I had a really eye opening experience recently, and it was at the last place where I would ever expect to learn something new about my job, and really, myself. I was in an antique store, and for the first time in my entire life of shopping in antiques stores on the west coast, I didn’t see a single record player. Not one. No vinyl either. This surprised me, as…
Canadian Tia McGraff, originally from the region surrounding Toronto, first met her musical partner and eventual husband Tommy Parham in Nashville and the couple have been recording and playing live together for many years. Parham is her chief collaborator, as well, on McGraff’s well received studio recordings and recent years have seen the tandem land their music on important radio shows like BBC 2’s Bob Harris Country and earn them…
Jesus, who knew it would take a band of 20-somethings to perfectly, organically resurface the vibe of ‘70s rock – from the swagger of the Stones to the swamp funk of Leon Russell – for the modern era. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
There are few feelings that are as tumultuous and difficult to process as heartbreak. We are never sadder and at our most defenselessly defeated as we are when we’ve lost love, and knowing that we’re not alone out there can make all the difference in the world when it comes to getting through the storm of emotions we have to endure. Reaching out through the darkness with a bursting light…
The influence of ambient music has been quite visible thus far in genres as wide ranging as hip-hop, rock n’ roll, radio pop and R&B this year, and I think I’m finally beginning to understand the reasons why. When I was listening to indie pop singer/songwriter Cole’s new single “If I’m Really” the other day, something occurred to me. Back in the mid-80s, right around the time that the roots…
Los Angeles-based Power Pop band The Quick may have only put out one album in their short existence, but that one record, Mondo Deco, helped to bridge the gap between glam music and the then burgeoning punk rock scene. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
As a musician myself, it’s been a really amazing thing to see the impact that smaller indie labels and artists acting as their own representative have had in the last 15 years. Since I first got into music, I’ve been able to see things change quite a bit, where once an A&R department and marketing agents made most of the decisions about what we were going to be listening to…
Some of the best music, regardless of genre, is the music that we can dance to and get crazy with just as easily as we can enjoy it on its own without any external interference. The best artists though, are the ones who have the ability to bring all of the magic from the studio with them out on the road and atop any stage, no matter how big or…
Costa Rican-born pianist and composer Esteban Alvarez is back and better than ever in his new album Piano Meets Mariachi and its accompanying single “La Bikina,” both arriving just in time for the summer record season (and making quite a splash in doing so). Unsatisfied with turning out a predictable album that would merely placate the needs of his longtime fans and the critics alike, Alvarez pulls out all of…
In a dazzling explosion of colorful tones and mammoth, glowing melodies that seem to melt through the stereo speakers like some sort of magical elixir, Fitzsimon and Brogan’s new album Big Blue World is making some gigantic waves even before it hits stores this June, and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who has been following the European indie underground lately. There’s been a lot of energy gathering in the…
Kelly Padrick’s “Heavenly Ride” draws upon the B-52, Nancy Sinatra, and Fleetwood Mac for inspiration. The guitars pull inspiration from 1960s surf music, while there is a bit of fuzz that touches upon the anarchistic 1990s indie-rock scene. Kelly’s vocals are the glue that make the sizzling guitars, chugging bass line, and groovy drums work together. Padrick’s vocals are able to fill in the breaks in the instrumentation while imbuing…
The collaboration between Azmeryth x NTRE, “Feel You”, begins with a sweeping set of synths and dreamy vocals. A slower tempo gradually picks up at the 1:15 mark before moving into an instrumental back and forth between assertive synths and sequenced percussion. Feel You is a journey. At nearly five minutes, one will be surprised at how rapidly the track goes by. The single effortlessly includes intricate and deep instrumentation,…
VanWyck’s intensely personal effort “Red River Girl” will draw fans in through a careful and intricately-arranged 90-second introduction. The rich tones of VanWyck’s videos contribute doubly to the track in that they lay out a cogent narrative as well as interact with the strings and strummed guitars. The dynamic between instrumental and vocal sections of Red River Girl are continually shifting and changing, ensuring that the four-minute run time of…
Jazzy Amra’s “You Got Me” is an effort that draws from late 1990s R&B, funk, and pop styles while cultivating a very unique sort of sound. The richness of Jazzy’s vocals makes the backing instrumentation pop. We’re big fans of the vocal / synth dynamic that is fostered throughout You Got Me. By crafting keys that build off of the 1980s electro-funk, this single feels absolutely timeless. The presence of…
Mikey Wax’s “Big Little Life” is an emotional, passionate single that will have Mikey tattoo his melodies deep into listeners’ minds. The backing instrumentation blends bass with 1980s-tinged guitar, while additional vocal layers reveal themselves like an onion with subsequent plays. Wax’s latest single reaches its next plateau at the 2:45 mark, where the momentum kicks up and the instrumentation stands as a bold counterpoint to Mikey’s vox. Big Little…
I’ve been down this road before – the Detroit music landscape. It’s crinkled edges dog-eared for rock’s dingy clubs. Or maybe it’s the Motown avenue, where vocal groups in perfect harmony have synchronized themselves walking down the street. Still yet, maybe Detroit is the hardened, rough streets where rappers use lyrics instead of fists. There’s always room for more, the ghosts of Detroit remind me. Always. Markus Drueryrapidfirepr.com/
Hi Lo Ha’s intriguing new offering Ain’t Gone Tonight opens in the gentle daze of its leading track “Cold Weather Clothes,” a slow churning journey through a sonic oasis delicately pieced together in an ethereal patchwork woven by its four equally talented players. Its essential harmony isn’t buried in feedback but instead presented to us in an extremely vulnerable clarity that creates a unique feeling of intimacy between the listener and Hi Lo…
MAAD’s “New Religion” exists at the nexus of a number of styles, as MAAD’s vocals pull from the mid-oughts R&B style and the bass/keys backing beat interacts with the thick beats of modern EDM. The light, airy sound of MAAD’s vocals work perfectly with the heavier bass elements. The extended synth solo that occurs at the 2:15 mark provides just enough in the way of variation to refresh fans and…
Nothing More’s “Just Say When” begins with a contemplative instrumentation that gradually snowballs into an orchestral brand of rock that draws from the rich musical tradition of Mumford and Sons and Of Mice and Men. A multi-layered approach means that any second of Just Say When has vocals, drums, and guitars shining brightly while contributing to a cohesive and coherent sound. The raw passion and charisma of the lead vocals…
Just Loud’s “Electrified” is a riveting synth-pop single in which the performer draws upon performers like MGMT and Crystal Castles. The back and forth between vocal and instrumental sides keeps things light and airy through Electrified’s run time. The drum / synth dynamic allows for a perfect beat and just enough spontaneity to keep fans firmly planted on the edges of their seats. The cross-over potential of Just Loud’s current…