MUSIC REVIEWS

In their new single “Rolling With the Stones,” country-pop duo Wild Fire continue to develop their sharp tandem vocal attack with larger than life harmonies that could make anyone into a fan of modern Americana. “Rolling With the Stones” has all the cosmetics of a true pop song; a big …

With a swift kick from an electric guitar riff, a deluge of drum-led chills come pouring out of our speakers as “If This Is Real” begins to play. The opening track on the new album from Dizzy Box Nine, Faster Than Anticipation, “If This Is Real” sets the tone for everything …

2020 has been producing some incredible pop gems across the board, and to understand what I mean, all you need to do is check out some of the new grooves artists like Johnnie Mikel are putting out this June. In Mikel’s latest release, the poppy “Nothing to Lose,” he steps …

On the back of a textured guitar melody, we suddenly find ourselves in the trenches of a majestic groove as “Behave,” track one in the new album from Riches of the Poor titled The Long Way Down. The tone of the instrumentation suggests that catharsis isn’t far away, but at …

2020 has been a particularly good year for hip-hop, and you needn’t look much further than the American underground’s latest dispatches to see exactly what I mean. For rappers like 8rooklyn 8atman, it’s never been a better time to be breaking into the game; the upstart player’s new single, “Chitty …

In their new extended play, appropriately titled 100% Cool, rockers JD & the RetroRyders don’t waste our time with a cerebral intro or any sort of pomp and prestige unbecoming of a true rock band – they jump right into the fire with “If It’s Out There It’s Mine.” Loaded with …

In his debut single, the cosmopolitan “Lemon,” Hewas establishes himself as a melody-focused singer and songwriter above all else. Mixing together a bit of old school pop aesthetics with contemporary muscularity with regards to instrumentation, Hewas unleashes a powerful cocktail of urban rhythm and rhyme that could make any casual …

The second release from the experimental/ambient duo Book of Clouds, Heavy Chains, is a challenging but rewarding music listening experience. The six songs included on this release are taken from live performances with Federico Balducci on guitar and Ian Bouras providing evocative sound effects throughout. A third musician, sax player …

Rich with vitality and yet somewhat pained in the poetic emissions it offers, Jim Lord’s vocal is always the melodic center of any song he puts his name on, and this is especially true of his new singles “Helplessly I Fell” and “Little Star.” The title track of his latest …

2020 has felt like the year of Americana no matter what channel of the pop music lexicon you’re interested in, but on the flip side of the movement, artists like Ted Cline have been inspired to keep the flag of puritan country music flying as high as ever before. Rather …