Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Artist Album Rating Shaki Tavi Shaki Tavi 3.4 Onset Onset 3.6 Hurling' Up Limbs Hurlin' Up Limbs 3.4 Returning Videotapes Returning Videotapes 3.5 Addison Chase Pine Tree Riot 3.4 Perception Welcome To The New 3.7 McMan Let's Make Records! 3.4 The Map Makers Guard What Isn't There 3.4 dadbath Skin 3.3 Space Case Lonely 3.5 there is no escape and never was please forget me 3.4
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Joshua Lukas hasn’t been writing music for very long but is off to a great start with his three-song EP entitled Beautiful Promises. The songs on Beautiful Promises are extremely well produced and well performed.
Apparently he wrote the title track in about ten minutes. The song just came to him. It’s actually not that surprising. I have been writing songs for about twenty years and sometimes songs just come out of nowhere. The title track is a mix of triumph, nostalgia and hope. It starts with guitar, vocals and atmosphere. The backing band comes and the song starts to ascend. I especially enjoyed the juxtaposition between the orchestral strings and the light-hearted vibe. Subtle vocal harmonies make a big difference. Great opener. Some of the lyrics are interpretative, poignant and powerful. He sings, “As you sit there hands in your face / Thinking of what could have been / Price you deserved he would not pay / Wanted a free ride from you.” Up next is the more upbeat, loose and festive “Just Because.” I thought the levity was appropriate considering how emotionally strong the first song was. The song is also celebratory, not too far off from Mumford and Sons. He sings, ”It's not too late to live again / That’s what the old man says / Sun goes down another day / Close your eyes my friend.” He ends with “Father Gone” which is a builder that starts subtle and ends huge. This may be the highlight but it's certainly arguable. I loved the banjo on this song and vocal melody. His accent works really well on this song. Something about it feels aesthetically pleasing. The lyrics are downright sad when he sings, “You Father he is gone” but the music feels like a declaration of acceptance. It’s pretty impactful. This EP goes by quickly but I’m really impressed by what I heard. Lukas has some serious talent as a songwriter and I hope to hear more soon.
Con Etiquette is a pop-punk band formed in Connecticut during the fall of 2014. Following a thought-provoking tattoo session on frontman Antonino by drummer Mikey, the pair realized their love of music ought to be put to good use. Later joined by guitarist Vin and bassist Brian, the band released a debut album last year and released their sophomore album entitled Resulting In… this year.
Throbbing power chords plunge listeners into the punk-fueled world of Con Etiquette. Fans of Billy Talent and pop punk insanity, prepare to meet auditory enjoyment. The opening track “Got This Way” is an emotive and explosive start to this album and this band. Short and sweet - it surmises the band perfectly. Nothing more needed to be said or done. The singing is vibrant and punchy and the instruments are tightly packed together. Melody and angst meld together smoothly. “Lead the Way” takes a gentler approach. Emotion and passion are two words which mean the world to these boys, though at times the vocals could benefit from a little reservation - dynamic range goes a long way when singing. Still, the singing itself is spot on and the instrumentals are infectious. Punchy chords, chaotic drumming and bursts of electric lead guitar which whirr and screech over the madness; these elements all create the punk-pop blend that people originally loved. The power of punk combined with the beautiful rhythms and melody found in pop. But it is ‘Human and the Divine’ which remains the most incredible display of catchy pop balladry and raw, angst-fueled power on this album. Singing verging on the point of primal screaming pushes its way forward atop crunchy, distorted power chords and crashing cymbals. A thumping, pounding beat punches through the verses, building gradually and tensely towards each climactic chorus. It is the perfect summation of what this band is all about. All in all, this is a follow-up to what I can assume was an equally well-written, produced and performed debut album. This band should be up there in the big leagues with all the other pop punk greats, but even if they’re not, you can still listen to them and enjoy them just as much as you would any huge act.
For Jeffrey Chan he got the bug of music at a young age. He started with piano lessons and in high school started singing and writing. All of his experience led to his release Spectrum.
Take a look at the album cover of Spectrum and it gives you an idea of what the music is like. A lot of the songs are extremely upbeat electronic sounding dance songs. I haven't been to a dance club since my late 20’s but this is the type of music that I remember being pumped through the club. Drunk young people celebrating the fact that they are young is what I was reminded of. The songs revolve a thumping 4/4 beat with a thick robust low-end. Chan usually loads the songs with a number of relatively standard sounding lead synths. Take for instance the title track. The song is filled with filter sweeps, builds and everything else you need to keep that buzz going. Although dance songs are the standard here Chan does dabble into other areas. Take for instance “Part-Time Lover” which is somewhere between Richard Marx and a ballad from The Backstreet Boys. A personal favorite was “Restart” which is another mishmash that's somewhere between Madonna and Duran Duran. There is an ’80s club vibe to this song. His lead vocal melody sounds similar to “Like A Virgin.” He sings with Rochelle Gomez on “Invincible” while “Scream Out Loud” is high octane, fist pumping EDM. More’s ’80s influence is apparent on “Dancing With My Tears.” He closes with a highlight called “Lights Out.” Spectrum isn't pushing any boundaries but it is a well put together pop/dance album. The production is relatively slick if a little rehashed at times. Overall, Chan set to create a pop album and that's unequivocally what you got here.
Singer songwriter James Favron began writing music in 2011 and has been playing and performing music for over two decades. His debut full-length album Up on the mountain was released in 2015, a bluesy folk rock record with story-based lyrics. Shortly after the release of Up on the mountain, Favron joined forces with several musicians to form his current band The Stotts.
After a brief, ambient intro with panning guitars, subtle percussion and laid-back chord progressions, “War on War” plunges the listener into an emotive power ballad. Favron’s unfettered energy in his vocals attest to his genuine belief in the song’s theme: the tragedy of wars and the hope of alternatives. “Rest in Peace” is led by an acoustic guitar riff, and abrupt drums add contrast to smooth vocals. This song rests fully in a country-infused style, albeit an ominous one. “Iron Wall” opens with soft percussion and mellow guitar strumming before gradually building up to a full-fledged, swinging tune that is as catchy as it is danceable. The next track, “Gone and Back” sets a slow, plodding beat upon which vocals and guitars layer melodically. This beautiful song brings out the best in Favron’s vocals, and demonstrates his ability to carry a song’s energy effortlessly by his singing. The album continues its journey through acoustic-tinged blues rock in “Father,” a somber tune with repetitive lyrics and motifs that make for a truly immersive listening experience. “I Have Seen a Light” and “Up on the mountain” are both rife with spiritual undertones, as well as embodying a raw storytelling approach to songwriting that is evident in many of Favron’s songs. “King of Them All” exudes a bright, uptempo energy with quick, catchy guitar riffs, crashing symbols and dynamic vocals, providing a sharp contrast with the beginning of the album’s final song “Here with You.” This song is highly melodic, drawing upon conventional chord progressions and infused with a more pop-rock style, and its sustained, gradual build to a spectacular ending leaves a lasting impression on the listener. Overall, Up on the mountain is an eclectic, yet cohesive set of songs that give James Favron the means to continue building his musical legacy.
Sadsen is a solo musician from Australia who just released Sob Story. His music revolves around an acoustic guitar and his vocals. There are three songs on this EP.
He starts off with “Follow” which contains E major to A Major chord progressions. The song isn't very complicated. The same could be said about the other two songs where he strums simple chord progressions. The first song is “Follow” which is the song that shows some potential. He isn't always in key and sings with some melancholy in his voice. The song also has some potential if he would flesh it out a bit more instead of leaving it to just strummed chords. At this point his biggest strength are his lyrics. He sings “oh my god / how could you be / right here in front of me / pulling the skin around my neck / and I’m bleeding / bleeding out of my regrets / about what i shoulda done with you.” “8.27” sounds a lot like the first song instead he goes to G Major instead of A Major. There are a couple of awkward pauses in the song. This song also has potential but like the previous felt it needed more to it. “Indecision” is a five-minute long song where he justifies the title Sob Story. It’s not the kind of melancholy that makes you feel solace that you might feel from Sufjan Stevens or Elliott Smith. He barely sings above a whisper as the guitar looms in the background. The song would have been fine at about two minutes but in no way justified the five-plus-minute time length. Truth be told Sadsen has a long way to go to be competitive with some of the aforementioned artists. I’d like to hear him get past strummed chords and introduce something else such as picking into his future releases. As I mentioned he shows a kernel of potential on the first two songs but falls into a case of wait and see.
Nigel Kennett (rhythm guitar/vocals), Alek Dyrynda (guitar) and Tyson Muenchow (drums) are KENNETT. The three-piece band from Australia recently released Black and Blue.
The album is mix of blues and rock. Kennet has a deep, I’d argue unique, voice. However, he is a man of few words who likes to repeat what he says. I was looking over the lyrics on Bandcamp and a lot of the songs are no more than a couple of sentences. Take for instance the song “Desire” which has a total of eight words. It is kind of ironic that one of the lyrics on the first song is “I got nothing, I got nothing to say.” These songs go by quickly. The songs never feel drawn out and the band gets in and out quickly. In general the band executes a couple of badass blues progressions and fill while Kennett says his piece. There were a couple of songs that stuck out such as “Bare Bones” which is a surprising deviation. The song is dark to the point of almost being comical towards the beginning. He sings “Alone on my own two feet I stand fighting / Alone on my own two feet I stand dying / Gone is the truth in my I eyes I am lying / Gone is the truth in my eyes I am dying.” After “Bare Bones” the band goes back into their unique blues style with songs like “Girl Gone Bad” and “My Baby's Leaving.” “My Baby's Gone” is a slow burner that hits at your broken heart while the title track very well may be the highlight. It took a little time for me to really appreciate this album. The more you listen to it the more you realize the band has a unique, signature sound. Overall, this album has its moments and one you could put in the win pile.
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Nick Superchi is a self-taught pianist who has been involved with the underground music scene for over two decades. Located in Washington State, he has played piano in metal bands for his entire career and only now decided to dedicate himself to solo work. I am thankful that he did, as his sophomore album entitled Otherworldly is an exceptional album.
From the opening notes of the track “Otherworldly” on this album, I knew my heart was set to drop to the pit of my stomach throughout this entire release. I mean that in the kindest way possible. This track was stunning to me. An arpeggio begins at a slow and reserved pace, before building into a haunting crescendo of darkness, pain and suffering. All of this is communicated without Superchi uttering a single word. This beauty is something which lurks at every corner and turn of the eight-track album. It is something which has to be heard, felt and experienced in order to truly understand or appreciate. “Bleed The True Colors” is the perfect representation of this. Bursts of ascending and descending piano overwhelm and invigorate the mind. These melodies are the sort of thing most artists spend an entire career attempting to create, but never come close. Yet, here Superchi is - seemingly spouting majesty and beauty as if it was effortless. “Snowfire” is a disturbingly haunting, but an enjoyable piece. Superchi channels the darkness and intensity he likely displayed throughout his career performing with metal bands, and for those who appreciate dark music as I do, this is a three-minute piece of ear candy for you. Moments of melancholy and emotion crash through the darkness at particular intervals, tearing at your heart strings one moment and filling them with anxiety the next. This album was a work of art that is relatively rare in contemporary music. I stared into the beautiful cosmos painted on the cover of Otherworldly’ while I listened to the piano which swept to and fro. I felt exactly what I saw in that painting - vast emptiness with a dash of color and swirling bursts of light. I could talk about this album all day, but I think you’d much rather listen to Superchi’s work for yourself.
Adam Hastings is a singer/songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona who recently released In Black & White. In Black & White has been a long time coming and is an album that mixes commercially viable songs that combine folk, Americana and rock. However he mixes these genres across the album; this music ultimately could fall into the category of pop. They contain the usual criteria for songs you may find on the FM dial.
He opens with “Wishful Thinking” which is about as much rocking out as he does. Right off the bat, the song is coated with a classic Americana feel that you have almost certainly heard before unless you have living under a rock. The music isn't far off from bands like Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls. Hastings has done his homework when it comes to pop songs. He follows the tropes and there wasn’t anything in there that felt like a surprise. You can say the same thing about the majority of the album. Take for instance “Safe To Say” or one of the highlights entitled “Love Games.” If you’re going to make a pop album you are going to have a couple of songs in there that shoot for that glorious, triumphant chorus such as “The Blackest Lights (Feat. Matthew Lindstrom)” and “Texas Skies (Feat. Melody Hollingshead).” Some of the songs are more subdued such as “Tonight I Said...“ Suffice it to say In Black & White is not music that resides in the fringe. There is nothing experimental, edgy or avant-garde about the music. Hastings is casting a wide net with pop songs that will appeal to a broad audience. Luckily, this is the type of album I think most people know if they are into within the first song or two. There is a very specific vibe that I think most people will either immediately be drawn to or dismiss because they have heard it before. Do yourself a favor and make your own decision if you will become a fan. It shouldn’t take you very long to decide.
Thomas Hopper’s latest effort A Charity is a complete DIY effort and supposedly was recorded with shoddy equipment and not much gear. A Charity is proof that with a little know-how you can get good results in this day and age. A Charity contains five songs that jump around quite a bit in terms of style and elements. He opens with “Mindtrip” which may be the highlight. The production is good overall, from the vocals to the instruments. This song has a chill dubstep vibe. Hopper surrounds the song with airy pads, ascending synths, a drum beat and his vocals. There isn’t much of a hook and the song doesn’t ever go into a significant change. Lyrically, Hopper is pretty straightforward. He sings, “And I can’t understand how it could be so bad. I can’t take it. Feel it open inside.” The next song “High on the Hog” is a complete departure, for better or worse, from the opener. Hopper rocks out. The song touts distorted guitar and a more aggressive energy. The difference in energy between the first and second songs are a bit jarring especially since the synths have such a sedative quality. He pulls another 180 on “Palette Cleansing Syntherlude, You'll Need it” which may be a reference to his change in style. All you need to know is the name itself. The highlight on the EP was “It's Cool, I'm Just Doing God's Work for You.” It comes down to just being a well written song. There is a flow to it that pulls you in along with solid drum and guitar work. The song had a tinge of ’90s alternative rock which I certainly didn’t mind. Great song. Hopper closes with “Demo - It's Cool, I'm Just Doing God's Work for You“ which is a sparse recording of the previous song revolving around his guitar and vocals. As the title indicates the recording is demo quality. I liked the fleshed-out version more but a good song is a good song. A Charity is a bit scattered but the songs are solid. Take a listen and don’t hesitate to support the artist as the profits go to a good cause.
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