Jennifer Alvarado is a singer/songwriter from Vale, North Carolina. Her first EP project titled ”Playing with Fire” was released in April 2021. She is currently working on a country pop album titled “Songbird” that will be released in Summer 2022. “Songbird” is a two part collection of songs that shows Jennifer’s growth as a writer and is sonically much different than her earlier projects. Her second single from the “Songbird” project, titled ‘’Rock This Way,” was released in June 2022. Her music has a country sensibility with a pop current running through it. Her voice is smooth and passionate with a…
Author: Heather Savage
For designer Emily Daccarett fashion and music can not be separated. Daccarett creates an immersive world of storytelling through music, film, and fashion. Each artistic direction begins with a beat that forms a story. From the start of her brand, she has fused those worlds together, creating a symbiotic flow between the two. What were all the events that had to happen that finally led to your new music? The past couple of years have been a mix of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, having lost two of my grandparents a year apart from each other. It has shown me the strength…
Vinyl Floor’s bracing mixture of sinewy guitar-driven alt rock and artsy lyrical and conceptual inclinations are rife through their album Funhouse Mirror. The fifth collection from the Danish band continues exploring the same blended territory of its predecessors while drafting well-chosen guest players to help flesh out the band’s sound. Don’t be afraid of this release falling into some fabricated strand of cookie-cutter alternative rock. The brothers Thomas Charlie and Daniel Pedersen are writing and performing compositions charged with high-powered creativity rather than relying on formula and imitation. They share lead vocal duties for Funhouse Mirror. Swedish producer Emil Isaksson isn’t involved…
Joe Macre’s songwriting and bass playing supply much of the necessary fuel for his solo release The Dream is Free. His experiences in the band Crack the Sky, would-be progressive rock legends of the mid 1970’s undone by unkind fate, are the sort of things that a person takes to their grave, but it’s also an affirmation. His relentless and restless yearning to move forward, both with Crack the Sky and as a solo performer, says a tremendous amount about the commitment Joe Macre made long ago when he strapped on his bass guitar and stood for the first time in…
It’s good to hear a song from someone who believes there is a light in the world. It’s not easy to read or watch the news and believe in light. Vineet Singh Hukmani’s “Light of The World” believes. One of the best decisions Hukmani made about this new single is avoiding specificity. You won’t find the words “God”, “Jesus”, “Allah”, “Buddha”, et al, in the words for this track. Hukmani leaves it up to listeners to assign whatever identity they like to the song’s subject, and it opens the door for a larger contingent of listeners. The musical setting does…
Laguna Beach, California’s Anika has a couple of great songs under her belt such as her popular debut “Are You Down?” and its follow-up “Make Me Wanna”. Her self-titled debut EP with producer Mark Vogel features six tracks highlighting her Generation Z songwriting influences alongside older and more eclectic fare. It is an auspicious beginning for the vocalist/songwriter/performer and listening to her build on it in the coming years will be impressive. Anika is an unabashed pop star in the making, but there’s ample substance here as well and the EP release proves it. It’s fun, as well. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/anika__nielsen/?hl=en…
Cover Song Contest from Masterpiece Sound Studios Detroit gives musicians a shot at a $25K grand prize, and a Detroit concert spot In Partnership with Sony Music Publishing Calling all musically talented artists! We’re looking for singers, musicians, producers, and re-mixers who are game to makeover a classic Motown Hit! Legendary Motown songwriter and record producerSylvia Moy’s Masterpiece Sound Studios (Masterpiece) has launched a Cover Song Contest in partnership with Sony Music Publishing (SMP). It’s a competition open to any amateur individual or independent singer, musician, singing group, or band, from any of the 50 United States, the District of…
Wailing guitar solos and scratchy samples might work as a catalyst for a lot of cathartic music, but in the case of the new single “I Guess I Am the Only One” by Lorenzo Gabanizza and featuring Jeff Christie, the bombast you might expect from other artists just isn’t present. As collaborators, Gabanizza and Christie sound intent on finding the right way to take an older variation of Americana and give it a bit of spice, as if to revive something the right way as opposed to the way so many hybrid-influenced players have been with the aesthetic in the…
Dark Below is a hard-hitting heavy rock band that brings intense energy in their music and live performances while providing rhythmic songs that people can sing along to. Formed in Columbia, MO, the band signed with Nashville based JPS Productions in 2014. The current lineup has been together since 2016 and includes Josh Campbell (Guitar/Vocals), Josh Grove (Bass/Backing Vocals), and Quin Koldan (Drums). New single “Tense” was produced by Jason Schrick and award-winning producer Malcolm Springer (Matchbox 20, Collective Soul, Fear Factory). After years of preparation, the band is ready to vault to the national scene and beyond. The song features driving riffs and thunderous percussion backing…
Rather than relying on instrumental elements to create a foundation for her sound, B.B. Cole is being a little more adventurous with her debut album Outgrowing Ourselves. In “Demons” or “My Decision,” it’s her lyrical wit that’s serving as the bones of the narrative rather than the definition, with many of the harmonies that would normally be tasked with framing her words now taking on a much more demonstrative role in this presentation. Outgrowing Ourselves is stunningly existential in this regard, especially when considering the kind of content that most of the country music community has been producing in the last few years.…
From their forthcoming album, Tell Me, is the latest single, “Snakebite,” by Julian Brooks and Paris King. A tale of love, unrequited, Vocalist, Julian Brooks describes the song as being about “his paramour coming under the influence of spiritual charlatans.” Julian and Paris have come together after some rather tenuous runs in previous projects. Both are stalwarts of the Bay Area, and their sound is a product of their habitat, and experience. To hear what they’ve come up with on “Snakebite,” their union was predestined to be a propitious one As a song, “Snakebite,” doesn’t have much meat on the…
There’s a lot we can learn about an artist through a remix, and this isn’t true of elaborate works alone. Even in a simple track like AV Super Sunshine’s “Sink or Swim,” there’s something to get out of the narrative of the dance cut of the song than there is the single on its own, and it starts with the delivery AV is giving us from behind the microphone. His voice is inviting in both of these recordings, but when he’s working out of a big club beat, this is an artist who wants us to focus on the smaller…
Linda Collins is one of those stalwart talents you can count on to help anchor any film production, major or minor, not only as a performing talent but with equal skill behind the camera as well. No one can ever accuse her of resting on her accomplishments. 2022 has her busier than ever before with appearances in multiple film productions, but she’s also addressing musical commitments as well. She’s Director of Music and Worship Arts and directs two musicals a year for the NBRC Youth Drama Club. The club’s well-received musical comedy The Agape League is a recent highlight for Collins and…
Melodicism is the most important thing on Chris St. John’s mind heading into this summer season, and if this weren’t the case I doubt he would be giving us as purely melodic a listen as he does with his new album Fly Away. Fly Away is beautifully smooth and driven by harmonies that remind me a lot of the old school Americana revival we saw some 20 years ago at the start of the mid-2000s, but with a twist – these are much more organic both in structure and presentation, pushing the genre and its core aesthetics forth into the new territory…
Holt Vaughn’s new album These Songs, Vol. 2 continues following the template established with the talented musician and songwriter’s preceding work. Vaughn has a core cast of musicians helping him bring this album to life, but he shows the extent of the respect his contemporaries and peers have for his talents by calling upon an impressive array of singers, guitarists, drummers, and keyboard/piano players for the album’s ten tracks. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HoltVaughnOfficial/ Guest singer Vicki Hampton provides backing vocals on half of the album’s songs and the contrast to Vaughn’s voice she provides songs such as “Got to Pray (Satan He Don’t Rest)”…
There are a few bands I’ve found in my life that I feel like I can’t classify, and when they come my way, they become immediate favorites. My brain has always worked in genre specifics, so when something eludes the structure it becomes a fascination. For ExoGeo, a one-woman band based out of Seattle, the music doesn’t just elude the structure, it makes a mockery of the very concept of genres and gives listeners an entirely new frame of mind to listen to music in. There’s the instrumental focus, the deeply poetic lyrics and prose, and the haunting vocals, when…
Pidgie’s new album Just Breathe is a magical exploration of empowerment and creativity. Full of rock anthems and heartfelt lyrics, Just Breathe is an inspiring and electric album. Singer/songwriter Pidgie is a disability rights activist who continues to redefine representation of people with disabilities. One of the biggest themes on Just Breathe is the triumph over obstacles and the subsequent empowerment that comes from that experience. Pidgie is no stranger to obstacles, she was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), has been on both sides of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and worked in both the corporate and performing arts…
Even in relatively clean-cut numbers like “Lovingkindness” and “Walked Along,” the strings sport a notable dirtiness in the new record Red Beets & Horseradish that speaks directly to the audience. It’s not that The Little Wretches want us to focus more on instrumental frills than lyricism here, but instead that the backdrop is made to be as imposing as anything on the frontend of the mix in this LP is. Red Beets & Horseradish is a record that will get your attention, and not in the same way a lot of other releases will this spring. The groove comes to define the mood of…
It’s Amazing is the second studio album from the Brian Shapiro Band and a huge leap forward from their admittedly great debut. No one can ever accuse Shapiro and his cohorts of an one-note presentation as the songs on this release cover an impressive gamut of styles and textures in a relatively brief window. The band’s first album All That We See served notice that the Los Angeles-born and now Pennsylvania-based singer/songwriter isn’t content to play by the time-tested rules of songwriting and performance. These are unique songs without ever sounding wholly unrecognizable and it’s hard to shake hearing this album once you’ve…
The new release We’ll Answer the Call from singer/songwriter John McDonough is the latest in a string of collections from the artist since leaving psychiatry ten years ago to pursue music full-time. Folk-flavored singer/songwriters are not particularly renowned for producing concept releases, but McDonough’s EP changes that. I wish it was longer. The Chicago-based songwriter manages to cover a momentous life in the space of five songs without ever leaving the listener feeling like he’s cheated them. The story of Joe Rantz and the Washington Huskies rowing team capturing the Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics isn’t obvious fodder for such a…
Songs from the Reading Room is New Zealander Arun O’Connor’s full-length solo debut. It’s the realization of a second-generation musician and writer’s prodigious talents while still pointing towards an even brighter future to come. The twelve songs he’s penned for this release are far from one note and demonstrate the elasticity of O’Connor’s songwriting voice as he moves from a folksinger feel, pop-flavored fare, rock, country, and even quasi-classical. Trying to pin O’Connor’s music down as any one thing is a fool’s errand. ABOUT THE ARTIST: https://arunoconnor.com/ His time fronting a popular New Zealand cover band Small Feet, session work, and gigs…
Even the singer’s name exudes coolness and the pizzaz that music calls for – “Flame Of Truth” from Chalice Collective features lead singer Sedona Swan Soulfire, with Ayla Réalta and Chakaara Bliss also lending their voices and DJ Kallum. Based in Portland, Oregon, Chalice Collective seems to operate on a whole new level of music consciousness. Bound together with thrilling beats and starry-rhythms, “Flame Of Truth” is particularly adept at keeping the listener both entertained and tethered to sonic exploration. “Flame Of Truth” has elements of EDM, pop and New Age musical bedrocks. There are several moments in “Flame Of Truth”…
California’s Annette Adler is on her way to another stellar reception with her latest album, Mama Proud. Taking on the gigantic task of putting the role of motherhood to song, she does it like any woman would – with grace, dignity and a whole lot ‘o natural talent. Her instincts pay off on Mama Proud and the resulting seven songs are delightful Americana ditties. Just as an infinity pool replenishes water, Adler finds a way to rejuvenate the genre with her joy. Mama Proud is one of Adler’s best yet. Adler, who has previously released the beautiful album, Color My World. Like Color My World, Mama Proud is simple and…
“Deleted Your Number” revels and explores the plethora of emotions we experience when a relationship fractures and we start breaking our ties. Some relationships endure the end of their romantic days and transform into friendships without much rancor but most affairs of the heart end with hurt feelings, misunderstanding, disloyalty, and pain. Making that entertaining for listeners, whether it’s books, movies, music, whatever, is a tall order for any performer and it’s a pleasure to hear it when they do. Making it entertaining and still an adult experience is even more impressive. The seventeen year old talents of Aditi Iyer…
Project Grand Slam’s new single release “I’m Falling Off of the World” is one of the best cuts included on their recent album The Shakespeare Concert. For many of us, “I’m Falling Off of the World” is likely our best chance to hear what Project Grand Slam sounds like live in concert. The album title refers to the collection’s inspiration and origins. Songwriter/bassist Robert Miller and his band hit Lenox, Massachusetts for a recent benefit gig during some of the pandemic’s most uncertain days. Shakespeare and Co. enlisted the band’s help in promoting their organization’s efforts at expanding theatre awareness among…
Tenderly So is an excellent title for the latest release from Webster’s Wheel. The tandem of Daniel Lee Webster and Marie Robertson’s ten tracks for this album are varied, rarely retreading familiar ground, but share important similarities. You will not hear electric instruments anywhere on Tenderly So. Robertson and Webster have a clear loyalty to acoustic music born out of personal recognition that it’s an ideal vehicle for their songs rather than catering to fashion. Many adjectives are applicable to Webster’s Wheel’s music, but timeless is one we can all agree on. “Woke Up Like a Wolf” is a title and song…
It’s always a pleasure nowadays for me to review Americana-themed releases. There’s scores of subgenres falling within the style’s purview while the musicianship and songwriting prowess powering modern Americana music is the healthiest it has been in at least a quarter century. Musicians and writers like those forming the band Wreckless Strangers are a big reason for the style’s uniform excellence in recent years. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wrecklessstrangers/ They marry well-chosen fidelity to the past, a willingness to repurpose different tropes, and the proverbial “something personal to say” into something unique. There’s no regurgitating the past blindly for this California based sextet…
Hi Brad! Thank you for speaking with me today! What have you been working on? I have a lot of stuff I am working on right now. I have a new video concept album coming out called ‘In a Very Unusual Manner.’ It has a lot of dark evil sounding music with a set design to match the mood. I also have some online courses on playing guitar I am very excited about releasing in the coming month. One of them is about how to play guitar with expression, and another one is on a jazz chord melody system I developed…
Robert Minott will make you want to explore the mysteries of love with his cover of “I Want To Know What Love Is.” Set to a reggae beat that allows Minott’s dreamy vocals to shine, “I Want To Know What Love Is” is the R&B rendition you’ve been waiting for. Minott has been making music since 1991 and has worked alongside some reggae legends like Ziggy Marley, Shaggy, and Burning Spear. Minott grew up in St. Andrew, Jamaica and came to the US in 1974. Over the years Minott’s songs have topped both Indie and Euro charts along with various…
With their current single clocking in at exactly 120 seconds, Tarah Who?, won’t be mistaken for Tool anytime soon. “Asian Blood” might suggest subject matter of a stereotypical nature, but it’s actually inspired by our relationship with the process of aging. For Tarah Who, aging is examined from a female perspective, as they are a duo comprised of women. Their unique brand of punk, garage rock, and benign elements of hardcore, make them something of an anomaly. With “Asian Blood,” the ladies unapologetically discard any preconceived notions by charging ahead at full steam. Based out of Los Angeles, Tarah Who…