Tag: Get it or Forget it

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Get it or Forget it: Emily Clibourn, One From Many, Alexis Keegan

So much indie music has been crossing my desk lately.  I just realized today that I have 24 of them that need reviews, so I’m challenging myself to write reviews on them all in the next eight days.  With that goal in mind, here are the reviews of the first three.

emily-clibourn

Artist Name:  Emily Clibourn

Album Name:  Blow

Label:  None

Genre:  Singer-songwriter pop

Track Listing:  1.  Beautiful Girls; 2.  Blow; 3.  Burgundy; 4.  Fly; 5.  Fools Gold; 6.  Middle of the Night; 7.  Black Velvet; 8.  For the Love; 9.  Die to the Dream 

Publicist:  None

Review:  The first thing a listener will notice about Emily Clibourn’s music is her voice, which immediately grabs your attention with its sweet and tangy sound.  The lyrics also invade your mind and set upon their mission to let you know that Clibourn is a force to be reckoned with.   This album contains nine beautiful songs about love and its many facets, and is the type of music you want to hear when you are unwinding after a long day.  It provides the perfect soundtrack when you want to forget the past and clear your mind.  Every song accomplishes this mission, and every lover of good relaxing music should definitely have this one in their musical library.  Best tracks include the title track, “Beautiful Girls, “Fools Gold,” and “For the Love.”

Recommendation:  Clibourn is a natural storyteller with a killer voice that surrounds you with the pureness of fresh fallen snow.  We are happy to give this a most definite Get It rating.

ofm

Artist Name:  One From Many

Album Name:  29:11

Label:  Olea Records

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Like a Ghost; 2.  These Three Words; 3.  Apology; 4.  Promise Forever; 5.  Afterglow 

Publicist:  Ue3 Promotions

Review:  One From Many, or O.F.M., may remind you of such groups as One Republic or Imagine Dragons, but with their own distinct approach to the music.   The music is pure anthemic rock with a power ballad mentality that is great to listen to while you are living life.  The vocals soar over just the right amount of acoustical instrumentation, creating a melody that grabs your attention and makes you want to sing along at the top of your voice.  Special recognition to “Promise Forever,” which features label mate Alexis Keegan, but every song on this EP is worthy of repeated listens.

Recommendation:  Most definitely, Get It.  You’ll be glad you did.

Alexis

Artist Name:  Alexis Keegan

Album Name:  Endless Road

Label:  Olea Records

Genre:  R&B-tinged pop

Track Listing:  1.  Empty Heart; 2.  Nobody Compares; 3.  Last Song; 4.  There Will be Love; 5.  Everything 

Publicist:  Ue3 Promotions

Review:  Alexis Keegan’s music is full of soul, and is reflected in this perfect collection, with a sound that is part Taylor Dayne, part Pink, but totally incredible.  These songs belong on the radio, with their catchy lyrics, grooving beat, and a voice that needs to be heard.  It is next to impossible to just sit and listen to these tunes which truly make the listener want to get up and dance.  Keegan is the voice of a new generation, and should be coming to a radio station near you in the very future.  This is definitely an artist to watch, and all five songs should be on your play list.

Recommendation:  Keegan has a special gift that she happily shares with every listener.  If you love music that makes you want to move, then this EP should definitely be on your Get It list.

 

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Get it or Forget it: Debbie Hennessey, No Nets, Rae Fitzgerald

Welcome back for our third installment of the Get it or Forget it series.  This week we will feature two more artists courtesy of Noisy Ghost PR and one artist who does it all herself.  So sit back, settle in and check us out as we help you decide where to spend your hard-earned entertainment dollars.

debbie-hennessey

Artist Name:  Debbie Hennessey

Album Name:  No Longer Broken

Label:  none

Genre:  Country Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Every Song is You; 2.  Whiskey Charm; 3.  No Longer Broken; 4.  Sugar and Rain; 5.  You Can’t Unpull a Trigger; 6.  Let me Go; 7.  Right for Right Now; 8.  I’m Leaving the Fairytale Behind; 9.  Woman

 Publicist:  none

Review:  Debbie Hennessey has been a force in indie music DIY circles for many years.  On her latest offering, she co-writes with such other notable indie writers as Courtney Leigh Heines and Athena Marie, crafting an intensely listenable album of country tinged rock.  The album is perfectly produced and mixed by Jeffery Marshall, who also co-writes six of the tunes.  But what truly sets these songs apart from the majority of country music today is the voice of Hennessey, entirely different from any other female voice you will hear.  It is this difference that provides Hennessey’s signature and makes her music unique.

As far as the songs, the lyrics are definitely relatable and should connect with listeners who are struggling with the same issues as the songwriters.  Best tracks on the album are “Every Song is You,” the title track, “Sugar and Rain” and “Right for Right Now.”  The other stand out song is the one tune not written by Hennessey, the brilliant duet with singer songwriter Lexie Hofer, “Woman.”

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer.  Between the lyrical content and the musical accompaniment, and a voice that stands out from the pack, No Longer Broken is a definite Get It for lovers of great music.

nonets_brightlight_coverart

Artist Name:  No Nets

Album Name:  Bright Light

Label:  none

Genre:  90’s Punk-tinged Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Dark Matter;  2.  Heavily On My Side;  3.  Black Diamond; 4.  Holes; 5.  Morning; 6.  Bright Light; 7.  Lucky One; 8.  Gettin’ Despondent; 9.  Gilded Cage.

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  With a sound reminiscent of the 90’s band The Cure, No Nets springs forth from the Brooklyn stomping grounds with an intriguing mix that is set for release on October 21.  Even though the album has not yet been released, the band has been busy with launching its first single “Dark Matter,” as well as a lyric video for “Heavily on my Side.”

The vocals are not pretty, but you wouldn’t expect that from a punk band.  What stands out on this album is the frentic energy that permeates each track with a sound that grabs hold of your earbuds and demands your attention.  This is an album that will get your body moving to the beat while the subtle message permeates your brain.  For that reason alone, Bright Light achieves its mission to stand out from the rest of the indie rock pack.  Best tracks include “Dark Matter,” “Holes,”  the title track and “Lucky One.”

Recommendation:  If you like the pretty voices of singer-songwriters, this is not the CD for you.  But if you enjoy indie rock and are more interested in the musicality of good punk-tinged rock, then you should definitely Get It.

raefitzgerald_popularsongsforwholesomefamilies_coverart

Artist Name:  Rae Fitzgerald

Album Name:  Popular Songs for Wholesome Families

Label:  none

Genre:  Indie blues-tinged rock

Track Listing:  1.  Earth, Everything; 2.  Jackal ii; 3.  Copper & Genesis; 4.  Your Side of the Mountain; 5.  False Moon; 6.  Dark Man; 7.  Lost in Ukrainian Village; 8.  Magic Town; 9.  Medicine Cart; 10.  Tower; 11.  Jackal 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Deep in the heart of Alabama is a special place called Muscle Shoals, which has been producing its own sound for many years.  Out of that sound comes the heartfelt lyrics and voice of Rae Fitzgerald, who grabs your attention from the first notes of her latest offering, Popular Songs for Wholesome Families.  Don’t let the album name fool you – this collection of thought-provoking songs is just plain good music.  Fitzgerald’s voice soothes your soul while her lyrics make their way into your brain, giving you true musical food for thought.  Strongest tracks include “Copper & Genesis,” “Your Side of the Mountain,” “False Moon,” “Dark Man,” and “Medicine Cart.”

Recommendation:  If you like your music with meat, then Fitzgerald is definitely an artist you will like.  Her thought-provoking lyrics and the personal reflections they contain earn Popular Songs for Wholesome Families a definite Get It rating.

 

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Get it or Forget it: Good Field, Ancient Warfare, Elouise

We’re back with another edition of our Get it or Forget it series.  This week we will give you the rundown on three more artists whose publicists have submitted material for review.  Our first two artists come to us courtesy of Michelle King of Noisy Ghost PR, while the third comes from Kim Grant at KG Music Press.  Thanks to them for the opportunity to review their clients’ offerings.

good-field

Artist Name:  Good Field

Album Name:  Future Me

Label:  Piscino Records

Genre:  Indie Pop Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Future Me; 2.  Business; 3.  Control; 4.  Hospital Bed; 5.  Telecommunication; 6.  Holdin’ On; 7.  Wait; 8.  Tonight; 9.  At the Airport; 10.  Do it

 Publicist:  Noisy Ghose PR

Review:  With a voice reminiscent of a cross between Tom Petty and Eric Clapton, Paul Prince and his bandmates in Good Field deliver a brilliant album that was two years in the making.  Although the album was first released in July 2015, Future Me is the type of album that stays relevant and fresh, and provides top value for your entertainment dollar.

Every song is fun to listen to, with a strong bass line, a memorable voice and lyrics you can sink your teeth into.  Once you listen to it, you can easily see why the album reached #2 on the CMJ Radio Select Self-Released Chart.  Strongest tracks include the title track, “Control,” “Telecommunication,” “Tonight,” and “Do It,” and any one of them would be a perfect fit for radio.  in addition, “Hospital Bed” has a sound reminiscent of “Last Dance with Mary Jane.”

Recommendation:   This one is a no brainer – definitely Get It, relax and play it until the grooves wear out.

ancient-warfare

Artist Name:  Ancient Warfare

Album Name:  The Pale Horse

Label:  Alias Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Darlin; 2.  Dreamcatcher; 3.  Gunsmoke; 4.  The Last Living Trial; 5.  Tusk & Mouth; 6.  Lickin’ Lies; 7.  Rolling Tides; 8.  Wintertimes

 Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Ancient Warfare call themselves “southern gothic/drone rock,” but to this reviewer, this is simply indie rock.  Featuring Echo Wilcox on guitar and lead vocals; Emily Hagihara on drums, keys and background vocals; Derek Rhineheimer on bass and backing vocals and Seth Murphy on cello, Ancient Warfare combines elements of indie and progressive rock to create a welcome sound in the indie marketplace.  Wilcox’s vocals are not pretty, but they are effective and mesh well with the down-south feel of the music, which is reminiscent of The Doobie Brother’s Black Water as well as early Led Zeppelin.  Strongest tracks include “Gunsmoke” and “The Last Living Trial,” with their amazing violin provided by Rachel Yanarella, the eerie guitar work joined with more amazing violin on “Lickin’ Lies,”  and the haunting sound of “Rolling Tides,” both instrumentally and vocally.

Recommendation:  We highly recommend you Get It.  We believe The Pale Horse will become one of your favorite listens.

elouise

Artist Name:  Elouise

Album Name:  Deep Water

Label:  None

Genre:  Americana/Alt Country/Bluegrass

Track Listing:  1.  I’ll Fly Away; 2.  Deep Water; 3.  Saturn Bar; 4.  Amazing Grace; 5.  Shadow of the Pines; 6.  Oh Lord; 7.  Evil; 8.  Hurricane; 9.  I’ll be Good to you; 10.  Black Horses; 11.  East Jesus; 12.  Silent Night; 13.  Fire and Brimstone

 Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Deep Water is the debut album from alt country/Americana band Elouise, based in the small Los Angeles community of Altadena.  With a sound the band calls “Blackgrass” and which sounds eerily like something out of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, Elouise redefines what it means to be an Americana/bluegrass band.  Composed of Elouise Walker, John Chamberlin, Rich Dembowski, Michelle Beauchesne and William Bongiovanni, the band adds some amazing guest musicians to the mix, including Dave Aron on clarinet, Sam Prevost on trombone and Colin Nairne on mandolin.

Among the high points of this album are the original arrangements they have given to such stalwart and traditional hymns as “I’ll Fly Away” and “Amazing Grace.”  This music would be perfect for placement in television and film, especially on a show like NCIS:  New Orleans.

This is an album that needs to be experienced from start to finish, as each track builds on the previous one to create a soundtrack of life in the deep south.

Recommendation:  We would be remiss if we did not give this debut album a rating of Get It.  While no one could possibly say that the album is pretty or vocally stunning, it should be part of every serious music lover’s collection.  It is gritty, provocative and real, and for that reason alone, we highly recommend it.

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Get it or forget it: Swahili Blonde, Jenny Gillespie, Flavor Waster

Welcome to our new review series called “Get it or Forget it.”   We receive so many requests for reviews from publicists, and unfortunately we cannot feature them all.  However, we don’t want to ignore any of these requests, so we have come up with this new series to give you a shortened review and our recommendation as to whether you should get it or forget it.  Each review will follow the same format.  We will identify the artist, the name of the release, the name of the publicist, provide a short review, and make our recommendation.  We hope that this information will be valuable to you in making your music purchasing decisions.

swahili-blonde

Artist Name:  Swahili Blonde

Album Name:  And Only the Melody was Real

Label:  Neurotic Yell Records

Genre:  Electronica

Track Listing:  1.  Ailvinya; 2.  Dark Dawn; 3.  Her Name is Hope; 4.  On the Other Side; 5.  Rose my Emperor; 6.  Saturn Farewell; 7.  The Diamond Room; 8.  Vous Enchanter Mon Coeur

 Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:   Swahili Blonde is the solo project for indie artist Nicole Turley, and includes collaborations with other artists including members of RHCP, Duran Duran, Slits, Devo and other LA artists.  Turley plays all the instruments herself, although she did co-write several of the songs with her close friend, Jennifer P. Fraser.  The arrangements are tight, with Tracks 3, 4, 6 and 8 being the best.

Recommendation:  If you are a fan of interesting rhythms and electronica music, you should definitely Get it.

jenny-gillespie

Artist Name:  Jenny Gillespie

Album Name:  Cure for Dreaming

Label:  Narooma Records

Genre:  Folk, electronica, jazz and pop

Track Listing:  1.  Dhyana by the River; 2.  No Stone; 3.  Part Potawatomi; 4.  Evening Loving; 5.  Last Mystery Train; 6.  Involuntary Sway; 7.  His Voyage Innocent; 8.  Pain Travels (Chakra Husker)

 Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  In the same way Enya captured our imagination with her ethereal songs, Jenny Gillespie weaves her stories through a myriad of musical styles that capture the listener’s attention.  Her voice is smoky and haunting, while her lyrics give the listener much to think about.   This is the type of album you can easily listen to from start to finish, although Tracks 3, 5, 7 and 8 are especially powerful.

Recommendation:  If you love relaxing music with powerful lyrics and a soothing sound, then you should definitely Get it.

flavor-waster

Artist Name:  Flavor Waster

Album Name:  It’s Always Sunny When You’re Cool

Label:  None

Genre:  Alternative

Track Listing:  1.  The Comments; 2.  Delta; 3.  Metal Fossils; 4.  Brunswick; 5.  It’s Always Sunny When You’re Cool; 6.  Blackest Prius; 7.  Ashes; 8.  The Perils of Revolutionary Piety; 9.  Where We’ve Never Been, We’ll Never Go; 10.  Private Language

 Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  A conglomeration of sounds emanate from this diverse debut, featuring former Caverns members Kevin Hilliard and Patrick Taylor, as well as vocalist Jodi Jones, drummer/producer Martin MacAlister and Ryan Burke.  The music takes you to multiple places, with the best sounds coming from Tracks 4, 5, 7 and 9.  If you love a frentic sound, check out Track 8.

Recommendation:  Unless you enjoy alternative music that is chaotic and unfocused, you should probably just Forget it.