Happy Thursday. It’s the first day of the 2019 Winter NAMM Show, and we wish the best to all of our friends and colleagues who are enjoying the show in beautiful Anaheim, California. Back here in Montana, we’re heading off for our first volunteer shift for this year’s Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, which opens February 15. Tomorrow we will be reviewing five albums that drop for New Music Friday, including four of our favorite artists – International phenoms The Fisherman & The Sea, as well as American favorites The Well Pennies and LA Music Critic Award nominees The Empty Pockets and Sarra. In the meantime, here are five more reviews to check out.
Artist Name: Orkesta Mendoza
Album Name: La Caminadora
Label: Cosmica
Genre: Latin
Track Listing: 1. La Banda (Llego la Banda) (ft Raul Marqués); 2. La Caminadora (ft Quetzal Guerrero); 3. Luna de Miel; 4. Cuando yo la Conoci (Noche de Luna) (ft Brian López); 5. Sombras; 6. Tanger; 7. Tusk
Publicist: Cosmica Artists & Records
Review: Orkesta Mendoza offers us a rare glimpse of true Latin music. The album was recorded mostly live in studio giving us a raw look at the true nature of the band. It incorporates their take on a variety of Latin songs, as well as a brilliant cover of Fleetwood Mac‘s “Tusk.” They have also brought in some of the most famous Latin singers, including American Quetzal Guerrero, original band member Brian López and Portuguese Fado artist Raul Marqués. The result is an album that delivers and reminds us why we love Latin music.
Recommendation: If you love Latin, you should definitely Get this one. For the rest of the world, we highly recommend you check them out – you just might like them.
Artist Name: Regular of the Obscene
Album Name: Tempora
Label: Self-released
Genre: Ska Punk
Track Listing: 1. Tempora; 2. Light; 3. This Ain’t a Test; 4. Population Control; 5. Are you Listening?; 6. Makes no Sense; 7. Young Rebels
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: Ska/punk music is making a comeback on the indie music scene, led by bands like Reel Big Fish. Add the intriguing sound of Regular of the Obscene to that list of amazing bands. Their latest is a fun, horn-filled sound that is fun and full of energy. After attending an amazing show last Sunday Night with Bikini Trill, MEST and Reel Big Fish, we had forgotten just how much energy this type of music creates, and Regular of the Obscene is just as much fun. This one deserves to be put on repeat. We guarantee it will have you up and jumping around to the beat.
Recommendation: Definitely Get this one.
Artist Name: Beauty in Chaos
Album Name: Finding Beauty in Chaos
Label: 33.3 Music Collective
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. Road to Rosario (ft Michael Aston); 2. Storm (ft Ashton Nyte); 3. Man of Faith (ft Wayne Hussey & Simon Gallup); 4. 20th Century Boy (ft Al Jourgensen); 5. Drifting Away (ft Robin Zander); 6. Memory of Love (ft Johnny Indovina); 7. Look Up (ft Tish Ciravolo); 8. Un-Natural Disaster (ft dUg Pinnick & Ice T); 9. The Long Goodbye (ft Wayne Hussey); 10. Beauty Lies Within (ft Johnny Indovina); 11. Bloodless and Fragile (ft Ashton Nyte); 12. I Will Follow You (ft Evi Vine); 13. Heliotrope (ft Betsy Martin); 14. Finding Beauty in Chaos (ft Ashton Nye)
Publicist: Shameless Promotion
Review: Beauty in Chaos is a collaborative effort led by world-famous guitarist and President of Schecter Guitar Research Michael Ciravolo, with a host of featured artists, including Ciravolo’s wife Tish (Stun Gun), founder of Daisy Rock Guitars, Wayne Hussey (The Mission), Simon Gallup (The Cure), Ashton Nyte (The Awakening, MGT), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Al Jourgensen (Ministry), Pete Parada (The Offspring), dUg Pinnick (Kings X), ICE-T (Body Count), Michael Aston (Gene Loves Jezebel), Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Dirk Doucette (Gene Loves Jezebel), Pando (A Flock of Seagulls), Evi Vine (Evi Vine), Betsy Martin (Caterwaul / Purr Machine), Marc Danzeisen (The Riverdogs), Kevin Kipnis (Purr Machine / Kommunity FK), Rudy Matchinga (Red Scare), and Johnny Indovina (Human Drama). This is indie rock at its finest, with hints of the best classic rock has to offer. There is something for everyone here, and we bet you’ll be putting this one on repeat.
Recommendation: Run out and Get this one. If you’re lucky enough to be at NAMM, stop by the Schecter Guitar booth and tell Michael how much you love this album.
Artist Name: Bahuki
Album Name: Tell it to the Worms
Label: MeMi Music
Genre: Pop
Track Listing: 1. Potion; 2. Claret; 3. Right Now; 4. Lay me Down; 5. Over You; 6. Sun; 7. About Her; 8. Musikmakers; 9. Shore; 10. Shotgun; 11. City Scape; 12. Tell it to the Worms
Publicist: MeMi Music
Review: Bahuki is a breath of fresh air in the sometimes crowded indie pop scene. Their songs are extremely radio friendly and deserve to be heard on your radio dial. They are reminiscent of such groups as Maroon 5 and The Killers and could easily make a mark in both Top 40 and college radio. These songs would also work well as placements in film and television. The album hits the ground running with “Potion” and never lets up. The work of award-winning producer and engineer Manfred Faust (The Killers) is quite evident and further pushes the band into the limelight.
Recommendation: Run and Get this one. Now!
Artist Name: After-Death Plan
Album Name: Psycho Social Sexual
Label: Self-released
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. Psycho Social Sexual; 2. Walking; 3. You Play Adult; 4. Killed in Days; 5. Neil Harvey; 6. Starlight; 7. Digging in the Fire; 8. Mixing Chemicals; 9. Sinner; 10. Emma Nation; 11. In the Garden
Publicist: Zero Promotion
Review: Lizard McGee and his amazing band Earwig have brought us some great music over the years, and McGee has recently launched his own PR company on top of that. He has introduced us to his client, and we are in love at first listen. With lead vocals that remind us of Gwen Stefani, and an overall sound that is more akin to Earwig, After-Death Plan is primed for an all-out assault on the indie music scene. This is music that keeps you interested with the awesome guitar, the driving drums and those amazing vocals, and capped off with extremely well-written and intelligent lyrics that keep you thinking as you listen. They also incorporate a lot of variations into their rock sound, which has also been referred to as “Gothic Rock.” We just call it good.
Recommendation: Definitely Get this one if you like your rock music to have some meat.