Tag Archives: Geoff Wilbur

Single Review: Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys – “Goth Beach”

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Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys

photo courtesy of Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys

Single Review of Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys: “Goth Beach”

I received a copy of this song early last summer, and what a perfect summer song it would have been, if I had been up-to-date with my reviews at the time! But I’m not sure “Goth Beach” even has to be a season – what would be more Goth than a winter beach weekend, after all? – so crank this up and enjoy what may soon be your favorite new beach song.

Walter Sicker & the Army of Broken Toys – "Goth Beach"

cover art by Walter Alice Sickert; image courtesy of Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys

Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys list themselves as rock, goth, and steampunk, among other things. Well, yeah, I’ll second that.

This single, “Goth Beach,” is creatively fun and playful, with an energetic beat that’ll soon have you bouncing along. The raw, raucous rough-edged performance style is meticulously cultivated by the way the rhythm section pops. Even Walter’s vocals are simultaneously jagged and smoothly powerful, hinting at the versatility of this theatrical pop ensemble.

And if you begin to tire from the energy of goth-rocking along to “Goth Beach,” you can sit back, chill, and take notice the lyrical mentions of Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, Elvira, and Vincent Price, among others. In the end, whether you typically like this style of music or not (and I defy you to define this song’s style), you’ll enjoy “Goth Beach”; it’s a fun “beach” song for any season… or any year.

Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys

photo courtesy of Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys

More Recently

In February, Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys released the 10-track (steam?)punk-infused album Ghost Parade. Then, this summer in July, the band released a version the song “Keep My Head” with bigger, fuller, richer production than the version released a few months earlier on Ghost Parade.

Looking Ahead

I don’t see any upcoming shows listed on the events tab of the band’s Facebook page, but there are some recent past shows listed there, so check back for updates. You’ll perhaps have better luck following the band on Instagram, as this recent post notes that Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys will be back at the Museum of Science for its Halloween Happening on October 26th.

You can also support the band on Patreon.

Album Review: Vinnie Moore – Double Exposure

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Vinnie Moore

photo by Gretchen Johnson; photo courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Album Review of Vinnie Moore: Double Exposure

Renowned progressive rock shredder Vinnie Moore recently released Double Exposure, which I learned (thanks to the press material) is his first solo album to include vocals. The 12-track album begins with six songs with vocals followed by six instrumental cuts. The vocalists on the first half of the disc include Ed Terry (Rage And Beyond, American Mafia), Keith Slack (MSG, Mother Road), Mike DiMeo (Riot) and Brian Stephenson (Old James). Of course, Vinnie surrounds himself with top-shelf musicians as well, including Richie Monica (Billy Cox, Popa Chubby, Tantric) on drums, Michael Bean and Pete Griffin (Steve Vai, Dweezil Zappa) on bass, John Cassidy on keyboards, and John Pessoni on drums.

One of the cool things about Vinnie is that he’s not just a progressive fret-jockey. You can catch elements of classic rock, blues, and a little funky rhythm in his axework, which is one reason his music is likely to be a fun listen for guitar rock fans whose tastes extend throughout guitar-driven rock ‘n roll, well beyond the boundaries of prog.

Double Exposure opens with some exceedingly tuneful shredding from Moore, opening the funky-bluesy “Vertical Horizon.” Vinnie works a lot of deftly-maneuvered guitar runs and nifty riffs into this song… and, of course, throughout the rest of the disc.

Vinnie Moore – Double Exposure

image courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Songs two (“Rise”) and four (“Paid My Dues”) are axe-powered, hard-driving rock ‘n roll numbers that you’ll love for their power and, of course, their ample opportunity to showcase Vinnie’s shredding.

Sandwiched between those two, “Still Waters Run Deep” has very Boston-like harmonies and chorus climaxes, while Vinnie’s guitar parts are a little more understated, and in the bridge I might even refer to the guitarwork as “noodling.” It’s a cool, slight change of pace, though of course the song has its shredding gutiar solo moments, too.

“River Flow” is a hard rock ballad that flows through the verses and the chorus and, of course, has that long guitar solo in a mid/late-song bridge, something that’s a staple of any decent power ballad. It compares closely to a Mr. Big ballad, particularly the vocals, in which Ed Terry seems to be channeling Eric Martin.

Finally, “Hummingbird” is a mainstream, crossover-capable rock song supported by a more modestly-implemented guitar line. Though Keith Slack’s vocals are of the big-time progressive rock soaring variety, in some of the softer spots and with some very specific phrasing, his voice also reminds me of country artist Jay Taylor, who I reviewed in the Blog a few years ago. I can’t decide if the song is structured more like Southern rock or laid-back California rock. And with all of those disparate comparisons in mind, it’s almost certainly the non-pigeonholeableness of “Hummingbird” that attracts me to this, my favorite song on the album. The broad range of surface-level influences could expand this song’s fan base beyond that of the rest of the disc; plus it’s just a way-catchy, fun, kinda laid-back, rockin’ tune.

Following “Hummingbird,” the back side of the disc is all-instrumental.

Kicking off the instrumentals, “Astro Man” and “Breaking Through” are funky, a little bluesy, and lean progressive. “In Too Deep” has a more straight-ahead, classic rock rhythm, though it’s still chock-full of Vinnie’s nimble guitar runs. “Rocket,” which follows, brings back a little of the funk, steering it toward more of a sidewinding hard rock vibe.

Penultimate track “One Day” is my favorite of the instrumental numbers. It seems to play more in the open spaces, sporting a guitar tone and tempo akin to “River Flow.”

“Southern Highway” closes the disc, and while I may be influenced by the song’s title, that’s exactly what it sounds like, a laid-back traveling song along a pleasant highway journey. A journey filled with Vinnie Moore’s dazzlingly tuneful guitarwork, obvs.

If you enjoy guitar-driven rock featuring intricate axework that spans – or, more aptly, dances along – the classic-progressive rock divide, then you probably already know Vinnie Moore. But if you don’t – or if you didn’t know about this release – then you should give this album a listen.

Looking Ahead

Vinnie is currently on a European tour that runs through October 7th. Check out the “tour” page of Vinnie’s website for dates and locations of his upcoming shows.

Single Reviews: Animal Logic – “Can You Tell Me” and “Ordinary”

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Animal Logic

photo courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Single Reviews of Animal Logic: “Can You Tell Me” and “Ordinary”

You may recall Animal Logic from more than 30 years ago. In 1989, the combination of jazz bassist Stanley Clarke, ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland, and singer-songwriter Deborah Holland released their first album, the self-titled Animal Logic. Animal Logic II followed in 1991 before the trio split. Fast-forward to late 2022 and the group released two new singles, “Can You Tell Me” and “Ordinary,” which were the culmination of collaboration, idea-sharing, and file-sharing that began back in in 2013.

Animal Logic – "Can You Tell Me"

image courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Not to bias you from the outset, but the first of these two singles, “Can You Tell Me,” is my clear personal favorite. (OK, yes, I did mean to bias you.) “Can You Tell Me” is exactly the sort of song you’d expect to hear in a speakeasy. It’s a song that would fit perfectly on the Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League’s album, Masquerade, that I reviewed here six years ago. A smoothly-plucked jazz bassline, stylistically appropriate, groovy accompanying skinswork, and some well-placed wind from guest harmonica player Howard Levy (from Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) supports Deborah Holland’s timeless, well-enunciated crooning to channel the vibes of a cozy, smoky jazz joint.

Animal Logic – "Ordinary"

image courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

From the opening notes of “Ordinary,” you can tell that these two singles, while simultaneously released, share little sonically. “Ordinary” is more of a folky pop number, with a listing of crises that’s uncomfortably reminiscent of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Granted, “Ordinary” focuses on current situations, but the phrasing – and seeming need to fit just one too many events into the lyrics, especially early on – comes off as a little too self-congratulatory in the “oh, aren’t we so aware of the issues” sort of way. Songs that contain these sorts of lists need to walk a fine line, and “Ordinary” comes off on the self-indulgent side of that line. Musically, it bops along with nifty flourishes, well-coordinated builds to simultaneous musical and lyrical climaxes, and the neat juxtaposition of a cheerful melody with a depressing topic. Ordinarily, I’d really dig all those details, but man, I’d love a rewrite to make the onslaught of referenced tragedies a little less dense. I’ll give ’em an “A” for effort, and given the A-list talent involved, definitely decide for yourself – my only complaint with this otherwise-exceptional song may be more of a pet peeve than a universal truth.

Of course, if you only listen to one of the songs, I’d recommend “Can You Tell Me.” It’s really cool. And I’m psyched to have some new Animal Logic music to listen to, more than three decades after Animal Logic II. Here’s hoping this trio will be inspired to collaborate even more in the not-too-distant future.

 

EP Review: Axminster – Tightrope

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Axminster

photo courtesy of Axminster

The Backstory

Back in the early ’90s, when I was getting my start as a music journalist in Boston, Steve Sera was the frontman for the band Wildside, one of the best melodic hard rock bands in Boston at the time. I covered a few Wildside shows and reviewed the band’s EP Sheet Music. Before Wildside, Steve was in the band Axminster. Well, in the decades since I write about Wildside, Axminster reformed. Axminster’s lineup consists of Benny Fiorentino (guitar, vocals), Steve Sera (vocals, guitar), Danny Callan (bass, vocals), and Xanon Xicay (drums); the band devotes a page of its website to a tribute to its late drummer Mike “Maddog” Lamm.

EP Review of Axminster: Tightrope

What you’ll hear on Axminster‘s Tightrope EP is classic hard rock, delivered with enthusiasm, fully embracing the playful bluesy rock influence that has underpinned the sounds and styles of many of the best melodic hard rock bands for decades.

Axminster – Tightrope

image courtesy of Axminster

Like so many classic hard rock albums, Tightrope kicks off with a show of power on “Broken Nails.” Going all-in on intensity, Axminster establishes its hard rock street cred with this opening track. The song surges mostly straight-ahead but features a little sidewinding axework, offering a glimpse into the band’s more expansive capabilities, in a way foreshadowing the breadth of influences yet to come on Tightrope.

The second track, “Down to the Bone,” is my personal favorite. It leans into its funky rhythm early on, drives continually toward its catchy, memorable, raucously singalongable chorus, and closes with a repetitive push toward close that’ll have you singing the echo of the “cuts right” lyric. You know, in my early days on the Boston hard rock beat, this city was known for its funky metal – well, one local band, in particular. Axminster may be channeling some of that vibe here on this song but wisely resists going full-on Extreme. The result is a catchy original that’s undeniably stylistically Axminster.

“Kids These Days” follows, driving home Axminster’s musical philosophy that straight-ahead rock doesn’t need to steer itself in a straight line. Better yet, there’s some variance to draw the listener in, a chance to show off vocal skills, and room for some well-placed guitar runs. It’s as if this song is a rock ‘n roll master class from some knowledgeable veterans sharing their tricks with the kids these days.

“Tightrope” is a guitar-driven rock number whose axework could be better described as playful than shredding, with Fiorentino’s guitarwork meshing with Sera’s vocal phrasing to provide a lighter vibe to an otherwise heavy rocking song.

“Put Ya Money” has a vocal line that surges and ebbs with the beat that, like so much of this EP, leaves room for some impressive guitarwork, particularly late in the song.

Finally, “Trippin'” comes out aggressively. And, though I’ve tried to avoid making the comparison, this song forces me to succumb. Indeed, particularly on the back half of this EP and most of all on this song, the songwriting, thumping rhythms, and vocal delivery remind me quite a bit of classic Y&T. Sera seems to channel Dave Meniketti during “Trippin'” more than he does anywhere else on this EP, and it results in a frenetically entertaining EP-ending number – quite clearly my second-favorite song in this collection.

More Recently

Axminster was nominated (and is a finalist) for the New England Music Awards in the “Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Act of the Year” category. Voting for the New England Music Awards runs through October 1st.

Looking Ahead

Per this Facebook post, Axminster is teasing a new EP, Bada Boom!, “coming soon.” I can’t wait!

 

 

Album Review: Zach Phillips – Goddaughters

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Zach Phillips

photo courtesy of Zach Phillips

Album Review of Zach Phillips: Goddaughters

A couple years ago, I reviewed Zach Phillips’ The Wine of Youth. Well, the soft rock singer-songwriter is back with his latest release, Goddaughters.

I really like Zach Phillips‘ sound. It’s a breath of fresh air. Well-crafted songs with a familiar but entirely original sound, typically with a lot more rock ‘n roll infused into the music than seems apparent ay first glance. It’s always (by “always,” I mean “twice so far”) a pleasure to review one of his albums; it’s fun to peel the onions that are his songs.

On Goddaughters, Zach kicks things off with a wall-of-sound instrumental opener, “Cassiopeia,” quickly establishing his rock ‘n roll street cred, something a song-driven rock artist needs to do from time to time, lest his listeners confuse him with a singer-songwriter of the folkier variety.

The introductory instrumental flows into an energetic, richly instrumented mid-tempo ditty, “Worshipers,” that settles neatly within Zach high-ish vocal range.

Zach Phillips – Goddaughters

image courtesy of Zach Phillips

With Zach’s rockin’ roots clearly established, the third track, “New Star,” is ethereal, though it’s really more soft psychedelic rock than anything else.

“Harmony Grove” follows, opening with distorted axework, leading to a catchy whitebread-funky rhythm and an almost country-rootsy vibe. The result of this really cool amalgam is a catchy seventies rock-styled number.

“Psychics” carries a similar vibe but with more organ and – eventually, after a long lead-in – its very own faster tempo. How do I describe this sound, found in spades on “Psychics,” but also here and there throughout Goddaughters? Acid rock on valium, but not quite that mellow, I suppose.

The song “Goddaughters” rides in on an organ, but the opening vocals are supported just as much by the acoustic guitar-picking. As with the rest of the disc, Zach’s rich vocals, which require the sort of full production treatment they receive, carry the day. Well, that and the songwriting. Lyrically, Zach’s ode to goddaughters is tentpoled by the line “Goddaughters don’t ask for anything but get everything.” Well-selected to serve as the album’s title track, it’s one that’ll stick with you.

Next up, “Curses” is a song with a rhythmic engine that gets things moving again. After swaying your way through it, with its hooky rhythm guitar and the predictably recurring appearance of a heavier background riff carrying you along, you’ll find yourself stopping and saying to yourself, “Wait, that song was called ‘Curses.’ Why did its tempo make me smile?”

The quality of the songs remains high throughout the rest of the disc, though I’m at risk of reusing too many adjectives and descriptive phrases if I review each in depth, so I’ll zip through them: “The Hour When I First Believed” is driven by a steady rhythm and Zach’s soaring vocals; “Courtesy of a True God” is a crunchier number with a steady, plodding tempo, a Tom Petty guitar sound and song structure, and a mid-’80s Talking Heads vibe; “The Big Mountain” blends a soaring, expansive sound with a playful, minimalist guitar riff that’s one of the most memorable on the album; and “Ocean of Song” opens briefly, if you listen closely (and only if you really want to hear it), with an acoustically strummed Judas Priest “Living After Midnight” riff that recurs with the chorus. You may not hear that riff the way I do, but you’ll definitely appreciate the energy of the instruments and the hint of an edge in Zach’s voice in a couple spots during “Ocean of Song.” It’s a powerful penultimate track, building toward the end almost right up to the closing fade.

Zach closes the disc by completing the circle, with the instrumental “Cassiopeia in the Stars” harkening back to the opening track.

As a whole, the album is pleasant, energetic, and joyful. It’s a great mood-lifting disc. It’s not too loud, but it’s a rock ‘n roll record – or roots rock, if you prefer, since that’s where Zach is typically categorized. A great voice. Well-written songs. Terrific arrangements and recordings. And several songs capable of being memorable takeaways, specifically depending on each listener’s personal preference. My two personal favorites are “Harmony Grove” and “Curses,” though others, like “Goddaughters,” “Worshipers,” and “The Big Mountain” leave me with just as big an impact in the moment, particularly in the context of a full album listen. I’d be curious to hear which songs are other listeners’ personal standouts because I’m sure they’ll differ from mine.

Additionally

There’s a little bit (but not a lot) of extra info about Zach at his website. You can also follow Zach on Instagram or Threads.

Single Review: Simon Scardanelli – “Fish Out of Water”

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Simon Scardanelli – Fish Out of Water

cover artwork by Bettina Rombout; image courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

Single Review of Simon Scardanelli: “Fish Out of Water”

Multi-talented singer-songwriter Simon Scardanelli recently released “Fish Out of Water,” an eclectic, storytelling-styled, sea shanty-rhythmed romp. I picture the coast of Ireland, a troubadour dressed like a sea captain in an ill-fitting costume, with a scruffy beard, regaling a small dockside audience that sways along to the song’s rises and falls. Then again, I can also picture the song being performed in front of a swaying bunch of drunks at a neighborhood tavern, so this mostly just proves that I have an odd and vivid imagination.

Lyrically, the song is a master class in discouragement, full of clever turns of phrase, something you can dependably expect from a Simon Scardanelli release.

Simon Scardanelli

photo by David Myers; photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

Liner Notes

The song was originally penned by Scardanelli from his Lower East Side apartment in New York City in 1993. An acoustic version of the song was released in 2005 on Simon’s HOBOHEMIA album. A 2011 recording of the song failed to meet with Simon’s approval and was never released. However, Simon recently returned to that 2011 version, added flute, violin, and accordion, and with those addition, this fully-instrumented version was released late last year.

Looking Ahead

Simon has a few upcoming live performances currently scheduled. If you’re in France, you can catch him on Friday, September 29 at Maman Poule in Trélevern, on Saturday, October 14 at l’île-aux-oiseaux in Guern, and Saturday, November 18 Ty Gavroche in Saint-Brieuc. For more information on these shows and future gigs, as they’re added, visit the “Concerts” page of Simon’s website.

Album Review: Ghosts of Sunset – No Saints in the City

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Ghosts of Sunset

photo courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Album Review of Ghosts of Sunset: No Saints in the City

Melodic hard rock with fast-paced guitars, high-pitched sidewinding vocals, and a hard-pounding rhythm section. Ghosts of Sunset are a feel-good rock ‘n roll band whose comfortably familiar but uniquely original sound would be equally well-suited to a dive bar or an arena stage.

Song-by-song, here’s what you’ll find on this cohesive-yet-diverse album, No Saints in the City.

The record kicks immediately into overdrive, opening with “Tonight,” the kind of gettin’-pumped-up-for-a-night-out anthem that’s a great table-setter for any hard rock album.

Ghosts of Sunset – No Saints in the City

image courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Next up is my personal favorite song in the collection, the title track “No Saints in the City.” The guitar hook reminds me of Sleeze Beez’s “Stranger Than Paradise” (an underrated rocker from melodic hard rock’s heyday), but that’s where that comparison ends. The steady beat, the slow builds toward the chorus… this is a total crank-it-up rock song!

“Look Me Up” keeps the energy high as the band’s lyrical content remains focused on the untrustworthy, dirty city streets, driving the song with some recurring hooks and energetic late-song axework.

Next, Ghosts of Sunset slows things down with “If You’re Not Coming Back” because what good is rock album without a ballad? Of course, you can count on this band not to serve up any old standard heartbreak ballad. This one’s dark and gritty.

A faster tempo returns briefly with “Queen of Used to Be” before the band slows things back down with the Skid Row-reminiscent ballad “Love Ain’t Enough.”

Ghosts of Sunset

photo courtesy of Head First Entertainment

“Bastard of the Bowery” brings a new vibe – a stripped-down, funky rawness – to the mix.

“Puzzled Heart” follows, with a modern spin on the classic psychedelic sixties/seventies rock sound.

Softer, more lightly instrumented, melodic “Tonight You’re Okay” stands out for its airier touch. It’s a tuneful track that’ll become a quick favorite, easily justifying its inclusion among its heavier album-mates.

“Us Against Them” is a chunky rocker that returns to a seedier storyline before the album closes with the heavy, gravelly-vocalled ballad “Something to Believe.”

You’ll feel the power of the songwriting on No Saints in the City perhaps even more than you’ll feel the power of its rhythm section. Ghosts of Sunset is definitely a band you need to check out – a unique voice even in a crowded classic-based melodic hard rock market – and No Saints in the City is an album you owe it to yourself to test-drive.

Liner Notes

Ghosts of Sunset are John Merchant (ex-Dutch Henry frontman) and multi-instrumentalist Todd Long (ex-The Verve Pipe). However, for the lead guitar parts on most of the songs on No Saints in the City, the duo tabbed a parade of top rock ‘n roll axemen. Guest guitarists include Scotty Griffin (Riley’s LA Guns) on “Tonight,” Alex Kane (Life Sex & Death and Enuff Z’Nuff) on “No Saints in the City,” Eric Jayk (Wildstreet) on “Look Me Up,” Mark Tremalgia (Little Caesar) on “If You’re Not Coming Back” and “Something to Believe,” Denny Smith (The Great Affairs) on “Queen of Used to Be,” Lou Musa (The Verve Pipe) on “Love Ain’t Enough,” Mark Knight (ex-Bang Tango) on “Bastards of the Bowery,” James Stevenson (Gene Loves Jezebel) on “Puzzled Heart,” and Loren Molinare (Little Caesar) on “Us Against Them.” Merchant provided all of the axework on “Tonight You’re Okay” himself; so hey, that means one of my favorites on the disc was sans guest shredder.

More Recently

Since the release of No Saints in the City, Ghosts of Sunset released another album, Breathe, in March of this year. The band also has a YouTube video for  “Afterthought,” one of the songs from Breathe.

Single Review: The Baby Breaks – “Dopamine”

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The Baby Breaks

photo courtesy of The Baby Breaks

Single Review of The Baby Breaks: “Dopamine”

Aussie alt-rockers The Baby Breaks serve up a catchy number with potential mainstream crossover appeal with “Dopamine.” Stylistically, on this track, the band showcases a loose, raw sound, with a lot of instrumental interference intruding upon the primary melody. Intentionally so, of course, to create a “party-in-a-song” delivery style. That party-band style arrangement – and the presence of a horn – give “Dopamine” a bit of a ska-meets-college rock vibe. This song itself sounds like something you might hear at a Los Goutos concert here in Boston. (Hey, maybe a great double-bill if The Baby Breaks tour out this way one day.)

Regardless, “Dopamine” is a playful, fun number. I’d recommend giving it a listen and exploring a little deeper into The Baby Breaks’ song catalog, as well.

More Recently

Since the release of “Dopamine” in 2021, The Baby Breaks have dropped three more songs on Spotify – “Carousel of One” in 2022 and “Think” and “St. Lennies Blues” in 2023 – with “St. Lennies Blues” sporting a release date of just earlier this month. That most recent release sports a full-on semi-psychedelic wall of sound, by the way, so don’t necessarily think that everything you’ll hear from The Baby Breaks sounds like “Dopamine.”

Looking Ahead

I don’t see any upcoming shows listed for The Baby Breaks, but you can keep an eye on the “Events” tab of their Facebook account for future gigs as they’re scheduled.

Album Review: Samantha Preis – Through Fog

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Samantha Preis

photo courtesy of Samantha Preis

Album Review of Samantha Preis: Through Fog

If you’re a longtime reader of the Blog, you know how much I love Samantha Preis’ prior full-length release, Good News. That was a mostly piano-based release that featured Samantha’s skills as a jazz vocalist. Those same rich, crisp vocals with their penchant for well-placed thin wispiness are back, but on Through Fog, they’re accompanied by acoustic guitar, serving up a different musical palette.

The quality and attention to detail on Through Fog, guided by Samantha Preis‘ steady, precise vocals, provide a quality listening experience beginning to end. The songs are pleasant to listen to, but they’re subtle and complex, and it takes a few listens for favorites to emerge.

Album Cover: Samantha Preis – Through Fog

image courtesy of Samantha Preis

Throughout the disc, listeners are treated to Samantha’s deeply emotional vocals, with pacing, vocal emphasis, and cadence delivering an enthralling, deeply moving listening experience, with the guitar picking and strumming serving as melancholy accompaniment. Much of the content, lyrically, is quite heavy, though I’ve not gone into great detail in the review; I’ll leave that for you to experience during your first listen.

The music and singing are enthralling, making Through Fog a satisfying beginning-to-end listen. And favorites develop, especially after multiple listens.

Opener “The Gun and the Gold” is one such song, a developing favorite, with Samantha’s “wo-oah, wo-oah, wo-oah” providing engaging vocal bridges.

Next up, “Romance,” deftly utilizes that old jazz vocalist’s trick of changing tempo with almost every word, placing emphasis where it deserves, blurring the line between speaking and singing very tunefully. Notice – and you won’t be able to avoid noticing – the pattern of the “making eyes” section of the song.

“Mexico Sun,” which follows, is mostly soft and meandering, lyrically deep and thoughtful, with a well-placed musical storminess in a couple of spots as both the guitar and vocals intensify before trailing off again, providing an emotional journey that seems to let off musically right where it started. Stylistically, “Men I Don’t Recognize” kind of does the same thing, though with a very different vibe, darker and quite a bit more haunting.

“Crow” is a bit thicker instrumentally and more vocally insistent and varied than the norm on Through Fog, with strings providing well-placed emphasis, as this song extends the dark, heavy nature of this portion of the album. In the context of this musically low-key song collection, this is what passes for cranking up the volume.

On “Spaceship,” Samantha goes a bit more singer-songwritery than usual, with verbal picture-painting, thoughtful musings, and some cool, almost seventies-ish “oo-ooh” vocalizations. Where much of the rest of the disc might be introspective, somewhat experimental vocal jazz, this is clearly meant for a quiet room full of people, almost to the point that you expect to a few random claps from listening room patrons who simply can’t help themselves as the song comes to a close.

“Decorate Ourselves” has a little richer music bed, with the vocals taking a bit more of a starring role, staccato at times, playing the role of percussion at those times in particular.

“The Goodnight Song” rises and falls like the waves, guided by rhythmic strumming and vocal peaks and valley, suggesting a new, very mellow take on a drinking song, featuring – and closing with – “and we’ll meet further on down the road.”

Piano makes its appearance as the featured – and only – instrument on final track “Fleur de Lisa,” a melancholy, purely instrumental epilogue to an album that’s surprisingly emotional and powerful for such a quiet, calm collection of songs.

My three personal favorites on this disc – if I were to listen to them individually – are probably “The Gun and the Gold,” “Romance,” and “Spaceship.” However, I’d recommend taking in the entire album in one sitting. Samantha Preis has a powerful journey for you on Through Fog. It would be a shame miss any parts of the experience.

Looking Ahead

Samantha doesn’t have any upcoming shows scheduled at the moment, but when she does, you’ll find them here on the “tour” page of her website. You can also be a part of Samantha’s musical journey by becoming a member (shouldn’t it be “patron”?) at her Patreon page.

Single Review: Leah Belle Faser – “Trash Talk”

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Leah Belle Faser

photo courtesy of Michael J. Media Group

Single Review of Leah Belle Faser: “Trash Talk”

Leah Belle Faser is going to be one of your favorite country music artists. I already suggested as much in my review of her Hermi’s Bridge EP in 2021. Well, it’s still true.

This fun, catchy single is just more proof. With “Trash Talk,” Leah delivers an energetic pop-country number with a message targeted squarely at young adults who are buried in dating life. And she delivers it with an attitude and a phrasing very Taylor Swift-like. I mean, it’s pure, unadulterated Leah Belle Faser, with her easily identifiable voice and cadence, but she’d definitely fit on a T-Swift-heavy playlist.

Leah Belle Faser – "Trash Talk"

image courtesy of Michael J. Media Group

Digging deeper, Leah’s delivery of the phrase “un-laaa-dy-liiike,” punching the syllables so they jump off the record, is one of the many small details that sets Leah apart from other up-and-comers.

As for the song itself, in very Swift-like fashion, “Trash Talk” obliterates a former beau. And if this is really autobiographical, all I can say to the object of this character assassination is, dude, this may be exaggerated, and it may be unfair, but if there’s even a hint of truth to it, you’d better hope your name never gets out because you’ll be undateable, and deservedly so. Man, these lyrics are scorchin’. Of course, if the song isn’t autobiographical, well, then Leah sure delivers it as if she means it.

If you’ve not yet heard Leah Belle Faser sing, you’re missing out. Hermi’s Bridge was a great EP, and this song, despite its scathing review of an ex-boyfriend, is light, clever, catchy, and memorably delivered.

More Recently

Since “Trash Talk” came out in 2022, there are several more recent videos on Leah’s YouTube page. Slow, swaying crooner “Because” is Leah’s most recent single. And in-between “Trash Talk” and “Because,” it appears Leah released “If He Was a Truck,” a clever, slow-ish but lively-voiced, slide guitar-drenched number. And if you do explore the YouTube channel (rather than Spotify), you’ll find some nice recent covers, too.

Looking Ahead

Leah’s next show is Saturday, September 16th, delivering an acoustic opening set for LeAnn Rimes in Douglasville, GA. After that, she has a lot more performances scheduled around Georgia over the next few months (plus February, July, and September 2024 dates booked at the Chateau Meichtry Family Vineyard and Winery). Outside Georgia (and returning to 2023), she has a Nashville show scheduled on October 18th. Click here for more information and to see additional performance dates as they’re added.

Leah also checks in regularly on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, so if you follow here on one or more of those platforms, you’ll always know what she’s up to.