Tag: III

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

Get it or forget it – Short Shadows, Zephyranthes, Signals, Assassins, Susan Santos

We’re glad you all seemed to enjoy our Ten Great Singles and Ten Amazing Videos lists we published yesterday.  Thanks for your visits to our blog and keep sharing.  We’re back today with another round of Get it or Forget it reviews, and hope you enjoy these diverse artists.

Artist Name:  Short Shadows

Album Name:  War Anecdotes from the Northern Suburbs

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  City Loop; 2.  Nothing Good Comes out of Preston; 3.  A Thornbury Story; 4.  That’s no Moon; 5.  Pentridge Blvd; 6.  Jackknife Casino; 7.  Autumn Haze; 8.  It’s Raining in the City; 9.  The Battle for Northcote; 10.  Don’t Stay Away too Long; 11.  Customer Service; 12.  Heartbreak Hockey Jerseys; 13.  Southside Girl; 14.  Sometime I Forget; 15.  The Novelty Wears Off

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:  We introduced you to the incredible sound of Aussie Short Shadows when we featured his song “Nothing Good Comes out of Preston.”  The full album, which was recently released, continues the greatness of that song, adding more treasure to the trove, revealing this easily relatable artist is an excellent vocalist and songwriter.  Honestly, you can listen from start to finish and not get bored.  The stories keep you interested, and the horns truly raise the songs to a new level.  Please come and tour the U.S.

Recommendation:  Go Get this one!

Artist Name:  Zephyranthes

Album Name:  iii

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Psychedelic/Progressive Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Foam Sacrament; 2.  Fortune Teller; 3.  Alone in Stead; 4.  Telecommoner; 5.  Atomic en Masse

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  This truly unique band comes out of Raleigh, NC, and uses the sounds of psychedelica and progressive rock to create its own brand of music that is totally different from its peers.  There are moments of greatness in their songs, but they do not have the continuity and impact of other indie rock bands.  While we cannot give them an unsensored thumbs up, we do think they are worthy of checking out and keeping track of.  They just might surprise us.

Recommendation:  Potential but not there yet.

Artist Name:  Signals

Album Name:  Signals

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  In the Middle of the Night; 2.  Move It; 3.  Take Care; 4.  Say You’ll be with me Tonight

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Signals could easily become a guilty pleasure.  Their music is fun and retro and full of blistering synth pop vibes, great vocals and a beat that compels you to dance.  The first single, “In the Middle of the Night,” deserves more radio airplay, and “Move It,” “Take Care” and “Say You’ll be with me Tonight” are equally enjoyable and worthy of industry attention.  This is a band on the cusp of greatness and we would love to see them go mainstream.  You can’t go wrong with this tasty appetizer.  We can hardly wait for a full-length to arrive.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one!

Artist Name:  Assassins

Album Name:  Confidence

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Time Away; 2.  Shout About It; 3.  Over my Head; 4.  Heartbeat

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:   Assassins was previously active from 1981-89 in the Melbourne pub scene before going dark.  The members hooked up again in 2015 and released their debut album in 2017.  They are back with their sophomore album, and the title tells it all.  This band oozes confidence, both in their incredible musicianship and their fresh take on the punk vibe.  These songs will hit home with their listeners as the band continues to find its way in the indie music scene.  We think they have the potential to make it, and look forward to hearing what comes next.

Recommendation:  Go get this one, especially if you love great rock.

Artist Name:  Susan Santos

Album Name:  No U Turn

Label:  TWH

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Blind Woman; 2.  Slow Down; 3.  Fool Me; 4.  Shakin’ all Over; 5.  Freedom; 6.  Heaven or Hell; 7.  Dry River; 8.  Feeling Good; 9.  Green; 10.  In Trouble

Publicist:  ABIK Radio Promotions

Review: Susan Santos (not to be confused with Suzanne Santos of HoneyHoney) is an electrifying blues guitarist with an incredible and crystal clear voice that brings new life to blues rock.  Her music will thrill you like no other, and we can only imagine how magnificent she must be in concert – good enough that it earned her a European Blues Award for Best Musical Performance in 2018.  Every element of her sound is at the top of the food chain, and she deserves serious industry attention.  Her songs are perfect for multiple genres of radio airplay, and would make great placements in television and film.  Santos has a voice you won’t soon forget, and we bet you will be putting this one on repeat.

Recommendation:  Drop what you’re doing, run out to your favorite record store, and Get this one Today!

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – Slowtrip, Waydown Wailers, Tuxedo, Frankie Simone, The Mountain Carol

Happy Independence Day to all our indie music lovers.  We’ve got a great bunch of reviews for you today, so let’s get this show going.

Artist Name: Slowtrip

Album Name:  Blur

Label:  Anchor Eighty Four Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Follow; 2.  02 2004; 3.  Slowtrip – Makeshit Happiness; 4.  Secondary

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:  Despite the fact that the members of Slowtrip are also members of three other hardcore bands, the combination created by the consolidation of their combined talents is more indie rock than hardcore.  These four songs offer hope that this is not just another indie rock band.  This band has something to say, and couch their message in solid, hard-hitting rock that will draw listeners in.  This band has definite potential.  If you live in or near their Orange County, California stomping grounds, we highly recommend that you go and check them out.  The vinyl edition of their EP will be released on July 13.

Recommendation:  Definitely give them a try.  This EP is worth the risk.

Artist Name:  Waydown Wailers

Album Name:  Backland Blues

Label:  Woodstock Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Back Door Woman Blues; 2.  I Want Your Soul; 3.  Done Somebody Wrong; 4.  Another Bump in the Road; 5.  No Mercy; 6.  Dizzy Miss Lizzy; 7.  Every Passing Mile; 8.  Somewhere in the Middle; 9.  I’m on the Hunt; 10.  State of the Union – remix; 11.  Lover of the Bayou

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  Hailing from the area in upstate New York that borders Canada, the Waydown Wailers combine elements of classic rock bands like The Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers with British invasion bands like The Byrds to form their own version of gritty, dirty blues.  This album combines eight original tunes with covers of classic tunes from Elmore James (“Done Somebody Wrong”), The Fab Four (“Dizzy Miss Lizzy”) and a deep cut from The Byrds (“Lover of the Bayou”), the song they chose to close out this amazing set of tunes.  This album is great from start to finish, and belongs on your TGIF playlist, especially the sweet “No Mercy” and “Somewhere in the Middle,” which are more roots rock than blues.

Recommendation:  Get out there and Get this one!

Artist Name:  Tuxedo

Album Name:  III

Label:  Musarañas Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  III; 2.  Sigue Hablando; 3.  Enviado Desde mi iPhone; 4.  Mi Deporte Favoito; 5.  Intolerancia; 6.  La Espigayla Tormenta; 7.  Victoria; 8.  La Explanada; 9.  La Vida Aqúi

Publicist:  Musarañas Records

Review:  Tuxedo comes to us from Spain, and immediately hit us with some amazing psychedelic and electronic sounds on the title track, a spectacular instrumental tune with layer upon layer that will stay in the listener’s memory long after the song is over.  When the vocals arrive on the second track, they are haunting, rich and very memorable, despite the foreign language.  You can sense the meaning through their delivery and the tone set by the underlying instrumentation.  We would place these guys right beside the Gipsy Kings as proof of the quality of music that still emanates from the Spanish peninsula.  Regardless of whether the song has vocals or not, this band rocks and deserves your attention.

Recommendation:  You must Get this one – it will become one of  your favorites.

Artist Name:  Frankie Simone

Album Name:  Love//Warrior

Label:  Infinite Companion

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  War Paint; 2.  Blow my Mind; 3.  Love//Warrior; 4.  Queer; 5.  Love You Just the Same

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Frankie Simone delivers pop music that is reminiscent of Gwen Stefani and Nicki Minaj.  It is music that makes you want to get up and dance and belongs in the house mix of every DJ in America.  Not only is it just plain good music, it also has a message about accepting yourself and reveling in your differences.  It belongs on Top 40 radio, especially “Blow my Mind,” and should be in the catalog of every smart music supervisor, as these songs would do well as placements in film and television, especially the title track.

Recommendation:  If  you love to dance, or you believe that love should conquer hate, then this is the one for you.  Get it now.

Artist Name:  The Mountain Carol

Album Name:  Starkiller and the Banshees

Label:  Third Eye Industries

Genre:  Electro-pop

Track Listing:  1.  Dino; 2.  The Mountain Carol; 3.  Essex Ferry; 4.  Adventure Safari; 5.  Sway; 6.  Shadow Puppets; 7.  The Party’s Over

Publicist:  Behind the Curtains Media

Review:  We featured the music video for the lead track, “Dino,” in our first Monday Mashup in May, and little did we know that it would be just the tip of the iceberg of the amazing material forthcoming from this intriguing band that has a futuristic but retro sound.  You will love their hard driving sound which is reminiscent of new wave bands like Talking Heads.  This is music that definitely sets the mood, and will prepare you for something different.  This band is not afraid to experiment, and still delivers well rounded grooves that you will never forget.  This is not melodic music with smooth vocals – it is raw and edgy stuff that will help the band to rise to the top of the indie world.  We think this album has something for just about everyone.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one.

 

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

Get it or forget it: Maita, Scarlett Taylor, Garrison Starr, Vacant Home

Now that the LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2017 have been put to bed, we can begin looking at submissions for the second half.  With the exception of Maita’s Waterbearer, these albums will be considered for the second half awards, even though they were technically released in June 2017.  They were unfortunately overlooked in the nearly 100 submissions for the first half, so we are giving them a fresh look now.

Artist Name:  Maita

Album Name:  Waterbearer

Label:  Maita Music

Genre:  Folk/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Kinder Than Most; 2.  Geography; 3.  Too Tired to Love You; 4.  Burned Out Has Been; 5.  Waterbearer

 Publicist:  None

Review:  Maria Maita-Keppeler is one half of the Americana duo The American West, but also is the lead singer of her own band, Maita.  Her short five-song EP is a breath of fresh air in the female singer-songwriter genre, and bodes well for this budding artist.  Her voice is haunting like Gillian Welch and Shannon Hurley, and is perfectly suited to the lyrics she has skillfully written.  All five songs are perfect for a chill afternoon or night, enjoyed with a beer or wine, while the listener contemplates the meaning of life.  Give her a listen and let us know what you think.

Recommendation:  We definitely think this one is a keeper and recommend you Get it for your collection.

Artist Name:  Scarlett Taylor

Album Name:  III

Label:  Borderline Musick

Genre:  Alternate Pop

Track Listing:  1.  I can Fly; 2.  Children of the Sun; 3.  Concrete Angels; 4.  Orphan; 5.  Unborn 

Publicist:  None

Review:  We reviewed her second album, Churches, last November.  What we said then still goes, but Taylor continues to work on her style, and the lyrical content has gotten better.  She is still not a radio friendly artist, but her music makes you stop and think about the issues she is addressing, and her unique musical background provides the perfect foundation for her truth.  This album is dedicated to those who suffer from addiction, and the toll it takes on them and those who love them.  She also continues to make interesting music videos that bring out the darkness in her music, and we think that she still has a lot to say.  Our favorite cuts are “Children of the Sun” and “Concrete Angels,” and the music video for the latter is definitely worth checking out.

Recommendation:  If you like your music dark, disturbing but relevant, than you should Get this album.

Photo by Shervin Lainez

Artist Name:  Garrison Starr

Album Name:  What if There is no Destination

Label:   Self-released

Genre:  Folk/Singer-Songwriter

Track Listing:  1.  Put Your Weapon Down; 2.  Hollow; 3.  Easy Mark; 4.  All About You; 5.  The Lucky One; 6.  Tough Girl

Publicist:  Red Boot PR

Review:  From the opening notes of the powerful protest song, “Put Your Weapon Down,” it becomes quickly apparent that this is no ordinary indie artist.  Starr is a woman on a mission, with a dynamic story to tell and a lesson to teach.  Her voice is throaty and unique, carrying the truth of her words deep into your consciousness.  Her musical background is simple but provides the necessary foundation for these liberating words.  Starr is an indie artist who has come full circle, and is content in her DIY “indieness.”  But that doesn’t mean the world is not taking notice of her music and her message, as indicated by her recent participation as part of Amy Pohler’s Smart Girls.  We love everything on this EP, but especially “Put Your Weapon Down,” which was Starr’s response to the Pulse tragedy in Orlando last June.  Stop and smell the roses while you listen to the wisdom of these songs.

Recommendation:  This one is a total no-brainer.  You NEED to Get it, now!

Photo courtesy of Split Task Media

Artist Name:  Vacant Home

Album Name:  Reflect, Respond

Label:  Mutant League Records

Genre:  Post Hardcore Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Lament; 2.  Bliss; 3.  Inner Peace; 4.  Shiver; 5.  Back Bay; 6.  Reflect Respond; 7.  Heirloom 

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:  Vacant Home comes to us from Perth, Australia.  Their music starts out as great indie rock, with stirring guitar riffs and pounding drums, providing a nice musical interlude.  But then the Screamo vocals come in and the serene mood is lost.  This is definitely an album for hard rock lovers.  There are moments when the lyrics are sung, but they are lost amidst the angst and the screams.  It is apparent that this bad is pissed off and wants the world to know it.  Were it not for the screaming of the lyrics, we might actually be able to understand their message.  Nevertheless, their instrumentation is strong, and make it worthy of a closer listen.

Recommendation:  This is another artist that is not radio friendly.  However, if you can understand the screaming, and like that kind of music, then this is a strong effort.  For the rest of us, just Forget it.