Monthly Archives: May 2025

Live Review: Martin and Kelly at Kimball Farm

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Martin and Kelly

Kimball Farm, Westford, MA

May 30, 2025

The Backstory

It’s hard to believe it’s been 8 years since I last saw and reviewed Martin and Kelly, one of the area’s most talented country bands. Well, many areas, actually. In addition to New England, Martin and Kelly spend a lot of time touring (here’s their 2025 concert schedule), frequently trekking out to the Mountain Time Zone (Colorado, Wyoming), occasionally hitting the Plains (there were Iowa gigs this year), and otherwise touring up and down the east coast from New England to Florida. But when they’re in New England, I’ve been keeping an eye on their gigs hoping to catch one. Two weeks ago, if the Watertown Porchfest had been a rainout, a Martin and Kelly show was my backup plan for that day. Well, last night the rain held off, so I headed up to Kimball Farm and was thoroughly entertained, as expected.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Review

Jilly Martin is an impressive singer with a broad range. She can hit the ideal pitch and tone for old-school country songs and, though she does it less often, can keep pace with new country, as well. Ryan Kelly has a voice that’s well-attuned to classic country, particularly when there’s a rougher edge called for. Together, their voice blend exceptionally well into impressive harmonies. And Ryan can throw down some mean guitarwork from time to time, too. As a duo, Martin and Kelly are a big draw across several geographies in the U.S. And they’re able to draw a pretty good crowd to an atypical venue like Kimball Farm, as they kicked off the Kimball Farm summer concert series last night.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The duo kept the crowd engaged for the entire two-hour show, encompassing two entertaining sets.

An early highlight was a patriotic Martin and Kelly original, “Stood Their Ground.” Early on, the duo also delivered a “picking and grinning” rendition of “Eastbound and Down” and a  version of “Tulsa Time” that sounds so sweet when Jilly sings it.

“Chattahoochie” featured a patented Martin and Kelly vocal blend with great harmonies and some lively pickin’ from Ryan on guitar. (OK, they both play guitar, so “guitar on the right.”)

Remember how I said modern country was within Jilly’s wheelhouse, too? I suppose it’s a mix of modern and classic, but she delivered the goods on a cover of the Carrie Underwood version of Randy Travis’ “I Told You So.”

After a rousing performance of “9 to 5,” they performed the Randy Travis-penned “If She Means That Much to You,” with great sweet soft country vocals from Jilly, a song well-fitting her voice and in which she sports just a hint of where the country twang might go if a singer had one. Plus, she delivers a great burst of power vocals at the song’s end.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Other first-set highlights were a nice a capella “King of the Road” led by Jilly, with Ryan joining for harmony on the song’s back half, and an energetic version of John Anderson’s/LeAnn Rimes’ “Swingin’,” which featured a notably festive guitar-picking run from Ryan.

Early second set crowdpleasers included a rousing rendition of Shania Twain’s “Whose Be Have Your Boots Been Under.” And then a cool Jilly Martin vocal-led cover of “Ring of Fire.”

A second set highlight was the new “I Can’t Stop This Wanting You Feeling.” With nice harmonies, a catchy hook, and a nifty little guitar bit in the middle of song, this seems like a sure-fire future crowd favorite. I also think the little “woo-hoo-oo-oo” bits add to the song’s memorableness. (A recording of this one coming soon, maybe?)

The duo dropped a little treat for any non-country fans in the audience. A version of “Waterfalls” with as-usual spot-on vox from Jilly, a clever strumming pattern and little picking runs from Ryan, and an excellent what-the-hell-is-that?, wow-that’s-really-good! stretch of rapping from Jilly in the middle.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jilly then showcased her yodeling skills before the duo followed with a nice “Country Roads” duet. It features a nice powerful, Rondstadtty vocal from Jilly and serves as a great send-off number, a fun way to close the show.

A Martin and Kelly show is always a dependably outstanding performance. According to the Kimball Farm Music Series schedule, you can catch the duo back in Westford on August 16th. According to Martin and Kelly’s concert calendar, between now and then, they’ll be performing in 12 different states across the country, as far west as Wyoming and Colorado and as far south as North Carolina, including several shows in four New England states.

EP Review: Adam Sherman – Nowhere But Here

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photo by Carissa Johnson; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Adam Sherman: Nowhere But Here

Adam Sherman‘s EP Nowhere But Here sounds like a modern collection from a pop singer-songwriter icon. Indeed, that kind of is Sherman, a veteran of the Boston music scene who led A&M recording artists Private Lightning and The Souls.

First song “Gratitude” has kind of an ’80s pop sound, a catchy guitar hook, and a Beatles-reminiscent style, in that it draws structurally and somewhat sonically from the Fab Four while updating it with a lusher, newer pop sound. The harmonies are cool, too, as Sherman is joined by Robin Lane for vocal harmonies not just on this song but throughout Nowhere But Here.

Adam Sherman – Nowhere But Here EP cover

photo by Adam Signore; cover design by Adam Sherman; image courtesy of Knyvet

That Beatles-esque vibe continues into the melancholy “How Hard I Tried.” Vocally, though, Sherman’s voice reaches a little higher, comparable (to me) to Five for Fighting or Savage Garden, drawing a bit on the sound you’d expect from a slow, sad, pleading song from the ’90s or ’00s.

Next, “Torn and Tattered” is a good old-fashioned country/Americana dancehall crooner, backed with the very-country twangs and cries of a lap steel guitar. Unique among this collection, I’m picturing someone in a cowboy hat and boots singing at the front of a classic country music stage. Is there anything sadder – or more old-school country – than “You think that I am strong; I don’t know what you heard; because once a heart is broken, love is just another word”?

“Pure As Yours” mixes Americana and that high ’90s/’00s pop vocal sound, delivering a memorable song that’s soft and sweet throughout, with a sound that feels rich while still being sparse, leaving the focus on the vocals, bringing this strong EP to a pleasant conclusion.

Looking Ahead

If you act quickly, there’s an opportunity to catch a cool upcoming show, as listed on the “Shows” page of Adam’s website. Tomorrow, May 31st, at The Burren in Somerville, MA, you can catch Robin Lane in concert with Adam Sherman opening.

Single Review: Neil Diamond – “Sweet Caroline (Two Friends Remix)”

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image courtesy of UMe

Single Review of Neil Diamond: “Sweet Caroline (Two Friends Remix)” (Capitol/UMe)

Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” is an iconic, timeless megahit. So who would mess with that? Well, apparently producer/DJ duo Two Friends (Matt Halper and Eli Sones) would. Yeah, yeah, settle down. This is the first-ever “official” remix of “Sweet Caroline,” as noted by this news release on the official Neil Diamond website.

Two Friends; photo by Grey Fry; photo courtesy of UMe

This may be the remix we never knew we needed. Two Friends don’t mess with the character of the original, but they do add a cool dance beat that seamlessly combines with Diamond’s delivery. At first, the beat almost seems like what you’d hear from a cover band, overdoing the drum beats early on, but then Two Friends adds a truly synthy dance beat. And by the time you’re halfway through the song, you can hardly remember what the original mix would sound like.

The mix emphasizes the original’s musical climaxes while offering a disco-rattling overlaid beat, smartly getting out of the way of a late-song horn section “bum bum bum.” Sure, nothing will replace the original mix, but this is the version you’ll want to play at a sweet sixteen or bat mitzvah.

Looking Ahead

If you’d like to catch a Two Friends performance, per the “Shows” page of their website, they have several upcoming gigs. They’re in Las Vegas tomorrow night, May 30th, and in Seattle on Saturday night, May 31st. They have Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Kansas City, and Winnipeg shows in June. And they’ll be in Lake Ozark, MO, Atlantic City, NJ, and London, Ontario in early July before swinging west again. Of course, check out their website for further details on those shows and the rest of their schedule, plus other new shows as they’re added.

Single Review: Second City Sin – “Morose”

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Second City Sin band photo

photo courtesy of Second City Sin

Single Review of Second City Sin: “Morose”

Birmingham, England’s Second City Sin is a heavy rock band with a tuneful touch. The band – Tyler Quantrill (vocals, rhythm guitar), Chaz Carr (lead guitar), Neva Bevan (bass), and Jacob Lancaster (drums) – formed in March 2024, with its first single, “Under the Landslide,” dropping in August. “Morose,” the band’s second single, was a February 14th release, a date that fits both the song’s lyric and the song-driven imagery on the single’s cover art.

Second City Sin – "Morose" cover art: blood-stained hands hold roses, laying one rose on a page of "Morose" lyrics, with a lyric sheet of "Under the Landslide" sitting on the ground beneath the "Morose" lyric sheet

image courtesy of Second City Sin

“Morose” begins with a slow bass thump and then frenetic axework, setting the stage for the vocals, which are heavy, and at the shouting end of singing, but not quite. The vocals are quite apparently angry, befitting the lyrics, but also tuneful with nuance and emotional power. The music’s tone is more angry and depressed than jubilant, and on that note as well, the vocals are an ideal match. The guitar is distorted and muddy, furthering the heavy mood, consistent with the requirements of “Morose.” As for the lyrics, the chorus begins “Watering a dying rose. Roots dead in the lows. The highs won’t bloom, and I’m so morose.” Hence, the rose imagery on the cover art. It’s not all flower imagery in the lyrics, but between the chorus and the closing lyrics “the petals fall, I wish I was a rose,” well, let’s just say the Valentine’s Day release date was inspired.

Interestingly, there are some spots in “Morose” in which the guitar part opens up a bit, almost lifting the mood, if it were allowed to last. There is also some late-song shredding that suggests serious broad-based skills from the band’s axeman. All of Second City Sin’s skills, it seems, would be useful across a broader heavy rock canvas. Since “Morose” was my first exposure to the band, I wondered if their other songs might not all be so sullen, so I gave a quick listen to the band’s first single, “Under the Landslide.” Sure enough, while the sound is just as heavy, there’s a bit more classic rock flavor, a bit more funkiness in the rhythm, and some cool harmonies. Two songs are still a small sample size, but they show that, while Second City Sin’s style remains aggressive, heavy rock, I’d expect the band’s set list to span a broad enough range of delivery styles to provide a fully entertaining, multi-faceted live concert experience. I mean, your ears are still gonna bleed, but they’ll be more broadly entertained as they do.

With that being said, “Morose” is a helluva song and a terrific introduction to Second City Sin. I’d expect fans of a broad range of hard and heavy rock subgenres to enjoy this headbanging track.

The next step, then – after listening to Second City Sin’s recorded material a few more times – would be to find out how and where to catch a live show. The band seems to keep its linktree updated with upcoming show information, currently listing a headlining spot on a 4-band bill on Friday, May 30th at The Dark Horse Moseley in Birmingham and a spot on Skelta’s undercard at a 4-band show on Saturday, June 7th at The Lab in Northampton.

Single Reviews: Soft Skies Inc – “Sooner or Later” and “Your Small Army”

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Soft Skies Inc

photo by Chris McLaughlin; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews: Soft Skies Inc – “Sooner or Later” and “Your Small Army”

Soft Skies Inc reminds me of some of the more creative, rock-adjacent pop music I’ve enjoyed over the years. Brothers Ryan Rex (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Martin Rex (drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboards) each man multiple instruments on these songs.

Soft Skies Inc – "Sooner or Later" cover art

cover art by Ryan and Martin Rex; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Sooner or Later” was recorded with Chris McLaughlin in Deep Space Studios in New York, while “Your Small Army” is a 2017 release, at least per Soft Skies Inc’s bandcamp page, which was recorded by Chris McLaughlin in 1867 Recording Studio in Boston, but with a brand new music video, directed by English filmmaker/moving image artist Sapphire Goss. So, you know, the video is what’s “new” about “Your Small Army.” But I hadn’t heard the song before I received the video was released – and I’ll be most of you haven’t it, either – so I’ll review the catchy music. The duo self-describes Soft Skies Inc’s music as alternative and dream pop. Honestly, that’s a better starting point than I’d have otherwise come up with, so start with that general subgenre blend in mind, and let my descriptions build upon that.

The first single, “Sooner or Later” is a steadily progressive soft pop song, very drum-driven like a standard pop song, perhaps a little reminiscent of ’80s mainstream, keyboard-heavy Brit-pop acts but with a much lusher, richer sound. The song’s catchiness is kind of sneaky, notably how it lulls you to sleep a little before popping in with the crisp opening of the chorus, “Sooner or later you’d get caught” and the musical rise and fall during the lyrics “And even back in the day, you were already gone.” And, of course, the clever way the song slips into its brief bridges. It’s not often a brand new song will make you this stylistically nostalgic, but “Sooner or Later” will. This song will definitely grow on you after a few listens, and soon you’ll be singing along with the fadeout like it’s an old musical friend: “You get lost sometimes, you get lost sometimes, you get lost sometimes…”

Soft Skies Inc – "You Small Army" cover art

photo and cover design by Christopher Sargent; image courtesy of Knyvet

Next, “Your Small Army,” the newer video but older song, provides an interesting variation of the duo’s musical theme. It sounds like it belongs on the same album as “Sooner or Later,” but it isn’t by any means a soundalike. And yet, as I dig into what makes it so memorable, I notice similar reasons. It’s a pleasant enough song to listen to. It seems there’s a little more guitar apparent than in “Sooner or Later,” though it’s still a soft pop song. Now, I know you don’t ordinarily hear echoey blasts of noise in soft pop music, but they’re the quirky cool bit that’s particularly unique about “Your Small Army.” And yet the song mostly slowly but pleasantly sways, which I suppose is where the shoegaze-y dream pop comparison quite aptly applies to this track.

Soft Skies Inc’s music is not exactly like anything else you’ve heard before, and it’s much more pleasant, catchy, and easy on the ears than most music I can say that about. Personally, I’m looking forward to hearing what Soft Skies Inc does next. Ryan and Martin are a talented duo.

Live Review: Dennis Brennan at Sanctuary

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dennis Brennan Trio (Dennis Brennan, Jim Haggerty & Andrew Stern)

Sanctuary (Barside), Maynard, MA

May 25, 2025

The Backstory

Sanctuary Arts Center, in a cool, repurposed church in Maynard, Massachusetts, was launched in 2019… just in time for the pandemic. I think I recall hearing about it at the time, but it really came into my consciousness earlier this year when I learned Blog favorite Danielle Miraglia had a regular monthly gig there the first Thursday of each month. I haven’t made it out to one of Danielle’s shows yet, but I did finally have an opportunity to get to a Sanctuary gig yesterday.

Often, there are afternoon shows in the bar (“barside”) and evening performance or events in the main concert room, which I walked through as the evening’s band was setting up. Very impressive space! I can’t wait to get to a concert in the big room. However, this late afternoon/early evening gig was in the cozy bar, which was pretty full because, well, let’s face it, it was a Dennis Brennan show.

That’s the other thing I’ve noticed about Sanctuary. A lot of the artists who perform there, notably two or three of the early “barside” events most weeks, are artists you’d usually have to drive in to Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville to see. They don’t play the outer suburbs very often, so it’s a great opportunity for outer western suburbanites (like me) to catch the Boston area’s best artists without having to drive into (and park in) the city.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Review

That brings us to tonight’s gig. Dennis Brennan is a well-known, veteran talent in the Boston area. On this particular night, he showed off his range, from Americana to ’50s-influenced rock to blues. It’s a package of musical styles likely to appeal to a broad range of fans, and the crowd at Sanctuary, spanning a few decades in age, represented the breadth of Dennis’ appeal.

During the first set, Dennis was without his guitar, so he manned the harmonica, and the band focused primarily on the blues. It was an excellent showcase of this part of his repertoire. Dennis’ gravelly vocals are versatile, and he showcased his ability to hit the full range of styles – pained, thoughtful, lively – surprising no one who has heard him before, of course.

By the time I settled in, it was time for song number two, a rendition of Walter Jacbos’ “Blues with a Feeling” that featured thumping bass, a sweet guitar groove with the occasional blues wail, and some fancy-ass harmonica work. The band followed that with Mose Allison’s “Foolkiller,” which called for a little livelier and funkier delivery.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Dennis manned the tambourine on Sanford Clark’s “Still as the Night,” which featured some nifty southwestern style blues guitar driving this slow song with a feeling like wide open spaces. Dennis was back on the harmonica for a funky, bluesy version of Chuck Berry’s “Don’t You Lie to Me,” providing earnest and heartfelt vox, as well. And the band closed the first set with a Charles Brown song, “Fool’s Paradise,” one of those slow, talkin through it slow blues songs that feels particularly like it’s telling it like it is.

Now, my notes for the second set are a little sparse, as I realized an old friend, the organizer of the Backyard concert series, had made it out to the suburbs for this gig. However, it’s worth noting that Dennis had his guitar for the second set, so the second set differed a little in style. There was plenty of blues, which sported a little more of a guitar-driven blues groove, in part, I’m sure, due to the absence of harmonica. But some Americana, as well as some ’50s-’60s style rock ‘n roll were also represented in the set. Featured were a rollicking performance of “Oh, Lonesome Me,” a cool rendition of the Hollies’ “You Better Move,” and an old-style swinging rock song I must admit I didn’t recognize.

In the end, it was a great evening of music from one of the area’s undeniable talents, Dennis Brennan, in trio format with a pair of Boston’s in-demand bandmates. And out in the outer suburbs, which is lucky to have a venue like the Sanctuary bringing top Boston talent close to an intimate venue an hour outside the city.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Looking Ahead

For future Sanctuary concerts, check out the “Concerts” page on the venue’s website. If you’re like me and like to let Facebook remind you of upcoming shows, you can find many of the upcoming Sanctuary shows on the venue’s “events” tab. Go ahead and click “interested” on the shows that interest you, as I do, so you’ll be reminded as the dates approach.

Single Review: The Outfit – “Hard On Me”

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The Outfit – "Hard On Me" cover art

image courtesy of Pavement Entertainment

Single Review of The Outfit: “Hard On Me” (Pavement Entertainment)

Not long ago, you read my review of Go, last year’s album from The Outfit. The Chicago rockers are back with a new single, “Hard On Me.” This is The Outfit’s first release with new lead singer Bill Wilson, and the band doesn’t miss a beat. Wilson’s voice is an ideal fit for a top-shelf ’80s-reminiscent hard rock outfit like The Outfit. Wilson seems to fit seamlessly with his new bandmates Matt Nawara (lead guitar), Mark Nawara (drums), and Mike Gorman (bass).

Musically, “Hard On Me” has a sidewinding guitar style, with the opening verse rocking hard in bursts, using blank space as a powerful additional instrument. It’s a relatively blues-based hard rock take that seems a natural fit for a Chicagoland band. Well-placed key changes, absolutely crunchy axework, and a steady rhythm steer the musical direction of the song, while there’s a very Eric Martin-ish edge to Wilson’s voice whenever the song calls for him to build up the power from one line to the next. I can absolutely hear Mr. Big potentially performing this song. But not necessarily better than The Outfit does. This is an impeccable performance of a thumpin’ classic hard rock tune. It’s no wonder the song is gaining some attention – as I write this, “Hard On Me” sits at #18 on the Secondary Market Rock Chart.

Classic ’80s guitar-based hard rock fans are going to love “Hard On Me,” so be sure to check it out. (And then maybe give my review of the band’s last full-length album, Go, a quick read.)

Single Reviews: The Northern Line – “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist”

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The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of The Northern Line: “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist”

Boston’s The Northern Line is Bilvox (vocals), Mike Ackley (keyboards), Pete Zeigler (lead guitar), Joshh Magee (bass), and McG (drums, backing vocals – formerly of The Luxury, an old favorite band I reviewed many years ago). Or, I suppose, since they have a sort of British indie flavor to their music, I suppose I should say The Northern Line “are,” but while I let my British writers write in British English, I’m strictly an American English writer, so the band “is.”

The Northern Line – "Lightning Strikes" cover art

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

The last few weeks, I’ve been digging into a couple of The Northern Line’s catchy, rhythmically rocking singles; namely, “Lightning Strikes,” which was a fall release, and “Throw a Fist,” which dropped this spring.

“Lightning Strikes” won me over quickly with its crashing rock guitar opening and psychedelic organ early accompaniment. The song’s modestly-jerkily swaying tempo and keywork that occasionally mimics a distant siren suggest a ’70s-themed dance party, perhaps something Austin Powers might attend. Occasional, well-placed guitar riffs add to the song’s character, providing something of interest to a broad range of fans, putting the finishing touches on an interesting song with a nice beat, and you can dance to it.

Finally, and I just cant let this go even though it’s a bit self-indulgent, but there’s something about the way the lyric “bang the drum” is performed that makes me think of T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On).” To be fair, the songs aren’t that similar aside from being kind of jangly and having that similar line of lyric, but truly, I keep wanting to sing “bang a gong” whenever The Northern Line delivers that lyric.

The Northern Line – "Throw a Fist" cover art

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

This spring, The Northern Line followed up “Lightning Strikes” with “Throw a Fist.” The newer single eases into its melody a bit slower, starting simply with a steady bass beat that thumps for a while, then joined by a little jangly guitar, stretching for about 40 seconds, making me think it’d be a favorite intro for DJs to talk over, rendering an off-air tape recording of it a lot less interesting. It’s one of those songs for which you’d have some radio personality’s banter as a permanent part of your mixtape. And that thought is completely in line with the song itself, which, stylistically speaking, naturally takes me back in time to the era of shag carpets and recording songs off the radio. The tempo of “Throw a Fist” is midtempo, so even though it suggests danceableness, it’s more of a slow fast-dance – too fast for a slow dance but not fast enough to engender more than simply swaying and maybe bouncing up and down a little as a dancing style. It’s not as if “Lightning Strikes” was faster; rather, there’s a cooler, more laid-back vibe on “Throw a Fist.” And as much as the song just kind of moves along as more of a tempo-driven song than a typically-structured, lyric-driven tune, there is a memorable lyric – or, at least, one that’s quickly familiar in the chorus, “memories of moments adorn the walls” – that ties the song together for the listener.

The Northern Line has a unique sound that’s hard to place on the music spectrum. If I had to place it, though, I’d say it’s British pop-rock influenced music with a bit of a throwback vibe. It’s music that’s cool, enjoyable to listen to, and more memorable than it perhaps initially seems, as it becomes quickly familiar, sporting a unique vibe that easily identifies the songs as The Northern Line originals.

The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Looking Ahead

You can catch The Northern Line live twice in the next week here in the Boston area, according to the “Live Shows” section of the band’s website. On Thursday, May 29th, The Northern Line will be on the bill at The Middle East with Lipsmear, Looking Glass War, and DJ Ben Sherman. Then, on Saturday, May 31st, you can catch the band performing during Malden Porchfest.

Single Reviews: Midnight South – “Villains” and “One More”

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Midnight South band photo: four men sit on carpeting in a bowling alley in front of a row of bowling ball racks

photo by Autumn Dozier Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

Single Reviews of Midnight South: “Villains” and “One More”

Midnight South is an country band with an arena filling, rockin’ country sound. Winner of the Arkansas Country Music Awards’ Vocal Group of the Year award in 2023 and 2024 – currently hoping for a threepeat in 2025 as they’ve been nominated again this year – you can hear why award voters are so enamored with this band. The band has released several singles in the last year or so, and I’ve chosen two of my favorites to write about.

Midnight South – "Villains" single cover: four men sitting and standing around the back of a pickup truck, drinking beer

image courtesy of Skye Media

Midnight South’s “Villains” is a straight-up good-time country music party song that reminisces about enjoying life. The sound is big and uplifting, exactly the sort of song that hits #1 on country charts. Sure, there are the classic Pavlovian country hit references about life going fast, beer (“Busch light”), church (“front pew feelings”), references to to wild youth (“still shows up to raise hell sometimes”), and even smokes (“Marlboro Reds”). The only thing missing is a pick-up truck, which Midnight South covers with the cover art. You know, it seems like I’m painting this as a trite, formulaic country song. Nah, of course not. I mean, in some ways it is – and that’s a good thing because that’s “audience reach” right there – but the playful delivery, the vocal nuances, and the sense of exactly where a little noodly guitar riff belongs… well, that’s what makes Midnight South a cut above. It’s all about the details. For me, this is a crank-it-up, windows down, dog days of summer kind of tune. I know the band released it last fall, but right now’s a much better time to be discovering it, if you haven’t already.

Midnight South – "One More" single cover: a billboard along a rural highway reads "One More"

image courtesy of Skye Media

The other song, “One More” starts off a little nuanced, with a smoothly sung, almost-spoken first verse – and a reference to a “whiskey coke” in the first line as a nod to our old friend Pavlov. Then the song builds to a catchy chorus that ends with that lyrical hook, “One more’s never one more with you.” I mean, the band’s promoting safe drinking, taking a cab home, sitting in the backseat “kissin’ like who were we kidding.” I mean, it’s not very deep, but the lyrics are clever, and it makes taking a cab home seem like a great idea. But it’s really about how the band’s delivery seals the deal. It’s not the blow-the-doors-off country rocker that “Villains” is; no, “One More” is more of a sit back and enjoy it kinda song.

Back-to-back, these two songs are the kind that gives a concert variety. Both have big sounds and relatable, nostalgic themes. However, they have very different types of energy, and that’s what makes it seems like Midnight South is a band with potential staying power. They’re not one-trick ponies; they excel at a range of mid-to-high-tempo country styles. From this small sampling, I’d say Midnight South is talented, authentic, probably a helluva lot of fun live, and definitely a great band for a repeated-listen playlist.

Midnight South band photo: four men stand inside a barn, one of them with a guitar strapped over his shoulder

photo by RK Barger Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

More Recently

Between the releases of “Villains” last fall and “One More” earlier this year, Midnight South released a Christmas song, “This Christmas Night.” Since the release of “One More,” just last month the band released its latest single, “Loved By You.” Both of those songs – as well as the band’s back catalogs – are worth a listen.

Also, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Midnight South has been nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at the 2025 Arkansas Country Music Awards. A win, if it comes, would be the band’s third in a row in that category. Here’s wishing the band good luck.

Finally, if you’re in Arkansas, check out the “Shows” section of the band’s website. Midnight South has a bunch of shows scheduled around Arkansas for the rest of this year. Of course, you’ll want to keep checking back for updates… or join the mailing list. Yeah, that’d probably be easier.

Single Review: Jaime Kyle – “I Hear You Knocking”

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Jaime Kyle promo photo

photo courtesy of Jaime Kyle and BJF Media

Single Review of Jaime Kyle: “I Hear You Knocking”

I recently reviewed Jaime Kyle‘s most recent album, Wild One, as well as the release of Bernie Marsden’s last single, “Invisible,” which featured Jaime. Both the album and the single leaned into Jaime’s rock and roll skill set. Well, her new single, “I Hear You Knocking,” skews a bit country – or, at the very minimum, deep-fried Southern rock – as the Nashville-based singer-songwriter slips a little twang into her cover of the Dave Edmunds classic. (Yes, Edmunds’ version was also a cover, but hey, do your a quick Wikipedia search if you want more deets on the song’s history.)

Jaime Kyle – "I Hear You Knocking" cover art

image courtesy of Jaime Kyle and BJF Media

“I Hear You Knocking” begins with a crunchy guitar riff, accompanied by Jaime’s rough-edged bluesy country-rock vocal and a steady, mid-tempo classic rock rhythm. I’d place Jaime’s rendition of “I Hear You Knocking” on a playlist with Foghat and Kenny Rogers, as the mid-point connecting those two. Or, perhaps, between the Fabulous Thunderbirds and George Thorogood.

Jaime’s vocals on this track are steady through the verses. And, of course, her powerful voice is able to emphatically punctuate the energy required by the “I hear you knocking” portion of the chorus while also being appropriately dismissive on the back-half of the song’s central lyric, “go back where you’ve been.”

All in all, this is a cool track smack dab in the sweet spot of Jaime’s wheelhouse. If your musical tastes include any of the artists I’ve mentioned in this review, you should definitely give this cool song a listen; I bet you’ll enjoy it.