Tag: honeyhoney

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews Women in Entertainment

Suzanne Santo at the Top Hat – live performance review

Last night we attended the solo show for Suzanne Santo of honeyhoney, who performed to a packed house at the Top Hat Lounge in Missoula, Montana.  Mapache opened the night for her.  They are a duo of acoustic musicians on guitar and dobro who possess some of the best harmonies we have ever heard.  They just released their debut album in October, and we will be reviewing it next week.  These guys were so good that Santo brought them up during her set to do a trio with them that was breathtaking as they did a cover of “Helplessly Hoping” by Crosby, Stills & Nash.  We highly recommend you check them out.

Santo took the stage about 10:35 p.m., along with Blaine on rhythm guitar and foot bass and Paul on drums.  Santo used three different guitars and her fiddle during her nearly 90 min set, which included a two-song encore.

Santo previously released her debut solo album Ruby Red back in August, and we reviewed it here on our blog on August 23.  She released a music video for the lead single, “Ghost in my Bed,” which garnered a nomination for the LA Music Critic Awards for Best Video Official (Female), while Santo was nominated for Best Roots/Americana Artist (Female).

Santo and her band played nearly all of the songs on her album, as well as an amazing cover of Johnny Cash’s “Give my Love to Rose,” and a medley of honeyhoney songs, including “I Don’t Want to Fight,” “All on You,” and “Burned me Out,” which she performed solo.

She apologized for her late start, and explained that they had played the Tractor Tavern in Seattle on Thursday night and had a hard commute over, arriving after their scheduled sound check.

Among the highlights were performances of “Ghost in my Bed” (featuring some outstanding fiddle), “Blood on Your Knees,” “Bullets,” and “Yours or Mine.”  Blaine was also amazing on guitar and playing bass with his footboard.

Santo talked about her performances last year with honeyhoney, including stops at the Top Hat Lounge and a performance at the Bob Marshall Festival in Seeley Lake.  In fact, there was a large group from Seeley Lake at the show that had gotten hooked on her sound when she performed there.

Santo also informed the crowd that Ben Jaffe, her partner in honeyhoney, would be releasing his solo project soon, and encouraged everyone to check it out.

It was an amazing evening of music.  We strongly encourage you to check out both Santo and Mapache the next time they stop in Missoula.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 32

Welcome to another week of indie music.  As we mentioned on Saturday, we attended the River City Roots Festival in Missoula.  Saturday’s line-up was impressive, and featured the guilty pleasure of The Whizpops, followed by the soulful roots of songwriter Malcolm Holcombe, the impressive showmanship of The Ghost of Paul Revere, the roots rock tunes of The Band of Heathens and the awesomeness of one of blues finest guitarists, Anders Osborne, as headliner.  We also got to see more blues with Mudslide Charley at the Top Hat following the close of the Festival.  Watch for the reviews coming soon.

INDIE MUSIC NEWS

Lots of great music coming down the pike from indie artists, including Jerad Finck, the winner of the 2016 grand prize in the USA Songwriting Competition, who will be heading out for a west coast tour next month.  He is planning to visit Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana before closing out the tour in his native Spokane.  Watch his official Facebook page for more tour info.  Other artists touring in those areas include several from the Roots Fest: The Ghost of Paul Revere, The Band of Heathens and Anders Osborne, who will also be playing with Bonnie Raitt.

MUSIC TASTES GOOD TO DONATE ADDITIONAL PROCEEDS TO AMFAM

Earshot Media has announced that 100% of the proceeds from tickets sold on August 31 will be donated the Oxfam America, a charity that seeks to end poverty.  You can purchase your tickets here.

Music Tastes Good passes start at $75 per day, passes for the new “Taste Tent” experience start at $150, and VIP passes start at $225. The event, to be headlined by Ween and Sleater-Kinney, with appearances by RIDE, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinares, ALVVAYS, Bomba Estereo, Los Lobos, of Montreal and many more, is scheduled to take place September 30 and October 1 at Marina Green Park in downtown Long Beach, California.

NEW SINGLES

Some impressive new singles are being released, including these three we want to feature today:

If you like your music rocky, check out the latest single, “Get up and Go” from Love and a .38.  The full song is available on iTunes.  Just click the link to preview and purchase.

Get up and Go

If ballads are more your thing,  you will love the latest single, “Dragonflies,” from Sweden’s Elin K.  She will be performing at the Youbloom Festival in Los Angeles on September 21.

Last but not least, here’s the new single, “Rio,” from surf-punk rockers, Knifey.  It’s got the energy most of us need to kick-start our new week.  We think you’ll love it.

https://soundcloud.com/knifeyband/rio

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

We are happy to welcome back Straw to our Monday Mashup with their latest single, “1965.”  This family keeps the blues alive with their impressive sound, well written songs and spectacular videos.  Hurry up and come tour America.

Here’s a very interesting lyric video from Superet for their new single “Who is This Guy.”  We think it’s the perfect song for your Manic Monday.

We have long been fans of the Americana duo honeyhoney.  Recently, Suzanne Santo released her first solo album and single, which we reviewed last week.  We think you will also love the music video for “Ghost in my Bed.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Blind Lemon Pledge, Lew Jetton and 61 South, Brandon Luedtke, Suzanne Santo

Besides being a music critic, I have been a roadie, merchandiser, manager, publicist and promoter for indie artists.  I’m now adding booker to my resume as I plan a three week tour for a local indie artist.  Booking is hard, and I now have even more respect for indie artists than before.  Can’t wait to announce the tour dates and the artist, so keep it tuned here for more details.  We’ve got some more great artists for you today, including the solo debut of Suzanne Santo (honeyhoney).

Artist Name:  Blind Lemon Pledge and Friends

Album Name:  Backwoods Glance

Label:  Ofeh

Genre:  Country/Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Polly Come Out; 2.  The Hills of West Virginia; 3.  Sisters of the Coal Dust; 4.  Moon Over Memphis; 5.  Lynchburg Town; 6.  Fayetteville; 7.  Silver Wings; 8.  Sweet Celine; 9.  Carolina Kiss; 10.  Sunset; 11.  Ma Belle Cherie; 12.  Give my Poor Heart Ease

Publicist:  Working Brilliantly

Review:  This album is chock full of pre-WWII country and blues.  These timeless songs still ring true today.  The overall acoustic sound and simpleness work perfectly with the material.  Really love the banjo work on “The Hills of West Virginia,” the female lead vocals on “Sisters of the Coal Dust,” and the harmonica on “Lynchburg Town.”  We also love “Moon Over Memphis,” “Silver Wings,” and “Carolina Kiss.”

Recommendation:  If you crave acoustic music that is simple and without enhancements, then this album is a must for your collection.

Artist Name:  Lew Jetton & 61 South

Album Name:  Palestine Blues

Label:  Coffee Street Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Will I go to Hell?  2.  Oh my My; 3.  For the Pain; 4.  Mexico; 5.  Sold us Out; 6.  Drinking Again; 7.  Don’t Need no Devil; 8.  Christ Have Mercy; 9.  Drama; 10.  Bout Time

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  Listening to this album should be mandatory for all blues lovers.  Lew Jetton and his band, 61 South, understand the first rule of the blues – make the listener feel the music, and that’s what you get on Palestine Blues.   From the rocking blues of “Will I go to Hell?” and “Oh my my” to the soulful wailing blues of “For the Pain” and “Drinking Again,” this album has something for every blues lover, or music lover, for that fact.  Check out the political statement of “Sold us Out.”  This is the perfect album for your Friday night party, reflecting every mood imaginable.  Our favorites include “Oh my my”, “For the Pain,” “Mexico,” “Christ Have Mercy,” and “Drama.”

Recommendation:  Don’t hesitate – go Get this one now!

Artist Name:  Brandon Luedtke

Album Name:  Morning Light

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Folk/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Can’t get Away (From the way of the World); 2.  The Cuckoo Bird; 3.  Over the Interstate; 4.  Black Mountain Echoes; 5.  Let it Rise; 6.  One of These Days; 7.  New World; 8.  Stay Gone; 9.  Somethin’ Evil; 10.  By the Light of the Moon; 11.  Feelin’ the Feelin’; 12.  Soon one Morning

Publicist:  Broken Jukebox Media

Review:  Brandon Luedtke is a modern-day mixture of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, and is a folk artist through and through.  The album contains nine original songs as well as interesting and unique covers of two classic songs, “The Cuckoo Bird” and “Soon one Morning.  While his voice would give him problems in pop music, it is perfectly quirky enough for folk and Americana, and is reminiscent of old time country artists like Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb.  Luedtke is a true Texas troubadour, and proudly keeps that tradition alive.  Best cuts include “Can’t get Away,” “Black Mountain Echoes,” “One of These Days,” “Stay Gone,” and “Feelin’ the Feelin’.”

Recommendation:  If classic country and traditional folk music is your thing, then you should add this album to your collection.

Artist Name:  Suzanne Santo

Album Name:  Red Ruby

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Americana/Alt-country

Track Listing:  1.  Handshake; 2.  Ghost in my Bed (explicit); 3.  The Wrong Man (explicit); 4.  Best out of Me; 5.  Regrets; 6.  Yours or Mine; 7.  Love Fucked up (explicit); 8. Blood on Your Knees; 9.  Bullets; 10.  Better Than That; 11.  Regrets (acoustic)

Publicist:  Missing Piece Group

Review:  Honeyhoney’s Suzanne Santo has released her debut solo album, and it was everything you would expect from one of Americana/Alt-Country’s premier voices.  Santo pulls no punches with biting and often explicit lyrics, her soaring vocals, and a musical accompaniment that will either have your toes tapping or compel you to the dance floor.  Santo uses soaring fiddle and guitar to follow her words as she sings about heartache and loss.  This is how a modern woman grieves, because, as Miranda Lambert says, “This ain’t my mama’s broken heart.”  There is not a weak song on the entire album, and the majority of them are ripe for radio and/or placement in television and film.  This is especially true of “Ghost in my Bed” and “Regrets,” both upbeat songs with a heavy message of loss.

Recommendation:  This is one of the best albums we have reviewed in 2017, and it has the goods to become an instant classic.  We strongly urge you to Get it before it’s gone.