AV Super Sunshine releases “Are You Happy?”

AV Super Sunshine are, above all else, songwriters. “Are You Happy?” is the latest entry in their growing catalog and drawn from their album Candyland Vol. 1 and they lay out the song in such a way that discerning listeners will be able to tell, from the first, that if you took away the effects and post-production manipulations of the song’s radio and club mix, what remains is a durable and sparkling example of popular songcraft at its finest. Though I believe the band pays deference and respect to past influences, AV Super Sunshine is a band of the present as well and their appeal can cut across genre and age lines with little effort. “Are You Happy?” is one of the best singles from anyone I have heard in 2019 and serves notice that this unique and uber talented band has yet to reach the peak of their powers.

URL: https://www.avsupersunshine.com/

I am taken with the way the vocals and music weave around each other without ever sacrificing any element of the musical arrangement or singing. A crucial decision they make ensures it will come across for listeners – the tandem of the lead vocalist and secondary singer Philomena bring a combination of emotion and attitude to the radio mix that is sure to capture any listener’s attention. The effect dampens only a little with the song’s chorus – the sound of the two singers is a little too diffuse for my taste, but they nevertheless convey the lyrics with a real sense of stakes that makes you sit up and pay attention.

The lyrics help in this regard. I like the question burning in the heart of this song title and they face it in the writing without any sense of cliché and a genuine wonderment about what their own answers, or others answer, might be. There’s no overwriting weighing down the song with too much verbiage – instead, the same keen sense of what the song needs musically reaches into the verbal realm as well.

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/AVSuperSunshine/song/29656735-apple-dance-remix

The drumming and synthesizer work in the song are its defining musical elements. The drumming is obviously live rather than the result of a computer or drum machine laying down a rhythm for the song and the melody really comes alive with warmth and vitality thanks to the synthesizer playing. AV Super Sunshine are not content with just pursuing those ends, however, and adorn the song with other instruments that complete the song in a memorable way.

The club and rock mixes of the track are effective as well, though in different fashions naturally. The club mix is a much longer take on the track’s potential and will play well in the environment it is clearly aimed for while the rock mix will appeal to a wide swath of new and old fans alike. AV Super Sunshine’s “Are You Happy?” has many faces, as these mixes show, and I can say without reservation I found each of them compelling in their own way. I can’t wait to hear more from this great band.

Zachary Rush

Where We Begin by Fenix & SM1LO

Music is a far more complicated medium than any other in the art world, and among all of the most popular music genres in the 21st century, there’s no debating whether or not electronica is the most sophisticated and multifaceted. Newbies to the electronica experience that are interested in getting a sampler of everything that the style can do should make a point to check out Where We Begin, the collaborative album from Fenix & SM1LO released this past June on the Say Wow Records imprint which features none other than Llexa on lead vocals. 

Where We Begin is one song sliced fourteen different ways, six of them being one hundred percent instrumentals. The instrumental “Dub” mixes are generally unnecessary for the average fan’s needs, but for music enthusiasts like me, they’re the bread and butter of a weekend spent taking over every club in the downtown core. There’s no vocal to get in the way of our appreciating the differences between house, club and pop versions of “Where We Begin,” and in some situations, the music is more communicative without the addition of lyrics. “Fenix House Radio Dub Mix” and “Club Radio Dub Mix” are two of the best in this category, but they’re far from the only winners here.

YOU TUBE PREVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxgYA27bn8

Vocalist Llexa gives some clarity to the emotional subtext in the manipulated melodies we hear in “SM1LO Remix” and “Kali Remix,’ and in the album-opener comes close to going over the top but stops just short of drifting too far from the main hook’s harmony. Some of the alignments are off (namely in the house mixes that she’s featured in), but regardless of how her amazing skills are utilized, they’re an ever-present element that keeps things on a mainstream path instead of a jagged, avant-garde one.

I need just a little more energy out of the “Kali Remix” for it to be the best edit here, but the structure of this mix is nevertheless one of the strongest that Where We Begin features. Does it borrow its piano part from the mid-2000s? Yes, but that rigid riffing that follows it beside Llexa’s singing isn’t similar to anything on the FM dial this July; in all actuality, it has the most futuristic vibe of any element here. Electronica geeks will squabble about the minute differences between these mixes, but all in all, there’s nothing in Where We Begin that misses the mark, especially if you’re a newcomer to this sound.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/6TRif4TasUGGhqaqVfyO6F

Fenix & SM1LO’s collaborative project and the fourteen songs it has produced make for a tough record for any journalist to review. It poses as many questions about the players that go unsolved as it does provide an answer to listeners in need of some swinging grooves this summer, but I’ve got a feeling that this could be only one installment in a series of releases from this duo. They haven’t said as much, but if they’re keeping up with the critical reception that Where We Begin has had, they would be crazy to miss out on the lucrative opportunity to make more music like this. This is a club-goer’s paradise, and a great way to get acquainted with contemporary EDM.

Anthony Carlisle 

Integriti Reeves releases new Single/Album

The faint strumming of an acoustic guitar greets us with open arms as we wander the lush sonic landscape of “Eu Vim Da Bahia,” the new single from up and coming jazz singer Integriti Reeves. Her gorgeous Latin vocal is met with a decadently melodic backdrop in this spellbinding debut, but the excesses of a mainstream jazz sound are mostly absent from this tightly arranged composition. Reeves is an angelic force to be reckoned with here, dishing out robust harmonies alongside a minimalist beat that is as stirring as any of her words are, and thanks to its erudite master mix, there isn’t a single detail in the massively textured “Eu Vim Da Bahia” that goes without a personal touch from behind the soundboard. The grooves are glowing, the strings are as dreamy as a summer’s setting sun, and the voice of our star player is a velvety slice of vocal virtuosity unlike any other that I have had the pleasure of sampling this year.

Reeves is full of energy, has a spunky demeanor and bubbly tone in her execution, but her style of attack is much more conservative than that of her peers. She isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with this excellent instrumental track in the background, and her elegant distribution of the vocal melody is wholeheartedly avant-garde, at least in comparison to what I’ve been spinning lately. There’s a couple of instances where she comes close to overtaking the percussive strut with the colorful cadence of her verses, but instead of assaulting the chorus with unnecessary gusto, she recoils, and lets the guitars work their magic for us. Her unselfishness in the studio makes her quite a rare find nowadays; where so many of the modern jazz players that I’ve been following recently have embraced cruder indulgences of the old school, Reeves is doing the exact opposite, and appealing to a post-genre generation of jazz enthusiasts who appreciate postmodernity as much as she does. There’s plenty of room for growth, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that with a push in the right direction, Integriti Reeves could be a phenomenally popular artist in and out of the jazz world.

Chic, classy and truly one of a kind in every way that really matters, “Eu Vim Da Bahia” is one of my new favorite singles of the summer. Integriti Reeves is still earning her stripes in the underground, but with a voice like hers (and a strong talent for arranging to match), it’s hard for me to imagine her brand remaining under the radar of mainstream audiences for very long. She’s got the sort of skills that you just can’t teach, no matter how disciplined the student might be. Her gifts are natural, uncompromisingly expressive, and exploited quite well in this awesome track. If you haven’t already taken the time out to do so, I highly recommend giving her new EP, tilted Stairway to the Stars, a listen the next time that you’re in the market for new and intriguing Latin jazz. If you’re a connoisseur of the genre, it’s an acquisition you won’t soon regret.

Stephen Dejong 

The Respectables - The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Les.Respectables1/

Swinging with as much firepower as a vintage American muscle car, The Respectables get right into the groove of “That Girl” and impress upon anyone listening just how committed to the classic rock model they truly are. The subtly country “Wheel in My Hand” tosses some southern twang into its melting pot of melodies, and much like “18 Wheeler,” doesn’t stop sizzling no matter what volume we’re listening to it at. These three songs and eight others comprise the blistering new album The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll, The Respectables’ first in ten years, and while they’re not glistening in pop polish, they’re definitely the smoothest work of the group so far.

If “That Girl” has the swing, “Give Some” has the missing sway, and uses it as a foundation for its brutally physical riffing. “Mardi Gras,” one of the more exotic tracks on the LP, bridges the first half of the record into the second without skipping a beat, and though it’s not as tenacious as the title track, it isn’t lacking in lyrical substance at all. The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll is constructed with very diverse material, but it never feels like a haphazard mixtape.

“Highway 20” is a smart exhibition of the band’s terrific harmonizing as a group, and with “The Shotgun Seat,” makes for the most rhythmically intoxicating song on the album. “As Good as Love Gets” is, regrettably, sort of predictable percussively, but right next to it in “Oasis,” the jaded tone of the drums gets replaced with a surreal spaciness that lends to the introspective nature of the lyrics. “Limousine” is a little too stripped down for my taste, but it doesn’t feel out of place in this record at all. The Respectables had a decade to put this LP together, and you can tell that they spent plenty of time making sure that it was everything that it could be from both a musical and a production standpoint.

The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll isn’t the only juggernaut in their discography, but I do think that it’s the most fluid and consistent release that The Respectables have chosen to share with us since forming so many years ago. The basslines are beefy, the guitars are crunchy where it counts, and as the music hypnotizes us with its seamless mix, the poetic narratives in the lyrics remind us of who these guys really are, underneath the hard-rocking persona that they’ve fashioned for themselves. To put it quite simply, The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll is an identity record for this band, and it’s a worthwhile listen for curious indie fans looking for something fresh.

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-power-of-rock-n-roll/1436860174

Lucas Kilpatrick

Victor Pedro releases new Single

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/victorpedroofficial/

Victor Pedro’s “Call Me I Need Ya” opens in a very stylish manner and has female backing vocalists nailing down the song title for listeners before Pedro’s voice enters the song. Pedro wisely never overburdens the song with an assortment of musical bells and whistles but, instead, centers his musical efforts on creating an uncluttered musical experience built around insistent electronic percussion and additional understated synthesizer flourishes flashing intermittently throughout the entirety of the tune. Many listeners, especially those who aren’t converts to electronic instruments, decry what they often label the sterile and impersonal nature of such sounds, but such criticism cannot be leveled against this song and its arrangement. The percussion and synthesizer emits genuine warmth throughout the song dovetailing into Pedro’s own intimate vocal.

Pedro’s singing is the heart of the song. Much like the focus we hear from the song’s music, Pedro never overplays his hand as a vocalist and concentrates on delivering emotive and well phrased lines while devoting much of his attention, as well, towards weaving his voice around the musical accompaniment. Unity is one of the overall strengths of this track. Each element feeds into another rather than creating tension and the inclusion of the earlier mentioned backing vocals complements him as well. There is no glaring chorus, per se, but Pedro has a canny skill for manipulating the lyrics in such a way there is a natural rising and falling in the vocal every bit as satisfying. He, likewise, fills the vocal with a tangible longing surging through each line with an amount of feeling we expect from much older and more experienced performers. To hear it from Pedro testifies to the vast talent he brings to bear on each new release.

The lyrics give him a launching pad for such excellence. There isn’t a hint of overwriting present in this track; instead, it goes right to the heart of the subject without ever entertaining any sideshows. The same emotional intensity fueling the musicality of this song is present in the lyrics as well, but there’s confidence as well coming through in every line. Victor Pedro’s words are convincing at every turn. Even a single listen to this track will make even the most casual listeners believe he, indeed, does need to hear from the subject of this song and he pulls it off with bracing effectiveness. Much of that effectiveness can be attributed to the fact, like it is musically, there isn’t a single wasted word to be heard in this song.

Victor Pedro’s journey from youthful musical passion to becoming a complete professional has proven to be an invigorating ride, but even one hearing of “Call Me I Need Ya” should likewise prove this journey is far from over. He possesses the necessary talent to be a musical force for years to come and we have likely only begun to scratch the surface of his considerable talents. This is a dyed in the wool R&B single with all the necessary attributes to make it a classic of the form.

TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/track/106270859

Trace Whittaker

The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina - Little King and the Salamander

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/themerrymakersorchestrina/

If “Hey Everybody” doesn’t draw you into this album and bring a smile to your face, check your pulse. Some might dismiss this track as a throwaway, but that’s a superficial knee-jerk take on an obvious album opener brimming over with an affirmative spirit and inspired guitar playing. Bandleader and songwriter Ryan Shivdasani has a clear penchant for utilizing studio effects to enhance the atmospherics of the band’s recordings, but strip away the artifice from tunes like “Hey Everybody” and you still have musical gems capable of entertaining listeners in studio and live settings alike.

“The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina” is one of the more idiosyncratic musical and lyrical offerings included on Little King and the Salamander, no small accomplishment, but it isn’t so precious and far removed from the common listener’s experience that they will reject the tune. It has an unusual jazz influenced flair, but Shivdasani and his collaborators never overplay their hand in this regard and mix it with pop structures in a compelling way. The chorus is strong and has an abbreviated cascading effect that will stick with you after a single listen. There’s a strong cinematic texture defining the mid-tempo “White Light and Lullabies”, another song shaped in a big way by Shivdasani’s judicious use of effects, and he delivers one of the album’s best vocals with this track. The melancholy of his voice is well suited to the dark lyrics, but it isn’t a track wallowing in despair. The songwriting on this release is far too canny to ever be so crude.

“Particle Craze” is one of the cornerstone tracks on the band’s previous release Act 3 and included here in demo form. The Act 3 version has some musical elements absent from this earlier take on the track, but it is fully satisfying in this form as well and connects with listeners early. The unique lyrical imagery is something shared by all Merrymaker’s Orchestrina tracks and it testifies about the extent of Shivdasani’s songwriting skills that he can take unusual language and use it to fuel new takes on well-tested subjects for songs. “Together” has a rough and ready alternative rock take on another traditional songwriting subject, longing for a significant other, and the uptempo pace gains even more momentum thanks to the song’s uncluttered instrumental makeup.

The oddest points in the release come with the tracks “Jeepers Creepers” and “Definitely Not My Underwear”. The former track is sort of coffeehouse poetry gone mad with an unpredictable jazz infused backing capable of taking turns wherever it likes yet never losing the listener. It is quite unlike anything else included on Little King and the Salamander. The latter cut is a blast of psychedeliczed acid rock in the vein of early Pink Floyd or Hawkwind, but Shivdasani’s humor has a quality all its own that helps keep this distanced from imitation. The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina’s Little King and the Salamander includes fourteen songs spanning a wide array of musical styles and never fails to hold listener’s attention.

CD BABY: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/themerrymakersorchestrina3

Carrie Logan

Ajay Mathur releases new Single

“It’s a song about making a decision on a relationship fallen apart. It’s about getting smart about your own life,” said Switzerland singer-songwriter, Ajay Mathur, in his official biography for his newest release, “Start Living Again.” The song and its accompany video are just a small example of the globe’s independent musicians making their mark in a big way. Mathur, who took home the top album prize at 2018’s Germany’s Rock & Pop Awards for his album, Little Boat, channels all what is best about indie music and all that inspired it along the way: solid songwriting.

BANDCAMP: https://ajaymathur.bandcamp.com/track/start-living-again

“Start Living Again” is track number three from Little Boat and comes in at just under three-and-half-minutes. The mood is light. Not fun, or clap along worthy, but very earth tones and sun-like. I heard very strong influences of 60s pyschedelic guitars and percussion smatterings. Interestingly enough, Mathur was born and raised in India. He gravitates more towards acoustic and electronic guitar riffs in “Start Living Again” and relies heavily on a repeated chorus. While listening to the chorus, my mind wandered off into far spaces – and even recalled Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks.” Mathur’s lyrical contact sways way more into the pop rock world than a prose or gloomy-indie rock. With words like “They were only ‘things’ that we aspired not love for someone. Everything I was holding onto fed my fear,” he simplifies decision making in a relationship. And he seems to do with an inspirational confidence. It’s as though he himself as already been through the fray and he can attest to getting out alive on the other side. As mentioned before, his own vision of the song is about making better decisions.

Mathur’s decision to make this song pop rock is a wise one. Supposing this was more of a piano-based track, I don’t think it would have had the same reaction. I enjoyed the guitar work on many levels, and the harmonies the riffs created were very tight. The tempo is perfect, and it sets the mood for a strong start to a morning run, or even just a ride in the car to work. It’s probably not a slow dance song. But whatever floats your boat.

Mathur once again collaborated with video creator, Ciro Ayala, for the “Start Living Again” visual representation. The two previously worked together on “My Wallet Is a House of Cards” (also from Little Boat). Ayala’s canvas is one of computerized graphics and visually stunning, rich colors (especially the fire scene). He even gives a 60s filter look to Mathur’s facial profile. I can concur with Mathur that Ayala captures the essence of first tearing down one’s house before the rebuilding can start. Before we become anew, we must sometimes look in the mirror and discover the true source of pain.

DEEZER: https://www.deezer.com/en/track/446707572?autoplay=true

“Start Living Again” doesn’t take long to get the emotional reactors charged. I still think Mathur’s lovely voice makes it hard to be angry or hurt while listening to the song. I do think it makes you reflective. It makes you feel less alone.

Andrew Brody

Brooke Moriber’s new album Cry Like a Girl

Galloping grooves join forces with a homespun harmony in an effort to sweep all of our cares away with the wind in “Time Takes It’s Time,” one of eleven tracks to be found on Brooke Moriber’s new album Cry Like a Girl, but this isn’t the only instance in the record where catharsis will reign supreme. From the pendulous piano play in “The Last Goodbye” (the album’s first single and music video) to the magnetizing melodies of “Behind the Scenes,” Moriber will stop at nothing in her mission to make us experience her artistry like we never have before, and for the most part, she hits it out of the park in Cry Like a Girl. It’s a little bit country and a whole lot of adult contemporary pop, and it’s a listen that fans of both genres might want to take a look at this spring.

Countrified grooves give “The Devil I Know” and the title track more of an edge than what we hear in the somber “Shattered Glass” and “It Doesn’t Hurt,” and despite the diversity in this collection of ballads and boisterous anthems, Cry Like a Girl enjoys a really fluid tracklist that feels rather progressive when compared to similarly stylized records out this April. “Here and Gone,” “99 Days of Rain” and “Steal the Thunder” are designed using completely different styles of attack, but they’re ultimately cut from the same meticulously crafted sonic cloth as “Long Long Time,” “The Last Goodbye” and “Time Takes It’s Time” are.

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tlcevminld52ses4g6wfhqvgaei?play=1&u=0

“It Doesn’t Hurt” and “Steal the Thunder” feel a bit stock when juxtaposed with the more calculated “The Last Goodbye” and formidable “Shattered Glass,” but I don’t know that I would go as far as to call either of the songs “filler” per-say. There’s a couple of aesthetical growing pains present in Cry Like a Girl, but by and large they’re limited to the cosmetic side of the songwriting (something that could be easily remedied in future works). I think that Moriber has got more charm as a singer when she’s flirting with Americana-tinged folk-rock in tracks like “The Devil I Know” and “Here and Gone” than she does anything else, and with a voice like hers, there’s never any need for external bells and whistles to enter the mix.

Fans of country, folk, pop and roots music should check out what Brooke Moriber is up to in the studio right now the next time that they’re in the market for hot new records, as Cry Like a Girl introduces us to her sound in a full-color, high definition setting that her caliber of content is definitely deserving of. She’s got a limitless ambition that is on full display in this LP, and despite a few hiccups, these eleven songs hold their own with most anything else I’ve heard out of Nashville in the last few months of 2019. Only time will tell, but if she keeps on this same creative trajectory that she’s been on for the last year, it won’t be long before Moriber shares a full-length follow-up to this fascinating first album.

Mindy McCall

Francine Honey releases her junior album to date

Ontario’s Francine Honey has released a new album, her third, entitled To Be Continued and the eleven songs are among the best yet she’s committed to a recording. The album hangs together in a way few extended releases down in the modern era and she clearly placed much thought into the track listing; the dramatic flow of the album makes a lot of sense and peaks at just the right points. The songs rely on traditional instruments rather than stirring the pot with exotic sounds, but the arrangements are uniformly intelligent and reach emotional heights without ever straining to make an impact.

URL: https://francinehoney.com/

“Snowflakes on My Eyelashes” has light reverb on its electric guitar work that contrasts well against the slowly evolving violin. Another part of the song that will stand out here and elsewhere throughout To Be Continued… is its drumming; there isn’t a single wasted beat throughout the song and even the climatic moments refrain from rushing the tempo unnecessarily. “Stay” is one of the album’s most straight ahead love songs and has a mix of soulful wailing guitar and longing well in tune for an album full of first rate material. The slight barroom tint from the track’s piano never goes too far; another defining musical characteristic of the release is how well Honey uses piano on many tracks.

The title song is another example of the piano being turned to good use. It never exerts an omnipresent sound in the mix but, instead, helps accentuate the lyric’s dramatic qualities. Honey digs deep into the words, a look back on youth from the vantage point of many years later, and they avoid any sentimentality that might otherwise drag the tune down. She shows her penchant for sharp characterizations with the track “Honey” and the sultry physicality of the arrangement helps give further life to the track. Honey’s vocal is among the album’s best and she has obvious fun drawing a picture for listeners.

YOU TUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/user/FrancineLeclair

“Shacked-Up Sweetie” is a glorious blast of honky tonk with gritty snap in the guitar work and an appealing bluesy yet commercial sound. Some singers in this style might overdo the vocal for a song like this, believing the audience expects a female singer to belt this type of track out in dramatic fashion, but Honey’s vocal hangs back and focuses on getting the lyric over with listeners while also blending well with the band. The video released with this song, a single release as well, complements the track very nicely without ever trying to obscure its impact. It’s filmed with great professionalism and excellent composition; moreover, it never relies too much on the histrionics common to songs and videos of this type.

One of my favorite moments arrives with the song “Space”. It’s another of the beautifully rendered musical landscapes included on To Be Continued… but, likewise, shows how Honey’s songwriting often reaches far beyond the self-imposed limits of much in modern songwriting. It’s another song about relationships, in this case the aftermath of one, but has an unique point of view in the way it details the narrator’s need for time to heal and reconsider things. The acoustic guitar and piano driven duet of “Marilyn” musically sustains a well written tribute to the affect a long dead movie star exerted over a young girl and woman. The dialogue between those aforementioned instruments is well represented in the mix and Honey’s voice underlines the ghostly quality of the song. It’s one of the most memorable entries on an album that seems destined to stand the test of time; Francine Honey’s To Be Considered… definitely deserves consideration as a fully realized work illustrating her growing maturity as an artist and entertainer.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w

Drew Blackwell 

Barbara J. returns with her sophomore album A Box Full of Records

Barbara J. returns with her sophomore album A Box Full of Records and its three stunning lead singles – covers of The Korgis’ “Everybody’s Gotta’ Learn Sometime,” The Carpenters’ “Rainy Days and Mondays” and Poco’s “Crazy Love” (which features no less than Mike Webb contributing keys to the song) – and while these tracks are true to the classic framework that made them hits to begin with, they’re inarguably as original as it gets in this brand new, pointed execution. I’ve always been hesitant to embrace cover songs and have always struggled to appreciate records made up wholly of material written by other artists, but in the case of these tracks, it’s impossible for me to dismiss them as anything other than modern gems.

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/malibubarbara

“Crazy Love” and “Everybody’s Gotta’ Learn Sometime” see Barbara J. putting all of the emphasis on the texture in the melodies that hold the righteous rhythms together, while “Rainy Days and Mondays” focuses mostly on her awesome delivery of the lyrics. In all three instances, she’s using the backing band to create as much of a mood as she is the stylish poetry in the songs, but each of these tracks displays a different approach to the recording process that, for all intents and purposes, Barbara J. would appear to have mastered.

These songs suit the style of her singing perfectly, and in “Crazy Love,” we really get to see what her voice is capable of when it’s given enough room to really spread out and cultivate a mountainous melody. The string arrangement is pretty conservative, but her vocal track is simply brimming with muscular bass and treble, cutting through the glowing verses with impunity. She’s come a long way since her first record, and I actually think that she should explore covering more material from this particular period in pop music history.

LP SPOTIFY:  https://open.spotify.com/album/5RMfR1Hp0kgHraxMXHt9Ar

BARBARA J SPOTIFY: https://artists.spotify.com/c/artist/5xLOqJVS1zNKsVfQrbbCms/profile#about

There’s an immeasurable amount of emotion in all of these singles, and though it gives the chorus in “Rainy Days and Mondays” all of its zeal, I don’t think that the vocal ever becomes so intense in the big picture as to overshadow the instrumental aspect of these songs at all. Barbara J. is the type of artist who pays attention to the littlest of details in her music, and as a result, her releases never feel lopsided or inarticulately constructed. If her peers could somehow find a way to adopt a similarly disciplined attitude towards making a record, mainstream pop might not be in the inexplicably trite mess that it is right now.

HEAR NOW: https://barbaraj.hearnow.com/

To say that it’s awfully hard to make legendary music feel as real and tangible as it did for the era of listeners who made it a classic would be an understatement of criminal proportions, but in the case of A Box Full of Records, Barbara J. makes it look all too easy. She’s on top of her game and dishing out some of the most sophisticated and sensuous melodies of her career so far, and if you ask me, there isn’t an artist around – in or out of her scene – making the deeper creative impact that she is at the moment.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraJsMusic/

FACEBOOK: A Gordon Lightfoot Retrospective:  https://www.facebook.com/sundownbarbaraj/

Mindy McCall

Stephanie Rose release Sprout (EP) and Luxury (SINGLE)

URL: https://www.stephanierosemusic.com/

Stephanie Rose hasn’t been writing, recording, or performing for long, but she’s already made strides it takes most performers years to equal. She’s already an award nominated singer, an increasingly experienced live act, and has one well received EP release under her belt. Her latest studio release, an EP entitled Sprout, shows she has no signs of slowing down. Instead, the six songs included on this EP reveal her, for newcomers, to be a singer and performer unafraid to face down a variety of material without any compunction – the nature of her talents is so wide she can convincingly handle any number of styles. The title song begins the EP with a decidedly upbeat point of view sonically – nothing is ever out of control here, but the playing rushes forward with a lot of energy and the inclusion of horns adds an interesting, if not unexpected, twist.

We’re back in a more predictable position with the EP’s second song “Rusted Love” but, even here, Rose tweaks our expectations. Modern country is rife with songs leaning more in an AOR rock direction than steel guitars, but Rose has such a natural aptitude for ransacking rock music’s sound while still remaining identifiably herself it makes her stand out from more customary fare. The third song “Luxury” has a totally different tone, pulling back the reins on any hint of rock, and instead going headlong into country balladry and avoiding any of its hackneyed tropes. The song has slower, much more deliberate pacing and works largely as a marriage of fiddle and piano. The latter instrument doesn’t unwind continuous melodic lines; instead, it builds its effects incrementally and the fiddle swirls and sways throughout the performance with bewitching lyricism. Her vocal really gets deep into the song’s portrayal of love enduring in the face of struggle.

I-TUNES (EP): https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sprout-ep/1436694108

“Old Soul” comes off like a throwback, for sure, but never in a roll your eyes sort of way. Rose is using this traditional style, a likely four piece set up with strong bass playing anchoring everything, for her own uses rather than just imitating the form. She has a remarkable way of writing about serious subjects with a gracefulness and easy sophistication far beyond her years, but chronological age has always been a poor way of evaluating talent. She definitely stands out thanks to songs like “Old Soul”. It doesn’t feel like a rehash; instead, Rose is refurbishing and refitting time tested traditions for a modern audience.

“Crushed” does much of the same. Here, however, Rose is back in rockier terrain than “Old Soul” and anyone who listens to modern country will recognize the style, but she diverges along the way. It’s subtler here than other songs like “Luxury” and the title track, but there’s a level of nuance and attentiveness in her art you don’t often hear from other contemporaries. Rose, time after time, seems to have an astonishingly clear idea of what she wants her music to accomplish. “Same Old Same Old” brings Sprout to a satisfying end despite its seeming light touch. The songwriting has more to say than you might initially assume, but Rose delivers the song with a wistful sigh and the character of someone unwilling to let negativity get too deep under their skin. It’s an ending well in keeping with everything coming before it and provides proof of another strong point for this EP – it is every bit as thought and fleshed out as any full length release and the running order is clearly arranged for maximum effect. It’s these kinds of seemingly small details that make Sprout an even more rewarding experience.

AMAZON (SINGLE): https://www.amazon.com/Luxury/dp/B07HGKLHNW

Seth Mitchell 

Penelope Robin “Some Girls”

PRIMARY URL: http://www.peneloperobin.com

Though the premise for her new music video is simple, there’s nothing ordinary about the sensational brand of pop that young Penelope Robin is dishing out in “Some Girls.” Robin’s big voice transcends the limits of stereophonic recording in her latest single, and in its accompanying music video, viewers are treated to a visual tapestry that is reflective of her unique talent, and moreover, the content of a song that reigns supremely over its contemporaries in 2019. Her swaggering lyrical approach invites us to embrace the confidence that she so poetically espouses in this track, and in watching her find joy in the simple sights and sounds of an urban setting, we’re inspired to revisit a childlike wonderment that exists within all of us, regardless of age.

Robin’s vocal is extremely well-mixed in this single. Though the gentle piano play that frames it in the composition is brooding and equally as evocative, her words are always at the center of our attention, cushioned between the rigid textures in the instrumentation but never crushed by their grandiosity. You could make the argument that her style of singing is so organic and natural that it would stand out no matter the backdrop, and considering the intricacies that comprise the melody in “Some Girls,” I would be inclined to agree with you. Robin is the type of singer who doesn’t need a lot of fancy bells and whistles to steal the spotlight away from everything else going on around her; this isn’t to discount the efforts of her backing band here, but instead to highlight how profound a vocalist she truly is.

OFFICIAL VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNK9D15ZWIk

The lyrics that wash over us in “Some Girls” are accessible and catchy from the onset, and don’t fall apart in the chorus in favor of adopting a predictably hooking rhyme. Whether you’re a big fan of pop music or not, there’s no denying the talent that she displays here linguistically; inside of a mere two and a half minutes of play, she weaves together a sharp, erudite narrative that is relatable across age and gender borders – something that, to be fair, is a marvelous feat in its own right. If she’s this adept at only 11 years old, one really has to wonder just how incredibly skilled she’s going to be ten years from now with a plethora of professional experience under her belt.

“Some Girls” is a fun but poignant pop song that starts off 2019 right for Penelope Robin, whose tremendous potential as a recording artist is utilized excellently here. You know you’re onto something good when a song communicates to the audience texturally as well as lyrically, and in the case of this single, words like “engaging” simply doesn’t do the subject justice. I’m eager to see what Robin does with her sound next, and further, how she develops her palate to suit whatever musical direction she wants to take as an adult. This is a very exciting time in the history of music, and with young people like Penelope Robin at the forefront of indie culture, I’m confident that audiophiles have nothing to worry about as we enter this bold new era in pop.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thepennyrobin/

Bethany Page

Hughie Mac releases “Let’s Get Away” Single

URL: https://www.hughiemac.com/

The swaggering piano that drives “Let’s Get Away,” the new single from the incomparable Hughie Mac, marches along with a bass-heavy tonality that wants to shake us to the very core of our souls, but it isn’t alone in its daring pursuit of our affections. Lightly-struck cymbals adorn a modest drumming that frames the piano keys with a simple rhythm that instantly takes us back to the glorious days of big band and bop. Mac’s singing is, of course, the most visible strand of melodic might that we’ll come in contact within this single, but it’s unquestionably bolstered by the magnificent band supporting its grandiosity. “Let’s Get Away” is a take on “Let’s Get Away from It All,” the Frank Sinatra staple song, but what makes it much more special and significant than any other cover I’ve reviewed in 2019 is its modern, ultra-high definition texture, that literally draws us into a smoke-filled nightclub where Hughie Mac reigns supreme over the audience. This is Mac at his finest yet, and though it’s only one cut from his incredible album Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs, Pt. 3, it could very well be the record’s signature single.

CD BABY: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hughiemac6

From a critical standpoint, the swinging tempo is the main source of catharsis in “Let’s Get Away,” but it doesn’t stick out in the master mix as the primary cosmetic feature designed to grab our attention from the get-go. Mac’s vocal rouses our awareness of the contrasting rhythm lying just beneath the surface of the piano play; the vibrations in the bass warm up the cold, stoic percussive elements and set the mood for the chorus, which is where the groovy sway takes the main stage beside Mac and rocks us with its rollicking beat.

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/user-271952191

 If it sounds like a complex number, that’s because it definitely is – I’m quite impressed with the way that Hughie Mac took this song apart piece by piece and reconstructed it to suit his palate without sacrificing any of the original’s most alluring charms. I’ve never been the biggest supporter of covering material as iconic as this particular track is, but as far as I’m concerned, Hughie Mac is one of the only artists exceptional enough to give it the justice that it really deserves.

This single, along with the whole of Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs, Pt. 3, represents some of the most sincere pop music that you’re going to come across this winter and well into the rest of 2019, and though he’s made amazing music before this release, Mac has never been quite as on top of his game as he is in “Let’s Get Away.” The sensuous vibe of danger skewed with a swaggering confidence that the Rat Pack made famous well over a half century ago is alive and well in this song, and through Hughie Mac a new generation of listeners who would have never had access to this legendary passage from the American songbook will come to understand why it’s as treasured by critics and elders as it is. This is premium pop music from a purebred original.

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/hughie-mac/1173657813

Mindy McCall

Dizzy Box Nine releases sophomore album

Out of sunny SoCal comes Dizzy Box Nine’s sophomore album, Pop Fantasy, which as its name suggests is a dreamscape of melodies skewed with furious rip-roar adrenaline in the vein of puritan punk rock. Right out of the gate, Dizzy Box Nine rocks the paint off of the walls, with the opening salvo of “Anytime, Anyplace,” the galloping “Yesterday” and the radiant “Like a Star;” each track pumping out a thicker layer of muscular riffage than the one that came before it. As we get deeper into the track list, it becomes very clear that Dizzy Box Nine hasn’t merely conceived a follow-up to their debut Electric Illusion; they’ve brought their sound into full color melodic high definition.

This album is a lot less eclectic than their debut record Electric Illusion. “Happy Birthday,” “Hello Baby” and “Maybe” all feature a streamlined mix that leans heavily on the percussion and vocals and allows the strings to shape the direction of the melody. On paper, the way this record is arranged is pretty familiar, perhaps even black and white, but it’s the band’s diversified tonality that really sets these songs apart. The tracks indeed seem to follow a similar formula, but if anything, it makes the final product feel much tighter than it would have been otherwise.

URL: http://www.dizzyboxnine.com/

The production quality of Pop Fantasy is absolutely amazing, to the point where every detail, even the subtler ones buried in feedback and molten hot bass, is given its own platform to imprint a unique texture into the ultimate sound of the songs. These riffs are as cutting as they come, and through the master mix they’re amplified to a larger than life size that is both formidable and still undeniably friendly and inviting, including in more jagged tracks like “Talk Dirty to Me” (a cover of Poison), “Lost and Found,” “What I Like About You” and the intriguing album-closer “I Won’t Let You Down.”

Even the two cover songs this record contains (“Talk Dirty to Me” and The Cure’s iconic “Just Like Heaven”) have the sporty energy of the original material. Dizzy Box Nine have such a versatile, well-rounded rock sound that they’re a rare exception to the standard industrial rule that covers should be reserved for amateur bands and karaoke club-goers exclusively. The depth of the guitar work on “Just Like Heaven” rivals that of the original and Dinosaur Jr.’s much beloved rendition, and you could even make the case that “Talk Dirty to Me” sounds a lot less hedonistic and trite in this setting than it did when Poison released it.

Whether it’s surreal pop that turns you on or a more focused, breakneck riff rock that you seek, Pop Fantasy brings so much to the table that you’ll be pleasantly impressed with these thirteen glitter bombs.

Dizzy Box Nine may not yet be a household name, but this record has the potential to elevate the status of this melodic California crew from indie sensations to legitimate mainstream threats. Their sound continues to evolve and grow into its own here, and I can’t wait to hear what they do with it in their next set of live performances.

Mindy McCall