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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

Get it or forget it – Robbery Inc., FreeWorld, TYA, Louise Lemon, Seasonal Beast

It’s the last day of fall, with winter already pounding at our door.  Christmas is right around the corner, and there is still so much music to review.  Here are another five to give you something to think about.  Enjoy.

Artist NameRobbery Inc.

Album NameHoneybee (7″ vinyl)

Label:  Apostoles Records

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Honeybee; 2.  Skin

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  Robbery Inc. is a trio composed of Robb Torres, former guitarist of TRAPT, as well as bassist and keyboardist Johan Wei-Haas and drummer Matt Cambros.  Their sound is alternative rock, with a healthy dose of great keyboards and guitar, as well as finely crafted lyrical content to create music that is memorable and radio friendly.  This two-song 7″ vinyl is jam packed with incredibleness.  “Honeybee” is a formidable tune that could easily see placement in television and film, and should be on radio stations worldwide.  “Skin” has a sound reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Led Zeppelin, and is surely an instant classic.  We only wish there were more than two songs here, but it has definitely piqued our interest for whatever comes next.

Recommendation:  This one is a definite instant classic.  Get it now.

Artist Name FreeWorld

Album Name:    What It Is

Label:  SwirlDisc

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Deeper by the Minute; 2.  Find a Better Way; 3.  Shrimp n’ Grits; 4.  Dinja Babe; 5.  It’s Alright; 6.  For the Moment; 7.  The Shape I’m In; 8.  Sideswiped; 9.  Another Sunday Night; 10.  Believe; 11.  Eve Waits

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  We love the blues, and FreeWorld is one of the best out there.  From their home in Memphis, they are spreading their music to the world.  They are also celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band, and we truly believe they will have many more years to come.  What It Is, their seventh studio release, was mixed by the incomparable Dave Aron and master by Grammy winning engineer Brad Blackwood.  From the first notes of “Deeper by the Minute,” it becomes immediately evident that this band knows their stuff, and they have come to share their mastery of the blues.  This one is great from start to finish, and features some amazing instrumental tracks as well.

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer – you simply MUST Get this one and put it on repeat.

Artist NameTYA

Album NameNo Money, More Love

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Alternative

Track Listing:  1.  Midnight Drive-Through; 2.  Space Man; 3.  Hustle; 4.  Boston Shelves; 5.  Feel it Happen

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:  We brought you their single “Hustle” in our Monday Mashup on October 23, and are now so pleased to be able to review their entire EP.  Once again, Australia has given us another reason to love music from down under.  TYA has a unique groove that should appeal to lovers of a multitude of genres, like pop, alternative, dance, and the like.  Their EP packs five incredible tunes into a sweet package that is great from start to finish, and we love everyone of them, especially “Hustle.”   We expect only the best in the future from TYA.

Recommendation:  Get onboard before the train leaves the station.  Get their EP now.

Artist NameLouise Lemón

Album NameMalex

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  R&B/Soul

Track Listing:  1.  Malex; 2.  Malex ‘Tailor Hill acoustic session’; 3.  178

Publicist:  Mystic Sons

Review:  R&B has a fresh new voice in Swedish songstress Louise Lemón.  Her latest EP contains the powerful song “Malex,” which is radio friendly and deserving of serious consideration for placement in television and film.  It is memorable and sure to satisfy even the elitist R&B music lover.  Both versions of the song are noteworthy, as is “178.”  We are once again impressed with the musical talent coming out of Sweden, and can hardly wait to see what she does next.

Recommendation:  Get this one – you won’t be sorry.

Artist NameSeasonal Beast

Album NameMuscle Memory

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Pop/Alternative

Track Listing:  1.  I Can Make You Disappear; 2.  Making Shapes; 3.  Dry Bones (ft. Sasha Daniel); 4.  This is Where; 5.  Take me Back; 6.  Another Day; 7.  Heading to a Wall; 8.  Ungovernable; 9.  Don’t Disappear; 10.  Playing in the Dark; 11.  No One Can Open the Door (ft. Julian Cassia) (Bonus Track)

Publicist:  Effective Immediately PR

Review:  Upon first listen, this band reminds us of Mandy Perkins and Of Verona.  We simply adore the lead vocals of Yuli Beeri, who truly brings the musical vision of keyboardist/lyricist Yuval Semo to life.  This album is so soothing and melodic that it can form the perfect musical background for their listeners’ day to day life.  We would love to see them live in concert, as we can only imagine being in the same room with their immeasurable talent.  Wake up America – this is the type of music we need on the radio and in television and film.  Add us to the list of people who are in love with their music.  This one is going on repeat!

Recommendation:  Don’t delay – Get this one TODAY and put it on repeat!!!!

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2017: Vol. 40 (UPDATED)

Greetings from the road.  We’ve been on tour with Jerad Finck for the past week, completing five shows in seven days.  He has a show on Wednesday at Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles before heading down to Lestat’s in San Diego for a show on Saturday.  After that we head back for a final tour show at the Ole Beck VFW Post in Missoula, Montana on November 2.

GAYLE SKIDMORE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Former San Diego indie musician Gayle Skidmore, now living in the Netherlands, has created an amazing lyric video for her song, “No Ordinary Life,” which is an entry into the Little Women competition.  She is currently in first place and needs your help to stay there.  Please check out the video and vote for her once a day before the competition ends on October 29.

MEDIA OUTLET DAMAGED IN FIRES NEEDS YOUR HELP

Music Junkie Press, a great rock and roll online site based in Santa Rosa, was burned to the ground in the Tubs fire. They lost everything – offices, computers, their home, a collection of 70 vintage guitars and over 100 classic drumheads, all their photo equipment, their antique camera collection and all their paper records, including 40 years of rock memorabilia.  They are still reporting on rock concerts and posting photos from shows online, although they are living in a motel room and using borrowed equipment.  They could use some help in rebuilding.  Check out the GoFundMe campaign set up by bands for them.

NEW SINGLES

Check out the new single from Late Night Episode, “Golden Age.”  If you live in Los Angeles, they will be having a show at The Peppermint Club on October 26.  We think you should definitely check them out.

Check out this amazing electronic pop song from Swedish duo Felin, “21st Century.”  This should get you up and ready for a new week.

Last but not least this week, here is TYA with their new single, “Hustle.”  This is another upbeat song that will get your toes a tapping and propel you into another work week.  Let us know what you think.

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Here is an amazing blues video from icon Matt Hawkins, combining great steel with some amazing native instruments including didgeridoo and wood flute.  The cinematography is breathtaking.  We think this one is a winner.

Electro pop seems to be the theme of the day.  Check out “Sky Wide Open” from TRISTN, as well as an acoustic video for her latest single, “Nothing to Say.”  Get up and dance!

Our final video today comes from Oh Geronimo.  Another cinematic masterpiece, and the song is pretty awesome too.  Check out “No More Stones.”