Tag: Volume II

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – Speedbuggy USA, Goosebump, All the Rage, Leo Spauls, The New Waves

Well, we made it to the weekend.  This week we’ve featured 15 albums from June and we close it out with five albums being released today.  Enjoy this eclectic group of indie artists.

Artist Name:   Speedbuggy USA

Album Name:   Kick out the Twang

Label:   Self-released

Genre:   Americana/Roots/Blues

Track Listing:   1.  Take the Last Train to Clarksville; 2.  Get Around; 3.  Shaky Town; 4.  Hold my Head up High; 5.  South Bound; 6.  Sorry; 7.  Wood, Screws and Nails; 8.  Unchain my Heart; 9.  Long Gone; 10.  Honky Tonk Singer; 11.  Rodeo Star; 12.  The Devil With Me; 13.  Darlin I’m  Comin Home

Publicist:   KG Music Press

Review:  Speedbuggy USA is a confident indie band that mixes elements of country, Americana, rock and blues to form their own unique mix.  They are not afraid to cover anyone, as they demonstrate with their covers of The Monkees (“Last Train to Clarksville”) and Ray Charles/Joe Cocker (“Unchain my Heart”).  They also write amazing original tunes, including “Get Around,” “Hold my Head up High,” “South Bound,” “Rodeo Star,” “The Devil With Me,” and the rousing closing track, “Darlin I’m Comin Home.”  We think you will like their brand of music, and can only imagine how great they must be live.

Recommendation:  This one is a must-have.  Get it now!

Artist Name:  Goosebump

Album Name:  Goosebump by Goosebump

Label:  Pleasence Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Door in the Floor; 2.  We’re a Canadian Band; 3.  Piano Room; 4.  Heather’s Invitation; 5.  Don’t Have the Heart for the Hustle; 6.  Dream of Pines; 7.  Several Days Awake; 8.  Heart of her Life; 9.  She Don’t Say Goodbye

Publicist:  Auteur Research

Review:  This Canadian band has a nice indie sound with retro undertones.  We would have loved to review the entire debut album.  Unfortunately, the links provided by the publicist only contained three of the nine tracks, while the link provided by the band only had two of those same three tracks.  Consequently, our evaluation is based on what is available, and we like what we hear.  The best of the three songs is “She Don’t Say Goodbye,” which is also the band’s first single.  We only wish we could have heard the rest.

Recommendation:  Based on what we could hear, they are worthy of the risk.  Check them out.

Artist Name:  All the Rage

Album Name:  Everything I Couldn’t Tell You

Label:  Squidhat Records

Genre:  Pop/Punk

Track Listing:  1.  Intro; 2.  Hello!!!; 3.  I’m not a Hero; 4.  Color Blind; 5.  Ali; 6.  More Again; 7.  Burning Bright; 8.  Untouched; 9.  When it’s Over; 10.  Unrealistic; 11.  13 Rounds; 12.  Memory; 13.  Everything I Couldn’t Tell You

Publicist:  Squidhat Records

Review:  This is our first exposure to pop punk, and we kinda like it.  This Las Vegas based band has a unique take on punk music, and we are sure they must put on a hell of a show in Sin City and beyond.  This music is extremely energetic with excellent musicianship.  We think they would do well on the radio and should be considered for placement opportunities in television and film.  “Hello!!!” would make a great theme song, and should be part of your daily playlist.  This one is great from start to finish, and we will definitely be jamming to it for a while.

Recommendation:  This one is fun.  We recommend you Get it and add it to your musical collection.

Artist Name:  Leo Spauls ft. Mike Garson

Album Name:  Heaven’s Deep Blue Sky

Label:  Spauls Music

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Heaven’s Deep Blue Sky; 2.  One Day; 3.  Cry; 4.  Every Night and Day; 5.  The Sister’s Song; 6.  History

Publicist:  Guerilla Music Promotion

Review:  We included his video for the title track in last month’s Ten Amazing Videos column, and are happy to now bring you the rest of this amazing EP.  A Swedish musician who now lives in London, Leo Spauls has added the tremendous talent of David Bowie’s pianist Mike Garson to his sound, creating an even more powerful presence.  All six songs are wonderful, and will give you hours of enjoyment, even though my wife thinks they are lyrically depressing.

Recommendation:  This one is a hit.  Definitely Get it and play it over and over.

Artist Name:  The New Waves

Album Name:  Volume II

Label:  Squidhat Records

Genre:  Instrumental Covers

Track Listing:  1.  I Ran (so far away); 2.  The Metro; 3.  Send me an Angel; 4.  Voices Carry; 5.  Take on Me; 6.  I Melt with You; 7.  White Wedding (Part I); 8.  Hungry Like the Wolf; 9.  Turning Japanese; 10.  Don’t Change; 11.  Just What I Needed; 12.  New Year’s Day; 13.  Whip It

Publicist:  Squidhat Records

Review:  Who doesn’t like 80s songs, especially when they’re being lovingly played by surf rock legends like The New Waves?  Even without the lyrics, most of us remember these songs and the feelings they generated when they were all over the radio.  It’s as if we get to hear them all over again with new ears, as they sound different yet the same.  These songs would make great placements for commercials, film and television, as well as replace the sleepy elevator music we so often have to endure.  Hat’s off to The New Waves – you have created a true niche.

Recommendation:  If you love the 80s and surf rock, you will love this combination.  Go out and Get it.

 

 

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

Get it or forget it – The Commotions, Fred Smith, Holy Hum, Katie Costello, Social Repose

Happy Friday – been a really crazy week, busier than I thought it would be.  The new job is fun, but there is so much to learn.  Really happy to be working again, though.  Sorry we missed our daily review yesterday, but here we come with five more reviews today.  Enjoy.

Artist Name:   The Commotions

Album Name:   Volume II

Label:   Self-released

Genre:   R&B/Funk

Track Listing:   1.  Good Enough; 2.  Bad Girl; 3.  Masquerade; 4.  Let me Kiss you Baby; 5.  Too Little Too Late; 6.  Say Yes to me Tonight; 7.  Right Kind of Wicked; 8.  Believe in Yourself; 9.  Don’t Walk Away; 10.  Last Look; 11.  Loving You; 12.  Take a Chance; 13.  Come Clean

Publicist:   Last Tango Production

Review:  At first listen, it was almost like Motown has returned with the amazing sound of The Commotions.  Reminded us of the Tower of Power backing up the Supremes.  The horns are powerful, the keys are as good as Grace Potter, and the vocals from both Rebecca Noelle and Jeff Rogers  are second to none.  This is the perfect soundtrack for any TGIF celebration, or any other party for that matter.  This band can jam and raise the funk.  All 12 members of this band are at the top of their class, and we could not be happier with the result.  There is not a weak track on this platinum collection.  This one definitely deserves repeated spins.

Recommendation:  Definitely one of the best albums of 2017.  Get this one like your life depends on it.

Artist Name:  Fred Smith

Album Name:  Great (double album)

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana & more

Track Listing:  Disc 1:  1.  Some Lovers; 2.  Little Jimmy Boy; 3.  Wind and Wind; 4.  If I’m Free; 5.  Texas; 6.  Lover Like Me; 7.  Emily Rose; 8.  Ellie May; 9.  Raggedy Anne; 10.  Zeebrugge FOB; 11.  Greezy Spoon; 12.  American Guitar; Disc 2:  1.  What Could go Wrong; 2.  Nice to Meet You; 3.  Addicted to Addiction; 4.  My Girlfriend; 5.  Satisfied; 6.  Backwoods Burn; 7.  Sister Sandinista; 8.  Watch the Road; 9.  Sugar Boy; 10.  New York City; 11.  Go Fast Eddy; 12.  Frederique Q. Love

Publicist:  Penney & Logan

Review:  Australian singer-songwriter Fred Smith has also spent time as the first Australian Ambassador to Uruzgan, as well as spending time as a merchant marine and working alongside American soldiers in Afghanistan.  He turns his love of American history and literature into a double dose of songwriting bliss with this collection of story songs.  Smith dabbles in a myriad of genres, ranging from Americana, bluegrass and alt-country to rock, pop and blues, and even throws in a little glam rock and jazz for good measure.  His vocals have a Gordon Lightfoot vibe, and fit the quirky folk rock mixture to a “T.”   From start to finish, his lyrical content tells interesting story after story, making each song worth the time it takes to listen.  This one is a worthy addition to your Americana/folk collection.  We really love “What Could go Wrong,” the lead track on Disc 2, a rousing and hilarious look at the tirades and boasts of Donald J. Trump.

Recommendation:  A worthy effort by an outsider, who has captured the American spirit in storytelling.  We recommend you Get this one.

Artist Name:  Holy Hum

Album Name:  All of my Bodies

Label:  Heavy Lark Records

Genre:  Ambient Pop

Track Listing:  1.  All of my Bodies; 2.  Yoo Duk Lee; 3.  Flower in the Snow; 4.  Heavy Lark; 5.  Sex at 31; 6.  Joseph pt. 2; 7.  White Buzz; 8.  Sun Breaking; 9.  Ready to Have It; 10.  Space and Time; 11.  Mellotron Doom

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:    Andrew Lee aka Holy Hum creates a masterful blend of ambient noise to go with his keen mastery of instrumental music and brilliant lyrical content.  On this, his debut album, he shares that knowledge with his listeners in a most profound and interesting manner, creating songs that are complex in their structure but easy on the ears.  While not radio friendly, they provide an excellent musical background to keep you company when nothing else seems to fit.

Recommendation:  This one is different enough to hold a special place in your musical library.  Check it out.

Artist Name:  Katie Costello

Album Name:  Twice the Love

Label:  REBEL POP Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  New York Graffiti; 2.  Up in the Air; 3.  Why Does my Heart Break; 4.  New World; 5.  Roses; 6.  Silver & Gold; 7.  I’ll be Here; 8.  A Beautiful Mystery; 9.  Lights; 10.  Here & Now; 11.  Holiday

Publicist:  Far Digital PR

Review:  Katie Costello is the reigning Indie Pop Princess, and with the quality of this recording, is poised to take her place on the Indie Pop throne.  Two of the tracks, “New York Graffiti” and “New World” were featured on her New World EP released earlier this year, but bear repeating, as this lady knows how to write great radio-friendly songs that keep her fans entertained and glued to her musical treasures.  She also makes amazing videos, which have been a regular addition to this Blog’s Monday Mashup columns and a big hit on YouTube.  Quite frankly, Costello could release and re-release her songs monthly, and we would never grow tired of them.  Best tracks include “New York Graffiti,” “Up in the Air,” “New World,” “Silver & Gold,” “A Beautiful Mystery,” and “Here and Now.”

Recommendation:  Run, don’t walk, to your favorite retailer and Get this one.  Now.

Artist Name:  Social Repose

Album Name:  Empress

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Alternative Electronic Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Chemistry; 2.  Empress; 3.  Filthy Pride; 4.  Mother; 5.  Villain; 6.  Behave

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:  Social Repose is the electronic alter-ego of YouTube sensation Richie Giese, who has amassed more than 140 million views on his channel.  He has a truly unique style that is instantly recognizable, filling your ears with auditory excellence that penetrates to the very cells of your body.  All six songs are masterpieces, and show a depth of songwriting and maturity that marks Giese as a visionary and an artist that will be around for a long time.  Empress is his sophomore release, and shot to #9 on the Alternative charts immediately upon release.  We can only hope for more of the same from this amazing musician.  Until then, enjoy Empress as one of the best EPs of 2017.

Recommendation:  Get. It. Now.