Tag: Nashville

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

Get it or forget it – Lugh, Leon of Athens, Gareth Dunlop, Isla Craig, CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion

It’s time for our final Get it or Forget it of July, and we still have a long way to go to catch up from the plethora of summer releases.  Here are five more for your consideration.

Artist Name:  Lugh

Album Name:  Hélico

Label:  C.A.N.V.A.S.

Genre:  Electronica

Track Listing:  1.  Million Dollar Cowboy; 2.  Teeth in my Hands; 3.  Skototrope; 4.  Moan Jiro; 5.  Without Tassels; 6.  Labraid Lorc

Publicist:  Worldwide Friendly Society

Review:  Lugh is Irish-born but currently based in Berlin, Germany, a country which seems to be on the forefront of experimental and electronic music.  His sound is eerie and complex, and would make great placements in Sci-Fi and similar movies and television shows.  It likewise provides a good musical backdrop for those times when you just want something different playing in the background while you go about your day.  Although not the type of music you will hear on the radio, it is still worth your time to check out.

Recommendation:  Give this one a spin.

Artist Name:  Leon of Athens

Album Name:  Xenos

Label:  EMI/Universal

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Aeroplane; 2.  Xenos; 3.  Utopia; 4.  Fire Inside You; 5.  Serpent’s Egg; 6.  Letters to my Father; 7.  Final Moments; 8.  Corfu; 9.  Moonlight

Publicist:  Right Angle PR

Review:  Leon of Athens is a Greek artist currently residing in London, but his music definitely belongs on American radio.  It is upbeat, well crafted, with strong lyrical content, especially on the title cut.  These songs need to be heard, and their message spread far and wide.  His current single, “Utopia,” has a lot of food for thought, and is worthy of Top 40 inclusion.  Every song on this disc is a winner, and we recommend that every radio station manager in the Top 40, AAA and A/C formats check out his catalog for serious airplay.

Recommendation:  This is a definite keeper for your collection.  Get it today!

Artist Name:  Gareth Dunlop

Album Name:  Many Moons Ago

Label:  Moraine Records / Priory Records

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Devil Like You; 2.  Can’t Stand Myself; 3.  Blind to the Pain; 4.  Way Back When; 5.  Dwell in my Soul

Publicist:  Mystic Sons

Review:  Gareth Dunlop is an Irish songwriter who currently commutes between his home in Belfast and Hollywood.  He has had much success in placing his songs on hit television shows, including Suits, Nashville, Bones, House, Private Practice, Cougar Town, Army Wives and Lucifer.  In fact, the song he placed on Lucifer, “Devil Like You,” leads off this amazing five-song EP.  Dunlop is the consummate songwriter, combining an easy listening folk sound with strong lyrical content, creating something very special.  It is no surprise that he has become so popular with music supervisors, as every one of these five songs could easily fit into film or television, especially “Blind to the Pain.”

Recommendation:  Don’t hesitate.  Get this one today!

Artist Name:  Isla Craig

Album Name:  The Becoming

Label:  Pleasence Records

Genre:  Indie

Track Listing:  1.  Intro; 2.  The Becoming; 3.  Out of a Dream; 4.  Love Song; 5.  I’m Lost; 6.  Faraway Blue; 7.  Who am I; 8.  The Becoming (reprise); 9.  Bird of Paradise; 10.  There is a Hole; 11.  Messages (Garden Edition); 12.  Gregory

Publicist:  Auteur Research

Review:  Mixing elements of R&B, soul, jazz, pop and rock, Isla Craig is not your typical indie artist.  Although we were only able to listen to three of the 12 tracks on the album, we got a pretty good idea of what to expect from the rest.  Our favorite of the three songs was the title track, a soulful ballad that is perfect for relaxing and chilling.  We also enjoyed “Love Song,” her current single, but weren’t as impressed by “There is a Hole,” which starts off jazzy and funky before turning into a wild cacophony of sound that didn’t sound like anything else we heard.  Hopefully next time the publicist will send us a link to the entire album and not just a couple of songs.

Recommendation:  This artist is worth a listen.

Artist Name:  CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion

Album Name:  #5or5000

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Jazz/Blues

Track Listing:  1.  90 mph; 2.  Rockstar; 3.  Danger; 4.  What I’d do to get Your Love Back; 5.  Common, Ordinary Housewife; 6.  Lonely (Even When You’re Here); 7.  Work; 8.  #5or5000; 9.  I Betcha Come Back; 10.  4 on the Floor; 11.  Alive; 12.  Home

Publicist:  Under the Moon PR

Review:  CeCe Teneal is a powerhouse vocalist in the style of Aretha Franklin, and her Soul Kamotion band provides the perfect complement to that amazing voice.  This is a live album which makes you want to get up and dance as well as get out to see them perform live.  Mixing soul with her jazz and blues creates an uplifting sound that is positive and worthy of radio airplay.  Every song rocks, and makes you want to put this one on repeat.  This may well be our new favorite album.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice – Get this one now!

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2017 Women in Entertainment

Best American EPs of 2017

Continuing on with our “Best of” lists for 2017, here are the Best 15 EPs released by American artists, as well as a few more that deserve mention.  You can find the complete reviews of each EP in our Get it or Forget it columns.

Honorable Mention – Red Hymns self-titled EP; Helen Culver Seven Year Glitch; After Hours Radio What Happened?; Broken Bellows The Card Table; Life Lessons Best When in Motion

15.  Sam Marine, Big Dark City – Definitely a surprise, this five song EP was obviously the result of an artist who has learned how to become part of the local community and reach out to them for help when needed.  We think you’ll be hearing a lot more from this artist in the future.

14.  Surf Rock is Dead, We Have no Friends? – A perfect combination of American and Australian ingenuity, this was another surprise this year with a huge potential.

13.  Eli Raybon, Green – This 20-year old Southerner has risen to the challenge and has set the bar high for subsequent projects.

12.  Mare Island, Eponymous – Likewise this Bay area band has some large footprints to fill in the future with this amazing debut EP.

11.  Ben Anderson, YouTopia – Indie label Chromodyne chose wisely in signing Anderson, and his four-song EP shows great promise.

10.  Riley Smith, self-titled – Riley Smith has made quite a name for himself as an actor on such beloved programs as Frequency and Nashville.  He can now add accomplished musician to his resume, as this EP was simply amazing.

9.  Ryan Sims, My Side of the Story – Another rising star in the country music field had a lot of help from his friends, including Jason “Slim” Gambill, Darryl Jones, Kenny Aronoff and Kim Bullard.  They helped him achieve a breakthrough sound that will have him rising up in Nashville in no time at all.

8.  Jacquie, The Only One – She survived NBC’s The Voice and a bad experience with the music industry to come back stronger than ever as an indie artist.  Can’t wait to see what’s next from this future superstar.

7.  Social Repose, Empress – Nearly 300,000 Facebook fans can’t be wrong about this one, and their latest EP proved just how good they are.

6.  Matt Westerman, Life Out Loud – One of LA’s brightest rising stars, Matt Westerman has a very promising future ahead.  We truly believe the sky is the limit for him.

5.  The Khourys, Good Stuff – Sisters Guila and Jahnna will surprise you – imagine one doing vocals and one doing rap – the combination is heaven’s nectar.  They are just as good in concert.

4.  RVBY My Dear, Cycles – Australian born and Brooklyn based musician Gabbi Coenen blew us away with her sophomore release.  Watch out for this one.

3.  Alex Mabey, Enough – An alumni of the Durango Songwriters Expo, Mabey seems destined to follow in the steps of another famous alumni, Meghan Trainor.

2.  Katie Costello, New World – A perennial winner of many awards, including the LA Music Critic Awards, Costello brought us both an EP and an album in 2017, and both were superb.  Here’s of taste of what makes this artist so great.

1.  Vinnie Paolizzi, Kids – Biggest surprise of the year was receiving an EP from this young self-promoted artist that simply blew us away.  We are dying to see what comes next from this young man.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it LA Music Critic Awards Reviews

Get it or forget it – Riley Smith, The Grascals, Istanbul Hippodrome, Gabe Dixon

Welcome to September.  We have a special edition of Get it or Forget it, featuring the debut EP from one of our favorite actors, Riley Smith, star of Nashville and Frequency.  In addition, we have the latest from The Grascals, as well as LA Music Critic Award winner Gabe Dixon.  Have a wonderful Friday, and let’s get cracking.

Artist Name:   Riley Smith

Album Name:   Riley Smith

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Country/Pop /Rock

Track Listing:  1.  I’m on Fire; 2.  I Can’t Keep on Missing You; 3.  Break Somethin’; 4.  Mad Love; 5.  Selfish; 6.  Change of a Season

Publicist:   Chloe Robinson

Review:  With a soulful voice over country tinged pop music, Riley Smith bursts forth on the indie music scene with “I’m on Fire,” the first single off his latest EP.  Smith has the kind of sound that is truly radio ready and is perfect for both country and pop/rock formats.  He has chosen a strong group of songs that showcase his voice and bring out the best possible sound.  Every song on this EP is amazing, and worthy of repeated listens.  We are pleased to welcome Smith to the club of artists with amazing voices, including the entire cast of Nashville, Lukas Haas, Minnie Driver and others.

Recommendation:  You simply must add this one to your musical library.  We think that Smith will become a very important member of the exclusive club of actors that can sing.  Get it now!

Artist Name:  The Grascals

Album Name:  Before Breakfast

Label:  Mountain Home Music

Genre:  Bluegrass

Track Listing:  1.  Sleepin’ with the Reaper; 2.  Demons; 3.  Delia; 4.  I’ve Been Redeemed; 5.  Lonesome; 6.  Beer Tree; 7.  Pathway of Teardrops; 8.  Lynchburg Chicken Run; 9.  He Took Your Place; 10.  Lost and Lonesome; 11.  There is You; 12.  Clear Corn Liquid

Publicist:  So Much Moore Media

Review:   The Grascals have earned their reputation for quality bluegrass music by choosing the right songs and arrangements.  Since they were introduced by Rounder back in 2005, they have thrilled bluegrass fans around the world.  On this collection, they have chosen to cover some of the classic songwriters of bluegrass and country music, like Bill Anderson, Jon Randall, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Paul Overstreet and Tim Stafford, while also showing their skills at writing (“Lynchburg Chicken Run”).  Composed of John Bryan (guitar, clawhammer banjo and vocals), Terry Eldredge (guitar and vocals), Terry Smith (bass and vocals), Adam Haynes (fiddle), Danny Roberts (mandolin) and Kristin Scott Benson (banjo and guitar), this dynamic sextet take bluegrass to h\new heights, thrilling old fans and creating new ones.  The Grascals continue to set the bar high, and every song on Before Breakfast only strengthens their position as one of the premier bluegrass bands in the world.

Recommendation:   Lucky for you, this album is being released on September 1.  We strongly recommend that you Get it before it sells out.

Artist Name:  Istanbul Hippodrome

Album Name:  No Way Home

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Electronica/instrumental

Track Listing:  1,  Overlord; 2.  No Way Home; 3.  Servovar Vent; 4.  Diet of Worms

Publicist:  Neon Tetra

Review:   Istanbul Hippodrome is a British band with an entirely different sound.  Their music is not so much songs but soundscapes, with a cinematic sound you would expect from your favorite movie soundtrack.  Their music is eerie and ethereal, encompassing all your senses.  It is music that you feel even more than just hear, as the unique yet cohesive sounds envelop you from head to toe, transforming your environment and setting your mind free to wander through the vast possibilities set forth in the notes.  Their music is perfect for your solitude and meditation, when you want your thoughts to wander free.

Recommendation:  This unique blend of sounds and moods is a perfect addition to your musical library.  We recommend you pre-order it so that you will have it when it is released on September 8.

Artist Name:  Gabe Dixon

Album Name:  Live in Boston

Label:  BirnCORE

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Holding her Freedom; 2.  Crave; 3.  If I Love You; 4.  Flow Like Wine; 5.  Five More Hours; 6.  Last Fool; 7.  Find my Way; 8.  All Will be Well; 9.  Till You’re Gone

Publicist:  Berklee College of Music

Review:  This live album was recorded on the independent label of Berklee College of Music in Boston from a performance by Gabe Dixon, who is no stranger to indie music lovers.  Dixon won Best Single for “Crave” and Best Male Pop/Rock Artist in the 2016 LA Music Critic Awards, and has been nominated for Best CD (Male) and Best Video (Live).  We also reviewed his last album, Turns to Gold, and interviewed him after his LAMCA win.  In this stellar live performance, Dixon shows his major piano chops as he brings to life nine of his best songs.  He has that mastery of the ivory that was previously exhibited by the legendary Bruce Hornsby, as well as an uncanny ability to capture emotions in his songwriting.  If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend one of his live shows, then this is the next best thing to experience Dixon’s brilliance.  It is obvious even from this live album why he was chosen to appear on the Carson Daly show last year.  Although every song is amazing, we simply love his live arrangements of “Holding her Freedom,” Crave,” “Flow Like Wine,” and “Find my Way.”

Recommendation:  If you love great music, then this one must be included in your musical library.  We strongly suggest you pre-order it so that you will be among the first to have it when it is released on September 8.  You can find it here.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Interviews Women in Entertainment

Women in entertainment: Alyssa Jacey, the girl in blue

It’s been a while since our last article in the Women in Entertainment series, February 1, 2016 to be exact, but we’re back with another edition.  Fair warning – it’s a long one, but definitely worth the read.

Our feature today spotlights Alyssa Jacey, a pop/soul singer-songwriter out of Nashville by way of San Diego, who loves the color blue.  Why, you say.   Jacey explains, “About the age of 16, I got my first car and decided to paint it.  I was flipping through the color pages and had an instant attraction to the color Highlight Blue Pearl,  a bright royal blue with an opal coating.  From that point on, I could only see the color blue.  I would make a beeline to that color whenever I was choosing clothes, and always fell for the guy in the royal blue sweater.  I’m currently on my fourth car, and all of them have been blue.”

Jacey has turned that attraction to blue into her own brand.  “I always tell people when they come to my shows, ‘Bring your crew and wear your blue.’  My grandmother and I were very close when she passed away from Alzheimer’s.  I had just started singing and she never got to hear me perform.  I told myself that when I was able to support myself with my music that I would do something to help fight the disease.  Now, when my fans come to my shows, if they are wearing blue, I donate $1 from their ticket sale to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.”

Jacey had formerly been a hip-hop dancer, choreographer, and private dance instructor, had appeared in music videos and performed at the Super Bowl.  She assumed that her career would be in the dance industry.  But that all changed, literally overnight, when Jacey went out with her friends.   “One day I just made the decision to pursue music.   I had spent my whole life dancing but there was always something missing; Karaoke night changed all that and my life has never been the same,” explains Jacey.

Jacey’s latest single, “I Want it to Rain,” is an incredible song that truly belongs on radio outlets worldwide.  Since it was posted on her YouTube channel just a month ago, the video has already received more than 3,000 views.

Jacey recently posted on her Facebook page that she has spent more time in the past three months in Europe than at home.  Not bad for an unsigned independent musician who is the epitome of the DIY artist.  In fact, that success has enabled Jacey to also become an international public speaker, and to open her own business, Image Twelve 28.  The business allows her to provide coaching for other indie musicians who want to achieve their dreams.

“I was 23 when I found my voice, 26 when I learned the guitar and 28 when I learned to drum.  I believe you can do whatever you want as long as you believe in yourself.  Don’t listen to the naysayers, just do it.  My true purpose here is to inspire people.”

But what inspires Jacey?   “What inspires me is the beauty that lies in the unknown. As a DIY artist, you never know what hand your career will deal you, and it’s BEYOND EXCITING. Opportunities come from all angles, in all shapes and sizes, and the fun part is two fold: Being surprised with ones you weren’t expecting and seeing how many you can turn into reality, and going through individual experiences, which are each so unique and so special. When I think of all the experiences I’ve had over the years and risks I’ve taken to get to them, my heart swells up. My favorite hashtag to use is #LivingWithGratitude, and I absolutely am, living with gratitude, every single moment, of every single day.”

Where does Jacey see herself in the future?  “My future plans have not changed since the exact moment I realized I was going to pursue music, and basically, that’s ‘I know I’m here, and I want to get there.  I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I know I will, and I will just take it one step at a time.’  I started playing music because I had a late calling. At 23 years old, I was convinced by friends that I had a voice.  I had never sung before, never written a song or played an instrument.  But after a year of singing karaoke and hearing the same thing on a consistent basis from random strangers from karaoke bar to karaoke bar every week, I knew I had to pursue it.  I was going to let absolutely nothing stop me from getting as far as I could go. Did I want to be famous?  No.  I wanted to see if I could ever make a living playing original music, and after that, the sky would be the limit, should I chose to continue. Just 13 months after moving to Nashville (and 8 years after being in the music industry), I started to earn a living.  I’ve been so motivated by seeing hard work pay off, that when it comes to “future plans,” all I can do is just keep doing what I’ve been doing.  In doing so, every six months beats out the previous six months, and all I’m doing is just following my intuition.”

For more info on Jacey, be sure to check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to her YouTube channel.  If you like her music, you can stream it on Spotify or Pandora, or purchase it at iTunes.

 

 

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Reviews

Corinne Cook is ‘Dressed Up for Goodbye’

Corinne Cook may not be familiar to you, yet, but with the power of her latest CD, Dressed Up for Goodbye, she soon will be.  With a voice reminiscent of early Faith Hill, and the sassiness of Kellie Pickler, Cook is making a name for herself in Music City.

The title of the album is ironic in that although it is full of songs about heartbreak and goodbye, it also serves to say hello to a dynamic new voice on the indie country music scene.  Cook has had some success from her earlier albums, including a #1 song (“Uninvited Guest”) and a #4 song (“I’m Not Shy”) on the Inside Country chart.  

Unlike when she recorded her first two albums and lived in California, Cook now resides in Music City.  As such, she had more time to spend on the entire process of writing and recording.  This also allowed her to choose and record songs that not only did she like but which also allowed her to share chapters of her life story.

 Another advantage to living in Nashville was the opportunity to work with its elite songwriters and studio musicians.  Among those elite are The Warren Brothers (Brett and Brad), who wrote or co-wrote six of the tracks, and her producer, Denny Martin, who co-wrote three more.  The final two tracks she found through the Song Matchmakers Network.  Of those two tracks, “I Don’t,” a powerful duet with Paul Scott, a former opera singer, is one of the best tracks on the album.  Other songs worthy of consideration include the title track, “Little Miss Understanding” and “Who.”

According to her official bio, Cook was born in Walnut Creek and raised in the Central California towns of Tracy and Escalon, surrounded by a family that was intensely musical.  According to Cook, she doesn’t “remember a time when I wasn’t singing.”  Her family had many jam sessions with her mom on guitar, her step-dad on bass and her brother using the chairs for drum while she sang.  Although initially too shy to perform in public, she overcame that shyness and began performing in choir from middle school on, as well as solo performances in high school.  Singing also became a part of her time in the Air Force where she served four years during the Gulf War.

After she was discharged, she returned to California where she began singing at festivals in Northern California while working part-time as a radio DJ for classic country station 93.9 “The Ranch” in Ripon.  “Ranch Hand Jane,” as she was known, also hosted karaoke for the station at various venues, and introduced legendary country artists like Charlie Daniels and Johnny Lee when they performed in town. 

Cook later moved to Mt. Juliet, a small town about 20 miles east of Nashville, so she could focus on developing her career as a singer.  She participated in local community theatre productions while also performing at various songwriter nights in the Nashville area.  “I definitely enjoy performing live,” she says, “but my absolute favorite part of being an artist is being in the studio, feeling the energy and feeding off the creativity of all of these great musicians. Performing my vocals on top of all that during the sessions for Dressed Up For Goodbye was exhilarating and I can’t wait to go back in and start my next project!” 

“The biggest difference between my earlier albums and Dressed Up For Goodbye is the fact that on those, I didn’t have the opportunity to choose the songs I wanted to record,” continued Cook.  “I was able to pick some songs that applied to my life but overall because of the circumstances of my recording deals, I was not able to really paint a full portrait of who I am.  My new album is a much more vibrant and personal expression.  These 11 new tunes all reflect different parts of my life, and many situations and scenarios that I have actually experienced, from the strength and confidence of the ‘don’t mess around with me’ vibe of “Little Miss Understanding” through the vulnerability and heartbreak of the title song.”

Cook is an artist who is definitely worth checking out, while her new CD should be enjoyed with an ice-cold beer or a shot of Jack.

For more about this artist, check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on ReverbNation, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to her Soundcloud account, where you can stream her latest CD.  Her music is also available for download on iTunes, Amazon Music and Google Play.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Shane Piasecki to debut new video

Back when I was writing for Examiner.com and AXS.com, I had the privilege of reviewing and helping to introduce Shane Piasecki, a brilliant new artist based in Nashville, Tennesee.

Piasecki will be releasing a music video for his soon-to-be hit song, “Jackie O” in the near future.  Here’s a sneak preview of that video:

Check out my review and stay tuned for the debut of this incredible music video.  In the meantime, check out his Facebook page.