Subtle Hurts is the newest track from The Racing Pulses. The band defies genre conventions. While nominally a rock act, there are subtle nods to acts like Pulp and Massive Attack as much as Wilco and Jet. The tautness of the instrumentation is what will get people tuned in. Fuzzy guitars are punctuated by assertive drums, all while the vocals rise above the resulting effort. Subtle Hurts’ bridge is a…
Rewrite the Past is a delightful rock track that links together hints of Rush and Styx with the vocal stylings of a Neil Young or Donovan. This single has a number of distinct twists and turns that will make fans come back for more. The gradual increase in Rewrite the Past’s chorus as it approaches the chorus showcases an act that is all-in with their approach. We are particularly fond…
Mind Gag, hachajah’s latest single, succeeds because of the tremendous vocal range that are present from the onset. The harmonies that are achieved by the vox are matched well by brooding synths and booming bass beats. The song does not outstay its welcome, coming to a close at around the 4:30 mark. Mind Gag is a dark, rich pop effort that works well along modern music while standing out boldly…
Divergent’s “Not Until Its Right” is a fun effort, something that will get listeners’ toes tapping as the band plumbs the early 1980s (e.g. Billy Joel, Hall and Oates) for inspiration. The keys and drums create a solid backing upon which the vocals can shine, all while the bass adds nicely to the track’s low end. Divergent’s tautness here ensures that the song can easily slot into rock rotation, while…
Heavy Kid’s “Day By Day” is a track that brings me back to the mid-1990s, where bands like Soul Asylum and Sponge were on high rotation at all the college radio station. The tightness of the arrangements and decidedly lo-fi feel showcase a band that is absolutely comfortable while creating a track that is decidedly deeper than most similar fare. Day By Day is brought brightness by the lead vocals,…
Pure Order’s Sovereign State is an effort that links together the immaculate NYC rap of the late 1990s and early 2000s with the more low-key and contemplative Chicago production of the mid-1990s. The dreamy chorus here is a welcome switch-up from the more straight-forward stanzas. The pairing of performers presented during Sovereign State keeps things fresh from the onset all the way until the song winds to a close. Pure…
Last Quarter begins with some beautiful vocals and a crunchy guitar. The song takes some bold stylistic shifts as Hoy brings in hints of 1950’s teenage crooners, 1990s alternative rock, and a bit of the ol’ Wayne Newton glitz. The swinging style of the single’s instrumentation ensures that the effort buries itself deep into the minds and hearts of anyone that has tuned in. Last Quarter winds to an end…
Mark Newman’s Tulsa is an engrossing effort that pulls the curtain back on the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, delving in deep to a type of history that a great many Americans may not know about. The deliberate instrumentation here keeps fans firmly on the edges of their seats, while the blend of blues, 1960s protest music, and progressive rock make for something that will stick with fans long after the song…
The announcement of the 2025 reissue of Ultravox’s seminal compilation, The Collection, has generated considerable buzz, and the final product—specifically the expansive 2 LP vinyl record release—delivers a presentation worthy of the band’s legacy. I know I was excited as all get out, as it seems as if 1980s music has been largely passed over for 2000s re-issues by the various labels this year. This album, which originally chronicled the…
On The Fiddle Player Stays, Rebekah Snyder is able to infuse a traditional sound into modern country music. With rich vocals and robust instrumentation, The Fiddle Player Stays is one of those songs that will get listeners out on the dance floor. The range that Rebekah achieves here is a testament to her as a performer; one can easily discern influences as storied as Reba and Martina McBride. The fiddle…
Cycamore’s Heart Of America is a tremendously effecting single that showcases soulful vocals and contemplative instrumentation. The song blends together early-2000s country music with southern rock in a flawless fashion. As the song progresses to its end, the gradual increase in tempo will bring fans together. Slowing things down for the final 30 seconds, Cycamore complete their musical epic in as fulfilling of a way as they began it. Cycamore…
The escalating, formidable musical talent Ken Carson persists in releasing fresh compositions with his newest offering, “catastrophe,” obtainable presently. Following his recent declaration about his intention to maintain a consistent output of new music, “catastrophe” arrives as the potent successor to “yes.” Produced by F1lthy, the selection is distributed as Ken Carson tours across the country on the Antagonist 2.0 Tour, succeeding notable occurrences such as his ComplexCon presentation and…
London-based singer/songwriter Sienna Spiro is making a monumental impact across music and media, marked by a stunning live performance, a major holiday campaign, and soaring streaming numbers. “Die On This Hill” Drives Momentum Sienna recently shared a spellbinding live performance of her heart-shattering single, “Die On This Hill.” The black-and-white video was recorded at Brooklyn’s historic Warsaw club during her run opening for Sam Smith’s “To Be Free: New York…
Butterfly is a powerful track, showcasing tremendous vocal range from 美麗BI-RAY’s constituent members. The strings that play at the back of the track act as the glue holding together each of these lyrical contributions. The video for the single packs tremendous Hollywood power to match with the big personalities of 美麗 BI-RAY. What’s most interesting to us has to be the shifts and changes that the act includes here; there…
Cam Royale’s Can’t Lie is a slow and deliberate track that builds upon the rich musical tradition of late 1990s / early 2000s R&B performers. Listeners will become enamoured with his rich vocals. The backing instrumentation on Can’t Lie does some heavy lifting as well. Intricate in its execution while still digestible by a wide array of fans, the keys and drum sequences build out the track and keep it…
Nuke The Soup has released their new track, My Angel Does. This acoustic-heavy track has the band bare their hearts for fans. Truly timeless in its execution, this work feels like an early 1990s power ballad. The slide guitar work, the splashy drums, and the rich vocals are combine to make for something special. This is one of those works that will have listeners waving along. Nuke The Soup is…
On Stars N Stripes, Ryan Collins is able to craft some blazing-fast bars in a fashion that fans of Eminem and Tom MacDonald. The song possesses enough in the way of hook that we could easily imagine it garnering pop radio rotation. The harder edge of Collins’ flow separates him from the pack. The production of Stars N Stripes is immaculate, allowing the song to start and stop on a…
On Machines, The Capsules are able to call back to the alt-rock of the late 1990s. The bright vocals stretch out over the guitar fuzz and ropey bass lines in a way that will appease the widest swath of listeners. The dark emotionality of the single’s instrumentation adds further complexity, while fans will firmly be on the edges of their seats until the act closes up shop. We’re excited to…
Craig Parker Adams’s “She’s Alright” immediately starts with an intense guitar line and a momentum that is hard to deny. Therew are nods here to performers like The Minutemen, Neil Diamond, and Tom Petty. The song echoes out throughout the eras, with the wall of sound and guitar fuzz speaking well to fans of all ages. The passion and charisma exhibited here by Adams is the cherry on top of…
It’s Ok is a track that showcvases the struggles that people have during their lives, with an eye towards the future. The song is steeped in the pop and pop-rock styles of performers like Alannah Myles and Stevie Nicks. The guitar / bass dynamic that plays in the back of the single pushes the song to a higher plateau. The act is able to gradually increase the momentum to a…