Tag: The American West

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Monday Mashup

Monday mashup 2017: Vol 27

Happy Monday as we enter the final full week of July 2017.  It’s been extremely busy in the indie world, so we’ve got a few things to share with you this week.  Please keep supporting indie music.

LA MUSIC CRITIC AWARDS

Speaking of which, tomorrow is your last chance to vote for the Fan Favorite for the first half of 2017.  Among the current leaders are FlecHaus, Polly O’Keary, Janey Street, Wendy Sweetlove and Dario.  To vote just click on this link, scroll to the bottom and add your comment.  The winners will be announced on Thursday, July 27.

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Last week was filled with great indie performances, as we travelled to Stevensville to see The American West and Maita, to Darby for Melissa Forrette and Mabel’s Rage, and to Spokane for Chris Chilton and Jerad Finck.  The American West review is up, and the rest will be published shortly.

This week Melissa is performing twice (The Ranch Club on Wednesday and at Highlander Brewery on Saturday, both in Missoula), while Shakewell will be performing at Missoula’s Downtown Tonight on Thursday.  The biggest event, though, will be Missoula’s annual Celtic Festival on Saturday in Caras Park, which will feature several indie acts including Spokane’s Broken Whistle, The Gothard Sisters, RUNA and headliner, Young Dubliners.

KELLY McGRATH

Kelly McGrath moved to Nashville about two years ago, and her music has taken off since.  Her last single, “You and Me Today,” debuted at #1 on CMT, and her next single,  “All That I Want,” looks to be even better.  Here’s a sneak peak of the new music video, debuting soon.

MUSIC VIDEOS

We’ve got a few great videos for you this week, and leading the pack is a past LA Music Critic Award winner, The Daybreaks.  It’s a highlight video from their recent CD Release Party in Nashville.  Check out our review of the album 🙂

Next up is one of our favorite artists on Blue Élan Records, and one of the hardest working Americana artists working today, Rod Melancon.  His past videos have been impressive, and his new one for “Dwayne and Me” will not disappoint.  Let us know what you think.

Last but not least this week is the latest from Amie Mirello, who has also found success after moving from Los Angeles to Nashville.  We are excited about this new direction for Mirello, and think you will be impressed as well.  Here’s her latest video for “Move Me.”

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

The American West and Maita: live performance review

We love to attend and review live shows, but seldom get to see some of the great indie artists that have been nominated for awards.  The winds have apparently changed, and we have quite a few coming to Montana and the surrounding area in the coming months, including several this month.

The first of those bands to visit were The American West, with Maita, who performed at the Blacksmith Brewing Company in Stevensville on July 19.

Based out of Portland, Orego, these two groups, which share the same players (Matthew Zeltzer and Maria Maita-Keppeler) bring some of the best Americana and indie folk music around.  As The American West, Zeltzer plays acoustic guitar and provides lead vocals while Maita-Keppeler plays violin and provides backing vocals.  Zeltzer plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals to Maita-Keppeler’s acoustic guitar and lead vocals when performing as Maita.

We previously reviewed The American West’s album, The Soot Will Bring us Back Again, but this was our first exposure to Maita.  Both groups were worth it.  The American West is up for two LA Music Critic Awards, Best CD (Group) and Best Americana Band.

Zeltzer has the perfect voice for Americana – soothing, but a little rough, which perfectly matches the mood set by the group’s music.  Maita-Keppeler contributed haunting violin that amplified the Americana feel.  They performed seven of the nine songs on the album, including three of our favorites – “Ghost Town,” “Voices,” and “Heart of Stone.”  Their harmonies are sheer perfection, and they kept the packed house engaged and entertained.

After a short break, Maita began her set, with a haunting voice that perfectly met the tone of her indie folk music.  Her songs were also haunting and memorable, while the guitar riffs supplied by Zeltzer added a bit of rock to the songs.  After hearing her songs, we can’t wait to review her album, Waterbearer.

We wish them well on the final week of their tour, which will bring them through Colorado on their way back to Oregon.

 

 

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

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 26

Welcome to another week of summer.  This was one of the weekends we wished we were still in Los Angeles, because we definitely would  have been at Dodger Stadium for the amazing Classic West festival which all our friends are talking about.  To those of you who attended, hope you had a great time with The Eagles, the Doobie Brothers, Steeley Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth Wind and Fire.  We’re so jealous!!!

INDIE NEWS

Heather Jacks, author of The Noise Beneath the City, creator of the Drinking from the Jug blog, as well as a huge supporter of indie music has announced that she is joining an artists’ collective and opening her first brick and mortar store, Rock A Record, at the Sea Hive, an artisan marketplace located at 1555 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside.  The new location will open next month, so please go out and support this true patron of the arts.

Montanan Melissa Forrette continues her busy July with an opening slot for the legendary country band Sawyer Brown at Darby Logger Days on July 21.  Tickets are still available at the event’s website.

Several of the nominees for the LA Music Critic Awards are visiting Montana or the surrounding area in the near future, and we plan to get out and support them.  This Wednesday (July 19) we will be heading to Stevensville, Montana to see The American West at the Blacksmith Brewery.  We will also be attending the performance of Jerad Finck at Bellwether Brewery Co. in Spokane, Washington on July 22.  Then on August 3, we will be seeing Gina Sicilia at The Gold Room in Colorado Springs, Colorado before heading to Billings, Montana to catch Australian Anni Piper at Magic City Blues on August 4.  We also hope to catch Redhead Express when they play at Music Ranch Montana in Livingston, Montana on August 17.

Other artists on tour in our area include Nina Storey at the Marmelade Concert Series in Salt Lake City on July 20 and Trevor Hall headlining at the Top Hat on November 7.

NEW MUSIC

Here’s an amazing track from Space4Lease entitled “Must be Something” that should help kick-start your Monday.  Please let us know what you think.

https://soundcloud.com/space4leasemusic/must-be-something

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

There have been a boatload of new music videos released in the past week or so, and we have selected three to share with you.  Please also check out “You!” by Floco Torres, “Snitches get Stiches” by Wieuca, “Learn to Be” by Bryan Mackey and “Concrete Angels” by Scarlett Taylor, as well as “Coldplay” by David Ryan Harris.  All are available at YouTube.com.

First up today is the latest from one of our favorite singer-songwriters and close friends, Kim Divine.  Her new lyric video is entitled “This Time Around,” and we definitely think you will enjoy it.

Next up is “Underneath,” the latest single from Rosi Golan, one of the many amazing artists represented by publicist Laura Goldfarb of Red Boot PR.  We just reviewed the album, and definitely think this one is a keeper.

Last, but definitely not least, is the latest from California Country artist and multiple LA Music Critic Award nominee  and past winner, Calico the Band, with their latest, “The 405.”  Everyone in the greater LA area will be able to relate to this video.  Have a great week.

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: The American West, Mint Trip, Low Society, Splitbreed

Good morning.  We’re trying to get through all of the indie albums that are releasing between now and the end of June so that we can begin gathering the nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards for the first half of 2017.  We have received a total of 80+ album submissions that meet that criteria, and will be writing reviews on every one prior to making our nominations known.  I still have 33 or so to do after this batch, so it’s gonna be a little busy around here for the next few days.

Artist Name:  The American West

Album Name:  The Soot Will Bring us Back Again

Label:  Tortoise Records

Genre:  Americana

Track Listing: 1.  Ghost Town; 2.  Heart of Stone; 3.  Let me Love you Like a Pauper Does; 4.  Looking for You; 5.  Patience, Young Conquistador; 6.  Ritalin; 7.  Roadsick Blues; 8.  Voices; 9.  Westward Man 

Publicist:  Max Porter

Review:  Matthew Zeltzer is the force behind The American West, having written most of the songs while living in an Airstream trailer on an organic farm in Northern California.  With the help of engineer Jordan Richter (Band of Horses, Legendary Shack Shakers, Plastic Ono Band), the bulk of the record was recorded to two-inch tape in only three days, but you would never know that from the quality of the recording.  The backing vocals and violin of Maria Maita-Keppeler add so much to Zeltzer’s steady lead vocals and guitar, creating the perfect combination of sound reflective of life on the frontier.  From the opening notes of “Ghost Town,” it becomes obvious that the listener is in for a treat, as every song builds upon another, creating a masterpiece of Americana music while telling the story of the American West – its history, land, and future.  Our favorite tracks were “Ghost Town,” “Heart of Stone,” “Patience, Young Conquistador,” “Roadsick Blues,” and “Voices.”

Recommendation:  The American West are a treasure to be savored over and over again.  We love this album and strongly encourage you to Get It ASAP.  You won’t be sorry.

Artist Name:  Mint Trip

Album Name:  Ghosts (7″ Vinyl)

Label:  Blue Élan Records

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  Side A – Ghosts; Side B – By the Sea, Virga 

Publicist:  MAD Ink PR

Review:  Although the five-song EP was originally released in August 2016, shortly after the trio signed to the label, this three-song vinyl was just released in April 2017.  All three songs are strong and representative of a band that has a long future ahead.  We especially love “Ghosts,” and believe it belongs on the radio.  We are proud to add this limited release to our music library.

Recommendation:  Mint Trip is a band that is going places.  With that in mind, you owe it to yourself to make them a part of your music library as well.  We encourage you to Get it now.

Artist Name:  Low Society

Album Name:  Sanctified

Label:  Rezonate Records, Icehouse Records

Genre:  Blues, Americana, Roots

Track Listing:  1.  Angel From Montgomery; 2.  Raccoon Song; 3.  The Freeze; 4.  Sanctified; 5.  River of Tears; 6.  Nina; 7.  Drowning Blues; 8.  New York Boy #3; 9.  Here Comes the Flood; 10.  I’d Rather go Blind 

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  From the first note of this album, all of your senses come alive as the beat, the voice and the song instantly transport you to a time in the deep south where great blues music originated.  You can imagine a crowded dance floor, sweltering heat and music that seems to flow from every corner of the room, creating a rhythm that your body simply must submit to.  These songs could just as easily have come from Muddy Waters or BB King or Etta James.  Low Society simply shows their mastery of the genre and deliver a truly great album.  We believe you will enjoy this album from start to finish.

Recommendation:  Simply put, just Get it.  One listen and you’ll be hooked.

Artist Name:  Splitbreed

Album Name:  The Free Energy Store

Label:  Simplify Recordings

Genre:  Hip-hop, dance

Track Listing:  1.  Get Down (feat. Jonate); 2.  Go Deep; 3.  Drippin; 4.  Lose Control; 5.  Pain (feat. Jonate with Le Castle Vania); 6.  Prey (with Twin Moons and Loud n’ Killer); 7.  Better Days (feat. Akyla); 8.  Almost Home

Publicist:  Simplify Recordings

Review:  Hip-hop has a new master, and that is Splitbreed.  These three boys know how to kick it and bring a sound that’s hot and hip.  From the driving beat to the funky vocals, Splitbreed delivers some of the best dance music we have heard in a long time.  This music demands that you get up and jam, and will breath new life into your day.  It is perfect for walking, running or getting your groove on.  While the lyrical content is not the most politically correct, the driving beat will overtake you and overwhelm your senses, reminiscent of the sounds of LMFAO.  These songs are definitely NSFW, but great for the rest of the time.

Recommendation:  If you love to dance and dig hip-hop music, then we suggest you boogie on out and grab a copy of The Free Energy Store.  It will make your day brighter.