Tag Archives: Album Review

EP Review: Baxter Hall – The Work

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photo by Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Baxter Hall: The Work

Baxter Hall has the tools to be one of those transcendent artists whose appeal goes well beyond his genre. That genre, at least on The Work, is acoustic-ish singer-songwriter. The arrangement leans folk, but not in the exclusionary way that term can sometimes mean. And that’s because there’s some nifty pop-rock singer-songwriter feel to these songs, too, landing the Americana descriptor for his music sometimes, too. On The Work, Hall keeps it simple, but that simplicity belies the richness of the EP’s production. So, too, could I see more elaborate arrangements taking Hall’s songs in multiple directions, though again, the arrangements are more complicated than they seem at first glance. Regardless, this is a helluvan introduction to Hall. It’s going to be exciting to see where he takes his skills next. I’d say his career ceiling is atmospheric, in the company of soft-touch broad-appeal singer-songwriters like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, or Andy Grammer. Superstardom notwithstanding, a less-spectacular but steady career with longevity in the folk-rock world would be another great possible result for Hall.

EP artwork by Baxter Hall, Bella Lepore Hall and Alandra Hall; image courtesy of Knyvet

For now, though, let’s focus on The Work. Herein Hall has presented us with a rich, engaging, peppy, acoustic-leaning record with a lot more variety than you’ll probably initially expect if you’ve only heard a single song.

“You Were the One” opens the EP with a sunshiny pleasantness, musically anyway. I know there are two sides to every story, but as the first-person voice in the song, Hall makes his convincingly. Based on the lyrics, this song should be heavy and a little resentful, but the healthy mental approach in the lyrics is matched by the song’s cheery tunefulness, replete with nifty little playful guitar riffs right out of the textbook for ’70s light pop singer-songwriter radio hits. I think Jim Croce would be proud of this one.

photo by Adriana Arguijo Gutierrez; photo courtesy of Knyvet

The EP’s pre-release single, “The Work,” opens with a more finger-picking guitar style before thumping strumming takes over, as the guitar and vocal volumes both pick up. It’s an insightful song with cool lyrics like “despite what you’ve heard, not all hurt people make people hurt.” The lyrics are the sort that suggest the songwriter knows a thing or two about family therapy and the theories underpinning it. And the song builds into a rich, booming, catchy pop-rock-folk number.

Song three of four, “Tricks” is an enjoyable swayer with a nifty guitar pattern, a bouncing rhythm, and a coolly subtle musical surge to power to emphasize the chorus. This track also sports a nice lyrical repeat for the last minute that’ll get listeners singing along. And a fadeout. You know how you don’t hear song fadeouts anymore? Well, now they sound fresh again, and that lyrical repeat to fadeout is exactly the right way to engineer one – Hall knows what he’s doing.

Finally, “Way Too Easy” is a playful, energetic, cheerful song calling out a narcissist in no uncertain words. It’s a fun romp that leads to the payoff chorus line of “You made walkin’ away way too easy.” And the guitar riffs – the buzzy little playful one that mingles with the lyrics and the more energetic one that provides emphasis in key spots here and there – may not be as easily noticeable behind Hall’s engaging vocal style, but they’re what makes this song special.

I can’t tell you which of the songs I prefer most. I think choosing “The Work” for the first single was the right move, as it’s the most powerful. For the second single, I’m torn between “You Were the One” and “Way Too Easy,” probably leaning toward “Way Too Easy” because “You Were the One” is a little more laid back and might play well as a third single. Finally, “Tricks” will be a favorite among some, but I think that’ll be a more selective subset of listeners. Then again, what do I know? That swirling lyrical repeat is really cool, so maybe that’ll be the biggest hit.

Four killer songs on a four-song EP is a good problem to have. And, of course, for the listener, it’s not a problem; rather it’s a delight. Folk, pop, singer-songwriter, hooky soft rock… if you’re a fan of any of those styles of music, I heartily recommend Baxter Hall’s The Work.

Additional Notes

Baxter Hall was nominated for two Boston Music Awards this year. He is up for an award in the Singer/Songwriter of the Year category, and his single “The Work” has been nominated for Song of the Year. He’ll find out if he won during the BMAs’ December 16th ceremony.

Album Review: Bob Seger – Face the Promise (Expanded Edition)

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photo by Clay Patrick McBridge; photo courtesy of UMe

Album Review of Bob Seger: Face the Promise (Expanded Edition) (Capitol/UMe)

20 years ago, I had recently stepped away from music journalism – and new music discovery in general – so I missed the release of Bob Seger‘s Face the Promise. It was a strong album for Seger, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and achieving RIAA platinum certification in just three months. Flash forward, and recently, in September, Capitol/UMe celebrated the album’s 20th anniversary with a 16-song “expanded edition,” featuring three previously unreleased songs and one track that had been an exclusive-to-iTunes bonus track, “Red Eye to Memphis.” Audiophiles will also appreciate that this release is also the album’s first-ever 2 LP vinyl release. And more than just a straight rerelease, even the original dozen tracks on this edition of Face the Promise were newly remastered by longtime Seger mastering engineer Robert Vosgien.

Since none of the songs on this record broke significantly into mainstream consciousness – clearly just a sign of the times, since this is a kickass, trademark Bob Seger-style rock album – discovering this music now has been a treat for me. (I’d have said “spoiler alert” but you know I only review music I like, that I think you’ll want to and need to hear.) You know how I frequently say “If you haven’t heard it, it’s new to you!”? Well, Face the Promise is new to me, and I’ve been having so much fun getting to know this “new” Bob Seger album! I’m sure you’ll feel the same way if it’s new to you.

image courtesy of UMe

The record kicks off with crunchy guitar riffs, opening a classic Seger-styled rocker, “Wreck This Heart.” It’s an uptempo number, with a big in-your-face beat a la “Like a Rock” but with a faster tempo, cool background vocals punching up some key spots in the song – any Detroiter would appreciate that Motown backing vocals staple – and a very Seger-esque everyday working man’s viewpoint in the lyrics. At the time, this was Seger’s first release since the last Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band release more than a decade earlier, and this song, I’m sure, put a lot of his fans’ concerns to rest, acknowledging that this was still Seger doing exactly what we love about him, just with the little tweaks and musical growth that make new music worth hearing and, of course, that are the whole point of creating something new for the artist himself.

What about a Seger ballad? Well, that’s song two, “Wait For Me.” Talk about goosebump-inducing! Seger delivers that smooth voice and adds soaring guitar runs and well-placed harmony background vocals, as pianowork and guitar strumming form the song’s basis. Two songs in, and just whew! What a record! (I can’t believe I was totally out of the loop on new music in 2006 and missed this!) Of Face the Promise‘s singles, “Wait For Me” was the only one to chart, though not on the Billboard Hot 100. Rather, it reached number 17 on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart.

The record doesn’t slow down for long. A funky blues bassline supports title track, “Face the Promise,” a concert-ready rocker that includes shout-outs to several states, regions, and cities. You just know one of those locations would be replaced in a live concert with someplace local – crowds love when artists do this, obviously. In any case, this is a third slightly different variation of Seger’s identifiable style in the first three songs, all absolutely top-shelf. As an aside, one of the cool things here for locals (I mean here in Massachusetts, where I live, not in Michigan where I grew up) will be the Massachusetts call-out, a mention of Framingham, pronounced correctly. Just something for my adopted home state’s locals to listen for. Regardless of whether or not you connect with one of the regional mentions, the hypnotic, sidewinding rhythm of “Face the Promise” is going to snag you and make this song a fast favorite.

photo by Cybelle Codish; photo courtesy of UMe

Next up, “No Matter Who You Are” kicks off with a familiar keyboard rhythm, at least similar to past Seger intros on his slower, heartfelt boomers. And the Motown-esque background vocals continue to add depth and flavor to this album, as well as an uplifting feeling underpinning even the most hardscrabble lyrics. But yeah, this is definitely one of those sway-along songs.

Grindy, thumping, deep bluesy-rocker “Are You” follows. Then funky-rockin’ “Simplicity” (you’ll dig the cool horn parts!), which reminds me a little – but not too much – of “Shakedown” from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. And “No More,” a soaring number with a big, orchestral rocking sound, follows, with its big, expansive, wide-open sound.

“Real Mean Bottle” is a raucous, rollicking duet with Kid Rock, with Kid Rock’s thinner grizzled vox meshing exceptionally well with Seger’s richer, fuller delivery. It’s followed by a heavy, dirge-like, flowing ballad, “Won’t Stop.” Next up is “Between,” a rhythmic, slightly funky, drum- and bass-driven thumper about social isolation and disillusionment with a nod to the environmental crisis and the need for more societal cooperation.

“The Answer’s in the Question” is a country-tinged, flowing ballad, a duet with Patty Loveless that you’d think should have been a massive commercial hit, with a violin helping countrify Seger’s vocal parts, while Loveless, of course, contributes her own piercing, country vocal power. When singing together, the vocal combo is an exceptional blend of Seger’s gravel and Loveless’s purer delivery.

The final song of the original dozen are the soulfully crooned “The Long Goodbye.”

The “expanded edition” of the album concludes with those four additional tracks I mentioned. Four songs that are, except for those who had heard the iTunes-exclusive “Red Eye to Memphis,” are new to everyone. The first of this foursome, “Time,” is a blues-based rocker, with the rhythm section setting a heavy, thumping baseline upon which Seger’s vocal wails could sit, accompanied by some blistering, slightly distorted axework, including a long, dancing solo to conclude the song.

“Little Jane,” which dropped as a single on July 23 this year almost two months in advance of the Face the Promise (Expanded Edition) release, is absolutely single-worthy. (How was this a previously-unreleased track?! And what other unreleased gems are sitting in that vault?) Seger’s delivery on this number is matter-of-fact rather than booming, though he does ramp it up a little in a couple spots. But it’s the emotional quiver Seger can do so well that provides “Little Jane” with its subdued pizzazz. This is a song you could hear Seger singing perhaps alongside similarly-tempoed Springsteen or Mellencamp tunes. Would a songwriters’ circle of these three be too much to ask? Probably. But a selection of this song from Seger followed by similar tracks from the rest of that trio would be the beginning of a cool, laidback playlist.

“Red Eye to Memphis” is a gritty blues number – really, with a title like that? Who’d’ve guessed? Seriously, though, the beat just oozes cool, with Seger in top form at the blues end of his range, and some nifty guitar parts and harmony/backing vocals punching up a few vocal wails.

The extended collection closes with “Let Me Try.” A song about life’s difficulties, with a knowing empathy very few can pull off as well as Bob Seger. And just when you think the song has settled in, you get some big-time gospel background vocals lifting it up another notch for its final minute. A terrific way to end a great album.

Now, if you know this album already, I’m sure it’s a favorite, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my assessment of the original dozen songs and my take on the 4 new bonus tracks. And if you’re like me – life happens, sometimes you’re not discovering new music for a while, and you may have missed it – this album is an absolute treat for Bob Seger fans who are just discovering it. Join me; it’s so absolutely worth listening to… repeatedly!

EP Review: The Northern Line – The Northern Line

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

EP Review of The Northern Line: The Northern Line

The Northern Line released its self-titled debut EP this year, following pre-release single releases of two of the EP’s four tracks. I reviewed those two tracks, “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist,” last year, so I’ll focus more on the record’s two new songs, “Let’s Roll On” and “Out in the Drift.”

The Northern Line is Bilvox (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Pete Kitchener (lead guitar), Mike Ackley (keyboards), Carrie Ingber (additional keyboards), Joshh Magee (bass), and McG (percussion, backing vocals). This tight outfit produces an original sound that draws heavily upon British indie influences. The band is already gaining accolades, nominated in the New Act of the Year category for this year’s New England Music Awards.

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

The cohesive quartet of songs comprising The Northern Line’s eponymous EP begins with “Let’s Roll On.” The Northern Line’s rhythm section is key to the band’s funky Brit-alt-rock infused sound on this track. The nifty, distorted musical backdrop drives the song forward, but it’s the organ-style keyboardwork, guitar lines that dance through occasionally, and a vocal style that regularly slightly overemphasizes individual syllables in the course of a phrase to create a distinct sound that add the color that keeps your attention throughout. They all combine with an airier portion that’s primarily driven by guitarwork – not exactly a traditional solo, but rather a bluesy guitar run that interacts with the vocalist – to turn “Let’s Roll On” into a full musical meal rather than just an appetizer.

It is followed by “Lightning Strikes,” which I dove into in detail last year. Noisy rock ‘n roll in its own right, “Lightning…” does offer a little lighter musical density, for the most part, making it a distinctly different second entry on the record but still within the same musical palate. And damn, Kitchener’s guitarwork! This song wouldn’t work nearly as well without his cool riffs.

The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

The third track is on the EP is “Out in the Drift,” a song with a little darker vibe than the rest of the disc. There’s kind of a bluesy-western twang in the guitarwork that, combined with some lyrically-relevant anguished wails by Bilvox from time to time, give “Out in the Drift” its own distinct sub-style. The song rises and falls in volume and energy a couple times to give it a sense of movement, but the volume increases toward the end, making it seem to gain intensity before a quite late fade.

The record ends with “Throw a Fist,” the thumping, somewhat laid-back rocker I dug into in great detail in last year’s review. But yeah, it’ll make sure you exit your listening experience bouncing a bit.

Combined, these four songs are a solid introduction the The Northern Line. And it’s a sound that translates well to live performance, as I can attest from catching the band’s set at this year’s Maynard Porchfest. So grab this EP; it’s got a groovy sound. And catch The Northern Line live if you can; they put on a great performance. In fact, if you’re in the Boston area, you can catch the official vinyl release concert for this EP at The Square Root in Roslindale on Friday, November 6th.

EP Review: Pareidolls – Jessie

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photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

EP Review of Pareidolls: Jessie (Red Licorice Records)

Pareidolls‘ “Jessie” was released by Red Licorice Records as a 7″ vinyl single with “Give and Take” as its B side. The 4-song Jessie EP also contains two tracks – “Slater Street” and “Freefalling” – recorded live at the 100 Club.

The band of talented teenagers is comprised of Georgia Attwood (vocals), Freya Wilcox (drums), Bethan Sheldrick (bass), Tabitha Law (guitar) and Biba Russell (guitar). The music jams and jangles, and the tight rockin’ sound is a fitting homage to the female rock pioneers cited in the band’s promo material: The Go-Go’s, The Bangles, and L7. I’d place Pareidolls at the L7 rockin’ end of the spectrum. From the pages of the Blog, though, a lot of what I’m hearing in Attwood’s vocals remind me of teens-at-the-time-I-reviewed them TOS’s lead singer Sophie Ward, especially when the vocal requires a lilting edge.

photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

The title track, “Jessie,” starts a straight-forward rocker with a funky bassline, a soulful-rockin’ vocal line, a bluesy/crunchy axework. It’s an energy-packed romp for the first two minutes before it seems to experience a power loss for about 30 seconds, becoming exceedingly slow and drawn out for about 30 seconds before a 15-second build-up (energy recovery) back to its previous energetic, just a hair shy of frantic pace as it races to the end. I mean, it was already a song worth hearing even without that nifty late-song slowdown and recovery, but with that added clever maneuver, it’s a must hear. I guarantee “Jessie” will become a quick favorite.

“Give and Take,” the 7″ inch’s B side, is a crunchy, bangin’ rocker. It also gives Attwood a chance to unveil a very cool, ear-shattering rock ‘n roll wail.

photo by Robert Russell; photo courtesy of Crowflies Communications

“Slater Street,” next, is more straightforward rocker with a straightforward line of attack and some impressive guitarwork. EP-ender “Freefalling” takes a more methodical funky-bluesy angle, at least with the bass, while the guitar and drums are straight-up rock ‘n roll all the way. A nifty bridge that’s lightly instrumented behind Attwood’s high, crisp vocals also adds a neat touch to “Freefalling.”

If I take just one thing away from this EP, it’s that “Jessie” is a song that’s likely to become a fast favorite, while the rest of the EP reveals a band with a sound that’ll be very entertaining at a live concert and capable of spawning several more hits over the coming years.

To keep up with this rising young band, check out Pareidolls’ linktree and follow their socials. (You can find links to their socials at their linktree).

EP Review: Something Sneaky – Old Notes

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photo by Stevie George; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Something Sneaky: Old Notes

Distorted, grungy, heavy garage rock. Or maybe basement rock. Indeed, Old Notes, the newest EP from Something Sneaky, is the sort of raw rock ‘n roll you’d expect to hear in an unfinished basement live music venue in a college town.

Justin Iacovino (vocals, guitars, keyboards) is joined in Something Sneaky by Jeremy Iacovino (drums), Chris Casserly (bass), and Jesse George (guitars). Old Notes is the band’s first long-form recording since its 2017 release Pictures.

artwork by Dan Nelligan and Cal Ciarcia; image courtesy of Knyvet

The song with the most crossover potential – the one most likely to appeal to listeners beyond the band’s core noisy, raw, kinda punky alt-rock core – is album opener “Stevie’s Here.” From its strumming open to its its catchy repeated guitar hooks, “ooh-ooh” parts, mainstream alt-rock tempo changes, and only moderately distorted jangly guitar bridge, “Stevie’s Here” is stylistically related to a lot of indie rock hits. The rest of the album doesn’t combine all those pieces the way the album-opener does.

However, the rest of the songs do cohesively complete an excellent 5-song beginning-to-end listen. Indeed, that’s not to suggest the other songs are similar to each other. Far from it, in fact, as stylistic differences give each of the tracks on this EP a very different feel.

“Hole Foods” is likely to be a club favorite, both live for Something Sneaky and as an ideal choice for clubs’ between-bands playlists. The song thumps along with its heavy, almost grungy bass and drums-driven rhythm. The vocals and song structure take what seem like some engaging aural detours before returning to the forcefully advancing primary rhythm. Again, concertgoers are going to dig this song; and, it’s the sort of energy-maintaining song that would keep rock crowds buzzing when the recording is played between sets of multi-act concerts. (I honestly don’t think I’ve ever recommended a song for that purpose before.)

photo by Stevie George; photo courtesy of Knyvet

As for the rest of the EP, “Gold Notes” is more of a swaying wailer. And I should point out that I didn’t dub Something Sneaky’s style “basement rock” just because of the “I’m trapped in a basement” lyric in “Gold Notes.” In fact, I thought of the phrase before I noticed the lyric, which made it fun to discover. “Depressure,” next, is a slow, aptly-entitled, depressive-instrumented, slow moody number. And album-closer “Stoner Kids” is a six-minute epic that maintains the same rhythm throughout but builds in noise as the song advances through its second half. I mean, yeah there are jangles and nuances I could mention, but I’ll let you discover those for yourselves as you listen to the very cool, mind-numbing cacophony until it closes with a buzz.

Regardless, everyone needs to hear “Stevie’s Here.” And the rest of the album? If this is your brand of musical noise, you’ll dig it from the get-go. Even if it’s not quite your usually-preferred rock sub-style, give it a few listens. As you begin to hear the nuances, the other songs may grow on you, too, as they did on me.

EP Review: Steve Geraci – There Goes the Neighborhood

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image courtesy of Steve Geraci

EP Review of Steve Geraci: There Goes the Neighborhood

Last year, I reviewed “Voice in My Head,” the lead single from Steve Geraci‘s 4-song EP, There Goes the Neighborhood; the EP was released in its entirety early this year. The 4 tracks are an eclectic mix of throwback, ’70s and early ’80s-influenced rock ‘n roll, occasionally gritty, often a little experimental, and always interesting, entertaining, and original. Most of all, on There Goes the Neighborhood, Geraci tries to keep the listener on edge, as the lyrics, instrumentation, and composition are all designed to produce an uneasiness, even as the end result is a raucous, fun alt-rock/garage rock listen.

The first song, the title track “There Goes the Neighborhood,” is probably the most commercially viable of the collection, with a melodious tunefulness in the verses and the chorus. Geraci’s rough, hoarse-ish rock ‘n roll voice adds both alt-rock street cred and a thoughtful intensity to the vocals, as the lyrics are an ode – no, what’s the opposite of an ode? a warning? – to living beyond one’s means, focusing primarily on the moment it all comes crashing down. But, you know, in a catchy, singalong kind of way. Indeed, the whole EP is solid, but this is the breakout song on the record, the most likely to appeal to the broadest swath of fans.

photo by Jennifer Geraci; photo courtesy of Knyvet

It’s followed by kind-of-funky alt-rocker “Voice in My Head,” another relatively catchy song. Then “Paradise Lost,” which incorporates some cool, soulful saxwork to add some smoothness to the otherwise edgy number, though even the sax is a little abrupt, befitting the song’s lyrics and somewhat matching Geraci’s vocal delivery.

Finally, “Save Yourself,” after a distortedly bluesy-rockin’ opening guitar and drum exchange, settles into its garage rock style, with a steady rhythm driving the listener to sway along.

In the end There Goes the Neighborhood is a must-hear for garage rock/alt-rock fans, especially if you enjoy the kind of music you’d have heard in college dive bars in the ’70s or ’80s, rough-edged, thoughtful, and topical, where the music and the lyrics go hand in hand stylistically.

image courtesy of Steve Geraci

Single Review of “Top Shelf People”

Just recently, on October 9, Geraci released a new single, “Top Shelf People.” It’s kind of a scatty, jazzy number, very much not what I was expecting, with lots of open space, vocals that are more frantic than frenetic, mostly just riffing that almost seems random, at times, though it all comes together; the listener will be able to piece it all together by the end. So what would I call the musical style? Experimental alt-jazz, I suppose.

Topically, Geraci’s website does a good job describing what the song is about, those absolutely worthwhile friends and acquaintances. The truly good ones. The top shelf people.

In the grand scheme of things, “Top Shelf People” sounds exactly like and not at all like a Steve Geraci number, both at the same time. It doesn’t have the rock ‘n roll edge you’ve come to expect, but it experiments with sounds and arrangements, as Geraci is generally wont to do.

Album Review: Resolver – Better Than What?

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Album Review of Resolver: Better Than What?

Resolver‘s Better Than What? arrived in my mailbox a couple years ago, was misplaced along with some other CDs, and then more recently made it back into my awareness, and I’m so glad it did! It’s a raw punk record with plenty of rough edges, but it’s steeped in modern, crisper production quality and some damn engaging – while at the same time riotous – melodies.

Better Than What? is the debut EP of Resolver, a band featuring former members of RazorCut, The Opposition, The Clinch, and Marching Orders, none of whose music I’ve ever heard, but then again I’m not super-knowledgeable about Australian street punk. What I am more familiar with is what damn good music sounds like, and this is, indeed, that.

The whole record surges relentless forward, providing seven songs of raucous energy. “Better Than What?” kicks things off, as a steady rhythm section, slightly-distorted buzzy axework, commanding lead vocals, and well-placed supporting vocals combine to form a catchy, memorable rock song, heavily punk in attitude but with steady yet understated broader-appeal axework, and a melody, too, that’ll reach fans well beyond a core punk rock audience.

“Beast” is another fast-paced, broader-appeal number, and again it’s the guitarwork that’s the most obvious key contributor to gaining the attention of a more mainstream audience, but that’s only because Resolver’s music stems from the brand of raw-yet-melodic punk rock that has always spun off an occasional crossover hit.

All seven songs continue in the same vein, each with their own nuances. For example, the drums play a key role in the appeal of “Mind Control,” as do some subtle key changes and guitar patterns that you’d more expect to hear from a pop-metal band. And album-closer “To Grow is a Privelege” has a singalongable, occasionally repeated lyric that seems to cycle faster as the song goes along, drawing the listener in.

If you’re a fan of raw, energetic Australian street punk (their words; I’m not sure exactly what would distinguish that subgenre), you probably already know and love Resolver. Other punk rockers are likely to dig this music, as well. And broader rock fans whose tastes don’t necessarily skew toward raw punk, like me, will connect with some of the broader pop and rock elements in Resolver’s songs. Therefore, Resolver’s Better Than What? is a record all rock ‘n roll fans should check out.

Album Review: Adam Sherman Band – Sorrows and Smiles

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photo by Carissa Johnson; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Album Review of Adam Sherman Band: Sorrows and Smiles

Adam Sherman is a modern rock ‘n roll crooner. That’s all there is to it. His songs on Sorrows and Smiles are singer-songwriter fare with rock ‘n roll instrumentation and a throwback, ’50s or ’60s teen idol delivery style. Sherman’s voice is rich yet edgy, and it’s compelling to such an extent that choosing whether or not to listen really isn’t a choice, it’s compulsion. The songs – particularly, Adam’s voice – command your attention. And Sherman’s bandmates provide just the right pop-friendly rock ‘n roll sonic backdrop to highlight his vocal talents.

The Adam Sherman Band, appearing on this record, is comprised of Adam Sherman (vocals, guitar), Kelly Jean Knapp (vocals), Peter Hoffman (guitar), Dinty Child (mandolin), Jeff Song (bass), Chris Michaels (drums), and Tom West (keyboards, accordion).

art and design by Adam Sherman; image courtesy of Knyvet

On the Adam Sherman Band’s new album, Sorrows and Smiles, “Everyday Dangers” provides a catchy kickoff. The song’s modest tempo helps contain the exuberant energy when Sherman leaps into the danger descriptor “everyday!” From beginning to end, the song is a bob-along rock journey.

Perhaps the bluesiest song on the record, “Greyhound” reminds me of a bit of a George Thorogood number. It’s an attitude-filled blues-rocker from the point of a literal greyhound. And that only makes the song that much cooler. By the middle of the song, I really do believe Sherman is greyhound.

“Long Fall Down”, next, is the first markedly Americana number on the record, leaning into the soulful crooning that allows Sherman to cross over between the Americana and rock world. I also notice hints of Elvis, notable Adam’s “I… can’t… take… that” gives shades of Elvis’ “I can’t help falling in love with you.”

photo by Michael O’Connor Marotta; photo courtesy of Knyvet

“Talk to You,” next, is a softer, melancholy crooner of a number. It’s followed by “Miles,” with twangy slack guitar strums that catch your attention while sitting atop a rich music bed.

Additionally, raucous howler “Gone Wrong” stands out in contrast with much the rest of the disc, an energetic, guitar riff-filled almost rockabilly-meets-rock number in which Sherman’s voice is at its most insistent. Meanwhile “In the Shadows” is a classic guitar-driven soft rocker that belongs in my collection alongside Martin Briley’s and John Waite’s ’00s/’10s work.

Finally, the record closes with “We’ll Never Know,” a softly-strummed, suitable album-ender. Lyrically and stylistically, the song is quiet and introspective, beginning to end. You know I like it when artists structure their album this way, with a song to settle the listener down calmly to close the record. And, with this thoughtful final song, the Adam Sherman Band does just that.

Simply put, Adam Sherman is an old-school, guitar-driven, soft pop/rock matinee idol type of singer. Sorrows and Smiles is a broad appeal album, one pop and pop-rock fans will enjoy for its tunefulness, while harder rockers will own and enjoy the album but may deny it because it’s too mellow and sentimental to be cool among their crowd. Now, if any of the people I described sounds like you, welcome to the next album you’ll want to add to your collection.

Album Review: Marina V – Labyrinthine Rose

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photo by Chris Jensen; photo courtesy of Marina V

Album Review of Marina V: Labyrinthine Rose

It has been way too long since I’ve written about Marina V. Longtime blog readers know about her amazing talent – and you’re all fans now, right? – but she keeps recording and releasing great new music, including her recent, powerful studio album Labyrinthine Rose. Most people have probably heard Marina V sing somewhere without realizing it – she’s placed several songs in TV shows and movies – so even if you don’t know that you’ve ever heard her before, you’re probably really already halfway to being a fan. Trust me, one listen to Labyrinthine Rose will push you over the top, seal the deal, drive it home. Choose your figure of speech.

Now, Marina has a trademark sound. Her strong yet soft-touch, often sultry, vocals atop a flowing musical backdrop. It sounds so simple, and yet her specific delivery is something no one else can quite match, which is why she has a cadre of exceptionally loyal fans. It’s the way she strings together phrases, changing tempo and emotion atop a flowing, often somewhat orchestral musical backdrop. When on a Marina V music binge, it becomes easy to forget that, while most of Marina’s songs are so stylistically cohesive, they stand out as incredibly unique when part of a multi-artist playlist. She really is one of a kind.

Of course, even just among songs in Marina’s trademark style, the unique tempos, lyrical messages, and nuances in the songs make each stand out. Within and beyond Marina’s core style, she also frequently breaks out of her musical comfort zone, exploring a variety of influences and songwriting and performance techniques, stretching and challenging herself rather than “merely” sticking to her easily identifiable soaring vocals and smooth pianowork – a helluva fine comfort zone to begin with, I might add. Indeed, many of my favorite Marina V songs are the ones where she blends disparate musical influences, including pop, rock, and metal elements, with her central soft pop-rock style. Her soaring numbers are so good, but unlike so many of the other best soft pop-rock balladeers, Marina is far from a one-note – or one-tempo – artist.

image courtesy of Marina V

It seems I’m 350 words into this review, and all I’ve mentioned about Marina’s new album is its title, so I’ll stop hyping one of my favorite artists – the artist I reviewed as article number five in the nine-part “The Road Back to Music Journalism” series I wrote to launch the blog back in 2015, I might add – and tell you about her latest studio album, Labyrinthine Rose.

Marina starts things off gently with piano and a naked vocal on the album-opening title track before the full instrumentation kicks in. “Labyrinthine Rose” slowly builds until you realize you’re in the midst of, musically, a richly orchestrated number and, lyrically, a powerful metaphor, as you’ve been distracted the whole time by the soft, sometimes breathy vocals’ slow build. It’s pretty cool sequencing of musical elements, building from nothing to power through most of the last portion of the song, each build setting you up for the next one.

“Symphony & Metal” also starts out with a similar piano and vocal opening, but it builds into a much more rockin’ onslaught relatively early in the song, as you might expect with rock legends Bruce Kulick (guitar) and David Ellefson (bass) being featured on this song. Listen, in fact, for Kulick’s kickass late-song solo, but also how well it and the song overall integrate with Marina’s always-amazing pianowork. In any case, remember what I wrote about Marina’s versatility? Yeah, this is a classic metal ballad. You know, a little faster-paced than you’d expect a ballad to be, but it has a little softer touch than the heavier songs, with a comparatively slower tempo and a guitar solo – heck, always a guitar solo – so when we were young, we’d slow-dance to it anyway. What about now? Well, there’s no age at which you can’t slow-dance to a classic metal ballad.

photo by Don Adkins; photo courtesy of Marina V

“Morning Light,” next, is a truer ballad. Or slow song, anyway. It’s thoughtful, with musical tension-building sequences that make the whole song seem as uneasy and tense as it is soaringly beautiful. Then “Daughter Song” follows, a song I suspect all mothers can relate to, while the rest of us can simply enjoy the swaying tempo, nifty swirling pianowork, and heartfelt vocals in this orchestrally sweeping slow ballad.

“Ready to Live Again,” next, is a song that bursts forth, a song that, while Marina wrote it from a place of specific personal experience, is one many of us can probably relate to, at least from a broader perspective, as we relate it to places and times in our own lives. I find the key line in the chorus – essentially, the song’s title – to be a particularly powerful, self-motivating lyric, especially thanks to the assertiveness Marina delivers it with. “If I Fade Away” is another ballad, this one a bit more haunting and, of course, no less beautiful because that’s just how Marina V ballads are.

photo by Chris Jensen; photo courtesy of Marina V

“Shine Again (It Gets Better)” starts from a low place emotionally with the appropriately subdued vocals and music, both of which build alongside the song’s lyrical encouragement. Marina even mentions in her song notes that it’s a song of encouragement for her, personally, that helps her power through tough times. Clearly, that’s lyrically true, but it’s also true musically, as the song marches forward, with increasingly uplifting tone and tempo. Not that I’m ever surprised, but Marina’s songwriting nuances are still something to marvel at sometimes.

“Minute in Time” is another one of those richly instrumented, rising ballads that’ll strike a chord with a segment of her audience, highlighting living in the now. Also, among the songs in this collection, it features some of the clearest instances of Marina nailing noticeably higher notes, making the delivery as impressive as the songwriting.

Marina does a great job of expressing darkness – or, at least, forebodingness (it’s a word if I say it is!) – in her pianowork. Indeed, does just that on “Never Let Go of Hope,” written as a theme song for Bill Adler’s sci-fi short story, Sakura Petals. I mean, the opening lyrics are “The lightning strikes across the skies. The earth, it growls before it dies.” So yeah, that’s pretty dark. Yet the song evolves into a message encouraging hope. There are a lot of soft-touch vocals and twinkling keyboardwork in the song, but the headline story here is the major builds to power, softening in places, yet always pushing higher and more powerful with each new verse, landing softly with the final lyrics, “never let go of hope.” I’m inclined now to read the short story, with the assumption that the song may hit even harder if I know the plot.

photo by Angel Gomez; photo courtesy of Marina V

Though so many of Marina’s song topics are thoughtful and heavy, some of them are instead thoughtful and light. “My Impossible” is one of those happier numbers. I mean, it’s not entirely bereft of struggles. Rather, it’s about achieving one’s dreams; in this case, it’s an ode to the love of the singer’s life helping encourage and inspire her to achieve her dreams. It’s a terrifically uplifting song, inspiring and joyful, one of my favorites on this record.

The penultimate song is a Russian-language number, “Птица Счастья/Bird of Happiness,” and while it’s sweet and beautiful – soaring with vocals mostly just supported by Marina’s painowork – if you read the liner notes about this Russian-Ukranian song, you’ll tear up at what it means personally to Marina when she performs it.

Marina closes the record with another deeply personal song, “Particles in the Air,” a song written for her late father, encompassing both the emotions of his passing and the idea that he may still be there when needed in the “particles in the air.” Indeed, I’m usually sniffling a little by the time this song ends, it’s so touchingly performed and carries a concept I want to believe is true about my own father. And with that, whew! It’s a powerful record!

To circle back to my initial comments, though, Labyrinthine Rose is similar to but different than Marina’s preceding releases. Like all great artists, it’s another step in a lifelong musical evolution. While, as a pianist, Marina maintains the keys as the core of the songs on this album, full symphonic arrangements are much more prominent on Labyrinthine Rose than in Marina’s prior work (or at least much more noticeable, since I’m going on memory, but that’s impression they’ve made upon me), perhaps most of all on “Symphony & Metal.” Indeed, as is so often the case for the best albums, there’s a cohesive thread throughout, an ebb and flow from song to song, enough variety to keep the listener enraptured from beginning to end, and an evolutionary step forward for the artist. Obviously, Marina’s biggest fans have all already have this record memorized. But if you’ve enjoyed her music in the past, it’s time to check back in. And if you haven’t heard Marina V’s music before, well, you’re in for a real treat!

But wait, there’s more!

Marina is about to release another new album, One Take, a recorded-in-one-take album of songs spanning Marina’s career, with a limited run of just 100 CDs and 100 vinyl records. The vinyl is available via Marina’s online store, here, where Marina also shares a little of the album’s backstory. CDs of One Take are available from this website.

Album Review: Neale Eckstein – Build Our Dreams

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image courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

Album Review of Neale Eckstein: Build Our Dreams

Singer-songwriter Neale Eckstein has been a fixture in the Boston area music scene for years, primarily recording other artists in his studio, but he only recently began releasing his own albums. Build Our Dreams‘ release earlier this year followed the late 2024 release of Never Too Late, which I reviewed last year. Neale’s work as a recording artist has been recognized, too; 2026 marks the second consecutive year he has been nominated in the New England Music Awards‘ Songwriter of the Year category.

Neale has a knack for storytelling. So much so that it’s hard to tell which of his songs’ stories are his own. Clearly, he’s drawing on emotions from his own experiences, but the experiences in his story-songs are too varied to have all belonged to a single person. Some songs, in particular, it’s interesting to wonder how and where Neale found his inspiration because his rough, ragged, folky storyteller’s voice and first-person songwriting style are so convincing.

The entire album is touching and heartfelt, and you’ll discover your own favorites. These are a few of mine:

“Always Been Older Than Me,” a cowrite with Dan Navarro, is a song about a young man with an old soul and a musician’s dream. The song is lively for such a slow swayer, and Neale’s gravelly voice is a bit punchier in all the right places to deliver the emotion.

“All the Little Things” is a detail-filled love song Neale wrote for his wife, Laurie, that needs no extra motivation for Neale to deliver it so convincingly. Musically, it’s Steve Lewis’ pedal steel work that adds a special nostalgic twang to the song.

Neale’s version of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” is the only cover on the record. With Sophie Buskin’s harmony vocals joining Neale’s in key passages, Neale delivered this classic in his own style. If you had not heard the original – impossible, I know – you’d never know it wasn’t one of Neale’s originals, it fits so well with the others. In any case, it’s interesting to hear this take of the Kristofferson classic.

A couple of the more touching songs on the record are “I Just Want to Talk to You” and album-ender “Mr. Ashe.” The ending of “I Just Want to Talk to You” is a little shocking, though the arrangement carries hints, as it’s a little foreboding. At least, it is in retrospect. Of course, after the first listen, it’s more obvious on repeat spins. “Mr. Ashe,” meanwhile, is an inspiring song, though told in the setting of the song’s namesake’s funeral.

Finally, since it’s getting to be that season soon enough, I wanted to close by calling out “Keep Christmas in Your Heart,” a heartfelt song for the season that Neale’s fan are sure to want to add to their holiday playlists.

The entire record is 11 songs long, and while I’ve listed my six favorites, I’m sure yours will differ. If you like gravelly old, sage-sounding storyteller folk songs, you’ll absolutely enjoy this collection – be sure to check out Neale Eckstein’s music, with Build Your Dreams an excellent place to start.