Album Review: Mike Ward: Psychosongs – Love Never Rests

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photo by Angie Ward; photo courtesy of Mike Ward

Album Review of Mike Ward: Psychosongs – Love Never Rests

Detroit-based, award-winning folk artist Mike Ward has delivered an everyman, heart-touching masterpiece with Love Never Rests. I’ve written before about how my inbox is overflooded with folk music, so I only write about those whose songwriting and delivery are impeccable, and even then only those few whose music really connects with me. And yeah, I get so much folk music, not even all of those. (But thanks to all for sending your music for review consideration. Even though I can’t review a majority of what I receive, I appreciate it.) But that’s not why you’re reading, so I’ll get back to the review…

image courtesy of Mike Ward

Mike has a roughness in his vocals that combine well with his matter-of-fact delivery, lending authenticity to his relatable, observational, slice-of-life lyrics. As for the Mike Ward: Psychosongs monitor, the “psycho” part is supposedly a reference to a nickname Mike earned playing hockey. (For me, being a hockey player makes him all that much more relatable. But it doesn’t really play a role in his music on this record, other than in a single line of “Compact Life.”)

Mike has a few different female backing vocalists on several songs throughout the album. On those songs, the intermingling of the vocals is often emotionally engaging and take those tunes to the next level. I noticed this particularly on “The Currency of Forgiveness” and “There I Was,” which are both very powerful songs that would be significantly less effective with just Mike’s single, though very compelling, vocal.

photo by Scott Kraus; photo courtesy of Mike Ward

Mike’s songs are relatable, as in “I Follow,” which features several lines you’ll smile and chuckle to in recognition of your own life or, at least, something you might have thought or felt while growing up. “Lost Love Letters” strikes up a bit of nostalgia, though in this song it’s an ode to memories sung from a third-person perspective. And the disc’s closing song, “Sunday Morning,” credited as a poem by Marjorie Ward (as opposed to the rest of the songs, that are entirely Mike Ward-penned), paints a richly-painted, detailed picture of everyday, familial Sunday mornings that might be familiar to many listeners. Meanwhile, “This Old Life Goes” is a song about aging, thinking about mortality and the meaning of life, seemingly spurred by running into a friend whose mind is beginning to fail, sung pleasantly and matter-of-factly – you know, like you’d expect from a top-shelf folk song. “Smile,” too, is another pleasant little ditty about aging, though it’s actually more about loss and remembering times from the past, family, and the relentless progression of time.

photo by Danny Ward; photo courtesy of Mike Ward

The entire album is exceptionally well-conceived and executed. Personally, some of my favorite songs – not noticeably better than the other tracks, just favorites because they connect with me – are “The Currency of Foregivness,” an upbeat song about love and commitment, “There I Was,” a song I enjoy in part because of the movement in the tempo and the fun lyric “Seems like I’ve living on the wrong side of nowhere,” even if I don’t relate to the vagabond life, “Compact Life,” a clever ode devoted primarily to embracing a life less complicated, and the heavier-feeling – both in lyric and in the power of the orchestration – “Something Anything,” which opens with the line “I’m looking for something positive today.”

As a whole, Love Never Rests is an exceptionally well-produced, written, and performed folk album. If you’re a fan of that genre or of singer-songwriters or well-written songs, then you ought to give it a listen.

More Recently

Love Never Rests is no longer Mike Ward’s most recent release. If you like what you hear here – or even if you don’t, I suppose – you can check out Mike’s August 2024 release Still Troubled, too.

Looking Ahead

Check the “Live” page of Mike’s website for performance dates. He currently lists a few performance that stretch from southeastern Michigan to southwestern Michigan. Despite his “psycho” nickname, though, I’m pretty sure Mike’s allowed to leave the state, so be sure to check periodically to see if and when he’ll be near you, even if you don’t live in the Great Lakes State.

Single Reviews: Orianthi – “First Time Blues” feat. Joe Bonamassa and “Some Kind of Feeling”

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image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Single Reviews of Orianthi: “First Time Blues” feat. Joe Bonamassa and “Some Kind of Feeling” (Woodward Avenue Records)

You may know Orianthi best as Alice Cooper’s guitarist from 2011 to 2014 (at least, I did), before she resigned and was replaced by Nina Strauss. Or you may know her for her collaborations, performances, and tours with any number of other A-listers, an extensive list that includes Carrie Underwood, Richie Sambora, Dave Stewart, Michael Bolton, and many others. And, obviously, Joe Bonamassa. Or perhaps you know her from her solo career. Whether you know her already or not, you should. So read on (and then check out these songs).

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

In February 2024, Orianthi released “First Time Blues,” and it’s infectiously cool, likely to quickly become one of your favorite songs, delivering a powerful, sidewinding blues rock guitar punch. Orianthi’s vocals match the power of the axework, too, while the beat is heavy and prominent, at least to the extent possible behind the varied, fully-engaging guitarwork.

“Some Kind of Feeling” is a bit of a cooler number, showing some of Orianthi’s range, as it is a slower-paced, funky-bluesy number. This song, likely, will appeal to a broader audience. It’s still cool enough for guitar fans, but it’s really more of a power pop-rocker and sports the sorts of sentiments expressed by lyrics like “baby, you give me some kind of feeling,” song topics that are of interest to a more mainstream audience than the concept of gettin’ the blues.

Combined, these two singles are songs you oughta hear. You’ll have a favorite, just like I do, but you’ll probably dig ’em both… just like I do.

image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Looking Ahead

Alice Cooper fans will get a chance to see Orianthi back in the band for a few weeks, as she’ll be filling in for Nita Strauss in Alice’s band for his January 31-February 16 gigs in Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida.

According to the “tour” page on Orianthi’s website, her current Australian tour ends on January 12th. Her website also lists a couple Oakland, California gigs in mid-April, a European tour in July, and an Illinois gig in October. I’m sure she’ll be adding more concerts this year, so you’ll want to check her website for new dates as they’re added.

Album Review: JK Collective – Ring Road

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photo by Ariane Kok; photo courtesy of Jan Knetsch

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of JK Collective: Ring Road

JK Collective is a group of studio musicians and composers from the Netherlands that specializes in ‘60s-inspired rock and pop. Although they sound more than capable of handling any musical situation, the original songs performed on Ring Road strongly reflect their fascination with British, European and American-based classic rock.

album cover designed by Jasper Davidson; image courtesy of Jan Knetsch

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Jan Knetsch is at the helm here and leads his merry men of musicality down a road that is letter perfect in tone and texture. The dozen tracks here were sparked by Knetsch and his wife’s journey to the USA down Route 66 in 2022. Upon hearing The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There” wafting from a roadhouse sound system, it stirred something in him to begin writing new music and tapping into that ‘60s-era style and feel. When Knetsch returned home to the Netherlands, he assembled this collective of musicians and got to work.

What you have here is a cadre of great original songs. “Ring Road Theme” is a mid- tempo rocker that blossoms on a bed of orchestral beauty. Woodwinds, strings and things blended with a wonderful and spirited melody really set the scene. “Together to Get Her” has a heavy British feel. It recalls the harmonic craftsmanship of The Hollies and The Beatles, with a touch of modern flair. The overall mood is upbeat, with a cool minor-ish guitar break. “I Don’t Wanna Give You Up” features great harmonies (hmm, I think I see a trend here… LOL!), with some tasty guitar action and a funky grooving bass line. “To Be Loved” features that Mersey Beat factor. There is also a predominant Beatle-esque sensibility, with a George Harrison-like slide guitar.

photo by Ariane Kok; photo courtesy of Jan Knetsch

“One Man Show” is very cinematic and taps into the bands’ penchant for storytelling. “The Mother Road” could almost be considered auto-biographical where it talks about traveling along Route 66. A ripping guitar solo and strong hooks bring it all back to the origin of JK Collective. “Work in Progress” spotlights the bands’ American influences, with a vocal nod to The Beach Boys. They’ve done their homework well and embody that freewheeling California sound. “Sweet Melody” sounds like Abbey Road-era Beatles. Superb harmonies, coupled with strings and brilliant hooks, make this a highlight. Continuing with The Beatles influence, there is no mistaking the “Eleanor Rigby” cadence and chamber string flourishes of “Roses in the Vale.” This track also vaguely recalls some of the early Moody Blues orchestral work. “Dreamers Drive” throws the whole works into the mix, blending woodwinds, strings, and straight up rock. And “My Song of the Day” rounds things out with a tasteful and well-placed acoustic ballad.

Ring Road is an album that shines a light on diversity and is very fluid in its songwriting approach. But there is a cinematic quality to their songs as well which taps into the JK Collective goals of licensing and marketing their music for films and video projects.

Single Review: Captains of Industry – “The In Between”

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Captains of Industry Group Photo

photo courtesy of Captains of Industry

Single Review of Captains of Industry – “The In Between”

Captains of Industry is comprised of four veterans of the Boston music scene: Daniel Rodriguez (vocals, guitar), Aaron Kammerer (vocals, bass), Jason Fidler (vocals, guitar), and Drew Spangler (drums). The band calls itself an Americana/indie band (at least on its Facebook page). It’s always tough to adequately label bands in this particular corner of the rock ‘n roll spectrum, but that’ll do for starters.

image of the Captains of Industry – "The In Between" single cover

image courtesy of Captains of Industry

This single, “The In Between,” is a slow song. If a rock band performed a folk song relatively true-to-intent but it ended still sounding as if a rock band was performing it, it might sound like this. There’s a big booming drum strike or two on the track that are pretty cool, too. Technically, I suppose it’s a ballad in that you could slow-dance to it if you wanted to. But more specifically, it’s a richly-textured song about internal conflict, uncertainty, and… “it’s the in between that sees me through and brings me back to you.” As with any good lyric, apply that to your own circumstance however you see fit.

Captains of Industry live performance photo

photo courtesy of Captains of Industry

More Recently

Since the release of “The In Between” in February 2024, Captains of Industry have released a couple more singles – the peppy “Sunshine” in June and “Get Along Fine,” kind of a mellow, melancholy-ish song with maybe the slightest hint of Tom Petty, in November.

Album Review: Jason Kao Hwang – Soliloquies

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Jason Kao Hwang – Soliloquies album cover

image courtesy of Jason Kao Hwang

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Jason Kao Hwang: Soliloquies

Originally from the Midwest and currently based in New Jersey, Jason Kao Hwang is a classically-trained violinist and composer who specializes in a free jazz and improvisational approach to his instrument. He cut his musical teeth in the late ’70s and early ’80s playing with some of the heavyweights of avant garde jazz music such as saxophonist Anthony Braxton, saxophonist/flautist Henry Threadgill, and bassist Reggie Workman. Hwang, who is of Chinese descent, has also been heavily involved in world music that reflects his Asian-American heritage.

That wealth of musical and cultural knowledge is uniquely compressed into a dozen tight and expressive original solo violin etudes and improvisations. In particular, the strings master employs a specific technique throughout the recording called “pizzicato.” It is an alternate manner of playing where, instead of using a bow and swiping the violin strings, the instrument is “picked” or plucked similar to an approach on guitar. It’s a technique that gives the violin and each composition an entirely different and more percussive feel when compared with the way the instrument is primarily played.

In the dramatic arts soliloquies are intimate monologues where a character stands alone on stage to confide their innermost thoughts to the audience. Similarly, Hwang found a way to express himself in an improvisational and solitary context. Each original composition here tells part of a story. It’s a story that is a love letter to his parents and family’s first and second generation immigrant experiences.

The appropriately titled “At the Beginning” ushers in a demure and delicate melody on which the use of subtle pull-offs, trills and fleet-fingered picking is employed. The follow up “Hungry Shadows” develops those initial ideas and spotlights nuanced octaves and space. “Vagabond” navigates the melody in an unorthodox manner, with wit and strategic grace. Angular themes and well thought-out string bends and glissando define tracks such as “Spinning Coins,” “Remembering Our Conversation,” and “Encirclement.” Solo pizzicato in the hands of a sonic craftsman such as Hwang is magical because he refuses to be bound by the chains of conformity. Throughout his musical explorations on this album he makes his acoustic violin sound like a talking drum, flamenco guitar, and an Asian lute-like instrument called a Koto.

Every artist should grant themselves the opportunity to truly express who they are and where they come from. For all the sideman and collaborative work Hwang has done over the years, it’s nice to hear the soloist captured in his natural and familial element. And that’s what you essentially find here. “For the children of war survivors there are conversations with our parents we wished we had and could not,” explains Hwang in the liner notes. “I often wonder about my parents’ vague allusions to atrocities they survived in China during World War II because their trauma was far greater than I can imagine, even now, over 20 years since their passing. In Soliloquies I honor their courage by embracing their voices within mine, to sing into our unknowable silence encircling dreams. I am especially playing for my father, who endured multiple strokes, the last of which took his voice.”

Soliloquies is a dedicated listen and one that, in light of the stories behind each track, will draw you in with its earnestness, subtle delivery and powerful resolve.

Single Review: Justine Giles – “Before It’s Too Late”

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Justine Giles sitting in car with door open

photo by Jarrett Edmund; photo courtesy of Justine Giles

Single Review of Justine Giles: “Before It’s Too Late”

Here’s an artist I first encountered thanks to following New Tec Radio on social media. Sometimes when people whose musical taste I respect share what they’re listening to (or reviewing or playing on-air), I check it out. And that’s one of the ways I discover new music. (Kind of the same way, hopefully, you’re discovering some cool new music via this blog.)

Justine Giles – "Before It's Too Late" single cover

image courtesy of Justine Giles

In this instance, I discovered this kick-ass song from Calgarian Justine Giles; it has turned out to be one of my favorite single releases semi-recently. “Before It’s Too Late,” does a great job of showcasing Justine’s broad vocal skills. The song is a mix of torchy, bluesy Americana, wide open spaces, and modern country vibes. Specifically, on the country front, the haunting vocals are a little reminiscent of that feeling you get in certain spots of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” when you get chills and every hair on your body stands on end. Wow!

Justine Giles sitting on the gravel shoulder, leaning back against the front of a car

photo by Jarrett Edmund; photo courtesy of Justine Giles

The lyrics are intricate. The vocals ranging from smooth to gritty to forcefully powerful. And the appeal for this song is broad – singer-songwriter, country, Americana, pop. If you’re… well, human, then give this song a spin!

More Recently

Recent accolades for Justine include the well-deserved honor of being named Solo Artist of the Year at Calgary’s 2024 YYC Music Awards. She was also nominated in the “Exceptional Rising Leader” category by the 2024 Calgary White Hat Awards.

In October 2024, Justine released an EP entitled Another Chance. One of the five songs in that collection is “Before It’s Too Late.”

EP Review: Evan Nicole Bell – Runaway Girl

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image courtesy of Big D Radio Promotions

EP Review of Evan Nicole Bell: Runaway Girl

The title track of this EP, “Runaway Girl,” will be one of your favorite songs. Ever. It’s a funky, groovy, rock ‘n roll earworm. The good kind. I mean, how was this song not ubiquitous in 2024? Well, in my world, it was, but as you know, I didn’t get to write very many reviews last year and, therefore, didn’t share this with you all. Well, I’m gonna make up for that. If you haven’t heard “Runaway Girl” yet, it can be one of your “songs of 2025.”

Evan Nicole Bell has a helluva voice! And she shows it off on this four-song EP. Technically, I suppose, it’s a 3-song EP, since two of the four songs are versions of the title track.

The disc opens with an inviting, distorted bluesy-rock guitar riff that leads to some absolutely filthy, rough, soulful vocals on Evan’s howlin’ blues-rock cover of “Catfish Blues.”

Next up is “Runaway Girl (Radio Edit),” which you’ll also find listed sometimes as “Runaway Girl (No Guitar).” Honestly, it’s such a powerful  number I hadn’t noticed the lack of guitar on the radio edit. Evan’s vocals wail, the rhythm is steady and, with a bit of variance, hooky. The whole song is memorable, and that includes the soaring “I did it for love” vocals in a mid-song bridge. As for “Runaway Girl (Extended Mix),” I do really dig the guitar lead-in at the beginning and some of the additional musicianship throughout. Clearly, though, its 6:16 runtime is less appropriate for radio play than the radio edit’s 3:58, so it makes sense to have the two versions. And it’s such a catchy song that’s so impeccably-delivered that a radio-ready version was a must.

Track three, nestled between the two versions of “Runaway Girl,” is “Burn,” a smoothly blue slow burner that showcases the softer edge of Evan’s range… well, mostly. She still hits some big notes, many of which I’d describe as wails, in all the appropriate spots throughout the course of “Burn.”

This EP is an excellent showcase for Evan’s obvious talent. I’m looking forward to what’s next, as should you. And the wait won’t be long. Actually, I’ve taken so long to write this review that there isn’t really a wait anymore. Evan has already released “River.” It’s the first single from her debut full-length LP, Shades of Blue, which is set for a January 16, 2025 release date. But hey, start here. Start with Runaway Girl. And especially with “Runaway Girl.” The EP and the song are must-hears.

Single Review: The Amplifier Heads – “They Came to Rock” feat. Barrence Whitfield

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image courtesy of Knyvet

Single Review of The Amplifier Heads: “They Came to Rock” feat. Barrence Whitfield (Rum Bar Records)

One of the singles from The Amplifier Heads‘ 2024 release Songs From They Came to Rock, “They Came to Rock” is a ’50s-style boppin’ rocker, with Amplifier Heads bandleader Sal Baglio tabbing Barrence Whitfield for the fun, sometimes-booming, memorably stylistically appropriate vocals. This catchy song is a smile-inducing homage to old-style rock ‘n roll, with an otherwordly vibe fitting the song’s content.

Barrence Whitfield and The Amplifier Heads' Sal Baglio

Whitfield and Baglio; photo courtesy of Knyvet

The band released a fun video, too, with a hilariously serious, newsreel-style video lead-in. You might categorize the video under “space camp.” In any case, you should definitely give the video a view; you can find it on YouTube via this link.

The full album was released in April 2024, a few weeks after this single dropped; you can check out the entire space-themed “rock opera,” Songs From They Came to Rock, here on the album’s Bandcamp page.

Looking Ahead

You can keep track of upcoming performances from The Amplifier Heads or Sal Baglio here on the “Live” page of the band’s website.

 

Album Review: Simon Stanley Ward & the Shadows of Doubt – Rocket in the Desert

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photo courtesy of Simon Stanley Ward

Album Review of Simon Stanley Ward & the Shadows of Doubt: Rocket in the Desert

This is such a cool album from Simon Stanley Ward & the Shadows of Doubt! The story behind the recording of Rocket in the Desert is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and it’s told in a bit of detail here on the band’s website.

image courtesy of Simon Stanley Ward

The band consists of Simon Stanley Ward (vocals, acoustic guitar, fiddle), Paul Lush (lead guitar, producer), Neil Marsh (drums) and Geoff Easeman (bass guitar). Of course, as you’ll discover when you read the heartwarming-slash-heartbreaking tale I referenced above, you’ll discover the band moved heaven and earth to ensure that Geoff was able to record with them. Geoff completed the bass tracks for eight of the ten tracks on this record while in hospice; as Geoff had suggested before he passed, his son Richard Easeman filled that role on the ninth and tenth tracks. Again, you can read more on the band’s website, so let’s talk about the damn fine music itself.

photo courtesy of Simon Stanley Ward

Stylistically, Simon Stanley Ward & the Shadows of Doubt sport a sound that covers a broad swath of the Americana genre and perhaps a bit more. You can hear the country, folk, and rockabilly influences, plus a bit of straight-on rock ‘n roll. The music is very song-driven and lyrically often quite clever.

Some of the songs – particularly album-opener “I’m a Worrier” – have a bit of a Red Sammy vibe, to tie them to a band I reviewed recently, but Simon & the Shadows are more of the quirky folk-country singer-songwriter (though they’re a band) type of band.

The catchiest song – the most likely hitworthy, at least – is a ’50s-style rocker with a little bit of a folk-rockabilly tint, “This Ain’t It.” Ironically, it’s a song, lyrically, about how the band is going to write a hit record one day, but this ain’t it… or maybe it is. Did I mention lyrically clever? Oh, yeah, these guys are just getting started.

photo courtesy of Simon Stanley Ward

The title track, “Rocket in the Desert” is one of the more rockin’est on the disc, thumping along energetically with a nifty little guitar flourish for seasoning.

If you’re looking for silliness, you’ll enjoy “Big Foot Baby,” possibly “Terpsichorean Footwear,” and definitely “Deadheading” – my favorite among this trio – which is possibly the grooviest acid-folk-rock song about gardening you’ll ever hear.

“Designated Driver” is another tune that’s lyrically clever, describing the role of a designated driver at a surprising level of detail, all while creating a psychedelically, western-flavored soundbed and crooning smoothly at the climax, “I’m the designated driver… on the highway of love.” It’s just frickin’ cool.

photo courtesy of Simon Stanley Ward

The two closing songs on the disc, “When September Comes” and “Loving You,” are the ones featuring Richard Easeman on bass, and they’re energetic, fun closing numbers, both with a bit of a country dancehall flavor. The fiddling and the rhythm on “Loving You,” in particular, I’m sure make it a crowd favorite when performed live. In any case, it’s a great way to close a strong disc.

If you’ve not yet heard this album and your tastes include any flavor of Americana or you appreciate clever lyrics and catchy tunes, you should give Rocket in the Desert a spin.

Single Review: Bernie Marsden – “Invisible” feat. Jaime Kyle

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photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Review of Bernie Marsden: “Invisible” feat. Jaime Kyle (Conquest Music)

Just about a week ago, I reviewed Jaime Kyle’s recent kickass album Wild One. Well, she also lent her voice to the single “Invisible”, released by Conquest Music as the last single from Bernie Marsden‘s final album. Of course, Bernie is most widely known as one of the original members of Whitesnake, co-writer of some of the band’s earliest hits.

image courtesy of BJF Media

“Invisible” appeared on the late 2023 double-album Working Man, a record Bernie had just completed and which was released a few months after he passed away. The details about the song’s release are detailed on the Bernie Marsden website quite completely, so click through here to read more about it; I’ll stick to reviewing the music.

From the opening guitar riff, “Invisible” identifies itself as a “turn up the volume” room-rocker. In fact, it becomes so quickly familiar that I had to review the songwriting credits just to make sure this wasn’t a cover of a song I already knew. The song has self-empowerment, anthemic qualities, with lyrics like “you’ll never change me, so don’t even try” playing right into the gritty edge of Jaime’s vocals. Meanwhile, Bernie’s playful axe riffs and slightly longer, engaging guitar runs provide the tempo and the hooks. The song rides the line between guitar rock and power pop, providing perfect fodder for rock radio, to the extent that category still exists. Not that it matters. If you dig catchy, guitar-driven, energetic rock ‘n roll, give “Invisible” a listen and add it to your playlist.