Mark Meisel

 

Mark Meisel 

URL: http://markmeisel.com/ 

Mark Meisel is a veteran musician and producer. He has toured with numerous national acts, and was a founding member and front man for Detroit's, Opie's Dream, throughout the 1990s. These days Mark has turned his attention to creating music for children that is also suitable for their parents and grand-parents. His latest CD Pick Up Your Toys - is a collection of songs that will both entertain and challenge children. Parents will be entertained too, and the tongue in cheek lyrical style will induce lots of laughs as children and their parents relate to the stories. Using the nom de plume "Zehti," Mark and his latest album will be embraced by the entire family.

Pick Up Your Toys - picks up where comedian and spoken word artists of the 70s left off. It should be evaluated with more than a keen ear to appreciate it. When you hear songs sung like this you should listen to the music too. Once you do that with this album you’re good to go. “Clap Clap Clap” starts and you don’t know what to think. But you have-to keep an open ear because the music demands it. This is fantastic in its own way and you can’t turn it off, you’ll want to hear what else is going on. It’s not that it’s even the best track, it’s just good enough to make it impossible not to be on board.

“Chew It Up” isn’t as good but if you like great guitar playing you still get something the young ones at the table might not even pick up on yet. It’s for the babies of the bunch, let’s put it that way. It would be perfect for playing to the toddlers. And since I mentioned that, it’s appropriate to follow with “The Walk Around” and it’s like part two, so it finishes what is really-just an okay experience in the former song. The guitar wins the prize on this for its smooth bluesy mood change that actually-manages to make the whole song. It’s one of the better moments to be assured.

“Dreams” is a little less inspiring, but it’s not the worst effort on the album. It’s a nice lullaby with some precision acoustic guitar playing but the story is more-or less forgettable. But it all depends on your cup of tea or coffee, glass of juice or milk, so to speak. It gets back on track for me with “At The Zoo” which lifts the spirits back up and makes you want to play it for everyone. I can also see why anyone would see these last two the other way around, but I already explained why. I’m with the bright side of things on this album, so I’ll stick with the latter, instead of the former.

“If You Hurry You Can Make It” is on the energetic side, and more fun for the family, but there’s a cool pop song under there too. Mark Meisel is good enough to balance all this and come out clean. “Pick Up Your Toys” being the title track probably lives up to its name as the best track on the album. But here’s also “Charlie Mae’s First Halloween” which is an indication by now that Charlie must be a family member or something. This is continued on “Charlie’s Driving The Car” before ending on a high note with “Hangin’ Out With Paw.” An overall good and well-produced album for the entire family.  

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mark-meisel/id4106209

Mike Tabor

Al Gromer Khan

Al Gromer Khan 

 

BANDCAMP: https://algromerkhan.bandcamp.com/ 

Munich, Germany – August 30, 2017 – German-born but with a universal sound, Al Gromer Khan started his career as a sitar player and composer over four decades ago. Today he sits proudly on over 50 recordings, a handful of books, and his latest best-selling album release 2016’s Chakra Noir and the 2017 single release “After the Crash.” Chakra Noir is the latest representative work in his ambient meets new age repertoire. It joins a myriad of sound that Al Gromer Khan has created over the years from 1974’s Hesse Between Music to last year’s Chakra Noir. It is safe to say he has achieved all of that and then some.  
 

The hypnic sounds od Al Gromer Khan are not new to the new age community around the world, but new age isn’t a household genre either, so, it’s important to read up on it if you want to know where it’s been coming from all these years. If you meditate or do Yoga and these things, then this album is for you. It’s also for sitar lovers and anyone looking to delve into an existing world of music outside their usual box. I can recommend this as an introduction as well as to the new age fans. It had that impact on me and that is how I know it has crossover appeal for anyone open to extraordinarily used textures.

The disc begins with “A Simple World With Flowers” and the vocal whispers instantly take effect on the senses. He lets off a few sitar licks throughout this to make its presence known, but nothing too dazzling, just a few spots taken where it’s necessary. You get the point and feel that it will come to life elsewhere but you’re still left with the other effects the opening track has-to offer. It’s like a trip to the medicine man. And that sitar doesn’t take long to come to life, because the whole next number “Degrees Of Tenderness” is based around some very fine playing by this veteran of the instrument. After what is by far the most musically satisfying experience in the set, the rest comes fairly-easy to digest, without taking you through a sitar clinic or something. Instead it’s balanced out with the usual new age bells and whistles, keeping inflections of sitar by not smothering the tracks with it. “Chakra Noir” itself is another story altogether, with a serious approach to the medicinal aspects as the title suggests. It also suggests a nostalgic and stylish flair be added to the subject. It’s hard to describe from an outside perspective, but it’s no less interesting to experience. You just get the feeling it’s real. There’s twelve songs to soak up with a lot of substance between them, so take your pick from the awesome sitar of “A Summer Tale” to the frosty feel of “IM NU” with its delicate powers that almost put you in a trance. These are well-produced time pieces that hold up separately on their own or play together with the same impact on the mind, body, heart and soul. “The Train And The Crow” get you through another fine journey with plenty of great sitar featured before “Rose Of All My Days’ suits the picture with more flowers that lead to “The King’s Companion” and you’re left with all that “Into The Blue” does to you, like it or not.

ALLMUSIC: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-gromer-khan-mn0000607811

Mike Tabor

Hence The Noise

 

Hence The Noise 

URL: https://www.hencethenoise.com/ 

Hence The Noise is a NY based modern metal band which consists of Chandler Mogel on vocals, Rob Russo & Eddie Vandenko on guitars, and featuring Robbie Russo, who is a 13 yr old inspirational prodigy on drums. Rob Russo & Eddie Vandenko have a long history together. They have been collaborating in various bands in the NY club scene ever since they met at a mutual friend’s garage in Brooklyn NY in 1989. After a long hiatus from the music scene, they started writing music again and decided to put a band together. Minute With Me - is based around their support for our veterans.

If this release is about a minute, then it’s one long and very good minute. They waste no time getting started by getting the title track out of the way. The subject of war is always on the table and these times are no exception to that rule. Some belong making efforts to say something about it in music, and others don’t. It takes a true understanding for our vets and these guys don’t disgrace the topic. “Minute With Me” addresses it from the start and it’s almost somber but it makes the point loud and clear enough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s just not the most musically enticing opener.

“The Enemy” is much tougher, as is most of the rest of the disc. But is this about war or just battle of the sexes and socio-political matters? They actually-tackle both as if to land wherever you want in the meaning of a song. It’s a dual analogy but primarily about the obvious, it just has a tongue and cheek twist. It’s a fantastic song at the end of the day, and it gets the whole ball up and running. “Scars” is probably one of the highlights but ask me later, because a few of these tracks really have a growing appeal. But if I were to pick the sleeper it would be this track which changes in mood structure enough to stick.  
 

By now it’s clear that a great band is developing here, and the songs prove it with every note, even with the exception-of the opening track lacking a few bars of enjoyment. “Number In Line” shows off some fabulous guitar skills and it gets pretty in some parts. There’s a delicate texture to it that comes along with great timing, and it makes you want to continue listening to their style of metal songwriting. They even do a cover of “War” originally by Edwin Starr. And that is about as far from heavy metal as it gets, but they rock it with flying colors by adding some of their own attitude to it. They handle their R&B well on this.

My choice for favorites are “You And I” with its amazing lyrics that mention John Lennon and center around peace, not war. This song is brilliant and likely another sleeper, but to me it takes the proverbial cake with a softer side to the band. It’s an acoustic track with some string backing that rings of tracks like “Imagine” and “We Are The World” etc. A truly excellent anthem, if a quiet one. And the closing track “One Of Us” for it’s clear nod to Iron Maiden and others. It takes things out on a very high note. An honorable mention goes to the track “Hence The Noise” as well. Highly recommended, search it up.  

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

Mike Tabor

Tamara’s Class Of Soul

 

Tamara’s Class Of Soul 

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tamars-class-of-soul/id549993894 

In 2016 there were a lot of great releases, and Textures Of Emotions by Tamara’s Class Of Soul is one that is worth seeking for its amazing collection of soulful pop tunes that go everywhere from there to pop, jazz and adult contemporary. She comes from up north, where it stays wet but creative and a lot of music thrives beneath the radar of the rest of the nation. But it’s only her first record so she has a long road ahead of her, no matter where she’s been thus far. Make no mistake about it though, she’s got something to say and makes tremendous strides to get that across on her first release.

“This Is My Heart” is worth the price of admission alone. It’s that good and should be a lead-off single but it’s not. She’s a bit of a spoken word expert but it doesn’t come on at its strongest point here, you just get the idea it’s going to featured elsewhere on the album. This is probably the most uniquely structured song, but also somehow the most accessible. It reaches the top shelf by not relying on the clichés and bringing something more to the table. It’s a must hear if anything on this album is, and that’s most likely why it comes first. It’s a choice I would make if I were her, so it wins on every level with me. Not every track earns that amount of praise, but the rest all provide a lot of healing and very powerful advice. The music takes a back seat on most of it, but provides spot on duties when called for. It’s her voice that does the business, with some high-standard backing. “Do You Remember The Time” is a bluesy, groovy number with a lot of slow-dance quality. But once again it’s her voice that shines, with more spoken word to make this what it is. It reminds me of singers like Valarie Simpson and Sade, which is a testament to her vocal inspiration combinations and how she uses them.

I also compare the sound of her voice to the likes of Anita Baker at times, with that low register turning out big efforts. “Cried My Last Tear” is a chance to show that side of her, with more of a jazz style to prove it. And it goes a long way on the professional side of things, but it’s not all serious, there are many playful moments too. “Party Time” is an example of one of them. So is “Just Get Funky With It (Intro to Band)” even more so. It’s where the album really starts jumping and she takes a break and lets the band kick back and play. And while not extensive, the jamming is immensely tight. When skipping around a little, “You Never Really Wanted Me” gets two placements with itself and a remix, for those with ears for that sort of thing. It’s important to some and not to others to hear more than one version of something on a studio album, but the difference is loud and clear, so it gets a pass. “Touch So Gentle” can be seen on YouTube to get a short glimpse into Tamara herself with an accompanies acoustic guitar player. It’s worth searching for to see what you’re hearing, and recommended for this track as well. The rest is all good to go, and some of it even radio-ready.  

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

Mike Tabor

Manjia Luo

 

Manjia Luo 

URL: http://www.manjiamusic.com.au/index.html 

Sydney, Australia – September 8, 2017 – With over two dozen albums to her name, Manjia Luo has continued to prove why she is a force within the New Age community with her latest, Wish Pond featuring her lead single “Joy Fluctuation of Wave.” Eight tracks deep, Wish Pond plays along with her previous releases nicely. Fitting into the consistency of what has made Luo a prominent mainstay in Australia over the years. New Age with hints of jazz, Asian melody, and an instrumental flare is what Luo is best at and known for. Her compositions are overflowing with passion, played on piano and violin.

New Age and New Age textures go hand in hand to earn the genre tag, but sometimes they can lean heavier one way or the other and still get filed under it. This is an artist who’s carved out a career for herself by blending many of the elements that can make up New Age music. Whatever it is that earns it is laced throughout the Wish Pond album like a pond filled with fairytales. With titles like the opener “Autumn Spectacle” to start with, it’s purely hypnotic from there out. Music for any casual or formal environment, as long-as it’s quiet and peaceful, because that is the best way to describe Manjia Luo’s music.

She plays a very mean violin with a passion like no other, and it’s fragile yet commanding. “Water & Life, No. 2 (Violin)” displays a healthy dose of how she blends jazz with Asian melody to come out with her own brand of New Age. It sounds like a symphony once it builds up into the cadenza at the end before lightly fading away. This is almost too much for pop and other style of music lovers, but a vital source of inspiration for the more serious musician. It also doesn’t mean you have-to be that serious to like it. Anyone can be captivated by such remarkable works. Listen with a sense of urgency and see.

“Joy Fluctuation of Wave” being the lead-off single, it comes as no surprise this does in-fact make New Age sense. If it opened the album it would make even more sense, but if you already know her music you’re leading and I’m following. I just like the sound of it all. This is some of the best mood music that has run across me in a long time. You only get to appreciate these things if you’re exposed to them. “Angeni's Love” is one of the most moving piano pieces to hear on record. It’s worth keeping on repeat for hours. Keep it on loop and don’t let the fingers stop sweeping across the keys like a modern jazz dancer on the floor.

From where the title “Tom & Jerry Rocked The 13^th Floor” comes I do not know, but the song is another epic piano escapade where she just kills it once again. It’s like a rollercoaster of pianos riding through the clouds, it’s that mystical. And speaking of mystical, the title song ‘Wish Pond” is like listening to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the music box or something. It’s so melancholy it’s almost childlike. Her piano work "Love Particles" won the 1st Prize Instrumental at ASA Awards 2014 (The 34th National Songwriting Awards, Australia). She performed it at the ceremony. Manjia also the winner of MusicOz Awards 2013 in Jazz/Classical. Her advice to “Travel With Light” closes the set.  

CD BABY: https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MANJIALUOMANJIAMUSIC

Mike Tabor