Tag: Strange Boy

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Artists Worth Checking Out Hollywood Fringe Festival LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 17

We made it to the final Monday in April.  That means May 1 is coming up, when tickets for both the 2018 Hollywood Fringe Festival and the 2018 LA Music Critic Award Winners Showcase go on sale.  June is gonna be awesome, and we can’t wait to see LA again.  We’ll be in town from June 11-25, so let us know what Fringe shows and concerts we should check out while we’re there.

HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL

This year marks the 9th annual Festival, and other than 2015, we have attended every year.  We can hardly wait for the tickets to go on sale so we can start planning our trip.  We will again be sponsoring the Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence, which goes to a play which best incorporates music into its story.  The award will be presented on June 24 at the Awards show.  We look forward to checking out your show for this award.  As always, we will be publishing reviews every day, so make sure you invite us to your Fringe show.

JOE PURDY HEADS OUT ON TOUR

Amazing indie artist Joe Purdy heads out on the road as the opening act for Judy Collins and Stephen Stills.  Purdy and Amber Rubarth recently gained attention for their movie American Folk.  You can see them both if you catch the Nashville show.  You can buy your tickets here.

May 03 – Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Eugene, OR
May 04 – Snoqualmie Casino Showroom – Snoqualmie, WA
May 11 – *Nashville Musicians Corner – Nashville, TN (American Folk w/ Amber Rubarth)
May 16 – The Rose – Pasadena, CA
May 17 – The Canyon –  Santa Clarita, CA 
June 01 – Luther Burbank Center – Santa Rosa, CA
June 02 – Mountain Winery – Saratoga, CA 
June 04 – Humphries By The Bay – San Diego, CA 
June 08 – *City Winery – Chicago, IL (Solo Show)
June 09 – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre – Rochester Hills, MI

LA MUSIC CRITIC AWARD WINNERS SHOWCASE

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for the 2nd annual showcase, which will be held at The Mint in Los Angeles on June 19.  Artists scheduled to appear this year include Lexie Rose, Alexis Keagan, Pi Jacobs, Great Willow, The Khourys, Poco’s Rusty Young, Cindy Alexander, Calico the Band’s Ted Russell Kamp, and Shiragirl from the Vans Warped Tour.  Local rockers ROCKET will headline the event.  Tickets are just $10 in advance (with a 60 cent surcharge).  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Come support indie music.

NEW SINGLES

Our first single this week comes from Blue Élan Records artist Jesse Dayton, whose album will be coming out in June.  Here’s his latest single, “May Have to Do It (Don’t Have to Like It).”  Let us know what you think.

Our second single comes from Strange Boy, a London-based duo with sweeping harmonies and lush techno accompaniment.  Check out their latest offering, “Love Remains.”

Next up is Polychrome, who channel the vibe of The Cocteau Twins to bring us “Dreaming About You.”  If you like electronic, pop and/or dance music, you will love this one.

Our next single, “Thrift Shop,” comes from Johnny and the Bootlegs, who combine blues, punk and rock n’ roll to create a high energy sound.  Please let us know what you think.

Our final single today comes from Summer Heart, and should get  you ready for summer with the amazing “I Got This Thing for You.”

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video today comes from Secret Colours for their single “Dream Dream.”  We find it interesting that the album was dropped almost a year ago, and we are just now finding out about them.  We can’t wait for more!

Next up is the latest from LA indie icon Kari Kimmel, with another smash hit video.  This one is for her single “High,” and we can’t wait to find out what music supervisor was smart enough to choose this one.  Her new album drops May 25.

Our third video today is from one of our indie bands, FlecHaus.  Here is the lyric video for “Finding,” which was just released TODAY!

We really love this next video from Lora Kelley for her single, “Both Hands.”  We would love to hear what you think.

Last but not least this week is the latest from amazing duo This Way North.  It is a live performance of their single, “Nothing to Say,” and we truly dig their vibe.  Have a great week and we’ll be back soon with more Get it or Forget it.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Awards Best of 2017 Get it or Forget it Women in Entertainment

Best international EPs of 2017

We have reviewed a total of 338 albums and EPs this year.  As you can imagine, there have been quite a lot of great ones along the way, and we plan to share some of them with you over the next four days.  We are breaking our “Best of 2017” lists down into four categories – Best American EPs, Best International EPs, Best American Albums and Best International albums.  Today we will share our Top 10 Best International EPs.  Individual reviews are available as part of our blog’s “Get it or Forget it” series.

10.  Elephant Stone, Remix of Fools.  This five-song EP contains remixes from the band’s Ship of Fools album,  The best of those songs is the Young Galaxy remix of “The Devil’s Shelter.”  Check out these lads from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

9.  Amber Run, Alaska.  This four-song EP contains two songs from the band’s sophomore album For a Moment, I was Lost, as well as two cover songs, including Maggie Rodgers’ “Alaska.”  This band hails from the UK.

8.  Strange Boy, Annunciation.  The band released their debut EP with four songs.  They are also from the UK.

7.  TYA, No Money, More Love.   Queensland, Australia is responsible for this amazing band, who has brought us five new songs.

6.  The Raft, Coming up for Air.  Phil Wilson aka The Raft is responsible for two of the best EPs of 2017.  This one was released back in August.  Wilson hails from the UK.

5.  The Fisherman & the Sea, The Beggar Princess.  This EP is part of a group of four scheduled to be released before their debut full-length album later this year.  We can hardly wait.  Our first band from Finland.

4.    The Raft, Orion.  Gift number two from Phil Wilson.  This one is the best of the three EPs he released in 2017.

3.  Hundreds, Wilderness (Akustik Edition).  German siblings Eva and Philipp Milner have brought us a true treasure with an acoustic version of some of their hits, along with an acoustic cover of Bon Iver’s “Plume.”

2.  Wolf & Moon, Frames.  Stefanie and Dennis met at a party in the Netherlands, and now travel the world sharing their dreampop material.

1.  Cara Frew, Dance.  Cara splits her time between her native South Africa and the US, bringing great electro pop dance music wherever she travels.

We’ll be back tomorrow with the Top 15 American EPs.  See ya then.

 

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

Get it or forget it – Jay Asher, John Fogerty, Jules Shear, Strange Boy, Jacquie Lee

TGIF!  Are you ready for some great tunes to prepare you for the first weekend of 2018?  We have five more reviews for you today, so here we go!

Artist Name:  Jay Asher

Album Name:  Honestly

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Playing Detective; 2.  I’ve got the Question Right; 3.  Hurt me Twice; 4.  Show me how you Really Feel; 5.  Norman the Doorman; 6.  Texas Dreaming; 7.  When I was Young; 8.  How Blind can I Be?; 9.  Only Everyday; 10.  Someone Will be Watching

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Jay Asher brings a refreshing breath of fresh air to 70’s pop/rock style music, very reminiscent of early Elton John.  He hits the ground running with “Playing Detective,” before slowing it down to a sweet ballad with “I’ve Got the Question Right.”  He adds a little soul and dance vibe to “Hurt me Twice” and then back to the ballads with “Show me How you Really Feel.”  “Norman the Doorman” is a fun, upbeat pop ditty that would have played well on 70’s radio.  In fact, these songs are perfect for a music supervisor looking for retro-style songs for placement in period television and film.  Our favorite tracks are “Playing Detective,” “Hurt me Twice,” “Norman the Doorman,” “When I Was Young,” and “How Blind can I Be?”

Recommendation:  Definitely get this one.  For those of us who lived through the 70’s, it is a wonderful trip down memory lane.  For the rest, it is just plain good music.

Artist Name:  John Fogerty

Album Name:  Blue Moon Swamp (20th anniversary vinyl release)

Label:  BMG

Genre:  Classic Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Southern Streamline; 2.  Hot Rod Heart; 3.  Blueboy; 4.  A Hundred and ten in the Shade; 5.  Rattlesnake Highway; 6.  Bring it Down to Jelly Roll; 7.  Walking in a Hurricane; 8.  Swamp River Days; 9.  Rambunctious Boy; 10.  Joy of my Life; 11.  Blue Moon Nights; 12.  Bad bad Boy; 13.  Just Pickin’; 14.  Endless Sleep

Publicist:  MAD Ink PR

Review:  Originally released on May 20, 1997, Blue Moon Swamp won the Grammy for best rock album, despite the fact that it peaked at #37 on the Billboard charts.  In addition, the backing vocals for “Southern Streamline” and “Rambunctious Boy” were supplied by the amazing Lonesome River Band.  The album was remastered and reissued in 2004, and tracks 13 and 14 were added as a bonus.  The 2017 vinyl release uses the concert backdrop from the supporting tour, and retains all the incredibleness of the original release.  For those of us boomers who grew up on the music of Credence Clearwater Revival and the original American Son, John Fogerty, this vinyl release could not have come at a better time.   Memories flood back one by one as the intensely CCR-influenced sound comes across the record player speakers.  This one is a masterpiece, and we are so proud to have been chosen to review this impeccable album.  If you live in or near Las Vegas, or plan to be there January 10-20, we highly recommend you check out Fogerty in concert at Wynn’s  Encore Theatre.

Recommendation:  If you are a true audiophile, and love vinyl, then you simply must Get this one.  Now!

Artist Name:  Jules Shear

Album Name:  One More Crooked Dance

Label:  Funzalo Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Rules of the Game; 2.  Painkiller; 3.  Be with You; 4.  Don’t Remember; 5.  Guessing; 6.  Looking for Me; 7.  The Hunter and the Hunted; 8.  A Color that Barely Exists; 9.  Oh Marlena; 10.  This Flame; 11.  Half Hearted Head; 12.  When It’s Right; 13.  Wrong Again

Publicist:  Independent Music Media

Review:  If you are a fan of 80’s music, then the name Jules Shear is probably familiar to you, as he wrote Cyndi Lauper’s hit “All Through the Night,” as well as the Bangles’ “If She Knew What She Wants.”  He also hosted and co-created the MTV Unplugged series.  He recently signed with Funzalo Records and released his firm album of new music in many years.  His new music has a very soothing sound, with well-crafted lyrics and simply elegant and jazzy piano accompaniment, with some harmonica thrown in for good measure.  Our favorite tracks are “Don’t Remember,” “Guessing,” “A Color That Barely Exists,” “Oh Marlena,” and “Half Hearted Head.”

Recommendation:  This one is great for all true music lovers.  Check it out and let us know what you think.

Artist Name:  Strange Boy

Album Name:  Annuniciation

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Electronic Ambient

Track Listing:  1.  Annunciation; 2.  Love the Night; 3.  I Won’t say Those Things; 4.  Corbusier

Publicist:  Practise Music

Review:  The vocals stand out as they soar above the simple accompaniment on the first track, “Annunciation,” leaving the listener with a feeling of airiness like a good yoga stretch.  The songs are so complexly constructed but fit together so nicely that it is easy to just sit back, relax and let the music take you on an amazing auditory journey.  It is hard to believe that this is a debut EP because the sound is that of truly accomplished musicians.  It is a bit unusual but no less enjoyable, although it may not have a lot of commercial appeal.  Nevertheless, it is a worthy effort.

Recommendation:  Give these lads a chance.  They deserve it.

Artist Name:  Jacquie

Album Name:  The Only One

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Pop/Soul/R&B

Track Listing:  1.  Am I the Only One; 2.  California Dreaming; 3.  Manipulation; 4.  The Old Me; 5.  For You; 6.  What’s a Girl to Do

Publicist:  SG PR

Review:  You may well remember Jacquie from her appearance on The Voice at the age of 15 where she was mentored by Christina Aguilera.  Immediately signed to a major label after the show, she was not ready for the onslaught of the music business.  Now 20, she is making a comeback as an indie artist with the release of her new EP.   We have featured the music videos for the first two tracks in our Monday Mashup column and are proud to be able to finally review her EP.  Needless to say, we were not disappointed.  This young artist is one of the rising stars in pop music, and should go far with her soul-tinged pop music. “Am I the Only One” is a powerful pop empowerment song with a stunning music video, as is “California Dreaming” (and no, it’s not a cover).  We love how she has taken the painful lessons of the past five years and used them to become stronger and more powerful than she was when she shone on Season 5 of The Voice.  Every song is strong, and we expect any one of them would shine on pop radio.  This

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice.  Grab this one now.  It’s one of the best of 2017.