Chris Leigh - Broken Hearted Friends review

Year : 2013
Genre : Country with a Honky Tonk leaning
Origin : United States
Official site : > - here - <

At surface level inspection, Chris Leigh might seem to be a diligent practitioner of stone-traditional - not a negative attribute at all - honky tonk country, yet his eloquent/unrestrained affection towards spicy and hefty rhythm patterns imbues this soberly paced release with a sense of restless-, adeptly presented country exploitation. And, let's be honest, folks : country is best when it is under rabid exploitation.

Leigh offers and maintains steadily constructed harmonic/melodic focuspoints through which he inspects the timeless anatomies of traditional country with the eyes of a true scholar. Sure enough, there are some much welcomed counter-pointings to the more intense declarations, such as the third track, "If You Make It To Heaven" - whereas the very next track, "Ramblin' Man" deliberately takes the intensity of country to hell and back Johnny Cash-on-speed style - even though Johnny has his own history of excessive roadway-speeding, as far as I know.

In the context of these upbeat tracks - which definitely reflect the overall character of this high octane chili barbecue package - Chris Leigh channels the same energies Marty Robbins offers in his classic "Big Iron on His Hips" - narrative musical storytelling, done in - no subtler or more precise words - "badassfull" fashion. If you are not "badassfull" when you are in the middle of narrative musical storytelling along country vibes about loaded guns, hot redneck women and dominant cowboys, then you are doing it WRONG. You have no other choice than to come across as badassfull and desirable to be around - if you can't accomplish this, someone will EAT you right off the stage, and this is how it is supposed to be in the world of country - yeehah, I might add.

Chris Leigh has a perfect understanding and a consorting dormant agreement with these dynamics, I feel, because every single track on this delivery would be a welcome addition to a Fallout New Vegas computer role playing game session, and this is the biggest and most honest compliment I could give to a release of this style. Grab a roll of beer, tiger, and read on to know more about the spin while I think nice things about you. (Honest.)

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Peter Calandra - Ashokan Memories review

Year : 2013
Genre : Piano, Instrumental
Origin : United States
Official site : > - here - <

This review starts out with an informational block quoted from the official site linked above.

You may not know the name Peter Calandra, but chances are you’ve heard his music. The New York City-based composer and keyboard player has scored 40 films, written over 2000 compositions for television broadcast, including 37 theme packages, and performed as a musician in the Broadway productions of Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Lion King, and Little Shop Of Horrors. Parallel to this, Calandra has released three albums of imaginative and lyrical instrumental music encompassing jazz, contemporary jazz, classical, and refined pop.
“I’ve always heard music in my head—there is like a radio in there playing new music all the time,” says Calandra. Read on to know more. 

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Brian Larney - The Starting Line review

Year : 2013
Genre : Country, Soft Rock crossover
Origin : United States
Official site : - here -

With his debut LP, Brian Larney might indeed literally be at The Starting Line, yet this definitely is a start you want to render all your musical attention to. Larney has a ripe and competent command on the trademark melodic moods and harmonic structures you are most comfortable holding unto upon a country-centered listening session, combined though with a soulfully channeled steadiness exhibited in the most important aspect of it all : the plain good old songcrafting ability.

The album is extremely easy and pleasant to decode, as its sole purpose - obviously enough - is to entertain on a laid back, yet uncompromisingly exigent genre-specific comfort zone. Occupying this full-optimum position with a pretty much perfect understanding of the bread and butter mechanics of country music, Larney never ceases to imbue a tint of family friendly roadmusic-heft into the respective builds with the utilization of soberly tamed and eloquently presented soft rock affections. Rare is the time when the miserable music critic has no other action left to him than to nod a head in unconditional approval, yet such is the case right now, as the record contains crystal clear musical thought, realized through elements that I personally would not bother looking for flaws in with a poker face worth calling one attached. Read on to know more.

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Sienná - Japonesque review

Year : 2013
Genre : Classic House with a Chillout tendency
Label : Adón Records
Origin : Japan
Official site : > - here - <

Sienná's Japonesque LP is the ideal choice for a thorough oriental house/chillout session that makes efficient use both of Japonesque - pun not even intended, but willfully absorbed - audio flavors and the timeless pulsation of minimal Chicago house rooted in the early '80s. One thing that falls on your receptors as definite ear candy right away, is the LP's decision to claim and maintain the right to administer radical modal extremities between the confines of colorful entertainment. As result of this ripe tactic, the spin reigns ready to occupy the generic position/pacing of airy house music that is not in a hurry at all, yet no suitable instruments of oriental silence massacre will remain untouched and non-utilized in the fabric of this soulfully realized delivery - including traditional taiko drums that are suitable to bring down all walls around you. Read on to know more about this.

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Slade - This Time It's Personal review

Year : 2013
Genre : Hip Hop, Rap
Label : Slade Records
Origin : United States
Official site : > - here - <

Though Slade's unmistakable talent at sculpting out intriguing mid-tempo backdrops necessarily is evident and an immediate ear treat to behold, the primal name of the inherent hip hop game is the Washington DC based prospect's powerful lyrical content, courtesy of said element's unusual levels of readiness to thoroughly contain and reflect the everyday/myriad states of mind compatible with the almost obligatorily complicated mixture of hopefulness and hot zone-paranoia, both oftentimes associated with the hip hop centric urban lifestyle. A keen affection towards the straightforward, raw melodic hip hop hook and muscular harmonic environment is observable throughout this debut LP, one which exhibits both raw and well rounded production values that bestow a legitimate identity right from the beginning.

The agenda is characterized by elegant simplicity in the sense that Slade exhibits a ripe understanding of narrative focus, never going ashtray from the momentary pathway he is about to explore per track - commitment is showcased to deliver along the timeless (synonym : classic) extremes of the hip hop genre, be that a detailed sit rep of deeply personal emotional torments associated with parental rejection or the shocking portrayal of a man who is about to break ground with a breakdown, even though you can clearly hear that he would be ready to let all bitterness go in exchange for a honest hug the concrete monuments would warrant under any and all crimson sky. Read on to know more about this spin.

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Human Behavior - Golgotha review

Year : 2013
Genre : Folk with a tame psychedelic fascination
Label : Folktale Records
Origin : United States
Official site : > - here - <

Golgotha brings forth soulful folk music with a predominantly positivistic and contemplative attitude fueling the respective tracks. The release is a well focused and polite - in the most optimal sense of the word - effort that has a flawless understanding of its premiere charms and all the boundaries that this particular type of covert silence assassination - don't worry, silence always returns somehow, for some time, ultimately - should respect, courtesy of the prime emotions and moodsets that are about to be expressed. As noted, the music is positively and delightfully harmless and calming, and, despite that you'd be even free to challenge it for the rampant/beautiful simplicity it seeks to offer, the field of submission eventually will ensue and command you as its mere possession, and you will be - secretly, at least - grateful for it. Read on to know more about this.

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Thomas J - Money Sex Religion Mixtape review

Year : 2013
Genre : Hip Hop
Label : Independent
Origin : United States
Official site : > - here - <

The talent pool of the upcoming hip hop artists seems and sounds to be especially deep, and Thomas J is one of the dudes whose feet touch the floor of said pool while his head popping out at sky levels, yo. (Makes you wonder how come I see it, yes?)

The Money Sex Religion Mixtape makes superb and efficient use of classic-, timeless grooves and harmonic passages you will greet as significant friends you once had AND still have. Many of these nicely realized synth pop backdrops have their origins deeply seated in famous and relevant musical patterns established by different sub-genres and their respective eras, yet Thomas J always delivers a full blown take on the given idea, not relenting until dressing a separate identity around it with the same experience in it, so to say. Sounds convoluted? Good, because that is the agenda.

Thomas J has a beneficial tendency to rap his stuff out as if there would be no tomorrow, - and who's to say there IS, all right?? - conveying a sense of intensity that remains intact even in the more placid sonic declarations of urban city - which I know is a tautology, feel free to soak tongue in rectum in rhythmic fashion until further notice - experience point harvesting. A combination of exceptionally colorful backdrops and abundant amount of lyrical content showcased in the respective songs, Thomas J's Money Sex Religion reveals to me everything I have ever thought about rap so far, and then something more - which is the hallmark of a top tier hip hop record, to be perfectly frank. Read on to know more about this effort and about my overall sentiments towards the upcoming hip hop artists, in the context of this very album right here.

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