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

Get it or forget it – Meg Williams, Nate Currin, L-space, Steven Blane, Heart Attack Man

Welcome to another New Music Friday.  With our move coming up next weekend, we are scaling back for a couple of weeks.  We decided to post just our Monday Mashup and New Music Friday Get it or Forget it articles, so you won’t miss us too much.  Here are five albums that dropped today.

Artist NameMeg Williams

Album NameTake me as I am:  The Muscle Shoals Sessions

Label:  Nola Blue Records

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Come on Over to Me; 2.  Tell Everybody; 3.  Shame; 4.  Little bit of the Devil; 5.  Played by the Blues; 6.  Sometimes I Need you, Too; 7.  Take me as I Am; 8.  What About Me?; 9.  Can’t Keep Waiting on You; 10.  I Feel a Heartache Coming; 11.  Make a Move; 12.  Take a Chance on my Love

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  We reviewed her previous release back in January 2018, and fell in love with her sound, which has only gotten better since then.  It also earned her an LA Music Critic Award nomination for Best Blues Artist.  In addition, her skills on the guitar are second to none as she teaches her male counterparts how to play blues guitar, while her songwriting skills are head and shoulders above most of her peers.  Whether she’s rocking the blues or bringing you the traditional style, you will be enthralled from the first note to the last.  You can’t lose with this album, which is awesome from beginning to end, and which we bet you’ll be putting on repeat.

Recommendation:  Drop everything and go Get this one!

Artist Name Nate Currin

Album NameAshes & Earth

Label:  Archaic Cannon Records

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Ramblin’ Man; 2.  Heart on the Run; 3.  Guilt and Grief; 4.  Wander til I Die; 5.  When I was Younger; 6.  Ashes & Earth; 7.  Desert Skies; 8.  Oklahoma; 9.  Flowers on her Grave; 10.  1979

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Nate Currin has always been an incredible voice in the indie music singer-songwriter community, but he has outdone himself on his latest release.  This one is raw and honest, and cuts to the bone.  These are songs from someone who has lived, and is unafraid to share that reality.  There is not a weak song on the album, whether it’s the heartbreaking truth of “Ramblin’ Man” or “Heart on the Run,” or the rock n’ roll goodness of “Wander til I Die,” Currin is truly the voice of this decade.  His goodness needs to be on display for all to hear.  We also love the vocal harmonies on “Ramblin’ Man,” “Desert Skies” and “Flowers on her Grave.”

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer.  Run out and Get it!

Artist Name L-space

Album NameMusic for Megastructures

Label:  Last Night From Glasgow

Genre:  Electronic instrumental

Track Listing:  1.  [Transport] Approaching an Arcology; 2.  [Transport] The Slow Descent of a Cruise Ship Into Port; 3.  [Transport] Morning Traffic Overhead; 4.  [Transport] Lots of Colorful Lights at all Times of Day and Night; 5.  [Transport] Approaching a Megastructure; 6.  [Work] A Small man Waits While the Rain Sizzles on the Tarp; 7.  [Work] A Sleepy Robot Watches Over a Rarely-Used Car Park; 8.  [Work] The Captains of Industry and Their Interests Outside of Work; 9.  [Work] An Aspiring Actor Works as a Barrista Under Hallogen Lights; 10.  [Work] Free Body Augmentations – No Questions Asked or Answered; 11.  [Health]  Lives are Getting Longer; 12.  [Health]  Biology is so 21st Century; 13.  [Health]  Browsing the Latest Pharmaceuticals at the Hospital Drive Through; 14.  [Health]  Stopping for Neon Ice Cream; 15.  [Health]  Getting Sick and Being Cured; 16.  [Life]  A Brief Moment of Triumph After a Period of Alienation; 17.  [Life]  Gambling in Virtual Reality with Real Life Consequences; 18.  [Life]  A Sense of Unease Descends Upon the Bar; 19.  [Life]  Sitting in a Crowded Basement Watching Automations Approximate Music; 20.  [Life]  Waking up Bathed in the Light of Things you Can’t Afford

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  This one is definitely not what we expected.  The music is other-worldly and perfect for use in movies and television.  These tracks would also work well for mixing house music.  They hit you from all sides and the song titles are so very pretentious.  Our advice is to ignore them and just listen to this album from start to finish and let the waves of musical energy wash over your body and mind, relaxing and refreshing them.  This one needs multiple listens.

Recommendation:  Truly worth of being in your collection.

Artist NameSteven Blane

Album NameI Walk Alone

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Hot AC/AAA/Jazz

Track Listing:  1,  Look Who’s Crying Now; 2.  Bottoms Up; 3.  Incredible; 4.  I Walk Alone; 5.  Don’t Know You; 6.  My Baby’s Coming Home; 7.  Brooklyn Bridge; 8.  Dressed in Blue; 9.  Walk by Me; 10.  Please; 11.  Sacred Chain

Publicist:  EMPKT PR

Review:  If you’ve always been impressed by the sound of Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, then you will simply love the latest offering from Steven Blane.  He pulls out all the stops in this retro tribute to the sound of Orbison and Presley, featuring simple accompaniment and Blane’s hearty tenor sound.  In particular, the title track is an homage to Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.”  Blane also does some of his signature jazz sound on “Incredible” and his Americana sound on “Brooklyn Bridge.”

Recommendation:  This one would make a fine addition to your collection.

Artist NameHeart Attack Man

Album NameFake Blood

Label:  You Did This/Triple Crown Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1,  Fake Blood; 2.  Blood Blister; 3.  Low Hanging Fruit; 4.  Out for Blood; 5.  Rats in a Bucket; 6.  Moths in a Lampshade; 7.  Cut my Losses; 8.  Crisis Actor; 9.  Asking for It; 10.  Sugar Coated; 11.  The Choking Game

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:  This hit this one hard with an edgy indie rock sound, well-crafted lyrics and excellent instrumentation that truly complements the overall sound.  This is a band that is different enough to stand out from its indie peers, and deserves industry attention, both from radio stations and music supervisors.  The title track sets the tone for the album, and it never lets up.

Recommendation:  Give these lads a chance.  We think they’ll win you over.

 

 

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

Get it or forget it – The Fisherman and the Sea, Mattson 2, Damon Fowler, Valerio Lysander, Steven Blane

Happy hump day!  We are so excited because in less than 48 hours, we will be on a plane heading to God’s country – North Carolina – for a family reunion.  It’s been far too long since I’ve been home, and the chance to introduce my wife to my extended family and see where I grew up.  In the meantime, we still have a lot of music to share, so here are five artists to get you through the mid-point of the week.

Artist NameThe Fisherman & The Sea

Album NameI Can’t Alone

Label:  Neck of the Woods Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Skinny Dip; 2.  Ugly; 3.  Naive (ft Emppu Suhonen); 4.  Reptile (ft Sanna K); 5.  A Man With no Dance

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  This is the third EP we have reviewed from The Fisherman & The Sea since November 2017, and they continue to impress.  While we enjoy these frequent short EPs, we wish they would give us a full length album as well.  They have created some of the best indie rock music from the international community, and are a shining beacon to the rest of their community that America is listening, and is ready for them to make a solid attack on our American radio scene.  This is by far the best of the three EPs so far, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.  Our favorite tracks include “Ugly,” “Naive,” and “A Man With no Dance.”

Recommendation:  If you only get one of their EPs, then this is the one to Get (although we think you should get them all)!

Artist NameMattson 2

Album NameA Love Supreme

Label:  Spiritual Pajamas

Genre:  Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  Acknowledgement; 2.  Resolution; 3.  Interlude; 4.  Pursuance; 5.  Psalm

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Identical twins Jared and Jonathan Mattson bring us a remarkable re-imagining of John Coltrane‘s classic album A Love Supreme.  That is tantamount to spitting in the face of God for some jazz lovers, but trust us when we say that the Mattson twins deliver a stunning performance of this revered masterpiece.  As someone who spent a lot of time in the jazz world, and heard many of the best perform live, Mattson 2 is definitely worthy of the right to record this jazz master, and up to the task of delivering some of the finest jazz we have heard in many years.

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer.  If you love jazz, and Coltrane in particular, you owe it to yourself to Get this one today!

Artist NameDamon Fowler

Album NameThe Whiskey Bayou Session

Label:  Whiskey Bayou Records

Genre:  Blues/Roots/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  It Came out of Nowhere; 2.  Fairweather Friend; 3.  Hold me Tight; 4.  Up the Line; 5.  Ain’t Gonna Rock With you no More; 6.  Closer Walk With Thee; 7.  Pour Me; 8.  Holiday; 9.  Running out of Time; 10.  Candy; 11.  Florida Baby

Publicist:  Rick Lusher

Review:  Damon Fowler recorded his first album at the age of 19, and is releasing his first album on Tab Benoit’s new label, Whiskey Bayou Records.  This is his first studio album in four years, and it was definitely worth the wait.  He has definitely hit the road runnning with these songs, and only strengthens his legacy as a blues master.  The album is currently sitting at #1 on the Roots Music Report, where it has been for the past three weeks, so trust us when we tell you it IS just that good!  We especially love his cover of the Johnny Nash classic “Hold me Tight,” as well as the gospel song, “Closer Walk with Thee.”  Add to that the amazing original compositions, and  you have the makings of one of the best blues albums of 2018.

Recommendation:  This is the type of album that will make blues fans out of any one.  Get it now!

Artist NameValerio Lysander

Album NameWe are like Coloured Moths Towards the Sunlight

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Baroque Pop

Track Listing:  1.  The Moon; 2.  Feathers; 3.  If you Were me you Would Be; 4.  A Little Foot; 5.  The Prince; 6.  Comme Une Rivière; 7.  Cotton; 8.  Ryan; 9.  I’m Screwed; 10.  Little People; 11.  Fools; 12.  Hymn; 13.  Le Stelle de lu Cielo

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  We are sure this is the most unique album we have heard from the UK, and we love it.  It is uplifting, with the feeling of having an entire orchestra with an amazing vocalist who also wrote these incredible songs.  This is the album to lift your spirits whenever you are feeling down, as it is impossible not to feel better when listening to these amazing songs.  It is also the only singer-songwriter album you need if you love show tunes, as these songs have the same feeling and would make a great foundation for a new musical.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one.

Artist NameSteven Blane

Album NameSo New York

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Jazz Singer-songwriter

Track Listing:  1.  Bum’s Rush; 2.  Gaslight; 3.  Too Beautiful for Words; 4.  Central Park; 5.  Smoke and Mirrors; 6.  So New York; 7.  Daylight Savings Time Moon; 8.  On Bleeker Street; 9.  New York is my Girlfriend; 10.  Sidewalks of New York

Publicist:  EMPKT PR

Review:  As a huge fan of Neil Diamond‘s The Jazz Singer, I always marveled at his ability to go from a cantor to a pop singer.  Well, as often happens, life imitates art.  Steven Blane is a rabbi and cantor, as well as a singer-songwriter.  Although he normally writes in the Americana/roots/folk/country style, this homage to his beloved New York City is more Frank Sinatra than Chris Stapleton.  It is a lovely tribute to the Big Apple, and would have impressed ole blues eyes himself.  We absolutely adore the easy listening sound, and think that Blane is a perfect fit in this genre.

Recommendation:  Regardless of your musical tastes, this one is a classic, and belongs in your music library.  Get it.