Month: September 2017

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

2017 Flathead Lake Blues Festival (day 2) – live performance review

Hope you enjoyed our reviews of day 1 of the Flathead Lake Blues and Music Festival, which featured some of Montana’a best musicians.  The theme for day 2 was “Ladies of the Blues,” and Steve Pickel pulled out all the stops to bring four of the finest and brightest to light up the stage.

First up was Missoula native Andrea Harsell with her new band, Luna Roja.  Harsell has become a Missoula icon with her sound, primarily as a solo artist.  She began hiring drummer Antonio Alvarez and guitarist Nick Hamburg for her gigs, and then asked them to join her as a band.  They hired bassist Michael Rhead to complete the band, and Alvarez came up with the name Luna Roja (Red Moon) because of his Spanish heritage.  They also recorded an album, which will be celebrated with a show at the Top Hat on September 15.  The album will also be reviewed shortly on this blog’s Get it or Forget it series.  Their sound is a mixture of Americana, rock, R&B and blues.  Harsell has a voice akin to Janis Joplin, and it showed on many of their songs, including new tunes “Oh Boy” and “Hard Times,” as well as on their cover of the Sam Cook classic “Bring it on Home to Me.”  The only thing missing was the stage banter, but we are sure that will come as they continue to grow as a band.

Next up was the power-packed sound of Seattle’s Michelle Taylor Band.  If Harsell had the sound of Joplin, then Taylor is the reincarnation.  With her band composed of Robert Morrill on drums, Lissa Ramaglia on bass, Jim Barnes on keys and vocals and her husband, Justin Dean on guitar and vocals, the MTB truly brought the blues home to Polson.  With a mixture of original tunes like “Black Lace” and “Trashy Queen,” and pop hits like Duffy’s “Mercy,” Elle King’s “Exes and Ohs,” Grace Potter’s “Paris” and “Medicine,” Bonnie Raitt’s “Angel From Montgomery,” Tracy Chapman’s “Give me a Reason,” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious,” MTB proved that any song can be stylized as blues.  But what really drove home their exceptional talent was their version of Ike and Tina Turner’s classic “Proud Mary,” which truly allowed Taylor to shine as both a singer and a performer, as she brought Tina’s unique energy to the show.  This performance was one of the pinnacles of the weekend.  Kudos also to both her husband and badass female bassist Ramaglia on their outstanding licks on guitar and bass.  The band also received the first encore of the Festival, and delivered a rousing version of Led Zeppelin’s “Been a Long Time” in response.

The third band for the day was Estelle and the Atomic Jive, who brought something entirely different to this day.  Atomic Jive is reminiscent of a combination of the Royal Crown Review and one of Brian Setzer’s various bands in that they bring an army of sound to the stage.  The band features Estelle on lead vocals, surrounding by the amazing talents of Mike Ruggles on guitar, Lee Cardella on bass, Brian Seagrave on keys, Bob Briley on drums and a horn section that is as powerful as the one from Tower of Power, composed of Russ Hoffer on sax and Mike Baker on trumpet.   Some of the highlights of the show were their version of the “Stray Cat Strut,” the classic jazz standard “Don’t Roll Your Bloodshot Eyes at Me,” Roy Head’s 1965 classic “Treat her Right,” and the theme from the Blues Brothers’ movies, “Peter Gunn.”  This was classic New Orleans jazz-tinged blues, and elevated the musical standard to a new level.

The final act for the weekend was another Seattle band, Polly O’Keary and the Rhythm Method.  We had the distinct pleasure of awarding them the Best Blues Band trophy for the LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2017.  O’Keary was totally taken by surprise, and the band joined in her gratitude for the award.  O’Keary is a red ball of energy, constantly dancing across the stage as she delivers true bad ass licks on her brand new wireless LedBelli Blackbird 6-string bass and vocals that stir the soul.  The band also includes the amazing David Miller on guitar and O’Keary’s husband, Tommy Cook, on drums.  The band performed primarily original material, many of which came from their latest album, Black Crow Callin.‘  Included in their amazing performance were “I Don’t Understand,” “Yours to Lose,” “Red Light,” “Wish You Could See me Now,” “Reconciled,” and “How the Mighty Fall,” which reminded this reviewer of “Mustang Sally.”   They also did a stirring rendition of Eric Bibb’s classic “In my Father’s House.”  Cook laid the perfect foundation on his drums, while Miller proved to be a true guitar aficionado, even playing the guitar behind his head at one point.  The band brought their set and the Festival to a close with an amazing encore with Michelle Taylor and Justin Dean of ZZ Top’s “Tush.”  It was the perfect cherry on top of a super delicious weekend of music.  Special thanks to Steve Pickel and Anderson Broadcasting for bringing these amazing artists to us.  We can hardly wait for next year!!!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

2017 Flathead Lake Blues Festival (day 1 – part 2) – live performance review

Welcome back to the second half of our review of day 1 of the 2017 Flathead Lake Blues and Music Festival, held August 18-19 in beautiful Polson, Montana.

The first half segued into the second with a pair of special events.  First up was a drum solo that closed out the set of Off in the Woods and lasted for nearly 30 minutes.  As the drum solo closed out, we were blessed with the appearance of some Salish and Kootenai native dancers, who celebrated the beautiful night and great music with us.  It was a very inspiring time.

Following the native dance, the second half of the day kicked off with the unmistakable sound of the Kenny James Miller Band.  The band was a three-piece blues rock band that featured Heavy D on bass.  These cats came to play, and truly rocked it out on their original”Cup of Joe,” as well as a sterling cover of “Keep Ur Hands to Urself.”  In addition, they provided the perfect accompaniment for Festival organizer Steve Pickel to wail on “Some Kind of Wonderful.”

Next up was Big Daddy and the Blue Notes, featuring the incredible sound of Steve Kelley.  Kelley is a true Montana blues legend with more than 40 years of performing.  He is also the founder of the Flathead Valley Blues Society.  His music is a mixture of blues, rock, zydeco and world genres, and has even earned a nickname for his style – Blusion.    Besides their renditions of classic blues standards they managed to perform three of their own new songs.

The next to last band to take the stage was Jameson and the Sordid Seeds, who have become quite the legend in Whitefish, Montana. Composed of Brent Jameson on lead guitar and vocals, Sean Cooksey on bass, Joshua Glass on drums and Danny Rifkin on keys, they are a traditional blues band who throw in a little rock for good measure, and stole the show with amazing covers of Paul Simon, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown.  Despite the late hour, they kept the energy up for the closing band, who didn’t take the stage until after midnight.

Le

Last but certainly not least was Mudslide Charley, a traditional “dirty” blues band with the sound of Delta blues, fronted by the one and only Lee Rizzo on washboard, guitar and lead vocals,  Marco Littig on slide and vocals, Phil Hamilton on harmonica, percussion, saxophone and vocals, Roger Moquin on drums, percussion and vocals and Tahj Kjelland on bass and vocals.  They brought their “A” game and kept the party going until after 1:30 a.m.  One of the most dynamic things about this band is watching the chemistry fly between the members, but especially between Rizzo and Kjelland.  Needless to say, nobody wanted to party to stop.  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day of music.

Courtesy of Mudslide Charley’s Facebook page
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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

2017 Flathead Lake Blues Festival (day 1 – part 1) – live performance review

We love discovering new bands, and this year’s Flathead Lake Blues Festival proved the perfect location for doing just that.  We were unaware of this amazing festival, and discovered it by accident.  One of the bands slated to play on day 2 of the Festival was the winner of the Best Blues Band category in the LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2017.  We had earlier decided to present certificates to all the award winners, and we thought it would be a great idea to present it to the band in front of a crowd.  We contacted Steve Pickel of Anderson Broadcasting, the organizer of the Festival, and he was ecstatic about it.  He invited us to come up and be VIPs for the entire weekend.  Thank you Steve!!!

The first day of the Festival was subtitled “Montana Musicians Review,” and featured 10 Montana bands over a six hour period – very ambitious, but somehow it all came together and only ran about an hour and a half over the schedule.  This review will cover the first five bands to perform, while part 2 will cover the remaining five bands and the special events.

The first artist to take the stage was Missoula’s Andre Floyd and Mood Iguana.  Floyd is an amazing original blues artist who shares his craft throughout Western Montana.  His band included the prolific Dave Griffith on guitar, organ and keys, Ron Reeves on bass and Don Caverly on drums.  Griffith also lent his talents to several other bands throughout the day.  Floyd’s sound is progressive roots-based blues and he brought his best to this performance.  We especially loved his jazzy rendition of the classic song “Our Day Will Come.”  You can catch him playing the Draught Works Brewery stage later this month.

Next up was the Mike Murray Band, who took the music up a notch with their seriously funky style.  Composed of Murray on lead guitar and vocals, Christopher Krager on bass and backing vocals, Marco Forcone on drums and Ryan Wickland on keys, pedal steel and guitar, they joined awesome vocals with some amazing guitar riffs to bring the funk to the Festival.  This is a band that we could see everyday, and never get enough.  They closed their set with a blues number that showed off the funky keys and guitar, and firmly established themselves as a force of music.

The first female-fronted band was next in the person of Halladay Quist, a multi-instrumentalist who completely  wowed the crowd with her stage antics and her incredible mastery of guitar, banjo and electric stand-up bass.  The daughter of musician and would-be politician Rob Quist, Halladay is a ball of energy that never stopped her entire set.  She was joined on stage by her father on acoustic guitar, as well as Dave Griffin on keys and sax, Leif Christian on electric guitar and Bally Lopez on drums  Halladay’s vocals are truly beautiful, and she shares them on music that ranged from country blues to bluegrass to classic rock, including a stunning cover of Jefferson Airplane’s mega-hit “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love.”  One of the highlights of the set was watching her father grin from ear to ear at the talents of his daughter.  Halladay has just released an album that will be reviewed shortly on this blog.  Prepare to be blown away.  She performed several of the new songs during her set, of which we really loved “Let it Burn,” especially in light of our Montana fire season this year.

Leif Christian didn’t have far to go when he finished playing with Halladay, as his band, Ticket Sauce, was the next on the stage.   Joining with his long-time bassist Nathan Talley and substitute drummer, Collin Scott, the Sauce brought it all together with their healthy blend of rock, funk, blues and soul, with a special topping of cool.  They are a party band, and are guaranteed to get any gathering off to a jamming start.  They were especially incredible on their covers of Jimi Hendrix’s “Isabella” and Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog.”  They also write some great jams, including “Alone.”  They closed their set out the way they began, funky to the end.

The fifth band to take the stage, and the last one we will cover in part 1 of this review, was Off in the Woods, a dynamic six piece band composed of Jon Schumaker on guitar, Layne McKay on saxophone and guitar, Kyle Daugherty on trombone, Kia Abibzadeh on keys, Kai Salmonson on bass and Nathan Noble on drums.   This band is a true local icon, as their members come from Polson, home of the Festival.  They have a very funky jam band sound, with a touch of reggae.  Some of their best songs included “Blue,” “Early Summer Rain,” and “The River.  The band will have a new album out in the near future.

We’ll be back soon with part 2 of this review, followed by our review of day 2.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 34

Good morning, world.  As we reach the 16th anniversary of 9/11, may we all stop to reflect on how our world has changed since that fateful day.  I was preparing to spend the day with my friends from SHeDAISY at a concert they were having in California when I was told by my ex-wife to turn on the TV.  Just as the picture came into focus, I watched in horror as the second plane hit the towers, and then was glued to my set like most of us the remainder of the day.  Alan Jackson summed it up best when he sang, “Where were you when the world stopped turning?”

It was music that helped us recover, and it is music that keeps us going forward.  That is why this blog exists, and why we scour the world to find music that speaks to us.  Make sure you thank those that bring us hope and peace through their music.

GAYLE DAVIDSON ANNOUNCES ZOO MUSIC SERVICES

Australian American Gayle “Giraffe” Davidson has announced the formation of a new service for indie musicians.  Zoo Music Services provides “the basics of a manager, a booking agent, a publicist, and an assistant.  In a music world that no longer requires a label, artist services are more important than ever.   From the simple to the heavy lifting, Zoo Music is your most efficient and cost effective solution,” explains Davidson.  She has offices in Nashville, London and Los Angeles.  Check out her new service here.

WIXEN MUSIC AUTHENTIC VOICES FESTIVAL SET

The Festival, which highlights the artists currently working with Wixen Music Publishing, will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 23-24 from 4 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. each day in the Smothers Theatre on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu.  Tickets are $50 each day and can be obtained by calling (310) 506-4522 or visiting arts.pepperdine.edu.

Saturday features an Alternative Voices-focused line-up of alternative rock band Wildling, International Folk Music Awards Artist of the Year Parker Millsap, influential acoustic guitarist Jonathan Richman, and multi-instrumentalist and whistler Andrew Bird.
Sunday features an Americana Voices-focused line-up of wicked country lyricist Mike Stinson, the genre-bending dark folk storyteller The White Buffalo, Nashville country music outlaw Elizabeth Cook, and singular Grammy-winning songwriter Lucinda Williams.
NEW MUSIC
First up today is a new duo called Freedom Baby, which combine elements of orchestral music with electronica and the sweet voice of Brianna to bring us “melancholy tunes to soothe your souls.”  Let us know what you think.

https://soundcloud.com/freedombaby/video-daydream

 

NONA brings us “Father’s Day,” and we like it.  It has a great beat and heartfelt lyrics.  Let us know what you think.

 

Our final single today comes to us from one of our favorite bands of this year, FlecHaus.  Check out their fourth single, “Lie to Me,” from their upcoming album.  This should definitely put a skip in your step today.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

We think you will simply love this innovative video from The Flatliners for their single “Indoors.”  And the song’s not bad either 🙂

For those of you who love the more soulful sounds, check out Matt Allen‘s “Last Time.”  It has a great groove that is much better than the video.

Last but not least today is the latest video from our friend and one of country music’s rising stars, Kelly McGrath.  Her last video met with much success, grabbing the #1 slot on CMT, and we have no reason to doubt that this new video will do just as well.  Here’s Kelly with “All That I Want,” courtesy of Vevo.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

2017 River City Roots Festival (day 2) – live performance review

Day 2 of the 2017 River City Roots Festival came early, and we made sure to get there in time for the first band on the main stage, even though they are a “children’s” band.  The Whizpops are one of Missoula’s best treasures.  Even though their songs are written for children, they have become an adult’s “guilty pleasure,” since the music is so well written that it appeals to all ages.

This award winning band has two elementary teachers and a floating mix of other local performers.  At Roots Fest, the line-up included Josh Farmer on keys, founding member Casey Schaefer on electric guitar, talk box and vocals, Christina Scruggs on vocals, Kevin Cashman on acoustic guitar, tambourine and vocals (including rapping), Jeff Stickney on trumpet, Phil Hamilton on saxophone, Steve Kalling on bass and Daniel Kiely on drums.

The band played songs from throughout their career, including their latest project, Ranger Rick’s Trail Mix, Vol 1, which supports the National Wildlife Federation.  Kids of all ages were dancing to their songs about dancing dolphins, great white sharks, penguins and playing freeze tag.  It was a wonderful start to the day, and the large and enthusiastic crowd ate it all up.

Imagine having to follow an act like that?  Lucky that solo roots songwriter Malcolm Holcombe was up to the challenge.  Holcombe owned the stage as he mesmerized the crowd with his storytelling and songs, holding them in the palm of his hands for 90+ minutes.  His latest album, Pretty Little Trouble, was produced by Darrell Scott, a giant in the Americana scene and a previous performer at Roots Fest.  Needless to say the audience loved every minute of his performance, and showed up in droves to meet him and buy his albums from the merchandise booth.

The Ghost of Paul Revere was the next to take the stage, and they wasted no time in pumping up the energy level, keeping the growing audience entertained and engaged.  They played their own unique blend of folk and rock, and included unique covers of both Springsteen and The Who (“Baba O’Reilly”).  They were coming off a string of opening slots for the Infamous Stringdusters, and kept the energy level high as afternoon turned into early evening.  Like Holcombe before them, they proved popular at the merchandise, and sold out their selection of CDs.

The fourth act of the day was the incredible Band of Heathens, normally a five piece country rock act from Austin, Texas.  They were indeed lucky to be with us at all, as they were almost stuck in Texas, thanks to Harvey.  They did have to leave their keyboard player there, but it was because his wife had a baby, and not because of the hurricane.  The band played many songs from their latest project, Duende, including the amazing songs “Sugar Queen” and “Carry Your Love.”  We were so impressed with their material that we recently reviewed that album.  Lucky for the crowd, the band will be coming back in November to play what will probably be a sold-out show at the Wilma.

The Festival concluded with the dynamic sound of Anders Osborne and his electric blues.   This four piece guitar and drums band put the exclamation point on a spectacular weekend of music.  Thanks to all involved and especially Eileen Buchanan for another successful Roots Fest.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

2017 River City Roots Festival (day 1) – live performance review

Twelve years ago the City of Missoula and the Missoula Downtown Association decided to do something special to welcome the returning and first time students at the University of Montana.  The event has grown every year, and now includes two days of family friendly fun in Caras Park with kid friendly bands, games and crafts, as well as an art show, food vendors, beer garden and, of course, quality bands on the Main Stage.

For the first time since we moved to Missoula, the event changed from Saturday and Sunday to Friday and Saturday.  Although we weren’t there to check it out, the music began at noon with a couple of bands featuring children.  First up were the representatives from the Tangled Tones Music program, Third Capo Kids and Satellite Jacket.  They were followed by the kids who had participated in the Zootown Arts Community Center Rock Camp Bands.

The adult bands started at 2:30 p.m. with local favorite Rotgut Whines, a two-piece rock and soul band featuring Evan Manuel on lead vocals and guitar and Andrew Murphy on drums and backing vocals.  Due to the massive problems with the sound, their set was difficult to understand and hear unless you were right in front of the stage.  They also had some questionable choices in covers, including a very bad attempt at Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.”  However, when they were on target, they connected well with the audience.  All in all, it seemed that despite their recent success, they were not yet ready for a festival appearance.

Next up was the jammin’ reggae of Taj Weekes and Adowa.  We have been long time reggae fans and haven’t seen much of it since our move.  The music of Taj Weekes and Adowa more than made up for that.  The sound problems that plagued Rotgun Whines continued for the first couple of songs, but were eventually fixed, allowing this amazing artist to shine.  Weekes’ vocals are nearly falsetto, and soared above the rhythmic grooves of his band, allowing the growing crowd the chance to participate in the Rastafarian way.  The crowd had a blast dancing to the music, and it swelled over the length of the set.  This set was one of the true highlights of the Festival.

The third slot of the day belonged to former country great Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband.  The band had a few country hits back in the early 2000’s when they were signed to Capitol Records.  If their set on this day was any indication, they still have a lot to contribute to today’s music scene.  They played their hits and most of their songs on their recent CD, which was released last year on Tydal Wave Records.

The new sound of the band is more akin to that of a country Beach Boys, with a healthy helping of rock.  Accompanying Shupe (fiddle and vocals) were Roger Archibald on guitar and vocals; Craig Miner on banjo, mandolin and vocals; Josh Larsen on bass and vocals; and Nate Young on drums and vocals.  The band even brought their amazing sound engineer, Dallan Rees, who kept the band sounding great all set long.  Among their songs were outstanding performances of “Hey Hey Hey,” “Brand New Shoes,” “The Sun Will Shine Again,” “He Knows Karate,” “Corn Dogs,” “Just Say Yes,” and “Take me Home.  They also did a stunning cover of Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” incorporating a sample of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.”  But the icing on the cake was their performance of one of their biggest hits, “Dream Big,” which included a ladies choir from the Jocko Valley Community Chorus, and a special “appearance” by the voice of Kermit the Frog on “The Rainbow Connection.”

Unbeknownst to me, my old friend Steve Garvan was managing Shupe.  It was a great chance to hang out with him and catch up.  So thankful to have people like Garvan helping to bring out the best from the indie music community.

The final performer of the night was John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band.  Jorgenson is considered to one of the fathers of modern bluegrass, and his songs have been covered by a myriad of artists, including Brad Paisley and Allison Krause.  Jorgenson provided a magnificent performance of his song, “Whiskey Lullaby,” which was recorded by Paisley and Krause.

I spent most of their performance working the merchandise booth as a volunteer for the Festival.  Even from there, the music was incredible and it was obvious that the crowd was enjoying the electricity created by these bands.  The only downside was that the headliner’s bluegrass sound did not have the same energy as Shupe, and the vibe fizzled as Jorgenson cut his set short.  It was still a great day of music, and helped to prepare the crowd for the awesomeness to come on Day 2.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – My Girl My Whiskey & Me, Marina V, John Brownlow, MUTTS

Getting closer to that weekend, so we’re bringing you more great artists to get you ready.  We are pleased to present these four to you, which include multiple LA Music Critic Award winner Marina V.  We hope you enjoy the music and will continue to support indie acts.

Artist Name:  My Girl My Whiskey & Me

Album Name:  In the Ground

Label:  Other Southern

Genre:  Progressive Bluegrass/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  When I Die; 2.  Olive Branch Silhouette; 3.  Last Night I Dreamt I was a Ghost; 4.  Carolina Reel; 5.  Eye; 6.  Lucy; 7.  Cake & Wine; 8.  In the Ground; 9.  Petrichor; 10.  Last Night I Dreamt I was a Ghost (reprise)

Publicist:  None

Review:  Florida natives George William Beardsworth and Kelly Colyer form the nucleus of MGMWAM, a truly progressive Americana band that includes elements of Depression era bluegrass with the more progressive sounds of bands like The Punch Brothers, The Decemberists and The Civil Wars to create a wholesome family-friendly. sound that should appeal to most listeners.  They have embarked on a one-year tour of all 50 states, and we hope that they can accomplish their mission.  If this debut release is any indication, they will be selling out venues before the tour is done.   Their diversity is best shown in the songs “Last Night I Dreamt I was a Ghost” (with the amazing harmonies of Beardsworth and Colyer), “Carolina Reel” (showing off the amazing mandolin chops of Beardsworth, “Eye” (with its perfect marriage of mandolin and violin), current single “Lucy” and “Cake & Wine” (which feels like it would fit perfectly in the soundtrack of O Brother Where art Thou?  All in all, this is one of our favorite bluegrass albums to review, and a necessary addition to our library.

Recommendation:  We highly recommend this amazing CD.  Get. It. Now.

Artist Name:  Marina V

Album Name:  Born to the Stars

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Soft Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Born to the Stars; 2.  I am Iron; 3.  Be my Light; 4.  Together Alone; 5.  Fire in the Sky; 6.  Beautiful Forever; 7.  Good; 8.  Bring it On; 9.  Autumn Song; 10.  Imagine

Publicist:  None

Review:  We have been fans of Marina V almost since she first set foot in California from her native Moscow, and have enjoyed watching her career and influence rise within the world-wide music community.  With the arrival of her new album Born to the Stars, she has brought us her best effort to date, and which has already spawned an LA Music Critic Award for the video to the title track.  Anyone who has seen her perform live knows that she always brings light into the room, and songs like “I am Iron” exemplify that fact.  It is an inspirational song that should find easy placement in television or film.  Other songs that stand out include “Together Alone” (with its amazing string background), “Fire in the Sky,” “Beautiful Forever” (with its simple guitar and vocals), and her cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” one of the best homages to this song we have ever heard.  Truth be told, there is not a weak song on the album, and we believe it will appeal to most, if not all, music aficionados.

Recommendation:  This is one of the best indie music albums we have reviewed this year.  We strongly urge you to Get it and support this artist.  If you live anywhere near where her tour takes her, you would be remiss not to attend.

Artist Name:  John Brownlow

Album Name:  The Summertime

Label:  Chromopop

Genre:  Britpop

Track Listing:  1.  Burn Hollywood Burn; 2.  Live Forever; 3.  Asteroids; 4.  Government Work; 5.  God Willing (and the Creek Don’t Rise); 6.  Already Gone; 7.  Baby got a Gun; 8.  Don’t Walk Away; 9.  Get yr Groove On; 10.  Gonna Have to let you Down; 11.  Let the Feeling Go; 12.  Man in the Mirror; 13.  On my Way; 14.  Bullet to the Head; 15.  Kingdom Come; 16.  Occupy my Heart; 17.  Rip it Up; 18.  You Slipped Through my Fingers; 19.  Shame the Devil; 20.  Sunshine on the Radio; 21.  Where my Mind Goes; 22.  Radiation; 23.  Let’s not and say we Did; 24.  The Pink Raincoat; 25.  Shalala Says I Love You; 26.  Where Does Love Go; 27.  Storm Coming; 28.  One Fine Day; 29.  Song for the Ferryman

Publicist:  Last Tango Productions

Review:  Veteran Hollywood screenwriter and former music journalist John Brownlow brings new life to the Britpop sound with his debut double album containing 29 original songs.  He wastes no time with the upbeat rocking “Burn Hollywood Burn” and proceeds to give us a dynamic musical journey with a colorful narrative that lasts through all 29 songs, almost two hours of non-stop entertainment.  This double album should be listened to several times in order to absorb all that Brownlow has to offer.  His songs have great lyrical content as well as incredible musical accompaniment that will keep his listeners engaged and coming back for more.  There is so much to this album, but we really like “Asteroids” (with its jazzy guitar), “Government Work” and “Baby Got a Gun (for their rockabilly/surf rock feel), “God Willing” (for its 60’s sound reminiscent of the Monkees), “Already Gone” (for its Smoky Robinson soulful feel), “Gonna Have to let you Down” (for its dynamic bass line); and “Let the Feeling Go (for its overall laid-back and groovy beauty.  All in all this album will keep you company for a long time, so make sure you make time to enjoy it,

Recommendation:  Brit pop is alive and well and we’re so glad we discovered this amazing artist.  This one should be one of your “desert island picks.”  Don’t delay – Get it today.

Artist Name:  MUTTS

Album Name:  Stick Together

Label:  8eat8 records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  I’ll be Around; 2.  Neighbor; 3.  Let’s Go; 4.  Tin Foil Hat; 5.  Don’t Touch It

Publicist:  Perpetual Media Relations

Review:  Critics are already hailing this Chicago-based band as the successor to Tom Waits, and we tend to agree with their assessment.  The music would make the Blues Brothers proud, with its almost gospel choir feel and its feel-good musical accompaniment.  If you are a Cubs fan, you’re probably already familiar with the band, as their song, “Let’s Go” was used extensively by the club during last season’s World Series run.  This band has the power and the spunk to make a huge name for themselves.  Check out “Tin Foil Hat” as proof.  Don’t be surprised to see them continue to break down the walls that separate indie from mainstream.  We expect these guys will go far in this business, and set a precedent that will enable other great indie bands to also bust out.  As the Cubs (through MUTTS) like to say, “Let’s Go.”

Recommendation:  Be the first in line to Get this one when it is released on September 12.  Pre-order it now.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Fire Chief Charlie, The Slants, The Jerry Douglas Band, The Khourys

Happy hump day!  We’ve got a couple of older releases from earlier this year that we just received, so we’re bring them to you now, along with new releases from The Jerry Douglas Band and The Khourys.  Hope you enjoy them all.

Artist Name:  Fire Chief Charlie

Album Name:  Chances Are

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Folk/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Celery Green; 2.  LaGuardia; 3.  Boris; 4.  Bull-Hammer; 5.  Let’s be Happy; 6.  Animals; 7.  Chip Chirp; 8.  Dictionary Red; 9.  We on the Radio; 10.  Elephant Box; 11.  Redford; 12.  Fast Trade 500

Publicist:  None

Review:  Fire Chief Charlie is an indie band which draws its inspiration from the music of Cat Stevens and Buddy Holly to create a musical sound that is truly unique, sort of the Stray Cats meet the B-52s.  The result is an intriguing sound that keeps the listener engaged, as the music radiates in all directions as it shifts between genres at the speed of light.  Their first single, “Let’s be Happy,” is already getting airplay on several of LA’s biggest stations, in advance of their upcoming performance at The Satellite on September 21.  We only wish we could be there for what promises to be a great show.  At least we have this superb album to give us a taste.  All of the songs are fun and make the album a perfect candidate for repeated listens.

Recommendation:  If you live in LA, then you definitely should head over to the Satellite on September 21 to check out Fire Chief Charlie.  In the meantime, Get their latest album.

Artist Name:  The Slants

Album Name:  The Band who Must not be Named

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing: 1.  From the Heart; 2.  Fight Back; 3.  Endlessly Falling; 4.  Level Up; 5.  Sutures (acoustic)

Publicist:  In Music we Trust

Review:  The Slants, an Asian American band out of Portland, Oregon, have been trying to trademark their name for years.  This past June, they finally won their case when the Supreme Court sided with them.  Their new EP and tour are in celebration of that victory.  The first song “From the Heart,” sums it up perfectly – “We won’t become complacent.  We’re a rock and roll nation.  We sing from the heart.”  In fact, all five songs are amazing and make this a band we definitely want to check out live.  They will be playing a show at Spokane’s The Big Dipper on October 3, and we intend to be there.

Recommendation:  Believe the hype – this band is worthy of serious consideration.  We strongly advice you to Get their EP and check them out live when they come to your area.

Artist Name:  The Jerry Douglas Band

Album Name:  What If

Label:  Rounder Records

Genre:  Bluegrass

Track Listing: 1.  Cavebop; 2.  Unfolding; 3.  2:19; 4.  What If; 5.  Hey Joe; 6.  Battle Stick; 7.  Go Ahead and Leave; 8.  Butcher Boy; 9.  Freemantle; 10.  The Last Wild Moor; 11.  Hot Country 84.5

Publicist:  MSO PR

Review: Jerry Douglas has made quite a name for himself as one of America’s premier bluegrass dobro players, and most recently toured as a featured soloist with Allison Krause and Union Station.  He has now formed his own band and is releasing an album and heading out on tour.   His sound mixes elements of swing, blues, soul and rock and jazz with bluegrass and country to form his own unique blend that will further cement his place in American music, where he has already won multiple Grammys, as well as being a winner in the International Bluegrass Music Awards.  His cover of Tom Waits’ “2:19” adds new elements to this classic gem.  Other memorable songs on this collection include “Cavebop,” the title track, “Hey Joe,” “Battle Stick” (which has a reggae feel), and “Freemantle.”

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer – rush out and Get your copy of “What If.”  You will want to play this one non-stop.

Artist Name:  The Khourys

Album Name:  Good Stuff

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  I Do; 2.  Good Stuff; 3.  I’m Sorry; 4.  (We’re) Only Human; 5.  Face Me; 6.  Don’t Think Twice

Publicist:  None

Review:  The Khourys, composed of sisters Jahnna and Giulia from Massachusetts, combine elements of R&B, soul, jazz and and funk to form their own brand of pop music that defies the standard genre barriers.  From the first notes of “I Do,” it becomes quickly obvious that these ladies have come to rock, and the listener is the beneficiary of their soulful and rocking tunes.  The joyous sonic journey continues with the title track, and doesn’t stop until the final note of “Don’t Think Twice.”  We were especially impressed with the stand-out jazz sound of “I’m Sorry.”  Overall, these ladies bring some of the best music this reviewer has ever heard, and which deserve serious industry attention.  They are truly the real deal and we believe they will shortly become a  household name.

Recommendation:  Run, don’t walk and GRAB this EP before it is gone.  This is one bandwagon you’re gonna want to be on.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – San Cisco, Chuck McDermott, The Raft, Loka

We hope you had a wonderful holiday yesterday and that you’re ready to get back into discovering great indie music.  We have four very different artists for you today, so grab your coffee and let’s dig in.

Artist Name:  San Cisco

Album Name:  The Water 

Label:  Embassy of Music/Island City Records

Genre:   Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1,  Kids are Cool; 2.  Sunrise; 3.  That Boy; 4.  The Distance; 5.  Hey, Did I do you Wrong?; 6.  Waiting for the Weekend; 7.  SloMo; 8.  The Water; 9.  Did you get What you Came For; 10.  Make me Electrify

Publicist:   Guerilla Music Promotion

Review:  If you’re ever feel down, then we  have the perfect remedy for you – just pop in San Cisco’s latest album The Water and you’ll feel better in no time.  With a sound reminiscent of fun. meets Echosmith, this band will wow you with their upbeat songs, wholesome lyrics and memorable melodies.   Their first single, “SloMo,” has an impressive beat, delicious harmonies and an infectious melody that make it the perfect cure to the blahs.  Other impressive songs include “Sunrise,” “Hey, Did I do you Wrong?” “Waiting for the Weekend” and the title track.  This band is a joy to listen to and we are sure they are just as entertaining in their live performance.  San Cisco proves once again that some of the best indie bands hail from Australia – we can only hope they get to America soon.

Recommendation:   If you need a pick-me-up, then we are proud to prescribe this record as the cure.  Rush out and Get it now.

Artist Name:   Chuck McDermott

Album Name:   Gin & Rosewater

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Country/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Belvedere; 2.  A Thousand Cuts; 3.  The Girl From St. Lucy; 4.  Irresistible Targets; 5.  Gin and Rosewater; 6.  Red Betty; 7.  James Foley Diaries; 8.  Hold Back the Water; 9.  Everything; 10.  Downtown Bus; 11.  I Walk the Line; 12.  Tryin’ to Keep the Wheels on the Road; 13.  Don’t let me be Misunderstood; 14.  People are Weak (ft. Stephen Stills)

Publicist:   HyPR Media

Review:  Chuck McDermott doesn’t have a pretty voice, but he has a voice that reflects the heartland – the grit and grime of a hard-working blue collar employee that is the backbone of our country.  When he sings, you feel the commitment, the struggle and the joy of someone who has been through the fire and come out the other side.  We love how he turns the pain of a bad relationship into knowledge gained in his song “A Thousand Cuts,” how he shows his love of storytelling in “The Girl From St. Lucy” and the title track.  His covers of John Stewart’s “Irresistible Targets,” Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” and The Animals’ “Don’t let me be Misunderstood” bring a new perspective to these time-tested classics.  He even brings another icon, Stephen Stills, in on his closing song.  All in all this is a collection of great songs that belongs in every music library.

Recommendation:  Please welcome Chuck McDermott to the fold of American musical icons who continue to share our heritage through their music.  Please don’t wait to Get this one.

Artist Name:  The Raft

Album Name:  A Lullaby

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Pop/Dream Pop

Track Listing:  1.  I’m so High; 2.  O No She’s Alive; 3.  O A Lullaby/Nobody’s Daughter

Publicist:  None

Review:  Phil Wilson aka The Raft is no stranger to our Blog.  We reviewed his previous effort back in July.  We are proud that he continues to exemplify the best of the indie music world with three more amazing songs that add additional depth to this persona.  The music brings us back to a simpler time when we were not so stressed out, and is uplifting and soothing.  We could easily keep this EP on continuous repeat.  We are proud to add The Raft to our list of artists we can count on to deliver great music.

Recommendation:  Get your buns over to the Bandcamp website and buy this one – you’ll thank us later.

Artist Name:  Loka

Album Name:  Northern Oscillations

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Unconventional

Track Listing:  1.  Herculean Rock; 2.  Silver Chain; 3.  Better Dimension; 4.  The Oldest Lights; 5.  The National Mistrust; 6.  6th Happiness; 7.  Jacob’s Ladder; 8.  Everything Exploded; 9.  Yes is not No; 10.  A Remembered Remedy

Publicist:  Neon Tetra

Review:  The music of Loka defies genre, with elements of rock, jazz, pop, psychadelica and more.  This is their third album, released six years after their last album.  It is obvious that the band has taken that time to grow their music, making it appealing to a myriad of fans.  Their first single, “Herculean Rock,” the first track of the album demonstrates that commitment, while the second and third tracks take you back to the LSD trips of the 60’s, with a sound reminiscent of The Beatles meets Jimi Hendrix.  The rest of the album vacillates though multiple musical styles.  If their intention was to keep the listener from getting bored, then they have succeeded brilliantly.

Recommendation:  We recommend you Get this album.  We can almost guarantee that you don’t have anything like it in your current music library.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 33

Happy Labor Day – may the Fourth be with you!  Hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday weekend and are ready for some new music and videos from the indie music community.

SHANNON HURLEY CREATES ART

Most of you who are familiar with the indie music community either know of or personally know Shannon Hurley.  Not only is she an amazing solo artist, but she is half of the award-winning duo Lovers & Poets, as well as a DIY wizard.  She has collaborated with countless DJs who have turned her songs into dance hits, and is a budding actress.  What you probably don’t know is that with her numerous hours of downtown while on set, she has recently begun “doodling,” creating some amazing art.  We strongly encourage you to check out her new art page on Facebook and support this amazing multi-talented indie artist.

ROBBERY INC. TO PLAY VIPER ROOM

If you happen to be in Los Angeles, we recommend you check out Robbery Inc.‘s performance at The Viper Room on September 14.  Here’s their latest single, “Honebee,” to whet your appetite.  The band is fronted by former Trapt guitarist Robb Torres.

NEW SINGLES

We love sharing new music with our readers, and we have a few great new singles to share today.  Artists and publicists – please make sure you let us know when you have new music out – we’d be happy to share!

Here’s the latest single, “Go Home,” from David Garfield.  It has such a sweet sound featuring strong saxophone and guitar, great upbeat rhythm, awesome background vocals near the end and a catchy melody throughout.  Please let us know what you think.  We have always loved jazz and simply adore this song.  Thanks to Doug Deutsch Publicity Services for sharing it with us.

Here’s the title track from the forthcoming album Anthropocene from genre-defying artist Peter Oren.  Please let us know what  you think.

Like your music a little rockier?  Check out “Way Too Much” from Smash Boom Pow.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

We love this creative video from newcomers The Phase for their single “Can’t Get It.”  If you love the beach, this one just might make you miss it a little.  Definitely check these guys out.

If horses and beautiful cinematography are your thing, you will probably love this video by Erin Durant for her single “Old Soul.”

Last but not least today is the video for “Midnight Flight” by Canyon City, the new single from their forthcoming release, Constellation, which we will be reviewing in the not too distant future.  Thanks to Red Boot PR for bringing us another outstanding indie artist.