By the time you read this I will be on the road to Denver for the Durango Songwriters Expo. We think you will love these artists, including the long-awaiting return of rock/hip-hop icon Everlast. Let’s get started.
Artist Name: Amnesia Scanner
Album Name: Another Life
Label: PAN
Genre: Experimental performance art
Track Listing: 1. Symmetribal; 2. Unlinear (ft Pan Daijing); 3. A.W.O.L.; 4. Another Life; 5. Daemon; 6. Too Wrong; 7. Spectacult (ft Oracle); 8. Faceless; 9. Chain; 10. Securitaz; 11. Chaos (ft Pan Daijing); 12. Rewild
Publicist: Worldwide Friendly Society
Review: This concept might work as a live performance piece, but it does not work as an album. The “music” pushes the limits of tolerance, especially the first two track. Beginning with “A.W.O.L,” it begins to sound more like music that you don’t mind listening to. Unfortunately, the voice distortion on the title track quickly begins to irritate your ears, making it extremely difficult to continue listening,
Recommendation: Unless you’re in the mood for some extreme performance art that stretches the border of what we consider “music,” we recommend you just forget this one.
Artist Name: Everlast
Album Name: Everlast Presents Whitey Ford’s House of Pain
Label: Martyr-Inc Records
Genre: Pop/Rock/Soul/Blues/Hip-Hop
Track Listing: 1. One of Us; 2. The Culling; 3. It Ain’t Easy; 4. The Climb (Interlude); 5. The Climb; 6. Slow Your Roll (ft Aloe Blacc); 7. Smokin’ & Drinkin’; 8. Ooooohh (I Don’t Need You (ft Slug); 9. Summer Rain (Interlude); 10. Summer Rain; 11. Don’t Complain; 12. Break it Down; 13. Break it Down (Interlude); 14. HeartBeat; 15. Dream Slate
Publicist: MSO PR
Review: Returning with a new studio album after a seven-year absence, Everlast aka Whitey Ford returns to reclaim his rightful place as one of the most diverse and unique artists in today’s music scene. He shows his soulful sound on “One of Us” before spitting rapid-fire rhymes on the politically charged “The Culling.” The autobiographical “It Ain’t Easy” debuted in Rolling Stone, and it is a masterpiece that would work well on the radio. You can feel the passion in his voice and tell that he is singing from the heart. That passion continues on “The Climb.” He joins with Aloe Blacc for the soulful hip-hop sound of “Slow Your Roll” and closes out the album with the amazing song “Break it Down.”
Recommendation: You simply MUST have this one – Get it!
Artist Name: decker.
Album Name: Born to Wake Up
Label: Royal Potato Family
Genre: Folk/Rock
Track Listing: 1. No Beginning, No End (Intro); 2. The Strawman; 3. Burnin Grass; 4. The Garden; 5. The Matador; 6. Awake; 7. Smudge; 8. Mexico; 9. The Saint; 10. No End, No Beginning (Outro)
Publicist: Royal Potato Family
Review: decker. is a gifted songwriter who knows how to deliver his more intimate thoughts in a folk/rock medium that entices the listener to pay attention and learn. He displays a great depth of musical character, and his music runs the gamut of singer-songwriter to pop-rock band. Best cuts include “Burnin Grass,” their creative cover of “The Garden,” “The Matador,” “Awake,” “Mexico” and “The Saint.”
Recommendation: We highly recommend you just Get this one!
Artist Name: Baby Jey
Album Name: Someday Cowboy
Label: Maintenance Records
Genre: Alt Pop
Track Listing: 1. Hannah Holliday’s Son; 2. U Don’t Have 2 go Alone; 3. Toboggan; 4. Someday my Space Cowboy Will Come; 5. Hundred Percent; 6. Bernice Kentner; 7. Teach me 2 Forget; 8. Every Thing; 9. I Accept
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: What do you get when you cross a hip-hop producer with two singer-songwriters? You get the amazing album Someday Cowboy, the latest from Baby Jey (Jeremy Witten and Dean Kheroufi). From the first notes of “Hannah Holliday’s Son,” it becomes quickly quite obvious that this is not your normal singer-songwriter angst – this is undeniably just fun and upbeat alternative pop music, which is just screaming to be played on the radio. It takes the chill factor all the way to 10, and deserves to be put on repeat. Every song is worthy.
Recommendation: You NEED this one in your music library – run out and Get it.
Artist Name: Saint Slumber
Album Name: Youth//2
Label: Self-released
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. Stay Away; 2. I Think I Like You; 3. Marrow; 4. Coast; 5. Infinite
Publicist: Right Angle PR
Review: This year has been a great one for Saint Slumber. We featured the video for their single “Infinite” on September 10, and immediately knew that this band was on the rise. It appears we were right because they recently played the iHeart Radio 104.5 Birthday Bash as well as the Monolith Tour with the likes of 30 Seconds to Mars, Portugal, the Man and Walk the Moon, in addition to being chosen for performances by SoFar Sounds and Balcony TV. The sky is the limit for this band, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see them at next year’s Grammy Awards. All five songs are amazing, and don’t be surprised to hear them pumping from your local radio station.
Recommendation: Sell whatever you can and Get a ticket onboard this train before it leaves the station.
