Tag: KCRW

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Mike Jacoby, Rachel Brett, Patrick Joseph

Up early this morning to make sure I had time to write these reviews before my step son and his family arrive for an early Thanksgiving dinner.  Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring some more amazing indie musicians to your attention.  Grab a cup of coffee and check out our reviews of these new projects.

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Artist Name: Mike Jacoby

Album Name:  Northeastsouthwest

Label:  None

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Americana/roots-rock

Track Listing:  1.  Ready When you Are; 2.  Nevermind Me; 3.  Hell if I Know; 4.  Explaining to Do; 5.  Lay of the Land; 6.  Anyone’s Guess; 7.  Talk a Good Game; 8.  What’s That got to do With Me; 9.  Lie in Bed; 10.  Where she Goes; 11.  The end of the Line 

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Founder of the Los Angeles based band Haymaker, Mike Jacoby has released his second solo project with Northeastsouthwest.  The album is a true solo project, with Jacoby doing the producing, recording and writing, while Grammy-winning engineer Gavin Lurssen contributed the mastering.  The album contains 11 story songs that are well crafted with the lyrical content being the dominant force.  The album title gives homage to the fact that Jacoby was born in the northeast and current lives in the southwest.  His musical accompaniment is tight, laying the perfect foundation for his well-written words.   Jacoby doesn’t have the smoothest voice, but it totally fits with the Americana vibe coming forth from this incredible collection of songs.  Best tracks include “Nevermind me,” “Hell if I Know,” “Lay of the Land,” “Anyone’s Guess,” “What’s That got to do With Me,” and “Where she Goes.”

Recommendation:  This album is definitely for everyone who loves great songwriting, especially if you are an Americana and/or roots rock lover.  This one is another no-brainer – go and Get It.

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Artist Name:  Rachel Brett

Album Name:  Not Just Another EP

Label:  None

Genre:  Pop/Country

Track Listing:  1.  Don’t Flatter Yourself; 2.  Sensible; 3.  All my Life; 4.  Second Best; 5.  Bad News 

Publicist:  None

Review:  Rachel Brett is a young actress and musician with whom I became acquainted at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.  She has been described as Taylor Swift meets Avril Lavigne, and the description is spot on.  Her music is edgy pop that would work well on Top 40 radio.  From the first notes of “Don’t Flatter Yourself,” it becomes obvious that this girl can sing and create music that needs to be heard.  In fact, she has been a voting member of NARAS since she was 16, and was recently picked as a Featured Artist by ReverbNation.  “All my Life” is her most popular song on iTunes, and she has just posted a new remix of “Second Best” on ReverbNation.  We are impressed with her maturity and her potential for a very long career, both in music and acting.

Recommendation:  We are proud to recommend this EP, as well as all the rest of her catalog.  If you like music that’s fun, witty and sung by an incredible vocalist, then rush out and Get It.  You’ll be glad you did.

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Artist Name:  Patrick Joseph

Album Name:  Hindsight

Label:  Moon King Music

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Indie rock

Track Listing:  1.  Don’t you Know; 2.  Sorry; 3.  Better off Alone; 4.  Don’t Believe It; 5.  Piece of Your Love; 6.  Foot in the Door; 7.  Arsonist Blues; 8.  Untangled; 9.  Such a Long Time Ago; 10.  Setting Sun 

Publicist:   None

Review:  Patrick Joseph has had an amazing career so far for an indie artist.  He looks back on that career in his latest, Hindsight, a collection of old songs, new singles, remixes and remasters that gives the listener a taste of his awesomeness.  His voice is the perfect complement to these very radio friendly tracks, featuring songs that span his career which includes film and television placements, massive radio airplay on such tastemakers as LA’s own KCRW, and the honor of Producer of the Year at the 2015 Independent Music Awards.  Best tracks include “Don’t You Know,” “Better Off Alone,” “Piece of Your Love,” “Foot in the Door” and “Arsonist Blues.”  Check out this original version of “Don’t Believe It” which was released back in 2011.

Recommendation:  Joseph is a special breed of singer-songwriter, with powerful lyrics on top of skillfully mastered musicianship, resulting in one of the brightest “best of” albums we have ever reviewed.  You owe it to yourself to get out and Get It ASAP.

 

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Women in Entertainment

Women in entertainment: Danni Rosner, sweet country songstress

As we head into Thanksgiving, it is our privilege to present this week’s Women in Entertainment profile of Danni Rosner, former television host, singer-songwriter and founder of the future country wonders, Honey County, one of the brightest of country music’s newcomers.

Born and raised in Virginia, she relocated with her family to Tokyo, Japan as she was entering the fifth grade.  She remained abroad until high school, when her family returned to Virginia.  Rosner then attended Virginia Tech, where she graduated with degrees in English and Musical Analysis.

Her musical career truly began in 2009 when she won the legendary NYC Amateur Night at the Apollo with a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.”  Since then, she has been featured several times at the Sunset Sessions Radio Film & TV Showcase in Las Vegas and has performed live on a myriad of NBC, FOX & WUSA morning news and talk programs.  She was also the host for PBS’s music video program Strictly Global on the MHz Networks.  Her music has been placed in several television shows and indie films, including A&E’s TEACH:  Tony Danza, ABC’s General Hospital, and the indie film The Umbrealla Man.

In 2013, her solo single, “Didn’t Mean it That Way,” debuted at #6 on the iTunes POP ‘Hot Tracks’ and quickly followed with notable placements on iTunes New & Noteworthy Country and iTunes Rising Stars of Country.  Along the way, she also found time to tour as a solo artist in support of Grammy winners Leeann Rimes, Marc Cohn and current Top 40 artist Matt Nathanson.

In 2014, Danni founded the female pop-country trio Honey County.  The band has already had a song placed on the 2014 season finale of HBO’s True Blood, a pop-country trio.  In addition, the band was chosen as a semi-finalist on VH1’s Make a Band Famous.

After the band released their first self-titled EP earlier this year, their single, “99 Bottles” was selected to represent them in CMT’s contest to chose the opening band for country superstar Brett Eldredge.  Los Angeles-based country station Go Country 105 also sponsored the band in the 34th annual Country Showdown competition, where they finished second.  Go Country was so impressed with the band that they booked them for their Hot Country Nights cruise.  Rosner also found time this year to share her voice on Disney’s TV movie event Descendants.

What inspires Rosner?   “I’m constantly inspired by my younger sister, April.  With every day that she battles ulcerative colitis, she continues to remain upbeat and positive.  She is one of the most resilient and courageous people I know.”

Honey County has received airplay not only on popular Los Angeles radio station KCRW, but also on iheartradio station WPOC 93.1, and continues to perform throughout California, most recently at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and Incahoots in Fullerton, as well as the legendary Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

Where does Rosner see herself in the future?  “It’s hard to see 10 or 20 minutes down the road much less years, but I dream BIG!”

WPOC DJ St.Pierre said it best:  “I know it’s hard to compare anybody to this (speaking of Danni Rosner) superstar’s voice, but Danni has a ‘Carrie Underwood’ feel, and it’ really powerful.”
With an upcoming show at the newly relocated House of Blues on December 17, fans will have the chance to see why Honey County, featuring Danni Rosner is definitely on their way up the charts.
To find out more about Rosner and her band, check out their website and Facebook pages (solo and band), follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.