Month: October 2016

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Reviews

UM’s production of Dracula is a sexy scary good time

The University of Montana’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Theatre and Dance chose William McNulty’s play Dracula as their first production of the 2016-17 school year.  Perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween, this production raises the bar on what should be an amazing season.

Perfectly directed by second year MFA candidate Joel Shura, the set was designed by UM Instructor Brian Gregoire, with costumes designed by fellow Instructor Sarah Fulford.  UM students also assisted in achieving Shura’s artistic vision, including Mark Andrews on lighting design and Timothy McHenry on audio design.  The show was wonderfully stage managed by fellow student Kathryn Louise.

The play is based on Bram Stoker’s original novel, Dracula, and may seem different to those who have not read the book.  The play captures the allure of Dracula and Stoker’s intent on bringing this eerie story to life.  Shura adds to that mystique by crafting his production to show Dracula metaphorically as a spider who traps his victims in the web he spins.  That vision is readily apparent in the set design, which incorporates a maze of webs all across the stage.

While the entire ensemble was well casted, several of the actors turned in Oscar-worthy performances, the best of which was Karl Boveng as Robert Renfield, who stole the show with his perfect interpretation of this relatively minor character.  Fine performances were also turned in by Kurtis Hassinger in the title role, as well as by Ryson Sparacino as Dr. Van Helsing and Hudson Therriault as the Monster, whose acrobatic skills were most evident.  Annie Sacry had her moments in the role of Lucy Westphal, but was not consistent in her performance, while Zach French’s portrayal of Jonathan Harker seemed almost robotic.  Kudos also to Mariclaire Bozarth as Mina Grant/the Bride, Christina Heagney as Margaret Sullivan and Sienna Faydo as the Child/Bride, who were wonderful in their portrayal of Dracula’s minions.  Hunter S. Hash as Dr. Thomas Seward and Treyson Sherk as Norbert Briggs performed well in their roles.

Missoula always seems to have an abundance of shows at Halloween, with three of them this year to choose from, including MCT’s Disney’s Tarzan the Musical and the Montana Actors’ Theatre annual treat, The Rocky Horror Show.  We believe that UM’s production of Dracula is just as worthy of your attention.  Tickets are still available for the final two shows on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Don’t miss it!

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Artists Worth Checking Out Interviews

Artists worth checking out: Brian Mackey

We are so happy to have the opportunity to interview an amazing indie artist named Brian Mackey.

Currently based in New York City by way of Florida, Mackey released his fourth project in 2015, which also happened to be his first full length release, Broken Heartstrings.  One of the tracks from the album, “Are you Listening?” was used in the PS game, “Until Dawn.”  As a result of that exposure, the song charted in the Top 100 in Germany as well as on iTunes Germany, generated more than 280,000 streams on Spotify and resulted in sold-out shows through Germany.

We took the time to do an interview with Mackey to help his fans find out a little more about him.  Sit back and enjoy the narrative:

IVB:  How long have you been performing?

BM:  Nine years.

IVB:  Who do you consider o be your influences?

BM:  I have many influences, mostly being music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, especially artists like Jim Croce, Billy Joel, The Clash and Nirvana.

IVB:  What makes your most recent release so special?

BM:  I think it’s the varied styles I used.  It was recorded in Nashville and had a unique flavor.

IVB:  What are your future plans?

BM:  Right now in the studio with produce Jon Levine in  Hollywood working on the next album and a tour to follow – stay tuned!

IVB:  Do you have any stories you want to share about your band – touring, recording or fan interaction?

BM:  I was warming up in a  hotel room before a show in Nashville when someone knocked on the door.  When I opened it, there was a shady looking guy with a screwdriver in his hands and he said with a southern accent, “I wanna meet the man behind the music.”  He was drunk and sizing up my gear.  Turns out he was the hotel maintenance man who was a “fan.”  I kept my stuff in another place for the rest of the trip.

IVB:  What types of social medial do you use?

BM:  All the usual places:  my website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and of course, YouTube.

 

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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 Name:  Josh Farrow

Album Name:  Trouble 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 Name:  Jill Freeman

Album Name:  A 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.

gayle-skidmore

Artist Name:  Gayle 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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Reviews

MCT delivers powerfully with its production of Disney’s Tarzan the Stage Musical

Over the years, the Missoula Community Theatre (“MCT”) has consistently delivered four musicals and one play during its annual season.  The first offering of the 2016-17 season was Disney’s Tarzan the Stage Musical.

We attended the opening night performance on October 21, and, needless to say, we were blown away by the performance.  Joseph Martinez has once again proven his talent at directing musicals.  Along with Music Director Roxann Jackson, Choreography Director Heather Adams, Tumbling Choreographer Kelley Durbin-Williams and Aerialist Choreographer Caitlin Warr, Martinez has created a dynamic production which was perfectly orchestrated by Stage Manager Megan Brown.  Thanks to the work of Scenic Designer Theresa K. Jenson, Lighting Designer Spencer Perry, Properties Designer Lesley Washburn, Costume Designer Kara Chandler and Sound Designer Gregory Boris, Martinez’s artistic vision has been brought to life.

The final element to this amazing production was the perfectly cast group of actors, actresses, gymnasts and acrobats that made up the ensemble of the show.  Every member brought his or her best efforts to the stage, and the resulting show earned a standing ovation from the virtually packed house.

Among the standouts of this fine ensemble were Dylan Wright as Kerchak, Kirsten Paisley as Kala, Anthony Ascione as Terk, Melissa Briner as Jane and Thain Bertin as Tarzan.  They consistently performed superbly and truly brought the characters to life.  They were aided in their performance by a likewise amazing cast of supporting actors, including Drew Nagy as Young Terk, Evangeline Wright as Young Tarzan, Don Fuhrmann as Professor Porter and Ian Tooley as the villain Clayton.  Staci Weidner as Victorian Mother, Clayton Dutton as Victorian Father, Regan Muscutt as the Leopard and Curtis Hammer as Snipes also performed well in minor roles.

MCT consistently presents exemplary theatre in Missoula, and Tarzan is one of their best efforts to date.  We strongly recommend this production.  The show continues with performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, October 26-28 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, October 29 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 30 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are available at the box office or online at MCTInc.org.

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Artists worth checking out: Streets of Laredo

Hot on the heels of their first two singles, “99.9%” and “Silly Bones,” indie folk rock band Streets of Laredo plan to release their sophomore album, Wild, on Friday, October 21.   Before we publish our review of what we think is an amazing effort, we thought their fans might like to learn more about them.  Please enjoy our interview with Dan and Sarahjane Gibson, two of the founding members of the band.  We’ll be back on Friday with our review.

IVB:   How long  have you been performing as a band?  How long for each member individually?

Dan:  Dave, Sarah and I started the band in 2011 back in New Zealand.  We recorded a five-track demo, played one show as a three-piece, then packed our bags and moved to New York City.  Since moving to Brooklyn, we’ve added band members along the way.  Andrew McGovern and Sean McMahon joined the band in 2013, and Cameron Deyell joined us in 2014, so now we’re a six-piece.
Sarahjane:   All told, about five 5 years – just a little longer than we’ve been in New York City.   After we moved here, we started playing every dive bar and house party you could throw a stick at.  Cam is a long time friend who played with Dave in a bunch of previous projects, including their first ever band in high school, superbly named “strider.”  Cam arrived in NYC with no idea about Streets of Laredo and played his first show with us a few days later.
IVB:   Who do you consider to be your influences?
Dan:  I really like John Lennon’s solo effort after the Beatles.  He’s definitely been my guy for the last little while.  I have a lot of siblings, so there was always a lot of records laying around the house, like Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Radiohead’s The Bends and Cat Stevens’ Teaser and the Fire Cat, to name a few.  I remember those albums were laying around when I was growing up and they still influence us today.  Sonically, two records from Talking Heads really inspired us, especially on the new record.  Those albums were Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues.
IVB:  What makes your new release so special?
Dan:  Tracking at the magnificent Dreamland Studio upstate, then mixing it through the Neve at the Magic Shop makes this record special.  It was our first time working with John Agnello as well.  He pushed us sonically and he brings a real X factor to our sound.
Sarahjane:  Part of what makes this album so special is that it was a true collaboration.  There are  four songwriters in the band and the heart and soul of each of us is on this record.  It’s the age old story of being more that the sum of your parts.  I think we really believed that going into the album, and as a result, brought the best out in each other and made something really unique.
 
IVB:  What are your future plans?
Sarahjane:  World domination.
Dan:  We’re heading out on tour with Nick Valensi’s new Band CRX in November, which we’re excited about.  Since our record comes out October 21st, it’s going to be good to get out on the road right after the record comes out and play the new songs.
IVB:  Do you have any stories you want to share about your band – touring, recording, or fan interaction?
Dan:  I sold my 1992 basketball dream t-shirt for $200 to a fan in Houston.  He wanted it so bad he got the money out in cash and just handed it to me after the show.  I couldn’t say no.
 
IVB:  What types of social media do you use?
Dan:  All the usual culprits:  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.
Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Women in Entertainment

Shadow Pearson remembers Orlando with release of single ‘Finger on the Pulse’

Just like the atrocities committed on 9/11, most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing on June 12, 2016, when 49 innocent souls were gunned down in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.  No longer would Orlando be considered just a vacation getaway – it will now be remembered as the site of one of the biggest hate crimes committed against one particular group of our nation’s citizens.

Shadow Pearson, the lead singer of Orlando based band The Actomatics, chose to do something about the senseless act by writing and releasing a song to help raise money for the onePulse Foundation.  She was joined by a choir of more than 100 people, representing the ‘voices’ of Orlando, whom she dubbed the City Song Players.  The song is entitled “City Song – Finger on the Pulse,” and was released on September 27, 2016 by Star 1 Group.  In addition, the music video is set to premiere today during an International Broadway Event at the John and Rita Shakespeare Center.

We sat down with Pearson to help you get to know her.  Here are the results of our interview:

IVB:  When was your first performance?

SP:  My first professional gig was about 9 or 10, I believe.

IVB:  Who do you consider to be your influences?

SP:  My first piece of vinyl was purchased by my father, The Temptations’ Sky’s the Limit.  There was music everywhere in our home.   As a family we sat around and played the songs of Hank Williams Sr every night with my mother at the piano and my father on acoustic guitar.  Then came Stevie Wonder, Jethro Tull and The Who.  I love everything about Pete Townshend.  My grandmother had a lot of Christian vinyl, especially Oral Roberts.  She was in rural Mississippi.   ‘Something good is going to happen to you, happen to you, happen to you.’   I played that song a lot too.   He was a charismatic Pentecostal televangelist, but I think there’s Rock Star in that stuff too.

IVB:  What is your new song release “City Song – Finger on the Pulse” so important?

SP:  The song was written by the people for the people.  We are the voice of the people.

IVB:  What are your future plans?

SP:  Our video debuts worldwide in October.  We have been invited to show at an International Broadway Event on the 17th.  There is  also a documentary which we are editing.  Perhaps the Spring would be a good time to have a fundraiser and get the documentary into the film festival circuit.  I’m not sure of the length yet as to whether it would be included as a short or a full length entry.

IVB:  Do you have any stories you want to share about the creation of your song, the onePulse Foundation, touring, recording or fan interaction?

SP:  There are times when everything falls together perfectly.  This was one of those times.  Music heals.  There has been nothing but an outpouring of love.  Everything is love.

IVB:  Where can people find out more about you, the song and your efforts?

SP:  You can download the song on Bandcamp (link above).  Also check out our band’s website and Facebook pages, the onePulse website, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, ReverbNation, and Bands in Town, and subscribe to our email list.  Word of mouth is one of our biggest draws, so share, share, share.  I like that word.

Thanks to Jennifer Allison for the background material, and for letting us know about this worthy artist who is giving back to her community.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Get it or Forget it: Mimes of Wine, Peach & the Almost Blues Band, The Galaxy Electric

Welcome back to the next set of reviews in our Get it or Forget it series.  We’ve been taking a break to write about some recent happenings, but we’re glad to be back.  Not only that, but we’re almost caught up with submissions from Noisy Ghost PR and our beloved Doug Deutsch Publicity Services.  So sit back, have a cold one and check out our reviews of these three artists.

mimes-of-war-cover

Artist Name:  Mimes of Wine

Album Name:  La Maison Verte

Label:  Accidental Muzik

Genre:  Avante-garde folk

Track Listing:  1.  Below a Fire; 2.  Jai Singh; 3.  Hour; 4.  Last man on Mount Elysian; 5.  Birds of a Feather; 6.  Gates; 7.  Shemkel; 8.  Lovers’ Eyes; 9.  Road 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:    To fully appreciate the sound of Mimes of Wine, imagine that you are watching Cabaret, however, instead of Liza Minelli performing, it’s PJ Harvey or Tori Amos, doing what they do best, but in a 1940’s jazz style.

Mimes of Wine is led by the creative force known as pianist and singer Laura Loriga, originally of Bologna, Italy.  She is joined in the band by Stefano Michelotti, Matteo Zucconi, Luca Gugliemlino and Riccardo Frisari.  La Maison Verte is their third release, and was two years in the making.  It is their first album released in the United States.

Loriga’s vocals are breathy and ethereal, creating mental pictures with her tone and lyrical delivery.  The mood she creates is relaxing and reflective, making the album perfect for those times you just want to sit back and chill.

Recommendation:  While this album is not your typical indie artist, Mimes of Wine is definitely unique, which is reflected in this eclectic and tasty collection.  Their music will not appeal to everyone, but if you happen to like the sounds of artists like PJ Harvey or Tori Amos, then it’s a must have.  We are proud to give it a rating of Get It.

peach

Artist Name:  Peach & the Almost Blues Band

Album Name:  A Night in Copenhagen

Label:  Magic Music

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Tonight I’ll be Stayin’ Here With You; 2.  Never Make Your Move too Soon; 3.  Little by Little; 4.  Love-Itis; 5.  Tell me you Love Me; 6.  Come up and see me Sometime; 7.  Same as I’m Over You; 8.  Ain’t got no Money

Publicist:  Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Review:   Blues music is an American icon, and this live recording captures it in all its glory.  Americans Peach Reasoner and her long time keyboard player Ken Stange travelled to Copenhagen in February of this year and hooked up with local musicians Michael Engman Rønnow, Helge Solberg and Niclas Campagnol to create this masterpiece.  All of the songs with the exception of track 5 “Tell me you Love Me” are covers, but that’s what makes blues music special.  Reasoner has the perfect voice for the blues, and her guitar licks have that same feel as Bonnie Raitt.  Best tracks include “Little by Little,” “Love-Itis,”Tell me you Love me,” and “Come up and see me Sometime,” but the entire album kicks ass.

Recommendation:  If you love blues music, then this one is a no-brainer.  This is one of the finest blues recordings I have heard, and I would have loved to be in the room when it was recorded.  Run, don’t walk to your computer and definitely Get It.

thegalaxyelectric_everythingislightandsound_coverart

Artist Name:  The Galaxy Electric

Album Name:  Everything is Light and Sound

Label:  none

Genre:  Indescribable

Track Listing:  1.  Relaxation Tapes Vol 1; 2.  Calm Down; 3.  Temporal; 4.  Lux Lux; 5.  Luminosity; 6.  Dreamland; 7.  Buchia Coconut; 8.  Murder in the Garden; 9.  Nightmares; 10.  Goes Around Comes Around; 11. Doorbell; 12.  Please Come Home Soon 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Composed of Jacqueline Caruso and Augustus Green, The Galaxy Electric creates their own form of music through the use of lo-fi recording techniques, among other tricks.  The resulting music almost sounds like the band went back to those science fiction films of the 50’s and 60’s and used their soundtracks for inspiration.  It is a strange, dreamy sound that we have never heard before, except in the strange world of David Lynch.  The best part about the music is the incredible vocals of Caruso, which float on the eerie music like cream on coffee.

Recommendation:  Unless you live in Twin Peaks, or love the eerie tone of music that Lynch uses to paint his creations, you’ll probably just want to leave this one alone, and we regrettably must give it a rating of Forget It.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Women in Entertainment

Grief brings out the best in Kelly McGrath

Everyone deals with grief in their own way.  Kelly McGrath has found a way to bottle that emotion in a powerful song that just about everyone can relate to.

We have been a fan of McGrath for many years and it has been an incredible gift to see her growth, both as a person and as a musician.

Great things have been happening to her since she moved back to Nashville from Los Angeles.  She recently signed a publishing deal with Ole’ Music Publishing, is releasing her new single “You and Me Today” tomorrow, October 14, with the accompanying music video to premiere on CMT later this fall.  Pretty amazing considering the fact that McGrath is an indie musician with no label backing.

Although McGrath has written many songs with others, this one was conceived and created entirely on her own.  “I wrote it about my daddy, and the experience of living with the loss of someone you love,” explained McGrath.

Musically, the song is a mid-tempo country song, similar to many of the songs currently on the radio.  The strength of the song is in the message.  McGrath has found a way to make her grief universally felt by anyone else who has suffered loss in their life.   She likens it to an old coat that her father gave her when she was young.  Her chorus is especially gut wrenching, with these words closing it out:  “It don’t fit anymore, but I can’t seem to throw it away.  Cause it’s all I’ve got left of you and me today.”

Trust us when we tell you that the music video is even more powerful.  Don’t miss its premiere on CMT on October 25.

For more info on McGrath, check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter, and subscribe to her YouTube channel.

 

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Fort Frances prepares for tour with release of new video (exclusive)

You may not have heard of Fort Frances, but you should definitely check them out.  In preparation for the release of their new album Alio, they have recorded a music video for the classic Led Zeppelin song, “Going to California.”  Indie Voice Blog is proud to exclusively release this video today to get you ready to catch these guys in concert.

The song is very apropos, considering the band’s current tour schedule, which kicks off next Saturday night, October 22, with a secret show in Seattle, Washington.  Here are the dates for the tour (click on the links for tickets and additional details):

Tour dates:
10/22/16 – Seattle Secret Show – Seattle, WA
10/24/16 – White Eagle – Portland, OR
10/25/16 – Hotel Utah – San Francisco, CA
10/28/16 – Hotel Cafe *Second Stage* – Los Angeles, CA
10/29/16 – Standing Sun Wines – Buellton, CA
Based in Chicago, these indie rockers have found success in a most unlikely place – Lithuania.  Even while the band was doing the DIY battle in the United States, they were becoming a household name in this former member of the USSR, where their music video cover of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s song, “Summertime,” released in 2012, collected more than one million views.

“We started to get all these messages from fans in Eastern Europe about how much they loved the song,” lead singer David McMillin says. “We really didn’t think that we were catching on somewhere halfway around the world.”
In 2015, they were offered a slot at Loftas Fest, the biggest summer music festival in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, where they played along with Mercury Prize-winning Young Fathers and XL/Terrible Records rapper Le1f.   “Here we were, this unknown band with our name alongside some of these huge artists from around the world,” bassist Jeff Piper says. “I didn’t even believe we were going until we were on the plane.”
Fort Frances arrived in Lithuania to find their name plastered on billboards and street signs.  They even appeared on Good Morning Lithuania.  As if that wasn’t enough, the band played the sold out opening night headlining spot at the Festival.
“Our week in Lithuania was one of the most rewarding times of my life,” McMillin says.  “You start playing music in a garage without a clue as to where it can take you.  I never would have expected the road could lead us to a stage in the former Eastern Bloc.”
Don’t miss your chance to catch this amazing band on their west coast tour.  We’ll be back next week with a review of their new album.  In the meantime, check out their website and Facebook pages, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Thanks to Alex Steininger of In Music we Trust PR for the background material, and for turning us on to this fascinating indie band.
Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Sonia Rao reaches out to her fans with her latest effort

“I wanted the world to know my song, and now I sing for you.”  So begins the chorus of “I Wanted the World,” the opening track for Sonia Rao’s latest release, Meet Them at the Door.  This CD was created out of the generosity of her fans through Rao’s recent Indigogo offering, and Rao is quick to give them all the credit for her successful campaign.

Rao wrote all the songs on her latest CD, her first full length effort since 2011, and the personal attention shows in every note.  Produced, engineered and mixed by Alex Wong, the album is also skillfully mastered by Brian Malouf.   Wong also plays keys on the disc, as well as drums, percussion, programming, synth harmonium, guitar and bass, while Melodie Nicole adds her expressive cello to the mix.

Although Rao used Eleanore Denig for the violin parts on the record, she performs them herself in her live shows, as well as playing keys.  Rao has been on tour for the past two months, opening with a sold out show at Rockwell Music Hall in her native New York, and has only a couple of shows left in Irving, Texas on October 20 and Dallas Texas on October 22, before her TedX performance in Los Angeles on December 2.

Her vocals soar, and her lyrics are truly heartfelt.  Rao never forgets why she is doing what she’s doing – as reflected in that opening number, and in the fifth track, “Minneapolis.”

Every song is powerful, and the entire album is a thank you card that Rao has crafted for her fans.  Her appreciation for the people that love her music and have supported her is evident in every note of the album, resulting in a masterpiece of love that flows from one song to the next.   It is impossible to listen to her and not be enveloped in this love, creating a sense of thankfulness and hope that Rao passes on to the listener.

She closes Meet Them at the Door with the promise that “it gets better if you’ll just stick around.”   After listening to this amazing album, we believe that is just what her fans will do.

This album is one of the best of 2016, and truly belongs in the music library of everyone who loves good music.  It is a testament to the power of music to convey emotional support, and is worthy of your attention.  Rao loves and respects her fans, and it shows throughout the album.  On behalf of her fans, Indie Voice wants to take this opportunity to thank Rao for her beautiful gift.

For more information on Rao, check out her website and Facebook pages, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, subscribe to her YouTube channel, listen to and follow her on Spotify, and purchase this masterpiece on iTunes.