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HOT NEW REVIEWS
Deborah
Crooks 'Beauty everywhere' (Independent/USA Import)
Out
of California comes singer/songwriter Deborah Crooks, who sent me her latest
album Beauty everywhere, which is a mini-CD. It was produced and arranged by
Art Khu (Jacqui Naylor, Art Khu Quartet) and mixed by Shawn Alpay (Emily Jane
White). Musicians on the album are Kwame Copeland (acoustic guitar, backing
vocals), Mike Stevens (drums), Ben Bernstein (bass), and producer Khu (piano,
organ, acoustic and electric guitars). The music is a mix of Americana and
Roots Rock, usually calmer and quite laid-back, but here and there uptempo and
then it sounds at best, such as the catchy Overseas and faraway, although the
semi-ballad Found is also quite nice. There are influences from Lucinda
Williams, Rosanna Cash, Stevie Nicks and such to be heard and vocally speaking
Deborah has sorta an own kinda tone, reminding a bit of the 1970s singer/songwriter
way of singing (Carole King), although somehow she also reminds me of Tiffany
(her voice!). More info and sound samples can be found at: https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deborahcrooks8
and http://deborahcrooks.com/
Todd
Herzog 'Something to believe in' (Independent/USA Import)
Now
here we have a sensational release from a fabulous singer called Todd Herzog,
of whom we already reviewed a long time ago a record (http://www.angelfire.com/az2/strutter8/HOTNEWREVIEWS9.htm).
Now he's back and I am glad to be in touch with him again as well, because the
AOR fans really need to hear his beautiful voice. Todd is coming out of
Phoenix, AZ, released quite a few albums in the past and has more or less a
Jewish religion touch to his music. Anyway, 14 years ago I was already
impressed by his voice, but thought his music was a bit too soft. Once you get
older yourself you will understand that it doesn't matter if the music is
calmer and not as rocking as you want it to be, so my view has changed and
especially this new album blew me away by it's incredible high quality of
music. Todd has a perfect AOR voice that sounds like a cross between Dennis
DeYoung, Tim Feehan and Freddy Curci, while the music is more or less
westcoast-AOR-poprock like it was made in the late 80s/early 90s, reminding me
of David Kuhn, Freddy Curci, Tim Karr, Jimmy Davis, Bryan White, Don Lewis, Van
Stephenson, Mark Spiro, Jeff Paris, Stan Bush (very much like his laid-back
record Higher than angels), Dennis DeYoung, Roger LaPointe, Kyle Vincent, Tim
Feehan, Mitch Malloy, Jimmy Harnen... This is singer/songwriter AOR/Westcoast
at it's very best and there are some amazing pearls on this album, such as the
uptempo AOR tunes Returning to who I am and Over time and the bluesy Wade in
the water (a la Venice). Do not expect a lot of rocking tunes here, but if you
want to hear some good clean old fashioned yet still refreshing sounding
picture perfect vocals sounding calmer AOR/Westcoast, then make sure to check
out this little gem from Todd Herzog. Towards the end of the record, the songs
become a little sappy Christian pop orientated, which is a pity. However, due
to the fact that the beginning of the album features a lot of great tunes and
Todd has a superb voice, it is still a highly recommended album! More info at: http://toddherzog.com
(Points: 8.2 out of 10)
In
the past we reviewed the band Ivory Tower Project several times and their
history goes back to a time when AOR/Pomprock was the most popular music style
in the USA. Now in 2017 the band releases a new album titled How much more?,
which also contains a lot of re-recorded old tunes of the band. The music is
still pure late 70s/early 80s AOR/Pomprock a la Styx, Zon, Trillion, Thrills
and Tycoon. Especially the titletrack How much more? is a classic
AOR/Pomprocksong that could well be lifted from a late 1970s/early 1980s record
and sounds dangerously close to the classic Tycoon song Such a woman, if anyone
remembers that of course! Anyway, the band consists of Mark Regula (Vocals,
keyboards, acoustic guitars, percussion, bass, drums) and Tony Novarro
(Guitars, back vocals, bass, percussion, drums, engineer), with as guest
musicians Ivan Elias: Bass (formerly with Patty Smyth & Scandal), Richie
Cannata: Sax (formerly with Billy Joel), Tex Prothro: Saxophone, flute, Mike
Carbone: Drums, percussion, Joey Bruno: Electronic Drums, percussion, Frank
Vella: Back vocals and Tyrone Johnson: Bass. 14 songs are included and as
mentioned the music fits right into that classic US AOR/Pomprocksound and only
the lead vocals are sounding less stronger than the mentioned acts. Nevertheless,
fans of acts like Styx, Zon, Trillion, Thrills, Air Raid, Roadmaster, REO
Speedwagon, Rose, Citadel and such will absolutely love this record, which has
quite a lot highlights, such as the earlier mentioned titletrack, the
Kansas/Styx ish lengthy epic The ides of March, Burning, Please tell me and the
catchy Survivor/Shelter ish pure AOR tune Way too late (still my favorite Ivory
Tower Project ever, was already released in the past). The guitarwork is
sensational in classic early 80s style and so we can highly recommend this
release to anyone who wants to go back in time and hear catchy hooks and
memorable choruses like the AOR/Pomprockbands in the USA used to give us way
back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Check it out for yourself at: https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ivorytowerproject
and http://www.ivorytowerproject.com/
Kaprekar's
Constant is a band formed around songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Al
Nicholson and Nick Jefferson, whom are joined by the legendary sax/flute player
David Jackson of Van Der Graaf Generator. his daughter Dorie Jackson (Francis
Dunnery) and drummer Phil Gould of Level 42. Together they created an epic
lenghty progressive rock adventure titled Fate outsmarts desire. Without a
doubt, this is a high quality record that has similarities to bands like Pink
Floyd, Alan Parsons Project and such 1970s UK based sympho/progrock. Also Van
Der Graaf Generator similarities can be heard of course and what makes it all
so interesting is the diversity, because each of the 6 included tracks has a
different approach. Little shell for example even introduces some jazz
influences, but the absolute highlight is the beautiful progdream epic
Halsands, which tells the story of Devonport and reminds me a bit of Pendragon
and IQ, a lovely 14 minutes counting tune. If you're looking for challenging
progresssive rock and still some traditional typical UK neo-prog, then look no
further than this release. More info at: http://www.kaprekarsconstant.com/
6
tracks are on the CD of the band Carry Illinois, whom are formed female
singer/Guitarist Lizzy Lehman. The line-up further consists of bassist Andrew
Pressman, drummer Rudy Villareal, guitarist Darwin Smith and keyboardist Derek
Morris. The music is slightly rocking, but in a sorta college rock direction
that reminds me of the legendary The Pretenders and even Anouk. There's some
soul in the vocals, but musically alternative pop/rock comes around most of the
time. It's best to check it out for yourself at: http://carryillinoisband.com/
Until Rain
'Inure' (Sensory/Laser's Edge/Bertus)
Inure
is the 3rd album of the progressive metal band Until Rain. They hail from
Thessaloniki, Greece, were formed back in 2008 and recently a new vocalist Cons
Marg (known for his work with Arjen Lucassen’s Epic Choir) joined the band. The
line-up also consists of keyboardplayer Lef Germenlis, guitarist Theodore
Amaxopoulos, bassist Linus Abrahamson (Andromeda and Constancia), drummer
Matthew Vella and backing vocalist Donna Zed. The new record was mixed/mastered
by Daniel Cardoso of Anathema in Lisbon, Portugal and sounds massive! The music
is edgy progressive metal, sometimes sounding very complex and dark, but still
always featuring some lovely melodic parts. Cons is a great singer and despite
a few times we can hear some growling, it never becomes annoying. Opener
Progressus in idem starts a bit agressive and features some growls, but
following track New world function shows us a sensational melodic progressive
metal side with lovely vocals and a beautiful chorus in the style of Pagan's
Mind, Andromeda, DGM, Vandenplas and such. 9 tracks are included in total and
the high level of the beginning is continued until the very end of the album.
Other highlights are the epic and very diverse Because something might happen
(some cool pomprock keys towards the end), the fantastic semi ballads This fear
(a la Threshold) and A tearful farewell. If you're a dedicated progmetal fan,
then make sure not to miss this little gem! More info at: https://untilrain.bandcamp.com/
Scarved
is a Belgian female fronted band formed in 2012 and Lodestone is their 2nd
release. The band is formed around ex-members of the legendary band Tails Blue,
a progressive rockband with a long history (http://www.belgianmetalhistory.be/html/bands/tails/tails.html)
and a female singer called Caroline Verboven, who started in the early 2000s as
the singer of a dance act. Musically speaking Scarved is all about melodic
heavy rock in the style of Doro, with a touch of heavy bluesrock as well. The
vocals are not superstrong and most of the material is a little bit standard.
Not saying it is bad what we get to hear, because Scarved is a more than decent
heavy rockband, but apart from the song Heart of rock'n'roll, none of the songs
grabbed me. Nevertheless, fans of female fronted rock might want to check out
Scarved at: http://www.scarved.be/
Ky
Fifer is the name to remember here, because this singer/songwriter from Oregon,
USA sings on 1 song on the CD of the Portuguese band Heylel. That particular
tune is the titletrack and it simply sounds fabulous, a beautiful melodic
progressive rock tune, sounding a bit like Enchant, including superb vocalwork
by Ky. More info on him at: http://kyfifer.com
Too bad he didn't sing all tunes, because the rest of the record features
different vocalists, who don't reach the incredible high level of Ky. Nevertheless,
the music of Heylel offers enough interesting moments, mixing elements of
progressive rock, doom metal and psychedelic rock. The result is a nice little
record, with also very good vocals by Ana Batista, who sings on quite a few
songs and some great guitarwork can be heard as well, just check out Fallen
angel for example. Imagine a mix between B.O.C., Black Sabbath, Devil's Blood
and Enchant, then you might have Heylel. In the end, even with various lead
singers, it is a strong little record, although the production could be a little
bit better. More info can be found at: https://www.heylel.net/band
When
I saw the cover of the band Maheekats from California, USA, I thought this was
a heavy gothic/doom kinda band, but they are actually quite soft and pure 80s
orientated alternative poprock a la The Pretenders and Til Tuesday. Especially
opener Lady in space is a step back in time to 1983 or something. Following
track Shotgun is slightly more Gothic, a bit The Cure ish actually. 4 more
tracks can be found on the band's latest album Songs from the woods. They are
also described as dreampop, but I think it's best to just call them Maheekats,
a duo formed in 1999, around Craig James Leigh Camp (drums, bass, guitar and
keys) and Clara Efrona Hembree (vocals and guitar). Other highlights are the
midtempo When lightning strikes (a little Kate Bush ish) and Eureka. Quality
stuff for sure, so go check them out at: http://www.maheekat.com/
In
the 2000s there was a huge wave of Brazilian melodic symphonic power metalbands
that all followed the footsteps taken by Angra. The label Megahard Records once
sent me 50 discs of 50 different Brazilian bands and they all sounded the same.
Despite it was of a very high level actually and better than all the Japanese
copycats, it became boring on the other hand. Actually after 10 years of
silence, it's nice to hear a new Brazilian band playing this style again.
Nothing new and far from original, The great Metal storm by Trauma is a very
decent record you definitely need to check out if you're a die-hard Labyrinth,
Angra and Stratovarius fan! As mentioned, it's all done by the numbers, but
thankfully at a decent level, so you will most certainly enjoy this release if
you're a fan of mentioned acts. More info at: https://www.facebook.com/TraumaOfficialPage/
Formed
in 2005, the band Jive Mother Mary from Burlington, North Carolina, USA already
released 3 records before Home is where the heart is, their latest effort on
which they have worked on the past 2 years. The included music is typical
southern fried rock like only American bands can produce, sometimes reminding
of a cross between The Black Crowes and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Feeling fine), yet also
here and there with a classic country-rock crossover westcoast ish tune a la
The Eagles (Planes, trains). Quality stuff for sure, although don't expect a
sensational release, because therefore the songs are a little bit too standard.
More info at: https://www.jivemothermary.com/
Greasy
Tree is a Power Rock trio in pure 1970s style, with a strong bluesy touch on
their recently released debut album. The band is formed around Jacob Brumley
(Drums/Vocals), Cameron Roberts (Guitar/Vocals) and Red Dorton (Bass/Vocals)
and with the help of Pete Matthews (Evanescence, Devon Allman, and Paul Simon)
and Toby Vest of High/Low Recording Studios out of Memphis, TN, the first
record grabs back to the times when bands like Free, Cream, Bad Company and
such were the big names in the music business. For a debut, they do deliver a
high quality record and a few songs are without a doubt belonging to the finest
new classic rock around these days. For example the catchy Let love go is a
great tune that would make Free and Bad Company pride if they had this song in
their repertoire. Stones/Them influences can also be traced (Sweet sugar),
while a song like Goin' home is sounding like a real classic rocksong! The band
also offers some lengthy tunes such as the groovy Greasy, which also focuses on
long classy 70s guitarsolos, so we definitely have an interesting band here. On
the other hand, you can also hear that they can improve and future records will
only become better and better. If Thunder, Rival Sons, Free and such are your
favorite classic rockbands, then do check out Greasy Tree at: http://www.greasytree.com/
Formed
in 2012 in Alabama, the band Them Dirty Roses eventually moved to Nashville and
now have a CD out that features both their EP's, the same titled debut and
follow-up Trouble. They consist of brothers Vocalist/Guitarist James Ford and
drummer Frank Ford, completed by guitarist Andrew Davis and bassist Ben Crain.
Without a doubt, Them Dirty Roses is taking things to a very high level,
sounding like the next big thing in classic rock. They are clearly influenced
by The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Badlands influences are also notable.
This is the kind of rock that was popular just before grunge and alternative
rock took over around 1991. The past few years we have seen more bands hitting
it big time with this classic groovy, bluesy southern (hard) rockstyle, with
Rival Sons being one of the best ones so far. However, if you put on the song
Shake it loud and proud, then you will definitely be hooked, while Beers cans
and tire swings are a wet dream for fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Everyone will agree
that this band has got all it takes to become the next big thing. It might not
be that original, but the result is very impressive and highly recommended to
fans of Thunder, Vintage Trouble, Black Crowes, Rival Sons and Lynyrd Skynyrd!
Check them out at: http://www.themdirtyroses.com/
Them Vibes
'Electric fever' (Teenage Head Music)
Imagine
Hanoi Rocks and Rolling Stones recording an album together in classic rootsy
rock and roll style, well then you have Them Vibes as result. This Nashville
based band was founded in 2013 and quickly started to make themselves a name in
the American music business. Formed around singer-songwriters Brother Love and
Alex Haddad, the band recorded their new album Electric fever together with
lead guitar player Kyle Lewis, Nashville producer Bobby Holland, drummer Sarah
Tomek (Steven Tyler, Maggie Rose, Loving Mary, Raelyn Nelson) and bassist Judd
Fuller (Rodney Adkins, Buck Johnson of Aerosmith). It's one of those albums
that contains nothing but radio hits, with the big Stones/Hanoi Rocks/Aerosmith
comparisons of course, but also an own approach to that classic rock and roll
sound and more importantly, these guys are never sounding dated, because this
is the kind of music you can also hear every now and then on the radio, rootsy
vintage rock that sounds groovy and catchy. Highlights include opener Shoot the
messenger (hello Hanoi Rocks), Love will never fade away (70s Aerosmith style,
also interesting for fans of modern bands like Temples and even Wolfmother, yet
Them Vibes sound less heavy and psychedelic, but they have the same kinda 70s
vibe can be heard) and the lovely melodic Comin down on you. Definitely a
highly recommended band that might be the next big thing if they are lucky to
get attention from the UK and European Press and are put on the major festival
line-ups. Meanwhile, check them out at: http://www.themvibes.com/
My Own
Ghost 'Life on standby' (Secret Entertainment/Bertus)
My
Own Ghost are coming out of Luxembourg and were founded in 2013. They have already
released an album titled Love kills in 2014 and are now following it up with
Life on standby, which was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Apocalyptica,
Amorphis a.o.) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein, Sunrise Avenue,
Bullet For My Valentine a.o.). The band's line-up consists of vocalist Julie
Rodesch, guitarist David Soppelsa, bassist Joe May, guitarist Fred Brever and
drummer Michael Stein. Julie has a strong voice and this record is definitely
focused on bringing catchy radio-ready tunes that sound modern and melodic,
actually quite close to Delain and Nemesea. It's somewhere between melodic rock
and typical bombastic female fronted gothic rock, with a slight electronic
touch here and there. Strong catchy vocal melodies and memorable choruses are
the name of the game here and My Own Ghost are doing it very well from start to
finish, with as highlights the midtempo Life on standby, the uptempo Everytime
I break (Paramore meets Halestorm), Alive and 10 weeks of summer (both pure
Within Temptation, very catchy uptempo melodic rocker) and When love is not
enough (even a bit Dante Fox!). Not really original, but who cares if they are
doing it at a very high level, so go check them out at: https://www.myownghost.com
Not
so much info on this band from Slovenia, but they released this same titled
debut album a few years ago, but it landed on our desk recently, so here is a
small review on it. It's a pretty good typical modern sounding Indie Folk
record that rocks here and there as well and without a doubt, this band sounds
ready for the big masses. Formed around vocalist/guitarist Alex Raztresen,
guitarist/keyboardplayer Jure Pohleven, guitarist Borut Perše, bassist Dejan
Slak and drummer Andrej Zavašnik, it surprises me that now 2 years after it's
release, this band is still not a household name, but on the other hand I can
only judge their album release and not their live performances. The album is a
definite recommendation to fans of the countless bands that are nowadays making
a similar style, which combines strong vocals (a bit reminding me of Bono
actually!) with catchy melodies and a bombastic semi-rocksound that takes the
best of Indie, Folk and Americana, think of a mix between Fleet Foxes, The
Killers (minus the new wave influences), Kings Of Leon (minus the rock
elements) and Mumford And Sons (minues the bluegrass influences). Good job and
recommended to check out at: http://www.jardier.com/
Paradisia
'Sound of freedom' (Long Branch Records/DGR Music)
"I
am a huge fan of such beautiful female harmonyvocals!" That was my first
thought when hearing the first seconds of the debut album of the band Paradisia
from London, UK. They have performed as support act for Bruce Springsteen,
Paolo Nutini, Birdy, Tom Jones, Michael Kiwanuka and many more, so they have
already built a name in the live circuit and now it is time to release an
official record. The band consists of Sophie-Rose Harper (vocals), Anna
Pesquidous (harp) and Kristy Buglass (vocals, keyboard) and the included music
is comparable to Webb Sisters, Joseph, The Staves, The Corrs and First Aid Kit.
The songs are a combination of lightweight dreampop with even Fleetwood Mac
similarities (the fantastic summerhit Idea of you) and quite a lot indie folk
and a little semi-rock, but it's the soulful vocals in combination with the
tripple harmonyvocals that make this record a highly recommended album. One of
the rockier songs is Keep on preying that even recalls a sort of early 80s
female fronted AOR/Poprocksound, including a catchy hook a la Pat Benatar! All
together it's even a very diverse record that at first sight sounds a lot like
the mentioned acts, but if you listen further you can hear so much more. The
angelic voices however absolutely steal the show and need to be heard by every
dedicated music fan out there! It is a pleasure to listen to from start to
finish to this lovely record and many times you're completely hooked. I am personally
already looking forward to catch these 3 girls live on stage somewhere, because
they absolutely deliver on their sensational debut album Sound of freedom and I
wonder how it will go down live, so remember the name Paradisia! More at: http://paradisiaofficial.com
Jon
Strider 'Soul reunion' (New Sky Records/Hemifran)
Originally
from California, but as of 2002 the singer-songwriter/guitarist and record
producer Jon Strider is settled in Malmo, Sweden. He has worked with quite a
lot musicians, including the legendary Eddie Money, Walter Egan, Mink DeVille
and countless others. Soul reunion is Jon's 8th solo album and it took 4 years
to make, so it has got to be something special. Thankfully it sounds like a
very decent record that combines a lot of music influences, sometimes sounding
like Billy Joel's New York state of mind (Love is real), but here and there
also reminding me of Robert Palmer and westcoast meets jazzy pop and a little
blues is also notable sometimes. It's a great melting pot and because Jon is a
superb vocalist, almost every genre suits his voice. Highly recommended album
to check out if you like old school singer/songwriter pop/rock with a soulful
touch, like Van Morrison meets Billy Joel meets Robert Palmer, then you have to
check out Jon Strider! More info at: http://www.jonstrider.com/
Husky
Tones 'Who will I turn to now?' (Independent/Hemifran)
Out
of Bristol, UK comes the duo Husky Tones, consisting of female drummer/singer
Victoria Bourne and guitarist Chris Harper whom are delivering their 2nd album
with this Who Will I turn to now? At first sight the music is quite raw bluesy
rock orientated in the style of The White Stripes a little bit, sounding damn
good actually. However, during a few songs the band get a little experimental
and also more acoustic orientated, such as during The Island of Barbed Wire
where they almost sound like a stripped down punkband, thanks to the somewhat
extraordinary vocals of Victoria. She has a rather unique voice, kinda
reminding of the legendary Siouxsie And The Banshees somehow. The band is really
at their best during the slow big beat semi-blues/garage rock tunes, such as
the awesome titletrack. More info at: https://www.huskytones.com
Only
4 songs are on the 2nd EP of the Swedish band Hometown Marie, a somewhat
commercial sounding pop/rock band in typical American style. They could well be
a major label signed American band with their radiofriendly country crossover
melodic poprock that sounds like a mixture between Tom Petty, Bryan Adams and
Bruce Springsteen. Done quite perfectly, so go check out these rockers at: https://www.facebook.com/hometownmariesweden/
C-Sides
'We are now' (Nineteen-73 Artist Promotions/UK Import)
We
are now is the 2nd album of the Welsh progrockband C-Sides. I am not familiar
with their debut, but this new record is definitely recommended to the progfans
out there, because it presents us high quality progrock that is not too
complex. The melodies are very important, both instrumentally an vocally
speaking. Rush meets 80s Yes could be a good description, but also sometimes
Enchant passes by. The band is formed around guitarist Martin Rosser
(ex-Magenta), bassist Jay MacDonald (Sankara), drummer Allan Mason Jones (ex-Magenta) and vocalist Allen McCarthy. 9
songs are included and not a single dull moment to be found. Remarkable are the
strong harmonyvocals that sound like a cross between Asia, Yes and GTR. Check
it out for yourself at: https://www.facebook.com/CSidesUK
Out
of Argentina comes Lhea, who sent me her solo debut record Blue violet. She
used to sing with arena new rock (2002), an Argentinean hard rock band whom
opened for renowned artists such as Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow, Black Sabbath,
Dio) and Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr. Big). Anyway, with this record she goes
into an 80s AOR/Melodic Rock direction, especially on songs like The answer's
still no and Love me, love me (a la Vixen). Lhea's vocals are not without an
accent, so you don't have to mind her way of singing the words. I think she
might be better off when singing in her native Spanish language. The 8 included
songs are pretty good actually, definitely in the style of Vixen, Laos, Robin
Beck, Fiona and such, even instrumental sounding strong (good guitarwork of
Lhea), but vocally it is not reaching that level I'm afraid. Who knows in
Spanish it might sound better, but if you're still interested to check out
Lhea, please go to: https://www.lheablueviolet.com
Now
this album starts with a fantastic almost Santana like melodic instrumental
rock/fusion tune. Thankfully it continues this way and so we have something of
interest here. The Music Therapy Experiment comes out of Australia and they
sent me their debut album Genius Equus. The instrumental (except on 1 song)
band mixes jazz/fusion with progressive rock and a touch of melodic rock, sorta
Steve Vai ish. 13 full songs we can enjoy the high quality musicianship of it's
2 members, multi-instrumentalists John Kline (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals)
and Mark Christianson (drums, bass, keyboards). They did a great job and I can
highly recommend it to especially the guitarfreaks among us, because John Kline
is a fabulous guitarplayer. Check out more at: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/themusictherapyexperimen4
Singer/songwriter/Guitarist
Ayden Jacobs was kind enough to sent me his debut mini-CD, which features
besides Ayden also bassist Andy Narsingh (David Barrett Trio) and drummer Mike
Thorne (Saga). He picked up the guitar when he was just 4 years old and his
first guitar teacher was the legendary Earl Johnson of Moxy. The result is a
nice little EP that features 3 hard rocking tunes that feel like the
1970s/1980s, like Moxy, early Coney Hatch and a bit of Van Halen. The guitarwork
is picture perfect, with some great shreding going on and fantastic guitarsolo's
in the classic rock style. Ayden's vocals are good enough for this type of rock,
but it's his guitar playing that makes him really standout between the rest.
For a starter, this EP is a nice introduction to a very young and talented
Canadian musician. who might become the next guitar hero in the near future. Be
sure to check him out at: http://www.aydenjacobs.ca/
Mr.
Mac is the name of the project of guitarist/vocalist Dan McLaughlin from
Hawaii, USA. 10 songs are on the album Shadowbox and I am more impressed by
Dan's guitarwork than his somewhat mediocre vocals. The music is a mixture of
70s singer/songwriter and classic rock, sometimes in a sorta Neil Young style.
Not bad at all, with quite some great tunes actually, but as mentined the
vocals are not that strong I'm afraid. Check it out for yourself at: www.mrmac808.com
A
talent unrecognized is the 5th album of the Swedish band Born 53. Their debut
was released in 2005 and through the years they developed an American
orientated rootsy rock style that is clearly influenced by Bob Dylan. Their
previous record was even a Bob Dylan covers album, but now they present us a
collection of great originals. The music is rootsy rock with Americana
influences, sometimes quite diverse actually, but always bringing strong
melodies. The vocals are male-female shared, where the female singer sounds
almost like Grace Slick as one can hear on the Jefferson Airplane ish folk
influenced Forgetful heart. A little Tom Petty comes along in the catchy middle
of the road ish poptune Looking for Marie Jones. On the other hand, the band
also throws in songs that sound like Neil Diamond meets Johnny Cash (Forgive).
Not bad at all, this Swedish band is recommended to check out at: https://www.facebook.com/Born53
Out
of Austria comes the 5-piece band Third Love, whom deliver a nice female fronted
pop/rock album that sounds a bit like 80s The Pretenders, so somewhat quirky
with indie pop elements. 10 songs are included on their debut About you, which
is in Austria quite a success since it's release in early 2017. Check it out
for yourself at: https://www.facebook.com/thirdlovemusic/
You
wouldn't believe it, because when listening to the album Dorado, it sounds like
the latest singer/songwriter sensation from the UK or USA, but Son of the
Velvet Rat is an Austrian band. They are formed around singer Georg Altziebler
and accordionist Heike Binder, Albrecht Klinger (bass), Michael Willmann
(drums) and Kolja Radenkovic (git, trumpet) and are already quite known in
Austria. With this new record on the American label Fluff and Gravy Records,
they are ready to become known internationally speaking and without a doubt,
the result is indeed a must to check out if you're a fan of Leonard Cohen, Tom
Waits, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, etc. It might not sound original and quite
depressing, it is all done at a very high level and therefore highly
recommended to fans of mentioned acts. More info at: https://www.facebook.com/sonofthevelvetrat
Out
of nowhere comes a sensational new band from Mexico. They are called The
Warning, were formed in 2013 around 3 young sisters, Daniella, Paulina
and Alejandra Villareal and XXI Century blood is their debut album. The music
is very American orientated, dangerously close to Orianthi, Paramore and such,
but done at a very high level. For a starting band and when looking at the band
photos, they are very young and already sound very promising. The vocals are
quite good, instrumental they sound perfect, the material is very catchy and
memorable, while the production of their independently released record is very
impressive as well. This could easily have been an American major label
release. Songs like Shattered heart, Our mistakes and Runaway are instant
winners for the fans of melodic female fronted (hard) rock. Check them out at: https://www.thewarningband.com/
1970s
bluesy Classic Rock is the name of the game here on the 3rd album of Anthony
Rosano and the Conqueroos. The band consists of Anthony Rosano - Guitar and
Vocals, Paul Warren - Bass, Scott Smith - Drums and J.B. Bustillos - Sax, Harp,
Vocals, and together they definitely deliver pure high class musicianship in
the best tradition of BB King, Cream, Robert Cray Band and the blues side of
Led Zeppelin, with a very slight Southern Rock touch during a ballad like Long
Island Sound. Recommended to the classic rockfans out there! More at: https://www.conqueroos.com
L'Anima
'Departures' (Nineteen 73 Promotion/UK Import)
From
out of nowhere comes the sensational debut album of L' Anima, which is the
brainchild of London-based musician Pedro J. Caparros Lopez (Breed 77).
Together with the superb lead singer Andy Mitchell (The Yardbirds), guitarist
Mauro Paderni, bassist Luca Forlani and
drummer Iban Sanz, a picture perfect progressive rockalbum has been recorded
and after listening to it a few times in a row, the conclusion is that it should
be in the album of the year lists of any progfan out there at the end of 2017! This
is progressive rock the way it should sound like, including lovely melodies,
strong vocalwork and precise guitarwork and not an endless string of complex
instrumental bravery. It's best comparable to let's say Mystery and Enchant, so
keen on bringing those memorable melodies and especially the first couple of
songs, such as Point of no return, Path to Sirius and Gema, they represent
L'Anima at their very best. It sounds timeless and could easily also attract
fans of Muse when you listen to the modern My dying cell or Hold out. Do not
miss this album if you call courself a dedicated progfan! More at: https://lanimaofficial.com
Not
really original what we get to hear, but of a very high level for sure, because
Jan Daley has a lovely voice. You can listen to her all night without getting
bored and the music is very smooth jazzy pop, which sounds very close to
Barbara Streisand and this is absolutely not a bad thing. 11 songs are included
and about half of the tunes are originals and the other half are covers. This
is one of those albums you can easily put on as background music and nobody
will complain, as it sounds really good, but on the other hand it might get
unnoticed easily as well, which is a pity, because Jan is actually a really
good singer. Fans of Streisand will absolutely love this... More at: http://www.jandaley.com
The
Kubricks 'The heist' (Skallywag Records/UK Import)
It's
funny sometimes that you receive albums that sound so perfect for the masses it
is surprising to see they haven't been discovered yet. For example the band The
Kubricks and their latest album The heist, which is basically a melting pot of
Ska, Reggae and clever Pop/Rock. At first sight with all the horns included and
references to Madness, Squeeze, The Clash and even UB40, not exactly my cup of
tea as a rocker. However, these guys are doing it so well you instantly learn
to love them, especially during songs like D is for danger, Break of day or
Morning after, as this kind of material should go down well just perfect in
today's music business. Festivals love a band like this, which is still very
diverse, because they switch from Ska to Reggae very easily and throw in pop
rhythms and melodies as well, so it is accessible to everyone. If radio or tv
picks a song from this album, it could easily become a megaseller and The
Kubricks might then get their breakthrough, which they deserve, because their
album sounds very fresh, exciting and catchy, bringing back cheerful trumpets,
completely the opposite of the modern hi-tech sound of most festival bands at
the moment. Check them out at: https://www.thekubricks.com/
Creye
'Straight to the top' (Independent/Sweden Import)
AOR/Melodic
Rock and Sweden have always been good friends, ever since the day Europe
released their legendary The final countdown album 30+ years ago. We have seen
countless releases in this genre and every now and then a new band appears that
recalls the classic 80s AOR/Melodic Rocksound. Heat was one of them sometime
ago and they became quite sucessfull in Sweden and what followed was a bunch
more similar sounding acts and Creye is another band that follows the footsteps
of Heat. I have to admit that it doesn't sound original and it is all very
close to Heat, but who cares if it is done at such a high level. You have 3
songs here, the uptempo Straight to the top, the midtempo Never too late and a
cover of one of the finest AOR songs ever recorded in music history (Robert
Tepper's No easy way out). The material is deadly catchy, picture perfect AOR
with hooks, choruses, soaring guitars and great vocals (Art Nation singer Alexander
Strandell). No objection your honor, as this is AOR exactly the way we love to
hear it, so we can sing-a-long all night! Hopefully a full record soon
(Frontiers Records signed them recently), meanwhile check out Creye at: http://www.creyesweden.com/
The
Canadian singer/songwriter Lynne Hanson has already released quite a few albums
and Uneven ground is her latest one. Without a doubt, this is beautiful music
that everyone will enjoy, which is mostly thanks to the strong vocals of Lynne.
The music is sometimes quite laid-back, but here and there also rocking, taking
influences from blues, folk, country and pop. Fans of singer/songwriter
pop/rock music will love this for sure, as lyrically Lynne also delivers nice stories
to explore. Bonnie Raitt, KD Lang, Shawn Colvin, Amanda Marshall and such
female artists are probaby the best comparisons to draw here. Definitely
recommended to check out at: https://www.lynnehanson.com/
Todd
Anthony Joos (Lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, keys and bass) is a
multi-instrumentalist from Illinois, USA and together with The Revelators (AJ
Hauser - guitar, mandolin, Patrick Stramka - Drums and Gage Munnich - Bass
Guitar) he has been playing and recording for over 10 years now. Latest album
release is The burden, a good strong rockalbum that combines Classic Rock and
Southern Hardrock quite perfectly, sounding like Blackfoot meets Glenn Hughes,
It's done very well actually and a semi rocker/ballad such as Truth and lies is
quite a sensational song. Todd is a singer with a soul and I can easily
recommend The burden to fans of mentioned styles and acts. More at: https://www.revelatorsrock.com/
Russell
Joslin 'Hey mathematician' (Independent/Hemifran)
Singer/songwriter
folkrock perfection is a nice description of the 4th studio album Hey
Mathematician of London based singer-songwriter Russell Joslin. What sets him
apart from the countless others are the strong melodies and folk influences
that can be heard quite a lot during the album that in total contains 14
tracks. However, also vocally Russell is sounding somewhat different, as he has
an own kinda melancholic voice that is hard to compare actually, which makes it
quite interesting of course. Elevate me (smoke) and Water for blood are for
example songs that rock without rocking (only missing the electric guitars), if
you understand what I mean, being great uptempo sing-a-long singer/songwriter
pop-folk-rockers. On the other hand, Russel also slows things down and goes
back to classic acoustic folk during a song like Billy's funeral. Yet even in
this song the harmonyvocals bring some beautiful pop melodies upfront during
the chorus and this way it is all throughout the album, sometimes in a calm
campfire ish direction, but at other times slightly more rocking and band
based. For me personally, the song We Are 40 Now has got to be the most
appealing song of 2017, since this is the year I reached that age. The song
itself is a sorta late 60s/early 70s uptempo psychedelic hippie area
sing-a-long tune that lyrically speaks about a midlife crisis at 40, but for me
that definitely isn't the case! Anyway, this is a highly recommended folkrock
album to check out at: http://www.russelljoslinmusic.co.uk/
(Points: 8.5 out of 10)
The
Spiritual Machines 'Awake alert alive almost' (Would Work Sound)
Out
of L.A. comes The Spiritual Machines, a sci-fi kinda epic band/project that
combines different genres, symphonic rock, new wave and classic rock, yet the
most interesting is the beginning of the album, because it starts with a cover
of the Blue Oyster Cult classic Don't fear the reaper. It is done in a complete
different style, which doesn't sound too bad actually. The overall feeling of
this album is very modern, with similarities to Muse and The Editors, so quite
bombastic hi-tech based danceable retro new wave, although here and there it
also goes into a calmer direction and recall Alan Parsons Project lyrically
speaking. It's a mix of all kinds of styles actually, because a song like The wreckoning
even reminds me of classic U2 and early Simple Minds! Ultravox sometimes also
comes to mind and at one point you might get lost in all these various
directions, but the 2 members of The Spiritual Machines (Evan Frankfort and James
Grundler) definitely know how to bring quality music. It's an epic adventure
that starts quite relaxing with the BOC cover, but becomes quite bombastic
later on and needs repeated listens to really understand what they want to
achieve. Interesting album to explore further at: https://thespiritualmachines.bandcamp.com/album/awake-alert-alive-almost
The
German band Siamese Smile brings us a high quality mixture of Alternative Metal
and a Progressive Metal, sounding very melodic and bombastic on their new album
False awakenings. Not much info on this band, but the material is very catchy
and to the point most of the time, so with a sorta melodic pop/rock choruses
included, but the whole package is more alt/prog metal based, a nice
combination actually as if The Rasmus and Vandenplas joint forces! Recommended
to check out at: https://siamesesmile.bandcamp.com/
Husky
'Punchbuzz' (Ambassy Of Music/DGR Music)
Now
this is the album Bear's Den should have released as their new record was my
first thought when listening to this lovely new record of the Australian band
Husky. I discovered both bands a few years ago when they more or less also sounded
somewhat similar and both were new to the music scene. However, recently Bear's
Den released a very disappointing more hi-tech based album, so forget all the
praise around Bear's Den, because Husky is a much stronger band nowadays. Husky
has kept the lovely lush melodic indie folk/poprock style and sound now in 2017
at their very best on this 3rd record Punchbuzz. If you like to hear music in
the style of the good old late 60s/early 70s days, let's say like a cross
between Blue Oyster Cult's Don't fear the reaper, The Byrds, Calexico minus the
horns/Mexican influences, a lot of Fleet Foxes and with Simon&Garfunkel
harmonyvocals, yet sounding fresh and up-to-date for modern taste, then look no
further than this brand-new sensational Husky album. The band is at their best
during the uptempo pieces that feature some lovely hooks and memorable
choruses, such as Ghost, Shark Fin, Late Night Store and especially Splinters
In The Fire and Walking In Your Sleep. It might not sound too original and to
some perhaps a bit safe around the corner, Husky is doing it just perfect and
deliver one of the best indie poprock albums of 2017! Check them out at: http://www.huskysongs.com/
Mogwai
'Every country's son' (Rock Action/PIAS/DGR Music)
So
many bands out there and so little time to keep up and I have known Mogwai for
quite some time now, but never really checked them out in-depth. However, now
they have a new album coming out which was sent to me for review, so I can
finally really explore this interesting band from Scotland. Funny thing is that
the band is named after the famous Gremlins character and have already released
8 studio albums since their formation in 1995 and during that period they have
accomplished quite a lot, including prodviding music for a documentary of
Leonardo DiCaprio. About time to get to know Mogwai on their massive sounding
new record Every country's son. The music of the band is Post-Rock, actually a
mixture of mostly instrumental epic dark sounding almost proggy rocktunes and a
few songs that feature vocals with a slight Indie-Rock direction, sounding
quite melodic all-together. 11 songs are included here and it sounds like an
epic album that you need to listen to over and over again, as you discover
something new everytime, which is of course for the all-round music fan very
interesting. Even fans of Muse, Porcupine Tree and even Pink Floyd will like
Mogwai and it surprises me that they haven't had their massive major arena
breakthrough yet, because their music is simply crying out for attention in the
sense of high quality (mostly instrumental) music that just needs to be heard!
Make sure to check out this band's new album a.s.a.p. More at: http://www.mogwai.co.uk/
Daniel
Trigger 'Time of the titans' (Independent/UK Import)
Time
of the titans is the 3rd album multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter Daniel
Trigger, who hails from the Midlands (UK). The artwork looks like an 80s Yngwie
Malmsteen record, while the included melodic hardrock is pure 80s inspired and
reminds me of a cross between Dokken, Scorpions, Velocity and a better version
of Phil Vincent. Proceeds from sales of the album will be split between three
charities: Marie Curie Cancer Care, Dementia UK and the Diana-Award
Anti-Bullying Campaign. All together the result is very impressive, especially
since this is an independent release. Highlights are the uptempo Promised land,
the midtempo I was a titan and the Progmetal ish Rain. Actually the whole CD
sounds really perfect, not just the major production, but also instrumental and
vocally it is top-notch and besides, Daniel has a great voice. Most of the
material will absolutely appeal to fans of classic 80s melodic hardrock.
Without sounding dated, this is the way we want to hear it, big time hair metal
choruses that make you long back to the days when the Sunset Strip brought you
great new bands on a weekly basis. A better version of the earlier mentioned
Phil Vincent is a fine description here. Hear for yourself at: www.danieltrigger.bandcamp
(Points: 8.3 out of 10)
Nasty Crue
'Riots in heaven' (Independent/Poland Import)
I
was a little sceptic when I saw the bandname and the somewhat rough appearance
of some of the bandmembers, because I honestly though this was going to be a
second-rate amateuristic glampunk affair. However, the contrary is what we get
to hear on the CD Riots in heaven of the Polish band Nasty Crue. This band is
playing high class Melodic Heavy Rock, with very strong vocalwork and catchy
choruses in the style of Praying Mantis. Hero, Make some noise, Friday Night
Fever and Cabin in the woods are the best examples of perfect uptempo melodic
heavy rock sounding songs that grab you right away and thankfully the whole CD
is a lovely melodic affair to check out if you like the aforementioned Praying
Mantis, H.E.A.T., Last Autumn's Dream, Treat, Eclipse, Zeno... Some background
info on Nasty Crue learns that they were originally a tribute to 80s Hair Metal
band like Steel Panther, The Poodles, Wig Wam and such, but their full-length
debut album Riots in heaven is definitely much more than that. Of course it
owes a lot to 80s Hair Metal for it's sing-a-long choruses and soaring
guitarsolo's, but somehow the band sounds more interesting and comes across as
a professional Scandi ish Melodic Heavy Rockband with even some AOR influences
(the keyboardfriendly Johnny and Mary) and a high pitched singer (J.J. (Jøn
Jøndrensen)) who can really sing (!). The album has a massive sound, thanks to
the mixing and mastering by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn
Hughes, Fergie Frederiksen...). Do not miss this melodic rock gem at: https://www.facebook.com/JJ.nastycrue
Formed
in 2002, the Italian band Sound Storm has already released 2 full-length albums
and are now presenting us their finest record so far, because new album Vertigo
sounds massive and highly professional. None other than Joost van den Broek
(Epica, Ayreon, Xandria…) took care of the editing, mixing and mastering and he
definitely did a great job. I need to admit that we're not going to hear
something completely different here that absolutely hasn't been done before,
but that is almost impossible nowadays. Instead we get to hear very impressive
bombastic melodic symphonic power/progressive metal like Kamelot, Vision Divine
and Labyrinth. Included are the big choirs and epic neo-classical influences
like Rhapsody introduced more than 20 years ago. Important are the vocals in
the sound and I have to say that the band's lead singer Fabio Privitera has a
very good voice which easily reaches the level of the Labyrinth/Vision Divine
singers. Forsaken is a really great tune that takes a slightly different
approach, introducing some Anthrax ish speed metal influences, yet combined
with a deadly catchy chorus. Also the midtempo progmetal of Original sin should
be mentioned with it's haunting big anthemic chorus. And although at first
sight I thought this was going to be a typical Italo Power Metal from start to
finish, the material is definitely more diverse than that, because epic
progmetal songs are also included, with as one of the highlights closing track
The last breath that reminds me a bit of Pagan's Mind. In the end, this is a
melting pot of all kinds of Metal styles, however sitting most of the time in
the bombastic neo-classic melodic prog/power metal corner and that's when fans
of Kamelot, Rhapsody and Labyrinth need to act quickly, because it might just
be one of the finest releases in this genre since the mid 2000s when so many
classic albums were released by mentioned acts, so make sure to go for this one
as well! More at: http://www.powerofsoundstorm.com
Next door
to heaven 'Exit Station' (Independent/Russia Import)
A
pity that I don't have any information at all on this Russian band Exit Station
and the fact only 1 song is included on their demo CDR is not making it easy to
make a lengthy review. However, they do need coverage, because Exit Station
from St. Petersburg has a massive sound and a great female singer (Daria
Mazunova). The music of the same titled song is a lovely midtempo melodic epic
bombastic progmetal affair that reminds a bit of After Forever and Epica. Can't
wait for a full-length release, meanwhile check out more at: https://nextdoortoheavenband.com/ourmusic/
Out
of Italy comes Soul Seller and has been creating music since 1999, also
releasing several albums meanwhile. Now there is a new album in the shape of
Matter of faith, which was produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Joe Lynn Turner,
Glenn Hughes, Fergie Frederiksen...). The included music is very cliche
tingled, but nevertheless catchy melodic rock in the style of Eclipse, Heat,
The Poodles, Lionville, The Magnificent, Danger Danger... The only issue is the
fact that the vocals are not really strong and that's a pity, because the songs
itself are not bad at all. Of course if you don't mind the accent, which
somehow has a sorta German kinda vibe (Scorpions, Axxis, Angel Heart...), then
you can easily have a listen to this melodic rockalbum, but don't expect it to
be the next sensation. More at: www.soulseller.it
OK
is the debutalbum of the Dublin, Ireland based band Otherkin and they are about
to breakthrough after their first couple of successfull festival performances.
Musically they play typical Garagerock with a raw punky twist, so nothing that new
under the sun here. On the other hand, they are doing it as good as for example
The Strypes, with the same kinda energy and enthousiasm, which should guarantee
fans for sure. 12 rocking tunes can be found on the album and if you're
interested in Garagerock the old retro way, with massive The Kinks and Them
influences, well then Otherkin is definitely worth checking out. I'll bet live
this band will go down very well, but like many other Garage rockbands, their
studio albums are most of the time offering some nice punchy rock, but nothing
really sensational. I would not say this is the greatest album in rock of the
past few years, but with a tune like '89, Otherkin show their love for writing
a classic rocktune! Check them out for yourself at: http://www.otherkinok.com/
The
Irish singer/songwriter James Vincent McMorrow is definitely a name that pops
up many times in the media. He released his previous album We move less than a
year ago, but due to it's success, including charting in many countries, he
probably didn't want to wait too long with a new record. Personally not a big
fan of this calm singer/songwriter ish music that is mostly focused around
James' high pitched voice. Combined with some light weight hi-tech beats, 15
songs in a similar style is a bit too much I'm afraid. It will definitely
appeal to a lot of musicfans, because it isn't bad at all, this record is in
general however not going anywhere, ending up sounding like the singer/songwriter
unplugged/hi-tech version of Coldplay...
Back
in 2010 the Californian musician Ryan Karazija moved to Iceland to start a
project on his own titled Low Roar. 7 years later he releases the 3rd album and
musically speaking you would think Ryan is Icelandic, because it follows
completely the minimalistic lo-fi hi-tech popsound of some of the island's
popular acts such as Sigur Rós, Ólafur Arnalds, Björk and that American guy who
also emigrated to Iceland, John Grant. 12 songs are included and I would call
this music perfect background music with a sorta Twin Peaks vibe. The music is
sounding quite dark and melancholic most of the time. Bones however is a
beautiful melodic duet with the fantastic female singer Jófríõur Ákadóttir and
definitely one of the highlights. In it's genre, this album is definitely a
highlight. If you're a fan of Sigur Ros, Bon Iver and such, then you really
need to check out this release!
The
American band Discipline celebrates it's 30-year anniversary in 2017 with the
release of their 5th album Captives Of The Wine Dark Sea. The band was quite
popular in the prog/sympho scene back in the 1990s, but went on hiatus for a
while. Every now and then new albums and a lot of live recordings have been
released. However it is in 2017 that the band is making a real comeback with
the release of a new studio album. The music of the band is quite complex,
jazzy prog that sounds like 1970s Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator and King
Crimson, sorta arty progrock. However, opener The Body Yearns on their new
album sounds a bit like Kayak, but following track Life Imitates Art is
dangerously close to Peter Gabriel fronted Genesis. The instrumental jazzy S follows
and the band completely changes it's style during Love Songs (almost Steely Dan
meets Beatles meets JJ Cale ish tune with a bluesy twist) and the 70s rocker Here
There Is No Soul. Back to the complex 70s art-prog-jazz mixture on the final 2
songs, The Roaring Game (pure jazzy fusion prog instrumental) and Burn The Fire
Upon The Rocks (very 70s based 14 minutes counting epic piece with also vocals,
Kansas a bit, but more sounding like Pink Floyd). This closing track is
definitely the highlight, a great tune that is almost pomprock near the end
with those 70s synths! Without a doubt, a quality record, but sometimes a bit
too complex and also instrumental based. Although I draw a lot of similarities,
the band has an own sound that is very laid-back actually. It's hard to be
original these days, but in a way Discipline manages it, which could be due to
their 30-year experience as a band in the underground and merging all kinds of
influences along the way. Final thing to add is that you should not confuse
this Discipline with the Punk/Oi band from Eindhoven, The Netherlands! Check
out the Chicago based Discipline at: http://www.strungoutrecords.com
White
Woods Rock is a rockband from Copenhagen, Denmark and they are making their
debut with this same titled album. Musically speaking they play alternative
pop/rock that fits somewhere between Tom Petty and Mike Tramp, with a Seattle
overdose. What they are doing here is quite nice and the 9 included songs are
most of the uptempo rocking, with actually quite catchy choruses to sing-a-long
in a Keep on rockin' in the free world sorta direction, with as highlight
Falling. Check for yourself at: http://www.whitewoodsrock.com
Mark
Ripp comes out of Canada and has been in the music business for a very long
time now and Under the circumstances is his latest effort. Musically speaking
this is perfect Americana/Roots-Rock inspired by the likes of Springsteen,
Petty, Hiatt and such. However, when listening to songs like I'm 99, Lose my
way or the more laid-back tunes Everything is made in China or Hey little guy,
it all reminds me somehow of Golden Earring! Anyway, the result is a very nice
record to check out if you're into classic rootsy rock in pure American style,
although Mark himself is Canadian. More info at: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/markripptheconfessors
Abacus 'A
long way to begin' (Independent/USA Import)
Out
of Dallas comes a rather sensational band called Abacus, who combine
progressive rock with melodic rock and they are doing it exceptionally well.
The band was formed in 2011 and A long way to begin is their debut. The band is
formed around Randy White (Vocals), Samuel Holder (Lead Guitar), Adam Manning
(Bass/Vocals) and Eric Petrinowitsch (Drums/Vocals). All together they somehow
remind me of a cross between Tall Stories, Diving For Pearls, Enchant and Kik
Tracee. There's a sorta very early 1990s melodic rock approach to be heard,
with strong vocalwork (both lead and harmony) and catchy choruses to make the
material sound quite memorable. Uptempo melodic rockers Say what you want,
Tightrope (superb!) and From the fire are definitely very close to Tall Stories,
early Tyketto and Diving For Pearls, while Blow you away, Darker shade of gray
and Wonder have choruses that do remind a lot of Enchant or even Jellyfish
(such as during closing track Exactly). I think by now you'll get the picture
what Abacus is all about. Along with great guitarwork and a big
production/sound quality, this is actually a highly recommended independent
album! From start to finish high quality melodic rock with a slight prog touch.
Do not miss this awesome album, so go check them out asap at: https://abacu5.hearnow.com
(Points: 8.8 out of 10)
Kendra
Gale Band 'Kicking and screaming' (Independent/Canada Import)
The
Kendra Gale Band comes out of New Brunswick, Canada and is a bluesy rock duo
consisting of vocalist/guitarist Kendra Gale and drummer Warren Beatteay.
Kendra released 3 solo-album before joining forces in 2012 with Warren and Kicking
and Screaming is their 3rd record together. Without a doubt, we are dealing
here with quality stuff, because the bluesy rock of Kendra Gale Band sounds
very impressive, owing a lot to the fantastic vocals of Kendra. No less than 16
songs are included and thankfully no dull moment anywhere on this CD. The music
is bluesy rock, yet with a sorta melodic rock approach and vocals in the
classic Vixen/Laos department. Best comparison would be the legendary Alannah
Myles for sure. The material is quite diverse, ranging from uptempo rockers to midtempo
tunes, slow bluesy and some boogie as well, with the occasional ballad ish song
too. Definitely recommended to fans of picture perfect female fronted rock!
More at: http://www.kendragale.com/
Bottoms Up
'Everybody rock n roll' (Independent/USA Import)
The
Southern New Hampshire, USA based band Bottoms Up consists of real veterans of
the 80s Hardrock scene, although they never made it big with their bands back
then. Working their way through the 90s, Bottoms Up started in 2004, with a
couple of releases so far. They have been the direct support act for Judas
Priest, Scorpions, Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Jethro Tull, Peter Frampton and
shared the stage with members from LA. Guns, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, Dio,
Jason Bonham Band, Giuffria, Dokken, The Pat Travers Band, Rainbow, The Tracii
Guns Band, Enuff Z' Nuff, Britny Fox, Pretty Boy Floyd, Mass, PopEvil &
more. The band's line-up consists of Eddie Jean - Guitar & Vocals, Brent
" Wildman" Enman - Bass & Vocals and Jéan "Boomer"
Grenier - Drums & Vocals. Musically speaking it is no surprise that it's
pure late 1980s Hair Metal/Melodic Hardrock orientated and thankfully done very
well. Yes, it sounds like a record from 1987, but in a good way, especially
during catchy uptempo melodic rockers such as I don't know my name and Be my
girl, reminding of the good old days and bands like Firehouse, Know Illusion,
Strutz, Rock Candy... There's also some Van Halen ish hardrock included, some Crue
references here and there and as closing track an acoustic 80s Power Ballad a
la Extreme and Mr. Big (I was the one). Enough for the Hair Metal fan to check
out asap at: https://www.bottomsupband.net
and https://www.facebook.com/bottomsupofficialpage/
The
opener of this promo EP is the song Carry you, a beautiful haunting melancholic
song that sounds like a winner and somehow I imagine it to be the background
music to a beautiful scene in a movie a la Boyhood. Anyway, back to reality, 4
songs are included here and they are more or less a sneak preview to 2018 when
Novo Amor will release their full-length debut record. There is already a lot
of attention in the music business around the band, with millions of streaming
through Spotify. Actually Novo Amor isn't a band, because it is the brainchild
of one man only, Ali John Meredith-Lacey, from Wales. He released his debut EP
in 2014 and now follows it up with another EP Bathing beach. The music is sorta
melancholic indie folk, very calm, but quite beautiful with mostly high pitched
vocals and a sound not too far away from Damien Rice and Bon Iver. Besides the
movie reference it also makes me think of Wales indeed, as I was there in 2016
and this music fits perfectly the nature scenery over there. Looking forward to
his debut full-length in 2018, but for now check out more at: https://www.novoamor.co.uk/
Headlong
is already the 5th album of the British singer/songwriter John Smith, but the
first time I ever get to hear his music. John has a lovely soulful voice and
the music is calm melodic singer/songwriter pop with also a soul touch. It's
strange that he isn't that well-known yet, because he has the kinda voice which
should wet the appetite of fans of John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz, James
Morrison and such. The 11 included songs on his new album are most of the time
picture perfect singer/songwriter radio pop pieces, so who knows he will have a
major hitsingle in the summer of 2017! There's also a sorta folky touch to be
heard as well, so it's not as smooth pop based as the mentioned similar
sounding vocalists. Imagine a mix of the mentioned voices with the folk of
let's say Tim Buckley and John Martyn, then you have John Smith. Check him out
asap at: http://www.johnsmithjohnsmith.com/
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