Mark Hervey is a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York who has just released his first solo album About Time after an already long and diverse career. In fact you can see the years in his face, as his album cover contrasts one young and one more recent photo of himself.
Hervey was a member of the ‘80s band The Gomers, and worked in the studio with Steve Marker (Garbage) and the legendary Butch Vig. He migrated to New York in 1991, moving into music composition for TV and movies as well as video editing. He calls his premiere solo work “A true album experience from start to finish,” mixing rock, blues, folk, country and soul. Growing up in the conservative Midwest, Hervey was first influenced by church hymns alongside the ‘70s rock he was hearing on the radio. His artistic forebears include Tom Waits, Joe Strummer, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Bill Withers and even Prince. Most recording for these songs took place in Hervey’s apartment using Logic Pro on his iMac, with Hervey singing and playing guitars, bass, keyboards and Logic drums. Hervey’s guest drummers were recorded in both a kitchen and a basement in Brooklyn. Hervey mastered the album himself using iZotope Ozone 9 with Hervey's friend Leo Sidran (a Grammy and Oscar winning producer) acting as a consultant on the final mixes. “Make It Last” is a song dedicated to a partner that has “nothing to do with what’s past, and not about tomorrow” but instead about making the present moment last as long as possible. Hervey establishes his sound as primarily roomy acoustic guitars. He’s got an earnest, slightly hoarse but friendly singing voice, while adding overdubbed harmonies and whistling. The overall sound, especially with headphones, is both live-room intimate and studio-slick. The keyboards are spare and almost subliminal, though what I at first thought was a synth turns out to be Biff Moyer’s violin (a neat trick!). “A Brief History” features guest drummer Josh Berger and is harder rocking but still acoustic-based, with a similar vocal scheme to track one. The chorus chants of “Love will carry me on” is a timely reminder of the late David Crosby from the Crosby-Nash song “Carry Me.” Hervey’s brief history is very similar to mine, it turns out: A WW2 Father, Vietnam, Let It Be and the Dukes of Hazzard. It ends appropriately with the words: “Love is all you need.” “Your Sweet Lies” has drummer David Berger (related to Josh? Probably!) and has an upbeat Americana swagger with backing vocals that do indeed conjure Prince at his most flamboyant. I also like the chunky driving acoustic guitars and the killer electric guitar breaks. After three fairly upbeat tracks, “Forgotten Days” slows way down for a gentle, folky tribute to a lost (but deeply felt) soul where Hervey is joined by Laura Brown (recording in Santiago, Chile) on lovely backing vocals. “Straight Line” quickly changes things up with a squonky electric guitar riff that leads into a minor key clap-and-hum-along song, where the fuzz chords reinforce the raw sexual needs revealed within. Jimmy Najjar takes a wailing but short guest guitar solo. Next up is “Fragile,” a Sting cover that does not appear on the Bandcamp page. Biff Moyer again leads the way with his distinctive violin runs, backed by Hervey’s acoustics and David Berger’s drums. I don’t know this tune, but encountering it for the first time I can definitely hear Sting within, while still fitting nicely with Hervey’s own songs. There’s a great middle section where the acoustic instruments have a kind of romping playdate with the violin. “Don’t Pass Me By” is not a cover of Ringo’s tune, but is instead a yearning country-ish love song again graced by Moyer’s violin and the final drum contribution from Josh Berger. Shimmering mandolin is courtesy of guest Jamie Stams. “It Will Come” is a quick left turn into bubble popping, finger snapping funk. Laura Brown adds insinuating background coos while David Berger provides the solid bottom in his last appearance. This is a slinky, sideways jam that provides great contrast to the other tracks. “By My Side” is a synth-and vocal-drenched ode to romantic hopes and dreams, adding an almost spiritual feel to the collection. An accordion-like patch gives the song an Italian flavor as well. “Rainbow” seems to feature a call-and-response between Hervey and his child (uncredited, so I’m guessing), with a rocking Zappa-like chorus. Even discounting the device of using a kid’s voice as a vocal, this is one of the most fun songs. “Dennis Quaid” is an Irish traditional-style tune (thanks again, Biff Moyer on violin) in which Hervey calls out an absent Dennis Quaid much like Bowie and others begged Bob Dylan to come back during his long absence. Andy Olson adds to the pub-like background voices while Graham Willoughby plays the part of “Fact Checker.” “The Benediction” appropriately ends the show with a kind of secular blessing, where Love is said to be the best religion of all. Hervey stylistically comes full circle, with mostly acoustic guitars and stacked backing vocals, including guest Vicky Finney. Hervey has absolutely succeeded in his quest to make a collection of songs within a wide array of genres while still hanging together as a cohesive whole. Even better, the songs are great. Check him out!
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If you’re a fan of Pitch Perfect you most likely have read about Simon Hurst. The prolific artist has been on a roll. His latest release is entitled Four. It contains four songs and on his Bandcamp page he wanted to develop longer form songs. That’s certainly the case. Hurst also explains “It also seemed to me, once I’d finished most of the writing/recording process that there was something about the musical architecture of the whole album that evoked the classic four-movement symphonic structure.” I picked up on that as well as I was listening to the album.
“Raiders of the Lost Archive” is the first composition. Right off the bat there was this cinematic quality to the music. There are soothing orchestral elements like horns. Synths show up as well. The song goes into all sorts of different places and usually the changes are made quickly. There’s a little funk before the two- minute mark which leads to a soaring guitar solo that is baked by majestic sounding piano. It’s not only the instruments that change but the mood. There’s a more pensive and melancholy section around the four-minute mark. I was thoroughly impressed with the composition. It’s dynamic and is a journey. “Winds of Change” is next and it begins with a morphing wind tunnel that fades out into a piano melody. Within the first two minutes there are a good amount of transitions. It sounds like classical music at first and then transitions into this organ infused rock groove. There are ton of layers to the song as it progresses. I think the thing I appreciated most was the mix of rock and classical and how Hurst transitioned seamlessly. “Random Inspiration” is another genre bending composition. Synths blur into horns while the rhythm section creates a buoyant groove. The song felt playful to me at points. The whimsical nature of it was a fun ride. At points it felt psychedelic and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band popped into my mind a couple times. There’s another impressive lead guitar solo around the four-minute mark. Last up is the sixteen-plus-minute “Phantasia.” This song is a journey. It starts off ambient and moody. There’s a build to it but subtle mostly because of the piano. The song quickly starts to go off in different directions. Hurst will go into a kinetic piano and find his way back to lush pads and distant guitar sounds. It's an incredibly dynamic song and by the end becomes quite epic. I could write an entire review on this song alone. This is arguably the best I’ve heard from Hurst. I thought the long forms were well done and kept my attention. It felt like a true hybrid album. If you’re a fan of Hurst this might be your favorite release. Highly recommended.
Light Coloured Coat is an English alternative bluegrass band hailing from West Sussex. It’s a genre that tends to be dominated by American artists, but, as a fellow Brit, I know there are some beautiful, scenic places in West Sussex that most likely influenced the airy country flavor of this warm, tender EP Raspberry Rissole EP. It is a four-track release that opens with “Canned Tears.” It’s driven by distant percussion, twangs of clean electric guitar and delicious flourishes of harmonica. Atop all of that, crisp vocals harmonize in a stunningly delicate way. I envision myself on a country road trip whilst listening to this mellow, colorrful track. It certainly sets the pace for this brief yet satisfying collection of vibrant tunes.
“Storey 3” is a seven-minute odyssey that takes the listener on a rollercoaster journey. It opens with a beautiful acoustic guitar chord progression and vocal melody. There are some intriguing experimental flourishes that point to the avant-garde artist beneath this seemingly simplistic aesthetic. I love the synth whirs and warbles — there’s an alien feel to them. This is a psychedelic trip, and there’s no doubt about that. The final segment of the track is mostly instrumental, allowing the many intricate layers of the song to make their mark. The alien synths were definitely the stand-out moments of the track, though. “Antiquitat” is an acoustic track laden with some infectious trumpet riffs. I love the somber melody — those vocals are absolutely otherworldly, just like the overall aesthetic of Light Coloured Coat’s music — but it’s those trumpets of a distant daydream that truly make this song. The intricacy and depth of “Antiquitat” certainly makes it feel so much longer than three minutes. “Give Me Back My Wings” is a wonderful closer for this short but incredibly detailed album. Mesmerizing synths and breathtaking vocal layers. Some grandiose choral swells and applause-worthy musicianship. For a four-track EP, I’m amazed at how much Light Coloured Cost managed to pack into each of the songs. I’d love to hear a full-length album from this experimental psychedelic artist. I feel like Light Coloured Coat still has so much to show us. We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of this artist’s creativity and musical prowess.
Brand-new singer/songwriter from NYC Alyssa Jay is bringing her brand of bedroom pop and folk acoustic music to listeners everywhere. With her debut EP Same Questions, Jay with the help of her friends from college are bringing Jay’s songs to life. She already has around 30 songs written, and overall, they are very melodious and with Jay’s husky timbre, the artist manages to captivate listeners from start to finish.
Same Questions opens up the title track “Same Questions,” where some warm acoustic guitar struts into the opening of this song. Slowly, some percussion makes for a welcoming sound. Jay’s vocals reminded me of such artists like Norah Jones and Feist. It definitely made for a relaxing listening experience. On “High Line” some upbeat piano tunes light up the start of this track. Once Jay’s soothing vocals came in, the music really came together to great effect. The music takes flight for a soaring sound during the chorus. This was definitely one of the highlights. On “3 To Fort Lee,” a somber piano tune and some bird chirpings come in here. The combined vocal harmonies are lush and hushed. I was reminded of a choral performance. Next, some synths arrive for more atmospheric sounds. This ambient piece was another relaxing number from the artist. More atmospheric sounds come in on “Waiting For.” More of Jay’s soft vocal renderings come in here, which made for a searing listening experience. The artist chooses to send us off with this moving display of her talents. On this project, Jay keeps it simple. Oftentimes her vocals are accompanied by the guitar and some percussion and overall the vibe is very sparse. But once her vocals come in, boy, are you in for a treat. Her vocals pack in an old soul vibe that makes it seem like she’s older than her years that instantly reminds me of Norah Jones. And you can tell that she’s in her element here, as she belts out the lyrics with feeling and gusto. All in all, I loved the singer/songwriter vibes she elicits here and can’t wait to hear more from her soon!
Sebastian Martel is the one-man-band behind Martel. Martel has been playing music all his life and says that his debut EP They Live On was something he was working on when his grandfather passed away to deal with his grief. After a year of procrastination, once the pandemic hit, Martel finally had some time on his hands to finish his “symphony.” They Live On is how Martel dealt with his mourning and it points to us how we can deal with our own. At the same time, the record is also a celebration of growth and the lives that have impacted us and continue to every day. With a psychedelic ‘70s rock that feels old school in the best sense possible, Martel caters to both oldies and modern rock enthusiasts with this trailblazing record.
They Live On begins with “Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome,” where a smattering of instrumentals come in and eventually we get Martel’s silky-smooth vocals sung in English but with a French accent. The music flows with ease and I was instantly reminded of Pink Floyd and The Beatles during their psychedelic era. This track feels like an adult lullaby as Martel’s soft vocals prove to be very ambient. Some synthetic strings and xylophones come in along with Martel’s moving vocal harmonies on “The Hardest Thing.” With this sparse arrangement, this is all we hear at first. It made for a great listening experience. More xylophones and the sounds of the flute arrests listeners right away on “Blue Eyed-Lady.” I think the unique instrumentation went on to add something extra to the song. Some bongos also come in for a fuller vibe. Martel’s voice seems to be sung away from the mic, which made it sound rather subdued. It sounded rather distracting and I would’ve liked more fidelity in this recording. There was a whimsical vibe to this track which I enjoyed. On “Prince Charming,” Martel’s vocals come across very breathy. I think he imbues tons of attitude and sass here, which I thought sounded really great. Along with some guitar riffs and synths, the stripped back vibes really spoke to me. I thought he conjured a very The White Stripes vibe on this release. Gradually, more instruments join in for a fuller band vibe. On the title track, “They Live On,” psychedelic guitar riffs and more arrive for a searing sound. The ‘70s rock references were on full-power here. Martel’s performance here was definitely on-point. The groovy synths and beats really made the sound here. Starting off with thunder and rain, this proved to be a moody start to the acoustic “Hymn To Our Dearest Phantoms.” A total 180 from what Martel was doing previously, on this bluesy rendition on guitar, Martel’s dynamic fingerpicking points to a great acoustic sound. The help of synths help flesh out this track. On this pure instrumental number, there was a ton of noodling and great musicianship! Martel says in his bio that he plays all the instruments himself except for the flute and drums which are played by Raymond St-Georges and Frederic Hebert respectively. I think that’s a huge undertaking. While the record also did sound a little lo-fi due to this being a bedroom recording, I think this only added to the classic ‘70s rock vibe. The reverb and distortion and often raw sound that comes across only went on to flesh out Martel’s live sound, even though he says that he’s never performed live before, I think this album is a huge indication of how he might sound once he gets around to it. With that being said, I think this is a great intro to his sound and I definitely looking forward to seeing more in the not so distant future.
Hailing from New York, Linda Sussman is an award-winning singer/songwriter whose music delves into the folk, alt-folk and blues genres. The artist already has four albums under her belt. Shake It Loose Today is her latest release. Filled with a great acoustic sound and Sussman’s pensive vocals, the songs on this record span universal themes such as love, heartache, triumphs and social justice. Listening to these feel-good tracks, you will definitely feel your mood being uplifted. Something great to relax to and get you thinking at the same time, Sussman’s warm vocals and thought-provoking lyrics will get you feeling moved in no time.
Shake It Loose Today gets going with “Chain Of Hope,” which starts out with some melodious guitar and Sussman’s vocals. I was loving the acoustic vibes coming from this track. It felt very inviting. Sussman’s vocals and mellow music made for a great pairing. On the title track “Shake It Loose Today,” a bluesy twang comes from the guitar. It made for a stirring and smoky vibe. Once Sussman’s vocals come in, I was also getting some Americana vibes. More acoustic guitar and piano come in for a mellow performance from Sussman on “Will You Hold My Hand.” Sussman’s vocals are packed with mood and feeling on this greatly introspective song. I was loving the pensive vibes of this sentimental and nostalgic track. More bluesy twang comes from “Honey We Gonna Fly” that is filled with a groovy country-bent twist. I greatly enjoyed the guitar riffs on this track. It made for a really great sound. More guitars arrive with a great Bossa nova vibe on “Movin’ Up Neck On Your Guitar.” I was loving how upbeat and catchy this song was. It felt like a departure from the more somber tunes from before. More inviting finger-picking on the guitar enter and Sussman’s vocals are etched with tons of sentimental emotions on “The Light Moves In.” She sings with lots of mood and feeling on this acoustic track. The addition of the slide guitar sounded really great. On “Déjà Vu,” more bluesy twangs come in on the acoustic guitar. Sussman belts out the lyrics with feeling and gusto. The melodious riffs and Sussman’s great charisma really made this song. More smoky bluesy guitars arrive for a bluesy sound as Sussman sings with spirit on “A Better Scene.” I loved her air of attitude and flair on this song. She really takes command of the band on this track. A wall of guitars with a big twang arrives for a moving sound on “Dream Big.” Sussman’s vocals pack an impactful punch with a gritty feel as she sings about dreaming big. This proved to be a great way to close the album. On Shake It Loose Today, Sussman fills the album with her vocals that are jam-packed with wisdom and her personal experiences. You can tell she puts a lot of heart into this recording as her soulful performances and musicianship on fingerstyle guitar feels very heartfelt. Sussman’s songs have a way of speaking directly to you, soul to soul as you can say. And you will definitely begin to feel connected to her music once you hit play. Be sure you give this a spin today!
I Left a Candle Burning is the latest eight-track album from the alternative Kelowna (British Columbia, Canada) artist known as N. Sherman. The intro to this album, entitled “Cloud (featuring Rinnovare)” is perhaps the most aptly-titled song I’ve ever heard.
Whooshing synths certainly make this instrumental song sound as if it were taking the listener on a flight through clouds. It’s an ambient, soothing opener that reveals Sherman’s artistry without giving too much away about his overall style. It could’ve been an atmospheric electronic album, for all I knew. I was certainly treated to a beautiful surprise on the second track. “Trenches” is a stunningly haunting acoustic track with fragile vocals and even more fragile lyrics. “Get home and turn on the TV / Wondering where life has gone.” Something about these simplistic words really struck a chord with me. Sherman wrote lyrics that he knew would resonate with so many listeners, and yet he didn’t do it in a forlorn way. The song simply feels introspective. There’s a glimmer of hope in the beautiful melody and the words that he’s penned. “Do You See Me?” is one of the gentlest tracks on the entire record. Sherman’s brittle vocals sound as if they might break, and the song almost feels like an a cappella piece because the rest of the instrumentals are so subtle. Stuttering synths ebb and flow beneath his transfixing singing. The sparse but well-placed piano plinks add some color to this surreal landscape too. In the same way as a good Radiohead song, this Sherman track amazes me through its complex subtlety. There are so many gorgeous layers at play here. The climactic swell at the end is truly breathtaking. There’s no doubt that this is my favorite song on the album. It’s worth giving a shout out to “Covered Tracks” too. There are so many spectacular songs on this album, but it’d be a disservice to overlook the fantastic closer that Sherman has composed. Another understated but utterly dazzling piano arpeggio dominates this stripped-back final track on I Left a Candle Burning — it confirms my belief that this artist is an undiscovered gem. He certainly deserves a huge fanbase for his fantastic songwriting and brilliant voice.
Erika Lamon has been entertaining audiences for almost ten years. Lamon released her debut EP in 2017 and spent two years performing and touring. More recently she released her first full-length album entitled Hues.
The album came together over the pandemic and Lamon points out she was reading Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations which seemed to be somewhat of an influence. Lamon also mentions “The eleven songs on this record reflect on concerns that all humans share: empathy, agency, disillusion and quests for identity or approval. Our common ground is that we experience all of these things as if they were novel, wearing lenses tainted by our individual experiences.” The album is very well produced and the music is accessible. There are elements of pop, folk, rock and some other genres as well. The album starts off with the title track “Hues.” You are greeted with some acoustic guitar, light atmosphere and vocals. I liked how this unfolded. The piano creates a sense of stillness to the song. As the song progresses drums are added and the vocals open up. It blossomed in a way and felt like this was a cool opening to the album. “Yellow Sundress” felt like a single to my ears. The verse contains simple piano arpeggios with some support from the other instruments. I loved the hook. It’s catchy, dynamic and it doesn't overstay its welcome. I was starting to like the vibe more and more. “Over & Out” was a great song. I was getting some Beach House vibes here mixed with a little Fleetwood Mac. The synths were used really well here to drive the song and the guitar work was also great. Lamon hits it out of the park with vocals. “Catch the Light” felt like another single. It veers towards pop and the hook is very catchy and infectious the first time you hear it. I have to say the guitar work was stylistic and varied on the song which helped it sound novel and fresh. “Pull Me Close” might be my personal favorite song. It’s dreamy, lush and uniquely nostalgic. Everything comes together here from the instrumental aspects to the hooks. It’s also a little experimental which added some allure to the song. “The Way to Go” felt like pretty straight singer/songwriter territory. The orchestral strings are gorgeous here. It’s a melancholy song and felt like similar emotional territory to Bon Iver. “Now I Wait” is an epic tune and very dynamic while “Bandits” contains a killer dragging drum beat and memorable hook. “My Other Life” and “Willow” hit the right marks as well. I loved the minimalistic closer “In My Head” which was a serene and comforting way to end. There’s no doubt a lot of effort and work that went into this album. I thought the production, song-writing and delivery complemented each other. This is a great album. Take a listen.
Wulven is an artist from Nashville, Tennessee who recently released I Have Seen The End and It Is Beautiful. The artist describes it as a shoegaze/ambient project and mentions “The album is a personal reflection on my experiences with religion and mental illness. It’s a journey through a bleak barren waste, confronting the horrors of modern life.” Additionally, Wulven points to acts like Have A Nice Life and Planning For Burial, as well as more extreme music like doom metal and harsh noise as inspiration.
First up is “The Devil Is Alive feat. Blood Estate.” It’s definitely filled with a deep melancholy. I was actually reminded of Youth Lagoon but this is definitely a lot darker. The music is very atmospheric. It’s moody but often quite beautiful. The vocals are quite catchy as well. It was a strong opener and I was excited to hear what would be ahead. “hell is not a place” is next. On this song we get some drone metal as well as shoegaze. I was getting early Sunn O))) vibes with this song along with some ’90s shoegaze aligned with My Bloody Valentine. “Stranger” was very cool sounding. It has this ’80s synth wave feeling to it but almost as if you put a white noise type filter on the song. The effect makes the song haunting and distant. There are vocals which blend in this song. This song in particular made me think of Ian William Craig. “Castlefreque” is instrumental and leans more into this aesthetic. There’s feeling like an ominous cloud is approaching. If there’s a single it might go to “We Were All Just Skeletons.” It’s fuzzy and darker but without those elements it’s a pretty straightforward tune at least at first. The drums and more fuzz eventually surround the song. Wulven sings “You know that I will always haunt you.” “Baphomet's Daydream” is a really cool soundscape. It’s very otherworldly and cinematic sounding, perfect for a sci-fi film. The hard hitting and industrial sounding “halloween” sounds huge while “daggersmile feat. Cling Ring” is quite catchy underneath the fuzz. “doomgaze socialism” is an interesting title and also a fantastic soundscape. It might be the highlight. He ends the album with the title track “I Have Seen The End and It Is Beautiful” and it’s an exceptional song. It sounds huge and in similar company with Sigur Rós. This was a great album from beginning to end. I thought the artist did a great making it a cohesive experience. Fans of the aforementioned artist should love this. Take a listen.
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San Diego based guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Mike Wilkins got his start playing in clubs at the age of sixteen. Wilkins specializes in legacy era hard rock and heavy metal. According to the artist, his playing style is a combination of influences including Glenn Tipton, George Lynch and Phil Collen, as well as many others. Wilkins has released multiple singles in 2022 including two songs with former Judas Priest lead singer Tim “Ripper” Owens. I spent some time with his single “Streetkiller.”
The song starts with a full arrangement coming right out of the gate. You are greeted with a sliding guitar string coming down to greet a commanding riff. The riff is strong and drives. I was immediately impressed with the aesthetics. It doesn't take too long for vocals to appear. Wilkins sings “Every life has a price / Every fool throws the dice / Even the winners have to pay / And the price will be your end of days.” The dynamics sounded great on the chorus when it arrived. It’s very anthemic yet ominous sounding. There’s a good amount of danger and menace that has long been absent from the genre. The best moments on the song are a little before the two-minute mark. The guitar work on the breakdown was killer. I liked both what the lead and rhythm guitars were doing. The build explodes and finds its way back to the vocals. I thought the ending was powerful. Of course I also listened to the cover. There are a lot of similarities although with the original version there is a longer intro that takes its time getting to the verse. In my opinion this song sounded like it came straight from the ’80s. I say that as a compliment. In fact I thought it was really cool that Wilkins wasn’t trying to create a more contemporary version. This song is a win for any fans of ’80s metal. If you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned bands I think you will love this song. |
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