Welcome to New Music Friday. As promised, we have five artists that are all dropping new projects today, and four of them should be very familiar to readers of this column. Enjoy these new tunes.
Artist Name: The Empty Pockets
Album Name: Tanglewoods
Label: MT Pockets Music
Genre: Folk/Americana
Track Listing: 1. The Grind; 2. Deerfield; 3. Asleep on the Subway; 4. Wolfpack; 5. Brand new Eyes; 6. Fill it Up; 7. Island Queen; 8. Papergirl; 9. Tanglewoods; 10. Over
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: We introduced this band to you back in September 2017, and knew then that they were special. That first album we reviewed earned them an LA Music Critic Award nomination, and now The Empty Pockets are back with another album, their best to date. It flows easily within the Americana, folk and country music genres, with spotless musicianship and incredible harmonies. The songs are well crafted and the lyrics are amazing. They are indie music’s answer to Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town, with a more folky sound. There is not a weak track on this album, and we plan to listen to it again and again.
Recommendation: Drop everything and go Get this one today!
Artist Name: The Well Pennies
Album Name: Murmurations
Label: Golden Bear Records
Genre: Folk/Pop
Track Listing: 1. Ooh La La; 2. On my Blue Sky; 3. My Morning Star; 4. The Wonderkind; 5. If Anyone Breaks my Heart; 6. Nobody Loves me Like You; 7. Calliope; 8. When I was the Ocean and you Were the Moon; 9. December; 10. The River; 11. Wedding Song; 12. If you Were Mine; 13. The Starling
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: We first met the dynamic duo of Bryan and Sarah Vanderpool a few years back shortly after they arrived in Los Angeles from Boston. They were one of the amazing artists that performed monthly as part of the Blue ‘n Green showcases created by Mikal Blue and Angelique Sheppard and David Garner of Green Roots Productions. We have been friends ever since and we are so happy to review their latest offering. This one hits the ground running with a breezy folk/pop sound that is truly radio friendly and deserves maximum rotations on everything from AAA and Americana to Top 40 and College radio stations. It is also perfect for placement opportunities in television and film. You will be singing along to these songs in no time at all, especially the first track, “Ooh La La,” among others. The album closes with the sweeping instrumental “The Starling,” which gives the album its name. It would be perfect for placement in wildlife documentaries.
Recommendation: Don’t think about it, just Get it today!
Artist Name: Sarra
Album Name: Sarra
Label: Self-released
Genre: Alt Pop
Track Listing: 1. Invitation; 2. Bloom; 3. Your Name; 4. The Saint; 5. The First Time; 6. Invisible; 7. Beautiful Disaster; 8. The Fall; 9. Going Crazy; 10. Kerosene; 11. Confession; 12. Natural; 13. Reprise
Publicist: Self-promoted
Review: We first introduced you to Sarra last August when we featured her single “Kerosene” in our Ten Great Singles article in September. We also featured her single “Your Name” in our Monday Mashup column in November, which garnered her an LA Music Critic Award nomination for “Rising Star.” We are so proud to be able to review her debut album, which has exceeded even our highest expectations, from the dreamy “Invitation” to the jazzy smoothness of “Secrets” and “The Saint.” You can’t go wrong with this one, and will find yourself listening from start to finish, again and again. These songs are radio friendly and perfect for placement in film and television. We guarantee this young lady will soon become a household name.
Recommendation: This one is going to become one of your favorites, so run out and Get it right now!
Artist Name: Mozes and the Firstborn
Album Name: Dadcore
Label: Burger Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Track Listing: 1. d; 2. Dadcore (ft together PANGEA); 3. a; 4. If I; 5. Baldy; 6. d; 7. Sad Supermarket Song; 8. Fly Out I; 9. Blow Up; 10. c; 11. Hello; 12. o; 13. Scotch Tape/Stick With you (ft Kelsey Reckling); 14. We’re all Saints; 15. r; 16. Amen; 17. c; 18. Fly Out II
Publicist: The Syndicate
Review: This is the only artist on today’s Get it or Forget it that we are unfamiliar with, that is before listening to this intriguing mix of grunge, shoegaze, power pop and indie rock. This marks their third full-length album since signing with California based Burger Records. They are currently on tour in the US in support of this album, and so far have released a pair of singles, “If I” and “Sad Supermarket Song.” This band would be popular on college campuses world-wide, and could easily become a staple on college radio.
Recommendation: Definitely worth checking out.
Artist Name: The Fisherman & The Sea
Album Name: The Hurt & The Humour
Label: Neck of the Woods Records
Genre: Indie Folk Rock
Track Listing: 1. Hurry; 2. Stuck With a Rhyme; 3. The Fairytale Waltz; 4. Beggar Princess; 5. The Undertaker; 6. A Song for the Hills; 7. Skinny Dip; 8. Ugly; 9. The Bear; 10. Homesick; 11. Life in the Service of Others
Publicist: Neck of the Woods Records
Review: This band is no stranger to our blog, as we have reviewed all three of their previous EPs: Beggar Princess in November 2017, Stuck With a Rhyme in January 2018 and I Can’t Alone in August 2018. They have also accumulated two nominations and one win in the LA Music Critic Awards, and took #5 on our list of Best International EPs of 2017 for Beggar Princess. Needless to say, our expectations for their debut full-length album were pretty high, and they blew them out of the water. This is not just a collection of previously released material, as only four of these songs were included on the three previous EPs. This is a fresh look at those great songs and seven new ones, and we are as happy as a clam, especially with the first single, “The Fairytale Waltz.” We are definitely going to put this one on repeat, because every track is worthy of multiple listens and likes. Take our advice, this is one of the best international bands we have ever heard.
Recommendation: If you only buy one international album in 2019, this one should be it. Go Get it. Now!