Month: January 2018

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

Get it or forget it – Miss Freddye, Amanda Mair, The Rigs, Marmoset Music, Demons

And the cycle begins again.  Now that the LA Music Critic Award nominations for the second half of 2017 have been announced, we can start reviewing the first of the submissions for the first half of 2018.  We have five of them for you today.  Hope you enjoy them.  Don’t forget to vote for your Fan Favorite.  Voting closes 1/31/18.

Artist Name:  Miss Freddye

Album Name:  Lady of the Blues

Label:  missfreddyesblues

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Miss Freddye’s Gonna Fix Ya; 2.  Luv ya Baby; 3.  Lady of the Blues; 4.  Don’t Apologize, Recognize; 5.  Home Improvement; 6.  Use the Back Door; 7.  Chain Breaker; 8.  Doorway to the Blues; 9.  These are my Blues; 10.  Freight Train Blues; 11.  A Losing Battle

Publicist:  Broads 4 Blues

Review:  Traditional Blues are a special kind of awesome, especially when the vocals are throaty, sexy and female.  Miss Freddye is the perfect kind of blues singer, and she brings it all to the table when she sings, kind of like a combination of Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt.  She has an amazing band that provides the perfect accompaniment to her down home sound, complete with an amazing horn section and a dynamic keyboardist.  The harmonies are also perfect, especially on “Luv ya Baby.”  The title track is a perfect representation of the quality of this whole album, and should hook you on Miss Freddye.  Other tracks we love include the amazing duet “Don’t Apologize, Recognize,” the jiving “Home Improvement” with its screaming sax and piano, “Chain Breaker,”  and the more traditional “These are my Blues” and “Freight Train Blues.”

Recommendation:  Definitely a winning combination, you simply MUST Get this one.

Artist Name:  Amanda Mair

Album Name:  To the Moon

Label:  Despotz Records AB

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Stay you and I; 2.  Rush; 3.  Wednesday; 4.  Hopes; 5.  Empty Blockings

Publicist:  Mystic Sons PR

Review:  Amanda Mair comes to us courtesy of Stockholm, Sweden, and we think she is just what American pop radio needs to survive.  Her sound is dreamy, airy, upbeat and truly radio ready.  Her sound lifts your spirits and gets you ready to face the day.  She should be required listening for everyone who has to go out and work.  The EP chronicles her personal struggles and encourages her fans that they can successfully overcome them as well.  “Rush” would make a great house mix for the dance floor.  “Wednesday” and “Hopes” are light and airy reminiscent of Enya, before closing out the EP with the upbeat and danceable track “Empty Blockings.”

Recommendation:  A great start, this is definitely one of the best International EPs we have ever reviewed.  This one is a no-brainer – Get it now!

Artist Name:  The Rigs

Album Name:  World on Fire

Label:  Sain Rogue Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  The Brave; 2.  Fault Line; 3.  Runaway; 4.  Fall or Fly; 5.  The Hunted; 6.  White Flag; 7.  World on Fire; 8.  When we Were Young

Publicist:  Magic Tree Productions

Review:  We fell in love with this band when we previewed their latest music video “When we Were Young” in our last Monday Mashup.  The EP is even better, as it shows a dynamic range of musical talent beyond that in the single.  This band hits the ground running on “The Brave,” and proceeds to blow their listeners away with strong vocals, well-written lyrics and a mind-blowing musical accompaniment that swells and grows to its climax.  The next track “Fault Line” continues that awesomeness, leaving no doubt that this band is ready for serious radio airplay, with a sound similar to Imagine Dragons.  Other songs that we loved include “Fall or Fly,” “The Hunted,” and the title track, basically everything on the EP.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice – Get it ASAP!

Artist Name:  Marmoset Music

Album Name:  Transference

Label:  Marmoset Music

Genre:  Miscellaneous

Track Listing:  1.  Hot Time in the Old Town (Ural Thomas and the Pain); 2.  April Showers (Shaky Faces); 3.  Where the Glories Glow (Dear Nora); 4.  Play a Simple Melody (Trimountaine); 5.  Out Among the Sheltering Pines (The Helio Sequence); 6.  Wildflower Flower (Bouquet); 7.  The World is Waiting for the Sunrise (Distance (ft. Frankie Simone)); 8.  Beautiful Dreamer (Patternist); 9.  Shine on Harvest Moon (Mree); 10.  Me and my Gal (Hot Bloods)

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  What makes this compilation so special is that every one of these songs came out of the public domain and have been reimagined and redesigned by this amazing mix of eclectic artists, through the oversight of Marmoset Music.  The result is a fun album of songs that have been modernized and brought back to life for modern music lovers.  Our favorite tracks include “Hot Time in the Old Town,” “Where the Glories Grow,” “Out Among the Sheltering Pines,” “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” and “Harvest Moon.”

Recommendation:  This one definitely deserves a spot in your musical library.

Artist Name:  Demons

Album Name:  Embrace Wolf

Label:  Spartan Records

Genre:  Punk

Track Listing:  1.  (telebrothy); 2.  Always Your Own; 3.  wish; 4.  Nobody Loves you the way you Are; 5.  Dig; 6.  Decibel Farmer; 7.  17:9; 8.  Arranged Marriage; 9.  Assured Retribution

Publicist:  Spartan Records

Review:  The album begins with the instrumental track (telebrothy) before launching into the full-blown punk track of “Always Your Own.”  Unlike other punk we have reviewed, the lyrics are understandable and the music is low key but highly effective.  The volume and feedback go up starting with “Nobody Loves You the way you Are,” “Dig” and “Decibel Farmer,” making it more difficult for a non-punk lover to enjoy the music.  Our favorite tracks are “wish,” “Arranged Marriage,” and “Assured Retribution.”

Recommendation:  If you are a true punk lover, you will enjoy this one.  If not, you should probably Forget it.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards Best of 2017 LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of LA Music Critic Award nominations for second half of 2017

We think that 2017 will go down as one of the most prolific years in outstanding music being released by indie artists.  We received and reviewed so many that we had to change the review period.  Consequently, we considered more than 235 albums and EPs that were released between July 1 and November 30, 2017, in compiling our nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards.  Albums and EPs released from December 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018 will be considered for the first half awards of 2018.

Fans are encouraged to vote for the Fan Favorite Award.  To vote for your favorite,  simply leave a comment below in the following format:  “I vote for (name of artist) for Fan Favorite.”  No other comments will be counted toward the Fan Favorite Award, and each reader may only vote once.   Comments made on other social media sites will not count.

Fans are also encouraged to comment on other award nominations, and those comments will be reviewed by the Awards committee.  However, they will not count for the Fan Favorite Award unless the comment specifically says that the artist is being nominated for the Fan Favorite Award. 

The deadline for voting for the Fan Favorite Award is Wednesday, January 31, 2018, at midnight MST.  The full list of winners will be announced at 6 p.m. MST on Friday, February 2, 2018.

Without further delay, here are the nominations.

BEST EP (Male) – Ryan Sims, My Side of the Story; Sam Marine, Big Dark City; Ben Anderson, YouTopia; Matt Westerman, Life Out Loud; Vinnie Paolizzi, Kids

BEST EP (Female) – Jacquie, The Only One; Katie Costello, New World; Cara Frew, Dance; Helen Culver, Seven Year Glitch; Libbie Schrader, Red Thread

BEST EP (Group) – Mare Island, Eponymous; TYA, No Money, More Love; RVBY My Dear, Cycles; Social Repose, Empress; Surf Rock is Dead, We Have No Friends?

BEST EP (International) – House Hounds, Saturate; Wolf & Moon, Frames; HUNDREDS, Wilderness; The Raft; Orion; The Raft, A Lullaby

BEST CD (Male) – Canyon City, Constellation; Chuck McDermott, Gin & Rosewater; Case Garrett, Aurora; Rusty Young, Waitin’ for the Sun; Bryan Stephens, Village of Dreams

BEST CD (Female) – Monica Chapman, Small World; Chelsea Williams, Boomerang; Cindy Alexander, Deep Waters; Marina V, Born to the Stars; Katie Costello, Twice the Love; Amilia K. Spicer, Wow and Flutter

BEST CD (Group) – The Commotions, Vol 2; Great Willow, Find Yourself in Los Angeles; Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, Something for the Pain; FreeWorld, What it Is; Chris Daniels and the Kings, Blues with Horns

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Katie Garibaldi, Home Sweet Christmas; Balsam Range, It’s Christmas Time; Jennifer Hanson, Under the Tree; Beth Marie Anderson, Christmas with You; Bloodshot Records, 13 Days of Xmas; Blue Elan Records, A Blue Elan Christmas

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Matt Hawkins, Steel Ya Blues; Brandon Bonine, Remember my Name; Canyon City, Midnight Flight; Josh Johnstone, Just What it is; Rod Melancon, Dwayne & Me

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Janey Street, Undone; Dree Mon, Rebel Soul; Lexie Rose, Wrong; Katie Costello, Hearts on Fire; Rachel Ariana, Imperfect; Suzanne Santo, Ghost in my Bed

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – FlecHaus, Tell me Something; Satellite Citi, Undead; Elizabeth and the Catapult, Ambrosia; Oh Geronomo, No More Stones; Pet Fangs, Gold Coast Dreaming; The Flatliners, Indoors

BEST VIDEO (LIVE) – Sierra Blanca, Paint the Road; Bernie Faulkner, Potbelly Stove; Calico the Band, The Leaving Kind; Rosi Golan, Underneath; Chelsea Williams, Anything Worth Saving

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Mellott, Shooting Stars; Rachel Price, Love is War; The Rebel Light, Where did all the Love Go; Chris Chilton, Adonai; Jared Finck, New Kids

BEST VIDEO (HOLIDAY) – Redhead Express, Love is Christmas; Chelsea Williams, Peppermints and Mistletoe; Kate Steinway, White Christmas; Pam Taylor, Let’s Get it on for Christmas

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Straw, Bang Bang; Straw, 1965; Captive (ft. Hannah Trigwell), I Could be the One

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Blue Elan Artists, Shine Down on Us; David Garfield and J. Paris, I Lied; Beckett and Claire Ridgely, Butterflies

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Mikey Wax, “Spaceman;” Zvchvivh, “Think of Me;” Tim Maiden, “So Far Gone;” Matt Zambon, “Blue and Yellow;” Jason Crosby, “Final Step”

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Hannah Lucia, “Your Love;” Heather Bond, “Keep it Quiet;” Ashleigh Watson, “Little Love;” Liz Kennedy (ft. Taj Mahal), “Everyone Knows how it Goes”

BEST SINGLE (Group) –   Featurette, “Upside Down;” Delsinki, “Wishing Upon a Star;” Echo City, “Burn Me;” Astral Queen, “Take it all the Way;” The Sound of Ghosts, “Train to Nowhere”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/BAND – The Fisherman and the Sea, Belle Miners, The Raft, HUNDREDS, Wolf & Moon

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Case Garrett, Tim Bennett, Whitney Lusk, Kaylee Keller, Ryan Sims

BEST COUNTRY BAND – CALICO the Band, Steve Azar and the Kings Men, Honey County

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Pam Taylor, John Verity, Stacy Jones, Alastair Greene, R. D. Olson, Dave Hunt

BEST BLUES BAND – Paradise Kings, FreeWorld, Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, BB and the Blues Shacks, Chris Daniels and the Kings, The McKee Brothers

BEST POP ARTIST (Female) – Marina V, Cindy Alexander, Katie Costello, Alex Mabey, Maggie McClure, Rosi Golan

BEST POP ARTIST (Male) – Curtis Peoples, Fernando Perdomo, Matt Westerman, Bryan Stephens, Ben Anderson, LeRiche

BEST POP BAND – Flood Coats, Seasonal Beast, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Warbly Jets, High Dive Heart, Laini and the Wildfire

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Billy Burnette, Rusty Young, Ben Lorentzen, Russ Carrick, Robert Francis, Peter Simpson

BEST ROCK BAND – The Khourys, Surf Rock is Dead, Social Repose, The Slants, Xs and Arrows, Dopapod

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Ray Goren, Leslie Clio, Zoey Clarke, Louise Lemon

BEST R&B/SOUL/RETRO BAND – The Marias, The Commotions, Burgess Meredith

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (Female) – Lydia Loveless, Shannon McNally, Liz Kennedy, Chelsea Williams, Amilia K. Spicer, Suzanne Santo

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (Male) – Rich McCulley, Marc Berger, Chuck McDermott, Jason Hawk Harris, Sam Marine, Vinnie Paolizzi

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Great Willow, The County Liners, JD and the Straight Shot, The Empty Pockets, Dead Rock West

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – The Jerry Douglas Band, The Grascals, My Girl My Whiskey and Me, Tommy Emmanuel and David Grisman

BEST JAZZ/INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Tout, Noon, Monica Chapman, John McLaughlin, KRON, Dave Yaden

BEST DANCE ARTIST/BAND – The Innocent Bystanders, TYA, Elephant Stone, Niteshifters, Cara Frew

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Never Ending Fall

BEST PUNK BAND – Franks and Deans, Emmer Effer, Hang Tight, The Paranoid Style

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND – SBK, Vacant Home, Aviator, The Black Hand, Downfall 2012

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Ben Bostick, Canyon City, Garrison Starr, Fred Smith, Sierra Blanca, Brandon Luedtke

BEST FOLK BAND – Tony Lovato and MEST, Fire Chief Charlie, Amber Run, Nescora, FXRRVST

BEST TRADITIONAL FOLK BAND – Storywrens, The East Pointers

BEST PROG ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Orissa, Dave Kerzner

RISING STAR – Ray Goren, Kaylee Keller, Rachel Ariana, Gina Sicilia, Chelsea Williams

We encourage to subscribe so you can keep up with the Awards and with our blog year-round.  We’ll be back tomorrow with the first reviews for the next cycle.

Categories
LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup

Monday mashup 2018 – vol. 2

It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. day – hope you remembered and thought about the amazing legacy he left behind and the example he was for all humanity, especially in this day and time.  We have a lot of news for you today, as well as three new singles and music videos.  Don’t forget that the nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards will be announced on Wednesday, January 17, with the winners announced on Friday, February 2.  We can’t wait to share them with you.

INDIE MUSIC AT WINTER NAMM

The NAMM Show for musicians is the equivalent of Saint Patrick’s Day for the Irish.  It is an annual event held in January every year at the Anaheim Convention Center which brings together all types of music manufacturers, buyers and musicians to show off the latest innovations and to share music.  It is not open to the public, although some special events are, like the nightly musical showcases in the hotel lobbies of the Marriott and the Hilton, as well as on the outdoor stages outside the Convention Center.  Kudos to Tim Moyer, who coordinates these artists every year.  Here is a list of indie musicians who will be performing on the Marriott’s two stages during this year’s Winter NAMM, which will be during Grammy weekend, January 25-28, 2018:

Wednesday, January 24
5-5:40 – Paula Boggs Band
6-6:40 – Will Champlin
7-7:40 – Nu-Blu
8-8:40 – Stephanie Brown and the Surrealistics
9-9:40 – Minor Strut
10-10:40 – Static and Surrender
11-11:40 – Lunar Hand

Thursday, January 25
11-11:40 – Jamie Stillway
12-12:40 – Aidan James
1-1:40 – Dauzat St. Marie
2-2:40 – Ben Allen
3-3:40 – MASUMI Trio
4-5:40 – Tim Moyer Songwriters Round (Steven McClintock, Tessa Delee)
6-6:40 – The Get Down Boys
7-7:40 – Incendio
8-8:40 – Wish and the Well
9-9:40 – Parlor Social
10-10:40 – Paul Childers
11-11:40 – Shaye & Black Hat
12-12:40 – Gene Evaro, Jr.

Friday, January 26
11-11:40 – Heather Nation
12-12:40 – Trevor Gordon Hall
1-1:40 – Tiffany Christopher
2-2:40 – Grayson Erhard
3-3:40 – Lloyd Spiegel
4-5:40 – Tim Moyer Songwriters Round (Kiki Ebsen, Makayla Phillips, Randi Driscoll)
6-6:40 – Stephanie Johnson Band
7-7:40 – Wimberly Bluegrass Band
8-8:40 – Printz
9-9:40 – NAMM VIP SURPRISE PERFORMANCE
10-10:40 – Bernie Williams and Gil Paris
11-11:40 – Chase Walker
12-12:40 – The Fenians

Saturday, January 27
11-11:40 – Emily Faith
12-12:40 – Jon Mullane
1-1:40 – Jessica Malone
2-2:40 – Chi McLean
3-3:40 – Wilifax
4:5:40 – Tim Moyer Songwriters Round (Sister Speak, Josh Logan, Olivia Henken)
6-6:40 – Venice
7-7:40 – Aaron Rizzo
8-8:40 – Larry Mitchell
9-9:40 – Sara Rogo
10-10:40 – The Crooked Stones
11-11:40 – Komox
12-12:40 – Elvis Monroe

SENNHEISER ANNOUNCES NAMM PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Kudos also to Jay Tinsky, who has booked a great line-up of performers on the Sennheiser Microphone stage (Booth 6577) inside the Convention Center.  Unfortunately, these performances are open to badgeholders only.

Thursday, January 25
11:30 – Randell Kirsch and Luann Olson
12:30 – Ronee Martin
1:30 – Michael Mell
2:30 – Talbot Brothers
3:30 – Rie Sinclair

Friday, January 26
11:30 – Jaq MacKenzie
12:30 – Astral Queen (ft. Nina Storey and Mark McKee)
1:30 – Ari and the Alibis
2:30 – Marcus Eaton
3:30 – Julia Othmer
4:30 – Nu Blue

Saturday, January 27
11:30 – Dixie Jade
12:30 – Luci
1:30 – Lola Lennox
2:30 – Debby Holiday
3:30 – Charlie Bereal
4:30 – J. Malik

Sunday, January 28
11:30 – em rossi
12:30 – The Talbots
1:30 – George Krikes ft. Pretty Polly
2:30 – Ari and the Alibis
3:30 – Marina V

NEW SINGLES

Our first single today, “Interfear,” comes to us from Australian band Foemen.  This one should get your senses pumping and your heart racing.  Let us know what you think.

https://soundcloud.com/the-a-3/foemen-interfear

Next up is the “Times Flying,” from Elin K, a majestic ballad that will take your ears and mind on an excellent auditory journey.  Check it out.

https://soundcloud.com/elin_k/times-flying/s-ACaTJ

Our final single today, “Winter” by Luke Buck, is another ballad that will take you on a journey that will appeal to all of your senses.  We think this one has legs.

https://soundcloud.com/lukebuckmusic/winter

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Check out this amazing lyric video from Foreign Figures for their single, Heart of Gold.  We think this one is a sure-fire hit.

Next up is “When we Were Young,” an amazing video from The Rigs and featuring DeAnte Tyree Duckett.  This might become our new favorite song, and it’s perfect for this particular holiday.  Enjoy!

Our final video today is some K-Pop from Down Under,  Stalking Like Candy‘s “Can You See the Light.”  We are overjoyed and amazed at the visual stimulation and the fun, upbeat vibe of this band and their song.  Let us know how they affect you.

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2017 Women in Entertainment

Best indie albums of 2017

Here’s our list of the best indie albums of 2017.  Some of them were nominated and/or won LA Music Critic Awards during the first half of 2017, and most of the rest will be included when the nominations for the second half of 2017 are announced on January 17.  Consider this your “sneak peak” of those nominations.  Every album on this list has been reviewed in the “Get it or Forget it” column of our Blog.  How many of them do you have?

Honorable Mention:  Even though we have selected 25 albums for our list, there were a few that didn’t make the list, but deserve mention, including Ride by Marc Berger, Find the Silver Lining by Kelly Fitzgerald, Little Folks Like You and Me by Mike Younger, Small World by Monica Chapman and Honestly by Jay Asher.  Definitely check out these albums.

25.  The East Pointers, What we Leave Behind – This award-winning Canadian band has what they need to break into the American music scene.

24.  Becca Richardson, We are Gathered Here – Check her out at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on January 20.

23.  Harper Grae, Break Your Crowns – Definitely check out this rising star from Nashville.

22.  Rusty Young, Waitin’ for the Sun – Young was the former lead singer for Poco, and the band has reunited to support his solo artist.  This is his first solo effort for Blue Élan Records.

21.  The Show Ponies, How it all Goes Down – The band recently announced they would be disbanding and this album was their final one.  They were an LA Music Critic Award winner during the first half of 2017.

20.  Elizabeth and the Catapult, Keepsake – Check her out when she performs at Sundance this year.

19.  Great Willow, Find Yourself in Los Angeles – This band is becoming a player on the Americana circuit.  Check them out live if you live near there.

18.  Bryan Stephens, Village of Dreams – Another great Blue Élan Records artist.

17.  Jeffrey Halford & the Healers, Lo-Fi Dreams – Another LA Music Critic Award multiple nominee from the first half of 2017.

16.  Ray Goren, Me – This past LA Music Critic Award winner has a great future ahead.

15.  Marina V, Born to the Stars – This Russian-born singer-songwriter is one of a kind.  Welcome back to the charts.  More than 65,000 worldwide fans can’t be wrong.

14.  Chris Daniels and the Kings, Blues with Horns – This indie artist has had a storied career and his latest is one of his best.

13.  Chelsea Williams, Boomerang – Another premier act from Blue Élan Records, she will also be performing at Sundance.

12.  Jangling Sparrows, 140 Nickels – Watch for these guys near the top of the Americana music scene.

11.  Andrea Harsell and Luna Roya, Something for the Pain – This band is a Missoula, Montana staple that is definitely going places.

10.  Halladay Quist, self-titled – Another Montana artist with a family legacy of musical excellence.

9.  Gina Sicilia, Tug of War – Another Blue Élan Records artist who is at the top of her game.  Multiple LA Music Critic Award winner.  Watch for her 8th album coming soon.

8.  Amilia K. Spicer, Wow and Flutter – Another past LA Music Critic winner, this is one of the best Americana albums released in quite a while.

7.  Seasonal Beast – Muscle Memory – One of our best “finds” this year, watch for great things from this New York duo.

6.  Breaking Grass, Warning Signs – Another multiple LA Music Critic Award winner, this band is redefining bluegrass music.

5.  Wendy Sweetlove, Dirty Sunday – She was nominated for several LA Music Critic awards right out of the gate,  She is definitely an artist worth checking out.

4.  Janey Street, In my Own Skin – Reigning LA Music Critic Icon Award winner, she is another of the special breed of artists signed to Blue Élan Records.

3.  Rod Melancon, Southern Gothic – Multiple LA Music Critic Award winner, he is the last of these artists signed to Blue Élan Records.  He is currently touring Sweden.

2.  Katie Costello, Twice the Love – This artist has consistently produced award winning albums.  She also had one of the Best EPs of 2017.

1.  FreeWorld, What it is – The pride of Memphis, this band is redefining American Blues.  Check them out the next time you’re in Memphis.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2017 Women in Entertainment

Best American EPs of 2017

Continuing on with our “Best of” lists for 2017, here are the Best 15 EPs released by American artists, as well as a few more that deserve mention.  You can find the complete reviews of each EP in our Get it or Forget it columns.

Honorable Mention – Red Hymns self-titled EP; Helen Culver Seven Year Glitch; After Hours Radio What Happened?; Broken Bellows The Card Table; Life Lessons Best When in Motion

15.  Sam Marine, Big Dark City – Definitely a surprise, this five song EP was obviously the result of an artist who has learned how to become part of the local community and reach out to them for help when needed.  We think you’ll be hearing a lot more from this artist in the future.

14.  Surf Rock is Dead, We Have no Friends? – A perfect combination of American and Australian ingenuity, this was another surprise this year with a huge potential.

13.  Eli Raybon, Green – This 20-year old Southerner has risen to the challenge and has set the bar high for subsequent projects.

12.  Mare Island, Eponymous – Likewise this Bay area band has some large footprints to fill in the future with this amazing debut EP.

11.  Ben Anderson, YouTopia – Indie label Chromodyne chose wisely in signing Anderson, and his four-song EP shows great promise.

10.  Riley Smith, self-titled – Riley Smith has made quite a name for himself as an actor on such beloved programs as Frequency and Nashville.  He can now add accomplished musician to his resume, as this EP was simply amazing.

9.  Ryan Sims, My Side of the Story – Another rising star in the country music field had a lot of help from his friends, including Jason “Slim” Gambill, Darryl Jones, Kenny Aronoff and Kim Bullard.  They helped him achieve a breakthrough sound that will have him rising up in Nashville in no time at all.

8.  Jacquie, The Only One – She survived NBC’s The Voice and a bad experience with the music industry to come back stronger than ever as an indie artist.  Can’t wait to see what’s next from this future superstar.

7.  Social Repose, Empress – Nearly 300,000 Facebook fans can’t be wrong about this one, and their latest EP proved just how good they are.

6.  Matt Westerman, Life Out Loud – One of LA’s brightest rising stars, Matt Westerman has a very promising future ahead.  We truly believe the sky is the limit for him.

5.  The Khourys, Good Stuff – Sisters Guila and Jahnna will surprise you – imagine one doing vocals and one doing rap – the combination is heaven’s nectar.  They are just as good in concert.

4.  RVBY My Dear, Cycles – Australian born and Brooklyn based musician Gabbi Coenen blew us away with her sophomore release.  Watch out for this one.

3.  Alex Mabey, Enough – An alumni of the Durango Songwriters Expo, Mabey seems destined to follow in the steps of another famous alumni, Meghan Trainor.

2.  Katie Costello, New World – A perennial winner of many awards, including the LA Music Critic Awards, Costello brought us both an EP and an album in 2017, and both were superb.  Here’s of taste of what makes this artist so great.

1.  Vinnie Paolizzi, Kids – Biggest surprise of the year was receiving an EP from this young self-promoted artist that simply blew us away.  We are dying to see what comes next from this young man.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards Best of 2017 Get it or Forget it Women in Entertainment

Best international EPs of 2017

We have reviewed a total of 338 albums and EPs this year.  As you can imagine, there have been quite a lot of great ones along the way, and we plan to share some of them with you over the next four days.  We are breaking our “Best of 2017” lists down into four categories – Best American EPs, Best International EPs, Best American Albums and Best International albums.  Today we will share our Top 10 Best International EPs.  Individual reviews are available as part of our blog’s “Get it or Forget it” series.

10.  Elephant Stone, Remix of Fools.  This five-song EP contains remixes from the band’s Ship of Fools album,  The best of those songs is the Young Galaxy remix of “The Devil’s Shelter.”  Check out these lads from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

9.  Amber Run, Alaska.  This four-song EP contains two songs from the band’s sophomore album For a Moment, I was Lost, as well as two cover songs, including Maggie Rodgers’ “Alaska.”  This band hails from the UK.

8.  Strange Boy, Annunciation.  The band released their debut EP with four songs.  They are also from the UK.

7.  TYA, No Money, More Love.   Queensland, Australia is responsible for this amazing band, who has brought us five new songs.

6.  The Raft, Coming up for Air.  Phil Wilson aka The Raft is responsible for two of the best EPs of 2017.  This one was released back in August.  Wilson hails from the UK.

5.  The Fisherman & the Sea, The Beggar Princess.  This EP is part of a group of four scheduled to be released before their debut full-length album later this year.  We can hardly wait.  Our first band from Finland.

4.    The Raft, Orion.  Gift number two from Phil Wilson.  This one is the best of the three EPs he released in 2017.

3.  Hundreds, Wilderness (Akustik Edition).  German siblings Eva and Philipp Milner have brought us a true treasure with an acoustic version of some of their hits, along with an acoustic cover of Bon Iver’s “Plume.”

2.  Wolf & Moon, Frames.  Stefanie and Dennis met at a party in the Netherlands, and now travel the world sharing their dreampop material.

1.  Cara Frew, Dance.  Cara splits her time between her native South Africa and the US, bringing great electro pop dance music wherever she travels.

We’ll be back tomorrow with the Top 15 American EPs.  See ya then.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018 – vol. 1

Happy Monday.  Time for our first Monday Mashup of 2018, and there’s lots of new stuff for you.  Here we go!

FORMER INDIE ARTIST MILCK CONTINUES HER 2017 SUCCESS

MILCK has continued her myriad of successes as 2017 closes out by being named to two important lists – Buzzfeed‘s “The 17 Biggest Baddass Women of 2017 You Probably Never Heard Of” and Billboard Magazine‘s “The 20 Best Protest Songs of 2017.”  Both of these additions stem from her creation of “Quiet,” which was written as a protest to the Inauguration of President Trump, as well as MILCK’s refusal to not talk about past mistreatment, and ultimately resulted in her being signed to a major label.  That song was considered to be the #1 protest song of 2017.  Congrats to MILCK!  We can’t wait to see what she does next.

NEW SINGLES

First up today is the latest single from Jay Katana entitled “When She Dies.”  It is an impressive bit of instrumental guitar magic.  We can hardly wait for the release of his album, which we will review shortly.

Next up is “The L Word,” the latest single from Ellee Ven (featuring Prodeje).  Check it out and get your groove on.  This one will make you want to get up and dance.

Our final single today comes from the band Lesser Pieces.  “Texas” is a grooving and soulful song that should give you a sweet chill time soundtrack.  Let us know what you think.

NEW VIDEOS

Blue Ēlan Records has a pair of artists releasing new videos this week.  First up is brand new artist Polly Baker, who has released the lyric video of her first single, “Scraped Knees.”  We simply love this video and the song, and can’t wait for the upcoming release.

The second artist, Cindy Alexander, has released the official video for her song “Book of Love,” from her just-released Nowhere to Hide album.  This song is simply beautiful and is acoustically driven, as are all the songs on the new album.  Enjoy!

Last but not least is the latest from perennial LA Music Critic Award winners The Spider Accomplice.  They released their latest video “Swallow” on Christmas Day, and it was the best present we received.  Let’s rock out with TSA!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – LeRiche, The Raft, Vinnie Paolizzi, Tall Men Group

Hope your first week of 2018 was a success. We have now arrived at the final reviews for all submissions for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2017.  Here are the final four.  Watch for the return of Monday Mashup tomorrow, and our Best of 2017 lists later this week.  Have a great day!

Artist Name:  LeRiche

Album Name:  X-Dreamer

Label:  Big Story Entertainment

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Nomadic Heart; 2.  River Runs; 3.  Under Covers; 4.  Come Around; 5.  Dreamers; 6.  Roam; 7.  Briefcase Full of Booze

Publicist:  Auteur Research

Review:  LeRiche has such a dreamy voice that it makes his songs float on air.  His accompaniment is first rate, with a great singer-songwriter style.  From the first note of “Nomadic Heart,” we were hooked.  His music fits in with Andy Grammar, Jason Mraz, Ernie Halter, Tony Lucca and similar artists, and would be perfect for pop radio, as well as for placement for a myriad of television, film or commercial use.  This is his debut EP, and we are totally jazzed with his potential.  Our favorite tracks are “Nomadic Heart,” “Come Around,” “Dreamers,” and “Roam.”

Recommendation:  Definitely give the new kid a go – Get his debut EP now!

Artist Name:  The Raft

Album Name:  Orion

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Blue and Blue; 2.  Orion; 3.  Into You; 4.  My Elusive Friend

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Phil Wilson aka The Raft has released a trio of EPs in 2017, and we think he saved the best until last.  We reviewed his previous efforts in July and September, and consider ourselves privileged to get to do it again with his third EP, Orion.  The songs are so upbeat and happy they bring a smile to our faces, especially the title cut.  We truly believe that the sky is the limit for this amazing and talented indie artist.  All four songs are wonderfully written and performed, making The Raft one of our favorite discoveries of 2017.  You can’t go wrong with this one.  Check out the amazing vocals of Claire O’Neill on “Into You” – they will definitely change your perspective of indie artists.

Recommendation:  The Raft should become one of your favorite indie performers and a household name for indie perfection.  Get all of his EPs ASAP, especially this one.

Artist Name:  Vinnie Paolizzi

Album Name:  Kids

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Ugly Drunk and Scared to Death; 2.  Over the Limit; 3.  Scarlet Sky; 4.  Kids

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Vinnie Paolizzi has been making a name for himself in his hometown of Philadelphia and his adopted home of Nashville.  He is garnering lots of local radio airplay in Philadelphia and being compared to such diverse artists as Jackson Browne, Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams.  Upon listening to his latest EP Kids, we can easily understand why he is being met with such critical acclaim.  All four songs are great and worthy of more expanded radio airplay, especially “Ugly Drunk and Scared to Death, “Scarlet Sky” and the title track, which has “HIT” written all over it.  We look forward to the release of his follow-up EP Grown Ups.  This one is a keeper.

Recommendation:  Get it now – you’ll thank us later.

Artist Name:  Tall Men Group (TMG)

Album Name:  Feast

Label:  Tall Records

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Hey Loner; 2.  Unloved; 3.  Grandma; 4.  When we were Bad; 5.  Time Stands Still; 6.  Storm; 7.  The Night I met George Jones; 8.  Eggshells and Tears; 9.  California Soul Man; 10.  L’Amour; 11.  Surf the Mississippi; 12.  Baby Sleep

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  What started as a request from acclaimed Los Angeles indie musician Jimmy Yessian to five of his friends to get together monthly for food and music has developed into one of the premier indie bands on the Folk Alliance circuit.  Composed of Marty Axelrod, Severin Browne, Jeff Kossack, John Stowers, Ed Tree, and Yessian, this “supergroup” has just released their third album, and it is a work of pure genius.  Every member contributed two tracks, and the combination of their musical, writing and singing skills make TMG the “Travelling Wilburys” of the indie world.  With traces of country, Americana and classic rock, the musical sound of TMG is second to none.  Lead vocals are shared, with the writer becoming the dominant voice.  Each of them have their own vocal style, but  Yessian’s vocals remind us of a cross between Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Croce, and highlight “Unloved.”  Other tracks we really love include “When we were Bad,” “Storm,” “The Night I met George Jones,” “California Soul Man,” “Surf the Mississippi,” and “Baby Sleep.”

Recommendation:  If you love just good ole music, then this one is a must have – we highly recommend you rush out and Get this musical feast.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – Burgess Meredith, Wolf & Moon, Hundreds, Rick Shelley

We are winding down our coverage of indie albums released within the first 11 months of 2017.  We have four reviews for you today and the final four will be released tomorrow.  All reviewed albums are being considered for an LA Music Critic Award.  Here we go.

Artist Name:  Burgess Meredith

Album Name:  A Dimension of Sound

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Retro Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  When we Were Born; 2.  Wendy; 3.  Olivia; 4.  In and out of True; 5.  Outside; 6.  Welcome Home; 7.  The Leaver; 8.  Summers End; 9.  The man from Abilene; 10.  Just One, Cool Daddy; 11.  After You

Publicist:  Behind the Curtains Media

Review:  Burgess Meredith, named after one of American’s greatest supporting actors, is an Austin-based band that plays retro-style pop and rock music.  They are heavily influenced by such 70’s icons as Harry Nilsson, The Flaming Lips, Ricky Nelson and The Beatles.  Listening to them for a baby boomer is like stepping back into our childhood, evoking beautiful memories of a much simpler time.  Besides the familiarity the retro-style adds to their music, it is very much their own and they have infused that style with their own wit, amazing musicianship and incredible vocals.  Their music should be added to the musical catalogs of every music supervisor looking for retro material.  Our favorite tracks include “In and out of True,” “Outside,” “Welcome Home,” “The Leaver,” and “Just One, Cool Daddy.”

Recommendation:  If you love the retro sound, and great music in general, you simply MUST Get this one.

Artist Name:  Wolf & Moon

Album Name:  Frames

Label:    Embassy of Music

Genre:  Dream Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Like a Shotgun; 2.  War; 3.  Wake Up; 4.  Home to Me; 5.  Stones

Publicist:  Guerilla Music Promotion

Review:  The quality of music coming from Scandinavia these days is unbelievable, and Wolf & Moon are no exception.  The harmonies are glorious, the accompaniment heavenly and the vocals contributed by Stefany and Dennis are some of the best we have heard all year.  This five-song EP barely whets our appetite for their full length album which will be released later this year.  Every song is a treasure, and would make a worthy addition to American radio.  You can not go wrong with this EP, which is by far one of the best released anywhere in the world in 2017.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice –  Get onboard this train before it pulls out of the station.  Get this EP ASAP!

photo by Andreas Hornoff Fotografie

Artist Name:  Hundreds

Album Name:  Wilderness (Akustik Edition)

Label:  Embassy of Music

Genre:  Dream Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Unify; 2.  Spotless; 3.  Flume;  Black Sea; 5.  Lily

Publicist:  Guerilla Music Promotion

Review:  Hundreds has become one of the most successful indie bands from Germany, all without the advantage of radio or publicity.  This new EP features four original acoustic versions of their songs as well as an acoustic cover of Bon Iver’s hit, “Flume.”  This band has so much potential to crash into the American music scene, and we can hardly wait to see what comes next.  The haunting vocals, and ethereal quality remind us of the music of Enya, and are relaxing and nourishing to our artistic souls.  This music is perfect for evening chill time.

Recommendation:  A great EP which should be in the library of all music lovers.  Definitely Get this one.

Artist Name:  Rick Shelley

Album Name:  Hope Wrapped in Razor Wire

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Sing Waiting on a Friend; 2.  All she Really Wants; 3.  Dead Horse Hollow; 4.  Easy Lies; 5.  Home to the Bed I Made; 6.  Hope Wrapped in Razor Wire; 7.  Highway 99 (Bakersfield); 8.  Kisses Bitter; 9.  Long way Around; 10.  Right Back in my Arms; 11.  Sweet Poetry; 12.  Heart I Never Had

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  We had the pleasure of seeing Rick Shelley perform at the Songwriters at Play showcase back in October in Paso Robles.  We were so impressed we simply had to review his CD, and we were not disappointed.  Shelley has a strong masculine voice that is perfectly suited to Americana music.  His instrumentation is first rate, with everything you’d expect from an Americana band, including guitar, dobro, lap steel, fiddle, upright bass and pedal steel.  His voice is like a cross between Chris LeDoux, Clint Black and Vince Gill.  His songs will definitely get your feet to moving around the dance floor, while his lyrics give your mind something to chew on.  Country and alt-country/Americana radio needs to stand up and take notice of this amazing musician.  Special kudos to Chris Unck, who not only provided guitar, bass, lap steel, drums, percussion and vocals, but also produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the album.  While almost every track is well done, several truly stand out, like the Steve Earle vibe on “Dead Horse Hollow,” the Eagles-like vibe on “Easy Lies,” the amazing fiddle on “Home to the Bed I Made,” the lonesome and soulful sound of the title track, the Dwight Yoakum feel of “Highway 99 (Bakersfield),” the Goyte-influence on “Kisses Bitter,”  and the Vince Gill take on “Right Back in my Arms.”

Recommendation:  This one is first rate and deserves your consideration and addition to your musical library.  Get this one now!

 

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

Get it or forget it – Jay Asher, John Fogerty, Jules Shear, Strange Boy, Jacquie Lee

TGIF!  Are you ready for some great tunes to prepare you for the first weekend of 2018?  We have five more reviews for you today, so here we go!

Artist Name:  Jay Asher

Album Name:  Honestly

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Playing Detective; 2.  I’ve got the Question Right; 3.  Hurt me Twice; 4.  Show me how you Really Feel; 5.  Norman the Doorman; 6.  Texas Dreaming; 7.  When I was Young; 8.  How Blind can I Be?; 9.  Only Everyday; 10.  Someone Will be Watching

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Jay Asher brings a refreshing breath of fresh air to 70’s pop/rock style music, very reminiscent of early Elton John.  He hits the ground running with “Playing Detective,” before slowing it down to a sweet ballad with “I’ve Got the Question Right.”  He adds a little soul and dance vibe to “Hurt me Twice” and then back to the ballads with “Show me How you Really Feel.”  “Norman the Doorman” is a fun, upbeat pop ditty that would have played well on 70’s radio.  In fact, these songs are perfect for a music supervisor looking for retro-style songs for placement in period television and film.  Our favorite tracks are “Playing Detective,” “Hurt me Twice,” “Norman the Doorman,” “When I Was Young,” and “How Blind can I Be?”

Recommendation:  Definitely get this one.  For those of us who lived through the 70’s, it is a wonderful trip down memory lane.  For the rest, it is just plain good music.

Artist Name:  John Fogerty

Album Name:  Blue Moon Swamp (20th anniversary vinyl release)

Label:  BMG

Genre:  Classic Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Southern Streamline; 2.  Hot Rod Heart; 3.  Blueboy; 4.  A Hundred and ten in the Shade; 5.  Rattlesnake Highway; 6.  Bring it Down to Jelly Roll; 7.  Walking in a Hurricane; 8.  Swamp River Days; 9.  Rambunctious Boy; 10.  Joy of my Life; 11.  Blue Moon Nights; 12.  Bad bad Boy; 13.  Just Pickin’; 14.  Endless Sleep

Publicist:  MAD Ink PR

Review:  Originally released on May 20, 1997, Blue Moon Swamp won the Grammy for best rock album, despite the fact that it peaked at #37 on the Billboard charts.  In addition, the backing vocals for “Southern Streamline” and “Rambunctious Boy” were supplied by the amazing Lonesome River Band.  The album was remastered and reissued in 2004, and tracks 13 and 14 were added as a bonus.  The 2017 vinyl release uses the concert backdrop from the supporting tour, and retains all the incredibleness of the original release.  For those of us boomers who grew up on the music of Credence Clearwater Revival and the original American Son, John Fogerty, this vinyl release could not have come at a better time.   Memories flood back one by one as the intensely CCR-influenced sound comes across the record player speakers.  This one is a masterpiece, and we are so proud to have been chosen to review this impeccable album.  If you live in or near Las Vegas, or plan to be there January 10-20, we highly recommend you check out Fogerty in concert at Wynn’s  Encore Theatre.

Recommendation:  If you are a true audiophile, and love vinyl, then you simply must Get this one.  Now!

Artist Name:  Jules Shear

Album Name:  One More Crooked Dance

Label:  Funzalo Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Rules of the Game; 2.  Painkiller; 3.  Be with You; 4.  Don’t Remember; 5.  Guessing; 6.  Looking for Me; 7.  The Hunter and the Hunted; 8.  A Color that Barely Exists; 9.  Oh Marlena; 10.  This Flame; 11.  Half Hearted Head; 12.  When It’s Right; 13.  Wrong Again

Publicist:  Independent Music Media

Review:  If you are a fan of 80’s music, then the name Jules Shear is probably familiar to you, as he wrote Cyndi Lauper’s hit “All Through the Night,” as well as the Bangles’ “If She Knew What She Wants.”  He also hosted and co-created the MTV Unplugged series.  He recently signed with Funzalo Records and released his firm album of new music in many years.  His new music has a very soothing sound, with well-crafted lyrics and simply elegant and jazzy piano accompaniment, with some harmonica thrown in for good measure.  Our favorite tracks are “Don’t Remember,” “Guessing,” “A Color That Barely Exists,” “Oh Marlena,” and “Half Hearted Head.”

Recommendation:  This one is great for all true music lovers.  Check it out and let us know what you think.

Artist Name:  Strange Boy

Album Name:  Annuniciation

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Electronic Ambient

Track Listing:  1.  Annunciation; 2.  Love the Night; 3.  I Won’t say Those Things; 4.  Corbusier

Publicist:  Practise Music

Review:  The vocals stand out as they soar above the simple accompaniment on the first track, “Annunciation,” leaving the listener with a feeling of airiness like a good yoga stretch.  The songs are so complexly constructed but fit together so nicely that it is easy to just sit back, relax and let the music take you on an amazing auditory journey.  It is hard to believe that this is a debut EP because the sound is that of truly accomplished musicians.  It is a bit unusual but no less enjoyable, although it may not have a lot of commercial appeal.  Nevertheless, it is a worthy effort.

Recommendation:  Give these lads a chance.  They deserve it.

Artist Name:  Jacquie

Album Name:  The Only One

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop/Soul/R&B

Track Listing:  1.  Am I the Only One; 2.  California Dreaming; 3.  Manipulation; 4.  The Old Me; 5.  For You; 6.  What’s a Girl to Do

Publicist:  SG PR

Review:  You may well remember Jacquie from her appearance on The Voice at the age of 15 where she was mentored by Christina Aguilera.  Immediately signed to a major label after the show, she was not ready for the onslaught of the music business.  Now 20, she is making a comeback as an indie artist with the release of her new EP.   We have featured the music videos for the first two tracks in our Monday Mashup column and are proud to be able to finally review her EP.  Needless to say, we were not disappointed.  This young artist is one of the rising stars in pop music, and should go far with her soul-tinged pop music. “Am I the Only One” is a powerful pop empowerment song with a stunning music video, as is “California Dreaming” (and no, it’s not a cover).  We love how she has taken the painful lessons of the past five years and used them to become stronger and more powerful than she was when she shone on Season 5 of The Voice.  Every song is strong, and we expect any one of them would shine on pop radio.  This

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice.  Grab this one now.  It’s one of the best of 2017.