With these six reviews we have finally made it to the end of the submissions for the first half of 2018 for the LA Music Critic Awards. Tomorrow we will bring you our normal Monday Mashup, followed on Tuesday and Wednesday by our Ten Great Singles and Ten Amazing Videos for the month of May. On Thursday we present our Ten 2018 Fringe shows we are most excited about, and on Friday we will announce the nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards. Gonna be a busy week. Here we go.
Artist Name: Alice Skye
Album Name: Friends with Feelings
Label: CAAMA Music
Genre: Pop
Track Listing: 1. For Every Year; 2. Poetry by Text; 3. 1966; 4. Friends with Feelings; 5. For Those who Need It; 6. 60%; 7. Melbourne; 8. She Oak; 9. Only Bones get Left Behind; 10. The Only Version of You
Publicist: Penney and Logan
Review: Alice Skye is the latest Australian artist to perfectly capture that Hotel Cafe’ sound made famous by artists like Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson and Colbie Caillat. Her music is breezy and upbeat, with soaring vocals and keys combined in memorable and radio friendly songs. It is no surprise that Skye is considered one of the best songwriters in Australia, nor that the highly respected CAAMA Music signed her to a recording contract. This is the kind of music you don’t get tired of, despite repeated listens. Although the entire album is a worthy effort, our favorites include “Poetry by Text,” the title track, “60%,” “Melbourne,” and “Only Bones get Left Behind.”
Recommendation: This one deserves a definite spot in your music library – we recommend you Get it.
Artist Name: Krantz
Album Name: The Pennock Tapes
Label: Self-released
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. Weedeater; 2. All Outta Love; 3. Can’t Forget; 4. Run Away with Me; 5. Until we Meet Again
Publicist: Effectively Immediately PR
Review: Krantz has a very cool retro rock vibe which turns their songs into something insanely cool. All five songs are delivered in an upbeat, energetic frenzy, which probably indicates that they are a blast to watch perform live. The influences from the golden age of rock and roll are evident in their music, ranging from the Monkees, Buddy Holly and Little Richard to British invasion bands like Herman’s Hermits and Mott the Hoople. This is music that will appeal to music lovers of all ages, from Baby Boomers to Millennials. The EP is just too short, but they leave us with hope “Until we Meet Again.”
Recommendation: Krantz has an instantly memorable sound that appeals to all ages. Definitely Get this one for your collection.
Artist Name: Jackson Reed
Album Name: Dark Areas of Description
Label: Self-released
Genre: Folk/Instrumental
Track Listing: 1. Dark Areas of Description; 2. Taller Than Me; 3. Cathedral Grove; 4. Restless Ones; 5. Love Won’t Stop a Hurricane; 6. Forgotten Ones; 7. Nasty Boy
Publicist: Auteur Research
Review: The album opens with the title track, an experimental instrumental song that is dark and dangerous with a healthy folk vibe that demonstrates the musical skills of Jackson Reed. Unfortunately, as shown on the next track, “Taller Than Me,” he does not have the same abilities vocally, His tone is pitchy, but he manages to pull it off through sheer tenacity because the songs are so well written and otherwise skillfully played. On “Restless Ones” and “Forgotten One,s” he returns to that skillful instrumental style, and they are by far the best songs on the EP.
Recommendation: If quality vocals are a necessity for you, then forget this one. However, if you can ignore that small shortcoming, and love great musicianship, then definitely Get this one.
Artist Name: Shirley Crabbe
Album Name: Bridges
Label: MaiSong Music and Entertainment
Genre: Jazz
Track Listing: 1. Isn’t This a Lovely Day; 2. Taking a Chance on Love; 3. Bridges; 4. The Bridge; 5. I Didn’t Know What Time it Was; 6. Promise Me; 7. The Windmills of Your Mind; 8. And so it Goes; 9. Thief in the Night; 10. Blessed Assurance
Publicist: Mouthpiece Music
Review: Shirley Crabbe possesses one of those voices we haven’t heard in quite a few years, truly reminiscent of jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald. Crabbe has assembled some of the finest jazz players in New York City, including the unbelievable pianist, Donald Vega, who brings his magic to each and every song. Her music is a throwback to the Golden Age of Jazz vocals, and instantly creates images of a smoky lounge with a cigarette-smoking pianist and the spotlight on the someone like Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald, complete with a feather boa singer her heart out. It is music for relaxing and forgetting about the troubles of the day, and definitely belongs in the music library of every jazz and standards lover. Listen to it from start to finish, because it definitely builds that chill mood. We know it’s cliche, but if she recorded an album singing the phone book, people would buy it. She closes the album with a stirring interpretation of the Gospel classic, “Blessed Assurance,” leaving us to only say, “We believe.”
Recommendation: Don’t be left out in the cold, Get this one now.
Artist Name: Dany Franchi
Album Name: Problem Child
Label: Self-released
Genre: Blues/Funk
Track Listing: 1. Back to the River; 2. Give me a Sign; 3. Big Town Playboy; 4. Real Love; 5. Run Around; 6. You Don’t Want Me; 7. Don’t Steal my Time; 8. Sensation; 9. My Only One; 10. Big Kind Hearted Man; 11. Every Thing Gonna be Alright; 12. Wanna Know; 13. Problem Child
Publicist: Frank Roszak Promotions
Review: Italian born blues guitarist Dany Franchi has been taking the blues world by storm these past few years, and is currently touring across the United States in support of his amazing new release, Problem Child. From the first notes of “Back to the River,” the horns, combined with Franchi’s soaring vocals and riveting guitar riffs, demonstrate that this is a blues artist you simply cannot ignore. You will find something to like in every song on the album, and may find yourself putting a few of them on repeat.
Recommendation: You simply must add this one to your collection. Get it now!
Artist Name: Smaller Hearts
Album Name: Smaller Hearts
Label: Self-released
Genre: Electro-pop
Track Listing: 1. Summertime III; 2. Lost Words; 3. Crossing; 4. Maisie; 5. The Ups and Downs of Forgetting Everything; 6. Chipper; 7. Hibernation; 8. Summertime IV; 9. U1OG; 10. Climbing; 11. The Year we Spent Awake
Publicist: Pigeon Row
Review: The electro-pop scene seems to be getting a lot of attention lately, especially from international acts. While they strive to be a cross between Pet Shop Boys and The Postal Service, they fail to reach that level of greatness. According to our resident expert on electronic music, the songs are too slow to reach the desired sound. In addition, they had an irritating undertone that was almost as annoying as the sound of mosquitoes. They did, however, achieve their mission on “Maisie” and “Chipper,” but missed the mark on the other nine. We think they need to go back to the drawing board and spend some time listening to the bands they are trying to emulate before making another attempt.
Recommendation: Forget this one, but be open to their next attempt.