Chris St. John’s I Called You Rose has a traditional rock sound that melds together performers as diverse as John Denver and Billy Joel. There’s a bit of a more traditional, even 19th-century approach to St. John’s single that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases. The instrumentation that bubbles forth at points during I Called You Rose hangs with Chris’s voice. There’s a robustness, a richness to…
Tom Tikka is and has always been a natural storyteller with the release of his newest EP That’s What Winston Churchill Said. With a majority of these songs written over the course of his life (the ending track “A Good Thing Going On” was written when Tikka was 18,) its clear why Tikka has remained in music and garnered as much acclaim as he has both solo and with other…
Very clearly from the beginning of his titular track “Things to Come”, Jeremy Parsons makes it clear that nostalgia is a powerful thing. The Nashville resident has made a name for himself, reclaiming the sounds and storytelling of more classic country as seen by the likes of legends like Hank Williams and George Jones (the latter of whom Parsons has opened for) and its easy to see why he’s a rising…
Forrest Isn’t Dead’s Here We Are is a track that links together Death Cab For Cutie with Muse and Incubus. Dreamy vocals and layered instrumentation unite to make for a track that will simultaneously impress fans of pop rock and the crunchiest indie out there. With the vocals building up both the narrative and harmony sides of the effort, Forrest Isn’t Dead is able to make some seriously cohesive music…
Okey Dokey’s “Wine Friends” is a fun track that looks all the way back to the mid-1950s and early 1960s for pop music. The sweet vocals and the doo-wop meets garage sound is absolutely timeless. The production of the song simultaneously calls back to the masterfully-product records of the early 1960s while achieving the crispness and clarity of modern music. While Okey Dokey is able to keep their output extremely…
Drew Citron’s “Free Now” is an light and airy composition that immediately brings Drew’s vocals in alignment with a dreamy guitar lien. There’s a bit of fuzz and a hint of reverb; Free Now looks back at the alt-rock of Fiona Apple and Sheryl Crow all while giving Drew the ability to impress her own unique take on things. While it would be easy for the single to make it…
‘Wholething’ is that rare song that the heartless can enjoy thoroughly and the soulful can enjoy thoroughly. The former may be due to the completely irreverent, devil-may-care soliloquies of a one Afroman, an expert feature on the track given its tired and cliched subject matter about relationships, girls, being hot, and slipping past one’s significant other. HEWAS INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/iamhewas/ The latter will enjoy it for the sharp comparison to Afroman’s…
She Agreed, the latest track from Emily Edrosa, will immediately draw listeners in. The guitar / vocal dynamic that is presented from the beginning of the track gradually grows in intensity and momentum. When the speed kicks up, fans can really hear the emotion and intensity bleed through. There’s so much passion presented in this track that when the instrumentation starts to swell (at the 3:!5 mark), one will be…
Tsunami of Sound craft a stripped-down rock approach with their new single Motor Oil that is part surf, part-Mojo Nixon, and part Doors. There’s even hints of bluegrass and psychedelic rock that can be discerned here. The act is able to create a song that has a voluminous amount of narrative despite being instrumental in its approach. This is due to the fact that the act has a tremendous ability…
CEO FLow is a track that immediately hits listeners over their heads. Frank Hugo is able to shake things up with a flow that links together Killer Mike and Freddie GIbbs. There’s a deep and dark sound present to the single’s backing beat, tying together choral elements with a haunting set of synths. There’s nary a second during CEO Flow for listeners to gain their breath as Frank Hugo continues…
Bad Lot is an electronic / EDM effort that feels as if it forwards the sounds of the late 1990s. This means that there are nods to Plastikman and Dirty Vegas as well as a sound not quite unlike drum and bass standards. Airy, soulful vocals are balanced out nicely with booming bass, twinkling synth sequences and just enough Nine Inch Nails to hone the track’s edge. SOUNDQ has a…
Makes My Blood Dance’s “Communion” has an awesome chugging ferocity that refreshes the sound of Machine Head and Coal Chamber, incorporating a sublime theatrical set of vocals that will appease fans of Guns n Roses and The Ghost alike. The band’s instrumentation during Communion is perhaps their most polished. There’s no edge lost here – the guitars are able to tear heaven and earth asunder while the drums keep things…
OMW ‘On My Way’ has a solid bout of wordplay from ThaKayder. There’s a bit of Houston and New Orleans present in his cadence, while the laid-back instrumentation creates a dreamy sort of sound for the flow. The patter of ThaKayder’s lyrics continue to gain a bit more substance as the song continues to play. There’s considerable cohesion in this track; the backing beat works hand-in-hand with ThaKayder’s vox to…
Hot Flash Heat Wave’s “Grudge” has a funky, angular sound that blends together bits of Bloc Party with The Bravery to make for a song that is tremendously reverent of earlier music while creating something that stands out from other rock on the radio. The softly-sang vocals encountered on Grudge are haunting while infectious, adding a further layer of harmony to the math-rock0infused composition of the guitars and drums. These…
Stacy Gabel’s “High Heeled Shoes” has a very traditional, mid-century sound to it. With Stacy’s vocals representing nucleus of the track, the additional instrumentation (guitars and percussion) fill in any of the gaps that still remain. The song speaks to all of our current routines. Stacy identifies the need for a bit of self-care. Touching, fun, and with charisma by the boatful, High Heeled Shoes is a song that will…
Party Life is a pop-dance track that calls back to the days of Pitbull and Flo Rida. Lucky Harmon has a smooth, silky sound to his vocals that 6add mightily to the single’s harmony. A bit of crunchy, booming drums are the perfect counterpoint for the synths and Lucky’s lyrics. The drop that punctuates Party Life’s two halves is precisely what is needed to keep the momentum of the track…
Michael Ghould’s Girls & Boys is a fun cover of the Blur classic. There are nods back to disco, the synthpop of the 1980s, and even a bit of booming EDM. The synth that is weaved through the entirety of the track will assuredly get listeners out on the dance floor, while Michael’s charisma (both in the audio track and present in droves in the attached video) is the cherry…
Chad Rico has an interesting take on rap music. The song provides fans with very heartfelt and intitimate lyrical wordplay alongside with ethereal synths. The presence of booming drums in the mix gives New Level an additional oomph. There are nods to performers like Gorilla Zoe and Chance the Rapper all while Chad Rico comes out with an unique and unmatched style to rap. The song could easily make it…
Jane N’ The Jungle’s “Lucky 7” blends together 1980s goth music (e.g. Siouxsie and the Banshees) with a bit of Hole and The Breeders. The taut guitar / drum dynamic that can be heard during this track keeps things pumping, all while the passion and charisma of the vox will speak directly with listeners. Wicked guitar lines unite the lyrical and instrumental side of things, kicking the song an ample…
Milquetoast & Co.’s Hummingbirds is a thoughtful and introspective track that shines through contemplative instrumentation and a brooding arrangement that will stick with listeners long after the song ceases to play. The single’s vocals call upon the tradition of performers like Chris Cornell and Perry Farrell, tying a 1990s alternative rock sound to a contemporary indie approach. Milquetoast & Co. are able to insert their own style into each second…