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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it indie music Reviews

Get it or forget it – Earthquake Lights, Berlin Taxi, Conor Donohue, Safari Room, Jeffrey Halford and the Healers

Happy New Music Friday!  We hope you had a great week and are getting ready for the weekend.  Here are five albums that dropped today to get  you in the weekend mood.

Artist NameEarthquake Lights

Album NameDistress Signals

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Jazzy Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Moonlight; 2.  The Eight – One; 3.  May Day; 4.  Friends of Mine; 5.  We Will Never be the Same; 6.  Open Ocean; 7.  This is as Far as you Go; 8.  So Far no Luck; 9.  Transmission; 10.  Were you Listening

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Earthquake Lights have a brilliant indie rock sound that they blend with jazz and soul to create their own special blend.  The music goes down smooth and should be a multi-genre hit as it has the flexible to be heard on several different kinds of radio stations.  This is music to chill to, to get ready to and is perfect for daily living mediations and reflection.  This is music that can stay in the background 24-7 and you will never tire of it.  If this is the quality they put into their debut, we can only imagine how great the next one will be.

Recommendation:  Run out and Get this one.

Artist NameBerlin Taxi

Album NameContract

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Synth Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Everybody Changes; 2.  Middle Man; 3.  Backroads; 4.  Last Night; 5.  Level with Me

Publicist:  WolfieVibes Publicity

Review:  We introduced  you to Berlin Taxi back in February when we featured their video for “Last Night.”  They were back again in our Ten Great Singles of March with “Everybody Changes.”  Needless to say, we are happy for the chance to hear three more songs from this amazing band, who is taking synth pop to an entirely new level.  Hop on board this retro train, and let’ boogie, especially to those last two tracks.

Recommendation:  Go Get it.

Artist NameConor Donohue

Album Name Let Love Contaminate

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Roots Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Let Love Contaminate; 2.  Getting Better; 3.  Conversations; 4.  The Garden; 5.  Lost Weekend; 6.  Hedonist Glow; 7.  Gasoline; 8.  White Noise; 9.  Milk, Blood & Traffic Signals; 10.  Terrified Moon

Publicist:  WolfieVibes Publicity

Review:  Conor Donohue may have been raised on Long Island, but his time in South Carolina and New Orleans has transformed this singer-songwriter into a troubadour of all things roots rock.  You can feel the South Carolina breeze that brought us such treasures as Shovels and Rope and Alabama, and the NOLA influence that sets that sound free.  This album hits the ground running on that title track and never lets us, delivering a album that is great from start to finish and worthy of repeated listens.  Yo can’t go wrong with this one.

Recommendation:  Run out and Get this one!

Artist NameSafari Room

Album NameOOKO Session (Live)

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Glass Box; 2.  Vices; 3.  Around the Bend

Publicist:   Self-promoted

Review:  What sets this indie record apart from its peers is the simultaneous release of both audio and video versions of each song.   The band recorded these songs live to show their growth as artists, and to spotlight one song from each of their prior releases.  Recording live is a gutsy move because playing the songs acoustically often reveals flaws in the songs themselves.  Thank goodness there are no such flaws in these three gems, and this band shows that their live performance is just as good as what they do in the studio.  We think you’ll want to hear these three songs on repeat.  Our only critique is that the vocals need a little more punch so they stay on top of the instrumentals.  All in all, this is a worthy effort.

Recommendation:  Grab this one today.

Artist NameJeffrey Halford & the Healers

Album NameWest Towards South

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  West Toward South; 2.  Deeper Than Hell; 3.  Dead Man’s Hand; 4.  Willa Jean; 5.  Three-Quarter Moon; 6.  A Town Called Slow; 7.  Sea of Cortez; 8.  Gallows; 9.  Geronimo; 10.  Ballad of Ambrose and Cyrus

Publicist:  Miles High Productions

Review:  Jeffrey Halford & the Healers have long been a favorite of this blog, having earned two LA Music Critic Award nominations (Best CD Group and Best Roots/Americana Band) for the first half of 2017.  They’re back with their latest offering, West Towards South, and they just pick up where they left off.  The title track is done spoken word style, reminiscent of Shawn Mullins‘ “Lullaby.”  Halford returns to his singing on “Deeper Than Hell,” providing perfect rhymes that paint vivid word pictures over an electrifying musical soundscape.  If Americana music is your thing and you love an artist that can create memorable stories, then Jeffrey Halford & the Healers belong at the top of your list.

Recommendation:  This one is a must for your collection – run out and Get it.

 

 

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

Get it or forget it – Jeffrey Halford & the Healers, Single by Sunday, Polly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method

Happy Friday – welcome to our final Get it or Forget it of the week – can you believe this will make 12 album reviews this week?  We continue to be overwhelmed by the amazing indie music being released and are proud to introduce you to these artists.  Enjoy your Friday and join us again next week as we continue our journey through the world of indie music.

Artist NameJeffrey Halford & the Healers

Album NameLo-Fi Dreams

Label:  Shoeless Records

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Two Jacksons; 2.  Elvis Shot the Television; 3.  Door #3; 4.  Good Trouble; 5.  10,000 Miles; 6.  Last Kiss; 7.  Bird of Youth; 8.  Sweet Annette; 9.  Looking for a Home; 10.  Great Divide 

Publicist:  Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Review:  If you can imagine Tom Petty singing vocals for the Eagles while BB King plays dirty blues, then you have a taste of the awesomeness that is Jeffrey Halford.  On his eighth CD, Lo-Fi Dreams, he strips down his sound and lets the magic erupt.  The first track, “Two Jacksons,” sets the stage, and every song thereafter continues the story with amazing vocals, lyrics and musicality.  We simply cannot say enough about this album, which truly shines.  Every song is worthy of accolades, but we are especially fond of “Two Jacksons,” “Door #3,” “Bird of Youth,” “Sweet Annette,” and “Great Divide.”

Recommendation:  Jeffrey Halford should definitely be on your list of favorite artists and his latest album deserves a preferred spot on your playlist.  We are proud to recommend Lo-Fi Dreams, and strongly encourage you to Get It when it is released on May 19.

Artist NameSingle by Sunday

Album NameWatch out World

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop/Punk/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  22.5.16; 2.  Nevereverever; 3.  It is What it Is; 4.  I Can’t go on Like This 

Publicist:  Neon Tetra Music PR

Review:  If we could package the energy exuded by Single by Sunday, we would be no energy crisis.  These four lads from Scotland have an immense amount of talent, and although they have taken the UK by storm, they are still relatively unknown in the States.  With the upcoming June 2 release of their latest EP, that could drastically change.  The band has already gotten airplay on KROQ in Los Angeles, and other stations are sure to follow their lead.  All four songs are powerful radio songs, and the first single, “Nevereverever” has also been released as a music video.  The beat is driving, the vocals are tight and the songs are upbeat and fun.  Their music is just what commercial radio needs to wake up and grab ahold of their listeners.

Recommendation:  We think that this band has a bright future in American music, and are happy to recommend you Get their EP ASAP.

Artist NamePolly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method

Album NameBlack Crow Callin’

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Hard Hearted World; 2.  A man who can Stand; 3.  Red Light; 4.  Black Crow Callin’; 5.  Yours to Lose; 6.  One Life; 7.  Reconciled; 8.  I Don’t Understand; 9.  Plan B; 10.  I am the One 

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  Long a bastion of male musicianship, the blues is becoming more enticing for female musicians.  Case in point is Polly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method, who are breaking down the door that separates and busting into the forefront of the genre.  With powerful pipes like Bonnie Raitt and Etta James, bass licks worthy of Sir Paul or Sting, and a musical chemistry that is head and shoulders above many other bands, these cats have come to sing.   They immediately grab your attention from the first note of the album, and never let up.  O’Keary provides bass and vocals, while she is complemented by guitar and vocals from David Miller and drums and vocals from Tommy Cook.  The combination of rich guitar and bass riffs and soaring blues vocals creates music that will stimulate your senses and make you want to move.  Our favorite tracks are “Red Light,” the title track (with its sassiness and downhome dirty sound), “Yours to Love,” “One Life,” and “I Don’t Understand.”

Recommendation:  This is our favorite album reviewed this week, and strongly encourage you to Get up and Get out and get it when it is released on May 19.  You’ll thank us later.