Seconds Before Landing’s fourth release is a three song EP entitled Trio Volume 1 and shows how far songwriting John Crispino and Seconds Before Landing has progressed since their debut concept album The Great Deception. Crispino is a multi-instrumentalist as well and his drumming and synthesizer contributions to the release are every bit as important as his vocal and lyrical offerings. The band has worked with engineer Andy Jackson before…
It’s taken five albums – albeit all really good releases – but Texas native Amanda Shires has finally put out a career-defining record.
For as much creativity and immersive artistry that has emerged in the last decade, one aspect of the entertainment business has continued to suffer, almost, ironically, in silence. I’m talking about pop music, specifically it’s more electrified rock n’ roll realm. Pop’s heavier side has been going through some particularly rough times since the fusion of electronic and urban subgenres to create super-scenes that know no boundaries both sonically and…
There is seems to be a strong sense of inauthenticity with the vast number of bands who are suddenly unplugging their guitars and calling themselves “Americana” now. But soon enough, another genre will come along and be ripe for exploitation. And when it does, you can bet Riley Moore, a refreshingly genuine voice in the Americana/Folk movement, will still be playing his brand of no frills, but deeply satisfying music…
Over the past several years, when not on their seemingly endless global tour, Mike Peters and his bandmates have been busy breathing new life into old classics. First came the 30th anniversary of their debut, “Declaration,” which saw the songs re-interpreted and re-recorded for a new decade, followed quickly by “Peace Train,” another series of re-recordings, this time of lesser known B-Sides. But, after an eight-year break, the band is…
Rumors of the Great White Skunk, the third album from Oklahoma based duo Cliff and Jeana Downing, builds on the success of Captain Ledge Band’s first two albums with a collection that shows their exponential growth as songwriters since the band first formed. The duo’s journey to a third album has been well chronicled and you hear a lot of the gratitude they share for making music together coming through,…
Karen Atkins’ cover of the classic Paul Simon track “Slip Slidin’ Away” is fantastic as it is able to possess the spirit of the original while imprinting her own unique tack on the track. Little more is needed on Atkins’ version than her inimitable vocals and just the lightest touch of guitars and drums. One will be teleported into close quarters with Atkins’ recording (a video is below) as she…
Kristy Chmura’s “Abandoned House” calls back to the strong female vocal style of Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan. Chmura is able to pull double duty on this single as her vocals tell a story as well as contributing mightily to the overall harmony of the track. Abandoned House is fairly spartan in its instrumental arrangements, but uses each flash of guitar, drums, or strings in a fashion that highlights Kristy’s…
The Broke Royals’ “Higher” is a hopeful track that builds upon the rock of the Goo Goo Dolls and Imagine Dragons. While the chorus of this single is incredibly infectious, I think that the backing instrumentation far outstrips what is heard on radio stations. The band is able to turn on a dime here, with a number of distinct sections ensuring that the final few notes of Higher are as…
The time between when we first covered Cowboy Mouth and today may just be the longest we’ve ever seen. We covered the band’s Fearless about a decade ago. The band’s still together and has just released a new single, “Broken Up”. Broken Up is a bouncy effort that comes with a catchy set of vocals, sizzling guitar work, and a close and cozy production that makes it seem as if…
Earthquake Lights’ “The Fix” is one of those special tracks that absolutely pops. The instrumentation is absolutely perfect, with the guitars, drums, and bass both contributing to a cohesive sound while providing just enough in the way of highlighting to the rich vocals. The ebb and flow of The Fix ensures that listeners will be on the edges of their seats. Earthquake Lights build upon the alt-rock of the late…
U2 is the latest in line to get the re-release treatment on vinyl and the occurrence serves as a great reminder of the band’s ability to redefine their style again and again. Their latest records to get a proper 180-gram double LP treatment are 1991’s Achtung Baby, 1993’s Zooropa and their first of two hits packages, “The Best of 1980-1990”. Achtung Baby was their first proper studio album in four…
When people are living in harmony and love is plentiful, communities at peace and joy is more common than fear or hatred, there is always music. In times of distress and chaos, where no one seems to want to get along and there isn’t any singular uniting shelter that we can come together under from the storm, there is always music. Music is in fact the one element of our…
England’s classic street punk torchbearers The Filaments had a couple of solid releases under their belts before calling it a day in 2005 when their singer emigrated to the U.S.
On Insane, Taylor James is able to craft a release that touches upon a wide swath of distinct musical genres. On Back 2 U, the album’s first track, James is able to blend together pop, soul, praise and funk music into a very dense and detailed effort. The vocals on the single do more than tell a narrative; they are able to come forth and bolster the aforementioned instrumentation. Say…
Arguably one of the best punk rock/goth supergroups of all time, The Lords of the New Church was sadly close to being forgotten by an entire generation. Comprised of Dead Boys singer Stiv Bators, Brian James from the Damned, Sham 69’s Dave Tregunna, The Barracuda’s Nick Turner and occasionally the Damned’s Rat Scabies, the band’s fantastic 1982 self-titled debut mixed punk rock, British goth and some of the earliest hints…
El Gato Dice have released their third album, Tres. The disc begins with Simplest Design, a work that calls back to the alternative rock of the mid-1980s (The Replacements, Yazoo). The guitar work is complex and adds considerably to this initial effort’s gravitas. With the shift to the second set of vocals at the 1:45 mark, listeners will be further impressed at the instrumentation’s ability to shift to something wholly…
Long Claw’s “Razor Blade Tears” is a strong track that tells a story. The guitar line contributes mightily to the overall narrative of the song. During this single, the vox pull double duty. Rather than solely establishing a narrative, these vocals add an additional layer to the harmonies of this effort. Razor Blade Tears is a track that defies easy description. Fans will be impressed at the passion and ability…
Navakaine’s “Skyliner” is a tender track that succeeds due to its honest and earnest vocals and a richly emotive backing instrumentation. The two elements are able to shine alone or as a cohesive entity. We loved the ability of the two to rise and fall; the shifting tempo of Skyliner ensures that listeners will be continually engaged with the song. Unique in its sound, fans of Taylor Swift and Bif…
Kevin Tiah’s “Voices” is an intense blast of hard rock that brings in hints of late-oughts hardcore, emocore, and a bit of melodic / progressive metal to the mix. The supersonic vocals laid down by Keven during Voices are matched nicely during splashy drums and sizzling guitar lines. The track is able to hit all of the marks in an extremely proficient fashion. With a polish that ensures it garners…