Jonathan Calhoun is a singer/songwriter from Charleston, West Virginia. Writing and playing guitar for over 20 years, he finally recorded his first solo album “These Empty Arms” in his home studio during the pandemic. Now, about four years later, he’s just released his fourth album titled “Over the Street Lights to the Stars.”

In the past, Calhoun’s music has shown the influence of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, “with a bit of Prince mixed in.” This time around he mentions U2, The Smashing Pumpkins and Bryan Adams as his inspirations. The songs tackle concepts like loss, hope, death and perseverance. With one exception, Calhoun plays all instruments and recorded in his home studio in Charleston, West Virginia using Logic Pro. Calhoun is quite pleased with the results, having developed his production skills on his earlier projects as well as investing in better equipment.

“Exile” caught me off guard with its Middle Eastern guitar runs and tabla percussion. When the heavy guitars kick in, they play angular riffs vaguely reminiscent of the theme from “The Twilight Zone.” Calhoun has a very Eighties voice, sort of like Bowie, Bryan Ferry or Danny Elfman. Overall this track has a dark, assertive vibe. 

Next up is “Friday Night and Forever” which Calhoun says is “currently my most popular single, inspired by the more rock-oriented Bryan Adams hits from the 80s.” His voice does sound like both Adams and Tom Petty, and the jocular guitar chords very much recall 80’s rock. This track features Calhoun’s only guest player Ash Blair, who adds biting Fender guitar solos. “Forget About the End of the World” evokes a 60’s garage band sound except for the drum machines. Calhoun loves his fuzz and there’s tons of it here. 

“Paint on the Walls” brings us the soothing timbres of a Tom Petty track, with vocals and harmonica evoking the Master. Though more quietly acoustic, there’s a power to Calhoun’s sound that never seems to let up. “The Search Begins Again” is a laid-back boogie rocker where Calhoun mentions “a Traveling Wilburys song” and that’s pretty much what I was thinking! Calhoun crams more lyrics into one song than anyone I can remember except maybe Lou Reed. “Unspeakable” is a jittery hard rocker where Calhoun treats his voice the same way he plays his guitars. “The End and the After” is said to be “in the vein of Jason Isbell” and is certainly the quietest and most acoustic-centered track so far. Calhoun here acts as a somewhat morose narrator, where the end of our lives is laid out in stark and unsentimental terms (“from here the road is shorter, getting closer to the border between the going and the gone”) though he does say “death is not the end.”

The writing of “Over The Street Lights to the Stars” dates back about 20 years to Calhoun’s time at West Virginia University. He found the inspiration recently to finish the song when he was “looking out my window at the stars one night just like I did all those years ago in college, reflecting upon how our hopes and desires endure despite how life changes along the way.” The track sounds as expansive and hopeful as you’d expect, and I have to admit I prefer Calhoun’s quieter side to his wall of fuzz workouts. It’s a lengthy track but features a great dramatic build to a restrained but excellent guitar solo. “Once and Future Queen” takes us back to full-on rock featuring lots more of Calhoun’s seemingly endless bag of lyrical tricks. “Monster at the End of Time” has a cool staccato arrangement that actually approaches funk. “Ride On” is the triumphant closer, again reaching out to the spirit of Tom Petty.

Though I occasionally wonder how Calhoun would sound with a live drummer at his elbow, I found most of these songs to be well-arranged and satisfying, if a bit loud here and there. An interesting artist worth checking out!

Evelyn Rubio of Houston, Texas is a Billboard chart-topping artist with a new album titled Perfect. Born in Mexico City, Rubio’s multiple talents led her from the barrio to audiences across America and Europe as an accomplished vocalist, saxophone player and songwriter. She’s also an actress and portrayed Mary Magdalene in the Canadian production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Having specialized in the blues, 2023 saw Rubio beginning a foray into smooth jazz, with her latest single sizzling on the all the subscription radio stations along with the Smooth Jazz Global Network. Her new album explores multiple genres, with two songs sung in Spanish. Recording took place at Wire Road Studios in Houston with help from a large group of seasoned session players. Mastering was by Jerry Tubb at Terra Nova Mastering in Austin. Sound quality is absolutely top notch.

“Because I Want To” starts us off with a smoky, jazzy romp featuring standup bass, tight percussion with claps, call-and-response piano and Rubio’s lovely pipes. Though I dig voices that betray a few hard miles and cartons of cigarettes, Rubio sings with crystal clarity and engaging sexiness. And that’s not even mentioning her sax playing, which is stellar in its few short solo moments. “Touch” is a cover of the John Klemmer hit, featuring a classically-influenced piano opening, classical guitar and most of the melodic lines played by Rubio’s sax. “I Wait for You” has a clear Latin beat and influence with Rubio trading off vocals and saxophone. A fine slice of Jazz-pop. 

“Good Guy” slows things down for a smoldering torch song, with prominent piano and a string section backing up Rubio’s empathetic vocal. But don’t get complacent as “Blues for Katia” ups the dance ante considerably with a jaunty, jumpin’ blues workout. Piano, sax, guitar and drums all get solos. “Loving You” is a cover of the Minnie Ripperton hit, with sax standing in for the vocals (even the La-La-La-La-La’s and the high notes!). The title track “Perfect” brings Rubio very close to the mic along with gorgeous backing vocals for an intimate, highly emotional love song. The solo sounds to me like a MIDI sax, or at least it’s very muted.

The writing of “Morena” is credited to Rubio and is the first of two songs performed in Spanish, which couldn’t help but remind me of the old Astaire and Rogers movie song “The Carioca.” It has the same uptempo energy and sense of fun as the previous “Touch.” Instead of piano we get a healthy dose of electric piano. “Porque You Quiero” ends the album with the same song and arrangement as the opening track, but this time with Spanish vocals. 

So, the album is titled “Perfect” but is it? Damned close! Go find it and decide for yourself!

You Fool! is an indie rock band that began playing and recording in the suburbs of Washington, DC. After two EP’s, they’ve just released a full-length album titled What is the Meaning of This? The band is led by the husband and wife team of Josh Ryan (guitarist/songwriter) and Julia Marasteanu (vocalist/songwriter) along with Mayson Rangel (bass), Gregory Fine (guitar/keys) and Mike Celone (drums). Their dreamy, ethereal post-rock has been compared to The Cranberries, Alvvays, Japanese Breakfast and Paramore.

The album’s unusual title has a double meaning, according to the band. It reflects “the introspective and contemplative nature of some of the tracks” but is also something Julia said to her cat! “That duality of silliness and contemplation is something we play around with a lot.” And while we’re talking about lead singer Julia, she actually once performed on the flying trapeze at the circus! (What other singer besides Pink does that?)

Despite having begun in Josh’s living room, the band now joins many other indie and alternative acts in the Washington, DC area for live performances. Recording for this album took place both at Ivakota Studio in DC and various home studios, with mixing and mastering at Wave Upon Wave.

First off, I love cassettes so the band’s cover art featuring a clear tape shell with a tiny flower sprig inside is quite striking and memorable. The music starts with an instrumental called “The Time We Have Left” and it’s an immediate blast of saturated sound featuring fuzzed-out guitar, feedback, sound effects and strings-like keyboards. It’s always quite a statement when a band takes a chance on clearing the room with the very first song, but it’s darkly beautiful in its way. “Mayday” introduces lead singer Julia Marasteanu right up front for what the band calls “a mournful electro-pop reflection on everyday horrors.” A short track, but again it’s darkly beautiful and feels quite current.

“Light of the Moon (Album Version)” is another dreamy and mysterious song, as if taking the elements of the previous track and deconstructing them. The beauty of Marasteanu’s voice comes across more clearly, maybe like Kate Bush without the unbridled intensity. The music reminds me a bit of Belly, with melodic lines played on guitar like Tanya Donelly often does. The band calls it “a cloud pleaser which depicts the slow-burn dissolution of a toxic relationship (featuring) an explosive groove.” We move from that to the Belly AND Breeders-like “Stay the Same” with more jagged guitar lines providing the rocking lattice for the whole track. This song must be a crowd-pleaser too, because I can hear them partying in the background! Interestingly Marasteanu’s vocal almost sounds Japanese

“Empire (Pts. I & II)” is nothing less than a guided tour of the budding romance between the two band leaders. Josh begins with treated “memory-like” spoken word, alternating with Marasteanu’s lovely vocals. The story follows our two stars as they tour the Washington DC monuments, which turns into romance and then into a band. It’s sweet and romantic, but delivers these sentiments with a rock-hard wall of guitars and drums. “Learning to Walk Before You Can Run (Instrumental)” is another melodic rocker with a tight arrangement and is built around home movie audio of Ryan’s older sister teaching her daughter to walk. The melodies have a bit of Fleet Foxes majesty. The a capella closing is rather ghostly.

“Wicked Teeth” has a solid, thumping beat and musically feels like it was born on the streets of Laredo. “Taking Notes” is an engaging staccato rocker (like The Strokes? Killers?) that features Ryan on lead vocals for the first time, and from the sound of it he should be sharing vocal duties a lot more! “Nock, Draw, Loose” successfully takes a stab at Smashing Pumpkins-like solid rock, while the sort-of title track  “A Butterfly's Wing (What is the Meaning of This?)” is a short chamber piece with groaning cellos, single piano notes, intimate vocals and narration. That the song’s subtitle was spoken to a cat makes it even better. “hello Armageddon (Fuck It, We're Dancing)” is described by the band as “a danceable pop anthem to the end of the world, and a fan favorite.” This led me to expect a track like R.E.M.’s “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” and aside from not being a list of names and nouns, it indeed has a similar spirit with an affecting energy.

It’s a dark secret (perhaps) that writers don’t keep copies of every album they review, but this one is going in my library as soon as it drops. That’s a recommendation!

Become A Fan

Woods of Light is the project name for Brian Gunther of Ottawa, Canada. His latest release is a concept album titled Newcastle Park, which has been in the works for quite some time. Gunther dislikes labels but says his music has been called acoustic / folk / Americana. The best Americana is always Canadian!

For myself, it’s been a while since I’ve compared a band to the Fleet Foxes, but it fits here. Gunther employs unhurried guitar melodies, lovely vocals and harmonies, and the occasional fuzz guitar topper. Like the Fleets, Gunther has a lot to say and takes the time he needs to say it, with most tracks over six minutes. Gunther states that his songs are autobiographical and include “recollections of people, places, and events that have shaped who I am as a person today.” Lyrical themes include his lazy 90’s youth, small towns, lifelong friendships, endless summers and transitioning out of childhood into an uncertain future.

Gunther recorded at home using Logic over a 9-month period. He explains: “I married open-tuned, finger-picked acoustic guitar with a warm, shimmering hollow body guitar sound, coupled with a solid rhythmic backbone. I like to describe it as my love letter to the guitar. I recorded this all myself one step at a time, and it was a pretty considerable amount of work overall.”
The album runs over an hour but here’s some highlights.

The collection opens with the almost 11-minute title track “Newcastle Park.” Without checking my player, I thought for sure at least two songs had played by the time it ended! This song is pretty much a template for Gunther’s style, which features note-precise overdubs of gently picked guitars and an earnest voice that recalls troubadours like Donovan or Tim Buckley. Lyrically Gunther takes it all the way back to his childhood, with vivid but distant memories of places like Newcastle Park (pictured in all four seasons on the cover). The care Gunther took in recording all the elements and his vocal harmonies is obvious in every note. When the crunch guitar finally makes an appearance toward the end, it gave me the same kind of thrill as the electric guitar in the Fleet Foxes’ “Helplessness Blues.”

“Virtue Hill” has a jangly quality not unlike the Beatles in their “Rubber Soul” days. The vocal harmonies Gunther hinted at in the previous track take full flight here. The guitar figures and melodies are constantly inventive and seemingly note-perfect. The chorus features pretty much the same chords as the verses but with a jolt of energy and stacks of new vocal harmonies.

“Blue-eyed Stranger” opens like a lullaby, with the guitar matching the vocal melody as it tells the story of a new love and all the magic that entails. Gunther waits almost four minutes before bringing in the drum kit, which shows his unhurried and careful pacing.

“Left Behind” bigly embraces Gunther’s folk rock-Americana tendencies. It’s another forward-motion pick fest with soaring harmonies and a sweet jangly chorus. For “Sunny Summer Avenue” I was going to mention it was the most rock-heavy track so far (in the same way as “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds or anything by Bob Mould) even before the wall of fuzz guitars kicked in.

“Hometown” has guitar and harmonies a bit like CSN but Gunther takes this opportunity to change things up, trying a few dissonant melodies and cross-purposed vocals. “Shadow Of Autumn” features foreground bass riffing that really propels the song.

The final track “Final Summer” is sung with a reverence that’s almost prayer-like as Gunther takes this final moment to end his story while still looking forward. Some of the guitars even sound like mandolins.

As mentioned, this is a long album with long tracks and I had to skip a few here, but that’s no judgement on their quality. This album has a consistent, cohesive sound and is consistently great. Bring it into your life!

Wilburs is an indie-folk rock alt-metal band with a quite scary Bandcamp page, and that’s where you can find their latest single C’est La Vie. The project is led by Justin Wayne Moore (guitars/bass/drum programming/vocals) with help from Josh Talent (lead guitar) and Drue Fairlie (spoken word). Moore describes the music as “Sounds of mental breakdowns, sinews moving bones. I made a haunted house and decided to call it home.”

Moore recorded, mixed and mastered at his Evansville, Indiana home “through a period of confusion and depression.”  He breaks down the track as having “some Latin metal influence mixed with some D’Angelo type backup vocals that progresses and twists as the song continues, eventually leading into metal heavy breakdowns and spoken word bridges.” There’s also a bonus track, though there’s reference to a “track three” that does not seem to exist.

“C’est La Vie” hits the ground running with a jerky, bedroom-funk arrangement and all sorts of voices (including a lead singer channeling Rick James), heavily treated and then even more heavily treated! The beat is inescapable and the blasts of rock noise can’t be ignored. This is one of the loudest singles I’ve heard in a while and yet I keep turning it up louder! Josh Talent lives up to his name with some killer lead guitar intrusions. Did I mention this track is LOUD? The funk becomes more prominent around the four-minute mark, which is also where the guys let the mix breathe just a tiny bit. I’m also really noticing the strong bass guitar for the first time here at the end

“Cute” is the bonus track (“If you give a darn,” Moore says) featuring Moore’s best friend and longtime collaborator Michael K. Simcox on vocals and production. This verses sound like DEVO, if DEVO actually loosened up in a grimy club one night, while the choruses are an unholy blend of Nirvana, The Runaways and the B-52’s. A really fun and engaging song, with the same nuts-to-the-wall production style as the first track. The main guitar seems to be fed through an electric razor!

Two (not three) wild tracks that deserve several lessons. Check them out!

Bunkhaus, the collaborative project of Carlo Maltempi and Dr. Neil Anderson-Himmelspach, crafts a sound that oscillates between the moody introspection of lo-fi and the raw intimacy of stripped-down acoustic sessions. Their latest release, Between Lives, unfolds like a series of private vignettes, each song a fleeting glimpse into a world painted with minimal brushstrokes of guitar and voice, with New York and Texas as the backdrop.

The album opens with “Cortège,” where strummed acoustic guitar meets ethereal pads, setting a melancholic tone that pervades much of the record. The vocals here, evocative of Dan Bejar’s plaintive delivery in Destroyer, echo throughout the album, establishing a sense of continuity even as the emotional landscape remains consistently somber. “250 RPMS” breaks the pattern slightly with a vocal melody that feels almost buoyant, though the absence of drums leaves the track feeling a touch sparse. Still, the lo-fi aesthetic serves the song’s dynamic looseness, giving it a spontaneous, almost live quality.

“The 4th of January” plunges into even deeper lo-fi territory, tinged with Pink Floyd-like atmospherics, while “Mascara Ghost” stands out as the album's poppiest moment, its hook demanding attention despite the slightly buried vocals. The quiet beauty of “I See Your Autumn Skin” underscores the album’s most introspective tendencies, a delicate balance of melancholy and grace. As Between Lives progresses, the variations in fidelity become more pronounced, with tracks like “At the Bunkhouse” fully embracing the lo-fi ethos.

“Silent Alarm” is a testament to the power of intimacy, where the stripped-back production brings the song’s emotional core to the forefront. “Sairs Ave.” offers a more experimental soundscape, diverging from the album’s acoustic center, while “Freudenfreude” delivers lyrically rich content, with lines like “Calibrate your longing the hair clip evidence, Question the coroners offering, The alien in your neighbors clothing” sticking out as particularly evocative. Closing out the album is “Pigeons Grave,” a track that leaves a lasting impression with its beautiful piano coda. Throughout the album, echoes of Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, and Destroyer are apparent, but Bunkhaus manages to carve out a space that feels distinctly their own.

​While a few tracks could benefit from a touch more clarity, the overall effect is a collection of songs that are both compelling and deeply resonant. Between Lives invites repeated listens, each one revealing more of its subtle intricacies.

South Carolina’s Easy Rain is an EDM band dedicated to creating ethereal, cinematic beats and grooves using organic instrumentation. Their music is inspired by new age and jam bands, combining the essence of both. They aim to provide "an interesting blend of laid-back sounds that will take you to new heights of euphoria and help you find your inner peace." The band’s composer and lyricist is Geoff G. Klein. Though biographical details are scarce, Easy Rain was formed in 2004 and has released singles on various platforms, along with their newest Spotify album titled Just Fantasy.

​I was admittedly skeptical before listening that EDM tracks with overt nods to hip-hop and rap could induce a state of euphoria, but they got me damned close! The tracks all share a smooth production sound, sections of pleasantly repetitive melodic beats, and a female lead singer with a gorgeous voice that’s presented in both processed and natural states. There are 14 songs here, and the following are some favorites.

"In Memoriam" begins with a massive bank of hockey arena-style organs. Our female vocalist enters alongside a simple beat and melodic pattern, weaving a dreampop spell. The middle section makes a seamless transition into a muted, island-style beat, then introduces a full-bodied synth bass lead. This track is a sign of things to come in that the songs don’t slavishly adhere to traditional structures, sounding cohesive while still wandering far afield. "On My Mind" feels more like funky pop, with our singer moving to the forefront of the track. She begins with powerful double-tracked verses, then does a kind of jazz scat for the duration atop another synth-heavy space jam. This track features what sounds like a saxophone processed through a video game. Way cool!

"Free Spirit" is one of the shorter tracks at barely two minutes, though the average length of each track is about three. The singer is presented here without any tricks or processing, and it’s clear she truly possesses the amazing voice I suspected she had. Though I like the brevity, I do wonder if this track (and others) would be even better by repeating the opening verses before the final fade. A lot of great ideas come and go rather quickly. The song "Miracle" is a perfect embodiment of its title, with magic glissandos and a pop-friendly vocal that seems to echo off into eternity, followed by a sweet jazz-inflected guitar section and a surprise male rap, the only one on the collection.

Moving forward, the album begins to favor instrumentals more than vocals. "ChillHouz" has both a chill vibe and sounds like it was played on blocks of carved ice with bone-chilling digital winds surrounding the hushed melodies. Amazing beats here! "Something New" is based on expansive keyboards and funky guitar, with simple but engaging drum loops. "Home Base" features a laid-back space vibe, while "Slurp" is an amusingly thumpy funk workout that wouldn’t sound out of place coming from Devo, until our lovely vocalist returns with stunning multi-tracked harmonies, anchored by an in-the-pocket bass patch. "Making Love" has a sweet R&B sheen over a funky beat, an interesting change-up. The album’s final three tracks are all instrumental, a bit more straightforward and hypnotic in nature.

​Again, I wasn’t sure the artist could deliver on his promise of "new heights of euphoria," but he got me close enough to highly recommend this collection!

From the mountains of Washington State comes the teeming ensemble known as Swallowtail and the Kaleidoscope with their brand-new single, "Barefoot." Formed in 2022 by Matt Armbrust and Emele Clothier after a summer of gigging, they decided to label their unique sound as "Indie-cana" (I added the dash for clarity!). In 2023, Murray Sampson joined on keys and backing vocals, and the trio is frequently joined by a large, ever-changing roster of freelancers known as "The Kaleidoscope," making music described as "lo-fi, jazzy, and folk."

Prior to forming the band, Armbrust was a globally recognized composer and classical violinist, while Clothier had a five-decade solo career along with a role in the acclaimed Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band. Their first album together, Electric Horse, showed influences from Buck Owens and Joni Mitchell (Clothier) alongside Fugazi, Peter Gabriel, and J.S. Bach (Armbrust). Their songs were said to "straddle the realms of timeless nostalgia and contemporary innovation."

Playing the group's five-minute track on Spotify, I immediately noticed the very large onstage ensemble in the band photo. Though I don’t hear the string section in this track, it has the sound and feel of a very large room full of players. It's very much an acoustic vibe, with left-field additions like jew's harps. You can actually feel the depth of the room in the recording, though Armbrust's and Clothier's vocals were possibly added later. As lead singer, Armbrust has a disarming, genuine quality, with Clothier providing lovely, gentle harmony. In trying to guess all the instruments I’m hearing, I came up with electric guitar, accordion, piano, harmonica, drums, and a quick blast of fuzz toward the end. The bands this song reminded me of most were The Grateful Dead and the more country excursions by The Rolling Stones (especially with the Nicky Hopkins-like piano).

Lyrically, this is an amusing but inscrutable lament by a hound dog that senses a coming storm from a feeling in his knee. An alternate title could have been "(I Don’t Need No) Walking Blues." As with most songs featuring animal characters, you wonder at what point these characters stand in for humans, but I loved imagining the story exactly as sung. The lead vocals become more intense and invested as the song continues, which works great with the full-band sound.

​This is another intriguing, immersive track by a very interesting collective. Check it out!

Baltimore's Icarus Phoenix, comprised of Drew Danburry (guitar/vocals), Eli Sims (drums), Leena Rhodes (guitar/vocals/synth), and Brendan Russell (bass), is gearing up to drop their latest album, I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said.

Ahead of the release, they've shared "Doctor! Doctor!," a track that feels like a warm, somber embrace. Channeling the emotional depths of Elliott Smith and the ethereal soundscapes of Sparklehorse, "Doctor! Doctor!" strikes a balance between melancholy and comfort.

The arrangement is unpretentious, with fuzzy guitars, organic drums, and a grounding bass line, but it's the vocals that anchor the track's emotive core. There's a subtle yet affecting guitar solo midway through, offering a poignant moment that stands out.

​The song wastes no time, diving straight into the vocals, which are immediately accompanied by a lush instrumentation that might include an organ, creating a symbiotic dance with the guitars.

​The track’s dynamic shifts keep it engaging, offering enough variation to hold the listener's attention throughout. "Doctor! Doctor!" is a compelling listen from start to finish, inviting you into its introspective world. It's worth taking the time to immerse yourself in its nuanced layers and see where it takes you.

Sam Sims is an indie musician from New Jersey with quite a pedigree: he’s shared stages with artists like Willie Nile (sideman to Bruce Springsteen), Sever Forbert and The Beach Boys, even opening for Bob Marley’s Wailers in 2014 and 2015.  His music has been licensed for prime-time television and gets lots of radio play, and of course he also fronts his own band. His list of credits only gets longer from there, but today we’ll be looking at his current single releases “Conga Drum,” “Hollywood,” “War Becomes Love,” “Te Extrano” and “Feel Christmas.”

Sims himself plays guitar, ukulele and harmonica and has been influenced by folk-rock and island music, creating his own acoustic soul-pop hybrid. Many of his original songs are described as “having a laid-back feel inspired by nature.” His musical influences include Van Morrison, David Gray, Jim Croce, Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. His songs are also informed by his volunteer work in the United States and Nicaragua.

First up is “Conga Drum” which has an island vibe as if sung by Jose Feliciano by way of Van Morrison (I wrote this before I knew Morrison was one of Sims’ influences!). The stringed instruments have a great churning groove (using the muted strings for rhythm) and of course the drums and percussion are tight and clean. The song itself is a nifty pop-reggae love tune. He even steals the iconic Steve Miller “wolf whistle” effect! But that’s forgiven as he actually fires off a Carlos Santana-style lead solo, followed by Santana-like congas.

Next up is the rather Dylan-like “Hollywood” (I’m gonna mention Dylan if I hear ringing guitars, tenor vocals and harmonica). I can certainly catch some of Sim’s other influences here, especially Bob Marley and Ben Harper. Aside from the lovely circular guitar melodies, the percussion is again quite varied and right in the pocket, which must be a Sims trademark even without “Conga Drum” in the title.

“War Becomes Love” is a gentle, bluesy tune with gorgeous upfront guitars playing beautiful licks. It’s funny how this laid-back protest song uses language better suited to “1984” but then spins it around: “Love becomes war… why can’t war become lovin’?” I haven’t seen any production credits but thus far every song is impeccably recorded and mixed, and this one has yet another tasty, just slightly distorted lead guitar solo and still more congas!

“Te Extrano” translates to “I Miss You” in English, and the painfully lush acoustic guitars and steel drums more than bear this out. Funny how Jose Feliciano previously came to mind, as this is a song I could totally imagine him writing and singing. In fact I was very surprised to see that this was not a cover but a Sims original. So beautiful you could get married to it!

“Feel Christmas” is appropriately the final track here, but thankfully it avoids all the hokey Christmas song tropes like bells or fragments of well-known carols. As the fifth track in a row, by now I feel I have a handle on the Sam Sims Sound and this hits all the benchmarks: Sweet, intimate harmony vocals, ringing acoustic and electrics, solid percussion and a note-perfect guitar solo.

​Five great songs to check out, and there’s tons more where they came from. You better get started!

samsimsmusic.com