Tag: Crimson Calamity

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2021 (vol 16)

Welcome to our final Monday Mashup from Oklahoma because . . . (drumroll please!) . . . we’re moving to North Carolina!  My wife and I have purchased a beautiful home built in 1900 in the sleepy little town of Scotland Neck, North Carolina and are in the process of moving there.  We hope to be back up and running by the first of June.  In the meantime, enjoy these great new singles and music videos.

NEW SINGLES

First up is the latest from a group we discovered at a show in Spokane a few years ago.  Hailing from Portland, the BGP are fun pop that is uplifting and will definitely put a smile on your face.  Check out “20 Ways.”

20 Ways · The Bgp (spotify.com)

The pandemic has brought out some of t he best from indie artists and this next single is living proof.  Check out this collaboration from Lucy Schwartz, MILCK and KPH & the Canary Collective.  They want us to know that despite the restrictions placed on us because of COVID, we are “Not Alone.”

Not Alone (Tiny Paper Clips) [feat. MILCK, KPH & The Canary Collective] · Lucy Schwartz, MILCK, KPH & The Canary Collective (spotify.com)

Our third single is from the effervescent Sonia Rao, who has not graced our pages in far too long  We have always loved her music, and this song was recently selected by the City of Los Angeles as one of the best.  We wholeheartedly agree.  Check out “Louder.”

Louder · Sonia Rao (spotify.com)

Powerful women have always had a place in country music, and a new voice has appeared on the horizon.  We are proud to present the debut single from Allison Cipris, and we could not agree more – “She’s a Queen.”

She’s a Queen · Allison Cipris (spotify.com)

We close out our new singles with this hyper-pop offering from Binny which is perfect for your work-out soundtrack.  Please send us “Feedback” on this great new tune.

Feedback · BINNY (spotify.com)

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Cindy Alexander is back with another stellar video for the never ending amazing collection of songs on her latest, While the Angels Sigh.  We are humbled that this truly gifted talent continues to provide some of the best music and videos in the indie world today.  Here’s “Walking Constellation.”

Another Blue Élan Records artist is also back with a new video and it is beautiful in its simplicity.  We love the toy piano and the sentiments expressed by Chelsea Williams with her song “High Speed Chase.”

Switching gears to the high energy rock of the band ROCKET, we are proud to present their latest offering.  Filmed during a sold-out show at LA’s El Rey theater, this band shows not signs of “Fading Out.”

Our fourth video comes from one of LA’s resident guitar bad asses, none other than Ali Handal.  Her latest visual and sonic treat is a lyric video for her song, “Pour me Another.”  All we can say is “Yes, please.”

We close out our videos with another lyric video, his time from our Nashville friends, Crimson Calamity.  Let their vocal harmonies roll over you as they bring us this ode to “My Best Friends.”

 

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indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2021 (vol 9)

Welcome to March and our weekly dose of new singles and music videos.  Just got my first vaccine shot and not experiencing any side effects so far.  Looking forward to this month as we finally get a vacation and will be heading off to North Carolina for a week to visit friends and look at possible homes for our upcoming move.  In the meantime, chill and rock out to these great indie artists.

NEW SINGLES

A lot of indie musicians have relied on his blog, Ari’s Take, as well as his amazing book about navigating the music business, How to Make it in the Music Business.  Ari Herstand is also an accomplished musician in his own right, and has recently released new music.  Check out this smooth and chill tune, “Drifting.”

Drifting · Ari Herstand (spotify.com)

Next up is the latest release from Gerry Beckley from his solo hits project, Keeping the Light On, from Blue Élan Records.  Last week we shared a cover of his song “Survival,” and this week we present “(I’m Your) Heart Slave.”  Enjoy!

(I’m Your) Heart Slave · Gerry Beckley (spotify.com)

Our third single is the latest from the amazing LA indie artist, Terra Naomi.  Looking back I can’t believe we haven’t featured her before, but we are rectifying that situation now.  “What we Do” was released on February 26, and we are so happy we are able to share it with you.  Grab a glass of wine, sit back and allow her peaceful voice to wash over your soul.

What We Do · Terra Naomi (spotify.com)

Several years ago we had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some great female singer-songwriters during our So Cal Music Live competition.  Two of those ladies, Mallory Trunnell and Lauren Harding, went on to form the indie Country/Americana band, Crimson Calamity.  We are pleased to share their brand new single, “Due West,” which was also released on February 26. This one is perfect for country dancing or just chilling after a hard day.

Due West · Crimson Calamity (spotify.com)

Our final single this week is from a rising star, Ava Maybee.  Her voice is strong and refreshing, and the beat is steady with a trace of jazzy R&B funk.  Check out her latest, “See Me Now,” and we think you’ll want to bookmark this artist.  We expect great things from her.  Thanks to Ue3 Promotions for turning us on to her.

See Me Now · Ava Maybee (spotify.com)

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video this week creates a unique situation for our blog – the first time we are debuting both a single and video from the same artist at the same time.  Crimson Calamity chose to simultaneously release their single, “Due West,” and the accompanying lyric video, and we are overjoyed to share both of them with you.  Enjoy this soon to be hit song and enjoy the California scenery.

We introduced you to Huron John a couple of weeks ago, and we are proud to feature another of his videos.  This time, he’s “Stuck in a Lava Light.”  Enjoy this one, which also debuted on February 26.

Our third video this week is the lyrical visualization of the latest from Shannon Clark & the Sugar‘s song, “Let it Ride.”  We introduced them back in January, and think this one belongs on Outlaw Country radio.  Let us know what you think.

Remember back in grade school when we used a zither in music class?  Well, Chelsea Williams brings that memory back with the video for “Skin and Bones,” her latest from Blue Élan.  Thanks Chelse for keeping it real and being a truly original indie artist.

We close out this week with a new one from People Club that is both trendy and retro, and we can’t get it out of our heads.  Head to the dance floor with “Take me Home.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 45

OMG – did you see the end of the Miami-New England game?  That amazing 69-yard pass/lateral that resulted in a Miami touchdown and a win over our arch-rival the Patriots?  That was one of the best games we have seen in many years, and so happy we were able to pull it off.  We are also happy for all the nominees of the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018.  Remember, fans can ONLY vote for the Fan Favorite award, so leave your vote as a comment on the announcement article by saving “I vote for (name of artist or band) for Fan Favorite.”

Now that the nominations are out of the way, we have a wonderful Monday Mashup for you today, with five new singles and videos including some holiday tunes.  We hope you enjoy them.

NEW SINGLES

Our first single this week is from LA alt-rock band Swerve.  It is a hard rocking tune called “She Cut Her Hand,” and we like it a lot.  Swerve originally began as a moniker for music created by Los Angeles native Greg Mahdesian. But what initially began as a solo project eventually became a full-fledged band. Greg solely composed all of the songs on Swerve’s self-titled debut EP and hired producer Brandon Duncan to record them. So, when it came time to recruit musicians in order to perform live, Greg naturally asked Brandon to join on bass, his old college friend, Ryan Berti, on guitar, and Mark Gardner on drums.

Next up is a holiday cover from Israeli rock goddess Ninet.  We love the simple stylings of “Sweet Chariot” and hope it puts you in the proper mood for the holidays.

For our third single, we head up to Sweden for the beautiful voice and similarly simple arrangement of Marlene Oak on her latest song, “In the Evening.”  Enjoy this masterful and soaring song.

Next is a pop gem from Dollshot called “Paradise Flat.”  This one is not your ordinary pop tune, and we relish its uniqueness, with sparkling jazz stylings. Please let us know what you think.

Our final single is another amazing holiday song, this time featuring the incredible voices of Mallory Trunnel and Lauren Harding, otherwise known as Crimson Calamity.  This may well become our favorite new holiday song.

https://soundcloud.com/crimson-calamity/first-snow/

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

We tried to share this one a couple of weeks ago, but it was not released until December 7.  The video was shot in Portland and we think it is very well done.  Check out the amazing Hayley Lynn, who shot this video in one take, and her incredible pipes amid the beautiful backdrop on her song, “Valentine, Too Soon.”

From the beautiful to the different, we bring you the latest from Luna Neptune, who are sharing the “Next Automated Wave.”  They are another European band, and we hope they come play the States in the not too distant future.

Our third video features the truly hip sounds of Saving Forever.  We think you’ll love it, so let’s make some “Memories.”

Our fourth video is a lo-tech lyric video from Alex Bloom.  We love the simpleness of the shoot but the intensity of the lyrics on his song, “Elevator.”  What do you think?

We close out this week with a cover of one of our all-time favorite holiday songs, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”  This time around it is covered by the lovely and extremely talented Arlene Zelina, and we think it provides the perfect sentiment for the season.  See you again soon.

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

Get it or forget it – Susan Krebs Chamber Band, If This is a Man, The Black Delta Movement, Ghost & the City, Crimson Calamity

March has almost blown itself out, and April is just around the corner.  We are so thankful we have so much more indie music to share with you, including the latest from one of our favorite bands, Crimson Calamity.  Check out these five great releases.

Artist Name:  Susan Krebs Chamber Band

Album Name:  SPRING-Light out of Darkness

Label:  GreenGig Records

Genre:  Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  Oh What a Beautiful Morning; 2.  Whispering Grass; 3.  Some Other Time; 4.  Spring; 5.  You Must Believe in Spring; 6.  Light out of Darkness; 7.  Rite of Spring

Publicist:  Mouthpiece Music

Review:  Jazz is a pure American music genre that has had some spectacular voices over the years, voices like Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horna, Billie Holiday and Diana Krall.  We think you should add Susan Krebs to that list, as her strong, passionate voice bursts through the beauty of her latest release.  Her chamber band takes jazz to a new level as they fill the airwaves with so much sound.  It is so appropriate that their latest is called SPRING-Light out of Darkness, as that is just what their music brings forth.  You can’t listen to these glorious standards without being filled with light.  Thanks to Susan Krebs for bringing that light to our world.

Recommendation:  Every jazz aficionado needs this one in their collection.

Artist Name:  If This is a Man

Album Name:  Centuries

Label:  Raamb Music Group

Genre:  Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Centuries; 2.  Obsession; 3.  Long Time Dead; 4.  All That I Know; 5.  Unclear; 6.  Meanwhile; 7.  Reveal; 8.  All as One; 9.  Gloria

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Introspective, refreshing, soothing – these words and more describe the vibe of the latest from If This is a Man, a collection of acoustic, melancholy folk music from the British Isles.  Although his voice is raspy and rough, the soothing acoustic guitar and the well-crafted lyrical content make these songs a breath of fresh air, restoring the soul.  Put this album on, grab a glass of wine, and just be.

Recommendation:  Definitely worth checking out.

Artist Name:  The Black Delta Movement

Album Name:  Preservation

Label:  Clubbed Thumb

Genre:  Alt Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Rome; 2.  Hunting Ground; 3.  King Mosquito; 4.  Deceit; 5.  Hot Coals; 6.  Let the Rain Come; 7.  Ivory Shakes; 8.  For You; 9.  No End; 10.  Butterfly

Publicist:  Under the Moon PR

Review:  British indie artists have always been at the head of the class when it comes to rock music, and The Black Delta Movement or BDM to their fans are definitely included in that list.  Their alternative rock sound is reminiscent of some of their predecessors, like The Who, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Queen, and definitely sets them head and shoulders above their American peers.  They call their music psychodelic garage rock, but we just call it amazing.  The guitar riffs, the thoughtful lyrics, the soaring vocals and the heavy drums combine to create great party music, perfect for your upcoming weekend celebrations.

Recommendation:  We highly recommend you add BDM to your list of favorite rock artists.  Get this one.

Artist Name:  Ghost & the City

Album Name:  Time

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  R&B/Soul

Track Listing:  1.  NWTA; 2.  Steady Trippin; 3.  Please Forgive my Heart (Bobby Womack cover); 4.  Living Room; 5.  The Dippins; 6.  Grazy; 7.  Run Run

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  With those soaring vocals of Kia Fay, and the trumpet of Ross Eustis, the sound of Ghost & the City cannot be denied.  The musicianship is first rate, the songs are well crafted, and those vocals simply make the songs rise into the atmosphere.  This is music that was created for chill time, music that settles your spirit and lifts up your mind.  This is the album you turn to on Friday night to forget the cares of the work week and to renew your spirit and mind for the relaxation of the weekend to come.  We love every song on this EP, and will play and play it until we get the next installment.  We are especially impressed with the album’s only cover, a brilliant take on Bobby Womack’s masterpiece, “Please Forgive my Heart.”  Honestly, there is nothing to forgive, as this album is an instant classic.

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer – if you love music, you simply must Get this one now.

Artist Name:  Crimson Calamity

Album Name:  Gypsy Heart

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Alt-Country/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Wives Tale; 2.  Fools Gold; 3.  Gypsy Heart; 4.  Let you Go; 5.  Horses to Holy Water

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Mallory Trunnell and Lauren Harding, aka Crimson Calamity, have been making sweet music together for quite a few years.  Their voices blend together in such perfect harmonies that it’s almost like an angel choir is singing.  They have perfected the art of Americana, and are rapidly becoming one of the major forces in the genre.  We have already featured two of these songs in our weekly Monday Mashup column, and are so happy to be able to share the rest of this all-too-short five-song EP.  Both of the songs we featured, “Fools Gold” and the title track, exemplify the quality of music you can always expect from the ladies of Crimson Calamity.  We truly believe these ladies will become household names in the Americana community, and strongly urge you to jump on board this outbound train while you can.

Recommendation:  Don’t miss this one – you must Get out and Get it Today!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Hollywood Fringe Festival LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 12

Happy Monday – we made it to the end of March, the Final Four has been established, and Easter is next Sunday.  Let’s see what’s happening in the indie world this week.

UNSIGNED ONLY OFFERS PLACEMENT CHANCE

Unsigned Only is running a special two-week promotion, “Sync Me Up,” from March 20 to April 3, 2018. This promotion is for anyone interested in learning more about what you need to know in order to get your songs into TV & Film. Three winners will be selected and given FREE access ($1000 value each) to “The Art Of The Song Pitch”, a step by step online course that shows you how to license your music successfully. For more information, or to enter your songs today, please visit: https://unsignedonly.com/
HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL PREPARES FOR JUNE
Just a few final deadlines for those who want to participate in this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival:
  • Registration (for those who want to be included in the printed version of the guide) must be completed by April 1.
  • Town Hall 2: Marketing will be Tuesday, April 3rd from 8-10pm at Assistance League Playhouse.
  • Print Ad purchases for this year’s guide (including artwork) are due by April 15.

LA MUSIC CRITIC AWARD WINNERS SHOWCASE

The second annual LA Music Critic Award Winners Showcase is now set for June 19 at The Mint, a world-famous venue in Los Angeles.  Among those scheduled to appear are Rusty Young, the former lead singer for the band Poco, Cindy Alexander, ROCKET, The Khourys, Great Willow, Alexis Keegan and Lexie Rose, with a very special appearance by Shira, founder of the Shira Girl stage for the Vans Warped Tour.  Watch for more details soon, but save the date.  It’s gonna be a great night of music and raising money for the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

NEW SINGLES

Let’s get this party going with the latest from Jackie Venson, a smooth jazz, reggae-infused beauty for her song “Don’t Lie to Me.”  This is the perfect vehicle to get your week going.

Next up is an R&B tinged tune from Christopher Giffard.  Let’s enjoy the smooth sounds of “Talk to Me.”

Our final new single today comes from Ruby Vidor, courtesy of The A&R Department.  Her song is called “Ten Days,” and we dig the acoustic simplicity of it, which allows Vidor’s incredible voice to shine.  Let us know what you think.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

First up is a Jimi Hendrix cover from LA Music Critic Award winner Diana Rein.  The song, “Little Wing,” was also covered by Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Let us know which version  you prefer.

Next up is another artist that readers of this blog should be familiar with – the dynamic duo of Crimson Calamity.  Here’s the video for the title track to their new album, Gypsy Heart.  We think you’ll like it 🙂

We close out this week with a video to get your body going strong.  Here is Tony Valor ft. Zuka in his video for “D’ Nah Nah (Shaky Bum Bum).”

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

Monday mashup 2018 – vol. 4

Hope you all got to watch the Grammy Awards last night.  That was an impressive show, especially the performance by Kesha, Cindy Lauper, et al. of her song “Praying.”  It really brought tears to my eyes with its sheer beauty and power.  Let’s all try to honor the message that came through loud and clear – no more harassment and discrimination – just work together in unity.  Here’s our column today.

INDIE ARTISTS WIN GRAMMY AWARDS

While most of these indie artists didn’t get credit, several of them were instrumental in helping someone else get a Grammy win.  Kyler England co-wrote five of the songs on Lisa Loeb’s winning Best Children’s Album, while Ross Hogarth was part of the production team that worked on Taj Mahal and Keb Mo’s winning Best Contemporary Blues album.  Great work indies!

In addition, LA Music Critic Award nominee The Jerry Douglas Band lost their Grammy bid for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album to Jeff Lorber, while fellow LA Music Critic Award nominee John McLaughlin won his Grammy bid for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for “Miles Beyond” from the album Live at Ronnie Scott’s, which we previously reviewed in December.

The winners for the LA Music Critic Awards will be announced at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 2, 2018.

LYNN CAREY SAYLOR WINS SONGWRITING COMPETITION

Congratulations to indie songwriter Lynn Carey Saylor, who recently won the Song Door International Songwriting Competition in the Hard Rock/Alt Rock category for her song, “Tidal Wave.”  Saylor has been a hit songwriter for many years,

NEW SINGLES

It’s been a busy week for indie artists, including several past and present nominees for the LA Music Critic Awards.  Here are a few of the latest singles to be released.

The first one is from former nominee Crimson Calamity, which released their latest single, “Fool’s Gold.”  We love their sound and think you will too.

Next up is past LA Music Critic Award and Grammy nominee and Blue Élan Records artist Janiva Magness with her new single, “Down Below.”  We expect this one will qualify her for additional nominations.

Next is the latest from Austin band Signy, featuring Delaney Gibson, with their single, “Human.”  We love how different this is from her solo material, and think you will too.

Multiple LA Music Critic Award winner and nominee Katie Costello has lent her voice to the new single “Bon Air” by Hardsoul.  This one is an amazing dance track that will have you on the floor in no time.

Last but not least this week is the latest single from another multiple winner of the LA Music Critic Awards, Keaton Simons.  His new EP 1-2-3 Go will be released on March 9, and he is whetting our appetite with “Crane City.”

MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video this week comes from Italian rock goddesses Black Mamba, who we reviewed last week.  This video is for their single, “Loop.”  Get ready to rock out.

Next up is the latest from the songwriting guru, Kari Kimmel of her song, “Voices.”  Check out the amazing cinematography of this one.

Our third video this week is from former San Diego Music Award winner Gayle Skidmore for her song “Pale Ghosts.”  Once again, the cinematography is first-rate.

Our next video comes from first-time LA Music Critic Award nominee Ryan Sims, who we also reviewed earlier this month.  Here is his vision of his song, “Black and Blue.”

Last but not least is the new video from Lucy Levinsohn, former lead singer for Lily’s Siren and Waiting 4 Wyatt.  She has returned to a solo career and brings us “Dear God.”

Thanks for joining us today.  We’ll be back tomorrow with five more Get it or Forget it reviews.

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

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 22

Happy Monday.  It was a busy week of reviewing, and we still have a few more to do.  We are also busy preparing for the Hollywood Fringe Festival and our winners showcase for the LA Music Critic Awards.  We’re happy to be able to share some news with you and kick off another week.

HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL KICKS OFF PREVIEW WEEK

The 8th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival kicked off its preview week, and the majority of the previews were sold out.  According to my sources, the first four days of the week have been a huge success.  Not only that, but the Festival received a huge slice of press when the Los Angeles Daily News did a wonderful article on the Fringe.  Can’t wait until the 15th when our Fringe adventure begins.  #HFF17

CRIMSON CALAMITY FIGHTING FOR CHANCE TO OPEN

Our dear friends at Crimson Calamity have come a long way in the past year.  They are part of the 2017 Stadium of Fire competition and have managed to earn a spot in the Top 25.  If they reach the top 10, they will be considered for an opening spot for Little Big Town.  As of this morning, the band is at #11, and the contest ends tomorrow night.  Can you help them make it over the top?   By the way, the video they’re using is super hot.  Check it out when you vote.

NEW MUSIC

Check out “All About Love,” the new single from LA’s transplanted Danish artist Ronny Morris.  It has such a sweet dreamy feel that is perfect for your evening chill time.  What do you think?

https://soundcloud.com/ronnymorrismusic/ronny-morris-all-about-love

MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first new video this week is from Superet.  With the return of Twin Peaks, it seems like the perfect fit.  Let us know what you think.

Los Angeles country sensations Honey County recently debuted their new song “Love Someone” on Radio Disney Country.  Here’s the music video of the song – we love it!

Another of our favorite indie bands, Fort Atlantic, has just released a lyric video for their single, “Just Hold On.”  We love the sound and believe these guys belong on the radio.

Closing out this Monday is “User,” the latest video from six-time winners of the LA Music Critic Awards, The Spider Accomplice.  The band will be performing on June 20 as part of the Winners Showcase on the Hotel Cafe’s Second Stage.  We strongly encourage you to attend.