Gold Star is one of those songs that you’ll have to play numerous times before hearing everything that devoN Nickoles has placed inside the composition. While the song works perfectly in the pop paradigm, there’s a thoughtful, indie-infused guitar and drum composition that fills the backing space. It is there where one will find numerous nods to 2000s indie and alternative rock. Gold Star succeeds because Nickoles is able to…
One will immediately be drawn in by the interesting vocal delivery that starts out the new single from AG Gatling, Name It. There’s a drive to his delivery that starts out the song with a splash before settling into a more moderate tempo. The presence of Latice Crawford’s inimtable voice on Name It spins the effort into a bold new direction. It is this desire to keep things dfresh and…
The opening seconds of Ryck Jane’s No Problems is tremendously alluring. There’s a mid-1990s Outkast sound that gets whipped up during the single’s opening that allows a strong lyrical flow to dominate. It is this flow that continues to impress as listeners progress through No Problems, as RJ continually switches things up. One will be firmly locked onto their chairs throughout this cut’s run time. Cutting out at the three…
On Girls Night Out, Jes Marie makes a track that speaks to the last twenty years of pop and country music styles. There’s a supersonic set of vocals that are placed front and center, while the shuffling backing instrumentation will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. We’re amazed at the vocal range that Jes Marie achieves here. A crystal-clear production makes each element shine singularly while…
I’m a steadfast admirer of Universal Dice’s past releases and expect that their pending release Misfit Memoirs matches or exceeds the standard set by Gerry Dantone and his bandmates. The forthcoming collection’s first two singles “Curse”, and “Once Upon a Time”, establishes a high bar. “Once Upon a Time” is the latest track from Universal Dice’s pending album and leaves a lasting effect on the listener. I applaud Dantone and his band’s faithful adherence to traditional songcraft and eschewing any bells and whistles abundant in many modern releases. It…
Jim Vierra & Friends’ “Just One Touch” is a tremendously hopeful track that will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seats. The swelling instrumentation that washes over the composition provides tremendous emphasis to the lyrics that immediately preceded it. Jim Vierra is able to masterfully utilize tempo changes to constantly refresh Just One Touch. The song will be appreciated by anyone that is a fan of gpsel and…
On God Is Good, Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir is able to put forward solid messaging with tremendously compelling instrumental arrangements. The dynamic that is established here provides both the vocal and instrumental sides of the act ample time to shine separately as well as to contribute to a greater whole. The inclusion of Shawn Cottrell’s vox into this mix provides further complexity and depth to the song. The back and…
Slow Wine is the new track from Ohio’s D. Watkins, providing a tremendous introduction to the performer. The cool beat is filled out with a bit of an island sound, while the smooth voice of Watkins is able to achieve a considerable range over the song’s run time. The bit of echo that is placed on these aforementioned vocals do well in tattooing them deeply into the minds and hearts…
Michael V. Doane’s Let’s Go is a hooky track that crosses over a variety of genres and styles during its three-minute run time. There are hints of 2000s country, rock, and even the lightest trappings of pop music that all bubble through at points. Doane’s current single is able to appease music fans through thoughtful compositions, a bombastic production, and a charismatic set of vocals that tie these elements together.…
If You See Eulene is the latest track from NYC’s Porter Block, who creates a timeless composition that links togethers 1960s pop in the vein of The Beach Boys, 1970s album-oriented rock, and alternative acts like Elvis Costello and Weezer. The resulting single will bury its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Straight-forward in its composition, If You See Eulene is one of those efforts that ends…
AMF is an amazing refreshing of the Silkk the Shocker classic, all while giving Flau’jae ample opportunity to shine. She’s able to both build upon the melody crafted by the single’s backing beat while incorporating some emphatic bars. The track is a head-banger, and takes a strong step forward when NLE Choppa lends his imitable style to things. What results in AMF is a song that could both hit the…
The Earthly Frames’ Cicatrise Dud is a funk-infused track that builds on the discography of Parliament while whipping in hints of Radiohead and early-oughts Chicago emo. Simply put, this is one of the most eclectic compositions we’ve heard. The deft production of Cicatrise Dud ensures that each element is given ample time to shine while building towards a wonderful conclusion. The dynamic between guitar, drums, and electronically-distorted vocals reaches a…
When you encounter the likes of “Ride That Money Train,” one of the more formidable excerpts from Jonathan Brenner’s Instagram Success, the first thing you’re going to hear is a powerful melodicism that only gets more potent as we drift further down the line with the arrangement. This opening salvo of play is searing and propellant of a textural melody that will be hard to get out of your head after indulging in its charisma for the…
From the striking tone beneath its title track to the more aggressive melody of the climax of “My Sweetheart,” the movement of the music is always playing an important part in telling us a story in the new EP from Phoenix-based Dorsten, To the River. It’s fairly common to try and pull different elements together within a mix to generate a vibe to match lyricism, but I would be lying if I…
Memory Lane is the third full-length release from Steve Wilson’s skilled bluegrass project Wilson Banjo Co. Wilson has built a reputation as one of the genre’s most formidable talents as a bandleader, producer, songwriter, and engineer for numerous recordings. He’s played alongside top-tier talents such as Deeper Shade of Blue, Dale Ann Bradley, Kim Robins, and Jesse Brock, among others. Wilson Banjo Co. enjoys two critically acclaimed prior releases titled Spirits in…
The sick guitar line that starts out My Baby is something to behold. The call-and-response that starts up a few seconds later is the perfect next step for Duprai Marcel. Adding bass and insistent drums to the mix further hammers home the inimitable melodies deep into a listener’s soul. Every performer executes their role perfectly, making for one of the most cohesive songs we’ve delved into this spring. There’s a…
Somebody is the latest track from Karen Atkins, coming forth in a poppy style that contains some smart instrumental arrangements. The track comes out as something decidedly different from the rest of the music currently choking up the radio charts, a welcome change from the average. The song has hints of pop, world music, EDM, and folk. No two moments of Somebody sound the same, a fact that keeps the…
The Infamous HER’s “Make You Mine” builds off of the framework of performers like The Breeders and The Cardigans. The charismatic vocals bring me back to Ray of Light-era Madonna, albeit done with a much more organic style than Madge. The single’s chorus will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners, while the slinky bass line that plays at the bottom end of the track keeps things funky.…
Rough Sex is the new single from Cheflodezzy, representing a strong step forward for the performer. From the single’s onset, fans will be hit with an intense backing beat, supreme confidence in the lyrical content, and a back-and-forth between the lead and Marcy Chin’s feature. This is a booming, engrossing effort that will get fans out on the dance floor. Reggae, drill and rap have never sounded as good as…
Hands On Me has one of the hookiest choruses that we’ve heard so far this year. On the track, Mike Teezy is able to infuse traditional gospel with smooth, silky vocals in the vein of a Trey Songz or Jason Derulo. The production of Hands on Me ensures that each beat contributes to a cohesive and coherent effort, all wrapping up a very faithful and honest subject material. The addition…