Month: May 2018

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

Get it or forget it – Grand Marquis, Bob Crain, David Gerald, Elin K, Worth of Souls

Happy Yellow Shirt Tuesday.  Today we wear yellow to bring awareness to Suicide Prevention, and one of our reviews today is dedicated to healing the soul.  Check it out, along with four others and have a wonderful week.

Artist Name:  Grand Marquis

Album Name:  Brighter Days

Label:  Grand Marquis Music

Genre:  Jazz/Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Another Lover; 2.  Brighter Days; 3.  I’m on Fire; 4.  Night Shift; 5.  It Don’t Matter; 6.  Ain’t no Spark; 7.  Bad Seed; 8.  Many Rivers to Cross; 9.  Down by the Riverside

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  This amazing six-piece band was formed in Kansas City in 1998, and over the last 20 years, they have released a total of eight albums, including their latest Brighter Days.  Their music exemplifies the best of jazz, swing and blues with a timeless sound that could have been lifted straight from a 1920’s speakeasy.  The first seven tracks are originals, while “Many Rivers to Cross” is a stirring cover of the Jimmy Cliff 1969 classic, and “Down by the Riverside” is a gospel standard.  Bryan Richmond’s lead vocals are meaty and perfectly suited to the music.  What really sets this band apart are those amazing horns, featuring Chad Boydston on trumpet, Ben Ruth on sousaphone, Trevor Turla on trombone and Redmond on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax, as well as the equally amazing rhythm section of Ruth on upright bass and Fritz Hutchinson on drums.  That becomes immediately evident on “Another Lover,” and continues throughout the album.  The blues, with amazing slide guitar, come to the front on the title cut, and will have you jumping up, shouting “I Believe!”  Just put this album on repeat and enjoy!

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer – Get it NOW!

Artist Name:  Bob Crain

Album Name:  Live @ The Folk Barn

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Folk Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Pacific Nature; 2.  Fossil Fuels; 3.  Last of the Old Folk Rockers; 4.  Profits in War; 5.  Texas Text Book Massacre; 6.  Retirement Homes for Nuclear Weapons; 7.  Hippie Ghost Dance; 8.  Thanks for Having Me; 9.  The Gold Rush of 2000; 10.  Closing; 11.  The Meaning of This Song

Publicist:  Be Sharp Music

Review:  Melbourne-based folk rock singer-songwriter Bob Crain brings us the sound of his live California performance on this release.  He is a natural storyteller, and his songs bring us the Australian equivalent of Woody Guthrie.  He tackles a multitude of relevant issues, including the environment, fossil fuels, war and peace, nuclear weapons and more in these modern day folk songs.  His tone is instructional and his style is laid-back, making it easier to take his messages to heart.

Recommendation:  If causes are your passion, then you should definitely check out this one.

Artist Name:  David Gerald

Album Name:  N2U

Label:  David Gerald Enterprises

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Baddest Girl in Town; 2.  Do it all Again; 3.  Don’t Wanna Fall in Love; 4.  Hug You Squeeze You (live); 5.  N2U; 6.  Need You Like Now; 7.  State of Emergency; 8.  Things I Wanna Do; 9.  Willie the Wimp (live); 10.  You Belong with Me

Publicist:  Powderfinger Promotions

Review:  His vocals are soulful, reminiscent of Murray Head, who portrayed Judas in the original Broadway cast of Jesus Christ Superstar.  His guitar playing is equally impressive, as is the fact that he personally played every instrument on this album, as well as doing the mixing and recording.  His efforts have paid off handsomely with this sterling album of original tunes, mixing blues, rock and soul into a perfect blend.  This album is worthy of industry attention, and would make a great soundtrack for a multitude of television, film and commercial placement.  There is not a weak song on the album, and it is worthy of repeated plays.  Check out the guitar shredding on “Don’t Wanna Fall in Love,”  as well as the live tunes “Hug You Squeeze You” and “Willie the Wimp.”

Recommendation:  Get this one now!

Artist Name:  Elin K

Album Name:  Still Your Desire

Label:  Musichelp

Genre:  Electronic Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Living Me; 2.  Inside my Mind; 3.  Still Your Desire

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  We simply love these sweeping pop songs.  Elin K has a voice similar to Lady Gaga meets Enya, and her musical accompaniment fills up the air, perfectly supporting that voice.  These songs are ripe for dance remixes, and would make great placements for film or television.  We believe we will be  hearing a lot more from this amazing artist in the future, and are more than happy to be standard bearers for her talent.  We can’t wait to hear what comes next, because this short 3-song EP barely whet our appetite.

Recommendation:  Join this bandwagon.  Get it now and spread the word.

Artist Name:  Various

Album Name:  Worth of Souls

Label:  Stone Angel Music

Genre:  Contemporary Christian

Track Listing:  1.  Come as you Are (Kenz Hall); 2.  Oceans (Jordan Moyes and Ashley Hess); 3.  Lift me Out (Ellee Duke); 4.  That Mountain (Charley Jenkins); 5.  How can it Be? (Sierra Lauren); 6.  O Glorious Day (Jordan Moyes); 7.  The Homecoming (Jim Daneker); 8.  Tears of the Saints (Trevor Price); 9.  Lay it Down (Ashley Hess); 10.  Redeemed (Justin Williams); 11.  Push and Pull (Emily Bea); 12.  He Knows What He’s Doing (Charley Jenkins); 13.  Worth of Souls (Ashley Hess)

Publicist:  Morris Public Relations

Review:  World-renowned pianist, composer and producer Paul Cardall has amassed 13 Contemporary Christian songs performed by some of today’s fresh new voices into a project with the aim to fight depression by restoring confidence and anchoring our hope in a kind and loving Lord.  Working with co-producer Trevor Price (who also sings “Tears of the Saints”), the album is released on Cardall’s label, Stone Angel Music.  Among the artists performing on this album are American Idol participant Kenz Hall, Jordan Moyes, Ashley Hess, Ellee Duke, Charley Jenkins, Sierra Lauren, Jim Daneker, Justin Williams and Emily Bea.  This album is a must-have for everyone who struggles with depression, or sometimes feels lonely or lost.  We believe healing lies in these 13 songs, and they are great for worship as well.  We especially loved “Lift me Out,” “That Mountain,” “How Can it Be?,” “The Homecoming,” “Tears of the Saints,” “Lay it Down,” “Push and Pull,” “He Knows What He’s Doing,” and the title track.

Recommendation:  We strongly recommend you GET this one ASAP and put it on repeat when those feelings of depression or loneliness come.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 18

Happy Monday – hope you are all recovered from your Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  I spent the weekend working at a Grizzly track meet, played our first softball game of the year, handed out water at a half-marathon to support Veteran Suicide Awareness & Prevention, and got hired by CMS to work the summer concert series at Big Sky Brewery.  I’ve also been working on my schedule of shows to review at the ninth annual Hollywood Fringe Festival, and already have 21 shows confirmed.  Hope to see 40-50 during my two weeks in Los Angeles next month.   We will be publishing our list of most anticipated shows later this month.

We’ve got some news for you today, as well as five new singles and music videos to check out.  Let’s get going.

INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION UPDATE

After reviewing more than 16,000 entries, the 2017 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has concluded, and a Denver-based indie EDM artist has won the Grand Prize.  Nick Miller, better known to his fans as Illenium, takes home the Grand Prize for his song, “Crawl Outta Love ft. Annika Wells.”  The song was co-written with Annika Wells, Kate Morgan and Michael Blancaniello, and was released on his sophomore album Awake.  Wells and his co-writers will receive $25,000 in cash and more than $35,00 in additional prizes.  Here’s that award-winning song.

STACY JONES BAND TOURING EUROPE AFTER WINNING MORE AWARDS

The Stacy Jones Band, who we reviewed back in September, continue to pile up the accolades.  They recently took home 10 awards at the Best of the Blues, including Best Blues Band, Best Blues Recording (“Love is Everywhere”), Best Female Vocalist, Best Songwriter, Best Harmonica, Best Blues Bass, Best Blues Drummer, Best Blues Writer, Keeping the Blues Alive and Best Non-Festival Blues Event.  To celebrate, the band began their European tour on May 4, playing their first of eight shows in Switzerland.  The band will perform in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands before heading back home next weekend.

NEW SINGLES

Our first single, “Everything Nearly Comes Apart Completely,” comes from Dante Matas.  We love his sound, and think you will too.

Our second single comes all the way from Stockholm, Sweden, and is the debut for Sabine Women.  Here is their song, “Buenos Aires.”

Moving over to Germany for our next single, here is Bonnie Li with “Décroche.”  We love the mix of English, French, and Mandarin.

We rock it up with our fourth single this week from Feel Alright.  Here is their single, “Truth About Us,” from their new album set for release on May 18.

Our final new single today is from one of our favorite up and coming singer-songwriters, who we have been following for several years.  We really think you will love “Sonic Baby” by Santa Barbara-based indie artist Jamey Geston, which just had its radio premiere last night.

https://soundcloud.com/jamey-geston-music/sonic-baby-final/s-sAVqT

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video this week comes from  YouTube darling Megan Davies for her single, “Doesn’t Matter.”  We think they’re on to something, as we are adding this artist to our hot list.  We don’t mind jumping on the bus for her.

Next up is “Dino” by The Mountain Carol.  It is a raw rock song with powerful cinematography.  Definitely check them out.

Our third new music video is an homage to The King.  Check out Australian Susie Scurry and her tune, “The Elvis Hour.”

Our next video is the final single from the debut album for All for Darcy.  Check out “Ordinary Life.”

Our final video this week is “I See You Among the Stars,” a chill tune from Jessica Risker.  Have a wonderful week.

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

Get it or forget it – Rita Coolidge, Victoria Ginty, Hawk, Monkey, The Drew Thomson Foundation

It’s R.E.D. Friday – for those not in the know, that stands for Remember Everyone Deployed and wear a red shirt to support our military.  It’s also our final Get it or Forget it of the week, and we’ve got some great reviews for you today, including the return of yet another iconic artist to Blue Élan Records.  Here we go.

Artist Name:  Rita Coolidge

Album Name:  Safe in the Arms of Time

Label:  Blue Élan Records

Genre:  Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Satisfied; 2.  Doing Fine Without You; 3.  Walking on Water (ft. Keb’ Mo’); 4.  Spirit World; 5.  The Things we Carry; 6.  Naked all Night; 7.  Van Gogh; 8.  Rainbow; 9.  Over You; 10.  We are Blood; 11.  You can Fall in Love; 12.  Please Grow old with Me

Publicist:  Jensen Communications

Review:  There is no doubt that Rita Coolidge is a pop icon.  As they previously did with Janey Street, Rusty Young, Jack Tempchin, Gerry Beckley and Fanny, Blue Élan Records has brought Coolidge back into the spotlight, and delivered one of the best albums of Coolidge’s storied career.  Her voice is still as strong as it was during her heyday, and the songs still bring out emotions you thought were locked away tightly.  Coolidge knows how to push your buttons (in a good way), and we are so glad to have her back.  Starting with “Satisfied,” Coolidge takes the listener on an emotional journey through life.  She has chosen to use a simplified accompaniment of guitar, bass, drums and keys because it is the words and the vocals that are the strongest part of her songs.  Ross Hogarth has done it again with his incredible production, engineering and mixing, resulting in an album that truly highlights the artist and the songs.  Although the entire album is classic, we really love “Walking on Water” (which features Grammy winner Keb’ Mo’),  the funky guitar goodness of “Spirit World,” “Naked all Night,” and “Rainbow,”  the sweet sound of “The Things we Carry,” the loving homage “Van Gogh,” and the heartfelt sentiment of “You can Fall in Love” and “Please Grow Old With Me.”

Recommendation:  Drop everything and Get this one TODAY!

Artist Name:  Victoria Ginty

Album Name:  Unfinished Business

Label:  Blue Door Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Unfinished Business; 2.  Take me Down; 3.  Hard to Move On; 4.  You Don’t Love me no More; 5.  Every Night and Every Day; 6.  Give it Up; 7.  Water; 8.  Sign Your Name; 9.  Lying (in Each Other’s Arms); 10.  Do me Right; 11.  The Blues Found Me

Publicist:  Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Review:  We never tire of hearing the blues, and the latest from Victoria Ginty affirms that.  The album debuted at #17 on the Roots Music Report Top 50 Contemporary Blues chart, and we have no doubt that it will rise to the top.  The album starts off strong with the title track, takes the listener on an emotional roller coaster on “Take me Down” and “Hard to Move On,”  rocks our blues away on the upbeat “You Don’t Love me no More” and “Give it Up,” shows us something totally different on her cover of Terrance Trent D’Arby’s “Sign Your Name,” and shows us her soul on “Lying (in Each Other’s Arms).”

Recommendation:  If you love the blues with a touch of R&B and soul, then this album is for you.  We highly recommend you Get it now and be the envy of all your friends.

Artist Name:  Hawk

Album Name:  Bomb Pop

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Power Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Allison’s Gone; 2.  Listen Like Thieves; 3.  I Lied; 4.  Mrs. Anderson; 5.  Not Just Lonely; 6.  Around the Sun; 7.  Take my Time; 8.  Lay me Down Easy; 9.  In my Dream; 10.  Dry Your Eyes

Publicist:  Perpetual Media Relations

Review:  Supergroup Hawk has returned with a new retro sound.  Made up of lead vocalist David Hawkins, Gary Louris (Jayhawks), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, R.E.M), and Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), the band combines elements of 60’s and 70’s classic rock with a power pop sound to create music that has been described as containing “the swagger of the Stones and the melodies of Tom Petty.”  We find that description on point, especially on “Allison’s Gone,” “Listen Like Thieves,””Not Just Lonely,”  “Around the Sun,” “Take my Time,”  “Lay me Down Easy,” and “In my Dream.”  This is one of our favorite retro albums this year.

Recommendation:  Get it.

Artist Name:  Monkey

Album Name:  Intermittent Waves

Label:  Squidhat Records

Genre:  Ska

Track Listing:  1.  Intermittent Waves; 2.  Hitchin a Ride; 3.  Sugartown; 4.  Still Gonna be my Girl; 5.  Glass Bottom Boat; 6.  Rude Vibrations; 7.  Bossa; 8.  Lovers War; 9.  Bowling with Mr. G; 10.  Bassinet

Publicist:  Squidhat Records

Review:  Ska is alive and well, thanks to the return of Monkey to the scene.  They are embarking on a west coast tour with another one of our favorites, Frank & Deans, and we have no doubt that the tour will be a huge success.  We love the energy of the opening instrumental title track, “Hitchin a Ride,” “Rude Vibrations,” and “Bowling with Mr. G,” the reggae feel of “Glass Bottom Boat,” “Lovers War,”  and “Bassinet,” and the swing of “Bossa.”

Recommendation:  This one will make an excellent addition to your musical library.  We highly recommend you Get it.

Artist Name:  The Drew Thomson Foundation

Album Name:  Stay

Label:  Dine Alone Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Married to the Night; 2.  Pace Yourself; 3.  Rifle; 4.  Stay

Publicist:  Auteur Research

Review:  Drew Thomson is the founder of Single Mothers, a critically acclaimed and June Award nominated punk band from Toronto.  On his solo EP, he brings a more traditional indie rock sound.  Although only four songs, it is a worthy effort, especially “Rifle” (which is an introspective look at life) and the title track, which is the lead single.  We suggest radio station managers should look at “Stay,” especially indie rock and college stations.  We look forward to seeing what else Thomson has in store for us.

Recommendation:  This one is definitely worthy of your attention.  Check it out.

 

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

Get it or forget it – BOYTOY, Bossie, Olan Monk, Dearist, Lauren Anderson

Happy Thursday.  We’re back with five more April releases as we work our way through the mountain of requests in preparation for the next round of the LA Music Critic Awards.  Hope you enjoy these artists.

Artist Name:  BOYTOY

Album Name:  Night Leaf

Label:  PaperCup Music

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  It’s Alright; 2.  Mary Anne; 3.  I get Distant; 4.  Stare into Space; 5.  NY Rip Off; 6.  Pretty One; 7.  Get off your Leash; 8.  Juarez; 9.  Want; 10.  Cold Love

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  This band has a retro sound similar to The Bangles, with three-part harmonies over a 90’s pop soundtrack.  They are set to launch their latest release with a European tour, and we think that the Continent will simply adore them.  The songs are fun, upbeat and worthy of industry attention.  They could form the perfect soundtrack for television and film.  The songs are short and sweet and radio ready.  We love the album, but really dig the sound of “It’s Alright, “Stare Into Space,” “NY Rip Off,” “Get off your Leash,” “Want,” and “Cold Love.”

Recommendation:  If you like the fun pop music of the 90’s, then this is the band for you.  We recommend you get their latest and have some fun.

Artist Name:  Bossie

Album Name:  Not Pictured

Label:  Culvert Music

Genre:  Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Mild at Heart; 2.  Meteor; 3.  Strawberry Moon; 4.  There will be Time; 5.  A lot like Love; 6.  The Outsider; 7.  As Good as it Gets; 8.  Tell it All; 9.  Post Teen

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  Combining elements of new wave, glam rock and synth-pop into her own upbeat style, Toronto-based Bossie brings us high energy, fun pop/rock music that has a very retro feel.  Like BOYTOY, Bossie’s music is radio ready and suitable for placement in television and film, and is just plain fun, starting with “Mild at Heart” and continuing on with “Meteor,” which has a Katy Perry meets Madonna feel, and “Strawberry Moon,” which is pure 80’s new wave.  We featured her video for that song in our first Monday Mashup to kick off April, which coincidentally also featured BOYTOY,  There isn’t a weak song on the album, which we think you will want to listen to over and over again.

Recommendation:  Do yourself a favor – Get this one and put it on repeat.

Artist Name:  Olan Monk

Album Name:  INIS

Label:  C.A.N.V.A.S.

Genre:  Electronica instrumentals

Track Listing:  1.  Drum 2; 2.  Love World (ft Elvin Brandhi); 3.  Unrequited; 4.  Failure Dance (ft. Maria Sommerville); 5.  Sisyphus; 6.  Paradise; 7.  Zones; 8.  Drone Island; 9.  Yin Yang (ft. Maria Sommerville)

Publicist:  Worldwide Friendly Society

Review:  Irish artist Olan Monk returns with his sophomore album INIS (Irish for island), an set of electronica-laden meditative instrumentals which provides the follow-up material to his debut album ANAM (Irish for soul).  These tunes are more meditative than entertainment, providing a relaxing soundtrack for those times.

Recommendation:  Although not our cup of tea, we’re sure there are people that would use this music for meditation.  Unless you’re one of those individuals, we recommend you just Forget this one.

Artist Name:  Dearist

Album Name:  Sonder

Label:  Spartan Records

Genre:  Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Front Matter; 2.  Beaches; 3.  Fool’s Heart; 4.  Drowning; 5.  Demuto; 6.  Essex 1820; 7. Part of You; 8. Half Light; 9.  Shame; 10.  Pentonville; 11.  Colours

Publicist:  Spartan Records

Review:  This UK rock band brings us the latest in hard-hitting rock and roll, the British way.  The album opens with the instrumental “Front Matter” before exploding with the amazing sound of “Beaches.”  The rest of the record only gets better from there, with music that screams for placement in television and film, as well as inclusion on harder rock radio stations, especially college radio.    Other songs that we like include “Drowning,” “Demuto,” “Part of You,” “Shame,” and “Colours.”

Recommendation:  If you are a die-hard rock fan, then you need this one.  We recommend  you Get it today.

Artist Name:  Lauren Anderson

Album Name:  The Game

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Make a Mistake; 2.  The Game; 3.  Scream; 4.  On her Own; 5.  Sing; 6.  What If

Publicist:  ABIK Radio Promotions

Review:  Wow.  We’re blown away by the sheer power of Lauren Anderson’s voice, as well as the amazing musicianship of her band.  From the first notes of “Make a Mistake,” Anderson takes us on an emotional journey, fueled by the raw incredibleness of her voice and the amazingly well-crafted songs she has created.  These songs are so radio ready  that they deserve immediate industry attention.  They would surely make the day for the smart music supervisor who secures them for television, film and commercial application.  Her voice is like a combination of Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt, and her music is similar to that of Melissa Etheridge.  The title cut is one of our favorite songs, but all six of them are worthy of your attention, especially the bluesy “Scream” and the guitar riffs on “Sing.”

Recommendation:  Get this one ASAP and put it on repeat – we don’t believe you will ever tire of these songs.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it – Andrew Sheppard, Blind Lemon Pledge, James Scott Bullard, Cousin Earth, ANML

We’re back with our first Get it or Forget it article for the month of May.  The deadline for review requests to be considered for an LA Music Critic Award for the first half of 2018 is May 31, so we will be working hard to get everything reviewed by then, since we will need to concentrate on the Awards and the Hollywood Fringe Festival during the month of June.

PUBLICISTS:  Because of the recent influx of review requests sent after the release date, we have instituted some new procedures.  Our goal is to always publish a review during the week that it is being released.  If we get the request at least two weeks in advance, it helps a lot.  However, if we receive a request after the release date, that request will be slotted into our schedule as time permits.  We think this is the only fair way to timely complete our review requests.  Please drop us a line at lamusiccritic@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Artist Name:  Andrew Sheppard

Album Name:  Steady Your Aim

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Country

Track Listing:  1.  Take a Walk With Me; 2.  Steady Your Aim; 3.  Red Wine & White Roses; 4.  Here at the Bottom; 5.  Travel Light and Carry On; 6.  Standin’ Tall; 7.  Not my Kind; 8.  Lies as Cheap as Whiskey; 9.  Holy Water; 10.  Further Away

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  The sound is rich and full and the vibe is classic country.  The vocals are smooth and pure, and full of emotion.  The songs are well crafted, with the perfect instrumentation.  This sophomore album is an instant classic, with songs that are ripe for radio and placement opportunities.  We really love this Idaho country singer-songwriter, and hope that he sticks around for quite a while.  Our favorite cuts are “Take a Walk With Me,” “Red Wine & White Roses,” “Not my Kind,” “Lies as Cheap as Whiskey,” “Holy Water,” and “Further Away.”

Recommendation:  This is a definite addition for any true classic country lovers.  Get this one.

Artist Name:  Blind Lemon Pledge

Album Name:  Evangeline

Label:  Ofeh Records

Genre:  Acoustic Blues/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Buley’s Farm; 2.  Jennie Bell; 3.  Brimstone Joe; 4.  Midnight Assignation; 5.  Go Jump the Willie; 6.  The Language of Love; 7.  Ham and Eggs; 8.  How can I Still Love You; 9.  You had me at Goodbye; 10.  Evangeline

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  He’s back.  We were truly impressed with his last release, and super excited to check out his latest.  Like his previous release, Evangeline is chock full of acoustical greatness, with some new twists.  “Buley’s Farm” is an acoustic field holler aka “chain gang song,” using a cigar box guitar, and is as down home as you can get.  The second track, “Jennie Bell,” is a folk ballad, smooth, sweet and soulful.  He then shifts gears with “Brimstone Joe,” a funky New Orleans-style blues tune, which transitions perfectly into “Midnight Assignation,” a rocking slide guitar similar to the Allman Brothers Band.  “Go Jump the Willie” is a jumping jive tune that will definitely get you on your feet, while “Language of Love” has a tasty salsa vibe.  This musical journey continues throughout the remainder of the album, from a Cole Porterish show tune to jazz to folk before returning to his roots origin on the title cut.

Recommendation:  Your library is not complete without the latest from Blind Lemon Pledge.  We highly recommend you Get this one and every other way he’s done.

Artist Name:  James Scott Bullard

Album Name:  Full Tilt Boogie

Label:  Big Mavis Music

Genre:  Country/Americana

Track Listing:   1,  Lord Have Mercy; 2.  Wicked Ways; 3.  All to Pieces; 4.  Hey, Hey Mama; 5.  Warpath; 6.  Jesus, Jail, or Texas; 7.  Evil Lovin’; 8.  Leavin’ on my Mind; 9.  The Next Year; 10.  Back to You

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  This is upbeat Americana/Country music with a Southern Rock edge, perfect for summer parties.  It is guaranteed to get you on the dance floor, especially “Wicked Ways” and “All to Pieces.”    The good times keep coming with “Hey, Hey Mama” (with its funky organ), “Jesus, Jail, or Texas,” “Evil Lovin” (with its amazing blues vibe), “Leavin’ on my Mind” (a driving two-step), ” The Next Year” (a fun two-step in the style of Clint Black’s “Nothing but the Taillights”), and “Back to You” (with its Allman Brothers band feel.  This album is great from start to finish and this artist belongs on country radio.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice.  Get this one now.

Artist Name:  Cousin Earth

Album Name:  Human Music

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Folk Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Peculiar Patterns; 2.  I Got This; 3.  Train Luck; 4.  Super Fun Laser Beams; 5.  Daily Wet Rock; 6.  Puerto Rican Pancakes; 7.  Alive; 8.  When the Dinosaurs Come Back From Outer Space; 9.  Keep On (Show me the Numbers Ian); 10.  Capricorn on the Cob

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  They bill themselves as a progressive ukulele rock band, and you have to hear it to believe it.  The vocal harmonies are to die for, and the interesting sound of the ukulele, bass and drums provides a moving, upbeat vibe that makes it impossible to sit still, especially for “Peculiar Patterns” and “I Got This.”  After stumbling with “Train Luck,” they return strong on “Super Fun Laser Beams” with an amazing shredding ukulele riff that rivals anything you’ve heard on electric guitar before shifting gears with “Daily Wet Rock” and “Puerto Rican Pancakes” (which has a cool Latin/Ska feel that will truly move your feet).  They come back with a funky sound on “Alive” before blowing your mind with their final three tracks.

Recommendation:  This one is different enough that it deserves a place in your musical library.  We recommend you Get it.

Artist Name:  ANML

Album Name:  RELEASE!

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Pop

Track Listing:  1.  IT’S OVER; 2.  Chemicals; 3.  Face to the Pavement; 4.  I Meant Well; 5.  Stronger Now; 6.  IT’S NOT OVER . . .  YET

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  ANML is pissed at the inequalities of the current landscape and the abuses of power, and has decided to be the voice for the voiceless, becoming a modern day protester in song, much like MILCK but with a harder edge.  You definitely need to listen to this EP with an open mind, because she will challenge your beliefs and encourage you to rise up and help those that truly need help.  The central and strongest of these songs is “Face to the Pavement,” which cries out about police brutality.  These songs are not for the faint of heart, but those with the desire to help right the wrongs and make our society better.  We hope that her songs reach their audience, because they needed to be written.

Recommendation:  Get this one and hearken to the message.