A powerful track, Nicky Romero’s Take Me utilizes the vocals of Colton Avery to tattoo a melody deep into listeners’ souls. The instrumental / vocal dynamic that is crafted here pushes each to an entirely higher plateau. Part of the beauty of Take Me has to be the diversity of approaches that Romero utilizes.
Over 16 years and across more than half a dozen albums, the Dublin-based Bell X1 has seen their numbers swell and fall – they are now a tight trio; they’ve dabbled in folk pop and synth rock and have ended up somewhere in between; and with their latest, “Arms,” they have attempted to reset all expectations and in doing so have turned in one of their most consistently satisfying albums…
Milana May’s “Crazy Boy” is a haunting effort that immediately draws fans in through a blending of atmospheric and expansive instrumentation. A pop-forward set of vocals do two distinct things over the course of the track’s duration. These vocals add considerably to the harmonies achieved with the song, along with providing a distinct counterpoint to the instrumental arrangement.
Debris is an electronic-infused pop track that links together ambient, trip-hop, and glitch into a song that both bolsters the vocals while giving music aficiandos something to sink their teeth into. The instrumentation that plays at the back of Debris is impressive, rising and falling to keep listeners firmly on the edges of their seat.
Roses for Ghosts’ “Beauty’s Sweetest Dress” is a power-pop track that builds off of the framework initially laid down by Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, and Bowling For Soup. The band spins in a bold new direction with an electronic-infused double step, giving Beauty’s Sweetest Dress a considerable boost.
Pola Bair’s No Chasers comes forth with hard-hitting backing instrumentation and a raw flow. The track builds off of trap and Hypnotize Minds cuts, while the front-forward rap flow stands in bold contrast to the twinkling, electronic-tinged beat.
DownTown Mystic’s Rock’n’Roll Romantic was released on disc in October, tying together the musical contributions of a who’s who in rock music. E Street Band veterans including Garry W. Tallent and Max Weinberg lay down performances alongside PJ and Steve of Trixter. Before Rock’n’Roll Romantic concludes, the musician roles increase to include Ian Hunter’s Rant Band and The Discontent. DownTown Mystic creates a cogent story that is weaved through the whole of…
“Clap Like Ozzy” is an absolutely furious opening tot he latest album from Suicidal Tendencies. The intense guitars, breakneck drums, and crystal-clear vocals will have listeners sitting on the edges of their seats. “The New Degeneration” is a churning, brutal track that calls back to the band’s mid-1980s output. The guitar work cuts through the track while the drums keep listeners on their toes. A chugging, straight-forward section brings the cut…
I Get Lonesome, Too is the first track on Tim Houlihan’s new album, Another Orion. The track calls upon the singer-songwriter style of the mid-1970s. The rich guitar work and emotive vocals will immediately draw listeners in, while subtle nods to Neil young, John Denver, and America all bubble through during this introductory track.
Honey and Jude’s Weirdos and Freaks is a punky, poppy track that will immediately bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of anyone listening in. The two-part vocals variously build off of the tradition of Bif Naked, Paramore, Justin Guarini and Joe Jonas.
Alicia Rae’s Little Warrior is a powerful effort. The single needs little more than Alicia’s vocals and piano to begin, moving into a more intricate space as the rest of the band kicks in. Rae is able to blend together pop, country, and inspirational music into something engaging.
2016 has been an incredible year for new music. As the year starts to come to an end, here are a few different albums from that you can expect to be frontrunners for Best Album of the Year.
On “Above the Horizon,” Nashville’s Maradeen manages to deftly blend pop with classic Southern Rock and a little bit of the 1970s Laurel Canyon sound for a nostalgic album crammed with sweet harmonies.
Surface Tension is a fun pop-infused track that contains a polished orchestra behind Sara McDonald’s alluring voice. Wax Garden is our favorite on the EP; the intricate and detailed arrangements that play behind McDonald’s vocals virtually require fans to play the composition multiple times before hearing every nuance presented within.
Sky Grows Taller and Scary People are miles away from their general sound, but they represent a solid one-two punch on the Puberty Tales from Mad Meg. The slower tempo of SGT is a great way to introduce fans to Mad Meg, while the intense instrumentation and catchy punk/funk sound of Scary People ratchets up the momentum nicely.
The intense instrumentation that begins Charlotte Berg’s latest single Let It Burn (from her latest EP It’s the Damsel Who Decides) immediately gives something powerful for Charlotte to work off of. Berg’s talented enough to imbue each lyric and note with raw passion and emotion.
If not for Big Star, the late great Memphis band that ran from ’72-to-’78 before finally calling it a day, we’d likely never have groups like Teenage Fanclub, R.E.M., The Replacements, The Posies… hell, Ryan Adams would probably be in a metal band now if it weren’t for Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummel.
Shenna Walker’s latest track Favor will immediately draw listeners in with a very catchy beat, which ties together R&B, funk, and soul before ceasing a bit after the four-minute mark. Walker’s vocals confidently glide over the track. The production of Favor is solid enough to allow each element (instrumentation, Walker’s vocals) ample time to shine on their own, all while contributing to an inimitable sort of sound. The tautness of…
Son & Thief’s All I Care About is a timeless indie/alt-rock track that succeeds due to smart instrumentation, hooky vocals, and a polished production that allows all elements the proper chance to shine. The dialogue between the guitars/drums and the vocals pushes each side to a higher plateau. A dreamy environment awaits listeners on All I Care About.
J GRGRY’s eFlower is an eclectic track that includes a beautiful set of vocals, bassy drums, echoing indie rock guitars, and a tempo that matches uptempo EDM efforts. The sheer breadth of styles and approaches adopted here make for a song that all will appreciate, sounding delightful while having some solid instrumental arrangements that will take multiple spins to properly unpack.