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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – The Paranoid Style, Ben Lorentzen, Hang Tight, ClueBagger, John McLaughlin

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  We relaxed all day and watched the snow fall.  Now it’s time to get back into the review process.  Here are another five reviews for your perusal.

Artist Name:   The Paranoid Style

Album Name:   Underworld U.S.A.

Label:   Bar/None

Genre:   Garage Punk/Indie Rock

Track Listing:   1.  Underworld USA; 2.  Dominoes in Drag; 3.  Hawk Vs. Prez; 4.  I Believe you Believe you can Fly; 5.  Dedicated Glare; 6.  Revision of Love

Publicist:   The Syndicate

Review:  This is not your typical punk, more like indie rock with a rockabilly edge.  We love the lead vocals, and the rocking accompaniment fits the lyrical content and the vibe of the music.  The songs are short and sweet and lots of fun.  This is definitely a band we can get behind and fully support – we can only imagine how much fun they must be in concert.  The punk edge does come out on “I Believe You Believe You Can Fly” and “Revision of Love,” but the former still has that rockabilly vibe.  We love every song.  We just wish there were more songs on this amazing EP.  Hopefully they will grace us with a longer album next time.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one.

Artist NameBen Lorentzen

Album NamePains & Pleasures of Intimacy

Label:  Nordic Records

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Crows on the Wire; 2.  I Miss You; 3.  I Know how to Protest War (but now to Make Peace); 4.  Victor Hugo Daza; 5.  Tie This Alone Away; 6.  Dead man in the Closet; 7.  Alabaster Jar; 8.  Lay Down in the Dark

Publicist:  Nordic Records/Painted Black

Review:  Wow – Ben Lorentzen knows how to ROCK.  With vocals akin to Bob Dylan, and a musical style that screams PROG ROCK, his well crafted lyrics and melody rise and swell like a rock opera.  His words are timely, like they were snatched from the headlines.  This is the kind of rock music you turn up loud in your headphones and just escape into the pictures and sound that Lorentzen creates.  This is what you want to hear on album rock stations.  We love this one from start to finish, and can’t wait for more.  Really love the strings on the final two tracks – so classy!

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one – it truly rocks!

Artist NameHang Tight

Album NameGrind

Label:  Standby Records

Genre:  Punk/Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  The Rents; 2.  Forget About It; 3.  Pretty in True Blue; 4.  Digital Age; 5.  Be Mine

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:  Wow – two awesome punk bands today.  Hang Tight has a harder edge than The Paranoid Style, but they are both amazing.  This is just plain fun, but with only five songs, it’s much too short for our taste!  Seriously, we can’t wait to hear more, as this EP was a nice appetizer of the great things we are sure are to come.  We love every song, especially “Digital Age.”

Recommendation:  You can’t go wrong with this one – Get it now.

Artist Name:    ClueBagger

Album NameRetroMod

Label:  GuardBird Records

Genre:  AAA/Singer-songwriter

Track Listing:  1.  The Power of a Dream; 2.  Always; 3.  No Hoper; 4.  Key West (The Last Resort); 5.  Say Goodbye to London; 6.  Temptation of Eve; 7.  Longing; 8.  Head Over Heels; 9.  Love not War; 10.  Prisoner of the American Dream; 11.  Too Hot to Handle; 12.  Girl in Trouble

Publicist:  Powderfinger Promotions

Review:  Scott Key aka ClueBagger has a very unique sound, reminiscent of a nasally Jimmy Buffett, with an island vibe.  It is a soundtrack for a good time, and would make a good background for a summer outdoor party, or to take your mind off the cold winter months.  He incorporates some interesting musical sounds into songs that just plain make you smile.  It is the kind of sound that is perfect for college radio more than AAA, but stranger things have happened on AAA.  “No Hoper” does have a 60’s kind of groove, which might be perfect if you’re in an Austin Powers mood.  Our favorite tracks are “Key West (The Last Resort),” “Say Goodbye to London,” “Temptation of Eve,” “Head Over Heels,” Too Hot to Handle” and “Girl in Trouble.”

Recommendation:  This one is worth a chance.

Artist NameJohn McLaughlin

Album Name Live @ Ronnie Scott’s

Label:  Abstract Logix/Mediastarz

Genre:  Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  Meeting of the Spirits; 2.  Miles Beyond; 3.  Gaza City; 4.  Here Comes the Jiis; 5.  New Blues Old Bruise; 6.  El Hombre que Sabia; 7.  Sanctuary; 8.  Vital Transformation; 9.  Echoes of Then

Publicist:  MAD Ink PR

Review:  This amazing live set combines the wizardry of John McLaughlin with his band, the 4th Dimension, and totally reminds us of why we love live music.  CDs are great, but nothing beats those same songs in a concert atmosphere.  Back in the day when we were active in the San Diego jazz scene, this is the type of music we loved.  It is the perfect opportunity for audiophiles to discover the joy of live music, and to see why jazz continues to be one of the most popular genres of music.  This album also shows off the growth and longevity of McLaughlin and his music.  We would seriously have loved to be a part of the audience at the taping.  This album is the gold standard for live albums.  This one truly is a “Meeting of the Spirits.”

Recommendation:  This one is a must-have.  Get it today!

 

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

Get it or forget it – Halo Circus, Brody Buster’s One Man Band, Laura Tate

We are firmly ensconced in May, and the amazing indie music just keeps coming.  This year’s LA Music Critic Awards are gonna be tough because there is so much talent out there.  We are happy to present another three album reviews for you as we help you sort through the myriad of offerings available in indie music land.

Artist NameHalo Circus

Album NameThe East Lansing Sessions

Label:  Halo Circus Propaganda

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Nothing at All; 2.  All I Have; 3.  Band-Aid; 4.  Stand Up; 5.  The Needle and the Damage Done 

Publicist:  Platform Media Group

Review:  Allison Iraheta burst onto the music scene as a teenager when she appeared on the eighth season of American Idol in 2009.  She has since married and started a band with Matthew Hager and is on course to totally redefine indie rock and how indie music is made in today’s music business.  The band launched the first fully crowd funded headlining tour last year, which proved to be a very successful venture.  While on the tour, Halo Circus recorded this EP, which will be released on May 5.  It is an amazing work of art.  All five songs are incredible and worthy of radio air play, but we are especially impressed by the amazing “Band-Aid,” which features music by Halo Circus and lyrics by the one and only Paul Williams.  We shared their music video of this song earlier this week in our Monday Mashup article, and are proud of the work the band has done on this EP, which has definitely whetted our appetite for more.  We also love the simple undertones of the final track, “The Needle and the Damage Done,” which shows how diverse this band’s music can be.  We can’t wait for more.

Recommendation:  There is no doubt about this one – The East Lansing Sessions is a definite Get It and easily one of the best EPs of 2017.  We strongly recommend you visit their website and pre-order the EP, which comes in a myriad of packages including t-shirts, autographs and all manner of other swag.  This is how the music business should be done.

Artist NameBrody Buster’s One Man Band

Album Name:  Self-titled

Label:  Little Class Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Get out of my Life; 2.  New Speedway Boogie; 3.  I’m on Fire; 4.  2029; 5.  Into the Wind; 6.  Get Back; 7.  Nothing Compares 2 U 

Publicist:  Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Review:  Brody Buster’s music is nostalgic, transporting the listener back to a simpler time when Vaudeville ruled the entertainment land.  His “One Man Band” gives us a taste of his awesomeness, displaying his multi-instrumentality and his diverse talents.  He has that scruffy voice you expect in blues music, and that driving blues riff on his guitar.  But what truly sets Buster apart is his harmonica, which rises above everything else and gives his music a lift.  Blues music is traditionally dark and brooding, but the harmonica makes the statement that ‘this darkness has got to give.”  With a combination of original tunes and some amazing covers, including The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie,” Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire,” the Beatles’ “Get Back,” and Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Brody redefines blues music and shows us the true essence of indie music – no boundaries.  Of his originals, we really love “2029,” with its driving beat and prophetic words of impending doom on September 23, 2029.

Recommendation:  Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this amazing album.  Even if you don’t like the blues, you will love Brody Buster’s One Man Band.  We are proud to recommend this album and encourage you to Get it.

Artist NameLaura Tate

Album NameLet’s Just be Real

Label:  811 Gold Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Nobody Gets Hurt; 2.  If That Ain’t Love; 3.  Hitting on Nothing; 4.  Can’t say No; 5.  Boys are Back in Town; 6.  Still got the Blues; 7.  I’ll Find Someone who Will; 8.  Let’s Just be Real; 9.  I Know you Lie; 10.  I Need a Man; 11.  Big top Hat; 12.  Wildest Dreams 

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  While the blues are usually a dark form of music, Laura Tate’s music is anything but.  While the undertone is definitely the blues, it is married with an upbeat jazz tone and soaring vocals, accompanied by brilliantly hopeful lyrics about love, and guitar riffs that chase away the shadows, ushering in a new day.   The horns also complement that process, creating a new form of the blues that encourage hope and lift the listener’s spirits.  Every song has that special dynamic, making this an album that you will want to listen to from start to finish, over and over again.  Favorite cuts include “If That Ain’t Love,” “Can’t say No,” “Still got the Blues,” “I’ll Find Someone who Will,” “I Know you Lied,” and the nostalgic “Big top Hat.”  We also love her truly original cover of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town.”  The final track, “Wildest Dreams,” provides the perfect cherry on top of a treat of an album.

Recommendation Let’s Just be Real is scheduled for release on May 16, and we strongly encourage you to Get it.  It believe it will be one of the best releases of this year, and a worthy addition to your musical collection.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Captiva reminds you to ‘Check Your System’

Kansas City, Missouri based alternative indie rock band Captiva is back on the scene with the release of their latest single “Check Your System” on September 27.  The band debuted their self-titled EP in December 2015, and have not stopped writing, recording and performing since then.  Check out this interview with the band by the amazing Piper of Kids Interview Bands.

The band, composed of Pat McQuaid on lead guitar and vocals, JJ Ries on guitar, vocals and percussion, Nick Riffle on bass and Hank Wiedel on drums, was formed in October 2013.  They first started gaining national attention in early 2014 at college campuses in the Midwest before appearing at such music festivals as Backwoods Music Festival, Fashion Meets Music Festival, SXSW, Boulevardia, Audiofeed Festival and Middle of the Map Fest.

Captiva began getting serious airplay on college radio stations across the nation in 2015 and came to the attention of the Warner Music Group.   Since then they have opened for major acts including Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, The Expendables, The Wild Feathers and The Lonely Biscuits.

They joined up with Tim Gutschenritter (National Fire Theory) and producer Jeremy Wilson (Temple Sounds) to record their debut EP.  The EP has received critical acclaim and spawned two singles, “Road to Ruin” and “Chemicals.”

Captiva has been working on their debut album, Pay No Mind, which has spawned its first single, “Check Your System,” a hard rock song that bodes well for the band.  Next up will be the release of their Daytrotter session, followed by an appearance on the television show 38 the Spot and their very own Sofar Sounds session in nearby St. Louis.

For more on the boys of Captiva, check out their website and Facebook pages, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and don’t forget to subscribe to their YouTube channel.

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Daddy Issues prepares to release debut album

Daddy Issues is an alternative/indie rock band based in San Diego, California, composed of Angela Alvarez on lead vocals and rhythm guitar and Julia “Jules” Whelpton on bass and back-up vocals.

We are excited to introduce this band to you on the eve of the release of their debut album.  Sit back, relax and learn things about this most promising indie rock band.

Daddy Issues #1 Press Shot

IVB:   How long  have you been performing as a band?  

DI:  Jules and I met in October of 2013 right after I moved to San Diego from Arizona.  She was playing in a band called the Justice Fire that asked me to come audition, based off a Craig’s List ad I put in the musician community.  Jules and I really hit it off on multiple levels and we soon left that project to start Daddy Issues.  The other members rotate based on availability so we have several lead guitar players and drummers we play with.

IVB:  Who do you consider to be your influences?
DI:  We both love classic rock and were raised on The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, ZZ Top and more.  We also love The Killers, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, No Doubt, Nirvana, and The Pretty Reckless.  Our sound definitely has a 90s throwback feel.
Daddy Issues - #2Photo
IVB:  What makes your new release so special?

DI:  It’s special to us because it took us so long to finally get it created!  We were working on our sound and our songs for a while, and once we decided we were ready to record, we went through a few different producers until we found the right one.  We didn’t want to put out anything that wasn’t high quality and “radio ready,” and we weren’t really getting what we wanted at first.

We ended up recording with Jim Wirt who produced Incubus, Fiona Apple and others.  Jim moved his studio to Cleveland a few years back where I grew up, and Jules also has family from Ohio, so that’s something else that makes the album special.  We got an LA recording experience at “home,” so that was really cool.  We also got to tour the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while recording, which we absolutely loved.

Overall, the album represents the last three years of hard work, ups and downs, and we’re excited to finally get some music in the hands of our loyal fans.

IVB:  What are your future plans?

DI:  So much!  Videos, tours and more recording.  This is just the beginning!  We are still writing and have some new songs we’re really excited about.
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IVB:  Do you have any stories you want to share about your band
            touring, recording, or fan interaction?
DI:  When we were first starting out, our guitar player was only 20.  We played at a 21+ venue for a battle of the bands, and the security people kept a close eye on him, only letting him come in to play the show and insisting he leave as soon as we were done.  Later in the night, he hopped the fence in the back and was sitting at the bar (not drinking), but got caught anyway.  As a result, we were kicked out of the battle and the word spread pretty fast.  Rumor had it that we were banned from the venue as well.  It actually helped to put us on the map here in San Diego, because we were new and people were talking about how scandalous we were to get kicked out of the battle.  We’ve since played that venue again, so there aren’t any hard feelings anymore.
Then earlier this year while attending NAMM, Jules and I went to one of the parties.  There were a lot of people there listening to the bands and she decided she wanted to crowd surf for the first time.  I stood up on one of the tables to keep track of where she was, but she spent the next 20-30 minutes getting passed around the crowd.  The next day, she was covered in bruises and as we walked around the show floor, everyone recognized us and wanted to talk about it. The best part was a guy that said, “In the 20 years I’ve been attending NAMM, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen someone crowd surf.”
IVB:  What types of social media do you use?
DI:  We have a website and Facebook pages, and we prefer Twitter and Instagram.  Check us out live as well, with upcoming shows at the Roar Room in Glendale on September 9 and our CD release show at the House of Blues in San Diego on September 10.