Album Review: Lara Herscovitch – Highway Philosophers

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photo by Austin Fenn; photo courtesy of Lara Herscovitch

Album Review of Lara Herscovitch: Highway Philosophers

Lara Herscovitch is a folk singer-songwriter with a relatively straightforward top-shelf singer-songwriter delivery and damn fine songwriting skills. As a singer, you can feel the emotion in her vocals. As a songwriter, well, her songs are detailed and variety, comfortable and chance-taking. Her creativity flows throughout Highway Philosophers.

cover photo by Joy Bush Photography; image courtesy of Lara Herscovitch

I first listened to Lara’s music in the run-up to 2023 New England Music Awards, where she was nominated in both the Roots Act of the Year and Americana Act of the Year categories. (I make it a point to sample some music from every nominee before casting my NEMA ballot.) She has received numerous accolades over the course of her career. To me, I think the coolest was her 2-year stint as the Connecticut State Troubadour. That would be for the whole state of Connecticut… except for Stars Hollow because it already had a town troubadour. And, of course, because it’s a fictional town. Honestly, though, just scroll down to the bottom of Lara’s electronic press kit to see her impressive list of honors.

Lara kicks the album off with one of her best songs, a song with broad appeal, the song that answers the questions “When? Where? What?” Of course, I’m talking about “Now Here This.” Musically, every time the song settles down, it kicks back up again. Now, that’s a matter of perspective, as the tempo never gets particularly kicked-up, but the tempo changes, modest as they are, do amp things up slightly but impactfully.

You want tempo? You’ll find a bit more on “Angels.” This is simply a well-written song with spots where the lyrics become more emphatic, where the music sweeps upward in intensity. I can imagine it with a variety of different arrangements. On this disc, of course, the arrangement is folky singer-songwriter, in fitting with the delivery style Lara performs so well.

photo by Katie Settel; photo courtesy of Lara Herscovitch

“Highway Philosophers” has kind of a travelin’ song tempo. “Careful Porcelain Doll” is an empowering song about not fitting stereotypes. And “You USA” is nostalgic and hopeful, in a way.

“Sailing to Newfoundland” is an encouraging number that uses harmony vocals quite well, and there’s a tiny bit of well-placed meandering electric guitar in the mix that gives it a really cool sound that stands out, at least to the extent a few seconds in a mellow song are able to stand out. (Just listen for it, eh? I like it.) “Fault Lines,” next, carries a hint of discomfort through its sweet sound, hinting at but not straight-out mentioning the song’s real topic.

Next up is “Shine Sister Shine,” a catchy song with a singalong chorus and uplifting message. It comes with a storybook that’s purchasable here, though you can read in greater detail about the project here on the original kickstarter page. Also, the animated video is a must-see. I think we can all be relieved that the sun got her groove back.

“Castle Walls” is a smooth, reminiscent tale that tells a story. But the next song, “The Tiger & I,” tells a tale, an enthralling, fun, clever one about a true friendship with a tiger who, one can only hope, is a better driver than Toonces. Yeah, it’s kinda silly, but the song is entertainingly detailed, the music is cheerful, and there’s gotta be a deeper message in there, right? Well, actually, there is, and it would a great theme song for an animated buddy movie (working title: Lara and the Tiger), but I’m focusing on the silliness.

Lara Herscovitch & the Highway Philosophers; photo by Alex Carpenter; photo courtesy of Lara Herscovitch

“Rise” has a foreboding tone to it, despite the song’s liveliness. It’s an emperor-has-no-clothes type of song, noting, though, that “the sun will rise again.”

“In Your Corner” is an uplifting song that includes the lyric “remember, you’re not in that ring alone.” It’s a really comforting, encouraging song, moreso after each successive listen. “Wingspan (Acoustic),” following, is another hopeful number.

Finally, “From a Dream” is the song I was referring to when I said Lara took chances. I really get the storytelling method of spoken-word over a music bed with background vocals. For me, it’s a miss, but it’s a technique that will find a 0% success rate with me, so that’s not fair. The technique seems effective, but when I listen to the CD in the car, I usually just skip this one and restart the disc after the end of “Wingspan.”

The songs on Highway Philosophers are mostly very deeply personal – or, at least, touch on subjects that are typically deeply personal. I’m sure that’s part of what will direct you to your personal favorites on this disc. And I’m sure you’ll have favorites.

Lara Herscovitch is a talented singer and storyteller, with the sort of emotive voice that defines the best folk-based singer-songwriters… or, I suppose you could call them, troubadours.

More Recently

Highway Philosophers was a 2020 release. Since then, Lara has released 2021 single “I’d Do Anything” and, just this past fall, “Italian Balconies.”

image courtesy of Lara Herscovitch

“Italian Balconies” is a song with a cool harmonic vibe, soaring vocals and an echo that somewhat recalls a church choir. Or perhaps the echoes of Italian streets, as this song was inspired by the story of Italians stepping out onto their balconies and singing together during the early days of their COVID-19 quarantine. (If you’ve forgotten this story, here’s a video to remind you.) Lara’s song, inspired by that occurrence in Italy, recalls that time and some of the positive lessons learned.

Looking Ahead

The “Tour” page of Lara’s website lists her next performance as Saturday afternoon, April 6th at the Cheshire Public Library in Cheshire, CT. After that, she has shows scheduled from April through December, ranging up and down the east coast from Maine to Georgia, including a December 7th stop in Bluffton, SC, where I always insist on having lunch at The Cottage Cafe whenever I’m in the area… which has been at least eight or nine years now, unfortunately. But I digress. In any case, be sure to check Lara’s website periodically to see if/when she’ll be playing near you and for new shows, as they’re added.

Single Review: Cascando – “Jimmy Boy”

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photo courtesy of Cobra Promotions

Single Review of Cascando: “Jimmy Boy”

Cascando is a Limerick, Ireland-based roots rock band. “Jimmy Boy” was the first single from Cascando’s EP In Absence of Trees. It was recorded in September 2023, just a couple months before its release.

The song opens with a catchy, twangy guitar hook, driving forward with a foreboding tone and rough harmonies. There’s a flute solo about a minute in that just adds to the song’s unique vibe. The rhythm is steady throughout, carrying an energy from beginning to end that is certain to keep nightclub audiences engaged. A hard ending with an organ chord, too, works well while adding another unique flavor to this musical recipe. “Jimmy Boy” has kind of an alt-rock vibe but with some unique instrumentation that shifts its categorization toward the roots rock category. Alt-roots, perhaps? I suppose you’d need to sample more of Cascando’s offerings to get a sense.

photo courtesy of Cobra Promotions

I would expect “Jimmy Boy” to be a crowd favorite at live gigs, and even just to hear a live performance of this original (since I’ve yet not delved deeper into Cascando’s catalog) would be enough to convince me to turn out for one of the band’s live performances.

Now, I don’t see mention of any upcoming gigs at the band’s linktree, but you might want to watch Cascando’s Instagram page for future show announcements.

Album Review: Thorslund – Thorslund

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photo by Will Cook; photo courtesy of Nothing’s Shocking Media

Album Review of Thorslund: Thorslund

Thorslund are brothers Jeff Thorslund (vocals, guitar, bass) and Tom Thorslund (drums, backing vocals), with Charles Horin handling live bass duties.

The band performs classic, timeless, guitar-driven hard rock music. You hear elements of ’70s rock, but with updated tone, riffs, and production values. In its bio, Thorslund notes the influence of the melodic elements of grunge on the band’s music. I’m not convinced that influence, necessarily, comes through in an obvious sense, but if it’s an influence, then the music is well-served by it. The band’s self-titled debut release was self-produced by Jeff and Tom and mixed by Nick DiDia (Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Dirty Honey).

image courtesy of Nothing’s Shocking Media

The gritty, heavy, bluesy hard rock riffs that begin album-opener “Firecracker Man” establish Thorslund as a modern, classic-styled hard rock band that’s clearly first-tier. When assembling an album, especially as a new band, put your best song – especially your best song in your trademark style – right up front. Thorslund has done that here, and it works well. Within the first few seconds of “Firecracker Man,” I knew I’d like this album, and I knew I’d review it. Yes, this twisty, hooky, singalongable (“I’m the long-awaited… firecracker man!”) song is still my favorite, but, as expected, Thorslund is a strong album beginning to end.

“Hours to Go” also kicks off with a catchy guitar hook that leads to a fun, riff-laden, classic guitar rock song. It features enough hooks to be enjoyed by a rock ‘n roll fan, with enough impressive axework to be a musician’s favorite track, too.

“Wildfire” features a sidewinding hook, not completely unlike “Firecracker Man” but with a lighter classic rock feel. Something about one of the guitar flourishes reminds me of “Rocky Mountain Way,” and while the entire song doesn’t sound anything like it, I can see the two songs being seamlessly played side-by-side by a cover band somewhere because “Wildfire” really does have a bit of that ’70s vibe to it.

photo by Will Cook; photo courtesy of Nothing’s Shocking Media

“New Light” is a heavy rock thumper with a catchy, repetitive overriding rhythm and bluesy classic rock guitarwork plus the sort of psychedelic rock fade-out one might expect from Enuff Z’nuff or “Green Tinted Sixties Mind”-era Mr. Big.

Change-of-pace, lighter number “I Got Time” is an intense strummer that is lighter, fresher, and acoustic, eschewing drums until the very end.

“So It Goes” is more mid-range classic rock, still guitar-driven but more along the lines of what you might hear from Rick Springfield (but with a ’70s rather than an ’80s vibe) and ending with a seriously fun extended guitar solo.

And “Armageddon Tonight” is another AOR-era guitar rocker, this one with a cool recurring rhythm.

photo by Will Cook; photo courtesy of Nothing’s Shocking Media

Finally, to close, the rhythm of album-ender “Rocker” reminds me a little of Helix’s “Heavy Metal Love,” and it certainly has that modestly wild-yet-contained Helix vibe, though the vocal harmonies in some spots are reminiscent of the richer harmonies of other ’80s rock bands. Notably – and enjoyably – the axework that sits atop the beat is of the flamboyant shredding variety found on a variety of ’80s album rock tracks.

Guitar-based classic rock fans are sure to enjoy Thorslund’s self-titled debut LP. My favorites remain “Firecracker Man,” “Hours to Go,” and “Wildfire,” but yours may be different.

Looking Ahead

The “Live” page of Thorslund’s website doesn’t list any upcoming shows, but check back for dates as they’re added.

Album Review: Matt Smith’s World – Into the Light

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image courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Album Review of Matt Smith’s World: Into the Light

Austin, Texas-based Matt Smith has released acclaimed CDs with his band Matt Smith’s World going back more than a decade. The band’s latest release, Into the Light, is a collection of funky rock ‘n roll music that’s good-natured, jammin’, and groovy, the sort of thing you might enjoy while lounging in a bean bag chair staring at the lava lamp. In other words, it’s straight outta the 1970s. And it covers a lot of musical territory while still remaining a cohesive record.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

The album kicks off with its title track, “Into the Light,” which has a Jimmy Buffett-esque party band vibe, moreso than the rest of the album. Not that the other songs aren’t party-friendly; rather they display more rock influence than the title track.

“Why Can’t We Have a Good Time” is more of a straight-up alt-funk rock song, a little more typical of the songs on this disc, though none of the songs are what I’d necessarily call typical.

“Still Not Dead” is a horn-heavy, vocal-driven song with a seventies pop-rock groove.

“Water of Life” strikes a more foreboding tone, with the song progressing rhythmically as if with a beating pulse, with a jazzier horn line than in preceding tracks.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

“Measure of a Man” recalls the ’70s, when rich instrumentation lifted what might otherwise be folk songs up to the pop-rock consciousness with a fuller sound. Heck, parts of “Measure of a Man” sound like a jazz band, a guitar jam, and a big musical theater number. I think Sgt. Pepper would be proud of this song. It’s also worth noting the primary lyric of the song, the universally true phrase, “The measure of a man is in the tracks you leave behind.”

“Make the Most of Your Life” is a funky, bluesy pop-rock number. (Why do I feel like Fat Albert might have been willing to sing this song on Saturday morning TV?)

“Possibility” is a lighter, happier, more encouraging jazz-meets-blues crossover delight. It’s followed by “My Baby Likes to Ya Ya,” a light, playful blues-pop/rock number, the fun tone portrayed well by its lyric, “But that’s just her way, she’s like sunshine on a cloudy day.”

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

“A Change in Me” is an energetic blues-rocker. Not too heavy, not too light. Just right. And it includes a nice wailing jam toward the end for good measure.

The album concludes with “Life Ain’t Easy (And Then You Die),” a funky, jammin’, contradictorily upbeat song about how all things must end. In this case, the record ends, too.

Matt Smith’s World’s Into the Light is an enjoyable listen, cohesively recalling classic music styles, touching upon a variety of genres. So kick back and listen. It’s one of those albums where no song in particular jumps out (to me, at least), but the album is a fun, pleasant way to spend almost three-quarters of an hour. And it suggests strongly that a Matt Smith’s World concert would be a whole lot of fun. So, you know, check out the album, and if you can catch this band live, definitely do it!

To keep up with the band’s latest happenings, be sure to follow Matt Smith’s World on Facebook.

 

Publisher’s Corner: March 16, 2024

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Yesterday, March 15, 2024, Natalie Joly released her latest single, “My Home”; image courtesy of Natalie Joly

Publisher’s Corner

March 16, 2024

It has been a few weeks since we’ve shared the latest news about some of the artists we’ve covered at the blog through the years. So let’s dive right in and update you on what’s up with some of your favorite artists (we hope).

News and Releases

We hope you enjoy our “News and Releases” section, which helps you stay up-to-date with artists we’ve reviewed at the blog.

Natalie Joly has been busy on the release front lately. Her single “My Home” was released on March 15th. Natalie talks a bit about this song here, in this Facebook post. You can see my reviews of a couple of Natalie’s prior releases here and here.

image courtesy of Major Moment

Major Moment recently released its latest single, “Victim,” the seventh single from the band’s album The Pain That Makes Us Grow, which I recently reviewed. Official release date for “Victim” was February 23rd, with a premiere on Sirius XM Octane Test Drive on February 22nd. The band has also been teasing the accompanying video, which is yet to be released.

Falling Doves recently released a cool new single, “City of Dreams.” The song became available on Bandcamp on February 28th; official release date was March 1st. You may recall reading my review of the band’s Electric Dove album here a few years ago. Well, with the new single, it’s the same band, same sound, similar vibe, totally laid-back tempo. Very cool.

Rusty G’s: I first caught power duo Rusty G’s as the opener for iconic guitarist Bernie Tormé during my “Five Nights in London” live review series. I then reviewed their album Low nearly eight years ago. The duo’s new album, Set You Free, just dropped on March 2nd. I actually haven’t had a chance to give it a listen yet, but I’m looking forward to it. While their two-person line-up might be minimalist, Rusty G’s powerful sound is huge!

image courtesy of Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke

Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke released new single “Last Time I Looked (Live 2023)” on February 14th. Several years ago, blog contributor Eric Harabadian reviewed Joe & Shiela’s “Everybody Has a Purpose.”

Chris Moreno: On March 3rd, Chris released this lyric video for “Shot At Your Heart.” Then, just yesterday, March 15th, Chris released “Chasing Sunsets.” As is so often the case with Chris Moreno’s songs, “Chasing Sunsets” is soaring pop-country that’s smooth, heartfelt, and powerful, featuring a voice that’s perfectly suited to that sub-genre. We’ve been Chris Moreno supporters for a while now – we reviewed Chris’s Into the Sun album several years ago.

Circuline: On February 23rd, cinematic progressive rock outfit Circuline released its new single “Third Rail,” the second single from the band’s upcoming album C.O.R.E. Perhaps it’s because the song is so vocal-driven (and less than five minutes long), but this is a really cool song with great flow, interesting even for those of us who aren’t full-on prog-heads. I’ve never reviewed Circuline myself (well, not until I wrote the preceding sentence), but Blog contributor Eric Harabadian reviewed the band’s Counterpoint album back in 2017.

Axminster: On February 17th, Axminster released this lyric video for “Thick N’ Thin” from the band’s Bada Boom! EP. You can see my review of Bada Boom! here, and my review of Axminster’s previous EP, Tightrope, here.

Reality Suite needed to bump back the release date of its upcoming single, “Legendary,” from its previous March 1 expected release date. No worries, though, it was just delayed by three weeks. You’ll now be able to hear the single when it’s released by DI Records on March 22nd. (It has now been two years since I reviewed Reality Suite’s hook-laden single “Triggers.”)

Haroula Rose: Yesterday, Friday, March 15th, Haroula Rose released the video for her song “Spades,” which, she notes in this Instagram post, appeared in an episode of The Brothers Sun. Of course, several years ago, I reviewed Haroula Rose’s ethereally cool Here the Blue River album.

Ashley Jordan‘s “I Haven’t Given Up Just Yet (Live)” dropped on March 2nd. She shared this video a few days earlier. Then, on YouTube on Wednesday, March 13th, Ashley released the video for her new, original song “Who You Need,” co-written with Deborah Allen. The voice, the songwriting… there’s a reason she was chosen to headline the 1st Annual Local CountryFest. Of course, you’ve also seen our review of Ashley’s album He’s Crazy here at the Blog, in addition to a couple more live reviews.

Looking Ahead at the Blog

Well, I’ve been on a bit of a writing spree lately. As you all know, that doesn’t necessarily last, but I hope you’ve discovered some of the awesome new music I’ve shared with you the last few weeks. I’m still reviewing music I received months ago, so there’s plenty more amazing music in the review queue that I can’t wait to share with you.

Single Review: Harlem Lake – “Carry On”

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cover artwork: Illustration by Douwe Dijkstra, design by Janne Timmer; image courtesy of Big D Radio Promotons

Single Review of Harlem Lake: “Carry On”

Harlem Lake is a powerful Dutch blues/blues-rock outfit, winners of the 10th European Blues Challenge in 2022. The band features the powerhouse vocals of Janne Timmer and the musicianship of Dave Warmerdam (organ, Rhodes [keyboard], backing vocals), Sonny Ray Van den Berg (guitar), Benjamin Torbijn (drums), and Kjelt Ostendorf (bass, backing vocals).

“Carry On” is my first exposure to Harlem Lake’s music, and this song really packs a punch. It has a psychedelic ’70s guitar style, soulful blues vocals that are sensual and/or booming as required in the moment, a bit of a Beatles’ “Come Together”-ish vibe (I keep expecting to hear the lyric “juju eyeball”) except much louder and harder rockin’, and a huge, pounding, rhythmic beat that circles back onto itself, sequentially building in power, exploding into the lyrics, more powerful each time, “Carry on, baby. Carry on, and be a bad, bad boy.” Following the big musical outburst just past the song’s mid-point, “Carry On” devolves (or, perhaps, progresses) into an orgasmic organ and guitar-fueled jam. The song softens one more time, making room for just one more verse, before ending with one final explosive instrumental jam.

The Beatles reference notwithstanding, Harlem Lake’s “Carry On” is akin to the kind of powerful, pulsing blues-rock you’d expect from the likes of George Thorogood, perhaps with a bit of Janis Joplin thrown in for psychedelic good measure. Beginning to end, “Carry On” is a powerhouse song, one that concludes far sooner than you might expect at just 3:09, especially since it seems like such fertile ground for big instrumental solos and jamming – something I’d hope happens live in concert, at least sometimes – but that’s plenty of time to leave you, the listener, exhausted yet ready for just one more ride, if you don’t mind.

Harlem Lake bills itself as Americana blues rock, but “Carry On” is just a whole lotta rock, a fair amount of blues, and not so much Americana. I look forward to digging deeper into the band’s catalog to get a better sense of its full musical range.

Looking Ahead

Harlem Lake has a packed schedule of concert dates this spring and summer, according to the “Shows” page of the band’s website. On Saturday, March 16th, the band will be performing in Purmerend, Netherlands. After that the band’s website shows several more concerts in France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway, running from now through summer, with a few fall shows booked, as well. You can find additional details at the band’s website. Of course, be sure to check back periodically as more shows are added.

Album Review: Luke LeBlanc – Places

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Luke LeBlanc – Places album cover. Image of a man standing along the railing of a bridge. Passersby walk in front of him but are blurred and out of focus.

image courtesy of Michael J. Media Group

Album Review of Luke LeBlanc: Places

Luke LeBlanc is an Americana-ish singer-songwriter whose raspy, emotionally-connected voice and unique musical style literally jump out of the speakers and demand your attention. Figuratively. I meant figuratively. But from the first song on his newest release, Places, it’s clear Luke’s music is among the best of its genre and would interest many of us who don’t usually listen to this style, too. In the end, though his songwriting is complex and well-conceived, it’s Luke’s voice that’s so memorable and appealing. A uniquely identifiable emotional everyman, his voice is the calling card that’s recognizable from well-written song to well-written song.

My favorite Places ditty is its album-opener, “A Place,” a song that energetically bounces along like a moderately-paced hoedown and then slows down to wax melancholically nostalgic. The music is intricate without being plush, assembling engaging musical bits and pieces into a song that’s an attention-grabber. Attention-grabbing songs are, of course, the best way to start a record. They convince the listener to continue, setting up more subtly interesting songs to follow.

“No Good” shows Luke can slow things down to a mellower pace, though the song never really sits there, as it’s always powered forward by intertwined instruments and twangy country-ness. Next up is “Own It,” which has a mildly energetic folky singer-songwriter vibe and tempo, but the groovy horns add a bigger-stage energy. Then “Honey Rebel” is kind of a confident little strutter of a song, with Luke’s delivery carrying a Matthew McConaughey-like pacing and tone.

My other favorites on the album are “Never Met You at All,” which is old-school country filled with attitudinal coolness, neat picking, and smooth fiddlework; “Break My Wall,” a sassy, sentimental tempo-changer; sweetly-crooned “Hazy”; and the insightfully edgy yet clever “Right Way,” which is lightly instrumented throughout but builds from low intensity at the beginning to slightly less low intensity by the end. It just seems like it’ll be a nifty low-voltage crowdpleaser, and it’s definitely a great way to end a disc.

If I had to put my finger on what makes Luke LeBlanc’s Places such a pleasant enjoyable listen, it’d be his identifiable voice, his deceptively intricate song stylings, his range that covers every corner of the seemingly modest real estate that is singer-songwriter Americana, and his music’s good-natured, sometimes playful sincerity. This result of this variety of standout features is a record that clearly outclasses most of its peers. If you give it a listen, you’ll be glad you did.

Random Thought

Luke is Minneapolis-based, as is Blog favorite Dan Israel. I’m not sure if they’ve ever played together, but their sounds are so complementary, they absolutely should. Just sayin’. It’d be a killer double-bill.

Looking Ahead

The “Shows” page of Luke’s website lists his next gig as Friday, April 26th at The Burr Oak in Madison, Wisconsin. He also currently has six more shows scheduled in Wisconsin and Minnesota during May, June, and July. Be sure to check his website for details about those shows and additional performances, as they’re added.

Single Review: Kelsey Blackstone – “505”

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cover art by HanFran Studio; image courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

Single Review of Kelsey Blackstone: “505”

Kelsey Blackstone is one of New England’s rising young singers. Rather, I suppose, now she’s one of Nashville’s, but she was still in the Northeast when this song was recorded, so for this single, at least, it’s unambiguous. A few months ago, I reviewed Kelsey’s single with Jason LaPierre “When I’m With You,” which was a Video of the Year nominee at the 2023 New England Music Awards, so this isn’t her first appearance here at the blog.

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

Kelsey’s newest single is a cover of Arctic Monkeys’ “505,” that’s relatively faithful, particularly early on, except that Kelsey’s vocals are crisper and she exudes more power, especially as the song builds, serving up a more dynamic vocal performance that gives her rendition a bit more vibrancy. The variances from the original aren’t huge or dramatic at first, but they are sufficient to give the song a fresh, updated feel, even at the beginning, as the original has a graininess that pegs it quite emphatically to its decade. Kelsey also uses well-placed horns on her cover, giving her “505” a more classic, timeless feel. In fact, classicness seems to be Kelsey’s calling card, creating a sound that doesn’t exactly sound modern, but neither is it dated. It’s more the way a jazz singer might voice pop songs, emotively and a little provocatively, if I had to try to describe it. As “505” progresses, the updates become more noticeable. For example, Kelsey’s soundbed is richer, eschewing the production preferences of the original’s period, and the energy and intensity her vocals reach as they surge during the latter half of the song give this version a hearty cathartic release in lieu of a portion of the longingly aching, melancholic quality of the original.

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

I also spent a fair bit of time trying to figure out who Kelsey’s vocals remind me of on this song. And it’s not an exact match, but the shape of her vowels and her delivery cadence are reminiscent of a young singer I spoke very highly of in this blog several years ago, Sophia Ward of TOS. There aren’t a lot of Sophia’s songs available online for comparison anymore, but if you’ve heard Sophia sing, you’ll notice the similarities.

Suffice it to say, Kelsey Blackstone has delivered a cool version of “505,” true enough to the original to be easily recognizable and appreciated by Arctic Monkeys fans while altered enough, as all good covers should be, to reflect her own style and strengths. Also, with the way the “505” builds and the kind of frenetic energy it wields, particularly in the song’s second half before its cathartic, buzzy final few seconds, this cover should really get the joint jumpin’ during a live performance.

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

Looking Ahead

There are no shows currently listed on the “Tour” page of Kelsey’s website, nor are there any listed on her Bandsintown concert page. But be sure to keep an eye on both of those spots – and her Instagram page – to find out when and where she’ll appear next.

Album Review: Peter Storm & the Blues Society – Second

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image courtesy of Naked/Big D Bookings

Album Review: Peter Storm & the Blues Society – Second (Naked)

Portuguese blues band Peter Storm & the Blues Society delivers guitar and harmonica-driven blues and blues-rock, generally raucous except when it’s mellow, always sincere and engaging. The band is comprised of João Belchior (vocals, guitar), José Reis (bass), Bino Ribeiro (harmonica, rhythm guitar, percussion), and Jorge Oliveira (drums). The current album, Second, was released about a year ago. It’s the follow-up to the band’s debut release, First.

“Write Down the Blues” kicks things off wailingly. “Blame” follows much more softly with a bit of a syncopated rhythm, with ethereal musical support offering some prime real estate for the electric guitar to dance lightly through the soundbed.

Track three, “Go Down & Play,” is a rhythm-driven, thumping, moderately fast-tempo blues-rocker, with harmonica and distorted electric guitar serving as the driving forces.

“Meditation Blues” then slows things down to a a crawl, with rich, full vocals supported by very sparse guitar, bass, and drums. At 6:11, it clocks in as the longest track on Second. With its snail’s pace, that’s hardly a surprise, but it goes down so smooth!

The oft-covered blues/R&B classic “I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home Tonight” follows, with a confident, funky blues rhythm and a matter-of-fact, cool to the point of being cold, smooth blues-vocal snarl. I also think this is the first I’ve heard a talk-box used on this record. Nice effect! Energetic spoken-sung storytelling “52nd Avenue” follows, picking up the tempo a little bit.

“Blackhole” sports a heavy blues-based rock riff; it’s a soft but heavy blues rock banger that could find a crossover audience among ’70s classic hard rock fans. “Blackhole” has a slow, booming tempo but sports a ripping ’70s classic rock-reminiscent guitar solo, not to mention the distorted bluesy rock guitar throughout.

Next up, “Beatrice,” a rowdy number based on the Sam Rivers classic, is a raucous mid-tempo jam, with vocals, sax, and guitar all serving up energetic howls. It’s also an inspired album-placement choice because it’s a faster tempo than the preceding song, but it’s a straight-up jamming blues entry rather than blues rock. It’s kind of as if “Blackhole” tees the listener up for this memorable jam. Though I like pretty much all of the songs on this album, “Beatrice” is one that would draw me into a club if I heard it playing while I was on the sidewalk walking past.

“I Told You (Not to Treat Me Wrong)” slows things down quickly, with a very slow, steady pace and a relatively lightly instrumented soundbed that allows the listener to shine an mental spotlight on the emotional, oh-so-blue vocals.

The band picks up the tempo one last time for Second‘s final song, “Show Me Your Love,” a gritty, growlin’, relatively fast-paced rockin’ blues number that’s perhaps the hookiest song on the record, replete with a jammin’ harmonica solo; it’s a tune that would liven up blues and rock clubs alike, filling the dance floors. A very cool way to end an album.

With Second, Peter Storm & the Blues Society serve up a versatile blues record that appeals to a broad audience. The album is varied enough to keep the listener’s attention while remaining attention-grabbing even when it slows down. It’s one of the best pure blues records, beginning-to-end, that I’ve heard in a while.

If you’re just going to sample, my pick-three are “Show Me Your Love,” “Beatrice,” and “Meditation Blues,” but you’re likely to enjoy just settling in for a cover-to-cover listen.

Looking Ahead

I haven’t heard anything about the band going into the studio, but after the band’s first two albums were entitled First and Second, what do you think is the odds-on favorite for their third album title?

It looks like Peter Storm & the Blues Society announce their shows on their Facebook and Instagram pages. I don’t see any upcoming dates listed at the moment, but be sure to follow them on social media to watch for gig announcements.

Single Review: The Palms – “Ready or Not”

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photo courtesy of DRPR

Single Review of The Palms: “Ready or Not”

The Palms are indie rock duo Johnny Zambetti and Ben Rothbard. “Ready or Not” is the second single from the band’s upcoming Wonderland album.

The song is a light, airy, strumming number that brings to mind carefree summer days. It’s a song you might blare from your convertible while cruising the streets on a nice summer night. Or during a day at the beach. The vocals are lo-fi and grainy, even a little tinny, as is the guitar, which keeps things moving with its steady rhythm, punching up the forcefulness on every fourth beat. Yeah, the lyrics are about “the shit that’s goin’ down,” but the vibe is so groovy, how can you worry? And there’s the occasional “oo-oo” in the background that helps facilitate the unserious feel.

“Ready or Not” is a cool song with potential appeal if you like the poppier, more laid-back side of indie rock. Or if you simply like a well-written song with a catchy groove.

More Recently

“Ready or Not” was a November 10th release. Since then, from early January until the beginning of March, The Palms were on a nationwide tour supporting the Magic City Hippies. On the song-release front, the Palms have released three more singles: “Pretenders” on December 15th, “Maggie’s Garden” on January 26th, and “Jesse Jane” on February 23rd. These songs consolidate The Palms’ grainy, catchy alt-rock style, though each has its own character. For example, “Jesse Jane” showcases some dream-pop influences that aren’t as readily apparent on the other tracks – well, maybe a little on “Pretenders,” but not as obviously. In other words, there’s some variety among The Palms’ song catalog, and that’s always a good thing.

Looking Ahead

The Palms’ plan to release Wonderland, a full-length album that will include “Ready or Not,” on April 5th. An album release party is scheduled for Aviator Nation Dreamland in Malibu, CA on April 6th. The Palms don’t have any other tour dates planned, but when they do, you’ll be able to find them here on the “Tour” page of the band’s website.