Single Review: Billy Idol – “Cradle of Love (R3HAB Remix)”

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image courtesy of UMe

Review of Billy Idol: “Cradle of Love (R3HAB Remix)” (UMe)

36 years after the release of Billy Idol‘s “Cradle of Love,” R3HAB has taken a stab at a remix, adding a fresh new flavor to Idol’s classic hit.

The remix is a cool companion to the 1990 original. Whereas Idol’s original version is smooth and flows a bit, R3HAB modernizes the song most obviously by making the sound a bit rawer. The beat is, of course, prominent, and the vocals sit more on top, raising the importance and awareness of vocal tone and raising the profile of the lyrics themselves. Also, Idol’s occasional trademark rockin’ vocal snarl is more evident. And the song gets to the point without dawdling, clocking in at about two and a half minutes, roughly half the length of the original.

The remix overall comes across as a rock-based dance number, done adeptly by R3HAB so that it doesn’t soften the song’s punk rock edge; in fact, since the original was one of Idol’s smoother hits, in the case of “Cradle of Love,” the remix is perhaps simultaneously more punk and more danceclub-friendly.

In any case, fans of Billy Idol with broad musical tastes are really going to enjoy this “Cradle of Love” remix from R3HAB, who has also remixed artists like Rihanna, Drake, Taylor Swift, and Calvin Harris. (I’ll admit, I snagged those from the press release, since I’ve not previously listened to R3HAB’s stuff.) You know, even if you don’t think this will be your cup of tea, I think all of Idol’s fandom should at least give this a listen. This song might, too, be a gateway mix for those whose tastes don’t typically extend to Billy Idol.

EP Review: The Northern Line – The Northern Line

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

EP Review of The Northern Line: The Northern Line

The Northern Line released its self-titled debut EP this year, following pre-release single releases of two of the EP’s four tracks. I reviewed those two tracks, “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist,” last year, so I’ll focus more on the record’s two new songs, “Let’s Roll On” and “Out in the Drift.”

The Northern Line is Bilvox (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Pete Kitchener (lead guitar), Mike Ackley (keyboards), Carrie Ingber (additional keyboards), Joshh Magee (bass), and McG (percussion, backing vocals). This tight outfit produces an original sound that draws heavily upon British indie influences. The band is already gaining accolades, nominated in the New Act of the Year category for this year’s New England Music Awards.

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

The cohesive quartet of songs comprising The Northern Line’s eponymous EP begins with “Let’s Roll On.” The Northern Line’s rhythm section is key to the band’s funky Brit-alt-rock infused sound on this track. The nifty, distorted musical backdrop drives the song forward, but it’s the organ-style keyboardwork, guitar lines that dance through occasionally, and a vocal style that regularly slightly overemphasizes individual syllables in the course of a phrase to create a distinct sound that add the color that keeps your attention throughout. They all combine with an airier portion that’s primarily driven by guitarwork – not exactly a traditional solo, but rather a bluesy guitar run that interacts with the vocalist – to turn “Let’s Roll On” into a full musical meal rather than just an appetizer.

It is followed by “Lightning Strikes,” which I dove into in detail last year. Noisy rock ‘n roll in its own right, “Lightning…” does offer a little lighter musical density, for the most part, making it a distinctly different second entry on the record but still within the same musical palate. And damn, Kitchener’s guitarwork! This song wouldn’t work nearly as well without his cool riffs.

The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

The third track is on the EP is “Out in the Drift,” a song with a little darker vibe than the rest of the disc. There’s kind of a bluesy-western twang in the guitarwork that, combined with some lyrically-relevant anguished wails by Bilvox from time to time, give “Out in the Drift” its own distinct sub-style. The song rises and falls in volume and energy a couple times to give it a sense of movement, but the volume increases toward the end, making it seem to gain intensity before a quite late fade.

The record ends with “Throw a Fist,” the thumping, somewhat laid-back rocker I dug into in great detail in last year’s review. But yeah, it’ll make sure you exit your listening experience bouncing a bit.

Combined, these four songs are a solid introduction the The Northern Line. And it’s a sound that translates well to live performance, as I can attest from catching the band’s set at this year’s Maynard Porchfest. So grab this EP; it’s got a groovy sound. And catch The Northern Line live if you can; they put on a great performance. In fact, if you’re in the Boston area, you can catch the official vinyl release concert for this EP at The Square Root in Roslindale on Friday, November 6th.

Single Review: R-NØT – “Marmalade”

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photo by Anna Hamlett; photo courtesy of Hardline Booking

Single Review of R-NØT: “Marmalade”

R-NØT follows up its March 2026 release of Gaslighter // Part 1 on Solly Ink Records with this infectious, one-big-ass-groove single “Marmalade.” If you asked a band to play grunge but make it energetic punk, you’d have no idea what that might sound like until you heard R-NØT’s “Marmalade,” and then you’d say “Good god, that’s it!” Or “Great Caesar’s ghost, that’s it!” Or “Holy f**k, that’s it!” Really, any exclamation would work because that’s not the important part of the phrase.

image courtesy of Hardline Booking

Now, punk-flavored grunge really is an overly simplistic description. That’s not all I hear. I hear a bit of Dirtbag Republic in some of the vocals. There’s virtually any crunchy hard rock band in the riffs, though they do lean toward grunge. The song itself – the key to its extreme catchiness – is that it’s one big, long, brain-addicting groove. The tone gets heavier, then brighter, then heavier again, rotating throughout the song to keep it interesting. Additionally, the speed and energy the band exhibits in “Marmalade” are relentless, so much so that by the end of the first listen, it will be imprinted on your subconscious. If you listen to it a few times in a row, it’ll be stuck there permanently, but I doubt you’ll complain.

So, if you’re into any flavor of heavy rock, give “Marmalade” a listen. If you like infectious grooves, give the song a listen. In fact, if you like harder rock that finds its way into mainstream music because it’s catchy, you should hear this song. I mean, damn it’s catchy!

More Recently

Earlier this month, R-NØT released another single, “Lucia.” I haven’t heard it yet, in part because I can stop listening to “Marmalade.” But at some point, I’ll check it out.

Single Review: Rena Angel – “Labyrinth”

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photo courtesy of Elefant.Music

Single Review of Rena Angel: “Labyrinth”

Rena Angel‘s performance of “Labyrinth” is a hit-caliber modern ethereal pop song, as her voice hits some nifty high notes while also falling to a whisper at the end of many of the lines, resulting in an aural environment that draws the listener in close. It’s a very effective device, if you have the voice to pull it off, which Rena absolutely does.

The song begins with simple strumming and vocals that fall into a steady tempo, but rather than falling into a rut, as might often be the case with such a vocal choice, Rena’s delivery builds tension, as if leading somewhere, and indeed, that’s the case. The tension builds to a release, a tempo change payoff in the chorus, ending “So I’m happy here, just me. Yes, I′m happy here just me.” The second verse and chorus repeat the pattern, followed by some variety in the pattern to end the song, leaning more heavily into the more emotive elements of the song, highlighting the sweeter side of Rena’s vocals, soaring more to bring the song to its conclusion.

image courtesy of Elefant.Music

As a showcase for Rena’s vocal talent, this song gets an A-plus. It’s an appealing listen, one that will convince you to give it enough spins for the song to sufficiently grow on you.

Curious about whether or not this is Rena only singing style, I skimmed some of her older songs on Spotify, and she does, indeed, have a broader range than shown on “Labyrinth,” booming to power on “Beauty When I Bleed” and serving up a richer pop sound on “Portobello Road.” Although she leans into her unique ethereal vocal capabilities on “Labyrinth” and several other of her prior singles, and that’s impressive, the variety in her portfolio bodes well for a more broadly successful career with the capability to reach an even bigger audience. Indeed, with “Labyrinth” as a starting point, pop vocal music fans are gonna really dig Rena Angel’s music.

Single Review: Shea Rafferty – “Livin'”

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image courtesy of AFC Management & Publicity

Single Review of Shea Rafferty: “Livin'”

You ready to get a lump in your throat? Oh, yeah, Shea Rafferty serves it up! Fast-rising UK Americana artist Rafferty serves up a reminiscent, throwback number that straddles the line between Americana and country music. Nah, it’s firmly in both camps, though for me, I think it leans country, and not judge because of the slide guitar wafting through the number from time to time but also because Rafferty’s voice is convincingly deep and quivers a little like good country singers’ often do when emotions well up. And yet it is flush with references to pop, rock, and country musical touchstones (“It was Springsteen, Madonna, Petty or Nirvana. It’s was old country songs, we all could sing along…”), as it harkens back to simpler times before constant digital connectivity. Rafferty is so rich, his voice so sincere, and the lyrics so convincing. Nostalgia is a powerful emotional drug, and the way Rafferty’s voice soars during the climactic line “It was livin’!”, there’s no doubt this is a surefire hit anywhere it gets a little airplay. Regardless, it’s a song we all need on our playlists.

More Recently

A couple weeks after “Livin'” was released in September, the full album Livin’ dropped. If this single is any indication, that album is a must-hear!

EP Review: Pareidolls – Jessie

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photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

EP Review of Pareidolls: Jessie (Red Licorice Records)

Pareidolls‘ “Jessie” was released by Red Licorice Records as a 7″ vinyl single with “Give and Take” as its B side. The 4-song Jessie EP also contains two tracks – “Slater Street” and “Freefalling” – recorded live at the 100 Club.

The band of talented teenagers is comprised of Georgia Attwood (vocals), Freya Wilcox (drums), Bethan Sheldrick (bass), Tabitha Law (guitar) and Biba Russell (guitar). The music jams and jangles, and the tight rockin’ sound is a fitting homage to the female rock pioneers cited in the band’s promo material: The Go-Go’s, The Bangles, and L7. I’d place Pareidolls at the L7 rockin’ end of the spectrum. From the pages of the Blog, though, a lot of what I’m hearing in Attwood’s vocals remind me of teens-at-the-time-I-reviewed them TOS’s lead singer Sophie Ward, especially when the vocal requires a lilting edge.

photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

The title track, “Jessie,” starts a straight-forward rocker with a funky bassline, a soulful-rockin’ vocal line, a bluesy/crunchy axework. It’s an energy-packed romp for the first two minutes before it seems to experience a power loss for about 30 seconds, becoming exceedingly slow and drawn out for about 30 seconds before a 15-second build-up (energy recovery) back to its previous energetic, just a hair shy of frantic pace as it races to the end. I mean, it was already a song worth hearing even without that nifty late-song slowdown and recovery, but with that added clever maneuver, it’s a must hear. I guarantee “Jessie” will become a quick favorite.

“Give and Take,” the 7″ inch’s B side, is a crunchy, bangin’ rocker. It also gives Attwood a chance to unveil a very cool, ear-shattering rock ‘n roll wail.

photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

“Slater Street,” next, is more straightforward rocker with a straightforward line of attack and some impressive guitarwork. EP-ender “Freefalling” takes a more methodical funky-bluesy angle, at least with the bass, while the guitar and drums are straight-up rock ‘n roll all the way. A nifty bridge that’s lightly instrumented behind Attwood’s high, crisp vocals also adds a neat touch to “Freefalling.”

If I take just one thing away from this EP, it’s that “Jessie” is a song that’s likely to become a fast favorite, while the rest of the EP reveals a band with a sound that’ll be very entertaining at a live concert and capable of spawning several more hits over the coming years.

To keep up with this rising young band, check out Pareidolls’ linktree and follow their socials. (You can find links to their socials at their linktree).

Single Review: TT – “My Dear Woman”

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image courtesy of DRPR

Single Review of TT: “My Dear Woman”

TT is a singer with a timeless voice, providing “My Dear Woman” with a delivery that’s equally suited to a concert stage or an intimate listening session, has passed a half million spins on Spotify since its June release, so I’m clearly not the only person who thinks this song’s something special. Indeed, TT has the vocal talent to perhaps the next singer-songwriter/actor to succeed in those dual roles.

“My Dear Woman” feels like it would have been an adult contemporary hit back in VH1’s heyday. A danceclubby beat – though without the requisite tempo – combines with TT’s smooth vocals and a rich soundbed that’s mostly steady but at times also big and orchestral. I can picture Tom Jones having a hit with a song like this a few decades ago, perhaps without some of the more modern flourishes of TT’s performance.

The song’s topic, too, is likely to strike a chord with a lot of listeners, covering the emotions and guilt surrounding breakups.

“My Dear Woman” was the first single released in advance of TT’s anticipated fall album release. You can hear more recent singles – and soon the full album (if not already by the time I proofread and post this review) – on your favorite streaming service.

 

EP Review: Something Sneaky – Old Notes

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photo by Stevie George; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Something Sneaky: Old Notes

Distorted, grungy, heavy garage rock. Or maybe basement rock. Indeed, Old Notes, the newest EP from Something Sneaky, is the sort of raw rock ‘n roll you’d expect to hear in an unfinished basement live music venue in a college town.

Justin Iacovino (vocals, guitars, keyboards) is joined in Something Sneaky by Jeremy Iacovino (drums), Chris Casserly (bass), and Jesse George (guitars). Old Notes is the band’s first long-form recording since its 2017 release Pictures.

artwork by Dan Nelligan and Cal Ciarcia; image courtesy of Knyvet

The song with the most crossover potential – the one most likely to appeal to listeners beyond the band’s core noisy, raw, kinda punky alt-rock core – is album opener “Stevie’s Here.” From its strumming open to its its catchy repeated guitar hooks, “ooh-ooh” parts, mainstream alt-rock tempo changes, and only moderately distorted jangly guitar bridge, “Stevie’s Here” is stylistically related to a lot of indie rock hits. The rest of the album doesn’t combine all those pieces the way the album-opener does.

However, the rest of the songs do cohesively complete an excellent 5-song beginning-to-end listen. Indeed, that’s not to suggest the other songs are similar to each other. Far from it, in fact, as stylistic differences give each of the tracks on this EP a very different feel.

“Hole Foods” is likely to be a club favorite, both live for Something Sneaky and as an ideal choice for clubs’ between-bands playlists. The song thumps along with its heavy, almost grungy bass and drums-driven rhythm. The vocals and song structure take what seem like some engaging aural detours before returning to the forcefully advancing primary rhythm. Again, concertgoers are going to dig this song; and, it’s the sort of energy-maintaining song that would keep rock crowds buzzing when the recording is played between sets of multi-act concerts. (I honestly don’t think I’ve ever recommended a song for that purpose before.)

photo by Stevie George; photo courtesy of Knyvet

As for the rest of the EP, “Gold Notes” is more of a swaying wailer. And I should point out that I didn’t dub Something Sneaky’s style “basement rock” just because of the “I’m trapped in a basement” lyric in “Gold Notes.” In fact, I thought of the phrase before I noticed the lyric, which made it fun to discover. “Depressure,” next, is a slow, aptly-entitled, depressive-instrumented, slow moody number. And album-closer “Stoner Kids” is a six-minute epic that maintains the same rhythm throughout but builds in noise as the song advances through its second half. I mean, yeah there are jangles and nuances I could mention, but I’ll let you discover those for yourselves as you listen to the very cool, mind-numbing cacophony until it closes with a buzz.

Regardless, everyone needs to hear “Stevie’s Here.” And the rest of the album? If this is your brand of musical noise, you’ll dig it from the get-go. Even if it’s not quite your usually-preferred rock sub-style, give it a few listens. As you begin to hear the nuances, the other songs may grow on you, too, as they did on me.

Single Review: Split Keys – “Lightning”

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photo by Samir Abya; photo courtesy of Inverse Records

Single Review of Split Keys: “Lightning”

Helsinki-based rockers Split Keys are Joona Mikkilä (vocals, guitar), Jyri Mikkilä (bass), Ville Keinonen (guitar), and Jussi Keinonen (drums). The foursome’s latest single is “Lightning,” a catchy, high-energy, broad-appeal rocker with some big-ass hooks.

image courtesy of Inverse Records

The song opens with drums and some playful instrumentation before jumping into its primary beat and style. The song features hints of Billy Idol’s sneer in the vocal delivery and has stylistic energy reminiscent of “Rock the Cradle” but with a modern rock veneer. That’s about the limit of the comparison, as the song structure is also a little more akin to radio-friendly album rock, with a classic rock-styled guitar solo. But it’s a catchy, danceable hard rock song with monster hooks, so I suppose that’s a little more in common.

Simply, Split Keys’ “Lightning” grabbed me early with hook after hook and has grown to be a highly-anticipated entry on my personal playlist. So if you like catchy rock songs, as I do, this will be right up your alley, a welcome addition to your music rotation.

Single Review: Atom Stone – “Isn’t Love”

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image courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Single Review of Atom Stone: “Isn’t Love”

Atom Stone‘s “Isn’t Love” is a compelling heavy rock/new metal single with a blend of metal power and pop-friendly finesse that’ll grab the listeners attention and simply won’t let it go. Falling somewhere between Daughtry and Blog favorite Major Moment, “Isn’t Love” has a sound that can appeal to multiple decades of heavy rock fans.

photo courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

“Isn’t Love” was the second single released in advance of Stone’s upcoming album Bad Decisions, and it gives listeners plenty to get excited about. On this song, cowritten by Stone and Nick Sturms, Stone is joined in the studio by Nick Sturms, Jeff Sturms, and Conner Kearns.

Stone’s vocals start as a tunefully hushed near-whisper, then rise to an edgy slightly quivering power as the song builds, doing a great job of expressing an angry pain, delivering lines like “isn’t love supposed to feel like freedom, isn’t love supposed to come with trust” that lead to the conclusion “this isn’t love.” I guarantee this song is going to touch a nerve with a large subsegment of listeners.

At the same time, it rocks heavy. Crunchy guitars for emphasis. Distorted instrumentation to give that big, new-metal open-space airiness. And hushed, intimate moments, occasionally with just light keyboardwork, though more often accompanied by the song’s recurring crunchy guitar riff.

The song feels like it has a faster pace than it really does, and that’s due to the music’s power. Prog rockers are good at this, but it’s less common in a more mainstream act, which is why bands like Daughtry and Major Moment, which I compare Atom’s sound on “Isn’t Love” with, are so special. Harder rock ‘n rollers, this song is an absolute must-hear!