(cue Peter, Paul & Mary) By the time you read this, we will have left on a jet plane heading to a family reunion in North Carolina for the Labor Day weekend. We are so proud to bring you these next five artists, including the latest from multiple LA Music Critic Awards winner and Blue Élan Records artist Gina Sicilia. Here we go!
Artist Name: Gina Sicilia
Album Name: Heard the Lie
Label: Blue Élan Records
Genre: Blues
Track Listing: 1. Heard the Lie; 2. How Many Times; 3. Ready for Love; 4. Brighter Day (ft Janiva Magness); 5. Angels Watching; 6. Man in the Sky; 7. Sugar; 8. Darling; 9. Light me Up; 10. I do Bad Things; 11. Growing Dim
Publicist: MAD Ink PR
Review: It’s been 10 years since she recorded her first of eight albums, and this one is her best yet. Grammy-nominated producer Dave Darling brings it all together for this young blues superstar whose songwriting abilities continue to amaze us. From the first notes of the title track, it becomes quickly obvious that the listener is in for a treat, as the husky voice of Gina Sicilia fills the songs with so much soulfulness. Her version of the blues borrows considerably from classic R&B, and comparisons to great singers like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight are a natural conclusion. This is baby-making music that soothes your soul and lets you know that you are not alone in what’s happening around you. She gives us a blistering and soulful cover of Bad Company‘s “Ready for Love” and also hooks up with her labelmate, Grammy-nominated blues singer Janiva Magness, for an amazing duet on “Brighter Day.” She even goes a little country on “Sugar” and does her best impression of 60s girl groups on “Darling.” You can’t go wrong with this album, and will find yourself listening to these songs over and over again.
Recommendation: If you treasure great songs sung by an amazing vocalist, then you simply MUST Get this one. Rush out and grab it today!
Artist Name: Kayla Starr
Album Name: Exception to the Rule
Label: Grunge Pop Records
Genre: Alt Rock
Track Listing: 1. Say you Will; 2. Dangerous; 3. Truth; 4. Deepest Sea
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: Kayla Starr is a genre-defying artist who mixes alternative rock, trip hop, electronics and grunge pop into a unique style that is all her own. She wrote and co-produced all four songs on this stellar EP. Her voice is silky smooth and strong, and rises above most of her peers in the indie community. Her songs are truly radio friendly and are worthy of heavy rotation on major stations, especially college radio. “Dangerous” is a true hit in the making, and would make a great break-out single. She could easily be the next Meghan Trainor.
Recommendation: This one is a must-have. Get it now!
Artist Name: Rare Americans
Album Name: Rare Americans
Label: Self-released
Genre: Alt Rock
Track Listing: 1. Cats, Dogs & Rats; 2. Moss Park; 3. Balmoral Hotel; 4. Night After Night; 5. I vs I; 6. Pay me Back
Publicist: Effectively Immediately PR
Review: Rare Americans are a pair of Canadians who only started writing songs a year ago. Before recording this debut album, the songs were made into music videos where they quickly became viral hits on YouTube, including over a million views on “Cats, Dogs & Rats.” They mix punk, hip hop and rock into their version of alt rock, with lyrics aimed at calling out the bad in the world so that it can be dealt with. This is high energy music that will make you think as well. The vocals are not pretty but they are perfectly suited for this type of music.
Recommendation: Give this one a good listen – we think it will grow on you, or at least make you think about the world in general.
Artist Name: Mike Stapleton
Album Name: Reflections
Label: Self-released
Genre: Folk/Rock
Track Listing: 1. When no one Cares; 2. Reflections; 3. Anxiety Builds; 4. Goodwill; 5. We Both Shall Ride; 6. Empty Space; 7. Burn a Hole; 8. Thickly Settled; 9. Ignorance and Greed; 10. Everything I Own; 11. Go Away; 12. Abide
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: Hard to believe we just reviewed this artist’s last album Mid-Winter Blues only six weeks ago, and here he is back with another one. Trust us, we are not complaining, because we simply love his material, which continues to improve. Like his previous album, these are songs meant for airplay on NPR stations, and would also be great for placements in television and film. We simply adore the title track, “Anxiety Builds,” “We Both Shall Ride,” “Burn a Hole,” “Thickly Settled,” and “Everything I Own.”
Recommendation: This one is definitely worthy of your attention. We recommend you Get it soon.
Artist Name: Eyes of Love
Album Name: End of the Game
Label: Wharf Cat Records
Genre: Pop/Rock/Experimental
Track Listing: 1. Homeowners; 2. New; 3. Version of Tomorrow; 4. Piano 1 Final; 5. Players of the Field; 6. Breakers at Midnight; 7. Classifieds Strings; 8. There’s a Party; 9. End of the Game; 10. Classified; 11. Millionaire; 12. DDT & the Undertaker; 13. Elevator; 14. New Piano
Publicist: Promo Juke Box
Review: Eyes of Love, spearheaded by songwriter Andrea Schiavelli, is the perfect representation of chaos and harmony. The style floats between breezy pop, alternative rock and experimental music to provide a look at the world in general. The album even includes a pair of piano instrumentals as well as a strings arrangement for their song “Classifieds” to truly keep the listener on their toes. With the musical diversity, every listener should be able to find something that they like here. Our favorite track is “Players of the Field.”
Recommendation: This one is different enough to warrant your attention. Check it out today.