MUSIC REVIEWS

Punk rock’s influence over pop culture and all of western music grew exponentially in the 2000s, and this season it’s having a hand in giving country fans a bit of the attitude that they’ve missed in the genre for decades back via Get Hammered, the latest LP from Jesse & The …

To say there’s been a lot of interest in classic rock concepts this year might be too great an understatement for a critic like myself; in all reality, the retro-rock trend has been hard to ignore on all fronts, and this is especially the case in indie pop. Singer/songwriters like …

There’s an exciting unorthodox energy that permeates on “Louisiana Voodoo”, the single by The Mark (real name Mark Shravan) which features Tony Joe White. Schraven, a Dutch singer/songwriter has certainly been busy over the years, and between touring Europe, the US, and The Netherlands he now finds himself teamed up …

When it comes to creating a sense of familiarity and nostalgia-based around the sounds you grew up with, it only makes sense to listen to someone from a band responsible for crafting those very sounds. Jeff Coffey, though not a founding member, grew up loving the music of Chicago and …

Nightfly is cranking up the energy with “Who’s In”, a sing along and move along gem that will surely entertain the masses. It’s no surprise that Nightfly calls Florida home – what better breeding ground for funk, blues, jazz and pop rock grooves. In what feels like a personal invitation, …

Russell “Hitman” Alexander earned his nickname the classic way. Putting himself out there as a player capable of navigating various styles, including orchestral swing, jazz, salsa, and even Hasidic music, among other forms, kept the gigs rolling in, of course. It earned him a reputation, however, as a hotshot musician …

Singer and songwriter Marc Dorian makes life’s situations all sound so fun and so warm. Even when he’s singing about the loss of a good friend, he comforts and has a bit of a mischievous gnarl at the back of his throat. Where other blues/rock and roll artists rely on …

I won’t mince words, Vol 1. Open Sesame Vol 1” the album by Istanbul-based artist Barista (real name Bahadir Han Eryilmaz) is a musical tour de force. I think there needs to be a stronger distinction between those who love music and those who LOVE music. What I mean is …

After years of performing as an extraordinary blues duo, it only makes sense to finally get in the studio and lay down a debut album, and for singer Stevee Wellons and guitarist Cheryl Rinovato of the group Soulful Femme, this is exactly what they decided to do with their time …

Careening out of the darkness with an especially jazz-laden groove behind every melody, the title track in Matt Bonner’s Seven Words welcomes listeners into this 2009 classic unafraid of the risk that comes with being extraordinary, and as we’ll soon learn, this feature helps to produce every powerful moment in this LP. …