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HOT NEW REVIEWS
Stiletto
'Don't call me sweetie' (FNA Records/USA Import)
There
have been numerous bands called STILETTO in the glorious Hair Metal past of the
1980s, but this one is an all-female band from Canada with sadly only demos
releases in the early 1990s. Thanks to FNA Records, there is now an official
silver pressed CD available, which contains some sensational pure 1980s classic
Melodic Rock/AOR in the style of VIXEN, HEART, HEAT, LAOS, WITNESS, LITA FORD,
ENVY, MISSLEAD, MEGHAN (the closest comparison for sure!), etc. etc. It might
not be original, the band sounded very sensational and could have easily been
picked up by the major labels 30 years ago. It did not happen sadly, but now
via this CD release there is some justice after all. Fans of mentioned bands
need to check out melodic rockers like Best of me, Don't turn away (fantastic
AOR, HEART meets TORONTO meets DANTE FOX), Bring back the fire (killer AOR chorus
a la WITNESS) and Through the ages. The sound quality is not always the best
and is clearly demo/independent bands, but musically this is prime time
must-have female fronted AOR/Melodic Rock that is absolutely needed in your
collection if any of the mentioned bands is up your alley! Not all of the songs
are sensational, because somewhere halfway there are a few groovy rock fillers,
but in general we have something very interesting here to check out a.s.a.p.
Available through www.fnarecords.net
With
a bandname like STRIP and a bunch of hairspray looking guys on the picture
sleeves, this should be a Glamrockband and yes indeed their CD Glad to meet
you... sucker! is pure 80s Glamrock, exactly sounding like we're back in 1988
when PRETTY BOY FLOYD, POISON, TIGERTAILZ, BITCH'S BRUE and WRATHCHILD were
pretty much waving the flag for this genre, which basically completely died when
Grunge entered the scene in 1991. Of course in the underground there were still
new bands putting out new Glamrocksongs during the 1990s (BIG BANG BABIES,
FINSTER BABY...), but it took until the mid 2000s before this genre found new
bands to breakthrough, although those acts were not really serious (WIG WAM and
STEEL PANTHER). Anyway, those 2 acts still put the genre back on the map and if
you're into such Glamrock then you will love this STRIP CD as well, because
here we can hear classic 80s inspired L.A. Glamrock a la POISON/WRATHCHILD)
during uptempo tunes like It doesn't matter, Lullaby (hello POISON!), To be
with you or You should be mine and Power Ballads like Love story and Love can
hold the light. Must-have if you want it to be 1988 all over again and albums
like Stakk attakk, Look what the cat dragged in, Leather boyz with electric
toyz and such are belonging to your favorite albums of all times! Like it or
not, STRIP are doing it at a very high level actually, so this is picture
perfect 80s L.A. Glamrock and the album POISON fans have been waiting for these
past 30 years! STRIP themselves are not a new band, because this FNA Records
release is a collection of the 2 demo tapes of this Chicago based band which
were originally released in the early 1990s. The CD is available through www.fnarecords.net
Out
of thousands Hair Metalbands SHYBOY was basically just another act that wanted
to follow the footsteps taken by acts like WARRANT, POISON, SKID ROW, WHITE
LION , WINGER and such during the late 1980s. They should not be confused with
a couple of other same named bands (such as the one with a 1998 CD release on
ESCAPE MUSIC), because this SHYBOY from New Jersey was formed in 1988 and
released quite quickly thereafter a cassette album titled Stop-n-go, which
featured the kinda Hair Metal you would expect when mentioning the
aforementioned bands. Their sound was very close to the hair-Sunset
Strip-Spandex/Hairspray Melodic Metal of WARRANT and WHITE LION when listening
to such classic uptempo melodic rockers like Cryin' over you, Are we are on
love, I'm the one and Hangin' on (WHITE LION meets DOKKEN) or big Power Ballads
like Don't walk away (pure WARRANT's Sometimes she cries imitation!) and
Waiting for you (BON JOVI/DANGER DANGER/PAUL LAINE style). Also need to mention
here their more AOR based material, such as the ultra-catchy Do or die (CRYSTAL
meets NIGHTWORK meets WHITE SISTER), with it's dut-dut keys, and the chorus of
the already mentioned I'm the one, but overall this is a mixture of 80s Hair
Metal and Melodic Mainstream American Hardrock of the late 80s. Perhaps not
originalat all, they did it a high level, although eventually they never signed
a label deal, because in the early 1990s they already split up. The CD Just
Wanna Rock! on FNA Records contains the cassette tape songs, their 2nd demo
from 1989 and a bunch of live recordings from their 1988-1990 period. In total
18 tracks are included, the sound is not always the best, but nevertheless fans
of Hair Metal/80s Melodic Rockstyle will like this CD! Available through www.fnarecords.net
2019
brings much joy for the fans of classic 80s sounds in all kinds of new releases
(both re-releases and new albums in classic 80s style) and FNA Records brings
us one of these lost bands, namely AIRSTRIKE and their Initial attack release
from 1986. This is one of those highly sought-after vinyl releases that finally
gets a proper re-issue onto CD, along with 10 unreleased demo tunes. AIRSTRIKE
were a bunch of youngsters in the mid 1980s whom recorded this rare LP and a
bunch of demos between 1985 and 1989. The bandmembers went their seperate ways
eventually, ending up in new bands, projects and playing with members of
legendary bands. Anyway, this CD is filled with classic 80s US Melodic Metal
that fits somewhere between RATT, FIFTH ANGEL, BLACK'N'BLUE and early BONFIRE.
The guitarwork is classic 80s fist-in-the-air Metal riff orientated, while the
vocals and lyrics are classic Glam/Hair Metal based, so it is clearly a mixture
of mentioned bands. Highlights include You'll get your way, Right before your
eyes (pure BLACK'N'BLUE faster uptempo melodic heavy rocker), the melodic
rockers Angel of pain, Teaser (very catchy!) and Aimin' for the heart (early
BONFIRE/CACUMEN Melodic Hardrock). Definitely recommended to fans of classic
80s US Melodic Metal, whom don't mind a touch of RATTish Glam/Hair Metal!
Vocals and production are not always that strong, but they make up with some
great musicianship Available through www.fnarecords.net
Lead
singer MATT FALLON had the unfortunate luck to hit twice the jackpot, but sadly
did not get a chance to enjoy the fame and fortune which would follow for the
particular band. First he joined ANTHRAX and started recording their classic
Spreading the disease, but was replaced by JOEY BELLADONNA during the recording
process. The second band was SKID ROW, with whom he recorded a demo at Jon Bon
Jovi's studio in 1986 and even played as support to BON JOVI in those days, but
in end SEBASTIAN BACH replaced him in 1987. Both ANTHRAX and SKID ROW became
big acts that lasts until the present day. Matt decided to start his own band
called FALLON and although they recorded an EP and several songs throughout the
years, by 1993 the music climate had changed and they quit the band. Many years
later FNA Records releases a CD filled with 12 tracks of FALLON, doing Matt justice
for his past recordings that never found the big fame and fortune like had
happened with is former bands. The included music is a mixture of classic 80s
Melodic Hair Metal/Melodic Hardrock and some Power Ballads, not that far away
from classic SKID ROW. Songs like the uptempo melodic rocker Blue sky in the
rain, the Power Ballad The rain inside, the midtempo sing-a-long Hair Metal
piece No stranger and Tears (a rare demo song, sounds like a great mixture
between TESLA, LILLIAN AXE and EVERY MOTHER'S NIGHTMARE). show 4 great
musicians hard at work trying to be next big Hair band in the late 1980s. As
with thousands others, their music was almost buried forever until this CD was
released. Fans of classic SKID ROW, WARRANT, WHITE LION, FIREHOUSE, SLAUGHTER
and such will absolutely love this FALLON as well! Available through www.fnarecords.net
The British Melodic
Rockband BIG GUNS was formed in the early 1990s and despite their incredible
high level of musicianship, they did not manage to release anything in the UK,
Europe or North America, which was due to the changing music climate.
Thankfully they eventually found a label deal in Japan, because in the land of
the Rising Sun Melodic Rock had its peak during the 1990s with many great
successful bands (JADED HEART, FAIR WARNING, FRONTLINE, HAREM SCAREM) whom did
not had luck in their home countries. BIG GUNS was another one, although I am
not sure how much success they achieved in Japan with their debut On dangerous
ground, which was originally released on ZERO CORPORATION RECORDS. The original
CD is now very rare and hard to get, going for about USD 500, so it is a much appreciated
welcome that FNA Records re-released this album and also added the 2nd album
Stick ‘em up as bonus. The band did split up I believe for a while, but around
2007 they released this follow-up on the Australian label SUN CITY RECORDS. Now
the 2 albums are available again on 1 CD, so for anyone who missed this great
deal of classic 80s inspired catchy Melodic Rock, make sure to check it out. It
might not sound original, but the result was and still is a great album that
will definitely please fans of early DANGER DANGER, KNOW ILLUSION, HEAVEN’S
EDGE, FIREHOUSE, 80s BON JOVI…. Uptempo melodic rockers like Living It Up, Love
Gets In The Way, Let's Get Crazy and the sensational City Lights, as well as an
midtempo AOR/melodic rocker like Picking Up The Pieces are all highly
recommended to hear if you’re into the classic 80s US Melodic Rocksound!
Available through www.fnarecords.net
(Points:
8.6 out of 10)
71
SPIDERS is a band from Cincinnati, USA formed around SPIDER FINGERS, who
actually does everything on his own here. In the past he played in bands like
FLYING 69 and ELECTRIC MONSTER, but now went solo more or less on this same
titled CD. The included music is 70s inspired, sometimes reminding me a lot of
ALICE COOPER somehow, so with a sort of theatrical or semi-gothic approach. It
definitely rocks, but it takes a few listens to really get it and the vocals
are quite raw and raspy sounding. I think there's also some BOWIE influences
here and there, while Blues can be heard during the opener Spider web blues and
closing track Goodnight. Check it out for yourself at: http://71spiders.com/
Alligator
Records is one of the ultimate American Bluesrocklabels which exists since 1971
when it was grounded by BRUCE IGLAUER in Chicago. Almost 50 years this amazing
label still releases the finest new Bluesrockalbums and we are proud to review
4 of those which have been released in 2019. Guitarist/vocalist COCO MONTOYA
began his solo-career in 1993 and hasn't looked back ever since. Now 26 years
later he already releases his 5th album for ALLIGATOR RECORDS. The album is
titled Coming in hot and is a very strong heavy bluesrockalbum, produced by
TONY BRAUNAGEL (ERIC BURDON, BONNIE RAITT, TAJ MAHAL...) and blueswise clearly
going back to the classic bluesrockdays of ALBERT COLLINS, ALBERT KING, BB
KING, BUDDY GUY, JOHN MAYALL, MUDDY WATERS, etc, etc. Before he went solo, Coco
played in the bands of ALBERT COLLINS during the 1970s/1980s and in JOHN
MAYALL's BLUESBREAKERS during the 1980s/1990s, so actually he now has almost
reached 50 years of playing, touring and recording in the music business. You
can hear this very clearly on the new album, which also features musicians whom
played with BOB DYLAN, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, JIMI HENDRIX, JOHN FORGERTY, ERIC
BURDON, BONNIE RAITT, etc, etc. The result is as mentioned a highly recommended
classic bluesrockalbum, with one of the highlights for me personally Stop
runnin' away from my love, which is a JEFF PARIS written tune! However, every
single fan of classic blues will like this for sure! More info at: https://www.alligator.com/
Harmonicaplayer/vocalist
RICK ESTRIN is a virtuoso in what he's doing on his harmonica and his way of
singing, which makes him very recognizable when hearing the music he played
with THE NIGHTCATS. Comtemporary is their 4th album, which musically is mostly
classic Bluesrock the way it should sound like, which is as if it was recorded
in a small smokey bar somewhere in a dark alley in downtown Chicago. This is
Chicago Blues at it's finest (just listen to the first 2 songs), with however
also enough room to explore some other modern bluesrockstyles, which can best
be heard during the rather catchy titletrack Contemporary that also adds modern
rock and even some hip-hop infuences. Also don't miss the funky and groovy New
shape or House of grease, which also drift away from the aforementioned classic
blues. On the other hand, a lot of times we're basically deeply into classic
Chicago blues a la MUDDY WATERS (Nothing but love is a fine example here), so
people who like their blues to sound like that will not be disappointed,
although Rick also smoothly puts other influences into the songs, which personally
is a good move and shows him at his very best. The album was produced by
multi-instrumentalist (and THE NIGHTCATS guitarist) Kid Andersen and Estrin
himself, whom together made it sound crystal clear and it is highly recommended
ro all the bluesrockfans out there! More info at: https://www.alligator.com/
Toronzo
Cannon 'The preacher, the politician or the pimp' (Alligator Records/USA Import)
Out
of Chicago comes TORONZO CANNON, of whom we reviewed his excellent and
much-praised 3rd album The Chicago way back in 2016. That album was regarded by
many as the absolute highlight in bluesrock that particular year. Now he
returns with The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp, showing once again he is
one of the finest bluesrock performers around these days. He can easily compete
with GARY CLARK JR. , JOE BONAMASSA and KENNY WAYNE SHEPHARD and therefore I
would like to add his new album to the list of best Bluesalbums of 2019! His
guitarplaying is superbly melodic and very smoothly a la ERIC CLAPTON, while
vocally he has a sort of relaxing warm approach a la GARY CLARK JR. I am quite
surprised he has not broken through yet like the big guys mentioned in this
review. Toronzo is high-class and should be playing the big festivals and huge
venues. He can do it all, very slow and smooth like on the titletrack and the
fantastic She loved me (again) or more uptempo like JIMI HENDRIX meets GARY
MOORE in the sensational rocker The Chicago way. 12 songs are included in
total, produced by Toronzo himself and the founder of his label ALLIGATOR
RECORDS, the legendary BRUCE IGLAUER. Together with his bandmembers Roosevelt
Purifoy (piano, organ), Marvin little (bass), Melvin Carlisle (drums) and a
whole list of guest musicians, this might be one of the finest bluesrockalbums
I have heard the past few years. More info at: https://www.alligator.com/
Ice
cream hell is already the 18th album of blues guitarist/vocalist TINSLEY ELLIS,
who played and recorded with some of the great musicians in rock and blues
history and already released an album of ALLIGATOR RECORDS way back in 1988. He
never looked back, although left the label for a few years in the early 2000s,
but has now been releasing records on the label since 2005. His new album is
said to be his rawest so far, with influences from JEFF BECK and ERIC CLAPTON,
so with that classic rough late 1960s classic Gibson guitarsound. Hardrockin'
blues is probably a good description for this album, which was produced by
himself along with organ/pianoplayer KEVIN MCKENDREE (JOHN HIATT, DELBERT
MCCLINTON...). Tinsley's voice is not as strong as some of his
bluesrockfriends, but he nevertheless knows where his limitations are and
therefore the somewhat relaxing slower bluesrock tunes like the wonderful
titletrack, Hole in my heart and Everything and everyone (with a slight SANTANA
vibe) are the best songs. His guitarplaying is excellent and will please any
bluesrockfan out there for sure. More info at: https://www.alligator.com/
The
Sheepdogs 'Changing colours' (Warner Music Canada/Canada Import)
It's
impossible to check each and every band in the world, so it is a pity that the
Canadian band THE SHEEPDOGS wasn't discovered by yours truly much earlier,
because this is a great Classic Rockband that should get a lot more attention
from the rocking press outside of Canada. In Canada they are actually quite
popular, with already 6 releases so far, of which this Changing colours is the
latest album, originally released early February 2018 on the major label WARNER
MUSIC. It even gave birth to 3 singles and the album went to number 5 in the
Canadian Billboard Album Charts Anyway, almost 2 years later it now luckily did
find it's way to our desk and I am very glad it did, because this is a
wonderful record! The band is from Toronto, was formed in 2006, and their
line-up consists of EWAN CURRIE – lead vocals, guitars, clarinet, Drums,
Ukelele, piano, Synthesizer, Tambourine, Organ, SHAMUS CURRIE – Organ, piano,
Mellotron, trombone, backing vocals, guitar, percussion, JIMMY BOWSKILL –
Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Pedal Steel Guitar, Viola, Violin, backing vocals,
RYAN GULLEN – bass, backing vocals and SAM CORBETT – drums, Glockenspiel, Gong,
Mandolin, Percussion, backing vocals. They are playing a mix of pure Classic
Rock and calmer melodic soulful westcoast pop/rock, all in the traditional
1970s direction. In fact when listening to fantastic rockers I've got a hole
where my heart should be, Saturday night, Cool down (has a lovely pure 70s
classic twin-guitarsolo-part halfway the song) and You've got to be a man, it's
like we're back in the mid 1970s and Canadian bands APRIL WINE, MOXY, BTO, HARLEQUIN,STREETHEART,
THE GUESS WHO, TROOPER, RED RIDER, CHILLIWACK and such were among the first
wave of Canadian Hardrock/Classic Rock to make an impact outside of Canada. During
those rockers you can easily put THE SHEEPDOGS in between those legendary
Canadian bands, although the band's influences actually come from THE ALLMAN
BROTHERS BAND and HUMBLE PIE. As mentioned earlier in the review however, it's
not only Classic Rock we get to hear, because they also slow things down and
offer calmer tingled material that could be labeled as melodic almost soulful pop/rock
during songs like opener Nobody, Let it roll, I ain't cool (superb pure mid
1970s westcoast a la STEELY DAN), and the lovely The big nowhere (early 1970s
almost THE IDES OF MARCH meets CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL or BLOOD, SWEAT
& TEARS sounding, quite soulful westcoast influenced with a nice Organ
solo). Also have a listen to the truly superb I'm not just waiting for my time,
a sorta semi-ballad with amazing vocalwork and melodies straight out of a late
1960s/early 1970s classic pop/rock book, once again reminding of BLOOD, SWEAT
& TEARS again. In the end, they are a very diverse band that always goes
back musically to the 1970s, which sometimes rocks, but also takes the time to
slow things down, add some funky soul sounds here and there and even experiments
a bit, such as during the closing Medley track that contains 6 short different
songs that combine Canadian Folk with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BANDish Southern Rock.
Anyway, my only conclusion is that if you're into Classic Rock (APRIL WINE),
Southern Rock (THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND), Westcoast (STEELY DAN) or any classic
70s Pop/Rock sounds (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL or BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS),
then please check out this sensational Canadian band a.s.a.p. at: http://thesheepdogs.com/
L.A.
based multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter TODD HERFINDAL should definitely
get a lot of attention, because his 3rd album Two track mind is a rather catchy
Melodic (Pop) Rock record with a sorta Powerpop approach in classic tradition.
Overall it reminds me of classic BRYAN ADAMS, THE REMBRANDTS, THE ROMANTICS,
TOM PETTY, PHIL SEYMOUR, KEVIN LEE, THE POSIES, RICK SPRINGFIELD and such acts.
Todd has a great voice and his songwriting is quite excellent, especially since
he comes up during each and every song with catchy hooks and memorable
choruses, which all together is the most important thing when making this kind
of Melodic Poprock. He did almost everything himself, except for the drums
(Tommy Rickard) and a few guitar parts (Rich McCulley) and I could not discover
a weak song among the 12 included tracks. Especially uptempo rockers like
Bright white light, Muddy water, Bound for the sun and Sweet and low are a pleasure to listen to.
BRYAN ADAMS is definitely the closest comparison here, so fans of that classic
Melodic Poprock/Powerpopsound need to check this out a.s.a.p. at: http://toddherfindalmusic.com/
Out
of the Detroit area comes THE INCURABLES and they were kind enough to sent me
their latest EP I don't feel so well... The included music by this foursome (Ray
Lawson (bass/vocals), Pat Kelly (guitar/vocals), Darrin Lawson (drums/vocals),
Dennis Pepperack (rhythm guitar)) is classic Garage Rock/Powerpop with guitar
solo's and melodic sing-a-long choruses which you heard on the radio most of
the time during the late 1970s. CHEAP TRICK meets RICK SPRINGFIELD is a nice
description when listening to the catchy opener Detroit steel, an uptempo
Melodic Powerpop tune that you will be humming along for days after you heard
it the first time. The 6 included songs are short, sweet and catchy uptempo
rockin', the way it should with this kind of rock. Besides the opener, other
highlights are Down, the instrumental Atomic fun and Eloise (70s Hardrock that
reminds me a bit of THE ROCKETS, also from Detroit, Michigan). Check out more
on them at: http://www.theincurables.net/
Already
released back in 2015, but so far no review from us, so it is about time to
give it a spin and discuss it over here, as this is musically definitely very
interesting. CLIFF BEACH is a producer, keyboardplayer, singer/songwriter from
California and together with a long list of musicians he recorded a 'Gospel'
ish CD, which is basically classic 70s funky pop/rock in the style of STEVIE
WONDER. 8 tracks are included and most of them are very funky groovy in classic
1970s style, pure Soul-Funk-R&B like we haven't heard it since 1975! The
production is of a high level and as mentioned, the music is also without a
doubt very interesting to check out, as it is sounds like a major label release
and different than most other new albums. This could easily bring forward
hitsingles for the radio, such as the songs Music, Sugar and especially closing
track Right side of the tracks (a fantastic catchy very cool uptempo
R&B-Rock and Roll song a la VINTAGE TROUBLE, with vocals a la LENNY
KRAVITZ). Cliff has a Soul voice which you don't hear much nowadays, sorta like
JOHN LEGEND, while musically he brings us a mix of very funky R&B tunes
(Joy, Hold on me and Sugar) and more Soulful polished pop (Save my soul and
Music), but as mentioned more songs like Right side of the tracks next time
would definitely make it all sound even more sensational. Don't miss this album
at: https://soundcloud.com/cliffbeachmusic
Out
of the beautiful Stockholm area comes ROOF DOWN, who were kind enough to sent
me their new album Lost. Musically speaking this foursome is playing a 1990s
influenced Grungy Altrockstyle that is clearly influenced by PEARL JAM,
SOUNDGARDEN and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. They are doing it very well and therefore
fans of this sound will definitely like Lost. The band was formed in 2013 and
consists of Johan Sjöberg – Vocals, Mats Stille – Guitar, Thobbe Hermansen – Bass
and Staffan Westelius – Drums. 10 songs are included, of which the highlights
are the grungy slow rockers (CREED/PEARL JAM/ALTER BRIDGE ish) Corrosion, On
and on and the catchy uptempo more melodic Not for sale. The band is definitely
also putting some catchy melodies and choruses into their songs, which makes
them sound a bit closer to Melodic Hardrock here and there like the WHITE LION/FREAKS
OF NATURE ish On and on. Anyway, if you're becoming interested, then do check
out more info at: http://roofdown.se/
Now
this is Punky Rock and Roll at it's very best, with 11 short, but very catchy
and memorable uptempo rockers you can easily sing-a-long with on the 6th CD
City of class of the Swiss band BITCH QUEENS. This will easily attract fans of
TURBONEGRO, CRASHDIET, BACKYARD BABIES, GUNS'N'ROSES (Appetite) but also the
fans of late 1980s Glamrock a la PRETTY BOY FLOYD, MOTLEY CRUE if you listen to
the Glam Anthem Superboy (the best song on the album)! In your face big
anthemic rockers is the name of the game of this rather excellent
Glam/Sleaze/Rock and Rollband from Basel, Switzerland, which was formed in the
mid 2000s by Mel Quitt (Vox/Guitar), Harry Darling (Drums/Vox), Danny
Schönenberger (Guitar) and Marcel Colomb (Bass /Vox). Besides the already mentioned
Superboy, other highlights are City of class, When did I die and On and on.
Check them out a.s.a.p. if you like that dirty mean rock and rollsound with a
touch of Glamrock like the bands mentioned earlier in the review. More info at:
http://www.bitchqueens.com/
Drowning
Effect 'Vibraphone' (Independent/USA Import)
Not
that much information on this San Francisco based trio called DROWNING EFFECT,
but they have released a great album titled Vibraphone. The band is formed
around Thad Baker on guitar/vocals, James Spadaro on Bass and Mark Loftin on
drums. They play mostly classic late 1960s Psychedelic Classic (Hard) Rock with
strong similarities to classic CREAM, JIMI HENDRIX, THE STOOGES and a tiny bit
of THEM, while there's also some stoner and SABBATH ish guitar riffs to be
heard in a SMASHING PUMPKINS 90s like altrock sound (Electric eyes) and if you
listen very closely you might also detect NIRVANA meets THE DOORS during Howl,
so there's a lot of diversity to be heard. When listening to the first 2
rocking tunes The reason and Holiday as well as later on I can't change, it is
clear we are dealing here with a very strong impressive band that could easily
breakthrough, as this kind of Retro Classic Rock is very popular, especially in
Europe. What makes them standout is the already mentioned diversity in the
material of their CD Vibraphone, because they switch a lot between the late
60s/early 70s and mid 90s kinda rocksounds. This might put off some people
perhaps, but personally I think it is interesting they can do both rockstyles
and therefore I would recommend anyone to check them out at: http://drowningeffect.com/
Multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter
STEVE KATSIKAS comes out of Louisville, Kentucky and with Hidden village he
releases his debut solo-album. He played in several bands in the past, of which
I remember LITTLE ATLAS quite clearly. The included music is very high quality
calmer melodic Progressive Rock and when listening to opener America I
instantly got a sorta DAVID BOWIE kinda approach, both vocally and musically,
but then a little more proggy of course. Hidden village is a very strong high
quality release that could easily end up on someone's best of 2019 album lists.
It is the kinda progrock that will appeal to a wide audience, as it is not too
proggy, because there are strong memorable melodies and choruses here and
there, while the music itself is not that freaking or stretching to the usual
prog lengths. It is a bit comparable to STEVEN WILSON, yet with the vocals and
melodies one would expect from DAVID BOWIE. Combine these 2 heroes with a bit
of RPWL/PINK FLOYD, THE BEATLES and you have STEVE KATASIKAS! The only remark
would be that the production is not as huge as you would hope it to be, but if
you listen purely to the music, you can hear quality stuff for sure. Just check
out the finest track on the album Sleep is for longer days for example, as this
basically combines the best of all mentioned influences. There is enough
diversity also going on, because a song like Fall also contains clear Jazz
influences, so concluded, this is a strong release, which is recommended to
check out at: https://stevekatsikas.bandcamp.com/
Out
of Oakland, California comes the band THE ATOM AGE and they have been in the
music business since 2009, with Cry 'til you die being their 4th album so far.
This new record was produced by Dave Schiffman (TOM PETTY, ANTI-FLAG, BAD
RELGION, JIMMY EAT WORLD) and after a few spins it is clear that this is a high
quality release that combines the best of 1960s-surf-punk and garage-rock, with
a touch of classic retro modern rock, sounding fresh and ready to take on the
world with a bunch of catchy, but very raw edgy uptempo punky garage rock
anthems. The songs are rather short, but easy to sing-a-long to, such as during
the rather strong Blink twice, and they also feature a saxophonist (BRENDAN
FRYE) and organplayer (FRED BROTT) besides 2 guitarist (PETER NIVEN and RYAN PERRAS),
while the line-up is completed by drummer FAT TIM. Their overall sound is very
dynamic and I am quite eager to see how this will go down live on stage.
Definitely one of the better Garage/Punkrockalbums of 2019! One more remark is
the big surprise to see it was mastered by HARRY HESS (of course known as the
frontman of HAREM SCAREM!) at his own H BOMB MASTERING FACILITY. More info on
THE ATOM AGE at: https://theatomage.bandcamp.com/
Mike Della
Bella Project 'One' (Independent/Italy Import)
Sometimes
you are completely surprised by a new release and in this case it is the debut
CD of the Italian musician MIKE DELLA BELLA, who presents a high quality
AOR/Westcoast-CD with wonderful female vocals of NANA PETROSSI and superb AOR
melodies (both vocally and instrumentally), all done in a picture-perfect
production. I am safe to say that we have one of the better authentic AOR
releases of 2019 here that is sometimes dangerously close to WORK OF ART, yet
with female vocals. One starts with 2 wonderful midtempo ish AOR tunes called
Turn you on and Until a better day, which are both basically classic female
fronted AOR in the style of DANTE FOX, LAOS, HEART, IF ONLY, ALYSON AVENUE and
early ROBIN BECK. The music has also a more groovy/Westcoast vibe here and
there, such as during the TOTO ish Challenge the sky, so it is thankfully not
the standard cliche tingled AOR album from start to finish, but nevertheless it
is still definitely pure AOR, yet done in a very sensational and
ultra-professional way. Hot stuff is an incredible tune that combines the best
of classic 80s AOR (chorus), Westcoast of the 1970s and still sounds incredibly
fresh and modern somehow. We're only reaching halfway the CD and already I can
highly recommend this must-have AOR CD! Fans of female fronted AOR of the late
1980s kind (a lot of times it reminds me of ANGELA AND THE RUDE!), this album
is a total must-have and please don't forget to check out the other album's highlights
besides the already mentioned tracks, because there are a lot of more
sensational AOR songs included, such as the AOR ballad A 1000 ways to say I
love you, the TOTO meets PAT BENATAR ("We belong") / LUBA ("Let
it go") ish Demanding life and closing track I won't follow (pure ALYSON
AVENUE AOR!) . However, the diversity of this album should also be mentioned,
because the jazzy She's a dream takes us into a complete different but still
sensational direction and features another great unknown Italian female singer
(CHIARA STROIA)! Concluded, don't miss this album for God's sake! More info at:
https://mikedbproject.com
Out
of Boston, Massachusetts, USA comes DEDE BOTH, a multi-instrumentalist who
combines Post-rock, Goth-Rock and Dark Progressive Rock on her album This
strange confinement. She did everything on her own here and the result is a
very dark somewhat sinister and melancholic album that contains mostly calm
slow Post/Progressive Rock like a combination of early THE CURE, SIOUXSIE AND
THE BANSHEES and STEVEN WILSON. Dede started in the Gothic rockband SENTENTIA
and released albums with that band, but I am not familiar with them, so I can
only judge this album, which is a very interesting record. As mentioned, it
combines 3 worlds, a Gothic sorta way of singing, a proggy touch in the
arrangements and instrumental parts, while the melancholic approach is somewhat
Post-Rock based. The combination can best be heard during the song In every
cell. This is definitely something you might want to check out if you're
starting to become interested in DEDE BOOTH. More info at: https://dedebooth.bandcamp.com/
Recorded
in Nederland (!!!), Texas, this Texas honey is a sensational album from a very
talented young beautiful vocalist/guitarist called ALLY VENABLE. She is
sounding like the new sensation in heavy bluesrock and could easily become
HUGE! She has a very strong rock voice and plays the guitar extremely well, but
her music is a little more than heavy bluesrock, because it taps out of the
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD meets JOE BONAMASSA meets BETH HART school, with a very
slight melodic hardrock approach of the let's say WHITESNAKE/RIVAL SONS school
of rock. This makes her 3rd album definitely an interesting one to check out,
which can heard right from the start during such great tracks like Nowhere to
hide (a little bit LITA FORD ish), Broken (lovely guitarsolo), Whit flag and Running
after you. Besides the guest appearance and production by MIKE ZITO, also the
legendary ERIC GALES plays guitar/co-sings on 1 song (Come and take it) and
with the overall praises from several other musicians, ALLY VENABLE is a name
to remember and follow closely, because we are definitely dealing here with
someone who is as good as for example SAMANTA FISH, JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR, ANA
POPOVIC... Fans of those female musicians will absolutely love ALLY VENABLE!
More info at: http://www.allyvenableband.com/
When
looking at the frontcover and while listening to the CD of DOUG COLLINS &
THE RECEPTIONISTS from Minneapolis, Minnesota, it seems like we stepped in a
time machine and went back to the early 1960s (the frontcover and the music)
and the early 1980s (some of the music). Good sad news brings us classic early
80s Powerpop/College-Rock like NICK LOWE, ELVIS COSTELLO, JACK GREEN, DWIGHT
TWILLEY and such, with a strong early 1960s approach as well in the classic
rootsy sorta THE SHADOWS (especially the almost country ish twangy/pedal steel
guitarsound) meets BUDDY HOLLY direction. The result is a very fun album that combines
uptempo tunes with early THE BEATLES ish melodies (Conversation with my heart,
Little house and Crush on you) and slower lovely romantic 60s poptunes a la
PAUL ANKA/BRYAN HYLAND (Please don't make me leave you, Tomorrow and I saw you
dancin'). Doug is the excellent singer/songwriter/guitarist, while the
musicians in THE RECEPTIONISTS are Chuck Varley - bass, vocals, Randy Broughten
- pedal steel and Bill Dankert - drums, vocals. It's a little record with 10
short catchy tunes, but definitely done as good as in the past, so a must-have
for fans of classic light Powerpop like the early 1960s and early 1980s revival
of that sound (although in the early 1970s there was also a revival with THE
RASPBERRIES and College-Rockbands like THE POSIES (the 90s) and THE DAWES (the
00s) kept this style more or less alive. Anyway, Doug is doing it very well and
secretly has released one of the better 60s orientated Powerpopalbums of the
past few years! More info at: https://www.dougcollinsmusic.com/
Stay
is the 4th album of the Calgary, Canada based singer/songwriter JUSTINE
VANDERGRIFT. She has Dutch roots and perhaps therefore was able to do a small
promotional tour over here for this new album. Sadly I missed it, because she
has an amazing voice and musically speaking it is lovely classic
Americana/Country/Melodic Poprock with some AOR melodies here and there. Opener
Stay for example is almost midtempo AOR/Poprock, but as the CD continues, the
country/singer/songwriter influences slightly take over completely, but that is
definitely not a punishment, because if you only listen to the stunning
Anymore, which is a small acoustic tune, you can enjoy Justine's beautiful
voice at it's very best! There is enough diversity on the CD to keep you
interested and Justine's vocals seem to be able to sing every style, because
the bluesy bar tune Crazy enough once again shows her amazing skills. Also a
highlight is the duet she does with JOEY LANDRETH (THE BROS LANDRETH) titled
Oh, Sister! You can sometimes compare her music to our own ILSE DE LANGE, but
for the voice you really need to check it out for yourself at: https://justinevandergrift.com/
Singer/songwriter
JAMIE MICHAELS comes out of New Mexico, but is somehow popular in Italy. His
new album If you fall is also released on an Italian label, so he must be doing
something right over there. His music is singer/songwriter and reminds me a lot
of RANDY NEWMAN, especially due to Jamie's raspy and almost talking kinda way
of singing. 12 tracks are included and fans of the mentioned RANDY NEWMAN and
perhaps also PAUL SIMON (just listen to Almost deadalus) need to check out
Jamie at: https://www.jaimemichaels.com/
Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist
DAN NAVARRO has been in the music business for a long time and is best known as
part of the duo LOWEN & NAVARRO. Together as duo they wrote hits for THE
BANGLES and PAT BENATAR (We belong) and also recorded a lot of records. Shed my
skin is Dan's first official solo-studioalbum and I must say it is a very
impressive highly recommended singer/songwriter record. He is first cousins
with Dave Navarro of JANE'S ADDICTION and RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS, so I guess
you can easily say that music runs in the family. The songs are quite calm and
relaxed, but Dan has got a superb dark voice that gives the material a very
interesting vibe that you keep listening to discover so many great melodic tunes,
such as Night full of run, Bulletproof heart or Straight to the heart of me.
Besides Dan on vocals and guitar, there is a long list of guest musicians, such
as LELAND SKELAR, WENDY WALDMAN, JAVINA MAGNESS, DANNY KORTCHMAR, etc. etc.
Fans of classic JACKSON BROWNE, DAN HILL, DAN FOGELBERG, JAMES TAYLOR, JIM
GROCE and such will absolutely love this singer/songwriter record which in the
1970s would probably become a megaseller. Anyway, fans of mentioned artists
should check this out a.s.a.p. at:
www.dannavarro.com
Out
of Serbia comes vocalist/keyboardplayer KATARINA PEJAK, who releases her debut
with Roads that cross, a musical adventure between blues, rock and jazz and
everything in between. She is helped out by Laura Chavez on guitar, Lonnie
Trevino Jr. on bass, Damien Llanes on drums, while guitarist MIKE ZITO also
contributes here a bit and produced the record. Like I said, the music is a mix
of bluesy and jazzy tunes and it all sounds quite radio-friendly, with
potential hits, such as the uptempo Chasing summer that somehow reminds me of
SHERYL CROW. Katarina is definitely influenced by both Blues and Jazz legends,
because she covers for example 2 JANIS JOPLIN tunes (Turtle blues and Sex
kills), which are besides Chasing summer the best songs on the CD. Her voice is
not really powerful, so don't expect someone singing like JANIS JOPLIN, as she
has a rather sweet jazzy kinda tone in her voice, sounding quite relaxed and
together with her calmer jazzy meets blues based songs, this is an album that
works quite well as background music. More info at: https://www.katarinapejakmusic.com/
It's
a pity only 2 original tracks of the ELS BAND are included on their debut album
Dark blues sky, because they clearly show they are a strong bluesrockband. The
band was formed in 2015 and on this first album we can hear 11 well-played
covers of classic artists like ERIC CLAPTON, ROBERT CRAY, STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN,
JOHN HIATT, JIMI HENDRIX, STEVIE WONDER... The band hails from Sweden and
besides a great singer/guitarist called Stig Pettersson, the other members are drummer
Erik Lindstedt, keyboardplayer Peter Dahl and bassist Lasse Lövgren. The result
is a very nice melodic bluesrockalbum with superstrong vocals and impressive
guitarwork, with as highlights Palace of the king, Need your love so bad and
Old love. As mentioned, more own material would be interesting for sure,
because now we can only judge 2 original compositions (Bad boy and Take mine).
Potential band and looking forward to see them develop to greater things in the
future. Meanwhile check them out at: https://www.facebook.com/elsbluesband
Michael
Lee 'Michael Lee' (Ruf Records/Germany Import)
Although
it is a same titled CD, it is not the official debut album of
singer/songwriter/guitarist MICHAEL LEE (originally born as Michael Clemmer in
Fort Worth, Texas, USA), because he already released an album back in 2014.
However, I am afraid not many people were aware of that record before he
participated with the American version of THE VOICE. He performed the BB KING
Classic The thrill is gone on that show and afterwards the Youtube video gave
him the push to start a real music career and reach many more people. He signed
with RUF Records and now releases a superb full-length record on which he sang,
wrote and played guitar almost all included 11 tracks. This is one of those
debut records that will be regarded as a cult classic in years to come, easily
as good as for example VINTAGE TROUBLE, JOHN MAYER, RIVAL SONS, JOE BONAMASSA,
GARY CLARK JR., KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD... He succeeded to not only show he is a
fantastic singer with a soul tone in his voice, but also plays guitar very well
and writes his own sensational tunes. Not a single dull moment can be found
here and also the diversity of the record is remarkable and should attract a
wide audience for sure.
The
Minnesota/USA based band THE LITTER was quite succesfull 50 years ago in the
1960s with their Punk/Garage Rock hitsingle Action woman. Although they
released more records and made several reunions throughout the following
decades, they never achieved the same success as they did with Action woman,
which was their first single. However, now in 2019 they release a very strong
new Classic Rockalbum, which consists of mostly newly written original material
of the band, with also a few covers here and there. The result is a
surprisingly strong record that can easily be called Classic Rock in it's
purest format, reminding of classic THE WHO, THE YARDBIRDS, LED ZEPPELIN and
such. Most of the tunes are rockers, with here and there a slower song, such as
Stay with me, which actually has got hit potential written all over, as this is
a 1960s inspired but still quite rocking sorta shuffle-ballad. The band is at
their best during the Classic Rocksongs like Crazy horse legend, Its not and
the instrumental The mummy's revenge and the sensational You can't feel love
(LIZZY meets B.O.C.). The vocals are strong and a bit raw, but not from the
original singer MARK GALLAGHER, because he sadly died in 2009. However, his
replacement RONNIE LONG (of KATZ BAND) is a very good singer, which can be
heard very clearly during the calmer acoustic piece Voids can be filled and the
aforementioned rockers. Classic Rockfans need to check out this album a.s.a.p.
if they long back to the 1970s sound of bands like THE WHO, BLUE OYSTER CULT,
LED ZEPPELIN, THIN LIZZY... More info at: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/thelitter
and http://www.blackberrywayrecords.com/buy_music/
What
if NEIL YOUNG would join FLEETWOOD MAC and record an album with B.O.C. backing
up here and there, well, then it might sound like THE APRIL FOOLS. This band
hails from Minneapolis, MN and is formed around Brian Drake (vocals, guitar),
Brad McLemore (guitar, vocals, harmonica), Terri Owens (guitar, mandolin,
vocals), Ben Kaplan (drums, vocals), Scott Hreha (bass guitar). Together they
already recorded a few albums and third is as expected their 3rd album so far.
The included music is nice mixture of classic rock, bluesy rock, americana and
rootsy rock, with a clear focus on strong melodies in each and every song. For
example there is a gorgeous semi-rockballad called Long shadows that sounds
like a rockier version of CALEXICO, which is of course a big compliment for THE
APRIL FOOLS! Other highlights are rockers like Bell of stone, My back pages
(BOB DYLAN cover), the heavy bluesrocker 15 minutes and You make my heart beat
too fast. Check out more at: https://theaprilfools.net/music
Singer/songwriter/guitarist
MICHAEL OWENS has a long music history behind him going back to the 1970s when
he was part of the band FINGERPRINTS. Fast forward to 2019 and a new solo-album
is out. Musically speaking it is a nice mixture of classic rock, americana and
powerpop. Michael has a very recognizable voice that reminds me a bit of 1960s
VAN MORRISON or a very raw ALICE COOPER, while musically it is a bit reminding
me of ELVIS COSTELLO, NICK LOWE and STEVE EARLE. It is actually a meling pot of
all kinds of 60s-80s pop/rock styles, so somwehere in between all the mentioned
acts perhaps. Not bad at all, with as highlights the more ballad orientated
songs, such as Old man Joad that even recalls a bit of classic BRUCE
SPRINGSTEEN. I think by now you more or less get an idea how this sounds like,
but it's best to check it out for yourself at: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/michaelowens4
Thierry
Condor 'City nights' (Niro Music/Swiss Import)
We
almost missed this amazing release from 2019, because vocalist THIERRY CONDOR
from Switzerland delivered a Westcoast Classic Masterpiece with his 5th album
City nights in 2019. I had not heard of him before, but I am completely
surprised here with the superb high quality of authentic late 1970s/early 1980s
Westcoast-MOR-AOR/Yacht-Rock that is completely in the style of legendary
records by PLAYER, DAVID ROBERTS, AIRPLAY, ROBBIE DUPREE, JAY GRUSKA, but also
recommended if you like RICHARD MARX, POCO, TOTO, 80s CHICAGO, CHRISTOPHER
CROSS, AMERICA, STEELY DAN and of course newcomers YOUNG GUN SILVER FOX. To
some this might sound dated and old-fashioned safe and extremely polished,
while others will fall in love with this perfection soulful classic sound that
will please you with so much brilliant melodies, you forgot how wonderful the
late 1970s/early 80s were for this genre. Thierry has a superb clean voice and
the first 3 songs (One night in Monte-Carlo, Driving to L.A. (with great
guitarwork by the legendary JAY GRAYDON!) and City nights) are instant classics
in the Yacht-Rock/Westcoast-genre! How about Day by day, which sounds like it
was recorded in 1978 or something, dangerously close to those legendary late
70s/early 80s records from AL JARREAU, BILL LABOUNTY, DAVID ROBERTS, BOBBY
CALDWELL, GREG GUIDRY, PAGES, MARC JORDAN, PAUL DAVIS, KENNY LOGGINS, GINO
VANELLI, LEE RITENOUR, DAVID PACK, etc. etc. A little less Westcoast and more
slightly modern Pop are songs like You're lifting me up and The same melody,
although among the 13 included tracks not a single weak tune can be found.
Besides the already mentioned highlights, one of the other sensational songs is
Only the lonely (uptempo Westcoast-AOR a la DAVID ROBERTS) and the only comment
I could make in general is that I would love to hear more of such uptempo
pieces on a future record! Without a doubt, if you like Westcoast old-School or
Yacht-Rock like DOOBIE BROTHERS BAND (with MICHAEL MCDONALD), KENNY LOGGINS and
YOUNG GUN SILVER FOX, you will absolutely find this CD a new highlight in your
music collection! Check out more at: http://www.thierrycondor.com/
Canadian
singer/songwriter has done quite a lot in the past 50 years, starting as
guitarist for BOBBY VEE in the 1960s, before becoming a solo artist in the
1970s and releasing in total 17 albums between 1977 and 2019. New CD Both sides
is his 18th album release, which musically is a calm Jazz/Classical/Musical/Piano
orientated Popmusic record that is a mix of a few originals and mostly covers.
Marc of course is known best for his Westcoast/AOR albums from the late 1970s
and 1980s (including the classic Blue desert), but just like fellow countryman
ALFIE ZAPPACOSTA, he took a step into a calmer jazzy direction during the
1990s, which even led to a deal with BLUE NOTE MUSIC. Fast forward to 2019 and
Both sides is released, a very impressive relaxing record that contains very
original Jazz versions of classics from LOU REED, ROLLING STONES, JONI
MITCHELL, CURTIS MAYFIELD, etc. He got help from legendary musicians such as Randy Brecker, Lou
Pomanti, Marc Rogers, Kevan McKenzie and Mark Lalama, so you can imagine that
this album sounds pretty much perfect. Marc's vocals are as good as on any
record he released and even at his age of 71 years old, he still sounds very
impressive. Anyone who wants to hear really beautiful music like it was made
decades ago, please check out some of the most lovely orchestral accompanied
music put on record the past few years, because when hearing the BARBRA
STREISAND classic What are you doing for the rest of your life as sung by Marc,
it's like you stepped into a timemachine back to the 1940s or watching a very
old JAMES BOND movie, because that is what this song is giving you. I am safe
to say that fans of FRANK SINATRA or MICHAEL BUBBLE will instantly fall in love
here! Check it out for yourself at: https://www.marcjordan.com/
Out
of New Jersey comes DOMINIC ARGIRO, an independent musician who plays typical
American orientated Pop/Rock, sometimes reminding a bit of RICK SPRINGFIELD,
just listen to Celebrate your life for example. His CD Stop workin me over
contains 15 tracks and Dominic did everything on his own. The only remark I
would make is to use a real drummer next time, as now this seems to be
programmed and also vocally Dominic there are improvements possible. He can
surely sing, but sometimes forces too much and then sounds unnatural (Another
day), which is a pity, because if you listen to a calmer song like Sunshine or
rain, he does show he can sing with a soulful vibe a la JEFF SCOTT SOTO.
Anyway, the pop/rock is quite standard, but I do have hopes that Dominic is
able to make something much better, because he can sing and write a good tune,
however some more involvement of others (drummer/producer) could easily help
him to achieve the best! Check it out for yourself at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3oCTdsDr0QlymfPv4uuYto
Retro
1960s rootsy British Pop/Rock (THE KINKS), 90s US College Pop/Rock or early
1980s British/American Quirky Powerpop is the best way to describe this album,
which sounds quite close to ELVIS COSTELLO, DWIGHT TWILLEY, TOM PETTY
(especially vocally!) or NICK LOWE if we have to mentioned some comparisons. 11
tracks are included on the new CD The things you left behind of the New York
based singer/songwriter/guitarist FRANK MIGLIORELLI, with a split between
uptempo and midtempo orientated melodic pop/rock tunes. Higlights are the
rockier midtempo Take it back (even a bit THE ROMANTICS here), the catchy
calmer TOM PETTY ish The fire inside, the midtempo Key to your heart (which
reminds me somehow of ROBERT CRAY's classic Don't be afraid of the dark), the
hit potential midtempo Only here and the uptempo I wanna know that even sounds
a bit like BILLY FALCON or JON BON JOVI solo when doing a JELLYFISH kinda happy
tune. Powerpop, rootsy Garage Rock and eveything in between is included on this
rather catchy album that will also please the fans of bands like THE POSIES, THE
JAYHAWKS, MATTHEW SWEET, JELLYFISH and even TEENAGE FANCLUB, although perhaps
Frank's music is a little less rockier. Definitely a recommended album to check
out! More info at: https://dirtnappers.bandcamp.com/
and http://www.frankmigliorelli.com/
In
the past it was quite rare to see and hear a female blues singer, altough of
course there were exceptions like BONNIE RAITT (bit more country/pop), ETTA
JAMES, MAHALIA JACKSON, JANIS JOPLIN or the Black Gospel blues singers from the
1920s/1930s/1960s, but actually it all really took off during the 1990s when
singers like SASS JORDAN, ALANNAH MYLES and of course BETH HART broke through.
In the slipstream we have seen countless more female blues artists in the past
20+ years, with as most well-known ANA POPOVIC, SAMANTHA FISH, JOANNE SHAW
TAYLOR, SUSAN TEDESCHI and probably a few more I forgot to mention. Anyway,
each year new ones pop up and GHALIA is probably the next in line to have the
potential to become the next big thing. She does play rhythm guitar and sings
and writes her own songs on this 2nd album Mississippi blend, although the
overall sound is completed by her band, which consists of Cody Dickinson (drums),
Cedric Burnside (drums, the son of blues legend R.L. BURNSIDE), Lightnin’
Malcolm (guitar), Watermelon Slim (harmonica), Dean Zucchero (bass) and Smokehouse
Brown (guitar). GHALIA VAULTHIER/VOLT originates from Belgium, but found her
fame and glory in the USA, where she met a lot of musicians that helped her out
to create her own Bluesrocksound. The result is a very strong BETH HART meets
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR ish raw bluesy rockalbum with 11 great tracks that will
definitely please any fan of this genre. Ghalia has a great soulful raw voice
and I cannot imagine that she will not breakthrough someday soon, because she
has got it all! Her album is released through the 'major' German Bluesrockalbum
RUF Records, so this should give her a boast to get recognition quite quickly.
Check her out at: https://www.ghaliavolt.com/
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