Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: December 30, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Shane Palko “Don’t Fall In Love While Time Traveling”

Shane Palko’s “Don’t Fall In Love While Time Traveling” is a touching bit of indie rock that draws upon the American folk tradition. There is a resounding sound to this single that will stick with listeners long after the effort ceases to play. The instrumentation rises and falls, providing highlighting to Palko’s vocals. Each element – the drums, guitars, and vocals – is absolutely integral in making this single into…

Posted on: December 30, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Those Damn Eyes “Give and Take”

Those Damn Eyes’ “Give and Take” is an intense and richly emotional hard-rock / emo / hardcore track that showcases an intense set of vocals and smart instrumentation. The brooding sound of the track is established with assertive guitars that draw upon the tradition of performers like At The Drive-In and Taking Back Sunday. The vocals here build off of the tradition of Paramore and Brand New. With a solid…

Posted on: December 29, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 2

NYA “Mania”

NYA’s “Mania” is a powerful pop track that will immediately draw listeners in with a strong, emphatic guitar line and an inimitable set of vocals. NYA is able to tell a story while adding to the overall harmony of the composition with each line. This radio-ready effort will interest a wide swath of fans, from those liking the traditional pop of Kelly Clarkson to even more alternative-pop performers like Elle…

Posted on: December 29, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Shadow of Whales “Runaway”

Shadow of Whales’ “Runaway” is a tremendously catchy single, with nods not only to the Brit-pop of acts like Blur, but to current punk/power-pop acts like Walk The Moon and late Good Charlotte. 

Posted on: December 29, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Jim & Me – The Sweet Green Dress

Jim & Me is able to craft a very alluring piece of indie rock with his The Sweet Green Dress. A pair of vocals are able to immediately draw in listeners, while nothing more than a bit of acoustic guitar is needed as the instrumentation. The sheer amount of care that is taken to weave a cogent narrative is unparalleled; listeners will be set adrift with the intelligent arrangements and…

Posted on: December 28, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Seed / Le Paranoie by MFarinato aka Pigna & los angeles

The Seed is a tremendously inspirational effort that draws upon the style of late-nineties Santana for an initial influence. There is a much richer tradition that can be drawn back to the 1960s and 1970s. Fans of rap, Latin, soul, and pop will be able to find something that they can appreciate here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7pEaXsJTQA Le Paranoie cannot be a more different track. There is a traditional vocal/guitar sound that not only…

Posted on: December 25, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

BRKLYN “I’m On Somethin’” feat. Jocelyn Alice

BRKLYN’s “I’m On Somethin’” features Jocelyn Alice and crosses over between EDM, pop, and even alternative genres of music. The beat of I’m On Something is tremendously infectious, while the sheer range of Jocelyn Alice’s vocals is the glue that unites the elements of the track. With Alice delving into the style of performers like Halsey and Ryn Weaver, BRKLYN’s inimitable sound is further varied. Slowed down / chopped vocals…

Posted on: December 25, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Tritonal – Call Me

Tritonal’s Call Me has an infectious beat and assertive vocals that will burrow themselves deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The multiple layers that Tritonal lay down here stand up to repeat listens, with a rising and falling motion to the single that bolster the aforementioned vox in all of the right points. Call Me is a sunny track that will do tons to keep off the winter…

Posted on: December 24, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Kevin Fisher – Beer Me

Time working alongside some of the most popular acts in music today, among them Rascal Flatts, has honed Kevin Fisher’s songwriting skills into a finely tuned instrument for delivering mainstream delights. His debut collection Beer Me seizes upon a quintessentially American topic, the virtues of beer, and serves up a 12 pack of variations on the same joke. He has a skill for twisting everyday phrases into endorsements for the…

Posted on: December 24, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

World Void Web – Memories in Raindrops

World Void Web’s Memories in Raindrops is a tremendously emotive effort that tells a story over the course of four and three-quarters minutes. Little more is needed from World Void Web than a synth and a percussive element to get listeners engaged. The video (enclosed below the drop) provides additional context to the composition. There are distinct movements to Memories in Raindrops that keeps the momentum of the composition high.…

Posted on: December 24, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Kelly McGrath – O Holy Night

Kelly McGrath has enjoyed considerable and gathering commercial success in the last two years propelled by her acumen for writing and delivering songs possessing across the board appeal and genuine musical, as well as emotional weight. Her latest single “O Holy Night” expands on those qualities with a particularly affecting performance, both vocally and musically, that pushes far beyond the broad-stroked cheer and clichés typical to Yuletide themed releases. Instead,…

Posted on: December 22, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Liz Kennedy – Hike Up Your Socks

Liz Kennedy scores big with her latest studio release Hike Up Your Socks and enlists some major league firepower to pull it off. Taj Mahal guests on significant album cuts and adds another weapon in Kennedy’s sonic arsenal. It helps, however, that Kennedy has written her best collection of songs yet for this recording and, based on exuded confidence alone, comes off as a musical artist who entered the studio…

Posted on: December 21, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 1

MkX – Ghost

MkX has scored big with his newest single “Ghost” – this budding pop sensation spares no effort with a fantastic song that accomplishes the dual feat of making a personal statement with great artfulness and entertaining audiences with a highly musical and physical approach to performance. It’s a winning combination throughout. It’s been released with an accompanying video that emphasizes the intense connection MkX feels exists between his music and…

Posted on: December 21, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Matteo Markus Bok “This Christmas”

Matteo Markus Bok’s energetic new holiday song “This Christmas” is able to have a current and contemporary sound while drawing heavily on the traditional jazz sound of the middle 20th century. The vocal range that Bok reaches during This Christmas allows the track to have a much deeper and more alluring sound, as Matteo is able to add considerably to the overall melody of the composition. When there are so…

Posted on: December 20, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Brian Hutson – Midnight Sessions

The release of the Midnight Sessions EP constitutes vocalist Brian Hutson’s first full on attempt to capitalize on the success he’s experienced with a spate of singles. His initial single releases revealed him as a young vocalist with unusual versatility and depth readily achieving effects that it takes other promising youthful talents a decade or more to reach. Much of this has to do with innate talent, naturally, but producer…

Posted on: December 18, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Phil MC – “It’s Christmas”

Phil MC’S latest single It’s Christmas is a psychedelic-tinged effort that showcases an emphatic bass line, echoing vocals, and a frenetic pace that gradually open into something more contemplative and trippy. The distinct elements of It’s Christmas are able to combine into a stomping, strong song that will tattoo its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners . Phil MC is able to make a Christmas track into…

Posted on: December 16, 2017 Posted by: Cyrus Rhodes Comments: 0

Django Mack – 100 Page Tattoo

The latest release from singer/songwriter-Americana act Django Mack, 100 Page Tattoo, continues the band’s creative progress while consolidating their past achievements. Few outfits working today in this style can claim the depth and entertainment value of the six songs included with this new EP release.

Posted on: December 14, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Otis Silver “Catch Me If You Can”

Otis Silver’s got a hell of a voice. On his new single, “Catch Me If You Can”, Silver is able to immediately place himself alongside performers like Jeremih and R. Kelly. We were absolutely stunned with how well the backing beat accentuates Otis’ vocals. Kidocean’s production is the glue that ties everything together, making for a single that could easily garner airplay on R&B, rap, or crossover stations. The intricate,…

Posted on: December 14, 2017 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Liquid Mind XII: Peace

Liquid Mind has crafted an engrossing release in XII: Peace. At The Center is Love opens up with confident synths that elicit imagines of a warm, inviting glade. The 6-plus minute run time of this introduction provides Liquid Mind the time to gradually move into a more richly emotive sound. There is a narrative that is weaved throughout the entirety of Peace that continues through to Communication and Person to…