Single Review: Skipping Stone – “Grace”

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image courtesy of Spaur Music PR

Single Review of Skipping Stone: “Grace”

Louisville-based Skipping Stone delivers a memorable soaring, heavy alt-rock tune in “Grace.” The power is evident, even if it’s mostly restrained – barely, at times – remaining largely-controlled in deference to the song’s steady, almost inevitable/unstoppable beat.

photo courtesy of Spaur Music PR

The band’s lineup for this song is Chris Bindner (vocals, keys), Joshay Wright (drums), Thomas Hicks (guitar, vocals), and Kelly Hood (guitar), with Jordan Bailey (bass) making a guest appearance.

Back to the song, though, something about the opening of “Grace” recalls for me “Billowy and Broken,” a powerful Lucid Fly rock song. However, while Lucid Fly bends its dark, foreboding tone toward heavy-prog, Skipping Stone’s “Grace” branches out from its contemplative, steady, dark beat toward the heavy rock anthem direction. “Grace”‘s slow tempo allows it to slowly build to power, as it most certainly does, extending the build for most of the song’s five-plus minutes of runtime. As the song reaches its final stages, a little heavy metal-ish growl creeps into the vocals, adding to the power structure in the final ramp-up of “Grace.” Beginning to end, the song has an arena rock feel, big enough to fill a stadium… with angst, I suppose, but it’d be a stadium full of angst.

If you like powerful, slow-build metal (or power rock), you need to hear Skipping Stone’s “Grace.”

 

Album Review: Greg Nagy – The Real You

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photo by Marilyn Stringer; photo courtesy of Greg Nagy

Album Review of Greg Nagy: The Real You

If you’ve been reading this blog for a long while – or if you live in Michigan – you know Greg Nagy is one of Michigan’s best bluesmen. (I reviewed his album Stranded in 2016.) Well, I hate to spoil the suspense in the first paragraph, but he’s only getting better, if that’s possible.

Greg Nagy’s voice and guitarwork form a style that’s uniquely his own. It’s a familiar mix of old-school blues, soul, smoother R&B, and even at times a hint of a modern big band-inspired pop sound, all in an identifiably unique combination. You know, probably a lot of that is the vocals – smooth but not too smooth, rich but not particularly deep, deploying phrasing that can be emotionally piercing, and a just slightly uniquely original tone. Sure, at his musical core, Nagy’s a bluesman’s bluesman, but the other elements in his music open it up to potentially appeal to a broad audience, obviously on some songs more than others.

The Real You is Nagy’s fourth album. It contains a mix of blues classics, Nagy originals, and inspired covers with arrangements and delivery styles that help Nagy make them all his own.

image courtesy of Greg Nagy

The album kicks off with a Nagy original, the title track, a smooth, soft blues ballad. Or near-ballad, at least. The horns, which add both depth and emphasis, are sometimes more enthusiastic than in a typical ballad, though they’re also responsible for moments in this song that hint at a big band influence – very cool. But yeah, you can slow dance to it, so it’s a ballad. Maybe at a wedding reception, for example, with lyrics like “I want to know the real you. I want to share the real me, too,” and especially with the uplifting vocal delivery Nagy employs on the song.

Track number two is one of the two old-school blues covers on the record. For “Mississippi Blues,” a modestly-paced number, Nagy relies on the grittier edge of his vocal range, pulling the anguish out of the lyric. He’s joined on this song by Ray Goodman on dobro and Peter Mudcat Ruth on harmonica. Indeed, the harp plays an important part in the feel of the song, particularly riffing off of the vocal line.

Jumping ahead to track five, the other old-school blues cover – and actually, it’s an old-school soul number – is “Come to Poppa.” Most familiar to those of us with Michigan roots as a Bob Seger tune, I investigated the song’s variants and discovered that Nagy’s rendition is a much closer match to Ann Peebles’ original recording of it, “Come to Mama.” Of course, Nagy’s rendition is more modernized, and the bass beat thumps a bit more as a good blues-rock number naturally would, though the pace is more that of a mid-tempo blues crooner.

Another cover worth noting is the very theater stage-styled, slow-blues-drenched rendition of the Beatles’ “Something.” It’s performed as a duet with Detroit’s Queen of the Blues, Thornetta Davis (whose Honest Woman album was reviewed here at the Blog by Detroit-based contributor Eric Harabadian, back in 2018). Before I return to Nagy’s originals, I want to comment on the two remaining covers, “Crazy” and “The Joke.”

Personally, while I absolutely love the Gnarls Barkley original, I think Nagy’s version of “Crazy” is an upgrade, at least for those of us with a particular fondness for mainstream-leaning blues and blues-rock. With a warm vocal tone in the verses, pleading vocal edge in the chorus, and varied phrasing, punching the right syllables while delivering some of the lighter lyrics wryly, Nagy pitches a perfect game with his vocals. Meanwhile, the music bed is rich and full, almost orchestral at times, with organ carrying some of its bridges and verses, delivering a memorable blues-infused, soft-rocking result that’s my pick for most likely to appeal to mainstream radio listeners.

photo by Wahwah Whitus; photo courtesy of Greg Nagy

If I’m wrong about that statement, it’s because the closing number on the record, “The Joke,” has broad appeal, too. It’s a brave and welcome choice for Nagy, putting his own spin on the Brandi Carlisle number that represents those who don’t fit the molds of modern society. It’s a song for the marginalized, the misfits, the underrepresented. The arrangement is rich and powerful, getting fuller and fueled by guitarwork that builds to power in key emotional sections. The arrangement – and Nagy’s vocal – will give you chills and leave a lump in your throat when he reaches the climactic vocal, “I have been to the movie. I’ve seen how it ends. The joke’s on them.” I’d still suggest “Crazy” as the more likely radio hit because “The Joke” is 5-and-a-half minutes long, and the opening is a little slow – effectively so, but we’re talking radio-friendliness here, not just quality. This is, however, almost certainly the most powerful song on this record. A great way to end the album.

However, if you’re a blues fan, you’re maybe more likely to like one of Nagy’s originals. In particular, “You Were Never Mine,” featuring top-shelf bluesman Larry McCray on guitar. And there are some filthy guitar riffs, indeed, on this tune, at times wailing in accompaniment with the smoothly-sung pain in Nagy’s vocals, particularly during the title lyric.

“What Took Your Love” comes later in the disc but has a mid-tempo blues-rock vibe, perhaps a touch more blues-rock than blues when compared with “You Were Never Mine,” at least in the guitar riffs.

“Where Do We,” with Bobby Murray handling the lead axework, is a straight-ahead, modestly-tempoed, thump-along, rockin’ blues number, for which Nagy utilizes his deeper, rougher-hewn, lean-into-the-blues vocal style.

Ballad “All I Need (Is You)” is lightly-instrumented, with a raw, live, man-and-his-guitar singer-songwriter feel, giving it an emotional honesty. It’s actually the record’s penultimate track, with its uncomplicated production flowing nicely into the soft, emotional opening of “The Joke.”

Finally, if you dig instrumental blues, as I do – it’s always nice to have one really good one on a blues record – “Cornell Ala King” is a nifty vocal-less entry. I found a recording of this song from 2010 on YouTube, so Nagy has been playing (and perfecting) this song for a while, and it shows! Guitar, organ, and horns all get their own opportunities to drive the song forward, resulting in an entertaining number with structured dynamics that would have made vocals unnecessary and redundant. Just kick back and enjoy, though the song isn’t particularly long, so it’s over almost before you know it.

In total, The Real You is an instant classic from the reliably exceptional Greg Nagy. It contains five potential crossover hits for mainstream music fans – two of the record’s five covers (“Crazy” and “The Joke”) and three of its six originals (“The Real You,” “You Were Never Mine,” and “What Took Your Love From Me”). At the same time, edging beyond the mainstream, “Where Do We” is likely to be a new favorite among blues and blues-rock fans. And the rest of the disc is a great listen, as well, even if I’m not predicting strong radio interest in the remaining tracks; they’re excellent songs that are ideal fits for the album. If you’re a blues fan, you should be waiting in line outside the record store on the release date (metaphorically) for each new Greg Nagy release. Rock and mainstream music fans, also, though, should give this record a listen, as there’s something here for everyone.

Looking Ahead

Greg has plenty of upcoming shows listed on the “Gigs” page of his website. All of his listed dates at the moment are from coast to coast in Michigan, except for one. On July 5th, my California readers can catch the Greg Nagy Band at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma. This is a rare opportunity, so get yourselves to wine country and don’t miss it!

Single Review: Michela Musolino – “Lina Lina”

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image courtesy of Dog Ranch Music PR

Single Review of Michela Musolino: “Lina Lina”

Sicilian-American Singer Michela Musolino, along with Sicily Folk Orchestra, a “concept band” of Sicilian folk artists I Beddi, released this recording of an ancient Mediterranean folk song. “Lina Lina” is an ancient chant tuna fisherman sung while hauling in their nets during the spring tuna slaughter, called the mattanza.

Of course, I’m not familiar with Sicilian folk music (except for the tiny bit I’ve just learned today), but the accordion that provides the rhythm for the full 3 minutes and 15 seconds is joyful and will get you bouncing and swaying in your seat. Musolino’s voice is tuneful and piercing, as she seems to specialize in traditional music. The supporting band provides excellent harmonies and echoing vocals. I know I don’t often write about non-English-language traditional-based folk music, but I wanted to share this song because it’s fun and catchy. I’ve heard enough traditional folk music from around the world to know this performance is exceptional.

If you’re a fan of traditional European folk-inspired music, this is a well-performed and produced song from top-flight musicians that’ll likely appeal to you. I’m also enough of a fan of mainstream pop-rock and surrounding music style to know when something from outside that mainstream might be an appeal to fans of mainstream music. If you’re a pop/rock/English-language mainstream folk music fan and want to add something different to your playlist for variety, this recording of “Lina Lina” is likely to be a great fit for you, too.

Album Review: Rick Pierce Group – Brick By Brick

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photo courtesy of BJF Media

Album Review of Rick Pierce Group: Brick By Brick (Golden Robot Records)

Brick By Brick is the debut album of the Rick Pierce Group. The band is comprised of guitarist Rick Pierce (guitar), Chris James (vocals), Izzy Rehaume (bass), and Frankie Rongo (drums). Brick By Brick was produced by Floyd Rose, notable in part because Pierce and Rose were two of the co-founding members of Seattle rock supergroup Q5 in 1983.

Brick By Brick is a hard rock album, heavy enough to be dubbed metal in some circles, likely to be able to keep up with similarly-style classic hard rocking bands like Judas Priest. From the very beginning of the very first song, the rock guitars are impressive, and you can identify the songs’ tunefulness, and James’ voice is melodically capable but with a slightly rough edge ideal for this brand of classic heavy rock. A couple songs stand out, but so many of the hooks are subtle. It takes a few listens to unlock some of them. If you love an album that starts strong and grows on you more and more with each listen, Brick By Brick is an album you’ll dig.

Album-opener “Tick Tock” kicks off with a thumping beat and aggressive guitar riffs, but James’ intense but expressive voice and the finesse in Pierce’s axework (including an occasionally recurring guitar riff that niftily soars and circles back on itself and serves as one of this song’s hooks) broaden the appeal of “Tick Tock” to all guitar rock fans. This is true of just about every song on Brick by Brick to varying degrees. In fact, the very next song, title track “Brick By Brick,” deploys a similar tactic.

image courtesy of BJF Media

Most of the songs can be described similarly as guitar driven heavy rock songs, with guitar riffs either subtle or more apparent that serve as unique hooks from song to song, occasionally varied hard rock/classic metal rhythms, and melodic heavy rock vocals. The songs are differentiated by vocal or guitar nuances, so you’ll have your own favorites, but they’re stylistically very cohesive.

In addition to “Tick Tock,” my other personal favorites on Brick by Brick are songs that add nuances to the style that appeal to my particular musical taste. For example, “Only” varies the formula slightly, with opening riffs that at least slightly bring to mind “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and a memorably heavy, tuneful “ohh, ohh, ohh” – deeply sung and very metal but still varied enough from what you’d typically hear in heavy rock songs that it’s attention grabbing.

“Remember the Bataclan,” meanwhile, takes a slower, more steady pace than most of the other tracks, plodding forward at a pace that fits in well with the hypnotic, rhythmic chant – unique to this song – that’s the sort of thing you might expect from a hard rock band. The closest I can think of is the chanting in Savatage’s “Morphine Child,” but on this song it’s more rhythmic and tuneful and follows along with the song’s rhythmic drum beat. It’s just – to repeat myself – hypnotic.

“Can You Feel It” is a pretty straight-ahead classic hard rocker but with some attention-grabbing guitar flourishes. “Love Hate” is a more plodding, rhythm-driven heavy rocker with the vocal abruptness used when singing the title lyrics, “love, hate,” intentionally obtrusive to drive home the song’s point; plus, it has a neat little 15-second run of blistering axework about two-thirds of the way through the song that serves as a bridge.

Album-ender “A Storm Is Coming” adding a slight blues-rock tint to the band’s power-rock formula. The guitarwork and drums work together to build an ominous musical backdrop for James’ vocals, which have an almost Southern rock-blues edge to them that matches the supporting music. The song is also an ideal album-ending song because it ends with nearly two minutes of drum-supporting guitarwork sans vocals, and that’s always a cool way to end a guitar-driven rock album, particularly when it offers a showcase for an axeman like Pierce.

Brick by Brick is an album all classic rock and classic metal fans should spin a few times. Whether you’re listening for the exceptional guitarwork, the power rock vocals, or the heavy rock vibe in general, you’ll enjoy this record. And as the hooks begin to dig into your brain, you’ll develop a couple of clear favorite songs – for me, they’d be “Tick Tock” and “Only,” and sometimes “Remember the Bataclan.” (Depending upon my mood, I’m either more or less psyched about the chanting.)

One of the better ways to keep up with the Rick Pierce Group’s latest news appears to be via the band’s Facebook page.

Single Review: Overhaul – “Happy Little Rocker”

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photo courtesy of Overhaul

Single Review of Overhaul: “Happy Little Rocker” (The Label Group)

Overhaul is a Scottish rock band comprised of Andy Gallagher (guitar/vocals), Kenny Johnson (bass/vocals) and John Malone (drums/backup vocals). On the single “Happy Little Rocker,” Overhaul is joined by guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum, Golden Smog, The Scarlet Goodbye).  Prior Overhaul releases have also included some impressive guest appearances, so this is a band that enjoys working with other top musicians. “Happy Little Rocker” was cowritten by Gallagher and Trace Foster (Close Enemies).

image courtesy of Overhaul

Overhaul touts its rock, alt-rock, and grunge influences. “Happy Little Rocker” leans toward to rockin’ end of alt-rock. From the start, it reminds me of a song I might hear from briefly-existing Boston alt-rock supergroup Desk, whose 2016 album All-American Awesome I reviewed here at the blog. There’s plenty of the sort of crunchy, talent-displaying guitarwork that would make mainstream rock fans salivate, but the song also sports a slightly off-balance tempo and a jangly, distorted alt-rock-styled guitar sound. Lead vocals are tuneful but edgy, while rock-styled, rough-but-in-tune harmonies add depth and substance to the song’s audio palate. An echoey, distorted intro to the track’s more traditional late-song guitar solo also appeals to both alt-rock and mainstream guitar rock audiences. In the end, “Happy Little Rocker” is a catchy, memorable rock ‘n roll song that’s likely to appeal to at least two distinct subgenres of rock fandom, so if you like your guitar rock either crisp or distorted – or a little of both – give “Happy Little Rocker” a listen. There’s a good chance you’ll add it to your personal playlist like I have.

Coming Soon

Overhaul plans to release its next single, “Spanish Lilt,” on June 27th, according to this Facebook post. Keep an eye out for it! Or, easier yet, presave save it at the music service of your choice.

Single Reviews: Ghosts of Sunset – “Hide Her Heart,” “She’s Been Comin’ Around,” and “Fade”

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photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Reviews of Ghosts of Sunset: “Hide Her Heart,” “She’s Been Coming Around,” and “Fade” (Golden Robot Records)

Ghosts of Sunset, the duo of singer-songwriter John Merchant (from Dutch Henry) and multi-instrumentalist Todd Long (former drummer of The Verve Pipe), are back. A couple years ago, I reviewed the band’s album No Saints in the City. And, while I didn’t review the band’s 2023 album Breathe, I did mention it in the No Saints in the City review. So I suppose they’re not “back,” since they’ve never actually been gone, especially since the first single I’m reviewing, “Hide Her Heart,” was released a year ago, and “She’s Been Coming Around” and “Fade” are both spring 2025 releases. But it is accurate to say that Ghosts of Sunset are back in the Blog.

image courtesy of BJF Media

The band retains its signature sound, a tunefulness that contrasts with the songs’ rough, grainy-feeling production style. In all, it has an ’80s Sunset Strip flavor, when and where rock was raw yet tuneful.

“Hide Her Heart” starts energetically with a steady rhythm and mood-lifting chord progressions slightly contradicting the sad story in the lyrics. A playful guitar part adds to the song’s fun, energetic mood with a tempo that should lead to massive amounts of airplay on a melodic hard rock station.

image courtesy of BJF Media

“She’s Been Comin’ Around” is equally tuneful – it is, after all, a Ghosts of Sunset song – but its music creates a tension early in the song that’s in line with the lyrics but contrasts with some of the pleasant “ah-ahhh” background vocals. The rhythm of the chorus is pure rock ‘n roll songwriting, as if a ’50 rock song had been amped-up with heavy guitar and dropped into an ’80s-’90s guitar rock song. Kind of like Huey Lewis meets The Romantics but with harder rock guitarwork.

image courtesy of BJF Media

“Fade,” the band’s newest single, begins with a riff that sounds a little Bon Jovi-ish at first, though it fades into Merchant’s rough-edged vocals, which border on melancholy throughout the first verse then burst forth with resurgent guitarwork to launch into a chorus that’ll get stuck in your mind after a few listens. The entire song carries a tone befitting the thoughts contained in its chorus’ key line, “I’d rather disappear than to watch you fade.” So, not a feel-good song; rather, one listeners can relate to on a human level, as most of us can recall an experience to which this thought is applicable. In this case, though, perhaps the tunefulness of this song can help turn such memories into reminiscences.

Taken together, Ghosts of Sunset’s three post-Breathe singles all showcase the band’s song-driven rock style, covering a fair bit of real estate in the raw melodic guitar rock neighborhood. It’s always a pleasure to hear a new GoS song; if you’ve not heard of the band before, be sure to check them out. And if you’re already a Ghosts of Sunset fan, be sure you haven’t missed any of these three singles.

EP Review: Huddy – Love Bites

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photo by Ben Prince; photo courtesy of The Orchard

EP Review: Huddy – Love Bites

As I was digging through some of the music I was sent last year during my 9-month hiatus from writing, I uncovered a few gems. Huddy‘s EP Love Bites was one of them. It’s 4 songs of guitar-based power pop, radio-friendly and a little rockin’. Catchy, with crunchy hooks and full of attitude. So upon giving this EP a quick listen, I added it to my review queue, undeterred by the fact that this record dropped a full year ago. This is an EP you need to know about, regardless of your usual favorite genre, especially if you have any mainstream-leaning tendencies.

image courtesy of The Orchard

As I prepped for this review, I dug into the background of Huddy (Chase Hudson) and discovered the dude’s already a pretty big deal. Yeah, the songs from this EP didn’t chart – they definitely should have! – but he already has quite a resumé. Before I get to the music, I’ll rattle off some accolades: 2021 iHeart Radio Music Awards nominee in the Social Star category, listed in Billboard‘s 21 under 21 list in 2021, one of Forbes‘ 30 under 30 in 2022. I don’t usually mention social media numbers, but Huddy has 30.4 million TikTok followers. He costarred with Sydney Sweeney in Downfalls High in 2021. And he was in the cast of Netflix’s Hype House in 2022. I know I usually get straight to the music in my reviews, but this is an impressive background, and I’ve gotta say, based on the songs on this EP, Huddy has the singing chops to back up the hype.

The first song on this EP, “Mugshot,” is an energetic, build-to-power pop rock song with a monster hook. There’s a cool little raw vocal effect during the lead-in to the chorus you might note. Moreso, though, there’s a fast-beat rhythm through the verses that carry the song forward much like some ’90s pop-punk faves might have, but “Mugshot” has some crunchier guitar licks. As for rockers young and remember-when-you-were-young, you’ll relate to the girls-like-the-bad-boy opening line of the chorus, “She’s in love with the boy in the mugshot.” Oh, and if you tend to listen for axework in your favorite tunes, don’t sleep on the brief, wailing solo about two-thirds of the way through.

photo by Phil Chester & Sara Byrne; photo courtesy of The Orchard

“Worst Way” leans more into the power-pop subgenre of rock ‘n roll, leaning more into its drumbeat and rhythm with a more pop-rock vocal delivery, not significantly unlike some of the more rockin’ Jonas Brothers songs (which, to be fair, is a lot more of their songs than rock ‘n roll purists may want to admit – personally, I love me some good pop-rock). I know the opening reminds me of another hit song (who else hears it? which chart-topper is that?) before it drops into the rhythm. Huddy’s vocals lead the listener on a slightly hypnotic journey in the verses leading up to the chorus, which absolutely pops. The song uses a slight near-pause, with most of the instrumentation briefly dropping out, heading in and out of the chorus in a very effective attention grab and re-grab. This might be the most likely to grab the attention of the pop radio audience, though this whole EP is radio-friendly, so not by much.

In fact, if I’m wrong about that, it’ll probably be because the next song, “Love Bites,” has a bigger, more in-your-face pop rhythm, and Huddy’s voice is smoothly dreamier in the verses but more aggressive in the “l-l-love bites” chorus. It’s the sort of song you’d be jumping around to on a party dance floor. Or around your living room floor, if it’s a house party. Regardless, the song gives off serious dance club vibes, replete with a few NSFW lyrics, though it’s the sort of club song you’d also blast from your stereo.

photo by Phil Chester & Sara Byrne; photo courtesy of The Orchard

The fourth song, “21,” returns to a full-on rock vibe, with distorted alt-rock guitar kicking things off. The chorus sports a crisper, clearer sound, though with still a lot of a wall-of-sound backdrop. As the song opens up when the chorus kicks in, a crisp rock drumbeat takes over from the distorted axework to drive the song’s enthusiastic, almost anthemic tempo. The song’s creative breakdown about two-thirds of the way through helps break things up – a brief, thumping, danceclub breakout that seems to try to make the song feel like a party, and quite successfully, actually – before the song power-pop-rocks its way to its close.

Though just four tracks, Huddy’s Love Bites EP provides a power pop-rock persona and shows a bit of the singer’s musical versatility. That’s important if an artist wants longevity, since it shows his talent isn’t wedded to a specific “sound.” It’s an exceptional collection, especially as an initial introduction to Huddy.

With apologies to the talented Mr. Hudson for being a little late to the party, I’m sure this music will be new to a lot of my regular readers who may not pursue the latest “hot” acts but are into good, old-school rock ‘n roll, including when it’s bright, shiny, and filled with pop-ready hooks like the songs on Love Bites. Give Huddy a listen. This is a talented artist you really need to hear.

More Recently

Huddy played Lollapalooza in 2024, and in this Instagram post commemorating his performance, he plugged an upcoming album in 2025. I hope that’s coming because, after hearing this EP, I can’t wait for a full album of new tunes from this guy!

Musically, since Love Bites, Huddy has released a pair of additional singles, “Addicted to You” and “Cyanide.”

You can catch Huddy on the road this summer as part of the Summer School Tour with Charlotte Sands, Taylor Acorn, Rain City Drive, Arrows in Action, If Not For Me, and Beauty School Dropout.

Single Reviews: Erik Harstad Band – “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods”

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photo by Lina Winge; photo courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

Single Reviews of Erik Harstad Band: “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods”

Top Norwegian bluesman Erik Harstad has, with his band, recently released a pair of singles, “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods.” In the Erik Harstad Band, guitarist Harstad is joined by Rune Endal (bass), Anders Lillebo (Hammond organ, piano and harmonica), and Vetle Larsen (drums).

cover photo by Lina Winge; image courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

The first single, “She’s My Baby,” starts off cool and smooth with light instrumentation behind the vocals. Two verses concluding with the primary lyric, “She’s my baby; that’s the way it is,” cycle through before slightly more substantial instrumentation begins to filter in. First, though, let’s talk about that lyric. Once you get to know the song’s cadence and rhythm, it’s one you’ll want to sing along with. In any case, about a third of the way through the song, there’s a solo where the guitar chatters, talks, and wails a little before it’s joined by the organ in a little back and forth dance, providing a nice musical transition to the next verse. The rest of the way, the pace remains modest, but the instruments join the vocals in creating a moving groove that, accompanied by vocals that gain a hint more edge as the song goes on, carries this track to its satisfying conclusion.

cover photo by Lina Winge; image courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

“Dark Season Moods” starts out completely differently, with sadness, kicking off with 30+ seconds of guitar that paints a picture of soft, easy blues on a rainy day. The music on this song is so powerful, rising and falling, swaying with sad emotion and melancholy, with the baton being passed back and forth between the guitar and the organ taking the lead, that it’s hard to focus on the lyrics, though they move in unison with the instrumentation. “Dark Season Moods” is an ideal song to spin for wallowing in sorrow or even just a good soundtrack to accompany a day of ennui.

Stylistically, the Erik Harstad Band’s sound seems well-suited to either an intimate bar setting or that of a bigger music theater stage. Certainly, the caliber of musicians would support shows suitable for either of those venue types. But if you can’t get out to a performance, be sure to check out these singles. Personally, I tend to favor the more energetic number “She’s My Baby,” but if I wanted to sit by the window and feel sad on a rainy day, I can’t imagine a better soundtrack than “Dark Season Moods.”

Single Review: Special Consensus – “Been All Around This World”

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courtesy of Compass Records

Single Review of Special Consensus: “Been All Around This World” feat. Josh Williams, Robbie Fulks, Ashby Frank (Compass Records)

Special Consensus, winners of multiple IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, showcase a wide variety of picking styles, tempos, and vocal deliveries on the engaging “Been All Around This World,” a song that moves along so quickly it hardly feels as if it’s lasted more than 3 1/2 minutes, though looking back, the band covered so much ground you wonder in retrospect how they fit everything in.

photo courtesy of Compass Records

Current members Greg Blake (guitar, vocals), Brian McCarty (mandolin, vocals), Dan Eubanks (bass, vocals) and Greg Cahill (banjo) are joined on this single by Special Consensus alumni Robbie Fulks, Josh Williams, and Ashby Frank.

“Been All Around This World” starts with a 20-second picking intro before the first lyric. After the first verse, the individual vocals become a harmony, leading to an extended musical solo.

The next verses begin with a key change, a different vocalist, and slightly leveled-up energy, though follow the same pattern of solo vocal first, then harmony, then extended musical solo.

Done yet? Nope. Special Consensus follows the same song structure pattern a third time.

Not a fourth time, though, as the guys alter the pattern a bit to transition to a soft closing.

So, what have we learned from this? Well, when you have seven talented musicians involved, you’re going to get variety. And Special Consensus knows how to keep the energy flowing and make old patterns seem new. It results in a fun song in “Been All Around This World,” and it suggests an outfit that knows how to keep a live performance… well, lively.

From the look of the “Tour” page of the band’s website, if you’re in the United States, they’ll be performing near you at some point this year, perhaps multiple times. Check the band’s website for details.

Album Review: Simon Scardanelli – Underneath the Singing Tree

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live performance photo of Simon Scardanelli with guitar and Sophie Caudin with accordion

photo by Jacque Rolland; photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

by James Morris, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Simon Scardanelli: Underneath The Singing Tree

CD and Streaming Release Date: 16th June 2025

We have had to wait along time for a new album from Simon Scardanelli. It’s been six long years since 2019’s The Rock, The Sea, The Rising Tide. The world was a different place back then, pre-COVID and all that. Since 2019, he has released several singles and most probably spent those lockdown years finding old projects to release and things to work on, like many of us did, to pass the time.

I know for a fact Simon has been working hard on a number of musical creations alongside this new album release. A folk opera is somewhere in the mix, another album maybe, this time with his live performing collaborator Sophie and who knows what else, all bubbling away on his musical hard drives. All that, whilst ramping up the number of his live shows around France as well. Busy busy!

Simon Scardanelli – Underneath the Singing Tree album cover

image courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

So what about the new album? That’s why we’re here right?

OK, let’s get to it, I mean, after six years you must be keen to find out what he has in store for us this time. You have nothing to fear, just open your ears and prepare for a truly wonderful musical experience.

It may seem a bit simplistic, but firstly the running order of the songs is perfect. The tracks guide you through the audio journey very nicely indeed. In a world of streaming and shuffle mode, the art of sequencing songs on an album may seem a bit forgotten, but it is refreshing to listen to a well-ordered album the way the artist intended you to.

So it is an effortless listening experience made so by the crafting of the composer. Everything in the right place with variety and consideration designed to entertain.

Sonically, the whole album sparkles beautifully and is easily up to Simon’s usual excellent production standards. Crafted, lovingly and painstakingly put together. Every note, every space, every word, all must have a meaning and a reason to be there. Simon always excels at his production values, and I absolutely love the way that everything here has its own space and air to breathe and shine.

Simon Scardanelli

photo by Alain Marie; photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

So the mix and instrumentation is perfect for each of the songs but also his voice is so strong and ageless. I have listened to all his albums through the years, going back to Big Bam Boo in the late 1980s and even his pre-pop incarnations from the late ’70s and early ’80s. Simon’s voice is stronger now than those early outings and equal to anything else he has released in the last 30 years. It is with timeless ease that he reaches each note in every song and creates unusual and thoughtful harmonies. No room for clichés with Simon.

That follows through in both the music he composes and in the lyrics that he writes. His words, as always, defy cliché and weave an imagery and a storytelling of such interest that it leaves you wondering what sort of strange events could have inspired these songs. Love is certainly one large element on show here, or maybe a doomed love, possibly a stronger emotion that an artist can draw inspiration from.

You must discover these songs yourself. Let each one unfold and delight you. I was lucky enough to hear some of these songs at a small live show. They were new to me amongst Simon’s classic back catalogue. Songs, such as the playfully sombre “Five Seconds Ago Last Year,” reached out and grabbed me. I am so glad to have it on the new album, alongside the other new and enchanting songs. There is the resigned, “Here We Go Again” and the uplifting, “Let’s Go Dancing.” Listen to “Heart Upon My Fretboard” and revel in the simile of a songwriter’s vulnerability brought to bear on the neck of his guitar on which he bares his soul. Then there is the mysterious title track, “Underneath The Singing Tree,” which paints a picture of that aforementioned doomed affair in the magical forests of Huelgoat in Brittany, France.

Simon Scardanelli

photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

The song “Battle Ships,” destined for Simon’s other ongoing musical project, the folk opera La Mer, has been included in advance on this album. A firm new live show favourite, it has muscled its way onto the album on the back of its audience popularity and its overwhelming majesty. Driven by a forceful ukulele, this song shows Simon’s versatility in switching between instruments to create a broad and exciting musical landscape.

One song which may be familiar to fans of his work is “Glittering Prize.” Originally recorded during the Make Us Happy sessions in 2015, it then found itself a release as a single in 2021 (one of those lockdown projects, no doubt). Its inclusion on the new album finds it seamlessly slotting in with the other tracks. A reworking of the song, with new vocals and an enhanced mix, has elevated it beyond the original single version and will impress any who have heard it before and equally delight new listeners.

I haven’t discussed each and every one of the songs on the album, that is for you to discover, as I said earlier. However I hope that I have given you a flavour of the excellence that runs through the whole release.

This is Simon’s best album since the eternal Make Us Happy and is a great job, very well done. So many outstanding tracks make this album a resounding success and worth every minute of the wait. (3,038,400 of them, but who’s counting!) Now how long till the next album, Simon?