Tag: Breaking Grass

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Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2017 Women in Entertainment

Best indie albums of 2017

Here’s our list of the best indie albums of 2017.  Some of them were nominated and/or won LA Music Critic Awards during the first half of 2017, and most of the rest will be included when the nominations for the second half of 2017 are announced on January 17.  Consider this your “sneak peak” of those nominations.  Every album on this list has been reviewed in the “Get it or Forget it” column of our Blog.  How many of them do you have?

Honorable Mention:  Even though we have selected 25 albums for our list, there were a few that didn’t make the list, but deserve mention, including Ride by Marc Berger, Find the Silver Lining by Kelly Fitzgerald, Little Folks Like You and Me by Mike Younger, Small World by Monica Chapman and Honestly by Jay Asher.  Definitely check out these albums.

25.  The East Pointers, What we Leave Behind – This award-winning Canadian band has what they need to break into the American music scene.

24.  Becca Richardson, We are Gathered Here – Check her out at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on January 20.

23.  Harper Grae, Break Your Crowns – Definitely check out this rising star from Nashville.

22.  Rusty Young, Waitin’ for the Sun – Young was the former lead singer for Poco, and the band has reunited to support his solo artist.  This is his first solo effort for Blue Élan Records.

21.  The Show Ponies, How it all Goes Down – The band recently announced they would be disbanding and this album was their final one.  They were an LA Music Critic Award winner during the first half of 2017.

20.  Elizabeth and the Catapult, Keepsake – Check her out when she performs at Sundance this year.

19.  Great Willow, Find Yourself in Los Angeles – This band is becoming a player on the Americana circuit.  Check them out live if you live near there.

18.  Bryan Stephens, Village of Dreams – Another great Blue Élan Records artist.

17.  Jeffrey Halford & the Healers, Lo-Fi Dreams – Another LA Music Critic Award multiple nominee from the first half of 2017.

16.  Ray Goren, Me – This past LA Music Critic Award winner has a great future ahead.

15.  Marina V, Born to the Stars – This Russian-born singer-songwriter is one of a kind.  Welcome back to the charts.  More than 65,000 worldwide fans can’t be wrong.

14.  Chris Daniels and the Kings, Blues with Horns – This indie artist has had a storied career and his latest is one of his best.

13.  Chelsea Williams, Boomerang – Another premier act from Blue Élan Records, she will also be performing at Sundance.

12.  Jangling Sparrows, 140 Nickels – Watch for these guys near the top of the Americana music scene.

11.  Andrea Harsell and Luna Roya, Something for the Pain – This band is a Missoula, Montana staple that is definitely going places.

10.  Halladay Quist, self-titled – Another Montana artist with a family legacy of musical excellence.

9.  Gina Sicilia, Tug of War – Another Blue Élan Records artist who is at the top of her game.  Multiple LA Music Critic Award winner.  Watch for her 8th album coming soon.

8.  Amilia K. Spicer, Wow and Flutter – Another past LA Music Critic winner, this is one of the best Americana albums released in quite a while.

7.  Seasonal Beast – Muscle Memory – One of our best “finds” this year, watch for great things from this New York duo.

6.  Breaking Grass, Warning Signs – Another multiple LA Music Critic Award winner, this band is redefining bluegrass music.

5.  Wendy Sweetlove, Dirty Sunday – She was nominated for several LA Music Critic awards right out of the gate,  She is definitely an artist worth checking out.

4.  Janey Street, In my Own Skin – Reigning LA Music Critic Icon Award winner, she is another of the special breed of artists signed to Blue Élan Records.

3.  Rod Melancon, Southern Gothic – Multiple LA Music Critic Award winner, he is the last of these artists signed to Blue Élan Records.  He is currently touring Sweden.

2.  Katie Costello, Twice the Love – This artist has consistently produced award winning albums.  She also had one of the Best EPs of 2017.

1.  FreeWorld, What it is – The pride of Memphis, this band is redefining American Blues.  Check them out the next time you’re in Memphis.

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

Get it or forget it – Carrie Lane, Echo Underground, Breaking Grass

We discovered a few more June releases that were submitted recently, so we thought we’d get them reviewed before we announced the LA Music Critic Award nominations for the first half of 2017 on Tuesday.  We think you’ll like this eclectic group of indie musicians.

Artist Name:  Carrie Lane

Album Name:  California Freaks

Label:  FACTION Entertainment

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Florida Keys; 2.  Drowning; 3.  If I Can’t be with You; 4.  Think About It 

Publicist:  Total Assault

Review:  We discovered Carrie Lane when she was featured by Balcony TV, and we instantly took a liking to this young indie artist.  Now that her latest EP has been released, we have even more to love.  She has a sweet sound and a voice that rises above the music to connect with our auditory senses.  The four-song EP is simply too short, and we can’t wait until she releases a full length album.  This is the kind of music that deserves to be on the radio instead of the usual drivel.  Her songs are thoughtful while at the same time fun to listen and dance to.  We think that she’s gonna be on the music scene for quite a while.  Our favorite track is the one we heard on Balcony TV, “If I Can’t be with You.”

Recommendation:  We highly recommend you grab this one while you still can.  Stream it on Spotify and then purchase it from iTunes.

Artist Name:  Echo Underground

Album Name:  Vows

Label:  Self released

Genre:  Indie Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Have a Little Faith in Love; 2.  Let it Linger; 3.  Fell for You; 4.  Vows; 5.  Find you Again 

Publicist:  None

Review:  Echo Underground is a side project of one of LA’s best rock bands, Sleep Machine.  Composed of vocalist Alisha Zalkin and guitarist/bassist Dan Kalisher, the project is named after Kalisher’s recording studio.  The EP is an acoustic throwback to the music that brought them together, and led to their recent marriage.  It is smartly written, with amazing guitar riffs and perfect harmonies between Zalkin and Kalisher.  It is the ultimate tribute to the power of love, and we adore them for sharing it with us.  Zalkin shines on the first track, while Kalisher shows his stuff on the third track.  It is a wonderful EP to listen to on repeat.

Recommendation: Get it now!  This one is a true keeper and will become one of your most treasured musical memories.

Artist Name:  Breaking Grass

Album Name:  Warning Signs

Label:  Mountain Fever Records

Genre:  Bluegrass

Track Listing:  1.  Cold Rain; 2.  Stay; 3.  Nobody Knows; 4.  Sweet Ava; 5.  Warning Signs; 6.  House of Cards; 7.  The One She Adored; 8.  Short Shorts; 9.  Annie; 10.  Taking and Giving; 11.  Waking up with You; 12.  Faith Moved a Mountain 

Publicist:  East Public Relations

Review:  Not since Nickel Creek have we been this excited about a harmony singing bluegrass band.  The young men who make up Breaking Grass include Cody Farrar on guitar and vocals; Britt Sheffield on bass and vocals; Jody Elmore on banjo and vocals; Zach Wooten on mandolin and Tyler White on fiddle.  They are making bluegrass music cool again.  I grew up in Southern Virginia, where I was surrounded by some of the bluegrass greats like Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers and Roy Clark, and Breaking Grass belongs in the same class as these legends.  Their music is an homage to the grand history of bluegrass with a modern twist, and deserve all the accolades that will surely be given their music and talents.  The harmonies are pitch perfect, and the soothing sounds of the fiddle, banjo and mandolin create the perfect musical background for life.  Favorite tracks include “Nobody Knows,” “Sweet Ava,” the title track, “House of Cards,” “The One She Adored,” and “Annie.”

Recommendation:  If you love great music, then this is a no brainer – Definitely Get It!