Sexy Kiss is an effort from The NaveBlues that ties together a wide variety of styles. Hints of Devo, the Talking Heads, and Tom Petty can all be discerned here. The unique approach that the band takes during Sexy Kiss makes for something incredibly infectious.
Liliana Martins begins her Corpo-Fado with Tango de um amor proibido, a composition which is timeless, drawing inspiration from the initial wave of fado singers while creating something that will appease fans of classical, Broadway, and even pop singers like Shakira. The raw passion and ability of Martins here creates something that will resound loudly in fans’ ears long after Corpo-Fado has ceased to play. Há uma voz que me acorda…
Surrender is a track that succeeds based on Carolyn Marie’s desire to blend together disparate styles. Tying together a current style of pop (Katy Perry, Shakira), R&B, and earlier (1990s) type of dance with bits of dubstep and trap, Surrender is a track that will bounce around listeners’ heads long after it ceases.
To The Stars is the first track on Sweet Sweet’s In Tandem, and immediately showcases such a wide array of styles and approaches that fans will eagerly anticipate the songs to follow. Hints of artists like The Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men can be picked out, but what Sweet Sweet do is unparalleled in music. This means that there are hints of folk, alternative, and even pop-rock that filter…
The KC Sisters deftly blend together a number of styles over the course of their three latest singles, Touch the Sky, Daddy Came Home and How the Irish Won the West.
Motionless, the latest single by Nashville’s Eddy Bayes, immediately draws listeners in. The intimate opening gradually opens up into a folk and Americana-inspired sound. Bayes is able to make a deep and voluminous composition with little more than his vocals and guitar.
Georgica Pond, the highly anticipated new album from the beloved singing-songwriting duo JOHNNYSWIM, will be released September 30 on Big Picnic Records. The new music follows their 2014 Top 10 debut Diamonds which received widespread critical acclaim—Billboard hailed, “We fell in love with them musically, personally, everything” while People furthered, “…an intimate interplay their marriage of pop and folk…”
Gothenburg, Sweden’s Man from the Box immediately draws listeners in with the first track of Three Sides of a Tragedy; Was Better Before is an intense blend of sizzling guitars, dark and dirty progressive metal, and a narrative that will have listeners following each word. Two minutes is all that is needed to set the stage for the rest of the album.
The alt-rock that is crafted by Happy Lives during their Sick Love link together acts like Weezer and Cake, adding a sick bass line and a certain funk that works masterfully with the song’s wry vocals.
Wait & See has a nice echo that adds considerably to the fullness of the composition, while Watching Over Me (feat. MC Wailer) is our favorite track on the release. It is during this single that Astra Dolphin is able to build upon the style of performers like Stevie Nicks and Cyndi Lauper. A reggae style is promoted here by the presence of MC Wailer to give a wholly different flair to…
Rhea Monet’s Turn Out The Lights is a single that builds off of the strong female pop style of acts like Beyonce and Rihanna. A hard-hitting percussion sets the stage for the track, while the slinky, sultry vocals provided by Monet will get listeners up and active.
Will Jay’s Gentleman is a happy track that calls back to the days of sixties pop and surf music. Jay’s vocals elicit comparisons to Jason Mraz and Bruno Mars, while Gentleman is an effort that will bury its melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners.
Sophie Peters is able to build off of the pop sounds of the 1970s with tracks like This Is Not Love. A lush, funk/soul sound creates a backdrop that highlights Peters’ vocals in all of the right places. One will be amazed at the technical skill brought to the single by the backing band; the taut players here make for something that has a ropy bass line, punctual drums, and…
Give Me Twenty is an electronic-infused pop track that builds on the framework of Britney Spears and Cascade to create something that will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners.
Mark Angels creates a bouncing, intense sort of dance track that takes up hints of drum & bass and R&B to create something wholly unique. Strong vocals punctuate the cut, while an on-point percussion fills out the track.
Rod Melancon is able to create a smart sort of indie rock with his latest single “Perry” that builds off of a framework that utilizes hints of early Goo Goo Dolls, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and The Replacements. Strong guitar work and a dusty set of vocals make for something that works.
Joanna Wallfisch’s Moons of Jupiter is a tender track, linking together a playful piano line with a dreamy set of vocals. The single is given further depth through the contributions of the The Sacconi String Quartet. While Moons of Jupiter is an effort that draws heavily on classical compositions, what results with the single is something that could easily find its way onto pop stations. Unlike many other poppy efforts, there is…
Fake Life starts with a deep and dark beat that calls comparisons to gangster music, 50 Cent, and Rick Ross singles. The energy brought the cut by Majestic’s vocals is reminiscent of artists like Tech N9ne and Brotha Lynch Hung. A bit of screwed and chopped lyrics provide further variety to the track, while the intensity of Majestic’s vocals keep the replay value of the song high.
“Wish” by the Ultra Violent Rays is an effort that ties together oughts-alternative with bits of The Waitresses and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The electronic tinge that is present here creates a organic-electronic dichotomy, making for a track that will kick around listeners’ heads long after Wish ceases to play.
Purplehed’s Feel the Passion is a mid-tempo track that has a tremendous upswing as one gets into the chorus. The lighter elements are part of a chiaroscuro that is completed with an authoritative percussion line that is threaded through the cut.