Tag: Tender

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it indie music Reviews

Get it or forget it – Alright, Astrophobos, Tender, About-Face, Isolated Youth

Happy hump day from snowed in Missoula!  The snow continues to fall but we have more hot music to share.  Check out these five artists.

Artist Name:  Alright

Album Name:  On the Outs

Label:  Black Numbers

Genre:  Indie Rock/Pop Punk

Track Listing:  1.  On the Outs; 2.  Ghosts; 3.  Someone Else; 4.  Flowers

Publicist:  Part Time PR

Review:  Alright has been burning up the local Charlotte music scene since 2014, and released a tasty morsel of an EP back in December.  We love the energy of these songs, and the retro feel on the title track.  We only wish this one was more than just four songs, because it only teases the listener with the potential for greatness.  We love this band, and hope that that deliver more of this amazing groove soon.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one.  It will remind you of what true indie music is like.

Artist Name:  Astrophobos

Album Name:  Malice of Antiquity

Label:  Triumvirate Records

Genre:  Black Metal

Track Listing:  1.  Fire of Catharsis; 2.  Begotten in Black; 3.  Descending Shadows; 4.  Abattoir for Flesh and Faith; 5.  The Summoning Call; 6.  The Wolves Between the Stars; 7.  Until the Red of Dawn; 8.  The Nourishing Hate; 9.  Imperator Noctis

Publicist:  Viral Propaganda PR

Review:  Lately we have received a lot of great music from Sweden, most of it in the blues genre.  Astrophobos is another band from Sweden, but their sound is definitely not the blues.  They play heavy black metal music that will tear apart the silence and usher in a darkness that is full of energy and power.  Although the vocals are screamo, at least in this case you can actually understand them as they sit perfectly on the foundation of screaming guitars and pounding drums, telling their stories of the dark side.  While this music is not for everyone, it should be very popular for fans of the heavier side of metal.

Recommendation:  If you are a fan of metal, you will love this album.

Artist Name:  Tender

Album Name:  Fear of Falling Asleep

Label:  Partisan Records

Genre:  Electronic/Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Handmade Ego; 2.  Bottled Up; 3.  No Devotion; 4.  Fear of Falling Asleep; 5.  Can’t Show my Face; 6.  When They Come for You; 7.  Slow Love; 8.  Closer Still; 9.  Tainted; 10.  More or Less

Publicist:  Practise Music

Review:  The UK’s Tender released their sophomore album last month, and we love the vibe of this album.  Sprinkled with electronica, it’s full of indie rock goodness and songs that will stay with the listener long after they are done.  This music is screaming for heavy rotation on American college radio stations, and should also receive consideration from music supervisors for music placement opportunities.  Our favorite tracks include “Bottled Up,” “No Devotion,” the title track, “Slow Love,” “Tainted,” and “More or Less.”

Recommendation:  We highly recommend you Get this one!

Artist Name:  About-Face

Album Name:  The Coming of Age

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Waste Your Time; 2.  As Expected; 3.  Sleeping Pill; 4.  Wisdom Teeth; 5.  The Optimist (Reprieve); 6.  Rollcall; 7.  As I am Now; 8.  Shrug; 9.  You Would; 10.  Ticking Time Bomb; 11.  The Optimist

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Omaha, Nebraska is home to About-Face, and we think this band deserves a much wider home.  Their music is pure indie rock, and definitely deserves serious attention from industry executives, including radio station managers and music supervisors.  We don’t think their music is a “Waste of Time,” because, “As Expected,” we believe “You Would” love their sound.  You don’t need to pull your “Wisdom Teeth” or “Shrug” to love this “Ticking Time Bomb” from “The Optimist.”  Their soothing rock sound is better than a “Sleeping Pill” and will definitely be something you can dig “As I am Now.”

Recommendation:  Run out and Get this one!

Artist Name:  Isolated Youth

Album Name:  Warfare

Label:  Fabrika Records

Genre:  Post-punk

Track Listing:  1.  Oath; 2.  Warfare; 3.  Safety; 4.  Gold Lane; 5.  Seasons

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Our second band today from Sweden is neither blues nor metal, but unmistakably post-punk, although the songs are not as short as most punk songs and the energy is more intense and less frenetic.  You can still feel the angst in their vocals and the urgency in their lyrics.  The title track is especially powerful.

Recommendation:  Definitely worth checking out.

 

 

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

Get it or forget it – DieAlps!, Emily Zuzik, Andrea Stray, Johnny Paglino

Well, the weekend is here and so are more album reviews here on Indie Voice Blog.  We hope you will check out these artists, and continue your support of indie music.

Artist Name:  DieAlps!

Album Name:  Our City

Label:  New Granada Records

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock

Track Listing: 1.  Running into Walls; 2.  Invincible; 3.  Mayfly; 4.  Trust Me; 5.  Our City; 6.  Dwight; 7.  Get Yours; 8.  In the Country; 9.  I Can See it Now; 10.  Battles; 11.  Hands Up; 12.  We Fought the Sea

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  DieAlps! is a spirited foursome from Florida led by Austrian-born Connie  Calcaterra and her husband Frank.  The band’s name, which translates to The Alps, is an homage to their native Austria.  Their music has a true 90’s vibe, and is perfect for lovers of such groups as Pavement and Radiohead.  Connie and Frank split the lead vocal duties, while the rest of the band provides the perfect musical soundtrack for their thought-provoking lyrics.  They have brought their best on this debut album, and clearly show why they are such a crowd-pleasing hit in central Florida.  The entire album is noteworthy, but we think the best tracks are “Invincible,” “Mayfly,” “Trust Me,” the title track (with its surf rock vibe), “Dwight,” and “Get Yours.”

Recommendation:  We love this CD and think you will too.  Don’t waste any time – go Get it!

Artist Name:  Emily Zuzik

Album Name:  Tender

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Roots/Rock/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Tender; 2.  Ernst Kirchner; 3.  Winter in California

Publicist:  None

Review:  Tender is a short and sweet three-song EP that merely whets our appetite for more of this amazing Americana artist.  We recently reviewed her last release, Angelenos, and have nothing but good things to say about her continuing growth as a musician.  This time around her music has a little bit more bluesy soul, especially the title track, which is topped off with classy horns and the sweet sound of Zuzik’s voice.  “Ernst Kirchner” has a spooky vibe, while “Winter in California” has a rockier beat and is a beautiful story song with sweet harmonies and a memorable sound, with a vibe reminiscent of the Mommas and Poppas.

Recommendation:  Zuzik truly brings it every time, and always leaves us wanting more.  Grab this tasty hors d’ouevres to tide you over until her next full length release.

Artist Name:  Andrea Stray

Album Name:  Into Blue

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana/Roots/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Into Blue; 2.  Don’t Cry; 3.  Little Word; 4.  Forgive and Forget; 5.  You’re the Kind

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Andrea Stray is the kind of musician that thinking people love.  She recently won the lyric writing contest for American Songwriter Magazine, and this album is further proof of her lyrical prowess.  Her well-crafted lyrics give you plenty of food for thought, and allow her to craft music around those words to bring you a story, not just a song.  This also allows her to not be confined to any particular genre, but simply write the perfect music for the story.   A prime example of this is “Into Blue,” which incorporates some amazing guitar riffs into a perfectly told story, while “Don’t Cry” brings in a rich piano sound in the style of Bruce Hornsby.   “Little Word” brings a sassy, jazzy sound to Stray’s words, while “Forgive and Forget” is pure Americana, with acoustic guitar and pedal steel.  “You’re the Kind” keeps that Americana vibe, but adds some amazing guitar riffs, which serves to bring this amazing EP full circle.

Recommendation:  Get this one like your life depends upon it.  It is one of the best we’ve reviewed this year.

Artist Name:  Johnny Paglino

Album Name:  21

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  SynthPop

Track Listing:  1.  Today is Tomorrow; 2.  Sunset Key; 3.  Anna; 4.  Kant at the Dinner Thing; 5.  When Xanax Came to Rule the World; 6.  Juan was Pistol Whipped; 7.  South Chicago; 8.  Heroin; 9.  I Will Kill Myself; 10.  I Could Forgive You; 11.  21

Publicist:  None

Review:  This album has a soothing mellow sound that belies the hard-hitting lyrical content.  If you listen carefully, however, you will hear tales of triumph over drug addition, and of living a better life, despite what’s going on around us.  This is an album that needs to be listened to repeatedly, first just to enjoy the music and then to concentrate on the stories that Paglino is telling about living in this crazy world of child trafficking, drugs and political unrest.  We think that the listener will feel empowered after hearing these songs, and encouraged to make a difference.  Best tracks include “Sunset Key,” “Juan was Pistol Whipped,” “South Chicago,” and his current single, “Heroin.”

Recommendation:  Take a chance on this new artist and Get his debut album.