Tag Archives: Single Review

Single Review: Battlemode – “Game Over”

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photo by Astro; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Review of Battlemode: “Game Over”

Boston’s chiptune gurus were at it again last summer. Shortly after I reviewed the band’s singles “Playlist” and “Just Pretend,” the trio dropped equally-hooky “Game Over,” which I’m reviewing today, because when a song’s this catchy, I can’t let you – anyone who reads the blog – miss hearing about it (and enjoying it). I assume if you saw my review last year you’ve been following these guys and have been keeping up with their music, but what if you haven’t been? Or what if you were so busy – let’s say, on your classic Game Boy, for example – that you totally missed the last review? I’mma rectify that right now.

cover art by Narvicto DeJesus; image courtesy of Knyvet

Battlemode is comprised of Biff (vocals, violin, keyboard, aerophone), Astro (vocals, Game Boy), and Sam Mulligan (vocals, guitar). And these dudes are chiptune maestros.

Like its predecessors, “Game Over” is an infectious, dancefloor-ready, electronic-based, hook-laden earworm. In this song, a steady, punchy rhythm, classic recurring supporting electro-riff, and a floaty, atmospheric musical background support a digital-sounding chorus fed by a distorted first verse and a fast-spoken, not-quite-rap second verse. But the key to “Game Over” – as was the case with “Playlist” and “Just Pretend” – is simple: It’s memorable and fun to listen to. It’ll get you bouncing to its energy all the way up to it’s all-too-abrupt end at 2:00. And do you know what that means? Yeah, it ends too soon, so you’re gonna have to play it again.

More Recently

Proof that I can’t possibly keep up with these guys’ prolific output, there have been several releases since “Game Over.” Battlemode also dropped “NVR KNOW” and “Sw33ttooth” later in 2025, followed by the EP DON’T PANIC!, which counts “Sw33ttooth” as one of its three tracks, earlier this year.

Single Review: Ariana Colletti – “6am”

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photo courtesy of Now Hear This, Inc.

Single Review of Ariana Colletti – “6am”

Ariana Colletti‘s “6am” is a sleepy, dreamy pop song with a hint of anxiety. Singer-songwriter Ariana Colletti’s voice is sweet, enjoyable, yet still conveys an uneasiness.

“6am” is an ode to overthinkers, noting in the chorus “It’s crazy how in the middle of the night, the darkness shines and the world goes quiet. The beauty in the silence.” However, for me at least, the payoff lyrics come toward the end, twice-repeated with some intervening thoughts, “So I’ll lay here and think about everything we’ve ever said or done until I finally see the sun.” That’d be the very opening lyric, “6am.” Oh, sure, it seems like I’ve given up a fair bit by sharing those lyrics, but that’s just tip of the iceberg. The rest of the lyrics are so very detailed and cool.

image courtesy of Now Hear This, Inc.

Of course, lyrics alone aren’t what makes a song classic, interesting, a welcome addition to your playlist. No, it’s the music and the delivery. Ariana’s vocals are critical, with their tunefulness and their edgy, barely-holding-it-together-at-times emotion – a rare capability that reminds me of one thing I found so special about Sophia Ward’s vocals (probably in part because she was also responsible for her own lyrics), both during Sophia’s work as a solo artist and previously during her work with TOS.

The music, too, is critical. It starts sparsely, leaving the listener to focus on the vocals, slowly adding instrumentation before reaching full production level with the opening chorus. From there, though the path isn’t linear, the song builds throughout. By the end, it’s a powerful wave, matching the song’s passion, with an almost orchestral full instrumentation before stripping back for the song’s last, short verse, leaving the final, emotional vocals to stand nearly on their own, with just sparse piano accompaniment.

More Recently

Since the release of “6am,” Ariana has released “Don’t Mess It Up,” showcasing her versatility by revealing a more energetic alt-pop tempo and a more playful delivery.

Single Review: Natalie Joly – “In Time”

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image courtesy of Natalie Joly

Single Review of Natalie Joly: “In Time”

Regular Blog readers are aware of the talents of rock/country singer-songwriter Natalie Joly. Well, she only keeps getting better. Of course, Natalie’s gravelly, rich vocals still crack oh-so-engagingly during the emotional spots. And on “In Time,” there are plenty of those! This is a smooth ballad – perfect for a country slow dance and reminiscent for me in emotion and tempo of what I might expect from the Garth Brookses of the country world, full of power and painful reminiscence. So what did I mean about getting better? Well, I’ve always enjoyed Natalie’s songwriting, but “In Time” levels up in terms of word and phrase choice, which result in a similar level-up of emotion.

Have you given this song a listen yet? Once you do, if you didn’t know before, oh my god, what a voice, am I right? The moment you hear it, you know it’s Natalie!

Keep an eye out for new releases by Mrs. Natalie Joly Labo! (Her Spotify account, at least, appears to be transitioning to her married name, so if you can’t find her under one name, try the other.) In addition, you can always see what Natalie’s up to on her socials, which you can find via her linktree.

Single Review: Flash Bangs – “Hide Away”

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photo courtesy of Cameron Carpenter on behalf of the Flash Bangs

Single Review of Flash Bangs: “Hide Away”

For those of you who enjoy power pop, have I got a song for you! Power pop is a style that was huge in the days of top 40 radio with its guitar-driven, hook-laden, broad-appeal style securing several spots on each week’s hit music charts. Fans might just call it rock ‘n roll without assigning it a subgenre, but a well-written and well-performed song in this subgenre, with its big, bright sound, energetic rhythms, and catchy beat, is almost impossible not to enjoy.

photo courtesy of Cameron Carpenter on behalf of the Flash Bangs

Well, with “Hide Away,” the Flash Bangs have delivered a great addition to this perpetually engaging subgenre. Launched as a side project of George Westerholm (George Westerholm And The Wild Wild Cats), James Clark (The James Clark Institute), and Sean Ryan (Mr. Miyagi), this Toronto-based trio’s 2025 debut self-titled EP opens with the single, “Hide Away.”

On “Hide Away,” the wryness of Westerholm’s vocals and the rough-edged nature of his vocals combine well with Clark’s sometimes-steady, sometimes-aggressive drumming and the nifty touches yet steadiness of Ryan’s bass work to deliver a timeless rock song that’ll bring you energy and smile every time you hear it, all the way through its final instrumental crash then fade-out. “Hide Away” also sports an old-school, throwback-style music video, which you might enjoy watching on YouTube.

Single Review: Wilson Mercy – “Piece of Your Heart”

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image courtesy of Ki Talent Collective

Single Review of Wilson Mercy: “Piece of Your Heart”

Do you like energetic, seemingly-danceable pop music with a steady, catchy beat, engaging background musical flourishes, and top-shelf lead vocals? Of course you do. We all do. Upon first impression, Wilson Mercy‘s “Piece of Your Heart” seems like it’s dancefloor-ready, but the beat isn’t really fast enough to be suited to that purpose. Rather, it’s the sort of song that’ll quickly have you nodding rhythmically to the beat when you’re out in a club (but not on the dancefloor). And tapping your hands on the steering wheel when driving, well-suited to radio-play. (But hey, if you’ve got cool songs like this on your personal playlist, who needs the radio?) Or on the seat in front of you when on public transit. (So be careful in that situation.) I imagine over time you’ll learn the lead vocal line, but initially you’ll be able to sing along with the background vocals like “I, I, I wanna” and leave the lead to Wilson, whose voice is smooth but with an insistent edge, a necessary component for catchy pop music of this ilk.

This song has been pitched to me as “alternative pop,” but it’s no more alternative than someone like Rick Astley would have been back in his, with the only exception being that there was a lot more pop music on the radio back then. In that sense, I suppose, most old-school-style pop music is alternative. But hey, this is right-down-the-middle pop music for folks who appreciate catchy songs, engaging drum-driven rhythms, strong vocals, and well-written songs. Basically, most music fans. So check it out!

More Wilson Mercy

“Piece of Your Heart” was appeared on Wilson Mercy’s summer 2025 album, Digital Litter. To keep up with the latest from Wilson, be sure to follow him on Instagram or TikTok.

EP Review: John Gerard – Close to the Sun

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photo by Emily Joy Ashman; photo courtesy of John Gerard

EP Review of John Gerard: Close to the Sun

Close to the Sun is a 2-song EP released by Boston-based John Gerard. John’s electric guitar-driven singer-songwriter sensibility is the sort that could appeal to folk, pop, and rock fans alike, providing a broad swath of potential fans from which to draw.

John’s guitar picking and strumming is relatively barebones on the title track, “Close to the Sun,” and even the supporting sound bed is sparse, highlighting his emotional, somewhat anguished rock-style vocal wails, particularly prominent whenever the song’s energy peaks. It’s a song that’s a source of slight inspiration; it seems to acknowledge the listeners exhaustion while helping encourage “the strength to carry on.”

cover photo by Liz McGee; image courtesy of John Gerard

Second track (B side?) “Fold” builds upon the style, sound, and message of the first track. It’s still a slow-tempoed, introspective number, but the energy peaks more energetically than the title track did, and the song’s lyrical message and vocal delivery are more insistent and determined, as embodied the the song’s lyric “all the strength I’ll ever need has always been inside of me.”

More Recently

The two cool songs on John Gerard’s Close to the Sun EP are a strong introduction to his enjoyable, broad-appeal musical stylings, but they’re no longer John’s most recent releases, and his newer tracks show other sides of his song-delivery skills, so they’re worth digging into if you want a broader picture of this talented singer-songwriter. Last fall, John released a sentimental strummer entitled “New England,” and early this year, he dropped a single entitled “Drag Racing,” which is a nifty Mellencamp-ish nostalgic number.

Single Review: Jon Chesbro – “Choices”

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photo by PostFix Media/Zach Haberern; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Review of Jon Chesbro: “Choices”

Maine singer-songwriter Jon Chesbro released “Choices” last spring, but as I always say, if you haven’t heard it, it’s new to you. And lucky you because you get to enjoy this kickass, kinda psychedelic and spacey, introspective guitar-pop song with fresh ears.

cover photo by PostFix Media/Zach Haberern; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Choices” soars and crashes, while the vocals are inward-looking and self-examining, stylistically a little sonically detached and echoey. The tempo plods relatively slowly, but that almost feels like a slow build that sets the stage for a soaring musical liftoff during the song’s final one-third. In any case, it’s a really cool listen, enjoyable for multiple consecutive spins, if you’re so inclined.

On “Choices,” Chesbro (vocals, guitar) is joined by Robert Countie (bass), Akiba Davis (keyboards, organ), and Don Schweihofer (drums).

photo by PostFix Media/Zach Haberern; photo courtesy of Knyvet

More Recently

Since the release of “Choices,” Chesbro has dropped “One Last Dance” and “One Last Dance (Acoustic Version)” on Spotify, and earlier this year, Jon dropped a 5-song EP, Parts Bin Vol. 1, on Bandcamp.

Looking Ahead

To keep up with the latest from Jon Chesbro, follow his social media accounts at Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

Single Review: The Mucks – “Need Your Love”

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photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Review of The Mucks: “Need Your Love” (Flip Flop Records)

“Need Your Love” is a broad-appeal, alt-influence, guitar-based rock and roll song that carries anguished energy from beginning to end, embedded in lead vocalist’s Michael Dunn’s tunefully pained wail. Dunn is joined in The Mucks by Kieran King (bass), Conor McGuire (guitar), Scott Johnson (guitar, vocals), and Max Kendrick (drums, vocals).

image courtesy of BJF Media

The jangly guitar is key to the mainstream-friendly alt-rock vibe of “Need Your Love,” resulting in a song that’s well-suited to the college rock scene but carries all the elements of a tune with crossover appeal. The subject matter that’s so aptly captured by the lyrics is the realization of the weakening of a long-distance relationship. It’s delivered poignantly and on-point – both musically and vocally – to the extent that it’s likely to resonate with a broad swath of potential listeners. However, even if the subject matter doesn’t elicit memories of a personal experience, this raw, emotional, guitar-rich single is sure to strike a chord with mid-tempo rock fans.

photo courtesy of BJF Media

Looking Ahead

It seems that The Mucks’ future is uncertain. Last summer, a few months after this single dropped, the band shared these Instagram posts: first, announcing that the band taking an indefinite break; then, highlighting a parting of ways with a band member. If you dig this song – and it’s a great song! – you may want to follow The Mucks on Facebook or Instagram in order to be connected with the band if/when they reemerge.

Single Review: Orianthi – “Attention”

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image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Single Review of Orianthi: “Attention” (Woodward Avenue Records)

Last summer, Orianthi released her Some Kind of Feeling album. I previously reviewed a couple of the earlier single releases from that album – “First Time Blues” and “Some Kind of Feeling.” Well, a few weeks before the album’s release, Orianthi dropped another single, “Attention,” which I’ll review here.

Of course, with any Orianthi release, you can count on some kickass guitar. And, as I’ve grown to expect, some monster hooks on the singles. “Attention” is an uptempo, insistent, catchy guitar pop-rocker with the nifty vocal “You’re so predictable, you do it every time. Drunk-checkin’ on me in the middle of the night. You know, you know, you know what you pull me through. You just want attention; I’m done thinkin’ bout you.” That’s just some cool – and singalong-able – lyrics!

If you listened to the Orianthi songs I reviewed last year, then you’ll know what to expect when I say “Attention” has the pop-rock sensibilities of “Some Kind of Feeling” and the coolness of “First Time Blues,” wrapped up in an uptempo classic guitar pop-rock package. I really dig this song, and if you like guitar, pop-rock, and/or cool, hooky songs, you’ll enjoy “Attention” as much as I do.

Single Reviews: The Chelsea Curve’s 2025 singles

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photo by Trebmal Photography; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of The Chelsea Curve: “Jamie C’mon (Andy Lewis Remix)”/”Hey Sah-Lo-Ney,” “Kindawanna,” “Never Come Down,” and “Rally ‘Round”

The Chelsea Curve is an award-winning Boston-area rock band whose style is a Brit rock-inspired blend of hook-laden pop, alt-rock, and groove-rock, delivered with a punk-ish attitude. The band calls itself “retro mod pop,” and whatever that means, it sounds accurate. The trio that comprise The Chelsea Curve are Linda Pardee (bass, vocals), Tim Gillis (guitars, vocals), and Bruce Caporal (drums). The band released several singles in 2025, covering a lot of stylistic real estate within its corner of rock ‘n roll, all in the uniquely original style that makes the outfit such a consistent draw and an original artistic beacon on the regional music scene.

cover design by Linda Pardee; image courtesy of Knyvet

Back in May, The Chelsea Curve released the double A-side 7-inch single “Jamie C’mon (Andy Lewis Remix)” and “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney,” two energetic songs that typify what you might call swing alt-rock, combining groovy, sixties-inspired distorted guitar riffs with a more modern rock edginess. The first of the two songs, “Jamie C’mon,” was previously released as a single in 2022. This remix is rough-edged and carries its tempo forward as if attacking the listener – enjoyable, but at the same time it sort of feels unsafe not to like it. Fortunately, it’s a fun groove that starts strong and then grows stronger with each subsequent listen, so fear not.

cover design by Linda Pardee; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Hey Sah-Lo-Ney,” meanwhile, is an amped-up cover of Mickey Lee Lane’s surfin’-and-swingin’ 1965 rocker. Of course, The Chelsea Curve updates the sound and produces a cleaner, more modern-ear-friendly rendition that’s surprisingly similar to the original. Regardless, it’s a fun song with a time-warp factor, and I had never heard the original (or any of its previous covers) before, so to me, it’s just a cool new song.

cover design by Linda Pardee; image courtesy of Knyvet

In July, The Chelsea Curve released another fun, raw, swinging rocker with a more summertime theme, “Kindawanna.” It’s a fun, fast-paced, rough-edged, radio-friendly rocker that’s over so quickly, thanks in part to its breakneck speed, leaving just the lyric “Kindawanna have a bottle of Prosecco with you! Kindawanna ride around on your Lambretta with you! I Kindawanna be your everything!” I’m already looking forward to next summer when I can roll down the windows and crank this one while cruisin’ the boulevard.

The Chelsea Curve hits a similarly thumping beat on its August release, “Never Come Down.” The tempo’s just a hair slower, and the guitar swirl a bit more substantial, throwing off a strong vocal-harmony, alt-rock vibe.

cover design by Linda Pardee; image courtesy of Knyvet

The band’s fifth song released in 2025, “Rally ‘Round,” was part of The Sound Cove’s Super Sonic Showcase, Volume 1, a sampler released in October by singles-only record label The Sound Cove. “Rally ‘Round” was probably The Chelsea Curve’s poppiest 2025 release, with an updated spin on a pop-rock style that dominated the college rock scene back in the ’90s, yet again with that throwback ’60s-ish vibe. It’s a pleasant song with a rhythmic motor that keeps it moving in a moderately joyful way. Overall, the song is engaging and fun – another excellent addition to your Chelsea Curve music collection.

photo by Reuben; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Of these five songs, I think “Never Come Down” would be my favorite if only “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney” weren’t such a damn memorable earworm. Really, though, this way-too-cool Boston outfit simply treated us to four kickass singles in 2025. Yes, they released five songs, but one release was a two-sided single, so that’s four singles. Regardless, if you’re seeking cool pop-rock that’s a little edgy, check out The Chelsea Curve’s catchy collection of 2025 single releases. I hope they have some more cool tunes in store for us in 2026.

To keep up with the latest from The Chelsea Curve, see the band’s linktree.