(Queens, New York) based rock outfit King Falcon have released their new song ‘Cadillac’ on Mascot Records. Melding indie-rock adventurousness with Classic Rock swagger, King Falcon’s ultra-catchy songwriting recalls artists like Black Keys, Cage The Elephant, Tame Impala, The Killers, Royal Blood, and Beck. ‘Cadillac’ was produced by Marshall Altman (Citizen Cope, Matt Nathanson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mark Broussard) and mixed by 12-time Grammy-nominated mixing engineer and producer Mark Needham (The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Fleetwood Mac, The Airborne Toxic Event). The song is brimming with earworm-worthy guitar riffage, a soaring chorus, soulfully melodic lead vocals, and vibrant indie-rock atmospherics. In talking about the genesis of…
Author: Heather Savage
It’s tough for any young band to record a track that makes a big impact in this age where independent talent has an endless array of options when it comes to breaking into the spotlight, but it’s no small statement to say that it’s even harder to cover an iconic song without borrowing too much from the original, which is something that Dorsten does effortlessly in their new single “I Never Cry.” INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/dorstenmusic/ A fresh version of the Alice Cooper song of the same name, Dorsten’s “I Never Cry” features sublimely smooth lead vocals, and is as moving and…
Strutting with more confidence than some will be able to relate to in “In the Grey.” Bruising us with quiet pulsations in “Devil I Know.” Lurching forward beside a sensuous harmony in “Shadow Man.” Cascading from above in a steady deluge of decadence in “Catch 22.” WEBSITE: https://jayemadison.com/ The tempo, both literally and figuratively, in Jaye Madison’s MIRЯOR: Framework is half the reason why I would say it’s one of the more addictive alternative country EPs you’re going to acquire this March, but not the lone excuse you could give for getting your hands on it today. Jaye Madison is made up…
Marla Lewis has been raising a lot of eyebrows in the jazz music community, and it isn’t hard to understand why when indulging in the melodic fantasy that is her new single “Enchantée.” Within moments of her voice connecting with the bassline for the first time, we’re throttled by a percussive athleticism that matches the immaculate color of the vocal perfectly. There’s a bit of pomp in the instrumentation, but not so much that it would sound plain and unoriginal, and wrapped in the layers of surreal synths and pumping bass we find our singer, whose voice is ethereal amid…
Relatively supple and yet capable of filling the entire room with an ambient textural expressiveness not as common as it used to be in alternative pop/rock, the guitars in Red Matter’s “Light of the Moon” are arguably even more poetic than its lyrics are. Mixed as to be the center of our attention for the bulk of this brand-new single, there’s scarcely a moment when they aren’t the most evocative element to behold here. That said, vibrant strings and eclectic harmonies are but one of the many gems in this treasure chest of tonality; in all honesty, this is one…
Really big things are happening in the country music genre right now thanks to the advent of studio technology in recent times, but some artists – like Xolex, for example – are keeping their aesthetic approach to the craft rather simple and subsequently yielding a substance of riches in their work. Xolex’s new single, “Ain’t Buyin’ It,” is perhaps the perfect cocktail of simplistic songcraft and elaborate pop frills, the best of which are infused directly into the lyrics to facilitate a grander narrative. “Ain’t Buyin’ It” is self-aware and sonically provocative country music for the big kids, and it’s one of…
The rhythm is rife with a texture that is telling us as much of a story as the blunt but swaggering verses SHAH33D is emitting in a firebrand style of rapping when we’re in the dead-center of “Optionsz,” his latest single, and there’s nothing to stop our hips from syncing up with the vicious swing of the drums and the reverberated wallop that they leave in their path. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/shah33dworld/?hl=en If you’ve been following the underground lately, you’re more likely than not to have heard at least a little of SHAH33D’s expanding catalog of music, which has been rapidly growing…
ViennaCC’s latest single “Cabriolet” is a delightful, fun and unique pop song that stands out with its eccentricity and fresh production. The track is a perfect example of frontman Pop Daddy’s willingness to experiment and take risks to create something that is new and exciting. At its core, “Cabriolet” is a simple song about a convertible car, but the way it is presented with its synth-forward horns-section and effects-heavy vocals from Pop Daddy gives it a quirky charm that will leave listeners humming along. The production is lively and energetic, making it impossible not to tap your feet to the…
Having never heard Sheer Haimov’s music before, I came away from hearing “Ruin Your Life Mode” for the first bowled over by its superior song construction. One passage flows seamlessly into the next and it’s impossible to hear any “stitching” binding the track together. The song moves with total confidence from the first note and her vocals inhabit the performance with the seasoned presence of a major talent. It’s a testament to her gifts that she’s developed to such an extent so early in her career and I expect that each new song following this will continue following that trajectory.…
The Brian Shapiro Band’s third studio album You Me Future Now is the Philadelphia-born quartet’s nerviest release yet. They aren’t completely alien to mainstream music, Shapiro writes traditional songs albeit in a distinctive way, but he continues breaking with modern songwriting in important ways. Utilizing stalwart elements of American roots music is definitely a new turn for the four piece and they make it work without ever sounding disjointed. The foundational elements of Shapiro’s songwriting are rock and splinter along punk, art, and theatrical lines. He moves back and forth between them without any audible strain. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/brianshapiroband/?hl=en “Drip Drip” is Shapiro…
Anyone who has been following the evolution of music through the last thirty years will tell you that there isn’t nearly as much instrumental showmanship in the greater realm of pop as there used to be, but for Melissa Grey, David Morneau, and Robert Kirkbride, the current trends their contemporaries are following do not seem to matter much, if at all. On their brand new EP Always Becoming, the skilled collaborators Melissa Grey, David Morneau, and Robert Kirkbride deliver an instrumental effort free of the inauthenticity and streamlined compositional concepts that have plagued modern pop for too long, instead adhering…
Big beats and grinding grooves assault us from every direction in “My Sweet Spot.” By contrast, “Something Out of Nothing” relishes the soft, gentle rhythm of a more conventional singer/songwriter sound. “Lean on In” sparkles, but not enough to distract us from the darkness of its lyrics, brought to us in a tightly-packaged serenade from the heart of a glowing arrangement. The glowing vocal prowess injects “Go Where You Find It” with a brittle harmony that is as fragile as the theme of its narrative. “Window Dressing” sways quite evenly at the onset of its daring dispatches only to transform…
Trisha and Thara have done it again with their latest single “Out of the Dark.” This indie sister-act pop duo has once again captivated listeners with their cinematic and dramatic track that takes you on an emotive journey. The song is a heartfelt tribute to their irreplaceable person, their mom, who has been there every step of the way. Offering listeners a gentle send-up that fills an incredibly sensitive and often unexplored niche (how many songs for moms can you recall, off the top of your head?), this new single from the dynamic duo is a perfect next step for…
Delusions of Cool is an album released by clash bowley. The artist has released a string of albums in recent years. Delusions of Cool is a twelve-song album and builds upon a palette of sounds that define the artist’s sound. “Lacking Resolution” is the opener and one of the first things that stuck out to me was the dynamics. The drums have a consistency to them which is rare and I found everything else was of creating this morphing ebb and flow. bowley sings with a melancholy yet stoic delivery: “I fell apart / Could find no restitution / I lost my heart…
Life After This is an American hard rock band that formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2013. Their music blends aggressive rock n’ roll energy with melodic harmonies. The group consists of members Matt Fritsch (vocals), Matt Johnson (drums),Thomas Cheek (guitar/vocals), and Ray Vitatoe (bass/vocals). The quartet has opened for many national acts, and their biggest thrill is performing music live on stage and connecting with fans off stage. The band influences include Slipknot, Metallica, Chevelle, Anthrax, Jane’s Addiction and Mudvayne. Their six-song EP The Countdown, was recorded, mixed and mastered at Sonic Lounge Studiosin Grove City, Ohio. For those who love music videos,…
The last couple of years have been particularly epic for indie rock players of all stripes and backgrounds, and now in 2023, Christopher Banks has just delivered what could be one of the best underground offerings I’ve personally come across in the genre throughout this fresh new season. Titled Anxious Attachment, the deceptively simple nine-track LP wanders through a litany of subjects only to bring us back to the same theme time and time again; self-exploration. Banks searches for himself but ends up finding a sound that is truly his and his alone in Anxious Attachment, and listeners like you and I…
Alternative rock has never been easy to pigeonhole, and thanks to artists like Avatari, it never will be. Avatari isn’t content to make formulaic pop music that falls down the same aesthetical ladders we’ve been seeing for the better part of the last thirty years, but instead looks to broaden his artistic palate significantly in the new single “High Like This.” FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avatariworld/ Fusing elements of hip-hop, pop, rock, and a touch of club vibes into the mix is where he starts, and his velvety vocal can be credited with finishing us off – largely thanks to the bold harmony…
Jimmy Goings’ is back with a twist as his latest single “World At War” from his upcoming album Late Check In is a resounding rock track that takes us back to the late 1970s with its groovy rhythm and bombastic sound. Functioning as his first solo release since his time with Santa Esmeralda, there’s still plenty of juice in Goings’ creative tank as he delivers yet another smash hit. However, Goings’ lyrics about the world constantly finding itself at war and against all odds, reflect a sad reality that is still relevant today. Recorded in 1980, the song remains as…
A lot of amazing music dropping in 2022 and 2023 has struggled to maintain the credibility it had at the time it first debuted, but if there’s one record I don’t predict this being said about, it’s Thomas Truax’s new collaborative LP with Mother Superior and Budgie Dream Catching Songs. The follow-up to an undeniably stunning collection of material already under his belt, Dream Catching Songs isn’t a gem because of its production style alone; on the contrary, this is an album that earns its accolades through compositional integrities too many artists fail to meet outside of the underground. Truax doesn’t hold back…
emily masson grew up in Indiana and settled in Telluride, CO for over 25 years. She started writing lyrics and music for her own pleasures, but when she met Rob and Michele Jones of Jones for Sound in Montrose, CO, she started recording music she had been playing only for herself. The result is a collaborative effort with session musicians that produces a deep, resonating sound that will touch hearts and minds alike. The Jones for Sound house band went on to record twenty first century mood as well as masson’s second release lost at home. lost at home evokes Jewel and Norah Jones with…
From the moment the western twang of “Southeast Texas Son” enters the fold forward, there’s no stopping the momentum with which t.Roy & The Smoking Section will hammer out the new record The Texas Grit EP, currently out and making big waves in the underground this winter. Where a lot of other acts in the blues community have been focusing on progressive concepts and other alternative avenues of songwriting, we find t.Roy & The Smoking Section entirely disinterested in experimenting with a tried and true model in The Texas Grit EP; instead, they’re focusing on fundamentals and giving us a masterclass in…
THE AMERICAN RELICS newest addition to their catalog “The Good Always Come Through” is a hidden country and western gem. The song is infused with effervescent and lush harmonies, great instrumentals and a story making it fit in well with the usual country hit song. Only this song isn’t usual. It borders on the Americana style of music with a vivacious flair.The song features frontman John Gitano on vocals and guitar along with opera singer Adrienne Dugger leading the harmony. The band also features Nelson Montana who is an extreme bass player but also a multi-instrumentalist, Ian Zane who also…
Please share with our readers a bit more about your recording and writing process! We know you’re located in the Atlanta area, are there studios there that you most prefer? My creative process is always different. Let’s take my song ur so Gay. I always have an idea of a song. In this case I wanted to write about how masculine men can act fruity under all that skin. I then find my mood. For this song I wanted it to be a fun summer jam. Something you can shake ass too in the club. After I found or produced…
2023 has been an incredible time for pop music despite only being one month into the year, with independent artists like the spirited Shiloh June issuing stately releases that have raised an eyebrow or two among some of the genre’s toughest critics. June’s new single, the simple “Down,” introduces an exotic, anthemic groove to an otherwise traditional pop composition, and while it’s only one track out of an underground scene that is bursting with talent at the moment, it gives listeners a pretty good idea as to what this new age in pop should be all about. Hers is a style that…
In “One More,” rising star duo Better Fires shines like a diamond in the rough and successfully mixes two unique styles of pop in a melodic marriage that you have to hear for yourself to fully appreciate. Better Fires straddles a bumpy bassline with the swagger of studio pros, adding in a dash of pop here and a pinch of postmodern indie rock there, all the while staying relaxed and focused in their delivery. Their peers could stand to learn a lot from this cool, calm, and collected attitude, but that’s not the real reason why you should pursue “One…
Darren Sullivan has music running through his blood. According to the artist “His grandfather was the infamous Van Alexander who worked with Ella Fitzgerald and the movers and shakers of music for the Greatest Generation.” Sullivan released Lasses Birgitta back in 2021 which is a nine-song album that lasts around thirty-three minutes. I wasn’t sure what Lasses Birgitta meant so I looked it up. Apparently “Lasses Birgitta was an alleged Swedish witch. She was the first woman executed for sorcery in Sweden.” I’m not sure if the whole album revolves around this concept but it was at least cool to learn something…
Elizabethan Age is an album by clash bowley. The artist from Boston seamlessly explores many different textures and colors with these songs. His music is hard to define but one thing I will say is that he has a unique approach to creating music. The opener “Fear” explores an ever-changing soundscape of sound. It almost sounds like a phaser effect that runs through the entire song. At the center are the vocals which confront fear and sense of hopelessness. Bowley sings “Fear shook my soul / Fear took my heart / Going down that hole / I took that part:. The…
With influences that range from Nine Inch Nails to Dolly Parton, and a touch of Lana Del Rey thrown in for good measure – genre bending Outlaw Pop artist DEVORA has released a new EP “God Is Dead” via Tiger Tone Records / [PIAS]. The EP contains four songs, with previously unreleased track “Bonesaw” leading the way. DEVORA says of the ominously enchanting track: “Bonesaw” is about a night in a motel room gone wrong, in a dark direction. It’s a voyeuristic impression of the lines between romance and impulse being heavily blurred. The song opens with seemingly illusive pretty snapshots of an all-American day dream, but progressively…
It is a long understood fact of music as an art form that it harbors the unique power to alter listener’s moods and overall well-being. The creative powers behind Phi Tribe music accepts this as gospel truth and their development of Psycho Acoustic Technology opens new vistas for the music-minded to do far more than entertain. They structure each new piece to play on different frequencies proven to elevate mood and impart therapeutic value. They maintain a constant presence on their YouTube channel since their January 2022 debut and have gained over eighteen million viewers/listeners during that span. They deserve…
Mad Painter’s unique brand of organ-fueled retro rock recalls the work of bands such as Deep Purple and Uriah Heep during their 1970s heyday. The Boston-based five piece is the brainchild of songwriter and conceptualist Alex Gitlin and his vocals are varied and always compelling. He is capably backed by first class cadre of top Boston-area musicians on the band’s most recent single “Rock and Roll Samurai”. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/madpainter1/ It isn’t music for everyone. No music is. Mad Painter’s past releases illustrate that Gitlin has a diverse vocal talent and he embraces his theatrical tendencies here. It may grate on…