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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Theatre Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: vol 16

Welcome to the last week of April.  We have been getting so much response from indie artists lately, and are proud to be able to introduce you to some new artists that are definitely worth checking out.  Grab your coffee, put on your headphones, and check out what’s happening in the world of indie music and theater.

MCT’S PRODUCTION OF ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ’ OPENS THIS WEEK

The final production of the season for the Missoula Community Theater, The Wizard of Oz, opens to the public on Friday, April 28.  Featuring a large cast and directed by local dance icon Heather Adams, the show is scheduled for three weeks of performances.  Tickets are available at the MCT Center for Performing Art Box Office, as well as online at MCTink.org.  We’ll have a review of the opening night performance this weekend.

ALEXIS KEEGAN HONORS PRINCE WITH LATEST LIVE VIDEO

Hard to believe that Prince has been gone for a year.  Multi-LA Music Critic Award winner Alexis Keegan recently honored Prince during her concert at the world-famous Mint in Los Angeles.  Check out her amazing cover of “When Doves Fly/Purple Rain.”

ADHOC RELEASES VIDEO FOR ‘MY CITY’

Adhoc is a band out of Montreal that has reached out to debut their new music video for “My City.”  Check it out and let us know what you think about these guys.

K-SYRAN IS BACK WITH THE VIDEO RELEASE OF ‘DIZZY’

Norway’s K-Syran is back with another dance tune that has been very popular in Europe.  Check her out and let us know your opinion of this interesting artist.

BIRDSWORTH PROMISES TO ‘TREAT US GOOD’

Just learned about this promising British group Birdsworth, who record all their music in a shed and toss out their own blend of tea bags at their shows.  We think you’ll like their latest music video, which was released last month.  Let us know what you think.

MESALFIE RELEASES VISUALLY STUNNING MUSIC VIDEO

Rome-based indie pop artist MesAlfie has released a beautiful, artfully stunning music video for his single, “Must see New York.”  We think you will love it for the amazing artwork, but we love the song as well.  Let us know what you think and we’ll see you next week.

 

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

Get it or forget it: Monster Movie, Pale People, Jennifer Vazquez

Welcome to another edition of Get it or Forget it.  Still volunteering this week at the International Wildlife Film Festival, but taking some time this morning to review three more indie releases.  Please let us know what you think about them.

Artist NameMonster Movie

Album NameKeep the Voices Distant

Label:  Graveface Records

Genre:  Dream Pop/Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Trapped; 2.  Going Backwards; 3.  In the Pines; 4.  No More; 5.  Keep the Voices Distant; 6.  Shouldn’t Stray from the Shadows; 7.  In the Ground; 8.  Don’t you Want to Love us; 9.  Into the Light; 10.  Dead in the Water 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  It is a rare talent to make music that can seamlessly fill in the background of life, but Monster Movie definitely has that ability.  Their music provides the perfect soundtrack to daily living, as it flows around the listener, filling in the holes and cushioning the environment.  This band was meant to write cinematic musical scores, and we believe that they will be most successful in that endeavor  Every song on the album is beautiful and majestic, but we love the title track, their first single “Shouldn’t Stray from the Shadows,” “In the Ground,” “Don’t You Want to Love Us,” and “Into the Light.”

Recommendation:  This album was just released on March 31, and we highly recommend you rush out and Get it.  You’ll thank me later 🙂

Artist NamePale People

Album NamePortraits

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  You tell me

Track Listing:  1.  Mitchell; 2.  Debra; 3.  Jason; 4.  Annabelle; 5.  Carol; 6.  Josephine; 7.  Steven; 8.  Lee; 9.  David; 10.  Joyce 

Publicist:  None

Review:  We attended the CD release show on April 14 and were wholly unprepared for this band.  The music is extraordinary, but the vocals remind us of a cross between Crash Test Dummies and Sam Kinison.  With a heavy dose of piano rock, this three-piece band from Missoula, Montana deliver music that is unique in its approach and its style.  These 10 songs deliver “portraits” of people that have influenced the lives of the Pale People, with subjects ranging from robots from space and parental disapproval to the colonization of Mars and child stars, while the music ranges from harmonic to discordant.  They are impossible to forget.  Lead singer and pianist Mack Gilcrest is uniquely perfect for this musical endeavor, which combines a myriad of auditory material to form the perfect reflection of the current state of affairs on planet Earth.  Best cuts include “Mitchell,” “Jason,” “Annabelle,” “Steven” (a stirring attack on religious intolerance), and “David.”

Recommendation:  This album should be in your music library for the simple reason that it is unlike anything you have ever heard before.   Support indie music and grab this one.

Artist NameJennifer Vazquez

Album NameRediscovering Me

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Pop/Country

Track Listing:  1.  After All; 2.  I Should Have Told You; 3.  Isn’t Mine; 4.  Rocked; 5.  Let you Back in; 6.  Worst Enemy; 7.  Let’s go Wild; 8.  The Radio in You; 9.  Rediscovering Me; 10.  New Deck of Cards; 11.  Austin Sky; 12.  So Perfectly; 13.  I Believe; 14.  Gold 

Publicist:  None

Review:  With a voice that is reminiscent of Mary Chapin Carpenter and a musical delivery that is akin to Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Vazquez is a special kind of indie musician.  Born and raised in the Bronx, Vazquez brings that fierce independence to music that is more than a little influenced by her current hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.  She is a treasure that is yet to be fully discovered by the music industry, but who has the chops to be a successful radio artist.  She kicks off her latest album Rediscovering Me with the moving ballad “After All,” and then proceeds to blow her listeners away with track after track that deserve serious radio play.  Her songs are wonderful individually, but they are each a part of a greater story that encompasses the entire album.  This is an album that needs to be played again and again, and each time the listener will garner another snippet that they might have missed the first time around.  The album is a true work of art, and easily one of the finest albums released in 2017, regardless of genre.

Recommendation:  We stand strongly behind Vazquez’s latest effort, Rediscovering Me, and are proud to award it our highest recommendation – Get it like your life depends on it, because it does.  The album is set to be released on May 11, and we highly recommend you preorder it from all the usual sources, as well as from her website at www.jennifervazquez.com.

 

 

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Oak House, Omega Vague, Desert Culture

Our second Get it or Forget it article today features three more bands from the Noisy Ghost PR roster.   Sit back and check them out as we review their latest releases.

Artist NameOak House

Album NameHot or Mood

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock/Psychedelic

Track Listing:  1.  Damp Eyes; 2.  Reticence; 3.  Spirit; 4.  Cut That Out; 5.  Esque; 6.  Seventeen; 7.  Mundane; 8.  Song of Myself; 9.  Around the Room; 10.  Spring 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Oak House is a band that cannot be pigeonholed into any particular musical genre.  With elements of rock, psychedelic, grunge, and experimental, their music is in a category all itself.  With the release of their sophomore album, Hot or Mood, on April 7, the world will soon be able to taste musical greatness from these Georgia boys.   Be warned – this is not your typical indie rock album, and we are excited to see where their career takes them from here.  Every song brings out a different nuance of their music, and keeps the listener occupied with its creativeness.  We believe their music should be enjoyed by every true audiophile, and only wish we could check them out at a live show to see how it translates in concert.  We especially like the tracks “Spirit,” “Cut That Out,” “Esque” (which is their first single), “Mundane,” and “Song of Myself,” which are all different and unique and provide a good representation of the total package.

Recommendation:  If you like more than the average indie release, and enjoy music that separates itself from the rest, then this is the album for you.  We recommend you go and Get It.

Artist NameOmega Vague

Album NameAversion/Reversion

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Dream Pop/Prog-Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Afraid; 2.  Awake; 3.  Drown; 4.  Hideaway;  5.  Cringe; 6.  Forever; 7.  Resolve 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Omega Vague is a project created by Craig Douglas, who wrote, sang and played all the instruments on the album, as well as producing it.  It is a modern take on anthemic indie music, incorporating portions of dream pop, shoegaze, darkwave, minimal ambient and prog-rock.  It is well conceived and performed, creating a wave of musical sounds that envelope the listener with a sense of peace and dreaminess, providing a worthy audio backdrop to daily life.  We think it would make a wonderful addition to any music lover’s library.

Recommendation:  We simply love this album, and highly recommend you Get It when it is released on April 14.  It should be a necessary part of your daily life.

Artist NameDesert Culture

Album NameThey’re Not Gone

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Buffalo; 2.  Elva; 3.  Terlingua; 4.  Badlands; 5.  Desert Theme; 6.  Matagorda; 7.  C Minor; 8.  Texarkana 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  One of the best things about Texas is that so many of their artists are unafraid of combining different musical styles into their own creations.  Desert Culture fits that description to a “T,” combining surf rock, country, and Latin into a unique combination that is reminiscent of Dick Dale and the music of the movie Pulp Fiction.  From the first notes of “Buffalo,” it becomes immediately obvious that this is a work of musical genius.  It is clearly the type of album you put on and then listen straight through, as every song builds on its predecessor, culminating in a musical climax that is worth the wait.  All hail to Daniel Vega and Desert Culture, who are setting the bar extremely high and whose music is like an oasis in a desert, providing much needed audio relief to our day-to-day dreariness.

Recommendation:  This one is a true no-brainer – you simply MUST Get It.  This album is scheduled for release on April 28, but we highly recommend you pre-order it today.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Joe Goodkin, my education, Chris Shiflett

We’ve got a couple of articles for you today while we review six more great indie albums, including the latest from the amazing guitarist of the Foofighters, Chis Shiflett.  Be prepared for some amazing tunes.

Artist NameJoe Goodkin

Album NameRecord of Loss

Label:  Quell Records

Genre:  Folk Singer-Songwriter

Track Listing:  1.  Nothing to Lose; 2.  Never Come Back; 3.  Charlie and Roger; 4.  Sarah and Julie; 5.  Eric and Gina; 6.  For the Loss 

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Folk music keeps a record of our lives and legacy, and keeps them alive by retelling those stories in song.  Our country has not had a true troubadour since Woody Guthrie, but we believe that his successor has finally arrived in the person of Joe Goodkin.  His latest effort, Record of Loss, is the second in a trilogy of albums about life and loss.  His first album, Record of Life, was released to rave critical review and his second album picks up where the first left off.   Besides the deeply personal nature of the songs, with lyrics that create word pictures that strike deep within your soul, what sets this record apart is the fact that it is recording using just a guitar and voice, although that guitar contains up to  eight layers within each song.  It is impossible to listen to these songs without having them impact you, unless you’ve lived in a cave for the majority of your life.  They deal with such issues as ALS, suicide, divorce, abortion and euthanasia, topics few songwriters will touch.  The overall effect is an album that is brutally honest but still uplifting.

Recommendation:  This album is not for everyone, but if you’re brave enough to face the truth about your frailties and weaknesses, it just may surprise you with its uplifting truth.  We highly recommend you add Joe Goodkin to your list of favorite musicians.

Artist Namemy education

Album NameSchiphol

Label:  Headbump Records

Genre:  Instrumental

Track Listing:  1.  Intro; 2.  Open Marriages; 3.  Coordinates; 4.  Class A; 5.  Krampus; 6.  This Time Let’s Rock; 7.  Grey An; 8.  Reekei Plume Plucked Minnow; 9.  Reprise (Coordinates) 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Unless you listen primarily to jazz, classical or movie scores, you probably don’t care too much for pure instrumental tracks.  If that is the case, we want to introduce you to my education, a rocking band out of Austin, Texas that just might change your mind.  With a sound reminiscent of some of the great prog-rock bands like Rush and Kansas, my education has released a sweet mix of tunes that combine elements of rock, classical and strings to create the perfect soundtrack for your life.  These lad were chosen Austin American-Statesman as the Artist of the Month for March, right during SXSW, and even a casual listen will explain why.  Their music is like a symphony of why we love rock music, with guitars, strings, discordant notes and chords that stimulate the mind with the sounds of true music.  We also recently shared their music video with you and truly believe that this band has a great future and a place in today’s musical world.

Recommendation:  This album is the perfect addition to your musical library, and should be part of your daily relaxation and/or stimulation session.  We highly recommend you Get my education and look forward to more from these forward-thinking musicians.

Artist NameChris Shiflett

Album NameWest Coast Town

Label:  SideOneDummy Records

Genre:  Alt Country

Track Listing:  1.  Sticks & Stones; 2.  West Coast Town; 3.  Goodnight Little Rock; 4.  Room 102; 5.  The Girl’s Already Gone; 6.  Blow out the Candles; 7.  I’m Still Drunk; 8.  Cherry; 9.  Tonight’s not Over; 10.  Still Better Days 

Publicist:  Sacks and Co.

Review:  Although you may be most aware of the talents of Chris Shiflett as the lead guitarist for the Foofighters, he is a most talented solo artist as well, with a sound reminiscent of two of Bakersfield’s finest – Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakum.  His voice is perfect for the alt-country/Americana sound and his tantalizing guitar licks provide just the right background for his storytelling lyrics.  His music is the perfect blend of old and modern country, and is ripe for radio and for placement in a variety of movies and television shows.  We love every song on this album, but are most excited by the title track, “Goodnight Little Rock,” “The Girl’s Already Gone,” “Blow out the Candles,” and “Cherry,” which has a Vince Gill sound and a great two-step beat.

Recommendation:  Although the album will not be officially released until April 14, it is currently available at live shows, and can be pre-ordered online on the website.  We highly recommend this album and consider it to be one of the best we’ve heard in 2017.  Definitely Get It.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Imaginary Friends, AJ Hobbs, Andrea Hamilton

As 2016 draws to a close, we have one last Get it or Forget it to bring you.  We’ve reviewed a lot of great music this year and can hardly wait to see how 2017 turns out.  Watch out of the LA Music Critic Award nominations for the second half of 2016, which will be announced soon.

Artist NameImaginary Friends

Album Name Falling Inward

Label:  None

Genre:  Indie Folk Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Spirits of Ballona; 2.  On my way to Nowhere; 3.  Shades of Fire; 4.  Don’t You; 5.  I Wanna be There; 6.  Heaven Knows; 7.  Karma Doesn’t Sleep; 8.  Keep Hope Alive; 9.  Never-Ending Nights; 10.  Forever and a Day; 11.  Generations 

Publicist:  None

Review:  Imaginary Friends is a musical collaboration featuring Stacy Robin, Donna Rawlins, David James and Tom McCauley, as well as special guest musicians.  This time around, those guests include Michael Yorky, Barrie Berg, Angie Taylor, Chris Garcia and Ed Gould.   From the first percussive beat of “Spirits of Ballona,” it becomes quickly evident that this is going to be a great record.  Add in those seamless harmonies of Robin and Rawlins, coupled with the backing vocals of James and McCauley, and Falling Inward becomes a must-have for every serious audiophile.  The perfection continues with “On my way to Nowhere,” a dreamy song that brings memories of CSNY. which is followed by the equally wonderful “Shades of Fire.”  The indie rock sound finally manifests itself in track 4’s delightful “Don’t You.”  The band even does a beautiful cover of Cindy Alexander’s “Heaven Knows” that truly captures her spirit and attitude.  James knocks it out of the park when he takes over lead vocals on “Karma Doesn’t Sleep,” before Robins returns with her mystical sound on “Keep Hope Alive.”  The album concludes with an amazing instrumental by McCauley.  Overall, every song is worthy of attention and will provide thoughtful insight into things we can do to make this a better world.  Thank  you Imaginary Friends.  You are true friends to the world.

Recommendation:  Run, don’t walk to your computer and pre-order this CD, which will be released in January 2017.  You simply must Get it.

Artist NameAJ Hobbs

Album NameToo Much is Never Enough

Label:  Booker Records

Genre:  Country

Track Listing:  1.  Too Much is Never Enough; 2.  Life Without You; 3.  The Loser; 4.  The Bottle let me Down; 5.  Daddy Loved the Lord; 6.  Eastside; 7.  Shit Just got Real; 8.  Are you Going to Tennessee?; 9.  A Whole lot of You and Me; 10.  Take it Slow; 11.  Waylon & Merle; 12.  Tomorrow I’ll be Hurtin’ 

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:   There has been a lot of chatter these past few years from old time country fans who want more of that old style country music.  If this describes you, then your ship has come in.  AJ Hobbs has a style that mixes in equal parts Travis Tritt, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, which seems appropriate since the album was mastered by Grammy winner Pete Lyman, who has worked with this year’s Grammy nominee Sturgill Simpson, as well as Jason Isbell.   Hobbs even has that “country outlaw” look, with his hat, denim shirt and two-day beard.  He has also surrounded himself with some of the best musicians in country music today, including Storm Rhode IV, Jeremy Long, John Schreffler, Jr., Aubrey Richmond, Matt Lesser, Jim Doyle, Brian Whelan and Jeremy Long.  But the important fact is that Hobbs can sing country music like he belongs on the radio.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see him amongst the nominees for next year’s Grammies.  He even gives a loving tribute to Haggard with an excellent cover of “The Bottle let me Down.”  This is a great album from start to finish, with “Life Without You” being our pick for the best cut.

Recommendation:  This album is scheduled for release on February 17, 2017, and we HIGHLY recommend you pre-order it to ensure you Get it before it becomes scarce.  We highly recommend Hobbs and expect to see more great things from  him in the future.

Artist NameAndrea Hamilton

Album NameHope and Struggle

Label:  None

Genre:  Hopeful Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Am I Dreaming; 2.  Finally Free; 3.  Our Love; 4.  Carry Me; 5.  Higher; 6.  Fevertown; 7.  An Easy Life; 8.  Love you Better; 9.  Meant to be; 10.  Colors; 11.  You Bring to Mind; 12.  Shadow Dancer 

Publicist:  None

Review:  The angelic voice of Andrea Hamilton, coupled with the insane production work of Kevin Penner, give Hope and Struggle life and instantly make it one of the best albums that will be released in 2017.  It’s hard to believe that Hope is Hamilton’s seventh album, and yet she is still a relatively unknown indie artist.  Although she has had some success in the pop world with co-writes with award winning songwriters and producers like Kevin Fisher, Ashley Argotta, Matt Arcaini, Jonathan Lee, Eman Cervantez and Tyrone Wells, Hamilton has not reached household name status like Kari Kimmel. This should not be true.  Hamilton’s voice alone, as well as the incredible songs on Hope, demand a larger audience and we think this album may just finally introduce Hamilton’s greatness to the world at large.  Every song grabs you with its musicality, while the thoughtful and heartfelt lyrics soar on Hamilton’s vocals, giving you hope in the midst of your daily struggles.  This album belongs on stations like KLoVE and Air One, as well as on other mainstream stations.  We especially like “Am I Dreaming,” “Carry On,” “Higher” and “Meant to Be.”

Recommendation:  Although the album is not out until February 1, 2017, we think this one is truly worthy.  We strongly advise you to pre-order it so you can listen sooner.  Go out and Get it.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Pollen Rx, Kari Kimmel, Daddy Issues

Only ten more days until Christmas.  We thought we’d get you ready with our latest edition of Get it or Forget it, featuring three entirely different artists for your musical edification.  Today we feature releases from two artists we’ve told you about before:  Kari Kimmel (pop) and Daddy Issues (rock), and introduce you to a new artist, Pollen RX (punk).  Check out our reviews below.

Artist NamePollen Rx

Album NameSunbelt Emptiness

Label:  Austin Town Hall Records

Genre:  Dance Punk

Track Listing:  1.  Billboard Promises; 2.  Control; 3.  Packaging; 4.  Apartment; 5.  Sunbelt Emptiness; 6.  Interstate; 7.  AR AK; 8.  Again; 9.  Sand in the Well

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Composed of Maud Morgan, Ben Hirsch, Caroline Sallee and Maggie Exner, the music of Pollen RX is part punk, part pop, part indie rock and part dance, seasoned with a healthy dose of 60s rock and roll.  The music is memorable, complete with catchy hooks and beats you can groove to, as well as a message that needs to be heard about the difficulties of growing up.  Both Morgan and Hirsch provide electric vocals as they trade off on the lead, and the music this band creates is worthy of your attention, especially the amazing guitar riffs.  Best tracks include “Control,” “Packaging,” the title track, “AR AK,” and their single, “Sand in the Well.”

Recommendation:  Pollen Rx is the perfect prescription for what ails you.  We definitely think they have a great future and recommend you Get It, play it and dance on.  This album will drop on January 27, 2017.

Artist NameKari Kimmel

Album NameCovers One

Label:  Rykim Records

Genre:  Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Against all Odds; 2.  Eternal Flame; 3.  Ring of Fire; 4.  Rocketman 

Publicist:  None

Review:  By now the music of Kari Kimmel should be very familiar to readers of this blog.  We have been fans of hers since her early days, and she continues to surprise us with hit after hit, not to mention weekly placements on television shows, movies and commercials.  This time around, Kimmel reinvents four classic songs as only she can, adding that special Kimmel magic to the mix.  We love all four of these covers, and think that they stand up well to the originals.  our favorite is “Against all Odds.”  Let us know what you think.

Recommendation:  Kimmel’s latest EP drops this Friday, December 16, and we think you should definitely Get it, especially if you love cover songs by a classy artist.

New album releases on September 10

Artist Name Daddy Issues

Album NameHandle It

Label:  Play Like a Girl Records

Genre:  Alt Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Inside my Mind; 2.  Different; 3.  Dead end Road; 4.  Too Soon; 5.  Nice Try; 6.  Rusty; 7.  My Favorite Fantasy; 8.  Born to Fly; 9.  Your Lies; 10.  The Blade

Publicist:  Jennifer Allison Publicity

Review:  Girls rock, and no band exemplifies that more than Daddy Issues, who we introduced back in September.  With Angela Alvarez on lead vocals and rhythm guitar and Julia “Jules” Whelpton on bass and rhythm guitar, supplemented by Andrew Cushman on lead guitar and Brett Weir on drums, this band has a sound that sets them apart and creates an atmosphere where it would be cool to be a groupie.  Reminiscent of the Wilson sisters of Heart, Daddy Issues truly bring “girl power” to a whole new rocking level.  There is such a sweetness to their music that complements the cutting edge guitar sounds laid down by both Alvarez and Whelpton.  We love every song on this debut album, but are especially impressed with “Inside my Mind,” “Different,” “Too Soon,” with its obvious No Doubt influence, “My Favorite Fantasy,” and “Your Lies.”  The album closes with a very personal song, “The Blade,” which gives an intense message about the dangers of depression.

Recommendation:  One of the best CDs of 2016, this one is a true no-brainer:  you simply MUST Get it!

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Interviews Women in Entertainment

Kaylee Keller wants to help her community with the release of her Christmas song

When we last visited with Kansas-born Kaylee Keller, she had just won the LA Music Critic Award for best lyric video for her collaboration with the Vinyljackers of her hit “Diamond.”

More recently, Keller released a duet with country singer Rusty Rierson of the Alabama classic hit, “Christmas in Your Arms.”  Check out the stream below.

Today we’re sitting down with Keller for another interview on what’s new in her career.  Grab a cup of coffee and learn new things about this amazing indie artist who, surprisingly, just turned 19 years old.

IVB:  What have you been doing since we last talked after your win for LA Music Critic best lyric video?

KK:  First, after I won, I was waiting to receive my Grammy.  But seriously, I have been in Nashville for the past three months working on my new EP.  I worked with some of the best songwriters in Nashville who have helped me craft my new six song EP, which I plan to release as a group of singles throughout 2017, and then release the collection near the end of 2017.  I loved working with my producer Nathan Meckel.  I’ve been thinking of calling the EP Ruby, as a spin-off to my first EP Diamond, so then you could look me up as the Gem Collection.  We want to test the waters with each single so that they will stay fresh.  I like to be a trendsetter and do my own thing as an independent artist.

IVB:  Tell us about your latest project “Christmas in your Arms.”

KK:  This one was a fun project.  Garden City, Kansas is my hometown and they approached me to see if I wanted to be part of their annual holiday compilation album, called Kozy Kansas Christmas.  It’s their fourth year of doing this CD and I was honored that they wanted me to do a song for the album.

The proceeds from the sale of the album go to fund local charities in Garden City.  They only print a limited amount of CDs, which makes them more valuable.

I’ve known Rusty Rierson for about three years after we met at a Joe Diffie concert.  I was doing the National Anthem, and Rusty was the opening act.  After I was approached by Garden City, I asked Rusty what song we should do.  He suggested that we do an Alabama song called “Christmas in Your Arms.”  My mom suggested we make it a duet.  Both of them proved to be great suggestions.  We had a blast turning the song into a duet.

The album is available on Garden City’s Facebook page and can be purchased there.  My single on the album is also available on iTunes.

The project is getting a lot of media attention, including The Ellen Show, as they begin planning for next year’s double CD.

IVB:  What’s next for Kaylee Keller?

KK:  I wanted my current EP, Diamond, to be country, but it turned out to be more of a pop project.  I’m using my new Christmas single to introduce me to the country pop community.  I’ve been called a mixture of Colbie Caillat meets country pop by local media.  The new project is much more country based albeit country pop, which is where my heart truly lies.  We are looking forward to bringing this side of me to my fans and to hopefully find new ones in the country pop genre.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or Forget it: Josh Farrow, Jill Freeman, Gayle Skidmore

Here’s our ninth edition of the Get it or Forget it review series.  This has become one of our most popular series, and requests for reviews are coming in from a lot of new publicists.  Today we will review two albums submitted by The Press House, as well as a new single submitted by In Music we Trust PR.

josh-farrow

Artist NameJosh Farrow

Album NameTrouble Walks with Me

Label:  Southern Drag Music

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  I’ll be Your Fool; 2.  Wash me in the Well; 3.  Before you Leave; 4.  Time Ain’t no Friend of Mine; 5.  Tijuana Gal; 6.  Worryin’ Kind; 7.  Who’s Gonna Love you When I’m Gone; 8.  Devil Don’t you Fool Me; 9.  No Need to say Goodbye; 10.  Trouble Walks With Me 

Publicist:  The Press House

Review:  Americana is one of the hottest genres of music, and Josh Farrow should be considered one of its best artists.  Based out of Nashville, Farrow has joined forces with some of Nashville’s best, including The McCrary Sisters, Elizabeth Cook, Ruby Amanfu, Chris Donohue and Brian Owings to give us a definite contender for Americana Album of the Year.  This album features all of the things we love about Americana – great musicianship, funky beats, great voices and memorable lyrics.  It is fun from start to finish.  Best tracks include “I’ll be Your Fool,” “Time Ain’t no Friend of Mine,” “Tijuana Gal,” “Who’s Gonna Love you When I’m Gone,” “Devil Don’t you Fool me” and “No Need to say Goodbye.”

Recommendation:  This one’s a no brainer – if you love music in any form, you will love this album.  We are proud to highly recommend Trouble Walks With Me and to give it one of our highest Get it ratings ever – Get it like your life depends upon it!

jill-freeman

Artist NameJill Freeman

Album NameA Handmade Life

Label:  JillyBean Records

Genre:  Americana/Folk

Track Listing:  1.  The Light That Leads me There (Prelude); 2.  Letters from Murdertown; 3.  Welcome to the Bonehouse; 4.  Eyes of Fire; 5.  The Inside Room; 6.  No Hands; 7.  Sweetheart, my Dream is not Over; 8.  Completely Unaware; 9.  Walking on Glass; 10.  The Nightingale; 11.  A Little bit of Red; 12.  A Handmade Life; 13.  The Light That Leads me There 

Publicist:  The Press House

Review:  Los Angeles local singer-songwriter Jill Freeman has compiled an album based on the dark history behind popular fairytales, including The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.   With a sound reminiscent of Danny Elfman’s popular Nightmare before Christmas soundtrack, Freeman has crafted an eerie album that is perfect for this time of year.  Her voice is the perfect complement to the backing musicianship, creating songs that will be remembered long after they have been heard.  Best tracks include “Letters From Murdertown,” “Welcome to the Bonehouse,” “No Hands,” “Completely Unaware,” “Walking on Glass,” and the title track.  Have fun figuring out which fairy tale inspired which song.

Recommendation:  This album is a definite keepsake that belongs in every music lovers’ library.  We highly recommend you rush out and Get it.

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Artist NameGayle Skidmore

Single Name:  “The Golden West”

Genre:  Singer-songwriter pop

Publicist:  In Music we Trust PR

Review:  Gayle Skidmore is a singer-songwriter from San Diego who has been nominated six times for the San Diego Music Awards.  Her new single is the title track for her new album, which will be released in early 2017.  It is a follow-up to her last album and coloring book combination, Sleeping Bear.  If this song is any indication of the quality of the forthcoming album, it should be a definite winner.  We are pleased to present the music video teaser for this single, and to throw our support behind the rest of the album.  We can hardly wait to review it.

Recommendation:  Based on the title track which has just been released, the new album by Gayle Skidmore should definitely be on the list of most highly-anticipated releases of 2017.  Definitely Get It!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Get it or forget it: Starlight Girls, TW Walsh, Hospital Ships

As a reviewer, we love to create relationships with publicists, and no publicist has shown us as much diversity as Noisy Ghost PR.  In fact, sometimes we get so many requests, it takes a while to get to them all.  But we intend to review every artist submitted, and we are starting to catch up by reviewing three of the artists submitted early in 2016.  We apologize for the delay in reviewing these albums, but we have been a little overwhelmed lately with so many new releases this year.  We will do our best to catch up as quickly as possible, and hope that our readers will enjoy learning about these dynamic artists represented by Noisy Ghost PR.

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Artist NameStarlight Girls

Album NameFantasm

Label:  none

Genre:  Retro Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Intrigue; 2.  Lodestar; 3.  Lion in a Cage; 4.  Hero; 5.  Inhibitionist; 6.  Cobra; 7.  $9,000,000; 8.  Red Rover; 9.  La La Lune; 10.  Fancy 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Starlight Girls call their style of music “spy-rock,” but even a casual listen can hear the influence of 80’s new wave in their tracks.  Listening to their songs one can only imagine how much energy the band must exert during a live show, as the beat is intense, the mood is upbeat and the lyrics are memorable.   By the third track, the style and intensity turn dark and gothic, but no less enjoyable.  This band has a way to transcend genre and create music that should appeal to all true music lovers.  It’s hard to pick any tracks that stand out because they are all good, but we were particularly impressed with “Intrigue,” “Lodestar,” “Hero,”  “Inhibitionist,” $9,000,000,” and “Fancy.”  This is one of the finest Noisy Ghost PR albums we have reviewed to date.

Recommendation:  This one is a no brainer.  If you love music, and especially bands that make music without trying to fit into any particular genre or style, then you will love Starlight Girls.  We are proud to give Fantasm a rating of Get It or Else.

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Artist NameTW Walsh

Album NameFruitless Research

Label:  Graveface Records

Genre:  Retro-futuristic techno pop

Track Listing:  1.  Public Radio; 2.  Shallow Water; 3.  Young Rebels; 4.  Body-Mind; 5.  Fundamental Ground; 6.  Monterrey; 7.  Counting Cards; 8.  The Bright Void; 9.  Chocolate Milk; 10.  The Glow 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Musically, this album is all over the place, with obvious influences of bands like ELO, The Fixx, and The Beatles, to name a few.  This is one of those albums that you cannot in a million years put into a box.  It defies categorization, and evokes true musical freedom and artistic vision.  TW Walsh is a musical genius, and that brilliance is played out in these diverse 10 tracks.   Our favorite tracks were “Public Radio, “Young Rebels,” “Monterrey,” “The Bright Void,” and “The Glow.”  This entire album is a true work of art.

RecommendationFruitless Research is an audiophile’s dream release.  With its myriad of styles and influences, every music lover should be able to find something they can identify with.  As such, we are proud to give this release two thumbs up and a definite Get It rating.

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Artist NameHospital Ships

Album NameThe Past is not a Flood

Label:  Graveface Records

Genre:  Impossible to describe – must be experienced

Track Listing:  1.  You and I; 2.  Long may You; 3.  Oh my Light; 4.  All in Time; 5.  Little Flower; 6.  Nothing to Hide 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Hospital Ships is the moniker used by Jordan Geiger for his solo projects, when not making music as part of such groups as Shearwater, Des Ark and Minus Story.  The Past is not a Flood is his fourth release as Hospital Ships, and his sixth record recorded with producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, The Walkman, Modest Mouse).  It is a true collaborative effort with many of his friends contributing to the project, including Thor Harris of Swans.   The result is an eclectic musical mix that spans the decades.  This album doesn’t feel like it has individual tracks, just movements in a grand symphony.   As such, we don’t feel that singling out any particular track would do this album justice.

Recommendation:  This album is unique in its approach, and as such, will probably not appeal to everyone.  If you have an eclectic musical palate, then you will probably enjoy it, but if you just want to hear a quick song, it probably not appeal to you.  We are happy to give it a Get it rating.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Spiritual Rez new release brings reggae sunshine

Over the years we have had the pleasure of working with various publicists who have brought us numerous indie masterpieces, but no one has been more consistent in championing the best of the best than Laura Goldfarb of Red Boot PR.  Her latest client may be one of her best and we are proud to review the new cd for reggae fusion sextet Spiritual Rez, which drops on Friday, October 7.

Setting in the West is the fourth studio album for the boys from Boston, and is produced by Kenny Carkeet, the founding member of AWOLNATION.  The album also features Duddy B of The Dirty Heads, HIRIE, and Billy Kottage of Reel Big Fish, as well as co-writing with John Feldman of Goldfinger, and co-producing by Max Collins of Eve 6.

Composed of Toft Willingham on vocals, Ian “Meat” Miller on drums, Jesse Shaternick on bass, Mohamed Araki on keys, Quinn Carson on trombone and Julian Dessler on trumpet, Spiritual Rez takes reggae music further than it has ever gone before.  Check out their music video for the first single “Sober” if you doubt me.

Spiritual Rez has embarked upon a torrid tour that will take them to Oregon, Washington, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine before culminating in a show at the Ardmore Music Hall in Pennsylvania on December 16, where they will perform with Badfish, a Sublime tribute band.  The band has previously shared the stage with such greats as George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Steel Pulse and Jimmy Buffet.

The album opens with the aforementioned “Sober,” and takes off from there.  “Red Room” features Duddy B, “Together Always” features HIRIE, and “Bad Girl” features Billy Kottage, and that’s just the first four songs.  Talk about taking the listener by storm.  Check out the just released music video for the second single “Together Always.”

Speaking of “Bad Girl,” this song is a true homage to some of our favorite ska bands like No Doubt and Reel Big Fish, which is only fitting since it features Fish’s Kottage.

The best tracks of the rest of the album include “Whiskey,” “Tidal Wave,” and “Surface Tension.”  This is truly a great album for anyone who loves cutting edge reggae or ska.

Indie Voice Blog is proud to recognize the talent of Spiritual Rez and to highly recommend you immediately grab yourself a copy of Setting in the West as soon as it becomes available on October 7.