tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25703827442518447572024-03-12T17:02:51.094-07:00INDIE-MINDYMindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-32296640103834228062021-01-15T19:37:00.005-08:002021-01-15T19:40:08.827-08:00HEWAS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlcjQ9mj3s_36z7cKBRkraVZOAsslQzueohG5hff_S4nG-TL53xM9pxdablQmCkwQgkF3Ejaa5QJpwyu4qgc8PtyRseQ9FhJg02oinpQHhT8PrN3qjbzDRHE3upDt49hEzPhGUZE7YlE/s1000/artworks-D2UHitsnXrhSm3RI-mQkuZQ-original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlcjQ9mj3s_36z7cKBRkraVZOAsslQzueohG5hff_S4nG-TL53xM9pxdablQmCkwQgkF3Ejaa5QJpwyu4qgc8PtyRseQ9FhJg02oinpQHhT8PrN3qjbzDRHE3upDt49hEzPhGUZE7YlE/w400-h400/artworks-D2UHitsnXrhSm3RI-mQkuZQ-original.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The multicultural and multifaceted Tik Tok
sensation, Hewas, has released a new track, the improperly compounded,
“Wholething.” It’s a collaboration with the Father of Flower, himself, Afroman,
and the alliterative error may not be the only improper aspect of this song.
But more on that, later. As aforementioned, Hewas made a splash on Tik Tok with
“Lemon” released in 2020, by garnering an absurdly impressive 3 million views.
It’s said that platforms, such as Tik Tok, and youtube are now the paths to
musical notoriety, and Hewas’ burgeoning popularity seems to support this
theory. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="BodyA"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">TWITTER: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://twitter.com/iamhewas">https://twitter.com/iamhewas</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Wholething” comes at you like a gust of
cannabis scented fragrance. It’s low key, catchy, and makes you want to dance
in place. It’s a programmed synth riff, that has the slightest hint of
familiarity, yet uncommon, at the same time. Hewas kicks off the track, with a
delicate falsetto, that is rare, even amongst singers with a high octave. His
lines subtly begin to merge with Afroman’s, whose uncanny style takes the track
to the next level of anticipation. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hewas describes the whole thing, as something of
a dual meaning. As in, don’t ruin the whole thing, or conversely, turn this
fling into a WHOLE thing. It’s the cliched concept of wanting to have your cake
and eat it too. In the wake of the me too era and people still debating what
constitutes toxic sexuality, this was something of a bold direction for Hewas
to take. He and Afroman seem nonplussed at offending anyone, and instead focus
on delivering a quality piece of music. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I find you attractive/sexually active/hold me
down/but don’t hold me captive. The latter two lines sum up the crux of
“Wholething.” I think that there is still a generalized perception of men in
particular, who avoid commitment at all cost. Hewas and Afroman play off this
stigma, spinning it into a sort of parody. As with most great parodies though,
there are more serious, social and psychological themes to explore, and
questions being raised, below the surface. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Of course, in spite of the moral aspects of “Wholething,”
it makes a great party song. It’s the kind of song I can imagine throngs of
clubbers invading the dancefloor to, gyrating with drink in hand, reciting
every word. Sometimes it’s the most forward and candid subject matter that
people identify most with. “Wholething” verbalizes the things we may think, but
wouldn’t dare say. It may stop just short of being liberating, but just
informal enough, to let your hair down. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">AMAZON: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wholething-Explicit-HEwas-Afroman/dp/B08P6C8RH4" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">https://www.amazon.com/Wholething-Explicit-HEwas-Afroman/dp/B08P6C8RH4</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">“Wholething” is a few things, but the biggest
thing is Hewas, himself. This will just be another guest feature for Afroman,
for which he has and will likely continue to do many. After showing a great
deal of versatility, it will be intriguing to hear where Hewas goes from here.
Ideally, he will take on material that will expand his reach, by continuing to
cross genres and capitalize on his soft charisma. Hewas might just be best
served by taking a figurative step back in time, so in the near future, we’ll
be saying He IS a star on the rise.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Martha Crabtree posted by Mindy McCall</span></p><p></p>Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-10773205309722370062020-08-12T20:50:00.007-07:002020-08-12T21:02:39.658-07:00Paul Mark and the Van Dorens return with Gravity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoeEeooinDWXP0GcTpo8PD2gJZr3ZIuTCCXvwdMKVtVDiWsaEoDBvEZd7Fr9XSL0sDSBBJMCGnqalbTkhxgz6ppQ5nmwGVkT1aImHReQV3j6kzfoqDTqAvqpPof4Q3aTjKfLWnla0WhI/s1000/61BzTWggzDL._SS500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoeEeooinDWXP0GcTpo8PD2gJZr3ZIuTCCXvwdMKVtVDiWsaEoDBvEZd7Fr9XSL0sDSBBJMCGnqalbTkhxgz6ppQ5nmwGVkT1aImHReQV3j6kzfoqDTqAvqpPof4Q3aTjKfLWnla0WhI/w512-h512/61BzTWggzDL._SS500_.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Paul Mark and the Van Dorens return with Gravity, on their 11th and most astonishing release. But if an introduction is in order, they can all be found and purchased at the band’s website and shows. This is a great group led by a truly gifted singer/songwriter and all-around musician that captivated me from the first listen of the latest record. Gravity is an awesome album from head to toes, and the overall concept of it makes for a timely release that keeps up to the moment in its own peculiar ways. If it was not recorded that way on purpose, then it even makes Paul Mark shine all-the more.
Kicking off with the fun lovingly told story of “Gravity Is Failing” which does well in describing what this whole stack of songs are about. You never lose the thread once you hear it and there’s no losing the plot anywhere along the line once the way he sings grabs your attention and doesn’t let go for the entire ride. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Forever” follows with a piano ballad to contrast the first number and establish a more serious musical pattern which is then contrasted to more of a combo between the first two with “I Spin When You Grin” containing both elements.
Up to this point is has mostly been Paul Mark showcasing himself, but “The Next Fight” starts to show more band participation with some strings starting to show up on another ballad, this one a lot more brooding. The song plays like a warning to keep things from escalating when they get heated, and the next number “Coronation” is an instrumental with a chamber feel to it backed by sirens in the atmosphere. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This leads into one of the more comical moments on “Con Man VIP” where he carries on about the game and how it is currently being played in Washington by describing what is not the most conventional politics.
“Friend Gone Astray” comes in at just the right time with one of the better songs on offer, as it really can’t be flawed. And for more of the songwriting fun you get “You Can Take It With You,” as he brings more humor into the consistent bunch of songs. The album also switches up quite often and gets back to the narrative feel it started out with on “OTB” with more of a spoken word ballad that is rather nice as well.
Said changes come on even stronger with a fantastic cover of “Heart Full Of Soul” by the Yardbirds, and what a compliment it pays to the original with an amazing semi acoustic version that just works in every way. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But that’s not all, there’s also the very Randy Newman meets Tom Waits sounding “Waiting Round For You” that hits home as one of the longer and better tracks. “December At The P.O.” closes with a winter post office homage to top everything off with another great number to write home about on a highly recommended new release. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Rachel Townsend</div>Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-41515693221576922442020-04-20T19:49:00.000-07:002020-04-20T19:50:51.340-07:00Interview - Alonzo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3klqs_tCr6q3p3VBfjLMSeGCsVNsh8hxNbNY4awrVQ6GvASwDH1VU8kEKyH4S3GvcMpAWqXO46zhYrXHxwkA7CjUO8d1GuZ5UTyh-UHFEv0kml5Ba0BFPGJmXQqDQn8400ilZesq7ic/s1600/IMG_1844+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3klqs_tCr6q3p3VBfjLMSeGCsVNsh8hxNbNY4awrVQ6GvASwDH1VU8kEKyH4S3GvcMpAWqXO46zhYrXHxwkA7CjUO8d1GuZ5UTyh-UHFEv0kml5Ba0BFPGJmXQqDQn8400ilZesq7ic/s400/IMG_1844+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hello
Alonzo! Thank you for taking time to chat with us today. How are you doing?
What has this time of social distancing been like for you?</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">Hey! It’s my pleasure. I’m doing great. I’ve
literally just been taking this whole thing 1 day at a time while still trying
to be as productive as I possibly can. I’ve kind of gone through phases. First
couple of weeks I was really excited to get some rest. Now, I’m just doing what
I can to not feel lazy and like my life is passing me by. I work out from home
every day, I’m teaching myself how to play piano and having fun making Tik Tok
videos haha. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Has this time given you more time to focus on
music or do you find it more difficult? </span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well luckily, I had just officially finished
recording my Album the week all of this started. The last 2 weeks of March I
went back and forth with my producer Eric Zayne and my mixing engineer Rom
Zareski. All vocals had been recorded, so at this point we were able to do all
of the mixing and mastering communicating via email and phone. I’d say the
biggest thing I miss right now is the stage. I really can’t wait to start
performing again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div>
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">We saw you partnered up with the UnLonely
project to curate your own playlist. Tell us more about that. </span></b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">Ahhh yes! UnLonely project is a project launched
by the Arts and Healing Foundation. It focuses on spreading awareness about how
important it is to not be lonely and the effects that loneliness can have on
our mental and physical health. They asked me to create a playlist on Spotify
about “Connection”. I wanted to focus on one of the most important connections
(the connection we have with ourselves). I really love how the playlist turned
out feel free to check out more info here! </span><a href="https://artandhealing.org/unlonely-playlist-alonzo/" style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc;">https://artandhealing.org/unlonely-playlist-alonzo/</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">What music are you listening to the most
right now? Any particular artist? </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is probably gonna sound so narcissistic
haha but I must be truthful. I’ve been listening to my own unreleased Album
nonstop. Not because I love the music but really because I’m always walking
around my living room imagining that I’m performing it and of course being
super critical of myself trying to imagine if people are gonna like it or not.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Tell us your favorite quarantine snack? </span></b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My favorite quarantine snack has been donuts
(don’t tell nobody but GAWD) </span></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Anything else you would like to share with
our readers? </span></b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">Yes! Please follow me on Instagram
@StoryOfAlonzo and subscribe to my mailing list at this link </span><a href="https://linktr.ee/StoryOfAlonzo" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc;">https://linktr.ee/StoryOfAlonzo</span></a></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white;">Thank you for your time!</span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank you! These questions were awesome! </span></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">For Press Inquiries: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="mailto:bsquaredmgmt@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc;">bsquaredmgmt@gmail.com</span></a></span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-60179680683853393942020-02-19T20:40:00.001-08:002020-02-19T20:40:49.462-08:00Interview: Joey Stuckey<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9nQV36-id0RilNCyhLXtE1oJ2YpGmT9AVf47ILNmylP6W23d40a5UcsJ6Dy3pw0qVuNSOlsSilpuRcFvbH7zIxMxY2f9eJCi-seS1tClruPvUIzG5-a04vdL9IjMlgw6kYh3N9uT6XE/s1600/JoeyLive8765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9nQV36-id0RilNCyhLXtE1oJ2YpGmT9AVf47ILNmylP6W23d40a5UcsJ6Dy3pw0qVuNSOlsSilpuRcFvbH7zIxMxY2f9eJCi-seS1tClruPvUIzG5-a04vdL9IjMlgw6kYh3N9uT6XE/s400/JoeyLive8765.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Hey Joey! Thank you for chatting with us today! We have tried
to keep up with you on IG but you have been a busy man! What has been your
favorite place you have performed in 2020 so far?</span></b></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thanks for having me! I can’t just pick one LOL. I would have
to say that we had such a blast performing at the world famous Whisky A Go Go
to a packed crowd on January 3rd of 2020. I also had such a wonderful time
performing solo guitar and vocals at the LA Braille institute and meeting so
many amazing blind folks!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">We saw that you had mentioned that you are expanding your
recording studio – super exciting! Any new music plans coming from your amazing
new space?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh yes, I have a lot of things in the works and we are going
to be doing some amazing master classes and recording sessions as part of our
grand opening so stay tuned for details. You can follow our progress starting
in march on </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.shadowsoundstudio.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.shadowsoundstudio.com</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">We love that you are not only an amazing musician but also
share your talents with many others! You teach a class at Mercer University
right? Can you share with us how that came to be?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I am a Mercer Alumni and feel very honored to teach for my
alma mater since 2010. It is important to me to provide a wonderful experience
like the one I had when I was a student! I am professor of music technology for
Mercer University and also for Middle Georgia State University in addition to
being an official mentor for the RRF school. My work in the community to
educate and strengthen our musical infrastructure in Macon, along with me being
the official music ambassador as appointed by the mayor and city council in
2006, added to the tools at my disposal to make sure that I could provide our
town and students with a firm path for success in the music industry. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music in your
career? Have you had an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I guess the biggest surprise is that, for some people, the
music isn’t enough. It always has been for me. I don’t care about the “rock and
roll” lifestyle, I just want to work hard and do good work and maybe change a
life or two for the better.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> I reject the idea that being an artist is synonymous
with being poor, while realizing that having a major hit like an Adele or
Taylor Swift is very unlikely. Still, you can make good money and be successful
if you work hard. I am amazed, though I shouldn’t be, that so many people have
unreasonable expectations. They want the fame and what comes with it but don’t
want to do the work. I care about the craft first and making sure I can provide
for my family, after that it’s all gravy LOL. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Can you share some advice for any artists that is wanting to break into
performing and writing music? Maybe something you had wish you had known
getting started.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Be obsessed with whatever you want to succeed with in life.
Trust yourself but be willing to take advice from a few trusted allies and know
that not everyone is going to like what you are doing or even understand it,
but that doesn’t matter; if you like it, others will as well and while you
might not sell out 80,000 seat arenas, you can do well and be true to who you
are!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Anything else you would like to share?</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Please visit <a href="http://www.joeystuckey.com/" style="background-color: transparent; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.joeystuckey.com</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> and go to our fan zone. We have a lot of free music and
ways for you to keep up with all in the Joeyverse!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Now where can we find you on social media and
catch you live?</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">YouTube </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SenateRecords" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.youtube.com/user/SenateRecords</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Jstuckeymusic" style="background-color: transparent; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://twitter.com/Jstuckeymusic</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">IG <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jstuckeymusic/" style="background-color: transparent; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.instagram.com/jstuckeymusic/</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">FB <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoeyStuckeyMusic/" style="background-color: transparent; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.facebook.com/JoeyStuckeyMusic/</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p>Booking: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bsquaredmgmt.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc;">bsquaredmgmt.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Press: </span><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Bsquaredmgmt@gmail.com</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">End of
Interview</span></div>
<br />Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-9067672232905707522019-07-19T19:43:00.000-07:002019-07-19T19:46:20.927-07:00AV Super Sunshine releases “Are You Happy?”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqTJF9EOhiRGIfwhSPtzoON5uG5ntdKVcyzGwEaoU2H4jYyrxfYfTrKtuC7L2B6d8mjbyMDHvRTNnB3YAh2B6EQGirV5_Rcs4cq4nckd_3R3Uofr2f4RmcpSPqyJLjUKZDIl3pErqqB8/s1600/1907425_745463572174600_7333836828575861789_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="960" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqTJF9EOhiRGIfwhSPtzoON5uG5ntdKVcyzGwEaoU2H4jYyrxfYfTrKtuC7L2B6d8mjbyMDHvRTNnB3YAh2B6EQGirV5_Rcs4cq4nckd_3R3Uofr2f4RmcpSPqyJLjUKZDIl3pErqqB8/s400/1907425_745463572174600_7333836828575861789_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">AV
Super Sunshine are, above all else, songwriters. “Are You Happy?” is the latest
entry in their growing catalog and drawn from their album <i>Candyland
Vol. 1</i> 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.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">URL: <a href="https://www.avsupersunshine.com/"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.avsupersunshine.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">REVERBNATION: <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/AVSuperSunshine/song/29656735-apple-dance-remix"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.reverbnation.com/AVSuperSunshine/song/29656735-apple-dance-remix</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Zachary Rush</span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-232630343531358042019-07-18T16:21:00.004-07:002019-07-18T16:40:51.811-07:00Where We Begin by Fenix & SM1LO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc8VsUOmbCGQnCRtyXXcmBqSjm0Qn981ugIThcB1sukHrH9NOYkxaz7WohB5slhhnnVAje1777ekqP8UrJAxSQqz5va2OMGm2XPVkmIYytO-s_gHqQxqrYTNB565hwxnilLmn4thak4I/s1600/64375884_2747278611966935_6729726291223773184_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc8VsUOmbCGQnCRtyXXcmBqSjm0Qn981ugIThcB1sukHrH9NOYkxaz7WohB5slhhnnVAje1777ekqP8UrJAxSQqz5va2OMGm2XPVkmIYytO-s_gHqQxqrYTNB565hwxnilLmn4thak4I/s400/64375884_2747278611966935_6729726291223773184_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">YOU
TUBE PREVIEW: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxgYA27bn8"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxgYA27bn8</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SPOTIFY:
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6TRif4TasUGGhqaqVfyO6F"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://open.spotify.com/album/6TRif4TasUGGhqaqVfyO6F</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Anthony Carlisle </span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-24345328039184522802019-07-03T16:27:00.000-07:002019-07-03T21:07:23.680-07:00Integriti Reeves releases new Single/Album<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-VFyB6PPxiU11D-XZ-WGMhiY6L5VSioJtmN1pvzlfl3DhhmaDtnQJNY5cV6LafnMWS-aq0iqcvn47BjyybnNZ6-1BySd1pcidYH-dQYLs-OxTvskKDVDUYeZ3yaGIqr_zKtrCllgpzE/s1600/61kGgJQKRCL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-VFyB6PPxiU11D-XZ-WGMhiY6L5VSioJtmN1pvzlfl3DhhmaDtnQJNY5cV6LafnMWS-aq0iqcvn47BjyybnNZ6-1BySd1pcidYH-dQYLs-OxTvskKDVDUYeZ3yaGIqr_zKtrCllgpzE/s400/61kGgJQKRCL._SS500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The faint strumming of an
acoustic guitar greets us with open arms as we wander the lush sonic landscape
of “<span class="track-title">Eu Vim Da Bahia</span>,” 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 “<span class="track-title">Eu Vim Da Bahia</span>” 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chic, classy and truly one
of a kind in every way that really matters, “<span class="track-title">Eu Vim Da
Bahia</span>” 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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stairway to the Stars</i>, 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stephen Dejong</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div>
<br />Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-55312027861604354882019-05-20T15:35:00.003-07:002019-05-20T15:35:48.375-07:00The Respectables - The Power of Rock ‘N’ Roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ7l38DaXHC1P0nhyD-jljUPN-EdLAMLMd1NrUAS0nsFvTFIJ51-6Hp_CtCQR0WSomW4Z2ePFYvmycTZQGa1L5AOz8UwhyphenhyphenIzUSGh5DlOU0_MhbqwJKi0cjs-h97nFXjtnDlwF1QmAFi8/s1600/71qHG%252BOg9GL._SL1440_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ7l38DaXHC1P0nhyD-jljUPN-EdLAMLMd1NrUAS0nsFvTFIJ51-6Hp_CtCQR0WSomW4Z2ePFYvmycTZQGa1L5AOz8UwhyphenhyphenIzUSGh5DlOU0_MhbqwJKi0cjs-h97nFXjtnDlwF1QmAFi8/s400/71qHG%252BOg9GL._SL1440_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Les.Respectables1/">https://www.facebook.com/Les.Respectables1/</a></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I-TUNES: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-power-of-rock-n-roll/1436860174">https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-power-of-rock-n-roll/1436860174</a></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lucas Kilpatrick<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-2843086282530048222019-04-29T13:31:00.003-07:002019-04-29T13:31:48.922-07:00Victor Pedro releases new Single<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBByt45cXHns9S_bkIhFL1SiH4z94sR1UQNexBNwCuzgqplMx43332kVQ_cymWXfQ8iTeVXV7MPByzrbBPnsRC09KIigKXliFvBQ7JhEf0DUiKypO1Ehchaqzsumc8ujvGIb1wa5pLUE/s1600/VP4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="293" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBByt45cXHns9S_bkIhFL1SiH4z94sR1UQNexBNwCuzgqplMx43332kVQ_cymWXfQ8iTeVXV7MPByzrbBPnsRC09KIigKXliFvBQ7JhEf0DUiKypO1Ehchaqzsumc8ujvGIb1wa5pLUE/s400/VP4.png" width="391" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">INSTAGRAM: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/victorpedroofficial/">https://www.instagram.com/victorpedroofficial/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TIDAL:
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://tidal.com/browse/track/106270859">https://tidal.com/browse/track/106270859</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Trace Whittaker</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-14813179494351221072019-04-23T10:37:00.003-07:002019-04-23T10:38:36.359-07:00The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina - Little King and the Salamander<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhLew2EbUjw413fGv1hyNvWdnE7jCGVT0_MwnBJQMop3rvQqe8Hgbf9vo5IcMqsDl8f_UP3iR7NUlzUoD1-1n03KQgpgKaUKrzcLysIltwKWmxAYNEi_hIZl1IHT3igEvY96lKRRLMKI/s1600/51guZAuNYGL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhLew2EbUjw413fGv1hyNvWdnE7jCGVT0_MwnBJQMop3rvQqe8Hgbf9vo5IcMqsDl8f_UP3iR7NUlzUoD1-1n03KQgpgKaUKrzcLysIltwKWmxAYNEi_hIZl1IHT3igEvY96lKRRLMKI/s400/51guZAuNYGL._SS500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">INSTAGRAM: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themerrymakersorchestrina/">https://www.instagram.com/themerrymakersorchestrina/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“The
Merrymaker’s Orchestrina” is one of the more idiosyncratic musical and lyrical
offerings included on <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little
King and the Salamander</span></em>, 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Particle
Craze” is one of the cornerstone tracks on the band’s previous release <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Act 3 </span></em>and included here
in demo form. The <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Act 3</span></em> 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.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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 <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little
King and the Salamander</span></em>. 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 <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little King and the Salamander</span></em> includes
fourteen songs spanning a wide array of musical styles and never fails to hold
listener’s attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">CD BABY: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/themerrymakersorchestrina3">https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/themerrymakersorchestrina3</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Carrie Logan</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-278521691768158092019-04-11T22:07:00.000-07:002019-04-11T22:14:36.511-07:00Ajay Mathur releases new Single<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhOKJC1sXAjlOFYaf3N9UzgLxESwHauEbTGYalbiNzfAXWEHdPlOYZCBc94fs-BYa1hKSnHmVcfOh-9_uNiK4PvSkvRbu5RmCO8nqdAu811L14Id6_1My3r5ys7bceL6xhJF2ZHkA9UU/s1600/958583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhOKJC1sXAjlOFYaf3N9UzgLxESwHauEbTGYalbiNzfAXWEHdPlOYZCBc94fs-BYa1hKSnHmVcfOh-9_uNiK4PvSkvRbu5RmCO8nqdAu811L14Id6_1My3r5ys7bceL6xhJF2ZHkA9UU/s400/958583.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">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, <i>Little Boat</i>,
channels all what is best about indie music and all that inspired it along the
way: solid songwriting.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">BANDCAMP:
</span><a href="https://ajaymathur.bandcamp.com/track/start-living-again">https://ajaymathur.bandcamp.com/track/start-living-again</a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Start
Living Again” is track number three from <i>Little Boat</i> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">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 <i>Little Boat</i>). 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">DEEZER:
</span><a href="https://www.deezer.com/en/track/446707572?autoplay=true">https://www.deezer.com/en/track/446707572?autoplay=true</a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Andrew
Brody</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-57668998289385762752019-04-11T14:54:00.002-07:002019-04-11T14:54:38.228-07:00Brooke Moriber’s new album Cry Like a Girl<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharvDYkcBgDPQ-18rRg-PvSzcc5fed9GfKvJvuyzEyij02U-re0IVhZA4q8eb7a6syV6b6J6jwVmCScUL3e8p0Xd1BRSYRC4Oci7Au0Nf-gH2mjU51-zUxbsEFFuo3E6oy4ChZ0wCArMo/s1600/500x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharvDYkcBgDPQ-18rRg-PvSzcc5fed9GfKvJvuyzEyij02U-re0IVhZA4q8eb7a6syV6b6J6jwVmCScUL3e8p0Xd1BRSYRC4Oci7Au0Nf-gH2mjU51-zUxbsEFFuo3E6oy4ChZ0wCArMo/s400/500x500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GOOGLE
PLAY: </span><a href="https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tlcevminld52ses4g6wfhqvgaei?play=1&u=0"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tlcevminld52ses4g6wfhqvgaei?play=1&u=0</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mindy
McCall</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-65095527490166088232019-04-02T14:30:00.001-07:002019-04-02T14:33:40.677-07:00Francine Honey releases her junior album to date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJI0urlIQwxF_0eQ6nTJ4HK1MYAv6vRosLWlQy1BHr_Io6IJuFFdVy7p0790dDli1Lokh2Gs50TeWdApwE0e0pC0JT8I3NRZSAQmjKGG9TaTuvpl3rKxQYOUWPXcVTDc-2j8YUoGK4go/s1600/616H7RqukAL._SS500_+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJI0urlIQwxF_0eQ6nTJ4HK1MYAv6vRosLWlQy1BHr_Io6IJuFFdVy7p0790dDli1Lokh2Gs50TeWdApwE0e0pC0JT8I3NRZSAQmjKGG9TaTuvpl3rKxQYOUWPXcVTDc-2j8YUoGK4go/s400/616H7RqukAL._SS500_+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ontario’s
Francine Honey has released a new album, her third, entitled </span><em style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">To Be
Continued</em><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> 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.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">URL:
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://francinehoney.com/">https://francinehoney.com/</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">“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 <em>To Be Continued…</em> 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.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">YOU
TUBE CHANNEL: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/FrancineLeclair">https://www.youtube.com/user/FrancineLeclair</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">One
of my favorite moments arrives with the song “Space”. It’s another of the
beautifully rendered musical landscapes included on <em>To Be
Continued…</em> 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 <em>To Be
Considered…</em> definitely deserves consideration as a fully
realized work illustrating her growing maturity as an artist and entertainer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="background: white; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">SPOTIFY: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w">https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w2CdnJgAGtOZFxJWg1q6npz?si=x4OQ0clkSnaIbnxgNUuV8w</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">Drew
Blackwell </span><br />
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-15023417815950580032019-03-21T10:40:00.002-07:002019-04-03T22:28:46.857-07:00Barbara J. returns with her sophomore album A Box Full of Records <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG90LZvevU_WOdHqH2HJUZX4HUqgPycuunjD3h1r67yGud8TywzG9JTrm5tmOnkefIkQeiULIW8Kfp6CElzODM1YwCv7whucOdLRaijwO3_xQA77btgogjP5S07csK66CRuD-hqY1pNm4/s1600/Barbara+J.+on+the+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="642" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG90LZvevU_WOdHqH2HJUZX4HUqgPycuunjD3h1r67yGud8TywzG9JTrm5tmOnkefIkQeiULIW8Kfp6CElzODM1YwCv7whucOdLRaijwO3_xQA77btgogjP5S07csK66CRuD-hqY1pNm4/s400/Barbara+J.+on+the+beach.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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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.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">SOUNDCLOUD: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/malibubarbara" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://soundcloud.com/malibubarbara</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">LP SPOTIFY:<b> </b></span><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Falbum%2F5RMfR1Hp0kgHraxMXHt9Ar&data=02%7C01%7C%7C5801863355cf49887c4608d6a994566b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636882851897018703&sdata=Z2NnsYOj1ZJ9Zd4uYStdP5u3iW1%2F31TF%2BJeFYQYHi%2Fo%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://open.spotify.com/album/5RMfR1Hp0kgHraxMXHt9Ar</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">BARBARA J SPOTIFY: </span><a href="https://artists.spotify.com/c/artist/5xLOqJVS1zNKsVfQrbbCms/profile#about" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://artists.spotify.com/c/artist/5xLOqJVS1zNKsVfQrbbCms/profile#about</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">HEAR NOW: <a href="https://barbaraj.hearnow.com/">https://barbaraj.hearnow.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">FACEBOOK<b>: </b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraJsMusic/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraJsMusic/</a></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">FACEBOOK: <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">A Gordon
Lightfoot Retrospective:</span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sundownbarbaraj/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.facebook.com/sundownbarbaraj/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mindy McCall</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-9315999636281867342019-03-11T21:14:00.003-07:002019-03-19T23:31:51.514-07:00Stephanie Rose release Sprout (EP) and Luxury (SINGLE)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCe5M6cs-__kFnmq9_m2eBP0ccuZD42GMrxI317i6dyC7BrCLi0qGDJCjgW7JJDCSmgy-A4CPdgZCZ8ufkCfHLhaz8zG4tUOVzKEdR_7zr40s0XV4ogsPLG-LnFCNKvmK195SJYf4iqU/s1600/41bwbp2si8L._SS500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCe5M6cs-__kFnmq9_m2eBP0ccuZD42GMrxI317i6dyC7BrCLi0qGDJCjgW7JJDCSmgy-A4CPdgZCZ8ufkCfHLhaz8zG4tUOVzKEdR_7zr40s0XV4ogsPLG-LnFCNKvmK195SJYf4iqU/s400/41bwbp2si8L._SS500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">URL: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://www.stephanierosemusic.com/">https://www.stephanierosemusic.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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 <i>Sprout,</i> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">I-TUNES (EP): </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sprout-ep/1436694108">https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sprout-ep/1436694108</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">“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 <i>Sprout </i>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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">AMAZON (SINGLE): </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luxury/dp/B07HGKLHNW">https://www.amazon.com/Luxury/dp/B07HGKLHNW</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Seth Mitchell </span></span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-84469263796821202912019-03-01T13:54:00.003-08:002019-03-22T15:44:55.664-07:00Penelope Robin “Some Girls”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDEuhRZsGDRZp4v5M6jnkzG9CEI3WcG4e91feuUbOgKImO_WgFSH6RWOh_MuK_xd5DgGvanPXK0XyeG20bnPJJvnacIoJesQ9dLBWTvswOTQvmp_31YmkBfGLBfztW5O0nIiZXrThfPI/s1600/53052573_2178692115778699_5781508034660401152_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDEuhRZsGDRZp4v5M6jnkzG9CEI3WcG4e91feuUbOgKImO_WgFSH6RWOh_MuK_xd5DgGvanPXK0XyeG20bnPJJvnacIoJesQ9dLBWTvswOTQvmp_31YmkBfGLBfztW5O0nIiZXrThfPI/s400/53052573_2178692115778699_5781508034660401152_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">PRIMARY URL: </span><a href="http://www.peneloperobin.com/" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">http://www.peneloperobin.com</a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">OFFICIAL VIDEO: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNK9D15ZWIk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNK9D15ZWIk</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">“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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">INSTAGRAM: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepennyrobin/">https://www.instagram.com/thepennyrobin/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bethany Page</span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-92019592988018242592019-02-18T13:03:00.000-08:002019-02-18T13:03:45.869-08:00Hughie Mac releases “Let’s Get Away” Single<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t0-WPiEw4DIqDwLA3lrN_OrXJydkFH9tanLOFcNKJnQWHj1uPQ8xHhLPHF-L8Qoer82AzgLp2O1h65bwio6D63N_cCjlTSt5mu7uROLCn1G_0gXIr_v5k5NirTnp5tJQHm743EDYSlM/s1600/q8alb01459973_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t0-WPiEw4DIqDwLA3lrN_OrXJydkFH9tanLOFcNKJnQWHj1uPQ8xHhLPHF-L8Qoer82AzgLp2O1h65bwio6D63N_cCjlTSt5mu7uROLCn1G_0gXIr_v5k5NirTnp5tJQHm743EDYSlM/s400/q8alb01459973_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">URL: </span><a href="https://www.hughiemac.com/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">https://www.hughiemac.com/</a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">CD BABY: <a href="https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hughiemac6">https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hughiemac6</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">SOUNDCLOUD: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-271952191">https://soundcloud.com/user-271952191</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">I-TUNES: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/hughie-mac/1173657813">https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/hughie-mac/1173657813</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mindy McCall</span></div>
<br />Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-75957611801649663442019-01-09T14:22:00.003-08:002019-03-22T15:47:24.756-07:00Dizzy Box Nine releases sophomore album<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX8zk1hLtlVAI-u5q3KcfU0O2DA5lshyphenhyphenOF_dQ4JDLk5l5AK4HGEJ82m8dExD1h9MbWaQqMaQMnAq4K2bJD4hMr40PUAmcThzidlctZtYQ9MvC1IW5Uq4zrO1dOkiprKO1wbuaA2odIM0/s1600/pyuwlx8A.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX8zk1hLtlVAI-u5q3KcfU0O2DA5lshyphenhyphenOF_dQ4JDLk5l5AK4HGEJ82m8dExD1h9MbWaQqMaQMnAq4K2bJD4hMr40PUAmcThzidlctZtYQ9MvC1IW5Uq4zrO1dOkiprKO1wbuaA2odIM0/s400/pyuwlx8A.png" width="396" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">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.</span></div>
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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.<br />
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URL: </span><span style="color: teal; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.dizzyboxnine.com/"><span style="color: teal;">http://www.dizzyboxnine.com/</span></a></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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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.”<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
<br />
Mindy McCall</span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-4763229199803346902018-12-28T13:21:00.000-08:002018-12-28T13:23:44.167-08:00Ted Hajnasiewicz releases This is What I Do<br />
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I-TUNES: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/this-is-what-i-do/1445264414">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/this-is-what-i-do/1445264414</a><br />
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Ted Hajnasiewicz has made quite the career out of pitching us some of the American underground’s most opulent grooves and swaying strings to match them. Almost always these songs have been punctuated with an undying lyrical earnestness that is impossible to resist when you love a good country/rock crossover tune like I do, and in the singer/songwriter’s aptly-titled new album This Is What I Do, he treats us to the sweetest (and most somber) tracks of his sterling discography. Opening with the stone cold “This Town is Not For Me” and closing with the awesome “Burning Bridges,” This Is What I Do is an unforgiving treasure chest of searing ballads listeners won’t soon forget.<br />
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“Oh! Sweet Love,” “If I Could Leave This Place Tomorrow” and “Stars and the Sea” represent the buoyant side of Hajnasiewicz’s catalogue, while the more elegiac “Go Easy on Me,” “You Will Find Him on a Mercy Seat” and the suffocating acoustic rock of “Longing for the Northern Wind” are decidedly more cutting and direct both lyrically and musically. The duality in his songcraft isn’t lost in this greatest hits-style compilation, and if anything it makes his multilayered persona the real star of the show. You’d have to be a fool not to appreciate the versatility in his sound; it’s as attractive as his honeysweet voice is.<br />
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The balladry in This Is What I Do is indulgent and richly designed, but I don’t think it’s anywhere close to being excessive or ridiculously gluttonous. The raw energy of slow dancing twang-steeped songs like “My Heart is in Memphis” ensures that while these tracks have an extra coat of production lacquering in this setting, they’re far from reprocessed pop fodder meant to satisfy radio disc jockeys alone. These tracks have the streamlined structure that mainstream airplay demands, but their simplistic, DIY aesthetic is perfectly preserved and not intruded upon by the muscular mix.<br />
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There’s plenty of riffage here (albeit acoustically based) to satisfy rock fans alongside Nashville disciples, and I think that they help to balance out the brooding country lyricism that we come across in “I Give Myself” and the stirring “Wedding Coat,” which on its own has the look and feel of a much more dangerous blues jam than it ends up being musically. Guitar buffs won’t be able to stay away from the glow of “Oh! Sweet Love” or its counterpart, the stoic “Go Easy on Me,” which could be even more affective here than it was to begin with – if you’re able to imagine as much.<br />
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Bold melodies and stinging prose make This Is What I Do required listening for anyone, and by that I mean everyone, who loves intrepid heartland folk/rock free of the corporate chains that hold many similarly styled singer/songwriters back from reaching their true potential. Ted Hajnasiewicz has never had time for childish politics and industrial game playing; in this album we hear just how passionate he is about his medium, giving all of his soul over to the strings in 11 of the most decadent and emotional songs compiled together this year. Bottom line, give this record a spin this January. My gut tells me that if you enjoy music as much as I do, you won’t regret it.<br />
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BANDCAMP: <a href="https://tedhtunes.bandcamp.com/">https://tedhtunes.bandcamp.com/</a><br />
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Mindy McCall</div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-28503752191256920912018-11-07T14:11:00.004-08:002019-03-19T23:33:49.819-07:00Rob Alexander - Long Road Coming Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robalexandermusic/"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.facebook.com/robalexandermusic/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">South Floridians
know Rob Alexander as a well-regarded doctor, a faculty member at Florida
Atlantic University’s College of Medicine, and an all-around amiable man and
member of the community. Music fans have been getting to know him in an
entirely different way this year thanks to his debut album Long Road
Coming Home, which so far has spawned four singles, the most recent of which
being the title track. “Long Road Coming Home” capture’s the same good-natured
character that members of Rob’s family and community have always known him to
be, but in the most defiantly soulful way possible. His music is an
amalgamation of the softer side of classic rock and adult contemporary, and
alongside producer and multi-instrumentalist mastermind Gabe Lopez he unleashes
pure pop magic in this bitterly emotive gem.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Long Road Coming
Home is a very complex record, but its centerpiece title track is actually
one of its simpler and on-point offerings. It isn’t as sprawling and textured
as some of the other material on the album, but it’s by far the most riveting. Rob
croons tender words against a slow churning beat, each one of his lyrics
spilling through the speakers like immaculate paints onto a canvas. He’s got
every opportunity in the world to go over the top as he lumbers towards the
chorus, but he restrains himself, allowing for the song to go on at an even
tempo rather than suddenly flying off the rails. His discipline is something to
be marveled at, especially considering that we’ve been living in somewhat
reckless times for pop music.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">YOU TUBE: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjsR5vSRwZU3THa6YH2nXbQ"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjsR5vSRwZU3THa6YH2nXbQ</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rob’s an amazing
singer and songwriter, but his harmonies are what grab my attention more than
anything else in this single. “Long Road Coming Home” isn’t particularly
elaborate, as previously stated, but what makes it so magnetically alluring is
its boldly orchestrated harmonies between Rob and the music. Gabe Lopez did a
fine job of cleaning up the track to make every nook and cranny of the verses
intoxicatingly inviting and earnest, and I think his work on this single is
just as attentive as the artist’s is. I seriously hope this is the first of
many collaborative adventures that they embark on together; they have awesome
chemistry in this song and throughout the entirety of Long Road Coming
Home.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I would love to
hear this track live, particularly in an acoustic setting with just Rob and a
guitar or a piano to assist him. He possesses a kind of raw skill that you
can’t teach in a school or practice into existence; it’s something that comes
naturally. He’s making the most of his abilities in this single, and I think
he’s definitely on the right trajectory towards accomplishing what he set out
to do with Long Road Coming Home in general. Singles, especially
early on, are crucial to getting an artist the exposure that’s required to
warrant making more than one album, and I think this one gives listeners a
full-fledged sampling of what they can expect out of Rob Alexander in his
future recordings.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I-TUNES: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/long-road-coming-home/1348846070"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/long-road-coming-home/1348846070</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bethany Page
approved and posted by Mindy McCall</span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-14604881526863387862018-11-05T18:18:00.004-08:002019-03-19T12:23:20.385-07:00Abby Zotz drops some Honey<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdy4Wpzrr2JAbNlPAN7J16jx7Xd41_i7aLffkkZMsggXN4rYCyyDIi_CAqUuonQW_eh8Wkhsaw05YR9bLZAIhfzuSNzEUfPTWBZAS9PCfJkb83a0ScyjOgR3-qhy2MSKfqcsM_lz3RWg/s1600/41xFLSRaEpL._SS500+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdy4Wpzrr2JAbNlPAN7J16jx7Xd41_i7aLffkkZMsggXN4rYCyyDIi_CAqUuonQW_eh8Wkhsaw05YR9bLZAIhfzuSNzEUfPTWBZAS9PCfJkb83a0ScyjOgR3-qhy2MSKfqcsM_lz3RWg/s400/41xFLSRaEpL._SS500+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are songs examining human
experience with a balanced eye rather than making hay from its despair alone.
Abby Zotz’s <i>Local Honey</i> never overindulgences listener’s good
graces and the focus Zotz brings to exploring those themes makes this
songwriting an even more invigorating experience. The extensive history she has
working in folk and traditional music traditions has primed her to branch off
from its narrow purist formula and make something unique from its inherent
strengths. There are a number of effective turns throughout the album, never
filling any one song too heavily, and varying from song to song. “Stability”
has fewer of those moments than many of the later songs, but it gets <i>Local
Honey </i>off to a solid start and builds momentum that sustains listeners
all the way until the end. The smooth, gliding beauty of Zotz’s vocal
performance is one of its most remarkable moments.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Stability” gives this album an
effortless uplift from the first and the orchestration of its various musical
elements proves to be a well shaped frame for its writing. The songwriting
explores a familiar theme, but she weaves it together in her own language
without regard for past songs covering the same area. You can hear, in the
space of one song, the passion she has for this material. The next song “Big
Hope” carries that to another level and it’s tailored well to the expanded
possibilities of its arrangement. The organ playing running throughout the song
even takes a moment in the spotlight with a brief solo and sets this song far
apart from the other material on <i>Local Honey</i>. It may be my peak
moment for the album.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The growl of electric guitar and organ embellishments disappear
as soon as they arrive, but we’re rewarded with the near 180 turn into the
gospel trappings of “Peace Sweet Peace”. There’s no preaching in this tune,
instead, it’s a heartfelt cry, and Zotz gives herself over to the song with
just the right amount of commitment. The later tune “All Through the Night” has
a distinctly old fashioned melodic flavor, but the venerable swing of the vocal
melody and its accompanying piano hooks me in to follow along. There’s a
cinematic quality to the way the piano leads us, heads up, through emotional
tailwinds elegantly stated throughout. “See Your Face” is an abrupt shift and
has a much stronger commercial pop edge, but it never takes short cuts or
relies on overly obvious melodies.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You’ll Never Know” has a retro feel,
bluesy without ever laying it on too thick and Zotz delivers a stylized vocal
throughout every line. There’s a light amount of humor running through the
song, but it’s balanced well against a strongly human element in the writing
and performance alike. <i>Local Honey</i> brings the extent of Abby
Zotz’s talents into keener focus than any of her previous work and shows she’s
one of the best singer/songwriters working in the traditional/Americana music
scene today. It’s not difficult to imagine this solo debut represents the first
chapter of a rewarding new phase in her musical career.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-29023668308321264102018-10-08T19:25:00.001-07:002018-11-05T19:01:21.426-08:00Del Suelo releases Book and Record<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Second Encore” kicks off Del Suelo’s second studio
release <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The Musician’s
Compass: A 12 Step Programme </span></em>with a swell of live audience. It
provides the perfect curtain rising atmosphere for a song collection that takes
life as a musical act for its subject matter; the artist behind the Del Suelo
name, Erik Mehlsen, has literary ambitions as well and the album comes with an
accompanying novel. You can’t claim Mehlsen aims small. Despite his ambitions,
however, the album consistently maintains the fully realized composure we hear
with its second song and impressive single “Pack Rats”. It’s a truly
multi-media experience, in some respects, thanks to Mehlsen filming a music
video for the song and the likely existence of some narrative antecedent in the
novel as well. The video, obviously a thoroughly conceived labor of love and
professionally shot, nonetheless shows off Mehlsen’s under the radar sense of
humor. It’s easy to lose, unfortunately, a bead on the sheer fun he seems to be
having here as both a songwriter and performer when we’re so wide-eyed over the
project’s high aspirations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The bright lights and dissipation of city night life runs
through the album’s next two songs, albeit expressed in very different ways.
“Berlin Calling” is all punk rock rush and straight to the point, but it’s
never a throwaway despite running less than ninety seconds. “A Lust Supreme”,
however, is a lush, luxurious tune with style to burn and deserves
consideration as one of the album’s best cuts. It’s a marvel to me how so many
tracks on this album feature Mehlsen reaching unlikely, at least on the
surface, soulful heights and the writing puts a spotlight on that facet of his
talent without ever overstating the influence in his music or coming off as
imitative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The last song on the album with any sort of explicit lyrical
content is “A Panic! at the Disco/the Fulsome Prison Blues” and the artful
shape of this song moves through a variety of moods without ever seeming
disjointed or uneasily matched. Maintaining a narrative over the course of a
concept album, particularly an linear narrative, is a tricky proposition, but
Mehlsen succeeds concentrating on character development first and foremost and
Devon, the main character of Mehlsen’s story, has a convincing point of view
thanks to the power of the character’s “voice”. Another confident and melodic
jewel comes with the song “Caress of Steel Wheels” and it’s notable how the
exhausted and rough hewn qualities of Mehlsen’s story and themes contrast with
the cool sweep and sway of the song arrangements. There are some musical
suggestions of those aforementioned themes, but Mehlsen focuses more on
orchestrating compelling dynamics for the collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The focus pays off in a large way with the longest track “Darn
that Dream/Stairway to Eleven”. Structured much like the earlier pairing of “A
Panic! at the Disco/the Fulsome Prison Blues”, this nearly seven minute long
song has ample drama and character development packed into its running time and
the musical exploration never tires you or tests a listener’s patience. It’s
the ideal big finale for <em><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Musician’s Compass</span></em>, but “Walk the Plank” ends the album on a note
of uneasy endurance and the atm</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ospheric musical performance provides an apt
sonic conclusion for this stunning second album. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/delsuelomusic/">https://www.facebook.com/delsuelomusic/</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Todd Chesser</span></span></div>
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Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-27912808554368727422018-10-04T15:41:00.002-07:002018-11-05T19:04:44.539-08:00Wave 21 releases LP<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B8p5EvonwzktSmfRTQXJpnXexSWsi5osuBiOUbCs_eAgyOOAshgBuvVZ3DJUgmU0S1MXKTEwDO2ek2wTkimCjINVQfO5nI0w0pq9ZCIm1CFwvSKTysRSqY2sSbl9x4kJZEEOUk7E70o/s1600/15fc27c931da8cd1cf168ec472f3fdf3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B8p5EvonwzktSmfRTQXJpnXexSWsi5osuBiOUbCs_eAgyOOAshgBuvVZ3DJUgmU0S1MXKTEwDO2ek2wTkimCjINVQfO5nI0w0pq9ZCIm1CFwvSKTysRSqY2sSbl9x4kJZEEOUk7E70o/s400/15fc27c931da8cd1cf168ec472f3fdf3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">URL: </span><a href="http://www.wave21.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://www.wave21.com/</a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I love the spirit behind this album. Wave 21’s debut is the sort
of album capable of acknowledging life’s adversities but, ultimately,
preserving through them with the knowledge a better day will come. Wave 21’s
songwriting celebrates life’s virtues and marks down its inevitable failures.
The tandem behind these songs, sisters Mary Lynn and Emmy Lou Doroschuk, open
the release with the song “Ya Ya Ya” and it gets things off to a rowdy start.
The rowdiness, however, has a high stepping sound, a first rate singer with
Wave 21 lead vocalist Mary Lynn, and a band full of backing vocalists who bring
a spirit of their own to the music. If you think the song title sounds too
poppy, don’t close down and fail to give it a chance. The second song “Here We
Go” is even more life affirming, I think, and has a sense of life’s adventure
at its heart. There’s none of the electric guitar work heard in the opener;
instead, acoustic guitars lead the way as they across much of this album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Love Shouldn’t Make Me Cry” is one of the album’s musical
highpoints. I keep waiting and waiting for the song to come to some big time
chorus, but it never quite does and the closest thing we get to any sort of
classic style crescendo comes with and around the bridge. There’s a number of
musical highlights during the recording and Wave 21 more than amply demonstrates
their musicianship. This is definitely a cut above you’re average modern
country rock fare. “It’ll Be One of These Days” is tailor made for mass airplay
and hopefully gets it; the Doroschuk sisters really outdo themselves here with
a song that touches on universal themes in a style and way any listeners will
connect with. It’s one of the best acoustic guitar tracks, as well, on the
whole album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Pink Party” is another of the more clear cut country rock cuts
on the release. Mary-Lynn throws herself into this track with particular relish
the musical arrangement has a lot of the same subtlety they bring to this style
in order to make it more their own. The duo of “The Fun Times” and “Come To Me”
couldn’t be more different, but they represent two of my favorite points on the
entire album. The first song is a much more far reaching track, musically at
least, and can be considered an unplanned showcase of sorts for the band to
show off the full extent of their musical chops. The shift in tempo coming with
the song’s second half really drives the song home.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Come to Me”, however, is
an unfettered, open-hearted love song and difficult to shrug off as fluff
thanks to an exquisite vocal and beautifully melodic arrangement. The final
song “Far Away” is, also, the longest tune on the album and Wave 21 more than
live up to its place in the running order with a palpable sense of its
importance. There are some hints in the song, for attentive listeners, of where
they may go from here musically. I know I’ll be joining them wherever they may
travel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">YOU TUBE: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0rm0gWc7RWsOeR8PrKtEGA">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0rm0gWc7RWsOeR8PrKtEGA</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Missy Engelhardt </span></div>
<br />Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-71865608336935031482018-09-06T16:38:00.003-07:002018-09-06T16:39:49.190-07:00AV Super Sunshine release Time Bomb<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZZ6YUt4BAGbDp6tclPiE3QqRiOgKUt9ofNYJzFy1f20qMrGxYQoKivsd3t1YDH-i8P02EDyX2OQeChH3sdQA2p4-x5j6n2iHea6fFtwRAV-3-Gjl0eTsORBznNKKhBvDaPMDRHltudY/s1600/Time-bomb-remixes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZZ6YUt4BAGbDp6tclPiE3QqRiOgKUt9ofNYJzFy1f20qMrGxYQoKivsd3t1YDH-i8P02EDyX2OQeChH3sdQA2p4-x5j6n2iHea6fFtwRAV-3-Gjl0eTsORBznNKKhBvDaPMDRHltudY/s400/Time-bomb-remixes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">AV Super Sunshine release Time Bomb</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">URL: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.avsupersunshine.com/">https://www.avsupersunshine.com/</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The musical time bomb driving the verve and gusto of AV Super
Sunshine’s latest song “Time Bomb” takes the form of two distinct mixes. The
club mix is the longer of the two songs, clocking in over five minutes in
length, but it’s an overwhelming tour de force of electronica without a single
extraneous musical movement. Much of the credit for this, naturally, goes to AV
Super Sunshine for penning such a convincing synthesis of EDM and rock, but
AV’s longtime collaborator Michael Bradford definitely deserves the spotlight
as well. He turns a dynamic radio track into a full throttle, careening blast
of electronic musical genius while retaining the elements making the radio
version so effective., yet utilized in a different fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The mix rarely skirts the edge of distortion and, instead, puts
an “overdrive” effect on AV’s vocals only sparingly. One thing that leaps out,
among others, about this particular version is how Bradford resolutely refuses
to push the envelope too far. He has a clear vision of what a club mix of this
song must sound like and, as a result, his take on AV’s radio mix has
confidence and artfulness many other such efforts lack. It’s interesting, when
juxtaposing this against the radio mix, which elements Bradford chooses to
accentuate and those he chooses to submerge into the heavy synthesizer thrust
of the song. Nonetheless, this is obviously an apt track for a club setting,
but even more intimate settings will receive quite a kick in the pants from
this mix. It should be played loud – it DEMANDS to be played as loud as your
system can handle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">AV Super Sunshine’s radio version is a much different animal,
but clearly cut from the same cloth. The synthesizers are understated here, in
comparison to the other version, but their presence is strong throughout and
it’s apparent how many of the building blocks this take on the song supplies
for the club mix. Overall, the radio vision for this song is much more
“traditional” </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">than we hear from the club version. The melodic strengths of the track are framed
much more decisively and the vocal has a much different flavor with the female
backing vocals contrasting well with the lead vocal. The presence of piano
cascading through the mix lightens the song’s touch a little without ever
sacrificing its modern edge.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">‘Time Bomb” has a fantastic sound in both versions and the
varying takes on this tune never lose sight of the great song beneath all of
the glitz and flash. In the end, that’s what it comes down to – AV Super
Sunshine is more than just a gripping performing unit for modern audience, it
references the current and past in a highly charged balance that sets it apart
from virtually anything else out there in 2018 or, even, in recent history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">STAR FLEET MUSIC POOL: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.starfleetmusic.com/record_pool/index.php/featured/52-vip-featured-artist/4274-av-super-sunshine-time-bomb">https://www.starfleetmusic.com/record_pool/index.php/featured/52-vip-featured-artist/4274-av-super-sunshine-time-bomb</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Matthew Johns</span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2570382744251844757.post-54034746666332029562018-09-05T20:14:00.001-07:002018-09-05T23:20:52.115-07:00Conceptz “Splash (featuring Benny Blanco)”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwKa40IXXI1qBPovX9og53DroP-2EnCZiHYzfXgGlmUGYocJ9p_i8MHpGJYWbF4jnn8ol13p6sw7MKD1hd6z0BQC_R-gJ_9qFKTalOeZqheSEshRqS7lzbM3InyOFwv9vKY3Cdbs5M5w/s1600/36735792_1217145781760245_4454782822925729792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwKa40IXXI1qBPovX9og53DroP-2EnCZiHYzfXgGlmUGYocJ9p_i8MHpGJYWbF4jnn8ol13p6sw7MKD1hd6z0BQC_R-gJ_9qFKTalOeZqheSEshRqS7lzbM3InyOFwv9vKY3Cdbs5M5w/s400/36735792_1217145781760245_4454782822925729792_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Conceptz “Splash
(featuring Benny Blanco)”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">FACEBOOK: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DaRealConceptz/">https://www.facebook.com/DaRealConceptz/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">When you’re
as good at your profession as the brothers in Conceptz are, the people who
depend on the quality of your work come to expect a lot out of you, whether
your business is medicine, fabrics, or in Conceptz’ case, making
earth-shatteringly good music. If you’re a big fan of their style, you won’t be
let down by what they’ve put together in their brand new single “Splash
(featuring Benny Blanco),” which has taken the pop music world by storm is
collecting more attention on the pair than they could have ever dreamed of
coming up in Orange County, New York. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Emerging from one of the most diverse and
competitive scenes in the entire world, Conceptz have been relentlessly
producing, recording and writing since 2011 and now have a notorious reputation
as one of the hardest hitting names in east coast hip-hop. Now they’re dead set
on conquering the rest of America and bringing their sound to an international
audience, and “Splash” is effectively facilitating their conquest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The thing
is, hip-hop as a DIY identity actually died about 20 to 25 years ago. The
flames of its implosion, brought on by the violent feud between the east and
west coast scenes, smoldered for almost a decade and produced a myriad of acts
whose level of talent ranged widely. As the smoke cleared around the ash heap
that remained once the last embers remaining from the war were completely
extinguished, a lot of wannabes started picking the bones of legendary hip-hop
moguls with the aspiration of creating, or maybe even becoming, something
similar to what Biggie or Tupac represented. For the most part, their efforts
were in vein. But recently, out of the ashes, we’ve started to see a
reincarnation of the aesthetical ghosts who gave birth to records like <i>The
Score</i>. It isn’t that groups like Conceptz are trying to look or sound like
their heroes, but that they’ve adopted their free-spirited outlook, and that is
what is giving life to the phoenix that is modern indie hip-hop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">In the
2020’s, pop music is going to be completely rife with the experimentalism
hinted at in “Splash,” and the artists who are going to experience the highest
level of success are going to be the ones who aren’t scared of change but
embrace it with luster. That is why I’m positive that Conceptz are going to
continue to produce hit after hit in the next couple of years, and will most
likely end up being one of the landmark hip-hop acts of their time. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Record
sales have nothing to do with, and honestly neither do the reviews or critical
analysis that my colleagues and I are going to pen. All that really matters is
the effect that they have on the artists around them, whether it be in their
native New York scene, elsewhere in the United States or even abroad. That is
the true measure of their artistic worth, and judging from where they currently
stand, their own legend has only just begun being written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">YOU TUBE: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2ghN53a_wQ" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2ghN53a_wQ</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Drew Blackwell </span></div>
Mindy McCallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428354288528300265noreply@blogger.com0