WAVES has an echoing, ethereal sort of sound to it that picks pieces of musical styles as diverse as David Byrne, Bauhaus, and Stabbing Westward in the creation of an utterly unique approach. The instrumentation threatens to take over the track just as the vocals snap to form and hammer the track to a more contemplative break. While the song concludes well before the four minute mark, the song will…
The video for Glorybots’ Radiate is the perfect match for the track’s mid-2000s-influenced approach. With nods to the chugging sound of a Coal Chamber or a Deftones, the band acts as the perfect counterpoint for the Thom Yorke-meets-311 styling of the vocals. The story that Radiate’s video intimates to listeners – a story of love and passion, married to some truly otherworldly visuals – will have fans firmly planted on…
I Love Being Black is a powerful ode from Jonathan Lykes that is able to shine with just the slightest trappings of production. The song, coming from Lykes’ heart, blends charismatic vocals with a stunning acoustic guitar line. The presence of additional vocals to Jonathan’s main line ensures that I Love Being Black will resound loudly with fans long after it ceases to play. The song’s message of pride showcases…
Jake Winstrom initially built his name fronting and writing songs for the band Tenderhooks but his second solo album, Circles, brings a higher level of ambition to bear. There are pop inclinations rife throughout the album’s nine songs, even the more guitar-dominated tracks, outside the box instrumentations adorns some, and an engaging poetic twist further strengthening each song’s character. Circles is rich with idiosyncratic yet revealing turns of phrases, jolting imagery, and a…
With a hip-thrusting groove to lead the way alongside a muddy guitar riff straight off of classic punk vinyl, Jupiter in Velvet’s “Dimestore Suave” rips through the silence ready to pulverize just about anything that comes between its beat and the audience. There’s an aggression to this song, and really all five that you’ll find in the tracklist of the new record Punk Goes the Velvet, that makes the urgency of…
Dirt Yard Street – by Clay Harper, is what you might call an easy listening masterpiece of sorts, with a folk-based style and reality-based theme that flows at it goes. The background of Harper is impressive and reads like a “who’s who” of artists he has worked with and been associated with or produced. This is just a testament of the artist himself and where he’s been, and these songs…
Tisha Hunter has a retro vibe going on with her new single, Right Now. With some smart instruction recalling funk and soul styles of the 1970s and early 1980s, Hunter is able to draw in listeners by the boatload. Uupon this instrumentation, Tisha is able to urge fans find their faith and approach their creator. The resulting track is smart, catchy, and hits on all cylinders. The dynamic that is…
Overcome has a light and dairy sound to it as hints of pop, R&B, and reggae work to create something absolutely infectious. T-Klassip’s vox here exude charisma and provide fans with a positive sound. The presence of Eedris Abdulkareem to the mix provides listeners with a nice shift to the overall atmosphere of the track. Kevin Boy’s bars towards the end of the single ground the composition and showcase how…
AV Super Sunshine has incorporated a stripped-down sort of reggae-infused rock with their Baby Goodbye 2020. The dreamy vocals that come up to prominence during the song’s chorus showcase the band’s ability to stop and turn on a dime. The dynamism of AV Super Sunshine is fantastic; there’s nary a breath lost as the band whips in hints of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction into their output…
Redemption begins with keys and smartly spat-out vox. The narrative quality of Big Lou during this effort is miles beyond the typical track gaining popular attention. The presence of the impassioned female voice during Redemption’s chorus provides nice differentiation between each stanza of Big Lou’s content. The insane speed which Big Lou achieves during his new single places him alongside rap royalty like Twista and Eminem. Putting his city on…
Bunkin is a supremely confident track that showcases GS11’s swagger. With an assertive rap flows that build upon the work of performers like Rick Ross and I-20, Bunkin’ will be an easy inclusion on urban radio stations and playlists. Dreamy synths blend with punchy percussion to make for a backing beat that is truly larger than life. Taking these two sides together, GS11’s Bunkin ends up being the most memorable…
Blurry has a crisp sound to it that puts ample highlighting to Chris Waters’ inimitable rap style. A beautiful set of keys allows the track to pick up pop fans, while the song’s hook provide the counterpoint for the punchier rap flow that comprises Blurry’s main body. Fans of Owl City and Tom McDonald will be able to sink their teeth easily into this cut. The production of the track…
Keys FTV has a fun, laid-back track in his new outing, Flexin. There’s a chill flair to the synths and snap tracks, all while Keys FTV lays out an ode to the latest girl in his life. The song straddles the line between rap and R&B, with enough interesting material hidden in the song’s instrumentation that the track stays poppin’ even five or ten plays straight. Perhaps most interesting about…
Enough is a hopeful track that is a powerful reminder that today’s unique experience can be weathered. The song has an utterly timeless sound to it that is hard to point down. There’s a bit of 1950s R&B, 1960s motown, and more than a bit of traditional rock that is inserted into the mix. With other nods bringing in funk and gospel to the fray, Malina Moye has hit it…
Raw has Elijah slot in really nicely to the sexy, sultry R&B performer style. There’s rapid-fire lyrics laid down here like Trey Songz and Chris Brown while the instrumentation is (like the girl described in the track) flawless. The heartbeat-esque backing beat, the brooding keys, and the ability of the track to rise and fall at all the right points makes this a surefire lock for playlist and radio rotation…
Sucker For Your Ways has Head Fake revisit the Brit-rock of the late 1990s, with hints of Pulp and Blur incorporated into their slinky, fuzzy rock approach. There’re other influences presented here as well; a bit of Depeche Mode at points, some Stabbing Westward at others, which all are brought together into an eclectic sort of sound. There are no two points during Head Fake’s latest single that the act…
Anthem is a powerful song of praise that will have listeners following each lyric laid down here by Quianna Crute. There’s double duty being pulled here in that Crute is able to tell a story of personal realization while bolstering the synths and booming beats that comprise the backing instrumentation for the song. The additional presence of Canton Jones during Anthem is the perfect blend of finesse to Quianna’s strong…
30 Days In The Hole has The Dead Daisies move into the ballad style of acts link Every Mother’s Nightmare and Cinderella. The tremendous vocals laid down here showcase the intensity of the titular sentence, all while the lightest trappings of the guitar provide a vibrancy to the composition. Touching upon Perry Ferrell and Chris Cornell with this effort, The Dead Daisies are able to marry the past and present…
Hot Sauce has a throwback vibe to it that will get listeners out on the dance floor. The vibrant vocals laid down here by Sayonne are married to sweeping synths and emphatic percussion and claps. What results here during Hot Sauce is an effort that works equally well when played alongside pop, R&B or dance tracks. The bit of echo that Sayonne’s vox are given towards the song’s chorus ensures…
If I had a voice like Jeff Coffey’s, I would be singing some of music’s biggest hits, too. Origins – Vocalists And The Songs That Made Me, Coffey’s album is a bevy of rock music and some pop rock songs that steal the moment. A former lead singer of legendary band, Chicago, Coffey makes these cover songs his own in a 14-track odyssey. As each track unfolds, the listener gets…