Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review: Jann Klose – Mosaic

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Jann Klose – Mosaic

The Backstory

I first met Jann Klose at Undercurrents Music Conference in Cleveland in the late ’90s, where I chatted with him briefly and later reviewed a recording that contained selections from his Enough Said release. Not too long thereafter, in 2000, Jann relocated to New York City. We stayed in touch off and on over the years. I followed his career even while I was out of the business, something made easier by the fact that he ended up working with a publicist whose press releases have consistently graced my inbox for the better part of two decades.

As for Jann’s backstory, as you can read elsewhere, he grew up in Kenya, South Africa, Germany and the United States and now lives in New York. More recently, his voice was featured in the 2012 film Greetings From Tim Buckley. The album I’m reviewing, Mosaic, won three 2014 Independent Music Awards.

Album Review of Jann Klose: Mosaic

Jann Klose - Mosaic

image courtesy of Jann Klose

During the last decade and a half, while living in New York, Jann has built a solid music career on the strength of his strong, versatile, identifiable vocals and his insightful, crisp, varied songwriting, joining the ranks of New York’s exceptional pop-rock singer-songwriters. With his album Mosaic, Jann has crafted a varied collection of memorable, radio-friendly songs with cross-genre appeal.

The disc opens with “Make It Better,” an energetic pop-rock song with a catchy hook that – paired with its engaging video and timely message of tolerance, acceptance, and equality – is perfectly in step with the marriage equality movement this past year. It’s followed by “Know What’s Right,” another song imploring action, this one leveraging Jann’s ability to deliver a powerful, insistent vocal with conviction within the confines of a mid-tempo acoustic guitar rocker.

Jann’s voice has a rich texture that helps create emotional ballads, as well, and he employs that extremely effectively on “On and On” and “Still.”

Another ballad, “Long Goodbye,” shows off Jann’s rockin’ guitar chops as it builds in power late in the song; combined with Jann’s wail, there’s a bit of ’70s wall-of-sound flavor during the latter parts to this particular track. You’ll find a similar ’70s guitar rock feel to the more uptempo “Falling Tears,” as well.

Jann shows off a folky side, as well, with catchy country-folk-pop-infused numbers like “Four Leaf Clover” and “Beautiful One.” I want to say “The Kite” also fits this style, though it’s really just more of a catchy song, one that will creep into your mind an unleash itself back into your consciousness when you least expect it.

Jann closes the album by showcasing a clear, almost Gospel-like vocal on his powerful, a capella version of Tim Buckley’s ballad “Song to the Siren.” Just wow. Seriously.

The “Special Edition” of Mosaic contains six additional songs. They’re demo versions of some of the 10 songs on the album (plus the song “Anything”), which tend to be rougher instrumentally, showing off Jann’s vocals. They’re a nice added bonus.

In total, Mosaic showcases a talented singer-songwriter’s skills by weaving many diverse influences into a cohesive, engaging album of hummable, radio-ready pop-rock songs with social, lyrical, and musical depth. As a listener, you’ll have a different favorite song depending on your mood each day, and you’ll catch yourself singing a few as you walk around during your day. This is an exceptional collection of songs and a great performance.

What’s Next?

Jann’s next release is a collaboration with Gary Lucas. Gary Lucas & Jann Klose: Stereopticon is scheduled for a January 8, 2016 release. (Watch for a review of that in the coming weeks.)

Jann will also kick off 2016 on tour. Dates listed on his website include shows in Germany January 2-10 (hitting Hamburg, Barmstedt, Lübeck, Kiel, Osnabrück, and Bielefeld), a January 13 gig at The Bedford in London (a venue I visited during my “Five Nights in London” a few weeks ago), and California gigs at the NAMM show in Anaheim on January 22nd and at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on January 27th. Jann already has several other shows listed as he begins to fill in his 2016 calendar, so be sure to check his website to see if/when he’ll be near you next year.

Album Review: Trysette – Feel So Pretty

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Trysette – Feel So Pretty

Trysette

photo by Robin Craig; photo courtesy of Trysette

The Backstory

I was initially introduced to Trysette through some common musician friends. As was so often the case during my hiatus from music journalism, longtime music industry contacts were behind my introduction to a great new musician.

As for Trysette’s backstory, she is a classically trained pianist and a pop singer/songwriter. Her latest CD, Feel So Pretty, was recorded in Los Angeles with a talented supporting cast including Mike Baird (Joe Cocker, Journey), Randy Ray Mitchell (Donna Summer), and Bob Malone (John Fogerty). I became familiar with Trysette’s music through her video for the title track, “Feel So Pretty,” and “Good Day,” a song from her previous album, Le Cafe Ancien, she shared for free download this past year (I believe this past summer); “Good Day” has since been a mainstay on my smartphone playlist.

Album Review of Trysette: Feel So Pretty

Trysette - Feel So Pretty

image courtesy of Trysette

Trysette generally tends toward mellower songs befitting her sweet, high voice. The production on Feel So Pretty is crisp, highlighting Trysette’s voice, and the songwriting is well-constructed, delivered with tight musicianship befitting the caliber of musicians she had surrounding her in the studio. But, of course, a soft pop album is all about the songs, and these are the sorts of songs that grow on the listener with each run through her album.

The first track on Feel So Pretty, the exceedingly pleasant “You Must Know,” opens slowly and builds, constructed to capture the listener. Track two, “Hands on Me,” opens with a sassy, twangy rock guitar line that hints at the lyrics yet to come.

“Under My Skin (Band Version)” highlights more of the nuances Trysette’s voice is capable of. But that’s nothing compared to the depth the piano accompaniment draws out in her vocals during “Like Water.”

The middle of the disc shifts gears just a bit, featuring some songs with impact. The title track is catchy, and it will cause the listener to sing along. So beware, gents, because “Feel So Pretty” will surely provide you with an awkward public moment or two if you add it to your mobile playlist. Catchy, fun tune.

Trysette

photo by Fred Bailey; photo courtesy of Trysette

That’s followed by an emotional rendition of “Chasing Cars.” Trysette’s discussion of how she chose to record this song as her album’s cover song is interesting, and one listen proves the selection of this sogns was a good call; quite simply, this song suits her voice, and she delivers a personal, original version of it.

The next cut, “Keep Me Dancing,” is a soaring, powerful, soft ballad, my favorite pure ballad on the album. It’s a rich, full, orchestral pop ballad suitable for radio airplay and slow dances.

The next song, “City Boy,” is my personal favorite, not because it’s better than the others but, rather, because it strikes a personal chord with me. The song was originally recorded by Trysette a long time ago, but I’m glad she included it on her Feel So Pretty disc. I’m not familiar with the original version, but this is a catchy, lush recording whose lyrics (“The more you earn/The more you spend/The more you got/The more you want“) transcend time, leading into the tuneful wail of “ciiiity boy.”

Trysette

photo by Robin Craig; photo courtesy of Trysette

The home stretch of the disc features songs whose insistence vocals suggest a deeply personal connection. I imagine the last section of this disc, for this very reason, may be many listeners’ favorite. It kicks off with “Is That What You Said,” a soft, sweet, emotional piano ballad. The following song, also balladic, soars, with Trysette’s delivery of the entreaty “This Should Be a Good Thing” giving away the lyric’s true emotion.

The final two tracks, “Take a Bow” and “Under My Skin (Intimate Version)” close the album by showcasing Trysette’s soft, high, strong vocals with their unique, identifiable intonation. Feel So Pretty takes the listener on a pleasant journey, a journey that gets more pleasant with each listen, as different favorite songs emerge.

In summary, Trysette has recorded a unique disc full of well-written soft pop songs, delivered in a unique vocal style. Well worth checking out; within a few listens, you’ll have selected your own favorite tracks.

Album Review: Shayna Leigh – Drive

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Shayna Leigh – Drive

Shayna Leigh

photo by Ben Helmer; photo courtesy of MLC PR

The Backstory

I was introduced to Shayna Leigh‘s music more than two years ago at the urging of a longtime music journalist friend. He has terrific taste in music, and if he recommends an artist this highly, I’m usually glad I followed his suggestion. Shayna’s release at the time was the catchy “Drive Away,” and it found a heavy-rotation spot on my personal playlist. A few months later, I found her 3-song EP, The Cold Hard Truth and the Dream, which featured “Drive Away” along with “Next to Me” and “Map of My Heart.” That was enough to completely sell me on Shayna’s talent, and I knew that, if I began writing about music again any time soon, she’d be one of the first artists I’d contact for a review. That was nearly two years ago. A lot has changed for Shayna since then.

In the time since I first heard her music, Shayna Leigh has progressed from a critically acclaimed independent musician to a recording artist with a big-time album release. In July of this year, Shayna’s full-length album Drive was released by S-Curve Records/Universal Music Group; it became available for digital download on July 28th. And December 4th, just a few days ago, was the release date for physical copies of the CD. That is the album I’ll be reviewing…

Album Review of Shayna Leigh: Drive

Shayna Leigh - Drive

image courtesy of MLC PR

Vocal and song-driven catchy soft pop/rock. Shayna Leigh does it well, and she’s instantly recognizable. Not just her voice but her vocal flourishes set her apart. You’ll realize this quickly, as Drive opens with the title track, one that showcases the soft, strong, and unique sides of Shayna’s delivery all in one song. Yes, Shayna has a great voice, but she also has great pop music instincts. Throughout the album, her recognizable tone weaves its way throughout catchy, soft pop tunes.

The song “Drive” was released publicly in the summer of 2014, so I was already quite familiar with it; it is joined by another tune I knew well, one from the The Cold Hard Truth and the Dream EP, now entitled “Next to You,” a song that dances around the melody a bit more than the slightly more directionally straight-ahead “Drive.”

Other songs also jumped out quickly at me. The first of these other memorable songs is “Last Criminal,” a lyrically clever, engaging track that has a unique vibe I first heard a few months ago when its video was released. Indeed, it’s easier to understand that unique vibe when you see the video for “Last Criminal,” a film noir-style short that plays upon the clever lyrics and atmosphere of the song. The other track that engaged me quickly is a very poppy number, “Dirty Laundry,” which paints a graphic and not particularly enticing picture of a slobby, loser boyfriend in its verses, surrounding a catchy pop chorus.

Shayna Leigh

photo by Ben Helmer; photo courtesy of MLC PR

But as much as the aforementioned songs were the quickest-hits in the collection, as I have accumulated album-listens, I’ve actually started to catch myself singing other songs, as well, particularly the uptempo, upbeat-sounding “Goodbye July” and the fast-paced “Crash,” with its insistent, tense energy and cathartic releases.

Also worth noting is second track “Typhoon,” another catchy, pop radio-ready number with a clearly identifiable hook that plays in the pop range of Shayna’s vocals. “Typhoon” is an energetic number that features an accompanying music video.

Shayna shows her softer side on songs like “Paradise Lost,” a song about moving on, putting the past behind, and reaching for a better future. (Yes, “Last Criminal” is technically also a ballad, but “Paradise Lost” is a more traditional pop ballad.)

Overall, Drive is a varied collection of catchy songs that show off the emotionally-connecting voice of a talented, young, fast-rising pop singer, a stellar first full-length effort, a strong album without a weak link. Every listener is likely to have a different favorite; and a single listener may have a different favorite each week.

Obviously I think Shayna Leigh is an exceptional talent, but don’t take my word for it. I provided a couple of links to songs in the text above. Check out her music for yourself.

What Else?

Go to Shayna’s website and get a free download of her Christmas song, “Wake Me When It’s Christmas,” while you wait for Santa to leave her album in your stocking.

Album Review: Alchemilla – Hearts

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Alchemilla – Hearts

Alchemilla

photo courtesy of Alchemilla

The Backstory

I discovered Alchemilla‘s 4-song EP, Hearts, through the disc’s producer, who’s an old music industry friend of mine. He was raving about the band, and my old music biz contacts are often great sources for discovering talented new bands, so I took a listen to the advance promo video for Hearts and was intrigued; then, when available, the EP blew me away. Since discovering the band about a year ago, I have tried on a few occasions to catch a live performance but have always had schedule conflicts. One day I’m sure you’ll see a live review of one of Alchemilla’s shows in this blog. For now, however, I’ll give a quick review of this four-track EP.

EP Review of Alchemilla: Hearts

Alchemilla

image courtesy of Alchemilla

Loud. Distorted. Heavy. Real rock music. First song “Live Life Over” kicks off the disc with distorted power chords and a near-wall of sound meant to serve notice that this album will rock you. Hard. Then Kat Burke’s vocals kick in, slicing through the noise with confident strength, demanding attention with each extended vowel; always controlled, never wavering. Commanding “we will not grow old,” this song certainly doesn’t. In addition to well-constructed guitar bridges that form a solid song structure, the necessary (and necessarily blistering) hard rock guitar solo serves as appropriately measured punctuation. It’s clear from the first track on Hearts that Alchemilla will be a raw, rough, energetic live band, which is why I’m still trying to get to a gig. It’s also a clue that the listener is about to hear four well-constructed songs.

Title track “Hearts” follows, and it’s a bit more atmospheric though still 100% hard rock. The vocals are sung distinctly syllablically, with the measured vocal approach matching the plodding power of the ever-growing wall of guitar and vocals that sneak in over the course of the track. Again, as with the first track, the guitar solo hits the spot, though it’s toward the end of “Hearts,” leading into the powerfully fading final vocals.

Alchemilla

photo courtesy of Alchemilla

Vocalist Burke hits some hauntingly almost-awkward (but no, she nails ’em; that’s the intent) high notes on track three, “In My Head.” This is the least wall-of-sound song of the four, or perhaps it only seems so because of the less dense beginning and ending. It certainly is the catchiest of the four, as I more often catch myself singing “there’s someone in my head…” than any other lyric on the EP.

Final track “One Way” kicks off with distorted guitar and power vocals, somewhat like the EP-opener but with a bit more finesse. Alchemilla works in some soaring vocals, driving rhythm, and solid vocal-driven bridges for a solid conclusion to its EP.

Overall, this EP plods, but I mean that in a good way. It has a slow, heavy pace. Like a steamroller. Like a really cool hard rock steamroller. One that belongs in your hard rock music collection and in your earbuds making your ears bleed and your head bang. From a band whose gig seems like it’s probably a must-see. But, of course, when I say this is cement-truck-heavy, well-constructed hard rock, you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen for yourself.

Album Review: Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings – I Wasn’t Planning on the End

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Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings  –  I Wasn’t Planning on the End

Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings

photo by Larufoto; photo courtesy of Bridget Davis

The Backstory

You already know the backstory if you’ve been reading this blog. However, the short version is that I discovered Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings purely by accident at a Rockwood Music Hall show in New York. At the time, this album was in production. I decided to order the CD before I decided to return to music journalism. As such, this is the last CD I purchased prior to re-entering music journalism. Because I hadn’t spun this disc enough times before I wrote about Bridget and company a few weeks ago, I saved the album review for later. Or, rather, now.

CD Review of Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings: I Wasn’t Planning on the End

I’ll begin by pointing out that Bridget has an outstanding voice. She hits the notes with clarity and emotion, with the extraordinary control required by this sort of music. Her voice is soft and strong, ideal for the sort of alt-rock/Americana/roots-rock blend her band plays. However, in this particular genre, it is rare for a voice to set a band apart. And it probably doesn’t do the trick here, either. Vocals simply aren’t dominant enough in this relatively laid-back brand of music to prove the difference-maker. To quote your college philosophy professor, great vocals are necessary but not sufficient to set a band apart when playing this style of music. And, indeed, Bridget’s exceptional vocals more than fulfill that “necessary” requirement.

Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings

artwork by Cassie Kelly; image courtesy of Bridget Davis

Indeed, while Bridget and the Viking Kings could have drawn a nice following simply playing a mellow, sometimes vaguely haunting sort of flowing folk-rock, they don’t do that. And it’s all about the songwriting. Indeed, that’s what’s special about this band. Each song, to a varying degree, has an “engine,” as I call it, driving the song. It’s too catchy/grabby to be a rhythm, but it infiltrates too much of the song to be a hook. It’s what makes Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings unique in a style of music in which it might otherwise be easy to get lost among the crowd. And it’s why I ordered this album as my last “civilian” act before starting this blog. I Wasn’t Planning on the End is a heck of a final purchase. The 10-song disc includes 3 re-recordings of previously-released songs plus 7 all-new originals.

“Elizabeth” is an excellent choice to start the disc, as it begins thinly and builds. Ultimately a slow-to-mid-tempo number, its “motor” is largely built upon the slightly-complex drum line; regardless, the slow-build nature of the song is well-structured to engage the listener. It’s followed by “Transient,” an intriguing number that draws a bit of the hauntingness out of Bridget’s voice while powered by bass and rhythm guitar. Debut single “Transient” acted as a “preview” track for the album, released online in advance of the CD release, so I was already relatively familiar with it. As with several of BD & the VKs’ songs, there’s a nice spot mid-song that utilizes silence and the return initially of a single instrument to grab the listener. (Did I mention I’m impressed with the band’s songwriting?)

Next up are two songs re-recorded from the band’s 3-cut January EP. First, that EP’s title track, has a catchy recurring guitar hook that melds with a rhythm-driven “motor” to drive the song along while featuring Bridget’s crisply expressive vocals and other extra, enjoyable nuggets of musical detail. It’s followed by “The Breakdown,” whose catchy little guitar hook is what convinced me to investigate this band’s music in greater detail because they just might be something very special. Because that hook was still dominantly running through my head the afternoon after I first heard Bridget and the Vikes, even though I had only heard it once (and had seen a heck of a good band perform after them, as well). There’s a bit of an Old West feel to “The Breakdown,” as I could see movie musical cowboys swaying to it while on a cattle driven,though perhaps it’s more Great Plains, as I’d more likely visualize a lonely farmer or two lamenting a life as it might have been while staring across their fields, with a soft wind blowing on the prairie.

Bridget Davis

photo by Larufoto; photo courtesy of Bridget Davis

Next up is “Rollaway,” an engaging, well-crafted, fun song driven by a rolling rhythm but punctuated by a tension-building run or two before release. It’s followed by a rendition of “Trouble Comes in the Threes,” the title track from Bridget and the VKs’ first EP. The catchy strumming pattern at the beginning draws the listener in, and it combines with a vocal that seems to whisper even though it doesn’t. Where “Rollaway” goes somewhere, “Trouble Comes…” just sits on its relatively slow-tempoed motor and let’s the listener enjoy.

The album cranks up only a very small notch with “Let Him Down,” and actually, with the motor being a bit more subtle, it almost feels like it has slowed down a touch. It’s probably the purest song on the CD that hits at the core of BD+VKs’ style, even if the band’s style seems to be all about straying from its center, rarely settling in. So it’s a nice job of song placement to have the album centered just in time for the next track, “Sarah’s Song,” which for me is the biggest potential breakout hit of the collection. It is the only song whose “motor” is a background vocal, one that’ll have the listener “oh”-ing along by halfway through. Comparatively speaking, the tempo is relatively faster than the others on the disc, the lyrics are interesting… and then the song throws this Chris Isaak-esque “Wicked Game”-ish guitar bridge to seal the deal. Um, yeah, “Sarah’s Song” is something special.

“I’m Ready” is a bit of a blend of the two previous tracks, with the eeriness of the slower parts of “Sarah’s Song” and the centeredness of “Let Him Down.” The song begins at a much slower tempo with muted instrumental flourishes, though it does build to power in a couple spots and end much noisier than it begins. I’ve seen “I’m Ready” mentioned as an album favorite in comments by some of Bridget’s core fans, which is evidence that, even as a band should strive for music that could attract new listeners (like “Sarah’s Song”) and to grow outward as musicians and songwriters, it’s important for a band to grow inward, to remember its center, to try to create variations on its central theme because that’s what its long-term followers love.

The last song on the CD is the title track, and it’s a bit of a slow, mellow, haunting bookend to the first track. Both guitar and percussion are the slow motors that move forward “I Wasn’t Planning on the End.” The whole song has a bit of a melancholy feel, ending where the album began, a bit mellow and unsure of the world around it, simultaneously definitive and uncertain. Very much Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings.

So yes, this band will never rock your face off or blow your mind with freakish feats of vocal or musical amazingness. But they consistently deliver good songs, vary the tempo, provide hook-type “motors” you’ll remember. If there’s a place in the world for a truly fine, song-driven band — and really, if we’re being honest, that’s at the core of most long-term success in the music business — you’ll find that right here.

Looking Ahead

Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings’ next performance is Saturday, December 5th at 10:00 pm on Stage 1 at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York. I’d be there if I could. I can’t, but if you can, you should go.

Album Review: Casey Weston – Young Heart

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Casey Weston – Young Heart

Casey Weston

photo courtesy of Casey Weston

The Backstory

I discovered Casey Weston through ReverbNation back in 2013. She was one of the website’s featured artists. Her entire 2013 release, Find the Moon (on bandcamp, where you can listen to full songs and purchase a download) was available to listen to on her ReverbNation site. I downloaded the songs that were available as free downloads and added them to my listen-while-I-work playlist. They soon rose to the top of my list. I was amazed by Casey’s vocals, her lyrics, the ease with which her songs were listenable and memorable. Indeed, while the full 13 songs on Find the Moon are outstanding, ranging from “Crazy Fools” and “The Good Times” to “Back to the Start” and “Ain’t Life Beautiful That Way,” it’s one song, “Happy,” that became a must-listen for me for several months. Catchy, country, sarcastic and independent, it’s a song that appeals to country fans, pop fans, and anyone who likes clever lyrics. As I like to say (and have tweeted), with apologies to Pharrell Williams, Pharrell’s “Happy” is only the second-best song of that title released in 2013, behind Casey Weston’s. Surprisingly, after discovering Casey’s music, I later discovered she had been a final-eight contestant (as part of Adam Levine’s team) on Season One of The Voice. I watched that season of The Voice but didn’t remember Casey; I guarantee if she had been singing her own songs, though, I couldn’t have missed her.

So it was after more than a year of continued appreciation for Casey’s Find the Moon album that I decided to pre-order her Young Heart CD in early 2015. (In CD format so I could more easily play it in my car.) In fact, Casey Weston’s Young Heart is the second of only three CDs I have ever pre-ordered (and I blogged about my first pre-order, blues singer Danielle Miraglia’s Glory Junkies, in my “Road Back” series). I was confident I wouldn’t be disappointed by Casey’s CD, and (spoiler alert!) I wasn’t.

I discovered a lot of great music in my last 2-3 years as a “civilian,” before relaunching my writing career. With that as the backstory, I’m glad to finally be able to share with you the best new country artist I discovered during my hiatus from music journalism, Casey Weston.

CD Review of Casey Weston: Young Heart

Casey Weston - Young HeartFrom the first time you hear Casey Weston’s voice you know it. She’s country. She’s 100% country. She could sing Mötley Crüe’s “Shout at the Devil,” and it would be country. She could sing Lorde’s “Royals,” and it would be country. She could sing the entire soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera, and it would be The Phantom of the Opry. Casey’s voice has the lilt and the twang. And the emotion, so much more than you’d expect from such a young country singer, still solidly in her early twenties. And power, so much power when it’s called on, yet also the softness that suggests deep lyrical understanding. And a solid lower register, as well, that drives the verses of some of her songs. Casey’s the complete package, and it would take perhaps just the smallest break to break her huge on country radio (with the occasional crossover pop hit). But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Casey’s current album, Young Heart, showcases the various different styles of her music. First, there are the young, energetic songs. The ones that would take over pop-country radio in a heartbeat. Songs like album-opener “Play It All Again,” which is about the sort of energetic pop-country you’ll find on the country charts, and “Little Bit of Everything,” a celebration of individuality and the seemingly-contradictory parts that make up an interesting person’s whole. (“Play It All Again,” by the way, has introduced the phrase “a good kind of crazy” into my family’s lexicon. Then again, that’s what lyrics with well-turned phrases can do.)

Casey Weston

photo courtesy of Casey Weston

Then there are her more timeless mid-tempo and uptempo numbers. Indeed, Casey’s voice often expresses the depth and experience of a much more mature country artist, and she draws upon that particularly well on a couple of this disc’s tunes. Mid-tempo “Waking Up” tells a good story about coming to one’s senses. “No Strings Attached,” meanwhile, is a cheatin’ crooner that comes across as if from someone with a whole lotta life experience. And such well-crafted lyrics; you’ll find yourself singing along with the chorus once you’ve committed them to memory. (In fact, I’ll link to the Bandcamp page for “No Strings Attached” so you can read the lyrics while you listen.)

There’s also a song on Young Heart that throws in a little of Casey’s trademark attitude. It’s not exactly sass; it’s more like spirit combined with clever lyrics. This is the stuff I really love. There were a couple songs like this on Find the Moon; here, there’s one, the balladic “Never Come Back.” (“Do us both a favor/Don’t come back/Please never come back …”) It’s not as if the rest of the album is devoid of this spirit; rather, this song is fully packed with it. Great for one or two tracks per album; a bit of a trademark her fans certainly look forward to.

One of the more unique songs in Casey’s repertoire, a tune that’s a little more rocking and has a feel and flavor I couldn’t quite place, is “Graveyard.” It has a speaker-rattling rhythm, a little darkness, is very lyrically interesting, of course, and showcases Casey’s vocal agility, lending additional variety to an already-quite-varied album. This song is so engaging that there’s even one spot during which, when my wife and I are listening in the car, all conversation stops so we can sing along with Casey, “You make me go insaaaaane.”

Casey Weston

photo courtesy of Casey Weston

Young Heart closes with a sentimental, drippy romantic ballad. And no ones squeezes the emotion from a balladic lyric any better than Casey does. “Lock & Key” is a lyrical and emotional gem. This song, if it became widely known, could be a first-dance wedding favorite. Great lyrics. (“We fit perfectly/Like a lock and key/I was made for you/You were made for me…”) Classic delivery.

There you have it. An amazing album from a talented young country singer. Casey Weston’s voice is instantly recognizable, and her music is the sort of varied, well-constructed country blend that could be the foundation of a long, successful career. With luck, success will find her soon enough. In the mean time, those of us “in the know” can enjoy some amazing country music the rest of our friends don’t yet know about.

What’s Next?

For Casey, hopefully a fast-growing career. I don’t generally plan to write such long reviews, but I am absolutely, exceptionally impressed by Casey Weston’s music, and I hope a few more of you can discover it through this article. I also hope she tours the Northeast sometime in the near future, though that’s mostly just so my wife and I might get a chance to see her perform live.

For the blog, I’m already working on a few more reviews in and around my busy work schedule. I’ve also been having discussions with a few writers – mostly people who wrote for my old publication, but also others I know from my old magazine publishing days – who have expressed an interest in writing for this blog. So I look forward to continuing to treat you to great music reviews, news, and interviews and introducing you to some great additional voices who will do the same.

As for you, if you enjoy reading about great music regardless of genre, please also check out some of the other articles I’ve written in the few weeks since launching Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog, and please consider signing up to receive this blog in your inbox. We plan to post no more than once per day – initially, as we get started, likely a lot less – so you won’t have to worry about a clogged inbox. On your PC, there’s an option to subscribe at the bottom of the column along the righthand side of this page. On your smartphone, the e-mail subscription option should be at the end of this page.

The Road Back #7: Danielle Miraglia

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The Road Back to Music Journalism #7: Danielle Miraglia’s Glory Junkies CD

Fall/Winter 2014/15

First CD Pre-Order

Danielle Miraglia

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Backstory

I can’t recall exactly how I discovered Danielle Miraglia‘s music, but I believe it involved local live show listings (and the subsequent checking-out of bands listed) because I first viewed YouTube videos before finding Danielle’s Box of Troubles album available online as a free (“name your price”) download. After months of listening to that album on my PC playlist, Danielle had become one of the artists whose recordings I would look forward to buying as soon as it was released, so I took it one step further and pre-ordered her Glory Junkies CD in the fall of 2014; the album was completed and released that winter.

Danielle Miraglia

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Why This Was a Step on the Road Back

My first CD pre-order was simply one more piece of evidence that I was becoming more involved in the discovery of new music. Since that pre-order, I’ve seen Danielle perform live three times; that’s more than any of the other original independent musicians I’ve been following the last few years. Granted, she performs locally quite a bit, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time a couple of times, but her performances are always absolutely worth it. (I’m partial to her shows with a full band, but that’s no surprise; I do like to rock.)

CD Review of Danielle Miraglia: Glory Junkies

Danielle Miraglia

image courtesy of Danielle Miraglia

The word that best describes Danielle’s vocal style is “can I have more than just one word, please?”. She can rock, she can do sultry, she’s frequently a little raspy and gravelly, she can go extremely bluesy — well, she’s always a little bluesy, but sometimes yowza! Regardless, Danielle’s voice is an unmistakable powerhouse. And most of the time it sounds as if she’s singing with a good-natured smirk. And there’s a good chance that’s exactly what she’s doing. All somewhere on the spectrum from folk to blues-rock to full-on blues, yet every song is identifiably, undeniably, absolutely a Danielle Miraglia song.

Danielle Miraglia

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Glory Junkies tune with probably the greatest hit potential due to its monster hook is the not-quite title track, “Glory Junky.” Lyrically, the song is soaked in sarcastic wit, as well, which only adds to the fun. If you’re looking for blues, you might want to try “Left Hand Turn,” though it’s an absurdity-as-reality style of blues, really the only of its kind on this album, with Danielle wailing the lyrics quite matter-of-factly. Meanwhile, Red Sox fans (and baseball fans and psychology fans in general) will enjoy the slower-paced, folky “Heat of the Win,” essentially a study of misery and forgiveness as it relates to Bill Buckner. “Tear It Down,” meanwhile, delivers a truly rollicking brand of fast-tempo blues. Less bluesy, the slow, lyric-driven “Carmella” really knows how to tell a story; it will play on your sympathy if you listen closely. There’s also a bit of commentary in the twanging surf-blues of “Famous For Nothin’.” But there’s also plenty more pure humor on the disc, from sarcastic zombies at the door in “Coffee-Stained Thank You Cards” to pigeons in, well, “Pigeons.” But be careful what you dismiss as humor; there’s always a bit more “there” there, as is the case with the aforementioned “Pigeons.”

So once again we return to the dilemma of describing Danielle’s musical style. Blues. And folk. And blues-rock. Not so hard. But it’s Danielle Miraglia’s brand of blues/folk/blues-rock. Replete with sarcasm, wit, deep thoughts, great lyrical turns of phrase, and an always-a-little-bluesy vocal style that can navigate all three of those styles (and probably more if she chose to) but still always be undeniably, recognizably her own. Glory Junkies is a fun disc, a musically, vocally, and lyrically satisfying journey. Of course, with Danielle Miraglia at the wheel, it’s no surprise.

The Road Back #6: Next Stop Atlanta

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The Road Back to Music Journalism #6: Next Stop Atlanta’s CD

My First International CD Purchase

Summer 2014

Next Stop Atlanta

photo courtesy of Next Stop Atlanta

The Backstory

I discovered Next Stop Atlanta through a compilation album on Bandcamp, Othello Music’s Summer Sampler 2013. I was initially led to that compilation through the band Reachback’s song “Get Up” (a catchy, fun song from a great band), but Next Stop Atlanta’s “Perfection” was the one that captured my imagination. Both bands are pop-punk, but I thought NSA’s brand of heavier pop-punk was a bit more unique. Not necessarily better – I really enjoy Reachback, too – but more unique among the flood of pop-punk I was hearing that summer and just a little closer to my personal taste. A real hard rock act with a bit heavier underpinning while still performing catchy pop-punk.

I downloaded Next Stop Atlanta’s eponymous debut EP (free download on Bandcamp) in the summer of 2013 and listened to it for the next year, adding the free Christmas song release to my collection during the winter, but I found myself increasingly streaming the band’s follow-up EP, The Things You Do Best, from the Bandcamp site. For a while, I waited for a future promised-almost-done album so I could order them both together — I prefer CDs for albums I like to play in my car — but eventually, after a couple delays in the still-never-released new album, bit the bullet and bought the CD (in addition to a CD of the first EP I had previously downloaded for free).

Why This Was a Step on the Road Back

This was my first international CD order. In fact, since the first order got lost in the mail, I even had to reach out to Next Stop Atlanta to get replacement CDs sent. (Thanks, Nik, and I hope whoever snagged the first CDs en route, either here or in the UK, has been enjoying them.)

CD Review of Next Step Atlanta: The Things You Do Best

Next Stop Atlanta

image courtesy of Next Stop Atlanta

The band’s first, self-titled EP was catchy, fun, and rocking. The Things You Do Best, however, kicks things up a notch. In fact, the band’s progress can be easily noted by the new rendition of “Perfection.” The version of “When Perfection is Key” on the first EP is raw, stripped-down, but tight and catchy. On the second EP, however, the song (now just entitled “Perfection”) is beefed up with more power, additional vocal fill (“don’t walk alone tonight!”), a more intricate musical arrangement; it ends up a richer, more developed version of the song, one that showcases the band’s songwriting development between recordings. Indeed, while Next Stop Atlanta hinted at the band’s promise and talent, The Things You Do Best showcases a fully developed, tight rock band, complete with songwriting geared toward its skills. Catchy, memorable lyrics combine with a well-targeted, restrained power on “Always With the Drama” and “Light the Beacons,” the song from whose lyrics the EP title was lifted. The best, most complete tune on this disc, though, and the one I play whenever I want an instant energy boost, is “I’m Not Morrissey.” Listen to this track. It highlights each band member’s special skills, the things that made Next Stop Atlanta such an extraordinary ensemble. The other video from this EP is for “Get in the Van,” a worthy follow-up to “I’m Not Morrissey,” full of pure, unadulterated Next Stop Atlanta energy.

Perhaps the most notable thing about Next Stop Atlanta, and what makes its music so original, is the way it uniquely blends the talents of its band members. Guitarist Nik Taylor generally drives the songs forward, as is the norm in pop-punk, but he also varies the chords more than you’d expect from similar bands and implements monster, catchy hooks. Drummer Anthony Joy is also a hard-driving machine, but he, too, takes liberties, straying from the beat frequently with drum runs that make the songs much more interesting listens, but they leave the bassist holding down the rhythmic fort. Then there’s singer Georgia Peters. No, she doesn’t hit those “how did she do it?” notes, but she comes close, and wow, does she have control of her strong, insistent, powerful voice. It actually took me a few dozen listens to fully appreciate the quality of her vocal skills, and now I wonder why it took me so long; in NSA’s sound, Georgia’s voice is a well-tuned instrument, and it’s easily identifiable, teaming with Nik’s axework to give the band a truly trademark sound. And, of course, I almost feel like I’m shortchanging bass player Blake Sale, but keeping the rhythm in a band like this is more impressive than you might imagine.

Next Stop Atlanta

photo courtesy of Next Stop Atlanta

Looking Ahead

Next Stop Atlanta appears to have parted ways. The group had already replaced its drummer (I presume with a wise choice) since The Things You Do Best, but it has been more than a year since the band’s last original tweet, six months since its last retweet. It’s a shame that exceptional bands like this can go unnoticed long enough to disband before the world gets to hear their music, but that’s the music business. Thanks to Nik for replying to my requests for images to run with this article. I look forward to his next musical venture [Editor’s Note: He joined The Capital after Next Stop Atlanta], and I hope the rest of the band will also reach out to me if/when they’re involved in other projects. What immense talent, and I’m at least glad Next Stop Atlanta’s two brilliantly-crafted EPs will remain their legacy.

For quite a while before the band went dark, there was a new album in the works. Depending on how close to completion it was, perhaps at some point in the future some of that music could find its way to public, too. Personal note to the band: Good luck in your future endeavors, and whether or not you perform together again, thanks for the great music!

The Road Back #5: Marina V

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The Road Back to Music Journalism #5: Marina V’s House Concert in Boston

First CD Purchase Directly from Artist; First House Concert

Spring and Summer 2014

Marina V

photo by Emily Hanley; photo courtesy of Marina V

The Backstory

I believe I first discovered Marina V via ReverbNation. The website has rankings based on its users’ listening habits and preferred artists. Occasionally during the early days of my music rediscovery when I was actively searching for new music, I would check the charts of major entertainment cities (Los Angeles, New York, Boston, etc.), figuring if someone was among the best there, perhaps they were worth checking out. Marina V sat high among those rankings in Los Angeles. Upon hearing her music, I was quickly impressed. In the spring of 2014, after listening to Marina V’s songs that were available for free download for several months, I ordered her Inner Superhero CD. It was the first CD I had ordered online directly from an artist. A few months later, I attended a house concert hosted by one of Marina’s supporters in Boston. It was an intimate affair; in fact, during the evening Marina commented that it may have been the lowest attendance she’d had at a house concert. But a small event with before- and after-concert mingling (much like a backstage event at a concert, but much smaller) was a great initial house concert experience.

Why This Was a Step on the Road Back

This was my first CD purchase directly from an artist, which is nice. The house concert was a bigger deal, as it was the first extended time I’ve had to talk with one of the musicians I had discovered since returning. To that point, my circle of music contacts still consisted entirely of people I had gotten to know during my first stint in the music business. But the house concert sparked a desire for the first time to write a live review of the concert or to arrange an interview to help the deserving musician-in-question get more exposure, to the extent I could, wishing with greater desire than I had for years that I still published a newsletter with distribution within the music industry. So yes, this was another step that increased my desire to get back into writing/publishing.

Marina V and Nick Baker

Nick Baker and Marina V; photo by Milena Wilbur

House Concert review

The house concert was fun, but I didn’t take notes and didn’t plan to write about it, so the review will be minimal and purely from memory. It was a small event, with everyone bringing snacks and wines, a lot of mingling before and after the show. At such a small event, Marina and her guitarist/husband/co-collaborator Nick Baker were able to have nice chats with everyone in attendance. Some of the attendees had discovered Marina many years earlier and had attended many similar events, so they were recalling old times. The show itself was quite energetic and dynamic, especially considering the size of the venue. Marina played favorites old and new. There was audience participation, including the passing around of small tambourines. Indeed, “Sunshine Guaranteed” was a big crowd-pleaser. And I was particularly impressed with the acoustic arrangement she and Nick were able to come up with for one of her more rocking songs, “Win.” Overall, an outstanding performance, one worthy of any venue from a living room to a concert hall.

As a side note, during this tour, Marina produced a tour documentary, Enjoy the Ride, chronicling the journey back and forth across the country, including event and tourist stops along the way. If you take a look at the trailer, you’ll even get a glimpse of your intrepid publisher from the 1:09 to 1:13 marks. (I put down my glass of wine, take a camera out of my pocket, and pick up my glass of wine. I think you’ll find the acting to be superb and believable, most likely because I didn’t realize I was being filmed.)

CD review of Marina V: Inner Superhero

Marina V

image courtesy of Marina V

Marina V’s Inner Superhero album is another step forward in what was already an award-winning independent music career filled with memorable songs. As a performer and songwriter, Marina remains one of LA’s award-winning best kept secrets, at least beyond her lucky core market, though the fan base she has built through the years is admittedly relatively large for a still-independent musician. Musically, Marina’s songs tend to be mostly soft rock, though she proves on occasion she can clearly really rock a room when she decides to; vocally, she tends to be a mix of sweet and sultry, while occasionally unleashing her vocal power.

The first four songs on Inner Superhero showcase Marina’s stylistic range. The album kicks off with “Hello,” a song that opens with piano then builds to persistent, pleading musical and vocal power. It’s a great kickoff, followed by “Run,” which may be the best song to start with if you haven’t previously heard her music. This is an extremely well-written soft pop/rock number that ought to grace soft rock radio playlists. The verses open with effective use of Marina’s trademark breathy, sultry vocals, then build along with the music. The verses, the chorus, the transitions… this is songwriting! But that’s not the song that won me over. Instead, it was the following song, “Win,” that convinced me of Marina’s versatility, talent, ability to occupy a broad enough range of musical space to produce an album that would appeal to a broad audience and that would have staying power across multiple listens. Dude, “Win” has some chops. It’s an attitude-filled, mid-tempo, arena-worthy anthem that would be an excellent choice for an ESPN college tournament end-of-day sports montage. Fourth track “Stand,” meanwhile, is a powerful piano ballad with a message that features some of Marina’s soaring vocals. The rest of the album remains solid, as well. Depending on my mood and time of day, one of those might also be my favorite. “Stand,” for example, is perhaps the most powerful ballad on the disc. And Marina’s delivery-with-a-smile adds something really special on light, cheerful tracks like “Light Up the Dark” and “Say Hello.” In fact, watch this video of “Say Hello.” Between the cheerful song and video, I guarantee you’ll be grinning from ear to ear.

Considering her talents, Marina may have an interesting dilemma in her career, though it’s one I think she can navigate easily enough if she maintains the sort of balance found on Inner Superhero. Her distinctive vocal style lends itself to almost-folky soft-pop/rock in such a way that she likely has built a significant fan base that clamors for that sort of song; meanwhile, she has the versatility as a singer and songwriter to reach farther and wider with her music, occupying the much broader singer/songwriter (and occasionally rockin’ signer/songwriter) category. I suspect a mix as found on Inner Superhero can satisfy both audiences; I, of course, count myself among those who, while appreciating a mix of the softer stuff (and she does deliver it amazingly), think Marina really sets herself apart when she mixes in the occasional more rocking number like “Win.” Combine Marina’s world-class songwriting with her vocal and performance style that seems to connect directly from artist to each individual listener (whether live, on video, or on her recordings), and she’s just “exposure” away from much greater success.

Marina V with her Hollywood International Entertainment Award

photo courtesy of Marina V

Marina’s 2-Songs-a-Month Club via Patreon

I just thought I should share that I am a supporter of Marina V via her 2-songs-a-month club, albeit at the most minimal level. Because I “joined her club” while I was not an active music journalist, I plan to continue to honor this commitment going-forward. From a broader perspective — listen up independent musicians — this is a great idea, one that allows her supporters to pledge as little as one dollar per song (which is two dollars per month) in exchange for two songs a month. I think this is something other independent musicians should consider duplicating, if it suits their schedule and career objectives. Marina releases one new original and one new cover song each month. I suspect other artists who may not be such prolific songwriters could substitute a heavier mix of covers, if necessary. As a result, for artists with a large enough following, this could provide a reliable source of secondary income in addition to the usual performance, recording, and merchandise income that’s typically more sporadic. Something to consider, though if you, as a musician, do something like this, you’ll need to dependably follow through. After all, you’re making a commitment to your fans when you do this.

In any case, now that I’ve returned to music journalism, this isn’t the sort of thing I will be signing up for from any other artists. At the same time, since I committed to support Marina while I was still a “civilian,” I will continue. I felt it was important to reveal this support; at the same time, now that I’m a journalist again, please don’t expect me to support your music in the same way, no matter how much I like it. As a journalist, I now have other ways to show my support. But yes, of course, I will gladly honor commitments I made while I wasn’t a journalist. (This is the only remaining one of those commitments.)

The Road Back #3: Dr Scardo

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The Road Back to Music Journalism #3: Dr Scardo’s Dark Dog Days Album

Discovering a New Album Through Twitter

Summer 2013

Simon Scardanelli

photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

The Backstory

You may recall Simon Scardanelli as part of the 1980s pop group Big Bam Boo. The group had hits that charted in the UK and Canada back in 1989. While publishing Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter, in the mid-nineties I reviewed the album Death Row Tales by Simon’s band The Eye Camera. He and I remained in contact through the years. And in the summer of 2013, I spotted a tweet from Simon saying that he was offering a copy of his latest album, Dr Scardo’s Dark Dog Days, as a free download for a week so his fans could check it out. Intrigued, I downloaded it and dove in.

Why This Was a Step on the Road Back

This album was the first music I had decided to download based on a tweet. Indeed, I hadn’t been using any online source to find new music. And even though this album was downloaded on a whim, it finally sparked in me a desire to seek out new music online. Partly because it was unlike any of the music I heard on the radio, I suppose, it refreshed my desire to listen to music I couldn’t otherwise easily find. And even though I had known Simon previously, the new music I began to seek out after this was by other artists who I hadn’t previously known about. In fact the rest of my “Road Back” series will be about these other artists, all of whom I’ve discovered since the day in 2013 I donwloaded Dark Dog Days on a whim. At this point on the “road,” I didn’t have even the slightest hint that I would want to write about music again, but the ball was certainly rolling downhill.

Dr Scardo

image courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

The Album Review of Dr Scardo: Dark Dog Days

Dark Dog Days is a powerful statement about the state of the world. It’s a very issue-driven album. It’s dark. It’s often angry, sometimes brooding, other times melancholy, but mostly insistent, as if an album with an opinion, demanding to be heard. Musically, it’s modern, darkly moody rock with a nod to a synch-pop/rock past.

The dark-pop disc-opener, “Leave Us Alone,” is more than just a disaffected youth anthem; it channels the anger of all people marginalized by society. It’s followed by “Wall Street Hustle,” mixing a catchy recurring rhythm and hook into a lyrical soup attacking Wall Street and politicians for their damage to the working population with a tone that screams anger but also carries a hint of resignation about the way the world works.

Also worth noting: “End of the World” takes a look at civil disobedience and the resistance of the power establishment to protesters’ interests. “Dark Horse Damned” takes a shot at the overmedication of kids. “Resolution Oil” is a 7-minute, exceptionally engaging epic reproach of the oil industry and its impact on the world’s population. Even “If You Could See Me Now,” a 1989 Big Bam Boo song, is given a new, updated, fully modern dark rock treatment, emerging as a sort of slow, insistent, pleading ballad.

And finally, the title track takes aim at the way consumer commercialism has overwhelmed people’s lives so much that its importance in people’s lives has blinded them to what’s being done in the world right before their eyes. It’s amazing a nine-plus minute song can seem to go by so quickly, but like everything on the album, it’s well-crafted and features exceptional musicianship.

Whether or not you agree with its social commentary, Dark Dog Days, as an album, is an artistic masterpiece.