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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 31

Happy Eclipse Day!  We hope you have a safe viewing and enjoy this historical day across the country.  We have spent the past three days enjoying music across Montana, with the Redhead Express at the Music Ranch Montana in Livingston, and the Flathead Lake Blues Festival in Polson.  Watch for the reviews coming shortly.

INDIE NEWS

We are getting down to the end of Festival season.  Here in Missoula, we close out with the 12th Annual River City Roots Festival this weekend, August 25-26.  This year’s show will feature local artists The Whizpops and Rotgun Whines, as well as national acts Taj Weekes & Adowa, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Malcolm Holcombe, The Ghost of Paul Revere, The Band of Heathens and Anders Osborne.  The Festival kicks off at noon both days with family friendly music before moving to the adult fare at 2:30 p.m. each day.  The event is free and sponsored by the Missoula Downtown Association as a welcome back to the students of the University of Montana.  Go Griz!

 THE KHOURYS TO RELEASE DEBUT EP

The Khourys, composed of sisters Guila and Jahnna, recently returned from Los Angeles and are set to release their debut EP, Good Stuff, with a sold-out concert at their Massachusetts hometown venue, Narrows Center for the Arts.  We can hardly wait to review this EP.

NEW MUSIC

It’s been another busy week in indie music.  Among the singles recently released are these promising tunes:

For more info, check her out here.

For more info, check them out here.

For more info, check them out here.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Lynn is an amazing young artist.  Her latest music video was remixed by Yoad Nevo, who has made a name working with mainstream artists like Sia and Moby.  We think you’ll love this video as we say goodbye to summer.  Pop it on whenever you really need a good dose of summer’s warmth.

Rosi Golan has been making waves on the indie music scene lately with the release of her EP, Collecting Bullets, which we recently reviewed.  Check out the BalconyTV video of her live performance in Nashville for her single, “Underneath.”  Can’t wait to check her out live.

Jacqui, an alum of The Voice, recently released her music video for “Am I the Only One.”  She has returned to her indie roots, and we are so proud of her.  We simply love this song, and the video is hot.  Let us know what you think.

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 26

Welcome to another week of summer.  This was one of the weekends we wished we were still in Los Angeles, because we definitely would  have been at Dodger Stadium for the amazing Classic West festival which all our friends are talking about.  To those of you who attended, hope you had a great time with The Eagles, the Doobie Brothers, Steeley Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth Wind and Fire.  We’re so jealous!!!

INDIE NEWS

Heather Jacks, author of The Noise Beneath the City, creator of the Drinking from the Jug blog, as well as a huge supporter of indie music has announced that she is joining an artists’ collective and opening her first brick and mortar store, Rock A Record, at the Sea Hive, an artisan marketplace located at 1555 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside.  The new location will open next month, so please go out and support this true patron of the arts.

Montanan Melissa Forrette continues her busy July with an opening slot for the legendary country band Sawyer Brown at Darby Logger Days on July 21.  Tickets are still available at the event’s website.

Several of the nominees for the LA Music Critic Awards are visiting Montana or the surrounding area in the near future, and we plan to get out and support them.  This Wednesday (July 19) we will be heading to Stevensville, Montana to see The American West at the Blacksmith Brewery.  We will also be attending the performance of Jerad Finck at Bellwether Brewery Co. in Spokane, Washington on July 22.  Then on August 3, we will be seeing Gina Sicilia at The Gold Room in Colorado Springs, Colorado before heading to Billings, Montana to catch Australian Anni Piper at Magic City Blues on August 4.  We also hope to catch Redhead Express when they play at Music Ranch Montana in Livingston, Montana on August 17.

Other artists on tour in our area include Nina Storey at the Marmelade Concert Series in Salt Lake City on July 20 and Trevor Hall headlining at the Top Hat on November 7.

NEW MUSIC

Here’s an amazing track from Space4Lease entitled “Must be Something” that should help kick-start your Monday.  Please let us know what you think.

https://soundcloud.com/space4leasemusic/must-be-something

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

There have been a boatload of new music videos released in the past week or so, and we have selected three to share with you.  Please also check out “You!” by Floco Torres, “Snitches get Stiches” by Wieuca, “Learn to Be” by Bryan Mackey and “Concrete Angels” by Scarlett Taylor, as well as “Coldplay” by David Ryan Harris.  All are available at YouTube.com.

First up today is the latest from one of our favorite singer-songwriters and close friends, Kim Divine.  Her new lyric video is entitled “This Time Around,” and we definitely think you will enjoy it.

Next up is “Underneath,” the latest single from Rosi Golan, one of the many amazing artists represented by publicist Laura Goldfarb of Red Boot PR.  We just reviewed the album, and definitely think this one is a keeper.

Last, but definitely not least, is the latest from California Country artist and multiple LA Music Critic Award nominee  and past winner, Calico the Band, with their latest, “The 405.”  Everyone in the greater LA area will be able to relate to this video.  Have a great week.

 

 

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

Get it or forget it – Floco Torres, Ben Bostick, Rosi Golan

So, the nominations for the first half of 2017 of the LA Music Critic Awards have now been announced, so it’s time to start working on the second half.  We have three great artists to review today, and hope that you will check them out.

Artist NameFloco Torres

Album Nameagain

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Hip-hop

Track Listing:  1.  Floco’s Joint; 2.  You!; 3.  Voltron (ft Goodie Supreme & Billie Slum); 4.  Nobody Knows; 5.  Age of Comfort; 6.  Elevator (ft Kimie Yates); 7.  Thoughts; 8.  Charles’ Joint (ft Charles Davis) 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  His voice is not pretty, but his beats are sick, and you can feel that his heart is in his music.  “You got to hold on to what you believe in,” he sings on the first track, and you just know he means what he says.   This is hip-hop that doesn’t tear down, but builds up with positive lyrics.  Best tracks include “You!”, “Nobody Knows,” and “Charle’s Joint.”

Recommendation:  If you are a hip-hop lover, then this is the perfect vehicle for you.  If not, you should still give this one a listen.

Artist NameBrian Bostick

Album Name:  Self-titled

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Country/Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Independence Day Eve; 2.  Coast of Mexico; 3.  Paid my Dues; 4.  After the Rain; 5.  Paper Football; 6.  The Juggler; 7.  Sweet Thursday; 8.  Supposed To; 9.  I Should Have Been her Man; 10.  Erin is Blue 

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Being raised in the south, country and folk music have always held a high place in my life.  With the latest from Ben Bostick, the genre has a new face, and it is one we believe will be around for quite a while.  From the first note of “Independence Day Eve,” it becomes quickly evident that this indie musician has set his sights on taking on the established market with some amazingly produced and perfectly written country music.  His voice is pure classic country, soothing and inspiring, with the perfect mixture of classic instrumentation, including acoustic guitar, harmonica, lap steel, accordion, upright bass and fiddle (with some horns, drums and electric guitar and bass thrown in for good measure).  “Paid my Dues” sounds like a mixture of Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, when original rock and roll was heavily influenced by country music.  The rest of the album is just as good, and worthy of repeated listens.

Recommendation:  Watch for this artist – he is heading for the big time.  We highly recommend this album, and urge you to get out and Get it Now!

Artist NameRosi Golan

Album NameCollecting Bullets

Label:  Gypsy Betch (digital only)

Genre:  Pop/electro-pop

Track Listing:  1.  Underneath; 2.  OMG (ft. Madi Diaz); 3.  Collecting Bullets; 4.  Cold Blush; 5.  Don’t You Dare; 6.  Let Go 

Publicist:  Red Boot PR

Review:  Rosi Golan took a one-year creative break before recording her latest Collecting Bullets, and it has paid off in spades.  This is truly one of the best indie pop albums we have heard in 2017, with a dynamic sound that reminds us of Mandi Perkins and Of Verona.   We really love both of her singles, “Underneath” and “OMG,” and truly expect to hear these tunes on the radio in the not too distant future.   The harmonies between Golan and Madi Diaz on “OMG” are heavenly, and deserve repeated listens.  If her live performance is even half as good as these recorded tracks, then we highly suggest you get out and see her perform if she comes to your area.

Recommendation:  Truly spectacular, Rosi Golan deserves your attention.  If you want to be one of the cool kids, then we highly recommend you pre-order this EP, which will be released on July 14, and then put it on repeat.  It will make your day.