Happy June! We’ve been busy preparing for our first LA Music Critic Awards winners showcase in Los Angeles, as well as the Hollywood Fringe Festival, but it’s time to get back to reviewing indie music. We have three diverse efforts this time and we want to know what you think, so just sit back, check them out and let us know your opinions.
Artist Name: Warren Sellers
Album Name: West Coast Southern Boy
Label: Self-released
Genre: Alt Country
Track Listing: 1. Hey Alice (Lose the Clowns); 2. I’ve Seen Enough; 3. Unclaimed Heart; 4. Neil in East Nashville; 5. Audacity to Dream; 6. I’m Fine; 7. Not thru it Yet; 8. Adam; 9. Haymaker; 10. These Hands; 11. Only one Life; 12. Workin’ on the Rest; 13. Forgive
Publicist: None
Review: Warren Sellers is a staff songwriter with Songscape Music in Nashville, and a regular speaker and music critic at the Durango Songwriters Conference. He has written with some of Nashville’s best songwriters, but hasn’t performed a lot of his own material until now, and it was definitely worth the wait. West Coast Southern Boy is an amazing collection of songs that should whet the appetite of every lover of well-written songs. Sellers’ lyrical content is filet mignon in a world of microwave pizza, and his musical accompaniment is perfectly tailored to each song. While the entire album is amazing, several songs stand out that deserve radio airplay and placement in television and film, including “I’ve Seen Enough,” “Neil in East Nashville,” “Audacity to Dream,” “Not Thru it Yet,” “Workin’ on the Rest,” and “Forgive.”
Recommendation: If you like great music with lyrics that mean something, then we highly recommend you Get It. We think Sellers is an amazing songwriter and love this album.
Artist Name: Ed Prosek
Album Name: Flesh and Blood part 1
Label: Self-released
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. Tear it all Down; 2. The Mountain; 3. Flesh & Blood
Publicist: Guerilla Music Promotion
Review: Dark and brooding undertones beneath soul-searching lyrics make this three-song EP stand out from other singer-songwriters. Prosek has a sound that will stick with you long after the final notes and is worthy of further listens. A Californian by birth, he is currently showcasing his material throughout Europe from his relocated home base in Brighton, United Kingdom. This EP was recorded in Berlin, and captures the spirit of current life in Europe. The best cut is “Tear it all Down,” which is also the most popular one on streaming services. We look forward to the release of part 2.
Recommendation: Prosek has created a unique sound that is truly memorable. We recommend that you definitely Get It.
Artist Name: T. E. Yates
Album Name: Silver Coins and White Feathers
Label: Debt Records
Genre: Indie Folk
Track Listing: 1. Media Machine; 2. The Cold Parade; 3. Ladder; 4. April; 5. Burning Bungalow; 6. Fairy Tale; 7. Come and Dance; 8. Farewell Rainy City; 9. I’d say I’m Sorry; 10. Rorschach; 11. Orion’s Belt; 12. Sometimes it’s Hard to be a Man
Publicist: Neon Tetra
Review: Yates is a modern day Woody Guthrie mixed with a little Bob Dylan and a little Tom Petty, creating socially charged commentary with a rockier folk sound. On his debut album, he pulls out all the stops, combining musical styles and covering a plethora of real world problems. His music is even more relevant now since the recent events in his native Manchester. This is an album for those of you that want to share your activism in music, and find solace in the fact that you are not alone. It is an album that requires your full attention, as it is not the type you can casually listen to. Best tracks include “Ladder,” “Fairy Tale,” “Come and Dance,” “Orion’s Belt,” and “Sometime it’s Hard to be a Man.”
Recommendation: If you like popular music with a broad appeal, then this is not the album for you. But if you like music that makes you think and doesn’t sugarcoat the world we live in, then you might want to Get it.