Category: LA Music Critic Awards

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Artists Worth Checking Out Awards indie music LA Music Critic Awards

Announcement of winners for LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2019

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that this will be the last LA Music Critic Awards for the foreseeable future.  Due to our current work schedule, and the lack of support from the committee, we find ourselves unable to continue with the awards.  We will continue to support the indie music community with our reviews, but will be cutting back to just our current five review articles per week, plus our monthly Ten Great Singles and Ten Amazing Videos articles.

As far as this year’s Fan Favorite competition, for the first 10 days it looked like it was going to be a one-horse show with all votes being cast for Cherie Currie & Brie Darling.  Out of nowhere came votes for four more artists:  Susan Santos, Neverwonder, Dee Miller Band and Niecie, and when the dust cleared, we had a surprise winner, which will be revealed below.  Unfortunately more than 100 votes could not be counted because fans did not follow the instructions and voted on Facebook, or tried to vote for music categories instead of Fan Favorite.  Among the artists who lost votes was previous LA Music Award winner Brigitte Rios Purdy.

Without further adieu, here are the winners:

BEST EP (Male) – PAehNE (beautyandpain Part 1)

BEST EP (Female) – Kat Holland (Retrovision)

BEST EP (Group) – NIIGHTS (Hellebores Part One & Two)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Marcus Haran (A True Story:  A Soundscape to In-Difference)

BEST EP (International Group) –The Fisherman & The Sea (The Hurt & the Humour)

BEST CD (Male) – Tony Campanella (Taking it to the Street)

BEST CD (Female) – Susan Santos (No U Turn)

BEST CD (Group) – The Empty Pockets (Tanglewoods)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Ronny Morris (Sweet Silence)

BEST CD (International Group) –Bahuki (Tell it to the Worms)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Jerad Finck (“Home”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Kensington Moore (“I Don’t Like you Anymore”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) –  Taco Mouth (“The White House”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) –Paige Peel (“The Crown”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Americana Kitchen Band (“All Dressed Up”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – Cherié Currie & Brie Darling (“The Motivator”)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Girl Crush (“Blame Girls”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Keifer Sutherland (“Something to Love”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Brigitte Purdy (“Blue Collar Woman”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – The Rembrandts (“Broken Toy”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) –  Belle and the Beats (“Qetesh”)

BEST SINGLE (COLLABORATION) – William Shatner, Jeff Cook & Neal McCoy (“Why Not Me”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Diana Rein

BEST BLUES BAND – Dee Miller Band

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Balsam Range

BEST COLLABORATION – Americana Kitchen Band

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – The Rembrandts

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – Born to Uke (Various Artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Kamber Cain

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Lowdown Drifters

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – Dree Patterson

BEST FOLK ARTIST – David Huckfelt

BEST FOLK BAND –   Bettman & Halpin

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST –Ronny Morris

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND –Straw

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Tommy Emmanuel & John Knowles

BEST JAZZ ARTIST/BAND – The Charlie Wooton Project

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Constanza Herrero

BEST POP ARTIST – Sarra

BEST POP BAND – We Three

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Curtis Peoples

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Taco Mouth

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST/BAND –Billy Price

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Neverwonder

BEST ROCK ARTIST/BAND –Odds Lane

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Ted Russell Kamp

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Jason Robert Band

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Fred Hostetler

RISING STAR –Katile

FAN FAVORITE – Niecie

MOST SUPPORTIVE PUBLICISTS – Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, So Much Moore Media, KG Music Press, Effective Immediately PR, Blind Raccoon, MAD Ink PR

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music LA Music Critic Awards

Nominations for first half of 2019 (Updated)

This transition has been kicking our butts.  So sorry it has taken us so long to announce the nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2019, but with the new job and long hours, there hasn’t been a lot of free time.  Not only that, we are still crashing at our brother’s house, so we have to work off the laptop instead of the desktop.  Thanks for your patience while we work things out.

As always, fans are encouraged to vote for the Fan Favorite Award.  To vote for your favorite,  simply leave a comment below in the following format:  “I vote for (name of artist) for Fan Favorite.”  No other comments will be counted toward the Fan Favorite Award, and each reader may only vote once.   Comments made on other social media sites will not count.

Fans are also encouraged to comment on other award nominations, and those comments will be reviewed by the Awards committee.  However, they will not count for the Fan Favorite Award unless the comment specifically says that the artist is being nominated for the Fan Favorite Award. 

The deadline for voting for the Fan Favorite Award is Wednesday, August 28, 2019, at midnight CDT.  The full list of winners will be announced at 2 p.m. CDT on Friday,August 30, 2019.

Without further delay, here are the nominations.

BEST EP (Male) – PAehNE (beautyandpain Part 1), Shayfer James (Hope and a Hand Grenade), Shane Guerrette (Shane Guerrette)

BEST EP (Female) – Ariel Gold (Grace), Kat Holland (Retrovision)

BEST EP (Group) – NIIGHTS (Hellebores Part One & Two), Illiterate Light (Sweet Beast), Ballroam Boxer (A Little Wild), The Reverend Shawn Amos (Kitchen Table Blues Vol. 1)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Marcus Haran (A True Story:  A Soundscape to In-Difference)

BEST EP (International Group) –The Fisherman & The Sea (The Hurt & the Humour), Brother Brad (Get Around), Leading Edge (Ghost), Jet Plane (Falls Feather), Iridea (Agitationist)

BEST CD (Male) – Joshua Powell (Psycho/Tropic), Chris Koza (Sleepwalkers Part 1), The Suitcase Junket (Mean Dog Trampoline), Tony Campanella (Taking it to the Streets)

BEST CD (Female) – Kathryn Grimm (Blues Tools), Susan Santos (No U Turn), Sydney Wright (Seiche); Diana Rein (Queen of my Castle)

BEST CD (Group) – Cold Weather Company (Find Light), The Empty Pockets (Tanglewoods), Jeffrey Halford & the Healers (West Towards South), Authority Zero (Persona Non Grata), WANK (White Knuckle Ride)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Ronny Morris (Sweet Silence), Kinnie Starr (Feed the Fire)

BEST CD (International Group) –Bahuki (Tell it to the Worms), LeBarons (Summer of Death),

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Jerad Finck (“Home”), Banners (“Got it in You”), Keaton Simons (“A Chance in the World”), Fred Hostetler (“Heart Radio Part 1”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) –Diana Rein (“Queen of my Castle”), Kensington Moore (“I Don’t Like you Anymore”), Brooke Moriber (“Cry Like a Girl”), Dayla (“Closer”), Alice Wallace (“The Blue”), Kris Angelis (“Reappear”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Riddle the Sphinx (“Lullaby”), Falling Through April (“Recover // Relapse”), Aly & AJ (“Church”), We Three (“Lifeline”), The Spear Shakers (“Leaving it all Behind”), Taco Mouth (“The White House”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Kevin McHale (“Help Me Now”), Paige Peel (“The Crown”), Jess McAvoy (“Do What you Want”), Whisperado (“Band One Out”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Red Wanting Blue and Liz Brasher (“I Got a Feeling it Hurts”), Americana Kitchen Band (“All Dressed Up”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – Cherié Currie & Brie Darling (“The Motivator”), PaperDolls Band (“Billy”), Fuel on Fire (“With or Without You”), Olivia Millerschin (“New Year’s Day”)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Girl Crush (“Blame Girls”), Ivan and the Parazol (“When I was 17”), Augustine (“Luzon”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Titus Calderbank (“Mistakes”), Rusty Young (“Listen to Your Heart”), Keifer Sutherland (“Something to Love”), Tony Lucca (“Restless Heart”), Aqualung (“Complicated”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Chanel Lóran (“Pretend”), Car Astor (“Hush”), Eden Espinosa (“Bed for 2”), Lucy Gallant (“Not Normal”), Brigitte Purdy (“Blue Collar Woman”), Kat Holland (“The One”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – The Rembrandts (“Broken Toy”), West Coast Weekend (“Heart Attack”), Cherié Currie & Brie Darling (“The Motivator”), Southern Halo (“Sunshine”), Skiver (“No Goodbyes”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – The Black Fever (“No Work”), Theo Bard (“The Gift”), Belle and the Beats (“Qetesh”), Straw (“Perfectly Fine”), Philip la Rosa (“Fable”)

BEST SINGLE (COLLABORATION) – William Shatner, Jeff Cook & Neal McCoy (“Why Not Me”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Diana Rein, The Reverend Shawn Amos, Kathryn Grimm, Susan Santos, Niecie, Vin Mott, Tony Campanella

BEST BLUES BAND – Benny Turner & Cash McCall, Dee Miller Band, Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson, Trevor B. Power Band, Head Honchos, Karen Lawrence and Blue by Nature

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Balsam Range, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, The Cleverlys

BEST COLLABORATION – Al Jourgensen & Beauty in Choas, Americana Kitchen Band, Ali Handal and Debby Holiday

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – Aqualung, The Rembrandts, Cherié Currie & Brie Darling

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – Born to Uke (Various Artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Jimmy Charles, Kamber Cain

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Lowdown Drifters, The Vegabonds, Cliffs and Caves

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – Dree Patterson, Kim Cameron, Blue Angels, Lavender Fields, Daiju, TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Joshua Powell, Chris Peace, David Huckfelt

BEST FOLK BAND –   Bettman & Halpin, Eric Brace Peter Cooper & Thomm Jutz, Cold Weather Company, The Empty Pockets, The Well Pennies

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST –Ronny Morris, Kinney Starr, Marcus Haran, Will Jacobs

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND –Belle and the Beats, Straw, The Black Fever, Iridea, The Fisherman & The Sea

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Tommy Emmanuel & John Knowles, Hugh Marsh

BEST JAZZ ARTIST/BAND – The Odd Dogs, The Charlie Wooton Project

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Orkesta Mendoza, Constanza Herrero

BEST POP ARTIST – Eden Espinosa, Sydney Wright, Derek Smallman, PAehNE, Sarra

BEST POP BAND – We Three, Royal Canoe, Bahuki

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Curtis Peoples, Car Astor, Tony Lucca, Jordan Siwek

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Taco Mouth

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST/BAND –Waxcat, Billy Price

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Illiterate Light, Neverwonder

BEST ROCK ARTIST/BAND –Beauty in Chaos, After-Death Plan, Odds Lane, Cherié Currie & Brie Darling

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Billy Craig, Chris Koza, Ted Russell Kamp, Alice Wallace, Jason Robert

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Jeffrey Halford & the Healers, Harrison Country, Jason Robert Band

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Ariel Gold, Melissa Phillips, Fred Hostetler

RISING STAR –Katile, Rachel Ariana, Amy Wilcox, Chelsea Williams

FAN FAVORITE – Your choice goes here

Categories
Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival LA Music Critic Awards Reviews See it or Skip it Women in Entertainment

HFF19 day 5 – see it or skip it

No fringing tonight – it’s our Third Annual LA Music Critic Award Winners Showcase, honoring Women in Entertainment.  Doors at The Mint open at 6 p.m. and the show kicks off at 6:30, with Emily Zuzik, Dree Mon, Jordan Siwek, Constanza Herrero, Brigitte Rios Purdy, Amilia K. Spicer, Manda Mosher and The Spider Accomplice set to perform.  We will also be honoring Fanny Walked the Earth with our 2019 Icon Award.  Tickets are available at the door for $13, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Please join us.  In the meantime, here are our reviews from Monday night.

TITLE OF SHOW:  All our Pretty Songs

VENUE:  Asylum Studio C

REVIEW:  This show should be required viewing for all millennials and others seeking guidance on whether to follow their dream or settle for the security of a real job.  The staging of the show was brilliant.  Hats off to playwright John Brahan, who also performed on the drums, director Dan Schultz, who likewise took the role of the artist seeking his dream, and Shanlie Phillips as the semi-spoiled but gifted daughter of music industry parents.  To sound like an artist who doesn’t have any talent takes a lot of skill, and Schultz pulled it off.  But this wasn’t supposed to be a true display of their musical talents, rather a biting look at coming of age, and in that they succeeded.

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is definitely worth checking out.  Remaining performances are June 22 at 10 p.m. and June 29 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Raised by Wolves

VENUE:  Stephanie Fuery Studio Theatre

REVIEW:  Once again a brave solo artist has given us an absolute gem that is easily one of the best, if not the best, show at HFF19.  All the way from Canada comes the compelling and emotionally draining story of Marla Black, and I was proud to be crying by the end of the show.  I learned so much about the pack structure of wolves and sled dogs, and how it applies to every day living.  This was a Ted Talk/Seminar disguised as a Fringe show, and would be a bargain at ten times the price.  Don’t miss this priceless and thought-provoking show.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  The only remaining performance is June 22 at 5:30 p.m., so get your tickets before it sells out.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Hollywood Fringe Festival indie music LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2019: vol. 14

What a crazy conclusion to this year’s March Madness – I never would have picked Virginia and Texas Tech as the two best in the country who will fight tonight for the National Championship.  At least baseball is more predictable, and my Brewers continue to dominate the division before heading out to the west coast to play the Angels and Dodgers.

Speaking of the west coast, we are making our final preparations for our trip to California at the end of April for the 10th annual Hollywood Fringe Festival.  We have an AirBnB in central Hollywood near Theatre Row, and can hardly wait to begin rehearsals for my solo show, Livin’ the Dream (a journalistic journey), which opens with a preview show on June 7 at studio/stage in Hollywood.  We have launched a GoFundMe page, and have begun to receive donations and could really use your help.  Please give if you can or at least share our need with your friends and family.

We are also making final preparations for the third annual LA Music Critic Award Winners Showcase on June 18 at the Mint LA, which will honor Women in Entertainment.  Our lineup for the night includes Emily Zuzik, Dree Mon, Constanza Herrero, Amilia K. Spicer, The HawtThorns, Brigitte Rios Purdy, Fanny Walked the Earth, Manda Mosher, The Spider Accomplice and Lawrence Lebo, with a very special appearance by Jordan Siwek.  Tickets are $10 in advance through PayPal and $13 at the door if there is space available.  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Please buy your tickets now and help us support women and Sweet Relief.

NEW SINGLES

Our first single this week comes from Ugandan Suzan Mutesi, and we love the rhythm  and vibe of this cool song, and definitely agree, “This Feeling is Mutual.”

Our world-wide tour next takes us to Greece for the sweet and soulful sound of Eleni Drake and her song, “4.”  We think it’s definitely a “10.”

We return to Dallas, Texas for the debut single of the amazing Sydney Cope, who has a sound somewhere between Justin Timberlake and Ariana Grande.  We think she hits the nail on the head with this one, appropriately titled “Watch Out for Me.”

From the USA to the UK we travel for our fourth single from a singer-songwriter who mixes folk, pop, reggae and more into her amazing style.  Lucy Gallant has it all in her song “Not Normal,” and we simply love her style.

We close out our Women in Entertainment themed New Singles section with another debut single, this time from Cincinatti-based singer songwriter Shannon Garcia, who teams up with Josiah Wolf of Why? for “Spooky Action at a Distance.”  We would rather keep this one close to our heart.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first music video continues our world-wide tour as it was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.  Check out this beautiful lyric video by Saul City for their song “Let Go.”

Next up is a band that reminds us of the sweet Americana sound of Suzanne Santo and honeyhoney.  We are pleased to introduce you to Boston-based Honeysuckle and their song, “Old Firestarter,” with its simple videography that so beautiful tells the story of the song.

Huge props to our next artist, Savannah Pope, for her ingenious portrayal of her song, “Rock n’ Roll No More.”  She truly brings the rock on this one, so we have to respectfully disagree that “nobody loves rock n’ roll no more.”  She definitely takes us to church on this one.

We introduced you to the song “Closer” by DAYLA in our Ten Great Singles of March article.  We are so glad to now share the stunning video of the same song, and think that you will fall in love with this amazing artist, just like we have.

We close out this week’s Monday Mashup with Dutch pop star Maya Lavelle‘s intriguing video for her song, “Dancing with a Bottle.”  We introduced her to you back in February.  She uses text messages to convey the lyrics for the video, which was shot in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and makes us want to hang out with her.  Let us know what you think.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of LA Music Critic Award winners for second half of 2018

What a year this has been.  We have been overwhelmed with the quality of music created by indie artists in 2018, and by the public support of their craft.  This cycle of nominations has generated 745 comments and 5,366 views from 63 countries, 23 of which generated at least 10 views each.  In addition, our blog has been viewed a total of 8,826 times since the nominations were announced on December 7.  We are so proud of each and every artist and their fans and thank you sincerely for this accomplishment.

The winner of the Icon Award will be announced at the Winners Showcase on June 18, 2019 at The Mint in Los Angeles.  Please save the date and come out to see the winners perform.

Without further delay, here are the winners for the second half of 2018:

BEST EP (Male) – Zach Callison (A Picture Perfect Hollywood Heartbreak)

BEST EP (Female) – Lauren Jaimes (Here to Stay)

BEST EP (Group) – Shelby Texas (We are Shelby, Texas)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Paolo Preite (An Eye on the World)

BEST EP (International Group) – The Fisherman & The Sea (I Can’t Alone)

BEST CD (Male) – Hadden Sayers (Dopamine Machine)

BEST CD (Female) – Brigitte Rios Purdy (Still I Rise)

BEST CD (Group) – Birds and Arrows (Arbitrary Magic)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Kate Reid (The Heart Already Knows)

BEST CD (International Group) – Crack of Dawn (self-titled)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Everlast (“Don’t Complain”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Dree Mon (“Dance Like I Want To”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Fanny Walked the Earth (“When we Need Her”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Kim Kline (“Stand Tall”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – The Spider Accomplice (“Epilogue”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – CALICO the Band (“California Dreaming”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Seawaves & Jerad Finck (New Kids)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Ziggy Alberts (“Stronger”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Curtis Peoples (“Castaways”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Kris Angeles (“Stained Glass”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – Honey River (“Peace, Love”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Vanessa Zamora (“Malas Amistades”)

BEST SINGLE (HOLIDAY) – Mustangs of the West (“Everybody Wants Peace on Earth”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Brigitte Rios Purdy

BEST BLUES BAND – Michelle D’Amour and the Love Dealers

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST – Lawrence Lebo

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) BAND – Julianne Q and the Howl

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Tellico

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM – Ruth and Emilia (The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard)

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – The Textones

BEST COMEDY ALBUM – Brad Wenzel (Sweet Nothings)

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – A Blue Élan Christmas (various Blue Élan Records artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Hilary Scott

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Lauren Balthrop

BEST FOLK BAND –   The Skiffle Players

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Rebel Rampage

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – Everlast

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers (All I Got for Christmas is the Blues)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Abby Zotz

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Norway Reloaded

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Andrew Abaria

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Slim Gambill

BEST JAZZ BAND – CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Constanza Herrero

BEST LIVE ALBUM – Shari Puorto (Live at Bogie’s)

BEST POP ARTIST – Jordan Siwek

BEST POP BAND – My Brothers and I

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – KT Tunstall

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Taco Mouth

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Candace Devine

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Diane Durrett & Soul Suga

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST – Trevor James

BEST ALT ROCK BAND – The Upstart Crows

BEST ROCK ARTIST – K. Michelle DuBois

BEST ROCK BAND – The Guess Who

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Sean Paul

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Jeffrey Foucault

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – No Dry County

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Gaelynn Lea

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Moonshine Saints

MOST UNIQUE ARTIST/BAND – Grave Danger

RISING STAR – Sofia Evangelina

FAN FAVORITE – Once again, the fans have spoken, and 25 artists were nominated for this award.  YYNOT was the early favorite, with Reloaded Norway, Paper Gliders, Jordan Siwek and Mindi Abair close behind.  All of a sudden a dark horse appeared in the final week that changed everything.  When the dust had settled, LAUREN JAIMES overtook YYNOT by a score of 184 votes to 170 votes.  Jordan Siwek took third place with 140 votes.  Reloaded Norway (64 votes) and Mindi Abair ( 42 votes) rounded out the top five.  Congratulations to you all.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of nominations for LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018 (updated)

It’s finally here.  We are so proud to announce this amazing list of nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018.  We culled through 461 CDs and EPs from around the globe, and an equal number of singles and music videos to create what we believe is one of the most diverse group of musicians in the world.

The committee votes on all nominations except the Fan Favorite, where you the reader get to choose your favorite performer.  In order to vote, you must leave a comment below.  Votes left on social media do not count.  The deadline for voting is December 28, and the winners of the awards will be announced on January 4, 2019.  Please remember that you cannot nominate an artist who has already won this award.

Without further adieu, here are the nominations:

BEST EP (Male) – Wolfe Jackson (Nobody Knows Me (Better Than You)); Trevor Douglas (Four in the Morning), Zach Callison (A Picture Perfect Hollywood Heartbreak), Ben de la Cour (The High Cost of Living Strange), Alex Riddle (Snow White)

BEST EP (Female) – Frankie Simone (Love Warrior); Mariel Austin (Runner in the Rain); Lauren Jaimes (Here to Stay), Leslie Nuss (The Album V)

BEST EP (Group) – Shelby Texas (We are Shelby, Texas); Small Million (Young Fools); Paper Gliders (Trials), Heartspank (II), PublicArt (Modernika), Neverwonder (self-titled)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Paolo Preite (An Eye on the World); Jon Mullane (Singles); Valerio Lysander (We are Like Colored Moths Towards the Sunlight); Matty T Wall (Sidewinder); Abby Zotz (Local Honey)

BEST EP (International Group) – Delta Will (Multitudes I); The Fisherman & The Sea (I Can’t Alone); CAP ON. (Be Better Than Jeff), thisquietarmy (The Body and the Earth), The Spanish Flies (Good Things Come to Those Who Wait)

BEST CD (Male) – Slim Gambill (Fake Jazz); Doran Danoff (King of Crown City); Ken Sharp (Beauty in the Backseat); Jeffrey Foucault (War on the Radio); Jordan Siwek (Sun Inside You); Hadden Sayers (Dopamine Machine)

BEST CD (Female) – Deb Ryder (Enjoy the Ride); Rachel Sage (Myopia); Tammie Shannon (All of Me); Bridget Rios Purdy (Still I Rise); Gina Sicilia (Heard the Lie); K. Michelle Dubois (Autumn)

BEST CD (Group) – The Furious Seasons (Now Residing Abroad); Broken Bellows (I, Kaleidoscope); Post Season (self-titled); Birds and Arrows (Arbitrary Magic); The Dream Logic (Liquid Sunshine)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Leeroy (Burn to Ashes), Dustin Tebbutt (Chasing Gold), Kate Reid (The Heart Already Knows), Hollie Haines (Letters to my Last Love), Zsuzsika (Start Again)

BEST CD (International Group) – Hymn for Her (Pop-n-Downers); VNV Nation (Noire); Neville & Sugary Staple (Rude Rebels); Crack of Dawn (self-titled); Norway Reloaded (My Longest Mile)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Michael Peterson (“From Here to Eternity”), Colin Devlin (“High Point”), Kramies (“The Hill Dweller”), Everlast (“Don’t Complain”), Van Bobbi (“Kickdrum Heartbeat”), **Jason Robert/Stone Stanley (“Mr. Bell”)** Inadvertently left off list

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Alana Sweetwater (“Gotta Get Up”), Nuela Charles (“Danger”), Lauren Duski (“Costume Party”), Tiffany Young (“Teach You”), Dree Mon (“Dance Like I Want To”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Satellite Citi (“Collide”), Fanny Walked the Earth (“When we Need Her”), The Guess Who (“Playin on the Radio”), Honey River (“Peace, Love”), Roan Yellowthorn (“Talk About It”), JP Soars (“Southbound I-95”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Lora Kelley (“Good Men Don’t Hurt You”), Kim Kline (“Stand Tall”), No Small Children (“I’m so Concerned”), Sofia Evangelina (“This is Your Song”), Aijia (“For You”), Various Artists (“Let’s Rise”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Smoke Season (“Sweetest Thing”), Stephen Michael Murphy (“Why”), Post Season (“Numb to This”), Rachel Eckroth (“Call my Name”), Greg Laswell (“Royal Empress”), The Spider Accomplice (“Epilogue”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – CALICO the Band (“California Dreaming”), Rachel Eckroth (“Love is Lost”), PaperDolls (“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Janiva Magness & Bryan Stephens (“Love is an Army”), Seawaves & Jerad Finck (“New Kids”), Free Love & Suzanne Roden (“Pushing Too Hard”/”July”), Defanico & Avanti (“You Make me Feel”), Cindy Alexander & Rusty Young (“My Favorite Artist”)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Constanza Herrero (“Packing Up”), Chesca (“Azucar”), Ziggy Alberts (“Stronger”), The Trouble Notes (“Grand Masquerade”), Peakes (“Still Life”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Rod Melancon (“Westgate”), Mike Edell (“Grow with You”), CJ Harper (“When we Rise”), Curtis Peoples (“Castaways”), Thomas Graff (“Make it Easy”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Amy Wilcox (“Bandwagon”), Chelsea Gill (“Ray-Bans”), Alexis Keegan (“Gospel”), Kris Angeles (“Stained Glass”), Christine Parker (“Where You Are”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – SIGNY (“Water”), Honey River (“Peace, Love”), Only Bridges (“Ordinary”), Mustangs of the West (“T-Shirt from California”), The Textones (“20 Miles From Wrong”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Vanessa Zamora (“Malas Amistades”), Liron (“Pina Colada”), Maya Payne (“Jungle”), Greta Jaime (“Computer Games”), Carlo & the Montes (“Nobody’s Fool”)

BEST SINGLE (HOLIDAY) – PaperDolls (“God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen”), Tiffany Young (“Peppermint”), Jack Tempchin (“Jesus and Mohammed”), Mustangs of the West (“Everybody Wants Peace on Earth”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Gina Sicilia, Brigette Rios Purdy, Hadden Sayers, Katie Knipp, Kirk Fletcher

BEST BLUES BAND – Detroit Rebellion, Black Cat Road, Michelle D’Amour and the Love Dealers, Keith Stone and Red Gravy, JP Soars

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST – Tammie Shannon, Tom Hambridge, Wily Bo Walker, Lawrence Lebo, Deb Ryder, Jonathon Long

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) BAND – Peter V Blues Train, Delta Moon, Karen Lawrence and Blue by Nature, Matheus Matthews, Julianne Q and the Howl

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Roland White, Tellico

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM – Ruth and Emilia (The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard)

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – Mustangs of the West, The Textones, Frank Bey, Buddy Guy

BEST COMEDY ALBUM – Brad Wenzel (Sweet Nothings)

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – Come See About Me (IBMA Trust Fund), A Blue Élan Christmas (various Blue Élan Records artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Dennis Duff, Hilary Scott, Corinne Cook, Stephanie Urbina Jones, Lauren Jaimes

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis, The Bob Peek Thing, Shelby Texas

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – Sterling Infinity, Risky Motion, Andrew Bayer, United Ghosts, Lavender Fields, TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Paul Givant, Lauren Balthrop, Wolfe Jackson, Jason Erie, Ben Bostick

BEST FOLK BAND –   The Furious Seasons, The Skiffle Players, Max Caddy, New London Fire, Lay Low Moon

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Rebel Rampage, YYNOT, Code Red Riot, Cosmogyral, Lana Blac

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – Everlast

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – The Humming Bards (Holy Common Grounds); Redhead Express/PaperDolls (Christmastime); Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers (All I Got for Christmas is the Blues); Paul Cardall (Christmas)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Solomon Grey, Dave Wells, Jon Mullane, Abby Zotz, Mac Murray

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Monsta X, Ace of Wands, Koenix, Crack of Dawn, Norway Reloaded

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Andrew Abaria, Rob McAllister/Music Within, Daniel Aged, Lucky 757, Tauk

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Mariel Austin, Walt Weiskopf, Calvin Arsenia, Slim Gambill, Leo James Conroy

BEST JAZZ BAND – CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion, Strunz & Farah, Frank Gambale Soulmine, S U M, Mark Winkler and Cheryl Bentyne

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Lauren Henderson, De’Anza, The Chamanas. Constanza Herrero

BEST LIVE ALBUM – Shari Puorto (Live at Bogie’s), Sonia Leigh (Live in London), John McLaughlin & Jimmy Herring (Live in San Francisco), Jocelyn Michelle (Live at Viva Cantina), Karen Lawrence & Blue by Nature (Best of Live)

BEST POP ARTIST – Greg Laswell, Rachel Sage, Trevor Douglas, Ken Sharp, Jordan Siwek

BEST POP BAND – Small Million, Broken Bellows, My Brothers and I, Baby Jay, Roan Yellowthorn

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes, The Persian Leaps, Coyote Choir, Teddy and the Love Gang, KT Tunstall

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Subterfuge, Castle Black, A Very Special Episode, Taco Mouth, Post Season

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Sara Marie Barron, Candace Devine, Dave Keller, Nuela Charles, Doran Danoff

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Down North, DaM-FunK, The Dream Logic, Diane Durrett & Soul Suga

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST – Kayla Starr, Trevor James, Ruby Rose Fox, Scott Shifflett, Polly Panic

BEST ALT ROCK BAND – Ascent, Farewood, Static and Surrender, Birds and Arrows, The Upstart Crows

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Guilande, Eric McFadden, K. Michelle DuBois

BEST ROCK BAND – Fellow Robot, Tokyo Police Club, Animal Waves, The Guess Who, Band of Silver

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Phony Ppl, Sean Paul, Megative

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Ian Crawford, Roger Len Smith, Lora Kelley, Andy Sydow, Jeffrey Foucault

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – mmhmm, No Dry County, Mapache, The Textones, Lil’ Red & The Rooster

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Cynthia Brando, Peggy James, Kris Angelis, Gaelynn Lea, Dave Tamkin, Paul McDonald

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Sunshine Riot, Moonshine Saints

MOST UNIQUE ARTIST/BAND – Grave Danger, Bella Bartok

RISING STAR – Shaunt Avakian, Hayley Lynn, Sofia Evangelina, CH3LS, Sarra, Bella Rios

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Monique Angele, Alright Alright, Music Within, Velvet Flare, Leo James Conroy

Happy hump day!  We’re working hard on reviews, with nearly 50 left to write by the end of the month before choosing the nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards.  This cycle is going to be extremely difficult, with nearly 500 submissions, but we think  you’ll be pleased with the nominations, which will be announced on December 7.  In the meantime, check out these five artists.

Artist Name:  Monique Angele

Album Name:  Alive

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Pink Coloured Sky; 2.  Our Paradise; 3.  Forever Strong; 4.  Rare Girl; 5.  Hold On; 6.  I Want A World

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:  Monique Angele is a Canadian artist now residing in Australia, who possesses a voice and style that is somewhere between Adele and Sarah MacLachlan.  Her voice soars to new heights on top of the majestic music that forms the melody.  Her song “Our Paradise” was inspired by the beauty of her new home.  Her voice could easily represent the next animated Disney heroine while her songwriting should be included in a myriad of placement opportunities.  Angele’s sound brings pop music to a higher plain, taking it from Broadway to the top of the Billboard charts.  There is great depth in her lyrics and a classical style to her music, with amazing piano solos that perfectly support these songs.  If you want your spirit to be lifted higher, then put this one on repeat.

Recommendation:  If you want  to be uplifted and inspired, then run out and Get this one.

Artist Name:  Alright Alright

Album Name:  Surrender

Label:  Hive-Mind Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Omie Wise; 2.  Area 51 Revisited; 3.  Supernatural; 4.  Battle it Out; 5.  Fell off the Face of the Earth

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Alright Alright is a quintet with an amazing chemistry that combines Indie Rock along with elements of Americana and alt country to create a fun power-pop mix that will take the listener to a fun and exciting place that gets your toes tapping and your spirit lifted, especially the irrelevant “Area 51 Revisited” and the sweet horns of “Battle it Out.”  They incorporate their love of B-movies into the songs, creating a fun soundtrack for your silent movie night.  This is the perfect album for nerds of all ages.

Recommendation:  If you are a proud nerd, then this is the one for you – add it to your collection today.

Artist Name:  Music Within

Album Name:  Finding Stillness

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Ambient Instrumental

Track Listing:  1.  Dream State; 2.  Finding Stillness; 3.  REM; 4.  By the Sea; 5.  Weightless; 6.  Goddess of the Sea; 7.  Quiet Mind; 8.  Daydreams; 9.  Alpha Waves; 10.  Light Years; 11.  Worlds Apart; 12.  Floating; 13.  Restore; 14.  Calm Surrender; 15.  Look Within; 16.  REM (Soft Mix); 17.  Daydreams (Soft Mix); 18.  Worlds Apart (Soft Mix); 19.  Goddess of the Sea (Soft Mix); 20.  Quiet Mind (Soft Mix); 21.  Finding Stillness (Solo Piano); 22.  Weightless (Solo Piano); 23.  Alpha Waves (Solo Piano); 24.  Floating (Solo Piano)

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Rob McAllister aka Music Within has created an incredibly smooth soundtrack for day to day living.  The music truly soothes the soul as the ambiance and instrumentation wash away all of the listeners worries and cares.  It provides a welcome respite from the daily turmoils and puts the listener in the proper frame of mind to live their life.  This album has great commercial appeal and would make excellent placement choices for every type of media.  This one is going on repeat.

Recommendation:  If you need to relax, this is the album for you.  Get it now.

Artist Name:  Velvet Flare

Album Name:  Despair and Desire

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  My Femme Fatale; 2.  Ms Fox; 3.  Nothing Left to Hide; 4.  Don’t go Now; 5.  This Life & Time; 6.  How Could I; 7.  Sunbeam; 8.  The End of Us

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:  Velvet Flare is another incredible Aussie band that pulls its inspiration from a myriad of subjects, including 40s film noir, global warming and bad relationships, with cutting-edge humor and lyrical content, all set to a throbbing indie rock beat, complete with screaming guitars and harmonious vocals.  The music has a 60s/70s British Invasion feel and is fun to listen to.  The music is radio friendly and should do well on college radio, especially “This Life & Time” and “How Could I.”

Recommendation:  Give this one a spin!

Artist Name:  Leo James Conroy

Album Name:  Plastic Chairs & Cigarette Fumes

Label:  Alternative Fidelity

Genre:  R&B/Soul/Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  Forbidden Fruit; 2.  Plastic Chairs & Cigarette Fumes; 3.  White Noise; 4.  How the Hell; 5.  Leave it all Behind; 6.  Like Ink

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  We featured his first single, “Leave it all Behind,” in our Ten Great Singles of October article, and the remainder of his debut EP is just as great.  From the first wailing notes of “Forbidden Fruit,” Leo James Conroy gives us amazing vocals and well-written lyrics, supported by the perfect mix of jazz/soul and R&B.  This music is perfect for radio and for placement opportunities in television and film.  His music is the perfect cross-over for jazz/blues, soul/R&B, pop and AAA formats.  The title track has that smoky lounge sound that is prevalent in film noir.  It also provides the perfect soundtrack for weekend parties or evening chill time.  Hard to believe that all of this music came out of a time when he was in and out of the hospital for kidney failure.  Conroy should be the poster child for “blue-eyed soul.”

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

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it LA Music Critic Awards Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Sandy Carroll, Farewood, Charlotte and Thieves, Old Vinyl Club, Ruth and Emilia

It’s another beautiful day, and we can see the light at the end of the submissions!  We plan to be finished reviewing all of the requests by the end of the month so we can prepare our nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018, which will be announced on December 7.  Here are five more for your consideration.

Artist Name:  Sandy Carroll

Album Name:  Blues & Angels

Label:  Catfood Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Soak me in the Spirit; 2.  Blues all for Myself (ft Rocky Athas); 3.  Somebody Gotta Dance; 4.  Wrapped in an Angel; 5.  Mama Don’t Like It; 6.  Love is a Wonderful Thing (ft Johnny Rawls); 7.  Slings and Arrows (ft Rocky Athas); 8.  Headin’ Home (ft Bernard Allison); 9.  Road Angels; 10.  Movin’ On; 11.  Mississippi Me

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  Sandy Carroll is fast becoming an icon in the blues world, and her fourth album just adds to her legacy.  Her special guests on this one include Blues Music Award winning vocalist Johnny Rawls, guitarists Rocky Athas and Bernard Allison and Muscle Shoals studio musicians David Hood (bass) and Clayton Ivy (keyboards).  The album was produced by Grammy-winning producer (and Carroll’s husband) Jim Gaines, and features a mixture of blues, jazz and gospel.  Carroll’s soothing voice sits perfectly on the amazing accompaniment, conveying hope in the midst of turmoil.  There isn’t a weak track on the album, so put it on, grab a glass of wine, and just enjoy.

Recommendation:  If you love the blues with a touch of gospel and jazz, then you should definitely add this one to your collection.

Artist Name:  Farewood

Album Name:  Under Burning Sun

Label:  ARClight Records

Genre:  Alt Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Secret Room; 2.  Under Burning Sun; 3.  Ash to Soil; 4.  War; 5.  Highest Garden; 6.  One Step Closer; 7.  Changing Shape; 8.  Back to the Mountain; 9.  Sun Moon Star;  10.  Beyond the Waves; 11.  Haunting Light (bonus track)

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  The hauntingly sweet voice of lead singer and bassist Leah Booker permeates every note on their latest album, delivering the perfect mix of angst and hope.  From the first note of “Secret Room,” this runaway train takes off and barrels through the night, delivering a potent dose of alternative rock, track by track.  These songs are perfectly suited for placement opportunities in commercials, film and television, and are also radio friendly, especially for college radio.  If this is the future of alternative rock, then the industry is in very good hands.

Recommendation:  Drop what you’re doing and Get this one.

Artist Name:  Charlotte & Thieves

Album Name:  It Won’t be Long, We Won’t Belong

Label:  Nordic Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Don’t you Wanna Know my Name; 2.  The Machine; 3.  Younger Boy

Publicist:  Nordic Records

Review:  Once again we get incredible music from the Great North, as Charlotte & Thieves delivers on their debut EP.  The band contains two members from Norway and two from Sweden, and the chemistry in the music is what world peace is made of.  This band knows how to rock and does so in a way that sets the bar high for subsequent bands.  All three songs are amazing and show great promise for the future of this band.  We only wish there was more.  We will wait with baited breath until their next release.

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

Artist Name:  Old Vinyl Club

Album Name:  Homemade Recordings

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie/Alt Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Dutch Beer; 2.  Running Fast; 3.  Something New

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Spanish duo Old Vinyl Club brings some interesting indie/ alternative rock sounds to the mix on their latest self-released project.  “Running Fast” is the best track, but the other two had potential and reveal that the band could develop an even better sound.  They are worthy of your attention.

Recommendation:  Check out this band.  Although not quite ready for prime time, they definitely have potential.

Artist Name:  Ruth and Emilia

Album Name:  The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard

Label:  Baa Baa Farms Records

Genre:  Children’s Pop

Track Listing:  1.  The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard; 2.  Where do I Live?; 3.  We’re Gonna be Legendary; 4.  This is the way it Should Be; 5.  Repair the World; 6.  Everything is Better with Some Bubbles; 7.  I’m Smart on Safety; 8.  Can’t Janet Come and Play?; 9.  Dancing in our pjs; 10.  Just Inside This Classroom; 11.  The Spaceship . . . (reprise)

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Were the material not intended for children, the electric sound and amazing vocals of Emilia Lopez-Yañez and Ruth Weber aka Ruth & Emilia could easily elevate this duo to the top of the charts.  At any rate, they are one of the best children’s bands we have ever heard, and equally as versatile and dynamic as our own local children’s band, the Whizpops.  Their sound is similar to the cast of Glee, while the album tells a great story about aliens and their quest for knowledge about earth and its inhabitants.  “Repair the World” even won the Grand Prize in this year’s John Lennon Songwriting Competition in the Children’s category.  This soundtrack would be perfect for an animated children’s show.  They are most worthy of consideration for a Grammy nomination.

Recommendation:  If you have kids, they will love this one.  Get it for them.

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 40

Happy Monday – tomorrow is Election Day, so please VOTE!  It was a busy weekend, and this month will be even more so as we conclude the reviews for consideration in the Second Half of 2018 LA Music Critic Awards.  The nominations will be announced on December 7, so get ready to vote for your favorite indie performer.  In the meantime, here are this week’s picks for new singles and music videos.

NEW SINGLES

We kick things off this week with a remake of The Guess Who‘s song, “These Eyes.”  Lisa Lambe has recently signed with Blue Élan Records and her first album with them will be released in Spring 2019.  Lambe should be no stranger to you as she was a member of the amazing group Celtic Woman, so sit back and enjoy her interpretation of this classic song.

Our second single is from Sarra, who we introduced to you back in August.  We have huge expectations for this artist, and truly expect her to be on the top of the charts in no time at all.  Here’s her latest single, “Your Name.”

Next up is an LA artist who is also an amazing skater and KJ.  Check out “Crying Wolf” from CH3LS.  We think she’ll make a believer out of you.

Our fourth single is from very successful indie artist Joshua Radin.  Check out his new tune, “Three Little Birds,” his cover of the Bob Marley classic.   This one should get you chill for the new week.

Our final single for this week is another cover, this time “Creep” by the Stone Temple Pilots, as interpreted by LA artist James Bowers.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video this week is from Airpark and is the first single from their forthcoming album.  Check out “Devotion.”

Our next video is about a hot topic that is truly relevant as we head into Election Day – school shootings.  Check out “Let’s Rise,” a song co-written by Glenn Dinofer, Josh Bonilla, Jasmina Daniello, Ben Joseph Vernon and Roman Britton, and beautifully directed by Michelle Esrick.  This one should move you to action. #Enough

Next up is Pleasure Craft, whose “Back in the Game” addresses our overwhelming need to be identified by our clothes.  Let the words of this song sink in.

Our fourth video is from The Holy Knives, who we reviewed last week.  Check out the first video from their new album, “Memory Book.”

Our final video for the week is about another social issue – judging others.  Check out this powerful video from Hugh James, “My Brother’s Shoes.” featuring 3G.  Alan Marino does a stellar job on the video.  Let’s all make a difference.

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Winners of LA Music Critic Awards for first half of 2018 announced

It was another fantastic run, thanks to the amazing indie artists who shared their talents with us, and also their equally amazing fans.  Since the nominations were announced on June 8, we have had more than 9,000 views on our blog, including nearly 5,000 views of the nominations article.  We received almost 800 comments/votes from the fans in 51 different countries.  You also set a new one-day record with 1,928 views on June 23.  Thanks so much for your support.  Here are the winners for the First Half of 2018 (winners are indicated in bold type):

BEST EP (Male) – Michael Malarkey (Captain Solitaire); Kevin Daniel (Myself Through You); Rich Krueger (Life Ain’t That Long); Eric Benoit (Heartrender); Larry Lacerte (Dreaming of the Ways)

BEST EP (Male International) – Tom Richardson (Promise of the Light); Average Dez (Beautiful Life); Purkinje (Voyager); Jeremy Romeo (All You’re Meant to Be); Saux (Right)

BEST EP (Female) – Alezzandra (The Black Rose); Amanda Mair (To the Moon); Kyler England (The Wilderness); Margaret Glaspy (Born Yesterday)

BEST EP (Female International) – Oklou (The Rite of May); Yuki Ame (Anamnesis); Clare Hennessy (April); Violetta Zironi (Half Moon Lane); Elin K (Still Your Desire)

BEST EP (Group) – TIDES (Crossroads); Only Bricks (Foundation); The Spider Accomplice (Los Angeles: The Dichotomy); Tribal Seeds (Roots Party); Wildeor (Wildeor)

BEST EP (Group International) – Calembour (Let the Wind Lead us Home); Ellevator (Ellevator); Mushy Callahan (Revelations); Accent (In This Together); The Dreggs (Seas Embrace); Belle and the Beats (Lose Your Feathers)

BEST CD (Male) – Keith Harkin (In the Round); Rob Bonfiglio (Trouble Again); David Philips (Get Along); Kris Barras (The Divine and Dirty); Frank Hannon (From One Place . . . to Another, Vols 1 & 2); Luke Winslow-King (Blue Mesa)

BEST CD (Male International) – Mr. Pong (Echoes Between a Rock and a Hard Place); Jon Allen (Blue Flame); Endre Nordvik (Suburb Hero); Sule (Hold On); Dom Fricot (Deserts)

BEST CD (Female) – Kari Kimmel (Gold & Glitter); Janiva Magness (Love is an Army); Caitlin Canty (Motel Bouquet); Katie Herzig (Moment of Bliss); Leilani Wolfgramm (Live Wire); Cindy Alexander (Nowhere to Hide)

BEST CD (Female International) – Em Joy (The Feast); Bossie (Not Pictured); Kira May (Sense); Lucy Wise (Winter Sun); Esme Bridie (Today it Rains)

BEST CD (Group) – RVZOO & The Sugar Spun Elephant Band (Guiding Star); Hello Stranger (Long Division); The Nightowls (We are the Nightowls); Floods (Bad Times); The Evening Attraction (The End, Again); Southern Halo (Just Like in the Movies)

BEST CD (Group International) – John Flanagan Trio (Honest Man); Lee Ainley’s Blues Storm (Shoot me Down); Vickers Vimy (Atlas of Hearts); Fifth Dawn (Duality); Dany Franchi Band (Problem Child)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Andy Sydow (“Reasons for Departure”); Sean McMahon (“Show me the Way”); David Garfield (“I Lied”), Keaton Simons (“1 2 3 Go”); Harts (“Ain’t Nothing on Me”); Rob Drabkin (“It’s a Beautiful Day”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – FlecHaus (“Tell me Something”); Hannah Lucia (“Your Love”); Janey Sttreet (“Undone”); Dree Mon (“Rebel Soul”); Kari Kimmel (“High”); Lucy Levinsohn (“Dear God”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – The Zephyr Bones (“Telephone”); The Spider Accomplice (“Swallow”); Halo Circus (“Narcissist”); Fanny Walked the Earth (“Lured”); Floods (“Heavy Hearts”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Alice Wallace (“Elephant”); riVerse (“Giant”), Ashley DeLima (“Stay in America”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Janiva Magness (“Home”); Polly Baker (“Scraped Knees”); Foreign Figures (“Heart of Gold”); Cindy Alexander (“Passenger”); A Big Yes and a small no (“Enough is Enough”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – Frank Hannon (“Blue Sky”); Frank Hannon (“Sunrise in Texas”); Pros & iCons (“I Did Something Bad”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Blue Elan Family (“Shine Down on Us”); Chelsea Williams and Poco (“Rose of Cimarron”)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Black Mamba (“Loop”); Young Galaxy (“Frontier”); DJ Moh Green (“Por Favor”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Keaton Simons (“1 2 3 Go”); Jesse Dayton (“May Have to do it”); Craig Cardiff (“Okay Cupid”); Johnny Stimson (“End of Times”); Jon Allen (“Jonah’s Whale”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Janiva Magness (“Down Below”); Aja Warren (“Show me the Magic”); Kris Angelis (“A Billion Hearts”); Ashley Delima (“Stay in America”); Manda Mosher (“Please Stand By”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – Delsinki (“Wishing Upon a Star”); Crimson Calamity (“Fool’s Gold”); SIGNY (“Human”); Halo Circus (“Narcissist”); Feel Alright (“Cool Water”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Reichelt (“Seduced by the Light Side”); tantamsound (“Blue”); The Dreggs (“Feel Alive”); Belle and the Beats (“Soldiers of the Night”); South Village (“Say it Now”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Janiva Magness, Meg Williams, Victoria Ginty, Peggie Perkins, Luke Winslow-King

BEST BLUES BAND – Ghalia and the Mamas Boys, The Keeshea Pratt Band, Lee Ainley’s Blues Storm, Barrence Whitfield & the Savages,

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST/BAND – Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys, Johnny Tucker, Miss Freddye, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Peter V Blues Train

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Tommy Emmuel, John Flanagan Trio, Becky Buller, Nefesh Mountain, Sideline

BEST CELTIC ARTIST/BAND – Wildeor, Vickers Vimy

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – Rita Coolidge, Michael Peterson, Fanny Walks the Earth

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – Worth of Souls; Transference

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Ruby Boots, McMains, Laura Benitez, Sara Morgan, Kevin Daniel

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Flood County, Steven Casper & Cowboy Angst, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Southern Halo

BEST COVER ALBUM – Mark Erelli (Mixtape), Frank Hannon (From One Place . . . to Another, Vols 1 & 2); Craig Cardiff (Upstream Fishing All the Words, He Is – Birthday Cards for Bob Dylan)

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – Computer Magic, Cultural Critic, Oklou, Saux, Amanda Mair

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Em Joy, Bob Crain, John Hufford, Tom Richardson, Martha Reich

BEST FOLK BAND – The Fisherman & the Sea, The Raven & the Fox, Century Thief, The Dreggs, Mala Ruckus

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Tiavara, 1099, Animal Confession, Ovtlier, Ascending Dawn

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – 070 Shake, Mollys Reech, Camp Hope, Discrepancies

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – mmph, Mr. Pong, Jamison Isaak, Fernando Perdomo, Jay Katana

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Tom Richardson, Clare Hennessy, Dom Fricot, Kira May, Jon Allen

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Black Mamba, John Flanagan Trio, Fifth Dawn, The Dreggs, Belle and the Beats

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Kristina Koller, Shirley Crabbe, Patrick Yandall, John Proulx. Dani Ocean

BEST JAZZ BAND – The Brubeck Brothers Quartet, News from Planet Kniffen, Grand Marquis, Susan Krebs Chamber Band, Roberta Donnay & the Prohibition Mob Band

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Adan Jodorowsky, Dexist, Cheo & Ulises Hadjis

BEST POP ARTIST – Cindy Alexander, Kari Kimmel, Kyler England, Amanda Mair, Michael Malarkey

BEST POP BAND – Thrillchaser, Viv and the Revival, Floods, Only Bricks, For Esme

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – This is Eggland, The Tracys, Typhoid Rosie, Sharp/Shock, Johnny & the Bootlegs

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Marieme, Ann, Jon Allen

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Ghost & the City, TIDES, The Nightowls, Ebb & Flow Band, Into the Ark

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Freevolt, Super Hi-Fi, Tribal Seeds, Leilani Wolfgramm, Sly & Robbie meet Dubmatix

BEST RETRO ARTIST/BAND – The Evening Attraction, The Swinging Laurels

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Malina Moye, Alezzandra, Adrian Underhill, Margaret Glaspy, David Hopkins

BEST ROCK BAND – The Spider Accomplice, Hello Stranger, ROCKET, Fifth Dawn, Black Mamba, Halo Circus

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Alison Ferrier, Caitlin Canty, Jenny Van West, Elise Wunder, Gerry Spehar, McMains

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Acadian Driftwood, Under the Oak, County Well, Bay Station, Porlolo

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Average Dez, Caleb Michael, Katie Vincent, Michael McDermott, Jenny Van West, Mike Vitale

BEST MOVIE SOUNDTRACK COMPOSITION – Christiane Kinney with additional music by Seán Kinney

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Blackwater Lake, James Scott Bullard, David Fitzpatrick, Allman Goldflies Band

RISING STAR – Jamie Geston, Ray Goren, Rachel Arianna

Last, but definitely not least, is the FAN FAVORITE AWARD.  This one is solely nominated and voted on by the fans.  We received 18 nominations this year.  For the first two weeks, it was a neck and neck battle between Ashley DeLima and Peggie Perkins.  Four days before voting ending the fans of KEITH HARKIN woke up and voted relentlessly until the deadline, making him the winner.  Rounding out the top five were (in reverse order):  HELLO STRANGER, RACHEL ARIANNA, PEGGIE PERKINS, and ASHLEY DeLIMA.

Thanks again for your support.  We are already at work on the second half of 2018, and already have more than 100 submissions.  We will return with our reviews next Tuesday.