Welcome to our special Saturday edition of Get it or Forget it. Due to the overwhelming number of submissions we have had for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018, we will be adding a Saturday edition for the remainder of the month in order to get all of the nearly 500 submissions reviewed before the deadline. Unfortunately, we are still getting submissions daily, so those not already on the schedule will have to wait until after this cycle to be reviewed, but will be considered for the first half of 2019 awards period. With that in mind, check out these five artists.
Artist Name: Van Alden
Album Name: Van Alden
Label: Dramakaze Records
Genre: Pop-noir
Track Listing: 1. Otherside; 2. Boheme; 3. Never Die; 4. Sinners; 5. An(otherside)
Publicist: Effective Immediately Public Relations
Review: Paul Abrahamian aka Van Alden is best known for his two seasons on the CBS reality show Big Brother, but with the release of his self-titled EP, he has made the transition to becoming known for his music as well. His fare is not your typical singer-songwriter variety, but a deeper, darker pop-noir sound more reminiscent of The Fray than Ed Sheeran. Each song is well crafted, marrying the best lyrics with the perfect musical accompaniment to create songs that are not only radio friendly, but perfect for placements in film and television, especially “Boheme,” “Never Die,” and “Sinners.”
Recommendation: Go Get this one!
Artist Name: Kooma
Album Name: Trigger
Label: Self-released
Genre: Hip-Hop/Indie
Track Listing: 1. Petals; 2. Trigger (ft To NY & Veela); 3. Bear Trap; 4. Breathe (Interlude); 5. Matches; 6. Imok (Tomorrow is a Better Day); 7. Eyes Wide Open
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: Finnish producer/songwriter Petri Hautala has released his debut EP as Kooma, and recruited Canadian vocalist Veela, American rapper To NY, Finnish beatmaker Avy, German songsmith Chris Pondland and Finnish vocalist Ilona Savolainen to create this magical sound. Each song has something unique to offer, and should appeal to more than just the typical hip-hop crowd. If you like indie music in general, you will probably like this one, so check it out, especially the upbeat tune, “Imok.”
Recommendation: This one is different enough that it deserves a place in your musical library.
Artist Name: An Autumn for Crippled Children
Album Name: The Light of September
Label: Consouling Sounds
Genre: Shoegaze/Black Metal
Track Listing: 1. The Light of September; 2. New Hope; 3. Hiding in the Dark; 4. Lovelorn; 5. Fragility; 6. The Silence Inside; 7. A New Day has Come; 8. Still Dreaming; 9. The Golden Years
Publicist: Viral Propaganda PR
Review: Musically, this band takes a shoegaze approach to black metal, but the screamo vocals are mostly unintelligible and add nothing to the songs. It almost seems like they were added to the music as an afterthought, and are the most forgettable part of their sound. These songs are perfect without the vocals, and the band should consider doing an instrumental version, which would make the music suitable for placement opportunities in television, film and commercial applications.
Recommendation: If you can get past the vocals, the music is wonderful, but with them, it might be best to forget this one.
Artist Name: Historian
Album Name: Distant Wells
Label: Self-released
Genre: Indie/Space Rock
Track Listing: 1. Everything; 2. I’ve Been Here; 3. Giving it Up; 4. Empty Tunnel; 5. Away; 6. Spiral Stairs; 7. Distant Wells; 8. Familiar Bell; 9. Crept In; 10. Not Alarmed
Publicist: Working Brilliantly
Review: We reviewed their previous album Expanse last December, and stand by our initial impressions. This is a band that continues to grow and evolve, becoming a leader in the indie rock movement in Los Angeles and the world in general. This is music that chills, relaxing body and mind with its sweeping instrumentation and down-to-earth lyrical content. The vocals are not always perfect, but they convey the mood, and mesh well with the down-to-earth lyrical content.
Recommendation: Add this one to their previous release in your “chill time” collection.
Artist Name: Kiyomi Hawley
Album Name: Meet me There
Label: Self-released
Genre: Pop
Track Listing: 1. Miss you Love You; 2. Wedding Song; 3. Meet you There; 4. Shine; 5. Little Angel
Publicist: EMPKT PR
Review: We included the first single, “Miss You Love You,” in our Ten Great Singles of August article, and are happy to be able to review the entire EP this time around. Her sound is light and airy, and radio friendly. The musical accompaniment is majestic and grand and perfectly supports her amazing vocals. The lyrics are well crafted, resulting in music that is instantly memorable. These songs would also fit nicely in musical theater.
Recommendation: Add this one if you love beautiful music that soothes and relaxes the soul.