQuared is able to create an alluring R&B / pop track in his current single, Empty. The passion and charisma that is exuded during this effort will have listeners hanging on every world. A sedate, soft sound to the introductory minute or so of the composition gradually increases into something incredibly catchy. The dynamism of Empty is perhaps the key reason why AceQuared will garner massive airplay for his latest…
Renee Cologne’s – Coverlings, is an album you’ll be talking about for a while if you get wind of the majesty to be heard on this release full of precious gems that she put her stamp on with effortless magic. Her voice isn’t exactly unknown but as an indie artist she’s making her own footprints, and she has written or performed for stage, dance and film, including M&M’s and other…
On Happy (We’ll Never Be), 3D Friends are able to create a laid-back dance track that ties together Savage Garden, Depeche Mode and mid-oughts emo music into a delectable package. The charisma of the band’s vocals stands out above the taut instrumentation. This blending of masterfully arranged synths, chunky bass lines, and a smooth production makes it easy to imagine the single garnering heavy airplay. The bit of an instrumental…
Memories of Love is a mid-tempo track that establishes Ha Phuong as a formidable performer. The look back towards the 1990s does Memories of Love well, as Ha’s vocals are able to rise and fall upon a supporting Latin/world-music beat. When Phuong moves into the chorus of Memories of Love, the presence of a secondary set of vocals is more than enough to keep the track energetic. Blending the pop…
Andrew W. Boss has just released his single Avengers (video is above). This effort calls back to the rap-metal of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hints of Limp Bizkit and P.O.D. can be heard here; a sick flow lays on top of crunchy guitar riffs and intense drum beats. Boss’s vocals draw upon the tortured, furious sound of Freak on a Leash-era Korn. Together, the instrumentation and Boss’s vocals…
Dyk’s Trashcan is a rock track that builds upon the style of U2, Audioslave, and OneRepublic with hints of a harder rock style (e.g. Jane’s Addiction, Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age). The environmentally-friendly message is present at all points during the single. A more jam band guitar line enters in at points, providing a wonderful counterpoint to the harder edge that began things. Contemplative, musically proficient, and with…
On Reveries, Lucas Ray Exp takes listeners through a tremendously intimate journey through his psyche. Initially starting out with a more sedate sound, LRE is able to gradually add in technical guitar riffs and booming drums to the mix. Of the course of this nearly-five minute single, Lucas Ray Exp is able to establish one of the most detailed instrumental compositions that we have ever heard. Effortlessly moving through progressive,…
In 1993, The Posies turned in one of the finest power pop records of the decade with “Frosting on the Beater.” So, it was almost a given that it’s follow-up wouldn’t stray too far from that formula. And thankfully it didn’t. The 14-track “Amazing Disgrace,” was just as accessible as it’s predecessor, if a little less optimistic in tone, likely a result of troubles within the band (drummer Mike Musburger…
Christmas in the Desert is a touching, sedate effort that allows Miguel ample opportunity to showcase his songwriting skills. The track is able to succeed because Estrada pulls double-duty, telling a story as well as adding a further level of depth to the sleigh bells and backing instrumentation. The smart usage of silence provides further gravitas to the composition. I feel that Christmas in the Desert is able to be…
Tony Tripi has released a trio of Christmas songs that are able to address the topic of the holiday without falling tinto the same pitfall many performers do when attempting to make tracks that have staying power. On Family Christmas, Tripi is able to craft a seventies-infused rock track that includes sizzling guitar work, a female chorus, and absolutely emphatic drum work. With so many pieces shining, it’s no surprise…
Project Grand Slam’s Greetings from Serbia URL: https://www.projectgrandslam.com/ Fans of pure jazz fusion as it was always meant to be consumed rejoice; 2019 officially commences with the release of the Robert Miller-led Project Grand Slam’s Greetings from Serbia, the group’s first live album and virgin offering to a brand new year. We begin with the rolling grooves of “You Started Something,” which as its title implies inspires something beyond infectious inside of…