“Rearranged” – the debut EP by Mark Rogers was recorded and mastered at Master Sound in Virginia Beach, VA by Bob Ulsh and produced by Mark Rogers himself, Bob Ulsh and Larry Berwald, with Mark’s “dream team” of Tidewater, VA players, which they’re called by many. His music is acoustic guitar-based featuring well-crafted hooks, nice vocal harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, a bit of folk rock jangle and a pinch of bossa…
We may just be a few months into the new year, but it’s safe to say Professor And The Madman are the best punk rock supergroup we’ll hear all year. Fronted by Alfie Agnew (Adolescents, D.I.) and Sean Elliott (D.I., Mind Over Four), the rest of the band is filled out with members of The Damned, past and present – Rat Scabies on drums and Paul Gray on bass.
The nine song collection from Noble Son entitled Joy in Violence is an outgrowth of an episode with mental illness that the creative mastermind behind the project, Adam Kirschner, recently experienced. He sat down and composed eight songs in fourteen days and followed that up with likely six intense days recording the album with Joel Hamilton and a small coterie of musicians in South Carolina. The result is a full…
There’s always a sense of hesitation when a universally adored, classic band puts out new music after years away. The Pixies are probably one of the best examples. “Indie Cindy,” the 2014 post-reunion album that came after two decades of silence was… well, underwhelming. Expectations are just too high for most bands to meet. The Breeders, coincidentally made up of former Pixies bassist Kim Deal, may be one of the…
As co-founder of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and dependable solo artist, it’s reassuring to see Chris Hillman get his due with the re-release of two of his earliest going-it-alone records.
Physician and author Robin Kelly has pursued a musical career for some time now and continues achieving startling results with each new release. His fifth studio recording Orewa Heartbeat is an outstanding collection of songs aiming to delve deep into the reality of our experiences while avoiding any self-indulgence common to less artful practitioners of the form. Much of Kelly’s Eastern influenced belief system works its way into attitudes in…
Dan Rodriguez’s music mixes the hard bitten rock and roll style from a Detroit upbringing with the singer/songwriter aesthetic defining much of his adopted Minneapolis scene. He sounds comfortable working in both styles and the six songs on his new release 25 Years underscores the confidence guiding his work. Rodriguez hired John Fields to handle production duties for this EP release and he brings an unity of sound to 25…
RĀI’s Southern upbringing ensures his musical talents are heavily influenced by the classic sounds of R&B, soul, and gospel and illuminates his music in a way few other performers from his generation manifest for audiences. His new single “Back to Life” is alluring R&B and soul with a positive message that RĀI embodies in the way he approach his life and art alike – he’s committed to embedding positive messages…
Based out of Charleston, South Carolina, the duo of John and Kevin Shields write and perform under the moniker Little Stranger and their latest single “Sing It High” will be wildly entertaining for those familiar with the duo and potentially revelatory for those encountering their work for the first time. It’s easy to hear, when you listen to this song, why Little Stranger has commanded such a passionate, albeit still…
Emo bands never die… they just usually grow up and keep making the same records they made in the early aughts. In the case James Dewees (aka Reggie & the Full Effect), that means another so-so effort with hints of promise that ultimately falls apart after repeated listens.
Lexie Rose’s rise from under the radar budding songwriting talent to major global star begins with this five song EP release. On My Own finds the seventeen year old giant in the making working alongside top notch producer Max Allyn to craft a collection that aims high and consistently hits its mark. It isn’t just breathtaking to hear a young songwriter so capable of learning from her collaborators; it’s equally…
Johnny Chops’ new album Johnny Chops & The Razors begins with Believer, an emphatic blues-rock track that deftly brings together country, rock and a hint of psychedelia tinge. The resulting effort is catchy, musically intense, and stands up easily to repeat plays. A lush production on this releases ensures that each element is able to shine on its own or as contributing to a larger whole.
Since their debut just over a decade ago, Scottish alt pop band The Fratellis have been churning out infectiously catchy pop, with enough jangly guitars and power chords to appease the indie kids, but also boasting a much wider appeal. And “In Your Own Sweet Time,” their fifth record, is no different.
Monsieur Jobs’ “Chow Chow eyyy Pow Pow” is an attention grabbing debut single featuring a cadre of top flight musical and songwriting talent. No Mercy’s long-standing vocalist Martin Citron gives this immediate commercial appeal it might have otherwise lacked, but the combination of Toby Holguin, Leo Jaramillo, Stan Kolev, and Charlie Illera deliver the goods from a musical point of view and their contributions are informed by a deep grounding…
At the Gates requires no introduction, not from someone the likes of me at the very least. Hailed among the forefathers of the Gothenburg melodic death metal scene, these Swedes have been iconic in shaping a genre and spawned a legion of like-minded bands in their decades-long career.
AV Super Sunshine’s “Smile” ties together a number of distinct dance styles – the mid-1980s style of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the 1970s electronic approach of Gershon Kingsley, and even bits of INXS and U2. The sheer depth of Smile means that listeners need to strap on a pair of headphones to hear everything that is going on. AV Super Sunshine come out with a new song that completely changes up…
Nadia Kazmi’s “Like A Cat” is an effort that calls back to the days of performers like Patti Smith and Suzanne Vega. The clear and driving vocals that are the focal point of Kazmi’s new single will lock listeners to the edges of their seats, while the instrumentation is no shrinking violent. Particular kudos have to be given to the emotive (and splashy) drums, the chugging bass, and the fashion…
Beca’s “In Deep Love” is a song that calls back to early Madonna with a tremendously engrossing synth line. The insistent beat that plays at the bottom of the single will get listeners out on the dance floor, while their is a sly, coy sound to Beca’s vocals that is truly special.
Annalise Azadian’s “Passenger Mirror” is one of those tracks that hit on all cylinders. Azadian’s vocals are tremendous, showcasing the same complexity and range of performers like Lorde or Ellie Goulding. The vocals do tell a story, but the dynamic which they create with the instrumentation makes for an effort that will stick around with listeners long after the effort ceases to play. The track is able to exist at…
The Aces “Volcanic Love” is a powerful retro-infused song that melds together the rock of the 1980s with the alternative singer-songwriter style of the mid nineties to make for something wholly different from what is being played on radio rotation. Introspective guitar lines, a fullness to the backing beat contributed by the bass and drums, and rich vocals combine to tattoo the song’s melodies deep into the minds and hearts…