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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Ten Great Singles

Ten great singles released in October 2019

We can hardly believe that it’s November already, although Mother Nature has been getting our attention with these dramatic weather changes.  At any rate, it’s time to close the books on October with our Ten Great Singles and Ten Amazing Videos articles, so sit back and enjoy the groove.

First up is the latest from singer-songwriter Nadia Vaeh with her Halloween-themed song, “1,000 cuts.”  We love the sound of this song and think it belongs on the radio.  We can’t wait to see her video of this cool song.

Our next single comes from The Brilliance, a group we introduced you to the first Monday in October.  They have another great new single that is worthy of your attention, and makes us even more excited about their forthcoming album which drops in January.  Here’s “Facebook.”

Single number three has a great smooth groove that should help jump start your Monday morning.  It comes to us from Danny Zee and we are excited to hear his new single “Blue Butterfly.”  Definitely check this one out.

We introduced you to Lucas Laufen back in September when he released his video for “A Million Miles From Love.”  His new single is just as amazing, as he shares that “I Know Where the Silence Is.”  This is beautiful and contemplative music that should be great for your next chill time.

We round out the first five singles with this potential monster hit from KTJ & Carly.  They want to take us dancing in the “Moonlight,” and we can’t wait to join them on the dance floor.

We start our second five off with the latest from LA Music Critic Award winner K Michelle Dubois.  Her new single, “Feast or Famine,” has a definite 80s rock vibe and we are so glad to have her back again.  Enjoy this one!

Speaking of the 80s, the latest from Most People, “Breathe,” is reminiscent of Duran Duran meets Hall & Oates, and has our toes tapping and our ears salivating for more.  Enjoy this soon to be classic song.

The sound of Late Night Thoughts is about to go mainstream.  This band is ready to pop and their new single, “Postcard Park” is worthy of heavy rotation and serious placements in film and television.

Single number nine is a future pop hit from Canadian Kristen Karma, who is writing a “Dear John” letter to her departed loved one.  This one has excellent lyrics with plenty to think about, and a perfect rap in the middle of the song.

We wrap things up with “Phoenix,” which is one of the most powerful songs we have heard in quite a while.  It comes from Noella Rain, who we introduced to you in August.  Her vocals soar and her message is definitely needed in today’s crazy world.  Hard to believe she’s only 16 years old!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Best of 2018 Women in Entertainment

Forty best albums of 2018

What a year for indie music.  We received a boatload of review requests from around the world, and published reviews of nearly 1,000 CDs and EPs.  We culled through those we reviewed first to pick our nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards, and now to compile our list of the 40 Best CDs of 2018.

Due to the sheer volume, we only considered full-length projects for this list, but that doesn’t mean that quite a few of the EPs we reviewed weren’t also worthy of distinction.  We may yet put together another list of just EPs.

In the meantime, while we wait for the winners of the second half of 2018 for the LA Music Critic Awards to be announced tomorrow, here are our favorite CDs of 2018.  You can find their individual reviews by searching for them on our blog.

40.  Kate ReidThe Heart Already Knows

39.  Deb RyderEnjoy the Ride

38.  Jeffrey FoucaultWar on the Radio

37.  Katie HerzigMoment of Bliss

36.  Eric Tingstad – Electric Spirit

35.  Fanny Walked the Earth – self-titled

34.  Wily Bo WalkerAlmost Transparent Blues

33.  Buddy GuyThe Blues is Alive and Well

32.  Walt WeiskopfEuropean Quartet

31.  Mindi Abair & the BoneshakersAll I Got for Christmas is the Blues

30.  YYNOT – self-titled

29.  Peter V Blues Band Shaken but not Deterred

28.  Delta MoonBabylon is Falling

27.  The TextonesOld Stone Gang

26.  Ronny MorrisSweet Silence

25.  Sydney WrightSeiche

24.  GleesonThe Years Have It

23.  Colin DevlinHigh Point

22.  EverlastDon’t Complain

21.  ZsuzsikaStart Again

20.  Michael PetersonFrom Here to Eternity

19.  K. Michelle DuboisAutumn

18.    Broken BellowsI, Kaleidoscope

17.  Rachel SageMyopia

16.  Janiva MagnessLove is an Army

15.  John Flanagan TrioHonest Man

14.  Lee Ainley’s Blues StormShoot me Down

13.  FloodsBad Times

12.  Frank Hannon (From One Place . . . to Another, vols 1 and 2)

11.  Keith HarkinIn the Round

10.  Southern HaloJust Like in the Movies

9.  Cindy Alexander – Nowhere to Hide

8.  Kari KimmelGold & Glitter

7.  Hymn for HerPop-n-Downers

6.  Jordan Siwek Sun Inside You

5.  Slim GambillFake Jazz

4.  Gina SiciliaHeard the Lie

3.  Birds and ArrowsArbitrary Magic

2.  Brigitte Rios PurdyStill I Rise

and the Best Album of 2018 goes to

Norway Reloaded – My Longest Mile

 

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

Get it or forget it – Mark Wayne Glasmire, Hilary Scott, Young Million, Paolo Preite, K Michelle DuBois

Happy Friday!  Today the League Championship Series begin with our Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Boston Red Sox hosting the Houston Astros.  Should be a great series.  In the meantime, let’s check out five great albums being released today.

Artist NameMark Wayne Glasmire

Album Name:  Can’t be Denied

Label:  Traceway Records

Genre:  Singer-Songwriter Country

Track Listing:  1.  I’ve got a Feeling; 2.  Those Nights; 3.  Can’t be Denied; 4.  Without You; 5.  Alysia; 6.  Borderline; 7.  Feel Your Love; 8.  Gone too Soon; 9.  This too Shall Pass; 10.  Deep Inside my Heart; 11.  Out of the Frying Pan; 12.  Thru my Eyes

Publicist:  So Much Moore Media

Review:  Referred to as the “Texas Troubadour,” country singer-songwriter Mark Wayne Glasmire has a hit with his latest release, Can’t be Denied.  Beginning with “I’ve Got a Feeling,” Glasmire brings us potential hit after potential hit, and his music is truly radio friendly.  “Those Nights” and the title track would also be ideal for potential placement in a commercial, or in television and/or film.  “Without You” and “This Too Shall Pass” are two of the best ballads we have heard in a quite a spell, while “Deep Inside my Heart” will have you two-stepping around the floor in no time flat.  We could go on and on about each and every song, as none of them could possibly be consider “weak.”  This album should just be put on repeat and enjoyed over and over.

Recommendation:  Get this one as soon as you can.

Artist NameHilary Scott

Album Name Don’t Call me Angel

Label:  Belltown Records

Genre:  Country/Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Don’t Call me Angel; 2.  Not Used to Being Used To; 3.  You Will be Mine; 4.  Make it Right; 5.  Heartless; 6.  Unlove Story; 7.  Moon and Back; 8.  In Time; 9.  Kiss; 10.  Here I Am

Publicist:  KG Music Press

Review:  Not to be confused with Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum, this Hilary Scott is just as amazing.  On this album, her sound is pure classic country with just a taste of folk, and she is a master of this genre.  Her songs belong on the radio right beside those of her amazing name sake, with every one a potential hit.  As wonderful as her original numbers are, she also takes the time to put her own spin on her cover of a song written by Prince and made famous by Tom Jones, “Kiss.”  Another album for the repeat button.

Recommendation:  Run, don’t walk, to your nearest retailer and GET this one NOW!

Artist NameSmall Million

Album NameYoung Fools

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Synth Pop

Track Listing:  1.  LONE; 2.  Sirens; 3.  Young Fools; 4.  Wild Devices; 5.  This is Where it Ends; 6.  Bullets in the Bower; 7.  Outro (Cathedrals)

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Portland has shown once again that it has some of the best indie music in the country.  Los Angeles transplant Ryan Linder and Portland native Malachi Graham join together to form Small Million, and the synth pop world will never be the same again.  They hit the ground running with their first single, “LONE,” and never stop ascending with the remainder of this amazing sophomore EP.  This is a band that needs to be on the radar of every radio station manager, as well as heavily considered by music supervisors for a myriad of placements in commercials, television and film.  We simply love this band and this EP, and consider it to be one of the best we have heard this year.

Recommendation:  What are you waiting for?  Get it!!!

Artist NamePaolo Preite

Album NameAn Eye on the World

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  It’s not Over Yet (ft. Onde J Pivec); 2.  Wandering (ft Kenny Arnoff, Bob Malone & Fernando Saunders); 3.  Memories & Dust (ft Jane Scarpatoni & Onde J Pivec); 4.  Una Piccola Differenza (ft Fernando Saunders); 5.  Don’t Stop Dreaming; 6.  I Will Meet you Again (ft Michael Jerome & Chiara Marcon); 7.  Can’t Find a Reason (ft Kenny Arnoff); 8.  Never Ending Way (ft Chip Crawford, Joe Ayoub & TEss); 9.  An Eye on the World (ft Bob Malone & Michael Jerome); 10.  In Your Eyes (ft Onde J Pivec)

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Paolo Preite may originally be from Rome, but the amazing cast of musicians joining him on this album are pure Los Angeles royalty.  His form of indie rock is reminiscent of Bob Seger and Jackson Browne and is extremely radio friendly.  These are songs we would love to hear on our radio dial, and anywhere else they can be placed.  There is a plethora of material here that is perfect for placement and for heavy radio rotation, with every song a heavy hitter.  We simply cannot get enough of this album or this artist, and believe that this album could very well be his breakout time.  He belongs at the top of the charts, and is definitely worthy of attention from the Grammy nomination committee.

Recommendation:  Don’t stop until you Get this one!

Artist NameK Michelle DuBois

Album NameHarness

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Orchid; 2.  Love and Only Love; 3.  Velvet Eyes; 4.  City Lights; 5.  Wild Weed; 6.  Heart Like a Yardstick; 7.  Celeste; 8.  Becoming Real; 9.  Margot on the Ocean; 10.  Dream Receiver

Publicist:  Shameless Promotion PR

Review:  Sounding like she time-traveled from a 90’s rock band, K. Michelle DuBois bursts onto the indie rock scene with a smashing album that truly delivers.  DuBois has a voice similar to Stevie Nicks, with a powerful group of musicians that play circles around Fleetwood Mac.  DuBois may be the most powerful indie vocalist we have encountered this year, and we have no doubt that she has what it takes to bloom on the national music scene.  She belongs on the radio and we can only imagine the incredible performance she would deliver live in concert.  A Star is Born and we couldn’t be more delighted with the impeccable musical chops of DuBois.  The sky is truly the limit for this talented musician and songwriter.

Recommendation:  You simply MUST Get this one, sooner rather than later!