Brynn Stanley is able to call back to the modern era of the 20th century with her take on a Christmas cut, Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me. Strong call and response plays at the top of the track, while a walking bass line and impeccable drums unite to make a solid backing instrumentation. The hint of jazz and doo-wop into Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me keeps…
On Slay, Eddie Grand’s latest, a deep and dark trap-infused backing beat provides a stellar canvas upon which Grand’s inimitable lyrical flow can rest. With nods to The Game, Riff Raff, and Three 6 Mafia scattered throughout Slay, Grand ensures the widest swath of listeners will find something that they can appreciate. The haunting melodies presented in Slay ride out the final 30 seconds or so, ensuring that they are…
On Damn, I’m Being Me Again, BREE is able to tie together the pop-rock of Avril Lavigne with Vixen and Bif Naked. Tons of charisma, a stripped-down rock approach, and lush production combine to make something special in this cut. The sort of narrative that is implanted into this composition is something that anyone that has continually messed things up will be able to understand. Few three-piece acts are able…
AERO calls back to the halcyon days of Yung Joc and the Duffel Bag Boys. With a bit of softly-stated vocals playing out over a whistle-heavy backing track. TisaKorean keeps things current and contemporary by joining the mid-oughts rap scene to mumble rap. What results with AERO is an effort that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of anyone listening in, as well as drag any reluctant…
We Belong To The Night is a hopeful and fun track that effortlessly crosses over between pop to EDM. Jes’s vocals are in rare form here as they keep fans focused in with each lyric. The dynamic established between the vocal and synth sides of We Belong To The Night pushes each to a higher plateau. Smart increases to the track’s tempo ensure that no two moments are exactly the…
Carteret is a touching effort that builds upon the 1980s new wave style. With moody, dark vocals and a slower tempo, Waldo Witt is able to make something beautiful. With nods to contemporary styles like vaporwave and even ethereal / IDM present here, Carteret is a heady track. Virtually requiring listeners to strap on their favorite pair of headphones, Waldo Witt painstakingly lays down each dynamic. The resulting effort is…
On The Difference, The Odd Neighbourhood are able to link together late sixties / early seventies Apple Records rock with Dick Dale-esque surf and a bit of The Replacements. The multiple instrumental layers that are placed down here by the guitars and drums on The Difference will require listeners play the cut multiple times before hearing each nuance that has been placed within. The passion and charisma oozes off of…
This Hollywood Road begins Rob Alexander’s latest album, Being Myself. The track calls back to the happy-go-lucky sound of 1980s rock, with nods made to Huey Lewis and the News and Robert Palmer. Charisma oozes from Alexander’s vocals, while the upbeat tempo will tattoo the song’s melodies deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Never Gonna Let You Go ‘s lyrical back and forth continues to build upon the…
In their latest record, titled Time Has Made a Change, popular bluegrass group Jeff Parker & Company get back to basics in a time that has seen their peers doing anything and everything but, and as a result produce an album that could be the most focused of Parker’s extensive career. From the slow-churning swell of strings in “Southern Wind” to the crisp harmonies of a peaceful “Time Has Made a…
Angelic guitars and piano keys intertwine and dance without any inhibition in “Goodbye.” Those same guitars entertain a dangerous riff rock in “Nme” and “Arriianne” that couldn’t be any dirtier in tonality, but the melodies in these songs are as springy as what we’d find in “Underneath the Ground” and “Beleev.” Jeremy Rice can croon in full-color heartland harmony in “Johnny Rogers” just as well as he can spit punkish…
We’ve been fortunate over time to hear a number of Donna Zed’s compositions, but never have he had the opportunity to check out the live side of things. On her latest video, Zed is able to showcase a bit more of her inimitable spirit through the lens of live performance. At first blush, what listeners will find is that Zed is able to hit the same highs and lows that…
Phase is a hopeful sort of composition, built up through contemplative guitars and vocals which soar above the instruments. The track is able to look back to 1990s alternative / college rock, while possessing a smoothness and finesse that far outstrips efforts from that era. We’re loving the easy-going sound of the guitars, the on-point tack taken with the drums, and a cohesive that is downright unparalleled. The band comes…
Stokoff melds together the traditional country style of Garth Brooks and Travis Tritt with a bit of the modern, pop (bro)-country. Distinctive guitar work and heartfelt vox do much to imprint Embrujo deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. The track is able to shine on pop, crossover, and modern country playlists and rotations. The production is savvy enough to allow the instrumental and vocal sides of Stokoff’s latest…
Give It Up links together soulful, technically proficient instrumentation with an alt-rock sound that builds off early-oughts Red Hot Chili Peppers and Weezer. The charisma and swagger of these vocals are countered well through sizzling horns, intricate drum lines, and their ability for the act to break into countless different jams and grooves over the song’s run time. The 2:45 mark moves the band into some of the most impressive…
Get Closer is the first time we’ve been introduced to Boston area musician Jamie Hart. The track builds itself upon the tradition of 1980s pop, 1990s country, and even a bit of traditional praise music. Magnificent drums, emotive guitar work, and an ability for the backing musicians to change on a dime differentiates Hart’s latest single from the rest of the fare populating radio rotation and curated playlists. The one-two…
Few artists are able to bundle together multiple artistic approaches to their music. Sure, music videos are their own sort of beast but Teenear’s video for Dolla Signs goes that extra step to include some impressive steps by Aliya Janell and Tallie. Together, the visual, emotive, and music elements of this package are enough to glue viewers to the screen. Various highs and lows of the synths and percussion, to…
On Love Don’t Cut Me Down, Napoleon Gold creates a laid-back effort that infuses pop music with as bit of synth-funk. The rising action of Gold’s vocals here ensure that fans are firmly focused on what is to follow. The dynamism of NG here bodes well for the track. The chill groove of Love Don’t Cut Me Down could easily slot into a DJ’s downtempo set, while there’s enough in…
Ashford’s take on I Could Have Danced All Night does more than add her own flair to the composition; it completely disassembles the single into a stripped-down, stark track. With the vocals placed to the fore, listeners will keenly devour anything that Brittain lays down here. With touches of early Pet Shop Boys and Rufus Wainwright present here, Ashford is able to moor this performance to a wider set of…
With Liar, Hooked Like Helen take listeners on a journey that traverses numerous styles and approaches. Touching piano and vocals straddling pop and rock styles unite to make a timeless sound. Touching upon the ballad style of the 1980s and 1990s, Hooked Like Helen refresh the approach with a snappy chorus as warm dynamic between the drums, piano and vocals. Liar’;s chorus will bounce around fans’ minds long after the…
On Sugar High, Lovers & Poets are able to link pop, 1990s alternative, and slinky pre-millennium dance music to make something special. Building off of the style initially laid down by The Cardigans and Republica, the act is able to immediately impress with vocals that simultaneously weave a narrative and add mightily to the single’s harmony. The taut instrumentation that the band includes on Sugar High will resound loudly with…