Happy Wednesday – hope you got your taxes all done and are ready for some great indie music to relax with and enjoy. Here are five artists for your consideration.
Artist Name: Kid Ramos
Album Name: Old School
Label: Rip Cat Records
Genre: Blues
Track Listing: 1. Kid’s Jump; 2. All Your Love; 3. Tell me What you Need; 4. Mashed Potatoes and Chili; 5. Heartbeat; 6. You Never Call my Name; 7. Anna; 8. Wes Side (Bumpin’); 9. Mona Lisa; 10. Jesus Come by Here; 11. I Can’t Wait Baby; 12. Weight on my Shoulders; 13. Society Woman
Publicist: Frank Roszak Promotions
Review: The album is aptly named, as Kid Ramos delivers traditional “old school” blues, kicking off with the instrumental “Kid’s Jump,” before delivering the truly soulful sound of “All Your Love.” The pure sound comes from the recording process, which used all analog equipment under the watchful eye of Jon Atkinson, who also contributed some vocals. Other brilliant musicians on the album included Kedar Roy on bass, Marty Dodson on drums, Bob Welsh on piano and organ, Danny Michel on second guitar, while Johnny Tucker and Kim Wilson contributed stellar vocals. Check out the “dirty” vocals on “Tell me What you Need,” “You Never Call my Name” and “I Can’t Wait Baby,” and the sterling instrumental performances on “Mashed Potatoes and Chili,” “Wes Side (Bumpin’)” and “Weight on my Shoulders.” “Heartbeat” and “Mona Lisa” have that 50’s feel like Bobby Darin, while “Society Woman” is the perfect closing song, with its mixture of traditional blues guitar and vocals.
Recommendation: This one is definitely for the traditional blues lover, who need this collection for their musical library. We highly recommend this one.
Artist Name: 0 Hype
Album Name: Before you Enter
Label: Self-released
Genre: Hip-hop
Track Listing: 1. 647 Cypher (intro); 2. Ease my Mind (ft. Chris Chand); 3. Goldschläger; 4. Green; 5. Defeat; 6. Somebody; 7. Foreign; 8. Conflict!; 9. Last Night (ft. Kholor); 10. Rave; 11. 4 U (interlude); 12. Ginsberg; 13. Intoxicated; 14. Knock Before you Enter
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: Rudi Jubran, aka 0 Hype (as in zero) is the indie version of television’s Hakim Lyon, a hip-hop/rapper who knows how to create memorable music with his mixture of slow jams, smooth vocals and spitting words that leave a lasting impression on the listener. Check out the 20’s vibe of “Goldschläger,” which transports you in and out of your favorite speakeasy. “Somebody” is another smooth jam, as is “Foreign,” while “Last Night” brings in some impressive African percussion before returning to the smooth sound of “4 U (interlude).” The album culminates with the haunting and eerie sound of “Intoxicated,” which definitely belongs on the aforementioned Empire, and the equally well-crafted title track.
Recommendation: If you love cutting edge hip-hop, then this is the album for you.
Artist Name: Katie Vincent and the Pickings
Album Name: Pickings (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Label: Self-released
Genre: Singer-songwriter
Track Listing: 1. Demon Queen (dialogue); 2. Trouble Is; 3. Penitence; 4. Hello June Bug (dialogue ft. Julia Piker); 5. The Way it Goes; 6. Blame It; 7. Man of Constant Sorrows (ft. Bill Turner); 8. Trouble Is
Publicist: EMPKT PR
Review: Katie Vincent is best known as an actress, writer and producer, but is also a musician who contributes her original material to her independent film projects. On the Soundtrack album, she contributes five tracks, with the strongest one, “The Way it Goes,” also being released as a single. Vincent has a striking similarity to the sound of Lydia Loveless, and should definitely investigate the Americana scene if she wants to continue to grow as a musician. We also think that the final track, “Trouble Is,” deserves a full treatment, as it could be a break-out song.
Recommendation: Give this one a spin.
Artist Name: Vickers Vimy
Album Name: Atlas of Hearts
Label: Vickers Vimy Music
Genre: Folk/Celtic
Track Listing: 1. Bonfire of Dantes; 2. Chicago; 3. Budapest; 4. Helicopter; 5. Mermaid of Luna Park; 6. Peg and Hammer; 7. A Quiet Bow; 8. Atlas of Hearts; 9. Red Moon Rising; 10. Keep Your eye on the Road
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: How can you describe the wonderful sound of Ireland’s Vickers Vimy? It is a mixture of different cultures, with amazing horns, soaring vocals, and lyrics that tell beautiful stories. The first track, “Bonfire of Dantes,” would have been at home as part of the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction, while “Chicago” brings home their Celtic tradition, with a stirring fiddle that truly makes the song perfect. “Budapest” is a more traditional song with equally beautiful string arrangements, which are also very evident on “Helicopter.” Other great songs include “Mermaid of Luna Park,” “Peg and Hammer,” the title track (with its traditional Celtic sound), and “Red Moon Rising.” The album closes perfectly with “Keep Your Eye on the Road,” which leaves us only wanting more.
Recommendation: This one is a definite keeper. We highly recommend you Get it.
Artist Name: Febueder
Album Name: All a Hoax
Label: Self-released
Genre: Alternative
Track Listing: 1. Then There Were Two; 2. Hans; 3. Paramount Tether; 4. Santorini; 5. Belgium Travel
Publicist: SMT Artists
Review: They hail from England with a style similar to Tears for Fears, but with a more alternative feel. We have featured them before in our Monday Mashup column, and are pleased to be able to review the entire EP. The musical greatness of this band is definitely NOT a “hoax,” and we believe they will be bringing us more great music for the foreseeable future. Their first singles, “Hans” and “Paramount Tether” should help establish the band’s fitness for American radio, especially in light of their stand-out performances during this year’s SXSW. You will enjoy every track.
Recommendation: Hop on board this train before it leaves the station. We highly recommend you Get this one before your friends do.