tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19569208533218003642024-03-13T12:09:17.902-07:00PANGEA MEDIAMarkus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-18828391364257095722023-08-20T22:25:00.006-07:002023-08-20T22:26:56.169-07:00Chris Chitsey “Last Time I Saw You”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoQZV0P4L7E9xUmppI_qwsxIxXy5DHWT7dFTCDOnzt8MnaRTPOeo4aqICQqPS5wroZCQdFEMXkmh9RiVFHSkpy8lCh2fE8pKjQ0vTzstawMVf2dDFEQ4JxEsH8R8kWfdy8A_rjEjgLIgINSA9I3Fj5bsSD0y1MnFJZ4U8Zi0-A9BJXPiitSXYncNPwxD9/s960/162841847_170030184942985_2583503789764845727_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoQZV0P4L7E9xUmppI_qwsxIxXy5DHWT7dFTCDOnzt8MnaRTPOeo4aqICQqPS5wroZCQdFEMXkmh9RiVFHSkpy8lCh2fE8pKjQ0vTzstawMVf2dDFEQ4JxEsH8R8kWfdy8A_rjEjgLIgINSA9I3Fj5bsSD0y1MnFJZ4U8Zi0-A9BJXPiitSXYncNPwxD9/w640-h640/162841847_170030184942985_2583503789764845727_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Classic country tonality can be a profound source of inspiration, and it’s obvious the inspired backdrop of the American landscape had a fair amount of influence over Chris Chitsey when listening to his new single “Last Time I Saw You.” Much like the last couple of tracks we’ve heard from this singer/songwriter, “Last Time I Saw You” has a pastoral simplicity that steers away from traditional Americana towards something a bit more cathartic, and no matter how big a country fan you happen to be, it’s got the melodic footing to turn you into a Chris Chitsey supporter after even the most cursory of listening sessions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">There’s a lot of charm to Chitsey’s natural delivery, which is part of the reason why I like this vocal-centric mix as much as I do. Instead of spreading the love between the instrumentation and the lead, my man is owning the spotlight with his serenade whilst creating a balanced harmony with the guitar parts that sends chills down my back every time I listen to this song. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He’s found the right medium of expression, and his relaxed attitude at the mic is indicative of just how emotionally invested he is in the subject matter he’s singing about.
The rhythm of the instruments backs up the romantic tone of the lyrics brilliantly, and I would even go so far as to say that the slower tempo is the main framing that gives Chitsey’s lyrics so much depth here. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He could have approached us with a slightly higher sense of urgency to his words and still have come across to the audience with a healthy dose of sincerity, but it’s only at this easy beat that we’re able to appreciate just how much is weighing on his heart, despite the fairly light presence of the harmonies in this mix.
I would love to hear what Chris Chitsey sounds like in a live performance as if it can hold up to what he’s putting forth in this piece, he would probably have an even greater following on the road than he does as a recording artist restricted to the four walls of the studio. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He’s got an ease about him when he’s singing this song that makes me curious to see him in an intimate setting, where there’s nothing but the spotlight between his place on the stage and everyone in the audience hanging on his lyrics.
Although I only just recently came across Chris Chitsey and his music, mostly because of the buzz that his previous works have been racking up, I think what he’s putting together as a signature sound in “Last Time I Saw You” is going to be strong enough to get a lot of listeners interested in hearing more of his work soon. He’s got a lot of potential that still needs to be worked out and grown into something a bit more complete, but for what he’s letting go of in this performance, I think a lot of country singers need to take note of this rising star.
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jonathan Klee </div>Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-67140202078935569312022-04-06T19:22:00.002-07:002022-04-06T19:22:15.763-07:00JoZie “Perfect Enough”<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgRwkDUvvXHQfIC_9DRhHpmO7blMDAy_R8glVOnfS6VGGBpWuc5W3glL2Xi-EdkI186e_fGtc8k7zonIH_TqBDW1Zg_ObR0S8XaYk-eV-5wEwzH2F-3U7iW0iv42AEcvBpLUZtVkcBw-ynKEK4LD-pf_d2R5sGwQIzJZTkAnP1RWO6zq1Lgxo9DjSDA/s2720/JoZie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1810" data-original-width="2720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgRwkDUvvXHQfIC_9DRhHpmO7blMDAy_R8glVOnfS6VGGBpWuc5W3glL2Xi-EdkI186e_fGtc8k7zonIH_TqBDW1Zg_ObR0S8XaYk-eV-5wEwzH2F-3U7iW0iv42AEcvBpLUZtVkcBw-ynKEK4LD-pf_d2R5sGwQIzJZTkAnP1RWO6zq1Lgxo9DjSDA/w640-h426/JoZie.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></p><p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">JoZie’s
latest single “Perfect Enough” is a pop anthem for owning who you are. JoZie
got her start when she was just 8 years old when she found musical magic
through a karaoke machine given to her by her dad. At 18 JoZie moved to Music
City, where she’s teamed up with writers Thornton Cline and Lacie Carpenter.
JoZie has already reached number one on the World Indie Music Top 100 charts
and Euro Indie Network Top 100 Charts with her first radio single, “My Lucky
Song.” JoZie’s second single, “Perfect Enough” highlights her vocal power and
her pop-star persona.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In
fact, that’s what is so refreshing about “Perfect Enough,” is JoZie’s
encouragement that whatever you naturally given doesn’t need to be altered. Any
young person out there knows that there are unrealistic beauty standards all
over social media. There is constant social pressure from the media to change
your appearance to the latest trend, because in some way, how you naturally
look isn’t enough. JoZie comes in with strong vocals that challenge this
thought with “Perfect Enough.” JoZie confronts the tendency to follow the trend
by offering a counterpoint that timeless beauty is what matters more. “Close
enough to perfection/What dreams are made of,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>JoZie takes a compliment we all wish to receive at some point in and our
life and claims it as her own. JoZie is a pop singer who is already looking to
keep things real with her listeners. She inspires a healthy outlook for young
women in particular with lyrics, “She’s like a fine sunny day/Sprinkled with a
brain.” Its not often that intelligence is celebrated but JoZie is making sure
of that.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The
production of “Perfect Enough” is powerful and upbeat, in the same way <i>Gwen
Stefani’s</i> “Hollaback Girl” is. The most intriguing aspect of this track is
when JoZie foregoes belting for talking. “She’s a warrior/A conqueror/Her
strength never wavers,” comes in between the chorus. This talking section
reminds me of <i>Lana Del Rey’s</i> talking in “National Anthem.” Make no
mistake, “Perfect Enough” is all JoZie’s. The choice to add these moments of
talking imbues a sense of risk and creativity into the track. Its a pop song
that doesn’t do what you expect it to, which is exactly what the theme of “Perfect
Enough” is doing. JoZie aims to celebrate our differences because they make us
who we are and last a lifetime. My favorite talking section is when JoZie says,
“She’s got all the qualities/No need for apologies/Imperfections cloud her
reflections/Of all the beauty she can’t see.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">JoZie’s
message is loud and clear, if you don’t look like everyone else, that’s okay,
that’s enough. Timelessness is the true aim, a look that never goes out of
style. Getting lost in the sea of trends breeds feelings of inadequacy. These
insecurities can keep you from realizing your own strength, beauty, and power. “Perfect
Enough” reminds listeners to not fear “irrelevancy” if you don’t look like what’s
trending. You don’t need all of that to be considered “perfect” or “beautiful,”
you just need to be you. You are worthy enough as is. This is an impressive and
empowering new single from JoZie, who is already nailing the pop-anthem by
exploring her creativity. The talking sections of “Perfect Enough” are edgy and
unique, JoZie nails them, leaving the door open for where her sound could go. I’m
impressed that she is already so willing to explore poignant topics and
melodies. “Perfect Enough” has me curious about what direction her EP is going
to take, since the anthem is her bread and butter. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Perfect
Enough” is an exciting new song from JoZie, that promises to empower you with
one listen. JoZie’s voice is effortless and timeless, marking an exciting
beginning for the singer. I can’t wait to see what avenues she chooses to
explore, her voice and her songwriting team are onto something. Its clear that
she’s interested in being an artist all her own. If you’re not feeling good
enough, put on “Perfect Enough” it’ll remind that you are perfect as you are.</span></p><p class="Body" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Lauren Millar </span></p>Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-83899286075392552432022-01-17T13:58:00.000-08:002022-01-17T13:58:03.234-08:00“Instincts” by Talon David<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgravnFK1ou4RxZe92NpYEhGrUdMl_uNefiNPAsgik4HmrpNcJFj1m5akjpYjnFbFxGwskvUHSaQtS4NIvnjwnQmu8z76-G2KuC7Pfk-H9_yAZ-DtZHyrxv2fJziETmhZ7IW5DvkmrZuYTq80GuNlLFzEqxMrWYnN3go6IIeSbxjeG_2GRbDLbUx58tmw=s1400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgravnFK1ou4RxZe92NpYEhGrUdMl_uNefiNPAsgik4HmrpNcJFj1m5akjpYjnFbFxGwskvUHSaQtS4NIvnjwnQmu8z76-G2KuC7Pfk-H9_yAZ-DtZHyrxv2fJziETmhZ7IW5DvkmrZuYTq80GuNlLFzEqxMrWYnN3go6IIeSbxjeG_2GRbDLbUx58tmw=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The definition of the word ‘talon’ has two meanings: a claw,
especially one belonging to a bird of prey; the part of a bolt which the key
presses to slide it into a lock. Newcomer Talon David has two defining moments
happening with her new release “Instincts”: she proves she can both sing and
write a gripping pop song; she’s just the bolt of lightning the music world
needs right now. “Instincts” is a shoo-in and has its claws locked in for one
of 2022’s best songs. And it’s only January. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">URL: </span><a href="https://www.talondavid.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">https://www.talondavid.com/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Instincts”, co-written with Thornton Cline, is the
Nashville-based David’s follow-up to “Not My Problem”. Cline, a Songwriter Hall
of Fame Inductee, is a multiple Grammy nominee and has well over 1,000
published songs to his name. Cline is also a Young Adult and Children’s Author.
He certainly has his pulse on what teenagers are thinking, how they are feeling
and the emotions they are facing – making him the perfect partner for David’s
easy-going, and humble vocals. She’s young and you can hear it in her voice,
but that’s also her strength. I wanted to hear these words </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">mirror
mirror on the wall, you think that you see it all</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> – from her
perspective. It's an altogether different experience to hear that from a
seasoned, dare I say it, older artist. David reveals an entirely new level to
the concept of ‘trusting your instincts’ to her listeners. I think, too, that
even if you didn’t realize her youth, you would still feel transfixed by her
voice and have that instant trust. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As the song moves along, so does David’s transformation. The drum
work and the piano arrangements don’t swallow her vocals. The final mix is
dripping with moments of elegance and intimacy. The piano keys sparkle and
glisten. The drums beat their way to the top. Her voice emerges as a lovely,
guiding light. She’s a siren that breaks through the murkiness of the jazz and
pop rhythms. I hear glimpses of Adel and even Olivia Rodrigo in “Instincts”.
But it’s all David and her expressive patterns that make such a wonderful
patchwork of adult contemporary, pop, jazz and Americana by song’s end, I felt
very appreciative that “Instincts” doesn’t sound like just every other single
on the radio these days. That’s the beauty of music discovery – indie artists
like David are why music continues to evolve and challenge our viewpoints.
David readies the listener for a wonderful sonic journey – she takes the
listener in her arms and she’s easy to embrace in “Instincts”. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">APPLE MUSIC: </span><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/talon-david/1510397019" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">https://music.apple.com/us/artist/talon-david/1510397019</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Artists might wait a lifetime for validation or crave a connection
with their fans. What David communicates in her new single “Instincts” is that
she’s finally free and she’s happy looking in the mirror each day and trusts
what she sees. I believe in her too. “Instincts” is out-of-the-gate one of the
truest pop songs I’ve heard in a very long time. She truly lets go and lets her
instincts take over in this gem-of-a-song. I’ve surrendered to the great work
found in “Instincts”. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jonah McPherson</span></p>Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-86151627004450079142021-12-29T22:35:00.005-08:002022-06-27T13:28:48.969-07:00“My Lucky Song” by Vocalist JoZie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBTrRCM3ZIiwpVWYFFmhkAw10XsvrnIzjGAAOX83A3IjNu_zrsi80HA36zJMdTLyWKo7_JmKhTo1vZ9v80a6V-sSErdNy4m56o3R8Gpxz0iTVC4uTUZ0LKFF1voq_rmOozdOMPRkG-P2TK4363wKZmcwMyiE1lqOPKbsboWYdmnz75LMkK8rGbOQajog=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBTrRCM3ZIiwpVWYFFmhkAw10XsvrnIzjGAAOX83A3IjNu_zrsi80HA36zJMdTLyWKo7_JmKhTo1vZ9v80a6V-sSErdNy4m56o3R8Gpxz0iTVC4uTUZ0LKFF1voq_rmOozdOMPRkG-P2TK4363wKZmcwMyiE1lqOPKbsboWYdmnz75LMkK8rGbOQajog=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Layered up in the mix but still sporting a
virginal melodicism that only comes about in an organic pop single, JoZie’s
vocal in her new track “My Lucky Song” is undeniably one of the sexiest
elements you’re going to discover in this upbeat three-minute jam. Instead of
centering all of the magic around her linguistic delivery exclusively, JoZie
doesn’t mind taking the bassline out for a walk in “My Lucky Song” like she was
born to groove harder than the status quo calls for, and despite a simplistic
compositional structure, she plays quite the sophisticated role as the leading
lady in this stunner of a single. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JoZie is filled with an easy-going spirit in
this performance that beckons us closer to the hook with every verse she swings
in our direction, but she doesn’t ever come off as arrogant in these lyrics.
She poetically rejects four-leaf clovers and horseshoes in favor of celebrating
the titular song she’s singing with supreme pride, and the statements she makes
undisputedly translate through the happy-go-lucky lens of the instrumentation
and rhythm. This is the right setting to be swaggering, and her lyrical wit
couldn’t have a better backdrop through which to shine. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This springy beat in the background is
reflective of the positive vibe JoZie is working off of from the get-go in “My
Lucky Song,” and had it not been executed with as much panache as it is in this
piece, I can’t say whether or not her vocal would sound as supported as it does
here. Details are more important in pop music than any critic would ever like
to admit, but this is an instance where the subject isn’t rejecting the
rulebook in favor of going her own way - she’s actually living within the
model, but simply adding her own spin to the finish. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The warmth of the harmonies in this single had
my attention the moment I listened to “My Lucky Song” forward, and I don’t
think they could have been sourced from synthetics and sounded as sharp as they
do here. JoZie is investing as much of her voice into the melodic foundations
beneath her as possible without sounding overindulgent from behind the mic, and
to me, her efforts are more or less what makes this is such a dynamic and
provocatively artist-centric sampling of her work. She’s not a household name,
but she’s going to get there as long as she maintains this kind of attitude in
the studio. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My Lucky Song” is a fine introduction to who
JoZie wants to be as a pop singer, and I think that, provided she sticks with
the aesthetical framework she brings to fruition so seamlessly in this
performance, she’s going to continue to evolve as an artist with each release
she puts together. There’s not a lot of self-control in this genre of music,
but based on the disciplined approach she’s taking to the finer points of this
single, I have a feeling her abilities are going to put her well ahead of the
competition in the near future. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mark Druery</span></p>Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-31246838397495397392020-08-12T21:09:00.008-07:002022-06-27T13:29:02.522-07:00Gravity by Paul Mark and The Van Dorens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5mfGghuMoQ/XzS86beaGeI/AAAAAAAAApE/_ehuIQkxrBol_xSNxc1U0_L4LNq110elQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/61BzTWggzDL._SS500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5mfGghuMoQ/XzS86beaGeI/AAAAAAAAApE/_ehuIQkxrBol_xSNxc1U0_L4LNq110elQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/61BzTWggzDL._SS500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gravity by Paul Mark & The Dorens, is an album that comes with an abundance of originality and current topics plus a Yardbirds cover which is a must hear. These songs all follow the quality level of the great songwriters of the same level in which Mark and company are. I had just never heard this great band before, so it was also fun to listen to some other titles from the past to bring me up to speed with Gravity and get some of that ground itself covered. And what I discovered was a seminal artist and producer that really delivers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Gravity Is Failing” works to get the whole show on the road for an album that rates very high within the first listen and grows with every listen from there. Fans might find similarities with Leon Russell, Willie Nelson at times and even Bob Dylan. Paul Mark is clearly a virtuoso musician and a maestro producer in the studio, so he’s totally in control of his work, but accompanied well as usual by the band. “Forever” and “Spin Of The Wheel” are as good of examples as any to back that and keep you interested for more magic.
That magic happens the second he starts singing “The Next Fight,” as it is perfectly placed in the track list, as if to come to this point in what is loosely story based without being too progressive. But that is not to say the next cut doesn’t bleed some progressive undertones as an instrumental that pushes the album’s musical boundaries with some crazy organ work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s all enough to remind you there is a concept going on here and “Con Man VIP” is at the epicenter of it and where the album truly delivers the business it may or may not have set out to in the first place.
I really like this album, especially the piano, keyboard/organ playing of Paul Mark, as well as the songwriting and vocals for that matter I am happy to be turned onto this release and his prior work. “Friend Gone Astray” is another thing of beauty and it even tends to remind of Bruce Springsteen or even Bruce Hornsby. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You Can’t Take It With You” keeps the ball rolling with more of a Sunday reflection song but worth a mention. But the Yardbirds hit song “Heart Full Of Soul” is revisited with much integrity, and I like it so much it’s going on my covers playlist. This should bring the band some attention because it’s so good it’s worth the price of admission.
“Waiting Round For You” and “December At The P.O.” come last but not least with the former being the least to write home about, but the closing track on the level of everything else to be heard on Gravity, which is a remarkable album by a band I’m glad to know about. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Paul Mark deserves top songwriting and producing praise for this enormously satisfying musical statement in a time well needed for it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>Jonah McPherson
</div>Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-63274373658229246672020-05-21T11:39:00.001-07:002020-05-21T11:44:47.597-07:00Alonzo Interview <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3sUu_hrqtE/XsbLbjII_6I/AAAAAAAAAmM/2C4zikJH6BUBuowvfrLJyoZwn48wjA6rgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/prince21.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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3sUu_hrqtE/XsbLbjII_6I/AAAAAAAAAmM/2C4zikJH6BUBuowvfrLJyoZwn48wjA6rgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/prince21.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Hey Alonzo! Thank you for
your time. Tell us what has been your favorite cheat food in quarantine? </span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Hey! Thank you for this interview. I think I’ve
been enjoying food a little too much during this quarantine haha. I’d say my
recent cheat food has been cookies. There are these Sea Salt Carmel Chocolate
Chip cookies I’ve been baking a few nights a week. I’m going to try not to buy
anymore because they are addicting LOL.</span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;">Any exiting news you want to share with
us? </span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Exciting News…Hmmm…Well my Album is DONE! We’ve
been planning our next moves but it has definitely been difficult during this
time. I think our biggest focus is now the fall and 2021. New Music is
definitely on the way!</div>
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<b><span style="background: white;">Any loves other than music? </span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I loveeeee going to concerts. Does that count?
Haha. Honestly my life revolves around music. Im really loving Tik Tok right
now as well. </div>
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<b><span style="background: white;">Do you ever get nervous before you play music
live?</span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
YES! I always have the most random thoughts
before going on stage. What if I forget all of the words? What if I fall off
the stage? Haha I definitely have to keep my nerves under control before I
play. The cool thing is that almost instantly when I walk on stage and the
microphone is in front of my face my nerves are gone.</div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What is your next goal as a
musician?</span></b></div>
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I’d say I have many goals but my biggest one
right now is to secure I opening slot on a major artist tour. If there are any
major artists out there looking for opening acts please keep me in mind.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background: white;">What is your favorite song to belt out in the
car/for karaoke? </span></span></b></div>
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Omg this is so embarrassing but right now I am
obsessed with Jessie J’s version of “Part of your world” from The Little
Mermaid. Don’t judge me hahaha</div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Name one your strengths?</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I think a great strength of mine is leading</span></div>
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What is your own definition of happiness?</div>
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<span style="background: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Ahhh I love this question. My definition of
happiness is the feeling of Love, Gratitude and Peace occupying the space of
Anxiety and Fear.</div>
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<b>How do you see yourself in 5 years? </b></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
In 5 years, I will be headlining a world tour
and I will be one of the most known entertainers in the world. I will have
opened a arts school in my hometown Rockford, IL and I will be inspiring people
around the world.</div>
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<b><span style="background: white;">How would you describe your fashion
style? </span></b></div>
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I’m still discovering my style. It changes
often. Sometimes I’m very Chic, clean cut and classy. Other times I like a
little edge more on the Sexy Rock & Roll side. Just depends on my
mood. </div>
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<b><span style="background: white;">Where we can follow you on social
media? </span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><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;">Please follow on my Instagram @StoryOfAlonzo </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/storyofalonzo/" style="background-color: transparent;" 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://www.instagram.com/storyofalonzo/</span></a></div>
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<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;">Press Inquiries: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><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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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-15833239316147811202020-05-07T13:10:00.004-07:002022-06-27T13:29:13.497-07:00Leo’s Guitar (EP) by Izzie's Caravan<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kq267x80wLY/XrRrMywTVlI/AAAAAAAAAls/dgvPbIrVs4geLjdivoHHhxVW2jdDoUZ6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/LEO%2527S%2BGUITAR.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="492" height="624" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kq267x80wLY/XrRrMywTVlI/AAAAAAAAAls/dgvPbIrVs4geLjdivoHHhxVW2jdDoUZ6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h624/LEO%2527S%2BGUITAR.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">As its title implies, </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Leo’s Guitar</i><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"> is
all about artistic expression via an electrified six-string courtesy of Izzie’s
Caravan, and in four fantastically engaging songs, this EP does everything its
creators designed it to. Izzie’s Caravan come in blistering hot at the start of
the tracklist with “Two in the Bush” before ripping through the slow-rolling
“Lightnins-A-Howlin’,” crushing “Dorian’s Lament” and the instrumental
juggernaut title track. Inside of just twelve minutes’ time, these
blues-rockers manage to dispense one fiery eruption of tonality after another
whilst making use of every melodic tool at their disposal. A great example of
what can come from dedicated songcraft meeting passionate players in their
prime, </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Leo’s Guitar</i><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"> is as top shelf as electric blues records
get in the contemporary age.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The strings are mightily textured throughout the
whole of this EP, and I’m not talking about the guitar parts alone. The
basslines in “Lightnins-A-Howlin’” and the title track are bursting with detail
upon closer inspection, and though they never come even close to stealing any
of the spotlight away from the leads at the top of the mix, their sonic
contribution makes this material as chill-inducing as it is. Most everything in
the mix is arranged as to create additional tension through the physicality of
tone and harmony, and while there are moments that sound almost nauseatingly
crisp, nothing here feels overproduced to me. Izzie’s Caravan are putting some
serious effort into making this a meticulous sampling of their talents, and for
my money, they couldn’t have done much better.</span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The almost conflicted, hesitant rhythm in “Two
in the Bush” and “Dorian’s Lament” allows for maximum melodic exploitation in
both of these songs, which won me over in right out of the gate when I sat down
with <i>Leo’s Guitar</i> for the first time. Nothing in this extended
play seems even slightly rushed or thrown-together, and even in the case of
up-tempo tunes that require ridiculous dexterity, you can tell that no one in
Izzie’s Caravan was sweating the task at hand. They’ve got a great energy in
this disc, and if it’s something I can expect to experience in their live
performances, I’ll make a point of checking out their stage show the next time
they’re in my neck of the woods.</span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been a guitar buff for the better part of
my life, but I don’t think you need to be to fall in love with what Izzie’s
Caravan are doing in <i>Leo’s Guitar</i>. Fiercely streamlined but not
lacking in any of the compositional bells and whistles that diehard blues fans
expect in a modern release, <i>Leo’s Guitar</i> is a credible
offering from a band clearly capable of getting a lot done in the studio. A
full-length album of this crew’s blues style would be quite enticing indeed, and
if given the right space to record it, I think such a record could make a
serious impact both in and outside of their native scene. I’ll be looking out
for more, and I’d recommend you do the same.</span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Jonah McPherson</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-32390715879996883382020-04-01T16:58:00.004-07:002022-06-27T13:29:23.470-07:00Chords of Eve release EP <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3ZroaQ0VZ4/XoUqsLCiU8I/AAAAAAAAAkc/JbZAUcK-B0goaLGj5L4qgGRwNMEYrqWXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/futures-not-what-it-used-to-be-album-cover-single2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3ZroaQ0VZ4/XoUqsLCiU8I/AAAAAAAAAkc/JbZAUcK-B0goaLGj5L4qgGRwNMEYrqWXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/futures-not-what-it-used-to-be-album-cover-single2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Bursting at the seams with grooves as lush as
they are intoxicatingly cerebral in “Brightside,” evenly distributed in a stony
deluge of moderate distortion and crisp string harmonies in “The Future’s Not
What It Used To Be,” the musicality that Chords of Eve are throwing down in
their new extended play </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dear Engineer</i><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> is nothing to scoff at,
and for critics like myself who have been lucky enough to score a sneak preview
of the record’s five fabulously surreal tracks, it’s enough to get quite a buzz
storm going.</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">From the electropop title track in <i>Dear
Engineer</i> to the rambling rhythm of a beefy “Rebuild Ourselves Tonight”
and haunting rhymes of “Evelyn,” Chords of Eve deliver a relentlessly dreamy debut
in this EP that draws reference to some of the more ambient offerings in modern
electronica/rock fusion, but make no mistake about it – theirs is a sound that
stands on its own without question. There have been a lot of exciting new
hybrids making headlines in the American underground in the last few years, but
I can’t say that I’ve come across very many that have held my attention quite
as well as this disc recently has.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">ABOUT SKY TITAN MEDIA: </span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://skytitanmedia.com/">https://skytitanmedia.com/</a></span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">The vocals in “Evelyn,” “Brightside” and “The
Future’s Not What It Used To Be” are ironically utilized as a frame for the
lustrous instrumentation that each of these tracks contain rather than the
other way around, and although this might seem like a complicated way to induce
textured chills, I think it’s partly what makes <i>Dear Engineer</i> so
hard to peg using conventional artistic terminology. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">There’s a great use of contrast in “Rebuild
Ourselves Tonight” that dispels any tethering of the song’s conceptualism to
trends in progressive electronica, and while “Brightside” and the title track
share a certain duality that would seemingly make them prime fodder for rock
radio over a commercial pop format, the tension in their individual grooves
make them plenty danceable just the same. On paper, a lot of what Chords of Eve
are doing here could qualify as black and white experimentalism, but upon
closer inspection, the indulgent cosmetics they liberally employ in this record
make it a much more elaborate offering to decipher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">DITTO: </span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://ditto.fm/the-futures-not-what-it-used-to-be">https://ditto.fm/the-futures-not-what-it-used-to-be</a></span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">It’s a highly eclectic effort that requires a
discriminating ear to fully appreciate, but if you ask me, Chords of
Eve’s <i>Dear Engineer</i> is more than promising enough to bring
those who give it a spin this April back to their music when they decide to cut
a full-length album (which, judging from the caliber of this content, won’t be
too far down the line). They’re coming up against a lot of competition both in
their home scene of Austin, Texas as well as throughout the underground in the
United States at the moment, but as long as they continue to pursue
compositional techniques and stylizations that their peers would just as soon
shy away from, I think they’re going to see more and more success as this new
decade begins to take shape for all of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Mark Druery</span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-28913773986044608752019-08-19T22:57:00.004-07:002022-06-27T13:29:36.447-07:00Ooberfuse “Call My Name”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QTJepVlKpQ8/XVuLxsOw0YI/AAAAAAAAAiI/uY436dR9NFMUHQi1iaYvAwsyztO63JmPwCLcBGAs/s1600/71XHZb1VDuL._SS500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QTJepVlKpQ8/XVuLxsOw0YI/AAAAAAAAAiI/uY436dR9NFMUHQi1iaYvAwsyztO63JmPwCLcBGAs/w640-h640/71XHZb1VDuL._SS500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Shades of post-punk surrealism are met with
hypnotic, somewhat ambient textures as the bassline in “The Noise” remix of
“Call My Name” thrusts back and forth, pulverizing the distant percussion with
its unimaginable weight. Regardless of where the volume knob sits on your
stereo, you aren’t going to stop the physicality of the bass that draws up a
foundation for this mix of ooberfuse’s latest composition. Singer Cherrie
Anderson’s voice is the only light in this dark, gloomy environment where
tonality plays a villainous role in creating as much tension as would be
possible within a three minute club song. As intimidating a listen as it can
be, it’s got a magnetizing quality that seems to be a bit of a theme among all
of the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Call My Name</i><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> remixes that I’ve heard, from the chiming
“Hal St John Radio Edit” to the rather muted “Paul Kennedy Radio Edit” and its
fiercely indie music video. Ooberfuse have made one heck of a summer melody
here, and in these different versions of it we get to see just how talented the
British twosome of Anderson and St John really are.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">There’s more of an alternative/punk influence in
the construction of the “Hal St John Radio Edit,” “Patrik Kambo Radio Edit” and
“Push The Frequency Festival Mix” than there is in “The Noise” and “Paul
Kennedy Radio Edit,” which lean more exclusively on the electronic tones in
ooberfuse’s sound. The mashup of styles doesn’t create any sort of disfluency
in the harmonies as we go from one track to the next, but instead makes the
entire record feel like a picture window into the band’s history, and more
explicitly, the roots of their music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">SPOTIFY: </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/06s7QZxwWcKnJZtFLbTTZi">https://open.spotify.com/album/06s7QZxwWcKnJZtFLbTTZi</a></span></span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">There’s a little bit of The Cure in the St John
remix, perhaps a touch of Kraftwerk in “The Noise,” a dash of strange, Massive
Attack-like eccentrics in the “Push The Frequency Festival Mix,” and even a
brutish, Ministry-esque industrialism to Kambo’s radio edit (spare the vocal
track, that is). I listen to <i>Call My Name</i> and I can’t help but
hear bits and pieces of the European underground spanning well over the last
four decades, and that’s not something that I see very often as a critic, if
ever at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Aside from a few minor speedbumps on the
soundboard side of the glass, <i>Call My Name</i> is an excellent
collection of masterfully made remixes from ooberfuse and their collaborators,
Paul Kennedy and Patrik Kambo. These tracks are more than experimental enough
to keep the eclectic electropop and ambient fans happy over the summer season
while still boasting a streamlined production quality that, I believe, will get
a few of them some time on the radio in both the UK and the United States this
year. <i>Call My Name</i> is full of richly evocative, heterogeneous
harmonies that are anything but easy to come by in 2019, and even if it doesn’t
tell us anything that we didn’t already know about ooberfuse, it essentially
confirms everything that their biggest fans in the media were already well
aware of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Heather Savage</span></div>
</div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-87880499175443719492019-08-15T12:17:00.000-07:002019-08-15T12:19:05.795-07:00Ronnue’s Introduction 2 Retro-Funk is wrecking ball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyLoILcZqv4/XVWvrPXmN8I/AAAAAAAAAh0/ea5OiooIHmwYwOEGOusDDYNCmHzRinp_QCLcBGAs/s1600/64485329_2218380848216563_804107436469256192_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TyLoILcZqv4/XVWvrPXmN8I/AAAAAAAAAh0/ea5OiooIHmwYwOEGOusDDYNCmHzRinp_QCLcBGAs/s400/64485329_2218380848216563_804107436469256192_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The American underground has been producing hit
after hit this summer, and one of its most profound stars comes to us out of
the Northwest R&B circuit in the form of Ronnue’s </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Introduction 2
Retro-Funk</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, a wrecking ball of an LP that can get anyone grooving inside of
its twelve deeply melodic funk tracks. Ronnue is no stranger to the spotlight
up in Seattle, where he’s been building a cult reputation for his one of a kind
flow and adherence to classic funk rhythms, but in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Introduction 2
Retro-Funk</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, he brings a caliber of content to the studio that tops anything
he’s issued in the past by a mile.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Both “17 Days (The Hood Mix)” and “Do It (The
Remix) [feat. Roc Phizzle, Soultry]” show this skillful songwriter giving up a
huge share of the spotlight to the instrumental swagger that drives the music
behind him in what I would call a rare act of selflessness in modern R&B.
Ronnue is really good about balancing out every batch of lyrics that he lays
out here with a powerful harmony in the backing track, and while he’s always
the most commanding presence in any given co</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">mposition, he never sounds like
just another talented artist with an ego the size of Alaska.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Be Your Freak,” “If We Stayed 2gether,”
“Something About U (The Retro-Funk Mix)” and “I’m a Lesbian” use a lot of
callous bass tones to get our attention, but it’s the vibrant dispatch of
verses that keeps our focus trained on the vocalist in these tracks. As a
lyricist, Ronnue has only grown more capable with every release he’s stamped
his name on, and if this game really is all about creative development, then I
would name him as one of the only Seattle players near the forefront of the
“New West Coast” sound at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SPOTIFY: </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5pQtFqzcH7qj6e43XGfWcZ?autoplay=true&v=L">https://open.spotify.com/album/5pQtFqzcH7qj6e43XGfWcZ?autoplay=true&v=L</a></span></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;">Some songs here, like “Why,” “Be Your Freak” and
“You Tried Me (The Man’s Anthem)” sound more structured than others, like “In
Love,” “I’m a Lesbian” and “Do It (The Remix),” which all feature a more
freeform, improvisational feel. Everything on <i>Introduction 2 Retro-Funk</i> is
rooted in professional-quality precision, but it’s important to draw a
distinction between the loose, easygoing vocal style of Ronnue and some of the
duller mainstream poets that he’s challenging for dominance in 2019. This guy
doesn’t want to fit in – he’s a rebel, and honestly, this genre needs his kind
of attitude now more than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ronnue’s talent isn’t any news to those of us
who have heard his music before, but to the listeners who are finding out about
his abstruse but always accessible brand of funk for the first time, <i>Introduction
2 Retro-Funk</i> is the best means of getting into his head. The harmonies
are off the chain, the beats never tiresome nor timid, and the lyrical content
is consistently more positive than the garbage that major labels have been
tasking us with sorting through across FM stations around the country this
year. He’s got the Emerald City in the palm of his hands right now, and if this
record catches fire on the opposite coast, soon he’ll have the rest of the
country 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;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.85pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Scottie Carlito</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The music of RONNUE has been heard all over the
world due to the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Records.
Learn more - </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://musikandfilm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://musikandfilm.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-1540236414187690822019-08-12T22:33:00.004-07:002019-08-12T22:42:21.937-07:00Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam release new album PGS7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ySpxlVCbh8/XVJLtiT001I/AAAAAAAAAhg/dv5c-kI3QaEIL2uwlH6xZRtU1-31fjwZACLcBGAs/s1600/PGS7front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ySpxlVCbh8/XVJLtiT001I/AAAAAAAAAhg/dv5c-kI3QaEIL2uwlH6xZRtU1-31fjwZACLcBGAs/s400/PGS7front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Marching to the charged beat of an unmatched percussive section,
Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam dive into “Get Out!,” one of the staple
songs of their new album </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">PGS7</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, intent on getting everyone listening
stomping to the rhythm of this electrified protest anthem by the time we hit
the ten-second mark in the track. Much like the jazzier “Take Me,” “Get Out!”
is structured as to place its captivating grooves at the center of our
attentions from beginning to end. There’s no holding Project Grand Slam back on
this record – from the absolutely erotic fashion in which they adapt “The ‘In’
Crowd” into their own stylish brand of fusion to the dazzling display of
jazz-influenced virtuosities that they unleash in songs like the soulful “Yeah
Yeah,” they operate with an efficient (though constantly relentless) intensity
that is unparalleled in the American underground today. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">PGS7</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> feels
like a supersized </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Band of Gypsys</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">; there’s an improvisational feel
to all of its material, and yet the organic passion that the players contribute
to every song ensures that they’re never out of sync with each other.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://business.facebook.com/pg/projectgrandslam/posts/">https://business.facebook.com/pg/projectgrandslam/posts/</a></span><span style="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;">URL: <a href="https://www.projectgrandslam.com/">https://www.projectgrandslam.com/</a></span><span style="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;">In “Tree of Life,” Project Grand Slam - and specifically singer
Ziarra Washington - produce one of the most emotional performances that they’ve
ever included on an LP. The breathtakingly melodic vocal from Washington aside,
the lyrical content is utterly haunting (especially in the wake of recent
events in the news). On the flipside of this song’s brutally honest pleas, we
find the band in much higher spirits in tracks like the groove-driven funk jam
“Python,” punky “I Don’t Know Why” and retro rock n’ roller “No One’s Fool,”
but no matter the tempo or topic covered by our singer’s artful poeticisms,
there’s never an instance where the music lacks the sort of raw power
synonymous with legends. “At Midnight” sees Project Grand Slam manipulating a
relaxed beat into a straight-up jazz juggernaut, while the calculatedly
progressive “Torpedo of Love” incorporates a higher caliber of conceptualism
than I had previously realized this band capable of experimenting with. Even
simpler songs like “With You” and the swaggering “Funk Latino” command a lot of
attention, and though <i>PGS7</i>’s hit single “Redemption Road” has been
garnering the most praise out of any track on this LP, it’s no more a
spellbinder than any of the songs that it sits beside in this flawless
tracklist are.<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/4ftaEAv76cOhIsKxA5tiCy">https://open.spotify.com/album/4ftaEAv76cOhIsKxA5tiCy</a></span><span style="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;">Project Grand Slam were already creating a lot of AOTY buzz with
the release of <i>Greetings from Serbia</i> earlier on in 2019, but
after dropping this most recent treat, it should be obvious to anyone who
follows independent music that they are collectively the undisputed royal
family of alternative fusion this year. Robert Miller’s work has never left me
feeling dissatisfied, but what he and his players have done with <i>PGS7</i> is
beyond a slam dunk. Whether you’re a diehard jazz enthusiast, a fan of eclectic
music or just interested in something that goes against the sonic grain, this
is an album that deserves all of the attention it has received and more this
August.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gavin Shaughnessy</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The music of PROJECT
GRAND SLAM has been heard all over the world due to the promotional services offered
by Danie Cortese Entertainment & Publicity. Learn more here - </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.daniecorteseent.com/">http://www.daniecorteseent.com/</a></span></span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-42356860181030618632019-07-03T17:07:00.001-07:002019-08-12T22:38:31.696-07:00Integriti Reeves - Eu Vim Da Bahia (single)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ1VxRp8mig/XR1DC5qukSI/AAAAAAAAAgs/t1pjGXdPMx87eoIN4Uk0I0jCv-dHtpLDgCLcBGAs/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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ1VxRp8mig/XR1DC5qukSI/AAAAAAAAAgs/t1pjGXdPMx87eoIN4Uk0I0jCv-dHtpLDgCLcBGAs/s400/61kGgJQKRCL._SS500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I confess I am a novice regarding Latin influenced jazz. This
doesn’t mean I haven’t heard bands and musicians engaging this style – just
that my knowledge of the form is undoubtedly shallow compared to others more
engrossed by its sound. This isn’t a slight; there are only so many hours in a
given day. Having said that, I am impressed by what Washington D.C. based
Integriti Reeves has managed to do with this recording. The single “Eu Vim Da
Bahia” from her first recording <i>Stairway to the Stars</i> is
possibly the marquee attraction included on her debut EP and its genre and
culture crossing appeal is evident from the beginning. Great care, among other
factors, distinguishes this performance from weaker run of the mill or cookie
cutter efforts – the production captures every nuance of the instrumental and
vocal presentation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The guitar and violin playing are musical high points in the recording.
“Eu Vim Da Bahia” includes some of the best and cleanest guitar playing I’ve
heard in recent memory – it sounds like it is cut live rather than overly
rehearsed and there isn’t a single detectable misstep through the song’s three
minutes. The violin work only takes up a small amount of space in the song,
particularly when compared to the guitar presence, but its effect on the song
cannot be denied. It is akin to including contributions from a second voice
that, nevertheless, never obscures Reeves’ effect on the performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">PRIMARY URL: <a href="https://www.integritireevesmusic.com/"><span style="color: black;">https://www.integritireevesmusic.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her effect is pronounced. She does not enter the song with an
assertive or physical tone – instead, she almost slides into the arrangement
and brings her voice in lockstep with the instruments. She weaves and wraps her
singing around the soft percussion and guitar while knowing to cede ground to
the violin during its spotlighted turn in the arrangement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Concision is an important part of the song’s appeal as well.
Like the Gilberto Gil original, Reeves never belabors listeners’ attention and
studious avoidance of any self-indulgence reinforces the song’s core strengths.
Integriti Reeves maintains an even vocal stance through the song, raising the
emotion when needed, and creating a performance her audience will enjoy while
it illuminates their mood and spirit. Keeping the focus narrow and on point
helps this happen from the first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It all adds up to one of the best performances in this musical
vein I’ve heard in some time. Integriti Reeves’ “Eu Vim Da Bahia” is such a
good performance it can headline a full length release as ably as shorter forms
and doesn’t take any shortcuts or pander to any low common denominators. Shorn
of gimmicks or production tricks, we are treated instead to music as pure as
driven snow that lights us up and sticks in your consciousness. It is far from
the last thing we will hear from this vocalist; Reeves is possessed with the
spirit of song, obvious intelligence, and one gets the feeling she would never
stop singing even if she never recorded another note. Her passion is seductive
and real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">AMAZON: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eu-Vim-Da-Bahia/dp/B00J49XLGS"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://www.amazon.com/Eu-Vim-Da-Bahia/dp/B00J49XLGS</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Troy Johnson</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-10657778237090901762019-05-11T11:52:00.002-07:002019-08-12T22:38:38.061-07:00The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina - Little King and the Salamander (demos) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGNYb1rAZRY/XNcZ6pJwQGI/AAAAAAAAAfk/RSNLfM9tNXI-zVGKOIrp1459OiQpaN4WQCLcBGAs/s1600/51guZAuNYGL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGNYb1rAZRY/XNcZ6pJwQGI/AAAAAAAAAfk/RSNLfM9tNXI-zVGKOIrp1459OiQpaN4WQCLcBGAs/s400/51guZAuNYGL._SS500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheMerrymakersOrchestrina/">https://www.facebook.com/TheMerrymakersOrchestrina/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What Fools We Can Be,” the second song in the
14-track collection of buzzing ballads and righteously rhythmic rockers that is
The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina’s new album Little King and the Salamander
(demos), isn’t the only slow song that we’ll hear in this retro-style indie
fantasy, but its lightly overdriven guitar grooves will make it one of the more
memorable along with the chilling “Fade into the Night,” which sets us up for
the closing jazz wails of “I Have Always Been Here” better than any other tune
could have. In songs like these, as well as the contrition-soaked crooning of
“Slip Away (Dreamin’ Again),” the Gallagher brothers-esque “She’ll Do
Anything,” and the midcentury melancholy of “I’ll Be (Kisses at Your Door),” we
get to experience the acoustic prowess of The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina in a way
that I never would have imagined finding on an album allegedly comprised of
demo tracks exclusively. The balladic harmonies that these recordings offer us
are unlike any other that you’re going to hear this season, and confirm what
most critics (myself included) already knew about this deeply talented group of
musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina doesn’t fail to
cut loose just enough to satisfy fans of their edgier stuff in Little King and
the Salamander (demos), and ascribe themselves to the experimental rock
category in songs like “White Light and Lullabies,” “Particle Craze,”
“Definitely Not My Underwear,” the eponymous “The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina”
(ironically the one song that I found to be the least cohesive with this entire
set) and the agitated “Jeepers Creepers,” which is one of my favorite songs of
theirs to date. They got off the rails-eccentric in a couple of instances, but
to be perfectly frank, I think that this band wears the crazy look in
alternative rock better than almost anyone else in their scene does. A lot of
artists have been trying to “go old school” in the past 15 years – from garish
indie acts like Wolfmother to more erudite crews like Dead Meadow – but I don’t
think I’ve ever heard another band that exploits the framework of tradition
with the same honest gusto that these guys do every time they get into the
studio. If these really are demos, I can’t imagine how potent a performance The
Merrymaker’s Orchestrina could put on if they had an unlimited budget to record
with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Whether it’s their hot harmonies or their ice
cold groovers, Little King and the Salamander (demos) has got fans of The
Merrymaker’s Orchestrina covered this year with 14 songs that you aren’t soon
to forget. There’s a ton of good music scheduled to make delivery in both the
underground and the mainstream this spring, but I plan on keeping this staple
of 2018 spinning on my stereo well into the summer. There are very few bands
that evoke the vivid imagery that these cats can just by laying into a
righteously vintage riff, and for what I look for in a modern alternative unit,
they meet pretty much every expectation I could have as both a critic and a
fan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">SPOTIFY: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/7b4BcRDjTTaHhvoJ0I0Mgi"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://open.spotify.com/album/7b4BcRDjTTaHhvoJ0I0Mgi</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;">Benjamin
Gross</span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-7071456776048748442019-05-05T11:48:00.003-07:002019-08-12T22:38:45.440-07:00Victor PEDRO’s “Call Me, I Miss Ya!”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G-rypv2wpcg/XM8wBSG4tAI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/LvnN3CqnI4UK1bmjhO5zZGQG86k4lT_ZwCLcBGAs/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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G-rypv2wpcg/XM8wBSG4tAI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/LvnN3CqnI4UK1bmjhO5zZGQG86k4lT_ZwCLcBGAs/s400/VP4.png" width="390" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Within
the thick, resonating grasp of a sultry bassline, Victor PEDRO’s voice
elegantly penetrates the pristine instrumental backdrop of his new single “Call
Me, I Miss Ya!,” a track that is quickly becoming one of the most discussed
among underground releases this spring. PEDRO will stop at nothing in his quest
to make us feel every ounce of the emotion occupying his heart in this song,
and while the beats are inarguably the most spellbinding element in the track,
they’re hardly the only reason to give this single a really close look this
season, regardless of your familiarity with the artist’s work.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><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 reggae influences in PEDRO’s sound are only
subtly referenced in “Call Me, I Miss Ya!,” but they play enough of a role in
the construction of the song’s core aesthetic that they’re highly noticeable to
both the expert music critic and the untrained ear alike. The vocal is smooth,
sexy and riddled with a Caribbean swing that adds to the texture of the lyrics
tremendously. The bass is as big and bad as they come, but it’s not so cool as
to reject a little old school Dancehall flavor in its strut. PEDRO has a lot of
different elements working in synchronicity here, but it never feels like he’s
dealing with an overly ambitious setup.</span><span style="color: #222222; 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;">Percussion is always a key component in getting
people’s hips swaying, and “Call Me, I Miss Ya!” isn’t devoid of a
devastatingly handsome beat, driven by nothing short of a blustery,
well-defined drum set. The grooves are larger than life, but they don’t steal
the attention away from the vocal track at all. The mix is careful to share the
spotlight amongst all of the individual parts in the song, and even when
there’s one element grabbing you over another, it’s never long before it’s
joined by a litany of other textures originating from other places in the
track.</span><span style="color: #222222; 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;">There’s little adrenaline in this single – if any
at all – but I wouldn’t say that the rhythm of the song is the least bit
pendulous. The grooves are really lively and rich with organic vitality, but
from start to finish, PEDRO’s relaxed attitude influences the pace of the music
more than anything else does. His verses are spot-on as far as timing goes, but
there’s not a doubt in my mind that this is his most confident and sleekly
arranged material so far.</span><span style="color: #222222; 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;">It’s been six years since Victor PEDRO made his debut,
and he’s not showing any signs of slowing down at all in his most recent
release, which should be considered one of his best yet. There’s not a lot
demanded of us in “Call Me, I Miss Ya!” other than a sliver of our attention,
and in exchange for this, PEDRO rewards his audience with a cultured hip-hop
experience that is far and away more engaging than virtually anything that his
American counterparts and closest rivals in the Old World are producing at the
moment. He’s still got a ways to go before he can break out of the underground,
but this is definitely a step in the right direction.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Levi Campbell</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-20907509628526603102019-04-15T10:46:00.002-07:002019-08-12T22:38:55.055-07:00Francine Honey releases To Be Continued…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDgs358X21g/XLTDZcCKkaI/AAAAAAAAAew/OUENpDkBpiwhiDpPxLMUOtKCsQiwMeydgCLcBGAs/s1600/616H7RqukAL._SS500_%2B%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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDgs358X21g/XLTDZcCKkaI/AAAAAAAAAew/OUENpDkBpiwhiDpPxLMUOtKCsQiwMeydgCLcBGAs/s400/616H7RqukAL._SS500_%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">FACEBOOK: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FrancineHoneySongs/"><span style="color: black;">https://www.facebook.com/FrancineHoneySongs/</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Francine Honey is far from a newcomer to the music world and her
Canadian upbringing has proven to be no impediment for her discovering success
on wider United States stages. Her third album <i>To Be Continued… </i>features
the best eleven songs she’s committed to a full length recording and her
songwriting acumen has advanced far since 2014’s <i>Re-Drawn</i>. She is
investing much more of herself than ever before in these new songs and fills
the album with extensive variety few of her contemporaries can readily match. Honey
has found an ideal manifestation of the sound she hears in her head with the
release of <i>To Be Continued… </i>and it will open countless new
vistas for her art moving forward from here.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Snowflakes on My Eyelashes” is one of the finest poetic moments
included on the release. The sensitivity Honey exhibits as a vocalist elevates
already exceptional lyrics to the level of performed poetry and the nuanced
musical backing further reinforces the composition’s clear strengths. It is a
note perfect introduction to the album – both musically and lyrically. Another
delicate moment on the release arrives with its title track. “To Be Continued”
underlines Honey’s storytelling talents without ever becoming maudlin – I feel
it is a song you can only relate to past your thirtieth birthday and, with each
passing year, its reflections will only gain resonance. The haunted musical
arrangement is well suited for such ruminations. The bridge is particularly
affecting</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Honey” takes <i>To
Be Continued… </i>in a tasty bluesy direction without ever succumbing to
the same tired blues clichés often weighing down such efforts. Much of this can
be attributed to the inherent playfulness of her vocal; she owns this lyric
with irrepressible personality and, of course, a wealth of talent. The musicians
acquit themselves quite well and provide gritty, yet tempered, accompaniment.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s palpable pathos in the single “Shacked Up Sweetie”,
understated, but plenty of the aforementioned playfulness as well. The song’s
video underlines the playfulness without ever dragging the song into outright
comedy and reminds me of the top shelf promotional fare often attached to some
of the best country singles from the dawn of the genre’s video age in the late
80’s-early 90’s with its celebratory air. It has a light honkytonk sound, again
understated but present, and the band keeps things on point while Honey leads
the way with her powerful voice.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Mamas Take Bad Dreams Away” reminds me of the carefully wrought
emotional landscape laid out in the opener and title song. It’s a deceptively
simple song insofar as it depicts a scene familiar to many, but the well-chosen
language and vocal artistry she brings to phrasing the lyrics comes together
for one of the album’s most satisfying efforts. The track “Marilyn” is another
of the album’s fine points and packs quite an emotional wallop. The writing
powering this tune, especially lyrically, has some of the deepest nuance you
will hear on <i>To Be Continued…</i> and the band, specifically the
acoustic guitar work, frames everything in a compelling manner for Honey’s
vocal. Francine Honey should be very proud of this album. It risks cliché, but
there is something here for everyone; fun, deadly seriousness, and an abundance
of emotion marking every musical and lyrical turn. <i>To Be Continued…</i> is
her first studio album in a while, but it is undoubtedly worth the wait.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">CD BABY: <a href="https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/francinehoney3"><span style="color: black;">https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/francinehoney3</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trace Whittaker</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-88797838163827720392019-03-18T18:14:00.002-07:002019-08-12T22:39:03.503-07:00Stephanie Rose releases sophomore release<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9uGSPiQwMI/XJBCYt2EaXI/AAAAAAAAAdo/0Ab60mvrFeAd27yJao8UnT0UvSMxma-iwCLcBGAs/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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9uGSPiQwMI/XJBCYt2EaXI/AAAAAAAAAdo/0Ab60mvrFeAd27yJao8UnT0UvSMxma-iwCLcBGAs/s400/41bwbp2si8L._SS500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
an appropriate name for Stephanie Rose’s new release. The successor to her
debut EP <i>Go Where the Wind Takes You</i> is a six song EP entitled<i> Sprout</i> and
the plain-spoken brevity of the title is fitting for a sophomore effort
expanding Rose’s songwriting vision with the same understated artistry that
shapes her material. She starts off with the title song and, while the
songwriting keys on a much different image, you can’t help but hear this song
as a metaphor for her ballooning reputation as one of the most promising
performers and writers today. The arrangement is quite a kicker to me – who
would ever expect horns, but it punctuates the song really well. Rose puts some
effective dynamics into “Rusted Love”, alternating from a full throated rock
sweep into muted, yet simmering, passages, and she fills the lyric with a
strong presence. It’s quite a change from the first song, but entertained
and engaged me from the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">URL: <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="https://www.stephanierosemusic.com/about.html"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.stephanierosemusic.com/about.html</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
really swept me up with the EP’s third song “Luxury”. It’s emblematic of her
growing talents; Rose places herself in the middle of a life in dire straits
yet finds redemption in the ties that sustain her subjects. It’s a song that
could risk melodrama and cliché alike; Rose avoids that, however, thanks to how
she grounds the song in so many telling details that flesh out the experience
for listeners. It has an elegiac, slightly rueful air, but I never feel like
the arrangement or lyric dragged me down emotionally. Instead, I finished this
song admiring both her characters and Rose’s own considerable talents. She
changes things up and goes in a much rootsier direction with the song “Old
Soul”. It doesn’t get much more basic than a fleet footed shuffle tempo and
acoustic guitars, but the song is a winner nonetheless. Much of the
responsibility for its merits comes from the casual fluency of the musical
performance and another engaging Rose vocal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
goes back to the familiar ground of the EP’s second song for “Crushed”, but
there’s a more even balance between her low key country influences and the rock
side of her character. The light touches of reverb on the six string during the
introduction give the song a slightly unsettled vibe she returns to later in
the song, but Rose builds much of the track’s success off the same
juxtaposition of dynamics that made “Rusted Love” so memorable. I think the
chorus for the last song “Same Old Same Old” is one of the album’s best moments
in this area and Rose, along with her fellow musicians, play the moment with
just the right amount of skill. It’s mid tempo, but there’s still enough hints
of a slow drag shuffle in the arrangement any listener will feel familiar with
the setting from the start. Rose does an excellent job mixing the signature
with the recognizable on <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sprout </span></i>and the
EP’s six songs show tremendous growth from a first EP that still ranks among
the best country releases in recent years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TWITTER: <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="https://twitter.com/steprosemusic?lang=en"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://twitter.com/steprosemusic?lang=en</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jason
Hillenburg</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-30347118303353173652018-11-15T12:02:00.002-08:002019-08-12T22:39:11.022-07:00 Rob Alexander’s new album Long Road Coming Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><u style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/robalexandermusic/"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://www.facebook.com/robalexandermusic/</span></a></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rob Alexander’s new album Long Road Coming Home is chock
full of vibrant and evocative tracks that each work to capture a different
element in his multilayered sound, but the record’s title track and fourth
single is perhaps the most opulently vivid, emotional and relatable in its
collection. Alexander doesn’t pull any punches in the lyrics of this song; on
the contrary, he goes out of his way to wear his soul on his sleeve, cutting
through any barriers that might exist between the music and us with his slick
style of attack. For being a lethargic year in pop, this single stands out as a
much needed beacon of radiance and optimism.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">All four singles
released from Long Road Coming Home have shown off a different angle
of Rob Alexander’s multidimensional approach to songwriting, and in the title
track we get to experience his more elegant side firing on all cylinders. The
song plods along at the pace of a funeral drum, but its melody is anything but
elegiac in nature. The crispness of the percussion and the insular hum of the
instruments slinking around Alexander’s commanding voice create an atmospheric
glow that is infectiously comforting. Though its climax isn’t as exciting as
I’d like it to be, the brooding shadow the chorus casts makes up for it in
spades.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Alexander is as vulnerable as he’s ever been with us in “Long Road
Coming Home,” but he also comes off as speaking from a removed place of wisdom.
Hindsight isn’t always 20/20, but what’s really trying to be conveyed to us
here isn’t the concept that time heals all wounds. More than anything else, I
get the impression that Alexander wants us to consider the courage that it
takes to admit our faults and transcend the past in order to make a better
future. After all, we’re often the ones who make the road home all the longer
with our indecision and lack of self-realization</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The mix of this track is a little plain for my taste, but the play
from the band and Alexander himself is actually quite exceptional. It’s
somewhat frustrating that the chorus is so much louder than the introductory
verses are, but the absence of clarity doesn’t take so much away from the
performance that the single becomes unlistenable. Rob Alexander has a wild
talent that I would imagine is hard to capture within the four walls of a studio,
but I think his music would benefit significantly from a slightly more concise
mix in the future.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">While he still has room for growth in several cosmetic areas of
his songcraft, Rob Alexander shines nevertheless in “Long Road Coming Home” and
delivers another rollicking soft rock sonnet to satisfy our inner lust for
unblemished harmonies. Like the whole of his new album, “Long Road Coming Home”
showcases the smoldering passion of a songwriter who utilizes a unique method
when it comes to constructing original material. His music isn’t born out of a
template nor a concept conceived by his forerunners; it comes from within his
own heart.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I-TUNES: </span><u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/long-road-coming-home/1348846070"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/long-road-coming-home/1348846070</span></a></span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trevor Hopkins<br />
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The music of Rob Alexander has been heard all over the world due to the
promotional services offered by Danie Cortese Entertainment & Publicity.
Learn more here - <span style="color: #7c93a1;"><a href="http://www.daniecorteseent.com/">http://www.daniecorteseent.com/</a></span></span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-40022361397668183302018-11-12T17:34:00.004-08:002019-05-05T20:37:50.331-07:00Abby Zotz - Local Honey (LP)<br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">URL: </span><a href="https://abbyzmusic.com/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://abbyzmusic.com/</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I value, more than all else in music, albums
and artists who can transport me into their own personal vision for a time. I
want it to be a fully immersive affair. Longtime folk music singer/songwriter
Abby Zotz accomplishes that and more with her first solo album <i>Local
Honey</i> and, definitely in some senses, the album marks a break with her
extraordinarily rewarding past in favor of a new dawn. Many of the musical
strengths defining her two decade musical career are present on this album, as
well as the roots of her classical education, are in evidence throughout the
collection, but she has expanded on the sound she hears in her mind with <i>Local
Honey </i>and sounds comfortable on every cut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some people might find the premise behind the
opener “Stability” to be a bit predictable, but this isn’t necessarily a bad
thing as part of the joy the song produces comes from hearing how well she
executes the inevitable turns in its lyrical and musical narrative plus what
added personality she can bring to a familiar theme. The energy crackling off
the recording never overwhelms listeners, but it’s ideal for the album’s
beginning track. Zotz latches onto a funky retro vibe with the second tune “Big
Hope” and the title alone reflects the inherently upbeat slant defining this album.
It isn’t a Pollyanna approach to the world, however, and that’s reflected in
the bluesy guitar lines cutting through the song’s mix. The production is a
constant strength for <i>Local Honey </i>and gives these already
great tunes even more dramatic punch.<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: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1Pg_pFpyqeQXbLRz54kRQ"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1Pg_pFpyqeQXbLRz54kRQ</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;">“Peace Sweet Peace” and “Pirouette” are
wildly contrasting songs illustrative of her far reaching talents. The light-stepping
musical approach of her gospel cut “Peace Sweet Peace” strikes a pleasing
universal note but the latter song is a much shapelier, tightly controlled
number with a shuffle like sound that Zotz’s voice slides through with great
confidence. “Pirouette” is one of the finest lyrics on <i>Local Honey</i>,
but the later track “Be Here Now” may be the sharpest piece of writing on the
release. There are some particularly winning lines near the beginning drawing
together a character with a few brief strokes and the remainder of the song
fleshes it out with a single wasted movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The comforting touch of “Hush Baby Waltz” is
one of the album’s more elegant musical turns and the vocal for this song is
framed perfectly against its arrangement. The apex of her nuance on <i>Local
Honey</i> comes with the song “Sea Change” and the weaving of her voice,
taking obvious delight in the lyrics and phrasing alike, plays off the
musicians with a sparkle in her eye. I didn’t enjoy the album’s ending, at
first, thinking it too light, but “You’ll Never Know” grew on me with a few
listens because it’s such a confident, underplayed conclusion for <i>Local
Honey</i>. It’s an important new turn for her musical career, but the variety
of her first solo album heralds a critical turning point in her life 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;">DEEZER: <a href="https://www.deezer.com/us/album/69628302"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.deezer.com/us/album/69628302</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;">Levi
Colston</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-87913689282590460992018-10-07T21:49:00.003-07:002019-05-05T20:37:32.862-07:00Wave 21 releases Self-Titled LP<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-asAbXyRVeHw/W7rhzKW5kiI/AAAAAAAAAbs/NGqQamIGk8sX3DrL2gTWeGlADBnnzIOEwCLcBGAs/s1600/v0alb01333222_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="370" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-asAbXyRVeHw/W7rhzKW5kiI/AAAAAAAAAbs/NGqQamIGk8sX3DrL2gTWeGlADBnnzIOEwCLcBGAs/s400/v0alb01333222_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FACEBOOK: <span style="color: #7c93a1;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wave21band">https://www.facebook.com/wave21band</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In their eponymous new
full-length album, Wave 21 comes roaring out of the Canadian wilderness to find
themselves smackdab in the middle of the Nashville spotlight and changing the
game for every country music band around them. In ten elegantly stylized
original songs, they assert themselves as one of the biggest players in the
international pop music scene and easily the most exciting band to watch
entering the next decade and beyond.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
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I had a chance to listen to Wave 21 ahead of its release this year,
and although I was expecting to hear something pretty terrific based on the
sterling reputation that the band has built up for themselves, I could have
never predicted that I would be as moved as I was by what I heard. Wave 21
aren’t just making the best brand of country music to be introduced in 2018;
they’re making the most charming pop music in all of the western hemisphere
right now, and having a really good time along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">YOU TUBE: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0rm0gWc7RWsOeR8PrKtEGA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0rm0gWc7RWsOeR8PrKtEGA</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My favorite song from
this record was “It’ll Be One of These Days,” but “Set Me Free” was a very
close runner-up. Both tracks recall the golden age of country pop’s apex of
success back in the late 1990s, and yet neither feel like a throwback to the
past. Every song on Wave 21 is deeply unique to our modern,
innovative times for sure, as I don’t think that most of these songs would have
even been creatable with the limited palates that were producing records twenty
years ago. Country music doesn’t need anyone else singing about cheating wives
and drunken bar brawls in a dusty, half-yearning half-jaded voice anymore. What
it does need is more bands like this one, who aren’t scared of change but
instead make an entire career out of embracing it and seeing where the winds of
creativity take them. I don’t think it matters for Wave 21 whether or not they
get a platinum record or dominate the airwaves with their music videos. If
their melodies have reached even one person, then their mission has been
accomplished.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">REVERBNATION: </span><span style="color: #7c93a1; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/wave21band">https://www.reverbnation.com/wave21band</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re in the market for a colorful,
diversely appointed record that rebels against stereotypes and the analogue way
of doing things, I would highly recommend checking out Wave 21’s latest
collection of country anthems. This is bar none the coolest listen of the late
summer, and hopefully it will usher in a more exciting autumn than what a lot
of other critics have been anticipating it could be. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There hasn’t been a lot of great talent to
really talk about in the last ten years, but now that Wave 21 is around there’s
reason to get enthusiastic about country music and the artists behind its
current campaign. I’ll be patiently waiting for this band to visit my town in
the near future and give me a chance to see their live show in person; until
then, you can count on this record being in my daily playlist for the
indeterminable future.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BANDMIX: <span style="color: #7c93a1;"><a href="https://www.bandmix.ca/wave-21/">https://www.bandmix.ca/wave-21/</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tyler Shaughnessy </span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-61756253156657102792018-09-14T19:14:00.000-07:002019-05-05T20:40:26.373-07:00The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina - Act 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kupx-r_C3gA/W5xrE_kbg4I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/FVxMOl9kqisWZi9SYrrKlKaiJ1981AvZgCLcBGAs/s1600/Ryan-in-costume-close-up-e1529961531735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kupx-r_C3gA/W5xrE_kbg4I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/FVxMOl9kqisWZi9SYrrKlKaiJ1981AvZgCLcBGAs/s400/Ryan-in-costume-close-up-e1529961531735.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">FACEBOOK: </span><a href="https://mtouch.facebook.com/TheMerrymakersOrchestrina/?__tn__=%2AsH-R" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://mtouch.facebook.com/TheMerrymakersOrchestrina/?__tn__=%2AsH-R</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It wasn’t but a few years ago when I believed the best music in
our culture belonged to the past and even the most talented among younger, more
modern generations lacked something I admired in their older, iconic
counterparts. I theorized the lack existed because the frame of reference for
aspiring musicians today is so much more limited than I experienced as a young
man. We are drowning in media, inundated with choices, and our reeling brains
satisfying shrinking attention spans with increasingly narrow selections. No
one seemed to be in it for the long haul; everything sounded tailored towards
the least common denominator, and fixated on familiar themes without any
individuality or invention. New York City based songwriter Ryan Shivdasani and
his band The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina, however, is evidence for me and any
reasonable listener that there are extraordinarily talented musicians and
songwriters working today with the ambition to spread their artistic wings as
far as they like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina’s <i>Act 3 </i>has
thirteen songs with a potpourri of styles. Shivdasani and his musical partners
are gifted with obvious chops, but they manage what a lot of top flight
musicians can’t – subvert their inclination to exhibit the extent of their
skills while still utilizing what they know to extend the song’s appeal. The
songs “Particle Craze” and “Watched You Out My Window” lay strongest claim to
traditional songwriting, but Shivdasani skewers our expectations with a sonic
landscape all his own – rhythms seem slightly off, the vocals are treated with
suggestive post production effects, and the latter song may reminds some of
60’s psychedelic pop, melodic, but slightly unsettled in a way you just can’t
turn your attention from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some listeners may not initially know what to make of “Cowboys
and Indians”. In some ways, it sounds like a glorious riff on classic Devo and
spiked with a spastic amphetamine rush. Others may hear lightly demented surf
music coming through and there’s definitely a punk rock influence bubbling
through the song as well. It’s one of the album’s shorter songs, under three
minutes, and bristles with kinetic energy from the outset, but listening to the
lyrics reveals one of the more thoughtful pieces of Shivdasani writing on <i>Act
3. </i>There’s an aspect of the singer/songwriter to what Shivdasani is
doing and the words aren’t afterthoughts in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are a couple of quiet interludes on the album and the
first of them comes with the track “Slip Away”. It’s a folk influenced song,
surely a style Shivdasani has thorough exposure to through his own listening
and presence in the New York City area, and the recurring vocal harmonies are
all the added gloss needed for this song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“There’s No Such Thing as God” revisits the suggestion of punk
influence heard with “Cowboys and Indians” but, this time out, makes no bones
about it. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but even those
uncomfortable with its message can concede it’s an effective tune. “Blood
Country” is a wicked good track, but not particularly pleasant – what mitigates
it, however, is the cracking musical performance that manages, while paring
things back to the barest of essentials for a song, still manages to pack an
enormous wallop. The album closes with “Wait Behind”, the second acoustic
track, and it’s a little lusher than we heard with “Slip Away” with some
melancholic instrumental breaks built in. One can scarcely imagine much better
in modern music, at least for a listener like me – The Merrymaker’s Orchestrina <i>Act
3</i> hits all the marks for me and whets my appetite for more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I-TUNES: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/act-3/1375728072"><span style="color: #7c93a1;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/act-3/1375728072</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lloyd Bear</span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-46764011002607740302018-09-06T16:42:00.001-07:002018-09-06T16:42:16.404-07:00AV Super Sunshine drops explosive Single<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvfh4E6KE0M/W5G7T4PYtxI/AAAAAAAAAa8/oE9EMjD34ikKf1c0UlG4PwVcWIEUqOC2ACLcBGAs/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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvfh4E6KE0M/W5G7T4PYtxI/AAAAAAAAAa8/oE9EMjD34ikKf1c0UlG4PwVcWIEUqOC2ACLcBGAs/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;">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></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Time Bomb” comes in two
distinct mixes, the radio DJ and club cuts, and both pack one hell of a wallop
in different ways. One characteristic distinguishing both versions is the five
star production focusing the musical elements of each song in such a way that
everything works in concert rather than listeners experiencing the feeling of
different sounds and instruments pulling against each other or working at cross
purposes. The club mix is very uptempo, but backs off the pace at a handful of
points in a way generating tremendous momentum for the next passage and the
effect is quite good for listeners. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Electronic instruments dominate the club
mix, certainly not unexpectedly, but they are always presented in such a way
that it never feels overwrought – the mixes are very different from one
another, but one common approach linking them is how muscular both takes are in
approaching AV’s musical ideas. They come leaping to life in the club mix and
it isn’t hard to hear how appreciative listeners and audiences across the world
will be to hear this version.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Unlike many acts in this vein, there’s never any sense of
Bradford attempting to bury the vocals in order to strengthen the sound of the
electronica. Instead, he wisely keeps them equal throughout much of the performance
and only restructures the singing in a major way during the club version’s
second half. Guitar and melody take on important parts with this mix, although
there isn’t as much emphasis during the club version as we hear with the radio
DJ cut. The club mix is much longer, as well, running over five minutes long,
but we never hear any sense of Bradford overreaching to make an impact on
listeners</span></div>
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<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 radio version of “Time Bomb” shares some of the same
mounting quality we hear in the club mix, but it likewise never comes off
overcooked in any way. The same muscularity makes this work as well, but it
stresses traditional instruments much more than the synthesizer work in the
club version. Despite the quality of the instrumental playing, the key for the
radio version ends up being the strong vocals courtesy of AV’s lead singing
coupled with some strong backing vocals. It’s a much shorter number than the
club take, less than four minutes in comparison to its companion, but both
songs share another quality – the laser-beam push of both versions never wastes
your time and involves listeners from the very beginning. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s a performance
designed to have the widest possible appeal, but it’s equally appealing to fans
who’ve been listening to music for years. I’m not even that much of a fan when
it comes to electronic instruments, but this song made me a believer earlier on
and it holds up under repeated listens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">CLUB MIX: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/29911618">https://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/29911618</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;">RADIO DJ MIX: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/av-super-sunshine/time-bomb-radio-dj-mix">https://soundcloud.com/av-super-sunshine/time-bomb-radio-dj-mix</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;">Richard Spradley</span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-86111411643751985822018-09-05T20:25:00.002-07:002018-09-05T20:26:01.327-07:00 Conceptz drops new Single<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfcdD6OS_Qo/W5CeHNYU6bI/AAAAAAAAAao/03lul7PILAsxrz7fYplnw1_HnYUNm2VfwCLcBGAs/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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfcdD6OS_Qo/W5CeHNYU6bI/AAAAAAAAAao/03lul7PILAsxrz7fYplnw1_HnYUNm2VfwCLcBGAs/s400/36735792_1217145781760245_4454782822925729792_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">URL: </span><a href="https://www.conceptzmusic.net/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.conceptzmusic.net/</a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">There’s
been a lot of debate over what’s going on with hip-hop right now. Everyone in
the music media seems to be convinced that hip-hop is under siege from external
influences who don’t have its best interests at heart. If you ask me, in
addition to all of this pointless arguing, it’s the big egos tug-of-warring
over stylistic and financial control over hip-hop as a commercial entity that
is what’s really killing the scene right now. Indie rappers like New York
twosome Conceptz often seem like the only ones swimming against the current
when it comes to megalomania in hip-hop, and in my opinion their new song
“Splash” is their greatest contribution to battle yet, embodying the true
essence of what it means to be focused on making art for the sake of art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Splash” is
an grand, anthemic call to push shyness to the side and get a little crazy, but
it’s less of a party jam than it is a straight up missile fired point blank in
the direction of the remaining northeast hip-hop elite who stand between
Conceptz remaining underground heroes and becoming a world-wide smash. The
damage is extensive; I haven’t heard anyone banging out this kind of red
blooded thunder with nothing but a beat and a microphone in years, which is odd
considering that this aggressive approach to rapping is probably what made the
genre so appealing and addictive listening back in the 90’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Conceptz
has mad attitude, but “Splash” isn’t as threatening or severe as what some
college radio rappers often produce, making this song far more accessible to
the casual hip-hop fan than the average track of its class. It’s possible that
Conceptz decided that they needed to take things in a slightly more polished
direction as this decade ends and the next one dawns, but I don’t think the
decision was one that was solely based on a market strategy. In fact, I think
that this refined addition to their discography is more characteristic of a
band maturing and growing into their sound a little more, which is something
that doesn’t always happen, even when a group has been together for as long as
Conceptz has been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I’d
recommend “Splash” as an excellent starter track for anyone just getting into
Conceptz huge collection of recorded works. It’s a great way to get a glimpse
at the full scope of the pair’s almost limitless abilities both as producers
and as songwriters, but most of all, it’s could get a lot more people
previously disinterested in hip-hop to give the genre another chance to have
the impact on their lives that it’s had on all of ours. It’s a commendable and
quite honorable notion, and in my gut I can feel the pride that Conceptz takes
in knowing that their music is having the effect on pop culture that it is at
this present moment in time. Who knows what will come next for these two as
their story continues to be told before our very eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">INSTAGRAM: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darealconceptz/">https://www.instagram.com/darealconceptz/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Casey Logan</span></span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-1646965497746881282018-08-06T14:07:00.001-07:002018-08-06T14:07:45.291-07:00“Losing Me” by Llauria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wP-7Gp2rIwA/W2i4j7PrOCI/AAAAAAAAAZs/Y2b3G1sLUR8yjIl6-oqYn1NOZUWBDWZBACLcBGAs/s1600/LAURIA22hn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="491" height="397" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wP-7Gp2rIwA/W2i4j7PrOCI/AAAAAAAAAZs/Y2b3G1sLUR8yjIl6-oqYn1NOZUWBDWZBACLcBGAs/s400/LAURIA22hn.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Me” by Llauria</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">URL:
<a href="https://www.lauria-music.com/">https://www.lauria-music.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Let’s
be perfectly clear, “Losing Me” from Canadian newcomer, Lauria, is not New Age
music. It’s not meditation music. Nor is the song the next big EDM track ready
to pounce the dance floor and invade your ears. The song is relaxing, yes.
“Losing Me” is reflective and contemplative, yes. Is it ready to invade your
ears? Definitely. Yes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Combining
quick but sharp lyrics and a soulful voice, Lauria’s debut song is refreshingly
honest. While other singers/songwriters pander to a specific formula or stamp
of approval, Lauria’s cool factor and fearless artistry comes across seamlessly
in the three-and-a-half-minute tune. As a listener I at first felt like the
music bed sounded familiar or even a bit generic. The more I listened to
“Losing Me” the more I felt enveloped and surrounded by the overall vibe and
calming presence. Lauria has this underlying confidence that put me at ease. The
music warmed up to me and I like its little nuances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Born
Florie-Laure “Lauria” Zadigue </span><span style="background: white; color: #202020; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Dubé, her emergence to the music scene is surprising since
she’s currently a student at Montreal’s Concordia University. Maybe that’s why
she’s only released a single and not a full-length or EP. Here’s to hoping she
can slam out some more songs and works between classes. Her youth and
inexperience, like New Zealand’s Lorde, doesn’t deter your listening
experience. In fact, this makes her all the more interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #202020; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
sensed a hint of a French accent, but just a faint whisper. I think Lauria
comes across very confident for someone her age (presumably) and worldly. With
lyrics like “I deserve better than this” and “at the end of the day you’re the
one losing me,” I felt very connected to her voice and her overall
surroundings. “Losing Me” creatively intertwines a hum-along chorus with a
stirring music bed. This song stirs the soul and the mind. Your hips might move
a little, but it’s your mind that travels across the tonal waves. Lauria’s voice
is never over-the-top and certainly not overproduced. She’s downright
relatable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #202020; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In
some ways, I’d like to think this song is a female empowerment ballad. She’s
giving the finger to her former lover and basically saying, it’s your loss, not
mine. Lauria goes as far to sing, “this shit is crazy.” I loved that she went
there with her phrasing. Or maybe she’s singing about losing her own identity
in the relationship? The other person doesn’t get to know the real her and it’s
their loss. It’s hard to say, and perhaps at different times and different days
the outcome is different. There in lies the beauty of this song – it takes you
to different spaces both in your head and in your heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #202020; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
highly recommend Lauria’s “Losing Me” for your summer playlist. Sit back and
relax, enjoy the sunshine rays, and one of Canada’s newest and brightest
artist. This song is a great addition to your Spotify selections. I’m feeling
it, and I’m betting “Losing Me” is on track to become a head turner and soul
keeper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">CONCERT
MONKEY: <a href="http://www.concertmonkey.be/news/lauria-hey-guys-check-out-my-first-single-losing-me">http://www.concertmonkey.be/news/lauria-hey-guys-check-out-my-first-single-losing-me</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Christopher
Eaton</span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-15188048230105997632018-07-03T11:22:00.000-07:002018-07-03T11:22:18.822-07:00Cathy Hutch – Free Wheelin’<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cathy Hutch – Free Wheelin’</span></div>
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YOU TUBE: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUzQxjA_psxvjSoHezp6R7oJfTxtN1fh"><span style="color: #b87209; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUzQxjA_psxvjSoHezp6R7oJfTxtN1fh</span></a><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you’re looking to
catch some of the hottest country music in Canada this upcoming summer, I
encourage you to find your way to one of Cathy Hutch’s live performances in
support of her new album <i>Free Wheelin’</i>, released earlier this year.
An epic homage to her blues-rock roots, <i>Free Wheelin’</i> is
everything that Hutch’s longtime fans have been waiting for since her first
record <i>Not Goin’ Back</i> inspired her initial cult following. Her
underground status is certainly looking to short lived, as Hutch is not only
generating buzz throughout all of the North American independent music community,
but inviting plenty of airplay on specialty radio with her catchy, carefree
lyrics and masterful command of the guitar.</span><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Free
Wheelin’</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> starts us off with the anthemic “Carry You
Along,” which essentially sets the tone for the entire record with its boisterous
acoustic guitars and Memphis style blues swagger. “Good Friends Like You”
follows it up with wonderfully authentic balladry that reminds us of the
important part that our dearest friends play in both our everyday lives as well
as our toughest of moments. “Know it All” is the first red-blooded rocker of
the album, equipped with a machete sharp vocal from Hutch and a lead guitar
that epically dances back and forth between punk rock abrasiveness and blues
rock boastfulness. Just as the virtuosity of the six string is getting to be
more than our ears can process all at once, suddenly we come to a screeching
halt and are met with a George Harrison-style guitar lick that serves as the
introduction to “Reflections of My Life,” the most inward looking song on the
record. The sorrow that our singer is experiencing weighs heavy on our hearts,
but it isn’t to last. Instead there’s an emerging strength, a motivation to
climb higher that’s grabbing us as we make our way into “In My Life.” This
fifth track plays like a dawn breaking away the darkness in the early morning
on a deserted open plain. Steady palm muted riffing seems to be following us in
the shadows. Hutch’s rich vocals a reminiscent of what I imagine a heavenly
choir to sound like. “To Say Goodbye” and “Sweet Dave” should really share the
same track, as the melancholic elegy that is “To Say Goodbye” needs the
charming, bittersweet support of “Sweet Dave” and its Bayou-lent tempo.</span><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The album begins to draw
to a close by the time “Attitude of Gratitude” comes walloping through the
speakers and wakes us back up and drags our feet back to the earth to embrace
the heat coming off of the amplifiers. “The Best of Me” starts off in what
feels like a dark, red light-covered bedroom before it becomes clear that this
isn’t about dedicating your love to someone else, but rather finding a way to
learn to love yourself. Hutch doesn’t want to draw from a well that you’re
expecting her to, instead she wants to provoke your thoughts and make your ears
anticipate what’s coming next. The title track serves as our final rush of
liberation before</span><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Lullaby” peacefully
closes the curtains and leaves us to reflect on everything we’ve just heard. If
you’re looking for a record that is pleasing to far more than just one of your
senses, <i>Free Wheelin’</i> is one of 2018’s finest offerings to
date.</span><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I-TUNES: </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/free-wheelin/1365883982"><span style="color: #b87209; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/free-wheelin/1365883982</span></a><span style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">John McCall</span></div>
Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1956920853321800364.post-7912816397509877902018-06-11T19:39:00.001-07:002018-06-11T19:39:50.362-07:00Conor Gains – Compass<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Conor Gains – Compass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">URL: <a href="https://www.conorgainsband.com/music/"><span style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://www.conorgainsband.com/music/</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
good record is a lot like a good movie. There are characters, an essential
narrative, and enough depth in both to take the audience from the edge of their
seats and place them right in the middle of the current scene. And from the
depths of his soul, songwriter Conor Gains masterfully directs the story of his
debut album, <i>Compass</i>, in a performance that would be worthy of an
Academy Award in the film industry.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our
story begins as we shadow a set of footsteps on the track “I Know.” A rhythmic
snapping starts. Is this some Philly soul revving up the engine? The band is
tuning up, and the anticipation is getting ridiculous. Out of the foggy night;
enter Conor’s voice. He’s searching, yearning for something different. To find
the treasures where there has only been trash. The urban landscape in
springtime, the feel good energy that comes with a new season, it’s all around
us. Our intuition, like some sort of deity, is guiding us forward to where we
need to be. It’s a fresh start.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
amplifiers start to warm up a little bit, and we step into a swanky blues club
in “Walking Alone.” Tides of bittersweet melancholy start to wash us out to
sea. In the isolation we find a place to think. The heavens open up and let us
know we’re not alone. The irony is how alone we had to get just to discover
this. Gains picks up the beat in “Dance Like It’s Your Birthday,” and suddenly
it’s like we’re sitting piano-side to Stevie Wonder during the prime of his
electrifying career. Horns get peppered in, and it’s starting to feel like a
sunny summer day on Bourbon Street.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Ordinary
Love” takes us sailing away from the Crescent City and into a sultry love
scene. Giving someone everything, receiving so much ecstasy in return. No
matter the pain you’ve got to go through to get this feeling, it’s worth it
every time, as Gains so intelligibly relates to us. We start to descend into
the macrocosm of questions that this love poses in us in “I’ve Been Looking for
Your Heart;” what will it take for us to get that happy ending we always have
chased after. How will we conquer love together when we’re so completely
different? The band omits a brooding moan that is shattered by guitar feedback
and an explosive climax. In the traces of notation left, “In My Head” takes us
deep within our singer’s psyche, and the twists and turns created by the
thousands of synchronized sounds. Just when we’re in the grip of insanity,
“Back to You” arrives to rescue us and bring us back to the forgiving land that
we started our quest from. “Miracle” cranks up the heat on the amps once more
to see just how much paint we’ve got left on the walls, stepping swiftly into
your consciousness and leaving the debris of burnt and bashed guitars in its
wake. “Darkness in the Light” and its spiritual sequel song “Mexico” draw the
curtains closed on the record through a vivid black and white lens that
stylishly slips back into the night like a character from a classic noir
picture.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If <i>Compass</i> has
but one flaw, it is that after its ten song collection comes to a fitting end,
it leaves me desperate for much, much more output from its enigmatic leading
man.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I-TUNES: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/compass/1359993944"><span style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/compass/1359993944</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gary Williams</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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Markus Drueryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13787180134465484056noreply@blogger.com0