Category: Artists Worth Checking Out

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2021 (vol 12)

Got my Pfizer #2 last Thursday, so I’m only 10 days away from being fully vaccinated.  So glad that I can soon be out mingling again and dispensing hugs to worthy friends and family.  While we all wait for things to return to normal, here are some new singles and music videos to start your week out triumphantly.

NEW SINGLES

First up is an artist we discovered a few years back when she performed at the Zootown Fringe Festival in Missoula, Montana.  Sharon Knight is a true minstrel who combines her witty lyrical content along with ancient Celtic tunes to create a relaxing atmosphere.  Check out her latest, “Fireflies.”

Spotify – Fireflies

Continuing in that Celtic frame of mind with a touch of Americana, here is “Sunken Ships” from UK-based The Jode Gannon Band.  We hear a taste of Mumford and Sons in their sound, and are definitely adding them to our international group of amazing indie artists.

Sunken Ships · The Jode Gannon Band (spotify.com)

We never get enough of the 80s, so we were thrilled to learn about a Swedish artist that goes by the moniker The 80s Kid.  His latest, “Roots,” is a fun  throwback to those days and we are proud to share him with you.

Roots · The 80s Kid (spotify.com)

Our fourth single brings back memories of great country music from the late 90s and early 00s,, and we can’t believe we have never heard these guys before.  We think you’ll love this timely tune from Rene Russell and the Bottom End.  Here’s “Unheard of,” and we think you should pay attention to the words of this tune.

Unheard Of · Rene Russell and The Bottom End (spotify.com)

Our final single this week continues in that country vein with a throwback to the Outlaw Country of artists like Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart.  Welcome to Tucker Wetmore and his debut single, “Kiss my A$$.”

Kiss My A$$ · Tucker Wetmore (spotify.com)

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Last Friday marked the release of their debut self-titled album, but The Imaginaries are far from novices on the music scene.  They have previously released several amazing videos from the album, and their latest is another work of art, filmed entirely in their native state of Oklahoma.  Check out “Blue Sky.”

Our next video is based on the premise of what if that voice in your head was an actual person.  We love the creativeness of Michael Shynes‘ new video for “Still Take You.”  Check it out and listen carefully to the words.

Our third video is from an artist that is no stranger to this Blog, and the hits just keep coming.  We love this lady and this song in particular, as it brings back the gritty sass of some of her earlier work.  Check out Cindy Alexander‘s latest video for “Room at the Bottom.”

Our fourth video comes from a German band we introduced to you earlier this year.  The Flavians are back with an interesting visual concept that we love for their song “Blinded by the Scenery.”  This one is worthy  of repeated viewings.

We close out this week with this stunning video from Anna of the North, who we haven’t heard from since 2019.  We are overjoyed to have her back in our blog, and we think this song deserves some serious attention.  Check out “Here’s to Another.”

 

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

The Imaginaries slay with their streaming CD release concert

Oklahoma-based power couple Shane Henry and Maggie McClure aka The Imaginaries kicked off the release of their long-awaited debut album with a live streaming acoustic performance sponsored by American Songwriter Magazine.  The concert included the back stories for each song on the album, and lasted for more than 90 minutes, all of it pure joy.

One of my favorite moments was when McClure and Henry were explaining their individual career progression and McClure noted that she had begun with performances at Borders Books and Music.  You see, I was the booker for those stores back in the late 90’s/early 00’s, and it finally answered the question of where I had first heard her music.

Since the concert was essentially a listening party for their CD, we are including our Get it or Forget it review format.

Artist Name:   The Imaginaries

Album Name:  The Imaginaries

Label:   Self-released

Genre:  Americana/Folk

Track Listing:   1.  Revival; 2.  Walking on a Wire; 3.  Thinking ‘Bout You 4.  Trust Falling With You; 5.  There Will Come a Day 6.  Geronimo 7.  One Life; 8.  Enough of You; 9.  Blue Sky; 10.  You Remind Me

Publicist:   37 Media (Julie Lichtenstein)

Review:   The CD kicks off with two of their strongest songs, and never stops delivering powerful messages with memorable musical accompaniment.  In addition to their incredible creativeness in writing these masterpieces, The Imaginaries are also adept at conceptualizing the visualization of those songs, as evidenced by the numerous film festival nominations and wins that their videos have garnered.  We will be featuring their latest video for “Blue Sky” in our Monday Mashup column next week.

The album is produced by the duo and was recorded in the same studio in Muscle Shoals where the pair began their musical journey.  The album features bassist David Hood (Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Paul Simon), Little Richard guitarist Kelvin Holly (Jason Isbell, Gregg Allman, Neil Young), bassist Shonna Tucker (John Paul White, The Secret Sisters), and keyboardist NC Thurman (Hank Williams Jr, Gregg Allman, Little Richard), drummer Rob Humphreys (Leonard Cohen, Jason Mraz), keyboardists Chad Copelin (Sufjan Stevens, Christina Perri, Ben Rector) and Dan Walker (Heart).

Recommendation:   Drop whatever you’re doing today and get this album.  It will be the crowning jewel in your musical collection.

Thank you to The Imaginaries for an amazing showcase of your talent.  It was so refreshing to hear a band that sounds as good acoustically as they do when they have their entire band playing live.  They are further proof that indie music is the best music.  Can’t wait to see them live in person in the not too distant future.

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music

DICI’s debut EP proves that age is not a reflection of talent

photo courtesy of Ue3 Promotions

While this past year of COVID-19 and its resulting quarantine has prompted some serious reshuffling in the lives of many artists and musicians, 17 year old emerging rapper DICI took the time to be more creative and productive than ever.  Since he was out of school and free from his extracurricular lacrosse and weightlifting schedule, the multi-talented, Italian born (Milan) but Miami raised artist mastered his new Pro Tool rigs and began freestyling clever, incisive rhymes and whimsical, hard-hitting narratives.  These formed the foundation of the intuitive urban pop vibe he’s dropping publicly for the first time on his self-titled five track EP released on his own label, DICI Records, LLC.

Though his official rap influences are Eminem, Denzel Curry, Action Bronson and Mayhem Lauren, DICI says that it was a YouTube video by renowned producer Kenny Beats that fired him up and sparked the intense dedication that fueled this project.

During November 2019 he had gone to a friend’s house and learned how to make beats as well as the production side of making records.  Everything ground to a halt when COVID hit, and though he had plenty of free time, he just chilled out for months.

“By the end of July (2020), I was starting to feel restless,” DICI says. “Going through YouTube one day, I found the Kenny video.  He was talking about how before he was famous, he had locked himself in a room and worked all day long.  Everything was about work ethic.  It hit me that I’d wasted half the summer.  After I watched that clip, I literally dedicated 12 hours plus every day to music – waking up, doing music, going to sleep, on repeat.  I made a lot of progress on the tech front, too.  On the track ‘305-Interlude,’ which combines two different songs I wrote, I only used my computer and gaming headset.  I’d gotten Pro Tools in March and had learned it well enough to use it on the other four tracks of the DICI EP.”

The first track he created was “Bar for Bar,” which provides a master class in fusing a hypnotic, moody vibe, a densely percussive groove and a high spirited, clever rhyming freestyle all about having fun, cruisin’ and enjoying life.  It also comes with a clear mission statement of his plans for the future:  “Cruisin’ down the street with my new popped collah/I look like a scholar/And I got the gualla/So bitches they holla/They straight from Valhalla.  . .I’ve been cruisin’ in the whip going 30 tho/I’m with Johas that’s my bro/Ima keep on rapping to achieve my goals/And ease my soul…”

The other tracks on the EP include the energetic hype song and slightly dangerous joyride “4door” (“Hittin’ 200 I need more”), the ominous, psychopathic (probably fictional!) seduction “Vector” (which rhymes the title world with “Lecter,” among other things) and the aforementioned “305 INTERLUDE,” which is the dreamy, neo-soul respite from the percussive tracks, and also the most overtly sensual/sexual.

The EP was released in January and DICI has since released videos for three of the songs, including this one.

All of the videos were directed by Associated Press and Emmy winning director and cinematographer Brian Bayerl of Greendoor East Productions.  They are being promoted by The Syndicate.

The songs are quite explicit and not for the easily offended, but if you will listen carefully there is a lot of truth contained in his lyrics.  DICI has a unique cultural background (American dad, Japanese mom) and has completed numerous international trips, making him a true musical citizen of the world who can draw inspiration from a wide range of fascinating experiences.  The trilingual (Italian, Japanese, English) artist lived the first five years of his life in Milan, and though he’s been in Miami ever since, he’s traveled to Japan countless times and even went to school for a time in Tokyo.

The heavy Japanese cultural influence on his life inspired what he’s dubbing the EP’s “bonus track,” “Shibuya,” which features his witty, picturesque freestyle travelogue pinging off a jazzy rock vibe infused with traditional Eastern sonic touches.  When he raps, “I’m in heaven, feel like a God,” it’s no exaggeration.  He’s been there.  He’s felt it.

“I’ve always found satisfaction doing creative things and getting rewarded for it, and my rap career is no exception,” he says.  “My family has been super supportive of what I’m doing, and realizing that so many talented artists don’t have this kind of support makes me eager to use my future success to help others get started, including giving away free studio time and recording equipment to those who need it.  I enjoy reflecting on this crazy year, where so much seemed to happen by sheer coincidence to get me where I am right now – from recording on my headphone and X-Box to now.

“That YouTube video got everything rolling,” he adds, “and I am looking forward now to sharing my tracks with everyone. No one knows how 2021 will be for musicians and touring, but I hope to be out there performing and meeting new people very soon. In the meantime, I’m going to keep building my brand, creating new tracks and working with Giuseppe and keep releasing new music.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Women in Entertainment

Leni Black opens up her heart to let us know how she feels

Leni Black is an emerging Nashville-based singer/songwriter with a no-holds-barred songwriting style that has sprung up from such diverse inspirations as the Grateful Dead, Carole King and Carly Simon.   Even her stage name came from another inspiration – her grandfather, Leonard Epstein, who was a singer/songwriter in NYC that sounded like Frank Sinatra.  She combined his stage name “Lenny” along with her grandmother’s maiden name.

“How I Feel” is a song about the desperate feeling of not being able to say how to feel in the moment.  It came out of a chance writing session with three rookie Nashville songwriters,” explains Black.

“Israel (McFarland) and I met by chance through another Nashville songwriter who suggested we all get in a room and write together. An hour into the session the song was nearly finished. I came in with a melody for the chorus, and as soon as Israel hopped on the piano and sang “your eyes are the problem” I knew we were going to work well together. We both love pulling on heartstrings and being as emotional as possible. Greyson Campbell, who was the link between us, always kept us in check with where the song was headed as we could get off track pretty easily talking about our own experiences hiding feelings.
“I didn’t realize Israel was also a talented musician and producer.  We did a couple of takes of the song in his room and I came back the next couple of nights for background vocals, a couple of weeks later the song was finished.  We are both new to Nashville and passionate about writing, now with a couple more songs in the works.  What I love about working with Israel is that he also uses his own experiences and pours his heart into a song.  Whenever we write it is always an emotional hour or so.  The only good cries I had this year were with him in the room with a piano.”
McFarland is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter and producer with a growing portfolio of original songs and a passion for creating great music.   He explains, “This production really gave me the chance to stretch my creativity.  While it was influenced by our indie-pop roots, the main focus was creating something that felt new and authentic to the artist.”

Spotify – HOW i FEEL

Black likes to say that she doesn’t write a lot of love songs – but she’s written a ton of breakup songs.  That’s because when she’s in the throes of a relationship, riding the wave of joy and expectation, shes too in the moment to write reflectively about it.  Yet she has plenty of time post-breakup, when she’s engulfed in tearful emotions and in need of catharsis, to write her heart out.  Now that she’s going after her long-delayed dream of making music for a living, she’s got an incredible stockpile of emotional outpourings that she hopes will connect with everyone who has ever gone through these same types of experiences – which is pretty much everyone.

The Maryland native is the first to admit that she “kind of let life take me wherever I wanted throughout my 20’s.  I’m basically a runaway bride who doesn’t know what eggs she likes” – a reference to a hilarious scene in the 1999 film where Richard Gere accuses Julia Roberts of not having a mind of her own because her tastes change with every new guy she meets.

“I stayed inside weekend after weekend crying and writing, singing and playing music to heal from all the heartbreak I kept going through,” Leni says.  “I probably slipped into some sort of depression without many of my friends knowing.  I’m generally a very happy, easygoing and sarcastic person.  I don’t normally express my emotions verbally.  Songwriting has given me that outlet and I’ve been doing it since I got my first journal.  It’s always been a form of expression for me that I have kept to myself.”

We think this young lady has a whole heap of potential and we are thoroughly impressed with her new song, which debuted last Friday, February 26.  She reminds us of early Taylor Swift, and we can easily see Black on the radio for an extended period of time.  We can’t wait to see what comes next and we will be rooting for her success.

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2020 indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Best singles of 2020

This past year was a tough one for the majority of us.  Thank goodness there was indie music.  Looking back over the 19 Monday Mashup columns we compiled during the year, we have selected the 20 Best Singles.  Here they are in the order we featured them.

Volume 1 – Matt Hansen, “Find Me”

Find Me · Matt Hansen (spotify.com)

Volume 2 – Emmrose, “Take me With You”

Spotify – Take Me with You

Volume 3 – Jackie Castro, “Gravity”

Spotify – Gravity

Volume 4 – Joel Plaskett, “If There’s Another Road”

Spotify – If There’s Another Road

Volume 5 – Single by Sunday, “Debbie”

Spotify – Debbie

Volume 6 – Nia Ekanem, “Shelter”

Spotify – Shelter

Volume 7 – Kyle LaLone, “Not Gonna Drink Over You”

Spotify – Not Gonna Drink Over You

Volume 8 – BINX, “Blazing”

Spotify – Blazing

Volume 9 – The Trusted, “The Innocent”

Spotify – The Innocent

Volume 10 – Katie Knipp, “Chamomile and Cocaine”

Spotify – Chamomile and Cocaine

Volume 11 – Ted Russell Kamp, “Home Sweet Hollywood”

Spotify – Home Sweet Hollywood

Volume 12 – The Imaginaries, “Revival”

Spotify – Revival

Volume 13 – Soul Asylum, “If I Told You”

Spotify – If I Told You (Acoustic)

Volume 14 – Gina Sicilia, “Married Man”

Spotify – Married Man

Volume 15 – Mustangs of the West, “I am the Highway”

Spotify – I Am the Highway

Volume 16 – Goldflēce, “Tie One On”

Spotify – Tie One On

Volume 17 – Brigitte Purdy, “Memphis Hotline”

Spotify – Memphis Hotline

Volume 18 – Cameron DuBois, “Merry Christmas, Wherever You Are”

Merry Christmas, Wherever You Are · Cameron DuBois, Bama Sound (spotify.com)

Volume 19 – Amy Steele, “Our House”

Our House · Amy Steele (spotify.com)

Best of the Rest – Shannon Hurley, “Am I in This Love Alone”

Am I in This Love Alone · Shannon Hurley (spotify.com)

We’ll be back soon with our 20 Best Music Videos.  See you soon.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2020 (vol 17)

Wow, what a week!  Oklahoma got hit with a huge ice storm last week that knocked out power for a lot of people, and made work almost unbearable.  We worked nearly 60 hours and our sales were up 150%, causing us to run out of just about everything, including our patience.  So glad things are beginning to return to normal, and we have a little time this morning to post our long overdue article.  Check out these great new singles and music videos.

NEW SINGLES

First up this morning is the latest blues masterpiece from LA Music Critic Award winner Brigitte Purdy.  She’s on the “Memphis Hotline” and we’re sure glad we got to participate.  Purdy only gets hotter with each new song.  This one is a true keeper!

From the blues we switch to R&B, and the incredible sound of up and coming artist Christine Nguyen.  She compiles a lot in her song “Finding Happiness,” and we’re ready to join her in her journey.  This one is perfect for today’s election.

Speaking of the election, Wildwood Franklin has a political winner with his latest Americana/blues classic, “American Trump Card.”  It’s a reminder to all of us to get out and vote if we want to change the direction our country is heading.

Who doesn’t like an 80’s throwback?  Katie Wood goes back and resurrects that iconic sound in her latest tune, “Where Have You Been?”  We hope she’s around for a long time.

Our final single this week comes from rocker Jacqueline Tucci, who invites us to come “Home.”  We love the classic sound of this track and think we have not heard the last from this young Toronto artist.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

With election day upon us, the amazing LA singer/songwriter queen Kris Angelis reminds us we need to find “My Quiet,” and not let the anxieties and cares of this world overcome us.  We wholeheartedly agree.

Next up is another LA-based group of incredible musicians, Lucy & La Mer.  This time around they bring us the upbeat and positive song, “Better Than I was Before.”  Let’s take their advice and be our best.

Nikki O’Neill is a rising Americana artist who just relocated from LA to Chicago.  In her latest video, she reminds us that the “World is Waiting” for the power of love to rise up.  Let’s lead the charge.

Time for a little fun.  Here is a cool punk rock video from New Jersey band Boy Blue which features the vocals of Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup.   They are looking for fun with the “Ghost of Saturday Night,” and we bet they will find what they’re looking for.

Our final video this week comes from LA female-fronted band Kitten, who remind us of the days when “Angelina” was breaking into the movie business.  This one is sure to get your toes tapping and your feet on the dance floor.  Have a great week.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup

Monday mashup 2020 (vol 16)

We hope you enjoyed our review of The Imaginaries‘ live concert and are ready for some more great new singles and videos.  Here are this week’s selections.

NEW SINGLES

First up is the latest from one of our absolute favorite indie musicians, Nina Storey.  She’s been busy during the pandemic and recently released her third single.  Once again, her heavenly voice and brilliant songwriting have delivered an instant masterpiece.  Check out “The Bones.”

Continuing the theme of arising out of the ashes of this pandemic is the latest from Michael McFarland, an upbeat inspirational pop tune called “The New Contagion.”  We love the energy and the hopeful lyrics.  Let us know what you think.

As we recently celebrated World Mental Health Day, our next song is truly relevant.  Toronto artist X. Ari presents her latest single, “Lifting Up,” from her new EP which is all about mental health issues.  Listen to the words as the energizing beat gets your spirit up.

Our fourth single comes from the smooth blues/jazz/rock sound of Goldflēce, who is planning to “Tie One On.”  This one is perfect for chilling down after a long day of work.  David Goldflies is one half of The Allman Goldflies Band, and we cannot get enough of this solo effort.

We close out our singles this week with the latest sweet treat from LA’s iconic BINX.  This time around, she tells us “I’m in Love With a Rapper,” and is joined by Mata Atoms.  We are in love with her and her amazing body of work.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

First up this week is the latest from the reigning queen of the LGBTQ musical movement in Los Angeles, the incomparable Abby Posner.  Check out the debut of Frupert, the amazing bass-playing character in Posner’s video “Where I Wanna Be.”

This next video was released a couple of months ago, but we felt it was perfect for today.  We love the sweet harmonies of sister act Southern Halo, and we stand by the sentiments expressed in this lyric video for their masterpiece, “Don’t Let Another Day Go By.”

Our third video is a rocking lyric video from LA’s infamous rocksters Rocket.  They’re “Losing Breath” over the state of our nation, and encourage you to vote.

Next up is an Americana tune that is sure to propel LA’s sweet Kris Angelis into the national limelight.  It is a timely song called “Ghost (I’m Alive and Breathing),” and makes us giddy with the possibilities.  Angelis has paid her dues and her music is ripe for worldwide acceptance.  We truly dig this tune.

We close out this week with a sweet song about that annual event in the life of each person, their “Birthday.”  We can never get enough of the music of Kensington Moore, and we can relate to the sentiments of this song.  Until the next one, “raise a glass.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Live Concerts Reviews

The Imaginaries wow hometown crowd with first full band show of 2020

Last Saturday we had the distinct pleasure of attending our first live music performance of 2020.  We drove out to Chickasha, Oklahoma for the Third Annual Oklahoma Food Truck Championship to support the first full band show of 2020 by the amazing husband and wife Americana band The Imaginaries.  Not only was the music inspirational and incredible, but the food was pretty good too.

photo courtesy of Chelle S Imaging

The band is composed of Shane Henry on guitar, lead and backing vocals and his lovely wife, Maggie McClure on keyboard, tambourine, lead and backing vocals.  They were joined by Ryan Miller on bass, Jordan Olivet on drums, Jim Robinson on keyboard and Isaac Stalling on guitar.

photo courtesy of Chelle S Imaging

They kicked off their first set with “Enough of You,” which showed the rocking side of their sound.  Although individually they have released several solo albums, the band’s debut album will not be released until the spring of 2021.  That didn’t stop them from showcasing their talents and giving the enthralled audience a sneak peak of what to expect when that album is dropped.

They are also gathering a huge following with their music videos, directed by Reagan Elkins.  The above video has been accepted by five film festivals, while their latest, “Walking on a Wire,” was featured in our recent Monday Mashup article.

Their second song, “Gone,” was a rockabilly masterpiece, which was followed by the country pop sound of “Things are Gonna be Alright,” which should be the theme song for 2020.  They followed those up with “Thinking About You” and “You Remind Me,” the latter showcasing McClure’s vocal style, which is a combination of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton.

photo courtesy of Chelle S Imaging

“Blue Sky” was a treasure of vocal harmonies, which was followed by the aforementioned “Walking on a Wire,” which is even better live than in the video.  McClure then performed one of her solo songs, “Coming Home,” before performing “There Will Come a Day.”  They wrapped up the set with a brilliant interpretation of the classic Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty duet, “Stop Dragging my Heart Around.”

photo courtesy of Chelle S Imaging
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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it indie music Reviews

Get it or forget it – 2020 vol 1

It’s been a while since our last edition of Get it or Forget it, and we wanted to ease back in with a few of our favorite artists who have all been busy during this pandemic.  We hope you like what you read, and will check out these amazing artists.  We hope to make this a regular weekly feature, but that will depend on when our work schedule becomes more solid.  At any rate, here we go.

See the source image

Artist Name:  Emily Zuzik

Album Name:  Torch & Trouble

Label:  Head Bitch Music and Maenades Music

Genre:  Americana

Release Date:  August 28, 2020

Track Listing:  1.  Stay Wild, 2.  Get it Right, 3.  Chinese Food and Donuts, 4.  Trouble, 5.  Magic, 6.  Shadows, 7.  All That Love, 8.  Wild Mustangs Across the Great Plains, 9.  Embers, 10.  The Band Played On

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Emily Zuzik has been one of the leading voices in the resurgence of the Los Angeles Americana music scene with her unmistakable voice and incredibly well-written songs.  Her latest, Torch & Trouble, sets the bar high and is truly her best effort to date.  The album is skillfully produced by Ted Russell Kamp, the amazing country bass player who is a huge part of the success of every artist he works with, including Shooter Jennings, Manda Mosher, Tanya Tucker and Zuzik.   Among the amazing supporting musicians on the project are Christopher Allis on drums, Brian Whelan on Hammond organ and guitar, Kamp on bass, and John Schreffler on guitar.

Zuzik wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten songs on the album, hits the ground running with the first track, “Stay Wild,” and never slows down as she delivers memorable song after memorable song.  Although there are no weak songs on the entire album, our favorites include “Stay Wild,” “Get it Right,” the rocking “Trouble,” the Chris Isaak-like “Shadows,” (a Yo La Tengo cover), the romantic waltz “All That Love,” the epic story of “Wild Mustangs Across the Great Plains,” and “Embers,” which features the vocals of Kamp and Zuzik in a stirring duet.

Recommendation:  Run, don’t walk, and get this one like your life depends on it.

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Artist Name:  Tawny Ellis

Album Name:  Love Life

Label:  Music Building Records

Genre:  Americana

Release Date:  July 24, 2020

Track Listing:  1.  Love Life, 2.  Moon Shine, 3.  Pretend Love, 4.  No More, 5.  Deep end of Love, 6.  Spirit of Love, 7.  I Believe, 8.  Powers That Be, 9.  Daddy, 10.  Dirty Work

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Tawny Ellis is proof of the benefit of being in the right place at the right time, and her relentless pursuit of perfection is evident in every song on this true masterpiece, which took three years to complete.  The artists who worked with her on this project sound like a “Who’s Who” of some of the finest musicians in the industry, including Jesse Siebenberg (Lukas Nelson, Lissie), Ted Russell Kamp (Shooter Jennings, Tanya Tucker), Gio Loria (Jack Johnson) and Kaitlin Wolfberg (H.E.R.).  Their contributions give Ellis’ sound an eclectic vibe that makes the music accessible to fans of all genres.  Among the best cuts are “Love Life,” “Pretend Love,” the rocking “No More,” the mournful “Deep End of Love,” the stirring “I Believe,” and the haunting and iconic “Powers That Be.”

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer – your music library NEEDS it and so do you.

See the source image

Artist Name:  Ted Russell Kamp

Album Name:  Down in the Den

Label:  PoMo Records

Genre:  Roots/Rock/Americana

Release Date:  July 24, 2020

Track Listing:  1.  Home Sweet Hollywood (ft Shooter Jennings), 2.  Have Some Faith, 3.  Waste a Little Time With Me, 4.  Stick With Me, 5.  Hold On (ft Gordy Quist), 6.  Hobo Nickel, 7.  Rainy Day Valentine, 8.  The Good Part, 9.  Word for Word (ft Sarahh Gayle Meech), 10. My Turn to Cry, 11.  Only Son (ft Shane Alexander), 12.  Every Little Thing you Need, 13. Saint Severin, 14.  Take my Song With You (ft Kirsten Proffit)

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  This article would not be complete without a review of the common denominator between Emily Zuzik and Tawny Ellis, the legendary musician himself, Ted Russell Kamp.  The album was recorded in Kamp’s home studio, affectionately called “The Den,” and features several of the amazing artists that Kamp has worked with, including Shooter Jennings, Gordy Quist, Sarah Gayle Meech, Shane Alexander and Kirsten Proffit.  We have already featured the first two songs on the album in our Monday Mashup series, and they are just the tip of the iceberg of the treasures contained in this 14-song collection.  We really love the swinging feel of “Waste a Little Time With Me,” the classic country sound of “Stick With Me,” the New Orleans Jazz-infused “Hobo Nickel,”  the two-stepping sound of “The Good Part,” the Dwight Yoakum-inspired strains of “My Turn to Cry,” the righteous country ballad “Saint Severin,” and the sweet duet “Take my Song With You.”

Recommendation:  No music library is complete without this one, so go out and get it ASAP.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Monday Mashup Singles and Videos

Monday mashup 2020 (vol 8) – Tuesday edition

After working 36 of the past 48 hours, I finally got a day off today.  As of tomorrow, I have been promoted to Shift Manager and will be working evenings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  Wish me well in this challenging new position.  In the meantime, here is our final Monday Mashup of April, with five new singles and music videos for your perusal.

NEW SINGLES

First up this week is an incredible collaboration between Charla K and Discrete entitled “Feed me With Love.”  This upbeat dance-pop track will have you dancing all over the house during quarantine.  Enjoy!

Next up is another young voice with an obvious old soul.  She mixes jazz, R&B and pop to create the masterful “Away.”  Give it up for Amira B.

Our third single may be a little explicit, but we could easily hear an edited version on Top 40 radio.  We love introducing you to the sound of Lexy Panterra – enjoy the “Fall.”

Continuing in the R&B/neo-soul vein is Atsuson Jr, another voice we could definitely hear on the radio.  If his songs keep being this good, we will definitely “Stick Around.”

https://soundcloud.com/user-724259195/stick-around/s-xc4Ay9bwrF6

We close out this week’s new singles with the next amazing single from LA’s legendary Binx.  We think this is her best one yet, as she continues to set the standard with “Blazing.”

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Last week we shared her new single, and this week we’re pleased to share the music video for the latest from Blue Élan‘s country songbird, Chelsea Williams.  Let’s get “Wasted.”

Our next video captures the songwiter’s intent behind the song.  Many of us remember the thrilling moving Eyes of Laura Mars, and the captivating theme song “Prisoner,” sung by Barbra Streisand.  The song was written by indie blues artist Karen Lawrence, and she shows the power of the song in this simple acoustic video.  Enjoy this throwback.

Speaking of throwbacks, our next video breathes new life into the classic Tears for Fears monster smash, “Shout.”  We are totally in love with this cover by indie band Trope, and think they will amaze you as well.

Speaking of amazing covers, the Blue Élan family of artists recently recorded a video for Earth Day of the classic The Guess Who song, “Share the Land.”  This one is truly better than the original – enjoy!

We close out this week’s edition with the latest artist to become part of the Final Fantasy franchise.  This time it’s local indie artist Ellee Ven.  Her song “I’m Gonna Rule Without Dominating” is featured in Final Fantasy XV AMV.  Rock on!