The Edge Of Reason’s “Is She Worth It” a hard rock track that skillfully blends together metalcore, emocore, and Tool-like progressive metal in a fashion that is not only cohesive, but showcases exactly how unique The Edge of Reason are. Powerful vocals, intense arrangements, and a punchiness that will get right in listeners’ faces are commonplace in Is She Worth It. Of particular note during this single has to be…
Mello Talk’s “Head Games” is a laidback sort of electronic pop. The mid-tempo beat upon which the vocals are draped over represents a stable and emphatic nudge towards the dance floor. There is a bit of world weariness to these vocals; listeners will be able to feel the same sort of tension that is discussed in the lyrics. It is this heightened emotional quality that makes Head Games into a…
Stuart Wilson’s Real Come Back Story hits on all cylinders. The track’s brassy horns, sexy vocals, and sizzling guitar work is a direct homage to the rhythm and blues of the early 1970s. The importance of the bass line, the dominance of the instrumentation, and the narrative quality of Wilson during this track further hammer home this comparison; this is the type of song that is all too short at…
Felly’s “Wide Angle” is a bass-heavy rap track that takes up the standards of R&B, reggae, and trap music to make a single that is distinct from the other singles out now. Felly’s flow is half rap, half R&B, while the bars laid down by Konshens provide a nice boost to the single’s momentum. Konshens’s patois sends Wide Angle into a much different style; the rapid-fire flow works nicely with the…
Parker Polhill’s “Wasted” is a soulful composition in the vein of performers like Justin Timberlake and Justin Bieber. The sexy, sultry sound of Parker’s vocals work well with the EDM-infused instrumentation which takes hints from Avicii.
Jim Allchin’s “You Might Be Wrong” is a soulful effort that builds off of the blues-rock and jazz styling. A sizzling horn and charismatic set of vocals are coupled with immaculate guitars. Each of the elements contribute to make a full-sounding and bouncy track in You Might Be Wrong; Allchin’s output spans the last forty years of music. For fans of Randy Newman, Big Brother and the Holding Company and Canned…
NYA’s “Let Go” ties together pop, R&B, and EDM is a touching and introspective track. A powerful beat is threaded through Let GO, while NYA’s vocals are tremendously effecting from the first note until the final utterance on the single. The rising and falling action of this single will keep listeners firmly on the edges of their seats. I feel that Let Go is distinct enough for fans to take…
The Howlin’ Souls – “Free & Young” link together 1960s and 1970s rock (Detroit rock, psychedelic, and surf) into a slinky, soulful sound that is reminiscent of early The Rolling Stones and Iggy Pop. Strong guitar work here bolsters the grittier vocals; bits of a blues and honky tonk approach can be discerned here. Fans of Alice Cooper will find something that they can appreciate with The Howlin’ Souls; this…
Zander Bleck’s “Alive” is an epic track. Bleck’s vocals resound loudly over an emotionally intense track that brings in hints of goth and Joshua Tree-era U2. With a harmony that is hard to top, Alive is truly timeless. The careful instrumentation that comprises the backbone of the track stands up to repeat plays. The dynamic between guitar/drum and guitar/vocals are stunning; chiaroscuro (dark/light) is used to great effect here. We…
Veronica Bianqui’s Victim is an alt-rock track that brings in some interesting inclusion; the heavy rock sound that issued from from Detroit, the swirling eddys of mid-1990s alt music, and hints of the 1960s singers (e.g. Nancy Sinatra, Joan Baez) in Veronica’s vocals. A fun track that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners, Victim is one of the best tracks that we have heard this…
Mr. Flannery and His Feelings’ “Embers Of Dead Fires” is an indie rock track that showcases a number of influences and styles. There are hints of Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie in the vocals, while the jangling guitars and noisy production speaks to the fuzzy sounds of mid-oughts emo (The Appleseed Cast, The Anniversary). What results in Embers of Dead Fires is an effort that is beautiful, expansive,…
Brooklyn Queen’s “EMOJI” calls back to a middle-oughts pop style. The twinkling sound of the production works well to provide a further boost to her vocals, while the interspersed visual scenes (showcasing BQ in detention) provide a bit more information about the performer. The track’s overall sound is catchy and feels destined for radio rotation; the subject matter speaks to anyone that is going through a hard day and needs…
Wyclef Jean – What Happened to Love’s a high-energy track that shines due to the inclusion of the vocals of Lunch Money Lewis. The retro sound of this single is reminiscent of the sunny style of the early 1990s. The shuffling beat, sizzling vocals, and shifting styles make for an effort that will slot into playlists easily. The spontaneous sound of What Happened to Love gives it legs; there are…
Rich Chigga’s “Glow Like Dat” is a dreamy sort of rap track that shines due to Chigga’s intense wordplay. The melodies that Chigga contributes to this single makes for a fuller sounding single than a great many rap tracks clogging radio play and playlists.
Oriel Poole’s Homegirl is an interesting pop track that takes on a number of distinct styles. This means that there are nods here to 1980s new wave, 1990s dance, and bits of glitch and trip-hop. The retro sound of the instrumentation will please fans of artists like MGMT and Passion Pit, while the sultry vocals laid down by Poole during Homegirl exudes tremendous cool.
Julia Othmer’s Hungry Days (Make Me Feel) is an effort that builds off of a rich pop tradition. Othmer’s vocals take hints of Pink and Kelly Clarkson and adds hints of Nancy Sinatra, all while a high energy blend of rock and electronic styles create a compelling backing beat.
Melissa Robertson’s ‘He’s A Writer Of Songs’ is a powerful track that draws upon the 1970s singer-songwriter; Robertson is able to build off of the framework of performers like Carole King and Karen Carpenter. The instrumentation presented to fans on He’s A Writer Of Songs ties together pop, country, and folk styles. Melissa’s vocals are the focal point on this single, rising and falling with tremendous care. These vocals, while confident…
Londale’s Let’s Take A Ride is a mid-tempo effort that is tremendously touching, emotionally intense effort. The dynamic between the lyric and vocal sides pushes each to an entirely higher plateau. The drum / guitar back and forth creates the backdrop upon which the weathered, slightly gritty vocals can shine. The track does well in showcasing the weariness of life and how refreshing the titular activity would be. Let’s Take…
On Quaker Hill, Kala Farnham is able to establish a unique style that ties together 1960s pop, folk, and country music. With an instrumentation firmly located in the bluegrass / folk style, Quaker Hill is a track that is bouncy, emotionally intense, and ultimately appreciable by anyone that has ever felt like a fish out of water. The production of Quaker Hill allows each instrument and lyric to shine on…
Tommy Stinson surprised many earlier this year by resurrecting his old band (or the moniker at least), Bash & Pop to put out a new full LP of tracks. The result was “Anything Could Happen,” a dozen down and dirty straight up rock songs that hues pretty close to The Replacements, the band that started it all for Tommy.